Category: NBA

This won’t be one of those 2,000 word recaps that I do at times. In fact, it will mark the season debut of Bullet Points – The Lazy Man’s Friend(tm)

• The Rockets lost the two previous game, which were by no means twins, due to the same issue, essentially. That is to say, bad shooting. Against Phoenix, the Rockets shot it so badly they didn’t break 100 points. Not scoring 100 points in a modern NBA game usually spells defeat, but to the Rockets credit, they did hold the Suns to 102 points. The problem is they shot 36-94 overall, for 39%, and 10-35 from three point range, for 29%. They did make their freethrows at around 90%. The game before that, against the Timberwolves, it was much the same story. 43% overall, 35% from three. When the Rockets can’t shoot it from outside, they will typically lose. Why? Generally because there is one player who can get to the basket and do anything there regularly, Alperen Sengun. If he isn’t doubled, or he’s neutralized, it can be a long night of no one open for the Rockets.
• Tonight featured the Rockets against a Denver team that just doesn’t strike the same fear into opponents they did a few years ago. Still, they were 5-3 coming into tonight, which doesn’t sound great, but would, if extrapolated to a full season, come to about 50 wins. 5 of 8 isn’t bad in the NBA. Would the Rockets be able to hold Denver on defense, which they couldn’t do against the TWolves. Could the Rockets score more than the paltry 99 they mustered against the Suns? Could they overcome the new, pinstriped, white jerseys they’d worn for all three losses.
• In a word, yes, but it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy because the Rockets starting lineup more or less played the Nuggets even. Now, you might think that the Rockets would decide that despite the lack of success, they’d just keep doing the same thing. You’d only be partly right.
• One of the Rockets big advantages over Denver seemed to be their depth. Denver just doesn’t have much compared to the Rockets, who are nonetheless down three centers at the moment. The heavier bench lineups seemed to pull away from the Nuggets. This allowed the Rockets to go into halftime with a 14 point lead, which grew to as much as 19 before the Rockets hit one of those dreaded scoring lulls from last season, where what most would think of as their best lineup just can’t score or defend.
• So, did the Rockets keep at it, keep doing the things that cost them the lead? They did not. They went small, and pulled Alperen Sengun from the game. It’s not that Alpie was bad, he was 9-17 for 20 points, 12 rebounds, 8assists to 2 turnovers, with a steal and a block. But the mobility edge, especially on defense, and running off misses, was pronounced.
• The bench did good work, especially around the beginning of the fourth quarter. Tari Eason, in my opinion, continues to build a good case for 6th man of the year.
• The Rockets ended up shooting it well. They shot 41 of 91 overall, for 45%, and 14 of 38 from three point range, for 37%. They didn’t take a ton of freethrows, but made 14 of 17 for 82%. Denver shot 37 of 83 for 45% overall, but a woeful 8-29 from three point range (28%).
• The Rockets absolutely crushed Denver on the offensive glass, 15 to 7, and that showed up in the Rockets attempting 8 more shots than the Nuggets. It wasn’t an especially high paced game by modern standards, but Denver plays currently at the slowest pace in the NBA, and if an opponent counters that with extra chances, they can get into trouble, as we say tonight.
• It’s great to break the Curse of The New White Jerseys after so short a run. Now that’s been proven, we don’t need to see them again.
• The Rockets are 8-3, which currently has them essentially in a tie for 3rd place in the “Why are you looking at the standings in early November?” stakes.
• Until next time!
• The picture with this article is Alpie rejecting Jokic, which means any comparisons are over. Alpie wins.

The situation in Utah has become pretty dire. After their 8th consecutive loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Utah Jazz will face the Miami Heat in Salt Lake City.

Utah’s injury report just keeps getting worse with the addition of Keyonte George. That leaves Darryn Peterson as the Jazz’s only hope to end the losing streak.

If we’re being honest, this has a chance to be epic.

If you had told me a year ago that the Jazz would have gotten lucky in the lottery and came away with the player many pegged as the number one pick, I would have lost my mind with excitement. If you had also told me that the price would be the entire starting roster around him would have injury problems, I would have taken that in a heartbeat. What’s exciting about Peterson? He has the talent to overcome those odds because he’s that good. Peterson’s last two games have been eye-opening. They’ve shown he has all the talent Jazz fans were excited about. Can he put it all together when all eyes are on him? The last two performances showed he has the juice to do it. We’ll find out soon.

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Start Time and TV Schedule

Who: Utah Jazz vs Miami Heat

When: November 10, 7:00 MT

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT

How to watch: KJZZ, Jazz+

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Injury Report

The Utah Jazz added Keyonte George to the injury report and have him as OUT. Lauri Markkanen is QUESTIONABLE.

Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/9)

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

OUT – Kobe Bufkin (G League – Two-Way)

OUT – Keyonte George (Right Ankle; Sprain)

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

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

OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (Right…

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 10, 2026

Miami has listed Giannis Antetokounmpo as PROBABLE.

Luka Dončić didn’t just beat the Hawks on Monday night. He reminded their fans of the biggest mistake in franchise history.

And he made sure to rub it in too. 

During the Lakers’ 124-114 victory, Dončić engaged in a hilarious courtside exchange with Hawks fans, reminding them that Atlanta once held the keys to his basketball future before foolishly trading them away.

“You all wish you would have had me. You all wish, huh?” Dončić taunted, according to a video shared on Threads by @RKessler23.

“We had you,” one fan fired back.

“No we don’t, I’ve never wanted you,” another insisted.

At least one Atlanta fan was willing to admit the painful truth.

“I wish we did, I do,” the fan responded.

