Despite being without their best player and one of their starting wings, the Lakers got back on track after their first loss of the season, beating the Clippers 103-87.
Collin Sexton defends Cam Christie during the first half of the Lakers’ 103-85 win over the Clippers on Oct. 28, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
With Doncic sidelined, a significant amount of attention turned to Austin Reaves, the Laker’s second-best player who has gotten off to a career-best start to the season.
The sixth-year guard has shown several times what he’s capable of doing when he’s the lone star in the lineup, recording box score numbers that rival All-NBA guards.
Clippers coach Ty Lue acknowledged the threat Reaves poses.
“He can beat you by himself. … He’s elite,” Lue said.
And the Clippers treated Reaves as such, using aggressive defensive coverages to disrupt a rhythm that’s been challenging for opponents to slow down since the start of the season.
Reaves finished with 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting to go with eight turnovers, ending his streak of 23-plus-point games while shooting at least 54% from the field in four games.
But the Lakers didn’t need a nuclear performance from Reaves.
They got Collin Sexton showing off why he’s nicknamed the “Young Bull”, with the veteran guard providing the “insanity”, as Redick put it, on both ends of the floor that the team has come to celebrate.
Brook Lopez tries to make a pass around Jarred Vanderbilt during the first half of the Lakers’ win over the Clippers. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
They got Quentin Grimes, who stepped into the starting lineup for the first time, having his best two-way performance.
And they got a near perfect shooting night from Matisse Thybulle.
Sexton finished with 21 points, scoring nine straight points late in the third quarter that pushed the Lakers’ lead from 13 to 20 points.
Sandro Mamukelashvili (left) celebrates with Walker Kessler after scoring during the first half of the Lakers’ win over the Clippers. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Grimes had a season-high 23 points to go along with five assists and four steals.
Thybulle scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting (4 of 6 on 3-pointers).
Veteran forward Jarred Vanderbilt made his season debut in light of the team’s injuries, finishing with an individual plus/minus of plus-22 in 21 minutes.
The Clippers were short-handed, as they have been for most of the season, without Rui Hachimura, Brandon Ingram and Bradley Beal.
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 28: Head coach Dusty May of the Dallas Mavericks shakes hands with Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center on October 28, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a dominant showing for this rising Mavericks team. OKC entered the night undefeated but seriously undermanned — Jalen Williams is out for the season, Cason Wallace is out indefinitely, while Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso were out with minor injuries. This wasn’t a game the Mavericks had to win, but it was as good an opportunity as ever to take down a championship favorite.
Dallas did so by jumping on OKC from tipoff and never letting up. The Mavericks outscored the Thunder in all four quarters and led for 81 percent of this game. Outstanding win.
Here are the numbers we noticed.
16-5: Mavericks advantage in made 3s
The Thunder are a dangerous shooting team with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander running the show, but missing three of their better 3-point shooters, the Mavericks took advantage. Dallas made 16-of-45 from distance, while the Thunder were just 5-of-32.
That massive shooting disparity basically decided the game. Dallas wasn’t on fire so to speak from deep, but took a ton of threes and made just enough. It was a team effort, as no Maverick made more than three 3s, while six Mavericks made at least two 3s. Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg made three apiece in the win.
Just as important as the lack of makes for OKC were the attempts — Dallas took 13 more threes than OKC, and the Mavericks did a decent job of running the shooters OKC had left off the line. Some of this is luck, for sure — OKC’s Jared McCain went an uncharacteristic 0-for-6 — but credit the Dallas defense for digging in and doing the work on rotations and closeouts.
30: Mavericks assists
It was a rocky start for Dusty May’s offensive system in the season opener against the Rockets, but since then the Mavericks offense has been mostly humming, and Dallas was at it again with another outstanding passing night. Dallas had 30 assists on 46 made buckets, with only nine turnovers.
May encourages ball movement and player movement, and at first it almost felt like the Mavericks were oversharing to start the season, getting a bit too far away from their best players. That balance has come back, led by Flagg’s brilliance as a decision-maker. He had eight assists and zero turnovers against the Thunder as he continues to grow as a playmaker.
10: Caleb Martin points
Caleb Martin hasn’t had a good run in Dallas since being traded to the Mavericks in February of 2025, plagued by injuries and anemic shooting. Martin had a history of being a solid vet before coming to Dallas, so it was unfortunate just how much the wheels fell off once he landed in Dallas. That’s why we’re taking note of Martin’s stellar first game of the season — 10 points 14 minutes off the bench, going 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Martin only scored in double-figures seven times last season, so for him to return from injury and immediately score 10 feels notable. If Martin can give this Mavericks team anything, it’ll be a tremendous boost to what is suddenly looking like a very deep rotation.
Collin Sexton reacts after making a basket against the Clippers in the second half Wednesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers scoring phenom Luka Doncic missed his first game of the young season with back tightness, leaving a giant hole in their offense with the NBA’s leading scorer (36 points per game) sitting out.
Lakers defensive star Ziaire Williams also missed his first game with left foot soreness, leaving them even more depleted with two starters unable to play.
The Lakers added a lot of depth over the summer in case of injury situations and now it was going to be tested against the Clippers at Intuit Dome.
Collin Sexton is one of the players the Lakers acquired for a moment like Wednesday, and he delivered in a big way, coming off the bench to provide energy and effort in helping the Lakers take a 103-87 victory over the Clippers.
Sexton was at his best in the third quarter, scoring 11 of his 21 points, flexing and pounding his chest after a made basket. His play helped the Lakers open a 22-point lead they never lost.
He was four for five from the field in the third, six for 11 for the game. He was two for three from three-point range in the third, four for seven for the game. He also had four rebounds and two assists.
Quentin Grimes (23 points), Matisse Thybulle (15) and Austin Reaves (16 points) did their part to help the Lakers improve to 4-1.
Doncic and Williams played against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, but they couldn’t go in the back-to-back game.
“Both those guys woke up with some soreness and tightness today — tightness for Luka, soreness for Ziaire,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “We have a tough stretch of games. Not a lot of time between [games so] just being overly cautious.”
The Lakers next play at the Golden State Warriors on Friday, their fourth game in six days.
Redick was asked if Doncic and Williams would be available for that game.
Redick turned to Jarred Vanderbilt, who didn’t play in the first four games, and Jaden Hardy, who played in the first game of the season, to help the shorthanded Lakers in their time of need. Vanderbilt played 21 minutes and had seven rebounds. Hardy played nine minutes and had two points.
“Yeah, I go back to something I said a couple of times already is that every guy’s going to get an opportunity throughout the season,” Redick said. “...Guys that haven’t played are going to get opportunities tonight.”
