Category: Basketball

Luka Doncic kept it real ahead of Friday’s game between the Lakers and Trail Blazers.

The Western Conference matchup streamed on Amazon Prime, where Doncic’s mentor and friend Dirk Nowitzki is a part of the NBA crew’s studio show. The former NBA champion sang the superstar’s praises ahead of the matchup, and Doncic was asked if he had anything to say to Nowitzki.

“He don’t even call. He’s in LA and he don’t even call no more, so I expect that dinner soon,” Doncic said. “I expect that call.”

Of course, Doncic was playfully calling out his friend, who has been a longtime supporter of the guard since he was with the Mavericks. Doncic and Nowitzki were franchise stars in Dallas, but the former never got his happy ending with the organization.

Instead, the Mavericks shockingly traded Doncic to the Lakers in February 2025. The blockbuster deal stunned the league and essentially kick-started a new era in Los Angeles.

Now, Doncic is officially the Lakers leader as the team has opened the 2026-27 season as one of the top teams in the West. While the 27-year-old is evidently preoccupied with the Purple-and-Gold, he hasn’t forgotten about his longtime mentor.

Nowitzki was asked about Doncic’s pregame comments during the Amazon Prime NBA halftime show, where he laughed at the Lakers superstar’s cheeky answer.

“I’m big time now,” Nowitzki joked.

The Lakers opened Friday’s home game against the Trail Blazers by missing their first 15 3-point attempts.

But Luka Dončić ended the first half by making the toughest look of them all.

The Slovenian superstar guard banked in a buzzer-beating heave before the second quarter ended from just inside of the 3-point arc from the opposite side of the arc — 61 feet to be exact. 

After the Lakers missed their first 15 3-pointers, Luka Dončić made the toughest one of the night so far with this ¾-court make right before halftime: pic.twitter.com/iLhXHyiw6c

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 7, 2026

The home crowd inside of Crypto.com Arena roared as soon as the shot went through the net, which trimmed the Lakers’ deficit to 60-53 going into halftime. 

It also brought an end to what was a dreadful shooting half for the Lakers.

They only made 4 of 23 shots from beyond the arc in the first two quarters against the Trail Blazers.

Dončić is no stranger to miraculous shots.

He made a buzzer-beating shot from beyond half court in the season-opening win against the Warriors on Oct. 21. 

Luka Dončić’s hot start to the season received an early MVP endorsement from an opposing coach. 

Trail Blazers coach Micah Nori had high praise for the Lakers superstar ahead of Friday’s matchup between the Lakers and Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena.

Dončić entered Friday with averages of 38.5 points on 49.5% shooting (43.1% on 3-pointers), 8.1 rebounds, eight assists and 1.8 steals.

The Trail Blazers saw the first glimpses of the Slovenian star’s strong play when he dropped 41 points to go with nine assists and five rebounds in the Lakers’ first loss of the season on Oct. 27.

“This is the best shape I’ve ever seen him in,” Nori said of Dončić pregame. “And what I mean by that is back in the day — and again we didn’t have a whole lot of success, he beat us in the [2024] Western Conference finals — but it was like pick [him] up full court. He’s gonna play a lot of minutes, wear him down and then later in the game you could maybe switch on this to him and then he might have a harder time going around people. But I don’t see that.”

The Trail Blazers coach agreed with NBA.com’s first MVP ladder ranking, which had Dončić at the top. 

“He’s playing at an elite level,” Nori said. “Watching him, it just looks to me like he is in elite shape. He’s playing with a great amount of confidence. He’s got shooters around him, and he has a rolling big. So for him, it’s a perfect offensive storm. And he’s the MVP right now.”

Technically, this game counts as a schedule advantage for the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets haven’t played since Wednesday, but the Phoenix Suns had a game on Thursday. In fact, this is the third game in four nights for the Suns, so I’m adding it to the counter.

After crashing back to earth after a phenomenal 5-0 start, the Rockets are 2-2 since. The defeat at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves should be a wake-up call for those that were itching to crown the Rockets as contenders. They still could be! It’s a long season.

As most of you are aware, the Rockets own Phoenix’s first round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Therefore, this game has double importance as Houston wants the Suns to be bad (but not too bad!) and the Suns want to make that pick bad (really bad!). These teams got most of the faux bad blood out of the way last year, especially when Kevin Durant finally played in Phoenix late in the season. The Rockets should win this game, but never underestimate a motivated Dillon Brooks or Jalen Green. Add in Rockets killers Luke Kennard, Collin Gillespie, and Pat Spencer (hmm…what do they all have in common?) and you get a recipe for a “We didn’t take them seriously” loss. And that’s before I mention Devin Booker, Miles Bridges, Ryan Dunn, and (kinda once-Rocket) Khaman Maluach.

