The NBA’s 82-game regular season leaves plenty of margin for error for a bad stretch of play. This is a league where 53% of teams make the playoffs, not counting the four other teams who have the opportunity to earn their way into the postseason with one or two wins in the play-in tournament. There are still five months left on the schedule, with back-to-backs and spells of three-games-in-four-nights filling in the calendar.

Most teams can get off to a bad start and still be just fine. Some teams already know their season is over before it ever really starts. Check out our NBA power rankings this week for full coverage of the league.

Just over two weeks into the season, it already feels like there are six teams who are already toast. Some of these teams knew they would be bad coming into the year, while others dreamed of breaking into the playoffs. The unfortunate reality for these teams is they can’t even count on a high draft pick next year anymore after the league’s anti-tanking lottery reform was put in place this season ahead of the 2027 draft. Of course, there’s plenty of time for things to change with only about 10% of the schedule complete, but these six teams already look cooked.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings appeared to have no hope coming into the season, and at this point the only intrigue left is to see if they avoid being the worst team of the 2020s, a stake currently held by the 14-win Detroit Pistons in 2023-24. Rookie guard Darius Acuff is the best thing this franchise has going for them, and he’s getting thrown into the deep end from the very start of his career. Acuff leads the NBA in minutes per game and he’s one field goal attempt behind 2-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the league-lead in that category. The Kings could probably stand to give some of Acuff’s usage (32.5%) to Domantas Sabonis (16.1% usage rate), but they would still be a bad team, and at least now the rookie guard has the ability to learn from his mistakes. Keegan Murray being out again with an ankle injury after only playing 23 games last year is the real bummer for the start of this season. The Kings felt like the worst team in the league entering the season, and they still feel like the worst team in the league. Try to enjoy the Acuff roller coaster, Kings fans, because there’s nothing else to latch onto.

Chicago Bulls

The good news is that rookie forward Caleb Wilson looks like he can be the franchise player the Bulls have been missing since their horrible Jimmy Butler trade 10 years ago. The bad news is they might need four new starters around him long-term. It’s been a truly disappointing start for Matas Buzelis, who looked like a keeper in his first two seasons under Billy Donovan, but is regressing and seemingly falling out of favor under new head coach Tiago Splitter. Buzelis’ inability to beat mismatches when teams put their tiny guards on him is the single most alarming trend of this season for Chicago. Josh Giddey has also been terrible, and likely won’t be around the next time the Bulls have a playoff team. No. 15 overall pick Dailyn Swain can’t even get on the floor during blowouts. Chicago’s perimeter defense is atrocious with Giddey and Norm Powell, it can’t grab a defensive rebound (No. 28 in d-rebound rate), and it’s dead-last in three-point percentage. This team stinks out loud, but a brutal schedule to open the season will get softer eventually, and Wilson’s highlights will at least give the fanbase something to dream on.

Milwaukee Bucks

It was simply unavoidable that the Bucks would be in for a hard season after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it’s playing out as expected. Milwaukee is hanging tough in most of their games under new head coach Taylor Jenkins, but they just don’t have the talent to win in the fourth quarter yet. Milwaukee is dead-last at forcing turnovers on defense, and they’re near the bottom of the league in both free throw rate and free throw percentage. The Bucks just don’t get anything easy right now, which is the true sign of a terrible team. There are some positives thus far: rookie guard Brayden Burries looks pretty good despite a cold start as a shooter, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyler Herro are both playing well enough to fetch something decent on the trade market. Kel’el Ware, who is playing under 19 minutes per game, has possibly been the biggest disappointment here so far with a lot of sloppy turnovers, undisciplined fouls, and bricked jumpers to start the year. Getting Ware going next to Burries would at least improve the vibes the rest of the way.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns became the feel-good story of last season by grinding out 45 wins with maximum effort on the offensive glass and forcing defensive takeaways. This year’s team had to take a step forward after trading their last remaining future first-round pick for Miles Bridges, but it was easy to tell that move was doomed to fail from the start. Bridges hasn’t added much of anything to Phoenix at either end of the floor, but that’s just the start of their problems. This team continues to play Jalen Green over Collin Gillespie for some reason, even though every piece of evidence points to Gillespie being the exact player they need. The Suns have more of a chance to turn it around this season than most of these other teams provided they finally start playing their best point guard, but their issues in the middle don’t have such an easy solution. I loved Khaman Maluach as a draft prospect, but he just doesn’t look ready for starting center minutes at all right now. Oso Ighodaro has been better offensively, but he’s too small to play full-time center, and the defense completely falls apart when he’s on the floor (a ghastly 129 defensive rating in his minutes). Devin Booker is getting paid enough to lift this team through tough times, but he’s just not a great enough shot-maker to overcome his lack of rim attempts. Phoenix has some chance to turn it around, but the early returns are highly discouraging.

Utah Jazz

I was foolish enough to think the Jazz could be a playoff team this year, but my optimism started to fade once Jusuf Nurkic went down with a foot injury in the team’s preseason opener. A length injury to Jaren Jackson Jr. followed, which has put an already thin front court in a dangerous spot to start the season. It’s a bad sign that Utah’s offense has been the main culprit for their struggles, ranking No. 29 in the league right now. There should be a ton of firepower here, but the team has been ice cold from three (31.5 percent, No. 27 in the league), and rookie Darryn Peterson is still figuring out his spots on the floor. Peterson is relying way too heavily on floaters and other non-rim two-pointers right now, and it’s tanking his efficiency (46.5% true shooting). There’s also just a huge lack of high-level passing on this team right now, and it’s one reason why Lauri Markkanen just can’t seem to get going. The JJJ trade looks like an abomination. This was supposed to be the season the Jazz finally stopped rebuilding and started getting serious, but the product on the floor remains extremely poor.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers’ future was decimated by the NBA for their dealings with Kawhi Leonard in a cap circumvention scandal, but they still had a chance to be competitive this year. It already feels like that hope is over. Brandon Ingram reported to training camp with a partially torn Achilles, Max Strus is just returning now from a foot injury, and the big man room might be the worst in the league. Meanwhile, Darius Garland is turning the ball over like crazy, and rookie Keaton Wagler might be the worst inside the arc scorer in the NBA (25% on two-pointers). The Clippers turn the ball over more than any team in the league, and only four clubs allow their opponents to score with better efficiency. Worst of all, they owe their 2027 draft pick to the Thunder. I have mad respect for Ty Lue as a head coach, but there’s nothing he can do to stop this mess.

The calendar has turned to November, and the NBA regular season is settling into a rhythm.

Thus far, it has been clear that there will be no shortage of candidates for the league’s top individual honor. The reigning two-time Most Valuable Player, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has been exceptional to start the season, especially in the face of the numerous injuries his team has faced.

And yet, there are four players ranked ahead of him after two weeks of games, two of which had been unranked in last week’s edition.

Here is the second iteration of the USA TODAY Sports' NBA Most Valuable Player rankings:

NBA ROOKIE RANKINGS: Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg leads loaded 2026 draft class

USA TODAY Sports NBA MVP Week 2 rankings

5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (-1)

▶ Stats: 30.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists in 8 games

If the last two Thunder games are any indication – both of which were victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers – Gilgeous-Alexander may be called upon to significantly increase his scoring while Oklahoma City contends with its many injuries. Gilgeous-Alexander has combined to score 85 points and dish out 16 assists over those last two, on a remarkable 61 field goal attempts.

4. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (NR)

▶ Stats: 28.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists in 9 games

This is a loaded team, to be sure, but Maxey has been the clear standout from the group. So much so that Jaylen Brown, one of the new marquee additions, said recently that Philadelphia “is his team,” referring to Maxey, adding that he has “been leading the way for sure.” Maxey’s numbers have actually taken a small dip, but considering the star talent playing around him, that’s practically remarkable in itself. His perimeter shot has been stellar, he can create for others and his speed in transition is unparalleled across the entire league.

3. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (NR)

▶ Stats: 29.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists in 7 games

Who says the MVP is a young man’s game? Curry, approaching his 39th birthday in March, has been torching opposing defenses with a relentless barrage of 3-point shots. Even at his age, Curry is seemingly tireless and remains the most difficult player to defend off the ball. Perhaps more impressively, the Warriors have been a pleasant surprise to start the season, even without Jimmy Butler (ACL recovery) and Kristaps Porziņģis (away from team).

2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (—)

▶ Stats: 29.0 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists in 8 games

It’s too early in the season for a player to already have an MVP moment, but Wembanyama’s dominance Wednesday, Nov. 4 in a one-point win against the Mavericks was astounding. He dropped 52 points, 24 rebounds and 8 blocks. He became only the second player since blocks began to be tracked in 1974 to record at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks in a single game, joining Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo. The Spurs have won six consecutive, and Wembanyama is playing the best basketball of his young career.

1. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers (—)

▶ Stats: 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.0 assists in 8 games

How historic is Dončić’s absolute scorcher to start the season? Entering the year, NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain had recorded the Top 4 marks for points per game in a single season. Those ranged from 50.4 to 37.6. It has been just eight games, but Dončić is now slotted in at No. 3 and is topping the best non-Chamberlain mark, set by Michael Jordan (37.1) in 1986-87. Dončić, undeniably, has been the best player thus far. And now that LeBron James is no longer in Los Angeles, he’s able to fully orchestrate coach JJ Redick’s offense.

Also under consideration: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat (dropped out of rankings); Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (dropped out of rankings); Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets; Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies; Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is making a run at Doncic, Wembanyama? Latest NBA MVP rankings

Hours before the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks faced off Wednesday night, Luka Garza was already getting to work. He joined the team’s Stay Ready crew, warming up alongside Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Walsh while his father, Frank, watched from courtside near the baseline.

Garza wasn’t in Boston’s Jayson Tatum-less starting lineup, but that didn’t matter. His routine remained the same.

That’s standard for Garza. Each night, he knows the moment could arrive when Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla calls his number. On Wednesday, it came early, with 5:37 remaining in the first quarter. He checked in for Hugo González and knocked down his first shot — a wide-open 3-pointer from the wing — to extend Boston’s lead over Milwaukee to 25-8.

Down the other end, less than a minute later, Garza came away with a steal. Payton Pritchard capitalized on the extra possession by draining a jumper. Garza knocked down each of his three 3-point attempts to lead the Celtics with 11 points at halftime. Mazzulla didn’t turn to him nearly as much in the second half, but he had already made his impact felt.

In just 18 minutes against Milwaukee, Garza reinforced his reliability.

He went from playing 8.9 minutes per game through the first five games of the season to averaging 18.7 over the last three against Orlando, Houston and Milwaukee. In return, Garza has rewarded Mazzulla’s increased deployment of the 27-year-old veteran, posting averages of 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and two assists since the start of November.

Throughout it all, Garza has maintained his knack for creating second chances on the offensive glass. He’s grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, just behind Robinson (17) and Neemias Queta (18) for the team lead. He’s also re-emerged as a dangerous 3-point threat, much like last season. His 52.4% clip from beyond the arc leads the Celtics and ranks first among Eastern Conference centers averaging at least 2.6 attempts.

From the corners, Garza has shot 6-of-8, going 11-of-21 overall from three through the first eight games this season.

The drive-and-kick option for teammates like Paul George and Pritchard to find Garza on the perimeter was utilized Wednesday night, and it’s proven to be an effective one. Garza is Mazzulla’s best 3-point shooter among Boston’s centers, making him a legitimate outside shooting threat that opposing defenses can’t afford to leave unattended.

Luka Garza, corner specialist. pic.twitter.com/Hyp0Naecfa

— Gio Rivera (@GioJRivera) November 5, 2026

Entering a season where Queta vs. Robinson starting center debates dominated the discourse surrounding Boston’s front court, Garza has quietly made his case to play each night. He’s done his part to support the group amid Robinson’s early-season adjustment struggles by remaining prepared to contribute. And despite understanding what playing behind Queta and Robinson could mean for his minutes on any given night, Garza has emerged as a leader by example in Boston’s reserve unit.

The Celtics can call on him to perform alongside the starters while also counting on him to work with those coming off the bench. Garza occupies something of an older brother role in helping teammates navigate the same challenges he previously faced during his three-year stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In Boston, he’s able to simultaneously shine and stay hungry.

It doesn’t take much for Garza to make a difference either. Sometimes it’ll go unnoticed when he battles for a second-chance opportunity because the Celtics fail to convert. Other times, he might not get the seven 3-point attempts he did in Houston. But the effort is always there.

This season, he’s averaging 7.5 points with 3.1 rebounds on 48.7 percent shooting. That doesn’t even begin to tell half the story of what he’s been doing on the floor.

The Celtics can’t offer Garza 60-plus starts, but the coaching staff remains vigilant at all times. His impact off the bench has been rewarded, sending the message that the team is well aware of what he’s brought to the table. That’s certainly encouraging for Garza, who’s begun to carve out a role in a Boston front court that was heavily considered crowded throughout much of the offseason.

So far, he’s found room.

It’s hard to know what Steph Curry has been doing during halftime this season. Maybe he’s snacking on popcorn. Maybe he’s firing himself up by reading internet comments. Maybe Steph is getting pep talks over FaceTime from Natalie Nakase.

Regardless of what he’s doing — meditation, yoga, writing letters complaining about affordable housing projects, watching highlights from Season 2 of “Holey Moley” — it’s working. Curry shot 4-of-5 from the field, sank three three-pointers, and scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter as the Golden State Warriors outscored the Miami Heat 38-23. The game was tied at halftime, and the Dubs went on to win by 20, with a tidy final score of 120-100.

Curry is now averaging nearly 12 points in third quarters. He’s shooting 62.2% from the field and 65% behind the arc and hasn’t missed a third-quarter free throw all season. He finished Thursday’s game with 29 points, four assists, and six more three-pointers, and has made at least five triples in each of his last four games.

STEPH SINKS 3 TRIPLES IN Q3 🎯

He's got 21 PTS as the Warriors lead on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/VB874LsNuF

— NBA (@NBA) November 6, 2026

The Warriors won their sixth straight game after starting the season 0-3. They took the victory Thursday night at the expense of two of their old teammates, Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson. Wiggins scored just two points, while Captain Klay had 11 points, though he did block two shots. The two former champions combined to shoot 4-for-16 from the field, while Thompson didn’t look amused by his Splash Brother clowning around for a photo during the game.

Steph & Klay 👍

The former teammates are battling in Q2 on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/KfPSL0t4MU

— NBA (@NBA) November 6, 2026

It’s tough for those guys, in part because the Heat’s warmups for Thursday’s game were black shirts with a red flames on the back. It feels like the team let Guy Fieri and the assistant manager of a Hot Topic have final say on the design. It simply doesn’t look good for basketball players in their 30’s to dress like they’re part of a UFC fighter’s entourage.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a constant Warriors trade target before forcing his way to Miami this summer, where it’s not going great. He’s averaging 28.3 points and 12.5 rebounds but his team is 3-6. Antetokounmpo had 20 points and 14 rebounds in the loss, but most of that production happened in the first half. After halftime, the Greek Freak had four points and four rebounds and took only four shots, clearly frustrated by Draymond Green’s defense.

Draymond denies Giannis at the rim 😤 pic.twitter.com/gdr0U9OFe1

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 6, 2026

Green scored two points but delivered 11 assists and finished +13 with a steal and a block. Anecdotally, Green’s beard also looks darker, which could have been the NBC Sports Bay Area picture quality, but we think it’s possible that Draymond is using BED’s (Beard Enhancing Drugs).

During one sequence in the second quarter, Green and Curry took turns feeding rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who filled up the box score with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a block.

Steph finds Yaxel cutting to the hoop 💪 pic.twitter.com/rGpi4bjOwg

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 6, 2026

Draymond and Yax with the give-and-go bucket 🪣 pic.twitter.com/VEVbz35GAa

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 6, 2026

Lendeborg was part of a high-effort rebounding performance by the Warriors, who grabbed 44 boards to Miami’s 39, even with the massive Anteotkounmpo and Bam Adebayo (18 points, 10 rebounds) manning the middle. The bench made a big difference, collecting 24 boards while the Heat’s reserves got seven. Standouts were Charles Bassey, De’Anthony Melton, and Al Horford, who had seven, six, and five rebounds respectively. Bassey and Horford each scored eight points and Horford was +21, making both his threes and has five in his last two games.

Al Horford knocks down a three to put the Warriors up double digits and Chase Center is ROCKING 😤 pic.twitter.com/OHNaXVl8fn

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 6, 2026

Bassey played 14 “loud minutes,” according to Bob Fitzgerald, and it’s hard to argue with that description. He simply does a lot of stuff, even if some of that is negative (five fouls, three turnovers, airballed a three). Bassey blocked three shots and appeared to make the Heat big men decidedly uncomfortable. His most impressive play came when he grabbed a free throw rebound while getting double teamed and fouled, and flipped in a shot anyway.

Once again, the Warriors started slow and fell behind by double-digits early, mainly because they started with ice-cold shooting. The young guys kept the team afloat as the veterans slowly loosened up, with Will Richard leading the team with 10 first-half points and Yaxel adding nine.

Will Richard knocks down the open trey 🙌 pic.twitter.com/TswTFlFaPJ

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 6, 2026

The Warriors bench shot 19-for-30, while their Heat counterparts were 8-for-27. Nikola Jovic’s long-term deal already looks regrettable. Bobby Portis tried to fire up his team by going after Georges “The Minivan” Niang, and after Niang didn’t back down, Portis didn’t score for the rest of the game. Niang was 4-for-5 with 10 points after halftime.

Georges Niang on this moment with Bobby Portis:

"He actually said that his outfit looked better than mine. And then I was like well no mine looks better than yours. And we went back and forth. I mean, do you really want to know what we said to each other?"

😂😂😂 https://t.co/OMwPvHfU7Apic.twitter.com/ELxB8mfWit

— Oh No He Didn't 🤯 (@ohnohedidnt24) November 6, 2026

Miami sacrificed a ton of their depth to land the Greek Freak, and as a result, only Pelle Larsson is truly reliable off the bench. They’re leaning on guys on the downside of their careers, like Thompson and Tim Hardaway, Jr., along with guys taken off the NBA scrap heap, like center Nick Richards. And that could have been the Warriors!

It’s never been clear how realistic the Warriors’ reported pursuit of Antetokounmpo was at last year’s deadline, and they appeared to be a non-factor in the summer’s trade talks. The Milwaukee Bucks may not have seriously wanted anyone aside from Brandin Podziemski, and if they weren’t going to take Jimmy Butler back, the only way Golden State could have landed Antetokounmpo was too gut their roster and fill in the gaps with, well, guys who didn’t have a lot of other options.

They also wouldn’t have Yaxel, who is already better than anyone on the Heat besides Bam and Giannis. The Curry Flurry was the engine behind the team’s second-half surge, but the team made their game-defining 17-3 run in the quarter by playing defense best described as “really annoying” — something that the Heat used to specialize in. Richard, Melton, Podziemski, and Lendeborg all deflected passes and closed out on threes, causing a number of low-percentage shots late in the shot clock.

Big Al had an embarrassing play where Adebayo faked him out and hit a stepback jumper in the second quarter as Horford stumbled backwards. However, in the remaining 28 minutes following that play, Horford only scored one fewer point than the 83-point man.

Bam Adebayo had Al Horford stumbling 💀 pic.twitter.com/QaoVcQ00bn

— 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 (@HeatvsHaters) November 6, 2026

The game could have become a true blowout were it not for Davion Mitchell going off in the final quarter, scoring 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting and proving beyond a doubt that there’s no better NBA career move than leaving the Sacramento Kings.

Brandon Williams had another solid bench effort with 10 points, four assists, and two surprising blocks. He continued to get to the rim at will off the dribble, getting layups and drawing fouls. Williams’ defense has been far better than advertised, and down the stretch, he iced the game by repeatedly finding his teammates for alley-oops.

Why does Williams need to seize this opportunity so badly? He’s gotta pay rent in San Francisco.

"Rent is high as hell."

Brandon Williams is getting the full San Francisco experience 😭 pic.twitter.com/zv0ttknMCu

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 6, 2026

Let’s just say we wouldn’t be shocked if Williams is really invested in NBA Cup games and the massive payouts that go to winners. If he can secure one of the six-figure playoff shares, maybe he won’t have to get extra roommates from Craigslist.

The Warriors have two more games left on this extended homestand. They’ll face the Orlando Magic, missing Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, on Saturday, then the red-hot New Orleans Pelicans Monday, who will be on a back-to-back, to the Warriors’ advantage. Also to the Warriors’ advantage? They’re the Pelicans.

Six wins in a row, with an excellent chance to stretch their winning streak to eight games before a brutal trip to the Texas Triangle next week. Imagine how good they could be if the first few minutes of the game didn’t stink!

The Golden State Warriors are officially rolling. With Thursday night’s 120-100 win over the Miami Heat, the Dubs have won six games in a row, and their 0-3 start is a distant memory.

Thursday was a game they were expected to win — Miami is off to a sluggish start, and played an overtime game the night before — and win they did, though they once came out of the gates slowly, trailing by 10 early and entering halftime with a tied score. But a win is a win is a win, and a 20-point win is a 20-point win is a 20-point win.

