THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO -- Episode 2492 -- Pictured: (l-r) Musician Natalie Gilbert and NBA Portland Trail Blazers' coach Maurice Cheeks during an interview with host Jay Leno on May 19, 2003 -- (Photo by:Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
I saw this on X recently and had to smile. As it just so happens, I had caught Untold : Jail Blazers on Netflix. The documentary discussed the early 2000s Portland Trail Blazers and their quest for a title. It featured Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells, Damon Stoudamire, and Shawn Kemp (but for reasons unexplained not Scottie Pippen).
At the time, Maurice Cheeks was Portland’s assistant coach. He stepped up before the game on April 25, 2003 and helped a young performer sing the national anthem.
In 2003, the most hated team in the NBA did the kindest thing anyone has ever done on a basketball court.
April 25, 2003. Rose Garden, Portland. Game 3 of the first round against Dallas. The Blazers are down 2-0 and facing elimination from the moment they wake up.
On March 2025, Maurice Cheeks came back to Portland, this time as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks. They invited Natalie Zito, née Gilbert — the same singer from 2003 — to perform the national anthem again. Now 35, Zito was a season ticket holder.
A pretty nice feel-good story to fill your basketball-less summer.
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It's a jubilant mob scene as happy fans carry Celtics' Tommy Heinsohn (L), coach Red Auerbach (Center, with victory cigar), and big Bill Russell (R) around the basketball court at Boston Garden April 27, 1964, after the Celtics won their sixth consecutive World's Championship. They defeated the Warrior's, 105-99. The Celtics are the only pro team in history to win six consecutive championships.
NBA history spans 80 seasons, and as CelticsBlog readers well know, the Boston Celtics have won a league-high 18 championships. This month, we are recapping each of those title years.
After Bob Cousy’s retirement, the Boston Celtics entered the 1963-64 season with a new point guard for the first time in 13 years. K.C. Jones, with five years of experience as Cousy’s backup, was more than ready to take the reins. The Celtics were going after their sixth straight NBA title, which would set a record for longest championship run in U.S. professional sports history.
If you think that was the buzz about the team, you would be wrong, because the questions being asked by fans and media were: “Can the Celtics win again without Cousy?” “Is the dynasty over?”
That’s right, hot takes and narratives existed in the Sixties. It’s true that losing the great Cousy, who was one of the few “small men” ever to win MVP, would be an adjustment. But wasn’t it obvious that the championships began to come when Bill Russell arrived? Russell changed the league, and five straight titles should have removed all doubts. And the big man was still wearing green and white.
The Celtics players reacted to all this talk as champions should. They had won in 1963 so that Cousy could go out on top, and now they were determined to prove they could win without him. So, despite all their success, “Nobody believed in us!” essentially became their motivation for the season.
K.C. Jones, wearing jacket, was ready to succeed Bob Cousy, <br>and his teammates, from left, Tommy Heinsohn, Bill Russell and Sam Jones, all knew it. | Photo by Paul J. Maguire/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The regular season
The Celtics wasted no time in staking their claim. They began the season by winning 15 of their first 16 games, the one loss being by a single point on the road to the Cincinnati Royals. The Cs also ended the season on a 14-2 run to finish with a league-best 59-21 record.
As it turned out, Boston won the season series against every team except Cincinnati, going 5-7. This reflected how well Oscar Robertson performed throughout the 80-game schedule. The Big O averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and a league-high 11.0 assists per game for the Royals, who finished second-best in the league at 55-25.
Robertson won the vote for MVP, ending Russell’s three-year streak. Russell did lead the league in rebounding with a career-high 24.7 average.
Celtics beef: rare. but spicy
An unusual rift occurred in January 1964 between Celtics founder/owner Walter Brown and his star power forward, Tommy Heinsohn, in his role as president of the NBA Players Association. The players union was founded in 1954 mainly through the efforts of Bob Cousy. Heinsohn succeeded him in 1958.
Walter Brown founded the Celtics in 1946. | Photo by Courtesy of NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images
The owners had promised to consider starting a pension fund for union members, but had for a long period been dragging their feet on following through. With the 1964 All-Star game scheduled for Boston Garden, Heinsohn persuaded his fellow stars to threaten a strike unless the owners took action that night. The union was leveraging that the owners would not jeopardize the national television broadcast of the game.
After some tense back-and-forth, the owners and commissioner Walter Kennedy agreed to move forward on their promises. The game went on as scheduled.