The Clippers, however, have their own injuries to worry about.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura (left quad soreness) missed his first game of the season, joining Bradley Beal (right knee injury management), Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery), Jordan Miller (left rotator cuff surgery), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right lisfranc surgery) and Max Strus (right plantar fascia partial tear) on the injury report.
The Lakers signed center Lawson Lovering to a two-way contract Wednesday and waived two-way forward AK Okereke.
INGLEWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 28: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the LA Clippers on October 28, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Even without Luka Dončić, the Lakers easily handled the Clippers in the Intuit Dome on Wednesday, picking up a 103-87 win.
The Lakers struggled with turnovers themselves, finishing with 21. But their 15 steals and 17 offensive rebounds helped overcome that.
Matisse Thybulle put the Lakers up by four early, as he was the only one to score. Derrick Jones Jr. was the only Clipper to score, draining a triple. The Clippers called a timeout after the purple and gold extended their lead.
Out of the break, Darius Garland converted on a layup.
The Clippers scored seven in a row, led by Jones Jr., to put them in the lead by two. They extended their scoring run to 12-2, as the Lakers continued to struggle offensively. It was a low scoring affair throughout the quarter, as neither team was able to create a lasting lead.
The purple and gold ended the first on a 9-2 scoring run to retake the lead by three.
First quarter: Lakers 25, Clippers 22
Back-to-back steals and transition finishes from Quentin Grimes gave LAL the lead after one. Austin Reaves has 7 points on 2-7 FG. Matisse Thybulle has 6 points. LA already has 5 stocks — half as many as they had all of last night.
Quentin Grimes scored for the Lakers early in the second period. Both teams were having a rough time controlling the ball. The Clippers had eight turnovers and the Lakers had six. Jarred Vanderbilt finally saw playing time and was spearheading a lot of great defense for the Lakers.
The Lakers were now up by three. Reaves was leading the charge with 12 points.
Led by their impressive defensive showing, the purple and gold built a lead of nine. Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili combined for 13 off the bench. Thybulle ignited for six points, draining two triples, pushing his point total to 12.
The Lakers ended the half on a 27-7 scoring run to lead by 18 heading into the half. The purple and gold had three players in double figures, led by Reaves’ 16 points.
The Clippers scored a quick five points to start the third period. The Lakers, meanwhile, started the quarter with multiple turnovers. Grimes fouled Garland while he was shooting from behind the arc and he converted on all three free throws, further extending the Clippers’ early run.
Walker Kessler stopped some of the bleeding for the Lakers with a dunk.
The purple and gold saw their lead shrink to single digits as they struggled to replicate the suffocating defense they showed in the first half. The Lakers were also 1-5 from the field.
Spearheaded by LaRavia, Thybulle and Grimes, the Lakers went on a 10-0 scoring run to go back up by double figures. Sexton went on an insane individual run, scoring 11 straight points to help the Lakers lead by 19 at the end of the third.
The final frame began with a dunk by Baba Miller for the Clippers. Grimes scored on a layup on the other end for the purple and gold. He added another three points, keeping the Lakers up by 19.
It was a continued Laker takeover with the Clippers trying to shave points off the lead, scoring five in a row, but they were still down big with 6:25 left. The Lakers did go on a four-minute scoring drought, but they put the final dagger with back-to-back shot from Grimes and Mamu.
Key Player Stats
Reaves finished with 16 points and five rebounds as he struggled on the night, shooting 6-16 from the field and turning the ball over eight times. Kessler notched 11 points with nine rebounds.
The big scoring nights came from Sexton with 21 points off the bench and Grimes with 23 points as a starter due to the injuries.
Thybulle pitched in with 15 points, shooting 5-6 from the field. Mamu had 13 points with eight rebounds. Jake LaRavia and Vanderbilt did the dirty work, combining for 17 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
The Lakers’ next game will be against the Golden State Warriors on Friday at 7:00 PM PT.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter at Target Center on October 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After Saturday’s loss, which moved them to 0-3, I sure didn’t expect the Golden State Warriors to have a decent-looking record anytime soon. They had a brutal schedule facing them, and it seemed likely that they’d return to San Francisco still winless.
Instead, they won the road trip, and head home with a chance to get to .500 on Friday night. Wednesday’s 119-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves was far from perfect, but it was, most importantly, a win. So let’s grade the players who got it done. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Last year, league-average TS was 58.1%.
As I reminder, I grade each player based on my expectations for them. And because of that, Lendeborg is easily the hardest Warrior to grade at the moment. Why? Because I’m simply not sure what my expectations are, or should be!
In just his fifth career game, he had an efficient 26 points and nine rebounds, while playing strong defense on Jonathan Kuminga. If you had told me that before the season started, I would have said it was an easy A at the very least … and probably an A+.
But Lendeborg played so well over the first week of his professional career that the expectations are already beginning to change. On the one hand, it’s unfair to judge him more harshly in just his fifth contest. On the other hand, he’s doing stuff like this, and it’s absolutely altering the equation:
So seen through that lens, we need to address the bad: Lendeborg turned the ball over seven times, and plenty of those turnovers were the type that could — and should — be avoided. He had some breakdowns late in the game, where he got the ball in critical moments and was unable to get off a good shot or make a quick pass. All of his free throws came when the Warriors were trying to ice a small lead, and he only shot 2-for-4 on them.
I don’t say that to criticize Lendeborg. Those are natural learning curves for a rookie who, again, made his professional debut just a week ago. But he’s played so well that the rubric is starting to change, and the grades will reflect that.
Grade: B- Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in rebounds.
With Gui Santos a late scratch due to knee tendinitis, Niang got a very rare start. How rare, you ask? It was his 549th career game, and just his 33rd start.
He played well. He defended larger than his frame, and had a nice sequence early in the game where he hit a three on one end, and then quickly stole the ball from Minny. I’m surprised at how much energy and effort he plays with, considering he’s a 33-year old coming off a major injury. Nice to be able to slide him into the starting five, even though I’m sure he’ll be back on the bench soon.
A really excellent defensive game for Green. Two days after having to start at center against Nikola Jokić, he did the same against Rudy Gobert, who finished with just one point, four rebounds, and a game-worst -11. So I’d say mission accomplished for Draymond.
Green’s defensive ability and versatility are once again powering the Warriors, and this was a good game for him from a playmaking standpoint, too. He made some excellent passes, directed the offense all through the game, and took fairly good care of the ball.
He’s not the player he once was, but he’s still damn good, and can be the catalyst on both ends of the court.
Grade: B Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in rebounds and assists.
Tasked with spending a decent amount of time on LaMelo Ball, Podziemski had a hard time finding a rhythm with foul trouble. But props to him for not pressing; he was more than comfortable playing a different role in this game, and not being one of the primary scorers. And he did everything else quite well: he was strong on the glass, set up his teammates, kept the ball moving, and made some big defensive plays. Not a great game for Podziemski, but a solid enough one.
Grade: C+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
If anyone had any questions as to whether Steph Curry was still Steph Curry, well … this week has been a pretty firm answer. On Monday, he had 24 points without missing a single shot. And on Wednesday, he casually dropped in 44 points (not to mention eight rebounds and six dimes), and looked completely unstoppable.
Curry took over in the second quarter, when he scored 19 points and helped Golden State take control of the game. From there, he masterfully bounced between shouldering the offensive load, setting up teammates, and serving as gravity to open up the floor for everyone else.
The aggression was a joy to see. Curry wasn’t foul-baiting so much as just being aggressive at all times, and especially when the Warriors were in the bonus.
The chef’s still got it. And between Curry and Lendeborg, you can rest assured that this team will be extremely entertaining this year.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, tied for the team lead in assists, best plus/minus on the team.
It’s still very early in the season and, as a result, Steve Kerr is still trying to figure out his rotations. And so it’s a little bit unclear what Richard’s role is right now. It seemed on Monday that he was out of the rotation, but in this game he was in the opening set of substitutions, just a few minutes into the game, and ended up playing nearly half the contest.
I thought it was a very good defensive game for last year’s second-round pick, and the stat sheet doesn’t accurately reflect how impressive his rebounding was. There were a few occasions in this game where was outnumbered by multiple taller players, and somehow either came down with the board, kicked it to a teammate, or kept the ball alive.
Whatever his role ends up being, the Warriors are better with him on the team.
Grade: B Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.
Melton had some huge plays down the stretch in this game, particularly on the defensive end. It seems like he was always in the right place to bother the Wolves, deflect a ball, or keep a play alive. He even blocked a shot with 18 seconds left in the game, when Minny just needed one bucket to get back into the game … ultimately the Timberwolves retained possession of the ball, but that huge defensive play not only kept points off the board, but used up critical time.
It wasn’t the most noteworthy game on offense, but defense and veteran play are what he’s there for. On Wednesday, he delivered.
Just a super solid game for Big Al. He played awesome defense, including on Gobert, a three-time All-Star. He was seemingly always in the right place at the right times, and his hands are so gifted for someone of his size and age. He doesn’t even need to shoot threes to be effective!
And up-and-down game for Williams. Ultimately, the Warriors simply need him to be more efficient than he was in this game. But his ability to attack and make things happen is huge, and the Warriors already rely on it with regularity when they need a bucket. No one else can get to the rim with as much ease as the ultra-speedy Williams. There were times in this game where it really felt like he was saving the entire offense and shifting the momentum. But ultimately, it simply needs to be more efficient, especially since he’s not contributing much elsewhere in most games (though I thought he did in this one).
Payton was jumped in the rotation by Richard for this game, though it may or may not be a long-term thing. He played his usual excellent defense, including a little bit on Ball, and his athleticism was, as always, on display.
Grade: B
Charles Bassey
2 minutes, 0 points, +3
Despite the Warriors being shy on frontcourt bodies right now, it looks as though Bassey is temporarily out of the rotation. Part of that is due to the rebounding and defensive flexibility of Lendeborg, which allows the Warriors to play Green at the five.
Grade: Incomplete
Wednesday’s DNP-CDs:LJ Cryer, Graham Ike, Malevy Leons
Wednesday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Gui Santos
Matas Buzelis #14 of the Chicago Bulls loses possession of the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks during the second half of a game at the United Center on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois.
CHICAGO — Mikal Bridges was benched for all but three minutes of the second half, as coach Mike Brown rode with streaking reserves Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet to beat the Bulls 133-127 on Wednesday.
It represented his shortest appearance as a Knick outside of the two times Bridges was subbed in briefly to maintain his consecutive games played streak.
Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls loses possession of the ball against Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks during the second half at the United Center on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. Getty Images
Part of the reason, according to Brown, was the Kolek-Jalen Brunson backcourt combination was effective.
“We just found a combination we went with,” Brown said. “One of the things [assistant coach] Rick Brunson suggested was throwing Kolek in the game with Jalen. Just to give them a different look and get Jalen off the ball and put Tyler on the floor.
Landry Shamet, who scored 14 points off the bench, goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ 133-127 comeback win over the Bulls on Oct. 28, 2026 in Chicago. NBAE via Getty Images
“Doing that, playing Jordan Clarkson extended minutes, Landry was playing well. Now there’s not much room. And the combination we had out there, we kept playing well. It was harder to go back to what we started with.”
Kolek, Clarkson and Shamet combined for 41 points and 15 assists.
There were a couple of injury scares in the first half Wednesday. False alarms.
Midway through the first quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns had the ball at the elbow and was knocked hard to the court by defender Noa Essengue.
Towns hurt his left hand during the spill and writhed in pain on the United Center hardwood. He went to the locker room but re-emerged quickly with tape on his hand and wrist. Towns finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
“He was still shooting that thing from 30 feet,” Brown said. “So the wrist looked good to me.”
With 9:26 left in the second quarter, Shamet limped to the locker room after twisting his ankle. He completed a dunk, took a step and clipped his foot on a Bulls defender. Like Towns, Shamet returned quickly.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter at Target Center on October 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
10,000-Foot Game Overview
With Anthony Edwards sidelined for an extended period of time, everyone was curious how the rest of the Wolves would respond. And well, it did not get off to the best start.
The hope was maybe that just a slow start as the team was adjusting to their new normal, but then Steph Curry Steph Curried. At one point, he scored 11 straight points in the second quarter and for the rest of the first half, you could hear a pin drop in Target Center as the Wolves went into the locker room down 64-48.
Thankfully, basketball games notoriously feature two halves which would give the Wolves starting group some time to find themselves after a halftime tongue lashing. Unfortunately, things somehow got worse. The Warriors ballooned the lead to 24 before the Wolves’ bench unit, featuring Joan Beringer, TJ Shannon, Jaylen Clark, Bones Hyland and Trey Lyles, brought some needed energy and scoring to help cut the lead down to 12 by the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter turned into a perfect encapsulation of the game: The Wolves missed open looks, got frustrated and fouled (the Warriors were in the bonus by the 8:45 mark). Despite this, the Wolves lingered around. After a furious comeback to get it within four points with 32 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels missed back-to-back wide open 3-point looks that proved to be the final dagger as Minnesota dropped to 3-2 on the season.
Two Stats That Defined the Game
1. 44 – Points scored by Steph Curry
The shortest summation of the game is this: The Warriors had their superstar and the Wolves didn’t. It was a throwback performance for Curry who was brilliant on the offensive end, pulling the Wolves defense off-balance like it was on a string. Going a perfect 16 for 16 from the line in a game that ended up in the clutch is why he’s one of the best to ever do it.
