Category: Basketball

Despite playing the fewest games in the NBA during the inaugural month of the season, concern is high among the Phoenix Suns fanbase due to their offensive struggles and lack of a point guard in the starting lineup amid their 1-3 start. Fans will remain concerned about their season outlook until they start to string a win streak together and play more cohesively. They’ll have a few opportunities to do so throughout the first whole month of the NBA season.

Here’s a peek at the Suns’ schedule for November.

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The longest homestand since COVID

• Monday, November 2nd @ Golden State Warriors
• Wednesday, November 4th vs Portland Trail Blazers
• Thursday, November 5th vs Orlando Magic
• Saturday, November 7th vs Houston Rockets
• Monday, November 9th vs San Antonio Spurs
• Tuesday, November 10th vs Los Angeles Clippers
• Thursday, November 12th vs Charlotte Hornets
• Sunday, November 15th vs Los Angeles Lakers

After their Monday matchup in San Francisco against the Warriors, Phoenix will have their longest homestand since February of the 2020-2021 season, when the schedule was made to limit travel during the pandemic. A mix of games against the Eastern and Western Conferences, the Suns were .500 or better against all of their upcoming home opponents except for the Rockets last season.

With multiple back-to-backs in the homestand, the Suns will need to make sure they play a balanced and deep lineup, but the lack of travel will give the team more time to rest between games.

A homestand ends and a road trip begins

• Monday, November 16th @ Denver Nuggets
• Wednesday, November 18th @ Sacramento Kings
• Friday, November 20th @ Utah Jazz*
• Monday, November 23rd @ New Orleans Pelicans
• Wednesday, November 25th @ Houston Rockets*

(*=NBA Cup Games)

The five-game road trip is tied for the longest road trip the Suns will have all year, and the start of it will provide Phoenix with an opportunity for revenge against the Nuggets, who handed them their most recent loss. One of the two winless teams left, the Kings project to provide Phoenix with one of their easiest games of the year, before they play in two of three NBA Cup Games to finish out their travels, with the game against Houston being Jalen Green’s first game at the Toyota Center since being traded for Kevin Durant in 2025. He missed both games in Houston last year because of hamstring issues.

Post-Thanksgiving clashes with rising stars

• Friday, November 27th vs Dallas Mavericks*
• Sunday, November 29th @ Utah Jazz

(*=NBA Cup Games)

After a break for Thanksgiving, Phoenix will face off against Cooper Flagg and Darryn Peterson, the first and second picks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts. While Peterson has struggled mightily with efficiency to start his career, Flagg has been an offensive and defensive force, leading the Mavericks to a surprising 4-2 start and handing the Rockets their first loss of the season after their 5-0 start behind his 33-point performance.

The games against the young talent will give the Suns a glimpse at what life could have been like if they opted to rebuild and accumulate assets after their 2022 and 2023 playoff shortcomings rather than go all-in on acquiring Bradley Beal, which stripped them of all their remaining draft capital after trading for Kevin Durant months prior.

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How do you think the Suns will fare in November?

The Celtics will be without Mitchell Robinson when they face the Orlando Magic. Robinson will rest on the front end of a back-to-back, the Celtics’ second of the season. So far this season, Robinson has averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.

The rest of the roster, except two-way player Devin Carter, is fully available. Carter continues to deal with an illness, though he is now around the team after being away to start the season.

Robinson typically did not play in both nights of back-to-backs as a member of the New York Knicks, but in an interview with Knicks Fan TV earlier this month, he made clear that would not be the case in Boston.

”It ain’t going to be the same in Boston [as it was with the Knicks]. I’ll be able to play back-to-backs,” Robinson said. “I’m very excited for that; it’s been a long time coming. Now I can go out there and play basketball, just go out there with a free mind and just hoop.”

The Celtics are 4-1 entering Sunday’s game, while the Magic are 2-3, with wins over the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors and losses to the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Raptors.

Boston has won four straight since losing the season opener, beating the Knicks, Chicago Bulls (twice), and Brooklyn Nets.

The Magic will be without several key players

Paolo Banchero suffered a high ankle sprain in the second game of the season, while Jalen Suggs suffered a right knee contusion in the third. Jonathan Isaac is out with left knee injury management.

Franz Wagner has led the Magic, averaging 20.8 points, 7 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game. Desmond Bane, acquired last offseason, averages 17.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Wendell Carter Jr. is having a career season so far, averaging 14.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.

And in the wake of injuries, Anthony Black and Jase Richardson have slotted into the starting lineup, with Jamal Cain and Tristan da Silva playing key minutes off the bench.

Neemias Queta is likely to get the start for Boston

The Celtics have started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Robinson every game so far this season. With Robinson out, Neemias Queta will likely slot into the starting lineup, and Luka Garza will see more minutes off the bench.

Queta is averaging 9 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game for the Celtics so far. Garza is averaging 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game.

The Celtics may rest players for Monday’s game against the Houston Rockets, but the entire rotation played in both games when the team last had a back-to-back.

Celtics-Magic tips off at 3:30pm ET at the Kia Center in Orlando.

Oof.

The Brooklyn Nets opened NBA Cup play with a Friday night matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Brooklyn got off to a great start and looked like they were going to give last year’s top seed in the Eastern Conference a good fight. Unfortunately for the home fans, they watched the Nets suffer another blowout. Brooklyn let things slip in the middle of the game and lost 110-94.

They’re now sitting at 0-5 to begin the season — one of two remaining winless teams (Kings).

The opponent tonight projects to be a contender for the NBA Championship. That is, if everyone is healthy. The Indiana Pacers are hoping to get back to the NBA Finals after missing out last season. It’s early, but the road back to the postseason has been a rocky one. They were on the road Friday night against the new look Miami Heat and lost 144-125.

Game Info and Broadcast Details

• Matchup: Brooklyn Nets (0-5) vs. Indiana Pacers (2-4)
• Time: 5 PM EST (4 PM CST)
• Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Indiana)
• TV/Streaming: YES Network, WFAN Radio, DAZN

Nets-Pacers Injury Report: Who’s Out?

Brooklyn Nets

• OUT – Egor Demin (right bone bruise)
• OUT – Mikel Brown Jr (back injury management)
• OUT – Joshua Jefferson (G League assignment)
• OUT – Ben Saraf (G League assignment)
• OUT – Tyler Bilodeau (G League tw0-way)
• OUT – Grant Nelson (G League two-way)

Indiana Pacers

• OUT – Tyrese Haliburton (left hamstring strain)
• OUT – Ben Sheppard (left meniscus surgery)
• OUT – Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain)
• OUT – Johnny Furphy (right ACL surgery)
• OUT – T.J. McConnell (right hamstring strain)
• Probable – Aaron Nesmith (left hamstring strain)
• Questionable – Obi Toppin (low back soreness)

The Game

Indiana won the first meeting 136-109 on October 25.

This is the first leg of a back-to-back for the Nets. They return to the city for a matchup against the New York Knicks on Monday night at the Garden.

The Nets are off to their worst possible start, and Friday’s loss to Detroit didn’t do much to inspire confidence. People can accept losing, but they can’t accept poor effort. Brooklyn’s latest defeat left plenty of questions about the team’s effort and execution. This year was supposed to be different for the Nets, but it looks all too familiar.

Nolan Traore will get all the minutes he can handle tonight. With Demin and Brown Jr out, it’s on him to man the point. That’s a lot on his shoulders. He’ll need to dictate the offense and generate downhill pressure. If he does get to the rim, the Nets need him to turn those opportunities into points.

In October, the Nets were dead last in the NBA in field goal percentage inside the restricted area at 55.2 percent. That’s a troubling number against a Pacers team that has allowed opponents to shoot just 60.2 percent inside the restricted area, the third-best mark in the league. The home team need something to break their way, and if they want to finally break into the win column, it’ll take a total team effort.

Maybe the new month is what the doctor ordered?

Andrew Nembhard is probably never going to make an All-Star Game, but he’s someone I’d love to have on my side. He’s someone you can trust to make something happen with the game on the line. He’s also become more efficient while taking on a bigger offensive role.

Brooklyn will have its hands full with the speedy guard, who’s averaging 17.6 points and eight assists per game.

Player to Watch: Pascal Siakam

Siakam has been one of the better forwards in the NBA in the 2020s. He’s done well in his various roles and can scale his scoring up when the moment calls for it. He’s been turning the ball over at a career-high clip to start the year, but that is something to monitor as Indiana navigates the early part of its schedule. Without Haliburton, the four-time All-Star will have to up his game and take on more of the scoring load to offset the absence of their franchise player.

Brooklyn also needs more from Julius Randle. He discussed the process on offense after Friday’s game, and he shared some interesting insights about what the Nets need to improve:

Asked Julius Randle about the Nets' offensive struggles:

“There’s no flow and rhythm after this after the first action… It's like sometimes we get bogged down or stuck, and we're just sitting there watching each other, and it's not putting us in the best position to succeed.… pic.twitter.com/qKmLd2kFqx

— Erik Slater (@ErikSlater_) October 31, 2026

Brooklyn has to find their purpose, and fast. If the team can’t play with more pace and with more success at the rim, a long season is guaranteed to get even longer.

From the Vault

Ones in the air for Sir Patrick Stewart

And with WWE hosting two shows at Barclays Center tomorrow night, let’s take a look back at one of the greatest matches of all time

More reading: Circle City Spin, Fieldhouse Files, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Nets Insider, SNY, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Indiana Pacers Game Notes – Indiana Pacers
• Giannis has triple-double, Heat open NBA Cup play with 145-125 win over Pacers – Tim Reynolds – AP
• It’s time for Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. to be the leaders the Nets need – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets rule out Mikel Brown Jr. vs. Pacers during front end of back-to-back – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle discuss what Nets need to change – Shareef Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY
• How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Brooklyn Nets – Cam Ward – GQ.com

The San Antonio Spurs still have lessons to be learned.

Last season, the Spurs made it pretty far on talent. They would make silly mistakes after silly mistakes and still recover thanks to one of the most talented young rosters in the NBA. After a crushing NBA Finals loss, a lot of fans expected the team to grow up a bit. To learn the lessons that come with such a defeat. Six games into the 2026-27 NBA season, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

The Spurs looked almost identical to last year’s team in a 121-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Halloween night. There were stretches of brilliance when the team guarded like their lives depended on it, moved the ball on a string, and got to the cup with ease. Then there were times when the offense went completely cold, reliant on isolation ball, and the defense allowed second-chance points and easy transition looks. But ultimately, the Spurs had enough talent to take down a Minnesota team that was missing two key players in Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.

It took an MVP performance to get the win. Victor Wembanyama took over the game, crushing his fellow countryman, Joan Beringer, with 43 points and 6 blocks. When San Antonio was in a slog, Wembanyama would pull them out with a well-timed dunk or a block that led to a transition runout. Those are the types of games you’re looking for from the face of the franchise and potentially the best player in the league.

As they say, a win is a win. But likely, Mitch Johnson and the rest of the Spurs’ coaching staff will identify plenty of areas where the team can clean up their game, just as they could last season.

Takeaways:

• Was there some sort of Halloween slime, or perhaps LaMelo Ball’s spit, on the basketball on Saturday? Both teams combined for 29 turnovers, with the ball generally bouncing all over the place. Both teams were trying to play with such a chaotic pace in both transition and half-court offense that it led to a lot of mistakes, or the ball slipping off players’ hands and bodies.
• We at Pounding the Rock are formally accepting De’Aaron Fox apology slips. We will forward them to Mr. Fox at our earliest convenience. The veteran point guard has been nothing short of the Spurs’ second-best player to begin the season. He had 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in the win, and was a team-high +23. Whatever he did in the offseason worked, because he looks completely rejuvenated. His jump shot is falling, particularly in the mid-range, which is opening up a lot of offense for the Spurs.
• San Antonio has figured out how to constantly get the ball to Wembanyama on lobs. Those short pick-and-rolls near the sideline make it hard for opposing bigs to drop back and protect the rim, as it gives the Spurs’ guards good angles at the rim. That forced Beringer to switch often on Saturday night, making it easy for Wembanyama to finish lobs over smaller defenders. It’s one of the best new wrinkles to San Antonio’s playbook, and they spammed it often against Minnesota.
• Luke Kornet has gotten a lot of grief for his play this season, and a lot of it has been deserved. He should get some praise when he has a solid game, too. Kornet grabbed 8 rebounds, 4 of them offensive, including a big put-back slam in the first half. His defensive positioning was largely good, and he didn’t kill San Antonio when he was in the game. That is about all you can ask from a backup center in this league.
• Julian Champagnie remains red hot from three-point range to start the season. He shot 3-of-7 from deep on his way to 12 points against the Wolves and is now shooting 47.6% from three to start the season. It’s about time that Champagnie gets the recognition for what he is: one of the best shooters in the NBA.

All good streaks are supposed to come to an end. In Friday's 98-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Knicks guard Tyler Kolek's stretch of perfection ended.

In the game's early stages, he turned the ball over for the first time this season. Kolek coughed up the rock one more time, finishing with four assists and two points in 13 minutes.

It was a departure from Kolek's first three appearances this season, in which he recorded 21 assists and zero turnovers over 44 minutes.

The reserve is playing some of his best basketball right now, steadying the offense when Knicks star Jalen Brunson rests.

Kolek is taking advantage of an opportunity given to him because of an ankle injury to guard Jose Alvarado.

Kolek entered this season on the outside of New York's regular rotation. But his play has been impressive and could make Knicks coach Mike Brown think twice about taking him out of the rotation when Alvarado returns.

In Kolek's 57 minutes this season, the Knicks are assisting on 76.5 percent of their baskets, according to NBA Stats, a team high and one that would rank first in the entire league. The club's assist rate drops to 66.3 percent in the minutes he sits.

Kolek's careful playmaking comes at a time when the Knicks are in need of good decision making.

As of Saturday night, New York ranked 15th in turnovers per 100 possessions.

Over the past few years, the Knicks have regularly been one of the better teams at taking care of the ball, ranking 11th in the category last season.

The turnover problems have been a factor in New York’s slow offensive start and 2-4 record through the first six games.

Kolek has created scoring opportunities for his teammates with ease. Many of Kolek's minutes have been shared with starters Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.

Towns is averaging 5.81 more points per 100 possessions when he shares the floor with Kolek, according to PBP Stats.

Anunoby's scoring increases by 9.85 points per 100 possessions in the same scenarios.

Since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Kolek's role has been inconsistent with New York.

Last season, due to a Miles McBride injury, Kolek emerged around the NBA Cup and played a significant role in the Knicks' Cup championship win.

He saw regular rotation minutes until the middle of January.

The Knicks acquired Alvarado in a trade deadline deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, pushing Kolek further down the depth chart.

Crowded backcourt

Though it is unclear when Alvarado will return from his injury, he will be back eventually. It creates a competition at the backup point guard slot.

