The Lakers are the best team in the league. What an incredible sentence to say.

A six-game winning streak has featured two of the best wins of the season in their recent back-to-back in Detroit and Atlanta. Now, the Lakers enter a softer portion of their schedule that could allow them to really pad their record.

So, what questions to you guys have about the Lakers or the NBA or anything else. As always, be sure to keep it all friendly!

Sunday wasn’t the finest outing of the 2026-27 season for the Sixers.

They struggled defensively against the one-win Bulls, but came away with a 127-121 win in Chicago, moving their record to a league-best 9-2. An afternoon day game to close out a three-game road trip against a team collecting ping-pong balls is ripe for a letdown, but the Sixers took care of business.

Jaylen Brown was strong throughout, dropping a game-high 29 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists. The five-time All-Star’s numbers have been solid through 10 games with averages of 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He’s shooting 47.7% from the field (the exact same percentage he shot last season) with a decent uptick from three at 39.2%.

As the Sixers get set to welcome Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics to South Philly on Tuesday, things remain unsettled between Brown and his former organization. When it comes to Tatum, who Brown spent nine seasons with in Boston, there is no beef, but maybe some lamb chops and gravy, as the 2024 Finals MVP put it.

With all the attention and narratives, it’s hard to know what we’ll see Tuesday night. Will Brown be out for revenge or does he just want to get a win for his team?

There’s a way to do both — keep doing exactly what he’s doing.

While the numbers have been solid, closely resembling the numbers he put up in 2023-24 when he helped the Celtics win a championship, it’s been the little things with Brown.

Sunday’s win was a prime example. As the plucky young Bulls kept coming, Brown provided an offensive boost, nailing a pair of threes in the fourth to thwart multiple Chicago runs. With under a minute left, he made all four of his free throws and also came away with a steal on Josh Giddey while the game remained in doubt.

Earlier last week, he made similar plays against the Pistons. While the Sixers were in control throughout the game — with Brown scoring a game-high 30 — a late comeback attempt by Cade Cunningham in Detroit was enough to make any Sixers fan nervous.

A Cunningham layup cut the lead to 106-102. After a rough offensive possession that ended in a Joel Embiid missed three, the Pistons’ All-Star guard came charging up the floor. He pulled up for three in transition, but was blocked by Brown. If that shot goes in, it’s suddenly a one-point game with 38 seconds left. Instead, Brown’s rejection allowed the Sixers to close the game at the free throw line.

While we heard so much talk about Brown’s advanced analytics and on/off splits this offseason, it’s hard to quantify a guy who simply makes winning plays.

“He’s a really good player,” Nick Nurse said last week. “He just wins. He defends. He’ll rebound. Obviously, he can score from a bunch of different levels, and I’ll take all that any day. It’s been phenomenal to coach him.

“What does he bring? He brings an intangible of confidence to your team. Even maybe he’s not pouring in points or doing anything that you’re [seeing in the box score], but there’s a level of fight and competitive drive and winning spirit.”

Brown has flaws like any other player. Last season, he turned the ball over more than any player in the NBA. This season, he’s averaging 2.1 giveaways a game, on pace for his best season in that category since 2018-19.

There were concerns Brown wanted his own team, which supposedly led to the rift with Tatum. Thus far, there have been no issues there. In fact, Brown even openly said last week this was Tyrese Maxey’s team and they’re all following the second-longest-tenured Sixer’s lead.

When Brown is on the floor, the Sixers’ net rating is +5.4, per DataBallr. It’s -3.1 when he’s off. So, it’s cut and dry, the Sixers are a better team when Jaylen Brown is on the court.

And just like his time with the Celtics, his current team has an excellent record.

His best path to revenge against his former team is to do what he does — win.

“Listen, the dude is tough and he wins. I’ll take that all day long,” Nurse said. “Makes a lot of winning plays, man. He’s a winner.”

Tonight marks the first regular season game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics since the offseason trade sending Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia took place. Understandably, we’re receiving a fresh wave of reports and rehashing of events surrounding the purported fallout between Brown and Celtics star Jayson Tatum. I feel compelled to ask, do you find this narrative interesting?

I’ll start here: I totally understand why this is a thing. The NBA has become a 24-hour, 365-day entertainment vehicle that many of us consume obsessively. That reality is driven as much by drama between personalities, both real and manufactured, as by what actually takes place on the court. Brown and Tatum played together for nine seasons, their entire careers overlapping for all but one year, for a club perennially in contention which won one NBA title. If there was a fallout between them, and there seems like there’s definitely at least something there, that’s a story. If Brown had a disagreement with how he was treated by Celtics management, that’s a topic worth exploring. We’ve hit on those points on this very website (thanks for reading, tell your friends!). If you have lamb chops baking in the oven today and popcorn ready for your viewing experience tonight, cool. I get it.

Still, I can’t find myself really caring about it. Whatever happened, it all happened behind the scenes. There was no public infighting or drawn-out trade demand. The Jaylen Brown trade came completely out of left field like a flash of lightning. What Brown said the other day almost exactly aligns with my thinking on the matter:

Jaylen Brown said today that he and Jayson Tatum still haven't talked: "There's nothing to talk about. He's on his side, I'm on my side. We're playing basketball. Both of us are trying to win. So there's nothing to talk about. Check the ball up." @CLNSMedia | Q: @krisrhim1pic.twitter.com/oBvmEwZ2nc

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) November 8, 2026

In today’s NBA, guys change teams all the time. Plenty of breakups have been a lot messier than this one, including in Philadelphia. I’ll chuckle when someone makes a clever joke about everything, but beyond that, I can’t find myself getting invested in the whole thing. It’s Philadelphia vs. Boston. That’s more than enough for me.

How about you? Are you still finding this drama interesting or is it entirely in the rear view mirror for you as well? Vote and let us know how you feel in the comments.

SAN FRANCISCO ― Jordan Poole helped the Golden State Warriors win an NBA championship in 2022, but it hasn't always gone well for Poole since leaving the Bay Area via trade in 2023.

That was certainly true in his return Monday night.

The Warriors delivered a 51-point beatdown Nov. 9 against the Pelicans, defeating them 138-87 at Chase Center. After the game, Poole sounded off after his Pelicans dropped to 4-7.

"Pretty (expletive) difficult. Pretty (expletive) difficult," Poole told reporters. He also reminisced about better days in the Bay Area.

"I mean you just played right. They played the right way, bro. They played good basketball. They played team basketball," Poole said. "Obviously, the environment is pretty high level. But like I said, once you put a lot of work and you got hardware with an organization, with a team, with a city, you're kind of cemented in the history. So it's good, but do I miss it? Hell yeah!"

Poole, who finished with seven points on 1-of-5 field goals with three rebounds and two assists, is averaging just 6.2 points on 19% shooting from the field and 23.5% on 3-point attempts.

That's a long way from his best season with Golden State during 2022-23, when he averaged 20.4 points.

Poole, who had a reunion with former backcourt mate Stephen Curry before tip-off, said after the game that he'd absolutely welcome an official reunion back to the Bay.

