Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Through two preseason games, the 2026-2027 Celtics look like the 2020-2021 bull market. It didn’t matter what you bought — it was going to the moon. Bitcoin, Dogecoin, gold, Tesla, it didn’t matter; everyone thought they had found the infinite money glitch. That’s what the Boston Celtics feel like two preseason games in. Jayson Tatum, Baylor Scheierman, Dillon Mitchell…everyone is playing wonderful basketball. 

Now bear with me as I keep making barely sensical financial metaphors about this season’s Boston Celtics. 

The Bitcoin Bros:

Celtics fans know these names. The chaos wing contingent of Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Dillon Mitchell are foundational to how this era of the Celtics wants to play basketball. Mash people on the offensive glass, move the ball, play with pace, and make life for opposing offenses a living hell. Celtics fans are like Bitcoin investors in the early 2010s: no one thinks internet gold is anything but a scam, or, in this case, the rest of the league is dubious that a tsunami of late-round draft picks is coming to terrorize the league. 

They showed last season that they can impact winning and over two preseason games, these chaos agents appear to have levelled up. It shouldn’t surprise anyone, given their work ethic, age and tenure in the league.

This is before we mention rookies Dillon Mitchell and Chris Cenac Jr. It’s hard to envision a path for Mitchell to earn playing time with the glut of aforementioned chaos agents of Baylor, Hugo and Walsh (and Ron Harper Jr.), but Mitchell is a special athlete. He combines his explosiveness with IQ and feel for the game that has been evident through two preseason games. Cenac’s ability to play the power forward of center position provide more pathways to playing time. I would expect the rangy big man to spend most of his rookie season with Maine, but it wouldn’t shock me to see Cenac flash a few times in the regular season. 

Blue Chippers:

Jayson Tatum is like Apple stock. It doesn’t seem like his stock can get any higher, but it does. I was already bullish on Tatum coming into this season and his 27 minutes of preseason action did not dissuade me. By Tatum’s own admission, he was around 80% when he returned mid-playoff push last year. He quickly reestablished himself as an All-NBA caliber player. With the rust already shaken off and a full offseason to build confidence in his body, I expect Tatum to regain his place on First Team All-NBA. In Tatum’s first preseason action, he was effortlessly dominant. An MVP award for Tatum is on the table. 

After last season, Derrick White’s ticker was in danger of falling out of the S&P 500. Despite one of the best shot-blocking regular seasons of all time for a guard, his dreadful playoff shooting has investors feeling uncomfortable. White’s preseason debut was rocky; early in the game, he clanked a few threes and turned the ball over a couple of times. The smooth-headed guard (I can say that because I am also smooth-headed), was able to rally as the game went on, impacting the game on both sides of the ball. It would really ease the concerns of fans to see him go on a hot shooting run to start this season. 

Backing Payton Pritchard’s NBA journey has felt like investing in a sleeper tech stock that sceptics wrote off as incapable of scaling. Only to watch it grow every year until it makes everyone who believed in it rich. While I’m not as bullish as some who think Payton Pritchard can become Jalen Brunson, I believe Pritchard will continue to develop into one of the league’s most potent weapons. Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard have been a lethal combination since entering the league. In over 4,000 minutes sharing the court together, Tatum and Pritchard have a net rating of +8.1. Pritchard is the perfect perimeter teammate for Tatum; he spaces the court out to the logo, and their screening actions are lethal, as the opponent who is tasked with guarding Pritchard typically has no prayer in guarding Tatum, so when they are in action together, it creates difficult choices for opposing defenses. In Pritchard’s limited preseason action, he looks ready to handle an even larger offensive burden. 

Precious Metals:

Apologies to Mike Conley and Paul George, but gold, silver, and all precious metals are clearly the NBA vets of the investment landscape. Gold is one of humanity’s oldest commodities. Reliable and necessary. NBA Champions require precious veterans. Al Horford, Alex Caruso, Andre Iguodala, the list is endless. Paul George and Mike Conley are here to steady the locker room and, in George’s case, perfectly complement Jayson Tatum. The theoretical fit of George, an elite shooter and defender who should seamlessly amplify Tatum’s scoring and playmaking, came to life instantly in their preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers. George’s willingness to buy into his new role as an ageing superstar will pay dividends this season. 

Reading too much into preseason can be dangerous. However, by my calculations, the 2026-2027 Boston Celtics are going to the moon. 

Why Jason Kidd won't count out Warriors as 2026-27 NBA championship contender originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Opinions about the potential of the 2026-27 Warriors tend to focus on their relatively fragile health, as the team will open the NBA season without as many as three impact players and, above all, their advanced age.

Superstar Stephen Curry is 38. Longtime sidekick Draymond Green is 36. Center Al Horford is 40. Jimmy Butler III is 37 and in the middle stage of recovery from ACL surgery. Gary Payton II will be 34 in December. Kristaps Porziņģis is 31 with a body about 10 years older.

The general belief is that Golden State’s season will be an exercise in futility.

Jason Kidd begs to differ. The Hall of Fame point guard and longtime NBA coach cites his own history with a Dallas Mavericks team thought to be too old to make a long postseason run yet won the 2011 NBA Finals.

“We were too old,” Kidd said, half joking, in an appearance on the “Dubs Talk” podcast.

