Lakers forward Sandro Mamukelashvili scores between Portland's Sidy Cissoko and Donovan Clingan in the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
They are the top-scoring teams in the NBA and have dynamic backcourts to make it all work.
So, when the Lakers came to work with their superb guard duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and the Portland Trail Blazers came to work with their exciting guard combo of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant, it figured to be a high-scoring affair Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
It lived up to that billing, with the game going back and forth in the decisive fourth quarter, finally being settled after Lillard hit a big-time three-pointer off a pass from Deni Avdija for a six-point lead with 42.8 seconds left that the Lakers couldn’t overcome in a 136-129 loss.
Doncic, coming off a 52-point game at Utah on Sunday, had 41 points, nine assists and five rebounds and Reaves had 26 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Morant and Avdija had 23 points for the Trail Blazers and Lillard had 21. Jrue Holliday scored 22.
The Lakers dropped their first game of the season, falling to 3-1 after getting outscored 34-26 in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers entered the game averaging a league-best 128 points per game and the Trail Blazers were right behind them at 126 points per game.
Doncic (34.3 points per game) and Reaves (26.7) are the top scoring backcourt in the league.
Lillard, who sat out last season with a torn left Achilles tendon injury, and Morant, who played for the Memphis Grizzlies last season before being traded to the Trail Blazers, formed essentially for a new backcourt for Portland.
“You’re talking about a playoff team that essentially added [Damian] Lillard and Ja Morant so it’ll be a great test for us tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I think you know the biggest thing for us is being able to get back, set our defense, and try to get our first bumps outside the paint. They’re a heavy drive team, [with a] number of guys that can do it at a high level and Avdija obviously led the league last year in drives and got to be great with that tonight.”
Lakers center Walker Kessler gets hit in the head by Portland center Donovan Clingan (23) in the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The two teams went at it in the first half, with the Lakers taking a 73-68 lead at intermission after a three-pointer at the buzzer by Sandro Mamukelashvili to end the second quarter.
He pumped his chest a few times, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Lakers rookie guard Cameron Carr, who has been out with a right oblique strain, practiced with the Coachella Valley Lakers on Tuesday. Redick said Carr showed progress while at practice with their G-League team.
“We needed him to be able to get through a full practice,” Redick said. “So that’s probably a very important step. Obviously, he was able to do some level of conditioning because it was an upper body injury. But [we] want to make sure he’s able to take hits and able to be in shape.”
Through much of the first half of Tuesday night's contest against the Detroit Pistons, the Knicks found themselves still buried in the slump from the season's first three games: shoddy defense, missed baskets, and sluggish transitions. At one point in the first half, they fell 13 points behind.
Then came the third. New York outscored Detroit 60-47 in the final 24 minutes of play, holding its opponents to just 13 points in the third and eventually running away with a 111-97 lead by the time the clock wound down.
The effort was largely spearheaded by Karl-Anthony Towns. The 30-year-old center completely turned it around after the break, finishing with his fourth double-double in four games so far this season. His 57 percent shooting from the field was second on the team, only to Andre Drummond (5-for-7).
But it wasn't until a near-brawl with Pistons starting center Paul Reed midway through the third that Towns really stepped up; he finished the first half a minus-14.
Reed, who scored nearly one-third of Detroit's 50 first-half points (16) and finished with a team-leading 22 points and five offensive rebounds, got tangled with Towns as teammate Duncan Robinson cut New York's lead to 10 midway through the third quarter. The two instantly became heated, but the referees stepped in before things could escalate and dealt Reed a Flagrant 1.
Then came the shift. After making his two free throws from the flagrant — his only two free throws of the night — Towns exploded for 16 of his 27 total points and tacked on eight of his 20 rebounds, recording his fifth 20-20 as a Knick.
After the game, head coach Mike Brown commended Towns for the way he rebounded and said he had a very frank conversation with the center at halftime.
"KAT's a grown man. He's obviously a perennial All-Star. I just told him the truth: 'KAT, the guy is killing us on the glass, and when he gets a rebound, he's putting it back. Anything he gets in the paint, he's putting it back. If he catches on the perimeter, guard him,'" Brown said. "And he did those things. I've got to take my hat off to KAT because I thought his shift in his mindset was really big for us in the second half."
KAT gets tangled with Paul Reed https://t.co/A6NvVBwm2k
The clash between Towns and Reed ignited a fire inside the entire Knicks roster, serving as a catalyst for a more aggressive effort on both ends of the court.
It was just the boost New York needed to clinch their first win of the season after seemingly falling victim to a championship hangover.
"[Reed] played great in the first half. I think we were able to not let him loose on the offensive boards. He was really impacting the game," Jalen Brunson said after the game. "For [KAT] to step up as he did throughout the game was something that we needed."
Towns, however, credited the turnaround to the entire team.
"I thought we did a better job picking up our intensity and our physicality, and we just executed at a high level," he said. "... We've just got to worry about the controllables, which is us playing our best, executing at a high level, and bringing that physicality to the game."
He added that with one win under its belt, the team has to shift all of its energy toward a second one rather than dwelling on Tuesday's success.
"Gotta get the next one — that's the only thing on the mind," he said. "... All year, it's going to be us improving, going through the ups and downs of the season. We just got to stay steady, keep believing in each other, keep pushing each other to another level."
TYLER KOLEK BEHIND THE BACK PASS! https://t.co/fyBK8WVtQn
SAN ANTONIO, TX -OCTOBER 27: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs grabs a rebound over a host of Sacramento Kings players in the first half at Frost Bank Center on October 27, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the San Antonio Spurs’ road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, head coach Mitch Johnson was less than pleased with his team’s performance through the first week of the season. He challenged them and pushed them to be better and play like he knows they are capable of.
Tuesday night saw the Spurs answer the call.
A 41-point second quarter effectively put the game away as the Spurs rolled to the 130-107 victory over the shorthanded Sacramento Kings at the Frost Bank Center, securing their second consecutive win.
“Every game has gotten a little bit better,” Johnson said after the game. “We made a few more shots tonight… commitment to the process is real and I thought they came to play tonight.”
Victor Wembanyama had 29 points and 10 rebounds, his best numbers of the young season so far. Julian Champagnie added 26 points on 8-for-13 3-point shooting, while Dylan Harper added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists.
San Antonio’s offense was better, hitting their shots on a 54 percent clip, while hitting 17-of-37 shots from beyond the arc for a season-best 46 percent.
“We felt today what we were supposed to do and what we weren’t,” Wembanyama said. “And we actually showed progress through the game. So, I think, I hope, we can stick to the good stuff we did.”
All five Spurs starters were in double figures in their highest offensive output of the season. San Antonio’s bench had 40 points as San Antonio finished with seven players in double figures.
Sacramento was shorthanded, but led by Domantas Sabonis, who posted 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in a losing effort. De’Andre Hunter added 24 points and Zach LaVine had 22 points for the Kings, who remain winless on the season (0-4).
“Whether the ball goes through the hoop or not, our standard stays the same,” Champagnie told reporters after the game. We came out and did exact what we’re supposed to do and played how we want to play. Hopefully we can continue to build on this.“
Games Notes
With so many injuries around the NBA a week into the season, no one give the Spurs ojo. Light some candles for these guys!
In all seriousness, San Antonio has a golden chance to get to the top of the standings thanks to a lighter schedule and teams dealing with huge injuries. As Shams Charania reported, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be without Anthony Edwards when the Wolves visit San Antonio on Saturday.
I didn’t think Harrison Barnes could still get up like that. What a dunk!
Devin Vassell had his best outing of the season with 14 points and eight assists.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket against Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets in the first half at Toyota Center on April 01, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets are 4-0 for the first time in over a decade.
The NBA got rid of the “four games in five nights” thing that everyone hated, but the Rockets are about to get the next-best thing: three games in four nights! It’s already the second time Houston is getting this fun treat after opening the season with the same setup. Another quirk? Houston doesn’t play a game on Thursday until January. That’s usually a day reserved for national television games, but it’s still odd.
Anyway, time to move on to the opponents. The Milwaukee Bucks are 1-3 after picking up their first win of the season against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Amen Thompson’s nemesis Tyler Herro scored 23 points and had seven assists to lead the way while Myles Turner added four blocks against his former squad.
Of course, Herro is now with the Bucks after Milwaukee traded Giannis Antetokounmpo after two years of Giannis whispering that he wanted to be traded because he didn’t want to be hated by the fans for demanding a trade. Eventually, everyone moved on and Giannis is with the Heat. With the Heat 0-4 to start the season, many are already declaring Milwaukee the winners of the trade, which is a bit silly. The Bucks did get back a decent haul, but not necessarily anything that will anchor a contender in the near future. Along with Herro, the Bucks received Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jaucionis, the 13th pick in the 2026 draft (Nate Ament), first round picks in 2031 and 2033, a first round swap in 2030, and a second round pick in 2033. Again, it’s a great haul, but it’s the picks that loom largest.
Each of the players mentioned are contributing to the Bucks at the moment. Herro and Jaquez Jr. are starting, and Ament, Ware, and Jakucionis are coming off the bench. The Bucks also drafted Brayden Burries out of Arizona, who is also getting minutes early in the season.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 27: Mikel Brown Jr. #0 of the Brooklyn Nets makes the game tying shot against the Boston Celtics on October 27, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets got about as close you can get to your first win of the season without actually getting it tonight. It was as encouraging and heartbreaking as it sounds.
Adding to the bittersweet sentiment, Brooklyn’s prized rookie was in the driver’s seat for this one’s most pivotal moments. He took us up, down, side to side, and deeper into the night than we originally anticipated. Here’s how we got there…
The Nets began tonight’s contest with a different starting five for the first time all season, making a change at the point guard spot. No, I’m not talking about Mikel Brown Jr. As Bane harrowingly said in the opening sequence of The Dark Knight Rises, that comes later.
It was actually Nolan Traoré who made his first start of the season this evening against the Boston Celtics. And, the Frenchman looked confident and collected early on, with little-to-no hesitation attacking inside after coming around screens. He made his first four shots to put up nine first quarter points, and even left Jayson Tatum in the dust on one of his drives…
Nolan Traore is playing with confidence during his first start of the season.
He's got nine first-quarter points on 4/4 shooting and has already scored on Tatum, PG, and Pritchard. Touching the paint whenever he wants. pic.twitter.com/QhaK1UGTX6
Brooklyn also got a lift from an energized Day’Ron Sharpe in the first, who’s active hands helped the Nets mount a stingy first quarter defense for a second straight game. It wasn’t another seven steal opening frame, but Boston possessions that didn’t involve Brooklyn deflections were difficult to come by.
Speaking of the Celtics, for them, this was the second half of a back-to-back, and they didn’t do much to hide it. Boston, the best 3-point shooting team coming into tonight, began the contest just 2-of-15 from deep, more often than not missing short on their attempts.
Between that, Traoré‘s aggressiveness, and impactful contributions from Mo Wagner and Chaney Johnson, who combined for 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the first two periods, Brooklyn controlled almost the entire first half. The only Celtic they couldn’t keep under wraps was Jayson Tatum. Shocker, right? He had a game high 16 points at half while dishing four assists, but the Celtics still trailed going into the break by five.
We’d hear more from him later, but the second half’s opening minutes were our last chance to applaud Traoré, who again came out on the attack. He had arguably his strongest take of his career only a few minutes into the third, seemingly setting the tone for another strong half…
But unfortunately, “seemingly” is the key word in that sentence. Even in Boston, a city known its historical defiance of legislation, the law of averages had to be obeyed. After their dreadful first half, the Celtics shot 8-of-14 from deep in the third, eventually retaking the lead with 1:07 to go in the period. Their second-to-last make in that frame came off the hands of a well-covered Tatum from the top of the key, which just ate you up inside.
As Boston made its run at the lead, the YES broadcast reported that Traoré asked for a sub while indicating that he had been cramping, which Fernández confirmed to be true postgame. Traoré did play a little over a minute in the fourth, but no further, and with little impact on the game. He finished with 15 points and three assists while shooting 6-9 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep.
Day’Ron Sharpe picking up his fourth foul around the time of Traoré’s exit didn’t help either. Brooklyn had found some defensive success earlier with Mo Wagner in drop coverage, although that largely just helped them take care of the defensive glass, and Boston had simply stopped missing. The Nets’ six turnovers in the period also didn’t help.
But in the fourth, The Juniors did. Michael Porter Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. combined for 25 points in the final frame while shooting 7-11 from downtown. Some of their haves looked like they came all the way from Dorchester. They found the bottom of the net regardless…
After trailing by as many as eight in the quarter, the Nets tied things six separate times, and even snagged the lead for themselves twice, as both groups went back and forth down the stretch.
However, as time ticked away, the game slowed, and that favored the more experienced team, the home team. After Brown Jr. snuck in a high, lefty finish that knotted up the game with under a minute to play, White got free on the next possession for an and-one finish that gave his team the lead back, now with only 33 seconds to go. Then, it was time to play the foul game, and Boston didn’t seem to know the rules.
After another string of misses from Brooklyn, Tatum went to the stripe to put his team up five with three seconds to go. He made the first free throw, but then missed the second as Neemias Queta committed a loose ball foul on Randle. That put Randle at the line, needing to make one shot to pull within three, and then miss in the hope someone would coral the rebound and hit a game-tying three.
Off the miss, the ball instead found Mitchell Robinson’s hands, but that wasn’t so bad either. The career 50.7% free throw shooter proceeded to miss both of his shots at he stripe, giving the Nets the ball back and the chance to hit a game-tying three with three seconds to play. Mikel Brown Jr. did that…
And, to overtime we went. With a new lease on life, the Nets came out swinging in the extra period. Randle pitched in a quick four points to establish an early lead while Porter Jr. registered two blocked shots to help defend it. Brown Jr. kept firing away as well, hitting one triple but missing three others.
Those blanks, however, left the door open for Boston. After Brown Jr.’s next miss, Randle, again going for an offensive rebound, fouled Paul George, who sank both of the free throws from it and made it a one point game with under a minute to go.
