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The road to the repeat begins now.

On Oct. 20, Jalen Brunson and the defending NBA champion New York Knicks kick off their 2026-27 season at Madison Square Garden against LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid’s new-look Philadelphia 76ers.

After that momentous occasion — that will include a pre-game ceremony where a championship banner is lifted to the rafters — Brunson, KAT, Mikal, OG and Hart of the City have a number of huge games scheduled on their home court.

Just a few of the most notable contests on the calendar include showdowns with Donovan Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers (Nov. 11), Tyrese Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers (Nov. 22), a Finals rematch with Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs (Dec. 25), Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors (Feb. 13, 2027) and former Knick Mitchell Robinson’s Boston Celtics (March 14, 2027).

Plus, don’t forget Julius Randle and the Brooklyn Nets drop in on Sunday, Dec. 27.

If you’d like to catch these games or any others, tickets are officially available for all 41 Knicks 2026-27 home games at MSG (as well as a few NBA Cup battles).

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one regular season home game was $169 including fees on Vivid Seats (that’s for the Oct. 25 game against Paolo Banchero’s Magic).

Other hardwood battles at the Garden have tickets starting anywhere from $182 to $1,149 including fees.

And, they’ll need you there.

According to The Post, Reggie Miller said the Knicks have a “great chance of repeating” but warned that the Eastern Conference has gotten better and the Knicks have a bullseye on their back.

“It won’t be easy for the Knicks to reclaim home court advantage [in the playoffs], but they have the players (and coaching staff) to make it happen in an uber-competitive East,” Daily Knicks wrote. “It’ll be key to their chances of defending the 2026 NBA Championship.”

Don’t sleep on the team and take the season for granted- help make “Knicks in 5” happen all over again this year.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about seeing the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in 2026-27 below.

How can I get tickets to see the New York Knicks play at MSG in 2026-27?

A complete calendar including all home game dates, opponents, start times and links to buy tickets are listed here:

October 2026 preseason games at MSG

Knicks October 2026 preseason games	Ticket prices start at
Toronto Raptors vs. Knicks Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m.	$85(including fees)

October 2026 regular season games at MSG

Knicks October 2026 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.	$1,149(including fees)
Orlando Magic vs. KnicksSunday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.	$169(including fees)
Detroit Pistons vs. Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.	$193(including fees)

November 2026 regular season games at MSG

Knicks November 2026 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Brooklyn Nets vs. Knicks Monday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m.	$194(including fees)
Chicago Bulls vs. KnicksWednesday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m.	$199(including fees)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Knicks Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.	$165(including fees)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. KnicksWednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.	$234(including fees)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. KnicksSaturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.	$239(including fees)
Indiana Pacers vs. KnicksSunday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.	$190(including fees)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Cup Game Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m.	$290(including fees)
Miami Heat vs. KnicksNBA Cup Game Friday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.	$365(including fees)
Atlanta Hawks vs. KnicksSunday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m.	$197(including fees)

*Games listed as “NBA Cup Game” are part of the NBA in-season tournament.

December 2026 regular season games at MSG

Knicks December 2026 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Utah Jazz vs. KnicksWednesday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.	$280(including fees)
San Antonio Spurs vs. KnicksFriday, Dec. 25 at 12 p.m.	$519(including fees)
Brooklyn Nets vs. KnicksSunday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m.	$346(including fees)

January 2027 regular season games at MSG

Knicks January 2027 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Denver Nuggets vs. KnicksMonday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m.	$204(including fees)
Miami Heat vs. KnicksThursday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.	$259(including fees)
Dallas Mavericks vs. KnicksSaturday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.	$272(including fees)
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. KnicksMonday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m.	$208(including fees)
Toronto Raptors vs. KnicksWednesday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m.	$199(including fees)
LA Clippers vs. KnicksSunday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.	$205(including fees)
Phoenix Suns vs. KnicksTuesday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m.	$182(including fees)
Atlanta Hawks vs. KnicksThursday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.	$188(including fees)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. KnicksSaturday, Jan. 30 at 8:30 p.m.	$385(including fees)

February 2027 regular season games at MSG

Knicks February 2027 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Toronto Raptors vs. KnicksThursday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.	$216(including fees)
Charlotte Hornets vs. KnicksTuesday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.	$202(including fees)
Golden State Warriors vs. KnicksSaturday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 p.m.	$343(including fees)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. KnicksThursday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.	$297(including fees)
Philadelphia 76ers vs. KnicksSaturday, Feb. 27 at 8:30 p.m.	$392(including fees)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. KnicksSunday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.	$199(including fees)

March 2027 regular season games at MSG

Knicks March 2027 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Memphis Grizzlies vs. KnicksTuesday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.	$188(including fees)
Boston Celtics vs. KnicksSunday, March 14 at 12 p.m.	$331(including fees)
Sacramento Kings vs. KnicksWednesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.	$199(including fees)
Washington Wizards vs. KnicksSaturday, March 20 at 1 p.m.	$297(including fees)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. KnicksTuesday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m.	$193(including fees)
Houston Rockets vs. KnicksWednesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.	$209(including fees)

April 2027 regular season games at MSG

Knicks April 2027 regular season games	Ticket prices start at
Charlotte Hornets vs. KnicksThursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m.	$193(including fees)
Boston Celtics vs. KnicksSunday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.	$298(including fees)
Detroit Pistons vs. KnicksFriday, April 9 at 7 p.m.	$237(including fees)
Indiana Pacers vs. KnicksSunday, April 11 at 6 p.m.	$230(including fees)

Where are the Knicks playing on the road in 2026-27?

