Category: Basketball

SAN FRANCISCO ― Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is not backing down from anyone and he's letting everyone know it.

He takes matchups personally. That's just him. Lendeborg plays with a chip on his shoulder and the Warriors need another guy like that.

His name made the rounds for his interaction with Lakers star Luka Doncic in his NBA debut. Maybe you don't like that it's coming from a rookie, but Lendeborg is playing whatever role Golden State needs him to play.

"I’m not supposed to talk to him, something like that," Lendeborg said about the backlash. "Like, I ain’t never been a (expletive). Come on now. He gonna say what he gonna say, I’ma say what I wanna say. I’m not afraid to talk to nobody, man. He’s not Michael Jordan. Come on now. So, I mean, it’s fun trash talk. I feel like I did kinda take it overboard in the media, but I mean, it is what it is."

If he welcomed the Doncic matchup, other rookies should expect the same treatment. Lendeborg looks forward to matchups with members of his draft class. His first one was against the Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer.

Boozer got the better of Lendeborg Friday, as his Grizzlies got the win. Boozer even hit the go-ahead field goal with 19.7 seconds left to give Memphis a 108-106 lead. He filled the stat sheet with 25 points and 13 rebounds for consecutive double-doubles to begin his career.

Boozer shot 6-for-13 and was a perfect 9-for-9 on free throws. He went 4-for-7 on 3-point field goals.

Lendeborg, for his part, had a better follow to his debut against the Lakers. The Warriors rookie put up 18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Lendeborg, like Boozer, also had six turnovers. He shot 4-for-11, including 1-for-3 from deep. Lendeborg was aggressive in the paint and got to the line frequently, shooting 9-for-12.

"(Boozer) played a great game today," Lendeborg said Friday. "We were both on the bad end with the turnovers but, I mean, we both ended up with double-doubles. It was a fun matchup. We didn't really get to guard each other too much, but he did take advantage of the matchup when I was on him and did a great job."

Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo knew going into the game that Lendeborg would be a matchup problem.

"He seems like a very NBA-ready rookie. He's got the body. He's got the athleticism. He has the game and seems like a confident enough guy to start playing right away in a major role for them," Iisalo said.

Iisalo isn't necessarily telling Boozer to embrace the matchup, but he knows his rookie is going to show up.

"We're not telling him anything," Iisalo told USA TODAY Sports about the Lendeborg-Boozer rookie matchup. "It's more of the narrative that you guys create. I think the players are here to play team against teams, so whatever individual battles take place there, that's normal. But I think both players are both trying to win."

Lendeborg looks forward to those matchups, though − really to any time he's on the floor competing.

"I always want to have a good game against anybody in my draft class or try to outperform them. (Friday), I didn't," Lendeborg said. "Every game I'm gonna definitely try to take that personal and try to win my matchup, ultimately just win the game for the team."

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knew the Boozer-Lendeborg matchup would be a good one, going back to their summer league meeting. Lendeborg got the better of Boozer and the Grizzlies over the summer, leading a fourth-quarter comeback with 21 points and 10 rebounds in July. Boozer had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

"Great matchup. Two big, talented young guys, multi-skilled players. Obviously, a good matchup between them in Vegas," Kerr said. "Boozer's a really impressive young guy."

Kerr raved about his rookie and all that Lendeborg brings. His coaching critique is that he wants Lendeborg to run the floor harder on fastbreaks and transition opportunities.

"I love the young guy. I mean, he's really talented. 
I love his competitiveness," Kerr said. "I guess I didn't mind, you know, that stuff the other day, but as Steph (Curry) said, you got to back it up, you know? And that's the thing. We play the Lakers again next week.
So, OK, you know, here you go."

Kerr isn't concerned too much with his rookie taking matchups personally, as much as he is with the overall team performance − especially on the defensive end of things. That was something he couldn't stress enough in a passionate response.

"For us as a staff, it's really more about the small things that most people aren't going to be looking at," Kerr said. "Help-side defense. He did a good job on Luka, one on one, but we got torched by Luka as a team.
I don't care, you know, all those stats that the NBA puts up, like, 'hey, when (Lendeborg) guarded him would he guard him? Who the F cares? Right?"

He continued: "It's like they scored 128 on us, you know? That stuff's all (expletive). It's our defense, and he knows that. I talked to him about that yesterday. And our defense was not good, regardless of him individually when he guarded the ball, you know, that stuff doesn't matter."

It's all a learning experience for Lendeborg in his first year.

He's got all the tools to make a difference for the Warriors. And he's got pride. You can't teach that.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg put the NBA on notice: He's not backing down from anyone

Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg didn’t hold the trash talk back in his NBA debut.

Lendeborg was tasked with defending Lakers superstar Luka Doncic on Opening Night and the matchup did not disappoint. The Warriors rookie started chirping at Doncic, which continued with back-and-forth banter throughout the game.

“I’m not afraid to talk to nobody. He’s not Michael Jordan,” Lendeborg said.

While Lendeborg wasn’t ashamed by his actions, he added: “I feel like I did kinda take it overboard in the media, but it is what it is.”

Here is some Yaxel Lendeborg postgame

On the backlash to Luka comments: “I’m not afraid to talk to nobody. He’s not Michael Jordan.”

He did admit: “I feel like I did kinda take it overboard in the media, but it is what it is.”

On the Boozer matchup: “I always want to have a… pic.twitter.com/sPvnUt5eX5

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2026

Lendeborg’s trash talk extended off the court as the forward ranted about Doncic to the media after the Warriors’ season-opening loss.

“Being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man,” Lendeborg said.

“Like, me getting frustrated, it’s not about the foul getting called. It’s about him complaining the entire game,” Lendeborg added. “Then you get the foul called — congratulations, bro — and you talk to me like you did something great? That’s just weak. It kind of threw me off for a while. Because like I said, I had so much respect for him. Gone, man.”

Lendeborg certainly had his welcome to the NBA moment as Doncic scored a game-high 28 points, seven assists and eight rebounds to give the Lakers a commanding win over Golden State.

But the Warriors rookie is seemingly unfazed by the results.

CLEVELAND — Mario Hezonja doesn’t lack confidence. He showed that in his first NBA game in six years when he waived off Donovan Mitchell and backed his opponent down from the three-point line for a much-needed basket at the end of the third quarter.

On the surface, a bench player waiving off the superstar for an isolation might seem outlandish, but that is exactly what Hezonja was brought to do in Cleveland.

“I told him [Mitchell] you’re not supposed to bring the ball up under pressure because we need you in the last quarter,” Hezonja said on Saturday. “We need you in the playoffs. We need you in game 80, game 60. Having somebody like me that can help. As I said on the first day, I’m here to help you. … As much pressure that I can take off of him, and James [Harden], Evan [Mobley], and Jarrett [Allen], players we need a lot, is just going to be so beneficial for the group.”

There’s incredible value in having a veteran that can recognize what the situation needs, and isn’t afraid to call his own number if that’s what the defense is daring him to do.

“I waived JT (Jaylon Tyson) so he creates space for me to go one-on-one against my mismatch,” Hezonja said. “I spoke to James [Harden] and Donovan; there’s five of us on the court, and you need to read those mismatch situations.”

Reading mismatches and exploiting them has been an issue at times for the Cavs. In high-leverage situations, teams have been able to get away with putting smaller defenders on bigs like Mobley and Allen. Sometimes the Cavs have exploited that — like Game 7 of last year’s first-round series against the Toronto Raptors — and sometimes they haven’t.

Hezonja is only one game into his return to the NBA after a six-year hiatus, but the early results have been encouraging. His game fits into exactly what you want to see from a supporting player. It’s why head coach Kenny Atkinson called Hezonja’s play “one of the positives” from Thursday’s loss.

Hezonja thought he’d be nervous for his first NBA game after spending the last six years in Europe. And maybe he would’ve, if it wasn’t for how welcoming his new team has been. They’re putting him in a position to be the best version of himself.

“It’s much easier than I thought, thanks to my teammates, to the staff, and pretty much everybody in the organization, from the top to the last person, really since day one, they embraced me with open arms,” Hezonja said when asked about his return.

“They know the basketball player that I am, but they also got to know the person that I am, so it’s definitely been super great, very welcoming. I hope that the comfort zone I’m feeling, people can see it’s thanks to them.”

The Washington Wizards hit the road to play the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The game starts at 8:00 p.m. tonight. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.

Go Wizards!

It has been half a decade since the Wolves won their first two regular season games to start the season. That was Chris Finch’s first full season as Minnesota’s coach. He led that team through the play-in and into a spirited six game series against the number two seeded Memphis Grizzlies. Since then, the Timberwolves have had their best stretch of basketball of their existence while also wrestling with their identity through its myriad iterations.

Thus far, there has been little wrestling. The Wolves have stepped into the season knowing who they are, and what they are, is fun.

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Game Info

• Who:Minnesota Timberwolves (2-0) vs. Toronto Raptors (2-0)
• When: Sunday, October 25 at 6:00 PM CT
• Where: Target Center – Minneapolis, MN
• Local TV: NBA TV | DAZN-MIN
• Radio: 830 WCCO

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Some Numbers

SSS (small sample size) Alert, but these undefeated teams are incredibly similar in what they’ve done well and where they’ve let up. They are both rebounding the ball well. They are both limiting their opponents to just under 100 points per game. They are both averaging north of 120 points a game. And both teams generate the same amount of turnovers. Minnesota forces turnovers less with steals, and more with consistent pressure that forces their opponents into mistakes. Toronto gets more takeaways with traditional box score stats.

That said, the Raptors wins have come against the rebuilding Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards (who are going in a direction, I am not sure what direction, but they are not standing still). The Wolves made mincemeat of the Heat and the Magic, both teams I would rank higher than the slate of Eastern Conference teams the Raptors have dispatched.