After Brown Jr. and Tatum traded misses, the Nets still possessed a one point lead and the ball, but with 28 seconds to go. Brown Jr. drove, hoping to ice it, but missed. Day’Ron Sharpe was originally called for an offensive foul after bumping into Luka Garza while going for the rebound, but a Jordi Fernández challenge overturned it.
So, with a fresh shot clock, a lead, and only six seconds remaining, the Nets just needed to inbound the ball and run out the clock to win.
Well, they did one of those things. After getting the ball into Brown Jr., he quickly found himself under the basket, and put up a shot. He missed. The Celtics then secured the rebound, called a timeout, and let Tatum work for his own look in isolation. He did not miss…
“Obviously on that layup, Mikel, you want to dribble it out because you want to take more time out of the clock and then they’ll foul you,” Fernández said postgame. “Good intentions, but if you go for the layup, you got to make it. But even if you make it, it’s still a one possession game. But he’ll learn from it. I just told him that he was not happy with himself and it’s a lot. But the kid also was a reason why we were there. He got it going and he showed that when the big lights are bright and they’re on, he can perform. So a lot of good things, a lot of the good things as a unit, and got to move on to the next one. I know it’s tough, but I take the positives.”
MBJ put it more succinctly in a tweet…
THAT ONE IS ON ME BROOKLYN! IMMA SHAKE BACK I PROMISE YALL DAT💯
His father and childhood coach, Chris Brown Sr. praised his son for taking accountability for the losss…
This the accountability I want to see. Take it on the chin, head high, shoulders back & LEARN from these moments. I fucking love it, we needed this. 🤫 https://t.co/Gv37Ci7XYs
After the game, Fernández also said that Brooklyn switched onto Tatum when they weren’t supposed to, leading to a better look than what they had hoped to give up.
“We’re not supposed to switch there because we wanted to keep a bigger body on him,” Fernández said. “We did switch. He bumped. Keon tried to contest and he got a shot that he can make… We wanted to maintain the matchup on Tatum with Noah Clowney because he’s big… And then he bumped and then he shot over. And then Keon, who was on the ball, was supposed to track and contest that or help a little bit because we knew that most likely the shot was for him.”
For Tatum, it was one of his biggest moments since coming back from his torn achilles late last year. He finished with 40 points, eight assists, and five rebounds while shooting 10-20 from the field. He also made 18-22 free throws.
For Brown Jr., who finished with 17/5/5 while shooting 5-17 from the field and 4-11 from three, it was the epitome of a “rookie moment.”
For the Nets, though, it’s just another loss.
Final: Boston Celtics 125, Brooklyn Nets 124 (OT)
Injury Update
Egor Dëmin exited this one in the second quarter and was later ruled out with a right leg contusion. He appeared to bump into Paul George, which may have caused it. However, he brushed it off postgame, telling Erik Slater of ClutchPoints it’s nothing serious and he’d be good to go in a couple of days.
Egor Demin on his leg injury:
“It’s nothing serious. I’ll be ready to go… I just got kneed in the muscle/bone area… Now it feels better. I think I’ll be ready in a couple of days.” pic.twitter.com/9II4h4n4z2
As mentioned, Fernández also confirmed postgame that Traoré had been cramping.
“Yeah, he was cramping and then I felt like he was not moving well,” Fernández said. “And as you guys know, Nolan is a guy that has great energy, can touch the pain anytime. And just for that reason, I felt like I didn’t want to change anything. And I know he wanted to because he wanted to battle through it, but I almost just felt like I had to save him for myself.”
Traoré dealt with muscle cramps that last year as well. If there’s anything more to related to his health, we’ll update this report.
Next Up
Do you care about the NBA Cup yet? Either way, it’s coming to a TV or arena near you soon. Brooklyn will play its first Cup game of the year at home on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons. The Nets went 1-4 against Cade Cunningham and company last year. Brooklyn is 5-7 all-time in NBA Cup play. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 21: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the second half in the game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Per Shams Charania, Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard will miss “a period of weeks” with left knee swelling.
“An MRI on Leonard’s knee showed no structural damage, but both sides will use the time to ramp up Leonard. The 35-year-old had an uncommon offseason, as he could not join the Raptors until after a resolution was reached in the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers’ salary cap circumvention case.”
The Bucks play the Raptors in their first NBA Cup game (see here for their full NBA Cup schedule) on November 6, which, if the multi-week recovery timeline holds up, means Leonard will miss it. Of course, the Raptors are still a formidable outfit without Leonard, but you’d still rather play them with the seven-time All-Star in street clothes. The Bucks need every advantage they can get!
Notably, the swelling is in Leonard’s left knee, which is not the knee he has previously had issues with; the 35-year-old has had multiple surgeries on the meniscus and ACL in his right knee.
Leonard issued a statement on Twitter, writing “it’s always frustrating missing time.”
“I came back to compete with this team and I’m focused on getting back to 100. Toronto, I’ve appreciated the love since I’ve been back. Returning soon.”
NEW YORK – Maybe there is such a thing as a championship hangover.
At least for one night and three quarters of nearly flawless execution, the New York Knicks avoided an embarrassing history, and it might signal that the NBA champions are not ready for an extended stint in basketball rehab.
Over the first three games of this new season, the Knicks looked nothing like the team that earned adulation and praise after snapping a 53-year title drought.
After a 111-97 win at Madison Square Garden over the Detroit Pistons, handing them their first loss, the 1969-70 Boston Celtics remain the last defending champs to start the season by losing each of their first four games. That team went 34-48 in its first season after legend Bill Russell retired.
New York, which snapped a six-game regular-season losing streak to Detroit, entered the game with the league’s least efficient offense, with a 40.8 field-goal percentage ranked only ahead of the Chicago Bulls.
“Close to 48 minutes of basketball the way we know we can play and like to play," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said after the game. "We had some lulls where we weren't as physical as we should've been, during the course of the game, but we had some really good moments. We had more good moments in this game than we did in the totality of the first three games, and that's why we got the win."
In the first quarter, those bad trends held true to form as Detroit, with victories already over fellow Eastern Conference contenders the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers, raced out to a 38-25 first quarter lead, doing the things that they lacked in getting them bounced from the second round of the playoffs last season despite having the conference’s best record.
The Pistons relied on a balanced attack, with three different leading scorers in those three games, plus finding long-distance shooting, hitting 42% from downtown and scoring 118 points a game.
Their shooting abandoned Detroit after the first 12 minutes, as an 18-5 run by the Knicks in the second quarter tied the score at 43, led by reserve Landry Shamet, who scored 10 points during that stretch, as the Pistons only scored a combined 25 points in the second and third quarters and found themselves down by 25 entering the final quarter.
The Knicks scored the first 11 points of the third quarter and took their biggest lead, as part of a 15-4 stretch that essentially put the game away as the home team ran its lead up to 27, and finished the road-weary Pistons off with a 12-2 flurry, as they missed 15 of their 19 shots coming out after halftime.
Karl-Anthony Towns led six Knicks in double figures with 27 points and 20 rebounds, his fifth 20-20 game as a member of the Knicks. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who went 1-for-10 in the first half, finished with 23 points (13-16 FT) and seven assists.
