LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates a three-point basket during the fourth quarter of the game against the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on November 02, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through seven appearances this season, Luka Dončić has been utterly ethereal. While many players are off to sensational starts, one would be rather hard-pressed to tab anyone else as the very, very, very (did I say very?) early leader in the clubhouse for MVP.
He’s averaging a league-leading 38.3 points, 8.1 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals while shooting 59.4% on 2-pointers, 42.7% beyond the arc and 88.7% at the charity stripe — all of which are career-high marks. The Los Angeles Lakers are scoring 132.2 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, per databallr.
“It’s crazy, man. It’s crazy. It’s unbelievable. The defensive mindset in me is always like, ‘Why are they not blitzing him?’ or ‘Why are they not doubling?’ ‘Why are they just letting him just walk to his spot and just do whatever he wants out there?’ ” Ziaire Williams told reporters after Monday’s victory over the Miami Heat. “But they’re trying. He’s just that good and he just makes it look that easy. He’s unbelievable, man. Even a better person and I’m happy to be on his side for sure.”
Dončić‘s past five games have been particularly preposterous, averaging 43.4 points, 8.6 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals. During that span, he’s shooting 66% inside the arc, 44.7% from deep and 89.1% at the line, good for 72.2% true shooting.
“It’s fun,” Austin Reaves said Monday, when Dončić poured in 42 points and 13 assists. “Obviously, Luka’s doing incredible things and when he’s doing that, it just opens up the floor for everybody else to play free and confident and I feel like that’s what we did tonight.”
Dončić’s interior scoring is justifiably revered and has remained potent to begin 2026-27. But he’s also on fire from deep, having made six or more triples in five consecutive games, a feat he accomplished only 11 times all of last season. He’s hit eight or more long balls twice in seven games, something he did only four times in 2025-26. The dude is out of this world right now and his teammates know it.
“It just feels like almost anything he shoots, whether it’s a circuit shot or it’s regular stepback three or it’s a tough floater, it just seem like everything he’s shooting is going to go in,” Quentin Grimes said Monday. “It’s kind of a surreal thing. I don’t think I’ve ever been on the court when everything somebody shoots, you think it’s going in. It’s kind of crazy little heater he’s on for sure.”
The Warriors veteran was charged with two technicals on one play in which Green wrapped both of his arms around Phoenix center Khaman Maluach during an attempt at the rim. What followed was Green’s second technical foul as he and Suns guard Dillon Brooks put their arms on each other.
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) and Phoenix Suns’ Dillon Brooks are separated by security in San Francisco on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/Bay Area News Group via AP
Former NBA champion-turned-analyst Kendrick Perkins is tired of Green’s antics and called him out on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“When was the last time we discussed Draymond Green and brought him up for his basketball and not fighting? At some point, he has to deliver on the floor,” Perkins said.
“And when you look at the start of this season, Draymond Green has been nonexistent. He has done absolutely nothing for the Golden State Warriors. To me, he has been a liability more than an asset.
“And when you look at Steph (Curry)’s face, yes, he’s always going to protect Draymond Green because of their brotherhood. He’s always going to protect Draymond Green and have his back 1000%. But let me explain something to y’all.
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Getty Images
“Right now, Steph Curry, his joy of walking into that arena, walking into the practice facility, putting on the Golden State uniform, it doesn’t come from Draymond Green anymore. It’s coming from a young man by the name of Yaxel Lendeborg. That’s who has been the fountain of youth for Steve Kerr and Steph Curry. He has given them life.
“But at some point, we have to stop giving Draymond a pass. …”
Kendrick Perkins is seen prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026, in New York. Getty Images
Green recently shared the importance of therapy to help manage a player’s anger issues in a recent podcast episode but quickly turned heads with his actions against Phoenix. Perkins’ comments ring true, however, as Curry stood by his teammate after the Warriors’ win.
“He lit a fire in all of us, and we had to respond,” Curry said of Green.
ockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks up during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics.
A testy Kevin Durant got into a verbal exchange with a reporter after the Rockets’ 109-93 win over the Celtics on Monday night, as the NBA superstar took issue with a question about his limited role in the offense.
Durant had just 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field, while pulling down just three rebounds and recording four assists. When asked about what happened with his limited number of shots, Durant became defensive and the exchange became heated.
“Why does that matter to you? We won the game,” Durant said. “Why are you singling me out? [Jabari Smith Jr.] had 30 last game and only had 14 tonight. Are you going to talk about his variety?
Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks up during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Durant didn’t let up as the reporter tried to better explain the question.
“What does that have to do with anything?,” the Rockets star said. “Are you just watching me all game? Do you have the solo cam? We won the basketball game, bro.”
Monday marked the fourth time in the last eight Rockets games that Durant attempted 10 or fewer shots and his 12 points were a season low.
