Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers hushes the crowd after sinking a three-pointer against the Utah Jazz during the second half of a game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Getty Images
The former NBA forward called Dončić out for having missed time during the playoffs with an injury last season and even defended the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka in 2025 because he didn’t believe Dončić was prepared to lead a team to a NBA championship.
Kendrick Perkins attends the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend at Wolstein Center on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Cleveland. Getty Images
But even Perkins couldn’t deny Dončić’s dominance on Sunday, as he made an X post in the wake of Los Angeles’ win against Utah that read, “Luka with a cool 52 and 10 on the lord’s day.”.
Dončić responded to this, writing, “.”
Luka Dončić and Kendrick Perkins’ social media exchange after Dončić scored 52 points in a Los Angeles Lakers win. (X/@KendrickPerkins).
Dončić’s response has over 600,000 views in about 13 hours. This savage response suggests Dončić has seen what Perkins has said in the past and was eager to show that he sees Perkins’ praise as well.
Even Perkins has to admit that Dončić appears to be in his prime right now.
The Lakers will look to remain undefeated on Tuesday against the Trailblazers in Los Angeles.
The 2026-27 NBA season is off to a rough start for the Warriors, and a former player is not holding back his thoughts.
Four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who played for the Warriors during the 2018-19 season, spoke on FanDuel’s “Run It Back” and gave his thoughts on the current state of the franchise, specifically calling out general manager Mike Dunleavy for how he has struggled to build a competitive roster around Steph Curry. Cousins’ comments come in the midst of the team’s 0-3 start to the season.
Boogie Cousins GOES OFF on the Golden State Warriors 🗣️
“And it’s unfortunate, because I think Steph [Curry] has so much more greatness to give, even at this point in his career,” Cousins said. “I don’t feel like the front office is believing in Steph the way everybody in the world believes in Steph. And I think the evidence is pretty apparent.
“I’ll go on the record and say I think Dunleavy has done a s–t job as far as putting a roster around Steph Curry. Why this guy still has a job? I’ll never know. Obviously, I don’t have that privilege in life.”
Cousins also alluded to the system that the team runs, calling it “outdated” and saying how it does not work in today’s NBA. The biggest issue he pointed out was the team’s lack of a true dominant center, something Golden State has struggled to find in recent seasons.
“I think he’s done a horrible job as far as putting a good group around him,” Cousins continued. “They’re still running the same outdated system as far as going extremely small. I think the other night Steve Kerr put in a lineup, and the tallest guy on the floor was [6-foot-6]. It doesn’t work anymore. The system is outdated…So, it sucks to see Steph kind of go out on this limb. I feel like he has a lot more greatness to give.”
The Warriors made a few moves this offseason to bolster their size, such as drafting Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11 overall in this year’s draft, re-signing Draymond Green, Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis and signing free agent Georges Niang. But the team failed to bring in another true star and stayed relatively quiet overall, giving them limited options to help Curry.
Golden State still is hoping to surprise people this season and compete for a playoff spot after missing out on them entirely last year. Curry signed a massive two-year contract extension last month, keeping him the Bay Area through at least his 20th season and motivating the team even more to win their fifth title since 2015.
The first week of the NBA season has come and gone, and man - it was a good one!
LeBron James and the 76ers rolled to a 3-0 record before suffering their first loss of the season to the Eastern Conference’s only undefeated team - the Pistons.
Six teams remain unbeaten out West, including the new-look Timberwolves featuring the dynamic backcourt of LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards.
Portland’s new backcourt of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant has won two straight, and the “rebuilding” Memphis Grizzlies have won three straight thanks to strong play from Cameron Boozer and breakout Ty Jerome, who dropped a staggering 45 points in the opener.
For all of the fun and excitement of Week 1, there were unfortunately some major injuries as well.
Paolo Banchero is out 4-6 weeks due to a high ankle sprain, and Jalen Suggs injured his knee. Jalen Duren is out at least two weeks with a hamstring strain. Ivica Zubac is dealing with an ankle sprain, and Cooper Flagg injured his shoulder.
Jalen Williams suffered a gruesome injury on Sunday against the Clippers, and his season is almost assuredly over. It’s a heartbreaking blow for Williams who battled through injuries last year after breaking out during OKC’s title run.
With new opportunities available for injured teammates, I’ve put together my top waiver wire adds heading into Week 2.
Waiver wire adds are based on 8-cat scoring, and roster percentages come from Yahoo! leagues. Only players rostered in 50% or less will be included.
Priority Adds
1. Anthony Black
2. Jaylen Wells
3. Alex Caruso
4. Jay Huff
5. Tristan da Silva
6. Zaccharie Risacher
7. Brook Lopez
8. Kris Dunn
9. Grayson Allen
10. Aaron Wiggins
Others to consider: Quentin Grimes (41%), Jared McCain (30%), Precious Achiuwa (29%), Reed Sheppard (29%), Jaxson Hayes (27%), Dennis Schroder (25%), Obi Toppin (21%), Ziaire Williams (9%), De’Anthony Melton (7%)
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic (46 percent rostered)
Banchero’s extended absence offered Black the opportunity for more playing time, but the recent injury to Suggs all but ensures 30+ minutes per night.
Black logged his first game of the season on Sunday, finishing with a solid 18/3/5/2 line and knocking down five triples.
Across 39 healthy starts last season, Black averaged 16.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.9 triples and 2.2 “stocks.” He’s got stat-stuffing upside and plenty of playing time, making him this week’s top add.
Brook Lopez, Los Angeles Clippers (46 percent rostered)
BroLo averaged 18 points across his first three games of the season, adding 5.3 boards, 1.7 blocks and two triples.
The veteran hasn’t averaged 18+ since his final season in Brooklyn, 10 years ago. He’s shooting a career-best 64.5% from the field and putting up these lofty scoring numbers in just 23.3 minutes off the bench.
Regression is likely coming, but even when it does, Lopez is still worth a look for his three-and-D contributions that are particularly helpful in the world of fantasy hoops.
Grayson Allen, Charlotte Hornets (34 percent rostered)
With injuries to both Kon Knueppel and Coby White, Allen has seen significant playing time in Charlotte’s backcourt, and he’s a Top-75 player through the first week of the season.
Allen is averaging 17.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 triples across 27.3 minutes, doing it all off the bench.
It’s unclear when Knueppel or White will return, but even once they’re back on the floor, Allen should soak up minutes as a spark plug off the bench for a team that loves shooting threes.
Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder (24 percent rostered)
With Jalen Williams likely done for the season, Caruso is the priority add out of Oklahoma City. Ajay Mitchell is rostered in 53% of leagues and doesn’t qualify for this article or else he would be featured here.
Jared McCain (30 percent rostered) is a worthwhile pickup too, but he’s a score-first guard with limited peripheral contributions.
Caruso doesn’t offer much in the scoring department, but he rebounds, facilitates and racks up defensive stats that make him a more viable option in category leagues. If you’re playing in a points league, McCain is the better add.
The Grizzlies are one of the most entertaining early-season surprises, and Wells is one of the reasons why the team has been successful.
The Washington State product is averaging 15 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.3 triples across 28.3 minutes.
He’s started all but five games since his rookie season in 2024-25, and Wells is locked into a featured role with a young and ascending Memphis squad. He ranks 69th in per-game fantasy value through three contests.
Aaron Wiggins, Atlanta Hawks (30 percent rostered)
Through three games, Wiggins is averaging 17 points, 3.0 boards, 1.7 steals and 3.3 triples.
Wiggins spent the first five years of his career playing mostly off the bench for OKC in a limited capacity. He’s still coming off the bench in Atlanta, but Wiggins is enjoying a true Sixth Man role for the Hawks thanks to his career-high 27.3 minutes per game.
His shooting is eventually going to cool down, but Wiggins still has plenty of appeal as a microwave scorer who can knock down threes and rack up steals.
Zaccharie Risacher (27 percent rostered)
Don’t look now, but Risacher is a Top-75 player heading into Week 2!
The 2024 No. 1 pick spent two lackluster seasons in Atlanta before getting traded to Dallas, and the new locale is doing wonders for his game and for his fantasy value.
Points, rebounds and assists haven’t been plentiful, but his defensive contributions have been phenomenal, and given his skillset as a long and athletic disruptor, they are mostly sustainable.
Risacher is averaging 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per contest while logging a career-high 30.3 minutes. He’s got a featured role on the rebuilding Mavs regardless of Flagg’s status, but if Flagg misses time, Risacher has the chance to see even more playing time.
Kris Dunn, Los Angeles Clippers (20 percent rostered)
The 11-year veteran has logged a career-high 31 minutes per game over the first week of the season, and based on LA’s roster, Dunn’s role and playing time appear sustainable.
Through three games, Dunn is averaging 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.3 triples, 3.3 steals and 1.3 blocked shots. Unlike his minutes, Dunn’s defensive contributions are likely to slow down, but even a small drop off there won’t dim Dunn’s overall appeal.
Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic (17 percent rostered)
Just like Anthony Black, da Silva will be called on to step up in the absences of Banchero and Suggs.
Through three games, da Silva is averaging 12.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 3.3 triples and 1.4 “stocks” across 28 minutes.
Through the first week of play, da Silva ranks 110th in per-game fantasy value, but his role and playing time should grow moving forward, making him a quality add, particularly if you miss out on Black.
Zubac sprained his ankle against the Nets on Sunday, and he’s not expected to play Monday. The big man suffered the injury early in the game, and Huff started the second half, finishing with 14 points, two rebounds, three assists, two triples and three blocked shots.
Huff was a fantasy darling for a large stretch of last season, and he’s worth adding if Zubac is forced to miss time beyond Monday. The Pacers play four games this week, and Huff offers upside in points, three-pointers and blocks.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 18: Steven Adams #12 of the Houston Rockets reacts in the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Toyota Center on January 18, 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 Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A cliché is an overused expression or idea that has lost its originality and impact, while a truism is a statement that is so obviously and self-evidently true that it offers little to no new insight.
Both are pithy, ultimately pointless things to say that we say anyway because something has to be said. There’s a saying in sports: Availability is the best ability.
That’s more of a truism.
Which brings me to the Houston Rockets’ Steven Adams. As of this writing, the Rockets have a rematch with the Atlanta Hawks this evening. Adams is not expected to suit up, which brings him to one game played out of four this season so far.
That’s a problem.
Rockets can’t rely on Steven Adams
Yes, it’s likely that Ime Udoka is intentionally giving Adams some early-season rest. This may not be a massive problem. The team is (again, as of this writing) undefeated.
Only Adams managed just 32 games last year. He played 58 in his 2024-25 debut season with the Rockets, but the year before that he played 0, and 42 in 2022-23.
Durability has been an issue for Adams since that 2022 injury. It’s been four consecutive seasons now. It’s probably fair to drop the caveat:
Durability has been an issue for Adams.
This is a player who’s meant to be integral to the Rockets’ identity. Preserving his body for the playoffs is smart, but this is still an amber alert.
What do the Rockets do if Adams can’t get on the floor?
Rockets must explore long-term backup big man options
Here’s a simple, elegant solution:
Play Oscar Tshiebwe.
Last season, Adams had an 18.9% offensive rebounding percentage (via NBA.com, because there’s a discrepancy on Basketball Reference, and that bothers me). That was third in the NBA. Tshiebwe’s 15.1% mark ranked 8th. That’s a gap, but it’s not a gulf.
We shouldn’t reduce the entire secondary big man’s role to offensive rebounding. At the same time…it’s a pretty large percentage of the role for these Rockets. If we made a pie chart, it’d be one of those pie charts where over half is one color, and then the rest of the pie is divided between a bunch of other variables.
Adams isn’t an especially good defender. He’s a poor offensive player. Yet, he’s managed to be an incredibly impactful NBA player by being the best in the league at two things for a long time: Offensive rebounding and screening.
Tshiebwe can approximate Adams’ offensive rebounding. I’d be lying if I said I could recall an Oscar Tshiebwe screen off the top of my head, but he’s said to be good there too. He won’t be Adams – nobody will – but he’s probably as close as we’ll get.
This is not a big deal. So far, it’s been an odd start for the Rockets. The team is 3-0, and they aren’t leaning on the extra possession philosophy as they have in years past. The team’s 34.3% Offensive Rebounding percentage is just ninth in the league. The Rockets are winning basketball games by doing good basketball stuff.
So imagine how dominant they’d be if they were controlling the offensive glass again.
What’s being suggested here is that getting Tshiebwe on the floor is a way for the Rockets to preserve that identity for the next half-decade. He may not play well, but at least then the team would know.
Otherwise, relying on Capela for the rest of the year is…fine. He’s got a sterling 22.2% offensive rebounding percentage as well, but he’s only playing 9.4 minutes per game. Capela has become a subpar defender, which limits his value.
Maybe Udoka is done with the double-big lineups. That’s fine, but they still need a reliable backup big. If it isn’t Tshiebwe, that’s fine, but they need to have targets circled in the 2027 NBA Draft.
By now, it seems clear that it won’t be Steven Adams for much longer.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 25: Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic tries to control a loose ball against James Wiseman #35 of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter of the game at Madison Square Garden on October 25, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Remember when the Knicks won the NBA championship?
Yeah, that was more than four months ago, so maybe it’s about time someone starts getting back down to earth and hooping again.
Here’s the latest from the latest embarrassing loss in an early season full of them.
"The biggest thing is to coach them and tell them the truth… If we're trying, and trying the right way, sometimes you've got to fight through stuff like this to get yourself on track. Games like this will tell us like, our crap stinks. It does."
On evaluating the season in five-game segments for his own sanity:
“We break the season into five-game segments. There are marks that we like to hit in those five games and it kind of gives us a good feel of where you were, in a fair amount of games, and to see if you can make progress in the next five.
“Obviously you want to go 5-0, you’ll take 4-1, and then maybe you have to take 3-2. But if you’re doing anything less than that, you know that nobody is reaching their potential.”
On coaching the Knicks through their 0-3 start and holding players accountable:
“The biggest thing is to coach them and to continue to tell them the truth. When I talked to them, I said, ‘Hey, we were great in transition in the second half.’ We were. But now, we have to continue to try and embrace the little things. We have to make sure we’re doing it in practice so that it carries over into the game. I’ll really jump their a– if I see the effort is not there. To me, that’s a whole different thing. If we’re trying, and trying the right way, sometimes you have to fight through stuff like this to get yourself on track.
“But games like this will tell us, and I’ve said it before, our crap stinks. It does. We’re the only ones who can do something about it.”
On the Knicks’ excrement:
“Games like this will tell us, our crap stinks. It does. And we’re the only ones who can do anything about it. There’s no light switch we can just turn on and go and win the ballgame. Nobody’s giving us anything, so we have to be better with the little things until we start shooting the ball.”
On the Knicks allowing a nonsensical fourth-quarter offensive explosion to Orlando:
“Giving up 40 points in the fourth quarter is way too much.”
On benching Andre Drummond for James Wiseman:
“I felt our transition defense wasn’t good during that time, not just because of [Drummond], but I wanted to go with a change. Wiseman’s been playing well in practice. I wanted to give him an opportunity and I thought he was pretty good in his first stint [in the first half]. And so I decided to go with him for a second stint. But Andre will go out there as a backup in the next game.”
On the open competition for minutes among the Knicks’ reserves:
“First thing I wanna make clear is we have our starting five. Other than that, anybody can play. When you’re a backup in this league, that doesn’t mean you’re always gonna be the seventh man or you’re always gonna be the eighth man.
“No, no, no, no, no, no. It’s competitive. And it’s less so with the starting group if your starting group is established, which ours is, but everybody else after that starting five, I can throw in front of the next guy in a heartbeat.”
On the Knicks not yet reaching their expected level of play in the early season:
“We’re not quite there yet.”
On Dalton Knecht’s two-way contract and plans to give him playing time in Westchester:
“Right now he obviously is a two-way [player], and we want him to play as much as he can, so he’s gonna play some games with Westchester. If we need him to play games with us, we’ll do that. I’d rather him play than be around us too much and sit.”
On helping Knecht learn the Knicks’ system and potentially giving him NBA minutes:
“So trying to get him caught up to speed sooner than later with what we like to do would be one of the reasons why we want him around. But with him, we’ll take it day-by-day to see how quickly he picks up on the offense and the defense, and then if there’s a need to throw him out there, I won’t hesitate to throw him out there.”
On waiving Kevin McCullar Jr. to sign Knecht:
“Kevin, first of all, he’s a fantastic young man, and we’re gonna miss him, obviously, but he’s been here two seasons as a two-way. Being able to try to get to know a guy like Dalton Knecht at this point of the year, it’s something that we need to take a look at.
“So it wasn’t anything that Kevin didn’t do. He was great, and he is an NBA player. And I think he’s gonna get a shot, someday and it could be with us, who knows down the road? I don’t know. But it was more so having the opportunity to bring a guy like Dalton on just to get to know him a little bit better is why we did it.”
"Poor decision making by me late in the game. Ball's not falling in for us, I think we've gotten some good looks throughout the game but the little things we can control that helps contribute to wins"
On defending Miles McBride’s play against the Celtics:
“[McBride] played great. He’s one of the reasons we were still in the game. Without him doing what he was doing, it might’ve been a worse outcome. He came in ready to go and helped us.”
On the Knicks getting comfortable during strong stretches of play:
“Everyone can say it’s early in the season — we can use that as an excuse — but the one thing I see is that when we get on those runs and look like the team we were in the past, we get a little comfortable. We have to continue to put our foot on the gas and execute things like we did last year.
“We’re not going to be the same. We’re not going to play how we were playing last year; that’s just human nature. But we have to accept this part of the journey, find a way to get better, and hopefully after a couple of games, we can look back and say, ‘We grew from that.’”
On taking responsibility for the Knicks’ offensive struggles on Sunday:
“Organization on my part and making sure we’re in the right place to execute what we need to do. Everything falls on my shoulders. I just got to be a better leader in making sure our guys are ready to go and are in the right spots. There are a lot of little things but that’s the main thing. Organization on my part.”
On the message he delivered to teammates after the Knicks’ 0-3 start:
“Control what you can control; focus on the little details that may seem small but are going to impact winning. Most importantly, let’s do it together.”
On his frustration after the Knicks’ third consecutive loss:
“Not happy. Plain and simple.”
On early-season adversity revealing the Knicks’ character:
“One thing I’ve said during training camp and to this day is we’re going to see who we are within the first couple weeks of the season. And we’re seeing adversity. So how are we going to respond?”
On not wanting championship praise anymore:
“Everyone has been telling us what a great job we did, how fun it was, what we did for the city, the constant praise (for winning the title). So now we need the opposite.”
Andre Drummond was asked if he has any idea about his expected role with the team:
On being benched against the Magic without receiving an explanation:
“Control what I can control. I can’t do s–t about not playing. All I can do is cheer my teammates on and hope for the best.”
On not knowing why Mike Brown removed him from the rotation:
“You can make the guess for me”
On whether or not Brown told him about his expected role with the Knicks:
“Nope. I’m just here to work, when my number’s called I’m prepared to play.”
Dalton Knecht thinks playing in Westchester "is going to be great":
"Learn a new system, learn a new scheme and stuff like that. Just be ready for the new opportunity, I'm excited to start learning from everybody" pic.twitter.com/bebulPJr19
On leaving the Lakers and getting a fresh opportunity with the Knicks:
“I thought [Los Angeles] was a great opportunity. Next thing was coming. So it was kind of exciting [to] get a new opportunity, a new start somewhere. So I think this is gonna be great.”
On what changed between his rookie and sophomore seasons with the Lakers:
“I don’t think nothing changed, I think it’s just — the team got changed, and that was it. I don’t have no hard feelings, but on to better things.”
On learning the Knicks’ system and preparing for his new role:
“I think it’s gonna be great [in New York]. Learn the system, learn the new schemes and stuff like that. And you know, just be ready for the new opportunity. I’m excited to just start learning from everybody.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was completely shattered upon seeing Jalen Williams' injury.
There might not be a better Monday on the sports calendar than Oct. 26.
It's officially the 2026 sports equinox, a rare convergence when the calendars of the biggest leagues in North America overlap to create a sports fan's dream.
This year, the sports equinox features games in all five major professional leagues, plus championship action in two of them. That means the World Series, WNBA Finals, Monday Night Football and regular-season NBA and NHL games are all on the schedule.
Here's a look at everything happening during the 2026 sports equinox and how to watch.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Adem Bona #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers reach for a rebound during a game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers knew they’d have to be a better rebounding team than they have in recent seasons. After finishing in the bottom 10 for the past couple of seasons, it was something that Nick Nurse stressed quite a bit throughout training camp.
They had plenty of problems in their first loss of the season to the Detroit Pistons. Jaylen Brown shot 5-of-20 from the field and the team as a whole came out of the gate slow, very much looking like a group that was playing their third game in four days.
With Joel Embiid resting on the second half of a back-to-back, it showed how dire the situation on the glass can be when he is out of the lineup. Starting a 41-year old LeBron James at center, the Sixers were out rebounded 54-37 by a Pistons team without starting center Jalen Duren in the lineup. They surrendered 15 offensive rebounds which led to 24 second-chance points.
Of course Embiid wasn’t the only missing Sixer in the front court. Jabari Walker missed the game with knee soreness after tweaking it the night before and Dominick Barlow has yet to play this season with a lumbar spine injury. Even Tacko Fall, who was converted to a two-way contract at the end of the preseason, has yet to see any action as he’s dealing with a quad injury.
Tyrese Maxey made note after the game that those reinforcements coming back should help them a lot.
“Some of our tall guys can come back, that would be great,” he said.
“The ball goes up in the air,” James said, “and you go grab it.”
Both Maxey and James know the Sixers need to do more than just that. So does Nick Nurse, who’s trying to find ways for this team to finish possessions with the guys he has available.
“All five guys got to rebound. I just look at the numbers there and the defensive rebounding, just across the board, no matter position, just aren’t good enough,” Nurse said after the game, “so, everybody’s got to chip in with a few more.”
Even when Walker and Barlow are back, the only true center on the roster on nights Embiid will miss is Adem Bona, a springy center who’s struggled as a rebounder. In his best performance of the season, Bona had 13 rebounds in 25 minutes of play, but still let some crucial boards slip through his fingers, including two on one possession that led to Daniss Jenkins hitting the dagger three that put the game away.
Both Bona and Maxey stressed that the Sixers need to do a better job of finding their man and boxing out, regardless of position.
“We just got to hit, box out, try to fight, you got to figure it out,” Maxey said. “The ball comes off the rim, you gotta do whatever you gotta do to get that rebound.”
On top of the attention to the matchups, Bona believes that more Sixers crashing the glass on the offensive end will help even things out.
“Offensively, we got to rebound as a team. Sometimes we just have one guy going or we have two,” Bona said. “Obviously, we have to worry about fast breaks, getting back, but at the same time we also got to focus a little more on offensive rebounding.”
It’s an area of the game the Sixers will have to put more attention to, but for the time being, they’re in a tough spot to grab boards, personnel wise. They’ve been relying on LeBron to fill in center minutes so far, but they know that’s not a long-term solution.
“I don’t see it being a sustainable role,” James said, “but it’s a role we know that we can tap into if we need it.”
The end of the bench has really been depleted by injuries a week into the season — there’s not much they can do about that.The only legitimate criticism of the roster construction at the moment is the aforementioned use of the two-way on Fall. As tall as he is at 7-foot-6, Fall proved to not be a rotation player in his first stint in the NBA. Relying on a guy who was never a rotation-caliber player, hasn’t played in the NBA in four years, and also missed all of training camp and preseason with an injury to provide the help the team needs feels …. ambitious, to say the least.
The Sixers obviously aren’t going to achieve the goals they desire without Embiid in the lineup when the games matter. They do have to figure out how they’re going to eat those innings in the time it takes getting there.
SGA fights back tears during interview after Jalen Williams' gruesome injury
Thunder star Jalen Williams was taken off the floor on a stretcher Sunday night after apparently suffering a leg injury with under two minutes remaining in Oklahoma City’s 108-101 win over the Clippers.
The gruesome injury had Williams’s left foot bending unnaturally after he awkwardly landed on it while being fouled. Thunder medical personnel quickly covered Williams’s leg with a towel as he and other players on the court reacted in shock.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams (8) gives a thumbs up to the crowd while being carted off after an injury during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Getty Images
The injury had such an impact on star teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that he fought back tears in his postgame interview.
“I don’t even know,” Gilgeous-Alexander said when asked what was going through his mind after the game. “I just feel bad for him. Nothing more than that.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder talks to Nick Gallo after the game against the LA Clippers on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty ImagesShai Gilgeous-Alexander fights back tears after Jalen Williams’ leg injury. NBA
Gilgeous-Alexander continued and said the team will keep fighting without Williams.
“It’s obviously going to be tough without a player like that,” he admitted. “But he’s not gone forever. He’ll be back better than ever, and we know it. We’ve just got to hold the fort down until he comes back.”
Williams, 25, has already been named an All-Star and All-NBA player since being drafted 12th overall by the Thunder in 2022. He played a big role in the Thunder’s championship run in 2025, but missed 49 games last season due to multiple injuries, including a hamstring and recovery from right wrist surgery.
The Thunder did not immediately diagnose Williams’s injury, and head coach Mark Daigneault said postgame that the team will be updated on Monday morning.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams suffers an injury to his left leg in the second half of the game. NBA
“We’re not doing great,” Daigneault said.
The Thunder play the second half of a back-to-back on Monday night against the Suns at home.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) lays injured on the floor after getting injured during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Walker Kessler had a subpar performance in his first game against his former team, the Jazz. NBAE via Getty Images
Kessler was coming off of looking like one of the best big men in the league after the first two games of the season, entering the matchup against the Jazz with averages of 24 points (84% shooting), 8.5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.
But the 7-foot-2 center had a dud in his first game against his former team, finishing with more fouls (four) than points (two) in 28 minutes.
Walker Kessler wasn’t as sharp as a rim protector on Sunday. AP Photo/Bethany Baker
He grabbed seven rebounds, but shot just 1-of-2 from the field and didn’t provide his usual rim protection, finishing with just one blocked shot.
“Definitely let my emotions get the best of me,” Kessler said. “But you gotta learn those moments and move on.”
Luckily for the big man, his teammates picked up the slack, with Luka Doncic leading the Lakers with 52 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds en route to a victory.
Austin Reaves chipped in an efficient 29 points on 7-of-12 shooting (11-of-13 on free throws), with the Lakers having five players score in double figures.
“I’m just glad we got the win,” Kessler said. “I mean, I’ve got a lot of thanks to give to my teammates, I mean, all of them. They all played their roles and did a great job, even though it wasn’t my best night. So I really, really appreciated them.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) of the Utah Jazz scored against Walker Kessler (14) of the Los Angeles Lakers off the dribble multiple times on Sunday. NBAE via Getty Images
The No. 22 pick in the 2022 NBA draft spent the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Jazz.
He was an integral part of the team’s rebuild after the franchise traded All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers during the 2022 offseason before the Lakers acquired him via sign-and-trade from the Jazz in July.
The transaction included a four-year, $130 million contract for Kessler, with the Lakers sending the Jazz unprotected first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
The Lakers are confident Walker Kessler will bounce back. NBAE via Getty Images
The former Auburn Tiger could feel the emotions take over as he was arriving to the arena he used to call home.
“Obviously Utah was the first four years of my career,” Kessler said. “It’s a special place for me. Kind of jumpstarted my career, a lot of good memories. Just letting my emotions get the best of me and kind of hype myself up more than I usually do and kind of got too amped.
“And then just couldn’t find the ball, couldn’t find the rhythm, just kind of was off a couple fouls that were tough, a couple blocks I usually [make] – it’s one of those nights. But fortunately basketball is not a one-man sport. I’ve got really good teammates and I’m very thankful.”
Despite Kessler’s subpar performance, the Lakers moved to 3-0 on the season after coming back from down 18 points.
“He didn’t have the best game,” Reaves said. “But for him to not have a good game and us still get a win shows the versatility of our team.”
Kessler was glad to get his first game back in Utah out of the way this early in the season.
“I knew I’d have some emotions naturally just because it’s my first place I ever played,” he said. “But yeah, definitely good to get out of the way and be excited for next time we play them.”
Ultimately, NBA fans won’t know who “won” the Brown trade for a few years when the draft picks involved in the deal convey, unless the Sixers or Celtics win a championship before that happens. What’s already clear is there are still some hurt feelings for the players involved, and it’s leading to one of the most embarrassing war of words possible to start the new season.
Tatum and Brown both commented on the beef that isn’t a beef on Saturday after an emoji on social media added more fuel to the fire. Here’s the timeline of events here:
Jaylen Brown commented with the “cap” emoji — indicating someone is lying — when Tatum said he was surprised by the trade like everyone else in an Instagram video.
Tatum gave a long response about Brown’s emoji after the Celtics beat the Knicks on Friday, saying there’s “no beef” between the two and said he’s disappointed it’s turned into a drama rather than appreciating what the two accomplished together.
Brown responded to Tatum’s comment after the Sixers beat the Bucks on Saturday, and gave a couple memorable quotes. Let’s get into those below.
Brown said he agreed with Tatum that there’s no beef. Then it got interesting.
“Jayson comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s got a great PR team. There’s no beef but there might be a little lamb chops and gravy. He should stay ready at all times.”
Jaylen Brown on Jayson Tatum: “It’s no beef, but it might be little lamb chops and some gravy, you know what I mean?
Brown liked the “lamb chops and gravy” line so much he said it twice. He really thought that one was going to bang, but in the humble opinion of this nearly 40-year-old blogger, it reads as pretty cringeworthy. I wish someone would have followed up on the last line about Tatum needing to stay ready. What does that mean?! I actually really like that line from Brown, it’s so ridiculous and opaque that it hits that just right. That’s how you do it when you want to go viral.
Here’s Tatum’s long quote on Brown’s emoji. Tatum said he’s too old for the drama, and that he and Brown need better communication. Watch his full response:
And here’s the screenshot of Brown’s cap emoji that started it all. Shout-out to Tatum for rocking the backwards red fitted cap in this video. I assume it’s a Cardinals hat for the St. Louis native, but that will always remind me of Fred Durst.
Jayson Tatum on the Jaylen Brown trade in a recent interview:
"I was just as much caught off guard as the rest of the world."
Here are some quick takes on the state of the Tatum-Brown relationship right now:
I could be wrong about this, but … the Celtics *probably* told Tatum they were going to trade Brown just to make sure he didn’t have a bad reaction to it. In that sense, Brown likely isn’t wrong for using the cap emoji in response to Tatum saying he was totally caught off guard.
Tatum’s response is far more mature, and this situation is clearly eating away at him a little bit. I’m sure he enjoyed his years with Brown. They won so many games, and that 2024 championship banner will hang forever.
Brown seems to be using that trade and Tatum’s comments as motivation, which basically every athlete does.
This should be a non-story, but that’s never going to happen because fans love drama. Brown is probably going to keep leaning in, and Tatum is probably going to continue to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. This is all very silly, but whatever. Get back to me in 2035 and we’ll see who really won the Jaylen Brown trade.
Monica McNutt is still “mystified” by her viral hot mic Taylor Swift moment and how that got put out into the world during Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
During a recent episode of “The Pivot” podcast hosted by former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, the ESPN basketball analyst gave her take on the incident in which she was heard taking a shot at the mega popstar while on the Knicks radiocast.
“Epitome of a hot mic situation. We weren’t even up yet. I’m still mystified and would love someone to explain how that got to the masses. But, we’ll leave that there,” McNutt said.
Monica McNutt explains her experience behind her viral Taylor Swift shot during the Knicks playoff run. X @Realrclark25
Upon spying Swift in a courtside seat at Madison Square Garden, McNutt was caught saying, “She’s not a Knicks fan. Get out of here, girl.”
By the time Game 4 ended with the franchise-defining OG Anunoby tip-in, McNutt had no idea she had gone viral and was receiving a ton of heat from Swift fans on social media.
She explained a PR staffer said to her, “You know you’re doing viral?”
“Dude I don’t care, did you just see that?” she responded. “I don’t care.”
On the podcast, McNutt defended what she said about Swift and said it was a “throwaway comment.”
We all know why Taylor Swift shows up at NFL stadiums, but Monica McNutt had questions when she appeared at Madison Square Garden during the NBA playoffs.
In this business, they say, “The mic is always hot,” and that night, it certainly was! The Swifties went into full attack… pic.twitter.com/JI27MjOTUO
“You gotta be able to read a little colloquialism because ‘Girl get out of here’ isn’t literally ‘Get out of here,'” she said. “But I had just seen you at a Knicks game with your man in no Knicks gear, and all the celebrity Knicks fans I am familiar with, blue and orange down baby, it ain’t no question. So, literally it’s a throwaway comment RC, that like please, congratulations you have built an empire, you have an incredible fan base, like I do not care.”
“Again, people that have never had our jobs, you don’t know how a hot mic works, and if you don’t speak with any of the flavor that I speak with, you probably took that comment to heart and it wasn’t even that deep,” she added. “And that’s on you, not me.”
Singer Taylor Swift sits on celebrity row during the second quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in New York, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
No one approached McNutt about the comment in person other than a reporter from TMZ, who asked to talk to her about the situation. She later apologized to Swift in the street interview between Games 4 and 5.
Monica McNutt attends the Art Arena and CULTURED launch of their first collaborative issue celebrating women shaping the worlds of art and sport, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in New York. BFA.com / BACKGRID
“The internet is not real….Baby I can close my phone and go on about my business. I am living literally my best professional life right now. What are y’all talking about?” she said.
However, one person did come to McNutt’s defense during the Knicks championship celebrations after taking Game 5 in San Antonio.
Taking her MSG microphone, Jalen Brunson said, “I just want to say something to the Swifties: She’s a really good one, cut her some slack. It’s all good. I promise.”
Taylor Swift, wearing a shirt that reads “Stevie Knicks”, walks on the court to her seat and greets Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller before Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
McNutt explained she did not know the NBA Finals MVP was going to defend her.
“Jalen is just — he’s so thoughtful. He’s an incredible leader,” McNutt said. “I think his sense of what is happening around the people that — not that he is responsible for me but like — he is the king of New York and I’m in the New York orbit if you will. Tip of the cap to him for sure. I was not expecting that. It was really cool.”
Welcome to our weekly Monday Morning NBA notebook, a quick hit of NBA news and injuries from around the league to catch you up on last week's action. Let's get into it.
Jalen Williams injury
This was gut-wrenching to watch Sunday night.
Late in Sunday's Thunder win over the Clippers, Jalen Williams drove hard to the rim and was met there by Derrick Jones Jr. in front and Kris Dunn in back. Williams went down at an angle, about to land on his back, but his left leg curled back under him and then was bent at an angle legs don't bend. Williams stayed on the ground for several minutes, with teammates around him, and the entire arena fell silent. Williams was lifted onto a stretcher and taken out of the arena.
While there are no details on the injury as of this writing, it looked very much like it could end his season. Williams had gotten off to a fast start this season after only being able to play in 33 games last season — and missing much of the playoffs — due to injury. This is a real blow to the Thunder.
Paolo Banchero out 4-6 weeks
The Orlando Magic just can't catch a break with health.
Paolo Banchero is out 4-6 weeks after suffering a Grade 1 high ankle sprain in a loss to Minnesota. Orlando will be without the All-Star who dropped 35 points with 10 assists in the opener against Atlanta. The offense now runs through Franz Wagner, who has struggled with his 3-point shot to open the season.
Jalen Suggs left Sunday's game following a non-contact knee injury, which is very concerning.
Injuries to their stars have been an ongoing issue for Orlando. Last season, Banchero and Wagner played in just 24 games together, mainly because Wagner missed considerable time with his own high ankle sprain. In the 2024-25 season, the duo played just 40 games together as both dealt with matching torn obliques.
Jalen Duren out at least two weeks
Detroit's All-NBA center and anchor in the middle on both ends of the court, Jalen Duren, is out at least two weeks with a strained right hamstring, the team announced on Sunday.
Duren left Detroit's game against Miami in the second quarter after a drive to the rim against Giannis Antetokounmpo, where he instantly grabbed at the back of his leg and asked to be taken out of the game.
After a summer of contract drama, Duren started the season fast, with 22 points and nine rebounds in the Pistons' season-opening win against Boston. He will now miss games against the 76ers, Knicks and others.
Warriors exploring Kristaps Porzingis trade
Kristaps Porzingis' health concerns — his postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, has flared up again — and appears to have reached the point that he is seriously considering his future in basketball, according to the latest report.
With that, the Warriors, who gave Porzingis a two-year, $40 million extension last summer, are starting to explore the trade market for him (which is more about his salary only having $3 million guaranteed next year, making him an expiring deal). Not that they have a lot of options. This is terrible for Porzingis, first and foremost, but it also adds to the Warriors' rough start in Golden State, they were counting on KP. "You can't deny the fact that Kristaps was plugged in our starting lineup," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Super talented guy, and his absence is definitely a blow."
Cooper Flagg injures shoulder
Cooper Flagg missed Saturday's Dallas home opener — a loss to San Antonio — and will miss more time with a mild left shoulder sprain, the team announced.
Flagg was injured and left Friday night's game against the Pacers after this foul by Aaron Nesmith. The good news is that Flagg avoided serious injury on what was a dangerous play. Flagg, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, had 32 points in the Mavericks' season-opening loss to Houston.
Brandon Miller, Charlotte agree to $209 million extension
The Hornets already made a big bet on Brandon Miller when they traded away LaMelo Ball, now they're putting their money behind it. Miller got the second-biggest rookie scale extension of the offseason, surpassing All-NBA center Jalen Duren in Detroit and All-Defense wing Amen Thompson in Houston (only the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama got a larger deal).
Miller, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has an All-Star-level game. He is a three-level scorer who averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game last season, while shooting 38.3% from 3-point range. He is also an improved and respectable defender. However, if he's going to live up to this contract, he needs to be more physical and put more pressure on the rim, and he needs to limit turnovers. To start the season, Miller is averaging 19.3 points per game.
Other News and Notes
• No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa missed the Wizards' first three games recovering from an ankle sprain, but is expected to return soon. Just not soon enough for Wizards fans, or basketball fans in general.
• The Timberwolves and Jaden McDaniels agreed to a one-year, $40 million contract extension that will keep the two-way forward in Minnesota through 2030. The Timberwolves see him as part of their core and needed defensively (especially with LaMelo Ball getting heavy minutes).
• Pelicans starting center Yves Missi is out with a left knee bone bruise, and while the team hasn't put a timeline on it, expect him to miss at least 2-3 weeks and potentially longer. While not ideal, that's much better than what was feared when he had to be carried off the court. Hopefully this opens the door for more Derik Queen (and Karlo Matkovic).
• Charlotte was without Kon Knueppel (hamstring), Grant Williams (hamstring) and Coby White (calf) in their first two games.
• The Lakers waived former No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht last week to get down to 15 players for the season, and the Knicks stepped in and signed him to a two-way contract. Knecht showed his potential early with the Lakers, but after they traded for Luka Doncic, what the Lakers needed from their wings changed, and that didn't fit Knecht as well. He was the odd man out in Los Angeles but deserved a shot somewhere.
• Speaking of injuries, the Pacers could use to get T.J. McConnell back from his hamstring strain.
• NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is good with LeBron James using a Fanatics-branded helicopter to commute from his home in New York to the 76ers' practice and training facilities.
"He has a [endorsement] deal with Fanatics," Silver said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "It's perfectly appropriate if part of his deal is they're going to supply a helicopter to him as long as it's just a deal between the Fanatics and LeBron and no team is involved; there's no rules issue there whatsoever."
• Dallas signed guard Walter Clayton Jr. to a two-way contract. Smart roll of the dice. Memphis waived Clayton before the season, but last season, his rookie season, he averaged 7.8 points and 4 assists per game, splitting the season between the Jazz and Grizzlies.
• While they wanted to keep him for culture reasons, financial reasons won out and the Dallas Mavericks waived veteran big man Dwight Powell, who had been with the Mavericks for the past 12 years.
Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. are the foundation of the Nets rebuild. But going into the season’s fourth game, they’ve played just four minutes together.
The duo’s only action together was a cameo in Cleveland on Saturday. Now, after Brown was rested on the tail end of a back-to-back Sunday, he’s cleared to return — albeit still on a minutes limit — Tuesday in Boston.
With the Nets dragging a winless 0-3 record into TD Garden, seeing Brown potentially play alongside Dëmin would give fans something to look forward to.
But the Nets are intent on slow-playing it.
Brooklyn Nets’ Egor Demin (8) celebrates after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. The Cavaliers defeated the Nets 125-121. Getty Images
Brown’s minutes limit has kept him from starting. But asked if he’d look to get him on the floor alongside Dëmin within those constraints, coach Jordi Fernández suggested that’s something dictated by game flow.
“We have all this preparation, the coaches do a great job putting all these pages and film,” Fernández said. “But then at the end of the day, you have to react to a lot of things that are not controllable. Would I like to play them together? Yes. But if I’m just thinking about playing them together, I may not do what’s best for the group at the moment.”
Or what’s best for Brown long-term. The rookie played just 19 games at Louisville, missing the second half of his lone season with a back injury. While a rolled ankle cost him the first three preseason games, it’s more caution over the back injury that had Brown rested Sunday night.
“Correct. There’s not a new injury,” said Fernández. “We’re required to say … So he’s good. He’s doing great. Then after this game, he’ll be ready to go.”
Brown and Dëmin were a plus-5 in their four-minute stint together against the Cavs.
Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) dribbles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. AP Photo/Tim Phillis
Josh Minott made use of his first extended action Sunday, with 15 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 21:14.
Danny Wolf, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf, all first-round picks in 2025, all saw their first action this season against Indiana. Rookie first-round pick Joshua Jefferson made his NBA debut, logging 3:38.
Pacers center Ivica Zubac rolled his left ankle on teammate Kelly Oubre Jr.’s foot in the first quarter Sunday. He left the arena on crutches.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 23: Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks reacts during second half of the Celtics Home Opener at TD Garden on October 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Knicks 107-103. 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
The New York Knicks knew that it would be hard to repeat as NBA champions after they had the shortest summer out of all teams and spent weeks throwing parties in the “Big Apple” that would make the Great Gatsby turn pale with envy. On top of that, recent history, with nine different title winners in nine years, also told the Bockers that it would be almost impossible to win it a second time in a row. If they or you needed a reminder, here’s the 0-3 start for the defending champs. It’s not just talk anymore; it’s right in front of us in hard, cold numbers. Or as Keef suggested in the Postgame Thread: “This is getting real.”
How real remains to be determined, but right now it looks like nobody in Knick Nation wants to find out how bad this can get. Your beloved New York Ballers dragged themselves through another anemic, incomplete performance on Sunday night and granted the shorthanded Orlando Magic (playing without Paolo Banchero) their first win of the young season. It’s not like the Knicks didn’t try, starting with Jalen Brunson, who came out extremely aggressive and stayed that way throughout the entire contest. But 28 shots and 16 misses later, it turned out to be all for naught.
Knicks searching for… what exactly?
It’s one of the captain’s many remarkable traits that he never shies away from a challenge and is willing to put the team on his back even in the darkest of times. Whether him shooting that much is the best way for the Knicks in a game like this can be debated, though, and has been plenty in the past, especially when his shot is as off as it certainly seems to be early in the year. Nobody wants Brunson to change because eventually we will get the Finals Game 5 version of him (damn, that was beautiful). Yet he himself knows that not even the new king of the city has found a solution for all that’s wrong with the team right now.
Against Orlando, it actually looked like the Knicks had finally grabbed the rope and started to pull themselves out of the mud with a 12-0 start in the first quarter. The gameplan of leaving the Magic wide open from downtown worked to perfection as one of the worst three-point shooting teams in recent memory stacked up brick after brick. But before they finished a nice little three-story Brooklyn townhouse, their reserves, led by Anthony Black and Tristan Da Silva, all of a sudden did the unthinkable: they hit their open shots! Countless times, the Knicks overhelped on drives and could not recover out to the arc in time. With every new make, you could sense the confidence growing for their counterparts.
Magic reserves dominate Knicks bench
In turn, the Knicks themselves all of a sudden realized that they could actually lose this game against an opponent who has traditionally played them very tough over the last few years. They got careless with the ball, and you could feel them thinking too much. In the end, they did exactly what you would have expected from those scrappy stonethrowers from Disney World: they missed their three-pointers. A lot of them, all the way to a clip of 24 percent on the night.
"Our crap stinks It does. And we're the only ones that can do something about it."
Superior talent in the form of Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns or OG Anunoby still let the Knicks lead for most of the night, but at no point did it really feel sustainable. Missing Jose Alvarado, the Knicks reserves were outscored 47-11 by the magical second unit and couldn’t muster up anything more than a few nice moments. Andre Drummond was, well, Andre Drummond. James Wiseman had a spectacular block but played way too giddy. Tyler Kolek had plenty of helpers (9 assists in 15 minutes) but once again struggled against Orlando’s size. Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride were off, and it certainly didn’t help them that Mike Brown experimented with a lineup that saw Mikal Bridges exclusively initiating the offense, surrounded by reserves. Yup, unfortunately it went as expected and did not really unlock the coldest player in basketball right now.
A fourth quarter to forget or learn from
But even if their reinforcements or their shooting hands weren’t up to par, the Knicks starters still had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. At that point, they decided it might be a fun idea to let Franz Wagner get going a little bit, and the big German certainly enjoyed it. After being silenced for most of the night by OG Anunoby, he all of a sudden stumbled upon the green light of seeing Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges in front of him for a long stretch. Wagner hit that metal quicker than he ever would on the Autobahn A100 in Berlin and drove into the paint at will against the smaller defenders. With all the momentum on their side, shots fell again for Orlando, and New York was wondering what actually had happened to them. In case you are also still wondering: 40 points by the Magic in the fourth quarter alone. Ballgame.
The bad defensive execution against an offensively challenged Magic team feels symbolic of what the Knicks are still missing to start the season. They made a living during their long playoff run by being the smartest squad in the arena, making the right pass at the right time and the correct rotation whenever it was needed. Paired with plenty of toughness, Jalen Marquis Brunson and an innovative offensive system, it turned out to be a devastating combination, especially in a league where fundamentals have become a relic of the past at times. It also could hide many of the flaws that the Knicks had shown us for the better part of two years with this current nucleus.
Some of these flaws are showing up again because right now New York isn’t making the “right” plays often enough. Until they are making them, this losing streak could continue. “There’s no light switch that we can just turn on and think we’re going to go win ballgames,” head coach Mike Brown said in the postgame. “Nobody is going to give us any of that. We have to be better with the little things until we start shooting the ball well.” Just like his players, he seems to be searching. The solution for the current issues might be physical; it might be mental. It might be a little bit of both.
Let’s hope that it is real sooner rather than later.
The Dallas Mavericks finished their first week of the 2026-27 season with a 1-2 record. They got blown off the floor in game one by Houston (128-110), bounced back with a win in Indiana (121-105), and then fell to San Antonio in their home opener (122-106). Cooper Flagg led the way with 23 points per game. Flagg also injured his shoulder against Indiana and missed their last game.
Grade: B+
If you take out the second quarter against the Rockets and the fourth quarter against the Spurs, the Mavericks played three excellent games of basketball. They beat Houston by 14 in the second half, had a 30-point lead in the first half of their win against the Pacers, and played the defending Western Conference champions tough without Kyrie Irving or Cooper Flagg. Marcus Sasser and Sergio de Larrea shined off the bench in the sought-after guard minutes, and Zaccharie Risacher showed intrigue as a connecting piece on defense. P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall have looked like themselves, and Kyrie Irving seems to be on track to be the guy he was 19 months ago.
They are in the top half of the league for offensive rating (112.0) and near the bottom of the league in pace (100.33), meaning they have been very deliberate and effective in what they want to do. The defensive flashes have been there, but, as is the case for all young teams, they are not consistent yet. They’re going to have quarters like the second in Houston, where they got boatraced 38-12. But they will also click as they did in the same period against Indiana, where they held them scoreless for nearly half the quarter and outscored them 33-16.
Despite the 1-2 start, there is reason to have hope for a good season. Dusty May will continue to figure out the lineups as the season goes on, the rookies and fresh faces will find more confidence as they play more, and Cooper Flagg alongside Kyrie Irving is awesome to watch. This next week (at Miami, at home against Oklahoma City and Houston) will be a great test for this group if they want playoff dreams.
Straight A’s: Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg made the jump we expected him to make. He came out of the gates swinging with 32 points, and followed that up with 14 points in 17 minutes before getting hurt in Indiana. He has made 14 of his 23 shots, including three of his six threes, and has two blocks and six steals. He was efficient last year, as we know, but the big jump so far in his scoring has been his ability to get to the line. Flagg took 13 free throws against the Rockets and four before exiting on Friday, making 15 of his 17 attempts. He looks like a more seasoned player, and a true number one on a winning team.
Fail: Dusty May’s first NBA half
I have not been much more bewildered than I was watching the Mavericks’ first half to open the season. 10 guys played in the first quarter, and it seemed like every time I looked up, a new player was on the floor. There was no rhythm, no pattern, and seemingly no purpose other than to get a look at everyone for two minutes at a time. A positive spin could be that he wanted to speed-run the 20-game Jason Kidd test period, but he legitimately punted the game against Houston by doing this, given how Dallas played in the second half. Thankfully, he has not pulled this gimmick in either game since, but he does have a quick trigger on the substitutions.
Extra Credit: Sergio de Larrea
When the Mavericks selected de Larrea 25th overall, the chances are you had no idea who he was. I had no clue, but one thing is clear about him from the get-go: the kid can play. A lot of young players are constantly trying to adjust to the pace of the NBA; de Larrea already controls it. He has incredible touch on his in-between game, a great feel for passing, and a smooth-looking jumper. He is clearly too slender, but that will change with a real NBA offseason. His 21 points against a very good Spurs defense, and specifically the ease with which he got to his spots against Stephon Castle, were impressive. I am excited to watch him develop next to Cooper Flagg.
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