Why Brandon Williams had ‘confidence' coming to Warriors with De'Anthony Melton originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Two former teammates are reunited in the Bay Area.

When the Warriors signed guard Brandon Williams this offseason, all they envisioned was a key depth piece to help the franchise return to the NBA playoffs after a one-season absence. For Williams, coming to Golden State meant so much more. It meant reuniting with guard De’Anthony Melton, his former high school teammate in Southern California.

Williams and Melton grew up 15 minutes from each other, Williams in Panorama City and Melton in North Hollywood. The two shared the floor at Crespi Carmelite High School and won back-to-back state titles in 2015 and 2016.

Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson and Bonta Hill on the latest episode of “Dubs Talk,” Williams shared when it became clear that he would join forces with Melton on the Warriors.

“It’s crazy, I was telling him about how I should go through free agency and what I should expect,” Williams told Hill and Johnson. “But we didn’t know that it was going to happen. Because we played a game every day, we talked probably too much. But I want to say the second week of free agency. That’s when I started to get a good glimpse. I didn’t tell him initially when I got the call. But a couple of days later, when I started to feel like it was going to happen, I’m like, ‘Hey bro, it might happen.’ It was kind of cool.”

Williams’ basketball journey has been wild. After one season at Arizona in 2018-19, he missed his sophomore campaign due to a knee injury. After leaving college in 2020 to prepare for his pro career, he went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft and joined the NBA G League’s Westchester Knicks.

Williams signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers for the rest of 2021-22, played in 24 games and despite showing promise, averaging over 12 points per game, was released in October 2022 and spent the next season in the G League.

Joining the Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract in December 2023 before signing a standard multi-year contract in April 2025, it was there that he learned the most about himself and credits the opportunities he got in Dallas for setting him up for success in Golden State.

“I learned a lot,” Williams told Hill and Johnson. “Coming from a two-way [contract] and working my way up in the league, it’s always difficult. You’re going to have your days where it’s going to be good and getting days where it’s going to be bad, but you’ve got to have a good team around you, a good development crew, and Dallas [Mavericks] had me ready for that for any given situation. 

“Unfortunately, [Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving] went down two years ago, and I knew I was ready on the spot just based on the work that was behind me and the team I had behind me. I knew I was ready to go into it, and at least until now, I got a standard contract and I got a foot in the door. I can never be comfortable in this league, but now I got that confidence and having someone that I know here on the team as well gives me that much more confidence.”

Williams signed a one-year deal and is playing well early this season. Through 11 games, he is averaging 11.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. If the team continues to get good performances from bench players like him, the Warriors could be a dangerous team in the West.

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If you ask Doc Rivers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the perfect place to take the next step in his career.

In the most recent episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Rivers dished on his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, how he navigated the ill-fated Damian Lillard trade and the highs and lows that came with coaching the Greek Freak.

"I liked Giannis a lot. I liked him more as a dude," Rivers told Simmons. "He's interesting. He's not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He's really a difficult guy because he has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have super IQ at the same time. It's really a strange thing, and he really has one way. Downhill. Force, force. Every play, he wants to force it."

Doc Rivers tells Bill Simmons it was so hard for him to coach Giannis Antetokounmpo during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks:

“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high…

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 6, 2026

The number one thing Rivers emphasized was execution. Preparing the right way and setting his teammates up for success is the area the Hall of Fame coach believes Antetokounmpo fell short in during their time together. But now, with Antetokounmpo on the Miami Heat under Erik Spoelstra, Rivers is hopeful that will come to fruition.

"I wish he learned how to execute better," Rivers said. "He's one of those guys − you get a lot of them from the U.S., AAU guys − that have never needed to execute because they can do it on their own. But that doesn't help the team. And I told Giannis this, the thing he needs to still learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you're in practice and shootarounds to lock in on execution. And now he has a coach who is as good as there is in execution."

Antetokounmpo landed in South Beach this summer after a blockbuster trade that put an end to the long-running standoff between the 10-time All-Star and the Bucks front office, but it's been anything but greener pastures early on. The Heat are 3-6 in their first nine games despite him averaging 28.3 points and 12.5 rebounds a night.

The Golden State Warriors pulled away from a tie game against Miami at halftime to earn a comfortable 120-100 win Thursday, thanks in no small part to the ability of Draymond Green, Al Horford and Charles Bassey to contain Antetokounmpo to just one point in seven fourth quarter minutes down the stretch.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Doc Rivers shares criticisms of Giannis Antetokounmpo's game − and how he can improve

Sixers-Cavs by the numbers: Pressure, threes and a 29-point rematch originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers and Cavaliers have already played one game that looked like two.

Cleveland led by 29 points during the Sixers’ home opener on Oct. 22 and carried a 69-45 advantage into halftime. Philadelphia responded by winning the second half, 69-37, and completing a 114-106 comeback.

It was the Sixers’ largest comeback since the NBA began maintaining detailed play-by-play data in 1997-98. Only nine other teams during that span had overcome a deficit of at least 29 points.

Fifteen days later, the teams will meet again Friday night at Rocket Arena. This time, the matchup counts toward the NBA Cup standings.