The 2010-2011 Mavericks were led by Kidd, who turned 38 two months before the Finals. Sharpshooter Peja Stojaković turned 34 during the series, and Jason Terry turned 34 two months later.  Shawn Marion was 33, and the team’s best player, Dirk Nowitzki, turned 33 one week after the Finals. Seven Mavericks had at least 10 years of NBA experience. The trio of Nowitzki, Kidd and Terry, averaging 35 years of age, are the oldest core to win it all, taking a six-game series over a Miami squad featuring twenty-somethings LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The Warriors hope to enter the 2027 NBA playoffs with a core trio – Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green – averaging almost 38 years of age.

“When you look at the Warriors, wisdom is key,” Kidd said. “Incredible coach, one of the best coaches in the league, in Steve Kerr. And then you look at what Steph does each summer. … Everybody talks about his stats and what he does, but his preparation is done in the summer, and what he does, and the time that he spends on getting ready for this for the season is like no other.”

Center Tyson Chandler, 28, was the only Dallas starter under 32. Golden State’s core likely would be supported mostly by four players: Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg (24), guard Brandin Podziemski (23), guard De’Anthony Melton (29) and, if he’s able, Kristaps Porziņģis (31).

That Dallas-Miami series is why Kidd won’t dismiss the Warriors, especially if they are relatively healthy at the end of the 82-game regular season.

“Yeah, because you don’t want to see Steph,” Kidd said. “We all wonder how we can slow him down. How can we do something that he hasn’t seen? He’s seen it all. He’s not afraid of the moment. He’s a unicorn, an incredible unicorn, but an incredible human being.”

Curry will be managing “runner’s knee,” a malady that caused him to miss most of the second half of last season. His presence is crucial for earning a postseason berth, much less the Warriors making a significant playoff run.

Golden State’s postseason viability will be tested early, as Porziņģis will miss at least the first couple weeks and preseason star Lendeborg will be adjusting to regular-season intensity.

The most optimistic projection for Butler has him returning shortly after the holidays. It’s unlikely that Moses Moody, a valuable wing who can come off the bench or occasionally start, will return before the NBA All-Star break.

“The Warriors are going to be a team that people might not talk about,” Kidd said, “but I think at the end of the day, they can crack the playoffs.”

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The rules surrounding NBA team building are loose.

You’re supposed to commit to a “timeline”. The average age of your roster is supposed to be comparable.

The rules may be loose, but that’s not to say they’re arbitrary. Many teams have tried the whole “two timelines” thing, and few have succeeded.

The idea is that, by some kind of osmosis process, the veterans will usher the young guys into title contention, as if Amen Thompson can somehow absorb Kevin Durant’s shot-making ability. There are examples of the approach working, but they all feature MVP-level young talents, like the Spurs drafting Tim Duncan with David Robinson on the roster, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

So perhaps the conversation is circular. If Sengun were the Tim Duncan to Durant’s Robinson, the timeline issue becomes moot. Given the Rockets’ “lots of good young players, but none future MVP candidates” build, it’s fair to ask a question:

Could this team trade Durant?

Rockets should consider trading Durant if necessary

Rafael Stone has made a habit of trading two second-round picks for one second-round pick and Alpha Kaba so he can cut Kaba and generate a trade exception, or whatever, at the trade deadline.

It’s a good approach. Every year, Stone leaves Rockets fans disappointed because he didn’t make a blockbuster move, even though not making a blockbuster move is unequivocally better than making a bad move.

This year feels a bit different, doesn’t it? There’s some pressure after two consecutive first-round exits. The United States Ambassador to Italy is surely getting some ants in his pants. A major deadline deal feels more likely this year than it has in years past. If the Rockets aren’t, say, a top-3 seed by the deadline, it’s a looming possibility.

That’s going to mean one of two things. It’s going to mean reuniting Durant with Kyrie Irving, or pairing him with Karl-Anthony Towns, or some other superstar (side note: This summer was crazy, and all the best hypothetical trade targets got traded), or it’s going to mean trading Durant and resetting the timeline.

That feels like an awfully attractive proposition to me.

Imagine this: Duncan Robinson, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, and an unprotected future first for Durant. The Rockets’ young core will be fully substantiated by complementary players. They’ll have an elite movement shooter in Robinson, and a part-time stretch five to space the floor around Thompson in Collins. And, perhaps most importantly, the Rockets add an extra unprotected first to their war chest.

Let’s flashback. The year is 2020. The Rockets trade James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets to go play with Kevin Durant. They get no meaningful players (with apologies to Rodions Kurucs) in return. Instead, they get the most draft capital a team has ever received in an NBA trade.

Rafael Stone famously declares that his GM acumen should not be judged until 2030. Flash forward. It’s 2026 heading into 2027 in a few months. Stone’s self-imposed deadline is quickly approaching:

But he still has plenty of time.

My point? Why rush? The Rockets could flip Durant for role players and assets, draft as well as they can for a few more years, churn out the players that aren’t fitting, and see where they stand. There’s no win-now move that’s likely to put them in the title picture next year, so leaning further into the long game feels like the more sensible approach.

That might be pie you’re seeing in the sky. It’s at least equally likely that Tillman Fertitta won’t wait until 2030. Stone may be feeling the squeeze, and he may do the VanVleet, Capela and a pick for Irving thing just to maximize his odds of escaping the first round. Otherwise, three consecutive first-round exits could put his job in peril:

Those are the rules.