"Yes. I mean, it feels like home, though," Poole said. "Driving into the (expletive) arena, you know, crossing the the Bay Bridge or wherever you're coming from, it definitely feels natural. And I think it's pretty evident, you know, the way that I play is very fitting to how I used to play here. Nothing's changed, you know, other than the system that I'm in.

"We won a championship, you know, so it works. And it did work," he added. "That's what you ultimately want to do when you come out here and you play the game. So, to answer your question, definitely. This is my last year on the deal (in New Orleans). I'm a free agent at the end of the season, so you never really know what's gonna happen."

Such a return might mean reuniting with Draymond Green. A leaked video in 2022 showed Green punch Poole during a practice that season. The Warriors traded Poole the following year. Green, who is also in the final year of his contract, wasn't opposed to a reunion.

"That would be incredible," Green said according to the Mercury News. "I have no issue with that at all. I will never stand in the way of this organization thinking they can better themselves. The issue will never be me. Ever."

Jordan Poole's contract

Poole is in the final year of a four-year, $128 million contract, he signed with the Warriors before being traded to the Wizards. Poole is owed $34 million this season and then he will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. He said if there's any place he's comfortable playing, it's where it all started in the Bay Area.

"I always love coming back to the Bay. Definitely feels like home," Poole said. "The fans are always really welcoming. Always cool to see some jerseys and fans I used to see her all the time, so it's definitely a warm welcome, and I definitely miss it for sure."

Poole was drafted by the Warriors with the 28th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, becoming a champion and a fan favorite in the Bay Area.

The Pelicans' last winning season was the 2023–24 season, when they finished with a record of 49–33. Poole, then, played for the Washington Wizards, who finished 15–67.

"It's only so much that you can control. You know what I mean?" Poole said. "I think over the last probably last few seasons, I think I've had five coaches in four years, and it's a tough recipe to be successful. And different organizations trying to figure out what they want to do with the team. Multiple front offices, so it's just been a lot of moving parts."

A lot of Poole's frustration stems from leaving a winning culture with the Warriors for franchises struggling to find their identity.

"Coming from a team that had one common goal, knew we wanted to win. Everybody's on the same page. Everybody came into camp trying to win a championship, ready to sacrifice playing team ball," Poole said. "That's kind of like the way I grew up; was the way I played my entire career. So it's definitely different, and it's been an adjustment. But there's nothing better than playing the right way and playing team ball.

"I think tonight, just watching the game was a prime example of that," he added. "I mean, it's been pretty difficult, but you know, that's life. You have to just figure out ways to keep pushing, keep thriving, and you know, try to make the most of whatever situation you have. Keep learning."

Jordan Poole share moment with fellow Wolverine Yaxel Lendeborg

Poole and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg are both former Michigan Wolverines, and the two shared a moment after the game, swapping jerseys.

"We share the same alma mater. He got a championship, I told him congrats on that. We like to keep our Michigan circle pretty close-knit," Poole said. "Let him know that he has another supporter in the league. He's been playing really well and tremendous. I just want him to keep it up man. If there's anything that he needs or anything I can do to help, you know, just being a guy who's been in the league for a little bit, I just told him to reach out."

The love and respect was reciprocated.

"It was amazing. I've always wanted to meet him since I went to Michigan," Lendeborg said to USA TODAY Sports about Poole. "Hearing, seeing everything he did here for Golden State, he's an phenomenal player, phenomenal person. He seems like a guy who pretty much has the same personality and character as me. It was great to meet him, he said a bunch of kind words. It was a great interaction for me."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frustrated Jordan Poole open to Bay Area return after 51-point loss to Warriors

The Dallas Mavericks (7-4) notched their second win of the young season, 125-122, over the Indiana Pacers (3-8) on Monday, and on the second night of a back-to-back set, no less. Heady stuff for the fifth-youngest roster in the NBA this year.

Cooper Flagg was sensational once again, finishing with 43 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, while Kyrie Irving added 35 points on seven made 3-pointers.

Let’s see what the two superstars, and their coach, Dusty May, had to say in the postgame presser.

Dusty May

Opening statement

Coach Dusty May answers what makes Cooper Flagg an elite scorer pic.twitter.com/HGjyhouh5B

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) November 10, 2026

Very good win for us in the homestand. Our two guys, superstars, obviously made play after play after play. I thought, especially in the fourth quarter, we sat down and were able to contain the basketball a little bit better than we did the first three. Indiana, they’re a tough cover. They rarely let you get your defense set. They put so much pressure on the paint, and then they play well together and spray it out. I thought their bench was incredible tonight for them. Just a good win against a great organization, a well-coached team, and a bunch of guys that we have a lot of respect for.

On the Mavericks’ execution down the stretch:

I mean, we got it to the guys in their money spots and they made plays. The Ky-Naji pick-and-roll, short roll — that short roll actually was really clicking in the first half with Caleb. When Caleb would go out, we weren’t able to get to it as well. I thought Naji created the window. Ky made an excellent pass. Even the two possessions prior to that, we got to the rim. Coop got to the rim. Naji got to the rim. They both got there and made really good plays, and the ball just didn’t drop. At that point, you try not to … overthink it. At that point, we were thinking about spreading the floor again and just trying to open up the driving lanes. We ran very simple actions to get Coop on the left side of the floor. Obviously, he just made it — did his thing.

What makes Cooper Flagg unique as a scorer?

He gets to the rim. I think him almost being a left-handed player in the paint certainly helps. He’s a great left-footed jumper, left-handed finisher. Then he’s able to square in the air from 15, 17 feet. He can just get to his spots. If there’s a smaller guy, he can jump and just square in the air over them. The last couple of games, he’s made some threes, and he’s making all of his free throws. That’s how you put up the 43 points, where you do a little bit of everything. He finished at the mid-range. He finished at the rim. He got to the line. He’s getting to the line more than he has. He affects the game in so many ways, and he makes the right plays as far as passing. Thank goodness he’s on our team. It’s unbelievable that he’s a 19-year-old doing this.

How important is Kyrie Irving’s ability to make tough shots?

Yeah, sometimes I think the plus-minus in a one-game sample size is a little bit overblown. His plus-29 tonight was very indicative of how important he is. When we were struggling to make shots in the first half. We thought we were generating really good looks. We just looked a little bit flat. I thought Kyrie’s shot-making just kind of righted the ship for us. We came out in the third quarter and were able to get over the hump a little bit. He makes tough shots. He’s able to hang in the paint and finish. The same, just like Coop, they’re so unselfish. They’re such good teammates that winning is the priority over everything.

On defending Pascal Siakam better in second half (just three points):

I thought our gap presentation was much better in his isolations. In the first half, it felt like we were close enough, but we weren’t impacting the shot line. He was able just to raise up and shoot without us impacting the line of the shot. In the second half, I felt like we got underneath him, and we had much better gap help. Then really the guy on the ball did a good job, but also the other four. Then he was able to get into the mid-post. I thought our rotations were clean. We had doubled him from the baseline side early in the game, and he picked us apart. We came from the top side, and our rotations, other than one time, were pretty clean, and it worked out well for us.

