Carlisle also told reporters that two weeks was the target time to ask him for an update, implying Haliburton would be out that long. That's the expected return timeline from a low-end Grade 1 hamstring strain. However, the Pacers may be cautious with their star and hold him out longer, hamstrings are easy muscles to re-injure.
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Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is joining a frighteningly long list of NBA stars missing time with injuries in the first week of the season.
"We'll hope this hamstring thing is not a big deal or not any kind of a long-term thing. But as I said, we'll know more about that later this evening."
It's worth noting that teams are cautious about bringing back players from hamstring strains, as they are particularly susceptible to re-injury.
Haliburton had returned to the Pacers this season after missing all of last season with a torn Achilles suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Through four games this season, Haliburton was averaging 21.8 points and 9.5 assists a night.
Indiana has dealt with a rash of injuries at the start of the season — four of their five ideal starters are on the injury report. For Wednesday night's game, Ivica Zubac (ankle), Ben Sheppard (meniscus tear), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), and Johnny Furphy (ACL) are out, and Andrew Nembhard is questionable with neck stiffness.
Haliburton joins a too-long list of NBA stars missing time with injuries to start the season: Jalen Williams, Anthony Edwards, Cason Wallace, Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Duren, Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, and Jaren Jackson Jr., just to name a few. That's not counting guys such as Kon Knueppel or Tobias Harris, who have yet to play due to minor injuries. At least No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa will make his debut Wednesday.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - DECEMBER 05: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket around Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at Paycom Center on December 5, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks make their primetime debut Wednesday evening against the suddenly beaten and battered Oklahoma City Thunder squad. Dallas (2-2) won a thriller against the Miami Heat on Monday evening, as Cooper Flagg (29 points, six boards, 11 assists and eight stocks) and two-way guard Walter Clayton Jr. (15 points, four rebounds and four assists in just 17 minutes off the bench) led the way in a four-point victory.
Flagg and Clayton spearheaded a fantastic effort on Monday against the Heat. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For Oklahoma City (4-0), things have been held together by smoke, mirrors, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell. The duo, who are playing without Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams, combined for 56 points in Monday’s 125-114 win over the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder played nine guys at least 20 minutes in that contest, and it’s clear that for the foreseeable future, this thing is going to be a group effort to support the two guards.
Before we dive into the handicap, lets recap last week’s results.
Moneyline: Dallas is +188 to pull off the home upset
David’s plays
Cooper Flagg to score 25+ points (-104)
Mavericks ML (+188)
Ajay Mitchell to score 20+ points (+114)
Mavericks first quarter spread +1.5 (-113)
I think the Mavericks follow up Monday’s big win with a statement win tonight on ESPN. The Thunder have absolutely nobody that can guard Cooper Flagg or defend the rim at the level you need to to prevent him from getting to his spots. On the other side, Ajay Mitchell has now been thrust into a bigger role and I think he provides a lot of problems for the Mavericks perimeter defenders. Despite that, Dallas will ride a good first quarter to a huge win.
Tyler’s plays
Under 228.5 points (-110)
Dallas +6.5 (-115)
Cooper Flagg 8+ rebounds (+124)
Isaiah Hartenstein under 9.5 rebounds (+112)
I do like the under here quite a bit. Dallas has been held to 110 points or less twice already this season, while OKC has also been held under 110 twice. That includes a 96-point effort against Denver, who isn’t exactly sparkling on the defensive end. And in these low scoring affairs, I typically lean to the dog, especially at home. The rebound props feel correlated to me. Flagg has had many chanced to grab rebounds, but has failed to capitalize at times. In this matchup, OKC will not be positionally as big as the teams Dallas has faced to date, so I like his over. Hartenstein, meanwhile, is going to see a lot of attention, given OKC’s injuries. I like his under and I think Flagg will pick up the loose change.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr did not mince his words when asked to share his thoughts on the early season flopping epidemic that has plagued the NBA.
“We should be the No Bulls–t Association,” Kerr told reporters before Golden State’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Target Center. “Anything that is B.S. should just be banished.”
“Every bit of bulls–t the players try to pull, we should just say, ‘No, no. We’re not doing that,'” Kerr said. “It’s a better game when guys aren’t flopping… [and] running into screens and looking like they got hit by a car.”
Kerr was asked to share his thoughts on the sequence in Tuesday night’s Trail Blazers vs. Lakers game in Los Angeles where the officials called three technical fouls for flopping in a two-minute span.
“I feel like we’re constantly, as a league, behind the players,” Kerr said. “The players are grifting, and we’re chasing them and we’re never getting ahead of it.”
Kerr also clarified that he believes the onus to solve the issue does not fall on the officials.
“I think our officials do a great job and I think they work their butts off. It’s such a hard job. I’m not complaining about the officiating,” Kerr said. “What I’m saying is we need to stay ahead of all the player grifting. Easier said than done, I get it. But we’ve consistently been behind it for a decade.”
Kerr already has spoken on the issue several times this nascent season, particularly after the Warriors’ home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies.
“It’s a really, really hard thing to police,” Kerr said. “Can we have a general, sort of, philosophy of ‘No bulls–t’?”
Before the Detroit Pistons took on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked about the team's dedication to playing "Pistons basketball." Then, seated in the same folding chair only a few hours later, after the Pistons fell to the Knicks 111-97, Bickerstaff wondered if the NBA was unfairly penalizing the Pistons for being who they are.
"It is extremely frustrating. To see it happen the way that it happens. There is a discrepancy," Bickerstaff said, about the way his team is officiated. "There's a physicality that we play with and play with every night, and the League should be accustomed to it by now. We've been doing it for three years, and it's not going to change."
That physicality is part of what Bickerstaff referred to pre-game as "Pistons basketball." Since being hired by the team in the summer of 2024, Bickerstaff and his staff have created an identity that is not only tied to physicality but also defensive pressure, contested shots at the rim, and turnovers. Before Bickerstaff took over the Pistons, they had a defensive rating of 118 in 2023-24. That was 25th in the league. In his first season at the helm, the Pistons had a rating of 112.5, which was good for 10th-best, and last season, they had a defensive rating of 108.9, second-best. Last season, they also averaged 10.4 steals and 6.4 blocks per game, both of which were best in the league. The season before Bickerstaff arrived, the Pistons were dead last in the NBA with 6.5 steals per game and were 20th in the league with 4.7 blocks per game.
