BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics drives towards the basket against Leonard Miller #11 of the Chicago Bulls during the first quarter at TD Garden on October 26, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pick your idiom. The Celtics took the Bulls by their horns. Boston was a bull in Chicago’s china shop. Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard bull-ied their visitors. Regardless, Boston enjoyed their first Gino Time win against Chicago on Monday night in a 134-99 running of the Bulls.
Why the Celtics won
Let’s be honest. Chicago is a rebuilding team trying to establish an identity under new head coach Tiago Splitter. With players like triple-double machine Josh Giddey and pogosticks rookie Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis, they want to fly up and down the court and get up a ton of shots. The Bulls press. The Bulls play zone defense and disrupt passing lanes. The more possessions, the more opportunities to see what they have with the sixth youngest roster.
Heading in last night’s game, the Bulls were first in pace and fourth in the league at three-point attempts at 41.3 a night at a 22.6% clip (worst in the NBA). Those are the telltale signs of a team in flux.
The Celtics, however, are the OG volume three-point shooting team and the rest of the league has now started to catch up.
Both teams got up the same number of triples in the blowout: 44. But as the 134-99 score suggests, the Celtics went old school with their possession maxxing. They grabbed more offensive rebounds (19-14) and turned 24 turnovers into a whopping 39 points, but it was Boston’s 27-point edge behind the arc that made the difference.
Nobody emulated that more than Payton Pritchard, the “coldest white boy,” against the Bulls. He scored 19 of 28 in the third quarter that included hitting 5-of-5 from three.
Numbers game: +34
Through the first two games of the season, Hugo Gonzalez only played fourteen minutes against the Pistons and Knicks, a disappointment development after, well, an offseason of promising development.
“I think he’s played well even in those two games, whether it’s two-and-a-half minutes or three minutes, he’s had a couple of offensive rebounds and done things that impacted winning,” Joe Mazzulla said of the young 20-year-old in this young season. “Tonight was louder. Tonight was the best version of him getting better, but those guys have a hard job, bringing it everyday. A lot of what they’re great at doesn’t show up on a score sheet, but tonight you did.”
After missing his only two shots and being a -17 to start, Gonzalez joined the rotation in a big way against the Bulls, posting 13 points, 5 rebounds, and two assists in nearly 24 minutes of play for a +34 on the night.
At halftime, Gonzalez told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin that “everybody is ready. Everybody is meeting the challenge of the game.” That certainly applied to the second-year Spaniard who led his rookie class in plus-minus for the year.
In a game muddled by 28 fouls apiece and 60 total free throws, there was little flow to the game, especially for two teams looking to ramp up activity on both sides of the ball.
But how’s that for a little flow? The Celtics outscored the Bulls 17-9 in fast break points that included that Derek White strip steal and coast-to-coast drive for a layup on the other end. Boston is a hair behind the Lakers for points off turnovers (26.3) and 4th at limiting them (15.3) — that’s an 11-point margin. Last season, it was only +1.2.
Who said what
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 23: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the New York Knicks on October 23, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“I don’t like it. He knows I don’t like it, but he’s got a little swagger with that. I also tried it the other day and it didn’t fit…that’s not for me. I’m not from Nebraska.” — Hugo Gonzalez on Baylor Scheierman’s headband
We’ll see Chicago again on Friday when the Bulls return for our first NBA Cup game. Tonight, the Celtics complete their first back-to-back hosting the visiting Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 pm EST. No word yet if it’s a headband night.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 26: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives into Josh Okogie #21 of the Utah Jazz during the second half of a game at Delta Center on October 26, 2026 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. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Like most Duke fans, we’re guessing, we’ve been excited to see how Cameron Boozer’s rookie season turns out.
Well, so far, so good.
Memphis is currently 4-0, which is even more impressive when you consider they’ve had to replace Ja Morant, and that Zach Edey is still on restricted minutes due to his ankle issue.
Somewhat surprisingly, Ty Jerome has emerged as an offensive force. In his first four games, he’s scored 45, 28, 31, and 15 points Monday night against the Utah Jazz.
This from a guy starting his eighth season and whose career scoring average is 9.7 points. Kind of wild.
But Boozer is a big part of the Grizzlies’ success. He’s being lauded by a lot of players as being advanced beyond his years, including Jerome. It’s probably not a coincidence that Jerome’s playing at an insane level. A journeyman guard, Jerome was leading the league in scoring at 34.7 points per game going into Monday night (his average is down to 29.8 now).
Boozer probably is making a lot of that possible since he’s drawing a lot of attention from defenses.
Against Utah, he finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Most importantly, he finished with a win.
“So very impressed with Cam Boozer to start the season, but also just to go up against him for the first time, very strong, you know, doesn’t back down from a challenge. He talks out there on the floor. Like, I was very, very, very impressed with Cam Boozer. And so it’ll be interesting to see, you know, watch his progress as the season goes on to see how his career starts to play out, but I’m very impressed with Cam Boozer. Just, like I said, the thing that stood out most is he moves extremely well. He can handle the ball like he... that piece was shocking to me.”
“I thought he’d be a 20-10 guy anyway. I didn’t think it’d be like this though, like this type of 20-10, where it’s threes, it’s off the bounce, it’s off the post, offensive boards. Like I didn’t know it’d be all that. And so, yeah, very impressed with young Cam Boozer.”
Yaxel Lendeborg’s NBA career is off to a historic start.
The Warriors rookie has been the team’s biggest bright spot early on in the 2026-27 NBA season, and he turned heads with a monster performance in Golden State’s 134-114 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday at Ball Arena.
Lendeborg scored a career-high 31 points with 12 rebounds and six assists on 9-of-19 shooting from the field and 12 of 13 on free throws, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history (in the draft lottery era) to score 85-plus points with 35-plus rebounds in their first four games, per OptaSTATS, joining three Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers.
NBA players with 85+ points & 35+ rebounds in their first 4 career games in the draft lottery era (since 1985-86):
Lendeborg, through his first four games, also is outpacing Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Luka Dončić through the first four games of his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks.
Although the sample size is small, it’s clear the Warriors potentially have found something special in Lendeborg, who only will continue to make NBA history if he maintains his current trajectory.
His next test will be Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 26, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Monday morning, ESPN’s Hallie Grossman profiled Payton Pritchard in a piece entitled, “How Payton Pritchard became Boston’s unlikely iso king.” In the introduction, Grossman recounted a story during Pritchard’s 15-point performance in Game 3 of the Celtics first round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He turned to the sideline to see 76ers legend Allen Iverson sitting courtside where AI uttered a sentence that was not only a reaction to the moment, but maybe just a proclamation of the future.
“You’re the coldest white boy I’ve ever seen,” Iverson said, high praise coming from one of the best undersized guards in NBA history.
It feels like divine intervention that this incredible quote dropped before Boston’s game against the Bulls because Pritchard made AI look like Nostradamus with his play. The “coldest white boy” finished with 28 points, 4 assists, and two steals on 10-16 shooting from the field and 7-10 shooting from three.
Payton Pritchard says that when the Celtics played the 76ers last season, Allen Iverson tapped him on the shoulder and delivered this message:
When asked about Payton Pritchard’s “heat checks” when he has things rolling, Joe Mazzulla decided to highlight his all-around game instead. “I don’t really consider those heat checks for him because he’s that good of an offensive player,” Mazzulla said. “He’s another guy that impacts winning in different ways. Tonight, you saw the scoreboard…But he’s been making plays defensively, his assists, his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor, so even if he’s not scoring, he’s still impacting winning at a high level.”
Pritchard was asked about Mazzulla’s reactions to his “heat checks” by saying, “I work on those shots, so it doesn’t really feel like a bad shot, and obviously it’s not if it goes in.” We know Pritchard practices these shots based on his offseason training routine, where he starts his day at 6:45 am at a local high school gym in Cape Cod with no air conditioning.
Payton Pritchard on Joe Mazzulla saying “heat checks” aren’t actually heat checks for him:
“I work on those shots, so it doesn’t really feel like a bad shot. And obviously it’s not if it goes in.” pic.twitter.com/DcZ9NLBQPF
“There’s just something about a humid gym,” Pritchard said, as he talked about the gym he used to work out in back in West Linn, Oregon that could reach up to 120 degrees in the summer. Pritchard said he loved the muck and that includes his competition. He recruited Division 2 and Division 3 college basketball players, international players, and hometown friends to play against. He would pay for them to drive down or fly across the country to the gym because he wants them to be hungry and give him their best one-on-one defense.
For two hours three times a week, Pritchard and his practice squad will go at it during the summer. Pritchard allows them to take breaks, but he doesn’t and will even buy them all Chipotle if he shoots under 60% on the day. That is the level of training that gets him ready to put up big-time performances like he did on Monday against the Bulls.
Pritchard’s third quarter was an electric sight to behold as he took over as the Celtics number one option after Jayson Tatum picked up his fourth foul of the game. At the 7:15 mark of the third quarter when Tatum checked out, Pritchard led the Celtics on a 31-11 scoring run over the Bulls to end the quarter. His biggest highlight was an isolation step-back three over Buddy Hield, who he crossed out of his shoes. The Bulls called a timeout, the Boston bench was going crazy, the TD Garden crowd was alive.
Payton Pritchard reminded everyone that he is that guy. Pritchard finished the third quarter with 19 points on 7-8 shooting from the field and 5-5 from three before subbing out for the rest of the game.
Pritchard’s big third quarter gave us a chance to see new free agent signing Mike Conley make his Celtics debut to start the fourth quarter. Ever since Media Day, it feels like Mike Conley and Payton Pritchard have been linked together at the hip. Pritchard has spoken in the past about what it was like working with Conley this offseason. In the ESPN article, Conley was asked about his thoughts on Pritchard who he called “a menace.”
“He’s an absolute crazy person when it comes to trying to improve his game,” Conley said.
In his first minutes in green, Conley finishing with 6 points and 2 steals on 2-2 shooting from three in 7 minutes of play. When asked about Conley postgame, Pritchard joked by saying, “I was telling him, like one of the back taps he had, I’m like he looked like a DB still. He’s just a freak.” He also praised Conley for being a great veteran presence, saying, “Such a good vet to be around, and somebody I am always pulling for regardless…for me to have somebody like that in my corner, it’s big.”
Payton Pritchard on Mike Conley making his Celtics debut:
“Just an unbelievable person, obviously still in unbelievable shape for his age. And I was telling him, like one of the back taps he had, I'm like he looked like a DB still. He’s just a freak.” pic.twitter.com/p0GSszscQR
The ESPN article finished with a quote from Pritchard that is a testament to all of the hard work that he has put in, “I can’t wake up and be Wemby.” It’s a simple quote but it’s a real quote. Pritchard is listed at 6’1” and has had to deal with a lot of different circumstances with the Celtics over his seven years in Boston.
He has gone from a reserve guy, to asking for a trade out of Boston, to NBA Finals buzzer beaters, to winning Sixth Man of the Year and to having a career season in 2025. Pritchard’s ability to outwork everyone else on the court at his size has led him to becoming the elite player that he is today and he is in store for what could be the best season of his NBA career.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 02: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics talks with Derrick White #9 during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on March 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, the White Noise Podcast hosted by Derrick White and Alex Welsh had Joe Mazzulla on the pod for the first time.
“My point guard knocks, I open the door so happy to be here” is how Mazzulla opened the podcast. He kicked off the podcast by saying how much he doesn’t like to be called “Coach” and Walsh recounted the time he called Mazzulla “Coach” and how Joe got upset.
They started off the conversation about how Joe spent his summer traveling around the world to spend time with the players and how Mazzulla went to Colorado to visit White last summer. He talked about how smart Derrick’s son Hendrix is, which got into how the team learns from different sports and how they can learn from it.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MARCH 08: Derrick White #9 talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They then got into when White and Walsh went to the J. Cole concert and Joe told White to learn Cole’s breathing techniques from it.
“[J. Cole] said that he doesn’t have a breathing route, just being conscious of finding the time to take the breath,” White said. “As [Mazzulla] was talking about, sometimes we forgot to take the breath… Just finding the time to take that deep breath.”
They then got into their Division 2 beginnings and all the wild stories behind that— for example, how they used to share the bus with the women’s team and how they would fly out to games on game day, no matter how far it was.
Joe then proceeded to point out that on days he doesn’t want to practice, White won’t wear his leggings or tie his shoes in warmups. “We can’t get anything accomplished today cause this guy doesn’t want to tie his shoes. He’s too lazy to put his leggings on so we can’t go live cause you need your leggings.”
When he was asked for stories about D-White, Mazzulla jokingly said that Derrick has “zero self-control at team events” and “brings it no matter where he is.” Joe then talked about how Derrick lights up and room and helps him keep perspective during games.
They then talked about Joe’s Joker tattoo and Mazzulla had an interesting perspective on it: “I don’t think he was as bad as people made him out to be. I don’t think Batman was as good as we made him out to be.”
They then finished up with a game of ‘Are you smarter than at 5th grader’ and the results were very funny.
You can listen to the whole podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 26: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets on October 26, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors collected their first win of the 2026-27 NBA season on Monday, and it wasn’t a cheap one. Playing on the road, against a team with championship aspirations, the Dubs dismantled the Denver Nuggets, winning 134-114, and looking excellent along the way.
Through three games, the red pen had gotten some serious wear and tear, so I’m pleased to announce that it can get a rest day today. Load management! Grades will be mostly positive, because that’s what is deserved with such an impressive win.
As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that individual.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. League-average TS was 58.1% last year.
Let me repeat that line really quickly: 31 points and 12 rebounds on 62.7% true shooting. And now let me remind you of something really quickly: this was his fourth career game.
It is abundantly clear that Lendeborg is a good player; a really good player, even. How good he can become is a different question for a different day, because the reality is, that right now, he’s a really good NBA player.
Lendeborg became just the fifth Warriors rookie since the turn of the century to have 30 points and 10 rebounds in a game (joining Steph Curry, Eric Paschall, Anthony Morrow, and Marc Jackson), and the history doesn’t stop there.
Again: this was his fourth game. It’s not like he’s figuring things out in March. He just got here.
Lendeborg was the team’s go-to option when Curry was on the bench … and often when Curry was on the court, too. He broke down the defense repeatedly, and got to the rim with ease, where he finished with absurd efficiency: he shot 8-for-11 from inside the arc, with 13 free throws. Occasionally he opted not to score after penetrating the defense, and instead dished to an open teammate en route to six dimes.
He has an uncanny combination of aggression and patience. You don’t see many rookies (let alone ones in their first week) who have the ability to score 30 points but still make the right reads and decisions, and play within the system (just ask Draymond Green about Darius Acuff Jr. for further proof of this!).
And my goodness can the dude rebound. Remember when Andrew Wiggins had a great rebounding series in the NBA Finals and claimed it was because he realized that rebounding was as simple as just deciding to get rebounds? Well, Lendeborg decides to get rebounds. He’s snagged 37 boards in four games, and is almost single-handedly making people forget that the Warriors are hilariously short on centers.
He’s the real deal, folks.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and rebounds.
It’s been an up and down start to the season for Santos, but this game was far and away his best. Even if Santos hadn’t done much else, you’re going to always look good scoring 13 points on just seven shooting possessions; that’s elite efficiency, and in a high-octane offensive game like this one, a player scoring like that can make the difference.
But Santos also did a lot more. His defense is a little inconsistent, which isn’t surprising for a player of his age and experience level, but this was definitely a strong game on that end of the court. We’ve seen the potential he has on D, and he really materialized it in this contest. He also had a lot of hustle plays — the three rebounds in the box score don’t do justice to the impact he had on 50-50 balls.
It sure makes it easier to start Green at the five when Lendeborg punches so much above his weight. Yaxel grabbing 12 rebounds, and even successfully taking some turn defending Nikola Jokić, gave Steve Kerr the luxury of playing small, with Green at center.
It certainly worked at times, and Green was the primary reason why Jokić had a relatively quiet night by his superstar standards (19 points on 8-for-18 shooting).
Dray didn’t play well on offense. He was a non-factor scoring (though he wasn’t forcing anything), and had a lot of turnovers, though he had some dimes as well. He’s still rounding into form, but his defense was big in this one.
Grade: B- Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.
We heard all camp that Podziemski was better than ever before. We had to wait to see it, given that he missed Wednesday’s and Saturday’s games with back soreness. But this was a data point. And this was a strong data point.
Setting aside the stats and the impact for a second, Podz looked, to me, more athletic than ever before. He was flying all over the court, which we’ve come to expect of him, but he looked stronger and more explosive. He’s always had great defensive instincts, but now he looks more prepared for the contact on any given play. He’s ripping rebounds out of the air, colliding with players for blocks and coming out on top, and working through contact easily. He just looks like a better athlete than he used to be.
More importantly, he just played a fantastic game. He was creative on offense, both in getting his own shot and in setting up his teammates. The fourth-year guard was a menace on the glass and on defense, in the half court and in transition.
The Warriors are a confusing team. I have no idea how good or how bad they might be. But if Podziemski and Lendeborg play like this, and Curry stays healthy, well … I’m excited to see just how good they can be.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
For just the second time in his storied career, Chef Curry went an entire game without missing a shot. And if you want to know how rare his feat was, there were only three instances all last year where a player scored at least 20 points without missing a field goal or a free threw … and none of the players who did it were guards.
It was also a masterclass in picking your spots. Curry took just one shot in the first half, happy to defer as his younger teammates took over (Lendeborg led both teams with 15 points at the break). And then, when the team needed him, he took over, scoring 17 of his points in the third quarter before taking his regularly-scheduled break.
Just a brilliant display of offensive wizardry from one of the best to ever do it. And hopefully Podz and Lendeborg can keep playing big enough roles that Curry can pace himself like this.
Payton’s just kind of been hanging around to start the season. He hasn’t been doing too much notable, but he hasn’t been playing poorly, either. His athleticism was firmly on display in this game, and it’s nice seeing him share the court with Lendeborg … suddenly the Dubs don’t look so unathletic! He didn’t have a very efficient scoring game, but good things happened because he cut to the rim repeatedly.
Niang’s strong three-point shooting showed up for the first time this year, and it was very timely: he drained back-to-back triples in the first minute of the second quarter, giving Golden State the lead and a whole bunch of momentum that they would not relinquish.
He fits the system well, and makes smart plays on both ends of the court. When he’s making his shots, it all comes together oh so nicely … not unlike with Al Horford.
Grade: B+ Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.
Not the best offensive game for Melton (though three assists and no turnovers is always a great ratio), but I loved what he did on defense. This was a game where he made things happen through sheer effort. Even the national broadcasters mentioned how there were multiple plays where Melton disrupted Denver simply by wanting the ball more than any of the Nuggets did.
That’s a critical mentality to be getting from one of your veterans. And it makes the ship run very nicely. There will be days where the Warriors will need more out of his offensive game — which he showed on Saturday he’s capable of — but in this game they needed quarterbacking, leadership, and defense, and he brought all three.
Like I said when I compared Niang to Horford … when the threes fall, the total package looks damn nice, doesn’t it?
Horford was awesome in this game. His floor-stretching ability was critical, and a huge part of why the Warriors scored 134 points. And his defense on both Jokić and the other Nuggets players was massive. There’s a reason that Kerr trusts Horford so much that Graham Ike and Charles Bassey only got garbage time; and that trust was rewarded.
One funny thing: Niang, Horford, and Melton all finished with playing time totals within 22 seconds of each other. It seems like Kerr has found the sweet spot for his trusted vets!
This was kind of a rookie game for Williams who, it goes without saying, is not a rookie. He showed off his immense potential, but it also looked fairly raw. He really just did such a great job breaking down the defense and making things happen for the offense, especially at the end of the third quarter, when the Dubs were in the midst of turning a close game into a blowout. But at the same time, given Golden State’s history with ball security, you just cannot turn the ball over four times in 15 minutes of action.
One thing to monitor: Williams said that he dedicated much of his offseason to working on his jump shot, after shooting just 28.0% from three-point range in his first four seasons. So far this year he’s 5-for-11 … a very small sample, but an encouraging trend worth keeping an eye on.
Just a little dose of garbage time for Cryer, but my goodness did he make the most of it. Six points and two assists in less than three minutes of action? That’s fun, and had to be a nice tonic for the youngster after struggling on Saturday.
Grade: Incomplete
Malevy Leons
3 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 foul, -1
A few minutes of garbage time for Leons, who hasn’t seen the court much so far this year.
I thought there was a chance Ike would get some run tonight, after starting on Friday and Saturday and playing fairly well. But instead, he just got some garbage time. He made another triple though, and the center is now a perfect 4-for-4 from deep to open his career!
Grade: Incomplete
Will Richard
3 minutes, 0 points, -1
It seems like Richard is, for now, out of the rotation. But there will be plenty of opportunities when other players aren’t available.
I was a little surprised that Bassey wasn’t part of the rotation in this game, but with Lendeborg playing as well as he is, and able to play up a size, there just might not be too many minutes for Bassey on the games that Horford plays.
Grade: Incomplete
Monday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis
SAN ANTONIO, TX -OCTOBER 16: De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs goes for a loose bal against Sacramento Kings in the first half of a preseason game at Frost Bank Center on October 16, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following a disconcerting pair of opening losses, the Spurs are getting a couple of ‘get right’ games thrown at them on their way back to .500 and beyond.
After pulling themselves out of the winless column against the already banged-up Dallas Mavericks, the basketball gods are serving them up another meatball of a matchup in the Sacramento Kings.
In the recent past, the Kings were briefly getting the better of San Antonio teams for the first time since the turn of the millennium, kept at the edges of the postseason picture by a point-happy offense that made up for defensive flaws.
They were a playoff/play-in team, free from the shackles of the lengthy playoff drought they’d finally quenched.
Not so any longer.
Tired of a slowly and steadily declining win total, the Kings have opted to tear it all down. Or, at least, that’s what I think they’re doing. It’s just so hard to tell sometimes.
Either way (sample size disclaimers attached), the Kings are looking *really* bad.
Through three games, the Kings are: last in Player Impact Estimate, Blocks, and Assists, 29th in +/- and Net Rating, 28th in Points Scored and Points Allowed, 27th in Defensive Rating, and 26th in Opponent Field Goals Made.
Yeah, it’s just three games. But the teams that torched them were the Trailblazers (understandable) and the recently gutted Clippers and Grizzlies (uh-oh).
My guess is that if the Kings and Spurs had swapped schedules, the Spurs would be undefeated, and the Kings would be last in every category.
So, if you’re hoping for a competitive spectacle, you should probably watch something else. In fact, if there’s a game you’d like to be able to skip out on, I highly recommend this one.
If, on the other hand, you’ve had a rough week already and you could really use a blowout win, this will probably serve as a spectacular little sweet treat.
Especially if De’Aaron Fox goes off on his former team — which seems likely against a Sacramento backcourt that is very thin on guard talent for the first time in years.
In any case, here’s hoping that this game ends up being the ‘closer to .500’ treat that we all hope it is, as opposed to the ‘Spurs didn’t take them seriously’ trick that it very well could be, on the first leg of San Antonio’s 2nd back-to-back of the season.
Enjoy as approved by responsible adults, and don’t forget to check for needles in your apples! (I’ve really got to chill with the metaphors)
The Golden State Warriors got their first win of the season on the road against the Denver Nuggets in a 134-114 victory behind a career night from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg led all scorers in a game that featured Stephen Curry, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. The Warriors' 24-year-old rookie put up a double-double, giving Golden State 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and a block.
The No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft shot relatively well from everywhere on the court, except from deep.
Lendeborg shot 9-of-19, including 1-of-8 on 3-point field goals. He's continued to adapt to the NBA game, staying aggressive and getting easy opportunities at the free throw line. The rookie finished 12-of-13 from the charity stripe.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr pointed out that the rookie has things that he still needs to recognize and learn, but he's overall impressed by his rookie early on by the things that he's been able to come in and immediately do to contribute to the team.
"The ability to do what Jimmy (Butler) does, slow the game down, get fouled, create shots for himself, or others, it's a game changer for us. And so now we've got to take advantage of this momentum for the night," Kerr said. "Obviously tough to start 0-3, but long, long season, and we feel like we've got a good team, and we can win a lot of games."
Kerr is excited by Lendeborg's ability. He's coming off of a 26-point performance against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 24. Lendeborg is adapting to the league, rather swiftly. The rookie averages 21.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists through his first four career games.
"I think that's the exciting part, is where this can go," Kerr said. "There's still probably 10 plays that I could pull up on tape where he made mistakes, either defensively, or offensively. Not recognizing something that he needs to recognize. Despite all that, he just dominated the game and took over. At 24, in his fourth game ... pretty impressive. We're gonna keep coaching him, and keep trying to get him to learn the NBA game, and make the most of that enormous potential he's got."
It wasn't just Lendeborg. After all, he still plays on a team with No. 30. Curry was perfect from the field in the win. He scored 24 points on 8-for-8 shooting, 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
Curry was all positive when asked about Lendeborg. There's a common excitement about what he brings to the table.
"Yaxel played amazing, we were flying around on defense, that's how we got to win," Curry said in a postgame interview with Peacock. When asked the most impressive thing about the rook, Curry noted his composure.
"He just came off of NCAA championship run," Curry said. "He's just got composure and feel. ...His size on the court, he's a matchup problem, but he's never really in a hurry and he's starting to see the pictures really well. (He's) distributing and being aggressive getting the free throw line, offensive rebound. Kind of a full package, so we want him to still continue to play aggressive."
DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 26: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors drives against DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on October 26, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was easy to feel hopeless about the Golden State Warriors after the first three games of the season. There were injuries, blowouts, massive choke jobs, and a feud between a confident rookie and a massively-talented, massively-whiny superstar. Monday night in Denver, everything clicked for the Warriors and their confident rookie delivered against one of the Western Conference’s allegedly elite teams.
Yaxel Lendeborg was the star of the show with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in the Warriors’ 134-114 road win over the Denver Nuggets. While the Nuggets understandably keyed on Steph Curry early, Lendeborg confidently ran the offense, scored in the paint, disrupted the Nuggets’ offense and drew fouls like a veteran, going 12-for-13 from the foul line.
Speaking of veterans, the Warriors showed they have a pretty solid rotation when their vets are available. Coach Steve Kerr leaned heavily on his reserves off the bench, and got rewarded by some very nice performances. Al Horford scored 11 points in 19 minutes and was a perfect 3-for-3 from distance.
Stephen had to show love to @GatorsMBK legend Al Horford 🐊
The Warriors social media team was clearly sucking up to Will Richard with that caption.
Georges Niang also sank three triples and De’Anthony Melton overcame a tough shooting game (1-for-6) to finish +1 with four rebounds and three assists, including an excellent alley-oop to Lendeborg which may have broken the Nuggets’ spirits for good.
It was a very unique Curry game, who was content to pass out of double teams and facilitate for his teammates early. Curry took exactly one shot in the first half, and made it. More accurately, he made his first shot on a play where he was fouled before/while sinking a reverse layup, yet inexplicably didn’t get the continuation on it. Instead, the Warriors got a side-out, and Curry defiantly responded by sinking a three-pointer.
Most players hit big shots to shove it the face of their opponents. Curry delivered a three-point middle finger to the referees.
Then, in the third quarter, with the Nuggets defense perhaps lulled to sleep by Curry’s quiet first half, the Chef went off for 17 points, shooting 6-for-6 overall, 2-for-2 on threes, and 3-for-3 from the foul line.
He finished with 24 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting night, including 5-for-5 on free throws.
The Warriors took their first big lead with a 9-0 run midway through the third quarter, featuring a three-shot foul on Curry and Brandin Podziemski both scoring and assisting on two-pointers.
Who stopped the run? DeMar DeRozan, who was clearly energized by playing against a group of players who were also born before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He went on a personal 5-0 run, helped by a friendly bounce on a three-point attempt and an uncalled elbow to the face of Podziemski. Podz didn’t help himself by hooking Nikola Jokic’s arm and flailing while pretending to go around a screen a minute earlier.
Podziemski may have been inspired by playing against Christian Braun, AKA “Nuggetz Podz.” Braun himself signed a five-year, $125M extension that kicked in this season, perhaps laying the foundation for the five-year, $110M deal Podziemski signed before the season. Regardless of the reason, Podz played one of the best games of his career, finishing with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a plus/minus of +33. He showed nice chemistry with Draymond on a give-and-go, one of the many times he got himself wide open Monday.
Also, was Podz always constantly playing with his mouthpiece and hanging it half out of his mouth before this season? I guess he truly wants to be a Warriors legend, he has to embrace one of the most disgusting habits in NBA history and put his stamp on the game by putting his saliva all over the basketball that everyone has to use.
Denver rallied to close the gap behind DeRozan’s foul drawing, cutting the Golden State lead to seven points. Then the young Dubs stepped up. Gui Santos scored inside, Yaxel scored six points on two free throws, a layup, and a dunk, and then Brandon Williams paid respect to his elders by finding Horford for a jumper and a 16-point lead heading into the final quarter.
For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, but didn’t feel like the disruptive force he’s often been, even with three blocks, a steal, and only one turnover. Draymond Green still bothers the three-time MVP, who seemed like he often settled for outside shots (he was 1-for-6 on threes) simply because the Warriors defense was so annoying.
Jamal Murray had 19 points on 13 shots, adding eight assists, six rebounds, and three steals. DeRozan finished with 21 points off the bench but the rest of the reserves scored just 26, 14 of those points coming in garbage time with the game out of reach.
Aaron Gordon had a frustrating game, largely due to Gui Santos (13 points, +18) and Lendeborg. The veteran Denver forward finished with seven points and shot 2-for-10 before getting ejected after two quick technicals early in the 4th quarter.
Aaron Gordon gets hit with two quick technical fouls, each from every ref, and is ejected from the game, with 8:37 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter.
It was an unusual ejection for a few reasons. First, Gordon was arguing a foul that wasn’t even called on him. He took issue with the foul called on Braun for what was a fairly blatant two-handed shove on Curry. The ejection was also unusual because Gordon was effectively ejected by all three officials, after Gordon cursed at one of them, and then pointed at the other two. Finally, Curry signaled for the ejection a second before he was actually tossed, the technical foul version of turning around before watching a three-point shot actually go in.
Curry ejected him too🤣
Steph Curry's reaction to Aaron Gordon's ejection is priceless😅
But the real revelation was Lendeborg, who showed off a few previously unseen offensive moves to go with his devastating spin move. He showed off a deceleration move, pump-faked Gordon into a foul, and also simply outran every defender on a few buckets.
You could say that this victory wasn’t great because the Nuggets themselves aren’t that great. But it does seem like the full-strength Warriors, or the full-except-Moses-and-Jimmy-strength Warriors, are at least decent. And decent might well be enough for this team to tread water until the reinforcements come in 2027. There’s still going to be ugly games when many of these veterans are hurt, or sitting out, or secretly hiding out in Latvia, but after a brutal start to the season, it seems clear that this team is completely capable of being a B-minus team in the West.
And not that we would encourage any of our readers to wager on sports, but Yaxel is now second in the odds to win Rookie of the Year, behind his Summer League nemesis Cam Boozer. The future looks very bright for Golden State’s rookie, as long as he isn’t goaded into punching Luka Doncic on Friday.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 26: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets works against Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Toyota Center on October 26, 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
This is the second time the Rockets have faced the Atlanta Hawks in the past three days. It’s almost certainly the last time the Rockets will face the Atlanta Hawks this season, barring a Final of some sort – NBA, or NBA Cup. I’m not sure I love these quick turnaround home and home series, as you don’t really get to see the evolution of a team throughout the season. What you do get to see is a team make adjustments from the last game, at least some. Normally such adjustments, or even planning for them, wouldn’t much matter to teams from opposite conferences, as by the time they made it to their second game, the information might not be terribly relevant.
This was not the case tonight and we did see some shifts and the game didn’t go exactly as the last one. For one, Fred VanVleet was back, and ready to play (though Steven Adams and Marcus Smart remained out with injuries).
Both teams had also gotten a bit of rest since the last game, where both teams were on the second night of a back to back. Would this mean more energy in the game? Better shooting from the Hawks? Better shooting from the Rockets? Actually, no. At least not 3pt shooting. The Hawks shot a pretty dismal 28% from three point range on 39 attempts. The Rockets weren’t much better at 30% on 27 attempts. Rebounds, though, significantly favored the Rockets, instead of being a dead heat. The Rockets outrebounded the Hawks 52-35, although offense rebounds very slightly favored Atlanta.
Well, perhaps the Rockets won the turnover battle? Not even close. The Rockets turned the ball over a fairly ghastly 25 times to the Hawks 13. Ok, but the Rockets won the game, how on earth did they do it? By being better at two point shooting, and getting to the rim. They also had a 10 free throw advantage, which might well have been produced by shooting fewer threes, and attacking inside more. Even so, Atlanta shot the ball 98 times to the Rockets 81, that is, they played at a faster pace. You wouldn’t really expect to win such a game going away, except the Rockets did.
First, they shot 53% overall to Atlanta’s 42%, and they made 26FTs out 0f 32, compared to 15 out of 21 for Atlanta.
The Rockets also had their team MVP of less than 5% of the season so far having a splendid game. That’s right Alperen Sengun had 29pts on 11-15 shooting, 6-8 FT, and 1-1 from 3pt range. He added 9rbs, 9ast, 6stl, and sadly only 1blk, so no chance of a 5×5 game. Sadly he did have 6 turnovers, but the Rockets were, again, utterly generous with turnovers tonight, with no one but the usual suspects Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, and of course, Jabari Smith posting clean assist to turnover numbers. Steady Freddy didn’t just get his first turnover of the season, he got his second tonight, he was 5ast/2TO, which would be good for other guards, but not tidy enough for Fred.
Reed Sheppard provided a real spark off the bench, despite not have the same shooting night he did in Atlanta. He still scored 13pts in 24 minutes, and added 4ast to 1TO, along with 2stl. Tonight Sheppard’s impact was being a menace on defense, passing it well, and attacking close outs to score at the rim. He also had a fast break two handed slam off a steal. Ime even smiled and embraced Reed, after one particularly fine stretch of play tonight. It was both heartening, and slightly alarming. It feels like we’re in new territory here.
Jabari Smith had 16pts on 6-13 shooting, 2-6 3pt, 12rbs, 5ast to 1TO, 1stl, 1blk. I’ll say it again, I think he’s having a break out season. His attacks were decisive, his passes came quickly, (and with one amusing exception of a full court hit ahead to Sengun that somehow worked despite being a duck,) were also on target.
Amen Thompson had something of a blah game for him, and only played 28 minutes. So, too, with Kevin Durant, who only played 30 minutes, and was not in the closing lineup.
Tari Eason had one of his “magic wand” games where he was at times the best player on the floor. He went 13pts/9rbs/2ast/1To/3blk.
The Rockets had long periods of slow, ineffective offense, of turnovers leading to easy Hawks points, and moments of brilliance where they scored, and shut Atlanta down. We are beginning to see the rudiments of actual, consistent offensive structure, and real plays. When the Rockets combine this with early clock attacks, they are very hard to stop so far this season.
There might be some complaints that the Hawks narrowed the Rockets lead late both games. The first time it felt slightly worrisome, tonight it didn’t, for what that’s worth. What’s more important, in a very swingy NBA, where we have already seen at 30 plus point late comeback, the cushion of the Rockets leads have declined but were never lost. That’s a good, if not the best possible, sigh.
The Rockets are 4-0, and you can’t ask for better than that.
Onward to the 1-3 Bucks in Milwaukee (possible WS champs by then) on Wednesday.
DENVER — Stephen Curry didn’t miss a shot, Yaxel Lendeborg turned in his best effort yet and, at long last, the Warriors got into the win column Monday night against the Nuggets.
Curry finished with 24 points on eight shots, Lendeborg asserted himself with a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double and Brandin Podziemski seemed to unlock it all in Golden State’s first winning formula of the season.
The 134-114 win ended a seven-game losing streak for the Warriors in Denver and ensured they wouldn’t get off to a worse start than 2007-08, when they lost their first six games.
Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
In Podziemski’s 33 minutes, the Warriors outscored Denver by 33.
Lendeborg, who carried the load in the first half and upped his aggression after halftime, was a close second, at plus-27 in 31 minutes. Just about the only thing missing from the rookie’s best game of his young career was his 3-point shot, connecting on just 1-of-8 tries from deep.
Golden State Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg (1) smiles during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
But the 6-foot-9, 241-pounder more than made up for his cold shooting night by getting to the foul line 13 times and, importantly, sinking 12 of them. Lendeborg collected a game-high 12 boards, including four on the offensive end that helped the Warriors to 23 second-chance points.
He put an exclamation point on his performance late in the fourth quarter, catching a lob pass in transition from De’Anthony Melton, slamming it home and letting out a guttural yell.
Golden State Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg (1) dribbles the ball during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Curry checked out for the final time with 8:04 still to go and the Warriors leading 111-91.
After starting the season 0-for-12 from 3, Georges Niang drained back-to-back shots from deep to put the Warriors ahead to begin the second quarter, and they pretty much never looked back. Golden State fell behind by as many as eight points in the first quarter but never trailed for the final 27:40.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, looks to pass the ball while under pressure from Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Denver. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
The Warriors entered halftime up four, despite Curry attempting just one shot from the field — a 3-pointer that found nothing but net after officials waved off an old-school 3-point play.
It wasn’t until Curry and Lendeborg both got going at the same time that the Warriors pulled away for good. Curry poured in 17 and Lendeborg added a dozen as Golden State turned a 60-56 halftime lead into a commanding 100-84 advantage by the end of the third.
In a welcome twist, it was Golden State’s supporting cast that set up Curry to stick the dagger in the second half.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 26: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket around Peyton Watson #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during overtime at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Timberwolves 127-125 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We were due for a nailbiter. Unfortunately, this one didn’t go our way.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had to pull out all of the stops to keep this game close after a torrid 36-26 third quarter by the Cleveland Cavaliers, though the Wolves ultimately suffered their first defeat of the season in an overtime thriller. After splitting the season series 1-1 last year, this game had all the makings of a tight contest.
Circumstantially, this game was not set up for Minnesota to succeed. The Wolves were playing on the second night of a back-to-back after their first and only home game of the season thus far. The crisp offensive showings of the previous three wins seemed to go away as the game went on, as tired legs and sloppy play became the norm in the second half of the game.
Some could call it a “schedule loss.” While not entirely false, I think that may be a bit superficial.
Some poor decision-making and questionable foul calls would stand to doom the Wolves, though they fought through adversity and still almost came up with the win. It’s a tough loss to stomach, without a doubt, but this game provided some good early-season warning signs and key areas for the team to clean up.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 26: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves argues a call during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Scars of the Old Wolves Come Roaring Back
A disaster of a third quarter. Poor officiating decisions and even worse reactions to those calls. Letting a usually unheralded player torch you from beyond the arc. That’s the brand of Minnesota basketball that I am unfortunately all-too familiar with.
In my last postgame recap, I’d made a comment about how the Kawhi Leonard-less Toronto Raptors were a team that would have, in past seasons, given the Timberwolves fits. The comment section told the tales of the “scars” that we as fans carry in regards to these aforementioned tropes. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a great team, of course, but this felt like a winnable game against an Eastern Conference finalist just a season ago. Minnesota just got bit too sharply by the scars of the past.
As mentioned earlier, Cleveland won the third quarter 36-26 as the Timberwolves squandered a 10-point halftime lead to go into the final frame all knotted up at 86. When the starting unit was in, they looked sluggish and out of sorts. Tired legs can be blamed for this, sure, but the hero-ball and sloppy turnovers turned from a brief trend into the offensive identity of the team for the rest of the game. Anthony Edwards made a ton of shots to keep the game competitive, though contributions from the rest of the roster continued to fade away.
I had also mentioned in our Canis Hoopus opening night predictions that we will need to see how this Timberwolves team deals with adversity and allowing opponents to go on runs. After tonight’s game, the jury is still out on that point.
Minnesota also made superstars out of a couple Cavaliers bench players. Rookie Meleek Thomas was electric from beyond the arc en route to a 16-point performance on four of five shooting from deep in just 19 minutes of play. Jaylon Tyson was a team-best +15 in just 20 minutes. Once their shots started falling, the Cleveland Big Three trio of James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley decided to follow suit. It was all downhill from there.
What has typically followed the hero-ball motif of the Timberwolves is the increase in foul calls against them. Jaden McDaniels saw his fouls rapidly increase to the point of fouling out early in overtime. His technical foul was a much-deserved denigration of the officials after a slew of questionable decisions, though the moral victory doesn’t do much for the wins column.
Minnesota lost its composure and paid the price for it. It’s that simple. Failure to execute loses games. The Wolves will have to regroup and figure out how to better themselves before the next match.
Oct 26, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Lamelo Ball (1) drives between Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) and forward/center Evan Mobley (4) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LaMelo Ball’s Lack of Impact
This was the first game of the season where LaMelo Ball was a total net-negative. He finished with a meager 11 points, zero rebounds, six assists, and seven (!) turnovers across 31 minutes of play. While the rest of the Timberwolves starters were positive in their BPM, Ball finished at a -10. That’s just not good enough.
While I was evocative in my praise for his performance in the last game, it would appear that tonight’s version of Ball is the one that the naysayers were warning us about. He appeared ill-prepared for the big moments in this game, often forcing passes or shots that had no business being executed in these crucial late-game scenarios. The turnovers were backbreaking. His passes were off the mark. He hoisted up some truly ridiculous shots that had no chance of going in.
It’s a fine line to walk in regards to what Ball should take away from this game moving forward. He’s at his best when he is playing free and loose, though that seeming lack of discipline is something that he should have the wherewithal to rein in when he sees that it isn’t working. We’re still early enough in the season that Chris Finch will likely have a long leash for LaMelo to try different looks and approaches. However, if performances like this become anything close to a norm in big games against better opponents like the Cavaliers, Finch will have to take a tougher approach about Ball’s decision-making and overall approach.
One poor performance in the first loss of the season isn’t enough to hoist the red flags. However, these are the issues that the team will need to clean up throughout the course of the season.
Beringer Shines
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Wolves. Obviously, Ant stole the show with his electric and efficient 47-point performance. However, it’s starting to look like Tim Connelly’s gamble on Joan Beringer is going to pay off big time.
With every passing game, Beringer is looking more and more capable to step into the rotation and aptly fill the shoes of Rudy Gobert. He’s everywhere on the court. When he’s not flying in for rebounds, he’s flying in for sensational blocks or highlight-worthy dunks. Beringer spends a lot of time flying. He’s got the juice.
Beringer’s 17 minutes of play saw him shoot 100% from the field (six for six) to score 12 points, snag seven boards, and pick up two blocks. That’s a ton of production for a backup center in that limited amount of playing time, and many could make the case that he deserved more down the stretch.
While there isn’t a ton of room for Beringer to earn more minutes at the time, there is a world where Finch could attempt to give Beringer more minutes by cutting into the playing time of Trey Lyles. Converting another center to power forward is not necessarily the most ideal, but the lack of production that the Timberwolves are getting from Lyles could cause the coaching staff to reconsider their rotations.
With considerably more upside residing within Beringer, it may make sense for the team to extend his leash a bit. He’ll continue to have growing pains and still needs to work on defending without fouling, though his linear improvement would suggest that he will be handling more responsibilities sooner rather than later.
82-0 may be out of play, though it’s 81-1 until it ain’t.
Game Highlights
Up Next
The Timberwolves will have a day to rest before returning back to Minnesota for a two-game homestand, beginning with a matchup against Stephen Curry and the 1-3 Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, October 28th. The game tips off at 7:00 PM CT on DAZN-MIN and NBA League Pass.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 26: Mo Bamba #44 of the Utah Jazz boxes out during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 26, 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 final buzzer sounds with a final score of 105-110, as Utah’s comeback effort fell short in the dying moments of this contest.
It’s a minor miracle that the Jazz were within striking distance at all down the stretch, as the Grizzlies took a 16-point lead in the final two minutes of the third quarter and buried the Jazz under a wave of momentum. To make matters worse, Utah was left without their two best players and veteran leaders, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., both of whom left the game in the first half and did not return.
Markkanen doubled over in pain after a collision on a screen, his wrist pinned between the screener and his teammate and bending awkwardly. He did not return and could hardly manage his pain on his walk to the locker room, stopping and leaning over in agony.
Jackson was in the wrong place at the right time, as a tumbling Grizzly landed on his calf and bent his knee awkwardly. He was quickly removed from the game despite an effort to fight through the pain; he didn’t return either.
The Utah Jazz are losing big men like a cloud loses water; when it rains, it pours. Sending both Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. to the locker room in the first half is a nightmare scenario for the winning-minded Jazz, compounded by pre-existing injuries to Utah’s frontcourt depth in Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes. That’s the bad news. The good news? Another certified Mo Bamba sighting (TM) has been reported in Salt Lake City.
Bamba was exceptional when Will Hardy called his number, posting an immaculate stat line while locking down Utah’s interior defense. 110 is the lowest point total Utah has allowed all season, and that’s thanks in large part to Bamba’s 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 29 minutes of burn. It can be easy to forget that Bamba was once a lottery pick — he reminded the Delta Center tonight.
Hammer slams, airborne denials, and more dish deflections than an ungrateful baby at their own birthday party, Bamba made his presence known and hardly looked like Utah’s fourth option at center. He was critical in bringing the Jazz back within striking distance in the late game.
Darryn Peterson still has a lot of growing to do, but he played well in critical moments of this contest.
Still a rookie determined to make his mark while on the floor, once he decides he wants to shoot the ball, there’s little that can change his mind. He forced the issue regularly down the stretch, but I’m encouraged by his aggression. Unafraid of the moment, he wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. Peterson is still finding his rhythm in the NBA (5-for-18 from the field tonight), but he put constant pressure on Memphis’ interior defense and was a friendly bounce or two away from erasing the Grizzlies’ lead late.
And I would be remiss not to acknowledge the contributions of Ace Bailey and Keyonte George, the two youngsters who just keep on rowing, even when the life raft meets a storm.
Ace posted another double-digit rebounding night (4 on the offensive end) and never takes a play off without the ball in his hands. It’s strange how seemingly every pre-draft drawback has been absolutely false about Bailey as a pro. Hard-working, selfless, and gritty, Will Hardy hasn’t been able to keep his second-year wing off the floor because he makes winning plays consistently and reliably.
Ace Bailey has been active on the offense boards since his rookie year
It’s funny how almost every negative narrative about him pre-draft was debunked
And Keyonte plays basketball like a seasoned veteran. He led all scorers with 26 today, finishing through contact and getting to the foul line when his teammates couldn’t find the center of the rim. Adding 6 assists to his season total, George was able to control possession without giving the ball away (only 2 turnovers).
Assuming Markkanen and JJJ miss extended time, the keys to the pickup truck are in Keyonte’s hands. Utah’s success will be dependent on how far he can lift the injured roster. Tonight, the Jazz couldn’t close the gap in time, but Bailey, George, and Mo Bamba kept them within reach.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Daily Herald and Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives against Klay Thompson #11 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center on October 26, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (2—2) defeated the Miami Heat (0-4), 113-109, on Monday night in Miami, picking up their second win of the season. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with a huge double-double — 29 points and 11 assists. That’s not all he did, but we’ll get to that later.
It was an impressive win for this new-look Mavericks team. Flagg dominated the game late, but it truly was a team-effort to get this one over the finish line. Various Mavericks across the board contributed both offensively and defensively.
Let’s get to the numbers:
1: Number of other players to post Flagg’s stat line against the Heat
Cooper Flagg was masterful with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals, and three blocks. Only one other player in NBA history has posted a stat line like Cooper’s, and it was James Harden, according to Mavericks PR.
This means Flagg is the only teenager to ever post a stat line like the one Flagg had tonight. Flagg has had some outstanding games in his young Mavericks career, but this felt like an early career-defining performance. Yes, Flagg has dropped 50- and 40-point games, but Flagg was special tonight with how well-rounded his performance was — the eight combined steals and blocks is insane, to go along with the 11 assists. Flagg was everywhere against the Heat, setting up his teammates early in the first half and then dominating the final minutes to close out the win.
15: Walter Clayton Jr. scoring
The Mavericks new two-way guard had a career-night against the Heat, with 15 points in 17 minutes on 6-of-7 shooting. Clayton was fearless against the Miami defense, not shy to pull to the trigger when the defense sagged to pay more attention to Flagg or other veteran threats.
Clayton also had four assists and quietly has nine assists and only two turnovers in his last two games. The Mavericks staff might have to figure out what to do here, as Clayton only has so much NBA availability this season as a two-way player. He seems like a rotation guy for now.
22: Combined steals, blocks for the Mavericks
Dallas finished with 11 steals and 10 blocks, a huge number of splash defensive plays against a physical Heat roster.
The Mavericks defense is inconsistent, highlighted by the lack of true, ball-stopping, point-of-attack defenders on the roster. But where the team might like high-level individual defensive talent, they’re starting to make up for that with some havoc-causing team defense.
Dallas has a big and long roster, and it feels like coach Dusty May and his staff are taking advantage of that fact. Dallas might have defensive sequences where guys get lost off ball or give up an easy transition opportunity, but then will flip that around and swarm a ball handler in the paint, chipping down with active hands to cause deflections.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 26: Meleek Thomas #15 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 26, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Edwards is a professional scorer. He has the athleticism and explosive first step to wreck defenses anytime he puts the ball on the floor. And now that he can play off-ball more with the addition of LaMelo Ball, defenses aren’t able to load up on his side of the court as easily as they have in previous seasons.
That scoring was on display when the Timberwolves needed it most. Edwards poured in 11 points in the fourth quarter to help send this game to overtime, and then threw in 11 more points in the extra frame. He missed a three that would’ve tied it up at the end of overtime, but this was still a fantastic outing.
Second star: Donovan Mitchell
26 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Mitchell wasn’t the best shooting guard on the court, but he was good enough to pull the Cavs across the finish line. He made big shots when the team needed it, took care of the ball, and dished out seven helpers, which included two nice lobs to the bigs.
It was a quality performance.
Third star: James Harden
22 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
This has been a difficult start of the season for Harden. He’s mostly gotten to his spots on the floor, but hasn’t been able to consistently convert. That continued through the first half tonight as he went 1-for-6 from the field, which included missing some point-blank looks.
Things might’ve been worse defensively. Minnesota’s guards hunted mismatches against him and took advantage when they got them.
Yet, Harden hung in there.
The Cavs turned the game around when Harden did. He got the ball rolling by pouring in eight points in the third quarter. Then in the fourth, he registered seven points and four assists — which included two helpers on three-pointers — and he recorded the game-tying field goal with 10 seconds left to help send the game to overtime. Harden followed that up with five points in the extra frame and put the game away at the free-throw line.
This was a rough start from Harden. Maybe the Cavs don’t fall behind by 15 if Harden is better in the first half. That said, this team had no chance of completing this impressive comeback if Harden doesn’t step up as he did.
The Cavs offense is built on protecting the ball, putting pressure on the rim, and spraying out to shooters when the defense collapses. They need Harden at his best to do that. This was a nice reminder of how good the offense can be when he’s playing well.
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Dud of the game
LaMelo Ball
11 points, 6 assists, 0 rebounds, 7 turnovers
Turnovers were the difference in this game. Cleveland’s starting backcourt combined for just four giveaways. Minnesota’s combined for 11 — which is one more than the Cavs had as a team. Ball was the main culprit here with seven turnovers. On top of that, Ball provided nothing as a rebounder and wasn’t much of a threat as a scorer.
Edwards just needed one more teammate to help him close out this game, and Ball was missing in action for large stretches. This was a departure from Ball’s first three games with the Timberwolves.
Cavaliers who deserve shoutouts
Meleek Thomas
16 points on 6-of-10 shooting
Getting your first-ever NBA minutes against one of the hottest teams in the league is a tall task, but Thomas handled it well. He came in and made an immediate impact as an off-ball scorer, which is something neither Craig Porter Jr. nor Tyrese Proctor could do in the first two games.
More importantly, Thomas held his own defensively. He did a good job of getting his hands in passing lanes, and he forced Ball into a traveling violation. Thomas’s teammates credit him for getting them going in this one.
“It’s very rare to ride the coattails of a rookie,” Mitchell said. “We didn’t have energy, we’re flat, we’re playing the wrong way, we weren’t doing the right things. For him to be the spark in his first game of the year is not normal.”
This was a solid debut for the second-round pick. Thomas showed he’s worthy of rotation minutes in the short term at the very least. The Cavs don’t complete this comeback without his efforts.
This was the first time we got to see how the ideal version of Watson could really help the Cavs.
Offensively, Cleveland trusted him to initiate more actions, particularly whenever Minnesota showed ball pressure on one of the starting guards. This allowed Watson to attack some off the dribble, and more importantly, alleviated some of the responsibilities on Cleveland’s overburdened backcourt.
Watson was solid defensively. His weak-side rim protection was much needed on a night that Minnesota was able to continually get into the paint. That said, Watson struggled to stay in front of Edwards at times, although I’m not sure anyone in the league could’ve stayed in front of him on a night like this.
“At the end of the day, Ant’s Ant,” Mitchell said. “But making it tough on him, that’s what Peyton did all night. We ended up getting the stops we needed most, and that’s truly all that matters.”
Overall, this was a clear step in the right direction for a player who has struggled to find his place in a new starting lineup in his first two games.
Play of the game
THIS is the effort the Cavs need — Meleek is EVERYWHERE.
He hustles back to recover on defense after steal attempt then grabs rebound and immediately gets it up floor… BUT doesn't stop there and continues to fill the lane and is rewarded. pic.twitter.com/yU8yQb6grA
Plays like this show how impactful Thomas can be. He thwarted one action and eventually ended a defensive possession on one end, then created an easy basket on the other with his speed and hustle. Sequences like this go a long way for someone we know is a skilled scorer when he has the ball.
Quote of the game
“Just stay ready, and your moment will come cause you can’t really keep a star in the closet for too long.”
– Meelek Thomas on how he was able to stay ready despite playing in his first two games.
Turnovers have been the biggest issue plaguing the Cavs in their first two games. It wasn’t a problem tonight as they surrendered possession just 10 times. They won the points-off-turnover battle 21-8.
This game will be remembered for Meleek Thomas’s debut
Thomas had an exceptional start to his NBA career. He made a high impact as a scorer and defender against a title contender in each of his stints off the bench. Debuts like that are rare from second-round picks.
We’ll find out in time what this means for Thomas’s role this season. One good game doesn’t mean he will be a permanent member of the rotation or that he’s going to develop into a high-quality player. That said, it’s difficult not to be encouraged after a night like this.
“I think we definitely got lucky with him being able to come to us,” Mitchell said of Thomas. “I tell him he has set a high precedent for himself, but I’m excited for him. We’re excited, and he was a big part of why we ended up getting this win.”
