CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 28: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Kolin/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Washington Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa made an immediate impact in his NBA debut, scoring 19 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-1) after missing the first four games of the season with a sprained ankle that he suffered in preseason.
The No. 1 overall pick earned a spot in the starting lineup alongside Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George as Washington (2-3) shifted fourth-year wing Bilal Coulibaly to come off the bench for the first time this season.
Playing on a minutes restriction due to his injury, Dybantsa wasted little time making his presence felt. After Washington won the opening tip, it took Dybantsa just 16 seconds to attack the rim and draw a shooting foul on Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen to send the rookie to the charity stripe.
The BYU product knocked down both free throws for the first two points of his NBA career.
In his first six-minute stint as a pro, Dybantsa scored nine points on 3-for-3 shooting in the first quarter. He caught a half-court lob from Young, connected on his first career 3-pointer and recorded an assist to Sarr for a corner three in an impressive opening stretch.
AJ Dybantsa's FIRST BUCKET IN HIS NBA DEBUT was a lob from Trae 🔥
He exited the first quarter helping Washington take a 22-16 lead, and turned heads with a dazzling step through floater finish, past James Harden and over the seven-footer — Allen.
Despite the minutes restriction, Dybantsa played the final 8 minutes and 18 seconds of the fourth quarter, with Washington trailing 102-99. He connected on a mid-range jumper and a dunk as Washington — which led by 16 at one point — tried to re-take its lead in the final quarter.
The rookie finished with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field, adding two rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes.
But, despite Dybantsa’s strong debut, Cleveland took control late in the game to secure the 121-111 victory over Washington — handing the Wizards their second consecutive loss of the season.
Dybantsa’s 19-point performance marked the highest-scoring debut by a Wizards rookie since Tom Gugliotta scored 20 points against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 2, 1992.
Although Washington couldn’t come away with a win, Dybantsa’s efficient scoring and early contributions offered an encouraging glimpse of what the franchise’s top pick could bring as he begins his NBA career. He will be back in action for his home crowd debut at Capital One Arena against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET.
Charlotte beat Washington 110-103 on Monday night in North Carolina – while Dybantsa was sidelined.
The Warriors won their second straight game, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-114 in a close final quarter, as Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued his early season success.
But it was star Steph Curry that put on a show, scoring 44 points on six 3-pointers and still showing that he is critical to Golden State’s core. Lendeborg spoke to reporters after the game and expressed his amazement at Curry’s performance, while acknowledging that it motivated him to do his part for the team.
“I think I need somebody to cuss me out, like Draymond [Green] did today, because I’m just watching, like, man, this guy is good as hell,” Lendeborg said. “I caught myself shaking my head, like ‘wow,’ a couple times. But once he got out of the game, it’s like, this is my opportunity to help him out, help his great [game] be worth a lot. But I was amazed today for sure.”
Curry scored 19 points in the second quarter in about nine minutes, putting Golden State ahead by a considerable amount going into the second half. But it was the second half that really turned heads, with Curry scoring 21 points and going 16 for 16 at the free throw line for the night.
Lendeborg, who was one of only three Warriors, including Curry, to score in double figures, had seven turnovers, but Curry’s big game made those turnovers less important to the outcome of the game.
The Warriors are severely shorthanded to start the season, with Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porziņģis all sidelined with injuries. Butler and Moody are not expected back until the start of the next calendar year, making Lendeborg’s presence even more important. The rookie is averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists through the first five games, proving that he and Curry form a strong duo.
Golden State gets a night off on Thursday before beginning their NBA Cup campaign on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers at home. Lendeborg scored 12 points in a 127-105 loss to the Lakers on opening night, and is hoping to improve on that performance and lead the team to a win over their rivals this time around.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 28: Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on October 28, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, in a game that was bound to happen eventually, the Milwaukee Bucks got trounced 132-100 by the Houston Rockets. Point blank, the Bucks looked like a team in the first year of a rebuild, while the Rockets looked like a team with its eyes firmly set on the title. Their defence was like a boa constrictor, slowly choking the Bucks until they had no life left. Tough one; Milwaukee will process it and quickly move on to the next thing, as they will have a lot to do this season. Read our full summary of the game here.
Man, after a few games where it felt like Rollins was getting back to himself, he turns in this stinker. It does feel like Rollins lost some confidence in himself. Did y’all see him pass out of that fast break layup attempt? I will say that 1) Rollins was able to create at a decent level, and 2) the Rockets might just be the worst team to play when you’re trying to find a rhythm.
Yet again, Herro stands up as the only true shining light. The Rockets were able to shut down Herro’s passing game (though others would have needed to make shots for him to register assists), but he still got his on elite efficiency. Yeah, Houston’s bigger wings definitely picked on Herro, but I thought he competed made them take tough shots most of the time.
After a blip against Indy, Jaquez was right back to the level he’d been playing at. Jaquez was one of the only Bucks who had any modicum of success getting downhill or making spot-up threes. I also thought JJJ was solid guarding the bigger Rockets wings.
Just a bit of a nothing game from Kuzma. Somewhat predictably, he wasn’t able to generate good shots against that defence, and also wasn’t able to punish from the perimeter.
Well, Turner’s stat line shows his defensive impact is on the rise, at least. I thought he set solid screens, which allowed for some great pick-and-pop looks from three, but they all rimmed out. Those shots were the right ones to take, but man, at some point the big fella has to get his three-ball going; currently shooting a daftly 18.2%.
One of Ware’s next steps is to be able to match it against physically dominant teams like the Rockets. Ware looked outmatched at nearly every point he was on the floor, and the Rockets made him look small. On the positive side, I thought Ware’s shot selection was solid.
I mean, Jakucionis got places on the court better than I thought he’d be able to, which allowed him to draw multiple defenders and kick out to open teammates. The passing was encouraging for sure, but it was tough for KJ to get much offence going (like most of the youngins).
I thought Burries did some really positive things in his minutes. He played solid on-ball defence on Reed Sheppard and showcased his offensive creation more in a low-stakes setting. Had a nice pull-up jumper on Oscar Tshiebwe and got himself to the charity stripe twice. It’s great experience.
Green did his job in this one; not much more to say. One note: his passing out of the pick-and-roll has definitely improved. Had a great rep coming off the horns action, forcing the nail help to tag the rolling Sims, and then zipping it over to the open Ament at the top of the key for three. Had a very similar play against Indiana.
The stat sheet won’t show it, but I thought Ament’s impact on the game was quite positive, mostly because of his defence, which I’m definitely keeping tabs on. He had a crazy block meeting Jabari Smith Jr. at the summit and did a genuinely good job guarding Kevin Durant. On the other hand, Ament’s off-ball defence is lagging; he got mixed up on a few switches against Houston’s “77” action (double screen in the middle of the floor), and Reed Sheppard got open on the perimeter because of that. I’m not going to overindex on Ament’s shooting efficiency because of the inexperienced lineups deployed from the middle of the third quarter onward; someone had to shoot, and against that defence, most were low-quality attempts.
Grade: B-
Ousmane Dieng
13 minutes, 4 points, 2/5 FG, 0/1 3P, -8
Dieng had a nice drive to split the defence and finish at the rim, but I don’t see him impacting in many other areas of the game right now.
Grade: C-
Taylor Jenkins
I’m not sure Jenkins could have done much more to affect the result in this one. On the broadcast, he seemed invested in the game the whole time, which was good to see. Also, I appreciated that Jenkins didn’t bother putting the starters back in after the game was lost by the middle of the third, and instead let the young guys “run wild” for a bit. That at least gave me a reason to keep watching.
Grade: C
Limited minutes: Jericho Sims, Gary Trent Jr., Bogoljub Markovic
DNP-CD: Caris LeVert,
Inactive: Kam Jones, Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance
What We Learnt
Look, I don’t want to get ahead of myself here because it is early, but Nate Ament is showing some good signs as a wing defender. It says a lot that, at this point, I don’t even think Ament knows what he’s doing defensively, yet he’s consistently forced high-calibre wings to take tough shots. Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam, and now Kevin Durant (his idol). Seriously, it feels like as long as Ament keeps his hands out and stays in front, he can use his length to make dudes work hard just to get the ball over him, let alone make the shot. Let’s just say I’m intrigued. Now, this isn’t to say Ament doesn’t have a lot of work to do on other elements of defence—screen navigation and point-of-attack containment being some—but his one-on-one wing defence has looked way ahead of schedule.
Bonus Bucks Bits
The Bucks didn’t shoot their first free throw off a shooting foul until the third quarter—that’s how good this Rockets defence is.
Jenkins had Nate Ament guarding at centre for a few minutes late in the third quarter before Jericho Sims came in.
Gary Trent Jr. finally got his first minutes of the season and, well, let’s just say he was eager to register his first points too (which he did in the dying seconds). OK, NBA, time to end the investigation now.
Bogoljub Markovic registered his first points last night. Congrats!
Milwaukee actually scored at a solid rate in the third quarter but couldn’t defend; they dropped 34 but gave up 38. This contrasts sharply with the first two quarters, when the Bucks scored just 21 and 14 points, respectively.
I often ignore defensive shot tracking stats because they get noisy, but the eye test confirms them sometimes.
Nate Ament allowing a low field goal percentage is not noise. That guy blocks out the sun with his closeouts. Just forced a KD miss.
The Phoenix Suns are last in the NBA in defensive rating early in the 2026-27 season, and their offense over three games has not been anything to celebrate either.
You can point the finger at a lot of different people as to why this season has started slowly, and that there are too many fatal flaws on this roster to overcome. Devin Booker, Brian Gregory, Mat Ishbia, and injuries at center all share some level of blame, but it is Miles Bridges who sits at -17.0 in net rating this season, only trailing Booker with a -17.7 net rating on the Suns.
When Bridges was brought in this offseason, the hope was for him to be a 6’8” version of Jordan Goodwin in the starting lineup. A guy who plays with an elite motor, defends and rebounds at an elite level, and is capable of knocking down open threes. That has not materialized early on defense at all, while the rebounding has been fine at 6.3 per game, but not where it needs to be for this Suns team to win. The entire team shares the blame for their inability to rebound and defend on the defensive end this season, but Bridges’ athleticism was supposed to give that group a boost, and instead, it’s dragged them down to the bottom.
Because of the injuries to Oso Ighodaro and Mark Williams, Bridges has been called upon to be a small-ball center, which has not gone smoothly for anyone, especially Bridges.
‘Offensively, it has gone as poorly as anyone could have imagined so far for the Suns this season, with no Suns starter shooting above 33% from three. Bridges is the worst shooter on the Suns right now; he is taking 6.7 long-distance attempts (second on the team) and connecting on only 20% of them. Many of those attempts are late into the shot clock, heaves that have even less of a chance at going in. The hope for Bridges this season was that he could at least make teams pay when opposing teams left him wide open, but that has backfired.
It would be easy for us as a Suns community to declare this trade a catastrophic failure. We gave up Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, plus an unprotected first-round pick, for someone playing this poorly. And if this trend continues from Bridges, Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory’s management of this roster has to be examined under the microscope because it has Bradley Beal levels of stink to it right now.
But before I make any certain claims about this trade, we should give the Suns more time. Bridges is one of three new rotation players on this roster, and he missed a significant portion of the preseason with an ankle sprain. It has only been three games, and a week of good shooting and better defense from Bridges will turn his season around in a hurry. He is a better player, or at least has been a better player than what he has shown so far, but the level of patience for him to figure things out is dwindling fast because of the price the Suns paid to get him, on top of the off-the-floor issues he has to overcome to be accepted by Suns fans.
The nonnegotiable for Bridges to win Suns fans over and help the team win is that he has to play with incredible effort. He has to be the spark plug for the starting unit as the guy who creates extra possessions for the Suns and sets the tone with toughness and physicality. If he brings that consistently, the Suns can work through the rest of their mess and survive if he fills that role this starting unit desperately needs. On top of the motivation to win games, Bridges is also playing for a contract extension this season and is in prove-it mode on a new team, so there are no excuses for not getting his best effort on a nightly basis.
However, if Bridges and the Suns’ play does not improve before the calendar turns to December, then this season, which is quickly spiraling out of control, is only going to get messier, and Bridges’ time in the Valley will be extremely short. That would be another F on Mat Ishbia’s report card during his short time as owner of the Phoenix Suns.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 28: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks celebrates a three point basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on October 28, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was always going to be that way, just like Ewings_Finger_Roll joked in the Postgame Thread. There seemed to be nothing the New York Knicks could have done in last night’s road game against the lowly Chicago Bulls that would have made many in their fanbase jump out of their wonderful plushy seats from which they watched a championship just half a year ago. But man, Jordan Clarkson and his friends surely tried nonetheless.
To make things a little interesting, the reigning champs went by the playbook of last year’s early-season game at Chicago on October 31, 2025, even if that Cup contest wasn’t on the second night of a back-to-back like this one. They still sleepwalked through it against a young, inexperienced outfit of bull calves which bears no resemblance to the mighty teams of the Windy City’s past—let me know if that sounds familiar. Then, in the end, your Knickerbockers made a furious comeback only to have it fall short just before the finish line.
When Norman Powell put Chicago up by 19 midway through the third quarter, that looked like it would be a good bet to happen again. I’m sure you could have found a parlay or something with one of the many bloodthirsty gambling companies that populate our sports world these days. But as is so often the case, that money would have been gone.
Knicks play around and still win
Would it have been nice if the Knicks hadn’t played with their food so much but rather gulped it down immediately, just like my young Labrador does with anything edible (and not edible) that gets within a mile of his jaws? I’d guess so. Letting a young and, in parts, actually talented team like the Bulls gain confidence is a dangerous proposition. It can quickly turn a game into a mess that it just shouldn’t be, not even on the second night of a back-to-back. It can get players benched, too, as Mikal Bridges can confirm after getting just 13 minutes in this one. But while there are plenty of gripes to be had about how the first two and a half quarters went this time around, nobody can argue with the final result.
Josh Hart interrupts Benny The Bull’s dark magic ritual and squares up on him pic.twitter.com/kqNfLt93Jo
In large part, we can thank the Knicks reserves for that, especially Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet and Tyler Kolek. They all took turns scoring, defending, passing and fighting; their energy, especially on the offensive end, was palpable. With better and, most notably, quicker ball movement initiated by Kolek (9 assists) came more and more open opportunities from downtown, and the Knicks capitalized (48 percent from three). What a game like this means for Kolek going forward is hard to say, especially once Jose Alvarado comes back from his injury. But even with a more than crowded backcourt, there is probably always room for classy, heads-up point guard play.
Jalen Brunson’s wrist looked pretty solid
It’s not really how Jalen Brunson interprets his role at the one, but we’ll take the alternative for now. The captain was his vintage self in his former home state, going for 38 big points in a game where his team needed each one of them. Fourteen of those came in the fourth quarter, when there was nothing the Bulls could do to stop the reigning Finals MVP. Word on the street is that Norman Powell is still looking for his ankles around the United Center; considering how he is an old buddy of OG Anunoby from their Toronto days, we surely wish him the best.
The most welcome sign from Brunson’s game was that he finally had his three-pointer going (6 of 10 from beyond the arc). Wrist surgeries can be a tricky thing for shooters, and quite a few people were at least slightly concerned when Brunson started the season ice cold from the floor. Worry no more, my friends: our captain is still our captain, and the wrist looked fine. Just like the Knicks did in the end when they pulled out a game that easily could have been one of those dreaded schedule losses that we’ve luckily grown accustomed to over the last few years.
I mention “luckily” because you basically can only have these types of losses when you are a good team. When people expect you to win, when they expect you to walk over the bottom feeders of the Association. There’s a temptation to chalk these games up as business as usual no matter the result, especially if you’ve partied up and down the Canyon of Heroes in June. But winning them more often than not points to a certain quality a team possesses. And witnessing that never gets boring, does it?
For three glorious games, the Lakers looked like they had discovered the secret to winning basketball in 2026: score so many points on offense that nobody notices you can’t stop anybody on defense.
Through their first three games of the NBA season, Luka Doncic was putting up MVP numbers. Austin Reaves was playing like an All-Star and the perfect No. 2 scoring option alongside Doncic. Walker Kessler looked like the trade of the century, catching alley-oops, protecting the rim and putting up numbers at center the Lakers haven’t seen since Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal.
Damian Lillard (0) of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots a 3-point basket during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers still can’t defend the perimeter, and no amount of offensive fireworks can hide that fact forever.
Portland shot a ridiculous 59% from the field, buried 18 of 36 3-pointers and scored at least 32 points in every quarter. The Blazers didn’t just exploit the Lakers’ defense, they made them look like traffic cones on the court during a shootaround.
“We got broken down a lot,” Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted afterward. “The game-plan discipline, KYP [Know Your Personnel] discipline wasn’t where it needs to be.”
Ja Morant repeatedly sliced through Los Angeles’ perimeter defenders, forcing help rotations that left shooters open. Deni Avdija scored at will, including behind the arc for 23 points. Jrue Holiday added 22. Damian Lillard reminded everyone in attendance at Crypto.com Arena that “Dame Time” is still alive and well, delivering dagger after dagger in the fourth quarter, including the game-clinching basket with 43 seconds remaining.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) reacts after scoring a three-pointer during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Caroline Brehman
Frankly, the Lakers had no answers for the Trail Blazers’ offense.
And that should concern Redick considerably more than his team’s first loss.
Through four games, Los Angeles averaged 128.2 points, second in the NBA, with an offensive rating of 126.8. But its defensive rating of 118.8 ranks 23rd.
Those numbers tell the story of a team capable of winning 50 games while possessing the same defensive vulnerability that could send them home early in the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
Ja Morant #1 and Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrate a Lillard three pointer during a 136-129 Blazers win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Getty Images
Make no mistake, these Lakers are going to win plenty of basketball games this season. Assuming reasonable health, another 50-win season and a top-four seed in the Western Conference is entirely realistic.
But there’s a drastic difference between being an entertaining team throughout the season and being an actual threat to compete for a championship.
Doncic scored 41 points against Portland, following his spectacular 52-point performance in Utah. Reaves contributed 26. Yet the Lakers still lost because their opponents were getting whatever shots they wanted.
“We had a lot of blown assignments. It was everybody, it wasn’t just one person,” Reaves said. “I made some bad defensive mistakes. You could go around the room. So, [we] gotta be better.”
You cannot ask Doncic to score 40 every night just to compensate for teammates who cannot stay in front of their assignments.
Last season, Redick did his best with the roster he had by increasing energy and effort and switching to a zone defense at various points during the year. Honestly, it was amazing the Lakers won their first-round matchup in the playoffs with the Rockets considering their defensive inefficiencies and being without Doncic and Reaves.
This season, the problem isn’t effort alone. It’s once again about personnel.
Austin Reaves (15) of the Los Angeles Lakers and Ja Morant (1) of the Portland Trail Blazers smile during a game at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers lack sufficient lateral quickness along the perimeter. When opposing guards penetrate, defenders collapse, rotations become scrambled and shooters find themselves with enough daylight to start a vegetable garden.
The 7-footer has been outstanding, but he’s being asked to protect the rim, contest drives, cover defensive breakdowns and somehow recover quickly enough to secure rebounds.
Even the best defensive centers cannot be in two places on the court simultaneously.
“We were breaking down and giving up corner 3s, pull-to-break 3s,” Kessler said. “I pride myself on being the leader on the defense, and I didn’t perform tonight.”
And the Lakers have another problem when it comes to Kessler: Who replaces him when he comes out of the game for a much-needed rest?
Kevon Looney has struggled to provide dependable minutes, leaving Los Angeles dangerously thin behind Kessler. For a center with an injury history, carrying this much defensive responsibility over 82 games is asking for trouble.
Rob Pelinka should already be exploring the trade market for a legitimate backup center rather than waiting until Kessler’s workload becomes a medical concern.
Redick deserves credit for experimenting with defensive schemes, including zone looks last season, but coaching adjustments cannot manufacture foot speed.
First-round pick Cameron Carr, once healthy, possesses the youth, athleticism and defensive potential that this roster desperately needs.
The Baylor product won’t magically solve everything, but he deserves an opportunity to demonstrate whether he can defend NBA guards without requiring three teammates to rescue him.
The Lakers don’t need another scorer. They need somebody who takes pride in preventing one.
Redick said it best after Tuesday’s loss.
“If we score 129 points at home, we should be able to get enough stops to win.”
He’s right. Los Angeles can score with anybody in the NBA. The question is whether it can stop anybody when it matters most.
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INGLEWOOD, CA — Darius Garland and the Los Angeles Clippers continue to struggle with turnovers to start the season.
The turnovers happened early and often for the Clippers, who fell to 1-3 on the season after losing to the Lakers on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Isaiah Jackson won the tip-off against Lakers center Walker Kessler to start the game, but Garland was caught off guard and didn't recover the ball as he was still tying his hair while the ball rolled out of bounds.
Garland was responsible for five of the team's 24 turnovers on Wednesday. Rookie Keaton Wagler was one of four players to have three turnovers.
Coach Tyronn Lue expressed the importance of his team taking care of the ball before the game, but that didn’t come to fruition.
The Lakers managed to capitalize on these turnovers and scored 31 points. The Clippers are also the first team since 2002 to have recorded three consecutive games with 24+ turnovers.
The Lakers managed to produce a 17-0 scoring run in the second quarter and outscored the Clippers 26-6 on fastbreak points, but Lue directed that result to the turnovers.
“I wouldn’t say fastbreak, I'd say turnovers that led to easy 3-on-1s or 1-on-0,” Lue said. “As far as transition, I don't think we did a bad job with that; I think our transition hurt us when we turn the ball over because nobody can get back when that happens.”
With Luka Dončić out, the Clippers managed to limit the Lakers' best available scoring option, Austin Reaves, with their defense.
Reaves was 6-of-16 from the field and finished with 16 points and six rebounds while turning the ball over eight times.
"I think over the four games defensively we've done a lot of good things and we are causing turnovers, but we are just giving it back,” Clippers guard Kris Dunn said. “If we can execute when we do cause turnovers or when we are in the half-court offense and execute, we give ourselves more than a great chance to win these ball games. ... If we can cut down the turnovers, what could the record look like?"
When do Clippers play next?
The Clippers can snap their three-game losing streak with a road win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Oct. 30.
Lendeborg was a bright spot for Golden State against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, scoring 26 points and being one of only three Warriors players to score in double figures. But he did commit seven turnovers, and speaking with reporters after the game, he did not mince words when assessing his performance.
Ya el Lendeborg on his seven turnovers: “I played hella soft today. Draymond told me that as well.”
He said Draymond instructed him to drive through their chest later in game
“I played hella soft today,” Lendeborg said. “Draymond told me as well, but seeing it from everybody else’s perspective, I know I was playing super soft. I gave in to all the fake pressure that they were applying, all the grabbing and all the pulling.
“I was playing a little timid, and I wasn’t decisive in any of my moves. So that’s where I would say five of my turnovers came from. The other two are just stupid on my part, and I’m going to know next time I watch film on it. Next time I’m going to just attack it and forget the play.”
Lendeborg is playing well through five games this season, averaging over 22 points and nine rebounds, and has been a seamless fit for Golden State. But the adjustment to the NBA is not easy, and forming a close bond with Draymond Green, Lendeborg has taken the opportunity to learn from him. After one of his turnovers, Green offered the rookie advice that he made sure to apply.
“It was right after the play where I lost it out of bounds next to our bench, and he told me, ‘Next time you get it, drive through somebody’s f—king chest,’” Lendeborg shared. “And I was like ‘OK, I got you.’ So, I got the ball, they gave me a little backswing and I just ran down there. If they stop me at the rim, they do if not, then I score. So that worked out. Then coach Kerr gave me another opportunity with a little keep play. I drove through [Jonathan] Kuminga’s chest, just tried to be a little more physical …”
The Warriors entered this season with several questions, while dealing with injuries to key players such as Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porziņģis. But Lendeborg’s success early in the year has allowed the team to get by being short-handed and provides optimism for the future.
Steph Curry is nearing the twilight of his career, and if Lendeborg keeps playing at a high level, the franchise might have its next cornerstone player to build around.
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 26: Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Miami Heat on October 26, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just four games into the Zaccharie Risacher Experience, the Dallas Mavericks seem to be having a good time.
A good enough time that the team announced on Wednesday, before the team’s 120-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, that they would pick up the fourth-year team option on Risacher’s rookie deal. After the announcement, Dallas is on the hook for just over $17.4 million for Risacher next year, or just over nine percent of the salary cap. His $13.8 million this season accounts for just over 8.3 percent of the cap.
The deadline to extend Risacher at that number was Friday.
It’s just your standard rookie scale fourth-year extension, but it shows that the Mavericks have confidence that Risacher is worth developing. He’s in his third year in the NBA, so he may feel like more of a finished product than he really is, but it’s important to remember that he’s still just 21 years old. It’s certainly possible that a huge leap in production is in the cards for the Frenchman picked No. 1 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks.
The offensive production entering Wednesday’s game was hit-or-miss through the first four games of Risacher’s tenure with the Mavs, but his defensive presence has been undeniable. He averaged eight points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots per game in the small sample to begin the year. His career averages entering this season were 11.1 points and 3.8 boards per game.
“It’s his motor and his conditioning,” Mavericks head coach Dusty May said in his pregame comments before the matchup against the Thunder, when asked what makes Risacher a good fit alongside Cooper Flagg. “The guy never gets tired. He’s a cyborg. … As his intensity and motor [have] improved, his defensive rebounding — the extra possessions he gives us just by getting a fingertip on the ball. Obviously, the weak-side blocks — there’s a residual effect of those. So he’s kind of reinventing himself where, even though he’s not shooting nearly as well as he always has, he’s found a lot of value in other parts of the game.”
There's the once a game Risacher play that makes me laugh out loud with joy
It’s true. His shooting splits have been abysmal to start the season. Risacher shot just over 30% from the field and just 17.6% from 3-point range in the team’s first four games, but he’s still found ways to affect winning. He’s been a cumulative plus-26 through the first five games of the season. On Wednesday, he had his best offensive outing in his brief tenure with Dallas, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting (2-of-3 from 3-point land) and six rebounds in 29 minutes in the win over OKC.
Risacher was acquired by the Mavericks alongside a top-55 protected 2027 second-round draft pick from the Hawks in a three-team trade that sent Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta and a Mavericks-owned 2027 second-round pick to the Thunder. He was an All-Rookie First-Teamer for the 2024-25 season.
Here’s what Risacher had to say about the rookie-scale extension following the Mavericks’ win over Oklahoma City:
“I was super happy, super — great news. Just, I’m feeling grateful to be in this organization, this environment, with those people — I’m talking about front office, teammates — everybody’s been great, and everybody wants to win, and everybody does the right thing to make sure we get into this position — win games and compete. And I feel like, as a young player, that’s the best position I can get in, and I’m grateful to be able to be in that environment for two years, at least. I’m just super grateful.”
On Tuesday, Julian Champagnie came into the Spurs game against the Sacramento Kings and dropped eight three-pointers in thirteen minutes, tying his own franchise record. He dropped eight in the first half against the New York Knicks on New Year’s Eve last year, then came back in the second half and hit three more.
Through my Spurs-colored glasses, Champagnie looks to be one of the best in the league. But this Venn Diagram I found through StatMuse lays it out clearly.
Of current NBA players, Champagnie is one of seven players who tally 3+ made three-pointers per game while shooting at 45% or better. Here’s the kicker — Julian isn’t succeeding solely on offense, he is also one of twenty-two players who are recording three or more “stocks” per game. “Stocks” is a portmanteau for steals and blocks. In other words, Champagnie is killing it on both ends of the court.
His shooting benefits from the attention given to Victor Wembanyama. At any time, Wemby is being doubled, leaving an open man. Champagnie is often that lone man, and he has found that he can hit from anywhere beyond the arc. When he gets hot…watch out.
Defensively speaking, Julian is sneaky, quick, and agile. His athleticism allows him to get to pull boards, often times against larger opponents. He is the 3-and-D guy that the Spurs needed to expose weaknesses in opposition.
When you put the three-point shooting prowess in the diagram with the stocks, Champagnie is in a category all his own. A one-man wolf pack, if you will.
Spurs are off Thursday and Friday after two sets of back-to-backs involving travel. They play on Halloween against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Unfortunately, the T-wolves are without Anthony Edwards for the next couple of months as he tends to his right knee. It is an unfortunate turn for Minnesota who just brought in LaMelo Ball to partner with Edwards. There have been a rash of early season injuries plaguing the league.
Light your Spurs candles to ward off the mischief acquainted with the holiday.
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For the first time this season, the Washington Wizards are below .500. At halftime, it looked like the Wizards were ready to cruise home with their third win in five games. They scored 42 points in a first quarter scoring binge, and 69 at the midway point — including posting a 50-12 advantage in the paint, and a 10-point lead.
They managed just 42 points the rest of the way, and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 121-111.
Back from a preseason ankle injury, Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa made his career debut, scoring 19 points on 12 shots in 27 minutes.
AJ Dybantsa dunks in his first NBA game. | Getty Images
Washington ran a play for Dybantsa on the game’s opening possession. He started in the corner, and popped to the top off screens by Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Young then came up from the corner to set a ghost screen on James Harden. Harden and Watson appeared to miscommunicate — Harden expected a switch while Watson stayed with Young — and Dybantsa attacked the opening with an elite burst. And then tried to dunk on Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Allen got whistled for the foul, and Dybantsa’s first points as a pro came from the free throw line.
Dybanta’s first NBA assist came a few minutes later. He drove and got all the way to the rim, which occupied three defenders — his own man, and two help bigs. He made the kickout to Alex Sarr, who knocked down the corner three.
Okay, one more fanboy rave. At 8:56 of the first quarter, Dybantsa outran the entire Cleveland roster to the offensive end, and Young threw him a lob from the half court line for a highlight reel slam. You’ll see that one in Wizards highlights the rest of the season.
Unfortunately, the good feels of the first half dissolved as the more talented, experienced, and battle-tested Cavaliers asserted their will. It didn’t help that Washington’s veteran leaders were struggling as much as anyone. Ideally, Young and Davis will make plays when the youngsters are rattled or overwhelmed. In this one, they seemed mostly overwhelmed, as well.
From the Notebook
In the early going at least, Washington’s length was bothering the Cavaliers. Cleveland bigs kept trying to make internal passes rather than going up for shots, only for long-limbed Washington defenders to deflect the ball and force turnovers. This was not something that held up for the full 48 minutes.
In the first quarter, I liked one defensive sequence. Cleveland ran a pick-and-roll for Harden, who seemed primed to attack the Wizards big. Dybantsa freed himself from the screen and sprinted back onto Harden, which allowed Davis to drop back to his man. Harden ended up missing a turnaround fadeaway over a Dybantsa contest.
I mentioned the Wizards outscored Cleveland 50-12 in the paint during the first half. In the second half, the Cavaliers turned the tables, outscoring Washington 34-16 inside.
At one point in the first half, I noted that Washington’s offensive looked better. Over multiple possessions, they flowed from action to action — pick-and-roll on one side, moving the ball to the weakside where there’d been a down screen simultaneous to the primary action, which then led to another pick and roll with a down screen on the first side and a baseline cut. The better process didn’t hold up, but better — even for a stretch — is better.
Harden is an atrocious defender. Prime example: the Wizards got a Dybantsa lob dunk on a sideline out of bounds play. I thought maybe it had been a clever play design (Brian Keefe and the coaching staff has a number of them), so I rewound the action. And…Dybantsa got free on a half-assed back pick because Harden just wasn’t paying attention.
Brad Daugherty in the Cleveland broadcast booth is a treat. He pairs good analysis and insight with a voice that sounds like a cross between WWE and NASCAR. With John Michael on play-by-play, the Cleveland production sounds like a 1980s broadcast of an Atlantic Coast Conference game.
If Young has the ball and a teammate comes open, he will make the pass.
Defensive highlight of the game came around 1:17 of the third quarter when Bilal Coulibaly levitated for a sensational block at the rim in transition. Wow athleticism.
Among the defensive lowlights was Deandre Ayton’s pick-and-roll defense early in the fourth quarter. He backpedaled, got his feet tangled, and gave up a lob dunk he should have been able to contest.
I’m not quite sure
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
WIZARDS
CAVALIERS
LGAVG
eFG%
57.8%
54.9%
53.2%
OREB%
13.5%
40.5%
27.8%
TOV%
10.5%
13.6%
14.1%
FTM/FGA
0.181
0.231
0.223
PACE
96
101.1
ORTG
116
127
112.9
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median last season was 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
"Every day, we kind of pursue a standard, and I think to start the season, we were able to look around the locker room and say that we weren't at the standard that we wanted to play at," he told USA TODAY Sports in an interview on behalf of UNICEF. "So I think for us, it's just a matter of can we go out every single night and be happy with the product that we put on the floor?"
Brushing off the fright of the early season, Barnes, 34, wants people to embrace a not-so-spooky Halloween tradition: Trick-or-Treat with UNICEF. He is a spokesman for the organization's 76-year program, which he participated in as a kid. The little orange cardboard box that kids take with them to not only ask for candy, but for cash to help underprivileged children, creates a sense of nostalgia for the veteran forward.
"UNICEF is an organization that I know very well," he said. "This Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is something that I did as a kid, and I truly believe that it's important to give back and to bring awareness to children that are in need."
Barnes has fond memories of trick-or-treating with his younger sister, Jourdan-Ashle Barnes, and comparing whose candy haul was better. He now shares the joy of Halloween with his daughter, who Barnes says enjoys dressing up as characters from "Frozen," "Moana" and "Encanto."
"It was always something that was fun for us," he said. "And you know, as a father, you want to pass on some of those same values to your children."
When he was a member of the Dallas Mavericks back in 2018, Barnes credited his mother, Shirley, for teaching him the importance of helping others. She experienced homelessness when Barnes was a baby and, when her children were older, they assisted in organizing clothes for her charity, Suited For Work Clothing Closet.
"When you look at how all of us got here, it was a healthy foundation. It took a village, right?" he said. "It took a lot of people investing in our futures. And I think that having an equitable start at the beginning of a child's life obviously gives them the most potential to achieve anything that they want to achieve."
Besides being a leader for his family and in the community, Barnes signed a one-year contract extension over the summer to continue his role as a mentor for the Spurs. He won the 2015 NBA championship as a member of the Golden State Warriors and is in his third year with San Antonio, calling the deal "an unbelievable opportunity."
"The biggest thing I can lend is my voice, my experience, just in terms of trying to be a little bit of just emotional stability for the group," he said. "Obviously, we have so much talent on our roster that I think it's always important just to kind of stay level-headed. And hopefully, if we continue to do that, like I said, and stick to the things we know to be true on the floor, I think we'll put ourselves in a good position most nights."
Barnes shared what he thinks makes the French sensation stand out.
"Victor's great. He's one of my closest friends on the team," he said. "I think the thing that makes him an unbelievable basketball player, but also just a great person in general is that he's a constant learner, and he has an extreme curiosity of how to improve himself.
"I think he finds ways on and off the court to just grow, develop, talk to people, get experiences, learn. I think that's what's allowed him to be on the trajectory that he's on right now."
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 28: Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 28, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
The Houston Rockets continued to cruise on Wednesday night, downing the Milwaukee Bucks in a 132-100 blowout victory that lifted the Rockets to a 5-0 record.
Both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams were out, so with Jabari Smith starting at small ball center, the Rockets turned to their backcourt to make the difference, as Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson led the way, with VanVleet scoring 24 points on 7-for-14 shooting for his best performance of the year so far. He also added 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while hitting 4-for-9 from deep. Thompson added 23 points on 10-for-16 from the floor, with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal. Houston showed its depth with Marcus Smart also still out.
The Rockets got 18 from Kevin Durant and 14 from Jabari Smith Jr., with Durant finally taking some of the back seat he was going to need to take for this Rockets season to be successful. He took just 9 shots (5-for-9), as the “stand around and watch KD” offense is certainly less prevalent this season. Welcome back, Fred? Ime finally getting out of his own way? Tell us in the comments your thoughts.
Smith’s 14 came on just 4-for-12 shooting, as he’s come down to earth offensively a bit after his hot start — though he was 3-for-6 from three — but the defense continues to impress, and Smith was a game-leading +23 when on the court last night.
The Rockets also got a nice game from double Bogdan, as poured in 16 points and 4 assists in just 15 minutes of action. He hit 4-for-5 from deep and has already contributed more to the Rockets than Dorian Finney-Smith did all of last season. Clint Capela added 10 points, 8 boards, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a bit of a throwback performance for Clint coming off of the bench.
The Bucks were led by Tyler Herro with 23 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19, but the big story was the Houston held the Bucks to just 40 percent shooting on the night whille hitting 55 percent of their own shots, and they won the rebound battle, shot 17-for-38 from deep, had more points in the paint and more fast break points in what was a total domination.
Granted, the Bucks are a bad team this year, but the Rockets were down three rotation members and still pulled off a complete blowout. They’ve now beaten the Mavs, Hawks twice, Spurs and Bucks, but have games against Dallas, OKC, Boston and Minnesota coming up, so the schedule is about to get harder, but at the moment, your Houston Rockets have the best record in basketball.
MINNEAPOLIS — In five games, the Warriors have held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter three times. Their winning percentage in such contests? Well, let’s just say it’s not 1.000.
Golden State went up by 24 midway early in the second half Wednesday night against the Timberwolves, still led by 11 with 2:16 to play and still barely hung on to win, 119-114.
And yet, in Steve Kerr’s eyes? It’s all positive.
“We didn’t do a good job closing, but … I kind of liked what happened,” Kerr said. “Because we need to learn from it.”
Steve Kerr reacts toward a referee during the first half of the Warriors’ 119-114 win over the Timberwolves on Oct. 28, 2026 in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Golden State also led 106-94 with 3:41 left this past Friday against the Grizzlies. In that one, the Warriors’ offense went comatose and they allowed Memphis to mount a 17-0 run to steal a win.
So, you could say they’re making progress, at least.
The Grizzlies loss dropped them to 0-3, their worst start since 2007-08. They risked returning home 2-4, off a 1-2 road trip, as they watched Minnesota cut their 24-point lead down to four.
“There’s a slight bit of relief,” Steph Curry said of improving to 2-3 on the season after their poor start, “but there’s still an understanding that the Memphis game in the second half, tonight mostly in the fourth quarter, we know we can play better.”
The Timberwolves, missing Anthony Edwards, weren’t able to pull off the same stunner that Memphis did. But they put up enough of a fight to set off alarm bells in the Warriors locker room.
The closest they got came after a sloppy offensive possession that ended in a missed 3 from Curry, allowing Jonathan Kuminga to set up Ayo Dosunmu for a 3 on the other end.
Dosunmu’s triple cut the Warriors’ lead to 116-112 with 45 seconds left.
But the game began to turn long before that.
Steph Curry looks to get possession of the ball during the second half of the Warriors’ road win over the Timberwolves. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Curry got to the line for two of his eventual 16 free throws to put Golden State up 73-50 a little less than 3 minutes into the third quarter. Then Draymond Green threw the ball away, Yaxel Lendeborg got his pocket picked twice in three possessions and Curry stepped out of bounds.
Four turnovers in a span of barely more than 2 minutes of gametime. Kerr had seen enough after TJ Shannon turned the last one into 3 points on the other end, making it 73-53.
“We smelled blood in the water,” Kerr said. “We thought we needed to make great plays, spectacular plays, in order to extend it to 30, instead of just making solid plays.”
The margin never reached 30. Minnesota scored 64 of the final 110 points.
Steph Curry shoots a free throw during the Warriors’ road win over the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images
“We let them off the hook when we were up 73-50 with all those turnovers. The whole game changed right then at that point,” Kerr said. “That’s when it got wild and crazy.”
The Warriors have traditionally thrived in chaos. That’s not their plan anymore. The game turned into a track meet. Advantage: the younger and more athletic Timberwolves.
It was a different formula than the Memphis game, when Zach Edey and Grizzlies gobbled up offensive rebounds that negated good defensive possessions, and the Warriors couldn’t buy a bucket, despite getting the shots they wanted.
In this case, the Warriors allowed Minnesota to impose its preferred style of play. It didn’t help that the Timberwolves drained 10 second-half 3s to just one by the Warriors.
Yaxel Lendeborg looks to make a moved during the Warriors’ road victory over the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images
“I think a lot of it is just getting organized offensively where you’re using the other team’s desperation and pressure against them,” Curry said. “It seems like we kind of get playing on our heels a little bit. Then you’re just kind of hoping and wishing shots go in.”
There are two ways to look at it: On the one hand, the Warriors are the single-most veteran team in the NBA, and that makeup should have no problem closing out games.
On the other, Golden State is also implementing a new way of doing things offensively and integrating a few players into new roles. Game 82 should look different from Game 5.
“We know we gave that game away to Memphis,” Curry said. “This one was a little more nerve-wracking than it should’ve been. We still have a lot of things to do. You like learning lessons while you’re winning. A 2-1 road trip — that’s a step in the right direction.”
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 28: Collin Sexton #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring during the second half of a game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome on October 28, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With a minute remaining in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 103-87 win over the crosstown Clippers, Lakers guard Collin Sexton charged through the lane and was fouled while making a layup over veteran center Brook Lopez.
As he lay on the ground, flexing his muscles towards the Clippers bench, Lopez accidentally bumped into him, prompting Sexton to shoot up from the ground and get in the big man’s face. Lopez, who projects the demeanor of a 7-foot-tall teddy bear, put his hands up in defense and pleaded for mercy like Sexton was a mob boss ready to chop off a finger.
Sexton, still-faced and without blinking, gave Lopez the mercy he pleaded for and walked to the free throw line to sink his 21st point of the night.
“I know Brook … He’s one of those guys, he’s chill,” Sexton said of the interaction postgame. “I just didn’t know. We push, fight, foul. That’s how the game is supposed to go. Whenever I’m out there, you’ve got to expect it.
“When I step between these lines, it’s us against them. I’m going to do whatever my team needs from me. I feel like I turn into a different person when it’s time to go … When I step into these lines, it’s wartime.”
Sexton had a game-high plus-minus of +23 in 21 minutes off the bench Wednesday night, but the point total and the 4-of-7 shooting from three wasn’t what stood out.
It was his intensity. The wide eyes, screaming and maniacal smiling when guarding Clippers guard Cam Christie, in a clip that went viral during the game.
Anyone who engages with Sexton off the court knows him to be a quiet and reserved guy who moves with a calm smile. On the court, he plays with what head coach JJ Redick described as “insanity” after his debut in Utah.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get his attention because he gets locked in, he’s in the zone,” Reddick said of Sexton. “I love it. I love his competitive fire. … I like when he’s just in go mode. It puts pressure on the defense.”
On the second night of a back-to-back where the Lakers were without two major sources of their identity early in this season — Luka Dončić, their leading scorer, and Ziaire Williams, their primary point-of-attack defender — they needed it from someone, and Sexton answered the call.
It’s the reason Sexton was brought in in the first place, to provide Los Angeles the intensity it’s been missing from his spot in the lineup. Someone who can inspire competitiveness in even the shortest of stints off the bench.
“I think our team responds to insanity,” Redick said after Sexton’s debut. “It’s a good thing. He comes in the game and you know he’s in the game. I think, defensively, he’s trying to apply ball pressure. He’s trying to make hard closeouts. He’s trying to push the basketball. He’s trying to touch the paint and there’s an intensity to all that stuff and our guys responded.”
Every basketball player has a flow state. Dončić gets into a zone where he can hit any shot or make any pass. The basket becomes ten feet wide when some of the best shooters in the league get going. But for Sexton, he’s constantly in that zone. It’s just different from everyone else’s.
On what he’s thinking of when he gets in that zone, Sexton said, “Just continuing to do what’s needed. Continuing to stay locked in. … If I do something, it’s like, lock back in. Because I say it all the time. If you don’t do it twice, then the first time it didn’t really happen.”
