The injury occurred midway through the second quarter. Duren attempted a spin move past Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Duren appeared to tweak something, as he abruptly pulled up and grabbed his leg in apparent discomfort. Duren immediately went to the locker room.
The Pistons declared him questionable to return, but Duren did not play the remainder of the game, which Detroit dominated from the opening tip.
In his place, backup Paul Reed filled in admirably, perhaps allowing coach J.B. Bickerstaff to exercise caution with Duren’s injury. Reed scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, adding 11 rebounds and 4 assists.
Duren played just 10 minutes and scored 4 points on 2-of-4 shooting, adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal.
Duren wasn’t the only Pistons player to suffer an injury Friday night, as forward Ausar Thompson, a first-team All-Defense selection, fell awkwardly on his back, forcing him to the locker room. Thompson played just 19 minutes, recording 4 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds.
After the game, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he did not have any updates on either injury.
SAN FRANCISCO — Brandin Podziemski gave the Warriors a scare early in his season debut.
Less than four minutes into the Warriors’ home opener Friday night, their most durable player from a season ago was in visible pain, laying prone on the hardwood beneath the Grizzlies’ basket.
Podziemski, who missed the Warriors’ season opener with a sore back, took a hard fall — and a blow to the face from Memphis center Zach Edey — on a drive into the lane and remained on the floor while the game continued at the other end.
Brandin Podziemski went to the locker room after Zach Edey appeared to hit him on the head pic.twitter.com/uunqOyl0C4
Podziemski immediately retreated to the Warriors’ locker room at the next stoppage of play and re-emerged a short while later with a heating pad wrapped around his lower back.
However, it didn’t take long for the fourth-year guard to assuage any concerns about his health.
Podziemski re-entered the game, to relieved cheers from the sold-out Chase Center crowd, with 1:06 left in the quarter, intercepted a pass from former teammate Quinten Post and scored the Warriors’ final two buckets of the period.
He finished with 18 points, including a team-high nine in the opening quarter despite his brief detour to the locker room. However, he missed 11 of his final 14 shots from the field after starting 4-for-4.
Golden State Warriors player Brandin Podziemski warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Needless to say, it hasn’t exactly been an auspicious start to the season for one of 18 players around the NBA to appear in all 82 games last season. Podziemski said afterward that he would also sit out Saturday night against the Suns in the second half of the Warriors’ first of 15 back-to-backs.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, left, reaches for the ball as Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski dribbles during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
The Knicks lost to the Boston Celtics on Friday night, 107-103.
Here are the takeaways...
-- In search of their first win of the season, the Knicks went down 4-0 and didn’t hit their first shot until Karl-Anthony Towns hit a deep three to get New York on the board. Towns finished the opening quarter with eight points while going 3-for-3 from the floor.
-- OG Anunoby had five points and Jalen Brunson added four in the first 12 minutes, but the rest of the starters were held in check so the Knicks went to their bench looking for a spark.
-- They got it in the form of Miles McBride who checked into the game with 6:21 left in the quarter and immediately went to work by draining two threes and drilling two free throws and matching Towns’ eight points.
-- McBride’s second three-pointer gave the Knicks a five-point lead with just under three minutes left in the quarter, but from there New York was outscored 7-3 and the Celtics cut their deficit to one point and entered the second quarter down 27-26.
-- Boston opened the second quarter by outscoring the Knicks 13-4 to take an eight-point advantage. Anunoby’s made three put an end to the ambush and eventually New York tied the game at 41-41 thanks to Josh Hart’s first points of the game following a two-minute stretch of misses and turnovers by both teams.
-- Hart tied the game again with a three with 56 seconds left in the half before giving the Knicks their first lead since midway through the first quarter on a driving hook shot.
-- However, Paul George nailed a three-pointer as time expired and sent the Celtics into the locker room with a 50-49 halftime lead.
-- Both teams traded baskets to kick off the second half as Anunoby and Brunson got more involved offensively and each hit a three. Towns also made a triple later in the frame, but New York wouldn’t hit another shot for over two minutes before Brunson’s second three-pointer of the quarter.
-- The Celtics weren’t able to take advantage during the Knicks’ scoring drought, scoring just four points themselves.
-- After abandoning McBride following his hot start, New York went back to him late in the third and he stayed hot by making back-to-back threes to pull his team to within one.
-- Once again, though, Boston ended the quarter on a 13-4 run, spearheaded by Jayson Tatum, to go into the fourth quarter up by 10. Tatum had a monster third quarter, leading all scorers with 16 points.
-- The Knicks, down by as many as 12 points, did their best to climb back. Landry Shamet hit a couple of key threes off the bench to get back within striking distance which got New York going in the right direction.
-- They hung around for as long as they could, going shot for shot with Tatum and George, but in the end Tatum’s 36 points was too much and the Knicks lost for the second straight time to begin their season.
-- McBride had a great game, scoring 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field (6-for-8 from three). Mikal Bridges, on the other hand, was held scoreless (0-for-8 from the field, 0-for-5 from three) and only played 22 minutes – far less than any other starter.
-- Anunoby, Towns and Hart all finished with a double-double and Anunoby led the team with eight assists. Still, the trio of Anunoby, Towns and Brunson combined for 10 turnovers as the Knicks gave it away 16 times compared to Boston’s 10 turnovers – the difference in the game.