On Flagg’s energy on the second night of a back-to-back set:

You just see a guy that just continues to evolve and get better. He looks stronger. He looks more determined. When it’s winning time, you just see he’s impacting every possession, rebounding-wise. He made a couple defensive errors. I’m sure he’ll be disappointed in that, and he’s going to clean up. Just the way he impacts every possession. I think probably the mental fatigue of being so engaged is probably tougher than the physical fatigue for the 19-year-old. Those guys have to fight for every catch. They’re at the top of every scouting report. For them to do that against a team like Indiana and have the cumulative effort that they did, it’s impressive.

On outscoring the Pacers 16-3 in second-chance points:

We got 10 [offensive rebounds] tonight, and that’s actually much less than — I think we had 51 in the three games prior. Our offensive rebounding’s really improved. Tonight, it didn’t seem like — because we were playing a little bit different when we were trying to tackle some matchups and we were trying to get in the short roll, we didn’t quite have our same rhythm and flow. Late in the game, we were just getting the ball to certain players. We didn’t have cutting. Obviously, when Gaff plays less than 20 minutes, that’s a big part of our offensive rebounding. And Rez, another one being out — that’s probably the difference in us averaging 16 and getting 10. It’s probably just a personnel deal.

What makes Flagg and Irving fit together so seamlessly?

How well they complement each other and how committed they are to simply trying to find a way to win, whatever this game needs. It’s a unique deal. We’re coming out of a timeout, we may draw up a play for one of them just because the other one might have an All-League defender on him, or whatever the case, and they never roll their eyes. They know when we’re going to one of the two, the other one’s very, very supportive because they have that much respect for each other. They’re both just such good guys and great teammates.

Cooper Flagg

On both he and Irving firing on all cylinders:

COOPER FLAGG JUST PUT UP A HISTORIC STATLINE!

43 PTS (16-25 FGM)
10 REB
6 AST
3 STL
3 3PM
MAVS W

He joins Kevin Durant (2008) as the only players in NBA history to record 40+ PTS, 10+ REB, and 5+ AST in a single game as a teenager 🤯 pic.twitter.com/MldSotO1pl

— NBA (@NBA) November 10, 2026

Yeah, I think that’s something I’ve talked a lot about, but just having him out there, his gravity opening the floor for everybody else — it makes my life so much easier. That’s that, but I think it speaks to our team as well. The other night, PJ had 21 in the first half. He had it going. Gaff had it going the other night. Every night is going to be somebody else’s night. We know that that’s our identity, that we’re making the right plays, no matter what, we’re trusting each other. Tonight, me and Kyrie had it going. There’s hopefully going to be a lot of nights like that where we’re able to do our thing. It’s a next-man-up mentality. No Rez tonight. I thought Santi stepped up —played really, really well. I think it’s just the identity of our team — just making the right plays and everybody having that trust in each other.

On the style of play with he and Irving sharing the floor:

I think just the unselfishness of everybody out there. Having someone like Walt [Clayton Jr.] out there too — the way he’s able to get downhill and help us initiate offense. Naji. We get lineups out there, and we just get the ball moving at a fast level. We have guys who know where they should shoot their shots — where the other people are involved. It clicks at a really high level. I just thought it looked really good tonight, moving around, swinging, finding the right shots.

On getting through tough early schedule stretch with a 7-4 record:

Obviously, we feel good. I think even some of the losses, we felt like we learned a lot from. Something we talked about after our last loss is that we’re not always going to be able to learn from the wins. Games like tonight, where you’re able to execute down the stretch — every experience, good or bad, win or loss, I think just learning from everything. We have a younger group, still with some really good older veterans. I think just being able to learn on the fly and take a lot and dissect from each and every one of these games is going to be big for us.

On his improved shot creation and getting to his spots in the offense:

I think just being able to get to my spots at a higher level and being more comfortable with that has allowed me to take a little bit of load off my body. Just kind of stopping short, raising up over people. It’s taxing going downhill all the way to the rim and trying to finish over seven-footers all night, every night. I think just adding that in there definitely allows me to pace myself a little bit, steal some easy ones. Then again, just trusting the work, trusting the spot work that I put in all summer long. Just being so comfortable with those shots. I think it goes back to my teammates, who are just trusting me with make or miss, getting to those spots. When I’m in that mindset that no matter what, as long as I’m getting the shot that I’m comfortable with, that is going to be a good outcome for our team.

On his comfort level taking tough, contested shots from the left elbow late:

Like I said, just all the work all summer long. Just preparing myself to be in those moments down the stretch. Limited space, limited dribbles. Being able to come out with a bucket and a good, comfortable shot.

On making an impact in the NBA as a teen:

Yeah, I think it just speaks to the type of basketball that I’ve always played and how I was raised, just being a true competitor. I think whenever I get out there on the court, it just goes back to being a competitor and trying to make as many possible winning plays as I can, and trying to make the easy, right basketball play out there. Just speaks to that. My teammates are putting me in good positions. My coaches are trusting me through make or miss.

Kyrie Irving

On Flagg’s play to start the year and how they fit together in the offense:

Kyrie 3ball gives the Mavs a lead!! pic.twitter.com/CUgiARKYh2

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) November 10, 2026

Yeah, we definitely are having a lot of fun, including with all our teammates and just the support we give each other. I think, like you said, I played with a few other great players in the league. I had the luxury of watching them up close, being in workouts, being in some high-level games, winning a lot of games, losing a lot of games. So just learning on the fly, I think that’s key, and just enjoying the process. I feel like that’s what we’re doing. We keep calling him a teenager, but he plays way beyond his years. We’ve got to give him his flowers. Just the way he’s always in attack mode, or the way he sees the game, and he’s always getting others involved — very selfless. I think it helps out our team a lot, including myself, just seeing him be able to make plays for others. But also when he’s calling his own number, he’s getting in that paint and trying to get the most efficient shot possible. Most young guys will probably move away from that contact, but it seems like this newer generation that’s coming into our league, they fear nothing. And I think he falls right in line with that. So grateful to have him on the wing with me, and just consistently telling each other that there’s another level we can get to and we can keep pushing and keep getting better. So that’s a great, great thing that we have going right now.

On playing both legs of the back-to-back set:

I won’t divulge too much information on the injury management plan because I could get my words twisted. But I would say that just in terms of our medical staff and the connection that we have, and just the build-up process over the last month — the minutes restriction, just trying to get in better conditioning, better shape, basketball shape, playing against the best players in the world. When you’re in a combative sport such as basketball, some days are going to feel good, some days aren’t, especially coming off an injury or a long period of time. So I just had to get my body back used to being in the flow of the game, and just after games, what does my recovery look like? And I was just really excited after last night’s game. We handled business in the first half. We came out in the second half, handled business again. I played 29 minutes. And I was just feeling great, and just coming into today — last night, I keep jumping around — but last night, just letting the guys know in the locker room right after the game, like, I plan on playing. So it was just telling our team, and just being prepared for whatever the Indiana Pacers were going to throw at us, and we’re going to be there together. So obviously we didn’t have Rez tonight. We still have a few guys out, but we have guys returning. And I think it’s very important for me to be prepared whether I’m playing or not in the back-to-back, but I feel like my attitude was just in the right place to be able to be prepared for this game tonight. So grateful.