Here’s where you can find Brunson, Towns and the team when they’re not at MSG from October 2026 through April 2027.

How can I watch the Knicks on TV in 2026-27?

There are a number of options for fans who prefer to watch games from the comfort of their own home.

MSG Network, ABC, ESPN, NBC, Amazon Prime Video and NBA TV are likely your best bets.

For cord cutters, we recommend looking into Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling or YouTube TV.

Just make sure to check local listings before tuning in.

Huge shows at MSG in 2026-27

Want to catch a show at the Big Apple’s one-of-a-kind entertainment epicenter?

Here are just five of the biggest acts headed to the Garden these next few months.

• Dave Chappelle (Nov. 6-7)

• Dave Matthews Band (Nov. 12-13)

• Stevie Wonder (Nov. 19)

• Doja Cat with Latto (Dec. 1)

• Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 16-17)

Who else is headed to the Garden? Take a look at this list of all the biggest events at MSG these next few months to find the show or game for you.

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Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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New Warriors addition Brandon Williams addresses his viral meme with Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

New Warriors addition Brandon Williams spent last year trying to get under Steph Curry’s skin. Now he spends his days trying to learn from him.

The two share a strange history built almost entirely on viral moments. In a February 2025 Dallas Mavericks win over the Warriors, Williams shrugged on an imaginary backpack and flexed his muscles directly at Curry near the free-throw line — timed perfectly so Curry’s back was turned the entire time. A separate graphic comparing their career three-point totals made the rounds too, showing Williams with one made three in his career against Curry’s more than 3,000 — a gap wide enough to become a running joke of its own.

They are now teammates 😂 https://t.co/sIq1Kcg728pic.twitter.com/0DZTO7D35B

— LoonMuse (@KevonLooneyMuse) August 25, 2026

Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke, Williams was asked what stands out to him now that he has actually studied Curry as a teammate rather than an opponent.

“Besides the bizarre threes and everything like that, I think it’s how he comes into work every day,” Williams said. “His preparation is very detailed — he knows exactly what he’s getting out of it. I’m a sponge, so I take anything I can. If it’s Steph, if it’s the last guy, it doesn’t matter who it is. I try to learn something from everybody.”

Williams said the part of Curry’s game that impresses him most is not even the shooting itself.

“It’s obvious when he has the ball he’s dangerous, but I think even more when he doesn’t — he’s just flying around without the ball,” Williams said. “You have to be so alert and aware of where he is at all times.”

Reflecting on the shift from rival to teammate, Williams did not shy away from the moments that made him briefly infamous around the league.

“It’s crazy, it’s crazy. Me and Steph have had our run-ins, especially last year,” Williams said. “They made a funny little graphic when I hit my first career three. It was good meme stuff, but it’s good to be compared to him in terms of threes.”

The player who once flexed on Curry from behind now studies him from the next locker over — proof that even a viral grudge can turn into one of the better basketball educations in the league.

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The headline on Brian Windhorst’s latest column for ESPN reads: “Why Cooper Flagg’s ascension is starting to feel inevitable.”

In it, Windhorst argues that the NBA media ecosystem has been a little slow in recognizing Flagg’s ascension, stopping just short of declaring the second-year stud ready to “take the NBA by storm.”

That he penned a column to that effect is notable, as Windy’s time is spent to a greater and greater degree behind a microphone or in front of a camera these days. He simply doesn’t write as many columns now, so Monday’s look is evidence that Windhorst thinks Flagg’s development and potential in year two is a particularly important story, league-wide.

It makes sense. A lot of the big-name star power in the NBA has been shipped out east. The Mavericks as a franchise, remain, shovel in hand, digging their way out of a mountain of their own make, and are not particularly attractive to a national television audience as currently constructed. All this leads to a downward pressure on Flagg’s media attention.

But Windy (and others, to be fair) stays beating the Cooper Flagg drum this preseason.

On Sept. 25, it was a segment on ESPN’s NBA Today, where Windy issued it glowingly and effusively:

“I feel like there’s not enough hype around Cooper Flagg,” he said. “I know it’s hard to say because he was tracked at Duke very closely, but because Victor Wembanyama took that giant step forward last year, and really took the league by the throat, and because there was so much attention to the tanking teams going for the 2026 Draft, and the Mavericks themselves became one of the tanking teams at the end, I don’t think people realized how breathtaking Cooper Flagg’s performance was last season. He absolutely reminded me, on an almost nightly basis, of LeBron as a rookie. All the way back to the fact that LeBron was forced to play point guard as a rookie, and that kind of took him out of his game a little bit like it did with Cooper last year. The ability for someone of his size to play multi positions, to grab a rebound and then to go down and start the offense, to guard up and down the lineup, I mean, and really, his shot is way better than I thought it’d be. I think it’s going to keep developing, and I couldn’t be higher on Cooper Flagg. I really believe that he’s going to enter the top-10 of the best players in the league sooner rather than later, and that his trajectory is really right there alongside Victor Wembanyama’s in terms of the future of the NBA.”

Brian Windhorst on Cooper Flagg:

"In all honesty, I feel like there's not enough hype around Cooper Flagg. I don't think people realized how breathtaking Cooper Flagg's performance was last season. He absolutely reminded me on an almost nightly basis of LeBron as a rookie.

