But the Warriors star forward and four-time NBA champion is more reserved regarding his personal life.
Draymond Green (23) of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a play-in tournament game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., April 15, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
This is why it was fun for fans to see his daughter, Hunni, be shown on Chase Center’s center-hung screen during the Warriors’ blowout win against the Pelicans on Monday night.
At a break in the game, the Warriors’ in-arena cameras panned to Hunni Green while wishing her a happy birthday.
Draymond Green’s daughter Hunni being shown at a Golden State Warriors game. (X/@957thegame).
Bay Area news station 95.7 The Game made an X post that showed a snippet of Green’s screen appearance with the caption, “Happy Birthday to Draymond’s daughter, Hunni! .”
It has gone viral, tallying over 240,000 views in about 14 hours. And the most common comment is fans noticing how similar Hunni and Draymond look.
“Daddy’s genes are strong. Happy birthday little girl. ,” one X user wrote in a comment to the original X post.
“The eyebrows and side eye that’s his baby,” added another fan.
“Got his whole face lol,” wrote a third.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles on Oct. 21, 2026. Getty Images
The apple clearly did not fall far from the tree in the Green family, at least in the looks department.
So the Sixers decided to have a little fun with the growing controversy when the Celtics took the floor for their morning shootaround at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The song, "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by War played on the public address system as the 76ers were on the court, according to video taken by reporters in attendance.
Brown and Tatum spent nine seasons together with the Celtics and won an NBA championship in 2022. But their fruitful on-court partnership has devolved into a war of words off the floor now that they're on rival teams.
Brown raised the temperature significantly last month with two public reveals regarding the offseason move. He initially posted an emoji of a blue hat – which is another way to say cap, or slang that someone is being dishonest – to a video on social media in which Tatum said he was caught off guard by the July trade. Brown then told reporters on Oct. 24, "There’s no beef, but it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy, and he should stay ready at all times."
The two nonetheless appeared to avoid each other when the Sixers and Celtics met in the preseason. Brown did not play in the Oct. 16 exhibition game, but both players warmed up on opposite sides of the floor and did not acknowledge each other, at least not publicly. Despite winning a title together, speculation about the partnership followed them throughout much of their time in Boston.
Tensions between the former teammates intensified after Brown became a fixture in offseason trade rumors. When the Celtics ultimately dealt him to Philadelphia in a blockbuster move, the spotlight on his relationship with Tatum only grew.
The Sixers are off to a 9-2 start heading into Tuesday's game, and acquiring Brown helped convince LeBron James to sign with Philadelphia over several other suitors. The Celtics, who got Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks in the deal, are right below the Sixers in the Eastern Conference standings with Tatum averaging more than 27 points per game and on pace to set a career high for assists.
The good vibes and serious undertones made the Sixers' attempt at comic relief during shootaround feel all the more appropriate. Watch what happened here:
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 09: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on November 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite missing Luka Dončić Sunday against the Detroit Pistons and Austin Reaves Monday against the Atlanta Hawks, the Los Angeles Lakers went on the road for a back-to-back set and won both games over two of the Eastern Conference’s top-four seeds.
On Sunday, Reaves’ 43 points led the Lakers while Dončić‘s 32-point, 10-assist double-double paced them Monday night. But in both outings, Los Angeles’ depth played crucial roles to fill the void vacated by the absence of a star guard. Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton and Ziaire Williams all delivered, helping propel Los Angeles to a pair of impressive road victories — and head coach JJ Redick recognized their efforts.
“I think the last two games, great examples of next guy up,” Redick told reporters postgame Monday. “…I thought Collin did a really nice job of attacking the paint and scoring. Giving us some juice, especially there in the first half. Sandro, his best game as a Laker and whatever he had, 23 points. That was awesome. Made some big time plays. I thought the two defensive rebounds he got there in the last few minutes were as big as any play he made all night.”
Walker Kessler filled up the stat sheet across both games, averaging 16.5 points, 13 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals to fortify the interior on both ends. His rebounding, finishing, rim protection and quick decision-making are integral to Los Angeles’ 10-2 start this season.
Of course, Dončić and Reaves will shepherd the Lakers’ success — as they have through three weeks — but the supporting cast members elevating their play when called upon will be necessary if the Lakers are to contend for a title.
“It’s building resiliency. JJ talks about it, going through adversity, and understanding that, to be a championship team, you’ve got to respond to that kind of stuff,” Kessler said Monday. “When they made their fourth quarter run, we responded accordingly and got the win.”
At least one of them would prefer to see Butler stick to his dayjob(s), though.
“Man, nah, nah, nah. He gotta go home,” Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton told the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast following the 138-87 win over the Pelicans. “The next time he do something like that, he gotta go back home or do something else. Because he trippin’.”
De’Anthony Melton of the Golden State Warriors speaks to the media after a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty Images
Melton was on the receiving end of Butler’s most pointed coaching advice of the night.
Taking his usual seat on the bench, Butler traded in his typically fashion-forward wardrobe for a white pullover and black joggers — the same get-up as Steve Kerr and the rest of the Warriors coaching staff. He also grabbed a clipboard, which came in handy to remind Melton of the golden rule of basketball in Golden State: Pass the ball to Steph Curry.
When Melton checked out midway through the third quarter, Butler spelled it out loud and clear in blue ink on the clipboard and held it up for Melton — and the cameras — to see.
Georges Niang, left, and Jimmy Butler III smile after a game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Melton had just violated the one and only edict on two possessions in quick succession. Curry was open on the perimeter but Melton drove to the rim through traffic and failed to convert.