Durant has been historically one of the best scorers in NBA history, sitting fifth on the all-time scoring list.
Eventually, Durant did answer about how his on-court presence affects what his teammates can do.
“My presence on the court, regardless, is opening it up for everybody as soon as I step on the court. They don’t have to give me the ball. They’re going to double-team. They’re going to shade guys to me. Even when I don’t have the ball,” Durant said. “My presence alone is impactful to the game of basketball. I don’t have to shoot. I don’t have to dribble. Just me being out there is going to cause a reaction from the defense. My teammates are taking advantage of it.”
Rockets’ Alperen Sengun, right, blocks Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman, center, as forward Kevin Durant drives. AP Photo/Michael Wyke
Durant is averaging 20.8 points per game this season, and the Rockets are tied with the 76ers for the best record in the NBA at 7-1.
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 2: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on November 2, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For three quarters Monday night, the Knicks looked like they might actually lose to the Nets. The Nets? The last place Nets? While we might get apoplectic, the champs seemed unconcerned about falling behind. When they finally flipped the switch, they turned a 79–75 deficit into a 103–90 win, outscoring Brooklyn 28–11 in the fourth at the Garden. That’s 15 straight wins against the neighbors. Landry Shamet did a lot of the work to make it so.
On a night when the starters happily hurled threes like pre-teens playing Pop Shot, Shamet sank a steady four of six, plus every free throw he took. His season-high 22 kept the Knicks in it long enough for the rest of them to wake up.
While the Knicks spun their wheels in third-quarter mud, Josh Hart collected his fourth foul with a lotta game remaining. Shamet replaced him at 8:44 and scored six points on perfect shooting from downtown. The first, at 2:26, cut Brooklyn’s lead to a single point; the second, with a minute left, made it 77-75. According to Basketball Reference, he had a team-high game score of 19.4. Pretty good for a sub.
Hart had a crooked finger in just about everything that made the fourth quarter exciting. In that final frame, he hit a Kolek-assisted three to pull the Knicks within one, then assisted on back-to-back Anunoby threes and a Kolek layup (everybody seems to enjoy playing with Tyler, don’t they?). Josh intercepted a Julius Randle pass and took it the other way for a layup. His grade suffers for taking just six shots and collecting six fouls, but maybe he deserves a little more love for being a team high +22?
OG played 38 minutes, got to the line eight times, and hit back-to-back threes in the fourth when the Knicks finally started to put Brooklyn away. Seven free throws will do a lot for a night when only four shots fall from the floor. Give credit to his stamina: after bumping bodies with that bull Julius Randle all night, he still had gas in the tank to help his team in the fourth. He hit the go-ahead three at 10:29 and another bomb 28 seconds later to make it 84–79. He also set up Clarkson’s transition three. Loses points for still struggling to finish at the rim.
A weird game for Karl-Anthony. He had double-digit rebounds in the first half, but zero points. After intermission, he scraped together 11 points with much more aggressive drives to the rim. As New York rallied in the fourth, he banked in a short fadeaway, grabbed three defensive boards, and found Landry Shamet for the Knicks’ final basket. His back up, Andre Drummond, grabbed nine boards in his 13 minutes, but dividing the workload between the pair is unsustainable. James Wiseman is glued to the bench. Leon, what’s your move?
Four threes and six assists are dandy, but missing half his free-throws and ten field goal attempts had us a little worried. He’s been mostly automatic since coming to New York, so forgive us for jumping to conclusions like: maybe he should spend less time doing extracurricular activities and more in the gym? He started off the game great, making 3-of-4 from deep, but then disappeared for a while.
Jordan Clarkson: B
7 points (3–5 FG, 1–2 3PT) in 11 minutes (+17)
Some guys can do a lot in 11 minutes. Clarkson squeezed seven points into his sliver of time (entirely in the second half) and was still a +17. As the fourth quarter started, a game that had been a nuisance all night was finally starting to break open. Jordan blocked Nolan Traoré’s layup and hit a transition three seven seconds later to push the lead to 10. He added a floater at 4:00 to keep the momentum going. He loses a point for collecting two fouls and a technical foul in the span of a minute during the third period, which didn’t help matters while the team was flailing.
After the game, coach Mike Brown offered high praise for the vet. “I’ve been around some good teammates when it comes to players. He’s gotta be the best. He’s the definition of ultimate pro,” he said. “You have a veteran that’s been there, done that, and he’s willing to accept the role that most guys wouldn’t accept […]. And he’s willing to accept it… and still try to uplift everybody and connect everybody while he’s going through what he’s going through. That’s the ultimate team player.”
Deuce hit two of four from deep and added a couple of assists. A decent shift on a night when the Knicks could’ve used a few more of those. Two steals is great. Four shots in almost 17 minutes seems insufficient, however.
Hoo boy. Bridges made one shot from the floor and did little on defense to make up for it. The Knicks lost his 16 minutes by 11 points, the worst mark in the rotation. At least he got to the foul line for the first time after six games.