With Brunson averaging 35 minutes a night through the last four seasons, there's very limited space to find time for both guards.

Add in a small-ish backcourt contributors like McBride, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson, and it seems like a crowded backcourt.

Kolek and Alvarado are very different players. Kolek is a floor general with crafty passes and creative finishes around the basket to make up for his lack of athleticism. Alvarado is more of a defensive playmaker, creating havoc with steals.

Despite his diminutive stature, Alvarado can situationally guard players larger than him. Both players are inconsistent as three-point shooters but have proven to be capable enough to garner some respect from defenses.

It's a good problem to have. The Knicks have relied on the bench to step up in key situations. Last year's run to the championship saw several reserves have individual moments in specific games or series.

Brown said in training camp that outside of the starting five, players would be fighting for minutes. Kolek and Alvarado will see some time on the floor this season. Who plays the best will likely earn more time.

Welcome to Winners & Sinners, where we reflect on the week that was for the Milwaukee Bucks. Week 2 saw the Bucks go 1-2, with the team getting its first win of the season by defeating the arch-rival Indiana Pacers, before being forced into concussion protocols by the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers. But who’s deserving of the hardware?

MVB

Tyler Herro collects his first MVB of the week on the back of efficient shooting in two out of three games and a best-on-court performance against the Pacers: 23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. The shooting was expected, the poise has stood out, and, more importantly, he was Milwaukee’s best when they were at their best, leading the team to its only win of the season thus far.

Defensive Belt

Defending Champion: Kyle Kuzma.

The Contenders: N/A.

The Decision: Outside of the win against the Pacers, the Bucks haven’t exactly stopped anyone this week. Myles Turner had some moments in that game, then got mauled by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley against the Cavaliers, who combined for 52 points on 23/32 shooting (72%) in just 48 minutes. Consider the belt vacated until someone shows enough to earn it.

The People’s Champ

retired janitor’s wisdom is always appreciated, but this comment—in a quality back-and-forth with naveed2000s—is too good to overlook:

Please do go deeper into the early-second-round versus late-first-round draft returns, rj! In the meantime, who’s up for marshmallows?

Run That Back

This one was simple, or so I thought. Kasparas Jakučionis gets the ball off the swing from Kel’el Ware and thinks like any good point guard does: Return the favour. First, he jabs sideline; buys some space and forces the switch. Then he curls middle, casts the line: one dribble, two dribbles—just enough line to hook Larry Nance, reel him closer. A third follows, a beat to let the water settle. Then it comes, the left-handed spear between rocks. Right to the chest. And before you know it, the catch is in the net.

Then, in the week’s waning moments, Brayden Burries does this:

INSANE BRAYDEN BURRIES POSTER! 🚨 https://t.co/ftmnY0eBWG

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 1, 2026

Gravity-defying stuff—and enough vertical to lift our collective spirits!

Sinner(s)

Myles Turner: You hate to kick a bloke when he’s down, but Myles Turner has just not been good enough. Not close to it. He was better to start this week against the Pacers, but that game actually proves the point. Turner has been so bad for the Bucks that a six-point, nine-rebound, four-assist, four-block performance, which also came with 29% shooting, three turnovers, and some “efforts” that would lead to a benching for Kel’el Ware, was lauded as a standout night. Following that, he put up just four points and two rebounds against the Rockets before being abused by Allen, Mobley, and whoever else cared to venture into the Bucks’ defensive paint against the Cavaliers.

Second Quarters: Against the Pacers, the Bucks hit just 8/24 shots in the second quarter as a two-point quarter-time lead became an 11-point halftime deficit. Against the Rockets, the Bucks hit just 6/24 shots in the second quarter as they let a two-point quarter-time deficit explode to 22 by halftime. Against the Cavaliers, the Bucks hit just 7/28 shots as they let a one-point quarter-time lead transform into a 26-point deficit. This. Is. Not. Going. To. Get. The. Job. Done.

For more on the Bucks second-quarter woes, check out their shot charts, courtesy of NBA.com:

If… Then…

If Nate Ament has already overtaken Ousmane Dieng in the forward rotation, then the 2026 trade-deadline darling has some serious work to do. Dieng’s offseason deal—three years, $17.5m—seemed surprisingly good for the Bucks, but maybe they knew his play down the stretch was more mirage than oasis.

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That’s all for Week 2. Share your winners and sinners in the comments!

The Dallas Mavericks (4-2) picked up a huge 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets (5-1) on Friday night in their first NBA Cup game of the season. The road to victory was paved with a slew of clutch plays, with Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford leading the way when it mattered most. The NBA defines the “clutch” as the final five minutes of a game when the score is within five or fewer points. Here we break down that exact scenario from the huge win Friday.

4:21: Tie score, 96-96

The Mavericks entered the clutch with a three-point lead. They forced two stops around a Rockets’ offensive rebound but could not convert on the other end. Again they forced a stop, but yielded another offensive rebound to the Rockets, setting up Fred Van Vleet for a game tying three-point shot.

3:28: Mavs up four, 100-96

Flagg began asserting his clutch-time dominance with an immediate answer to Van Vleet’s three-pointer. At the 4:07 mark, Flagg hit a floater for his 25^th point of the night. After a stop and a rebound, Flagg was at it again with a finger roll that was counted as a score after being goaltended.

2:26 Tie score, 100-100

Zaccharie Risacher committed a shooting foul on the following possessing, giving Kevin Durant a chance to drain two free throws. After an Irving missed three-pointer, Van Vleet connected on a bucket to once again tie the score.

1:40 Mavs up 105-100

With the score tied, it was Irving’s turn to respond. Off a Flagg assist, Irving broke the 30-point threshold with a nice 16-foot shot to put the Mavericks up by two points. Caleb Martin committed a shooting foul on Durant, but the 82.7% free throw shooter missed both attempts. Then it was Flagg’s turn to join Irving as a 30-point scorer as he hit a floater, was fouled and connected on the free throw to extend the lead to five points.

COOP AND-1 TO EXTEND THE LEAD 😤

HE'S GOT 30 PTS!

MAVS LEAD BY 5 LATE IN Q4. pic.twitter.com/2fhyfDsFYh

— NBA (@NBA) October 31, 2026

1:18 Mavs up five, 107-102

Durant hit a shot to quiet the excitement for a moment, but Irving was not deterred. Dribbling up the court, Irving surprising launched a three-point attempt only seven seconds later. The shot was errant, setting up Gafford for an offensive rebound and put-back. Above the rim, his mini hook shot was on a downward trajectory as soon as it left his hand, warranting a goal tending call on Clint Capela to sustain the five-point lead.

1:00 Mavs up two, 107-105

The next sequence of events may find you shining up your tinfoil hat. On a Rockets’ inbounds pass, Durant cut to the rim, then thrust himself backwards onto Caleb Martin who grabbed a handful of Durant’s jersey. The play was reviewed by officials to determine if it was an away-from-the-play foul (a foul committed on court prior to the ball being inbounded, which gives the offended team a free throw and the ball). Replay seemed to clearly show the contact was initiated and followed-through on by Durant, with Martin grabbing him to brace his fall after absorbing contact, but somehow this was not a factor in the review. Instead, Durant hit the free throw and then immediately connected on a jump shot after the inbound. This turn of events could have been foreboding; just a season ago it may have been. The Mavericks were flying high with a five-point lead, but a questionable call made it a one-possession game in a matter of seconds.