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What to Watch For

Kawhi and the Wings

The Toronto Raptors were reunited with their 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in the off-season after a drawn out process. Essentially, Clippers learned from from the Timberwolves as they took over the crown for Worst Instance of Cap Circumvention. In each of the two games the Wolves ran into Leonard last season, he scored over 40 points. He is quite simply, a problem. The Raptors will rely heavily on the Klaw’s self-creation if the Wolves force them into a halfcourt offense. As Leonard is working into game shape and yet to play over 28 minutes this season, Toronto has All-Defensive forward Scottie Barnes to pair alongside Kawhi. Barnes has grown into a two-way force himself.

Toronto may choose to put neither wing on the Wolves backcourt of LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, but that doesn’t mean they are any less effective. The passing lanes that the Wolves have used so effectively in the past two wins might look free, almost serene, like an open field of grass. When suddenly the ball is swiped from the air.

The Wolves will need to take care of the ball and not let the Raptors find a rhythm in transition.

Protecting the Paint

The Raptors don’t shoot a lot of threes. The ones that they do shoot, they tend not to make. Toronto has made just 11 of their 70 attempts thus far (15.7%). Instead the Raptors get theirs in the midrange and at the rim. Whoever guards Kawhi, be it Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, or Terrance Shannon Jr. will need to need be patient, weathering his physicality and cleanly contesting. Like with Paolo Banchero and Giannis Antetokounmpo, it will not be about shutting the star down, it will be about making them work for their shots and preventing anyone else from getting going. Conversely, the Wolves have lost the points in the paint battle, but made up for it with gang rebounding on the misses they do force to generate second chance looks.

Rudy Gobert should match up well against Jakob Poeltl and this might be a game for the Wolves to attack the basket more with a traditional pick-and-roll attack. The Wolves most protected passes will likely be lobs, and with 14-feet of French center to put them in the hoop, they can limit the defensive disruption of RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, Barnes, and Leonard.

Energy Off The Bench

The Wolves bench will need to bring the same pop that they did in Orlando. The matchup between Joan Beringer and Murray-Boyles will be one I am specifically watching. It could be a battle of energizer bunnies looking to make plays for their team through sheer effort. Super Sixth Man Ayo Dosunmu is head and shoulders better than the Toronto’s bench guards in Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter, and if Terrance Shannon Jr.‘s three-ball continues to fall, he should be able to break down any Raptor defense when only one of Leonard, Barnes, or CMB is on the court.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković has balanced his starters minutes which is much easier to do when blowing Chicago out by 40. Like they have done thus far, Minnesota needs to push off of rebounds, turnovers, and especially after Toronto makes. Should the Wolves turn this game into a track meet against the older Raptors, they will find a recipe for success.

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Prediction

The first quarter will be a back-and-forth affair as both starting lineups will trade buckets. The Wolves from outside as Melo and Rudy chip away at the defense with pick-and-rolls, while the Raptors rely on Kawhi’s lethal jumper. As the teams go to the bench, Toronto’s high effort style that kept them in games last year will have a Spider-Man meme moment, as the Wolves match the effort with more talented players.

The Raptors will take small bites into the Wolves lead, but never be able to finish the whole meal as Minnesota serves up an all you can eat buffet of three-pointers.

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Our blogging buddies are Raptors HQ. Be kind to our Canadian neighbors!

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell once likened speaking with a then-teenage Mikel Brown Jr. to talking hoops with James Harden, marveling at his protege’s maturity and basketball IQ. 

Saturday night, Brown got his first chance to suit up for real against both Mitchell and Harden. The Nets rookie finally got to play against his mentor in a game that mattered — and got to face the future Hall of Famer Harden for good measure in the Nets game at Cleveland. 

“Shoot, it’s great,” Brown, 20, said beforehand. “They’re obviously coming off a loss as well, just as we are, so they’re going to come in hungry. But to be able to play against Don was kind of crazy. The time went by. Three years ago I literally just met him in high school, and to be able to share the same court as him now and compete against him is great.” 

The Nets overtly tanked the last two seasons to get back-to-back lottery picks that became first Egor Dëmin and now Brown. 

While they had the joint-best odds of landing the top overall pick, they slid all the way to sixth. But the silver lining is that in a deep class they still ended up with Brown, whom Mitchell has said is hardly a consolation prize. 

“Not many high school kids pay attention to the details. I’m having conversations with [Brown] like I’m talking to James Harden,” Mitchell said recently. “He’s going to do amazing things in Brooklyn. Nets fans should be really excited, because they got one.” 

Years ago, when they were on a different timeline, the Nets eyed Mitchell. A local who was born in Elmsford — and played AAU basketball for both the Riverside Hawks and The City — he would’ve made an All-Star centerpiece in Brooklyn. 

Now they can only hope that Brown can someday become that. 

Brown was one-and-done at Louisville, where Mitchell was All-ACC in 2017. The latter took him under his wing, and is helping him right up until today. 

“Yeah, really just use what he [taught] … I get to use against him now, so it’s great. I’m just ready to compete at a high level,” Brown said. “I’ve been talking to him saying I’m gonna see him soon. So, the time is now. So, it’s gonna be good to compete out there. 

“He talked to me after my first game about some stuff. We talked about some things. But other than that, we both know what it is.” 

Brown had 15 points with three assists, two steals and just one turnover in his debut, a season-opening loss to Charlotte. This despite a recent ankle injury that had him limited to under 20 minutes and could see him rested Sunday vs. the Pacers. 

Following the debut performance, Mitchell checked in on his protege with some advice. 

“Just the things that I’ve already kind of fixed on my own. Going back and watching the film, there’s definitely a lot of things that I could have fixed. And me and him are basically on the same page on what I need to do better. So, yeah, that’s great,” said Brown, who was prepared to be trash-talked by his mentor Saturday. 

“A little bit. A little bit. You know, not too much, but I know he’s gonna say something tonight. So I’m ready to bump. … I might [trash-talk back] a little bit. I know he’s probably gonna do it, so I’m up for it.” 

Brown rolled his ankle the week before camp and missed the first three preseason games before debuting in the finale. He also missed the second half of his lone Louisville campaign with a back injury. Both may factor into the minutes limit. 

He was coy about whether the performance team has ruled him out for the tail end of this back-to-back at home Sunday vs. visiting Indiana. 

“As of right now, I don’t know. I’m just kind of just going with the flow at this point,” Brown said. “I’m ready to hoop regardless. If they call my name, I’m ready to hoop.”

Opening Night was great until it wasn’t for the Nets. The best part about basketball? There’s always a next one.

Brooklyn opened its 60th season with a 110-103 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. The Hornets scored 48 points inside the paint, shot 17-of-22 at the rim, and added 20 second-chance points, exposing some of the concerns surrounding the Nets’ positional-size approach. Mikel Brown Jr. remains on a minutes restriction on Saturday and then he’ll sit on Sunday.

#Nets coach Jordi Fernandez confirmed that Mikel Brown Jr. will be held out of the tail end of the back to back tomorrow vs the #Pacers, regardless of how many minutes he logs tonight in Cleveland. #nba#Cavs

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 24, 2026

Opening Night was great until it wasn’t for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They blew a 29-point lead to the Philadelphia 76ers 0n national television. Don’t be surprised if they’re fired up in front of their home crowd.

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Game Info & Broadcast Details

• Who: Brooklyn Nets (0-1) at Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1)
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• TV/Streaming: YES Network and DAZN
• Location: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

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Injury Report: Who’s Out?

Brooklyn Nets:

• Tyler Bilodeau: OUT (right shoulder sprain)

Cleveland Cavaliers:

• Khalifa Diop: OUT (left knee)
• Nae’Qwan Tomlin: OUT (lower back)

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Game Preview

“Finishing at the rim against this team is a tall task, and [Julius] Randle will have to find his way to the cup. Philadelphia punished the Cavs in transition to spur the comeback, and it would help the Nets immensely if they could get out and run early and often.

Of course, the big story at least for fans is when will we see Mikel Brown Jr., without minutes restrictions. MBJ looked good in his 19 minute debut vs. the Hornets but Jordi Fernandez offered no firm timeline on when the restrictions would be ended.” – Brian Fleurantin

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💬 Discussion

Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Observations after Sixers beat Bucks to move to 3-0, Embiid posts triple-double  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers stayed unbeaten Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, earning a 127-116 win over the Bucks and improving to 3-0 on the season. 

Joel Embiid had his 10th career regular-season triple-double, tallying 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

On his 30th birthday, Jaylen Brown posted 27 points and five assists. Tyrese Maxey had 26 points. VJ Edgecombe scored 17 and grabbed 13 boards. 

The Sixers’ absences on the first night of a back-to-back included LeBron James (low back/sciatica management). Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame that he did not know yet who would be available for his team’s matchup with the Pistons on Sunday.

Here are observations on the Sixers’ victory Saturday:

Wade debuts, Embiid starts in style 

Dean Wade made his Sixers debut and started in James’ place. He’d missed the first two games of the regular season with a left ankle sprain. 

The 3-and-D forward scored the night’s first points by a sinking a corner three-pointer on the opening possession. 

Embiid also had a sharp start. He moved well, made good decisions and served as the main hub of his team’s offense in the early going. 

The Sixers’ seven-time All-Star center has often enjoyed facing Myles Turner. He entered the night with an average of 29.4 points in 18 previous games against the Bucks big man.

Embiid did a little bit of everything in the first quarter, posting eight points, four assists and four rebounds over nine minutes. After snatching an offensive board, Embiid drained a fadeaway jumper to give the Sixers a 10-1 lead. 

One of Embiid’s assists was quite stylish. He found Edgecombe open beyond the arc with a behind-the-back bounce pass. Edgecombe knocked down the shot and wound up going 3 for 4 from three-point range in the first quarter. 

Second-quarter struggles 

The Sixers added rookie Labaron Philon Jr. to their rotation. Jabari Walker stayed in the mix, though he didn’t enter until the 7:36 mark of the second quarter. 

Philon played four minutes in his NBA debut and missed his lone shot attempt, a corner three. On defense, Philon allowed a couple of blow-bys off the dribble. He generally looked like he belonged on offense, albeit without any production in his brief run.  

Maxey banked in a half-court heave at the first-quarter buzzer to put the Sixers up nine points. The Sixers couldn’t carry forward any momentum, however, and began the second quarter poorly. 