It’s perhaps too soon to sound the panic alarm, but he has shot 16 of 52 for the season. Mike Brown has taken notice. He ended Kal’s night after just a few minutes into the third quarter, and when he sent the starters back at the end of the game, Shamet took Bridges’ spot.
Overall
The Knicks got away with three quarters of sleepwalking because Shamet kept them close and Hart, OG, and the bench gave them life in the fourth. Next up are the Bulls on Wednesday. In their first meeting of the season, last week, the Knicks won but needed 48 points from the bench to bail them out. Do we see a trend emerging?
Smith was stopped by Royse City Police Department officers on a Texas roadway on Sept. 28 after they suspected he had a warrant out for his arrest.
Bodycamera video shows J.R. Smith talking with police officers in Texas. ROYSE CITY PD
The cops asked him to exit his vehicle while they investigated the situation, and as they were trying to get the matter squared away, they struck up a conversation about basketball.
Smith told them he was a former NBA player who retired in 2020. He also explained how he broke into the league and what teams he played for.
Then one of the officers asked him if he had a championship on his résumé.
“Two,” Smith said.
Smith went on to explain he got the rings during his time on the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
J.R. Smith chats with police officers about the Lakers in September. ROYSE CITY PD
“So, you got a ring with Kyrie [Irving],” one of the cops asked.
“Kyrie and LeBron,” Smith responded.
Cops stopped J.R. Smith after they suspected he had a warrant out for his arrest. ROYSE CITY PD
The cop, who appeared to be a Dallas Mavericks fan, then made it clear he was not James’ biggest supporter, as he called the former Lakers superstar, “He who shall not be named.”
“Not a fan?” Smith asked.
“He stole Luka [Doncic] from us,” the officer said, referencing the historic Lakers-Mavericks trade that sent Doncic to LA in February 2025. “He stole Luka from us. That was all him.”
JR Smith of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, at The Arena in Orlando, Fla. NBAE via Getty Images
“Nobody was happy about that,” one of the other cops on the scene added.
“I’m still mad,” the other officer said. “Still mad.”
Just moments later, Smith was placed in handcuffs after it was confirmed he had an active warrant.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet during a game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in New York. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
No further NBA conversations took place.
It was eventually revealed that Smith was wanted by the Southlake Police Department for assault causing bodily injury — family violence after he allegedly got physical with a woman during a Sept. 18 incident in Tarrant County.
Smith was accused of “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” causing “bodily injury” to a female who was a member of Smith’s family or household or with whom he had a dating relationship, court documents stated.
Smith was taken into custody over the allegations and released a short time later. His attorney, Justin A. Moore, said in a statement after the run-in with cops that his client was “eager to see this matter resolved and has full confidence in the legal process.”
“He is presumed innocent, and we will address this matter in Court,” Moore continued. “We ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved throughout the process.”
Smith is due in court for his next hearing in the case next month.
Savannah James is facing new challenges in this season of her life.
James, wife of four-time NBA champion LeBron James and mother to three children, has been given the task of keeping her family close while every member of the group resides in three different places.
Savannah James attends the Blue Jacket Fashion Show, an event supporting prostate cancer awareness and men’s health through fashion and philanthropy, in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. BFA.com / BACKGRID
Bronny James plays for the Lakers, and Zhuri James attends school and plays volleyball in Los Angeles. As the matriarch of the family, Savannah tries her best to support everyone in their endeavors while also fulfilling her own.
“The crazy in my life is the fact that I have to figure out how to be three places at once,” Savannah said on an episode of “Baby, This is Keke Palmer.”
“I try not to think about it because I’m like it’s gonna stress me out. And I know it has to happen, but that is crazy.”
LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Chicago Bulls on November 2, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBAE via Getty Images
Savannah described New York as the primary meeting point between her and LeBron, who decided to live in the Big Apple while playing for the 76ers.
“So, New York will be the hub. So it’s LA, New York and Philly. And my son is in school in Tucson, Arizona. Trying to plan my life out like that is a little crazy for me right now,” she said.
Savannah, who turned 40 years old this summer, spent a lot of time reflecting on entering a new decade and how she wanted to approach anything that life threw at her.
Savannah James absolutely stunned on the red carpet at the TIME100 Sports Gala. FilmMagic
“LeBron going to play in Philly, it’s going to be an adjustment, but it is going to work out. Zhuri going into middle school is an adjustment, but it’s going to work out. And then the boys are kind of living their own lives.
“But I think the way that it feels for me is that I feel different in myself, in the work that I’ve done and the way that I wanted to feel going into this milestone age.
“I am happy to be in this space right now; it feels good.”
The James family may not reside together anymore, but Savannah appears determined to be the glue of the group.
