Sure, it was a lot more fun when the uniforms were flipped back in December 2017. That night, Smart busted out his entire bag of Smart tricks, including baiting James Harden into a pair of offensive foul calls as the Celtics improbably rallied to take down the Rockets at TD Garden.
Being on the other side of Smart’s chaos-inducing playbook is decidedly less endearing.
Smart left his fingerprints all over Houston’s late-game takeover. It started in the final minutes of the third quarter when Smart sold a shove from former teammate Jayson Tatum, earning Tatum his fourth foul and sending him to the bench with 1:39 to play in the frame.
The Celtics were down just five at that point, but Boston trailed by 16 by the time Tatum returned to the floor with 7:02 to play in the final quarter.
Smart hit 3-pointers on consecutive trips early in the fourth frame to help build that lead. Then, somewhat inexplicably, he threw his middle fingers in the air running back up the court. He would later suggest to reporters in Houston that it was “pent-up” emotions and some feedback to a Boston bench that had been previously vocal about his shot selection.
Before that, he 1) Tried to encourage referees to give Jayson Tatum a first-half technical as he vented about a whistle, 2) Nearly drew a Payton Pritchard charge before the play was overturned on video review, and 3) Did one of his familiar kip-ups to celebrate after nearly drawing that charge on Pritchard.
That’s serious nostalgia for everyone who watched Smart in his nine seasons with Boston from 2014 to 2023. You might not always miss his shot selection, but no amount of analytics could quantify the Smart chaos quotient.
Every good team needs an agitator. The type of player that gets under your skin and never lets you get too comfortable. After tough stops in Memphis, Washington, and even with the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s gotta be refreshing for Smart to be back in a situation where he can aid winning with his antics.
This was only the third game Smart had played against Boston, and the other two were otherwise forgettable, with Smart tallying three points in 41 minutes during games with Memphis and Los Angeles.
But the Celtics got a reminder of Smart and his penchant for winning plays on Monday night. To quote the great modern philosopher Ric Flair, “You don’t have to like me, but you’ll never forget me.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 02: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors goes up for a layup against the Phoenix Suns in the second half of their game at Chase Center on November 02, 2026 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A Golden State Warriors season doesn’t truly begin until Draymond Green gets kicked out of a game. This year, they have Charles Bassey to pick up the slack.
Bassey scored a career-high 19 points and collected eight rebounds, holding down the fort inside as the Warriors erased a 17-point deficit to beat the Phoenix Suns, 116-113. Golden State put up 42 points in the third quarter, Steph Curry exceeded 30 points for the third straight game, and De’Anthony Melton made two huge defensive plays late to lock down the victory.
Let’s get the ejection out of the way early. It’s become exhausting to write about Green losing control on the court, which coincidentally tends to happen when he’s playing badly or the Warriors are losing. Early in the third quarter, Green took exception to contact from second-year Suns center Khaman Maluach, which left him on the ground. To be honest, it looked like Green was flopping for a call.
Draymond Green was ejected from the game after receiving two technical fouls on this sequence pic.twitter.com/u8IIgeTAGY
Green jumped up, grabbed Maluach around the waist, and threw him to the ground. When his longtime nemesis Dillon Brooks ran in to defend his teammate, Green grabbed Brooks by the jersey and jammed a fist into the side of his neck. The result? One technical foul for Brooks, and two for Green, which meant his 23rd regular-season ejection (he’s been kicked out of two playoff games and suspended for two more). He finished with four points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Brooks claimed he was running in to de-escalate the situation, something Brooks is known for never, ever doing, but he really wasn’t in the wrong there. I’ve watched the replay multiple times and I strongly support anyone who would grab Draymond and yell, “What are you doing?” at him. There’s no word that Maluach was injured in the altercation, but he also didn’t really play afterward.
After the game, Curry said Green’s ejection “lit a fire beneath us,” but what lit up the Warriors right away was Bassey’s energy. They missed their first two shots after Green’s ejection, but Bassey tipped in a miss and drew a foul, then found Curry for one of his four third-quarter triples.
Bassey scored six points in the quarter and 10 after halftime, getting to the line for five free throws and making four. He was opportunistic, setting screens and rolling hard to the rim while also taking advantage of mismatches with smaller Suns defenders.
Of course, Steph Curry scoring 18 points in the quarter was a pretty big factor as well. He shot 6-for-9 in nine minutes, putting up double-digit points in the third quarter for the third time in his last four games (he had 8 in the other one). In the four games Curry played during the Warriors’ five-game winning streak, he’s scored 55 points in the third quarter, perhaps because he’s gone back to his old habit of reading critical tweets about his first-half performance during halftime.
Graham Ike played seven minutes and twenty-three seconds Monday night and did not record a single stat. That’s officially known as a “7 trillion,” with the seven referring to Ike’s minutes, followed by 12 consecutive zeroes in the other categories. He was -1 in those seven minutes, which means that while Ike did not have an individual moment statistically regarded for posterity, at least he didn’t foul, turn the ball over, or get in the way of better players. Plus, he had a sweet hockey assist on Curry’s corner three.
Curry finally missed a free throw in the final seconds of the game, one that could have iced the game, but it’s hard to judge him too harshly when he started the season 51-for-51. Curry is also averaging 8.7 free throw attempts per game, which is 37% more than his previous single-season high. Maybe the referees are finally showing some respect to the baby-faced assassin Dangerfield.
The Warriors got Green and Curry back after they sat out Sunday’s win over the L.A. Clippers, while Will Richard made his first start of the season in place of the injured Gui Santos and the too-slow-to-guard-Devin-Booker Georges Niang. Or Steve Kerr simply wanted The Minivan to run all over the Suns’ reserves, as he did by shooting 5-for-6 and putting up 13 points, finishing +20 in his 23 minutes.
It was a rough start, mainly because the Warriors kept settling for, and missing, three-pointers, finishing 2-for-15 from behind the arc in the quarter. A typical slow Warriors start involves a lot of turnovers, reckless fouling, or indifferent defense, but this one was simple: They could not buy a bucket, even with just two turnovers. It could have been worse, but Bassey drew some fouls and hustled his way to seven points.
Phoenix blocked the Warriors’ first three-point attempts of the second quarter, meaning they started the game going 2-for-17 from deep. After a Miles Bridges three, Phoenix led by 17 points with 8:29 to play. Even after Yaxel Lendeborg made two threes, Phoenix was still up by 16 points with 3:45 to go in the quarter. After Devin Booker (26 points) hit a short jumper, Kerr called timeout, Curry and Green came back in the game, and ESPN declared the Suns had a win probability of 88.6%. Do they do election predictions?
The Suns wouldn’t make a field goal the rest of the half, as Brandin Podziemski (20 points) led a 12-0 run that got the Warriors firmly back into the game (Suns win probability down to 62.3%). Kerr also won a challenge after Curry forced a turnover and the referees awarded Phoenix the ball, which was reversed and turned into a Curry bucket on the ensuing inbounds play.