Adem Bona had another rough stint amid a subpar start to the season. After Anfernee Simons missed a transition layup try, Ryan Rollins’ three lifted the Bucks into a 40-37 lead.

The dreadful stretch for the Sixers on both sides of the ball called to mind how they’d fallen into a 29-point deficit Thursday night vs. the Cavaliers before clawing out a comeback win.  

The Sixers mustered just seven points in first six minutes of the second quarter and had many stagnant possessions that concluded with contested jumpers. The team’s transition defense was dismal for much of the second period. Milwaukee had the game’s first 19 fast-break points. 

Star trio produces

The Sixers regained the lead late in the second quarter. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made two three-balls in the second and nabbed three first-half steals. Embiid assisted a go-ahead, and-one Walker layup. 

Brown hit a three with 11.8 seconds left in the second quarter. Unsurprisingly, his variety of shotmaking skills were useful without James in the lineup.

Even when James or Embiid sit, the Sixers should have a simple advantage in terms of volume of stars over most opponents this year. None of Brown, Embiid or Maxey had the sort of off night that would have improved the Bucks’ odds of a road win. They’d all passed the 20-point mark by the end of the third quarter.

Maxey notched another final-possession bucket, this time with a more conventional make. He canned a jumper from the right elbow with 1.7 seconds left in the third to extend the Sixers’ lead to 97-87.

The Bucks made a late push in the fourth quarter. Kel’el Ware’s put-back, and-one layup cut the Milwaukee’s deficit to 117-114.

The Sixers ultimately handled business. Embiid reached his triple-double by assisting a second-chance Brown jumper and and Caldwell-Pope soon drilled a dagger corner three. Embiid even threw down a last-minute dunk for good measure.

For the second consecutive season, the Sixers have a 3-0 start. They got to four wins last year before dropping their first game. 

The Golden State Warriors will play their first back-to-back of the season Saturday night as they head to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Suns. The game will be played at 7:00 PM PT in Phoenix and can be watched on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area.

Hoops in Phoenix⁰
🏀 GSW @ PHX
🕖 7:00 pm PT
📺 @NBCSAuthentic & @NBATV
📻 @957thegame
📱 https://t.co/0vjnnp569P

#DubNationpic.twitter.com/lYpHZtjrk9

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 24, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

Golden State suffered a heartbreaking 111-108 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. The Warriors appeared to be in control late in the fourth quarter, holding a 12-point lead with just over three minutes remaining. However, the Grizzlies stormed back with 12 unanswered points to erase the deficit and tie the game. Cam Boozer then delivered a clutch isolation bucket as the shot clock wound down to give Memphis the lead.

CAM BOOZER'S CLUTCH BUCKET PUNCTUATES A 17-0 RUN TO WIN IT FOR MEMPHIS ‼️ pic.twitter.com/G63FbOsFvH

— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2026

Just when Golden State looked to respond on the ensuing possession, Draymond Green was whistled for a moving screen at half-court, giving the ball back to Memphis without the Warriors even attempting a shot. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was irate with the call and subsequently assessed a technical foul before Ty Jerome converted a breakaway layup to put the game out of reach.

Steph Curry on the 12-point blown lead in the final four minutes: “There are losses and then there are ways that you lose like tonight that sting a bit more.” pic.twitter.com/J24fy4XENd

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski made an encouraging return to the court Friday night after missing Golden State’s season opener with a back injury. The fourth-year guard looked explosive against Memphis, finishing with 18 points, three assists, two rebounds, three steals and a block. However, despite the performance, Podziemski is reportedly set to sit out Saturday night’s matchup alongside Steph Curry, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater.

Brandin Podziemski said he will not play tomorrow in Phoenix. So it sounds like the already depleted Warriors will also be without Steph Curry and Podziemski against the Suns.

He missed the opener with a tweaked back.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2026

With Golden State’s starting backcourt unavailable, the Warriors will need someone to shoulder more of the offensive workload against Phoenix. One player who could benefit from the opportunity is backup guard Brandon Williams, whose ability to create off the dribble and finish at the basket gives Golden State some much needed offense from their backcourt. After playing in just nine minutes in yesterday’s game, Saturday should present an opportunity for him to take on a much bigger role.

Brandon Williams gets the roll 🤌 pic.twitter.com/NVGcGg6GzU

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 24, 2026

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!

Projected Starters

Warriors: Brandon Williams, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green

Suns: Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Khaman Maluach

How to watch Regular Season Game 3

Who: Golden State Warriors (0 – 2) vs. Phoenix Suns (0 – 1)

When: Saturday, October 24th, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: PHX Arena — Phoenix, Arizona

TV and Streaming: NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area

Who: Phoenix Suns (0-1) @ Golden State Warriors (0-2)

When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time

Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, AZ

Watch: Suns+, 3TV/AZFS

Listen: AZ Sports 98.7

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The Phoenix Suns had two full days to sit with their historic season-opening loss. Two days to flush it out.

It was a historically bad season-opening loss in Portland; we all know it. Devin Booker called it a “wake-up call”. We don’t want a players-only meeting. We don’t want to hear any more pep talks. We want a response on Saturday night against Golden State, in front of the home crowd, that tells us Game 1 was a fluke.

