3rd over: Australia 14-2 (Head 9, Green 1) Brave of Green to leave the ball outside off. Similar spot to the one that got Marnus, a touch fuller perhaps. He gets moving from the fifth ball, knocks a single into the off side.
2nd over: Australia 13-2 (Head 9, Green 0) Well, I said that Australia needed Head to take a bite out of the chase first, but wasn’t anticipating that he would lose two partners in the first over. He decides to do his part anyway. Defends three balls from Jansen, then lets loose as he sees width. Misses his first flail, connects cleanly with his second one along the ground, and connects dirty with his third, in the air through the cordon but safe. Two boundaries, but if I were South Africa, I’d happily feed that shot a few times looking for the mistake.
The Kangaroos will be wearing their familiar dark green uniform with gold accents. Plenty of green in the Cook Islands outfit as well, but it is the secondary colour to a majority white base.
It is all on the line for Australia and South Africa as day five of the third Test dawns – and in a rare treat, all four results are on offer for both sides in Cape Town. Live updates below!
PHILADELPHIA -- Six games in, the Knicks are still "working" their "way into the season," according to veteran Josh Hart.
“I think the flow's tougher... the ball gets stagnant… I think that that's part of it. We got to be more deliberate with cuts and movements. And taking care of the ball,” Hart said after New York (2-4) fell to the Sixers on Friday night.
Static offense and untimely turnovers are two of the reasons New York lost to Philadelphia on Friday. Fatigue may have been another.
Hart referenced fatigue when answering questions from reporters in Philadelphia – where the Knicks were playing their third game in four nights.
“We all feel the fatigue. So we got to fight through it. Six games in. So we got to find a way to make sure we get our bodies ready to play every day,” Hart said. “I think mentally we're there. We just gotta find it physically.”
The Knicks certainly looked flat in the first half on Friday. They allowed 17 points off of turnovers in the first half. They coughed it up eight times. The Knicks also allowed Philadelphia to score 26 points in the paint.
Sure, the Knicks made it close late in the game, but they couldn’t come all the way back against a tough Sixers team.
Philadelphia and LeBron James have looked sharp in both games against New York this year. The Sixers have defended well against the Knicks and have leaned on Tyrese Maxey to lead the offense. It’s early, but Philadelphia is playing with the kind of cohesion that many thought would be missing at this point in the season.
Of course, it's way too early to make bold proclamations about anything you see in the NBA right now. We’re six games into an 82-game season. But while the Sixers (5-1) have gotten off to a strong start, the Knicks, as Hart said, are still finding their way.
TURN-ING POINT
One issue for the Knicks early on? Turning the ball over. New York has been a low-turnover team for most of the last two seasons. But they rank 16th in the league in turnovers per 100 possessions so far this season.
“Just a little careless,” Jalen Brunson said. “And sometimes it can be us being hesitant as well, wanting to make the right play, but they're also not trying to turn over, and then it's just a little late to our decision making. It could be a lot of things, but obviously, we got to clean it up.”
Head coach Mike Brown sees a correlation between his team’s turnovers/sloppy passing and poor offense.
“It’s been going on all year,” Brown said of the turnovers. “Like, we’re trying to hit a home run every time we get the ball. And we have to hit singles. We can’t hit a home run. We gotta hit singles offensively and then if our play breaks down, we have to move. There’s too many times where we have too many guys trying to iso and the other four guys sitting there and staring at the ball a whole possession.”
Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks for a foul call during the first half of an NBA Cup game against the Warriors in San Francisco on Friday night. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
When LLuka Doncic started cooking in the first quarter, the Lakers followed his lead in opening a 25-point lead in the second quarter over the Golden State Warriors Friday night.
But then the Lakers started getting cooked.
Cooked by going down by 17 points in the fourth quarter. Cooked by turning the ball over too many times. Cooked by an offense nowhere to be found in the fourth quarter. Cooked in the first NBA Cup game for both teams.
When the game was over, the Lakers had been feasted upon by the Warriors, falling 112-95 at Chase Center.
