The schedule won’t give the Knicks a break as New York visits the Celtics on Friday to fight old pal Mitch Robinson in Beantown.

New York’s off to a losing start to their title-defense season, and going against the also-winless Leprechauns won’t make things easier.

Here’s the latest from your beloved Knickerbockers.

pic.twitter.com/so6DpaQg4W

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Mike Brown

On Andre Drummond’s performance in the Knicks’ season opener against the 76ers:

“I thought he played with a lot of bounce, energy, in the first half on both ends of the floor. We probably ran him too long because it looked like in the second half, not just him but especially our five starters, it looked like he ran out of a little bit of gas. I gotta keep getting to know him to see where the minutes may lie for him to be effective. But I thought he was really, really, really good in the first half.”

On Mitchell Robinson signing with the Celtics and facing him on Friday:

“You’re excited for anybody that’s able to help their situation or family, in life, and Boston gave him a nice deal. And so, you want nothing but the best for him because you know him, and he’s a great, great, great dude. But you wanna beat him at the end of the day.

“So it’s gonna be exciting to see him because of the type of person he is and what we all went through together last year. But at the end of the day, we want to kick his [butt] like he probably wants to kick ours.”

On whether the Knicks might use the Hack-a-Mitch strategy against Mitchell Robinson:

“Me personally, I’ve always leaned more to do that come playoff time or later in the season where you’re really trying to gameplan and get certain games. Right now, I want to see if we can defend these guys with what our foundation is.

“If at some point throughout the course of the game it happens, it happens, but right now I’m just trying to think about communice, be physical without foul, no blow-bys, contest and finish every shot, ball pressure—trying to establish a foundation.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns needing to stop drawing unnecessary fouls:

“Some guys, I say, ‘go try to get fouled,’ Nah nah nah. KAT: You’re a freaking perennial All-Star. So just make the bucket, and if he happens to foul you, then great. When you do those types of [foul-baiting] things, it shortens your opportunities to pick up a foul when you’re boxing out or trying to get a rebound and stuff like that, so that’s the stuff we want to try to eliminate from his game.”

On Towns’ improvement with fouls last season:

“To his credit, he got better as [last] year went along. This is a new year, new team, new challenges.”

On allowing Towns to make mistakes while adjusting to the new season:

“I don’t want him to take 10 steps backwards, but if he takes a couple steps backwards and he’s gotta figure it out, I’m OK with it.”

“There was a three that he shot with Maxey closing out to him. He stuck his leg out. He’s a good enough player to where he doesn’t need to look for and/or try to draw the foul. Just make the basket.”

"I can't even really explain it. I got chills."

Andre Drummond talks about getting to play for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden: pic.twitter.com/msGT5yfHi8

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 21, 2026

Andre Drummond

On staying in the locker room during the Knicks’ championship ceremony:

“I feel like I gotta earn it. I don’t want to experience something that I wasn’t there for.

“I want to be able to experience that [celebration] because I was a part of it. I let those guys have their moment.”

On hearing Knicks fans chant his name at Madison Square Garden:

“It was pretty surreal. Just the energy of the arena, just because of how hard I was working, how hard I was playing, just to hear it, I can’t even really explain it. I got chills. Something you live for as a player, hearing the fans be behind you.

“This arena’s electric. Just doing hard work and aggressive plays gets the crowd going, so it gets me going too.”

On learning Mike Brown’s system and adjusting to his coaching style:

“I think it’s been fun for both of us because, obviously, yes, he’s still trying to get to know me and vice versa, I’m trying to get to know him as a coach. I think we surprise each other on a daily basis on the different things that I’m capable of doing as a player. And obviously, the way his coaching style is too, the freedom I have too, is a little bit different. It’s like a tug-and-pull every time we step on the floor with each other. … It’s cool to have the freedom to play the way I want to play, be able to use my experience and my veteran leadership to play the way I want to play but also play the way he wants me to.”

On feeling welcomed by his new Knicks teammates:

“This is a great team. Great core group. They’ve done a great job of incorporating me into the group and making me feel like I’m one of them.”

On being prepared to step in when Karl-Anthony Towns gets into foul trouble:

“I’m always ready when the moment comes. Obviously, we want KAT to play but whenever my number’s called, I always try to be prepared to go.”

"It's game one. It means literally nothing. We don't want to be the best version of ourselves game one – if we are, it's going to be a long season. A lot of mistakes that we have to learn from."

– Josh Hart on the Knicks starting 0-1 pic.twitter.com/yci2SHUofh

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Josh Hart

On the Knicks’ 0-1 start and the importance of learning from mistakes:

“It’s Game 1. It means literally nothing. We don’t want to be the best version of ourselves game one – if we are, it’s going to be a long season. A lot of mistakes that we have to learn from.”

On the emotional significance of the Knicks’ championship celebration:

“Something like that, it has a special place in your heart. Now, we’re happy that all of that’s over with and we can fully turn the page and focus on this year.”

On receiving his championship ring in front of Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden:

“It was super dope. A moment you dream of.”

On how the Knicks’ locker room has changed since Mitchell Robinson’s departure:

“It’s definitely different. Obviously that’s someone who’s had a big presence here, big presence in the locker room…No one else listens to country [music] but me, so that’s tough in the weight room. The lack of his presence is obviously felt a little bit. That’s why it’s a new team.”

On the Celtics potentially assigning Robinson to guard him:

“They cross match a lot, so I’m sure he’ll be guarding me, so can’t wait to shoot in that… When I make a couple, I’m gonna let him know.”

On what he expects from the Knicks going against Mitch:

“It’s gonna be the same thing. We’re still gonna be battling for rebounds.”

"I never want to put my team in that kind of position – I have to do a better job to make sure I'm available for my team"

– Karl-Anthony Towns https://t.co/Dd1pgIpaw9pic.twitter.com/7oDa0ABwgA

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns

On facing former Knicks teammate Mitchell Robinson and the Celtics:

“It’s bittersweet. You love Mitch — we’ve done so many historical things together here.

“To not see him in a Knicks jersey anymore…we’re a family unit. To not be able to have him with us on this journey after that amazing journey we went through is bittersweet.

“But it’s going to be amazing to be able to see our brother, hug him, show him some love and compete playing basketball like we love to do. We made each other better. He brought the best out of me, and I feel that I was able to bring the best out of him.

“Mitch was a big part of this team winning a championship and probably has the most important offensive rebound in Knicks history.”

On needing to avoid foul trouble and remain available for his teammates:

“All jokes have some truth to it, right? I never want to put my team in that kind of position — I have to do a better job, not only in the regular season but in the postseason, to make sure I’m available for my team.”

Mitchell Robinson on facing the Knicks tomorrow night:

"It doesn't matter that I'm playing my former team…it's basketball, it's a business. Got to play the team just like you play any other team." pic.twitter.com/4M3XHOjYak

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Mitchell Robinson

On facing the Knicks for the first time since signing with the Celtics:

“It doesn’t matter that I’m playing my former team. It’s more so just trying to bounce back from what happened two days ago. It’s basketball, it’s a business. Got to play the team just like you play any other team.”

