McLellan told reporters that interim general manager Shawn Horcoff would explain why. No update was given as of 1 p.m. ET. The Red Wings' home game begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Larkin, 30, had missed Wednesday's practice, but the team later said it was a maintenance day.
The center had requested a trade following the end of last season after the Red Wings' playoff drought hit 10 seasons, though he hasn't revealed his reason.
He agreed to report to training camp but was stripped of his captaincy. He missed the start of camp with an injury and was booed by fans during introductions at the home opener. But he has played since returning from the injury and has six points in 10 games.
Larkin, who originally had the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights on his trade list, has expanded that list to 10 teams.
That includes the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. ESPN reported on Oct. 20 that the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Utah Mammoth were added to the list.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 26: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Timberwolves 127-125 in overtime. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have waited for a significant offensive leap from Evan Mobley. Subtle improvements over the years have refined him into being an elite two-way player. But that next step was always a question mark.
Would it be developing a mid-range game, or a go-to move around the basket? Or would Mobley step outside the three-point line and become a good enough shooter to open the floor for Cleveland?
Right now, it sounds like the third option.
Mobley has opened the season shooting 12-for-18 from downtown (66%). This is a blistering number that won’t be sustainable throughout 82 games — but it could mark the start of a career-best year.
“I felt it in preseason, leading up to preseason,” said Kenny Atkinson. “There’s a shift in his demeanor… He put in the work. There’s a confidence to him now. It’s raised.”
Mobley took six three-pointers on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards and nailed five of them. He had similar success in Cleveland’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week, canning 4-of-5 attempts with three of his triples coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Evan Mobley: 9 3PM in his last 7.5 quarters.
Shooting with confidence. Very little hesitation. One fluid motion. Small sample size, but very encouraging early on #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/MePFrfzcWc
It’s one thing to take a three-pointer as a last resort. It’s another to launch them confidently even when the game is on the line. This is something Mobley began flashing in last season’s playoffs, but has taken to another level to start the year.
“I think last year he’d kind of make 3s with time and space. I feel like this year he’s getting it off quicker. He’s making them with harder contests,” said Atkinson. “We saw it last year in the playoffs too, right? Detroit series, hit some big ones. Toronto series, hit some big ones. When a guy’s in a groove like this, we’ve got to find him a little more.”
Mobley, always nonchalant, says his hot-shooting is simply a result of his work ethic.
“Just confidence,” said Mobley. “The first few went in, so I just kept shooting them. Been working on them for years now. I feel confident in it, and I’m gonna keep shooting them.”
The three-point shot is arguably the most valuable offensive tool a player can add to their game. Especially in the frontcourt. Cleveland has managed for years to navigate the lack of shooting in their frontcourt — but that awkward spacing might not be such a thorn in their side if Mobley can step outside and make defenses pay.
“He’s just putting it all together,” said Jarrett Allen. “It opens the floor up to me. There’s not a lot of people in there, so I can do my work in there.”
Nearly all of Mobley’s three-point attempts have been products of the defense sagging off him. In each of his last two games, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis made a deliberate choice to ignore Mobley in favor of packing the paint. It was on Mobley to punish them for this decision, and he did.
“If they keep playing like that, I’m gonna keep shooting it,” said Mobley. “So, until they close out really hard, I’m gonna just keep letting it fly.”
Still, there’s pressure on Mobley to stick to his greatest strengths as a play-finisher around the basket. He’s spent more time on the perimeter than we’ve grown accustomed to. The increased shooting is great, but the Cavs don’t want Mobley to rely too heavily on it.
“I still want him at the paint, at the rim, just finding that balance,” said Atkinson. “I think [his shooting] opens things up for us. He’s taking timely ones. He’s taking good ones. If he can hit 3s and still be the great defender he is and should be, that could be our next jump.”
There’s a lot of season left and plenty of time for Mobley’s shooting to regress. That said, Mobley has given himself a strong foundation to build on. A full season of Mobley taking and making threes could change everything.
Without much surprise, Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell were among the Penguins' players on Kypreos' trade board. It is understandable, as both players have been in the rumor mill for a while.
Yet, Kypreos also included a new Penguins forward on his trade board: Justin Brazeau.
"Big and strong with a set of hands, Pittsburgh will try to sell Brazeau off based on the production he had during the first half of last season. With so many prospects in the system, look for the Penguins to potentially use him as a trade chip, though he needs to get healthy first. Brazeau has not played a game this season," Kypreos wrote.
Brazeau has not been discussed very often as a trade candidate. Yet, with the Penguins having a surplus of NHL forwards and Brazeau being in the final year of his contract, it is fair to wonder about his future in Pittsburgh.
Brazeau was recently activated off injured reserve and assigned on a conditioning loan to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. With this, the big winger is inching closer to returning for the NHL club.
Brazeau could generate some interest from teams looking to boost their forward group. When playing at his best, he has shown that he can be a solid power forward. This was certainly the case last season, as he set career highs with 17 goals, 17 assists, and 34 points in 64 games for Pittsburgh.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Penguins end up moving Brazeau at some point this season.
The Chicago Blackhawks are already involved in trade rumors. 18 teams had scouting representatives at the United Center for Chicago’s match vs the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, and a total of 25 teams out of 32 have been there since Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Frank Seravalli has reported that the Blackhawks are looking to add a big scoring winger during all of this as well, which has added to the rumor mill.
Kyle Davidson has been actively looking for "shoot-first, scoring wingers with size." If the Blackhawks slide continues, "count on something bigger perhaps in the works." pic.twitter.com/zIOZngJ5aS
The conversation around a trade like that includes centers like Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore. Teams around the league want centers, which is an area where the Blackhawks have a surplus. There is development left to go for most of Chicago's young centers, but the upside is there to intrigue teams.
Rumors of Teuvo Teravainen and Kevin Korchinski being moved have also swirled. With the Blackhawks being 4-8-0 through their first 12 games of the season, it isn’t surprising to hear these names in the rumor mill as the team looks to shake things up before going the route of firing anyone.
If Moore and Nazar both stick with Chicago in the long term, one of them is likely going to have to make a full-time transition to the wing, and neither would say that is their first choice of position.
In the case of Kevin Korchinski, he is a young defenseman who doesn't get the playing time he needs in order to further his development. Sending him to the AHL would require waivers, and the Blackhawks would almost certainly lose him for nothing.
As for Teravainen, it would depend on another team taking him at this stage of his career. He went from being a healthy scratch on opening night to running their top power-play unit in the absence of Bowen Byram, which does give him value. On a contender, he'd make a wonderful secondary playmaker in the middle of a lineup.
Anything can happen, as it is all just rumors right now, but there can be fire where there is smoke in the NHL. Connor Hellebuyck was already traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the New Jersey Devils. Next is almost certainly going to be Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. After that, the trade market may open up in a big way.
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 28, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s understandable that Jaylen Brown was not happy when the Boston Celtics sent him to a bitter rival.