The Lakers’ preseason continues in Las Vegas with a rematch against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. The purple and gold look to nab their third exhibition victory.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors

When: 7 p.m. PT, Oct 13

Where: T-Mobile Arena

Watch:  NBA TV, Spectrum Sportsnet

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It’s the fourth game of the Lakers’ preseason stint, which means we’re literally nine days away from the team’s season opener, which will also be against Golden State. Tuesday’s game against the Warriors is the perfect teaser.

What’s also fair to hope for is that the Lakers don’t get outplayed and blown out by the Warriors, similar to what happened last week. Hopefully this time around, the key players for both teams suit up and treat this one like a dress rehearsal for the season opener.

After all, Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world and it would be a disservice if both California-based teams don’t put on a show.

For the Lakers, it would be nice to see Luka Dončić look like his usual self, much like he did in their recent win over the Sacramento Kings when he dropped 23 points in just 25 minutes. The same goes for Austin Reaves, who made his preseason debut in that game and understandably looked a little rusty. When these two are rolling, it’s harder to imagine a more entertaining Lakers team.

What’s also been fun to watch is how this squad is gradually coming together. It’s been a pleasant surprise and encouraging development to see their chemistry on the court taking shape, especially considering how much roster turnover the Lakers went through this offseason. The players seem to understand their roles alongside Dončić and Reaves and complement one another well.

Suddenly, it’s becoming clearer why head coach JJ Redick believes this is the first time in his Lakers tenure that the roster “actually fits together.”

That said, there’s still a lot of basketball to be played in order to prove that. For now, it’ll be interesting to see whether the Lakers can continue building on that early chemistry. While they do just that, it’ll be fascinating to see who continues to stand out, just like Sandro Mamukelashvili has in the preseason thus far.

Keep in mind that the Lakers are facing a Warriors team that may not be classified as contenders but still can be competitive. They’re more connected than the Lakers right now given their familiarity with each other and their system. They also have Stephen Curry on their side so appropriate fear is necessary.

Steve Kerr says he's leaning toward this starting lineup for Opening Night:

Stephen Curry
Brandin Podziemski
Gui Santos
Yaxel Lendeborg
Draymond Green

(via @DaltonJ_Johnson)

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) October 12, 2026

As has been the case throughout the preseason, the process matters more than the result. Still, it would be nice if the Lakers could keep the Warriors from gaining any extra confidence ahead of the season opener in nine days. If they don’t get the win, let’s see if they can at least put on a show in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Notes and Updates

• Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton have yet to play in any preseason game. Let’s see if that changes on Tuesday.
• We have an exciting new feature in our app this season. It’s easier than ever to chat in our game threads. Each game, this post will become a live chat and will be easy to find at the top of the Lakers community page, so be sure to download the app and give it a try this preseason.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

In three preseason games with the Knicks after signing a veteran minimum deal in the offseason, Andre Drummond has already shown he still has some left in the tank as he gets ready for his 15th season in the NBA.

Joining New York to be Karl-Anthony Towns’ backup at center following the departure of Mitchell Robinson, Drummond’s role figures to be limited but still important. After all, last year he averaged 19.5 minutes per game with the Philadelphia 76ers, his most since 2021-22.

On Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 33-year-old had four points, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 12 minutes off the bench, but it was beyond the stats that head coach Mike Brown found impressive with the backup center.

“The blocks are great, but I’m not a huge shot-blocking guy,” Brown admitted. “His communication right now is unbelievable. Usually your big is the one that sees everything out in front and so he’s usually your quarterback of your defense. A lot of bigs aren’t great talkers though. Like Draymond [Green] is one of the best in the league… and I thought Andre’s communication tonight – and it’s been good [so far] – but tonight it was off the charts.”

While Drummond’s vocalness on the floor didn’t lead to a Knicks win as they lost 122-104 (and, in fact, with Drummond on the court New York was outscored by nine points), it has Brown excited for the season.

“The blocks are good, him defending the pick-and-roll the right way, being big, there are a lot of good things that he did, but just watching him, and more importantly listening to him, man that got me really excited,” Brown said.

It’s no surprise that Drummond is a good communicator and unafraid to show it early on considering he’ll be on his seventh team when he debuts with the Knicks in the regular season.

Following seven and a half seasons with the Detroit Pistons to begin his career after being drafted No. 9 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, Drummond has been a hot commodity, getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and then the Los Angeles Lakers a year later. 

He then signed with the 76ers, was traded again to the Nets before spending two seasons with the Chicago Bulls and then landing in Philadelphia once again for two years.

The two-time All-Star is no longer the beast on the boards that he was for seven consecutive seasons, leading the league in total rebounds and offensive rebounds multiple times, but at 6-foot-11, Drummond continues to be a reliable big man that New York will lean on occasionally this season.

Behind him are players like Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet, two young players that aren’t exactly centers but are “long” and hope to take the next step in their development this season -- possibly behind the tutelage of a veteran like Drummond. 

In fact, Brown called both Diawara and Dadiet “eager learners” and wants to see them improve and impact the team this season.

“I thought [Dadiet] had a pretty good game. I thought he had a pretty good game the game before,” Brown said. “... Both [Dadiet and Diawara] are long, they’re obviously young and they’re talented and I’m gonna keep coaching them and they’re gonna keep getting better.”

WASHINGTON — After The Post reported that Mikel Brown Jr. would make his preseason debut Wednesday, the Nets rookie confirmed he’s set to finally suit up in Miami after missing the first three preseason games. 

