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

Early-season fantasy basketball trades separate contenders from pretenders. Shooting percentages haven't normalized, roles remain fluid, and league-mates overreact to hot starts or cold streaks. Smart managers target buy-low candidates with strong underlying metrics, cash in on unsustainable efficiency, and hold established players through shooting slumps. Understanding usage rates and minute trends reveals which performances are real versus noise. Act fast before the market catches up.

Buy

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

As the top pick in the draft and one of the more highly regarded prospects in recent history, Flagg entered the league with significant fantasy expectations. He was going in the third or fourth round in many leagues, which means he's someone that fantasy managers intended to build their team around. The early returns have not been great, with him averaging 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 three-pointers. His biggest issue has been shooting only 38.8% from the field.

Since Kyrie Irving (knee) is out, the Mavericks have been deploying Flagg at point guard for stretches. That's a difficult assignment for any rookie, let alone one who is more suited to be a forward at 6'9". Despite the early growing pains, Flagg has massive upside. Once Irving comes back, Flagg can all settle back into a more suitable role playing the wing. Fantasy managers who drafted him early might be frustrated with their initial returns, so there is a possible buy-low window here.

Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

Buzelis was widely regarded as one of the top breakout candidates this season. He didn't play much to begin his rookie season with the Bulls, but once they moved him into the starting lineup, his fantasy upside began to show. With a secure spot in the starting lineup entering this season, it looked like full-steam ahead for Buzelis when he recorded 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks in his season opener versus the Pistons. However, he has averaged a more modest 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks since.

Buzelis hasn't contributed a ton outside of points and three-pointers. It is encouraging to see him shooting 46.9% from the field and 42.4% from behind the arc. It's also good to see him logging 29 minutes per game. If not for a rough game against a very good Magic defensive team in which he fouled out in six minutes, his overall numbers for the season would look better. Big things could still be on the horizon.

Sell

RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

The addition of Brandon Ingram figured to cut into Barrett's scoring opportunities. However, Barrett is still averaging 20.8 points per game, which is nearly in line with his average of 21.1 points last season. However, it's important to point out that Barrett is shooting 55.4% from the field. He has shot 44.3% for his career, so some significant regression could be coming. His usage rate has indeed dipped significantly, falling from 28.7% last season to 23.3% through eight games.

Barrett averaged 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists last season, but is down to 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season. If not for his significant increase in efficiency, his overall numbers would have taken a big step backward from last season. Trade him now before his shooting percentage begins to normalize.

Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers

Grimes helped many fantasy managers down the stretch last season. Over his final 25 games, he averaged 23.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 3.1 three-pointers. With the 76ers dealing with so many injuries, he logged 34 minutes per game during that span and was often their top scoring option. Despite Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid being back in the fold this season, Grimes has averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.7 three-pointers over their first seven games.

Helping Grimes has been him playing 32 minutes per game. That type of workload might not be sustainable now that Jared McCain is back. Grimes played 30 minutes in McCain's first game of the season Tuesday against the Bulls, finishing with 10 points, three rebounds and four assists. Paul George (knee) should also return at some point down the road. It's possible that Grimes could be in the 25-to-28-minute range moving forward, so his fantasy value might have already peaked. 

Hold

Derrick White, Boston Celtics

White looked primed for an expanded role entering the season. Jayson Tatum (Achilles) is out, and the Celtics traded away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Other than Anfernee Simons, the Celtics didn't make any noteworthy additions. That left White with the potential to set a new career high in points after he put up 16.4 points per game last season.

As many expected, the added shots have been there for White. His usage rate is 23.6%, which is up from 19.8% last season. The issue is, him shooting 31.0% from the field and 26.3% from behind the arc has limited him to 14.4 points per game. Entering this season, White had shot at least 38.1% from behind the arc in each of his first three full campaigns with the Celtics. As his three-point percentage improves, so should his scoring contributions. Don't panic about his slow start and trade him at a discount.

Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic

The Magic had a clear need in the offseason and it was to improve their three-point shooting. That made the acquisition of Bane seem like a perfect fit. He has averaged at least 2.4 three-pointers in each of the last four seasons, and he has shot 40.8% from behind the arc for his career. The surprise for the Magic and fantasy managers alike is that Bane is shooting 28.6% from deep across his first eight games. That has left him to average just 13.9 points per game.

