Category: NBA

Bell Ringer Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 3.5
Joel Embiid – 1
LeBron James – 1
Anfernee Simons – 1
Jaylen Brown – 0.5

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The Philadelphia 76ers had all five starters score in double-digits and three score more than 20 points in a 126-107 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

The Sixers were almost completely healthy for this one, with the only absences being Dominick Barlow (back) and Ariel Hukporti, who is out for the season. Taking on a struggling Bulls squad that came into Monday 1-5 on the season, they had a golden opportunity to get a comfortable win and maybe even get the starters some rest if they could put it to bed early.

Of course, it can never be too easy. After letting Chicago hang close in the first half, the Sixers finally started to put a little distance between them going into the final frame leading by 11. Philadelphia couldn’t seem to fully shake loose until late in the fourth when they extended their lead to 20 with two minutes to play. It would have been nice to gain steadier footing early to get the starters some rest before that point, but I guess we can’t be too greedy talking about a now 7-1 team.

Next up, the Sixerswill hit the road for three games, the first of which will take them to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Wednesday night.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. It was a widespread effort, so we have a few options!

VJ Edgecombe: 21 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

To anyone who says that VJ Edgecombe can’t thrive in this Sixers’ lineup, please watch the first quarter of tonight’s game. It was the perfect example of a simple but effective synergy between the sophomore and his new-look squad — VJ fully utilizing his speed in transition to get out ahead with LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey getting their heads up to nail impressive passes to him in stride. Edgecombe took full advantage, shooting 5-for-5 from the floor (1-for-1 from long range) for a floor-leading 11 points in the first frame. And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. LeBron hit another cross-court dime to a pushing Edgecombe to help the boy from Bimini to 15 points on 7-for-7 field goal shooting by halftime.

This is why I never worried about Edgecombe’s development in this lineup. Sure, there’s only one ball… but when you have passers like James (and Maxey, though to a lesser extent) around you, there will always be opportunities for a speedy, athletic player that is constantly in motion off the ball. Tonight was the perfect example of how he can become borderline uncoverable. And if you move (and finish) like Edgecombe did tonight, one can imagine those opportunities will only become more plentiful as the Sixers continue to solidify their chemistry offensively.

Edgecombe finished Monday night with 21 points on 9-for-12 field goal, 2-for-4 three-point shooting. He also had three rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.

A stellar offensive night for VJ Edgecombe, who absolutely flourished utilizing what he does best: speedy, off-ball movement.

21 PTS (9-12 FG, 2-4 3PT), 3 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

Here's every bucket from VJ tonight 👇 pic.twitter.com/dFEwacWmjR

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 3, 2026

LeBron James: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal

LeBron James hit not only one but several passes in this game that I watched on repeat. And he made them look easy. I’m talking multiple full-court bounce passes that hit blazing fast players like VJ Edgecombe perfectly in stride and a number of perfectly timed dimes in the half-court offense working off double (or even triple) teams. I’ll be honest, I didn’t watch LeBron play night in and night out before he came to Philadelphia… it is an absolute treat to watch the plays he makes for his teammates every single game, with the correct passes at the correct time to the correct players to make the most of each moment. By the time an opponent’s shot is in the air, James is already positioning himself to grab the rebound and to be able to make a quick, accurate pass ahead.

It sounds like I’m overstating things, but I genuinely don’t think it can be overstated what a facilitator he’s been to start this season.

In addition to his nine dimes, LeBron found the time to sink some buckets of his own, chipping in 15 on 6-for-13 field goal shooting. He also pulled in seven rebounds and had a steal. His first triple-double as a Sixer still eludes him for now, but something tells me it won’t be too long…

I sound like a broken record tonight but watching the playmaking of LeBron James with the Sixers has been incredible. His first Philly triple-double still eludes him, but something tells me it won't be long.

15 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL
Here's his best dishes of the night 🔽 pic.twitter.com/RKTBCtZYYF

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 3, 2026

Tyrese Maxey: 26 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Philadelphia rained down MVP chants for Tyrese Maxey when he went to the line at one point tonight… and frankly, they’re not crazy. Well, maybe they are, but not for this! Maxey continues to be an absolute baller to start this season, and notably it’s coming in different ways and on both ends of the floor. Not only has Maxey’s defense been incredibly impressive these first eight games… and not only has he been an absolute scoring powerhouse at times… but he’s also taking some clear queues from LeBron James and hitting some monster passes as well.

With such a widespread scoring effort tonight, it didn’t have to be all on Maxey’s shoulders to chip in 40 points. But even without the overwhelming point total tonight (not that 26 is anything to be ashamed of), it’s amazing just how many of the Sixers’ points Maxey played a large part in, whether he scored them, assisted on them, or came up with the defensive play that led to them. First, he got his team going early. Then, he was scoring in bunches himself by the fourth.

Maybe the MVP chants are right…

Maxey finished Monday with a 26-point, 11-assist double-double. He shot 10-for-15 from the floor. He also had four rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Maxey is poetry in motion🕺 pic.twitter.com/uN17T7Kdxu

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2026

Jaylen Brown: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal

It was another night of Jaylen Brown just being Jaylen Brown. I’m sounding like a broken record across these Bell Ringers, but it’s incredible how much Brown contributes each game in a somewhat quiet manner. It’s not the high-flying dunks of VJ Edgecombe or the cross-court passes of LeBron James. It’s not always one big spurt of scoring where Brown puts the Sixers on his back for a few minutes. It’s just simple, constant contribution when he’s on the floor, on both ends of the floor. You hear his name called by Matt Cord in the arena so often you almost stop hearing it. He just balls. Tonight, it was 25 points on stellar shooting, 9-for-15 field goal and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, spread out pretty evenly throughout the entirety of the game. This level of performance has seemingly already become the accepted, unceremonious norm from Brown on the Sixers… and that’s something worth taking note of.

Brown finished the night with a 25-points, 11-rebounds (5 offensive) double-double with 5 assists and 1 steal. He hit four triples, two of which game back-to-back late in the game which really felt like the dagger in this one (finally).

Jaylen Brown is up to 25 points following this beautiful handle and three over Buzelis pic.twitter.com/rG3uFJoPrJ

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2026

After a grueling week that included five games in seven nights and two back-to-backs, the Timberwolves got back to a normal scheduling rhythm as they kicked off the week against the Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota took down Milwaukee in a preseason matchup as the Bucks have continued to try to find themselves in their post-Giannis era. They’ve had a lot of difficulty starting the season, including losing their last two games by 20+ points.

An already depleted Timberwolves roster was down another rotation player in Terrence Shannon Jr., due to a hip contusion, as the injury bug has found its way to the Twin Cities. The border battle clash always provides a little extra fuel, even when the teams are in opposing conferences.

LaMelo Ball, looking frustrated from his recent struggles, came out flame-throwing as the Bucks played drop and allowed him free rein to shoot behind physical Rudy Gobert screens. Ball drove the offense, hitting nothing but nylon on the majority of his shots. He drove the offense for the beginning of the game.

After a half-hearted defensive stretch led to some Bucks triples, Jaylen Clark and Joan Beringer came in and slammed the door. Minnesota kept the defensive intensity up but struggled to put the ball in the hoop after Ball went to the bench, but they maintained a 29-18 advantage after the first 12 minutes.

11 PTS in five minutes for Melo. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7CRuCOBJRq

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 3, 2026

LaMelo Ball continued to drive the offense as he scored half of their first-half points while being aggressive in looking for his shot. Sloppy rebounding allowed Milwaukee to get back into the game as they closed the gap throughout the quarter.

There were a few stretches where Minnesota lost focus, and it allowed the Bucks to crawl their way back. The sloppiness persisted, and Tyler Herro hit back-to-back threes to close the second as the Bucks sliced into the double-digit Timberwolves advantage and cut the lead to one point.

The Bucks killed the Timberwolves on the glass and created second-chance points. They led that category 16 to 5 at the half.

LaMelo Ball scored 24 points while Jaden McDaniels trailed far behind as the next highest scorer with seven points. Dosunmu filled up the stat sheet in the other categories with seven rebounds and five assists.

Halftime: Wolves 48, Bucks 47

LaMelo Ball is having his best shooting display in a Wolves uniform, and it is bailing out a horrid team performance for Minnesota. Ball has 24 points on 9 of 15 shooting. No other Wolf has more than 7 points. Minnesota loses the frame 29-19.

— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) November 3, 2026

Jaden McDaniels started the quarter off on the wrong foot as he got two fouls in the first 20 seconds of the third that sent him to the bench. Ayo Dosunmu took the baton from LaMelo Ball to start the quarter as he was bowling his way to the rim and finishing with feather-like touch. Tyler Herro matched that output as he stayed hot from his close to the second quarter, as the Timberwolves offense sputtered on the other end. The Bucks were getting too easy of looks as the game went back and forth during the period. Trey Lyles also left his mark, scoring 10 points in the third quarter.