Brown’s name had come up in trade rumors multiple times over the last few years. After the team failed to land Giannis Antetokounmpo this past offseason — with Brown and his salary going to Milwaukee to make it all work — it seemed like the damage had been done. Brown was seemingly shopped to just about every team in the league.
After 10 years, five All-Star selections, two All-NBA nods and a Finals MVP, the Celtics were trying to pack him up, as Brown put it. So, you could imagine Brown’s surprise when he was ultimately traded to the Sixers, a franchise he tortured often while in Boston.
While Brown was diplomatic when asked about his time with the Celtics during his introductory presser in Philly, you could tell feelings lingered. He revealed that he still hadn’t spoken to Jayson Tatum, his All-Star teammate of nine years, since the trade broke.
Recently, Tatum posted an interview to YouTube where he recollected the moment Brown was traded. Brown obviously didn’t think Tatum was being truthful and commented.
Jayson Tatum on the Jaylen Brown trade in a recent interview:
"I was just as much caught off guard as the rest of the world."
Even if Brown didn’t comment, you’d have to be awfully naive to believe Tatum. You’re telling me Brad Stevens made a blockbuster trade that could change the entire trajectory of the franchise … and his star player found out the same time as the rest of the world? Yeah, cap is fair.
Tatum downplayed Brown’s comments, saying there was no beef. That led to Brown’s colorful response about lamb chops and gravy while also pointing out Tatum has a “great PR team.” A petty response? For sure. But it was a fun moment and, at that point, it seemed like everyone was ready to keep it moving.
Then Brian Scalabrine had to insert himself into the situation. Scalabrine reported then recanted (kind of, sort of, but with a lot of arrogance) that Brown “demanded” a trade. Multiple reports have debunked that being the case, but that wasn’t a remedy for Scalabrine’s main character syndrome. He took it to the broadcast to insult Brown again.
So, he reported something that wasn’t true, awkwardly recanted it, then sort of doubled down for his dislike of Brown. Scalabrine mocked the idea of doing PR for Tatum … while actively doing PR for Tatum. He spent five years with the Celtics as a player and has been working on Boston’s basketball broadcasts in some capacity since 2012. His loyalty is obvious. Just last year, he was doing PR work trying to get Brown in the MVP conversation. Now, he’s discrediting the season Brown had in 2025-26.
That’s why Brown’s response to Scalabrine was a smart one. When it’s Brown vs. Tatum, that’s real drama with a potential payoff when the two play each other for the first time. Having beef (or lamb chop) with a pom-pom waving commentator is a losing battle.
Jaylen Brown to reporters in Indy: “I never had any issue with scal I love scal. … I never demanded a trade, never made a list of ultimatums.” pic.twitter.com/ROHGJ5ifhz
If you viewed his response to Tatum as petty, this was the exact opposite. Brown took the high road, despite Scalabrine laying it on pretty thick over the last week or so. It makes Brown look like the bigger person and Scalabrine look silly.
We still have to wait until Nov. 10 to see Brown go up against Tatum and his former team — and we have to wait all the way until January to see Brown’s return to Boston.
Whether it’s beef or lamb chops with gravy, it should be fun.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 08: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes around Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks during the third quarter at Rocket Arena on April 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Hawks 122-116. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Both the Cavs and Hawks will be playing on the second end of back-to-backs. Cleveland won their game on Wednesday over the Washington Wizards thanks to five threes from Evan Mobley and a strong performance on both sides of the court in the second half. The Hawks, however, are coming off a loss to the Miami Heat, where they were thoroughly dominated in the paint.
The Cavs have struggled in Atlanta in recent seasons. They have lost their last four games at State Farm Arena, with their most recent win coming in January 2024. We’ll see if the Cavs can change that trend tonight.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 28: Tre Jones #30 of the Chicago Bulls reacts to a call during the second half against the New York Knicks at the United Center on October 28, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All of a sudden, the Knicks look scary.
Who would have thought after they won the championship four months ago lost three in a row!?
Here’s the latest as the guys rest up for their NBA Cup title-defending debut on Friday.
Mike Brown on Chicago comeback: "Gotta take my hat off to our guys, they found a way to get it done…Our bench was fantastic…Landry 4-7 three…huge…Andre Drummond 11 rebounds 15 mins…Tyler hit 3 big threes…9 assists 18 mins, 0 TOs…just a ball mover…And our DPOG Jordan… pic.twitter.com/JtgeaKZBSD
On why Mo Diawara and Pacome Dadiet haven’t played this season:
“It’s tough because going into the season early on, one of [the] things I wanted to experiment with is playing 10 or 10 ½ guys [as my rotation]. And Mo is in that mix. Mo and Pac. Give them different opportunities at different times. And we experimented with different stuff and our players not getting it done caused us to start off a little slow.
“So to get us on track, we’re going to hold the fort down with a veteran group of guys. Hopefully we get to the point sooner than later that I can start throwing those [young] guys out there.”
On continuing to experiment with the Knicks’ bench rotation:
“Our starting five is what it is. But everybody else after that, until we find something that’s working consistently, I’m going to try to give different guys opportunities.”
On Jalen Brunson overcoming his shooting struggles against Chicago:
“I wasn’t worried about that. He just seems like he always finds a way. And tonight we needed every single one of those. It definitely wasn’t a concern of mine.”
On the Knicks looking sluggish after arriving in Chicago at 2:30 a.m.:
“It was just a late game [Tuesday night]. I acknowledged that to our guys. It’s not an excuse. It’s the life of the NBA. So we have to find a way in situations like this, and our guys found a way. But you could tell we looked really, really sluggish.”
On Brunson’s determination, toughness and MVP-caliber ability:
“His will is unbelievable. His determination, man, it’s second to none. You look at this guy and he’s not 6-7, he’s not athletic, he’s not quick. I mean, you can go down the line in natural physical tools that a lot of guys have, but his determination, his spirit, his competitive spirit, his will, his toughness, especially his mental toughness, but his physical toughness, too, added with his skill set, it makes him an unbelievable basketball player. An MVP-caliber basketball player. I hope he gets recognition for that this year because his will is off the charts.”
On benching Mikal Bridges and using Tyler Kolek alongside Brunson on Wednesday:
“We just found a combination we went with. One of the things [assistant coach] Rick Brunson suggested was throwing Kolek in the game with Jalen. Just to give them a different look and get Jalen off the ball and put Tyler on the floor.
“Doing that, playing Jordan Clarkson extended minutes, Landry was playing well. Now there’s not much room. And the combination we had out there, we kept playing well. It was harder to go back to what we started with.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns continuing to shoot after injuring his left hand and wrist:
“He was still shooting that thang from 30 feet. So the wrist looked good to me.”
On whether the Knicks are generating good shots despite their early shooting struggles:
“The biggest thing is: are we getting good shots from the right people? Watching the film and watching the game, I think we are. We’ve had some pretty good looks from the right people at the right time that normally go in so I want them to keep shooting.”
On what Tyler Kolek needs to improve as the Knicks’ backup point guard:
“He’s gotta run the team. What I mean by that is, when you watch our games, when he goes on the floor, people get up into his chest when he’s trying to run our offense. He can’t get off the ball too early, if it’s just one guy. He’s gotta be able to go by that guy and get the guy off-balance and bring it back out and set our offense up and/or get by and make a play in the paint. He can’t let pressure bother him or disrupt our offense at all.
“And then defensively, he’s gotta be a pest. He’s gotta be nasty, not anything illegal or anything like that, just a guy that people wanna say ‘get off me, get off me,’ because he’s more than capable of doing that. He’s gotta play with some sort of force, particularly for his size.”
On the Knicks’ bench contributions in their comeback victory over Chicago:
“We got a lot of contributions from all across the board. I thought our bench was fantastic. Landry came off the bench and had 14 points, 4-for-7 from the three-point line was huge. Andre Drummond came off the bench and had 11 rebounds in 15 minutes. That was huge. Tyler hit three big threes, nine assists in 18 minutes. Zero turnovers; he’s just a ball mover. That was huge.
“And obviously our defensive player of the game, Jordan Clarkson. He was big for us. He had been on the shelf for a while. Not only was he big for us offensively, but he had two big steals for us during our run. Our bench was very good for us tonight.”
On overcoming his shooting slump and rediscovering his rhythm against the Bulls:
“I was happy to be able to kind of finally get over that hump. I feel like I was putting a lot of unnecessary commentary in my head. But seeing the ball go in the way it did, it put me out of my mental state and put me in a good flow state.”
On how he broke out of the slump:
“I switched a couple of things up.”
On his relationship with Derrick Rose and Rose’s son, P.J.:
“It’s crazy to see how old he is now. I’m thankful for the relationship I have with him and his family. I feel like the feeling is mutual. I’m happy to have (Derrick) as a mentor and someone I can talk to, and someone I look up to, as well.”
On his memories of growing up around Chicago basketball and attending Bulls games:
“So many memories. I remember the Eastern Conference finals with Derrick, when they lost to LeBron, and going to all of those games. I met Kobe here. I met countless players here. Just how loud the United Center was — it’s always going to be loud no matter the situation. So many memories. I remember exactly where I used to sit and everything. It was perfect.”
On remembering the late Stacey King and his support during Brunson’s high school years:
“I just want to say RIP to Stacey King, who we lost recently. He’s a person I knew when I was in high school out here. He supported our team a lot. His kids went to Stevenson.”
On the source of Josh Hart’s seemingly endless energy:
“Sugar.”
"We have a lot of confidence What we've built as a team Jalen at the end of games Knowing he's gonna make shots And then everybody else Doing the small things Just competing to win"
On the Knicks’ confidence in Jalen Brunson during clutch situations:
“We have a lot of confidence. What we’ve built as a team, Jalen (Brunson) at the end of games, knowing that he’s going to make shots. Then, everybody else doing the small things. We’re just competing to win.”
"Jalen Brunson cold. I been through that though. And then KAT is just––he's huge, he's huge, he just makes the right decision, can shoot, trail threes, just plays the basketball really well. Honestly they're just a good team. OG's really good too, really physical, hard to go… pic.twitter.com/Gq2p2CiwgT
On Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby after facing the Knicks:
“Jalen Brunson cold. Then KAT is just––he’s huge, he’s huge, he just makes the right decision, can shoot, trail threes, just plays the basketball really well. Honestly, they’re just a good team. OG’s really good too, really physical, hard to go against, hard to score against, they just have a really well-rounded team.”
On Jordan Clarkson’s performance:
“Even Jordan Clarkson came the bench and finished it. He played really well.”
On facing the Knicks again in a few days:
“We get to play them again next week at their place. We’ll learn from this and hopefully we can go out there and get a win.”
Playing with Brunson: "We played together last year stretches, great guy to play off…Obv 2 smaller guards so I have to compete on D but I'm willing to do anything"
Clutch: We're a veteran group…ECF, Finals…tight game, we're gonna get it done" pic.twitter.com/wBTDPKwbq2
On reports that James Dolan is unhappy with Knicks players over a potential White House visit:
“People have been a little bit stressed because the owner, James Dolan, has an attitude with players because they don’t want to go to the White House.”
On his opinion of Dolan and the reported disagreement:
“I don’t know whether this is true or not, but I’ll believe anything when it comes to James Dolan because he is a walking embodiment of petulance. This man is as petty as they come.”
It didn't take long for former Winnipeg Jets defenceman Jack St. Ivany to make an impression with his new club.
Just four days after being claimed off waivers by the Washington Capitals, the 27-year-old recorded two assists and earned third-star honours in his Washington debut Wednesday night, helping the Capitals to a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA Today
St. Ivany made his presence felt almost immediately, picking up a helper on Alex Tuch's opening goal just 1:50 into the first period. He added another assist later in the contest, finishing with two points, a plus-two rating and 14:44 of ice time.
The performance came less than a week after the Jets placed the 6-foot-4 blueliner on waivers Friday, with Washington claiming him the following afternoon.
Winnipeg had acquired St. Ivany from the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 29 in exchange for forward David Gustafsson. He appeared in four games with the Jets to begin the 2026-27 season, recording no points, six hits and five blocked shots while averaging 13:31 of ice time.
He joins Johnathan Kovacevic, Eric Comrie, Luca Sbisa, Jansen Harkins and Declan Chisholm as players the Jets have lost via Waivers since returning to Winnipeg.
The California native had previously spent parts of three NHL seasons with Pittsburgh, including a career-best seven-assist campaign over 20 games in 2025-26.
Washington's decision to claim St. Ivany came as the Capitals dealt with injuries on their blueline, including the absence of Vincent Desharnais, who is recovering from an appendectomy, Rasmus Sandin and Winnipegger Dylan McIlrath.
St. Ivany was paired with rookie Cole Hutson for Wednesday's matchup, giving Washington another right-shot option on defence.
Originally selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, St. Ivany enjoyed his memorable Capitals debut against the very organization that drafted him.
With two assists in his first appearance, St. Ivany has already surpassed his offensive production from four games with Winnipeg this season, making an immediate case for an extended opportunity in Washington's lineup.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 28: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 28, 2026 at Delta Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs outlasted the rising but shorthanded Utah Jazz in an overtime win behind Victor Wembanyama’s game-high 36 points along with 14 rebounds. Devin Vassell proved instrumental as well, chipping in a season-high 21 points. The game was pretty ugly or rather ugly pretty, but the Spurs capitalized on some defensive fortunes with 14 steals as a team, highlighted by 3 apiece for Wembanyama, Vassell, and De’Aaron Fox.
Dylan Harper with the pretty pass up the stream to Stephon Castle. It’s still early in the season, but it’s always easy on the eyes seeing the Spurs continue to develop that chemistry.
If you’re not a fan of old school, down low, post moves with some exquisite foot work, avert your eyes. This highlight below is not for you. Mayhaps I could interest you in one of dozens of those other videos of other players on other teams taking 5 steps outside the three-point line for one of those “step-back” threes that isn’t called for travel. I say this knowing full well the Spurs biggest big man will chuck up like 11 shots from downtown, but at least he’s not chucking up 10 shots from downtown (checks box score) . . . OK well candy corn M&Ms was the worst thing ever invented by humans.
Patience is a virtue. So is this nifty fake pump from De’Aaron Fox, nothing but virtue. Early in this season, Fox is living up to his Swipa nickname, averaging 1.8 steals per game (he had 3 himself in this game alone).
And another shot clock light bulb needed changing. While you’re up there, Victor, please dust the top of the backboard. No one ever pays attention to those little details when deep cleaning. Like blades of the ceiling fans. It’s a whole thing. Gotta grab the ladder if you don’t have one of those extending dusters. Then you get dust in your eye if you’re not careful. It’s a whole thing.
That being said, I for one, encourage everyone to go vote! It’s our civic duty, like it’s Stephon Castle’s civic duty to finish at the basket with such flair and flare.
I don’t know how stats work. Does the bottom of the backboard get credit for 1/2 of a block? They do 1/2 sacks in football. I know Wembanyama is the boss of blocks, but give some love to the inanimate objects too.
Keldon Wilder Johnson with the no look pass to Wembanyama for the jam. Sir, I did not know you had that in your bag. Kudos to Keldon. Once Tobias Harris joints the rotation, it’ll be interesting how the minutes shake out. But for the time being, Johnson and Julian Champagnie are shoring up the bench unit with important minutes and their usual hustle plays.
If you missed the game because you were too busy explaining to your spouse why James, Ken, Greg, and Gina keep texting you, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Spurs will host a Halloween Haunt against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, left, battles Clippers guard Cam Christie for a rebound during the first half Wednesday. Vanderbilt collected seven rebounds off the bench. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
By the time Collin Sexton arrived at the Lakers’ practice facility Wednesday morning, just hours after a nearly three-hour slugfest against the Portland Trail Blazers, Jarred Vanderbilt was already deep into a morning workout. The Lakers were beginning a grueling five-game, seven-day stretch, but Vanderbilt was on the practice court in a full sweat at full speed.
It’s no surprise to Sexton that Vanderbilt approached his long-awaited regular-season debut the same way Wednesday against the Clippers.
“He’s always going to be ready for whenever his name is called,” Sexton said. “But that just shows a true professional.”
Vanderbilt starred in his bench role in his delayed season debut Wednesday in the Lakers’ 103-87 win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome. The offensive numbers are unremarkable: no points, one shot, one assist and a turnover. The impact was undeniable. The Lakers outscored the Clippers (1-3) by 22 points in his 21 minutes and two seconds he was on the court.
Vanderbilt, who had seven rebounds, was one of three Lakers bench players to have a plus-minus of plus-21 or better Wednesday, along with Sexton (plus-23) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (plus-21).
“The second unit, we have to come in and pick up where the starters left off,” said Sexton, who had 21 points, including 11 during the third quarter. “That’s the biggest thing. We got to come in and impact the game right away. We can’t come in and ease into it.”
Vanderbilt’s energy helped the Lakers (4-1) win the rebounding battle for the first time this season. He didn’t waste any time after he subbed in with 3:26 remaining in the first quarter. On his first possession in the game, Vanderbilt repeatedly tipped a loose ball up in the air to keep it alive long enough for Austin Reaves to grab an offensive rebound.
The 6-foot-8 forward did not appear in the Lakers’ first four games. He has been on the fringes of the Lakers rotation in part because his three-point shot is not reliable enough to offset his consistent defensive tenacity and energy. But with the Lakers struggling to find a backup center behind Walker Kessler, Lakers coach JJ Redick said Vanderbilt could get an opportunity to play out of position.
Redick said he had previously had conversations with Vanderbilt about ensuring he would be in a position to succeed. Redick views Vanderbilt more as a wing or a forward than a center, where he occasionally played during 2025 after the Lakers traded for Luka Doncic and were shorthanded in the frontcourt. But with Kevon Looney being the only other full-time center behind Kessler this season, there could be moments when Vanderbilt plays the five by necessity, Redick acknowledged Wednesday.
When Kessler wasn’t on the court Wednesday, Redick said the duo of Vanderbilt and the 6-foot-9 Mamukelashvili was “the best pairing in terms of having another big out there that can space and shoot and play-make.” Mamukelashvili had 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in 30 minutes.
Looney, who was minus-eight in five minutes on the court against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, did not play Wednesday. The three-time NBA champion offers a completely different skill set than Kessler at the position, and only one week into the season, Redick said the staff is still figuring out how Looney best fits into the team’s scheme.
“You’re trying to figure out who you are as a group [at the beginning of the season],” Redick said. “You’re also, like, for a team with a lot of new guys, you’re trying to figure out what they are. You follow players for years. You can watch them play, and you got to figure out where they fit and how you can, again, put them in a position to succeed. So that’s still a work in progress with all regards.”
The Lakers looked to bolster their depth at center by signing 7-foot center Lawson Lovering to a two-way contract Wednesday and waiving forward AK Okereke. Lovering was with Memphis’ G League affiliate, where he averaged 7.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 30 games last season. He was undrafted out of Utah, where he finished his collegiate career that started at Colorado.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 22: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) looks on during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on October 22, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Over the past couple of years, defenseman Kris Letang seemed to be the one member of the Pittsburgh Penguins big-three that had slowed down the most. Not only in terms of offensive production, but just general, overall impact. Father time was catching up, and the adjustment to that did not seem to be going well. There were even more signs of that over the first couple of games of the 2026-27 season.
But over the past couple of weeks there are some encouraging signs that maybe Letang still has some game left, and that maybe he is adjusting to his new limitations and what he can and can not do.
That has especially been the case since he has not been paired up with Trevor van Riemsdyk, an early-season pairing that just did not seem to click the way the Penguins might have hoped.
While Letang has not really made a significant contribution offensively with just six asssists (and zero goals), his defensive impacts have been shockingly strong.
When he has been on the ice during 5-on-5 play, the Penguins have allowed just four goals in 198 minutes of hockey, and only 1.96 expected goals per 60 minutes.
That expected goal number is the lowest among the team’s defensemen (minimum 100 minutes played), and the third-lowest of any player on the team (trailing only forwards Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte).
Among 186 defensemen across the NHL, it is 11th.
Those are promising numbers. The Penguins do have an extremely high save percentage with Letang on the ice (over .940) which is probably not a sustainable number, so there might be some additional goals against to come his way just through some regression, but the fact there are not a lot of chances being allowed is an encouraging sign that could help mitigate that somewhat.
It is also eye-opening how much more effective he has been paired with literally any other defenseman on the roster outside of van Riemsdyk.
There are some small sample sizes here with each of these pairings, but the overall performance is pretty consistent among the pairings.
Pairing
Minutes Played
GF
GA
xGF/60
xGA/60
xGF%
Kris Letang-Trevor van Riemsdyk
57.57
1
1
2.32
3.39
40.7
Kris Letang-Spencer Stastney
53.52
1
0
2.70
1.03
72.3
Kris Letang-Ilya Solovyov
36.58
1
0
1.61
1.49
51.9
Kris Letang-Sam Girard
16.27
0
2
3.23
1.59
67.0
Kris Letang-Declan Carlile
16.16
1
1
5.12
1.59
76.2
I am going to chalk this up to three things that are likely working in harmony here to produce these results.
Early season small sample size noise that is, to some degree, driven by on-ice save percentage. You can’t just ignore that possibility, especially given the larger sampling of of performance we have had from him over the previous year or two. Even though there have not been a lot of chances against, some of those pucks that are getting through to the goalies are going to find their way in the back of the net at some point. The expected goal against numbers are highly encouraging, but I think we do need to see more of that over an extended period of time before we can say for certain that it’s a for-real improvement.
Less is more. And by that I mean, less ice-time. A smaller role. He is averaging just a little more than 20 minutes of ice-time per game, which is the lowest number since his rookie season. Even as recently as two years ago the Penguins were asking him to play 23 minutes per game. In the first half of the 2025-26 season, that number was still up in the 22-23 minute per game range. He’s a borderline Hockey Hall of Famer. He has had the best career of any defenseman in a Penguins uniform. He’s been great for a long, long time. But at some point you are not capable of playing that sort of role anymore. Everybody needs to adjust to that. He needed to adjust his game. The Penguins needed to adjust their expectations and role for him.
Just getting him with the right partner. Or in this case, not putting him with the wrong partner. I liked the idea of signing van Riemsdyk in free agency because he has been such a solid defender throughout his career. Nothing flashy; just steady. But even when Letang was at his peak and one of the best skaters in the league, he never, ever, at any point, played well next to defenders like van Riemsdyk. The Brooks Orpik-Rob Scuderi pairings never worked well. The idea of putting him with “a safety net” never played out. He was always at his best next to players that could skate well, move the puck, and could complement his style of play. Stastney, Solovyov, Girard and even Carlile to some extent are significantly better at playing that style of game than van Riemsdyk is.
If nothing else, it is an encouraging development to see from a player that the Penguins are going to need to play well. Let’s see how it plays out.
Washigton Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin is starting slowly in his 22nd and final season. The Colorado Avalanche haven't shown last season's dominance and the Pennsylvania teams have struggled, along with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram. Plus, there's no contract extension for Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes.
Is it time to hit the panic button? USA TODAY takes a look.
Alex Ovechkin showing his age?
Ovechkin, 41, entered this season needing 11 goals to break Wayne Gretzky's record of 1,016 combined regular season and playoff goals. He needed five assists to break Nicklas Backstrom's team record of 762 career assists. But he's at one goal and three assists after 11 games, the worst start of his career.
A couple things have been working against Ovechkin. He was injured heading into training camp and the Capitals' offseason acquisitions have cut into his ice time. He's no longer playing all two minutes of the power play and is averaging a career-low 13:47 per game. According to NHL Edge, his hardest shot is down 4 mph from last season and his fastest skating speed is down 2 mph. He's on pace for a career-low 122 shots.
Ovechkin has a history of starting slowly, so it's a matter of waiting to see if he'll break out again.
Colorado Avalanche off to slower start
The Avalanche were sitting at 6-5-1 heading into Wednesday's game after winning the 2025-26 Presidents' Trophy.
They are built around Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas but they dealt away some of their depth before giving Makar a record contract extension.
Valeri Nichushkin, Ross Colton and Jack Drury were traded. The Avalanche signed free agent Jaden Schwartz, who had six points in his first four games before going without a point in his next five games.
MacKinnon, Makar and Necas are doing their part, but they'll need more depth scoring to push for another division title. They got a start on Wednesday, Oct. 28, when Schwartz, Parker Kelly, Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog joined MacKinnon in scoring in a 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils.
But slow starts leave the Penguins and Flyers at 14th and 16th, respectively, in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers were sunk by a team-worst 0-6-3 start in which they struggled to score. Penguins forwards Andrei Kuzmenko (death of his father) and Ben Kindel (vasovagal episode) have missed time.
One highlight for the Flyers is that Matvei Michkov, who struggled last season, has picked up nine goals in October.
Blackhawks' Bowen Byram has disappointing start
Byram was stuck behind Makar and Rasmus Dahlin early in his career, and the Blackhawks made a big bet he'd be a productive No. 1 defenseman if given the opporunity.
The Blackhawks sent the fourth overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres in a trade for Byram and gave him a $12.5 million-a-year contract extension.
But Byram has one point in six games and is a minus-7. Several things have worked against him. The Blackhawks were without injured top player Connor Bedard at the beginning of the season and Byram missed a game to fly home for the birth of his twins. He played one game with Bedard, picking up his lone point, then has been out with an upper-body injury. He's considered day to day.
Quinn Hughes hasn't signed extension
The Minnesota defenseman is off to another tremendous season, but he has yet to agree to a contract extension in the final year of his contract. He gave a positive update recently.
"My two feet are planted in Minnesota and, you know, something could happen soon. I'm not really too sure," he told reporters on Oct. 24. "I'm really enjoying playing here."
GM Bill Guerin addressed Hughes' contract situation Wednesday on "The Chad Hartman Show," saying he hasn't talked to Hughes' agents recently.
“There’s nothing really to talk about right now," he said. "What am I going to do? Like going, ‘Please, please, please, please.' This is a unique situation. I think Quinn needs to wrap his head around a couple things. ... Quinn's situation will resolve itself at some point in time. This does not keep me awake at night."
Guerin said there's no date for Hughes to sign or for the GM to consider other options.
"At some point in time, I'll have to try to figure things out and see what's best for the team," he said. "I know one thing for sure. Having Quinn on our team is what's best for the team. ... I don't know what's gong to happen. I don't know what I'm going to do."
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 05: Kevin Porter Jr. #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the preseason NBA game at Fiserv Forum on October 05, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to another edition of Heard ‘em Say, where we share the Milwaukee Bucks news that matters to you—all in one convenient place! On this week’s agenda: what could have been instead of waiving Kevin Porter Jr., a roundup of the Wisconsin Herd’s roster, an update on Malik Beasley’s sports gambling charges, and Nate Ament reps the Brewers. Oh, and was Jaylen Brown pushing to become a Buck?
Nuggets offered picks for KPJ?
As you’re well aware, the Bucks waived Kevin Porter Jr. just before the 4:00 p.m. CT deadline for NBA teams to finalise their rosters ahead of the regular season starting. The news was a shock, at least to some (Editor’s note: more on that to come), particular given how well Porter performed when healthy last season. As it turns out, the Bucks didn’t have to lose him for nothing. In fact, according to Jake Fischer’s report in The People’s Insider, they could’ve received draft picks in exchange for the 26-year-old. Of course, there’s a caveat:
The Stein Line has learned that the Nuggets showed a willingness to package two future second-rounders and a second-round pick swap along with Zeke Nnaji’s very available contract in a bid to bring Kevin Porter Jr. to the Rocky Mountains. Yet I’m told that the Bucks ultimately walked away from the Porter-to-Denver discussions as well — and then waived Porter Jr. — because they could not stomach the idea of swallowing Nnaji’s $7.5 million salary for the 2027-28 season.
Fischer also reported that five salary cap specialists from rival teams “said they would have made the move if they were in Milwaukee’s shoes” but also that “All five capologists say they could understand why the Bucks ultimately chose not to surrender $7.5 million of their theoretical flexibility entering the 2027-28 campaign.” All this considered—not to mention the additional opportunities Porter’s absence has afforded Kasparas Jakučionis—do you agree with Jon Horst’s decision?
Speaking of Porter, via the Clutch Scoopspodcast, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel speculated that while a return to the NBA isn’t out of the cards, Porter may even head back to Europe:
Halfway through the year, there’s going to be teams needing point guards and needing more backcourt depth. They’ll look at Kevin Porter Jr. as an option. But I would just keep an eye on him as also being an option for international teams overseas in Europe. And I expect him to gain interest there. We’ll see what he ultimately decides, whether he wants to give up on the NBA and go overseas or if he’s going to wait for some of these pro-rated deals after the trade deadline.
As we know, Porter has more than enough talent for NBA basketball, and if it weren’t for all his injuries last year he could very well be the Bucks’ starting point guard right now. So, let’s hope he gets another shot somewhere.
All the best, Scoot.
Wisconsin Herd roster roundup
After making their pick in the G League Draft last Saturday, the Wisconsin Herd have officially finalized their 15-man training camp roster. The roster is led by two-way players Kam Jones, Pete Nance, and Cormac Ryan.
Despite trading a 2026 first-rounder to the Capital City Go-Go (the Wizards’ G League affiliate), the Herd still walked away with a player after the draft. The Herd selected Brody Fox, a former The Citadel forward coming off a one-year stint in Estonia, with the 49th pick.
Some of the Herd’s most recognizable players parted ways with Wisconsin earlier this year. Mark Sears (19.1 ppg) signed an Exhibit-10 deal with Portland, while Wisconsin traded Stephen Thompson (17.4 ppg) to the Iowa Wolves, and Johnny Davis (15.6 ppg) signed with a Turkish team. The Herd went 10-26 last year, good for last in the Eastern Conference, but coach Schuyler Rimmer and the Herd are hoping to improve going into 2027.
The full roster is as follows:
Ty Berry (guard, Kauhajoki Karhu)
Johni Broome (forward, Philadelphia 76ers/Delaware Blue Coats)
Jeremiah Burke (forward, Denver University)
John Butler Jr. (forward, Wisconsin Herd)
Brody Fox (forward, Latvijas Universitate)
Marcus Garrett (guard, Greensboro Swarm)
Terrence Hargrove Jr. (forward, Grand Rapids Gold)
Kam Jones (guard, Indiana Pacers/Noblesville Boom)
Cameron Martin (forward, Wisconsin Herd)
Pete Nance (forward, Milwaukee Bucks/Wisconsin Herd)
Manny Obaseki (guard, Westchester Knicks)
Cameron Parker (guard, Rip City Remix)
Cormac Ryan (guard, Milwaukee Bucks/Wisconsin Herd)
Kalifa Sakho (forward, Houston University)
Jake Stephens (forward, KK Split)
Malik Beasley in talks over possible guilty plea
In June 2025, news broke that former Bucks guard Malik Beasley was under investigation for betting on NBA games. This June, Beasley wasindicted on sports gambling charges, allegedly committing those crimes while with the team. Now, it appears Beasley is pleading guilty, as reported by Mike Vorkunov from The Athletic:
Beasley was indicted this summer for his role in an alleged scheme that bet on his performance while he was with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-24 season. Beasley is accused of manipulating his play so that bettors could win their wagers on him. Beasley initially pleaded not guilty, but court records Friday night said that he intends to change his plea.
Steve Haney, a lawyer for Beasley, said Beasley has not yet decided to plead guilty, but is in talks with prosecutors with the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. He is expected to make a final decision early next week.
In fact, there’s no doubt about it:
Former NBA player Malik Beasley will enter a guilty plea on Dec. 9 with the Department of Justice over his role in bribery and betting scheme on his NBA play, his attorney Steve Haney tells ESPN.
Jaylen Brown may or may not have pushed to be traded to Milwaukee
According to Brian Scalabrine, at one point this offseason, Jaylen Brown pushed to be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks:
“My understanding is that Jaylen Brown went to the organization and had a list of demands, and it was like, ‘You either do this, or you trade me.’ And he was rooting to get traded to Milwaukee, including calling some teammates about, ‘Hey, man, what do you think of Milwaukee? We should go there.'”
Then again, according to the same Brian Scalabrine, that actually didn’t happen:
Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine taking about Scal’s comments on the radio today https://t.co/Ldad81lQHO
For as good as Brown is, I’m good with how this all played out. What about you?
Nate Ament & the “Brew Crew”
Finally, just in case you missed it, Nate Ament is embracing all things Milwaukee—even with his shoes:
Bucks rookie Nate Ament is debuting his “Brew Crew” Reebok Engine A 26 PE today — as the Milwaukee Brewers begin the World Series.
The 1-of-1 PE features his player logo on the tongue and a classic navy / yellow Brewers colorway. https://t.co/xGRnvCu5BX
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: Giannis Antetokounmpo #7 of the Miami Heat is defended by Dyson Daniels #5 and Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter at State Farm Arena on October 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks dropped a third consecutive game as they fell to fellow Southeast Division rivals Miami Heat 129-117 on Wednesday evening at State Farm Arena. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points, while rookie Kingston Flemings also scored so far career-best of 23 points. For the Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo scored 24 points apiece with Antetokounmpo adding 18 rebounds.
Having lost two games against the Houston Rockets, the Hawks returned to State Farm Arena to face a familiar foe: a Heat side looking for their first victory of the season. Initially, it was a close affair between the two sides, but the Heat began to edge away as the first quarter came to close and established a double-digit lead as the paint points began to mount.
In the second quarter, the Hawks made a run to bring the margin down as low as three points before the Heat re-established themselves and their double-digit lead; a half-court heave from Nikola Jovic at the halftime buzzer putting the Heat up by 13 points. The third quarter saw the Hawks, again, trying to mount a comeback before another Miami run stretched their lead to a game-high 18 points before settling at 15 heading into the final frame.
The Hawks mounted a run in the fourth quarter, and with seven minutes remaining the lead had been trimmed to four points — plenty of time to take the lead and see the game through with the home-crowd very much onside. However, Miami responded, and restored their 10-point lead and edge away to secure their first win of the season.
Postgame, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder acknowledged that the Heat were just better last night, while also commenting on the Hawks not moving the ball as they should have, affecting their offense.
“Credit the way they played, they, they beat us,” said Snyder. “They were aggressive on the glass, they did a lot of things and there were times when we responded, but we’ve got to be better. We’ve got to move the ball better, particularly when the team’s aggressive on us on the ball. We have willing passers, but we have to pass. It’s about when you pass, and our ability to get off the ball quicker and get more movement I think will help us offensively. When we’re not connected on the offensive end, it really impacts our team.”
The Hawks made multiple runs in this game to cut the lead to single digits but could not sustain it.
“Just a little too late, energy-wise,” said Nickeil Alexander-Walker. “We’re showing that we can compete. I think throughout the game, we have to do a better job of consistently competing. There’s times where our compete level drops, and that’s what it was tonight.”
I think the Hawks lost this game for three reasons: they got absolutely killed in the paint/at the rim, the Hawks committed a lot of turnovers that could have been avoided, and Atlanta missed too many bunnies at the rim.
The main issue last night defensively was defending at the rim: the Heat made 21 baskets at the rim and scored 70 points in the paint. Onyeka Okongwu certainly had his work cut out for him with both Giannis and Adebayo attacking the rim, or Miami operating Adebayo in the high-post, bringing Okongwu away from the rim and leaving the rim largely unprotected…and then there were instances where Okongwu or Jock Landale were close to the rim and it didn’t matter.
This lack of rim protection in this game was seen in the early stages, as Andrew Wiggins drives to the rim and scores before the defense can rotate to attempt a block:
After a turnover from Kingston Flemings, the Heat come the other way, and from the corner, Pelle Larsson is able to drive by Aaron Wiggins and score at the rim without a challenge:
Here, Adebayo throws an entry pass to Giannis, who has Landale at his back, and with the only size the Hawks have at even having a remote chance of slowing him down, Giannis is able to flip the shot home, plus the foul:
After a wide miss by Adebayo on the jumper, there is absolutely no size and no chance the Hawks can prevent Giannis claiming the offensive rebound and scoring at the rim:
After the drive from Klay Thompson draws Okongwu, Giannis receives the dump-off at the dunker’s spot, and with Okongwu now behind the play, Giannis can dunk at the rim for another basket at the rim:
After Dyson Daniels does a good job contesting the much larger Adebayo at the rim, he — and the rest of the Hawks — are powerless to fight against the second effort of Adebayo, who claims and rises in a crowd to score at the rim:
This time in a rare pick-and-roll scenario, Antetokounmpo gets a head of steam, and when he does it’s just one of those things that’s very difficult to stop even with sufficient rim protection:
It’s a tough matchup for the Hawks when there’s an old-school tandem of a dominant power forward/center combo, and the Hawks just don’t have the size to combat this dual-headed threat.
“Obviously Giannis and the question before about Bam breaking the rebounding record for the Heat, so, he’s out there and then Giannis is out there too and Portis is physical and they have size across their front line,” said Snyder. “We can’t accept that those aren’t plays and balls that we can come up with. There’s just another level there, and at times we found it. But there are things, that throughout the possession when you have breakdowns, it becomes difficult to rebound because you’re in a rotation situation.”
It was undoubtedly the key to the game, but with the way the Hawks are set up I’m not sure what more could have been done to prevent it. Sure, perhaps Okongwu could have gotten back to the rim quicker on some drives to try and contest, but there’s no guarantee that would have changed the outcome on those baskets and, overall, those instances were far fewer than the Heat just inherently having a size advantage possession after possession.
Individually, the Hawks did not enjoy many strong offensive performances, in particular Jalen Johnson did not enjoy a positive game scoring the ball, scoring just 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. Snyder believed the Heat trapping as they did impacted the Hawks and their ability to move the ball as they normally would.
“The impact that Jalen has in the game in transition and his unselfishness, his willingness to pass the ball, playing without the ball is something that our, our whole team, the more we embrace that, the more difficult we are to defend, and that’s everybody,” began Snyder on Johnson’s difficult game. “Tonight, they were trapping us in lots of actions, so those reads really dictate that you need to throw the ball ahead and just move it and see how you break the defense down. That’s one of the biggest things for us is to have the ball change sides. When we’re playing actions, that allows them to double, and when they do, we’ve got to take advantage of that. That’s something we need to do a better job.”
Johnson was still able to rack up 11 assists, and the Hawks 35 assists but it was the 15 turnovers which were costly for the Hawks. Not so much because Miami punished them for it (only scoring 13 points off of turnovers) but they were largely avoidable turnovers which prevented the Hawks themselves attempting shots.
The story from the Hawks’ side from a player perspective was that of Kingston Flemings, who scored 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from three:
“Just staying aggressive,” said Flemings of his night. “We got a lot of rebounds, and we were pushing in transition, that’s when we’re best. So, just trying to get rebounds, push and just playing the flow of the offense.”
Flemings also got the nod to close out the game in place of CJ McCollum down the stretch, running with the Hawks’ crunch time lineup. When asked about this decision after the game, Snyder explained the reasoning for it and how McCollum has supported Flemings.
“Kingston did a terrific job,” said Snyder of Flemings. “I think this is part of the process for him. This is a long runway, as I’ve said and it’s not about any one player, it’s really not. Tonight, Kingston gave us a lift. He was pushing the ball and made some good things happen. We talked about it as the coaching staff, (and) CJ knows how we feel about him, he’s crucial to us being who we want to be. Kingston had been in the game long enough that it felt like throwing CJ in a tough situation, putting him in cold at that point. As I said, CJ’s all about the team and the team winning and that’s an aberration. But I think CJ more than anyone understands with his professionalism and his career, but our whole team, that’s part of having depth on any given night. Hopefully you have guys that can lift their level, and tonight was Kingston. It’s been other guys as well. That’s how we can be a good team by having that depth and versatility and guys getting behind one another. You saw that tonight. Nobody’s more supportive of Kingston than CJ.”
Flemings echoed this sentiment and described how McCollum has been helping him in his rookie season so far.
“I mean, otherworldly, to be honest,” said Flemings when asked about the importance of McCollum’s veteran presence. “Him and Nickeil, I work out with them almost every single day, taking bits and pieces. For CJ to be playing this long at this high of a level, it’s not easy to do. You don’t even see a lot of players doing it. But just CJ, the things he’s done, he’s in my ear all the time. Every timeout when he’s on the bench, just telling me what he sees, offense, defense, helping me in those ways. Just invaluable having players like him on the team. I’m grateful for it.”
“I just work with him every day, so, seeing his mindset, seeing his aggression, the way he competed tonight was amazing,” added Nickeil Alexander-Walker of Flemings. “He provided energy, came in aggressive, played to his strengths, got the team within striking distance in multiple ways. His force and everything was amazing.”
In some of those plays from his highlights above, what continues to be really impressive is Flemings’ decision-making. He could spring into a three or a jumpshot, but turns it down and drives inside, where he can either kick it out or rise into a more open jumpshot. It would be easy to take the three in front of him but takes maturity to recognize that there is a better shot available to him; his patience has been impressive to watch.
“The game is still super fast,” said Flemings postgame. “I think it’s definitely slowing down for me. It’s just being aggressive. I see a lot of the plays throughout the court, nothing really changed. It’s just when the defense knows I’m going to pass, my passes aren’t going to be there. So, the coaches talk to me about that, everyone’s talking about that. Putting the ball on the rim, I’m going to continue to do that. Just put the ball up, make some shots, and you play like that, it makes the defense second guess. So, doing that, just constantly trying to gain confidence throughout.”
Other Hawks who had a good game include Dyson Daniels, he was so disruptive defensively last night — three steals doesn’t fully reflect how active he was last night. Alexander-Walker scored 23 points on 8-of-18 from the field and 5-of-9 from three, while CJ McCollum was active in the first quarter and made some tough baskets en route to 13 points. Despite Johnson shooting 4-of-12, Lu Dort shooting 3-of-11, and Aaron Wiggins shooting 4-of-11, I thought the offense wasn’t really the issue (barring those turnovers); the Hawks just had no answer to Miami’s size — the roster is just fundamentally built in a way that does not jive well with the way Atlanta’s roster is built.
The Hawks have now lost three straight games, but this doesn’t require overreaction. Two of those are against the Rockets, and they’re just a step above the Hawks from a talent perspective: that’s going to be a very good team if health endures.
This loss last night I think is just a clash of styles that doesn’t suit Atlanta; the Heat’s front court was just too big and powerful for the Hawks to handle last night. Future matchups will be interesting to see how the Hawks go about teams like this with two prolific bigs.
The Hawks (2-3) are back in action tonight at State Farm Arena to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-1), who were in action last night in a win against the Wizards in Cleveland.
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 26: Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Miami Heat on October 26, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On most teams, you find that one player. Especially for young players, there’s always someone who’s too quick for their own legs, too rushed, too out of control. It’s usually because their body is both quicker and more athletic than their brain realizes, and it can take a while for it to catch up.
When I was a u16 player, we had one of those players. Too quick for her own legs, she would beat her defender, but throw the ball up, clanking it off the rim and then continue out of bounds, unable to stop. It was funny at times, but less useful in games. On the other side of the floor, however, she was a menace. Constantly getting a hand on passes on defense, throwing herself into rebounds.
As crazy as it sounds, that reminds me of someone. Someone on the Dallas Mavericks, whose game has been looking too rushed. But then during the last few games, things seemed to improve. Zaccharie Risacher.
Isaac Harris of the LockedOn Mavs podcast saw the same thing, and – luckily for me – asked Mavs coach Dusty May about it.
“With Zacch, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. And sometimes, we want to see you more before we constrain you, or before we want you to do this or that. We want to evaluate you to see, because sometimes guys can do more than they’ve needed to in the past, because of their situation. After Houston, we painted a really clear picture of what we needed him to do. And he’s been very, very receptive.”
I asked Dusty May about the game slowing down for Zaccharie Risacher & here’s his answer
And the coaching behind what they did to help Risacher slow down, especially his shot, is worth paying attention to if you’re into the technical (and mental) part of what goes into making a good basketball player and shooter:
“(Today) he was really close to having as good of a stat line as his impact on the game,” May said after the Miami Heat win earlier this week. “His shots didn’t look rushed, it looked like he was playing with a much – we call it quiet eye – with a much quieter eye.”
I saw a number of people questioning the term after this quote, asking if this was real and if May just made it up. But the concept of “the quiet eye” is in fact a very real thing, it even has its own Wikipedia page.
When we talk about the quiet eye in basketball, we refer to the extended moment a good, usually elite player and shooter, stares at the rim – or space in the middle of the net – before shooting.
An elite shooter locks eyes, if it had them, with the rim before getting a shot up. The more pressure, the longer the stare. It allows the shooter to focus, as well as visualize, where the shot will fall and how it’s going to look, the millisecond before you shoot. The better the shooter, the longer this moment is when the pressure is high.
The quiet eye was one of my specialties as a player. I was a great shooter for a while there, and every time I was on a heater, I would see exactly where the ball fell just before I would shoot. It felt like prophecy, but it was more like visualization. And it works.
We see examples of this with the best shooters in the league every day. When (brace yourselves, Mavs fans) Tim Hardaway Jr. is on a heater, he does this very well. Klay Thompson, of course, and Steph Curry. Bogdan Bogdanovic is another great example. And I’ve seen new Mav Tarik Biberovic do it in Fenerbahçe. Watch his stare at the rim from when he takes the first dribble:
What we have seen from Risacher recently, and what we will see even more going forward if he manages to incorporate this, is a much better three-point percentage. He has the mechanics down. The quiet eye could help him get the needed focus and get his numbers up fast.
“Zacch is finding himself now,” Dusty May said. “He’s still so young. We really value and appreciate those plays. However many missed shots he had, he had twice as many loose balls, blocks, steals and rebounds and the ones that don’t show up.”
Here’s a good example of what May mentions, this is just one play that stood out, where Risacher blocks a shot in a valuable possession for Miami with five minutes left, leading to a chance to secure important points on the other end for Dallas.
THE BLOCK ➡️ THE AND-1
Risacher with the rejection, and Flagg with the basket plus the foul on NBA TV! 💪 pic.twitter.com/am5WQZhMih
Risacher is doing everything right. After the Miami game, he topped the leaderboard in stocks (steals and rebounds) with 16, an incredible number. Followed by Cooper Flagg (15) and Daniel Gafford (14), the Mavs players are really standing out early.
Here’s another one of Risacher affecting the game directly with hustling and rebounding against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday, cleaning up the possession after a missed shot.
The Mavs coaching staff has been able to make this team play not only hard – as has been the strategy previously – but also smart.
“I thought tonight he painted a masterpiece” Dusty May said after the OKC win. “He’s impacting every single possession… (Sasser and Risacher) are lighting a fire under us, and it’s been fun.”
And it’s paying off, the whole team looks to have great chemistry, which May also mentioned:
“Just to see how connected our group is. They’re so much for each other, it’s fun,” the Dallas Mavericks head coach said.
“He makes us 15, 20 points better when he’s being active and getting steals and playing his defense,” Cooper Flagg said after the Miami game. “I have no doubt that his shots are gonna start to fall.”
And the following game against Oklahoma, they did. Risacher made two out of three from beyond the arc, looking in control and maybe even utilizing that quiet eye, from the looks of it.
And after Wednesday’s win over the Thunder, May revealed that the coaches see Risacher as something out of this world sometimes.
“(Risacher) never gets tired. One of the assistant coaches, Coach Fodor, said he’s a cyborg. He comes out of a game playing five minutes that hard and he’s not breathing (hard), he’s just sitting there, you can’t even tell that he’s been playing…He’s kinda reinventing himself, where even though he’s not shooting nearly as well as he always has, he’s found a lot of value in other parts of the game.”
The same day, the Dallas Mavericks announced that they had exercised their fourth-year team option on Zaccharie Risacher for the 2027-28 season.
He’s reinventing himself with the guidance of good coaching in Dallas. And he has proved himself very important to winning for this team already. Zaccharie Risacher is in a good place.
