This preseason, the NBA and its officials released their Points of Emphasis for the 2026-27 season and one of the most-discussed sections was off-arm push-offs by offensive players.
A move popularized by some of the league’s most dynamic offensive players, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Brown, has become one of the more natural moves in modern basketball, as polarizing as it is. League officials are beginning to crack down on the space it creates and, most importantly, the disadvantage it creates for the defender.
See below for Part 1 of the 2026-27 Points of Emphasis video (narrated by SVP, Head of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen), which provides examples and guidance regarding Off-Arm Push Offs by Offensive Players and Freedom of Movement – Screens: pic.twitter.com/zMMmOK3Kxq
The Lakers roster two of the league’s best offensive scorers, Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić, who may often be in the scope of officials and those points of emphasis. Head coach JJ Redick, though, has been a voice in the ears of the league regardingthis issue behind the scenes for a while.
Redick told reporters during training camp that, following an unnamed game last season, he sent Monty McCutchen, NBA senior vice president of referee development and training, a dozen clips of instances where the off-arm push-off was used against Los Angeles.
“I just wanted an explanation because of how we teach our guys defensively,” Redick said as he pantomimed the motion. “We teach a first bump, arms out, bump them with your chest. So if the offensive player is allowed to fully extend and shove off. I showed them 12 clips from this one single game — it was called once.
“I certainly wasn’t the only coach that sent in clips to [McCutchen] and the refs … We got to protect the offensive player, and we’ve got to also give the defense a chance. And the league, and the refs, and the competition committee, I think, do a great job every year of trying to find that balance.”
Redick revealed that NBA coaches met with the league’s referees and competition committee in Chicago in September to review these points of emphasis and that they actually showed two of the clips he sent in from that game last season.
Redick and the team also met with Hall of Fame referee Joey Crawford the week before training camp for what was a “healthy” conversation about the league’s areas of focus. Crawford, who retired in 2016, serves as a referee performance development advisor for the NBA.
Reaves was also asked for his opinion during training camp and was almost facetiously reluctant to share it so as not to get in trouble with the league. Overall, he agrees that fully extending the arm to create space should be an offensive foul and that it would be a correct call it it were called on him. But he was also of the opinion that there are similar ways to create space that shouldn’t necessarily warrant a whistle.
“I think there’s different ways to do it,” Reaves said. “There’s ways of just using your shoulders where you don’t extend the arm, and I think that’s perfectly fine. There’s a fine line there, but I think anytime your arm actually extends without it being pulled, I technically think it should be [a foul].”
Dončić and Reaves have thrived, for better or worse, at manipulating defenders and officials on offense. Being able to draw fouls in the open court is a critical part of their games. Dončić led the league with 10.1 free throw attempts per game last year. Austin was 13th, getting up 7.3 at the charity stripe per contest.
Just how much will this officiating change affect the Lakers? Bronny James was already whistled for this when he extended his arm on Stephen Curry during their preseason game against the Warriors on Tuesday.
It may affect Dončić and Reaves sporadically throughout the season. Dončić relies more on his patented step-back to create space, while Reaves uses more of his shoulders, as he alluded to. But where this really helps the Lakers is on the defensive end.
Redick is deploying a more aggressive point-of-attack defensive mindset that includes picking up ball handlers for the full length of the court. Defenders like Ziaire Williams, Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle are now encouraged to be more aggressive defending the ball.
Overall, this change feels like a net positive for the new-look Lakers.
For the first time since April 27, 2025, Damian Lillard stepped on an NBA court on Wednesday night. He said it felt like home.
Lillard, coming off a torn left Achilles, played 19 minutes and finished with 15 points in his first game back — and his first game as a starting backcourt with Ja Morant. Those two found a little chemistry.
He posted 15 PTS, 3 3PM, & 2 STL in his return to action in Rip City, helping the @trailblazers clinch their first win of the NBA preseason! pic.twitter.com/kuAPk3fZcw
"It felt like I was back where I belong... back home."@Dame_Lillard on what it meant to make his preseason return to Portland and the court! pic.twitter.com/rW7xhK7D5a
Morant finished with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting and had five assists on the night. Both were working both on bal and off at times — especially Lillard — as Portland worked to run some of the offense through Deni Avdija, who had 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting in just 21 minutes on the court.
Scoot Henderson, who will be coming off the bench and in a new role for him, had his own highlight moment.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Adou Thiero #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers passes around Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors during their preseason game at Chase Center on October 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through two preseason appearances, Adou Thiero has shot 4-of-5 inside the arc (0-of-3 from deep) and he dished out four assists in Monday’s win over the Sacramento Kings. During those games and throughout the offseason, head coach JJ Redick has seen Thiero display growth in his decision-making once he applies his immense athleticism to create advantages. Thiero will always be one of the most athletic players on the floor but weaponizing those gifts requires much more than simply unleashing them against defenders.
“Some of the improvement that I’ve talked about has been with patience and playing off two feet on a drive, let’s say. He’s done it a number of times. Last night, he made the right read and got assists. But playing off two [feet] when you’re in traffic, you’re still going to be the best athlete nine times out of 10 in the paint. I think he’s doing a really good job,” Redick said after Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. “That’s a big improvement from even the games he played in the rotation last year where they were just reckless abandon and got caught in the air against multiple bodies. Even if you are the best or one of the best athletes on the floor, there’s other great athletes on the floor and there’s other great size and length on the floor. So, I think he’s really starting to figure that out.”
As Redick’s previously made clear, he believes Thiero’s continued development stems from a prolonged period of health in which he can refine various parts of game after dealing with a slew of injuries in 2025-26. Thiero feels similarly and believes his decision-making benefits from sustained opportunities, whether they be in games or practice.
“I feel like it’s reps,” he said. “Just going out, starting off getting those reps in practice, already understanding the offense, how I can help the offense and then getting those reps in the game.”
Thiero’s next chance to accrue more in-game reps, further sharpen his skill-set and make a case for potential rotation minutes comes Thursday at home against the Kings at 7:30 p.m.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 28: Jayson Tatum #0 and Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics pose for photos during Boston Celtics Media Day at Auerbach Center on September 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Celtics basketball, how we’ve missed you. It’s been a long, strange offseason, so it feels good to turn the page and learn about a new team and, maybe more fittingly, a new era.
I love preseason because it’s the first real look at where the coaching staff’s heads are at, and who is standing out in training camp. It’s also a tryout for some to show growth or earn their spot.