While some of that improvement can be tied to personnel, many of the key players on the Pistons were in Detroit before Bickerstaff arrived. Cade Cunningham played three seasons in Detroit before Bickerstaff was hired, but he had never made an All-Star Game and had only averaged a steal per game in one of those seasons. Jalen Duren played two seasons in Detroit prior to Bickerstaff being hired, and Ausar Thompson played one. Their evolution as players can be attributed to increased experience and maturity, but it would be foolish not to give some credit to the identity created in Detroit over the last two seasons.
“We play Pistons basketball. It doesn't matter who our opponent is or what the rest of the league is doing," explained Bickerstaff. "We're built a certain way, and if we're trying to change because of what everybody else is doing, we're not going to be as good at it, and we're not going to be as true to ourselves. That's the most important thing. All the changes that have happened [in the Eastern Conference], your identity matters, right? Your style of play is second to your identity, and if you're playing true to your identity every single night, that gives you an advantage when you're playing against teams that are trying to figure out who they are or what they do. So our aim is just to be who we are, right? We play Pistons ball every single night.”
Having that built-in identity has also made it easier for new players to adapt to what the Pistons are doing. Guys like Paul Reed, Duncan Robinson, John Collins, and Isaiah Joe can become integrated into the team quickly because the identity is so clear-cut.
"I think the way the league is going to be is you're going to have some overhaul with a lot of teams just because of the new salary structure and all that stuff," said Bickerstaff. "I think the more simple you can make it, the more quickly you can get guys to buy into it, and the more you get to maintain your identity by seeking new players that kind of fit, and I think that's what we've been able to do. Give the front office a ton of credit; they found guys that fit our identity and the way that we play."
The way the Pistons play has worked too.
Last season, they finished the regular season 60-22 and were the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The season before, they were 44-38 and finished as the 6th seed. That was after a season in which they were 14-68 and were the worst team in the Eastern Conference. It was a pretty quick rise to title contention, and much of that has to do with style of play.
Yet, "Pistons basketball" also does come with some negatives.
Since Bickerstaff took over and instilled his more physical brand of basketball, the Pistons have been among the leaders in the NBA in fouls. In his first season, they committed 20.7 fouls per game, the fourth-most in the league. Last season, they led the league with 22 fouls per game. Now, the Pistons also had the third-most fouls per game the season before Bickerstaff was hired, so this is not strictly an issue tied to his style of play, but it is something he has embraced as a head coach.
"We're physical within the rules and have gotten really good at it," he declared after the loss to the Knicks. "We've been one of the top defenses over the past two, three years, whatever it's been. We play a certain style, and fans want to see the style that we play. That's what Detroit wants, and that's what our fan base enjoys about this team, so we'll continue to do what we do."
The issue the Pistons will need to reconcile with is that their approach may make it harder to reach their ultimate goal of an NBA title.
While the league has continued to assert that games are not called differently in the regular season and the playoffs, recent data has shown that games are officiated much tighter in the postseason. Last season, referees called 11% more fouls per game in the playoffs than in the regular season. While that was one of the largest gaps in league history, and only the sixth time in 60 years that the foul gap between regular season and playoffs topped 10%, the NBA has had an increase in foul calls from the regular season to the playoffs 66 times in its 80-year history. The 2025 season saw the biggest gap between regular-season and playoff fouls in over a decade, and 2026 increased that gap.
It's also not a gap that the league is running from.
In that ESPN article linked above, NBA senior vice president of referee development and training Monty McCutchen said, "It would be very difficult on our players, on our coaches, most certainly on our referees, if the intensity of a seven-game series that we see in the playoffs exhibited itself over 82 games. "NBA playoff basketball is one of the great spectacles of all sports in my opinion. You get the combination of the passion and strength of our players and coaching staffs in tight spaces over a seven-game series. And I think that that absolutely makes for a different game."
Even though the NBA acknowledges that playoff basketball is inherently more physical, it seems likely to still use the whistle more often in the postseason. That was one bugaboo for the Pistons last season. While they allowed 27.2 free throws per game to their opponents in the regular season, they allowed 29.2 per game in the postseason. Cleveland averaged 30 free throws per game in their victory over the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Those may seem like minor disparities, but every point matters in the postseason, especially since the pace is slower, which means fewer offensive possessions and shot attempts per game.
The bigger issue at play may be that Detroit's edge in physicality, which helps so much in the regular season, becomes less pronounced in the playoffs. Playoff games are slower and more physical by nature. Most of the teams that make the playoffs are strong defensive teams. Scoring overall in last year's playoffs fell, with teams averaging about 117.8 points in the regular season and just 105 points in the postseason.
Sportico’s 2025 study of NBA Playoff basketball suggested that the slower pace and stingier defense in the playoffs make it "more difficult for teams to generate open shots close to the basket." As a result, "paint touches have consistently declined in the postseason throughout the player tracking era since 2014." That means offenses have to settle for more three-pointers, but three-point percentage decreases in the postseason: "Of the 224 playoff squads since 2010, excluding those in the 2020 playoff bubble, nearly three-quarters (72%) shot worse from behind the 3-point line during the postseason than the regular season." That means teams that take more three-pointers give themselves more opportunity to overcome the worse shooting.
The Sportico report also mentioned that the more aggressive postseason defense "limits transition opportunities and shots around the basket while forcing teams out of their offensive sets." That's detrimental to a Pistons team that creates so much offense through their defense creating transition opportunities. Last season, they were 1st in turnovers forced, 2nd in fast break points per game, and 2nd in points in the paint per game in the regular season. However, their offense really struggled in the paint against the interior defense of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in that loss to the Cavaliers.
So even if the physical nature of the Pistons' defense hasn't been detrimental to their playoff success in the past two years, their physical, transition-oriented offense has made it harder for them to score points in the postseason. In order for them to make a deep run in the playoffs, they will need to modify a little bit of what "Pistons basketball" means on the offensive end.
So far, through four games of the 2026-27 NBA season, we are seeing them start to make a few of those changes. While the offensive rebounding and strong interior offense have remained, the Pistons appear to be playing a little bit faster and spacing the court better than they did last season.
Last year, they were 17th in the NBA in three-point shooting at 35.6% on 30.9 attempts per game, and 28% of their points came on threes, which was 29th in the NBA. This season, Detroit is 9th in the NBA in three-point shooting at 37.6% on 37.3 attempts per game, and 37.2% of Detroit’s points have come off threes, which is 10th-most in the NBA. That's a major difference.