Tip-off

8pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Clint Capela: GTD

Steven Adams: OUT

Suns

Mark Williams: OUT

Rasheer Fleming: OUT

Jordan Goodwin: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Schedule Advantage Counter

Rockets: 2

Opponents: 2

Looking ahead because we can

Monday night in Houston against the Denver Nuggets

The Lakers are one of the Western Conference’s best teams.

Their early success can be tied to Luka Doncic‘s MVP performance to kick off the 2026-27 season. Doncic is in many ways overlooked even with his strong start to the season, but his warmup shots never cease to amaze.

At Crypto.com Arena, Doncic drained a wild shot from the corner 3 on Friday night. The ball flew higher than the retired jerseys hanging in the rafters.

Just warming up pic.twitter.com/hwD4oxQOnv

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 7, 2026

Yet while his warmup shots may be flashy, Doncic isn’t known for his finesse on the court. Instead, the Lakers superstar is praised for the pace he plays with and his ability to control the offense.

Entering Friday’s game against the Trail Blazers, Doncic averaged 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, eight assists and 1.8 steals. He was shooting 49.5% from the field and 43.1% from beyond the arc.

He seems to be proving the rest of the league wrong as Doncic received zero votes for MVP in a survey done by NBA general managers ahead of the season.

The Lakers still have issues to address, but their strong start to the season has intertwined with Doncic’s marvelous performance thus far. If the Lakers and their superstar can continue trending in the right direction, there’s a chance LA can be a legitimate contender down the stretch.

LOS ANGELES — For as poorly as the Los Angeles Lakers shot the ball in the first half, Luka Dončić's buzzer-beater might serve as a wake-up call.

Dončić got the ball off a Walker Kessler rebound with six seconds left before halftime, dribbled up to the top of the opposite key and launched a 62-foot Hail Mary that he practices religiously. Maybe that's why it looked good coming out of his hand.

The Crypto.com Arena crowd − including Bruce Springsteen − could hardly contain their excitement as the ball sailed through the air, and erupted as it banked in to send the Lakers into the locker room with just their fourth made 3 in 23 attempts, giving them some much-needed momentum as they cut the Portland Trail Blazers' lead to seven points after trailing by as many as 16 in the second quarter.

LUKA JUST SANK IT FROM 3/4 COURT 🤯

Bruce Springsteen can’t believe what he just witnessed! pic.twitter.com/D0a9aSnwuX

— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2026

The Lakers' uncharacteristic offensive struggles on Friday night, however, haven't seemed to rub off on Dončić. He leads the team with 20 points on 43.8% shooting to go along with two assists and two rebounds. He's the only Laker in double figures; Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves are closest to him with eight points apiece.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Luka Doncic's impressive 62-foot 3-pointer to beat halftime buzzer

The Toronto Raptors secured their first NBA Cup victory of the season, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 at Fiserv Forum.

Raptors guard Alijah Martin was the standout performer, recording 27 points off the bench and providing the spark Toronto needed to secure the win.

The Raptors were without Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who were both sidelined with injuries. In their absence, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles were called upon to step up, joining Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl in the starting line-up.

The Bucks got off to a strong start, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. opening the scoring with a lay-up and a three-pointer. Milwaukee also found success on the offensive glass, building an early 7-0 run before Murray-Boyles ended it with a dunk off a nice pass from Shead.

Toronto struggled to find its rhythm offensively, continuing a trend seen throughout much of the season. Despite creating quality scoring opportunities, the Raptors had difficulty converting their looks, while Milwaukee continued to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.

The Bucks extended their advantage with a 10-0 run following a Raptors timeout midway through the opening quarter. However, Toronto responded late in the frame, with Murray-Boyles, Martin and Jamison Battle helping spark a 17-5 run to cut the deficit to just two points.

Martin was particularly impressive, knocking down two three-pointers and converting both of his free throws. He finished the opening quarter with a career-high 14 points, showcasing his scoring ability from beyond the arc.

Despite Milwaukee’s strong start, Toronto battled back to close the gap, trailing 29-24 heading into the second quarter.

Milwaukee carried its momentum into the second quarter, with Brayden Burries and Ryan Rollins quickly finding the basket to extend the Bucks’ lead to eight.

The two teams continued to trade baskets midway through the frame, with Shead and Murray-Boyles connecting for Toronto. Shead was particularly effective as a playmaker, recording seven assists in the quarter.

The Bucks began to pull away once again, led by a strong performance from Burries, who contributed a tough lay-up and a three-pointer.

