If you ask Doc Rivers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the perfect place to take the next step in his career.
In the most recent episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Rivers dished on his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, how he navigated the ill-fated Damian Lillard trade and the highs and lows that came with coaching the Greek Freak.
"I liked Giannis a lot. I liked him more as a dude," Rivers told Simmons. "He's interesting. He's not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He's really a difficult guy because he has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have super IQ at the same time. It's really a strange thing, and he really has one way. Downhill. Force, force. Every play, he wants to force it."
Doc Rivers tells Bill Simmons it was so hard for him to coach Giannis Antetokounmpo during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks:
“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high…
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 6, 2026
The number one thing Rivers emphasized was execution. Preparing the right way and setting his teammates up for success is the area the Hall of Fame coach believes Antetokounmpo fell short in during their time together. But now, with Antetokounmpo on the Miami Heat under Erik Spoelstra, Rivers is hopeful that will come to fruition.
"I wish he learned how to execute better," Rivers said. "He's one of those guys − you get a lot of them from the U.S., AAU guys − that have never needed to execute because they can do it on their own. But that doesn't help the team. And I told Giannis this, the thing he needs to still learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you're in practice and shootarounds to lock in on execution. And now he has a coach who is as good as there is in execution."
Antetokounmpo landed in South Beach this summer after a blockbuster trade that put an end to the long-running standoff between the 10-time All-Star and the Bucks front office, but it's been anything but greener pastures early on. The Heat are 3-6 in their first nine games despite him averaging 28.3 points and 12.5 rebounds a night.
The Golden State Warriors pulled away from a tie game against Miami at halftime to earn a comfortable 120-100 win Thursday, thanks in no small part to the ability of Draymond Green, Al Horford and Charles Bassey to contain Antetokounmpo to just one point in seven fourth quarter minutes down the stretch.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 23: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 23, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The sky is falling. The Utah Jazz remain winless thus far in November, on the cusp of a six-game losing streak. The team is shooting 27.6% on wide-open threes and has been trailing the bottom of nearly every statistical category. But just maybe, just maybe, all they need is a good ol’ NBA Cup Tournament match to light a competitive spirit under them.
That’s right, the Dallas Mavericks host the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center for an Emirates NBA Cup West Group A showdown. Dallas has already gained an early 1-0 advantage in the Cup standings in their 116-111 victory over the Rockets just last week. The NBA Cup has not been favorable towards the Jazz since its inauguration; in fact, it’s given teams more of an excuse to continue brutally beating up tanking teams — point differential matters!
Over the past few years, the Jazz have held records of:
2023-24: 2-2
2024-25: 0-4
2025-26: 1-3
But now that they’re playing for wins (or so we’ve been told), we could see the script flipped. After all, it’s a ‘blank slate’ for this young team. They’ve battled through injuries, have been a part of two overtime games, and have been through some of the worst shooting woes in years. But that’s only temporary, right?
Dallas has likely been content with the Cooper Flagg-Kyrie Irving pairing, given that their team is 4-4 and has lost to some of the league’s best. The Mavs play an incredibly fast brand of basketball, ranking among the league leaders in overall pace and fast-break points.
Injury Report
Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/5)
OUT – Trey Alexander (G League – Two-Way)
OUT – Harrison Ingram (G League – Two-Way)
OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (Right Knee; MCL Tear)
OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (Right Foot; 2nd Plantar Plate Tear)
Obviously, Utah won’t be able to put the reigning Rookie of the Year to a complete stop, but this team has to make an effort to command their presence in the paint. The Jazz allowed an unanswered 12-0 run by New Orleans in overtime just 48 hours ago, exclusively inside the arc. We saw them hold Zion Williamson completely scoreless in the first half, but all hell broke loose after they surrendered a 13-point lead. We’ll have to hope that they can put out the same energy as they did against a conference foe like Flagg.
Overtime shot chart between the Jazz and Pelicans.
You could consider Cooper Flagg as an honorary ‘Jazz Killer’. In his two career matchups, he averages 34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Though, the Jazz have won both of those matches. Now, with a reinforced Mavs squad around him, Utah can’t roll into Dallas with a smug grin.
The numbers don’t lie; Flagg has struggled tremendously from deep early into the season, shooting 7-of-33 from outside this season. Utah will have to force Flagg into uncomfortable shots that take him away from the line, where he converts 55.9% of his two-point attempts.
Because of his promoted role as a secondary playmaker, they should also employ a player like Ace or Okogie to pressure him into his loose handle and perhaps cough up a few turnovers — Flagg is averaging 3.1 turnovers per game in the early going of the season.
As one of the rising superstars in the West, he’s transcended a typical ‘sophomore slump’ to turn Dallas into a legitimate playoff team this year. Finding a way to slow down this multifaceted star will be a burden on this team for the foreseeable future.
How can you get your #2 pick more involved?
This has been a popular piece circulating Jazz Twitter:
Usage rate by rookies so far:
1. Darius Acuff 31.6% 2. Caleb Wilson 26.2% 3. Mikel Brown 25.7% 4. Yaxel Lendeborg 25% 5. AJ Dybantsa 24.7% 6. Cameron Boozer 23.8% 7. Keaton Wagler 22.7% 8. Meleek Thomas 22.7% 9. Darryn Peterson 20.4% <—- 10. Brayden Burries 20.3%
Through the first eight games, the furthest milestone Peterson has achieved is really only being thrust in the starting lineup. He’s averaged an honest 30.3 minutes per game, but the question is, why hasn’t it felt like it?
He shares the ball with a dominant guard like Keyonte George, who completely dictates the tempo of the offense. Peterson’s role shifts to that of a more complementary piece — a player that the team can chuck the ball to throw up a Hail Mary before the shot clock expires. Coach Hardy runs an egalitarian, pass-and-cut offensive system where Peterson is used to distort the defense rather than being a centerpiece.
Of course, he has his rookie mistakes too: he’s hitting just 35.4% of his field-goal attempts, struggling to find a consistent rhythm inside the arc, particularly on his floater attempts. That could look particularly concerning, considering that he was noted for his lack of vertical burst coming out of the draft.
But after looking at the Darius Acuff Jr. template over at Sacramento (not recommended if you want to win basketball games), the coaching staff needs to realize they have DARRYN PETERSON on their squad. This is to hope they could have more plays run for him: perhaps using him more as a post-up guard, or having him be the one to leak up the court in transition.
If the Jazz are going to be without Jackson Jr. for a couple of months at least, and if Lauri Markkanen is unable to break out of his shooting slump, Peterson will need to play an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.
Escaping the Cold Zone
Speaking of Lauri, the most unprecedented story coming out of this 1-7 start has been the Finnish Star’s efficiency. Of course, we all saw him injure his wrist in the showdown against the Grizzlies, which has had lingering issues due to the dependence on his wrist snap & flick, but this is going to be an integral year for Lauri.
The drop-off has been stark: he’s averaging 17.1 points per game — down significantly since his career peak and is converting just 38.7% of his field-goal attempts. The Hardy revolution has completely eradicated Markkanen’s inside-the-arc scoring, having him attempt a wild 8.3 three-point attempts a game.
He’s also been forced to occasionally shift as a small-ball center due to the banged-up injuries of Jackson Jr. and Nurkic, which was noticeably felt when the Pelicans destroyed the Jazz in the paint during the OT period.
“I think he’s playing through a lot of pain right now. I think he’s really battling for his teammates and us”, Will Hardy said about Lauri Markkanen on Wednesday.
Of course, Markkanen will not have as wild a slump as he does for the rest of the season. He’ll regain his efficiency. His wrist will eventually heal. Really, it’s just a tough spot to be in when your team’s record is 1-7.
Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks—How to Watch:
Who: Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
When: 7:00pm Mountain Daylight Time
How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)
Nov 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (15) looks on against the Orlando Magic during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It was a much-needed victory for the Suns tonight as they improved to 2-5 on the season.
Phoenix spotted Orlando an early lead, then took the game over with its defense and its shooting. The Suns beat a short-handed Magic team without Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac, 117-104, to improve to 2-5. Phoenix was short Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin, and Rasheer Fleming.
Orlando outrebounded Phoenix by 15 and got to the line 11 more times, but the Magic turned it over 25 times, and the Suns hit 17 threes. A 23-point lead after three quarters was more than enough to survive a late Orlando push.
Then the Suns started taking the ball away. Orlando turned it over nine times in the quarter, and Phoenix turned those mistakes into 13 points, mostly in transition. Anthony Black had four of those giveaways by himself.
Devin Booker played all 12 minutes and set the tone with 12 points, hitting a pair of threes and going perfect at the line. The Suns hit five threes as a team to Orlando’s three, which covered for getting outworked on the glass and in the paint.
The bench changed the game. Ryan Dunn, Collin Gillespie and Man Man all finished the quarter on the plus side, and Phoenix pushed the lead to nine before Orlando got the last bucket to cut it to seven entering Q2.
Phoenix led after the first quarter, 33-26.
Luke Kennard owned the second quarter. He came off the bench and went 3-for-3 from deep for 12 points, giving Phoenix a second scorer while Orlando keyed in on Booker.
Booker kept cooking anyway. He added 11 more in the quarter on efficient shooting and went into the locker room with 23.
Orlando stayed close by crashing the glass and living at the line. The Magic grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the quarter and got to the stripe 14 times, but they missed six of those free throws and couldn’t buy a three. Wendell Carter Jr. did most of the damage inside with 10 in the quarter.
Man Man didn’t score, but he was a team-best +13 in his minutes.
The three-point line is the story. Phoenix hit 10 threes in the half and Orlando hit four. The Magic shot better inside and controlled the boards, but the Suns’ shooting and Orlando’s turnovers built the cushion.
Booker leads all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three and 4-of-4 at the line. Kennard has 12 off the bench.
Orlando’s turnover problem came back in a big way. The Magic gave it away 10 times in the quarter, and Phoenix’s defense jumped passing lanes all period with six steals.
Booker only scored three in the quarter, but he didn’t need to. He set up teammates with four assists, and every Suns starter finished the period at +7 or better. Man Man chipped in a pair of buckets off the bench.
After three, Phoenix led 96-73. The Suns outscored Orlando 33-22 in the third quarter.
Orlando kept its starters on the floor and made a push, winning the quarter by 10. Carter didn’t miss in the fourth, going 4-for-4, and the Magic knocked down five threes in the period.
Phoenix rested Booker and most of the starting group for long stretches, and the offense cooled off with five turnovers and three missed free throws in the quarter.
The deep bench closed it out, with Koa Peat, Jamaree Bouyea, Duop Reath and Pat Spencer getting the final minutes. Phoenix won 117-104.
The Coachella Valley Lakers, the Lakers’ G League affiliate, announced on Thursday that Will Iger, the son of former Disney CEO Bob Iger, will be the team’s play-by-play announcer for the 2026-27 season.
He’ll join A.C. Green, who’ll be the game analyst, as the Coachella Valley Lakers’ broadcast team.
Bob Iger’s son is joining the Lakers organization. Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
The Coachella Valley Lakers kick off their season on Friday against the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena.
Will Iger previously called games for the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs’ G League affiliate, during the 2025-26 season, after serving as a sports commentator on the Mavericks’ weekly studio show, “The Bounce”.
The South Bay Lakers were renamed the Coachella Valley Lakers and relocated to the Greater Palm Springs region. Google
He was also a play-by-play announcer for San Antonio FC, the Indoor Football League and collegiate athletics at Columbia University and Hofstra University.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a foul from Ziaire Williams #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena on October 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (7-2) are back home, where they will host a rematch with the Portland Trail Blazers (6-1) on Friday. The matchup will also serve as an NBA Cup contest, with both teams competing in West Group C.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
When: 7 p.m. PT, Nov. 6
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet
One of the Lakers’ two losses this season came at the hands of the Trail Blazers, who ran the purple and gold off their home floor last week. That was the same game that exposed the Lakers’ early flaws such as their inability to rebound the ball well, over reliance on Luka Dončić and overall team defense. While those weaknesses are still apparent, the Lakers have done a better job of navigating them and responding since that loss.
On Friday, they have the chance to get even.
This will be a good opportunity to see whether the Lakers have learned from their loss, how they’ve adjusted and how determined they are to make a run in the NBA Cup after losing pretty badly in the opener against the Warriors.
Here are three storylines worth noting ahead of the matchup between the Lakers and Blazers:
Ja Morant won’t be suiting up
Morant was a huge factor in the Blazers’ first victory over the Lakers, posting 23 points. He easily got in the paint and scored nine out of his 13 attempts. It felt like the Lakers had no answer for him. Fortunately for the purple and gold, they won’t have to think about Ja on Friday because he’s currently recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring injury.
Instead, the Lakers should expect more touches for Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson, who replaced Morant in the starting lineup.
How will the Lakers’ defense respond?
Defense will be the biggest key for the Lakers if they want to come away with a win. In their previous meeting, Los Angeles allowed Portland to shoot 50% from beyond the arc while giving up 56 points in the paint. The Blazers’ hot shooting may have been an outlier but there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again if the Lakers don’t tighten things up defensively. The Blazers have enough scoring to match the Lakers’ firepower.
Portland is the seventh-best rebounding team in the league and currently has a top-10 offensive and defensive rating. They lead the league in points per game (121.9), which is why they’re a tough cover. This isn’t one of those teams the Lakers can just overwhelm with Dončić’s brilliance and talent alone. They’ll have to work on both ends of the floor.
Do the Lakers care about the NBA Cup at all?
If their first NBA Cup match was any indication, the Lakers didn’t seem too interested in making a statement, which is unfortunate because these games are so much fun to win. Hopefully that changes for this one because it’s pretty much a do-or-die game for the Lakers if they want to stay alive in the NBA Cup. Not only are they 0-1, they have a concerning -17 point differential and, if they want to increase their chances of advancing, they’re going to need to win in some blow outs.
It’s a tough task but one the purple and gold should aim to do if they truly want to exact revenge against the Blazers on Friday.
Notes and Updates
The Lakers and Warriors are the only ones in West Group C that have played in the NBA Cup so far, but expect the standings to change on Friday when the Spurs and Kings go at it.
For the Lakers’ injury report, Sandro Mamukelashvili (illness) is listed as questionable.
Bronny James Jr., (G-League) and Cameron Carr (G-League) will be with the Coachella Valley Lakers.
As for the Blazers, Vit Krejci (left ankle fracture), Ja Morant (left hamstring strain) and Shaedon Sharpe (right meniscus surgery) are out.
The second-year forward was taken off the injury report for the Lakers’ home game against the Trail Blazers after being sidelined since the preseason because of left knee swelling.
Thiero played in the team’s first three preseason exhibitions. He averaged 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 18.4 minutes.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero will be available to make his season debut on Friday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectLos Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero will provide a boost of athleticism. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
The team shut him down from on-court activities for a couple of days during the first week of the regular season before ramping him back up.
Adou Thiero hasn’t played in nearly a month. Getty Images
The swelling was happening in the same knee that he had surgery on during the spring of 2025. He was also sidelined during training camp, preseason and the first 13 games of the regular season while dealing with left knee swelling.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is questionable for Friday because of an illness.
Bronny James and Cameron Carr will be on assignment with the Coachella Valley Lakers for Friday’s season opener against the the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.
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What do the Lakers need as other guards around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves? Shooters, ideally ones who can defend as well.
That is leaving Bronny James squeezed. The Lakers have assigned Bronny to the Coachella Valley Lakers of the G League, along with first-round pick Cameron Carr. This is mostly about getting the two young Lakers run they aren't getting with the big club, which is off to a 7-2 start.
Bronny has played 12 minutes across five games so far this season, largely in mop-up duty at the end of games. His being sent to the G League isn't new, in each of his first two NBA seasons, he bounced between the G League and the big club.
The issue is the Lakers need guards who are shooters and Bronny is not that, even if he hit 38.6% from 3 last season (he is 0-for-1 from deep this season). To his credit, Bronny has really developed through his first two NBA seasons. He has a good feel for the game, he can defend well (but at 6'2" doesn't really guard up), he can get into the paint some and make good reads, but he's not the guy the Lakers need right now.
Carr, the Lakers' first-round pick out of Baylor, is incredibly athletic but is raw, which is why he has played in a total of four minutes across three games. He needs to be down in the G League just to get some run.
The Lakers G League team opens play Friday at the Acrisure Arena just outside Palm Springs. The Lakers moved their G League franchise there this summer from El Segundo (they used to practice at the Lakers facility).
The Washington Wizards just climbed to the top of the Southeast Division standings, and then lost to the Hawks to drop to second. But they have a great chance to climb back up, as they play these same Hawks for the second game in a row.
Here’s the preview!
Game info
When: : Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m. ET
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network
How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM
Injury Report
Wizards: Alex Sarr, Anthony Gill (Day-to-Day), Reece Beekman, Tristan Vukcevic, Justin Champagnie, Jamir Watkins (Out)
Hawks: Jalen Johnson (Day-to-Day), Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye, Henri Veesaar (Out)
Pregame notes
Washington and Atlanta battle for leading the Southeast Division — The Wizards and the Hawks match up for an interesting home-and-away as they are both ranked 1 and 2 in the Southeast Division. The Wizards briefly held the helm at #1, but then lost to the Hawks at home last night. Let’s see how the second night turns out!
The Hawks are finding their identity — The Hawks have changed things dramatically. For instance, they traded their franchise guy, Trae Young, to the Wizards last season. But it’s starting to look as if Snyder is finding his rotation. The strong win in DC showed flashes of a coherent team playing team defense (kept the Wizards to 105, and had there not been some “garbage time” it would have been even lower).
Trae revenge game? — Wednesday wasn’t it. Maybe on Friday?
Draymond Green #23 speaks to Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors on the bench during the second half of their game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center on November 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
“I’m not even close to the player I once was. But Kendrick Perkins, the difference between myself and big dummies like you is that I can think,” Green said on his podcast.
“When your body wasn’t the same no more or as athletic as you once were, it looked a little different for you because you weren’t the smartest basketball player.”
Green received two technicals on one play, and his heated interactions with Suns guard Dillon Brooks went viral on social media. The two attempted to put their arms around each other and had to be separated.
Green’s ejection was discussed on ESPN’s “First Take” the following morning, and Perkins didn’t hold back.
Kendrick Perkins is seen prior to the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026, in New York. Getty Images
“When was the last time we discussed Draymond Green and brought him up for his basketball and not fighting? At some point, he has to deliver on the floor,” Perkins said.
“And when you look at the start of this season, Draymond Green has been nonexistent. He has done absolutely nothing for the Golden State Warriors. To me, he has been a liability more than an asset.”
Green has struggled offensively to start the season, averaging 3.2 points per game. At 36 years old, his defensive prowess has declined, but he remains a talented veteran because of his basketball IQ.
La La Anthony filed for divorce from NBA star Carmelo Anthony back in 2021, citing irreconcilable differences. (Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
Carmelo Anthony and La La Anthony (née Vázquez) reportedly have reached a settlement agreement after almost a decade-long split.
Although terms of the separation are confidential, there was a pending judgment of divorce that needed approval from the New York County Supreme Court as of Wednesday, according to People.
Once the former MTV VJ and the NBA star receive the official imprint from a judge, they’ll be newly minted singles.
La La filed for divorce from the NBA star back in 2021, citing irreconcilable differences, according to TMZ, which first reported on the settlement Wednesday.
The couple began dating in 2003 after being introduced through a mutual friend, DJ Clue. They became engaged on Christmas Day 2004 and three years later welcomed their son, Kiyan Anthony, now a 19-year-old sophomore at Syracuse University, where he is playing college basketball.
The two tied the knot in July 2010 in a New York ceremony with hundreds of guests, among them sports and entertainment stars including LeBron James, Spike Lee, Serena Williams, Ciara, Kim Kardashian and Ludacris, The Times reported.
Although the Anthonys reconciled in late 2018, they ultimately called it quits in July 2019, according to People.
La La was already using a divorce label despite it not yet being official.
In a 2022 episode of Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, La La opened up about her split from Carmelo, saying that there were still difficult moments, especially regarding the co-parenting of Kiyan.
“I learned how strong I am,” she said when asked about what she’d learned from the divorce. “You just find yourself getting stronger and stronger. What do they say? Like you don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.”
La La also shared that the demise of their marriage began around the time that Carmelo was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in 2011.
At the time of the 2022 interview, she shared that her perspective on love had changed. “I just don’t know if it’s in the cards for me,” she said on the podcast.
However, in a more recent October interview on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” she revealed she was “open” to dating and that this was her “season of being open” for someone who is confident and adventurous.
As for the NBA Hall of Famer, he was rumored to be dating Racquel Smith, the widow of former NFL defensive end Will Smith. The two were seen together in June.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 04: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz is defended by Derik Queen #22 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of the game at Smoothie King Center on November 04, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (4-4) will meet the Utah Jazz (1-7) 7:00pm CST Friday at American Airlines Center in the the group stage of the in-season NBA Cup tournament. Dallas enters this contest on a two-game slide after their comeback attempt Wednesday against San Antonio came up short, 112-111. After a challenging stretch of the schedule to begin the season, the Mavericks face their second opponent this week to bring a record with fewer than two wins into the AAC; Monday the Sacramento Kings improved to 1-6 against a Mavericks team without Kyrie Irving, 115-100. The Jazz arrive having dropped six straight after the Pelicans prevailed Wednesday in overtime, 120-113. The Mavericks and Jazz share a common opponent this week, as Jazz fell Monday to the Spurs, 119-97.
Change of plans
The Jazz organization’s goals remain more focused on developing their young core than immediate playoff contention, but in dealing for forward Jaren Jackson Jr. last spring, CEO Danny Ainge moved beyond the rebuilding phase of angling for draft position with a trade that greatly bolstered the team’s chances (and expectations) of winning now. Jackson’s departure against the Grizzlies Oct. 26 with a torn MCL means that the team will turn to the stockpile of talent amassed in recent drafts, like forward Ace Bailey, guard Darryn Peterson, and point guard Keyonte George.
All three of those players seem to have bright futures, but it is Lewisville’s George who has emerged as the most NBA-ready player as of this writing. The big guard hit some big shots against New Orleans Wednesday, icing a jumper that seemed to have won it before replays revealed that the ball left his hands a split second late, then knocking down the first six points of overtime coming off high screens from center Lauri Markkanen. Though the Jazz got blown out by the Spurs Monday, the previous matchup of these teams Oct. 28, a 117-111 OT Spurs win, provided some insight as to how this Jazz team can be dangerous. Playing in their first game since the Jackson injury, George keyed a Utah comeback with a drive and layup that tied it in the final minute, and guard Brice Sensabaugh made the three that set up George’s heroics, plus another three in overtime.
For the second time in a week the Mavericks face an electric scoring guard from the 2026 draft class. Sacramento’s Darius Acuff’s 10 of 21 performance against Dallas Monday improved his season shooting percentage to .406. Utah’s Peterson, shooting 34% on the season, has shown flashes of his handle and shot creating ability, but at times has looked like a rookie trying to find his role in the offense.
Lonely up top
Markkanen, the Jazz’ other veteran big man who appears ready to win now, has been tested in Jackson’s absence, chasing a 2-11 three-point shooting performance against Portland with an excellent 4-7 effort from deep against the Spurs. After disappearing for much of the second half against the Pelicans, Markkanen emerged in the final two minutes of regulation to drill a three that brought the Jazz to within one and a pair of foul shots that pushed them in front a possession later. Shouldering the load as Utah’s primary frontcourt threat (starting center Jusuf Nurkic is out with a toe injury) has exposed Markkanen’s strengths and flaws alike. Wednesday the Jazz produced their second 40-point quarter of the season in the third, as Markkanen and reserve center Mohamed Bamba pushed and stretched a small Pelicans lineup around the floor and the Jazz attacked the rim relentlessly. But when New Orleans went big late, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen, and Saddiq Bey all got the shots they needed against Markkanen.
Some of the Mavericks’ most effective stretches against the Spurs came with PJ Washington Jr., Morez Johnson Jr., and Caleb Martin taking turns as the biggest Mavs on the floor, as Dallas’ small lineup cut into the Spurs’ lead even after Victor Webanyama re-entered the game. If coach Dusty May employs a similar strategy against Utah, Markkanen and Bamba will have to cover a lot of ground to keep up.
The group thing
Friday’s game will be the Mavericks’ second of the group stage of the in-season tournament and the Jazz’ first. Dallas beat Houston Friday, 116-111, to notch a 1-0 record in the group stage and a +5 point differential. Dallas trails Denver for first place in West group A, as the Nuggets’ +7 point differential after their 127-120 win against Phoenix Friday gave them the tiebreaker.
Familiar faces
Mavericks guard Walter Clayton Jr. appeared in 45 games for the Jazz last season with averages of 6.8 points and 5.5 assists before being included in the Feb. 3 trade with Memphis that brought Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. Jazz guard Josh Green, a Maverick fan favorite from 2020-24, comes off the bench for 3.0 points per game, and is still making things happen with hard cuts and hustle plays.
How to watch
Friday’s game will be shown on MAVSTV+ and KFAA Channel 29. Radio broadcast is 105.3fm KRLD (English) and 99.1fm KFZO (español).
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 04: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts to a three point basket against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on November 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off of a tough win against a talented Houston Rockets squad, the Minnesota Timberwolves take on Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
After starting the year 0-4, the Pelicans have ripped off four straight wins to claw back to .500. Sprinkled into that winning streak are some impressive victories over the surging Memphis Grizzlies (handing them their only loss on the season thus far) and the Atlanta Hawks. New Orleans is not a squad that is projected to climb the Western Conference standings or necessarily strike fear in the hearts of opponents, though they are still a team with enough competitive and ascending players to keep opponents honest.
Considering the still shorthanded state of the Wolves, they may have their hands full with a healthy-for-now Pelicans team. The win over the Rockets was thoroughly impressive, though Chris Finch and company will need to remain focused if they are to come out of this game with a victory.
Here are a few things I am looking out for against New Orleans:
Beware of the Wolves Killers
You know the guys – the dudes who love to turn up and have career games against the Wolves no matter what state their team is in. Most teams in the NBA have at least one Wolf Killer. The Pelicans have a few.
Perhaps most obvious of these players is Zion Williamson, who averages a whopping 28.5 points per game against Minnesota, nearly five points higher than his career average of 23.8. When healthy, Williamson is one of the premier tickets in the league and can score at will against nearly anyone. Jonathan Kuminga and Rudy Gobert will have their hands full with Zion, who will seek to outmuscle and overpower anyone that Finch decides to throw at him.
Saddiq Bey is another player that ramps up his production against the Timberwolves. A career 14.8 ppg scorer, his number increases to 19.5 for his career against Minnesota. As a member of the Pelicans, Bey’s average jumps up to 24 ppg versus the Wolves. The guy just flat out doesn’t like us.
As the Pelicans have other surging young players contributing to their recent run of success, this matchup may be more difficult than initially expected. Derik Queen has looked to be a solid NBA big man and Jeremiah Fears has been becoming a more well-rounded player. If Minnesota’s defenders can keep the Wolf Killers from transforming into much better versions of themselves, the game is there for the taking.
Dominate the Bone Zone
Bones Hyland is a fun player. He’s energetic, has a great smile, and keeps the fanbase engaged with his aesthetically pleasing style of play and affable three-point shot celebration. He’s an ideal bench player that could fit in on many teams. We are fortunate to have him as a Timberwolf.
However, with a slew of injuries that continue to hamper Minnesota’s preferred personnel, Bones continues to be thrust into heavier minutes than he would normally get. In the four games before Anthony Edwards got injured, Hyland played an average of eight minutes per night. Since then, his minutes have doubled, playing 16 minutes per game in the five matchups since Edwards (and now Terrence Shannon Jr.) went down.
Bones’s 19 point, eight assist night against the Los Angeles Clippers last week was a true representation of what he can bring as a player when he’s on. It’s unrealistic to expect that kind of production and efficiency from him most nights, though he does help the Timberwolves find tempo and form whenever things are going south.
If the Timberwolves are going to have any sustained success while Edwards and TSJ are out, Hyland will need to continue to exert efficiency and production in his limited time on the court. He was electric against the Rockets, scoring 19 points in just 16 minutes of play. For a team that continues to lose players at a high clip, Bones will remain an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.
Figure Out your Free Throws
There’s not much more that can be said about just how putrid Minnesota’s free throw shooting has been. Currently the team sits at 63.4%, good for dead last and a massive 7% behind the next closest team, which is the 1-7 Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota shot a cool 53% (10-19) at the line just last night versus Houston in a 10-point victory to bring that percentage down even lower. So it goes.
It’s not like this team has a problem shooting the ball, either. That’s what makes this ineptitude so baffling. The Timberwolves shot 53% from the floor and 43% from distance against the Rockets. And yet, while standing at the free throw line, uncontested and still, they can’t put the ball in the hoop.
Two players on the Wolves are shooting greater than 80% from the line this season. Everyone else is below them. That is unacceptable.
It would appear that Gobert’s inability to consistently make shots from the charity stripe (42.6% on nearly six attempts per game) is becoming contagious to the rest of the team. While it hasn’t been the biggest issue the Timberwolves have faced this season, it will become one as the team enters more late-game clutch time situations. We’re not far off from a few tight losses spurring a dialogue that laments the team’s lack of efficiency from the line. The recent defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors comes to mind, poor officiating be damned.
Chris Finch will need to address this problem somehow. Unfortunately, getting reps from the free throw line will not show itself as immediately game-changing. It will take time. Finishing this season anywhere but dead last should be seen as a success at this point. Until then, Minnesota needs to figure out how to capitalize on the opportunities they are given.
Entering Wednesday’s game against the Kings, Luka Doncic was leading the NBA in defensive two-point field-goal percentage as the primary defender (21.9%) with a minimum 30 attempts defended.
It’s an eye-popping stat for Doncic, who is known for his wizardry on offense but who has been a lighting rod for criticism on defense over his eight-season career.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, looks on while guarded by Sacramento Kings forward Leaky Black during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. AP Photo/Scott Marshall
Doncic is having an early MVP campaign, averaging a league-leading 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers (7-2).
Doncic recently had five steals and three drawn charges in a 131-125 win over the Raptors on Nov. 1, becoming the first player to record those defensive marks in the same game since player tracking began in 2013-14, per ESPN Research.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. AP Photo/Scott MarshallLuka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. NBAE via Getty Images
“Obviously, I’m not the best defender in the NBA, but I think this year I really took a step forward,” Doncic said Nov. 1. “Obviously people are going to talk what they want to talk [about] me. But I know, and my team knows, that I’m better this year.”
Doncic has scored 40 or more points in five of his last six games, including leading the Lakers to a 116-103 win over the Kings on Wednesday.
Doncic was recently asked in a tongue-and-cheek manner if he’d rather win the MVP award or Defensive Player of the Year.
Guard Bronny James watches his Lakers teammates play against the Trail Blazers during a game last week. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Third-year guard Bronny James and rookie guard Cameron Carr have been assigned to G League Coachella Valley, the Lakers announced Thursday.
James, who is the third year of a four-year contract worth $7.9 million ($4.4 million guaranteed), played only 12 minutes this season across five games, scoring four points on two-of-three shooting while missing his only three-pointer.
Carr, who was the 24th overall draft pick this summer, has played only four minutes in three games, missing the only shot he took.
James has played in 74 games during his young career, including 42 last season when he averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes.
The Lakers moved their G League affiliate to Coachella Valley, where they will open the season Friday at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert against Salt Lake City.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on November 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At some point between the end of the ‘21 season and the start of the ‘22 season, I made a pact with myself: no more first quarters.
You have to understand, these were dark times to be a Spurs writer.
And yes, I know, as a fan myself, that those years were no more of picnic for the average fan than they were for me, but still. There’s just something about watching a beating and then having to write about it that feels vaguely abusive, especially when some of your favorite people are still involved.
Having to watch Gregg Popovich lose like that…I felt like a journalist covering Muhammad Ali’s last fights.
It didn’t matter how valiant he was, how much he tried to make something out of nothing — it just seemed kind of dirty to watch at all. We all knew what he was doing, of course.
There’s a reason I don’t watch the movie all the time. It would be fairly masochistic of me to do so.
But there are 82 games in a season, and someone has to cover them.
As a writing staff, you take some solace in the knowledge that you’re all in this together. You’re all having to write about it. You’re all having to dig for silver linings. And that (for this site) you’re all doing it out of some (possibly misplaced) sense of love for the team, and the sport, and the readers who are just about as miserable as you are.
But I just could not watch first quarters anymore. Not in real time.
It’s one thing to know that the Titanic is sinking; to be thrown into the middle of the chaos and do your best to make sense of it. It’s another thing altogether to watch the ship headed towards the ice-burg in the darkness. To hear the godawful scraping and know what it means. To have been watching the journey for years, and completely run out of ways to spin it.
It had to have been a very conscious decision on James Cameron’s part to make that movie a romance. How else could you get people to watch it? The wreck just cannot be the main course.
I couldn’t convince myself to watch the game at all if I started with the first quarter. The Spurs would either start taking their beating from the onset, or worse, soar to an early lead that we all knew wouldn’t last.
So I decided that I would start watching during the second quarter, finish the game, and then watch the beginning.
It was so much easier to bear when you already knew how it would end. Especially when the Spurs did miraculously pull off the win.
You could go back and break down how the positive momentum started, with the empty but understandable hope that there might be something algorithmic in those 12 minutes that could be reverse-engineered and employed more regularly.
And even the sting of defeat didn’t smart as much when you were able to initially avoid the fool’s gold of productive opening minutes.
Hell, sometimes it was even a little funny when you encountered the Spurs finding a way to lose the opening frame that you’d never even considered.
(Even though the Spurs won the game, I don’t think I’ll ever forget Jakob Poeltl picking up 2 fouls in the first 96 seconds of the Lakers game in 2022 that tied Pop with Don Nelson.)
Lately, though, I’ve been forced to reconsider my first-quarter policy, and the reason is pretty obvious: Victor Wembanyama is just too fun to be put on the back-burner in any capacity.
It was a sensible policy when the losses were piling up. Sometimes it still is.
But frustration with a contender-caliber team starting slowly is simply not enough to deprive myself of the immediacy of the joy provided by the most insane fusion of Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain imaginable.
Wemby just had the first *official* 50 point, 20 rebound, 8 block game in NBA history (and the first 50/20/10 in the non-assist category if you combine his steals and blocks), in his 8th game of his 4th season, and he’s the same age that Wilt was as a rookie!
And that’s in spite of existing in the era of injury and rest management. In spite of the fact that Wemby’s doing it on a team that’s good enough to have already made the Finals.
In spite of playing in an era where blocks are harder to come by, and strategic scouting and game-plans are another level, and players are (pretty successfully) bombing away from long range. In spite of an out-of-whack jumper that’s converting at about 28% outside of 10 feet.
Having chugged a 16oz energy drink during my late dinner before the game in an attempt to battle the somnolent rigidities of middle-age, I found myself doing the same ‘fighting the urge to pee’ dance that my child still breaks out every now and then, as I tried to hold out til the end of the half.
I can’t remember the last time I almost wet myself over basketball, or a more satisfying pee at the half.
There’s plenty of negative things I could say about the game. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this team shoot that badly as a whole. Even Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell couldn’t buy a shot.
There’s no reason it should have been that close with such a performance out of Wembanyama.
The bench’s defense looked like it had been coordinated by Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation, and they put up a total of ten points in their relief of the starters. Carter Bryant and Tarris Reed somehow got no minutes on a night in which it couldn’t have been more clear that a shakeup was needed.
Even De’Aaron Fox’s previously next-level show of efficiency took the wrong turn at Albuquerque.
This was a bad game, if we’re being honest. A real stinker. And yet I can’t find the animosity within me to make this the all-around feel-bad roast that it should be, because, as I’ve said so many times over the last year, it just did not matter.
This should have been one of those games where I had to go back and break down the first quarter in a state of rage.
It should have been. But I just don’t have it in me to despair the undespairing.
Through it all, Wemby was completely unshaken. Understandably, so were his teammates. In their shoes, I think I’d feel the same way.
I don’t love that they frittered away lead after lead. I don’t like it as a trend, and I don’t like it as reminder.
But I think it’s easy to forget that we don’t live in that place were I can’t stand to watch the first quarter anymore, and that by resigning myself to that policy of the past, I’d be getting in the way of my own happiness.
You can’t protect yourself from pain without also protecting yourself from rapture. I think sometimes, in both life and basketball, we have a way of forgetting that.
I can tell you everything they did wrong. I can rant and rage with the best of them, and sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.
I can tell you that they were saved anyway, undeservingly.
Give me a better story than that, I dare you.
Takeaways
I don’t have a lot of nice things to say about this game, but man has Wemby really taken to the responsibility of attacking the rim this season. Right now he and Giannis are the only players in the NBA averaging 7+ Rim FGs and 8+ Paint FGs made per game. And Wemby’s actually doing it more ways than Giannis is, as the only player in the league averaging 5+ points as the P&R Roll Man, 4+ Points off of Cuts, and 4+ points In Transition, per game. If his jumper starts heating up, we’re going to see even crazier numbers than we did last night. Which is insane when you consider that he’s 4th in the league in scoring with a jumper finds the bottom of the bucket about 1/4th of time right now.
It’s been a bit of an uncomfortable fit for Stephon Castle when all three guards are on the court at the same time, and he seems to have been asked to serve as more of an off-ball shooter because of that, but when the need arises, he always seems to find an extra gear. I know many are hoping that the addition of Tobias Harris forces some rotation adjustments, but I will say, Castle is getting the open shots, and he’s not shrinking from the challenge. He’s shooting 32% from three now, but if he starts hitting those, that lineup might really morph into something scary, because everything will open up on the inside, and Wemby’s already mutilating the rim as it is (and Harper’s been slouch, either). And as much as I think Harris will be a boon to the team, I’d secretly prefer to see that happen instead.
Though Fox had probably his most inefficient night of the season on the offensive end, he’s still the only player in the NBA creating 15+ Assist Points Per Game, with a 2-1 Assist-to-Turnover Ratio, while also sporting a 65+ True Shooting Percentage, which is crazy when you see all the names that miss the mark. But, just as importantly, he’s been outstanding on the defensive end, and it showed in the clutch last night when he kept the still-lethal (and long-time Spurs killer) Kyrie Irving off-balance just enough to that his attempt at a game-winning bucket. To have lost a game with Victor playing like that would have felt catastrophic, so he’d be next in line for the game ball, in my mind.