“You know you could have had me,” Dončić reminded them.

“He’s right,” the person recording acknowledged through laughter.

Luka Doncic was trash-talking with Atlanta Hawks fans tonight in the Lakers 124-114 victory.

Here's the transcript:

Luka: "You all wish you would have had me. You all wish, huh?”

Fan: “We had you.”

Another fan: “No we don’t, I’ve never wanted you.”

Another fan: “I wish… pic.twitter.com/PM7eALuMXR

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) November 10, 2026

The exchange reopened a wound from the 2018 NBA Draft, when Atlanta selected Dončić third overall before trading him to the Mavericks in a deal involving Trae Young.

Dončić eventually led Dallas to the NBA Finals, while Young has since landed in Washington alongside former Lakers star Anthony Davis.

Monday’s performance only added insult to injury.

Dončić torched the Hawks for 32 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, five steals and two blocks, becoming the first Lakers player to record multiple games with at least 30 points, five assists, five steals and two blocks.

Not even Magic Johnson or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar accomplished that twice.

With Dončić leading the NBA in scoring at 40.1 points per game and Los Angeles sitting atop the standings at 10-2, his argument was difficult to dispute.

Atlanta had its chance.

Now, eight years later and wearing a Lakers jersey, Dončić is still making the Hawks pay for their mistake.

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SAN FRANCISCO ― The Golden State Warriors have taken a blow to the depth in their backcourt early in the 2026-27 season, despite an eight-game winning streak.

Warriors guard Brandon Williams made a brief appearance in the Warriors' dominant 138-87 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9 at Chase Center.

Williams logged 1 minute, 39 seconds for Golden State and scored four points on 2-of-3 shooting, connecting on back-to-back layups before exiting the game with a hamstring injury.

Williams checked out of the game at the 3:18 mark of the first quarter and did not return. The organization said Williams suffered a left hamstring injury and missed the rest of the game against New Orleans. The Warriors guard is scheduled for an MRI.

"He's a huge part of our team, and he's given us such a lift, and it's a hamstring," Kerr told reporters after the game. "He is gonna get an MRI, so we'll see how bad it is.”

Warriors backcourt depth keeps dwindling

Golden State suffered a setback losing Williams. The hope is that his injury is not severe, otherwise the Warriors' backcourt depth is diminishing early.

In addition to Williams' early exit, reserve point guard Will Richard didn't play Monday against the Pelicans. Richard has a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left thumb and is ruled out indefinitely.

Richard told Joseph Dycus of the Mercury News that he suffered the injury on a boxout.

"We're trying to wait till the swelling goes down. I'll do a workout, catching and going full speed, and see if it's comfortable …. I want to play," Richard said.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was bummed about the news because of how well Richard has been playing, at times even starting.

"It’s a shame. He’s playing at a really high level, a lot of confidence, filling an important role," Kerr told reporters before Monday night's game. "At times starting, at times coming off the bench. But able to really play good minutes for us and brings energy, a lot of defensive intensity, shooting the ball well. So we’re hopeful that he’s able to play through it and we’ll know more after a few days when the swelling goes down."

Golden State was also without Gary Payton II, who was out with an illness and left knee inflammation. The Warriors are still going without the likes of Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler III, who is progressing along.

The Warriors are bruised and battered, but unbeaten in the last eight games.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors backcourt depth takes hit losing Brandon Williams, Will Richard

Cheers rained down from the Phoenix Suns crowd in the fourth quarter, but not for the home team. No, they were for Victor Wembanyama, who had just scored his 40th point and extended the San Antonio Spurs’ lead to 30+ points. It was the type of performance where you just have to throw your hands up if you’re the opponent.

Nothing the Suns did could stop the big man, who did everything in a 40-point, 11-rebound, 8-block performance that carried the Spurs to a 122-96 win, the team’s ninth straight. Wembanyama shot 15-for-19 from the field and 2-for-3 from the three-point line, making nearly every shot he took. He made game-breaking plays with the ball in his hands, hit turnaround jumpers in the post, and slammed home back-breaking dunks, leaving no chance for the Suns to keep pace. And he did it all in just 25 minutes.

“He’s allowing the game to unfold naturally,” said Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson after the game. “He’s putting himself in position to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of him.”

Early on, it looked like Wembanyama wouldn’t even have the best performance in the game. Suns guard Devin Booker was on fire early, scoring 15 of Phoenix’s 25 first-quarter points. It didn’t matter how physical Stephon Castle defended him; Booker was able to snake around screens and make jumpers all night. Booker led the Suns in scoring with 32 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field and made 3 of his 5 three-pointers.

It was Booker’s hot shooting that kept the Suns in the game in the first half, despite the rest of the team struggling to create any offense. A lot of that had to do with San Antonio’s smothering defense. The Spurs were on a string, getting into the passing lanes for steals, playing solid help defense, and funneling the Suns into Wembanyama, who erased their shots at the rim. Phoenix shot just 39% from the field, and the Spurs had 10 blocks and 6 steals.

From tip-off, it was clear that the Spurs wanted to get into the paint and score over the Suns’ soft interior defense. San Antonio got to the free-throw line 25 times and outscored Phoenix in the paint 62-48. The Spurs dominated the glass, outrebounding the Suns 55-35. Just about every stat around the paint swung in San Antonio’s favor.

After building a 61-46 lead at halftime, it looked like the Spurs would cruise to an easy victory. Phoenix made it a game in the third quarter thanks to some errant turnovers and shaky defense from the Spurs, allowing the Suns to cut the lead to 10 points. After a well-timed Johnson timeout, the Spurs responded; well, Dylan Harper responded.

The sophomore guard went nuclear in the third quarter, scoring 14 of his 17 points in the period. They were a loud 14 points, as Harper scored nearly every possession from the 8-minute mark to the 4-minute mark. He got his mid-range jumper working and attacked the Suns relentlessly in the half-court. Eventually, the Spurs started to clear out and let Harper work as he elevated their lead to 20 points.

A 25-point third-quarter lead quickly ballooned to 30 early in the fourth quarter, causing those aforementioned cheers from the Suns faithful for Wembanyama. With 9 minutes to go in the game, garbage time began, when Tarris Reed Jr., Carter Bryant, Jordan McLaughlin, and David Jones-Garcia got to shine.

The win was the Spurs’ ninth straight, improving their record to 9-2. It was one of the season’s most dominant performances, and it came without Devin Vassell and Tobias Harris. San Antonio’s 0-2 start is firmly in the rearview mirror at this point. And with how this team is playing, it may be quite a while until the sky falls again.

The Golden State Warriors dominated the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, coasting to a 138-87 victory. The Pelicans were playing the second half of a back-to-back and missing several key players, including Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. Nevertheless, the Warriors took care of business and improved to 8-3 on the season. They have now one eight consecutive games and went undefeated on their five-game homestand.

It truly took no time for the Warriors to get rolling. Steph Curry quickly found plenty of open space against the Pelicans defense. On the other end, New Orleans looked sluggish and simply lacked the firepower to generate any run of their own. Golden State led 35-20 by the end of the first quarter.

While the on-court results were fantastic for the Warriors, they did lose backup guard Brandon Williams who only played a couple of minutes before leaving the game with a left hamstring injury. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow. If Williams has to miss extended time, he would join Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porzingis as Warriors who will be out for awhile. Will Richard could also be on that list soon if he undergoes surgery on his torn UCL in his left thumb. Gary Payton II was also ruled out with knee inflammation for Monday night’s game, although that is not expected to lead to a prolonged absence.

Two-way guard LJ Cryer got plenty of minutes in Williams’ place. Charles Bassey perhaps had the highlight of the night, blocking Derik Queen on a two-handed dunk attempt. Brandin Podziemski got the ball in transition and made a three on the other end. Queen, by the way, led the Pelicans with 16 points in the game.

By halftime, the Warriors led 72-43 with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg leading the team in scoring with 16 points on just 6 field-goal attempts (4-for-4 from three). Podziemski was right behind him with 15 points of his own. By the end of regulation, Lendeborg recorded 23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers while shooting 8-for-10 from the field. Podz finished tied for a game-high 25 points.

Curry carried the offensive load in the third quarter, finishing the game with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 6-for-10 shooting from the field in under 21 minutes of action. De’Anthony Melton (16 points), Bassey (12), and Cryer (10) were the only other Warriors in double figures. However, 12 of the 13 Dubs who appeared in the game made at least one basket.

The Warriors will now head on the team’s first prolonged road trip of the season. While they have done an impressive job climbing the standings after an 0-3 start, Golden State’s schedule is about to get a lot more difficult. They will get the trip started on Wednesday when they face the Houston Rockets. Opening tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

It’s been a while since the Lakers have had a team as fun as this one, even if it is only November.

No Luka Dončić? No problem. No Austin Reaves? No problem. No Luka OR Austin? No problem. No matter the circumstances, this team just keeps chugging away.

Everyone talks about a “next man up” mentality, but this team is showing it. When one guy goes down, everyone picks up the rope together and keeps on fighting. To see this in November while knowing there’s so much more room for this team to grow this season is such an exciting feeling.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Ziaire Williams

28 minutes, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 foul, 5-10 FG, 2-5 3PT, +5

It’s hard to believe the Lakers are paying Ziaire and Matisse less than $5 million combined this season. If it were a serious award, Ziaire would have a great case for Most Improved Player. He went from empty stats in Brooklyn to key role player on a contender.

Grade: B+

Jake LaRavia

32 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 5 fouls, 3 turnovers, 2-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, +0

I will forgive him for that missed dunk late because he’s always flying around the court doing things. Some of it is bad, evidenced by his five fouls, but most of it is good.

Grade: B

Walker Kessler

30 minutes, 21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 fouls, 4 turnovers, 8-12 FG, 5-6 FT, -3

Kessler got to show off some of his playmaking chops in the last two games and has had some great passes out of the short roll lately. You can see the chemistry being built in those situations.

Grade: A

Matisse Thybulle

23 minutes, 6 points, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2-5 FG, 2-5 3PT, -3

Early in the season, we were joking about Matisse only taking no-dip threes. Well, he’s started dipping on them and they aren’t going in. At least he made the most important one in the fourth tonight.

MATISSE THYBULLE HITS THE DAGGER FROM DEEP IN ATLANTA 😈

THE LAKERS ARE THE FIRST TEAM IN THE NBA TO 10 WINS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8IJNkKWjxy

— LakersCenter (@LALakersCenter) November 10, 2026

Grade: B

Luka Dončić

39 minutes, 32 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks, 2 fouls, 6 turnovers, 11-22 FG, 3-11 3PT, 7-7 FT, +4

It never felt like Luka got in a rhythm in this game and then you look at the stat sheet and he nearly has a triple-double. Still, it didn’t feel like he had the same impact on the game that he’s had recently, but if he can still give you this stat line on a night like that, then it’s another feather in the cap of him being the best player in the league.

Grade: A-

Sandro Mamukelashvili

32 minutes, 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 foul, 7-13 FG, 5-8 3PT, 4-4 FT, +20

Without question, this is his best game as a Laker. He was knocking down open threes and, perhaps more importantly, getting baskets when Luka sat. After a string of poor outings, he picked a good time to have his best one.

Grade: A+

Collin Sexton

26 minutes, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 6-11 FG, 3-4 3PT, 3-6 FT, +7

The sample size of bad Sexton games is still bigger than the one of good games. However, the Lakers don’t win either of these last two games without Sexton. He stepped up with arguably his two best showings of the season when the Lakers needed another ballhandler to come in and be a positive contributor.

This also was the first game you could really see the chemistry between Sexton and Kessler, too.

KESSLER D ➡️SEXTON LOBS IT UP TO ZIAIRE🔥 pic.twitter.com/09eBMUk3S3

— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) November 10, 2026

Grade: A

Jarred Vanderbilt

13 minutes, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 fouls, 2-2 FG, +7

The last two games, Vando has had a couple of nice finishes around the rim. It’d be really cool if that was a sign of something moving forward, but I’ll just enjoy what we’ve seen instead of getting my hopes up.

Grade: B

Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero

It’s exciting to see the team’s possible future getting playing time this season. Thiero continues to impress in his few minutes while Carr didn’t look out of place in his two cameos, either. Both should continue getting minutes, though Carr is a bit lower on the depth chart right now.

JJ Redick

The Lakers just had arguably their two best wins of the season on a back-to-back while shorthanded in both, so Redick is getting a ton of credit. He’s picking the right lineups, keeping guys ready and helping the team continue to improve along the way.

Grade: A

Monday’s DNPs: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, Kevon Looney, Lawson Lovering

Monday’s inactives: Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes

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

Originally, the Milwaukee Bucks weren’t even supposed to be the Milwaukee Bucks. “Robins” was the most popular suggestion in a statewide naming contest in 1968, but somehow the judges weren’t so sure about the less-than-fierce image of the little birds with their distinct orange-red breasts. So they opted for “Bucks,” a name that honored Wisconsin’s antlered-state animal, the white-tailed deer. Contest winner R.D. Trebilcox, who was awarded a brand-new AMC Javelin for his efforts, suggested the name because the animals are “spirited, good jumpers, fast and agile.”

Well, going by this year’s outfit, the front office might want to think about another contest.

You certainly wouldn’t blame any adult male deer for being upset about any sort of connection to Milwaukee’s basketball team these days. The current Bucks are hardly spirited, fast, agile, or, frankly, good at doing many things on a basketball court. At 1–9, they’re tied with Utah and Sacramento for the worst record in the NBA. During their current six-game losing streak, the Bucks have been outscored by 15.7 points per game. Autsch!

Knicks will face rebuilding Bucks team

New head coach Taylor Jenkins might already miss the days of coaching consummate professionals like Ja Morant in Memphis, but he should have expected these kinds of growing pains. Everybody and their grandmother knew that the start of the post-Giannis era would be painful in Milwaukee and that it would take time to rebuild a team bereft of picks, outlandish young talent, and meaningful numbers of serious basketball players.

Yes, the Bucks trot out a few solid names like Tyler Herro (21.4 points per game) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (15.2 points, over 42 percent from three). In theory, they also have some nice young pieces in rookies Brayden Burries (10.5 points) and Nate Ament (over 40 percent from three), along with former Heat hoopers Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis. But that’s already where the Buck stops (no pun intended), unless you want to count what’s left of Kyle Kuzma’s and Myles Turner’s careers as promising. In reality both of them, and probably a few others, have their agent on speed dial these days, hoping for a trade out of Wisconsin sooner rather than later (see the video of an obviously overweight Turner below).

I’ve watched this 12 times pic.twitter.com/plUTOssQKo

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 9, 2026

The rebuilding reality is showing itself in some pretty awful numbers for the Bucks early on. Their offensive rating ranks 27th in the league, and their defensive rating ranks even worse at 28th. One thing they do plenty of is jack up triples (second most in the NBA). The only problem is they hit about a third of them. They play fairly fast, too, with the sixth-highest pace in the league. In the end, though, little in their statistical profile suggests that they actually know what they’re doing. Which, of course, is fine for a team this early in a full-blown rebuild.

Knicks looking to win 4th game in a row

What does all that misery mean for the Knicks tonight? It means they’ll have to concentrate on themselves and make sure the focus is on realizing their own potential, both in this contest and going forward. The world champions have looked a lot better lately as Jalen Brunson has rounded into form (32 points per game and 8 of 17 from three in his last two games) and their outside shooting has gotten less streaky (37.5 percent over the last three). Karl-Anthony Towns has been an Everest-sized rock so far this season, and most of the backups have conducted themselves fairly well in their minutes.

How many minutes some of those reserves see against Milwaukee will likely depend on the availability of Josh Hart, who missed Saturday’s game with right ankle soreness. A roster battle is brewing at backup point guard, with Tyler Kolek making the most of his opportunity while Jose Alvarado was briefly out with an injury last week. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few games and, frankly, over the rest of the season.

Looking over at the Bucks, it’s certainly a good problem to have. Milwaukee enjoyed some really good teams over the last decade and change and even has a mesmerizing championship to show for it. That makes the current state of the franchise at least somewhat bearable for the fans, I hope. We all know what hopelessness feels like in the NBA. But as bad as everything looks right now, better times will come. They’ll get their young stars to cheer for, and they’ll get a system in place that’s fun to watch.

And they might even be “spirited, good jumpers, fast and agile” again, just like Bucks are supposed to be.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (5-4) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (1-9)
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

The Dallas Mavericks (7-4) were on the second night of a back-to-back when they welcomed the Indiana Pacers (3-8) Monday night. They found themselves battling back from a deficit for most of the first half, but in the third quarter they started to find a groove and ultimately pulled away for a 125-122 win in a game that came down to the final possession. Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving led the way, while players like Walter Clayton, Santi Aldama and Caleb Martin did the little things around the edges for what proved to be a total team victory.

78: Flagg and Irving combined point total

The duo of Flagg and Irving is absolutely terrifying when they are “on” and they were on Monday night. The pair dropped 78 points combined on impressive efficiency. Together, they shot 27-of-43, good for a 62.7% connection rate. Irving hit an insane 7-of-10 from downtown, with Flagg an excellent 3-of-6 in his own right. They were also 14-of-15 from the free throw line. Each player individually was a sight to behold, but the combination of what they were doing together was truly next level.

29: Irving’s plus/minus

A single game plus/minus needs to be looked at carefully, as it can be misleading. Having said that, Irving played 38 minutes and was a game-high +29 with no other player on either team being even close (the next best was +15 by Daniel Gafford and Andrew Nembhard). Irving’s presence was apparent from his scoring, but he did so much more than that as a poised floor general that helped the Mavs to victory in other ways as well.

43-27: Mavericks’ rebounding edge

Don’t look now, but Dallas once again dominated on the boards. Being +16 on the glass in a three-point game is unquestionably a big factor in why the Mavs came out on top. The best part of the disparity is that Gafford was in foul trouble most of the night and Morez Johnson, Jr. sat out altogether. Within the overall discrepancy was Dallas’ 10-1 offensive rebound advantage.

1: Caleb Martin steals

On the final possession with the Mavericks up by three points, the Pacers were inbounding from half-court. Dusty May substituted Irving for Martin for his length and defensive prowess and Martin rewarded him and Mavs nation with the defensive stop of the night. On a somewhat errant pass across nearly the entire court sideline-to-sideline, Martin streaked in and tipped the ball away from Pascal Siakam, allowing the clock to run out. Pacers’ coach Rick Carlisle was furious there was no foul call, however it appeared to be the correct no-call by the referees. Martin got his hand on the ball and tipped it well away from Siakam before the two players’ body’s made contact with each other. As a result, the Pacers weren’t able to attempt a final shot and Dallas got the win.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Don't sleep on Cooper Flagg.

The second-year star had 43 points in the Dallas Mavericks' 125-122 win against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, Nov. 9 at the American Airlines Center. He added 10 rebounds for a double-double and six assists with three steals for good measure.

According to the NBA, the 19-year-old joins Kevin Durant as the only other player in league history to have at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game as a teenager. ESPN adds that this is the 14th game in which Flagg has scored at least 30 points before turning 20 years old. Only LeBron James has more with 20 such games before he reached his 20th birthday.

Flagg had back-to-back dunks in the first quarter to cap an 11-0 run by the Mavericks. In one key play with less than 30 seconds left in the game, he dribbled against Andrew Nembhard, then drained a step-back jumper. The bucket extended Dallas' lead to four.

COOPER FLAGG WITH A PAIR OF SLAMS!

Steal, sprint, and jam.
Fake, drive, and slam. pic.twitter.com/SMNR7dBViy

— NBA (@NBA) November 10, 2026

Kyrie Irving contributed 35 points for the Mavericks, while Pascal Siakam had 29 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Indiana.

This is the first time this season that Flagg has crossed the 40-point mark and the fifth of his young NBA career. In April during his rookie season, the former Duke standout scored a career-high 51 points in a loss to the Orlando Magic. At 19 years old, he was the youngest player in NBA history to reach the 50-point mark.

He won last season's Rookie of the Year award after averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

Cooper Flagg's stats this season

Flagg is averaging 24 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists per outing this season.

He missed one game last month against the San Antonio Spurs due to a shoulder injury suffered in an earlier game against the Pacers.

Cooper Flagg's 40-point games

Cooper Flagg has had five 40-point games in a season and a third in the NBA. Here's his highest-scoring games:

• 51 points vs. Orlando Magic on April 3, 2026
• 49 points vs. Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 29, 2026
• 45 points vs. Los Angeles Lakers on April 5, 2026
• 43 points vs. Indiana Pacers on Nov. 9, 2026
• 42 points vs. Utah Jazz in overtime on Dec. 15, 2025

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cooper Flagg joins elite company with 40-point game in Mavs win over Pacers

The Golden State Warriors are positively cruising, despite dealing with a lot of injuries. Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody have yet to play this season, and are still a few months away, while Kristaps Porziņģis is stepping away from the sport. Gui Santos and Gary Payton II have struggled with injuries in the opening weeks, and Will Richard is sidelined with a UCL tear in his thumb.

And unfortunately, those injuries took a hit on Monday, during the Warriors’ home game over the New Orleans Pelicans, as reserve guard Brandon Williams left the game with a hamstring injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the contest. As usual, Williams entered the game in the first quarter, and immediately provided a spark with an instant burst of super-speedy offense. But his initial stint on the court was short lived, and when the second quarter arrived, it was two-way contract LJ Cryer on the court rather than Williams.

In the third quarter, the Warriors officially ruled Williams out for the rest of the game with a left hamstring injury. Hopefully it’s minor, and won’t cost the electric guard much time.

Jalen Brunson said before the season that the first few weeks will “show who we truly are.”

Now that the Knicks begin their third week of this campaign, what have they shown?

“That we’re still resilient,” Brunson said after practice Monday. “That we’re still open to getting better every single day. And through the highs and lows of the season, how quickly can we bounce back?”