He had 15 points and seven rebounds as Milwaukee extended its advantage to 12. A subsequent 7-0 run, capped by a basket from Kyle Kuzma, pushed the lead to 14 and prompted Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković to call a timeout.

Toronto responded with a late push, highlighted by a three-pointer from Martin and a tough and-one finish from Barrett. Shead continued to create opportunities for his teammates, recording his 10th assist of the half. Despite the late surge, Milwaukee maintained its advantage, taking a 60-51 lead into half-time.

Toronto came out of the half with a renewed sense of urgency, quickly cutting into Milwaukee’s lead. Shead recorded his 11th assist of the night, finding Poeltl, who kept the ball in play before finishing with a smooth finger roll.

A subsequent steal led to a Walter dunk, bringing the Raptors within five. Shead continued to find Poeltl, setting him up for two more baskets as Toronto pulled within one.

Martin then gave Toronto its first lead of the night with a three-pointer midway through the quarter. However, Milwaukee responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Tyler Herro and Jaquez Jr., followed by an alley-oop finish to extend its advantage. The Bucks put together a 10-2 run after briefly surrendering the lead.

Shead continued to lead Toronto’s offence, recording his 13th assist with a pass over the defence to Collin Murray-Boyles. The rookie then found Martin for another basket to tie the game. Shead also recorded a double-double as the Raptors began to build a five-point advantage.

Murray-Boyles added a strong and-one finish, while Milwaukee continued to battle to stay within reach. Toronto’s third-quarter response proved crucial, as the Raptors carried a narrow two-point lead into the final frame.

Toronto opened the final quarter with a jumper from Jaden Bradley, followed by another three-pointer from Martin to extend the Raptors’ lead to seven, their largest of the night at that point.

Martin continued to deliver from beyond the arc, knocking down another big three to bring his total to 27 points.

The two teams continued to trade baskets, with Milwaukee answering nearly every Toronto scoring run. The Bucks refused to go away quietly, keeping the game competitive as both sides looked to gain control down the stretch.

However, Toronto began to pull away as its defence tightened and the offence found its rhythm. The Raptors built a 12-point advantage before Poeltl recorded a double-double late in the game, helping put the result beyond Milwaukee’s reach. Barrett also contributed with key baskets as Toronto extended its lead to 15. The Raptors continued to push late due to the fact that point differentials mean a lot in this tournament.

Milwaukee could not find an answer in the closing minutes, allowing the Raptors to see out the victory.

It was far from the prettiest of wins, but that has been the Raptors’ approach throughout much of the season: finding ways to get the job done, regardless of how they get there.

Slow starts offensively continue to be a concern, while Toronto also struggled at the free-throw line, an area that will need improvement moving forward.

Martin was one of the biggest positives, taking advantage of his opportunities and finishing with 27 points. He has also shown strong chemistry alongside Jamal Shead, who had an outstanding night with a double-double, recording 16 assists and 10 points. Shead continues to demonstrate the potential to become Toronto’s starting point guard of the future.

Barrett also put together another impressive performance, finishing with 27 points. Poeltl was equally important, recording a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. It has been a difficult season for Poeltl, but hopefully this performance gives him something to build on moving forward.

Murray-Boyles also looked more comfortable playing at forward rather than centre, which could be something worth exploring as the season progresses.

Toronto will look to carry this momentum into its next outing when it returns home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, November 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Bell Ringer Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 3.5
Jaylen Brown – 1.5
VJ Edgecombe – 1
Joel Embiid – 1
LeBron James – 1
Anfernee Simons – 1

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I know it worked last time, but fall behind by double figures almost immediately should not have remained the Sixers’ default strategy when facing the Cleveland Cavaliers. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, Philadelphia fought back to pull within just two points midway through the third quarter. This time, however, the Cavaliers absorbed Philly’s counterpunch and put the Sixers back on the ropes. Philadelphia channeled last year’s third quarter team in suddenly collapsing the rest of the way in the frame, suddenly trailing by 17 points again heading into the final 12 minutes. The Sixers couldn’t complete the comeback this time, with Cleveland building upon their advantage to go on to win, 119-95. Philadelphia falls to 1-1 in NBA Cup East Group B action, blowing up their point differential in the process. Let’s take a look at tonight’s positive performances before moving past this one.

VJ Edgecombe: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 0 turnovers

On a night when the team’s two former NBA MVPs struggled mightily, it was the second-year stud who tried to put the Sixers on his back. Edgecombe scored 15 points in the second quarter alone to drag Philadelphia back into the game. He hit a trio of three-pointers, one that almost looked like a no-dip shot from the corner off some nice Sixers ball movement. Additionally, VJ created looks for himself, knocking down a couple of tough, fadeaway jumpers. It was a giant foam finger to all the “this roster will stunt VJ’s development” doomers. What a luxury to have this budding star as the fifth option in the offense, ready and able to attack the opposing side’s weakest defender.