Butler offered him — and the rest of the Warriors — a simple reminder.
“All I learned is once you’re on the court with Steph, give Steph the ball,” rookie Yaxel Lendeborg said of Butler as a tactician. “Just get the ball to Steph. That’s the most serious thing he said.”
Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors prepares to shoot against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, in San Francisco. Getty Images
Butler gave his teammates no advance notice of his plans for the game. Lendeborg even mistook him for a regular member of the coaching staff at first.
“I think it was during the first timeout. I was walking by, going to ask coach Frank (Vogel) a question and I see Jimmy. Like, what? What are you wearing?” Lendeborg chuckled. “I didn’t realize all the coaches wear the same thing until today.”
Butler’s wardrobe ensured that he would blend right in on the bench.
“I thought he looked great. Really good-looking sweater,” Kerr quipped. “He said all the right things. Team fouls. How many team fouls we had. He was really acting the part. But I also realized he was mocking us, so it hurt a little bit.”
“HE WAS REALLY ACTING THE PART… BUT I ALSO REALIZED HE WAS MOCKING US.”
It was all in good fun, but Melton agreed: he preferred Butler on the court than the bench.
“No. Just no,” Melton said with a laugh when asked about Butler’s coaching debut. “I think he just got fired today, which is actually crazy. I’m happy about that.”
MILWAUKEE, WI - NOVEMBER 8: The sneakers worn by Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 8, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
Considering the nature of that incident, it would be fair to ask if Green would have an issue playing alongside Poole again.
“I have no issue with that at all,” Green said in the locker room after the game, according to Bay Area News Group’s Joseph Dycus. “I will never stand in the way of this organization thinking they can better themselves.”
“The issue will never be me. Ever.”
Seeing those last two quoted sentences in social media posts, many fans speculated that Green was inferring Poole would be the one to have an issue with a reunion.
Green, on his podcast “The Draymond Green Show,” clarified his postgame comments, pointing out that any decision regarding a Poole-Warriors reunion comes down to the organizations, and not himself.
“What those comments were — they asked me about Jordan Poole’s comments … and they were asking me, like, how did I feel about that,” Green recalled on his podcast. “And I told them I don’t have a problem with that at all. Number one, I don’t make decisions here. I’m a basketball player. I don’t decide my own future here, let alone someone else’s …
“Number two, what I said was also, I’m an adult. So if you’re asking me as if that’s going to be a problem for me, that’s no problem for me … I’m not someone who walks around with a grudge.”
The San Francisco Standard’s Danny Emerman provided another quote from Green from Monday night, in which the Warriors veteran further explained how he has moved on from the incident, and that the decision around Poole returning does not fall on him.
“We had our issue that I f–ked up on, and that’s that,” Green said, according to Emerman. “But I’m not one to hold grudges, I’m not one to sit around and try to damper something for someone else. So if that’s what he wants, I understand that.
“But that’s not a Draymond issue. That’s a Golden State Warriors decision.”
In his podcast, Green provided an example of a similar situation, saying that Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy asked him about his thoughts on trading for then-Washington Wizards guard Chris Paul. Green recalled that he told his GM that the two did not see “eye-to-eye” and that he couldn’t say that he was “very fond of him at all.”
“I told Mike then — I said, ‘Mike, I wouldn’t stand in the way of what you think this team needs, or what can help make this team better,'” Green recalled telling Dunleavy. “I would never stand in the way of that. And so, same went for last night when I was asked that …
“… If they were like, ‘Man, we’re bringing Jordan Poole in’ — whether that’s a trade, whatever it is — and I was still [with the Warriors], that’s a non-issue for me.”
Green seems to be abstinent when it comes to personnel decisions at this point in his career, and that extends to any possible reunion with Poole.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 09: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s hard not to feel like you’re watching a mirage during some of these games. The level of play is excellent and the bits and pieces you might be tempted to pick at are scarce. The wins are piling up. The vibes are good. Everything is going according to plan. Nothing to see here…right?
Right! Look, I’m not going to even try to play devil’s advocate here. No one wants to be the guy pointing at the Alien dropping 40 and 11 over 25 minutes and saying, “actually, this is bad.” If that’s a take you’d like to read then I can assure the internet is full of people willing to take you up on the offer. For my part, and if you’ve come to this website today, I’m assuring you, I genuinely find it hard to think of a less interesting angle to come at this from.
Victor Wembanyama is simply brilliant. He’s been brilliant, he’s brilliant now, and he only seems to be getting more brillianter as we go along. Twelve of his fifteen made shots on Monday were dunks or layups, and nine of those were dunks. Four different teammates threw him an alley-oop. The Spurs are running a dizzying array of different motions that all end up at the same destination, which is a Wembanyama dunk. The threes, instead of feeling like something he has to do to open up the lane, now just arrive in the natural rhythm of the game. He made two threes all night, a digestif tacked on at the end of a satisfying meal.
Vic even hit a Dream Shake in the middle of the 2nd quarter that left me staring off in the distance in disbelief.
I sometimes try to avoid writing about the Victor Wembanyama of it all when I do these because it feels too easy. What did we learn from the Spurs win? They still have the best player on the planet and he helps a lot. Case closed. To his credit, he goes out of his way to make ignoring him next to impossible.
The problem, if there is one, is that regular season basketball does actually seem easy for him at this point. That’s not a mirage. I have no doubt about how hard he’s worked to achieve the level he’s currently operating on, but that doesn’t change the fact that watching him dismantle the average NBA team every other night doesn’t look very challenging. He’s like Will Hunting ranting at Professor Lambeau about how easy it is to solve those supposedly impossible graph theory equations.