Head coach Mike Brown has welcomed early-season adversity, saying that he actually wanted his team to be punched in the mouth and knocked down from their championship high horse. A 2-4 start, and all the immediate discourse about what was wrong, certainly delivered that.

Now at 5-4 after winning five of their past six games, the Knicks have stabilized. Brown believes the rough start provided a valuable reminder for the team.

“The group is resilient,” he said. “[We learned] that it’s gonna be hard. This is a new year, new season and new challenges, so we have to embrace all the little details while trying not to have much slippage in our process because nobody is handing anything to us. And if we want to have success, which we’re more than capable of, that’s what some of these wins show you, that we have to go earn it.”

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Josh Hart, who missed the past two games due to right ankle soreness, is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Bucks at Madison Square Garden. He practiced Monday.

Hart had practiced Friday before missing Saturday’s win in Cleveland. Landry Shamet started in Hart’s place the past two games.

If Hart returns Tuesday, it will be notable if he is able to play both legs of the upcoming back-to-back — the Knicks play the Cavaliers at home Wednesday — or if the Knicks sit him for one of those games.

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Tyler Herro (right knee contusion), Milwaukee’s leading scorer, is questionable to play.

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Brunson was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for last week. He averaged 27.7 points and 6.3 assists in three games — all Knicks wins.

After two garbage-time appearances, Cameron Carr received his first rotation minutes on Monday. It was a relatively brief seven minutes split across the two halves, but it was also still enough time for him to get his first NBA bucket.

In the second quarter, Luka Dončić got on the end of a loose ball and fed it to Carr for a fastbreak dunk and his the first basket of his career.

Cam’s first NBA basket? Had to be a dunk 😤 pic.twitter.com/G1deHrlyLW

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 10, 2026

A lot transpired over the next two quarters as the Lakers grinded out a win over the Hawks for their second straight victory. But once the final buzzer hit, Luka Dončić made sure to track down the game ball to give to his rookie.

After the buzzer, Luka Dončić immediately tracks down the basketball and secures it, presumably headed to rookie Cameron Carr for his first NBA points

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 10, 2026

Can’t love this more! 💜💛 https://t.co/z2jlUvCbvB

— Tanya Carr (@TanyaCarr1) November 10, 2026

“Obviously, you always want to remember your first bucket and get that ball,” Luka said after the game. “You want to remember it. So, it was kind of important for me to grab it.”

The topic led to plenty of conversation in the locker room postgame, ranging from if players remembered their first bucket to whether they had teammates chase down the basketball after the game as well.

In light of Cameron Carr scoring his first NBA basket tonight in Atlanta, does Sandro Mamukelashvili remember his first bucket in the league?

Mamu: "Yeah, it was against the Miami Heat. It was a putback."

Luka Dončić making fun of question in the background

Mamu: "See, I… pic.twitter.com/6BOGj9BtDF

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 10, 2026

At the risk of sounding cliché, this team feels different than most. There is a togetherness and bond that clearly got kickstarted with the trip to Slovenia, but it’s evident in moments like this.

Not only are they looking out for each other in chasing down the game ball after the contest, but they’re making jokes in the locker room about it postgame. What a fun season this already has been with much more to come.

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

In a tale of two (positive) San Antonio (9-2) halves, Victor Wembanyama put his dominant stamp on a 61-46 first half, and second-year guard Dylan Harper shined brightly in a 32-22 third period to inflate a 15-point halftime cushion to more than 30 in the 122-96 win. Instead of doing it over the second and third periods as it did in previous games, the Spurs put up 30+ point quarters through the first three quarters to build and hold its sizable advantage and moved to 3-0 on the road trip.

Wembanyama (40 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 blocks) asserted himself from the tip to put Phoenix back on their heels early on. Harper (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) impressed with his smooth stroke and increasing confidence as San Antonio put the game out of reach in the third quarter. De’Aaron Fox (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists) did the bulk of his damage in the first half. Other double digit scorers included Julian Champagnie (11 points) and Harrison Barnes (11 points), and all Spurs that saw the court tonight again scored.

Devin Booker’s otherworldly mid-range shooting (32 points and 4 assists) prevented the Suns from being eclipsed fully in the first half. However, no other Suns joined him in double digits until Khaman Malauch (11 points) did well after the outcome was decided.

Perennial star Booker (nine) was the entirety of Phoenix’s offense over the first 5+ minutes. Though they didn’t shoot particularly well, the Spurs secured and maintained a slight lead by more conventional means as their outside shots were not finding their mark. Champagnie, in particular, had to find his seeing eye in the paint before knocking down a triple. A seven-point burst by Wembanyama enabled the Spurs to leave the quarter up six.

Wembanyama figured into nearly every part of an opening 10-2 run to start the second period. The lobbing problems – willingness and competency – that plagued prior Spurs squads seemed long gone as the superstar center put up a nearly perfect shooting line from the field (6-6) and line (5-6) only 15 game minutes in. After a couple of free throws, Booker (19 of 38) still had half of his team’s output. San Antonio got its lead as high as 20, and more importantly – did not relinquish much of it – as it went to the break up 61-46.

Phoenix found more sure footing on offense to start he third, but the unfazed Spurs executed well in the halfcourt. Harper, in particular, showcased a pair of stepback jumpers, and topped those with a sublime floater on the left baseline to help extend the San Antonio lead to 19. After Harper’s fourth and fifth buckets of the quarter, Jacob Tobey noted he “is just in his bag right now.” His sixth basket evoked shakes of Michael Jordan’s post game. Wemby’s 16-foot finger roll capped a dominant third quarter clapback by San Antonio and they went to the fourth ahead by 25.

Observations

• Fans of the three guard line-up will find a healthy amount of validation in Michael Pina’s article today for The Ringer.
• Carter Bryant entered action later in the first half and encouragingly willed home a transition three. His second three in the fourth quarter splashed home.
• Collin Gillespie’s Tough Sequence: In the opening minute of the fourth, Gillespie tried the Steve Nash move on Wembanyama and had his turnaround swatted away, and then his follow-up jumper was deflected, as well. To add insult to injury, the Suns guard was dunked on by Wembanyama at the other end.
• Dylan Harper Sequence of the Game: The only thing that prevented him from doing more damage in a 14 point third quarter blitz was twisting his ankle on a Suns foot in transition. All of his field goals in the frame came from different spots on the court, which is very hard to do.
• Keldon’s Kitchen: That moustache has staying power.
• Sequence of the Game #1: In what is a very viable after timeout play late in the first quarter, Fox slithered through the paint and delivered a feathery lob to Wembanyama. On the next possession, Keldon Johnson looked like he left a floater several feet short until Wembanyama took the errant orb and re-directed it through the rim. #greatpass
• Sequence of the Game #2: Minutes into the second quarter, Wembanyama appeared to be fooled by a pocket pass from a Brooks pass to Igodaro – only to meet the Phoenix center at the rim to prevent a sure two points, and when Brooks tried to sneak a floater in after an offensive rebound, he, too, was turned away.
• Sequence of the Game #3: It only took one possession in the second half for the Spurs to generate another highlight play – this time, Wembanyama found Fox at the dunker spot, and the guard whipped a behind the back pass to the left baseline to Champagnie for a corner three. It’s worth watching possibly a dozen times.
• Area 51 Sequence of the Game: Wembanyama and Castle orchestrated a beautiful two-man game late in the half that culminated in a Castle one-handed slamma jamma.
• Tarris Reed, Jr. (lithe AND bruising big man) playing time: The big man (4 points, 1 rebound, 1 block, and 3 fouls) was an active presence in his eight minutes of playing time.

Game Rundown

Fox and Harper scored San Antonio’s first two buckets no more than three combined feet from the rim. Castle sand Champagnie put up goose-eggs over the first 5+ minutes, but Wembanyama, Fox, and Harper picked up the slack. Before the viewing audience could blink, Booker had put up 12 of the Suns’ 14 points. An Igodaro baseline dunk provided some relief from the Booker scoring barrage. After successive bricks, Champagnie banked home a jumper in the paint to secure his first points. Tshe other Suns started contributing offensively and Khaman Malauch’s surprising corner three tied the game. Wembanyama paired two lobs with an encouraging catch-and-shoot three to help San Antonio go up 31-25.

An opening 8-2 burst to start the second put San Antonio up a dozen. Wembanyama’s fifth straight bucket – the prettiest to that point – was a baseline fade that Hakeem Olajuwon would have been proud of. After Johnson found Wembanyama for yet another lob, Sean Elliott exclaimed “What a change! Our guys have really figured out that lob!” Wembanyama then turned away Phoenix’s lob attempt at the other end. Even after his first miss, Wembanyama snared the rebound and threw down a thunderous two-hand jam. Booker’s next field goal caused Mitch Johnson to call a Pop-like timeout. Champagnie and Luke Kornet found each other on consecutive possessions to keep the lead near 20. Phoenix took advantage of the Spurs’ hyper-aggressive perimeter defense to get cheap offense at the charity stripe. Booker took a shot to the nether regions on a Johnson bankshot that could be felt several states over. San Antonio ended its well-played half up 15.

A pair of triples from Champagnie and Fox prevented a tough third quarter start for San Antonio. Booker hit the 30 point mark 3 1/2 minutes in, and yet, the Spurs added to their lead. During one possession, Fox, Castle, and Harper occupied the left side (with Champagnie deep in the right corner), which allowed Wembanyama to go back door for a reverse lob from Harper. Johnson smartly fouled a runaway Igodaro and prevented a dunk while the Sun hit 1-of-2 from the line. Harper’s flurry of baskets from different spots in and around the paint were what took away my breath this evening. San Antonio’s run spanning the third and fourth quarters made it a no-doubt road win.

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For the Suns fan’s perspective, please visit Bright Side of the Sun.

San Antonio’s road trip concludes in Chicago Wednesday night against Caleb Wilson and the Bulls 7:00 PM CDT.

What flavor do you like your popcorn? Are you a traditional butter person? Or do you look forward to the holidays, when the Chicago mix makes its annual appearance, and you’re treated to that glorious combination of cheddar and caramel popcorn? Because on Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, you might as well have grabbed a bag of your favorite popcorn, settled into your favorite chair, and enjoyed the show that is Victor Wembanyama.

Coming off an electrifying 52-point performance last week that included 24 rebounds and eight blocks, Wembanyama followed it up with another spectacular showing, this time at the expense of the Phoenix Suns, as San Antonio cruised to a 122-96 victory.

Wemby was the story. Plain and simple. He finished the evening with 40 points on an absurd 15-of-19 shooting, adding 11 rebounds and eight blocks. And here’s the part that makes those numbers even more ridiculous: He accomplished all of that damage in a mere 25 minutes of action. You know how we like to track Khaman Maluach’s restocks per 36 minutes around here? That wonderful combination of rebounds, steals, and blocks that helps quantify a big man’s impact? Well, Wembanyama posted 27 restocks per 36 minutes in this one.

https://t.co/PkoUbguqWGpic.twitter.com/rwy2iTWGPc

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) November 10, 2026

Devin Booker certainly did his part to keep the Suns afloat, scoring 32 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. He also added four assists, a steal, and a block while committing zero turnovers. Unfortunately, no other Phoenix starter scored more than seven points to help him out.

Against a team like the Spurs, you need to be able to shoot the three ball efficiently to have a chance at competing, and the Suns simply couldn’t do that. They ended 9-of-26 from deep, good for 34.6%. They only turned the ball over 7 times. But they were blocked 10 times.

San Antonio has now won nine consecutive games and sits at 9-2 on the season, while the Phoenix Suns have fallen to 3-6.

Game Flow

First Half

The whistle was blown pretty liberally to start the game, as Victor Wembanyama drew three shooting fouls within the first five minutes. San Antonio’s early game plan was clearly to attack the basket, knowing the Suns lacked a significant shot-blocking presence on the interior. Meanwhile, Devin Booker once again catalyzed Phoenix’s offense, scoring the team’s first nine points.

Counting last game, Devin Booker has scored Phoenix's last 18 points.

Last 9 in Saturday's win over Rockets.

First 9 in tonight's game vs. Spurs.

Spurs 11, Booker 9. #Suns

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 10, 2026

Booker’s presence was certainly felt throughout the first quarter, and his impact was evident on both ends of the floor. His best sequence began with a defensive breakup of an alley-oop attempt to Stephon Castle. He then went down to the other end and knocked down a three-pointer over Victor Wembanyama.

Devin Booker’s presence is being felt on both ends of the floor.

His best sequence? Breaking up an alley-oop intended for Stephon Castle, then heading down the floor and burying a three-pointer over Victor Wembanyama.

That’s how you set the tone. pic.twitter.com/iM4MmZz2MJ

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) November 10, 2026

Devin Booker finished the first quarter shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, scoring 15 of the Suns’ 25 points. But the Spurs capitalized on all three of Phoenix’s turnovers, converting them into seven points while outrebounding the Suns 14-9. San Antonio took a 31-25 lead into the second quarter.

The momentum carried over as the Spurs extended their run to 12-0 across the two quarters, pushing Phoenix’s deficit to 11 points. With Devin Booker taking a breather, the Suns opened the second quarter shooting 1-of-6 from the field and 0-of-4 from beyond the arc through the first 2:37. Meanwhile, the Spurs were a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, including 1-of-1 from deep, and suddenly Phoenix found itself trailing by 14 points.

The Suns were -12 in the non-Booker minutes in the second. From 1:23 in the first to 7:59 in the second, the Spurs put together a 21-2 run.

Devin Booker has 7 points.

No other Sun has more than 3. 😐

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) November 10, 2026

With 5:19 remaining in the second quarter, the Suns found themselves trailing by 20 points.

Then, with 1:54 left in the first half, Keldon Johnson delivered an unnatural kick on a layup attempt that caught Devin Booker square in the junk, the same type of play that got Dillon Brooks ejected last week. Yet the officials opted not to even review it. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

Isn't this what got Dillon chucked from a game against the Nuggets? pic.twitter.com/uIoonbEfpo

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) November 10, 2026

Over the final eight minutes of the half, Phoenix was +3 with Booker on the floor, but the Suns were ultimately outscored 30-21 in the second quarter. Booker finished the half with 23 points.

Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama had 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. He also added six rebounds, three assists, and five blocks, leading the Spurs in all of those statistical categories. At halftime, San Antonio led Phoenix 61-46.

Turns out the Suns are much better when Booker is on the court.

First half On/Off for Devin Booker against the Spurs: pic.twitter.com/tQOxBY2rF7

— Bright Side of the Sun (@BrightSideSun) November 10, 2026

Second Half

The Phoenix Suns opened the second half with a much-needed infusion of energy, finding opportunities to attack in transition and briefly put pressure on the San Antonio Spurs. After an opening three-pointer from Julian Champagnie, Phoenix responded with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 10 points. But getting that close seemed to flip a switch for Victor Wembanyama, as San Antonio answered with a 10-4 run of its own to regain control. Before long, the Suns found themselves staring at another 20-point deficit.

Phoenix had another frustrating offensive quarter and again failed to reach 25 points. The Suns collectively shot 8-of-26 from the field and 3-of-9 from beyond the arc, struggling to generate any consistent offensive rhythm. Devin Booker led the way with nine points, while Dillon Brooks contributed five. The rest of the roster? A miserable 3-of-14 from the field.

Meanwhile, San Antonio continued to demonstrate why it’s one of the most dangerous teams in the Western Conference. Dylan Harper erupted for 14 points in the third quarter, adding three rebounds and an assist, while Wembanyama contributed 10 points, four rebounds, and a block. Every time Phoenix appeared ready to make things interesting, the Spurs had an answer, methodically dismantling whatever momentum the Suns managed to generate.

By the end of the third quarter, Phoenix trailed 93-68, facing a 25-point deficit and another uphill battle that was becoming increasingly difficult to overcome.

The fourth quarter? Well, the Suns essentially waved the white flag with eight minutes remaining, pulling their starters and allowing Jamaree Bouyea and Rasheer Fleming to see the floor. Cam Spencer, Koa Peat, and Duop Reath followed shortly thereafter, as Phoenix found itself trailing by 30 points and the outcome was all but decided.

There were at least a few entertaining moments from the young guys. Peat, the Suns’ rookie, wasted little time making an impression, executing a smooth spin move before finishing off the glass. On the very next possession, he connected with Jamaree Bouyea for an alley-oop, providing a brief spark of energy as Phoenix trimmed the deficit to 26 points.

At that stage, moral victories were about the only thing left to celebrate. Suns lose, 122-96.

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Up Next

The Suns are right back at it tomorrow night as they host the Clippers. We shall see you then.