I… pic.twitter.com/uf4cgqu3Sk

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) September 25, 2026

The direct parallels with James, whom Windhorst built the early part of his career reporting on, and his rookie year, are startling. To think that Mavs fans could be watching the next LeBron in his ascendency is a beautiful thought to think. Just don’t let those thoughts wander into morbid reflection about how ownership might screw this one up.

Then, on the team’s trip to Macau, China, Windy echoed his own sentiments, and if it’s even possible, amplified them in an interview with DLLS.

“I am extraordinarily bullish on his future and I am really excited about his present,” Windy said. “Because of the dynamics of the league, because LeBron is in Philadelphia, and Giannis is in Miami and the Knicks are the champions, and the Celtics are the Celtics, and Wembanyama’s Wembanyama, and Luka is now separate from LeBron, the Mavericks are not on national TV that much. It’s a good and a bad thing. Number one, it means Cooper is not getting the attention he deserves. … Grab onto Cooper. Get in early. Be there, because the league is overlooking him a little bit right now. Again, it’s not like they’re looking at him and going, ‘Ehh, he’s not that good.’ There is a set of circumstances that is depressing him a little bit. Mistake. And look, at ESPN, we’re going to put LeBron and Luka on, you know? We’re going to put Giannis and we’re going to put Victor on. We’re going to put Durant on. We’re going to put Ant Edwards on, but I’m telling you, if Cooper was a stock, I would buy it all. That’s how I feel about him.”

Brian Windhorst Says Cooper Flagg Is Being Overlooked pic.twitter.com/HE40B4yMwX

— DLLS Mavs (@DLLS_Mavs) October 8, 2026

Windhorst isn’t the only one who’s comparing Flagg to James at this early juncture in his career. Flagg’s teammate Kyrie Irving did the same in some of his postgame comments after the Mavs’ second preseason game in Macao.

“I give my respect to KD and Bron and they are on their own separate categories and trajectories and careers but I would say this, I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age,” Irving said. “He’s displaying in front of you guys what’s capable of and he’s only going to continue to get better.”

"I give my respect to KD and Bron and they are on their own separate categories and trajectories and careers but I would say this, I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age… he's displaying in front of you guys what's capable of… https://t.co/JMoXET2V3Spic.twitter.com/uoNDZKiTDw

— NBA (@NBA) October 11, 2026

It’s moments like these when I love being associated with this Little Fan Site That Could, because Windy, we outchea. We been here. We’ve been banging on the Cooper Flagg drum since jump. We made room for you, and we are here to declare that there is still room on the train for all of the lapsed Mavericks fans who had to take some time away from the team after the injustices suffered under the previous administration.

Glory awaits. The team is the laundry, not the financiers behind the building the team plays in. It’s become clear before his 20th birthday that Flagg is not only generational, but an all-time great in the making.

With a week to go before the Mavs’ first game of Flagg’s second year, it’s getting hard to contain the excitement surrounding the meteoric rise that this young man is about to embark on.

While Luka Dončić didn’t play in the Los Angeles lakers’ preseason game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, that didn’t stop his fans from being active.

This was shown in the second quarter, when the game’s broadcast cameras focused in on one Lakers fan wearing a Dončić jersey dancing to “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC during a timeout.

After several seconds of the fan dancing (which was getting an animated reaction from other fans), the camera panned to Dončić, who looked to be watching the fan as well.

“Oh s***. He’s good!” Doncic said with a shrug after looking away from the fan.

Luka’s reaction has gone viral on social media, as fans are noting that he looks a lot more entertained by the dancing fan than by the game he was watching.

And that would be fair, given that Tuesday night’s game didn’t count and the Lakers didn’t exactly produce an entertaining on-court product in the 101-89 loss.

“He’s good” – Luka reacts to fan dancing to *NSYNC pic.twitter.com/ObEz5JVdGd

— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) October 14, 2026

Dončić was held out of Tuesday’s game for rest purposes and isn’t injured. The Lakers will need to monitor his activity throughout the season, given that he’ll need to carry this year if they’re to put themselves in a position to make the playoffs.

Pablo Torre is on the case.

During Front Office Sports’ “Tune In” summit in New York on Tuesday, the award-winning investigative journalist admitted he is planning to look into LeBron James’ use of a Fanatics helicopter while playing for the 76ers this season, a situation that has raised eyebrows to some in the NBA.

“It’s something that I also have been watching,” said Torre, who broke the bombshell story about Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers contract and the team’s ties to Aspiration that led to a massive punishment for the franchise.

“Of course, I know that Fanatics logo. I saw that. I was also a little mad that I didn’t get to get that one first. On that story specifically, I will say that we’re very interested and we are, of course, looking into all of the ways that is both a good story as well as something of interest to the league. And by the way, it may not be the latter, but it does appear to be the former as a business story.”

Pablo Torre says NBA owners have contacted him about LeBron James flying in a Fanatics helicopter and he is "looking into" it. pic.twitter.com/8hdtkvFtzZ

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 13, 2026

James, who signed a two-year $8 million contract with the 76ers in July, has moved to New York with his family since leaving Los Angeles in what was a booming free agency move.

He has since opted not to drive to and from Philadelphia but rather fly in a Fanatics-branded helicopter, and James has been doing it throughout the offseason for practice and preseason games.

“The deal we signed with Fanatics almost three years ago includes access to their corporate aviation,” a James spokesperson told Front Office Sports, which reported that James is allowed access to Fanatics Aviation as part of his contract with Rubin’s company.

“It’s a feature in many of their deals with their largest athletes and we appreciate their partnership as LeBron splits his time between New York and Philadelphia.”