Victor’s ascension this season is impressive, and I want to do my best to appreciate the casual brilliance we are privy to on a regular basis, but that greatness comes at a cost, and that cost is a raised ceiling. I simply don’t care that he can drop 50 on the Mavs or 40 on the Suns. I don’t care that he can snuff out the Blazers. I’m sure there will be another jaw-dropping stat line on Wednesday when he plays the Bulls, and I’m sure it will be met with another polite nod from me.
None of this is his fault, mind you. The schedule is the schedule and the teams are the teams. He’s taking care of business, and that’s all you can really ask of him.
I guess I’ve just spent the last nine games of this winning streak telling myself I still don’t know what I’m looking at and I really believe anyone who tells you they do is lying. The ease with which they are winning these games is real. Every conclusion we draw from it…well, that’s a little more hazy. I try to grab on to things I know. “The Spurs are Good.” “The Suns are Bad.” “Wemby is Tall,” and project out from there but I end up feeling like I’m chasing the ghost of a conclusion. The idea of a resolution instead of an actual one.
This is a champagne problem at most. Like, what, I’m having a bad time because I can’t tell if the Spurs are great, really great, or generationally amazing? A few years ago we were sitting through a sixteen-game losing streak and then an eighteen-game one, on our way to the lottery again and again. Now I’m hemming and hawing because our first brush with success last spring has got me feeling antsy.
The thing I’m dancing around here is that the Finals loss is an albatross around our necks that we’re just going to have to wear. There’s no two ways about it. I’m encouraged by the things I’m seeing from this new three-guard- Hydra, but I won’t feel comfortable until I know it can outscore Jalen Brunson when he’s going Nuclear. I love that Victor seems more calm and assured in his decision making, but I still have nightmares about KAT finding a way to neutralize him. Every time we race out to a lead this season, my brain remembers the blown leads in June.
The context of the past clouds everything from the present and I don’t think there’s an easy fix for that feeling. It shouldn’t sully our enjoyment of the current moment, but it does ground the results in a certain reality.
All of this is certainly real enough, but none of it really matters.
Not yet.
Takeaways
I don’t feel qualified to talk about what Dylan Harper is doing. It’s a level of basketball that I recognize as great but have difficulty quantifying, because my analysis tends to err on the side of “oh my God, how did he do that?” Nuance exits the room when he has the ball in his hands. There is a grace and fluidity to his game that is hypnotic, whether he’s getting to the basket with relative ease or casually spinning into a midrange jumper. I don’t know how to say this as a compliment, but it’s fascinatingly boring to watch. He’s operating at breakneck speed but still in complete control, sort of like how F1 cars can look a little blah during a race until you blink and realize they’re going like 200 mph.
The caveat with Dylan is, obviously, his youth. It’s simultaneously the most exciting and frustrating thing about him. That control I just alluded to can prove elusive sometimes. Sometimes he seems almost like he’s just watching the game happen to him and forgets that he’s more than capable of grabbing the reins. He started the game last night a little bit adrift. Whether that’s a byproduct of the three-guard lineup’s growing pains or him simply sitting back and watching Wemby cook like the rest of us, he was kind of invisible, and a guy like Harper just shouldn’t be invisible. After the game, Mitch talked about calling him out specifically during a timeout in the 3rd, and that wake-up call seemed to snap him back into place. He absolutely torched the Suns in that 3rd quarter, going 6-of-8 from the field and effectively putting the game out of reach after Phoenix briefly tried to make a run. He is, without a doubt, the 2nd best player on the team from a talent perspective, and that this already kinda feels indisputable is the most shocking thing of all.
It would’ve been so easy to just write off De’Aaron Fox this season, as evidenced by that fact that so many people did, in fact, write him off. But he’s been really fun to watch so far this year. I love the way he fits into the similar but different skill sets of our guards, and he seems a little more freed up now that Harper and Castle can take on more responsibility. He’s still so fast and he still has great vision, and last night he finished with 15 points, six assists and nine rebounds. His chemistry with Wembanyama has only gotten better, with four of those six assists going to Wemby, and their propensity for lobs and oops of all types seems to have rubbed off on everyone around them. It’s kind of exactly what you would want from a veteran leader in the starting lineup. Everyone else is right though, the Spurs probably should’ve just shipped him last summer because everyone on Twitter was mad.
Are you ever going to stop having an existential crisis about the Spurs this season?
Are you kidding? My entire brand is “existential crisis about the Spurs.” What would I even write about if not that?
You could analyze the gameplay? Trending stats? Maybe break down different plays the offense runs? Talk about defensive schemes?
You sound insane right now. Completely bonkers.
I just think people come here trying to figure out what they learned from the game and you’re only even talking about the journey through the dark night of the soul you went through on a random Monday. We’re eleven games into the season! You don’t want to, like, build to that?
Shooters shoot. I’m not going to lie to the readers about the fact that I can’t sit still and watch Wembanyama dunk on dudes without stressing about the inexorable march of time or whatever.
I’m not asking you to lie, but also, like, can you not sit still and just watch Wembanyama dunk on dudes without stressing about the inexorable march of time or whatever? Like, are you incapable of doing that?
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 09: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets embrace during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center on November 09, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets faced the Denver Nuggets in unfamiliar territory on Monday. The Rockets entered Monday night’s game on their first two-game losing streak of the season after their 102-99 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
In that game, the Rockets struggled from the field as the Suns led by double digits in the first quarter. The Rockets eventually got back in the game and even took a six-point lead at one point in the second half. Still, even a fourth-quarter resurgence from Alperen Sengun, who struggled the first three quarters, wasn’t enough to keep the Rockets from dropping their second straight game.