Lakers coach JJ Redick chats with guard Luka Doncic during a break in the action against the Heat on Monday night at Crpyto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Austin Reaves described it as “fun.” Luka Doncic called the Lakers’ effortless-looking offense as “flowing.” And this is still the early stages of development for a team that brought in nine new players.
Through eight games, the Lakers have the most dynamic offense in the NBA. Led by Doncic, the Lakers are second in scoring with 122.5 points per game and first in offensive rating with 121.9 points per 100 possessions. The starting lineup of Doncic, Reaves, Walker Kessler, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle has a league-best 135.5 offensive rating among five-man groups that have played at least 40 minutes together entering Wednesday’s game at Sacramento.
“Everything’s as expected,” guard Quentin Grimes said Monday after the Lakers hung 138 points in a 21-point win over the Miami Heat. “Winning, everybody’s getting involved, everybody’s making the right play, getting a lot of assists.”
The Lakers (6-2) had 39 assists against the Heat, the most during JJ Redick’s head-coaching tenure. Doncic is on a historic scoring binge; he is the first Laker since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to have five consecutive games of 35 or more points. While putting up a seemingly ho-hum 42 points against Miami, he also had a season-high 13 assists.
“It’s a really good offense that we’re playing right now,” Redick said. “And a lot of that, of course, is Doncic and what he’s able to do and bend the defense.”
Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer at 38.3 points per game, does his damage early. He typically plays all 12 minutes of the opening quarter and leads the league with 15 points a game in the first quarter. Once he gets his shot going, teams send double teams to force the ball out of his hands. That’s when Doncic can be particularly dangerous.
Doncic has always been lauded for his superior court vision. But the Lakers are still learning to see the same picture. The Lakers had 14 turnovers, including 11 from Doncic and Reaves, during a preseason game against the Denver Nuggets, who were aggressively trapping the Lakers’ ballhandlers. The Lakers threw away a 25-point second-quarter lead on Oct. 30 when the Golden State Warriors ratcheted up the ball pressure.
Doncic’s five turnovers a game are the second most in the league, and Reaves is third with 4.6 turnovers per game.
Some players are new to being on a team with guards who get blitzed nearly every play, Reaves said. It requires players to not only be comfortable making decisions to pass, drive or shoot, but they have to choose quickly. A moment’s hesitation gives away the four-on-three advantage created by the double-team.
Redick praised Grimes’ ability to keep advantages by driving decisively. Forward Sandro Mamukelashvili is also great at it, Redick said, as is guard Collin Sexton, who knows no speed other than full. The Lakers have also finished their advantages with Thybulle and Williams making27 of 58 (46.6%) three-point attempts combined.
“That’s the beauty of our team,” Williams said. “You could put different guys at different spots and everyone’s able to make a play. All our guys are just dynamic and versatile. And everyone just wants to make the right play. No one wants to only shoot, there’s no egos. And that’s the fun part about it, you know? We all love to see each other succeed.”
Williams missed three games because of a sore left foot but returned Monday with nine points, two rebounds and two assists off the bench. When Jake LaRavia jumped into the starting lineup, the Lakers were just as effective offensively as their first-choice lineup. When Doncic, Reaves, Kessler, Thybulle and LaRavia are together, the Lakers’ 144.3 points per 100 possessions ranks first among lineups that have played at least 30 minutes.
Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo reaches through the hoop to block a reverse dunk by Lakers center Walker Kessler on Monday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
But numbers don’t normalize until about 250 minutes, Redick believes.
“I think there’s always room for improvement,” he said Monday.
The Lakers have the most room for improvement on the defensive side. Their defensive rating of 114 points allowed per 100 possessions is tied with the Clippers for 20th in the NBA. They still rank 28th in rebounding, despite three consecutive double-doubles from Kessler, who responded after Redick challenged the center to be a larger rebounding presence.
“This team can become a great team,” Redick said before Monday’s win over the Heat. “That requires patience, that requires a lot of coaching and teaching and buy-in, and so that whole process takes time.”
Missing in the first round of an NBA Draft is a setback in team building, but for seven teams this year it was better to accept the pain now rather than keep the player around for the final year of their rookie deal.
Seven players did not have their rookie-scale team options for the 2027-28 season picked up, the deadline was Monday. Those players are (via Keith Smith of Spotrac), in order of most to least expensive deals declined:
• Tidjane Salaun, Charlotte Hornets ($10.4 million) • Cody Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves ($7.6 million) • Nikola Topic, Oklahoma City Thunder ($7.5 million) • A.J. Johnson, New Orleans Pelicans ($5.5 million) • DaRon Holmes II, Denver Nuggets ($5.5 million) • Pacome Dadiet, New York Knicks ($5.4 million) • Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz($4.8 million)
Some of these were simply financial decisions in the apron era, such as Pacome Dadiet with the Knicks. Three players were outright waived by their teams before this season:
• Rob Dillingham (waived by the Hornets after being traded for Buddy Hield, has yet to re-sign) • Dalton Knecht (waived by the Lakers, signed as a two-way player with the Knicks) • Devin Carter (waived by Hawks, signed as a two-way player by Celtics)
There were 19 players who had their extensions picked up, they are extension-eligible next summer or could be headed to 2028 restricted free agency. Among those are Stephon Castle (Spurs), Matas Buzelis (Bulls), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Reed Sheppard (Rockets), Donovan Clingan (Trail Blazers), Zach Edey (Grizzlies) and Zaccharie Risacher (Mavericks).
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo #7 of the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In what has become commonplace this season, even for his illustrious standards, Luka Dončić authored a magnificent performance during Monday night’s 138-117 rout of the Miami Heat. The Slovenian superstar recorded 42 points (14-of-24 shooting), 13 assists (two turnovers), seven rebounds and two steals. After a couple relatively quiet games to begin the year, Dončić is averaging 43.4 points, 8.6 assists (3.6 turnovers), 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals over his past five outings.
“It feels good. Like I say, obviously when we win, it feels way better and that’s the only important stuff,” Dončić told reporters postgame. “But, obviously, it feels good. When you win by 20 against a team like Miami, it’s really awesome, especially on a back to back.”
While the 2-5 Heat are struggling out of the gates and the Toronto Raptors were without Kawhi Leonard, the Sunday-Monday back-to-back this week projected as one of Los Angeles’ tougher early season tests when the schedule came out months ago. Of course, circumstances change but a pair of convincing wins (Sunday’s late-game foibles aside) against two playoff hopefuls is a nice way for the Lakers to kick off November.
Following the Heat’s loss, Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked by a reporter about how Dončić thrived as both a playmaker and scorer, given the fact defenses typically take away one of those aspects for a superstar while conceding the other. Antetokounmpo used the inquiry to bestow lofty praise upon Dončić, not just for his current league-wide standing but where he stacks up among the all-time greats.
“When you have a guy like Luka, obviously he’s one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best,” Antetokounmpo said.
When the reporter offered a “right now” caveat to Antetokounmpo’s statement, the two-time MVP pushed back.
“Not right now, not right now. Of all time,” he said. “I feel like some people are scared to say that but it’s gotta be up there.”
Giannis: "Luka is one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best."
Reporter: "Right now"
Giannis: "Not right now, not right now. Like of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that but it's gotta be up there."
Dončić is on an absolute tear right now, leading the Lakers’ second-ranked offense and playing some of the stingiest defense of his career. His next chance to keep the good times rolling comes Wednesday night on the road against the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
He has been putting up video game numbers for so long that we’re almost inured to them in the same way our olfactory senses stop responding to a constant smell.
“Obviously he’s one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best,” Antetokounmpo said. “Not right now. Of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that. But it’s got to be out there.”
Dončić has led the league in scoring twice and is on pace to do so a third time. He’s averaging a blistering 38.3 points per game, 8.3 points more than second-place Stephen Curry. Here are the points Dončić has put up in the last five games: 42, 45, 37, 41, 52.
Yet somehow we’ve never thought of Dončić as an all-time scorer.
That needs to change.
While Curry is the consensus greatest shooter ever, different players have been thrown into the conversation for all-time greatest scorer, including Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and even Kevin Durant, the latter of whom is a beacon of consistency but isn’t going to regularly explode for 50-plus points.
Dončić deserves to be in that club.
Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles during a game against the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
He has a career scoring average of 29.32 points, trailing only Jordan (30.12) and Chamberlain (30.07).
And Dončić is only 27 years old. He’s still in his prime. He’s only getting better.
Before JJ Redick became the Lakers’ coach in June 2024, he said Dončić “has the best brakes in the fu–king world” on his former podcast, “The Old Man & The Three.”
“What he does is there’s a constant change of pace,” Redick said. “He’s on-balance. He’s trying to get you off-balance. Once you’re off-balance, he’s still on-balance, he changes his pace.”
In layman’s terms: Dončić is impossible to guard.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives past Miami Heat guard Klay Thompson in the second half of an NBA game in Los Angeles, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra knows that all too well. When asked about defending Dončić ahead of Monday’s game, he pretty much intimated that it’s a fool’s errand.
“It’s not going to be two defenders on him or even three,” Spoelstra said. “You’re pretty much going to go through your entire roster.”
Dončić is an offensive wizard. He’s a savant. He makes scoring look easy. And it’s time for him to be considered among the all-time greats.
He’s averaging a historical 1.07 points per minute. The only other player who surpassed 1.0 was Chamberlain, who averaged 1.04 points per minute in 1961-62.
Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the Miami Heat on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
And Dončić is scoring at an extremely efficient rate, averaging career highs in field-goal percentage (49.7) and 3-point percentage (42.7). He’s also third in the league in assists with eight per game. Heck, he’s even playing defense.
He’s having one of the best starts in NBA history, becoming the third player to score at least 225 points through his first six games, alongside Jordan (1985-86) and Chamberlain, who did it twice in 1961-62 and 1962-63.
Jordan led the league in scoring 10 seasons and is widely considered the greatest player of all time. Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points per game during the 1961-62 season and is the only player to score 100 points in a game.
The greatest scorer of all time is not an easy debate to enter. But in the modern NBA, does anyone compare to Dončić? And historically, Dončić is already etching his name into the record books.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 02: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets reacts against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Toyota Center on November 02, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets are off to a red-hot start, leading the NBA with a 7-1 record, as well as holding wins over the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs. The team has looked like the same hard-nosed defensive team we have grown used to, but this time with some idea of an offensive plan. In addition, the team is playing within the flow of the offense, not forcing things to Alperen Sengun or Kevin Durant, with the “Stand Around and Watch KD” offense of last year showing less and less of itself. Marcus Smart has been a solid addition so far, and Jabari Smith Jr. seems poised for a career year.
Granted, it’s early in the season, but the Rockets look good right now, and it seems some others might agree. The Athletic released it’s new series of NBA power rankings, and low and behold, who sits atop at the moment but your Houston Rockets. Here’s what they had to say about our boys:
Last ranking: Fourth In the last week: W vs ATL, W at MIL, L at DAL, W vs OKC Offensive rating: 121.2 (first place)Defensive rating: 108.9 (ninth place)
Starters: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün Key reserves: Marcus Smart, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanović
Houston’s improved depth hasn’t quite made the defense special, which makes sense. The Rockets don’t have great rim protection, they have a small guard in the starting lineup and their best player is 38. The Rockets tried to get away with lineups without centers in Dallas with Şengün nursing a back injury, and it’s one reason they aren’t undefeated anymore. But this offense has taken off, and Houston is deeper than it has been at any point under coach Ime Udoka.
So with the Rockets cruising, the Thunder hurt and the Spurs off to an up-and-down start, it’s your Rockets who are currently playing the best ball in the NBA. Right behind Houston are the 5-1 Detroit Pistons and the 6-1 Philadelphia LeBrons. I think the Rockets are better than either of those teams, but time will tell. For now, enjoy the the early-season success.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 4: Dalen Terry #14 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Dalen Terry is on an NBA roster after starting the season on the sidelines.
The former Arizona Wildcats wing has signed a two-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The contract comes at a good time for both sides: Terry was without an NBA team after getting by the Golden State Warriors in the preseason, and the Thunder are in need for an athletic swingman after suffering multiple injuries.
Terry is on his third NBA team after playing the first four-plus years of his career with the Chicago Bulls before getting traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 218 career games, Terry is averaging 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and o.5 steals per game.
The 6-foot-6 Terry arrives in Oklahoma City following injuries to the Thunder’s Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace. The Thunder are also without big man Chet Holmgren for at least two months.
Terry was drafted 18th overall by Chicago in the 2022 NBA Draft. He comes the 17th former Arizona basketball player to be on an NBA team this season, the third-most of any school behind Kentucky and Duke.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 2: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs smiles during the game against the Utah Jazz on November 2, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s giving midseason.
Somewhere in the second quarter, with the Spurs up one and about to be up more, I realized I wasn’t watching the game. I was, instead, watching myself not watch the game, which is a worse hobby and the one I’m apparently best at. The game was fine. The game was exactly what it said on the label: a nondescript tilt between two teams already headed down different tracks. The shine of October basketball had worn off completely and, like summer turning to fall, the Grind had arrived.
Shocking how quickly that happens.
As a first quarter blowout turned into a 2nd quarter snoozer, my brain began to wander a bit. I could be anywhere in the world right now. A plastic stool in Hanoi, a bowl of pho, a little light rain. A mountain pass in the Andes, thin air, nobody asking me for a take. Man, I should be reading books. Seeing films. I should be the kind of person whose passport has all those cool stamps in it. This one precious life the universe handed me was unraveling in real time as Ace Bailey stepped into a 25-foot pull-up three to cut the Jazz’s deficit to one.
Then Stephon Castle missed a layup and I almost decided to call it a night. It was as annoying as it was unremarkable and I just didn’t need it anymore. I reached for the remote and, as I did, Victor Wembanyama, who a minute earlier had similarly flubbed an alley-oop, grabbed the rebound and tipped it back in. Twenty seconds after Bailey’s three. No celebration. Barely a facial expression.
I’d love to tell you that’s the moment I’d been looking for, but that would be too tidy. What I’d been searching for was a hook. A story, a cause, a catalyst. Anything to hold off the particular ennui of being a fan of a good team. And Wemby wasn’t even good last night, not by any stretch. Five of fifteen. Zero for five from three. Five turnovers. He was in that mode he gets in from time to time where he decides the Key to Victory is to simply chuck it.
The Spurs won by 22 anyway, not because of a miracle but because this roster has more than one way to be competent. The Spurs are, mercifully, more than the sum of their parts.
Not that the parts are bad. Quite the contrary. Dylan Harper scored all 17 of his points before the third quarter was half over. Stephon Castle is an animal. De’Aaron Fox looks like the guy we paid for. Tarris Reed continues to grab rebounds in a way that feels like it’s going to be important (seven in about seven minutes last night). Every wing combination we’ve thrown on the court is its own kind of fun.
I mean, look at Harrison Barnes. A man as old as time itself (he’s four years younger than me) had an insanely active night. He knocked down threes from 29, 25 and 24 feet, he ran around, he caused trouble. Early in the fourth he got tangled up with Brice Sensabaugh, slid across the floor, got back up, and just stared at him while the refs reviewed it in slow motion. I’m told that clip racked up 140,000 views on the world wide web within about an hour.
The thing about the Grind is that it doesn’t have to mean anything, which means that everything within the Grind gets to be exactly what it is. A tip dunk. A well executed outlet pass. An old man staring down Brice Sensabaugh. Like, I didn’t come out of the womb craving the Larry O’Brien trophy. I just was at my breakfast table in 1996 watching Michael Jordan dunk on Rik Smits during a SportsCenter rerun, and some part of me said, with zero strategic vision, “Yes. More of that.” More of that was the entire ask and, frankly, it still is.
Look at us. You and me. Like I said, we could be anywhere in the world right now, but we’re right here with the Spurs and the Jazz on a Monday night in November. The stools in Hanoi will still be there someday, but a precocious superstar, having the worst night of his season, is putting a ball back through the hoop like a child tucking in his stuffed animals for the night.
You don’t have to impress some greater importance on a moment like that to make it mean something. You were there. It’s a part of you now and you got to live it.
Dylan Harper seems almost casually good at basketball. It’s remarkable and breathtaking, these things he’s doing, but it also has that effect of seeming effortless when he’s casually dismantling another team. In the second quarter he stole the ball and in a blink Vassell was dunking off his pass. In the third, he stole it again and Stephon was finishing an alley-oop before I’d even registered it. He added 8 assists and 7 rebounds on top of all his scoring. I find myself almost taking it for granted at this point, and we’ve really only started to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of. Scary to think about! (For our opponents. For us it’s just exceedingly cool and fun.)
I know it’s just the Jazz, grain of salt and all that, but I never get tired of seeing the Spurs get out on the break and run. They won fast-break points 26-9, against a Jazz team that turned it over just 11 times, a season low for Utah, so a lot of that was pure rebound-and-go. They also won the paint 52-36 and opened the game on an 18-2 run. Run for days my boys. Grab the ball and never stop running. Only good can come from this. Open looks from three, easy paths to the rim, potential foul trouble for the opponents. Push that pace. Push that pace. PUSH THAT PACE.
This is not how development works and, to be clear, I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I absolutely crave Tarris Reed minutes. I want him to become a Sasquatch, Godzilla, King Kong, Loch Ness, Goblin, ghoul and a zombie with no conscience. I want basketballs to fear him checking into the game because they’re about to get rebounded to within an inch of their lives.
I love a wire-to-wire win. Next time you hear me complaing about a wire to wire win feel free to come to my house and take an ice cold waterloo out of my fridge as payment for my sins.
WWL Post Game Press Conference
So, you’re a Waterloo Man, eh?
I’m a man of all seasons, to be clear, but right now, yes, I am currently in a Waterloo phase of my Sparkling Water career.
Any particular reason?
There is a particular Black Cherry flavor I’ve grown fond of and I just can’t stay away at this point. It scratches this weird nostalgic part of my brain that yearns for a Blue Sky soda I had in my youth. Do you remember Blue Sky soda?
Vaguely. That had kind of cool cans?
Yeah, the cans were cool. I don’t know. I think I had just never experienced the concept of a soda that existed outside the mainstream world of the Coca-Cola and Pepsi family trees, so when I went on vacation and saw this crazy looking can with a cherry sitting on a cloud it just… broke my brain a little bit and I had to have it.
Did it taste good?
Who could say? I was six years old. I’d left the summer heat in Texas and woken up the next day in a Colorado mountain town sipping an alien soda from heaven. Maybe it was good, maybe it wasn’t, but it stirred something deep in my soul that I think I’ve been searching for ever since.
And Black Cherry Waterloos scratch that itch for you?
They do. Publix also pretty regularly throws them in Buy One Get Ones for me and who am I to turn down a deal like that.
Nov 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) bites his shirt during a Golden State Warriors free throw during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are plenty of things in life that give people anxiety. For me, it’s being late. Or even the threat of being late. Perhaps it’s the military man in me, somebody who made the mistake of showing up late to formation during basic training and paid for it in the front-leaning rest position, beads of sweat dripping off my nose and forming a puddle beneath me on the warm pavement at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, one June morning. If you’re not early, you’re late. That’s been my mantra ever since.
Unfortunately, that familiar anxiety is beginning to build regarding the Phoenix Suns. This team is 12th in the Western Conference standings after starting 1-4, something we’ve seen before. At this point last season, the Suns were also 1-4 and were 13th. The difference then is they were only 3.0 games out of first, and due to an odd scheduling start for the Suns and the fact that they have played the fewest games in the NBA, they are 4.5 games back of the top team in the league. That team? The Rockets…
These slow starts create a significant barrier between the Suns and a proverbial train that’s already leaving the station, headed toward the postseason. That’s right, the Suns are in danger of being late for that train. Anxiety! Because with every passing day and every loss that accumulates, they find themselves falling further and further behind, making it increasingly difficult to hop on board and reach their desired postseason destination.
A season ago, we found ourselves in the same predicament, but the feeling surrounding the team was much different. A big part of that came down to expectations. Nobody really expected the Suns to be a team that could compete at a high level. The prevailing thought was to let the season play out, sell off assets around the trade deadline, and begin building toward the summer of 2026.
Following that 1-4 start, the Suns began putting things together. The sloppy basketball we’d witnessed early in the season became more organized, and the effort that was evident through those first five games finally started translating into wins. I had this to say after they lost 114-113 to the Grizzlies a season ago:
Losing still stings, but this team isn’t miles away. The execution needs tightening, and these are the aches that come with learning how to win again.
It’s tough to find moral victories in Game 5 when you’re sitting at 1–4, but I’ll say it anyway. I was entertained. Disappointed, sure. The ending wasn’t what anyone wanted. But maybe this year isn’t about wins and losses. Maybe it’s about how they respond to nights like this.
The feeling this year is different, however. Locally, expectations were higher, even if the national perception remained relatively unchanged. The roster construction was clunky, but you could at least see the vision of what this team wanted to become. Regardless, those expectations change the reality of your situation. While the effort has certainly been present, its consistency has begun to wane, and the execution remains frustratingly inconsistent.
Last season, we could talk ourselves into believing thatDillon Brooks and Jalen Green’s absence due to injury was a significant reason for the team’s struggles. And perhaps this year, we’re doing the same thing with Mark Williams. But the feeling isn’t the same. The reality of the situation is slowly sinking in, and it’s one in which hope is becoming increasingly difficult to find. This is a team that doesn’t control its own draft picks, so finding itself stuck in the middle of the standings is essentially a death sentence.
When you consider the anti-tanking rules that will be in place this year, there’s a very real possibility that the Suns could find themselves among the teams with an 8.1% chance of landing the number one overall pick. And how “Suns” would it be for Phoenix to benefit from not being completely horrendous under the league’s new draft lottery structure, only to have to hand that pick over to Houston?
Are we there yet? Are we seriously thinking about this already? (I am) When you start 1-4 and look around the standings at the other teams with only one win, seeing the Kings, Nets, Jazz, Bulls, and Bucks alongside you, it’s difficult not to get a little frazzled. Because those are the teams that were projected to be bad. It’s why we’re running to the trade machine trying to find fixes, because you have no room for a down season when there is no benefit to being bad.
I think back to a season ago and the turnaround we witnessed. What the Suns accomplished was impressive, climbing out of 13th place in the Western Conference and playing some incredibly good basketball along the way. For one fleeting night on January 22, 2026, the Suns had fought their way all the way back to the fifth seed in the Western Conference. After starting 1-4, they went 26-13 to reach that point. That is going to be incredibly hard to replicate.
Can this team reproduce any aspect of what we witnessed last year? Can they put together another impressive run that allows them to hop aboard that train headed toward the postseason?
There is hope if you look hard enough. Through their first 5 games a season ago, the Suns had a 120.5 defensive rating (28th) and -9.8 net rating (27th). This season, they are at 124.0 (30th) and -9.8 (25th). After their 1-4 start a season ago, the Suns posted a 112.3 defensive rating (8th) and a +2.1 net rating (13th). It is possible. We’ve seen it before.
Psst…I’m saying the quiet part out loud…that team can rebound the damn ball…the worst team in rebound percentage last season was the Washington Wizards at 47.1%. The Suns are currently at 45.7%…
We’ve got a long trip ahead of us, my fellow Suns fans, and we’ll spend much of that journey wondering whether this team can recapture any semblance of what it was a season ago. We’ll look for solutions in every corner, talking ourselves into the viability of overpaid players like Domantas Sabonis or Dejounte Murray as mediocre saviors. But with so many red flags surrounding the roster construction, it’s difficult to shake that familiar feeling of anxiety from being late building in the pit of your stomach.