Torre also revealed that he and his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” have been receiving tips from NBA owners about the situation.

“[The NBA owners] are like sending me your story and being like ‘What is this?’ because now I’m the guy who seems to be a lever on something like accountability even among billionaires, which is a fun plot twist,” he said.

The helicopter commute is about 45 minutes, cutting down the travel time from what would usually be a 90-minute to two-hour drive.

The 41-year-old was spotted after his commute earlier this month following the 76ers’ first scrimmage Oct. 3.

The four-time MVP took to the sky and returned to New York, landing at the VIP Heliport on West 30th Street.

He could rack up roughly 67 round-trips between the 76ers’ 41 home games and roughly 26 home practices, the Philly Voice reported.

James previously stated he plans to spend time between the two cities and would have “multiple residences.”

The 76ers open the season against the Knicks on Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Wizards fans and fans across the country.

Yesterday, I wrote about the Washington Wizards considering a rebrand. No, the Washington Bullets are NOT returning. Instead, the logo may change. The uniforms may change. The colors too. Monumental Sports & Entertainment received requests to do that, but I don’t find the Wizards’ jerseys or color scheme looking ugly, etc.

Then again, who knows?

So we have a poll for you to settle the matter. Should the rebrand happen? Vote below!

Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

Kristaps Porziņģis addresses ‘frustrating' health issue after Warriors meeting originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Kristaps Porziņģis returned to the Warriors’ practice facility Tuesday, but his status remains the same.

Porziņģis, who is dealing with an unspecified health issue and will miss all six of Golden State’s preseason games, met with general manager Mike Dunleavy and vice president of player health & performance Dr. Rick Celebrini on Tuesday, the Warriors shared in a statement Wednesday. The details of that meeting will be kept private.

Porziņģis hadn’t been around the team for weeks, and while he finally met with team staff Tuesday and intends to stay around the team, he will remain out indefinitely due to the same health-related matter.

Warriors statement on Kristaps Porzingis: pic.twitter.com/Pdj4aM1Kes

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) October 14, 2026

Porziņģis wasted no time addressing the matter, sharing to X that he is working with doctors and experts to figure out how to get fully healthy and return to the court.

“Honestly, I’m getting better and better,” he wrote, in part. “I just have to stay patient, and I believe I’ll be feeling great again soon.”

He also took a subtle shot at the “internet doctors” who seemingly have diagnosed his health issue.

I appreciate all the internet doctors trying to diagnose and help, but I'm in the best hands. So everyone can relax now 😄🙏🏼 and I don’t have hiv or aids.

— Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) October 14, 2026

Porziņģis’ absence came as a surprise when Dunleavy announced it at media day, just before the team packed their bags for training camp in Hawaii. The 7-footer was seen working out at Chase Center before training camp, so Dunleavy’s announcement was a shock.

The Warriors acquired Porziņģis from the Atlanta Hawks at last year’s NBA trade deadline for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.

He averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks through 23.7 minutes in 15 games (11 starts) with Golden State, proving he can be an impact player for the Warriors when healthy.

The Warriors already will be short-handed to start their upcoming campaign, with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody both recovering from long-term knee injuries. Now, Porziņģis’ uncertain status surely doesn’t make things any easier for Steve Kerr and Co.

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Four of the five Knicks starters didn’t board a plane north of the border, the fifth one didn’t play basketball on Tuesday, and it all showed badly.

New York will host a preseason game for one final time on Thursday before dressing in gold for Tuesday’s banner night.

Here’s the latest from Mike, James, and Miles.

Reminder:

Not important Important pic.twitter.com/xGeVDRpjL0

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 14, 2026

Mike Brown

On the Knicks’ performance and defensive shortcomings in their 50-point preseason loss to Toronto:

“It’s not necessarily what’s on the scoreboard at that particular time. It is: are you doing the right things to be better and/or get better? And in the first half, what I was most disappointed in was we weren’t putting bodies on bodies. Fifteen second-chance points in one half is not good. Thirty fast-break points in one half is not good.

“And then the way they sped us up, and us not necessarily touching the paint and trying to spray it and/or making quick decisions is not good. So that’s what I was most disappointed in in the first half. I really didn’t care about the score, especially with the group we had on the floor.”

On how James Wiseman has developed since his time with the Warriors:

“Back then, obviously, he was talented but he was really raw in terms of his ability and feel on the court. It’s obviously a lot higher now, but he’s also been humbled a little bit with the challenges and the adversity he’s gone through in his career. He understands how hard it is. That obviously is different now than what it was back then.”

On Wiseman’s growth and understanding of how quickly NBA opportunities can disappear:

“Everything was new to him. He was a wide-eyed young puppy and now he’s a little bit more seasoned with the knowledge of, ‘This is not gonna be easy and opportunities can come and go like that.’”

James Wiseman gets preseason start:

18 points team high
7-8 FG
4-4 FT
10 rebounds
4 offensive pic.twitter.com/p9YaRNfPhm

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 14, 2026

James Wiseman

On appreciating his opportunity to compete for a roster spot with the Knicks:

“It’s a blessing to just be here. Really just being able to go out there, enjoy myself, have fun, just keep working. Stay diligent.”

On overcoming injuries and adversity throughout his NBA career:

“It’s been a lot. Really just putting God first. Staying down, grinding every single day and just taking one day at a time. That’s really all you can do, just really control what you can.”

On what he has learned about himself through his career struggles:

“Really just being able to stay resilient through the process and really just staying persistent as well.”

On how his athleticism can help him earn the Knicks’ final roster spot:

“Just being able to use my athleticism. Being able to put my head on the rim every single time, run the floor and really just being vocal.”

You drew up a plan without Drew?

Better drew another plan pic.twitter.com/N7b6cH1yh9

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 14, 2026

Miles McBride

On the Knicks’ 50-point preseason loss to the Raptors:

“You never want to lose in that way. But at the same time, we just gotta move on. Preseason is for those reasons. Missing eight of our guys, you just want to come out there and have a positive mindset. Go out there and play hard. There were things we could’ve definitely done better, but they’re a playoff team and you add a Hall of Famer with them.”

Yeah if the refs really about to start calling offensive fouls on pushoffs SGA is COOKED 😭 pic.twitter.com/pPPrtHJTTQ

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) October 14, 2026

BOSTON — Four years ago, Payton Pritchard wanted out of Boston. He had fallen out of the Celtics’ rotation and grew frustrated at his lack of playing time, eager to show what he was capable of as a pro.

But despite wanting out, he wasn’t traded at that midseason deadline.

And the rest is history.

The following season, the Celtics won their elusive 18th banner with Pritchard as their leading scorer off the bench. During that playoff run, he became a legend in Boston, immortalized by his litany of buzzer-beaters, capped by a half-court shot at the halftime buzzer in the decisive Game 5.

One year after that?

Pritchard won Sixth Man of the Year, a culmination of years of tireless work.

And now?

The 28-year-old guard who so many believed would be too small to make it as a pro has signed his biggest contract yet: a 2-year, $44.2 million extension that keeps him with the Celtics through the 2028-2029 season. The contract also includes a mutual option for the 2029-2030 season, meaning that either Pritchard or the Celtics can opt in for a third year if they so choose.

Due to a six-month trade restriction triggered by the extension, Pritchard can’t be traded at the deadline, giving one more year of complete assurance he’ll be in Boston.

It’s still wild to him that he’s the second-longest tenured player on the roster. And, as his seniority grows, he continues to examine how he’ll lead.

“Maybe I’m more vocal this year — maybe my presence is felt a little bit more in that area,” Pritchard said. “But for me, I feel like leadership isn’t just about [being] vocal. It’s how you approach every day, your competitive spirit, your work habits, all that stuff.”

His teammates have taken notice.

“P’s biggest strength, or one of them, is just his confidence and his ability and his work ethic,” said Jayson Tatum. “He is always looking at ways to get better, looking at ways to challenge himself. He’s a hell of a competitor. He just loves to hoop. For a six-foot white guard that has gotten to the point where he has in his career, it’s because he works his ass off, and he just competes at the highest level.”

Could Payton Pritchard take another leap in Year 7?

Payton Pritchard is likely to still come off the bench this season, at least to start, but Jaylen Brown’s absence could give him more opportunities.

Pritchard averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game in 69 games played alongside Brown last year; those numbers rose to 25.2 points, 7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game in the 10 games in which Brown sat.

This year, Pritchard plans to continue to add to his game; one way he hopes to do that is by getting to the free-throw line more often.

“I feel like I put the defense at a disadvantage at times — like, I get them in the air, and I’ll go through a step through, but it’s just taking those moments to just take the easy route, get to the free-throw line, when their hands are all over me, learning how to, like, just go up into my shot and draw a foul, stuff like that,” Pritchard explained at training camp in Charleston.

He’s been picking Mike Conley’s brain about it, too; the veteran guard is his go-to workout partner and newfound mentor.

“I don’t want to be, like, a flopper, like I’m just falling on the ground,” Pritchard said. “I’m not really somebody who falls on the ground a lot, but, like, when you have an opportunity to take a foul, take it.”

Pritchard doesn’t know exactly how he’ll improve in Year 7.

But, on Media Day, he made clear that he would.

“Everybody always tries to put people in a box, and for every year of my career since I’ve been young, people put me in this box of like ‘This is the player you can be,’” he said. “And I just feel like those expectations, I blow them out of the water. I don’t know what I can be doing differently, but I will find something that will make me excel to another level, but I can’t tell you what that exactly could be. Maybe I get better at getting to the free-throw line more — that adds more points. Maybe I somehow figure out how to develop and add four more assists a game. And like, so I just don’t know what that will look like. But I will work to find it and become a better player for sure.”

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mavericks fans and fans across the country.

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I have to be honest, I’ve not seen a single live game minute of NBA pre-season so far and that includes of the Dallas Mavericks. I have a good reason, I was in California with the family on vacation and the games started at 5am and 3am and I don’t think my hotel had NBA TV anyway.

Vote for who surprised you in those two games, surpassing your expectations from before the games started.

The Rockets have the sour taste of disappointment still lingering from last season’s playoff exit. They lost to a Lakers team without Luka Doncic, in a series where Kevin Durant played just one game. This, compounded by the fact that they lost Fred VanVleet before even playing a game, makes Houston hungry to play basketball and show the league what they should have been a season ago.

This is a veteran team complemented by young talent. But when you have two groups on different timelines, there is sometimes a conflict of interest when it comes to deciding what is best for winning. Alperen Sengun is making $35 million this season, but Steven Adams makes more sense at center. Reed Sheppard was the third overall pick in the draft, but has not panned out quite yet. There are tough decisions the Rockets have to make if they want to maximize the rest of Kevin Durant’s career. And those decisions could prove fatal if made incorrectly. 