It was a close start to the 4th quarter before Joan Beringer and Jaylen Clark gave the Timberwolves a shot in the arm. The Bucks were on a cold streak that Minnesota couldn’t seem to shake for much of the game before this point. Those two helped to get some separation and grew the lead to double digits.

Milwaukee decided that they couldn’t score with Rudy Gobert out there, nor were they able to stop the Timberwolves’ offense, so they deployed the hack-a-Rudy strategy. That somewhat worked for them, as they were able to get Gobert out of the game, but Minnesota battened down the hatches and knocked down a few triples to close out the game for a 112-100 victory.

😱😱😱😱😱😱 https://t.co/JCEiuzsZGEpic.twitter.com/tbUbgGn7z2

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 3, 2026

LaMelo Ball’s Aggressiveness

The Timberwolves themselves were reeling after the Anthony Edwards injury as they did not know who was next up in the team’s hierarchy. There were multiple quotes that emphasized this sentiment, but it was always clear who would need to step up with their pack leader sidelined: LaMelo Ball.

Ball struggled initially taking the reins of the team that needed him to have his playmaking take a step back so his shooting could take the shine. He struck that balance in this one. He came out of the gates against the Bucks scorching hot, and kept the pedal down for the entire game.

LaMelo had half of the team’s points at halftime and found ways to get his shot off while also finding ways to beat his man off the dribble and take it all the way to the basket. He scored 34 points on 12/21 shooting while adding a 6/13 day from beyond the arc. The fouls almost caught up to him in the second half, but his shooting aggressiveness is exactly what this offense needed.

LAMELO HIT 3 TRIPLES IN THE FIRST 5 MINUTES 🔥

11 PTS (4-5 FGM) early in Q1! pic.twitter.com/uN46IydJH5

— NBA (@NBA) November 3, 2026

Ayo Dosunmu’s Utility Duties

Ayo Dosunmu is a jack of all trades while being a master at diving at the rim and finishing with a soft touch. While LaMelo was focused on putting the ball in the hoop in this one, Ayo took his role as a facilitator, setting up his fellow Wolves with easy looks all around.

He scored 19 points, added 12 rebounds and 8 assists in a stat-sheet-stuffing night. He is the king of scaling his game up and down to fit whatever the team needs, and did that in the third quarter tonight. When LaMelo was struggling to get going, and the Bucks were fighting back, he calmly took the ball and used his patented straight-line driving and love tapping off the glass to stem the Milwaukee tide.

He is a key part of the Ant-less Timberwolves, and more games where he finds himself all over the court will do the Timberwolves well in this stretch.

Ayo Dosunmu stares down Tyler Herro pic.twitter.com/FophIcb7sq

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) November 3, 2026

Up Next

The Timberwolves travel south for a matchup against the rugged Houston Rockets (6-1). That game can be streamed on DAZN at 7:30 pm CST.

Game Highlights

The Sacramento Kings are no longer winless. For the first time this season, Sacramento will light the beam.

The Kings earned their first victory of the 2026-27 regular-season after defeating the Dallas Mavericks, 115-100, at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas, on Monday, Nov. 2.

Sacramento entered the game against the Mavericks desperate for a win as panic was soon mounting for the team in California's capital.

Darius Acuff Jr. powers Kings to first win

Rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. continues to be their high-volume shot taker, and maker. Acuff tallied a game-high 25 points against Dallas, shooting 10-of-21 from the field with five rebounds and six assists. The rookie had five total turnovers in the game. Zach LaVine added 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting.

The difference in the game was the second unit led by Malik Monk, who had been working his way back from an ankle injury. Monk's ankle seemed OK in the win against the Mavericks. Monk scored 24 points and seven assists off the bench for Sacramento. He was a plus-27 in the game. A major standout though was Leaky Black with 12 points, going 4-of-6 on 3-point field goals, adding four steals.

The Kings were dialed in offensively connecting on 44% on 3-point attempts, while shooting 52% from the field. But defensively, the Kings had put a lid on the Phoenix's basket. The Suns were held to 21% from 3-point distance. They shot 41% as a team.

Sacramento was locked in on the Mavericks' second-year star Cooper Flagg, who scored 17 points on 3-of-19 from the field. Walter Clayton Jr. provided energy for Dallas scoring 20 points off the bench.

The Kings end their road trip on a high note as they get on a flight to get back to California. Sacramento hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sacramento Kings get first win of the season, Darius Acuff Jr. scores 25

Behind its dogged dedication on both ends in the first and third periods, San Antonio ran its undefeated streak to five with a 119-97 win over Utah. After conducting a well-played first 12 minutes with balanced contributions, San Antonio held on to that advantage while fending off an extended Jazz run over much of the second quarter. The Spurs then left no doubt after that, as their starters ran the Jazz off the floor in a 35-20 third period.

Dylan Harper (17 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the way for San Antonio (5-2) with seven players (and all starters) getting into double figures. Western Conference Player of the Week Victor Wembanyama (12 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks) seemed content to ride shotgun, as Devin Vassell (11 points) carried the offense over many of the team’s second quarter minutes, while newly 22-year-old Stephon Castle (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and De’Aaron Fox (12 points and 3 assists in foul-limited minutes) helped their fellow guards outshine their less experienced Jazz counterparts. Keldon Johnson (15 points and 7 rebounds) was forceful and effective off the bench.

Lauri Markkanen (22 points and 8 rebounds) carried the offense in comparison to Utah’s (1-6) callow execution throughout the evening. Jaxson Hayes (9 points and 5 rebounds) and Mo Bamba (8 points and 8 rebounds) provided moments of punch before the Jazz succumbed to the superior Spurs.

All five starters shared well in scoring the team’s first 14 points, and the Spurs collectively went up ten early on a sluggish Jazz squad. Utah scores came sparingly throughout the opening frame and their two recent rookie selections combined to go 0-for-8. The Spurs’ team defense proved adept both at guiding dribble-drives into the corners away from the rim and crowding the airspace around shooters. San Antonio got in its own way by missing a handful of free throws. All of the impressive two-way execution also was dragged out over a series of referee stoppages throughout the first and yet, the Spurs still left it up 11.

Markkanen found his shooting touch to start the second and helped bring Utah’s deficit into single digits. Despite their unrelenting effort to catch and surpass San Antonio, the hosts persevered through many tough minutes throughout the quarter. Vassell and Harper’s exploits kept the Spurs afloat, while well-traveled veterans Josh Okogie and Mo Bamba bolstered Markkenen’s production. After Wembanyama’s tip dunk midway through the second, the non-Wembanyamas fended off Utah 22-15 to make it a 59-49 game at the half.

San Antonio came out of the break intent to prevent any further Utah runs with its trio of Castle, Fox, and Harper doing the bulk of the damage to inflate its lead throughout the third as high as 22. The Spurs, in particular, negated any further support outside of Markkanen in a 35-20 quarter.

Observations

• “Momma There Go Those Young Men” Sequence: Putting the finishing touches on a San Antonio push over the middle part of the third, Harper nabbed a crosscourt pass, and looked destined to glide in for a lay-up before he lobbed a feather to Castle for a tomahawk jam.
• Tarris Reed, Jr. (lithe AND bruising big man) playing time: 3 points and SEVEN rebounds in SEVEN minutes of action!
• Wembanyama played nearly 15 feet off of Jaxson Hayes during the initial possession as the Utah center floated outside the paint.
• Utah was content to cede Wembanyama the free throw line extended for a good chunk of his first half shot diet to moderate success.
• San Antonio’s wings helped offset Utah’s frontline size in the first half by hitting the defensive boards in droves.
• Aside from a quick shooting stroke, there wasn’t much that stood out about Peterson. He looked like early-career Buddy Hield out there.
• A tussle between Brice Sensabaugh and Harrison Barnes (13 points) was likely not on anyone’s scorecard tonight.
• Kornet looks heavy-footed when he’s going from baseline-to-baseline, but he’s playing that dunker spot fairly well.
• Sequence of the Game #1: Three-plus minutes in, Wembanyama snagged an errant Jazz miss and, instead of bringing it up himself, floated a 60 foot pass gently into Fox’s ready hands for a transition lay-up.
• Sequence of the Game #2: Late in the first half, Luke Kornet altered a George three attempt and, moments later, Fox rewarded the center by feeding him for a reverse lay-up at the other end.
• Sequence of the Game #3: As part of an opening 10-4 to start the second half, Wembanyama swatted away a George floater, came to a jumpstop short of the paint, and found a streaking Harper for a soaring slam. On the next possession, Harper snared what seemed like a sure turnover on a Wembanyama pass, faked a pass back to his big man, and lofted a floater gently into the net.