This season, the threes the Pistons are getting are also based mostly on pace and ball movement. Through four games, 29 of the Pistons’ 37.3 three-point attempts per game are on catch-and-shoot chances. That’s the 9th most in the league, and they have a 56.2% effective field goal rate on those attempts, which is 11th-best in the NBA. Last season, just 22.5 of their 31 attempts per game were on catch-and-shoot threes, 26th-most in the league.
A big part of that increase has been Coach Bickerstaff changing how he uses sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, using him more as an on-ball screener to free him up to get open looks when defenders help on the screen. Using Duncan as a screener “just puts defenses in tough decisions,” explained Bickerstaff. “Especially when you get him in some of those rip screens for John [Collins], who has the lob threat ability. Do you want to switch a smaller guy onto him? Do you have to bump him? Then Duncan's so intelligent. He does a great job of reading those screens and what the defenders do, and he's a step ahead of them. He knows when to slip out, he knows when to set it, he knows what route to take to get to the next screen quicker. So all those things just make it easier for him to create those opportunities and put defenses in tough situations.”
Collins himself is also a 37% shooter from deep in his career, and Isaiah Joe, who was acquired from the Thunder this offseason, has shot 40.5% from beyond the arc in his seven seasons. All of that seems to be an acknowledgement that, offensively, "Pistons basketball" needs to adapt. The physicality and aggression can remain, but when teams rise up to meet that level of play in the postseason, Detroit needs to have another wrinkle to throw at teams if they want to reach the ultimate prize.
We're only four games into the new season, but this version of "Pistons basketball" may just be the most playoff-friendly version we've seen in years.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to extend their winning streak to 17 games against the Washington Wizards. The last time the Wizards defeated the Cavs, Kevin Pangos started at point guard, and Kevin Love put up 24 points. 2021 was a while ago.
This Wizards team will look a little different than the ones that the Cavs have consistently beaten over the last five years. This new-look version seems to have modeled itself after the Cavs, with their new two-big frontcourt that features Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr. They also have a small guard in Trae Young who serves as the team’s offensive engine.
This game will also feature the NBA debut of number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa. He missed Washington’s first four games with an ankle injury.
This is a much better Wizards team than the one that the Cavs last faced back in April. Washington could make a push for the playoffs in a loaded Eastern Conference. The Cavs will need to play decently well to come out with a win.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 25: Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks warms up before the game against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on October 25, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just when I thought we were hunting for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft…
…Mike Brown and the lads decided to get their excrement together and remind us the Knicks are actually a title contender.
Here’s the latest before we turn the page quickly to this evening’s affair against the Chicago Oxen.
"Close to 48 minutes of basketball we know how to play and we like to play"
On facing the Pistons despite Detroit dominating the Knicks last season:
“We have to concentrate on the next opponent in front of us, and Detroit happens to be that opponent. And, they had our number last year, you know. It is what it is, that’s kind of how the NBA is [and] it works. I said this before, one of the years we won it when I was in Golden State as an assistant. We lost the season series to Utah, I don’t know, it was 0-4, 1-3. One game, we got I think, beat by 40.
“So, you know, I don’t necessarily take a ton of [stock in it]. Obviously, you want to win, you want to be in good position for a playoff run, but I don’t take a ton of stock in, they won this series or they killed us in this [regular season] series because playoff season is a different ballgame.”
On experimenting with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ minutes and rotations during the first games of the season:
“No, no, no, no. You can always get better. You guys probably don’t notice, you probably never picked up on it but in Games 1 and 2 [of this season], my big experimentation was playing [Karl-Anthony Towns] and Jalen in two stretches together. And so the middle of it, I had both KAT and Jalen off the floor. We didn’t really do that last year.
“Watching it, I didn’t like it. So last game was the first game that I went back to [keeping one on the floor]. So there’s some things that I’m looking at or messing with that may or may not stay the same.
“That’s part of what you’re trying to do to figure out what’s best for your team long term. In the short term, it might not turn out good, like it didn’t turn out good not starting Josh, we took our lumps. But it was good to go through it last year. So, it’s something we’ll continue to try to figure out early on.”
On challenging Karl-Anthony Towns at halftime against the Pistons and his 27-20 outing:
“I challenged KAT and KAT had a tremendous second half. Twenty-seven and 20, he’s more than capable of doing that night in and night out.
“KAT’s a grown man. He’s obviously a perennial All-Star. I just told him the truth: ‘KAT, the guy is killing us on the glass, and when he gets a rebound, he’s putting it back. Anything he gets in the paint, he’s putting it back. If he catches on the perimeter, guard him,’”
“And he did those things. I’ve got to take my hat off to KAT because I thought his shift in his mindset was really big for us in the second half.”
On the Knicks dictating the physicality against Detroit:
“Once our guys realized, ‘No, no, I can’t react to them, I gotta dictate to them what’s gonna happen,’ and they do it with a smart level of physicality, then it makes it easier [to defend].”
On the Knicks putting together a more complete performance in their first win:
“We talk about trying to string a game together. 48 minutes of basketball the way we know how to play, and we like to play. And we had some lulls where we weren’t as physical as we should have been throughout the course of the game, but we had some really good moments. We had more good moments in this game in totality than we did in the first three games, and that’s why we got the win.”
On the Knicks’ early struggles being part of the process of preparing for the playoffs:
“We can have some hiccups. That’s what the [regular] season’s for. It’s trying to correct it, so come playoff time, you’re ready to go do what you need to do. So is it fixed? No, it ain’t fixed. Nothing’s really fixed.
“What tonight shows us is we’re more than capable if we put our minds to it. And that’s what we gotta continue to try to build off. And then if we do slip up, that we don’t slip up for eight minutes or 10 minutes. Maybe for a minute and a half, two minutes, and then we get back, regroup, and get back heading in the right direction again.”
On the Knicks’ shot selection and overall performance against Detroit:
“I still believe we took some really good shots. I believe if we keep taking the shots that we’re taking, they’re going to start going in sooner than later. But our guys played an overall good game. On the offensive glass, defensively physically, offensively physically.”
On the Knicks doing a better job defending Detroit’s designated shooters:
“The guys that we labeled hot tonight, two of the guys were obviously Duncan Robinson and [Daniss] Jenkins, and they were combined 3-for-16. So our awareness, our level of physicality, throughout the 48 minutes were a lot better on those two guys in the previous game.”