2. +11 – Warriors advantage at the free throw line
The Timberwolves committed 29 fouls which led to 37 free throw attempts for Golden State. The fouls were a hallmark of the sloppiness that plagued the game for our favorite team. The foul trouble was especially bad after Steph’s second quarter heater; the team felt especially frenetic trying to chase the future hall-of-famer around screens leading to all kinds of late defensive rotations that the Warriors were able to take advantage of.
Award Ceremony
Big Ticket Award: Joan Beringer and Jaylen Clark
The Big Ticket award goes to Minnesota’s MVP of the game, which meant tonight it had to go to someone in the group that pulled them out of blowout territory in the third quarter. Effort is a skill, and in a game where the Wolves lacked any kind of juice, Beringer and Clark’s shared minutes finally a heartbeat to an otherwise lifeless building.
Beringer outplays Rudy Gobert for the second straight game on his way to seven points on three for three shooting, along with nine boards. The rebounding is not only already an NBA-level skill, but a potential budding elite skill for the young Frenchman.
Jaylen Clark was let off the leash long enough to do Jaylen Clark things, finishing the game with a team high +8. Almost more importantly, he hit one of his two looks from deep. He was Minnesota’s best defender on Curry tonight in his very brief assignment, but he was the only other player (with Jonathan Kuminga) strong enough to slow rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Would have loved to see Finch give him a longer leash as a reward for the game flipping during his minutes and influx of energy.
“Superstar Lacking” Award: LaMelo Ball
Woof.
Two bad games in a row for the Wolves prized off-season acquisition. From the get-go, Ball was pressing for his offense by hoisting three-pointers on his way to an zero for five start from perimeter. The overall plus/minus (-2) was salvaged a bit by the Wolves’ late run, but his final counting stats leave a lot to be desired. He finished with eight points, four rebounds, eight assists, and six turnovers on a putrid three for 11 shooting mark, including two of eight from deep. In the first game where the Wolves needed him to step up in Ant’s absence, he wasn’t just “not good enough,” he was bad.
Ball is the new head of an offense that just lost its center of gravity, so he deserves time to continue to grow accustomed to his new role and teammates. However, the Western Conference is not going to wait for him to get up to speed, and if he (and the Wolves) take too long, they may find themselves buried much further in the standings than they’d like.
“Kurt Rambis” Award: Chris Finch
This award (an honor bestowed upon less than stellar coaching) is always a hard one to give because a few facts need to precede it:
Chris Finch has forgotten more about basketball than I’ll ever know.
Was it just gameplan discipline for the players? There have been so many games where players have come out afterwards and said something equivalent to “We should have followed what the coaching staff was saying”.
That being said, the levers that Finch was pulling on rotations and matchups felt off all night. Jaden McDaniels had one of his worst defensive performances we might see all season, but part of that was because chasing a smaller and quicker player around screens all night has never been an elite skill for him. Curry used constant screens, tired McDaniels out, and then took advantage of mismatches all night.
A great counter to Curry going on a heater? Hunt him relentlessly on the defensive end. If that was part of the game plan, it was not emphasized.
The only other player that could generate offense for Golden State during the non-Curry minutes was Landeborg. For the majority of those minutes, the Wolves put Trey Lyles on him who was no match for the his strength and athleticism. Matching Kuminga to Landeborg’s minutes, or pulling the Jaylen Clark lever earlier, could have been a great way to force some tougher looks and take advantage of the non-Curry lineups.
Also, Draymond Green is done as a scorer in this league. Would have loved for the Wolves to bring earlier double-teams off him and force him to shoot all night. He botched easy layups all night.
We are only five games in so roles and rotations are all new (especially after losing your superstar), but the Wolves group on the floor felt out of sync all night as Finch scrambled for (mostly) unsuccessful answers.
Empty The Notebook
Gobert didn’t hit a shot for the second straight game and Finchy even called an immediate timeout after Gobert failed to run back in transition to an open shooter. As the 20 minutes played indicates, he was bad tonight.
TJ Shannon was our most reliable player at creating his own offense, but tonight it involved a lot of straight-line drives without much ball movement.
Jonathan Kuminga played… pretty good? He hit three of six shots from beyond the arc on his way to leading the team with 20 points, but his game tonight lacked any huge impact moments that you would have hoped for in this matchup with his former team.
Even after he beats your team, still got to respect the future HOFer
Game Highlights
Up Next
The moment we’ve all been waiting: The start of group play for the NBA Cup! On Friday, October 30th, the Minnesota Timberwolves will aspire to get a victory against the new-look Los Angeles Clippers in Minneapolis. The game tips off at 7:00 PM CT on DAZN-MIN and KARE 11.
Curry tied James at 15 games for 40-point game performances past the age of 35 years old.
Stephen Curry tied LeBron James for 40+ point games past the age of 35 following 44 point performance against the Timberwolves. AP Photo/Abbie ParrStephen Curry ties LeBron James for games with 40+ points past the age 35. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
From the moment the game tipped off, Curry was on fire.
The 38-year-old had 23 points through the first half, and it continued into the second half, as Golden State had a 24-point lead, when he checked out at the 5:01 mark of the third quarter.
Curry also finished 16 of 16 at the free-throw line.
Besides scoring a lot, Curry also had eight rebounds and six assists.
Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg had his highest-scoring performance, finishing with 26 points, sinking 2 of 5 3-pointers and shooting 55% from the field.
Golden State went up against a Timberwolves team that was without Anthony Edwards, who will miss at least the next two months due to arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
Stephen Curry lined up at the free-throw line in a 44-point performance where he shot 16 of 16 from the free-throw line. NBAE via Getty Images
Luca Evans of The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Steve Kerr said the Warriors “smelled blood in the water.”
After starting the season 0-3, Golden State is starting to find its rhythm and has won two in a row.
The Warriors will take the court again on Friday, when they host the Lakers.
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 28: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center on October 28, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (3-2) won their third game of the young season on Wednesday, in jaw-dropping fashion over the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1), 120-96. Cooper Flagg led a balanced Dallas effort with 26 points and eight rebounds. Ajay Mitchell had a game-high 29 in defeat for the Thunder
The opening quarter was a back-and-forth affair between the teams, with neither getting a firm advantage. Flagg came out gunning, scoring 12 in the period, with Kyrie Irving chipping in a pair of 3-pointers. Dallas shot the ball well early, and it allowed the Mavericks to keep pace when the Thunder kept scoring from inside the arc. A late Flagg floater followed by another Irving three gave Dallas a 33-30 lead heading into the second quarter.
Hot shooting from Dallas continued, growing the lead to double digits just four minutes into the frame. The Thunder attempted multiple pushes to eat into the Dallas lead, only to be rebuffed by timely shot-making from Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher and, yes, even Caleb Martin. A personal 5-0 run from Ajay Mitchell cut the Mavericks’ lead in half with just over three minutes remaining. Following a Dusty May timeout, the teams traded baskets for the rest of the half, and Dallas went into the half up 65-59.
Cold shooting welcomed fans after halftime, with neither time connecting on an actual field goal for the first several possessions of the half . Steadily, Dallas built up a 15-point lead by the 7:30 mark by out-working the Thunder on the offensive glass. Over the next 90 seconds, the Thunder responded with a 7-0 run powered by Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, forcing a Mavericks timeout. Dallas settled in, and Flagg helped the Mavs close out the quarter on a 16-10 run. Dallas took to the final frame, up 94-81.
With Flagg on the bench, Marcus Sasser and Risacher took it upon themselves to drive the Thunder into the ground. Martin’s second 3-ball of the game put Dallas up 17 points early in the fourth, forcing an Oklahoma City timeout. Dallas pushed the lead up 113-93 before the Thunder threw in the towel. The rest of the game was about making it out alive and uninjured.
Dallas wins 120-96.
They’re real, and they’re spectacular
Maybe this subheader will bite me in the ass later. Right now, I don’t care. The Dallas Mavericks are 3-2 and just beat the crap out of the 2025 NBA Champs and 2026 Western Conference finalists. Yeah, the Thunder are injured. So are the Mavericks.
This rocks and I don’t know how else to say it. There might be darker days ahead but the last time the Mavericks were ABOVE .5o0 was March 5th, 2024. That’s a long-ass time.
So right now your mission is simple: enjoy this win. Enjoy the moment. Revel in it with those you enjoy fandom with. Then tell your friends. People left the Mavericks church some time ago. They had good reason to. But joy should be shared and spread and sought. We have it. There will be more. Tell your friends. Let’s go Mavs.
It’s a team effort
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were good. A combined 41 points, seven rebounds, and 12 assists. Very good if you’re feeling generous. But were they great?
Not really. And that’s just win. Dallas won by 24 anyway.
Dallas shot under 50% and shot 36% from three. They didn’t win this game on outlier areas. They won because they pushed harder, defended better, and never stopped as a team. If you didn’t watch this game, you missed a play from every person on the roster who saw minutes that came from sheer grit. The every-game Risacher play that leaves me laughing (this time, a block of SGA in transition that was so rude, I loved it). The gaul of Walter Clayton Jr. to attack in transition. I could keep going.
These guys are feeling it right now.
Living in the hustle stats
Dallas nearly tied points in the paint, losing 44-42 after getting killed in the first half (26-14). They won fast-break points 17-0. The Mavericks won second-chance points 18-7.
That is how you win a big game on national television. They controlled and dominated the effort and came away with a big early-season win.
Oct 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) celebrates his three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers coasted through the first half, fell down by double digits, and then turned it on down the stretch to grab their 17th straight win against the Washington Wizards with a final score of 121-111.
Three stars of the game
First star: Evan Mobley
24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
The Cavs ceiling changes if Mobley becomes a consistent and lethal three-point shooter. We saw that in Wednesday’s game as he went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. This wasn’t just a one-off performance. Through four games, Mobley is 12-for-18 (66.7%) from three.
“There’s a shift in his demeanor,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “There’s a confidence to him now. … The jumper looks quicker to me. It’s not just that he’s making them. I think last year he kind of made threes [when he had] time and space. I feel like this year he’s getting it off quicker. He’s making them with harder contests.”
The Wizards had to change their defense to account for this. They didn’t give him the same time and space in the second half, which allowed the rest of the offense to flourish.
On top of that, Mobley, along with Jarrett Allen, made it difficult for the Wizards to finish inside in the second half. Washington attempted just 13 shots in the paint in the second half after taking 31 there in the first.
This was a solid and complete game from Mobley
Second star: Peyton Watson
22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
This was the first time we got a real taste of how helpful Watson can be for Cleveland. He was impactful attacking off the dribble, and more importantly, in creating out of the short roll when running pick-and-rolls with the starting backcourt. That was incredibly useful considering how the Wizards — and most of the other teams before them — were trapping Cleveland’s guards on high pick-and-rolls.
“I loved the offensive part,” Atkinson said. “Getting in the pocket, making plays, driving [against] mismatches. He goes hard to the rim.
Watson also made a difference as an offensive rebounder by creating five extra chances. Three of those opportunities directly led to points. Atkinson has consistently talked about wanting his team to do a better job on the offensive glass. Watson may be the answer here with his height and athleticism.
Watson has a well-rounded and intriguing skill set that the Cavs are still figuring out how to best use. The early results are interesting. Watson provides a different dimension to how this team can play. It’ll be interesting to see how the Cavs fine-tune his role as the season progresses.
Sarr was helpful for Washington on both ends. Offensively, he picked his spots well and finished looks that Trae Young and Kyshawn George created for him. Defensively, he had active hands in passing lanes and deterred shots at the rim. It was a solid game for a young player that is steadily coming into his own.
Harden had a tough time finding a scoring rhythm. He led the Cavs in shots (18) but completed just 27.8% of them. This included missing a couple of point-blank floaters he normally converts.
It’s unfair to blame Cleveland’s poor defensive start on one person, but Harden left a lot to be desired on that end in the first half. He lost his assignment repeatedly off-ball in the first half, which led to easy baskets.
To his credit, Harden was good down the stretch. He got the Cavs into their offense and protected the ball in the second half. It wasn’t an outright awful game — just one where he could’ve been better.
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Wednesday’s performance wasn’t as noteworthy as his debut earlier this week, but it was a strong showing nonetheless.
Thomas has found a nice balance on the defensive end. He’s not afraid to jump passing lanes and force the action, but this hasn’t come at the expense of losing his man or being out of position. It’s not uncommon for a rookie to be an active defender; it is uncommon for them to consistently be in the right place when they’re away from the play. So far, Thomas’s defensive positioning has been impressive.
Offensively, he did a good job of slotting into more of an off-ball role. He was helpful attacking in transition and provided some scoring punch in the half-court.
At this point, there isn’t a strong case for either Craig Porter Jr. or Tyrese Proctor getting minutes over Thomas. The rookie just adds too much as an offensive threat and active defender.
“We found a guy that can really help us,” Atkinson said.
The Cavs are at their best when they’re regularly turning defense into easy opportunities the other end. That was a hallmark of the 2024-25 regular-season team that turned in 64 wins.
We haven’t consistently seen that version of this team through four games, but little moments like this serve as a reminder that they may still get there.
Quote of the day
“The first few went in, so I just kept shooting them.”
– Evan Mobley on going 5-for-6 from three
Stat of the game
The Cavs won the offensive rebounding battle 15-5, which led to them outscoring Washington 19-8 in second-chance points.
The Cavs thoroughly controlled the glass and the overall possession battle. They outrebounded Washington 58-33. Cleveland won’t lose many games when they rebound like this.
What this game will be remembered for Mobley’s breakout three-point performance
A hot shooting week doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. The high variance of the shot can lead to drastic results in small sample sizes. This, however, tends to even out over time. From that perspective, Mobley hitting 11 of his last 14 threes might now mean much.
At the same time, everything about the Cavs changes if he can develop a more consistent outside shot. Only time will tell whether this start is real.
“We’re going to be really hard to stop,” Atkinson said when asked about how Mobley’s shooting can transform the offense. “If he can do that, hit threes and still be the great defender that he is and should be, then that could be our next jump.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 28: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 28, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With several stars out with injuries, the talented young Jazzmen like Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George with 31 points had a chance to shine against a lethargic Spurs squad, and they took advantage of their bigger roles to make a outsized impact on the game. The Spurs acted entitled, and they were outworked in the first half as the Jazz took a double digit lead in the second quarter and led 55-51 at the half. The Spurs awoke from the slumber in the second half, but the Jazz young’uns were unlocked and they made the Silver and Black have to earn their way to a win. The Spurs couldn’t get any separation in the second half, but they had just enough to take the game into overtime, and a defensive surge in the last two minutes was just enough for the visitors to escape with a 117-11 win. Devin Vassell was a key performer as the Spurs came back in the fourth, while Victor Wembanyama led the team on both offense and defense as they pulled out a close overtime win.
Observations:
This counts as the Spurs’ second road game of the season, and with three home games. But one of those ‘home’ games was in Austin, where the Rockets fans were almost as loud as the Spurs, and the Austin locals were too cool for school, as usual, with a lot of them rooting for former Longhorn Kevin Durant. Let’s call that a neutral site game because there was little to none home court advantage. Hopefully the Paris games will work out better for the San Antonio, who will really only have something like 36 true home games this season.
This is my first final score article of the season, and hopefully, you’ll like it. I never know how these are going to turn out, but the fun of it is that I don’t have a lot of time to overthink it, I just write whatever comes into my head and press publish a few minutes after the final buzzer. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s just kind of okay. It’s always fun for me.
Darryn Peterson got off to a hot start as the Jazz got off to an early 7 point lead, but he got hit on the face by a Wembanyama elbow on a dunk attempt and had to go to the locker room. It could have been called a foul, but it wasn’t called, perhaps because it looked like Peterson ran right into Victor’s outstretched arm.
The Jazz played with a lot more intensity than the Silver and Black for the rest of the first quarter, and led 32-22 after their first 12 minutes, with poor shooting being a big problem for the visitors.
The Spurs offense was sputtering, but they were able to draw fouls, and missed free throws were costly for the Silver and Black as the Jazz stretched the lead to double digits. Finally, Champagnie got into the game and made an impact as they cut the lead to 5 with a little over 4 minutes left in the first half.
The hustle of the Jazz showed as they got to loose balls first and led 55-51 at the half, despite the Spurs getting a few clutch shots from Victor to keep it close. The Jazz weren’t the Kings, and the Spurs were not being given an easy win, they were going to have take it away from the scrappy home team.
The Spurs opened the third on a 8-2 run and retook the lead in the first two minutes of the third quarter on a ferocious Wembanyama putback dunk. The Spurs kept up their intensity in the quarter, but the game Jazz also responded and maintained a lead for most of the quarter. The Spurs kept pulling even and even took a few small leads, the Jazz pulled away with a Mykhailiuk triple to take a late 7 point lead in the quarter. The Spurs ended the quarter on an 11-4 run to tie the score at 85 each with 12 minutes to play on a slick drive from Steph Castle.
Mo Bamba has been in the league a long time, and I think he’s finally found a place where they appreciate him. He’s always had a ton of talent, and he’s finally putting it to good use.
One thing about DAZN is that they don’t bleep the audio from the players. I definitely heard some bad words tonight.
The Spurs woke up a bit in the fourth quarter and decided to take the ball to the hoop. Both teams were playing their best basketball, and the San Antonio had a tough contest on their hands.
Mitch Johnson called a quick timeout team halfway through the fourth quarter after a 10-3 Jazz run, taking a 98-97 lead to yell at his team. The game remained tight as Mitch had to use another timeout just a few minutes later as the Spurs held onto a 101-100 lead with 3:27 left.
Devin was clutch down the stretch for the Silver and Black, as he scored 8 in the fourth, but the Jazz tied up the game at 105 with 41 seconds left. Neither team could take advantage and regulation time ended with a 105-105 tie.
The Spurs looked tired to start the overtime period and couldn’t hit anything. Sensabaugh hit a prayer triple and the Jazz led 108-105. The Spurs scored the next 10 to take a 115-108 lead with a minute left in OT. The Spurs held on for a 117-111 lead. The way they got there was a little ugly, but getting a win was beautiful.
Tarris Reed never entered the game, since it was close throughout. I really hope he gets more time soon, as Luke Kornet hasn’t looked very good in limited minutes so far this season.
For the opponent’s perspective, visit SLCDunk, which is one of the more hilarious and thoughtful SBNation basketball sites.
The Spurs have a few days off before they face the Timberwolves at home on Halloween night. Anthony Edwards is out for a few months, but Minnesota is the best team that the Silver and Black have seen since the Rockets in the second game of the season. It should be a spooOoOky night for the Spurs, and a win would go a long way in bringing back their confidence in returning as a contender after last June’s Finals loss. It’s still early in the season, but winning is good medicine for both the fans and the players.
MINNEAPOLIS — With Anthony Edwards out, Steph Curry left no doubt about the best basketball player on the floor Wednesday night inside Target Center.
The Warriors needed every bit of Curry’s season-best 44 points to put away the Timberwolves.
Even with Minnesota’s biggest star headed for knee surgery and Curry’s nuclear night, the Warriors still nearly suffered their second epic fourth-quarter collapse in just five games this season. Golden State allowed a 24-point second-half lead to be whittled down to four before hanging on, 119-114.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
It appeared that a game that began without Edwards could end with Curry sitting on the bench, comfortably resting after building a big lead. That’s not how it played out.
When Curry went to the bench late in the third quarter, the Timberwolves took advantage.
The Warriors widened their lead as far as 78-54 midway through the third quarter. When Curry checked out at the 5:01 mark, Minnesota began to chip away. By the time the fourth quarter started, Golden State’s advantage had been cut to 12, 93-81.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) shoots the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels (3) in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game at Target Center in Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Getty Images
Yaxel Lendeborg contributed 26 points but also committed seven of the Warriors’ 16 turnovers that allowed Minnesota to climb back into the game with Curry on the bench.
Lendeborg’s only trips to the foul line came in the final minutes as the Timberwolves fouled to get possession. Curry, on the other hand, got to the line 16 times, draining them all.
Brandon Williams was the only other Golden State player to reach double figures, with 11.
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga #24 of the Minnesota Timberwolves embrace prior to the start of a game at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Getty Images
Jonathan Kuminga played a larger role than he did the last and only other time he squared off against the team that drafted him seventh overall in 2021 and traded him last February.
He finished with 20 as Minnesota struggled to find an identity playing its first game without Edwards. Four other Timberwolves finished in double figures, led by Jaden McDaniels and TJ Shannon with 19 apiece.
Golden State Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis has medical work done on his teeth.
Kristaps Porzingis’ whereabouts have finally been revealed. And he’s doing it with a big smile on his face. With a doctor.
On Wednesday, top Colombian orthodontist Dr. Bruno Pereira posted a photo on his Instagram of him and Porzingis standing next to each other. The caption reads: “Always a pleasure to treat a champion Great having @kporzee in the chair – NBA champion, gentleman, and proof that big smiles come in big sizes.”
Pereira’s post garnered 111 likes, 16 comments and 23 shares in the first six hours after it was made.
Pereira’s comments section was flooded with outraged Warriors fans reacting to seeing their star center working on acquiring a new set of teeth instead of working his way back to the basketball court.
“You had all offseason to do ts,” @liltommyttg_ wrote.
@Nichaols.d_61 wrote, “What?!? That’s why you aren’t playing?”
Porzingis was also facing pressure to play or call it quits, as @dieguito_xo wrote, “Hey buddy come back to work or just retire.”
While Porzingis has been busy working on his smile, it comes at the same time that he’s been ruled out indefinitely from the NBA season due to a mystery illness — which was announced days before the NBA season began.
Golden State Warriors star center Kristaps Porzingis is dealing with medical issues Getty Images
For most of his career, Porzingis has dealt with injuries, primarily on his knee, as he tore his ACL in 2018.
During the 2023-2024 season, he played a career-high 65 games for the Celtics and played a key part in helping the franchise win its 18th title in franchise history.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 28: Jonathan Kuminga #24 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors embrace after the game at Target Center on October 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Warriors defeated the Timberwolves 119-114. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For most of Wednesday night’s game in Minneapolis, the Golden State Warriors looked like the team that trounced the Denver Nuggets Monday. In the last four minutes, they looked like the team that choked away the second game of the season to the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the end, a series of turnovers, dropped passes, missed free throws, and inattentive three-point defense didn’t quite doom the Warriors, who held on for a 119-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves behind Steph Curry’s 44 points, He scored the last of these on a pair of meaningless free throws with 0.1 seconds on the clock, which closed out a perfect 16-for-6 night from the free throw line. He’s made all 39 of his freebies to start the season.
The Warriors led for the final 38 minutes of the game, maintaining a double-digit lead for mot of the second half and going up 11 points after a Curry picked off a LaMelo Ball pass and turned it into a Yaxel Lendeborg dunk with 2:16 to play.
Jonathan Kuminga made a three-point play, the Warriors missed some shots, then Ayo Dosunmu followed up a layup and a three-pointer by picking Curry’s pocket down four points. It took a heroic block by De’Anthony Melton on Dosunmu at the rim and two bricked threes from Jaden McDaniels before the Warriors could finally relax.
Lendeborg scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while former Warrior Kuminga led the Wolves with 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting, a 3-for-5 effort from deep, along with five assists and zero turnovers. McDaniels had 19 points and eight rebounds and Terrence Shannon, Jr. put up 19 off the bench, shooting 8-for-10 on free throws.
The Timberwolves were playing without Anthony Edwards, who had knee surgery that should keep him out until at least December. They struggled to find offense, particularly from Ball, who shot 3-for-11 and had almost as many turnovers (6) as points (8). Rudy Gobert was a total non-factor, perhaps because the Warriors devoted only 20 minutes to traditional centers. The Stifle Tower finished with a single point, four rebounds, and zero blocks and clearly did not appreciate having to defend against Curry.
The Warriors started to pull away in the second quarter after a signature Curry Flurry. From an 184-second stretch between 9:11 and 6:07 of the second quarter, Curry made five three-pointers, scored 17 points, and delivered an assist, a run that took Golden State from a one-point advantage to a 13-point lead. He also demonstrated a curling-style follow-through after the fourth triple, perhaps paying tribute to Canadian Curry fans while playing up north in Minneapolis.
Curry finished the first half with 23 points and Lendeborg had 14, already drawing double teams in his 5th NBA game. Draymond Green had five assists before the break, the Warriors outrebounded the Timberwolves by three, and Will Richard was the top reserve, playing 11 first-half minutes and logging a +13, grabbing two offensive rebounds on pure hustle. The Warriors took a 64-48 lead into the locker room.
This happened late in the third, but we would be remiss not to highlight Richard’s acrobatic layup here.
The strong second quarter, which the Warriors won, 34-25, came despite a lot of fouling from the road team. The Timberwolves got in the bonus with 7:21 left in the quarter but it didn’t hurt the Dubs that much. Minnesota went 4-for-6 from the foul line while in the bonus, with two trips to the line on shooting fouls. The Warriors reserves managed to extend the lead by a point while Curry rested for three minutes.
They kept up their furious pace to start the second half. Curry hit another three and got to the line for four free throws as the Warriors began a 9-2 run. He also slid out of bounds in a vain attempt to chase down a rebound, missing a highlight play by roughly 15% of an ass cheek.
Green blocked his arch-nemesis, Rudy Gobert, then took over mopping duties during a stoppage in play. Perhaps that was a response to the sloppy play on both sides, full of wild early shots and overly frenetic play, which induced Steve Kerr to call timeout simply because Golden State’s lead dropped to 21 points.
Things tightened up at the end of the third quarter as the Timberwolves got hot from three-point range. The Warriors got a bunch of layups thanks to slick passing from Brandin Podziemski, but the Wolves answered with threes, including some difficult running threes from Bones Hyland. The quarter ended 93-81, after Curry sank two more foul shots, racking up what felt like a stunning nine free throws in three quarters. Do the refs know who he is???
For the fourth quarter, the Warriors gassed up the Minivan. Georges Niang missed a layup, hustled 94 feet for a steal, saved the ball, and created an uncontested fast break for Curry, who unselfishly left it for an easy Gary Payton II jam.
Niang started in place of Gui Santos, who sat with a sore knee. The veteran had seven points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, an absolutely adequate performance that left him +5 on the game.
What went badly? Lendeborg had seven turnovers. Green had eight rebounds and six assists, but made some bad fouls late and couldn’t handle a Curry dumpoff that would have been an easy game-icing layup in the final seconds. The team’s three-point shooting went missing in the second half, with Curry going 1-for-6 and the rest of the team going 0-for-4, while committing 11 of their 16 turnovers after halftime. Podz only took five shots.
Still, the Warriors won two games in a row, and two road games at that! The 18-year veteran and the rookie are both playing great, Melton and his bad thumbs are shooting well again, and this team just might have a decent bench after all.
And perhaps best off all with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves coming to down, the NBA has actually started calling fouls for flopping. No B.S. Association action! It’s fan-tastic!
Chris Finch on flop calls: “All these flops they’re calling on the defense…(Fans) want the flops on the offensive players out of the game
Steve Kerr: “You know my take on the NBA. We should be the No Bullshit Association.” pic.twitter.com/VPbNeB29UI
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 28: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 License (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Regular Season Bell Ringer Standings: Tyrese Maxey – 2.5 Joel Embiid – 1 Jaylen Brown – 0.5
The Sixers made it interesting for awhile, but came back around to take down a shorthanded Indiana Pacers squad on Wednesday night.
The Pacers were banged up for this one, with multiple players sidelined including Tyrese Haliburton and starting center Ivica Zubac. The Sixers, on the other hand, had all five starters on the floor Wednesday.
The Sixers looked sloppy and shot poorly to start the night, allowing the Pacers to keep things tied after one. Fortunately the second quarter was a bit tighter from Philadelphia — far from perfect, but better — with the team shooting 56.0% from the floor in the frame to amass a 10-point lead at the break (special thanks to VJ Edgecombe for hitting a buzzer-beating 50-foot triple to end the half).
It was a lead they quickly squandered, allowing Indiana a quick 17-0 run to start the second half. It was as bad a third as you could get from Philadelphia, who entered the final frame down 10 points to the shorthanded Pacers. Fortunately, things finally started clicking for the Sixers, helped by the leadership of LeBron James and some hot shooting from Tyrese Maxey, with the visitors battling back within a few points and finally retaking a narrow lead toward the end of the game.
It was way harder than it should have been, but the Sixers held on. A win’s a win. The Sixers move to 4-1.
Let’s get to the Bell Ringer. With different players stepping up at different times throughout this one, we have quite a few options.
Joel Embiid: 21 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
<p>(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
Joel Embiid looked sharp to start the evening, leading the Sixers after one with six points on 3-for-3 field goal shooting. With the Pacers down their starting center, it was the perfect excuse to get the ball to Embiid in the post, which the big fella was quick to take advantage of. Even if he was double-teamed, Embiid was able to simply spin away and create a ton of space for himself to pull right up or hit the fadeaway. And the best part: the shot was silky smooth and falling tonight. If anything, the Sixers weren’t going to him quite enough to start the night, but they started to rectify that in the second frame. By halftime, Embiid had 14 points on 6-for-10 field goal shooting, with five buckets coming off the midrange jumper.
The puzzling thing is that the Sixers seemed to stop running the offense through Embiid in the second half. I personally think it’s no coincidence that, once they stopped getting the ball to Embiid, the offense grinded to a halt. Was it the only reason? No, absolutely not. But it certainly didn’t help.
Nevertheless, Embiid got involved again late and hit a few big buckets toward the end of this one to help secure the Philadelphia win. He finished the game with 21 points on 9-for-17 field goal shooting with 11 rebounds, two assists and one block.
<p>(Photo by Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Apparently all it took to get Anfernee Simons into a groove was a reverse jinx from yours truly. Not even kidding. After missing his first triple attempt of the night, I tweeted about Simons’ struggles thus far, and how he came into the night shooting just 23.8% from long range to start the season.
He immediately sank two back-to-back triples. Like clockwork. In the second frame, he tacked on two more quick threes off the bench. At that point, the team was 4-for-11 from three-point range for the night, with Simons responsible for all four successes — a huge boost for a Sixers team that was letting the Pacers hang right in there with them at that point in the game.
Simons ended up sinking 6-of-10 three-pointers on Wednesday night. Again, after coming into this game having shot just 23.8% from behind the arc to start the season, that’s one hell of warm-up. We’ll take it.
Simons finished with 20 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal off the bench.
First, hats off to Anfernee Simons, who immediately shut me up after I posted about his 3PT struggles so far in this young Sixers season…
<p>(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
LeBron James had a far from perfect game. His shooting could have been better. He could have been a bit better rebounding at times. But he is able to turn it on when the team needs it. In the fourth, with the Sixers trailing after a miserable third, James locked in. First, two back-to-back assists to Anfernee Simons both resulting in triples. Then, he hits a triple of his own. Next, right back to facilitator, working the two-man game with Embiid that resulted in an and-1 for the big fella. Suddenly, the Sixers were back within two points. It feels strange to have to say “that’s why you want to have a player like LeBron James,” but, well… that’s why you want a player like LeBron James! He has all the capabilities to turn a game around through both his own scoring and especially his playmaking, and he was responsible for a huge momentum swing for the Sixers late in this one.
He finished the game with 13 points, five rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, two blocks and ZERO turnovers. But, again, with LeBron, even the stats don’t always fully reflect his impact.
Kudos to LeBron James for a 13-point, 10-assist double-double as the king continues to be an incredible facilitator for the Sixers offense. Was especially key in the momentum shift toward Philly in Q4. And all with ZERO turnovers.
<p>(Photo by Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s not always flashy. In fact, with Jaylen Brown, it seems to happen in ways you don’t even notice. It just slowly adds up. A few buckets here, some foul shots there… but Brown is constantly contributing offensively for the Sixers. There really wasn’t a specific big run from Brown in this one. There was nothing super flashy or anything that will pop up on a big highlight reel, but he was present throughout, chipping in points when the Sixers are hot and even when the rest of the team seems to be ice cold.
Even if you aren’t watching the games to see the impact he quietly makes on both ends of the floor, the stats speak for themselves: 20 points on 7-for-13 field goal shooting, 10 rebounds (4 offensive), two assists, one steal and one block. You take that every single day of the week.
<p>(Photo by Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
This wasn’t Tyrese Maxey’s best game by any means… but man, did he turn it on when it really counted. It had been a bit of an up-and-down night, with some inconsistent shooting and some sloppy turnovers. Maxey also seemed to let his frustration on calls — or lack thereof — get the better of him.
But late in the fourth, he did what he does best. He turned on the jets to get out ahead for some transition buckets. He used his fancy footwork and impressive body control to stop on a dime and sink pull-up and step-back threes. He helped put the Sixers ahead when it matters the most: the end of the game. I actually didn’t have him as a Bell Ringer contender until late in this one, but you can’t deny the importance of having a reliable late-game scorer. It’s the difference between a close loss and a close win… and the difference this time was, in no small part, Tyrese Maxey.
Maxey finished the game with 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Great having @kporzee in the chair – NBA champion, gentleman, and proof that big smiles come in big sizes.”
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