“I thought as the game progressed the problem-solving and connectivity, we just didn’t have it tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And they got hot.”
Doncic had 37 points, but he shot only 12 for 27 from the field and six for 16 from three-point range. Austin Reaves had 21 points on nine-for-19 shooting, but only one for six from three-point range.
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry had 31 points, shooting 11 for 23 from the field and eight for 14 from three-point range,
The Lakers scored only 15 points in the fourth quarter and gave up 27.
It took the Lakers four minutes and one second to finally score in the fourth and that came after Walker Kessler made just one free throw with 7:54 left in the game, leaving the Lakers down 96-81.
“Everybody gotta be better than this,” Doncic said. “You’re up 25, 23, first (half). Then I gotta be better and we just gotta win those together. We win together.”
The Lakers showed why they are one of the worst teams in the NBA when taking care of the basketball, turning it over 22 times. Reaves had eight turnovers. The Lakers are ranked 10th in the NBA in turnovers, averaging 16.6 per game.
“Got to figure the turnover thing out,” Redick said. “We’ll work with the guys to be better there.”
Warriors forward Georges Niang and Lakers guard Collin Sexton exchange words during the first half of an NBA Cup game on Friday in San Francisco. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
After Jake LaRavia was called for an offensive foul with 21.8 seconds left in the third quarter, Doncic was hit with his first technical foul of the season.
But Doncic wasn’t the only Laker to lose his cool. The Lakers turned the ball over five times in the third quarter and wound up down 85-80 entering the fourth quarter.
With 8:02 left in the fourth and the Lakers down 95-80, Matisse Thybulle was hit with a technical foul and Curry made the ensuing free throw.
The Lakers actually went to sleep in the second quarter after building their 25-point lead and started to get cooked by the Warriors, who tied the score 53-53 at the half.
The Lakers were outscored 38-15 in the second quarter. Interesting enough, the Lakers outscored the Warriors 38-15 in the first quarter.
It was game on from there.
“The start of the second quarter, it was a bad way to start the quarter just in terms of the turnovers,” Redick said.
Six games into the season, the Lakers are still in search of who they are.
They won their first three games, but have now lost two of three.
They have nine new players and are still figuring things out.
“Yeah, look, we want to become a great team. You don’t become a great team in six games,” Redick said. “We want to become a great team after 82 games and have a chance to go compete for a championship in April and May and June. It’s a process to get there. We know we are going to be patient.
“There’s also, along with patience, doing what you’re supposed to do and I think as we play more games together, we do more walk-throughs together, we do more film together, we do more practices together, that we’ll all get better.”
Williams injury update
Ziaire Williams missed his second straight game because of left foot soreness. The starting forward has been one of the team’s better defenders.
“He still has some soreness,” Redick said. “He’s going to have to continue to monitor it. He was in shoot-around this morning. Again, just being really cautious with the amount of games we have throughout the season.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 25 : Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz slam dunks the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on October 25, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been five games and a painful two days since the latest loss for Utah, which has me perusing some of the team statistics in the NBA.
Are the Jazz a good rebounding team?
The first interesting stat that stands out is the Jazz’s defensive rebound percentage. Utah ranks sixth in the league so far this season at 73%. That means Utah’s defense grabs 73% of available defensive rebounds. Unsurprisingly, Utah is also doing a good job of not allowing offensive rebounds. Utah ranks 5th in the league, allowing just 9.8 offensive rebounds per game.
This is a nice sign for the Jazz and Utah’s coaching staff, who clearly worried about this issue before the season began.
Utah is the worst in the league at creating turnovers so far.
So far this season, no one is creating fewer turnovers than the Jazz. Right now they rank 30th in the league at 12.4 per game. For context, the best team in the league at creating turnovers is the Toronto Raptors at 20.9. It’s an interesting stat to watch moving forward and see if Utah can start creating more of these turnovers. Is it because the Jazz have started off playing teams that don’t turn the ball over? Or is it because Utah hasn’t been creating them? Either way, it’s something to watch and see if Utah can create more turnovers so they can get more buckets in transition.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 30: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After sprinting out to a 25-point lead in the first half, the Lakers authored an ugly, ugly collapse across much of the next three periods, losing to the Warriors 112-95 on Friday.
Led by Luka Dončic, LA raced out to a 38-15 lead at the end of the first. A pair of Austin Reaves free throws to open the second made it a 25-point lead.
LA then gave up the entire lead by halftime, bounced back to lead by nine in the third, then collapsed again to trail by double digits for most of the fourth.
The bench had a woeful showing, to say the least, finishing with just seven points while shooting a combined 3-16 from the field. LA also turned the ball over 22 times, leading to 27 Warriors points.
Los Angeles jumped out to a hot start, with their big three of Luka, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler all scoring early. Jake LaRavia added a triple, forcing Golden State to call a quick timeout after falling behind by 10.
The Lakers had the momentum throughout the quarter, with Luka taking over with 14 points.
LA’s excellent defense helped with their impressive offense. Luka and Matisse Thybulle combined for four steals. With 3:01 left, Los Angeles was up by 14. Golden State ended the quarter shooting an abysmal 22% from the field.
The purple and gold were up by 23 at the end of the first. Every starter scored, led by Luka’s 21 points.
De’Anthony Melton scored a quick seven points off the bench early in the second period. Golden State were suddenly rolling with a 10-0 run. The Warriors continued to mount their comeback, cutting what was once a 25-point Laker lead to nine.
All this happened with Luka getting his usual second-quarter rest.
Reaves had begun to heat up, scoring four points and helping keep the Lakers from completely erasing their lead. Still, it was a tale of two quarters, though, with Golden State closing the half on a 16-2 scoring run led by Steph Curry and Melton.
LA started the third period much better than the second, with Luka, Reaves and LaRavia scoring a combined 13 points. The team was on a 13-4 run, giving themselves a little cushion.
Draymond Green and Steph combined for four points for the Warriors.
Steph once again ignited, draining two triples that chipped away at Los Angeles’ lead but Luka and Kessler responded with eight points to help keep the team ahead. In true Golden State fashion, they once again tied it with a 12-4 run.
The third ended with the Warriors going up by five. The purple and gold shot 9-22 in the quarter. The Lakers’ bench continued to struggle with just five points.
Gut check fourth quarter coming.
Would be a brutal loss with a Raptors/Heat b2b coming.
Things went from bad to worse for the Lakers as the Warriors started the final frame, extending their lead to 10 on the shoulders of Brandin Podziemski, who now had 17 points.
It was a non-stop Steph flurry as he added another six points to up his total to 28. The Lakers looked defeated as Reaves and Luka tried to give some life, putting up a quick combined five, but the team was down by 15 with 6:16 left.
There was no run that would come from the Lakers, though, as they failed to string together stops and scores. With 1:21 left, LA waved the white flag and emptied their bench.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 37 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Reaves had a rough offensive game with 21 points on 9-19 shooting with eight turnovers. Walker Kessler pitched in with 10 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks.
Thybulle scored 10 points with three steals. LaRavia logged 10 points while stepping into the starting lineup, shooting 3-7 from the field.
The Lakers’ next game will be against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at 6:00 PM PT.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors faced the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA Cup group play game Friday, looking for revenge after their blunder of a season opener.
It was a historical game for Golden State, which trailed by 23 points after the first quarter but clawed its way back by halftime and ended the game with a 112-95 win at the Chase Center on Oct. 30.
The Warriors are the first team in the shot-clock era, since 1954-55, to trail by at least 23 points after the first quarter and tie the game by halftime.
Golden State was led by longtime franchise star Stephen Curry, who did it all against the Lakers.
Curry put up 31 points, shooting 11-for-23 and an explosive 8-for-14 on 3-point tries. He had the play of night − and maybe an early candidate for play of the year − with an ankle-shattering stepback to break free from Luka Doncic's defense, sending Doncic to the floor before raining a 3-pointer.
In defense of Doncic, he came right back and quieted the crowd with a 3-pointer of his own.
There was a lot of chatter concerning Doncic and the rematch with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The two were pitted against each other in the first matchup. Competitive juices were flowing, words were exchanged.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the Lakers and captured the inaugural NBA Cup back in December 2023. The team went on a 7-0 run and defeated the Indiana Pacers in the final.
Those veteran players are no longer in Los Angeles, but Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are a promising duo that could prove to be a wild card in the 2026 tournament.
The Lakers hold a 13-4 record in the tournament’s history, which is second-best.
Here's what you need to know about the Lakers' chances in the 2026-27 NBA Cup tournament.
NBA Cup West Group C
The Lakers' group contains two other teams from the Pacific Division.
Entering Friday, the Lakers have put together a 4-1 start to the season with a 1-1 record against teams in their group.
The Lakers began tournament play with a 112-95 loss to the Warriors, a team Los Angeles had beaten 127-105 in the season opener.
Doncic and the Lakers lead the league in scoring through the early part of the season, averaging 123.2 points per game. Doncic was the 2025-26 scoring champion and is on pace to repeat, averaging 36 points per game. He’s already put together a 50-point performance.
Center Walker Kessler could prove to be a wild card for the Lakers. The big man will have to lead the way on the defensive side of the ball, but Los Angeles could also benefit from him putting together strong performances offensively.
Kessler produced strong back-to-back outings to start the season. He shot 12-for-12 from the field for 26 points and added another 22 points against the Clippers in the team's second game of the season.
While the scoring production will be there for the Lakers, it will be important for the defense to improve. The Warriors rallied from a 25-point deficit against the Lakers on the first night of the NBA Cup. Los Angeles must get more from its bench after being outscored 50-7.
What could prevent Lakers from a successful NBA Cup run?
The health of the Lakers could factor into just how successful the team will be throughout the tournament.
Doncic missed his first game earlier in the week with back tightness. Ziaire Williams has missed two games for the Lakers due to left foot soreness.
On the court, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs could pose the biggest threat to the Lakers. The Spurs are coming off an NBA Finals appearance, but are 3-2 to start the season.
The Trail Blazers could also pose a threat to the Lakers, having already beaten Los Angeles this season. Damian Lillard and the Blazers managed to overcome a high-scoring night from the Lakers' star duo and still managed to pull off a 136-129 win. Doncic finished with 41 points and nine assists, while Austin Reaves added 26 points. The Lakers struggled to get stops throughout the game and were outscored 34-26 in the fourth quarter. Lillard was one of four players for Portland to score more than 20 points against Los Angeles.
The Emirates NBA Cup is the league's annual in-season tournament, which was started in 2023 to help drive interest in the early season schedule. The competition features group play and knockout rounds with players and teams competing for a prize pool of money that increases based on how far a team advances.
When does the NBA Cup start?
The first games of the 2026 NBA Cup will take place on Friday, Oct. 30, when group play begins. Subsequent games are scheduled every Friday through Nov. 27. There will also be NBA Cup games on Tuesday, Nov. 24 and Wednesday, Nov. 25.
How does the NBA Cup work?
The league's 30 teams were separated into six groups featuring five teams in August. The NBA determined the groups using a draw system that placed each team in a pod based on their record during the 2025-26 season. The draw placed one team from each pot into each of the three groups in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
Reporter Mark Giannotto contributed to this report
Doncic helped the Los Angeles Lakers pull ahead early, scoring 21 points in the first quarter as the Lakers took a 38-15 lead against the Golden State Warriors.
Curry and the Warriors responded with a 38-15 run of their own in the second quarter to tie the game at 53 at halftime.
Golden State became the first team during the shot-clock era (since 1954-55) to trail by as many as 23 after the opening quarter and then tie the game by halftime.
In the third quarter, Curry produced the highlight of the night.
Curry got the best of Doncic during a possession, with a series of dribble moves that sent the Lakers guard to the floor before the Warriors star drained a 3-pointer. The play helped the Warriors cut into the Lakers' lead with 6:21 left in the third quarter.
Doncic did not shy away from the moment, delivering a shot of his own down on the other end to quiet the crowd.
Stephen Curry reacts to shot over Doncic
"I didn't expect it to get that nasty, but it was one of those you gotta kind of keep your composure," Curry said on the Prime postgame show. "I remember James Harden had to do like the shimmy to get himself going back in the day. I don't know, I haven't been that open in a long time.
"... I'm just having fun. Those moments, especially at this stage of your career, you're just appreciative of the ability to keep playing at this level. And I want that joy to continue until I'm done."
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 28: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches in the fourth inning during Game Five of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
You don’t want to trade from your talented core of position players. You only have so much money to throw around to free agents who don’t exactly list West Sacramento as their first choice. Starting pitching is at a premium.
So how exactly does a smaller budget team add to a position player core with a SP while roughly 37 other teams are aiming to do the same?
Some names have come up repeatedly, such as Clay Holmes, whose extreme ground ball tendencies would be a terrific fit. We’ll see how much the A’s are willing to open their pocketbooks for a desirable free agent SP — they did it once with Luis Severino and got mixed results. Perhaps more likely is a trade for a SP whose warts make him attainable but whose stuff makes him a potential steal.
Here are a couple “out of the box” possibilities for how Smith and the A’s could “zag” in their quest to compete in 2027…
Brayan Bello
One of the reasons his name tops the list is that he is on the Red Sox and Smith has a working relationship with his former club. This has already been evidenced in Smith’s first deal, a relatively minor one to acquire the versatile defender and speedster Nate Eaton.
Bello’s 2026 season started rougher than even a Jeffrey Springs outing in West Sacramento. Bello pitched himself right out of the rotation with a first half that produced a 6.06 ERA with 11 HR amongst a ghastly 80 hits in 65.1 IP.
However, in the second half Bello righted the ship and then some, albeit out of the bullpen. Not only did he post a stellar 2.12 ERA in 51 IP, he surrendered just 1 HR.
Why might Bello be a “hidden treasure” for the A’s to target?
1. With a career fastball velocity of 95.7 MPH (95.8 MPH in 2026), a slider, and a plus changeup, Bello’s stuff has always been in the “front of the rotation” category when he can harness it.
2. Bello has a heavy sinker that gets a lot of ground balls (52.6% career), which is a great fit for the A’s right now and probably in Las Vegas.
3. Due to his recent struggles, questions around his suitability to start rather than relieve, and his contract ($49.5M over 4 years from 2026-29 with a $1M buyout for 2030), the prospect/player capital required to acquire Bello should be low.
4. If Bello is a solid mid-rotation SP he’s a steal at around $12M/year and gives the A’s a quality pitcher for 4 seasons. Even as a key “plus reliever” he would be valuable.
Drew Rasmussen
Hey, aim high. Rasmussen is a true #1 SP when he’s healthy, just the kind of pitcher the A’s would love to add. Normally he would be completely out of the question, but circumstances put him into the conversation for a team like the A’s.
1. There has been considerable buzz that the Rays will move Rasmussen because his 2027 salary rose to $20M when several incentives kicked in and he is only under contract for one more season. The Rays, like Billy Beane’s A’s, tend to make decisions less on emotion and more on good business, and moving Rasmussen to cash in on his value appears to be the way the Rays are thinking — at least according to pundits who claim to be in the know.
2. The A’s don’t have to play “red-headed step child” in a sweepstakes for Rasmussen like they do with free agents. The two teams have a trading history, recently with Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez coming to the A’s, and if the A’s are the team making the offer which makes the most sense to Tampa Bay there’s no reason a deal can’t be made. Tampa Bay also happens to be the other team with whom Smith has a history.
3. Because he has only one year left on his contract, and because he is now owed $20M, the haul needed to acquire him is not quite what his stats might suggest off the cuff. That being said, he’s good enough that the return won’t exactly be cheap.
Are there win-win deals for either of those potential trades and if so what might a swap look like? Or are there other targets more likely to come to pass you want to put out there for consideration?
It’s hard to dabble in the free agent market for a top end SP because they tend to be prohibitively expensive, looking for destinations and World Series aspirations the A’s just can’t boast along side their peers right now. So I’m more expecting a trade to bolster the rotation. The question is, can the A’s find a worthy SP going that route? Perhaps soon we’ll learn what Smith thinks the answer is.
Stephen Curry is still one of the deadliest offensive players in the NBA. The 38-year-old Golden State Warriors superstar already has a 44-point performance on his game log this year, and he knew he needed to be at his best as his team took on the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Luka Doncic is one of the few players to have a higher scoring game this early into the 2026-27 season, when he put up 52 points vs. the Utah Jazz.
Doncic vs. Curry is already going to be epic, and it produced maybe the best highlight of the season so far.
Curry hunted Doncic with a switch early in the third quarter. Steph went left, penetrated, stopped on a dime, and hopped into a stepback three-pointer. Doncic fell over, and Curry ripped a three-pointer over his lifeless body. It doesn’t get any more disrespectful than this. Watch Steph make Luka touch Earth here:
There’s no living this down for most players. It probably doesn’t surprise you that Luka quickly redeemed himself with a ridiculous three-pointer on the next possession even if Curry wasn’t the defender on him.
There’s nothing like the NBA when two superstars are going at each other possession after possession. This round goes to Curry with a highlight that will live a long, long time.
Oct 30, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) celebrates after being fouled on a made basket for a three point play against the Houston Rockets during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dallas Mavericks (4-2) defeated the Houston Rockets (5-1), 116-111, in a Friday night matchup at the American Airlines Center. The matchup marked the first of the NBA Cup Group Play between the two teams representing West Group A. The Mavericks are the first team to beat the Rockets this year, who had won five straight before Friday night’s matchup.
Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 35 points and nine assists. Cooper Flagg added 33 points and nine rebounds. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 28 in the loss.
Sergio de Larrea, Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberovic, and Dereck Lively were out for the Mavericks. The Rockets were without Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard, and Steven Adams.
Here are three stats that told the tale of Friday night’s NBA Cup win over Houston.
3/4 : Zaccharie Risacher’s 3-pointers and stocks
Zaccharie Risacher had another great defensive showing against the Rockets, finishing with three steals and a blocked shot. He plays hard on both ends of the floor, and his defensive plays create transition opportunities for the Mavericks on a night-in, night-out basis. To add to his strong defensive showing, Risacher went 3-of-6 from 3-point range, earning a new season-high mark in 3-pointers made. He hasn’t let previous poor shooting games affect his confidence. He finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists, combined with another impressive defensive showing as he continues to emerge as an elite defensive talent with an opportunity to grow his offensive game.
33: Cooper Flagg points
Cooper Flagg finished with 33 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block. He played aggressively on the offensive end, a continuing trend as his sophomore season progresses. His confidence has continued to grow, and he shows more of that with each game that passes. He scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, asserting his will and getting to his spots with ease, even through a Rockets defense with teeth clinched, geared up to stop him. The Mavericks are better when Flagg plays with aggression. Flagg’s sophomore season has been explosive, with him emerging as a top talent in the league. His performance on Friday was another reminder of his emerging greatness, even as a 19-year-old.
35: Kyrie Irving points
Kyrie Irving finished with a game-high 35 points in the win. He was the engine behind the Mavericks’ success tonight, scoring 24 of his points in the second half, giving the Mavericks the momentum needed to punch back at the Rockets. It felt like a classic Irving showing despite him recently returning from an ACL tear at 34 years old. He is one of the league’s most clutch players, coming up with key free throws in the game’s final moments. Friday’s win over Houston was a prime example of the importance of Irving’s offensive gifts to the Mavericks.
Oh, and by the way, the 68 combined points from Flagg and Irving completely turned the tables on Durant and Jabari Smith Jr.’s dominance in these two teams’ previous meeting, when the Houston duo scored 30 apiece in a blowout win over Dallas. Irving and Flagg combined to shoot 25-of-38 from the floor in the exhilarating win.
Up next
The Mavericks host the Sacramento Kings on Monday at 7 p.m. CT. NBA Cup Group Play continues on Friday, November 2nd.
