CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost the two fourth quarters they’ve played this season by a combined 24 points. Their poor late-game execution kept them from delivering a statement win over the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night, and it almost cost them again two days later in their home opener against the Brooklyn Nets.

The culprit behind both collapses was the same.

“We lost the possession game by 16,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said after his team narrowly defeated the Nets. “We got to clean up the turnovers.”

Turnovers lead to bad offense. Bad offense leads to bad defense. You combine those together, and 22-point leads can evaporate in a heartbeat, even against an inexperienced Nets team.

“Good offense [is important] because it really helps you guard the ball,” Mario Hezonja said. “Our rhythm is imposed onto the opponent, so it’s much easier to go both ways. The moment you start to have bad turnovers or bad possessions or even bad shots…that impacts a lot of the mental aspect for a player, and it impacts a lot of the defensive side.”

It’s easy to look at the poor fourth quarter in Game 1 last postseason against the New York Knicks and the start of this season, and believe that there’s a mental barrier keeping the Cavs from closing out games. Maybe there is, but at least in these first two games, the Cavs’ issues are very much basketball-related. As was the case in Philadelphia, the Cavs once again struggled to handle ball pressure.

It’s a copycat league. Teams see what works, and then try to replicate it. One wave we’re seeing now is a drastic increase in blitzing defenses. Defenses are more aggressive in how they’re sending doubles and jumping passing lanes than before. That is especially true late in games, when opponents are trailing and are desperate to get back into games. Hence the reason the Cavs are struggling with this so much down the stretch.

“There’s an unpredictability to it,” Donovan Mitchell said. “I think it’s random. The NBA has turned into that as a whole. Indiana really did a great job of it two years ago, and I think everybody followed suit. It was just like, just cause chaos and figure it out. … When you’re picking up full court and randomly trapping, there’s really no scheme for that. It’s like AAU basketball.”

Atkinson has emphasized the need to just “pass to the open man.” That sounds simple enough and is what needs to happen. The problems come when the team isn’t currently capable of doing that.

There are a couple of issues preventing the Cavs from doing so. First, their starting lineup only has two players they trust to operate in these situations with the ball in their hands. Second, there isn’t a good feel for where guys should be on the court when the traps come.

“It’s a different five,” Mitchell said. “[We’re] calling different plays.”

For as frustrating as these first two games have been, the sky isn’t falling — at least not yet. These are things that can be cleaned up.

“There’s no excuses, but we are working on it,” Hezonja said. “There are some new pieces that we added to the team, so this unfortunately takes a little bit of time, but we are working on it. Everything started to mesh better and better, and I hope [that] soon it’s going to look good.”

Time is on the Cavs’ side. The regular season is where you build habits and problem-solve for how teams are going to attack you.

Right now, the book is out on how to disrupt the Cavs: be physical with them at the point of attack and send random double teams at their guards. That is how teams will defend them until the Cavs show they can beat that kind of defense. And from a certain perspective, going through these struggles now instead of in April should benefit them.

“It’s not always going to be perfect,” Mitchell said, “but I think for us, having these first two games…similar but different ways, I think is definitely going to help us in the long run.”

Former Boston Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both in agreement: there’s no beef, bad blood, or resentment to address.

On Friday night, most of Tatum’s nearly 13-minute-long postgame press conference was dedicated to responding to Brown’s “cap” emoji under an Instagram video clip from Tatum’s ‘Summer of Jayson’ docuseries — where he claimed he was caught off guard by Brown’s trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in July. He denied any existence of beef with Brown, noting several times it was beneath them.

Brown revealed he had heard all of Tatum’s comments after Philadelphia’s 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

“I didn’t see the full thing, but I saw that he said there’s no beef, and he’s right,” Brown told reporters on Saturday night, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “There’s no beef. Jayson comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s got a great PR team. There’s no beef, but it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy. He should stay ready at all times.”

Unlike Tatum’s approach at the podium, Brown seemed much more subliminal, which isn’t new.

For years, Brown would use similar messaging to vent whether it’d be directed at the NBA, officials, or ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. But this time it’s not a referee with a whistle or a loudmouth media figure. Tatum was Brown’s right-hand man for nearly a decade, going through 121 playoff games, five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and two to the NBA Finals. They won a championship in 2024, raising Boston’s long-awaited 18th banner and were poised to ride their careers into the sunset together as one of the Celtics’ all-time duos.

That all changed over the summer.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens tried to use Brown to bring Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee to Boston, and when that failed, it became time for a backup plan. So instead, Stevens shipped Brown to the rival Sixers in exchange for 36-year-old Paul George plus four future draft selections, officially bringing the Tatum-Brown era to an end.

“Like I said, it’s no beef,” Brown reiterated. “The PR and all that type stuff, it is what it is, but I think we’re both focused on what’s in front of us.”

Rather than getting to follow up on his career-best season — a year in which he finished sixth in MVP voting — Brown was forced to take his talents to the City of Brotherly Love to join forces with LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Coughing up a 3-1 series lead in Game 7 at TD Garden was Brown’s final game in a Celtics uniform.

Tatum sat on the bench with left knee discomfort, and the thousands of Celtics fans in attendance fled TD Garden both disappointed and under the assumption the team would run in back with both Tatum and Brown in 2026-27. And based on Tatum’s reaction in his offseason YouTube docuseries, the 28-year-old foresaw that too.

During the preseason, Brown and Tatum didn’t greet each other during warmups. They went about their pregame routines on opposite sides of the court and didn’t acknowledge one another before going back into the players’ tunnels.

If Brown does accept Tatum’s open invitation for a conversation, he’ll have plenty of opportunities, including four upcoming Celtics-Sixers matchups scheduled this season. The first is set for Nov. 10 in Philadelphia.

“At the end of the day, we gotta do what you gotta do for his team,” Brown said. “I gotta do what I do for my team.”

The Golden State Warriors fell to 0-3 on Saturday, after losing 131-122 to the Phoenix Suns in the second game of a back-to-back. Despite the result, you can easily make the case that it was Golden State’s most impressive game of the short season, given that they kept it close despite playing without Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Al Horford.

But it was still a loss, and it still needs to be graded. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Last year, league-average TS was 58.1%.

Yaxel Lendeborg

36 minutes, 26 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 9-for-19 shooting, 6-for-11 threes, 2-for-3 free throws, 64.0% TS, +5

Was Lendeborg perfect? No. But should you be extremely excited that Golden State’s rookie dropped 26-9-5 with excellent efficiency in just his third career game? Absolutely.

With Curry and Podziemski out, Lendeborg was the team’s first option, and he handled the role brilliantly. He was both patient and aggressive on offense, and didn’t let the heavier workload on that end of the court impact his effort levels on defense or on the glass.

He’s really good. I think, after three games, we can conclude that. The question with Lendeborg — who, as has been discussed ad nauseam over the last few months, is already 24 — is how much better can he get?

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, tied for the team lead in assists.

Gui Santos

23 minutes, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 1-for-4 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 4-for-8 free throws, 46.5% TS, -13

Not the best Gui performance. His energy and hustle are always welcome in these sort of shorthanded games, where outworking the opponent is the lone path to victory. But he was struggling to score, and often got caught out of position on defense.

Grade: C

Graham Ike

26 minutes, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 5-for-13 shooting, 2-for-2 free throws, 43.2% TS, -6

Ike had an exciting preseason, and it’s clear the Warriors are high on me. But had you told me that the undrafted rookie, who is signed to a two-way contract, would register a double-double in just his third career game, I’m still not sure I would have believed you.

He wasn’t nearly as efficient as you’d like a center to be, but that was really the only thing you can criticize with his game. He led both teams in rebounding, and played solid defense. He fits within the system so well, and makes quick decisions with and without the ball. It’s pretty clear that he’s going to be a big part of the rotation this year.

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

Will Richard

31 minutes, 11 points, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-9 shooting, 3-for-6 threes, 61.1% TS, 0 +/-

Devin Booker had a true superstar game, scoring 43 points on 17-for-25 shooting. But he got off to a fairly slow start, in large part because of the great defense that Richard was playing on him. Eventually Booker found his rhythm and there was nothing that Richard — or anyone — could do to stop him, but still. Those early minutes were nice!

Richard also did some quality things on offense, with his usual great cutting, and it was nice to see him knock in some threes.

Grade: B

Brandon Williams

24 minutes, 20 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 5-for-10 shooting, 2-for-3 threes, 8-for-11 free throws, 67.4% TS, +5

Williams’ third game in a Golden State jersey was far and away his best. And while he was a starter in this game due to Curry and Podziemski not playing, it was the type of performance that showed you exactly why the Warriors brought him in to be a core member of the bench unit.

He can score. My goodness can he score. And he can score in a variety of ways, with a level of quickness and burst that is fairly foreign to the Dubs.

That was all on display in this game, as was a jump shot that he says he put a lot of work into this offseason; he entered this year having shot just 28.0% from deep in his career, so that’s been the one hole in his offensive game.

They’re gonna need this version of him in games they’re more equipped to win.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.

Georges Niang

23 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 2-for-9 shooting, 0-for-5 threes, 22.2% TS, +6

Some solid veteran winning plays by Niang in this one, and I liked what he did on defense. But, for the role that he plays on this team, it’s hard to be productive when you shoot 0-for-5 from deep and turn the ball over three times.

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

De’Anthony Melton

27 minutes, 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 8-for-13 shooting, 4-for-8 threes, 5-for-5 free throws, 82.2% TS, -8

Melton was awful in the season opener and mediocre in the home opener. But he was absolutely magnificent in this game. He did a phenomenal job replacing the scoring that was lost in Curry’s absence, and while we shouldn’t expect that every time Steph sits, it’s certainly good to know it’s a possibility. Melton had struggled defensively in the first two games of the season, but looked much more like the defender we know in this one, and he controlled the offense with his quarterbacking. Just an awesome game from the veteran.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.

Charles Bassey

13 minutes, 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 4-for-4 shooting, 2-for-3 free throws, 94.0% TS, +3

Bassey made his season debut and was absolutely excellent. I’m not sure what the Warriors would have done in this game had he not been able to play, because he was everything they needed. He patrolled the paint with rebounds and rim protection, used craftiness and strength to score, and made countless little winning plays. The first quarter completely shifted when Bassey entered the game, and it seemed to stay that way whenever he was on the court.

He’s going to play a big role this season.

Grade: A+

Gary Payton II

17 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound, 1-for-3 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 33.3% TS, -14

Just an entirely nondescript game from GPII. I can’t remember a single thing he did on the court, for better or for worse.

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

LJ Cryer

14 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 1-for-5 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 30.0% TS, -13

Not the best game for Cryer, though it’s always nice to see him get some extended non-garbage time run. He always looks better when his shot is falling, which it wasn’t in this game, and his defense wasn’t too sharp either.

Grade: C

Malevy Leons

4 minutes, 2 points, 1 steal, 1 foul, 1-for-2 shooting, 50.0% TS, -10

Despite all the maladies of his teammates, Malevy was only able to get a little bit of run in this game. He’s a nice player to have around, but right now he’s pretty clearly behind the other two players on two-way contracts (Ike and Cryer) on the depth chart.

Grade: Incomplete

Saturday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Kristaps Porziņģis

The Utah Jazz had one of the most eventful offseasons, with twists and turns including winning the lottery, drafting Darryn Peterson, and trading Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers. It was one of the more surprising moves considering how often we heard the Jazz were going to re-sign him. Looking back, it makes you wonder how much of that was to create leverage for an eventual trade. Based on what we know now, it seemed pretty clear Kessler didn’t want to be in Utah long term.

At this point, it’s all spilled milk, and it’s time to see who comes out on top. This matchup is the Jazz’s first chance to face their former center since the trade, and there’s no doubt the atmosphere in the arena will be interesting. With Luka Doncic, it could get contentious. One thing is for sure, Doncic and Kessler look like they’ve found some good chemistry. Will that chemistry hold up against the Jazz? For both the Jazz and the Lakers, this might be both teams’ toughest matchup of the season so far. Utah lost badly to the Grizzlies and turned it around against the Pelicans. The Lakers have beaten the Warriors and the Clippers. It’s a good test for both teams to see just how good they both are.

It’s also a chance for Utah to solidify their rotation. Utah has had two starting lineups this season, and we’ll see if they change again. Ace Bailey had his first start in the home opener for the Jazz and showed the flashes that make him so interesting, especially his defense and athleticism. The question for Bailey is whether he can consistently shoot and score. Once that happens, it’s not likely Bailey leaves the starting lineup for a long time.

Utah can also gain an advantage by starting Jaren Jackson Jr. at center again, because it can pull Walker Kessler out of the paint. Utah’s five-out lineup has huge potential; they just need more chemistry and consistency. We’ll see if they can find more of that against a Laker team with a pretty clear identity around Luka Doncic.

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How to watch Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers

Who: Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers

When: 3:00 MT – 10/25/26

Where: Delta Center – Salt Lake City, Utah

How to watch: KJZZ, Jazz+

The Golden State Warriors were facing quite an uphill battle on Saturday against the Phoenix Suns. Not only were they playing on the road, but it was the second game of a back-to-back, and their third game in four nights in three cities. And worst of all? They were comically shorthanded. In addition to the expected absent trio (Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porziņģis), the Dubs were playing without Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Al Horford.

And so the result of the game — a loss — was not at all surprising. But the manner in which it transpired — close for most of it, with the final score single digits (131-122) — was quite surprising, in addition to being encouraging and, if we’re being honest, very entertaining, especially relative to the first two games of the season.

Golden State was heavily outmatched on paper. Playing against a healthy team starring Devin Booker, the Warriors rolled out a starting lineup featuring two rookies (Yaxel Lendeborg and Graham Ike) and one second-year pro (Will Richard), alongside Gui Santos and Brandon Williams.

What followed was some inspired play. The Dubs had lockdown defense early (Richard was doing a stellar job on Booker), while the rookies scored Golden State’s first eight points. A Williams three gave Golden State an early 11-4 lead, and it was clear that it brought the team a whole lot of confidence. While they were playing very team-oriented basketball, it was clear that everyone on the court saw the game as an individual challenge, and a chance to prove that they deserve a large role on this team, even when the other players are healthy.

After their slow start, Phoenix started to figure things out, and went on a 12-4 run to take a 16-15 lead. Order was restored a bit when Charles Bassey entered the game for his season debut, and made so many little winning plays. Golden State was, quite obviously, lacking in the talent department, but they were using excellent hustle to turn broken plays into points, and staying afloat. They were narrowly escaping some ugly sequences — including to end the quarter — and managed to lead 25-22 after the first.

The second quarter started off very scattered for both teams. It somewhat resembled a preseason game, with both squads spinning their wheels and trying to make something happen. The Warriors struck first in the big play department, when Williams — who worked very hard on improving his long-distance jump shot this offseason — sunk a three, drew the contact, and complete the four-point play. But after that, the Dubs offense went stagnant, while Booker — who had a fairly quiet first quarter — started to heat up. Phoenix took the lead but couldn’t run away with it, and led 57-54 at the break. Booker led all scorers with 19 points at halftime, while Lendeborg, who was showing impressive patience on offense, had 13.

It was a very impressive first half considering the talent discrepancy and the differences on the injury report. And it was fair to wonder if the clock would strike midnight and the Warriors — despite not being the team wearing orange — would turn into a pumpkin in the third quarter.

The answer, unfortunately, was yes. And then it was no, and then it was yes again.

While energy and hustle had been enough to result in offense in the first half, it wasn’t the case in the second, They had a long offensive drought in the third quarter, and as they did, Phoenix pushed the lead to double digits. It seemed as though Golden State would not be able to recover from the first real blow of the night.

But they did! Behind easily the best stretch of the young season for De’Anthony Melton, and some stellar play in the paint by Ike and Bassey, the Warriors not only mounted a rally, and not only erased the deficit, but took the lead.

It was very short lived, however. Collin Gillespie sparked a run for the Suns and then Booker, who finished with 17 points in the quarter, took over. The Warriors kept responding, but it was never really enough; finally, Gillespie drained a corner three with 0.5 seconds remaining to cap a stellar third quarter, and Phoenix took a 102-92 lead into the fourth after what proved to quite a high-octane quarter (the Suns outscored the Dubs 45-38 in the third).

By that point, Golden State’s offense was running on empty. The defensive effort remained very admirable, but they couldn’t find offense anywhere. While the Warriors would end up scoring 30 points in the quarter, they couldn’t find offense when it mattered most, and trailed by 15 at the halfway mark. Behind a handful of threes, the Warriors managed to stay kind of in the game, but they were never able to get too close, and lost 131-122.

The biggest difference in the game ultimately was Phoenix’s ability to capitalize on opportunities. The Suns only forced one more turnover than the Warriors did (16-15), but more than doubled the Warriors in points scored off of turnovers (26-12).

Lendeborg was given the keys to the offense for the Warriors with Curry and Podziemski out, and it was a joy to watch. There are obviously still some growing pains, but the first-rounder finished with a team-high 26 points on 9-for-19 shooting (including 6-for-11 on threes), while also grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out five assists, and only turning the ball over twice.

Melton and Williams provided much of the rest of the offense, as they each had their best games of the year: Melton finished with 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting, with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Williams netted 20 on 5-for-10 shooting, with three rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

Ike, an undrafted free agent on a two-way contract, grabbed his first double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Bassey shot a perfect 4-for-4 en route to 10 points, seven rebounds, and two blocked shots.

But they were no match for Booker, who had a true superstar showing: the five-time All-Star shot 17-for-25 from the field, and finished with 43 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

The Warriors are now 0-3, and life doesn’t get easier anytime soon. They have two more games left on their current road trip: on Monday against the Denver Nuggets, and on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It was the best of games, it was the relation, perhaps a 1st cousin, of the worst of games. It was a game of wisdom, it was a game of foolishness. It was part of a season of light (this season?), it called back to a season of darkness (last season). It was the spring of hope, and it was a win that was harder than it needed to be and brought to mind memories of a certain despair, but memories they remained.

In short, it was a Rockets game. But not as we have known them! It was definitely not the sort they won often last season. I will take the win on a SEGBABA after a tough game in Austin (very much Spurs Country) where the team didn’t make their Atlanta hotel until about 5am. They didn’t really salt away both games of road back to back games much at all last season. In fact, they were bad in that department.

You might say, well, Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet are back, plus the Rockets have Ime’s Spirit Animal: Marcus Smart. Ah, my friend, they did not have those players. All were out. If you know much about Marcus Smart, you know that frequent and nagging injuries have been hallmark of his career. Expect more of the same. As for Fred, he might play in B2Bs later in the season, or he might not. Fred was cagey about it in a post game interview last night, and Fred Jr stayed schtum. Steven Adams simply won’t.

So that left the Rockets starting Reed “Tough 1970s Cop Who Lives By His Own Code of Rough Justice, But Who Is Definitely Not A PG” Sheppard. This may seem a risky move to some, given the team’s 18-4 record in Reed’s starts, but it was a risk the Rockets were forced to take. A risk taken on a loose cannon detective guard who plays by his own set of rules, but gets results, even if they aren’t “By the book.”.

It left Amen Thompson, who had a season highlight block last night in San Antonio. The Rockets had Alperen Sengun, who broke down the Spurs big men late, to win it, including Weepy. It left us with Kevin Durant who just seems to be able to play 36ish minutes whenever, wherever, and even if he’s been shitposting on his burner all night (Who’s to say? Not me.). Finally there was Jabari “I’m Playing Like NBA 1st Team All Defense” Smith.

Would it be enough to match Atlanta, off to an undefeated start, also on a B2B, but at home, and having just summarily dispatched nearby Charlotte?

Reader, it would.

I’m thrilled with the start the team has had to the season. They’ve built leads, held leads, beaten a key rival on the road, and won a tough B2B against what I think is a good to very good Hawks team. Atlanta has players like Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and also CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, that mirror the Rockets in certain ways, and pose problems. They shoot the three well (even if they didn’t tonight, despite a period of just not missing in the third quarter). The Hawks, like the Rockets, also have a good bench, and played the Rockets even in the rebounding battle. In short, not an easy opponent but the Rockets beat them, short handed, on the road in a B2B after a tough game in Austin.

I think we’re seeing the most talented Rockets team in nearly a decade. I’m happy for this win, but the specter of problems that plagued the team last season, if not loomed, definitely floated around the gym and moaned a bit in this game, especially late. Early days, but keep an eye on it.

The game started with both teams looking flat, and to an extent, uninterested. The Rockets went down 7-0 early, but after a time out took a lead they would not relinquish, despite some foolish, and all too familiar faffing around and losing much of their at one time 20pt lead late. It felt like Atlanta made a zillion threes, but that’s because they took 49 of them. Due to good defense from the Rockets (and possibly tired legs) they only made 13 threes to the Rockets 14, on 14 fewer attempts.

Atlanta rallied late, and made it tighter than it should have been. It was a familiar sinking sensation that diehards will remember, but the Rockets did not, in fact, sink into the loss column. That is something to celebrate.

Tonight saw some great play from the following Rockets: Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Kevin Durant and Reed Sheppard.

Amen and Reed and Alpie seemed to alternate in the primary initiator spot, and you could see growth on the part of each.

Amen Thompson finished with a stat line 17pts on 4-12 shooting, but 9-9 free throws, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, and a steal. He played 39 minutes, and at times even the super human Amen seemed to struggle to find energy. One sign of this was missing close in shots he normally makes.

One thing I saw, as the Rockets have begun running recognizable offensive sets, is that Amen has an idea where to look for the pass, or the drive. If a player knows a play, he knows who will likely be open given what the action is meant to do, how the defense might react. This is how a structured offense with varied sets greatly benefits an inexperienced point guard. Fred VanVleet has played 17,000 minutes, almost all as a PG. Amen has played 6600, with probably 2400 as a PG. Fred doesn’t need the structure Amen does.

Alperen Sengun seems stronger, lighter and fitter this season. He threw down two monster dunks, and made several great moves down the lane, one that just rolled out, or it would have been a big time highlight. You could see that his legs were tired but he fought through, and dominated the Hawks inside. Alpie finished with 17pts on 6-12 shooting, 1-2 from 3pt range (hello 67% 3pt% in a teensy sample), had 10 rebounds, 7 assists to 3 turnovers, and a steal. It was a balanced effort, and his passing was generally solid.

Kevin Durant has been fairly deferential this season, but of course vital. Plugging in around 26 pointss every night is a great thing to have. That said, it could be even more helpful. The Rockets really could, and I think should, have some set actions for Kevin Durant late in games. Yes, he can get his own shot, but it’s often a very difficult one, and the fact that he often makes them still doesn’t make it an optimal approach. A few pet KD plays, that get the greatest all-around shooter who ever lived some easier looks, seems like a good plan. Durant went 22pts on 8-15FG, 3-7 3pt, 3-3FT, 4rbs, 2ast, 2to, 1blk in 37 minutes. Yes, KD played 37 minutes in a B2B, but who is going to tell him not to? You? Me? Ime? Maybe his mom.

Jabari Smith Jr continues to threaten a break out season in my view. The Rockets don’t really have anyone with high usage on offense, so it can be hard to see on offense, but on defense he’s simply been outstanding. He’s the player people imagined on defense when he was drafted. He can guard outside, and inside, he can stay with wings, and even some guards and centers. He’s become superb at difficult shot blocks. Not easy swats gained by targeting smaller guys, and striking. No, he’s been getting blocks close to the basket where it’s unclear how he did it at all. And he’s been doing it without much fouling.

Maybe his reputation will one day be such that refs won’t call anticipatory fouls on him, but actually look at the play more. Jabari had 14 points on 5-12 shooting, with tiredness showing in some of his shots, as well, particularly from 3pt range where he was 2-6. He added 4rbs, 2ast, 2to (late) and had one block. This doesn’t really do his game against big, mobile, Atlanta players justice though. He’s been quietly outstanding so far, in my view.

Reed Sheppard just wins when he starts. Tonight he had 19pts on 7-13FG, 5-113pt, 6rbs, 7ast, 3to, 1stl and was tied with Durant for team high +/- at 19. On a Rockets team where no one player dominates usage, what more do you want? I truly cannot comprehend anyone who can see this game and not think Reed is a point guard and capable of successful starters’ minutes. Some of his dimes were immaculate tonight, beyond what anyone but Alpie can do. He also caused havoc with his hands on defense. I’m honestly surprised he only had one official steal recorded.

The Rockets got into trouble late when Ime Udoka pulled Reed from the game late in favor of Bogdan Bogdanovich. I hope I’ll be believed when I say that the bad defender some of you think Reed Sheppard is, Bogdan actually is. This period provided much of Atlanta’s comeback impetus, and the absence of Sheppard was felt keenly. The Rockets still have problems with late game execution, team wide, and Reed was a part of that, but he was still much better than Bogdanovich despite being younger, and somewhat shorter.

Reed played 30 minutes, and Bogdanovich played 20. I think things would have looked far more solid late if Reed had played 36 minutes, and BogBog 14. Perhaps this was due to Sheppard having a bone bruise on his knee, but he did come back in to close the game.

Also, I’ll say again that I think Reed is miscast as a bench flamethrower. He’s not Jamal Crawford. I think the more he plays, the better he plays. His career stats bear this out (not including tonight). Usage is roughly the same, but percentages are all better. I’m not sure what is to be done about that right now, but I’m fairly sure it’s true.

Tari Eason was his usual Chaos Goblin self. He dropped in 19pts off the bench on 8-15 shooting, had some Dribblin’ Adventures, but also attacked the rim with force. On my favorite Tari play he finished with an NFL style drive through Lu “The Butcher” Dort, and knocked him down. Tari still makes baffling decisions, and sometimes gets tunnel vision with the ball, but this is mitigated by him actually making more close in shot. Sadly, he still hasn’t made at 3pt shot this season, as he seemed to make one, but then it was changed to 2pts.

Clint Capela had decent minutes off the bench, and probably could have played more in my estimation, except that Atlanta plays pretty small. He looks much quicker and more fluid this season, having clearly lost a considerable amount of weight. I hope we see more of him as the season progresses.

BogBog is a good catch and shoot guy, and not especially great at the rest of offense. He does surprise defenders that expect him to shoot immediately, enough to dribble past them. He was 4-8 overall and 3-5 from 3pt range. He’s still clearly getting used to playing with the team, and I think they’ll find him in better spots as the season rolls on. I would have thought he was no one’s idea of a crunch time defender, but I would have thought wrong.

This was a good win in what might have been a schedule loss. There are some things to keep an eye on, but there are also positive changes afoot, and it’s clear that the roster is deep and talented. Winning is fun! Not blowing leads is fun! This team, dare I say it, might be back to being…fun?

Devin Booker scored 43 points on 17-of-25 shooting, and the Suns took care of a short-handed Golden State team in the home opener, 131-122.

Was it pretty? No. Was it needed? Very much. You’ll take wins however you get them in the NBA, even if there is plenty to clean up.

Phoenix shot 58.1% from the field, assisted on 33 of its 50 made baskets and outscored the Warriors 27-7 in transition. Golden State, playing without Stephen Curry, Brandin Podzemski, Draymond Green, and others, hung around with 26 second-chance points and 17 threes.

Booker finished with 43 points on 17-of-25 shooting (2-of-7 from three, 7-of-8 at the line), 7 rebounds, 7 assists and a block in 36 minutes. Miles Bridges added 16 points on 6-of-11 and 7 rebounds. Dillon Brooks had 15 points and 5 assists. Collin Gillespie scored 11 with 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, and led the team at +16. Luke Kennard went 3-of-5 from deep for 11 points and a +15. Man Man posted 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.

De’Anthony Melton led Golden State with 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 4-of-8 from three and 5-of-5 at the line, plus 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Yaxel Lendeborg had 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists and went 5-of-10 from deep. Brandon Williams scored 20, 8 of them at the line, and Graham Ike added 12 points and 9 rebounds, five on the offensive glass.

Game Flow

First Half

The Warriors opened up with an 11-4 lead behind a pair of triples from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.

Devin Booker scored 6 of the first 8 points for Phoenix. Jordan Ott saw enough after a 13-8 Warriors lead and called the first timeout of the game at the 7:57 mark.

As soon as Jordan Goodwin checked in, good things happened. He stole the ball from De’Anthony Melton and dished it ahead to Devin Booker, leading to a wide-open bucket to make it 16-15, Phoenix. Timeout Warriors.

Get up, Book ⬆ pic.twitter.com/IkJyIDoP9o

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 25, 2026

Golden State went on a 7-0 run immediately after that, with Phoenix’s second unit struggling to get an offensive flow.

The Suns shot 1-of-12 from three in the quarter. Luke Kennard hit the only one. Everyone else went 0-for-10 from deep, and Jalen Green opened 0-of-3 from the field.

The glass was the bigger problem. Golden State won the boards 19-12 and grabbed seven offensive rebounds. Phoenix had five defensive rebounds total. Santos, Ike, and Charles Bassey each pulled down two on the offensive end.

LUK3 K3NNARD 👌

First official bucket in a Suns jersey! pic.twitter.com/xw8eCQ5F11

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 25, 2026

Devin Booker carried the offense with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting, all from inside the arc. Golden State led after the first quarter, 25-22.

Miles Bridges started the second quarter as the five, with the Suns going to small-ball early.

Collin & Miles connect on the alley-oop! pic.twitter.com/7ru5VpaH5L

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 25, 2026

While he (Bridges) did initially provide some solid minutes, the Suns continued to get killed on the glass and struggled from deep. Miles Bridges led the push with 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three. Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green added 5 apiece, and Green got his first three of the night to drop after an 0-of-3 opening quarter.

Devin Booker added 9 more points on 3-of-5 shooting and got to the line for the first time, going 3-of-4. The bench delivered in short bursts. Ryan Dunn made his only shot, a three, and was a +6 in 5:45. Man Man was a +6 in under three minutes of second-quarter run.

Golden State hung around at the line and on the glass. The Warriors went 6-of-8 from the stripe in the quarter as the Suns were whistled for eight fouls.

Booker leads all scorers at the half with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Yaxel Lendeborg paces the Warriors with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting and 3-of-5 from deep.

Phoenix led at halftime, 57-54.

Second Half

The second half started with much more energy from Phoenix, opening on a 14-7 push. And just as they pushed it to a 10-point lead, Golden State came fighting right back to tie it up.

Kennard 5 points in 6 minutes.

Has yet to check in this 2nd half.

Suns up 77-75. #Suns#DubNation

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 25, 2026

Collin Gillespie started to get it going, pouring in 9 points in 3 minutes. After a scoreless first half, he went 3-of-3 with two threes for 9 points in the quarter and was a +8 in his stint.

Phoenix couldn’t miss. The Suns shot 16-of-20 (80%) from the field in the third quarter and 6-of-8 from three. Golden State hung around with their three-point shooting.

Devin Booker played all 12 minutes and didn’t miss a shot: 6-of-6 from the field, 2-of-2 from deep and 3-of-3 at the line for 17 points. He had 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting and 7 assists through three quarters.

HEAT CHECK 🔥

BOOK WITH BACK-TO-BACK TRIPLES AND UP TO 36 POINTS TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/XIz3TsFmC5

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 25, 2026

After three, Phoenix led 102-92.

Luke Kennard did his damage from the corner of the bench. He hit 2-of-3 from three in the fourth for 6 points and finished 4-of-6 from the field.

Golden State won the quarter 30-29 by going back to the glass. The Warriors grabbed five offensive rebounds in the fourth, three by Lendeborg, and finished with a 26-9 edge in second-chance points.

Phoenix looked a bit more comfortable, with the ball zipping around as it should.

Collin “Nutmeg” Gillespie pic.twitter.com/4Wvce0rbH1

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) October 25, 2026

Golden State wouldn’t go away, but the Suns held firm control throughout the final 20 minutes of the game. Booker dropped 43, setting a franchise record in a home opener, and the Suns secured their first win of the season. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win.

FRANCHISE RECORD. pic.twitter.com/YjP4YKRKke

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 25, 2026

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Up Next

The Suns head to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder squad that swept them in the playoffs a season ago.

The Mavericks hosted the San Antonio Spurs for their home opener Saturday night, but couldn’t send the crowd home happy, on the heels of a 122-106 final score. Without the services of Cooper Flagg (shoulder) and Kyrie Irving (rest), the burden was on veterans Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington, along with newcomers like Zaccharie Risacher and Marcus Sasser, to show out against their intrastate rivals.

Let’s get to the grades!

Naji Marshall: B+

10 PTS / 4 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN

Marshall was solid, especially stepping in as the starting point guard, but didn’t log a whole lot of minutes when all was said and done. He put in a well rounded game with 4-of-8 shooting, even hitting his only three-point attempt, making the most of his somewhat limited minutes.

Max Christie: C

5 PTS / 5 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 2 BLK – 26 MIN

Christie drove early in the game, giving what I’ve been calling for – more than just camping out at the three-point line. He missed, but at least showed the versatility. Then, he camped out at the three-point line the rest of the game. He finished 2-of-9 overall and only 1-of-5 from deep. With the play of Sasser and versatility of Risacher, Christie may be in danger of losing minutes if this keeps up.

Zaccharie Risacher: B+

11 PTS / 4 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 2 BLK – 32 MIN

Risacher is all energy all the time. His offensive game is streaky to say the least, but he is fast, interested in defending and seemingly gets taller every time he takes the court. Much of his value showed up outside the box score Saturday night, but he did bring defensive intensity that was needed in an otherwise high scoring game. A pull up three and fastbreak layup displayed what he can do offensively. If he can get a bit more consistent on that end of the floor, he’s going to bring a lot to the team this season. Saturday night ended on the better end of the spectrum, with 4-of-8 shooting and 1-of-3 from deep.

P.J. Washington: B

12 PTS / 4 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 36 MIN

Washington started well and had a good night overall, but it felt as though he disappeared a bit as the game went on. He still finished on a highly efficient 6-of-12 from the floor, but missed all three of his three-point attempts.

Daniel Gafford: B+

12 PTS / 9 REB / 2 AST / 3 STL / 2 BLK – 23 MIN

Gafford shook off whatever spell he was under in the first game of the season and looked more locked in. He still struggled on the boards and committed too many fouls early, but generally avoided bone-headed plays that plagued him a few nights ago. A steal at half court that he took about 50 feet for a thunderous dunk was a reminder of what he can bring at his best. He followed that up with an alley-oop slam and another dunk off an offensive rebound with Victor Wembanyama draped on his back.

Marcus Sasser: A-

12 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN

Sasser is proving to be every bit the shooter we thought he could be. He connected on 5-of-9 from the floor, including 2-of-5 from downtown. He was tied with Marshall and Walter Clayton, Jr. for the team lead in assists. Sasser is bringing exactly what the Mavs need from their bench unit, playing within himself and engaging on both ends of the floor.

Sergio De Larrea: A+

21 PTS / 5 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN

De Larrea looked significantly more comfortable just three games into his NBA tenure. In the first half alone, he banked in two nearly identical floaters and finished a reverse layup under the rim off a nice pass. Those were just the first half highlights. He scored 13 points over the first 24 minutes, shooting 75% and hitting his only three-point attempt. The second half was no different. After a few awkward moments in the first two games of the season, De Larrea looked like an experienced NBA veteran. He finished 9-of-15 to lead the team in scoring. This was basically a flawless game for the young player and it affords Dallas the much-needed guard depth that they were unsure of coming into the season.

Final Thoughts

The Mavericks looked very well connected despite missing a floor general in Irving and their best player in Flagg. Rebounds continue to haunt Dallas. They gave up far too many offensive boards that resulted in additional second-chance points for the Spurs, but the game was much closer than the final score indicates, at least until the waning minutes of the night.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Regular Season Bell Ringer Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 1.5
Jaylen Brown – 0.5

---

The Sixers are 3-0 to start the season after taking down the Milwaukee Bucks 127-116 on Saturday night.

This was the first game of the first back-to-back of the season for Philadelphia. LeBron James was ruled out for this contest early on for sciatica management. This being the first back-to-back means that we’re still slowly figuring out exactly what the Sixers are planning in terms of resting the likes of LeBron and possibly Embiid, who played in Saturday’s contest. Perhaps they’ll always stagger them, or perhaps it will be a case-by-case basis depending on the opponents faced in each set of consecutive contests. With Embiid’s status for Sunday’s contest still up in the air, we just have to wait and see.

But, back to tonight. The Bucks, the consensus underdogs, were not taking this as a loss lying down. They put up a fight and took advantage of the opportunities the Sixers continued to give them at points throughout this one, even taking the lead for a lot of the second frame. It was, overall, a lot harder of a battle than maybe it appeared it would be on paper pregame, but that’s the nature of the NBA. The important thing is that players like Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe went to work to regain control of the game in the Sixers’ favor by time the fourth quarter rolled around. The Sixers wavered a bit, but held on to take down the Bucks.

Let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

Joel Embiid: 28 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal

It didn’t take long for Joel Embiid to warm up in this one. In fact, the big fella was involved in every facet, filling up the stat sheet, right off the tip. Through the first six minutes of the game, he had already amassed six points, three rebounds and two assists. Between hitting his jumpers and constantly drawing fouls, Embiid was pretty much able to do whatever he wanted on offense. Thank goodness too, because there were a few times no one else from Philadelphia could do much of anything.

But speaking of his teammates, Embiid was an absolute playmaker for the Sixers tonight — especially important on a night without LeBron James’ facilitation. You can see Embiid working patiently to pull in a help defender to allow him to kick out to an open teammate, he’s setting up huge screens to create space for guys like Maxey to pull up, and he’s just hitting some really great passes (sometimes with a flair for the dramatic, for style points).

Embiid finished with a floor-leading 28 points to go with 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the triple-double. He also had one steal.

Joel Embiid. What a night. The big fella was an absolute playmaker for the Sixers tonight (especially important without LeBron playing), racking up 10 assists as part of a huge triple-double evening.

28 PTS, 11 REB, 10 AST, 1 STL in 36 minutes. Some of the highlights here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VUfU8Xyujv

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) October 25, 2026

Jaylen Brown: 27 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals

Something that is quickly becoming evident about Brown is he just seems to show up when his team needs him to the most. In the Cavs game, that came in the form of three huge buckets as the Sixers mounted their comeback. Tonight, it was with two big triples and eight points in the second to help the Sixers break out of an ice cold streak that allowed the Bucks to take the lead out from under them. After putting up 16 points in the first two quarters, Brown was a floor-leading +18… not bad considering the Sixers led by just four at the break.

It’s not just about Brown’s ability to create shots for himself in isolation. It’s that he also shoots incredibly well and is creating opportunities for his teammates at the same time. Add that to Brown’s well-known impact on the defensive end, and the former Celtic continues to show exactly why his addition to the squad was such a massive one for this franchise.

Brown finished Saturday with 27 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Next up is Jaylen Brown, who was just a consistent contributor throughout this up-and-down night for the Sixers. From creating his own buckets in isolation to diming up his teammates to his solid defense, Brown did it all tonight.

27 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL📽️ Highlights here! pic.twitter.com/X9OHOM3pBp

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) October 25, 2026

Tyrese Maxey: 26 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

It is truly incredible what Maxey is able to do on the offensive end of a basketball court. It’s even more incredible what he’s able to accomplish when he has just a bit of space to operate in.

Working especially with Embiid, Maxey was able to find a ton of pockets of space tonight within which to create good looks for himself. But let’s be real, they don’t even really need to be the easiest shot opportunities for Maxey to make something out of nothing. This was yet another night of Maxey finishing out the easy buckets, hitting his jumpers, and making a few fantastic finishes that make you wonder how in the world he does it. He shot well from long range (4-for-9) and was just consistently chipping in points for Philadelphia — which was incredibly important against a Bucks team that was not giving up and kept biting back with buckets of their own.

Maxey finished the night with 26 points, four rebounds and four assists.

TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE x2 pic.twitter.com/U79e3i5Q6b

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) October 25, 2026

VJ Edgecombe: 17 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block

Edgecombe has been open about still finding his spot on this new-look Sixers offense. Tonight was a great glimpse of what it can be. It doesn’t always have to be finishing through contact at the rim or his high flying, acrobatic dunks. It can, in fact, be waiting patiently for the right opportunities to pull up for the jumper. Tonight, he got a lot of those opportunities, and took full advantage, sinking 5-of-10 attempts from long range.

Frankly, even if he had a terrible game otherwise, sinking that many triples for a Sixers franchise that so often goes ice cold from long range would earn a nomination. But it wasn’t a terrible game otherwise. Edgecombe continues to be a monster on the boards, pulling in 13 for the double-double tonight. He is also putting a ton of effort into finding ways to be truly disruptive on the defensive end (which is probably a big part of why he got himself into a bit of foul trouble tonight, but I digress).

His best sequence, in fact, involved him scoring zero points, but making a hell of a lot happen for Philadelphia, including securing the victory for the home team.

A MASSIVE effort sequence from VJ Edgecombe who may have just secured the win for the Sixers.

On one end, a huge offensive board that leads to a triple. On the other, a steal that leads to a transition 3. pic.twitter.com/Ntre14E7Jd

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) October 25, 2026

His offensive game with this roster will take time to fall into place, but tonight was a great sign of things to come for Edgecombe. VJ finished the night with 17 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers nearly fumbled a 22-point fourth-quarter lead as they defeated the Brooklyn Nets 125-121 in their home opener.

Three stars of the game

First star: Michael Porter Jr.

28 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals

Being an off-ball scoring threat on an otherwise inept offense is difficult. Ideally, Porter would be creating looks through his movement and receiving passes from someone that actually requires defensive attention — say, Nikola Jokic. Instead, Porter has to work off Egor Demin and Julius Randle, which isn’t always the easiest task.

However, Porter made that look easy this game. He was disruptive off-ball, drawing the defense’s attention away from the play, and when he did get an opening, he made the most of it. This was on top of being an impactful defender.

Second star: Jarrett Allen

21 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal

Allen was limited to 27 minutes, presumably because of the knee injury he is playing through, but made the most of his time on the court. He was aggressive attacking in the pick-and-roll when the Nets blitzed the ball handler, and even threw in a three-point make from the top of the arc.

Aside from maybe the three-point attempt, this was exactly what you want to see from Allen. And the Cavs were once again better off because he was a meaningful part of the offensive attack.

Third star: Donovan Mitchell

22 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

Mitchell’s scoring is in midseason form. There are things you could criticize him for in these first two games— particularly the turnovers — but scoring isn’t one of them.

The shotmaking has felt effortless at the start of the season. He’s doing a good job of creating space off the dribble, allowing him to score at all three levels. Interestingly enough, Mitchell isn’t hunting off-the-dribble threes as much as we’ve seen in the past. He’s only taken 10 triples through two games, with most of them being catch-and-shoot threes. The three-point volume is something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Dud of the game

Day’Ron Sharpe

7 points, 1 assist, 8 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 6 fouls

This was a tough game for Sharpe. Defensively, he struggled to contain Allen and Evan Mobley — who had a good game in his own right — and fouled James Harden twice on three-point attempts. This all led to him fouling out midway through the fourth quarter.

Offensively, he struggled to make much of an impact against Cleveland’s bigs. He went just 3-for-10 from the field while turning it over three times.

Cavalier who deserves a shoutout

Jaylon Tyson

15 points, 4 assists, 1 steal

Tyson provided a solid contribution off the bench. He played with energy, knocked down some threes, and did a good job finding open teammates as a connector. This was basically an ideal game for him.

Play of the game

James Harden: DROPPIN' DIMES.

This one to Jarrett Allen was around multiple defenders 😮 pic.twitter.com/OJ44yV05HG

— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2026

Assists like this show why Harden is one of the best passers in NBA history. Few guards would’ve seen this angle, let alone been able to fit the ball into such a tight window.

This was a bright spot in what was an overall a poor showing from Harden.

Quote of the day

“This is a building block. It’s time spent. It’s adversity. I think Joe Mazzulla said something like everybody loves each other in training camp. But you understand, like hey, come December, come January, and we’re missing shots…who are we then? That all comes in the regular season.”

– Donovan Mitchell on the early season struggles

Stat of the game

The Cavs have been outscored 73-45 combined in the fourth quarter through two games.

Late game execution has left a lot to be desired.

This game will be remembered for the Cavaliers not learning their lesson from Thursday

The Cavs didn’t give up their 22-point fourth-quarter lead, but it didn’t stop them from trying. The Nets cut the deficit down to two by winning the fourth quarter in the closing minute before the Cavs iced the game at the free-throw line. Brooklyn won the final frame 41-29.

The Cavaliers spent the time since Thursday’s loss to the Sixers talking about how they need to do a better job of handling leads. They didn’t do that here. If they were playing a team that was slightly more competent than the Nets, they likely would’ve dropped this one as well.

The Cavs are clearly a work in progress. They’re incorporating new pieces into the rotation that will take some time. However, it’s impossible to feel great about what you’ve seen so far — particularly in their first two fourth quarters.

Not so fun fact: the Knicks are the first defending champion to start 0-2 since the 2011-12 Mavericks. They’ll try to get on track Sunday when they host the equally winless Orlando Magic.

After losses to a retooled Philly squad and the Tatum-led Celtics, the Knicks finally face a seemingly beatable opponent. Orlando will be without Paolo Banchero, sidelined for several weeks with a high ankle sprain. His absence weakens the Magic’s frontcourt, giving a Knicks team with its own frontcourt concerns an apparent advantage.

The last time these teams met was December 13, 2025, in the NBA Cup. The Knicks won 132-120. Jalen Brunson scored 40, Karl-Anthony Towns added 29, and OG Anunoby had 24. Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 26 and Banchero scored 25. New York controlled the game after finding their footing in the second half.

Freshman coach Sean Sweeney still seeks his first win to step out of Jamahl Mosely’s shadow. His club is averaging 109 points and allowing 123.5 through two games, and the defense that carried them last season has not yet shown up. Without Banchero, more of the load will need to be shouldered by Wendell Carter, Jr., Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Suggs.

Wagner can still hurt New York with size and scoring bursts. Bane provides the shooting and secondary creation. Carter anchors the interior and crashes the glass. Suggs brings defensive energy and little spurts of scoring. Tristan da Silva, in his third year, will likely step into the starting group with Banchero sidelined.

The strategy for this tilt: harass the Fightin’ Disneys into turnovers and convert them into points; smash the glass; and plead with Mikal Bridges to make some shots. He’s 2-of-16 through two games which made him unplayable down the stretch in Boston. 

The early season struggles have been more about execution than talent. The World Champions have looked sluggish so far. Brunson has not found his usual rhythm, and the offense has stalled in stretches. Miles McBride gave them a spark off the bench against Boston; they’ll need that kind of energy again if they continue to get blanks from their starting shooting guard. Towns stayed out of foul trouble in the last game, which helped. 

Jose Alvarado is questionable with an ankle sprain for the good guys. Orlando is without Banchero (ankle), Jonathan Isaac (knee), Noah Penda (hamstring), and Izaiyah Nelson (ankle). Anthony Black is day-to-day with an ankle issue.

Both teams are coming off Friday losses with a day of rest. ESPN.com likes the Knicks at 69% percent, and so do we. Prediction: New York finally gets in the win column with a 12-point victory.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (0-2) vs Orlando Magic (0-2)
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time: 7 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC
TV: NBA League Pass
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

It wasn’t the prettiest of performances, but a few great defensive stretches were enough to give the Spurs their first win of the season. The production from the starters was simply impossible for a Mavericks team missing Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving to match, as San Antonio pulled away late en route to a 122-106 victory on the road.

While they had some dominant moments in the second half, the winless Spurs didn’t look as hungry as expected early on, showing both a lack of execution that wasn’t surprising from a tired team in the second game of a back-to-back, but also lacking the sense of urgency of a contender that lost a tough game the night before should show. Fortunately, they were facing a shorthanded opponent who had also played on Friday, so even during the sloppy moments, they stayed close on the scoreboard. Aside from a few good stretches from Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell, who took advantage of a zone defense by hitting midrange jumpers, there wasn’t much that stood out from a seemingly uninspired San Antonio squad in the opening frame. Despite missing their two best players, the Mavericks didn’t struggle to keep it close.

The lack of hustle plays, the poor decision-making that led to opponent fastbreak points, and the lazy defense that led to fouling were still there in the second quarter. The Mavs were getting help from their bench guys, especially Sergio De Larrea, while the Spurs were struggling to find a spark. An 8-2 run from the home team, punctuated by a big dunk by Daniel Gafford off an offensive rebound, allowed them to create some separation, and the concerns about the matchup turning into a trap game were starting to creep in. The timeout that followed that play changed everything. Whatever Mitch Johnson said worked, because the focus and the energy improved massively, especially from Victor Wembanyama, who didn’t look like himself earlier. San Antonio played harder and, thanks to their superior talent, went on a 25-11 run to close the half.

After the break, the Spurs seemed determined to turn the game into a blowout. The defense was creating turnovers or missed shots, and the Mavericks didn’t have any answers. Unfortunately, the execution just wasn’t good enough on the offensive end, neither in transition nor in the half-court, to truly pull away. The Silver and Black did secure a double-digit lead, but it didn’t last long. As the starters went to the bench, the second unit struggled to keep up the defensive pressure, and De’Aaron Fox couldn’t carry the offense by himself. The buffer that took so much effort to create disappeared quickly, as the Mavericks won the frame and trailed by just three heading into the final period. San Antonio still looked in control, but it felt like the Spurs had let the opportunity to walk away with an easy win pass.

A dominant fourth quarter showed that, while the floor of the team is not where it’s supposed to be, as Mitch Johnson said postgame, this version of the Silver and Black still has a high ceiling that it can reach when necessary, even when unfamiliar faces are asked to contribute. Tarris Reed Jr. got his first NBA minutes, showing that the coaching staff was looking for energy wherever it could find it, and the rookie responded. Unlike the rest of the game, the team didn’t desperately need Wembanyama when he was resting, and when the Alien returned to the court, the lead had actually grown to nine points. Great defense, timely outside shots, and a good stretch from Wemby sealed the win. It was arguably later than it should have been, but San Antonio got to rest its rotation players for the last three minutes, on their way to emerging victorious for the first time this season.

Play of the game

De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama are finally developing more chemistry in the pick-and-roll, which is a joy to watch.

W🤯W!

📺 @_daznuspic.twitter.com/1pBdI0MCC5

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 25, 2026

Game notes:

• It was not a particularly good night for Wembanyama, despite what his impressive stat line in 29 minutes might suggest. Wemby has not looked as dominant as in past seasons so far and was subtly called out by Mitch Johnson for a lack of effort postgame. The Spurs still outscored the Mavericks by 32 points when he was on the floor, because his impact is almost always massive even when he doesn’t look spectacular, but we’ve still haven’t seen the real Wemby so far this season.
• De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle had remarkably similar stat lines, as they both finished with 19 points, three rebounds and three steals, while Fox had one more assist (nine) than the young guard. Both made their mark on defense at times, and while the veteran balanced scoring and playmaking better, the two were essential at different stretches on offense.
• The other two starters switched roles for one night. Devin Vassell had six assists (and no turnovers) but only hit one of his outside shots. Harper only had two assists, but he hit three outside shots. As long as the production is there, it doesn’t really matter who does what.
• Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson provided defense, some scoring, and much-needed energy off the bench, but the second unit wasn’t great as a whole. The lineups that feature Fox and four subs put too much pressure on the point guard to create and be the main point-of-attack defender, so Mitch Johnson might need to find a new strategy if the struggles continue.
• Relatedly, the decision to go with Reed Jr. in the fourth showed that the coaching staff is not actually scared to make tweaks when needed. Luke Kornet has had a rough start to the season and was terrible in Dallas, so the rookie got some minutes. Reed’s defense isn’t polished, but his rebounding and physicality should make him an alternative when the other option isn’t working out.

Next game: vs. Sacramento Kings on Tuesday

The schedule gets even softer for the Spurs, which should be 2-2 after hosting the lowly Kings, as long as they take them seriously enough.

The Dallas Mavericks played their first of 16 back-to-backs Saturday night, losing to the Spurs, 122-106. With Cooper Flagg sidelined due to a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving getting some load management rest, there was plenty of opportunity for others to shine against the Western Conference reigning champions.

5-for-5: Dusty May on Coach’s Challenges

Dusty May has a keen knack for spotting referee errors. A Coach’s Challenge early in the second quarter overturned a foul call on Daniel Gafford. That prevented Gafford from picking up his third foul, allowed the Mavericks to maintain possession and kept May flawless on Coach’s Challenges for the season. He did it again in the third quarter on an out-of-bounds call to once again get possession back to the Mavs. He has now challenged five times this season and won all five of them. It may seem a bit trivial, and he surely won’t maintain 100% success all season, but this should not be overlooked. Possessions add up over the season and not burning timeouts are the little things that matter in the game of inches.

25-10: Spurs’ second-chance points advantage

Dallas played hard all night, but that effort still saw them come up short on the boards. The Spurs did well to pursue the ball off the glass, giving themselves second chance points aplenty. On a few occasions, the Mavs’ secured the rebound only to turn it over, netting the same result as giving up an offensive board in the first place. Daniel Gafford’s foul trouble didn’t help the cause, but the Mavs are going to need to collectively swarm the boards to remedy the early-season trend of getting out-rebounded. Putting it mildly, Dallas got smoked in this department by a factor of two-and-a-half times.

9-of-15: Sergio De Larrea FG shooting

For a guy who looked largely out of sorts during his first two NBA games, to look like a seasoned NBA player against one of the best teams in the league, is quite impressive. De Larrea was unconscious on the offensive end. A huge worry coming into the game was the absence of Irving and who would fill his role. Hall of Famers are not easily replaceable on a given night, but De Larrea did his best to at least provide scoring punch with a bit of offensive orchestration peppered in. If this is De Larrea’s arrival, we’re in for a treat the rest of the way. He led all Mavericks in scoring with 21 points.

14: Number of Dallas Stocks

The Mavericks’ defensive effort has added up to a high stocks (steals + blocks) total over the past two games. Saturday night saw another admirable number posted. In and of itself, it’s nice to see, however the real story is more often what that defensive effort amounts to. In this case, Dallas dominated on fast break points, 28 to 15. Having gotten badly beaten on second chance points, Dallas needed to make up for that deficit somewhere and the defensive combination of steals and blocks was where they did it.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Saturday night for their home opener to face the Houston Rockets. Both teams were coming off wins on their first night of a back-to-back, with the Hawks defeating the Charlotte Hornets and the Rockets defeating the San Antonio Spurs. 

It would be a test for the Hawks, as the Rockets were coming in 2-0 and were supposed to be one of the better teams in the league. 

The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet in this one, while the Hawks had their normal rotation on board. 

Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker helped the Hawks score their first points at home.

Dyson and Nickeil score our first baskets at home this season! pic.twitter.com/3mCF8NV2Ye

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

The Rockets kept a small lead throughout the quarter, but the Hawks always had an answer. Alexander-Walker kept the Hawks in it with three 3-pointers in the quarter.

Not only did Alexander-Walker have the points, but he was perfect in his playmaking for the team as well.

Preposterous pass from NAW 🤯 pic.twitter.com/5BSBqseFPS

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

Johnson kept the Hawks close with this 3-pointer.

JJ corner pocket 🎱 pic.twitter.com/mrAzcIji6T

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

Going into the second, the Hawks trailed 30-26.

Alexander-Walker continued his hot shooting in the second quarter with the help of this hustle from Lu Dort.

Lu dives for the loose ball and NAW knocks down his 4th three of the first half 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/116Pi2cSHL

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

Kingston Flemings got a head full of steam and converted on this layup.

Kingston with a head of steam 💨 pic.twitter.com/xp2Ih1ym7z

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

The Hawks did go through a dry spell on offense, and it was due to the Rockets’ defense, but also missing good looks. That led the Rockets to build a double-digit lead at one point, and the Hawks found themselves fighting back for most of the quarter.

Going into halftime, the Hawks trailed 59-48.

The third quarter was important for the Hawks to come out strong. Alexander-Walker got the call, and threw down this huge dunk on Kevin Durant in transition.

JJ steal 🛑
⏩
NAW lefty HAMMER 🔨 pic.twitter.com/oY92cXecvU

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

Unfortunately, that didn’t bother the Rockets as much, and they continued to put the pressure on the Hawks, building their lead to 16 points.

Wiggs stays hot! pic.twitter.com/QjabKuzMxE

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

The Hawks tried to get back into it and went on a mini run, but the Rockets answered back and brought their lead up to 20. They didn’t keep it for long, as the Hawks hit a pair of 3-pointers to bring down their deficit.

Right at the buzzer, Johnson was able to finish a blocked Alexander-Walker shot for a tip-in, and they went into the fourth trailing 92-81.

What just happened 😅😅 pic.twitter.com/OjZVNrK5Fx

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

The Rockets put their foot on the gas to start the quarter, forcing the Hawks into turnovers and converting on the other end. That alone helped them build their lead back up to almost 20 points.

Daniels was able to hit a 3-pointer late in the fourth.

Dyson connects on a triple from the wing 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ja8ndzXmd6

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2026

The Hawks tried to make a final run, and it looked like they were going to make it a game after the Rockets struggled to get the ball several times.

Johnson finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and 16 assists; Alexander-Walker finished with 18 points, and Daniels finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

The Hawks will be back in action on Monday night to face the Rockets again.

How LeBron-less Sixers overcame a 22-rebound deficit and still won by 11 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Ask anyone around the Sixers when this new group will fully understand what it can become, and the answer tends to sound the same.

It is far too early.

Three games have nevertheless revealed something about them. The Sixers are finding different ways to win.

They survived a difficult shooting night against the Knicks by turning defense into transition offense. They erased a 29-point deficit against the Cavaliers. On Saturday, they beat the Bucks without LeBron James while getting outrebounded by 22.

On the first leg of a back-to-back, Milwaukee grabbed 62 rebounds to Philadelphia’s 40. The Bucks collected 17 offensive boards and scored 20 second-chance points.

The Sixers still won by 11.

According to Sportradar, it was only the 26th game since rebound differential began being tracked in 1974-75 in which a team won by double digits despite getting outrebounded by at least 22. It was the first such win in Sixers history.

The last time Philadelphia won any game with a rebound deficit of at least 20 was April 20, 1989, when Charles Barkley, Hersey Hawkins and the Sixers beat the New Jersey Nets, 105-92.

“We’re not completely thrilled,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “They played incredibly fast, and they crash everybody. We kind of knew that going in. I guess we made up for it in some other areas.”

The Sixers did. With James sitting for injury management, Joel Embiid directed the offense, VJ Edgecombe supplied desperately needed rebounding from the perimeter and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made timely plays at both ends.

The result was a 127-116 victory and the franchise’s fourth 3-0 start since the beginning of the 2000-01 season.

A different floor general

James’ first absence with the Sixers presented a straightforward question.

Who would organize the offense without him?

The answer began with Embiid.

He recorded 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 10th regular-season triple-double. He assisted four baskets in the opening quarter and continued creating shots as Milwaukee sent additional defenders toward him.

“Obviously, he’s been doing a lot of that,” Embiid said of James. “With him not being on the floor, someone else has to be kind of like that floor general.”

Embiid did not shoot especially well, going 8 for 20 from the field and missing all three of his three-point attempts. His passing — and trips to the free throw line — prevented those misses from bogging down the Sixers’ offense.

He found Maxey for a three-pointer early in the third quarter, delivered consecutive assists to Anfernee Simons, Maxey and Edgecombe during an early fourth-quarter run, and set up Jaylen Brown, who scored 27 points, for one of the game’s biggest shots.

“I just wanted to make sure that the ball moved side to side and get guys involved,” Embiid said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can get shots. It was just making sure the offense flowed the right way, we got the right spacing and made plays for everybody.”

Maxey assumed more responsibility, too. He finished with 26 points and four assists while handling the ball more frequently than he had alongside James in the opening two games.

“I have to handle more and kind of set us up a little bit more,” Maxey said. “Bron is a half-court creator for us, a full-court creator for us. But Jalen did a good job. He did that as well.”

The Sixers committed only 11 turnovers and recorded 26 assists. They were not perfectly organized, but they did not look lost without the player who had helped arrange their offense through its first two games.

“We know what to run,” Maxey said. “That’s one thing I will say. Having everybody healthy in training camp, you can do that. You can switch up teams. You can put guys on this team when this guy is out and that guy is out.”

Losing the glass, winning the possession battle

A 22-rebound deficit usually means surrendering far more opportunities than the opponent.

That was not the case Saturday.

Despite Milwaukee’s dominance on the glass, Philadelphia attempted 98 shots to the Bucks’ 90. The Sixers forced 22 turnovers while committing 11 and held a 14-5 advantage in steals.

“It’s almost hard to believe,” Nurse said. “You give up 17 offensive rebounds, and you end up with 98 shots to 90 for them. I guess that’s reflected in the turnovers.”

Those extra opportunities became especially valuable from outside.

The Sixers went 19 for 44 from three-point range, compared to Milwaukee’s 11-for-34 performance. That created a 24-point advantage from beyond the arc, more than enough to offset Milwaukee’s rebounding and interior advantages.

Philadelphia also went 28 for 34 at the foul line. Milwaukee made 21 of its 28 free throws.

The math was unconventional but clear. The Bucks grabbed 22 more rebounds. The Sixers made eight more three-pointers, seven more free throws and forced 11 more turnovers.

That is how a team can lose the glass by 22 and win the game by 11.

Edgecombe flies in

Edgecombe could not erase Philadelphia’s rebounding problems by himself.

He came closer than any Sixers player.

The second-year guard matched his career high with 13 rebounds, including a team-leading 11 on the defensive end. He added 17 points, made five three-pointers and did not commit a turnover in nearly 30 minutes.

“We really need it,” Nurse said. “There are a lot of times when guys are attached and blocking out, and the ball is bouncing out. Somebody needs to come flying in from the outside to grab those. That’s been him a couple games in a row.”

Edgecombe’s most important rebound came with the Sixers’ lead reduced to three in the final two minutes.

Embiid missed a jumper, but Edgecombe crossed the lane and extended the possession with an offensive rebound. Six seconds later, Embiid found Brown for a three-pointer that pushed the lead back to six and completed his triple-double.

Edgecombe then stole the ball from Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Milwaukee’s following possession. Brown found Caldwell-Pope for another three.

The Bucks missed a putback on their next trip. Edgecombe blocked it, grabbed the rebound and later assisted an Embiid dunk that ended Milwaukee’s threat.

In 58 seconds, he produced an offensive rebound, a steal, a block, a defensive rebound and an assist.

“I’m surprised when he doesn’t do that,” Maxey said. “I get mad at him when he doesn’t. I tell VJ, ‘Go do that VJ stuff you do.’ That’s what he does.”

Dean Wade has quickly gained an appreciation for what that means.

“He’s probably one of the keys to our team,” Wade said. “I don’t even know if he realizes how important he is for us. He brings so much energy, offensive rebounding and defense. He’s everywhere.”

Edgecombe will not always take 10 three-pointers or produce a double-double. His place in this lineup will often be determined by the work surrounding those numbers.

“We’ve got so many superstars that he’s going to have to sacrifice,” Wade said. “His box score, everything stats-wise, might not show how important he really is to this team.”

On Saturday, it did.

KCP’s ‘real vet stuff’

Caldwell-Pope provided a different type of support.

The 33-year-old guard scored 12 points, made four of his six three-point attempts and collected three steals in 28 minutes. His plus-24 tied Brown for the best mark on the team.

His impact began when Milwaukee took control of the second quarter.

The Bucks turned a nine-point deficit into a seven-point lead, but Caldwell-Pope made two three-pointers in less than two minutes. He then stole a Myles Turner pass and drew an offensive foul from Turner during the Sixers’ response.

Philadelphia closed the half on a 15-4 run and took a 64-60 lead into the locker room.

“He made some big-time shots and made some big-time plays defensively,” Maxey said. “He did some real vet stuff today.”

Nurse also used Caldwell-Pope against Tyler Herro after the former Heat guard began finding an offensive rhythm. Herro finished with 13 points, went 1 for 3 from three-point range and committed three turnovers.

“He really sprints the floor and gives us some spacing in transition,” Nurse said. “He came in to take Herro and did a nice job. It was a huge lift defensively.”

Caldwell-Pope delivered once more after Milwaukee pulled within three late in the fourth quarter. Edgecombe’s steal started the possession, Brown supplied the pass and Caldwell-Pope buried the three-pointer that restored a nine-point lead with 1:12 remaining.

“I try to start with defense always and keep myself engaged in the game,” Caldwell-Pope said. “Offensively, the game eventually finds me. I just have to stay ready to shoot it at all times.”

Another second-half answer

The Sixers did not need another massive comeback Saturday. They still played their best basketball after halftime.

Through three games, Philadelphia has outscored its opponents by 49 points in the second half.

The Sixers held a 52-42 second-half advantage over the Knicks. They outscored Cleveland 69-37 while erasing a 29-point deficit. On Saturday, they won the final two quarters by a 63-56 margin.

Milwaukee pulled even at 82 with 4:25 remaining in the third quarter. Philadelphia responded with a 15-5 run to close the period.

Caldwell-Pope and Maxey hit three-pointers. Brown turned a steal into a layup. Maxey beat the buzzer with a difficult step-back jumper that gave the Sixers a 97-87 lead entering the fourth.

They stretched the advantage to 16 before the Bucks made their final push.

“We run an action, then run the next action, run the next action and make the right play,” Nurse said. “The organization is taking a little bit of time, which is rightfully so. We’re trying to learn things that we’ve got to polish.”

They’ve also protected the basketball quite well in the closing half, turning it over just 12 times.

Philadelphia should not expect to win many games while surrendering 62 rebounds. They also will not have James for all 82.

Three games are nowhere near enough to define the Sixers. They have been enough to show how many possible answers they possess.

“We’ve got a lot of growth and a lot of improvement that we’ve got to make quickly,” Brown said. “We’re 3-0 right now, but we’ve got a lot of room to work.”