Heinsohn was no rookie at business negotiations. His other job (because players didn’t make enough money to live on from basketball) was as a successful manager in insurance sales. Heinsohn had also studied labor relations at Holy Cross and was especially knowledgeable about pensions.
Brown, perhaps the best and most player-friendly owner in the league, was livid and embarrassed that one of his Celtics instigated the episode. He called Heinsohn “the number one heel” in sports, which was a major insult in those days. The two didn’t speak again until after the season, when they put disagreements aside and buddied up again.
Two players on the roster were new to Boston. Rookie Larry Siegfried, a teammate of John Havlicek at Ohio State, was signed as a free agent. He was a Celtic for seven seasons as an all-purpose guard who could defend and shoot from outside. “Siggy” played 10 seasons in the NBA and was a double-figures scorer.
The other new Celtic was Willie Naulls, a seven-year veteran and four-time All-Star who had played with the Knicks, Hawks and Warriors. With those teams, the 6-foot-6 forward had appeared in just two playoff games. He was in Boston for three seasons and won three rings, contributing hard-nosed defense and rebounding with double-digits scoring.
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers fights for position with Willie Naulls of the Celtics during a game at the Boston Garden. Naulls figured prominently in the Celtics breaking the unwritten quota rule. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The quota system
Black players had been competing in the NBA since 1950, when forward Chuck Cooper was drafted by Boston with the first pick of the second round (13th overall). During the Fifties and Sixties, amidst Jim Crow laws and the Civil Rights movement, it was an open secret that NBA teams followed a quota system, always having at least one white player on the floor. The fear was that using five black players at once risked alienating white ticket-buyers.
The interesting thing about the 1963-64 Celtics roster was that Naulls was now Tommy Heinsohn’s backup. Sometimes, when Red Auerbach made that substitution, Naulls was on the court with Russell, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones and Tom “Satch” Sanders. Five blacks. Because all Red wanted to do was win a basketball game. He couldn’t have cared less about unwritten rules.
(More on this topic in the next installment of this series.)
Eastern playoffs
With their league-best record, the Celtics once again received a bye to the Eastern finals. And their opponent was the Cincinnati Royals, who went the distance to win a best-of-five against the Philadelphia 76ers (the former Syracuse Nationals had relocated).
The Royals had won the head-to-head duel in the regular season, and they had a strong team that now included Rookie of the Year and future Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas, who played with Havlicek and Siegfried in college. Lucas was a tough power forward who averaged 17 and 17 in his first season.
The Celtics, however, had an equally good starting five, a much deeper bench, and far more postseason experience. With top defensive guard K.C. Jones now playing in place of offense-minded Cousy, Boston was in better position to hold down the Royals and their star Robertson.
This Boston squad posted a defensive rating of 83.8, which was more than five points better than the nearest challenger. They also grabbed the most rebounds (71.7) and held opponents to the lowest shooting percentage (.413) in the league.
Russell called this group “easily the best defensive team we ever had – and maybe the best of all time.”
The Celtics validated Russell’s observation by winning the series 4-1 and holding the Royals to 93.2 points per game. Cincinnati fell behind 3-0 and scored no more than 95 points in any of their losses. They had averaged 114.7 in the regular season.
NBA Finals
Boston fans mobbed the parquet after the Celtics won the 1964 NBA title, carrying Tommy Heinsohn (left), coach Red Auerbach (center) and Bill Russell around the court at Boston Garden. The Celtics became the only pro team in history to win six straight championships.
Out West, the San Francisco Warriors defeated the St. Louis Hawks, 4-3, advancing to their first Finals since the Warriors moved from Philadelphia. This meant another battle with Wilt Chamberlain, who was already 0-2 in series versus the Celtics and Bill Russell. Would the third time be the charm for Wilt?
Nope, not even close.
The matchup
Boston’s defense allowed just 105.1 points per game in the regular season, but San Francisco had the edge by allowing just 102.6. Two big reasons were Chamberlain at center and rookie Nate Thurmond at power forward. Thurmond was 6-foot-11 with a physique like a body builder. He would go on to a 14-year career in which he had 14,437 points and 14,464 rebounds.
San Francisco was directed by guards Guy Rodgers, who led the league in assists, and Al Attles, a future Warriors coach and pound-for-pound one of the toughest players the NBA had ever seen.