Pregame
The Rockets welcomed the Nuggets, who are coming off a win down in Mexico City over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets have been without Steven Adams and Clint Capela for several games and also added Oscar Tshiebwe to their injury report with an illness. That means the Rockets will be without all three of their backup centers, leaving Sengun as the only active center for Monday’s game.
Ime Udoka did mention how both Steven Adams and Clint Capela are targeting the upcoming road trip, specifically the Washington and Miami games, as possible return dates. That would be a welcome sight for a Rockets team that currently ranks 12th in rebounding after being near or at the top every season of Ime Udoka’s Rockets tenure.
Rockets vs Nuggets
The Rockets got off to a fast start, led by Durant, who made his first three shots, including one from beyond the arc. Durant was as aggressive in the first quarter as he has been in several games. The quarter was back and forth, as neither team could get much separation.
The Nuggets started to take advantage of the Rockets’ lack of depth at center as Jokic went to work once Sengun went to the bench. However, the Rockets put together a good finish to the quarter, and a Tari Eason 3-pointer put them up 32-24 at the end of the first quarter. Durant led all scorers with 11 points in the first 12 minutes.
The Rockets carried that momentum into the second quarter, scoring the first 11 points and building a lead of as much as 19. The Rockets played with much more force and composure than in their first half against the Suns. The Rockets had 13 assists out of their first 20 made baskets. The Rockets maintained the lead, taking a 54-40 lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw the Nuggets cut the lead to under double digits early as they started the quarter on fire from the field. The Rockets, meanwhile, saw their shooting fall off a cliff, starting 2-for-14 from the field as the Nuggets came back from an early 18-point deficit to tie the game at 5:02.
That’s when Marcus Smart and Tari Eason entered the game, and the Rockets’ defensive intensity immediately rose. The Rockets strung together good defensive possessions that led to easy baskets and pushed the lead back to nine at 71-62. Despite a rough start to the quarter, the Rockets led 77-68 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, both teams played at a high level for the first time. On one end, Sengun scored in the paint; on the other, Jamal Murray could not miss from mid-range. The Rockets had a slim six-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
That’s when Sengun took over: he not only scored in the paint to give the Rockets a 98-90 lead, but he also assisted on the next two baskets, helping the Rockets put the game away with a 110-100 win. The win snapped the Rockets’ first two-game losing streak of the season.
Postgame:
After the game, Ime Udoka, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Sengun spoke to the media. Udoka said the Rockets did a much better job taking care of the basketball and distributing it, and that they finished with 29 assists. SB Nation asked Durant whether it is easier to figure out the defense when he’s initiating the offense.
KD finished with a season high 8 assists I asked KD if it is easier for him sometimes to see how a defense wants to guard him.
“I'm better up there. When I am running off the pin downs I am cool to but like you said I don't know where the defense is.” pic.twitter.com/e78K9KiIb2
Sengun helped close out the Nuggets with his own great passing and running the pick-and-roll with Durant. Here are both players praising each other’s games after last night’s win.
Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun each had high praise for the other after last night's win.
KD on AlP play “To be honest I feel like everytime I have been playing with him about 95, 96 percent of the time he makes a solid decision.”
The Rockets now begin preparing for their old nemesis, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, who come to town Wednesday with an 8-3 record and have won their last eight games.
With the Dallas Mavericks down 13 points late in the first half on the second night of a back-to-back, Monday night at American Airlines Center looked very much like a schedule loss. Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving had other ideas, though, as they combined for 78 points, fueling Dallas past the Indiana Pacers in a wild finish, 125-122.
The win was the Mavericks’ third straight and moved Dallas to 7-4 on the season. It also put the Mavs three games over .500 for the first time since March 1, 2025, a date that feels a lot longer ago than it actually is for anyone who has lived through the last two years of Mavericks basketball.
Think about where this franchise was not long ago. The Luka Doncic trade. Irving’s torn ACL. A 26-56 season and back-to-back years without a playoff appearance. Oddsmakers set Dallas’ win total at 34.5 before this season, and after an opening stretch that included Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, a lot of people expected the Mavs to be scrapping just to stay afloat by mid-November.
Instead, the Mavs are stacking wins, Flagg looks like an MVP candidate in year two, and Irving looks like his old self before the ACL injury happened. Most importantly, the way the Mavs are winning these games feels sustainable. Here are some of the biggest storylines from Monday night’s thriller.
Flagg Climbs Even Higher in the Teenage Record Books
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 9: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks during the first half against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center on November 9, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Flagg was good in the first half, but he was on an entirely different level in the second.
The 19-year-old star scored 30 of his season-high 43 points after halftime, including 14 on 6-of-6 shooting in the third quarter and 16 more in the fourth. He finished 16-of-25 from the field, 3-of-6 from 3-point range and a perfect 8-of-8 at the free-throw line, adding 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block for his fourth straight double-double.
Flagg became just the second teenager in NBA history to post at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game, joining Kevin Durant, who put up 42 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in the final game of his rookie season with Seattle in 2008. Per StatMuse, add the three steals, and Flagg is the first teenager ever with a 40-10-5-3 line.
It was also his fifth career 40-point game, as many as the next two teenagers on that list combined (LeBron James with three and Anthony Edwards with two). His 14th career 30-point game moved him into second place for the most by a player under 20, behind only James, and his seventh 35-point game tied James for the most by a teenager. And keep in mind, Flagg doesn’t turn 20 until Dec. 21.