Game Rundown

Peterson poorly closed out on a Vassell (pronounced by the crew chief as “VASS-ull”) corner three and was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul and the Spur guard netted three points from the line. Fox ‘s straightaway three and Wembanyama’s banker put the Spurs up six. Utah’s rookie again figured in a referee-involved situation as a shooting foul committed by Castle on Peterson was challenged and overruled. Harper converted a transition lay-up to make it 18-4, and the ensuing foul put Utah in the foul bonus halfway through the stanza. George’s second basket came 8+ minutes into the quarter. Will Hardy challenged a Utah foul on a Fox attempt and won it, and Markkanen got the Jazz into double digits 10 minutes in. San Antonio held Utah to its lowest quarterly output of the young season and led 27-16 after one.

Markkanen’s pair catch-and-shoot threes at the start of the second quickly brought the Jazz within five. Fox picked up his third foul 50 seconds in. Harper found Johnson crosscourt for an open three and followed that with a triple of his own. Vassell rescued a stalled-out sequence with a late clock jumper. A transition three from Bailey brought Utah within one and their increased aggression drew San Antonio into the foul bonus halfway through the second. Kornet got his first block on a George three, scored a reverse lay-up at the other end, and then set-up Castle for a three to prevent the Jazz from taking the lead. San Antonio built back up its cushion culminating with Johnson’s timely pair of lay-ups. Despite Utah’s opening push, the Spurs ended the half having lost only one point from their first quarter differential.

Harper and Fox dual-wielded their impressive scoring abilities deep in the paint to start the third, and San Antonio got the lead briefly back up to 16. Coach Johnson called a Pop-like timeout after George scored mere seconds after a Castle make. Markkanen’s fourth three stopped the Spurs’ momentum briefly. Julian Champagnie missed a straightaway three, secured the miss, and knocked down the next try to push the San Antonio lead to 17. A pair of tips from Markkanen was not nearly enough to dent San Antonio’s offensive onslaught. Wembanyama sandwiched a driving lay-up and a lob dunk around a block to make it 94-69 going into the fourth.

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For the Jazz fan’s perspective, please visit SLC Dunk.

San Antonio hosts Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night on ESPN at 8:30 PM CDT.

The Houston Rockets hosted the Boston Celtics on a second night of a back-to-back, Monday night. Boston kept things close in the first half, but eventually ran out of gas in Houston. Alperen Sengun led all scorers with 26 points, Jayson Tatum had 19 points and Neemias Queta 16 points for Boston. Boston moved to 5 and 2 on the season, and Houston led the Western Conference with seven wins.

Boston rested veteran Paul George for the night after a nice road win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez got the starting nod alongside Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta for Boston. The Houston Rockets started the game with Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr, and Alperen Sengun.

The full-strength Houston Rockets got off to a good start with five points to start the game. Amen Thompson was aggressive attacking the basket for six quick points. Kevin Durant had a pair of turn-around jumpers to start the game for the home team.

Jayson Tatum was looking to get others involved; fresh off his Eastern Conference player of the week award, he had 2 assists at the six-minute mark. Baylor Scheierman had five points to start the game before he took a seat on the bench.

Mitchell Robinson, Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard were first off the bench for Boston. Robinson would go to the locker room late in the first quarter with a thumb sprain after only playing a few minutes. Tari Eason hit 2 threes off the bench for Houston as they took an early ten-point lead and looked in control.

Boston missed 32 of 44 3-pointers in Orlando last night, and they continued to struggle shooting the ball to start the game with just 1-9 from downtown. Luka Garza got into the game and had a big impact on the scoreboard, hitting two straight triples in just three minutes of play. Boston had tied the game after a quarter of play, 29-29.

Mike Conley started the second quarter in his second game of the year for his new team; he hit a three-pointer before going back to the bench in a very short stint of play.

The Houston Rockets outscored the Celtics by seven points in the second quarter as Jayson Tatum got a rest after playing the first 12 minutes of the game. Alperen Sengun paced the Rockets with twelve points in the half on 6 of 8 shooting from the field, doing most of his damage in the paint.

Luka Garza hit his third 3-pointer of the game from the corner on a wide open attempt, he had 9 points at the half in just eight minutes of play. Mitchell Robinson returned to the court halfway through the second quarter with a strapped hand. The big man peeled off a screen to dunk home a two-hander off a beautiful Jayson Tatum lob pass.

Payton Pritchard was scoreless for 14 minutes of the game before he finally scored from the foul line. The Celtics had 6 turnovers at the half; shooting just 42% from the field and going just 7 of 22 from three. Jayson Tatum led the C’s with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, all 11 players had scored for Boston at the half.

The Boston Celtics started the second half with a pair of big men, Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson against the taller Rockets squad. The lineup switch paid off, as Neemias Queta was rolling for Boston with 7 straight points; he hit a rare corner triple and got a pair of tip-ins to start the quarter.

Jayson Tatum and Mitchell Robinson connected on a second thunderous lob of the night as Boston cut Houston’s lead back to one point. Hugo Gonzalez had a breakaway layup attempt blocked by Alperen Sengun on the chase down. Jabari Smith Jr. went down the other end and drilled a three-pointer as Houston went up by 7 points.

Payton Pritchard had a chance to cut Houston’s lead to 2 points, but he missed a wide-open three-pointer. The shooting woes continued for Boston; Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Pritchard were a combined 0-11 from three after 3 quarters of play. Houston took a 9-point lead into the fourth quarter, 73-82 at the end of three.

Marcus Smart flopped on two straight plays to start the fourth quarter, Payton Pritchard converted on just 1 of 2 free throws. Marcus Smart hit a pair of triples, Reed Shepard hit his first points of the game as Joe Mazzulla called a timeout to discuss things, Houston were up 93-79.

Derrick White finally connected on his first 3-pointer of the night, after 26 minutes of game time. Boston ran of legs in this one, Houston’s swarming defenders taking their toll on the second night of a back-to-back. Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell got into the game for the final two minutes as Joe Mazzulla waved the white flag in H-Town.

Boston have a day off before next hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday at 7:30 pm EST at TD Garden.

The Dallas Mavericks (4-3) fell to the Sacramento Kings (1-6), 115-100, in a Monday night matchup at the American Airlines Center. The game against the previously winless Kings followed the Mavericks’ Friday night win in Game 1 of NBA Cup group play. Dallas was unable to overcome night in the freezer on offense against a Kings team that was desperately seeking its first win on Monday.

Kyrie Irving was ruled out early Monday evening due to left knee injury management. Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberovic, Sergio de Larrea, and Dereck Lively were also out for the Mavericks. Keegan Murray, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell were the notable players absent from the Kings.

Walter Clayton Jr. and Daniel Gafford led the Mavericks with 20 points apiece. Darius Acuff led all scorers with 25 points for the Kings.

Mavericks head coach Dusty May decided to go with a no-guard starting lineup, inserting Caleb Martin into the first five with Irving’s absence. The game started slowly for both teams, with both squads struggling to get their offense going in the first quarter. Dallas played 10 of the first 12 minutes of the first quarter without a point guard in the lineup, and the offense struggled as a result. The Mavericks finished the first period down 19-18 in a game that was quickly devolving into a snooze fest.

The Mavericks entered the second quarter more inspired, finally getting shots to fall behind Daniel Gafford shots at the rim. Once Cooper Flagg got going, the Mavericks gave themselves a little breathing room from the Kings. Walter Clayton gave Dallas the offensive boost it needed in the second period, but the Mavericks were unable to string together enough stops to separate themselves from the Kings.

Morez Johnson Jr. was a bright spot in this quarter for the Mavericks, playing aggressively on the glass and imposing his strength, getting to the foul line on three occasions. Sacramento punched back behind a string of buckets from Malik Monk, and the Mavericks walked into the intermission with the same deficit they faced after the first quarter, down 54-53.

Clayton started the second half for the Mavericks after it was announced that Max Christie would not be returning to the game due to a hip injury. Dallas entered the third quarter as slowly as they played the first half, struggling to get the offense going in any capacity. The Mavericks continued to try to claw their way out of the hole they found themselves in, but entered the final quarter down 81-74.

Dallas continued to struggle throughout the fourth quarter, with Clayton being the only Maverick to see shots fall late. Darius Acuff and Malik Monk continued to take advantage of the Mavericks’ defensive missteps, completely shifting the momentum in the Kings’ favor. The Mavericks were ultimately unable to dig themselves out of the deficit they faced all game, falling 115-100.

Here are three takeaways from tonight’s loss.

Dallas’ offensive woes

When it was announced that Irving would be out for tonight’s matchup, concerns arose regarding how the Mavericks offense would operate in his absence. Naji Marshall struggled in his return tonight after missing the last three games due to an illness. Christie continued to make no impact before leaving the game with that hip injury. The Mavs tried to shoot themselves out of their offensive struggles, to no success, finishing 7-of-33 from behind the arc.

The Mavericks are going to need more from guys like Marshall and PJ Washington when Irving is out, or they will continue to struggle in games where Dallas decides to rest Irving. Clayton stepped up when the Mavericks needed offensive contributions, but the Mavericks cannot depend on a two-way player every night.

“Shots weren’t falling, and it kind of got in our head,” Gafford said in a televised portion of his postgame press conference. “They wanted it more than we did. The energy was a little low.”

Morez Johnson Jr.

Morez Johnson Jr. set a career-high in points tonight, with 13 points, and added two rebounds. Johnson was a bright spot in tonight’s game, holding his own against Domantas Sabonis and Precious Achiuwa. He played physically, grabbing two offensive rebounds to lead to extra possessions for the Mavericks. He was also able to exert his strength to get to the foul line, though he shot 3-of-6 from the charity stripe. The ninth pick in the 2026 NBA Draft played more comfortably tonight and kept his foul count low again tonight, a pain point for him in the first several games for the Mavericks. Coach May gave insight into how he has coached Johnson before tonight’s game.

Dusty May on how he’s coached Morez Johnson Jr early in his career:

“Just focus on what he needs to do to play better. Whether guys play in five minutes or 35 minutes, it's the same thing. How do you maximize each possession? How do you layer all of these experiences and stay…

— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports) November 3, 2026

Johnson highlighted this tonight, fighting on the glass and playing physically in the paint. Johnson will grow as a player if he continues to do the little things like he did tonight.

Not a Cooper Flagg performance to remember

Cooper Flagg struggled against the Kings following his 33-point performance against the Rockets on Friday. He finished with 17 points on 3-of-19 from the field. Flagg struggled to take over offensively in Irving’s absence. He was able to get to the free-throw line at a high volume, but failed to see his shots fall all night long. Luckily, this will be one of the worst performances we see from him. Dallas was unable to provide any contributions behind Flagg, putting this one out of reach for the Mavericks.

Up next

The Mavericks are back in action Wednesday night as they travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs. Catch the action at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

The Atlanta Hawks escaped with a 108–104 victory over an Indiana Pacers team with just six available players Monday, surviving a late rally behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 34 points.

Alexander-Walker connected on nine of his 15 three-point attempts. CJ McCollum finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, while Onyeka Okongwu contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta made 15 three-pointers before halftime, tying the franchise record for any half. However, its hot shooting gave way to a stagnant offense after the break, allowing the depleted Pacers to fight their way back.

The Hawks were also missing key players, with Jalen Johnson sidelined by a left ankle sprain and Kingston Flemings serving a one-game suspension. Still, against an Indiana team operating with such limited personnel, Atlanta made the finish considerably harder than it needed to be.

The opening quarter offered little indication of those later struggles. Atlanta shot 60 percent from the field and 70 percent from three-point range, establishing an early offensive rhythm.

Rookie Zuby Ejiofor also made his regular-season debut, connecting from beyond the arc for his first NBA basket.

The Hawks maintained control through the second quarter, although Indiana showed the persistence that kept it competitive throughout the night. An 11–2 Pacers run cut the deficit to single digits, but Atlanta continued making perimeter shots to finish its record-tying half.

After halftime, those shots stopped falling as consistently. Atlanta led by as many as 15 points, but Indiana put together a 7–0 third-quarter run to help trim the deficit to five.

The Hawks’ ball movement stalled, leaving them with stagnant possessions against a more active Pacers defense. Indiana outscored Atlanta 23–19 in the quarter, setting up a competitive finish.

Atlanta continued leaving the door open in the fourth. Fouls gave the Pacers opportunities at the free-throw line, while a late 9–0 Indiana run made it a one-possession game.

The Hawks ultimately held on, but the result did little to erase concerns about their second-half execution. Alexander-Walker’s shooting and McCollum’s playmaking helped secure the victory, yet Atlanta struggled to sustain the offensive flow needed to put away its opponent.

Indiana deserves credit for its effort. Despite having only six players available, the Pacers continued competing, increased their defensive pressure and gave themselves a chance to win late.

For Atlanta, the victory was welcome, but the performance left plenty to address. A record-tying shooting half should have provided the foundation for a more controlled finish. Instead, the Hawks needed to survive a final push from a severely shorthanded opponent.

The Hawks next face the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, hoping to have Jalen Johnson and Jock Landale back in the lineup.

The Cleveland Cavaliers missed an opportunity against an injury-riddled Oklahoma City Thunder in their 117-112 loss.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Evan Mobley

16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals

Kenny Atkinson said before the game that OKC’s defense would swarm the paint and make it difficult to feed the Cleveland bigs. He was right, as Mobley was forced out of the paint for the first three quarters and took roughly half of his shots from the perimeter.

It wasn’t until the fourth that Mobley was able to consistently assert himself in the paint. The Cavs found him on the roll multiple times, as he either converted at the rim or earned trips to the free-throw line. It wasn’t enough, but it was a quality adjustment that’s worth noting.

Grade: B

Grades

Donovan Mitchell

17 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 turnovers

Mitchell struggled with his shot but worked his way to 11 assists by zipping the ball around the floor and being a willing passer. He looked particularly spry in the first quarter, wheeling and dealing without the threat of OKC’s usual perimeter defense.

The added playmaking was great and deserves to be mentioned. But, at the end of the day, the Cavs needed more than just 17 points on 17 shots.

Grade: B

James Harden

14 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover

Harden has settled into a groove in recent games. His turnovers are down, and his efficiency is on the rise. He shot 5-for-10 from the floor and generated advantages for his teammates throughout the night.

However, Harden’s off-ball defense continues to be a weak point for Cleveland. And, the Cavs would like to see him score at a higher rate, especially when most of the team is struggling to shoot from downtown.

Grade: C+

Meleek Thomas

17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Thomas started tonight for Peyton Watson, marking the rookie’s first-ever start. He was beat on a handful of backdoor cuts, but held his own in isolation and was a positive influence on Cleveland’s offense. Thomas never stops running around the perimeter, and that activity, when packaged with his three-point shooting, helps to grease the wheels of any given possession.

I have to knock Thomas half a grade for smoking an open layup in crunch time. Sorry, Rook.

Grade: B

Jarrett Allen

14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Allen had one of the best blocks he’ll have all season when he rejected Aday Mara at the rim to end the third quarter.

Other than that, Allen faced issues similar to Mobley. The Thunder defense loaded up in the paint and played drop coverage throughout the night. This made it hard to keep the bigs involved, but — Allen did take and make an elbow jumper in the fourth quarter to help alleviate this.

Allen was not featured in Cleveland’s closing lineup. A decision that continues to feel self-defeating, especially when the team is looking for key stops on the defensive end.

Grade: B–

Mario Hezonja

12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

The Cavs are still working out the best way to use Hezonja, but tonight might be the blueprint they’ve been looking for.

Hezonja was immensely helpful off the bench, grabbing boards and smacking three-pointers. His tanky build makes him a unique role player who can do a little bit of everything. That fluidity has made it hard for Cleveland to define. But maybe, that’s a strength.

Grade: A-

Sam Merrill

8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Merrill is going through a cold spell to start the season as he shot 2-for-8 from downtown tonight and missed a chance to tie the game with under a minute to play.

Grade: D

Tyrese Proctor

10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

Proctor finally looked like the player we expected to see this season. His point-of-attack defense helped keep the Thunder from running away with a lead during the first half, and his three-point shooting was just as helpful.

This is a player who should plug-and-play in any lineup the Cavs run. That makes him a versatile 3-and-D guard who can deliver timely performances in a pinch like tonight.

Grade: B+

For three quarters, the Knicks were playing down to their opponent. They were, in a word, terrible. Knicks-Nets was so ugly it should’ve been blurred out for indecency. 

But then the defending champs woke up. OG Anunoby caught fire, Josh Hart provided a spark, Jordan Clarkson took advantage, and the Knicks ultimately cakewalked to a 103-90 victory Monday at MSG. 

“We finally played fast, got stops,” said Hart, who had eight points and seven assists in 27 minutes. “We’ve been playing very slow, very stagnant. We finally got out, we ran and we got good looks.” 

With Jalen Brunson on the bench at the start of the final period, the Knicks (3-4) went from a four-point deficit to a 10-point advantage in about four minutes. It spurred the Knicks’ 15th straight victory over the Nets (1-6), a streak that began in 2023 — right after the Durant-Kyrie era in Brooklyn. 

But Monday was in doubt for the majority of the night. 

“The issues are still there,” Hart said. “I think defensively, we were solid. I think this year, for the most part, our defense has been pretty good. Obviously there have been some lapses. … But our offense has to get in a better flow, and that’s kind of what’s holding us back right now. So a win doesn’t erase the problem or erase the issues. We got to figure those out and get better.” 

The first half was a slopfest from both sides, an absolute eyesore. The Knicks shot 36 percent but still held a seven-point advantage at the break because of their abundance of free throws. 

Brunson and Landry Shamet were the lone bright spots. The Nets were a misfiring mess but found a rhythm after the break — particularly Michael Porter Jr. — and won the third quarter 35-24. 

Mike Brown responded with a new lineup — with Tyler Kolek and Clarkson in the backcourt — and the Nets folded with just 11 total points in the fourth quarter. 

Anunoby scored eight of his 18 points in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 16 rebounds and 11 points. Brunson had 19 points but was again inefficient on 6-for-16 shooting. Shamet scored all 20 of his points in the first three quarters. Clarkson took over in the fourth. Mikal Bridges, meanwhile, pulled another Houdini and was benched for all but three minutes of the second half. He had six points on 1-for-7 shooting from the field. 

For the Nets, Julius Randle, the former Knicks All-Star, forced the issue and often missed — shooting 5-for-16 with a team-high 21 points. 

The interborough matchup, once touted as a powerful rivalry when the Nets moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn, now carries the juice of a steamrolled grape. The Knicks have always dominated the attention of New York City, and it’s never been more lopsided than in 2026 — the year of James Dolan’s first title. 

The Nets have become an afterthought under the stewardship of GM Sean Marks, who is second to only Brian Cashman as the longest-tenured top sports executive in town. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2021, and there’s little hope Marks’ latest incarnation will break the streak. 

They have two win-now veterans in Randle and Porter, who are surrounded by the young and unproven, operating a great distance from contending basketball. 

Still, the Knicks were in trouble and playing ugly ball until the fourth quarter began. They’re still not where they want to be. 

“We definitely played until June last season and I think everyone still feels it,” Anunoby said. 

The Detroit Pistons played great basketball throughout the night, but the Charlotte Hornets just kept hanging around. The Pistons were shooting better than 60% from the floor and 50% from three, and yet a Dennis Schroder layup made it a two-possession game with just under five minutes left in the second quarter. Then Cade Cunningham took over, then the Detroit Pistons took over, and suddenly a squeaker turned into a 124-91 Detroit win.

In that decisive 45-16 run, Cade Cunningham scored 14 points, and he did it in under three and a half minutes of game time. One of the league’s best players finally had his first superstar quarter of the season, scoring 17 points and notching three assists in total in that decisive third frame. He finished the night with 33 points, seven assists, and five steals. In those magical few minutes, he was everywhere in his bag. Patient mid-range pull-ups, slicing through the D for layups, catch-and-shoot threes. He went to the bench with 1:17 left in the third quarter, and you were left thinking he might hit 50 in the fourth. But he never needed to come back in the game again.

He saw the game was getting too close, and he decided to do something about it. He put the team on his back and said, “We’re playing too well to not blow these guys out.”

But the true blowout wouldn’t have happened without all the other contributions up and down the lineup. The Pistons really have something on offense this season, and while the range of ball handlers and actions can lead to some self-inflicted wounds, it is designed to open up this offense and let it breathe. And, boy, did they take a big gulping breath versus the Hornets.

The Pistons shot 57% from the floor and 48% from deep, and that was dragged down a bit as a consequence of some extended garbage time. The Pistons also kept their defense in top form. They forced 25 Charlotte turnovers, and that led to 27 fast-break points.

Detroit was led by Cade, but Duncan Robinson continues to be lights out this season. He shot 6-of-9 from deep on his way to 24 points. His stroke was immediate and effortless. He’s truly in the zone. Some of that shooting magic might be rubbing off on Kevin Huerter. The one-time bucket has struggled from deep for a few seasons now, including his short stint after a mid-season trade to Detroit last season. But he hit three threes tonight and is now shooting 38% from deep for the season. Even Ron Holland canned three threes tonight. Not to be overlooked is Ausar Thompson’s expanded role in the offense.

It’s not always perfect, but Thompson is getting more comfortable making decisions with the ball in his hands, and he’s understanding how to make defense pay by using his strength and burst to get something close to the basket. Thompson was 5-of-7 from the floor for 14 points, and he added six rebounds and four assists.

The Pistons had plenty of lopsided runs last season in their sprint to 60 wins. But those were driven by a defense that would suffocate you and an offense that could do just enough. Last year, the Pistons could go on a 27-2 run over the course of 17 minutes of game action. Tonight, they went on the same run in just over eight minutes.

Detroit’s defense remains the best in the league. Its offense is starting to catch up. That’s bad news for everyone else in the NBA.

The Brooklyn Nets came into Madison Square Garden looking up from the bottom of the conference with a 1–5 record. They’re the league’s youngest team, and it shows on the court. And they’d played yesterday in Indiana. Their game against the Knicks (3–4) was either going to be a gimme or a trap. For much of the night, it smelled like the latter.

The home team decided to hurl a ton of three-pointers (44 of their 75 shots came from deep), sleepwalk through three quarters, and let Landry Shamet carry them for much of the night. Meanwhile, Brooklyn got inspired play from rookie Mikel Brown Jr. and won the third quarter 35–24 to take a four-point lead into the fourth. In the final frame, the Knicks came alive (with a special appearances by Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson), outscored the visitors 28–11, and pulled out a 103–90 win.

In the first quarter, the Nets took a four-point lead, which the Knicks deleted and flipped into a nine-point advantage. So far this season, OG Anunoby (18 PTS, 3-7 3PT, 2 STL, 38 MIN) has been up and down, and perhaps Mike Brown was hoping to inject some excitement into his wing by calling his number early. Anunoby attempted two three-pointers (making one) and converted a cutting layup (dimed by Karl-Anthony Towns) to get New York on the scoreboard.

The game featured a fair amount of jostling, but the refs let it go. Midway through the frame, Landry Shamet (22 PTS, 6-8 FG, 29 MIN), Andre Drummond (9 RBS, 4 PTS, 13 MIN), and Miles McBride (6 PTS, 16 MIN) subbed in. Jalen Brunson (19 PTS, 4-11 3PT, 6 AST, 33 MIN) made three of his first four attempts from the yard before Jose Alvarado (back from a sprained ankle) relieved him at the three-minute mark. Cap and Deuce combined for five treys in the first.

oh captain my captain 🫡 pic.twitter.com/rsumqyX06Z

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 3, 2026

Brooklyn shot so poorly that the rims seemed magnetically opposed to their attempts. Twice or thrice, the ball rolled around the cylinder before flying off to become a defensive rebound. Julius Randle (21 PTS, 10 RBS) and Michael Porter, Jr. (18 PTS, 4-11 3PT) are Brooklyn’s marquee players, but neither did much in the first frame. The former missed all three of his shot attempts, and the latter scored five points on five attempts. On the whole, the Nets missed 13 shots and turned the ball over four times. At the break, they trailed New York, 27–21.

Mercury is in retrograde, and the second quarter proved it with a few rarities. Mikal Bridges (6 PTS, 1-of-7 FG, 16 MIN) attempted his first free throws, six whole games into the campaign. Towns (11 PTS, 16 RBS) played 13 minutes before taking his second shot, but grabbed his tenth rebound of the night with six minutes left in the half. And Mohamed “Free Mo” Diawara (0 PTS, 6 MIN) appeared after playing just one minute so far this season. The sophomore grabbed a rebound.

While the Nets don’t excel at any conventional basketball skills, they do have teeth. Brooklyn played yesterday (beating the Hoosiers of Indiana), but your lyin’ eyes would convince you that New York had the more fatigued fellas. Even the Garden crowd seemed mid-yawn for most of the second period. This borough buddy has a rotten record, but they took Boston into overtime this season, and the Knicks watched them score nine unanswered points early in the frame. A late-quarter bomb from Brunson steadied the boat but failed to ignite the team. Only when the half had nearly closed did Josh Hart (8 PTS, 7 AST, 6 RBS, +22) and Shamet—14 flippin points and counting!—connect from deep to give New York an eight-point lead. Then, after Randle made two free throws, he fouled Brunson on a foot-on-the-line jumper with 0.5 seconds left. Oh, Julius, I remember ye well. Intermission score: 51–44.

Rookie Mikel Brown, Jr. was having quite a MSG debut:

You know how you can tell when a player has it: the X factor, the star quality; Mikel Brown Brown Jr has it in spades. pic.twitter.com/CK7S5fuRf7

— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) November 3, 2026

The score was a lot closer than the game felt. Our heroes had been outshot 40% to 36% from the field. They’d survived on threes and free throws while barely making any hay inside the arc. Ten of their 13 buckets came from downtown (shooting 40% there), and they’d taken 16 freebies to Brooklyn’s six. Rebounds and turnovers were even at 21 and seven, respectively. Shamet led all first-half scorers with 14 points, while Nolan Traore had 11 for the villains. No points for KAT yet, and don’t look now, but Bridges was having another bad shooting night.

The third quarter brought more of the same. Bridges missed again (1-of-7 thus far), but he wasn’t alone. Brunson missed a long shot, and Day’Ron Sharpe and Traore blocked Towns and Brunson, respectively. With the offense a pasty, anemic color, Mike Brown sent in Jordan Clarkson (7 PTS, 11 MIN, +17) at around the 8:45 mark. Clarkson guarded Porter tenaciously and made a contested shot despite being hacked (no whistle), but he got dinged for two quick personal fouls and picked up a tech for complaining about that absent whistle. It’s a bummer, because the fouls got him a quick hook just when some of us were starting to wonder if he, Shamet, or Towns might resurrect this lifeless game.

@JordanClarksons HOW??? pic.twitter.com/smgMBffYyD

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 3, 2026

Meanwhile, Towns was taking the ball straight down the painted boulevard on repeated drives. He collected his first nine points of the night, going 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-3 at the line. After two driving layups, he buried a three off Brunson’s dime at 5:58. During that stretch, Cap added five points on two buckets and a free throw, but missed a three and had a layup blocked.

(For those watching the third quarter at home, Clyde dropped a “Posting and Toasting” at the 7:42 mark AND at 6:30. We hear you, GOAT!)

Mikel Brown scored on consecutive drives down Broadway, and a flummoxed Mike Brown called an exasperated timeout around 4:30. Those hoops cut Brooklyn’s deficit to five. Porter hit from deep after the timeout to make it two, and Mo Wagner swished a triple for a one-point lead. When Porter dropped another bomb, that made 13 straight points for the bad guys. Whatever Mike said in the timeout didn’t motivate.

Diawara was back in the game, but Shamet was the one whose three-pointer gave us some hope for salvation (which the misses by Drummond and Brunson that bookended his shot did not). Another bomb by Shamet on an inbounds play gave him a season high and narrowed the gap with a minute left. But Randle made shots at the stripe, Anunoby and Brunson were both blocked on drives, and Brooklyn’s 19–6 run gave them a 79–75 lead at the break.

HOT 3Q for MPJ

13 PTS
4-5 FG
3-4 3FG pic.twitter.com/i1MPRdwuQz

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 3, 2026

Needing a spark, it was another bench player to the rescue. Tyler Kolek checked in to start the fourth quarter and hit the ground running. He dished to Hart for a triple, then Hart found a trailing Anunoby for another bomb, and the game took a more favorable turn. The crowd rejoiced when OG swished another three, and although Randle bucketed on a drive, Hart returned the favor to Kolek by finding him wide-open under the rim.

Brooklyn’s coach Jordi Fernández needed a timeout to get his young troops back in line. Out of the break, Randle coughed up the ball twice and Hart made good on a fast-break layup. When Clarkson hit from the corner, he capped a 16-2 run and goosed the lead to 10. Randle blew a layup and Fernández yanked him with seven minutes left, and Mike Brown swapped Kolek for Brunson. The Nets had scored just five points by the five-minute mark, and New York had stretched their advantage to 12.

The Knicks’ energized defense had forced six turnovers (and counting), while Bridges continued to sit after getting pulled with 8:44 left in the third quarter. With three minutes left, Mike Brown sent in all his starters—except Bridges, electing instead to ride with Shamet. Fernandez kept his starters in, too, but the outcome was decided. The home team had won the frame 28-11 and that was the ballgame.

Up Next

Chicago will visit on Wednesday, hoping to avenge last week’s loss to New York. Mo’s got a recap in the chamber for you. Rest up, Knickerbockers.

Tbe Washington Wizards defeated the Orlando Magic on Monday night, 103-94. The win pushes Washington to a 4-3 record and past .500.

Anthony Davis led the Wizards with 27 points, while Kyshawn George added 22 points and AJ Dybantsa scored 21. It’s a career high for the rookie. Of all the baskets, I think this one was the best exclamation point for the night

AJ IS DYNOMITE 🧨 pic.twitter.com/EOJ0ZXVUkO

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) November 3, 2026

Washington’s third quarter was also an X-Factor. They held Orlando to just 9 point and a sub 20 percent shooting performance ater the second half began. After the game, Davis also broke down why that third quarter was a major turning point.

“It was the care factor for us — we didn’t want to let the lead slip away, we wanted to have a defensive mindset.”

AD joins @chasedcsports to talk about how the @WashWizards got their 2️⃣nd win in a row! pic.twitter.com/q5U1RHu4gU

— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) November 3, 2026

For the Magic, Franz Wagner led with 24 points. Orlando fell to a 2-5 record after the contest.

The Wizards’ next game is on Wednesday when they host the Atlanta Hawks. Tip off is at 7 p.m. ET. See you then for the next match in what appears to be the most exciting season this decade!

The Brooklyn Nets broke one losing streak yesterday. They couldn’t break another at Madison Square Garden this evening, losing to the New York Knicks for a 15th straight time.

For whatever it’s worth, which can’t be much, the Nets did flirt with their first win over their crosstown rivals in nearly four years. In a way, they were close, as Brooklyn led late and never trailed by more than nine entering the fourth. But in another, they looked as far off as ever, completely unraveling and playing their worst basketball when it mattered most.

You don’t need me to tell you this, but the latter is what separates the winners from the losers in this league.

The Nets began tonight with the same five they fielded in their win last night against Indiana. And, Nolan Traoré picked up right where he left off, splashing a deep triple and assisting on a Day’Ron Sharpe jam during Brooklyn’s third and fourth possessions of the game to help Brooklyn establish and early lead. By the end of the game, he’d finish with 17 points and four assists while shooting 5-of-6 from deep. He turned it over twice, but also grabbed a steal and blocked a shot.

The defense, however, wasn’t so easily copy and pasted over from the prior game. Whether it was miscommunication on switches or doubling in the gap and living with the result, the Nets gave up several corner threes early in the contest. Shooting 6-of-14 from deep in the first, New York caught and overtook Brooklyn quickly, going up 27-21 after one.

“I think that when you buy into playing as hard as you can, there’s always breakdowns, and it’s about giving your second and third, especially your your third effort,” Fernández said. “It’s easy to give one or two, but we always say we want three or more.”

While Julius Randle received a warm welcome in the Garden tonight after being introduced with Brooklyn’s starting five, he looked rather uncomfortable on the floor early on, beginning the game 0-3 from the field with a turnover. He did, however, assist on a Mikel Brown Jr. ATO triple in the opening frame.

Oddly enough, it was the 20-year-old rookie in MSG for the first time, not the old fan favorite, who looked at ease early on, moving well around New York’s defensive pressure both on and off ball. After sitting out the last game for back injury management, Brown Jr. put up five first quarter points on 2-3 shooting. With five seconds left in the frame, he also dished an assist after blowing past Landry Shamet and Duece McBride to find Mo Wagner in front of the cylinder for an and-one.

Mikel droppin' dimes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BiZujIKwe5

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 3, 2026

“I think Mikel is a rock star,” Fernández said. “He’s gonna keep taking steps. And right now, we always want him to be aggressive, but he has the responsibility to run the team, and that’s a big deal.”

But with 150+ career games on that floor, you knew Julius Randle would find his footing already. And in the subsequent quarter’s first four minutes, he did, as Julius pitched in four points to help the Nets start the period with a 9-0 run.

Playing the Knicks as a Net for the first time, Randle downplayed the rivalry, saying that he didn’t feel any different now coming into it from Brooklyn’s side.

“No, not really,” he said. “Honestly, not really. I try to keep the game the same and stay levelheaded, so it’s fun, always fun competing, but not really.”

The Nets even retook the lead for a moment until a wayward Traoré pass found its way to Mikal Bridges, who took it all the way down the other way for an uncontested jam. For the fans still salty over his exit, it’s worth noting that Bridges did little else worth mentioning beyond that point tonight. He finished just 1-7 from the field and played only 16 minutes.

Still, the Knicks controlled things for much of the second. Despite beginning the quarter 1-of-8 from the field while the Nets opened 6-of-13, New York benefitted from five extra free throws to stay afloat, even as Traoré made up for that turnover with another fine period. Nolan hit another triple in the second to stay perfect, adding 11 points and two assists in the first half…

Some good Nets offense. pic.twitter.com/fVFcABXJdy

— Erik Slater (@ErikSlater_) November 3, 2026

However, it wasn’t enough to overcome Brooklyn’s woeful perimeter defense and the free throw discrepancy. Michael Porter Jr. had little-to-no interest closing out hard as the Nets gave up another bushel of corner threes in the second. The Knicks, despite having just 13 made field goals at halftime, went 15-of-16 from the line, while the Nets were just 4-of-6.

While the fan in you might want to pound your fist and chalk that up to an unfair “champ-friendly” whistle, the Nets weren’t wise, even if innocent defenders, often fouling late in the shot clock and even the game clock, as Randle left his feet to give Brunson an extra pair right before the second quarter buzzer sounded. The Nets also fouled New York on three 3-point attempts.

So, Brooklyn trailed at the break by a 51-44 score. And early in the third quarter, they continued to lurk, as both teams traded buckets early on to keep the deficit intact.

The Knicks did piece together a 7-0 run at the heart of the frame, threatening to turn this into the blowout the 14.5 point spread advertised. That was, until Brown Jr. got back on the attack. He bolted through the New York defense for two quick finishes at the rim to ignite a 13-0 burst from Brooklyn, capped off by triples from Porter Jr. and Wagner, which gave them a small lead.

Mo Wagner gives Brooklyn the lead. He's now 9-16 from deep to begin the year. pic.twitter.com/BQxk2JRzQD

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) November 3, 2026

Brooklyn maintained that advantage, up 79-75 ahead the final frame. It was Brooklyn’s first lead against the Knicks going into the fourth quarter since January of 2024.

It then evaporated in a flash, and became difficult to believe it had ever been there at all even quicker.

The Knicks began the fourth with a 9-0 jolt after the Nets missed two long threes and Wagner smoked a layup, which allowed New York to rebound, run, and shoot with space. Then, after a string of Brooklyn turnovers, it boiled into an extend 16-2 run. Like they had last summer, the Knicks looked like they owned the fourth quarter. The Nets looked like they were just renting space.

“I feel like we just wasn’t connected as a group down the stretch,” Brown Jr. said. “National champs, they played together for a long time, so we knew at some point they were going to make a run. That’s just what great teams do. We didn’t do our part on sustaining the level of connectiveness and just playing together on both ends of the floor.”

Traoré hit his fourth triple to pump the brakes and make it a 91-84 game with 6:31 to go, but rather than swinging it, that shot got swallowed up by the New York momentum. The Nets kept missing shots around the rim and started losing all the 50/50 balls. With 3:50 to go, the Knicks had outscored Brooklyn in the period 23-5, and led on the scoreboard 98-84.

Shellshocked, the Nets could only let time trickle away by that point. Randle finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, but went 1-3 from the field with four turnovers in the fourth. Porter Jr. finished with 18 points while shooting 4-11 from deep, but went 0-2 with zero points in nine fourth quarter minutes. Brown Jr. finished with 13 points, three assists, and two rebounds, but went 0-4 in the fourth with a turnovers. The team collectively shot 3-16 from the field in the final quarter.

While acknowledging the disappointment that comes with losing, Fernández opted to stay positive postgame.

“We played great for 39 minutes, and then the last nine were not good enough,” he said. “I’m asking these guys to play as hard as they can, and the last two games, they’ve done it. There’s a lot to learn from being organized and dealing with the lead, and obviously that’s my responsibility to help them to be better right there.

“There’s a lot of positive in this game to just throw everything out of the window think that we didn’t do good things. It hurts because you wanted to win the game, and we’re all competitive, but as we all know, if we keep playing as hard as we played in the last two games, there’s going to be a lot of good things, and a lot of growth, because remember that it’s not just a new group, but also a young group, and right now we want to see these steps. I think if you put too much negative energy into the group and into the young kids, then that that affects the growth. So, I’m proud of the group.”

Final: New York Knicks 103, Brooklyn Nets 90

Milestone Watch

• Julius Randle recorded his first double-double of the season tonight vs. NYK with 21 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. It is his first regular-season double-double in 23 outings, last recording one on 3/3/26 (MIN vs MEM).
• With his 17th point tonight vs. NYK, Michael Porter Jr. reached 7,000 points in his NBA career. He is one of six players since his debut in 2019-20 to total 7,000 PTS, 2,500 REB and 1,000 3PM, joining Luka Dončić, James Harden, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Lauri Markkanen.

Next Up

Brooklyn gets a day off before going back home to host the Charlotte Hornets yet again, tipping off on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST. After a brutal stretch to open the season, minus their first game, which of course came against Charlotte, this begins a winnable stretch of games for the Nets, with contests against Atlanta, Dallas, and New Orleans to follow.

• Boxscore: New York Knicks 103, Brooklyn Nets 90 – NBA.com
• Game Highlights: New York Knicks 103, Brooklyn Nets 90 (Video) – NBA.com
• Jordi Fernández Postgame Press Conference vs. New York Knicks (Video) – YES Network
• Mikel Brown Jr. scores 13 off the bench vs. NYK (Video) – YES Network
• Julius Randle scores team-high 21 points vs. Knicks (Video) – YES Network
• Knicks break away in fourth quarter and beat the Nets for the 15th straight time, 103-90 – Brian Mahoney – AP
• Mikel Brown Jr.’s shot eludes him late another rough Nets loss – Howie Kussoy – New York Post
• Nets push Knicks before fourth-quarter collapse in missed chance to earn respect – Howie Kussoy – New York Post
• Slow-starting Mikal Bridges benched during Knicks fourth-quarter comeback ($) – Stefan Bondy – New York Post
• Knicks turn it up in fourth for convincing win to continue domination of Nets ($) – Stefan Bondy – New York Post
• Another game, another big deficit to be erased – Steve Popper – Newsday
• Even after ending Knicks title drought, Jalen Brunson gets cut little slack ($) – Steve Popper – Newsday
• Josh Hart sparks Knicks as Nets unravel in fourth for 15th straight rivalry loss ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• For Nets’ Julius Randle, coming home goes beyond the Garden ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Knicks rout of Nets only masks larger issues ($) – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades after 103-90 loss to Jalen Brunson, Knicks – Shareef Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

The Knicks beat the Nets at Madison Square Garden Monday night, 103-90, extending their winning streak over their crosstown rivals to 15.

Here are the takeaways...

-- While the Nets entered the game riding the high of their first win of the season, the Knicks were hoping to bounce back after their second loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The last time Brooklyn beat New York was Jan. 28, 2023, just over one week before superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were traded away.

-- The Nets jumped ahead early, finding their way to a 7-5 lead in the first three minutes of play. Despite working to overcome their turnover troubles early in the season, the Knicks committed their first of the game just 94 seconds in, which allowed for a three from Nets sophomore point guard Nolan Traore. OG Anunoby was the only Knick to score through the first three minutes until Mikal Bridges landed two free throws, tying the game at seven-all. 

After that, the Knicks tightened their defense and found their way to the basket, scoring 10 straight points punctuated by back-to-back Jalen Brunson threes. Brooklyn was quick to tie it back up, but two shots from beyond the arc by Deuce McBride and a trio of free throws from Landry Shamet sent New York into the break up 27-21.

-- The back-and-forth play continued through the second frame. While the Knicks struggled to find the basket for the first three-and-a-half minutes, the Nets climbed to a three-point edge. Four uninterrupted points from Bridges — two free throws and a dunk — put the Knicks back out in front, and they maintained the lead through the end of the quarter, but Brooklyn kept the deficit low until Shamet landed back-to-back threes. 

Brunson attempted to add three at the buzzer but was fouled by former Knick Julius Randle, earning two free throws. He missed the first, but his second shot gave the Knicks a 51-44 as the half came to a close.

-- Both teams found themselves in turnover trouble through the first 24 minutes of play, coughing it up a combined 15 times (Knicks had seven). Despite only shooting 36 percent — compared to Brooklyn's 40 — New York found game-changing success at the free throw line, going 15-for-16.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded five double-doubles in the first six games of the season, headed to the locker room without a single point, though he recorded 10 rebounds and three assists in his 17 first-half minutes.

-- New York's energy quickly evaporated in the third. Towns finally got on the board, landing two driving layups and two of his three free throws through the first four minutes, but the Nets responded with a 13-0 run through the middle of the frame spearheaded by Randle, Day'Ron Sharpe, and Michael Porter Jr. Shamet finally broke the streak with a three, adding a second 90 seconds later to keep the Knicks in the game, but it wasn't enough. After outscoring New York 35-24 in the third, Brooklyn ended the quarter ahead by four, 79-75. 

Shamet's 20 points through the first three quarters led all players at that point.

-- Then, as they often do in the fourth, the Knicks reappeared. Josh Hart drove New York to a 10-point lead in the five-and-a-half minutes of the frame, scoring a 25-foot three-pointer, assisting two Anunoby threes and a layup from Tyler Kolek, and adding a running layup as the Knicks outscored Brooklyn 16-2 to start the frame. Traore kept cut into New York's 10-point lead with a 24-foot jumper, but Anunoby and Towns responded quickly with two free throws and a field goal, respectively, to open up a 9-0 run. 