.@vj_edgecombe for three. pic.twitter.com/QRtdGEsTbD

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 7, 2026

Jaylen Brown – 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers

Jaylen didn’t have the scoring explosion of Wednesday night in Detroit, but it was still a solid performance from the former Celtic, who shot 9-of-19 from the field. It was a slow start to the game for Brown, who didn’t attempt his first shot until a little over one minute remained in the first quarter. Like Edgecombe, Brown did his best work in the second quarter, tallying nine points and a pair of assists in the frame to add least temporarily get the Sixers back into contention. Brown can bide his time within the structure of the offense, scoring off well-timed cuts or converting spot-up looks. But where he really differentiates himself is with those high degree-of-difficulty mid-range looks, where he can hit a fadeaway without even a sliver of space. It’s a wonderful tool to have available for those clogged offensive moments.

JB closing the gap with back-to-back buckets: pic.twitter.com/dUdFTJaJTp

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 7, 2026

Jabari Walker – 8 points, 5 rebounds, 0 turnovers

With Adem Bona unavailable, Walker received expanded run at the backup center spot. I loved the energy he brought to the floor, keeping multiple possessions alive with his hustle on the offensive glass. Jabari also worked hard on the defensive end and it never appeared as though the Sixers were hurt by any sort of size disadvantage during those parts of the rotation. He continues to play well when given opportunities and we could be reaching a point where Walker gets more run during certain matchups even on occasions Bona is active.

In a really disappointing opening NBA Cup game, the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the injury-ravaged Toronto Raptors 121-107. The only real positive to come out of the night was Brayden Burries’ breakout game (as I predicted!): he scored a career-high 21 points on 8/14 shooting, plus 11 rebounds (five offensive) and six assists. For the Raptors, second-year man Alijah Martin went off for a career-high 27 points on 6/7 from deep.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

The Bucks got off to a blinding start, leading 15-4 after five minutes largely thanks to Brayden Burries, who was electric as a rebounder to kick this one off; Burries had a maniacal five rebounds in the first four minutes, two of which came on the offensive glass. Unfortunately, Myles Turner picked up two quick fouls, which meant early minutes for Kel’el Ware; and while Ware did some good things, the Raptors seemed perfectly content leaving him open from three, and the Bucks’ offence stalled when he kept missing. Before long, it was a one-possession game after Alijah Martin nailed three spot-up triples in short order. Thankfully, Ryan Rollins scored five points in the final two minutes to put the Bucks up 29-24 after one.

Burries opened the second with a baseline hammer, followed by a Rollins and-one to push Milwaukee’s lead out to eight. The Bucks knuckled down on defence for the next few minutes, and a Burries mid-range jumper forced the Raptors to call a timeout as the home side led by double digits about halfway through the period. After going scoreless in the first quarter for the third straight game, Tyler Herro finally began to heat up in the second, nailing a step-back jumper against the waning shot clock and making some great interior passes. Burries was fantastic, nailing his first three to reach a career-high 15 points (on 7/10 shooting) with just over two minutes left in the first half! Much to Milwaukee’s dismay, though, Toronto closed on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to single digits, 60-51, at the major break.

The Bucks began the third lethargic, unable to generate good shots as the Raptors opened on an 11-4 run. Milwaukee was getting by on ticky-tack foul calls, while Toronto was running smooth offence. The visitors took their first lead at the six-minute mark after another Martin triple, but Herro and Jaquez responded with threes of their own to take it back; a transition lob to Nate Ament a few plays later capped Milwaukee’s 10-2 run and forced the Raptors timeout. Of course, the visitors responded in a flash with a 6-0 spurt as Jenkins called a timeout. Both teams mostly held serve from there on out, with a late AJ Green bomb bringing the Bucks to within two, 89-87, after three quarters.

The Bucks began the fourth like the third: unfocused and lethargic. With Herro taking a break, Rollins assumed point guard duties and did not do a good job, as he threw a reckless whip pass to Turner in the middle of the floor; the Raptors then went down the other end to grab their own rebound and find Martin for his fifth three of the night to add to his career high—really disappointing stuff. Jenkins had to sub Herro back in much earlier than (I assume) he wanted to, as the Bucks went down seven, but thankfully, AJ Green kept them in it with timely threes. Milwaukee made a few runs but could not execute (on either end) when they needed to, losing in ugly fashion to a depleted Raptors outfit.