Mavericks head coach Dusty May pointed to how complete Flagg’s scoring package has become.
“He gets to the rim,” May said in his postgame media availability. “I think him almost being a left-handed player in the paint certainly helps. He’s a great left-footed jumper, left-handed finisher. Then he’s able to square in the air from 15, 17 feet. … The last couple of games, he’s made some threes and he’s making all of his free throws. That’s how you put up the 43 points, where you do a little bit of everything.”
It’s almost unreal just how good Flagg already is, and May is just happy he’s on his roster and not having to gameplan against him.
“He affects the game in so many ways and he makes the right plays as far as passing,” May said. “Thank goodness he’s on our team. It’s unbelievable that he’s a 19-year-old doing this.”
Flagg’s deadly midrange shot, which he worked on all offseason, is paying off in a big way, especially in clutch situations, where he leads the league in clutch points.
“I think just being able to get to my spots at a higher level and being more comfortable with that has allowed me to take a little bit of load off my body,” Flagg said. “Just kind of stopping short, raising up over people. It’s taxing going downhill all the way to the rim and trying to finish over seven-footers all night, every night. … Just trusting the work, trusting the spot work that I put in all summer long.”
Through 11 games, the reigning Rookie of the Year is averaging 25.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Again, given everything Mavs fans have been through over the last 21 months, this sort of euphoric rise back to genuine happiness watching these games is hard to believe.
Irving looks sharp on night 2 of a back-to-back
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 9: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates after scoring a three point basket during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center on November 9, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Flagg was the closer on Monday night, but Irving was arguably the reason Dallas was still in the game in those closing moments.
Playing the second night of a back-to-back for the first time this season, a day after logging 28 minutes in a 130-93 win over Brooklyn, Irving poured in 35 points in a season-high 38 minutes. He knocked down a season-high seven 3-pointers on 10 attempts, went 3-of-3 at the line and finished a game-best plus-29.
After missing 19 months with the torn ACL he suffered in March 2025, Irving said he told his teammates in the locker room after Sunday’s win that he planned to play.
“When you’re in a combative sport such as basketball, some days are going to feel good, some days aren’t, especially coming off an injury or a long period of time,” Irving said. “So I just had to get my body back used to being in the flow of the game. … I was just feeling great, and just coming in to today.”
May, who said plus-minus is often overblown in a one-game sample, made an exception for Irving in this one.
“His plus-29 tonight was very indicative of how important he is,” May said. “When we were struggling to make shots in the first half, we thought we were generating really good looks. We just looked a little bit flat. I thought Kyrie’s shot-making just kind of righted the ship for us.”
It’s still early, but seeing Irving look this healthy and proving to be a seamless fit next to Flagg bodes well for what this team can accomplish this year. Perhaps the last two years of the basketball injury gods punishing the Mavs will result in some good injury luck the rest of this season.
A star pairing without the ego
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 9: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates with teammate Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks after scoring a basket during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center on November 9, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The most encouraging part of all of this is just how naturally Flagg and Irving shared the scoring load against Indiana. The two combined for 26 fourth-quarter points, including Dallas’ first 13 of the period, and May said neither player blinks when the play call goes to the other.
“We’re coming out of a timeout, we may draw up a play for one of them just because the other one might have an All-League defender on him, or whatever the case, and they never roll their eyes,” May said. “They know when we’re going to one of the two, the other one’s very, very supportive because they have that much respect for each other.”
Irving, an established champion who has shared the floor with more than a few superstars over his 15-year career, is grateful that he’s able to be Flagg’s teammate, despite the two players being on different ends of their careers.
“We keep calling him a teenager, but he plays way beyond his years. We’ve got to give him his flowers,” Irving said. “Most young guys will probably move away from that contact, but it seems like this newer generation that’s coming into our league, they fear nothing. And I think he falls right in line with that. So grateful to have him on the wing with me.”
Those feelings are mutual for Flagg: “Just having [Kyrie] out there, his gravity opening the floor for everybody else, it makes my life so much easier.”
Surviving a chaotic finish
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 9: P.J. Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a three point basket during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center on November 9, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It wasn’t pretty at the end, but it didn’t have to be for the Mavs to come up with another win. That’s one thing that’s been so encouraging about this fast start to the season. Dallas is finding different ways to win, whether it’s pretty or not.
Indiana’s Pascal Siakam torched Dallas for 26 first-half points on 8-of-9 shooting, but the Mavs adjusted their help defense after the break and held him to just three points on 1-of-7 shooting the rest of the way. The Pacers took a 66-56 lead into halftime and a 93-90 lead into the fourth before Flagg buried a 26-foot pull-up 3 to tie it. Irving’s 23-footer with 9:36 left put Dallas in front for good.
Leading 125-122 with a chance to put the game on ice, PJ Washington missed a pair of free throws with four seconds left, and Caleb Martin bailed everyone out by stealing Andrew Nembhard’s inbounds pass to Siakam with 0.9 seconds remaining. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was adamant that Martin fouled Siakam on that final play, but judging from the replays, it looked like Martin got all ball before ever making any contact with Siakam.
It obviously would’ve been nice for Washington to sink at least one of those free throws to avoid that last-second drama, but again, the Mavs keep finding different ways to win. How many times over the past two years have we seen a game like that end in a loss for Dallas?
Permission to dream a little?
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 9: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks goes to the basket during the first half against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center on November 9, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As good (and fun) as the Mavs have been early on, Irving knows his team still has a long way to go to get to the level they want to be at.
