Category: Basketball

The Dallas Mavericks fell on Friday night in their final preseason contest, 135-111 to the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Center. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had an efficient 25 points in 27 minutes to lead the Hawks. Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 26 and 12 rebounds in defeat.

The back-and-forth affair early on was punctuated by a Cooper Flagg dunk off a cut and the first of Kyrie Irving’s five 3-pointers. Dallas was foul-happy in the first quarter, committing four team fouls in the first three minutes of play. CJ McCollum connected on two early 3-pointers, and Atlanta took early offensive control. Defense seemed lacking from both teams, though. Dallas rallied right back with a relentless offensive pace. The two teams traded leads, with Atlanta carrying a 39-34 lead into the second quarter on the strength of 16 free-throw attempts.

Quarter two saw the Hawks rain from beyond the arc while the referee show continued apace. Atlanta built up a 17-point lead five minutes into the quarter as the Dallas offense stalled. The Mavericks were so cold in the second that Kyrie Irving, a phenomenal free-throw shooter (88.8%!), missed one. The Mavericks shot a palty 1-of-10 from deep in the second quarter while the Hawks remained electric from beyond the arc — pushing the lead to 73-54 at the half.

Dallas started the second half intent on cutting into the Atlanta lead. Three possessions of solid offense, the Mavericks cut the Hawks lead down to 14 only for Atlanta to knockdown back-to-back threes and regain their 20 point cushion. The Dallas defense was frenetic but poor, and the Hawks kept the pressure on all period. Sergio De Larrea continued his hot shooting on low volume, hitting both threes he took in the period. Dallas entered the fourth down 102-78.

Cooper Flagg transtion attacks forced a quick Hawks timeout to start the fourth quarter. While Dallas continued to play within what should be their regular rotation, both Flagg and Kyrie were done for the night following the timeout. De Larrea played well to close out the fourth, but the main goal for both squads was to get out with everyone healthy.

Cooper Flagg looks ready for primetime

Take a second and watch this.

year 2 Cooper Flagg pic.twitter.com/EAu2wihOV5

— Isaac Harris (@IsaacLHarris) October 17, 2026

That sort of move simply doesn’t happen last year. It’s not that he couldn’t do it, but we didn’t see much like it from Flagg. He put his head down, got to the rim or he’d have a strong one dribble move into a jumper. But sauce? We didn’t get a lot and that sort of thing comes with an enormous amount of work.

And while Flagg wasn’t terribly efficient in terms of shooting (just 8 of 20), he got to the line for 12 free throws and should’ve had at least 4-6 more. The 12 rebounds were also impressive and if he’s cleaning up the glass and pushing the pace, he looks frightening coming downhill.

I am excited for what year two will bring. The league should be concerned.

Kyrie Irving yields basketball joy

This isn’t news, but it’s certainly fun to type. Irving had a good but weird game. While he was money from beyond the arc, he missed some weird layups and even had a free throw rim out. But no matter, it’s a preseason game.

That special something he had when last playing regular season Dallas Maverick basketball? He still has it. Thank God.

Can the NBA Referees settle down?

We don‘t come to watch the refs. I thought a 7:00 pm (7:15) start time meant games would get over at a reasonable hour. That one was a full two and a half hours because of 48 called fouls and 71 combined free-throw attempts. RELAX, GUYS.

Before the season even began, Kentucky Basketball was already dealing with an injury bug. Forward Milan Momcilovic jammed his finger but is now healthy and played against Little Rock, while guard Jerone Morton suffered a knee injury and will be re-evaluated in several weeks.

Forward Kam Williams continues to recover from a second surgery on the broken foot he suffered in February. Williams returned for the SEC and NCAA Tournaments but required another procedure after his recovery stalled.

Meanwhile, forward Trent Noah re-aggravated his hamstring injury earlier this summer and remains sidelined.

Following Friday night’s exhibition against Little Rock, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope provided an update on Noah’s recovery and explained why getting Williams back on the court is becoming increasingly important.

“With Trent, he’s kind of struggling a little bit right now to regain his health,” Pope said. “It makes it even more important that we get Kam back on time. So we’re hopeful. We’re hopeful.”

Hearing that Noah is struggling to regain his health with a hamstring he’s hurt several times already isn’t what you want to hear as the regular season draws closer.

Thankfully, Williams is making good progress and appears close to being cleared to practice.

For Pope, having a healthy or nearly healthy roster is crucial after injuries have repeatedly disrupted his first two seasons in Lexington.

During his first season, Kentucky lost Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa to injuries, while Lamont Butler missed time off and on late in the season. In Pope’s second season, starting guard Jaland Lowe was also sidelined, while Williams missed a significant portion of that campaign because of his foot injury.

Additionally, forward Jayden Quaintance never fully recovered from his torn ACL in time to contribute on the court.

Recurring injuries have made it difficult for Pope to maintain a consistent rotation and get his best players on the floor together. With another season underway, Kentucky will hope to avoid a similar situation. The Wildcats need Williams and Noah to regain their health and Morton to work his way back.

There is still plenty of time for Kentucky to get healthy, but the Wildcats will need to be injury-free if they hope to reach their potential this season.

Before the season even began, Kentucky Basketball was already dealing with an injury bug. Forward Milan Momcilovic jammed his finger but is now healthy and played against Little Rock, while guard Jerone Morton suffered a knee injury and will be re-evaluated in several weeks.

Forward Kam Williams continues to recover from a second surgery on the broken foot he suffered in February. Williams returned for the SEC and NCAA Tournaments but required another procedure after his recovery stalled.

Meanwhile, forward Trent Noah re-aggravated his hamstring injury earlier this summer and remains sidelined.

Following Friday night’s exhibition against Little Rock, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope provided an update on Noah’s recovery and explained why getting Williams back on the court is becoming increasingly important.

“With Trent, he’s kind of struggling a little bit right now to regain his health,” Pope said. “It makes it even more important that we get Kam back on time. So we’re hopeful. We’re hopeful.”

Hearing that Noah is struggling to regain his health with a hamstring he’s hurt several times already isn’t what you want to hear as the regular season draws closer.

Thankfully, Williams is making good progress and appears close to being cleared to practice.

For Pope, having a healthy or nearly healthy roster is crucial after injuries have repeatedly disrupted his first two seasons in Lexington.

During his first season, Kentucky lost Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa to injuries, while Lamont Butler missed time off and on late in the season. In Pope’s second season, starting guard Jaland Lowe was also sidelined, while Williams missed a significant portion of that campaign because of his foot injury.

Additionally, forward Jayden Quaintance never fully recovered from his torn ACL in time to contribute on the court.

Recurring injuries have made it difficult for Pope to maintain a consistent rotation and get his best players on the floor together. With another season underway, Kentucky will hope to avoid a similar situation. The Wildcats need Williams and Noah to regain their health and Morton to work his way back.

There is still plenty of time for Kentucky to get healthy, but the Wildcats will need to be injury-free if they hope to reach their potential this season.

The start of wing Julian Strawther’s fourth NBA season with the Denver Nuggets is off to an unfortunate, unpredictable beginning.

During the Wednesday, Oct. 14, preseason matchup at the Los Angeles Clippers, Strawther suffered a left knee sprain that was revealed by an MRI the following day. The Gonzaga Bulldog sharpshooter will be re-evaluated in six weeks and will look to make his 2026-27 debut sometime in December.

Injury Update: Julian Strawther suffered a Left Knee Sprain against the Los Angeles Clippers. He will be re-evaluated in six weeks.

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 17, 2026

Denver is already limited with the bench and three-point shooting support leading into their season opener against center Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Oct. 22. Last season, Strawther averaged 7.2 points on a career-high 46.7 field goal percentage and 38.7 three-point percentage across 57 games played.

The highly anticipated introduction of the newest Nugget and former Zag, point guard Ryan Nembhard, alongside Strawther out on the perimeter will have to wait. Nembhard was signed by Denver to a two-way contract as an unrestricted free agent back at the end of September.

Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho

The start of wing Julian Strawther’s fourth NBA season with the Denver Nuggets is off to an unfortunate, unpredictable beginning.

During the Wednesday, Oct. 14, preseason matchup at the Los Angeles Clippers, Strawther suffered a left knee sprain that was revealed by an MRI the following day. The Gonzaga Bulldog sharpshooter will be re-evaluated in six weeks and will look to make his 2026-27 debut sometime in December.

Injury Update: Julian Strawther suffered a Left Knee Sprain against the Los Angeles Clippers. He will be re-evaluated in six weeks.

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 17, 2026

Denver is already limited with the bench and three-point shooting support leading into their season opener against center Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Oct. 22. Last season, Strawther averaged 7.2 points on a career-high 46.7 field goal percentage and 38.7 three-point percentage across 57 games played.

The highly anticipated introduction of the newest Nugget and former Zag, point guard Ryan Nembhard, alongside Strawther out on the perimeter will have to wait. Nembhard was signed by Denver to a two-way contract as an unrestricted free agent back at the end of September.

Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho

Although Toronto rested their starters due to being on the second night of a back-to-back (who schedules that in the preseason?), it was a competitive game until the final buzzer between the Raptors and the Pistons. Thanks to some late-game heroics from Ebuka Okorie, Detroit finished the preseason with a 129-125 victory.

Cade Cunningham led the way for the Pistons with 18 points on an efficient 67% from the field along with seven assists. Jalen Duren was next with 14 points, and his growing offensive game continues to be a fun addition to the offense. He hit a nice fadeaway after a post spin that we didn’t see from him last year.

Ausar Thompson was full of highlights tonight and did a little bit of everything with 12 points, three rebounds, and four assists. Every time he shows a new improvement on offense, I get way too excited about it. I mean, check out this improved handle:

And this midrange pull-up:

Collins also had 12 points to go along with eight rebounds. He hit a nice three from the wing off a Cade assist, and also added this strong jump-stop dunk:

Rookie Ebuka Okorie only played nine minutes but finished with 14 points while shooting 4-for-4 from the field. He has looked like he has belonged as an NBA player so far, so it’ll be interesting to see where his opportunities come from in the regular season. He put on a little shake-and-bake (a few times) late in the game:

The Pistons finish the preseason with a 3-1 record, and we’re now on to regular season basketball. There’s a lot to be excited about through the first four games with the flashes we’ve seen from Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren as they take on more creation opportunities. With more shooting around Detroit’s three core guys, I’m intrigued by giving more on-ball reps to AT and JD to help them reach their offensive ceilings.

The 2025-2026 NBA season will start officially on Tuesday afternoon as Detroit opens the year against the Boston Celtics at 3:00 PM EST.

Go Stones.

Although Toronto rested their starters due to being on the second night of a back-to-back (who schedules that in the preseason?), it was a competitive game until the final buzzer between the Raptors and the Pistons. Thanks to some late-game heroics from Ebuka Okorie, Detroit finished the preseason with a 129-125 victory.

Cade Cunningham led the way for the Pistons with 18 points on an efficient 67% from the field along with seven assists. Jalen Duren was next with 14 points, and his growing offensive game continues to be a fun addition to the offense. He hit a nice fadeaway after a post spin that we didn’t see from him last year.

Ausar Thompson was full of highlights tonight and did a little bit of everything with 12 points, three rebounds, and four assists. Every time he shows a new improvement on offense, I get way too excited about it. I mean, check out this improved handle:

And this midrange pull-up:

Collins also had 12 points to go along with eight rebounds. He hit a nice three from the wing off a Cade assist, and also added this strong jump-stop dunk:

Rookie Ebuka Okorie only played nine minutes but finished with 14 points while shooting 4-for-4 from the field. He has looked like he has belonged as an NBA player so far, so it’ll be interesting to see where his opportunities come from in the regular season. He put on a little shake-and-bake (a few times) late in the game:

The Pistons finish the preseason with a 3-1 record, and we’re now on to regular season basketball. There’s a lot to be excited about through the first four games with the flashes we’ve seen from Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren as they take on more creation opportunities. With more shooting around Detroit’s three core guys, I’m intrigued by giving more on-ball reps to AT and JD to help them reach their offensive ceilings.

The 2025-2026 NBA season will start officially on Tuesday afternoon as Detroit opens the year against the Boston Celtics at 3:00 PM EST.

Go Stones.

The Milwaukee Bucks won a nail-biter against the Indiana Pacers in overtime! Tyler Herro led the Bucks with 25 points on 10/16 shooting (5/7 from deep), while Pascal Siakam dazzled for the Pacers with 24 on 8/10 shooting in less than 20 minutes. It was Kasparas Jakucionis, though, who stole the show late and basically won the game for Milwaukee.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

Milwaukee kept “pace” with Indiana early, able to run good offence, generate good shots, and thus keep the home team out of transition. However, after the Bucks built a 10-5 lead, they gave up an 11-0 run, mostly at the hands of Andrew Nembhard. A scuffle between Ryan Rollins and Tyrese Haliburton soon followed; Haliburton took offence at the way Rollins attacked an offensive rebound. Make no mistake: Giannis or no Giannis, these teams still do not like each other. After their cold spell, the visitors responded with their own 11-0 run to go up 21-16 with four minutes to play; Brayden Burries was instrumental, scoring a quick five points off the pine. Unfortunately, the Pacers answered with a shutout to close the period, capitalising on missed shots and turnovers—primarily from Kevin Porter Jr.—to run out the first on a 13-0 run to go up 29-21.

Pascal Siakam sparked the Pacers to open the second with a quick nine points, extending Indy’s run to 22-3 and forcing Taylor Jenkins to burn an early timeout—Bucks down big, 40-24. Milwaukee answered out of the break with an encouraging 8-2 spurt—headed by threes from Kel’el Ware and Kyle Kuzma—but their inroads were quickly erased by more Siakam buckets, who was unconscious for the entire period. Tyler Herro stepped up later in the quarter to keep the margin from blowing out past ~16, working intuitively in the pick-and-roll to find his spots. Ultimately, the Bucks did well to keep the margin from blowing out to close the half, considering the absolute heater Siakam was on. At quarter time, the Pacers starting forward had 2 points, and at half time, he had 24 on 5/7 from three. Tough. Bucks down 71-56 at half.

Indy rested their entire starting group for the second half, and the Bucks did not. Herro got the motor back up and running out of the half with five quick points, and a Kuzma spinning hook forced an early Pacers timeout. The contrast between how Herro scored on the Pacers’ first unit and their second was stark: he dropped his 19^th and 20^th points on a fastbreak layup after reading an errant pass, cutting the deficit to 11. From there, Milwaukee’s starters were done. After a few Pacers buckets to stem the tide, the Bucks went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to five, 89-84, with under three minutes left in the third. Their defence remained steady to close it out, and a KPJ stampede to the rim on the buzzer had the visitors down by a single posession, 93-90, after three.

Both teams started the final stanza cold, but a Burries floater, followed by threes from Green and Porter, gave the Bucks their first lead since early in the first. Bogoljub Markovic came in and made an impact with a strong offensive rebound and finish; unfortunately, that goodwill was undone a few possessions later when the rook was late on help, and Kobe Brown posterised him—Bucks up just one, 105-104, with five to play. Both teams got in their own way for the next few minutes, failing to score; however, the deadlock was broken by a breakdown in transition D for the Pacers (off a dead ball!), which allowed Ware to smash home a thunderous dunk, followed by a triple from Cormac Ryan. The Pacers weren’t done, though, and responded with a 9-0 outburst—led by a pair of Braden Smith-Keba Keita alley-oops—to take the lead in short order. Former Pacer Kam Jones, though, nailed a clutch fading three deep in the left corner to tie it at 113 with just over a minute to go. The Pacers built a small lead on free throws, but a crazy sequence followed—including multiple missed Bucks free throws and multiple offensive rebounds—that allowed the Bucks tie it at 117 with a Ware slam and send the game to OT.

After some deer-in-the-headlights possessions to close out the fourth, Markovic sparked the Bucks early in OT, scoring the opening five points of the extra period. Kobe Brown answered with four straight points, followed by a Braden Smith floater, and the Pacers wrenched the lead back, up 123-122 with two minutes left. However, Kasparas Jakucionis—who didn’t get on the floor until late but was huge as a rebounder in his minutes—made three straight heady plays down the stretch to help the Bucks grab and hold the lead until the final buzzer. Milwaukee wins a nail-biter to close out the preseason.

Stat That Stood Out

Milwaukee got 26 second-chance points, while the Pacers got just 12. Much of this was due to the Bucks grabbing 19 offensive rebounds, which has clearly been a key focus in the preseason.

Obscene Overreaction

It was a crime that Kasparas Jakucionis came into the game so late. Jakucionis was stellar in his minutes, generating extra possessions and high-quality shots. The kid needs to play.

The Milwaukee Bucks won a nail-biter against the Indiana Pacers in overtime! Tyler Herro led the Bucks with 25 points on 10/16 shooting (5/7 from deep), while Pascal Siakam dazzled for the Pacers with 24 on 8/10 shooting in less than 20 minutes. It was Kasparas Jakucionis, though, who stole the show late and basically won the game for Milwaukee.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

Milwaukee kept “pace” with Indiana early, able to run good offence, generate good shots, and thus keep the home team out of transition. However, after the Bucks built a 10-5 lead, they gave up an 11-0 run, mostly at the hands of Andrew Nembhard. A scuffle between Ryan Rollins and Tyrese Haliburton soon followed; Haliburton took offence at the way Rollins attacked an offensive rebound. Make no mistake: Giannis or no Giannis, these teams still do not like each other. After their cold spell, the visitors responded with their own 11-0 run to go up 21-16 with four minutes to play; Brayden Burries was instrumental, scoring a quick five points off the pine. Unfortunately, the Pacers answered with a shutout to close the period, capitalising on missed shots and turnovers—primarily from Kevin Porter Jr.—to run out the first on a 13-0 run to go up 29-21.

Pascal Siakam sparked the Pacers to open the second with a quick nine points, extending Indy’s run to 22-3 and forcing Taylor Jenkins to burn an early timeout—Bucks down big, 40-24. Milwaukee answered out of the break with an encouraging 8-2 spurt—headed by threes from Kel’el Ware and Kyle Kuzma—but their inroads were quickly erased by more Siakam buckets, who was unconscious for the entire period. Tyler Herro stepped up later in the quarter to keep the margin from blowing out past ~16, working intuitively in the pick-and-roll to find his spots. Ultimately, the Bucks did well to keep the margin from blowing out to close the half, considering the absolute heater Siakam was on. At quarter time, the Pacers starting forward had 2 points, and at half time, he had 24 on 5/7 from three. Tough. Bucks down 71-56 at half.

Indy rested their entire starting group for the second half, and the Bucks did not. Herro got the motor back up and running out of the half with five quick points, and a Kuzma spinning hook forced an early Pacers timeout. The contrast between how Herro scored on the Pacers’ first unit and their second was stark: he dropped his 19^th and 20^th points on a fastbreak layup after reading an errant pass, cutting the deficit to 11. From there, Milwaukee’s starters were done. After a few Pacers buckets to stem the tide, the Bucks went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to five, 89-84, with under three minutes left in the third. Their defence remained steady to close it out, and a KPJ stampede to the rim on the buzzer had the visitors down by a single posession, 93-90, after three.

Both teams started the final stanza cold, but a Burries floater, followed by threes from Green and Porter, gave the Bucks their first lead since early in the first. Bogoljub Markovic came in and made an impact with a strong offensive rebound and finish; unfortunately, that goodwill was undone a few possessions later when the rook was late on help, and Kobe Brown posterised him—Bucks up just one, 105-104, with five to play. Both teams got in their own way for the next few minutes, failing to score; however, the deadlock was broken by a breakdown in transition D for the Pacers (off a dead ball!), which allowed Ware to smash home a thunderous dunk, followed by a triple from Cormac Ryan. The Pacers weren’t done, though, and responded with a 9-0 outburst—led by a pair of Braden Smith-Keba Keita alley-oops—to take the lead in short order. Former Pacer Kam Jones, though, nailed a clutch fading three deep in the left corner to tie it at 113 with just over a minute to go. The Pacers built a small lead on free throws, but a crazy sequence followed—including multiple missed Bucks free throws and multiple offensive rebounds—that allowed the Bucks tie it at 117 with a Ware slam and send the game to OT.

After some deer-in-the-headlights possessions to close out the fourth, Markovic sparked the Bucks early in OT, scoring the opening five points of the extra period. Kobe Brown answered with four straight points, followed by a Braden Smith floater, and the Pacers wrenched the lead back, up 123-122 with two minutes left. However, Kasparas Jakucionis—who didn’t get on the floor until late but was huge as a rebounder in his minutes—made three straight heady plays down the stretch to help the Bucks grab and hold the lead until the final buzzer. Milwaukee wins a nail-biter to close out the preseason.

Stat That Stood Out

Milwaukee got 26 second-chance points, while the Pacers got just 12. Much of this was due to the Bucks grabbing 19 offensive rebounds, which has clearly been a key focus in the preseason.

Obscene Overreaction

It was a crime that Kasparas Jakucionis came into the game so late. Jakucionis was stellar in his minutes, generating extra possessions and high-quality shots. The kid needs to play.

The Toronto Raptors preseason finally came to an end tonight as they fell to the Detroit Pistons in a well-fought battle that ended 129-125 in the Pistons’ favour. 

In a turn of events that could be surprising to some and completely predictable to others, Toronto went to their bench entirely, sitting most of their rotation players for the entirety of the night. Allen Graves, Alijah Martin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jaden Bradley, and Nimari Burnett started for the Raptors. Detroit countered with their starters, seemingly working more on their regular season rotation than final roster decisions. 

This was a great opportunity for everyone who checked in for the Raptors to show what they’ve got. Alijah Martin had a strong showing during the first half, more as a scorer than a distributor. He’d already racked up 15 by the midway point and didn’t play much in the second half, having already demonstrated his abilities. 

ALIJAH FROM DEEP 🎯 pic.twitter.com/1mWTx7UNod

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 16, 2026

Allen Graves looked like he is starting to come into his own. In the first quarter alone, he had a couple of good hustle putbacks that rocked the rim. He’s still struggling with his shot, but it’s way too early in his rookie campaign to worry. He finished the night with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block. 

Malachi Smith led all scorers and had a phenomenal game, looking owed more than the two-way he’s currently on. He ended the night with 24-5-3. Nimari Burnett also had a great showing tonight with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Trayce Jackson-Davis had some solid minutes, finishing with 23 points and 3 rebounds, and a perfect record from the free-throw line if you don’t count the one he intentionally missed to try and force overtime. 

Despite the mismatch in terms of guaranteed contract money, the deep bench held their own. There were the expected little mistakes that you’d see from less-experienced guys, losing their dribble or passes that aren’t on time or target, but despite that, the effort was enough to compensate. The perfect example of this was about halfway through the first. A sloppy pass and dribble through the paint led to the ball rolling loose towards the three point line. Within seconds, Raptors’ bodies were flying on the court to get possession, ultimately earning back the ball and a three-point basket. 

Guards Martin and Smith held the majority of the scoring load early on. They were able to score all over the floor, in traffic, and against defenders, an impressive feat against bigger bodies. 

MALACHI LETTING IT FLY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Bju7gcsdvo

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 16, 2026

Ball movement, the Raptors’ system forte wasn’t on display as much as expected. Their defence and active hands held up though, poking the ball away and making things tricky for a Pistons team that has high hopes for the season.

Finishing the first quarter with only three turnovers and only a two point deficit wouldn’t necessarily be the expectation when looking at the starting lineups, but the bench definitely put on a show.  

Jamarion Sharp looked a little behind the play at times, but had a phenomenal block in the second that helped demonstrate flashes of his length and timing that can be an asset.

Jamarion said NOT TODAY 🚫 pic.twitter.com/Uy0vbduYff

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 17, 2026

Detroit was able to build a marginal lead late in the second, entering the locker room with a seven point advantage.

A tough offensive foul call followed by sloppy defence and a turnover meant the Pistons had a double-digit lead within the first minute and a half of the third quarter. None of that seemed to have much of an effect on the Raptors’ intensity though. They kept chipping away, one possession at a time. 

Degenhart had a great three-pointer that brought the deficit to single digits. 

TYSON FOR THREEEE! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/zbLlD9Tw2y

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 17, 2026

The entirety of the fourth quarter had to be the most fun part of the game. Detroit sat their starters, employing the same strategy as Toronto to see what the bench had to offer. Point by point, the Raptors chipped away. They outscored the Pistons 20-6 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, giving Toronto their first lead since the first quarter. Burnett, Smith, and Key were the leaders of the comeback, scoring timely long range baskets.

A bit of sloppiness gave way to Detroit in the fading minutes of the game, turning the ball over and giving Detroit some extra scoring opportunities. Credit to them, they didn’t give in until the final buzzer sounded, getting within a single possession repeatedly. Toronto may not have won, but they played well and the bench got some solid run that could help them earn their next contracts. 

Now, Toronto has some time to make final decisions and get ready for next Wednesday, their season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Tune in so you don’t miss a single moment of one of the most anticipated Raptors seasons in a while.

The Toronto Raptors preseason finally came to an end tonight as they fell to the Detroit Pistons in a well-fought battle that ended 129-125 in the Pistons’ favour. 

In a turn of events that could be surprising to some and completely predictable to others, Toronto went to their bench entirely, sitting most of their rotation players for the entirety of the night. Allen Graves, Alijah Martin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jaden Bradley, and Nimari Burnett started for the Raptors. Detroit countered with their starters, seemingly working more on their regular season rotation than final roster decisions. 

This was a great opportunity for everyone who checked in for the Raptors to show what they’ve got. Alijah Martin had a strong showing during the first half, more as a scorer than a distributor. He’d already racked up 15 by the midway point and didn’t play much in the second half, having already demonstrated his abilities. 

ALIJAH FROM DEEP 🎯 pic.twitter.com/1mWTx7UNod

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 16, 2026

Allen Graves looked like he is starting to come into his own. In the first quarter alone, he had a couple of good hustle putbacks that rocked the rim. He’s still struggling with his shot, but it’s way too early in his rookie campaign to worry. He finished the night with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block. 

Malachi Smith led all scorers and had a phenomenal game, looking owed more than the two-way he’s currently on. He ended the night with 24-5-3. Nimari Burnett also had a great showing tonight with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Trayce Jackson-Davis had some solid minutes, finishing with 23 points and 3 rebounds, and a perfect record from the free-throw line if you don’t count the one he intentionally missed to try and force overtime. 

Despite the mismatch in terms of guaranteed contract money, the deep bench held their own. There were the expected little mistakes that you’d see from less-experienced guys, losing their dribble or passes that aren’t on time or target, but despite that, the effort was enough to compensate. The perfect example of this was about halfway through the first. A sloppy pass and dribble through the paint led to the ball rolling loose towards the three point line. Within seconds, Raptors’ bodies were flying on the court to get possession, ultimately earning back the ball and a three-point basket. 

Guards Martin and Smith held the majority of the scoring load early on. They were able to score all over the floor, in traffic, and against defenders, an impressive feat against bigger bodies. 

MALACHI LETTING IT FLY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Bju7gcsdvo

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 16, 2026

Ball movement, the Raptors’ system forte wasn’t on display as much as expected. Their defence and active hands held up though, poking the ball away and making things tricky for a Pistons team that has high hopes for the season.

Finishing the first quarter with only three turnovers and only a two point deficit wouldn’t necessarily be the expectation when looking at the starting lineups, but the bench definitely put on a show.  

Jamarion Sharp looked a little behind the play at times, but had a phenomenal block in the second that helped demonstrate flashes of his length and timing that can be an asset.

Jamarion said NOT TODAY 🚫 pic.twitter.com/Uy0vbduYff

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 17, 2026

Detroit was able to build a marginal lead late in the second, entering the locker room with a seven point advantage.

A tough offensive foul call followed by sloppy defence and a turnover meant the Pistons had a double-digit lead within the first minute and a half of the third quarter. None of that seemed to have much of an effect on the Raptors’ intensity though. They kept chipping away, one possession at a time. 

Degenhart had a great three-pointer that brought the deficit to single digits. 

TYSON FOR THREEEE! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/zbLlD9Tw2y

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 17, 2026

The entirety of the fourth quarter had to be the most fun part of the game. Detroit sat their starters, employing the same strategy as Toronto to see what the bench had to offer. Point by point, the Raptors chipped away. They outscored the Pistons 20-6 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, giving Toronto their first lead since the first quarter. Burnett, Smith, and Key were the leaders of the comeback, scoring timely long range baskets.

A bit of sloppiness gave way to Detroit in the fading minutes of the game, turning the ball over and giving Detroit some extra scoring opportunities. Credit to them, they didn’t give in until the final buzzer sounded, getting within a single possession repeatedly. Toronto may not have won, but they played well and the bench got some solid run that could help them earn their next contracts. 

Now, Toronto has some time to make final decisions and get ready for next Wednesday, their season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Tune in so you don’t miss a single moment of one of the most anticipated Raptors seasons in a while.

The Boston Celtics played their final game of the preseason in Philadelphia Friday night. As was the case in game 1 of the preseason, Boston rested their key starters and vets, handing the bench unit plenty of run against a full-strength Philadelphia 76ers team. The lead flip flopped throughout the second half as both teams traded blows down the stretch, Boston would would get contributions from top to bottom in overtime to grab another preseason win, 125-120. Hugo Gonzalez led the team with 21 points, all 12 available players scoring for the road team.

Boston came into the game with a perfect 3 wins from 3 games; they started yet another curveball lineup with Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, and rookie Chris Cenac Jr. Sam Cassell was handed head coaching duties as the Boston bench was filled out by the stay-ready unit of Luka Garza, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Amari Williams, Dillon Mitchell, Ron Harper Jr and Hugo Gonzalez.

Baylor Scheierman has had an excellent preseason, averaging 8 points and 4 assists per game through three games, whilst Hugo Gonzalez has shot the three ball consistently well, coming into the game with 8/13 from downtown.

Jaylen Brown did not play in Boston but was suited up against his former team, just 103 after the blockbuster offseason trade that rocked the NBA landscape and the Eastern Conference. He was joined in the starting five by Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Milos Uzan hit on the first score of the game with a triple just 45 seconds into the contest. Hayden Gray got downhill and drove the ball as Boston took an early 5-2 lead.

Philly hit their first 7 free throws of the contest and took the lead. Boston had 3 early turnovers as things looked sloppy on the road. Gabe McGlothan hit a triple over a scrambling Jaylen Brown and Milos Uzan with the nifty pass into the corner in front of the C’s bench.

Sam Cassell subbed in 5 players at the six-minute mark of the first quarter, Garza, Harper Jr, Scheierman, Walsh and Gonzalez coming into the game. Luka Garza snagged a weak-side rebound over Embiid, dished to Hugo, who Euro stepped into the lane for a layup.

Ron Harper Jr attacked the paint past two Philly defenders for his score of the game, showing his quickness on the layup. Luka Garza continued his preseason three-point barrage, nailing his first three-point attempt of the game, with Baylor Scheierman finding the big man with the assist. Boston up by 3 points with 2 minutes to go in the quarter, 25-22.

Hugo Gonzalez stole the ball at mid court and got away with a clear travel as he dunked it home late in the first quarter. Boston took a six-point lead after a quarter of play, 34-28. Hugo Gonzalez leading the way on the road with a game-high 10 points in just six minutes of play.

Dillon Mitchell and Amari Williams checked into the game to start the second quarter, they would be joined by Uzan, Devries, and Cenac Jr. Jaylen Brown laced home a corner three-pointer over Amari Williams, for his twelth point of the game. Nick Nurse rolled out a second quarter lineup of Maxey, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown and they showed some early signs of 76er chemistry regaining the lead and outscoring Boston 14 to 6 to start the quarter.

Baylor Scheierman drilled a wide open three-pointer, his first score on eight shot attempts. Both teams struggling from deep in an ugly first half shooting display, Boston shooting just 23% and Philly a dismal 14% from long range midway through the second quarter.

Hugo Gonzalez was the only player on either side shooting with confidence, he had a second triple of the game over Tyrese Maxey at the top of the key, for his 13th point. Walsh joined in on the party splashing home his first three-pointer of the game, Boston back on top by 2 points, 54-52.

Joel Embiid finally got into the game late in the second quarter, the big man hitting 7-straight points to go into halftime up by 2 points, 58-60.

Sam Cassell handed Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr, and Baylor Scheierman the start in the second half against Philly’s starting five. The Philly starters were locked in, hitting seven straight points to start the third.

Gonzalez hit his third triple of the night for his nineteenth point in just sixteen minutes of action. Embiid leading all scorers with 23 points with a quarter and a half to go in the game.

Jordan Walsh had a terrific driving move past LeBron James at the three-point line and attacked the rim with Embiid in the paint, his ninth point, showcasing some new tools in his tool bag this preseason.

Sam Cassell gave the Maine Celtics a run to end the third quarter against the Philly starters, LeBron James playing 24 minutes in the final preseason game was surprising to see.

The third quarter ended with Boston making a mini run, Uzan and Grey hitting three-pointers. With 12 minutes left in the game, it was Philadelphia up by 10 points, 84-94.

Amari Williams connected with Ron Harper Jr to score the first points of the 4th quarter as he knived into the lane.

Tucker DeVries hit a pair of triples as the (Maine) Celtics as the road team got the game back within 4 points, Gabe McGlotham really active hitting the boards for Boston.

Jaylen Brown stuck in the game as the other Philly starters looked on from the bench. He eventually would hit the pine with seven minutes left in the contest.

Ron Harper Jr gave Celtics fans plenty to cheer about mid way through the fourth as he hit back-to-back buckets, the Philly fans nervous as Boston kept hanging around, down just 3 points, 97-100.

Tucker DeVries stuck another triple to give Boston the lead, 102-100. Chris Cenac Jr had some good active minutes late in the fourth, unfortunately, he would foul out of the game with 12 points and 7 rebounds.

With the game tied at 115, it was nervous going for both teams down the stretch. DeVries and Ron Harper Jr spearheading the charge for Boston. At the end of regulation though it was still tied. Ladies and Gentleman, we would see overtime minutes in the final preseason game.

Dillon Mitchell skied for the fast break jam in overtime, Boston up 119-117. Dillon Mitchell really came alive in OT, snagging a board and drilling a triple as the rookie was showing promising signs for Boston.

Philadelphia went ice cold in the overtime period as the C’s were up by 5 points with 30 seconds on the clock. Milos Uzan netted the dagger midrange shot to win it in style for Boston.

That is a finally a wrap on the preseason. Joe Mazzulla and the coaching staff have managed the minutes well, giving fans a taste of the roster depth from top to bottom. Rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell have gotten minutes against NBA talent in each game which is great to see.

The Boston Celtics will travel to Detroit to face the Pistons for the first of 82 games on Tuesday, at the super early time slot of 3pm EST. Stay locked into CelticsBlog for all the pregame coverage as we embark on a big season.

The Boston Celtics played their final game of the preseason in Philadelphia Friday night. As was the case in game 1 of the preseason, Boston rested their key starters and vets, handing the bench unit plenty of run against a full-strength Philadelphia 76ers team. The lead flip flopped throughout the second half as both teams traded blows down the stretch, Boston would would get contributions from top to bottom in overtime to grab another preseason win, 125-120. Hugo Gonzalez led the team with 21 points, all 12 available players scoring for the road team.

Boston came into the game with a perfect 3 wins from 3 games; they started yet another curveball lineup with Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, and rookie Chris Cenac Jr. Sam Cassell was handed head coaching duties as the Boston bench was filled out by the stay-ready unit of Luka Garza, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Amari Williams, Dillon Mitchell, Ron Harper Jr and Hugo Gonzalez.

Baylor Scheierman has had an excellent preseason, averaging 8 points and 4 assists per game through three games, whilst Hugo Gonzalez has shot the three ball consistently well, coming into the game with 8/13 from downtown.

Jaylen Brown did not play in Boston but was suited up against his former team, just 103 after the blockbuster offseason trade that rocked the NBA landscape and the Eastern Conference. He was joined in the starting five by Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Milos Uzan hit on the first score of the game with a triple just 45 seconds into the contest. Hayden Gray got downhill and drove the ball as Boston took an early 5-2 lead.

Philly hit their first 7 free throws of the contest and took the lead. Boston had 3 early turnovers as things looked sloppy on the road. Gabe McGlothan hit a triple over a scrambling Jaylen Brown and Milos Uzan with the nifty pass into the corner in front of the C’s bench.

Sam Cassell subbed in 5 players at the six-minute mark of the first quarter, Garza, Harper Jr, Scheierman, Walsh and Gonzalez coming into the game. Luka Garza snagged a weak-side rebound over Embiid, dished to Hugo, who Euro stepped into the lane for a layup.

Ron Harper Jr attacked the paint past two Philly defenders for his score of the game, showing his quickness on the layup. Luka Garza continued his preseason three-point barrage, nailing his first three-point attempt of the game, with Baylor Scheierman finding the big man with the assist. Boston up by 3 points with 2 minutes to go in the quarter, 25-22.

Hugo Gonzalez stole the ball at mid court and got away with a clear travel as he dunked it home late in the first quarter. Boston took a six-point lead after a quarter of play, 34-28. Hugo Gonzalez leading the way on the road with a game-high 10 points in just six minutes of play.

Dillon Mitchell and Amari Williams checked into the game to start the second quarter, they would be joined by Uzan, Devries, and Cenac Jr. Jaylen Brown laced home a corner three-pointer over Amari Williams, for his twelth point of the game. Nick Nurse rolled out a second quarter lineup of Maxey, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown and they showed some early signs of 76er chemistry regaining the lead and outscoring Boston 14 to 6 to start the quarter.

Baylor Scheierman drilled a wide open three-pointer, his first score on eight shot attempts. Both teams struggling from deep in an ugly first half shooting display, Boston shooting just 23% and Philly a dismal 14% from long range midway through the second quarter.

Hugo Gonzalez was the only player on either side shooting with confidence, he had a second triple of the game over Tyrese Maxey at the top of the key, for his 13th point. Walsh joined in on the party splashing home his first three-pointer of the game, Boston back on top by 2 points, 54-52.

Joel Embiid finally got into the game late in the second quarter, the big man hitting 7-straight points to go into halftime up by 2 points, 58-60.

Sam Cassell handed Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr, and Baylor Scheierman the start in the second half against Philly’s starting five. The Philly starters were locked in, hitting seven straight points to start the third.

Gonzalez hit his third triple of the night for his nineteenth point in just sixteen minutes of action. Embiid leading all scorers with 23 points with a quarter and a half to go in the game.

Jordan Walsh had a terrific driving move past LeBron James at the three-point line and attacked the rim with Embiid in the paint, his ninth point, showcasing some new tools in his tool bag this preseason.

Sam Cassell gave the Maine Celtics a run to end the third quarter against the Philly starters, LeBron James playing 24 minutes in the final preseason game was surprising to see.

The third quarter ended with Boston making a mini run, Uzan and Grey hitting three-pointers. With 12 minutes left in the game, it was Philadelphia up by 10 points, 84-94.

Amari Williams connected with Ron Harper Jr to score the first points of the 4th quarter as he knived into the lane.

Tucker DeVries hit a pair of triples as the (Maine) Celtics as the road team got the game back within 4 points, Gabe McGlotham really active hitting the boards for Boston.

Jaylen Brown stuck in the game as the other Philly starters looked on from the bench. He eventually would hit the pine with seven minutes left in the contest.

Ron Harper Jr gave Celtics fans plenty to cheer about mid way through the fourth as he hit back-to-back buckets, the Philly fans nervous as Boston kept hanging around, down just 3 points, 97-100.

Tucker DeVries stuck another triple to give Boston the lead, 102-100. Chris Cenac Jr had some good active minutes late in the fourth, unfortunately, he would foul out of the game with 12 points and 7 rebounds.

With the game tied at 115, it was nervous going for both teams down the stretch. DeVries and Ron Harper Jr spearheading the charge for Boston. At the end of regulation though it was still tied. Ladies and Gentleman, we would see overtime minutes in the final preseason game.

Dillon Mitchell skied for the fast break jam in overtime, Boston up 119-117. Dillon Mitchell really came alive in OT, snagging a board and drilling a triple as the rookie was showing promising signs for Boston.

Philadelphia went ice cold in the overtime period as the C’s were up by 5 points with 30 seconds on the clock. Milos Uzan netted the dagger midrange shot to win it in style for Boston.

That is a finally a wrap on the preseason. Joe Mazzulla and the coaching staff have managed the minutes well, giving fans a taste of the roster depth from top to bottom. Rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell have gotten minutes against NBA talent in each game which is great to see.

The Boston Celtics will travel to Detroit to face the Pistons for the first of 82 games on Tuesday, at the super early time slot of 3pm EST. Stay locked into CelticsBlog for all the pregame coverage as we embark on a big season.

The Lakers unveiled on Friday night what could be their starting lineup when the regular season starts next week.

And the first unit featured a surprising twist. 

The Lakers started Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler against the Nuggets for their preseason finale at Crypto.com Arena. 

Doncic, Reaves and Kessler – the Lakers’ “Big 3” and three-highest paid players – were already known to be confirmed starters before Friday. 

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Williams, who returned to the lineup after missing the previous three exhibitions, was also expected to start.

Thybulle’s inclusion over Quentin Grimes was the surprise, though coach JJ Redick made it clear Grimes will start games for the Lakers during the regular season. 

Grimes started in all four of the Lakers’ previous preseason games. He averaged 12.3 points on 53.3% shooting (41.2% on 3-pointers) in those exhibitions.

But Redick decided to go in a different direction, mentioning wanting to have lineup balance and Grimes operating as a ball-handler off of the bench in light of Collin Sexton being sidelined because of right lower leg injury.

“I’m still open to both,” Redick responded when asked about Grimes’ role as a starter vs. coming off of the bench. “You’re looking for balance in lineups and you’re looking for players that complement and fit each other. He’s gonna start a lot of games for us, that’s just the reality of it. I don’t know who our base starting group is yet, but we’re look at this.”

“Quentin is also gonna maybe have some looks as a ball handler. That’s another reason we wanted to give this a look.” 

The lineup of Doncic, Reaves, Thybulle, Williams and Kessler could start when the Lakers host the Warriors on Wednesday, but Redick left the door open.

“I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said.

“This [lineup] was the original plan we were gonna have for the Sacramento game with Collin out.  And we’ll see, we just wanna get a look on that [on Friday] and we’ll see. But nothing definitive for next week [against the Warriors].”

Thybulle, who signed a veteran’s minimum contract with the Lakers in July, is entering his eighth NBA season after building a reputation as a 3-and-D wing.

He played in just 45 regular season games with the Trail Blazers from 2024-26 because of a variety of injuries.

Redick said the plan was for Thybulle, who’s averaged 17.6 minutes per game over the last two seasons, to play 25 minutes on Friday and then see how his body responds to the workload.

“There certainly is a capacity that you need to have to play 30-plus minutes,” Redick said. “So it’s physically just something we’re gonna have to manage all season. But I feel like we have a great plan in place and Matisse has, I talked to him [on Thursday], he has a lot of confidence in the plan and a lot of confidence in our training staff.”

The Lakers unveiled on Friday night what could be their starting lineup when the regular season starts next week.

And the first unit featured a surprising twist. 

The Lakers started Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler against the Nuggets for their preseason finale at Crypto.com Arena. 

Doncic, Reaves and Kessler – the Lakers’ “Big 3” and three-highest paid players – were already known to be confirmed starters before Friday. 

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Williams, who returned to the lineup after missing the previous three exhibitions, was also expected to start.

Thybulle’s inclusion over Quentin Grimes was the surprise, though coach JJ Redick made it clear Grimes will start games for the Lakers during the regular season. 

Grimes started in all four of the Lakers’ previous preseason games. He averaged 12.3 points on 53.3% shooting (41.2% on 3-pointers) in those exhibitions.

But Redick decided to go in a different direction, mentioning wanting to have lineup balance and Grimes operating as a ball-handler off of the bench in light of Collin Sexton being sidelined because of right lower leg injury.

“I’m still open to both,” Redick responded when asked about Grimes’ role as a starter vs. coming off of the bench. “You’re looking for balance in lineups and you’re looking for players that complement and fit each other. He’s gonna start a lot of games for us, that’s just the reality of it. I don’t know who our base starting group is yet, but we’re look at this.”

“Quentin is also gonna maybe have some looks as a ball handler. That’s another reason we wanted to give this a look.” 

The lineup of Doncic, Reaves, Thybulle, Williams and Kessler could start when the Lakers host the Warriors on Wednesday, but Redick left the door open.

“I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said.

“This [lineup] was the original plan we were gonna have for the Sacramento game with Collin out.  And we’ll see, we just wanna get a look on that [on Friday] and we’ll see. But nothing definitive for next week [against the Warriors].”

Thybulle, who signed a veteran’s minimum contract with the Lakers in July, is entering his eighth NBA season after building a reputation as a 3-and-D wing.

He played in just 45 regular season games with the Trail Blazers from 2024-26 because of a variety of injuries.

Redick said the plan was for Thybulle, who’s averaged 17.6 minutes per game over the last two seasons, to play 25 minutes on Friday and then see how his body responds to the workload.

“There certainly is a capacity that you need to have to play 30-plus minutes,” Redick said. “So it’s physically just something we’re gonna have to manage all season. But I feel like we have a great plan in place and Matisse has, I talked to him [on Thursday], he has a lot of confidence in the plan and a lot of confidence in our training staff.”