Category: NBA

LeBron Log No. 3: The King dishes, Caitlin Clark visits and closing time originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James’ latest week with the Sixers included his first 10-assist game with Philadelphia, his best performance with the team, a visit with Caitlin Clark, a crowd-wide finger wag and one jumper he would probably like back.

Some of it belonged in the box score. The rest quickly made its way around social media.

Welcome to the third edition of the LeBron Log.

SAFE HANDS

Throughout the preseason, the Sixers discussed the responsibility that accompanied their desire to play faster.

They wanted to advance the ball before defenses could organize, but Nick Nurse was not interested in accepting extra turnovers as part of the tradeoff. When asked whether he could live with more mistakes if they came with better pace, his answer was simple.

“No.”

Seven games into the regular season, the Sixers have not yet become one of the NBA’s fastest teams. They entered Monday ranked 20th in pace.

Their ball security has stood out.

Philadelphia has committed an NBA-low 12.7 turnovers per game. James has helped organize the offense as its leading facilitator, recording 35 assists against 11 turnovers.

He leads the Sixers in total assists despite playing only five games. Tyrese Maxey, who has appeared in all seven, is second with 31.

James provided the cleanest example Wednesday night against the Pacers. He finished with 13 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, two blocks and no turnovers during the Sixers’ 114-109 comeback victory.

It was his first double-digit-assist performance with Philadelphia. According to StatMuse, James also became the oldest player in its database to record at least 10 points and 10 assists while committing no more than one turnover.

He was 41 years and 302 days old.

James’ night was not flashy by his standards. He attempted 12 shots and finished fifth on the team in scoring. Still, he helped five Sixers reach double figures without surrendering a possession.

The Sixers signed the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Through the opening weeks of his Philadelphia career, he has been their leading passer.

CUP BUSINESS

James entered his first NBA Cup game with the Sixers possessing more tournament history than anyone else on the roster.

He led the Lakers to the inaugural Cup championship in 2023 and was named the event’s first MVP after averaging 26.4 points, eight rebounds and seven assists during Los Angeles’ unbeaten run.

Three years later, his first Cup game in red, white and blue produced his best Sixers performance yet.

James recorded 20 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and one block in Friday’s 98-93 win over the Knicks. He shot 8 for 15 and saved two of his most important baskets for the final 70 seconds.

Jalen Brunson’s three-pointer gave New York a 90-89 lead with 1:32 remaining. On the ensuing possession, James backed down OG Anunoby, turned toward the middle and sank a fadeaway to move the Sixers back in front.

VJ Edgecombe extended the lead with a three-pointer as the shot clock expired. After Brunson made two free throws, Maxey drove for a layup and missed. James followed the play, collected the offensive rebound and scored the putback with 11.9 seconds remaining.

The basket sealed Philadelphia’s second win over the defending champions and its first of NBA Cup group play.

“Best game all around,” Nurse said. “He’s been good, but that was his best game for sure.”

James has played more than 1,600 regular-season games, but his Philadelphia closing reel has officially begun.

THE SHRUG AND THE WAG

The fourth-quarter baskets were not James’ only memorable moments Friday.

After converting an and-one earlier in the game, James broke out his familiar shoulder-shrug celebration. Edgecombe joined him, smiling as he mirrored the move alongside his 41-year-old teammate.

The pair had already developed a personalized handshake featuring two taps to the head and a forceful shrug. This one came during the game.

James supplied another recognizable celebration in the third quarter.

Anunoby drove toward the basket with James trailing the play. James caught him near the rim and was officially credited with his fifth block of the season.

He turned toward the crowd and wagged his finger. The fans joined in.

Edgecombe later delivered the biggest shot of the game, and James met him with an embrace near the sideline. The two are separated by more than 20 years, but they have quickly developed a collection of celebrations.

“He doesn’t shy away from the moment,” James said of the 21-year-old. “Young kid, but he thrives in the moment.”

JUST A COUPLE OF HOOPERS

James was not the only basketball attraction inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday.

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark watched the Sixers’ win from courtside and brought a small camera with her. It was the second time this year she photographed James during a game.

In March, Clark served as a credentialed photographer when James and the Lakers visited Indiana.

“The KING 👑 … Shot by ME,” Clark wrote when she shared those photos.

After Wednesday’s game, Clark made her way toward the visiting locker room. She briefly met Maxey before speaking with James in the hallway.

James gave Clark one of his No. 23 Sixers jerseys. The team shared photos of the exchange with a fitting caption.

“Just a couple of hoopers.”

Clark publicly expressed hope that James would join the Pacers before he signed with Philadelphia. Their mutual respect goes back further.

During Clark’s first WNBA season in 2024, James compared the attention surrounding her professional debut to what he experienced when he entered the NBA directly from high school.

“I’m rooting for Caitlin because I’ve been in that seat before,” James said at the time. “I’ve walked that road before.”

James did not speak with reporters after Wednesday’s game, so he was not asked about their conversation.

Maxey was asked about meeting Clark for the first time.

“That’s just another person that I like to watch,” he said. “She cold. She nice. Seeing her today was really cool. Sometimes you try not to fan out, but it was really cool seeing her. It’s her building; she plays here too.”

DANCE FIRST, SHOOT SECOND

James and Edgecombe also produced the week’s most widely shared Sixers warmup clip.

Before Wednesday’s game, the two danced together near the three-point line. Edgecombe moved away while James stepped back and launched a jumper.

The shot hit the side of the backboard.

The clip spread quickly across social media. James still walked out of downtown Indianapolis with 10 assists, no turnovers and a victory.

James has made more field goals than anyone in NBA history. Even the career scoring leader is entitled to one warmup mulligan.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be welcoming the injury-riddled Oklahoma City Thunder to town. It will be the first of two straight games between these two teams. The second will be back in OKC on Wednesday.

The Thunder couldn’t have asked for a worse start to their season. They have lost Jalen Williams and Casen Wallace for possibly the entire season. They are also down the services of Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso in the short term. That leaves them without four of their top eight rotation players from opening night in this game.

Oklahoma City entered the season with title aspirations. Those dreams are on life support just two weeks in due to major injuries. We’ll see if the Cavs can take advantage of a reeling Thunder team tonight.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (4-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-2)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Monday, Nov. 2 at 7 PM

TV: DAZN, WOIO (CBS 19), Peacock, NBC Sports Network

Point spread: Cavs -3.5

Cavs injury report: Peyton Watson – QUESTIONABLE (hamstring), Jaylon Tyson – OUT (ankle), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (ankle), Khalifa Diop – OUT (G League), Ernest Udeh, Jr. – OUT (G League)

Thunder injury report: Alex Caruso – OUT (ankle), Chet Holmgren – OUT (knee), Jalen Williams – OUT (ankle), Cason Wallace – OUT (shoulder), Thomas Sorber – OUT (knee), Nikola Topic – OUT (back)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Thunder expected starting lineup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jarden McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein

Cavs jersey:Black Statement Edition uniform

Previous matchup: The Thunder have won three-straight games over the Cavs. Most recently, the Thunder won 121-113 on February 22.

Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

For thirty-eight years, Inside the NBA has been a staple of basketball analysis. In its premiere season, the show had no dedicated host. The following year, sideline reporter Ernie Johnson claimed the position as the show’s host, a role he has maintain ever since.

Last week, the emcee and ringleader tasked with managing the personalities of Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny “The Jet” Smith disclosed that the 2026-2027 season will be his last with the show. The announcement was immediately met with sorrow from the trio of retired players for which he’s shared the broadcast over the years.

Johnson began his broadcasting career while attending the University of Georgia. A year after graduating, he worked as a newscaster in Macon, Georgia. Two years later he moved to South Carolina on general assignment, eventually picking up sports on the weekend.

From 1993-1996, Johnson called Atalanta Braves games alongside his father, a 1950s Major League pitcher and Braves play-by-play announcer from 1962-1999.

But E.J.’s bread-and-butter has been at the helm of Inside the NBA for over three decades. The steady hand, the voice of reason, and the man who has attempted for literally thousands of episodes to keep the train on the tracks. The show known for its chemistry and hijinks, highs and lows, and which, at times, seems to be less about basketball and more about the moment has engulfed the zeitgeist and become a staple of basketball. Whether it’s the analysis, the banter, sense of humor (Charles Barkley picks on San Antonio as a town quite a bit), or political commentary (Kenny Smith walked off the set in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake), Inside the NBA has embraced fans worldwide.

When the show lost its broadcasting rights, Barkley walked away from an estimated $100 million to stay, saving the jobs of production and behind-the-scenes staff at Turner. In 2025, rather than being cancelled, Inside the NBA transitioned to ESPN and ABC while continuing to be produced by TNT Sports with the original crew.

The show has survived the slings and arrows. But one thing is for sure — once Ernie Johnson unplugs his microphone it will never be the same.

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One Possession: Jayson Tatum dominating in the clutch for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

NBA Games don’t typically boil down to just one possession. But one possession can often tell the story of a game. This is “One Possession,” a recurring series where we highlight one notable sequence from every Celtics game during the 2026-27 season.

The NBA is filled with superstars. But maybe the defining quality of those that sit in the highest echelon of that term are the players that routinely thrive in clutch situations and deliver their team to victory in the moments of highest leverage.

With two weeks of the 2026-27 season in the rearview, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum leads the NBA while generating 21 points in the clutch — game within five points, final five minutes. He’s tied with Tyrese Maxey at the top of the early season leaderboard but that total only tells part of the story with Tatum’s late-game heroics.

Five days removed from hitting an overtime game-winner against the Nets, Tatum was back in his free-throw line extended office, delivering more clutch-time hoops on Sunday in Orlando. He twice buried midrange jumpers as the Celtics pulled away for their fifth straight win, a 108-97 triumph over the Magic.

Truth be told, the Celtics probably shouldn’t have activated clutch time against the Magic. A Tatum-less lineup had pushed Boston’s lead to 12 right before Tatum was set to sub back in late in the fourth quarter, but Orlando halved its deficit before Tatum finally got back on the court. 

With the Celtics clinging to a four-point lead with under four minutes to play, Tatum utilized a Neemias Queta screen to get to the same spot he hit the Brooklyn winner. This time he pulled up over Wendell Carter Jr. to put Boston up six with 3:41 to play.

That bucket knocked the game outside of the clutch-time parameters but Tatum wasn’t done making crunch-time plays. Tatum shuffled a step closer next trip down and, despite having Tristan Da Silva draped all over him, calmly knocked down another mid-range pull-up for a 101-93 lead with 3:05 to go.

Tatum then assisted on a Queta bucket and capped his fourth-quarter efforts by feeding Paul George for a 3-pointer that had Boston up 11 with 1:31 to play.

A fired-up George emphatically chest-bumped Tatum, then seemingly chest-bumped the entire Boston roster while navigating his way back to the bench following an Orlando timeout.

Tatum tops the NBA in clutch points having scored his 21 points over 15.4 minutes of clutch play (Maxey has 21 points over 19.3 minutes). Tatum is 8-of-13 shooting (61.5 percent) on clutch attempts.

His three clutch assists are tied for second most in the league behind only Joel Embiid (4). Tatum does not have a turnover in clutch time.

Tatum is simply doing all the superstar things to start the 2026-27 season. The MVP conversation is coming once there’s enough games to set the field. His playmaking has been elite and he’s putting up numbers comparable to some of the best point guards in the league.

Defensively, the Magic were 4-of-16 shooting when Tatum was the primary defender on Sunday. Orlando’s Franz Wagner was 1-of-5 shooting (20 percent) when Tatum was the primary defender, per NBA tracking.

Tatum is giving the game what it needs. But especially when it matters most.

For people in the Triangle, it may come as a big surprise that people in the NBA didn’t know that Spud Webb could jump.

People in the Triangle knew. We heard the stories first, that this 5-7 kid from Midland Junior College could really get up off the ground, but no one understood that his vertical might be as high as 47”. That, combined with his insane quickness, made him a real threat.

But he was still 5-7, and there have only been a handful of NBA players that small who had significant careers. Think Earl Boykins and Muggsy Bogues, or Wat Misaka, the first non-Caucasian to play in the NBA (Misaka, who grew up in Utah, didn’t actually have a great NBA career, but he did have an extraordinary journey. He was a talented guard who played college basketball when many Japanese-Americans were forced into internment camps, and went on to help Utah win the 1944 NCAA tournament. He was heavily booed through most of his college career. It’s a fascinating story).

Once he got to the NBA, Webb legendarily won the NBA Dunk Contest as a rookie.

In this video, you’ll get an idea of just how unusual he was, and how much of an impact he made. He was a huge amount of fun to watch.

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Joe Mazzulla had a decision to make at the start of the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic. Rather than disrupt his team’s momentum, he chose to let the non-Jayson Tatum lineup ride it out.

Mazzulla substituted Luka Garza for Neemias Queta 12 seconds into the quarter, leaving Garza, Paul George, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Baylor Scheierman on the floor. In less than four minutes, that group forced three turnovers, outscored the Magic 8-3, and prompted an Orlando timeout, extending Boston’s lead to 85-79.

Mazzulla considered the early fourth quarter Boston’s “sweet spot” and a valuable chance to test his leaders.

“It’s always a balance,” Mazzulla told reporters after Sunday night’s 108-97 win, per NBC Sports Boston. “You wanna get those guys back in. But at the same time we’re playing really, really well. So we’re in that sweet spot, and I kind of wanted to ride those guys, and it’s a leadership opportunity for Neemi and JT in those moments to let those guys play.”

Mazzulla waited until nearly eight minutes had burned, reinserting Tatum and Queta with 4:22 remaining. By then, the Celtics had built a 97-91 cushion and still had some work to do. But Mazzulla’s decision had paid off. The George, Pritchard, White, Scheierman and Garza lineup had a chance to step up in the first night of a back-to-back on the road, and they didn’t abuse it. Those guys earned every minute, and Mazzulla wanted to make sure they felt rewarded.

Garza played a season-high 21 minutes off the bench, filling in for Mitchell Robinson’s absence (rest). In the second quarter, Garza knocked down his first corner 3-pointer — the second Celtics make from beyond the arc in 16 attempts — to give the Celtics a 31-29 lead. He finished with 12 points, six rebounds (two offensive) and four assists, maximizing his time on the floor.

During that early fourth-quarter run, Garza assisted George, nailed his second corner three, and grabbed an offensive rebound before returning to the bench.

Garza pointed right at a member of the Orlando crowd after the three and pumped up his teammates.

“It’s really just about knowing that the guys have each other’s back and pick the guy up next to you,” Mazzulla said. “That non-Tatum lineup was tremendous. We just have to continue getting better. They got us into that spot, and then the guys came back in and closed it out. So it’s just about having each other’s back in those moments.”

For the first time this season, Mazzulla couldn’t lean on Robinson for minutes. Instead, he utilized the team’s depth to fend off a feisty Magic team that shot 35.9 percent from 3-point range to Boston’s uncharacteristic 27.3 percent.

Although the Celtics struggled to find their rhythm from beyond the arc, they compensated with a strong effort on the other end to keep Orlando in check throughout the game.

“Defensively, we can always bring our defense, right?” George told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “We can always bring the intensity. We can always challenge guys. We can always pressure. We can always be disruptive. That’s the part we should always bring night in, night out. And I thought that’s what we did.”

The Celtics were shorthanded, but not disadvantaged.

Boston’s depth made sure of that.

Similar to last season’s team, George already sees the “togetherness” that carries over onto the court. No clashing personalities or individual agendas are getting in the way of what this group is built to accomplish. Everyone has an opportunity to shine, and when that moment arrives, the rest of the team is there to support them every step of the way.

That could look different any given night, depending on the circumstances Mazzulla and the coaching staff are tasked with navigating from the sidelines. But on Sunday night, the decision to entrust and empower the Tatum-less lineup was telling of where the Celtics are this early into the season.

“We were united out there,” George added.

Six games in, Boston has won its last five straight — an NBA best mark.

NBA schedule includes no games on Election Day. Here's why originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The NBA season is off and running, but it is taking a quick break in the action on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

For the fourth time in five years, the league will not have any games on Election Day.

Here is a look at why the NBA made the decision:

Why are there no NBA games on Election Day?

In 2022, the NBA announced that the league would not hold any games on Election Day and encouraged teams, players and fans to vote in their respective communities while amplifying the importance of civic engagement. It continued that initiative in 2023 and 2024 before scheduling Election Day games in 2025.

The league announced during its 2026-27 season schedule release that it would bring back the initiative this season.

“No games have been scheduled for Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) as the league will encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and to participate in the civic process,” the league said.

Ahead of Election Day, all 30 NBA teams will play on Monday, Nov. 2.

Which days have zero NBA games?

Election Day is one of the few days throughout the NBA regular season that features zero games.

The league also takes Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve off, and the NBA All-Star break runs from Feb. 19-24, 2027.

When will the NBA resume after Election Day?

Following Election Day, the NBA will get right back into things with 14 games on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Are there games in other sports on Election Day?

There are 11 NHL games on tap for Tuesday, along with dozens of games across men’s and women’s college basketball.

NBA schedule includes no games on Election Day. Here's why originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA season is off and running, but it is taking a quick break in the action on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

For the fourth time in five years, the league will not have any games on Election Day.

Here is a look at why the NBA made the decision:

Why are there no NBA games on Election Day?

In 2022, the NBA announced that the league would not hold any games on Election Day and encouraged teams, players and fans to vote in their respective communities while amplifying the importance of civic engagement. It continued that initiative in 2023 and 2024 before scheduling Election Day games in 2025.

The league announced during its 2026-27 season schedule release that it would bring back the initiative this season.

“No games have been scheduled for Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) as the league will encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and to participate in the civic process,” the league said.

Ahead of Election Day, all 30 NBA teams will play on Monday, Nov. 2.

Which days have zero NBA games?

Election Day is one of the few days throughout the NBA regular season that features zero games.

The league also takes Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve off, and the NBA All-Star break runs from Feb. 19-24, 2027.

When will the NBA resume after Election Day?

Following Election Day, the NBA will get right back into things with 14 games on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Are there games in other sports on Election Day?

There are 11 NHL games on tap for Tuesday, along with dozens of games across men’s and women’s college basketball.

No Houston Rockets fan has experienced a rebuild quite like this one.

Yes, there have been rebuilds. Some of you are old enough to remember the Rockets tanking for Hakeem Olajuwon even though they already had Ralph Sampson. That’s probably the closest analog, but it’s still not a top-down, from-scratch rebuild like the one we’ve been watching.

When the Olajuwon era was dying, and the Rockets landed Steve Francis, they got quickly off to the races. There was no more vying for high lottery picks. They pivoted to Yao Ming mid-era when their pick leaped. They were a plucky, competitive bunch until they stumbled into James Harden, and now we’re here. The point?

We are not used to evaluating young players over here.

There is an underlying assumption that after four seasons, we “know who a player is”. As far as assumptions go, this one isn’t too far off base. Rare is the NBA player who stagnates in his fourth season, only to make “the leap”.

It seems that Jabari Smith Jr. does not care for our assumptions.

Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. is having a monster season

Last year, Smith Jr. averaged 15.9 points per game while shooting 45.0% from the field and 36.8% from deep.

It was his best season, but only by a fairly narrow margin. OK, we (with some exceptions, I see you, Darren, shout out Big O) collectively thought. This is who he is.

It wasn’t so bad! Smith Jr. was one of the best shooters in the NBA who could reasonably play any minutes at the 5. That’s something. He had real defensive utility, even if he wasn’t elite. Really, this was the floor version of Bari that was advertised during the draft process. Limited on-ball ability, defensively versatile 6’11” floor spacer. It wasn’t sexy, but we were willing to take it.

But this year’s version of Smith Jr. is downright sultry.

He’s averaging 19.0 points per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 44.7% from three-point range. This is closer to the ceiling version of Smith Jr.:

Is it sustainable?

Rockets’ Smith Jr. is primed for a career year

Smith Jr.’s shot profile has barely changed. In 2026-27, 51.1% of his field goals are coming from beyond the arc, compared to 50.1% last year. The rest of his attempts are spread fairly evenly from the deep two range to the paint, just as they were last season.

On paper, virtually all the improvement is coming from his three-point efficiency boost. So, that’s a valid concern. Smith Jr. is unlikely to finish the season shooting 44.7% from deep.

It’s worth noting that the data says Smith Jr. is mostly getting better shots this season. NBA.com classifies 25.7% of his field goals as wide open, compared to 18.5% in 2025-26.

The story underneath the story here is that it looks like Ime Udoka thought about offense this summer (I know, right?). He may have intentionally instilled defense and hustle principles for two seasons before expanding his playbook, but that’s another article.

Back to Smith Jr.: He looks much more confident with the ball. He’s attacking closeouts and getting to his spots. He is simply a better basketball player.

There have always been questions about Smith Jr., but none have ever pertained to his work ethic. He’s always had the want. He’s mostly made marginal improvements in every year of his career, and we’re simply seeing the widest margin this season.

So yes, his three-point shooting is likely to regress. It’s also pretty likely that this will be the best shooting (and, vicariously, overall) season of Smith Jr.’s career.

Who saw that coming?

The San Antonio Spurs have won four straight games after a disappointing start to the season. One of those wins recently came in overtime against the Utah Jazz. Now, just a half a week later, the Spurs will rematch the young Jazz at home, looking to extend their winning streak to five games.

The last game against the Jazz was a back-and-forth affair, with the Spurs starting slow and finishing strong in overtime. Utah got some stellar performances from their young guards, while San Antonio needed a 36-point, 14-rebound Victor Wembanyama performance to get the job done. The Jazz played that game without one of their best players, Lauri Markkanen, but will get him back on Monday night. Markkanen is averaging 15.4 points per game this season.

San Antonio is coming off a convincing Halloween win over a shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves squad, developing an early-season rhythm. While the Jazz are just 1-5 to start the season, they’ll pose a real challenge to San Antonio. The Spurs will need to bring their A-game if they want to keep up momentum heading into November.

San Antonio Spurs (4-2) vs. Utah Jazz (1-5)

November 2nd, 2026 | 7 PM CT

Watch: DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Tobias Harris – Out (calf), Jayden Quaintance – Out (knee)

Jazz Injuries: Trey Alexander – Out (G League), Kobe Bufkin – Out (G League), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), Jaren Jackson Jr. – Out (knee), Jusuf Nurkic – Out (foot)

What to watch for:

Wembanyama and Fox

San Antonio has gotten great production from their two best players to start the season. The San Antonio Spurs are +96 points in 213 possessions with the duo on the court this year. They are -17 points when they sit. Fox and Wembanyama have found great synergy in the pick-and-roll, where Fox has used Wembanyama’s gravity to find openings in the mid-range, where he is hitting shots at a high percentage. Wembanyama has become more committed to rolling to the basket, creating easier opportunities when opponents switch. The Jazz were great in the last game at staying disciplined and fighting through screens to keep their big man contesting Wembanyama lobs. Fox and Wembanyama finding an edge will be crucial to the Spurs’ success.

Slowing down Keyonte George

George lit up the Spurs for 31 points on 11-27 shooting from the field in their last contest. He especially had it going early, as he hit several pull-up jumpers. San Antonio will need to find a way to slow the opposing guard down, whether with a one-on-one defender like Stephon Castle or a team scheme that forces George to take difficult shots inside of the three-point arc. In general, the Spurs will need to get out to Utah’s shooters, who can get hot quickly.

Getting to the rim

The Jazz are thin in the front court thanks to injuries to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic. Jaxson Hayes, Markkanen, and Mo Bamba are leading Utah’s big man rotation. None of those big men are particularly elite at defending the paint. Wembanyama exposed this in the last game between these teams. San Antonio will need to find a way to get downhill against the Jazz and challenge their limited front-court depth.

NBA schedule includes no games on Election Day. Here's why originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA season is off and running, but it is taking a quick break in the action on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

For the fourth time in five years, the league will not have any games on Election Day.

Here is a look at why the NBA made the decision:

Why are there no NBA games on Election Day?

In 2022, the NBA announced that the league would not hold any games on Election Day and encouraged teams, players and fans to vote in their respective communities while amplifying the importance of civic engagement. It continued that initiative in 2023 and 2024 before scheduling Election Day games in 2025.

The league announced during its 2026-27 season schedule release that it would bring back the initiative this season.

“No games have been scheduled for Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) as the league will encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and to participate in the civic process,” the league said.

Ahead of Election Day, all 30 NBA teams will play on Monday, Nov. 2.

Which days have zero NBA games?

Election Day is one of the few days throughout the NBA regular season that features zero games.

The league also takes Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve off, and the NBA All-Star break runs from Feb. 19-24, 2027.

When will the NBA resume after Election Day?

Following Election Day, the NBA will get right back into things with 14 games on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Are there games in other sports on Election Day?

There are 11 NHL games on tap for Tuesday, along with dozens of games across men’s and women’s college basketball.

The Lakers (5-2) will welcome the Miami Heat (2-4) to town on Monday for their first meeting of the season. Both teams enter this matchup coming off wins.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat

When: 7 p.m. PT, Nov. 2

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

In case you didn’t know, the Lakers have three sets of back-to-back games this month, starting with Sunday and Monday. The purple and gold will face a Miami team that has won two straight games after opening the season with four consecutive losses. Miami also has the rest advantage in this one after having had two consecutive nights off.

That factor alone makes this a challenging game for Los Angeles, yet it’s one that they can conquer. The spotlight will obviously be on Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the key to victory will be which team can do a better job of limiting the other’s superstar.

The Greek Freak is averaging 28.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists to begin the year. The Lakers’ frontcourt will also have to look out for Bam Adebayo, who is coming off his best performance yet with 27 points in the win against the Indiana Pacers. This frontcourt duo is what makes the Heat a tricky matchup.

That’s why it’ll be interesting to see how head coach JJ Redick game plans against Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. Ideally, the Lakers also expose the Heat’s lack of shooting, defensive inconsistencies and the shortage of production from their role players. It’ll be nice to see Dončić — who just had his best all-around game of the season in Sunday’s victory — remain hot and torch the Heat defense.

Speaking of things that would be nice to see, the Lakers’ minutes without their Slovenian superstar on the floor will be crucial. Against the Raptors, it didn’t matter so much because Dončić and co. were able to open up a huge early lead.

However, this Heat team is different in a sense that they have more firepower than the Raptors. Contributions from across the board will be necessary and that’s where the Lakers’ bench and shooters need to step up.

Facing Miami is an early test to see how the Lakers handle tough matchups like this, especially with no rest. Let’s see if the purple and gold can successfully take care of business against the Heat on Monday.

Notes and Updates

• Since the Lakers played on Sunday, there isn’t an injury report yet for this one.
• As for Ziaire Williams (left foot injury management), there was an update prior to Sunday’s game regarding his recovery but his status still remains uncertain.

• The Heat list Tim Hardaway Jr., (personal reasons) as questionable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

The Lakers having a bounceback outing in itself was encouraging on Sunday. That it started on the defensive end, though, is perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the performance.

In the opening quarter, they set a defensive tone, turning the Raptors over nine times with seven steals and 14 points off turnovers. While Luka had his typical strong first quarter, that the Raptors shot just 8-22 in the opening period shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Now, about those dang turnovers. now…

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

Matisse Thybulle

25 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 2-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, +10

On a roster where players are turning down open shots, it’s nice to see Thybulle never turn down an opportunity for a no-dip 3-pointer.

Grade: B-

Jake LaRavia

25 minutes, 8 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 3-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, +6

With really only one notable hiccup against the Warriors, LaRavia has been fantastic this season. Tonight was another game where he made an impact on both ends of the floor.

Grade: B+

Walker Kessler

31 minutes, 16 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 6-6 FG, 4-4 FT, +11

A very quiet big night for Kessler in this one, at least offensively. He did a great job defensively of deterring shots at the rim. Teams are clearly targeting taking him away as a roller and there will be an adjustment period. But he’s still finding ways to be impactful.

Grade: A-

Austin Reaves

38 minutes, 19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 6-16 FG, 2-7 3PT, 5-6 FT, +14

It was shaping up to be another pretty quiet night from Austin before he helped seal the game with some important buckets and free throws late. He’s in a bit of a rut after a strong start, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t break out of it.

Grade: C+

Luka Dončić

35 minutes, 45 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 5 fouls, 7 turnovers, 12-23 FG, 8-12 3PT, 13-13 FT, +27

What else is there to say about Luka? He’s off to the best start of his career, which is actually a really high bar. His defense was great on Sunday and his offense was spectacular. This is how an MVP-caliber season starts.

Grade: A+

Quentin Grimes

25 minutes, 7 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 foul, 4 turnovers, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, 2-4 FT, +5

Whether it’s indecision or trying to find his role or something else, Grimes is thinking far too much on the court. You can see the moments when he should be playing instinctively but is instead trying to think of the right play to make.

How do you get him out of that funk? Because the Lakers badly need him as another creator for himself and others.

Grade: D+

Sandro Mamukelashvili

23 minutes, 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 4-7 FG, +7

Mamu was solid as a scorer but didn’t offer a whole lot else. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as the team needed scoring off the bench, particularly after last game.

Grade: B

Jarred Vanderbilt

12 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 2-2 FG, -12

Vando is a good rebounder as a forward. Probably even a great one. For a backup center, though, he is not a good rebounder. Nor is Mamu. Which means the Lakers are hemorrhaging rebounds when they share the floor.

Though, to be fair, they’re hemorrhaging rebounds at basically all points of the game.

Grade: C

Collin Sexton

19 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 6-10 FG, 1-3 3PT, 1-2 FT, -9

On paper, Sexton looked like maybe the best player off the bench tonight. And he had a couple good scoring spurts. But he also had more bad than good stretches overall.

Grade: C-

Bronny James, Cameron Carr, Jaden Hardy

You can chalk up seeing Bronny James or Jaden Hardy get any meaningful minutes anytime soon after that shambolic performance. Cameron Carr’s debut deserved better.

JJ Redick

There were a few moments where it felt like a timeout could have been called to quell a Raptors run. But he also was good with his challenge, including briefly saving Luka from a fifth foul.

Sunday’s DNPs: Kevon Looney

Sunday’s inactives: Ziaire Williams, Arthur Kaluma, Adou Thiero, Chris Manon, Lawson Lovering

LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić has heard it all.

He can’t play defense. He’s a showman, a front runner, a whiny shot-chucker whose game isn’t conducive to winning. He can average all the stats he wants. It won’t translate to anything.

Sunday night, in the Lakers’ 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors, he proved that he’s more than what people say he is.

He’s just a great basketball player. Perhaps the best in the world.

Every time Dončić went to the free throw line on Sunday, he was met with “M-V-P” chants from the Crypto.com Arena crowd.

It wasn’t just the 45 points and eight 3-pointers that inspired the ovation. It was also the defensive engagement, the 15 rebounds (all defensive), five steals and three drawn charges over 35 minutes, each second more crucial than the next. It was the product of an initiative he set for himself ahead of this season.

“Obviously I’m not the best defender in the NBA,” Dončić said postgame. “But I think this year I really took a step forward. Obviously people are going to talk what they want to talk. The media is going to talk what they want to talk, but my team knows that [and] I think that I’m better this year, and that helps the whole team.”

The ninth-year superstar entered Sunday’s game averaging a league-leading 36.2 points per game, a figure that’s only going up after another offensive onslaught. And yet, as he averages 43.8 points over his last four contests, it’s as much his defensive activity that’s inspiring the Lakers.

“He’s been awesome on defense,” head coach JJ Redick said Sunday. “Even his on-ball [pressure] throughout this early stretch of games has been really good in terms of containment. … He’s doing a great job just talking on defense beyond just the steals and the charges and the rebounding. Fifteen defensive rebounds. Just phenomenal.”

Players of Dončić’s offensive caliber, who are relied on as much as he is, are often less willing to sacrifice their bodies on the other end of the floor. But for Dončić, as quiet and mild-tempered as he is off the floor, standing in front of a driving opponent and risking his body in the moment signals something greater.

“I think taking a charge in general is just a form of leadership,” Redick said. “Putting your body on the line for the team. He’s just trying to win. You see the competitiveness come out so many times on the offensive end, but he’s competitive on the defensive end, too.”

When Walker Kessler listed off the players on the roster that would contribute to Los Angeles having one of the best defenses in the league, even he overlooked Dončić.

Kessler thought he was brought in to complement the star’s offensive game as a roller and make the game easier for him by anchoring the defense. He never thought he’d have to match Dončić‘s level of defensive contribution.

“Incredible,” Kessler said. “Luka doesn’t get enough credit for his defense. He’s a very high IQ individual when it comes to being on the court. His positional defense is being in the right spot at the right time, and it is really good and it showed tonight.

“[When] all the players see a guy like him, who’s a savant on the offensive side, be so good defensively, it gets to the guys. It hypes them up to play better defense. So, yeah, it was incredible.”

Dončić put up averages no one in NBA history has replicated in the two seasons he was high in the MVP race (‘23-24 and ‘25-26), but he was never truly in the conversation. He’s dealt with this his entire career.

Defense has been the main excuse used to rule him out of the award race. This year, the Lakers are a plus-87 with Dončić on the floor. And guess what? He’s playing on both ends of the floor now.

It’s still very early, but this is what an MVP looks like.

You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.

Sometimes, a loss is a miserable situation that gets called a learning experience to save face. But watching this game against the Lakers, I was, at times, genuinely heartened by the product that I saw on the floor. The result? Less heartening, that is for sure, but there’s a lot to learn from this November 1st 131-125 game.

For one: the Raptors seemed willing to shoot threes, and make up for any inaccuracy with their rebounding and interior presence. And while they weren’t always making them, it was nice to see, and helped them get back into the game, especially with Luka Dončić on the bench.

Poetry in motion

With the Magic-man out, the Raptors looked not only in control, but confident, even without Jakob Poeltl on the floor. Poeltl’s absence meant a start from Trayce Jackson-Davis, who, despite sharing the job with Collin Murray-Boyles, looked good on the floor there in some limited minutes. The Bench Mob 2.0 came in during garbage time that didn’t feel quite like garbage time: the Lakers put their starters back in during a two possession game, giving the reserves some valuable experience, punctuated by a Jamison Battle three, and an Allen Graves steal.

Both Darko Rajaković and Scottie Barnes got technical fouls tonight, a reality that showcases a Raptors team willing to fight for its position. While less than ideal in a big matchup, getting some of this energy out early helps to set the tone for the season. Speaking of that-

Scottie Barnes still looks fantastic, and had a great offensive game, posting stats of 29-6-5 along with two steals. He got 13 free throw attempts, drawing a lot of contact and getting the foul calls that his driving would warrant, even though he only made seven of those shots: less than ideal. Still, the player he is developing into is absolutely fantastic, capable of carrying the responsibility of a number-one offensive option, even though he’s perhaps better suited to the place of a secondary or tertiary scorer.

RJ Barrett looked great, as usual, with a hyper-efficient 22 point night, that was marred only by the complete lack of free throws attempted. Adding on three steals to his statline, RJ looked impactful, and his big three to get the deficit back to single digits was a highlight of the night for the Raps.

Not so pretty prose

However, efficiency was a major, major issue for the Raptors tonight. They shot 43% from the floor and 31% from three, which, while an attempted increase in volume explains, does not necessarily translate to much meaningful production for the Raptors. The Raptors’ offence without Kawhi is supported in part around Scottie and RJ creating interior pressure, which should ideally create space for shooters like Immanuel Quickley or Ja’Kobe Walter, but tonight, the shots just weren’t falling, especially from IQ, who went 3/11 from outside.

The Lakers, on the other hand, were shooting 60% from three at the half, which begs the question: were the Raptors unlucky two nights in a row, or does there need to be more effort at defence on the perimeter?

Likely as not, it’s a bit of both.

Very similarly to both of the Raptors’ previous losses, the major issue came at the hands of volume scoring guards as opposed to big men, despite the oft-discussed issues that the Raptors have had at centre. Luka Dončić had 45 points tonight, and sometimes, when a scorer like Luka gets hot, there is no defence anywhere on heaven or Earth than can stop him from getting the ball to the cup. He shot 66% from three and went 100% from the charity stripe. This is very similar to what happened with Desmond Bane in the second Orlando game.

While the three remains a potent weapon against anyone, it seems that the Raptors are particularly susceptible to it. Sure, you shoot a dinosaur with a rifle and it falls over, but Toronto needs to teach its predators how to strap on bulletproof vests. The Raptors are a great defensive team, but this is a weakness that has now cropped up twice as a pattern, and needs to be eliminated before it becomes the Raptors’ Achilles heel. This is, of course, the Raptors playing without Kawhi Leonard, which means that they’ve lost arguably their best offensive player, and some very important perimeter D.

Tonight was also a game without Jakob Poeltl, meaning that the Raps were playing without two of their most important pieces. Poeltl was out with shoulder bursitis, which the Cleveland Clinic notes varies in severity and frequency. His injury circumstances are not yet clear. This situation is even more distressing when considering the fact that both Poeltl and Leonard are notorious for missing time. If this is how the Raptors will perform regularly under such circumstances, there is indeed some serious concern here for the functioning of the team.

Do they predict the future out on the West Coast?

Should the LA game be moment of total panic and abandon for the Raptors and their fans? No. Luka Dončić is one of the best scorers in the world, and without two starters, the Raptors were always going to be fighting an uphill battle to keep up tonight.

The Raptors have not even played ten games yet and should not be written off as mere pretenders, but, this series may give the indication that the Raptors playing their reserves as starters may put them firmly in the place they were last year: solid enough to beat the bad teams, and not great enough to beat the good ones.

Leonard is set to be evaluated and the degree to which his injury will keep him off the floor will become clearer in the upcoming week. His health for the season and production upon returning will be the yardstick by which this season’s success will be measured. Until then, the Raptors have another LA matchup to look forward to, this time, against a team they are well acquainted with. The… Los Angeles Clippers.