Stat That Stood Out

Before AJ Green’s three at the buzzer, the Bucks had scored just 17 points in the fourth. The physical Raptors defence had completely strangled them.

Obscene Overreaction

Myles Turner would beat out pillows, butter, and kittens for the softest things on this earth.

The Lakers recently sent two of their youngest players to their G League affiliate.

Rookie Cameron Carr and third-year guard Bronny James are on assignment with the Coachella Valley Lakers. Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed the messaging he shared with Carr and James on the decision.

“You guys need reps, and you need to play,” Redick said.

Cameron Carr and Bronny James will rejoin the team for the upcoming three-game trip at Detroit, Atlanta and Milwaukee, per JJ Redick. https://t.co/FstOHJ6TLY

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 7, 2026

The Lakers’ No. 24 overall draft pick began the season with an oblique injury but made his NBA debut last Sunday against the Raptors. Since then, Carr has played a minute in a total of three games.

James, whose $2.3 million contract was fully guaranteed in the offseason, has competed in five games this season and totaled 2.4 minutes.

As bench players, Carr and James evidently haven’t received much playing time as the Lakers continue their strong start to the season. Given their limited minutes, the Lakers’ decision to send them to Coachella Valley allows the pair to get the reps they haven’t received at the NBA level.

That’s not to say Carr and James won’t contribute to the team as the season goes on.

The guards are set to rejoin the Lakers for their upcoming three-game road trip to Detroit, Atlanta and Milwaukee.

When Joe Tsai bought a 49% stake in the Brooklyn Nets in 2017, he and longtime investment partner Ollie Weisberg saw value in the NBA’s “limited” supply of teams and the growing market for live sports — starting in Brooklyn. Opportunities to buy into the league are rare, let alone to own one of two teams in the country’s largest market.

“We wanted to invest in sports because we think it’s a phenomenal financial investment,” Weisberg told Barron’s Patti Domm in a recent interview. “We believe that live sports is extremely unique. Live sports bring people together.”

Weisberg graduated from Harvard, where he studied international development economics and Chinese before writing his thesis on Russian and Chinese privatization. He later joined Goldman Sachs where he worked on the firm’s original Series A investment in Alibaba and negotiated the term sheet with Tsai. After a decade working for Ken Griffin of investment giant Citadel, he reunited with Tsai to build Blue Pool Capital. And when Tsai bought into the Nets, Weisberg joined him as a minority owner and vice chair of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.

Their new partnership was rooted in the changing economics of live sports.

“We believed that we would ride along with the growth of media rights, which primarily, five, 10, 15 years ago were in cable. But as you know, we’ve had a shift to OTT (over-the-top distribution) on your phone through streaming, and so we believed that would grow. That was a long-term bet on that trend. Then you layer in the concept of buying an asset where there is fixed supply. There were only 30 [NBA] teams.

“We believed that Brooklyn is a massively growing part of New York City,” he told Domm. “The team went from Jersey to Brooklyn back in 2012. We were very focused on how we could participate long term in owning control of a team. It’s not that often that control deals are on the table. We actually bought the team from Mikhail Prokhorov in two tranches. It allowed us to wade in as a minority shareholder at 49% and then ultimately take control,” Weisberg said.

The two believed their experience building businesses could help improve the franchise.

“We felt that we could bring our expertise and history of building businesses to turn the team around, both on the court and off the court businesswise,” Weisberg said. While the partnership has yet to produce a title for the Nets, the Liberty won the WNBA championship two years ago and the value of the franchise has more than doubled, per Sportico, going from $3.3 billion in 2019 to an estimated $7.4 billion this year. In addition, the Liberty’s valuation is now seen at more than $600 million, dozens of times greater than the estimated $14 million the Tsais paid James Dolan for it in 2019.

That Brooklyn investment was never intended as a short-term play, said Weisberg. But that doesn’t mean the Tsais are opposed to bringing in outside investors. In 2024, they sold a minority stake in Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Nets, Liberty and Barclays Center, to Julia Koch and her family. Tsai remained chairman of BSE Global and governor of the Nets with Weisberg as the alternate governor.

“We view the Brooklyn Nets as a family asset, and so we capitalize in making it worth more, right? But we’re not capitalizing by looking to sell it,” he said.

Increasing a team’s value also means improving the experience for fans. Weisberg pointed to owners who have invested in the product around the game.

“There have been owners that have taken teams — and we’d like to think we’re part of this group — that have made the product better, made the experience better: the food, the wine, the venues, the club space. That drives higher revenue, more money, therefore more value. I would think of this as a circular reference. Obviously, more funds get attracted, more funds get raised, and team values go up. So, the answer to your question is, unabashedly, yes. It is an asset class that has arrived.”

The Nets and Barclays Center is investing more than $150 million in renovations over five years, part of it financed with the $688 million the Kochs paid for the minority piece. The latest phase, announced in October, includes a redesigned atrium, a 9,000-square-foot event-level club and a new American Express entrance and lounge.

Technology is another part of that effort.

In September, the Nets announced a multiyear partnership with Alibaba as their official technology and cloud partner. The deal includes 360-degree replay technology and the Nets Figure Lab.

The arena and technology investments are part of a broader approach to sports ownership that extends beyond Brooklyn. Among other sports assets, Blue Pool Capital’s portfolio includes a three percent stake in the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and SailGP, an international sailing league founded by Larry Ellison, the founder of tech giant Oracle. Last year, Bloomberg estimated that Tsai’s sports investments were nearly equal to the value of his stock in Alibaba.

“We’re looking at Formula One. We have quite a lot of activity in lacrosse. I get decks (investment proposals) on new teams and leagues every day… Soccer is an area we’ll look at. It’s about understanding the league, and then understanding which team, like we did with the Brooklyn Nets,” Weisberg said.

That approach also applies to the market surrounding a team. Weisberg pointed to Blue Pool’s investment in the Miami Dolphins, where the opportunity extended beyond the football franchise itself. 

“We’re really happy with Miami, and Miami’s really interesting because it owns four assets. It owns The Miami Dolphins, the Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula One race, and the Miami Open. We took a view that the economic development of Miami would also propel ticket sales across all those assets. 

Of course, the Knicks’ success has added another dimension to the competition for basketball fans in New York, but Weisberg said the rivalry is something the organization welcomes.

“I would tell you that this fires us up. We want to compete. It’s great for New York. I’m originally a New Yorker. We’re all New Yorkers, but it is getting us fired up to compete,” Weisberg said.

He also described the relationship between NBA owners as a balance between competition and cooperation.

“One of the things that’s beautiful about the NBA is off the court, we’re business partners. On the court, we compete. A lot of the media rights are shared by the owners. So, when the Knicks won, I’m happy and thrilled for my partner, Jim Dolan, but it’s just going to make us that much more fired up to compete.”

Building the Nets’ audience is another long-term part of the investment. Weisberg said the organization is looking to attract New Yorkers who do not already have a team while developing a connection with younger generations through its community work. The process, he added, won’t be simple or short.

“Strategically, we’re looking at bringing over the marginal 40- or 50-year-old that doesn’t have a team. And then we’re looking through our community work, through our Brooklyn basketball community organization, which includes basketball camps, to long term build a fan base. This is a poignant nuance.

“Building a franchise takes decades. Joe and I are prepared to take the time to do that. When we view ourselves as stewards of the Brooklyn Nets, that’s the mentality you have to have. You may know, during COVID, the early days, we paid all our hourly workers before anybody else did. We’re a community asset,” Weisberg said.

The organization’s Brooklyn Basketball programming has reached more than 50,000 young people annually through free clinics and school programming. The program is also expanding into Greenpoint, Bushwick and Gowanus in 2027.

Weisberg used the word “asset” 11 times in his answers to Barron’s. He described sports as an asset class, NBA franchises as fixed-supply assets, the Nets as a family asset and the organization as a community asset.

Those ideas aren’t mutually exclusive. They see the Nets as a valuable investment, but one whose value also depends on what they build in and around it — a better fan experience, a stronger connection to Brooklyn and a fanbase that can grow over generations.

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The Dallas Mavericks bounced back with a home win over the Utah Jazz, 112-100. Cooper Flagg led an all-around team performance with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists to go along with three steals and a block. Lauri Markkanen scored 24 for the Jazz in defeat.

The Mavericks looked spry early, pushing the Jazz and jumping to an 8-3 lead. Flagg’s activity in particular stood out; during one sequence, he saved the ball out of bounces on the Jazz side of the court, throwing it to Kyrie Irving, only to sprint the floor and put Irving’s missed three through the basket on a tip in. The Jazz rallied back to tie the game at 15 just before the six minute mark, forcing a Dallas timeout. The offensive pace slowed way down the rest of the frame, with a Jazz hot shooting start cooling off some. Markkanen rained from downtown, taking eight threes and making four, but also picked up two fouls in his minutes. Dallas found themselves behind 28-26 after one quarter of play.