Houston Rockets: Over/Under 48.5 wins (-110/-115)

To win the NBA Finals: +2700

Last Season: 52-30, lost W. Conference first round

Key Additions: Marcus Smart, Bogdan Bogdanovic

Key Losses: Dorian Finney-Smith

The Rockets’ lack of offense in the playoffs six months ago is what sunk them. Without Durant and VanVleet, they simply could not score enough points. Now that those guys are back, their offense should theoretically be better, but they are still going to force minutes on Sengun and Sheppard because of the capital they used on them. Ideally, the Rockets are able to trade one or both of those guys for a dynamic guard who provides shooting and move Adams into the permanent center spot. Kyrie Irving, for example, is a name that both makes sense and has been floated around. Until then, however, they are juggling too many things. Finding the right guys to play nightly without completely disregarding their younger pieces will be challenging. Houston is going to regress in the win column as they find their way forward. 

Prediction: Under 48.5 wins (-110)

LAS VEGAS — Lakers coach JJ Redick’s challenge for Walker Kessler is simple: Be “relentless”.

Relentless with his motor on both ends of the floor. With his running and changing ends in between possessions. With his screening and rolling towards the rim. With his rebounding.

The Lakers got that in abundance during their marquee acquisition’s preseason debut, which came in a 101-89 loss to the Warriors on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena in the team’s penultimate exhibition.

The 7-foot-2 center finished with 11 points, nine rebounds (two offensive boards), one block and one steal in 16 first-half minutes before sitting out of the second half. 

Kessler, who the Lakers acquired from the Jazz as part of a sign-and-trade with the Jazz that included a four-year, $130 million contract for the big man, missed the first three preseason games after injuring his left pinky finger.

“He’s a great fit for our team,” Redick said of Kessler. “He did a nice job of running the floor, crashing, had some terrific rebounds in traffic [and] protected the rim. Just [a] really good first half from him. 

“Overall really good for someone who didn’t play for, whatever it is, 10 days.”

Kessler’s impact on the Lakers was as massive as his 270-pound frame. 

The Lakers won the 16 minutes he was on the floor by 15 points in what was Kessler’s first NBA game in nearly a full calendar year after he played just five regular season games in 2025-26 because of a season-ending left shoulder surgery. 

“It was a lot of fun being out there again,” Kessler said. “It’s been so long. Before the game, I was actually pretty nervous, to be honest. But, getting out there and just playing with the guys, it was a blast.”

The No. 22 pick in the 2022 draft made his presence felt in the Lakers’ first possession without recording a statistic in the box score.

After Austin Reaves missed a pull-up 13-foot jumper out of the pick and roll with Kessler, the big man fought for the offensive rebound, with the ball bouncing off of Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg’s hands and going out of rebounds, resulting in a team offensive rebound for the Lakers.

“JJ and I talked, and that’s kind of what we came up with this year: ‘Relentless,’ ” Kessler said. “And for me, that means just crashing every time, trying to be a presence in the paint, inside, outside, play hard, don’t take plays off, on the offensive end and defensive end. That’s going to be my goal for this year.”

After the Lakers inbounded the ball, Reaves ran another pick and roll with his new starting center, with the big man out of Auburn rolling hard to the basket and bringing in the Warriors low man (Gui Santos) into the paint, leading to Reaves making the drive-and-kick pass to Quentin Grimes for an open corner 3-pointer.

The Lakers created several open looks from beyond the arc because of Kessler’s roll gravity. 

“He created probably four or five really good looks for us from 3 just rolling hard,” Reaves said. “Nobody’s gonna give him credit for it, but him putting pressure on the rim and roll opportunities gonna make the big guy sink, and we’re gonna get wide open 3s. We had quite a bit of them.”

With one more preseason game on Friday against the Nuggets in Los Angeles, and one week before the Lakers open the regular season against the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, Kessler is looking to build off Tuesday’s showing. 

“Just game feel, honestly,” he responded when asked what he’s looking to improve on. “That will come with time and just playing with the guys now that I’m cleared. Conditioning-wise, I actually felt good out there. First wind was a little tough, but after I got past that, my legs kind of got under me and I felt good.”

Adem Bona’s possible outlook for the 2026-27 season has changed before we’ve even reached the start of the regular season. Just days after the Sixers held their media day and hype for the new year really started to ramp up, one of their few centers, Ariel Hukporti, was ruled out for the season with an Achilles tear.

Yet again, the Sixers find themselves with shallow depth at center. What’s new?

There isn’t an easy way to replace Hukporti, as our Bryan Toporek has already explained. The Sixers already didn’t have much in the way of traditional center size or skillset off the bench behind Joel Embiid, and now that’s even more apparent. Getting experimental and downsizing more often is one option to help. There’s clearly merit to using someone like Dominick Barlow (if healthy) in spells at the 5, to give the team a boost of athleticism and defensive switchability. Jabari Walker is another smaller option, who’s off to a strong start in preseason play so far. LeBron James could find himself spending a little time at center. Even Dean Wade could be an option right now, Nick Nurse has said.

But apart from how the Sixers can experiment and potentially bring in someone using their open two-way spot, one player that you have to immediately look to is the other big man who, at least in theory, could tick several of the boxes you need from a typical backup center: Adem Bona.

Lately, Bona has been getting over an injury himself. He suffered a foot sprain last month while playing for Türkiye in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. As Bona said himself at media day, recovery and treatment has been going very well. He’s got back to some work on the court. The Sixers set themselves a timeline to get Bona back in action by two weeks into training camp, and that’s still what they’re on track for.

