Last season, the three matchups between the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves ended in a combined score of 350-351. None of the three were blowouts, as the largest margin of victory was Houston’s lone win in the series (by 5 points).

The two losses were different levels of devastating, though. Both came towards the end of the season and basically tanked any chance Houston had of holding home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. It turned out that not having those first two games in Houston really hurt since the Los Angeles Lakers rode the crowd to 326 TS%* over those first two games (*all stats are approximate but seriously the Lakers couldn’t miss in Games 1 and 2).

The first loss was the one where Houston held a 13-point lead in overtime. It was easily one of the most impressive first two minutes of an overtime period I’ve ever seen. Then it was followed by the most devastating three-minute stretch in overtime, as Minny closed on a furious 15-0 run to win. It was yet another in a long list of late-game collapses for that Houston squad.

The T-Wolves come in without Anthony Edwards, who is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, but there was enough success early for proof-of-concept in the Ant-LaMelo Ball pairing. It definitely looks like they can work together, and the further ascension of Jaden McDaniels gives them enough cover for the two months waiting for Ant’s return.

The Wolves also have this generation’s Thaddeus Young in veteran Rockets killer Jonathan Kuminga. He’s playing well this season so I expect another career night out of him against a team he always shows up to play.

Tip-off

7:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Clint Capela: GTD

Steven Adams: OUT

Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards: OUT

Terrence Shannon Jr.: GTD

Donte DiVincenzo: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -9.5

Check here for updates

Schedule Advantage Counter

Rockets: 1

Opponents: 2

Looking ahead because we can

Saturday night in Phoenix against the Suns

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić has created a lot of attention this past week with his ability to score.

He’s managed to produce a fast start for the Lakers and has positioned himself as an early candidate for MVP.

Dončić produced a double-double in a 138-117 victory over the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 2. He finished with 42 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds.

The point guard did receive a technical foul with 1:12 left in the second quarter. He was initially called for the technical foul for clapping in the direction of an official as he was disputing a "no-call."

It would've been his second technical foul of the season, but it was officially rescinded by the NBA on Tuesday. He will not have to pay the $2,000 fine.

“This season,” Dončić told reporters on Oct. 21. “I’m trying to not get techs.”

More: Luka Dončić's offense is carrying Lakers. Is LA too dependent on its 'showman'?

Dončić had received his first technical foul of the season during a game against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 30.

If a player receives their 16th technical foul in a single season, they are automatically suspended for one game and fined $5,000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers star Luka Dončić has second technical foul rescinded

The numbers are all down. 

Jalen Brunson’s field goal percentage (39.3 percent), 3-point percentage (33.3 percent) and free-throw percentage (73.2 percent) are all significantly down from last year. In fact, the field goal and 3-point percentage would represent the worst of his career, while the free-throw percentage would be second worst. 

The Knicks captain has uncharacteristically been misfiring. 

There isn’t some deep-lying issue or explanation, though. Brunson believes it’s actually quite simple. 

“Missing shots,” Brunson said after practice Tuesday, “I normally make.” 

Brunson’s shooting was always a worry after he underwent surgery to fix a tendon issue in his left wrist during the offseason. He spoke before the season about how it disrupted his normal offseason workouts and caused him to take way fewer shots than he normally does. 

It is certainly understandable that there is early-season rust. But, true to his character, he refused to use that excuse. 

“Not at all,” Brunson said when asked how much the surgery has affected his early-season form. 

The numbers reflect Brunson’s sentiment. 

His shot diet, in terms of the percentage of pullups vs. catch-and-shoot and shot distance, is similar to last season’s. As are the percentages of open shots vs. tightly covered shots. This is not a case of worse shot quality leading to worse results. 

There is one area in which there has been a big drop, though. He is struggling in what is usually his specialty. 

Brunson’s efficiency at the end of the shot clock is way down. He is shooting just 26.7 percent with between 7 and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 35.7 percent with under four seconds left. Last year, he was at 48.8 percent with between 7 and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 46.6 percent under four seconds left. Brunson bailing the Knicks out with tough shots late in possessions is usually a staple of their offense and something that demoralizes opposing defenses. 

It’s been part of a larger trend with the Knicks and their sluggish offense to start the year. As a team, they are shooting 30.4 percent from 7-to-4 seconds left in the shot clock and 26.5 percent under four seconds left. Those are the second-worst and worst marks in the NBA, respectively. 

So often, as Brunson goes, the Knicks go. This is a clear example. 

“He’s taking the same shots as in the past,” coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. “In my opinion, he’s just missing shots. He’s taking the right shots. I think all our guys are, for the most part, taking the right shots. Right now, they’re not going in. And that can be for this reason, that reason, I don’t know, and I’m not going to try to overanalyze it. As long as they keep taking the right shots, keep working on the shots, I think eventually they’re gonna fall sooner than later.” 

