Category: NBA

LOS ANGELES – Walker Kessler had as good a look as anybody inside Crypto.com Arena at the biggest shot of the night.

The Los Angeles Lakers big man grabbed a Sidy Cissoko airball with six seconds left in the first half, handed the ball to Luka Dončić, set a screen for him and let the Luka Magic happen from there. Dončić launched a 62-footer from the top of the opposite key. The crowd held their breath with what felt more like anticipation than anxiety as the ball floated high in the air before coming back down and banking into the net for yet another unreal buzzer-beater.

"He's incredible to watch," Walker said after the Lakers' 124-118 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. "He's incredible to play alongside. He's my MVP. I think it's pretty clear right now."

Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori had the utmost praise for Dončić when he spoke with reporters at Crypto.com Arena on Friday afternoon, saying the Slovenian superstar "can do anything in the world."

Dončić proved his opponent's point in the closing seconds of the first half.

What made the shot even more notable, perhaps, was that the Lakers had collectively struggled shooting the ball up to that point, starting 0-for-15 from 3-point range and falling behind by as many as 16. Dončić's shot at the end of the half was just LA's fourth make from deep in 23 attempts; it also sent the Lakers into the locker room having cut the Portland lead to just seven points.

"I think it changes the whole energy, in the team and in the gym. I thought it was an important shot to make," Dončić said before cracking a smile. "So that's why I decided to make it."

LUKA JUST SANK IT FROM 3/4 COURT 🤯

Bruce Springsteen can’t believe what he just witnessed! pic.twitter.com/D0a9aSnwuX

— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2026

But it's not just Dončić who has an unshakeable confidence when it comes to that kind of shot, which he works on meticulously after practices and shootarounds. His teammates are starting to expect them to go in.

"At this point, it's pretty normal for him," Jake LaRavia said. "It's high difficulty for a lot of players, but it's pretty easy for him. I feel like he's just been playing at such a high level. Incredible offensive talent."

And true to what Dončić expected, a switch flipped for the rest of the night.

The Lakers dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Trail Blazers 34-15 in the frame behind 20 points from Dončić, who has now dropped at least 40 in four consecutive games, joining Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor and George Mikan as the only players in franchise history to do so. Dončić finished the night with a season-high 53 points, five rebounds and five assists. That brings his average up to an unthinkable 40.1 points per game, something that hasn't been accomplished since Wilt Chamberlain.

"I'm having a lot of fun," Dončić said. "Obviously playing basketball, it's a lot of fun for me. It's more when you play like this and when you win games. It's been like this my whole life. Basketball was my dream. Playing in the NBA was my dream."

The 27-year-old has completely kicked in the door and is dominating the early MVP conversation amid this historic hot streak.

Dončić currently leads Lorenzo Reyes' NBA MVP rankings, and a performance like the one on Friday only furthers the hold Dončić has on the top spot. Just listen to the multiple "M-V-P" chants that echoed through the building at various points in the night.

Not that MVP discussions have much meaning at all 10 games into an 82-game season. Head coach JJ Redick himself said pregame he doesn't get into those talks until they're at least 50 games in. But the level Dončić has been playing at makes it hard not to at least acknowledge it.

Redick, who has previously called Dončić a supernova, was asked if he's running out of superlatives to describe his best player. His response?

"Sure. I'm gonna just sit around and we'll gather one day, come up with more superlatives so I have more words ready," he said sarcastically. "For now, I don't have any words."

LUKA JUST DROPPED 53 POINTS 🚨

🪄 53 PTS
🪄 5 REB
🪄 5 AST
🪄 5 3PM
🪄 @emirates NBA Cup Group Play W

FIRST LAKER SINCE KOBE BRYANT (JAN 10-14, 2012) TO SCORE 40+ PTS IN 4 STRAIGHT GAMES 🤯 pic.twitter.com/auJqrGlwrk

— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2026

The Lakers look like the real deal early on. Their chemistry is off the charts; that much was on full display with their 17 total assists on Friday, or in Kessler's 16-point, 12-rebound night, or Austin Reaves' 25 points.

But Dončić has been the engine behind it all. He's playing like the best player in the NBA, and the team is that much better because of it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Luka Dončić already an MVP lock? Lakers star continues torrid start with 53-point outburst

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers avenged their opening-night collapse by thoroughly outplaying the Philadelphia 76ers for 48 minutes, leading to a 119-95 victory.

Three stars of the game

First star: Donovan Mitchell

23 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds

The Cavs need Mitchell to look to get teammates involved, but that can’t come at the expense of his aggressiveness. The start to this game was the prime example of the balance you want to see from Mitchell.

Mitchell got the scoring going with two layups attacking the basket and then a running jumper in transition in the first minute and a half of the game. That opened up avenues for him to find his teammates, which he did during the rest of the first quarter, resulting in three assists.

That opening set the tempo for what was a complete game from Mitchell. He was the undisputed best player on the court. It’s no surprise the Cavs won the minutes he played by 28.

“He feels the moment, he knows we needed this win,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He made some great passes too. He was very aggressive tonight.”

Second star: Evan Mobley

22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Mobley filled in admirably for Jarrett Allen at center. He controlled the paint on both ends and showed his range as a shooter, going 3-for-4 from deep. Comfortably hitting threes like he has been this season opens up Cleveland’s entire offense and allows him to easily fit at the four and the five. This was the ideal version of Mobley.