Bona clearly has his strengths, and has looked like a legit NBA backup in his finest games. He has a great motor, stellar speed and agility at 6-foot-10, the lateral quickness to switch onto smaller players, solid offensive rebounding, explosive play finishing and dunking at times, and clear shot-blocking talent. His 1.2 blocks in only 17.4 minutes per game last season (and a ranking of ninth in the NBA in blocks per 100 possessions at 3.2) is impressive. But the flaws have remained obvious. He doesn’t have great hands when operating in the paint on offense (despite being a thunderous finisher when he’s at his best), bizarrely struggles as a defensive rebounder, and he still makes some blatant errors from positioning to his high rate of silly fouls.

Now, the challenge for Bona in his third NBA season is to prove he can be consistent. And the Sixers sure could use it now with Hukporti sidelined.

When speaking to reporters at media day, Bona talked about how his FIBA experience helped this summer. He’s keen to build on what he’s been learning through playing with different teammates and embracing different styles of play:

“Playing all summer helps with staying in shape, staying in game-ready shape. Also, sharing the floor with guys like [Alperen] Sengun, Furkan [Korkmaz], it just gives you a different perspective of the game. We get to play a different style of game being coached by coach [Ergin] Ataman. It’s just different, you get a different perspective, play a different style, and it just keeps giving you an understanding and you get to learn to play a different style.”

Bona also touched on what he worked on this summer in his own training:

“For me, just getting better as a basketball player all around. There’s been a couple of focuses, though, on like helping the team spread the floor, even in the post, in the dunker, around the rim, and extending outside of there. Always being a presence defensively, and yeah, just those two little things: being around the rim and spreading the floor.”

Clearly Bona won’t suddenly become a shooter and floor spacer. But if he can actually improve his hands, touch, and offering on offense to be any more than just a dunker — like showing a little more as a roll man and finisher in the paint, and making basic passes reliably — that would go a long way to earning him more minutes.

Now with Hukporti out of the picture, Bona should have more opportunities to get onto the floor and prove whether he can be the Sixers’ backup center option with real size and rim protection. They could clearly use a player with Bona’s build, athleticism and ideal skillset even more now. If he can cut down on mistakes and fouls and stay on the floor longer, he’ll have more easy opportunities to score as a play-finisher than ever before, too. Playing off LeBron’s passing and the gravity of so many talented offensive players will open up more lanes for Bona to run the floor and dive to the basket.

Can Bona actually improve on those weaknesses that have held him back in the NBA so far, though? That’s the question. Once he returns and Nurse starts experimenting with different lineups and center options, we’ll see if Bona can put this summer of training and FIBA experience into practice and rise to the occasion.

Seeing Kawhi Leonard in a Raptors jersey again is naturally going to bring back memories of 2019. That season, there was no question who Toronto’s best player was. When a possession broke down or a playoff game tightened up, the answer was usually simple: get Kawhi the ball and let him figure it out.

Seven years later, Leonard is back, but Toronto shouldn’t be asking him to recreate 2019 every night. He’s 35 years old and coming off a career-high 27.9 points per game, so the ability to take over clearly hasn’t disappeared. The difference is that these Raptors already have players who need the opportunity to carry them through the regular season. If this reunion is going to work, Leonard doesn’t need to be Toronto’s best player in October, January or March. He needs to be that player when Toronto has nowhere else to turn.

Scottie still needs to be “the guy”

This has become Scottie Barnes’ team, and adding Leonard shouldn’t change that. Barnes averaged 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists last season while Toronto won 46 games and pushed Cleveland to seven games in the first round. More importantly, he has spent the last few seasons growing into the responsibility that comes with being a franchise player. Taking that responsibility away now would make little sense.

Leonard actually gives Toronto a chance to keep pushing Barnes in the other direction. There will be nights Kawhi rests, nights when he doesn’t have it offensively and nights when Barnes simply has the better matchup. Toronto should want Scottie attacking those moments instead of immediately looking toward Leonard.

“I can play off anybody. I can catch and shoot. I’ve played with limited shots before,” Leonard said at Media Day when discussing playing alongside Barnes.

That might be one of the most important things Kawhi said all day. Barnes doesn’t have to step aside because Kawhi Leonard walked through the door. He gets to play alongside him, learn from him and continue figuring out how to be the guy Toronto leans on.

Kawhi makes everyone’s job easier

There is also a difference between being the best player every night and being the player every opponent is worried about most. Leonard doesn’t have to score 30 points to change how a defence approaches Toronto. His presence alone should create opportunities for Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.

That is what makes this version of the Raptors interesting. Toronto isn’t dropping Leonard onto a team with nothing around him. The Raptors won 46 games last season, defended at a high level and found ways to survive a playoff series long enough to force a Game 7. Now they’re adding a player who averaged 27.9 points while earning All-NBA Second Team honours last season.

Some nights Kawhi might lead the team in scoring. Other nights it could be Barnes, Barrett or Quickley. That shouldn’t be viewed as Kawhi doing less. It should be viewed as Toronto having the luxury of not asking a 35-year-old superstar to solve every problem.

Let Barnes grow. Let Quickley shoot. Let Barrett attack. Let the young guys carry some weight.

Be the best player when it matters

Of course, there is a reason Toronto brought Leonard back. Regular-season balance sounds great until a playoff defence takes away your first option, the game slows down and there are eight seconds left on the shot clock. That’s where Leonard changes the ceiling of this team.

Toronto already learned this lesson once. During the 2018-19 championship season, Leonard played 60 regular-season games and the Raptors still finished 58-24. They didn’t need the best version of him every night because the goal was having that version available in May and June.