You can usually get a feel for who’s going to be important, but it’s worth taking things with a grain of salt. Last preseason, Chris Boucher started all four games, then appeared in only nine regular season games before being traded. Xavier Tillman had a similar fate.
So with a dash of skepticism and a loose promise not to overreact, there’s still a lot to learn as the Celtics visit the Cavaliers for game one of the preseason.
BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 6: Payton Pritchard #11, Sam Hauser #30 and Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat on February 6, 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
Who gets the start?
This is one of the more interesting big-picture questions of the season.
Joe Mazzulla recently said three or four starters are etched in stone. That’s slightly cryptic, but we can confidently assume Derrick White, Paul George and Jayson Tatum are the obvious three.
My anticipated starting unit has Payton Pritchard and Neemias Queta rounding out the five. But if only four are locked in, there are two ways to read it. One is that Pritchard is the fourth, and center becomes a matchup call between Queta and Mitchell Robinson. The other is that the center spot is settled, and they value Pritchard more in his bench role.
This game against Cleveland could reveal who that fourth starter is, and it may also tell us what they’re searching for in the fifth spot.
Are they targeting spot-up shooting, defensive activity, playmaking? Even if the answer isn’t permanent, we’ll see who gets the first crack at it, and what type of skills they want to round out the group.
A leap in the wing room?
On a similar note, a breakout from one of the Celtics’ wings could help the lineup take shape.
There is a lot of room in the rotation for change. As we saw last season, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez were interchangeable. All of them had stretches as a starter or key rotation piece. This year could bring more of the same, but maybe someone breaks through.
Walsh could fulfill his goal of developing into a more versatile offensive player. He spoke at Summer League about wanting to be the answer in any situation, rather than someone who gets subbed out when the team needs a bucket.
Scheierman might carry a strong training camp into the preseason. His blend of shotmaking and ball handling makes him arguably the most natural offensive fit of the three next to their best players.
Boston, MA – March 4: Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner dunks between Boston Celtics guards Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez in the third quarter. The Celtics played the Hornets at TD Garden on March 4, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
A sophomore leap from Gonzalez isn’t out of the question either. Between Summer League and the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, he’s had the most real game experience of the group over the last few months.
Which of the three do we see first, and does anyone separate from the others? One of them could even start. If it’s not Pritchard in the first five, any of them makes sense.
Breaking through means getting past Sam Hauser, though. He was counted on more consistently than all three last season and held the fifth starter spot in the playoffs. I’ll be interested to see if that remains the case, or if one of them manages to leapfrog him on the depth chart.
Does the defense feel any different?
Something I wrote about this summer was that the Celtics’ strong defensive rating last season was built more on managing their opponents’ shot profile than on forcing turnovers.
They finished fourth in defensive rating while ranking 29th in opponent turnovers. That’s something to feel good about. They were already elite without forcing turnovers, so closing that gap could push them toward the best defense in the league.
They have the personnel to make takeaways a priority, and the additions of George and Robinson should only help.
What I’m looking for is whether the defense feels different. Do they let their bigs swap some drop coverage for switches or blitzes in the pick and roll? Will we see aggressive nail help and activity in the passing lanes from Tatum and George? Are Gonzalez and Walsh unleashed as point-of-attack defenders, tasked with creating chaos?
Turnover numbers will tell some of the story, but you can see the signs of an aggressive defense forming quickly. With Robinson and Queta (and Derrick White), they have protection on the back line that should allow them to take calculated risks. Additional influence over the possession battle would make them even more dangerous, since they’re typically very good at limiting their own turnovers.
Cleveland is a good first test, giving us some real tape on how they handle two strong creators in James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball against Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When those TV ads for personal injury attorneys run on TV (which is constantly), you will often see a disclaimer that “past results are not a guarantee of future results”. Which is true, especially because the ads only tout the attorney’s big successes, not the losses.
How is this relevant to Pounding the Rock readers? Because this is my annual Overs and Unders predictions for the NBA’s Western Conference – a tradition unlike any other. Oh wait, that’s the Masters.
Anyway, the attorney disclaimer is especially appropriate because (a) I am an attorney (non-personal injury division) and (b) I somehow went 11-4 on my preseason over/under predictions for the 2025-26 season. Yes, 11 wins and only 4 losses. Hence – “past results are not a guarantee of future results”. Note that I did not mention my record in prior seasons. Suffice it say those prior predictions were not as good as 11 and 4.
My biggest win last season was on the Vegas preseason prediction for the Spurs. Vegas said 43.5 wins, my prediction was “OVER, OVER, OVER”, and the Spurs won 62. So I went 11-4 overall and nailed the most important prediction.
But that was last season, and I am not one to rest on my laurels. Indeed, I don’t believe I own any laurels, don’t know what they are, and I don’t know how or where or why one would rest on them. Instead, I will wade into the breach once again and try to repeat last season’s successes (as will the Spurs).
Last season’s preseason article started with teams at the top of the conference and went down.. This season I will flip that and start with the lousy teams, ending with the good ones, thereby cleverly leaving the Spurs until the end. Because the Spurs are finally once again good. Very good.
I am adding one thing: how close the 2025-26 Vegas preseason prediction was to each team’s final win total. I will call that HDVD – How Did Vegas Do?
Remember that my past success is not a guarantee of future results. Especially because I have asked some basketball minds that I respect to weigh in on their favorite teams — you can expect some perhaps unjustified fan optimism. And away we go, starting with the dregs of the Western Conference:
Sacramento Kings
HDVD — Last season, Vegas predicted the Kings would win 35.5 games, a total whiff by the “smart guys”. The Kings won only 22.
Despite great fans, this is a very sorry franchise. At least the Clippers have taken over the spot for saddest NBA franchise. Vegas predicts that this year’s Kings will win 21.5 games, even less than last season’s disaster. Long-suffering fan Kings fan Brent weighed in with this:
“The 21.5 O/U number for the Kings is patently offensive—much like the Kings’ defense. On paper, the Kings have the pieces to blow past 22 wins. On the court, history suggests the Kings will try to win 40 games, but will win exactly 21 games, and somehow not even get a top 3 draft pick in return. It seems like a decade ago that the Kings were the 3 seed in the West, but it seems like yesterday that Robert Horry buried that 3 . As a loyal Kings fan, I’m cautiously optimistic about this season with the promise of Darius Acuff, Jr. I’ll take the over.”
New Orleans Pelicans
HDVD — Vegas predicted the Pelicans would win 30.5 games in 2025-26, but they couldn’t even reach that low goal, winning only 26.
This year, Vegas has the Pelicans winning 28.5 games. Like the Kings, another sorry franchise, though the food is better. Do you remember when people thought Zion Williamson would be a true force in the league? Maybe he should play in a city where the food isn’t so good. I have New Orleans as UNDER, again, as does New Orleans resident Steve:
“Wins and losses are less important than proving Bill Simmons’ speculation about the Pels leaving NOLA wrong. Just a few years ago, the Pels were a promising team that was a fun watch with a growing fan base. Now, it’s hard to see a path to the playoffs for the Pels in a stacked conference. I’ll take the under on 28.5 wins but the over on Simmons being wrong and the Pels staying in NOLA.”
Memphis Grizzlies
HDVD — Vegas’s worst over-confident prediction last season. Predicted to win 40.5 wins, the Grizzlies won only 25.
Vegas may have learned its lesson and now has the Grizz winning only 28.5. Memphis grew tired of tying their future to the mercurial Ja Morant, shipping him to Portland after the season. This was after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah during the season. The new projected starting lineup: Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward, Jerami Grant, Cameron Boozer, and Zach Edey.
That line-up sounds a lot like an UNDER to me.
Los Angeles Clippers
HDVD — Another over-confident Vegas pick: Predicted to win 48.5 wins in 2025-26, the Clips limped in with 42 wins, and then lost to the Warriors in the Play-In round. Of course, news then got worse.
Clippers are the third team that Vegas has at 28.5 wins for this season. That prediction may be the high point for the next four or five years as the Clippers will both lose many games and have already lost all their draft picks for the next five years.The NBA may have done Steve Ballmer a favor by barring him from the arena for a year. I think the overall bad vibes on the team will lead to an UNDER, but Clips fan Adam has an optimistic take for this season:
“OVER. Sure our future has been completely destroyed, but that didn’t affect this year. After an extremely long off season and finally turning the page on trading our future for one Western Conference Finals, Ty Lue has a team with which he typically excels and does have several former All-Stars to utilize. I can see this team fighting for a Play-In spot, but unfortunately our league leading streak of winning seasons is in serious jeopardy. The life of a Clippers fan!”
Dallas Mavericks
HDVD — Vegas predicted the Mavs would win 39.5 games last season, missing badly as the Mavs won only 26 times.
Vegas has Mavs improving to 35.5 wins. Mavs fan Dylan has higher hopes than that:
“I’ll take the over on 35.5. Dallas won 26 games last year, but this team is bigger, longer, and healthier. Dereck Lively II anchors the defense when he’s right (opponents shot 58.5% at the rim against him as a rookie, a mark between Evan Mobley and Bam Adebayo), and Daniel Gafford, Morez Johnson Jr., Santi Aldama, and Zaccharie Risacher add length, plus real shooting, since Aldama and Risacher both shot 35% or better from three last year. Cooper Flagg, now 6’10” barefoot by his own account, is set up for a big second-year leap, and Kyrie Irving is a year and a half removed from his ACL tear. It all hinges on health, but I like Dallas to clear 35.5.”
Utah Jazz
HDVD — The Jazz were predicted to be bad with 19.5 wins, and they were bad, but just not quite as bad as predicted, with 22 wins.
Vegas predicts significant improvement for the Jazz, up to 36.5 wins. I think they will exceed that, so I have OVER. Salt Lake City’s own Steve agrees:
“First: In Danny We Trust
Second: We aren’t trying to tank! Always a big plus when trying to win!
I think we are a 42+ game winner this year. The team is constructed much better and we have more depth than before.
Darryn Peterson is incredible. I watched him live in a couple of summer games and he can flat out play. He is one of the purest shooters I’ve seen. Expect mistakes, but he is a huge boost to the offense.
The “it factor” is that the players love the owner Ryan Smith. He treats them great, he isn’t in it for the personal fame, and the Jazz are a central part of his grand design to build up the state of Utah.“
Portland Trail Blazers
HDVD — Last season, Vegas predicted 34.5 wins. Blazers easily surpassed that, with a winning record at 42 – 40.
Vegas predicts the Blazers will beat that this year with 43.5 wins. Blazers fan Steve takes the UNDER:
“I’ve got the Blazers at 42 wins this year. They have more overall talent than last year, but I just hate how this roster fits together. After a decade of limiting themselves by pairing Lillard with another undersized guard that can’t defend, their big offseason move is putting an even older and slower (and post-injury) Lillard with Ja Morant? Something, something… definition of insanity. At least CJ McCollum could shoot!”
Golden State Warriors
HDVD — Vegas predicted the Ws to win a solid 45.5 games, but injuries to Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry made that impossible. Warriors finished at 37-45.
Vegas has the Warriors below .500 again this year with 39.5 wins. Former college roommate Corey thinks that is an accurate assessment, but leans under:
“Depends when Jimmy Butler gets back. With Jimmy, they’ll be over .500. Without him, they’ll be under .500. Like I said, 39.5 sounds about right. Those Las Vegas guys know their [profanity deleted].”
Phoenix Suns
HDVD — The Suns’ 45 wins vastly exceeded the Vegas prediction on 31.5 wins. Indeed, that was the second biggest over-performance by any team in the conference. We all know which had team had the biggest.
Vegas has the Suns dropping back to 39.5 wins this year. One projection I read said this: “Center Mark Williams is expected to miss roughly the first four months following labrum surgery, opening early minutes for players like Khaman Maluach.” If you are like me, you have never heard of (and cannot pronounce) Maluach. That alone makes the Suns an UNDER for me. Best friend Dave, who lives in Tucson, concurs:
“The Suns are setting on Devin Booker, who has been a high-level scorer his entire career…all of it in Phoenix. The frontcourt isn’t strong enough. The addition of Luke Kennard gives them another shooter to go along with Book and Colin Gillespie. Did they need another shooter? Suns were a nice surprise last year. This year, I say no. Under 39.5 wins.”
Los Angeles Lakers
HDVD — The 2025-26 Lakers outperformed the Vegas prediction of 47.5 win with a surprising 53 – 29 record. They then overcame a bunch of injuries to knock off the Rockets in the first round, before getting swept by OKC in a series that was not as close as 4 – 0 would indicate.
This year Vegas has the Lakers sliding back a bit — good-bye Lebron — to 45.5 wins. Always optimistic Lakers fan Mike disagrees with Vegas:
“Don’t short the Lakers this year boys. Luka and his merry band of young shooters, defenders, rim runners and one very large shot blocker in the middle. I like 50 wins and a 3/4 seed.”
Yup, that is an OVER from Mike. (I think that is Mike’s 27th consecutive “over” for the Lakers.)
Houston Rockets
HDVD — The Rockets 52 wins was slightly less than the 55.5 wins that Vegas projected.
Despite the return of point guard Fred VanVleet, the Rockets are predicted to fall back to 46.5 wins this season. Perhaps Vegas believes that the ageless Kevin Durant will finally start showing his age? If not, having an actual point guard should help the offense, though the defense and rebounding may drop a bit. All in all, I think 46.5 wins underestimates the Rockets. OVER.
Denver Nuggets
HDVD — The best prediction by Vegas last season. The Nuggets’ win over the Spurs in the last game of the regular season put them at 54 wins, right in line with the Vegas prediction of 53.5.
This year, Vegas predicts that the Nuggets will regress a bit to 48.5 games. That regression is probably based on health more than talent because the team still has Jokic, Gordon and Murray, and picked up ex-Spur DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan can still get buckets with the best of them (so long as those buckets, are twos, not threes). Hey, I see the Nuggets also picked up Lonnie Walker IV! I still root for that guy, now in his eighth (!!) year in the NBA. Let’s go OVER on the Nuggets and their two ex-Spurs.
And let’s also root for more Joker passes like this one:
HDVD — Another good prediction by Vegas last season. The Wolves won 49 games, just missing the 50.5 Vegas prediction..
This season’s prediction is similar: 48.5 games. The big news in Minnesota is the team’s pick-up of LeMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga, giving up Naz Reid, Julius Randle and ex-Spur Kyle Anderson. Vegas presumably looked at all the changes, threw up its hands, and said “How many games did they win last year? Go with that.” I did something similar — flipped a coin and it came up “tails”. UNDER.
Oklahoma City Thunder
HDVD — At the start of last season, the consensus was that OKC was an unstoppable juggernaut. Vegas had the Thunder winning 62.5 games, and they beat that with 64 wins — an outstanding season. Happily ,four of the Thunder’s regular season losses were to one team, and that same team then beat the Thunder four more times in the playoffs. Put another way, the Spurs provided 8 of the Thunder’s total of 22 losses for the regular season and playoffs combined.
Vegas has OKC winning 60.5 games this season. OKC hopes Jalen Williams will be healthier this season, and that 7’3″ rookie Aday Mara can stand up to Victor Wembanyama better than Chet Holmgren did in the playoffs. The Thunder need both things to happen, because OKC surrendered valuable rotation guys Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe in the off-season. For me, losing those guys pushes OKC just slightly below 60.5. I have the Thunder as a very slight UNDER.
But the OKC Thunder are still the primary impediment to the Spurs’ quest for the crown.
San Antonio Spurs
HDVD — The Spurs absolutely crushed everyone’s expectations in 2025-2026, including but not limited to Vegas’s 43.5 win prediction. The Spurs’ 62-20 record meant they exceeded the projection by 18.5 “extra” wins — Vegas’s biggest miss of the year, by a lot.
The Vegas 2026-27 prediction for the Spurs is the same as the prediction for the Thunder — 60.5 wins. I don’t think the Spurs will match last season’s 18.5 game over-performance — though a 79 – 3 record would be even more joyous than last season. I am contractually required to say OVER, but this season I will go with just one OVER instead of OVER,OVER, OVER. Let’s bring it on home with a 63-19 record and the number one seed.
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Ziaire Williams #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-103 win over the Sacramento Kings Monday night, head coach JJ Redick praised his team’s defense, particularly its ability to generate 27 turnovers. Helping key that effort defensively were Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle, both of whom received a starting nod. Williams consistently pressed ball-handlers full-court and picked up a steal while Thybulle yielded two takeaways of his own. They were two of the nine different Lakers to record a steal against Sacramento.
Williams also added 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting (3-of-3 from deep) and Thybulle went 2-of-4 beyond the arc. Their play drew compliments from Luka Dončić, who seems quite happy to be playing alongside these defensive-minded wings.
“It felt great. I think we all had fun out there, especially Matisse and Ziaire. Just that beginning of the game, just starting, that’s contagious for everybody,” Dončić said after Monday’s win. “How they started the game was inspirational and the other guys came from the bench and it was amazing just to watch. They were having fun and sharing the ball. I think the whole team had fun today.”
If the Lakers are to be a formidable defensive unit this season, Williams and Thybulle will be integral to their success. One of them will presumably start alongside Dončić, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes and Walker Kessler, while the other will be a crucial reserve.
For both of them, being viable offensive players is imperative. Both have shown some knack as cutters throughout their respective careers but will need to hit 3s at a respectable clip to maximize their opportunity for playing time and boost Los Angeles’ defense. Williams is a career 32.2% outside shooter while Thybulle is at 34.9%. Thybulle must also stay healthy after playing a combined 45 games the past two seasons.
Dončić recognizes how much the Lakers will benefit if they can replicate performances like Monday’s.
“It was amazing. Like I said, it was contagious for everybody,” he said. “The way they started the game, the way they play defense using their hands, it’s one of the best that I’ve seen. Being teammates with them and going against them makes us better and makes them better. It’s just really fun to have them on the team.”
This season is shaping up to be the most interesting Rookie of the Year race in a long time. The intense debate about who should have been the top pick in last June's NBA Draft now carries over to the Rookie of the Year race.
Will No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa in Washington win? Darryn Peterson in Utah? Cameron Boozer in Memphis? Or could we see Caleb Wilson in Chicago, Darius Acuff Jr. in Sacramento or Brayden Burries in Milwaukee rise up and grab the award? It's going to be a fascinating race, and we asked a panel of NBCSports.com writers to make their predictions. Here they are, but first, here are the current Rookie of the Year betting odds, via DraftKings:
Cameron Boozer +300 Darryn Peterson +330 Caleb Wilson +350 AJ Dybantsa +425 Darius Acuff +1200
NBA 2026-27 Rookie of the Year
Kurt Helin, NBC lead NBA writer: Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz
Darryn Peterson won me over at Summer League. It wasn't simply his explosive athleticism — something not displayed enough at Kansas for a variety of reasons — or his confidence. It was the variety in his game and the mental adjustments he was making — he figures things out quickly, and that processing speed will suit him in his NBA career.
There are good reasons to pick Cameron Boozer to win this award: He has the most polished game of the top rookies and, more importantly, he's going to have opportunities with the ball in his hands in Memphis. A lot of what I like about Peterson you also can see in AJ Dybantsa, but will he get enough opportunities on a team with Trae Young and contract-year Anthony Davis? The argument against Peterson also is the opportunity one, but I think his fit between Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George is more natural, and Peterson is going to get his chances. In a close race, the fact Peterson isn't just putting up numbers but should be doing so in meaningful games for a Jazz team ready to be back in the playoffs will put him over the top.
Raphielle Johnson, NBC Sports Fantasy basketball lead analyst: Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls
Win-loss record rarely comes into the equation when evaluating Rookie of the Year options, as the early favorites are drafted to poorly performing teams. Individually, Wilson is in a position to flourish immediately. Sharing the court with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis should give the former North Carolina forward ample opportunities to attack defenses in transition, and he didn't get to show his full skill set in college. AJ Dybantsa has some vets to share the offensive opportunities with in Washington, while Darryn Peterson isn't guaranteed to start immediately in Utah. Memphis' Cameron Boozer may be Wilson's biggest threat in the ROY race, and Sacramento's Darius Acuff Jr. is also in a spot to take on a prominent role immediately.
Jay Croucher, NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst: Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies
Boozer projects as the most "pro-ready" of the top picks and also the one with the most immediate path to usage. AJ Dybantsa and Darren Peterson step into teams with established high-usage veterans. Boozer has no such blocker - he should fill up the stat sheet and be a positive impact from the start.
No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer showed off his skillset in front of the @memgrizz faithful tonight!
Drew Dinsick, NBC Sports betting analyst: Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz
This award is typically a proxy for volume, and there are reasonable concerns that Peterson may have a more limited role for the Jazz than his competitors. However, the Jazz are built to compete now and will likely have a top-10 offense, one in which Peterson won't be the focal point for opposing defenses. His skill set is a perfect complement to breakout point guard Keyonte George, and preseason press makes clear he has already won over his coach and veteran teammates like Jusuf Nurkić and Lauri Markkanen. I expect he'll earn a spot in the closing five for a team in the playoff hunt. That should be enough to take him over the top against his rivals in Memphis, Chicago and Washington, whose teams will play far fewer meaningful games in the spring.
This could be one of the most exciting races for Rookie of the Year in recent history. Obviously the top four picks are the favorites, though there are some others that could start and have an outside chance, such as Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg. AJ Dybantsa was the top pick and should be a fluid scorer from day one, but there is a lot of competition for shots and touches in Washington. Darryn Peterson may run into the same issue in Utah. Caleb Wilson should make a two-way impact immediately and be a productive play finisher for Chicago, but usage concerns could pop up there as well.
To me, Boozer is the safest pick to win the award, but it isn't simply because there aren't other strong candidates. There is a real chance the offense runs through Boozer from day one, and he should be more efficient than the other top rookies. We've seen some spectacular rookies in recent years, and Boozer should be next in line. Again, it should be an exciting race with how talented this class is. Whoever ends up winning the award will have to impact the game in a multitude of ways and have a spectacular season. Boozer is the best choice.
After spending seven years as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James departed in free agency this summer and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a veteran minimum contract worth $7.9 million total over two seasons. For the last 1.5 years of his tenure with the Lakers, James shared the court alongside Luka Dončić. They appeared in 72 regular-season games together and Los Angeles posted a 47-25 record in those contests.
When James left the Lakers, he contacted Dončić, who expressed his gratitude for their abbreviated stint together donning the purple and gold.
“And I reached out to him. Thank you for everything,” Dončić said. “Obviously, it was amazing being his teammate. Learned so many things”
Luka says Lebron reached out to him when he left. Adds that there was no pressure knowing he was the face of the Lakers but an honor.
“And I reached out to him. Thank you for everything. Obviously it was amazing being his teammate. Learned so many things”… pic.twitter.com/iNZjvlv1Xt
James’ exit makes Dončić the official face of the franchise. Los Angeles significantly overhauled the roster this offseason by signing a bevy of complementary archetypes for him and retaining his co-star in the backcourt, Austin Reaves. Despite now leading the NBA’s most renowned organization, Dončić doesn’t see the responsibility as newfound weight on his shoulders and said it never suddenly hit him at any point that he is the face of this franchise.
“Obviously, they’re gonna say it’s a lot more pressure,” Dončić said. “But it’s not really pressure, it’s an honor.”
Watching James and Dončić join forces for 1.5 seasons was a fascinating experience. James is the greatest men’s basketball player of all time while Dončić is one of the most revered prospects in modern history and among the league’s top players currently. Both are splendidly gifted playmakers who can spoon-feed teammates the easiest of shots.
Yet for all their collective passing feel and general talent, they didn’t always mesh on the court. Their synergy often fluctuated night to night or week to week and it never seemed like they enjoyed a lengthy runway of harmonic hoops together. Much of that was due to external factors.
They both missed some time, which cut into their opportunities to assimilate, and the unexpected nature of the Dončić trade threw the Lakers’ roster into serious flux over the past 1.5 years. It always felt mismatched and jumbled, with Dončić, James and Reaves covering up for a lot of flaws elsewhere to propel Los Angeles to 50-plus wins both seasons.
Regardless, their shared tenure as Lakers was cool to watch as a basketball fan and it’s nice to hear their relationship seems to be on good terms.
A Mississippi Valley State men’s basketball player has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Qingfang Pang, a junior power forward on the Delta Devils, is in ICE custody at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, according to the ICE database.
Pang is from China, with a listed hometown of Queens, New York on the official Mississippi Valley State roster. Before enrolling in college, Pang played high school basketball at Christ the King High School in Queens.
Pang’s Houston-based attorney, Marcus Session, told WJTV that Pang was in the process of going to New York to be with his sponsor, a family friend, to get his visa issue sorted out when he was detained by ICE.
🚨 BREAKING: A MVSU men's basketball player has been detained by ICE
Power forward Qingfang Pang is a junior originally from China, listed as having a US hometown in Flushing, Queens
The station, citing an unnamed source close to the case, said it’s believed that it’s a delayed paperwork issue with the university. Session had filed a request for an emergency bond hearing.
“He wants to resume going to school,” Session said to WJTV. “He wants to play college basketball. He wants to be a 21 year old kid who’s just trying to make a life for himself.”
In a statement to USA TODAY Sports, Mississippi Valley State said it is aware of the situation and is "deeply concerned for the student's well-being."
"The student is registered as a full-time student at Mississippi Valley State University. University officials are closely monitoring the situation and are committed to providing appropriate support as circumstances develop," the university said in the statement.
The school, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), said it is limited in the information it can publicly disclose about a student's educational records or personal circumstances.
A request for comment from USA TODAY Sports to the Department of Homeland Security has not been immediately returned.
Pang transferred in from Monroe University in New York, where he had played on the school’s basketball team. In 31 games last season, he averaged 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. According to WJTV, he had been at Mississippi Valley State for about a year.
He's not the first college basketball player to be detained by ICE this year.
Before being released this week on a $2,500 bond, Kentucky State women's basketball player Aminata Seck was in ICE custody for 61 days. A native of Senegal, Seck was detained by ICE at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Aug. 7. In a statement to USA TODAY Sports, DHS said Seck "chose to overstay her welcome in violation of our nation's laws" after legally entering the country in 2019 on a temporary basis. Seck's attorneys said that she had been moved to at least four different detention centers while in ICE custody.
Trading away Walker Kessler this summer meant the Utah Jazz were going to lean heavily on veteran center Jusuf Nurkic this season to anchor a team a lot of people are high on (*raises hand*).
That's now on hold. Nurkic has "sustained a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe of his right foot during Utah's first preseason game against Denver on Oct. 4," the team announced. He will be reevaluated in four weeks, meaning he will miss at least the first few weeks of the season.
The plantar plate is a ligament that connects the toe to the rest of the foot, and when it is torn (even partially), the toe can become unstable and move out of alignment. It can also cause some pain and discomfort, which isn't ideal for a sport where Nukic is paid to run up and down a hardwood floor.
Jaxson Hayes started the second half against Denver and likely moves into a starting role, which would have Utah leaning hard into its offense and giving up some defense in the process. Jaren Jackson Jr. will be back to playing the center spot more than he prefers (he is best at the four). Mo Bamba could see more run now (he is on a non-guaranteed contract but is likely to make the opening-day roster), and Kyle Filipowski likely gets some time at the five as well.
None of them are as solid and consistent as Nurkic (except Jackson Jr., but they want him more at the four).
Nurkic, who played just 11 minutes in that preseason opener, played 41 games for the tanking Jazz last season, averaging 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. This summer he signed a two-year, $22 million deal to be Utah's starting center. For this team to reach the playoffs, as is its goal, it will need a healthy Nurkic most of the season.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Labaron Philon Jr. #00 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers offseason was dominated by blockbuster headlines with the acquisitions of LeBron James in free agency and Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics.
In all of that excitement, one might nearly forget they also made a first-round draft pick just a few months ago. Back on day one of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Sixers used the 22nd overall selection to draft Labaron Philon, a 20-year-old guard coming off an impressive sophomore season at Alabama.
Philon’s first season as a freshman at Alabama was focused more on his defensive contributions, with him excelling on that side of the floor more. His sophomore year was a different story, with Philon thrust into a high-usage offensive role, where he met the challenge and began putting up impressive numbers. In that 2025-26 season, Philon averaged 22.0 points per game on 50.1% field goal shooting and 39.9% shooting from long range with 5.0 assists across 33 games (32 starts).
So Philon is no stranger to changes in expectations. And good thing, too, because a lot of things have changed for Philadelphia and Philon since he heard his name called at the draft. He was already due to share a court with players like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Now, expectations on the squad are higher than ever as LeBron and Brown have joined the mix.
Talk about having some stellar players to set the example for someone transitioning to the NBA — and Philon is ready to learn all he can.
“It’s a blessing just to be around guys like that. To be able to have a young guy in VJ who can help me with stuff that he’s seen his rookie year. It’s great to have four guys, five guys like that,” Philon told reporters at the team’s media day. “A rookie doesn’t normally get to play on a team like that or play with the stars like that. So I would say being able to have questions ready every day for those guys — I’m a rookie. I don’t really know a lot, and those questions can help me go to the next level.”
One can imagine it might be hard, however, for a 20-year-old rookie to relate all their experiences with a player like LeBron, one of the greatest to ever do it in his 24th season in the association. For a fresher perspective on being the young new guy in town, Philon looks to Edgecombe, the 2025 No. 3 overall pick that has gone from fresh-faced newbie himself to bona fide NBA player with a bit of experience under his belt. Philon, who’s known Edgecombe for years, is taking full advantage of his perspective.
“[Edgecombe] being young, in the same age around I am, it’s definitely been helping me just to reflect on the things he had to go through his his rookie year, and then the things I’m going through now,” Philon explained. “It’s been definitely great to be around him and talking on and off the court — you know, even while we’re on the game, we’re still talking about basketball and stuff like that. So it’s been a great relationship with him, and I’ve been knowing him since high school, so that relationship just picked back up, and it’s been going great.
“So I would say he’s one of the guys I’ve been trying to learn from the most right now.”
Philon has gotten his first kindof taste of NBA action with the preseason getting underway. In the Sixers preseason opener, the young guard played 25 minutes. His stats for the night were nothing spectacular, but he’s already showing promise in a number of ways in his game, from his impressive handles and footwork to his willingness to run the offense.
Labaron Philon with the footwork and handles to dance his way right to the rim pic.twitter.com/Ijn7UuifoZ
“I really like his ability to run the team, as you guys probably could notice,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse told reporters after the game Monday night. “He’s really, really communicative. He really gets the guys set up.
“[The Knicks] certainly had a certain coverage for him that we’ll be able to let him work on now and give him a counter move to that.”
That seems to be the running theme with Philon, the idea of learning as things come throughout his transition to the NBA and adapting to new challenges as they arise. He certainly has some work ahead of him to establish himself in a rotation filled with stars and veterans, but it seems like Philon is willing and eager to prove himself at the professional level.
Boston, MA - November 3: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with assistant coach Tony Dobbins in the third quarter at TD Garden on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Joe Mazzulla doesn’t typically speak at Celtics shootaround.
But standing by the court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Mazzulla had something he wanted to share: for the first time in his head-coaching tenure, he decided to give his assistant coaches the responsibility of coaching the team in a preseason game.
Tony Dobbins will coach the first half of Thursday’s preseason game between the Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and DJ MacLeay will coach the second half. Mazzulla, meanwhile, will watch the game from the locker room.
“I want to give them the opportunity to be able to just build themselves as coaches,” Mazzulla said. “Both those guys had head coaching interviews this past summer, and I want them to be able to build on that.”
Joe Mazzulla said that Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay will coach tonight’s preseason game against the Cavaliers
Both were finalists for head coach positions this past summer
“They'll be running the show, and excited for them, and want them to continue to grow.” pic.twitter.com/JIpyTxDWx4
Both Dobbins and MacLeay were interviewed for NBA head coaching positions, with Dobbins among the finalists for the Dallas Mavericks job and MacLeay interviewing for the Portland Trail Blazers job. And, both coaches have previously served as Celtics Summer League head coaches; Dobbins in 2023 and MacLeay in 2024.
Now, they’ll both coach an NBA game for the very first time. Mazzulla said he decided to have them coach preseason games over the summer, after they interviewed for other head coaching positions.
“To me that’s a huge testament to them and the work that they do,” Mazzulla said. “And so, you’re just always looking for opportunities to give them more experience. And sometimes, the only experience is being out there on the sideline. So, I want to give that to them. They deserve it. They earned it. They’re great at what they do. I think we have one of the best staffs.”
Sam Cassell, Mazzulla’s lead assistant, will coach the Celtics’ final preseason game, an October 16th matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Mazzulla said he stands to benefit from watching the game from the Celtics locker room
“I’ll stay quiet,” Mazzulla said, noting that he’ll be watching the game from the video coordinators’ perspective. “I’ll watch it in the back with some of the guys that won’t play, and the video guys who do the halftime edits and just really see what I don’t see when they’re out there. So, it’s just as much for me as it is for them.”
Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay have both established themselves as two of the team’s most important assistants
In addition to being a member of the Celtics’ defense, Tony Dobbins served as Jayson Tatum’s individual coach over the past season. Celtics players have routinely lauded his character off the court.
“He’s one of the best people you’ll ever be around,” Tatum said last year.
“As far as human beings go? He’s one of the most patient people I’ve been around,” Payton Pritchard said. “I don’t think you could ever say something bad about him.”
Mazzulla said the MacLeay has grown significantly as a leader over the years; the 32-year-old has led the Celtics’ defense for the past few seasons while also serving as Luka Garza’s player development coach.
“DJ has done a great job leading our defense team and helping some of the young coaches develop and bringing people along with him,” Mazzulla said.
Boston, MA – July 8: Boston Celtics summer league coach D.J. MacLeay speaks to the media at the Auerbach Center. (Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The players, for one, are excited by the wrinkle.
“I think it’s awesome,” Garza said. “We hear a lot from Tony and DJ all the time, so it’s cool to see them have that opportunity.”
Mike Conley hasn’t worked with Dobbins and MacLeay quite as long, but he nonetheless appreciated the sentiment behind Mazzulla’s decision.
“Joe’s a guy that seems like he just empowers everybody around him, players and coaches included,” Conley said. “So D-Mac and Tony getting that opportunity tonight, I know it’s going to be a good chance for them to just feel what it’s like.”
Celtics-Cavaliers will tip off at 7pm ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and Dobbins and MacLeay will be front and center.
“I’m excited for them,” Mazzulla said. “And I want them to continue to grow.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
New York will watch the Knicks play basketball inside the Garden for the first time since they waved them goodbye after the Game 4 win over the Spurs and before they hoisted the Larry O’B back in Texas.
The MSG faithful will have to wait a couple of weeks for the unveiling of the banner(s?), but it’s not that having the Knickerbockers playing closer to them won’t be welcomed.
Here’s the latest from a heated Brown and a few other people before tip-off.
Mike Brown took the Knicks' starting five aside, looked at his bench players today at practice and said:
"Everybody else in this gym, you're fighting – either to make the team or for minutes" pic.twitter.com/GweTAITsOT
On challenging the Knicks’ bench players to compete harder in practice:
“I brought it up today, when we weren’t competing. I’m like, you know what? And I specifically went down the line talking about Jalen, Mikal, OG, KAT and Josh. I said those five: they are going to play. If they do something wrong, I’m going to get on them and we’re going to figure it out, but they still are going to play. I said, everybody else in this gym: you [are] fighting.
“You’re fighting either to make the team or you’re fighting for minutes. I said, look around. This is not just because we won last year. This has nothing to do with last year’s team. Those five guys are the same. But this is a new year, a new team. We got to look forward. And so, every day, it’s a competition. We should be pushing each other to get better while competing for minutes and/or to make the team. So, you’re 100% accurate. It’s going to be hard.”
On how the Warriors avoided complacency after winning the first of two consecutive titles:
“There was no slippage. And when I say no slippage, there was no slippage in our process from Year One to Year Two. Guys embraced the details. They embraced the little things. They knew we couldn’t just show up and turn the light switch on and think just because we won last year, we’re going to win this year.
“That group was very, very good, and it started with the core players. The core players didn’t allow it to happen, which made it easy for our staff to say what we needed to say when we did start having slippage, because everybody is human, so it’s going to happen.
“We have to embrace all the work and the details that go into it along with the effort every single day.”
On how winning a championship could affect Mikal Bridges’ confidence and the scrutiny he faces:
“It definitely can be freeing. It can definitely help with the validation that every human being looks for in life or in whatever they do. But at the end of the day, everybody has a short-term memory. It’s ‘what can you do for me lately?’ Nobody can ever take that away from any of us because we were all a part of it. But if you want to stay on top, it’s gonna be hard. It’s gonna be even harder. …There’s gonna be more scrutiny. And that scrutiny might even be at a higher level.”
"I hold myself accountable at all times. That's the thing that I do love about this organization and the fans, even though some might be a little more crazy than others, but they want the best out of you. I'll never take that for granted."
On Mike Brown holding the Knicks accountable after a lackluster practice:
“I think that’s what makes Coach a great coach, just holding us accountable. It can be human nature to relax a little bit. As a player, as a coach, as a fan, you can relax after having a lot of success. It’s difficult to do something great and continue to try and get better.
“And that’s our goal. We did something great last year; it was last year, and I think the biggest thing coming into this year is that we know what it takes.
“It’s just great that coach did that, holding us accountable because we want to be the best team we can be. And the best team we can be, we can’t be the same exact team that we were last year. It’s a different team; we gotta be even better. Those lapses where we might get a little human nature in us, where we play a game and have a little day in between and we’re kind of, maybe sometimes going through the motions, it was great for coach to do that to us because the thing about us, we’re all competitors and we all want to win. So as soon as Coach says something like that, none of us are going to back down and be like ‘whatever.’ We’re going to pick it up and keep fighting and get better.”
On dealing with criticism and scrutiny following his trade to the Knicks:
“I got a phone. Even if I don’t want to see it or anything, it’s always there. That’s just life. People talk about anything, and that’s all right; you just gotta go about your business. People can think however they want to think; I just know that I’m gonna work hard and try to be the best teammate that I can be and best player that I can be and continue to try and help win as much as I can.”
On whether he feels fully appreciated by Knicks fans after winning a championship:
“I don’t know. I’m not sure about that. Can just say that I’m appreciative of fans. If I see them when I’m walking my dog or something like that, just a lot of nice things to say. That’s foremost, kind of more like a human-to-human interaction, just very nice and grateful to be in this position. I don’t need to feel like there’s validation and there’s like, ‘OK, now he can…’ No, I hold myself accountable at all times.”
On how Knicks fans’ expectations have pushed him to improve:
“That’s the thing that I do love about this organization and the fans, even though some might be a little more crazy than others, they want the best out of you. I never take that for granted. I talk to myself a lot when I go through a lot of things and I got people that help me as well, but that’s one thing that I do take from it, is that they get the best out of me. When I’m struggling and I know I gotta be better, I can’t hide from it sometimes — even though I know internally, the people let me know as well. As much as you get frustrated about it, the only thing it does is drive me and I continue to try and get better. I’m always appreciative of it.”
On the Knicks still having something to prove after winning the championship:
“I think we all still have something to prove.”
"That was probably the closest dude to me on the team, honestly.
On avoiding complacency and raising the Knicks’ intensity during training camp:
“I think throughout the year, we’re gonna have our ups and downs. The first week, second week of training camp, we’ll have days like that, but we just don’t want to get complacent at all. If we continue to try to win every single day, we try to compete every single day — for us [during] training camp, we just wanna pick up the level and be ready for the home opener in two weeks and get it rolling for the regular season.
“We just wanted to pick the energy up, keep continuing to play at a high level and pick the physicality up. I think that was a big thing that he said from last game.”
Nick Nurse was "surprised" to hear the LeBron/Embiid story Mike Breen told.
— Zach Ciavolella (Cha-vo-lel-la) (@CiavoNBA) October 7, 2026
Mike Breen
On his disappointment with how his LeBron James and Joel Embiid story was interpreted:
“I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted. The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late.”
On apologizing for the report and accepting James’ denial:
“I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly. For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless. In hindsight, I should have realized the fact that it was Joel is what made it a story. I’ve always been a huge fan of Joel and feel awful that it put the focus on him the way that it did.
“I don’t know why the person who told me the story would make it up, but if LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there.”
"I might be being prisoner of this moment because A.I. is Godly to me, God-like, but what Jalen Brunson did … I can't argue with it." – @RealSkipBaylesspic.twitter.com/FFdU4gPnFS
On choosing between Jalen Brunson and Allen Iverson:
“That is a great question that I’m struggling with because I was a big A.I. fan. Jalen Brunson against the odds… my eyes were ready to not embrace him throughout the playoff run, but he just kept saying, ‘Watch this; watch this.’
“I might be being a prisoner of this moment because A.I. is Godly to me, God-like, but what Jalen Brunson did to the favoured Spurs… I can’t argue with it.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers open up their preseason campaign against the Boston Celtics tonight at home. This is the first of three exhibition games for Cleveland.
Preseason basketball can be interesting. How much you take from it is completely up to you. Each team has different goals when coming into these contests.
One of the goals for the Cavs is to figure out lineup combinations, specifically, trying to figure out how to split up the backcourt pairing of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden with the frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Head coach Kenny Atkinson said after practice yesterday that they’d “mess around” with different lineup configurations in their three preseason games and will also use one of their planned inter-squad scrimmages to help with this as well.
Meleek Thomas’s preseason debut is something to also keep an eye on. Several players have mentioned him as a standout in training camp so far. We’ll see if that carries over to preseason.
Atkinson was asked yesterday if there’s a clear frontrunner for backup point guard minutes. He declined to name one, saying that Mitchell and Harden will serve that role, with his intention to have one of them on the court at all times. That means that they’re really only looking for a “secondary ball handler” that “can hold up defensively.”
The simplest way for Thomas to earn minutes this season will be on the defensive end. We’ll see how he looks on that end this game.
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers began their preseason on Monday night against the New York team currently atop the NBA’s success ladder, and they’ll now face the New York team down towards the bottom.
The Sixers are in Brooklyn tonight for their second of four preseason contests as they continue to ramp up to the beginning of the regular season now less than two weeks away. Monday’s win over the Knicks was a huge success with the glaring exception of the injury to Ariel Hukporti, who has since been declared out for the season with a torn right Achilles.
In addition to missing Hukporti tonight, Philadelphia will also be without Dominick Barlow (back soreness), Anfernee Simons (hamstring) and Adem Bona (foot). Nick Nurse spoke yesterday about wanting to get the “majority” of the guys out on the court tonight, which seems to indicate to me that we could be perhaps see the full projected starting five, after Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and LeBron James all sat out against the Knicks. Down both of their backup centers, the big man position is obviously an open question. Nurse mentioned small ball lineups anchored by Jabari Walker, Dean Wade, Barlow (when healthy) and LeBron. Walker had an excellent performance on Monday, securing a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in just 19 minutes, even knocking down three shots from behind the arc. I’d expect him to get plenty of minutes backing up Embiid tonight.
If we do see the full starting group together, it should make for an exciting product. The Blue x White scrimmage showed a great start in those guys building chemistry together, and Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe both played extremely well against the Knicks. Brown scored a very efficient 22 points in 17 minutes, and Edgecombe flashed an improved handle and playmaking ability from his rookie season.
As for Brooklyn, the Nets are thick in the midst of a rebuild with a whopping 12 players either in their first or second year in the league on the roster. Julius Randle now joins Michael Porter Jr. as the vets on the squad after coming over from Minnesota via trade this summer. Former Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. was taken sixth overall in the 2026 NBA draft, but has been out with an ankle injury and missed Brooklyn’s first preseason game on Tuesday, a 124-90 win over Charlotte.
Not that winning “matters” in the preseason, but it’s certainly a game in which the Sixers should come out on top. More important, though, is the new guys, particularly in the starting group, building the foundation against their first live opponent. Also, obviously, we want everyone to remain healthy coming out of this one. The Knicks game provided plenty of highlights for us to salivate over. Hopefully tonight’s action provides more of the same. As an added bonus, LeBron won’t have to take the helicopter home after tonight’s game.
Game Details
When: Thursday, October 8, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY Watch: NBCSP+/PCK-PHI Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
