Category: Basketball

LeBron James continues to make history.

The NBA icon passed Jason Kidd to move into third for most assists all time in pro basketball. He did so during the Philadelphia 76ers131-124 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Nov. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

James' 12,092nd assist came with 1:19 left in the fourth quarter. Dean Wade passed the ball to James, who was standing near the free throw line. James quickly tossed the ball up to VJ Edgecombe, who took two steps under the basket and slammed a dunk.

LEBRON JAMES PASSES JASON KIDD 🚨

ASSIST NO. 12,092.

THIRD ALL-TIME IN ASSISTS FOR LBJ! pic.twitter.com/p5LBQeY9v7

— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2026

James spoke on how passing the ball has been a foundational part of his game from the beginning. He is now playing in his 24th season, an NBA record.

"From the moment I picked up a basketball when I first started playing like recreational basketball, five-on-five, I always got a joy and a kick out of seeing my teammates score," he said on the NBC Sports broadcast after the win. "It was a feeling that felt really good about me being able to help one of my teammates out. ... Yeah, I got a kick out of that from day one."

James needs 461 assists to pass Chris Paul, who sits in second place on the assists list with 12,552. John Stockton holds the NBA record with 15,806 assists. James is already the NBA's all-time leading points scorer.

"It means I had a lot of great teammates," James said of reaching the assists mark. "You gotta have teammates that can put the ball in the hole. My job is just try to put it on time, on target. Lead 'em to the hole either from layups, dunks, threes, midrange, whatever the case may be.

"Any time I'm on any list in NBA history, I love the history of the game. I love the players that came before me. It's super honorable."

The landmark assist was one of 11 that James had on the night. He added 15 points and seven rebounds to his stat line. Jaylen Brown led Philadelphia with 31 points, two rebounds and two assists. Tyrese Maxey added 27 points, four rebounds and six assists.

Pascal Siakam had 31 points, two rebounds and two assists for Indiana in the loss.

James joined the 76ers this offseason after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. In his time in Philadelphia so far this season, James beat the defending championNew York Knicks in the season opener and helped with a 29-point comeback against his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Top 10 assist leaders in NBA history

*-active

1. John Stockton - 15,806
2. Chris Paul - 12,552
3. *LeBron James - 12,092
4. Jason Kidd - 12,091
5. Russell Westbrook - 10,351
6. Steve Nash - 10,335
7. Mark Jackson - 10,334
8. Magic Johnson - 10,141
9. Oscar Robertson - 9,887
10. Isiah Thomas - 9,061

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James climbs to third on NBA all-time assists list, passing Jason Kidd

It’s been awhile since we saw a 1 p.m. win on a Sunday in this city. The Sixers knocked off the Indiana Pacers 131-124 Sunday Afternoon.

Jaylen Brown powered the Sixers with 31 points shooting 12-of-18 from the floor along with three rebounds. Tyrese Maxey quietly put up 27 points and six assists shooting 9-of-19 from the field.

LeBron James had a tremendous day sharing the rock as his 11 assists moved him up to third in the league’s all-time assist leaders. He also had 15 points and six rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting. VJ Edgecombe bounced back from a scoreless first half to end with 11 points, four rebounds, and six assists shooting 5-of-11 from the floor. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 31 as well.

Joel Embiid was out with plantar fascia management in his right foot, along with Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow. The Pacers were missing Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• The Sixers moved the ball very well on their opening possession of the game as Maxey got wide open on a cut, but he smoked the bunny. It looked like he might not have corralled the bounce pass from LeBron. Maxey did get the Sixers on the board running quick off the ensuing Pacers miss. Brown knocked down two of his first three jumpers as the two of them accounted for Philly’s first 15 points of the game.
• A lot of what Maxey was able to get early was set up by LeBron, who was zipping the ball all around the perimeter early. Maxey took full advantage and had a lot of space to get his first two three-pointers off. Maxey found James up ahead for a transition bucket for James’ first points of the day.

LeBron ↪️ Rese pic.twitter.com/tYtWrUjH2k

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 15, 2026

• Brown had a really good jump shooting quarter, putting up 11 in the first. He didn’t seem to have a hard time getting to his pull-up spots, and knocked them down whether there was a hand in his face or not. Meanwhile on the other end, all five of the Pacers’ starters scored within the first six minutes of the game and started the game 11-of-19 from the floor. They were already taking advantage of the small Sixers team available with nine early second-chance points on four offensive rebounds.
• Kelly Oubre Jr. was playing in Philly for the first time since signing with the Pacers, and got off to a good start. He scored seven in the first, beating his old team on a couple of cuts. Another old friend, T.J. McConnell, hit a few of his classic short pull-up jumpers. The Sixers trailed by six after the Pacers shot 62% from the field in the first.

Second Quarter

• A quick rest on the bench didn’t cool Brown down as he nailed two more jumpers to star the second. After getting some minutes in Delaware over the weekend, Labaron Philon Jr. was back in the rotation, checking in early in the second, even if it was because Anfernee Simons picked up two quick fouls. The first time he got into an action was LeBron screening and rolling for him, but the play was quickly whistled dead when Quentin Jackson got into it with James. A couple possessions later James hit Philon on the wing for a three.

the rookie and the vet 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ZDBOpD80Rf

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 15, 2026

• Regardless of whether the Sixers had Jabari Walker on the floor or a less traditional center option, they had trouble giving the Pacers any resistance at the rim. Fourteen of Indy’s first 16 points in the second came from the paint or getting fouled in the paint. With that shot diet it wasn’t a shock they continued to hover over 60% from the field.
• Brown continued to find ways to put the ball in the basket, and the Sixers needed every bit of it to keep pace. There was even a sequence where he grabbed a rebound from the floor despite getting hit in the face earlier in the possession.
• After a couple of fast breaks Maxey simply created with his speed. James threw a brilliant bounce pass down the baseline to Brown for another fast break that capped off a 16-4 Sixer run. Coming out of a Pacer timeout, Oubre drew a foul on a Brown push-off, something Oubre really exaggerated in celebration. Aaron Nesmith scored a basket out of that, but Oubre missed the corner three the Pacers got out of a Maxey turnover their next trip down the floor.

DIMES https://t.co/dgZyjhQeeSpic.twitter.com/OZZlVqzI39

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 15, 2026

• LeBron took that rebound and got up the floor quickly for a dunk attempt before the half but Oubre fouled him hard to avoid that. James hit the deck hard and stayed down for a bit, but eventually got up and knocked down two free throws to put the Sixers up by one at the break. Whether it was related or not, James and Maxey had a lengthy discussion with Tyrese Haliburton before heading back to the locker room.

Third Quarter

• Going scoreless in the first half, Edgecombe just could not buy a bucket. He missed another open corner three early in the third, but did start to produce. He nabbed a steal to start the quarter and found Maxey for a three, then finally got a couple of baskets himself going to the basket. He tried his damndest to put Ivica Zubac on a poster, but Zubac got over with enough time to meet Edgecombe with a hard foul.
• A center with a clear height advantage like Zubac was always going to give Walker trouble defensively, but he was putting in another good shift of hardwork. On top of pulling down four defensive rebounds and two on the offensive end, Walker had drilled three threes which is always a nice help to the offense.
• With that being said, Nick Nurse decided to give Tacko Fall his frst real minutes when Walker went to the bench. Fall rebounded Edgecombe’s missed free throw, which once again sent the crowd into a wild frenzy. They also ate up every bit of the screen he set for LeBron as James scored eight straight for the Sixers.

LEBRON 3Q FLURRY IN PHILLY 🔥

Scores through traffic.
Hits the midrange jumper.
Throws down the alley-oop slam.

He's scored 8 of his 12 PTS in just the 3Q on 3-3 FGM! pic.twitter.com/XRKSGFqlId

— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2026

• There were some rusty moments like a foul and a defensive three-second violation, but the Fall minutes definitely could have gone worse defensively. Multiple shots at the rim were altered by him being there, including a layup attempt that went out of bounds over the backboard.
• Their defense to close the quarter looked more comfortable. Dean Wade made a great play to stop a fastbreak, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope fought for a loose ball that led to him earning a pair of free throws. Maxey fell into a rhythm again on the other end, hitting a floater and another stepback three. Simons hit his second quarter-ending buzzer-beater in as many games, giving the Sixers a 10-point lead after the third.

Fourth Quarter

• After such a strong first half Brown had to sit most of the third quarter when he quickly picked up his third foul. That long rest didn’t slow his momentum down though as he hit a pull-up to start the quarter before trailing LeBron to hit an open three off the catch. 
• A few possessions later Edgecombe made a nice read to open up Wade in the corner, setting the Sixers up to good position to start running away with the game. A three from Josh Huff followed by two consecutive and-1s by Siakam made sure that this game was far from over. The Sixers responded with a possession of great ball movement that, as the tweet below points out, was entirely orchestrated by LeBron, and led to another Wade three. However Siakam answered again by getting right to the basket and would pick up another and-1 two possessions later.

Sixers go with Weave action into an advance to LeBron. VJ Edgecombe comes from the right wing to screen. Watch LeBron call for Wade to go from the block to the left corner. No switch, Edgecombe gets it and drives. Huff pulls into help, kick to Wade for 3. pic.twitter.com/2dvKbXoyv8

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) November 15, 2026

• The Sixers’ offense did stagnate a bit, especially when LeBron went to the bench. They were lucky they weren’t punished more during their two minutes scoreless stretch. The only time they stopped Siakam in this stretch was when he pulled up for a jumper. Brown was finally able to snap that with a midrange but the Pacers were still able to chop the lead to four. KCP hit a big three to push that lead back up as LeBron was waiting to check back in.
• James threw another dime to a baseline cutter on his first possession back in the game, and Wade was able to draw a foul as he finished the dunk, putting the Sixers back up by double-digits with just over two to go. After Brown split a pair of free throws, Siakam got another and-1. He missed the free throw, and after each team committed an offensive foul, that pretty much put the Pacers in fouling territory from there on out.

Dallas Mavericks (7-6) at Boston Celtics (10-2)
Sunday, November 15, 2026
6:00 PM EST
Regular Season Game #13 Home Game #7
TV: NBCSB, KFAA29, NBA League Pass
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 105.3 The Fan, Sirius XM
TD Garden

The Celtics return home from a 4-0 road trip to take on the Dallas Mavericks. This is the first of 2 meetings between these 2 teams this season. They will play in Dallas on November 30. The Celtics won the series 2-0 last season. They are 49-41 overall all time against the Mavericks and they are 28-17 all time in games played in Boston.

Dallas is playing in the second of back to back games, having lost at Cleveland on Saturday. The Celtics are playing in the first of back to back games. They will host Orlando on Monday. This is already their 4th back to back set. They are 3-0 in the first of back to back games so far. The Celtics have 2 more back to back sets left in the month of November.

The Celtics are 1st in the East, half a game ahead of 2nd place Philadelphia and 1.5 games ahead of 3rd place Detroit. They are 5-0 at home and 9-1 in their last 10 games. This is their first game against a Western Conference team. They have won their last 5 games. The Mavericks are 10th in the West. They are 2-4 on the road and 6-4 in their last 10 games. They are 4-1 against Eastern Conference teams and have lost their last 2 games.

The Mavericks made several moves in the off season, starting with hiring Masai Ujiri to replace Nico Harrison, who sealed his fate when he traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. They also replaced Jason Kidd with Dusty May as coach. They added Zaccharie Risacher, Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser, and Tarik Biberovic. They drafted Morez Johnson with the 9th pick in the draft and Sertio DeLarrea with the 25th pick. They Klay Thompson, Khris Middleton, Ryan Nembhard, Marvin Bagley III, and Dwight Powell.

After this game, the Celtics will host Orlando before a West coast trip that takes them through Denver, Sacramento, Golden State, and Washington. They then play one game at home against Atlanta before playing at San Antonio and Dallas. Then it’s home against Charlotte before a game at Brooklyn. Next they have a 7 game home stand against Washington twice, Utah, Detroit, Portland, Miami and Cleveland.

After this game, Dallas will return home to host Golden State and the LA Clippers before a road trip through Utah, Denver, and Phoenix. Then they will host Boston, Orlando and Milwaukee before playing at Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Then it’s one game at home against Chicago before games at Golden State and Sacramento.

Predicting the Celtics starting lineup for any game is tough. The Celtics have been changing the 5th starter on a regular basis and there is no telling who they will start from game to game. I’ve listed the most used starting lineup for them but it may change. I personally would like to see Baylor Scheierman start in place of Jordan Walsh. For the Mavericks, I’ve listed their regular starting lineup of Irving, Flagg, Martin, Washington and Gafford, although they may rest a player or two on the second night of back to back games.

At this time, the Celtics have no one on the injury report, but it’s possible they may rest a player due to playing in back to back games. The Mavericks have 8 players on the injury list at this time. Tarik Biberrovic is out with right heel bursitis. Sergio DeLarrea is out with a right knee sprain. Dereck Lively II is out due to foot surgery. Max Christie is doubtful due to an ankle sprain. Santi Aldama is questionable with an ankle injury. Daniel Gafford is probable with a shoulder injury. Kyrie Irving is questionable due to knee injury management. If Kyrie is out for injury management, I would guess that Marcus Sasser gets the start in his place.

Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Kyrie Irving

SG: Jordan Walsh vs Cooper Flagg

SF: Paul George vs Caleb Martin

PF: Jayson Tatum vs PJ Washington, Jr

C: Neemias Queta vs Daniel Gafford

Celtics Reserves
Chris Cenac, Jr
Mike Conley, Jr
Luka Garza
Hugo Gonzalez
Ron Harper, Jr
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Mitchell Robinson
Baylor Scheierman

Two Way Players
Devin Carter
Dillon Mitchell
Amari Williams

Injuries/Out
None Listed

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Mavericks Reserves
Santi Aldama
Moussa Cisse
Morez Johnson, Jr
Naji Marshall
Zaccharie Risacher
Marcus Sasser

2-Way Players
Walter Clayton, Jr
Jett Howard
Tobi Lawal

Injuries/Out
Tarik Biberovic (heel) out
Sergio Delarrea (knee)  out
Dereck Lively II (foot)  out
Max Christie (ankle) questionable
Santi Aldama (ankle) questionable
Kyrie Irving (knee) questionable
Max Christie (ankle) doubtful
Daniel Gafford (shoulder) probable

Head Coach
Dusty May 

Key Matchups
Jordan Walsh vs Cooper Flagg
Flagg is playing very well to start his sophomore season. He is averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He is shooting 49.5% from the field and 30.0% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him well and avoid giving him open shots. The Celtics also have to be aware of his defense as he is very good at deflecting the ball and getting steals.

Derrick White vs Kyrie Irving
After missing all of last season, Kyrie Irving is back and playing very well.  He is averaging 21.6 points, 3.2 rebounds,4.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game.  He is shooting 47.9% from the field and 39.0% from beyond the arc.  He has long carried a grudge against the Celtics, even going so far as to stomp on the logo after a game at the Garden and so always gives his best effort to try to beat them. He is questionable due to the back to back and for injury management and so if he can’t start, I’m guessing that Marcus Sasser gets the start in his place.

Honorable Mention
Jayson Tatum vs PJ Washington, Jr
Washington is averaging 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.  He is shooting 41.8% from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc.  The Celtics need to keep him out of the paint and off the boards.  They also need to avoid leaving him open on the perimeter. 

Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is always the number one key to winning games. There is no truer statement than “Defense wins Championships.”  The Mavs have an offensive rating of 112.5 (16th) while the Celtics have an offensive rating of 117.4 (6th).   The Mavs are 12th with a defensive rating of 111.7 while the Celtics are 2nd with a defensive rating of 105.6.  When the Celtics struggle on offense, as they sometimes do,  they have to be able to stop the other team from scoring.   The Celtics especially need to defend the paint as the Mavericks average 48.3 points in the paint per game.  The Celtics have to continue to make defense their identity. 

Rebound – Second to defense, rebounding is the key to winning. One of the few times I have agreed with Pat Riley was when he said “No rebounds, no rings.”   The Celtics are averaging 44.8 rebounds per game (8th) while the Mavs are averaging 44.0 rebounds per game (15th).  The Mavs are 6th with 16.5 second chance points per game.  The Celtics need to put out extra effort on the boards to keep the Mavs from getting extra possessions and second chance points and to give the same to themselves.

Be Aggressive – The Celtics must be the more aggressive team. They have to be more aggressive in going to the basket, in diving for loose balls, and on defense. They have to aggressively crash the boards. They have to be the team that wants to win the game more.  They absolutely can’t let the Mavericks play harder than them if they want to win this game. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn?t work hard and when talent works hard, they are very hard to beat. 

Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics are at their best when the ball moves and they make the extra pass. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, the Celtics struggle.  But they have to make careful passes and not get sloppy because the Mavericks average 18.4 points off turnovers and 17.2 fast break points per game.  The Celtics need to be careful with their passes and ball handling because if they aren’t the Mavericks will make them pay.   

X-Factors
At Home and Rest –  The Mavericks will be on the road and playing on the second night of back to back games. They will have the distractions of travel and playing in front of a mostly hostile crowd,although I expect a lot of cheers for hometown Cooper Flagg.  Fatigue could be a factor for the Mavs while the Celtics have had 3 days off and should be well rested.  The Celtics need to get motivation from the home crowd and defend their home court with energy and effort. 

Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus from playing the game. Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus from playing the game.  They did a good job of overcoming a 28-5 free throw disadvantage against the 76ers.  The Celtics also have to be aware of the new points of emphasis for this season and try to avoid flopping, off‑arm push‑offs, reckless closeouts, delays before free throws, and illegal screens. They have been calling all of these and so the Celtics need to make a conscious attempt to avoid them. 

The Suns have won four of five but face their toughest offensive challenge against the NBA’s top-rated attack.

Fred VanVleet is a postmodernist.

Hear me out.

The point guard position has undergone a radical transformation over the last decade and a half or so. Like any seismic change, it’s hard to pinpoint a precise catalyst.

When Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011, that was a watershed moment. His 7.7 assists per game were point guard-y enough, but the 25.1 points per game would have imposed a “shooting guard” label on him at any other point in league history. Rose was the new meta.

Houston Rockets fans know the change intimately. Firstly, Mike D’Antoni’s decision to run the offense almost exclusively through James Harden was another critical juncture. Fast forward, and we’re arguing ad nauseam about whether Kevin “I am obviously not a point guard” Porter Jr. is a point guard.

Here’s what makes VanVleet postmodern: He’s a throwback, in a sense. Ball security is his superpower. VanVleet facilitates in a low-risk, medium-reward way.

Yet, he’s also modern. VanVleet launches pull-up threes that would make Mark Jackson blush. It’s the only means he really has of bending defenses, and modern, starting-caliber point guards must bend defenses. At times, those shots can look a little bit absurd in the moment:

But in the bigger picture, they’re part of what makes VanVleet so impactful.

Rockets’ VanVleet is a winning player

I love when people do the work for me.

Fred VanVleet has the best assist to turnover ratio in the NBA this season amongst all starting point guards.

He’s averaging 5.4 assists with only 1 turnover a night.

In addition to that, he currently has a career high 60.3 TS%, and a team high +10.2 (+/-). pic.twitter.com/j71mN14sAW

— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) November 14, 2026

Thanks, Brad. DataBallr has VanVleet’s impact as even more positive, with a +14.1 On/Off split. I’m not sure why different outlets calculate on/off stats differently, but what matters is that the stats consistently demonstrate that VanVleet is a winner.

VanVleet’s True Shooting % (TS%) is buoyed by his combined three-point volume and efficiency. He’s hitting 39.5% of his 7.4 threes per game. For this Rockets team, that’s priceless.

Many have suggested that Alperen Sengun would thrive if paired with a more dynamic point guard. It would be easy to point out that (again, per DatalBallr) the duo is +13.8 when they share the floor, but there are solid normative explanations for their success as well.

Just as VanVleet is not Jamal Murray, Sengun is not Nikola Jokic. He’s a less natural shooter, and he’s not on Jokic’s level as a passer. That’s not a knock: Sengun is a top-ten (and closer to five) passing big man in NBA history, but Jokic is a top-ten (and closer to five, and really closer to two or three) passer in NBA history.

But Sengun is perhaps a better ball-handler (it feels ethically necessary to note that he’s a much better defender here, but it’s not relevant here). That ball-handling ability makes him one of the best isolation bigs in the NBA, but some of Sengun’s pick-and-roll finishing looks a lot like isolation basketball too. I’ve said this before, but Sengun and VanVleet run the pick-and-roll like Stockton and Malone. Often, the purpose of the set is largely to advance Sengun’s position by a few inches before he starts cooking.

It’s a job that, say, Kyrie Irving is overqualified for. That’s not to say that outright that the Rockets shouldn’t trade for him (for example, although it feels like he’s the only star guard they’re at all likely to acquire). There’s a part of me that thinks the 2026-27 team is our best window, and more pure offensive firepower is what we need.

There’s another (and ultimately, I think, stronger) part of me that thinks VanVleet’s willingness and ability to let Sengun cook is what’s best for his continuing development. The stats strongly suggest that VanVleet makes Sengun better, and the Rockets, in general, a better team:

That’s as close to an objective truth as one could possibly find.

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Heading into the season, frontcourt depth behind Joel Embiid looked like a legitimate concern for the Sixers. When Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles in the preseason opener, those questions ratcheted up tenfold.

But not even the most glass-half-empty pessimist could have anticipated how dire the Sixers’ frontcourt situation would be for Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers.

Embiid is out with “right foot plantar fascia injury management,” which is no surprise since it’s the first end of a back-to-back. Dominick Barlow is still dealing with the low back stress reaction that has delayed his season debut. Adem Bona is out at least for another few days with a cervical spine strain. And Hukporti is obviously out as well, barring a medical miracle in the next few hours that can instantly cure torn Achilles tendons.

Jabari Walker, who stands 6-foot-7, figures to draw the start at “center” for the Sixers. The other options at head coach Nick Nurse’s disposal are 6-foot-9 forwards LeBron James and/or Dean Wade, along with two-way signee Tacko Fall.

Walker is a strong rebounder and does what he can to make up for his lack of height, but he provides almost zero rim protection. The Pacers figure to force the issue down low with Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac all game as long as those two can stay out of foul trouble.

Might this be our best chance yet for Tacko Time? He played three minutes in the blowout loss to Cleveland last Friday and made a brief cameo at the end of their win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, but that’s the extent of his playing time thus far this season. Jaylen Brown, his former teammate in Boston, recently advocated for more Tacko Time, particularly given the depleted state of the Sixers’ frontcourt.

Jaylen Brown: “We need some more tall people. It’d be great to see Tacko get an opportunity.”

— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) November 13, 2026

Barlow appears to be on the mend, although Bona is facing a murky timetable to return. Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters earlier this week that Bona had seen a specialist for his injury and would be out for at least another week, which has effectively granted the backup 5 job to Walker by default for now.

The Sixers have little choice but to downsize against the Pacers now, which is hardly optimal against the 6-foot-8 Siakam and the 7-foot Zubac. The Pacers might have a layup line all game, although this will force the Sixers to get creative defensively. They should look at this as an opportunity to hone their small-ball looks against traditional frontcourts and figure out counterpunches if their opponent looks to just pound the ball inside.

If the Sixers do succumb to Tacko Time and give him more playing time than they have to date, that could also help them answer some questions about how they’re using that roster spot. If the Pacers drag him into every offensive action, how long can Nurse stick with him before the game slips away from them? Can he hold his own and buy them some time? If not, what’s the point in spending a two-way spot on him in the first place?

We’re still a few weeks away from the Sixers being able to sign someone to a prorated veteran-minimum contract while staying under their first-apron hard cap. Trade winds are beginning to swirl now that the season is almost one month old, but the Sixers can’t include anyone whom they signed this offseason until Dec. 15, which leaves Justin Edwards’ $2.4 million contact as their best salary-matching trade bait for now.

The Sixers would likely prefer to avoid having to fill their final roster spot until they get closer to the trade deadline so they can maintain as much optionality as possible. But if Barlow and Bona don’t return soon, how the Sixers fare Sunday in an Embiid-less game could help determine how imminently they need to solve their backup center issues.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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Observations after Brown-Maxey duo scores 58 points in Sixers' win without Embiid  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Jaylen Brown-Tyrese Maxey duo starred, LeBron James reached another milestone, and the Sixers earned a win without Joel Embiid on Sunday afternoon.

They improved to 11-3 on the season with a 131-124 victory over the Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

Brown scored 31 points and Maxey posted 27.

LeBron James had 15 points and 11 assists. He passed Jason Kidd on Sunday for third in NBA history with 12,092 assists.

Pascal Siakam scored 31 points for the 5-9 Pacers.

On the first day of a back-to-back, the Sixers were down Embiid (right foot plantar fascia injury management), Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction), Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear). The Pacers’ injured players included Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. 

The Sixers will face the Nets on Monday night in Brooklyn. Here are observations on their win over the Pacers:

Walker’s 1st start 

Jabari Walker started for the first time this season, opening the game at center. He’s been in the Sixers’ rotation the past five games since Bona’s injury.

Walker set up the Sixers’ first basket, swiping a steal and then tossing the ball ahead to Maxey for a fast-break dunk. Maxey and Brown both began well and combined to score all of the Sixers’ first 15 points. 

Though he conceded five inches to 7-foot Pacers center Ivica Zubac, Walker was solid in his first stint. He got an early post stop on Zubac and then snatched a strong defensive rebound. 

Dean Wade was next up for the Sixers at the five. He sunk a three-pointer on his first shot to give the team a 20-16 lead. 

Walker ended up playing 25 minutes and posting 11 points and seven rebounds. Wade had 12 points and seven boards in 35 minutes. The Sixers’ lack of healthy conventional centers remained a clear deficiency. Of course, everything should be simpler once Embiid is back in action. 