“He’s really playing great basketball,” Atkinson said.

Third star: Mario Hezonja

15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

The Cavs needed rebounding and a scoring punch from the bench considering who was out of the lineup. Hezonja provided both. He took advantage of mismatches inside, going 4-for-4 on shots inside the arc.

Hezonja is slowly becoming an integral part of this team. His presence has become invaluable over the first nine games.

Duds of the game

LeBron James

8 points on 3-of-12 shooting, 7 rebounds, 6 turnovers

You could make a convincing argument that the Cavs would be at the top of the conference if James chose them in free agency instead. Cleveland has dropped games due to a failure to close out contests and poor rebounding. James would help immensely in both aspects. That said, those benefits didn’t exactly come through in this dreadful performance.

James wasn’t able to establish any kind of rhythm. He couldn’t create any separation whenever he attacked off the dribble, and he wasn’t able to get out into the open court. On top of that, he had only two more points than he had giveaways. That all added up to arguably his worst professional game ever played in Cleveland.

Joel Embiid

6 points on 0-of-9, 7 rebounds, 1 assist

Embiid struggled mightily. He had a difficult time getting around Mobley and generating clean looks. This resulted in going 0-for-9 from the field. On the other end, he couldn’t move laterally quickly enough to hang with Mobley.

Cavalier who deserves a shoutout

Peyton Watson

13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists

This wasn’t a standout offensive performance, but his energy and effort on the glass made him a difference maker. That matters for a player who is being asked to fill very different roles depending on who he’s sharing the court with.

Play of the game

Meleek d'ing up the 👑 pic.twitter.com/Lc65yxqcpl

— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) November 7, 2026

Meleek Thomas plays with a confidence that can’t be taught. Sequences like this show that.

LeBron got the mismatch against Thomas, except the rookie didn’t realize that it was a mismatch. Thomas held his ground, and then forced a steal that led to a basket on the other end.

“He’s talented, man,” Atkinson said of Thomas.

Quote of the day

“Nothing can get as worse as December 2, 2010, from a reception standpoint. I’ve seen the end of the depths of hell when it comes to reception here, all the way to the heavens above. So anything in between is easy money.”

– LeBron James on his return to Cleveland

Cavs fans gave James a respectful, but apathetic welcome home.

Stat of the game

The Cavs took 43% of their shots at the rim (92nd percentile). This allowed them to outscore the Sixers 50-30 in the paint.

Cleveland’s offense is at its best when it’s getting inside. They were able to do that with ease on Friday.

Main takeaway from this game: This is what the best version of the Cavs looks like

Consistency has been an issue for the Cavs this season. They showed glimpses of how good they can be, but had yet to show it for 48 minutes against a quality opponent. Even in their impressive win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, they struggled for prolonged stretches in the first half. This game, however, was different, due to the contributions of their three stars.

Mitchell, James Harden, and Mobley all fulfilled their roles perfectly. Mitchell was dynamic on ball as a scorer and passer. That energy carried the offense. Harden battled defensively and kept the offense on schedule. His steady hand helped Cleveland maintain their grasp of the game. Mobley controlled the paint on both ends, taking advantage of his slower frontcourt opponents.

There’s a downstream effect to the stars playing well. The rest of the rotation was able to more easily slot into their roles, even though they were shorthanded. Players like Meleek Thomas, Tyrese Proctor, and Mario Hezonja have much simpler and more defined roles when they’re able to play off the stars and aren’t forced to pick up the slack. That makes it easier for them to excel, as they did.

This all added up to a convincing and thorough beatdown of the team with the most wins in the league while also being the antithesis of the opening-night collapse.

The Cavs have shown incredible highs and low lows through nine games. At this point, we don’t know who this team will be on a night-to-night basis, and they haven’t quite discovered their identity. Yet, the talent is there. If they can put the pieces together, they have the potential to be dangerous.

The San Antonio Spurs got their first taste of Emirates Cup play on their successful trip to the home of the struggling Sacramento Kings. Despite the Kings being overmatched in talent, they gave a solid effort looking for their second win that made the Spurs sweat at times.

Things started getting ugly as the visitors kept plugging away on the glass and raised their lead to 16 points in the non-Victor Wembanyama minutes thanks in part to their 3-point shooting, ball security and Keldon Johnson’s hustle. They went on to have their second-highest scoring first half of the season (76), but had trouble getting back into their flow in the third quarter. 

Their large cushion was soon sliced nearly in half until Wemby led the charge that got them back on track. There were some defensive lapses in the following period, but the Spurs quickly atoned for them with a 3-pointer or a move inside.