Games 1 and 2 were in Boston, with the Celtics winning by 12 thanks to a 32-15 second quarter, and by 23, with a 30-point lead after three quarters.
In San Francisco for Game 3, the Warriors opened with a 40-21 first quarter and never looked back – final score 115-91.
Turning point
The Warriors led 44-40 at halftime of Game 4, then the Celtics seized control with a 36-20 third quarter. Boston withstood a fourth-quarter rally by San Francisco to win, 98-95. Heinsohn and Sam Jones combined for 48 points as Boston took the commanding 3-1 lead.
It wasn’t over until…
Up 3-1 for the second year in a row, the Celtics were determined not to repeat last year’s mistake where they let Game 5 slip away and needed another trip to California to end it. This time, it was close for most of the 48 minutes, but a Russell putback dunk stopped a Warriors comeback bid and put Boston up four with about 10 seconds left. In the pre-three-point-shot era, that was a safe lead.
Notable facts and stats
In 10 playoff games, Boston’s defense allowed 100 points or more just three times.
Sam Jones led the Celtics in scoring for the series with 21.2 points per game.
Chamberlain averaged 29.2 points; he was at 36.9 in the regular season.
John Havlicek scored 18.4 points per game in the Finals, taking over the Sixth Man role from Frank Ramsey. In the closeout game, Ramsey scored 18 points off the bench.
Clyde Lovellette, Jim Loscutoff and Frank Ramsey all retired after the season.
Banner Years continues tomorrow with a review of the 1964-65 season and the road to winning Banner #8.
To no one’s surprise, the star-loaded Sixers will feature in the NBA’s 2026 Christmas festivities.
The league announced Tuesday that the Sixers will visit the Lakers this year on Christmas. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. ET and be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Other Christmas matchups include Knicks-Spurs, Celtics-Heat, Timberwolves-Thunder and Warriors-Nuggets.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.
Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN
The 2026 NBA Christmas games were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
After gathering around the tree to open presents in the morning, the NBA has packed the afternoon and evening hours with star-studded matchups and iconic rivalries.
Here’s a look at the five games on the Christmas Day schedule this season:
San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks
An NBA Finals rematch will kick off the holiday slate, and the defending champions will host.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will look for revenge against Jalen Brunson and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The last time these two teams faced off, it was the Knicks raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy in San Antonio. Stakes won’t be as high this time, but a Christmas Day matchup is as important as it gets in the NBA regular season.
Watch info: 12 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics
One of the NBA’s fiercest rivalries has an added twist this season, and we’ll see it play out on Christmas.
Both the Heat and Celtics were bidding for Giannis Antetokounmpo in the blockbuster trade of the offseason. Miami ended up paying more for the two-time MVP, while Boston pivoted by trading Jaylen Brown and bolstering its depth. This matchup also fits the Christmas theme better than any of the others, with red and green being these team’s primary colors.
Watch info: 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers
Welcome home (?), LeBron James.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer will make his return to Los Angeles on Christmas. After eight years with the Lakers, James signed with the Sixers this summer — joining Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid on a loaded roster. Los Angeles retooled by adding Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes around Luka Doncic. James is the headliner here, though, as he’ll play in his record 21st Christmas Day game.
Watch info: 5 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves
Two Western Conference contenders will kick off the nightcap in Minneapolis.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are the main attractions for these teams, but both squads are deep. The Wolves added LaMelo Ball over the offseason, while the Thunder dealt away several role players to give more opportunities to their young talent. This game could surely be a preview of a future playoff series.
Watch info: 8 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
To wrap things up, two of the league’s biggest stars will face off.
Steph Curry and the Warriors will host Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the final game of the day. Both of these players and teams have been staples of your Christmas viewing for years. Curry will play in his 13th Christmas game, compared to Jokic’s seventh. Last year on the holiday, the Joker dropped an absurd statline of 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists in a Denver win.
From trading Jaylen Brown to welcoming in a handful of veteran players, it’s been an offseason of significant change for the Boston Celtics.
And with everyone eager to see how everything comes together for the Celtics in the 2026-27 season, we now know when they’ll make their debut.
The NBA announced that the Celtics will play the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th.
Interestingly, the weekday game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, with the league rolling out a full slate of games for its opening day.
The Celtics lost their opener a year ago in what proved to be a sign of postseason results to come, losing at home against the Philadelphia 76ers by a 117-116 final score.
