SAN FRANCISCO — An hour or so after the Warriors’ collapse Friday night, Yaxel Lendeborg stood at his locker and swapped out his white No. 1 jersey for a blue throwback No. 4.

Dug out of his childhood closet by his mom, it was already an appropriate homage for a Michigan man trading in one shade of blue for another. Then, Lendeborg went on to have a game that no Warriors rookie had had since the guy whose name was on the back of that jersey.

“This is the jersey I’ve been wearing since I was a kid on the basketball court,” Lendeborg told reporters in the locker room following Golden State’s 111-108 loss to the Grizzlies. “Chris Webber, Michigan legend. Warrior legend. Had to represent, you know?”

Lendeborg did more than represent.

Although he got the short end of his first NBA showdown with fellow rookie forward Cameron Boozer, Lendeborg matched the No. 3 overall pick with 13 rebounds and six assists to go with 18 points — the first Warriors rookie since Webber to put up such a line in one game.

Only two Warriors, period, in the past six seasons have stuffed the stat sheet to the degree that Lendeborg did in just his second professional game. Steph Curry went for 23, 13 and 13 back in 2021. And Brandin Podziemski notched 18, 15 and nine this past February.

That’s it.

However, Lendeborg was also responsible for six of the Warriors’ 19 turnovers.

“He’s gonna get better and better,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He just has to get used to the NBA. … He’s putting himself in some risky spots that he won’t be doing a few weeks from now.”

After going back and forth with Luka Doncic in his NBA debut, Lendeborg kept it more lowkey in his first game in front of the home fans. He said this summer that he would have any matchup with Boozer, whose Duke team he beat for the national championship, circled on his calendar.

“I always want to have a good game against anybody in my draft class, try to outperform them. Today I didn’t,” Lendeborg said. “But every game I’m definitely gonna try to take that personally, try to win my matchup and ultimately win the game for the team. 

“I didn’t do both today, but I’ll win it next time.”

Boozer operated at will and finished with 25 points, seven more than Lendeborg — one off the difference in their draft positions. His spinning shot in the lane over Podziemski with 20 seconds left gave the Grizzlies their first lead since late in the third quarter, 108-106.

Lendeborg, meanwhile, is still seeking his first NBA win.

“He played a great game today,” Lendeborg said. “It was a fun matchup. Didn’t really get to guard each other much. He took advantage of the matchup when I was on him and did a great job. Props to him.”

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For Matisse Thybulle, one of the “coolest” things about this current Lakers team has been having “so many defensive-minded players”. 

The types of players who’ll stack a hustle play on top of another play, creating an advantage and energy for the team as a whole. 

That’s how the veteran wing saw things play out during the Lakers’ win over the Clippers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.

And he credited Collin Sexton, who made his Lakers debut during the victory, with providing the team with that jolt. 

“I felt like it immediately,” Thybulle said. “He just invigorated the game with more energy.”

Sexton’s first minutes of the season after sitting out the preseason and the regular-season opening win over the Warriors on Wednesday came when he subbed in for Austin Reaves with 3:52 left in the first quarter.

Eleven seconds later, the veteran guard stripped Clippers guard Darius Garland of the ball during his drive into the paint, leading to a steal for the Lakers after Luka Doncic dove on the floor to corral the ball.

“He’s a pest,” Reaves said. “He feeds off the energy, he loves doing the little things and plays the game the right way. He’ll have a big impact [on] what we’re trying to do.”

The former Alabama guard carried that energy into the second quarter.

“He has a really intense way about him that I think will be really good for our group and guys will feed off that,” coach JJ Redick said.

With the Lakers down 44-38 early in the quarter, his perimeter defensive pressure against Kris Dunn forced the Clippers to eat up 10 seconds of the shot clock before Dunn passed the ball to rookie guard Keaton Wagler.

Wagler tried forcing a pass to Brook Lopez on the low block while Ziaire Williams was in front of him, but the ball floated over the 7-foot-1 center’s head and Reaves grabbed the steal.

But the errant Clippers’ possession started with Sexton hounding Dunn even though he didn’t get credited in the box score for the play.

In addition to his three steals, the 6-foot-3 guard also had five points and two assists in 16 minutes.

“Ziaire and I talk about it a lot: That’s what we try to do for them,” Thybulle said. “Even as people who try to do that, to see someone else doing it, it gives us even more energy. It’s just one of those things that when everyone else is doing it, you don’t want to be the guy to not be. It’s almost like when you’re working out in practice and like everyone’s making shots in a row, you don’t want to be the one to miss it and mess it up. Defensively, you can have a similar thing, which is effort and energy.”

Sexton brought an abundance of both in the Lakers’ second win of the season.

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Looks like the Lakers got their franchise center. 

They needed a bastion down low. They listened to Luka Dončić when he said he wanted Walker Kessler. Rob Pelinka gambled everything to get him. 

In his first two games?

Kessler is making Doncic look like a skilled scout. And he’s making Pelinka look like a man with good job security. 

The 7-foot-1 center, whom the Lakers acquired over the summer in a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz, had 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, six blocked shots and three steals in the Lakers’ 125-117 win over the Clippers on Friday. 

He had the highest plus-minus (+18) of anyone on the court. 

That followed a 26-point performance on 12-for-12 shooting, nine rebounds, one assist and two blocked shots in his regular-season Laker debut against the Warriors on Wednesday.

This is who the Lakers wanted. This is who they needed. This is who could turn them into contenders. 

Everyone knew the Lakers’ offense was going to be incredible behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. But last season, the Lakers ranked 20th in defensive efficiency. They desperately needed to improve.

So, the Lakers gave the Jazz two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to acquire the 25-year-old Kessler, signing him to a four-year, $130 million deal. 

It was a risk. 

It meant they wouldn’t have any tradable first-round draft picks for the next seven years. It meant Kessler would make or break this Laker team. 

So far, so great. 

In his debut against the Warriors, he was the first Laker since Wilt Chamberlain to shoot 12-for-12 in a game. And against the Clippers, he became the eighth Laker to record six blocks and three steals in a game, according to Stathead.

“He’s a fantastic basketball player and I think he’ll continue to get better,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I mean, that was one of the reasons that we wanted him and he was so appealing to us was because of his age and feeling like the fit with our two stars was really good. And [he’s] someone that can continue to grow and become just a fantastic player in the NBA.”

Kessler only played in five games last season after suffering a torn left labrum that required surgery. After missing an entire season of his prime, there were a lot of questions.

What’s his ceiling? Is he going to live up to expectations? Was he really worth the enormous price the Lakers paid for him?

