Category: NBA

The start of the regular season brought with it lots to be happy about in Tuesday’s rout of the Warriors. The new Big 3 had huge nights and gave the Lakers a great opening to the season.

Prior to all that, we asked for questions and you guys delivered, as always. Obviously, some of this will come with a caveat of it coming before that opening game, but all of it still applies.

So, let’s dive into what you want to talk about.

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JJ claims he has a roster that fits together now and is deep….does that mean he will refrain from playing Luka and Austin 45 minutes a game? — Reality Check 1617

I continue to say this sentiment is overblown, but I also acknowledge, and I think JJ would, too, that he couldn’t rely on his bench as much this year. By all accounts, that should change.

Again, he even said as much in his media availability at the start of the season. We’ll have to see if the action meet the words, but, on paper, this is a deeper team that should mean everyone plays fewer minutes, particularly the stars.

The fact they went nine deep on Tuesday with Collin Sexton and Adou Thiero injured further drives home that belief, though. When at full health — which will likely happen rarely this season — this team could go 10 or 11 deep. That should allow them lots of rest for lots of guys, stars included.

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How much should we be worried about our scouting, player development, and drafting departments? I know we’ve been hiring and changing since the ownership changes, but how much can we count on this fresh start and new personnel being a new direction? — Johnny Tuttle

I don’t think worried is the word I would use, but excited. It’s no secret the Lakers have been well behind the curve when it comes to scouting. That fact is laid bare in the team whiffing on Jalen Hood-Schifino and Dalton Knecht back-to-back years.

Beefing up those areas should address a clear weakness in the franchise. Think about how many positions the Lakers have filled this year that just didn’t exist prior. There are not just more knowledgeable voices in the mix, but ones with decades of experience, too.

For so long, the Lakers kept such a small inner circle in the front office. Seeing that expand to include more smart voices is a very, very welcome change.

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What is the back story on the trade of Ayton? On the surface, it made and makes little sense to have traded a guy who, yeah, was ‘meh’ as a starter but would have been well above average as a back-up. Lakers got back relatively little and since then have been searching for a backup center…when they had just traded a good one.

So:

-is it that they had another trade lined up for a back up center but it fell through?

-is it that Ayton was a locker room cancer who they just wanted to be rid of whatever his skills?

-is it that they think Looney is a better fit?

-is it…just a miscalculation? — scooter

I think this is one of those situations where things are better on better than they are in practice.

On paper, the Lakers had an underwhelming starting center who was still talented on an affordable contract. After acquiring their starting center, Ayton made sense as the backup where so much wasn’t riding on his shoulders.

In practice, and with a bit of reading between the lines, Ayton was…a lot. While we laughed at the idea of the training staff giving him Crunk Juice to motivate him, the amount of massaging of his personality, so to speak, only for him not to really show up when needed was probably grating.

He was proclaiming that he wasn’t Clint Capela when that’s exactly what the Lakers needed. The team was wearing shirts with half of his face and half of a lion. All that for him to be unplayable against the Thunder was a lot.

Sure, in a backup role, responsibilities and expectations change. But I just think the Lakers were ready to be out of the Ayton business. And the fact that they could get draft capital back for him was all the more reason to be done.

I think their calculation was that going into the season looking for a backup center with some extra draft capital was better than another season of the Ayton experience.

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As I understand, the first that the Lakers can trade Bronny is December 15th. Am I correct on that? As such, shouldn’t they stick him in the G League where he can actually rack up stat lines and possibly increase his trade value? — OCLakerFan1968

The Lakers play the Sixers twice this season. The first game is on December 25th in LA. What are the chances that the Lakers’ marketing department capitalizes on the historic nature of Father versus Son and have Bronny start? — Crap

After a very poor preseason, it’s fair to be low on Bronny. Even if he was dealing with an injury that predated training camp, that feels like the kind of story you put out to save face after the fact.

I’ve had some questions about how the Lakers are developing Bronny, or what they’re developing him into. He’s always felt like more of an Avery Bradley type as a small off-ball guard with a focus on defense and shooting. But a lot of his reps have come as an on-ball point guard type, which doesn’t make as much sense.

Regardless of what his role should be, it’s pretty clear now that the scouting report says to pressure Bronny and he can’t deal with it. And until that changes, he’s probably not going to get any consistent minutes.

Having said that, there’s zero value in putting him back in the G League. He’s already shown he’s a great G League player. No team is going to trade for him because he had a couple of good G League games. It’s sink-or-swim time for Bronny in the big leagues.

At some point, you have to find out what you have and the Lakers are going to do that this season. If it doesn’t work, then they decline his option for next year and cut bait.

As for the latter point, I know it was at least partly written in jest, but I don’t imagine head coach JJ Redick has much interest in sentimental stuff with LeBron James anymore.

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What is our biggest positional with this current roster?

Backup PG – We saw how thin we are if any of Luka/AR/Sexton are resting injuries
Backup PF – I guess we are calling Williams and Mamu our PFs?
Backup C – Does ANYONE have faith in both Kessler’s health and Looney actually being productive? — Kilgary

I think the answer is pretty clearly the backup center spot, and I think the Lakers know that. That’s been the most persistent rumor since this summer. Trades tend not to happen until that Dec. 15 date when most of the league becomes trade-eligible, so I don’t imagine this is something the team will be able to fix for some time.

The backup PG position isn’t as bad when Collin Sexton returns. You have four capable ballhandlers. And for the backup power forward, the dearth of wings on the roster are going to man that spot and I don’t think this team will have a “traditional” four.

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The NBA announced in the off season that the officials would crack down (point of emphasis) on the off-arm push-offs frequently used by players like Harden, and SGA. Was any data released from the pre-season games on whether the officials were calling this violation more frequently than before (knowing that the calls might be fewer if players were policing themselves)? — Coops Knee Highs

There hasn’t been and I don’t expect there will be. In the past, the league has never really done something like this when it comes to its points of emphasis. Things could change this year, but that would be a new development.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The inaugural possession of the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener against the New York Knicks, a 106-100 Sixers win to spoil some of New York’s banner-raising delight, helped convey just how different life may be for each of Philadelphia’s four All-Stars this year, particularly its point guard, Tyrese Maxey. 

After shuffling up the floor, Maxey delivered the ball to his backcourt mate, VJ Edgecombe, and veered into a bludgeoning back-screen as LeBron James took the baton and initiated the action himself. With the entirety of Philadelphia’s star-laden starting five in transit, New York could not properly traverse the commotion. Worried about James motoring downhill, OG Anunoby was tardy switching onto Maxey, who rainbowed home the catch-and-shoot triple for three of his game-high 28 points.

Tuesday night, Maxey hoisted five catch-and-shoot threes to compose 26.3% of his total field goals. Last season, he averaged just 3.4 per game to compose 15.9% of his total field goals, per NBA.com. Although Maxey netted only one of these attempts — he made 41.8% of them a year ago — his quality of looks throughout the contest was significantly better than the past three seasons and signaled a splendid scoring campaign ahead.

With James and Jaylen Brown now flanking Maxey, Edgecombe and Joel Embiid, the Sixers are swimming in the deep end of star power, scoring outlets and championship expectations. They are all eyeing a deep playoff run that culminates in a title. Step one of their journey began Tuesday with an impressive victory inside the reigning champs’ palace.

There’s plenty to glean from that performance, most of it positive, as should be the case after defeating a team as daunting and as healthy as the Knicks. So, what did game one teach us about the Sixers? Where do they currently stand? Where can they go? And what hurdles might they need to overcome along the way?

The stage is set for Tyrese Maxey to be his best self 

Maxey’s uptick in spoonfed threes underscored how much easier and reshaped his scoring load should be this season. While he’s a tremendous player and offensive cog, on-ball creation, especially from a standstill, is not his ideal deployment. Yet the past three seasons — with scant surrounding perimeter creation and Embiid toggling in and out of the lineup — consistently stretched him too thin as he garnered usage for which he’s unqualified. 

Philadelphia’s revamped roster will alleviate that burden and let him boogie as one of the league’s foremost off-ball scorers. Maxey is now free to zip around screens, catch the ball on the move, knife through tilted defenses and leverage his speed and shooting without his size and limited vision disrupting those efforts as often. 

Since 2023-24, Maxey’s rate of assisted makes has been 43%, 37% and 45%, according to Cleaning the Glass. Tuesday, 67% of his field goals were assisted, including 71% of his 2-pointers. The latter number there is the starkest shift; last year, only 37.8% of his 2s were assisted, per NBA.com. Maxey seems likely to enjoy far more opportunities this season being coaxed downhill with help from others rather than being burdened with the task himself. That’s a major windfall for his game. 

He is still the focal point of the offense (his 26.6% usage rate narrowly trailed Embiid’s 27.4%) but the means to reach those ends are more favorable. He went 7-of-10 inside the arc and drew nine free throws. Even if he won’t shoot 70% on 2s moving forward, he will shoot better than 22% (2-of-9) from deep. Those extremes offset one another. With reps like these, Maxey is primed for a titanic scoring season: 

The Sixers are lethal when they run. How often will they?

Beyond his vast off-ball scoring exploits in the half-court, Maxey’s sterling offensive signature stems in part from his transition prowess. Year after year, Philadelphia is a considerably more efficient open-floor team when he’s on the court. With James and Brown joining him and Edgecombe, a quartet of transition tycoons now don Sixers red, white and blue. 

Ideally, they’ll tap into that and produce as many easy buckets as possible. When they did hit the runway Tuesday, they thrived. According to Cleaning the Glass, they averaged 1.8 points per transition possession. But their fast-break frequency was only 10% (league average was 15.4% last season). 

Now, the Knicks were well-organized setting up their defense to discourage early offense chances, which is a hallmark of this group’s resistance. They’ve ranked seventh or better in opponent transition rate every season since 2023-24. But I’m fascinated to monitor how often the Sixers mash the accelerator — they’ve sat outside the top 10 in transition frequency every year since 2021-22 — because the chemistry among Maxey, Brown and James was evident. When those dudes had opportunities, they were prompt and cohesive seizing them.

Is this defense here to stay?

Most opponents the Sixers face this year will not be as talented or connected as New York’s. Teams will have lapses in judgment or let tired legs prevail, so Philadelphia can successfully dial up the tempo. But if the Sixers keep defending like they did Tuesday, the stops will pile up, especially against less dangerous offenses than the Knicks’, and they’ll enjoy plenty of running and gunning, if they so choose.

Philadelphia held New York to a 98.0 defensive rating and 24-of-61 shooting (39.3%) inside the arc. That defensive rating would’ve been its seventh-best mark across the entire 2025-26 season and fourth-best against all playoff opponents. 

The Sixers were led by a domineering rim protection performance from Embiid, who looked quite nimble and comfortable in space. Cycling through drop coverage, trapping and hedging, he disrupted ball-handlers and still bothered big men when they received passes. He recorded three blocks, a feat he accomplished only five times combined in 2024-25 and 2025-26, including the playoffs. New York took 25.4% of its shots at the rim when he was on the floor and 41.9% of them when he sat, per databallr. 

Embiid operating like a premier interior anchor drastically elevates Philadelphia’s defensive ceiling. As Brunson probed inside the arc, Embiid allowed the Sixers’ help defenders to continually stay home (no lob threat was a boon, too) and suppress the Knicks’ 3-point volume. Just 33.3% of their field goals came beyond the arc, which would’ve tied for their ninth-lowest rate of 2025-26. 

And tape like that is supported by numbers like these:

That was a defensive performance from Joel Embiid that I wasn't sure he still had left in him.

If it continues, if he can once again anchor a top-10 defense, that would make the Sixers truly scary. https://t.co/2ADorW4GRTpic.twitter.com/PNiLAzJpqk

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) October 21, 2026

Helping punctuate Embiid’s retrograde defensive showing was Brown, who did not serve as Brunson’s primary defender but wielded his size and discipline to frustrate the 2026 Finals MVP during his cameos. 

While Embiid roamed off of Josh Hart much of the second half, James assumed the Karl-Anthony Towns assignment to reel in Towns as a shooter, driver and playmaker. James touts the strength and foot speed to tightly close out on Towns without worries of being steamrolled to the rim and was diligent about interfering with his passing windows. As a result, Towns tallied one assist to four turnovers, repeatedly struggling to find beneficial space against his weathered counterpart.

LeBron did a good job last night of disrupting KAT's passing windows. He's got the strength and foot speed to tightly close out on him without fear of being bowled through downhill and really made it tough for KAT to create quality looks as a playmaker or scorer: pic.twitter.com/dmGRaLBrG3

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) October 21, 2026

Embiid, Brown and James may have spearheaded Philadelphia’s suffocating defense but the supporting cast of Maxey (three steals, three blocks), Edgecombe (one steal) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (one block) all contributed to harmonic execution. 

The Sixers seamlessly switched off-ball actions — Brown, James, Maxey, Caldwell-Pope and Edgecombe all have some matchup versatility — communicated punctually to prevent mismatches, rotated to blot out lucrative openings and applied necessary physicality to divert the Knicks from traveling where they pleased. 

The James-Embiid frontline was scrutinized much of the offseason as it pertained to Philadelphia’s defensive possibilities. One game against one opponent — whose style is plainly out there to scout since it hardly altered the roster — does not extinguish all concerns. 

But it would be hard for them to start a season more encouragingly than they did. The perimeter quartet bouncing around, talking, pointing and effectively navigating screens ensured it would result in a shiny outcome. Sustained attention to detail and movement skills like those from the entire rotation will quell many of the worries that surrounded Philadelphia over the summer. 

Jaylen Brown, fitting in

After the gaudiest season of his career as he filled in for the injured Jayson Tatum to lead the Boston Celtics offensively, many (including me) wondered how Brown may assimilate to a star-infused Sixers roster that wouldn’t require such towering, centralized usage. 

In his debut Tuesday night, Brown (19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block) reverted back to his early NBA days when he wasn’t an All-NBA wing and saw many of his chances as a cutter, quick-hitting driver and off-ball attacker/shooter. 

His 50 touches ranked fourth on the Sixers, down from 66.1 per game last year, and six of his seven field goals were assisted (85.7%, up from 36% last year). The lone unassisted bucket was a slaloming transition score. His imprint occurred organically and as a backseat to Maxey, Embiid and James. 

Even Brown’s seven misfires were within the construct of the offense and never felt overbearing. He missed a corner three off a sideline-out-of-bounds set, couldn’t convert a rhythmic turnaround inside over the diminutive Jose Alvarado, was bested by a Deuce McBride strip/block in early offense, walked Landry Shamet under the rim before having a layup roll out, caught a grenade late in a disjointed possession, clanked an open pull-up jumper over Shamet and left a spot-up three short. 

Although Brown was traded in a one-for-one deal involving Paul George, James’ acquisition meant he was truly replacing Kelly Oubre Jr. in the starting unit. During Oubre’s three seasons as a Sixer, opposing defenses, including the Knicks, routinely ignored him on the weak-side to muck up happenings elsewhere, confident he didn’t brandish the offensive arsenal to truly punish that gambit. 

With Brown in his stead, New York’s helpers felt more conflicted, unsure of whether to abandon a highly talented scorer like Brown or let other highly talented scorers like Embiid and Maxey run amok. His mere existence granted fellow All-Stars single coverage inside and they capitalized; Philadelphia’s rim frequency was 35.3% with him on the floor and 4.5%(!!) without him, per databallr.

A singular game does not immediately dissolve all questions about Brown’s fit and offensive duties. But it does capture how naturally he can embrace a valuable, amended role to complement his new running mates when facing the caliber of team the Sixers expect to see this spring. 

This whole experiment is still a work in progress

Despite the win and a dogged defensive game, there is considerable room to improve. The Sixers’ 106 points yielded a 103.0 offensive rating. Sure, shooting 27.5% (11-of-40) beyond the arc hurt. But they didn’t compensate with pristine interior scoring, making 26-of-49 (53.1%) of their 2-pointers.

Embiid didn’t seem entirely comfortable with his perimeter-based deployment, attempting seven triples (two were late-clock heaves), and rarely rolled to the free-throw line, his most potent area on the floor. That’s not a new development and I imagine his decade-long series of lower-body injuries has him cautious to play in a crowd as often nowadays. New York often sat on those potential rolls as well, which likely influenced his decision to hover around the arc. 

Yet he and Philadelphia are a much more fluid, lethal attack when he’s confronting defenders at the nail rather than almost exclusively sitting beyond the 3-point line as a “spacer” (defenses don’t worry about him there), handoff hub and screener. 

He’s a notoriously slow starter offensively (four points, 1-of-9 shooting in the 2025-26 season opener; 2-of-11 in his 2024-25 debut) and migrated toward the midrange as last year progressed, so it’s totally plausible that occurs again. The Sixers should hope it does to reach their tantalizing offensive ceiling. 

James set a handful of empty-corner ball-screens for Maxey and hardly rolled with vigor out of them either. It stagnated the offense at times and left potential profits on the table. According to Synergy, he’s ranked in the 24th percentile (2025-26, 1.00 points per possession) and 21st percentile (2024-25, 0.98 PPP) the past two seasons as a roller, so such usage hasn’t entirely suited him lately; space was, however, there to attack and he did not. 

I understand he takes a bit of time to ramp up each year but his explosion, both vertically and horizontally, is greatly diminished from his prime (duh). I thought that subdued his aggression and am curious whether those habits evolve over the season to better elevate the offense. Theoretically, he and Maxey should kill on those empty-corner actions. 

The Sixers’ peak is contingent on their front-court recording more inspiring ball-screen reps than these and being more commanding interior presences than totaling 27 points on 7-of-28 shooting (41.7% true shooting).  

Game one speed bumps for a bunch of players still navigating how to best interact with each other on the court is not reason for panic, let alone against such a high-level defense. Embiid will be a much more imposing force offensively in six weeks than he is today. James will better understand where he’s optimized as a half-court cog by Christmas than he does today. But they are nonetheless areas to address as Philadelphia builds toward title contention and discovers itself offensively. 

And hey, doing so while 1-0 with a nifty win like that in your backpocket ain’t too shabby. 

The Dallas Mavericks made one final roster addition ahead of Wednesday’s season-opening 128-110 loss at the Houston Rockets, signing former Iona and Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. to a two-way contract.

Clayton Jr. rose to prominence before the 2025 NBA Draft in the NCAA Tournament, almost single-handedly carrying his Florida Gators through the clutch repeatedly. Whether it be in the Round of 32 against UConn, the unreal comeback against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, or the heroics of the National Championship game against Houston, anytime Florida needed something, Clayton Jr. provided it.

You are probably saying to yourself “Self, Walter Clayton Jr. was drafted in 2025, I don’t care what he did in college. How did he play in the NBA last season?” The answer to that is a bit more complicated!

Clayton was selected 18th overall in the 2025 Draft by the Utah Jazz. The Jazz were very much not interested in winning last season, so many of the looks he received were not placing him in the best position to succeed.

When Utah made the trade to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis, the Grizzlies demanded that he be part of that package. He was, and thus he played the last 24 games of the season in Memphis. Memphis, obviously, also wasn’t very interested in winning, thus the looks for Clayton Jr. were difficult.

However, Clayton did a much better job of assisting and getting others involved while playing for the Grizzlies, as he racked up nearly six dimes per contest. And to top it all off, Clayton was playing his best ball at the end of the regular season, shooting 50% from deep and 47% overall in the month of April.

Walter Clayton Jr.: Dallas Maverick.

We have signed @w1clayton to a two-way contract ✍️ #MFFLpic.twitter.com/EMlB4PKJnP

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 22, 2026

Of course, Memphis had a roster crunch this offseason, and after being left without a partner on the dance floor, were forced to cut bait. Now, after a very short waiting period after clearing waivers, the 2025 NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player joins forces with that tournament’s highest drafted player in Cooper Flagg. So, what can you look for with Clayton Jr. here in Dallas? Here’s a few things that tell his story as a player.

Clayton Jr. is fearless

You don’t have the courage to step up and hit these outrageous shots the way Clayton did if you don’t have some intestinal fortitude, and he’s got that in spades. At 6’2”, he has to be intentional about getting shots off on the outside, and also a very physical and crafty finisher. He’s shown that in the past, as per Yahoo! Sports, Clayton Jr. shot over 60% at the rim in his final year at Florida. While he’s struggled in the NBA at times with that, I think part of that is rookie lumps, while the other part is just simply the floor math being tilted against him. I’d love to get another look at that from him in Dallas.

Shooting is a strength… I think

Coming out of Florida, Clayton shot nearly 40% on spot-up 3-pointers and 37% on off-the-dribble attempts. For a college player, those are fantastic numbers. As mentioned above, Clayton also excelled at finishing at the cup. In the NBA, he has done none of those well. Last year, Clayton shot a combined 75-of-244 from deep across his two stops, good for just under 31%. He also was just 47% on two-pointers in the NBA, a number that should be better. Now, small samples across a rookie season in which he was traded and not set up for success should be taken with a hefty grain of salt. But, it would be great to see the bounce back this season.

The playmaking has taken a step forward

One of the issues coming into his rookie year was the lack of real playmaking pop from Clayton. At Florida, he showed some flashes, but there were some head-scratching turnovers and, frankly, I just don’t think he saw the floor well at times. You could kind of crowd him a bit and with his shorter stature, it forced some issues. Well, in Memphis to end the season, Clayton averaged over eight assists per 36 minutes, while keeping his turnovers down to around three. That’s really good work and a great sign for his future.

Best and worst case outcome

The best-case scenario for Clayton seems to be a Payton Pritchard- or Jordan Clarkson-type of star-in-their-role player. If he can continue to showcase the playmaking pop, perhaps he can reach those upper-tier outcomes and become a starter in this league. At worst, Clayton is probably out of the league after the year, but that really only happens if the shot continues to fall off, he doesn’t keep up the playmaking, and is just overwhelmed when on the ball.

In reality, I do think Clayton is an NBA player. He needs a steady home and a system that can maximize what he does. At Florida, Todd Golden implored that group to run, drive-and-kick and press the defense. I think Clayton Jr. can find some of that in Dallas, and I hope he is able to make it stick.

This is the fourth of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks this upcoming season. The fourth question: what is your boldest take for the Hawks in 2026-27?

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Wes: Despite the NBA being an incredible difficult adjustment for rookie guards, I predict Kingston Flemings both makes the All-Rookie First Team and finds his way into the starting lineup by the end of the season. Throughout preseason, he already looks the part of a chiseled veteran guard, getting after it on defense and protecting the ball with a pristine assist-to-turnover ratio.

It’s rare for Kelvin Sampson to trust a freshman guard to run the show at Houston, but Flemings stepped in immediately and did just that. Why can’t he do the same for Quin Snyder and the Hawks this season?

Malik: My boldest take for the season is that the Hawks finish as a top-2 seed in the Eastern Conference. This team feels like they can do something similar to what the Detroit Pistons did the last two years, where they made the playoffs (and ironically played the Knicks) and then the following year was the No. 1 seed in the East. The Hawks brought back their core and made some key additions that will make them a better team. 

If Jalen Johnson and others like Dyson Daniels can take another step in their game, the Hawks could (boldly) be a team to be reckoned with this season.

Garrett: The Hawks will finish as a top five defensive team, and Jalen Johnson will finish in the top five in MVP voting. I’m buying into the combination of Daniels, Alexander-Walker and Dort on the perimeter. Atlanta has the personnel to make opponents work for everything, and I expect that to become this team’s identity. The challenge is bringing that effort consistently, but I think this group can do it.

As for Johnson, I think that defensive support helps him take another leap. Having Dort available to handle tough assignments should allow Johnson to put more energy into leading the offense. He’ll still have responsibilities on both ends, but he doesn’t have to carry every burden himself. If he builds on his scoring and playmaking while leading Atlanta to a strong playoff seed, I believe he’ll give voters a reason to put his name in that top five conversation.

Graham: The Hawks will be the NBA’s best defensive team this season. The Hawks have so many defensive options now up and down the roster, so much versatility to play with. They have the option to put out the defensive lineup of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu on the court.

However, this NBA leading defense is only possible if Jalen Johnson buys back into defense (which has never looked the same since his increased offensive role two seasons ago), the Hawks will lead the league in defensive rating. When he’s engaged on that end, Johnson is a very good defender, and if the Hawks are to contend he has to buy back in defensively. 

Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr believes the Los Angeles Lakers received a favorable whistle during Wednesday night’s NBA season opener — and was caught saying as much on a hot mic.

During the third quarter of the Lakers’ 127–105 win over Kerr’s Warriors, the legendary coach pulled rookie Yaxel Lendeborg aside as he checked out of the game and told him, “[It’s] the bulls–t in the NBA. They call all that s–t here, they wouldn’t call it in any other arena,” which was audible on ESPN’s broadcast.

A clip of Kerr saying this to Lendeborg quickly went viral on social media, and already had over 450,000 views in about 11 hours.

Steve Kerr CALLED OUT the Lakers whistle on the hot mic:

"They call all that sh*t here, they wouldn't call it in any other arena." pic.twitter.com/FjGzYPdqg9

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 22, 2026

The stats don’t back up Kerr’s sentiment, as the Lakers actually had more fouls called on then (25) than the Warriors did (19). The two teams also both shot 27 free throws.

However, many who watched the game on Wednesday felt like some fouls that the Lakers received were questionable, so those stats don’t tell the entire story.

Lakers superstar guard Luka Dončić was the subject of Kerr’s frustration, as Lendeborg spent much of the game matched up on him.

Dončić had nine of the Lakers’ 27 free throws and finished with a game-high 28 points in the victory.

Kerr’s gripe seems to be that the Lakers playing at home is what led to their favorable whistle. In that case, maybe Golden State will get a better whistle when they play the Memphis Grizzlies at home tomorrow night.

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The Lakers’ season-opening win over the Warriors to kick off the franchise’s Luka Doncic era went about as well as could’ve been expected. 

Doncic, in addition to Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves, dominated the team’s in-state rival, with the Lakers’ “Big 3” combining for 77 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists, five steals and three blocked shots.

The “nasty” defense Kessler spoke about showed up in the middle two quarters, with the Warriors combining for just 35 points in the second and third periods after the Lakers allowed 33 points in the first.

The biggest hiccup for the Lakers during a night that didn’t feature many of them: A scary injury moment involving a key player on the roster.

Midway through the fourth, with the Lakers up by 33 points, Jake LaRavia attempted to drive into the paint with LJ Cryer guarding him.

Cryer impeded the drive, with the 2022 first-round draft pick awkwardly twisting his right ankle/lower leg before hobbling and falling to the floor.

LaRavia laid on the court and writhed in pain before team trainers helped him back to the bench.

He was able to put weight on the leg before going back to the locker room after subbing out of the game.

While coach JJ Redick didn’t have an update on LaRavia immediately after the game, he was encouraged about his status compared to how it felt in the immediate aftermath of the injury.

“I’m probably more positive than when it first happened,” Redick said. “But again. he’ll be evaluated. And the next time I talk to you guys, we’ll have an update.”

LaRavia was having a strong game before going down with the injury, scoring 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting off of the bench.

“I saw him being himself,” Redick said. “Again when he is shooting with confidence and making catch-and-shoot 3s, that’s an added bonus. We have a group of guys that do a lot of things to impact winning that don’t necessarily show up in the box score, certainly won’t show up in a highlight reel on Instagram. He’s a winning player.”

The Milwaukee Bucks are some seasons removed from their best lineup. In fact, this season’s lineup is among the worst in the league—at least in the eyes of NBA 2K. But just how will their season pan out? To answer that question, I ran two separate NBA 2K27 season simulations: the first an AI-controlled affair, with 2K having full control over trades, signings, and player minutes, and the second a more user-controlled one to get a more realistic idea of what Bucks fans can expect in terms of lineups, minutes, and potential trades. So, hit your cross buttons and let’s get started!

Start of the Season

To kick off this simulation, the Bucks waive Pete Nance to clear up roster space (this is the only user-made choice). Their starting lineup is as follows: 

PG: Kevin Porter Jr. (Editor’s note: Well, this is awkward.)

SG: Tyler Herro 

SF: Kyle Kuzma 

PF: Jaime Jaquez Jr. 

C: Kel’el Ware

Not exactly what Bucks fans would be hoping to see on opening night, right? Other notes are that Nate Ament isn’t even able to crack the initial rotation, while Jericho Sims and Brayden Burries find themselves at the end of it, earning a measly seven minutes per game apiece. Across the league power rankings, the Bucks are twice ranked as the 28th-best team and once placed as the 16th-best team.

All-Star Break

The Bucks roll into the All-Star break 18-41 on the season, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference. They have a great turnaround to get there too; after starting the season 3-21 they steady the ship on the back of a 15-20 run. At this point, Milwaukee holds the 20th best offence in the NBA, averaging 115.8 PPG, and the 23rd worst defence, conceding 123.3 PPG. As a result of their upward trajectory, they rank 26th, 25th and 23rd across the three league power rankings. All in all, I would be happy to be in this position come All-Star Break this season. But this isn’t the only news. Prior to the trade deadline, the Bucks move on from Myles Turner, trading him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Draymond Green and his expiring deal. 

Statistically, there isn’t too much that jumps out. Kasparas Jakucionis is the only Bucks player to feature in All-Star weekend, being selected for the World Team in the Rising Stars challenge. Otherwise, Kevin Porter Jr. is a bright spot for the team, averaging 14.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 1.5 SPG, with good efficiency off the bench. 

The Bucks’ key stat leaders are as follows: 

• Points: Tyler Herro (18.4 PPG)
• Rebounds: Kel’el Ware (10.4 RPG) 
• Assists: Ryan Rollins (4.4 APG) 
• Steals: Ryan Rollins (1.6 SPG) 
• Blocks: Kel’el Ware (1.8 BPG)

End of Regular Season

The Bucks continue their 180 compared to their start of the season, going 13-10 to end the season and finishing 31-51, one win short of their 2025-2026 season record. They finish 11th in the East and make a late push for the 10th spot to make the play-in tournament. Statistically, they end with the 28th-ranked offence in the league, averaging 111.7 PPG, but grind their way to the 16th-ranked defence in the league, conceding just 105.7 PPG—the gritty, defensive-minded team many Bucks fans want. By the end of the season, the team leaders are:

• Points: Tyler Herro (16.0 PPG) 
• Rebounds: Kel’el Ware (10.5 RPG)
• Assists: Tyler Herro (3.1 APG) 
• Steals: Kevin Porter Jr. (1.2 SPG)
• Blocks: Kel’el Ware (2.1 BPG)

Unsurprisingly, there are no awards to mention and no one makes any All-NBA, All-Defensive, or All-Rookie teams either. As disappointing as it is, Brayden Burries and Nate Ament see very limited action (damned 2K undervaluing youth!).

And that wraps up the regular season. 

Offseason

The Bucks kick off the offseason by quickly moving on from Taylor Jenkins and promoting Darvin Ham to head coach, an interesting move after such a successful end to their first season under Jenkins. They then use their second-round pick to draft a 2K-generated player.

In free agency, the Bucks are very active. First, they let Caris LeVert walk. He signs with the Los Angeles Lakers. Others follow suit: Kam Jones signs with the Chicago Bulls and Draymond Green signs with the Houston Rockets. Interestingly, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. both sign with the Miami Heat. But the moves don’t end there.

Ryan Rollins—yes, you read that correctly—signs with the Atlanta Hawks, and after just one homecoming season Tyler Herro joins Jones with the Bulls. In total, seven players depart, many who were thought of as key parts of the team’s future core. But why did Jon Horst let all of these players walk for nothing?

Giannis Antetokounmpo is why!

That’s right, Milwaukee’s greatest player of all time signs a 4-year, $265m deal to return to Wisconsin. Many Bucks fans felt like they were wearing tin foil hats when they hypothesised that Giannis would return after bolstering the team with the acquisitions in his trade package, but here he is back in Milwaukee! The Bucks also welcome an OG (no, not Anunoby)—Donte DiVincenzo, along with a few other league-minimum signings. 

Heading into the 2027-2028 season, the starting lineup thus looks like this:

PG: Kasparas Jakucionis 

SG: Brayden Burries 

SF: Ousmane Dieng 

PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo 

C: Kel’el Ware 

Now that is a very interesting lineup that has the potential to be scary. How many games do you think this new starting five would win?

---

What do you make of 2K’s simulation of the Bucks’ season? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon!

Ex-Luka Dončić teammate sends warning to Yaxel Lendeborg after trash-talk originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Luka Dončić’s former teammate has a warning for Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.

Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall, who played with Dončić in Dallas before the current Los Angeles Lakers’ star was traded, commented on an Instagram post featuring Lendeborg’s postgame remarks on Thursday. Marshall wrote, “80 ball next time they play never speak on the DON”

“80 ball next time they play never speak on the DON 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭”

Luka Doncic’s former teammate and current Maverick Naji Marshall responds to Yaxel Lendeborg’s comments 👀 https://t.co/DS75k3Gkckpic.twitter.com/zN0aCHxGM9

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 22, 2026

Marshall has been vocal about his bond with Dončić before, calling him “my dog” on a podcast last year after the trade.

The warning follows a heated NBA debut for the Warriors rookie. Lendeborg and Dončić traded verbal blows throughout Wednesday’s 127-105 Golden State loss at Crypto.com Arena, with Lendeborg picking up a technical foul before halftime. Afterward, he did not soften anything.

“I was telling him he sucks,” Lendeborg said. “He can’t score on me.”

He also said the experience cost Dončić his respect.

“Being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man,” Lendeborg said.

The numbers back up part of his case. Dončić scored 28 points on 7-of-18 shooting, but he shot 1-of-5 with Lendeborg as his primary defender and committed two turnovers in those matchups. Dončić also went 6 of 6 at the free-throw line with Lendeborg on him, which fits Lendeborg’s own complaint about the whistle. Lendeborg said Dončić’s only basket against him was a half-court banker at the end of the first half. 

Lendeborg has support in his own locker room. Draymond Green said in the locker room that Lendeborg should keep talking, saying, “Respect, you earn respect,” and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has also voiced support. 

Draymond Green on Yaxel Lendeborg going at Luka Doncic: “Everyone will say the rookie learned his lesson. What he learn? The next time he see him, go at his ass again.”

Full soundbite pic.twitter.com/jb87fMCjJW

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 22, 2026

Marshall’s comment reads as a playful dare, but the rematch is already circled. The Warriors host Dončić and the Lakers in San Francisco in less than two weeks on Oct. 30.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points as the Memphis Grizzlies used a third-quarter rally enroute to a 123-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.

The game featured two of the top rookies in the current class: Utah picked Darryn Peterson of Kansas No. 2 overall right before Memphis selected Cam Boozer from Duke.

Peterson had nine points; Boozer finished 11 rebounds, seven points and five assists but was 2-of-15 shooting, 0 for 6 from 3-point range.

Jerome connected on 17 of 25 shots including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. The 45 points were the most by a Memphis player in an season-opener, eclipsing the 44 by Ja Morant in 2020.

Jerami Grant, obtained in an offseason trade with Portland that sent Morant to the Trail Blazers, scored 15, Jaylen Wells and GG Jackson scored 12 each.

Keyonte George led the Jazz with 22 points Lauri Markkanen added 18 points.

Jaren Jackson Jr. made his return to the FedExForum court after eight seasons with the Grizzlies and scored 15 points before fouling out in the fourth.

Jackson was traded to Utah at last February’s deadline.

Jaxson Hayes had a career-high six blocks for Utah.

Memphis led by as many as 15 in the first half, carrying a 64-51 advantage into the break.

The Grizzlies used an 18-4 run opening the third to stretch their lead to 82-55.

Memphis led by as many as 27 points and the Jazz trailed by at least 15 points throughout the fourth quarter.

Fans of the Silver and Black will see a lot of those two colors this season. The uniform matchups are set for all of San Antonio’s regular season games except for the two TBDs that are part of the Emirates NBA Cup. You can see the full sartorial schedule at NBA LockerVision.

The Spurs will wear their traditional black uniforms (known as the Icon edition) in a team-high 26 games, with 10 of those at home. The traditional whites (known as the Association Edition) also make 10 home appearances — including the opening night loss to the Thunder — and will show up 22 times overall.

The good guys will wear silver in 19 games; 11 will feature their second-year silver jersey with the “San Antonio” wordmark (Statement Edition) while eight will feature the new Classic Edition throwbacks. Both sets will appear at the Frost Bank Center five times. The Spurs will don their fan-favorite “Fiesta” jerseys (City Edition) for 13 games, with six of those at home.

The most noteworthy jersey quirk on the schedule involves that City Edition set. We won’t see the Fiesta jerseys until after the New Year, but they’ll be featured 13 times in a 39-game stretch. They will make their season debut across the pond in Manchester City when the Spurs play the Pelicans in mid-January. The Spurs will be in white for their Paris game against the Pelicans three days later.

Folks traveling to Austin will see the black Icon Edition in two of those three games, including this Friday’s showdown with the Rockets. The other Austin game will be a Classic Edition clash with an orange-clad Denver Nuggets squad.

San Antonio doesn’t have any “don’t adjust your TV set” matchups like last year’s color explosion in Charlotte. The Spurs’ most colorful game hits on February 7 when the Fiesta jerseys will be paired with the Grizzlies’ baby blues in Memphis. For the Christmas Day rematch in New York, the Spurs will be in black and the Knicks will be in white, a combination we saw three times during the NBA Finals in June.

Which jerseys do you hope they pick for the Spurs’ two yet-to-be-determined NBA Cup games?

WASHINGTON — Justin Champagnie is no stranger to sporadic minutes.

The 6-foot-7 forward started 19 games last season. He also received several “DNP – coach’s decisions.” But when he played, he produced.

That streak continued Wednesday when his fourth-quarter outburst willed the Wizards to a 128-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Brian Keefe said Champagnie is everything you want in a winning player. He does all the little things — rebounding, hustle plays, physical defense, shotmaking — necessary to win close games.

He did those winning things against the Bucks.

“Justin always produces when his time is called, and that’s really hard to do,” Keefe said. “He has been assigned to our G League team before, and then called up and played and produced. He can play with any lineup because he crashes the boards, he’s a great cutter, he’s a really good defender. And he brings the shooting and an edge of toughness to him … He’s always stepped up when his numbers have been called.”

Some grew concerned about Champagnie’s role after he sat until the fourth quarter in Washington’s preseason win over the Detroit Pistons. Could Keefe really keep such an impactful player on the bench?

The answer was no. Champagnie entered halfway through the opening frame in Wednesday’s opener and made an immediate impact. He grabbed four of his eight rebounds in the opening quarter while playing stout defense.

Washington trailed 96-90 30 seconds into the fourth quarter after another demoralizing Bucks triple. The Wizards had stuck around for two quarters but couldn’t find their breakthrough. 

Then came Champagnie’s fourth-quarter barrage.

The 25-year-old forward answered with a top-of-the-key triple to pull his squad within three. After a Young layup, Champagnie rifled a feed to Deandre Ayton, who sank a layup to put the Wizards ahead for the first time since the second quarter.

“That ain’t nothing new. I ain’t been here forever, but I know JC is a winning player, and I know what he brings to our team,” Young said.

Some insane Justin Champagnie numbers from Wednesday’s win:

Plus-minus: +17 (game high)
Offensive rating: 138.6 (game high)
Defensive rating: 102.3
Net rating: 36.3 (game high) pic.twitter.com/otPMHXxpQg

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) October 22, 2026

A few possessions later, Champagnie leaked out in transition and, upon receiving a perfect outlet pass from Kyshawn George, finished through contact for an and-one that ignited the Capital One Arena crowd and forced another Bucks timeout.

Champagnie finished with eight points and eight rebounds. He led the contest in plus-minus (+17), offensive rating (138.6) and net rating (36.3).

“Coming off the bench and playing in spot minutes, I know it can be frustrating for [Champagnie],” Young said. “But his attitude and his positivity when he’s on the bench and when he comes into the game, making the impact he does, not everybody can have that type of mentality to be able to come in and make that type of impact for us. We need him to have it for us to win a lot of games.”

One game down, 81 to go. How’s everyone feeling?

You don’t feel well? Chin up; here’s something to cheer you up.

that’s our crew 😤 pic.twitter.com/3PQRxCTstM

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) October 20, 2026

There we are. That’s why we don’t get bent out of shape over individual regular-season games anymore.

There truly wasn’t much to really evaluate from the first game of the season, which acted more as a showcase for the league of Philadelphia’s new starting five and the pizzazz around the Knicks’ banner raising than anything meaningful.

I mean, it was the worst offensive execution of any game this team has played in the 2020s, so unless these guys had the basketball ability sucked out of them like the Monstars at the parade, whatever.

Not quite the offensive start the Knicks were hoping for 😅

That was the fewest points per direct pick, and ninth-fewest points per direct iso, that the have gotten in any game (regular season or playoffs) in the 2020s https://t.co/P7Ji9lJNPSpic.twitter.com/43WZFYyUvd

— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) October 21, 2026

Of all the things that happened on the floor on Opening Night, none intrigued me more than the newest Knick, Andre Drummond. We saw a lot from him due to Karl-Anthony Towns’ early foul trouble.

Early in the game, he looked like the biggest steal of the offseason, posting a double-double with ease and carrying the offense at times.

Late in the game, he was the worst player on the court, throwing away possessions with his poor touch around the rim.

Ladies and gentlemen, from the creators of the “Jameis Winston Experience”, I present to you:

The Andre Drummond Experience.

Andre Drummond with what may be the most incredible offensive possession of all time pic.twitter.com/SUgpw6lDnq

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) January 8, 2021

He wows with some of the best traits you can ask for out of a center. He is one of the best rebounders in NBA history on a rate basis; he sets brick-wall screens, he fills up space. While he’s not a good defender, he’s a lane-clogger on defense.

Then, there’s the flip side. His touch around the rim is diabolically bad. His stocky build makes him an extremely limited defender and a non-existent lob threat. While he’s started working on corner threes, he is still almost exclusively an under-the-rim offensive player.

It’s those two things that separate him from a Mitchell Robinson. While he’s historically more durable than Robinson, he doesn’t give the Knicks the game-breaking defensive ability without putting pressure on the rim. That fast break where Mikal Bridges tried to hit him on a lob, not realizing the 33-year-old can’t really get up there anymore, said everything.

Drummond is good in small doses. It’s why he’s forced to sign these minimum contracts to sit behind All-NBA talents like Joel Embiid and Towns. When you over-expose him, the bad starts to show up a lot more than the good.

We got the full Drummond experience on Tuesday. He had 10 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 stocks in 16 first-half minutes, going 4-for-8 from the field with six offensive rebounds. He was a maniac on the boards, punishing a Sixers team with not much size and not many willing rebounders.

Andre Drummond gave the Knicks a strong presence inside against Philadelphia.

12 PTS, 14 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 0 TO

An impressive double double in his first regular season game with New York. https://t.co/K6lnp8EMeIpic.twitter.com/ENlPE6uzeO

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 21, 2026

Considering how little they had at their disposal, the Knicks couldn’t have done much better than Drummond in free agency. A lot of their offense over the last few years has been predicated on winning the possession battle. When they miss a three, someone is there to give them a reload. When they miss at the rim, there’s a putback waiting to happen.

When Drummond is on the floor, it’s going to be like Mitch never left offensively… most of the time.

The one glaring problem with having Drummond as your backup center behind a guy like Towns who gets in early foul trouble way too often is that his overexposure really starts to hurt you.

He played a grand total of six minutes in the second half and was a minus-13. He went 1-for-5 from the field, including an airball in the final seconds of the third quarter.

His minutes at the end of the third were especially damaging. The Knicks were leading by five when he entered the game with 3:39 left and trailed by seven when the final horn sounded.

What went wrong? His eyes got too wide offensively.

He and Bridges had a two-man game around the two-minute mark. It looked to be working in the sense that it allowed Mikal to hit him on a bounce pass for what should be an easy floater or rim run, but the Sixers rotated two guys underneath the basket. At this point, Drummond could look up and swing to a wide open OG Anunoby or Deuce McBride.

Instead, he takes a nine-footer that isn’t even close.

Drummond is a very willing passer, especially on offensive rebounds, but plays like these still happen for all seldom-used bigs.

The Knicks were starting to be grilled from deep by a collection of Sixers. Trailing by four in the final minute, Drummond gets the ball in the corner. For a brief second, I thought he would shoot it. It’s not a great shot with 14 on the shot clock, but he’s open and was a passable three-point shooter last season.

Instead, he passed back and the Knicks once again stagnated offensively. He was given a pass in the post with seven on the shot clock, but the defense collapsed and it led to him taking… this shot.

I’m not expecting him to have eyes in the back of his head, but unless it’s a grenade, he should never be attempting whatever that is. All it does is give more energy to your opponent.

After Tyrese Maxey airballed, the Knicks got the ball with 1.5 on the game clock. For some reason, McBride, the former high school quarterback, decided to throw a 50-foot pass to his backup center down the court and airmailed it. This isn’t Drummond’s fault (why was he even out there?), but it involves him.

Jaylen Brown nailed a buzzer-beating three there to cap an 11-0 run to end the third. That sprint by the Sixers wound up costing the Knicks the game.

This stretch doesn’t even include his three baffling missed dunks. He was routinely getting stuffed by Joel Embiid on the interior and couldn’t finish all game, going 5-for-13 on the night.

That is the big crux for Drummond: he is an abysmal finisher for a seven-footer, and he’s progressively getting worse.

Andre Drummond FG% in the restricted area by year, and where he ranked among centers (min. 100 FGA):
2025-26: 54.1% (61st/61)
2024-25: 59.2% (59th/60)
2023-24: 60.3% (55th/60)
2022-23: 65.5% (56th/64)
2021-22: 61.2% (54th/61)

Compare that to who he’s replacing in Robinson: the man who has the second-highest field goal percentage in NBA history on a diet of 100% layups and dunks. In 2025-26, Robinson was 25th out of the 61 centers, which doesn’t sound impressive, but his 71.9% is leaps and bounds ahead of Drummond’s dead-last figure.

All told, Knicks fans are going to have a love-hate relationship with Drummond all season long, a man who says the right things and is good natured, but is also the Jameis Winston of the NBA.

An incredibly entertaining, but incredibly inconsistent, ballplayer.

After the game last night, Andre Drummond explained his decision to stay in the locker room during the Knicks' ceremony:

"I want to be able to experience that because I was a part of it. I let those guys have their moment." https://t.co/H02WjKSqEzpic.twitter.com/Az2AXP7Kkl

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 21, 2026

It was a pitiful second-quarter performance that did the Dallas Mavericks (0-1) in on Wednesday in the team’s season opening 128-110 loss at the Houston Rockets (1-0). That much is clear.

Second-year star Cooper Flagg says it’s an identifiable trend, already, even this early in the season. First-year head coach Dusty May said it came in response to the Rockets landing the first punch on offense.

The second-quarter wobble shot the wheels off of the Mavericks’ wagon, but there were also some bright spots. Flagg had a brilliant second half. Reserve guard Marcus Sasser looked great.

Here’s what May and several Mavericks had to say at the postgame press conference following the season-opening loss.

Dusty May

Opening statement

Well, we were pleased with our first-quarter performance, with the way we played. We felt like we had a couple breaks not go in our favor, and we just didn’t hold our composure, and we let go of the rope as a group. Overall, I felt we played and competed three out of four quarters. Just the second, when we couldn’t figure out a way to right the ship, so obviously some learning experiences from this, but their front line was sensational.

What happened in the second quarter?

A number of things. Obviously, it’s a make-or-miss game. I thought a lot of our looks were guys that we wanted the shots for. Once they went on a run, I thought we started playing a little too quickly and shooting some shots — some semi-open shots instead of getting back, making them work a little bit, finding some connection.

What went wrong with the transition defense, especially in that second quarter?

First and foremost, the communication. Halfcourt and fullcourt — we’ve spent a lot of time — that was one of our priorities in training camp: to fix the transition defense. We thought we had made strides, and tonight, when things weren’t going well, we let go of our principles, we lost our urgency, and that was ultimately when the game got away from us, when they were just — we had three or four guys back, and we were assuming one guy was going to match up with Jabari [Smith Jr.] or whoever. They outworked us, to be honest. They did a better job.

On output from first unit after starting Max Christie instead of Zaccharie Risacher:

I thought the first unit played well. I thought the second quarter is what killed us. Even with that first unit, I thought we were competing. We were playing good basketball. We made some errors, some mistakes. We lost a couple loose basketballs that, you know, we just don’t have the margin for. We’ve got to get all those possessions.

What do you think changed for [Cooper] Flagg at halftime? (23 of 32 points in second half)

I thought he was setting us up. In the first half I thought he was being very intentional with getting his teammates shots, and then, in the second half, we did a better job of getting some off-ball movement. We played a little bit faster, and then obviously if you’re not taking the ball out of the net, you can get it up and attack quickly. I thought that was the biggest difference. We just — our pace got a lot better in the second half.

On Flagg’s ability to get to the free-throw line (11-of-13 FT shooting):

That’s been a point of emphasis, and that’s one thing, when we evaluated ourselves after four [preseason] games, getting to the line wasn’t something we did well. We thought [Flagg] was the best way to capitalize in the paint. I thought he was strong. I thought he made good decisions. When we start knocking down some open shots, his assist numbers will increase.

What was the challenge in trying to slow down [Kevin] Durant and Jabari [Smith Jr.]?

Jabari — every time we gave him an inch, he made us pay. He played very well. [Durant] — he was just able to get to his spots, and he had a size advantage a lot of the night for numerous reasons, but I also thought that just, the way they outran us and stole some easy baskets in transition were the ways they really got in a rhythm and a flow, and they just make you pay.

What do you have to do to bounce back against Indiana on Friday?

Learn from what we did well. I thought we made some strides in areas we’ve struggled in. But just look at the film. The lowest-hanging fruit — what can we fix in a 48-hour period, so we’re not out here chasing every rabbit, but focus on a couple of things so we can just trust it a little bit more. From everybody, we’ll fix that area. … These extra possessions, they steamroll on you, so if we just clean up a few things, I think we’ll make a significant jump.

When is the last time a team of yours was down 30 at half?

Hoo, 30 at half. Yea, I don’t know. I don’t think…

On Kyrie Irving getting nine shots and being blitzed by the Rockets’ defense:

He’s obviously the focal point. They put two on the ball. I thought he made the right plays, the right decisions. There [are] going to be puzzles we’re going to have to figure out. Playing four-on-three with our other guys — we’ve got to do a better job and find some solutions, but I thought there in the second half, he showed a real — his true character — in being a leader when things weren’t going well, I thought he set a great example. Our bench was phenomenal. They were cheering for each other. We’re worried about getting better, especially starting with a couple games on the road like we are. We’re focused on getting better, and I was proud of the way the guys stayed connected and stayed fighting until the end. That showed some character.

Moving forward, how do you balance giving [Flagg] time to develop and allowing [Irving] time to settle in?

Coop — we’re trying to develop by film, by practice tomorrow, by the Pacers game. Obviously, games expedite the development, but we’re trying to play good ball every single possession.

Kyrie Irving

On getting outscored 38-12 in second quarter:

Ah, man, it was just the effort. It was horrendous, to be honest with you. I don’t want to use a graphic word to negatively put it on one person, or even just myself; it was a total team effort. We were just horrendous defensively, and when you score 12 points in an NBA game and give up 38, fast-break points, turnovers, it’s going to look like that, so, it was rough to go through, but I think we needed it. It was necessary for us to grow as a group and to develop this chemistry moving forward that we’re going to need to win basketball games.

Is that an easy fix in practice?

In theory, but it really comes down to effort. We can make an excuse, but we’ve jut got to take this one on the chin. They put on their boxing gloves and they beat us up pretty good in that second quarter. We got off to a great start — felt like we were in rhythm, and then starting off that second quarter, I’ve got to do a better job of leading us out and not necessarily playing so timid and getting some shots up and aggressively attacking double-teams. It surprised me a little bit when [Rockets head coach] Ime [Udoka] threw some double-teams at me, coming off those screens. First game, coming back, I knew I was going to see some different looks. I just got to adjust moving forward.

On being at the top of the Rockets’ defensive gameplan, how do you process that?

Go watch some film, work and get better, but also, you know, I take that respect very personal. Just knowing that, although I’ve been out for a while, they’re still scouting me. [Udoka] was on record saying that he saw me in the summertime as well, going against them a few times, so we were very familiar with each other’s game, but I’ve just got to do a better job of being aggressive starting off the game, and obviously my spotty minutes were, and I don’t want to say spotty minutes, but just the minutes that I was going to play, just got to get used to them. I came out very early in that first quarter. I’m used to playing 12 minutes through, or 11 minutes, 10 minutes through. I’ve got to do a better job just adjusting to what our gameplan is and just getting other guys involved.

The minutes — is that gameplan, or is that getting you ramped back up after missing so much time?

It’s a little bit of both, but I think on the latter side of just getting ramped back up, playing more minutes, getting more confident and more comfortable out there, and you know, we’ve got a great medical staff, but we’ve also had a lot of change there, so it’s a lot of pressure on a few guys in that office, and you know, we all want to make each other look good, so I do my preparation. They have their preparation. We talk. Talk to Dusty. Talk to the coaching staff as well. They had my minutes lined up, and I just got to be ver patient, so I’m just champing at the bit a little bit, but at the same time, it’s the big picture.

On in-game communication with such a young group:

It’s progressively getting better. [Having] a lot of new faces will do that. Guys coming from different teams. We have a lot of guys that want to prove themselves as well, want to play extremely well when they get out there, in those minutes — want to make it meaningful, make it impactful. Sometimes, that comes with forcing some things. It comes with some turnovers that happen [unintelligible]. But I think our communication has to be better, and it will be. But, tonight was a good challenge for us, going against a team that’s played together for a year or two, that came out here and hit us in the mouth, like I said, and we responded, but we didn’t respond well enough. When you’re getting down 30 and you start looking at the scoreboard, instead of hitting a lot of little singles and doubles, we settled for a lot of 3-pointers. Coming into halftime, we can’t have more 3-pointers than we have shot attempts at the rim. We’ve got to touch that paint. … Take our bumps and bruises and we walk.

On offering to pay the fine of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who wore a “stop the genocide” message painted in his eye black last year in a playoff game:

[Al-Shaair] is a friend of mine, and this revolution that a lot of this generation is building — it’s a selfless act when you can show up for others that don’t necessarily have a voice for themselves, and I think we, I would assume that most of us who know what’s happening around the world globally — that it’s a lot of innocent people that are losing their lives. Children especially, and anytime there’s a war or conflict, there’s going to be unfortunate deaths and murders going on, and you know, us here in America, we get the luxury of going to bed at night in nice bedrooms and things paid for. But when our tax dollars are going towards things that we don’t necessarily agree with, then you have to stand up. I think small instances of revolutionary acts like wearing people’s names, or wearing a child’s name [unintelligible] on your face and taking the fine and stepping up to the plate — it just shows how much you’re a selfless person, how much you’re willing to sacrifice. This mission is bigger than just me and Azeez, and we know that, but our strength is in our solidarity, and how connected we are, and how united we are in our efforts. So, it’s a bigger conversation, but anytime you bring in political conversations to basketball, it does get muddy, so I try my best to do the work in silence and stand with people that are not afraid to stand with me.

What impressed you the most about Marcus Sasser’s performance (17 points, 4-of-5 3-point shooting)?

He was ultra aggressive, and I think he did an incredible job of coming in and maintaining our possession-by-possession attack in the second half. We won both quarters. Obviously that’s not good enough, but he had a lot to do with us getting back into the game. Being that other lead guard that can create and make decisions and take some pressure off of myself. Really proud of him. He had a great game — very impactful. We just want him to keep it up.

On being blitzed and trapped in the first minutes of his first NBA game back in more than a year:

The human element hit me, man; I was just like, ‘man, I’m back in an NBA game, and I’m getting double-teamed.’ I’m seeing [Alperen] Sengun come up here and trying to get the ball out of my hands. I’m seeing [Udoka] yell different commands that I’m learning. They’re yelling out things, and it’s just an adjustment period, and there were times where mentally, I was out there, and I just had to settle in and ground myself, like ‘I’m really back in an NBA game, back into the flow of things.’ Even when the ball was tipped and I was guarding Fred [Van Vleet], my body, I felt just a little bit looser than normal. I don’t know what you can really attribute it to. Maybe it is nerves or anxiety or anxiousness, but I think it’s just, more or less, like, the mental approach. Going out there, you just want everything to go right, and tonight, a lot of things did go right, but a lot of things did go wrong, and I think you’ve kind of got to laugh at it, but also the seriousness of being a competitor, Like, I want to play perfect every game, even though it’s dang near impossible. You look around the NBA tonight, it’s a few teams getting their butts kicked, so maybe it is just a Tuesday or Wednesday night in the NBA. Another night in the office, but a lot of lessons learned. Hard lessons. You’ve got to give credit to [the Rockets]. They came out, they made adjustments from our preseason games, and they wanted to make a statement here on their home floor, and they did that.

On Flagg’s comments on trying to get Irving involved in the game:

It’s great recognition by the young fellow, and I want him to continue to do that. But I think he has to worry about being able to be a voice for us out there, and also not necessarily worry about veterans like myself. He’s a caring individual, and I want him to continue that, and I think tomorrow, once we watch film, or once we get to Indy, we’ll talk more about how we can attack together, even in some of our actions together. We cause a lot of chaos when we’re in plays and actions together, and I think we can do more of that, so I appreciate him looking out for me, but you know, it is a great thing that I’ve got my 19-year-old copilot looking out for me, making sure I’m getting going. But I looked at him a few times, and you know, just like, ‘It’s on me. I’ve got to push the pace.’ I’ve got to dive more into the game and just lose myself into the instincts of it, and you know, just live with the results instead of just trying to think about little plays, that ‘I’ve got to go score.’ For the past few years, that’s been the pattern. I get a chance to come into the game, ease my way into it, but now, playing on this minutes restriction or whatever the case may be, I’ve got to be in attack mode soon, as soon as I get the ball, and as soon as the ball is tipped.

On giving back to the community through the Uncle Drew Circuit:

I’m very adamant on setting a good example for the youth, for the next generation. The Uncle Drew Circuit was a step in that direction. Kind of challenging the AAU circuit and what it’s been like for the past 20, 30, 40 years. You know, it’s become very much money-driven. Parents are running coaches into the ground. Everybody’s the No. 1 player in the country in their minds, and I feel like there’e more of a pigeonhole for top players. They all play on the same circuit, so they all play around the same camps, and, you know, at the end of the day, it was very much brand-driven. When I was growing up, you had Nike, Adidas, Under Armor camps, and they all try to keep everybody in-house. But nowadays, I think we should all have an open dialogue about how we bring everybody together. It’s a competitive shoe market, obviously, but when it comes to the youth, we should all lower down our guards a little bit, and that’s what I feel like Uncle Drew Circuit represents. Obviously, Anta is representing it, but you never know, we might have championship games against Jordan Brand or Nike or Adidas, and it just brings everybody together to the table, because people want to see the best of the best, and you also want to include those that are playing the game for the love, and also to get an education, to get a scholarship, You know, people are playing basketball for different reasons, and I feel like that Uncle Drew Circuit represents all walks of life when it comes to that. From the beginners, all the way to some of the experts of the game, some of the top players, you know, I’m looking to attract those individuals as well, and just having a balance and a competitive market. So, I look forward to the opportunity this next year. We’ve got girls as well, from 12 to 18 years old, and we’re all about inclusion. I think it’s more or less just been put on my heart for the last few years, just, how can we engage more of the youth into conversations about playing meaningful basketball and learning the nuances of the game, learning the rules, learning who came before you, learning about the ABA, learning about the NBA, learning about the CBA, learning about the EuroLeague. Basketball is a broader sport now. And I think maybe media has included that as well in terms of just that package that everybody can watch basketball. So, the love is there, and Uncle Drew circuit represents that love.

Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg: 32 PTS, 5 REB, 3 STL, 10/17 FG, 11/13 FT, 70 TS% vs Rockets

Year 2 is going to be a movie. https://t.co/Hctja8v4LBpic.twitter.com/OVxsvVbFxa

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 22, 2026

What happened in the second quarter, getting outscored 38-12?

Got stagnant. They obviously went on a run, and we just didn’t have any answers. We weren’t organized. We weren’t getting back in transition. Just got out of the norm for us, in what we’ve been doing since training camp started, and it showed. People were doing things that they don’t normally do, and it really showed.

How difficult is it to dig out of that hole when it’s so deep, so early?

Cooper Flagg speaks after tonight’s 18-point loss to Houston:

“We got stagnant. They obviously went on a run & we just didn’t have any answers to be more organized. We weren’t getting back in transition…People were doing things that they don’t normally do & it really showed.” pic.twitter.com/9hXqdiftUc

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) October 22, 2026

I mean, it’s difficult. Down, what, 32 at halftime? It’s not ideal. It’s not where you want to be, and honestly, that’s been the thing for us, is second quarters. Like, all preseason, it’s been bad second quarters. Going into the half and trying to come out in the third quarter and dig ourselves out of a hole. We’ve got to find ways to combat that, and have better second quarters, and leave off on a god foot going into the second half.

Assess the communication through training camp and tonight:

Yea, I mean, I think up to this point, in practice it’s been good. It’s died down in the games. You know, we’ve got to find guys, myself included, that you know, are going to pick up our level of communication and be leaders out there. I don’t think we really had that tonight. We didn’t really have anyone who was setting a tone defensively, communicating, getting everybody on the same page. It really showed in that second quarter, when we weren’t getting stops; we weren’t scoring on offense, so we’ve got to have somebody step up and be really vocal in those moments.

Does the second-quarter trend you talked about frustrate you — that the same thing keeps happening?

For sure. Yea, it definitely is. We’ve got to find ways to keep our level up through the first half, into the second half, and not, you know, get lackadaisical in the second quarter, and go into halftime and have these conversations every time of, you know, we’ve got to come out with some fire, and pick up our level. So, we’ve got to find ways to have our level high at all times and be able to be fresh at all times. Hold our level to what we hold our standard to. I think that’s a big part of it. It’s definitely frustrating.

On Marcus Sasser’s performance:

Sasser’s been great. Obviously, he’s dealt with an injury through most of the preseason and a lot of training camp, where he wasn’t able to be full practice. Getting him back, getting into game shape, I think he’ll be really good for us. Obviously he’s a really good scorer — a really versatile scorer, and can pass it, play defense, pick up 94 [feet], so just having him bring that energy and be composed and get into game shape is going to be good for us.

What happened for you in the second half?

Just being aggressive. We had talked about, going into the half, we had shot more 3’s than 2’s, and, you know, that’s ok if you’re making them. But, I mean, we weren’t knocking them down, so just getting to the rim, starting the domino effect of creating advantages, getting downhill and [the Rockets] weren’t over-helping too much, so just taking what they were giving us, getting to the rim and making them pay.

Are you still feeling out who needs the ball in the first half before it’s your time to be aggressive?

It’s just the flow of the game. I think I’ve got to do a better job of in the second quarter, I could have done a better job of getting us set up and being vocal, and being that leader, and getting us set up into actions. It didn’t have to be me taking shots, but just getting us into the right actions, and another thing. We missed a lot of easy shots, too, during that stretch. Things weren’t going well, and we were missing a lot of the easy ones that I think could go in on any given night. Yea, I think being aggressive vs. feeling out is a part of it, but you know, I’ve got to be there, and be that leader and be vocal as well.

What can you take from this game individually, and what can you carry over as a team?

I think just holding our level all the way through the first half, and not letting it dip down with different lineups and things like that. I thought we played some 2-3 [zone defense] tonight, and I thought it looked good, and kind of gave us some energy through the second half. Maybe we experiment with that a little earlier. I don’t know what that looks like, but just experimenting with different things, different lineups, but the bottom line is just playing to our standard and playing to our level that we’ve done all training camp and all preseason. Just got to do a better job of that.

Takeaways from Irving’s first game back?

Kai is Kai. We can do a better job of helping him. I think Kai is a one-of-a-kind talent, so obviously he’s going to be really good for us, and we’ve just got to do a better job, me included, of helping him, getting him some easier looks, getting the pressure off of him. They’re going to just try and be really physical, and just pick up 94 [feet] on me and him, so I think as a team a big thing for us is finding ways to combat that and having some guys step up, bring it up and set us up into actions.

Marcus Sasser

Marcus Sasser pull up 3!!! pic.twitter.com/4S5oLazHDC

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) October 22, 2026

What happened in that second quarter, when you were outscored 38-12?

I left like we just let go of the rope a little bit — let our offense come to determine our defense. Missed a good amount of shots, and it led to them getting easy buckets.

How difficult is it to come back when you dig yourself in a hole that quick?

Yea, it’s tough, man, especially when you get down that big, vs. a good offensive team like that. But I feel like we did a good job, for the first game, just fighting back. Not letting up. We’ve got some work to do, but I feel like we did alright.

How does the Rockets’ length affect players like you and [Irving], who are under 6’6”?

They’re a good, long team, so you’ve just got to use your ball fakes and be decisive with what you’re doing. Use your speed, but I feel like we did a good job of doing that, for sure.

How would you rate your play overall?

I feel like I played alright. I feel like I could have played better defensively. Especially impacting the ball more. I feel like they [were] a little comfortable getting into their sets and stuff, so I feel like I could have done better there, for sure.

On Flagg and Irving flipping a switch in the second half:

That’s what they do. They’re great players, and I feel like that’s what we’re going to need going forward, so that just gives us a confidence boost, especially when them two got it going, it kind of makes it easier for everybody else.

Your own mindset switch from second quarter to second half?

Just being ultra-aggressive. I passed up a couple shots in the first half, so just trusting myself, and my teammates kept giving me confidence to shoot the ball, so that was the difference between [the] first and second [halves].

Inside Sixers-Cavaliers: LeBron's past meets Sixers' present in home opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers opened their season against the team that eliminated them from last year’s playoffs.

Their home opener brings another familiar opponent, particularly for the newest member of their starting lineup.

LeBron James will play his first regular-season home game as a Sixer at 7 p.m. Thursday against the franchise he led for 11 seasons and to the 2016 NBA championship.

It is an appealing storyline, but the game offers more than a reunion.

Cleveland swept all four meetings with Philadelphia last season and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals. The Cavaliers retained their four most important players, added a starting wing and will begin their season against a Sixers team coming off a 106-100 road win over the defending champion Knicks.

Here is how the teams stack up.

WHAT LAST SEASON’S SWEEP SHOWED

In the 2025-2026 campaign, the Cavaliers outscored the Sixers in their meetings by an average of 124.3 to 111.0.

Cleveland won, 132-121, behind 46 points from Donovan Mitchell in the first meeting. Mitchell scored 35 in a 133-107 victory in Philadelphia on Jan. 14.

Two nights later, Jaylon Tyson produced a career-high 39 points as the Cavaliers edged the Sixers, 117-115. Cleveland completed the sweep with a 115-101 win on March 9, when James Harden led the team with 21 points.

The four different leading scorers illustrated Cleveland’s range of options.

Mitchell could take over as a scorer. Tyson capitalized when Philadelphia devoted additional attention to the stars. Harden controlled the final matchup after joining Cleveland in February.

Only the last meeting came after the Cavaliers acquired Harden from the Clippers. Thursday will offer the Sixers their first look at a Cleveland team that had an entire offseason and training camp to build around the Harden-Mitchell backcourt.

The Sixers are also considerably different from the team Cleveland swept.

James and Jaylen Brown have replaced Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. in the starting lineup. VJ Edgecombe has taken on a significant role, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons give Nick Nurse experienced alternatives off the bench.

WHAT CHANGED IN CLEVELAND?

The Cavaliers went 52-30 last season and reached the Eastern Conference finals, where the Knicks swept them.

Cleveland brought back its core four. Mitchell signed a four-year extension, Harden returned on a three-year contract, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen remain under contract.

Harden’s first complete season with Cleveland is the most important change.

He joined the Cavaliers at the trade deadline last February and had to learn Kenny Atkinson’s offense during the season. Cleveland can now build its system around Harden, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen from the beginning.

The Cavaliers also acquired 24-year-old wing Peyton Watson in a five-team sign-and-trade with Denver.

Watson averaged career highs of 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds last season while shooting 41.1 percent from three-point range. The 6-foot-8 forward is expected to fill Cleveland’s opening at small forward and defend many of the opponent’s best wings.

Cleveland also added Mario Hezonja, who is returning to the NBA after six seasons overseas, and drafted guard Meleek Thomas.

The Cavaliers lost several rotation players, including Dean Wade, Max Strus, Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis and Larry Nance Jr. Their starting lineup remains formidable, but Atkinson will need to establish a new second unit.

LEBRON TALK

Cleveland spent part of the summer pursuing a third stint with James.

After James chose Philadelphia, Atkinson acknowledged that the Cavaliers needed to move quickly to another option.

“There was probably a day of ‘woe is me,’” Atkinson said. “But the day after, we’re just like, ‘How are we pivoting?’”

Watson became the centerpiece of that pivot.

That creates a fascinating possible matchup Thursday. The player Cleveland acquired after James signed with the Sixers could spend stretches defending him.

James has faced the Cavaliers 26 times during his career. His teams have gone 20-6, and he has averaged 26.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Thursday would be his 27th regular-season game against the franchise.

There is also a Philadelphia connection.

James’ final regular-season game in Philadelphia as a Cavalier came on April 6, 2018. He recorded 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, but the Sixers survived Cleveland’s comeback from 30 points down and won, 132-130.

The 44 points remain James’ career high against the Sixers.

Thursday, he will enter the same building from the opposite locker room.

WHERE THE MATCHUP COULD TURN

The Sixers’ speed should test Cleveland immediately.

Philadelphia scored 24 fast-break points against New York. Tyrese Maxey accounted for 12, including nine following Knicks turnovers.

Cleveland’s starting lineup features two traditional big men in Mobley and Allen. That gives the Cavaliers considerable rim protection and rebounding, but Maxey will want to push the pace before they can establish their half-court defense.

The Sixers forced 14 turnovers Tuesday and converted them into 22 points. Creating similar opportunities would keep them from having to attack Mobley and Allen on every possession.

Cleveland’s backcourt presents the opposite challenge.

Harden can manipulate a defense through pick-and-rolls and draw extra attention before finding Mobley or Allen. Mitchell scored 81 points across his first two games against Philadelphia last season and remains Cleveland’s most dangerous individual scorer.

Brown, Edgecombe and Caldwell-Pope give the Sixers several possible defenders to place on Mitchell. Maxey’s defensive improvement will also be tested when Cleveland involves him in actions featuring Harden.

The matchup in the middle could depend on Allen’s availability.

Allen was listed as questionable Thursday morning with right patellar tendinopathy. If he plays, Cleveland can keep one of Allen or Mobley on the floor for most of the night.

If Allen is unavailable, Mobley could receive more time at center. That would leave the Cavaliers with fewer conventional options against Joel Embiid, especially with Khalifa Diop and Nae’Qwan Tomlin already ruled out.

A FAMILIAR FACE

Wade spent the first seven seasons of his career with Cleveland before signing a four-year contract with the Sixers in July.

His possible Philadelphia debut would come against the only other NBA team he has known.

Wade missed Tuesday’s opener with a left ankle sprain and remained questionable Thursday morning. If he is cleared, his size and shooting would give Nurse another frontcourt option against Mobley and Allen.

The Sixers played James at center for stretches in New York, while Adem Bona and Jabari Walker received brief opportunities behind Embiid. Wade could give Philadelphia another small-ball option who is familiar with Cleveland’s personnel and Atkinson’s system.

His availability carries added importance with Dominick Barlow, Ariel Hukporti and Tacko Fall ruled out.

WHAT CLEVELAND IS SAYING

The Cavaliers are emphasizing the benefit of beginning the season together after adding Harden in the middle of last year.

“Just us having an opportunity to start off together is already exciting,” Harden told reporters Tuesday.

Harden said Cleveland has spent time developing the different possibilities within his pick-and-roll work with Mobley. The Cavaliers can use Mobley as a screener, roller, passer or shooter depending on how Philadelphia defends Harden.

Atkinson has also indicated that Cleveland’s opening rotation could remain unsettled until game time because of the injuries in its frontcourt.

The Cavaliers enter the season with championship expectations after advancing one round farther in each of the past four postseasons. They lost in the first round in 2023, the second round in 2024 and 2025, and the conference finals last season.

Philadelphia will be their first opportunity to show whether that progression can continue.

INJURY REPORT

According to the NBA’s 6:30 a.m. ET injury report:

Sixers

• Dean Wade: Questionable, left ankle sprain
• Dominick Barlow: Out, low-back stress reaction
• Tacko Fall: Out, left quadriceps strain
• Ariel Hukporti: Out, right Achilles tendon rupture

Cavaliers

• Jarrett Allen: Questionable, right patellar tendinopathy
• Khalifa Diop: Out, left knee injury management
• Nae’Qwan Tomlin: Out, low-back stress reaction

WHAT VEGAS THINKS

FanDuel Research listed the Sixers as 2.5-point favorites Thursday morning. The over-under was set at 235.5 points.

The line reflects a competitive matchup while giving Philadelphia a slight edge at home. It could move if Allen or Wade receives a definitive designation.

James’ first return to Cleveland in a Sixers uniform will come Nov. 6.

Thursday is about something else. It is the first look at Philadelphia’s new stars in front of their home crowd and an early comparison with a Cleveland team that had all the answers against the Sixers last season.

Warriors star Steph Curry discusses impact of Kristaps Porziņģis' absence originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry reflected on the absence of Kristaps Porziņģis after the Warriors’ 127-105 season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“It’s a hard one, for all reasons,” Curry said Wednesday night. “For him personally, first and foremost, but us as a team knowing you have an idea of who you are coming into a season.”

It is appearing ever-increasingly likely that a world without Porziņģis is the new reality the Warriors are going to have to adjust to going forward. It was reported on Wednesday that Porziņģis is considering retirement in light of his ongoing battle with POTS, a neurological and autoimmune disease. The same report also shared that the Warriors are exploring trading Porziņģis, either as an active player or a retired contract, as his absence from the team has been extended indefinitely — if he even returns at all.

“We always say availability is a big factor for our team with the guys we already have out,” Curry said. “It’s no secret that spot was an important one for us, especially with his skill set.”

The skill set Porziņģis brings to the table was sorely missed during Wednesday’s loss to the Lakers, particularly his rim protection. Los Angeles had 66 points in the paint and shot 57% as a team. Walker Kessler, the Lakers’ starting center, had 26 points on perfect 12-of-12 shooting — including 10 dunks.

“It’s hard to talk about it without even the humanity of it in mind, but it is a tough one to figure out for now, [and] for the future,” Curry said. “You had a good look of what we were supposed to be as a team. We have to overcome that, obviously. We would love to have him here.”

There currently is no timetable for Porziņģis’ return to the court, and nearly everything about his status remains unknown to all parties involved. Porziņģis was away from the team from the start of training camp, then returned to the team facility for the first time on October 13. Porziņģis’ coaches and teammates have described seeing him sparingly, if at all. Porziņģis’ teammates, coaches, and Dub Nation will be wishing him the best and a speedy return to the court — both for his sake and the greater good of the team.

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