Both the Pistons and the Heat enter this game on opposite-outcomes on Opening Night. For the Pistons, they overcame a 22-point second half deficit against the Boston Celtics to pull off a thrilling win. For the Heat, it was a 25-point loss against the Timberwolves in which they were pretty much only in the game in the first quarter.

The Timberwolves seem like a very bad matchup for the Heat with their high-level guard play that the Heat have to counter with a couple of star bigs, but not necessarily the perimeter playmakers that they need. The Pistons are seemingly a little bit better of a matchup for them with a lot more inside play.

The thing about Opening Night is that is can cause a lot of over-the-top reactions over one game. You are already hearing it for the Heat about how their bold acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo is destined to fail and they are just last year’s Milwaukee Bucks team.

This game should be a very good matchup between two teams that many expect to be near the top of the standings in the East.

Game Vitals

Where: Kaseya Center in Miami, FL
When: Friday, October 23 at 8 pm EST
Watch: TV 20 Detroit or DAZN Streaming
Odds: Pistons (-1.5)

Analysis

In case you were living under a rock during the offseason, the Miami Heat now have Giannis Antetokounmpo and with it the task of assembling a competitive roster around one of the best players in the league. In the process of acquiring Giannis, the Heat were forced to part with a slew of depth players that kept them in the Play-In Tournament range the last couple of seasons, but obviously their goal is to rise above that now.

The only problem is that they are forced to fill out their roster with a bit of bargain bin shopping, which means they are overly reliant on players like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Klay Thompson to provide a lot of the spacing Giannis and Bam Adebayo need to work. I am not too concerned about the fit with Giannis and Bam, but it is the depth players around that that leave a little bit to be desired.

On paper, this is a pretty even matchup for the Pistons on defense since they have defenders to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it will depend on Ausar Thompson’s ability to handle a bigger player, which is probably his only weakness on defense. John Collins has the size to deal with Giannis, but he struggled to keep up with Paul George and Jayson Tatum on Opening Day and likely has the same struggles trying to keep up with Giannis. He is at least less of a threat from the perimeter, so that helps a little bit.

Bam Adebayo having the ability to stretch the floor a bit could cause problems for Jalen Duren, who does struggle to guard the perimeter. But, I wouldn’t call Bam a full-blown stretch big, as he is still going to do a lot of his damage attacking the basket. That means this is still a matchup that Jalen Duren should be able to handle.

Outside of those two, there really are not a ton of players on the Heat that I view as problematic for the Pistons. Players like Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins are solid, but as long as they don’t get hot from the perimeter, the Pistons shouldn’t have too many issues handling them. Klay Thompson can still shoot it from outside, but he is now a shell of his former self and not nearly as big of a threat to get hot and hit 9 or 10 threes like he was at his peak.

One player I would watch for just because he always seemed to have really good games against the Pistons is Bobby Portis. He has made his way to Miami in the Giannis trade and provides a solid backup big option for their Big Two, but he was also a huge Piston-killer when he was on the Bucks.

The Pistons shot 40 threes against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, which they only did seven times total last season. It will be interesting to see if that is a trend for this season or something that just happened because guys like Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green got hot from the perimeter. The Pistons’ offseason acquisitions point towards an increased emphasis on perimeter shooting, but with so many guys that can dominate the paint on the roster as well, it will be interesting to see if they continue to put up shots from the perimeter if they are not falling.

Both of these teams should be some of the better defensive teams in the league and also have guys that can dominate inside, so this game probably comes down to who can hit more shots from the perimeter.

Lineups

Detroit Pistons (1-0): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Jalen Duren

Miami Heat (0-1): Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo

Question of the Day

Do you think the Pistons will be a more perimeter-oriented team on offense this season with the added shooting?

NBA coverage outlets have spent the last few months getting you ready for the season, focusing on additions, rotations, and who needs to step up. A majority of the attention focuses on the players, as it should. Here at Bright Side of the Sun, we like to take it to the next level. To that end, this article examines a tool for analyzing referee effects that can provide you, the viewer, a new dimension of understanding ahead of a game.

Per the NBA, official crew assignments are made around 9 am Eastern Time the day of the game. There are three roles, including a crew chief. Assignments are shown at this link:

nbastuffer.com tracks statistics about the crew members and by season, including those in process while it’s ongoing. Note, they show playoff statistics first, and sample sizes are small there, so I suggest viewing the regular season figures further down the page.

Among the more interesting are:

• total points per game (an indicator of pace allowed)
• total called fouls per game (level of quick whistle and foul-baiting allowance)
• the mix of fouls called against the road versus home teams (bias toward or against home teams/fans)

Let’s say it’s the day of a Suns home game, and the crew is announced as Zach Zarba, Simone Jelks, and Ray Acosta. Collectively, these three call 51.4% of the fouls on the home team and 48.6% on the road team. That’s 2.8% MORE on the home team! A typical crew calls 1% more on the road team. Netting this out, that crew of three above would call almost 4% more fouls on the Suns than a typical game. That’s three more calls than typical and could make a difference when many games are close. 

While the crew above averaged 39.5 fouls per game (a typical level), looking at this also gives you an idea if it’s likely to be one of those nights when foul trouble is more likely. This could be of interest, particularly if one of our two primary centers is out. Is it a night when coaches and players need to be mindful of overaggressive defense if foul totals will likely be up?

Suns fans always knew it was likely to be a problematic night if Scott Foster was refereeing a game when we had Chris Paul. Typically, we have no idea. Hopefully, this equips you with a way to get that viewing (or wagering) edge.

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Okay guys. I’m just as happy as all of you with the Washington Wizards’ big win over the Milwaukee Bucks last Wednesday night to open the 2026-27 NBA season. And I’m probably jumping the gun asking this question when he hasn’t played yet. In fact, he isn’t playing tonight.

Wizards injury report for Friday’s game vs. Toronto:

OUT:
AJ Dybantsa (ankle sprain)
Tristan Vukcevic (hip impingement)
Jamir Watkins (ACL tear)

QUESTIONABLE:
Felix Okpara (illness)

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) October 22, 2026

But we know that the Wizards will play AJ Dybantsa sooner or later for his rookie debut. He scored in double digits in each of Washington’s four preseason games, so I’m thinking he’ll have a strong regular season. In the meantime, however, how many points do you think he’ll score in his regular season debut? Vote in the poll below, and chime in the comments!

The Knicks are making room for a Lakers castoff.

The team signed Dalton Knecht to a two-year deal on Friday morning, ESPN.com reported.

Knecht, a first-round pick in 2024, was part of the Lakers’ final roster cuts this week after seeing his minutes sharply decrease in his second season.

The former Tennessee sharpshooter had a promising start to his career in LA, averaging 9.1 point per game on 37% 3-point shooting his rookie year.

The 25-year-old seemed to fall out of favor with Lakers coach JJ Redick, though, and he was an afterthought off the bench during the Lakers’ two playoff series against the Rockets and Thunder — totaling 18 minutes across five games.

“Every moment, every lesson, and every opportunity helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person,” Knecht wrote in a good-bye letter to Lakers fans.

“Things may not always go the way we expect, and sometimes life takes us in a different direction. Leaving this chapter behind is never easy, but I will always be grateful for the opportunity to represent one of the greatest franchises in NBA history. The love, the support, and the memories will always mean something special to me.”

The Knicks waived Kevin McCullar Jr. to make room for Knecht, according to multiple reports. McCullar Jr. had spent the past two seasons with the team, playing in 25 total games and averaging 2.2 points per game.

Center James Wiseman, a former No. 2 draft pick, snagged the Knicks’ final roster spot after an impressive camp and preseason. The team appears to have faith in Wiseman, 25, developing after disappointing runs with the Warriors, Pistons and Pacers.

Exasperated Sixers fans seemed to aim their frustration at the halftime performer as Philadelphia trailed the Cavaliers by 24 during their home-opener Thursday night.

The act, Light Man, who performed an LED light and prop routine, was booed loudly as he took center court at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

“Well, the Sixers are down 24. This talented, creative gentleman got booed a big portion of his act,” play-by-play announcer Mike Breen said on the ESPN broadcast as Cleveland led, 69-45.

Sixers fans BOOED the half time performer pic.twitter.com/FBi8BhLPRG

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 23, 2026

“They’re just not in the frame of mind for this kind of entertainment. But he’ll get another chance, hopefully.”

Kyle Neubeck, a Sixers reporter for Phly Sports, said the reaction from the Philly crowd was a first for him.

“Tonight’s halftime act got outright booed, which is definitely a first for me covering the league,” he said in a post on X.

LeBron James and the Sixers turned things around in the second half and cut a 29-point deficit to 10 in the third quarter before completing a 114-106 comeback win to improve to 2-0.

The 41-year-old James finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. He also had three steals.

After the game, James was asked about President Donald Trump comments — that the NBA legend is a “disgrace” for not staying still during the national anthem — on opening night in New York.

“It must be a slow news day at the office, you know? Slow news day in the office,” James said as he chuckled.

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey finished with a team-high 32 points with six assists, while center Joel Embiid scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting.

The 76ers host the Bucks on Saturday.

Dalton Knecht might not be off an NBA roster for long.

The Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with the 25-year-old former top pick before the season began as a way to finalize their roster.

But Knecht is already attracting interest from at least a couple of elite NBA teams, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

“Knicks are among the teams with interest in former Laker Dalton Knecht, per league sources familiar with Knecth’s market. Knecht was waived prior to regular season. He’s eligible to sign a two-way deal. @TheSteinLine said earlier MIN had interest in Knecht,” Begley wrote in an X post.

It isn’t surprising to hear that teams are interested in signing Knecht, as he’s just two years removed from being one of the top prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft (the Lakers selected him with No. 17 pick in that draft).

Two of these teams being the defending champion New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who many believe are among the favorites to win the Western Conference this season. That suggests Knecht has a good chance of landing on another quality roster.

Knecht found himself on the outside looking in at Los Angeles’ roster this past offseason after averaging 7.1 points and shooting 36.8% from three-point range across two NBA seasons.

It was 50 years ago Thursday that Julius Erving made his Sixers home debut at the Spectrum in his first NBA game.

Dr. J was still in his prime at 26 and coming off three straight ABA MVPs while playing for the New York Nets. Erving began that season coming off the bench and only played 16 minutes in a 121-118 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on opening night.

While LeBron James is closer to the twilight of his career at 41 years old, the excitement was palpable as the unretired Matt Cord introduced arguably the greatest basketball player of all time as a Philadelphia 76er for the first time.

“It was everything that I dreamed of and more,” James said at his overpopulated locker stall postgame.

James got the whole Philly experience — including being booed by his own fans as the Sixers found themselves down 29.

But the team overcame 15 first-half turnovers and rallied after halftime to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in a historic 114-106 comeback win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

“Got the boos. That was amazing. We deserved it,” he said. “And then we got the cheers and almost blew the roof off this thing tonight — in a good way. It was a hell of a night.”

Philly is a basketball town, but its relationship with its professional basketball team had soured to the point of apathy. Even the goodwill from overcoming a 3-1 deficit and defeating the rival Boston Celtics in the postseason for the first time in over 40 years subsided after a sweep by the New York Knicks.

The offseason was littered with questions that had no easy answers. The franchise was locked into two separate timelines. Daryl Morey extended Joel Embiid and signed veteran Paul George to a max deal. He also drafted two young guards in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. On top of that, there was work to be done to build a deeper bench.

New president of basketball operations Mike Gansey transformed the roster in short order by pulling off the shocking blockbuster to land Jaylen Brown from the Celtics, which led to his pursuit of James. None of it felt real. It still kind of doesn’t.

The Sixers aren’t supposed to have nice things. The vibes are so high, fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop. What hellish response to all this positivity will come from this monkey’s paw-ridden franchise?

But there wasn’t time to get to that negative space Thursday … well, at least not in the second half.

As the Sixers mounted their comeback, they looked almost unstoppable. Comebacks are a frequent occurrence in the modern NBA. With the three-ball becoming king and analytics ruling the day, teams will play the math game and start bombing away to cut into a big deficit.

But this comeback was unique in that the Sixers were abysmal from deep. They were just 7-of-25 from three on the night. They clawed away at the Cavs’ lead by playing aggressive defense and getting out in transition. It feels like a winning formula for Nick Nurse’s group. If they can force turnovers and get stops, good luck stopping them on the break.

Through two games, it’s been an interesting offensive ecosystem. There’s still work to be done, but you could see in the second half how organically it went, with each star having their moment. Joel Embiid had one in the fourth quarter, his first true flurry of the young season. It helped put the Sixers in front.

At one point, a “Trust the Process” broke out as Embiid was at the line.

We don’t need to rehash this guy’s entire journey from navicular bone fractures to start his career until now, but what a ride.

“I’ve been here for a long time,” Embiid said. “That was probably … not the best night, but that was probably a top-five night for me since I’ve been in Philadelphia. That was great. I have no words. That was amazing. Obviously, we don’t want to be down 29 points like we were early on. We got a few boos, but then again, they came right back up to support us. But that was probably [one of the] top-three nights for me since I’ve been here.”

Erving would work his way into the starting lineup that first season and finished fifth in MVP voting. More importantly, he led the Sixers to the NBA Finals, helping stake them to a 2-0 series lead over the Portland Trail Blazers. Sixers fans of a certain age will remember the heartbreak that followed.

A Finals trip would be a strong introductory season for James in Philly. Hell, the franchise’s first Eastern Conference Finals berth in over 25 years would be nice.

For now, it’s simply two wins, but the word “special” is being thrown around a bunch — with good reason.

Even at 41 and in his 24th season, it was a special night for LeBron James.

“This is my fourth time being able to have a home opener for a different franchise,” he said. “It’s great to be able to go out and just do what I love to do and just be well received. My daughter was here. She turned 12 today. They put her name up and told her happy birthday on the jumbotron. They sat courtside. That was super cool, man. Mom was here as well.

“So, super special for me to be able to have moments like this in this building, in this city, probably one of the best sports cities in the world, along with a couple other cities, but Philly is damn sure right up at the top. So I’m happy to be here. Extremely happy. I’m happy to be with these boys in this locker room. Hopefully, we continue to do something special throughout the season.”

Quite a few Carolina fans by now heard about former Tar Heel Caleb Wilson’s first NBA regular season game with the Chicago Bulls. The talented forward finished his outing against the Toronto Raptors with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, a block, and nine (!!!) turnovers. The detail that made everyone’s jaw drop is that he finished with a franchise-record -45 plus/minus, which as one could imagine triggered a lot of conversation.

I got to watch Wilson’s first game as a Bull, and my honest take is that his debut was indeed pretty bad, but the plus/minus is a bit misleading. So, let’s discuss three takeaways from Caleb Wilson’s official “welcome to the NBA” game.

Wilson’s teammates had an equal hand in his tragic plus/minus

Before we even touch anything that is specifically focused on Wilson, let’s talk about how his teammates helped make his plus/minus ended up as bad as it was. Bulls starting point guard Josh Giddey had an awful night on the floor, and it’s honestly not even really worth getting into his numbers. Giddey at times had tunnel vision on the floor, had some really goofy turnovers, and it was all made worse by the fact that he only made one of his 10 field goals. It shouldn’t be much of a secret that Wilson needs a good point guard by his side as he acclimates to the NBA, but he did not get that Wednesday night.

Zooming out, the entire team shot terribly from the field, and even worse from three. The Bulls were 4-36 from deep, which was one of the worst three-point shooting performances I’ve seen in a while. To be fair, it was less of a shot quality issue and more of an issue of just not being able to make shots. Wilson also got some quality looks from deep, but he just couldn’t get them to drop. When the whole team is shooting this poorly, it isn’t shocking that Wilson’s plus/minus was ugly, especially since he led the team in minutes with 32. That is all important context when assessing such a tragic game.

Wilson’s body at times moved faster than his mind

Something that we all saw during NBA Summer League at times was Wilson’s body deciding to execute something without really thinking it through. Against Toronto, there were times when the Bulls’ offense was stagnant, and when the ball ended up in his hands he just….tried something. That something didn’t go well more times than it did, and it played a huge role in his nine turnovers. It also seemed like Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter had Wilson on the perimeter a lot in this game, so when he did get the ball in the later part of the shot clock he had a ways to go before he could get to the rim, and his handle just isn’t good enough for that yet when he’s having to get past guys like Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard.

As cliché as it sounds, Wilson just needs the game to slow down so that he makes the right decisions at the right time. It seemed like that was happening during preseason, but he also had his first experience dealing with some of the better defenders in the NBA in the Raptors, so it was a wake up call to say the least. These types of opponents are really good for his development, but this also means that nobody should be surprised if he has another stinker because he is trying to do too much against a playoff-caliber team.

When Wilson stuck to the greatest hits, he played well

Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter was very willing to let Wilson cook against the Raptors, and while that came with a good amount of bad, it also came with some good. Remember how much Wilson loves to live above the rim? He had a handful of dunks, including his first poster official NBA poster. That mid-range fadeaway he likes to take? It still looks good. His defense? Surprisingly solid against a team that flamed the Bulls.

Focusing on the defense part for a moment, there was a conversation before the season started about whether or not Wilson would be able to be a positive guarding NBA players. It’s safe to say that he will not be a deep negative thanks to his athleticism and length, which is how he ended up with three steals in a block. Even when players scored on him, his defense wasn’t bad at all. NBA All-Star Scottie Barnes drilling shots over Wilson isn’t exactly surprising, and it will happen quite a bit against some of the better players in the league. But he did pretty well for his first regular season game, and over time I expect him to only get better and better, especially when he gets a chance to bulk up next summer.

Finally, it is safe to say that Wilson’s energy that he plays with is still impressive. The Bulls got a steal at one point in the game and Wilson flew down the court faster than I’d seen him run before. He also at one point missed a bunny at the rim and immediately snatched the ball out of the air for a dunk. There was a good amount of positives from his first game, and if you would like a visual breakdown, check out Steph Noh’s film review:

One minute on Caleb Wilson's debut. Ballhandling and shooting were bad, way too many turnovers (9), but there was some good stuff too when I dove into the film. pic.twitter.com/HnY3uE0QdK

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) October 22, 2026

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All and all, Caleb Wilson’s first regular season game was bad, but that isn’t to say there weren’t positives. There was really only one “good” rookie performance Wednesday night, and that was from former Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Does it look like Wilson will be a bust? Absolutely not, and quite frankly, one would hope that nobody is thinking that after one NBA game. But this does prove that he is indeed a work in progress, but as long as he is willing to put in the work, he is going to be a really good player in the league for a long time.

The Toronto Raptors couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the 2026-27 season after dismantling the Chicago Bulls 135-92, the largest home opener win in franchise history. Toronto heads to Washington on Friday looking to carry that momentum against a Wizards team that also opened its season with a win.

Toronto’s return to the court was highlighted by the reunion with Kawhi Leonard, who scored 23 points in his first regular-season game back with the Raptors. Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley also recorded 23 points apiece, while RJ Barrett added 20.

The Raptors established control immediately, scoring 43 points in the first quarter and forcing 27 turnovers. Their defensive pressure and balanced scoring proved too much for Chicago, although Toronto will want to see whether it can maintain that intensity against stronger opposition

Washington also began its campaign with an impressive performance, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 128-116. Anthony Davis led the way with 34 points and 12 rebounds, while Trae Young contributed 20 points and 13 assists. The Wizards overcame a slow start with a decisive fourth-quarter run to secure the victory.

Players to watch

Kawhi Leonard will be one to watch after a successful first game in his return to Toronto’s lineup. His two-way presence gives the Raptors another scoring option, while Scottie Barnes’ ability to contribute as a scorer, rebounder and playmaker will be crucial to Toronto’s success.

While the majority of the starting five played well, I would like to see more production from the bench, as I expect them to play a bigger role in this game against the Wizards.

For Washington, Anthony Davis presents the biggest matchup concern after his performance in the season opener. His interior scoring and rim protection could challenge Toronto on both ends of the floor, while Trae Young’s playmaking will be key to the Wizards’ offence.

Young’s connection with Davis could create problems for the Raptors if they allow the duo to dictate the pace.

A player that I was excited to watch is first overall pick, AJ Dybantsa, though he has been ruled out for Friday’s contest.

Keys to the game

The biggest question is whether Toronto can force turnovers and generate easy points again. The Raptors thrived on defensive pressure against Chicago, but Washington’s combination of Young’s passing and Davis’ finishing presents a different challenge.

The battle inside will also be important. Toronto must find a way to limit Davis without overcommitting defensively and leaving Washington’s perimeter players open.

Meanwhile, the Raptors’ ball movement and ability to get contributions from multiple scorers should help determine whether they can control the game.

Washington will also be looking to improve its perimeter shooting after struggling from three-point range against Milwaukee. If the Wizards find their touch from deep, they could make this a much closer contest.

Prediction

Toronto has the momentum and demonstrated how dangerous its offence can be when Barnes, Quickley, Barrett and Leonard contribute together. However, Davis and Young give Washington a formidable duo that should make things more difficult for the Raptors.

Prediction: Raptors 114, Wizards 108.

Toronto’s depth and defensive pressure should be enough to secure a second straight win, but I would expect this to be a much closer matchup.

LeBron James went through his usual warmup routine again Thursday night, and then he came out firing.

The 76ers superstar responded to criticism from Donald Trump stemming from his continued pregame activities during the national anthem before Tuesday’s season-opener against the Knicks.

“It’s a slow news day at the office, you know,” James said. “Slow news day in the office.”

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer swung his arms and mimed a golf shot during during Avery Wilson’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country,” Trump wrote ​in a Truth Social post. “LeBron James should apologize to all of ​those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the ​American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”

Ahead of Thursday night’s home opener against the Cavaliers, James was much more subdued during the anthem — not that he or his teammates were taking Trump’s post to heart.

“I think that goes right in with other outside noise we’ve already had,” coach Nick Nurse said before the 114-106 win that improved his team to 2-0. “I keep saying the same thing. All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor. The focus that they’ve had and the intent and all the stuff like that has been outstanding.”

James and Trump have never been shy about trading barbs, with the 22-time NBA All-Star calling the President a “bum” in a social media post in 2017.

Their spat comes as the national anthem re-emerges as hot button issue in sports.

The WNBA’s Valkyries and Dream have garnered attention by vacating the floor ahead of the anthem during the league’s championship series, though both have maintained it was part of their pregame routine long before the best-of-seven series began Oct. 17.

There was plenty to enjoy at the start of opening night. The new court, the jerseys, the starting lineup video and Vince Carter’s brief speech all helped set the stage for a new season in Brooklyn.

Then the game started.

The Nets’ defensive problems were hard to miss. Charlotte scored 48 points in the paint and 20 second-chance points, exposing the risk of prioritizing positional size without having the personnel to make it work. The Hornets shot 17-of-22 at the rim (77.3%), compared with Brooklyn’s 12-of-24 (50%).

Day’Ron Sharpe wasn’t a liability, but his early foul trouble disrupted the frontcourt rotation. He picked up his second foul at the 7:28 mark of the first quarter, when Brooklyn led 11-5. Moritz Wagner checked in and Charlotte immediately attacked the rim.

Charlotte went on an 11-1 run from that point to take a 16-12 lead. Brooklyn didn’t regain the lead until 8:12 remained in the third quarter, when Michael Porter Jr. hit a three-pointer and converted the ensuing free throw to put the Nets ahead 64-62.

The problem wasn’t limited to one stretch. Charlotte kept creating extra possessions, and Brooklyn couldn’t consistently finish defensive stops. With 7:03 left in the third quarter, the Hornets grabbed three offensive rebounds before Naz Reid knocked down a three-pointer to put Charlotte back in front, 65-64.

Head coach Jordi Fernández pointed to the rebounding issues.

“Just help with the technique,” Fernández said. “If your man doesn’t crash, you can go sandwich and help. Like, it’s all these things that we’ve worked on that obviously we didn’t execute.”

Positional size is supposed to give the Nets versatility, but that versatility doesn’t mean much if they can’t keep opponents off the glass (or protect the basket.).

“You can win a basketball game and not do anything principle-wise how you’re supposed to do as a team. So, we don’t want to do that. We want to win every game playing our style of basketball, holding each other accountable, doing the things that it’s going to take not just to win games but just establish the culture and identity of the team that we want to be,” Jordi Fernandez said after the game.

Foul trouble made the problem harder to manage. Brooklyn spent a combined 2:31 across two stretches without either Sharpe or Wagner on the floor, leaving Noah Clowney to play center. That’s a small-ball look for a team built around positional size.

Clowney picked up his fifth foul with 6:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, then fouled out at 3:44, just 1:28 after returning to the floor. Randle had also picked up his fourth foul at 9:48.

Randle finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but acknowledged that Brooklyn needed to be more physical on the glass.

“We got to look at the film,” Randle said. “I think we got to, including myself, I put it on me. We got to impose our physicality on those things and hit people first. So, I’ll set a tone with that.”

The Nets also didn’t get enough help offensively to offset their defensive problems. Porter Jr. and Randle were Brooklyn’s only players to score at least 10 points. The bench combined for 25 points on 6-of-19 shooting, while Drake Powell, Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf didn’t log a single minute.

All three were among Brooklyn’s five first-round picks in 2025, the most the franchise has ever selected in a single draft. Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traoré, the two first-round picks who did play, combined to shoot 2-of-14 and committed five turnovers.

Dëmin was candid about his performance.

“Mine? Not very good,” Dëmin said. “I’m not very happy with how I end up playing the game. I started with two scored buckets, but then kind of just got slower from a standpoint of my intensity.”

Brooklyn shot 12-of-31 from three-point range (38.7%), so perimeter shooting wasn’t the main issue. The Nets needed more production from the supporting cast to make up for what they were giving up inside. 

Charlotte center Moussa Diabaté logged 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and five steals, while Starting power forward Naz Reid finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. 

It’s one game, but it exposed a familiar problem for Brooklyn: size at the five. The Nets want players who can move across positions and create advantages. But what happens when that versatility leaves them vulnerable at the rim, on the glass and short on reliable production from the bench?

Charlotte, even without three of its starters, exposed those weaknesses on opening night.

The schedule won’t give the Knicks a break as New York visits the Celtics on Friday to fight old pal Mitch Robinson in Beantown.

New York’s off to a losing start to their title-defense season, and going against the also-winless Leprechauns won’t make things easier.

Here’s the latest from your beloved Knickerbockers.

pic.twitter.com/so6DpaQg4W

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Mike Brown

On Andre Drummond’s performance in the Knicks’ season opener against the 76ers:

“I thought he played with a lot of bounce, energy, in the first half on both ends of the floor. We probably ran him too long because it looked like in the second half, not just him but especially our five starters, it looked like he ran out of a little bit of gas. I gotta keep getting to know him to see where the minutes may lie for him to be effective. But I thought he was really, really, really good in the first half.”

On Mitchell Robinson signing with the Celtics and facing him on Friday:

“You’re excited for anybody that’s able to help their situation or family, in life, and Boston gave him a nice deal. And so, you want nothing but the best for him because you know him, and he’s a great, great, great dude. But you wanna beat him at the end of the day.

“So it’s gonna be exciting to see him because of the type of person he is and what we all went through together last year. But at the end of the day, we want to kick his [butt] like he probably wants to kick ours.”

On whether the Knicks might use the Hack-a-Mitch strategy against Mitchell Robinson:

“Me personally, I’ve always leaned more to do that come playoff time or later in the season where you’re really trying to gameplan and get certain games. Right now, I want to see if we can defend these guys with what our foundation is.

“If at some point throughout the course of the game it happens, it happens, but right now I’m just trying to think about communice, be physical without foul, no blow-bys, contest and finish every shot, ball pressure—trying to establish a foundation.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns needing to stop drawing unnecessary fouls:

“Some guys, I say, ‘go try to get fouled,’ Nah nah nah. KAT: You’re a freaking perennial All-Star. So just make the bucket, and if he happens to foul you, then great. When you do those types of [foul-baiting] things, it shortens your opportunities to pick up a foul when you’re boxing out or trying to get a rebound and stuff like that, so that’s the stuff we want to try to eliminate from his game.”

On Towns’ improvement with fouls last season:

“To his credit, he got better as [last] year went along. This is a new year, new team, new challenges.”

On allowing Towns to make mistakes while adjusting to the new season:

“I don’t want him to take 10 steps backwards, but if he takes a couple steps backwards and he’s gotta figure it out, I’m OK with it.”

“There was a three that he shot with Maxey closing out to him. He stuck his leg out. He’s a good enough player to where he doesn’t need to look for and/or try to draw the foul. Just make the basket.”

"I can't even really explain it. I got chills."

Andre Drummond talks about getting to play for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden: pic.twitter.com/msGT5yfHi8

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 21, 2026

Andre Drummond

On staying in the locker room during the Knicks’ championship ceremony:

“I feel like I gotta earn it. I don’t want to experience something that I wasn’t there for.

“I want to be able to experience that [celebration] because I was a part of it. I let those guys have their moment.”

On hearing Knicks fans chant his name at Madison Square Garden:

“It was pretty surreal. Just the energy of the arena, just because of how hard I was working, how hard I was playing, just to hear it, I can’t even really explain it. I got chills. Something you live for as a player, hearing the fans be behind you.

“This arena’s electric. Just doing hard work and aggressive plays gets the crowd going, so it gets me going too.”

On learning Mike Brown’s system and adjusting to his coaching style:

“I think it’s been fun for both of us because, obviously, yes, he’s still trying to get to know me and vice versa, I’m trying to get to know him as a coach. I think we surprise each other on a daily basis on the different things that I’m capable of doing as a player. And obviously, the way his coaching style is too, the freedom I have too, is a little bit different. It’s like a tug-and-pull every time we step on the floor with each other. … It’s cool to have the freedom to play the way I want to play, be able to use my experience and my veteran leadership to play the way I want to play but also play the way he wants me to.”

On feeling welcomed by his new Knicks teammates:

“This is a great team. Great core group. They’ve done a great job of incorporating me into the group and making me feel like I’m one of them.”

On being prepared to step in when Karl-Anthony Towns gets into foul trouble:

“I’m always ready when the moment comes. Obviously, we want KAT to play but whenever my number’s called, I always try to be prepared to go.”

"It's game one. It means literally nothing. We don't want to be the best version of ourselves game one – if we are, it's going to be a long season. A lot of mistakes that we have to learn from."

– Josh Hart on the Knicks starting 0-1 pic.twitter.com/yci2SHUofh

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Josh Hart

On the Knicks’ 0-1 start and the importance of learning from mistakes:

“It’s Game 1. It means literally nothing. We don’t want to be the best version of ourselves game one – if we are, it’s going to be a long season. A lot of mistakes that we have to learn from.”

On the emotional significance of the Knicks’ championship celebration:

“Something like that, it has a special place in your heart. Now, we’re happy that all of that’s over with and we can fully turn the page and focus on this year.”

On receiving his championship ring in front of Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden:

“It was super dope. A moment you dream of.”

On how the Knicks’ locker room has changed since Mitchell Robinson’s departure:

“It’s definitely different. Obviously that’s someone who’s had a big presence here, big presence in the locker room…No one else listens to country [music] but me, so that’s tough in the weight room. The lack of his presence is obviously felt a little bit. That’s why it’s a new team.”

On the Celtics potentially assigning Robinson to guard him:

“They cross match a lot, so I’m sure he’ll be guarding me, so can’t wait to shoot in that… When I make a couple, I’m gonna let him know.”

On what he expects from the Knicks going against Mitch:

“It’s gonna be the same thing. We’re still gonna be battling for rebounds.”

"I never want to put my team in that kind of position – I have to do a better job to make sure I'm available for my team"

– Karl-Anthony Towns https://t.co/Dd1pgIpaw9pic.twitter.com/7oDa0ABwgA

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns

On facing former Knicks teammate Mitchell Robinson and the Celtics:

“It’s bittersweet. You love Mitch — we’ve done so many historical things together here.

“To not see him in a Knicks jersey anymore…we’re a family unit. To not be able to have him with us on this journey after that amazing journey we went through is bittersweet.

“But it’s going to be amazing to be able to see our brother, hug him, show him some love and compete playing basketball like we love to do. We made each other better. He brought the best out of me, and I feel that I was able to bring the best out of him.

“Mitch was a big part of this team winning a championship and probably has the most important offensive rebound in Knicks history.”

On needing to avoid foul trouble and remain available for his teammates:

“All jokes have some truth to it, right? I never want to put my team in that kind of position — I have to do a better job, not only in the regular season but in the postseason, to make sure I’m available for my team.”

Mitchell Robinson on facing the Knicks tomorrow night:

"It doesn't matter that I'm playing my former team…it's basketball, it's a business. Got to play the team just like you play any other team." pic.twitter.com/4M3XHOjYak

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 22, 2026

Mitchell Robinson

On facing the Knicks for the first time since signing with the Celtics:

“It doesn’t matter that I’m playing my former team. It’s more so just trying to bounce back from what happened two days ago. It’s basketball, it’s a business. Got to play the team just like you play any other team.”

On not watching the Knicks’ championship ring ceremony:

“I didn’t watch it. I mean, I was still stuck in my head (about the opening-day loss)… I’m proud of those guys. Obviously I was a part of it. Didn’t really want to watch it.”

On defending Jalen Brunson and approaching his former teammates like any other opponent:

“Just here to play basketball. Same thing I’ll do with any other team, same thing I’ll do with them. It’s just all about basketball.”

On using the Celtics’ season-opening loss as motivation:

“I use it as fuel, kinda have to. Last game we got demolished. As a big, can’t let that happen. I gotta take that on the chin and learn from it, watch the film, and get better, and just focus on the next one.”

LeBron on playing the Knicks on their ring night:

"It was a great night for New York fans…50+ years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn't won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget this moment, will never forget that… pic.twitter.com/bEPDJTSw25

— Oh No He Didn't 🤯 (@ohnohedidnt24) October 21, 2026

LeBron James

On witnessing the Knicks’ championship ceremony after experiencing a similar moment in Cleveland:

“It was a great night for New York fans. Obviously, it’s something… 50+ years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn’t won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget this moment, will never forget that championship run.

“We were happy that we were just able to come and play on such a historical night, a historical building, and play the game we love.”

On defending Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns:

“Obviously, KAT is very dangerous when he has space. Anytime JB is handling the ball with KAT popping, it creates a long closeout for guys trying to get to that shot.”

Melo is wondering what specific basketball SKILLSET has Victor Wembanyama worked on to further develop his game 🤔

“You can’t be 7 whatever and don’t have that [post] skillset … Back to the basket traditional right hook, left hook, did [Wemby] work on that enough to be… pic.twitter.com/VG26xVXjmc

— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) October 22, 2026

The home debut for LeBron James and Jaylen Brown was always going to be a memorable one. The Sixers made sure of that with their biggest comeback in the play-by-play era. They stormed back from 29 points down to fend off the Cleveland Cavaliers on national television.

Starting the second half down 24 points, the Sixers went full throttle for the final 24 minutes of the game, outscoring the Cavs 69-37 in the second half to secure the 114-106 victory. There were several runs needed to pull off the comeback, but the one that gave them their first lead of the night was a 15-0 stretch that lasted over five minutes.

A familiar sight in the form of a Joel Embiid heater initially gave them that one-point advantage, but as his minutes racked up, an even more familiar problem loomed. For his entire career, the Sixers have massively dropped their production when the big fella heads to the bench. Despite all the shiny new additions to the team, that fear feels as strong as ever seeing Adem Bona’s play through the first two games of the season.

Embiid had just given them the lead but after playing most of the second half and still six and a half minutes to go, Nick Nurse needed to give him a breather. With just a one-point lead the question became how will the Sixers survive these next couple minutes until they can get their full starting five back on the court?

All five guys on the floor stepped up, including Bona, who was finally able to swat a shot so hard it leaked all the way out to give Tyrese Maxey a fast break layup. The biggest answer to that question though, was Jaylen Brown.

Like just about every other Sixer, Brown had struggled most of the night to find his offensive footing. It seemed like the Cavs were able to prevent him from getting to his spots, not allowing him from getting into any type of rhythm.

After securing a rebound, Brown brought the ball up the floor and was finally able to hit a midrange pull-up jumper. On the next two possessions, he put his head down and got all the way to the rim. Brown’s surge put them up seven, where the Sixers were able to trade baskets for the next minute and a half, allowing Embiid and LeBron to check back into a game with that lead with only 3:32 to go. From there, the starters were able to grind out their second win of the season.

After the game, Nick Nurse was asked if the nature of the comeback meant he played his starters more minutes than he would have liked too. While Nurse acknowledged he let that group ride longer in the third because of the run, he was able to get those minutes back because of how well the group played with Embiid and James off the floor.

“We were getting ready to sub, and it’s like it’s not time to,” Nurse said, “’cause they’ve gotten like three consecutive stops and three consecutive scores. You got to let them play their next two possessions to see what happens, and I think they did it again, so we were able to buy another couple minutes before we brought LeBron and Joel back.”

Embiid and LeBron played 34 and 33 minutes, respectively. According to Nurse, that’s right about the number the team wants those guys at for the regular season.

While the backup center position may still need addressing, this fourth quarter was the proof of concept for this team. They are supposed to be stacked with enough star talent that someone else can take over for a few possessions while others catch a breather, and that’s exactly what Brown did.

As for Brown himself, he’s still figuring out when exactly to pick and choose his spots.

“It’s gonna take some time,” Brown said. “Just trying to earn trust from my teammates, earn trust from my coaching staff. I feel like I can make plays for my team. I’m a winning player. So, whatever it takes for us to win, that’s what I’m willing to do.”

For a group that is still very much learning each other, they’ve accomplished some cool things so far through two games.

The Dallas Mavericks have a lot of problems to solve in order to play at the best level for a whole game by the looks of it after game one against the Houston Rockets. Transition defense, turnovers, decision-making and better shot-quality, to name a few. 

New Mavs head coach Dusty May hit the nail on the head after the game, when he said:

“I thought we started playing a little too quickly, and shooting some shots, some semi-open shots, instead of getting possession back, making them work a little bit, finding some connection.”

Dusty May on what went wrong in the second quarter:

“It’s a make or miss game. I thought a lot of our looks were guys that we wanted the shots for. Once they went on a run, I thought we started playing a little too quickly.” pic.twitter.com/zvGiSN3Uqg

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) October 22, 2026

The Mavs forgot how to pass. They forgot that basketball is a team sport, and they made quite a few mistakes in that disastrous second quarter, which the Mavs lost 38-12. 

No, that’s not right. A couple players forgot that the Mavs are now a passing team. Who knows, maybe they’re worried about keeping their spot on the roster. Because they sure seemed to play for themselves. 

To no one’s surprise, that didn’t work. It didn’t work when P.J. Washington hoisted up one threepointer after another too early in the possession, at a point when the Mavs really needed to get settled and get the opponent to work to find the best look. 

And it didn’t work when the Mavs tried hard to run a play to get a good look, but Washington instead decided to go one-on-one on Kevin Durant. KEVIN DURANT. Which led to an offensive foul on Washington. 

Yes, I rewatched the second quarter so you don’t have to. And unfortunately, I had to watch Naji Marshall airball that three too early in the shot clock, as well. Not long after, Washington fires a (too) quick three, again, which misses. And then soon after, Marshall shoots another three, instead of passing until a better shot comes along, which he misses. All this with either generational talent Cooper Flagg or future Hall of Famer Kyrie Irving on the floor – or both!

This is not good enough. Dusty May is trying to create a winning culture in Dallas. If these guys keep playing for themselves, they need to either be benched or traded. On top of that, there’s the whole effort aspect, which includes Daniel Gafford, but that’s a topic for another day. 

There are a handful of players on that bench, who know how to play team ball. Who know how to pass, play together and find that connection, Dusty May is looking for. 

Whether these other guys – let’s maybe call them the old guard – aren’t buying in, or straight up don’t understand the idea, the Mavs would be better off playing whoever understands how to pass the ball. The sum of this team’s parts will create a much better whole than whatever this “me-me-me” offense was. 

Kyrie Irving did not want to mention names and pointed out a lack of effort. And Gafford certainly belongs there with the two already mentioned. Bad offensive decisions and poor effort on defense, that’ll take down any team.  

After the game, Kyrie Irving – always the team guy – did point out a positive from this. Adversity. 

“It was rough to go through, but I think we needed it,” the point guard said. “It was necessary for us to grow as a group.” 

To develop chemistry, you have to go through some adversity. But you don’t have to do it on purpose. 

Kyrie Irving was not to blame for this, he looked a bit rusty and not as sharp as he can be, but he’s been out for over a year. And the thing about Kyrie is that he doesn’t make bad decisions. 

“I gotta do a better job of leading us out. And just not necessarily playing so timid. Getting some shots up and aggressively attacking double teams,” he said. 

Kyrie Irving on the Mavs’ 2nd quarter:

“The effort, just horrendous. I don’t want to use that graphic word to negatively put it on just one person or even myself. We were horrendous defensively & when you score 12 points in an NBA game, give up 38…It’s going to look like that.” pic.twitter.com/PWFM31Ctz8

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) October 22, 2026

Kyrie will take accountability, and that’s a good thing as a leader. But it won’t solve the first issue. And he was rattledwhen they threw a double team at him in the second, he said. And it showed. 

“It surprised me a bit when Ime (Udoka, coach of the Houston Rockets) threw some double teams at me coming off those screens, which, you know, first game coming back.”

For the Mavericks to change this dynamic, the coaching staff should consider trying some lineups without the old guard. Benching players who don’t buy into a team philosophy is an old and well-tried tactic. And it works. 

The good news is that coach Dusty May seems to be the perfect guy to get this up and running. So let’s see what he has in store for us over the next few weeks. It really all comes down to the fact that if you’re a passing team, you have to play guys who know how to pass. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Sixers find a special level in wild comeback, give glimpse of ‘who we can be' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers seemed to be stunned into action Thursday night at Xfinity Mobiile Arena. 

Down 29 points in the second quarter and 24 at halftime, they rescued their home opener and pulled off a wild win over the Cavs. 

The nature of the comeback was perhaps most striking and encouraging with 80 games to go. The 2-0 Sixers transformed into a freight train, stringing together stops and overwhelming Cleveland in transition. LeBron James (17 points, 10 rebounds) was just one of the Sixers’ many menaces in the open floor. By the fourth quarter, the fact the Sixers almost had the lead felt more inevitable than miraculous. 

The team’s halftime dialogue was frank.

“I think it was clear,” Jaylen Brown said after a 21-point, eight-rebound night. “I think I said, ‘It’s a great opportunity for us to respond to adversity.’ There’s going to be ups and downs all year long. How we respond is going to be 80 percent of the battle. Being down 30, we could’ve been pointing fingers. We got after it, so I like that.”

The Sixers were not dependent on the flurry of long-range jumpers that fuel plenty of modern-day comebacks. Tyrese Maxey (32 points, six assists) was the lone Sixer to make multiple three-pointers in the game, going 2 for 7 beyond the arc. 

The team hasn’t shot well from three-point territory in either their opening-night victory against the Knicks or on Thursday. They’ve hit only 18 of their 68 threes (26.5 percent) so far.  Both wins have been largely about defense and accessing a lofty level in the second half.

“No shade to anyone that’s been here, but in the past a lot of people would’ve just laid down and tried to move on to the next one,” Joel Embiid said. “We’ve got the talent. I would like for us to not be in that position again in the first place. … That takes a lot of energy. But it was different. I said it after last game: It just feels different. We’ve just got to stay healthy and keep working with each other. 

“The crazy thing, looking at it, I think we only made three or four threes in that (second-half) run. It was all putting our heads down, getting stops, getting to the rim at will — everybody on the team. Defensively, picking up the ball. Usually, when teams make that type of comeback, it’s a bunch of threes.”

Maxey has been in the middle of nearly everything and appears on his typical trajectory of true year-over-year improvement. 

In addition to the speed, sensational shotmaking and ever-growing leadership, he’s nabbed five steals over the first two games and taken pride in playing high-pressure, high-effort defense on the ball. He picked James Harden up full court and even got into a mini-shoving match with his former teammate in the fourth quarter. 

“This is a very competitive group,” Maxey said. My only message (at halftime) was, ‘Well, it’s time to see what we’re made of. Are we going to be some frontrunners … and only be happy when stuff is good? Or when stuff is bad, are we going to fight and be resilient?’ We did that.”

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse believes Maxey has made “a confidence or maturity level jump.” He’s been pleased with the constant defensive progress, too. 

“He’s out there battling,” Nurse said. “Especially when it’s time to knuckle down and get a stop, he’s out there really playing.”

With all the stars surrounding him, Maxey’s backcourt mate will likely fly under the radar at times this season.

However, the elated home fans appreciated VJ Edgecombe’s work in the second half. The second-year guard received a big cheer when he stayed in the game with a bloody nose caused by James’ inadvertent elbow. Edgecombe chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. 

“I’m good, man,” Edgecombe said with a smile, gauze in his nostril. “I’m blessed. Thank God there’s nothing bad. But if there was, (James) can buy me a new nose.”

Edgecombe saw Thursday’s comeback as a glimpse of what the Sixers might become many months down the line. 

“We’re a new team, but at the end of the day, we have a goal we’re trying to accomplish,” he said. “That comes with storms we’re going to have to weather. … We’ve got to fight through a lot of adversity. 

“It looks good on paper with the names and everything, but we still have to go out there and play hard. I feel like that kind of showed a little bit … of what we are and who we can be.”