Memories are short in the NBA, especially when a player misses 77 games. But Kessler is silencing his doubters.

“Oh, it’s so much fun,” Kessler said of being back on the court. “It’s so much fun. It was definitely a tougher year for me. But God is faithful. And just to be here now, I’m just so thankful. So thankful for this opportunity. So thankful to be healthy. Just very, very thankful.”

The Lakers need Kessler to develop into an All-Defensive-type player. They need him to complete their Big 3 alongside Doncic and Reaves. They need him to be a force. 

He’s checking those boxes.

After the score was knotted at 64-64 at halftime, Kessler took over in the third quarter with his defense, helping the Lakers lead by as much as 14 points in the period. 

“It just felt like Walker was everywhere in that third,” Redick said. “…There were multiple times [in the game] where it felt like they had a layup and he either came over and blocked the shot or created an altered shot.”

Kessler’s next game will meld his future with his past as the Lakers travel to Utah to face the Jazz. 

For Kessler, it’s a return to where he spent the first four seasons of his career. 

“I’m so excited to compete against those guys,” he said. “Coach [Will] Hardy does a great job with that franchise and my past teammates are really talented, really competitive. So I think it’s going to be a very competitive game and I’m just excited to go compete.”

But for the Lakers, it’s a reminder of how far they’ve come.

They emptied their treasure trove for Kessler.

And so far, every pick they gave Utah was worth who they got in return.

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It isn’t often that Lakers superstar Luka Doncic will joke around with an opponent – especially during a game. 

His recent verbal back and forth with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg throughout the Lakers’ season-opening win on Wednesday night showcased a glimpse of how competitive the Slovenian guard can get on the court. 

But Doncic was especially exuberant during the Lakers’ win over the Clippers on Friday night because the game was also Rui Hachimura’s return to Crypto.com Arena after the Japanese forward spent 3 ½ seasons with the Lakers, which included 1 ½ as a teammate with Doncic.

Doncic ran onto the court and hugged Hachimura pregame before the Clippers forward could start his routine. 

And even when the 2019 first-round draft pick was going through his pregame process, there Doncic was, being jovial with his former teammate as Hachimura greeted his old Lakers coaches.

The playfulness from Doncic’s side continued during the game. 

“I don’t like Rui…Nah, it was just great to see him,” Doncic said. “He’s my guy. We had a year and a half together, great friends, so it was really nice to see him.”

The playfulness turned into trash talk when the game started.

“He was just trying to talk trash or whatever,” Hachimura said. “But I don’t care about that stuff. I had a good time with him, two years with the Lakers. I’m happy to see him.”

It was clear Doncic wasn’t the only Laker who was happy to see Hachimura.

Hachimura and Lakers star guard Austin Reaves, who were teammates during the former Gonzaga forward’s entire tenure with the Lakers, also embraced on the court pregame and postgame on Friday.

“He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had,” Reaves said. “I made a joke the other day that I didn’t know if he spoke English for the first two weeks. We sat by each other on the plane his first year and I would say hey to him. He kind of just looked at me and [nodded].  

“And then after that I couldn’t get him to shut up. Always in a good mood, happy to be here, puts the work in and it’s just good to see him be happy and successful and enjoying his life.”

Hachimura’s demeanor is why coach JJ Redick said he was “one of my favorite players I’ve ever been around in the NBA.”

“One of my favorite players I’ve ever coached,” he added. “And it’s because of just the consistency of joy and personality that he brings every day.”

And that joy radiated from Hachimura throughout Friday, despite his new team losing to his old team.

He finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes against the Lakers.

“It was amazing, it was a great time with them,” Hachimura said of his time with the Lakers. “This organization, of course I missed them. But it was time to move on. It was special, my four years, four seasons with them. I’m happy with the Clippers right now. I gotta keep going with my career.”

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Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: What stood out to you in the Suns’ first regular season game against the Trail Blazers?

zenzino: Whew! Glad that one is out of the way.

The Suns got pulled under in the Portland wave and never resurfaced.

To call out any specific players for that game is asinine. That level of suck was a total team effort. There were no bright spots. The Blazers threw a ‘welcome home Dame ’ three-point party, and the Suns were the wallflowers.

That being said, we learned nothing from the first game. But the second game will tell us plenty about who they are going to be. Will they bounce back with effort? Will they lock down on defense? Will they hit a shot in the first 6 minutes?

What’s done is done. They still have the same number of losses as the Knicks and the Spurs (as of this writing). The next game is a lot more important than the last one.

Notable: Koa Peat made his NBA debut in the season opener, scored his first points, and got his first tech/fine. Welcome to the NBA.

Ashton: Next question. Pass. I literally asked Rod to strike this question in the game chat to save you all and me the mental anguish of having to relive it. I was denied.

Planet Orange? More like Clockwork Orange. I knew this question was coming, but I felt like I was strapped in a chair, unable to blink or turn away from the train wreck that I saw and is now permanently imprinted into my memories as I watched it from start to finish. Now, let’s get to the positives and negatives.

Positives: Literally none. If I had to call one positive out it was the over-600 post-game chat where we were unified in our negativity, and it was more entertaining than the actual game.

Negatives: Oh, where to start? How much time do you have? Sorry, I have to make an appointment with my sports psychologist.

This team is a work in progress, and that is putting it lightly.

OldAz: I was out of town on business and had been maneuvering all day to find a place to watch the game. As meetings ran long, the game started while I was with some associates at dinner, and I stuck to following the start of the game on my phone.  Let’s just say I didn’t have much motivation to find someplace to watch the rest of the game by the time dinner was over.

I guess I did not spend much time paying attention to the other moves around the league this offseason, as I can understand why Portland came out with high energy and excitement. Their backcourt of Ja and a healthy Dame, with Jrue and Scoot coming off the bench! Plus, their best player is still probably Avdija, with some nice pieces along the front line. My impression is that Game 1 is a small sample size and more a product of a really good team centered around defense that is primed to break out this season.  As for the Suns, that’s an ugly way to start, but I won’t draw too many conclusions around 1 game.

Rod: Nothing good. At this point, I have no idea as to whether it was one of those games where basically everything just goes wrong or many of us had some very unrealistically high expectations for this team. I mostly believe it was the former, but I’m quite eager for the next game to get a sign as to whether the 1st game was an aberration or the new norm.

There’s a saying from boxing that basically says that everyone has a plan…until they get hit. Well, the Suns got smacked around hard in the 1st quarter in Portland, and everything pretty much fell apart from there on. I can only hope that’s not the new team identity for 2026-27.