The Suns will face a shorthanded Warriors squad that is coming off a collapse last night against the Grizzlies in their home opener. They’re basically without… everyone?

Steph Curry officially ruled out tonight in Phoenix for the Warriors first back-to-back. Right knee management. Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford also out. Draymond Green is doubtful.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2026

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Who is that watching Luke Kennard get up corner 3s?

Suns GM Brian Gregory.

Kennard questionable for tonight's game vs. Warriors.

Missed season opener. #Sunspic.twitter.com/WCtYtbZRkx

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 24, 2026

Suns

• Luke Kennard — QUESTIONABLE (Left Knee Tendinopathy)
• Oso Ighodaro — OUT (Oblique Strain)
• Mark Williams — OUT (Left Shoulder Surgery)

Warriors

• Kristaps Porzingis — OUT (Health)
• Stephen Curry — OUT (Rest)
• Brandin Podziemski — OUT (Back)
• Jimmy Butler — OUT (Knee)
• Moses Moody — OUT (Knee)
• Al Horford — OUT (Rest)
• Draymond Green — DOUBTFUL (Rest)

Here’s my quick hit on the Suns-Warriors injury report ahead of tonight’s game!

What to Watch For

Oso Ighodaro is OUT

That stings for this specific matchup. Oso is the guy who can switch onto Golden State’s guards, run the floor, and keep the ball moving out of the short roll.

Losing him thins out a frontcourt that just got beat by 14 on the glass. The good news is the Warriors are a much smaller and less athletic team than Portland. Khaman will need to be ready, as the Warriors will certainly try to drag him away from the rim and hunt him on the perimeter.

Steph-less

Curry tweaked his ankle before the Lakers game, was listed as probable, and played. Golden State just hosted Memphis Friday in its home opener, which makes Phoenix the second night of a back-to-back. It should come as no surprise that this early in the season, especially after a scare in an open practice that he will sit this one out.

The Warriors will rely on a combination of Gary Payton II, Brandon Williams, LJ Cryer, De’Anthony Melton, and Will Richard to pick up the guard play.

When Steph sits, Draymond tends to hunt for trouble. Put him and Brooks on the same floor and a scuffle feels inevitable. Phoenix needs Brooks to win that exchange on the scoreboard and keep his head.

Already depleted

While the Suns are down Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro, Golden State has deep issues of their own. Jimmy Butler is out until after the new year, and Kristaps Porzingis may not ever play another game of basketball. Plus, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are out.

The Suns must control the game defensively, beccause it could be difiicutl for the Warriors to get buckets with this group.

Key to a Suns Win

1) Fix the shot diet. Phoenix took just four corner shots the entire night in Portland, two of them in the 4th, and went 6-of-33 from deep. The rest was contested mid-range junk, the shots Portland funneled them into. Credit the Blazers for executing their plan. Golden State will try to copy that film. The Suns need early rim touches and kick-outs to the corners in the first six minutes, before the Warriors get comfortable and the Suns get frustrated again.

2) The ball has to move. Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks combined for zero assists. One game, I get it, and I’m not torching the roster build yet. But the connective passing that made this group fun last year was nowhere. Against a Warriors defense that loads up on Booker, the second pass is the whole game.

3)Watch the defensive assignments. Expect rookie Yaxel Lendeborg (who already made headlines calling out Luka’s whining and then guarded him well) on Booker, with De’Anthony Melton or Gary Payton II sliding to Jalen Green.

This is a scrappy roster with or without Steph, and they will compete. It’s a group that is trying to prove themselves and has nothing to lose at this point, which swings all the pressure back in Phoenix’s direction.

Prediction

The Suns take advantage of the Warriors’ lack of depth and feed off the home crowd to get a double-digit win while holding Golden State just below 100 points. Anything less than a win and we need to have a serious discussion about this team.

Suns 111, Warriors 99

Let us know your prediction below. See you in the Game Thread!

BOSTON — The Knicks bricked too many shots in their first two games. Plenty of open ones, too. But coach Mike Brown wasn’t concerned about the misfiring after his team was toppled Friday night by the Celtics. 

Those will eventually fall. Especially Jalen Brunson’s. The Knicks aren’t going to shoot just 40.8 percent like the combined home and road openers. 

But Brown did identify a glaring issue because the championship hangover apparently hit the Knicks with laziness. 

“It was a physical ballgame and [the Celtics] had the advantage out there with the physicality,” Brown said. 

Brown reiterated, several times after Friday’s 107-103 defeat, the problem that has plagued the Knicks intermittently for years: the inability, or unwillingness, to fight through picks. 

It was exacerbated in Beantown because the refs were cooler than usual with moving screens, allowing the Celtics to hunt mismatches with weaker defenders like Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. 

“They set a screen, and we lay on the screen, don’t fight to get through it,” Brown said. “And then we have to switch and get the wrong matchup. That’s why I bring up their physicality in screens, whether it’s the pick-and-roll or off the ball. If that is there from the other team and we’re not defending the screens the right way, communicating, and navigating them the right way instead of laying, laying, laying — it’s going to start the dominoes to fall. If they’re illegal or not, it doesn’t matter.” 