“Yeah, I feel amazing. Very exciting, because I’ve been waiting and itching to play for the longest to this point,” Brown told The Post. “So I’m glad to see that all the work is paying off and just continuing to stay on it and remain healthy. 

“It’s very difficult, because you’re watching your teammates playing. You’re like, ‘I wanna be out there, I want to be playing with them.’ So to be able to finally scratch that itch and go out there and do what I do best, it means the world to me.” 

The No. 6 overall pick, Brown rolled his left ankle three weeks ago in practice. 

After missing wins over the Hornets and 76ers, Brown had been cleared to practice over the weekend. He went 5-on-5 before sitting out Monday’s win in Washington. 

Now, the Orlando native is finally slated to debut in his home state. 

“I’ve been attacking it every single day,” Brown told The Post. “Just to be able to go out there and play basketball again, it’s going to mean the world — especially back in Florida for me. I’m basically back home, so I’m going to enjoy it.” 

Brown will be on a minutes limit, but the Nets have rotated their players through the preseason anyway. 

Brooklyn will open the regular season on Oct. 21 at home vs. the Hornets. 

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The Nets improved to 3-0 in the preseason with a 131-122 win in Washington. 

Michael Porter Jr. scored a game-high 22 points, but more auspicious was Julius Randle’s playmaking and Nolan Traore’s controlled play. 

Randle handed out all of his game-high nine assists in a first-half playmaking clinic. 

“His ability to throw the ball on time on target to his teammates, it’s unbelievable. Nine assists in one half, not many players can do it… I think the only one I’ve seen is Nikola [Jokic],” said head coach Jordi Fernández. 

“[Fernández] is just using me in a lot of different ways, diversifying the way I can attack the defense, just getting more and more comfortable,” Randle said. “Once I get the hang of it and understand my reads and angles and how I want to attack it and just understand everything and what I like, it’s only going to continue to get better.” 

Traore put his speed to use, touching the paint and shooting 6-for-8 overall, 2-for-4 from deep. 

“Offensively he was elite. He touches the paint almost whenever he wants, and he’s been efficient,” Fernández said. “Just want to challenge him to improve defensively… but I know he’s tough and up for the challenge.” 

A Nets team that struggled to force turnovers last season is third so far this preseason, and the team has consistently turned them into fast break points.

The San Antonio Spurs did not look like the San Antonio Spurs when they rolled into Utah for a bout of preseason basketball — that should sound familiar to those who remember the twilight years of the Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili trio. Be it injuries or rest, the Jazz’s guests didn’t roll out their best for the Delta Center’s preseason crowd. No Spurs stars meant we didn’t get to witness the new-look Utah Jazz match up against the reigning Western Conference champions.

In total, San Antonio kept seven rotation-level contributors sidelined in SLC. The following players posted a DNP tonight:

• Victor Wembanyama
• Dylan Harper
• De’Aaron Fox
• Stephon Castle
• Tobias Harris
• Carter Bryant
• Devin Vassell

That’s really too bad, because the first half could have been a measuring stick for an upstart Jazz roster that hasn’t actively tried to field a competitive roster in four years. Instead, we’ll have to wait until the regular season for that visual demonstration.

Oh well, a controlling 119-109 win is an acceptable consolation prize. Utah moves to 2-1 in preseason play and lines up their fourth and final exhibition on the road in Phoenix on October 16th.

Utah Jazz vs San Antonio Spurs preseason game recap

Darryn Peterson’s second-half surge

Will Hardy played the youngest Jazz man for 24 minutes in this one, giving him some extra floor time (he was the only starter to see more than 19) to become accustomed to the NBA game. Hardy let Peterson loose for a similar burn in the second preseason game against Denver, where Peterson posted a statement 23 points in 30 minutes. He didn’t set the world ablaze with his 14 points tonight, but he flashed great patience for a prospect his age without losing his aggressive edge.

10 of those points came in the second half, connecting on 80% of his looks after opening just 1-for-5 in the first half.

This is a good time of the year to set expectations for Utah’s young rookie. Young guards’ output can be highly variable in their rookie seasons as they become familiar with the size, strength, and speed of NBA athletes. Even with this caveat, Peterson’s preseason production is very encouraging.

Darryn Peterson scored from all 3 levels in Q3 🔥

He's up to 14 PTS in preseason action! pic.twitter.com/hCl7hvK8sW

— NBA (@NBA) October 13, 2026

Utah’s new pieces are still meshing

The cogs have not meshed together in Utah’s grandfather clock, specifically when it comes to establishing chemistry with some of the newer members of the team.

Jaren Jackson Jr. performed great in his first-half playing time with 13 points in 18 minutes, though the majority of those points were self-created save for a catch-and-shoot three-ball on the wing.

The wires are still getting crossed with Jaxson Hayes, who got the start in place of the injured Jusuf Nurkic. Several lob attempts were airmailed or missed their delivery date with Hayes as the target. Collier tossed a lob into the open space, and it met no one — Hayes got caught up at the elbow. A few others were simply a second early or just off-target.

“We’re all just getting used to playing with each other,” Hayes admitted in his halftime interview.

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen screen-and-roll sets end awkwardly with Hayes as the target during the preseason; I’m optimistic that wrinkle will be ironed out over time.

Welcome back, Brice Sensabaugh

Did you feel that chill? From the moment you began your approach toward the Delta Center, or the moment your screen’s corners crept with frost? Those who knew the signs responded accordingly: Ice Brice was back in action.

And what we got was a very standard Sensabaugh outing. 11 points on 2-for-5 three-point shooting. 3 turnovers, and a pair of rebounds and assists for good measure. This is a major season for Sensabaugh, a player who did not sign a contract extension like his teammate and fellow classman, Keyonte George. It’s a prove-it year for the former Buckeye, and he remains an efficient and effective bench scoring option.

But how much do the Jazz value that type of contribution as they shift up a gear?

Behold, the Death Lineup

In the first half, we got to see a healthy sampling of what I affectionately refer to as the Utah Jazz “Death Lineup”. It’s all about putting the most talented players on the floor at the same time, and in Utah that list looks like this: Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr.

In theory, this lineup could be closing out critical games over the course of an 82-game regular season (and hopefully taking a few bites at the postseason apple). In practice, there are a few loose nuts and bolts to adjust before it’s ready to take on the world.

A Jaren Jackson Jr drive into Darryn Peterson flying around all over the place. The Jazz are going to be annoying to deal with in SLC. pic.twitter.com/F8LNTBRZdn

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) October 13, 2026

Offensively, this bunch is incredibly dynamic. Key, Ace, and DP flattened the gas pedal in transition and found a bunch of easy looks. Markkanen and JJJ ran an on-ball screen look with each other that led to a gorgeous mid-range jumper — that look will be challenging to defend for all 29 other teams in the NBA.

The preseason is an experimentation period, but what we’re seeing out of Utah promises to deliver a far more competitive player on the Western Conference board.

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Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.

Reggie Miller weighed in on the ongoing contract situation between the Knicks and star Karl-Anthony Towns, warning that their hopes of repeating as champions aren’t helped by the drama. 

“You hope behind closed doors the contract stuff doesn’t become an issue,” Miller said during an NBC media event in Stamford, according to Newsday.

He did commend the Knicks for having a “great chance of repeating” but warned that the Eastern Conference has gotten better and the Knicks have a bullseye on their back. 

The situation with Towns is also another burden to bear. 

The Knicks announced Friday that they were cutting off contract extension talks “until later in the season.” 

It was a move that was lauded by Miller as a way to limit the distractions near the start of the season, which begins Oct. 20 against the 76ers. 

“I like the Knicks coming out publicly and saying we’re going to table discussions until a later date,” Miller said. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to negotiate. It basically means you guys [media] can’t ask the players about their contract situation.”

Contract talks between the team and the player have started to take an acrimonious turn as the wide gap in negotiations has gone on. 

Towns is eligible for a four-year, $277 million extension, but The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported the Knicks have offered him a four-year deal worth roughly $200 million. 

“If they want to be successful and they want to have a chance to repeat,” Miller said, “you’re going to need a healthy KAT mentally. You don’t want him being a malcontent, worrying about his contract behind closed doors. Because when KAT is at his best and on board, they’re hard to beat. … I think a deal will get done. It’s going to be between the 200 and the 277 [million dollars]. So meet in the middle, sign it, and let’s move on.”

Towns had some pointed comments Sunday, saying that the Knicks ending contract talks was “news to me” and that he was “very disappointed, to say the least.”

The big man did try to assuage some concerns about his focus by telling reporters “there’s still business to be handled,” even though the off-the-court business was not dealt with. 

“After 53 years, we found a way to bring this trophy back to New York, and we intend for it to stay in New York,” Towns said.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan is set to host a fundraiser for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman at Madison Square Garden, the New York Post reported.

The fundraiser will take place ahead of the Knicks' preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 15, according to the Post.

An invitation published by the Post shows that tickets to attend the event start at $10,000.

Dolan is one of the biggest Republican donors in New York for the 2026 midterm cycle, according to Politico. Dolan, his company and family members donated $1.4 million to committees for Blakeman as well as millions into super PACs supporting the Republican candidate, Politico reported.

Blakeman is a longshot in the race for the governorship in the deep-blue state. A poll by Emerson College released on Oct. 8 has incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hocul leading the Nassau County executive by 12 points.

“James Dolan knows how to build businesses, create jobs, and win championships. I’m proud to have his support and his advice — and together, we’re ready to take on Kathy Hochul and deliver another win for all New Yorkers,” Blakeman said in a statement to the Post.

Blakeman was a guest in Dolan's suite when President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the only game in the series the Knicks lost in route to the NBA championship – the team's first title in 53 years.

Madison Square Garden hosted a large rally for then candidate Trump in the closing stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign.

USA TODAY has reached out to Madison Square Garden for comment.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Madison Square Garden to host GOP fundraiser ahead of Knicks game

The Knicks are still in search of their first preseason win after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night, 122-104, at Madison Square Garden.

Here are the takeaways...

-- New York has struggled to find its footing offensively so far in preseason and that continued against the Timberwolves with the Knicks shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range. Jalen Brunson led the charge with 20 points on 6-of-13 from the floor but was capped at 22 minutes along with the rest of the starting five.

-- OG Anunoby was right behind Brunson with 15 points (4-of-8) while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges combined for 20 on 6-for-12. Josh Hart had two points with three rebounds, three assists, a steal and two turnovers. His lone made basket gave New York its only lead of the night in the first quarter.