Brown has coached some of the league’s best-ever scorers, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry. He has seen this before. 

And he knows that usually, these ruts don’t last too long. 

“It happens,” Brown said. “It happens to the best of them because everybody is definitely human and every human has their ups and their downs when it comes to shooting. That’s why we have to keep embracing the little things, because they’re not gonna always fall.” 

It’s rare to see Brunson struggling the way he has to start this year. 

But if he’s taking the same shots as normal, it should be expected that the results will soon return to normal. 

Luka Doncic’s technical foul with 1:12 remaining in the second quarter against the Heat on Monday has been rescinded following league review.

After Doncic’s postgame news conference following the Lakers’ 138-117 win, Doncic said he wanted to answer more questions — until a reporter asked him why he got the technical.

His eyes bulged, he stood up and he walked out of the room as reporters laughed.

Following the league rescinding the technical, Doncic now only has one on the season.

Doncic had 42 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds against the Heat, notching his fourth 40-point game in the last five games.

He’s averaging a league-leading 38.3 points, eight rebounds and 8.1 assists for the Lakers, who are in fourth place in the Western Conference at 6-2.

After the game, the Heat’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had high praise for Doncic.

“Obviously he’s one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best,” said Antetokounmpo, who had 30 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, one steal and two blocked shots. “Not right now. Of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that. But it’s got to be out there. He’s also an elite passer.”

This has not gone as well as we had hoped. Seven games into the season, and all that the “winning time” Utah Jazz are bringing to show and tell is a solitary one-point win against a subpar New Orleans team and a head bowed in shame. It was a depressing show-and-tell presentation for this premature Jazz team.

But growing pains are part of the deal. Winning in the NBA isn’t as simple as a change in mindset; it’s a change in identity. A fundamental shift in the direction of a franchise will take time to set, especially one as drastic as going from hunting the number-one overall lottery odds to walking the thorn-riddled path toward the Western Conference playoffs.

Just as Michael Scott learned that it takes much more than shouting in the office to declare bankruptcy, Utah is learning firsthand that flipping the “winning” switch is much harder than simply making a declaration. The Jazz wanted and expected to win many more basketball games this season; they clearly still have some growing up to do before they can reach that switch.

Still, it wasn’t ridiculous to expect more from this team by now. They traded for Jaren Jackson Jr., one of the best front-court defenders in basketball and a multiple-time All-Star, to pair alongside Utah’s in-house All-Star, Lauri Markkanen. They drafted Darryn Peterson, a player touted as one of the best guard prospects in recent memory and a future star. They re-signed Keyonte George, rewarding him for his steady growth and remarkable leadership.

But 1-6 is 1-6, and the Utah Jazz are way off course at this larval moment in the 2026-27 season. Not all is lost, but much needs evaluation and careful reconsideration. So let’s play a game that I like to call “Doom and Gloom”. The rules are simple: I’ll share an opinion that I’ve thought myself or heard from others about Utah’s unsettling beginning and determine whether said opinion is “Doom”, a bad omen and an imminent issue, or “Gloom”, an overreaction that, while based in reality, doesn’t tell the whole story.

Evaluating the Biggest Overreactions to the Utah Jazz’s Awful Opening

The Jazz are one of the worst teams in the NBA: Gloom

No, the Utah Jazz are not winning basketball games. Yes, that is a massive problem, and a legitimate cause for concern for a team whose goal is to win basketball games.

But this problem, as with all others, deserves some context before it stirs up panic.

The biggest factor, I believe, is the Jazz’s strength of competition. According to ESPN’s RPI, the Jazz are tied at number-one for the hardest schedule in the entire NBA. They’ve faced the reigning Western Conference champions, San Antonio, twice while the Spurs were at full strength. Who could have foreseen the Memphis Grizzlies, who Utah faced twice, starting the season at 6-1? In fact, all the teams that beat the Jazz at this point of the season are a collective 22-6.

Despite the majority of this Jazz core having played together for years, this is a team still discovering itself. Give them time.

Injuries are going to sink the Jazz’s playoff chances: Gloom

Injury luck has not flipped in Utah’s favor early — five big men have been injured at some point in the season — but to blame their shortcomings on injuries is disingenuous.

Jusuf Nurkic hasn’t been available since the first game of the preseason, Jaxon Hayes went down with an injury against Los Angeles, and then Markkanen and JJJ went down in the same half against Memphis. Markkanen and Hayes returned quickly, but shortly thereafter Mo Bamba — who has been unironically excellent — rolled his ankle in San Antonio.

That’s bad luck, and Utah will obviously underperform without their best players on the court. But playoff-caliber teams regroup and find ways to win while shorthanded. If the Jazz can’t win while JJJ recovers from his MCL injury, their playoff chances were slim from the start.

Utah’s young core is a disappointment: Semi-Doom

Alright, it’s time for some therapeutic pessimism. On the topic of Utah’s young players, I have to be painfully honest: Utah’s tanking-fueled draft yield has been tragic.

Let’s look at the Jazz’s body of work in terms of draft picks. Of their four lottery picks, only two are still on Utah’s roster. First to leave was Taylor Hendricks, who spends his days at the end of Memphis’ bench and doesn’t appear likely to sign an extension at the end of the season. It’s a similar story for Cody Williams, who, despite generating plenty of preseason static in Minnesota, has appeared in five games and scored zero points.

Utah traded up to pick Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. last year, and he’s already on his third NBA team.

As for the draftees still on Utah’s roster, Isaiah Collier’s team option was just declined, and Kyle Filipowski hardly sees the court even as injuries pile up in Will Hardy’s frontcourt rotation.

Sensabaugh’s minutes have been uneven, but he’s filled his role well and had the trust of his head coach to replace Darryn Peterson in the lineup when their first clash with San Antonio entered overtime. Still, his status with the team is uncertain as he approaches the final year of his contract.

That list doesn’t inspire much optimism, but it isn’t all bad in terms of the youth of Utah.

Keyonte George has been excellent this year, with the exception of a stinker against San Antonio. Ace Bailey is a revelation, making winning plays with and without the basketball, playing stellar defense, and becoming an offensive rebound magnet. And Darryn Peterson, despite looking uneven out of the gate (more on this later), has still shown flashes of what makes him such an enticing prospect.

Semi-Doom is a bit of a cop-out, I’ll admit. But there’s still reason to believe in Utah’s young core, even if the majority of their swings have inarguably whiffed.

The team has bad body language: Doom

Even worse than seeing Utah lose five consecutive games is seeing how the team has responded to adversity.

Without a rallying cry or an increased sense of urgency, this team is full of players with no experience winning at an NBA level. They haven’t been able to hit that next gear, and the team mopes on the court, on the sideline, and in timeouts.

This is all about perception, so I might be out of line, but winners turn losing streaks into winning streaks. Utah is giving its fanbase little reason to expect a turnaround because they don’t appear to expect one themselves.

Darryn Peterson is off to a slow start: Gloom

Being a guard in the NBA is incredibly difficult, and development isn’t linear.

What we’re seeing in Peterson isn’t a lack of basketball talent, ability, or confidence. In fact, he’s displayed all three of those qualities in droves in his young career. Instead, we’re observing the metamorphosis of a college star into an NBA-level player. Darryn Peterson joins a Utah Jazz team where he is the fourth offensive option behind Markkanen, George, and Jackson Jr. Finding his place in the rotation and getting accustomed to his new circumstances was bound to bring growing pains.

The biggest concern has been his lack of athletic burst and top-end speed, keeping him away from the basket. Instead, he’s sustained himself on a diet of floaters and mid-range jumpers, while getting comfortable with a quick-trigger three-point shot.

For every poetic dribble combo leading into a buttery-smooth jumper, Peterson is due for a forced off-balance fling. He’s playing in the big leagues, which means the competition is bigger, stronger, and faster than he’s ever faced.

And I’m still highly encouraged by what he’s displayed to this point. The jumper looks slick, comfortable, and will find its target with greater consistency over time. Keyonte was a sub-40% shooter from the field as a rookie; he shot 45.6% in his third year.

The offense isn’t clicking: Doom

Alright, I’ll wave the red flag for this one. Utah’s offense has been abhorrent this season, and we can’t blame tanking on their ratings anymore.

Currently possessing the 29th-ranked offense in the entire NBA, the Jazz have scored under 100 points in their last two games. Lauri Markkanen played in both of those games and has performed well beneath his standard. At just 16.5 points per game, the player who has been Utah’s offensive pillar and averaged over 26 points per game a season ago is shooting below 40% from the field.

Against San Antonio on Monday, Markkanen and Peterson were the only Jazz players to score in double digits.

The absence of Jusuf Nurkic has been devastating to Will Hardy’s offensive game plan. Heavily reliant on ball screens and passing from the center position, Jaxon Hayes simply isn’t the playmaker this system requires to succeed. Nor are Mo Bamba or Tony Bradley.

Having to adjust on the fly, the Jazz offense has been clunky, ineffective, and overly dependent on self-creation to pose any real threat. Either one player’s injury has truly been that catastrophic to Utah’s offensive integrity, or Will Hardy is struggling to conjure up an alternative play style. Either way, none of this is good.