Q2: The Suns’ schedule starts off with 9 of their first 12 games at home. What are your thoughts on this?

zenzino: Hopefully, it will help them get off to a good start.

However, I’m not a fan of the easier home schedule to start because, as we’ve seen in the past several seasons, that usually means a really tough schedule down the stretch. Last season in particular, they had a legit shot at the 6th seed, but their last 10 games were mostly away and against some top teams.

Ashton: That Suns fans may actually set decibel level records for booing if they see the same effort that the Suns put against Portland at home against GSW. Heck, they may even set off seismic monitors around the Valley. The conversation may very well trend towards the over/under on how many points the Suns will get beat by. Is it 20 or 30 or even worse? Because what I saw on the road against Portland did not seem like it would translate into a home-court advantage. There is just too much to fix.

Now, granted, I am submitting this on a Friday and keeping the Cardinal Rule of my game emotions in check for at least 24 hours after a loss. I failed. GSW did not exactly look like world-beaters in their loss to the Lakers. Let’s see how that one turns out on Saturday. Maybe my tune will change when it comes to home-court advantage.

OldAz: Those 12 games are a big sample size, so they better get their defense in order quickly. A lot of home games should allow for time to work on their deficiencies with less travel to deal with. Otherwise, things could get ugly fast. There are not many easy opponents in the Western Conference, so not a lot of room for an extended slow start.

Rod: After the Game 1 debacle, all I can think of to say here is, “It can’t hurt.” Perhaps playing in front of the home crowd will give them a little additional motivation to get their act together, and hopefully keep it together, once they get out on lengthy road trips.

In 11 days, the Suns will face off against the Blazers again, but in Phoenix this time. How well they perform in that game is of particular interest to me.

Q3: What is your opinion of the addition of Drew Timme to the Suns on a two-way contract?

zenzino: Like most people, Timme wasn’t high on my name recognition list.

From everything I’ve read and seen since, it looks like he’s a less athletic version of Oso. Connector, team defender, good passer. He has a post-up game but is not quite as good a ball-handler. No outside shot. Not particularly good at rebounding. I didn’t check his free-throw percentage, but I’m just going to assume it’s better than Oso.

Makes me wonder if they knew Oso’s hip was going to be an on-off problem this season. Still no word about that at this writing.

It’s a 2-way contract. There is only possible upside. CG was a 3rd-year 2-way signing, and look how that turned out.

Ashton: I grew up in a small town outside of Spokane, and I love what Mark Few has done to prepare his players for the NBA at the collegiate level. Heck, the University of Arizona took his best assistant for head coach and that has turned out pretty well. I consider Gonzaga my second favorite team in college basketball and probably the last mid-market collegiate titan dynasty in the NIL era.

Now, with that said, the track record of Gonzaga players succeeding in the NBA has been spotty. I could go through the list (also RIP Brandon Clarke), but I won’t. Quite a few of them were hyped in mocks and actual NBA draft selections. Andrew Timme was voted as a consensus All-American at the collegiate level three times and remains Gonzaga leading scorer. His reward? He went undrafted in 2023.

Any Phish fans on the board? My favorite song is “Bouncing Around the Room”. This is Timme’s career in a nutshell because he has bounced around on two-ways, G League, and NBA contracts on multiple teams. Six of them, to be exact, before picking up his seventh team with the Suns.

So, I do not have the answer to this question. I do not think anyone does. But I liked watching him play at Gonzaga, thus my focus on college play. Timme is worth a flyer.

OldAz: Don’t know much about him, but I was never overly enamored with Brea, so I am glad they prioritized more front court help with their remaining two-way spots.  In the past couple of years, Gregory has found good value in this pool of players, so hopefully he has done so again.

Rod: I think he’s a good addition, especially in light of Oso’s hip injury. Timme’s listed as a power forward, but he’s spent most of his time on the court playing center over his first two seasons (79%). At 6’9″, he’s a bit small to play at the 5, but he’s pretty much the same size as Reath (but 10 pounds lighter). I expect that’s where he’ll most likely get some court time with the Suns this season if Oso’s hip injury turns into a lingering issue. Unlike Oso, Timme can actually shoot from three (33.3% career, 44.0% last season on limited attempts), although he hasn’t played enough to know just how much you can count on him hitting those frequently. As an emergency backup, I’m happy with adding him to the roster.

Bonus Q: Do you like or dislike Oso Ighodaro’s contract extension?

zenzino: I’m thrilled!

Another team-friendly deal that also makes the player happy. Total win-win.

He played all 82 games last season for a reason. Even when MW was healthy and playing well, more often than not, Oso was out there at the end of the 4th quarter.

Even if a lot of people here don’t think he is all that great, the coaching staff and his teammates have a lot of confidence in him, and they showed it when they locked him up for the next 4 seasons.

Thrilled, I tell you!

Ashton: Wait. A bonus question that suspiciously seems like a Q4. Fantable, we need to unite and unionize against the three-question format turning into four questions or more! What is next, five questions? I checked our Fantable CBA (we don’t have one), and it specifically states that all opinions presented by Fantable are free of charge and allowed to be changed by the editors. Furthermore, any content provided by Fantable can be pilfered by the writers for roundtable and article discussions.

To the question. I liked the contract terms. There was a run on back-up centers (that is what Oso is) at the NBA trade deadline. This will happen again as NIL deals for collegiate centers are at an all-time high, and they will return for the money. The days of drafting a center on the cheap are probably gone. Also, Lakers overpay for center Walker Kessler is looking good, but we will see how it ages. So yes, a good value for Oso.

With that said, I am more than a little concerned about Oso’s hip injuries to start the season. I hope the trainers are not pushing him out while not 100 percent healthy. Yes, the center position is a need for the Suns, but let’s not rush it.

OldAz: I think it was good value and don’t really correlate his contract to the hip injury, as he has been pretty healthy during his career.  However, for this season, their lack of depth at center, with his hip injury added on, does not bode well at all.  This next week could get rough if that lingers.

Rod: I’ve seen some fans call it an overpay, but I think it’s about right for a quality backup center today. Yes, Oso has some faults/limitations, but so do all backups at every position…or they wouldn’t be backups (with a few rare exceptions).

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Quote of the Week

“This (the loss to Portland) is definitely a wake-up call for us. I’m glad it happened early. Everything went wrong. We have a lot to learn from the tape offensively and defensively.” — Devin Booker

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Suns Trivia/History

On October 25, 1975, Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor member Alvan Adams made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in an 89-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He was just 2 assists short of getting a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) in his NBA debut. Adams also played a big role in helping the Suns get to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, where they were defeated 4-2 by the Boston Celtics. Adams was named to the All-NBA Rookie Team, won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and was selected to play in the All-Star Game that year.