-- Beyond that, the Knicks gave extended minutes to a number of other players to see who might step up. Pacome Dadiet was first up and scored seven points in 14 minutes while going 2-for-3 from deep. Dadiet was the most efficient scorer among the reserves and knocking down threes is a good sign for young wing competing for minutes.

-- Andre Drummond was the first sub for Towns at the center position and the veteran had three blocks and four rebounds to show his potential value as a backup center following the loss of Mitchell Robinson. Overall the Knicks were outrebounded 39-28, despite nobody on Minnesota having more than five rebounds.

-- Entering the game in the final seven minutes with New York conceding, Tony Bradley made an impact by going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and grabbing two boards. Still, even he was a minus-1 on the floor as the entire Knick roster ended the game in minus territory. 

-- For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards had 26 points in a game-high 25 minutes and was hot from deep, going 5-for-8. Jaden McDaniels wasn't far behind him with 22 points on 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Overall, Minnesota shot over 50 percent from both the floor and three-point range, although it struggled from the free throw line (66.7 percent). 

Edwards and McDaniels alone combined to make more threes than the Knicks.

-- Ayo Dosunmu had himself a great game with a plus-13 rating in just 20 minutes but found himself in a confrontation with Anunoby after Dosunmu chased him down for a block attempt after the Timberwolves turned it over which resulted in a foul and a pair of hard falls. 

Game MVP: Anthony Edwards

He led all scorers with 26 points.

Highlights

Josh Hart with the tough bucket! https://t.co/Jzbv6j9lLS

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 12, 2026

OG with a stepback three over Gobert! https://t.co/BtUJPFaCCY

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 13, 2026

Pacome Dadiet 🎯 https://t.co/dGxrWnJjdT

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 13, 2026

GTA. Jose Alvarado steal and score! https://t.co/RlBCR4LsjQ

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 13, 2026

What's next

The Knicks play the second game of a back-to-back on Tuesday night when they travel to Toronto to take on the Raptors at 7 p.m.

Before tonight’s scrimmage, there was talk of coach Chris Finch resting his starters. Fat chance. Only Jonathan Kuminga sat tonight for the Minnesota Timberwolves (3-1), since everyone wants to play at Madison Square Garden, the grandest basketball stage in the world. Indeed, the visitors looked determined to announce themselves while the defending champs (0-3) still dragged their feet in the loss. Final score: 122-104

The Knicks set the tone for the night with Brunson and Towns missing badly from deep. They found a creadky rhythm soon after, with buckets from Hart and Bridges and a pair of steals. Meanwhile, the game gave us our first look at LaMelo Ball in Timberwolves blue. He finished the night with 10 points, seven dimes, and five giveaways in 22 minutes. Sounds about right.

LaMelo Ball has words for the Knicks bench after the 3. 🤣🔥 pic.twitter.com/wM8sGMmzUL

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 12, 2026

In the opening minutes, Brunson got hit with a flopping call when he stumbled from a shove by Gobert. Expect more of those calls this season, at least in the opening months. According to the telecast, NBA referees are utilizing a “STEM” criteria to evaluate potential flopping violations. The acronym stands for Secondary, Theatrical, Exaggerated, and Movement. So, officials are looking for secondary reactions that occur delayed and long after initial contact; theatrical (overly dramatic) performances; exaggerated physical responses that are misaligned with the actual force applied; and unnatural body movements (think arm flailing, karate-style leg kicks).

In Q1, Edwards had 11 points early, leading his team on a 7-0 run by the middle of the first period. After a timeout, the Knicks started clawing their way back. Around the four-minute mark, Deuce McBride and Andre Drummond checked in, and Deuce laced a triple, giving the crowd a rare moment to cheer about.

Deep in the quarter, Pacome Dadiet, Landry Shamet, and Jose Alvarado spelled the remaining starters. Over the final four minutes of the frame, New York managed just five points (a long shot by Dadiet, and a shake-and-bake kiss-off-the-glass shot by Drummond) while Minny went on a 9-5 run. Preseason basketball can get fairly sloppy, folks! Score after 12 minutes: 30-25, visitors.

To start the second, Grand Theft Alvarado picked Ball’s pocket on the inbound play and scored an easy layup. He picked off a Trey Lyles pass on the next possession, too, but missed the ensuing floater. Nice to see Jose in mid-season form. Drummond provided some protection behind him, blocking Ball and swatting a Lyles three for his third block of the game.

Landry Shamet had a rough stretch: he missed a three, lost the ball to Ayo Dosunmu ahead of a Jaden McDaniels layup, then had another three blocked by Dosunmu. He finished with two points in 12 minutes. Dadiet had a few nice moments and hit another three off a Tyler Kolek assist to cut Minnesota’s lead to 34–31.

McDaniels took over from there, scoring seven straight points as Minnesota extended its lead to 41–31. He also blocked Kolek’s drive during that run, while Kolek committed an out-of-bounds passing turnover. Mixed night for Tyler, who finished with four points and four assists in 11 minutes. Jordan Clarkson finally stopped Minnesota’s run with a three, but New York still trailed 41–34 when they called a timeout midway through the quarter.

Late in the quarter, Anunoby picked off a Dosunmu pass, and Ayo chased him down for a hard foul at the rim. It was a spicy moment, as Anunoby took exception to the aggression, but tensions cooled quickly. It’s preseason! OG delivered some highlights, finishing the half with 12 points and the night with 15.