On building chemistry with other stars on the court through his career:

I mean, everybody’s different. You know, everybody’s greatness looks different. Everybody’s attitude kind of looks different. But I think, you know, the telltale sign is just when you have the mutual respect of the guy that’s next to you, or the guys that are on your team — you want to see them do well. And I think that’s a trait that I’ve seen in playing with a lot of great players — the selflessness we talk about, of letting someone else go get it, or letting someone else get in their rhythm, or celebrating your teammates’ success as well, or sacrificing yourself in the possession to be able to get someone else a better shot. This is very important. And when someone exudes those types of traits, especially when they’re an offensive, all-world talent, it just does something for the group. And then also when we’re able to do it on the defensive end, where we’re making our identity, trying to limit teams to one possession and one shot, and crash the offensive glass, and just do the little things that get us wins — you know, probably not the prettiest team. You know what I mean? We need to make sure that we’re doing all of the little things. And I feel like we’re trending in the right direction. So me playing with Cooper, you know, playing with other superstars, playing with other guys, I don’t really like to compare them. It’s just the unique [unclear], or just the greatness that they try to display, that I try to complement, and vice versa.

What impresses you most about Flagg’s scoring ability?

I think it’s a multitude of things. I think last year we saw signs of it. You know, had a few high-scoring games down the stretch. The ball was in his hands. We came up short a few times, but we did win a few games down the stretch. And I think me watching from the sideline, I saw where I can implement myself to help him out, and then also seeing the positions where he naturally puts himself in, where he can help me out. And he’s definitely a hard worker. He puts in the time, and you deserve to be rewarded for that. And just coming off Rookie of the Year, a lot of pressure on him. And my goal as a veteran is to alleviate a lot of that pressure that he feels and just be ready to give what the game needs. So I think you heard Dusty say it, as well as Coop say it over the last few weeks — you know, I think the onus is on us, and, you know, eyes are on us all the time. The gravity’s always coming towards us. But for us, we all understand that we’re not going to be as successful unless all of us are galvanizing each other. And it starts with me and Coop, but obviously it leads into other avenues that other guys can take advantage of. So we’re just trying to put ourselves in the right positions out there and have fun playing basketball. And I think when you see us displaying that, it’s us having fun, and it starts on the defensive end. And then when you see us getting out in transition, it’s just a beautiful game to watch, because he makes the game easy, I make the game easy. Had a few turnovers, you know, over the past few games that we can definitely avoid. And even I think back to just the San Antonio game — you know, these past few games, just the way that we’re finishing strong and we’re able to make a lot of nonverbal cues, get in the right position down the stretch, I think we’ll be better prepared moving forward. So we needed that San Antonio game to learn a lot of lessons. I took a lot of bad shots in that game as well down the stretch, where I felt like I settled, and rewatched a lot of the film, see where I can get better, and try to vocalize that to my teammates as well. So they trust me with the ball in my hands, but also when I give them the ball. And I’m going to keep saying it starts with me and Coop, but obviously we’re nothing without our group and our coaching staff and everybody believing in what we have going on here.

On Santi Aldama getting acclimated to the team:

Santi’s a growing veteran in this league. And anytime you’re coming back from injury — I think his first basket was a layup, I believe — you know, so just anytime you can get yourself going and getting back into the rhythm, and you’re coming back in the beginning of the season, it could feel a little awkward — your body could feel a little bit out of rhythm. But it’s our job to make the game easy. And he can use our gravity to his advantage. And he’s done such a great job of being a spacer for the previous team he played on, Memphis, and being able to be available as a four-five mix, but also play the three spot. And if we do go small, it’s just diversifying, I feel like, the lineups that we can have out there. And he’s very complementary to what we’re doing and what we’re building. So I’m grateful that we can have him out there. But it also starts with our pace and our point of attack, and being able to get downhill, being able to create other opportunities when we know defenses are geared towards us.

On the team’s start through a tough schedule stretch:

KYRIE IRVING DROPS KELLY OUBRE. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/FcyzH3qu0b

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 10, 2026

I think we’re smart about our motivation and what motivates us in the locker room. I think we heard a lot of the noise before the season and some of the predictions, and I’m not going to say anybody wrote us off, because it’s not that serious. I just think because of the roster that we had, and no one really sure about where I was going to be or where our team was going to be, or some of the trade rumors that continue to circle around our team or circle me — just distractions. And I think we just laid it right there, and I let the team know out of my own mouth that these trade rumors, anything that’s going on with me, do not let this infiltrate our locker room. Don’t let this get in the way of what we have building here. We have a lot of depth, we have a lot of youth, and we should use that to our advantage, but we should not allow any external distractions or any external voices that don’t support us unconditionally or want to see us do well to infiltrate our locker room. So I think that’s one of the contributing factors. But I think another one is Dusty’s doing a great job of confronting us when we’re not doing things right, where we’re not living up to our standards, and he knows that we’re better when we’re hunting, and that’s what we are. We haven’t earned anything in this league yet. We consistently do it every night, and that’s how you build your identity in this league and you earn your respect. We try not to put the cart before the horse, in a sense, and we just try to take it slow, and when we’re preparing for games, prepare for it as though we’re getting ready for the playoffs or a great team, and give everybody the same respect and go out there and play our best basketball.

If there’s one thing we love to do in Big Media, it’s re-grading trades prematurely. It takes years before we have enough perspective to know which teams actually won or lost any transaction, but who’s got the time or patience for that these days?

Fortunately, the Boston Celtics are coming to Philadelphia on Tuesday, which gives us a golden opportunity to relitigate their decision to trade Jaylen Brown to the Sixers this past offseason.

First, let’s recap the terms of the trade itself:

Philadelphia 76ers receive: Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics receive: Paul George, 2028 1st (likely a swap involving the LAC pick), 2031 PHI 1st, 2028 2nd (best of GSW/MIL/OKC), 2030 2nd (best of PHX/POR/WAS)

Before we go any further, we must emphasize: The final judgment on this deal won’t be rendered for years to come. We’ll have to see if the Celtics eventually use George’s contract in another trade and whether the Sixers extend Brown (and for how much if so).

But again, what’s the fun in waiting? Let’s examine whether either team should already be having buyer’s remorse.

Sixers grade: A

If the Sixers didn’t trade for Brown, LeBron James likely would not have signed a veteran-minimum contract with them in free agency. He admitted as much this offseason. That alone makes this deal a clear A for now.

That isn’t the only reason why it deserves an A, though.

With Jayson Tatum on the mend from an Achilles tear for most of last season, Brown averaged nearly 29 points per game and finished sixth in the MVP race. Unsurprisingly, his scoring output has dipped in Philadelphia, as he’s now sharing touches with LeBron, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid. Still, he’s averaging 22.3 points per game, which ranks second on the team behind only Maxey, and is doing so on an efficient 47.7 percent shooting overall and 39.2 percent shooting from deep.

A bunch of analytics dorks justified the trade for the Celtics by pointing to Brown’s mediocre on/off splits, which drew Brown’s ire.

Analytics have / are ruining the game we playing AI hoops

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) June 27, 2026

Ironically, Brown’s on/off splits have been great in Philadelphia thus far. They’ve outscored opponents by 4.8 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor and have gotten outscored by 1.9 per 100 with him off. That plus-6.7 on/off split is the second-best mark of his career, trailing only his sophomore NBA campaign in 2017-18.

That’s largely been fueled by defense, which Brown has repeatedly described as a “non-negotiable” for the star-studded Sixers this year. Brown is taking advantage of his reduced workload on offense by devoting more energy to the other end of the floor, where he’s often tasked with guarding the opponent’s toughest wing or forward. It was only fitting that he punctuated his 30-point outing against the Detroit Pistons—his highest-scoring game with the Sixers yet—with a game-saving block of Cade Cunningham as the Pistons were trying to mount a furious late rally.

Brown and the Sixers are still trying to get their footing on offense, particularly in half-court settings. But his ability to carry the team at times has been invaluable, especially with Embiid off to a slow start offensively.

Does Brown still take some ill-advised shots at times? Of course! Good luck finding an NBA star who doesn’t. But he has otherwise acquitted himself well to the Philly faithful in the early going. And even if he hadn’t… again, LeBron James would not be a Sixer if they hadn’t traded George for Brown. ‘Nuff said.

Down the road, we’ll have to see where the two first-round picks involved in this deal land and whether the Sixers eventually sign Brown to an extension. Any of those could impact the long-term perception of this trade. But the Sixers were staring down a third straight season where Embiid and George’s availability (or lack thereof) could have submarined their ceiling. Now, they’re one of the clear title favorites in the East.  

Celtics grade: A-

When ESPN’s Shams Charania broke news of the trade on July 1, most Celtics fans spent the next 24-72 hours having a nuclear-grade meltdown.

That’s all you got for Jaylen Brown? Finals MVP Jaylen Brown?!?

In a league without a salary cap, the Celtics assuredly would have gotten more for him. But teams have gotten increasingly wary about big-money, long-term contracts, and Brown’s deal is worth roughly 35 percent of the salary cap through 2028-29. The Sixers could afford taking it on since they already had George signed to a roughly equivalent contract, but other teams didn’t have that same luxury.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens later admitted that finances were part of the motivation to move Brown. “The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70 percent of our [salary] cap and such a high percentage of our usage tied into two players,” he added. What was left unsaid: The Celtics wanted to trade Brown before they had to confront whether to extend his contract.

George will be under no illusion that he’s still a max-worthy player once his deal expires after the 2027-28 campaign. The Celtics might look to trade him before that, but if not, they should be able to re-sign him to far below a max deal. Brown, meanwhile, will likely want a max or near-max extension.

George doesn’t boast Brown’s explosiveness, which limits his ability to drive downhill. But he has long been an elite three-point shooter, which makes him a perfect fit for head coach Joe Mazzulla’s system. In the early going, George is shooting a career-high 42.5 percent from deep on 8.1 attempts per game.

George has also been solid on defense thus far. In fact, he’s currently averaging a career-best 2.3 steals per game. We’ll see how long that lasts or whether he’ll be able to sustain that level of production over a full 82-game season, but so far, so good.

Both teams are still in their honeymoon phase with Brown and George, but at this point, neither should have major regrets about the deal. If anything, the Celtics’ biggest pang of remorse might be paving the way for the Sixers to land LeBron as well.

Aside from, you know, blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Sixers in last year’s playoffs, which set the stage for the Brown trade in the first place.

The Knicks play a basketball game today.

The Bucks could, but they might not, because they’re likely so bad that they would play something close to what we know as basketball, but not entirely the same thing.

Here’s a bunch of quotes from Monday’s practice.

Knicks practice facility update: https://t.co/MD2i8WY8v0pic.twitter.com/KXAlRnFTAO

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 9, 2026

Mike Brown

On how experimenting with different lineups helps the Knicks:

“It builds trust, because it’s like, ‘Hey, they trust me to go out there and play right now, even though I might not have played in two or three games.’ It helps with connectivity because guys feel more part of it, because they’re getting an opportunity. It helps with everybody’s readiness because the reality of it is, if a guy is sitting on the bench and he’s been there game after game after game, which happens sometimes — I’m not saying that will never happen because it’s gonna happen sometimes — then he may lose a little interest and relax a little bit because it’s like, ‘Hey, I’m not going in.’ But then, if you call their number every once in a while, throw them in a game, now they know, ‘Oh, I gotta be ready.’ ”

On preparing the Knicks for unexpected lineup changes during the playoffs:

“It builds a lot, when you’re talking about building a team. And then at the end of the day, your guys get used to it, so come playoff time, if you try something new or different when it comes to the lineups, it’s not like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on? We’ve never done this.’ Nah, we’ve done it.”

On what the Knicks learned from their uneven start to the season:

“The group is resilient. [We learned] that it’s gonna be hard. This is a new year, new season and new challenges, so we have to embrace all the little details while trying not to have much slippage in our process because nobody is handing anything to us. And if we want to have success, which we’re more than capable of, that’s what some of these wins show you, that we have to go earn it.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive intelligence, coachability and improvement:

“KAT’s got a tremendous feel. He’s a smart dude when it comes to a lot of things, but especially when it comes to the game of basketball. His feel is at a high level, and so you couple that with the job that [O’Connor] and Erman are doing, it’s easy to see where he is because everything we’ve asked him to do, he’s tried to do.

“So if you’re extremely coachable, you got a great feel and you got two guys in Brendan O’Connor and Darren Erman that are teaching you the game defensively at a really high level, you’ll see the results we’re seeing now.”

Jordan Clarkson on IG: “He apologizes…the kid is okay. He’s a Swiftie. Tyler Kolek” pic.twitter.com/1gadpsEy0h

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 8, 2026

Jalen Brunson

On the importance of continuing to improve rather than simply winning games:

“Obviously, we want to play well, we want to win, but we also want to continue to grow as a team and try not to plateau. I think the way we do that is to continue to try to see how we can win games differently.”

On what the Knicks have learned about themselves through the first three weeks of play:

“That we’re still resilient. That we’re still open to getting better every single day. And through the highs and lows of the season, how quickly can we bounce back?”

On Karl-Anthony Towns’s response to Mike Brown’s challenges:

“It’s [Towns]. It’s his willingness to do what’s best for the team to continue to get better. I think we’ve all been challenged by Mike in some way, shape or form. And he’s stepped up to the plate with that. And he’s been great.”

Knicks upgrade Josh Hart to QUESTIONABLE vs Bucks Tuesday

Hart has missed the last two games with a sore right ankle pic.twitter.com/szsecotYJ6

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 9, 2026

Landry Shamet

On Mike Brown’s unpredictable rotations and how that helps players:

“It’s kind of a freeing thing, playing that way, knowing that you don’t have to really be looking over your shoulder or thinking that one thing is gonna ruin whatever. And I think that he knows that we have that makeup as a group, too, that we’re all on the same page in wanting the best for each other — the next man up kind of mentality. It’s from top to bottom, and it’s a good environment to have.”

On the Knicks prioritizing team success over individual agendas:

“That’s just kind of the makeup of our group, and that’s special. Typically, you go to a lot of NBA locker rooms, there’s some ulterior motives and personal agendas — which is part of why we’re all here, is some ego, of course. Everybody is a good player at this level and is striving to get to something or be somewhere. But very rarely does that take a backseat to just truly buying into one another, wanting the best because, ultimately, good things come from that for everyone. It’s special. It’s really special.”

Styling and Profiling. The legend Walt Clyde Frazier for Kith x Knicks pic.twitter.com/rTLWOoeHo8

— Ronnie Fieg (@RonnieFieg) November 9, 2026

The San Antonio Spurs won their ninth straight game, and Victor Wembanyama decided to block that many shots in honor of this mini streak. Wembanyama also scored a game-high 40 points on an incredulous 79% field goal percentage, while grabbing 11 boards and blocking the aforementioned 9 shots on the defensive end. Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox each chipped in 17 points and 15 points, respectively.

SAN ANTONIO MAKES IT NINE IN A ROW 🔥

The Spurs improve to 5-0 on the road! pic.twitter.com/DxwRfy5Fmw

— NBA (@NBA) November 10, 2026

Dylan Robert Harper with the step and the scoop in transition. Next to Wembanyama’s orbit, Harper had a “modest” 17 points, but he was just as uber efficient—hitting 70% of his shots from the floor to go along with a well-rounded 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Dylan to the rim 💪

📺@DAZNpic.twitter.com/O9myxQlrgP

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

Victor. Who are you kidding with that baby pump fake while you’re barreling down the lane? Who’s going to block your shot, huh? A bird? A plane?? The next Superman (now that Warner Bros. is going in ANOTHER direction with the DCU)??? Basketball coaches the world over do teach you to always keep the ball up, lest you bring it down and risk it being swiped. But, come on.

RIGHT DOWN THE LANE 😤

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/SLCJrBOZAx

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

I believe, that in French, these two back-to-back plays are what they would say, “Merde, Victor est quelque part là-haut.”

Really, if I was an NBA player, I would use Wembanyama for every excuse if the coaches were yelling at me:

“Why did you shoot that ball?!”

Me: “I didn’t! I was trying to pass it to Victor!”

“Why didn’t you shoot that ball?!”

Me: “I did! Victor must have subconsciously blocked it with his mind. I hear he’s developed telekinesis now.”

“Why are you playing such horrible defense?!”

Me: “What is defense? Let’s break it down. The free market theory stipulates that goods and services are determined by supply and demand without government intervention. Therefore, in this case, the offense from the opposing team was in more demand than the supply that our defense could provide. If you ask me, it really goes back to what Adam Smith . . . why are you rubbing your temples so aggressively, coach?”

going back 2 back 🔥

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/ngWp7nswom

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

Who had Wembanyama shimmy and turnaround midrange fade away jumper at the buzzer on their Bingo card? The shot was impressive as well as the 15 for 19 field goal percentage from Number One. He’s shooting 75% from the field in his last two games, which in other cultures would qualify him for MVP: Make Vermicelli Prescient.

AT THE BUZZER 🚨

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/VJHdISviXP

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

Nine blocks. The dude needed one more block for an atypical, unconventional, out-of-this-world triple-double. Why do I suddenly sound like Jackie Chiles parodying the late Johnnie Cochran? I don’t know either, but it’s preposterous, downright ridiculous, almost churlish that you would even bring up that sort of baseless, unrefined, tickety-tack accusation.

That being said, I would pay a lot of money to see Wembanyama block someone and say tauntingly, “Your face is my case.”

RIM PROTECTOR ❌

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/7xKr3FDye7

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

I have no idea what happened here below in this clip. I think Stephon Castle faked everyone out, including the cameraperson. He’s like the David Copperfield of Criss Angels on the basketball court. Is that a backhanded compliment? Absolutely not. But also, look behind your back hand . . . is THIS your card? Please don’t leave. We need the page hits. Also remember to turn off your ad blocker. Not everything has to be digested in 5 seconds on a reel. Support long-form media. I mean long-form media in general, like many of the other great articles offered here on PtR. But not here, here. I merely write highlights. A.I. (Allen Iverson) and TikTok (this kid who used to sell pirogi recipes outside the 7-11 by our house) got nothing on me.

If it makes you feel better, I think Charlie Thaddeus is on the schedule later today with “What We Learned From the Spurs’. . .”

🗣️STEPH CASTLE!

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/mrxgsWVsMt

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

Don’t be fooled by Keldon Johnson’s act of kindness in returning that patron’s phone. In the two seconds he got his fingerprints on it, he was able to air drop all of Hootie and the Blowfish’s catalogue into said patron’s phone. You’re welcome. I mean, thank you Keldon—for always hustling for Hootie.

the HUSTLE & the ASSIST 🤝

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/uk6aOS3xED

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

Behind-the-back touch pass? In this economy? How dare you, De’Aaron Fox. Fox, for his part, kept keeping the offense rolling with 6 assists for the night, right about where he’s averaging per night as he makes sure this Spurs offensive machine chugs along.

OMG, that Fox assist 😱 pic.twitter.com/b8cGOtJa7U

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

My goodness. That spin move by Harper was so nasty, Taco Bell asked for the recipe for their next experimental amalgamation of assorted lab meats. Please don’t take that as an insult to Taco Bell. I’m having Taco Bell right now! The only insult to be had is my digestive system at my choice of amalgamated lab meats.

o, that was NASTY 🫣'

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/6iyfonVfbG

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

“I need you to cross multiply.”

Wembanyama: “Alright, which one of you basic arithmetic mother (expletive)s is Multiply?”

HANDLES GOIN' CRAZY 🤪

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/WBC4INo7J2

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

Now is a good time as any to just shut it down after this highlight. This man just casually hopped from outside the free throw line to gently lay the ball into the cubby with a finger roll. I suspect Wembanyama is beta testing outstretched cartoon-y Space Jam poses until he gets one he likes so that he can get Michael Jordan to sign the photo.

DID HE JUST?! 😱

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/lz3vQmxnvS

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 10, 2026

If you were too busy petitioning Warner Bros. to make Daniel Radcliffe be the next Superman, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs head over to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

The Milwaukee Bucks play the New York Knicks tonight in the first game of a back-to-back, still seeking their first road W of the season. Milwaukee’s rookies continue to look solid, with Brayden Burries stringing together some impressive performances as a starter, and Nate Ament finding the floor more and making the most of his minutes. The same cannot be said for Milwaukee’s bigs, however, as Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware have struggled lately and could use a bounce-back performance. The Knicks, meanwhile, are 5-4 and, despite their relative success, don’t look close to what they did a few months ago on the biggest stage.