The Dallas defense struggled in the second quarter; with the bench unit in action, the Mavericks gave up basket after basket and Utah built an eight point lead. Dribble penetration kills Dallas this season, with no player seemingly able to stay in front of their man for more than a dribble. Santi Aldama got his first minutes in a Dallas uniform and immediately scored on the offensive glass. The Mavericks slowly worked themselves back into the game. PJ Washington kept a scorching offensive start going through the second, hitting his fifth three-pointer of the half and scoring 22 to pace Dallas. The Jazz kept pace, and the game entered halftime tied, 57-57

Quarter three was outstanding for the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg found his rhythm early and never let up, and Morez Johnson Jr. showed his pedigree in a big way, playing stellar defense, rebounding, and helping
Dallas take control of the game. It may well have been his best stretch as a professional. The offensive rebounding and second-chance points proved pivotal to Dallas, and they ended up taking an 89-76 lead into the final frame.

While the Jazz did attempt to mount a run in the fourth, at one point going on a 10-2 run, the Dallas Mavericks decided to close the door early. Dallas kept the pressure on, pushing after misses and makes and held off the Utah Jazz in a very satisfying performance.

Rebounding problems? What rebounding problems?

A couple of days after the Spurs made Dallas look like a youth basketball team on the glass, Dallas thumped the Jazz on the glass at both ends. Led by Morez Johnsons’s hilarious 17 rebounds (10 on the offensive end), the Mavericks managed to control both ends of the floor without having a stellar shooting game. The Mavericks shot under 30% from three and under 45% from the floor and still bodied the Jazz badly in this contest.

So now it’s question worth asking: was or is Dallas a bad rebounding team or did Dallas simply have to play the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs a total of four times in their first seven games? I suspect the answer is somewhere in the middle, but it’s nice to see that they CAN rebound the basketball.

PJ Washington, the stabilizing factor

Mr. Washington has taken much heat around these parts and will continue to be part of trade speculation moving forward, but I have to acknowledge just how good he’s been. His 26 points, including six three-pointers, helped keep the Mavericks in the hunt during the first half when much of the team didn’t have juice. I have been enormously impressed with his shot this season, along with his consistent effort. Washington was the quiet (or maybe not so quiet) X-factor in their run to the Finals, as he did a little bit of everything.

I have no idea what lies in the future for PJ, but watching him find some early success has felt good.

There’s a lot to build on

In his last two contests, Kyrie Irving has shot just 16 of 47, which, if you can do math, is not good. And yet, Dallas is a final basket and some meh reffing away from beating the San Antonio Spurs and as we know they just gave the Utah Jazz a beating. Not NEEDING Kyrie to be a Superman is a gift. He’ll be just fine.

I lead with that preamble because this was not an easy win. This team has something. What that is, I don’t rightly know at the moment, but I am curious to find out.

There are so many positives from this game. So many building points to go off of. The aforementioned Johnson, looking like a man who can control the paint at times. Walter Clayton Jr., a fearless addition to the back court. Zaccharie Risacher and the bundle of frenetic energy. And that’s just the bench, and it doesn’t consider the guys who couldn’t play like Sergio De Larrea.

Not knowing what this team could be feels spectacular, because the arrow is pointed in the right direction. Enjoy it.

Doc Rivers didn’t hold back when discussing Giannis Antetokounmpo.

On an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast” this week, Rivers divulged how Antetokounmpo handled his final season with the Bucks before an offseason trade to the Heat, saying the 10-time All-Star wanted to leave without formally requesting a trade.

“Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn’t want to be the bad guy,” Rivers said. “He wanted [general manager Jon Horst and owner Wes Edens] and those guys to say, ‘We’re trading you,’ instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played.”

Antetokounmpo was traded to Miami during the offseason in a blockbuster deal that sent Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and draft capital to Milwaukee, including multiple first-round picks.

Doc Rivers tells Bill Simmons it was so hard for him to coach Giannis Antetokounmpo during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks:

“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high…

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) November 6, 2026

Rivers also explained why he found it “not easy” to coach Antetokounmpo, whom he was with on the Bucks from 2024 until Rivers resigned earlier this year.

“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy,” Rivers said candidly to Simmons. “He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high IQ at the same time. He really has only one way of playing. Every play, he wants to force it. I wish he’d learned how to execute better.”

Jason Kidd — who led Antetokounmpo and the Bucks from July 2014 until January 2018 — discussed Rivers’ comments on ESPN earlier Friday, and didn’t agree.

“Giannis’ superpower to get downhill and he makes plays,” Kidd said. “Understanding Doc saying that his IQ, I disagree with that. I think Giannis understands how to play the game. His forcefulness getting downhill is what it’s all about. And so when he causes a problem, he’s one of the top five players in the league”

The Heat have struggled to a 3-6 start despite Antetokounmpo averaging 27.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists, although the team won three of four prior to losing to the Warriors on Thursday night.

Jason Kidd DISAGREES with Doc Rivers on Giannis being difficult to coach:

"I don't. I think when you talk about stars — they are hard to coach but they want to be coached. Giannis superpower is to get downhill and he makes plays. Doc saying that it's his IQ — I disagree with… https://t.co/3Vlbok6tCUpic.twitter.com/eM1f5xaGwE

— The HEAT Realm (@WadexFlash) November 6, 2026

Head coach Erik Spoelstra is still working to integrate Antetokounmpo alongside Bam Adebayo following an offseason that significantly reshaped Miami’s roster, although they are arguably the most disappointing team in the NBA this season.

Through the first nine games, Miami is second in pace but has just the 19th-ranked offense to show for it, and their pace-for-pace’s-sake style of play has contributed to a surprisingly inefficient defense so far, where they rank No. 26 in the NBA.

The Heat return on Sunday against the lowly Kings.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Donovan Mitchell

23 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds

Mitchell opened this game with a flurry of scoring to put the Cavs ahead right away. He continued the first half by doing a little bit of everything, dishing 7 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds to go with his 15 points in the opening quarters.

The Cavs have searched for the appropriate balance between Mitchell’s scoring and playmaking to start this season. Tonight looked like the right idea. His shot-making kept Philly on their back foot, and Mitchell made the right reads when the time to pass emerged.

Grade: A

Grades

Evan Mobley

22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 1 steal

Mobley looked spry and agile tonight as he helped hold Joel Embiid to a 0-for-9 shooting start. He also cooked Embiid with a mean-jab step before bursting around him to the rim in the third quarter. It was a strong two-way game from Mobley, who held his own as the lone big after Jarrett Allen was ruled out for tonight’s game.

Picking between Mobley and Mitchell for Player of the Game was splitting hairs.

Grade: A

James Harden

17 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds

Harden didn’t have it rolling until the game was already out of reach, but he filled his role and bought in defensively to help the Cavs turn that end of the floor into a roaring positive.

Grade: B+

Meleek Thomas

12 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals

Thomas hit two three-pointers in the first half, both sent Rocket Arena into a frenzy. The Cleveland crowd has already fallen in love with the 20-year-old rookie, and I’m giving him a bonus half-grade for holding his own in the post against LeBron James.

Grade: B+

Peyton Watson

13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists

Watson returned tonight after missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury. It took him some time to warm back up, but Watson began to settle into a groove during Cleveland’s run in the third quarter. His downhill drives are something this team hasn’t had at the small forward position, and they provide added rim pressure that benefits everyone.

Grade: B

Mario Hezonja

15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

By all definitions of the award, Mario Hezonja should be the league’s Most Improved Player this season. He’s gone from outcast to someone who can’t be left out of the rotation as Cleveland leans on Hezonja for his size, playmaking, and floor spacing.

Grade: A

Sam Merrill

0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Merrill is struggling through something right now and left the game early with a right elbow injury.

Grade: INCOMPLETE

Tyrese Proctor

3 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Proctor made his impact felt early by grabbing 4 offensive rebounds in the first quarter. He scrapped and clawed defensively for 2 steals and multiple deflections, making up for a poor night of shooting the ball.

Grade: B

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-95 in LeBron James’ first game back in Cleveland this season.

Cleveland hit the ground running in this one. Donovan Mitchell rattled off seven quick points to start, while the Cavaliers’ defensive intensity gave them opportunities to run in transition. That two-way combination fueled a 27-12 start for the Cavs.

Philly managed to narrow the gap to 33-22 by the end of the first quarter, and worked their way back into the game throughout the second. A 17-point first half from VJ Edgecombe led the way for the Sixers.

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game that taking care of the ball was his biggest point of emphasis. His team did a fine job of this in the first half, only turning it over five times. They finished the game with 15 turnovers.

Mario Hezonja was a big help off the bench for Cleveland, scoring 10 points in his first 10 minutes. Hezonja has been a positive presence on the glass and was able to notch a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Philly made it a game during the third quarter, whittling the deficit down until it felt like Cleveland might suffer the same fate as the last time they held a big lead over the Sixers. But a strong close to the third put the Cavaliers back up by 17 points, a cushion they were able to enjoy for the final quarter.

The Cavs held Joel Embiid and LeBron James in check throughout the night, with the two stars shooting 2-for-16 and combining for 7 turnovers in the first three quarters. It was Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown who gave the Sixers any signs of life.

Donovan Mitchell led the way with 23 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds. It was a fantastic all-around performance that was buoyed by the elite defensive effort around him. Evan Mobley added 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Cavs are now 5-4 and will be back in Rocket Arena tomorrow night to host the New York Knicks in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals.