Category: Basketball

The Knicks beat the Nets at Madison Square Garden Monday night, 103-90, extending their winning streak over their crosstown rivals to 15.

Here are the takeaways...

-- While the Nets entered the game riding the high of their first win of the season, the Knicks were hoping to bounce back after their second loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The last time Brooklyn beat New York was Jan. 28, 2023, just over one week before superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were traded away.

-- The Nets jumped ahead early, finding their way to a 7-5 lead in the first three minutes of play. Despite working to overcome their turnover troubles early in the season, the Knicks committed their first of the game just 94 seconds in, which allowed for a three from Nets sophomore point guard Nolan Traore. OG Anunoby was the only Knick to score through the first three minutes until Mikal Bridges landed two free throws, tying the game at seven-all. 

After that, the Knicks tightened their defense and found their way to the basket, scoring 10 straight points punctuated by back-to-back Jalen Brunson threes. Brooklyn was quick to tie it back up, but two shots from beyond the arc by Deuce McBride and a trio of free throws from Landry Shamet sent New York into the break up 27-21.

-- The back-and-forth play continued through the second frame. While the Knicks struggled to find the basket for the first three-and-a-half minutes, the Nets climbed to a three-point edge. Four uninterrupted points from Bridges — two free throws and a dunk — put the Knicks back out in front, and they maintained the lead through the end of the quarter, but Brooklyn kept the deficit low until Shamet landed back-to-back threes. 

Brunson attempted to add three at the buzzer but was fouled by former Knick Julius Randle, earning two free throws. He missed the first, but his second shot gave the Knicks a 51-44 as the half came to a close.

-- Both teams found themselves in turnover trouble through the first 24 minutes of play, coughing it up a combined 15 times (Knicks had seven). Despite only shooting 36 percent — compared to Brooklyn's 40 — New York found game-changing success at the free throw line, going 15-for-16.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded five double-doubles in the first six games of the season, headed to the locker room without a single point, though he recorded 10 rebounds and three assists in his 17 first-half minutes.

-- New York's energy quickly evaporated in the third. Towns finally got on the board, landing two driving layups and two of his three free throws through the first four minutes, but the Nets responded with a 13-0 run through the middle of the frame spearheaded by Randle, Day'Ron Sharpe, and Michael Porter Jr. Shamet finally broke the streak with a three, adding a second 90 seconds later to keep the Knicks in the game, but it wasn't enough. After outscoring New York 35-24 in the third, Brooklyn ended the quarter ahead by four, 79-75. 

Shamet's 20 points through the first three quarters led all players at that point.

-- Then, as they often do in the fourth, the Knicks reappeared. Josh Hart drove New York to a 10-point lead in the five-and-a-half minutes of the frame, scoring a 25-foot three-pointer, assisting two Anunoby threes and a layup from Tyler Kolek, and adding a running layup as the Knicks outscored Brooklyn 16-2 to start the frame. Traore kept cut into New York's 10-point lead with a 24-foot jumper, but Anunoby and Towns responded quickly with two free throws and a field goal, respectively, to open up a 9-0 run. 

As the Knicks continued to gain momentum, the Nets crumpled, turning the ball over six times through the first 8:30 and scoring just five points in the same span before Randle got the Nets moving again on two free throws with 2:23 left to play. Another foul shot from Randle and a three from Traore cut the Knicks' lead to 13, but the deficit proved too much to overcome, and the Knicks walked away with the 103-90 victory.

-- Overall, the Knicks shot 41 percent from the field, 39 percent from three, and 83 percent from the free throw line, compared to Brooklyn's 38 percent, 34 percent, and 70 percent, respectively.

-- Despite the rocky start, Towns finished with yet another double-double, scoring 11 points and adding 16 rebounds. He also had five assists and four turnovers.

-- In his first game against his former team since joining Brooklyn's squad in July,Randle recorded his first double-double as a Net, notching 21 points and 11 rebounds. He was the only player on Brooklyn's roster to break 20 points against the Knicks.

