MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 02: AJ Green #20 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for portraits during media day on October 02, 2023 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. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week, despite the losses, Bucks fans were happy—if not more—with Taylor Jenkins and his rotations. But something about that equation was worrisome. In fact, I pondered as much to end the week’sBucks Reacts Results:
With rotation contentment high but wins low, the question thus begs: how long can this relationship coexist? That is, how long will it be until the losing takes its toll? Here’s hoping that becomes a moot point.
This week, as the losses start to mount and the shine of a new season appears to be rubbing off, that point has not become moot. And, as the saying goes, nice guys finish last.
Chivalry isn’t dead (but maybe it should be)
Yes, according to most fans—66% in fact—you’ll find these Milwaukee Bucks helping out at The Leftorium, reading to underprivileged kids, or helping your grandmother cross the street. They’re too nice. And their new mantra’s got nothin’ on ye olde one:
Naughty or nice, these Bucks suck
But it’s not really a question of demeanour, at least according to a swathe of commenters. From their perspective, the Bucks are simply not talented enough:
Yikes. Talk about glass all empty.
Contrary to the point
Perhaps, though, it’s not about whether the Bucks are too nice or not talented enough. Perhaps it’s an “intensity and urgency” matter.
Sounds awfully familiar to “energy and effort.” That you, Jason?
Finally, at least one fan hasn’t forgotten that time is a key part of the rebuild:
Thankfully, with Nate Ament (19), Kasparas Jakučionis (20), Brayden Burries (21), Kel’el Ware (22), Ousmane Dieng (23), and Ryan Rollins (24), these Bucks have plenty of time. And at least a few of ‘em are already ahead of the curve.
There you have it, BH fam. While these Bucks may be too nice, that’s not a bad position to start from. After all, as Laurell K. Hamilton wrote in her 2005 novel A Stroke of Midnight:
My father had taught me to be nice first, because you can always be mean later, but once you’ve been mean to someone, they won’t believe the nice anymore. So be nice, be nice, until it’s time to stop being nice, then destroy them.
That’s right, the Bucks might be in the trenches, but a fire brews.
Just when Dub Nation was starting to feel optimistic about the health of the Warriors, they have been dealt a tough blow to a key rotation player.
Guard Will Richard is listed as out for Golden State’s matchup Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans with a UCL tear in his left thumb, according to the official NBA injury report.
It currently is unclear how much time Richard will miss with the injury, which is on his non-shooting hand.
Richard is in his second season with the Warriors after he was selected No. 56 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Florida. He quickly inserted himself as a trusted member of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation in his rookie year, averaging 20.0 minutes per game across 69 games (21 starts).
This season, Golden State again was counting on Richard to step up in place of the injured Moses Moody, who isn’t likely to return from a torn patellar tendon until at least December. Through 10 games (three starts) in the ongoing 2026-27 NBA campaign, Richard is averaging 5.1 points and 1.8 rebounds on 52.6-percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range in 17.2 minutes.
Richard played 12 minutes in the Warriors’ 126-119 overtime win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, recording four points, two rebounds and an assist.
Now, Dub Nation must hope for a speedy recovery for one of their most valuable perimeter players.
The Kings are parting ways with one of their young players.
Sacramento is trading second-year guard Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round NBA draft picks, the team announced Sunday.
The Kings are acquiring unprotected 2028 second-round draft pick via the Utah Jazz and an unprotected 2030 second-round draft pick via the Minnesota Timberwolves.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported news of the trade.
Clifford originally was selected by Oklahoma City with the No. 24 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft before his draft rights were traded to Sacramento for a protected 2027 first-round pick.
In two seasons with the Kings, the 24-year-old Clifford averaged 7.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game on 41.6-percent shooting from the field and 32.6 percent from 3-point range in 83 total games (28 starts).
He now will provide guard depth for a Thunder team devastated by injuries early on this season.
FRISCO, TX - NOVEMBER 03: Jeremy Sochan of the Texas Legends poses for a portrait during G League media day on November 3, 2025 at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Sam Hodde/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What a ride Jeremy Sochan has had, and the new season is just getting underway. After nearly four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, he was waived and signed with the Knicks, picking up a championship ring when New York beat the Spurs in the 2026 Finals.
After New York, it appeared Sochan was spending the 2026-2027 season in Portland, but was waived after four preseason games. The Polish-American power forward declared for the G-League draft and one week later was chosen first overall by the Texas Legends.
Here he is earlier this week in his first press conference as a member of the Legends.
Jeremy Sochan with the most humble and thoughtful response to his last 10 months or so, from NBA Champion (Knicks) to a standard G-League contract (Texas Legends).
– Drafted 9th overall by the Spurs in 2022, Sochan was a focal point of their early rebuild. – 2025–26 season,… pic.twitter.com/n1ZUt3fkTI
“I think the way I grew up, my family, my parents; it’s always been like that. I could look at it negatively (the Portland situation). But when I look back at that situation, I think the two months I was there, I grew a lot. I was healthy throughout the whole training camp, preseason and open gym. So I think that was a blessing. When we got into preseason games, the minutes I got I think I used them to the best of my ability. I had good games. So what would be the point of being negative and angry for getting waived? Of course, you can look at it as that’s the NBA and I have a contract. But at the same time I have good momentum. So, why would I hold weight on something that I can’t control? And instead, be in this moment and do what I can do and keep that momentum going.”
According to Marc Spears, Sochan originally found out he was being waived by the Spurs through another player:
Ex-Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan says a teammate of his told him the Spurs wanted to waive him, and it bothered him that he found out that way:
“I thought I was going to be there for the rest of the season at least,” Sochan said of San Antonio. “And a few days after the trade… pic.twitter.com/z2vTe7T6qD
“I thought I was going to be there for the rest of the season at least. And a few days after the trade deadline, it’s funny. I don’t want to be messy or anything, but I found out from one of my teammates that they wanted to waive me, and it definitely hit me in a way. But again, I kind of had the mentality of, ‘It is what it is.’ I heard it was pretty possible from someone else, and then officially found out through my agent. So, that was definitely new to me.“
Texas Legends season kicks off tonight in Mexico City against the Capitanes.
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Oklahoma City Thunder broadcaster Michael Cage summed up this game perfectly: “In this game, sometimes you’re the bug, and sometimes you’re the windshield.” In this one, the Wizards were in the role of the bug.
Washington was no match for the Thunder. Oklahoma City took control early and the Wizards had no answer for their athleticism, execution, and swarming defensive presence.
The Wizards converted just 29.6% of their field goal attempts, including 7-43 from three-point range. That’s 16.3%. Which is bad. Very bad.
Positives for the Wizards were scarce. Among them — Alex Sarr grabbed 14 rebounds in 28 minutes. Bub Carrington shot 3-3 from deep. Bilal Coulibaly defended Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pretty well in the first quarter — SGA had two points on o-3 shooting when Coulibaly left the game. He immediately started scoring and finished the game with 30 points and 9 assists.
For Washington, it’s a third consecutive loss — their first three-game skid of the season. Before the game, head coach Brian Keefe talked with reporters about the team figuring out their formula for success. The team would be wise not to over-index on this game. It was a bad result, and the team looked awful.
Despite missing Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren (in some order, their second and third best players), OKC is a special case. It’s a championship-level team with something to prove. The Wizards need to learn to compete at that level, and the lesson of their last three games is that they’re still not close.
That’s not the end of world 10 games into the season. But they need to internalize that lesson and do the work to become competitive against high-level opponents.
From the Notebook
Kudos to the OKC stadium operations team — when the Wizards starters got introduced, they played Harry Potter theme music. Good job.
The Wizards entered the game with the NBA’s second best “in the paint” field goal percentage (62.2%). The Thunder had the NBA’s second best defensive paint FG% (holding opponents to just 50.2%). Safe to say OKC won that battle.
In the first quarter, the Wizards ran a pick-and-roll option out of a horns set for AJ Dybantsa. He had a choice of going left or right. It didn’t go great — he ended up battling his way into a mid-ranger, which he missed. The set was good, though.
Tre Mann got real minutes for the first time this season. He looked pretty good — quick, aggressive, athletic. I’d like to see more.
Jotted during the second quarter (could have been jotted anytime) — OKC defenders switch HARD.
Another second quarter note — OKC was doubling Trae Young to get the ball out of his hands. The other Wizards weren’t able to take make plays, in part because OKC defenders hustled back to their matchups and rotated so perfectly.
I thought maybe the Wizards had a chance of making things respectable — a thought that disappeared when I saw their possession of the second half. It was a pick-and-roll for Kyshawn George, who got caught in no-man’s land. The only teammate who cut was Coulibaly, who didn’t get free. That should have triggered a cascade of movement, but the other guys stood around until George was forced to take a difficult shot, which he missed.
The Wizards tried a small-ball lineup in the second half. It got shredded by Aday Mara and the Thunder.
PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 7: Luke Kennard #8 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on November 7, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Saturday night’s victory over the Houston Rockets was easily the Phoenix Suns’ best win of the season. Granted, they’ve only won three games through their first eight, but this one felt different. Phoenix continued its recent trend of putting together quality first quarters, something that has become increasingly important given how frequently this team has found itself playing from behind. When the Suns fall into an early deficit, players tend to press, forcing the issue offensively and abandoning the systems and schemes designed to put them in positions to succeed.
But Saturday night presented a different kind of adversity. After building a lead that reached as many as 19 points, the Suns completely unraveled in the second quarter. They managed a miserable 12 points, shot 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, and apparently decided to let amber be the color of their energy as Houston closed the half on a 22-3 run to erase the deficit entirely (that’s a 311 joke). What had been a commanding Phoenix advantage was suddenly a tie game heading into the locker room.
And that’s where things got interesting. Throughout the second half, we witnessed a collection of quality performances from different players on both ends of the floor. There were timely offensive contributions, defensive adjustments, and moments when individual effort helped stabilize a team that had every reason to start questioning itself. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Suns had earned a 102-99 victory over one of the NBA’s most potent offenses.
That’s right. For the first time this season, Phoenix held an opponent under 100 points. And that opponent happened to be the Houston Rockets.
That accomplishment alone makes this victory impressive, but what stands out even more is how the Suns responded after their complete second-quarter meltdown. When you surrender a 19-point advantage in such a short period of time, it’s easy to fold. It’s easy to begin doubting yourself, questioning whether you have the personnel, discipline, or defensive capability to stop the opponent standing across from you. We’ve seen that uncertainty creep into this team’s play far too often through the opening weeks of the season.
Saturday night, however, was the first time we truly witnessed the mental toughness and fortitude that defined this team a season ago. The Suns refused to let one disastrous quarter dictate the outcome of the game. They regrouped, stood tall, and collectively found a way to shut down a Houston offense that had been operating like a well-oiled machine. In doing so, they earned, in every sense of the word, their third victory of the season.
Bright Side Baller Standings
Booker is up to three BSB’s after his 30-point aggressive performance against the Magic.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 8 against the Rockets. Here are your nominees:
Nov 7, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) throws a pass in front of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Brunson is a certified Cavs killer. He picked up right where he left off last postseason by torching whatever defender Cleveland put in front of him. He got inside the paint and to his midrange floater with ease. And when he didn’t, the outside shot was working as well.
There really isn’t much that you can do when Brunson has it going as he did here. The Cavs sent some doubles at him and tried to shade their defense toward him. When they got too far, he made the easy pass to the open teammate, never forcing anything.
The Cavs’ strategy was fine. The defense also wasn’t necessarily horrible. Cleveland’s guards competed, but that didn’t matter. Brunson is just too good a shot and decision-maker.
Mitchell is putting together an impressive season from a process standpoint. He’s doing a better job of looking for his teammates, while also finding avenues to score.
“I think the biggest thing is creating an opportunity,” Mitchell said. “I haven’t shot as many shots as I have in my career, so trying to balance that and figure out trying to make the right basketball play. Sometimes that is shooting. Sometimes that is passing. Sometimes that is running the blitz, and it’s going to help to make me better.”
Mitchell tried to will the Cavs back into this game, scoring 21 in the final quarter alone. But as impressive as he was, a one-man army wasn’t enough to take down a well-oiled machine like the Knicks. Especially when the rest of his co-stars struggled.
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Third star: Karl-Anthony Towns
29 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Towns is such a difficult player to defend. His outside shot requires him to be guarded out on the perimeter, which opens up the lane for his teammates. If the defensive center leaves, Towns can make them pay with the outside shot. And, if his defender closes out too hard, Towns is quick enough off the dribble to make them pay inside.
This was on display on Saturday. He drew two quick fouls on Mobley in the first quarter by attacking the rim. This changed the complexion of the game. Without Jarrett Allen, the Cavs were forced to turn to third-string center Thomas Bryant for a longer stretch than they would’ve ideally liked.
Towns’s presence can completely change an offense as dynamic as New York’s. Cleveland found that out again the hard way.
The Cavs offense can look lifeless when Harden isn’t able to get downhill. On Saturday, he was a step slow and couldn’t create any separation off the dribble. That limited his effectiveness.
On the other end, the Knicks continually hunted him in mismatches. To his credit, Harden competed. But it wasn’t enough to keep this from being a winning strategy.
This has been less than an ideal start to the season for Harden.
Evan Mobley
12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers
Mobley’s ability to win the matchup over Joel Embiid was a deciding factor in Cleveland’s runaway win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Likewise, his inability to do so against New York contributed to the loss.
The foul trouble made it difficult for Mobley to establish any kind of offense inside. This left him as mostly a jump shooter at the start of the game. And since the three-ball wasn’t falling (1-for-5 on the evening), there wasn’t much he was capable of offensively to help jumpstart an offense that needed it.
Cavalier who deserves a shoutout
Peyton Watson
12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Watson was useful in this game. He provided some much-needed offense and was helpful as a defender. That’s what you want to see from Watson in this matchup.
“Not really. In Jauary we went 2-9. I’m not really into measuring stick games). … Let’s say we win by 15. Well, we might get hammered next week by whoever’s in last place by 20. Does that mean we suck? No. You just take it one game at a time and try to get a little bit better.”
– Knicks head coach Mike Brown before the game when asked if this was a measuring stick game
It’s tempting to use this difficult stretch of games as a test for where the Cavs are. And if you were going to use it as one, they wouldn’t necessarily pass.
The more concerning thing is the lack of discernible identity. When they’re playing well, the Cavs can beat anyone, as we saw against Philadelphia. But what does this group hang their hat on? What does better look like for them? And are they taking steps to get there? Those are the questions that matter, and we don’t have clear answers for any of them.
Stat of the game
The Knicks outscored the Cavs 26-8 in second-chance points.
New York retrieved 41.8% of their missed shots (94th percentile). And then they made the most of those opportunities by scoring a quarter’s worth of points on that alone.
“We have to rebound better collectively,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “There’s no one pointing the finger. The guys got to do it collectively. We just got to be better.”
Main takeaway from this game: The Knicks have the Cavs number
I don’t necessarily think the Knicks present stylistic problems that the Cavs can’t solve. An offense that hunts out mismatches with their smaller, but electric, scoring guard isn’t something the Cavs should, on paper, be incapable of countering. Yet, the Cavs are consistently ending up on the wrong side of this matchup. The Knicks have their number, and there’s no way around that.
Atkinson and Mitchell were asked what makes this matchup so difficult afterward. Both pointed to the offensive rebounding as an obvious issue, and one that we all can see. They also both mentioned that the Knicks just understand how to play with each other and use that to seize the openings teams give them.
“They really have solutions,” Atkinson said. “I think their continuity…they just have great chemistry. They’re on a string on both ends.”
“They’ve been through stuff together as a group,” Mitchell said. “They do a good job os seizing mistakes.”
Brunson and Towns were tremendous once again tonight. Their shotmaking carried them in this matchup. But they also did a great job of accepting what the Cavs threw at them, and then having a plan of action for that. If you doubled Brunson, he moved the ball to the open teammate and made the Cavs’ defense scramble out.
Conversely, when they threw doubles at Mitchell, the Cavs weren’t quick to respond. Watson admitted afterward that he doesn’t know to help Mitchell in that situation and that there are “some questions” about their strategy that he would like to ask about. That isn’t the sign of a team that’s on a string and understands what they need to do to be the best version of themselves.
Little things like that are why the Knicks have been better. They understand what they need to do, and the pieces fit together perfectly to make that happen. The Cavs don’t have that right now. And until they do, they won’t be able to get through the roadblock the Knicks have become throughout this era of Cavs basketball.
ATLANTA — The Nets are going to be short-handed in the backcourt for Sunday’s game in Dallas, missing both Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr.
Dëmin will miss a sixth straight game, and after that, the young guard and his leg injury will be reevaluated by the Nets.
“Yeah, he’s progressing well,” coach Jordi Fernández said of Dëmin. “He’s on the court. He’s not going to play [Saturday] or [Sunday], and then we’ll go from there.”
Egor Dëmin, who is out with a right leg injury, arrives to the arena before the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Nov. 21, 2026 in Atlanta. NBAE via Getty Images
The Russian missed a fifth straight tilt in Saturday’s loss at Atlanta. But with the Nets slated to practice Tuesday in Dallas, the team at least left open the possibility of Dëmin returning at some point on this four-game road trip.
Meanwhile, Brown is still not cleared for back-to-backs.
“It’s a plan that we have with professionals that know exactly about how your body is, how you feel after,” Fernández said. “Then we assess the player, and then once we assess the player, then we keep building him up. So right now he’s not gonna play back-to-backs.”
Center Day’Ron Sharpe had his first career triple-double with 12 points, a career-high 13 assists and 10 boards.
“A lot of great players I’m playing with, Michael [Porter Jr.] has got a lot of gravity towards him. So they’re trying to stop him from playing for 3s, and then it leads to backdoor cuts. Then it also opens up for my other teammates as well, driving in, kicking or whatever. They’re trying to over help on Mike, so just making the right read every time,” Sharpe said.
“Yeah, I mean 13 assists, four turnovers, that’s elite numbers. And proud of him,” Fernández said. “We just gotta make sure that we keep rebounding as a group. It’s not just on him, but that’s probably a big reason why the game was lost right there.”
Noah Clowney was available after being listed as questionable with an illness and after being forced out of the win over the Hornets in the third quarter with a sore knee.
Drake Powell was available after having been questionable on a G-League assignment, recalled from Long Island. Joshua Jefferson, Ben Saraf, Tyler Bilodeau and Grant Nelson were all out on assignment.
CLEVELAND — Kenny Atkinson has been getting mocked for months. The jokes at the Cavaliers coach’s expense — courtesy of Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns and countless others — could continue for years to come.
After losing the first three games of the Eastern Conference finals, Atkinson infamously said that the Cavaliers had “analytically” won two of the first three games against the Knicks, but the Long Island native wishes the question that prompted his comment — regarding what hope the Cavaliers had of becoming the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 series deficit — had as long a lifespan.
“When you take the context of the question, I’m not sure that was taken into account, that’s a little bit of a lesson for me, you can just take a sound bite,” Atkinson said.
“There was no coach more complimentary of the Knicks and honest about our performance and how they dominated us … 99 percent of my comments were how they dominated us. They were by far the better team.”
Even if some of the numbers were on Cleveland’s side, Atkinson acknowledges that so much of the difference in the lopsided series couldn’t be measured.
Kenny Atkinson reacts during the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 7, 2026 in Cleveland. Getty Images
“There’s the mental toughness, the physical toughness, how aggressive you are, all these other intangibles that go into that,” Atkinson said. “In no sense was it like, ‘Oh man, we deserve to be winning.’ There was zero thought of that.”
The Knicks traveled without Hart, who missed his second consecutive game due to right ankle soreness despite practicing with the team the previous day in New York.
The Knicks have not set a timetable for Hart’s return, but coach Mike Brown expressed no long-term concern, noting that the team’s schedule — featuring one game in a five-day span — played a role in giving Hart additional time to recover.
“It’s nothing major,” Brown said. “He did go through some of practice [Friday]. I set him out of some contact, so we just want to take advantage where we are schedule-wise.”
Hart, who missed eight games last season with a right ankle injury, also missed the team’s preseason finale Oct. 15 due to the same issue. The 31-year-old started each of the team’s first seven games of the season, most recently suiting up in Monday’s win against the Nets. He is averaging 8.6 points — his fewest in eight years — while shooting a career-worst 38.6 percent from the field.
Brown named Andre Drummond the Knicks’ best defensive player in the 109-97 win.
The backup big man had eight rebounds, two steals and one block in 14 minutes
Jose Alvarado recorded a DNP-CD, while Tyler Kolek backed up Jalen Brunson, finishing with five assists, four rebounds and one steal in 14 minutes
Jordan Clarkson shot 4-for-5, finishing with nine points and two offensive rebounds. … Mikal Bridges’ shooting struggles continued, as he shot just 1-for-7 on 3-pointers, finishing with nine points. … The Knicks held a 26-8 edge in second-chance points.
SAN FRANCISCO – It wasn't long ago that the Golden State Warriors were being written off, calling the 2026-27 season a throwaway after an 0-3 start.
They've since won seven consecutive games and have slowly become one of the hottest teams in the league. If you were sleeping on Golden State, then it's time to wake up. The boys are balling.
The Magic came into the with just two wins and were desperate for a spark. It was an easy situation for the Warriors to overlook. Golden State came out the gates with a 16 point lead but Orlando battled back and made it a game throughout.
"These games always scare me when people are out for the other team (with injury) because the league is filled with hungry, young, athletic players and the way everybody plays now, it's speed, crash the glass, and create extra possessions," Kerr said. "We only got out of there alive because of Steph (Curry) and then some great individual efforts by guys. We got totally outplayed that whole second half. They were amazing. 33 more field-goal attempts. It's almost impossible to win a game, but I'm proud of our guys, because they gutted it out."
Golden State was led by their veteran superstar Stephen Curry, who scored 12 unanswered points himself in the final 2:21 of regulation en route to a 41-point performance. It was his 16th 40-point game since turning 35 years old. He has the most 40-point games in NBA history by a player age 35 or older.
Curry had a vintage performance in which he gets hot in a flash and becomes unstoppable. He went 13-of-19 from the field, 5-of-10 on 3-point shots and a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line. He was the engine for the Warriors, as he's been time and time again throughout his career. It doesn't get old to someone like Draymond Green who's played alongside Curry since 2012.
"It never gets old," Green told USA TODAY Sports. "He's so special, like, he always does something to where it can't get old. You know, it's always something different. ... Down the stretch, you kind of get to a space where you just expect him to make those plays. But never try to take it for granted."
Green caught himself in awe of Curry on one particular shot when he was being guarded by Magic forward Jamal Cain as the shot clock was winding down with 6:46 left in the third quarter. Cain was all over Curry and still, Curry found space to hoist up a 3-point try and it found the bottom of the net.
"The guy's the greatest shooter ever played basketball. But I don't know what in your mind would just tell you, oh, this guy's pressuring me, just shoot," Green said. "Right? That's crazy. I can't begin to process those thoughts, you know, where you're like, gosh, right here. I'm gonna just shoot it. Most people, they do that and you look at them like, yo, what are you doing? It goes in. So I would say that was the one tonight that was really like, man, it's crazy. But, you know, I try I make it a point to try to never take it for granted."
Curry is going to get his but the battle was won through their depth. Every player who logged minutes for Golden State score. The Warriors bench outscored Orlando's second unit, 42-31.
After Curry, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had the next high with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Brandin Podziemski added 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The Warriors look to continue their hot streak as they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).
ATLANTA — Understand that “back” is the worst four-letter word for Nets fans.
They read about back woes, minutes limits and injury management, but Ben Simmons is what they see. And what they fear.
But with Mikel Brown Jr., they don’t have to be afraid.
Despite the kid gloves the Nets have treated their rookie with, Brown’s ankle is fine. And more importantly, so is his back.
Mikel Brown Jr., who scored 18 points, drives to the basket during the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Nov. 7, 2026 in Atlanta. NBAE via Getty Images
While Brown was limited to 21 games for Louisville last season, sources told The Post that his back was structurally fine. That injury had just been a soft tissue one and is long since in the past. His current minutes limit is about the future and building strength for that — for who the Nets see as an eventual All-Star.
“It’s all about getting stronger,” Brown told The Post before scoring 18 points in the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Saturday night. “This is my first year playing against this type of high level of athletes. You’ve got to be at an elite performance level body-wise. But that’s just the everyday process when it comes to that stuff.
“I’m constantly in the weight room every day just strengthening the parts of my body I need to strengthen. But yeah, that’s us going along with the plan. I’m all aboard with it. As long as we’re winning games, that’s all I care about.”
With Brown being the reward for a long tanking season, fans are not only invested in his progress but still scarred from the Simmons experience — trading James Harden for what turned out to be just 90 ineffective games in three seasons.
This isn’t that.
“Nah, man, that was never the case,” said Brown, who will not play Sunday in Dallas because he’s not cleared for back-to-backs. “I’ve just been leaning on my performance staff. My body feels great. Just take it slow. It’s an 82-game season. We want to be in a position to make the playoffs, so every game matters, but they’re just like, ‘the long run, the long run.’ So taking it a game at a time, a day at a time, and attacking it. Everything’s fine. I don’t look at (social) media like that, but yes, everything’s fine. My body’s great, just continuing to build.”
Brown has yet to play both legs of a back to back, with the Nets to play Sunday in Dallas.
Mikel Brown Jr. looks to shoot over Zuby Ejiofor during the Nets’ road loss to the Hawks. AP
He entered Saturday averaging 12 points and four assists. And the game is visibly slowing down for the rookie, mustering 14.5 points in his last four tilts.
“I’m very happy with Mikel. Him in pick-and-roll, how fast he is, how shifty, he can shoot the 3, get to the rim. Very happy with his performance,” coach Jordi Fernández said.
“It’s always about playing hard, but it’s also about playing smarter as well. So, just really having the game slow down,” Brown told The Post. “I watched a lot of film with my coaches, a whole lot of film for myself, just slowing down and letting the game come to me and just letting the game flow.
“And just staying aggressive, living with the consequences if I turn the ball over, miss an assignment on defense, just knowing I have to get it back the next play. Just always having that next-play mentality. That’s the mindset that’s been in my head these past couple games.”
Brown has particularly excelled in the pick-and-roll, capped by an 18 point, four-assist outing in their win over Charlotte. He shot 6 of 11, 3 of 5 from deep and had a highlight no-look pass to Moritz Wagner off a baseline drive.
“Yeah, really the willingness to just be myself and create plays within that pick-and-roll situation, whether that’s hitting the pocket, reading the tag man. Just allowing the game to come to me. It’s nothing I haven’t worked on for freaking years before this. So I adapt and put it on show,” Brown said.
“Great player. Big-time offensive spark,” said Terance Mann. “He’s gonna be good when he gets older, stronger, understands the game, understands the pick-and-roll situations. I could see him being an All-Star easily. He has a great basketball mind. So, it’s fun to play with him.”
The Nets are strengthening Brown’s body, especially his core, searching for that All-Star outcome.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 07: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets attempts a layup against Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the game at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rick Flair drip go “Woo!” on a(n)… all- time great.
The Suns dig deep to pull out a 102-98 victory over the Houston Rockets to win the KD trade for the first time this year.
What a wonderful game. One that gives us a blueprint for how the Suns are going to make noise in the perennially competitive Western Conference. This was a statement win and the best the Suns have tallied far, early in the season.
After tonight, I see a real path forward for the Suns to meet Ishbia’s lofty goals of a second-round playoff appearance. In a game that could have been derailed by social media distractions, the Suns dug deep after a horrific 22-3 run to close the half to pull out a clutch-time victory against, possibly, the best team in the Western Conference. How did the Suns right the ship and pull out a competitive win against a team that swept the season series last year? Energy. The Phoenix Suns season is officially a question of energy.
So much has been made about fit but after tonight, it becomes irrelevant. It’s not about the points, or the rebounds, or even the minutes a player delivers for the Phoenix Suns that will determine the wins and losses. It’s the energy they can provide. Energy that leads to turnovers under the basket after a miss. Energy that leads to locking down defensive rebounds that lead to transition opportunities for the plethora of scorers on the Suns roster. Energy from blocks that lead to points, or drawing offensive fouls that take points away. The Suns rode the energy in the first quarter only to be hit by a brown out in the second, and in the end they found a way to generate enough power to match the Rockets’ energy plays blow for blow through a contested third and outlasting a desperate Sengun (who doesn’t want it with KhOso) looking to salvage a forgettable night with a fourth-quarter push that was too little too late.
I don’t know if there is any player I can target as standing out in game that needed a whole team to secure a win. The Suns had 5 players finish the night in double figures, including a surgical Luke Kennard who proved to be the a fusion of Royce and Grayson Allen in a flurry of points in limited minutes. Booker put up 24 points on 24 shots, and Jalen Green went 50% from the field on 7-of-14 shooting, with 8 assists. The decision-making is coming along. The Villain, under the spotlight after his online spat with KD, held the former Sun to limited shots in the first half, but couldn’t keep him off the line, where he grabbed 10 points on 11 attempts and ended the night with a hollow 21 points.
KhOso tag-teamed Sengun all night, who remained quiet for 3 and 1/2 quarters before making a push in the final six minutes. He finished the night with 15 points on 5/16 shooting with a modest 6 rebounds and a -16 plus-minus. If you’re looking for a reason the Suns won the game, look no further than Sengun’s 1-7 shooting with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. While there were plenty of mistakes from the young center duo, KhOso took advantage of some key injuries to Capella and Adams, and did enough inside to give the Suns the opportunity to win the game tonight.
Game Flow
First Half
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
The Suns got Jalen Green going early, starting 4-of-4 in the opening minutes of the game. I believe this needs to be a focus, and I was happy to see Jalen experience some success early against his former team. I no longer want to hear that Jalen Green can’t play next to Devin Booker, as he consistently made the right decision and his paint touches became a real difference-maker for stretches in this game.
The Suns continued their stretch of hot starts, finding the energy early in a run sparked by Oso pulling the chair on Sengun, leading to a turnover and lay-up for Jalen Green. An offensive goal-tend led to an Oso “jumper”, then Dillon bodied Durant into a bad pass, leading to a scramble with Dunn causing and then creating a turnover, which led to a Dillon three-pointer and a Houston timeout with the Suns leading 17-11.
The Suns continue to press, and Brooks draws an offensive foul, then hits an iso turnaround. Green makes a steal that leads to a corner three from Ryan Dunn, who had himself another night, and Kennard opens up the last three minutes, by splitting the black see opening up an assist to Ryan Dunn. Brooks hits a bucket, and Khaman shows promising hands as he collects a pass off a cut to the basket for a dunk. Kennard hits a jumper and a three to end the first quarter with the Suns up 35-23.
In the Second quarter, the Suns continued to cook, scoring an early six points before the system glitched and a scoring brownout, which lasted the length of the second quarter, led to a 41-23 lead for the Suns, turning into a tied score of 47-47 going into halftime. Is what happened.
A string of negative energy plays compounded into outright disaster, sparked off by four straight turnovers from the Suns team and caused by a series of quick shots, poor decisions, and offensive rebounds that snowballed into a 22-3 run going into halftime. For so many teams, this could have been the end, the beginning of the end, but the Suns managed to secure some extra juice in a game that was clearly important to the two former Houston Rockets who are looking to prove their value against the team that recently cast them aside.
Second Half
The third quarter opens up with a previously quiet Durant hitting a three-point bucket that is immediately answered by the Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker with a three-point bucket of his own. This is what I loved about this third quarter, where every Houston push was answered in kind by the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns’ path to victory is their ability to bring more energy than the opposing team. It was clear as day in the first quarter when the Suns made all the plays and shots they needed to push to an early double-digit lead, and unfortunately even more clear in a starkly different second half where the Houston Rockets woke up and matched the Suns’ energy, systematically dismantling the gains the Suns had made. Too often this has led to a power outage from the Phoenix Suns, but not tonight.
A miscommunication on a switch between Booker and Bridges gives up an open three. Open three-point shots lead to the Rockets taking a 57-53 lead with 8 minutes left in the third.
Then Brooks contests a KD drive, which leads to Miles Bridges getting to the free-throw line for two shots. Positive energy. Then Brooks fouls KD on a three-point shot, bad energy, which pushes the Rockets’ lead to 61-55.
Brooks and Dunn force a steal after a missed foul shot. Energy. Khaman knocks a ball free, and Booker dives to the floor, leading to a jump ball where the Rockets are called for a foul. Energy. The Suns collect the rebound on a Sengun miss, which turns into a Jalen Green dunk. Energy.
A Dillon Brooks hits a three, and a Durant miss leads to Booker heading to the foul line to regain the lead at 66-65. Energy. Kevin Durant hits a three, which is answered with a three from Devin Booker, with 2:25 left in the quarter. Energy. Dunn grabs an offensive rebound that led to a Collin Gillespie three-pointer. Energy. Durant gets an offensive rebound, and the Rockets are up 73-72. Negative energy.
Booker answers with a back door cut that leads to an easy bucket and the Suns regaining the lead 74-73.
Booker gets out in transition and earns a trip to the free-throw line. The Rockets win a challenge, and the Suns give up a straight drive to the basket to Fred, but Collin immediately answers with his own drive to the hoop. Energy. The Suns finish the third quarter up 76-75.
The fourth quarter opens up with Jalen Green attacking the paint. An early drive leads to a ManMan offensive rebound and putback. Khaman takes a trip to the free-throw line, and JG follows up with a jumper to push the Suns’ lead to 80-75 . The Suns give up an offensive rebound to Smith, and Gillespie takes a bad shot, which leads to a Sheppard three and the Rockets tie the game up at 82-82.
Jalen Green contests a rebound that deflects out of bounds, and the Suns win a challenge to keep the ball on their end. A JG paint touch leads to a Malauch offensive rebound and one opportunity. Another Green paint touch leads to Bridges getting a mismatch and scoring in isolation.
Sengun and Miles Bridges exchange buckets. Sengun hits a three, but Dillon the Villain answers with a three of his own. Energy. Green gets into the paint and finds his way to the free-throw line where he hits 1-2 to give the Suns a 93-91 advantage.
Oso attempts an entry pass to a cutting Green, which gets fumbled out of bounds. Sengun takes it to the hoop to tie it up at 93-93. A Durant miss leads to a Booker middy, but Sengun fights his way to the foul line, hitting two foul shots to tie it back up at 95-95.
After a Durant miss, the Suns find Booker for an open three off an inbound, which he hits to take a 100-95 lead with 3 minutes left in the game. KD misses a shot on a Brooks contest, and Booker gets to the hoop for a lay-up to push the lead to 102-95. (Headband Book 4 L)
The Rockets bring it back to 102-97 when they turn it over on an attempted entry pass to a Sengun with 1:32 seconds left. Booker misses two straight shots, and Durant hits a jumper with 45 seconds left to bring the score to 102-99. Booker and Green work the two-man game, which leads to an out-of-bounds play and an in-and-out three from Booker with 3.2 seconds on the shot clock.
The Rockets have the ball within one score of tying it up, but the shot misses, and Oso collects the Rebound to secure a Suns’ win in a season-altering momentum game.
Up Next
The Phoenix Suns take on the San Antonio Spurs and their otherworldly seven-footer coming off a 50-point performance. Definitely an outsized task for a Suns team just starting to find their rhythm. Can the Suns continue to stack energy plays that lead to runs and secure a second straight win over a Western Conference contender? I hope so. Now that they’ve finally found their footing, they can’t afford to slide back.
Tyler Kolek (13) looks to make a play during the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 7, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
Kolek had labeled Swift the fakest celebrity Knicks fan on the bandwagon during their title run, calling the musician “performative” after she attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s just a question that was asked for me, that maybe I answered in the wrong way. Take that on the chin,” Kolek said Saturday night. “I love her music. We were just playing it five minutes ago, and I’m singing every word to every song. Nothing against her at all.
“People have been going back and sending me all this stuff about her coming to the games, and she was actually wearing a [No.] 13 jersey [of] Joakim Noah back in the day with Carmelo [Anthony]. That’s on me. I wasn’t up to date on my Taylor Swift Knicks fandom. So that’s on me.”
The previous day, the Knicks put out a statement in support of Swift, whose wedding to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was held at the Garden this summer.
Taylor Swift jokes with her friend before the Knicks win over the Spurs in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden, and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization,” a Knicks spokesperson said.
The Knicks returned to Cleveland for the first time since the Eastern Conference finals, when Swift attended Game 3 at Rocket Arena with Kelce — an Ohio native — and was seen cheering for the Cavaliers.
When Kolek called out Swift in the video with teammate Deuce McBride, he acknowledged he was “going to get some hate from the Swifties.”
Since then, his teammates have taken their shots too.
“For sure, they’re playing Taylor Swift in the locker room,” Kolek said. “We were at practice [Friday and] we were playing Taylor. I love her music. I probably know more songs than anybody else in the locker room. Just misspoken.”
PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers attempts a layup against Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, the Spurs had the second-best record in the league on the second night of back-to-backs, and surely their youth played a role in that. Believe it or not, they’re still young just a few months later, and they are now 3-0 on SEGABABA’s this season after an absolute beatdown of the Portland Trail Blazers for their 8th straight win. Portland started the season hot but were coming off a loss to the Lakers last night, and while they may have been revenge-minded for their first-round loss in the playoffs, they were missing Ja Morant, Robert Williams and Shaedon Sharpe and were no match for a healthy Spurs squad with Victor Wembanyama playing the way he is.
However, before the blowout came, the Spurs would have to get through a sluggish first half borne of both poor shooting from both teams and a heavy whistle. After hitting 3-5 from three before the first timeout, including both of Wemby’s attempts for an 11-3 lead, both teams were sluggish, with the Spurs up shooting 33% in the quarter and the Blazers just 25%. But Portland got hot to close the quarter while the Spurs got sloppy, closing on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to two, 22-20.
After barely playing last night, Carter Bryant brought a spark to the start the second quarter with a couple of corner threes and a block of Damian Lillard. Meanwhile, the Blazers did a good job of drawing fouls and were in the bonus less than four minutes in. It didn’t take long for the Spurs to join them, and what was already a sluggish game came to a screeching halt with all the whistles and free throws. Overall, the teams combined for 41 free throws in the half, and at one point, the Spurs scored 11 straight points from the stripe before a Stephon Castle alley-oop and consecutive Junliam Chamapgnie threes in the final minutes got the offense going again, and they went into the half up 64-49.
The lack of whistles allowed the offenses to open up in the second half, but the Spurs were red hot, especially Wemby, who finished the night with 29 points on 9-13 shooting (3-6 from three) in just 24 minutes of play. An 11-0 run capped off by a technical foul on Deni Avdija gave the Spurs their first 20-point lead of the game, and there was no stopping them from there. The Blazers had nothing left in the tank, and the crowd watched in stunned silence as the Spurs got the lead all the way up to 30 for the first time this season on a Dylan Harper banker late in the third quarter. The last 15+ minutes of the game was entirely garbage time, and the Spurs finished their most dominant game of the season with a 125-103 win.
Game Notes
We finally got a glimpse of last season’s version of Luke Kornet. He was active in his first stint with a floater, two rebounds and block of a Chris Youngblood three-point shot, and the Spurs added a point to the lead. Granted, most of his time was spent against Yang Hansen, but he needed a confidence-booster, and maybe this was it. He finished the night with 6 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes, and perhaps most notably, was a +9 while on the floor.
As frustrating as all the whistles were for both sides in the first half, it was comical at times (granted it’s easier to laugh when your team is ahead). Some of the calls were mindbogglingly soft, and Wemby former Spurs teammate Sidy Cissoko got into a bit of a French Flop Fest, with both exaggerating contact to get whistles. To borrow a hilarious text from Jesus Gomez last night, “Sidy flopped three times, and Wemby said, ‘Hold my cabernet sauvignon’”. (He also shook the refs’ hands after the game, which I’ve never seen before, adding to the hilarity.)
Random thought of the night while sitting through a blowout: David Jones Garcia is still with the team instead of joining his fellow two-way players in Austin to start the season, which seems odd, but perhaps the Spurs intend to make him their 15th player once enough time has passed that they can sign him without going over the luxury tax, so he’s staying with the main team? He really has nothing left to prove at the G League level, and he reportedly turned down more lucrative offers from overseas, so maybe there’s an agreement in place? Just my two cents.
Play of the Game
It wasn’t the prettiest play of the game, but when trying to get out of the slugfest and free-throw-a-thon that was the second quarter, sometimes it just takes plays like this. (You also know it’s your night when stuff like this goes in.)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena on November 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers fell 109-97 to the New York Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Player of the game
Donovan Mitchell
37 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds
Mitchell looks like he’s finding the right balance between scoring and passing through the last two games. He’s been aggressive first, allowing his playmaking to come as a result of the defense overreacting to his gravity. That’s led to some efficient games passing the ball, but we were all waiting for Mitchell to have a scorching hot game shooting it.
It finally happened.
Mitchell went off for a season-high 37 points, and he was the catalyst behind Cleveland’s momentary comeback in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was one of the only Cavaliers who had a pulse on offense tonight.
Grade: A–
Grades
Evan Mobley
12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers
Mobley was fantastic last night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tonight? He was totally on his back foot.
Karl-Anthony Towns beat Mobley to the punch more often than not. It was an uber-aggressive approach from KAT that reminded you why the Cavs are still at their best when there are two defensive anchors on the floor.
We know that Mobley can play better than this, and his grade will reflect that.
Grade: D+
James Harden
7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds
Last year’s playoffs showed that this was a bad matchup for Harden, and tonight proved that it wasn’t just because Harden was gassed. The Knicks are too fast and incorporate too much off-ball movement for Harden to keep up defensively. The Cavs will be in trouble if they draw New York again in April or May.
Grade: F
Meleek Thomas
9 points, 4 rebounds
The Cavs have leaned heavily on this 20-year-old rookie to give them minutes. He’s had moments where it all clicks effortlessly into place. And other times, he looks off Mitchell and attempts a wild layup that goes the other way in transition.
Thomas shot 3-10 from the floor and looked like a rookie tonight. Overall, he has been fantastic given the circumstances. He’s quickly lapped his competition as the best backup guard option on Cleveland’s roster. But moments like this are inevitable.
Grade: D+
Peyton Watson
12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
The Cavs need Watson to start shooting the rock better than he has. Watson was 1-of-5 from downtown tonight, and the Knicks had no interest in defending him. For all the potential benefits Watson can bring to this team — it will all feel moot if he can’t provide enough spacing to make defenses care about him.
Grade: C-
Mario Hezonja
0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
There can be a trickle-down effect in games where the stars struggle to set the tone. Hezonja never found his rhythym in this game, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor. And while he’s the only one who can take accountability for that, I think he was more a victim of this team struggling to find its stride as a whole.
Grade: F
Thomas Bryant
5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
I owe Bryant an apology for not grading him last game. It was an honest mistake, and he delivered quality minutes in Cleveland’s win over the 76ers.
It brings me no joy to report that he struggled in this matchup. Bryant has become a necessity with Allen on the sidelines, but his lack of mobility made it hard to keep him on the floor.
Grade: D+
Tyrese Proctor
7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Proctor has given good minutes during this stretch of poor injury luck for the Cavs. He’s showing he’s a capable shooter and someone who can occasionally make things happen with the ball in his hands, but he still needs some fine-tuning on both ends of the court to be a player who is in the nightly rotation once everything settles.
Grade: C+
Riley Minix
8 points, 3 rebounds
The Cavs waived Minix just days ago, before bringing him back only a few hours before tip-off. He responded with the best game of his young career, nailing his first three shots and ending with 8 points.