The circumstances are different now, but the idea shouldn’t be.

Let the Raptors around Kawhi carry their share of the load throughout the season. Let Barnes continue becoming the face of the franchise. And when a playoff game gets ugly, the offense stalls and Toronto desperately needs one basket?

That’s when you ask Kawhi Leonard to be the best player on the floor.

Who: Phoenix Suns (1-2) @ San Antonio Spurs (0-3)

When: 5:00pm Arizona Time

Where: Frost Bank Center — San Antonio, Texas

Watch: Suns+, KTVK, KPHE, AZFS App

Listen: ESPN Phoenix 620 AM, SiriusXM

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We’re hitting the homestretch of the preseason, with the regular season set to tip off in one week. Their opponent on Wednesday night, the San Antonio Spurs, opens its season next Tuesday, October 20, against the Oklahoma City Thunder. So you have to wonder how much we’re actually going to see from San Antonio in this final stretch of preseason basketball. The Spurs last played on Monday, resting all of their starters while their young, exciting core took the floor and earned a 119–109 victory over the Utah Jazz.

From a Phoenix perspective, knowing their season tips off in Portland on October 21, you have to wonder how much we’re going to see from them as well. Miles Bridges tweaked his ankle in the second preseason game, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he receives some additional rest, along with several other players on the roster. So while I’ve included projected starting lineups below, understand that the likelihood of those projections being accurate is probably pretty low. Such is life in the preseason.

With an 82-game schedule ahead, one that is both arduous and physically demanding, teams aren’t particularly interested in wasting bullets during games that ultimately don’t count. And for a Suns team that possesses a fair amount of continuity, there’s already an understanding of who they are and how they want to play.

Of course, integrating Miles Bridges remains an integral part of the team’s success this upcoming season, as does the development of Jalen Green’s responsibilities as a facilitator and distributor. But the reality is that much of that chemistry and understanding will likely continue developing throughout the regular season rather than being completely ironed out during the preseason.

Tale of the Tape

All of the statistics listed below are from last season.

Probable Starters

You never know it in the preseason. So I’ll go with some guys who could start, but not likely.

Injury Report

Suns

• Miles Bridges — Game Time Decision (Ankle)
• Mark Williams — OUT (Torn Left Labrum)

Spurs

• None

What to Watch For

If this is a situation where we see very little playing time from the starters and the majority of the game is handled by the depth pieces, it actually becomes a pretty exciting opportunity for Suns fans. Of course, you’d like to see the starters continue building chemistry and developing an understanding of the geometry of how each other operate on the floor. But for a team that possesses plenty of youth and players still developing, rather than a roster filled with veterans trying to prove their worth in the NBA, these opportunities become increasingly interesting.

Players like Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat are where my eyes will gravitate tonight. I’m interested in seeing how they look on the court, how they’re moving, and how they respond to additional responsibilities that might not necessarily be part of their roles once the regular season begins. And that’s an important distinction to make when evaluating performances in games like this. Players are often asked to operate in roles they likely won’t occupy when the games begin to count. Peat probably won’t be part of the regular rotation to begin the season, and when he does receive opportunities, he’ll likely be playing off the ball, attacking the glass, and finding ways to contribute without having the offense run through him. That’s a different responsibility than being asked to handle the basketball and initiate offense during a preseason game.

The same applies to Fleming, whose eventual role will likely center around becoming an effective three-and-D player. When he’s part of the rotation, the expectation will be that he provides perimeter defense and knocks down open shots, rather than being somebody the Suns rely upon to generate offense.

So you have to evaluate these performances through that lens, understanding that the responsibilities we’re seeing tonight might not reflect what these players will ultimately be asked to do during the regular season. But that doesn’t make the opportunity any less valuable. It’s another chance to showcase their development, gain meaningful experience, and put together real minutes against a San Antonio organization that’s going to make them earn everything they get.

Key to a Suns Win

I was talking to one of my good buddies the other day, who happens to be a Spurs fan. Yes, I know. Nobody’s perfect. One of his observations from Phoenix’s win over San Antonio last Friday was that he actually had to turn the game off. Why? Because the Suns were playing with so much effort, and the Spurs simply weren’t matching it. And although it was only preseason basketball, that frustrated him as a fan. You always want to see your team competing, bringing energy, and putting forth the effort rather than simply going through the motions.

He also mentioned that one of his concerns heading into this season is that San Antonio’s success last year might have led the players to believe everything the talking heads are saying about them. That they’re going to win the Western Conference, or at least be right there competing for it. And when expectations begin to surround a team, there’s always the concern that players might start believing they’ve accomplished something before the work has actually been done.

But that effort my buddy was talking about? That’s how the Suns win tonight. That’s how the Suns are going to have to win every night. With effort, tenacity, and a willingness to make life miserable for whoever lines up across from them. That’s Phoenix Suns basketball, right? Be relentless. Be annoying. Be disruptive.

Prediction

Again, the final score doesn’t matter in this one. I actually think we’re going to see plenty of opportunities for the younger players, and that could translate into some sloppy basketball and poor shooting. How much weight you put into those performances is ultimately up to you, and if those struggles become a consistent theme, there’s certainly some reason for concern.

But I’m far more interested in the energy with which they play, the pressure they put on the opposition, and how they perform on the glass. Because for players like Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat, those are the areas where they’re ultimately going to make their impact when their numbers are called during the regular season.

Suns 104, Spurs 101