On the Knicks’ performance against Detroit compared with their first three losses:
“I give our guys credit. We talked about trying to string a game together, close to 48 minutes, the way we can play and like to play. We had some lulls where we weren’t as physical as we should have been. But we had some good moments. We had more good moments in totality than the first three games.”
On lessons from the Warriors’ 2018 championship defense and avoiding panic:
“The one thing that I do know [about that season] is nobody ever panicked, from the ownership to the [general manager] to coaching staff all down through players. We just truly felt we were better than the way we were playing.
“At that point in the season, to go through getting thumped in the head sometimes, might not be all bad, you know? So I think that’s the biggest thing is to know that you’ve got a game plan and you want to stay the course. Make some tweaks here, make some tweaks there.”
Jalen Brunson was asked what he thinks drives Josh Hart's mentality:
“Everyone can say it’s obviously early in the season. We could use that as an excuse. But I think the one thing that I see is when we get those runs, when we start to look like the team that we’ve been in the past, we get a little comfortable. So we’ve got to continue to put our foot on the gas and execute things that we did last year.
“And we’re not going to be the same. We’re not going to be the way we were playing last year. That’s just human nature. But we have to accept this part of the journey, find a way to be better. And hopefully, throughout a couple of games, we’re going to look back on it and say, ‘Yeah, we grew from that.’”
On responding to early-season adversity and the sky-high expectations of a title defense:
“Find whatever it takes to win. Control what we can control. Focus on the little details that might seem small but can impact winning. Most importantly, stick together. One thing I’ve said during training camp and to this day is we’re going to see who we are within the first couple weeks of the season. And we’re seeing adversity so how are we going to respond?
“We’re going to get everyone’s best because of last year. Everyone has been telling us what a great job we did, how fun it was, what we did for the city, the constant praise and so we need to be the opposite.”
On the Knicks’ identity after earning their first win:
“We’re the Knicks, actually.”
On the Knicks’ defensive turnaround against Detroit:
“We talked about it and we knew we needed to do it. I think the way we played that second quarter really turned things around and helped us take control of the game.”
On the Knicks’ need for patience:
“We got to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This is a new year, new team. Adversity started early, so we just gotta fight back. We have a long way to go, but obviously we want to learn from wins as much as we do from losses. Excited we came up with the win today.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns stepping up against Paul Reed and the Pistons on Tuesday:
“[Reed] played great in the first half. I think we were able to not let him loose on the offensive boards. He was really impacting the game. For [KAT] to step up as he did throughout the game was something that we needed.”
On Josh Hart’s sources of energy:
“Popcorn, candy, wine and caffeine. He’s just a different person.”
Karl-Anthony Towns on what changed for the Knicks coming out of halftime tonight
"I thought we did a better job picking up on our intensity and our physicality and we executed at a high level. We've got to worry about the controllables, which is playing our best" pic.twitter.com/wPdkAzct2U
On staying optimistic despite the Knicks’ 0-3 start:
“As much as you lose nine out of 11, it’s the way you can win 13 straight. So just stay faithful, stay faithful, continue to put the work in, continue to find different ways we could be better. We’ve just gotta get back to the drawing board. Back to what made us so special last year. We have to tap back into that kind of mojo, that magic, and find ways to do what we got to do to get it back up.”
On the Knicks resembling last season’s championship team against Detroit:
“More like ourselves from last year.”
On the Knicks increasing their physicality and intensity against the Pistons:
“I thought we did a better job picking up our intensity and our physicality, and we just executed at a high level. We’ve just got to worry about the controllables, which is us playing our best, executing at a high level, and bringing that physicality to the game.”
On the Knicks executing the fundamentals against Detroit:
“We did all the little things tonight. That’s how we got the W.”
On the need for building momentum after the first win:
“Gotta get the next one. Build off of this game and continue to improve as a team. All year it’s gonna be us improving, going through the ups and downs of a season. We just gotta stay steady, keep believing in each other, keep pushing each other to another level.”
On wanting to reward Knicks fans after three disappointing losses:
“It’s been an ongoing thing. These fans deserve the best of us and we haven’t given them that the first three games. We wanted to give them something to cheer for.”
Josh Hart so unserious lmaooo. Scuffle going on and he fake squared up on Pistons assistant coach Jarrett Jack and SCARED the sh*t out of him 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/D75g5uwcxR
SAN ANTONIO, TX -OCTOBER 27: The San Antonio Spurs starters and bench reacts after a dunk by Harrison Barnes #40 (not in photo) against Sacramento Kings in the second half at Frost Bank Center on October 27, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
None of this feels real to me. Not yet, anyway. It’s like we’re floating through an ethereal state of existence somewhere between awake and asleep. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something still feels off. The season has started. The music is playing. The lights are on. Is anyone home?
This was a win. From a basketball standpoint, the Spurs went out there against an overmatched Kings lineup and, mercifully, followed the script. They jumped on them immediately and never let up. Lobs, threes, blocks, the works. It all ran like a well-oiled machine, and we were treated to a comfortable, easy win that doesn’t require much analysis. The Spurs are better than the Kings. Let’s pack it up and call it a day, yeah?
Because no one needs me to come into this space and tell you that when Julian Champagnie hits eight threes off the bench, the Spurs are hard to beat. It’s not breaking news that Wemby will have a big night if he gets unfettered access to the lane on barely contested pick-and-rolls. I’m not getting a Pulitzer for informing the noble readers of this site that if every team were the Sacramento Kings, we could start planning the parade right now.
All due respect to the Kings, who I know are a real NBA team, but all of this brings me back to a nagging feeling in my gut that we’re stuck in some sort of basketball purgatory where nothing is beautiful and everything is fine. The stakes are real, but the outcomes feel perfunctory. Or maybe it’s just me.
Look, I think I maybe died in June. Not literally, obviously, I’m still here typing away, but somewhere between the double-overtime Game 1 against OKC, the OG Tip-In, and the Knicks holding the trophy on our court, the part of me that does the feeling sort of got used up. I think I just forgot how much effort the playoffs require. How locked in you get, night after night after night. You redline it like that for long enough without the payoff of actually winning and then you’re just sitting there feeling empty. Waiting for it all to click on again.
I wrote after the opening night Thunder game that I didn’t feel ready for the season to start, and I’m starting to think the season wasn’t ready either. The whole league seems to be out of whack in oddly specific ways. The Knicks hung their long-awaited banner and then became the first defending champs to start 0-3 since the 2011-12 Mavericks. The Nuggets got booed at their home opener, lost by 20 to the Warriors, and Jokic is snapping back at the crowd. The Heat got Giannis and promptly turned into the Bucks. I’m even seeing reports that LeBron James is a Sixer? That can’t be right.
What else, what else. The Thunder are 4-0 and also might be in crisis. Jalen Williams was carried off the floor Sunday with a gruesome leg injury, Cason Wallace is headed for shoulder surgery, and Chet Holmgren is out with a bad knee. Are they, like, already maybe done? The new-look Wolves were off to a great start until word came down Tuesday that Ant is having knee surgery and will miss up to two months, a day after he scored 47 playing on it. Even Certified Iron Man Kawhi Leonard might miss some time with a swollen knee! (Ok, actually that checks out.) Meanwhile, Memphis and Portland are sitting near the top of the West. Just like we all predicted!
In that sense, I suppose the relatively routine nature of the Spurs romping over the Kings last night was a welcome sign of life. Something happened the way it was supposed to. The shots went in. No one got hurt. The crowd cheered and we all moved on to the next thing.
I just can’t wrap my arms around any of it yet, and I don’t think I want to. This is the preseason, for all intents and purposes. From now on, I’m going to try to just let this stuff happen however it needs to happen. Go smooth-brained with it. Shake off the losses, ignore the wins, and clap like a seal when there’s a big dunk or a loud noise. It’s fine. It’s all fine. Or it’s not. Whatever.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the game long decided, Harrison Barnes rose up over Alex Karaban and the whole building went nuts as he threw it down. The bench was on its feet. The announcers fell apart. Wemby even said afterward that he stood up so quick he got dizzy, and his explanation for all the commotion was simply that everybody loves Barnes.
Maybe that’s it. The season started before we were ready and we simply stood up too fast. The blood rushed to our heads, the room tilted a bit, and the whole place got a little too loud for a few seconds. We couldn’t tell whether we were waking up or just finally losing it for good. Honestly, I’ll take either. In a league where up is down and left is right, the most meaningful thing that happened in this game was a dunk that didn’t matter. It could be that it was just nice to feel some synapses firing again, if only for a moment.
We’re all losing our minds. Or maybe we lost them already. Either way, the lights are on.
It’s time to go home.
Takeaways:
I just can’t help feeling like the season doesn’t actually start until Tobias Harris gets in the mix. He’s the skeleton key that unlocks this whole thing. Has to be.
It’s really frustrating to watch this game and feel like this is how the whole thing is supposed to look but, because it came against the Kings, it’s hard to feel like it matters. It’s a scientific result that happened in a vacuum. It’s a scrimmage against cardboard cutouts and traffic cones. I liked it. I was happy with it. I don’t trust it even a little bit.
That said, made shots beget made shots beget made shots. Mitch has emphasized a few times this season that the process for getting looks has been good and that the shots going in was a matter of time. Well, tonight they went in. The Spurs came in shooting 31.2 percent from three and went 17-of-37, including 13-of-22 before halftime, and we were all treated to just how effective this offense can look when that happens.
I know Wemby can’t be this aggressive against every team, but it would have been more worrying if he hadn’t taken full advantage of a night like this. He missed all three of his threes and still scored 29, because 18 of his 21 shots were twos, including nine dunks, five of them off lobs. So everyone here at WWL headquarters is going to go ahead and give him a polite golf clap anyway.
WWL Post Game Press Conference
So you’re having trouble getting out of the blocks this season?
I really am. I wish I could say that I’ll stop talking about it sometime soon but I’m not sure I can make that kind of a commitment. I’m adrift. I’m waltzing around in no man’s land. I’m lost on the Penrose stairs in an infinite loop of wondering when this season will feel like it’s actually real.
It seems to me like you flew too close to the sun and now you’re trying to dig out of the hole with as many metaphors as possible.
I’m looking for any port in a storm.
Sounds like you’re just spinning your wheels.
I’m certainly burning the candle at both ends, I’ll tell you that much for free.
Maybe you’re missing the forest for the trees?
I probably just put the cart before the horse.
It’s still early, no need to clutch at straws just yet.
Dybantsa, 19, missed the Wizards' first four games this season due to a sprained left ankle suffered late in training camp. He steps into a Wizards offense already loaded with firepower, including Trae Young and Anthony Davis, the latter of whom has had a couple of very impressive games to start the season.
Dybantsa comes to Washington as the hope for the future, the top pick who will change the fortunes of a long-middling (or worse) franchise. Dybantsa was a standout at BYU, averaging 25.5 points a game, and followed that with an impressive Summer League. Dybantsa looked like a rookie still finding his footing in the preseason, averaging 12.8 points per game, shooting just 18.2% from 3-point range.
But that's just the preseason. Starting Wednesday night, things get real.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 24: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors attempts a layup against Luke Kennard #8 and Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 131-122. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Small-ball lineups have been the bane of Jordan Ott’s existence during his early tenure with the Phoenix Suns, as through his first season and three games, it appears that they simply don’t work. The team compromises on rebounding to prioritize athleticism and flexibility. In theory, you should be able to play five out and shoot the ball effectively, but the Suns aren’t particularly good at shooting the ball.
But here’s where two harsh realities need to take root, at least based on the small sample size we’ve experienced through the first three games. First off, you don’t have to look exclusively at small-ball lineups to recognize the undeniable truth that the starting five hasn’t played particularly well together either. The combination of Booker, Brooks, Bridges, Green, and Khaman Maluach has logged 37 minutes together, producing a net rating of -35.5 and an offensive rating of 94.7.
The second is that small-ball lineups exist within the Phoenix Suns’ ecosystem out of necessity rather than by schematic preference. Ott isn’t sending Miles Bridges out there at the five because he thinks it’s a strategic advantage. Mark Williams is injured. Oso Ighodaro is injured. That’s a seven-footer and a 6’10” big man who are simply unavailable. The Suns are rolling out small ball lineups because they have to.
And yes, some of those lineups have been absolutely blasted early on. To the moon. Take the combination of Collin Gillespie, Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges. That group has played a total of 6 minutes across 2 games and has a net rating of -105.2. I didn’t know that was possible. It is.
What’s interesting, however, is that the five-man lineup with the second-most minutes played this season features Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Luke Kennard, Miles Bridges, and Ryan Dunn. Would you call that one small? I sure would. Yet that group has an offensive rating of 131.8, a defensive rating of 100.0, and a net rating of +31.8. Gasp!
So all this pounding the table about the small-ball lineups Ott is putting on the floor is based on a false premise. He’s not doing it by design, and within that context, one of the combinations he’s deployed has actually been productive.
If your response is, “Well, they should throw Rasheer Fleming into the fold because he has size,” let’s remember a few things. First, he’s still only 6’9”… so he would be too small as compared to the opposing center’s size. Second, think back to the preseason and the challenges he experienced in understanding his spacing and where he needed to be on the floor. Now ask him to know where to be as a five. Good luck with that. Third, when Fleming has played as the small-ball five alongside Gillespie, Goodwin, Bridges, and Dunn, that group has produced an offensive rating of 33.3 and a net rating of -36.7 over five minutes. That ‘disease of what if’ relative to Fleming isn’t a quality argument for his insertion into this shit show.
There’s a lot wrong with this team right now, of that there is no doubt. And once again, we’re searching for the person responsible, the individual upon whom we can place the blame. For some people, that finger points directly at Jordan Ott. I’m not suggesting he’s without sin in this situation. I’m simply making the point that the small ball philosophy is being forced upon him rather than chosen, much like what we witnessed during the back end of last season.
Even within those circumstances, there are some positives worth recognizing. The Suns have real problems to solve, and small ball hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory through the first three games. But context matters. Phoenix is playing without its two primary centers, the starting lineup hasn’t found its footing, and at least one smaller combination has produced encouraging results. Jordan Ott deserves scrutiny, but he also deserves a fair evaluation of the circumstances he’s navigating. Before we declare small ball a failed experiment, let’s see what happens when the Suns actually have the personnel to make other choices.
DALLAS, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 25: Santi Aldama #34 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for portraits at Mavericks Media Day at American Airlines Center on September 25, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The team’s PR machine announced on Tuesday that stretch big man Santi Aldama, whom the Mavericks acquired in a six-team draft day deal in July, has been assigned to the Texas Legends “to practice with the team as part of his return-to-play protocol.”
Thrown in with that announcement is an upgrade for Aldama on the team’s injury report ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Thunder from “out” to “doubtful.” And on top of that, was this note attached to the end of the MavsPR update:
“He will scrimmage with the team and be recalled following practice without appearing in any games for the Legends.”
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that F Santi Aldama has been assigned to the Texas Legends to practice with the team as part of his return to play protocol.
He will scrimmage with the team and be recalled following practice without appearing in any games for the Legends.
As of this writing, that scrimmage has likely already taken place. So, it should stand to reason, then, when the Dallas Morning News reported alongside the announcement that “it appears possible that Aldama could make his debut on either Friday or Monday.”
Indeed, the PR machine basically confirmed as much when they gave a further update later in the day on Tuesday: that Aldama had been recalled from the Legends after practicing with the team.
The Dallas Mavericks have recalled F Santi Aldama from the Texas Legends after he practiced with the club as part of his return to play protocol.
The Mavericks host the Houston Rockets on Friday and the Sacramento Kings on Monday in the last two legs of the team’s first homestand of the season. That Rockets game is also the first group-stage matchup of the NBA Cup for the Mavs.
Dallas has turned some heads in the first four games of the season, with wins at the Indiana Pacers, in Tyrese Haliburton’s Welcome Home Game after missing last season recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, and at the new-look Miami Heat, who remade their roster behind Giannis Antetokounmpo after nabbing the superstar in an offseason trade. Adding a stretch big to the mix after those early results, who scored 15 points per game last season (albeit in just 43 games), could elevate the Mavericks to a level many didn’t expect this year.
Joining the team five or six games into the season is pretty close to the best-case scenario we wrote about in Aldama’s purposefully vague player preview profile before the season started. He’ll need time to work his way into shape and into his role in a new team at the same time.
But if he can run the floor and fill lanes to shoot like he did with the Memphis Grizzlies, he definitely fits next to Cooper Flagg, as well as a true weapon off the bench.
Santi Aldama is a unusual transition weapon for a 7-footer…
One of the highest volume transition 7+ footers in the league. Runs the court well. Fills lanes to shoot. Gets to the rack. Can be weaponized running the floor next to Flagg. pic.twitter.com/dky0lhGxsh
He’s a versatile player. That gives us some level of confidence the veteran entering his sixth year will find a role and fill it successfully.
A little bit of excitement is gathering behind this young Mavericks bunch. The news about Aldama’s injury status should only serve to fill the fanbase’s sails with a little more hot air.
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 26: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards arrives to the arena before the game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 26, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa will play today against the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to the team.
Update: AJ Dybantsa has been upgraded to available for tonight's matchup. https://t.co/Zy2qaBsBnC
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After making two preseason appearances earlier this month, rookie Cameron Carr hasn’t suited up since Oct. 6 as he navigates a right oblique strain. But according to Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, Carr is making clear progress and practiced with the Coachella Valley Lakers on Tuesday.
“He was able to do a full practice today,” Redick told reporters prior to Tuesday’s loss against the Portland Trail Blazers. “[With] five games in seven nights, we’re not going to be able to practice this week. [We] wanted to be cognizant of his ramp up and what he needed to do to be back in our lineup. Today was a good step for him.”
Carr participating in a full practice is a crucial checkpoint on his road to recovery. The oblique strain hasn’t really hindered his ability to stay well-conditioned but the organization wanted to ensure he could handle the bumps and bruises associated with the sport’s physical nature. On Tuesday, Carr accomplished that.
“Well, we needed him to be able to get through a full practice. So that’s probably a very important step,” Redick said. “Obviously, he was able to do some level of conditioning because it was an upper body injury. Wanted make sure he’s able to take hits and able to be in shape.”
In Carr’s preseason debut against the Sacramento Kings, he delighted to the tune of 19 points (7-of-13 shooting, 3-of-7 from deep), three rebounds, two assists and two steals. A day later against the Golden State Warriors, he didn’t offer as rosy an encore with five points (1-of-4 shooting, 1-of-3 from deep) and two steals.
Presumably, Carr will earn plenty of run with Coachella Valley once he’s fully healthy this season, so familiarizing himself with those surroundings certainly can’t hurt. He’ll join the Lakers’ trio of two-way guys, Arthur Kaluma, Chris Mañon and AK Okereke, as a significant G League contributor who also spends lots of time with the big league club.
Coachella Valley begins its season Nov. 6 against the Salt Lake City Stars as part of the G League Tip-Off Tournament.
James L. Dolan at AMC Networks 2026 Upfront held at Spring Studios on April 29, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images) | Variety via Getty Images
The rich really are exceptionally good at finding ways to get richer.
Yesterday, Ben Horney reported in Front Office Sports that Knicks owner James Dolan has received a $10 million bonus for completing the Knicks-Rangers split. The transaction that closed Oct. 26 establishes the teams as separate publicly traded companies.
According to Horney, bonuses of this nature are not unusual when a company is split. However, this cash bonus “definitely stands out,” said a source. The median CEO award in a spin-off study was about $3 million.
Explanation for the size of the payout was limited in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. An independent compensation committee of three members (none with the Dolan surname) approved the award, but the filing did not give reasons why members arrived at such a generous number, or say which of Mr. Dolan’s contributions justified it.
From the article:
“If another public company did this, they’d likely have a page or two of disclosure around how they came to that figure,” the expert says.
When discussing financial matters that involve Dolan, we’re obliged to acknowledge his stance on the Knicks’ payroll. His insistence on staying below the second apron cost the team Mitchell Robinson this summer, and the Knicks have paused extension talks with Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Miles McBride, and Tyler Kolek. Keeping the core together at prices the players will accept while honoring Dolan’s spending limit remains an unresolved challenge. “There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do,” Dolan told WFAN. “One of them is the second apron.”
"There's certain things in the NBA that you'd have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. I'll write as big of a check as possible, but I can't write a check that goes into the second apron."
Contrast that with what Sam Presti (President, OKC Thunder) has said: “The aprons are intended to make it so a team’s primary team-building philosophy can’t be spending.” And: “There’s nothing in the second apron that would prohibit us from keeping anyone on our team. The challenge is for every team that has a sufficient collection of talent is the finances that come with that.”
Presti’s point appears to be that the second apron makes it harder to improve an expensive roster, but it does not automatically prevent a team from paying to keep its core. Teams can still extend players and use Bird rights to re-sign their own free agents. Keeping their talent just means accepting the financial cost and the restrictions that come with crossing the threshold. So, maybe ‘suicidal’ is a strong term, McDuck? (Also, if you’re reading this: Hey, Jim. Hi! Love the Sphere, hope the Straight Shot’s doing well. I know we’re tough on you, but you know Knicks fans. Listen . . . uh . . . while I have your ear, just two requests? If you could maybe gift me a couple thou to loosen my financial collar a little—or even five or six figures—that would be just so gentlemanly of you. And please let Oak out of the doghouse. Cool?)
Back to the Knicks-Rangers split. Investors can now buy shares in either franchise individually, but the separation does not change who ultimately controls the businesses. The Dolan family retains majority voting control of both teams.
The bonus comes on top of substantial annual compensation. Dolan’s reported fiscal 2026 compensation across MSG Sports, MSG Entertainment and Sphere totaled roughly $42.1 million. The newly awarded $10 million is separate from that figure.
We first reported on the split back in August. According to the deal, MSG Sports would become MSG Knickerbockers Corp., containing the New York Knicks and Westchester Knicks (a very affordable ticket, btw). A new publicly traded MSG Rangers Corp. would contain the Rangers, Hartford Wolf Pack, and MSG Training Center in Greenburgh.
In July, Dolan’s 32-year-old son, Quentin Dolan, stepped into day-to-day operational control of the New York Rangers as the team’s new President, Chief Operating Officer, and Alternate Governor. The Rangers reported an operating loss of approximately $30.5 million for fiscal 2026. The combined MSG Sports business reported $28.9 million in operating income; standalone Knicks results were not disclosed.
Beyond the second apron issue, Papa Dolan’s payout arrives amid criticism of MSG’s decisions. Recent static has included a ticket pricing snafu, Isiah Thomas’s appointment to the Knicks’ board, controversy over championship-ring distribution, and an employee phishing test scandal. It’s hard to fathom but true: The Knicks win their first chip in five decades and yet again ownership manages to kill the vibes.
It's way, way too early in the NBA season to be handing out report cards. Not that it's going to stop me, but think of this more like the grades on a pop quiz some annoying teachers surprise students with the first week of class. It's a small-sample-size theater, but here are the early grades for some standouts from the rookie class, including the top four picks. (Note: Some relatively high-profile rookies are not on this list, I just want to see more before grading them.)
AJ Dybantsa
Grade: Inc.
Dybantsa has yet to take the court for the Wizards, but that is going to change Wednesday night (Oct. 28) when he plays in his first game, on the road against the Cavaliers.
Darryn Peterson
Grade: C
During Summer League, Darryn Peterson showed the explosiveness that had scouts drooling over him going back to high school (something we didn't see nearly enough at Kansas). Now facing NBA defenses, Peterson is struggling to show that same burst of athleticism.
So far this season, only 8% of his shot attempts have come at the rim (in the restricted area), while 34% have been taken in the floater range of three-to-10 feet. Another 30% of his shots come from the pull-up midrange of 10-16 feet. The result is a guy shooting 36% on the season so far, and also just 33.3% from 3. It's why he's averaging 11.5 points a game, plus 2.4 assists a night.
Also, the chemistry between him and backcourt partner Keyonte George is very much a work in progress. In crunch time this season, the Jazz leaned into the George/Jaren Jackson Jr. pick-and-roll (although that will change with Jackson out). Peterson needs more time to figure out how to process the NBA game and make it work, but the first week left questions.
Cameron Boozer
Grade: B
You can kind of make the stats say whatever you want with Cameron Boozer. There are the rock-solid counting stats: He is averaging 15.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game (he leads all rookies in rebounds and assists per night). Or there are legitimate concerns that he's shooting just 29.5% from the field and under 10% inside the restricted area. Or there's the fact that the 4-0 Grizzlies are +7.3 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court.
CAM BOOZER LOOKIN' LIKE A VET
The Grizzlies rookie had 25 PTS, 13 REB and 6 AST against the Warriors in a comeback win pic.twitter.com/7Jay8gSgjY
While Boozer is struggling to hit shots, he's getting those looks within the rhythm and flow of the offense. He's picking his spots (and letting Ty Jerome go off on the nights he's cooking), and he's playing within himself. Put simply: He's being exactly the polished, professional player we expected Boozer to be. The shooting will come around, and one reason scouts were high on Boozer is that he's won big at every level, so it's no coincidence the Grizzlies are off to a fast 4-0 start with him on the court.
Caleb Wilson
Grade: B
How are Bulls fans enjoying the Caleb Wilson roller coaster? On opening night, against Toronto's strong perimeter defense, he shot 7-of-21, had nine turnovers and zero assists, and finished with a -45. A few nights later, he dropped 30 points on Washington, with 14 rebounds, and zero turnovers.
Wilson was always the player with the highest ceiling in this draft class but also was more raw compared to the three players taken above him. He needs reps, he'll get that in Chicago, and it's always been about growth. He's averaging 21 points per game on 41.9% shooting (a rough 49.9 true shooting percentage), plus 7.3 rebounds a night. What matters most with Wilson (and all the rookies, but especially him) is how he looks in February compared to now.
Yaxel Lendeborg
Grade: A-
Everyone wants to talk about Yaxel Lendeborg getting in Luka Doncic's face, and why the rookie may not have wanted to tug on Superman's cape. However, if you're the Warriors, you love that he won't back down — they need more of that attitude. And it's authentic with Lendeborg.
However, that debate misses the bigger picture: In his first NBA game, Steve Kerr trusted Lendeborg with the Doncic defensive assignment, one of the toughest in the league. Lendeborg is fearless, physical and knows how to use his 6'9" frame. He has a good handle and his jumper looks real — he drove the Warriors' first win of the season, dropping 31 points with 12 rebounds on the Nuggets.
Yaxel WENT OFF in Golden State's win
31 PTS (career-high)
12 REB (game-high)
6 AST
He becomes the first @warriors rookie since Steph Curry (2/10/2010) to record 30+ PTS, 10+ REB, and 5+ AST in a single game! pic.twitter.com/FYe42bFtD8
It's early, but Lendebord is the surprise standout of the class. He only gets a minus behind his A grade because maybe you don't piss off Doncic (because that tends to spark Lakers runs and half-court shots), but aside from that he has been everything the Warriors could have hoped.
Darius Acuff Jr.
Grade: B-
This grade may be a bit kind, but there are reasons for it. Sacramento has handed the keys to the offense over to Acuff, and he has taken that as a personal challenge — he attempted more shots through his first three NBA games than any player in league history. Through four games, he's averaging 23.3 shot attempts per night, only Anthony Edwards is taking more (yes, he's attempting more shots than Luka Doncic). Acuff has the fifth-highest usage rate in the league, higher than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. You have to love Acuff's confidence.
The problem: Acuff is shooting 34.4% on all those shot attempts. And he's hitting just 20.6% of his 3-point attempts. Where other high-usage players (such as Doncic, Edwards, Giannis Antetokounmpo, etc.) thrive is that they are efficient shooters while carrying this offensive load. Acuff isn't close to that yet, he has a 41.2 true shooting percentage that is not even in the ballpark of league average.
Asking what the Kings and coach Doug Christie are asking of Acuff is a lot and a little unfair, which is partially why he got this grade. His efficiency feels like something that will improve over time. What's more, his decision-making process largely has been solid, he has developed some pick-and-roll chemistry with Domantas Sabonis and is good at winding through a defense to a shot he likes. He's good at finding a solid midrange shot if the paint is packed. Eventually more of those shots will fall and he will be better at setting up teammates. That's why he gets an optimistic grade early — expected improvement.
Aday Mara
Grade: B+
When I watched Aday Mara at Summer League and talked to scouts and team officials, there were a lot of people who thought he could develop into a rotation player for the Thunder. Nobody thought that was happening this season. Then again, nobody thought he'd shut down Victor Wembanyama at the rim in the first game of the season, either.
Aday Mara MAKING PLAYS in his first NBA game
Big-time swat at the rim.
Two-hand alley-oop slam.
Ignore the counting stats (5.5 points and 4.5 rebounds a game), Mara has become a reliable part of the NBA's best frontcourt rotation alongside Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams. That is very impressive for the rookie.
Trevon Brazile
Grade: B+
The Nuggets forward is the most under-the-radar rookie in this group, but he has brought energy and athleticism to the Nuggets that they needed.
The athleticism of Brazile, a second-round pick out of Arkansas, was never in doubt — he can run the floor and jump with anyone. The question was how he would fit that into the NBA.
"The main thing for me was kind of learning spacing and stuff," Brazile said a few days before the season started. "Just knowing where to run the floor, not just running around, but having a purpose where I'm running has definitely helped."
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers is helped off the court after an injury against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers’ backup big man plans went up in smoke when Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles tendon in their preseason opener. They’re only $1.8 million below their first-apron hard cap, which means they can’t even sign anyone to a minimum contract other than an undrafted free agent for now. That has them stuck in a holding pattern until December at the earliest.
Sixers president Mike Gansey isn’t just sitting on his hands until then, though. On Tuesday, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that the Sixers have applied for a Disabled Player Exception for Hukporti.
Amid the NBA’s string of early-season injuries, the Philadelphia 76ers have applied for a disabled player exception, per source, in respect of Ariel Hukporti’s torn Achilles.
If/when that gets granted, the DPE will be for $1.7 million (50 percent of his salary this year). That might sound relatively inconsequential—and it is for the time being—but it could be sneaky useful to the Sixers later in the year.
Once the regular season begins, rest-of-season veteran-minimum contracts begin to prorate downward on a daily basis. They’re dropping by roughly $14,000 per day this season, which is why the Sixers will have enough space under the hard cap to sign someone to a vet-min deal by early December.
But if Gansey’s front office works like that of his predecessor, Daryl Morey, the Sixers may aim to preserve their optionality through the trade deadline. By that point, rest-of-season vet-min deals will be less than $1 million.
As long as their main stars stay ambulatory until then, the Sixers should be in prime position to scoop up ring-chasers either at the trade deadline or on the free-agent/buyout markets. They’ll be vying with other title hopefuls for those players’ services, though, which means they may need to differentiate themselves somehow.
If the Sixers aim to fill their final open roster spot with a big man, they can use the allure of playing time to their advantage. After all, Joel Embiid is unlikely to suit up for a single back-to-back this year, and the Sixers have four of them in March alone. However, that alone might not be enough to outbid other teams, some of whom still have portions of their respective mid-level exceptions available.
That’s where the Hukporti DPE could come in handy. The Sixers have just enough space under the first apron to use the full DPE and stay under the hard cap, provided they don’t make any other roster changes. That would allow them to offer someone up to $1.7 million on a rest-of-season deal instead of less than $1 million.
That might not sound like a huge difference, but if a player is choosing between multiple minimum contracts, every little bit could help. And since LeBron James already called dibs on the Fanatics helicopter, the Sixers will have to find other ways to entice potential signees later in the season.