If there is a bright side to Bane's slow start, it's that his usage rate is 22.7%. That's not too far off from his mark of 23.3% with the Grizzlies last season. It will be difficult for him to average at least 5.0 assists for the third straight season playing alongside good passers in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but much better shooting production should be in the cards for Bane.

Moses Moody shares mature outlook on unstable Warriors role after win vs. Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Moses Moody has developed a reputation with the Warriors.

For many players in his role — in and out of the starting lineup and with fluctuating minutes — that reputation might be pessimistic or discontented.

But Moody never seems to be fazed by that inconsistency, as evident in his 24-point night off the bench in Golden State’s 118-107 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at Chase Center.

After the game, Moody was asked about the transition from starting at the end of last season to coming off the bench so far in this campaign.

“I think it’s part of life,” Moody told reporters. “You know, stuff goes your way, stuff doesn’t go your way.

“I guess that’s why I got the nickname ‘Stay Ready Mo.’ No matter what the situation is, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think that’s where we’re at, so day by day.”

"I think it's part of life."

Moses Moody isn't deterred by being left out of the Warriors' current starting lineup 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Wwt2hUBNbJ

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

On the front end of a back-to-back Tuesday, Moody played a season-high 34 minutes as the Warriors were without Al Horford for the whole game and Jimmy Butler for the second half. The fifth-year guard, who is in the first season of a three-year, $37.5 million rookie contract extension, made 5 of 8 3-point attempts to help guide Golden State to a bounce-back win.

Following the NBA All-Star break last season, Moody averaged 27.2 minutes per game and started all 27 games. But after suffering a calf injury during the preseason that kept him out of the Warriors’ first two contests of the 2025-26 season, the two-way wing hadn’t played more than 22 minutes in a game until Tuesday night.

“Moses was the player of the game tonight,” coach Steve Kerr said postgame. “His defense on [Suns guard Devin] Booker and his shooting — he was fantastic. He’s just found his groove now after missing most of training camp with the ankle. So it was a tough start to the season for him, mainly because we just found a different starting lineup and different rotation while he was out, and we were doing pretty well.

“But he’s forcing his way back into the mix, for sure.”

Now, with Golden State set to be short-handed for Wednesday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings, Moody likely will have another opportunity for an increased role — which could lead to a more permanent uptick in minutes.

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Warriors to rely on depth with sniffling Steph Curry, maybe more, out vs. Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Walking to the podium for his postgame press conference after the Warriors’ 118-107 win against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night at Chase Center, Steph Curry was on his way to greet two older women. As he approached them, Curry’s words raised reporters’ eyebrows. 

“I don’t want to get you sick, but I wanted to say hi,” Curry said. 

Sweating, sniffling and coughing, Curry opened up about a sickness he has been dealing with for a couple days now. Curry said he was on his way to meet with doctors to determine his status for Wednesday night’s game against the Kings in Sacramento on the second night of a back-to-back. He didn’t know it yet, but his coach already had made an executive decision for him. 

Curry officially has been ruled out by Steve Kerr, making the Warriors’ first matchup with the Kings the first game Curry will miss this season. 

“He’s wiped out right now,” Kerr said. “I don’t care what the doctors say, we got to get him some rest. I’ll make the decision right now: He’s not going to play. He needs some rest. He’s been sick. All the travel, everything just caught up to him. 

“Hopefully get him some rest and he’ll be ready to go for Denver.” 

Steve Kerr declares Steph Curry will be out tomorrow, while Jimmy Butler is questionable after leaving tonight's game pic.twitter.com/FxvVyqa2fH

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

The Warriors play the Nuggets in Denver on Friday night. The two teams met in the second game of the 2025-26 NBA season when Curry scored 42 points and lifted the Warriors to an overtime win at home. 

Curry struggled in the Warriors’ two previous games, losing to undermanned teams in the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers. Though he averaged 25.5 points in the two losses, Curry had five turnovers in each defeat and shot far below his standards, going 16 of 42 from the field (38.1 percent) and 8 of 26 on threes (30.8 percent). He didn’t exactly light the Suns on fire but was more effective and efficient, gutting it out for 34 minutes. 