On October 25, 2013, the Suns traded Shannon Brown, Marcin Gortat, Malcolm Lee and Kendall Marshall to the Washington Wizards for Emeka Okafor and a 2014 1st round draft pick (Tyler Ennis was later selected). Okafor was injured at the time of the trade and never played a single game for the Suns.

On October 29, 1996, in conjunction with the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration, the list of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History was announced. It included two former Suns, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.

On October 30, 1972, new Suns head coach “Butch” van Breda Kolff was fired after coaching just seven games for the Suns (3-4). General Manager Jerry Colangelo took over as head coach for the remainder of the season. The team would go 35-40 for the rest of the season under Colangelo (38-44 overall) and miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

On October 30, 2009, Steve Nash dished out 20 assists in a 123-101 win over the Golden State Warriors. Ten days later, he would do it again with 20 assists in a 119-115 win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 9.

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The Week Ahead

Saturday: Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors, 7:00 pm AZ time
Monday: Phoenix Suns @ OKC Thunder, 5:00 pm AZ time
Friday: Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets, 7:00 pm AZ time

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Important Future Dates

Oct. 24 – NBA G League Draft
Oct. 26 – NBA G League Training Camps open
Oct. 30 – Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Group Play tips off
Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
March 1 – Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline
April 11 – 2026-27 Regular Season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 12 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2027 (3 p.m. ET)
April 13-16 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 17 – NBA Playoffs 2026 begin

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the L.A. Clippers 125-117 in the first game of the crosstown rivalry series at Crypto.com Arena on Friday, Oct. 23.

Austin Reaves nearly had a double-double for the Lakers with 28 points and nine assists. He finished 10-for-13 shooting from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line on the night.

Luka Doncic added 23 points, seven assists, and six rebounds for the Lakers but also turned the ball over 11 times.

The Lakers ran away with the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Clippers 39-26.

Darius Garland nearly matched Reaves’ production, finishing with 26 points and six assists for the Clippers.

The Lakers improve to 2-0 to start the season and will travel to play the Utah Jazz on Sunday. The Clippers fall to 1-1 and will look to rebound against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

Walker Kessler continues to have early success

Walker Kessler has not disappointed through his first two games in a Lakers uniform.

The Lakers’ new big man had an efficient night, going 10-for-14 (71%) from the field against the Clippers' defense. He finished with 22 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes of play. The center also showed up on the other end, coming up with a game-high six blocks.

Kessler was coming off a strong debut with the Lakers, having scored 26 points and collected nine rebounds in 30 minutes of play against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21. He went 12-for-12 from the field.

More: Walker Kessler delivers big opening night statement in Lakers debut

Lakers’ defense a proven strength 

Kessler was responsible for six of the nine total blocks that the Lakers recorded on the evening.

Kessler and Collin Sexton each had three steals while three other players had at least two steals for the team. The Lakers finished with 13 total steals.

Clippers struggle to keep the ball

Garland followed up his strong start to the season with another 25+ point performance but was also responsible for nine of the team’s 26 turnovers.

The Clippers finished the first quarter with a 31-27 lead but had eight of their turnovers come during that period.

The team had allowed just nine total turnovers in the first half against the Sacramento Kings earlier in the week.

Coach Tyronn Lue’s team fell apart in the third quarter after giving up 13 turnovers.

Rui Hachimura’s return spoiled by Lakers

Hachimura returned to Crypto.com Arena for the first time since joining the Clippers this past offseason. Hachimura had 16 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes of play. He shot 5-for-14 from the field.

Hachimura was seen reuniting with his former teammates, such as Doncic, before the game. He was also seen pretending to go back to the Lakers’ locker room as he had for four seasons before joining the Clippers as a free agent.

"It was amazing. It was a great time with them," Hachimura said after the game on Friday. "Of course I missed them, but it was time to move on.

"It was special, my four years, four seasons with them. I'm happy with the Clippers. It's my eighth year; it's a really big year for me. I'm focused on that."

More: Rui Hachimura looking forward to playing on other side of Lakers-Clippers rivalry

Brook Lopez turns back clock

Center Brook Lopez helped lead the Clippers in the first half against the Lakers.

In the first half, Lopez came off the bench for eight minutes and produced 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting and 2-for-2 from the 3-point line for the Clippers. He did go 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. The game was tied at 64.

More: Veteran Brook Lopez producing strong start to season for Clippers

Lopez finished with 22 points and four rebounds. He went 8-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line.

The 38-year-old began his 19th season in the NBA with a double-double off the bench on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. He produced 17 points with 10 of his 11 rebounds coming on defense.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Key Lakers vs Clippers takeaways: Kessler's hot start has LA cruising

Is Mike Brown still coaching the Knicks? How’s that possible!?

Should Leon Rose trade everybody and quit on the spot? Would it be better for New York to tank the season?

Dumb questions without legitimate answers!

Mikal Bridges as Knicks lose in Boston 107-103:

0 points
0-8 shooting
0-5 three
0 free throws pic.twitter.com/8AdLsvxlfw

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Mike Brown

On the Knicks’ slow start and still figuring out the team’s identity:

“I haven’t even looked at 50 wins, or 45 or 52 or anything like that. I’m still trying to figure out this team a little bit. I know everybody is like, ‘Whoa, it’s the same team as last year. New season, new team, new challenges, and so I’m not even sure who I wanna play yet, you know? Trying to figure the little things out.”

On Mikal Bridges’ shooting struggles against the Celtics:

“Mikal had three or four wide-open 3s. And obviously we want him to make half of them if they’re open. But he’s got to keep shooting. And hopefully they’ll eventually go in — sooner than later. But he’s getting the looks that he needs to get. He just has to knock them down now. And he’s got to make sure he’s physical on the defensive end.”

On Bridges and the Knicks needing to play more physically on defense:

“He’s got to make sure that he’s physical on the defensive end. And he, as well as everybody else because it was all of us, are laying on screens when we get hit, and that when we do switch, there’s a level of physicality to the switch so that they’re not able to take advantage of us.”

On what went wrong for the Knicks in the 107-103 loss to Boston:

“It was a physical ball game, and we have to give Boston credit. They had the advantage with the physicality.”

On Jayson Tatum’s 36-point performance against the Knicks:

“Jayson Tatum did what Jayson Tatum does. You just take your hat off and say, ‘Good D, better O.’ But that’s not why we lost the game. We lost the game because we didn’t handle their physicality on both ends of the floor for too many stretches that were too long.”