Almost like laying bricks for a new foundation at the World’s Most Famous Arena, New York shot 35% in the first quarter; then the bench came on, the Knicks heated up, and they started forcing the issue on both ends of the floor as Detroit went cold. Both teams finished shooting 43%, as the game got bogged down with a flurry of fouls and free-throw misses, especially by the Pistons.
Knicks coach Mike Brown called out his team for their lack of effort early in the season, saying they looked lethargic and were slow to get upcourt in transition, which contributed to their next-to-last pace in the league. Brown was singing a different tune after a thorough victory.
Brown said he challenged Towns at halftime and told him that Paul Reed, who replaced the injured Duren in the starting lineup, was getting the best of him in their matchup.
"KAT's a grown man, he's obviously a perennial All-Star. I just told him the truth." Brown added. "The guy is killing us in the paint. Anything he gets, he's putting it back. Catch him on the perimeter, guard him. And he did those things. I gotta take my hat off. I thought his shift in mindset was really big for us in the second half."
Detroit again played without All-NBA center Jalen Duren, who sat out with a hamstring injury, as Cade Cunningham had 19 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Reed led the Pistons with 22 points, but they hit a pitiful 9-for-37 (23%) from the 3-point line.
While their shooting woes continue, New York turned it on, especially defensively, when they needed to much like their championship series against the San Antonio Spurs, when they were down at least double digits at some point in each of the five games.
“This is a long season and we can have hiccups, but that’s what the season’s for: so they can correct it come playoff time so we can do what we need to do," Brown said.
Even Brunson joked during his television interview following the victory when asked, "You said the first few weeks of the season, you'll learn who you guys are. Who are you?"
Brunson calmed stated, "Uh, we're the Knicks, actually. But most importantly, we got to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This is a new year, new team. Adversity started early, and so we just got to fight back."
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 26: Mo Bamba #44 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 26, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It could be a very different looking Utah Jazz team when they step out onto the court on Wednesday night to face the surging San Antonio Spurs, especially in the front court. After a physical game on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for at least six weeks with a torn MCL in his right knee. Both Lauri Markkanen (wrist) and Jaxson Hayes (shoulder) are game time decisions and Jusuf Nurkic is still nursing a partial plantar plate tear in his right foot, leaving the team very short in the tall department.
Not a good situation when Victor Wembanyama is coming to town. The Spurs will be on the second night of a back to back, but may be well rested after a lopsided 130-103 throttling of the lowly Sacramento Kings. We can hope that Utah’s altitude may slow Wemby down, but then the French phenom has an altitude all his own. Who can the Jazz start to battle Wemby down low?
Enter Mo Bamba. Coming off a gritty 14 point, 7 rebound and 4 block performance against the Grizzlies, Bamba is finally getting an opportunity to contribute important minutes and the lights only get brighter on Wednesday night. To be clear, Zach Edey is not Victor Wembanyama. The challenge is about to get exponentially harder. But the way Bamba, Keyonte George and Ace Bailey rallied the troops on Monday night, almost stealing an unlikely victory when all the odds seemed stacked against them, says a lot about the fight in this under-manned squad.
Wednesday night will also provide a showdown between number 2 draft picks: Dylan Harper from 2025 and Darryn Peterson from 2026. Harper came off the bench most of last year, but was a vital piece in the Spurs’ run to the NBA finals. He has now earned a starting role on this year’s team. Peterson is still finding his legs in the pro league, has looked a little lost at times, but has also shown flashes of his potential. We can only hope that his trajectory follows Harper’s. Wednesday night will be a big test as he goes head to head with one of the young rising stars of the league.
The game can be seen on KJZZ TV beginning at 7pm MST, with the pre-game at 6:30pm.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 27: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks reacts after a three-point shot during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on October 27, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Josh Hart took just two shots tonight, but swished ‘em both—and the second was a clutch bomb that saved a blowout from becoming a very uncomfortable final two minutes at MSG.
When the New York Knicks (1-3) hosted the Detroit Pistons (3-1) at the Garden, the world champs were not necessarily desperate for a win. A fourth loss would surely have caused meltdowns across the nation, however. These Pistons are no pushovers, either, and although we’d read that Ausar Thompson would sit with a bad ankle, he suited up. Because real hoopers don’t pass up a chance to play on basketball’s biggest stage.
After surrendering 38 points in the first quarter, New York held Detroit to 25 over the next two quarters with a reassuring return to their defensive form. Jalen Brunson overcame a horrid shooting night with 13 points at the free-throw line, and Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a whopping 27-20 double-double as New York reached a 27-point lead in the fourth. Detroit chipped and chipped, however, until a mere 11-points separated the score. That’s when the otherwise gunshy Hart stepped in. Thanks to his bomb, New York could breathe a sigh of relief and finish the night victoriously. Final score: 111-97.
We love jinxes in our favor. The broadcast reported that Detroit had not trailed in a week. New York broke that dominant streak with four opening points. A certain sanity seemed restored to their offense, too. Early on, Karl-Anthony Towns stood tall at the left elbow and fed passes to slicing wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. The latter was blocked at the rim but took a positive turn by connecting from deep, ending his own streak of ten consecutive misses to start the season.
Detroit stunk on the perimeter, bricking five of six tries. Cade Cunningham and John Collins crashed the glass, though, and four separate Pistons notched a block over the first eight minutes. Their defenders were extra-handsy with Jalen Brunson, who repeatedly failed to get significant separation. They were the second-best defense last season, after all.
After J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout to settle his crew, they rode a 12-6 run to an eight-point lead, then stretched it to 11 and eventually 13. Following triples by Kevin Huerter and Daniss Jenkins, Anunoby made his first longball to slow the bleeding. But Paul Reed, filling in for an injured Jalen Duren, had a sizzle-touch and made his fifth bucket to secure a 38-25 lead at the buzzer.
The Knicks shot badly in the first quarter and did so again in the second. The guests were generous with their misses, too, and when Bridges connected on his second(!) triple, Bickerstaff needed another timeout.
KAT committed two fouls in six seconds, Cunningham hit from deep, and the deficit returned to double digits. The Knicks tightened their defense, though, and a run fueled by Shamet, Drummond, and a KAT tip-in tied the score near the four-minute mark. Detroit had missed almost everything this quarter, and Brunson’s shots weren’t falling either: he missed nine of his first ten. He, KAT, and OG combined to shoot just 1-of-14 from yard in the half. At least they attempted shots, which Josh Hart declined to do. Despite his shooting woes, Cap was nearly perfect at the line, netting two freebies that put his crew ahead 51-50 at intermission.
Third three of the night from Mikal giving the Knicks a lead after trailing by 13 in the first pic.twitter.com/ltE2v1GXnN
The guests shot 3-of-21 in the second quarter and were outscored 26-12. Whatever they did right in the half occurred around the basket: they won the paint 20-16, won the glass 30-23, and blocked nine shots. Making 13 of their 14 free throws kept the Knicks afloat, because their shooting sure didn’t. Neither team could make a three (NYK 26%; DET 24%). Reed topped the first-half scoresheet with 16 points. Brunson led the Knicks with 11.