OG Anunoby momentarily unhappy with the hard foul by Ayo Dosunmu in the preseason pic.twitter.com/P60ywlM9c2

— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) October 13, 2026

The Wolves were clearly motivated to show up the World Champs, and when Edwards hit a buzzer-beater for his 20th point, his team took a 62-50 lead into intermission. New York hadn’t played cohesively, as evidenced by the first-half stats. Minnesota shot 55% from the field and 10-of-16 from three, compared with New York’s 39% and 7-of-19 from deep. The Knicks also made just 8-of-19 inside the arc, and they dished only nine dimes. Not bueno. Despite eight steals, New York managed only two fast-break points to Minny’s 12. The villains outrebounded our heroes, 21–15.

ANTHONY EDWARDS FROM THE LOGO AT THE BUZZER. 🔥🔥🔥

Assist from LaMelo Ball. pic.twitter.com/f1VtvlqiUo

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 13, 2026

Whatever was discussed during halftime helped to turn their play around. Out of the break, the Knicks played with more focus and cooperation. Brunson turned it on, scoring 10 points through the first half of the period (he finished the night with 20 points in 22 minutes on 6-of-13 shooting).

After that, Mike Brown swapped out his starters with his team trailing 77-72. Mohamed Diawara got to make his first appearance of the game, and it was a shaky stretch. He fouled Dosunmu, who canned both free throws, then committed a traveling turnover on New York’s next possession. He grabbed a defensive rebound in the closing seconds but missed a three just before the buzzer, finishing the stretch with no points, one rebound, one turnover, and one foul. Minnesota went without a field goal over the final 3:18 but still carried a 90–80 lead into the fourth.

Drew Eubanks gave the Knicks some useful minutes early in the fourth. Alvarado did, too, hitting a jumper to cut the deficit to 90–82, but threes from Williams and Martin pushed it back to 14. Eubanks finished an Alvarado alley-oop and added a driving hook, then collected a steal before leaving at 7:10 with four points, a block, and a steal in the quarter. He looked pretty good for a third-string candidate. New York couldn’t string together enough stops, too, and watched their opponents score at will, stretching the margin to 103-86.

Tyler Kolek scored four points on a pull-up and a late driving layup, but missed a floater, a three, and the free throw that would have completed a three-point play. He also threw a pass that Pullin picked off, though he later found Tony Bradley for a layup. Bradley was the most productive of New York’s late substitutions, making all four of his shots for eight points and grabbing two rebounds. Also looked pretty good for a third-string candidate! Diawara collected two boards but continued to go scoreless, committed two turnovers, and picked up two fouls. While we’ve been focused on the guys fighting to make the team, we might be watching Diawara play himself off of it.

drew eubanks with the jam 🍇 pic.twitter.com/WlIpbJZ63t

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) October 13, 2026

Up Next

New York travels to Toronto to face the Barrett, Quickley, and the Raptors tomorrow. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

It’s only the preseason, but heading into Monday night, the Brooklyn Nets have given fans plenty to be encouraged by.

They opened with a dominant 124-90 win over the Charlotte Hornets before taking down a star-studded Philadelphia 76ers team, 114-108, on Thursday.

On Monday, the Nets traveled to Washington for their third preseason contest, taking on the Wizards and looking to build on their strong start. They did just that, leaving with a 131-122 win to improve to 3-0 in exhibition play.

With Day’Ron Sharpe and Michael Porter Jr. returning after missing Thursday due to injuries, the Nets’ starting five included Egor Dëmin, Keon Ellis, Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day’Ron Sharpe.

Here are a few takeaways from Monday’s victory.

3:58, 1Q – Brooklyn Nets 26, Washington Wizards 18

• MPJ is picking up right where he left off. In his return to the lineup after missing Thursday with left wrist soreness, Porter has 13 points on five-of-six shooting (83.3%) while knocking down two of his three attempts from deep (66.7%) in just seven minutes.
• Randle continues to impress as a facilitator early on. Across his first eight minutes, Randle tallied seven points, four assists, and zero turnovers. His ability to create opportunities for his teammates will be very important this season.
• The Nets’ frontcourt clicked early on. MPJ, Randle, and Sharpe combined for 23 of the Nets’ first 26 points. Sharpe even knocked down a three on Brooklyn’s first possession, which is encouraging for his offensive versatility as he enters a crucial season.

0:00, 1Q – Brooklyn Nets 35, Washington Wizards 33

• Brooklyn’s offense found success early. The Nets shot 60.9% from the field in the first quarter (14-of-23), and 45.5% from three (5-of-11).
• The Nets have also done a nice job of attacking inside, scoring 14 points in the paint compared to Washington’s eight. Generating points around the basket will be very important for the Nets this year, especially to complement their strong perimeter shooting.
• One area where Brooklyn got outmatched early on was on the glass, particularly on the offensive end. Washington grabbed five offensive boards compared to the Nets’ one. Especially with Sharpe on the court, one of the NBA’s most efficient offensive rebounders, it was an odd sight.

4:36, 2Q – Brooklyn Nets 57, Washington Wizards 52

• Nolan Traoré provided quite the spark off the bench, scoring 13 points on five-of-seven shooting (71.4%), including two threes, in just 10 minutes. He continues to make a case for a strong role in Fernández’s rotation, most likely as the squad’s backup point guard.
• Randle continued to impress as a playmaker, dishing out seven assists in only 11 minutes.
• Ellis continued his efficient offense this preseason, scoring seven points while drilling both of his three-point attempts in 11 minutes.

0:00, 2Q – Brooklyn Nets 73, Washington Wizards 72

• Entering halftime, defense certainly hasn’t been the story. Brooklyn and Washington combined for 145 points in the half, with both teams shooting 50% from deep.
• The Nets’ interior defense, one of their biggest question marks this season, didn’t have the most inspiring first half.

7:35, 3Q – Brooklyn Nets 78, Washington Wizards 82

• Brooklyn’s offense has cooled off coming out of halftime. After posting 73 first-half points, the Nets scored just five in the first 4:25 in the third quarter, allowing Washington to take a four-point lead.
• Dëmin has had a rough offensive outing, scoring just two points on one-of-six shooting (16.7%) while missing all four of his three-point tries in 19 minutes. His willingness to attack the basket on Thursday stood out, but tonight he has struggled with efficiency.
• Beyond his strong shooting, Porter has already made his presence felt on defense, recording two steals and a block in 20 minutes.

End of game – Brooklyn Nets 131, Washington Wizards 122

• Three games, three wins. Sure, it’s only the preseason, but there’s plenty to like about what Brooklyn has shown so far. The Nets shot 56.8% from the field, knocked down 17 threes, and scored 50 points in the paint. Overall, the offense looked quite encouraging.
• Noah Clowney deserves some love for his performance. After a relatively quiet first half, the 22-year-old finished with 15 points on five-of-eight shooting (62.5%), including four-of-six from three (66.7%). When Clowney gets going from the perimeter, he is a valuable piece. Finding that consistency, though, has been his struggle. This is his second straight solid preseason outing, though.
• Shout out to Grant Nelson. The seven-footer has played well in limited minutes, tonight scoring nine points in the fourth quarter. In the 8:51, the 24-year-old two-way also grabbed four boards, three offensive and shot 4-of-5, including 1-of-2 from deep.
• One concern worth mentioning is the turnovers. Brooklyn gave the ball away 18 times, including 10 in the second half. That could come with having a young team, but taking better care of the basketball will be crucial once the regular season rolls around.

Next Up

The Nets will wrap up their four-game preseason slate Wednesday night, traveling to Miami to face the Miami Heat. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, it is also expected to be the debut of No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr., who missed the team’s first three preseason games due to an ankle roll. He’s been working his way back and fully practiced over the weekend, while getting some run in 5-vs-5s Monday morning.

Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle) has advanced in his ramp up and been practicing fully over the weekend. The rookie went through 5-on-5 this morning, and – though he’ll sit out vs. the #Wizards – is expected to make his preseason debut Wednesday at the #Heat. #nets#nba

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 12, 2026

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 131, Washington Wizards 119 – NBA.com
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 131, Washington Wizards 119 (Video) – NBA.com

The Washington Wizards are no longer perfect in the preseason, falling to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in a 131-122 affair at Capital One Arena.

Defense was optional in the first half. The Nets shot nearly 60% from the field in the first two quarters, with both teams making exactly 50% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, and Kyshawn George combined for eight triples before the break.

George led the way with 18 points on 5-for-6 shooting. Coulibaly came out aggressive offensively, scoring 15 points on a 6-for-7 clip. Johnson connected on a logo triple off a behind-the-back pass from Trae Young, as is customary. The Wizards trailed 73-72 at the half.

FROM THE LOGO pic.twitter.com/rBoEOnr1um

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 13, 2026

AJ Dybantsa shook off a shaky start with a stellar third quarter. He connected on his first triple of the preseason, threw down a putback dunk that got the bench off their seats, and also finished off a pick-six for another jam.

AJ DYBANTSA‼️ pic.twitter.com/x0a5HQNotz

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 13, 2026

Trae Young seemed to be forcing things to close out the third. The All-Star guard gave up a few unforced turnovers, allowing Brooklyn to end the period on a 15-2 run. Washington entered the final quarter down 103-94.

The bench mob tried to work their magic again to end the game. Bub Carrington went off for 11 fourth-quarter points, but it wasn’t enough as Washington lost 131-122.

George paced the Wizards with 21 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals, while Coulibaly finished with 19 points on a 7-for-11 clip. Dybantsa and Carrington tallied 14 points apiece.

The Wizards close out their preseason slate Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.

It’s still preseason, isn’t it? Well, the regular season is here in a little over a week, and tonight’s game will be one of your last chances to see Jon Elmore in a Spurs uniform. You have to respect a guy who’s still chasing his dream of playing professional sports at 30, and I hope he gets at least a cup of coffee in the big leagues before he goes back to being a stockbroker or whatever his real career turns out to be.

The usual preseason disclaimers are in effect for tonight’s game. The starters are just in there for some early work and a bit of cardio before the bench squad and training camp bodies are subbed in and play of curious brand of summer league basketball in the fall. You just hope the starters can look good for a quarter or so and everyone stays healthy. Carter Bryant looks to have tweaked an ankle on Saturday night against the Suns, and probably won’t go tonight. It didn’t look all that serious, so hopefully he will be ready to go for the season opener against the Thunder on the 20th.

This game is on DAZN, so hook up your apps, or log in on your Smart TV. Let’s GO Spurs!!! For at least most of the first half.

Game Prediction:

John Elmore scores a career first double-double tonight, although it won’t be recorded as an official stat because preseason stats do not count.

San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz (Preseason)
October 12, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT
Streaming: DAZN, League Pass
TV: DAZN
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