Observations

• They were playing like they thought it would be easy early, allowing open 3-point attempts and transition baskets, but the flow of the game started changing when the Spurs started consistently getting to the line. The trickle effect was forcing the Kings to slow down offensively and take more bad shots, which put the Spurs in the transition.
• Wembanyama was merciless, scoring 30 points on 55.6 shooting at short and long range, while adding 14 rebounds and two blocks. He took his final rest with eight minutes left as the Spurs were up 22 points.
• Darius Acuff Jr. has been the league’s highest-scoring rookie, yet he can be a bit of a chucker, so the Spurs defended him mostly without help and in drop coverage on screen rolls. The strategy was more successful in the first half, holding him to 37.5 percent shooting, yet he started getting loose after.
• For a while, the Spurs were making mincemeat of the Kings, even having Acuff and Leaky Black frustrated with each other within five minutes of the game. It started with Devin Vassell’s early marksmanship helping steady the offense, and then Victor Wembanyama’s inside pressure piled on, leaving them without answers.  The Kings would also go to a zone when Wemby sat, but the ball movement made them pay for it. 
• The Kings do a bad job of helping the helper, which resulted in tons of clean outside looks and the Spurs setting a new season high in 3-point percentage. Wemby and Vassell combined for nine 3-point makes. 
• The Spurs had a rough start to the third quarter, making 25 percent of their attempts through eight minutes. The Kings made four 3-pointers in that span, yet the flow started slowly turning back to the Spurs because the Kings could not defend without fouling, again. To boot, the Spurs went on to shot the most free throws of the season (42).
• In the first half, Stephon Castle was too strong on the move to be denied. He wasn’t as assertive later but finished an emphatic lob supplied by Wemby. He finished with 19 points on 53.8 percent shooting with seven assists against one turnover.
• Crisis averted: Domantas Sabonis committed a flagrant one by sticking his foot under Wembanyama’s landing space on a 3-point attempt, causing his ankle to roll. Wemby made two-of-three at the line and subsequently looked fine in the next half.
• De’Aaron Fox didn’t have the biggest night on the stat sheet, but made good reads that helped take and maintain the lead. 
• Aside from the trophy, each player on the winning side of the in-season tournament gets $604,985.

The Long Island Nets had several individual performances worth recognizing in Friday’s G League opener and after all development is the point, but they ultimately couldn’t do enough to overcome the Greensboro Swarm, falling 121-111 at Novant Health Fieldhouse.

The game was close throughout with 12 lead changes and three ties. After going down 60-55 at the half, Long Island was still down only four, 87-83 at the end of the third, the Swarm took over, outscoring the Nets, 34-28.

It was a frustrating result for Long Island, considering the contributions it received from multiple players, whether on assignment from Brooklyn, two-ways or Exhibit 10s. Arguably, the biggest positive came from two-way Grant Nelson, who delivered an impressive double-double and established himself as the team’s leading performer … at least for opening night.

The 24-year-old 7-footer finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. The big man was active throughout his time on the floor, shooting 8-of-16 from the field and collecting six offensive rebounds. His ability to create additional possessions off the glass gave the Nets an important presence inside. The only negative for the Alabama product was his failure to hit on any of his five 3-pointers.

Nelson added two assists, one steal, and one block for a solid all-around performance. In a game that ended in a 10-point defeat, Nelson’s performance was the clearest bright spot for the Nets.

Nelson’s performance is an especially encouraging first step considering how limited his opportunities were last season. He appeared in just four games with Brooklyn, spending much of his time trying to establish himself despite knee issues that he says are now resolved after a summer of rehab.

There were also positive performances from two of the Nets 2026 picks.

Joshua Jefferson, taken with the 28th pick, had a solid showing with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and only one turnover. The Iowa State product shot 5-of-9 from the field and connected on three of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. A 6’9”, 240-pound point forward, he was selected by Brooklyn primarily because of his versatility which includes an ability to score from the perimeter while helping on the glass.

Tyler Bilodeau, the 6’9” sharpshooter taken at No. 43 in June, also provided a valuable offensive contribution, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists. He also recorded five steals, giving Long Island an impact beyond his scoring. Bilodeau’s five steals marked the highest number of thefts ever by a Long Island Nets player in a NBA G League debut.

The 2026 second-round selection out of UCLA, who like Nelson is on a two-way contract, shot 5-of-10 from the field and 3-of-7 from 3-point range.

On the other hand, Drake Powell, one of two members of the Flatbush 5 assigned to Long Island, had a difficult night offensively. The second year player finished with six points on 2-of-6 shooting, missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. He grabbed four rebounds and recorded three assists. He did record a block and a steal but the Nets needed more production from him. It was a game where his shot simply wasn’t falling.

Ben Saraf, the other Brooklyn Nets player on assignment, also struggled to find his shooting touch. The 6’6” 20-year-old finished with eight points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field and just 1-of-8 from 3-point range. He had opportunities to make an impact as a scorer but couldn’t get enough shots to fall. He also finished with three turnovers in 32 minutes.

There was at least one positive to take away from Saraf’s performance: his playmaking. The young guard recorded a team-high seven assists, showing his ability to create opportunities. Defensively, he also added two steals. Saraf, a 2025 first-round pick who came to Brooklyn from German club Ratiopharm Ulm, is still adjusting to the NBA system and the professional game in North America.

Beyond the draft picks and two ways, there were some encouraging signs among the guys hoping to move up the G League ladder.

Isaiah Wong is the most experienced Long Island player, having played more than 20 games in the NBA as well as a season in the Spanish league. The 6’4” guard finished with 16 points, six steals, two assists and one rebound in 31 minutes. He shot an efficient 7-of-12 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range.

Dion Brown was another bright spot off the bench, recording 15 points in just 16 minutes. The St. Louis product shot 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Brown went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft but played well in the Summer League.

One of the most encouraging performances came from Dain Dainja, who made an immediate impression in his first game with the team. Coming off the bench, the 6’9” big with the gargantuan 7’7” wingspan finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes. He was efficient offensively, shooting 6-of-10 from the field.

Long Island won’t have to wait long for an opportunity to respond . The Nets will remain in Greensboro for a rematch against the Swarm on Saturday, November 7, continuing the two-game opening-weekend series at Novant Health Fieldhouse.