Golden State finally tied the game in the third quarter on a Curry bucket, but didn’t take the lead until early in the 4th, on a bucket from (who else?) Bassey.
The game went back and forth throughout the final quarter. The Warriors led by as many as seven points, then lost their lead, and finally went ahead for good on a Niang three-pointer with under four minutes to go. The rest of the way, they did it with defense.
Curry stole the ball from Booker. Melton stole the ball from Jalen Green. Then, with the Warriors clinging to a five-point lead, Melton drew an offensive foul on Booker, his sixth. Not a great closing effort for Booker, who had the same number of turnovers as points in the 4th: Two.
Devin Booker is called for the offensive foul and he is fouled out with 57.6 seconds remaining in regulation, as the Suns are down 5 (with a replay) pic.twitter.com/jY7wqLBI3Q
The Warriors made it interesting, of course. After Booker’s ejection, Lendeborg blocked a Jalen Green layup out of bounds, but the Suns got a dunk after inbounding the ball. With 20 seconds left, Curry traveled, and the Suns, who were out of timeouts, cut the lead to a single point on Green’s dunk. But Curry made two free throws, Green missed the rim entirely trying to miss on purpose, and Collin Gillespie’s last-gasp 37-footer missed at the buzzer.
Curry is always the MVP of this team, but honorable mentions for Monday go to Bassey, Podz, and the security guy who dragged Draymond to the bench before he could start throttling Brooks’ windpipe.
Brooks had 18 points, with four turnovers. Jalen Green had eight assists, with four turnovers. Miles Bridges had 21 points and four steals and remains a domestic abuser who has no place in the NBA. However, he did only turn the ball over once.
It was a big win for the Warriors, who didn’t win five straight for all of last season. It was also a big win for Warriors assistant coach Frank Vogel, who has seen the Dubs defeat the two most recent NBA teams to fire him within four nights. You’re next, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers! They didn’t want you, Frank!
More accurately, the Miami Heat are next, coming to town on Thursday. I have a feeling Draymond Green won’t be in uniform for that one.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 02: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is congratulated by Brandin Podziemski #2 after Curry made a three-point shot against the Phoenix Suns in the second half of their game at Chase Center on November 02, 2026 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors won an odd game on Monday, beating the Phoenix Suns 116-113. They once again dug themselves a first-quarter hole, and this time it took them a bit longer to climb out of it. But a win is a win is a win, and the Warriors have now won five straight … something they didn’t do at any point last season.
It was a game that featured some great performances and some awful ones, so let’s grade them! As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that individual.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Monday’s games, league-average TS was 57.2%.
Richard got the start in this one, for the second time this season. It was a play to get more perimeter defense on a team starting Jalen Green, Devin Booker, and Miles Bridges, and Richard took turns defending all three. As we’ve grown accustomed to, he played good defense, though it wasn’t the best he’s been on that side of the ball. There were definitely plenty of moments where he got beat, or was a little over eager and out of position.
He did some good things on offense, but not too much. He’s there for defense, though, and he played it.
Grade: B Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.
Poor Yaxel. Sunday was the first time this season that I didn’t write a grades article and, fittingly, he had his best game of the season. Obviously that’s his biggest concern, so I’m sorry, Yaxel. Please know that you would have gotten an A with two plus signs had I penned some grades.
For this game the grade has to be a little bit lower, though. Lendeborg got off to a slow start (as did the entire team), and picked up two quick fouls while struggling to get anything going on offense.
As the game went on, though, the rookie picked things up considerably, and he ended up having a very strong second half. I remain in awe of his restraint: you just don’t see a lot of rookies who are so comfortable picking and choosing their shots, and not hoisting an unnecessary number of jumpers. Critically, even after his tough start, the team turned to him on multiple possessions down the stretch, and he very often delivered, while also having a glass-check block late in the game that was probably the defensive highlight of the contest.
I’m still struggling to grade him, though, because I’m struggling to figure out what my expectations should be. This guy genuinely might be the first rookie All-Star since Blake Griffin, so how do I grade him? With all respect to Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski, Lendeborg is far and away the second-best player on the team (until Jimmy Butler III returns, at least, and maybe after, too), and that makes grading difficult. But who cares, the show is a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
The Warriors over the last week have had the best vibes they’ve possessed since the first round of the 2025 playoffs. And Green put that in jeapoardy. Two minutes into the third quarter, he got into it with Phoenix center Khaman Maluach. After being pushed to the floor, Green got up, committed a hard foul, and kind of threw Maluach to the floor. What followed was an altercation with Dillon Brooks, in which Green shoved Brooks around the neck area. He received a technical foul for each act, and was subsequently ejected for the first time this year.
Ejections come with the territory with Green, and I’m usually one to defend him more quickly than others. After all, these are grown adults playing a high-stakes contact sport … some pushing and shoving and yelling never hurt anyone. But this was too far, and, while not as bad as his incidents a few years back with Rudy Gobert, Domantas Sabonis, and Jusuf Nurkić, these started to cross over the line from “aggressive basketball” to “violence.”
Thankfully for Green, the team responded to his absence well, but it didn’t need to go that way. His absence didn’t end up costing the Warriors the win, but it could hurt them down the road, as it’s possible he’ll get a one-game suspension for his actions.
I’ve giving Green a harsh grade for taking himself out of the game and possibly the next one, and not playing particularly well before then, either. But it’s worth noting that the Warriors players spoke after the game about how Green’s ejection fired them up, so … take that for what it’s worth.
The Warriors, over the course of this nice winning streak, have developed a habit of starting slow and finishing strong. And Podziemski completely embodies that. Podz has really been struggling out of the gates lately, but as soon as he emerges from the locker room at halftime, he’s a completely different player.
That was again the case in this game. He couldn’t get anything going in the first half, and then he was bailing the Dubs out time and time again in the second. If he had paced his performance over the course of the game, I’d probably give him a “B” for a very solid, if not noteworthy performance. But because he had so many big plays on both ends of the court with the game on the line, we’ll bump him up a half grade.
I’m sure that when the game ended and the Dubs retreated to the locker rooms, Green was waiting with a big hug for Curry. Golden State was losing when Green was ejected, and had the score held, the biggest story — maybe the only story — would have been Draymond’s transgressions. Instead, Curry went ballistic as soon as Green left the court, and scored 18 points in the third quarter alone as the Dubs rattled off 42 in the frame to tie things up.
Curry looks better this year than in the past few years, and this was his third consecutive game with at least 30 points and five made threes. He seems energized, and that’s a joy to behold, and a harbinger of how good this team can be.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and assists; best plus/minus on the team.
Not surprisingly, GPII got a lot of run against a team with Booker, Green, and Bridges. And also not surprisingly, he handled those assignments really well. He hasn’t had one of his bursts of offense yet this season, and he had a few sloppy plays in this one, but overall, solid performance.