The 8-1 Sixers have won five consecutive games and opened group play with a 98-93 victory over the Knicks. The 4-4 Cavs have dropped two straight and will make their Cup debut.

Here are five numbers that help frame the rematch.

29: The deficit Cleveland has not forgotten

Philadelphia’s comeback required more than a hot shooting stretch.

The Sixers committed 15 turnovers in the first half, allowing Cleveland to build a 22-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Their pressure then changed the game after halftime.

The Cavs committed 21 turnovers by the end of the night. What had been a 16-point Cleveland advantage in points off turnovers finished even at 22 apiece.

“They upped their pressure and physicality,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game. “It was pretty clear. We did not handle it well.”

The Sixers scored 64 of their 69 second-half points through their starting lineup. Tyrese Maxey finished with 28 points, and Philadelphia turned a game that appeared finished into a franchise-record comeback.

12.9: Philadelphia’s turnover rate

The first half of the opening meeting now looks like an exception.

The Sixers have committed 12.9 turnovers per 100 possessions this season, the NBA’s second-lowest rate. They are also third in turnover differential, averaging 3.4 fewer giveaways than their opponents.

That is notable for a team that entered the season intending to play faster. Philadelphia has pushed the ball without routinely surrendering possessions.

LeBron James’ presence as the primary facilitator has helped. So has Maxey’s willingness to move the ball when defenses trap him. Joel Embiid has averaged 5.2 assists, third among qualified centers, and the Sixers have increasingly trusted VJ Edgecombe to make decisions late in games.

Cleveland’s defense has not forced many mistakes. The Cavs enter Friday near the bottom of the league in opponent turnover rate.

The first meeting swung when the Sixers stopped giving away possessions and forced Cleveland into mistakes of its own.

2 versus 9: An early strength-on-strength matchup

The Sixers have allowed 105.1 points per 100 possessions, the NBA’s second-best defensive rating. Cleveland enters with the league’s ninth-ranked offense.

The Cavs are the only top-10 offense the Sixers have faced through their first nine games.

Philadelphia has held opponents to a 50 percent effective field-goal percentage and 31.8 percent shooting from three-point range. Its defensive shot profile has been encouraging, too. Only 46 percent of opposing three-point attempts have been classified as wide open, the fifth-lowest share in the league, and opponents have taken just 22 percent of their threes from the corners.

There is reason for caution. Based on the quality of shots Philadelphia has allowed, only Washington’s opponents have underperformed their expected effective field-goal percentage by a wider margin. The Sixers have defended well, but opponents are unlikely to remain this cold indefinitely.

Cleveland, with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley, can test whether those numbers hold against high-level individual shot creation.

42: Cleveland’s three-point volume

The Cavs have attempted exactly 42 three-pointers per game and made 37.2 percent of them.

That makes the first meeting stand out.

Cleveland went 7 for 29 from beyond the arc in Philadelphia. Mitchell, Harden and De’Andre Hunter combined to shoot 3 for 17. The Cavs scored 60 points in the paint and still reached 106, but their 24.1 percent performance from three prevented them from stopping the Sixers’ comeback.

Friday’s game could look considerably different if Cleveland generates its normal volume.

The Sixers have controlled the three-point line well so far, but Mitchell is coming off a 27-point performance against Oklahoma City and scored 32 in the first meeting with Philadelphia. Harden added 16 points that night, although his six turnovers became costly as the Sixers increased their pressure.

Minus-5.1: The Sixers’ rebounding differential

Philadelphia has been outrebounded by 5.1 per game. The Cavs rank sixth with 47.5 rebounds per contest.

The Sixers have already shown they can survive a major deficit on the glass. They beat Milwaukee by 11 despite getting outrebounded by 22. That is not a formula they will want to test regularly against Cleveland’s size.

Mobley had 18 points and eight rebounds in the first meeting. Jarrett Allen added 14 points and seven boards, helping Cleveland win the rebounding battle, 46-44.

Whether Allen plays Friday remains uncertain.

Cleveland listed Allen as questionable because of a right knee injury after he left Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City in the first quarter. Allen collided knee-to-knee with Thunder forward Chet Holmgren and did not return.

The Cavs also listed Peyton Watson as questionable with right hamstring soreness and Tyrese Proctor as questionable with an ankle injury. Proctor left Wednesday’s game during the fourth quarter. Jaylon Tyson is out with a right ankle sprain.

Allen’s availability could significantly alter the matchup on the glass. If he sits, Thomas Bryant would likely handle more of the center minutes behind Mobley. If he plays, Cleveland will have the same starting frontcourt that outrebounded the Sixers during the first meeting.

Atkinson has emphasized the possession battle during Cleveland’s two-game slide.

“You’ve got to get more shots than the other team,” he said this week. “Rebounding is a big part of it.”

That also carries added importance in the NBA Cup, where point differential is the second tiebreaker after head-to-head results.

Philadelphia enters Friday at 1-0 with a plus-five differential in East Group B. Miami is also 1-0 at plus-20, while Cleveland is playing its first group game.