-- In his first game against his former team, Mitchell Robinson was a non-factor with four points, four rebounds and a block in 22 minutes. He also picked up five fouls.
Game MVP: Jayson Tatum
Tatum led all scorers with 36 points and took over whenever the Celtics needed him to.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 23: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 23, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (1-1) gifted first-year head coach Dusty May with his first NBA win on Friday, outlasting the Indiana Pacers (1-1), 121-105, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. But at what cost?
Cooper Flagg left the game with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter, but the Mavericks had already built a soft fluffy cushion in the form of what was at one point a 37-point lead. They had enough in the tank to hang on, behind 24 points on 5-of-10 3-point shooting from Kyrie Irving and 20 points and 13 rebounds from PJ Washington. Max Christie and Naji Marshall chipped in 16 and 15, respectively, in the win as well.
The Pacers got 23 points on three made 3-pointers from Pascal Siakam, and 18 points and seven assists from Tyrese Haliburton in the loss. Here are five more stats that stood out from Friday’s win at the Pacers, a team a lot of people thought was one to be dealt with in a deeper Eastern Conference this year.
22-6: Mavericks’ first-quarter run
Marcus Sasser’s hot hand from 3-point range carried over from Wednesday’s season-opening loss at the Houston Rockets and fueled an inspiring early 22-6run that saw the Mavs grow their lead to 33-19 late in the first quarter. Both of his first-quarter triples came as part of the run, which started with 4:55 left in the first. Flagg found him with his third assist of the opening frame on the break for a pull-up look that made it a 23-17 ballgame. Two minutes later, Irving found Sasser in the left corner for another long ball, this time extending the Dallas lead to 33-19.
Both Flagg and Irving also hit 3-pointers during the run. Dallas scored an outlandish 44 points in the first quarter on the strength of that late run. Flagg, Irving, Sasser and Naji Marshall combined to shoot 11-of-14 from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point land in the first. They were out of their minds, and the Mavericks led 44-27 after one.
15-0: Another Mavs’ second-quarter run
The Mavericks kept getting in passing lanes for deflections, Indiana kept turning the ball over and Dallas continued to pour it on in the second quarter. The Pacers turned the ball over seven times in the first 7:15 of the period, including on four straight possessions at one point midway through the frame. It created fast-break opportunity after fast-break opportunity for the Mavericks. They were out and running.
Zaccharie Risacher, who had a less-than-inspiring debut for the Mavs on Wednesday, was the primary beneficiary of all the easy buckets. He scored three easy ones as the Mavericks pushed the advantage to 30 points during a 15-0 run in the middle of the second. He also rose up and blocked a shot attempt inside from Pascal Siakam, which created another fast-break chance earlier in the run. Risacher’s efforts on both ends helped the Mavs increase what was a 46-31 lead two minutes into the second to 61-31 just a little more than four minutes later.
Risacher racked up 11 points, five rebounds and two stocks in the first half. The Mavs’ bench outscored the Pacers’ reserve unit 28-6 in the first half. Dallas led 77-43 at the break.
19-2: Third-quarter bench scoring reversal
There were moments after Aaron Nesmith’s flagrant foul on Cooper Flagg with a minute left in the first half when it looked like the Pacers would climb back into the game, but the Mavericks held serve for the most part in the third.
Indiana’s bench finally woke up in the third, though, to help them creep to within 22 by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. The Pacers’ bench outscored the Dallas reserves 19-2 in the third after getting dragged, 28-6 in the first half. Quenton Jackson and Obi Toppin combined to score 11 in the third, as Indiana outscored the Mavs 33-21 in the frame.
Still, Dallas carried a 98-76 lead into the decisive fourth quarter. Irving and PJ Washington combined for 17 points, and Washington pulled down five boards in the third to keep Indiana at arm’s length.
Irving continued his hot hand from the outside after Flagg exited the game with “shoulder soreness” as a result of Nesmith’s hard flagrant foul in transition late in the first half. Irving refused to let the Pacers back within shouting distance of the lead, hitting three big 3-pointers, all from near the top of the key, in a stretch from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth.
His fifth of the game came with 9:43 left to play and put the Mavericks ahead 103-82. It gave him five points in the first two minutes and change of the fourth quarter, and 24 points for the game. But on the other end of the floor, Irving committed his fifth personal foul of the game with 9:33 remaining, committing the mortal sin of fouling Nesmith in the act of shooting a 3-pointer.
Irving, who is also still presumably on a minutes restriction, came out of the game immediately for one or both of those reasons. He would foul out with 4:23 left in the game after logging 25 minutes.
He called his minutes restriction to start the year “difficult mentally” in his televised postgame interview, but also said, “It’s a team game. We’ve got to build these habits now. All of the components, all the players we have, we’re interchangeable.”
6: Kyrie Irving fouls
According to Mavs TV. This was Kyrie Irving’s first career foul-out: 781 regular-season games.
If the number five was notable for Irving in the win, the number six was one little notch more notable, at least from a statistical perspective. It was the first foul-out of Irving’s 781 regular-season game career.
