HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 2: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics is introduced before the game against the Houston Rockets on November 2, 2026 at the Toyota Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — After the Celtics beat the Bucks, Derrick White sat in the locker room with ice packs on both knees and ice wrapped around his left shoulder.
The 32-year-old Celtics guard was coming off a season-high 24 points, plus 7 assists and 4 rebounds. He scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and 7 of the Celtics’ final 10 points, including an and-one runner that gave the Celtics a 5-point lead with just over two minutes to go.
They never looked back from there.
And, none of the late-game heroics were a surprise to his teammates.
“D-White just has an unwavering confidence — he just has a way of just being even-keeled,” said Paul George, who led the Celtics in scoring with 25 on the night. “Obviously, he’s great down the stretch.”
This season, White is averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. For the second straight year, his shooting has slipped; he’s shooting 42.5% from the field and 31% from three.
Regardless, for the second consecutive home game, White got raucous MVP chants at the free-throw line from the TD Garden. Afterward, he chatted with Jayson Tatum in the locker room, who donned street clothes after his first rest game of the season.
The two shared a laugh as White got ready to take the podium after his season-best game. Payton Pritchard exited the game in the third quarter after suffering a right eye abrasian, leaving the Celtics without two of their primary scorers in the clutch-time game against the Bucks.
That meant White knew he had to make a concerted effort offensively down the stretch.
“Every game is a little different — different lineups, different matchups, and so just kind of go out there, read what the game tells you to do, and go out there and compete, try to get a win,” White said. “Obviously with JT out and then P going out too, had to [have] a little bit more aggressive mindset, and maybe next game is a little different. So, you just kind of go out there and have fun playing basketball.”
The Celtics led by as many as 22 points in the game, but saw that lead turn into a one-point deficit late in the fourth quarter after a monster third quarter by Tyler Herro and multiple stints of offensive woes.
As the momentum of the game turned against Boston, White remained calm.
“He’s a great defender, shot-blocker, rebounder at the guard spot — but again, with him, with Payton, like those guys just having kind of an even-keeled mentality, never get too high, never get too low, never really rattle,” George said. “And when you’re on the floor, you feel that you got a guy besides — he’s obviously been a champion. So, he’s tested. He’s battle-tested. But to have someone that never gets too high, it’s a level where I think when you’re on the floor, you feel that, and you know, anything you’re into, will get out of.”
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 4: Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 4, 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
The Boston Celtics avoided another potential collapse of a 20-point lead last night, regaining their composure down the stretch to secure a 109–102 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks
Paul George and Derrick White spearheaded the effort, particularly in the closing minutes, while Neemias Queta also proved instrumental in the game’s decisive moments. However, one player whose contributions I felt were particularly underrated throughout the contest was Baylor Scheierman.
Scheierman finished with nine points and 11 rebounds, including three on the offensive glass, while adding a steal and an assist in 28 minutes of action. Over his last three games, he has averaged 10 points and six rebounds while shooting an impressive 61% from beyond the arc.
Scheierman’s impact also extended well beyond the box score. Here is a closer look at the various ways he influenced last night’s game.
His impact began on the defensive end, where I thought he was particularly effective both on and off the ball. On this possession, he initially denies Herro an opportunity to receive the ball before rotating over to help on the drive, using an active swipe to force the pickup. When the ball eventually finds its way back to Herro, Scheierman stays disciplined, applies solid on-ball pressure, and closes out with a strong contest.
Here, Scheierman is matched up with Ryan Rollins, who prepares to use a wide screen from his big man, Kel’el Ware. Although Scheierman gets caught momentarily, he makes a smart adjustment by going under the screen, meeting Rollins at the other side, and recovering to get back in front. He then does a nice job staying attached through the subsequent on-ball screen, with some help from Luka Garza’s hedge.
Once again, Scheierman showcases his off-ball activity by rotating over to help on another driving opponent. This time, however, we get a look at his instincts in the passing lanes. At the last moment, he reads the passer’s intentions and peels back to his assignment to get a hand on the ball and deflect it.
Scheierman entered this game, averaging 4.6 deflections per 100 possessions, placing him in the 86th percentile league wide. His activity in this area makes him a valuable piece of a Celtics defense that ranks second in the NBA in deflections per game.
Garza ultimately gets the block on this next possession, but Scheierman made it possible. As the Bucks drive along the baseline, Mitchell Robinson, who is initially guarding Ware in the paint, is forced to rotate over and help on the ball. With Robinson leaving Ware, the big is momentarily left without a defender underneath the basket.
Scheierman recognizes this immediately and quickly sinks down toward Ware, reaching in an attempt to disrupt the pass. Although he doesn’t come away with the steal, his presence forces Ware to adjust before going up for the layup. That split-second hesitation gives his teammates enough time to recover and get into position to contest the shot, ultimately setting up Garza’s block.
Scheierman was credited with just one assist in this game, but his playmaking helped generate several quality looks for Boston. He finished with five potential assists on the night, and his ability to grab defensive rebounds and immediately push the pace (rip and run) continues to be an asset to the Celtics’ early offense.
Scheierman attacks off the dribble and creates an opportunity for Robinson at the rim before quickly getting back on defense. He then does a nice job stepping in to cut off a driving lane and deter a potential three-point attempt, showcasing his ability to impact both ends of the floor in quick succession.
Here is more of that playmaking.
Staying on the offensive side of things, all nine of Scheierman’s points came from downtown. He knocked down a three at the end of the half before quickly getting back on defense to contest a shot. Later, he connected on two big back-to-back threes that helped keep Milwaukee at bay.
On Rollins again here and he defends this “Iverson” cut perfectly. An Iverson cut is when a player uses two horizontal off ball screens to cut from one wing to the other.
He navigated both screens well and meets Rollins on the opposite wing, giving him no room to instantly drive. He then plays on the ball well and gets help from George who steals the pass and scores for the and one.
Anticipation and a quick reaction to the ball are obviously important traits for anyone looking to excel in the passing lanes defensively, but Scheierman has also shown an ability to incorporate deception into his approach. I first noticed this during the preseason and wanted to see another example before making the observation with confidence. This play provides exactly that.
Boston sends a double-team at Rollins near half court, forcing Scheierman into a Cover 2 situation. Watch how he deliberately leans his body toward the corner, giving the illusion that Ware is available for an easy pass in the paint. Rollins takes the bait, and Scheierman quickly changes direction to jump the passing lane and come away with the steal.