0:24 Mavs up four, 109-105

Following the strange away-from-the-ball foul, things got more tenuous. P.J. Washington got sped up, prompting him to pass the ball toward Irving at half court. The pass was off the mark and Amen Thompson collected in stride heading for what would have been a game-tying layup. Irving stepped in for a charge! What again seemed an obvious call, especially due to Thompson’s unquestionable arm extension push-off, was challenged by the Rockets who had nothing to lose in doing so. Improbably, the charge was overturned on the basis Irving did not have legal guarding position prior to Thompson’s slightly lowered shoulder and arm extension. If karma is your thing, the Mavs were beneficiaries of a “ball don’t lie” moment, as Thompson missed both free throws he received by way of the overturned charge. Flagg had enough at this point, extending the game to a two-possession affair with a slick turnaround jumper for a four-point lead.

FLAGG SCORES AGAIN IN THE CLUTCH.

MAVS UP 3.

7.9 TO PLAY. https://t.co/uHKnPjyaGrpic.twitter.com/3kMsZWaF0U

— NBA (@NBA) October 31, 2026

0:11 Mavs up three, 111-108

Following Flagg’s heroics, the Mavs were a stop away from all but ending the game, but Jabari Smith nailed a three from the top of the arc to bring the Rockets within one point. With an obvious free throw shooting contest ready to ensue, the Mavericks got the ball to Gafford who was fouled by Durant for a trip to the foul line. Surely, the Mavs did not want to put Gafford in this position, but the Rockets’ on-ball defense after the Mavs inbounded left them no choice. Gafford was unfazed. He calmly stroked both free throws to give Dallas a three-point lead.

0:06 Mavs up three, 113-110

We learned that Dusty May is inclined to foul the opponent when the Mavs are up by three points with mere second remaining, rather than give the opposition a chance to attempt a three-point shot for the tie. Flagg fouled Durant who hit both free throws to cut the Mavericks’ lead to one point. The Rockets had to return the favor, fouling Irving on the other end. Irving hit both of his free throws to maintain the three-point advantage after the exchange.

0:04 Mavs up three, 114-111

With the three-point advantage, Dallas once again fouled to prevent a Rockets’ three-point attempt. This time, Thompson split his pair, hitting the first and intentionally missing the second. Thompson got the rebound off his own miss, but it was because he entered the lane well before the ball hit the rim, resulting in a lane violation and turnover. On the next possession, the Mavs got a measure of away-from-the-ball revenge. Marcus Smart mauled Flagg before the ball was inbounded, giving Flagg the chance to increase the lead to three points, which he calmly did by hitting his free throw.

0:00 Mavs win 116-111

Irving was fouled once again, giving him a trip to the line. The veteran leader put the game out of reach and ended the free throw shooting train by once again hitting both of his attempts to extend the lead to five, leaving the Rockets with no further options. As he iced the game, Irving was serenaded with chants of “MVP” from the home crowd.

MVP CHANTS FOR KYRIE 👏

35 PTS (game-high)
4 REB
9 AST (game-high)
5 3PM (game-high)

The Mavs win their opening game in @emirates NBA Cup Group Play! pic.twitter.com/HdiN2rAHa4

— NBA (@NBA) October 31, 2026

In the clutch, Flagg scored 10 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 from the line. Irving had six points despite missing two three-point attempts. He hit one shot from inside the arc and drained all four of his free throws. This was a dynamic performance by the pair, showing just how poised beyond his years Flagg is and how important Irving is to the success of the team. Flagg was perfect, answering the bell every time with big plays. Irving, while slightly less than perfect, had it where it counted. Giving himself up for what likely should have been a charge and hitting free throws that effectively ended the game demonstrated how lethal the duo can be. Not to be forgotten, Gafford got in on the fun with an offensive rebound off one of Irving’s missed three-pointers and a putback for two points. He then hit two free throws that were absolutely critical in the win.

Kyrie: 35 PTS (26 in 2H) 9 AST
Coop: 33 PTS (18 in 2H) 6 AST

The dynamic duo leads the @dallasmavs to 1-0 in West Group A! pic.twitter.com/6GfHzLBDu7

— NBA (@NBA) October 31, 2026

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The San Antonio Spurs had their first encounter with last year’s second-round opponent and were able to take control in large part by running the simple play: giving it to Victor Wembanyama. He had a dazzling 43 points and six blocks, helping elevate the defense in the second half. 

De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper were big-time as well, helping takedown the short-staffed Minnesota Timberwolves and they made three baskets apiece in the fourth quarter. If anyone missed the game because they went out for Halloween and has access to a replay, do not deprive yourself of the surplus of highlights. 

Screen-roll defense is one of the most important areas a team must thrive in to win since most teams run them so much or variations of it . Check out how Victor Wembanyama stays in between two offensive players, guarding them together and taking away the angle for the inside pass. 

DEFENSE ➡️ OFFENSE

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/dllB3bqlwt

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

The acceleration is not the same, but this move reminds me of vintage Kevin Durant. Notice how Jonathan Kuminga is in the best position to help out, but quickly decides he wants no part of this. I get it. Imagine being on a poster and it ends up making the top 10 dunks of the season.

JUST NASTY ‼️

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/TjkJ6Uy4Qh

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

This was like watching a kid unsuccessfully try to score on their older sibling on a six-foot practice hoop, and Wemby’s grab makes it hilarious, while moving him up to fourth all-time in team blocks. He only needs 49 more to pass Artis Gilmore for the next spot .

moving on up 📈 pic.twitter.com/BALf0sdFHL

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes would be impressed with this putback. 

LUUUUUUKEEEE 😤

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/FRaUMKrvKj

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

It almost seems like Wemby improvised this in a half-second and it could’ve been a foul since Trey Lyles is in the restricted area, and he moved slightly to the side instead of vertically. This move was worth the price of admission by itself and it wouldn’t be a surprise if many of the children who saw this up close remember it forever.

VIC SELF OOP OFF THE BACKBOARD 🤯

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/z0W9fBu5c3

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

I’ve seen enough and fully endorse Wembanyama isolating opposing big men on the perimeter when the team is in need of a bucket. There is not a big man with the size and foot speed to deal with this, so most of these misses would be on Wemby, similarly to how tons of hook shots Kareem Abdul-Jabbar missed had nothing to do with the defender. 

W3MBY 👌

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/gUGNHvnEuI

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

The Spurs have not been a fast team through six games, but they are effective when they get in transition. A good example is Devin Vassell hitting Dylan Harper in stride, yet the best part is watching Joan Beringer try to speed up as the ball zips up the court. 

WATCH YA HEAD DYLAN 😤

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/J9JJi5TrjZ

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

Exhibit 647 of “there’s nothing to do about this.” Both Minnesota’s defenders covering this screen roll are in good position yet helpless against the vertical spacing.  The most underrated part of this play is how Kuminga is locking-and-trailing Julian Champagnie, which is what one must do when the opponent is shooting 47.6 percent from 3-point range for the season. 

⚠️ AREA 51 ⚠️

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/4Y1wxq8Ang

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

Another screen roll, and Stephon Castle can make any pass to Wembanyama going downhill if there is no shot blocker present. 

Area 51 getting active in the third 🏰👽

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/FtCyQYH3MT

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

Harper’s game has a lot of sauce, and he is a cultured young man, bringing out the Michael Jordan shrug. Notably, Fox comes to set the screen on Kuminga, but then he realized that Harper doesn’t need the help and bails at the last moment.

this move from @dy1anharper 👀🌪️

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/8OtInX6Ret

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

I wonder what Dr. James Naismith would have thought about inverted screen rolls. This was just one of Wembanyama’s dozen baskets at the rim. 

Vic hurting the rim tonight 😳

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/8mvIwl5puE

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

That’s a sweet left-handed finish for Vassell, who shoots out of the orthodox stance. Vassell mostly stayed out of the way as his teammates were balling, logging two baskets and two assists, yet one of each were on Saturday’s highlights.

TUFFFF DEV 😤

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/XO7XYCP9hs

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

This was Keldon Johnson’s only basket, but it was nice.

THAT KJ HUSTLE 👏

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/yIYz713T7l

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

The game was up for the taking, then Kuminga wasted time with his behind-the-back dribble, letting Wemby catch up to him and keep in mind that most blocks happen at close range. The coolest part about the play is how the break was executed without a dribble, which was common when NBA players wore shorter shorts and converse dominated league footwear. 

40-PIECE FOR VIC 🔥

📺 @DAZNpic.twitter.com/LEOIoInYEG

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 1, 2026

.

Over at CBS’s Eye on College Basketball podcast, Gary Parrish, who lives in Memphis, has really taken to Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer. On the most recent episode, he raved about Boozer being the second-youngest NBA player to record a triple-double, and in just his fifth game, which is remarkable.

Using his typical hyperbole, he said that Boozer could come back to college basketball in his spare time and help his team to win there, too.

While that’s a bit silly, his sentiment is not far off. In fact, we could start to call it the Boozer Effect. What’s the Boozer Effect?

That’s simple: his teams usually win.

Memphis, projected to be in a rebuilding year, is instead off to a 6-0 start, and is the only NBA team still undefeated after knocking off Sacramento Saturday night, 136-105. Boozer finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists (on the downside, he had 7 turnovers).

Memphis’s primary rotation players, aside from Boozer, are journeyman Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, Jerami Grant, Zach Edey, Cam Spencer, Isaiah Stewart, Scotty Pippen, Jr., GG Jackson, and Quinten Post.

Coward is a promising young player, and Edey is massive, but the other guys are basically role players. And now, Jerome and Pippen are both having back issues, while Edey is on a minutes restriction as he continues to work his way back from last season’s injury.

Look at it this way: if you took Boozer out of this group, where would they be?

It’s impossible to answer, but this seems obvious: they sure as hell wouldn’t be 6-0.

• NBA: Grizzlies stay unbeaten as Cameron Boozer shines vs. Kings
• Grizzlies’ Cameron Boozer: Leads Memphis to another win
• Grizzlies match best start in franchise history as Cameron Boozer shines again
• Cameron Boozer with the hoop & harm

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

The Houston Rockets rebounded from their first loss of the season Saturday night, crushing the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-98 at the Toyota Center. Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points and 9 rebounds; Marcus Smart added 24 points. Houston took advantage of one of the Western Conference’s top teams with a strong start, balanced scoring, and great defense for a 21-point victory.

Smith shot 10-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-12 on 3-pointers. Smart was 7-of-10 on 3-pointers as the Rockets shot 46% as a team and were 18-of-41 from behind the arc.

Jabari Smith Jr. was in his bag tonight in Houston's victory:

🚀 30 PTS (game-high)
🚀 9 REB
🚀 5 AST
🚀 6 3PM

The @HoustonRockets are now 6-1! pic.twitter.com/L8xL9n5lkq

— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2026

Alperen Sengun, who returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with lower back soreness, finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists, and Kevin Durant scored 14 points.

The victory was a strong comeback for Houston after it lost 116-111 to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The Rockets didn’t let the setback linger as they came out with vigor and took an early lead against Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City couldn’t slow the onslaught since the club was able to share out the scoring burden. Houston also got a boost from its effort on defense, making the Thunder struggle for good shots.

The Rockets’ opening quarter set the tone for the rest of the night. Houston led Oklahoma City 35-26 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the defense really tightened up, holding the defense to just 10 points and carrying a 55-36 lead into the half.

Oklahoma City couldn’t find its offensive rhythm in the first half. The Thunder were also without many key players in Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Alex Caruso, resulting in a less experienced lineup against Houston.

The Thunder tried to adjust, but Houston held on and avoided a late-game meltdown like the one it had in the previous night’s game against Dallas. The Rockets played good offense and did a good job of not letting Oklahoma City get anything going to threaten the advantage.

The victory was an especially encouraging one, since Houston made progress in a needed area. The Rockets gave up 40 points in the fourth quarter, squandered an 11-point lead, and struggled on defense against Dallas. Saturday’s performance was a lot better defensive effort and greater control of the game.

The win lifts Houston to 6-1 on the season and continues an amazing start that has the team looking like an early contender in the Western Conference. The Rockets hope to carry that energy into their next game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, November 2, in Houston. As always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for post- and pre-game coverage.

The Milwaukee Bucks lost badly, 136-11, to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Halloween. For three of four quarters, the Bucks played decently, but losing the second by [checks notes] 27 points cooked their goose. Milwaukee just couldn’t get shots to fall, and although Cleveland’s defence was solid, I thought the Bucks got decent looks. Still, there were certainly positives to take out of the game, as I’ll get to. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

25 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 0 turnovers, 4/11 FG, 1/5 3P, +4

Rollins’ game looks worse on the stat sheet than it truly was. Yeah, he’s still struggling to find his own offence, but he did a solid job of distributing the ball without turning it over. It’s also not as if Rollins was shot-chucking. As I alluded to in Kasparas Jakucionis’ section, the Cavs can be really tough to figure out in terms of scoring when you’re being funnelled into two velociraptors inside. In short: it certainly wasn’t a good game by Rollins, but it also wasn’t as bad as some others he’s played this season.

Grade: C-

Tyler Herro

27 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 5/18 FG, 4/11 3P, -19

Herro’s first stinker of the season. I thought he got some solid looks in the first half and just missed them, but in the second half, it felt like Cleveland was much more in control of his shot quality. It got to the point where Herro was trying to foul-bait to get something going. I also wasn’t in love with his body language.

Grade: D

Jaime Jaquez Jr.

23 minutes, 8 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3/8 FG, 1/2 3P , -15

Weird game for Jaquez. I thought he was solid as a defender on Harden and did his best when he had to match up with Mobley, but like a few others, he struggled to find ways to score because of Cleveland’s size.

Grade: C

Kyle Kuzma

23 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 6/12 FG, 2/7 3P, -16

Kuzme was excellent in the third quarter, scoring 12 of his 14 points and keeping the Cavs’ lead from getting too large. Over the whole game, I appreciated the effort Kuz showed defensively as one of the few wings who could at least try to match Mobley physically, but ultimately that made little difference.

Grade: C+

Myles Turner

23 minutes, 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, 4/10 FG, 1/4 3P, -11

Honestly, my analysis of Turner’s game last night is similar to what I thought of the Rockets game: on balance, he was pretty solid, but his shooting struggles continue. I will say that, whether it is age or a blatant athleticism deficit, Turner just cannot score over athletic centres with any regularity anymore (even when he catches it with an advantage). Had a play where he set a good screen and caught it with a window to the rim, but when Evan Mobley rotated over, his only hope was to catapult himself into Mobley and hope for a call; he did not get the call, and promptly flung the ball onto the top of the backboard.

Grade: C

Kel’el Ware

24 minutes, 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 6/16 FG, 3/8 3P, 4/5 FT, -14

I didn’t love Ware’s game, to be honest. 13 of his 19 points came in garbage time, and he should be doing that against third units. The trend of him failing to match it with these upper-echelon bigs is somewhat concerning. Ware was just no match on either end for the Mobley-Allen combo, and if he is to be Milwaukee’s centre of the future, that needs to change.

Grade: C-

Kasparas Jakucionis

21 minutes, 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, 2/7 FG, 1/4 3P, -18

After a run of good games, this was a come-down-to-earth one for Jakucionis. He did his best to knife into the lane, but the two rangy seven-footers definitely gave him trouble.

Grade: D+

Brayden Burries

20 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 4/7 FG, 1/4 3P, 5/6 FT, -19

Obviously, the headline from Burries’ game was that insane dunk, but overall, I loved how he made stuff happen in transition. Burries really has some heft, and he knows how to use it. Also had some solid possessions guarding Donovan Mitchell, I must say.

Grade: B

AJ Green

20 minutes, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 0/1 FG, 0/1 3P, -14

In games where none of Milwaukee’s guards can get paint touches, Green’s productivity will generally dip. He’s a play finisher, not a creator.

Grade: C-

Nate Ament

19 minutes, 14 points, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 4 PF, 6/8 FG, 2/3 3P, -11

Ament’s first efficient shooting night. He’s looking more and more comfortable with each game, especially finishing around the rim and slowing down on his three-point shots. Loved the craft he showed on the break with that Euro-step around the defender for the dunk; I’d love to see more of that moving forward.

Grade: B

Taylor Jenkins

Deciphering whether Jenkins “coached well” in these types of games is a task I find difficult for a range of reasons. First, the clear experience and talent gap between the Bucks and the NBA’s top teams; second, the fact that Milwaukee’s first priority appears to be development, then winning (which I think most fans would agree with). At the very least, we can see that Jenkins has instilled a culture where the players will keep fighting no matter how much they’re down by; that’s been shown across the last two blowouts. That said, maybe something needs to change in the game plan, rotations, etc., to prevent these second-quarter fadeouts we have seen for two straight games now (they lost the second quarter 34-14 against the Rockets). We know this is when the likes of Ware, Burries, and Ament will be getting their time, so understandably there would be somewhat of a drop-off, but maybe Jenkins needs to get one of the vets out early so they can come back and anchor these units at the start of the second. It’s a trend I’m monitoring.

Grade: C-

Limited minutes: Ousmane Dieng, Gary Trent Jr.

DNP-CD: Jericho Sims, Bogoljub Markovic, Caris LeVert,

Inactive: Kam Jones, Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance

What We Learnt

The team might have a second-quarter problem and, as I (and Jenkins) alluded to, changes in rotation and possibly even game plan might be needed.

Bonus Bucks Bits

• “Our guys played great in the first quarter, but the second quarter got away from us,” Jenkins said. “We missed open threes, we missed layups… and that had an impact on our defence. We fought in the second half, but the hole we dug ourselves in was a little too deep. So, [we will] go back and watch the film to see how we can sustain better over 48 minutes.”
• The Bucks shot 7/28 (25.0%) to the Cavs’ 18/22 (81.8%) in the second quarter. To their credit, Milwaukee did a great job winning the possession battle—largely by grabbing eight offensive rebounds—but just couldn’t get anything to go. As for Cleveland, 15 of their 18 makes were assisted, and as I mentioned in the Rapid Recap, they closed the period on a 21-3 run. Insane.
• The Bucks lost the paint battle 60-46; they did win bench points 55-51, however.
• Just a stray thought, and I don’t want this to come across the wrong way after just six games, but if I were Horst, I’d be listening (listening) to trade offers for Kel’el Ware at the deadline. His continued underperformance in these measuring-stick games concerns me. And to be clear, I’d also be content with keeping Ware, but if another team believes more in his upside and makes an enticing offer, I’d seriously consider it. Is it risky? Yeah. But it’s also his third year in the NBA after two years in college; this may be the last chance to “sell high” before a bad reputation sets in and you need to pay him.
• Brayden Burries’ incredible dunk:

INSANE BRAYDEN BURRIES POSTER! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ftmnY0eBWG

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 1, 2026

• The team’s Halloween costumes, in all their glory:

Halloween at home. pic.twitter.com/TIJ8IstlBQ

— Bucks In Six (@BucksInSix) October 31, 2026

Up Next

The Bucks now head to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Monday night. Catch the action at 7:00 p.m. CST on MY24.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep-dive analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a roundtable of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: How long are you willing to wait (in terms of games played) to give the Suns’ starting unit time to (hopefully) gel before pronouncing it DOA and demanding changes?

zenzino: The wording of this question cracks me up. ‘Demanding changes’. Like we have any actual say in what happens.

Blow it up now! Just kidding. So much impatience. The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. And the starting gun just went off. What’s worse than the Suns’ play is the Suns’ schedule. 11 days into the season, and the Suns have played 3 games. Leaves us lots of time in between to contemplate the sky falling.

I’d give it 15-20 games if there were some kind of progress along the way.

All this talk about continuity seems to make us forget that the starters have a distinct lack thereof. 2 of the 5 are new to the lineup, and even the returning 3 starters of Book, Brooks, and Green had only played 10 games together before this season. This should be considered a brand new starting lineup.

While the starting 5 have not yet gelled, I think there are bigger issues throughout the lineup. As Tom wrote earlier this week, the Suns’ culture and ‘alignment’ are in question. As Keratosis pointed out in the comments, everyone is talking about trading Green, and he’s the only one who has been consistent on both ends of the court.

Of course, the players need to act like highly paid professionals. However, as I’ve maintained since the KD days, the leadership has to start at the top with the head coach. This is a huge test of Ott and probably BG because he’s so involved.

The culture and standards have to be consistently maintained and nurtured, not just given lip service. You don’t just get to pick up where you left off last season… or maybe you do, and that’s what the Suns are doing.

Ashton: Rod is setting this whole series of questions up as a chance to throw shade at the Suns. I am going to take the high road and throw shade at the Suns.

Good question? Coach Ott has now had four days to try to get his team on the same page between games. I really hope film review with the players was part of it. Coach Ott says it was a communication issue between him and the players. I am not so sure. It seems like a chemistry issue or at the very least a preparation issue.

I am just not optimistic about the Suns turning this around anytime soon, but I guess I am willing to give them four weeks to show improvement and two months before pronouncing them “DOA”. There are not many changes to demand as the starting four is basically set, but I am willing to climb on board with CG possibly starting as Green still seems to seek the ISO plays. If Booker goes off for another three points, I may seriously consider bringing in Goody’s defense in place of Booker minutes.

Rod: I’m close now, but the absences of both Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro and the total reliance on Khaman Maluach as the starting center makes me believe that I shouldn’t be too hasty. Duop Reath as the primary backup hasn’t worked out well either, but I also can’t reasonably blame all of the starters’ problems on this.

At this point, I’m kind of in a holding pattern until Oso gets healthy and we can get a look at how well things work out before giving the starting lineup the last rites. I don’t expect a miracle turnaround, but if I don’t see some evidence of better play after 10 games (following his return), then I’ll be fully on board with trying just about anything that has a chance of improving.

Starting Gillespie and moving Green to a 5th man bench role is the obvious 1st move to try. After that, I’m game with just about any other lineup experiment that has any kind of a shot at improving things.

Q2: Three games into the season and the Suns have THE worst-ranked defense in the NBA. What are your thoughts on why they’ve been so bad on D?

zenzino: It would be easy to blame it on the addition of Bridges and the absence of Williams and Oso. Maluach was supposed to have time to ease into the main rotation, and now he’s been thrust into the starting lineup. On the aforementioned fact that even the returning starters haven’t had much time playing together before this season. Those are factors to be sure, but something else just isn’t right. It’s not just the starters.

