Category: Basketball

The Lakers’ unbeaten start has been exciting, but there are still worrying signs that have emerged, perhaps none more so than the team’s lack of depth at center.

Kevon Looney has struggled in the opening three games of the season and hasn’t played in the second half of the last two contests. Naturally, that was a big talking point in this week’s mailbag, which included solutions for the problem either externally or internally.

Let’s dive in!

Does JJ think that Vando started the Pallisades Fires? Should be blink twice if Reddick has stolen his dog, too? Does Vando need someone to free him from JJ like Charles and Jake got Jay Chandrasekhar away from Nutraboom?

Can we really spend a whole season with Vando and Hardy taking nearly $20 million of salary cap space like we had done with Kleber last year? — Johnny Tuttle

It’s pretty clear Kevon Looney is not going to be playable in most matchups this season and the Lakers are going to need a viable backup center.

It’s rare for trades to be made before Dec. 15, though not impossible. Still, the Lakers will likely have to look internally for the opening months of the season before most teams are willing to discuss deals.

So far, the solution has been playing Sandro Mamukelashvili at center. But there’s also been a growing call for Jarred Vanderbilt, who has been buried on the bench since the start of the preseason.

On the one hand, this is different from his usual situation. He’s not needed as a wing this time around. In theory, that means his weakness as a 3-point shooter wouldn’t be as glaring while his strengths as a rebounder could flourish. If the team is going to have five-out spacing without a traditional center, it means Vando won’t clog as much up offensively.

On the other hand, Vando’s shortcomings on that end of the floor are often summed up as an inability to hit threes. However, he also can’t finish around the rim, either. From a scoring standpoint, he’s a black hole offensively and hasn’t made any sort of gains on that end.

That remains the biggest issue for him getting playing time. Defenses are just never going to respect him offensively, which throws off the spacing on that end of the floor and negates the five-out offense they’re trying to run.

As things stand, things are working with Mamu at center and the Lakers don’t particularly need Vando to play. There is an argument for him to get a shot, and maybe it plays out a bit differently this time given the circumstances, but it’s also easy to see how the same problems causing many of the same issues again.

Everyone’s asking about finding a backup big. What options are available overseas, and more importantly, how does it work if the Lakeshow were to identify a player they wanted to sign (already knowing that they’d have to trade someone or release another player)? Is there a waiting period? If a buyout is required, is it counted against the cap? — Coops Knee Highs

It’s pretty unlikely the Lakers will sign a player overseas midseason, but it isn’t impossible. Most any player who signs in Europe who has any chance of playing in the NBA has a buyout in their contract. That buyout doesn’t count against the cap.

Having said all that, it’s unlikely the Lakers are going that route to address the issue for a number of reasons. If a player is going to Europe at this stage in their career, it’s almost always because the NBA interest is gone. There’s a reason you rarely hear about a player coming over from Europe or Asia in January and making an impact on an NBA team.

The bigs we’re talking about playing overseas who were recently in the NBA are players like Kelly Olynyk and Maxi Kleber. With all due respect as a blogger sitting in his home office, the drop in talent is quite large. Kendrick Nunn flamed out badly with the Lakers and is thriving in Europe as one of the best players. Talen Horton-Tucker is a borderline top-10 player.

There’s a career to be had for a certain level of player and I actually would encourage more players to make that jump to Europe. But it’s not a place teams find in-season upgrades.

With centers on contending teams like Jalen Duren and Joel Embiid already missing games, how urgent is the need to find and trade for another center behind Kessler and have the Lakers shown themselves to be enough of a contender that they should be be willing to overpay to beat teams like Philly and Detroit, who may have more tradable assets to work with, to the punch in order to acquire one before the market becomes even more limited?

An alternative phrasing might be, how viable is Mamu as a smallball, floor stretching, backup center instead of Looney? — SirTuppy

A backup center is so far the only glaring need through 3 games. I feel like there’s one more move they’ll need to establish themselves as true contenders, but what move is it exactly? Who are the potential targets for either move? — nesto2k

While I do think the Lakers need a backup center, it’s still too early to tell how urgent that need is. Through the opening three games, Mamu has been sufficient more often than not as a spacing five and the team is going to figure out ways to maximize those lineups as things go.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if the team is looking at potential two-way big men to potentially step in and get some spot minutes. That’s a lot easier path to find players and the team has had success with two-way signings in recent years.

As things stand, I don’t think there’s a race to get a backup big man, even with recent injuries. Neither Jalen Duren nor Joel Embiid is out long-term, though the Sixers are likely also searching for a backup big man after Ariel Hukporti’s injury.

We’ll see how things shake out in the coming weeks and months with rotations and playing time, but a couple names worth monitoring are Jericho Sims, who is not in the rotation for Milwaukee despite them wanting two second round picks for him, and Karlo Matkovic, who was linked to the Lakers previously and is on the edge of the rotation in New Orleans.

I haven’t seen anything offensively from Kessler other than lobs. He’s been awesome, but does he have any sort of post-up game or offensive moves? Is that something that you foresee the Lakers using or is he just a lob threat? — KershawsLegacy

I wouldn’t hold my breath on getting a look at the post moves of Kessler. The asks of him offensively will be very streamlined in that he needs to roll to the rim and dunk.

That’s obviously oversimplified, but they aren’t tossing him the ball on the left block and having him create a look for himself late in the clock. I do expect there to be growth with him in the short roll, which might lead to him showing off a bit of a floater or intermediate game.

Sexton has been off the ball quite a bit so far, even though he’s most effective with the ball in his hands. Is this a Redick issue, or is this a (foreseeable) fit issue playing next to two usage-heavy star creators? — Raison dBasketball

Sexton has played two basketball games alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, so I struggle to have too many takeaways from how he’s used yet.

I don’t imagine the team brought him in to be a guard just standing around the perimeter watching Luka or Austin work. At the same time, Luka and Austin are going to have the ball a lot. The opening weeks and months of the season will be the team finding the right balance between optimizing him while also keeping the ball in the hands of your best players.

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

Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto has started off with a familiar feel.

Just two games into the two-time NBA champion’s return to Canada, Leonard, whose signing by the Clippers resulted in the franchise being punished for salary-cap circumvention before getting traded back to Raptors, is out indefinitely with a swollen knee.

An MRI revealed that Leonard has no structural damage, and it will be about rest and rehab to get him back on the court.

“Yeah it’s always frustrating missing time,” Leonard wrote in an X post Tuesday afternoon. “I came back to compete with this team and I’m focused on getting back to 100. Toronto, I’ve appreciated the love since I’ve been back. Returning soon.”