Another example of his off-ball prowess here getting another deflection.
Scheierman added several more quality possessions to the tape, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged by.
Scheierman continued to make his presence felt in some of the game’s biggest moments. His relentless pursuit of the basketball consistently puts him in position to make important hustle plays, and he has the skill and awareness to make those opportunities count.
He finds his way to the ball and gets his only true assist of the game to White for a huge and one then crashes for an offensive rebound that helped Boston wind down more time on the clock.
Lastly, we come back to the off-ball defense. On a play where the Bucks must get something, he communicates and performs three perfect switches before the ball is even entered.
Baylor Scheierman’s impact in this game was a great example of how much value he can provide beyond the traditional box score. Whether it was his activity in the passing lanes, defensive positioning, ability to push the pace in transition, or timely shooting, he consistently found ways to positively impact the game.
Nine points and 11 rebounds are a solid contribution on their own, but his overall impact went well beyond those numbers. These are the types of winning plays that earn a coaching staff’s trust, and Scheierman continues to make a strong case for a meaningful role in Boston’s rotation.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates after the game against the Dallas Mavericks on November 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Debuting their ABA-inspired classic jerseys and classic court, the Spurs showed out for the Frost Bank Center against their I-35 rivals in the Dallas Mavericks. After taking control of the first half and extending their lead to 19 in the third quarter, the Mavericks clawed their way back in the fourth. Clutch plays from Victor Wembanyama and Dylan Harper kept the Spurs within one possession down the stretch, and Wemby drained a go-ahead free throw with 24 seconds left. Kyrie Irving missed a potential go-ahead jumper, and the Mavs failed to corral the rebound. The Spurs extended their win streak to six.
Speaking of Wemby, Holy moly, folks. Wemby channeled his inner Wilt Chamberlain against the Dallas Mavericks. Coming off a win over the Utah Jazz, Wemby looked to shake off the rust from his rough shooting night (12 points, 5-15 FG, 0-5 3PT). He responded by breaking a franchise and league record in the first half: 29 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks. He then cashed in a career-best performance: 52 points (16-28 FG, 19-23 FT), 24 rebounds, eight blocks, two steals, and two assists. From the opening tip, Wemby got to work immediately on Daniel Gafford. The Space Jam-esque leap after the crossover is otherworldly.
Besides putting it on the floor, Wemby gained the upper hand over defenders by using his height and agility. Throughout the first quarter and bleeding into others, Wemby was a lob threat every time. He spun off of Cooper Flagg, fought through contact, and finished many lobs as he dominated the paint.
Wemby kept up the aggression with countless drives to the basket. The Mavericks could not guard him one-on-one, so the result was often Wemby getting fouled on drives, lob attempts, putback attempts, and most of the time the contact did not even matter.
Here’s what separates Wemby from almost all big men, he can go behind the back on one end, control and spin on the other, and leap for a wide-open jam whenever he wants. Simply ridiculous.
Oh yeah, in case you forgot, he’s the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Wemby swatted EIGHT shots, including this sequence where he blocked the Mavs THREE TIMES IN A ROW. Again, simply and utterly ridiculous.
As the aggression continued in the second half, the Mavericks transitioned to playing small ball to counteract the defensive anchor of Wemby. Wemby punished them with a handful of finishes at the rim and turning in a couple of and-ones.
He dominated the glass with nine of his 24 rebounds coming on the offensive end (which mostly resulted in putbacks). Overall, this is just another reminder of how Wemby is an MVP (and DPOY) candidate this season. With the team as a whole still figuring out their offense while running a three-guard lineup, Wemby’s talent saved the day and can continue to carry this team to close out victories. Spurs fans, rejoice and continue to feel blessed every day.
Dylan Harper played Robin to Wemby’s Batman with 21 points (9-15 FG) and five rebounds. Dylan, as a starter, continues to lead the league in field goal percentage at the rim. His fearlessness on drives and patience in the paint rival a prime Irving. Playing in a three-guard lineup with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, Dylan has been more of a scorer of the three. As the team’s offense continues to find a consistent identity, one thing is for sure, Dylan will find a way to put the ball in the basket.
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 4: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks dunks the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on November 4, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As the second quarter started last night between the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden, Josh Giddey was bringing the ball up for the team from the Windy City. He tried to maneuver through a high pick-and-roll when all of a sudden a large human named OG Anunoby appeared in his path. The Australian must have thought he’d run into a boxing kangaroo, as he was so freaked out that he immediately lost his dribble. As the ball was bouncing away from him, Anunoby lunged after it but couldn’t quite grab it. So Mikal Bridges joined the scene as well for the orange and blue, also diving on the floor to ultimately force the refs to call a foul on poor Mr. Giddey.
Just for the record, the Knicks were leading 43-21 at that point.
The game was essentially over long before both of New York’s high-priced wings draped themselves across the shiny Garden floor, but this is exactly what makes the symbolism of the aforementioned play so much more distinct. The Knicks decided to show up last night. They decided to put it together and be the hard-nosed, all-out championship team we all love so much. Not only for the layup lines or the press conference but for the entire game. They not only cut up the Bulls into sirloins, briskets and ribs, they surely also took their hearts. And announced, if not to the league, then to their fan base, what Keef so aptly commented in Russell’s Postgame Thread: “We are so back…”
Knicks play complete game against Chicago
A critical comrade might point out that it had more to do with Chicago being gone than with New York being back, but this isn’t the day for such rationality. It’s a day of basking in the glory of being a good basketball team and showing it for 47 minutes and 58 seconds, maybe even longer. It’s exactly what this Knicks team needed after sluggish weeks to start their championship defense, and some of us fans might have needed it even a bit more. We all knew they were good enough to win it all, we all knew that there’s a level to their quality that might be unrivaled across the Association. At some point you have to see it, though, and we sure did last night.
From Jalen Brunson to Landry Shamet, from OG Anunoby to Mohamed Diawara, even from James Wiseman to Dalton Knecht, there basically was no Knick who didn’t look like his very best last night, at least not if we ignore garbage time and a rusty Jose Alvarado being dealt the thankless job of driving the party boat into the harbor. Maybe our Finals hero was a bit tired from all the clapping and cheering he did for a seemingly gazillion beautiful basketball plays from his teammates—even if SGA Anunoby gave him plenty of breaks standing at the charity stripe. All in all, the Knicks definitely played at a completely different speed than the Bulls, who only a week ago had raced out to a 19-point lead against New York. Watching this game, you wonder how that ever happened.
Dalton Knecht (10 PTS, 7 REB, 4-6 FGM) made his Knicks debut in their win vs. Chicago 🗽 pic.twitter.com/CGtDZhyyYS
No matter what conclusion you might come to answering that question, last night proved that it’s a lot more fun to bring your A-game and best effort from the get-go than midway through the fourth, fueled by desperation. Jalen Brunson danced through the Bulls D like he was Barry Sanders playing a high school team early on and also had no mercy shooting the ball. As so often in the past, it inspired his team to follow him. The Knicks did it all the way to the highest-scoring half in their history, tying a 38-year-old franchise record. It’s nice to be back doing historical things just as they routinely did last season. And just like your starters and stars diving on the floor in a lopsided game, it is a reminder that these Knicks are still those Knicks.
Young Knicks make a good impression
Whether they might be even a bit more here or there could start to show itself in games like last night’s laugher. It is here where younger, unproven bench players like Mo Diawara, Dalton Knecht or James Wiseman will get their chances to make an impression on Mike Brown and the coaching staff. All of them have a ways to go, but watching last night, you at least feel a little intrigued by Mo’s and Wiseman’s physical profiles. Their length could give New York a different defensive dimension (5 blocks between them), and Diawara once again looked like the promising role player he teased last season. The herky-jerky is still there, yet he also flashed strong playmaking ability (tied for the team lead with 4 assists) and defensive awareness against supposedly strong wings like Caleb Wilson or Matas Buzelis. Maybe he can be a specialist for matchups like that, who knows? We’ve got 74 games to see more of it and figure out if it can really be a factor in important games.
We’re not going out on a limb saying that it will take some time before the Bulls get to experience such games again. This doesn’t diminish what our Knickerbockers did last night, playing as complete a basketball game as you dare to imagine. As beautiful as some of the passes, shots or dunks were, in the end, the foundation was the little things, many of which are exactly what a large part of the team’s identity is built upon. Things like boxing out your opponent, making the right rotation or flying hard around a screen. Things like making the pass that leads to an assist or pushing the ball when it truly makes sense.
Or diving on the floor after a loose ball, for that matter.
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 4: Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 4, 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
When the notification hit that Jayson Tatum would be resting Wednesday’s game against the Bucks, I couldn’t have been less moved.
Milwaukee is bad. The Celtics shouldn’t have any problem taking care of business, right?
Ultimately, they managed to get across the finish line, but the path there wasn’t as pretty as many would’ve hoped. The Cs found themselves in a fourth-quarter dogfight despite leading the one-win Bucks by 22 points earlier in the game.
This scenario was more suprising than it should’ve been. Tatum has done a lot for this Boston team. Key role players like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White haven’t played at the height of their offensive abilities so far this season, and you’ve felt it.
Take Monday’s loss to the Rockets in Houston for example. Paul George had the night off on the second leg of a back-to-back, and the vet was dearly missed. Whenever Tatum headed to the bench, Houston gained more and more leverage until they were in complete control of the matchup in the second half.
In a game where the Celtics lost by 16, Tatum was still a +1 when he was on the floor.
Flash forward back to the matchup with Milwaukee. Boston was forced to fight their way out of a tough situation without their offensive hub.
They did it.
A Brayden Burries floater gave Milwaukee a 96-95 lead over Boston with 4:54 to play in regulation. All of the momentum was with the Bucks as they continued to light the nets on fire with their efficient shot-making. Anytime the Cs squandered opportunities on the offensive end, it felt like it came back to bite them with a Bucks bucket.
It felt like it was going to be a classic “the Celtics can’t close out close games” game. But instead of squandering what should’ve been a surefire win, they let their vets lead the way and finished the night with a 14-6 run over the final five minutes.
George and White weren’t perfect, but they were good enough. The two combined to score 20 of Boston’s 22 fourth-quarter points, and each made some tough shots to ice the game.
Look, I’m not going to try and spin a narrow win against one of the league’s worst into a monumental victory. But it’s not nothing. If this Celtics squad is going to reach its potential, then other players besides Tatum have to be effective in tense spots. Those spots, by the way, don’t just happen in the fourth quarter.
Clutch moments happen all the time. It could be making a big shot to cool off a second-quarter run, getting a big stop on a player who’s starting to heat up, or simply making the opposition pay for their mistakes and capitalizing on turnovers and extra possessions.
Those opportunities are undisputedly going to arise during the non-Tatum minutes, too.
The fact that Boston has been able to depend on Paul George thus far feels tremendous. It can never been mentioned enough how great he’s been on both sides of the ball. Even today, one of the biggest moments in the game came when he turned defense into offense.
George jumped a weakside pass for a steal, then went coast-to-coast for an and-one finish in transition to give the Cs a six-point cushion early in the fourth.
The moment sent a message. The Celtics weren’t just going to roll over because things hadn’t been going their way.
So far, they’ve buckled down quite well when push has come to shove. Wednesday’s win makes the Cs 4-1 in clutch situations, which the league defines as games within five points with under five minutes left. This one just happened to be an opportunity to flex their depth.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 04: Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Kyle Kuzma #18 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter at TD Garden on November 04, 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
The Milwaukee Bucks’ 22-point comeback fell short in Beantown, as they lost to the Boston Celtics 109-102 after leading in the fourth quarter. If the Bucks could just avoid one horrendous quarter each game, they’d probably have three or four wins by now. The fight and character the team showed was pleasing, to be sure, but fans want to see the team not just be in games, but win them, no matter the opponent. And as I’ll get to, the difference between winning and losing is razor-thin; it is about recognising moments and understanding what the team wants to achieve in those moments; unfortunately, the Bucks have some guys who seem incapable of doing that. On a completely unrelated note, I am officially retiring from inserting sarcastic/self-deprecating dinosaur-related Easter eggs into my writing until I can make it clear to readers that they are, in fact, sarcastic/self-deprecating dinosaur-related Easter eggs! Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Finally, Rollins had what I think everyone would call a solid game (minus the turnovers). His shot still isn’t falling as we’d like, but man, Rollins was a menace on defence. Just terrific on that end. He was given the primary assignment on Derrick White and forced him into a 7/18 night. Rightfully got the close alongside Herro.
Herro’s night was highlighted by a white-hot third quarter in which he scored 17 of his 23 points on 6/8 shooting (after failing to score in the opening quarter). It felt like Herro’s aggression flipped a switch at halftime: he came off screens with more vigour, his crossovers were more violent, and he had a stronger will to get to the hoop. Unfortunately, Herro took just one shot in the fourth; not sure whose fault that is, but he needed to be more involved (at least in the final few possessions, Mr Kuzma).
On the plus side, Jaquez continues to be money from three this year (although he did take a horrendous one late, as Turner was wide open on the extra pass). On the negative side, he went 0/5 in the fourth quarter and couldn’t get anything to go inside the arc. Still, I thought Jaquez was solid in his possessions guarding PG.
If you looked at the stat sheet, you would think Kuzma played just a meh game, and I suppose he did, but I can’t get over how incredibly frustrating some of his decisions are. As I’ve said before, no matter how he plays overall, Kuzma is guaranteed to give you 2-4 make-you-want-to-pull-your-hair-out plays per game. Most notably, he shot a three off one pass with 18 on the shot clock while down two with three minutes to play. Why!? He also had a play in the third—as the Bucks are desperately trying to string stops together—where he flopped off a slight push-off from Paul George; the refs (rightfully) didn’t fall for it, and he was on the ground when George shot and made the three. He had another pathetic defensive possession on PG late, where he was effectively standing straight up—not in a defensive stance at all—as the 36-year-old zipped past him with ease. Kuzma was rightfully pulled for AJ Green to finish, and I honestly think they win if he didn’t play in the fourth. Just an infuriating player to watch sometimes.
I thought Turner got monstered on the inside a few too many times—as he is wont to do—but overall, it was another well-rounded game where you really felt his presence. Shooting the ball much better of late. Just keep stacking good games.
Tough game for Jakucionis, who didn’t play in the second half and had by far the worst plus/minus on the team (the next-worst was -8). I don’t think he necessarily did too much wrong in his minutes; it’s more that I don’t think Jenkins liked how the team operated when he was running it, and he loved how the team ran in the second half with someone else handling the rock. Things were going well, and as the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
We still haven’t seen Burries explode on offence in the extended minutes that come with starting (granted, his two starts have been against top-10 defensive teams), but he still did a bunch of typical Burries stuff. He has a knack for impacting the game regardless of whether his shot is going in, a quality I absolutely love. Burries was super active and impactful defensively and pursued each rebound like his life depended on it. Also, the rook was on the bench for most of that electric third-quarter run, but I noticed him up and encouraging his teammates the whole time—brownie points.
I feel like a bit of a broken record with Green when I say that even when he doesn’t hit shots, it never feels like he impacts the game negatively the way it does with a certain someone. He generally does his job on defence, even if he is undersized in a lot of matchups, and it’s just make-or-miss as to how much he plays. Had a killer defensive possession guarding Paul George in the first half.
As has been the case a few times this season, Ament had a meh first half and a much better second. He started the game with a major rookie moment, trying to take on Mitchell Robinson and getting it emphatically thrown back in his face, which earned him a seat on the bench immediately. Then in the second half, Ament was just… existing more as part of a coherent unit that was playing extremely well? Like, he took his chances when they came to him instead of forcing stuff, but he also contributed on the other end, which matters to me much more than his scoring. Now, Ament still has a little too much tunnel vision, and I’d like him to set screens and not slip them as much as he does—which will generate scoring chances for him—but hey, encouraging signs.
Grade: C+
Taylor Jenkins
On the one hand, I totally get going back to your veterans to close a game on the road against a good team—and there are certainly other considerations—but Jenkins closing with Kuzma and Jaquez may well have cost them the game. Maybe Ament should have stayed in (though I reckon he’d played a fair stretch by that point), but definitely Green. Heck, Jenkins could have dusted off Jericho Sims, who played well the game before. Other than that, credit to the Bucks coach for getting the team in the right mindset—and with the right game plan—to mount that comeback.
Grade: D+
Limited Minutes: Ousmane Dieng, Jericho Sims
DNP-CD: Bogoljub Markovic, Caris LeVert, Gary Trent Jr.
Inactive: Kam Jones, Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance
What We Learnt
The team is guaranteed to lose its collective mind for one quarter of each game.
Bonus Bucks Bits
Jenkins on his team’s fight: “Can’t overlook that we were down 22 to the Celtics and came back and took the lead… the energy, the life was there… A lot of growth, a lot of progress. This was awesome by our group. We have to continue to not dig ourselves holes… Overall, our guys’ resilience was the biggest thing from this game.”
Regarding my comments about Brayden Burries’ ability to impact beyond scoring, I want Nate Ament to learn from that; it feels like Ament is much more “out there” a lot of the time, rather than you feeling his presence from possession to possession. Now, the fact that Ament is even playing regular NBA minutes at this point is huge in and of itself, so I don’t want to put too much on the kid, but it’s just something I’d love for him to be thinking about when he’s out there.
I found it notable that Brayden Burries matched up with Derrick White, and many draft analysts used White as his player comparison. I wonder if Burries was thinking the same thing.
The Bucks averaged one turnover per minute in the opening six minutes of the game. Crazy.
Tyler Herro started the first quarter scoreless; the same thing happened against the Wolves.
The Bucks shot 14/42 in the first half, and by the halfway mark of the third quarter, they were 10/12. Also, they had just one turnover in the entire third.
4th time this season the #Bucks have lost despite it being a one possession game in the 4th quarter. The fight they showed to crawl back from 20+ down in the second half was impressive and shouldn’t be lost among reactions to tonight.
SACRAMENTO – The Los Angeles Lakers aren't even 10 games into the season and superstar Luka Dončić already looks to be in midseason form.
Dončić had his third-consecutive 40-point game, and fifth of the season, as he led the Lakers to a 116-103 win against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday, Nov. 4. He stuffed the stat sheet with 40 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal.
Dončić leads the league in scoring so far with 38.5 points per game. He eclipsed Michael Jordan for most points through 8 games since the 1988-89 season with his Wednesday performance (Jordan had 303, Dončić reached 308).
Simple and plain, the man is on a heater. And so are the Lakers, now 7-2, after their third straight win.
"Probably this and the entire month of March last year," Lakers head coach JJ Redick said about Dončić and his scoring streak. "I think that back-to-back we had where he closed out Houston (and) ... then we went to Miami and got in at 4 a.m., and then he had 60, I mean, that stretch was pretty magical for him, but he's playing great right now."
Lakers guard Austin Reaves thought Dončić could have poured in a 60-point night on Wednesday, blaming a slow start in the first quarter where Dončić finished with 10 points.
"He could've had 60 if he wasn't asleep in the first quarter," Reaves told reporters. "He's scored 70 in a game. He's good. He's a good basketball player. He's been doing this since he was 19."
The way he's started the season, Dončić is reminding the league what things can be like when he's healthy.
He averaged 37.5 points per game last March, including 7 out of 16 games with 40 or more points. But Dončić then suffered a season-ending Grade 2 hamstring injury on April 2. He spent the entire offseason getting his leg back to where it used to be, even forgoing international FIBA play for his home country of Slovenia.
Dončić's health has lots to do with his blazing start to the season, but he's hesitant to say it's the best he's felt in his career, now in his 9th NBA season.
"I don't know, honestly," Dončić told USA TODAY Sports. "Too early to tell, you know. But I look back and I had a whole summer to recover. A lot of stuff that I couldn't do last maybe eight years. So maybe that's where the energy is coming from."
Redick focused on adding a new aspect to his 27-year-old superstar's game to relieve some of the ballhandling and fatigue that builds from that task alone. His adjustment are paying dividends early on.
"He's doing a great job. You know, playing off the ball," Redick said. "We're trying to set off ball screens for him. Other guys... I think some of that workload from bringing the ball up against pressure every single possession ... it's very intentional."
The Kings tried various defensive schemes to slow Dončić. Kings head coach Doug Christie added a 2-2-1 full court defense that falls back into a zone in the halfcourt.
"Players like Luka have such abilities to play so many different ways that you have to give looks that constantly keep them guessing," Christie said.
"This is one best players in the world and Luka is special," he added. "You're not gonna lock him down and stop him, but you have to have the ability to frustrate him, force him into shots that we consider good shots, which are above the break threes that are contested, middy's that are contested, and live with it. But what you don't want to do is put him on free throw line."
Dončić's much-improved defense also deserves some attention. He's averaging 0.7 blocks and 1.9 steals per game early in the 2026-27 season. He's particularly been better at closing out on shots, defending ballhandlers on the drive and challenging them inside the paint.
Dončić leads the league so far in defense inside the arc, holding opponents to 21.9 percent 2-point field goal shooting, which is lower than players like Miles Bridges, LeBron James, Donovan Clingan, Ronald Holland, Victor Wembanyama and Ausar Thompson.
It's looks like the 2026-27 season could be Dončić's revenge tour with how well he's played on both sides. Through the first month of the season, he's an early favorite for MVP.
Late in the third quarter of the Lakers’ eventual 116-103 win over the Kings, a loose ball that came after Jarred Vanderbilt blocked Malik Monk’s 10-foot floater attempt dribbled out of bounds into the hands of a fan sitting baseline near the Lakers’ bench.
While multiple Lakers players and the nearest game official pointed in the opposite direction to signal it was going to be the Lakers’ possession, the male fan in a black jacket over a black t-shirt shirt and jeans threw a two-handed pass at referee Chelisa Painter.
The fan goes to chest-pass the ball to the referee. @khobi_price/X
No physical harm was done, with Painter bouncing the ball toward the ground, while Dončić looked and pointed at the fan, appearing to say, “what are you doing?”
Another fan at the arena took video of Dončić appearing to say, “What is wrong with you, man?” after the incident.
Luka Doncic looks toward the fan with bewilderment. @khobi_price/XThe fan is escorted from his esat. @khobi_price/X
Arena security swiftly went to the fan and escorted him out of his seat with 2:35 left in the quarter before play resumed.
The Lakers would go on to win 116-103, improving to 7-2 on the young season. They sit atop the Pacific Division.
A second-quarter putback dunk and third-quarter chase-down block drew loud reactions from the MSG crowd.
New York Knicks Dalton Knecht reacts after scoring in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“He’s a scorer. He’s not just a shooter. A lot of people think he’s a shooter because he’s white,” Brown joked. “I said it for you, I hope I don’t get in trouble. He can go get it.”
The former Tennessee star fell out of favor with Los Angeles after being selected with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
After tallying 9.1 points across 19.2 minutes per game during 78 games in his rookie campaign, those numbers dripped to 4.2 points spanning 10.2 minutes per contest in his sophomore season.
He did not adjust well after losing playing time following the acquisition of Luka Doncic during the 2024-25 season, and a failed trade to the Hornets only complicated matters.
Knecht ultimately averaged 7.1 points and shot 36.8 percent from deep with the Lakers.
New York Knicks guard Dalton Knecht drives down the court as Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis defends on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in New York. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the team moved on. “I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had.So, I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings, and he’s in a tough spot right now.”
In his Knicks’ debut Wednesday, Knecht hit four of his six shots and connected on two of four attempts from 3-point range.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 04: Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at TD Garden on November 04, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Bucks 109-102. 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
When Paul George was traded to the Boston Celtics back in July, it became a “summer of discontent.” Obviously, it was because they traded George for Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers, but even the most optimistic Bostonian would tell you there were so many different outcomes when it came to the potential of George’s play for the Celtics.
I am happy to say through eight games this season, George is exceeding those expectations and then some, becoming a leader for this team both on and off the court.
In the Celtics win over the Milwaukee Bucks, George finished with a team high 25 points along with 5 assists, 4 steals and 3 rebounds on 8-18 shooting from the field and 5-9 shooting from three. George hit some clutch shots in the fourth quarter after Milwaukee surged back to erase a 22-point deficit, but he was once again the closer Boston needed to end up with a win.
There were questions on how the team would look without Jayson Tatum in this contest, especially after George was out against the Houston Rockets on November 2nd in a 109-93 loss, but I would argue both of these strengthened the argument for how important Paul George really is to this Celtics team.
With George out against Houston, Boston’s non-Tatum lineups were abysmal, finishing with only 14 points on 4-23 (17.3%) shooting from the field and 3-14 (21.4%) from three while getting outscored by 16 points. George would have made a huge different. Before the Bucks game, he had a+26.2 net rating and 140.0 offensive rating when Tatum is off the floor, showing that he can keep Boston afloat when Jayson Tatum rests.
Not only did Paul George hit the clutch shots that were needed, he also played 35 minutes, the 2nd most he’s played all season so far. George played the entire first and fourth quarters and when asked about his rotation, head coach Joe Mazzulla said, “…first half, he kind of had a good groove going, so I wanted to keep him in there. Second half I trust him for those 12 minutes straight in the 4th quarter. So managing the 3rd quarter and then putting him in to start the 4th, I knew he’d be in position to deliver for us, and so just switched the sub pattern there.”
Later in the press conference, I asked Mazzulla his thoughts on how important George’s impact on the identity of this team is. “Really, extremely, even beyond basketball,” Mazzulla said. “Defensively, he’s been elite since he stepped on the court. Offensively, it’s been a fun journey with him, just growing through it and learning the system and how to play and being unpredictable and looking at different things.”
Derrick White, who also had a solid game finishing with 24 points and 7 assists on 7-18 shooting, was also asked about Paul George’s impact beyond basketball. “He cares about the person next to you.” White said. “He’s someone you can hang out with, just have a good time with him. Obviously, on the court he does a lot offensively and defensively for us. He’s got a really good fantasy football team, too.”
I asked Joe Mazzulla how important Paul George has been to the identity of this team:
“Really, extremely, even beyond basketball. You know, I think tonight was a great opportunity for him to, you know, kind of just play in a different role than what he has before. And… pic.twitter.com/Z3yERFPICO
Paul George has engrained himself into the Celtics culture and its really cool to see him embrace Boston so much. We have also seen George’s relationship with Jayson Tatum grow throughout the season. Wheather its publicly voicing his support for Tatum in postgame press conferences or showing emotion on the court after hitting a dagger, George has been a great partner in crime.
When asked about his approach without Tatum for the first time this season, George said, “try to be a little more aggressive, without trying to do too much or take myself out of the offense. I thought to try to let the game still come to me, but still you know, a little more aggressive, more so to make sure the ball moved, and just be in attack mode.”
Paul George on his approach to playing without Jayson Tatum active:
“I thought (to) try to let the game still come to me, but still be a little more aggressive.” pic.twitter.com/9BU3YtUtc3
Paul George is averaging 21.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.6 steals on 46% shooting from the field and 41.4% from three which is a completely different stat-line than last season. Through his first 7 games with the 76ers last season, George averaged 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals on 42.2% shooting from the field and 35% from three. Obviously, this was in a different role where George was the third or fourth option in Philadelphia, but it does show how productive he can be when healthy and in the right situation.
Maybe it is an overreaction to a 7-game sample size, but I really feel like Paul George can keep up this level of production throughout the rest of this season, barring injury. George is incredibly important to this team and it is important to keep him healthy or Boston could find themselves in a troubling situation quickly. Either way, Paul George has been elite in his role with the Celtics and I look forward to watching his redemption arc this season.
Basketball: Closeup of San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan (21) and Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett (5) during game at AT&T Center. San Antonio, TX 3/17/2008CREDIT: Greg Nelson (Photo by Greg Nelson /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)(Set Number: X79837 TK1 R1 F342 )
On their podcast, Cousins, 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Champion Vince Carter and and 2001 NBA Most Improved Player Tracy McGrady discuss a variety of NBA topics. The cousins (it’s not just a clever name for a podcast though it is not a show hosted by Boogie Cousins, as I mistakenly originally believed) discovered their familial bond at a reunion. They played together with the Toronto Raptors a year later. Both had significant NBA careers. Tracy McGrady finished his career with the San Antonio Spurs as part of the 2013 title run.
He recently posited that though Tim Ducan is considered the greatest power forward of all time, he thinks it is a benefit of how Duncan was able to design the Spurs around him. The idea is put forth that Kevin Garnett did more than Duncan, but the titles make Duncan look the better player.
It was Tim's system. One thing I realized my year with them was that Tim built the damn thing. It was his brainchild. It was his basketball genius that made that shit the monster it was. IYKYK 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/kmcobX6Ihi
My initial reaction was to defend Duncan and dismiss McGrady as having an axe to grind or something. But after listening, I have to give him some respect. McGrady clearly states that he “look(s) at the game totally different.” I cannot begin to imagine the wealth of basketball knowledge, a conversation most assuredly to float above my head and waft ad the words left his mouth.
The repost from David West puts it into perspective.
It was Tim’s system. One thing I realized my year with them was that Tim built the damn thing. It was his brainchild. It was his basketball genius that made that shit the monster it was. IYKYK 🤷🏽♂️
It opens up the conversation. Could Tim Duncan have become the Tim Duncan of the Spurs if he had been drafted by the Boston Celtics? What about if he had left San Antonio to play in Orlando? If the environment changes, doesn’t the payer change in some form or fashion?
If Kevin Garnett had been given the keys to the kingdom of Minnesota? Or been drafted first overall by Golden State (hindsight being 20/20 and all), could he have cultivated an organization than won five championships?
As a Spurs fan, I am fortunate those are just questions. Tim Duncan was drafted by the Spurs, decided to stay after considering Orlando (if Doc Rivers could go back he’d give Duncan his own private jet…hindsight being 20/20 and all), and completed a nineteen year career in San Antonio bringing more than five championships to the city. He brought a culture, and a style, and a temperament that embodies the franchise’s personality.
And now we Victor Wembanyama. The most talented player of his generation, a genuine gentleman, a scholar, and a player who carries some of the great qualities that have already been associated with the Silver & Black.
Honestly, McGrady’s take doesn’t bother me at all. I’ll take what we’ve got.
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Nov 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (15) controls the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) and guard Scoot Henderson (00) in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When you’re going through it, it feels like absolutely nothing can go right. For every good thing that happens, two bad things seem to follow. In the context of basketball, where five players are supposed to operate as one cohesive unit, that kind of dysfunction becomes maddening to witness.
Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Suns weren’t taking baby steps forward. They were performing the old one step forward, two steps back routine, stumbling over their own feet while desperately trying to find some semblance of rhythm. And perhaps that’s what this season is ultimately going to be. One long, uncoordinated dance performed by a team that can’t seem to get its choreography straight.
A season ago, the Suns established an identity built around toughness, grit, and hustle. This version of the team is developing an entirely different identity, one defined by a perpetual inability to find its rhythm. When the bass finally starts hitting the right notes, the drummer loses the beat. When the lead guitarist finds a groove, the singer comes in wildly off-key. Everybody seems to know the song they’re supposed to be playing, yet somehow they’re all performing a different version of it. And good luck trying to dance to that mess.
One of the few bright spots early in the season has been the Suns’ bench. That second unit has provided energy, production, and occasional stability when the starters have struggled to find their footing. Against Portland, however, that bench completely disappeared.
Phoenix entered the game with legitimate concerns about its size, although the first half offered some encouraging signs. The Suns outrebounded the Trail Blazers 23-19 and were narrowly outscored in the paint, 28-24. There was enough there to suggest they might be able to survive their physical disadvantages. As the game progressed, however, that rebounding advantage dissipated into the dance floor fog, and the rout was underway.
The starting unit actually did a respectable job putting points on the board, combining for 94 points despite shooting 29.6% from beyond the arc. There were offensive contributions to build upon, even if the execution wasn’t always pretty.
The bench? If you see them, ask them to report to the scorer’s table. Through the first three quarters, Portland’s bench outscored Phoenix’s reserves 28-11. Seventeen points. That’s the difference between having a second unit that can sustain momentum and one that sends the entire operation careening into a ditch.
Therein lies the fundamental problem with these Suns. They cannot seem to fire on all cylinders at the same time. When the starters produce, the bench disappears. When the offense begins to find its footing, the defense forgets how to function. When one part of the team finally discovers the rhythm, another loses the beat entirely.
For one night, you’d love to see everybody playing the same song. Instead, we’re watching a band that desperately needs a rehearsal, a conductor, and perhaps a few lessons in basic rhythm. And the dance floor is getting awfully uncomfortable.
Bright Side Baller Standings
Miles Bridges takes down his first Bright Side Baller as a Sun after posting a 21-point, 6-rebound, 3-assist, 4-steal, 1-block stat line against the Warriors on Monday. He took down 72% of the vote, one of the most dominant wins early on this year.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 6 against the Trail Blazers. Here are your nominees:
Call it a learning experience. An education. School.
The Wizards entered last night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks having played the NBA’s easiest schedule so far. Their opponents had an average scoring differential of -9.83 per game. The Hawks — a middle-of-the-pack team missing their best player — were a step up.
The Wizards weren’t bad in this measuring stick kind of game, but they did get outplayed by a bit. Not every possession, but they got beat to the punch regularly throughout the contest — outshot, out-rebounded, out-competed.
Which is okay for an eighth game of the season after a three-year tank. The Wizards are trying to win this season, and against teams of similar talent level, they’ll need to up their level of compete. Games like this one could help them do that — if they seize the opportunity to learn what true NBA competition requires.
The chief area in need of some attention is ending possessions when they get the other team to miss a shot. They entered the game ranked 26th in defensive rebounding percentage and gave up 19 offensive rebounds to a tiny team with two guys 6-9 or taller, one of whom (Asa Newell) hyperextended a toe and missed the second half.
The Wizards get a second crack at the Hawks Friday night in their second NBA Cup game. If Washington wants to contend for something other than the bottom of the play-in this season, they’ll need to figure out a way to clean up the defensive boards — at least to some degree. It’d be great if they could force some opponent turnovers too (they’re 27th in defensive turnover rate). But first things first — defense in the NBA is mostly about making the other team miss and then getting the rebound. That’s where the focus should be.
From the Notebook
Bilal Coulibaly doesn’t look to be an offensive threat, which ultimately undermines his defensive value because he’s a self-check. Chase Hughes and the Monumental broadcast team tried to turn it into a positive (the segment about how trying to win slots young players into their proper roles and now Coulibaly doesn’t have to force anything), but…it’s basically nonsense. Coulibaly doesn’t have to be an alpha scorer, but he does need to be able to take an open three, attack a closeout, or drive competently a few times a game.
An example — in the first quarter, Trae Young passed to Coulibaly — defended by the much smaller and less athletic CJ McCollum — in the dunker spot. Coulibaly gave zero thought to attacking. He just passed it back out to Young. The possession stalled, Young passed it back to Coulibaly at the three-point line, and McCollum stripped him. The lack of aggression converted a clear offensive advantage into a turnover instead of a good shot.
Later in the first quarter, Coulibaly provided a counter-example — he drove right, got a paint touch, collapsed the defense, and kicked it out to Alex Sarr up top. Sarr missed the wide open three, but the point here is the excellent shot created by Coulibaly attacking. Reminder: last season, opposing defenders had trouble staying in front of Coulibaly when he decided to drive, even when they gave him space and dared him to shoot.
The Monumental broadcast never ceases to amuse. At the end of the first half, Chris Miller raved about the Wizards closing on a 9-0 run. It was indeed nice. Worth mention: they still trailed by seven.
Kyshawn George turned in a pretty good game — 25 points on 10-14 shooting along with four rebounds and seven assists. That’s the good stuff. He also committed four turnovers and four fouls. I want to believe in him, but he’s gotta cut out some of the negatives if he’s going to help drive winning.
Anthony Davis scored 26 points on 12-19 shooting, had 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. Of note: zero turnovers, zero fouls.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
HAWKS
WIZARDS
LGAVG
eFG%
54.0%
51.1%
53.3%
OREB%
37.3%
19.1%
27.4%
TOV%
15.0%
12.0%
13.9%
FTM/FGA
0.109
0.170
0.221
PACE
100
99.6
ORTG
120
105
113.2
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median last season was 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
Green earned his first ejection of the 2026-27 NBA season in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 116-113 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night after getting tangled up with Suns big man Khaman Maluach and forward Dillon Brooks. The situation started after Maluach went up for a layup and Green tried to defend him, but wrapped him up and threw him down.
Draymond Green was ejected from the game after receiving two technical fouls on this sequence pic.twitter.com/u8IIgeTAGY
Green explained the play on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” and justified his actions as simply protecting the rim while alluding to the fact that Maluach had it coming for how he finished the play.
“The one with Maluach, I’ll take that one. That’s got to happen,” Green said. “I can’t fall down in the middle of the paint, you just finished and I’m still landing. That don’t work, respect gone. It just don’t work. So with that being said, little tech for throwing him. Yeah, no problem. I’ll take that because the next time you try something like that, you’ve got to note that that comes with something else. Like it don’t just end with, like ‘Oh, you do that.’
“So the next time you’re going to try something, you’ve got to think about it. That’s all a part of protecting a rim, being an anchor of a defense, that’s all a part of it. So I want to help y’all understand that and let you know that yeah, that will happen again. I saw people like, oh man, he got mad that he fell and crashed out. No, that ain’t no fall and crash out. Crash out would be throw him down, run over him, want to fight him and run over him. No, I threw him down and I stood there.”
Green, known as an enforcer for Golden State, has a reputation for being physical and, at times, a dirty player. But his elite defensive skill set is what makes him the player he is, and in situations like that, he is trying to do his job as a defensive anchor while making sure he is not disrespected by the opposition.
“He was talking. I stood there and looked at him. I talked back, but I didn’t throw him down and run and stand over him and try to fight him,” Green said. “No, I threw him down because you’ve got to sit down, and it’s just that simple. I can’t fall and you score, and you just take off running back down the court, the story can’t end like that. You can’t anchor a defense if you’re going to let the story end like that. You can anchor a defense if you’re going to let the story end like that [but] it won’t be a well-anchored defense. You just can’t let the story end like that, and you won’t be a well-respected anchor. That’s just what it is. That’s what comes with the territory of anchoring a defense.”
When Maluach went down, Brooks immediately came over to de-escalate the situation. Green grabbed Brooks by the collar, and it was that moment that ultimately led to the ejection. Green called him out, saying there was nothing to de-escalate, with Brooks’ antics in the situation making things worse.
“Plot twist,” Green said. “Dillon Brooks ran in to de-escalate the situation. “However, there’s nothing to really de-escalate because I’m actually just standing there, like he’s [Maluach] down on the floor because I threw him down, and now I’m just standing there because yeah, he’s got to sit down, and that’s that. He ran up to my shoulder, spewing some things that when you run up to de-escalate a situation, a you don’t run shoulders, you don’t run and put your chest on somebody’s shoulder, and b you also don’t run up spewing the things out that he was spewing out and de-escalate.
“You would actually be a little more respected if you just stood on the type of time that you stood on, which is you’re running up because you’re supposed to be the tough guy, and you’re coming to set the situation straight in a sense, and with that, that’s just not how the story is going to end. The story just ain’t going to end that way. But there would be a lot more respect though if you just stood on the type of time you’re standing on, which is I ran over there because that’s the situation I’m going to go into, and I’m going to be on the type of time that I was at least started speaking about and then afterward, when I talk about it in the media, I’m not going to go and say that he was tweaking all game when nothing had happened all game.”
Green reportedly will not be suspended by the NBA and will play for the Warriors when they host the Miami Heat on Thursday night. In six games, he is averaging 3.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Golden State is in the midst of a five-game winning streak and will need Green to play at a high level if it wants to keep winning.
Nov 4, 2026; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul George (13) calls out during the first half of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
BOSTON — For the first time this season, the Boston Celtics were without star Jayson Tatum. The team announced his absence Wednesday afternoon, meaning it would have to adjust its approach when hosting the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla further outlined those adjustments before opening tip.
“The sub pattern is going to be different,” Mazzulla said pregame. “The starting lineup’s gonna be different. The end-of-quarter lineups are gonna be different because he plays the whole quarter. So we’ll play a bunch of different lineups. What doesn’t change is the process of how we have to execute on both ends of the floor, but some of the tactical stuff will change.”
With Tatum resting, Mazzulla inserted Paul George, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta and Hugo González into Boston’s starting lineup. In the first quarter, George played all 12 minutes, Queta, Mitchell Robinson and Luka Garza rotated through a double-big combination, and Baylor Scheierman played more than half the frame as the Celtics dug deep into their depth.
Boston shuffled through 10 different players in the first quarter alone.
For the rest of the team, the objective was simple.
“Get a win,” White said. “It’s kind of the thing we always talk about; people in, people not in. We play how we play and just gotta go out there and get a win. Obviously it changes a little bit because JT does a lot for us, but at the end of the day, we believe in our depth, we believe in every person in the locker room, and we just gotta go out there and get a win.”
Garza, the team’s leader in 3-point makes in Houston (four), picked up right where he left off. Coming off the bench, he knocked down each of his first three 3-pointers to enter halftime as Boston’s leading scorer with 11 points. He also grabbed five rebounds, including three on the offensive glass, continuing his early-season emergence as Mr. Reliable in the Celtics’ reserve unit.
In the second half, as George and White began to carry the offensive load, Scheierman worked in tandem with Queta to clean up the glass.
The two combined for 15 rebounds in the second half, with Scheierman coming through with the biggest board of the night. He secured an offensive rebound with fewer than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before finding a cutting White, who finished the right-handed layup through contact and converted the three-point play at the free-throw line.
That put the Celtics ahead 102-97 with 2:22 left, providing some breathing room after the Bucks erased a 22-point deficit to take their first lead with 6:50 left.
It also helped navigate Pritchard’s early departure in the fourth quarter. The Celtics guard suffered an eye injury in the third quarter and was unable to return.
To George, who led Boston with 25 points, it was a good experience to overcome those late-game dramatics without a full-strength crew to help ease the stress.
“Just collectively coming together,” George said. “Learning, down the stretch, how to play together in that moment.”
In many ways, the Celtics treated the one-win Bucks as a must-win matchup. They approached the night with immediate urgency, and once they slipped, they got back up and responded.
George and the rest of the team shut down Milwaukee’s comeback bid quickly, as the Bucks never led by more than a single point. He knocked down a clutch step-back three over Jaime Jaquez Jr. to extend Boston’s advantage to 107-99 with 1:22 left. But despite hearing TD Garden’s “MVP” chants directed his way, George was quick to credit the victory as a result of a group effort more than anything else.
Everyone pitched in, and the Celtics managed without their superstar forward.
“It was a five-man thing out there where everybody was helping each other, pulling for one another,” George explained. “We had to rebound. We had to scratch, claw. It was a physical battle that I thought we collectively [overcame]. We have to do that. We have to come together and play together, and it’s just value for us to get those wins. Obviously, we want JT to get his rest in those situations, so we gotta come together and collectively be big in those moments.”