Game MVP: Landry Shamet

Shamet, who played for Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season, posted a game-leading 22 points, tacking on one rebound and one assist in 29 minutes of play. He also went 6-for-8 from the field, 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 6-for-6 from the free throw line.  

Highlights

The offensive rebound leads to the Brunson triple 👌 https://t.co/haV2KO97BS

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

Traore to Sharpe for the slam! https://t.co/6yMMl33XBt

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

The offensive rebound leads to the Brunson triple 👌 https://t.co/haV2KO97BS

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

Mikel finds Moe for the and-one https://t.co/Jz2oSygsSD

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

OG 👌 https://t.co/fdYwUyEucW

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

Nolan Traore blocks Jalen Brunson https://t.co/3IGL0xvWXI

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

Mikel Brown Jr. smooth with it https://t.co/GIxUQRrwzb

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

CLARKSON 👌 https://t.co/8MUkptuaex

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

What's next

The Knicks are set to host the Chicago Bulls Wednesday. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Across the river at the Barclays Center, the Nets will take on the Charlotte Hornets that same night, when they'll look to avenge their 110-103 season-opening loss. 

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.

It was just five days ago that the Spurs met up with the Jazz, defeating them 117-111 with a 36 point outburst from Victor Wembanyama and a good supporting effort from Devin Vassell and all of the guards. The short handed Jazz depended heavily on their youthful players with Keyonte George torching the Silver and Black defense for 31 points and Darryn Peterson and Ace Bailey doing their parts. Multi-team retreads Mo Bamba and Jaxson Hayes actually looked like legit bigs in that game, and the Spurs had their hands full pulling out a win on the road in Salt Lake City.

Lauri Markkannen should be back in the lineup tonight, which should improve their big man rotation a lot, and this could be a tough game than it looks for San Antonio against the 1-6 Jazz. The Spurs offense looked much better at times against the Timberwolves on Saturday than it did against the Jazz, but also had some extended lapses where they took several minutes of game time off from scoring. Victor Wembanyama’s masterclass performance with 43 points and 6 blocks took over the game, but it would nice to have a game where the Silver and Black don’t need that kind of performance to win, and maybe let some of the younger players like Reed get in some work and game experience. Tonight could be the night if the Spurs can play with consistent effort and put the Jazz away early.

Let’s GOO Spurs!! Victor must dominate Lauri. If you’re eligible to vote in the US elections and you haven’t voted yet, get out and vote tomorrow.

Game Prediction:

Responding to the criticism of the three guard lineup, Mitch Johnson puts in a triple tower lineup of Wemby, Reed, and Kornet to start the game. They hold the Jazz to 6 points in the first quarter, but only score 16, all of them by Victor.

San Antonio Spurs vs Utah Jazz
November 2, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT
Streaming: DAZN, League Pass
TV: DAZN
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

After initially being listed as questionable for the Sixers tilt with Chicago Monday, the Sixers have upgraded Joel Embiid to available with plantar fasciitis management.

Philadelphia will have just about everyone available against the lowly Bulls. Dominick Barlow (back) and, of course, Ariel Hukporti are the only Sixers to appear on the injury report. Those aforementioned Bulls come into the night 29th in point differential.

They’re 24th in points scored per 100 possessions and 29th in points allowed per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. They also remain without their starting center Nic Claxton, yet to make his Bulls debut after suffering a hamstring injury in training camp. Claxton was initially listed as doubtful, making it possible, but he was eventually ruled out. The 6-1 Sixers should be able to easily dispatch of this team.

It’s not a good thing that Embiid is dealing with plantar fasciitis, but it’s a good thing that “management” is still in the designation.

“Well, plantars is a little bit of a come-and-go-type of thing,” Nick Nurse said pregame. “So they’re just trying to manage it. It’s very painful if you’ve ever had it. And it can kind of come and go out of nowhere. So we’re just trying to manage the pain with that and be as smart as you can.”

Nurse also provided a brief update on Barlow, who’s been getting in some individual work on the court.

“He’s seeing a specialist tomorrow,” Nurse said. “He’s been on court a little bit, not a ton yet, not a ton of moving around. I think they want to get to tomorrow’s appointment. Hopefully, it’ll be positive where he can get into his workouts a little bit.”

There’s a lot for Nets fans to take in at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, whether they’re making the trip across the river or watching from home.

Brooklyn finally snapped its five-game losing streak to start the season, earning its first win Sunday evening. But there’s another unfriendly reminder waiting at the Garden: the Knicks’ 2025-26 championship banners hanging in the rafters. Adding insult to injury, the Nets haven’t beaten their crosstown rivals since January 2023, a streak that has now reached 14 games.

Julius Randle’s return adds another layer. The former Knick played a significant role in helping turn the franchise around, and he deserves credit for that. How the Garden crowd receives him, though, is another story. Particularly in the crosstown rivals colors.

The Knicks are off to a bit of a strange start that looks awfully familiar for hungover championship teams. Some of the little things go out the window when you’re the last team standing. Lost amid the triumph are tired legs. Still, Jalen Brunson is a bonafide superstar and the Nets will endure something they haven’t ever had to before: face the defending champion New York Knicks.

On their home floor.

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Game Info & How to Watch

• Who: Brooklyn Nets (1-5) at New York Knicks (2-4)
• When: 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• TV/Streaming: YES Network, MSG Network, DAZN
• Radio: ESPN Radio, WFAN

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Nets vs. Knicks: Who’s Out?

Brooklyn Nets

• Egor Dëmin: OUT — Right leg bone bruise
• Joshua Jefferson: OUT – G League Assignment
• Ben Saraf: OUT – G League Assignment
• Tyler Bilodeau: OUT – G League (Two-Way)
• Grant Nelson: OUT – G League (Two-Way)

New York Knicks

• Jose Alvarado: QUESTIONABLE — (left ankle sprain)

To be updated.

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💬 Discussion

Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversations. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Houston Rockets vs. Boston Celtics

November 2, 2026

Location: Toyota Center —Houston, Texas

Time: 7:30 PM CST

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)

Probable starting lineups

Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun

Celtics: Derrick White, Payton Prichard, Jayson Tatum, Jordan Walsh, Mitchell Robinson

Can the Rockets start a new streak? Tune in tonight and come chat with us at TDS on on the SB Nation App!

It’s a cross-borough contest tonight at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks (2-4) host the Nets (1-5) tonight at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are stinging from another close loss, their second to the Sixers. Meanwhile, the Nets are celebrating their first W of the season, having beaten the Pacers yesterday. Tonight will be our first up close look at Julius Randle in a Brooklyn uni, and he’s expected to be motivated to score a 30-10 double-double. No stars appear on the injury report. Jose Alvarado is questionable for the Knicks with an ankle sprain. The Nets will be without Egor Demin (leg) and Mikel Brown Jr. (rest).

According to my sources, the Nets have not beaten the Knicks since January 2023. Tip-off is 7:30 pm EST on MSG and YES. This is your game thread. This is Nets Daily. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Practice good humanity. And go Knicks!

The Dallas Mavericks (4-2) play host to the winless Sacramento Kings (0-6) on Monday night. Dallas has had two full days off following a thrilling win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night. The Memphis Grizzlies thumped the Kings by nearly 30 points on Halloween. Here’s the main things to know:

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings
• WHAT: Trying to extend the winstreak
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 7:00 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA and League Pass

The injury report is mixed for the Mavericks. Leading the way is Kyrie Irving, who was downgraded to doubtful on Monday afternoon. The internet is annoyed at this, he’s had two days off, so injury management doesn’t make a ton of sense. I suspect Dallas thinks they can win without him, so this is a risk. Santi Aldama is also doubtful; as he’s returning from knee surgery, I bet we see him this week. Dereck Lively, Sergio De Larrea, and Tarik Biberovic are all out.

The Kings will not have Maxine Raynaud, Keegan Murry, or Ben Simmons. Zach LaVine is listed as questionable as of this writing with elbow inflammation.

Dallas should have an easy time of this one but that’s based on what we’ve seen so far. I have a feeling the Mavericks may take the Kings lightly, at least to kick off the game. Whoever guards Acuff Jr. is in for a tall task, given his bright green light shooting the ball. If he gets hot from deep, that’s the only real way I see Dallas falling to the Kings tonight. If you want a deeper preview, head back out to the main page.

Since you’re here checking out this post, it’s for one of two reasons.

• Injury report news
• Discussion and comment thread

If you’re part of the former, please consider signing up for an account. You get way fewer ads, and you can comment! If you’re part of the latter group: GO GET THE APP. I’m serious. The app has some real-time features specifically for game threads like this one and you can comment and get notified really, really easily. It’s part of what’s keeping this whole series of sites going. So go do it for us and in doing so, you’ll see why the experience is simply better.

Consider joining me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube; I will be going live tonight, and I need y’all to join and participate!

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to keep the momentum going from their recent win over the Milwaukee Bucks, as they take on the injury-riddled Oklahoma City Thunder.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Golden State rookie forward Lendebrog really Yaxcelled last night in his 37-point, 4 rebound, 6 assist effort in the Warriors’ 124-112 win over the Clippers. After the game, he confessed that he caused himself some grief by briefly pursuing a 40-point night.

I’ve never been a stat chaser in my life. […] I’m a guy that loves ethical hoops. I’m a guy that loves efficient basketball and I kind of, like, didn’t do for that the last 2-3 minutes. […] If it comes to me, it does. If I don’t get it, then I wasn’t meant to get it that day.

He correctly noted that after he did try to take some threes to get there the Clippers came roaring back late. I will point out, though, that he was being egged on largely by his teammates, specifically De’Anthony Melton, and it’s here that I will put a pin in praising the rookie for speaking with a degree of humility and poise that makes him extremely likable.

Melton gets that not many opportunities like a 40-point night come along in a players’ career — unless they happen to wind up like LeBron James, etc. — and was, in my mind, simply pushing his teammate to grab an achievement that was in a bucket’s reach. I don’t see a problem with that, and it’s a credit to Melton for being supportive of a rookie teammate rather than antagonistic. Last week, Take Two posted a video of Yaxel being interviewed by some NBA vets (Drew Gooden and Aaron Gordon) and they made it clear that the game is a lot different today than it was when they got started, specifically in the arena of rookie hazing; but, you never know with these things. It’s at least a positive to see that his teammates like him as much as the fans have started to.

But getting back to Yaxel’s comments after the game. This is some special stuff. He’s certainly making strides on the court, but this is, what, his third post-game presser with some memorable commentary? “Lost all respect” for Luka, “try not to wet the bed” after the Luka rematch, and last night? We are not even 10 games into the season!

It sure does feel like we’re on the ground floor of… something. Hopefully, something special. At least, that’s how it’s trending. But “ethical hoops” is an interesting self-tag. The game’ll humble you, the notion of ethical hooping is tricky in its own right — it is, effectively, a smarty pants way of saying “not a ball hog” — and players and fans are always looking for a vector for their venom. How he reacts to the jeers and mockery will be the real test of character, because how he’s playing all but guarantees a backlash.

In the meantime… my goodness, what a cool rookie.

The Hawks (3-4) aim at redemption against a severely shorthanded Indiana Pacers (2-5) team tonight.

Injury report:

A player health update presented by @emoryhealthcare for tonight’s game at Indiana:

Jalen Johnson (left ankle sprain): Out
Jock Landale (left hip strain): Out
Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture): Out
Henri Veesaar (torn right ACL): Out pic.twitter.com/c2nObyJSmm

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 2, 2026

Kingston Flemings will also miss this game due to a one-game suspension he picked up for an offense he committed last game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Starting lineup:

G CJ McCollum

G Nickeil Alexander-Walker

F Dyson Daniels

F Luguentz Dort

C Onyeka Okongwu

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Start Time: 7:30 PM EDT

TV: Peachtree TV (WPCH), Atlanta News First (WANF)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming:Amazon Prime, NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

It’s already time for a rematch, huh? The Detroit Pistons face the Charlotte Hornets for the second time this season. In the first matchup, the Pistons prevailed 97-89 behind a Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins one-two punch at point guard. Cunningham had 30 points and seven assists, and Jenkins scored 14 points off the bench. They also got great contributions from Paul Reed (16 efficient points) and an all-around masterclass from Ausar Thompson, who tallied seven points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. It featured a great 31-point performance from the blossoming Brandon Miller and one of the season’s earliest head-scratchers. Naz Reid had seven points and six rebounds at halftime, but Hornets coach Charles Lee benched Reid for the entire second half for not meeting the “standards” of the team. Nothing stood out as egregious, and folks chalked it up to mixing up some defensive assignments and a lack of hustle. It was a surprising but short-lived kerfuffle (Reid’s been back in the lineup ever since). But I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hornets power forward is looking to make a statement against Detroit so as to truly put the situation to rest.

The Hornets are struggling to find their offense after moving on from LaMelo Ball and getting a bum hand via injuries — Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams are both going to miss the game tonight. That means the league’s least potent (statistically) offense is going to go up against the league’s most miserly defense (statistically). Detroit’s goal is to make that gulf clear and even wider at the end of the night than it was at the beginning.

Game Vitals

When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
Watch: TV: TV20 Detroit | Streaming: DAZN-Detroit
Odds: Pistons -5.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (5-1)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Paul Reed

Charlotte Hornets (3-4)

Dennis Schroder, Coby White, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid, Moussa Diabate

The Golden State Warriors will look to extend their winning streak to five games when they host the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. The game will be played at 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.

Back at it ‼️

🏀 GSW vs PHX
🕖 7 pm PT
📺 @NBCSAuthentic
📻 @957thegame
📱 https://t.co/6fWWQppuyt#DubNationpic.twitter.com/KyKhtoNawY

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 2, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

Golden State opened this set of back-to-back games with an impressive 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night. Despite playing without veteran stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who were both held out for rest, the Warriors secured their fourth consecutive win behind a big performance from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.

After failing to reach double figures in scoring for the first time in his young NBA career against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, Lendeborg bounced back in spectacular fashion. The rookie led all scorers with a career-high 37 points on an efficient 13-of-19 shooting from the field, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. His performance marked the most points scored by a Warriors rookie since Curry dropped 42 against the Portland Trail Blazers in 2010.

YAXEL LENDEBORG SCORES THE MOST POINTS BY A WARRIORS ROOKIE IN A SINGLE GAME SINCE STEPH IN 2010!

🌉 37 PTS (career-high, game-high)
🌉 6 AST
🌉 6 3PM
🌉 13-19 FGM

A big night from @Yaxel_Lendeborg leads the @warriors to their 4th straight win! pic.twitter.com/0hHvYfFXSS

— NBA (@NBA) November 2, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

For years, Golden State’s offensive success has largely depended on Curry’s brilliance, with the Warriors often needing an unexpected scoring outburst from someone else to help carry the load. However, Lendeborg’s emergence as a legitimate offensive threat has given the team another reliable scoring option, easing the burden on Curry and creating a more balanced attack.

One of the biggest beneficiaries has been Brandin Podziemski, who has settled into a complementary role rather than being relied upon as one of the team’s primary scoring options. The fourth-year guard has thrived in that role, playing with greater decisiveness while averaging 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. His ability to contribute in multiple areas has become increasingly valuable as Golden State’s new offense continues to take shape.

With Lendeborg providing another dimension to the offense and Podziemski finding his rhythm, the Warriors are beginning to show they have the supporting cast needed to compete at a high level. They’ll look to keep that momentum going Monday night against a Phoenix team that beat them just over a week ago behind a 43-point performance from Devin Booker. This time, however, Golden State will look to turn the tables with Curry and Green back in the starting lineup.

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!

Projected Starters

Warriors: Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green, Charles Bassey

Suns: Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Khaman Maluach

How to watch Regular Season Game 8

Who: Golden State Warriors (4 – 3) vs. Phoenix Suns (1 – 3)

When: Monday, November 2nd, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Chase Center — San Francisco, California

TV and Streaming: NBC Sports Bay Area

The Wizards are 3-3 despite an inconsistent first six games. They’ve won two games against inferior opponents, lost two games against superior opponents and split two contests with the Charlotte Hornets.

The true Wizards will reveal themselves over the next eight games in which they play seven 2026 playoff teams — the lone non-playoff opponent a talented Indiana Pacers squad. That stretch begins tonight in Orlando against a tough but depleted Magic group without Paolo Banchero or Jalen Suggs.

Orlando’s weak spot is its interior defense, which ranks 18th in opponent paint points per game. The Wizards rank fifth in paint points per game (52.3), so look for Brian Keefe to feed Anthony Davis in the post and get AJ Dybantsa going downhill.

Washington’s Achilles heel has been its rebounding, which ranks 28th in the NBA. Monday presents a get-right game against a Magic squad that ranks 26th in rebounding.

Injury Report

WAS: Alex Sarr (knee soreness), Justin Champagnie (foot surgery), Anthony Gill (back spasms), Tristan Vukcevic (hip impingement), Jamir Watkins (ACL tear) are OUT.

ORL: Paolo Banchero (ankle), Jalen Suggs (knee), Anthony Black (ankle), Jonathan Isaac (knee), Izaiyah Nelson (ankle), Noah Penda (hamstring) are OUT.

Here are the Wizards’ starters:

PG: Trae Young

SG: AJ Dybantsa

SF: Kyshawn George

PF: Anthony Davis

C: Deandre Ayton

Game information:

Opponent: Orlando Magic

Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Kia Center

TV: Monumental Sports Network

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

You can chat about the game in the comments below!

The road to MVP has started well for Victor Wembanyama, as he has been named Western Conference Player of the Week, which ended on November 1, the league announced.

After not having the best two games to start the season, The Alien upped his game to elite levels to lead the Spurs to four straight wins, including three in the week pertaining to the award. Wembanyama averaged 36 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, two steals, and 4.3 blocks during the stretch, dominating on both ends. He was great against Sacramento and Utah and dropped a season-high for him 43 points against the Timberwolves.

Wembanyama, who had received Western Conference Player of the Week honors three times in the past, seems to be rounding into form while still having room for improvement, which is a scary proposition for the rest of the league. The 12-point game against the Thunder on opening night feels like it was from a different reality, as not only the superstar center but also the Spurs have been playing a lot better recently and are climbing the standings in the West.

Jayson Tatum got the honor in the Eastern Conference after leading his Celtics to four straight wins as well.

The Spurs will kick off Week 3 by hosting the reeling Jazz on Monday, November 2.

Although not always the case, most good NBA teams offer indications of their quality quite early in the season. Through seven games, the Los Angeles Lakers have done precisely that (partly thanks to a friendly schedule). They’re fourth in the West at 5-2 with the league’s third-ranked offense, 18th-ranked defense and seventh-best net rating (plus-7.5), per Cleaning the Glass.

Despite a team’s general quality typically revealing — or, sometimes, merely previewing — itself early into the year, the specifics require much more time crystallize. Rotations and schematics change. Players progress or regress. Injuries and trades crop up. Other teams adapt. For any team with lofty end-of-season aspirations, building toward those goals is a long-term process, including the 2026-27 Lakers.

“We want to become a great team. You don’t become a great team in six games. We want to become a great team after 82 games and have a chance to go compete for a championship in April and May and June. It’s a process to get there,” Redick told reporters following Friday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. “We are going to be patient. There’s also, along with patience, doing what you’re supposed to do. I think as we play more games together, we do more walkthroughs together, we do more film together, we do more practice together, that will all get better.”

After overhauling much of the rotation in free agency, led by three new starters, the Lakers will take some time before reaching their final form. Redick understands that and has repeatedly harped on this group’s need for a lengthy runway to gel.

Fortunately, the schedule remains fairly light over the next few weeks — a road game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday should test them, however — even if it includes plenty of postseason hopefuls. A month-long stretch from late November to late December featuring matchups with the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets (twice), Denver Nuggets (twice) and Minnesota Timberwolves (twice) should give Los Angeles some important insights about its state at that time.

That’s still many weeks away, though, so the Lakers will hope all the games, walkthroughs, film sessions and practices they share together before then accelerates their path toward becoming the great team they’re aiming to be.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.