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Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.

The Dallas Mavericks (4-3) no doubt have a bad taste in their mouths after Monday’s 115-100 loss to the bottom-dwelling Sacramento Kings. And despite the San Antonio Spurs’ own stumbling start to the 2026-27 season, a trip to the Frost Bank Center may not be the easiest palate cleanser to swallow.

After back-to-back losses to start the year, San Antonio (5-2) has found its stride in five straight wins as all-universe life form Victor Wembanyama has started to heat up, scoring 36 and 43 points in back-to-back games last week. He only had to play 24 minutes in the Spurs’ 119-97 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday, which means he’s been resting up for the matchup against the Mavericks since sometime in the third quarter, close to a full 48 hours before Wednesday’s tip. The Spurs host the rival Mavs at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Here are three giant obstacles the Mavs will have to climb in order to get a win against last year’s NBA Finalists from the Western Conference.

Last time out

We’re just 10 days removed, as of this writing, from the season’s first matchup between the Spurs and the Mavericks, San Antonio suffocated Dallas, which was without second-year superstar Cooper Flagg do to a shoulder injury, 122-106, in that one.

Without Flagg, who was nursing a shoulder injury, and with Kyrie Irving sitting out suffering from “injury management” on the second night of the first back-to-back set of the season, the young Spaniard Sergio de Larrea took the reins for the Mavericks and turned heads for 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting (3-of-4 from 3-point range) in just his third-ever NBA game. The undermanned Dallas bunch kept it close for three quarters before San Antonio put the Mavs away late behind a balanced effort that saw Wembanyama score a game-high 23 points and Dylan Harper add 22 more.

The Mavs will show the Spurs a completely different look this time around, with Flagg and Irving fully operational for the marquee matchup. Irving was taken off the injury report after sitting out his second game of the year against the Kings. The pair combined for 68 points in the last game they appeared in together, last week’s surprise 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets.

Wemby vs. Gaff

There’s nothing figurative about the next tall hurdle the Mavs will have to get over (or through) if they want to get an ever-elusive win in San Antonio. They’ll have to contain Wembanyama.

His 23 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots in the teams’ first meeting is a pretty good reference point. In that one, it wasn’t really Wemby who overwhelmed the Mavs as much as it was the trio of swingmen in De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, who got anything they wanted against Dallas “swinging door” defense.

Daniel Gafford will no doubt be instrumental in Dallas’ effort to rein Wembanyama in on Wednesday. He’s strung together two really good games, is averaging 1.9 blocked shots of his own so far this season and has pulled down seven or more rebounds in five of the team’s first seven outings — the last five, actually. He’s been much more effective and efficient than he was last season, when he was hampered by nagging injuries throughout the year. He’s been an important cog while the Mavs wait on the rest of the tall tall trees, in Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama, to get healthy.

Aldama is close, inching ever closer to making his Mavericks debut, as his progress on the injury report suggests. He has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game as of Tuesday night. But for now, the tall task of limiting Wembanyama falls primarily on the shoulders of Gafford, who stands at least six inches shorter than the Frenchman.

Let’s see how many bodies the Mavericks throw in Wemby’s direction on Wednesday.

Light a fire

After yet another “injury management” related absence in what ended up devolving into an embarrassing loss to Sad Sack Sacramento, Kyrie Irving is not listed on the Mavericks’ injury report going into the matchup against the Spurs. He needs to be the catalyst on offense at San Antonio — not to make up for the loss his absence could have prevented, no. But because when he’s the catalyst on offense, the Mavs have a chance to take down even the league’s better constructed teams.

Friday’s win over the Rockets is just the latest evidence. The Mavericks don’t have another player on the roster who can do the things that Irving can do — namely, dribble the basketball. He’ll be the best-rested guest in the West, so there are no excuses, either.

In order for the Mavs to have a big night, it starts with a big night from the point guard position. Look for Irving ot log at least as many minutes (35) as he did against Houston and for the Mavericks to make this one a nail-biter down the stretch because of his disruption.

How to watch

The Mavericks and the Spurs will tip off on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN, which means tip-off probably won’t be until about 8:50 in reality. You can catch the stream on MavsTV, and the radio broadcast will be on KRLD 105.3 The Fan.

It’s been a lovefest between Jordan Clarkson and Mike Brown. 

One day after Brown — following the Knicks win over the Nets at Madison Square Garden — labeled Clarkson the best teammate he’s ever coached, Clarkson was asked what that meant to him. 

And he answered with praise for Brown. 

“That’s a great compliment,” Clarkson said after practice Tuesday. “Especially, he’s been around a lot of guys and a lot of players, been on great teams. But for me, I’m just here to try to support the group. And we’re here for one goal — and that’s to win. 

“That’s the reason he’s a great coach, he’s been doing an amazing job bringing this group together and all of us buying into what he believes in and getting us group of men to go out there and compete all on one accord is a tough job and he [did] a great job of that last year. We’re starting this journey again, he’s doing it again.” 

Clarkson, after a DNP against the Pistons on Oct. 27, has thrived the past three games, part of a theme of Knicks bench players stepping up while the starters struggle. Clarkson’s ability to go stretches out of the rotation and not miss a beat when he’s called upon is something Brown has raved about. 

“You have a veteran that’s been there, done that, and he’s willing to accept the role that most guys wouldn’t accept,” Brown said. “If he’s willing to accept it, which is what he did last year, and still try to uplift everybody and connect everybody while he’s going through what he’s going through, that’s the ultimate team player.” 

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Josh Hart is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Bulls at Madison Square Garden due to right ankle soreness. 

He missed the team’s preseason finale against the Raptors due to right ankle soreness and missed time last year due to a sprained right ankle. 

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Jalen Brunson kept increasing his qualifier when describing his experience on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” 

“Fun,” Brunson said Tuesday. “Really fun. A lot of fun. It’s a lot of fun.” 

Brunson, who shares a close friendship with “SVU” star Mariska Hargitay, plays a detective on the next episode, which airs Thursday. 

Kawhi Leonard is headed back to Toronto. Getting back on the court is the next step.

The Raptors announced Tuesday, Nov. 3 that Leonard, 35, has completed treatment for swelling in his left knee and will begin the return-to-play process in Toronto. The team will update his progress in one week.

Leonard has missed five consecutive games. He felt something in the knee during pregame warmups Oct. 25 and was scratched from a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. An MRI showed no structural damage.

Coach Darko Rajakovic said Oct. 29 that Leonard was getting his treatment outside of Toronto. At the time, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Leonard would miss at least three to four weeks. The Raptors didn't say Tuesday whether that window has changed.

This left knee problem is new.

Leonard already has injury history with the right knee. Leonard tore the ACL in his right knee in the 2021 NBA playoffs and the meniscus in the 2023 playoffs – both with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Toronto brought the two-time NBA Finals MVP back this offseason, sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft picks to Los Angeles. The deal was agreed to in late June, then sat until September while the NBA investigated the Clippers and Leonard for a salary cap circumvention scheme. The league fined Leonard $700,000. He signed a two-year, $115 million extension with Toronto soon after.

Leonard played in the Raptors' first two games, both wins. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals but shot just 32.4% from the field. Last season, he played 65 games for the Clippers and averaged 27.9 points.

The Raptors (4-3) are 2-3 without him. The next update is due Nov. 10.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kawhi Leonard injury update: Raptors star finishes knee treatment but still out

Jordi Fernández sat inside the visitors news conference room at Madison Square Garden and looked at the paper boxscore in front of him following the Nets’ 103-90 loss Monday to the reigning champs. 

“I mean, you hold a team to 103 points in the NBA, you should be able to win a lot of games,” Fernández said. 

Even if tanking is in Brooklyn’s rearview mirror, its offense remains stuck in the past. 

In Fernández’s first season, Cam Thomas — who is no longer in the NBA — was the leading scorer on a 26-win team that ranked 28th in scoring (105.1) and offensive rating. Last season’s 20-win squad — featuring Michael Porter Jr. and a collection of underwhelming young role players — finished last in the league in scoring (105.9) and offensive rating. 

This season, the Nets received a much-needed infusion of talent — two-time All-NBA selection Julius Randle and No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr., along with Mo Wagner and Keon Ellis — but the team has struggled to develop offensive chemistry. 

Through seven games, the Nets (1-6) rank 29th in scoring (105.6), 28th in offensive rating, 29th in assist to turnover ratio (1.21), 28th in turnover percentage (18.3) and 28th in field goal percentage (41.7). 

Entering Wednesday’s game against the Hornets (3-5) — which may see second-year star Kon Knueppel make his season debut — Brooklyn is averaging 94 points over its past three games. In Monday’s loss to the Knicks, the Nets scored a season-low 90 points, allowing a late lead to evaporate as they shot 3-for-16 with five turnovers, while scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter. 

“I think it’s more about us not being organized, and then if you have empty possessions, you don’t run anything for anybody, like nobody’s in the right spot,” Fernández said. “You don’t touch the paint. You don’t move. You don’t reverse the ball, and you get either no shots or terrible shots. … Everybody’s got to do their jobs because whether we call a play or not, you got to run to your spots, and we didn’t do it enough times, and that’s the frustrating thing. When we do it, we get good results. When we don’t do it, we get bad results. 

“We still gotta run more and find those easy ones. We’re not there yet, but I think we’re gonna keep working, keep watching it, and then we’ll see good results. … The things that we didn’t do as well in the fourth, I’m going to take responsibility and help them.” 

There is only so much a coach can do. 

Randle is averaging a career-high 4.1 turnovers per game and shooting 41.5 percent from the field, well down from his career mark (47.2). Brown is shooting under 30 percent from the field in the first five games of his career. And the point guard spot has been split by a pair of 20-year-olds (Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore). 

There has been bad spacing, poor ball movement and constant confusion. There is plenty of blame to go around. 

“Just gotta remain disciplined,” Randle said. “We know what we need to do … you can’t just put it on one person. It’s a team game. It’s five players out there, so we got to be better at communicating, understanding the moment, what’s going on. It’s all five of us. We all got to be better out there.”

Toronto Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard has officially “completed treatment to address left knee swelling,” according to the team on Tuesday.

Leonard has missed the last five games due to his latest injury. Toronto is 2-3 during that stretch.

In his last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Leonard played 65 games, the most he’s logged since the 2023-24 season, during which he played in 68 games. The last time Leonard appeared in at least 60 games in back-to-back seasons was during 2016-17 with the San Antonio Spurs.

In two games this season, Leonard is averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals while shooting 32.4 per cent from the field.

During his 2019 championship season in Toronto, Leonard’s longest absence occurred when he missed four straight games due to load management. The Raptors recorded a 3-1 record during this time.

The last time Leonard dealt with a serious injury was when he missed the first 34 games of the 2024-25 campaign with the Clippers. At the time, he was dealing with chronic inflammation in his right knee.

The Washington Wizards just climbed to the top of the Southeast Division standings! This has not happened in quite awhile! They now host their Southeast Division rival, the Atlanta Hawks for a battle of the No. 1 ranking in the Division.

Game info

When: : Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM

Injury Report

Wizards: Reece Beekman, Anthony Gill, Alex Sarr, Tristan Vukcevic, Justin Champagnie, Jamir Watkins (Out)

Hawks: Jalen Johnson (Day-to-Day), Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye, Henri Veesaar (Out)

Pregame notes

• Washington heads the Southeast Division! — This is a real testament to how the Wizards have turned things around. Yes, I know we are only seven games in the season. But, still, let us Wizards fans be excited about something!
• The Hawks look for an identity — The Hawks have changed things dramatically. For instance, they traded their franchise guy, Trae Young, to the Wizards last season. And they are anxious to show that was the right move. What a better occasion to do so than when playing the Wizards? Especially as the Wizards just beat in impressive fashion both the Magic and the Hornets.
• Trae revenge game? — Say no more…

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

The Toronto Raptors completed a double-digit comeback to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 125-118 at the Intuit Dome.

Toronto, which did not take its first lead until the final two minutes, came through with a clutch fourth-quarter rally to secure the win.

The Raptors found themselves in a similar position against the Lakers the previous night, but their comeback attempt fell short. This time, however, Toronto learned from that experience and finished the job with a hard-fought victory.

The Raptors continued to experiment with their options at centre, giving Trayce Jackson-Davis an opportunity last night before turning to Collin Murray-Boyles tonight, as Jakob Poeltl did not play.

Both teams traded possessions early, with neither side looking particularly sharp offensively. Trading baskets remained the theme for much of the opening quarter, as both teams struggled to find a consistent rhythm.

However, the Clippers began to create some separation behind their three-point shooting. Kobe Sanders led the charge late in the frame, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc as the Raptors had no answer for him. 

Los Angeles closed the quarter on a 17-5 run, extending its lead to as many as 13 points before heading into the second quarter with an 11-point advantage. 

Toronto looked sloppy down the stretch and simply didn’t do enough to start the game.

The Raptors showed some signs of life to start the second quarter, with Immanuel Quickley getting Toronto on the board before Scottie Barnes added his first basket of the night. Barnes, who entered the game questionable, had been relatively quiet through the opening stretch. 

RJ Barrett also provided a spark offensively, knocking down a three-pointer before scoring on a post-up jumper against former teammate Gradey Dick to bring his total to 16 points. 

Toronto’s three-point shooting and defensive effort improved, but the Clippers continued to respond whenever the Raptors threatened to build momentum.

Brook Lopez continued to give Toronto problems, taking advantage of the Raptors’ smaller lineup on both ends of the floor. 

Turnovers also became a major issue for Toronto, with seven giveaways leading to nine Clippers points. Dick continued to put together a strong performance as Los Angeles extended its lead to as many as 15 points. 

Toronto also had to manage much of the quarter without Barrett, who picked up his third personal foul. The Raptors had plenty of work to do after heading into halftime trailing 63-52.

Toronto came out of the halftime break with much better energy, as Barnes, Walter and Murray-Boyles helped spark a 6-0 run to cut the Clippers’ lead to five. The strong start forced Los Angeles to call an early timeout, but the Clippers quickly settled back into the game and restored their nine-point advantage.

Dick and Sanders continued to build on their impressive nights, with Dick making an impact across the floor and Sanders knocking down a three-pointer to cap an 11-3 Clippers run. 

Toronto continued to struggle offensively, with Barrett providing a strong performance but receiving very little help from the rest of the lineup.

Jamison Battle provided a much-needed spark off the bench, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to bring his total to 12 points. Battle was particularly effective from beyond the arc, shooting 4-of-5 from three-point range. 

Although Toronto showed some improvement towards the end of the quarter, the Clippers maintained control and carried a 13-point lead into the fourth. The Raptors needed a strong final quarter, similar to last night if they wanted  to make a comeback.

Toronto opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back baskets from Alijah Martin and Scottie Barnes, who quietly recorded a double-double. Barnes and RJ Barrett began to find a rhythm together offensively, helping Toronto chip away at the deficit, while Immanuel Quickley added a pull-up three-pointer to cut the lead to eight. 

However, foul trouble continued to be an issue for the Raptors, with Ja’Kobe Walter picking up his fifth personal foul and Barrett his fourth, allowing the Clippers to extend their advantage back to 12. 

Los Angeles also lost Brook Lopez to fouls, as he fouled out with five minutes remaining, giving Toronto a potential opening to make a push.

With both teams showing signs of fatigue, Toronto continued to battle and took advantage of opportunities at the free-throw line to work its way back into the game. 

Barnes, Quickley and Barrett had carried much of the offensive load throughout the night, and they delivered when it mattered most. Barrett converted a tough layup with under three minutes remaining to tie the game at 109, capping a remarkable 16-4 Raptors run. 

Barnes followed with a difficult turnaround fadeaway to give Toronto its first lead of the night. Some clutch free throws from Barnes, Murray-Boyles and Quickley, combined with vintage defensive intensity down the stretch, helped the Raptors complete the fourth-quarter comeback and escape Los Angeles with a hard-fought victory.

Although it was far from a perfect performance, the Raptors showed resilience and refused to give up, earning a crucial victory.

Barnes, Quickley and Barrett led the way for Toronto with strong performances. However, there is still room for improvement, particularly with their three-point shooting, free-throw efficiency and ability to get off to a stronger start.

Raptors fans were hoping to see Kawhi Leonard face his former team, but neither Leonard nor Brandon Ingram suited up. Dick, however, delivered a solid performance against his former team, while Sanders led the Clippers with 26 points. Despite his efforts, Los Angeles could not hold on to its lead and fell to 1-6 on the season.

The Raptors, now 4-3, will enjoy a well-deserved day off tomorrow before travelling to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m.

There was an unfortunate trend that began to manifest itself during the back half of last season. When the going gets tough, your best players need to get going. And unfortunately for the Phoenix Suns, that trend involved Devin Booker’s struggles to perform in clutch moments.

From February 1 onward, in 11 clutch games in which Booker played, the Suns went 3-8. During those moments, Booker shot 6-of-20 from the field, recorded five assists against eight turnovers, and posted a -34 plus/minus.

That’s concerning, especially when you consider that over his previous 10 seasons, which included some pretty horrible Suns teams, Booker owned a -2 +/- in 316 clutch situations. He shot 40% from the field during those moments and maintained a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.

And it wasn’t as if Booker had struggled in the clutch throughout the entirety of last season. Through the first 19 games in which he played, the Suns were 11-8 in clutch situations. Booker shot 51.2% from the field, recorded 10 assists against only three turnovers, and posted a +27 plus/minus. But upon returning from an ankle injury on February 7, the nosedive began.

You can make the argument that it’s supposed to be tough, that your best player is naturally going to be the focal point of opposing defenses, and therefore his performance will be hindered by the schemes designed to stop him. During that same timeframe, from February 1 onward, Booker ranked dead last in plus/minus among players who attempted at least 20 shots in clutch situations. Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were at the top of the list, with Brunson posting a +41. And there were plenty of other names ahead of Booker, including Jamal Murray, CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Desmond Bane.

That only adds to the concern about who Devin Booker is and what he represents at this point in his career, particularly within the context of this Suns team. Because you can make excuses all day long about how he’s being double-teamed or triple-teamed, but great players make the necessary adjustments that lead to team success. That’s why plus/minus, when evaluated over an extended period, carries considerably more value than looking at the number from a single game. The trend we witnessed last season was concerning.

If double teams are being thrown at Devin Booker, why is he turning the ball over so frequently? Does he not see them coming? You know as well as I do that many of those turnovers come from Booker predictably driving into a crowd of defenders and trying to force the issue rather than relying on the finesse that’s been a hallmark of his career.

Why do I bring this up? Because on Monday night against the Golden State Warriors, that familiar trend once again manifested itself. Booker’s inability to execute in clutch moments ultimately contributed to another Suns loss. Yes, there are multiple variables involved, including other players who failed to perform when it mattered most. But none of those guys are making $57 million a year.

Booker re-entered the game with the Suns leading 106-104 and 4:48 remaining. A minute later, he connected on a nine-foot jumper, accounting for his only two points in clutch time. From there, things unraveled.

With Phoenix trailing 109-108, Booker missed a wide-open 12-foot jumper. On the following possession, he turned the ball over. After Jalen Green committed a turnover on the next trip down the floor, Booker was called for an offensive foul, his sixth and final foul of the game.

His final clutch stat line? In 3.8 minutes, Booker shot 1-of-2 from the field, grabbed one rebound, committed two turnovers, and posted a -7 plus/minus.

Devin Booker in the clutch against the Warriors:

3.8 minutes
1-of-2 FG
1 rebound
2 turnovers
1 foul
-7 plus/minus pic.twitter.com/W1ZxlNz8zY

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) November 3, 2026

It’s not the end of the world, but it does raise concerns that Devin Booker is picking up right where he left off last season, when his ability to impose his will on a game appeared to be a fading trait. 

You might look at this as a one-game sample, but I see it as a sample of 11 previous clutch-time games. Perhaps that’s still not enough to definitively identify a trend, especially when you consider the body of work Booker has put together over what is now his 12th NBA season. But it’s the manner in which these struggles recur, time and again, that has become the focal point of frustration for a fan base desperate for success and watching a team that can ill afford to lose.

Booker’s game has become predictable, and his execution in these moments has been subpar. And I know that somewhere, somebody is preparing to show me a collection of all the game winners Booker has made throughout his career. I appreciate every one of those moments and what they’ve meant to us as Suns fans. In the same breath, hitting a game-winner against Oklahoma City last season doesn’t equate to a victory last night against Golden State.

Devin Booker has earned the benefit of the doubt throughout his career, but that doesn’t mean he’s exempt from scrutiny when the results begin telling a different story. The Suns need their best player to be their best player when possessions matter most. That requires better decisions, cleaner execution, and an ability to recognize what opposing defenses are taking away. Booker’s past has established what he’s capable of. His present is beginning to raise legitimate questions about his ability to consistently deliver it.

The Celtics could be without both Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard when they face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Tatum, who hasn’t missed a game this season, is listed as questionable with rest. Pritchard, who also hasn’t missed a game, is questionable with a right shoulder contusion.

Both Tatum and Pritchard played on both nights of the Celtics Sunday-Monday back-to-back against the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets. Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, who each sat out one night of the road trip, are both available to play on Wednesday.

Injury Report for tomorrow vs. MIL:

Devin Carter – Illness – OUT
Payton Pritchard – Right Shoulder Contusion – QUESTIONABLE
Jayson Tatum – Rest – QUESTIONABLE

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 3, 2026

Tatum has had a strong start to the season after a complete recovery from his Achilles rupture. The Celtics star is averaging 27 points, 7.9 assists, and 6 rebounds so far this season, while shooting 41.8% from the field and 22.9% from three.

Pritchard has mostly struggled offensively, with the exception of two big-time games against the Chicago Bulls; he’s averaging 13.4 points and 3.4 assists, while shooting 40.3% from the field and 31% from three.

Baylor Scheierman could get the start in place of Jayson Tatum

The Celtics utilized a starting lineup of Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Mitchell Robinson for the first five games of the season. But Hugo Gonzalez has started in place of Walsh over the past two games, and Neemias Queta started in place of Robinson in Monday’s loss to the Rockets. Baylor Scheierman earned his first start of the season when George sat on Sunday.

If Tatum ultimately rests, the Celtics could once again start Scheierman. Walsh and Sam Hauser are also potential candidates.

Pritchard, meanwhile, has come off the bench every game so far this season. If he ultimately sits, that could open up some on-court opportunities for Mike Conley or Ron Harper Jr., both of whom have been on the outskirts of the regular rotation.

The Celtics are 5-2 to begin the season, with wins against the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls (twice), and Brooklyn Nets. They’ve dropped games against the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.

The Bucks are 1-6 to start their first post-Giannis Antetokounmpo season. Tyler Herro (21.9 points, 4 assists per game) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds per game) have led them.

Celtics-Bucks tips off at 7:30pm ET at TD Garden.