Category: NBA

This is the defense that fueled the championship. 

The one that got less attention but was just as important as the offensive transformation by the Knicks in the postseason last year. The one that remained strong despite 0-3 and 2-4 starts to this season. 

The Knicks entered Wednesday’s game against the Cavs at Madison Square Garden with a defensive rating of 107.3 — fifth best in the NBA. During a stretch in which they won six of seven games, they held opponents under 100 points five times. 

“Just our level of physicality,” coach Mike Brown said about what they’re doing well on that side of the ball. “Our level of physicality without fouling. Because you can be over the top, grabbing and pushing and holding, but our guys, they’re doing their work early. They’re doing their work early and they’re being real physical about it without putting their hands on guys. When you do that and you do that for close to 48 minutes, you usually get good results. And our guys are doing it.” 

Point-of-attack defense was a talking point all year last season, as the Knicks struggled in that department before a dramatic improvement in the postseason. 

Mikal Bridges, despite his struggles on the offensive end to start the year, has been a big reason it has remained strong this season. Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, too, have been earning playing time by how they defend opposing ball handlers. 

“I think our physicality on the defensive end of the floor is at a pretty high level,” Brown said. “And they [are doing] it the right way. They’re doing it without fouling, which is a lot of fun to watch. The point of attack with Landry and Deuce, especially, on the ball, is unbelievable.” 

And the Knicks on Wednesday got one of their best perimeter defenders back in Josh Hart, who had missed the previous three games due to ankle soreness and an illness. 

“He’s tremendous on the ball,” Brown said. “In pick-and-roll situations, we always want our point of confrontation, especially against guys that shoot the ball at the 3-point line, Josh is really good at that. He’s really good at leading with his chest. And he’s strong. He’s a strong guy that knows the league, he knows the players very well. 

“His impact when it comes to guarding the ball, on the perimeter especially, is something that you always miss.” 

Karl-Anthony Towns is defending at a high level in the paint as well. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Knicks entered Wednesday allowing 5.2 less points per 100 possessions when Towns was on the floor. 

Strong perimeter and interior defense has resulted in an elite overall unit. 

“Their level of communication is high,” Brown said. “Their ability to box out is high. Their ability to get back in transition is high. We were hurting in the pick-and-roll game defensively, but we’ve done a better job because the point of attack has been good and our guy guarding the screener has been great, too.”

The Golden State Warriors are rolling, but things are about to get difficult. They’re bringing their eight-game winning streak to the road for a brutal five-game trip that features a date with the defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, a rematch with the New Orleans Pelicans, a trip to Cooper Flagg’s Dallas Mavericks, and a visit to the surprisingly-good Memphis Grizzlies.

But first? A matchup against old friend Kevin Durant and the ultra-talented Houston Rockets. Houston had a whole bunch of injury concerns last year, but have been fairly healthy so far this season, which is certainly more than the Dubs can say. Here’s the full injury report for both teams.

Warriors

Out — Brandon Williams (left hamstring strain)

Williams played less than two minutes during Monday’s win over the Pelicans before leaving with an injured hamstring. We’ll get a bigger update next week, but the spark plug bench option is likely out for a few weeks.

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL repair surgery)
Out — Moses Moody (left knee inflammation)
Out — Kristaps Porziņģis(not with team)

No new news with any of these three … other than Butler’s new foray into assistant coaching.

Probable — Will Richard (left thumb UCL tear)

When the Warriors announced that Richard had a torn UCL in his thumb on Sunday, I thought he’d be out at least a few weeks, and possibly a few months. And yet, it looks like the injury will only cost him a single game … for now, at least. There’s a good chance the thumb will require surgery at some point, and it’s possible that Richard is hoping he can play through the discomfort and put off surgery until the summer.

Rockets

Out — Steven Adams (right soleus strain)

Adams suffered a season-ending injury in the first half of last season, so it was great seeing him healthy when the year kicked off. Unfortunately, he suffered another injury (albeit a much milder one) in just the second game of the season, and hasn’t played since.

Out — Clint Capela (right ankle sprain)

With Adams and Capela out, you might think the Rockets are lacking in size … but they still have Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr., and Oscar Tshiebwe, to make no mention of large forwards Durant and Tari Eason. So I think they’ll be fine on that front.

Enjoy the game, everyone! It tips off at 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors

November 11, 2026

Location: Toyota Center —Houston, Texas

Time: 8:30 PM CST

TV: ESPN

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)

Probable starting lineups

Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun

Nuggets: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos, Draymond Green

Can the Rockets start a new win streak? Tune in tonight and come chat with us at TDS or on the SB Nation App!

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.

The Spurs are on a nine game winning streak and have a pretty good shot to make it 10 in a row with a victory over the struggling Bulls. The Spurs have been so dominant the last couple of games, you begin to wonder if they’re that good or they’re just playing bad teams. That question will not be answered by tonight’s game, but Friday’s NBA Cup game against the Warriors will definitely provide some data to test that hypothesis. The team that wins that game will be unbeaten in the group, and will have an inside track on advancing to the knockout rounds since all of the other teams in the group will have at least one loss.

It’s important not to take games against bad teams lightly, because anything can happen if you don’t prepare properly and take the opponent seriously. It’s the last night of a four game road trip for the Spurs, and they can’t afford to look forward to Friday’s home game against the Warriors. Chicago is well rested, not having played since Sunday when they lost a 127-121 game to the 76ers. Caleb Wilson, the fourth overall pick this year, is starting for them and playing really well. Josh Giddey is holding down the point, and they have a lot of young talent, it just hasn’t come together yet under new head coach Tiago Splitter. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen tonight. Devin Vassell is out tonight, and should be replaced by Julian Champagnie in the starting lineup. Hopefully we will see a lot of Tarris Reed and Jordan McLaughlin, too. I always look forward to seeing the game thread reactions when Jordan gets into the game before the Bear.

It’s Veteran’s Day, and today we honor the men and women who dedicate their lives to defend our country and way of life. Please take a moment to reflect on their sacrifices, and thank them if you get a chance. As always, GO SPURS GO! Lets go Spurs, and Mitch must dominate Tiago.

Game Prediction:

Caleb Wilson challenges Victor Wembanyama at the hoop and it does not go well for the rookie.

San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls
November 11, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Streaming: DAZN, League Pass
TV: DAZN
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

The numbers will tell you: it ain’t pretty. Not at 2-8.

The Nets are coming off a 130-93 loss to the Mavericks on Sunday, a game that was effectively over after the first quarter. The back-to-back made for a difficult assignment, but that’s no excuse. Now, the road trip continues against a New Orleans Pelicans team coming off an even uglier loss, a 138-87 defeat to the Golden State Warriors on Monday.

Neither team is having the season it hoped for, but somebody has to find a way to get back on track. Egor Dëmin will suit up for the first time since October 27, but Mikel Brown Jr. will sit out a second straight game due to an illness.

Game Info

• WHO: Brooklyn Nets vs. New Orleans Pelicans
• WHEN: Wednesday, November 11, 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT)
• WHERE: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
• WATCH: YES Network, DAZN, NBA League Pass
• LISTEN: WFAN

Nets vs. Pelicans Injury Report

Brooklyn Nets

• OUT: Mikel Brown Jr. (illness)
• OUT: Nolan Traoré (right calf tightness/soreness)

New Orleans Pelicans

• OUT: Yves Missi (left knee contusion/bone bruise)
• OUT: Trendon Watford (right ankle sprain)

Game Preview

“Speaking of things being worth a shot, we might get our first extended look at Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr playing together. So far this year, they’ve only been limited to four minutes together on the court, but that should change in a hurry. Brooklyn’s guards have shown glimpses of excellence thus far, and we’ll see how the vision for them continues to develop as the season progresses.”

→ Read more here from Brian Fleurantin.

💬Discussion

Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Speaking of Net Income… how cool is this? Cheers, Net Income/Bob.

Coming off of the first game of an eight-game home stand and a rare three full days of rest after a busy start to the season, the Timberwolves seek their fifth win in a row as they keep chugging along without Anthony Edwards.

Minnesota has taken care of business so far without Ant as their superstar, as he works his way back from injury. They’ve gotten wins against some subpar teams and stamped this winning streak with a statement win against the Houston Rockets last Wednesday. The backcourt hasn’t skipped a beat, with LaMelo Ball shooting at an elite clip and Ayo Dosunmu filling plenty of cracks as the replacement starting guard.

The Mavericks pose a threat to the good vibes as the red-hot Cooper Flagg comes to town after a blazing-hot start to the season. Flagg has been averaging 24/6.6/7 and looks worth every bit of being the number one overall pick just a year ago. Kyrie Irving is also back in action, averaging over 20 points per game and complementing Flagg’s ascendance at the point.

After riding the crowd’s wave on Sunday and with a few days to prepare, the Timberwolves will look for another notch in the win column.

Game Info

• Who:Minnesota Timberwolves (8-3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (6-4)
• When: Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 PM CT
• Where: Target Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota
• TV: NBA TV, DAZN
• Radio: 830 WCCO

Injury Reports

What to Watch for

Cooper Flagg – A Big Power Forward

Much has been talked about how the Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled over the past few years to guard the aggressive, physical fours who love to body up and take it to the rim. Zion Williamson is the one that comes to mind the most, but there have been others that also fit this mold and have given the Timberwolves fits. With his improvement this year, Cooper Flagg enters that category as well. The Mavericks run a ton of their actions through Flagg, who is very good at using his size to exploit mismatches and get to his spots.

Enter Jonathan Kuminga. JK will be the one tasked with guarding Flagg on the defensive end and matching the physicality that the young forward brings to the table. Kuminga has had success so far this season in providing resistance to those types of players – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paolo Banchero, and Zion Williamson, to name a few.

The best way to show his impact is to look at what happened when one of those big power forwards was on the floor while Kuminga was off. The Timberwolves tried Jaylen Clark on Zion this past Friday in their matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans and barely made it a few minutes before they realized that would be unsustainable as Williamson started to get his.

A True PG Duel

Lots of positional discussion in this one. In the offseason, everyone knew that the Timberwolves were searching for a true co-star point guard to pair with Anthony Edwards. Plenty of speculative tweets, aggregators, and more put Kyrie Irving on the list of potential trade candidates to pair with Ant. The Mavericks’ position in the NBA, plus the question marks around a 34-year-old coming off an ACL tear, had insiders and fans alike discussing a deal to bring Irving to Minnesota. While there is no way to know how truthful those rumors were, Irving is playing well in Dallas, and Minnesota got their guy in LaMelo Ball.

It is hard in this day and age of the NBA’s positional versatility to find the true point guard that everyone references from years past. In the modern day, Irving and Ball are two of the players in the league that fit that mold as best as possible. With the injury to Edwards and the centering of everything around Ball and Irving settling back into a second-fiddle role with Dallas, it will be fun to watch the orchestration that comes with players of their caliber tasked with organizing the offense.

Ayo Dosunmu Surging

A great aspect of the Minnesota Timberwolves is that a lot of their players, specifically their guards and wings, have great scalability. When there is more usage out there due to injury, they have guys that can pick up the slack. This was no more apparent than in the Denver Nuggets series last year, but it has continued into the start of this season without Ant or Donte Divincenzo. Ayo Dosunmu is one of those guys.

Dosunmu has been a revelation for this team, slotting into the starting lineup without Anthony Edwards. In the seven games without Edwards, he has averaged 21.6/5.4/4 while carrying a large load on offense next to LaMelo Ball.

His straightforward, no-nonsense approach has been a welcome part of the four-game win streak. One of his best regular season games last season that put Timberwolves fans on notice was his triple-double against Dallas closer to the end of 2025-26. He showed the flash that has become closer to the norm. Fast-forwarding to this season, Dosunmu has been a joy to watch as he sprints out in transition to find ways to put the ball in the hoop with ease.

This will be a game defined by which team’s role players can best support their stars, and with Ayo playing at the level he’s been playing at, there’s no reason that the Wolves can’t pull away in a vital Western Conference matchup.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to end their losing streak against the New York Knicks.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

TORONTO — The Celtics will start Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta, and Luka Garza on Wednesday night when they face the Toronto Raptors.

It will be Garza’s first start of the season and Scheierman’s second. Paul George, fresh off a 36-point outing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night, is out with illness.

The Celtics will start with a double-big lineup for the first time this season. Garza is averaging 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per game, while shooting a team-best 52% from three. Queta has started the last six games since coming off the bench to begin the year.

Garza, for one, is happy to get the chance to play double-big.

“It just gives me another avenue to get on the floor, especially with the bigs that we have and the depth that we have,” Garza said last week of the double-big lineup. “So for me, it’s something I’m going to commit to and buy into trying to be the most effective at that position.”

Scheierman, meanwhile, is averaging 5.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20 minutes per game, and has also been among the team’s most reliable three-point shooters, hitting 45.2% of his attempts from beyond the arc.

For the Raptors, RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jakob Poeltl, Immanuel Quickley, and Ja’Kobe Walter will start. The Raptors are without both Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes.

Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics have regularly shifted starting lineups this season

On Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mike Conley got his first start of the season, which he later revealed to CelticsBlog was a decision made by Jayson Tatum and Derrick White.

On Sunday morning, Mazzulla walked into the Celtics’ team meeting and asked the room who should start; Jordan Walsh started in 6 of the Celtics’ first 9 games, while Hugo Gonzalez got the chance in three of them.

“He was like, ‘So who’s starting?’” Conley recalled. “He left it up to his players. And JT is like, ‘Mike, me…,’ and gave the starting lineup. I’m like, it’s real.”

In addition to Wednesday’s starters, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Mitchell Robinson, and Conley have all gotten the opportunity to start this season.

Celtics-Raptors tips off at 7pm ET.

The rising Knicks (6–4) host the falling Cleveland Cavaliers (5–6) tonight in New York City. They clashed last week in Cleveland, when the Knicks rode two dominant middle quarters to victory, despite late efforts by Donovan Mitchell. Hat’s off to Spida for averaging 22.8 points and 5.5 assists per game while carrying an old bearded man on his back. Mitchell must think he’s in a Samuel Beckett play. His team has dropped five of their last seven and will once again be without the services of Sam Merrill. New York is likely to regain Josh Hart, after missing games with a sore ankle and illness.

Tip off is at 7 PM EST on ESPN. This is your game thread. This is Fear the Sword. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Behave, you fantastic fans. And go Knicks!

Steph Curry sounds off in social media video aimed at Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young

As any husband would be, Stephen Curry is very supportive of his wife, Ayesha.

She recently co-starred in a new holiday romantic comedy Roku movie titled "Second Chance Holiday," her first on-screen role in a film.

The rom-com was released on Nov. 5. Many have shared their thoughts, including podcast hosts and former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young, and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho on the "We Said What We Said" podcast.

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Arenas, particularly, went as far as calling Ayesha a “blemish” for the Warriors guard and compared her to Savannah James, LeBron James’ wife.

“We don’t want to hear you,” Arenas said. “We just wanna know you’re there.”

Curry has been her champion through and through, and has since responded to people critical of his marriage in a social media video directed at Arenas, Young, and anyone who has something to say about his wife and their marriage.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of noise and usually the noise doesn’t bother me, doesn’t bother Ayesha,” Curry said in a video posted to Instagram. “But this one in particular, when you’re trying to step on the accomplishment of my wife and obviously leading podcast tapings and topics and giving opinions on somebody else’s wife. Nick (Young), Gil (Gilbert Arenas), Emmanuel (Acho) and anybody else who feels the need to want to have to jump in and give an opinion on something you don’t really know about, something that kind of speaks to a bigger conversation on how you view women in this world what they’re allowed and what they’re not allowed to do. Even the ignorants behind how acting works. Obviously, I tried to laugh this one off but something needs to be said.”

He asked for positivity instead.

“Anytime Ayesha Curry shows up in your headline, I kindly suggest that you give … congratulations and maybe, just maybe the apology can be as loud as yall leading yall show with this topic.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen Curry fires back after Gilbert Arenas calls Ayesha a ‘blemish’

Back in the day, guys weren’t supposed to be this good this late. Kareem was the exception everybody pointed to for decades, still putting up 23.4 a night and making All-NBA at 38. LeBron is the recent exception. Everybody else got the farewell tour, the rocking chair at the end of the bench, and the jersey ceremony.

If you’ve ever iced a rec-league knee after a Tuesday night run, take a good long look at Steph Curry and Kevin Durant tonight. While most 38-year olds are having to take a day off of work to go see their medical provider for their aching spines, these two are doing something most 25 year old hoopers can’t do. As of Nov. 9, of the 38 players in the league averaging at least 20 points, only two were older than 35, and they’ll be on the same floor in Houston. That’s love of the game, plus years of cold tubs, film sessions, and a burning desire to dominate.

Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets
When: November 11th, 2026 | 6:30 PM PT
TV: ESPN
Radio: 95.7 The Game

Tonight is the 41st time these two have faced each other. Both teams are 8-3, and both are coming off seasons that ended beneath them. The Warriors went 37-45 and lost to Phoenix in the play-in. Houston won 52 games and then fell to the Lakers in the first round with Durant hobbled. Golden State has won eight straight, and its offense ranks second in the league, one spot ahead of Houston’s.

KD and Steph’s legacies are tied together for good. They went from playoff rivals in 2016 to teammates in Oakland, where they won two titles and Durant took home both Finals MVPs. In Paris in 2024, with France still threatening an upset, Steph swung the ball to Durant at the top of the key, and KD handed it right back. Steph buried a fadeaway three over Nic Batum and Evan Fournier to put the U.S. up nine with 35 seconds left. As teammates they’ve proven at the highest level how to make sure each other gets the ball when it’s their moment to shine. And nobody can seize the moment like these two hoopers can.

A crazy perspective on Curry now is the scoring he packs into the minutes he’s got. He’s averaging 30.6 points, with nights of 44 and 41 already. Through his first seven games, he was scoring 1.04 points per minute, a rate only Wilt Chamberlain, George Gervin, Luka Dončić and James Harden had topped that early in a season. Even Durant has noticed. Back in April he told NBA.com that Steph “got quicker and faster,” a terrifying thought for the rest of the league.

What’s ice cold about Durant nowadays is his level of control. His scoring is down to 21 a night, the lowest since his rookie year, but the possession still bends around him. He’s a 6-foot-11 sculpture of a jump shot who sits No. 5 on the all-time scoring list, and he just put up 23 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists on Denver.

That’s the problem Golden State has to solve tonight. When Durant has the ball, every defender leans toward him, and teammates like the All-Star Alperen Şengün make you pay for leaning. He’s averaging 21.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists, and with Houston missing Clint Capela and Steven Adams, even more of the offense will run through those two. Watch whether Draymond can sit on Şengün’s cuts and rolls without giving Durant a clean look. Golden State is still without Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis. This morning’s official report also has Gary Payton II out and Will Richard questionable.

Steph owns the playoff edge at 4-3, all from that 2016 comeback. Since Durant left the Warriors, he’s 7-3 against Steph. Houston will take your lunch money in November, but April and May are another story, and the Warriors have five playoff series wins over the Rockets to prove it.

Savor this one. Two 38-year-olds are doing things the sport told us were impossible, and we get to watch it on a random Wednesday in November.

The son of former NBA dunk contest runner-up Chris Carr, Lakers rookie Cameron Carr envisioned his first NBA points coming on a lob. When asked before the draft in April, the first-round pick knew that if not on a sky-high alley-oop his first bucket would at least be something athletic.

He now gives himself half-credit for calling his shot.

The 21-year-old Lakers guard scored his first NBA points on a fastbreak dunk Monday in Atlanta, making the most of his opportunities during the Lakers’ hot start.

Carr had two points and three rebounds in seven minutes and 19 seconds in the Lakers’ win over the Atlanta Hawks in the first significant playing time of his professional career. The Lakers, who finish a three-game, four-day road trip in Milwaukee on Wednesday, have the top record in the NBA at 10-2 with a six-game winning streak.

Carr helped extend the Lakers’ streak by bolstering a shorthanded lineup against the Hawks. The Lakers needed the rookie Monday when they were without Austin Reaves (illness) and Quentin Grimes (right finger sprain).

Three weeks into his NBA career, Carr, the 24th overall pick the Lakers traded up to acquire from the New York Knicks, said he is still nervous any time he subs into a game. Getting the first of what he hopes will be many NBA points helped settle his nerves.

Read more:What we’ve learned about the first-place Lakers

“Over time it’s only going to grow, it’s only going to get better,” Carr said. “I’m only going to get more and more confident, so every time I get a chance to step out there, just show what I can do and of course show my talents through God’s work.”

The 6-foot-5 guard is a skilled scorer and an athletic marvel. He couldn’t even touch the rim when, one summer, he begged his father, who was the runner-up in the 1997 dunk contest to Kobe Bryant, to teach him to dunk. He just needed one summer to master it. Carr set a single-season sophomore scoring record at Baylor last season and his 642 points rank fifth in program history regardless of class. An efficient shooter (37.4% from three in his final college season), Carr also led Baylor with 45 blocked shots.

Now in the NBA, defense is still where Carr can improve most, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. Although Carr is a talented offensive player, it is still difficult for young players to find their rhythm with limited playing time, Redick said. The Lakers staff has encouraged Carr to take advantage of stay-ready games against coaches and make the most of G League opportunities to get more reps. Carr had 13 points and four rebounds during the Coachella Valley Lakers’ season opener on Friday.

“Just being patient, man,” Carr said of his approach to the beginning of the season, “just putting my head down, working every day, knowing that I can be the best person I can be. And when my time, my name is called, just be ready.”

Carr subbed into Monday’s game with 3:35 remaining in the first quarter. The Lakers, trailing by two, soon flipped the game with 13 unanswered points to end the quarter. A steal by Luka Doncic with 1:44 remaining fueled the streak and the star point guard threw an outlet pass to Carr in transition, who collected the ball for an emphatic two-handed dunk.

Doncic dished out another assist after the game when he rushed to secure the game ball for Carr. The superstar said he wanted the rookie to remember his first NBA bucket.

Cameron Carr said he’s going to ask everyone to sign the game ball from Monday’s game when he scored his first NBA points and keep it in a case. On Luka Doncic chasing it down for him: “That’s big time, especially coming from him. That says a lot about who he is as a person.” pic.twitter.com/eEGrD7VJYy

— Thuc Nhi Nguyen (@thucnhi21) November 11, 2026

“That’s big time,” Carr said Wednesday of Doncic’s kind gesture. “Especially coming from him, that says a lot about who he is as a person and how he views this team.”

Redick handed the game ball to Carr in the locker room after the win as teammates cheered. Carr broke the team huddle on the word “together.” He plans to have everyone sign the ball before keeping it in a trophy case.

“There’s no price on it,” Carr said. “It’s forever.”

Lakers sign two-way center

The Lakers swapped out two-way centers Tuesday, waiving Lawson Lovering and signing Carson Cooper, the team announced. Both previously played in the Memphis Grizzlies organization and Cooper made one NBA appearance for the Grizzlies after signing a two-way deal with the team.

Cooper didn’t become a regular starter in college until his senior season, when he started all 35 games for Michigan State. The four-year Spartan averaged 11.1 points on 58.4% shooting with 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and one block in his final season.

Lovering, who signed a two-way deal with the Lakers on Oct. 28, appeared in Lakers blowouts against Miami and Sacramento with a rebound and a block.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

With the season off to a slow start, many Suns fans have expressed frustration with the team, myself included. Whether it’s how the starting lineup fits, the lack of cohesion on defense, the lack of a second star, or frustration with shooting percentages, there’s something for someone to pick at and be mad about. For a team that was supposed to build on last year’s success, it hasn’t looked that bright just yet. They have shown in spurts that they can be this solid, but ultimately their shortcomings seem to overpower their positives.

Injuries to the team’s frontcourt at the start of the year forced the Suns into a situation they may not have been as prepared for, and it has ultimately cost them. Then you add Jordan Goodwin being out and missing his hustle and rebounding, and there seem to be some issues. Especially when you look at the fact that in two games, Devin Booker has dropped over 30 points and the team has lost by a landslide; in this recent game vs. the Spurs and the one last week against the Trail Blazers, Booker was on and showed he can be that number one option for this team. He can hunt his shots, find them, and, most importantly, he is not washed.

Sadly, in both of those games, Booker had no one else show up offensively to help him. This is where the main problem comes into play, as the Suns’ owner, Mat Ishbia, wants to win a championship, and one with Booker at the helm. Unfortunately, when your second-highest-paid player is the same position and functions best in the same role as your 1A star, you have a problem, and that is where Jalen Green comes into play.

Now it’s not all Green’s fault, since they’re asking him to play a role he’s never played in his career, and he’s not too bad at it. Yes, he turns the ball over a lot when he mishandles it, but he can make some nice passes to create plays. The problem is that since he always has to make the pass, he also wants to hunt his shot when others are out. That doesn’t work for Green, though, because it forces contested looks or shots, disrupting the team’s rhythm. His averages this year clearly show this: his worst in six years.

Can he be a good player? For sure, but it depends on whether he can play a role he won’t succeed in on a team that needs a true playmaker and facilitator. That will not help Booker and has proven to be the case this year. Will the Suns regret trading Green, though? No, because the fit was never going to work with how they’re constructed, with Booker in the same role as Green.

So how does one get this second star in Phoenix, you may ask, right? Well, that goal may be one of the bigger obstacles for this team, since they lack draft capital. Remember that 2033 pick that the Suns traded for Miles Bridges? That was the team’s most valuable asset, and yet they traded it the day they could for someone who, at best, would be the third offensive option.

Your assets are either Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Mark Williams, or Jalen Green. Their value isn’t enough to get you anything relevant for the next step. For everyone clamoring for Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Darius Garland, those players will cost a decent amount of pick value to acquire. With Green basically looking like a glorified six-man for the Suns in his best role, how would that trade value get boosted enough for other teams to see him as a positive?

That is why, sadly, this hunt for that second star may have to wait on Khaman Maluach’s development. The big man has looked solid since moving into his bench role, and with more development this year, he can truly set himself up to take those next steps toward becoming a top-tier big man. This year, it seems like the team is trying to figure out new roles for the players we have and then make a playoff run. The offseason will focus on adding a second star player and freeing up time for this big-man duo to cement themselves as the true starter and backup.

At this point, I do think waiting that long is just not going to be beneficial. At this rate, we have seen that the true “second option” cannot be that, given his new role as the point guard. Brooks has to step up, and even though he can do it, the Suns should not be living and dying by his catch-and-shoot three for this season to be impactful. In his best role as the best defender, Brooks should be the third or fourth offensive option.

The game plan for the Suns seems tough, but there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Even though we are just around 10 games in, there are clear issues that need to be addressed before the trade deadline. Some of them are even as early as next week, but time will tell if they make those adjustments or stand pat until they can actually pivot in a direction. With all that said, though, one thing is clear: if the Suns want another chance at a championship with Booker, they need another top-tier scoring option.

Boston Celtics (9-2)  at  Toronto Raptors (5-5)
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
7:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #12, Road Game #7
TV: NBCSB, TSN, NBA-LP
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, TSN 1050, Sirius XM
Scotiabank Arena

The Celtics close out their 4 game road trip with the 1st of 4 games against the Toronto Raptors. They will play in Toronto again on January 31 and twice in Boston on January 25 and February 14. The Celtics won all 4 games against the Raptors last season. They are 77-43 overall, all time, against the Raptors and they are 32-26 all time in games played at Toronto. The Celtics have won their last 5 games against Toronto.

The Celtics are playing in the 2nd of back to back games, having played at Philadelphia on Tuesday night. This is the third of 16 back to back sets for the Celtics this season. The Celtics were good in back to back games last season and hopefully, with their depth, it will carry through to this season. They are 1-1 so far on the second night of back to back games. They beat Brooklyn at home in the first and lost to Houston on the road in the second.

With their win over the 76ers on Tuesday, the Celtics now are 1st in the East, half a game ahead of Philly. They are 4-2 on the road and 9-1 in their last 10 games. They are 3-0 against Atlantic Division teams. They have won their last 4 games. The Raptors are 6th in the East, 3.5 games behind the Celtics. They are 2-2 at home and 5-5 in their last 10 games. This is their first game against an Atlantic Division rival. They are coming off a loss in their last game.

The Raptors made several moves in the offseason. They added Kyle Anderson to the main roster as a free agent and they added Kevin McCullar, Jr, Nate Bittle, and Malachi Smith as 2-Way players. They traded for Kawhi Leonard and they drafted Allen Graves with the 19th pick and Jaden Bradley with the 50th pick. They lost Gradey Dick, Chucky Hepburn, Brandon Ingram, AJ Lawson, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jonathan Mogbo and Garrett Temple.

After this game, the Celtics will return home to face Dallas and Orlando before a West coast trip that takes them through Denver, Sacramento, Golden State, and Washington. They then play one game at home against Atlanta before playing at San Antonio and Dallas. Then it’s home against Charlotte before a game at Brooklyn. Next they have a 7 game home stand against Washington twice, Utah, Detroit, Portland, Miami and Cleveland.

After this game at home, the Raptors play at Philadelphia then home for two games against New York and one against Washington. Then they play one game at Detroit before 3 games at home against Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Denver. Next they have a 4 game road trip against Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Charlotte before a 3 game home stand against San Antonio, Golden State, and Houston.

Predicting the starting lineup for this game is tough. The Celtics have been changing the 5th starter on a regular basis and there is no telling who they will start from game to game. In this one, it’s even harder since they are playing in back to back games and Paul George will be out. I’ve listed a possible starting lineup for them with Sam Hauser in place of PG13, but it will likely change. For the Raptors, they have 3 possible starters questionable who are listed as a game time decision so I’ve listed the starters from their game notes, but that may also change.

After his big game against the 76ers, Paul George was listed as out for this game due to an illness. The Raptors have 6 players on their injury report at this time. Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) and Collin Murray-Boyles (illness) are listed as questionable and will be a game time decision. Kawhi Leonard (knee), Scottie Barnes (groin), Trayce Jackson-Davis (illnerss), and Nate Bittle (foot) are listed as out.

Possible Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Jamal Shead

SG: Jordan Walsh vs RJ Barrett

SF: Sam Hauser vs Ja’Kobe Walter

PF: Jayson Tatum vs Collin Murray Boyles

C: Neemias Queta vs Jakob Poeltl

Celtics Reserves
Chris Cenac, Jr
Mike Conley, Jr
Luka Garza
Hugo Gonzalez
Ron Harper, Jr
Payton Pritchard
Mitchell Robinson
Baylor Scheierman

Two Way Players
Devin Carter
Dillon Mitchell
Amari Williams

Injuries/Out
Paul George (illness) out

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Raptors Reserves
Kyle Anderson
Jamison Battle
Jaden Bradley
Allen Graves
Alijah Martin

2-Way Players
Nate Bittle
Kevin McCullar, Jr
Malachi Smith

Injuries/out
Immanuel Quickley  (hamstring) questionable
Collin Murray-Boyles (illness)  questionable
Trayce Jackson-Davis (illness) out
Scottie Barnes (groin) out
Kawhi Leonard (knee) out
Nate Bittle (foot)  out

Head Coach
Darko Rajakovic

Key Matchups
Jordan Walsh vs RJ Barrett
Barrett is averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He is shooting 45.7% from the field and 27.8% from beyond the arc. Against the Celtics he is averaging 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists over his career. He has been struggling from the perimeter, but if left open he is very capable of hitting threes so the Celtics need to defend him both in the paint and on the perimeter.

Sam Hauser vs Ja’Kobe Walter
Walter is averaging 11 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  He is shooting 38.7% from the field and 32.8% from beyond the arc.  Over his career against the Celtics, he is averaging 8.5 points 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists.  I’m guessing that Hauser gets the start in place of Paul George.

Honorable Mention
Neemias Queta vs Jakob Poeltl
Poeltl is averaging 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.  He is shooting 64.6% from the field with no 3 pointers. Since he isn’t a threat from the perimeter, the Celtics need to keep him out of the paint and off the boards. 

Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is the most important key to winning. The Celtics are 4th in the league with a defensive rating of 106.3. The Raptors are 14th with a defensive rating of 112.4. The Celtics have played good defense for the most part, but there have been times when they let up on the defensive end and allowed teams to come back from big deficits.   They must stay committed to playing tough, lock down defense, especially against a Raptors team that plays good defense themselves.  The Celtics must especially defend in the paint as the Raptors are 4th in the league with 52.2 points in the paint per game.

Rebound – As with defense, rebounding will always be a key to winning every game.  The Celtics are 10th with 45.0 rebounds per game.  The Raptors are 25th with 41.4 rebounds per game.   The Celtics will need to rebound as a team with players crashing the boards from every position.  The Celtics can’t score without the ball and rebounding is a great way to get the ball and to get extra possessions and to also deny the Raptors extra possessions.  The Raptors are best in the league with 20.7 second chance points per game.  The Celtics need to deny them rebounds to limit those points. 

Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics are at their best when the ball moves and they make the extra pass. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, the Celtics struggle.  But they have to make careful passes and not get sloppy because the Raptors average 22.3 points off turnovers (2nd) and 16.2 fast break points per game.  The Celtics need to be careful with their passes and ball handling because if they aren’t the Raptors will make them pay.   

Play with Energy and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics must play with effort and energy and they have to play harder than the Raptors for all 4 quarters.  The team that plays the hardest and with more energy will usually get the win.  They also must stay focused on taking good shots and making them.  If the 3’s are falling, they are tough to beat. But, if the 3’s aren’t falling, it can get ugly and so the Celtics need to focus on taking the best shots, whether that means shooting more 3’s or taking the ball into the paint if they aren’t falling.   

X-Factors
On the Road and Fatigue – The Celtics are on the road for the 4th straight game and have to deal with the distractions of travel and going through customs along with playing on an unfamiliar court and in front of hostile fans.  They are also playing in the second of back to back games and in the 3rd game in 4 nights.  Fatigue may come into play down the stretch. 

Last Game of Road Trip –  This is the final game of a tough 4 game road trip and the 3rd game in 4 nights as well as being the second of back to back games. All of that has a lot going against the Celtics. The final game of a road trip is always a tough game. The Celtics will be tired and looking forward to going home. Also they will be coming down off the high of their emotional win in Philly the night before. Hopefully they can shake all of that off and play well in this game.

Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus from playing the game.  They did a good job of overcoming a 28-5 free throw disadvantage against the 76ers.  The Celtics also have to be aware of the new points of emphasis for this season and try to avoid flopping (although Embiid seemed to get away with it), off‑arm push‑offs, reckless closeouts, delays before free throws, and illegal screens. They have been especially calling flops and push offs and so the Celtics need to avoid doing both.