Well that was a damn fine performance. Niang showed everything the Warriors are looking for from him: he drained open shots, passed to the open man, played strong defense while guarding a variety of positions, crashed tho glass, made the smart play, and hustled. He’s very quickly building a strong rapport with Curry, which is huge; the result is that he’s a very trustworthy player to have on the court down the stretch.
It’s not always going to work this well, but when it does? Yeesh.
Remember when I said, just a few words ago, that it isn’t always going to work this well with Niang? Well, that’s the case for all players in that sort of role … and Melton is living proof. Melton has had some really good games lately but this one was a bit of a clunker … at least scoring the ball, as he could not get any shots to fall.
He did some other good things though. He took care of the rock, rebounded really well, and played decent enough defense. But it’s hard to impact the game when you shoot 1-for-9 from the field, and he just looked a step behind on a lot of plays.
What a performance by Bassey! His role has been very undefined this year, which makes sense. He’s still trying to carve out a role in the NBA, he’s recovering from a preseason injury, and the Warriors needs fluctuate based on who they’re playing, how Green and Lendeborg are performing, and whether or not Al Horford is playing.
But Bassey got a decent-sized role in this one, and then that role expanded because he was playing so damn well. He was crafty around the rim, finding ways to contort his body to score around and through contact, en route to a career-high 19 points. He not only grabbed a bunch of boards, but did so emphatically, patrolling the paint every time a shot went up.
He even had a great memeable moment, when the ball went out of bounds and he hugged a fan.
Charles Bassey with a hustle on the offensive board that leads to another Warriros possession, and Bassey went on to hug a fan on the courtside. Curry missing a clutch 3 after it pic.twitter.com/49ALsn6FN8
Re-signing him is just one of many fantastic moves that the Warriors made this offseason. Hindsight is 20/20, as no one was saying they made good moves a few months ago!
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Graham Ike
7 minutes, 0 points, -1
Ike somewhat surprisingly got some run in this game, especially after Green was ejected. He didn’t do anything statistically — he didn’t log a single stat — but I liked what we saw from him on defense.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 02: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler (14) during the NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers on November 02, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — If an 82-game season can guarantee a team one thing, it’s disruption. And the Lakers have already had their fair share in just eight games.
Los Angeles forward Ziaire Williams missed the last three games with left foot soreness before being made active ahead of their 138-117 win against the Miami Heat on Monday. Williams, who impressed in the starting lineup to open the season, came off the bench for Jake LaRavia.
It could have been injury management. It could have also been matchup-dependent against the ever-so-powerful Giannis Antetokounmpo. LaRavia started in Williams’s place during the three games he missed. Not only did the starting lineup with LaRavia hold up, it outperformed the opening night lineup.
Head coach JJ Redick is aware of what the numbers say, but assures that it’s more about the team’s overall balance rather than LaRavia simply being a better fit with the lineup than Williams.
“I just feel like there’s balance with those lineups,” Redick said pregame on Monday. “With Luka [Dončić] and [Austin Reaves] being the primary creators and [Walker Kessler]‘s rim rolling and running. The other guys being able to guard multiple positions. … It’s not surprising to me that Jake being in that lineup with those guys is good for us, because there’s intrinsic knowledge with what we’re trying to do. Just having another guy out there who knows our stuff has been helpful.”
It’s the balance Redick has been trying to manage since the Lakers turned over their roster this offseason: meshing the new with the old. It’s a process that will take patience and time, as he’s been lamenting so often this season.
But the results have been good nonetheless. In 51 minutes over four games when Williams shares the floor with the starters (Dončić, Reaves, Kessler and Matisse Thybulle), the Lakers have a 135.5 offensive rating and a 115.1 defensive rating for a 20.4 net rating. When LaRavia has been in Williams’ spot, those numbers surge to a 144.3 offensive rating, a 90.0 defensive rating and a 54.3 net rating in 37 minutes.
Folks, those numbers are ridiculous.
For all the talk of balance and lineup optionality, it really all just boils down to Dončić continuing to be the best player in the world. The “supernova” — as Redick called him on Sunday — added another 42 points and 13 assists to his season total on Monday, dicing up every look Miami gave him on offense.
Dončić is now averaging 38.8 points, 8.1 assists and 21.3 assist points created in seven games, meaning Dončić is responsible for 60.1 points per game.
Redick added on Dončić postgame, “It’s a really good offense that we’re playing right now, and a lot of that, of course, is Dončić and what he’s able to do. Bend the defense and his shot making creates a lot of problems, and then he can make every pass.”
Williams, who scored nine points in fifteen minutes against Miami, is one of the biggest beneficiaries of Dončić’s galatctic playamking. In Brooklyn last season, without a player of Dončić‘s shot-creating ilk, Williams shot 34.3% from deep with an overall 3-point shot quality that ranked in the league’s 49th percentile, according to BBall Index.
In five games this season, Williams is shooting 47.6% from beyond the arc.
“Very easy looks. Way easier than in the past,” Williams said Monday. “They’re sending two to Luka, two to AR every time. So, it’s just swing, swing, one more, and I get to set my feet, get to square up the ball. And I put a lot of work in this summer. I trust my work. I’m confident in my shot, my shot feels great.”
It’s not just Williams. Kessler is averaging 14.4 points on 71.4% from the field, the best percentage since his rookie season. Thybulle is on pace for a career-best season from on 3-pointers (45.9%). Reaves is putting together the best shooting splits of his career (53.9/44.4/86.5), taking advantage of the pressure Dončić attracts.
Los Angeles’s offense is humming at a rate that rivals any other in the league. It’s spearheaded by perhaps the best player in the world and bolstered by a bevy of guards, wings and bigs that can shoot, pass and dribble.
Rob Pelinka and Redick’s had a clear plan this offseason, but even they may not have imagined it working this quickly and this effectively.
SAN FRANCISCO – For all that Draymond Green has done, and still does, for the Warriors, they did not come together Monday night until after he came apart.
The Warriors spent their first 26 minutes in futile pursuit of the Phoenix Suns and trailed by 11 when Green was assessed with two technical fouls, receiving an automatic disqualification two minutes into the second half.
With Stephen Curry pouring in 25 of his game-high 34 points in the second half, the Warriors outscored the Suns by 14 (59-45) in Green’s absence.
“He lit a fire in all of us and we had to respond,” Curry said. “I’m glad we did.
“It was a combination of that moment and having our brother’s back when he defends us. But it was also understanding this is one of those games where most of (our) guys were on a back-to-back and Phoenix had been off for a couple of days. They were 1-3 and we knew they were going to come out playing desperate.”
The Suns owned the first quarter, puncturing Golden State’s defense for 31 points on 60-percent shooting from the field and leading by as much as 17 before the Warriors shook off their lethargy in the second quarter.