The Mavericks broadcast crew first brought the statistical oddity up before May confirmed it in his postgame press conference. His last two fouls in the fourth quarter were not particularly good ones. He fouled Nesmith on a 3-point attempt early in the fourth, forcing himself out of the game with 9:33 remaining. That left Dallas without either of the bona fide stars on the roster for a long, precarious stretch of the fourth.
He came back in with 4:55 left to play, but fouled out of the game 30 seconds later, trying to prevent the Pacers from starting a fast break with the Mavericks nursing a 112-99 lead.
But hey, the Mavs were able to bring it home, so no harm, no foul. Except for the six he was whistled for.
21: Mavericks stocks
Even after Flagg left the game, the Mavericks continued to play well on the defensive end for most of the game. Dallas ended the night with 11 blocked shots and 10 steals.
Washington blocked three shots to go along with 20 points and 13 boards — really a huge night for the veteran who’s gotten a lot of flak for the perception of not fitting in with a revamped roster. Risacher blocked three more, finishing with a very respectable 11 points and six rebounds. Gafford blocked a pair as well.
Naji Marshall pilfered three steals, to match Flagg for the team-high mark in the win over the Pacers.
"Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!" pic.twitter.com/1yXdfzPMZ1
BOSTON — The Knicks were still stuck in the mud. Especially a scoreless and benched Mikal Bridges.
And after the Knicks climbed out of their mud hole, Jayson Tatum sent them right back down Friday night.
Tatum scored nine of his 36 points in the final six minutes of Boston’s 107-103 victory over the Knicks, who fell to 0-2 as the reigning champs.
The Celtics star pulled off several high-difficulty shots, and the Knicks couldn’t keep up after clawing back from a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth.
Jayson Tatum (0) of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during a game against the New York Knicks at TD Garden in Boston, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“I think we took a stride, just not big enough strides,” Jalen Brunson said. “There’s positives and negatives to take from this game. We know what we have to do, and the things I think are glaring to us are controllable. So that’s a positive we can take from this.”
Tatum certainly outdueled Brunson, who missed 10 of his 17 shots in 37 minutes and finished with 19 points. It followed the point guard’s disappointing opening night in the loss to the Sixers on Tuesday.
Bridges, meanwhile, disappeared again. He went 0-for-8 and was benched for the last 8 ½ minutes in favor of Deuce McBride, who was a bright spot with 20 points off the bench. Over the opening two games, Bridges has shot 2-for-16.
Boston Celtics’ Baylor Scheierman (55) battles New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (11) for the ball during the second half, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Boston. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
He played just 22 minutes in Boston.
“Mikal had three or four wide-open 3s. And obviously we want him to make half of them if they’re open. But he’s got to keep shooting,” coach Mike Brown said. “And hopefully they’ll eventually go in — sooner than later. But he’s getting the looks that he needs to get. He just has to knock them down now. And he’s got to make sure he’s physical on the defensive end.”
Brown harped on his team’s lack of “physicality” as the biggest factor in the defeat, which included a deficit for the final 22 minutes.
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) battle for a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game at TD Garden in Boston, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Still, the Knicks cut it to one on Brunson’s pull-up with 1:41 remaining, and it looked like the visitors would pull off another comeback in Beantown.
This time, Tatum squashed it. He scored seven straight Celtics points in the final 100 seconds, which sealed the home team’s win because, among other Knicks miscues, Karl-Anthony Towns committed a costly turnover on a moving screen.
Two of Tatum’s clutch shots occurred with defender Josh Hart draped all over him.
“You just take your hat off and say, ‘Good D, better O,’ ” Brown said. “But that’s not why we lost the game. We lost the game because we didn’t handle their physicality on both ends of the floor for too many stretches that were too long.”
Mikal Bridges (25) of the New York Knicks moves the ball against the Boston Celtics during a game at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Friday night represented just the fourth Celtics win over the Knicks in the past 11 matchups, counting the postseason.
A couple of years prior, the Celtics were New York’s nearly impossible bar. They were the better team, the reigning champs, the frequent destroyer of the Knicks in the regular season. In the season opener two years ago — when the Celtics were celebrating ring night for their 2024 championship — they barraged the Knicks with 3-pointers for a 23-point victory.
It was in the middle of a stretch of eight wins over nine games for the Celtics against their division rival, and not long after the Knicks acquired OG Anunoby and Bridges to combat Tatum and then-Celtic Jaylen Brown.
But then the 2025 playoffs happened. The Knicks completed a couple of impossible comebacks, toppled the Celtics in six games of the second round as Tatum tore his Achilles and the dynasty in Boston was finished before it really started.
On Friday night at TD Garden, the roles were reversed. The Knicks were the hunted champs, and the Celtics were the team on the bubble of contention. Brunson understood Boston’s role in developing his championship.
Mitchell Robinson (4) of the Boston Celtics celebrates after blocking a shot from Og Anunoby (8) of the New York Knicks during the Celtics home opener at TD Garden in Boston, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. The Celtics defeated the Knicks 107-103. Getty Images
“The way they were playing, and I guess how they’re still playing, kind of helped shape our team,” Brunson said. “They were obviously a dynamic force. And obviously the past couple years with injuries and personnel changes and stuff like that, things are different. We were trying to figure out how we can beat those guys.”
