Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: What stood out to you in the Suns’ first regular season game against the Trail Blazers?

zenzino: Whew! Glad that one is out of the way.

The Suns got pulled under in the Portland wave and never resurfaced.

To call out any specific players for that game is asinine. That level of suck was a total team effort. There were no bright spots. The Blazers threw a ‘welcome home Dame ’ three-point party, and the Suns were the wallflowers.

That being said, we learned nothing from the first game. But the second game will tell us plenty about who they are going to be. Will they bounce back with effort? Will they lock down on defense? Will they hit a shot in the first 6 minutes?

What’s done is done. They still have the same number of losses as the Knicks and the Spurs (as of this writing). The next game is a lot more important than the last one.

Notable: Koa Peat made his NBA debut in the season opener, scored his first points, and got his first tech/fine. Welcome to the NBA.

Ashton: Next question. Pass. I literally asked Rod to strike this question in the game chat to save you all and me the mental anguish of having to relive it. I was denied.

Planet Orange? More like Clockwork Orange. I knew this question was coming, but I felt like I was strapped in a chair, unable to blink or turn away from the train wreck that I saw and is now permanently imprinted into my memories as I watched it from start to finish. Now, let’s get to the positives and negatives.

Positives: Literally none. If I had to call one positive out it was the over-600 post-game chat where we were unified in our negativity, and it was more entertaining than the actual game.

Negatives: Oh, where to start? How much time do you have? Sorry, I have to make an appointment with my sports psychologist.

This team is a work in progress, and that is putting it lightly.

OldAz: I was out of town on business and had been maneuvering all day to find a place to watch the game. As meetings ran long, the game started while I was with some associates at dinner, and I stuck to following the start of the game on my phone.  Let’s just say I didn’t have much motivation to find someplace to watch the rest of the game by the time dinner was over.

I guess I did not spend much time paying attention to the other moves around the league this offseason, as I can understand why Portland came out with high energy and excitement. Their backcourt of Ja and a healthy Dame, with Jrue and Scoot coming off the bench! Plus, their best player is still probably Avdija, with some nice pieces along the front line. My impression is that Game 1 is a small sample size and more a product of a really good team centered around defense that is primed to break out this season.  As for the Suns, that’s an ugly way to start, but I won’t draw too many conclusions around 1 game.

Rod: Nothing good. At this point, I have no idea as to whether it was one of those games where basically everything just goes wrong or many of us had some very unrealistically high expectations for this team. I mostly believe it was the former, but I’m quite eager for the next game to get a sign as to whether the 1st game was an aberration or the new norm.

There’s a saying from boxing that basically says that everyone has a plan…until they get hit. Well, the Suns got smacked around hard in the 1st quarter in Portland, and everything pretty much fell apart from there on. I can only hope that’s not the new team identity for 2026-27.

Q2: The Suns’ schedule starts off with 9 of their first 12 games at home. What are your thoughts on this?

zenzino: Hopefully, it will help them get off to a good start.

However, I’m not a fan of the easier home schedule to start because, as we’ve seen in the past several seasons, that usually means a really tough schedule down the stretch. Last season in particular, they had a legit shot at the 6th seed, but their last 10 games were mostly away and against some top teams.

Ashton: That Suns fans may actually set decibel level records for booing if they see the same effort that the Suns put against Portland at home against GSW. Heck, they may even set off seismic monitors around the Valley. The conversation may very well trend towards the over/under on how many points the Suns will get beat by. Is it 20 or 30 or even worse? Because what I saw on the road against Portland did not seem like it would translate into a home-court advantage. There is just too much to fix.

Now, granted, I am submitting this on a Friday and keeping the Cardinal Rule of my game emotions in check for at least 24 hours after a loss. I failed. GSW did not exactly look like world-beaters in their loss to the Lakers. Let’s see how that one turns out on Saturday. Maybe my tune will change when it comes to home-court advantage.

OldAz: Those 12 games are a big sample size, so they better get their defense in order quickly. A lot of home games should allow for time to work on their deficiencies with less travel to deal with. Otherwise, things could get ugly fast. There are not many easy opponents in the Western Conference, so not a lot of room for an extended slow start.

Rod: After the Game 1 debacle, all I can think of to say here is, “It can’t hurt.” Perhaps playing in front of the home crowd will give them a little additional motivation to get their act together, and hopefully keep it together, once they get out on lengthy road trips.

In 11 days, the Suns will face off against the Blazers again, but in Phoenix this time. How well they perform in that game is of particular interest to me.

Q3: What is your opinion of the addition of Drew Timme to the Suns on a two-way contract?

zenzino: Like most people, Timme wasn’t high on my name recognition list.

From everything I’ve read and seen since, it looks like he’s a less athletic version of Oso. Connector, team defender, good passer. He has a post-up game but is not quite as good a ball-handler. No outside shot. Not particularly good at rebounding. I didn’t check his free-throw percentage, but I’m just going to assume it’s better than Oso.

Makes me wonder if they knew Oso’s hip was going to be an on-off problem this season. Still no word about that at this writing.

It’s a 2-way contract. There is only possible upside. CG was a 3rd-year 2-way signing, and look how that turned out.

Ashton: I grew up in a small town outside of Spokane, and I love what Mark Few has done to prepare his players for the NBA at the collegiate level. Heck, the University of Arizona took his best assistant for head coach and that has turned out pretty well. I consider Gonzaga my second favorite team in college basketball and probably the last mid-market collegiate titan dynasty in the NIL era.

Now, with that said, the track record of Gonzaga players succeeding in the NBA has been spotty. I could go through the list (also RIP Brandon Clarke), but I won’t. Quite a few of them were hyped in mocks and actual NBA draft selections. Andrew Timme was voted as a consensus All-American at the collegiate level three times and remains Gonzaga leading scorer. His reward? He went undrafted in 2023.

Any Phish fans on the board? My favorite song is “Bouncing Around the Room”. This is Timme’s career in a nutshell because he has bounced around on two-ways, G League, and NBA contracts on multiple teams. Six of them, to be exact, before picking up his seventh team with the Suns.

So, I do not have the answer to this question. I do not think anyone does. But I liked watching him play at Gonzaga, thus my focus on college play. Timme is worth a flyer.

OldAz: Don’t know much about him, but I was never overly enamored with Brea, so I am glad they prioritized more front court help with their remaining two-way spots.  In the past couple of years, Gregory has found good value in this pool of players, so hopefully he has done so again.

Rod: I think he’s a good addition, especially in light of Oso’s hip injury. Timme’s listed as a power forward, but he’s spent most of his time on the court playing center over his first two seasons (79%). At 6’9″, he’s a bit small to play at the 5, but he’s pretty much the same size as Reath (but 10 pounds lighter). I expect that’s where he’ll most likely get some court time with the Suns this season if Oso’s hip injury turns into a lingering issue. Unlike Oso, Timme can actually shoot from three (33.3% career, 44.0% last season on limited attempts), although he hasn’t played enough to know just how much you can count on him hitting those frequently. As an emergency backup, I’m happy with adding him to the roster.

Bonus Q: Do you like or dislike Oso Ighodaro’s contract extension?

zenzino: I’m thrilled!

Another team-friendly deal that also makes the player happy. Total win-win.

He played all 82 games last season for a reason. Even when MW was healthy and playing well, more often than not, Oso was out there at the end of the 4th quarter.

Even if a lot of people here don’t think he is all that great, the coaching staff and his teammates have a lot of confidence in him, and they showed it when they locked him up for the next 4 seasons.

Thrilled, I tell you!

Ashton: Wait. A bonus question that suspiciously seems like a Q4. Fantable, we need to unite and unionize against the three-question format turning into four questions or more! What is next, five questions? I checked our Fantable CBA (we don’t have one), and it specifically states that all opinions presented by Fantable are free of charge and allowed to be changed by the editors. Furthermore, any content provided by Fantable can be pilfered by the writers for roundtable and article discussions.

To the question. I liked the contract terms. There was a run on back-up centers (that is what Oso is) at the NBA trade deadline. This will happen again as NIL deals for collegiate centers are at an all-time high, and they will return for the money. The days of drafting a center on the cheap are probably gone. Also, Lakers overpay for center Walker Kessler is looking good, but we will see how it ages. So yes, a good value for Oso.

With that said, I am more than a little concerned about Oso’s hip injuries to start the season. I hope the trainers are not pushing him out while not 100 percent healthy. Yes, the center position is a need for the Suns, but let’s not rush it.

OldAz: I think it was good value and don’t really correlate his contract to the hip injury, as he has been pretty healthy during his career.  However, for this season, their lack of depth at center, with his hip injury added on, does not bode well at all.  This next week could get rough if that lingers.

Rod: I’ve seen some fans call it an overpay, but I think it’s about right for a quality backup center today. Yes, Oso has some faults/limitations, but so do all backups at every position…or they wouldn’t be backups (with a few rare exceptions).

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Quote of the Week

“This (the loss to Portland) is definitely a wake-up call for us. I’m glad it happened early. Everything went wrong. We have a lot to learn from the tape offensively and defensively.” — Devin Booker

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Suns Trivia/History

On October 25, 1975, Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor member Alvan Adams made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in an 89-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He was just 2 assists short of getting a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) in his NBA debut. Adams also played a big role in helping the Suns get to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, where they were defeated 4-2 by the Boston Celtics. Adams was named to the All-NBA Rookie Team, won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and was selected to play in the All-Star Game that year.

On October 25, 2013, the Suns traded Shannon Brown, Marcin Gortat, Malcolm Lee and Kendall Marshall to the Washington Wizards for Emeka Okafor and a 2014 1st round draft pick (Tyler Ennis was later selected). Okafor was injured at the time of the trade and never played a single game for the Suns.

On October 29, 1996, in conjunction with the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration, the list of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History was announced. It included two former Suns, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.

On October 30, 1972, new Suns head coach “Butch” van Breda Kolff was fired after coaching just seven games for the Suns (3-4). General Manager Jerry Colangelo took over as head coach for the remainder of the season. The team would go 35-40 for the rest of the season under Colangelo (38-44 overall) and miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

On October 30, 2009, Steve Nash dished out 20 assists in a 123-101 win over the Golden State Warriors. Ten days later, he would do it again with 20 assists in a 119-115 win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 9.

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The Week Ahead

Saturday: Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors, 7:00 pm AZ time
Monday: Phoenix Suns @ OKC Thunder, 5:00 pm AZ time
Friday: Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets, 7:00 pm AZ time

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Important Future Dates

Oct. 24 – NBA G League Draft
Oct. 26 – NBA G League Training Camps open
Oct. 30 – Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Group Play tips off
Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
March 1 – Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline
April 11 – 2026-27 Regular Season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 12 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2027 (3 p.m. ET)
April 13-16 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 17 – NBA Playoffs 2026 begin

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the L.A. Clippers 125-117 in the first game of the crosstown rivalry series at Crypto.com Arena on Friday, Oct. 23.

Austin Reaves nearly had a double-double for the Lakers with 28 points and nine assists. He finished 10-for-13 shooting from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line on the night.

Luka Doncic added 23 points, seven assists, and six rebounds for the Lakers but also turned the ball over 11 times.

The Lakers ran away with the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Clippers 39-26.

Darius Garland nearly matched Reaves’ production, finishing with 26 points and six assists for the Clippers.

The Lakers improve to 2-0 to start the season and will travel to play the Utah Jazz on Sunday. The Clippers fall to 1-1 and will look to rebound against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

Walker Kessler continues to have early success

Walker Kessler has not disappointed through his first two games in a Lakers uniform.

The Lakers’ new big man had an efficient night, going 10-for-14 (71%) from the field against the Clippers' defense. He finished with 22 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes of play. The center also showed up on the other end, coming up with a game-high six blocks.

Kessler was coming off a strong debut with the Lakers, having scored 26 points and collected nine rebounds in 30 minutes of play against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21. He went 12-for-12 from the field.

More: Walker Kessler delivers big opening night statement in Lakers debut

Lakers’ defense a proven strength 

Kessler was responsible for six of the nine total blocks that the Lakers recorded on the evening.

Kessler and Collin Sexton each had three steals while three other players had at least two steals for the team. The Lakers finished with 13 total steals.

Clippers struggle to keep the ball

Garland followed up his strong start to the season with another 25+ point performance but was also responsible for nine of the team’s 26 turnovers.

The Clippers finished the first quarter with a 31-27 lead but had eight of their turnovers come during that period.

The team had allowed just nine total turnovers in the first half against the Sacramento Kings earlier in the week.

Coach Tyronn Lue’s team fell apart in the third quarter after giving up 13 turnovers.

Rui Hachimura’s return spoiled by Lakers

Hachimura returned to Crypto.com Arena for the first time since joining the Clippers this past offseason. Hachimura had 16 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes of play. He shot 5-for-14 from the field.

Hachimura was seen reuniting with his former teammates, such as Doncic, before the game. He was also seen pretending to go back to the Lakers’ locker room as he had for four seasons before joining the Clippers as a free agent.

"It was amazing. It was a great time with them," Hachimura said after the game on Friday. "Of course I missed them, but it was time to move on.

"It was special, my four years, four seasons with them. I'm happy with the Clippers. It's my eighth year; it's a really big year for me. I'm focused on that."

More: Rui Hachimura looking forward to playing on other side of Lakers-Clippers rivalry

Brook Lopez turns back clock

Center Brook Lopez helped lead the Clippers in the first half against the Lakers.

In the first half, Lopez came off the bench for eight minutes and produced 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting and 2-for-2 from the 3-point line for the Clippers. He did go 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. The game was tied at 64.

More: Veteran Brook Lopez producing strong start to season for Clippers

Lopez finished with 22 points and four rebounds. He went 8-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line.

The 38-year-old began his 19th season in the NBA with a double-double off the bench on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. He produced 17 points with 10 of his 11 rebounds coming on defense.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Key Lakers vs Clippers takeaways: Kessler's hot start has LA cruising

Is Mike Brown still coaching the Knicks? How’s that possible!?

Should Leon Rose trade everybody and quit on the spot? Would it be better for New York to tank the season?

Dumb questions without legitimate answers!

Mikal Bridges as Knicks lose in Boston 107-103:

0 points
0-8 shooting
0-5 three
0 free throws pic.twitter.com/8AdLsvxlfw

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Mike Brown

On the Knicks’ slow start and still figuring out the team’s identity:

“I haven’t even looked at 50 wins, or 45 or 52 or anything like that. I’m still trying to figure out this team a little bit. I know everybody is like, ‘Whoa, it’s the same team as last year. New season, new team, new challenges, and so I’m not even sure who I wanna play yet, you know? Trying to figure the little things out.”

On Mikal Bridges’ shooting struggles against the Celtics:

“Mikal had three or four wide-open 3s. And obviously we want him to make half of them if they’re open. But he’s got to keep shooting. And hopefully they’ll eventually go in — sooner than later. But he’s getting the looks that he needs to get. He just has to knock them down now. And he’s got to make sure he’s physical on the defensive end.”

On Bridges and the Knicks needing to play more physically on defense:

“He’s got to make sure that he’s physical on the defensive end. And he, as well as everybody else because it was all of us, are laying on screens when we get hit, and that when we do switch, there’s a level of physicality to the switch so that they’re not able to take advantage of us.”

On what went wrong for the Knicks in the 107-103 loss to Boston:

“It was a physical ball game, and we have to give Boston credit. They had the advantage with the physicality.”

On Jayson Tatum’s 36-point performance against the Knicks:

“Jayson Tatum did what Jayson Tatum does. You just take your hat off and say, ‘Good D, better O.’ But that’s not why we lost the game. We lost the game because we didn’t handle their physicality on both ends of the floor for too many stretches that were too long.”

Knicks start season 0-2

First time since Leon Rose's first full season in charge 6 years ago

Next up: Orlando in the Garden Sunday evening pic.twitter.com/gxxtyCbVz5

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Jalen Brunson

On the Knicks’ progress despite starting the season with two losses:

“I think we took a stride, just not big enough strides. There’s positives and negatives to take from this game. We know what we have to do, and the things I think are glaring to us are controllable. So that’s a positive we can take from this.”

On how the Celtics helped shape the Knicks into a championship team:

“The way they were playing, and I guess how they’re still playing, kind of helped shape our team. They were obviously a dynamic force. And obviously the past couple years with injuries and personnel changes and stuff like that, things are different. We were trying to figure out how we can beat those guys.”

On Mitchell Robinson not watching the Knicks’ championship ring ceremony:

“We know Mitch is a competitor. He’s a person who wears his emotions on his sleeve … that’s just Mitch being Mitch.”

On Robinson leaving the Knicks for the Celtics:

“It’s definitely bittersweet. He’s a good friend. I’m just happy he was able to get a nice payday.”

Josh Hart + Boston = hit in face pic.twitter.com/UcLhLgWqPt

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Josh Hart

On having limited involvement in The Roommates Show’s Polymarket sponsorship agreement:

“To be honest, we really don’t have much of a say in terms of a lot of the sales and who they reach out to. I don’t wanna say we know nothing, but we don’t know much about all that stuff.

“I know they sit there and talk about, it’s trading; it’s not gambling.”

On being surprised by the controversy surrounding the Polymarket sponsorship:

“Last year, we had BetMGM. I don’t really know too much around the controversy of it or whatever. I saw some things on Twitter, and I was just like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know people felt that way.’

“I saw a little bit of it the last couple days, and I was shocked — and it might be a little ignorance on my part because I don’t know, but yeah.”

On taking advantage of sponsorship deals to pay the pod employees more:

“When it’s the pod and that, I kind of play ball a little bit because there’s other people depending on that. So it gets brought to us at the very end and for me personally, I’m just like other people are depending on this. So I play ball with that.”

Deuce to Mitch: “My dawg 4l”

Mitch to Deuce: “My bro 🩶” pic.twitter.com/QdF3ZzZnkI

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Mitchell Robinson

On the Knicks’ locker room without him:

“I know it ain’t no fun no more. I know. I just brought so much light to this team.”

On feeling unwanted by the Knicks during free agency:

“They didn’t want me? Yeah. That’s what it felt like. I was like, cool. There wasn’t bad blood behind it. Man, fresh start.”

On signing with the Celtics despite their rivalry with the Knicks:

“The only thing that was kind of different was going to the rivals. But you know me, man. I like to troll. Nobody was happy with that move. But I was.”

On learning to treat the NBA as a business after years of trade rumors:

“Anything can happen, I can be traded at any moment. I was in so many of those trade talks. I’m like, ‘I just got to see it as a business. You can’t let your feelings in it.’ That’s kind of what I did.”

On his understanding of the NBA’s second-apron salary cap restrictions amid his Knicks exit:

“Not too much. But it is what it is.”

On having a more active offensive role with the Celtics:

“I’m a lot more active. Constantly moving on the offensive end. It’s actually going pretty great. I got to bring the energy.”

NEWS: The Knicks say using the allure of rings for a cybersecurity test was "an unfortunate mistake." They reveal plan to hand out 275 championship rings worth over $3.7 million.

Story here: https://t.co/dW5HJ8FCxZ

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) October 23, 2026

Knicks Rep

On using a championship-ring bait in an employee phishing simulation:

“The company had previously sent out an email to its corporate team as a simulation of a phishing attack designed to strengthen our security against hackers. MSG was recently hacked and extorted using an employee login and password obtained through a similar phishing attack. Using the rings as a lure to gain employees attention was an unfortunate mistake.”

On the narrative about the Knicks’ wrongdoing:

“There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the championship rings. The plan has always been to distribute more than 275 rings and jewelry to the people in the organization who were part of last season’s success. As is common with many teams, the players were always supposed to get their rings as part of the opening night ceremony and then everyone else will receive theirs in about 4-6 weeks. Regarding the phishing email, the process of securing and reminding our employees to protect our IP was not a mistake but the choice to use the ring to do so was a mistake and we apologize to our employees and the fans.

“Winning the championship was a great moment for all New Yorkers. Those who choose to focus on the negative are missing the joy that comes with the team’s accomplishment.”

Knicks fans named their baby “Knickson Fyve” 🥹🔥

(via knicksonfyve/ig) pic.twitter.com/Q4m2SYU6kF

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 22, 2026

The Toronto Raptors improved to 2-0 on the season after defeating the Washington Wizards 112-102 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. It marks Toronto’s first 2-0 start since 2019, the season the franchise won its first NBA championship.

While the final score may suggest a convincing win, the Raptors’ performance was far from perfect. Inconsistent three-point shooting, communication issues and fouls remain areas for improvement as they look to build on this result in their upcoming games.

Scottie Barnes led the way with an impressive double-double, recording 28 points and 14 rebounds. RJ Barrett also delivered a strong performance, finishing with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 16 points and eight rebounds.

Both teams came out looking to establish their perimeter game, with the first five shots of the contest all coming from beyond the arc. After the early attempts went unanswered, RJ Barrett connected from three-point range to get Toronto on the board, before Kawhi Leonard followed with a three of his own on the Raptors’ next possession.

Toronto continued to look for opportunities from deep, attempting eight three-pointers within the opening minutes of the game. Their offence remained productive thanks to contributions from across the lineup.

The Raptors defensive intensity helped set the tone throughout the quarter, limiting Washington’s key offensive contributors and making it difficult for the hosts to establish a rhythm. 

A scoring run from the bench, led by Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Allen Graves, helped the Raptors extend their advantage.

Toronto closed the quarter with a 34-21 lead, establishing early control of the game. However, six turnovers in the opening frame highlighted the need for better decision-making in transition and improved communication moving forward.

The second quarter opened with both teams trading baskets as the Wizards began to find their rhythm offensively.

Toronto’s communication continued to be an issue, as Trae Young knocked down back to back wide open three pointers to cut the lead to eight, forcing Darko Rajaković to call a timeout. However, the sloppy play persisted, allowing Washington to gradually chip away at the advantage.

 Foul trouble also became a concern, with Kawhi Leonard, Immanuel Quickley and Colin Murray-Boyles each picking up their third personal foul.

The Raptors eventually settled down, with a timely scoring run from Ja’Kobe Walter, Scottie Barnes and Leonard helping rebuild their lead to 13 late in the quarter. 

Anthony Davis began to find his footing after a relatively quiet first half, scoring late to bring Washington back within single digits. 

It was far from a convincing first half for Toronto, but the Raptors did enough to take a 60-52 lead into the break.

Toronto’s struggles carried over into the third quarter, as continued fouls and miscommunication allowed the Wizards to cut the lead to three.

The Raptors’ offence, which had looked disjointed throughout the night, eventually found some momentum through Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, helping rebuild a six-point advantage. 

Washington continued to respond with baskets of its own, but Jamal Shead provided a spark for Toronto, playing a key role in a run that extended the lead to 10 as the Wizards began to get sloppy.

However, Washington answered with an 11-2 run late in the quarter to close the gap once again. Toronto’s three-point shooting remained a major concern, going just 1-of-12 from beyond the arc in the frame, with Jamison Battle finally connecting from deep with 12 seconds remaining. The Raptors entered the fourth quarter clinging to an 81-77 lead.

Quickley gave the Raptors an early spark in the fourth, converting a tough floater through contact to extend the lead to six. Leonard followed with a three-pointer, while Barnes also found the basket, providing encouraging signs for a Toronto offence that had struggled to find consistency throughout the night.

Scottie Barnes continued to make his presence felt on both sides of the court, but the hosts refused to go down without a fight, knocking down back to back three pointers to keep the pressure on Toronto. 

Barnes briefly appeared to be dealing with a knee issue, holding his knee before making his way to the bench under his own power. After a short spell on the sidelines, he returned to the game late in the frame. 

Despite the Wizards’ late push, Toronto did enough to close out the contest, securing the victory.

The Raptors were shown a much tougher battle against the Wizards and they can expect another test on Sunday as they travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves. Tip-off is set for 7pm.

It’s SEGABABA time for the first time in 2026-27! Yes, the day after playing their home opener, the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Pennsylvania to take on LeBron James and the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers. Yesterday, the Bucks lost a close one to the Chicago Bulls in a showing that offered plenty of promise, but also raised some red flags—namely, point of attack defence and ball security. Tonight, against a much tougher opponent, can the Bucks step up and win one for the little guys?

The Task Ahead

These aren’t your father’s 76ers—and they certainly aren’t the 76ers of recent years either. No, after acquiring five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown and 22-time All-Star LeBron James to pair with seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid and two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, these 76ers are quite legitimately an All-Star lineup. Next to them in the starting lineup is 2025-26 All-Rookie team selection VJ Edgecombe. Yeah, these guys are stacked. But as history has shown over and over again—see the Durant/Harden/Irving Nets, the Kobe/Gasol/Howard/Nash Lakers, and the Shaq/Kobe/Malone/Payton Lakers—putting a troupe of All-Stars together doesn’t automatically mean they’ll run away with the league. So, are these 76ers any good?

Thus far, the answer is yes. The 76ers are undefeated in the young season, beating the reigning-champion New York Knicks 106-100 on Opening Night and the Eastern Conference-finalist Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 on Friday. And they’ve been doing it while shooting poorly. Over the two contests, Philadelphia is shooting just 44% from the field and a paltry 27% from deep, but all that star power has helped them get to the free throw line a whopping 28.5 times per game (a number that would’ve ranked first in the league last year). Milwaukee’s task is to therefore defend without fouling. They struggled with this against the Washington Wizards, conceding 41 attempts, with Anthony Davis and Trae Young combining for 30 of those. While the Bulls don’t present star power akin to those two—and certainly not compared to the 76ers—2025-26 All-Star Norman Powell did have seven first-half free throws on his way to nine for the game yesterday and the Bulls took 30 altogether.

Injury Report

Bucks:

• Not yet submitted.

76ers:

• LeBron James: Questionable (old low back/sciatica)
• Dominick Barlow: Out (low back stress reaction)
• Tacko Fall: Out (left quadriceps strain)
• Ariel Hukporti: Out (right Achilles tendon rupture)

Player to Watch

Despite being the fourth-biggest name on his own squad, Tyrese Maxey is quickly emerging as the 76ers’ best player. It’s fitting too, dude is grease lightning. A blur across the hardwood and even quicker with the trigger, Maxey has gotten off to a blistering start this season, averaging 30.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 2.5 SPG thus far. What’s more, he’s averaging 15.0 PPG in the paint. With the Bucks struggling defensively at the point of attack and at the rim, giving up 65.0 PPG in the paint so far, don’t be surprised if Maxey ups those numbers in this one. Ryan Rollins, what ya got?

Projected Starters

Bucks	Position	76ers
Ryan Rollins	PG	Tyrese Maxey
Tyler Herro	SG	VJ Edgecombe
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	SF	Jaylen Brown
Kyle Kuzma	PF	LeBron James
Myles Turner	C	Joel Embiid

Game Details

Who: Milwaukee Bucks (0-2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (2-0).

When: 6:30 p.m. CDT.

Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena—Philadelphia, PA.

Watch: MY24.

Listen: Check local listings.

Prescient Prediction

Brayden Burries earns an extended run and gets to the paint—and the line—often in this one on his way to 18 points off the bench.

Coming off a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder to start the season, the Spurs traveled to the Moody Center in Austin to host the I-35 Series against the Houston Rockets. Both teams traded fast and furious buckets in the first quarter, with the Rockets taking a five-point lead into the second. The Spurs trailed by as much as 11, but managed to claw their way back before halftime and cut the deficit to two thanks to a Fred VanVleet buzzer-beating three. The third quarter was tough and gritty, as both teams struggled from the field but managed to get to the free-throw line.

The bottom line: the Rockets controlled most of the contest until just over six minutes left in the fourth. The Rockets’ fourth-quarter offense mostly consisted of spamming Alperen Sengun in the post, and the Spurs could not stop it. The Spurs fell behind by five late, but put together a few clutch stops and buckets to get within one possession. With five seconds left, Victor Wembanyama caught the ball in the post and put up a layup, only for Amen Thompson to immediately block it. The Spurs ultimately lost heartbreakingly, 114-110.

Victor Wembanyama bounced back offensively after his worst shooting performance of his career against OKC (1-13 FG). He dropped another double-double: 25 points and 13 rebounds, along with two blocks and two assists. Vic played with more confidence and was not afraid to let it fly. However, he was late on multiple defensive rotations and was beaten on backdoor cuts too frequently for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. After the game, he was asked if he would have done anything differently on the layup attempt to end the game. He simply said, “I would have dunked the ball.” Knowing Wemby, he’ll take that Thompson block personally the next time they match up in late January.

Wemby dropped a highlight reel of mostly dunks throughout the game. For the Spurs’ first points of the game, he skies in from outer space to clean up the mess.

VIC PUTBACK ‼️

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/hHGTpgRcKf

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

The return of Area 51 had the Moody Center in a frenzy. Stephon Castle dropped 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. A couple of his dimes came on lobs like these to the Alien.

Area 51 has landed in Austin ⚠️

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/CUliRmj7CG

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

This pass was precise as Wemby spun off of Marcus Smart and slammed home an and-one finish.

OH MY VIC 🤯

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/rg85oqKTVO

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

De’Aaron Fox had another solid game with 19 points, nine assists, and two steals. He’ll look to clean up his turnover problem in Dallas, but first he’ll lob this dime to a cutting Wemby for the alley-oop.

tuffff @wemby 👀

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/ozG3c8eZ4c

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

Dylan Harper dropped 20 points, three rebounds, and two assists in his second straight start to the season. Late in the game, he took over and brought the Spurs within two on this fast-break poster on Sengun.

YEAR 2 DYLAN HARPER. pic.twitter.com/B0ULfPlXz0

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 24, 2026

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs will try to bounce back in Dallas Saturday at 7:00 P.M. as they take on the Mavericks on DAZN.

Dalton Knecht’s frustrating time with the Los Angeles Lakers has come to an end. The team waived Knecht earlier this week, finally freeing the former Tennessee Volunteer to explore better opportunities. On Friday, he found one with the defending NBA champions.

Knecht signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, according to multiple reports. The two-way deal will allow Knecht to go back and forth from the Knicks to the team’s G-League affiliate.

Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/1gePugMy3Z

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2026

Knecht averaged 7.1 points per game during his time with the Lakers, appearing in 132 games. He made 16 starts during his rookie season, where he averaged over nine points per game. Knecht shot 36.8 percent from three point range during his two seasons. Somewhere along the way, Knecht fell out of favor with the Lakers and struggled to find the floor.

The Lakers had a trade in place to move Knecht to Charlotte, but the deal fell through after center Mark Williams failed his physical. Los Angeles ended up waiving Knecht 20 months later.

At Tennessee, Knecht put up one of the most prolific offensive seasons we’ve ever seen. The fifth-year senior transferred in from Northern Colorado and averaged 21.7 points per game while shooting over 39 percent from three-point range. Knecht took over several games for Tennessee down the stretch, helping push the Volunteers to another Elite Eight appearance.

Knecht now lands in New York, where he’ll wear No. 99 for the Knicks. We’ll see if he can find new life, now finally with a fresh start.

Isn’t it great when your mood depends on the performance of your favorite team? It’s not a feeling I’ve experienced since abandoning fandom at school, but I empathize with those that do because the emotions and time they give a team matter. I even saw it up close with my mother recently, who has become a WNBA fan out of nowhere, and her spirits improved when her beloved Atlanta Dream got back in the win column in the Finals. 

Fortunately for those who have suffered this, there are no “statements” in an opener and the first weeks of the season are filled with weirdness with some teams taking long to get settled and some of the bad ones briefly performing above expectation. This means it might take a team like the San Antonio Spurs some time to reach sixth gear because they are getting creative with a three-guard set in the starting unit and they don’t have a high level of urgency at all times, so nobody needs to overreact to some speed bumps.

Anyways, the logistical casualty that caused us to wait three nights for the Spurs’ second game offered some time to watch the other teams and the Oklahoma City Thunder came up again in their winning effort against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. There was a need to see if they could follow up their opening win by making another high-quality team look as ordinary as they did the Spurs, and for the most part, they did. 

The Houston Rockets got checked out, too, and they looked mighty against the Dallas Mavericks. Some of the new swag was obvious when they played the Spurs because using another connector like Fred VanVleet added juice to the offense, but some of the extra intensity of the game was caused naturally by the matchup and its history. The battle for Texas supremacy is serious business and that was why the rebounding in the trenches looked like a mosh pit at times.

The team was down 10 points late in the third quarter, but never let the game get out of reach while not playing their style. As much as I am a fan of playing fast, the court was like a speedway in the third quarter, which will greatly diminish anyone’s legs, even if they have a fast set of wheels.

 So, there’s no surprise some players were slow to make defensive reads in the fourth quarter- one example was Wembanyama not switching onto Kevin Durant when he made the handoff triple in the last few minutes. The priority always has to be protecting the 3-point line late in a close game and that was an easy enough switch.

The Rockets led 89 percent of the night and upstaged the Spurs, yet it was some top-notch NBA action in large part because big-man battles, when done right, are maybe the best the league has to offer from a matchup standpoint.

It’s super early in the season, but I feel ashamed for underestimating the Rockets because Durant’s length gave Stephon Castle problems and Jabari Smith Jr. was equally impactful as an off-ball defender. I’m already eager for the next matchup on Jan. 26 in San Antonio to see how the Spurs get their lick back.

Wish I could report to the fans that things will be easier for the Spurs, but it seems like they’ll only have three easier games — two against the Sacramento Kings and one versus the Chicago Bulls — in the next 18 days.

Takeaways:

• Yes, an 0-2 record is hideous, but trust me on this, things could be so much worse, like how they look for the Miami Heat. They looked a class below both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons on opening week and Kaseya Center got sacked on both nights. Spurs fans would be shook up if they saw the same lack of effort and cohesion. 
• Castle should keep working on his ball handling like he did this summer, but the 3-point shooting needs to come around soon. Opponents think so little of him from long range that they keep giving him those shots, and he needs to drain them to prevent his teammates from being schemed by an extra help defender. Yet if he loses his confidence shooting from deep, an adjustment that can be made is parking him in the dunker spot; he has the hops to be effective there and it would force his defender to play him closer.
• Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are nice shooters, but there is still a need for them to be more assertive when playing next to Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama. Obviously, there are some things to straighten out if this three-guard set is going to be permanent, but in Champagnie’s case, there should never be a world where he only takes five shots when he is ignitable like jet fuel. 
• Luckily for Wembanyama, I won’t charge for this advice, but he should remember the importance of added strength training and having post moves. Going to the body is the only way the big guys can offset his length, and think about how Şengün was collapsing the defense with post ups and was scoring.  Improving in the post would give Wemby more angles to pass to his teammates, and it can also be a way to leverage a turn-around jumper.
• Houston’s frontline having three scoring threats and a fourth on the glass (Tari Eason will) be problematic in future matchups with the Spurs because Wembanyama can only do so much. It’s not ideal, but the next time Houston goes huge, I’d like to see what he can do sharing the court with Luke Kornet. There are plenty of moments that Houston had three of those guys together, and one figures they wouldn’t be as effective if the counter was a two-man zone with Wembanyama up front and Kornet in the back.
• Amen Thompson’s block on Wembanyama was spectacular, and I won’t forget it all season. Thompson and his twin, Ausar, have impressive springs in their legs and there may not be anyone who gets off the ground quicker than them in the league.

Sixers-Bucks by the numbers: New faces, paint points and opposite halves originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Bucks team visiting Philadelphia on Saturday night does not look much like the one the Sixers have grown accustomed to facing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are in Miami. Four former Heat players have entered Milwaukee’s rotation. Taylor Jenkins has replaced Doc Rivers as head coach, and the Bucks have opened the season with losses to the Wizards and Bulls.

The Sixers, who will be without LeBron James, will begin a back-to-back Saturday. Milwaukee will complete one at Xfinity Mobile Arena after playing its home opener Friday night.

Two games are not enough to establish what the Bucks will be this season. They have provided a few numbers worth knowing before the Sixers attempt to improve to 3-0.

139

Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis have combined for 139 of Milwaukee’s 241 points.

The four players acquired from Miami in the Antetokounmpo trade have accounted for 57.7 percent of Milwaukee’s scoring. By comparison, Philadelphia’s offseason additions have scored 45 percent of the Sixers’ points.

Herro has scored 58 points. Jaquez has added 41, while Jakučionis and Ware have combined for 40 off the bench.

Herro and Jaquez have started both games alongside Ryan Rollins, Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner. Jakučionis and Ware have been regular members of Jenkins’ rotation.

Herro has led Milwaukee in scoring and assists. Jaquez is averaging 20.5 points and nine rebounds. The four former Heat players have already become the largest part of the Bucks’ offense.

123.9

Milwaukee has allowed 123.9 points per 100 possessions through two games, the NBA’s second-worst defensive rating entering Saturday.

The Bucks have surrendered 130 points per game despite their opponents shooting only 18 for 73 from three-point range, the fourth-lowest opponent rate in the sport.

Washington and Chicago combined to make 24.7 percent of their threes. Milwaukee has shot 39.1 percent from deep and made 16 more three-pointers than its opponents, giving the Bucks a 48-point advantage from behind the arc.

They have still been outscored by 19 points.

The difference has come closer to the basket and at the foul line.

Plus-42 and minus-25

The Sixers have outscored their opponents 121-79 after halftime.

Their plus-42 second-half margin allowed them to erase a four-point halftime deficit against New York and a 24-point halftime deficit against Cleveland.

Milwaukee has moved in the other direction. The Bucks led at halftime in both games but have been outscored 148-123 during the second half. They have lost the two fourth quarters by a combined 24 points.

The way Philadelphia rallied against Cleveland also lines up with Milwaukee’s early defensive issues.

The Sixers scored 69 points in the second half Thursday. They scored 36 in the paint, went 18 for 22 from the foul line and committed only two turnovers.

They did that while making only three of their 13 three-point attempts.

The Sixers did not need a hot shooting half to come back. They protected the ball, reached the lane and drew fouls.

66

Milwaukee has allowed 66 paint points per game, the worst mark through two contests.

Washington outscored the Bucks 70-50 in the paint during the season opener. Chicago followed with a 62-44 advantage Friday.

That leaves Milwaukee with a minus-38 paint differential.

The Sixers scored 64 paint points against a Cleveland frontcourt featuring Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Thirty-six came after halftime, when Philadelphia scored 69 points and turned a 24-point deficit into an eight-point victory.

Milwaukee starts Turner and brings the 7-foot Ware off its bench. That size has not prevented opponents from consistently reaching the paint.

Maxey, Brown and James all give the Sixers ways to attack off the dribble. Embiid presents another interior challenge if Philadelphia can deliver him the ball without repeating the turnover problems from Thursday’s first half.

71

Washington and Chicago attempted 71 free throws against Milwaukee.

The Bucks committed 32 fouls against the Wizards, who went 32 for 41 from the line. Milwaukee committed another 27 fouls Friday as Chicago made 28 of 30 attempts.

The Bucks have been outscored 60-33 at the foul line. They have allowed 22 more attempts and made only 67.3 percent of their own free throws.

Philadelphia has attempted 57 free throws through two games. The Sixers took 22 during the second half of their comeback against Cleveland.

The Bucks have allowed opponents to score 132 points in the paint and make 60 free throws. Those two areas have accounted for 192 of the 260 points Milwaukee has surrendered.

72:48

Milwaukee gave first- and second-year players only 318 minutes during the entire 2025-26 season, the lowest total in the NBA. Every other team gave that group more than 1,300.

The Bucks have already distributed 72 minutes and 48 seconds to first- and second-year players through two games.

Second-year guard Jakučionis has played 48:56. Rookie guard Brayden Burries has logged 23:52. They are the only Milwaukee players in their first two seasons who have appeared.

Their combined total is already 22.9 percent of Milwaukee’s full-season figure from last year.

That does not mean the same rate will continue over 82 games. It does show the immediate difference between a roster built around Antetokounmpo and one beginning to evaluate its younger players.

The Bucks’ roster is new. The clearest place for the Sixers to attack is not. Philadelphia scored 69 second-half points Thursday by getting inside and reaching the foul line. Milwaukee has spent its first two games allowing both.

Sixers rule James out for matchup with Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James will sit out for the first time as a Sixer on Saturday night.

The 2-0 Sixers downgraded James’ status from questionable to out Saturday afternoon before their meeting with the 0-2 Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. James’ official listing on the injury report was “low back/sciatica management.” 

Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction), Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) were also listed as out. Dean Wade remained questionable as of Saturday afternoon with a left ankle sprain.

The night off for the 41-year-old James does not come as a surprise. The Sixers will finish their first back-to-back of the season Sunday when they host the Pistons. 

The team hasn’t detailed its exact plans with James and Joel Embiid’s availability, but the Sixers have made it clear that neither star will be every-game players this season. Embiid said he expects to play one leg of the back-to-back, so it appears he’ll be out Sunday. 

“We have plenty of meetings and discussions about it. … It’s obviously an important topic,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said on Sept. 29. “Like our fans and like all of us, we want those two guys ready to go come April.”

James averaged 33.5 minutes over the Sixers’ first two games and posted 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. 

The season has begun, but the good feelings have not joined the party. The Brooklyn Nets began their 60th season at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, but everyone left it feeling frustrated and disappointed as the home team lost 110-103.

The Flatbush 5 looked flat and while Mikel Brown Jr. looked good, it was in limited minutes, a situation likely to continue for a while.

The opponent tonight is trying to break into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, but Opening Night brought back some horrible memories. The Cleveland Cavaliers were up by 29 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, but somehow let the lead slip as they suffered a dispiriting 114-106 loss. Ouch.

Game info and broadcast details

• Matchup: Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
• Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM EST (6:30 PM CST)
• Venue: Rocket Arena (Cleveland, Ohio)
• TV/Streaming: YES Network/DAZN

Nets vs. Cavaliers: Who’s out?

Brooklyn Nets

• Out – Tyler Bilodeau (right shoulder sprain)

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Out – Khalifa Diop (left knee)
• Out – Nae’Qwan Tomlin (lower back)

The game

Julius Randle had a solid outing in his Brooklyn debut. The former All-Star scored 30 points and was the team’s best player. Afterwards, he took responsibility for the team’s lack of success o the boards and moments of malaise. It’s what your team leader is supposed to do and Julius is setting the tone for how this team ought to play in 2026-2027.

Randle will have his hands full on the inside with the duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. The Cavs duo helped hold opponents to just 63 percent shooting inside the restricted area, third best mark in the NBA last season. Finishing at the rim against this team is a tall task, and Randle will have to find his way to the cup. Philadelphia punished the Cavs in transition to spur the comeback, and it would help the Nets immensely if they could get out and run early and often.

Of course, the big story at least for fans is when will we see Mikel Brown Jr., without minutes restrictions. MBJ looked good in his 19 minute debut vs. the Hornets but Jordi Fernandez offered no firm timeline on when the restrictions would be ended.

“[The minutes restriction] is not going to change in a way. He played 19 games last year, I believe. This season is 82,” Fernandez said after the team’s practice session on Friday. “We’re going to build him to be healthy and to be a strong NBA player. We have a plan for him. Obviously we’re not going to disclose every single step of the way, but the number one thing is to build him up and build up his body to be able to sustain the minutes that can help the team win games.”

At least we have this from Michael Porter Jr. to help us get through things:

“There’s been practices where he’s completely dominated” Porter said. “So, there’s not a lot of weakness in his game.”

Tonight is the first night of a back-to-back for the Nets. Once this wraps up, they’re heading home for a Sunday night matchup against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers. Will Brown play vs. Indiana? The Nets want to be better this year, and this weekend will be a big early test of that.

Player to watch: Donovan Mitchell

If Cleveland wants to finally break through, they’re going to need Mitchell to get them there. Mitchell is one of the best players in the sport and someone that can heat up at a moment’s notice. Mitchell has tormented the Nets for many years and it will take a team effort to slow him down. With this being Cleveland’s home opener, look for Mitchell to start with an extra level of aggression to set the tone for the night.

Egor Dëmin had a pretty terrible game on Opening Night! He said as much in postgame

“I’m not very happy with how I ended up playing the game. I started with two [made] buckets but then kind of just got slower from a standpoint of my intensity, and I’ve definitely got to bring the energy, higher energy.’

As the lead guard on the team, it’s up to Egor to play with the appropriate energy and level of desperation needed to get the win. Brooklyn had a lot of unforced errors against the Hornets, and Dëmin will be responsible for organizing a better, more cohernt offensive unit tonight.

From the Vault

How bout we cruise to Larry June?

More reading: Fear the Sword, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Nets Insider, SNY, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Cleveland Cavaliers Game Notes – Cleveland Cavaliers
• The Nets’ plan for Mikel Brown Jr. is going to require plenty of patience – Howie Kussoy – New York Post
• Nets’ crowded rotation leaves three sophomores waiting as Jordi Fernández stays patient ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Why Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr.’s minutes restriction won’t change ‘anytime soon’ – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

The Atlanta Hawks continued their unbeaten start to the 2026-27 season as they notched a record-margin victory against the Charlotte Hornets with a 128-81 battering on Friday night at Spectrum Center; a winning margin of 48 points. The Hawks’ scoring was led by Jalen Johnson’s and Aaron Wiggins’ 19 points apiece as seven players scored in double-digits. For the Hornets, Naz Reid scored 17 points as they battled without Coby White and Kon Knueppel.

The Hornets took a brief lead in the first quarter as they racked up some offensive rebounds/second chance scoring opportunities, but once the Hawks reeled off an 11-0 run to take a 15-9 lead by the first timeout they would never look back in this game. What was established from quarter one — and would continue all throughout the game, even with the end-of-bench guys in the fourth quarter — was defense. The Hawks made life miserable for the Hornets all night long: from contesting shots, to running the Hornets down to short-clock scenarios (forcing them into tough shots as the 24-seconds loom) to forcing/creating turnovers, it was relentless from the Hawks.

The first quarter margin of 13 points in Atlanta’s favor wasn’t too unusual in an NBA first quarter, but the Hornets’ struggles continued and inside a couple of minutes in the second quarter the lead had risen beyond 20 points. By halftime, the lead had risen to 25, and it didn’t take too long to grow to 30 points in the third quarter.

Dyson Daniels, a menace all night defensively, racked up four steals alone in the third quarter — taking his tally up to seven (!) — as the Hornets scored two points in just under the opening six minutes of the quarter to ensure this game was dead and buried.

The Hornets waved the white flag to begin the fourth quarter, and the Hawks followed suit several minutes later (with one eye on today’s fixture against the Houston Rockets). The defensive intensity with that end-of-bench unit continued, with Dorian Finney-Smith in particular enforcing himself on the defensive end. The lead rose as high as 49 points before finally settling on a 48 point margin of victory, the highest in Hawks franchise history.

The Hawks blitzed the Hornets and set a new franchise record (!!) for margin of victory in a 128-81 win.

Complete domination, including 27 turnovers forced (17 steals) on defense and 37 assists on offense.

Full breakdown coming on the @LockedOnHawks podcast.

— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) October 24, 2026

Postgame, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder was more so pleased with the manner of the victory more so than the margin of victory.

“We’ve been in this business and, as a player or coach long enough, you’re on both sides of those things,” said Snyder on the record-setting margin of victory. “I think for us it’s more about how we play and I think it’s important for us to keep that focus. We won the game the way we did because we played a certain way and that’s what we need to take from it, as much as anything.”

It’s more so inferring that Snyder was happy with how the Hawks played with a defensive edge and physicality, which was present all throughout the game. Dyson Daniels was excellent in this regard, not just for his headline grabbing seven steals, but he played a key role in guarding the Hornets’ new number one scoring option, Brandon Miller.

“He just finds so many ways to impact the game,” said Snyder of Daniels. “Whether it’s on the offensive glass, defensively making plays, anytime he generates possessions for your team. The more possessions the better. He does that at an elite level. …Playing through him and his ability to give people advantages, he’s a special player.”

The Hornets played poorly in this game, and they continued to throw the same passes in lanes where Daniels was stood, picking them off with ease as the steals racked up, particularly in the third-quarter. His on-ball pressure made Charlotte’s ball-handlers uncomfortable, prompting many errors and mistakes.

For the game, the Hawks recorded 17 steals while the Hornets committed 27 turnovers, leading to 25 points off of turnovers. These elements are part of an identity the Hawks are looking to form.

“We’re trying to develop an identity and that identity is defending, running and sharing the ball,” said Snyder. “When those three things happen, particularly in that sequence when you get stops and we can get out and convert, our ability to convert in transition and take advantage of the stops, or creating some steals, that fuels runs.”

At this point, and several before, I’d love to actually run through defensive clips and how the Hawks excelled, forced turnovers, made Miller’s life difficult etc., and I’d love to share more Hawks quotes, but the NBA has made none of these available as of writing this…

So, instead, let’s run through some quick-fire takeaways from this game:

The Hawks absolutely dominated this game; they outscored the Hornets by 10 or more points in every single quarter. It was impressive that the Hawks’ end-of-bench unit (plus Kingston Flemings) convincingly won against the Hornets’ unit to maintain that margin.

It also highlights the Hawks’ depth — Corey Kispert and Asa Newell were rotation guys last season in the regular season and they could only see game-time when the Hawks are 30+ points clear. From a roster standpoint, there are worse positions to be in! Finney-Smith looked good when he was in the lineup too.

Speaking of the Hawks’ depth, the bench was excellent last night, scoring 61 points led by Aaron Wiggins’ 19 points as he shot 7-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from three. Wiggins was part of a second unit lineup that featured Flemings, Alexander-Walker, Wiggins, Dort, and Jock Landale. That lineup has a nice balance of playmaking, shooting, physicality, and size — it was a lineup I’d like to see in action more at this early part of the season.

Speaking of Flemings, I thought he was excellent last night. He scored his first NBA points, but it was his willingness to pass — and the quality of his passing — which really stood out last night. Flemings did an excellent job setting up opportunities for his teammates, racking up eight assists. He set up many more than this assist number credits him for and could have easily had 13 or more assists in this game. Flemings also had some good rebounds, which is an added bonus (six in total last night).

The extended garbage time allowed him a good opportunity for longer minutes, with the Hawks’ winning work allowing them a large margin for further opportunities. Flemings looked great in a backup point guard role, and that’s what the Hawks have sorely missed from a young guard.

Something I’ve enjoyed this season so far is seeing more of Dyson Daniels in ball-screen actions as the screener. I’m not sure his concerns from three-point range will ever really go away, and one way to limit the potential problems that can bring is to involve him in this way. There was a play in the second half where Daniels set the screen for Johnson which led to a basket. I just liked the way the Hawks have used him in this way. Plus, Daniels is great with his off-ball movement and has a good touch at/around the rim with his floater/runner, so he can maybe roll a little on these plays as well.

I thought this was a game that really highlighted the advantages of continuity at this stage of the regular season. Aside from the additions of Dort, Wiggins, and Flemings (important but not on the franchise-changing scale). This is a Hawks side that knows how to play with each other, more so in the case of the starting lineup — they look like they haven’t missed a beat from last season so far.

The Hornets, however, made a decision to cash in on LaMelo Ball’s season and move into the direction of Brandon Miller as the offensive focal point, in addition to integrating major offensive pieces like Naz Reid and Grayson Allen in place of Miles Bridges, who had been around the Hornets for a long time. While the absence of Coby White and Kon Knueppel was clear for the Hornets, that team has a lot to figure out offensively as they figure out what life in a post-LaMelo era looks like and Miller adjusts to his role.

From the Hawks’ perspective, they don’t have to go through growing pains like this: the hierarchy is clear. Last night wasn’t just a win defensively, it was a win for continuity, and as they face teams who have gone through some significant changes there will be chances to take advantage of that lack of continuity.

All in all, a crushing victory for the Hawks, it really was a perfect night for them. Their defensive potential is the big take-home message from this game. It didn’t need a Jalen Johnson triple-double or 31 points from Alexander-Walker or McCollum to ensure a comfortable victory. Atlanta did it with defense, and it just took so much pressure off their offense (which hummed to 50% shooting from the field and 40% from three anyways). A huge margin of victory on the first night of a back-to-back; no one played huge minutes nor needed to play big minutes.

These first two road games weren’t the easiest on paper, particularly Orlando, but the Hawks have come out on top and in an encouraging fashion. Now, the biggest test of their early season comes in their home opener against the Houston Rockets, victorious themselves on Friday night in San Antonio. Should be an enthralling affair for the State Farm opener!

Until next time…

Some “fan” apparently forgot which team Mitchell Robinson plays for.

Former Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson posted an Instagram Story hours after besting his former team Friday in his first contest since leaving for the Celtics in free agency, in which he called out a fan who apparently believed he still played for the blue and orange.

“Hey, tell me why a fan, bro, said that we lost tonight?” Robinson said while wearing a pink Bass Pro Shop hoodie and seemingly in a car after Boston’s 107-103 home win. “I think he still think I play for the Knicks, and I’m like, ‘You dumb motherf–ker. He a fake fan, bro.”

Robinson laughed off the remarks, adding that he’s “out here in Boston having the time off my life” before going off on the fan, labeling the person as “stupid as a b—h.”

The center certainly could enjoy the night and the interactions after he secured the upper hand, at least for one night, after he helped drop his former team to 0-2.

Robinson had four points, four rebounds and two assists, registering a minus-two rating during his 22 minutes on the court to help Boston rebound to 1-1 after an Opening Day choke against the Pistons.

This season marks his first playing for a team other than the Knicks after he left the team for the rival Celtics, signing a three-year, $47.4 million deal to be Boston’s starting center.

He had been the Knicks’ longest-tenured player and ended his time on a high note, winning the franchise’s first title in 53 years last season in June, and he holds no ill will toward his former employer despite stating that they never formally offered him a new contract

“Yeah. I was like, cool,” he said Friday night. There wasn’t bad blood behind it. Fresh start.” 

He noted that joining Boston may not have sat well with Knicks fan, but he didn’t care.

Robinson added that he’s more involved offensively — albeit through two games — in Boston’s system.

“That was the only thing that was kind of different was going to the rivals. But you know me, man. I like to troll,” Robinson said. “Nobody was happy with that move. But I was.” 

Robinson received a standing ovation from his new fan base Friday after he blocked Karl-Anthony Towns in the fourth quarter and shortly after scored on an alley-oop to give the Celtics a 12-point lead.

He said it was “cool” to play against his former team for the first time — and that all the years with the franchise provided some extra help.

“Still NBA, so playing against them guys, so I know all they plays and stuff like that,” Robinson said. “Just a little battle.”

BOSTON — For years, before every game, Neemias Queta has gotten up three-pointer after three-pointer after three-pointer.

Sometimes, he’ll make five in a row.

On good days, he’ll make ten.

But since he arrived in Boston three years ago, Queta’s three-point practice has been just that: practice. The 27-year-old has attempted just 11 threes in his three seasons with the Celtics, saving the shot for Auerbach Center afternoons and TD Garden pregames.

But on Friday night, in a 107-103 win over the New York Knicks, Queta pulled up for a corner three-pointer as though it had long been in his toolkit.

Swish.

The shot marked Queta’s second made career NBA three-pointer and validated tireless behind-the-scenes work. It also came at a crucial time — late in the third quarter, with the Celtics nursing a 4-point lead.

“It just felt great,” Queta told CelticsBlog after the game. “My whole life I’ve been shooting and just getting better at the shot, and finally just to get one in, the first one of the season, no hesitation, shoot it with confidence; that was great. So, happy for that – and hopefully a lot more will come.”

QU3TA pic.twitter.com/WXvMoqUTIA

— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) October 24, 2026

Since Queta arrived in Boston in 2023, he’s worked with a long list of player development coaches, a list that includes DaSean Butler, Amile Jefferson, Steve Tchiengang, Tony Dobbins, and Ross McMains. 

“It’s pretty much the whole staff,” Queta said. “We work on shooting in general, so all the pinpointing stuff that we can learn from each guy. It’s something I really appreciate; having different insights from different guys and leaning on those guys over the years has been really helpful.”

Several of the Celtics player development coaches even traveled to Portugal this past summer to help Queta coach his youth basketball camp — Queta named Nana Foulland and McMains as two examples.

When they weren’t coaching the kids, the Celtics’ player development staff worked out with Queta and helped him refine his three-pointer.

“They instilled a lot of confidence in the shot,” he said.

For Jayson Tatum, the decision to find Queta came from pure instinct

The play began with Jayson Tatum driving to the basket. Knicks forward OG Anunoby stepped in front of him, hoping to slow Tatum’s third-quarter onslaught (the Celtics superstar poured in a game-high 16 points in the period, and shot 8-for-10 in the paint on the night).

So Tatum instinctively dished it to the corner, and said he realized that it was Queta who was standing there a half second too late.

“I knew somebody was in the corner,” Tatum said with a smile.

Just not the Portuguese big man who rarely ever shoots from outside.

But he noted how much work Queta has put into his three-point shot, especially with McMains’s help.

“Neem has worked on being a threat around the three-point line,” he said. “He works on that every single day.”

Your daily reminder that Neemias Queta can shoot three-pointers pic.twitter.com/dk9kFLy87P

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) May 23, 2024

Tatum hit three clutch jump shots in the final two minutes of the win over the Knicks, capped by a three-pointer that effectively put the game away.

But no shot brought him as much joy as watching Queta’s three-pointer drop.

“To me, that was my favorite part of the game, right?” Tatum said. “Kicking it out to him in a big moment, seeing him shoot it with confidence — I was so fucking happy that he made that shot. Cause now Joe can’t be on his ass. He made one, and it gives him leeway to shoot another one. But my reaction, the bench’s reaction, I know everybody was super, super excited to see him shoot that with confidence and make it, especially in that moment of the game.”

Queta’s big three came on the heels of some elite defense

Queta’s shot came just moments after one of his best defensive sequences of the night: a big-time block against Josh Hart.

He ended up on the floor, and Joe Mazzulla ran from the sideline emphatically to pick him up.

“Neemi showed what he was capable of,” Mazzulla said. “So, just had to let them know — that’s the standard that we have to play to.”

In his 22 minutes, Queta racked up 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. None was louder than his late-third-quarter swat.

“It was one of those turning points in the game where those types of plays got us energy, the crowd got going,” Queta said. “Moments like that can help you win big-time games when your team needs it.”

Queta felt good about the defensive sequence, and it felt fitting that he hit a big three on the next possession.

“When you go out there, and you get a deflection, a block — sometimes those things help,” he said. “The basketball gods, they even things out, and I think that’s what happened.”

Expect more three-pointers from the 7-footer this season.

“No doubt,” Queta said. “Just off the spacing that we have, I’ll be on the perimeter more. If nobody comes up to me and I stay wide open, I’ll just shoot it with confidence, like in the workouts. And I think that’s gonna be something that we can rely on in the season.”