Jayson Tatum cooked the Knicks for 36 points, three days after another star ball handler, Tyrese Maxey, filleted the Knicks for 28 points. 

The point-of-attack defense has been suspect and OG Anunoby’s rough start is a problematic factor. He’s supposed to be the Knicks’ top stopper and owns the worst defensive rating among the starters through two games. 

Mikal Bridges, the other defensive specialist, was benched for much of Friday’s game — including the final 8 ¹/₂ minutes — amid a 2-for-16 shooting slump. 

The Knicks closed with Miles McBride over Bridges and nearly pulled off the comeback, but Tatum buried a couple of difficult shots over Josh Hart. 

“At the end of the first quarter there was a two-minute stretch where we were just b—hing to the referees instead of just playing through it,” Brown said. “In the third, their level of physicality picked up. And also the beginning of the fourth quarter. And we found a combination toward the end that handled their physicality. And we were just as physical back. And that gave us a chance to win. But against a good team on the road, it was too late.” 

Brown said the effort also negatively impacted the team’s offense because it led to turnovers. 

“When we tried to drive the basketball, we either fell on the ground and there was no call, or when we got in the paint, and they brought a second guy they had us either jumping in the air and turning it over, or they had us on the heels, trying to make sprays. And it was just because they got us in our bodies,” the coach said. There was a level of physicality that Boston brought to the table that caused us to have 18 turnovers on the road compared to their 11 turnovers. It’s going to be tough to win.” 

The Knicks, as a result, became the first defending champs to start 0-2 since the Mavericks in 2011. The good news is they’re back home Sunday against the Magic, who are also 0-2 after getting blown out Friday by the Timberwolves. 

A defeat against Orlando would have Brown contemplating a losing start to the first segment of the championship-defending season. 

“We break the season into five-game segments,” Brown said. “There are marks that we like to hit in those five games and it kind of gives us a good feel of where you were, in a fair amount of games, and to see if you can make progress in the next five. 

“Obviously you want to go 5-0, you’ll take 4-1, and then maybe you have to take 3-2. But if you’re doing anything less than that, you know that nobody is reaching their potential.”

The Lakers’ preseason roster crunch was ultimately solved by cutting Dalton Knecht, an unceremonious end to his once-promising Lakers career.

It was also an anticlimactic ending to the team’s search for a solution that didn’t involve just waiving Knecht. While they hoped to find a backup center, multiple teams in the league were also looking for ways to consolidate the roster without waiving a player.

One name that came up was Jericho Sims. The athletic big man has been on the Lakers’ radar for some time now and, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the team had discussions with the Bucks about him. However, in his latest newsletter on Saturday, Fischer revealed a gap in draft picks was the difference that led to the deal not getting done.

There were indeed talks with the Lakers about a swap headlined by Dalton Knecht and Jericho Sims, as The Stein Line first revealed on Oct. 15, but sources say those discussions were derailed by Milwaukee’s intent to extract two future second-round picks in the deal and the Lakers’ insistence that they part with only one in exchange for Sims.

Through two games this season, Sims has played 1:52, all that coming in the third quarter of the team’s loss in the first game of the season to the Wizards.

It’s still early in the season, so his role could change. But is he going to be a big enough piece to turn down draft compensation for him? Especially when he’s on an expiring contract as well?

Granted, every team should have a line in the sand they won’t cross. For the Lakers, including two second round picks does feel like a step too far. That would, effectively, be trading Deandre Ayton for Jericho Sims, since that’s where the team got the second round picks.

Is Sims a better fit than Ayton? Certainly. But Ayton is a better player than Sims, so from a talent standpoint, that trade wouldn’t make sense. You could argue you’re attaching a player to offload in that as well, but it still feels like the right call from the Lakers to not pull the trigger on that deal.

Given how bad Kevon Looney has looked through the first two games of the season, though, it does seem like the team will have to make a move for a backup center. At least we know they are actively searching for an upgrade.

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

The Lakers have started the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

With everyone in such high spirits to kick off the new campaign, the Lakers took the opportunity to prank rookie Cameron Carr ahead of Saturday’s practice. Carr found his car full of popcorn, which spewed out as he opened the door.

“Who’s idea was this?” Carr said through a smile.

Lakers teammates gathered around Carr’s vehicle and began to taste the popcorn.

“Bro the popcorn’s good though,” Carr added.

“You better clean that,” Luka Doncic told the rookie.

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/2114088330447249810?s=20

The Lakers selected Carr as the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. His growth and development with the Lakers is pivotal for the team’s success.

Carr has yet to make his NBA debut as he is dealing with a right oblique strain and has been sidelined for the Lakers’ first two games of the season against the Warriors and Clippers. There’s a chance Carr could suit up for the Lakers’ matchup with the Jazz Sunday, but it’s not guaranteed.

The 2026-27 season is an important campaign for the Lakers as its officially the Doncic era, the first without LeBron James. Thus far, it appears the massive roster overhaul has paid off but the Lakers will have to contend in a loaded Western Conference to prove they are a force to be reckoned with.

Austin Reaves was willing to throw himself under the bus for the Lakers’ biggest issue through their first two games. 

But he didn’t mean to drag fellow Lakers star guard Luka Doncic down with him.

It’s hard to be too critical of the Lakers after their first two games of the season – home wins over the Warriors on Wednesday and Clippers on Friday. 

They won those matchups by a combined 30 points. 

Walker Kessler is making the Lakers brain trust look like geniuses for making the investment to acquire the 7-foot-2 center. 

Reaves is playing at an All-Star level after securing a four-year, $180 million contract. 

Doncic continues to be the focal point of the Lakers’ success.

The team’s roster reconstruction is paying off with an abundance of role players stepping up.

But the major early blemish that’s carried over from the preseason: Turnovers.

“We know the turnovers are a problem,” coach JJ Redick said. “We’ll continue to work at it, continue to get better at it.” 

The Lakers followed up recording 18 giveaways in their season opener against the Warriors by turning the ball over 21 times against the Clippers, directly leading to 29 points. 

Doncic and Reaves were once again the biggest culprits, combining for 17 of the team’s giveaways. 

“How many did I have?,” Reaves asked after Friday’s game.

Six.

“Oh,” Reaves responded, “it felt like 10.”

That was actually Doncic, who recorded a career-high 11 turnovers – something pointed out to Reaves.

“Y’all didn’t have to say that,” he said. “I asked about me.”

But the Slovenian guard wasn’t shy when it came to acknowledging his role in the Lakers’ turnover struggles .

“We have a lot of room left to improve,” Doncic said. “Obviously, my game was terrible. But we are 2-0. Not playing a great game by me and AR, we have a lot of room left [to grow], so it’s very exciting news, honestly.”

The Lakers’ early turnover woes are, in a way, encouraging because of the results they’re getting despite them.

They’ve scored a combined 252 points through their first two games (127 against the Warriors and 125 against the Clippers).

They shot 56.8% from the field against the Warriors, and 58.2% against the Clippers.

They’ve been living up to the expectations of being an ultra-efficient, high-powered offensive team despite nearly a fifth of their possessions ended in a turnover. 

But they aren’t allowing their offensive success so far to take away from the progress they’re hoping to make with taking care of the ball. 

They know their ceiling can be significantly higher if they clean up the ball security, especially against teams looking to trap Doncic and Reaves.

But some of the giveaways are also growing pains that come with such a significant roster overhaul. 

“The reality is a lot of the turnovers are just the pass in front of them,” Redick said. “Just make the pass in front of you. We’ve talked about it with both those guys. It’s the familiarity. They trust their teammates. They want to be playmakers. It’s building that over the course of the season to familiarity where guys are going to be in their spots. So we’ll just continue to build out our options out of that and we’ll be better.”

While other players may have had longer tenures, Rui Hachimura’s three-and-a-half years with the Lakers saw him become a fan favorite.

Immediately helping the team to a playoff victory in his first postseason game with the franchise went some way in endearing himself to the fans. But his personality is really what helped fans fall in love with him during his time in purple and gold.

This offseason, Rui was one of the many players not retained by the Lakers. Making matters worse for some fans, he stayed in Los Angeles and joined the crosstown rivals in the Clippers.

Still, Friday was a chance to welcome him back to Crypto.com Arena for the first time, and both he and the Lakers were excited to do so.

Same city, new locker room 😂

Rui having fun before his Clippers face his former Lakers!

10pm/et • NBA League Pass pic.twitter.com/HM77gu8NK4

— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2026

RUI-UNION 👋 pic.twitter.com/59dJXT9FJh

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 24, 2026

“It was incredible,” Austin Reaves said of reuniting with Rui. “He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had. I made a joke the other day that I didn’t know if he spoke English for the first two weeks [as teammates]. We sat by each other on the plane his first year and I would say hey to him and he would kind of just look at me and nod. Then after that I couldn’t get him to shut up.

“Always in a good mood, happy to be here, put the work in and it’s just good to see him be happy and successful and enjoying his life.”

Rui looked like the same player the Lakers had last season during the contest. He knocked down open threes, connected on mid-range jumpers and finished with 16 points. He also was nearly on the receiving end of some friendly trash talk by Luka, but didn’t take the bait.

“He was just trying to talk trash or whatever, but I don’t care about those kinds of stuff,” Rui said postgame. “Me and him, I had a good time with him in those two years with the Lakers. I’m happy to see him healthy, back on the court. Hope the best for him.

“I missed all those guys, the players, the coaches,” Rui added. “They got some new guys, but the trainers and all that, it was good to see them…It was a great moment with them. I talked some stuff with them, too, so it was a fun time.”

Luka and Rui 😂 pic.twitter.com/os3QWSwchr

— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) October 24, 2026

Luka even gave Rui a bit of a staredown after the former drew a foul on the latter in the second half. All of it was in good fun, though.

“It was just great to see him,” Luka said. “That’s my guy. I got two-and-a-half years together. We’re great friends, so it’s very nice to see him.”

Staying in the division means Rui will be around a lot going forward. It should also lead to more fun moments on the court with his former teammates.

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