The Sixers already know they can erase 29 points against the Cavs. A cleaner start would be far more useful than proving it twice.

The sky is falling. The Utah Jazz remain winless thus far in November, on the cusp of a six-game losing streak. The team is shooting 27.6% on wide-open threes and has been trailing the bottom of nearly every statistical category. But just maybe, just maybe, all they need is a good ol’ NBA Cup Tournament match to light a competitive spirit under them.

That’s right, the Dallas Mavericks host the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center for an Emirates NBA Cup West Group A showdown. Dallas has already gained an early 1-0 advantage in the Cup standings in their 116-111 victory over the Rockets just last week. The NBA Cup has not been favorable towards the Jazz since its inauguration; in fact, it’s given teams more of an excuse to continue brutally beating up tanking teams — point differential matters!

Over the past few years, the Jazz have held records of:

• 2023-24: 2-2
• 2024-25: 0-4
• 2025-26: 1-3

But now that they’re playing for wins (or so we’ve been told), we could see the script flipped. After all, it’s a ‘blank slate’ for this young team. They’ve battled through injuries, have been a part of two overtime games, and have been through some of the worst shooting woes in years. But that’s only temporary, right?

Dallas has likely been content with the Cooper Flagg-Kyrie Irving pairing, given that their team is 4-4 and has lost to some of the league’s best. The Mavs play an incredibly fast brand of basketball, ranking among the league leaders in overall pace and fast-break points.

Injury Report

Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/5)

OUT – Trey Alexander (G League – Two-Way)

OUT – Harrison Ingram (G League – Two-Way)

OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (Right Knee; MCL Tear)

OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (Right Foot; 2nd Plantar Plate Tear)

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 5, 2026

Dallas Mavericks Injury Report vs. Utah Jazz:

PROBABLE:
Santi Aldama (Right Knee Surgery)
Max Christie (Right Hip Soreness/Tightness)

OUT:
Tarik Biberović (Right Heel Bursitis)
Sergio de Larrea (Right Knee Sprain)
Dereck Lively II (Right Foot Surgery)

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) November 5, 2026

You have to put a lid on Cooper

Obviously, Utah won’t be able to put the reigning Rookie of the Year to a complete stop, but this team has to make an effort to command their presence in the paint. The Jazz allowed an unanswered 12-0 run by New Orleans in overtime just 48 hours ago, exclusively inside the arc. We saw them hold Zion Williamson completely scoreless in the first half, but all hell broke loose after they surrendered a 13-point lead. We’ll have to hope that they can put out the same energy as they did against a conference foe like Flagg.

Overtime shot chart between the Jazz and Pelicans.

One team playing with a purpose at the rim, another team hoping shots go in. pic.twitter.com/DBXVnl2RUz

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 5, 2026

You could consider Cooper Flagg as an honorary ‘Jazz Killer’. In his two career matchups, he averages 34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Though, the Jazz have won both of those matches. Now, with a reinforced Mavs squad around him, Utah can’t roll into Dallas with a smug grin.

The numbers don’t lie; Flagg has struggled tremendously from deep early into the season, shooting 7-of-33 from outside this season. Utah will have to force Flagg into uncomfortable shots that take him away from the line, where he converts 55.9% of his two-point attempts.

Because of his promoted role as a secondary playmaker, they should also employ a player like Ace or Okogie to pressure him into his loose handle and perhaps cough up a few turnovers — Flagg is averaging 3.1 turnovers per game in the early going of the season.

As one of the rising superstars in the West, he’s transcended a typical ‘sophomore slump’ to turn Dallas into a legitimate playoff team this year. Finding a way to slow down this multifaceted star will be a burden on this team for the foreseeable future.

How can you get your #2 pick more involved?

This has been a popular piece circulating Jazz Twitter:

Usage rate by rookies so far:

1. Darius Acuff 31.6%
2. Caleb Wilson 26.2%
3. Mikel Brown 25.7%
4. Yaxel Lendeborg 25%
5. AJ Dybantsa 24.7%
6. Cameron Boozer 23.8%
7. Keaton Wagler 22.7%
8. Meleek Thomas 22.7%
9. Darryn Peterson 20.4% <—-
10. Brayden Burries 20.3%

There is no…

— Matt (@sixringsofsteeI) November 5, 2026

Through the first eight games, the furthest milestone Peterson has achieved is really only being thrust in the starting lineup. He’s averaged an honest 30.3 minutes per game, but the question is, why hasn’t it felt like it?

He shares the ball with a dominant guard like Keyonte George, who completely dictates the tempo of the offense. Peterson’s role shifts to that of a more complementary piece — a player that the team can chuck the ball to throw up a Hail Mary before the shot clock expires. Coach Hardy runs an egalitarian, pass-and-cut offensive system where Peterson is used to distort the defense rather than being a centerpiece.

Of course, he has his rookie mistakes too: he’s hitting just 35.4% of his field-goal attempts, struggling to find a consistent rhythm inside the arc, particularly on his floater attempts. That could look particularly concerning, considering that he was noted for his lack of vertical burst coming out of the draft.

But after looking at the Darius Acuff Jr. template over at Sacramento (not recommended if you want to win basketball games), the coaching staff needs to realize they have DARRYN PETERSON on their squad. This is to hope they could have more plays run for him: perhaps using him more as a post-up guard, or having him be the one to leak up the court in transition.

If the Jazz are going to be without Jackson Jr. for a couple of months at least, and if Lauri Markkanen is unable to break out of his shooting slump, Peterson will need to play an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.

Escaping the Cold Zone

Speaking of Lauri, the most unprecedented story coming out of this 1-7 start has been the Finnish Star’s efficiency. Of course, we all saw him injure his wrist in the showdown against the Grizzlies, which has had lingering issues due to the dependence on his wrist snap & flick, but this is going to be an integral year for Lauri.

The drop-off has been stark: he’s averaging 17.1 points per game — down significantly since his career peak and is converting just 38.7% of his field-goal attempts. The Hardy revolution has completely eradicated Markkanen’s inside-the-arc scoring, having him attempt a wild 8.3 three-point attempts a game.

He’s also been forced to occasionally shift as a small-ball center due to the banged-up injuries of Jackson Jr. and Nurkic, which was noticeably felt when the Pelicans destroyed the Jazz in the paint during the OT period.

“I think he’s playing through a lot of pain right now. I think he’s really battling for his teammates and us”, Will Hardy said about Lauri Markkanen on Wednesday.

Will Hardy on Lauri Markkanen playing the five position: pic.twitter.com/0VlK068Pvx

— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) November 5, 2026

Of course, Markkanen will not have as wild a slump as he does for the rest of the season. He’ll regain his efficiency. His wrist will eventually heal. Really, it’s just a tough spot to be in when your team’s record is 1-7.

Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks—How to Watch:

Who: Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

When: 7:00pm Mountain Daylight Time

How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)

It was a much-needed victory for the Suns tonight as they improved to 2-5 on the season.

Phoenix spotted Orlando an early lead, then took the game over with its defense and its shooting. The Suns beat a short-handed Magic team without Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac, 117-104, to improve to 2-5. Phoenix was short Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin, and Rasheer Fleming.

Orlando outrebounded Phoenix by 15 and got to the line 11 more times, but the Magic turned it over 25 times, and the Suns hit 17 threes. A 23-point lead after three quarters was more than enough to survive a late Orlando push.

• Devin Booker: 30 points (11-of-22 FG, 4-of-8 3PT, 4-of-4 FT), 8 assists, 3 steals, +16 in 34 minutes
• Dillon Brooks: 24 points (9-of-16 FG, 4-of-6 3PT), 2 steals, +12 in 29 minutes
• Miles Bridges: 18 points (6-of-10 FG, 3-of-6 3PT), 13 rebounds, 5 assists, +12 in 31 minutes

Book's 3rd 30-pt game of the season 📚 pic.twitter.com/fJhg6LpjWx

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

Game Flow

First Half

Orlando came out firing. The Magic got whatever they wanted early and jumped out to a 14-8 lead.

Fourteen points for the Magic in less than 4 minutes to begin the game

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) November 6, 2026

Then the Suns started taking the ball away. Orlando turned it over nine times in the quarter, and Phoenix turned those mistakes into 13 points, mostly in transition. Anthony Black had four of those giveaways by himself.

Devin Booker played all 12 minutes and set the tone with 12 points, hitting a pair of threes and going perfect at the line. The Suns hit five threes as a team to Orlando’s three, which covered for getting outworked on the glass and in the paint.

More defense. More offense.

Devin Booker with the alley, Ryan Dunn with the oop pic.twitter.com/x4gmkU9SkD

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) November 6, 2026

The bench changed the game. Ryan Dunn, Collin Gillespie and Man Man all finished the quarter on the plus side, and Phoenix pushed the lead to nine before Orlando got the last bucket to cut it to seven entering Q2.

Phoenix led after the first quarter, 33-26.

Luke Kennard owned the second quarter. He came off the bench and went 3-for-3 from deep for 12 points, giving Phoenix a second scorer while Orlando keyed in on Booker.

LUK3 K3NNARD pic.twitter.com/u06KiR7eSa

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

Booker kept cooking anyway. He added 11 more in the quarter on efficient shooting and went into the locker room with 23.

Orlando stayed close by crashing the glass and living at the line. The Magic grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the quarter and got to the stripe 14 times, but they missed six of those free throws and couldn’t buy a three. Wendell Carter Jr. did most of the damage inside with 10 in the quarter.

Man Man didn’t score, but he was a team-best +13 in his minutes.

The three-point line is the story. Phoenix hit 10 threes in the half and Orlando hit four. The Magic shot better inside and controlled the boards, but the Suns’ shooting and Orlando’s turnovers built the cushion.

Booker leads all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three and 4-of-4 at the line. Kennard has 12 off the bench.

BOOK IN THE FIRST HALF.

📚 23 PTS
📚 8/13 FG
📚 3/4 3PT

Including this three to end the half! pic.twitter.com/D0O8nA44nt

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

Phoenix led at halftime, 63-51.

Second Half

Dillon Brooks took over the third. He scored 12 in the quarter on 5-of-7 shooting, and Miles Bridges added 10 more as the starters blew the game open.

Helluva Q3 by the Villain

✅Offense
✅Defense
✅Three-ball pic.twitter.com/1rrrIfHWuH

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) November 6, 2026

Orlando’s turnover problem came back in a big way. The Magic gave it away 10 times in the quarter, and Phoenix’s defense jumped passing lanes all period with six steals.

Booker only scored three in the quarter, but he didn’t need to. He set up teammates with four assists, and every Suns starter finished the period at +7 or better. Man Man chipped in a pair of buckets off the bench.

Welcome to the Dillon Brooks takeover 😈

12 PTS so far in the third quarter pic.twitter.com/5ZREoIEL3q

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

After three, Phoenix led 96-73. The Suns outscored Orlando 33-22 in the third quarter.

Orlando kept its starters on the floor and made a push, winning the quarter by 10. Carter didn’t miss in the fourth, going 4-for-4, and the Magic knocked down five threes in the period.

Phoenix rested Booker and most of the starting group for long stretches, and the offense cooled off with five turnovers and three missed free throws in the quarter.

The deep bench closed it out, with Koa Peat, Jamaree Bouyea, Duop Reath and Pat Spencer getting the final minutes. Phoenix won 117-104.

Miles Bridges. pic.twitter.com/x6bJMPRt3b

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 6, 2026

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Up Next

Kevin Durant returns to the Valley on Saturday night as the Suns host the Houston Rockets.

The Coachella Valley Lakers, the Lakers’ G League affiliate, announced on Thursday that Will Iger, the son of former Disney CEO Bob Iger, will be the team’s play-by-play announcer for the 2026-27 season. 

He’ll join A.C. Green, who’ll be the game analyst, as the Coachella Valley Lakers’ broadcast team. 

The Coachella Valley Lakers kick off their season on Friday against the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena.

Will Iger previously called games for the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs’ G League affiliate, during the 2025-26 season, after serving as a sports commentator on the Mavericks’ weekly studio show, “The Bounce”.

He was also a play-by-play announcer for San Antonio FC, the Indoor Football League and collegiate athletics at Columbia University and Hofstra University.

The elder Iger is part of the ownership group led by venture capitalist Josh Kushner that’s purchasing the majority ownership of the Lakers from Mark Walter at a valuation of $12.5 billion. 

Kushner and Walter finalized the details of the agreement last week.

Once the agreement of the sale is officially signed, the transaction will need approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors.

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The Lakers (7-2) are back home, where they will host a rematch with the Portland Trail Blazers (6-1) on Friday. The matchup will also serve as an NBA Cup contest, with both teams competing in West Group C.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

When: 7 p.m. PT, Nov. 6

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

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One of the Lakers’ two losses this season came at the hands of the Trail Blazers, who ran the purple and gold off their home floor last week. That was the same game that exposed the Lakers’ early flaws such as their inability to rebound the ball well, over reliance on Luka Dončić and overall team defense. While those weaknesses are still apparent, the Lakers have done a better job of navigating them and responding since that loss.

On Friday, they have the chance to get even.

This will be a good opportunity to see whether the Lakers have learned from their loss, how they’ve adjusted and how determined they are to make a run in the NBA Cup after losing pretty badly in the opener against the Warriors.

Here are three storylines worth noting ahead of the matchup between the Lakers and Blazers:

Ja Morant won’t be suiting up

Morant was a huge factor in the Blazers’ first victory over the Lakers, posting 23 points. He easily got in the paint and scored nine out of his 13 attempts. It felt like the Lakers had no answer for him. Fortunately for the purple and gold, they won’t have to think about Ja on Friday because he’s currently recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring injury.

Instead, the Lakers should expect more touches for Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson, who replaced Morant in the starting lineup.

How will the Lakers’ defense respond?

Defense will be the biggest key for the Lakers if they want to come away with a win. In their previous meeting, Los Angeles allowed Portland to shoot 50% from beyond the arc while giving up 56 points in the paint. The Blazers’ hot shooting may have been an outlier but there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again if the Lakers don’t tighten things up defensively. The Blazers have enough scoring to match the Lakers’ firepower.

Portland is the seventh-best rebounding team in the league and currently has a top-10 offensive and defensive rating. They lead the league in points per game (121.9), which is why they’re a tough cover. This isn’t one of those teams the Lakers can just overwhelm with Dončić’s brilliance and talent alone. They’ll have to work on both ends of the floor.

Do the Lakers care about the NBA Cup at all?

If their first NBA Cup match was any indication, the Lakers didn’t seem too interested in making a statement, which is unfortunate because these games are so much fun to win. Hopefully that changes for this one because it’s pretty much a do-or-die game for the Lakers if they want to stay alive in the NBA Cup. Not only are they 0-1, they have a concerning -17 point differential and, if they want to increase their chances of advancing, they’re going to need to win in some blow outs.

It’s a tough task but one the purple and gold should aim to do if they truly want to exact revenge against the Blazers on Friday.

Notes and Updates

• The Lakers and Warriors are the only ones in West Group C that have played in the NBA Cup so far, but expect the standings to change on Friday when the Spurs and Kings go at it.
• For the Lakers’ injury report, Sandro Mamukelashvili (illness) is listed as questionable.
• Bronny James Jr., (G-League) and Cameron Carr (G-League) will be with the Coachella Valley Lakers.
• As for the Blazers, Vit Krejci (left ankle fracture), Ja Morant (left hamstring strain) and Shaedon Sharpe (right meniscus surgery) are out.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Adou Thiero could make his season debut for the Lakers on Friday. 

The second-year forward was taken off the injury report for the Lakers’ home game against the Trail Blazers after being sidelined since the preseason because of left knee swelling.

Thiero played in the team’s first three preseason exhibitions. He averaged 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 18.4 minutes. 

The team shut him down from on-court activities for a couple of days during the first week of the regular season before ramping him back up.

The swelling was happening in the same knee that he had surgery on during the spring of 2025. He was also sidelined during training camp, preseason and the first 13 games of the regular season while dealing with left knee swelling. 

The 6-foot-8 forward was assigned to the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, for practice on Wednesday before being recalled Thursday.

Sandro Mamukelashvili is questionable for Friday because of an illness.

Bronny James and Cameron Carr will be on assignment with the Coachella Valley Lakers for Friday’s season opener against the the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.

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The Washington Wizards just climbed to the top of the Southeast Division standings, and then lost to the Hawks to drop to second. But they have a great chance to climb back up, as they play these same Hawks for the second game in a row.

Here’s the preview!

Game info

When: : Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m. ET

Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM

Injury Report

Wizards: Alex Sarr, Anthony Gill (Day-to-Day), Reece Beekman, Tristan Vukcevic, Justin Champagnie, Jamir Watkins (Out)

Hawks: Jalen Johnson (Day-to-Day), Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye, Henri Veesaar (Out)

Pregame notes

• Washington and Atlanta battle for leading the Southeast Division — The Wizards and the Hawks match up for an interesting home-and-away as they are both ranked 1 and 2 in the Southeast Division. The Wizards briefly held the helm at #1, but then lost to the Hawks at home last night. Let’s see how the second night turns out!
• The Hawks are finding their identity — The Hawks have changed things dramatically. For instance, they traded their franchise guy, Trae Young, to the Wizards last season. But it’s starting to look as if Snyder is finding his rotation. The strong win in DC showed flashes of a coherent team playing team defense (kept the Wizards to 105, and had there not been some “garbage time” it would have been even lower).
• Trae revenge game? — Wednesday wasn’t it. Maybe on Friday?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Draymond Green heard Kendrick Perkins’ comments loud and clear.

The former NBA champion-turned-analyst called the Warriors veteran a liability after he was ejected from a game against the Suns. Green wasn’t happy with Perkins’ assessment and immediately fired back.

“I’m not even close to the player I once was. But Kendrick Perkins, the difference between myself and big dummies like you is that I can think,” Green said on his podcast.

“When your body wasn’t the same no more or as athletic as you once were, it looked a little different for you because you weren’t the smartest basketball player.”

Green received two technicals on one play, and his heated interactions with Suns guard Dillon Brooks went viral on social media. The two attempted to put their arms around each other and had to be separated.

Green’s ejection was discussed on ESPN’s “First Take” the following morning, and Perkins didn’t hold back.

“When was the last time we discussed Draymond Green and brought him up for his basketball and not fighting? At some point, he has to deliver on the floor,” Perkins said.

“And when you look at the start of this season, Draymond Green has been nonexistent. He has done absolutely nothing for the Golden State Warriors. To me, he has been a liability more than an asset.”

Green has struggled offensively to start the season, averaging 3.2 points per game. At 36 years old, his defensive prowess has declined, but he remains a talented veteran because of his basketball IQ.

Carmelo Anthony and La La Anthony (née Vázquez) reportedly have reached a settlement agreement after almost a decade-long split.

Although terms of the separation are confidential, there was a pending judgment of divorce that needed approval from the New York County Supreme Court as of Wednesday, according to People.

Once the former MTV VJ and the NBA star receive the official imprint from a judge, they’ll be newly minted singles.

La La filed for divorce from the NBA star back in 2021, citing irreconcilable differences, according to TMZ, which first reported on the settlement Wednesday.

The couple began dating in 2003 after being introduced through a mutual friend, DJ Clue. They became engaged on Christmas Day 2004 and three years later welcomed their son, Kiyan Anthony, now a 19-year-old sophomore at Syracuse University, where he is playing college basketball.

The two tied the knot in July 2010 in a New York ceremony with hundreds of guests, among them sports and entertainment stars including LeBron James, Spike Lee, Serena Williams, Ciara, Kim Kardashian and Ludacris, The Times reported.

Reports of their separation surfaced in April 2017, and by August of that year, Carmelo had welcomed a daughter with ex Mia Burks.

Although the Anthonys reconciled in late 2018, they ultimately called it quits in July 2019, according to People.

La La was already using a divorce label despite it not yet being official.

In a 2022 episode of Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, La La opened up about her split from Carmelo, saying that there were still difficult moments, especially regarding the co-parenting of Kiyan.

“I learned how strong I am,” she said when asked about what she’d learned from the divorce. “You just find yourself getting stronger and stronger. What do they say? Like you don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.”

La La also shared that the demise of their marriage began around the time that Carmelo was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in 2011.

At the time of the 2022 interview, she shared that her perspective on love had changed. “I just don’t know if it’s in the cards for me,” she said on the podcast.

However, in a more recent October interview on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” she revealed she was “open” to dating and that this was her “season of being open” for someone who is confident and adventurous.

As for the NBA Hall of Famer, he was rumored to be dating Racquel Smith, the widow of former NFL defensive end Will Smith. The two were seen together in June.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Dallas Mavericks (4-4) will meet the Utah Jazz (1-7) 7:00pm CST Friday at American Airlines Center in the the group stage of the in-season NBA Cup tournament. Dallas enters this contest on a two-game slide after their comeback attempt Wednesday against San Antonio came up short, 112-111. After a challenging stretch of the schedule to begin the season, the Mavericks face their second opponent this week to bring a record with fewer than two wins into the AAC; Monday the Sacramento Kings improved to 1-6 against a Mavericks team without Kyrie Irving, 115-100. The Jazz arrive having dropped six straight after the Pelicans prevailed Wednesday in overtime, 120-113. The Mavericks and Jazz share a common opponent this week, as Jazz fell Monday to the Spurs, 119-97.

Change of plans

The Jazz organization’s goals remain more focused on developing their young core than immediate playoff contention, but in dealing for forward Jaren Jackson Jr. last spring, CEO Danny Ainge moved beyond the rebuilding phase of angling for draft position with a trade that greatly bolstered the team’s chances (and expectations) of winning now. Jackson’s departure against the Grizzlies Oct. 26 with a torn MCL means that the team will turn to the stockpile of talent amassed in recent drafts, like forward Ace Bailey, guard Darryn Peterson, and point guard Keyonte George.

All three of those players seem to have bright futures, but it is Lewisville’s George who has emerged as the most NBA-ready player as of this writing. The big guard hit some big shots against New Orleans Wednesday, icing a jumper that seemed to have won it before replays revealed that the ball left his hands a split second late, then knocking down the first six points of overtime coming off high screens from center Lauri Markkanen. Though the Jazz got blown out by the Spurs Monday, the previous matchup of these teams Oct. 28, a 117-111 OT Spurs win, provided some insight as to how this Jazz team can be dangerous. Playing in their first game since the Jackson injury, George keyed a Utah comeback with a drive and layup that tied it in the final minute, and guard Brice Sensabaugh made the three that set up George’s heroics, plus another three in overtime.

For the second time in a week the Mavericks face an electric scoring guard from the 2026 draft class. Sacramento’s Darius Acuff’s 10 of 21 performance against Dallas Monday improved his season shooting percentage to .406. Utah’s Peterson, shooting 34% on the season, has shown flashes of his handle and shot creating ability, but at times has looked like a rookie trying to find his role in the offense.

Lonely up top

Markkanen, the Jazz’ other veteran big man who appears ready to win now, has been tested in Jackson’s absence, chasing a 2-11 three-point shooting performance against Portland with an excellent 4-7 effort from deep against the Spurs. After disappearing for much of the second half against the Pelicans, Markkanen emerged in the final two minutes of regulation to drill a three that brought the Jazz to within one and a pair of foul shots that pushed them in front a possession later. Shouldering the load as Utah’s primary frontcourt threat (starting center Jusuf Nurkic is out with a toe injury) has exposed Markkanen’s strengths and flaws alike. Wednesday the Jazz produced their second 40-point quarter of the season in the third, as Markkanen and reserve center Mohamed Bamba pushed and stretched a small Pelicans lineup around the floor and the Jazz attacked the rim relentlessly. But when New Orleans went big late, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen, and Saddiq Bey all got the shots they needed against Markkanen.

Some of the Mavericks’ most effective stretches against the Spurs came with PJ Washington Jr., Morez Johnson Jr., and Caleb Martin taking turns as the biggest Mavs on the floor, as Dallas’ small lineup cut into the Spurs’ lead even after Victor Webanyama re-entered the game. If coach Dusty May employs a similar strategy against Utah, Markkanen and Bamba will have to cover a lot of ground to keep up.

The group thing

Friday’s game will be the Mavericks’ second of the group stage of the in-season tournament and the Jazz’ first. Dallas beat Houston Friday, 116-111, to notch a 1-0 record in the group stage and a +5 point differential. Dallas trails Denver for first place in West group A, as the Nuggets’ +7 point differential after their 127-120 win against Phoenix Friday gave them the tiebreaker.

Familiar faces

Mavericks guard Walter Clayton Jr. appeared in 45 games for the Jazz last season with averages of 6.8 points and 5.5 assists before being included in the Feb. 3 trade with Memphis that brought Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. Jazz guard Josh Green, a Maverick fan favorite from 2020-24, comes off the bench for 3.0 points per game, and is still making things happen with hard cuts and hustle plays.

How to watch

Friday’s game will be shown on MAVSTV+ and KFAA Channel 29. Radio broadcast is 105.3fm KRLD (English) and 99.1fm KFZO (español).

Fresh off of a tough win against a talented Houston Rockets squad, the Minnesota Timberwolves take on Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

Let’s get into it.

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Game Info

• Who:Minnesota Timberwolves (6-3) vs New Orleans Pelicans (4-4)
• When: Friday, November 6th at 7:00 PM CT
• Where: Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, LA
• Local TV: DAZN-MIN
• Radio: 830 WCCO

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After starting the year 0-4, the Pelicans have ripped off four straight wins to claw back to .500. Sprinkled into that winning streak are some impressive victories over the surging Memphis Grizzlies (handing them their only loss on the season thus far) and the Atlanta Hawks. New Orleans is not a squad that is projected to climb the Western Conference standings or necessarily strike fear in the hearts of opponents, though they are still a team with enough competitive and ascending players to keep opponents honest.

Considering the still shorthanded state of the Wolves, they may have their hands full with a healthy-for-now Pelicans team. The win over the Rockets was thoroughly impressive, though Chris Finch and company will need to remain focused if they are to come out of this game with a victory.

Here are a few things I am looking out for against New Orleans:

Beware of the Wolves Killers

You know the guys – the dudes who love to turn up and have career games against the Wolves no matter what state their team is in. Most teams in the NBA have at least one Wolf Killer. The Pelicans have a few.

Perhaps most obvious of these players is Zion Williamson, who averages a whopping 28.5 points per game against Minnesota, nearly five points higher than his career average of 23.8. When healthy, Williamson is one of the premier tickets in the league and can score at will against nearly anyone. Jonathan Kuminga and Rudy Gobert will have their hands full with Zion, who will seek to outmuscle and overpower anyone that Finch decides to throw at him.

Saddiq Bey is another player that ramps up his production against the Timberwolves. A career 14.8 ppg scorer, his number increases to 19.5 for his career against Minnesota. As a member of the Pelicans, Bey’s average jumps up to 24 ppg versus the Wolves. The guy just flat out doesn’t like us.

As the Pelicans have other surging young players contributing to their recent run of success, this matchup may be more difficult than initially expected. Derik Queen has looked to be a solid NBA big man and Jeremiah Fears has been becoming a more well-rounded player. If Minnesota’s defenders can keep the Wolf Killers from transforming into much better versions of themselves, the game is there for the taking.

Dominate the Bone Zone

Bones Hyland is a fun player. He’s energetic, has a great smile, and keeps the fanbase engaged with his aesthetically pleasing style of play and affable three-point shot celebration. He’s an ideal bench player that could fit in on many teams. We are fortunate to have him as a Timberwolf.

However, with a slew of injuries that continue to hamper Minnesota’s preferred personnel, Bones continues to be thrust into heavier minutes than he would normally get. In the four games before Anthony Edwards got injured, Hyland played an average of eight minutes per night. Since then, his minutes have doubled, playing 16 minutes per game in the five matchups since Edwards (and now Terrence Shannon Jr.) went down.

Bones’s 19 point, eight assist night against the Los Angeles Clippers last week was a true representation of what he can bring as a player when he’s on. It’s unrealistic to expect that kind of production and efficiency from him most nights, though he does help the Timberwolves find tempo and form whenever things are going south.

If the Timberwolves are going to have any sustained success while Edwards and TSJ are out, Hyland will need to continue to exert efficiency and production in his limited time on the court. He was electric against the Rockets, scoring 19 points in just 16 minutes of play. For a team that continues to lose players at a high clip, Bones will remain an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.

Figure Out your Free Throws

There’s not much more that can be said about just how putrid Minnesota’s free throw shooting has been. Currently the team sits at 63.4%, good for dead last and a massive 7% behind the next closest team, which is the 1-7 Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota shot a cool 53% (10-19) at the line just last night versus Houston in a 10-point victory to bring that percentage down even lower. So it goes.

It’s not like this team has a problem shooting the ball, either. That’s what makes this ineptitude so baffling. The Timberwolves shot 53% from the floor and 43% from distance against the Rockets. And yet, while standing at the free throw line, uncontested and still, they can’t put the ball in the hoop.

Two players on the Wolves are shooting greater than 80% from the line this season. Everyone else is below them. That is unacceptable.

It would appear that Gobert’s inability to consistently make shots from the charity stripe (42.6% on nearly six attempts per game) is becoming contagious to the rest of the team. While it hasn’t been the biggest issue the Timberwolves have faced this season, it will become one as the team enters more late-game clutch time situations. We’re not far off from a few tight losses spurring a dialogue that laments the team’s lack of efficiency from the line. The recent defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors comes to mind, poor officiating be damned.

Chris Finch will need to address this problem somehow. Unfortunately, getting reps from the free throw line will not show itself as immediately game-changing. It will take time. Finishing this season anywhere but dead last should be seen as a success at this point. Until then, Minnesota needs to figure out how to capitalize on the opportunities they are given.