On not watching the Knicks’ championship ring ceremony:

“I didn’t watch it. I mean, I was still stuck in my head (about the opening-day loss)… I’m proud of those guys. Obviously I was a part of it. Didn’t really want to watch it.”

On defending Jalen Brunson and approaching his former teammates like any other opponent:

“Just here to play basketball. Same thing I’ll do with any other team, same thing I’ll do with them. It’s just all about basketball.”

On using the Celtics’ season-opening loss as motivation:

“I use it as fuel, kinda have to. Last game we got demolished. As a big, can’t let that happen. I gotta take that on the chin and learn from it, watch the film, and get better, and just focus on the next one.”

LeBron on playing the Knicks on their ring night:

"It was a great night for New York fans…50+ years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn't won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget this moment, will never forget that… pic.twitter.com/bEPDJTSw25

— Oh No He Didn't 🤯 (@ohnohedidnt24) October 21, 2026

LeBron James

On witnessing the Knicks’ championship ceremony after experiencing a similar moment in Cleveland:

“It was a great night for New York fans. Obviously, it’s something… 50+ years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn’t won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget this moment, will never forget that championship run.

“We were happy that we were just able to come and play on such a historical night, a historical building, and play the game we love.”

On defending Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns:

“Obviously, KAT is very dangerous when he has space. Anytime JB is handling the ball with KAT popping, it creates a long closeout for guys trying to get to that shot.”

Melo is wondering what specific basketball SKILLSET has Victor Wembanyama worked on to further develop his game 🤔

“You can’t be 7 whatever and don’t have that [post] skillset … Back to the basket traditional right hook, left hook, did [Wemby] work on that enough to be… pic.twitter.com/VG26xVXjmc

— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) October 22, 2026

The home debut for LeBron James and Jaylen Brown was always going to be a memorable one. The Sixers made sure of that with their biggest comeback in the play-by-play era. They stormed back from 29 points down to fend off the Cleveland Cavaliers on national television.

Starting the second half down 24 points, the Sixers went full throttle for the final 24 minutes of the game, outscoring the Cavs 69-37 in the second half to secure the 114-106 victory. There were several runs needed to pull off the comeback, but the one that gave them their first lead of the night was a 15-0 stretch that lasted over five minutes.

A familiar sight in the form of a Joel Embiid heater initially gave them that one-point advantage, but as his minutes racked up, an even more familiar problem loomed. For his entire career, the Sixers have massively dropped their production when the big fella heads to the bench. Despite all the shiny new additions to the team, that fear feels as strong as ever seeing Adem Bona’s play through the first two games of the season.

Embiid had just given them the lead but after playing most of the second half and still six and a half minutes to go, Nick Nurse needed to give him a breather. With just a one-point lead the question became how will the Sixers survive these next couple minutes until they can get their full starting five back on the court?

All five guys on the floor stepped up, including Bona, who was finally able to swat a shot so hard it leaked all the way out to give Tyrese Maxey a fast break layup. The biggest answer to that question though, was Jaylen Brown.

Like just about every other Sixer, Brown had struggled most of the night to find his offensive footing. It seemed like the Cavs were able to prevent him from getting to his spots, not allowing him from getting into any type of rhythm.

After securing a rebound, Brown brought the ball up the floor and was finally able to hit a midrange pull-up jumper. On the next two possessions, he put his head down and got all the way to the rim. Brown’s surge put them up seven, where the Sixers were able to trade baskets for the next minute and a half, allowing Embiid and LeBron to check back into a game with that lead with only 3:32 to go. From there, the starters were able to grind out their second win of the season.

After the game, Nick Nurse was asked if the nature of the comeback meant he played his starters more minutes than he would have liked too. While Nurse acknowledged he let that group ride longer in the third because of the run, he was able to get those minutes back because of how well the group played with Embiid and James off the floor.

“We were getting ready to sub, and it’s like it’s not time to,” Nurse said, “’cause they’ve gotten like three consecutive stops and three consecutive scores. You got to let them play their next two possessions to see what happens, and I think they did it again, so we were able to buy another couple minutes before we brought LeBron and Joel back.”

Embiid and LeBron played 34 and 33 minutes, respectively. According to Nurse, that’s right about the number the team wants those guys at for the regular season.

While the backup center position may still need addressing, this fourth quarter was the proof of concept for this team. They are supposed to be stacked with enough star talent that someone else can take over for a few possessions while others catch a breather, and that’s exactly what Brown did.

As for Brown himself, he’s still figuring out when exactly to pick and choose his spots.

“It’s gonna take some time,” Brown said. “Just trying to earn trust from my teammates, earn trust from my coaching staff. I feel like I can make plays for my team. I’m a winning player. So, whatever it takes for us to win, that’s what I’m willing to do.”

For a group that is still very much learning each other, they’ve accomplished some cool things so far through two games.

The Dallas Mavericks have a lot of problems to solve in order to play at the best level for a whole game by the looks of it after game one against the Houston Rockets. Transition defense, turnovers, decision-making and better shot-quality, to name a few. 

New Mavs head coach Dusty May hit the nail on the head after the game, when he said:

“I thought we started playing a little too quickly, and shooting some shots, some semi-open shots, instead of getting possession back, making them work a little bit, finding some connection.”

Dusty May on what went wrong in the second quarter:

“It’s a make or miss game. I thought a lot of our looks were guys that we wanted the shots for. Once they went on a run, I thought we started playing a little too quickly.” pic.twitter.com/zvGiSN3Uqg

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) October 22, 2026

The Mavs forgot how to pass. They forgot that basketball is a team sport, and they made quite a few mistakes in that disastrous second quarter, which the Mavs lost 38-12. 

No, that’s not right. A couple players forgot that the Mavs are now a passing team. Who knows, maybe they’re worried about keeping their spot on the roster. Because they sure seemed to play for themselves. 

To no one’s surprise, that didn’t work. It didn’t work when P.J. Washington hoisted up one threepointer after another too early in the possession, at a point when the Mavs really needed to get settled and get the opponent to work to find the best look. 

And it didn’t work when the Mavs tried hard to run a play to get a good look, but Washington instead decided to go one-on-one on Kevin Durant. KEVIN DURANT. Which led to an offensive foul on Washington. 

Yes, I rewatched the second quarter so you don’t have to. And unfortunately, I had to watch Naji Marshall airball that three too early in the shot clock, as well. Not long after, Washington fires a (too) quick three, again, which misses. And then soon after, Marshall shoots another three, instead of passing until a better shot comes along, which he misses. All this with either generational talent Cooper Flagg or future Hall of Famer Kyrie Irving on the floor – or both!

This is not good enough. Dusty May is trying to create a winning culture in Dallas. If these guys keep playing for themselves, they need to either be benched or traded. On top of that, there’s the whole effort aspect, which includes Daniel Gafford, but that’s a topic for another day. 

There are a handful of players on that bench, who know how to play team ball. Who know how to pass, play together and find that connection, Dusty May is looking for. 

Whether these other guys – let’s maybe call them the old guard – aren’t buying in, or straight up don’t understand the idea, the Mavs would be better off playing whoever understands how to pass the ball. The sum of this team’s parts will create a much better whole than whatever this “me-me-me” offense was. 

Kyrie Irving did not want to mention names and pointed out a lack of effort. And Gafford certainly belongs there with the two already mentioned. Bad offensive decisions and poor effort on defense, that’ll take down any team.  

After the game, Kyrie Irving – always the team guy – did point out a positive from this. Adversity. 

“It was rough to go through, but I think we needed it,” the point guard said. “It was necessary for us to grow as a group.” 

To develop chemistry, you have to go through some adversity. But you don’t have to do it on purpose. 

Kyrie Irving was not to blame for this, he looked a bit rusty and not as sharp as he can be, but he’s been out for over a year. And the thing about Kyrie is that he doesn’t make bad decisions. 

“I gotta do a better job of leading us out. And just not necessarily playing so timid. Getting some shots up and aggressively attacking double teams,” he said. 

Kyrie Irving on the Mavs’ 2nd quarter:

“The effort, just horrendous. I don’t want to use that graphic word to negatively put it on just one person or even myself. We were horrendous defensively & when you score 12 points in an NBA game, give up 38…It’s going to look like that.” pic.twitter.com/PWFM31Ctz8

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) October 22, 2026

Kyrie will take accountability, and that’s a good thing as a leader. But it won’t solve the first issue. And he was rattledwhen they threw a double team at him in the second, he said. And it showed. 

“It surprised me a bit when Ime (Udoka, coach of the Houston Rockets) threw some double teams at me coming off those screens, which, you know, first game coming back.”

For the Mavericks to change this dynamic, the coaching staff should consider trying some lineups without the old guard. Benching players who don’t buy into a team philosophy is an old and well-tried tactic. And it works. 

The good news is that coach Dusty May seems to be the perfect guy to get this up and running. So let’s see what he has in store for us over the next few weeks. It really all comes down to the fact that if you’re a passing team, you have to play guys who know how to pass. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Sixers find a special level in wild comeback, give glimpse of ‘who we can be' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers seemed to be stunned into action Thursday night at Xfinity Mobiile Arena. 

Down 29 points in the second quarter and 24 at halftime, they rescued their home opener and pulled off a wild win over the Cavs. 

The nature of the comeback was perhaps most striking and encouraging with 80 games to go. The 2-0 Sixers transformed into a freight train, stringing together stops and overwhelming Cleveland in transition. LeBron James (17 points, 10 rebounds) was just one of the Sixers’ many menaces in the open floor. By the fourth quarter, the fact the Sixers almost had the lead felt more inevitable than miraculous. 

The team’s halftime dialogue was frank.

“I think it was clear,” Jaylen Brown said after a 21-point, eight-rebound night. “I think I said, ‘It’s a great opportunity for us to respond to adversity.’ There’s going to be ups and downs all year long. How we respond is going to be 80 percent of the battle. Being down 30, we could’ve been pointing fingers. We got after it, so I like that.”

The Sixers were not dependent on the flurry of long-range jumpers that fuel plenty of modern-day comebacks. Tyrese Maxey (32 points, six assists) was the lone Sixer to make multiple three-pointers in the game, going 2 for 7 beyond the arc. 

The team hasn’t shot well from three-point territory in either their opening-night victory against the Knicks or on Thursday. They’ve hit only 18 of their 68 threes (26.5 percent) so far.  Both wins have been largely about defense and accessing a lofty level in the second half.

“No shade to anyone that’s been here, but in the past a lot of people would’ve just laid down and tried to move on to the next one,” Joel Embiid said. “We’ve got the talent. I would like for us to not be in that position again in the first place. … That takes a lot of energy. But it was different. I said it after last game: It just feels different. We’ve just got to stay healthy and keep working with each other. 

“The crazy thing, looking at it, I think we only made three or four threes in that (second-half) run. It was all putting our heads down, getting stops, getting to the rim at will — everybody on the team. Defensively, picking up the ball. Usually, when teams make that type of comeback, it’s a bunch of threes.”

Maxey has been in the middle of nearly everything and appears on his typical trajectory of true year-over-year improvement. 

In addition to the speed, sensational shotmaking and ever-growing leadership, he’s nabbed five steals over the first two games and taken pride in playing high-pressure, high-effort defense on the ball. He picked James Harden up full court and even got into a mini-shoving match with his former teammate in the fourth quarter. 

“This is a very competitive group,” Maxey said. My only message (at halftime) was, ‘Well, it’s time to see what we’re made of. Are we going to be some frontrunners … and only be happy when stuff is good? Or when stuff is bad, are we going to fight and be resilient?’ We did that.”

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse believes Maxey has made “a confidence or maturity level jump.” He’s been pleased with the constant defensive progress, too. 

“He’s out there battling,” Nurse said. “Especially when it’s time to knuckle down and get a stop, he’s out there really playing.”

With all the stars surrounding him, Maxey’s backcourt mate will likely fly under the radar at times this season.

However, the elated home fans appreciated VJ Edgecombe’s work in the second half. The second-year guard received a big cheer when he stayed in the game with a bloody nose caused by James’ inadvertent elbow. Edgecombe chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. 

“I’m good, man,” Edgecombe said with a smile, gauze in his nostril. “I’m blessed. Thank God there’s nothing bad. But if there was, (James) can buy me a new nose.”

Edgecombe saw Thursday’s comeback as a glimpse of what the Sixers might become many months down the line. 

“We’re a new team, but at the end of the day, we have a goal we’re trying to accomplish,” he said. “That comes with storms we’re going to have to weather. … We’ve got to fight through a lot of adversity. 

“It looks good on paper with the names and everything, but we still have to go out there and play hard. I feel like that kind of showed a little bit … of what we are and who we can be.”

Kevin Garnett believes rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is first part of Warriors' rebuild originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg quickly is proving to be a vital player for the Warriors, guiding the team to an NBA Summer League title and scoring 12 points on opening night. The 2026 No. 11 overall pick’s early success is drawing attention, including from NBA legend Kevin Garnett.

“The kid from Michigan, I love him,” Garnett said on his KG: Certified podcast with Tony Allen and Zach Randolph. “I think he’s gonna be the first part of the rebuilding of having young pieces in there like y’all talking about and that kid actually. You can give him the ball and he can get some money, bro … he’s strong, and I don’t know if everybody understands. I think he’s a little older than everybody too.”