Green was assessed his first technical foul with 10 minutes left in the third quarter when he vigorously retaliated to a shove from Phoenix center Khaman Maluach. That sent combative Suns forward Dillon Brooks charging in to physically confront Green for a brief scuffle and some mutual jersey grabbing. After officials reviewed the activity, both players received technical fouls, with Draymond departing because it was his second.
The Warriors composed themselves and went on a 16-5 run, pulling into a 73-73 tie on a Curry midrange jumper with 6:47 remaining. From that point on, the momentum generally rode with them.
“It fueled our team,” Brandin Podziemski said. “We didn’t have that edge to us to start the game. Found it a little bit in the second quarter and then they came out in the third quarter pretty well, and then (the ejection) kind of changed the game for us. Everybody locked in a little bit more and came together for Dray. I think it was needed. Maybe he sensed it, maybe he didn’t. But it helped us.”
The weirdest part of all is that Golden State played its best defense without its best defender. The Suns shot 43.2 percent from the field, including 26.7 percent beyond the arc, after Green was banished.
“It’s rare when that happens,” coach Steve Kerr said of the oddity. “But I think it was more just about us catching up to the energy that that phoenix was showing that whole first half. We got engaged; the game was tight the whole second half and our guys summoned the energy necessary to win a game on a back-to-back.”
Podziemski scored 11 of his 20 points during the post-Draymond comeback, while backup center Charles Bassey filled in wonderfully for Green. The much-traveled – five NBA teams in six years – 26-year-old produced 10 points and six rebounds. He finished with a career-high 19 points and eight rebounds over 23 minutes.
The more Bassey plays, the more his value becomes apparent. He’s 6-foot-10, an active presence in the paint with a soft shooting touch. His performance was by any metric superior to the work Green submitted during his 17 minutes (four points, for rebounds, two assists).
Which isn’t to suggest it’s time to bench Green. He still brings immense value, especially when the stakes rise, whether it’s the significance of the game or a personal matchup against an opposing star.
But Golden State’s center rotation looks better than it did when training camp opened without Kristaps Porzingis. Green and Bassey, along with rookie Graham Ike, bring different attributes, and all are needed. The five-game win streak, which followed three straight losses to open the season, is slowly making a believer of the coach.
“Winning those two games on the road in Denver and Minnesota kind of righted the ship,” Kerr said. “And now we’ve carried the momentum forward, so we turned a bad start into a good start. Now we’ve got to keep it going.”
That’s always the biggest challenge, and there is no doubt Draymond will be an asset to this roster. Usually by his presence, but on this night by his absence.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 2: Isaiah Collier #8 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 2, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Michael Scotto, the Utah Jazz declined the team option for Isaiah Collier.
The Utah Jazz will decline their team option on Isaiah Collier worth $4.99 million for the 2027-28 season, sources told @hoopshype. Collier has averaged 9.9 points, 6.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in three seasons. He’ll be a coveted unrestricted free agent. pic.twitter.com/NDguwgdJVo
Like Scotto mentioned, Collier has averaged 9.9 points, 6.6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in three seasons. This season, Collier is averaging 7.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists while shooting 36.8% from the field. It’s been a dissapointing start to the season for the Jazz, and a dissapointing one for Collier, who has been the focal point of Will Hardy’s bench unit all season. Collier’s assist numbers have been impressive, but he’s never been able to find a playstyle that is cohesive with the players around him, and Utah has rarely won the bench minutes with him leading the team. It’s a bummer because Collier has a lot of promise and brings a lot of energy and competitiveness, but he just hasn’t improved his game enough for the Jazz to keep investing in him.
Not everything comes down to shooting, but Collier hasn’t made a single three this season, and it allows opposing defenses to sag off him, making things difficult for everyone around him.
This isn’t the end for Collier, he’ll definitely have some interested teams looking to give him a chance, but he’ll have to find his shooting stroke to stay in the league long term.
Utah now comes away with two players in the 2024 draft that have not panned out, the only one remaining is Kyle Filipowski.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 2: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for the rebound during the game against the Utah Jazz on November 2, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs continued their three-game homestand on Monday night and used two strong quarters to put away the Utah Jazz, earning the 119-97 win at the Frost Bank Center. The win is the fifth straight for San Antonio, who defeated the Jazz for the second time in nearly a week.
San Antonio set the tone from the opening tip, being aggressive by slicing into the paint at every chance and using their signature ball movement to find the open man for a shot. Defensively, the Spurs put together their best quarter of the season so far, holding Utah to 16 points, the lowest they’ve allowed in the first quarter this season, and 27 percent shooting.
The second quarter saw Utah make a run, cutting the Spurs’ lead to 36-35. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was furious and called a timeout, pounding his fist into his hands in frustration as his team walked over to the bench. After that timeout, San Antonio responded with a 14-5 run to take a 50-40 lead and would eventually go into the locker room with some motivation to put the game away in the second half.
San Antonio opened the second half by outscoring Utah 21-18, but another timeout from Coach Johnson saw him not happy with his team’s transition defense as Keyonte George hit a three in transition. The Spurs responded by closing the quarter on a 23-11 run to take full control going into the final 12 minutes.
“Just not getting bored on what was working,” San Antonio guard Stephon Castle said after the game when asked about the second half surge. “I think we came back out in the 2nd half and brought that same kind of energy.”
The Spurs were led by a balanced attack as seven players were in double figures by the final horn. Dylan Harper led San Antonio with 17 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Castle rebounded from his poor outing with a migraine on Saturday to score 16 points to along with five rebounds and four assists.
Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox each chipped in 12, while Wemby pulled down 11 rebounds. Keldon Johnson led the Spurs’ second unit with 15 points and seven rebounds.
“We have so many weapons,” Castle said of the Spurs’ balanced attack after the game. “We have so many guys who can make a play out of nothing, and we’ll be fine either way.”
The injury-depleted Jazz were led by Lauri Markkanen’s 22 points as Utah lost its fifth straight.
With the Spurs’ homestand closing on Wednesday night with a visit from Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks, Keldon Johnson said the team is not satisfied with a five-game winning streak after climbing out of the 0-2 hole to start the season.
“We’ve yet to play our best brand of basketball,” he said after the game. “We’re getting better each and every game. If we felt like the best version of ourselves at this point of the season, we’d be in trouble. We’re improving and will continue to improve.”
Game Notes
Harrison Barnes came off the bench to score 10 points and left the internet with a pretty funny moment that will surely turn into a meme by the time this article goes live.
Luke Kornet continued his strong play from Saturday night, scoring eight points and pulling down five rebounds in 16 minutes. If this is the version of the backup big the Spurs can consistently rely on, it will be huge for the non-Wemby minutes.
On the other side, Carter Bryant continues to have growing pains as the enters his second season in the NBA. At one point in the game, Mitch Johnson subbed Bryant out for a quick conversation, sent him to the bench for a few moments and then put him back into the game. That was shades of Gregg Popovich from Coach Johnson, using these games as teaching moments that will benefit Bryant later in the season and in his career.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives fans before the game against the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This is far from a finished product. Head coach JJ Redick has repeatedly mentioned across the first two weeks of the season that patience is needed as a host of new faces get acclimated to the Lakers’ system.
What they’ve already proven, though, is that this is a potent offensive team. Led by Luka Dončić, this team is everything everyone imagined it would be when it comes to scoring the ball. And that comes with, again, kinks still needing to be worked out.
But through their first eight games of the season, the Lakers’ 121.9 offensive rating leads the league. They lead the league in field goal percentage, are third in 3-point percentage and second in points per game.
It’s been a light schedule, yes, but they’ve come sprinting out of the gate as one of the league’s best offenses. And that’s pretty encouraging with work still to be done.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Thybulle’s ability to be a point-of-attack defender slots so many other players on the team into better-suited roles defensively. He’s proven to be such a valuable asset already, so long as he stays healthy.
How can a team that has both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo be so bad at the rim defensively? Kessler was gifted so many easy baskets on Monday. Wasn’t defense supposed to be Miami’s calling card?
After a couple of poor showings, Austin bounced back. The turnovers were still a bit too high, but if he just simply shoots 66% from the field the rest of the season, we can overlook that.
Yes, it’s November. Yes, the Lakers haven’t even played 10 games yet. Yes, the sample size is small. But Luka is the best player on the planet right now and well on course for an MVP award.
Mamu playing as the five was particularly dangerous against the Heat as his ability to pop out to the 3-point line allowed him to knock down some long-range buckets as well as take advantage of a rotating defense.
If you wonder about the Sandro Mamukelashvili at the 5 minutes, this is the pressure the Lakers want to find offensively. Get two on the ball vs. Luka. Mamu can pop and make shots but also mix in these drives vs. a scrambling defense. pic.twitter.com/a3nxYmBJiH
Welcome back Ziaire. He jumped back in seamlessly even as he came off the bench. The Lakers having so many interchangeable wings is such a great luxury.
Dare I say a much more controlled game from Sexton? That’s still relative as he is still a bit too wild at times. But, still, only one missed shot, no turnovers and five assists? Yes please.
Interestingly, Vando got his normal first half shift but did not see the floor in the second half. With the Heat not really having traditional big men and smaller lineups on the floor, the Lakers could get away with Mamu at the five surrounded by wings and guards.
As for the bench group, that JJ waited until there were 82 seconds left in a game they led by more than 20 to put them in felt like a point being made.
JJ Redick
Keeping LaRavia in the starting lineup was the right call. Redick is also still experimenting a bit with the rotations, including having Kessler on the floor with Reaves and Sexton to start the second quarter. This is all a work in progress to find the right combinations and he’s still doing some experimenting, too.
Using a challenge less than 30 seconds into a game is hilarious. He technically lost the second challenge but I’m not going to dock him for that as Giannis bowling over two defenders while giving them a shove and getting away with it was bonkers.
Grade: A-
Monday’s DNPs: Kevon Looney
Monday’s inactives: Arthur Kaluma, Chris Mañon, Adou Thiero
HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 2: Alperen Sengun #28 and Marcus Smart #36 of the Houston Rockets high five during the game against the Boston Celtics on November 2, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, this is pretty fun. The Rockets are not only winning, they’re rolling over most teams. Yes, they lost a winnable game in Dallas, with perhaps the wrong players missing, but they followed that up with a win over a depleted yet still dangerous OKC the next night. Now they’ve taken down Boston, admittedly on a back to back of their own, dropping their record to 5-2. That is to say, Boston had been very good so far, and beating them, even with a schedule advantage is no easy feat.
And yet, the Rockets are making it look pretty easy in most of their wins. Boston wasn’t depleted tonight, and the Rockets were fairly close to full strength as well, with recent absentees Reed Sheppard, Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart playing tonight. Clint Capela was out, and that proved surprisingly troublesome at points in the game, as Boston is pretty big and physical at center, if generally fairly small elsewhere. Adams or Clint might have helped in that regard, but alas. Boston was without Classic Celtic Paul George, who was sitting on the second night of a back to back.
This game started out disjointed, and it more or less stayed that way. Lots of odd calls, anticipatory calls, and an illegible standard for fouls. Not terrible, but it did kill any hope of free flowing basketball. Until fairly late in the 3rd quarter the Rockets would step out to a small lead, of say 6-8 points, but couldn’t build on it. Boston would close the gap to a few points. The Rockets would build a small lead again. And repeat. In the fourth quarters the Rockets pulled away, and with the lead pushing 20 points, a bad shooting Boston could never catch up.
Boston lives or dies by three point shooting, and tonight, they died by it, going 12-42 from deep. Some of this was surely tired Celtic legs, but some of it has to be credited to the Rockets. It was a dismal shooting night from pretty much all the Boston stalwarts and quondam Rocket killers. Peyton “I cut my own hair.” Pritchard was 0-5 from deep. Jason “MSFT” Tatum was 1-7, Derek “Beardo” White was 1-5, and Sam”Snuggy” Hauser was 0-5. Only Baylor “Nebraksa!” Scheierman and Luka “The Other Luka” Garza had good shooting nights with any volume.
If you’d asked who’d be the high scorer tonight, Jason “Microsoft” Tatum, Kevin Durant or Alperen Sengun, would you have automatically picked Sengun? Possibly not, but Sengun has played not like an All Star, but an All NBA player this season. Tonight he went for 26pts on a very tidy 12-15 shooting, grabbed 7 boards, dished 10 assists to 1 TO, and made 1 of 2 of his 3pt shots, maintaining his great, though low volume, 3pt% percentage.
Tatum only scored 19, went 5-16, with nearly half his output coming from the free throw line. He had 6 boards, and 9 assists to 5 turnovers. Some in TDS land aren’t happy with Amen Thompson lately, but a lot of Amen’s value so far, in my view, has come from shutting down opposing stars fairly well. He’s still posting stats, he still is having trouble scoring inside, and also having any sort of effective mid range game. He seems to be struggling to find his place in a new order where even Kevin Durant isn’t notching high volume attempts.
We saw another great game from Jabari Smith, who is somehow turning into the “go to” guy for the Rockets when they simply have to have 3pt shot. Jabs was 5-10 shooting tonight, and 4-5 from three point range. He added 10 rebounds, and I think played some excellent defense, especially on the perimeter.
We also saw the Rockets Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde player, Marcus Smart, in Mr. Hyde form tonight. He could not shoot it much at all, unlike last game, going 2-10 and 2-8 from three point range (though the makes came late to help seal the win). Smart did however open almost the entire Dark Arts Grimoire that so annoyed me when he played for Boston. I’ve never seen a player pick up not one, but two, fouls in a sequence with the ball not yet inbounded, but Smart did that tonight. I’m fairly sure both of those fouls were on Boston, but whatever the case, he definitely annoyed the hell out of Boston’s players. Even “Cap” himself, Jason Tatum showed human emotions at times. Did playing Boston mean something to Ime Udoka and Marcus Smart? Yes, I’d say it did.
Fred VanVleet continues his good playing, maculate shooting, and immaculate distribution. We also saw another quiet night, at a lowish 33 minutes from Kevin Durant, who took only 6 shots. He did add two blocks and a steal, and seems perfectly content. Opponents now have a tough choice with Sengun, Durant, and Smith. It’s really impossible to do what opponents did last season, and utterly pack the paint and dare the Rockets to make shots. It seems almost impossible to grab and blanket Durant as is the usual scheme against the Rockets and win. That message hasn’t permeated the NBA yet, and it will be interesting to see what the adjustment to the Rockets will be.
We saw a late return to shooting form from Reed Sheppard who played a pretty worthless stint in the first half, but contributed some good passing, defense, and two valuable three pointers as part of a Rockets run that buried Boston for good. Hopefully this will continue in his role off the bench. Tari Eason continues to be a force from the bench, mostly a force for good. Tonight he had 13pts on 5-8 shooting and a very strong 3-6 from three, and added 4 rebounds, 3 assists (2TO) and 2 blocks in his 27 minutes.
It’s all going very well, and I think we should not let the perfect (which the Rockets nearly are) be the enemy of the very good indeed.
If these trends continue? 70+ wins!
Anyway, the Rockets are alone at number one in the West, as Memphis was knocked off in OT by the Pelicans. I will admit that I didn’t think the Rockets would be #1 in the West at any point before the season started.
The Rockets play Antless Minnesota on Wednesday in Houston.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 2: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 2, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz are a mess.
At the start of the season, Jazz fans were hyped. With the #2 pick in Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George on a new contract, and Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. healthy and ready to play, the season was extremely promising.
After tonight’s 119-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Jazz are now 1-6 and are in last place in the Western Conference.
Tonight was easily the worst showing from the Jazz all season, with the Jazz looking disjointed and chaotic on both ends of the floor for most of the game. As a team, Utah shot 35.4% from the field and 35.3% from three. Yes, the Jazz are young, and they’re missing Jaren Jackson Jr. to injury, but nothing looks easy with this offense. Credit goes to the Spurs for their excellent perimeter defense, but Utah never looked like it had an offensive rhythm. There are a lot of actions with the Jazz offense that come from a lot of movement, but those ended up in some pretty odd endings. Jaxson Hayes, for example, had 9 shots in this one but was just 4/9. Svi Mykhailiuk was 1/7 in this one as well. That’s not the worst thing in the world, but it feels like there are too many times when Utah’s offense doesn’t flow through the most important players: Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, and Ace Bailey. That’s not to say Utah didn’t get shots for those players. Markkanen led the team with 16 shots, Peterson was next with 13, Keyonte George 12, and Ace Bailey 11, but at times the offense feels like it has no clear order, and a lot of role players hijack possessions that turn into bad plays.
Now, you could argue those shots being spread around were justified, given the bad shooting from those core players on the Jazz. Keyonte George has now had two bad shooting games in a row (3/12), and Ace Bailey is still finding his stroke from three (1/5), for example. But something has to be done to improve shot quality. Are there offensive tweaks that could give them more opportunities for easier shots? Can they simplify things somehow? The reality is something has to improve because Utah is not a very good team right now.
Tonight’s game had some really weird energy. Could it have had something to do with the news that Isaiah Collier had the team option declined on his contract?
The Utah Jazz will decline their team option on Isaiah Collier worth $4.99 million for the 2027-28 season, sources told @hoopshype. Collier has averaged 9.9 points, 6.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in three seasons. He’ll be a coveted unrestricted free agent. pic.twitter.com/NDguwgdJVo
Maybe it was that? Or maybe it was a residual effect of Will Hardy’s decision to bench Darryn Peterson for Brice Sensabaugh and Isaiah Collier? Speaking of that, it’s not great that Peterson was benched for a player who won’t even be on the team next year. It’s not a great sign. There’s no way to know as an outside observer, but the team did not look happy. Now, winning cures all, and Utah could really stand to get some wins soon to turn the season around, but if they play like they did tonight, it’ll take some time.
That’s not to say there weren’t some bright spots. Utah apparently made it clear they were not playing Collier and had Darryn Peterson running the show with the second unit. Things weren’t perfect, but Peterson and the second unit clawed their way back into the game. Peterson was just a -4 in a blowout loss, and those minutes with the bench were a big reason why. It’s a great sign for the future and confirmation that Will Hardy force-feeding Isaiah Collier minutes wasn’t the best play.
The takeaway from this game, besides learning to compartmentalize the difficult things in life, is to remember the team is only going to get better. The Jazz are evolving game by game in how they are running, and eventually those moves will lead to winning. It also looks like this season will turn around as soon as Darryn Peterson takes off as a player. That may take time though, so Jazz fans might need to find some patience.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry led the way with 34 points and seven assists, while backcourt running mate Brandin Podziemski dropped 20 points on 50% shooting in the game.
There was no love lost between these two teams, which saw each other on Oct. 24 when the Suns got the upper hand. In the rematch, it was the Warriors who came with energy and fight.
Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected for the first time this season following a foul against Suns center Khaman Maluach when afterward Green committed a takedown on Maluach. Suns guard Dillon Brooks confronted Green about the push and the two began a shoving match before receiving double technical fouls.
Golden State trailed by 11 points at the time of the technical foul and proceeded to go on a run to fight back into the game before taking over, putting up 42 points in the third period to tie the game 93-93.
The Warriors received a major boost from Charles Bassey, who was effective off the bench scoring 17 points and pulling down 8 rebounds in 23 minutes. Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had 16 points on 3-of-10 shooting, grabbing five rebounds and five assists.
"Bass was great. What a big night for him," Kerr said after the game. "The rebounding, the scoring. You know he and Yaxel have a really good connection. The pick-and-roll game. He gives him a lot of threat. Yaxel sees the floor so well and he's so big that he finds him when he's behind the defense."
Mikal Bridges was 1-for-7 in the third quarter on Monday and the Knicks were struggling. Some NBA head coaches would stick with their veteran in that spot. It’s easier to keep a player like Bridges - one who is signed to a large contract and was obtained for significant trade capital - on the court.
But in this respect, Mike Brown isn’t most coaches. He didn’t hesitate to bench Bridges in the second half of the Knicks’ win over the Nets.
We’re seven games into the season. Brown has pulled Bridges in the third quarter of three of those seven games.
“Yeah, he's just got to keep playing. Everybody goes through those ups and downs throughout the course of the season, and obviously, it's the beginning of the season right now, so he's got to find his way,” Brown said after New York’s win over Brooklyn. “Not just with him but with everybody, when you're in a funk you gotta find one or two things to hold your hat on. Mikal is one of the best runners in the NBA.
"In both directions - offensively and defensively. So he's just got to try to hang his hat on that as well as his cutting and trying to do the other little things - rebounding and driving and touching the paint and spraying it. Then this shot will come eventually.”
Bridges is shooting 30 percent from the floor so far this year. If you’ve watched the Knicks during Bridges’ tenure, you know that he can be up and down over the course of the regular season. And you also know he can deliver in big playoff situations. Brown believes Bridges will ultimately be fine.
“It's a matter of time in my opinion, before Mikal gets going,” Brown said.
But if the Knicks head coach thinks someone else gives the team a better chance to win on a given night, he won’t hesitate to sit Bridges.
SHAMET, CLARKSON SPARK KNICKS
After a sluggish three quarters, Brown turned to Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek to start the fourth quarter. Clarkson, Kolek, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns sparked the Knicks early in the fourth.
It was the second time in the past three games that Clarkson helped turn things around. The veteran had 18 points in New York’s comeback win in Chicago. But he has also basically been out of the rotation in three of New York’s seven games.
“I think it shows his character more than anything else. He's someone that if he was on a different team, he could play 20, 25 minutes every night. He could score double digits. He could be that spark, that microwave off the bench. And he's here,” Hart said. “He was willing to sacrifice and take a smaller role, be a part of something bigger than himself. So it shows its character.
"It shows his professionalism. To be able to go out and do those things. And when he's not doing it, he's out there coaching, not on the court, he's coaching guys up, talking to them, letting them know what he sees. So he's the ultimate professional. He's someone that you want on your team. And whenever he's given an opportunity, he’ll go out and play well.”
Brown also had effusive praise for Clarkson.
“You have a veteran that's been there, done that. and he's willing to accept the role that most guys wouldn't accept - even guys younger that haven't proved as much as he's proven in this league. And he's willing to accept it,” Brown said. “So, in my opinion, if he's willing to accept it, which is what he did last year, and still try to uplift everybody, connect everybody while he's going through what he's going through, then everybody else should. That's that's the ultimate team player, I will say this about JC. I've been around some good teammates. He's got to be the best. He is the definition of ultimate pro.”
Additionally, Landry Shamet led the team in scoring with 22 points off of the bench in 29 minutes. The veteran shot 4-for-6 from three, 6-for-8 from the field, and was a perfect 6-for-6 on free throws.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors didn’t have Steph Curry or Draymond Green when they visited the Suns on the second half of a back-to-back last weekend.
Hosting the Suns, again coming off a game the previous night, Golden State set things up to make sure its two veteran stars would be available for the rematch.
The training staff’s best efforts ended up for naught.
After sitting out Sunday’s win over the Clippers, Green spent most of the second half Monday night in the locker room. Green was ejected two minutes into the second half.
And that was precisely when the game turned for the Warriors, who pulled out a 116-113 win after falling behind by as many as 17 points and not holding a lead until the fourth quarter.
Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski, left, and Stephen Curry celebrate during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Nov. 2, 2026. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
The Warriors have won five straight since their 131-122 loss in Phoenix last Saturday.
When Green was tossed from the game, Golden State trailed 68-57. Immediately after play resumed, the Warriors’ energy changed and they went on a 16-5 run to tie the score at 73.
Curry didn’t exactly seem freshly rested as he struggled for nine points in the first half. But he exploded for 25 after halftime to lead the Warriors, finishing with 34.
After going off for 37 points without Curry the previous night and leading the Warriors with 26 the last time they faced Phoenix, Yaxel Lendeborg was contained to 16 on 3-of-10 shooting.
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors shoots against the Phoenix Suns in San Francisco, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
But the Warriors didn’t shy away from running their offense from the rookie with Curry off the floor, and his eight second-half free throws on nine attempts kept the Suns at bay.
With 44 and 31 his past two games, Curry notched the 25th streak of his career of three straight games with 30 or more in the scoring column. In six games this season, Curry has scored at least 20 in all of them, averaging 30.0, trailing only Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic.
With Devin Booker pouring in 26 to lead the Suns and Mikal Bridges adding 21, Curry couldn’t do it by himself. He got an unlikely assist in the form of center Charles Bassey, who picked up many of Green’s second-half minutes to finish with a career-best 19 on 7-of-10 shooting.
Charles Bassey (28) of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Brandin Podziemski also contributed 20 points, including 14 after halftime. He tied the game at 93 on the Warriors’ final possession of the third quarter on a kickout from Lendeborg.
A cutting Bassey converted one of Curry’s team-high seven assists on the Warriors’ first possession of the fourth quarter that gave them their first lead of the game, 95-93, and the margin never got wider than seven in either direction the rest of the way.
The Warriors followed in Curry’s footsteps in the first half, knocking down just two of their first 17 attempts from 3. But the ball started falling for Curry and his teammates after halftime.
Golden State drained 11 of its final 25 attempts from 3, including five from Curry.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 02: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket against Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half of their game at Chase Center on November 02, 2026 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns fall to 1-4 on the season and have lost 3 straight games. There was progress overall, but the ultimate goal is to win games, and the Suns broke down late with key turnovers and missed free throws.
The Suns led by as many as 17 points, survived a Draymond Green ejection and a Stephen Curry heater, and still lost it at the free-throw line.
Golden State won 116-113, dropping Phoenix to 1-4. The Suns won the first half at the stripe 13-of-14 to 8-of-10, then watched the Warriors go 23-of-27 in the second half to their 9-of-16. Devin Booker fouled out with under a minute left and Phoenix down five.
Devin Booker led Phoenix with 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting, 2-of-4 from three and 8-of-8 at the line, with 5 assists in 34:58 before fouling out.
Miles Bridges added 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, 3-of-5 from three, with 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Dillon Brooks scored 18 on 5-of-8 shooting with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Oso Ighodaro was perfect at 6-of-6 for 14 points off the bench, and Jalen Green filled it up with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Luke Kennard finished +15 in 17:42.
Stephen Curry led all scorers with 34 points on 9-of-21 shooting, 5-of-13 from three and 11-of-12 at the line, with 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Brandin Podziemski added 20, Charles Bassey had 19 points and 8 rebounds off the bench, and Yaxel Lendeborg scored 16 with 8-of-9 at the line.
Game Flow
First Half
The Suns opened with Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, and Man Man, and the defense set the tone right away. Golden State’s starting five went a combined 3-of-14 from the floor for 8 points.
The Warriors lived behind the arc and paid for it. Golden State went 2-of-15 from three, including Stephen Curry at 1-of-4, while Phoenix hit 2 of its 5 attempts. The Suns shot 60% overall (12-of-20) and turned Warriors mistakes into 9 points off turnovers and 8 fast-break points, compared to 3 and 2 for Golden State.
The bench kept the pressure on. Oso Ighodaro went a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 at the line for 8 points, the most of anyone on the floor. Phoenix closed the quarter with Bridges, Luke Kennard, Jordan Goodwin, Collin Gillespie and Ighodaro, and Kennard posted a +9 in under four minutes without scoring.
Suns closed quarter with Bridges along with Kennard, Goodwin, Gillespie and Ighodaro.
Suns 31, Warriors 19 after one
Second fewest points allowed in quarter (17 in 4th vs Blazers) this season, but fewest allowed in first quarter by far.
The only area Golden State matched Phoenix was inside, where both teams scored 20 points in the paint. Charles Bassey led the Warriors with 7 points off the bench, and the Warriors won second-chance points 6-5. Booker led the Suns at +10 with 5 points and 2 assists, and Brooks added 5 points on perfect shooting.
After a 2-of-15 first quarter, the Warriors went 5-of-9 from three in the second and shot 50% overall (10-of-20). Yaxel Lendeborg hit both of his threes for 8 points in the quarter, and Brandin Podziemski added 6 on a pair of triples.
The Suns lost their grip on the paint. After winning the paint 16-12 in the first, Phoenix went 2-of-8 inside in the second for 4 points while Golden State scored 10 there. The Warriors also won the quarter on the boards 11-5.
Devin Booker kept Phoenix ahead. He scored 11 in the quarter on 3-of-4 shooting and a perfect 4-of-4 at the line, and the Suns went 8-of-8 at the stripe as a team. Luke Kennard knocked down two threes for 6 points off the bench, and Miles Bridges chipped in 7.
The Suns pushed the lead to 16 at 55-39 with 3:45 left in the half. Then the offense stalled. Golden State ripped off a 12-0 run over the next 2:42, cutting it to 55-51 at the 1:03 mark.
Golden State won the second quarter 32-26.
Phoenix led 57-51 at the break. Booker paced the Suns with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 5-of-5 at the line. Bridges added 11 points and 5 rebounds, and Jalen Green posted a team-best +10 with four boards.
As you’d expect, Dillon Brooks and Draymond Green got into it.
Draymond threw Khaman Maluach to the ground to start the altercation, and Dillon Brooks went to pull him back from heading towards Khaman who was on the ground. Green grabbed Brooks by his neck before the situation de-escalated.
Green was assessed a double technical and ejected, and Brooks received a technical.
Draymond Green was ejected from the game after receiving two technical fouls on this sequence pic.twitter.com/u8IIgeTAGY
Green played just two minutes in the third before his exit. He finished with 4 points on 1-of-2 shooting, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 16:46.
Losing Green didn’t slow Golden State. Quite the opposite, actually. Phoenix did not have an answer for Charles Bassey, who had 6 points and 4 boards off the bench in the quarter. Stephen Curry took over with 18 points in the quarter on 6-of-9 shooting and 4-of-5 from three. Brandin Podziemski added 10, and the Warriors shot 59.1% in the period.
The free-throw line flipped on Phoenix. After going 13-of-14 in the first half, the Suns went 6-of-12 in the third. Jalen Green missed all four of his attempts.
Brooks kept the Suns afloat with 9 points on 3-of-3 shooting, and Man Man went 2-of-2 for 5 points. Jalen Green dished 5 assists in the quarter. Devin Booker scored 8 but went 2-of-7 and picked up four fouls in the period.
After three, it was tied at 93.
Tied at 93, the fourth turned into a grind. Golden State made just 5 field goals in the quarter on 5-of-17 shooting, and Stephen Curry went 1-of-5. It didn’t matter. The Warriors lived at the line, going 12-of-13 in the period while Phoenix went 3-of-4.
The Suns won the glass 13-8 and grabbed five offensive rebounds, but gave it right back with seven turnovers. Jalen Green battled for 7 points and 4 rebounds, three of them offensive, but had three of those turnovers. Phoenix went 1-of-7 from three in the quarter.
The final minutes came apart in a hurry.
Green missed 2nd FT.
Curry missed 2nd FT.
Gillespie missed deep 3 at buzzer.
Suns fall, 116-113, after leading by as many as 17 points in the first half. #Suns#DubNation
Booker fouled out on a flop from De’Anthony Melton, called for an offensive foul with under a minute left and Phoenix down 113-108. He finished with 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting, 8-of-8 at the line and 5 assists, but managed just 2 points on 1-of-3 shooting in the fourth.
Golden State won the fourth quarter 23-20 and the game 116-113.
Up Next
The Suns will host the Blazers team that destroyed them on Opening Night on Wednesday in Downtown Phoenix.
Lakers star Luka Doncic takes a step back before shooting a three-pointer during a 138-117 win over the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“Feels good. Like I said, obviously when we win, it feels way better,” Doncic said. “And that’s the only important stuff. But obviously it feels good. You know, when you win by [21] against a team like Miami, it’s really awesome, especially on a back-to-back.”
Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, but he also had seven turnovers as he battled tight defensive coverage.
“I think we did OK. We did good enough to get the win,” said Ziaire Williams, who played after missing three games because of soreness in his left foot. “Wasn’t perfect. He’s a freak of nature, man. It takes three, four guys loading up to him. One-on-one, he’ll go through anybody in this league, and that’s just the truth.”
Doncic was better, but he had more help. Austin Reaves scored 27 points on 10-for-15 shooting and Walker Kessler finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double.
Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, scores over Lakers center Walker Kessler in the second half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“Yeah, he’s a big piece for us,” Doncic said about Kessler. “I think when he plays good, he gives us a way better chance to win. So, he just needs to keep going like this. Like we told him, we have his back. ... But what he’s been doing, it’s helping us win.”
The Lakers (6-2) shot 57%, including 44% (19 for 43) from three-point range. They also notched 39 assists on 51 successful shots.
“The 39 assists, that’s the most assists we’ve had since I’ve been the [coach],” JJ Redick said. “So, it’s a really good offense that we’re playing right now. And a lot of that, of course, is Doncic and what he’s able to do and bend the defense. And his shot-making creates a lot of problems, and then he can make every pass.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots over Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell in the first half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Doncic has been on a scoring tear for the Lakers.
In the third quarter, Doncic missed a three-pointer, but Jake LaRavia hustled to collect the rebound. He passed the ball to Doncic, who then made a three to give the Lakers a 93-74 lead. The play forced the Heat (2-5) to call a timeout as Doncic pointed at LaRavia in appreciation.
Doncic started strong like usual, with 16 points, five assists and four rebounds in the first quarter as the Lakers took a 37-30 lead. Doncic, who was called for a technical foul late in the first half — his second of the season — had 24 points by halftime.
In his previous four games, Doncic had scored 45, 37, 41 and 52 points.
“Like the defensive mindset in me is always like, ‘Why are they not blitzing him or why are they not doubling? Or why are they just letting him just walk to his spot and just do whatever he wants out there?’ But they’re trying,” Williams said about defensive strategies Doncic faces. “He just is that good and he just makes it look that easy.
“He’s unbelievable, man. Even a better person. And yeah, I’m happy to be on his side for sure.”