“We haven’t earned anything in this league yet,” Irving said. “We consistently do it every night, and that’s how you build your identity in this league and you earn your respect. We try not to put the cart before the horse.”
With that being said, though, Mavs fans have earned the right to enjoy this start and, dare I say, dream big again. After two years of nothing but gut punches, a 7-4 start built on a generational teenager, a healthy veteran star and a team that genuinely seems to like playing together is a foundation Mavs fans have been waiting on.
Irving acknowledged the preseason doubt, saying the team heard “a lot of the noise” and chose not to let outside voices into the locker room. If he keeps playing like prime Kyrie, though, and if Flagg keeps rewriting the record books at this current pace, those voices of doubt are going to continue to get a whole lot quieter.
The Mavericks will now hit the road for a big three-game trip that will show just how real this start is, beginning Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center at 7 p.m. CT. Dallas then visits the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 14 and the Boston Celtics on Nov. 15.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Jayson Tatum #0, Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Lost in the background of the highly anticipated first matchup between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum is a return to Philadelphia for Paul George, who spent his past two seasons as a Sixer.
Both Brown and Tatum have downplayed the narrative, as hard as it is to ignore. George, who played 89 games in a Sixers uniform, is following suit.
“It’s a regular game — that’s how I’m treating it,” he said during Boston’s morning shootaround.
George said he was unsure of the reception he’d receive in his first game back to Xfinity Mobile Arena, a place where in his last appearance, he scored a series-best 23 points on 47% efficiency to go with vintage defense, forcing four Celtics turnovers and holding shooters matched up with him to 33% (5/15 FG). It played a part in Philly completing the 14th 3-1 series comeback in NBA history.
And yet, George’s brief stint in Philadelphia was defined by a core group that struggled to stay on the floor at the same time, and ran into the same second round demons they’ve yet to exorcise since the beginning of The Process.
“Had I been here 8, 9, 10 years it’d be a different story. I was there 2 years,” he said.
Interesting perspective from George on the reception he expects in Philadelphia tonight: "Not sure. In some ways, I helped land them a future piece. So with that, I'm not sure how the reception will be."
"Was there 2 years. Obviously, we didn't have the best of luck. We had a…
It’s an easy narrative to shrug off for George because, over his 17 seasons, he’s gone through this same thing before.
“He said he’s returned to four different teams before. There’s nothing new to him,” Payton Pritchard said.
George had his own contentious reunion when he played against the Indiana Pacers for the first time, followed by games against the Thunder and Clippers.
George isn’t the only Celtic currently on the roster to have experienced an anticipated reunion between a foundational player and the team that drafted him.
Mike Conley, a 12-year Grizzlies mainstay before the organization ended the Grit and Grind with a full scale rebuild, was showered with appreciation and given a hero’s welcome from the Memphis fanbase in his first game against them in 2019.
Their experiences couldn’t have been farther apart.
In the case of George, whose seven years in Indiana ended in a trade request, he first played the Pacers in Oklahoma City, struggling with foul trouble and playing just 19 minutes in an 18-point win. When he played in Indiana for the first time later that season, he was showered with boos from the moment his name was announced, and he shot just 3-of-14 for 12 points, though a late steal and two clutch free throws contributed to a 100-95 win.
“I’m happy this circus is over with. Everybody can move on,” George said after his return to Indiana.
The response was different in George’s next stop; he was given a tribute video and crowd ovation playing against the Thunder for the first time. Against the Clippers, a video tribute was also presented, but there was a mix of cheers and boos, a reaction he described as “stupid,” though he cited no ill will towards the franchise or his time spent in Los Angeles.
“The boos, I didn’t get it,” he said after his first game against the Clippers. “I still don’t get it when I go [back] to Indy, but it is what it is. It’s sports. I look forward to next year being back here and more boos.”
It’s hard to say the exact response when George’s name is called in the lineup introductions tonight. As the Celtics got rolling on their shootaround inside Xfinity Mobile Arena, the song “Why Can’t We Be Friends” by War blared from the speakers, a tongue and cheek choice to kick off what will be one of the most watched and debated rivalry games of the season.
Perhaps it’s a sign that tempers will be calm on Tuesday night. The game will be played, hands will be shaken, and hugs will be dispersed from competitor to competitor after an early November test between two Eastern Conference contenders.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 10: Nique Clifford #10 of the Sacramento Kings stands on the court during the second half of the preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Godofredo A. Vásquez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Sunday afternoon, the Sacramento Kings agreed to deal second-year wing Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for two second-round picks. Clifford held a fairly sizable role during his rookie season, when he averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.9 steals in 25.1 minutes per game.
But he’d fallen out of Sacramento’s rotation to begin 2026-27 and played just 50 minutes in eight games prior to the trade. With the Thunder ravaged by early season injuries, they opted to tap into their surplus of picks and add a reinforcement to their wing room with the hopes he might break out in a more stable organization.
Oklahoma City, however, was not the lone playoff hopeful eyeing Clifford. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that a trio of other suitors, including the Los Angeles Lakers, gauged the market for him. Ultimately, though, the Thunder emerged victorious in the Nique Clifford Sweepstakes.
“The Pacers, Nuggets and Lakers, sources say, were among the teams that registered trade interest in the 24-year-old,“ according to The Stein Line Substack, “but Oklahoma City had multiple advantages when it came to getting a deal done.”
Among the “multiple advantages” referenced there is presumably Oklahoma City’s wealth of picks. Between 2027 and 2033, it owns 15 second-round picks, one of which is Los Angeles’ 2032 second-rounder. For comparison, the Lakers own just three over that same span.
Plus, the Lakers are also already fairly well-stocked with youthful wings worth taking a swing on this season. Adou Thiero (22 years old), Cameron Carr (22) and Ziaire Williams (25) are all 25 or younger and have garnered varying levels of rotation minutes to open the year. Given the Lakers’ depleted well of draft capital, it probably didn’t make much sense to fork over two of their remaining three second-round picks through 2033 for a dude who *might* crack the rotation on certain nights.
If they’re going to move some of those picks, it should be for someone they know can be a difference-maker and mainstay in the rotation. Clifford, while still pretty young and far from a finished product in the league, certainly does not fit that billing.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr speaks to the media before a game against the Miami Heat on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, in San Francisco.
The Golden State Warriors have won eight straight games and look like one of the Western Conference’s best teams.
But it was not all smiles for Golden State after Monday’s 138-87 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, given the injury that backup point guard Brandon Williams suffered.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke about how much of a blow Williams’ injury is when speaking to the media postgame.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr speaks to the media during a pregame press conference before a game against the Miami Heat, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
“Yeah, it’s a big concern. He’s a huge part of our team, and he’s given us such a lift. And it’s a hamstring. He’s going to get an MRI, so we’ll see how bad it is,” Kerr said on Williams’ injury.
Williams has been one of the Warriors’ best surprises this season. He is averaging 10.4 points in 16.1 minutes per game for Golden State after signing a one-year, $2.6 million for them this past offseason.
Brandon Williams of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball against the Orlando Magic at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, Nov. 7, 2026. NBAE via Getty ImagesBrandon Williams (12) of the Golden State Warriors shoots a free throw against the Orlando Magic at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
It’s still too early to tell how long Williams might be sidelined for.
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 26: Tre Johnson #12 of the Washington Wizards looks on during 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
DETROIT — Tre Johnson is an elite shooter. It’s why the Washington Wizards selected him No. 6 in the 2025 draft. But his jump shot hasn’t clicked at the start of the 2026-27 season.
Johnson scored two points on 1-for-8 shooting in Monday’s 122-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons just two days after shooting 2-for-15 in a 114-75 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Johnson missed all 13 of his 3-point attempts in those contests.
He is shooting 35.1% from the field through 11 games. His 24.5% 3-point percentage is the second-worst in the NBA among players with at least 50 3-point attempts this season, trailing only Ace Bailey’s 22.6%.
In Monday’s loss, Johnson missed two wide-open triples — one in the far corner and another on the wing — in the first half. In the second half, he missed three more open looks to finish 0-for-6 from long range. His lone make was a 3-foot push shot that rimmed in.
Johnson is getting open looks. He’s just missing them.
“[Johnson] had a great game in Atlanta the other night. This is what this guy does. I got great faith in him,” Brian Keefe said. “He got some good looks tonight. He’s gonna knock those down. We saw what he did last year with the percentage he shot. That’ll turn. He puts in all the work, and I got great faith in him.”
Johnson’s struggles are concerning. But he’s far from the only Wizards with an inefficient 3-ball. The Wizards made just nine of their 36 3-point attempts in Monday’s loss. They’re shooting 29% from three, which ranks 29th in the league.
Trae Young made just three of his 10 3-point attempts in Monday’s loss. He’s shooting 28.8% from three. Alex Sarr missed both of his outside jumpers to fall to 19.4% from three this season. Kyshawn George shot just 2-for-6 from long range.
Washington has a shooting problem. Keefe believes this slump will pass. But 11 games in, the Wizards’ spacing concerns have been realized.
“We’ve got guys who can make them. I’ve got faith in our shooters. We’re in a tough stretch shooting-wise, but these things will average out,” Keefe said. “ We’re going to continue to do the right things, put ourselves in the position to make those shots, and I got faith in our guys.”
AJ Dybantsa, who scored 21 points against Detroit but made just one of his four 3-point attempts, reiterated that sentiment. The rookie remained confident in the Wizards’ ability to make open shots, especially from three.
“Keep shooting. We’re NBA players. We’re gonna knock shots down,” Dybantsa said. “We might be in a shooting slump right now, but [we] have to keep shooting.”
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 1: Payton Pritchard #11 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the Milwaukee Bucksduring the 2026 NBA Pioneers Classic on February 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics will face an old friend when they take on the 76ers on Tuesday night: Jaylen Brown, who spent a decade in Boston before being traded to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
And Payton Pritchard, one of Brown’s longest-tenured teammates, looks forward to the match-up.
“I definitely had a lot of good memories with JB,” he said in front of an unusually large media corp at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. “Obviously, he was there from the moment I got drafted, and we had a good competitive battle. He pushed me to get better, so I’m definitely appreciative of that. And then, as far as tonight, two really great teams going at it, and there’s nothing better than that.”
Still, although there’s heightened public interest in this match-up, the added emotions are nothing that he and the Celtics aren’t used to.
“I’ve played a lot of playoff games, so I don’t think it’ll be that much different,” Pritchard said. Three of those games came at the very arena where the Celtics held shootaround on Tuesday morning, just a few months ago, in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs
Much of the discourse heading into Tuesday night will center on the dynamic between Brown and Jayson Tatum, whose relationship has been heavily scrutinized for years, especially in the last few weeks.
Paul George said he expects another big night from Tatum amid all the chaos.
“JT is locked in,” George said. “He’s as professional as they come at preparing for a game. He’s been playing at an MVP level, and I think he’s looking at it as another game on the schedule. Obviously, there’s a lot of noise surrounding it that hopefully he’s not lost in. But it’s our job to support him, to help him do it, and make sure his focus is where it needs to be for us to come out here and have a chance to play against a really good team and continue to add to his MVP-performance resume this season.”