After allowing 121 points in the opener, Long Island will look to make defensive adjustments and find a way to slow down Greensboro while building on the positives from Nelson’s double-double and the contributions from its bench.

• Boxscore: Greensboro Swarm 121, Long Island Nets 111 – G League

Luka Doncic kept it real ahead of Friday’s game between the Lakers and Trail Blazers.

The Western Conference matchup streamed on Amazon Prime, where Doncic’s mentor and friend Dirk Nowitzki is a part of the NBA crew’s studio show. The former NBA champion sang the superstar’s praises ahead of the matchup, and Doncic was asked if he had anything to say to Nowitzki.

“He don’t even call. He’s in LA and he don’t even call no more, so I expect that dinner soon,” Doncic said. “I expect that call.”

Of course, Doncic was playfully calling out his friend, who has been a longtime supporter of the guard since he was with the Mavericks. Doncic and Nowitzki were franchise stars in Dallas, but the former never got his happy ending with the organization.

Instead, the Mavericks shockingly traded Doncic to the Lakers in February 2025. The blockbuster deal stunned the league and essentially kick-started a new era in Los Angeles.

Now, Doncic is officially the Lakers leader as the team has opened the 2026-27 season as one of the top teams in the West. While the 27-year-old is evidently preoccupied with the Purple-and-Gold, he hasn’t forgotten about his longtime mentor.

Nowitzki was asked about Doncic’s pregame comments during the Amazon Prime NBA halftime show, where he laughed at the Lakers superstar’s cheeky answer.

“I’m big time now,” Nowitzki joked.

The Lakers opened Friday’s home game against the Trail Blazers by missing their first 15 3-point attempts.

But Luka Dončić ended the first half by making the toughest look of them all.

The Slovenian superstar guard banked in a buzzer-beating heave before the second quarter ended from just inside of the 3-point arc from the opposite side of the arc — 61 feet to be exact. 

After the Lakers missed their first 15 3-pointers, Luka Dončić made the toughest one of the night so far with this ¾-court make right before halftime: pic.twitter.com/iLhXHyiw6c

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 7, 2026

The home crowd inside of Crypto.com Arena roared as soon as the shot went through the net, which trimmed the Lakers’ deficit to 60-53 going into halftime. 

It also brought an end to what was a dreadful shooting half for the Lakers.

They only made 4 of 23 shots from beyond the arc in the first two quarters against the Trail Blazers.

Dončić is no stranger to miraculous shots.

He made a buzzer-beating shot from beyond half court in the season-opening win against the Warriors on Oct. 21. 

Luka Dončić’s hot start to the season received an early MVP endorsement from an opposing coach. 

Trail Blazers coach Micah Nori had high praise for the Lakers superstar ahead of Friday’s matchup between the Lakers and Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena.

Dončić entered Friday with averages of 38.5 points on 49.5% shooting (43.1% on 3-pointers), 8.1 rebounds, eight assists and 1.8 steals.

The Trail Blazers saw the first glimpses of the Slovenian star’s strong play when he dropped 41 points to go with nine assists and five rebounds in the Lakers’ first loss of the season on Oct. 27.

“This is the best shape I’ve ever seen him in,” Nori said of Dončić pregame. “And what I mean by that is back in the day — and again we didn’t have a whole lot of success, he beat us in the [2024] Western Conference finals — but it was like pick [him] up full court. He’s gonna play a lot of minutes, wear him down and then later in the game you could maybe switch on this to him and then he might have a harder time going around people. But I don’t see that.”

The Trail Blazers coach agreed with NBA.com’s first MVP ladder ranking, which had Dončić at the top. 

“He’s playing at an elite level,” Nori said. “Watching him, it just looks to me like he is in elite shape. He’s playing with a great amount of confidence. He’s got shooters around him, and he has a rolling big. So for him, it’s a perfect offensive storm. And he’s the MVP right now.”

Technically, this game counts as a schedule advantage for the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets haven’t played since Wednesday, but the Phoenix Suns had a game on Thursday. In fact, this is the third game in four nights for the Suns, so I’m adding it to the counter.

After crashing back to earth after a phenomenal 5-0 start, the Rockets are 2-2 since. The defeat at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves should be a wake-up call for those that were itching to crown the Rockets as contenders. They still could be! It’s a long season.

As most of you are aware, the Rockets own Phoenix’s first round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Therefore, this game has double importance as Houston wants the Suns to be bad (but not too bad!) and the Suns want to make that pick bad (really bad!). These teams got most of the faux bad blood out of the way last year, especially when Kevin Durant finally played in Phoenix late in the season. The Rockets should win this game, but never underestimate a motivated Dillon Brooks or Jalen Green. Add in Rockets killers Luke Kennard, Collin Gillespie, and Pat Spencer (hmm…what do they all have in common?) and you get a recipe for a “We didn’t take them seriously” loss. And that’s before I mention Devin Booker, Miles Bridges, Ryan Dunn, and (kinda once-Rocket) Khaman Maluach.

Tip-off

8pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Clint Capela: GTD

Steven Adams: OUT

Suns

Mark Williams: OUT

Rasheer Fleming: OUT

Jordan Goodwin: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Schedule Advantage Counter

Rockets: 2

Opponents: 2

Looking ahead because we can

Monday night in Houston against the Denver Nuggets

The Lakers are one of the Western Conference’s best teams.

Their early success can be tied to Luka Doncic‘s MVP performance to kick off the 2026-27 season. Doncic is in many ways overlooked even with his strong start to the season, but his warmup shots never cease to amaze.

At Crypto.com Arena, Doncic drained a wild shot from the corner 3 on Friday night. The ball flew higher than the retired jerseys hanging in the rafters.

Just warming up pic.twitter.com/hwD4oxQOnv

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 7, 2026

Yet while his warmup shots may be flashy, Doncic isn’t known for his finesse on the court. Instead, the Lakers superstar is praised for the pace he plays with and his ability to control the offense.

Entering Friday’s game against the Trail Blazers, Doncic averaged 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, eight assists and 1.8 steals. He was shooting 49.5% from the field and 43.1% from beyond the arc.

He seems to be proving the rest of the league wrong as Doncic received zero votes for MVP in a survey done by NBA general managers ahead of the season.

The Lakers still have issues to address, but their strong start to the season has intertwined with Doncic’s marvelous performance thus far. If the Lakers and their superstar can continue trending in the right direction, there’s a chance LA can be a legitimate contender down the stretch.

LOS ANGELES — For as poorly as the Los Angeles Lakers shot the ball in the first half, Luka Dončić's buzzer-beater might serve as a wake-up call.

Dončić got the ball off a Walker Kessler rebound with six seconds left before halftime, dribbled up to the top of the opposite key and launched a 62-foot Hail Mary that he practices religiously. Maybe that's why it looked good coming out of his hand.

The Crypto.com Arena crowd − including Bruce Springsteen − could hardly contain their excitement as the ball sailed through the air, and erupted as it banked in to send the Lakers into the locker room with just their fourth made 3 in 23 attempts, giving them some much-needed momentum as they cut the Portland Trail Blazers' lead to seven points after trailing by as many as 16 in the second quarter.

LUKA JUST SANK IT FROM 3/4 COURT 🤯

Bruce Springsteen can’t believe what he just witnessed! pic.twitter.com/D0a9aSnwuX

— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2026

The Lakers' uncharacteristic offensive struggles on Friday night, however, haven't seemed to rub off on Dončić. He leads the team with 20 points on 43.8% shooting to go along with two assists and two rebounds. He's the only Laker in double figures; Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves are closest to him with eight points apiece.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Luka Doncic's impressive 62-foot 3-pointer to beat halftime buzzer

The Toronto Raptors secured their first NBA Cup victory of the season, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 at Fiserv Forum.

Raptors guard Alijah Martin was the standout performer, recording 27 points off the bench and providing the spark Toronto needed to secure the win.

The Raptors were without Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who were both sidelined with injuries. In their absence, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles were called upon to step up, joining Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl in the starting line-up.

The Bucks got off to a strong start, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. opening the scoring with a lay-up and a three-pointer. Milwaukee also found success on the offensive glass, building an early 7-0 run before Murray-Boyles ended it with a dunk off a nice pass from Shead.

Toronto struggled to find its rhythm offensively, continuing a trend seen throughout much of the season. Despite creating quality scoring opportunities, the Raptors had difficulty converting their looks, while Milwaukee continued to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.

The Bucks extended their advantage with a 10-0 run following a Raptors timeout midway through the opening quarter. However, Toronto responded late in the frame, with Murray-Boyles, Martin and Jamison Battle helping spark a 17-5 run to cut the deficit to just two points.

Martin was particularly impressive, knocking down two three-pointers and converting both of his free throws. He finished the opening quarter with a career-high 14 points, showcasing his scoring ability from beyond the arc.

Despite Milwaukee’s strong start, Toronto battled back to close the gap, trailing 29-24 heading into the second quarter.

Milwaukee carried its momentum into the second quarter, with Brayden Burries and Ryan Rollins quickly finding the basket to extend the Bucks’ lead to eight.

The two teams continued to trade baskets midway through the frame, with Shead and Murray-Boyles connecting for Toronto. Shead was particularly effective as a playmaker, recording seven assists in the quarter.

The Bucks began to pull away once again, led by a strong performance from Burries, who contributed a tough lay-up and a three-pointer.

He had 15 points and seven rebounds as Milwaukee extended its advantage to 12. A subsequent 7-0 run, capped by a basket from Kyle Kuzma, pushed the lead to 14 and prompted Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković to call a timeout.

Toronto responded with a late push, highlighted by a three-pointer from Martin and a tough and-one finish from Barrett. Shead continued to create opportunities for his teammates, recording his 10th assist of the half. Despite the late surge, Milwaukee maintained its advantage, taking a 60-51 lead into half-time.

Toronto came out of the half with a renewed sense of urgency, quickly cutting into Milwaukee’s lead. Shead recorded his 11th assist of the night, finding Poeltl, who kept the ball in play before finishing with a smooth finger roll.

A subsequent steal led to a Walter dunk, bringing the Raptors within five. Shead continued to find Poeltl, setting him up for two more baskets as Toronto pulled within one.

Martin then gave Toronto its first lead of the night with a three-pointer midway through the quarter. However, Milwaukee responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Tyler Herro and Jaquez Jr., followed by an alley-oop finish to extend its advantage. The Bucks put together a 10-2 run after briefly surrendering the lead.