Leonard, 35, has had problems with his left knee before, missing time last season with what was called irritation. 

This is not the same knee that he’s had surgically repaired multiple times, as he tore his right ACL in 2021 and later his meniscus in 2023. 

Leonard missed Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves after being a late scratch due to fluid buildup around his knee joint. 

The star forward has not played more than 70 games in a season since the 2016-17 season when he was a member of theSpurs. 

It is unclear how much time he will miss, though ESPN’s Shams Charania called it a “period of weeks,” making it almost certain that Leonard will not play 70 games again this year. 

This also makes it unlikely he will be featured in any awards or All-NBA teams, as those mostly require at least 65 games played. 

Leonard received a slight fine this offseason as punishment for his salary-cap circumvention scheme alongside his Uncle Dennis.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was fined $30 million and banned from the team for a year as a result of the transgressions.

The Raptors will rely heavily on former Knicks RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to help them replace some of the offensive production lost with Leonard’s absence.

Scottie Barnes will be the team’s focal point as their lead wing. 

The Raptors are 2-1, with both wins coming while Leonard played limited minutes, topping out at 28 minutes spanning those two appearances.

BOSTON — The Celtics will not sit Jayson Tatum, Paul George, or Mitchell Robinson when they face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night. All three players — who have dealt with major injuries in recent years — are available to play after also lacing up on Monday night against the Chicago Bulls.

The only players on Tuesday’s injury report are Devin Carter, who remains out with illness, and Derrick White, who is listed as probable with right hip synovitis.

Robinson typically did not play in both nights of back-to-backs as a member of the New York Knicks, but in an interview with Knicks Fan TV earlier this month, he made clear that would not be the case in Boston.

“It ain’t going to be the same in Boston [as it was with the Knicks]. I’ll be able to play back-to-backs,” Robinson said. “I’m very excited for that; it’s been a long time coming. Now I can go out there and play basketball, just go out there with a free mind and just hoop.”

George has also made clear he’s as healthy as he’s felt in years; he badly hyperextended his knee two years ago, and never fully recovered during his two-year stint with the Philadelphia 76ers.

“This summer really was a chance to continue to work: strengthen my body, strengthen my knee,” George said on Media Day. “It’s almost like a kind of rebirth, or reborn again — to be in a system, to be in a winning culture, a winning environment, and to feel good. To be able to work, to be able to train again in the summers — my summers the last couple of years were dedicated to rehab.”

Tatum, meanwhile, has looked like his old self so far this season after tearing his Achilles 17 months ago.

Joe Mazzulla did not specify Monday when asked how the team would manage back-to-backs.

“It just depends,” he said. “We trust the sports science team that we have, we trust the competition of those guys. At the same time, our locker room has built on 1-15, 16, or 17 being able to impact winning. It’s just a combination of all those things. At the end of the day, we have to do what gives us the best chance to win. At the same time, keep those guys healthy and validate the whole locker room by putting guys in situations where they gotta win games for us.”

The Celtics have gone with the same starting lineup every game so far

The Celtics have used the same starting lineup in all three full-strength preseason games and in their three regular-season games so far—a loss to the Detroit Pistons, a win over the New York Knicks, and a win over the Bulls. That lineup has consisted of Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Mitchell Robinson.

The Celtics play on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Bulls 134-99 on Monday night at TD Garden. Pritchard exploded for 28 points in 21 minutes, while Tatum added 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Celtics-Nets tips off on Tuesday night at 7:30pm ET.

Last week was some of the best sleep I had gotten in a long time. Climbing into bed with the biggest, dumbest grin on my face, giddily scrolling through my phone on Canis, Reddit, and YouTube, seeing what everyone had to say about just how awesome the Minnesota Timberwolves are. Seriously, it was great.

I would whisper myself to sleep, repeating the mantra “82 and 0, 82 and 0…,” then dream of show-stopping sequences like Ant juggling the ball through traffic and rocking the rim, Melo doing the jump rope shuffle into a one-footed rainbow three, Beringer blocks, Kuminga lobs, TJ step-back threes, and secret handshakes that will be studied by kinesics experts and nonverbal communication researchers for decades. 

There were also dreams of glory, of hoisted hardware, of an “anything is possible” redux with the legend himself, KG, sitting courtside, tears of joy glistening in his eyes. One can dream, but most of these dreams actually did happen, so why not that one as well? 

Why not us?  

Yes, I know the Wolves will officially not be going 82-0 this year, and that’s too bad. I had high hopes we could get it done this year. I’ve reached out to the NBA about reviewing the tape and possibly getting that loss to Cleveland reversed. They haven’t responded, but that’s on them.

Barring a reversal, just because we’re not going 82-0 doesn’t mean we can’t go 81-1, and putting the Cavs debacle aside there is still so much to be giddy about when it comes to this new look Wolves team. So let’s overreact, shall we? No single loss is going to stop us from listening to our hearts on repeat.

The heart is always right.

Best in the West

Is this year’s Wolves squad reminding anyone else of the 95-96 Chicago Bulls? You don’t even have to squint to see that Anthony Edwards is obviously MJ, while Scottie Pippen has undergone some sort of bifurcation process and split off into both LaMelo Ball and Jaden McDaniels. Then you’ve got defensive stalwart and human highlight reel Jonathan Kuminga, the Stifle Tower Rudy Gobert, Ayo Dosunmu, TJ Shannon, the French Prince Joan Beringer – hold up…

Are the Wolves actually better than the 95-96 Bulls? How is that even possible? 

With a small enough sample size, anything is possible.

Also worth noting, in that historic Bulls season, they played their third game at home against the Toronto Raptors, and their next game on the road against…you guessed it…the Cleveland Cavaliers. Of course, unlike us, they beat Cleveland, but they weren’t on the second night of a back-to-back. Just something to consider when we’re comparing our respective places in NBA history.

That Bulls team also still holds the best net rating in NBA history at +13.4. While I do think that’s beatable, I firmly believe the Wolves have a real shot at breaking the NBA record for point differential, previously held by the 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder at +12.9 PPG. 

Right now, even with the loss to the Cavs, the Wolves are second in the league in point differential at a still absurd +17 PPG, behind only Micah Nori’s Portland Trail Blazers. We love Micah, but there’s no way his team keeps this up. The Wolves, on the other hand, will, because of the power of friendship and Rudy’s goatee that Chris Finch strokes for good luck when no one is looking.  

If the Wolves continue to not just beat the teams they should beat, but consistently crush them, a double-digit differential is sustainable.

And it wouldn’t hurt to embarrass some of our fellow West contenders while we’re at it. 

By the way, last year’s Melo-led Hornets team had a double-digit point differential from January 3rd onward, and this team is leaps and bounds better than that fun but flawed Hornets squad. To add to that, as those mid-season buzzsaw buzzers were just starting to take flight, one game that especially turned heads was a 27-point drubbing of the Thunder in OKC.

Can we get in on that, please?

Ant is winning MVP

I’ve hitched my wagon to the Ant MVP train, and so far so good. With LaMelo allowing him to slide into his more natural shooting guard position, this fully realized version of Ant has never had this much space to work with. So far, after four games, he’s putting up 33.3 points per game on 72.1% true shooting. Ant has increased both his scoring and true shooting averages every year, which means…cue Disco Stu…

If the Wolves go 81-1, it will be hard not to give him the nod. But if, for whatever reason, something goes horribly wrong and the team finds itself struggling to claw its way to 60 wins, I think those numbers will still suffice, and Ant will have himself his first real piece of NBA hardware.

Ayo 6MOY campaign loading

It’s as simple as this: Ayo is a stud, and the Wolves are going to be the best team to come out of the West. Historically, the studliest bench player on the best team wins Sixth Man of the Year. This isn’t even an overreaction; it’s just the most logical take.

Jaden makes his first all-star game

Your favorite player’s favorite player gets to play on everybody’s favorite night. /s 

Jaden will get a considerable number of player votes. What remains to be seen is how he fares in the fan voting, but with this team’s popularity having skyrocketed, I expect to see some favoritism swing the Wolves’ way. He’s more than earned the recognition.

What’s more, Jaden will win all-star MVP because Ant will continuously feed him the ball, and then at some point Jaden will do this…

Terrence Shannon Jr. will finish top-10 in the league in three-point percentage

Hey, he’s shooting 50% from long-range. Did I see this coming? No. Is it sustainable? Yes. How so? I don’t know. Through Crunch, all things are possible.

We’ve all heard the stories of TJ as a known gym rat. First player to arrive at the gym, last player to leave. It should come as no surprise that a player with his work ethic has managed to add this wrinkle to his game. I, for one, welcome our new three-point overlord.

Elsewhere Around the League

Miami Heat will miss the playoffs, again

The Heat are bad. Like, really, really bad. It’s basically Giannis and an assortment of chips, and I guess Bam but sometimes he is so invisible that calling him out at all, I feel, is one acknowledgement too many. And by the way, aren’t you supposed to trade the bag of chips? That’s how we got Ayo. 

From what I’ve seen, this is a play-in team, at best. To all the talking heads out there who think the Heat will be fine: stop it. They will not be fine. They are atrocious, and after the Kalshi shareholder’s stunt in Milwaukee, I choose to bask in the schadenfreude of it all. 

If I go to the gym and the Heat are playing, I will watch the game while on the treadmill and declare myself an honorary member of the 2026-27 Miami Heat.

Ty Jerome for Most Improved Player is a lock 

Who had Ty Jerome averaging nearly 30 points per game on the 4-0 Memphis Grizzlies on their bingo card? And if you did, have you ever actually played bingo before?

With Ja finally gone, the Grizzlies are no longer just “fine in the West”. They’re on a roll, with Ty as the engine. He’s always been a bucket getter, but for the first time in his career he’s getting a chance to really let it fly, putting up nearly 20 shots a game (his previous high was 8.8 two seasons ago on the Cavs).

From logo threes to his signature floater, there’s no reason to believe he won’t keep his scoring output at least in the low-to-mid-20 point-per-game range. And if the Grizzlies keep winning, this race is all but over.    

Denver is on life support 

I will admit to this very much being confirmation bias. 

It doesn’t help that the Nuggets got absolutely dismantled the other night at home by a Golden State Warriors team we all project to be pretty bad this season. But the Nuggets peaked in 2023, and they haven’t done much to disabuse that notion.

While they still might win enough games purely on the back of professional horse whisperer Nikola Jokić, they are nowhere near the top-4 and should probably be looking over their shoulder at those pesky Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers nipping at their heels. However the regular season pans out, I’m just not buying it.

The top two West teams are not who we thought they were

With OKC’s devastating key injuries (Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are expected to miss several months, if not the entire season), the sky isn’t falling for them, but it is lowering considerably and moving quickly while doing so. 

Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs’ rather clunky start is showing us that progress is indeed not linear. Even if they are choosing to cruise to the playoffs, that could make things awfully contentious in the upper bracket of the Western Conference as the rest of the season shakes out. 

The Houston Rockets have been the most impressive team in the West so far, besides the Wolves, of course. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if those four teams are the ones wrestling for top seeding. 

Obviously, the Wolves will be sitting comfortably in first, 20 or so games ahead of the next tier of teams when it’s all said and done. 81-1 is undefeated. That made more sense in my head.

Yaxel Lendeborg could be the first player to retire during his rookie season due to having lost all respect for the league

When asked what contributed to his surprise decision to leave the NBA so abruptly, Lendeborg simply said, “I ain’t no h**.”

Editor’s note: Technically, Gene Melchiorre retired from the NBA after his point-shaving scandal in college was discovered. Despite being the first overall pick, he had no way of fighting the story and walked away before Maurice Podoloff banned him

Now, you have faces of the league convincing people to gamble their savings away on prediction markets with no repercussions.

That’s sad.

What are your overreactions to the first week of NBA play? Do you agree that the Wolves will finish 81-1? Have you also reached out to the league about the Cavs game? Sound off in the comments below.

The reigning champion Knicks fell to 0-3 on the new season, pointing to either violent regression or a debilitating hangover, depending on who you ask. While fans and media have their theories, head coach Mike Brown points to three on-court causes. 

Brown blames missing quality shot attempts, lacking physicality/pace, and the combination of careless turnovers and poor defense in transition, per SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley. Everybody has their piece of the picture, but zoom out and the problem may be a short-term sacrifice that bears fruit in the long run, like one the Knicks dealt with last year. 

Brown was brought in partly to, and partly won a championship off, the willingness to use the regular season to experiment over trying to maximize wins. He installed a brand new offensive system, shortened starters’ minutes to save them for the rigors of the postseason, and constantly tried new players and lineups.

This strategy paid off in spades. Karl-Anthony Towns as a passing hub saved their season in the first round, third-stringers stepped up all year round and Jalen Brunson-Jose Alvarado lineups closed the greatest comeback in playoff history.

Coming into 2026-27, Brown has much cooler expectations, being the coach that accomplished the impossible versus the one that’d better or leave town. He’s also watched eight consecutive new NBA teams win and fail to make it back to the NBA Finals, and knows the Knicks can’t afford to be stagnant if they want to repeat. 

Given he has more leash and political capital than any New York coach in recent history, and both the incentives and blueprint for innovating, it’s only natural he’d go even further in using the regular season, conceptually, to prioritize spring wins over winter ones. We’ve seen it in numerous ways these first three games, perhaps contributing to the early malaise by throwing new questions at a team trying to cheat off a test from last year. 

Despite losing three games by single digits, all of which went down to the wire, the Knicks starters are playing about the same average minutes as they did last year. Brown has held firm with losing and bench-heavy units to see more of those combinations. 

Speaking of bench-heavy units, the Knicks have poured 19 minutes into lineups without Brunson or Towns in three games this season. For comparison, outside of garbage time, they played these combinations for 47 minutes, total, in last year’s playoffs.

During training camp, Brown pointed to bigger offensive roles for his wings, so this trend aligns. We’ve seen OG Anunoby self-create much more of his offense.

The offense in general isn’t simply what the Knicks trotted out last season. They’ve heavily leaned into their freelance motion approach over set plays to start the season, a challenge that could help explain their 29th overall offensive start. 

Brunson isn’t getting his usual amount of on-ball reps either, with his possession rate dropping from 45.7 percent last season to 29.6 percent this season, per film analyst DJ Zullo. This could be a factor in his poor shooting start.

Brown’s even shifted the rotation in these opening contests, closing with James Wiseman as the primary backup center over Andre Drummond in their latest contest. This, along with adjusting between defensive schemes, has given the Knicks a steady flow of new looks instead of allowing them to ride the championship’s coattails. 

While these may make things somewhat tougher in the short term, if Brown is correct like he was last season, they’ll pay off down the line. A Knicks team that’s better prepared to make offensive plays when Brunson’s having a bad night, or rely on a deep bench cut in a pivotal Game 6, is one that’s better prepared to repeat.

There is a downside, as the Knicks are looking to rebuild their mettle and regain their rhythm amid a landscape that’s changing despite familiar faces. The ring bought them at least three games of rope, but if the losing continues, the noise won’t stay quiet. 

Brown faced similar circumstances last year and successfully pivoted, so if that situation arose again, there’s no doubt he’d be able to do the same. But if the price for another championship is a 2-6 start in November, Brown, his team, and their fans should be happy to pay it. 

Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce said he’s “tapped out” after his final check from FS1 in August, leaving him without a steady income amid a custody battle with his ex-wife, Princess Santiago, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.

Paul — who earned $195.1 million in salary over his 19-season NBA career, per Spotrac — pays around $28,000 in child support and another $20,000 in spousal support to Santiago per month, the court docs state.

The ex-couple share a son, King Rafael, who was born in February.

Paul spends around $48,000 a month in bills, including $8,000 in childcare, $5,000 in groceries, $7,000 on eating out, $3,200 on utilities, $1,000 on clothes and $3,500 on entertainment, among other expenses, per the court documents.

The 49-year-old adds that he has $300,000 in the bank and $3 million in property to his name.

Paul’s final check from Fox Sports came in August — and his average monthly income was $119,000 as an employee of the network.

Pierce says he earned around $23,000 in September from his partnership interests in other business ventures.

Pierce is asking the court to deny Santiago’s request for $40,000 in legal fees and another $10,000 for a forensic accountant, whom she allegedly hired to review his financial records.

The Celtics legend’s attorney said his client, who is “financially drowning,” would have “great difficulty” paying these fees since his Fox Sports income ended.

Pierce and Santiago, an event director in Los Angeles, have been in a custody battle for months.

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Santiago previously filed a paternity suit in January, claiming Pierce was the father of her son.

In court documents obtained by TMZ in August, Santiago provided text messages claiming Pierce ignored her throughout her pregnancy and “prioritized love interests and vacations” over their son.

She asked the court for sole legal and physical custody of their child, as well as child support payments.

At the time, Paul filed court docs opposing Santiago’s previous request for $30,000 per month in child support, plus another $100K for legal fees in the case, TMZ reported on July 31.

Pierce hosts the “Ticket & The Truth” podcast alongside former teammate Kevin Garnett. He also hosts the “The Truth After Dark,” a weekly relationship and pop culture podcast co-hosted with Azar Farideh.

Paul worked as an analyst for FS1 after he was fired from ESPN in 2021 due to his conduct on social media.

At the time, the 10-time NBA All-Star shared a live Instagram video at a poker game that included strippers and smoking weed.

Pierce later revealed he was unapologetically “having a good time.”

“Come on, I didn’t do anything illegal,” he said at the time, later adding, “I’m divorced. I’m retired. I’m having fun.”

Pierce played 15 of his 19 NBA seasons with the Celtics and won a championship and Finals MVP with Boston in 2008.

He also had stints with the Nets, Wizards and Clippers.

The Celtics retired his No. 34 jersey in February 2018, after he retired the year before.

The Washington Wizards’ 2026-27 regular season is young. And though AJ Dybantsa has still yet to make his season (and NBA) debut, the Wizards’ two established All-Stars, guard Trae Young and forward Anthony Davis, are producing the numbers fans expect.

Both Young and Davis are averaging 22 points a game each, both in the top 30 for the NBA. It should also be no surprise that Young and Davis are also taking the most shots per game. That said, Davis is making only y 44 percent of his shots so far this season, well below his career rate of 52.2 percent. That said, Davis has only played four games so this percentage should move up over time.

Young has started off on a hot streak with assists where he leads the NBA with 11.0 per game. Though he averaged just 8.0 assists per game last season though it was in just 15 total appearances with the Wizards and Atlanta Hawks. From the 2022-23 through 2024-25 seasons, Young averaged at least 10 assists per game though it also came with him averaging over 4 turnovers per game. This season, Young is only averaging 2.3 turnovers though four games is a small sample size.

If Young and Davis stay consistent, the Wizards should be a significantly improved team this season, even if they can’t carry Washington to a Top-4 finish in the Eastern Conference. Now, we’re just waiting on when Dybantsa to get cleared for his professional debut.

Kawhi Leonard will undergo a treatment and rehabilitation program due to left knee swelling, according to the Toronto Raptors. Leonard will be reevaluated in one week.

Toronto also revealed that medical imaging revealed no acute injury.

The longest stretch of games Leonard missed during his lone campaign with the Raptors in 2019 was four games over nearly a week. At the time, he wasn’t listed with an official acute injury and his absence was described as load management. The Raptors went 3-1 during this stretch.

If he’s cleared in one week (Nov. 4), he’ll miss a total of four games, including matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers.

Leonard missed the first 34 games of the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers due to chronic inflammation and right knee swelling. While Raptors fans can breathe a sigh of relief that it’s not the same knee, it’s impossible to ignore the dread this news brings.

In Leonard’s defence, the superstar made up for his absence by playing 37 of the final 48 games of the season. In the following year, Leonard appeared in 65 contests, the second most games he’s played in since 2016-17. During that year with the San Antonio Spurs, he played a career-high 74 games and was an All-Star.

The start of the 2026-2027 season has been polar opposites for the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks. For the Pistons, they are 3-0 with three impressive wins over expected playoff teams in the East. For the Knicks, they have also faced three likely playoff teams in the East, but have lost all three games.

Championship hangovers are a thing and the New York Knicks could be suffering from one. But, they also have a Championship core of players that are locked in, so their only goal is to get into the playoffs healthy and regular season results don’t matter as much. But, starting off 0-3 and only averaging 102 points per game could be viewed as a bit concerning.

Luckily for the Knicks, they will be facing a short-handed Pistons team that will for sure be without Jalen Duren but could also be without Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Joe. That didn’t matter on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers, but the 76ers were also short-handed. Everything points to the Knicks being fully healthy for this game, so it will be a challenge as the Knicks try to avoid an 0-4 start and put a stop to the only remaining unbeaten team in the East.

Game Vitals

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, NY
When: Tuesday, October 27 at 8 pm EST
Watch: NBC/Peacock
Odds: Knicks (-3.5)

Analysis

The Pistons put together an impressive game defensively with their rag tag group of bench players against the 76ers on Sunday. They held the Sixers to 93 points and shut down pretty much everybody except for Tyrese Maxey in the 4th quarter.

However, it was a bit of a struggle on offense with Cade Cunningham being the only offensive threat. The Pistons made a season-low 14 three pointers and also scored a season-low 106 points. Three-point shooting has been a huge part of the Pistons’ success this season and they could be without one of the players who helps a lot in that department, Isaiah Joe, who suffered a hip injury after a scary fall on a dunk.

Joe is listed as questionable today, but if I had to guess, he probably does not play since I am sure his hip hurts after the adrenaline wore off. Ausar Thompson is another Pistons player with the questionable tag, but there is probably a better chance of him playing since his injury was suffered against the Miami Heat on Friday and he is kind of a bit freaky when it comes to injury recovery.

The craziest thing for the Pistons 3-0 start is that they have done it withouot Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson for basically half of it. Duren suffered his injury in the 2nd quarter of Friday’s game against the Heat and Ausar Thompson suffered his in the 3rd quarter of the same game.

It just shows how impressive the Pistons depth is and how well put together their defensive infrastructure is. It doesn’t matter who is or is not playing, they are going to play lockdown defense. There is a noticeable drop-off on the offensive end, but you can win a lot of regular season games with a good defense.

There isn’t much to say about the Knicks as their formula is one that led them to a Championship last season. They have their wing defenders in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart and then their offensive hubs of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Brunson is one of the most clutch players in the league who comes through in the biggest moments.

So far, they haven’t gotten the clutch baskets they need from Brunson, which explains the 0-3 start, but a slow start after a Championship is a pretty common occurrence. You play into late-June the previous season and then have an abbreviated offseason once the celebration concludes. For the Knicks, they have had to start this season playing the 76ers and Celtics, two teams that are expected to be near the top of the East, and then a Magic team that was also a playoff team last season.

The Knicks haven’t looked great in any of their games so far this season, but I still wouldn’t be waving the panic flag yet given the level of opponents they have played.

A short-handed Pistons team could be exactly what they need to get their first win of the season, but as the Pistons proved on Sunday, it won’t be a gimme.

Whether or not Ausar Thompson plays, the Pistons are going to have to grit out another win through the sheer force of their defense. It worked against the 76ers and the Knicks could suffer the same face given their offensive struggles this season. But, the Knicks are equipped with the wing defenders they need to slow down Cade Cunningham, who has to shoulder a huge offensive load without Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson.

If Thompson does play, he can at least take away some of the ball handling pressure that Cade Cunnigham has to take on and allow him to attack off-ball more. It also would help quite a bit on defense as well, as it would give them another player to throw at Jalen Brunson.

This could end up being a very ugly game on National TV.

Lineups

Detroit Pistons (3-0): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Paul Reed

New York Knicks (0-3): Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns

Question of the Day

What has impressed you most about the Pistons so far this season?

Dusty May said it best in his postgame comments following the Dallas Mavericks’ (2-2) 113-109 win at the Miami Heat on Monday. Cooper Flagg is “a bad dude.”

Flagg filled the stat sheet like few players can, finishing with a game-high 29 points to match Giannis Antetokounmpo’s point total for Miami, 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals and three blocked shots. He scored 12 of his 29 in the decisive fourth quarter.

But it wasn’t just Flagg. It was PJ Washington. It was Kyrie Irving hitting some big early shots. It was two-way find Walter Clayton Jr., who finished with 15 points in 17 minutes off the bench. Here are the notable quotes from Monday’s postgame press conference.

Head Coach Dusty May

Opening statement

I want to congratulate our guys on a very hard-fought road [win]. 31 assists on 43 made baskets. I thought the hustle plays by Risacher, the last possession by P.J. coming up with that, Gaff, I thought we played extremely hard, we were quick to the ball and when Miami would go on a run, we’d find a way to hang around and hang around, and then our guys simply made big, big plays and big shots at the end. It’s a lot of fun when your two superstars are as unselfish as they are, and they show as much grace as they bring along these younger players. It’s been fun to be a part of and see it so far. Obviously a long way to go, but this is a very, very good win for our team.

On the Mavs’ defensive tenacity and physicality:

Yeah, Zacc is finding himself now. He’s still so young. We really,really value and appreciate those plays. However many missed shots he had, he had twice as many loose balls and blocks and steals and rebounds, and the ones that don’t show up where he just gets a hand on it, where it’s maybe coming to Bam or Giannis, he just gets a fingertip and then our guards dig it out. There’s no stat for that, but those are valued in our program and within our team. Just to see how connected our group is, to see how they’re all so much for each other is fun, and the guys, they earned this.

What did you do in the fourth quarter that made it hard on Giannis [Antetokounmpo]?

We brought bodies to him, I think probably the wear and tear of him having to do so much, and I thought he made a couple nice kickouts and the shots didn’t drop. I thought early on we were playing better than the score indicated in the second quarter because a couple shots weren’t dropping, and late in the game, to be honest, I thought they played better than the scoreboard would indicate. I thought they generated some great looks late, and they just didn’t drop, and so that’s part of the game as well.

How did you see Flagg taking over in the fourth quarter?

Well, we were struggling to find different ways to just get him in some space, and I thought our guys had good off-ball movement and spacing, and he just needed a crease. I mean, that’s a bad dude to get in a paint like that and finish. I think there were three guys trying to block it late. That’s one thing when you do get an angle and get to the rim on their, I mean, they had their perimeter defenders in, and you have Bam and Giannis coming over to block it, just to have the creativity to get it up off the rim. He had a couple that, they brought the third defender and drew the charge on him, but he was making the right pass as he was fanning out. He was starting closeouts. That’s one thing about Cooper, the ball comes out of his hands at the right time. If we get to where we’re really finding a rhythm offensively, he’s going to have even, he’ll have some 15-20 assist games. There’s no question.

How did you see Walter Clayton take advantage of his opportunity?

Yeah, Walt played in the stay-ready game called the Hunt Club earlier today, so he basically did a double-header. Obviously, it was an abbreviated one this morning, but that’s Walt. I mean, he’s a gamer. If anyone, obviously, this state, they’ve seen him a lot. He’s got ice water in his veins. He’s unfazed. Even when he doesn’t play up to his best, he’s the same way. I thought he dug deep, tried to defend. They were trying to go at him. I thought he held his own on the defensive end, and offensively, he just gives us so much because he can get wherever he needs to with the ball. He can create advantages. He can finish in the paint. I thought his shot fakes, obviously, have been such a great 3-point shooter. I thought he used his shot fakes well and just played really, really good ball.

Any concern for Sergio there?

Yeah, I don’t know what it is. He’ll have some imaging tomorrow, but obviously concerned because he’s such a tough kid. Whatever it is, we’ll be here to support him and get through it. Very unfortunate, like all these injuries, you look around the NBA, the first thing you think of is when there’s an injury, just how much time these guys spend to get their bodies right and how much time they’re going to have to spend just to get back to playing the game that they love to play. Hopefully, it’s minor, but we’ll know sooner than later.

What stands out to you about when PJ Washington is playing small-ball five?

I think PJ’s been great in stretches every game. For him to play 41 minutes tonight, and I haven’t reviewed the film, but I would say 39 of them were really intentional, focused, determined to do whatever it takes to win. Sometimes from my seat, it looks like he can just be in the game and not completely engaged. I thought he was engaged for almost the full 41 minutes. The last loose ball he came up with, there was five or 10 of those throughout the game that he just found a way to go get and then obviously made a huge three. He’s a weapon because he can stretch the defense, he gets in the paint, he’s physical with his bump-offs and little short shots, and then he’s got a nose for the ball too. He’s quick to loose basketballs.

On coaching in Florida and against Heat coach Erik Spoelstra:

Yeah, I feel better with the Mavericks going head-to-head against the Heat than the matchup of the head coaches. I had a lot of help tonight from the staff and also from our players, but obviously a lot of respect. They’re going to figure it out like I said earlier today. It’s not a matter of if, it’s just a matter of when. You think there’s 78 more regular season games, and you bring these new teams that all come from different defensive philosophies and offensive philosophies. It’s tough to get your guys on the same page and connected on both sides of the ball but we’re going to look up at whatever the amount of time is and they’re going to be playing great basketball and this will be a real quality road win.

On the closeout blocked shot by Flagg against Andrew Wiggins in the game’s final minute:

The thing with Coop, he’s trying to win. He’s never not — last year’s the first year of his life that he hasn’t won big, and he’s determined to get us back to where we’re playing extremely meaningful games at the right time of year, and each game matters a lot because the guy’s a winner. I mean, you see the plays he makes. He has a different gear. He has a different level of focus and attention; when he needs it, it’s there. But to see the plays he made, in the last biggest possession of the game, we just put it in his hands and knew he would make a great decision because of how unselfish he can play above the defense but also just his ability to get by people and finishing in the paint is incredible.

Do you appreciate your team’s next shot mentality, and is it important for a young squad like that to be able to keep shooting and not lose that confidence?

Yeah, absolutely and that’s something that over the course of my and our career that I’ve probably been a little bit loose with shot selection where some coaches how well you shoot it you earn the shots and with us if you’re playing the right way and the ball finds you then we trust you based on your work and practice and also the developmental plan of taking the right shots. Like I said, I wanted Zacc to keep shooting when he’s open, and most importantly, his teammates did too. I heard a couple of them say actually, I heard Kyrie say he’s playing so hard; I want him to keep shooting it and it wasn’t he’s doing this; he’s making 500 and not this he’s playing so hard. We appreciate that so much that we’re never going to tell him to stop shooting it and he made a big floater he made a huge three, and he’s a good shooter that’s the crazy part. Like, he’s a very good shooter that’s just not making them now but he’s finding so many other ways to impact the game and it looks like he’s having fun even though it’s not his best.

Collectively, what can a team learn from getting a road win against a talented Heat team early in the season to build on?

Each game is so different I think more than anything else just the belief that we can. You know, we won a game in Indiana where we had a little bit of margin and they came storming back and we held on. This one was back and forth, and we got a little bit of separation midway through the fourth, but it was a one-possession game and so it I think it gives our guys confidence that we don’t know what it’s going to look like. Maybe it’s a big time basket by someone, or maybe it’s a couple stops, but we have enough, and we got different ways to figure out a way to close the games, and so I think it just gives you confidence for later on when you’re in so many of these.

Cooper Flagg

What were you seeing in the fourth quarter that allowed you to get to the rim consistently?

I think just we did a better job at that late in the game just spreading the floor, getting into different actions and shifting the defense. You know, allowing for better driving lanes, angles and opening up the court a little bit.

You finished with 11 assists. What were some of the things you were seeing to be able to hit your teammates?

I mean they were mucking the game up. You know, being in the gaps heavy and trying to slow us down — make us just play through the pass and hit the easy one. So to start out early, just making the right play, and guys were knocking down shots.

Evaluating Walter Clayton Jr.’s night:

It was great. Walt was great. You know, obviously he hasn’t been with us for very long, but you know for him to just step up tonight and 6-for-7 from the field, but you know, I thought this is intensity and the way I mean — plus-22 — like for him to go out there and just play really really hard and unselfish basketball and just really give to the team in every single way, I thought it was a really big step for our team. Huge shout-out to Walt for just staying ready. I think honestly after shoot-around today he was playing — like he was in there playing with the guys in the stay-ready game, so a little double header for him. To be able to stay ready and come out tonight and just play and contribute like he did — it was it was really cool to see.

Did it mean anything additional playing in front of Spoelstra, who will be coaching the 2028 Team USA Olympic Team?

I mean I hadn’t really thought about that. Obviously for me, I’ve played for the country before, you know when I was younger um playing for Under-17 teams, stuff like that. For me you know it’s obviously a pleasure to be able to play for my country, any chance I get. I have no idea what it’s going to look like. It’s a good ways down the road so um obviously, you know, if I was ever asked to to be able to play for my country, that’s something I would love to do, and that’d be amazing.

How did you expect Wiggins to play you on that last drive for your last bucket of the game?

Like I said, just getting set. Once I had everybody set and everybody was in good positions, just taking advantage of the space that we had, being able to get downhill and challenge them at the rim. I was confident in my ability to get by him, create an advantage for our team and make the right play.

Does seeing Risacher and Washington playing hard on defense make the game more fun and also motivate you to play harder?

For sure, yeah, I mean I think just setting the tone early, being physical. Guys like PJ and Zacc you know those are things that they’re going to bring to our team every single night, so for them to just you know continue to step up these last couple nights and really just [show] how much they can provide us without even having to put the ball in the basket — that’s what I’m telling Zacc. I think obviously, nobody’s happy missing shots and stuff like that, but you know he makes us 15-20 points better when he’s being active and getting steals and playing his defense, so I have no doubt that his shots are going to start to fall, and there’s nothing to worry about there. So, with him contributing like he has been, it makes us so much better.

How valuable is it for Washington to be able to take on tough defensive assignments like guarding Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Like I said same with Zach I mean super valuable. PJ has been doing a lot for us on the defensive end. He’s been asked to take on some pretty tall tasks. I think he’s done an incredible job you know just you know doing whatever he can to help our team win and I mean PJ’s been knocking his shots doing what he does on the offensive end, but I mean defensively, he’s he’s been our anchor. With him and [Gafford] — they’ve been holding down the fort, so it’s been really big for him stepping up, Zacc stepping up, Gaff has been stepping up um on the defensive side of the ball. I think that’s that’s what’s making us better.

On affecting the outcome of the game on both sides of the ball, in multiple stat categories:

It’s just kind of always how I played — just making the right plays and whether it was scoring, passing, rebounding, getting in the lane, steals, blocks — just trying to impact the game and impact winning and competing at a high level.

On his veteran teammates, namely Washington, Gafford and Irving:

It’s been great. Those are two guys Gaff, PJ, and then obviously Ky — just great vets who set the set the tone, set the example and I think it’s been great for for me and for all the other young guys just to learn from. They set a really good example. They’re great leaders, with their communication, and they really show up and do it every single day, so it’s been great just to learn from those guys.

Walter Clayton Jr.

On the stay-ready mentality:

As simple as that — stay ready. Just trying to stay engaged during the timeouts so I know what the game plan is before and then just — a big factor — just the guys trusting me to go out there and shoot the ball and play my game.

Do you feel there is an expectation for a guy like you to play at a certain level to have synergy with guys like Irving and Flagg?

For sure, I mean, just being here for about a week now — Ky, the way he prepares, man — it kind of forces everybody to be on their P’s and their Q’s and prepare the same way. So just being locked in, just watching them, and, you know, these guys got a good system going on here, so I feel like I’m just kind of blending in seamlessly.

What allowed you to make that impact right when you came in to the game?

Just space. I feel like we got a good amount of paint touches tonight. We [were] relocating off the ball well. We felt like they were a team that collapses a lot, so just finding that space to get those shots off.

What stood out to you about the way the team played in the fourth quarter to pull out the win?

We just locked in during the timeouts, so talking to each other, I feel like we rebounded the ball great, and we were just physical. I think we came out and played our brand of basketball, and it worked for us.

How much did they start to change on you defensively after you made a couple of 3-pointers?

They were definitely probably a little quicker to get out on the closeouts, but, you know, that’s a great team. I don’t think they were changing too much for me. Tt was probably more so for Coop and Ky.

Has the chip on your shoulder grown as a result of this being your third team in two NBA seasons?

Definitely. My last year in college I was a big fish in uh in a little pond, and then you come to a new level. I’m a little fish in a big pond, so just got to work my way back up, and I feel like this is gonna be a great spot to be able to do that.

What did you make of Flagg’s fourth-quarter performance?

How many minutes did he play tonight? 40? Yeah, I mean, that’s a lot of minutes to be able to do that in the fourth. Just having him persevere for us. Coop is great. He’s a great player, and he’s gonna continue to be that for us.

What did the team try to do defensively against Antetokounmpo?

Just tried to meet him early — force them tough ones at the rim. Giannis is Giannis. He’s gonna get there, but we just tried to make it as tough as possible, and I think we did a pretty good job tonight.

What are some of the ways Washington affects winning?

Main thing is he be hitting people. I think people don’t understand how big those little hits [are] as the game goes on — how important they are, and PJ’s done that every game. He’s just been constantly doing that, so PJ’s great for us, obviously shooting the ball well and a great rebounder, so he’s been great for us.

How would you describe May as a coach and as a tactician?

Dusty is great. He’s won everywhere he’s been. I think he’s planning on doing the same here, and just as a tactician, he sees the game well, and he’s willing to listen to our point of view as players on the court. If [Irving] sees something, Dusty’s willing to take it into account. Dusty’s been great, and I think he’s gonna be a great coach at this level.

Celtics broadcaster Brian Scalabrine got himself into some hot water in Boston.

In a stumbling live TV conversation, the Celtics’ color analyst struggled to explain comments he made earlier in the day claiming Brown demanded a trade — the first such claim from someone inside the Celtics’ orbit since Brown was shockingly dealt to the 76ers in the offseason. 

“After the 48 calls I got today, and I listened, he technically didn’t demand to be traded,” Scalabrine said on the Celtics pregame show Monday. “I just summed it all up, and I summed up the word salad and kept it simple, but I think that’s what kind of got me in trouble there.”

Scalabrine was a bit more boisterous on his “The Starting Lineup” SiriusXM Radio show alongside Frank Isola just hours before his walkback.

“My understanding of this thing is he demanded to be traded,” Scalabrine said on the show earlier on Monday. “Not into the media, but to the organization.”

Scalabrine then got himself into even more hot water — likely with some within the organization, considering he’s a broadcaster for the Celtics with significantly more access than anyone on the outside — by alleging that Brown was recruiting players to join him at his next destination.

“But my understanding is Jaylen Brown went to the organization and had a list of demands,” Scalabrine said. “And it was like, ‘You either do this, or you trade me.’ And he was rooting to get traded to Milwaukee, including calling some other teammates about, ‘Hey man, what do you think of Milwaukee? We should go there.’”

Brown was rumored to be traded to the Bucks along with other draft picks or potential assets for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the trade did not happen, as the Heat acquired the former MVP. 

Scalabrine attempted to walk all of that back now that he’s making headlines.

“I have no idea [what his demands were],” Scalabrine says while fumbling through his explanation. “Technically, he didn’t demand a trade; it was ‘do these things right here or else.’”

Brown was later traded to the 76ers for Paul George and draft compensation. 

The Celtics broadcaster works for NBC Sports Boston, a channel the Celtics own a 20 percent stake in. 

Scalabrine did not specify whether one of those 48 calls that he “fended off” came from his bosses at NBC Sports Boston or Celtics team owners. 

“I didn’t even know that this was going to be a thing,” Scalabrine said of the media blowback. “It was one of those things that lived in my mind for months. I finally used it because we were talking about the weirdest stuff, and now it’s out there.”

“I don’t understand the full reality of it,” Scalabrine attempted to explain. 

Brown and his former co-star, Jayson Tatum, have had a strange back-and-forth in the media in recent weeks, with the 76ers guard taking the latest shots. 

Tatum had told reporters that his beef with Brown was “no f–king Shaq and Kobe. There’s no beef.”

But Brown appears to have stronger feelings than that.

Brown agreed, saying there is “no beef,” but added that there “might be a little lamb chops and some gravy,” with a cryptic “he should stay ready at all times.”

The 76ers play the Celtics on Nov. 10 in Philadelphia in the first meeting between the two stars since what has been viewed as an ugly breakup.

It’s been rough for the Brooklyn Nets. Following a loss at Cleveland on Saturday night, they came home for a Sunday evening matchup against the Indiana Pacers and lost 136-109. Mikel Brown Jr. sat out (injury management) as things only got uglier.

The Boston Celtics look different this season after a busy offseason, but their early results have been encouraging. They enter Tuesday’s matchup coming off a 134-99 blowout against the Chicago Bulls.

Game Info & Broadcast Details

• Matchup: Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics
• Time: 7:30 PM EDT (6:30 PM CDT)
• Venue: TD Garden (Boston, MA)
• TV/Streaming: YES Network/DAZN

Nets vs. Celtics: Who’s Out?

Brooklyn Nets

• Joshua Jefferson: OUT – G League Assignment
• Drake Powell: OUT – G League Assignment
• Ben Saraf: OUT – G League Assignment
• Tyler Bilodeau: OUT – G League (Two-Way)
• Grant Nelson: OUT – G League (Two-Way)

Boston Celtics: TBD

This is the second night of a back-to-back for Boston so we’ll find out a few hours before tip-off.

The Game

Jordi Fernandez’s message after Sunday was simple: “The performance that we put on after the first quarter was just unacceptable. 112 points in three quarters — you’re not winning basketball games.”

Indeed.

As we noted in our season preview roundtable, bad defense is a killer and things have gotten pretty ugly already. Erik Slater of ClutchPoints discussed the amount of open threes the Nets have been allowing through the first week of the season, and teams have punished those mistakes early and often. The Celtics have been top-four in three-pointers attempted per game dating back to 2022.

If Brooklyn’s defense continues to spring leaks, this game could get ugly quick.

One of Boston’s newest faces has been around a lot longer than you’d think. This is Year 17 for Paul George and he’s been a solid hand for Joe Mazzulla’s squad. George is a versatile vet with lower usage compared to what we remember — he doesn’t need to do the heavy lifting on most nights.

The downside to being in the game this long is you’re gonna get got every so often.

Mikel Brown Jr is back against Boston and that should be a welcome sight for Nets fans.

The 20-year-old will be one of several guards chasing Payton Pritchard around tonight. Pritchard hit for 28 points and seven three-pointers last night as he had the Bulls in a blender. PP has been one of the best reserve guards in recent years and is someone Mazzulla and the team can count on to deliver no matter what the role is on a given night. His ascension allows for more flexibility and makes things easier across the board for his teammates.

For Brown Jr, Pritchard offers a great test against on the defensive side of the ball, while playing against elite competition overall. It should be fun to see how he shapes out against one of the most prepared teams in the NBA.

Player to Watch: Jayson Tatum

“He should stay ready at all times,” said former teammate Jaylen Brown.

As the face of the franchise, Jayson Tatum has a lot to think about it. He’s the lead option on a championship contender and faces all pressure to keep the team afloat in a treacherous Eastern Conference. And these days, he’s awfully busy discussing his former All-Star teammate.

Either way, it’s a lot to handle for one superstar to handle.

On the court, Tatum continues to be one of the best around. After shooting 0-for-7 night from three on opening night, he’s starting to regain his rhythm. Tatum can hurt teams in more ways than scoring. Even when his outside shot isn’t falling, he contributes as a playmaker and rebounder while still applying pressure on the defense. Brooklyn needs to make him work for his looks and avoid giving him easy opportunities to get going.

As for the Nets: When a team is going through an early rut like this, it takes a lot to turn things around. Losses pile up if you aren’t careful and three losses can turn into five, five turn into eight — you get the rest. The schedule doesn’t help either. Neither does playing against someone like Jayson Tatum.

From the Vault

My dear friend and colleague Lucas Kaplan is leaving NetsDaily to work for the Los Angeles Sparks. Lucas is the best of us and while I’m sad he’s no longer working with us, I can speak for everyone when I say I’m beyond thrilled he gets to begin such an exciting new adventure!

With that in mind, I wanna revisit the best, most fun night of basketball we ever got to cover together.

More reading: CelticsBlog, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Nets Insider, SNY, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Boston Celtics Game Notes – Boston Celtics
• Jordi Fernandez doesn’t hold back after ‘unacceptable’ performance drops Nets to 0-3 – Erik Slater – Clutch Points