Pritchard was asked at shootaround what people don’t understand about NBA locker rooms, and how they differ from the locker rooms the general public is more familiar with, such as high school locker rooms.
“There’s a lot of egos in it, and people need an ego to get to the NBA. And so it’s definitely a balancing act,” Pritchard said. “And in high school, like you said, it’s all your buddies. Not to say that we’re not all buddies, but everybody’s got families. They’re trying to make it. They got things to prove, so it’s different. But in the day, I don’t think there was ever beef or anything. I think it’s working relationships. Some people are closer than others, but you find a way to win and keep going.”
Paul George will make his return to Philadelphia
One storyline heading into Tuesday night is that Paul George will return to face the 76ers team he played for for two seasons. But there’s not too much pressure on that return game for the 9-time All-Star.
“He said he’s returned to four different teams before, so he’s used to this,” he said. “So it’s nothing new to him.”
George is averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.3 steals, while shooting 42.5% from three on the season.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Pritchard said. “He’s played great to start the year and shooting the ball unbelievable. His defense is impeccable, so it’s been huge for us.”
George said at the Celtics shootaround that he’s thoroughly enjoyed his tenure.
“I’ve been kind of blown away,” he said. “I think it exceeded my expectations since being in Boston. You never know how much culture is involved and how much culture changes your outlook on things, and the effect it has mentally and physically. Just being in an environment like the culture, or like Boston presents, and so I’ve been thrilled. I’ve been playing some of my best basketball late. Just been enjoying finding out with these guys here. It’s a fun style of play. And again, I can’t talk about just the thrill and the happiness and excitement and joy that it has brought to the end of it.”
The Sixers dropped to 9-3 and the Celtics improved to 9-2.
George was the game’s brightest star, scoring 36 points on 14-for-22 shooting. Jayson Tatum added 21 points.
Tyrese Maxey’s 24 points led the Sixers. Brown was hampered by foul trouble in his heavily anticipated first outing against Tatum. He posted 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.
The Sixers will host the Raptors on Thursday night. Here are observations on their blowout loss to the Celtics:
Brown vs. Tatum takes center stage
To no one’s surprise, Brown and Tatum guarded each other to open the night.
VJ Edgecombe defended a former teammate in George, who scored Boston’s first four points with a pair of pure jumpers. On the other end, Maxey made the Sixers’ first three field goals.
Judging by volume, the home fans cared most about the much-scrutinized Brown vs. Tatum matchup. The crowd was excited early when Brown snagged a steal and then dished to Maxey for a fast-break three-pointer. The fans also dialed up the noise when Brown sized up Tatum in isolation. He wound up dribbling the ball off his foot and out of bounds. Tatum pointed to signal it was Celtics ball.
Boston’s star forward had a productive first quarter, posting 11 points. He scored an easy two when he used a back screen to break free from Brown and convert a layup that put the Celtics up 11-7. Boston began 9 for 12 from the floor as a team.
As for Brown, he sat shortly after being called for his second foul with 6:48 left in the first quarter.
Rough going for Sixers from long distance
Brown re-entered at the start of the second quarter. The Sixers still struggled to eat into Boston’s lead.
A Sam Hauser triple extended the Celtics’ advantage to 12 points. There was some audible frustration in the building after Brown missed two free throws on the next possesion.
The Sixers’ deficit hit 16 points on a Hugo Gonzalez jumper. Meanwhile, the Sixers missed 12 of their first 14 three-point tries. While some of those shots were open looks that simply didn’t go down, the Sixers also rushed up several contested jumpers before they made Boston’s defense do serious work.
In the bigger picture, it wouldn’t be remotely surprising if shooting stands out as a weak area for the Sixers come the trade deadline. They entered the game ranked 27th in the NBA in three-point frequency outside of garbage time and 22nd in three-point accuracy, according to Cleaning the Glass.
George and Tatum lead the way
Joel Embiid (16 points, six rebounds) had an injury scare late in the second quarter when he fell hard after missing a layup in transition. He rose gingerly and limped through the final 30 seconds or so of the first half.
The Sixers’ star big man was fine to start the third quarter and even drained a long-overdue three on the opening possession. He’d been in a terrible outside shooting slump (3 for 32 from deep on the season) before that shot.
Brown’s foul trouble persisted. He picked up his fourth personal with 10:40 to go in the third quarter.
The Sixers stormed back without him and their defense played a large role. After LeBron James rumbled in for a layup, Dean Wade stonewalled Payton Pritchard on the perimeter to force a shot-clock violation. Wade later canned a three to even the contest at 76-all.
The Celtics responded and Tatum led the charge. His third-quarter exploits included a highlight slam on James and a top-of-the-key three to build Boston’s lead back up to nine points.
Pritchard buried a three on the first possession of the fourth quarter and the Celtics’ advantage kept growing. George celebrated a triple that stretched his team’s lead to 100-82. The Sixers’ spirits were considerably lower as they headed to their bench for a timeout. As a Sixer, George only had one higher-scoring game (39 points) than his performance Tuesday.
George and Tatum were each excellent in Philadelphia. Outside of Maxey, who finished 8 for 12 from the field, the Sixers didn’t receive similar games from their stars.
Brown will be back in Boston on Jan. 21 when the Sixers visit the Celtics. He’ll try to even the score.
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,” one X user wrote in a comment to the original X post.
that’s his baby,” added another fan. 
(@ohnohedidnt24) 