The Warriors have multiple aging superstars in Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and the front office needs to start thinking about the team’s future. Lendeborg could be at the very center of it.

“He’s a little more mature,” Garnett said. “He bounced around a little bit, but he’s a, he has a mature game. What they wanted with [James] Wiseman and [Jonathan] Kuminga, they’re getting with this kid because this kid has a throttle, but he’s low throttle. He doesn’t seem like he has an ego. He’s real college-y, meaning that he’s a kid, likes to, you know, play around, likes the uppity. Draymond is totally opposite. So to see him fall in line with the program and to learn, he ain’t complaining … He is fitting into the system. I just don’t know if it’s enough in the west.”

Have the Warriors found their young piece to build around? 👀

Yaxel Lendeborg isn't shying away from Luka Dončić or anybody else, and Kevin Garnett is taking notice.

KG CERTIFIED with Tony Allen & Zach Randolph is out now. pic.twitter.com/rCjtk3Wb0W

— KG: Certified (@kg_certified) October 22, 2026

Lendeborg, a focal point on Michigan’s national title-winning team in 2025-2026, made his debut in a Summer League game against the LA Lakers on July 3. He scored 19 points in the win and continued to play at a high level all summer long.

In the championship game, Lendeborg finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, winning MVP for the game and the entire Summer League. The then-23-year-old drew praise from head coach Steve Kerr for his efforts, deeming him the most NBA-ready rookie that he has coached in his career.

The Warriors face injury issues to start the season, with guard Brandin Podziemski missing opening night and forward/center Kristaps Porzingis’ future with the team uncertain because of a health issue. But Lendeborg playing at a high level all season will help Golden State feel those absences less.

Lendeborg and the Warriors look to bounce back from their opening night loss when the Memphis Grizzlies come to town Friday night.

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James Dolan is firmly cemented as one of the most reviled owners in sports, but even knowing the depths of his awfulness, nobody was prepared for the story that broke on Thursday night about how atrociously he treated Knicks employees.

When a team wins a championship it’s customary for an organization to give at least some employees championship rings as a token of gratitude for being the support staff of the team. The Seahawks gave football staffers full Super Bowl rings, the Carolina Hurricanes gave every team employee a ring — Dolan and the Knicks? They tricked workers with a scam instead.

An email went out in September to every Madison Square Garden employee, which was obtained by The Athletic. In it, the team seemingly promised everyone a ring — going so far as to ask for their customization preferences.

“(Employee name), this one is on the house. MSG is issuing a complimentary employee championship ring. The same jeweler, the same craftsmanship, personalized with your name. No cost to you.

There are two designs to choose from: Championship Gold and Garden Classic. Reserve the one you want below.”

Naturally, employees were excited. The problem was that this was a targeted scam, organized by Dolan. He asked for the emails to be sent to his workforce as a way to test which of his employees would fall for a phishing scam. It’s been reported that Dolan is growing increasingly paranoid about cybersecurity, which is fine — but trying to test this under the guise of giving his workers rings? That’s just gross.

Not only was there never a plan to give MSG employees rings, but anyone who did click on the link and tried to reserve their ring was instead put in compulsory cybersecurity training. When reached for comment the Knicks refused to discuss the ring situation with The Athletic.

Team employees work incredibly hard. Most are so consumed by their love of the job that, when the playoffs roll around — or, God willing, a finals run —they accept long hours, weekend work, and extra duties outside their typical responsibilities. This is why teams reward their staff with rings if a team finally breaks through, because while athletes are the ones responsible for winning, the organization as a whole would be nothing without the hundreds of people working behind the scenes, from marketing to equipment management, and beyond.

To make these people think they were getting noticed, and that something was being done for them — only to learn it was a rug pull plan to test them — it’s just disgusting. Shame on James Dolan for being such a paranoid, ludicrous cheapskate that he gleefully screw over his employees as a test.

Just an awful dude.

Before World Series festivities get underway, the Milwaukee Bucks have a crucial game against the Chicago Bulls. Why? Well, obviously they’ll be champing at the bit to rectify the mistakes they made two nights ago, but this is also the last game for a while where Milwaukee has a genuine 50-50 shot at winning. Look at the schedule after today’s game—it is scary. I’m sure Taylor Jenkins doesn’t want to start his first few weeks in the big chair without a win. Of course, these two teams met in the preseason, and the Bulls smacked the Bucks around, but basically none of Milwaukee’s starters played in that game, so who wins today is anyone’s guess.

The Task Ahead

Chicago is coming off a much worse loss than Milwaukee is, falling to the Raptors 135-92 on Wednesday night. Like the Bucks, the Bulls are in the first year of their full-blown rebuild, so they are also handing major responsibility to unproven youth. Case in point: fourth overall pick Caleb Wilson began his NBA career shooting 7/21 with nine—yes, nine—turnovers. The kid is getting to explore the studio space, and that will come with some major growing pains.

As for broader team-based tactics, the main thing the Bucks need to prepare for is the Bulls’ pace. Last year under Billy Donovan, Chicago had the third-fastest pace in the league. This year, despite the roster overhaul and coaching change, the Bulls still ran at a top-10 pace in the preseason. Josh Giddey is the engine behind it all due to his basketball IQ and ability to throw hit-ahead passes. Norman Powell, their key offseason signing, fits this style of play perfectly because he was a key part of the Miami Heat’s breakneck system last year. I mentioned Caleb Wilson’s struggles against a sturdy Raptors half-court defence; well, one area he thrives is transition (seriously, do not jump with Wilson). Long story short, if Milwaukee controls the pace by generating good shots and forcing Chicago to take the ball out of the net, they will give themselves every chance to win; if not, it could be a long night afternoon.

Injury Report

Bucks: (clean injury report)

Bulls:

• Nic Claxton: out (hamstring)
• Dailyn Swain: questionable (illness)
• Jordan Hawkins: questionable (illness)
• Josh Giddey: probable (wrist)
• Zach Collins: probable (quad)
• Tobe Awaka: probable (MCL)

Player to Watch

Leonard Miller. Seen as a “throw-in” when the Bulls traded Ayo Dosunmu to the Wolves, Miller exploded over the preseason, averaging 17.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.0 APG. Miller is a versatile, twitchy, athletic four/five who never really got a shot in Minnesota and is making the most of his chance in Chicago. But the even crazier stat is that Miller—who has always been maligned for his lack of shooting—made threes at 54.5% in the preseason. Milwaukee needs to be prepared for the 22-year-old; he can really play.

Projected Starters

Bucks	Position	Bulls
Ryan Rollins	PG	Josh Giddey
Tyler Herro	SG	Norman Powell
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	SF	Matas Buzelis
Kyle Kuzma	PF	Caleb Wilson
Myles Turner	C	Jalen Smith

Game Details

Who: Milwaukee Bucks (0-1) vs. Chicago (0-1).

When: 3:00 p.m. CDT.

Where: Fiserv Forum—Milwaukee, WI.

Watch: MY24.

Listen: Check local listings.

Prescient Prediction

Kel’el Ware bounces back. We know Anthony Davis dominated him physically two nights ago, but the Bulls have a much smaller front line, especially with Nic Claxton out. Thus, I predict Ware will impose himself today with deep seals, hard screens, and a tougher resolve overall. 15 and 12.

On Championship Night, the New York Knicks were honored at Madison Square Garden and received their long-awaited championship rings. However, the assistant coaches were handed empty boxes, creating the illusion that they had received their rings, The Athletic reported.

During the championship celebration, each Knicks player was individually presented with their ring in front of the crowd. The ceremony culminated with the team raising a new banner to commemorate their NBA title, which they secured by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games during the 2026 Finals.

This historic victory ended the franchise's 53-year championship drought.

The Athletic reported that assistant coaches were informed they would not receive their rings during the public ceremony, but instead at an unspecified later date.

Additionally, according to the report, many longtime Madison Square Garden employees would not be receiving rings, despite having previously received an email that asked them to select a "complimentary employee championship ring" design from a provided list.

These emails were part of a phishing test orchestrated by MSG to evaluate employees' cybersecurity awareness, according to the report, and those who clicked the links or responded to the email were subsequently required to attend a mandatory cybersecurity training session.

"We are not disclosing anything about the rings," an MSG Sports spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks assistants didn't get rings (yet), just empty boxes on opening night: Report

Every team in the NBA has made its debut in the 2026-27 season after the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers both played for the first time on Thursday night. The regular season is genuinely eternal with 82 games on the calendar for each franchise before the playoffs start, but it’s our right as sports fans to overreact to the first thing we see after the long summer layoff.

Some of these super trends aren’t going to last. Victor Wembanyama and Jayson Tatum were both terrible offensively in their season debuts, which put the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics at the bottom of their respective conferences. I think both will be just fine. Jaxson Hayes leads the NBA in blocks after notching six in his first game as a member of the Utah Jazz. It’s my job to cover the NBA, and I’ll admit I didn’t even know Hayes was on the Jazz this season.

My overreactions after last year’s first games had a few truth bombs when I wrote that Wembanyama was the best player in the world and the Knicks were the team to beat in the East. How will my early overreactions age this season? Let’s get into it.

Ty Jerome is making the All-Star team

TY JEROME WENT OFF IN MEMPHIS' WIN!

45 PTS (CAREER-HIGH)
7 REB
6 AST
5 3PM

MOST POINTS BY A GRIZZLIES PLAYER IN A SEASON OPENER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jugQasfscR

— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2026

I didn’t put Ty Jerome on my breakout list for this season because I felt like he broke out last year when he ranked as the 8th best player in the NBA in EPM. Well, Jerome only played 15 games last year, so he’s still going to catch a lot of people by surprise. Jerome absolutely toyed with a poor Utah Jazz defense in his season opener by bombing threes, hitting off-balance runners off the dribble, and spraying out passes to his play finishers. Jerome was absolutely deadly as a pick-and-roll handler, and Jazz had no answer for him. It’s not a stretch to say he’s one of the best shot-makers alive. The Grizzlies are going to be good, and Jerome legitimately could be one of the better guards in the West.

The Timberwolves will break the record for 3-point attempts

The 2024-25 Boston Celtics shattered the NBA record for most three-point attempts in a single season with 3,955, which equated to 48.23 attempts per game. In their season opener, the Minnesota Timberwolves launched 50 threes, making 21 of them (41 percent), to beat the Miami Heat in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut. This was always the vision behind Minnesota’s off-season trade for LaMelo Ball, putting two expert pull-up three-point shooters together in his pairing with Anthony Edwards to keep opponents in a dangerous guessing game all year. I’ve maintained that if any team can beat the Spurs or Thunder in a playoff series this year, it’s the Wolves. They’re just going to attack defenses in highly unconventional ways, and if they get hot in a short series, anything can happen.

The Bulls will be in the relegation zone

New Bulls lead executive Bryson Graham essentially said his team would be “Fun Bad” at media day, but there was nothing fun about Chicago’s 43-point loss to the Toronto Raptors to open the season. The Bulls are trying to turn rookie stud Caleb Wilson from an Amare Stoudemire or Shawn Kemp style play-finisher at the college level to a Paul George or Tracy McGrady style wing creator in the NBA, and there’s naturally going to be a lot of growing pains. Even if Wilson’s three-point shot is better than he showed at North Carolina, his ball handling is still very bad. The Bulls just don’t have much talent around him. Here’s how I put it on Twitter — and I don’t think there’s much else to say.

The Bulls can’t drive, can’t rebound, can’t force defensive takeaways, and can’t shoot. Other than that everything is great.

— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) October 22, 2026

Nickeil Alexander-Walker has another leap to take

Nickeil Alexander-Walker won NBA Most Improved Player last season as he went from a reserve on the Timberwolves to a starter on the Atlanta Hawks. I don’t think he’s done improving. The 28-year-old is the rare guard who provides on- and off-ball utility while also being above-average defensively. He’s only getting more comfortable picking his spots and hunting his own offense, and his biggest shot of the night in a win over the Orlando Magic came off a play that started with him setting a hard screen. NAW has the size and versatility that star guards are made of, and I think his career will only continue to keep trending up.

Damian Lillard won’t miss a beat coming off Achilles surgery

Dame STARRED in his Portland return!

25 PTS (game-high)
6 AST
6 3PM (game-high)

542 days since his last NBA game.
1,309 days since his last game as a Blazer. pic.twitter.com/ztAd0ANubT

— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2026

An Achilles tear at age-35 would be the end of most players’ careers. Not Damian Lillard. The superstar guard returned home to the Portland Trail Blazers to rehab the injury last season, and taking his time to come back was a smart move. Lillard looked like his old self as the Blazers humiliated the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, with 25 points, six assists, and only one turnover on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor. Portland should continue to be smart with Dame by resting him at opportune times, especially when they have such great guard depth. In the right doses, Lillard sure looks like he can still be a killer on the offensive end, and that’s great to see.

Paul George will be an amazing addition for the Celtics

Paul George was at or near the top of every “worst contracts in the NBA” list last year. That didn’t deter the Celtics from taking him on in the controversial Jaylen Brown trade despite $110 million over two years remaining on the deal. George is kind of the exact opposite of Brown: way less durable and less explosive going to the basket, but much better as an off-ball player on both ends of the floor. George’s Celtics debut was perfect: 38 points and five steals on 7-of-12 shooting from three. Well, it wasn’t actually perfect because Boston blew the biggest lead on opening night in league history. Still, George is going to be really good for the Celtics this year, and I still suspect Boston might come out on top in the Brown trade, depending how those future draft picks eventually turn out.

The Suns’ try-hard gimmick won’t work this time

No one expected the Suns to win 45 games last year, but they turned into one of the league’s most pleasant surprises by crushing the margins at every opportunity. More than anything, Jordan Ott’s team just felt like it played harder than any other team in the league, but that style can only take you so far. The Suns looked flat-out unprepared to open the season as the Blazers ran them out of the gym from the first quarter. Cinderella stories usually aren’t built to last, and the clock could strike midnight early for Phoenix.

Never seen a team be in the penalty before scoring a point. pic.twitter.com/yjp65YiL0J

— Scoot the Beav (@beav_scott) October 22, 2026

The Spurs’ starting lineup is a huge mistake

Dylan Harper gave some quotes to GQ in the preseason that indicated he didn’t want to come off the bench. I’m on Harper’s side on this one, but San Antonio’s decision to start all of Harper, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle felt like it was more based on personality management than actual tactics. The Spurs flipped their season last year by putting Julian Champagnie in the starting lineup, and I suspect that will happen again as the playoffs draw near. I like putting Fox and Castle off the bench and Champagnie and Devin Vassell in the starting lineup. What happens when Tobias Harris is healthy? The Spurs have a lot of buttons to push, and that’s a good thing, but championship teams demand sacrifice, and that’s going to have to happen eventually for San Antonio to reach its ceiling.

The Thunder are winning it all

I thought I was picking the Thunder to win the 2027 NBA championship all offseason before I flipped my pick to the Spurs at the last second. I’m already regretting it. OKC still has the best roster in the league with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell healthy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ready to fight MVP voter fatigue, and Chet Holmgren doesn’t want to go out sad again like he did last season. The title still runs through OKC.

This was supposed to be my first article for the Bright Side of the Sun: a literature review of ongoing discrimination issues in the National Basketball Association.

I left my proposed draft title in place even though the subject has changed. It was titled “The Answer” before Voita changed it to something more SEO appropriate. Remembering The Answer, Allen Iverson, should bring joy to all basketball fans. Pause, reflect. On to the present.

Wednesday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers changed that, as did our editor John Voita’s request for commentary on what was a disaster of an opening season for the Suns.

What was truly gut-wrenching about last night’s game was not the Suns’ loss. It could have been anticipated. Since this was the Trail Blazers’ home opener, they had several reasons to celebrate: new players and the return of Portland legend Damian Lillard.

No. What was truly disheartening and unexpected was the lack of team effort. The total unpreparedness of a Suns team that looked at times like they had never played together during preseason.

John is a lifelong Suns fan, like many of us. He also couldn’t anticipate the events of yesterday’s game. He asked in good faith whether he was alone in his assessment that yesterday’s game was very much like a crime scene.

I assert John is not alone in his assessment, and many of you may feel the same way. Please comment below to let us know what your take is on the Suns opener. Let’s also all look forward to Saturday’s home game. The most important for the Suns, in my estimation, for the coaching staff and the players in years.

Corey Kispert was a mid-season addition for the Atlanta Hawks last season, as he was part of the Trae Young trade that sent him to the Washington Wizards. It was an up-and-down 39 games for Kispert, and he saw his minutes decrease toward the end of the season and into the playoffs.

Coming into this season, it looks like he may be an end-of-bench guy for the Hawks, and if they need offense, he’ll be called upon.

During the preseason, Kispert mentioned how having a full offseason and training camp with the team was big for him coming into his second year.

“It’s been really great; I feel much more comfortable, feel more like myself, and looking forward to hitting the ground running,” Kispert said.

He showed how beneficial it was at times during the preseason, as he was able to play within the flow of the offense and get some good shots from the perimeter. He even showed an effort to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. At times, he did struggle on offense, and that would be the one concerning thing about him, as well as his defense.

Kispert lost most of his minutes down the stretch of last season probably because of his defense, and Quin Snyder was looking to shorten his rotation going into the playoffs.

With the additions of Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins, it’s hard to see when he Kispert could truly get minutes on the floor. That was evident in the Hawks’ preseason finale against the Dallas Mavericks, where it resembled more of a dress rehersal for the team. Dort and Wiggins led the bench in minutes, and Kispert didn’t see time on the floor until late in the game.

For Kispert, it will most likely take someone getting in foul trouble or an injury for him to see real minutes. Nonetheless, he has to be ready when his name is called, and the hope is that he can make an impact when he’s on the floor.

The good news is that he feels better coming into the season, and that should help him throughout the season. Kispert’s still one of the better 3-point shooters on the team, and if he can show some consistency on defense, he could make a case for possibly sliding into the rotation.

It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for him as the season goes on.

In the midst of the Spurs’ season opener, this happened:

De’Aaron Fox, in attempt to keep Chet Homlgren from an easy shot, threw him to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Whether Fox was venting some frustration about how the Spurs were playing or he was exuberant in his attempt to quell the play, the outcome was strange considering Holmgren bulked up this summer adding two lbs. to his 7’1” frame.

A skirmish quickly developed between Victor Wembanyama and every player on the Oklahoma City Thunder whose last name is Williams. A review took place with Fox landing a flagrant foul. Technicals were handed out like Halloween candy to members of both teams, and the game resumed shortly thereafter.

When asked about the incident after the game, Fox shrugged off aggression as an element of the penalty.

Fox responded by saying, “If somebody grabs you like that and you go flying on the floor like that, you got other problems to worry about.”

When asked about his reaction, Holmgren skirted around the play and focused more on his team having his back. Considering that the team has embraced flopping as part of their strategy (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander most readily resembles a Thumb Push Puppet unable to land on two feet), it stands to reason that no one on the Thunder addressed the absurdity of Holmgren’s flailing.

The internet did not let it go unnoticed. A comparison to the painting The Abduction of Persephone by Nicola Maria Rossi has made the rounds.

The Abduction of Persephone, by Nicola Maria Rossi, early 18th c pic.twitter.com/lRIgY5n1hV

— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) October 21, 2026

The resemblance is uncannily down to Victor Wembanyama peering over his shoulder like the angel in the painting.

Missed calls and bad officiating aren’t limited to the reining MVF (most valuable flopper) and his squad, turnign a blind eye to an egregious violation is a league wide concern.

In what amounts to a “Shaqtin’ The Fool” type clip, LaMelo Ball square dances his way to the three point line. The video exposes that the Minnesota guard travels directly in front of referee Jonathan Sterling, who watches on with all the expertise of a WWE official.

Ain't no way the refs missed THIS travel ….. #nba#porvidapic.twitter.com/LQ7PtAoj34

— JeffGSpursZone (@JeffGSpursZone) October 22, 2026

We’re only one game into the season and already there is a lot of trash talk, temperatures are running hot.

Bro what was everyone on last night in the NBA?? everybody was out there beefing with everybody 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/NkrFcLQIQI

— Somi love’s you🎀 (@somi_capalot) October 22, 2026

Gotta respect Yaxel Lendeborg, One night against one of the best players in the league and he’s already unimpressed with the whining.

Yaxel Lendeborg on Luka Doncic: “Watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect.” pic.twitter.com/X8s5qaKA2n

— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) October 22, 2026

As Bette Davis would say:

Spurs are in Austin tonight against the Houston Rockets, their Interstate rivals. Go Spurs Go.

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Luka Doncic has never met a microphone he liked. Yet when Lakers staffers approached the star guard a few days before the Lakers dominated their season opener against the Golden State Warriors to ask him if he wanted to address the crowd, Doncic didn’t just agree to the task.

“Of course,” he said afterward.

Standing at the center of the home court under a spotlight, Doncic welcomed Laker Nation to a new season, one he promised would be special. In a nervy, shy, 15-second speech, Doncic also unofficially introduced a new era of himself.

This prodigy once known as the “Wonder Boy” is all grown up.

“It’s a more refined Luka,” Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean said. “He’s the same person and he still is leading with joy and that is something that he loves to do, but it’s something that is continuing to grow and understand that the Lakers leadership might be a little different than the Mavericks leadership and the 27-year-old Luka might lead a little different than the 23-year-old.”

A more mature Doncic steps into the Lakers spotlight during a transitional period for the franchise. After an amicable, but necessary split with LeBron James, who has taken his talents to Philadelphia, the Lakers are entirely Doncic’s team.

Doncic is adamant to remind anyone who asks that this is not the first time he’s been entrusted with the stewardship of a team. Don’t forget he was the youngest player in Real Madrid history to make his senior team debut.

Still only a teenager whose magical passes screamed louder than any of his two-word interview answers ever could, Doncic didn’t say a word with Real Madrid, his longtime Spanish agent Quique Villalobos said.

Instead, Doncic led by competing “like an animal” on the court. Teammates, some more than a decade older, followed that example to a EuroLeague championship in 2018. At 19, he was the youngest-ever EuroLeague most valuable player.

When Doncic plays with the Slovenian national team, his “peak leadership” comes out, said St. Jean, who worked with Doncic in Dallas as an assistant from 2021-23 and as an assistant on the Slovenian national team in 2022 and 2025. He was communicating with teammates during huddles and film sessions. He reinforced messages from coaches and added his own opinions. And while he had those same moments with the Lakers, on the national team Doncic did it all with rare consistency and confidence.

Those closest to Doncic already know this side of him. The reason it comes out most with the national team is that those players have known each other for decades, St. Jean said. They went through similar youth academies in their native country. The coaches have known Doncic since he was a boy.

“He feels like those players are his family,” Villalobos said. “He’s able to do these things when he feels comfortable in that type of atmosphere. I think he’s getting there with the Lakers.”

Read more:Lakers' new Luka Doncic era opens with rout of Warriors

It’s why Doncic brought all his Lakers teammates to Slovenia this summer on a team trip that was part basketball, part vacation and all team bonding.

The five-day mini camp was a rare moment of vulnerability for the usually guarded Doncic. He said he was nervous about the trip. He packed in pick-up games, not-so-friendly competitions of golf, rowing and bike riding, and sight-seeing throughout the Slovenian capital where Doncic first fell in love with basketball. Almost as important as learning his new teammates, Doncic wanted for them to learn about him.

“With there being so many new faces and so many new guys on the team, for him to take the initiative to step up and make sure we’re all over there and trying to build that team chemistry, that was huge,” said guard Collin Sexton, who is one of nine new players the Lakers signed this offseason.

Doncic’s dueling personalities — the charismatic showman on the court and the reserved personality off it — overlap in his generosity. He takes care of the people he loves. In the arena, that means throwing lobs that bring a smile to everyone’s face. He treated teammates to a Porsche driving experience last year, feeding his most glamorous vice of rare sports cars, and bought everyone in the Lakers organization e-bikes — 103 in total.

The appreciation extends to fans. He donated $500,000 to wildfire relief only weeks after arriving in L.A. and paid for parking for Lakers fans before games. Before the season opener, when he also covered the price of Metro bike rentals, Doncic took out a full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times, promising fans the team would “give you everything we have, every single night. No excuses. No nights off.” He asked for their support in return.

The selfless acts aren’t just feel-good stories for business. Doncic said there has always been something in him that compelled him to establish connections with fans. The responsibility in L.A. is as great as it’s ever been.

“Obviously it’s the Lakers, it’s one of the biggest organizations in the world, if not the biggest,” Doncic said. “A lot of honor, just to be the face of the franchise and, you know, I hope I can stay here long.”

Doncic once thought he would retire a Dallas Maverick, building deep bonds with the fan base and franchise that traded for him on draft day and watched him soar to the NBA Finals. He has seen how the best-laid plans go awry. While teammates still marveled at his talent during his debut season in L.A., they also noticed that he kept to himself off the court at first.

Doncic is naturally shy, St. Jean said. He’s been that way even as a teenager. Villalobos met him thinking the 14-year-old prodigy he was trying to recruit to his agency would have the same outgoing personality off the court that he did on it.

But he’s just a simple guy, Villalobos testifies. After viciously hitting step-back threes, trash talking anyone who dares tempt him and racking up two NBA scoring titles, Doncic just likes to stay home, maybe get lunch or play cards. Despite becoming a Slovenian hero with the national team, he still slept at the same team hotel, shared meals with his teammates and had no problem wearing the same practice gear, St. Jean said.

Doncic loves his two daughters — Gabriela, 2, and Olivia, 10 months — and wears their initials on his shoes during games. Sexton called him “a jokester” off the court. He’s just goofy, said Lakers guard Jaden Hardy, who played with Doncic in Dallas from 2022-2025.

“To be clear, he’s not a normal human being,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said with a smile. “But in terms of, like, a superstar, he’s just normal.”

The transformation from on-court assassin to reserved father of two is like Clark Kent and Superman, St. Jean said. Only instead of just peacefully apprehending opponents, Doncic’s super-competitive alter ego wants to smash them all under an array of increasingly rude step-back jumpers.

“All of the great, great players that have ever played have also been in the 1% competitor [level],” St. Jean said. “They’ve always been the guy that is able to inspire the players around him and be able to do things that don’t even seem like they’re possible. And he does that nightly.”

Maybe competing for a championship in this top-heavy Western Conference doesn’t seem possible for Doncic and the Lakers. He’s pulled off more difficult magic tricks.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Imagine your employer had an excellent year and you were in line for an award, one you earned through great effort, extensive travel, and long nights. Instead of receiving it, however, you’re handed an IOU note at the ceremony. Or worse, you were gotcha-ed with a fake email about the award, just to test the company’s cybersecurity.

Your response might justifiably range “from genuine anger to annoyance,” as Joe Vardon of The Athletic puts it.

When Vardon describes this very scenario in his latest report, he’s not talking about the slighted workers of a local plumbing supply company. He’s talking about the assistant coaches and staff of the world champion New York Knicks.

At Tuesday’s season opener, the presentation (broadcast nationally on NBC) made it appear the Knicks assistant coaches were receiving championship rings during the pregame banner ceremony. The boxes they were handed? Empty.

It came as no surprise to the assistants. They hadn’t even been fitted for rings, and the empty boxes were a token gesture so they wouldn’t feel left out. Token gestures can backfire on you, though, especially when they seem, perhaps, insincere. The Knicks coaches were upset, according to Vardon, on a scale from mild irritation to very spicy.

In quintessential Knicks fashion, the organization’s statement on the situation is, “We are not disclosing anything about the rings.” Because robots need not acknowledge the petty concerns of disposable humans.

One of the most stunning quotes from Vardon’s piece is this:

“The Athletic received conflicting information about whether head coach Mike Brown received his ring on Tuesday and could not immediately verify if he got one.”

What? We can’t confirm if coach Mike Brown got a ring? What??

The story careens off a cliff from there. Vardon notes, “Many longtime employees at Madison Square Garden, including some who work in the Knicks’ business operations, will not receive rings at all […]. Typically, most employees for NBA teams receive rings, even if they are not as fancy and expensive as the ones the players receive.” Yes, some franchises reward the plebes, but not the NBA’s second-most valuable one. Enter Gordon Gekko, stage left.

However, in September, MSG sent employees a fake championship ring offer. The email congratulated recipients and invited them to select one of two complimentary ring designs: “Championship Gold” or “Garden Classic.” But ha on you, fools! The email was actually an internal phishing test. Employees who clicked the link were assigned mandatory cybersecurity training rather than receive a ring.

What kind of cold, villainous monster says, “You know how we’re not giving the employees championship rings? One hilarious way to test our cybersecurity would be….”

Oh, the team ain’t hurting for money. The Knicks reportedly generated $640 million in revenue during their championship season, while the franchise’s estimated valuation climbed 29% to $12.6 billion, making it the NBA’s second-most valuable team.

Giving New York the benefit of the doubt, those rings must be difficult to manufacture. Designed by Jason Arasheben of Jason of Beverly Hills, the Knicks’ blingy ring features roughly 800 diamonds and sapphires totaling 22 carats, set in white gold. Its elaborate design includes a mechanical pop-up replica of Madison Square Garden, 16 emerald-cut diamonds representing the team’s playoff victories, and a 0.16-carat diamond set in the Larry O’Brien Trophy. One cannot gaze for long upon the ring before weeping, and it must be returned to Mount Doom post haste!

The Knicks won in mid-June, leaving about four months for design, contract, and construction. That’s a tight schedule. Delays aren’t unprecedented in the NBA, and according to team sources, the assistants will eventually receive rings. Still, other championship teams have distributed coaches’ rings on opening night, so…

Who are we talking about, exactly? The championship coaching staff included associate head coach Chris Jent, assistants Rick Brunson, Mark Bryant, Darren Erman, Riccardo Fois, Brendan O’Connor, and TJ Saint, along with several player development coaches and advisors (including one of the greatest names in NBA history, the legendary Mo Cheeks!). These were among the people who helped deliver New York’s first NBA championship in 53 years.

To recap: What should have been a celebration of the Knicks’ victory instead exposed tiresome and familiar organizational dysfunction, with coaches handed empty boxes and longtime employees subjected to a misleading phishing exercise. Team owner James Dolan proves once again to be tone-deaf, and this time not by singing at the mic.

A franchise worth billions, a championship decades in the making, and apparently not enough goodwill to go around. How come they win it all and still feel like LOLKnicks?

Read Vardon’s full article here. Go Knicks.

It may be just the second game of an 82-game regular season, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early for the San Antonio Spurs to get a bad taste out of their mouths. The bad taste in question would be their opening night loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which featured some dreadful shooting from the Silver and Black and included a putrid 2nd quarter where they went just 3/21 from the field.

While their opponent tonight, the Houston Rockets, aren’t considered to be in the same tier as OKC and San Antonio, they still boast a formidable roster built around the older, yet still effective enigma that is Kevin Durant and a mix of younger talent. The Rockets went 52-30 in Durant’s first year, which featured drama off the court in-season and injury woes before the season even started with the loss of starting point guard Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear that cost him his season. VanVleet is back in the fold now though and Houston is hoping that having a proper point guard in place alongside Durant, do-it-all big man Alperen Sengun, and other young talents in Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson can at least give them a fighting chance in the Western conference.

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San Antonio Spurs (0-1) at Houston Rockets (1-0)
October 23 2026 | 8:30 PM CT
Watch: Amazon Prime | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Line: San Antonio -6.5

Spurs Injuries: De’Aaron Fox, wrist (game-time decision), Keldon Johnson, laceration (game-time decision), Tobias Harris, calf (OUT), Jayden Quaintance, (OUT)

Rockets Injuries: Steven Adams, calf (day to day)

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What to watch for

• In their own home/season opener against yet another Texas opponent the Dallas Mavericks, Houston got an idea of they were missing last year with the absence of Fred VanFleet. Due largely in part to VanVleet’s injury, the Rockets played much of last year without a true, proven point guard to run their offense, relying instead on Durant and other wing players to handle the majority of the ball-security and playmaking. That arrangement led to mixed results, as the Rockets were one of the worst teams in the league last year at both protecting the ball (14.4 turnovers per game, ranked 24th) and bottom 10 in assists per game. VanVleet wasted no time showing Houston what they were missing last season, as he had 11 assists and 0 turnovers in 29 minutes in the 128-110 win over the Mavericks.
• No one should have a worst taste in their mouth than Victor Wembanyama, who was practically non-existent on offense against the Thunder with a 1/13 shooting performance. Wembanyama is a generation-defining player on the defensive side of the ball and has made significant strides as an offensive player since coming into the league, but he occassionally still gets in his own head on that end of the floor, something he alluded to following the loss. With guys still finding their legs and getting their game-wind up at the dawn of a new season, there’s no reason to think that Game 1 was anything but an aberration for the French Wonder. Wembanyama averaged 23 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and nearly 3 blocks a game in four games against Houston last season.
• The highly anticipated three-guard line-up made its debut against the Thunder to somewhat mixed results. While all three had solid individual games, nothing they did was able to get the San Antonio offense out of the mud. The most glaring deficiency that was on display though was that none of them are really super willing 3-pt shooters. They shot a lackluster 5/14 from behind the arc. All 5 of the makes and 12 of those attempts came from Castle, who can get hot from time to time but really isn’t known for his shooting prowess, while Harper and Fox both went 0/2. While the bulk of the blame falls on Wembanyama’s shoulders for his poor showing in that season opener, being surrounded by good-not-great shooters who are all at their best trying to get downhill can certainly help opposing defenses keep one foot a bit closer to both the paint and Wembanyama.

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