As he battled through his cold, Curry scored a team-high 28 points and only had two turnovers. He still wasn’t his usual self shooting the ball, but did make five of his 12 3-point attempts. Curry scored 16 points in the second half, fighting against his own body to get the Warriors a win. 

“Second half, tank was on E,” Curry said. “I’m not blaming the air ball on that. But like I said, just trying to dig through it and get to the finish line.” 

Steph Curry discusses the illness he's currently battling, which will keep him out of tomorrow's game vs. the Kings pic.twitter.com/hgnxaVcpEF

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

A big reason Curry had to do so was because the Warriors were without his running mate, Jimmy Butler, for the entire second half due to lower back soreness. Butler’s back tightened up earlier in the day. He tested it on the Warriors’ practice court and was deemed good enough to play, but then didn’t return after halftime. Kerr is considering Butler questionable against the Kings. Draymond Green, who was dealing with back pain of his own after the win, also is questionable. 

The Warriors snapped their first losing streak of the season Tuesday night. To start a new winning streak, they’ll have to get back to their Strength In Numbers mantra. 

“We’re going to need everybody,” Kerr said. 

The Warriors’ bench outscored the Suns’ bench by 44 points, 63-19. Their 41 points in the first half were a new season high for an entire game, and Golden State tacked on another 22 after halftime.

And the first player Kerr can turn to based on performances against Phoenix is Moses Moody. Kerr called him the “player of the game” for the Warriors, and it’s easy to see why. Moody scored a season-high 24 points in 33 minutes off the bench. He started the season slow recovering from a calf injury he sustained in preseason and hadn’t found a rhythm early in the season. 

But the game called for energy, effort and the long ball, playing right into what Moody does best. Moody made the nets drip and went 7 of 11 from the field, 5 of 8 on threes and 5 of 6 at the free-throw line while also grabbing five rebounds. 

Moody knows the challenge of playing without Curry, and possibly Butler and Green as well, and feels the Warriors are up to the task. 

“First time doing it this year, but yeah, I think we’ll be all right,” Moody said. “We play that way in practice a lot of times and in preseason. We’re used to playing with each other a little bit. I think we got all the pieces we need.”

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Observations after Sixers squander 24-point lead, lose to Bulls  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers squandered a large lead and an opportunity to take sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night.

Once up by 24 points, the Sixers fell to a 113-111 loss to the Bulls at United Center. Chicago moved to 6-1 and the Sixers dropped to 5-2. 

Nikola Vucevic drilled a go-ahead corner three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left. Quentin Grimes then had a good look at a game-winner, but he missed a top-of-the-key three-point attempt. 

Tyrese Maxey’s 39 points on 14-for-26 shooting led the Sixers. Joel Embiid had 20 points on 7-for-21 shooting.

Josh Giddey posted a triple-double with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. Vucevic recorded 19 points and 10 boards.

Paul George (left knee surgery recovery) and Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration) were the two Sixers out in Chicago. The team will travel to Cleveland and face the Cavs on Wednesday night.

Here are observations on the Sixers’ loss to the Bulls:

Maxey passes Covington

The Sixers’ offense continued to look like one of the NBA’s best in the first quarter. They racked up 45 points over the first 12 minutes and led by as many as 21. 

Embiid drew a foul on Vucevic 16 seconds in. He wrapped up the first with a pair of free throws and finished the quarter with nine points. 

While the Sixers had several contenders, Maxey was the star of the period. He made four three-pointers in the first quarter and dished out four assists. Maxey’s third long-range jumper moved him past Robert Covington for second on the Sixers’ all-time list. Early in his sixth season, he’s at 728 career threes.

After a poor start and overall subpar shooting season last year, Maxey has been prolific. He’s made at least three triples in every game and shot 32 for 66 (48.5 percent) beyond the arc. 

Maxey displayed more of his considerable variety in the second quarter — mid-range jumpers, a four-point play, a tough scoop shot. He was also active defensively, blocking a shot and swiping a steal in the backcourt. 

McCain’s return

Jared McCain checked in off the Sixers’ bench late in the first quarter for his first action since Dec. 13. 

It was a long, testing road back for McCain, who had to rehab from a left knee lateral meniscus tear and then a right thumb UCL tear. 

McCain missed all three of the jumpers he tried in the first half. The 21-year-old mostly blended in, which wasn’t a surprise given he hadn’t appeared in an NBA game for nearly 11 months.

The only shot McCain attempted in the second half was a leaner that Dalen Terry blocked. He played 15 minutes and had no points on 0-for-4 shooting, two assists and one rebound.

Offense goes missing

Kelly Oubre Jr.’s driving layup early in the third quarter gave the Sixers an 87-56 advantage. Following his 29-point night in the Sixers’ win over the Nets, Oubre posted 18 on 7-for-11 shooting. 

The Sixers’ offensive pace, ball movement and overall production badly dropped off and the Bulls went on an extended run. Chicago cut its deficit to 89-77 on a Kevin Huerter fast-break layup.

Maxey sat to start the fourth quarter and the Bulls trimmed the Sixers’ lead to eight points. As soon as Maxey checked back in, he scored an and-one bucket.

Embiid returned to the floor with 5:39 left. His post-up and isolation scoring has often been enough for the Sixers to hold off opponents, but the big man kept coming up empty in Tuesday’s fourth quarter.

The Sixers gave Embiid regular touches and he was unable to deliver anything against Vucevic.

He missed four mid-range jumpers and an end-of-shot-clock three. Embiid also committed a turnover that led to a Giddey layup.

Maxey couldn’t find a run-stopping answer either and appeared to finally feel the effects of so many nights with 40-plus minutes.

The Sixers’ final point of the game was a Maxey free throw with 4:26 remaining. They were bound to pay for that complete lack of offense and now find themselves hoping to avoid an 0-2 back-to-back.

What we learned as Moses Moody shines in Warriors' bounce-back win over Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – No more messing around. The Warriors, for the most part, got the memo and mostly acted accordingly, beating the Phoenix Suns 118-107 on Tuesday night at Chase Center. 

The Suns scored the first five points of the game, but never led again after that. Frustrations from two ugly losses to lesser teams missing their main talent turned to focus for the Warriors back on their home court. The Warriors assisted 20 of their 25 made shots with only five turnovers in the first half to mount a 19-point halftime lead. 

They then reverted back to some bad habits and tallied seven turnovers in the third quarter, allowing the Suns to make it a nine-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Having to bring Steph Curry back in for the final three and a half minutes of a game the Warriors led by as many as 25 points is less than ideal. But the Warriors held on for a badly needed 11-point win.

Curry in 34 minutes scored a team-high 28 points with four rebounds, three assists and five 3-pointers.

Behind him in the scoring category for the Warriors was Moses Moody, who after scoring 20 points against the Memphis Grizzlies a week ago had scored just 12 points since. Moody against the Suns put up a season-high 24 points in 34 minutes off the bench, going 7 of 11 from the field and 5 of 8 from deep.

Moses Moody is FEELING it tonight 🥵 pic.twitter.com/rbt76NOIlZ

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

Devin Booker did all he could for the Suns, scoring 38 points for his sixth 30-point game already this season.

The only downside to the win was Jimmy Butler not playing the second half because of lower back soreness. Butler’s back tightened up earlier Tuesday, but after going through a pregame warmup on the Warriors’ practice court, Butler felt healthy enough to play. He was a plus-17 in 14 minutes with two points, four rebounds and two assists. 

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win against the Suns.

Bench Mob

Instead of a one-man show or relying solely on their stars, a rolodex of Warriors contributed to their win. Chief among them was Moody and the rest of his bench buddies. Moody on his third three pumped his right fist and played into the crowd’s reaction. Those three points put the Warriors ahead by 23 points and gave Moody his 300th career 3-pointer. 

Moody passed Dorell Wright for 18th place on the Warriors’ all-time list of made threes. Multiple Moody threes staved off rallies from the Suns.

Moses Moody's third trey of the night gives him 300 for his career 👏 pic.twitter.com/OzmUxk5h4N

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

The bench in the first half scored 41 points, which were a new season high for an entire game. They wound up with 63, which were 44 more than Phoenix’s reserves. 

Along with Moody’s big night, Brandin Podziemski scored 13 points, Buddy Hield had 12, and every bench player but Hield and Gui Santos had a positive plus/minus. Whenever the Warriors play a back-to-back, production from the bench is paramount.

QP + TJD Combo 

They play the same position but couldn’t be more different as players. With Al Horford out for the first night of a back-to-back, coach Steve Kerr found a way to get the best out of centers Quinten Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis. 

Post started and found his 3-point shot early after struggling the previous two games. He was 1 of 7 from long distance in losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, and then made his first three attempts of the first quarter.

The Postman has a pair of early 3s 📫 pic.twitter.com/5tpXMojhJz

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

Jackson-Davis, after being a DNP-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision) in those two losses, replaced Post a little more than halfway through the first quarter and made his presence felt. As Post drained threes, Jackson-Davis rattled the rim, finishing two alley-oops in the final minute and a half of the quarter. 

His first of the two came right after swatting away a layup, too. 

TJD getting it done on both ends 💪 pic.twitter.com/uRrHknucx6

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

TJD gets on the end of another alley-oop 🔨 pic.twitter.com/XzMf3wmskE

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 5, 2025

Jackson-Davis in the first two weeks of the season scored a total of eight points in 27 minutes. Against the Suns, he played 15 minutes and dropped seven points on three dunks and a free throw. Post in 27 minutes scored a season-high 14 points while going 4 of 6 on threes to balance the Warriors’ two centers.

Draymond’s Defense 

The best medicine to fix a leaky defense from two straight bad losses is an all-time great understanding the moment. That’s what the Warriors got out of Draymond Green early to get back in the win column. Nothing was getting by him, even when the Suns had the advantage on him.

Nobody shuts down a 1 vs. 3 in transition like the Warriors’ defensive wizard. When Jonathan Kuminga lost his dribble three and a half minutes into the game, Green ran back, stopped Booker and got in between Ryan Dunn and Royce O’Neal. Booker chose Dunn and Green met him at the rim, contesting and forcing a missed layup.

Not even two minutes later, Green again stopped a fastbreak by Booker and jumped out to the 3-point line to get vertical for Grayson Allen’s attempt. He missed and on the other side Curry hit his second three of the game for a six-point swing. 

After leading the NBA in 3-pointers made per game (16.4) coming into the night, the Suns went 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first quarter and were 5 of 15 through the first two quarters. Phoenix found some success in the third quarter, going 3 of 7, but ended four threes shy of their season average, and Green was a big reason why.

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Kings stars Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis questionable with injury vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings could be without two of their top stars when their Northern California rivals visit Golden 1 Center on Wednesday.

Sacramento guard Zach LaVine (back) and center Domantas Sabonis (ribs) are listed as questionable for their upcoming game against the Golden State Warriors, though Malik Monk, who has missed the Kings’ past two games for personal reasons, is available.

Sabonis appeared to be dealing with an injury to his side in the first quarter of Sacramento’s loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, but he still played 37 minutes and recorded a 13-point, 17-rebound double-double.

Domas appeared to grab at his side during this timeout pic.twitter.com/ar9XAhxVKa

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 4, 2025

Sabonis, who missed the 2025-26 NBA season opener with a hamstring injury, is averaging 14.5 points on 52.2-percent shooting with 14.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game this season. He historically has turned it on against the Warriors as a member of the Kings, averaging 19.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 10 games vs. Golden State since 2022.

LaVine has been nothing short of spectacular for Sacramento so far this year. He has scored 30-plus points in all but two of the Kings’ first seven games, averaging 27.4 points on 51.6-percent shooting with 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

The Warriors will come to Golden 1 Center on the latter half of a back-to-back, and facing a Kings team without LaVine or Sabonis certainly would make the job much easier for Golden State’s aging roster.

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Kevin Durant claps back at Draymond Green for Warriors offense vs. defense claim originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

“Offense sells tickets. Defense wins championships,” legendary football coach Bear Bryant famously said.

Enter Kevin Durant. 

Durant, on Netflix’s “Starting 5” series, argued offense wins championships.  

“You have to score baskets if you want to win a championship,” Durant said. “Playing defense, we can get any one of y’all in here to bend your legs, not touch the basketball, slide left and right, and contest the shot. That’s easy. But when we’re talking about winning at a high level against the best of the best, you cannot just do that and win a basketball game.” 

Kevin Durant believes offense wins Championships

“You have to score baskets if you want to win a championship… Playing defense, we can get any of y’all in here to bend your legs… that’s easy.”

(Via @netflixsports, h/t @OmerOsman200)pic.twitter.com/4SYgkeGVTH

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 17, 2025

Enter Draymond Green. 

In an interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Green was asked about Durant’s view on defense. 

Amick: …Then you have the messaging from some of your peers, like when Kevin [Durant] shares his views about defense and how, in essence, he thinks anybody can do it. 

Green: I think when you look at any team that won a championship, they had a great defense. And if you look at most teams that couldn’t quite get over the hump, oftentimes it’s [because] they couldn’t get stops. That fact still remains, and I think that those who don’t believe it, don’t win. It’s very simple. Those who don’t believe defense is as valuable as it is, they simply just don’t win. I don’t think anyone’s ever really been hell-bent on caring about the opinion of those that don’t win, because your opinion equals zero. 

Amick: So I hear you, but Kevin has won. 

Green: He won here, [and] the defense here was… 

Amick: It was incredible. 

Green: Absolutely.

Durant, responding to the quote from Green’s interview on X, clapped back with a follow-up question. 

And the offense was???? https://t.co/SV6zo7dSUp

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 4, 2025

The offense also was incredible in the back-to-back championship seasons with Durant on the team. The Warriors led the NBA in offensive rating each of the three seasons he played with Golden State from 2016-17 to 2018-19. 

But, the 2016-17 team was a defensive juggernaut as well. Their 101.1 defensive rating that season was second-best in the league. Coupled with their league-leading 113.2 offensive rating, they ended the season with a whopping 12.1 net rating.  

It’s the second-best net rating since the statistic was calculated starting in the 1996-97 season, only outdone by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship team this past season (12.6).  

OK, so maybe both offense and defense, together, win championships?  

U win

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 4, 2025

Green, later in his interview with Amick, noted that he and Durant have different opinions on basketball, and that offense is also highly important in his own play. 

“But me and ‘K’ have had a million basketball conversations. So again, I know how he thinks about the game of basketball. His opinion didn’t surprise me one bit,” Green said. “But like I said, I also don’t view myself as a guy who just defends. I’m great at that — absolutely phenomenal at that — but I know that’s not all I do. Like, I’ll f— your offense and your defense up, and make your coaching staff have to go ponder, like, ‘Huh, how do we figure that out?’” 

So, perhaps the question of “offense vs. defense” is a bit more nuanced. 

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If the Denver Nuggets don’t turn this pass by Nikola Jokić that grazed Domantas Sabonis’ lettuce into some kind of barber gimmick, then what are we even doing here? Jokić just won a game of chicken that Sabonis had no idea he was playing.

About last night

Giannis steps up for Myles Turner

The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers have had bad blood of late. They’ve been involved in a kerfuffle over a game ball during the NBA Cup. They got into each other’s faces in the playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo even beefed with Tyrese Haliburton’s dad after Indiana eliminated the Bucks last postseason.

The big storyline on Monday night was Myles Turner coming back to Indy after leaving the Pacers for Milwaukee in free agency this summer.  He still has all the love for Indiana and its fans, but they booed him during the game. Turner didn’t have some big revenge game or anything. He scored nine points, grabbed seven boards and blocked five shots in 32 minutes.

Turner left all the revenge room for his new teammate, Giannis. The Greek Freak had 33 points, 13 rebounds and five assists while making 14-of-21 from the field. The Pacers put up a great fight in this game, overcoming a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie it on the final possession. Unfortunately for Indiana, the last shot was in the hands of Giannis. And he calmly hit the game-winner.

That classic Giannis post-up from the left elbow into a fadeaway jumper! It was an incredible shot, and Giannis seemed to have a little extra for the Pacers crowd. He didn’t like them booing his new teammate (Turner, not Thanasis, who is most definitely back). He shushed the crowd and then booed them back. 

The Bucks are 5-2, and the Pacers have fallen to just 1-6.

Rockets 110, Mavs 102: Dallas (2-5) put up a great effort without Anthony Davis, but P.J. Washington’s 29 and 12 just weren’t enough. Amen Thompson got to the hoop whenever he wanted on his way to 27 points. The Rockets (4-2) also received 26-11-6 from Alperen Şengün and 21 from Kevin Durant.

Heat 120, Clippers 119: Kawhi Leonard missed the game-winning shot, and the Clippers (3-3) couldn’t overcome their 20 turnovers. Norm Powell had 21 in his return to the Intuit Dome, and Bam Adebayo had 25 points and 10 boards. Miami (4-3) and its fast pace continue to cause chaos.

Jazz 105, Celtics 103: Keyonte George led the Jazz (3-4) with 31 points, and Jusuf Nurkić (11 points and 11 rebounds) had the winning putback with 0.6 seconds. The Celtics (3-5) got 36 points from Jaylen Brown, but they lost a game in which the Jazz turned it over 19 times. Maybe the Utah rebounding advantage of 55-36 had something to do with it. Somehow this was a no-call! 

Lakers 123, Blazers 115: No Luka Dončić. No LeBron James. No Austin Reaves. But the Lakers (6-2) did have a Deandre Ayton revenge game on deck. He had 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Nick Smith Jr. put up 25 off the bench to give the Blazers (4-3) a pretty bad loss. Deni Avdija had 33 for them, though.

Pistons 114, Grizzlies 106: The Grizzlies (3-5) were down 21 in this game and brought it back to a three-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. However, Cade Cunningham had 33 points and eight assists, while Isaiah Stewart complemented him with a monster game. Beef Stew put up 26 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks for the Pistons (5-2).

Nuggets 130, Kings 124: Russell Westbrook was looking for revenge against his former Nuggets teammates (lots of that going around Monday) and his 26 points, 12 rebounds and six assists were a great start to that. And the Kings (2-5) had seven players in double figures. Denver (4-2) had Jokić, though, and his 34 points and 14 assists.

Wolves 125, Nets 109: Julius Randle had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to rack up the triple-double. Donte DiVincenzo led all Wolveswith 25 points. And Minnesota (4-3) climbed back over .500 as it played without Anthony Edwards again. The Nets are now 0-7. Someone asked me if they were going to win before December. I legitimately don’t know.

Knicks 119, Wizards 102: The Wizards (1-6) got off to a great start and led after the first quarter. If I had to put my finger on it, I’d say the Knicks (4-3) outscoring them 76-48 in the second and third quarters combined is probably why Washington lost. Karl-Anthony Towns led everybody with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Alex Sarr had 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

The last 24

Are the Rockets the league’s second-best squad?

📈 New Rankings! Law Murray has the latest Power Rankings, and a bit of a shocking team ranked No. 2. The 3-2 Houston Rockets!

🏀 Top prospects. Sam Vecenie covers the NBA Draft better than anybody. He’s got what scouts are saying about the race for the top pick. And a two-round 2026 mock draft. 

📹 This is just a tribute. What is the bar for a tribute video on a returning former player?Was Turner good enough for one in Indy?

💰 Yoink! A former Hawks executive was charged with embezzling $3.8 million from the team. He bought a Porsche and tickets? 

🎧 Tuning in. The latest “NBA Daily” discusses why Bucks-Pacers is the most fun rivalry in the league right now.

Stream the NBA on Fubo (try it for free!) and catch out-of-market games on League Pass.

Back to college

Men’s hoops primer with Brendan Marks

Last night, we had an epic beginning to the men’s college basketball season with incredible talent taking the court all over the country. No. 13 Arizona took down defending champion and No. 3 Florida thanks to 30 points by Koa Peat. We also saw AJ Dybantsa go for 21 points as BYU beat Villanova.

With so much already happening on the men’s side, I needed to call in an expert to prepare us. The Athletic’s Brendan Marks is one of the best in the business and a college fixture when we need answers at The Bounce.

Zach: Who is a team you feel is underrated going into the season, and who is a team you think is overrated?

Brendan: I’m not sure if the No. 11 team in the preseason top 25 truly counts as “underrated,” but most teams with Louisville’s sheer talent would be top 5 (or even top 3) entering the season. The Cardinals are getting dinged because Pat Kelsey has never won an NCAA Tournament game … but neither had Florida’s Todd Golden before last spring. Louisville retained two starters, signed three top-35 transfers and brought in a lottery pick freshman point guard. Why can’t the Cards win it all?

For overrated, wild as it sounds, give me … the defending national champs. Florida brought back its entire frontcourt but lost all three starting guards from last season, including Final Four MOP Walter Clayton Jr. UF should still be good, but I need to see the Gators’ new backcourt perform before seriously entertaining if Golden’s team can go back-to-back.

Zach: In terms of excitement to watch all season, rank Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer and why.

Brendan: Oh, lord. There’s no right answer here, but …

Dybantsa: Narrowly, but his athleticism at 6-foot-9 — plus his arsenal of pro-ready offensive moves — is just mesmerizing. Give him the ball and get out of the way.

Boozer: Possibly controversial, but people 250 pounds are not supposed to move the way Boozer does. His shooting and passing are guard-esque.

Peterson: Putting Peterson third here is like saying Shaq is the third-best center of all time. A stupidly skilled guard with athleticism for days, who should fall somewhere on the scale from Cade Cunningham to Donovan Mitchell.

Zach: Outside of the top prospects, who is a player you think will really surprise people (doesn’t have to be a freshman)?

Brendan: The Big 3 freshmen have (rightfully) stolen most of the headlines, but two other rookie guards — Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. — could easily be their respective teams’ best players, too. It wouldn’t be surprising if both emerge as top-10 prospects in their own right. As for older players, casual fans may not know Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz — who followed new Hawkeyes coach Ben McCollum from Division II to Drake and now to Des Moines — but he’s one of my favorite players to watch. If Iowa is going to make the NCAA Tournament, it’s because Stirtz has an All-America-caliber season.

Back to college, Part 2

Women’s hoops primer with Sabreena Merchant

Sadly, we know we’re not going to see USC’s JuJu Watkins this season. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t poised for an amazing women’s season. Reigning champion UConn return an incredible squad. South Carolina looks to get back to winning it all. And UCLA is loaded.

To break it all down, we turned to The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant, who always drops basketball knowledge for us.

Zach: Who is a team you feel is underrated going into the women’s season and who is a team you think is overrated?

Sabreena: Is it OK to call a top-10 team underrated? I’ll go for it. Maryland looks Final Four-caliber this year with the additions of Yarden Garzon (a top-five shooter in the country) and ACC tournament MVP Oluchi Okananwa. The Terrapins are deep and balanced, and they have an identity (pace, pace, pace), which is sometimes a rarity in the portal era. On the other end, I’m confused about the Iowa State hype. We did this last year with the Cyclones, and they fell all the way from preseason top 10 to a No. 11 seed in the tournament. Until Audi Crooks proves she can defend the paint, there is a limited ceiling on this team, and it isn’t the 12th-ranked team in the country.

Zach: If I give you Azzi Fudd as the best player to watch this season, can you give me a better answer?

Sabreena: Fudd certainly has an aesthetically pleasing game — there is arguably no one with a purer jump shot in all of college basketball, women’s or men’s. But she’s not even the best player on her team. That would be Sarah Strong, the do-it-all combo forward who seems destined to fall in the lineage of Breanna Stewart as a multi-time champion at UConn. Strong is as smooth as can be and has something in her game for everyone. For those fans with specific stylistic preferences: Lauren Betts (UCLA) is the most fundamentally sound post player in America, Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) literally never stops moving, and MiLaysia Fulwiley (LSU) has the most ridiculous handle.

Zach: Which incoming freshman are you most excited to watch this season?

Sabreena: The L.A. freshmen lead the list: Jazzy Davidson at USC and Sienna Betts at UCLA. Both starred for Team USA in the U-19 World Cup this summer and have opportunities to play big roles in their first collegiate seasons. If you squint, Davidson is in the mold of Watkins with her playmaking on both ends, and she’ll be assuming a lot of the offensive and defensive responsibilities Watkins took on last season.

Betts is the modern big partner to her older sister Lauren on the Bruins, and she can rack up double-doubles while also stretching the floor, assuming she gets back from a foot injury that will cost her the start of the season.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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