An NBA chance for Philon 

The Sixers’ defense did not have a sparkling start.  The Pacers tallied 35 points in the first quarter and shot 62.5 percent from the field. 

Brown helped the Sixers avoid a substantial deficit by draining all sorts of jumpers. He rarely appears bothered by close contests. Brown moved to 7 for 9 from the floor when he knocked down a three early in the second quarter. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s triple knotted the contest up at 37-all. 

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse needed to stray from his Plan A rotation when VJ Edgecombe picked up his third foul with 9:56 left in the second quarter. Labaron Philon Jr., who got a game with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats on Friday night, subbed in. 

For a rookie guard, Philon has looked comfortable and confident on offense in most of his NBA appearances. He swished a long-range jumper in the second quarter and saw a floater rim out. 

Tacko time

Brown reached the 20-point mark and put the Sixers up one with a slam assisted by James late in the second quarter. 

He ran into serious foul trouble in the third quarter. Brown was whistled for his fourth foul with 9:53 left in the period for an off-arm shove on Aaron Nesmith. Wade entered and Brown exited.  

The Sixers’ slim lead didn’t slip away. Walker nailed threes on consecutive possessions and Maxey jammed in a dunk. 

Soon after, Tacko Fall came in for his first meaningful minutes as a Sixer. The 7-foot-6 two-way contract player grabbed an offensive board off a missed Edgecombe free throw, which drew one of the day’s loudest cheers. With Fall on the floor, Maxey and James connected on an alley-oop that extended the Sixers’ lead to 82-73. 

Fall’s main defensive assignment was 7-foot-1 Jay Huff. When the Sixers tried to sit in a zone, he was called for a defensive three-second violation. Whatever the scheme, most of Fall’s defensive work will come around the paint. He certainly has exceptional physical traits as a rim protector and is not nimble on the perimeter. 

Fall logged five scoreless third-quarter minutes and recorded three rebounds. The Sixers outscored Indiana by a point with Fall on the court. Given Fall is occupying a (two-way) roster slot and the Sixers are so depleted at center, it made sense to see a bit of what he can do outside of garbage time. While five minutes isn’t enough for any grand conclusions, it’s very safe to say Fall is a unique player. 

The Sixers built their advantage to 102-87 with a Brown three early in the fourth quarter. They couldn’t cruise to a blowout, though.

Siakam kept hurting the Sixers as a driver and had a highly efficient fourth quarter, scoring 19 points on 7-for-9 shooting. Quenton Jackson’s layup trimmed Indiana’s deficit to 119-115.

The Sixers ultimately held off the Pacers’ push.

Caldwell-Pope canned a three, Wade threw down an and-one dunk, and James checked off his milestone assist with a late dish to Edgecombe for a layup.

When the Lakers initially traded for Walker Kessler, the on-court fit was easy to envision. One of the best shot blockers and rebounders in basketball, paired with the league’s highest-scoring duo.

He’s been as advertised. Kessler leads the team in blocks, rebounds, and double-doubles, but his impact goes beyond the traditional box score.

While the team is just 18th in defense, lineups with him next to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves are a +26.6 net, with a 104.2 defensive rating so far, which would rank second overall league-wide. He’s played and started every game for the 11-2 Lakers, who’ve won seven straight.

His main value comes from protecting the basket from all types of attacks. He’s the anchor of the team’s defense and gives the perimeter players the freedom to play more aggressively with him behind them.

His reputation as a rim protector showed itself instantly. Even when he doesn’t get a block, Kessler’s presence in the paint alters shots in the restricted area or prevents them from occurring at all.

Watch below as Milwaukee’s athletic big man Kel’el Ware tries to attack him head-on from the top of the key. He drives right into the massive 7’2” frame, uses a pump fake and sees daylight, but leaves the shot short out of fear of his shot-blocking ability.

Verticality and contesting without fouling are two must-haves for any defensive center in the modern NBA. Kessler pairs both with excellent timing and instincts around the rim. The Lakers are switching on the perimeter in the clip below, which can be susceptible to straight-line drives when not communicated correctly.

Watch as Matisse Thybulle is late ball-watching and recovering to his switch, allowing his man an open driving lane.

Kessler jumps with two hands and puts the player in an impossible situation. There’s no window for a shot or pass, and he’s forced to throw it to the corner where it’s picked off.

“They do show up in the stats. It’s not box score stats,” head coach JJ Redick said at practice Saturday.  “We shared this with the group the other day, just to give a sense of how valuable he is to our defense. … Going into yesterday’s game, Walker was second in the league, and only a point behind Wemby [in rim points saved]. Talking about one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. That doesn’t always show up in blocked shots and steals. He’s doing a fantastic job for us.”

Rim protection is normally the final result of the defended action, but Kessler is involved in multiple plays throughout a possession..

Notice in the clip below how the Bucks attempt to run two ball screen actions. One is a regular pick and roll, while the other is a double drag with two screeners. Kessler is in his traditional drop coverage on both.

The ball never falls below the 3-point line, and the Bucks are forced into a late-clock heave that doesn’t hit iron. It turns into another stop going the other way.

The mark of a good defensive big man is how many efforts they can make on a given possession. In the clip below, the Bucks get multiple drives to the rim, with Kessler there to not only protect the rim but also recover and get into the right help positions after a kick-out pass. After three different attacks, it ends in a shot clock violation.

