During a TikTok stream where the pair were playing NBA 2K, New York Knicks guards Tyler Kolek and Miles “Deuce” McBride were asked a question: who was the 'fakest' celebrity fan they encountered during the Knicks’ championship run? Kolek didn't hesitate to name a major celebrity.
Kolek promptly named pop superstar Taylor Swift, who made headlines for her courtside appearance at Game 4 of the Knicks’ series against the San Antonio Spurs on June 10, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. Swift was spotted in a custom blue-and-orange T-shirt with the pun “Stevie Knicks,” accompanied by her longtime friends Mariska Hargitay, Alana Haim, and Este Haim.
"I don't know if I've seen her at any other games… It's a little performative," Kolek said during the live stream.
McBride, laughing, agreed with Kolek's assessment but was quick to warn his teammate: "I would agree. The Swifties aren’t going to like that answer."
Saving himself from the potential backlash, Kolek quickly clarified his remarks. He suggested that her busy schedule might simply prevent her from attending more often.
McBride teased Kolek for trying to backtrack and from the wrath of Swift’s loyal fanbase.
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 10: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 10, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors Kristaps Porzingis saga is expected to come to an end before the end of the year, according to a report by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Porzingis, who re-signed with the Dubs last season on a partially guaranteed two-year, $40 million deal, opted not to join the team for training camp and has accepted not receiving payments, seemingly deciding to retire. However, hoping to make the best out of an unexpected situation, the Warriors are hoping to use Porzingis’ salary essentially as a trade exception. While that was all known, Siegel’s reporting suggests the front office is expected to trade Porzingis by December 16th.
“For starters, Porzingis’ time with the Warriors is over,” Siegel wrote. “He will not be playing another game for this franchise, as ClutchPoints reported on Oct. 23 before the team’s first game of the season, and it’s almost a given he will be traded, likely within the next 30-40 days… Much like how the Warriors traded for Dennis Schroder in the middle of December during the 2024-25 season, only to re-aggregate him in a bigger deal for Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, league sources are anticipating a similar strategy this time around with Porzingis.”
Siegel notes that players who signed free agent contracts this offseason will all become trade-eligible on December 15th, which will also give teams more options on that day. Moreover, December 16th is the deadline for a player to be traded and still be eligible to be aggregated in a deal at the trade deadline in February. So while it’s definitely possible for a deal to be made sooner, that effectively becomes the deadline for the Warriors front office if they would like to make a smaller move with Porzingis that would leave them flexibility to still go looking for bigger fish at the deadline.
Siegel’s reporting does not even engage with a scenario where the Warriors do not trade Porzingis in December. It’s worth wondering if they would simply hold onto him until the trade deadline if they did not receive an offer that enticed them enough before. With the Warriors 6-3 and looking like a legit playoff team, though, the front office should be less inclined to slow play adding depth to the roster.
Head coach Doc Rivers and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on against the Brooklyn Nets during the game at Barclays Center on December 08, 2024 in New York
Retired NBA coach Doc Rivers is never afraid to speak the truth, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is on his mind these days.
Rivers explained on the “Bill Simmons Podcast” that Antetokounmpo is a “difficult guy” after having coached him for a season and a half before retiring in April 2026.
“He’s not easy,” Rivers said of coaching Antetokounmpo. “He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have super IQ at the same time. He really has one way. Every play, he wants to force it.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Miami Heat shoots a free throw during a game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Antetokounmpo is an ultra-rare physical specimen, earning the nickname “The Greek Freak,” standing 6-foot-11 and weighing 250 pounds.
His time in Milwaukee is mostly considered a success, as he won an NBA title in 2021, but the end of his career with Rivers was frustrating. The Bucks had nearly no assets to acquire new players and Antetokounmpo himself was a constant source of trade conjecture.
“I wished he learned how to execute better,” Rivers said. “The thing he needs to still learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you’re in practice and shoot around to lock in on execution. Now he has a coach who’s as good as there is in execution.”
The Bucks finally did trade him to the Miami Heat this past offseason and he’s hooked up with coach Erik Spoelstra, though early returns have not been good with a 3-6 record.
“For the team to work, you have to learn how to execute,” Rivers said.
Rivers has always been honest when talking about players he’s coaching, including when he’s still with the team.
Head coach Doc Rivers and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on against the Brooklyn Nets during the game at Barclays Center on December 08, 2024 in New York Getty Images
As the 76ers coach, Rivers had a blunt answer to a reporter after Ben Simmons passed up a wide-open layup in Game 7 of a playoff game against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.
The reporter asked whether Rivers still believed in Simmons to be an elite point guard on a championship-winning team.
Simmons refused to show up the following year and was eventually traded to the Nets for James Harden before falling out of the league in a detrimental chain of events for his career.
Simmons later said Rivers’ comments infuriated him.