The Task Ahead

While it may not look like it at first, the Knicks are currently playing a more efficient, better version of the game the Bucks are playing. Both teams are heavily prioritizing rebounding and second-chance points, but over the last few games the two teams have swapped rankings: the Bucks were previously in the top five, and the Knicks have played to their strengths and now sit where the Bucks were. Even more striking is that, beyond Karl-Anthony Towns, who is off to an All-NBA-caliber start to the season, the Knicks’ frontcourt rotation is breaking down and has struggled overall. Landry Shamet is their current backup PF, and Andre Drummond hasn’t looked up to the level, struggling to finish at the rim and shooting just 42% from the field.

If it is a mirror, though, it may be a mirror into the future; one where a fully formed team can still make its lack of depth work. Despite these front-court limitations, the Knicks can still find their spots and shoot at a high percentage and volume. When you look at their shot charts on 3Step, it is clear that even when you know where they want to go, it doesn’t matter: they get to their spots and hit their shots. This is largely because of Captain Clutch himself, Jalen Brunson, who is leading the Knicks’ offense at 115.7 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby is anchoring a stellar defense, holding opposing teams to 107.9 points per 100 possessions. There is no way around it: the Bucks will have their hands full trying to both contain New York’s offense and break through its defense. That said, should one of the Bucks’ guards be able to set the table better than we’ve seen in the last couple of games for the offense, and they win or keep close the rebound and second-chance points battles, there is a real chance Milwaukee can pull out the W. While it may sound lofty, the Bucks did both of those things against Minnesota and Toronto to carry leads late in the game.

Injury Report

Bucks:

• Tyler Herro: Questionable (knee)

Knicks:

• Josh Hart: Questionable (ankle)

Player to Watch

Going for a two-for-one here: both Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner need a get-right game. Turner arguably needs it more as a veteran, but both bigs have left a lot to be desired. There are probably many ways to dissect how bad it has been, but the eye test is enough; against Boston, Ware got tossed around by Robinson, and Queta had his way against Turner. If either big man bounces back tonight, it would go a long way toward the Bucks making it close late.

Projected Starters

Bucks	Position	Knicks
Brayden Burries	PG	Jalen Brunson
Tyler Herro	SG	Josh Hart
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	SF	Mikal Bridges
Kyle Kuzma	PF	OG Anunoby
Myles Turner	C	Karl Anthony-Towns

Game Details

Who: Milwaukee Bucks (1-9) vs. New York Knicks (5-4).

When: 6:30 p.m. CST.

Where: Madison Square Garden—New York City, NY.

Watch: MY24.

Listen: Check local listings.

Prescient Prediction

Brayden Burries has been a major bright spot in an otherwise dreary stretch of basketball, and I expect him to be ready for the bright lights of the Big Apple with a 20/10/5 game!

More than 300people have worn Raptors’ jerseys in the NBA. Not all of them are well known. So we randomly picked a former Raptor to profile in the year 2026. Here is the storyof Voshon Lenard.

What do y’all know about Voshon Lenard?

I would assume the answer to be, “not much.” Which is a shame, because the more you dig into what Lenard’s career on the Raptors looks like, the more fascinating things get.

Lenard was a 6’4” shooting guard who played 11 seasons in the NBA, and suited up for Toronto in the 2002-2003 season. He played 63 games and started 24 of them, playing more than 30 minutes a night. He had his highest career scoring average this year, with 14.3 points per game. By that point, Lenard’s sharpshooting abilities cooled off after a blistering start on the Miami Heat, but he could still be called upon to knock down a three.

And the Raptors needed every one of them they could get in this injury riddled season, where Vince Carter missed significant time due to injury, and for the first time in three years, Toronto did not make the playoffs. All together, while Lenard was a solid piece for the Raps, he joined the franchise at the beginning of the “bad times,” and left before things improved.

That year, however, Voshon Lenard did what most NBA players of the day could only dream to do, and that was to literally beat Michael Jordan at his own game. On March 5th, 2003, Lenard was the Raptors’ second leading scorer in a victory against the Wizards, where he netted 15 points, making two three-pointers.

That same game, Michael Jordan only scored four. And sure, that might have been because of back spasms, but as any Raptors fan knows, he never could have stood against the Lenard onslaught either way.

In 2020, Rob Williams of the Daily Hive ranked Voshon Lenard as the fifth best of the ‘one-hit wonders’ that the Raptors ever had, owing to his scoring production in 2003.

Bleacher Report interviewed him post-retirement in 2011. There, he talked about his charity work, and the state of the Miami Heat at the time. When asked about a possible return to professional basketball, he answered simply, saying that “I thought my time was up. Now I’m just trying to sit back and enjoy life with my family.”

In some ways, Lenard is living the dream. The man carved out a niche for himself as a professional athlete, retired after making more than $25 million dollars, and kept his family close while still remaining active in meaningful work. This former Raptor made it out of the NBA alright, and should be remembered for his contributions to Toronto sports history, and whipping MJ and the Wizards really good that one time.

Thanks Voshon Lenard, wherever you are. Raptors fans haven’t forgotten you.

LeBron Log No. 4: A courtside sip, 16,000 makes and Cleveland's welcome originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James’ latest week with the Sixers included a sip of a stranger’s wine, yet another number no NBA player had reached and a return to the city where his career began.

It also included his worst performance with Philadelphia, followed less than 48 hours later by his highest-scoring game with the team.

Welcome to the fourth edition of the LeBron Log.

A SIP OF PHILLY

No chronicle of James’ first season in Philadelphia could omit the time he helped himself to a fan’s wine during a game.

James chased Tyrese Maxey’s transition pass into the stands during the third quarter of the Sixers’ Nov. 2 win over the Bulls. He collided with Philadelphia native Troy Clemons, spilled some of Clemons’ wine and sampled what had landed on his arm.

The interaction received its own story on our site, and deservedly so. It also belongs in the Log.

Clemons did not keep the cup as a souvenir. He threw it away and got another drink.

James returned to the court and later broke into a dance after scoring over the 6-foot-1 Tre Jones. The wine clip generated millions of views across social media and became the defining image from an otherwise ordinary 19-point Sixers victory.

The following night in Detroit, James offered a broader explanation for why Philadelphia has already looked comfortable together.

“We’ve got a good team,” James said. “Guys vibe with one another. Guys like each other. Guys enjoy being around each other. That has a lot to do with it, too. It makes the game a lot easier when you enjoy being around people.”

Eleven games into his Sixers career, James appears to be doing exactly that.

Just interviewed Troy Clemons, the Sixers fan whose wine LeBron took a sip of during tonight’s game

And no, he did not save the cup https://t.co/U3oV3Y2ArHpic.twitter.com/vWzkhGJxmH

— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) November 3, 2026

16,000 AND COUNTING

James arrived in Detroit two baskets away from another unprecedented number.

His second field goal against the Pistons made him the first player in NBA history to reach 16,000 regular-season field goals.

James finished the Sixers’ 112-106 victory with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. The near-triple-double helped Philadelphia improve to 8-1 and avenge its only loss of the season.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ranks second in league history with 15,837 made field goals. Karl Malone is a distant third at 13,528. James is the only active player with more than 12,000.

His scoring record has long been secure. James passed Abdul-Jabbar in career points in February 2023 and later overtook him in made baskets. The round number in Detroit still illustrated the distance he has created between himself and every other scorer.

James began his career by making 5,361 field goals across seven seasons with Cleveland. He added 3,510 in Miami, returned to make 3,691 more for the Cavaliers and made another 3,421 during eight years with the Lakers.

Basket No. 16,000 belonged to Philadelphia.

The Sixers’ 8-1 start also carried a notable James connection. Each of his previous four teams to begin a season at least 7-1 reached the NBA Finals.

James was not ready to entertain that conversation in early November.

“It’s too early to be talking about the Finals and things of that nature,” he said. “We’ve got to continue to buy into what we want to do.”

HELL, HEAVEN AND EVERYTHING BETWEEN

Two nights later, James returned to the place where nearly half of those 16,000 baskets were made.

His first game in Cleveland as a Sixer brought out jerseys from every stop of his career. Cavaliers colors filled Rocket Arena alongside Heat black, Lakers purple and the Sixers’ throwback look.

James received a warm ovation when he was introduced last among Philadelphia’s starters. When he checked out late in the fourth quarter, with the result decided, the crowd stood for him again.

James has experienced both ends of Cleveland’s emotional range.

He returned as a member of the Heat on Dec. 2, 2010, to one of the most hostile receptions in NBA history. Six years later, he delivered the Cavaliers their first championship and ended Cleveland’s 52-year major professional sports title drought.

“I’ve seen the depths of hell when it comes to a reception here, all the way to the heavens above,” James said. “Anything in between is easy money.”

The reception fell somewhere in the middle. His performance landed much closer to the bottom.

James finished with eight points on 3-for-12 shooting, three assists and six turnovers in the Sixers’ 119-95 loss. It was his first single-digit performance in Cleveland since he scored three points against the Rockets on Dec. 30, 2004.

He had scored at least 10 points in 396 consecutive regular-season games in the city. The run covered his first stint with the Cavaliers, every visit as an opponent and his entire second tenure with the organization.

It ended during his first trip back in a Sixers uniform.

“I definitely did not feel in a good rhythm offensively,” James said. “A couple of them were careless. A couple of them were just trying to make the right play and not being successful with it.”

It was only the 10th single-digit regular-season game of James’ 1,630-game career. He still took time afterward to consider what an eventual jersey retirement in Cleveland could represent.

“The journey from being an 18-year-old rookie, to leading a franchise to a championship,” James said. “And everything in between.”

THE PASS HE HAD TO WATCH AGAIN

James did not carry the rough night into Chicago.

Less than 48 hours after struggling in Cleveland, he scored a season-high 22 points in the Sixers’ 127-121 victory over the Bulls. Thirteen came during the second quarter, when James helped Philadelphia turn an early deficit into a halftime lead.

His first basket produced another milestone.

James entered Sunday trailing Abdul-Jabbar’s 1,895 points for the most scored against the Bulls in NBA history. His first-quarter three-pointer moved him into the lead. He ended the afternoon with 1,916.

The most interesting play from his night was a pass.

With the Sixers ahead by four and 2:20 remaining, James drove into the paint. Three Chicago defenders collapsed toward him. Maxey stood between the left wing and corner, but even he did not believe James could see him.

James fired the ball through the defense. Maxey sidestepped Isaac Okoro and made the three-pointer, pushing Philadelphia’s lead to seven.

After his postgame interview, James pulled out his phone and watched the play again.

“He didn’t think I saw him,” James called out from his locker as reporters asked Maxey about the possession.

Maxey acknowledged that he had positioned himself to rebound because he expected James to shoot.

“Honestly, I was like this,” Maxey said, raising his hands. “I thought he was about to shoot a layup.”

James has spent the opening weeks of the season teaching his new teammates to expect the unexpected pass.

“You’ve got to become a wide receiver or a catcher at that point,” Maxey said. “You never know when you’re going to get the ball.

“And that’s good.”

Back in Philadelphia with Celtics, Paul George looks forward to ‘a regular game'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Paul George’s presence back in town was one of the many swirling morning storylines at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

For good reason, former Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will draw immense attention Tuesday night. After all, Brown has said there “might be a little lamb chops with some gravy” between the two, if not a full-blown beef.

But George’s return to Philadelphia is more than a tiny subplot. Following two seasons in Philadelphia, he was the centerpiece of the Sixers’ summer trade package to acquire Brown.

George told reporters before the Celtics’ shootaround that it feels like “a regular game.” 

“Had I been here eight, nine, 10 years, different story,” he said. “I was here two years. Obviously, we didn’t have the best of luck or had a great, I think, partnership in terms of my ability to stay healthy and on the floor. So that kind of played into a lot of it. 

“But obviously, it’s a tremendous fan base, a great sports town to play in. So that was appreciated. There’s no ill will for me. It’ll be fun to just compete. And outside of that, it’s a normal game.”

Paul George at Celtics shootaround: pic.twitter.com/DWlYfpKfzE

— Noah Levick (@NoahLevick) November 10, 2026

The 36-year-old George indeed had trouble staying available for sustained stretches as a Sixer. He dealt with a variety of injuries and served a 25-game suspension last season for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.

George did play well on both ends of the floor for much of the 2026 playoffs. He helped the Sixers come back to win a seven-game first-round series against the Celtics in historic fashion. The nine-time All-Star also brought a veteran steadiness to the Sixers’ locker room and was glad to mentor younger players like VJ Edgecombe. 

“Just his routine … even when he got hot, he didn’t try to force it,” Jabari Walker said Tuesday morning. “His game was smooth and I think that’s how he is as a person, just not forcing anything and having a calm energy.”

George has certainly enjoyed his early days as a Celtic.

Through nine games, he’s averaged 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. Boston will enter Tuesday night’s matchup second in the Eastern Conference standings at 8-2, the Sixers first at 9-2.

“I’ve been kind of blown away,” George said. “I think it exceeded my expectations since being in Boston. You never know how much culture is involved and how much culture changes your outlook on things and the effect it has mentally, physically, just being in an environment … and the culture that Boston presents. 

“So I’ve been thrilled. I’ve been playing some of my best basketball of late, and just been enjoying grinding it out with these guys out here. It’s a fun style of play and I can’t talk (enough) about just the thrill, the happiness and the excitement and joy that it has brought being here.” 

He was asked what sort of reception he expects from Sixers fans. 

“Not sure,” George said. “In some ways, I helped land them a future piece for them. So with that, not sure how the reception would be.”