The Knicks figured it out the past year-plus. But not Friday. Tatum became their unsolvable problem.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 23: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 23, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (1-1) picked up their first win of the season on Friday night, surviving a sloppy second half to beat the Indiana Pacers (1-1) 121-105. Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting and 5-of-10 from three before fouling out late, while also passing Mavericks legend Mark Aguirre on the franchise’s all-time scoring list. P.J. Washington added 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks; Max Christie scored 16, and Cooper Flagg had 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals before leaving with an injury late in the first half.
Dallas came out flying. The Mavericks scored 44 points in the first quarter, moved the ball, dominated the glass and hit 8-of-13 from three. Flagg was at the center of everything, scoring 12 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting while adding four assists, and Kyrie looked much more comfortable than he did Wednesday in Houston.
Zaccharie Risacher and the Dallas defense dominated the second quarter. Risacher was everywhere, defending, rebounding, running the floor, and keeping the ball moving offensively while Indiana repeatedly turned it over and struggled to create anything clean. The Pacers made only one basket through roughly the first five minutes of the quarter, and Dallas carried a 77-43 lead into halftime.
Things got much shakier after halftime. The offense stalled in the third, and Kyrie kept the Mavericks afloat with difficult shot-making while Indiana slowly worked its way back into the game. Dallas still led by 22 entering the fourth, but the final period nearly turned into a collapse. Kyrie’s foul trouble opened the door, and when he returned late, he turned the ball over and fouled out almost immediately. Indiana kept coming, but missed both free throws on Kyrie’s sixth foul, and Dallas finally responded. Naji Marshall and Christie hit huge shots, the defense tightened, and the Mavericks did enough to close it out.
Flagg’s injury changes everything
The biggest concern coming out of the win was Flagg’s health. He was injured with about a minute remaining in the first half after taking a hard flagrant foul from Aaron Nesmith and never returned. He was officially ruled out late in the third quarter after finishing with 14 points, five rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block in just 17 minutes.
He had been excellent before the injury, pushing the pace, creating for teammates, and making defensive plays. With Dallas playing its home opener against San Antonio tomorrow, it would be surprising to see him back that quickly. Even if the injury is minor, there is little reason to rush him back this early.
The timing still hurts. Dallas has a difficult stretch to close October, and through two games Flagg already looks like one of the players this team can least afford to lose.
Mavericks head coach Dusty May said in his postgame press conference that Flagg “will be evaluated the next couple of days.” That particular quote does not portend well for Flagg’s availability in the second half of the first back-to-back set of the season on Saturday in the Mavs’ home opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
Irving looked like Irving again
"Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!" pic.twitter.com/1yXdfzPMZ1
Irving looked far more like himself than he did in Houston.
He finished with 24 points, three assists, and five made threes on 8-of-15 shooting. The foul trouble eventually became a major problem, but the actual performance was encouraging. He looked comfortable creating his own shot, got to his spots, and hit difficult jumpers when Dallas desperately needed offense.
That mattered most in the third quarter. The Mavericks couldn’t make much of anything, Indiana started chipping away at the lead, and Kyrie repeatedly stopped the bleeding with tough buckets. Dallas didn’t need him to take over; it just needed someone to keep the offense from dying, and he did.
He also passed Mark Aguirre on the Mavericks’ all-time scoring list, adding another milestone to his time in Dallas.
P.J. Washington looked like his old self
This was the P.J. Washington Dallas needs.
Washington finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks while shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-4 from three. More importantly, he played with the physicality and confidence that made him so valuable during his best stretches in Dallas.
His rebounding was especially important as Indiana pushed in the second half. Washington consistently finished possessions, created extra chances on the offensive glass, and made important defensive plays around the rim. He also provided timely offense when Dallas started to stall.
The Mavericks do not need Washington to score 20 every night, but they do need this version of him. When he defends, rebounds, and confidently takes open shots, he gives Dallas exactly what it needs from that spot.
Daniel Gafford’s 14 minutes are worth watching
Of the Mavericks who played real minutes, starting center Daniel Gafford finished with a team-low 14:36 and didn’t play in the closing stretch.
Gafford finished with four points, three rebounds, five assists, and two blocks on 2-of-4 shooting. Those numbers aren’t bad, and he made a few useful plays as a passer and rim protector, but his limited minutes stand out.
Dallas leaned more heavily on smaller lineups and gave Morez Johnson Jr. minutes at center, especially as the game became more perimeter-oriented. Gafford also looked a little out of rhythm, missed a few finishes, and never really established himself as a major part of the offense.
One game isn’t enough to draw major conclusions, but a starting center playing fewer than 15 minutes and sitting during the game’s most important stretch is notable. It’s worth watching as Dusty May continues figuring out his rotation.
The one player the Dallas Mavericks didn’t want injured, Cooper Flagg, got hurt. But initial comments from coach Dusty May signaled some optimism that Flagg may have avoided a serious injury.
Flagg, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, suffered a left shoulder injury Friday, Oct. 23 in a game against the Indiana Pacers, after a flagrant foul by Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith on a breakaway dunk attempt sent Flagg tumbling to the court. The Mavericks officially designated the injury as left shoulder soreness, which may be a positive sign that Flagg avoided a serious ailment.
May said Flagg would be evaluated “in the next couple of days” and added that Flagg was in “good spirits” when he saw him in the locker room. Though imaging results will provide the official diagnosis, the timeline May put forward suggests that Flagg will miss Dallas’ next game, which is Saturday, Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs.
During the play, Flagg was streaking toward the basket on a fast break before he was fouled. Nesmith swiped at Flagg’s right shoulder, causing him to lose his balance. Flagg tried to brace his fall but landed awkwardly on his left shoulder, near where camera operators sit along the baseline.
Flagg immediately favored his left shoulder as he writhed on the floor in apparent discomfort. Trainers hustled over to tend to him for several moments. The foul incensed Mavericks players, as forward Naji Marshall confronted Nesmith and shoved him.
This led to a brief altercation as multiple players from both sides started shoving each other. Assistant coaches eventually separated the players.
PACERS-MAVS GET CHIPPY AFTER A FLAGRANT FOUL ON COOPER FLAGG 😳
The foul was eventually reviewed and elevated to a flagrant 1. Flagg would step up to the line and convert both his free throw attempts, though he was immediately subbed out.
Shortly afterward, the Mavericks ruled Flagg out for the rest of the game.
Flagg played just 17 minutes and scored 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He also collected 5 rebounds, dished out 6 assists and recorded 3 steals.
Flagg is the franchise player and No. 1 selection from the 2025 NBA Draft. Dallas is undergoing something of a rebuild, as the team builds around the 19 year old Flagg.
“Look, Nesmith is a great guy – heck of a player,” May said. “I’ve known him since he was in high school. Obviously, an unfortunate play. Hopefully Coop is fine, but obviously it’s something we wished wouldn’t have happened.”
Flagg injured the same shoulder in his rookie season.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 23: Jamal Shead #1 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball while Tre Johnson #12 of the Washington Wizards defends during the second half at Capital One Arena on October 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards went to war with the Toronto Raptors on Friday, losing a contentious 112-102 clash at Capital One Arena.
The game was played with playoff intensity from start to finish. The Wizards got a taste of the Raptors’ defense, which limited the Chicago Bulls to 92 points in their season opener.
Washington was ice-cold in the first quarter, shooting just 4-for-21 from the field and committing 7 turnovers. Free throws kept the Wiz in the game — a theme throughout the contest — as they trailed 34-21 after one.
Toronto threatened to pull away in the second quarter. The Raptors opened the period with two quick buckets to increase their lead to 17. The Wizards countered with a 13-2 run of their own, keyed by back-to-back triples from Trae Young. Deandre Ayton also stepped up in the interior with several strong rebounds leading to second-chance opportunities.
Midway through the third, it didn’t feel like Washington had played all that well. The team missed several open threes and coughed up some sloppy turnovers. Kyshawn George was also out of rhythm due to foul trouble.
In years past, the Wiz kids would probably have been down by 20 in such a scenario. But a Justin Champagnie putback got the good guys within 78-75 with under two minutes left in the quarter. Washington hung tough with Toronto through defense and a favorable whistle.
Champagnie made three straight layups, with the final two off lobs from Young. Toronto led 81-77 after three.
The Raptors kept the Wizards at arm’s length for most of the fourth quarter. Tre Johnson scored 10 of his 20 points in the final period, keeping Washington in it with some timely shot-making. But it wasn’t enough as Toronto held on for the 10-point victory.
The Wizards’ second game was not pretty by any means. However, the team showed it could at least compete with a potential contender in the East.
The Raptors’ defense and active hands stifled the Wizards at times. The home team also missed several open three-pointers that could have swung the game. Washington shot just 38.0% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc and still felt very much in the contest.
The Wizards could look like a different team when the threes start falling and when AJ Dybantsa is there to help draw more defensive attention.
Young led the way with 22 points and 12 assists. Johnson showed no hesitation off the bench, scoring 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting with four triples.
The Wizards have an immediate opportunity to get over .500 again with a game against the Chicago Bulls tomorrow night.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 23: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks takes a shot against Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics during second quarter of the Celtics Home Opener at TD Garden on October 23, 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 Knicks (0-2) traveled to Boston to face the Celtics (1-1) at TD Garden tonight. Each team was fighting for their first win of the season, and clearly pride was on the line. Through the first half, the game teetered to and fro, but the home team gained momentum in the third quarter. After falling behind by 12 in the fourth, New York fought back to a one-point deficit, but, in what felt like a postseason game, Jayson Tatum went on a heater and carried his team to victory, 107-103.
What else is there to say about Mitchell Robinson (4 PTS, 4 RBS, 22 MIN) in a green jersey? It’s a bummer. We keep it moving. Mitch had a lackluster first outing with his new team and started mediocre tonight, too. He managed to put back his own miss over OG Anunoby (20 PTS, 10 RBS, 8 AST), but two fouls sat him after three minutes.
Mitchell Robinson gets it going early against his former team ☘️
Tatum (36 PTS, 9 RBS, 7 AST) and Paul George (15 PTS, 7 RBS) got the C’s on the board to start, Karl-Anthony Towns (22 PTS, 10 RBS) and Jalen Brunson (19 PTS, 4 AST, 3 TO) scored, and we were off. Neither team impressed from deep, combining to make two of their first seven attempts, a trend that continued through the half. Unlike opening night, the whistles were fairly quiet, and the game had a better pace. The villains were pests on the glass, out-rebounding our heroes and turning five O-boards into five extra shots.
After trailing early, the guests used the free throw line to climb into the lead, and the score stayed closed from there. The ‘Bockers goosed their lead to five, and Boston clawed their way back. The bench contributed positive minutes yet again. Landry Shamet (8 PTS) checked in early to relieve a foul-carrying, blank-shooting Mikal Bridges. Also off the bench, Miles McBride (20 PTS, 6-of-8 3pt) took the floor around the six-minute mark. When he fired from the corner, TD Garden let loose a loud “Deeeuuuccceee” and were rewarded with a swish.
Late in the quarter, Anunoby was the only starter on the court, playing alongside Jose Alvarado, McBride, Shamet, and Andre Drummond. Twice we saw Alvarado wrestling a Celtic for the ball on the floor. His dogged defense helped to preserve a 27-26 lead a the break.
New York gave up five points to Luka Garza to start the second and Mike Brown needed a timeout before two minutes had passed. He replaced Andre Drummond with Karl-Anthony Towns. New York fell behind by eight before restoring their composure. At 7:30, Brunson returned to the fray and led Towns, Hart, and Jordan Clarkson led a comeback to tie the score, which was undone by buckets by Tatum and Neemiias Queta.
Robinson returned and continued to putter ineffectively for about six minutes. New Knicks reserve center, James Wiseman, made his season debut for New York with two minutes left in the half and promptly collected a loose ball foul. Fortunately, Josh Hart connected on his first triple of the night (after four tries) and followed that with an off-balance hook, but George knocked down a buzzer-beater for a 50-49 lead.
In the first half, the Knicks made just 30% from deep; Boston was a shade better at 35%. The orange-and-blue crew had taken 12 free throws to their opponent’s four, and each team had 21 boards at the break. In fact, the teams were nearly identical up and down the board. Towns topped all scorers with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Tatum had 11 points on 11 shots.
Anunoby was a bricklayer in the season opener (3-of-12 FG, 1-of-9 3PT), but his second dinger tonight, plus a cutting layup, got New York humming out of halftime. Jordan Walsh, Tatum, and Derrick White went on an 8-0 run before Brunson laced one from deep. In this game of runs, though, it seemed only a matter of time before one team hit the gas and began packing on a significant lead.
Weirdly, through two-and-a-half quarters, Queta was the only Celtic to take free throws—and just six at that. Clean defense so far by Gotham’s greatest!
Spoke too soon. Drummond gave Towns a breather at the five-minute mark and collected two infractions. After McBride picked off Queta and converted back-to-back treys, the Knicks trailed 70-69. Queta seemed hell-bent to prove his value as the Celtics’ center, hitting more free throws and a corner three to reach 12 points and pad his team’s lead. Shamet fouled on a screen, Drummond picked up a technical foul, Hart mishandled a Brunson pass, and the third frame ended with the Knicks down, 83-73.
Robinson punched back in to start the final period. He bodied Anunoby, blocked Towns, and slammed an alley-oop. The crowd went Mitch Crazy—and then the big fella committed foul number five. Back to the bench with eight-and-a-half to go. Many watching the Amazon Prime stream at home felt a shiver of déjà vu.
While the deficit reached 12, Bridges provided no offensive support. He shot 2-of-8 in the season opener and whiffed on all eight shots in Boston. He has yet to attempt a free throw this year. With production like that, we weren’t surprised when his night finished at 8:25. Meanwhile, McBride had netted 5-of-7 from deep for 23 points and counting with seven minutes remaining. That’ll bring up the team’s overall percentage!
KAT led the league with 56 double-doubles last season. With four minutes left, he grabbed his tenth board for his second double-double of the new campaign, flushed a Brunson miss, and brought the hole to three.
Hart was a shady shooter from downtown, missing five and making two—but that second one was clutch. Then KAT picked Queta’s pocket and Brunson pulled-up to make the score 99-98.
This might have been game two of the season, but it felt like Game 2 of the ECF. Tatum scored on back-to-back jumpers. OG made two freebies. The deficit was three when Tatum— who was on a heater—connected from deep with 30 seconds left. McBride hit his sixth triple at 14 seconds, but the Knicks were forced to foul and pray. Pritchard made one and missed one, and in the resulting fracas, George fouled Brunson. Cap missed a free throw with four seconds left, intentionally bricked the second, and OG missed a futile, final heave. Ballgame.
Quoth Good names all taken, “I took the over at 58. Still alive.” The season is young, the sky is not falling. After a short offseason and the usual rust, the Knicks have lost two close contests against playoff teams. Our heroes head home to host the O’Magic on Sunday, which should have a more favorable outcome. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
But his initial appearance proved to be brief. Podziemski left the game with 8:17 left in the first quarter after taking a shot from Grizzlies center Zach Edey.
Podziemski went backdoor and took a pass from Graham Ike as he went up for a layup over Edey. Podziemski scored but not without contact. Edey appeared to have struck Podziemski in the face as he was making a play on the ball. No whistle was blown and everyone played on ... except Podziemski, who stayed on the ground after the contact.
He got up and walked off the court and into the locker room on his own. Podziemski had scored four points, making both shot attempts.
He did eventually return to the bench and get back into the game.
Brandin Podziemski went to the locker room after Zach Edey appeared to hit him on the head https://t.co/uunqOyl0C4
Podziemski missed the Warriors' season opener, Wednesday's 127-105 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, due to a sore back.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters before Friday's game that Podziemski was not only available, but starting at the two-guard position.
"He had a workout this morning," Kerr said. "Went through it fine, so he'll be in the starting lineup."
Podziemski appeared in all 82 games for the Warriors last season. His availability was one of the many attributes that gave Golden State confidence before extending the 23-year-old.
The Warriors and Podziemski agreed to a five-year, $110 million rookie-scale contract extension, which includes an option for the final year in 2031–32.
Podziemski averaged career highs with Golden State last year (13.8 points per game, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals on 45% shooting). The Warriors drafted Podziemski out of Santa Clara with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 23: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the New York Knicks on October 23, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jayson Tatum saved the day for the Celtics on Friday night with two clutch buckets late in the fourth quarter.
JAYSON TATUM TOOK OVER IN THE 4TH TO BEAT THE KNICKS 😳
36 PTS and the W! https://t.co/z2SrlW47He
His 36 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists led the way as the Celtics beat the defending champion Knicks, 107-103.
The Celtics started their same five from the opener: Derrick White, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum and former Knick Mitchell Robinson. Devin Carter once again did not play for Boston. The Knicks started their championship five of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns. Every Knick was available in this one.
Robinson committed two quick fouls and had to sit 3 minutes into the game and he was replaced by Neemias Queta.
In fact, it was a hack show for the Celtics early in the game. The Knicks were in the bonus at the 7:25 mark in the first quarter.
It was an up and down start for the Celtics who trailed 27-26. Jayson Tatum led the team with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. No one else had more than one field goal in the period.
The 2nd quarter opened with two Luka Garza buckets, one off of an offensive rebound and one three-pointer to put the C’s up 4.
The Celtics defense was flying around, but offense wasn’t great in the 2nd quarter. Payton Pritchard couldn’t get it going and the Celtics had a few turnovers.
It was a low scoring 2nd quarter but a Paul George buzzer beater put the Celtics up 1 at the half, 50-49. Jayson Tatum led the team with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists while Neemias Queta had 7 points and 4 rebounds but was 2-6 from the field.
One thing the Celtics struggled with in the first half was the defensive glass. The Knicks had a 42.9% offensive rebounding rate in the first half, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The offense opened up a bit for the Celtics in the 2nd half. Back-to-back good Jayson Tatum drives put the Celtics up 7 at the 7:11 mark in the 3rd quarter.
Deuce McBride is a new Celtics killer. He had 11 points and was 3/4 from three point range off of the Knicks bench after he made an acrobatic play to save the ball and hit a three pointer.
A 13-4 run to cap the quarter gave the Celtics a 10-point lead entering the 4th quarter, 83-73. A monster third quarter from Jayson Tatum put him at 27 points and 9 rebounds to lead Boston.
Mitchell Robinson had back-to-back nice plays, first a big block on Karl-Anthony Towns and then a lob dunk on a not great pass from Derrick White. He then immediately picked up his 5th foul and had to sit.
This was a clutch game as Knicks made it a 5-point game just as 5 minutes were on the clock.
A tough Jalen Brunson shot cut the Celtics lead to 1 with 1:41 to go before Jayson Tatum hit a tough fallaway shot to put the Celtics up 3, 101-98.
Jayson Tatum took over the game late. Hitting a tough long two in the corner and a three right over the head of Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks did answer both times so the Celtics were still only up 3 as Payton Pritchard went to the line.
He went 1/2, put the Celtics up 4 and the Knicks didn’t score the rest of the way.
mood at the end of the game. https://t.co/sHDz8Va5vC
The story was Tatum but there were contributions everywhere. Both Paul George and Neemias Queta had 15 points and the Celtics defense was awesome.
Boston shot 46% from the field and 39% from three while the Knicks shot 44% from the field and 40% from three. The Celtics next game is Monday at 7:30 pm EST from TD Garden against the Chicago Bulls.
That’s where Kerr took issue with the rookie running his mouth.
Golden State Warriors guard Yaxel Lendeborg defends against Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Getty Images
“Who the eff cares?” Kerr said of the one-on-one matchup. “He did a good job on Luka 1-on-1, but we got torched by Luka as a team. I don’t care. … It’s like, they scored 120 on us. That stuff’s all bulls–t. It’s our defense. He knows that. I talked to him the other day. Our defense was not good regardless of him individually when he guarded the ball.”
Lendeborg finished with 12 points, four personal fouls and one technical in 29 minutes. He has another emotionally charged matchup Friday in the Warriors’ home opener against the Grizzlies.
It will be the first NBA showdown between Lendeborg and the No. 3 overall pick out of Duke, Cameron Boozer, which the Michigan man drafted eight slots later said he circled on his calendar. But Kerr wasn’t too concerned about the rookie’s mindset.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr calls a play during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Getty Images
He had more concrete feedback from Lendeborg’s NBA debut.
“He’s a little bit of a coaster,” Kerr said. “I want to see him run the floor harder. I think that will open up a lot of opportunities. He’s so skilled and big that if we get him to run the court — both ways — a little harder, a little faster, he’s going to end up finding the ball more and be more of a threat.”
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Kerr agreed with Steph Curry that Lendeborg will have to back up his talking with his play on the court. He won’t have to wait long before he sees Doncic again.
The Lakers visit Chase Center next Friday, and Lendeborg is sure to have a target on his back.
“I love the young guy. He’s really talented. I love his competitiveness,” Kerr said. “Like I said, I didn’t mind the stuff the other day. But as Steph said, you’ve got to back it up. That’s the thing.
“We play the Lakers again next week, so, OK, here you go.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 08: Anthony Davis #23 of the Washington Wizards reacts during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Chicago Bulls tomorrow. Let’s go.
Game Info
When: Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: United Center
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network
Injury Report
Wizards: Jamir Watkins and Tristan Vukcevic are out. AJ Dybantsa is day to day.
Bulls: Nic Claxton is out.
What to watch for
The Wizards are about to go on their first road trip where they will be out for three straight games. They began their first game of the season last Wednesday against the same Raptors team Washington is hosting and lost 135-92. Today, they played the Milwaukee Bucks and won 132-25.
Tomorrow should be winnable despite the loss to the Raptors tonight, but the Bulls will be pumped of their own home opener.
Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) looks for an opening as Charlotte Hornets guard Christian Anderson (5) defends during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at Barclays Center in New York. The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Brooklyn Nets.
But the former Louisville stars won’t share the court for much — if any — time Saturday night in Cleveland.
The minutes restriction placed on the No. 6 overall pick in his NBA debut will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.
“It’s how it is until we change it, and right now we know the sample size is going to be way bigger,” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said after Friday’s practice. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, one game, he’s good to go.’ … I mean, if you guys think about it, he played [21 games last season]. This season is 82, right? Is he gonna play all 82? No.
Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) looks for an opening as Charlotte Hornets guard Christian Anderson (5) defends during the fourth quarter on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at Barclays Center in New York. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
“We feel like he can take steps. Obviously, at some point he’ll be able to play more games and be able to play back to backs, but it’s not right now or anytime soon.”
Brown — who could sit against the Cavaliers or for Sunday’s home game against the Pacers — missed the Nets’ first three preseason games with an ankle injury. The 20-year-old was then limited to 18 minutes in the preseason finale and just under 20 minutes in the season-opening loss to the Hornets, in which he finished with six points, three rebounds and three assists while shooting 2 of 8 from the field.
In his lone season at Louisville, Brown missed 14 games due to a lower back injury, but Brooklyn felt comfortable enough with his recovery to make the 6-foot-4 guard the franchise’s highest draft pick in 16 years.
“We’re gonna build him to be healthy and to be a strong NBA player,” Fernández said. “We have a plan for him. Obviously, we’re not gonna disclose every step of the way, but the No. 1 thing is to build him up and build up his body to be able to sustain the minutes that can help the team win games.”
Louisville was 16-3 with Brown in the lineup before he suffered the back injury that sidelined him for the postseason. He scored 29 points in his third college game in a win over rival Kentucky. He tied a school record and set an ACC freshman single-game record with 45 points in February.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez speaks with Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. during the fourth quarter of on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
The need for Brown’s explosiveness was evident in Game 1 in Brooklyn, when the Nets had only two double-digit scorers (Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr.).
But patience is required.
His ceiling won’t be seen anytime soon.
“I’m really excited for Mikel to continue to grow and play and get more minutes and be out there with us,” Porter Jr. said. “There’s been practices where he’s completely dominated, played with the second group and won the day because he was killing it. He has so many tools to be elite offensively and defensively in the future.
“But offensively, for sure he’s a high-level scorer, he’s a high-level shotmaker, he can get others involved, so there’s not a lot of weakness in his game. As he gets more minutes, it’ll slow down for him. He has a very bright future. He has already shown that.”
A team that has had abysmal injury luck with its best players, the Magic may have another issue on their hands. Star forward Paolo Banchero left Orlando’s game Friday, Oct. 23 against the Minnesota Timberwolves with an ankle issue; the team later declared him doubtful to return with a sore right ankle designation.
Banchero tweaked his ankle early in the third quarter, prompting him to get subbed out and head to the locker room. The issue appeared to happen after he and Magic guard Jalen Suggs were going for a rebound. Banchero landed awkwardly and immediately grabbed his ankle as he fell to the floor.
The positive news was that Banchero not only returned to the bench, but also returned to action.
Yet, Banchero was subbed out at the start of the fourth quarter, which might be precautionary, as the Magic were getting blown out and down by 26 points at the time.
Both Banchero and fellow Magic forward Franz Wagner had injury issues over the past two seasons. During the 2024-25 campaign, an oblique injury limited Banchero to only 46 games. Wagner battled a similar injury the same season and played only 60 games that year; last season, he played just 34.
Banchero scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting Friday night, adding 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal.