Doc Rivers has never been one to clam up when talking about his players. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
“How did I feel? I was like, ‘What a piece of s—t,” Simmons said of Rivers’ blunt comments in a recent documentary “Ben Being Ben”. “When times get tough, people start panicking. People throw people under the bus, and that’s just what happened.”
Antetokounmpo and the Heat face the floundering Kings on Sunday after losing to the Warriors on Thursday.
The Toronto Raptors are looking to secure their first win in the Emirates NBA Cup this season as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, November 6.
The Raptors, who are currently 0-1 in the competition and are coming off of a 128-109 loss against the Denver Nuggets. Toronto has not been on great form, losing 3 of their last four and currently sit at 4-4.
For the Bucks, their start to the season has been poor as they enter this contest with a record of 1-7 and are on a four-game losing streak.
Both teams have work to do
The Raptors have had many issues to start their season off, mainly surrounding slow starts to games, while not being able to finish games. Perimeter defence has also been a problem.
There has also been massive vulnerability in the frontcourt and rebounding. While they’re strong on the offensive glass, their undersized or banged-up frontline has struggled to contain dominant opposing centres. With no true centre, the Raptors have struggled. They should be looking to make a trade for a well renowned centre to help them fix their issue there.
Not having Kawhi Leonard has also seemed to affect the Raptors, as there is now more pressure on Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett to carry the load.
For the Bucks, life without Giannis Antetokounmpo has been difficult. They are fielding a younger squad and are in a transitional period.
The core now features players acquired in recent moves, such as Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kel’el Ware from Miami, alongside veterans like Myles Turner and coach Doc Rivers (with assistant Darvin Ham) trying to install a new system.
General execution and youth consistency have also been issues early in the year, the young and reshaped rotation (including rookie Brayden Burries and Ryan Rollins) has struggled with late-game execution, shooting efficiency, and closing out tight contests.
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 4: Tyler Herro #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on November 4, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Keys to the match
The key to this matchup lies in the battle for possession, where Toronto’s elite offensive rebounding and low turnover rates are heavily favoured to exploit Milwaukee’s 27th-ranked defence.
To stay competitive, the Bucks must rely on Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware to control the glass and prevent Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett from dominating the paint, while forcing Toronto into a perimeter shooting contest where they currently hit just 31.9 percent from deep.
Ultimately, if Milwaukee’s Tyler Herro and AJ Green can capitalize on high-efficiency looks from three-point range to offset Toronto’s relentless downhill physicality, the Bucks can mask their defensive deficiencies and stall the Raptors’ high-volume possession game.
This is a great time for the Bucks to win their second game of the year, as they face a Toronto side that has really struggled as of late.
For the Raptors, they poses as a great get back game as they try to get back on track this season and avoid falling under .500 for the first time.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one-of-one. He doesn't play in the style of other superstars, which makes coaching the NBA champion and two-time MVP a particular challenge.
Doc Rivers, the former Bucks coach turned NBC Sports studio host for NBA broadcasts, pulled no punches when talking about how he found it difficult to coach Antetokounmpo in an appearance on the Bill Simmons podcast.
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
"I liked Giannis a lot. I liked him more as a dude. He's interesting. He's not easy. He's not easy because he plays at this crazy downhill pace. He's really a difficult guy....
"He has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have this 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. I wish he learned how to execute better. He's one of those 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 shoot-arounds to lock in on execution. And now he has a coach [Erik Spoelstra] who is as good as there is in execution."
Rivers came in at the end of Antetokounmpo's time in Milwaukee, taking over in the middle of the 2023-24 season, and the team never found a consistent identity under Rivers' leadership. Part of that was the personnel around Antetokounmpo at the time: Jrue Holiday was gone, Kris Middleton was battling injuries and not the same player as his peak, and Damian Lillard was supposed to be the "fix."
Rivers also was there for Antetokounmpo's exit from Milwaukee, and he talked about that as well with Simmons.
"Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn't want to be the bad guy. He wanted [GM Jon Horst and owner Wes Edens] and those guys to say, 'We're trading you,' instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played."
That take is not controversial, that's how pretty much everyone saw Antetokounmpo's exit from Milwaukee.
His comments on Antetokounmpo's play are going to draw pushback out of Miami.
It wasn’t long ago that Giannis Antetokounmpo was one of the NBA’s best defenders. He joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the third player ever to be named NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season during the 2019-2020 campaign, and he was consistently a major part of some great units in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo was always at his best as a ‘roamer’ who could run around and make plays next to Brook Lopez’s reliable rim protection in drop coverage.
Antetokounmpo went viral on Thursday for an ugly clip of chasing the ball defensively with absolutely zero purpose. Giannis looked like a big golden retriever out there following the ball wherever it went without actually positioning himself to help make a defensive stop. Watch the clip here:
Giannis looks tired as hell in this clip, and that’s understandable. He’s the only real offensive creator on the Heat right now, and he’s not working with the type of spacing he enjoyed during his heyday with the Bucks. He’s putting up a 32.8% usage rate right now, and it’s probably too much to ask to carry that level of offensive burden while also being a great defender.
Sharp observers have noticed Giannis’ defense starting to decline the last couple seasons. The Heat’s best pathway to success this season was being an elite defensive team, and I’m just not sure if they can get there. Miami fell to 3-6 after the loss to the Warriors, and they’re lucky to even be that good, because they needed an overtime buzzer-beater to defeat a terrible Los Angeles Clippers team in their previous game.
There’s a lot of basketball left to be played, but the Giannis trade feels like a lose-lose for Milwaukee and Miami so far.
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 1: Tyler Kolek #13 and Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks high five during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 1, 2024 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When you’re the defending champions, there are not many holistic things to complain about.
Sure, the Knicks started 0-3 with a very unsettling offense, but all they needed was their medicine (the Nets and Bulls) to get back to .500?
Worried about losing to Philadelphia twice in October? Joel Embiid’s plantar fasciitis has already acted up; calm down.
Any “problems” this early in the season are either short-term, regarding the looming extension talks, or good problems, which are more conundrums than actual problems.
The biggest of those conundrums has to do with the Knicks’ rotation, specifically with their copious amounts of guard depth.
Jalen Brunson is the head of the snake, but after him? There are a lot of players with minutes who could fluctuate on any given night.
Tyler Kolek and Jose Alvarado duel over backup ball-handler minutes. Jordan Clarkson and Deuce McBride grapple over bench two-guard minutes. Landry Shamet’s strong play is actively pushing starters Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart over their minutes with the three entrenched parts of the team’s nucleus.
It does qualify as a good problem to have, as injuries will undoubtedly give each of these guys ample opportunity over the course of 82 games, but when they’re all healthy, like they are right now? It probably gives Mike Brown a bigger headache than watching Andre Drummond attempt layups.
All of these guys provide something that the Knicks could use more of, but have warts that can limit their playing time.
Kolek is the best true playmaker, but he’s a poor defender, and his jump shot has been consistent throughout his young NBA career. This basically also describes Alvarado, but the defense is better from the New York native.
McBride has stretches where he’s the team’s best rate shooter and is a tremendously pesky point-of-attack defender… but is that not what the team is getting out of a taller two-guard in Shamet?
Clarkson has been a sparkplug every game he’s played this year, but the 35-year-old showed his maddening inconsistency in his first year in New York.
It’s created an extremely volatile rotation, which isn’t surprising when you have a coach who opened the year saying only five players on this team have minutes that are secured.
Mike Brown took the Knicks' starting five aside, looked at his bench players today at practice and said:
"Everybody else in this gym, you're fighting – either to make the team or for minutes" pic.twitter.com/GweTAITsOT
Despite zero Knicks players averaging more than 33 minutes a game except Brunson (who’s at 34.1), only Shamet is averaging more than 18 minutes a game off the bench.
McBride is at 17.5, Kolek is at 12.2, Alvarado is at 11.3, and Clarkson is at 9.9, but even these are deceiving.
Kolek has played steady rotation minutes, but didn’t play at all in the first two games before Alvarado’s ankle injury. Alvarado played 16 and 11 minutes, got hurt, got benched after nine minutes on Monday, and was on track to be a DNP-CD against the Bulls on Wednesday.
Clarkson’s gone from playing three, five, or eight minutes to his spurts of 15 and 17 in the two games against the Bulls and his 11 to spark the incredible fourth quarter against Brooklyn.
McBride, who’s served as the Knicks’ sixth man for over two years now, has topped 17 minutes just twice. He played a season-low 11 minutes on Wednesday and hasn’t had a clear role.
To get these guys more minutes, it would mean cutting minutes from Hart or Bridges. While both have their warts, and the latter continues to look somehow less involved than he was during his lowest moments last season, some of the Knicks’ best lineups are coming with them on the court… just separated.
We’ve seen Brown deploy line changes significantly more in the early going, opting to sub in three or four players at a time to deploy uniform units, but that’s not helping how erratic this all feels.
The depth is making players redundant on the court, especially with how unwise it is to run four-guard lineups in an NBA that’s prioritizing size and length more and more.
And with the Knicks’ extremely shallow forward and center depth? This glut might have to be sorted out at the trade deadline. As much as McBride has shown his tremendous value to the Knicks over the course of his contract, if he isn’t going to play more, is it even a net positive to keep him for the playoff run?
For now, it’s merely a conundrum that Coach Brown will be scratching his head over every game.
By the time we hit February? Things better be sorting themselves out.
Ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Wizards, CJ McCollum suggested to head coach Quin Snyder that Kingston Flemings should take over as the team’s starting point guard. He ended up playing just 23 minutes to McCollum’s 25, but the move into the starting unit speaks volumes.
Flemings has been able to dish out the dimes all season, but he should be able to provide steals as he plays more minutes, though he hasn’t showcased that as much this season compared to his lone season at Houston in college. Flemings has also flashed more as a scorer following a rather quiet start to his career, where he didn’t shoot at a high volume.
The Hawks selected Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick, so it would be surprising if he gave the starting job back to McCollum. Flemings has the opportunity to shine this weekend, but he should also be considered as a rest-of-season option.
The Hornets, Bulls, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors, Rockets, Pacers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Knicks, Magic, Suns and Raptors only play one game this weekend, so prioritize players from other teams for streaming.
Nolan Traoré, G, Brooklyn Nets
Traoré has started the last five games for the Nets, and been part of the rotation over the last six, and the results have been really good. During this six-game stretch, Traoré has averaged 15.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.3 triples per game while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor and turning it over just 1.8 times per game. This is another situation where a player is worth streaming this weekend, but he can also be kept on your roster far beyond that.
Brayden Burries, G, Milwaukee Bucks
The rookie took over as the Bucks’ starting point guard two games ago, and while the results haven’t been great, the opportunity is enough to take a chance on Burries. It will likely come inconsistently, but the opportunity should continue to be there for him as a starter. He was able to post decent steal numbers at Arizona, so hopefully those will start to tick up. Still, he’s worth taking a chance on this weekend, and he could end up being worth rostering for the rest of the season.
Bennett Stirtz, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
With all the injuries the Thunder have been dealing with, Stirtz has become a rotation piece for OKC, and the production over the last few games has been strong. Over the last three games, he has averaged 12.0 points and 3.3 triples while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor in 20.3 minutes per game. The upside is that he gets hot and sees his shots go up, but his floor should be some efficient buckets, mostly from beyond the arc. Due to how shorthanded OKC will be for a while, Stirtz could end up seeing his role increase if he continues to contribute at a high level.
He’s coming off the bench now, but Williams has been solid for the Lakers this season. He is currently averaging 10.7 points, 1.5 steals and 1.8 triples per game while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor, and his production hasn’t taken a hit as a reserve. Williams isn’t a high-upside option, but he has been very consistent so far this year and should be a safe streaming option.
Naji Marshall, F, Dallas Mavericks
Marshall is typically a player that has had success as a streaming option when the starter is injured. That isn’t the case in this scenario. He’s just been solid and is rostered in just 22 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Marshall did score a season-high 22 points in the Mavs’ last game, which is hopefully a performance he can build on this weekend. Marshall should only be considered a must-roster player as a starter if one of the typical starters is injured, but he can still be streamed in from time to time.
Mario Hezonja, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Hezonja has been a productive reserve this season for Cleveland, and while he hasn’t gotten a start yet, the Cavs have been dealing with enough injuries lately to stream Hezonja in. PeytonWatson (hamstring) is questionable after missing the last two games. JaylonTyson (ankle) is set to miss a fourth straight game. JarrettAllen (knee) is questionable. TyreseProctor (ankle), who started in place of Watson on Wednesday, is also questionable. There could potentially be a ton of extra minutes for Hezonja, who has been solid off the bench this season. The Cavs’ games are a back-to-back, so it is very possible that Watson and Allen only end up playing one leg.
Aday Mara, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
Mara has seen his role expand due to all the injuries OKC is dealing with, and he even started in their last game. With Jaylin Williams (back) out again, Mara could be in line for another start. Mara has at least one block in every game this season and is averaging 1.9 per game this season. The rest of his production has been inconsistent, but he has shown he can be solid on the glass and will shoot a high percentage. He’s a good option if you need classic big man stats.
Matković struggled in the Pelicans’ last game, but he’s still the starting center, which makes him worth streaming. He should be able to provide a little value across the board, as he has averaged one steal and one block over the past week since joining the starting lineup. However, if you’re expecting him to have another 25-point game, you’ll likely be disappointed. Matković can be rostered until Yves Missi (knee) returns.
Precious Achiuwa, C, Sacramento Kings
Achiuwa’s production has been inconsistent, but he has largely been productive as a starter in place of Keegan Murray, who is still dealing with an ankle injury. Until Murray returns, Achiuwa is a decent option. He is averaging 11.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game this season while starting seven of their nine games.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 22: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers & LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers shake hands after the game on October 22, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This will be James’s first game in the arena he called home for over a decade, since he spurned them in free agency last summer. James has received a hero’s welcome in each of his returns when he was wearing purple and gold. That reception isn’t guaranteed this time around.
The Sixers have shown early on why James chose them over the Cavs. Philadelphia has amassed the most wins so far by putting together the second-best defense in the league — an area that many people thought they would struggle with. The offense has been a work in progress, but they have enough individual shot makers to eke out enough points in the clutch to come away with victories.
The Cavs, conversely, are struggling. They’ve lost two games in a row and are just 1-4 against teams over .500.
This is also an NBA Cup game. The Cavs haven’t advanced out of the group stage in this tournament yet. If they want to do so this season, they’ll likely need to win this game, or at the very least, not lose by much.
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The second batch of NBA Cup group play games takes place Friday, Nov. 6, with nine games on the schedule.
The slate includes several heavyweight matchups, led by the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Western Conference-leading Portland Trail Blazers in a rematch of the Blazers' 136-129 win on Oct. 27. The defending conference champion San Antonio Spurs also look to maintain their strong start against the Sacramento Kings.
In the East, the conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks open the evening's NBA Cup action.
The Luka Doncic train keeps rolling. He enters Friday averaging an NBA-best 38.5 points and has scored 40 or more five times in eight games. But the Western Conference-leading Trail Blazers have won three in a row without Ja Morant and already beat the Lakers 136-129 on Oct. 27.
Spurs at Kings
Can Victor Wembanyama possibly top his 52-point, 24-rebound performance in his last outing against the Dallas Mavericks? It's possible against the 1-7 Kings, who ranked 28th in defensive efficiency.
Thunder at Grizzlies
Oklahoma City has surprised despite a rash of devastating injuries, but must contain Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome, who has become a walking bucket during the first couple weeks of the season, with two 40-point games to his credit.
76ers at Cavaliers
A possible Eastern Conference final matchup as Cleveland looks for revenge after blowing a 29-point lead to Philadelphia on Oct. 22. The 76ers have three 20-points-per-game scorers and have gotten off to an 8-1 start.
Celtics at Hornets
The Celtics have done just fine without Jaylen Brown, as Paul George has picked up the scoring slack in a formidable duo with Jayson Tatum. The Hornets have struggled, losing their past five games and are the only team in the league that doesn't average 100 points a game.
NBA Cup schedule Friday and how to watch
Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks (East Group C) — 7 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
Boston Celtics at Charlotte Hornets (East Group C) — 7 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers (East Group B) — 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime
Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks (West Group A) — 8 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies (West Group B) — 8 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks (East Group A) — 8 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
Minnesota Timberwolves at New Orleans Pelicans (West Group B) — 8 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers (West Group C) — 10 p.m. ET, Prime
San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings (West Group C) — 10 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass
What is NBA Cup?
The NBA's 30 teams are split into six groups of five, with three groups in each conference. Each team plays four group-stage games, two at home and two on the road.
Each NBA Cup game also counts toward the regular-season standings, except for the championship game on Dec. 11. Teams play each of their four group opponents once, with the results determining who advances to the knockout rounds.
Eight teams will advance to the knockout rounds — the winner of each of the six groups, plus one wild-card team from each conference.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 04: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards passes the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at Capital One Arena on November 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa ranked No. 5 in NBA Rookie of the Year rankings this week by NBA.com’s Jeff Zilligitt. Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer is No. 1, but he played the entire season so far. Dybantsa, by contrast, missed the first four games of the season so he is starting behind.
Here is what Zilligitt had to say about the Wizards rookie:
Dybantsa missed Washington’s first four games with a sprained left ankle and has fit right in since making his debut on Oct. 28, scoring at least 17 points in his three games and finding his spots to score alongside a group of scorers, including Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
So far, Dybantsa is averaging 16.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Given that he’s playing as part of a big trio that also consists of Anthony Davis and Trae Young, that type of production, that’s encouraging. We’ll see how these rankings look as the Wizards continue their season.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 22: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 22, 2026 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks have a date with the Toronto Raptors in the first of four NBA Cup games this season. The Bucks have obviously had a rough start to the season with just one win, but they’ve been in all but two games. Now it’s just about learning how to finish games. Taylor Jenkins is trying to walk and chew gum at the same time, trying to win while giving the new young core opportunities to play and make mistakes. The team’s performance over the last two games (against good teams) shows that Jenkins is doing a pretty decent job of that. Overall, if you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing about the Bucks, it would be their defence, which ranks 27th for the season. Check out Nate’s wonderful NBA Cup preview for the rest of the matchups and everything else you need to know.
The Task Ahead
The Raptors have had a funny season, starting 3-1 and going 1-3 since. The primary reason for their struggles, obviously, is losing Kawhi Leonard, who is out for “a period of weeks” as he deals with left knee swelling; per our friends over at Raptors HQ, Leonard has officially completed treatment to address the swelling and is now moving to the next step in his recovery process.
But what are the other reasons for their struggles? Toronto has been fine offensively without Leonard—which has been the area they have struggled in over the past few years—ranking second in the league in scoring over the last five games (while shooting the 22nd-most threes, interestingly). Their issues have come on the other end, where they rank a putrid 28th over that same span, one spot lower than Milwaukee! Look for the Raptors to come out with a fierce mentality tonight as they try to fix that problem.
Injury Report
Bucks:
Clean injury report.
Raptors:
Scottie Barnes: Questionable (adductor)
Kawhi Leonard: Out (knee)
Nate Bittle: Out (face)
Player to Watch
As for an individual performers who deserves your attention, look no further than Scottie Barnes, who, if he plays tonight, could cause the Bucks some real problems. Barnes is posting scary numbers across the board so far this season. Barnes has upped his points average from 18.2 to 23.5 as he continues the offensive expansion he showed in last season’s playoffs. Additionally, Barnes has been a menace in the passing lanes, nearly doubling his steals per game from an already ludicrous 1.4 to 2.2 this year. With Leonard out, Barnes will surely look to take over.
Projected Starters
Bucks
Position
Raptors
Brayden Burries
PG
Immanuel Quickley
Tyler Herro
SG
RJ Barrett
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SF
Ja’Kobe Walter
Kyle Kuzma
PF
Scottie Barnes
Myles Turner
C
Collin Murray-Boyles
Game Details
Who: Milwaukee Bucks (1-7) vs. Toronro Raptors (4-4).
Brayden Burries finally has a breakout offensive game. Unlike Milwaukee’s last two opponents, Toronto is struggling to get stops. Give me 17 points and four assists on over 50% shooting.
(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is tempting to hand-waive everything that has happened to the Indiana Pacers in the last year and a half as simply the work of some vengeful spirit, unfairly punishing an innocent fanbase who never did anything to deserve this kind of sustained injury catastrophe and lottery luck that would sink any franchise, in Indiana or on the Moon. And hand-waive we shall. But waive enough hands, and the cumulative effect of this bad luck will start slipping through our fingers unnoticed, like grains of sand piling up into a castle the size of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, threatening to crush us all if we don’t make infrastructure improvements.
I was out on the Pacers coming into the year, though I never found the time to publish that take anywhere preseason with the NFL kicking off and the MLB headed for the World Series and then World War III. — you’ll just have to trust my editors that I’ve been talking about it. My concern lay on the fact that a 50-32 Pacers team in 2024-25 had ridden one of the most absurd stretches of clutch shot-making ever to Game 7 of the NBA Finals, lost Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles in one of the most heart-wrenching injuries in NBA history, lost said Game 7, lost Myles Turner to some Bucks stupidity and then went 19-63 (yes, that is nineteen and sixty-three) the following year with a roster I thought … was not that bad.
Every Pacers take I heard last year from people in NBA media more connected than I started and ended with the same two words: “gap year.” This 19-63 record was, of course, intentional, as the team tanked for a top draft pick to play when Haliburton was back the following season. But then they made a splashy move, wagering that draft pick on a bold 50-50 with the Clippers for Ivica Zubac, protecting that pick in a specific way that meant if it fell out of the top four, they would lose it. Well … it did, and their 19-63 record netted them nothing in one of the most stacked top fours we’ve ever seen. Once again: heartbreaking.
Then the actual 2026 season rolled around, and their roster looked solid; at the very least, it would be competitive, if not actually a Finals contender in my mind. And it was going reasonably well for about seven minutes until Haliburton suffered a hamstring injury (like are you serious right now) and the rest of the team got injured along with him. Now 3-6, last week’s lineups would make you think they were tanking again.
Their actual players will slowly make it back in time, but the question must officially be asked (no, not “is this team injury prone?” that’s a stupid question): do the Pacers have the roster to cope with even one injury, and can this group survive a wide-open but packed Eastern Conference, one with aspiring playoff teams popping out of drawers? Betting markets aren’t really sure what to think, with Indiana holding the ninth-best odds in the East at 18-1 on FanDuel. They’re squarely out of the top group of Boston, New York and Philadelphia, and not even really in the second group of Toronto, Detroit and Cleveland either.
These are trying realities, and beg one concerning question: even fully healthy, are the Pacers a contender in the first place?
The argument for Indiana coming into the year was basically that Tyrese Haliburton was one of the five most important players in the league, if not actually one of the five best. Sure, there was tanking last year, but many of Indiana’s NBA Finals roster playeda decent number of games in 2025-26 and they still couldn’t get to 20 wins. Unless this was the single most coordinated, organizationally coherent tanking job in history, with unprecedented buy-in from … Pascal Siakam, the only explanation for the 19-63 record was that Haliburton was basically Michael Jordan-level important for Indiana.
And he definitely was the linchpin of everything they did. But none of the advanced stats suggested that the team would literally evaporate without Haliburton. He’s not some kind of Net Rating god, and I repeatedly found myself confused as to how the Pacers were losing every game despite a noticeable talent advantage on other teams in their tanking bracket.
That’s a long way to say that I don’t think that roster was actually that good, and the Finals run was more of an out-of-control party of unrepeatable clutch ridiculousness than it was the actual quality of Indiana basketball. If you accept that (you may not, but just … accept it for now so the grammar of the next clause works), your opinion of this Pacers team in 2026 comes down to how you feel about their upgrades — Kelly Oubre Jr. is a fine depth wing, but Ivica Zubac is the money question. Is he actually better than Myles Turner was in 2024?
With Tyrese Haliburton, I think he can be. Haliburton is a one-of-one elite table-setter for big men, and Zubac needs him on the floor to elevate his offensive game beyond simple, prodding interior hoops. Sidebar: I saw a Pacers fan complaining on Reddit that he doesn’t feel like Zubac even looks to shoot the three-pointer even when he’s wide open, which I find hysterical since he has made one singular 3-pointer in his 11-year career. But hey, he’s open.
So far, though, Zubac has been uninspiring on the Pacers, and he hasn’t been a particularly special defender in a few years like Turner was in his prime (yes, that is me declaring Myles Turner’s prime over, have you watched a Bucks game recently?). Zubac must be a walking double-double for the Pacers to raise their ceiling.
Without Haliburton, this is all completely moot. They’re in survival mode right now, needing to stack wins wherever they can find them until they can bring back a competent roster nightly. But even with Haliburton, I think this roster might just be bringing a squeaky plastic hammer to a knife fight. Like, you might be able to block some slashes and win hand-to-hand combat, and nobody in the eastern conference has a gun … but we have a squeaky plastic hammer. And right now, it has a hole in it.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg celebrates after scoring against Clippers during the second half of last week’s game at Chase Center in San Francisco.Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
If a screen-addled pickup basketball player teleported into the body of a high-level athlete, they might resemble Yaxel Lendeborg. The most commonly cited fact about Lendeborg is that he used to spend 12 to 14 hours a day gaming, and didn’t debut on his high school basketball team until he was an upperclassman. Professional athletes often have origin stories that resemble the superhero more than the mortal, but Lendeborg really was just like us at one point. Lendeborg has also said that prior to entering the NBA, he didn’t really watch it, either. The Puerto Rican forward racked up more than enough accolades in college to qualify for the NBA, including helming Michigan to their first national championship in 37 years, but still. Any of you reading this could smoke the man who may be this season’s rookie of the year in trivia about his profession.
The 24-year-old Lendeborg is a forward on the Golden State Warriors, a team caught between the ancient, gleaming remnants of the most fearsome dynasty of the 2010s and its future. The balance didn’t work out last season, as the Warriors produced flashes of old greatness to win one play-in game before flaming out in the next. Such results are a frustrating waste of Stephen Curry’s wonderful form even at 38 years old. Lendeborg is the best hope in a while to help maximize it. But even more importantly, Lendeborg is the character of the season so far. He’s spent its first two weeks antagonizing superstars, firing off unselfconscious takes in the press and vacuuming up the spotlight from his blander peers. What a joy to bear witness to an athlete who probably didn’t even hear the words “media training” until college.
Lendeborg and the Warriors kicked off their season with a resounding loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, which quickly became the most talked-about blowout of the season so far thanks to Lendeborg making an enemy of the Lakers’ star, Luka Dončić. The two jawed at each other throughout the game, in which Dončić torched the Warriors as a whole but somewhat struggled when working one-on-one against Lendeborg. After the game, the rookie took issue with Dončić’s style of play – presumably too distracted by playing NBA 2K, he’d previously only watched Dončić via highlights and wasn’t familiar with the crafty Slovene’s foul-baiting abilities. “You get the foul call. Congratulations, bro,” Lendeborg said in a press conference. “Then you talk to me like you did something great. C’mon, dog. That shit is weak. It kind of threw me off because I have so much respect for him. Gone, man. Gone.”
Angering Dončić, an all-time great who famously levels up even further when furious, is certainly a choice. (Also, foul-baiting made Lendeborg lose all respect for him? I hope he didn’t see this effort from Duncan Robinson; it might propel Lendeborg into manslaughter.) Dončić has been on a historic offensive heater ever since, and if he maintains this temperature and wins his first MVP, he owes thanks to Lendeborg for the motivation. But the friction between the players was fascinating – a player shaking their head at Dončić like a disapproving uncle is certainly a new image – and nobody got hurt. Lendeborg later said that he took his complaints a little far. On the contrary, Yaxel: keep it up, your press conferences are now appointment viewing.
Not even a week later, Lendeborg was drawing fouls against the Nuggets like the best of them, taking 13 free throws and making 12. Just listen to him after that game, openly aspiring to new free-throw shooting heights that everybody seeks but nobody is shameless enough to admit to. I find Lendeborg challenging my staunchly held opinion that not a soul should start a new podcast until the current market desaturates.
It’s common for players like this to come out of the gates with color and gradually accept the beige, conflict-avoidant stock quotes spouted by the rest of the league. “Get this man a PR manager,” smirks the Redditor, perhaps unaware that they are advocating against their own interests. The more athletes succumb to the monochrome group of the media-trained, the more crucial dissenters become. The longtime reality show Survivor is in decline in part because modern contestants know the game too well, and thus often play the same way. Lendeborg brings to mind a similar truism about professional sports: the less a player cares about the PR contours they’re expected to follow, the better TV they make. Luckily, Lendeborg seems to understand his responsibility as an interesting athlete. “I’m not doing that, man,” Lendeborg said of media training to the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m going to stay true to myself, and be honest. I’ve seen plenty of interviews where people are talking and it’s like, ‘Man, I don’t want to watch this,’ you know what I mean? And it’s not like I’m click-baiting or click-farming or whatever the heck people are saying.”
It’s a bonus that Lendeborg is also on an encouraging trajectory on the floor. At 6ft 10in, he provides the Warriors, who rely on exceptional shooting and quick ball movement over height, with some much-needed size. Lendeborg can do a little of everything: defend, shoot threes, pass sharply enough to keep up with Golden State’s manic style of play, drive to the basket and lay the ball in through contact.
Lendeborg rained 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists upon the Denver Nuggets last week, the best performance of anybody in that game. He also helped hold the Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon, who often feasts against the Warriors thanks to their small lineup, to seven points. And yet, after that game, Lendeborg had the urge and lack of self-consciousness to ask a panel of former NBA greats for advice on his game during an interview. It’s no surprise that some of the feedback was for Lendeborg to keep up the “nasty” edge he’d established. Against the Los Angeles Clippers a few days later, Lendeborg piled up 37 points.
Even in plays Lendeborg isn’t a part of, you can see him twitching on the perimeter, calling for the ball and hopping in disappointment when it doesn’t arrive. (He may have gotten too excited in a rematch against the Lakers: the Warriors won, but Dončić repeatedly fried Lendeborg, who was benched and eventually fouled out.) In a win against the Miami Heat on Thursday night, Lendeborg drew a foul on Bam Adebayo and hopped up and down with his arms raised in celebration, an NBA finals-grade reaction for a routine play. He recorded a 17-8-6 stat line on the night (with three steals and a block thrown in for good measure) and it already felt quiet by his standards.
Don’t raise your expectations for the Warriors just yet – the ligaments holding them together are too frayed for that – but the team have won six games in a row. Behind Curry’s gleaming star, much of the credit has to go to Lendeborg. Warriors fans will delight in their maybe-savior, but Lendeborg’s personality has given the whole basketball fanbase reason to cheer.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks talks with head coach Doc Rivers during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on November 17, 2025 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the most recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, former Bucks coach Doc Rivers shared insight into the challenges he experienced coaching Giannis, saying it’s “not easy.”
“He plays at this crazy downhill pace,” Rivers said. “He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t necessarily have super IQ at the same time. It’s really a strange thing.
“The thing he needs to learn is the value of execution… Now he has a coach who’s as good as there is at execution.”
Doc Rivers
“He really has one way—downhill. Force, force, force. Every play, he wants to force it. I wish he learned how to execute better. He’s one of those guys who has never needed to execute, because they can do it on their own. But that doesn’t help the team.
“The thing he needs to learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you’re in practice and shootaround to lock in on execution. Now he has a coach who’s as good as there is at execution.”
Now, I also want to note that Rivers made it clear on the podcast that he loved Giannis as a person and a player, and enjoyed coaching him in general, but that his process was flawed in a few key areas.
On the one hand, Rivers’ comments lined up with many of my own critiques of Giannis’ game over the years. Namely, he needed to learn to contribute without the ball in his hands and, as Rivers said, understand the value of execution.
On the other hand, it’s frustrating that the former Bucks coach had all these pointers for Giannis but apparently couldn’t get him to put most of them into practice? Like, you’re the coach. That is quite literally your job!
I don’t know. Maybe he did try, but by then Giannis’ bad habits were so deeply ingrained that it was futile. Maybe there was a top-down directive to placate the two-time MVP at every stop so he wouldn’t request a trade. No idea.
“When I look back on that whole situation, Giannis wanted out, but he didn’t want to be the bad guy.”
Doc Rivers
“You know now that you should have traded Giannis that summer,” Simmons said. “They (the front office) just weren’t ready to do it.”
“I don’t think Giannis helped with that either, though, in Jon’s defence,” Rivers replied. “I thought Giannis kept yo-yo-ing.
“When I look back on that whole situation, Giannis wanted out, but he didn’t want to be the bad guy.
“He wanted Jon and Wes (Edens) to say, ‘We’re trading you,’ instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played.”
Overall, I didn’t think anything Rivers said was false or out of line; Giannis is a superhuman athlete and the most talented basketball player I’ve ever watched, but he is also a flawed thinker of the game. By the same token, Rivers obviously lacks accountability for the role his own actions played in the Bucks’ downfall, but let’s be honest, that’s par for the course with him.