While the 2nd is better than the starting unit, they still aren’t what we are used to from them. As the ‘look on the bright side’ guy in this, I still have to wonder whether the first half of last season was an anomaly and the post-All-Star-break version is who they actually are.

I might conclude that Mark Williams is the most underrated Suns player. He wasn’t fancy or flashy, but he got the job done in a myriad of ways and was a defensive anchor for this team.

All that talk on media day about how they worked all summer together and are chomping at the bit to get the season started… I got excited.

And now it rings hollow.

All that being said, it’s only been 3 games. Anyone who throws in the towel after 3 tries at anything will never win. Again, from my perspective, this needs to get fixed from the coaching side. The players also need to hold each other accountable, but that starts with the coach.

Ashton: It appears that Miles Bridges is missing multiple assignments and may make the list for worst trade of the year. Booker is visibly frustrated at the defense (and his own shooting). And teams know that the “Center can not hold”. That is a shoutout to poet William Butler Yeats, and as dark as it is, it remains one of my favorite poems. It easily sums up the early Suns games, as I am not sure if there is a “Second Coming”. However, Oso was upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against Denver.

This comes back to team unity on both sides of the floor, and that is lacking. Suns were universally expected to suck last season and took defense to a chip-on-the-shoulder level. I would have liked to be able to evaluate the Denver Nuggets’ game Friday night, which Jokic has already called “their defense sucks,” but let’s see which team wins that award.

Still, the Suns being last in so many defensive metrics in three games is beyond concerning; it is condemning.

Rod: I honestly believe it’s a combination of things, roster additions/subtractions and injuries being the top 2. I mostly see the effort on the court, but one blown assignment, one offensive rebound given up because you’re out of position, one missed switch can undo all the effort put in. Having two of your top rotation players at the same position (Williams and Ighodaro) has got to hurt both units, especially when your 4th guy in line at that position (Reath) has never been considered even a fair defensive player.

Looking at the numbers, the starting unit has actually been the worst defensively (29th), while the bench has been at least marginally better (20th), though not enough to make a big difference. We’re just three games into the season, though, and hopefully things will improve as the team gets more accustomed to the new additions (Bridges & Kennard), Oso returns to stabilize the rotation, and perhaps some lineup changes are made that give the starting lineup some more defensive muscle.

Q3: With Oso Ighodaro out for the GSW and OKC games, Jordan Ott has mostly played “small ball” lineups when Khaman Maluach is on the bench, with backup center Doup Reath averaging only 5 minutes per game in those two outings. If Oso is going to miss much more time, what backup center options (other than Reath) should the Suns consider?

zenzino: Unlike most people here, the term ‘small ball’ doesn’t make me angry or fill my heart with dread. It is a viable strategy that I’ve watched win championships. The Suns just need to get better at it, and you can only get better at something with practice. Bring it on!

It really depends on how ‘much more’ time we are talking about. If we’re talking a week or two, I don’t think the Suns should strain themselves to find another backup. A month or two? Maybe something needs to be done.

However, we haven’t seen Timme yet. He’s a lighter version of Oso, so maybe they can get by with center by committee. I believe someone more familiar with college basketball than I am said that Sheer used to play small-ball 5 in college. If so, add him to the committee.

I just don’t know that there’s anyone out there for the vet min who could make a difference compared to what we have now. Everyone mentions Olynyk, but he’s playing in Europe now. I wouldn’t hate Bismack Part II, but I don’t think that would move the needle.

Addendum: Oso has been practicing with the team. Ott says that it just depends on how Oso’s body responds to the workouts. So, we’re probably talking days and not weeks.

Oso haters, skip this part. Everyone else, we’re going to see a big difference in this team with Oso. He is the connector. On defense and offense. Adding a passer and playmaker can only help the offense starving for it. While not a rim protector, his on-ball and team defense are key. Everything will work better with him on the court.

Ashton: It is political season. There is more lying than ever, and only sports can match it when it comes to injury reports. I think Oso will be out for more than two games, but that statement may not age well. Also, my favorite day in November is not the fourth but the fifth. That is when all the unwanted ads, calls, and texts shut the hell up.

The cupboard is bare when it comes to backup center options. So, Ott is forced into small-ball for what could be a while. The only answer I have to this is to maybe roll the dice on Koa Peat and see what Drew Timme (who is also out) can do as a little bigger unit off the bench without a center. I really have no idea why Doup Reath is averaging five minutes per game. I thought that stat was startling. He needs more minutes.

Rod: First off, I believe that looking at signing a free agent center to fill that open 15th roster spot is not something the Suns should try…at least not yet. Anyone who is still a free agent at this time of the year, well, there’s usually a very good reason why, and not a good one. If Oso was definitely going to be out for a long stretch of the season, then I’d give it some serious thought, but only then.

At this point, Oso is going to be back on the court before a new guy has had enough time to learn the Suns’ offensive and defensive schemes to be more than an obstacle to cohesive team play, let alone a positive addition. Frankly, I think that’s why Timme actually hasn’t been active yet. He wasn’t around for training camp or any of the preseason games and needs some time to actually learn how things work before being thrown into the fray.

Some have suggested giving Fleming a try, but the guy’s still not playing instinctively at PF, so I doubt he’d really be very effective playing out of position at center.

Playing small ball with Bridges at the 5 spot isn’t the answer, but at least he’s a big body with several years of NBA-level experience who won’t react like a deer in headlights when thrust into a changed role.

All things considered, I’m fine with rolling with things as they are for now, with Reath getting at least a few minutes a game to see if he’s not having a good night before going small. Hopefully, Oso will be back very soon, and we won’t have to have this conversation again… for a while, at least.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Quotes of the Week

“It’s early. Can’t expect to be perfect right now.” – Jordan Goodwin

“We need to play faster. I think we have an opportunity when we do that. If we get stops, we get rebounds, we’re able to push the pace offensively and just create a lot of different things on the offensive end.” _ Luke Kennard

“Overall, we have to stick with some of things that we’ve talking about all camp because we did see success before the regular season started. We’ve got to give this a little bit of grace of couple more games just in general, both sides of ball. I think we have higher standards for what we want to do.” – Jordan Ott

“We’re just figuring each other out. It’s third game of the season. We’ve been figuring each other out. Once we do, I think we’re going to be a really good team.” – Miles Bridges

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Suns Trivia/History

Book closes his 20s with the 11th-most career points in @NBA history by a player before turning 30 📚

The list of players he's in company with:
LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Oscar Robertson,… pic.twitter.com/HKhOOZHr6t

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 30, 2026

On November 1, 1996, 8-time All-Star Steve Nash made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in a 96-82 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first game, Nash racked up zeros in points, assists, rebounds, steals, etc. in 5 minutes of court time.

It was not until his 2nd game on the following night (Nov. 2) that Nash recorded the first assist and the first basket of his Hall of Fame career in a 110-95 loss to the Houston Rockets. Nash’s totals in that game were 9 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in 12 minutes. Although Steve played the fewest minutes of any Sun in this game, he led the team in trips to the free-throw line and shot 6-for-7 for the night.

On November 2, 1999, 4-time All-Star Shawn Marion made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in a 107-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Marion recorded his first NBA double-double in the game with 14 points and 14 rebounds. He would get 6 more double-doubles during the rest of his rookie season plus 1 more in the first round of the playoffs.

On November 2, 1990, the Suns defeated the Utah Jazz 119-96 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan, in the first regular-season game played outside North America by any major professional sports league. Tom Chambers led the Suns with 38 points and 10 rebounds while Kevin Johnson scored 29 with 10 assists. 1-time All-Star Cedric Ceballos made his NBA debut in this game, scoring 2 points and grabbing 1 rebound in just 2 minutes of court time.

On November 7, 1992, the Suns celebrated their 30th Anniversary season by moving into the America West Arena where they opened their season with a 111-105 win over the LA Clippers. Charles Barkley (acquired by trade after the end of the previous season) wowed the Phoenix home crowd with a near triple-double (37 points, 21 rebounds and 8 assists) in his first regular season game as a Sun.

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The Week Ahead

Monday: Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors, 7:00 pm AZ time
Wednesday: Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers, 7:00 pm AZ time
Thursday: Phoenix Suns vs Orlando Magic, 7:00 pm AZ time
Saturday: Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets, 7:00 pm AZ time

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Important Future Dates

Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
March 1 – Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline
April 11 – 2026-27 Regular Season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 12 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2027 (3 p.m. ET)
April 13-16 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 17 – NBA Playoffs 2026 begin

The Raptors’ road trip begins with an LA double feature against the Lakers and the Clippers, starting with the boys in the gold and purple this Sunday, November 1st.

This will be Toronto’s first look at either of the Los Angeles teams this season, with both organizations boasting former Raptors under contract — on the Lakers, the beloved Georgian forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, and on the Clippers, former All-Star Brandon Ingram. While Ingram is unfortunately still facing injuries that are keeping him off the court, Mamu will be there to greet his old teammates in full force; this time, looking to topple the red and black.

Walking into Crypto.com Arena means not only saying hello to old friendly faces, but staring into the face of some serious adversaries, no one more prominent among them than Luka Dončić. Dončić has won four of his last five contests against the Raptors, and remains a part of a team that has an even more prominent winning streak against Toronto: the Raptors haven’t won against the Lakers since December of 2022, and will be going into this matchup looking to end this longstanding history.

In many respects, the Toronto Raptors have matured this year, even beyond the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors are neither a “young” team nor an “old” team at this point. Scottie Barnes is 25 years old, RJ Barrett is 26, and Immanuel Quickley is 27. But beyond age, the Raps are playing with a maturity unlike anything they’ve displayed in previous years, most prominently among them Scottie Barnes.

Still early in the season, Barnes has demonstrated that his offensive game has developed exponentially over the offseason, and since the 2026 playoffs, he has looked able to shoulder a massive two-way load, defending, facilitating, and creating his own looks. His midrange game has looked to be on-par with the greats this season, something all the more important when facing off against a team with a premiere centre. With Kawhi Leonard still out, Scottie and his teammates have stepped up to fill the void left by his phantom scoring and clamping defence, and will need every bit of paint-pounding bucket-getting and hard nosed D against the Lakers.

With a record of 4-2 on the season, the Lakers are off a three game winning streak and are equipped with weapons the Toronto Raptors will be hard-pressed to manage. Walker Kessler at 7’2” is a nightmare matchup for the Raptors, clogging the paint for RJ and Scottie, that Jakob Poeltl will need to step up in a big way for on the defensive end. Kessler can score and rebound, but is swatting shots at a disgusting rate, with 17 blocks in five games, including a 9 stock performance that made the Lakers look like they got more than their money’s worth for the big man.

How Walker Kessler is anchoring the Lakers defense https://t.co/9d6OFGuNGr

— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) October 28, 2026

Poeltl, who had a double double in a comeback game against Orlando, will likely split minutes at centre with Collin Murray-Boyles and Trayce Jackson-Davis, but as the Raptors’ starter, getting in the paint and banging with the other team’s seven-footer is going to be his primary responsibility. Yak has a chance tonight to continue his path back to the up-and-up, and the success of tonight’s game will rest in large part on his shoulders.

Containing Luka Magic and Austin Reaves is no easy feat either, but one which the Raptors are moderately more equipped to do. Scottie will likely take the Dončić assignment himself, as he matches up with with the big man’s stature and abilities the best, but to see how Ja’Kobe Walter handles Austin Reaves will be of interest as well, with the young guard suddenly thrust into the starting lineup.

Throughout the season, Barnes and Barrett have both shown that they’re capable of taking over offensively when necessary, and tonight will be a game where they will likely have to do just that. Surviving these rough matchups without Kawhi is the name of the game when making him a big part of the team, and tonight will be a chance for the Raptors to further distance themselves from the collapse in Minnesota against another top-5 guard in the league.

When the clock struck triple zeroes on Friday night, I could only lean back on my couch and smile.

The Dallas Mavericks (4-2) had defeated the previously undefeated Houston Rockets; Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving combined for 68 points. It continued a three-game winning streak in which the Mavericks vanquished three playoff contenders, and their second game in a row knocking-off an undefeated team.

The game had massive swings in emotion and momentum. The atmosphere in the American-Airlines center hasn’t reached that level since the 2024 playoffs.

The Mavericks, after a year-and-a-half of absolute misery (save for winning the lottery), are seemingly back to bringing fans joy.

This team is really, really, fun. They play fast and aggressive on both ends, often passing up a good shot to create a great one. They may not have elite personnel on either end, but the players know their roles, and they play to their strengths.

Instead of playing a static defense that relies on individual efforts from great defenders, they relentlessly swarm and scram ball-handlers into making mistakes, using their absurdly lengthy wings to disrupt opponet ryhthym.

On offense they simply attack the rim no matter what, using this constant rim pressure to set up open looks from long range. All of this starts with a 19-year-old superstar who simply doesn’t understand that 19-year-olds are supposed to be in college, not dominating the best league in the world.

But it isn’t just Cooper Flagg’s play. It’s his relentless, unyielding energy on both sides that feeds the rest of the team. He’s constantly attacking the basket with the force of a runaway mustang, using this gravity to get his teammates involved. But it isn’t just force, it’s the unexplainable floater touch that appeared out of thin-air last season.

Put simply, Flagg refuses to let this team lose, and he will be dammed if they repeat last season’s catastrophic play.

But unlike last season, he isn’t alone; a New Jersey basketball wizard has his back.

Kyrie Irving was relatively quiet until Friday night’s showcase, which is understandable given the near 19-month layoff after ACL reconstruction, but he was anything but quiet in the second half against the Rockets.

Irving scored 26 points in the final two quarters on only 13 shots. This included multiple patented Kyrie Irving transition pull-up 3-pointers that set the arena into a frenzy. His ability to feel the ebbs and flows within a game is special; knowing when to attack and when to let someone else take the reins. The Mavericks made their fourth-quarter run without Flagg on the court, and much of that is due to Irving’s mastery.

But let’s not forget the other number one overall pick on the roster. Zaccahrie Risacher exemplifies what makes this team special. He was cast aside by the Hawks. Written off by most of the basketball world, including me. Instead of letting the dire circumstances torpedo his career, he’s embraced what is necessary to succeed in the NBA.

He is ruthless on defense, constantly attacking the basketball to the tune of almost 4 combined steals and blocks per game this season. His offense is far from perfect, but there hasn’t been a Maverick wing who attacks the glass like he does in a long time.

Before the season there was only one thing that I wanted to see from the Mavericks team, watchable basketball. It’s truly hard to put into words how terrible they were to watch last season. It was a constant swirl of frustration, anger, spite and stubbornness.

Now?

Not only are the Mavericks are must-see TV, they’re also pretty damn good.