Our heroes rocketed out of the locker room with a 13-2 run. Detroit’s frustration began to come out sideways. After a Duncan Robinson make, Towns and Reed got tangled under the rim. KAT bristled at an elbow to the back of his head and stepped toward the Piston. They had to be separated, Reed received a flagrant-one, and KAT made both freebies.
Plenty of time remained, but Detroit was coming unglued. Reed collected his fifth foul, Collins caught his second, Cunningham missed twice at the stripe, and Motown trailed by 18. The lead wasn’t just New York’s biggest of the night, but of the season. And for the first time this season, we saw the throttling effort that won a championship. They limited Detroit to six points through the first seven minutes of the half. Shamet’s corner dagger and free throws by Brunson inflated the advantage to 23. After an ugly final sequence, Josh Hart took his first shot of the night, a buzzer-beater three to close the period, 88-63.
New York went up by 27 in the fourth. It was a blast. Tyler Kolek got to play again with Jose Alvarado out and showed a little Grand Theft action of his own:
I always thought Coach Bickerstaff had some Thibodeau in him. So I scratched my head when, with eight minutes left and the deficit a not-out-of-reach 21, J.B. emptied his bench. The Pistons and Knicks were both playing the first game of a back-to-back, and the veteran coach seemed content to rest his guys to fight again tomorrow.
Mike Brown was less confident in the outcome and still had three starters on the floor midway through the quarter, with the lead at 18. Then 17. Bridges passed the ball behind Hart’s back, and Detroit capitalized on the gift with a layup. Brown needed a timeout at 5:24 with the score 99-84. During the timeout, Bickerstaff reconsidered his position. Smelling blood, he sent Thompson, Cunningham, Robinson, and Reed back in. The latter scored on a layup to cut the lead to 13.
Brunson and Cunningham traded buckets. Thompson got dinged for goaltending when he held the rim to avoid crashing into Anunoby, who was staring up at the iron and angling to shoot. OG made both. Robinson responded with a triple and a layup, and the difference was 13 with three minutes left. An OG turnover became a Holland dunk—an 11-point difference. They needed a score to keep the noose loose, and Hart drilled his second shot of the night for his second three. That sealed it for Bickerstaff, who gestured for his subs again. Soon after, the Knicks starters finally got to exit, too, and received an ovation for their second win of the campaign.
Up Next
Mo’s applying a layer of frosting on his recap. Our heroes travel to Chicago for a game tomorrow night. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
Oct 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (5) in front of Knicks center Andre Drummond (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Ausar Thompson returned from his one-game absence with a rolled ankle, but Isaiah Joe’s bruised rear end needed more rest. They needed Joe’s shooting as Detroit struggled mightily after the first quarter and would go on to lose to the Knicks tonight.
Things started great for Detroit in the first quarter. It turned into an early block party with six total blocks in the quarter for the Pistons. Paul Reed had 13 points and Cade added nine points to go along with six assists. Detroit held a 38-25 lead after the first, but that was pretty much the end of their efficient offense.
The Pistons managed to shoot just 3-for-21 in the second quarter. They were outscored by 14 by the Knicks, and New York took a 51-50 lead heading into halftime. Reed and Cunningham combined for 31 points and 13 rebounds.
Things got worse in the third as Paul Reed picked up an early 5th foul, and John Collins’ head bounced off the hardwood after wrestling for a rebound with Karl-Anthony Towns. By the end of the third, Detroit was down 25 points as the Knicks held an 88-63 lead. If you combine the scoring of the two middle quarters, Detroit was outscored 63-25.
The Pistons did their best to claw back in the final frame, but the 25-point deficit was too big. They were able to make it an 11-point game with two-and-a-half minutes left, but the Knicks would hold on to win 111-97.
Cunningham almost had a triple-double with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Reed finished with a team-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Detroit shot 42% from the field and 24% from three. Duncan Robinson, Javonte Green, and Daniss Jenkins combined to shoot 4-for-22 from deep. It just wasn’t Detroit’s night.
Let me end with this: it is absolutely miserable to watch Jalen Brunson play basketball. He loves to initiate contact, flop his head back, then fall to the floor in hopes of a whistle. Embarrassingly enough for the refs, they keep falling for it, too. He’s the smallest guy on the court who plays to find a whistle instead of trying to find a bucket.
JALEN BRUNSON TONIGHT 🔥
5-for-18 FROM THE FIELD 0-for-5 FROM DEEP 0 STEALS 0 BLOCKS GAME-HIGH 32 FLOPS
If Cade is an ethical hooper, Brunson is as unethical as it gets. Brunson shot 5-for-18 from the field and 0-for-5 from deep, but he attempted a game-high 16 (!!!) free throws to still finish with 23 points. Nobody on the Knicks shot more than four, and nobody on Detroit shot more than five.
Here’s a flopping highlight reel just from tonight:
Jalen Brunson foul baited from the 3-point line and landed at the free throw line 😭 pic.twitter.com/pW67gI1bzR
The Pistons will fly back to Detroit tonight as they’ll have their first back-to-back of the season when they host the Charlotte Hornets tomorrow night.
The championship hangover is over. After the New York Knicks slumped to an 0-3 start and the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA, there was a lot of chatter about whether the team had spent too much time celebrating last season's victory. They had already lost to the 76ers, Magic, and Celtics, and the Pistons were coming to town to make it four Eastern Conference foes to topple the champs. Only, the Knicks weren’t buying that narrative, shaking off a slow start en route to a dominant 111-97 win over the Pistons.
Coming into Tuesday’s showdown at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had struggled against the Pistons in their recent contests. Detroit swept New York in the 2025-26 regular season by an average margin of 28 points, and had won five straight regular-season meetings. When Detroit built a 13-point first quarter lead, it seemed like the trend was continuing. The Pistons scored 38 points in the quarter on 14 of 23 from the field (60.9%) and 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. Cade Cunningham, who has enjoyed plenty of success against the Knicks, got off to a fast start, scoring nine points with six assists and four rebounds in the first quarter.
Then the game changed in a heartbeat. The Knicks tightened up defensively, holding the Pistons to just 12 second-quarter points to take a 51-50 lead at the half. The Pistons would never lead again as the Knicks built their advantage to 25 points by the end of the third quarter. Some sloppy play from the Knicks in the fourth allowed the Pistons to get the game within 11 points, but they would never cut it to single digits.
Cunningham, who averaged 27.3 points, 11 assists, and 5.3 rebounds last year in the regular season versus the Knicks, finished with a strong performance for the Pistons, scoring 19 points, while chipping in nine rebounds and eight assists. Paul Reed, who has been filling in for the injured Jalen Duren, led the team with 22 points while also securing nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Ausar Thompson, who returned from injury, finished with 11 points and six rebounds before fouling out.
The Knicks were led by 27 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, who added 20 rebounds and three assists but also seven turnovers. Jalen Brunson also chipped in 23 points and seven assists but continued his struggles from the field, hitting just 5-of-18 shots from the field and 0-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Brunson came into the day shooting 39% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc. For his career, he shoots 48.4% from the field and 38.4% from deep. He’s also shooting 70% from the free throw line, which is down from a career 82.5% mark. The Knicks didn’t need his shooting to win on Tuesday, but they’ll need their captain to break out of his slump at some point in the near future.
Knicks Used Defense to Fuel Their Offense
The biggest turning point in the game came in the second quarter with the Knicks’ defensive adjustments.
After the Pistons scored 38 points in the first quarter, the Knicks cleaned up how they were switching and attacking on the screens. Not only did the Knicks limit the easy looks in the paint, but they started to force more turnovers on the wings. After the Pistons only turned the ball over twice in the first quarter, they had six in the second quarter and finished the game with 18 turnovers.
Playing good defense hasn’t been an issue for the Knicks, who came into this game 12th in defensive rating. The issue has been finishing the game.
“If you look at our second-half defense, the last game was the fourth quarter. I think the two games before that, Philly and Boston, were the third quarter; we were really bad,” said Knicks head coach Mike Brown before the game. “We’re ranked like 117 or something [in the second half], which would be 25th or 26th last year.”
While the Knicks got a little sloppy in the fourth quarter and let the Pistons go on a little run, their defense never fully surrendered. Instead of collapsing, the Knicks used their defense to clean up another issue they’ve been having early in the season: a slow pace of play.
“Our pace has to be better,” said Coach Brown. “Right now, I think we're 29th in the NBA in Pace, and I don't know if we ever were 29th at any point in time last year or years before that. For us to be 29th in the NBA in pace, that's not good enough.”
The Knicks actually came into this game 30th in pace after finishing 25th last season but 9th of 16 teams in the postseason last year. This season, coming into Tuesday’s game, 17% of their possessions were in transition, which was 18th-best in the NBA. Last season, 18.2% of their possessions were in transition, which was 16th. However, the Knicks were 7th in the NBA in points per possession in transition last year at 1.17. This season, they are 21st at 1.03 PPP, so it’s not that they are getting far fewer transition opportunities, but they are playing a bit slower and are far less effective in transition.
That wasn’t the case on Tuesday. After the Pistons opened the game with five fastbreak points in the first quarter to zero for the Knicks, New York used their defensive intensity to create fastbreak chances. By the end of the third quarter, when they had built an 82-61 lead, New York had 10 fastbreak points, while the Pistons still had five.
Knicks Interior Offense Has Been Struggling
Shooting has been a problem overall for the Knicks this season, but while some of their three-point shooting woes could be natural small sample variance, their issues in the paint were potentially more impactful.
The Knicks were not a dominant team in the paint during the 2025-26 regular season, but during their postseason run to an NBA title, the Knicks led all teams in scoring inside the paint, averaging 54.4 points per game. Much of that came off cuts and second-chance points with Towns operating as the hub of the offense on the perimeter. That level of success had not carried over this season.
Last season, the Knicks shot 65.8% from the restricted area during the season. This year, it’s been 61.9%. Short-range shots outside of the restricted area have been worse. That range of shots in the paint, usually floaters and short pull-ups, was an area of strength for the Knicks last season, at 45.2%. This season, they came into Monday shooting just 26.7% in the paint outside of the restricted area. That means their overall field goal percentage in the paint had dropped from about 58% to 49.6%.
A big part of that could be connected to Brunson’s struggles this season. We know Brunson has had tremendous success on his floaters and push shots, but his success rate has been far worse to start this season, as mentioned above.
Another issue that’s likely just small sample-size noise is how frequently the Knicks are getting blocked as a team this season. Last year, the Knicks were blocked 4.3 times per game. This year, it was 6.7 per game coming into Tuesday's game. If you take out the 76ers game where they were blocked 10 times, they’re still averaging 5 blocks per game, and the Knicks were blocked 11 times again on Tuesday.
Pistons Improved 3-point Shooting Goes Cold
One of the biggest stories coming into the game was the Pistons' improved shooting from beyond the arc. Detroit came into the game 3rd in the NBA in three-point shooting at 42% on 37.3 attempts per game. Last year, they were 17th in the NBA in three-point shooting at 35.6% on 30.9 attempts per game. Through three games, 39.7% of Detroit’s points had come off threes, which was 4th-most in the NBA. Last season, 28% of their points came on threes, which was 29th in the NBA, so it’s a major difference.
The threes the Pistons were getting were also based mostly on pace and ball movement. Just under 30 of the Pistons’ 37.3 attempts per game from beyond the arc are catch-and-shoot threes. That’s the 7th most in the league. Last season, just 22.5 of their 31 attempts per game were on catch-and-shoot threes, among the bottom third in the league.
A big part of that increase has been Coach J.B. Bickerstaff changing how he uses sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, using him more as an on-ball screener to free him up to get open looks when defenders help on the screen.
Using Duncan as a screener “just puts defenses in tough decisions,” explained Bickerstaff. “Especially when you get him in some of those rip screens for John [Collins], who has the lob threat ability. Do you want to switch a smaller guy onto him? Do you have to bump him? Then Duncan's so intelligent. He does a great job of reading those screens and what the defenders do, and he's a step ahead of them. He knows when to slip out, he knows when to set it, he knows what route to take to get to the next screen quicker. So all those things just make it easier for him to create those opportunities and put defenses in tough situations.”
Duncan Robinson came into the game averaging 19.7 points, 2.3 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. Robinson hit 15 threes in the first three games of the season, and his 53.6% mark from three is the highest mark of any player in the NBA who has made at least 10 3-pointers entering Monday.
The Knicks were aware of that too.: “You gotta give it up to a guy like Duncan Robinson,” said Coach Brown before the game. “Duncan is shooting the mess out of the ball right now, and they do a lot of actions for him. And his pace is really good, so we’ve got to make sure we do a job on him at the start of actions.”
The Knicks were not only aware of it, but they seemed to gameplan for it.
In the first half, Robinson was 0-8 from the field, including 0-6 from three. He would finish the game just 4-of-14 from the field and 2-for-10 from three. The Pistons as a team hit just 9-of-37 (24%) from beyond the arc. It's too early to write off Detroit's early success from beyond the arc as a fluke, but much of Robinson's success had been attributed to his stated confidence with his shot and confidence in the flow of the offense. The hope is that Tuesday's poor showing doesn't impact that confidence.
The Knicks will head on the road to take on the Bulls next, while the Pistons head home to take on the Hornets before going back to New York to face the Nets later this week.
After opening the season 0-3, the Knicks finally resembled their championship selves Tuesday night, downing the Detroit Pistons, who had been the last remaining undefeated team in the Eastern Conference, 111-97.
Here are the takeaways...
-- New York faced a shorthanded Pistons team that found itself without mammoth center Jalen Duren and newly-acquired veteran guard Isaiah Joe, leaving Cade Cunningham and swingman Ausar Thompson — who returned to the court after missing Sunday's game due to a sprained ankle —to shoulder most of the offensive weight against a nearly completely healthy Knicks squad eyeing their first win of the season.
New York was missing just bench point guard Jose Alvarado, whose sprained ankle sidelined him for a second-straight contest.
-- The Knicks went up early thanks to a pair of two-pointers from Karl-Anthony Towns and Og Anunoby in the first 90 seconds of the game, but Detroit caught up quickly on two free throws and a bucket, all courtesy of Paul Reed. After a Pistons timeout with 7:05 to go in the frame, Detroit went on an unanswered 7-0 run to take a 15-11 lead, driven by five points and an assist from Cunningham. A Landry Shamet three narrowed the gap, but the Pistons stayed two or more possessions ahead through the remainder of the quarter as New York's transition defense allowed another lengthy run from Detroit down the stretch (10-2).
Through the first 12 minutes of play, Shamet (8 minutes) was minus-16, Towns (10 minutes) was minus-14, and Brunson (11 minutes) was minus-10.
-- The Knicks continued to fall behind, dropping to a 12-point deficit (42-30) midway through the second. After Brunson launched a 25-foot three-point jumper and missed, Andre Drummond leapt up and caught the rebound as it bounced off the rim, slamming the ball into the net to put the Knicks back within two possessions. Seemingly revitalized by Drummond's dunk, the Knicks' defense kicked back into gear, holding Detroit to just one point for over four-and-a-half minutes of play.
A Mikal Bridges basket from beyond the arc — his third of both the game and the season — gave the Knicks a narrow one-point lead, but Cunningham knotted the score at 46 with a shot from the charity stripe. The rivals then traded buckets as the final two minutes wound down, but three made free throws by Brunson in the final 31 seconds gave the Knicks a narrow 51-50 edge as they headed into halftime. They performed better on both ends of the court in the second frame, outscoring the Pistons 26-12.
-- Bridges, who had scored 10 total points through the first three games of the season, tallied nine in the first half alone Tuesday night. As a team, the Knicks shot 93 percent from the free-throw line in the same span, compared to Detroit's 73 percent.
-- New York's offense finally found a real groove after the break. Brunson and Josh Hart combined for a 7-0 Knicks run to open the third, marking the largest lead New York held up to that point in the game. Hart assisted a Towns layup early before Brunson nailed both two-pointers, one of which came on a defensive rebound from Hart. Anunoby then stole the ball twice, first finding Hart — who passed to Bridges for his fourth three of the night — then Brunson, whose two-pointer increased the New York lead to 12 (62-50). Detroit got a couple points back, but a flagrant foul from Reed on Towns allowed the Knicks a free chance to widen the gap back to 12.
The quarter continued as such: Detroit regains a few, New York goes back up. By the end, the Knicks were up 88-63, punctuated by a beyond-the-arc jumper at the buzzer from Hart.
-- Detroit's 12-point second quarter and 13-point third were the team's lowest marks so far this campaign and were lower than any quarter in any game they played last year.
-- New York's dominance continued in the final quarter even as the Pistons chipped away at the deficit. Three minutes in, Detroit's Thompson attempted to pull the ball up the court but lost control. Knicks bench point guard Tyler Kolek seized the opportunity, stealing the ball and passing it behind his back to an undefended Towns, who dunked it in. Towns followed the trick play up with back-to-back bad pass turnovers, leading to a Knicks timeout, after which Drummond and Thompson traded points for their respective teams.
With 1:13 left to play and the Knicks ahead 109-97, New York's starters left the court. Kolek landed two free throws, bringing the final score to 111-97.
-- The Knicks had the Pistons beat in nearly every category, shooting 33 percent from three and 82 percent from the free-throw line, while the Pistons shot 24 percent and 58 percent, respectively. New York also had 49 rebounds to Detroit's 45, 28 assists to Detroit's 23, and 10 steals to Detroit's 8. Both teams went 43 percent from the field.
Notably, though, the Knicks had a whopping 18 turnovers. Detroit recorded 14.
-- Against his first-ever team, Drummond went 5-for-7 from the field, posting 10 points and 8 rebounds in 14 minutes of play.
Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns
The 30-year-old notched his fourth-straight double-double, posting a game-leading 27 points and 20 rebounds across 33 minutes. No one else on either team had more than 23 points (Brunson) or nine rebounds.
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum buried a 17-foot jumper at the overtime buzzer to cap a 40-point night, and the Boston Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-124 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory.
Tatum finished 10 of 20 from the field and 18 of 22 from the free-throw line. Paul George added 20 points and Derrick White scored 16 for the Celtics, who have not lost since they blew a 22-point lead in their season opener at Detroit.
Michael Porter Jr. had 27 points and 12 rebounds for Brooklyn (0-4), and Julius Randle scored 24 points.
Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. made a tying 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining in regulation. But in OT, he missed a layup with 2.3 seconds left to set up Tatum for the winning basket. Brown, the sixth pick in the NBA draft out of Louisville, finished with 17 points.
Boston's Mitchell Robinson missed two free throws with 3 seconds left in regulation, giving Brooklyn a chance at the tying 3. Robinson, a career 50.7% free-throw shooter, went 1 of 4 from the line and is 2 of 8 this season.
With 33.7 seconds remaining in regulation, White slipped behind the defense and Tatum found him for a tiebreaking dunk. White was fouled on the play and converted the free throw for a 114-111 lead.
Neither team led by more than eight points. The Nets went ahead 109-104 on a basket by Randle with 2:57 left before the Celtics rallied.
The Celtics made 2 of 16 3-point attempts in the first half but trailed just 61-56. They fared a bit better from long range in the second half, going 9 of 22.
Mikel Brown Jr. opted to go for the layup with the Nets up 1 with 6.1 remaining in OT and missed. Jayson Tatum hit a buzzer beater on the next possession for a Boston victory. The Nets are 0-4 to start the season. https://t.co/xPLAJajQYp
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - DECEMBER 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball over Jaylin Williams #6 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center on December 5, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0) are the established Western Conference power with 132 combined regular-season wins to their credit over the last two seasons, functional depth all over their roster and a championship banner hung up in the Paycom Center to show for it. The Dallas Mavericks (2-2) and their fans are just happy to be taking the first few baby steps in a positive direction after two seasons in decline.
But Wednesday’s meeting between the erstwhile rivals at American Airlines Center takes on new layers of intrigue after news of two long-term injuries to key pieces in the Oklahoma City rotation and the Mavericks’ newfound penchant for punching above their weight to start the 2026-27 campaign. Tipoff between the Mavs and the Thunder is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.
The Thunder own a decided advantage over the home team in both recent results and proven talent throughout the roster, even after the injury prognoses recently announced for both Cason Wallace (torn labrum) and Jalen Williams (broken ankle). OKC beat the Mavericks in all three of the teams’ meetings a year ago, after Dallas played the role of thorn in big brother’s side in 2024-25. The Mavs won three of four against the Thunder that year, but it didn’t stop Oklahoma City from marching to a title, while the Mavs labored in the morass of the Great NBA Middle.
Here are three points of interest in preparation for what could be a closer game than you think to start the I-35 series this season.
No apologies for injury luck
The Mavericks are absolutely catching the Thunder at the right time on Wednesday. Not only are Wallace and Williams on the shelf indefinitely, potentially the entire season in both cases, but big thin man Chet Holmgren and versatile guard Alex Caruso are also listed as out on the Thunder’s latest injury report. Holmgren is day-to-day with patellar tendonitis, and Caruso is dealing with a right ankle sprain. Hey, at least it’s not broken.
Their absence means Oklahoma City will have to lean more on Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams and rookie Aday Mara, who was a college teammate of Mavs rookie forward Morez Johnson Jr. at Michigan a year ago. Oh, and all-everything man and former league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, of course.
How much of an opening do the four injury absences create for these Little Mavericks That Could? If Dallas can frustrate Gilgeous-Alexander for more than a quarter, they have enough ammo for another uphill battle. You can squint and see the Mavericks at very least hanging around and making this a game.
For Dallas’ part, Naji Marshall, who missed Monday’s game at Miami with an illness, has been upgraded to questionable, but backup guard Sergio de Larrea is listed as out for the Thunder matchup with a right knee sprain. Kyrie Irving is back on the injury report as well, listed as questionable under the “injury management” heading.
SGA free-throw rate
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – OCTOBER 25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball while being defended by Baba Miller #18 of the LA Clippers during the first half at Paycom Center on October 25, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s dive a little deeper into one stat typified by Gilgeous-Alexander in particular. Last year, he got to the line nine times per game. Much has been made of the fact that through just four games this year, his free-throw rate has so far been cut in half. He’s shot just 18 free throws through the first four games of the year.
Many have inferred that one of the NBA officials’ infamous points of emphasis this year is the culprit. Yea, that pesky “off-arm push-offs” one. Gilgeous-Alexander has, through much of his rise to power in the Association, enjoyed a reputation for being something of a “foul-baiter.” Whether it’s the new and improved stance on off-arm push-offs or mere happenstance, he’s not getting the whistle he has grown accustomed to, albeit in a very short sample size so far this year.
It hasn’t affected Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring average much, if at all. He’s averaging better than 27 points per game through the first four, and his 3-point percentage (28.6%) may have as much or more to do with that as his free-throw rate. Nevertheless, it’s something to keep an eye on. It’s one of those things that will probably even out as the season progresses, but while his whistle may not hold as much influence over the proceedings in this particular game, the Mavericks will endeavor to make themselves the beneficiaries of such things on Wednesday.
“We brought bodies”
Zaccharie Risacher with the clutch block on Davion Mitchell quick layup attempt, P.J. Washington strips the rebound away from Giannis and the Mavericks win in Miami. The Heat go 0-4 to start the season.
“We brought bodies to him,” Mavericks head coach Dusty May said of Dallas’ efforts to frustrate another similarly gravitational superstar in the fourth quarter of Monday’s win at the Miami Heat.
It’s almost all you can do against someone as gifted as Gilgeous-Alexander or Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 29 points and recorded a triple-double for Miami in Monday’s 113-109 Mavericks’ win. Double-teams. Different defenders showing different looks. Hands in passing lanes. Bring the bodies. Anything to interrupt the superstar from gathering all the momentum.
If the Mavericks look up at the end of the night and Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 30 points, it’s not the end of the world. What will matter is that he had a hard time getting there — maybe he had to force the issue a little bit to get there. That’s what bringing the bodies does.
One body we’d definitely like to see thrown in Gilgeous-Alexander’s direction is Zaccharie Risacher’s. He had a tough shooting night at Miami on Monday, but that didn’t matter, because he was busy throughout his 30 minutes on the floor creating chaos on the defensive end. He got in passing lanes, bothered Miami up and down the roster and ended the night with three blocked shots and two steals.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -OCTOBER 27: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs grabs a rebound over a host of Sacramento Kings players in the first half at Frost Bank Center on October 27, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs blew out the Kings in the first game of a back-to-back to get their second win of the season and get back to .500. Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks, while Julian Champagnie contributed 26 points off the bench.
An ideal start, with Wembanyama getting a couple of early dunks and Vassell an open three, foreshadowed how easy the game was going to be for the Spurs. The only thing that could keep the Silver and Black from scoring was themselves, in the stretches in which they played too much one-on-one basketball in the half court. The Kings’ defense had no answers, as helping inside resulted in open threes and not helping meant allowing good shots at the rim, but credit should go to San Antonio for taking the game seriously and executing well while also guarding with intensity.
As the minutes went by, and despite Domantas Sabonis’ efforts to stop it (at least on offense), the eight-point lead the Spurs had at the end of the first quarter started to grow steadily. Wembanyama was getting whatever he wanted inside, and the outside looks were falling. The shorthanded Kings couldn’t put together enough good lineups when their main guys rested to score enough to offset their glaring deficiencies on the other end. At the break, San Antonio was up 26 points after dropping 80 in total, and the game was effectively over.
The only thing left to be decided was whether the Spurs would be able to avoid a slump that forced Mitch Johnson to play his starters more than he wanted in the first game of a back-to-back. The answer was a resounding “yes,” as San Antonio kept playing hard and scoring at will. The Kings looked defeated, and while Zach LaVine poured in some tough buckets to make up for Sabonis slowing down on the offensive end, at no point did they look like a real threat. After three, the lead was 27.
The fourth quarter was garbage time. Only Dylan Harper played more than 30 minutes for San Antonio, which got to empty its bench early while securing an easy home win.
Observations:
The Kings, missing several frontcourt players, simply have too many bad defenders to make any coverage work. The zone was a mess. Their switching was sloppy. The rotations were slow. They don’t have the rim protection to make the drop in the pick-and-roll work. Even some lineups that shouldn’t have worked on offense for the Spurs were able to put points on the board. The talent gap was just gigantic.
Julian Champagnie made eight threes in the first half. His only misses were airballs. The “Champagnie has the hot hand” experience is amazing in part because it tends to feature some hilarious moments in which he gets so confident that he lets it fly, you think it’s going in, and it’s not even close. Then the next time around you prepare for a miss, and he swishes a tough look. He’s been such a fantastic find for the Spurs.
Are the Spurs winning more challenges than in past years? It feels that way, and the broadcast made it a point to highlight the two successful ones from this game, so there’s probably some numbers to back it up. Every little thing helps, so if they have become better at challenging calls, that’s great.
At the end of the third, when the rotation guys were on the floor, the Spurs’ bench was outscoring the Kings’ 30 to five. Even taking away Champagnie’s 24 points, they would have been up in that category. Sacramento is bad, but missing some important guys makes them awful.
Devin Vassell finished with eight assists, the highest total in a game for him since the 2023/24 season. In the previous game, he had six helpers. Vassell has been adding to his game since he was drafted. Maybe this is the year he becomes a great passer for someone whose main role is to shoot.
Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. is an exciting player taking full advantage of the bright green light he has in Sacramento. It took him 20 shots, but he finished with 19 points and five assists.
It’s hard to take much away from games that are so lopsided, but it was good to see the Spurs play with effort and purpose even when up big. Hopefully that mindset will become a staple of the team this season.
The Spurs will fly to Utah to face the Jazz on Wednesday in the second game of a back-to-back. Utah will be without Jaren Jackson Jr., who is expected to miss up to eight weeks with an injury. It’s a good opportunity for San Antonio to secure a winning record for the first time this season.