So let’s grade the players who got the job done. As always, grades are based on my expectations of each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Thursday’s games, league-average TS was 57.1%.

Will Richard

16 minutes, 10 points, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 4-for-6 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, 83.3% TS, -5

Richard got another start, presumably partially due to Gui Santos’ absence, and partially due to wanting to get a strong defender on the court against Andrew Wiggins. Richard played awesomely against Wiggins, who shot just 1-for-6 on the day, and also when taking turns on Klay Thompson.

When the Warriors were struggling to start the game, Richard was also the team’s lone source of offense … not only was he the first player on the team to reach double digits, but he was the only Dub with double digits at the half.

It’s unfair that Richard ended up with a -5 plus/minus on a night where the Warriors won by 20. That’s really just the result of him being one of their best players when they were struggling, and then not getting much second-half playing time due to other players heating up. So it goes. They got the win, he played well, and I’m sure he’s quite happy with all of it.

Grade: A-
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.

Yaxel Lendeborg

30 minutes, 17 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 6-for-14 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 4-for-6 free throws, 51.1% TS, -1

Lendeborg — in just the ninth game of his career — has reached the point where you feel like he had a quiet game and then look at the box score and he’s sitting on a 17-8-6-3-1 line. Ridiculous!

His NBA crash course continued, as he opened up the game defending Bam Adebayo, and had plenty of possessions against Giannis Antetokounmpo as well. Both of those players had pretty decent numbers, but I was impressed with the job that Lendeborg did when lined up against them.

It wasn’t his most efficient shooting night, but we’re likely going to see that more and more as he’s given a larger and larger role in the offense. Both his efficiency and his plus/minus were hurt by the fact that Steve Kerr trusts Lendeborg to be The Man when Steph Curry and Draymond Green sit … and sometimes when they’re on the court, too. As a result, he doesn’t always have a ton of help, and there were plenty of shots in this game that he missed because he was the last-second bail-out option. Comes with the territory.

Ultimately, a very strong game for Lendeborg, and one where we really saw him start to further his chemistry with other players on the team, such as Charles Bassey and Brandon Williams.

Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.

Draymond Green

27 minutes, 2 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-for-3 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 33.3% TS, +13

Green’s patience on offense continues to shine through this year. He’s played in seven games this season and only shot the ball 21 times, total. A large part of that is the presence of Lendeborg, who simply makes the offense work much better, and gives the team another 20-point scorer. But part of it is Draymond showing restraint on that end of the court. There will be a time and a place for him to take a lot of shots and score a lot of points, but it is very noticeable how much more fluid the offense is with him acting solely as a facilitator (both with and without the ball).

The season-high 11 assists for Green were a joy to watch, and it was the driving force for the 36 team assists the Dubs had, which was also a season high.

But above all else, this game was a reminder as to the value Green brings on the defensive end, not just through his actions on any given possession, but his abilities that allow Kerr flexibility when game-planning. On paper, Green being the starting center against an opposing frontcourt of Antetkounmpo and Adebayo is a bit silly, but his talent and versatility makes it work.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.

Brandin Podziemski

32 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 3-for-8 shooting, 2-for-6 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 50.7% TS, +5

It’s always a special day when Klay returns to the Bay Area. But when he does, it’s hard to ignore the storyline of his departure, even if it’s long been buried. A lot went into the Warriors legend deciding to leave the team, but much of it stemmed from being upset at Podziemski starting to take Thompson’s spot in the starting lineup, and the way the franchise handled that shift.

While it’s easy to understand and empathize with Klay, it’s also pretty apparent that the Warriors made the right move. Thompson is headed for the Hall of Fame, but these days Podziemski is certainly the better — and more complete — player.

That was on display Thursday night, even though it wasn’t Podz’s best game, by the stat sheet or by the eye test. He struggled to get separation against Miami’s length, but he played awesome defense and made things happen all over the court.

Grade: B-

Steph Curry

28 minutes, 29 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul, 9-for-19 shooting, 6-for-12 threes, 5-for-5 free throws, 68.4% TS, +17

Curry was something of a non-factor in the first half. He looked like he simply didn’t have it, and shot just 2-for-10 from the field. After the game, Kerr mentioned that one of the most special things about Curry is his ability to bounce back from a bad performance while it’s still happening, instead of needing to wait for the next game.

And my goodness was that exemplified in this contest. On the other side of the court was Antetokounmpo, a recent MVP, and Adebayo, who has the second-highest scoring game in NBA history to his name. Yet once the second half began, the contest emphatically belonged to Curry, who was far and away the best player on the court. He truly took over. And thanks to the addition of Lendeborg and the depth of this team, it seems like Curry will be able to do that more and more often this year, given that he doesn’t have to expend all his energy carrying the team on his shoulders all the time.

He’s still averaging more than a point per minute, and he’s under two turnovers per game. The end, I’m pleased to report, is not in sight.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.

Al Horford

18 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 3-for-3 shooting, 2-for-2 threes, 133.3% TS, +21

It turns out that having three rest days — Horford didn’t play on Monday — is a superpower for Big Al. That probably shouldn’t be surprising, considering that this is his 20th NBA season. Against an incredibly athletic team, Horford more than held his own, with elite interior defense and a slick jumper that proved pivotal in the second-half rally.

He remains a savvy and trustworthy veteran on his worst day, and a two-way impact player on his best.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.

De’Anthony Melton

17 minutes, 5 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-for-5 shooting, 0-for-4 threes, 3-for-4 free throws, 37.0% TS, +9

Not the best offensive night for Melton, but it was a fantastic game for him on the other end of the court. His defense has been so strong this year and, just as importantly, his hands have been so active, which helps create healthy chaos. Critically, Melton has been one of — if not the — best player on the team at turning defense into offense this year. It feels like every time he gets a steal he pushes the ball in transition, and every time he gets a deflection, he leaks out for a teammate to find him. The Dubs had 28 points off of turnovers in this game (an 11-point advantage, despite only forcing one more turnover than they committed), and Melton was a big reason why, even if he only put one shot through the hoop.

Great defense, bad offense? We’ll call it a wash.

Grade: B

Brandon Williams

21 minutes, 10 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 4-for-7 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 63.5% TS, +7

I’m having so much fun watching Williams on the Warriors. He’s just such an enjoyable player to watch, and he plays in a way that’s been so foreign to the Dubs over the last decade-plus. Good things happen when Williams is on the court, and specifically when he has the ball in his hands. After so much movement of Curry dancing around the perimeter and cutting baseline to baseline, defenses seem completely confused when Williams gets on the court and starts exploding downhill like prime Frank Gore hitting a gap.

He’s been a little inconsistent this year in terms of actually finishing, but good things happen regardless, simply by nature of attacking. In this game, however? No problem finishing whatsoever, or dishing to open teammates. He even blocked a pair of shots! A tremendous game for a vital spark plug.

Grade: A-

Georges Niang

22 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 5-for-8 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 73.2% TS, +16

Niang is really starting to show up as advertised, and then some. We expected we’d get a heady veteran who made smart plays and drained threes, and that’s arriving in spades. What we didn’t expect was to get someone who was going to provide such fiery leadership. That was once again on display Thursday, when Niang did something that not many players are willing to do: go nose-to-nose with Bobby Portis Jr.

The forward had a few choice words for Portis while they shoved their foreheads against each other like bucks during mating season. You could see the trash-talking venom in Niang’s eyes, and both players were awarded technicals.

It’s fight and intensity that the Warriors need, especially with Jimmy Butler III sidelined. And it’s also a healthy complement to Green, as Niang is willing to scuffle with anyone — this was his third such instance of the season — but stops short of crossing the line. His teammates really seem to feed off of it.

Grade: A

Charles Bassey

14 minutes, 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls, 3-for-4 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 82.0% TS, +7.

Fear not, Warriors fans. Kerr has heard your complaints, logged them, and taken action. After this game, Kerr said that Bassey is “earning more minutes for sure,” so you can expect him to get larger chunks of minutes going forward.

This wasn’t a perfect game from the energetic big. He got a little too careless, which led to three turnovers and five fouls in just 14 minutes. And he lost his perfect shooting night when he hoisted a victory cigar three that badly missed.

But just because he wasn’t perfect doesn’t mean he wasn’t damn good, and Bassey was exactly that: damn good. He’s not only figuring out how to finish more effectively, but building up great chemistry with his teammates. His defense is so much better than it was earlier in his career, as he’s genuinely turned a liability into an asset, and it comes with a bunch of rebounds, too.

Grade: A-

Gary Payton II

10 minutes, 9 points, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-3 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 116.0% TS, +5

Payton seems healthier this year than he’s been in a long time, and it’s paying dividends. Kerr has also really figured out a nice role for GPII, who gets to come into the game for a few short bursts and wreak absolute havoc on defense, while cutting to the rim endlessly on offense. The improved depth of the bench has allowed Payton to have a smaller role, and he’s positively thriving in it.

Grade: A

Malevy Leons

1 minute, 0 points, +2

Despite it being a 20-point game, there wasn’t a lot of garbage time in this game, as the two-way contracts only got one minute and nine seconds of action.

Grade: Incomplete

Graham Ike

1 minute, 0 points, 1 rebound, +2

Only one minute of action, but Ike was still able to get in the stat sheet with a board.

Grade: Incomplete

LJ Cryer

1 minute, 0 points, +2

Cryer’s time is coming. At some point, injury and/or load management will open the door for him to get some consistent run.

Thursday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Gui Santos

If you ask Doc Rivers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the perfect place to take the next step in his career.

In the most recent episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Rivers dished on his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, how he navigated the ill-fated Damian Lillard trade and the highs and lows that came with coaching the Greek Freak.

"I liked Giannis a lot. I liked him more as a dude," Rivers told Simmons. "He's interesting. He's not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He's really a difficult guy because he has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have super IQ at the same time. It's really a strange thing, and he really has one way. Downhill. Force, force. Every play, he wants to force it."

Doc Rivers tells Bill Simmons it was so hard for him to coach Giannis Antetokounmpo during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks:

“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high…

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 6, 2026

The number one thing Rivers emphasized was execution. Preparing the right way and setting his teammates up for success is the area the Hall of Fame coach believes Antetokounmpo fell short in during their time together. But now, with Antetokounmpo on the Miami Heat under Erik Spoelstra, Rivers is hopeful that will come to fruition.

"I wish he learned how to execute better," Rivers said. "He's one of those guys − you get a lot of them from the U.S., AAU guys − that have never needed to execute because they can do it on their own. But that doesn't help the team. And I told Giannis this, the thing he needs to still learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you're in practice and shootarounds to lock in on execution. And now he has a coach who is as good as there is in execution."

Antetokounmpo landed in South Beach this summer after a blockbuster trade that put an end to the long-running standoff between the 10-time All-Star and the Bucks front office, but it's been anything but greener pastures early on. The Heat are 3-6 in their first nine games despite him averaging 28.3 points and 12.5 rebounds a night.

The Golden State Warriors pulled away from a tie game against Miami at halftime to earn a comfortable 120-100 win Thursday, thanks in no small part to the ability of Draymond Green, Al Horford and Charles Bassey to contain Antetokounmpo to just one point in seven fourth quarter minutes down the stretch.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Doc Rivers shares criticisms of Giannis Antetokounmpo's game − and how he can improve

Sixers-Cavs by the numbers: Pressure, threes and a 29-point rematch originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers and Cavaliers have already played one game that looked like two.

Cleveland led by 29 points during the Sixers’ home opener on Oct. 22 and carried a 69-45 advantage into halftime. Philadelphia responded by winning the second half, 69-37, and completing a 114-106 comeback.

It was the Sixers’ largest comeback since the NBA began maintaining detailed play-by-play data in 1997-98. Only nine other teams during that span had overcome a deficit of at least 29 points.

Fifteen days later, the teams will meet again Friday night at Rocket Arena. This time, the matchup counts toward the NBA Cup standings.

The 8-1 Sixers have won five consecutive games and opened group play with a 98-93 victory over the Knicks. The 4-4 Cavs have dropped two straight and will make their Cup debut.

Here are five numbers that help frame the rematch.

29: The deficit Cleveland has not forgotten

Philadelphia’s comeback required more than a hot shooting stretch.

The Sixers committed 15 turnovers in the first half, allowing Cleveland to build a 22-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Their pressure then changed the game after halftime.

The Cavs committed 21 turnovers by the end of the night. What had been a 16-point Cleveland advantage in points off turnovers finished even at 22 apiece.

“They upped their pressure and physicality,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game. “It was pretty clear. We did not handle it well.”

The Sixers scored 64 of their 69 second-half points through their starting lineup. Tyrese Maxey finished with 28 points, and Philadelphia turned a game that appeared finished into a franchise-record comeback.

12.9: Philadelphia’s turnover rate

The first half of the opening meeting now looks like an exception.

The Sixers have committed 12.9 turnovers per 100 possessions this season, the NBA’s second-lowest rate. They are also third in turnover differential, averaging 3.4 fewer giveaways than their opponents.

That is notable for a team that entered the season intending to play faster. Philadelphia has pushed the ball without routinely surrendering possessions.

LeBron James’ presence as the primary facilitator has helped. So has Maxey’s willingness to move the ball when defenses trap him. Joel Embiid has averaged 5.2 assists, third among qualified centers, and the Sixers have increasingly trusted VJ Edgecombe to make decisions late in games.

Cleveland’s defense has not forced many mistakes. The Cavs enter Friday near the bottom of the league in opponent turnover rate.

The first meeting swung when the Sixers stopped giving away possessions and forced Cleveland into mistakes of its own.

2 versus 9: An early strength-on-strength matchup

The Sixers have allowed 105.1 points per 100 possessions, the NBA’s second-best defensive rating. Cleveland enters with the league’s ninth-ranked offense.

The Cavs are the only top-10 offense the Sixers have faced through their first nine games.

Philadelphia has held opponents to a 50 percent effective field-goal percentage and 31.8 percent shooting from three-point range. Its defensive shot profile has been encouraging, too. Only 46 percent of opposing three-point attempts have been classified as wide open, the fifth-lowest share in the league, and opponents have taken just 22 percent of their threes from the corners.

There is reason for caution. Based on the quality of shots Philadelphia has allowed, only Washington’s opponents have underperformed their expected effective field-goal percentage by a wider margin. The Sixers have defended well, but opponents are unlikely to remain this cold indefinitely.

Cleveland, with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley, can test whether those numbers hold against high-level individual shot creation.

42: Cleveland’s three-point volume

The Cavs have attempted exactly 42 three-pointers per game and made 37.2 percent of them.

That makes the first meeting stand out.

Cleveland went 7 for 29 from beyond the arc in Philadelphia. Mitchell, Harden and De’Andre Hunter combined to shoot 3 for 17. The Cavs scored 60 points in the paint and still reached 106, but their 24.1 percent performance from three prevented them from stopping the Sixers’ comeback.

Friday’s game could look considerably different if Cleveland generates its normal volume.

The Sixers have controlled the three-point line well so far, but Mitchell is coming off a 27-point performance against Oklahoma City and scored 32 in the first meeting with Philadelphia. Harden added 16 points that night, although his six turnovers became costly as the Sixers increased their pressure.

Minus-5.1: The Sixers’ rebounding differential

Philadelphia has been outrebounded by 5.1 per game. The Cavs rank sixth with 47.5 rebounds per contest.

The Sixers have already shown they can survive a major deficit on the glass. They beat Milwaukee by 11 despite getting outrebounded by 22. That is not a formula they will want to test regularly against Cleveland’s size.

Mobley had 18 points and eight rebounds in the first meeting. Jarrett Allen added 14 points and seven boards, helping Cleveland win the rebounding battle, 46-44.

Whether Allen plays Friday remains uncertain.

Cleveland listed Allen as questionable because of a right knee injury after he left Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City in the first quarter. Allen collided knee-to-knee with Thunder forward Chet Holmgren and did not return.

The Cavs also listed Peyton Watson as questionable with right hamstring soreness and Tyrese Proctor as questionable with an ankle injury. Proctor left Wednesday’s game during the fourth quarter. Jaylon Tyson is out with a right ankle sprain.

Allen’s availability could significantly alter the matchup on the glass. If he sits, Thomas Bryant would likely handle more of the center minutes behind Mobley. If he plays, Cleveland will have the same starting frontcourt that outrebounded the Sixers during the first meeting.

Atkinson has emphasized the possession battle during Cleveland’s two-game slide.

“You’ve got to get more shots than the other team,” he said this week. “Rebounding is a big part of it.”

That also carries added importance in the NBA Cup, where point differential is the second tiebreaker after head-to-head results.

Philadelphia enters Friday at 1-0 with a plus-five differential in East Group B. Miami is also 1-0 at plus-20, while Cleveland is playing its first group game.

The Sixers already know they can erase 29 points against the Cavs. A cleaner start would be far more useful than proving it twice.

The sky is falling. The Utah Jazz remain winless thus far in November, on the cusp of a six-game losing streak. The team is shooting 27.6% on wide-open threes and has been trailing the bottom of nearly every statistical category. But just maybe, just maybe, all they need is a good ol’ NBA Cup Tournament match to light a competitive spirit under them.

That’s right, the Dallas Mavericks host the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center for an Emirates NBA Cup West Group A showdown. Dallas has already gained an early 1-0 advantage in the Cup standings in their 116-111 victory over the Rockets just last week. The NBA Cup has not been favorable towards the Jazz since its inauguration; in fact, it’s given teams more of an excuse to continue brutally beating up tanking teams — point differential matters!

Over the past few years, the Jazz have held records of:

• 2023-24: 2-2
• 2024-25: 0-4
• 2025-26: 1-3

But now that they’re playing for wins (or so we’ve been told), we could see the script flipped. After all, it’s a ‘blank slate’ for this young team. They’ve battled through injuries, have been a part of two overtime games, and have been through some of the worst shooting woes in years. But that’s only temporary, right?

Dallas has likely been content with the Cooper Flagg-Kyrie Irving pairing, given that their team is 4-4 and has lost to some of the league’s best. The Mavs play an incredibly fast brand of basketball, ranking among the league leaders in overall pace and fast-break points.

Injury Report

Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/5)

OUT – Trey Alexander (G League – Two-Way)

OUT – Harrison Ingram (G League – Two-Way)

OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (Right Knee; MCL Tear)

OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (Right Foot; 2nd Plantar Plate Tear)

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 5, 2026

Dallas Mavericks Injury Report vs. Utah Jazz:

PROBABLE:
Santi Aldama (Right Knee Surgery)
Max Christie (Right Hip Soreness/Tightness)

OUT:
Tarik Biberović (Right Heel Bursitis)
Sergio de Larrea (Right Knee Sprain)
Dereck Lively II (Right Foot Surgery)

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) November 5, 2026

You have to put a lid on Cooper

Obviously, Utah won’t be able to put the reigning Rookie of the Year to a complete stop, but this team has to make an effort to command their presence in the paint. The Jazz allowed an unanswered 12-0 run by New Orleans in overtime just 48 hours ago, exclusively inside the arc. We saw them hold Zion Williamson completely scoreless in the first half, but all hell broke loose after they surrendered a 13-point lead. We’ll have to hope that they can put out the same energy as they did against a conference foe like Flagg.

Overtime shot chart between the Jazz and Pelicans.

One team playing with a purpose at the rim, another team hoping shots go in. pic.twitter.com/DBXVnl2RUz

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 5, 2026

You could consider Cooper Flagg as an honorary ‘Jazz Killer’. In his two career matchups, he averages 34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Though, the Jazz have won both of those matches. Now, with a reinforced Mavs squad around him, Utah can’t roll into Dallas with a smug grin.

The numbers don’t lie; Flagg has struggled tremendously from deep early into the season, shooting 7-of-33 from outside this season. Utah will have to force Flagg into uncomfortable shots that take him away from the line, where he converts 55.9% of his two-point attempts.

Because of his promoted role as a secondary playmaker, they should also employ a player like Ace or Okogie to pressure him into his loose handle and perhaps cough up a few turnovers — Flagg is averaging 3.1 turnovers per game in the early going of the season.

As one of the rising superstars in the West, he’s transcended a typical ‘sophomore slump’ to turn Dallas into a legitimate playoff team this year. Finding a way to slow down this multifaceted star will be a burden on this team for the foreseeable future.

How can you get your #2 pick more involved?

This has been a popular piece circulating Jazz Twitter:

Usage rate by rookies so far:

1. Darius Acuff 31.6%
2. Caleb Wilson 26.2%
3. Mikel Brown 25.7%
4. Yaxel Lendeborg 25%
5. AJ Dybantsa 24.7%
6. Cameron Boozer 23.8%
7. Keaton Wagler 22.7%
8. Meleek Thomas 22.7%
9. Darryn Peterson 20.4% <—-
10. Brayden Burries 20.3%

There is no…

— Matt (@sixringsofsteeI) November 5, 2026

Through the first eight games, the furthest milestone Peterson has achieved is really only being thrust in the starting lineup. He’s averaged an honest 30.3 minutes per game, but the question is, why hasn’t it felt like it?

He shares the ball with a dominant guard like Keyonte George, who completely dictates the tempo of the offense. Peterson’s role shifts to that of a more complementary piece — a player that the team can chuck the ball to throw up a Hail Mary before the shot clock expires. Coach Hardy runs an egalitarian, pass-and-cut offensive system where Peterson is used to distort the defense rather than being a centerpiece.

Of course, he has his rookie mistakes too: he’s hitting just 35.4% of his field-goal attempts, struggling to find a consistent rhythm inside the arc, particularly on his floater attempts. That could look particularly concerning, considering that he was noted for his lack of vertical burst coming out of the draft.

But after looking at the Darius Acuff Jr. template over at Sacramento (not recommended if you want to win basketball games), the coaching staff needs to realize they have DARRYN PETERSON on their squad. This is to hope they could have more plays run for him: perhaps using him more as a post-up guard, or having him be the one to leak up the court in transition.

If the Jazz are going to be without Jackson Jr. for a couple of months at least, and if Lauri Markkanen is unable to break out of his shooting slump, Peterson will need to play an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.

Escaping the Cold Zone

Speaking of Lauri, the most unprecedented story coming out of this 1-7 start has been the Finnish Star’s efficiency. Of course, we all saw him injure his wrist in the showdown against the Grizzlies, which has had lingering issues due to the dependence on his wrist snap & flick, but this is going to be an integral year for Lauri.

The drop-off has been stark: he’s averaging 17.1 points per game — down significantly since his career peak and is converting just 38.7% of his field-goal attempts. The Hardy revolution has completely eradicated Markkanen’s inside-the-arc scoring, having him attempt a wild 8.3 three-point attempts a game.

He’s also been forced to occasionally shift as a small-ball center due to the banged-up injuries of Jackson Jr. and Nurkic, which was noticeably felt when the Pelicans destroyed the Jazz in the paint during the OT period.

“I think he’s playing through a lot of pain right now. I think he’s really battling for his teammates and us”, Will Hardy said about Lauri Markkanen on Wednesday.

Will Hardy on Lauri Markkanen playing the five position: pic.twitter.com/0VlK068Pvx

— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) November 5, 2026

Of course, Markkanen will not have as wild a slump as he does for the rest of the season. He’ll regain his efficiency. His wrist will eventually heal. Really, it’s just a tough spot to be in when your team’s record is 1-7.

Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks—How to Watch:

Who: Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

When: 7:00pm Mountain Daylight Time

How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)

It was a much-needed victory for the Suns tonight as they improved to 2-5 on the season.

Phoenix spotted Orlando an early lead, then took the game over with its defense and its shooting. The Suns beat a short-handed Magic team without Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac, 117-104, to improve to 2-5. Phoenix was short Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin, and Rasheer Fleming.

Orlando outrebounded Phoenix by 15 and got to the line 11 more times, but the Magic turned it over 25 times, and the Suns hit 17 threes. A 23-point lead after three quarters was more than enough to survive a late Orlando push.

• Devin Booker: 30 points (11-of-22 FG, 4-of-8 3PT, 4-of-4 FT), 8 assists, 3 steals, +16 in 34 minutes
• Dillon Brooks: 24 points (9-of-16 FG, 4-of-6 3PT), 2 steals, +12 in 29 minutes
• Miles Bridges: 18 points (6-of-10 FG, 3-of-6 3PT), 13 rebounds, 5 assists, +12 in 31 minutes

Book's 3rd 30-pt game of the season 📚 pic.twitter.com/fJhg6LpjWx

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

Game Flow

First Half

Orlando came out firing. The Magic got whatever they wanted early and jumped out to a 14-8 lead.

Fourteen points for the Magic in less than 4 minutes to begin the game

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) November 6, 2026

Then the Suns started taking the ball away. Orlando turned it over nine times in the quarter, and Phoenix turned those mistakes into 13 points, mostly in transition. Anthony Black had four of those giveaways by himself.

Devin Booker played all 12 minutes and set the tone with 12 points, hitting a pair of threes and going perfect at the line. The Suns hit five threes as a team to Orlando’s three, which covered for getting outworked on the glass and in the paint.

More defense. More offense.

Devin Booker with the alley, Ryan Dunn with the oop pic.twitter.com/x4gmkU9SkD

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) November 6, 2026

The bench changed the game. Ryan Dunn, Collin Gillespie and Man Man all finished the quarter on the plus side, and Phoenix pushed the lead to nine before Orlando got the last bucket to cut it to seven entering Q2.

Phoenix led after the first quarter, 33-26.

Luke Kennard owned the second quarter. He came off the bench and went 3-for-3 from deep for 12 points, giving Phoenix a second scorer while Orlando keyed in on Booker.

LUK3 K3NNARD pic.twitter.com/u06KiR7eSa

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

Booker kept cooking anyway. He added 11 more in the quarter on efficient shooting and went into the locker room with 23.

Orlando stayed close by crashing the glass and living at the line. The Magic grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the quarter and got to the stripe 14 times, but they missed six of those free throws and couldn’t buy a three. Wendell Carter Jr. did most of the damage inside with 10 in the quarter.

Man Man didn’t score, but he was a team-best +13 in his minutes.

The three-point line is the story. Phoenix hit 10 threes in the half and Orlando hit four. The Magic shot better inside and controlled the boards, but the Suns’ shooting and Orlando’s turnovers built the cushion.

Booker leads all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three and 4-of-4 at the line. Kennard has 12 off the bench.

BOOK IN THE FIRST HALF.

📚 23 PTS
📚 8/13 FG
📚 3/4 3PT

Including this three to end the half! pic.twitter.com/D0O8nA44nt

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

Phoenix led at halftime, 63-51.

Second Half

Dillon Brooks took over the third. He scored 12 in the quarter on 5-of-7 shooting, and Miles Bridges added 10 more as the starters blew the game open.

Helluva Q3 by the Villain

✅Offense
✅Defense
✅Three-ball pic.twitter.com/1rrrIfHWuH

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) November 6, 2026

Orlando’s turnover problem came back in a big way. The Magic gave it away 10 times in the quarter, and Phoenix’s defense jumped passing lanes all period with six steals.

Booker only scored three in the quarter, but he didn’t need to. He set up teammates with four assists, and every Suns starter finished the period at +7 or better. Man Man chipped in a pair of buckets off the bench.

Welcome to the Dillon Brooks takeover 😈

12 PTS so far in the third quarter pic.twitter.com/5ZREoIEL3q

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

After three, Phoenix led 96-73. The Suns outscored Orlando 33-22 in the third quarter.

Orlando kept its starters on the floor and made a push, winning the quarter by 10. Carter didn’t miss in the fourth, going 4-for-4, and the Magic knocked down five threes in the period.

Phoenix rested Booker and most of the starting group for long stretches, and the offense cooled off with five turnovers and three missed free throws in the quarter.

The deep bench closed it out, with Koa Peat, Jamaree Bouyea, Duop Reath and Pat Spencer getting the final minutes. Phoenix won 117-104.

Miles Bridges. pic.twitter.com/x6bJMPRt3b

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

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Up Next

Kevin Durant returns to the Valley on Saturday night as the Suns host the Houston Rockets.

The Coachella Valley Lakers, the Lakers’ G League affiliate, announced on Thursday that Will Iger, the son of former Disney CEO Bob Iger, will be the team’s play-by-play announcer for the 2026-27 season. 

He’ll join A.C. Green, who’ll be the game analyst, as the Coachella Valley Lakers’ broadcast team. 

The Coachella Valley Lakers kick off their season on Friday against the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena.

Will Iger previously called games for the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs’ G League affiliate, during the 2025-26 season, after serving as a sports commentator on the Mavericks’ weekly studio show, “The Bounce”.

He was also a play-by-play announcer for San Antonio FC, the Indoor Football League and collegiate athletics at Columbia University and Hofstra University.

The elder Iger is part of the ownership group led by venture capitalist Josh Kushner that’s purchasing the majority ownership of the Lakers from Mark Walter at a valuation of $12.5 billion. 

Kushner and Walter finalized the details of the agreement last week.

Once the agreement of the sale is officially signed, the transaction will need approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors.

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The Lakers (7-2) are back home, where they will host a rematch with the Portland Trail Blazers (6-1) on Friday. The matchup will also serve as an NBA Cup contest, with both teams competing in West Group C.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

When: 7 p.m. PT, Nov. 6

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

---

One of the Lakers’ two losses this season came at the hands of the Trail Blazers, who ran the purple and gold off their home floor last week. That was the same game that exposed the Lakers’ early flaws such as their inability to rebound the ball well, over reliance on Luka Dončić and overall team defense. While those weaknesses are still apparent, the Lakers have done a better job of navigating them and responding since that loss.

On Friday, they have the chance to get even.

This will be a good opportunity to see whether the Lakers have learned from their loss, how they’ve adjusted and how determined they are to make a run in the NBA Cup after losing pretty badly in the opener against the Warriors.

Here are three storylines worth noting ahead of the matchup between the Lakers and Blazers:

Ja Morant won’t be suiting up

Morant was a huge factor in the Blazers’ first victory over the Lakers, posting 23 points. He easily got in the paint and scored nine out of his 13 attempts. It felt like the Lakers had no answer for him. Fortunately for the purple and gold, they won’t have to think about Ja on Friday because he’s currently recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring injury.

Instead, the Lakers should expect more touches for Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson, who replaced Morant in the starting lineup.

How will the Lakers’ defense respond?

Defense will be the biggest key for the Lakers if they want to come away with a win. In their previous meeting, Los Angeles allowed Portland to shoot 50% from beyond the arc while giving up 56 points in the paint. The Blazers’ hot shooting may have been an outlier but there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again if the Lakers don’t tighten things up defensively. The Blazers have enough scoring to match the Lakers’ firepower.

Portland is the seventh-best rebounding team in the league and currently has a top-10 offensive and defensive rating. They lead the league in points per game (121.9), which is why they’re a tough cover. This isn’t one of those teams the Lakers can just overwhelm with Dončić’s brilliance and talent alone. They’ll have to work on both ends of the floor.

Do the Lakers care about the NBA Cup at all?

If their first NBA Cup match was any indication, the Lakers didn’t seem too interested in making a statement, which is unfortunate because these games are so much fun to win. Hopefully that changes for this one because it’s pretty much a do-or-die game for the Lakers if they want to stay alive in the NBA Cup. Not only are they 0-1, they have a concerning -17 point differential and, if they want to increase their chances of advancing, they’re going to need to win in some blow outs.

It’s a tough task but one the purple and gold should aim to do if they truly want to exact revenge against the Blazers on Friday.

Notes and Updates

• The Lakers and Warriors are the only ones in West Group C that have played in the NBA Cup so far, but expect the standings to change on Friday when the Spurs and Kings go at it.
• For the Lakers’ injury report, Sandro Mamukelashvili (illness) is listed as questionable.
• Bronny James Jr., (G-League) and Cameron Carr (G-League) will be with the Coachella Valley Lakers.
• As for the Blazers, Vit Krejci (left ankle fracture), Ja Morant (left hamstring strain) and Shaedon Sharpe (right meniscus surgery) are out.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Adou Thiero could make his season debut for the Lakers on Friday. 

The second-year forward was taken off the injury report for the Lakers’ home game against the Trail Blazers after being sidelined since the preseason because of left knee swelling.

Thiero played in the team’s first three preseason exhibitions. He averaged 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 18.4 minutes. 

The team shut him down from on-court activities for a couple of days during the first week of the regular season before ramping him back up.

The swelling was happening in the same knee that he had surgery on during the spring of 2025. He was also sidelined during training camp, preseason and the first 13 games of the regular season while dealing with left knee swelling. 

The 6-foot-8 forward was assigned to the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, for practice on Wednesday before being recalled Thursday.

Sandro Mamukelashvili is questionable for Friday because of an illness.

Bronny James and Cameron Carr will be on assignment with the Coachella Valley Lakers for Friday’s season opener against the the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.

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The Washington Wizards just climbed to the top of the Southeast Division standings, and then lost to the Hawks to drop to second. But they have a great chance to climb back up, as they play these same Hawks for the second game in a row.

Here’s the preview!

Game info

When: : Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m. ET

Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

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

Injury Report

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

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

Pregame notes

• Washington and Atlanta battle for leading the Southeast Division — The Wizards and the Hawks match up for an interesting home-and-away as they are both ranked 1 and 2 in the Southeast Division. The Wizards briefly held the helm at #1, but then lost to the Hawks at home last night. Let’s see how the second night turns out!
• The Hawks are finding their identity — The Hawks have changed things dramatically. For instance, they traded their franchise guy, Trae Young, to the Wizards last season. But it’s starting to look as if Snyder is finding his rotation. The strong win in DC showed flashes of a coherent team playing team defense (kept the Wizards to 105, and had there not been some “garbage time” it would have been even lower).
• Trae revenge game? — Wednesday wasn’t it. Maybe on Friday?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Draymond Green heard Kendrick Perkins’ comments loud and clear.

The former NBA champion-turned-analyst called the Warriors veteran a liability after he was ejected from a game against the Suns. Green wasn’t happy with Perkins’ assessment and immediately fired back.

“I’m not even close to the player I once was. But Kendrick Perkins, the difference between myself and big dummies like you is that I can think,” Green said on his podcast.

“When your body wasn’t the same no more or as athletic as you once were, it looked a little different for you because you weren’t the smartest basketball player.”

Green received two technicals on one play, and his heated interactions with Suns guard Dillon Brooks went viral on social media. The two attempted to put their arms around each other and had to be separated.

Green’s ejection was discussed on ESPN’s “First Take” the following morning, and Perkins didn’t hold back.

“When was the last time we discussed Draymond Green and brought him up for his basketball and not fighting? At some point, he has to deliver on the floor,” Perkins said.

“And when you look at the start of this season, Draymond Green has been nonexistent. He has done absolutely nothing for the Golden State Warriors. To me, he has been a liability more than an asset.”

Green has struggled offensively to start the season, averaging 3.2 points per game. At 36 years old, his defensive prowess has declined, but he remains a talented veteran because of his basketball IQ.