As the Knicks continued to gain momentum, the Nets crumpled, turning the ball over six times through the first 8:30 and scoring just five points in the same span before Randle got the Nets moving again on two free throws with 2:23 left to play. Another foul shot from Randle and a three from Traore cut the Knicks' lead to 13, but the deficit proved too much to overcome, and the Knicks walked away with the 103-90 victory.

-- Overall, the Knicks shot 41 percent from the field, 39 percent from three, and 83 percent from the free throw line, compared to Brooklyn's 38 percent, 34 percent, and 70 percent, respectively.

-- Despite the rocky start, Towns finished with yet another double-double, scoring 11 points and adding 16 rebounds. He also had five assists and four turnovers.

-- In his first game against his former team since joining Brooklyn's squad in July,Randle recorded his first double-double as a Net, notching 21 points and 11 rebounds. He was the only player on Brooklyn's roster to break 20 points against the Knicks.

Game MVP: Landry Shamet

Shamet, who played for Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season, posted a game-leading 22 points, tacking on one rebound and one assist in 29 minutes of play. He also went 6-for-8 from the field, 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 6-for-6 from the free throw line.  

Highlights

The offensive rebound leads to the Brunson triple 👌 https://t.co/haV2KO97BS

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

Traore to Sharpe for the slam! https://t.co/6yMMl33XBt

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

The offensive rebound leads to the Brunson triple 👌 https://t.co/haV2KO97BS

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

Mikel finds Moe for the and-one https://t.co/Jz2oSygsSD

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

OG 👌 https://t.co/fdYwUyEucW

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

Nolan Traore blocks Jalen Brunson https://t.co/3IGL0xvWXI

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

Mikel Brown Jr. smooth with it https://t.co/GIxUQRrwzb

— SNY Nets (@SNYNets) November 3, 2026

CLARKSON 👌 https://t.co/8MUkptuaex

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2026

What's next

The Knicks are set to host the Chicago Bulls Wednesday. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Across the river at the Barclays Center, the Nets will take on the Charlotte Hornets that same night, when they'll look to avenge their 110-103 season-opening loss. 

And there’s a blowout, for those that were still asking for one.

The Sixers picked up their fourth win in a row, handling the Chicago Bulls 126-107 Monday night to improve to 7-1 on the season.

VJ Edgecombe was everywhere from the start of this one, shooting 9-of-12 from the field for a season-high 21 points along with five assists and three rebounds.

Tyrese Maxey had his best night as a passer, putting up 11 assists while still leading the Sixers with 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting. LeBron James had another splendid all-around night, going for 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists shooting 6-of-13 from the floor.

Jaylen Brown quietly shot the ball well on the night to put up 25 points and 11 rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting. Joel Embiid meandered his way to 15 points and eight boards while Caleb Wilson led the Bulls with 24.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• A pedestrian start for both teams, but one the Sixers used to get out and run early. After Edgecombe threw a hit-ahead pass, he ran up the floor a couple of times for two transition buckets of his own to prompt an early Bulls timeout.
• The Bulls, or rather center Jalen Smith to be more specific, took advantage of a laid back Sixers defense coming out of the timeout, picking up two cutting baskets and drawing a foul on the second. A Brown three was a nice response, but their defense kept biting on Josh Giddey’s drives, opening Smith up for another layup at the basket.
• The pick-and-roll between Embiid and Lebron has yielded good looks so far, which is exciting because you can see them refining it as they get more minutes together. James hit Embiid with a very late drop pass, setting the big fella up for a layup he was also able to draw a foul on. As Edgecombe continued to run out after misses for transition baskets the Sixers pushed their lead back up to a comfortable margin.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of LeBron James assists like this. pic.twitter.com/ewzoKe3lMu

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 3, 2026

• The Sixers did put Isaac Okoro at the line and let up an open three coming out of a timeout of their own, but Maxey got right to the basket to prevent any sort of run. On the next possession Maxey found Brown wide open in the paint for his fifth assist of the quarter. The Sixers assisted on 12 of their 13 made field goals and led by seven after the first.

Second Quarter

• Anfernee Simons came around a screen and buried a three for his first points of the game. Brown hit a three from the coach’s stripe a couple possessions later, but the Bulls started walking into some open baskets that kept them hanging around. They gave up a pair of threes being slow to close out and gave up two more baskets on open cutters which kept Chicago within a possession or two.
• This was far from Adem Bona’s worst shift of the season but there were some struggles. It took two possessions for him to complete a rolling dunk off a pocket pass. On top of letting up an offensive rebound by being out of position, the Bulls scored five of their first seven field goals of the quarter at the rim. Embiid and LeBron checked back into a two-point lead that was overtaken by a Buddy Hield three.
• Embiid getting stripped on one end led to a Zach Collins layup that capped off a 14-3 run for Chicago. After going without one his last three games, Dean Wade hit a corner three off a LeBron kickout to stop the bleeding.
• Of all the Sixers not phoning this one in, Edgecombe was at the top of the list. His insistence on running down the floor continued to create easy baskets. After he got another much needed transition dunk, he found a cutting Wade with a beautiful bounce pass. The Sixers forced a travel on the ensuing possession, prompting a Bulls timeout.

LeBron is DOTTING outlet passes tonight pic.twitter.com/IX1JLOPCxD

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2026

• For the first time all night, the Sixers came out energized out of a timeout. Edgecombe used the screens to get open at the basket on the ATO. LeBron threw another nice kickout to Wade for a corner three and bounce pass to Maxey for a dunk before Chicago’s defense got back. As they had all night, the Bulls had a response. The rookie Wilson got open on a cut before drilling a three at the buzzer to keep Chicago within five at the break.

Third Quarter

• No one should complain about soft coverage on Giddey on the perimeter, but he walked into a three to cut it to a one-possession game to make the arena uneasy. The Sixers responded well with Brown and James both getting right to the basket. Brown threw a nice lob to James that got smoked, but Maxey getting to the basket for an and-1 layup was a much needed basket to calm things down. The Sixers ran out on a blocked shot to set up a fast break layup for James to force a Bulls timeout.
• The effort in doing the little things has been what Edgecombe has excelled at this year, so it was nice to see him fill up the box score for a night. Coming out of the timeout he helped Embiid get out of a post-up with another cut for a basket at the hoop. The Sixers locked in a bit defensively after this, getting stops on five of their next six possessions including a turnover.
• After making most of his impact as a passer, LeBron started to impose his will as a scorer with a couple more drives to the basket. His increase of energy may be due to the sip of a fan’s drink he took after chasing a loose ball into the stands. Thanks to the reporting of ESPN’s Khris Rhrim, we know the drink he took a sip of was indeed wine.

LeCrossover pic.twitter.com/uu7Zf7BQfq

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2026

LeBron just took a sip of a fans drink 💀 pic.twitter.com/HmNr3TONhV

— Drew Peltzman (@dapeltz13) November 3, 2026

• Edgecombe had a brilliant sequence that summed out how great he was in this one, getting all the way back to block a transition layup by Wilson, then getting back down the floor to get the ball in the paint and find Brown to get two more points the other way. Edgecombe tried to put Noa Essengue on a poster a few minutes later but had to settle for a trip to the free throw line. The one thing he wasn’t able to do was hit the grenade swung to him as the quarter ended, so the Sixers had to settle for an 11-point lead after the third.

Fourth Quarter

• Maxey didn’t really have to shoot a ton, so it was cool that the baskets he did make were impressively silly. He started the quarter by hitting his second highlight floater of the game. Brown followed that up with a midrange jumper and a trip to the line as he slowly put up a solid scoring night.
• The Sixers struggled to come up with the killing blow, which was a little frustrating because when they did things well, it looked really good. Brown had a drive that the Bulls stopped by stepping up in the lane, but he spun and hit Maxey for an open stepback three. A minute later James drew a foul on a jumper that spun all the way around the rim before falling in and danced in celebration, but they weren’t able to put themselves ahead by more than 15.

The Sixers may not be taking the soon-to-be 1-6 Bulls very seriously pic.twitter.com/VXLPoLxDjc

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) November 3, 2026

• It seemed like the Sixers wanted to play Embiid as little as possible, which was fitting given their opponent and Embiid coming into this game questionable with a foot issue. Bona continued to make that difficult, picking up his fifth foul with over five minutes to go. Nick Nurse subbed in Wade at the five which was fine, but it did beg the question as to why Jabari Walker didn’t see the floor at all.
• The killing blow the Sixers were looking for came in the form of Brown’s shotmaking. He came off a screen to hit corner three that forced another Bulls timeout, then hit another on the Sixers next possession that prompted a second timeout from Chicago within 30 seconds. The Sixers finally pushed their lead to 20 which led them to coast to victory.

Jaylen Brown is up to 25 points following this beautiful handle and three over Buzelis pic.twitter.com/rG3uFJoPrJ

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2026