Knicks start season 0-2

First time since Leon Rose's first full season in charge 6 years ago

Next up: Orlando in the Garden Sunday evening pic.twitter.com/gxxtyCbVz5

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Jalen Brunson

On the Knicks’ progress despite starting the season with two losses:

“I think we took a stride, just not big enough strides. There’s positives and negatives to take from this game. We know what we have to do, and the things I think are glaring to us are controllable. So that’s a positive we can take from this.”

On how the Celtics helped shape the Knicks into a championship team:

“The way they were playing, and I guess how they’re still playing, kind of helped shape our team. They were obviously a dynamic force. And obviously the past couple years with injuries and personnel changes and stuff like that, things are different. We were trying to figure out how we can beat those guys.”

On Mitchell Robinson not watching the Knicks’ championship ring ceremony:

“We know Mitch is a competitor. He’s a person who wears his emotions on his sleeve … that’s just Mitch being Mitch.”

On Robinson leaving the Knicks for the Celtics:

“It’s definitely bittersweet. He’s a good friend. I’m just happy he was able to get a nice payday.”

Josh Hart + Boston = hit in face pic.twitter.com/UcLhLgWqPt

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Josh Hart

On having limited involvement in The Roommates Show’s Polymarket sponsorship agreement:

“To be honest, we really don’t have much of a say in terms of a lot of the sales and who they reach out to. I don’t wanna say we know nothing, but we don’t know much about all that stuff.

“I know they sit there and talk about, it’s trading; it’s not gambling.”

On being surprised by the controversy surrounding the Polymarket sponsorship:

“Last year, we had BetMGM. I don’t really know too much around the controversy of it or whatever. I saw some things on Twitter, and I was just like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know people felt that way.’

“I saw a little bit of it the last couple days, and I was shocked — and it might be a little ignorance on my part because I don’t know, but yeah.”

On taking advantage of sponsorship deals to pay the pod employees more:

“When it’s the pod and that, I kind of play ball a little bit because there’s other people depending on that. So it gets brought to us at the very end and for me personally, I’m just like other people are depending on this. So I play ball with that.”

Deuce to Mitch: “My dawg 4l”

Mitch to Deuce: “My bro 🩶” pic.twitter.com/QdF3ZzZnkI

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 24, 2026

Mitchell Robinson

On the Knicks’ locker room without him:

“I know it ain’t no fun no more. I know. I just brought so much light to this team.”

On feeling unwanted by the Knicks during free agency:

“They didn’t want me? Yeah. That’s what it felt like. I was like, cool. There wasn’t bad blood behind it. Man, fresh start.”

On signing with the Celtics despite their rivalry with the Knicks:

“The only thing that was kind of different was going to the rivals. But you know me, man. I like to troll. Nobody was happy with that move. But I was.”

On learning to treat the NBA as a business after years of trade rumors:

“Anything can happen, I can be traded at any moment. I was in so many of those trade talks. I’m like, ‘I just got to see it as a business. You can’t let your feelings in it.’ That’s kind of what I did.”

On his understanding of the NBA’s second-apron salary cap restrictions amid his Knicks exit:

“Not too much. But it is what it is.”

On having a more active offensive role with the Celtics:

“I’m a lot more active. Constantly moving on the offensive end. It’s actually going pretty great. I got to bring the energy.”

NEWS: The Knicks say using the allure of rings for a cybersecurity test was "an unfortunate mistake." They reveal plan to hand out 275 championship rings worth over $3.7 million.

Story here: https://t.co/dW5HJ8FCxZ

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) October 23, 2026

Knicks Rep

On using a championship-ring bait in an employee phishing simulation:

“The company had previously sent out an email to its corporate team as a simulation of a phishing attack designed to strengthen our security against hackers. MSG was recently hacked and extorted using an employee login and password obtained through a similar phishing attack. Using the rings as a lure to gain employees attention was an unfortunate mistake.”

On the narrative about the Knicks’ wrongdoing:

“There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the championship rings. The plan has always been to distribute more than 275 rings and jewelry to the people in the organization who were part of last season’s success. As is common with many teams, the players were always supposed to get their rings as part of the opening night ceremony and then everyone else will receive theirs in about 4-6 weeks. Regarding the phishing email, the process of securing and reminding our employees to protect our IP was not a mistake but the choice to use the ring to do so was a mistake and we apologize to our employees and the fans.

“Winning the championship was a great moment for all New Yorkers. Those who choose to focus on the negative are missing the joy that comes with the team’s accomplishment.”

Knicks fans named their baby “Knickson Fyve” 🥹🔥

(via knicksonfyve/ig) pic.twitter.com/Q4m2SYU6kF

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 22, 2026

The Toronto Raptors improved to 2-0 on the season after defeating the Washington Wizards 112-102 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. It marks Toronto’s first 2-0 start since 2019, the season the franchise won its first NBA championship.

While the final score may suggest a convincing win, the Raptors’ performance was far from perfect. Inconsistent three-point shooting, communication issues and fouls remain areas for improvement as they look to build on this result in their upcoming games.

Scottie Barnes led the way with an impressive double-double, recording 28 points and 14 rebounds. RJ Barrett also delivered a strong performance, finishing with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 16 points and eight rebounds.

Both teams came out looking to establish their perimeter game, with the first five shots of the contest all coming from beyond the arc. After the early attempts went unanswered, RJ Barrett connected from three-point range to get Toronto on the board, before Kawhi Leonard followed with a three of his own on the Raptors’ next possession.

Toronto continued to look for opportunities from deep, attempting eight three-pointers within the opening minutes of the game. Their offence remained productive thanks to contributions from across the lineup.

The Raptors defensive intensity helped set the tone throughout the quarter, limiting Washington’s key offensive contributors and making it difficult for the hosts to establish a rhythm. 

A scoring run from the bench, led by Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Allen Graves, helped the Raptors extend their advantage.

Toronto closed the quarter with a 34-21 lead, establishing early control of the game. However, six turnovers in the opening frame highlighted the need for better decision-making in transition and improved communication moving forward.

The second quarter opened with both teams trading baskets as the Wizards began to find their rhythm offensively.

Toronto’s communication continued to be an issue, as Trae Young knocked down back to back wide open three pointers to cut the lead to eight, forcing Darko Rajaković to call a timeout. However, the sloppy play persisted, allowing Washington to gradually chip away at the advantage.

 Foul trouble also became a concern, with Kawhi Leonard, Immanuel Quickley and Colin Murray-Boyles each picking up their third personal foul.

The Raptors eventually settled down, with a timely scoring run from Ja’Kobe Walter, Scottie Barnes and Leonard helping rebuild their lead to 13 late in the quarter. 

Anthony Davis began to find his footing after a relatively quiet first half, scoring late to bring Washington back within single digits. 

It was far from a convincing first half for Toronto, but the Raptors did enough to take a 60-52 lead into the break.

Toronto’s struggles carried over into the third quarter, as continued fouls and miscommunication allowed the Wizards to cut the lead to three.

The Raptors’ offence, which had looked disjointed throughout the night, eventually found some momentum through Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, helping rebuild a six-point advantage. 

Washington continued to respond with baskets of its own, but Jamal Shead provided a spark for Toronto, playing a key role in a run that extended the lead to 10 as the Wizards began to get sloppy.

However, Washington answered with an 11-2 run late in the quarter to close the gap once again. Toronto’s three-point shooting remained a major concern, going just 1-of-12 from beyond the arc in the frame, with Jamison Battle finally connecting from deep with 12 seconds remaining. The Raptors entered the fourth quarter clinging to an 81-77 lead.

Quickley gave the Raptors an early spark in the fourth, converting a tough floater through contact to extend the lead to six. Leonard followed with a three-pointer, while Barnes also found the basket, providing encouraging signs for a Toronto offence that had struggled to find consistency throughout the night.

Scottie Barnes continued to make his presence felt on both sides of the court, but the hosts refused to go down without a fight, knocking down back to back three pointers to keep the pressure on Toronto. 

Barnes briefly appeared to be dealing with a knee issue, holding his knee before making his way to the bench under his own power. After a short spell on the sidelines, he returned to the game late in the frame. 

Despite the Wizards’ late push, Toronto did enough to close out the contest, securing the victory.

The Raptors were shown a much tougher battle against the Wizards and they can expect another test on Sunday as they travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves. Tip-off is set for 7pm.

It’s SEGABABA time for the first time in 2026-27! Yes, the day after playing their home opener, the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Pennsylvania to take on LeBron James and the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers. Yesterday, the Bucks lost a close one to the Chicago Bulls in a showing that offered plenty of promise, but also raised some red flags—namely, point of attack defence and ball security. Tonight, against a much tougher opponent, can the Bucks step up and win one for the little guys?

The Task Ahead

These aren’t your father’s 76ers—and they certainly aren’t the 76ers of recent years either. No, after acquiring five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown and 22-time All-Star LeBron James to pair with seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid and two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, these 76ers are quite legitimately an All-Star lineup. Next to them in the starting lineup is 2025-26 All-Rookie team selection VJ Edgecombe. Yeah, these guys are stacked. But as history has shown over and over again—see the Durant/Harden/Irving Nets, the Kobe/Gasol/Howard/Nash Lakers, and the Shaq/Kobe/Malone/Payton Lakers—putting a troupe of All-Stars together doesn’t automatically mean they’ll run away with the league. So, are these 76ers any good?

Thus far, the answer is yes. The 76ers are undefeated in the young season, beating the reigning-champion New York Knicks 106-100 on Opening Night and the Eastern Conference-finalist Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 on Friday. And they’ve been doing it while shooting poorly. Over the two contests, Philadelphia is shooting just 44% from the field and a paltry 27% from deep, but all that star power has helped them get to the free throw line a whopping 28.5 times per game (a number that would’ve ranked first in the league last year). Milwaukee’s task is to therefore defend without fouling. They struggled with this against the Washington Wizards, conceding 41 attempts, with Anthony Davis and Trae Young combining for 30 of those. While the Bulls don’t present star power akin to those two—and certainly not compared to the 76ers—2025-26 All-Star Norman Powell did have seven first-half free throws on his way to nine for the game yesterday and the Bulls took 30 altogether.

Injury Report

Bucks:

• Not yet submitted.

76ers:

• LeBron James: Questionable (old low back/sciatica)
• Dominick Barlow: Out (low back stress reaction)
• Tacko Fall: Out (left quadriceps strain)
• Ariel Hukporti: Out (right Achilles tendon rupture)

Player to Watch

Despite being the fourth-biggest name on his own squad, Tyrese Maxey is quickly emerging as the 76ers’ best player. It’s fitting too, dude is grease lightning. A blur across the hardwood and even quicker with the trigger, Maxey has gotten off to a blistering start this season, averaging 30.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 2.5 SPG thus far. What’s more, he’s averaging 15.0 PPG in the paint. With the Bucks struggling defensively at the point of attack and at the rim, giving up 65.0 PPG in the paint so far, don’t be surprised if Maxey ups those numbers in this one. Ryan Rollins, what ya got?

Projected Starters

Bucks	Position	76ers
Ryan Rollins	PG	Tyrese Maxey
Tyler Herro	SG	VJ Edgecombe
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	SF	Jaylen Brown
Kyle Kuzma	PF	LeBron James
Myles Turner	C	Joel Embiid

Game Details

Who: Milwaukee Bucks (0-2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (2-0).

When: 6:30 p.m. CDT.

Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena—Philadelphia, PA.

Watch: MY24.

Listen: Check local listings.

Prescient Prediction

Brayden Burries earns an extended run and gets to the paint—and the line—often in this one on his way to 18 points off the bench.

Coming off a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder to start the season, the Spurs traveled to the Moody Center in Austin to host the I-35 Series against the Houston Rockets. Both teams traded fast and furious buckets in the first quarter, with the Rockets taking a five-point lead into the second. The Spurs trailed by as much as 11, but managed to claw their way back before halftime and cut the deficit to two thanks to a Fred VanVleet buzzer-beating three. The third quarter was tough and gritty, as both teams struggled from the field but managed to get to the free-throw line.

The bottom line: the Rockets controlled most of the contest until just over six minutes left in the fourth. The Rockets’ fourth-quarter offense mostly consisted of spamming Alperen Sengun in the post, and the Spurs could not stop it. The Spurs fell behind by five late, but put together a few clutch stops and buckets to get within one possession. With five seconds left, Victor Wembanyama caught the ball in the post and put up a layup, only for Amen Thompson to immediately block it. The Spurs ultimately lost heartbreakingly, 114-110.

Victor Wembanyama bounced back offensively after his worst shooting performance of his career against OKC (1-13 FG). He dropped another double-double: 25 points and 13 rebounds, along with two blocks and two assists. Vic played with more confidence and was not afraid to let it fly. However, he was late on multiple defensive rotations and was beaten on backdoor cuts too frequently for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. After the game, he was asked if he would have done anything differently on the layup attempt to end the game. He simply said, “I would have dunked the ball.” Knowing Wemby, he’ll take that Thompson block personally the next time they match up in late January.

Wemby dropped a highlight reel of mostly dunks throughout the game. For the Spurs’ first points of the game, he skies in from outer space to clean up the mess.

VIC PUTBACK ‼️

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/hHGTpgRcKf

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

The return of Area 51 had the Moody Center in a frenzy. Stephon Castle dropped 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. A couple of his dimes came on lobs like these to the Alien.

Area 51 has landed in Austin ⚠️

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/CUliRmj7CG

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

This pass was precise as Wemby spun off of Marcus Smart and slammed home an and-one finish.

OH MY VIC 🤯

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/rg85oqKTVO

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

De’Aaron Fox had another solid game with 19 points, nine assists, and two steals. He’ll look to clean up his turnover problem in Dallas, but first he’ll lob this dime to a cutting Wemby for the alley-oop.

tuffff @wemby 👀

📺 @NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/ozG3c8eZ4c

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2026

Dylan Harper dropped 20 points, three rebounds, and two assists in his second straight start to the season. Late in the game, he took over and brought the Spurs within two on this fast-break poster on Sengun.

YEAR 2 DYLAN HARPER. pic.twitter.com/B0ULfPlXz0

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 24, 2026

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs will try to bounce back in Dallas Saturday at 7:00 P.M. as they take on the Mavericks on DAZN.

Dalton Knecht’s frustrating time with the Los Angeles Lakers has come to an end. The team waived Knecht earlier this week, finally freeing the former Tennessee Volunteer to explore better opportunities. On Friday, he found one with the defending NBA champions.

Knecht signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, according to multiple reports. The two-way deal will allow Knecht to go back and forth from the Knicks to the team’s G-League affiliate.

Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/1gePugMy3Z

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2026

Knecht averaged 7.1 points per game during his time with the Lakers, appearing in 132 games. He made 16 starts during his rookie season, where he averaged over nine points per game. Knecht shot 36.8 percent from three point range during his two seasons. Somewhere along the way, Knecht fell out of favor with the Lakers and struggled to find the floor.

The Lakers had a trade in place to move Knecht to Charlotte, but the deal fell through after center Mark Williams failed his physical. Los Angeles ended up waiving Knecht 20 months later.

At Tennessee, Knecht put up one of the most prolific offensive seasons we’ve ever seen. The fifth-year senior transferred in from Northern Colorado and averaged 21.7 points per game while shooting over 39 percent from three-point range. Knecht took over several games for Tennessee down the stretch, helping push the Volunteers to another Elite Eight appearance.

Knecht now lands in New York, where he’ll wear No. 99 for the Knicks. We’ll see if he can find new life, now finally with a fresh start.

Isn’t it great when your mood depends on the performance of your favorite team? It’s not a feeling I’ve experienced since abandoning fandom at school, but I empathize with those that do because the emotions and time they give a team matter. I even saw it up close with my mother recently, who has become a WNBA fan out of nowhere, and her spirits improved when her beloved Atlanta Dream got back in the win column in the Finals. 

Fortunately for those who have suffered this, there are no “statements” in an opener and the first weeks of the season are filled with weirdness with some teams taking long to get settled and some of the bad ones briefly performing above expectation. This means it might take a team like the San Antonio Spurs some time to reach sixth gear because they are getting creative with a three-guard set in the starting unit and they don’t have a high level of urgency at all times, so nobody needs to overreact to some speed bumps.

Anyways, the logistical casualty that caused us to wait three nights for the Spurs’ second game offered some time to watch the other teams and the Oklahoma City Thunder came up again in their winning effort against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. There was a need to see if they could follow up their opening win by making another high-quality team look as ordinary as they did the Spurs, and for the most part, they did. 

The Houston Rockets got checked out, too, and they looked mighty against the Dallas Mavericks. Some of the new swag was obvious when they played the Spurs because using another connector like Fred VanVleet added juice to the offense, but some of the extra intensity of the game was caused naturally by the matchup and its history. The battle for Texas supremacy is serious business and that was why the rebounding in the trenches looked like a mosh pit at times.

The team was down 10 points late in the third quarter, but never let the game get out of reach while not playing their style. As much as I am a fan of playing fast, the court was like a speedway in the third quarter, which will greatly diminish anyone’s legs, even if they have a fast set of wheels.

 So, there’s no surprise some players were slow to make defensive reads in the fourth quarter- one example was Wembanyama not switching onto Kevin Durant when he made the handoff triple in the last few minutes. The priority always has to be protecting the 3-point line late in a close game and that was an easy enough switch.

The Rockets led 89 percent of the night and upstaged the Spurs, yet it was some top-notch NBA action in large part because big-man battles, when done right, are maybe the best the league has to offer from a matchup standpoint.

It’s super early in the season, but I feel ashamed for underestimating the Rockets because Durant’s length gave Stephon Castle problems and Jabari Smith Jr. was equally impactful as an off-ball defender. I’m already eager for the next matchup on Jan. 26 in San Antonio to see how the Spurs get their lick back.

Wish I could report to the fans that things will be easier for the Spurs, but it seems like they’ll only have three easier games — two against the Sacramento Kings and one versus the Chicago Bulls — in the next 18 days.

Takeaways:

• Yes, an 0-2 record is hideous, but trust me on this, things could be so much worse, like how they look for the Miami Heat. They looked a class below both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons on opening week and Kaseya Center got sacked on both nights. Spurs fans would be shook up if they saw the same lack of effort and cohesion. 
• Castle should keep working on his ball handling like he did this summer, but the 3-point shooting needs to come around soon. Opponents think so little of him from long range that they keep giving him those shots, and he needs to drain them to prevent his teammates from being schemed by an extra help defender. Yet if he loses his confidence shooting from deep, an adjustment that can be made is parking him in the dunker spot; he has the hops to be effective there and it would force his defender to play him closer.
• Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are nice shooters, but there is still a need for them to be more assertive when playing next to Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama. Obviously, there are some things to straighten out if this three-guard set is going to be permanent, but in Champagnie’s case, there should never be a world where he only takes five shots when he is ignitable like jet fuel. 
• Luckily for Wembanyama, I won’t charge for this advice, but he should remember the importance of added strength training and having post moves. Going to the body is the only way the big guys can offset his length, and think about how Şengün was collapsing the defense with post ups and was scoring.  Improving in the post would give Wemby more angles to pass to his teammates, and it can also be a way to leverage a turn-around jumper.
• Houston’s frontline having three scoring threats and a fourth on the glass (Tari Eason will) be problematic in future matchups with the Spurs because Wembanyama can only do so much. It’s not ideal, but the next time Houston goes huge, I’d like to see what he can do sharing the court with Luke Kornet. There are plenty of moments that Houston had three of those guys together, and one figures they wouldn’t be as effective if the counter was a two-man zone with Wembanyama up front and Kornet in the back.
• Amen Thompson’s block on Wembanyama was spectacular, and I won’t forget it all season. Thompson and his twin, Ausar, have impressive springs in their legs and there may not be anyone who gets off the ground quicker than them in the league.

Sixers-Bucks by the numbers: New faces, paint points and opposite halves originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Bucks team visiting Philadelphia on Saturday night does not look much like the one the Sixers have grown accustomed to facing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are in Miami. Four former Heat players have entered Milwaukee’s rotation. Taylor Jenkins has replaced Doc Rivers as head coach, and the Bucks have opened the season with losses to the Wizards and Bulls.

The Sixers, who will be without LeBron James, will begin a back-to-back Saturday. Milwaukee will complete one at Xfinity Mobile Arena after playing its home opener Friday night.

Two games are not enough to establish what the Bucks will be this season. They have provided a few numbers worth knowing before the Sixers attempt to improve to 3-0.

139

Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis have combined for 139 of Milwaukee’s 241 points.

The four players acquired from Miami in the Antetokounmpo trade have accounted for 57.7 percent of Milwaukee’s scoring. By comparison, Philadelphia’s offseason additions have scored 45 percent of the Sixers’ points.

Herro has scored 58 points. Jaquez has added 41, while Jakučionis and Ware have combined for 40 off the bench.

Herro and Jaquez have started both games alongside Ryan Rollins, Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner. Jakučionis and Ware have been regular members of Jenkins’ rotation.

Herro has led Milwaukee in scoring and assists. Jaquez is averaging 20.5 points and nine rebounds. The four former Heat players have already become the largest part of the Bucks’ offense.

123.9

Milwaukee has allowed 123.9 points per 100 possessions through two games, the NBA’s second-worst defensive rating entering Saturday.

The Bucks have surrendered 130 points per game despite their opponents shooting only 18 for 73 from three-point range, the fourth-lowest opponent rate in the sport.

Washington and Chicago combined to make 24.7 percent of their threes. Milwaukee has shot 39.1 percent from deep and made 16 more three-pointers than its opponents, giving the Bucks a 48-point advantage from behind the arc.

They have still been outscored by 19 points.

The difference has come closer to the basket and at the foul line.

Plus-42 and minus-25

The Sixers have outscored their opponents 121-79 after halftime.

Their plus-42 second-half margin allowed them to erase a four-point halftime deficit against New York and a 24-point halftime deficit against Cleveland.

Milwaukee has moved in the other direction. The Bucks led at halftime in both games but have been outscored 148-123 during the second half. They have lost the two fourth quarters by a combined 24 points.

The way Philadelphia rallied against Cleveland also lines up with Milwaukee’s early defensive issues.

The Sixers scored 69 points in the second half Thursday. They scored 36 in the paint, went 18 for 22 from the foul line and committed only two turnovers.

They did that while making only three of their 13 three-point attempts.

The Sixers did not need a hot shooting half to come back. They protected the ball, reached the lane and drew fouls.

66

Milwaukee has allowed 66 paint points per game, the worst mark through two contests.

Washington outscored the Bucks 70-50 in the paint during the season opener. Chicago followed with a 62-44 advantage Friday.

That leaves Milwaukee with a minus-38 paint differential.

The Sixers scored 64 paint points against a Cleveland frontcourt featuring Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Thirty-six came after halftime, when Philadelphia scored 69 points and turned a 24-point deficit into an eight-point victory.

Milwaukee starts Turner and brings the 7-foot Ware off its bench. That size has not prevented opponents from consistently reaching the paint.

Maxey, Brown and James all give the Sixers ways to attack off the dribble. Embiid presents another interior challenge if Philadelphia can deliver him the ball without repeating the turnover problems from Thursday’s first half.

71

Washington and Chicago attempted 71 free throws against Milwaukee.

The Bucks committed 32 fouls against the Wizards, who went 32 for 41 from the line. Milwaukee committed another 27 fouls Friday as Chicago made 28 of 30 attempts.

The Bucks have been outscored 60-33 at the foul line. They have allowed 22 more attempts and made only 67.3 percent of their own free throws.

Philadelphia has attempted 57 free throws through two games. The Sixers took 22 during the second half of their comeback against Cleveland.

The Bucks have allowed opponents to score 132 points in the paint and make 60 free throws. Those two areas have accounted for 192 of the 260 points Milwaukee has surrendered.

72:48

Milwaukee gave first- and second-year players only 318 minutes during the entire 2025-26 season, the lowest total in the NBA. Every other team gave that group more than 1,300.

The Bucks have already distributed 72 minutes and 48 seconds to first- and second-year players through two games.

Second-year guard Jakučionis has played 48:56. Rookie guard Brayden Burries has logged 23:52. They are the only Milwaukee players in their first two seasons who have appeared.

Their combined total is already 22.9 percent of Milwaukee’s full-season figure from last year.

That does not mean the same rate will continue over 82 games. It does show the immediate difference between a roster built around Antetokounmpo and one beginning to evaluate its younger players.

The Bucks’ roster is new. The clearest place for the Sixers to attack is not. Philadelphia scored 69 second-half points Thursday by getting inside and reaching the foul line. Milwaukee has spent its first two games allowing both.

Sixers rule James out for matchup with Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James will sit out for the first time as a Sixer on Saturday night.

The 2-0 Sixers downgraded James’ status from questionable to out Saturday afternoon before their meeting with the 0-2 Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. James’ official listing on the injury report was “low back/sciatica management.” 

Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction), Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) were also listed as out. Dean Wade remained questionable as of Saturday afternoon with a left ankle sprain.

The night off for the 41-year-old James does not come as a surprise. The Sixers will finish their first back-to-back of the season Sunday when they host the Pistons. 

The team hasn’t detailed its exact plans with James and Joel Embiid’s availability, but the Sixers have made it clear that neither star will be every-game players this season. Embiid said he expects to play one leg of the back-to-back, so it appears he’ll be out Sunday. 

“We have plenty of meetings and discussions about it. … It’s obviously an important topic,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said on Sept. 29. “Like our fans and like all of us, we want those two guys ready to go come April.”

James averaged 33.5 minutes over the Sixers’ first two games and posted 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest.