Bronny James is back with the Los Angeles Lakers for his third season in the NBA.
But it will be the first season James is not playing alongside his father, LeBron. That, though, allows him the opportunity to step out of his father’s shadow and continue to carve out a role in Los Angeles.
The Lakers, including coach JJ Redick, have thought highly of Bronny James and the progress he’s made since being drafted by the franchise in 2024 with the 55th overall pick.
James missed his only shot attempt of the game from the 3-point line in Friday's 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the teams' preseason finale. He collected one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes of action.
Redick did state earlier in the week that James had not looked particularly good during the first four preseason games.
“I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us,” Redick said. “I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games, but he's had good practices.
“Again, some of it's just rhythm and some of it's just who he's playing with, right? He's played a lot of minutes, especially in the second half of games with our two-way guys. ... Some of it is like the group he's with. I think it's not setting him up for success.”
As a rookie, James played just 6.7 minutes per game and averaged 2.3 points in 27 games played. Last season, he averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 42 games played.
He will likely still have an opportunity to build off his second season in the league. The former USC Trojan saw an increase in games played during both the regular season and postseason, indicating a stronger sense of belief from the coaching staff.
James had his contract fully guaranteed by the Lakers during the offseason. He will make $2.3 million this season, the third year of a four-year deal that he signed in 2024. The fourth year of James' deal is a team option.
How good can Bronny James be?
James has the potential to be a quality defensive player in the NBA. His defensive ability and decision-making could work in his favor as he continues to establish a role with Los Angeles.
Bronny James is back with the Los Angeles Lakers for his third season in the NBA.
But it will be the first season James is not playing alongside his father, LeBron. That, though, allows him the opportunity to step out of his father’s shadow and continue to carve out a role in Los Angeles.
The Lakers, including coach JJ Redick, have thought highly of Bronny James and the progress he’s made since being drafted by the franchise in 2024 with the 55th overall pick.
James missed his only shot attempt of the game from the 3-point line in Friday's 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the teams' preseason finale. He collected one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes of action.
Redick did state earlier in the week that James had not looked particularly good during the first four preseason games.
“I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us,” Redick said. “I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games, but he's had good practices.
“Again, some of it's just rhythm and some of it's just who he's playing with, right? He's played a lot of minutes, especially in the second half of games with our two-way guys. ... Some of it is like the group he's with. I think it's not setting him up for success.”
As a rookie, James played just 6.7 minutes per game and averaged 2.3 points in 27 games played. Last season, he averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 42 games played.
He will likely still have an opportunity to build off his second season in the league. The former USC Trojan saw an increase in games played during both the regular season and postseason, indicating a stronger sense of belief from the coaching staff.
James had his contract fully guaranteed by the Lakers during the offseason. He will make $2.3 million this season, the third year of a four-year deal that he signed in 2024. The fourth year of James' deal is a team option.
How good can Bronny James be?
James has the potential to be a quality defensive player in the NBA. His defensive ability and decision-making could work in his favor as he continues to establish a role with Los Angeles.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 10: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors high-fives Brandin Podziemski #2 during the first half of the preseason game against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on October 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Godofredo A. Vásquez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors capped off a 4-2 preseason on Friday night at the Chase Center, breezing past the Portland Trail Blazers 128-118 in a game that got closer once the rotational players were out of it.
It was the dress rehearsal before the regular season begins on Wednesday, and as a result, the starters played their heaviest minutes of any game thus far, as they prepped for the first meaningful contest of the season. Since it was the final tune-up game, rotations were worth paying attention to, and right away we were offered an interesting nugget: the starting lineup.
Earlier in the week, head coach Steve Kerr had said that he was leaning towards a starting five of Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos, and Draymond Green. It seemed likely, then, that Kerr would start those five in the finale, but he instead opted to give Charles Bassey the opening assignment instead of Santos.
It’s unclear if Kerr is leaning towards a new starting five, or simply wanted to see Bassey get some time alongside Green. Either way, both possible lineups got a chance to open a half, as Bassey got banged up in the first half, only played eight minutes as a result, and was replaced by Santos in the opening lineup when the third quarter kicked off.
That wasn’t the only notable thing in the starting lineup: for Warriors fans, it was their first glimpse at the new-look Blazers, who are starting All-Star point guards Damian Lillard and Ja Morant next to each other. It was certainly an interesting look, and one that had mixed results on this night.
Both teams came out of the gates slowly. There was good energy, but the shots weren’t falling. The Dubs were playing good defense, and they were getting solid looks on offense, but couldn’t make a bucket. They missed their first seven shots before Lendeborg dropped in a push shot nearly three minutes into the game for their first points.
Portland eventually overcame their slow start with back-to-back threes by Toumani Camara and Lillard, giving them a 10-2 advantage early and forcing Kerr into a timeout. It took a few minutes for the effects of the timeout to set in, as a burst by Morant pushed Portland’s lead to 15-4.
And then the Warriors took over. Just over five minutes in, Curry scored on a back door cut for his first points of the game, and it was the start of an absurd run by the Dubs. Green was the spark plug for the run, as he was making sensational passes and playing spirited defense, but the star came off the bench in the form of Georges Niang. The veteran, who could sneakily be one of the best offseason acquisitions in the league, scored three points on three consecutive possessions: first on an old-fashioned three-point play, and then on a pair of triples. That, combined with Curry’s shot, gave the Warriors an 11-0 run to tie the game.
Portland called timeout and scored after the break, at which point Niang scored once more, giving him 11 straight points for the Dubs. With the defense tightening up in a big way — Green fittingly being at the center of that — and with Lendeborg playing tremendous minutes on both ends of the court, the Warriors pushed the run to 23-4. When the quarter ended, they led 35-26, and Niang had scored 13 points.
It only took a few possessions of second-quarter action for the Warriors to push the lead to double digits. It was an odd second half, though, as the game devolved into chaos on more than one equation. Yet through it all, the Warriors seemed to hold onto that double-digit lead. It was a little reminiscent of some of their dynastic squads: even when the game got ugly, they were able to keep their opponent at bay.
Led by Lillard, the Blazers made things fairly close in the second half of the second quarter, but the Dubs were able to lock back in on defense, turn that defense to offense, and push the lead back to double digits. The offense did falter int he final minutes, but the defense held strong — Lendeborg was playing such incredible defense — and the led 67-58 at the half.
The vintage Third Quarter Warriors showed up when the halftime break concluded. With Mike Dunleavy Jr. in the broadcaster’s booth talking with Fitz and Buike (dressed in purple blazers to celebrate the Valkyries spot in the WNBA Finals). The Dubs simply dominated in every phase of the game. They put the clamps on Portland’s offense. The moved the ball fervently. They cut relentlessly. They attacked on offense, on defense, and on the glass. And after a mild-mannered first half, Curry started to catch fire. The Warriors quickly pushed the lead to 20 points, and it stayd there for most of the quarter. After Curry stole the show in the early going, Lendeborg started to take over halfway through the frame, as he further cemented his case to be one of the most prominently-featured players on the team. It sure feels like he’s not just going to start, but play heavy minutes and be one of the team’s top players.
Eventually things came back to earth, as the Blazers used a late-quarter surge to start to close the gap. Even so, the Warriors led 105-91 after three.
Curry and Green were still on the court when play resumed, as they got their first taste of fourth-quarter minutes this preseason. Unfortunately, the team had started to slow down, as the offense simply wasn’t able to find much of anything anymore. Two minutes into the fourth, Portland had made it a single-digit game.
And then the Warriors decided it was time to stop fooling around. They ran off quite a run, which was fueled by Green’s defense and passing — in the final tune up, Dray played by far his best game of the preseason. He and Curry wasted no time pushing the lead back to 16 points, and then taking their spot on the bench to watch the game ride out. With the back-of-the-bench and two-way contracts in for both teams, Golden State’s offense was officially placed on life support, as they couldn’t find a way to score. Thankfully the lead was well secured, and they still cruised to a 128-118 win.
Curry led the Dubs with 20 points, though it wasn’t his most efficient night, as he needed 19 shots and three free throws to get there. Lendeborg and Podziemski were right behind with 17 points apiece; Yaxel was particularly efficient, as he shot 6-for-9 from the field, and added four rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. But the star was Green, who looked incredibly inspired and in control, and also in phenomenal shape. His defense was truly game-changing, and he finished the game with seven points (on just three shots), eight rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals, while having a game-high plus/minus of +18.
A few other notes from the finale:
Brandon Williams was the only rotation player who did not play, as he was a late scratch due to back soreness. Kerr said he expects Williams to be ready for the season opener.
Lendeborg and Al Horford shared the court for plenty of minutes and showed off some tremendous rapport. They worked seamlessly together, and that’s surely a pairing that Kerr will rely on. Horford ended the game with 15 points, all on threes, many assisted by Lendeborg.
Bassey was limited to eight minutes, but played exceptionally well in those minutes. He was a force on the glass.
Santos left the game after hurting his knee in the first quarter, but thankfully returned in the second.
The Warriors did a great job taking care of the ball. They only had 13 turnovers, and a good number of those were on excusable offensive fouls. There were very few careless or sloppy plays with the ball.
Most importantly: opening day is Wednesday. Bring it on, Dub Nation!
A roster overhaul in the aftermath of LeBron James' departure this summer left the Lakers with an almost completely new look − and an extra body. They carried 16 full-time players on their roster into training camp, one above the 15-player maximum allowed by the NBA. Both general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick said they'd evaluate at the end of training camp and, with the preseason now wrapped up with their 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, it's painfully clear who the odd man out is.
It's Dalton Knecht.
Bronny James has had his share of struggles, too. Redick admitted James didn't play well in his first four preseason games, averaging just 2.8 points per game on 26.7% shooting with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.08 entering Friday, but the Lakers' third-year coach added that James has performed better in practices. He didn't mince words, however, when it came to Knecht.
"I think the biggest thing is the team changed. The team changed. Needs changed, the fit changed. I think he’s gotten better as a player the last two years. I think, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the injuries we had. I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings," Redick told reporters. "And he’s in a tough spot right now."
He's not wrong.
When the Lakers drafted Knecht 17th overall in the 2024 draft, it looked like they had gotten a steal. They needed a spot-up shooter to help space the floor and complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis; Knecht checked that box. They needed size; the 6-foot-5, 215-pound wing out of Tennessee checked that box, too. His jump shot, while streaky, was seemingly worth more than the questions about his defense and athleticism at the time.
And for the first half season of his career, that all looked to be true. Who could forget his career-high 37-point game against the Utah Jazz in 2024, where his nine made 3s (shooting 75%!) tied the NBA rookie record? That wasn't an isolated instance, either; Knecht put up 27 the night before and 17 the night after.
DALTON KNECHT HAD HIMSELF A NIGHT:
🔥 37 PTS (career high) 🔥 9 3PM (ties rookie record) 🔥 Scored 22 straight for LA@Lakers move 2-0 in #EmiratesNBACup play and are undefeated going back to last season 💯 pic.twitter.com/OjMOeKxY4p
Two years in, those original questions have only gotten louder. Knecht's shooting is still streaky and has even devolved to the point where he could be considered unreliable on offense. On the defensive end of the floor, he's looked lost at times, often finding himself out of position and unable to stay in front of his man. That was a major factor in his minutes being cut almost in half − from 19.2 to 10.2 per night − between his first and second seasons.
The Lakers no longer have a need for shooting with the arrivals of Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Ziaire Williams along the wings. There's simply no room for Knecht. The most telling sign his days in LA are probably numbered? He didn't check into Friday's game until midway through the fourth quarter − the 12th man off the bench − and finished scoreless for the second game in a row. The only other stats he registered in his 7 minutes and 30 seconds were a rebound and assist.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Friday morning that the Lakers have had trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks centered around Knecht and Jericho Sims, but there was reportedly "some pessimism" that a deal would actually be reached. While getting any value back for Knecht would be a plus for the Lakers at this point, any trade in which they get a player back would need LA to include a second outgoing player in order to meet the league roster limit.
It could also be a plus for Knecht, who would probably benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
A roster overhaul in the aftermath of LeBron James' departure this summer left the Lakers with an almost completely new look − and an extra body. They carried 16 full-time players on their roster into training camp, one above the 15-player maximum allowed by the NBA. Both general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick said they'd evaluate at the end of training camp and, with the preseason now wrapped up with their 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, it's painfully clear who the odd man out is.
It's Dalton Knecht.
Bronny James has had his share of struggles, too. Redick admitted James didn't play well in his first four preseason games, averaging just 2.8 points per game on 26.7% shooting with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.08 entering Friday, but the Lakers' third-year coach added that James has performed better in practices. He didn't mince words, however, when it came to Knecht.
"I think the biggest thing is the team changed. The team changed. Needs changed, the fit changed. I think he’s gotten better as a player the last two years. I think, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the injuries we had. I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings," Redick told reporters. "And he’s in a tough spot right now."
He's not wrong.
When the Lakers drafted Knecht 17th overall in the 2024 draft, it looked like they had gotten a steal. They needed a spot-up shooter to help space the floor and complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis; Knecht checked that box. They needed size; the 6-foot-5, 215-pound wing out of Tennessee checked that box, too. His jump shot, while streaky, was seemingly worth more than the questions about his defense and athleticism at the time.
And for the first half season of his career, that all looked to be true. Who could forget his career-high 37-point game against the Utah Jazz in 2024, where his nine made 3s (shooting 75%!) tied the NBA rookie record? That wasn't an isolated instance, either; Knecht put up 27 the night before and 17 the night after.
DALTON KNECHT HAD HIMSELF A NIGHT:
🔥 37 PTS (career high) 🔥 9 3PM (ties rookie record) 🔥 Scored 22 straight for LA@Lakers move 2-0 in #EmiratesNBACup play and are undefeated going back to last season 💯 pic.twitter.com/OjMOeKxY4p
Two years in, those original questions have only gotten louder. Knecht's shooting is still streaky and has even devolved to the point where he could be considered unreliable on offense. On the defensive end of the floor, he's looked lost at times, often finding himself out of position and unable to stay in front of his man. That was a major factor in his minutes being cut almost in half − from 19.2 to 10.2 per night − between his first and second seasons.
The Lakers no longer have a need for shooting with the arrivals of Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Ziaire Williams along the wings. There's simply no room for Knecht. The most telling sign his days in LA are probably numbered? He didn't check into Friday's game until midway through the fourth quarter − the 12th man off the bench − and finished scoreless for the second game in a row. The only other stats he registered in his 7 minutes and 30 seconds were a rebound and assist.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Friday morning that the Lakers have had trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks centered around Knecht and Jericho Sims, but there was reportedly "some pessimism" that a deal would actually be reached. While getting any value back for Knecht would be a plus for the Lakers at this point, any trade in which they get a player back would need LA to include a second outgoing player in order to meet the league roster limit.
It could also be a plus for Knecht, who would probably benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
Lakers guard Quentin Grimes, shown here driving on Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski on Oct. 13, finished with 11 points in a 121-106 preseason loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (David Becker / Associated Press)
When coach JJ Redick announced his starters for the Lakers’ final preseason game Friday night, he was asked if those same players would start opening night Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.
“I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said. “This was the original plan we were gonna have for the Sacramento game with Collin [Sexton] out. ... We just wanna get a look on that tonight, and we’ll see. But nothing definitive for next week.”
Grimes averaged 12.3 points, 2.5 assists and shot 53.3%, including 41.2% from three-point range, in 24.3 minutes per game in the preseason.
Redick said he was “still open to both” when asked if he could start Grimes and stagger his time with the starters on the bench.
In his first five NBA seasons, Grimes has mostly been a reserve, starting 146 of 318 games.
Grimes started the second half for the Lakers and scored 11 points in a 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
“I think you’re looking for balance in lineups and you’re looking for players that complement and fit each other,” Redick said. “He’s going to start a lot of games for us. That’s just the reality of it. I don’t know who our base starting group is yet, but we’re going to look at this tonight.
“We wanted to get a look on this first game because Collin was out. That fourth ballhandler for us hasn’t been great. I said that the other night and talked to those guys ... I don’t say anything out here that I don’t tell my players. So Quentin is also going to maybe have some looks as a ballhandler.”
Doncic, who didn’t play in the second half, finished with 15 points.
Reaves scored 19 points, Williams had 14, Kessler had six and Thybulle had seven.
Lakers guard Quentin Grimes, shown here driving on Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski on Oct. 13, finished with 11 points in a 121-106 preseason loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (David Becker / Associated Press)
When coach JJ Redick announced his starters for the Lakers’ final preseason game Friday night, he was asked if those same players would start opening night Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.
“I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said. “This was the original plan we were gonna have for the Sacramento game with Collin [Sexton] out. ... We just wanna get a look on that tonight, and we’ll see. But nothing definitive for next week.”
Grimes averaged 12.3 points, 2.5 assists and shot 53.3%, including 41.2% from three-point range, in 24.3 minutes per game in the preseason.
Redick said he was “still open to both” when asked if he could start Grimes and stagger his time with the starters on the bench.
In his first five NBA seasons, Grimes has mostly been a reserve, starting 146 of 318 games.
Grimes started the second half for the Lakers and scored 11 points in a 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
“I think you’re looking for balance in lineups and you’re looking for players that complement and fit each other,” Redick said. “He’s going to start a lot of games for us. That’s just the reality of it. I don’t know who our base starting group is yet, but we’re going to look at this tonight.
“We wanted to get a look on this first game because Collin was out. That fourth ballhandler for us hasn’t been great. I said that the other night and talked to those guys ... I don’t say anything out here that I don’t tell my players. So Quentin is also going to maybe have some looks as a ballhandler.”
Doncic, who didn’t play in the second half, finished with 15 points.
Reaves scored 19 points, Williams had 14, Kessler had six and Thybulle had seven.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 16: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against Isaiah Collier #8 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of the preseason NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 16, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a final tune-up before it counts, the Jazz traveled down to Phoenix to take on Devin Booker and the Suns. Both teams trotted out their probable starting lineups for the regular season and played them for about half the game.
First Quarter
Darryn Petersen and Jaylen Green opened the scoring with a pair of buckets. Lauri Markkanen and Green traded threes, followed by an Al Jefferson-esque back-to-the-basket turnaround shot, and the Jazz held a 9-7 lead at the 8:45 mark. The teams continued to go back and forth, and Phoenix knotted the score at 11. Ace Bailey checked in at the 8-minute mark. Keyonte tried to feed him inside but traveled during the effort, giving the ball back to the Suns. A brick on their end led to a foul and free throws for Lauri Markkanen, and then an errant behind-the-back pass by Jaylen Green led to a DP-Ace alley-oop, giving the Jazz a 4-point lead at the first timeout.
Collin Gillespie fouled Keyonte out of the timeout, but Key missed both free throws. Devin Booker hit two on the other end to cut the Jazz lead in half, answered by a nice floater by Jaxon Hayes. As the score see-sawed, DP checked out with 4:52 left, posting a line of 4/2/2. Devin Booker hit a deep three, bringing the Suns within one and prompting a timeout from Will Hardy. Out of the timeout, Svi Mykhailiuk missed a three, which was put back by Ace Bailey. A Suns turnover led to a Jazz bucket on the other end, stretching the lead to 5. Duop Reath hit a three, Ace hit two free throws, and a scuffling Keyonte George checked out. He had 0/0/2, plus a steal and a turnover.
The Jazz went ice-cold from beyond the arc, leading to three straight empty trips, answered by the Suns laying bricks too. JJJ finally hit a triple at the 1:20 mark, stretching the lead back to 5. Ace Bailey split a pair of free throws, which he earned from a nifty outlet pass by Isaiah Collier. Svi fouled Jordan Goodwin, Ace fouled Collin Gillespie, and their free throws cut the lead to one. Miles Bridges thought he’d given the Suns the lead with 11 seconds left, but his putback was waved off with 11 seconds left due to basket interference. The Jazz failed to convert on offense, and they exited the 1st quarter clinging to a 1-point advantage.
2nd Quarter
JJJ continued the Jazz drought by missing a contested shot at the rim out of the break. Phoenix responded with a three by Goodwin, giving them their first lead of the game. After trading bricks, Brice Sensabaugh regained it for the Jazz, hitting a silky deep ball from the left corner. A Reath miss led to a Collier drive to the rim, on which he was fouled. He hit both free throws. Miles Bridges continued to keep the Suns close, getting into his bag and hitting a tough hook shot inside. After trading a JJJ alley-oop for another Reath three-pointer, Will Hardy took the first timeout of the quarter with the teams tied at 38.
Isaiah Collier quarterbacked the offense out of the timeout, but it was Brice who found Svi for a 3-pointer out of the timeout, which was quickly answered by Bridges. Brice tried a three of his own at the other end, and despite some hard hustle by Svi to grab the rebound, he was tagged with a loose ball foul. Each team posted an empty trip, And JJJ officially got himself into foul trouble, using his third foul on Khaman Maluach. After yet another turnover by the Jazz, Miles Bridges nailed a 3-pointer, giving the Suns a 5-point lead. Josh Okogie hit a vicious dunk, but Jordan Goodwin continued the Phoenix rain of threes. Utah’s shooting woes did not let up, and by the 3:53 Mark the Suns took a 58-49 lead, the largest of the night to that point by either team. But the Jazz kept scrapping, led by a pair of threes by Lauri Markkanen, and found themselves down 7 at the half, 59-65.
Darren Petersen found Keyonte George for three on the first possession of the 3rd, cutting the Suns’ lead in half—briefly. Khaman Maluach threw down a strong dunk to answer. A pair of turnovers by the Jazz and a three by Dillon Brooks stretched the lead to 8, and a bucket by Booker off a deflection put them up 10. The Suns continued to get favorable bounces, the Jazz continued to scuffle, and by the 8:27 mark the Suns increased their lead to 13. Utah bounced back quickly, with JJJ and Ace going on a mini 5-0 run. JJJ committed a reach-in foul with 8:02 remaining, giving him four, and another with 7:50 left. Both were relatively soft, but with 5 fouls he had to exit the game. He was replaced by a tired, discombobulated Jaxon Hayes, who promptly passed the ball out of bounds.
Utah continued to fail to convert after a pair of empty Phoenix trips and found themselves down by double digits yet again after a Jaylen Green jumper. Keyonte drew a foul at the other end, Phoenix called timeout, and Key hit them both. DP and Dillon Brooks exchanged threes, Utah and Phoenix exchanged frenetic turnovers, and DP hit Lauri for a nasty throwdown.
Nice sequence from Darryn Peterson, hitting the off-ball three before finding Markkanen for his 5th assist of the night pic.twitter.com/Aeav90zdDo
Brooks answered by razzle dazzling Lauri on the other end, hitting a contested jumper, Keyonte turned the ball over, and Jaylen Green was fouled by Peterson. He split his free throws, putting Phoenix up 11 at the 4:55 mark. At the 4:02 mark, Isaiah Collier checked in for Keyonte. Dillon Brooks hit yet another tough jumper off an offensive rebound, extending the Suns lead to 13. Lauri responded with two free throws for his 18th and 19th points.
A pair of Jaxon Hayes free throws cut the lead to single digits. Despite another offensive rebound, the Suns failed to answer. A Brice Sensabaugh shot from downtown prompted a Phoenix timeout, and the score stood at 83-89 with 1:58 left in the quarter. Out of the timeout, Ryan Dunn found Miles Bridges for what looked like an easy layup, but Brice blocked it and nailed a triple on the other end. Just like that, the Jazz found themselves on the positive end of a 10-0 run. Jaxon Hayes, fouled on the rebound, extended that to 12-0. Duop Reath, the beneficiary of a soft call underneath the basket, missed two free throws. But the Jazz forgot that you have to box out, so it was Jordan Goodwin who stopped the bleeding with an offensive rebound and layup. Jamaree Bouyea went on a mini 4-0 run by himself to end the quarter, leaving the Jazz down by 5 heading into the 4th.
4th Quarter
The Jazz held the Suns to a long, desperate three out of the break, but they also yielded an offensive rebound. This time, Koby Brea made them pay from deep. Brice Sensabaugh answered with a smooth baseline fadeaway and a tough 3-pointer, bringing the Jazz within 3. By this time, it was bench against bench, and it showed. The Jazz gave up three straight offensive rebounds and the Suns couldn’t capitalize. Ace Bailey drew a foul on a Eurostep, baiting Koby Brea into a foul. He hit both shots from the charity stripe, pulling Utah within one. At the 8:28 mark we got our first Kyle Filipowski sighting of the season, new number (2) and all. He promptly forced a turnover and took it to the other end for two, giving the Jazz their first lead since the 2nd quarter, and Phoenix called timeout.
Koby Brea committed an offensive foul out of the break, and the Jazz took over. Josh Okogie got stuffed on a drive, but the Jazz retained possession and Flip converted again. The Suns, ice-cold, missed on the other end, Koa Peat picked up a foul, but the Jazz turned it over on the other end. After an empty Suns trip, Josh Green made them pay on the other end, extending the Jazz lead to 104-98. The teams traded awkward sequences, but Jamaree Bouyea took it to the Jazz, scoring and assisting his way to a 105-104 Suns lead with around 4 minutes left. DP responded on the other end, the Suns failed to answer, and DP got blocked. Bouyea continued to give the Jazz fits, drawing a foul on Brice Sensabaugh as he scored. He missed the subsequent free throw. Josh Green made Koa Peat look silly on the other end, drawing an and-1 of his own. He hit his free throw and Phoenix called timeout.
Koa Peat scored out of the timeout, and both teams emptied their bench. Harrison Ingram checked in for Brice, and DP was the only starter for either team on the floor. He put the Jazz back up 2 with 2:07 left, and they would not trail the rest of the way.
Josh Green put them up 4 at the 1:38 mark with a free throw line jumper. The teams continued to trade blows, and with under a minute remaining the Jazz clung to a 115-113 lead. Flip caught a mismatch in the paint and bullied Bouyea for a relatively easy bucket. Koby Brea missed his shot, DP lost the ball out of bounds, and the refs ruled it Jazz ball. The Suns challenged, and it turned out that he lost it because Pat Spencer fouled him. He hit both free throws and the Jazz went up 6. Pat Spencer hit a three on the other end, the Jazz turned it over on the inbound, but the Suns couldn’t get another shot off and the Jazz held on, 119-116
Notes:
Darren Peterson continued to impress with 13/6/6 (on 12 shots, but still). We are so used to hearing “He’s pretty raw but the tools are there” or “Watch out for this guy in two years.” He looks like he belongs because he does belong. When everyone else was a bench player he clearly outclassed them.
Brice Sensabaugh scorched the Suns. He put up 16 points on 9 shots in just 17 minutes. He he will be a force off the bench this year.
Josh Green looks like an NBA player. Is he a starter? Not unless things go very, very sideways. But can he give the team 10 decent minutes off the bench? Yes. He finished with 8 points on 3-4 shooting in 8 minutes.
The Jazz gave up 20 offensive rebounds and only grabbed 9 themselves. That probably led to their defeat had the Suns played their starters more.
Keyonte started slow, but he finished with a respectable 13 points on 7 shots.
JJJ and Jaxon Hayes combined for 9 fouls, which also would have proved difficult to overcome in a real game.
The preseason is over. From here on out, the games count. Next up is a tilt with the Grizzlies in Memphis on Wednesday, October 21st!
Oct 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) dunks in the first quarter during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In their final preseason tune-up, the Lakers played from behind for much of the night before falling to the Nuggets, 121-106.
Offensive shortcomings to open the game put LA behind the eight ball and forced them to dig out of a hole they never could get out of. They finished the night shooting 42.7% from the field with 14 turnovers, six of those coming in the first period.
LA did turn 14 Denver turnovers into 27 points and got 45 points of the bench, many of those coming from projected rotation players.
Ziaire Williams got off to an early strong start for LA with a layup and a team-leading four points. Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler combined for four points themselves. Denver hounded Luka Dončić, making him miss his first two shots.
At the 6:54 mark, the Lakers were down by nine.
Trevon Brazile and Jamal Murray both had six points for the Nuggets. Denver’s offense overwhelmed LA as they were on a 13-2 scoring run. Reaves and Luka answered the call, scoring seven points combined. Nikola Jokić took over, ending the half with 10 points.
At the end of the first, the purple and gold trailed by 14.
The offensive struggles is one of the many reasons it's less than ideal to have one game with the main rotation to work things out before the regular season.
Matisse Thybulle drained a triple to start the second period. Denver answered with four straight. The Lakers had eight turnovers in this half as they couldn’t find their offensive footing while also struggling defensively.
Kessler converted on two free throws for the team.
Jake LaRavia and Williams both knocked down triples, helping shave points off Denver’s lead. Los Angeles was down by single digits. Williams continued to have a stellar showing for the Lakers with 12 points. LA was on an 8-0 scoring run to make it a four-point game.
The purple and gold did a good job making it a game again, but their defense continued to be an issue. As a result, they were down by seven at halftime.
Luka did not play in the second half, though not due to injury. Cam Johnson drained a 3-pointer to start the third period for Denver. Quentin Grimes answered with a triple of his own. Murray added four points, helping keep momentum on Denver’s side.
The Lakers called a timeout, and out of the break, Thybulle converted on a floater down the lane.
Johnson committed a Flagrant 2 foul on Reaves and was ejected. Reaves converted both free throws, then drained a three to make it a five-point deficit.
The Nuggets responded by scoring five straight. Sandro Mamukelashvili started to heat up for Los Angeles, scoring eight points, including back-to-back triples.
Quentin Grimes drained a three as the quarter wound down. At the end of the third, it was a five-point game.
Lot of versatile skillsets with Mamu. Very impressive preseason for him.
Mamu connected on a 3-pointer to start the final frame for LA. Denver responded with four points. Los Angeles cut the deficit to three, but the Nuggets made it a nine-point affair. Marvin Bagley III was now up to nine points, putting in productive minutes for Denver.
At the 6:07 mark, the Lakers were down by 11.
Jaden Hardy gave himself a huge green light, draining two triples as he tried to help the team inch closer. Denver still had all the answers each time Los Angeles tried to mount a comeback.
Key Player Stats
Luka only played in the first half and finished with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. Reaves ended with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Kessler notched six points with six rebounds and four assists.
Williams had an impressive game with 14 points in 10 minutes after also not playing in the second half. Grimes scored 11 points. Mamu logged 15 points with eight rebounds and four assists.
Thybulle pitched in with seven points, five rebounds and two assists. Hardy had 13 points, mostly in garbage time.
The Lakers’ first game of the NBA season will be against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at 7:00 PM PT.
The Golden State Warriors recently secured a foundational piece of their backcourt, signing third-year guard Brandin Podziemski to a fully guaranteed five-year, $110 million rookie-scale contract extension. The deal, which includes a mutual option for the final season, keeps the 23-year-old guard in the Bay Area through 2032.
Since being selected 19th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, Podziemski has quickly established himself as an essential hybrid guard for head coach Steve Kerr. Averaging 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across his first 220 career games, his versatile playmaking, fierce rebounding, and defensive grit made him an indispensable rotational anchor.
By locking down Podziemski before he could hit restricted free agency, the Warriors demonstrate clear trust in his development as a long-term core piece alongside the team’s veteran core.
SB Nation recently conducted a survey of Warriors fans and their opinion of the Podziemski extension. Here’s what they had to say:
What do you think of the Podziemski’s extension? Will it help the Warriors and their quest to obtain a playoff spot in the West? Head on over to https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba to test your luck.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 16: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of the preseason NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 16, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Suns closed out their preseason with a 119–116 loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday night. It was essentially a dress rehearsal, with the starters playing the first three quarters before the third unit took over in the fourth. Phoenix held a 95–90 lead heading into the final period.
Kudos to Jordan Ott, as he’s truly giving both Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro an opportunity to compete for the starting center position. While we’ve seen Ighodaro get the nod alongside the other four projected starters thus far this preseason, Friday night provided an opportunity for the second-year big man out of Duke to get his chance as Ighodaro was inactive.
Devin Booker finished with 16 points and six assists, while Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green added 18 points apiece. Khaman Maluach contributed seven points and 12 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.
And for those following along with Malu-Watch, where we’re tracking his “restocks per 36” (rebounds + steals + blocks), Maluach posted an impressive 21.5 tonight. For perspective, his average last season was 15.0, while Victor Wembanyama averaged 19.2 in the same category.
It was our first look at the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Darryn Peterson out of Kansas, a player expected to develop into a promising shooting guard in the NBA. He played the entire game, finishing with 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting while adding six assists and six rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. struggled to stay on the floor due to foul trouble. Khaman Maluach was active on the interior and helped get Jackson into foul trouble early in the second half. Jackson ultimately finished with 17 points but managed only three rebounds.
The preseason is now complete.
Game Flow
First Half
Devin Booker started the night locked in, scoring six of the Suns’ first 11 points as he found his rhythm in the midrange, regardless of whether it was Darryn Peterson or Keyonte George guarding him. As for the three-ball that he’s been having a hard time finding? He’d go 1-of-4 in the first half.
The Suns came out playing aggressively, as we’ve come to expect. Playing against the Jazz, who certainly had a size advantage despite the Suns having Maluach on the floor, you knew they’d have to try to find a way to disrupt. And it took only 4:34 for Dillon Brooks to pick up three fouls.
With 6:59 left in the first quarter, the Jazz were in the bonus. As a result, they would take a total of 15 free-throw attempts in the first quarter, hitting 11 of them. Phoenix would go 6-of-8 from the line. So +5 for the Jazz in Q1 at the line.
Both Devin Booker and Jalen Green scored 10 points in the opening quarter, with Booker adding three assists while Green committed three turnovers. The Suns finished the period with seven turnovers as a team, but in typical Phoenix fashion, they generated additional possessions, attempting 24 field goals compared to Utah’s 18.
After shooting 4-of-12 from beyond the arc, the Suns trailed the Jazz 31–30 after one quarter.
With Oso Ighodaro out, Duop Reath received plenty of playing time, and one thing became abundantly clear. He’s not shy about shooting the three-ball. In nine first-half minutes, Reath went 3-of-7 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, providing eight points off the bench.
The Suns looked sharp to open the second quarter, with Jalen Green penetrating, Miles Bridges knocking down threes, Jordan Goodwin doing what he does on both ends of the floor, and Khaman Maluach providing quality screens and rim protection. Collectively, that’s what this team should look like when you have a combination of starters and bench players operating together.
During a stretch featuring Bridges, Dillon Brooks, Green, Goodwin, and Maluach, Phoenix was +8, extending its lead to eight points while putting together a 15–2 run. It was an encouraging display of how the different pieces of this roster can complement one another when they’re playing with connectivity and purpose.
Phoenix shot 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in the second quarter and, despite being the smaller team against Utah, did an impressive job on the glass, outrebounding the Jazz 24–19 in the first half. The Suns outscored Utah 35–28 in the second quarter, led by eight points from Bridges, who was a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Collin Gillespie added three assists, while Maluach contributed five points and five rebounds in the period alone, giving him five points and seven rebounds heading into halftime.
Phoenix 65, Utah 59.
Second Half
The Suns rolled out their starting five to open the third quarter, confirming that a true dress rehearsal was underway as the team prepares for the regular season. Phoenix wasted little time establishing itself, opening the second half with a 7–0 run against Utah as the offense looked layered, connected, and efficient.
Maluach continued to play aggressively on the glass at both ends of the floor, and we all know Jaren Jackson Jr. has an affinity for picking up fouls. Phoenix made him pay for it, forcing Jackson to the bench with five fouls and seven minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Dillon Brooks fed off the defensive energy his teammates were bringing and translated it into offensive production. His unique skill set, both in the midrange and from beyond the arc, was on full display as he poured in 12 points in the third quarter.
The Jazz endured a stretch in which they went nearly four minutes without a field goal, but a 14–6 run by Utah to close the quarter made the game closer than it had felt. Phoenix held a 95–90 lead entering the fourth, with the Jazz outscoring the Suns 31–30 in the period. The majority of the starting unit finished the quarter at +5, while the majority of the second unit was -6, reflecting the difference in effectiveness between the two groups.
The fourth quarter opened with the third unit on the floor, featuring Kobe Brea, Jamaree Bouyea, Duop Reath, Rasheer Fleming, and Ryan Dunn. Koa Peat eventually checked in for Reath, so outside of Dunn, this was primarily the third unit getting an opportunity to play. And not surprisingly, things were a little clunky.
Peat had a possession in which he lost track of the shot clock and failed to get an attempt off in time. On another opportunity, he had a chance to go up with the basketball, but with Mo Bamba lurking, he hesitated and was called for a three-second violation. He then fouled Ace Bailey on the ensuing possession. It’s the kind of situational awareness that comes with experience, and these are precisely the repetitions a young player like Peat needs as he continues his development.
The game remained close throughout the fourth quarter as the Suns struggled to put together anything resembling cohesive offense. It felt a little like Summer League basketball, where structure takes a back seat and players are left trying to create open looks on their own rather than generating opportunities within the flow of an offensive scheme.
Phoenix was ultimately outscored 29–21 in the final period, falling to Utah 119–116.
Up Next
The. Regular. Season.
Suns tip off the 2026-27 campaign next Wednesday in Portland. Starting then, it’s for real.
Cliff Hagan of the St. Louis Hawks poses for an action portrait during the 1960 season in St. Louis, Missouri.
Cliff Hagan, a Basketball Hall of Famer who won professional and college championships with the St. Louis Hawks and the University of Kentucky, respectively, died Thursday at 94 years old.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
Hagan, originally drafted by the Celtics in 1953, was traded to the Hawks with fellow Hall of Famer Ed Macauley in 1956 for the rights to Bill Russell, whom St. Louis took at No. 2 overall in the 1956 NBA Draft.
Cliff Hagan of the St. Louis Hawks poses for an action portrait during the 1960 season in St. Louis, Missouri. NBAE via Getty Images
Hagan, a third-round pick, never played for the Celtics and served in the United States Air Force from 1953-56 before debuting with the Hawks.
A five-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, Hagan spent his entire 10-year NBA career with St. Louis, helping the franchise defeat the Celtics for the 1958 NBA title.
Hagan averaged 17.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists over 839 NBA appearances before retiring for good after the 1969-70 season.
Before his professional career, Hagan was a two-time consensus All-American at Kentucky under legendary coach Adolph Rupp.
He helped the Wildcats win the 1951 national championship and led them to a perfect 25-0 record in 1953-54.
Kentucky declined an NCAA Tournament invitation that season because eligibility rules prohibited Hagan and two other graduated players from participating.
Cliff Hagan was traded for a rookie Bill Russell in 1956. NBAE via Getty Images
The Wildcats went 86-5 during Hagan’s three varsity seasons.
The 6-foot-4 forward once scored 26 points in a single fourth quarter against the Knicks in 1958.
Hagan returned to Kentucky as athletic director in 1975, serving until 1988.
Kentucky’s named their baseball field “Cliff Hagan Stadium” in 1993, which served as the team’s home until 2018. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
During his tenure, the school won the 1978 men’s basketball national championship, led by Jack Givens and Rick Robey.
Hagan became the first former Kentucky player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.
His No. 6 jersey is retired at Kentucky, and he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
“Few people have impacted Kentucky Athletics in as many ways as Cliff Hagan,” Kentucky athletic director and Champions Blue CEO J Batt said of Hagan. “He represented Kentucky as a champion, Hall of Famer and Athletics Director, leaving a legacy that continues to shape this department. It is an honor to follow in his footsteps and to help carry forward the standard he set.
“Big Blue Nation will always be grateful for Cliff and all he gave to Kentucky. Our thoughts are with the Hagan family.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 16: Joan Beringer #19 of the Minnesota Timberwolves goes to the basket as Jalen Smith #25 of the Chicago Bulls defends during the first half of the preseason game at the United Center on October 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even though the score of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ final preseason game looks lopsided, there were plenty of good things to build upon from a game where most of the time on the floor was Minnesota backups versus Chicago rotation guys, or what I like to call a “bullpen game.”
Here are five things to be encouraged by as we wrap up the preseason and head to the regular season on October 21st in Miami.
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 16: Joan Beringer #19 of the Minnesota Timberwolves boxes out during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 16, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
#1: Joan Beringer looks the part
Teenage Frenchman, Joan Beringer, is massively important to the Wolves’ potential success this upcoming season as the only real backup big man that is on the roster. He has defensive instincts, activity around the basket, and enough athleticism to make up for times where he finds himself out of position.
Beringer’s main issue is defending without fouling, as he needs to be able to stay on the floor in order to really help this team out in a meaningful way. Tonight, he did just that. Joan committed three total fouls, with the first foul coming after around 18 minutes of time on the floor. That’s very encouraging, as it would have been just as easy for him to commit three fouls in six minutes of time as he and his team were overmatched on paper.
Throw in a couple monster dunks, and Joan looks ready to roll come Wednesday.
After not seeing the floor in the first quarter, Isaiah Evans showed up in the second frame in a major way. Immediately after checking in, he made a three. Later in the quarter he made another catch-and-shoot three, and then followed that up with an absolute heat check third made three of the quarter. He made another before the halftime buzzer sounded, and it was so encouraging to see Evans put some long range shots in the basket.
Isaiah was billed as a shooter coming out of Duke, but we hadn’t seen that throughout Summer League or preseason yet. Bench shooting is always valuable, and it’s something the Wolves don’t have a bunch of until Donte DiVincenzo comes back. Isaiah didn’t just make the threes, he also put himself in positions to take them. Good shooters know how to get their shots off, and that was something that Finch seemed to make a priority with this being a bullpen game for the Wolves.
#3: Cody Williams will be a rotation player this winter
Cody Williams was tapped to step in and start when Jonathan Kuminga missed the preseason game against the Knicks, and was also a starter in tonight’s bullpen game. Here are some of the notes I wrote down while watching the game:
Cody knows how to score, shot is still a work in progress
Cody knows how to rotate.
He’s going to have a stretch of hot shooting and will look like an All-NBA player this season.
He’s going to have a stretch of hot shooting and is going to look like an all-nba player at some point this season https://t.co/VLhNO48mPD
Almost every tool is in the toolbox for this kid, and I am officially predicting that he will be the next Utah-to-Minnesota success story, following the footsteps of Rudy Gobert and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 16: Head coach Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of the preseason game at the United Center on October 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
#4: Chris Finch shows willingness to call timeouts
There aren’t many things I get frustrated with Chris Finch over, but one of them is definitely his timeout usage when other teams are going on runs. Tonight, Chris took one with 10:18 left in the third quarter, and took another quick one to start the fourth quarter, both times when Chicago was going on a run.
With how fast this team plans to play this season, there are bound to be times where they play too fast and get caught on the wrong end of an opposing run. Finch needs to be willing to stop those runs early, and tonight was an indication he might just have that in his plans.
#5: Drew Timme will be a nice depth piece… in Iowa
Fun fact: my college roommate/teammate at Augsburg used to call me Drew Timme because I would rock a headband and mustache, but that’s not the reason I’m bullish on Drew.
With some questions still remaining as to who is going to play some big man minutes in a pinch and Rocco Zikarsky not looking the part, Drew Timme might just be the two-way contract player that can step into that role. In 27 minutes played tonight, Drew scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and even dished out three assists.
Again from my notes: “Timme can make the right play, he can be the new Luka G. on a two-way.” I know evoking the name Luka Garza may be sacrilege to Wolves fans, but trust me, there will be times where the bowels of Wolves Twitter will be calling for Timme to get some run after Joan has a game with eight minutes played and four fouls.
Up next
The Timberwolves open their season on Wednesday, October 21, at 6:30 PM CT when they take on the Miami Heat on the road, with the game airing on ESPN.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 16: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks moves the ball against the Atlanta Hawks on October 16, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were brilliant. The Mavericks’ defense and 3-point shooting struggled for long stretches at a time. The roster construction seems to be, well… cheeks. Zaccharie Risacher looked timid and ineffective against his former team’s starting unit, then scored a bunch of points against guys battling for a roster spot in the fourth quarter.
You can make what happened against the Hawks on Friday fit any narrative you want it to fit. So, with just five days before the games start counting, go ahead. Confirm all your pre-existing biases. That’s what fandom is all about.
Here are five stats spanning all corners of the spectrum that stood out in the Mavs’ loss to wrap up the 2026-27 preseason schedule.
19: First-quarter points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson
The Mavericks had a ton of trouble staying in front of the Hawks’ two breakout players from a season ago to start the game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the NBA’s Most Improved Player from last year, led all scorers with 10 points in the first quarter on 3-of-4 shooting, while Johnson added nine more, hitting 6-of-7 from the free-throw line to set the tone by getting into the lane at will. Johnson, of course, was a Third-Team All-NBA selection a year ago.
The pair made all three of their combined 3-point attempts in the first quarter as well, but in the dress rehearsal game, the Mavs at least kept pace with their opponents from beyond the arc to start the game. Atlanta made 6-of-13 from 3-point land in the opening frame, compared to 6-of-11 shooting from deep for the Mavericks.
It was a promising start, in some respects, if not for the Mavs’ inability to limit the Hawks’ best scorers. The Hawks led 39-34 after one. Johnson would go on to lead all scorers with 16 points and 11 rebounds at halftime and finished with 20 and 14 in the win. Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 25 points on 6-of-10 from 3-point land.
12: Atlanta first-half free throws after being fouled on 3-point attempts
This one is concerning. In what was billed as a dress rehearsal game, the Mavericks were incredibly sloppy on the defensive end. Exhibit A: Dallas fouled four 3-point shooters in the act of shooting in the first half. So, not only did the Mavs get boatraced in the actual shooting comparison from beyond the arc in the first half, but they surrendered eight more points from the 3-point line by fouling on four more would-be attempts along the way. Dallas was lucky that Atlanta shot so poorly from the line on those four unnecessary trips to the line (8-of-12, 66.7%), but the damage was done as the first half wore on.
After shooting 6-of-11 from 3-point land in the first quarter, the Mavs missed their next eight from long range in the second, finally cashing one in on Irving’s third 3-ball of the half with 56 seconds left to go 1-of-10 in the frame.
The Hawks abused the Dallas defense, getting to the line 30 times in the first half. They made just 23 of them, but that was still three times the Mavs’ output. Dallas shot just 7-of-12 (58.7%) from the free-throw line in the first half as the Hawks cruised to a 73-54 lead at the break.
Oh, and if giving Atlanta 12 extra free throws in the first half didn’t get the point across, Irving made it 15 midway through the third, sending Alexander-Walker to the free-throw line for three for a fifth time.
8-of-12: Sergio de Larrea’s preseason 3-point shooting
Sergio de Larrea now 8/11 from three in preseason after hitting his second three of the night tonight pic.twitter.com/quTRj5wSnW
The ever-intriguing Mavs’ rookie Sergio de Larrea made a pair of 3-pointers as the third quarter wound down on Friday, with the outcome of the game likely already decided. But hey, for a guy like de Larrea, reps are reps, and these are valuable.
The young Spaniard had some moments in the dress rehearsal that made you think, “this kid’s not ready.” But after canning those two 3-balls, you looked at his stats and he was 8-of-11 from 3-point range this preseason. The Mavericks need shooting like a fish needs water, and de Larrea will turn it over on you, but if he’s going to hit the 3-pointer at anything approaching this rate, you have to live with the growing pains.
The only way out is through when it comes to de Larrea’s short-term shortcomings, and his 3-point shot could go a long way to canceling out his deficiencies in other areas. De Larrea finished with eight points and four assists in 25 minutes off the bench against the Hawks. He also blocked a pair of shots.
Get ready, Mavs fans. Year two Cooper Flagg is incoming, and this is going to be special. This kid just doesn’t stop attacking, and opposing defenses just don’t want to deal with it at a certain point in the game.
Flagg is going to bully his way to a transcendent statistical profile this year, if his preseason minutes are any indicator. He’s a little bigger — more imposing. He can get wherever he wants to get on the floor. He can absorb contact.
After a 2-of-7 start from the field, Flagg was a respectable 6-of-13 from the field in the final three quarters. He made two of his six 3-point attempts on the night, which isn’t great, but he’s shown much more confidence with his stroke this preseason than we saw from Flagg in his rookie year. He isn’t afraid to pull up for one or two early in the shot clock. You want Flagg taking those shots. You want him gaining confidence in his ability to make them.
The year two explosion is about to get underway.
5-of-7: Kyrie Irving 3-point shooting
The Mavericks ended the evening shooting 13-of-33 (39.4%) from 3-point range. Everyone on the roster not named Irving combined to shoot just 8-of-26 (30.7%), so thank the basketball gods he was there. He scored 18 points on 5-of-7 from deep and five assists in the loss. The shot was silky smooth throughout his 25 minutes on the floor.
The Mavs’ top two offensive engines were something close to sensational in their final preseason tune-up on Friday. It’s the rest of the roster that leaves us with more questions than answers as the regular season looms large.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 16: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks moves the ball against the Atlanta Hawks on October 16, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were brilliant. The Mavericks’ defense and 3-point shooting struggled for long stretches at a time. The roster construction seems to be, well… cheeks. Zaccharie Risacher looked timid and ineffective against his former team’s starting unit, then scored a bunch of points against guys battling for a roster spot in the fourth quarter.
You can make what happened against the Hawks on Friday fit any narrative you want it to fit. So, with just five days before the games start counting, go ahead. Confirm all your pre-existing biases. That’s what fandom is all about.
Here are five stats spanning all corners of the spectrum that stood out in the Mavs’ loss to wrap up the 2026-27 preseason schedule.
19: First-quarter points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson
The Mavericks had a ton of trouble staying in front of the Hawks’ two breakout players from a season ago to start the game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the NBA’s Most Improved Player from last year, led all scorers with 10 points in the first quarter on 3-of-4 shooting, while Johnson added nine more, hitting 6-of-7 from the free-throw line to set the tone by getting into the lane at will. Johnson, of course, was a Third-Team All-NBA selection a year ago.
The pair made all three of their combined 3-point attempts in the first quarter as well, but in the dress rehearsal game, the Mavs at least kept pace with their opponents from beyond the arc to start the game. Atlanta made 6-of-13 from 3-point land in the opening frame, compared to 6-of-11 shooting from deep for the Mavericks.
It was a promising start, in some respects, if not for the Mavs’ inability to limit the Hawks’ best scorers. The Hawks led 39-34 after one. Johnson would go on to lead all scorers with 16 points and 11 rebounds at halftime and finished with 20 and 14 in the win. Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 25 points on 6-of-10 from 3-point land.
12: Atlanta first-half free throws after being fouled on 3-point attempts
This one is concerning. In what was billed as a dress rehearsal game, the Mavericks were incredibly sloppy on the defensive end. Exhibit A: Dallas fouled four 3-point shooters in the act of shooting in the first half. So, not only did the Mavs get boatraced in the actual shooting comparison from beyond the arc in the first half, but they surrendered eight more points from the 3-point line by fouling on four more would-be attempts along the way. Dallas was lucky that Atlanta shot so poorly from the line on those four unnecessary trips to the line (8-of-12, 66.7%), but the damage was done as the first half wore on.
After shooting 6-of-11 from 3-point land in the first quarter, the Mavs missed their next eight from long range in the second, finally cashing one in on Irving’s third 3-ball of the half with 56 seconds left to go 1-of-10 in the frame.
The Hawks abused the Dallas defense, getting to the line 30 times in the first half. They made just 23 of them, but that was still three times the Mavs’ output. Dallas shot just 7-of-12 (58.7%) from the free-throw line in the first half as the Hawks cruised to a 73-54 lead at the break.
Oh, and if giving Atlanta 12 extra free throws in the first half didn’t get the point across, Irving made it 15 midway through the third, sending Alexander-Walker to the free-throw line for three for a fifth time.
8-of-12: Sergio de Larrea’s preseason 3-point shooting
Sergio de Larrea now 8/11 from three in preseason after hitting his second three of the night tonight pic.twitter.com/quTRj5wSnW
The ever-intriguing Mavs’ rookie Sergio de Larrea made a pair of 3-pointers as the third quarter wound down on Friday, with the outcome of the game likely already decided. But hey, for a guy like de Larrea, reps are reps, and these are valuable.
The young Spaniard had some moments in the dress rehearsal that made you think, “this kid’s not ready.” But after canning those two 3-balls, you looked at his stats and he was 8-of-11 from 3-point range this preseason. The Mavericks need shooting like a fish needs water, and de Larrea will turn it over on you, but if he’s going to hit the 3-pointer at anything approaching this rate, you have to live with the growing pains.
The only way out is through when it comes to de Larrea’s short-term shortcomings, and his 3-point shot could go a long way to canceling out his deficiencies in other areas. De Larrea finished with eight points and four assists in 25 minutes off the bench against the Hawks. He also blocked a pair of shots.
Get ready, Mavs fans. Year two Cooper Flagg is incoming, and this is going to be special. This kid just doesn’t stop attacking, and opposing defenses just don’t want to deal with it at a certain point in the game.
Flagg is going to bully his way to a transcendent statistical profile this year, if his preseason minutes are any indicator. He’s a little bigger — more imposing. He can get wherever he wants to get on the floor. He can absorb contact.
After a 2-of-7 start from the field, Flagg was a respectable 6-of-13 from the field in the final three quarters. He made two of his six 3-point attempts on the night, which isn’t great, but he’s shown much more confidence with his stroke this preseason than we saw from Flagg in his rookie year. He isn’t afraid to pull up for one or two early in the shot clock. You want Flagg taking those shots. You want him gaining confidence in his ability to make them.
The year two explosion is about to get underway.
5-of-7: Kyrie Irving 3-point shooting
The Mavericks ended the evening shooting 13-of-33 (39.4%) from 3-point range. Everyone on the roster not named Irving combined to shoot just 8-of-26 (30.7%), so thank the basketball gods he was there. He scored 18 points on 5-of-7 from deep and five assists in the loss. The shot was silky smooth throughout his 25 minutes on the floor.
The Mavs’ top two offensive engines were something close to sensational in their final preseason tune-up on Friday. It’s the rest of the roster that leaves us with more questions than answers as the regular season looms large.