Shead continued to lead Toronto’s offence, recording his 13th assist with a pass over the defence to Collin Murray-Boyles. The rookie then found Martin for another basket to tie the game. Shead also recorded a double-double as the Raptors began to build a five-point advantage.

Murray-Boyles added a strong and-one finish, while Milwaukee continued to battle to stay within reach. Toronto’s third-quarter response proved crucial, as the Raptors carried a narrow two-point lead into the final frame.

Toronto opened the final quarter with a jumper from Jaden Bradley, followed by another three-pointer from Martin to extend the Raptors’ lead to seven, their largest of the night at that point.

Martin continued to deliver from beyond the arc, knocking down another big three to bring his total to 27 points.

The two teams continued to trade baskets, with Milwaukee answering nearly every Toronto scoring run. The Bucks refused to go away quietly, keeping the game competitive as both sides looked to gain control down the stretch.

However, Toronto began to pull away as its defence tightened and the offence found its rhythm. The Raptors built a 12-point advantage before Poeltl recorded a double-double late in the game, helping put the result beyond Milwaukee’s reach. Barrett also contributed with key baskets as Toronto extended its lead to 15. The Raptors continued to push late due to the fact that point differentials mean a lot in this tournament.

Milwaukee could not find an answer in the closing minutes, allowing the Raptors to see out the victory.

It was far from the prettiest of wins, but that has been the Raptors’ approach throughout much of the season: finding ways to get the job done, regardless of how they get there.

Slow starts offensively continue to be a concern, while Toronto also struggled at the free-throw line, an area that will need improvement moving forward.

Martin was one of the biggest positives, taking advantage of his opportunities and finishing with 27 points. He has also shown strong chemistry alongside Jamal Shead, who had an outstanding night with a double-double, recording 16 assists and 10 points. Shead continues to demonstrate the potential to become Toronto’s starting point guard of the future.

Barrett also put together another impressive performance, finishing with 27 points. Poeltl was equally important, recording a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. It has been a difficult season for Poeltl, but hopefully this performance gives him something to build on moving forward.

Murray-Boyles also looked more comfortable playing at forward rather than centre, which could be something worth exploring as the season progresses.

Toronto will look to carry this momentum into its next outing when it returns home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, November 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Bell Ringer Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 3.5
Jaylen Brown – 1.5
VJ Edgecombe – 1
Joel Embiid – 1
LeBron James – 1
Anfernee Simons – 1

---

I know it worked last time, but fall behind by double figures almost immediately should not have remained the Sixers’ default strategy when facing the Cleveland Cavaliers. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, Philadelphia fought back to pull within just two points midway through the third quarter. This time, however, the Cavaliers absorbed Philly’s counterpunch and put the Sixers back on the ropes. Philadelphia channeled last year’s third quarter team in suddenly collapsing the rest of the way in the frame, suddenly trailing by 17 points again heading into the final 12 minutes. The Sixers couldn’t complete the comeback this time, with Cleveland building upon their advantage to go on to win, 119-95. Philadelphia falls to 1-1 in NBA Cup East Group B action, blowing up their point differential in the process. Let’s take a look at tonight’s positive performances before moving past this one.

VJ Edgecombe: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 0 turnovers

On a night when the team’s two former NBA MVPs struggled mightily, it was the second-year stud who tried to put the Sixers on his back. Edgecombe scored 15 points in the second quarter alone to drag Philadelphia back into the game. He hit a trio of three-pointers, one that almost looked like a no-dip shot from the corner off some nice Sixers ball movement. Additionally, VJ created looks for himself, knocking down a couple of tough, fadeaway jumpers. It was a giant foam finger to all the “this roster will stunt VJ’s development” doomers. What a luxury to have this budding star as the fifth option in the offense, ready and able to attack the opposing side’s weakest defender.

.@vj_edgecombe for three. pic.twitter.com/QRtdGEsTbD

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 7, 2026

Jaylen Brown – 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers

Jaylen didn’t have the scoring explosion of Wednesday night in Detroit, but it was still a solid performance from the former Celtic, who shot 9-of-19 from the field. It was a slow start to the game for Brown, who didn’t attempt his first shot until a little over one minute remained in the first quarter. Like Edgecombe, Brown did his best work in the second quarter, tallying nine points and a pair of assists in the frame to add least temporarily get the Sixers back into contention. Brown can bide his time within the structure of the offense, scoring off well-timed cuts or converting spot-up looks. But where he really differentiates himself is with those high degree-of-difficulty mid-range looks, where he can hit a fadeaway without even a sliver of space. It’s a wonderful tool to have available for those clogged offensive moments.

JB closing the gap with back-to-back buckets: pic.twitter.com/dUdFTJaJTp

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 7, 2026

Jabari Walker – 8 points, 5 rebounds, 0 turnovers

With Adem Bona unavailable, Walker received expanded run at the backup center spot. I loved the energy he brought to the floor, keeping multiple possessions alive with his hustle on the offensive glass. Jabari also worked hard on the defensive end and it never appeared as though the Sixers were hurt by any sort of size disadvantage during those parts of the rotation. He continues to play well when given opportunities and we could be reaching a point where Walker gets more run during certain matchups even on occasions Bona is active.

In a really disappointing opening NBA Cup game, the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the injury-ravaged Toronto Raptors 121-107. The only real positive to come out of the night was Brayden Burries’ breakout game (as I predicted!): he scored a career-high 21 points on 8/14 shooting, plus 11 rebounds (five offensive) and six assists. For the Raptors, second-year man Alijah Martin went off for a career-high 27 points on 6/7 from deep.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

The Bucks got off to a blinding start, leading 15-4 after five minutes largely thanks to Brayden Burries, who was electric as a rebounder to kick this one off; Burries had a maniacal five rebounds in the first four minutes, two of which came on the offensive glass. Unfortunately, Myles Turner picked up two quick fouls, which meant early minutes for Kel’el Ware; and while Ware did some good things, the Raptors seemed perfectly content leaving him open from three, and the Bucks’ offence stalled when he kept missing. Before long, it was a one-possession game after Alijah Martin nailed three spot-up triples in short order. Thankfully, Ryan Rollins scored five points in the final two minutes to put the Bucks up 29-24 after one.

Burries opened the second with a baseline hammer, followed by a Rollins and-one to push Milwaukee’s lead out to eight. The Bucks knuckled down on defence for the next few minutes, and a Burries mid-range jumper forced the Raptors to call a timeout as the home side led by double digits about halfway through the period. After going scoreless in the first quarter for the third straight game, Tyler Herro finally began to heat up in the second, nailing a step-back jumper against the waning shot clock and making some great interior passes. Burries was fantastic, nailing his first three to reach a career-high 15 points (on 7/10 shooting) with just over two minutes left in the first half! Much to Milwaukee’s dismay, though, Toronto closed on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to single digits, 60-51, at the major break.

The Bucks began the third lethargic, unable to generate good shots as the Raptors opened on an 11-4 run. Milwaukee was getting by on ticky-tack foul calls, while Toronto was running smooth offence. The visitors took their first lead at the six-minute mark after another Martin triple, but Herro and Jaquez responded with threes of their own to take it back; a transition lob to Nate Ament a few plays later capped Milwaukee’s 10-2 run and forced the Raptors timeout. Of course, the visitors responded in a flash with a 6-0 spurt as Jenkins called a timeout. Both teams mostly held serve from there on out, with a late AJ Green bomb bringing the Bucks to within two, 89-87, after three quarters.

The Bucks began the fourth like the third: unfocused and lethargic. With Herro taking a break, Rollins assumed point guard duties and did not do a good job, as he threw a reckless whip pass to Turner in the middle of the floor; the Raptors then went down the other end to grab their own rebound and find Martin for his fifth three of the night to add to his career high—really disappointing stuff. Jenkins had to sub Herro back in much earlier than (I assume) he wanted to, as the Bucks went down seven, but thankfully, AJ Green kept them in it with timely threes. Milwaukee made a few runs but could not execute (on either end) when they needed to, losing in ugly fashion to a depleted Raptors outfit.

Stat That Stood Out

Before AJ Green’s three at the buzzer, the Bucks had scored just 17 points in the fourth. The physical Raptors defence had completely strangled them.

Obscene Overreaction

Myles Turner would beat out pillows, butter, and kittens for the softest things on this earth.

The Lakers recently sent two of their youngest players to their G League affiliate.

Rookie Cameron Carr and third-year guard Bronny James are on assignment with the Coachella Valley Lakers. Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed the messaging he shared with Carr and James on the decision.

“You guys need reps, and you need to play,” Redick said.

Cameron Carr and Bronny James will rejoin the team for the upcoming three-game trip at Detroit, Atlanta and Milwaukee, per JJ Redick. https://t.co/FstOHJ6TLY

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 7, 2026

The Lakers’ No. 24 overall draft pick began the season with an oblique injury but made his NBA debut last Sunday against the Raptors. Since then, Carr has played a minute in a total of three games.

James, whose $2.3 million contract was fully guaranteed in the offseason, has competed in five games this season and totaled 2.4 minutes.

As bench players, Carr and James evidently haven’t received much playing time as the Lakers continue their strong start to the season. Given their limited minutes, the Lakers’ decision to send them to Coachella Valley allows the pair to get the reps they haven’t received at the NBA level.

That’s not to say Carr and James won’t contribute to the team as the season goes on.

The guards are set to rejoin the Lakers for their upcoming three-game road trip to Detroit, Atlanta and Milwaukee.

When Joe Tsai bought a 49% stake in the Brooklyn Nets in 2017, he and longtime investment partner Ollie Weisberg saw value in the NBA’s “limited” supply of teams and the growing market for live sports — starting in Brooklyn. Opportunities to buy into the league are rare, let alone to own one of two teams in the country’s largest market.

“We wanted to invest in sports because we think it’s a phenomenal financial investment,” Weisberg told Barron’s Patti Domm in a recent interview. “We believe that live sports is extremely unique. Live sports bring people together.”

Weisberg graduated from Harvard, where he studied international development economics and Chinese before writing his thesis on Russian and Chinese privatization. He later joined Goldman Sachs where he worked on the firm’s original Series A investment in Alibaba and negotiated the term sheet with Tsai. After a decade working for Ken Griffin of investment giant Citadel, he reunited with Tsai to build Blue Pool Capital. And when Tsai bought into the Nets, Weisberg joined him as a minority owner and vice chair of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.

Their new partnership was rooted in the changing economics of live sports.

“We believed that we would ride along with the growth of media rights, which primarily, five, 10, 15 years ago were in cable. But as you know, we’ve had a shift to OTT (over-the-top distribution) on your phone through streaming, and so we believed that would grow. That was a long-term bet on that trend. Then you layer in the concept of buying an asset where there is fixed supply. There were only 30 [NBA] teams.

“We believed that Brooklyn is a massively growing part of New York City,” he told Domm. “The team went from Jersey to Brooklyn back in 2012. We were very focused on how we could participate long term in owning control of a team. It’s not that often that control deals are on the table. We actually bought the team from Mikhail Prokhorov in two tranches. It allowed us to wade in as a minority shareholder at 49% and then ultimately take control,” Weisberg said.

The two believed their experience building businesses could help improve the franchise.

“We felt that we could bring our expertise and history of building businesses to turn the team around, both on the court and off the court businesswise,” Weisberg said. While the partnership has yet to produce a title for the Nets, the Liberty won the WNBA championship two years ago and the value of the franchise has more than doubled, per Sportico, going from $3.3 billion in 2019 to an estimated $7.4 billion this year. In addition, the Liberty’s valuation is now seen at more than $600 million, dozens of times greater than the estimated $14 million the Tsais paid James Dolan for it in 2019.

That Brooklyn investment was never intended as a short-term play, said Weisberg. But that doesn’t mean the Tsais are opposed to bringing in outside investors. In 2024, they sold a minority stake in Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Nets, Liberty and Barclays Center, to Julia Koch and her family. Tsai remained chairman of BSE Global and governor of the Nets with Weisberg as the alternate governor.

“We view the Brooklyn Nets as a family asset, and so we capitalize in making it worth more, right? But we’re not capitalizing by looking to sell it,” he said.

Increasing a team’s value also means improving the experience for fans. Weisberg pointed to owners who have invested in the product around the game.

“There have been owners that have taken teams — and we’d like to think we’re part of this group — that have made the product better, made the experience better: the food, the wine, the venues, the club space. That drives higher revenue, more money, therefore more value. I would think of this as a circular reference. Obviously, more funds get attracted, more funds get raised, and team values go up. So, the answer to your question is, unabashedly, yes. It is an asset class that has arrived.”

The Nets and Barclays Center is investing more than $150 million in renovations over five years, part of it financed with the $688 million the Kochs paid for the minority piece. The latest phase, announced in October, includes a redesigned atrium, a 9,000-square-foot event-level club and a new American Express entrance and lounge.

Technology is another part of that effort.

In September, the Nets announced a multiyear partnership with Alibaba as their official technology and cloud partner. The deal includes 360-degree replay technology and the Nets Figure Lab.

The arena and technology investments are part of a broader approach to sports ownership that extends beyond Brooklyn. Among other sports assets, Blue Pool Capital’s portfolio includes a three percent stake in the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and SailGP, an international sailing league founded by Larry Ellison, the founder of tech giant Oracle. Last year, Bloomberg estimated that Tsai’s sports investments were nearly equal to the value of his stock in Alibaba.

“We’re looking at Formula One. We have quite a lot of activity in lacrosse. I get decks (investment proposals) on new teams and leagues every day… Soccer is an area we’ll look at. It’s about understanding the league, and then understanding which team, like we did with the Brooklyn Nets,” Weisberg said.

That approach also applies to the market surrounding a team. Weisberg pointed to Blue Pool’s investment in the Miami Dolphins, where the opportunity extended beyond the football franchise itself. 

“We’re really happy with Miami, and Miami’s really interesting because it owns four assets. It owns The Miami Dolphins, the Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula One race, and the Miami Open. We took a view that the economic development of Miami would also propel ticket sales across all those assets. 

Of course, the Knicks’ success has added another dimension to the competition for basketball fans in New York, but Weisberg said the rivalry is something the organization welcomes.

“I would tell you that this fires us up. We want to compete. It’s great for New York. I’m originally a New Yorker. We’re all New Yorkers, but it is getting us fired up to compete,” Weisberg said.

He also described the relationship between NBA owners as a balance between competition and cooperation.

“One of the things that’s beautiful about the NBA is off the court, we’re business partners. On the court, we compete. A lot of the media rights are shared by the owners. So, when the Knicks won, I’m happy and thrilled for my partner, Jim Dolan, but it’s just going to make us that much more fired up to compete.”

Building the Nets’ audience is another long-term part of the investment. Weisberg said the organization is looking to attract New Yorkers who do not already have a team while developing a connection with younger generations through its community work. The process, he added, won’t be simple or short.

“Strategically, we’re looking at bringing over the marginal 40- or 50-year-old that doesn’t have a team. And then we’re looking through our community work, through our Brooklyn basketball community organization, which includes basketball camps, to long term build a fan base. This is a poignant nuance.

“Building a franchise takes decades. Joe and I are prepared to take the time to do that. When we view ourselves as stewards of the Brooklyn Nets, that’s the mentality you have to have. You may know, during COVID, the early days, we paid all our hourly workers before anybody else did. We’re a community asset,” Weisberg said.

The organization’s Brooklyn Basketball programming has reached more than 50,000 young people annually through free clinics and school programming. The program is also expanding into Greenpoint, Bushwick and Gowanus in 2027.

Weisberg used the word “asset” 11 times in his answers to Barron’s. He described sports as an asset class, NBA franchises as fixed-supply assets, the Nets as a family asset and the organization as a community asset.

Those ideas aren’t mutually exclusive. They see the Nets as a valuable investment, but one whose value also depends on what they build in and around it — a better fan experience, a stronger connection to Brooklyn and a fanbase that can grow over generations.

---