He gets almost nothing in the box score from the possessions shown above, but the Lakers get a stop on all of them. The Lakers signed Kessler to a four-year, $130M deal in the offseason. With his contract locked up, his role couldn’t be clearer.

Even if the traditional stats don’t immediately scream out his value, the Lakers’ defensive numbers do. And most importantly, so do the wins.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

Who: Phoenix Suns (5-6) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (11-2)

When: 2:00pm Arizona Time

Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona

Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports, SUNS+

Listen: KMVP 98.7

---

The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns meet for the first time this season in an afternoon tilt at Mortgage Matchup Center. The Lakers are tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the NBA, and come in riding a seven-game winning streak (second only to the Spurs’ 11-game streak). Luka Doncic is playing at an MVP-caliber level (perhaps an understatement), averaging 38.6 PPG, 7.6 APG, and 7.5 RPG, while shooting 40.8% from three and 48.9% overall.

Behind Luka, the Lakers are paced in scoring by Austin Reaves (24.7 PPG, 40.9 3P%) and Walker Kessler (14.5 PPG). Kessler, in his first year with the Lakers, also brings size and defense, supplying 10.8 RPG and 2.2 BPG, while sitting second in the NBA in dunks this season, with 42. Fellow big man Sandro Mamukelashvili has impressed as of late, scoring 23 points in each of the Lakers’ last two games.

On the other side of the ledger, the Suns have won four of five, with the sole loss in that span coming at the hands of the aforementioned San Antonio Spurs. Over those five games, Devin Booker has averaged 26.6 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 2.0 SPG, and is starting to round into the form that Suns fans are used to seeing from their superstar over the last decade.

Tale of the Tape

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Suns

• Mark Williams — OUT (Shoulder)

Lakers

• Quentin Grimes — AVAILABLE (Right Finger)
• Austin Reaves — OUT (Left Heel Contusion)
• Cameron Carr — OUT (Illness)
• Bronny James — QUESTIONABLE (Illness)
• Collin Sexton — QUESTIONABLE (Right Orbital Laceration)
• Adou Thiero — QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Sprain)

What to Watch For

The Lakers boast the NBA’s best offense, with an offensive rating of 122.7. The Suns, on the other hand, have a defensive rating of 117.6, which ranks 26th in the NBA. If the Suns want a shot at pulling off the upset and not allowing the Lakers to extend their winning streak to eight, their bottom-tier defense will need to slow the Lakers’ top-tier offense.

Austin Reaves being out should, in theory, help. But the Lakers managed fine in the one game this season that they were without Reaves, a 124-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks. In that game, Collin Sexton (18 points and 6 assists) and Mamukelashvili (23 points and 8 rebounds) picked up the slack, and did so while shooting a combined 8-12 from three. Sexton is also questionable for this game, so his presence (or lack thereof) would remove another weapon from the Lakers’ potent offense.

Consistent with their respective offensive and defensive efforts this season, the Lakers also come to town as the NBA’s third-best three-point shooting team this season, shooting a combined 38.3%. Conversely, the Suns have allowed opponents to shoot 37.4% from three this season, good for 25th in the league. Even without Reaves and (possibly) Sexton, the Lakers can still shoot the ball, and the Suns will need to find a way to stop them.

While the Lakers’ offense has been spectacular, one area where they — like the Suns — struggle is in rebounding. Despite the size of Kessler and Mamukelashvili, the Lakers find themselves 27th in the NBA in rebounds per game. The Suns, unfortunately, find themselves dead last in that category. But coming off a game where the Charlotte Hornets out-rebounded them by 21, welcoming a subpar rebounding team to town could be a recipe for some rebounding success.

Lastly, we cannot ignore the fact that Devin Booker and Luka Doncic will be taking the same court. Whenever that happens, there is always a good chance of some extra entertainment. Two superstars with a penchant for gamesmanship and trash talk are always a recipe for entertainment.

Key to a Suns Win

Don’t let Walker Kessler do to them what Wendell Carter, Jr., and Donovan Clingan did to them: 27/13 and 24/11, respectively. Kessler is a big dude, and surprisingly athletic for his size. The Suns have struggled against bigs like him this season, and if those struggles continue, they could be in for a long afternoon. Luka is going to get his, but with Reaves out, the Suns cannot let Kessler go off.

On the other side of the ball, someone needs to help Devin Booker. Book has been fantastic, but the rest of the starters have been hit or miss. While the Lakers’ offense has impressed, its defense is middling. If the Suns want to win this game, they cannot afford to have starters not named Devin Booker combine to shoot 13-33, as they did against the Hornets.

Prediction

This one stays close throughout. Book and Luka put on a show down the stretch, going shot for shot and jab for jab. In the end, the Suns pull out the upset.

Suns 114, Lakers 112

The Utah Jazz (1-12) are hosting the San Antonio spurs (11-2), hoping to end their 11-game skid.

The Jazz made a pit-stop in Houston last week, pushing the Rockets to the wire despite playing with a depleted roster. While obviously a disappointing start to the season for Utah, the Jazz have had an opportunity to watch their young core of Darryn Peterson and Ace Bailey perform in elevated roles. Peterson, who struggled initially, has taken advantage of the moment, averaging 24.4 points per game on 60.9 TS% over the last five. There is no great consolation prize for horribly underperforming expectations, but Peterson’s play is about as good as it gets.

The Spurs are a buzz saw right now. Victor Wembanyama leads their charge, averaging an astounding 28.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks per-game. Alongside him, the guard core of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, De’Arron Fox, and Devin Vassell provide an electric variety of 2nd-5th scoring options, accounting for nearly 60 of San Antonio’s points per game as a group. It appears a post-Finals appearance hangover isn’t in the fold for San Antonio.

Utah’s injury report, as the case for this season, looks rough. Utah will be thin in the front court, missing Jaxson Hayes:

Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/14)

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

OUT – Kobe Bufkin (G League – Two-Way)

OUT – Jaxson Hayes (Left Knee Strain)

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

OUT – Jaren Jackson (Right Knee; MCL Tear)

OUT – Lauri Markkanen (Right Hand…

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 15, 2026

How to watch

Who: San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz

When: 3:00 PM MT

Where: The Delta Center – Salt Lake City, Utah

How to watch: Jazz+, KJZZ

The Dallas Mavericks (7-6) stumble into Massachusetts on Sunday evening to play the Boston Celtics (10-2) on the second night of a back-to-back. On Saturday evening, the Mavericks elected to play little defense against a Cleveland Cavaliers team resting a big chunk of their rotation and were run up and down the court all evening. Boston comes into this game refreshed, having not played since Wednesday where they held off the Toronto Raptors to close out a four game road stretch.

The Mavericks come into this one needing something but face off against a team that is red hot, winning five in a row and only losing two times this season.

Scoring on a stingy Boston defense

The Celtics come into Saturday’s game allowing the fewest points per game to opposing offenses at just 103 a game. While it’s true the Celtics have played a pretty weak schedule to date, they’re pummeling the teams in front of the on the defensive end.

The Mavericks have looked inept on offense the last few games, turning the ball over often and hitting far too few shots. Given the lack of creation on the offensive end, Dallas is going to need an outlier performance from a good chunk of the roster. If Kyrie Irving happens to sit (he’s played on one back-to-back this season), then things get bleak for the Mavericks.

Defensive pride

After a three-game homestand where the defense was, at minimum, active, these past two road games against the Timberwolves and the Cavaliers have been nothing short of awful. The Mavericks found themselves down by 15+ points in the first half; in losses, that’s a number they’ve become familiar with.

The transition defense and rebounding have been of the sort to make a coach pull his hair out. Playing against a Boston team that’s middle of the pack in terms of points scored but top 6 in efficiency, the Mavericks must be locked in like we haven’t seen since the Utah Jazz win.

I say pride in my subheader because at a certain point, energy and effort matter as much as scheme. The Mavericks have looked lethargic on the defensive end with very few bursts. It’s awful to watch, they’re just not good enough for that to happen in any game.

Short turnaround

What in the hell is the NBA league office doing scheduling a road back-to-back where Dallas plays at 6:30 pm CST one night, hops on a plane, then plays the next night at 5:00 pm CST? I don’t want to make excuses for guys who get paid a lot to play this game, but this is not fair to the players or the fans.

I don’t expect some Mavericks to suit up at all because they tried to come back against the Cavs to no avail. This makes this one a schedule loss (most likely) for everyone involved and that’s just stupid.

How to watch

KFAA Channel 29 or your Mavs TV app will have you covered locally for this one. The radio broadcast will be on KRLD 105.3 The Fan. Tipoff is scheduled for just after 5:00 p.m. CT from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Keaton Wagler continues to find his footing in his first season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft has found a way to contribute to coach Tyronn Lue’s team, averaging 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists through 11 games played this season.

The rookie has not made his first official start but has averaged 22.7 minutes per game off the bench.

Wagler modeled part of his game after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who spent his rookie season with the Clippers in 2018 before he was later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Being in the NBA has afforded Wagler opportunities early in the season to play against some of his idols with the Clippers having played the Thunder twice this season.

"It was a cool experience," Wagler told reporters about being able to play against Gilgeous-Alexander. "Growing up I really liked Shai, his game and being able to go up against him."

Wagler has drawn praise from Gilgeous-Alexander after those two meetings.

"He has good feel. Can really shoot," Gilgeous-Alexander said about the rookie after the Clippers' 113-112 victory against the Thunder on Friday, Nov. 13. "Usually when you have those things, the game will slow down for you eventually.

"He’s in a good situation where he can play a lot. There are good coaches over there, so he’ll learn the game the right way. As long as he works hard, he should have a long runway to be whoever he wants to be."

Tyronn Lue issues apology to Keaton Wagler

The Clippers have struggled to start the season, winning just three of their first 11 games, including Friday's victory against the Thunder.

Earlier this month, Lue apologized to the rookie for not getting him more playing time.

"That's just what I felt like," Lue said about Wagler’s minutes after a 117-116 overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Nov. 4.

Wagler played a season-low 16 minutes against Miami. He finished with 11 points and a team-high +15 while on the court. 

Lue told reporters on Nov. 8 that he had apologized to Wagler after having rewatched the film from the game, telling him he earned more playing time than he received.

Wagler averaged 19.6 minutes per game over the last three games since Lue's apology.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clippers rookie Keaton Wagler draws praise from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander