Category: Basketball

Who: Phoenix Suns (3-5) vs. San Antonio Spurs (8-2)

When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time

Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona

Watch: Suns+, 3TV/AZFS

Listen: KMVP 98.7

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The fourth week of the NBA season kicks off Monday night as the Phoenix Suns open a back-to-back by welcoming Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs to town for their only visit to Phoenix this season.

The Suns are coming off easily their most impressive victory of the season, having held a potent Houston Rockets offense to fewer than 100 points en route to a much-needed win. While the offense has begun showcasing greater connectivity and accountability, it’s the defense that has truly stood out over the past two games. Since last Thursday, Phoenix has averaged 11.0 steals per game, the second most in the NBA during that span.

If the Suns hope to knock off a formidable Western Conference opponent in the defending conference champion Spurs, that defensive intensity will need to continue. San Antonio opened the season with consecutive losses before responding by rattling off eight straight victories, establishing itself as one of the hottest teams in basketball. The Spurs are playing with confidence, executing on both ends of the floor, and beginning to look every bit like the contender many expected them to be.

That being said, Phoenix has been something of a thorn in San Antonio’s side over the past few seasons. Since 2023, the Spurs hold a narrow 6-5 advantage in the head-to-head series, illustrating that the Suns have been more than capable of making life difficult for Wembanyama and company.

If Phoenix can carry the defensive energy and collective effort it displayed against Houston into Monday night’s matchup, perhaps it can find a way to make things uncomfortable for San Antonio once again.

Tale of the Tape

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Suns

• Mark Williams — OUT (Left Shoulder Surgery)
• Jordan Goodwin — QUESTIONABLE (Right Calf Soreness)

Spurs

• Tabias Harris — OUT (Left Calf Strain)
• Jayden Quaintance — OUT (Right Knee Surgery)
• Devin Vassell — OUT (Left Adductor Tightness)

What to Watch For

How can you not have your eyes on Victor Wembanyama in this matchup? The guy is an absolutely domineering presence on the floor, capable of shrinking the court defensively while continuing to expand his offensive skill set with each passing season. Now in his fourth year, he already has a Defensive Player of the Year award on his résumé, and he’s making a legitimate case for MVP consideration.

So how exactly do the Suns go about neutralizing one of the premier talents in the NBA? Or is the better strategy to focus their energy on the players surrounding him?

Perhaps the answer lies in limiting the damage inflicted by De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, forcing Wembanyama to shoulder as much of the offensive burden as possible. After all, think back to last week, when Wembanyama delivered one of the most absurd statistical performances we’ve ever witnessed, pouring in 52 points, grabbing 24 rebounds, and blocking eight shots. And the Spurs won that game by one point.

That’s what makes this matchup so fascinating. Even when Wembanyama puts together a performance that looks like something generated by a video game with the difficulty turned all the way down, San Antonio isn’t necessarily guaranteed to dominate. There may be an opportunity for Phoenix to survive an extraordinary individual performance if it can prevent the supporting cast from finding its rhythm.

So what I’ll be watching tonight is the defensive philosophy Jordan Ott and his staff employ against Wembanyama. Do they dedicate additional resources to containing him, knowing that doing so could create opportunities for San Antonio’s other offensive weapons? Or do they accept that Wembanyama is going to get his and concentrate on neutralizing the players around him?

Key to a Suns Win

Rebounding, right? Yes, that’s generally my default mode. But if I want to dig a little deeper into this matchup, I think three-point shooting will play a significant role if the Suns hope to come away with a victory.

Given Wembanyama’s affinity for denying opponents at the basket and his ability to quite literally change the geometry of the game, I expect Phoenix to be firing away from beyond the arc. That’s going to present a challenge when Oso Ighodaro is on the floor, because every time he catches the ball above the break, Wembanyama can comfortably sag into drop coverage, knowing he doesn’t have to respect Oso as a three-point threat.

While Ighodaro has been a welcome addition to the Suns’ starting lineup, his offensive strengths, particularly his effectiveness in dribble handoff actions, become more difficult to utilize when Wembanyama doesn’t necessarily have to involve himself in those actions defensively.

So can the Suns consistently generate quality three-point opportunities, and more importantly, can they knock them down? If the answer to both questions is yes, Phoenix has a legitimate chance to win this game.

Prediction

The Spurs are good. Really good. And it’s difficult for me to envision a scenario in which the Suns win this game. What I’m hoping to see is Phoenix maintain a competitive pace and build on what it accomplished against the Houston Rockets, further solidifying an identity that has been defined by early-season inconsistency.

If the Suns can impose aspects of their will, play physically against a San Antonio team that possesses some sizable guards, and remain competitive throughout the game, I’ll view that as progress in and of itself. Not a moral victory, but another step in the right direction for a team still trying to prove it can perform with consistency.

But when all is said and done, I expect San Antonio to leave Phoenix with the win.

Spurs 121, Suns 115

Mike Dunleavy celebrates Warriors' offseason additions after no ‘splashy' moves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After an 0-3 start to the 2026-27 NBA season, the Warriors finally are clicking and have won seven straight games entering their matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night at Chase Center.

A huge part of Golden State’s early success has been its bench depth, with players both brought in and brought back by Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy this summer helping to lead the second-unit charge. After what some considered a lackluster offseason, expectations around the Warriors this season are starting to change — but Dunleavy isn’t surprised.

“Look, people were looking for a more splashy move or moves or whatever it was, but we focused in on what we thought could help the group that we currently have,” Dunleavy told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill, Chris Mullin and Festus Ezeli on “Warriors Pregame Live” before Monday’s game. “And part of the tricky thing was knowing Moses [Moody] and Jimmy [Butler] weren’t going to be available to start the season.

“So how do we hold down the fort without those guys, and bringing guys back like Al [Horford] and [De’Anthony Melton] and then adding guys like [Charles] Bassey, adding guys like Brandon Williams, you mentioned [Georges] Niang. All these guys have chipped in, they’ve done their part, and that’s how you have a good successful team. That’s how you rattle off seven in a row and, I mean, look, we’re an eighth of the way into the season, so we’ve got a long way to go, but, you know, so far, so good.”

The Warriors failed in their pursuit of NBA superstar LeBron James this summer — just one of many free-agency airballs for the franchise in recent years as they try to maximize Steph Curry’s remaining seasons. While Dub Nation and pundits around the league alike longed for a slam-dunk signing, Dunleavy quietly assembled a roster that, so far, has done plenty to silence any naysayers.

While Curry’s superpowers have led the way for Golden State — the 38-year-old is averaging 31.3 points per game entering Monday night — the bench is doing its part, too, by keeping the Warriors in games when Steph is on the bench.

Williams (11.1), Melton (9.4), Niang (8.2) and Bassey (7.1) round out Golden State’s top seven scorers per game behind Curry, rookie revelation Yaxel Lendeborg (21.2) and Brandin Podziemski (15.8). Given the under-the-radar moves the Warriors made this offseason and the absences of Butler and Moody, the team needed its No. 11 overall draft pick to step up right away, too.

And he certainly has, undeniably asserting himself as the Warriors’ most exciting addition in a season with plenty of new faces on the roster.

“With these rookies, everybody runs their own race. Some of these guys are 19 years old. In five years they’re going to be really, really good. But for us and what we need right now, Yaxel’s the guy,” Dunleavy said. “He’s 24, but he’s also [6-foot-9], 240. He can shoot, pass, dribble, defend. I don’t think those things are going to change, and for us it really works.

“We were fortunate to get him at 11, and we trust him in the spotlight here just because of the injuries we’ve had with Jimmy, with Moses, obviously with [Kristaps Porziņģis] not being here, he’s taken on a bigger role, and he’s passing with flying colors.”

After the Warriors’ 7-3 start, Dunleavy sees a team that’s connected and ready to prove people who doubted the team’s offseason very, very wrong.

“I think just more than anything we’re connected, right?” Dunleavy said. “Steph’s been amazing. Yaxel’s stepped up. Podz has been sneaky, under the radar … I just think overall, like everybody’s kind of done their part. Give Steve [Kerr] credit — the group’s connected, they’re together. You know, you start off 0-3, you can start splintering, but these guys have hung in there and we’ve done a nice job protecting home court here.”

The connected Warriors are going for an undefeated homestand Monday night against the Pelicans, and if they can do that, they’ll take an eight-game winning streak on the road to face the Rockets in Houston on Wednesday night.

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What we learned as Warriors' historic win streak continues with blowout vs. Pels originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors fans have had plenty to cheer about as of late, and the good vibes only continued Monday night at Chase Center.

With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Warriors led by 40 points on their way to a 51-point, 138-87 blowout of the New Orleans Pelicans for their eighth straight win to complete an undefeated six-game homestand.

The Warriors now are the first team in NBA history to start a season 0-3 and then win eight straight games. 

Steph Curry (25 points), Brandin Podziemski (25 points) and Yaxel Lendeborg (23) all scored 20-plus points on a combined 61.5-percent shooting (24 of 39). 

Podz is up to 20 points with four triples tonight ☔️ pic.twitter.com/Q1zl0b1Gjh

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 10, 2026

Golden State’s bench continues to be a bright spot, too. De’Anthony Melton led the way for the reserves with 16 points, and the bench outscored the Pelicans 60-41.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ eighth straight win.

Taking Care Of Business

For the second straight game, the Warriors raced to a strong start after opening games notoriously slow to begin the season. Steve Kerr used 10 players, and six scored at least four points in the first quarter. Their defense also held the Pelicans to just 20 points on 30.4-percent shooting (7 of 23).

What Kerr will love most is that his team took great care of the ball to set the tone as well. The Warriors in the first quarter had 10 assists and just one turnover. The difference Monday night compared to Saturday is that the Warriors’ fast start wasn’t for naught this time.

A 16-point halftime lead was erased over the weekend against the Orlando Magic because of the Warriors’ carelessness with the ball and getting crushed on the glass, leading to a huge discrepancy in shot attempts. The Warriors rallied back for a comeback win, but there was plenty to clean.

It was a different story two nights later against the Pelicans. Through three quarters, the Warriors had 29 assists and five turnovers. They finished with 11 turnovers for just nine Pelicans points.

No Curry Flurry Needed

All 44 of Curry’s points were needed to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves. Same with his 31 points to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, his 34 points to beat the Phoenix Suns and his 41 points to outlast the Magic in overtime. Heroics weren’t required against New Orleans. 

In just 20 minutes, Curry scored 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting, going 4 of 7 from three and 9 of 9 on free throws.

A vintage Steph-back trey 🤌 pic.twitter.com/AgihjBtUIc

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 10, 2026

Curry came into Monday night averaging an absurd 31.3 points per game while averaging 29.6 minutes. Only Wilt Chamberlain has averaged more points than minutes in a season. The efficiency Curry has displayed at 38 years old in his 18th season is out of this world. 

Steph can't believe this stat either 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ukft69BR2d

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 10, 2026

Luckily for Curry and the Warriors, he could sit back and watch the show before a huge five-game road trip. He only needed to play 11-plus minutes for the Warriors to have a 29-point lead at halftime, and sat for good halfway through the third quarter.

The Warriors open with games against the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, and they’ll need Curry to be as healthy and rested as possible to keep their win streak alive. 

Two-Way Contract Contributions 

A larger spotlight will be placed upon the performances of Curry, Podziemski, Lendeborg and others like Melton, but the bottom of the roster deserves recognition when given opportunities. 

That includes the Warriors’ three players on two-way contracts. LJ Cryer entered the game during the second quarter and scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting. His 3-point shooting always can be a weapon, and he might be needed more soon, too.

LJ Cryer extends the lead to 50 POINTS 😳 pic.twitter.com/n4qydQ6zLo

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 10, 2026

Brandon Williams left the game early because of a left hamstring injury and is scheduled for an MRI. 

He isn’t the only one giving the Warriors injury concerns. Will Richard popped up on the injury report with a UCL tear in his left thumb. His next steps will depend on swelling. Richard either will undergo surgery or play with a splint. 

Without him, the Warriors could lean on Malevy Leons more. Leons started the fourth quarter and was scoreless, but grabbed three rebounds and blocked one shot. Graham Ike also started the fourth with Leons two nights after a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double in the Santa Cruz Warriors’ season opener. Ike added four points, five rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot.

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ATLANTA — The Lakers are getting their superstar guard back for Monday’s road game against the Hawks. 

But the status of his backcourt co-star was uncertain as of six hours before tipoff.

Luka Dončić was taken off of the injury report ahead of the Lakers’ matchup against the Hawks after sitting out of Sunday’s 121-116 win over the Pistons because of low back tightness.

Austin Reaves stepped up in light of Dončić’s absence, scoring a season-high 43 points to lead the Lakers to their fifth straight win and putting them at 9-2 entering Monday. 

Reaves was listed as questionable on the team’s injury report against the Hawks because of an illness. 

Quentin Grimes, who started in place of Dončić against the Pistons, was ruled out against the Hawks because of a sprained finger on his right hand.

Coach JJ Redick said Grimes banged his finger during the game agains the Pistons, leading to the 6-foot-5 guard going back to the locker room during the fourth quarter on Sunday with a member of the medical staff. Redick said Grimes’ X-rays came back negative. 

Dončić is the league’s leading scorer, averaging 40.1 points per game entering Monday.

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UPDATE: Austin Reaves has been ruled out due to illness for Monday’s contest against the Hawks. He’ll miss his first game of the season.

Austin Reaves has been downgraded to out tonight in Atlanta with an illness, the Lakers say

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 9, 2026

As predicted, with both Grimes and Reaves out, Cameron Carr will be inserted into the rotation for the first time this season, according to head coach JJ Redick pregame.

Cameron Carr will play rotation minutes for the Lakers tonight, JJ Redick says

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 9, 2026

Original story follows.

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After a shorthanded win over the Pistons on Sunday afternoon, the Lakers look set to be shorthanded in a different way on Monday.

Ahead of their game against the Hawks, the Lakers released their injury report with three notable changes, including the removal of Luka Dončić but the addition of Austin Reaves and Quentin Grimes.

Austin questionable and Grimes is ruled out for tonight. pic.twitter.com/XaqlITWB5a

— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) November 9, 2026

Reaves’ illness is legitimate as Dan Woike of The Athletic noted that Reaves told him he had been feeling sick since arriving in Detroit on Saturday. His performance against the Pistons, then, was a flu game on top of being his best game of the season.

As for Grimes, he left the game during the second half against the Pistons and did not return. After the contest, head coach JJ Redick did not have a full update on Grimes other than noting that x-rays were negative.

Luka would be able to step in if Grimes is the only one missing and the Lakers could largely replicate the rotation from Sunday’s win. If Reaves is also out, though, it could mean Cameron Carr’s first real minutes of the season.

Carr made his debut and has played in a pair of blowouts late, but hasn’t played meaningful rotation minutes. If the Lakers are down two guards, it’s likely one of he or Bronny James would be the next person up.

The Lakers were able to respond while undermanned on Sunday, though. Even with a shuffling of players, it’ll be interesting to see if the Lakers can make it two for two to kick off the road trip.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

‘Let's check the ball up': Jaylen Brown ready for first game against Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jaylen Brown was asked Sunday whether he and Jayson Tatum had spoken since the former teammates addressed their relationship during the preseason.

“No,” Brown said.

Does he plan to approach Tatum before Tuesday night’s game at Xfinity Mobile Arena?

“I mean, he’s on his side, I’m on my side,” Brown said. “We’re playing basketball. Both of us are trying to win. So it’s nothing to talk about. Let’s check the ball up.”

After months of public comments, documentaries and questions about how their partnership ended, the basketball will finally take over.

Brown will face Boston for the first time since the Celtics traded him to Philadelphia for Paul George and four future draft assets in July. He spent his first 10 NBA seasons in Boston, played nine alongside Tatum and helped the Celtics win the 2024 championship, earning Finals MVP honors.

Tuesday’s 8 p.m. game on NBC will also bring together the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers are 9-2. Boston, riding a three-game winning streak, is 8-2 and sits a half-game behind Philadelphia.

“Another good opportunity for our team to be able to show what we’re made of,” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to it. Big-time matchup, two heavyweights in the East. Let’s get it.”

A reunion without the small talk

Brown has not hidden his appreciation for Boston, even as more has emerged about the deterioration of his relationship with Tatum and the organization.

“I love Boston,” he said Sunday. “Boston’s a great city. A lot of people I developed relationships with, you know what I mean? But I’m just focused on what’s in front of me right now. And that’s the most important thing.”

He also acknowledged everything that accompanies an abrupt end to a decade with one organization.

“Decisions were made,” Brown said. “It’s life. It’s business. Move on. It’s OK. … It’s emotions. You’ve got to pack up and move your stuff. Your family’s got to pack up and move. But it’s life. It’s happened to numerous amounts of people, myself included.

“So I just look forward to being able to build with my team over here, trying to make the best of my situation.”

Brown faced the Celtics during the preseason, but Tuesday will be the first meeting that counts. He said he did not know whether that would introduce emotions that were absent during the exhibition schedule.

“We’ll see how I feel when we get out there,” Brown said. “As of now, I’ve got no emotion toward nothing. So I’m just ready to go.”

Tatum was similarly restrained after Boston’s 117-97 victory over Milwaukee on Sunday.

“It’s another game on the schedule,” Tatum said. “It’s the Celtics versus the Sixers. In the words of Brad Stevens, they all count as one.”

Tatum called the Sixers “an incredible group” with a “great coaching staff,” but declined to add to the discussion surrounding his relationship with Brown.

“Drama gets clicks and views,” he said. “That’s not my thing.” CBS Sports reported Tatum’s full comments Sunday night.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was even more concise.

“It’ll be fun,” Mazzulla said. “It’ll be a good atmosphere.”

The other side of the trade

Brown is not the only centerpiece of the July deal who will face his former team.

George has settled quickly into Boston’s lineup, averaging 20.4 points and supplying the high-volume outside shooting the Celtics have long prioritized. He scored 27 points and made five three-pointers Sunday as Boston beat Milwaukee for its third consecutive victory.

The Celtics have not needed George to duplicate everything Brown provided. He has fit alongside Tatum, Derrick White and Boston’s returning core as another willing shooter and versatile defender.

Tatum is averaging 27.1 points, six rebounds and 7.8 assists. His playmaking has been especially important for a team that replaced Brown’s downhill pressure with more shooting and ball movement.

Boston enters Tuesday ranked third in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating. It is one of two NBA teams currently inside the top five on both ends of the floor.

The Celtics have also made 15.6 three-pointers per game, the second-highest average in the league. They set an NBA Cup record by hitting 24 against Charlotte on Friday, then made 18 more Sunday in Milwaukee.

That presents a clear challenge for a Sixers defense that has generally performed well but has occasionally surrendered clean perimeter looks after committing extra help toward the ball. Tatum, George, White, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser can all punish late rotations.

What the matchup could reveal

The Sixers have reached 9-2 without depending upon the same formula every night.

Tyrese Maxey leads them at 26.9 points per game. Brown is averaging 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and four assists while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from three. Joel Embiid and LeBron James have supplied scoring, passing and defensive flexibility around them.

Brown has repeatedly described the team as unfinished despite its record.

“From our perspective, it’s been some growing pains for sure, even though we’ve been able to win,” he said. “The result, we’re not so much fixated on the result. It’s more so about the process, and we’ve got to improve our process and our mentality to creating a winning environment.”

Boston should provide the clearest early measure of that process.

The Celtics play considerably slower than the Sixers, but their half-court execution has been more efficient. Philadelphia will want to create turnovers and run before Boston can set its defense. The Celtics will attempt to control the pace, generate three-pointers and make the Sixers execute against a defense that has yet to allow an opposing player to score 30 points this season.

There is also the unavoidable Brown matchup. Boston could use Tatum, George and White against him at different points, giving the Celtics several defenders capable of absorbing his drives without immediately sending help.

Nick Nurse expects Brown to bring something extra, even if Brown has publicly downplayed the emotional component.

“It’s going to be very different for him,” Nurse said. “I think probably a little bit of emotion in there, too, but also I think he’s going to be very motivated to play.”

What the odds say

Boston’s rotation is healthy entering the matchup. Two-way guard Devin Carter is out because of an illness.

Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti remain out for the Sixers. Adem Bona could return after missing Sunday’s contest.

The betting market views the matchup as essentially a toss-up. Monday afternoon listings had the spread moving between Boston minus-1.5 and Philadelphia minus-1.5, depending on the sportsbook, with the total at 215.5.

That fits the larger picture. Philadelphia owns the East’s best record. Boston has the conference’s strongest point differential and has outscored opponents by 10.7 points per game.

The surrounding conversation will center on Brown and Tatum until the opening tip. Brown does not intend to contribute any ceremonial small talk.

“He’s on his side,” Brown said. “I’m on my side.”

Then they will check the ball up.

Set aside their ugly loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Cup on Friday, and the Sixers are otherwise having a largely dreamy start to the season. They still sit atop the Eastern Conference at 9-2, and they’ve shown a far higher ceiling on defense than anyone expected this early in the season.

The Sixers have already hit a critical benchmark, too. This is the fifth time in LeBron James’ career that he’s been on a team that started the season 7-1, according to ESPN’s Kris Rhim. All four of the previous teams that he’s done it with made the NBA Finals that season.

As long as their starting five stays healthy, the Sixers figure to be a preferred landing spot for ring-chasers later this year. They already have one open roster spot, and they could create another one by salary-dumping Justin Edwards ahead of the trade deadline. If Kevin Love is already queued up as one future signing, the Sixers might prefer to have additional flexibility to explore all of their pre- and post-deadline options.

However, the NBA’s new draft-lottery system could impact which players are available on the buyout market.

“Philadelphia would be an attractive destination in the buyout market after the Feb. 11 trade deadline, when the Sixers could squeeze a pro-rated minimum onto their books,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon wrote Friday. “But several executives around the league wondered how much the new anti-tanking lottery rules will weaken the buyout market.”

The new lottery punishes the teams with the three worst records by giving them lower odds than the other seven teams that miss the play-in tournament. They can fall no lower than No. 12—the other 13 teams can drop as far as No. 16—but they have only a 16 percent chance at a top-three pick, a 28 percent chance at a top-five pick and a 61 percent chance at a top-10 pick. The other non-play-in teams have a 24 percent chance at a top-three pick, a 39 percent chance at a top-five pick and a 73 percent chance at a top-10 pick.

Teams that don’t control their first-round pick in 2027—a group that includes the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns—shouldn’t be particularly concerned with the new lottery rules. The second round will now be arranged in reverse order, meaning whichever team lands the No. 1 pick will drop to No. 46 in the second round, but that shouldn’t deter teams without a 2027 first-round pick from selling off veterans at the trade deadline.

The question is how many teams will buy out their unwanted veterans on expiring contracts if they’re unable to offload them at the trade deadline.

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine might be the big test of the new system this year. The Kings are already flying dead stick, and it might be tough for them to find a taker for LaVine’s $49.0 million expiring contract by the trade deadline. However, they have control over their own 2027 first-round pick, which means they have clear incentive not to finish with a bottom-three record. Would they keep LaVine around after the trade deadline to help them accomplish that?

Granted, even if the buyout market is largely limited to teams that don’t control their own first-round pick in 2027, the Sixers could still have some decent options available to them. Clippers center Brook Lopez is on the tail end of his career and wouldn’t do much to help the Sixers’ rebounding issues, but he can space the floor and protect the rim, which would give them a valuable change-up whenever Joel Embiid is off the floor.

The Clippers presumably wouldn’t want to waive Max Strus, Derrick Jones Jr. or Kris Dunn, if only to ensure they maintain their Bird rights on them heading into free agency next summer. The same goes for the Nets with Michael Porter Jr. and the Chicago Bulls with Jalen Smith. But agents will still have the same motivation to get their clients to winning environments, even if teams have less incentive to buy out their veterans on expiring deals.  

Whenever the NBA implements a rule change as drastic as the new draft lottery, it inevitably has trickle-down effects, many of which are unintended consequences. It’s unclear if the league intended to whittle down the buyout market as part of its anti-tanking push, but executives are already wondering how it will look this year, as MacMahon relayed Friday.

The Sixers can only hope those fears are unfounded. Otherwise, they might have to pivot to a plan B regarding in-season improvements to their roster.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

In a salary-capped league, or “apron world” as president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka once referred to it, you need players to outperform their contracts. Even more so when they’re on minimum deals. 

Besides LeBron James, who is not your normal minimum signing, it can be argued the Lakers have the best one in the league in Matisse Thybulle. 

The two-time All-Defensive selection has started every game for the 9-2 Lakers, who own the best record in the NBA. That includes multiple back-to-backs, despite his health being a primary concern when he signed. 

His defense has been as advertised. LA had their most impressive win of the season Sunday. Without superstar Luka Dončić, they went in and beat the 6-2 Pistons on the road.

While only scoring four points, he collected four steals in his 28 minutes. It was his fourth game already this season with at least three takeaways. 

The purple and gold force the second most turnovers in the league. Thybulle’s relentless pursuit and, at times, unorthodox style is a major reason why. Watch his activity below on the first defensive possession of the game.

While closing out to the initial offensive player, he allows him to get a step in front of him to poke the ball away from behind. It’s a defensive approach you would never teach, but is successful due to the combination of feel, a seven-foot wingspan and great hands. 

Then, the lazy flat angle pass is deflected and eventually stolen. Thybulle leads the Lakers in steals and deflections and is tied for third in the entire league in the latter.

Like a hawk waiting in the wings for its prey, Thybulle will subtly maneuver himself into position to get a steal. He’s taken numerous full court passes by opponents by making the read and pouncing after the pass is already in flight. 

The best defenders in the league can somehow operate in two places at once. Watch below as he not only takes away the outlet to the corner, but then comes back to deflect and steal the dump off pass to the rim. 

Two-man combinations are mainly thought of in terms of offensive fits, but Thybulle and Walker Kessler have been a defensive match made in heaven. The Lakers have an 11.8 net rating with both of them on the court, holding a 108.9 defensive rating, which would rank in the top 10 in the league. 

With Kessler behind, Thybulle is free to poke at the ball and be his aggressive self. At times, it can be a detriment to the team with his gambles, but overall, it fits into a more active than reactive defensive identity. 

LA throws him on the best opposing ball handlers every night at the point of attack. Watch him below on Cade Cunningham, who was held to just 14 points on 6-15 shooting Sunday. 

Good defense is not always about getting the steal, but deterring the offensive player from getting to their spot on the floor. Thybulle forces Cunningham to change directions laterally twice and gets a hand on the pass to the corner. While the Pistons score on a putback, LA held the Pistons to just 36% shooting in the first half.

In addition to the steals and deflections, Thybulle is second on the team with nine blocks. He comes from the weak side at times to protect the rim and recovers ground to block 3-point attempts on the perimeter. 

As the superb defense was expected, the offense has blown up his expected value. He’s been a ball mover and connector, while finding his spots as a cutter against compromised defenses. 

The shooting, while it’s cooled off a bit, is still at 39.5% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. He’s even added a no-dip 3-pointer, as shown below. It allows for a quicker release against potential close outs from defenders. 

It’s a long season, and after playing just 45 games total over the last two years, Thybulle still has to make it through the 82-game grind. So far, he’s far outkicked his salary. 

The defense will always be there, but if the shooting holds, the Lakers may have a championship-caliber wing on a minimum contract.  

​You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.

Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!

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Week 2: After a rough opening week of the season, the Spurs took advantage of an easy schedule against the sinking Kings and Jazz and injured Timberwolves to get right again, going undefeated with Victor Wembanyama absolutely dominating by averaging 36 points per game to win Western Conference Player of the Week.

Week 3: 4-0 (8-2, 3rd in West)

119-97 win vs. Utah Jazz

It was a rare game where Wemby was not hot, with just 12 points 5-15 shooting, but the Spurs didn’t need him to be in another match-up against the lowly Jazz. He deferred to the hot hands, and they used a balanced attack with all five starters plus Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson scoring in double figures, as well as dominant first and third quarters to put the game away early.

112-111 win vs. Dallas Mavericks

Unlike the week prior, the Mavericks had Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving available this time, and the match-up lived up to the hype. The Spurs dominated the first half and led by as much as 19, but their inability to protect big leads reared its ugly head again as it completely evaporate in the second half, not helped by the Spurs being ice-cold from three (5-36). But, Wemby once again proved he’s on another tier this season with a historic 53-point, 24-rebound, 8-block night to rescue his team from the jaws of defeat (although it would have been easier had he made his last 4 free throws).

124-109 win at Sacramento Kings (NBA Emirates Cup)

In their first Tournament game of the the season, the Spurs made quick work of the cellar-dwelling Kings on the first night of a back-to-back to allow their players to rest in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicates (although point-differential does matter in the Cup standings, and the Warriors now lead the group thanks to a 17-point win). Wemby again dominated, with 30 points and 14 rebounds in a quick 26 minutes of work.

125-103 win at Portland Trail Blazers

After a sluggish first half featuring two teams on a back-to-back, poor shooting and a heavy whistle (for a total of 41 first-half free throws), the Spurs exploded in the second half against their first-round opponents from last season. Another dominant Wemby game and 17 threes helped the Spurs get out to a 30-point lead in the third quarter, leaving the Portland crowd in stunned silence and heading for the exists early.

Power Rankings

John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 1 (last week: 4)

OffRtg: 117.2 (5) DefRtg: 107.1 (5) NetRtg: +10.1 (3)

The Spurs’ winning streak is at eight games, over which they’ve ranked in the top three on both ends of the floor. They’re 8-2 for the second straight season, though they have a better point differential than they had through 10 games last year.

Two takeaways

1. Victor Wembanyama scored 52 points (adding 24 rebounds and eight blocks) against the Mavs on Wednesday … with a broken jump shot. After that game, he was 7-for-29 (24%) from mid-range and 12-for-50 (24%) from beyond the arc. But he scored 45 of those 52 points in the restricted area (13-for-16) or at the free throw line (19-for-23), and he may have found his shooting stroke over the weekend. He wasn’t as dominant inside, but made seven of his 12 3-point attempts in Sacramento and Portland.
2. The Spurs’ starting lineup still doesn’t play a ton of minutes; at 10.5 minutes per game, it ranks 13th among lineups that have played at least five games together. It was also outscored by the Kings on Friday. But it’s allowed just 85.8 points per 100 possessions, the best mark among the 22 lineups that have played at least 50 total minutes, and it’s been much better offensively (114.9 scored per 100) than the Spurs were when De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle shared the floor last season.

Coming up: The Spurs had the league’s best interconference record last season, going 26-4 in regular-season games (that counted in the standings) against the East. Their first interconference game this season is Wednesday in Chicago, the end of a four-game trip.

Law Murray, The Athletic — 1 (last week: 4)

The slate has been favorable, but the Spurs are doing what they need to do, and that’s win the games and progress accordingly. On that front, Victor Wembanyama is back to reinventing stat lines, so that’s cool.

What is more meaningful is that the Spurs might just wind up keeping this starting lineup that features all four of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell. It’s been working out nicely, with the Spurs outscoring foes by 69 points in the 105 minutes that the five-man starting lineup has been out there together. The three-man lineup of Fox, Castle and Harper specifically has seen the Spurs outscore opponents by 72 points in 113 minutes, with Wembanyama being out there for all of that time.

Tobias Harris (calf) will undoubtedly need a ramping-up period, so he isn’t guaranteed a starting role when he gets healthy. Fox has been efficient, Harper has kept turnovers down and Castle has launched more 3s than ever. The Spurs have Wembanyama, and he more than makes up for the lack of fit perfection when it comes to his co-starters.

Kurt Helin, NBC Sports— 2 (last week: 7)

Unexpected standout:Julian Champagnie. He’s not really an unexpected standout, but is there one on a high-profile team that was in the NBA Finals last June? When Mitch Johnson decided to start three guards — De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper — Julian Champagnie was the odd man out and got pushed to the bench. He’s handling it like a pro, and he’s still producing, shooting 42% from 3, giving them almost 10 points a night, and defending well.

Brett Siegel, Clutch Points — 2 (last week: 4)

Since dropping the first two games of the season, the San Antonio Spurs have rattled off eight straight wins, the longest active win streak in the NBA. However, the combined record of the teams they played during this eight-game span is just 20-26 overall, with six of these wins coming against Dallas, Sacramento, and Utah.

Victor Wembanyama has been on a tear lately, averaging 30.8 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the floor over the last week. In the Spurs’ 112-111 win over the Mavs on Wednesday night, Wembanyama recorded 52 points, 24 rebounds, and eight blocks.

Aside from recording career highs in points and rebounds against Dallas, Wemby joined Bob McAdoo as the only other player since 1973 to have at least 50 points, 20 rebounds, and five blocks in a single game. Wembanyama has posted MVP-like numbers and carried the Spurs to the No. 2 spot in the NBA power rankings.

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Coming up

• Mon. 11/9 at Phoenix Suns (8:00 PM CT)
• Wed. 11/11 at Chicago Bulls (7:00 PM CT)
• Fri. 11/13 vs. Golden State Warriors (Emirates Cup, 8:30 PM CT)
• Sun. 11/15 at Utah Jazz (4:00 PM CT)

(After 12 of the Spurs’ first 20 games are 8:00 tip-off times or later, I’m looking forward to the Nov. 29 – Jan. 17 stretch, when NONE of them are later than 7:00. My sleep schedule thanks you, NBA.)

Prediction: 4-0 — I doubted and got burned last week (although the Spurs almost made me right with that Dallas game), but I fully believe they’re back now. The only game that should present a challenge (if they keep playing the way they are and don’t relax) is the Warriors, with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg bringing new life to the twilight years of Steph Curry and Draymond Green’s careers. It will likely be a must-win game if the Spurs want to advance in the In-Season Tournament again. (Oh, and if you aren’t tired of the Jazz yet, here they are AGAIN.)

LeBron James says that his loved ones are not in danger after multiple media outlets reported that a man was arrested outside the former Lakers star’s Brentwood home late last week.

According to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson, officers responded to a reported burglary in progress in a Brentwood neighborhood on Friday at around 9:40 p.m. A 22-year-old male identified as Jaliere McWhite was taken into custody without incident and booked for felony stalking.

As of Monday morning, McWhite was being held on $150,000 bond at the Van Nuys Regional Jail, according to online inmate records.

Read more:Plaschke: LeBron who? Lakers happily shed the burden of departed star

James, who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, was asked about the incident following his team’s 127-121 victory over the Bulls in Chicago on Sunday.

“My family is safe, and that’s the most important,” James said. “We’re still looking into everything.”

Read more:Lakers assign Bronny James, Cameron Carr to G League team

A 24-year NBA veteran, James spent the previous eight seasons with the Lakers before signing with the 76ers as a free agent this summer. His wife, Savannah James, and 12-year-old daughter Zhuri still live in Los Angeles.

James told reporters last year that his oldest son Bronny James, a third-year Lakers guard who was assigned to G League Coachella Valley last week, had moved out of the family home. Middle child Bryce James is a redshirt freshman guard at Arizona.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Just as the Warriors were beginning to hit their stride, a surprise appeared on the injury report Sunday night that threatened to halt their momentum in its tracks.

Will Richard was suddenly listed as out for Golden State’s game against the Pelicans on Monday night and will likely miss more time than that. The second-year guard was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, though the Warriors have not commented.

The injury isn’t uncommon among NBA players and typically requires surgery that comes with a recovery timeline in the neighborhood of six weeks. However, Richard did seem to catch somewhat of a break, given that it occurred in his non-shooting hand.

Richard, 23, had been playing well since a slow start to the season and carved out a role in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation. He was in their starting lineup two of their past three games.

He attempted only one shot in 12 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Magic but showed no sign of injury, making his sudden appearance on the injury report heading into Monday night a surprise.

The Warriors have won seven in a row since losing their first three games of the season, and Richard has been a small part of the turnaround. Although he has scored in double figures only twice, the former 56th overall pick has earned praise for his hustle and basketball IQ.

In 17.2 minutes per game, Richard was averaging 5.1 points. He appeared in 69 games as a rookie, starting 21, and averaged 6.4 points in 20 minutes per game, cooling down after a hot start.

Gui Santos, who recently returned from knee tendinitis, reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup Saturday against the Magic and will likely pick up some of Richard’s minutes. The rest will be spread around between De’Anthony Melton, Brandon Williams, LJ Cryer and Gary Payton II.

Kerr opted to insert Richard, a 6-foot-3 guard, into the starting lineup while Santos, a 6-foot-7 wing, was forced to miss two games with knee tendinitis. The silver lining for Golden State was that Richard’s injury coincided with Santos’ return in their win over the Magic.

The Warriors, however, should prepare to play without Richard for an extended period.

Despite Luka Dončić’s absence, the Los Angeles Lakers won their fifth straight game Sunday night with a 121-116 victory over the Detroit Pistons and moved to 9-2 on the young season. Spearheaded by a 43-point performance from Austin Reaves, their offense led the way as they recorded a 127.4 offensive rating — their fourth-highest mark of the year, per Cleaning the Glass — against Detroit’s third-ranked defense.

The Lakers roared out to 38-14 advantage after the first quarter before scoring just 50 points the next two periods. Then, as the Pistons inched closer, they slammed the door shut with a 33-point final frame to secure the win.

“Love the way we started the game. There was a tremendous amount of, even in the pregame tape, a tremendous amount of focus on our part on handling their activity, pressure, their fouling, all of that stuff,” head coach JJ Redick told reporters following the win. “Outside of the third, and particularly, those four straight possessions in the third, I thought we did a good job of that. Overall, having three turnovers in that fourth quarter, when they were really trying to ramp up their defense, we just showed a lot of poise throughout.”

Among the hallmarks of the Pistons’ stingy defense is their ability to generate takeaways — they rank third in opposing turnover rate at 17.9% this season and were first a year ago. Even without Dončić, the Lakers managed to dip below Detroit’s season average and produced a 16.8% turnover rate.

They’ve had plenty better showings this year (five, to be exact) but it’s a vastly improved number compared to their other Dončić-less outing, when they turned the ball over 23.3% of the time against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 28. For his part, Reaves was superbly economical and committed just one turnover on his 79 touches Sunday.

The West-leading Lakers will aim for a sixth consecutive win Monday night against the 7-4 Atlanta Hawks, which are riding their own four-game winning streak and tout the NBA’s fourth-highest opposing turnover rate. Los Angeles will hope this one features Dončić back in the fold. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PST.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

The start to this NBA season just went from bad to worse for the Charlotte Hornets.

Kon Knueppel is expected to miss an extended amount of action after reaggravating the same left hamstring injury that forced him to miss the beginning of the 2026-27 NBA season. The latest setback was particularly cruel, just six minutes into his season debut for the Hornets.

Charlotte had been eagerly awaiting Knueppel's return to the lineup after he led the NBA in 3-pointers and finished runner-up to former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg in Rookie of the Year voting. But the latest update from team officials confirmed Knueppel won't be back on the court soon to help a Hornets team in a rough patch earlier than expected this season.

Here's the latest on Knueppel's injury situation and how it affects the Hornets:

NBA ROOKIE RANKINGS: Top player so far wasn't a top-10 pick

Kon Knueppel injury update

The Hornets announced Sunday that Knueppel has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in four weeks. The injury is a recurrence of the issue that sidelined him for the first eight games of the season.

The team had initially termed Knueppel's injury as "left leg soreness" when he left the Hornets' Nov. 4 game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Although there didn’t appear to be a specific play in which Knueppel got hurt, he exited shortly after he dribbled the ball off his foot. During the play, Knueppel tried to dribble the ball behind his back, but it caromed off his right leg, forcing him to take a small step as he tried to recover it. Immediately after the play, Knueppel limped but tried to stay in the game before quickly heading to the bench. He eventually went into the locker room and did not return.

Knueppel scored 3 points, all from free throws, missed his only shot attempt, a 3-pointer, and committed 2 turnovers in 5:51 on the floor against the Nets.

Why Kon Knueppel's injury hurts the Hornets

Knueppel's return seemed to be coming at the perfect time for the Hornets, who had been reeling from a barrage of injuries early on this season. Instead, Knueppel is out for the foreseeable future and the Hornets have lost much of the momentum they generated last season.

Charlotte (3-7) enters Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on a six-game losing streak. It has already been without key players like Brandon Miller (strained right hip), Grant Williams (right hamstring strain), Dennis Schroder (left hamstring strain), center Moussa Diabate (right quad tendinopathy) and guard Coby White (left calf) due to injury through 10 games this season.

The lack of continuity is in stark contrast to last season, when the Hornets' top eight scorers all played at least 65 games and they were one of the NBA's biggest surprises. Charlotte finished with the franchise's best record in a decade (44-38) and qualified for the Eastern Conference play-in tournament as the No. 9 seed. Knueppel played 81 games as a rookie.

The injuries have also exposed the risks that came with the Hornets' offseason decision to trade LaMelo Ball. Knueppel's emergence as a rookie helped justify the move, but Charlotte's roster looks far different when he's unavailable. It certainly doesn't work without Miller, White and Diabate, too.

The good news is the bottom of the Eastern Conference appears soft. The Hornets, as much as they've struggled so far, still sit in 10th place in the standings. They might be able to stay in the postseason race without Knueppel for a month, particularly if Miller and Williams are back.

But if his absence lasts beyond Christmas, the Hornets could be staring at a lost season after finally seeming to find themselves over the past year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kon Knueppel's latest injury setback could be crushing blow for Hornets