That actually was the start of an 0-3 stretch to begin the season, part of a rocky opening month that had the Celtics at 8-8 through early November. They then went 15-4 through early January, en route to finishing with a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. In the playoffs though, the Celtics led a 3-1 lead over the Sixers slip away, leading to a first-round exit.
The Celtics will surely be on a mission to improve come playoff time next season, and nobody knows how successful they may be. We do now, however, have the official start date for the journey.
Also announced on Tuesday, the Celtics will host the World Champion New York Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. On Christmas Day at 2:30 p.m., Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will come to Boston .
The full NBA schedule will be released Thursday, August 13th.
From trading Jaylen Brown to welcoming in a handful of veteran players, it’s been an offseason of significant change for the Boston Celtics.
And with everyone eager to see how everything comes together for the Celtics in the 2026-27 season, we now know when they’ll make their debut.
The NBA announced that the Celtics will play the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday, October 20th.
Interestingly, the weekday game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, with the league rolling out a full slate of games for its opening day.
The Celtics lost their opener a year ago in what proved to be a sign of postseason results to come, losing at home against the Philadelphia 76ers by a 117-116 final score.
That actually was the start of an 0-3 stretch to begin the season, part of a rocky opening month that had the Celtics at 8-8 through early November. They then went 15-4 through early January, en route to finishing with a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. In the playoffs though, the Celtics led a 3-1 lead over the Sixers slip away, leading to a first-round exit.
The Celtics will surely be on a mission to improve come playoff time next season, and nobody knows how successful they may be. We do now, however, have the official start date for the journey.
Also announced on Tuesday, the Celtics will host the World Champion New York Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. On Christmas Day at 2:30 p.m., Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will come to Boston .
The full NBA schedule will be released Thursday, August 13th.
LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the new-look Sixers will head to Madison Square Garden for their season opener.
The NBA announced Tuesday morning that the Sixers will visit the Knicks on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. ET as part of its opening night. NBC and Peacock will broadcast the matchup.
The 2026-27 NBA regular season will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader.
• Celtics @ Pistons: The East’s top two teams in the 2025-26 regular season
• 76ers @ Knicks: New York begins its title defense as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their… pic.twitter.com/Mv9kNrtusi
The Sixers’ second nationally televised opening-week game will come on Oct. 22. They’ll face the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena for their home opener. ESPN will have the broadcast.
ESPN will begin its 2026-27 NBA regular-season game coverage with opening-week doubleheaders on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22.
• Oct. 21: Team debuts for Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Minnesota’s LaMelo Ball
Of course, James is a native of Akron, Ohio and considered a return to Cleveland this offseason. Gansey served in the Cavs’ front office before shifting to Philadelphia.
The Warriors will begin their 2026-27 NBA season against the same team, in the same city, on the exact same day as they did last year.
Golden State, for the second consecutive year, will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
The first four days of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will feature nine national games across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Prime Video.
The Warriors vs. Lakers game will be one of nine primetime opening-week matchups, with the season officially getting underway with three marquee games on Tuesday.
Golden State and Los Angeles are coming off very, very different offseasons.
Polar opposites, in fact.
The Lakers were extremely busy this summer, adding a whopping nine new veteran players to their roster, either via free agency or trade, while the Warriors added, at the time of this writing, … zero new veteran players.
While Golden State appears to be running it back this season with, essentially, the same roster as last season, their Pacific Division rivals, still led by superstar guard Luka Dončić, will look dramatically different with their new additions and the loss of 22-time All-Star LeBron James.
After beating the Lakers in Game 1 last season, but then losing the three remaining matchups, the Warriors once again will look to steal the opening-night bout on the road, but might need to notch another victory or two against Los Angeles throughout the season to keep pace with its rival in the standings.
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
Once again, the Warriors are set to play on Christmas Day.
The NBA announced Tuesday morning that Golden State will face the Denver Nuggets at 7:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 25 at Chase Center in San Francisco, one of five Christmas games on the schedule.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.
Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN
Last season, the Nuggets were the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, while the Warriors finished 10th and lost to the Phoenix Suns in the second play-in game.
The Warriors won just one of three matchups with the Nuggets last season.
The 2026-27 NBA season will be the 14th consecutive campaign in which the Warriors have played on Christmas Day, and the 16th time in the last 17 years. The franchise currently holds a 16-19 all-time record on Dec. 25, including 11-6 at home.
Curry historically has struggled on Christmas, averaging only 18.1 points on 35.0-percent shooting from the field and 27.2 percent from beyond the arc in 12 games. The primary exception, though, came in 2024, when he had 38 points on 8 of 15 from 3-point range in a narrow loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Basketball is still more than two months away, but it’s time to start planning ahead.
The 2026-27 NBA opening night games, which will air on NBC and Peacock, were revealed on Tuesday as the league began to announce portions of its regular-season schedule.
As is tradition, the NBA has two prime-time matchups on the slate for opening night — including the defending champion raising a banner and three other title contenders taking the court. However, this year, there is an additional midday matchup to open the season.
Here’s a look at the three games for this year’s NBA Tip-Off:
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
The NBA season will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons battling in a matinee matchup.
The teams were the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference standings last season, with the Pistons vaulting to the No. 1 seed and the Celtics coming in at No. 2.
Watch info: 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
Two Atlantic division foes will face off on the first day of the season, and this game has added stakes.
For Philadelphia, the city hopes this game will mark the beginning of their own title run. The Sixers were the most aggressive team over the offseason, trading away Paul George for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James. So, while this is a second-round rematch from last year’s playoffs, this game will look completely different than it did in May.
Watch info: 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
The most tightly-contested series of last season’s playoffs will be revisited on opening night.
The Spurs, fresh off a disappointing Finals loss to the Knicks, will begin their quest to defend the Western Conference title and get over the hump. San Antonio gave Victor Wembanyama some extra help over the offseason — notably Tobias Harris. But the 2026-27 campaign will hinge on internal improvement for young rising stars like Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Oklahoma City will be out for revenge immediately, considering San Antonio took Game 7 on the Thunder’s home court and ended their repeat bid. Sam Presti had a busy offseason rebalancing the roster and shedding salary, cutting ties with key role players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, is aiming to be the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird).
Jeff Teague had the same reaction that probably every person on the planet had upon hearing Monta Ellis’ claim.
Ellis, the former high-scoring Golden State Warriors guard, controversially declared on Sunday that the Warriors would’ve had the same success had he replaced Steph Curry.
Teague, Ellis’ teammate with the Indiana Pacers in 2016-2017 wasn’t exactly buying it.
“Imma keep it real with you. He was never better than Steph Curry,” Teague said during a live recording of “The Club 520 Podcast” before saying there was another star guard who he could have seen perhaps replicating the Warriors’ success with Curry.
“…If you said ‘We’re going to take Steph Curry out of there, and put Dame Lillard, then I would be like ‘Okay I could see them get the same results.”
Jeff Teague had the same reaction that probably every person on the planet had upon hearing Monta Ellis’ claim. @club520podcast
Teague went on to call Ellis “cold” but said he’s not the same type of player as Curry.
Through Curry’s 17-year career in the NBA, he’s built a reputation as the greatest shooter the game has ever seen and one of the greatest players in league history. The two-time MVP owns the career record for most three-pointers made, has shot 42.2% from deep over his 17 seasons and has averaged 24.8 points per game.
A talented player, Ellis played 12 seasons in the NBA and averaged 17.8 points per game, though he shot only 31.4% from three. He also never made a single All-Star team.
Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors share a laugh after defeating the New Orleans Hornets. NBAE via Getty Images
Ellis’ best season behind the 3-point line came during the 2010-2011 season when he and Curry were still Warriors teammates. Ellis sank 36.1% from deep.
The following year, the Warriors were reportedly trading Curry to the Milwaukee Bucks until the Bucks backed out due to concern over his ankle. HOW CLOSE WAS THAT? CAN WE CLARIFY?
Since then, Curry has remained with the Warriors and has become the most decorated player in the franchise’s history as he’s led them to four NBA titles, while winning his two MVPs in 2015 and 2016.
Shaquille O’Neal sees a couple of major problems with the NBA’s slumping dunk contest these days.
Too many non-stars. And too many missed dunks.
“In the last 15 years, we haven’t had a real top guy like LeBron [James], Zion Williamson, participate in a dunk contest,” O’Neal said on Boardroom Cover Stories. “And then you’ve got guys missing three or four dunks.”
Former Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal criticized the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock
The NBA’s annual dunk contest, which takes place over All-Star Weekend and is now officially branded as AT&T Slam Dunk, has grown flat and stagnant following its history of stars either competing against each other (think Michael Jordan versus Dominique Wilkins) or being born in the dunk contest itself (think Dee Brown).
Consider that some of the winners over the last 15 years have included Keshad Johnson (2026), Mac McClung (the three previous seasons), Hamidou Diallo (2019), Glenn Robinson III (2017) and Jeremy Evans (2012). Not exactly big names.
The winner of O’Neal’s DUNKMAN will receive $500,000, the largest prize in professional dunk history. O’Neal said on the podcast that the money could increase during the competition, depending on how well the talent does.
Utah Jazz center and forward Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA dunk contest. Getty Images
“If you look online, there are kids who are not good enough to be in the NBA, but they’re unbelievable dunkers, and they’ve got a lot of views [on social media],” O’Neal said. “They get a lot of eyes on them. I was like, maybe we need to put a league together and compensate these guys.”
O’Neal added that DUNKMAN will be a diversified event, as it will feature athletes from England, China, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ukraine and the United States.
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SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 24: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz introduced into the starting lineup prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 24, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While the Lakers reshaping their roster was anticipated this summer, the sheer volume of new signings, and particularly in the short amount of time, was overwhelming.
As we circle back to break down some of the new players that will be donning the purple and gold, I figured the best way to get some insight and a scouting report on them was from those who covered their previous teams.
Walker Kessler was the team’s big swing of the offseason. The Lakers are banking on his defense to anchor the team and make it one of the best in the league, while hoping he pairs nicely with Luka Dončić as a pick-and-roll partner.
I reached out to James Hansen, site manager of Salt Lake City Dunk, to ask about Kessler and his fit with the Lakers.
What are his strengths?
First, rim protection. Opponent scoring at the rim is much lower when Kessler is defending. He is also in the 99th percentile in block percentage, according to Dunks & Threes. Kessler consistently holds down the paint, arguably the most important thing you can do on the defensive end.
Second, scoring at the rim. Kessler shot 68% on 2s in 2026, 67.6% in 2025, and 67.7 in 2024. All three of those seasons were in the 98th percentile or better. Kessler doesn’t have any sort of isolation game but when he gets the ball near the rim, he finishes at an elite level.
Third, offensive rebounding. Part of what makes Kessler such an elite finisher is that he’s such a good offensive rebounder. Kessler was in the 98th percentile last season and the 97th percentile the year before with his offensive rebound rate.
And when he rebounds it, he scores the ball. That ability to put pressure on the rim really ups your team’s offensive efficiency night after night, easily his most effective offensive skill.
What are his weaknesses?
First, free throw shooting. Kessler’s free throw percentage was in the low 50s for two of his four seasons. He played in just five games last season, so I would take his 70% free throw with a grain of salt.
This was one of those things that looks like it can improve for Kessler but he inevitably falls into bad habits just when you think he’ll improve. Maybe with the Lakers, he’ll finally find some consistency on this end, but as of right now, it’s an issue.
Second, skillset. Kessler is more of an advanced analytics darling than he is an eye-test type of player. Kessler has teased a 3-point shot at times but when the Jazz have actually had him let the threes fly, it hasn’t worked.
Whenever the Jazz would throw Kessler the ball in the post, it went…badly. Kessler becomes a great player if he sticks to what he’s great at. It’s when he’s trying to go beyond that when he struggles. Maybe he can develop his game more, but he would be right to emphasize the parts of his game that made him a target for the Lakers.
Third, there’s a little bit of softness to him. Head coach Will Hardy probably yelled at Kessler louder and more often than at anyone else on the Jazz. It’s likely because it always felt like there was another level he should be able to get to. He just never quite got there.
He is also a player that other teams love to challenge. Kessler is a great rim protector but there are a lot of guys that love to go at him. At times, it would get in his head when someone got a huge dunk on him and you could see him dip a little bit. Maybe with the Lakers, playing for wins, and a new contract will help him gain more mental toughness.
From an outsider’s perspective, how do you see him fitting with the Lakers?
I think he’ll fit really well with Luka Dončić, both on the offensive end as a rolling big and as a defender that can make up for some weak perimeter defense. He’s a solid passer as well, so he can move the ball out of the short roll, something Hardy and the Jazz developed well with him.
As long as the Lakers don’t expect Kessler to create his own shot, they’ll be happy with him.
Anything else to know about him?
Walker Kessler has a fun personality and should be a player Laker fans enjoy. I have no doubt he’ll become a fan favorite like he was for Jazz fans.
