Category: Basketball

Pain. Anguish, even. Torment, if you will. These are but a sample of the emotional petri dish that I’ve consumed while witnessing what was supposed to be a new beginning for the Utah Jazz. A beginning of hope. Of competitive basketball. Of winning.

Yet here we are, 10 games into the regular season, with only a single Jazz victory to account for: a one-point Delta Center victory against a subpar New Orleans Pelicans team.

Their 1-9 record is tied for dead last across the entire NBA, matched only by the worst Sacramento Kings team in years (an accomplishment that is borderline impressive, in all honesty) and the alpha release of the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks.

Casual observers may be unsurprised by the Jazz’s slow start. They’ve won an average of under 27 games in the last four years and have become the face of professional basketball’s tanking epidemic — few have mastered the modern art of losing quite like Utah. But the NBA enacted substantial anti-tank measures to dissuade teams from intentional losing. In turn, Utah added a multiple-time All-Star forward and a highly touted rookie point guard to their coagulating pre-existing core.

The Jazz are not losing intentionally; they’re actually this bad.

Keeping in mind the small sample size of just 10 games, Utah isn’t the victim of a string of close losses. They’re a victim of the second-worst offense in basketball, scoring just 106.2 points per game. That average lands ahead of just one team: the shockingly horrific Charlotte Hornets and their 96.3 points per game.

The Jazz offense has been ineffective and stale, but much of that can be attributed to the harsh hand of injury misfortune.

First fell Jusuf Nurkic, the projected starting center who serves a Diet Jokic role as an offensive hub in Will Hardy’s offense. Nurkic appeared in Utah’s first preseason game but has been glued to the bench, modeling this year’s autumn catalog from his courtside seat. Without Walker Kessler (who has been predictably awesome in Los Angeles), Nurkic is essential personnel, as odd as that feels to say. 1-9 is the resut in his absence.

Jaren Jackson Jr. has been out since Utah’s fourth game of the season against Memphis, and will spend at least another month or two recovering from an injured MCL.

Markkanen has been off and on with an injured shooting wrist, and playing below his standard while on the court.

But the Jazz’s issues aren’t exclusive to their frontcourt, the lack of depth at the guard line has really hurt Utah. It’s no secret that George and Collier, two ball-dominant point guards, don’t share the floor well. But besides the rookie Darryn Peterson, who else on the roster can Will Hardy trust to bring the ball down the floor?

Svi Mykhailiuk is off to a nightmare start. Scoring 3.3 points on 27% from the field, Mykhailiuk hs been borderline unplayable. Brice Sensabaugh isn’t a ball-handler either, and is hardly seeing the floor anyway. Newly-acquired Kobe Bufkin was nearly out of the NBA when the Jazz signed him to a two-way deal — he’s not going to drive the bus.

Injuries are compounding a pre-existing depth issue. Under a magnifying glass, the Jazz are a deeply flawed team that needs much more time to coalesce.

It wouldn’t be honest to blame strength of schedule, either. Despite some tough competition, the Jazz have put themselves in winning position. They took early overtime leads agaisnt San Antonio and New Orleans before dissolving like sugar cubes, giving up two separate 12-0 runs and consequently picking up a pair of L’s.

There are no excuses, but that doesn’t mean there is no hope.

Darryn Peterson is finally finding his cadence, posting career-highs of 21 and 26 in back-to-back appearances. Keyonte George has played exceptionally well to back up the team’s $157 million faith in his future. Ace Bailey is maximizing his defensive upside, making it impossible for Will Hardy to keep him off the floor even as he struggles offensively. Newcomers Josh Green and Mo Bamba have flourished in their increased floor time, and have proved to be excellent offseason additions early.

The path toward playoff berth may have to be re-routed through the Play-In this year, but perhaps higher expectations weren’t realistic to begin with.

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Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.

Mamba Mentality continues to draw attention.

A game-worn No. 8 Kobe Bryant jersey from the 2003-2004 season sold for $1.83 million at The Realest on Sunday, Nov. 8. This is the highest sale of a non-rookie jersey from the Los Angeles Lakers star before he switched to No. 24. It also lands among the top-five highest public auction sales of Bryant's NBA jerseys.

The jersey is autographed and was certified by The Realest's authentication program, which utilizes photo-matching. Its only previous owner purchased the jersey with a certificate of authenticity directly from the Lakers via a charity auction in 2017 before the NBA icon passed away.

The jersey is believed to have been worn in 17 games that season – with a record of 16-1, including 8-0 in the playoffs – when the five-time champion starred alongside Shaquille O'Neal. Bryant wore it for his 31-point, 10-assist double-double in Game 5 of the first round to eliminate the Houston Rockets, for his 42-point performance in Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs and in Game 6 of the next series against the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves to win the Western Conference finals.

The jersey has an NBA Finals patch and is the only No. 8 jersey of Bryant's to come to auction with such a detail. It could not be proven if Bryant wore it the NBA Finals, where the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

The highest-selling Bryant jersey was the one from his NBA debut in 1996. It sold in April of 2025 for $7 million.

Bryant played 20 seasons in the NBA all with the Lakers. He was drafted No. 13 overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets out of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia and was traded to Los Angeles that day. He won five NBA championships with the Lakers, was named Finals MVP for two of the titles and was named an All-Star 18 times.

Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January of 2020 at the age of 41 with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.

Last month, The Realest auctioned off a Shohei Ohtani jersey from the 2025 Tokyo Series for $2,055,700. It was the most expensive jersey worn by a baseball player in the 21st century.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kobe Bryant No. 8 Lakers jersey fetches huge money at auction

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.

The Spurs are on an eight game winning streak, and they played their most dominant game of the season on Saturday night, running the Trail Blazers out of their home gym 125-103, in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score seemed to indicate. They play the third game of their current four game road trip in Phoenix tonight, and finish up on Wednesday night against the Bulls in Chicago.

The Spurs are mostly healthy, although Devin Vassell is listed as questionable for tonight’s game with left adductor tightness. This is the kind of injury that could linger, and San Antonio might let him take a little time off to get fully recovered before he re-enters the lineup. Speaking of guys who are taking time to recover, Tobias Harris has missed the entire preseason and all 10 games of the regular season so far with a calf strain. It would be really great if there would be an update on when he’s expected to return to the lineup, although with the team playing as well as it is now, there’s not a lot of urgency in bringing back online right away. Calf problems are scary, and I don’t have any complaints about making sure he’s fully recovered before he plays in a game, but an actual estimated date for his return would relieve my anxiety.

The Suns have been a little disappointing so far this season, with a 3-5 record so far which has them at a way-too-early 12th place in the western conference standings. They defeated the Rockets on Saturday night, and they can beat anyone on a given night with their shooting and scrappy defense. Scrappy¹ is the definition of Dillon Brooks, who always plays a mental game against the opponents in addition to his improved shooting. If he’s not successful in distracting the opponents with his various antics, he’s less effective as a defender, and the Spurs seem to be more capable of handling their emotions on the court this season so far than they did last season. If Vassell can’t play, the Spurs may have to go a little further into their bench rotation tonight, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It will be interesting to see who draws the Devin Booker assignment tonight on defense. [Probably Castle]

As always, GO SPURS GO! Lets go Spurs, and Reed must dominate Khaman.

1. I may have misspelled that.

Game Prediction:

After being knocked down by Dillon Brooks on an illegal screen, Harrison Barnes gives Brooks the patented meme stare and Dillon loses his mind and the stream of cursing causes him to be ejected from the game as he draws two quick technical fouls.

San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns
November 9, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT
Streaming: DAZN, League Pass
TV: DAZN
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

The Dallas Mavericks (6-4) close out a three-game home stand against the Indiana Pacers (3-7) on Monday night. Dallas is hoping to make this a real win streak after wins over the Jazz and Brooklyn Nets, most recently against the Nets last night. The Pacers are coming off a loss at home to the Denver Nuggets. Here’s the main things you need to know:

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Indiana Pacers
• WHAT: Let’s have a real win streak already
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 7:00 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA

Dallas will get Kyrie Irving on the second night of a back-to-back, which will be the first time he’s done this since his ACL injury. Unfortunately, Morez Johnson found himself back on the injury report, missing this game with a shin contusion. Sergio De Larrea and Tarik Biberovic will miss the game as well. On the Pacer side, Tyrese Haliburton is out, having hurt his hamstring earlier in the season. Guard TJ McConnell will suit up after dealing with a hamstring strain.

Pencil this in as one Dallas should win. But on the second night of a back-to-back, anything feels in play. Kyrie getting minutes is great, though keep an eye on his total. Look for Cooper Flagg to finish what he started back in the early part of the year.

Since you’re here checking out this post, it’s for one of two reasons.

• Injury report news
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Consider joining me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube; I will be going live tonight, and I need y’all to join and participate!

Remember when all discussions surrounding Jalen Brunson started and ended with struggling, slow, off, and hangover? Well, you can put those talks to rest.

After starting the season with five straight games of shooting 43% or lower and averaging just 22.8PPG on 36.6% shooting, the reigning Finals MVP has turned things around. In the Knicks’ three wins last week in which they outscored opponents 347-292, Brunson averaged a cool 27.7PPG and 6.3APG while shooting 48.3% from the field, 42.9% from three and committing just 0.7 turnovers per game.

Those numbers helped Brunson win the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, something he’s now earned 10 times.

Jalen Brunson is Eastern Conference NBA Player of the Week for last week: pic.twitter.com/MCegJ4gmDx

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) November 9, 2026

It does pale in comparison to former Mavericks teammate Luka Doncic’s monstrous stat lines that have headlined the young NBA season. The Slovenian forward led his team to a 4-0 record while averaging an absurd 45PPG, 7.0RPG, and 8.3APG. Mavericks fans may be busy elated over the meteoric rise of Cooper Flagg, and rightfully so. But Brunson and Doncic winning it in the same week (something they also did late last November) just months after the former won a championship has to be another reminder of just how badly the Mavericks messed up.

For Knicks fans, though, this was validation for the fans who knew that the captain would eventually turn things around. Much of Brunson’s slow start could be attributed to him just missing shots he often makes. Regardless, there was an odd number of fans, both Knicks and non-Knicks, who wondered if he was coming back to earth. The answer is clearly no. Brunson is back to doing Brunson things, making shots, and running the slowly but surely improving offense while taking care of the ball at an elite level.

Karl-Anthony Towns also gets a shout-out. The center, who’s in the midst of playing some of the best basketball of his career, has been on fire and was amongst the nominees that Brunson beat out. Nickel Alexander-Walker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, and Jaylen Brown were the others who lost out to Brunson.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to get back in the win column as they take on the struggling Charlotte Hornets.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Houston Rockets vs. Denver Nuggets

November 9, 2026

Location: Toyota Center —Houston, Texas

Time: 7:30 PM CST

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)

Probable starting lineups

Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun

Nuggets: Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, Cam Johnson 

Can the Rockets get back to their winning ways? Tune in tonight and come chat with us at TDS on on the SB Nation App!

The Golden State Warriors wrap up their six-game homestand tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans, which means Jordan Poole is back at Chase Center wearing a New Orleans jersey and, if the last week is any indication, a warmup top he might never take off. He isn’t on the Pelicans’ injury report. He just sat the entire game in Los Angeles on Sunday with a coach’s decision DNP, and he’s played four games all season, averaging six points on 19 percent shooting.

Remember when Poole, James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga were supposed to be the Warriors’ future? The two-timelines plan had them growing up next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green and eventually taking the keys. All three are gone. Wiseman is getting about five minutes a night as a backup center in New York. Kuminga is starting in Minnesota and scoring 12.3 points per game. Poole is in the final year of the $123 million extension Golden State gave him, watching from the end of the Pelicans’ bench.

Jordan Poole spoke on how he feels about trade rumors during his press conference: pic.twitter.com/p9yaBtyxrb

— PooleMuse (@PooleMuse) October 30, 2026

Which is wild, because Poole is a big reason there’s a 2022 banner hanging in this building. He scored 17 a night in that playoff run, and Steve Kerr mentioned it plainly when Poole came back with Washington: “We don’t win that championship without him,” he told ESPN.

But that was then, and this is YAXEL. Right now this fan base is losing its mind over a 6-foot-9 rookie who plays like nobody told him he’s a rookie. Yaxel Lendeborg is pulling up off the dribble, crashing the glass and leading fast breaks, and on Nov. 1 he dropped 37 on the Clippers at Chase Center with Curry resting, the most by a Warriors rookie since Curry scored 42 in 2010. Nine games in, the No. 11 pick is at 21.0 points and 7.1 rebounds a night.

Yaxel Lendeborg joins Wilt Chamberlain (1959) and Rick Barry (1965) as the only Warriors rookies to ever reach 200+ points through their first 10 career games. pic.twitter.com/eoniOxATUM

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 8, 2026

Now rewind to May 14, 2021. Curry sat that night too, and a third-year Poole scored a then-career-high 38 against New Orleans at Chase Center. Something about Curry being out can provide opportunities for young players to showcase their abilities.

And yes, Yaxel went to Michigan, too. Poole helped the Wolverines reach the 2018 national title game, and Yaxel helped them win the 2026 one. I keep picturing Draymond Green, Michigan State Spartan to his bones, watching the Warriors crown a second Wolverine as the future in five years and quietly wondering who in the front office keeps a maize-and-blue flag in their desk drawer. And Poole knows first hand how about the Spartan gives tough love lessons.

Before anybody hands Yaxel the keys, though, Brandin Podziemski would like a word. Last month the Warriors gave him a five-year, $110 million extension, and he has never been shy about where he sees this going. “When they leave this thing, they got to leave it with somebody,” he told The Athletic last year, talking about Curry and Green trusting him with the franchise. Draymond’s advice at the time was to be careful saying that stuff out loud.

I wonder what Poole thought when he heard about a young Warriors guard with a fresh nine-figure extension talking about inheriting the franchise. He’s been there.

Jordan Poole returns to the bay tonight 🥹🔥

WELCOME BACK CHAMP pic.twitter.com/J5HJB7qd70

— Warriors Lead (@DubsLead) November 9, 2026

Moses Moody, the one young player from that “two timelines” era still on the roster, is working his way back from patellar tendon surgery and isn’t expected back until at least December, which gives Kerr one more young body to sort out when he does.

As for tonight, the Warriors have won seven straight after an 0-3 start, the first team to pull that off since the 1950-51 Boston Celtics. Curry is coming off 41 points in Saturday’s overtime win over Orlando, at 38 years old. The Pelicans are 4-6 and on the second night of a back-to-back after losing 139-123 to the Clippers, and New Orleans is without Yves Missi. Golden State will be without Jimmy Butler, Moody, Will Richard and Kristaps Porzingis, with Gui Santos probable, per the official injury report. Tip is at 7 p.m.

The Detroit Pistons have a big problem. Or, more precisely, they have a Big problem. Starting center Paul Reed is struggling and starting power forward John Collins is playing poorly, and when he slides down to the five, he plays even worse than that. Reserve big man Tolu Smith is not playing at a level that allows you to trust him with significant minutes. And we can combine that overall ineffectiveness with foul trouble and a huge deficit on the boards. It’s been a recipe for struggles for the Pistons, and lately, it has led to some losses. Help is on the way in approximately two weeks when Jalen Duren returns from his hamstring injury.

Until that time, however, every Pistons fan has every right to worry that this problem is going to cost them games. That includes tonight’s matchup against the Washington Wizards. The Wiz are not a great team, but they have some talent, and their most talented player is Anthony Davis, who has historically given the Pistons fits. Consider me worried about Detroit’s ability to pull off victories in these next two games, both against the Wizards. Add to that that the Pistons will be on the second night of a back-to-back. Uh oh. The Pistons had one losing streak that lasted more than two games last season. JB Bickerstaff usually finds a way to get his team to bounce back. We will see what he can lean on tonight to get the Pistons back in the win column.

Game Vitals

When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: TV: TV20 Detroit, NBC Sports Network | Streaming: DAZN-Det, Peacock
Odds: Pistons -10.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (6-3)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Paul Reed

Washington Wizards (4-6)

Trae Young, Keyonte George, AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr

The Los Angeles Lakers have ridden a five-game winning streak to the top of the Western Conference with a 9-2 record. Luka Dončić is playing like the MVP, Austin Reaves looks like a legitimate All-NBA guard and a host of role players, headlined by Walker Kessler, are flourishing.

While a favorable schedule has benefitted them to some degree, wins count all the same and the Lakers are largely taking care of business, dismantling lesser teams in comfortable fashion.

But Los Angeles is not the lone team out West piling up victories. The four clubs directly behind them have won a combined 23 games in a row, led by the San Antonio Spurs’ eight-game winning streak and the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak. Early season standings are almost always jumbled, but the West is particularly unforgiving thus far. The Portland Trail Blazers began the weekend atop the conference at 6-1, then dropped a back-to-back set to the now No. 1 and 2 seeds and tumbled to eighth.

Moving forward, I’ll regularly provide a snapshot of the Western Conference standings with a brief section on every team to offer a glimpse at the Lakers’ fiercest foes.

Net ratings are courtesy of Cleaning the Glass and exclude garbage time.

Playoff teams

1. Oklahoma City Thunder: 8-2, plus-8.4 net rating (6th in the NBA)

Lakers’ record vs. Thunder: 0-0

Before November even arrived, the Thunder were dealt a trio of serious blows as three starters — Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace — all suffered serious injuries and are out for the foreseeable future. After a couple hiccups following a 4-0 start, they’ve rebounded to rattle off four straight wins.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is carrying the mantle as their engine while Ajay Mitchell instills crucial secondary creation. Rookies Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz have also stepped up amid all the injuries to assimilate themselves and help keep OKC afloat.

2. San Antonio Spurs: 8-2, plus-12.2 net rating (1st)

Lakers’ record vs. Spurs: 0-0

The Spurs opened the year with a pair of losses and have since rampaged through the league. During their eight-game winning streak, six of their victories have been by double-digits, including five by 16 or more. They’re the only team currently sitting top five in both offensive (third) and defensive rating (fourth). Victor Wembanyama is a two-way wrecking ball. Dylan Harper, now a starter, and De’Aaron Fox have flourished in complementary roles.

Their most pressing worry is Stephon Castle’s slow start. He’s struggled adapting to a greater off-ball role offensively, unable to burn teams from deep or attack the rim as often to draw fouls or finish inside. If he rediscovers his form of last year, they’ll be even more potent.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: 8-3, plus-12.0 (2nd)

Lakers’ record vs. Wolves: 0-0

Despite losing Anthony Edwards two weeks ago, the Timberwolves have won five of seven games — including four straight — in his absence. LaMelo Ball’s wondrous shooting and playmaking have eased everyone else’s burden offensively. Rudy Gobert continues to dominate defensively as a nearly unmatched interior defender. Ayo Dosunmu (18.1 points per game) and Jaden McDaniels (17.0) are stepping up to fill the void left behind by Edwards. The Wolves are rolling.

4. Golden State Warriors: 7-3, plus-3.8 (12th)

Lakers’ record vs. Warriors: 1-1

An 0-3 start to the year is already forgotten as Golden State’s gone two weeks without losing. Over that span, they’ve scored impressive wins over the Timberwolves, Lakers, Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets. Stephen Curry is a supernova, averaging 31.3 points on 70.8% true shooting.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has proven himself a versatile front-court scorer — capable of posting up, spacing, rolling and handling — and paired aptly alongside Curry. Role players like Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton and Georges Niang are prospering. This team looks rejuvenated.

STEPH DROPS 41, WARRIORS WIN 7TH IN A ROW!

HE TIES OSCAR ROBERTSON FOR THE 8TH-MOST 40-POINT GAMES IN NBA HISTORY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/PjiI7QFI3i

— NBA (@NBA) November 8, 2026

5. Houston Rockets: 7-3, plus-11.2 (4th)

Lakers’ record vs. Rockets: 0-0

Having lost two straight, the Rockets are in a minor lull after a 5-0 start. They’ve benefited from Fred VanVleet’s return and the arrival of Marcus Smart while Alperen Şengün (21-9-8-1-1, 59% true shooting) is loudly stamping his mark across games. Still a metronome of efficiency, Kevin Durant is averaging his fewest points per game (20.8) since his rookie year on a career-low 23.7% usage rate.

Subdued burst and ball-handling have limited his creation in recent years, so he’s mostly a high-level play-finisher these days. It’ll be interesting to see how Houston’s offensive hierarchy and performance shakes out by season’s end.

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Play-In teams

6. Memphis Grizzlies, 6-3, plus-5.2 (9th)

Lakers’ record vs. Grizzlies: 0-0

The Grizzlies are a well-rounded group led by Ty Jerome’s full-fledged breakout. The veteran is averaging 26.6 points, 5.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game to power Memphis’ surprising start. Rookie Cameron Boozer’s passing and decision-making have popped but he’s labored mightily to score the ball, shooting 33.9% overall and 35.8% inside the arc.

Remedying that means figuring out how to get to his spots without touting an overwhelming strength advantage. If he can become an effective scorer, he’ll instill another valuable dynamic for Memphis.

7. Portland Trail Blazers: 6-3, plus-4.2 (10th)

Lakers’ record vs. Blazers: 1-1

Behind an array of complementary ball-handlers, some athletic and physical wing defenders and two imposing rim protectors, the Blazers have built a pretty nifty team. Fouls, turnovers and white-hot midrange shooting are sinking their defense (23rd overall) but they’re second in offensive rating with a multifaceted attack.

They’ll hope Ja Morant, who’s currently out with a hamstring strain, can return as quickly as possible to further enhance their dynamic offense.

8. Denver Nuggets: 5-3, plus-2.5 (16th)

Lakers’ record vs. Nuggets: 0-0

The Nuggets are still searching to find themselves early in the year, though they have won four of five. Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon have hardly looked like the terrifying forces of the past few years while the bench rotation hasn’t established much rhythm.

Spencer Jones made his season debut this weekend. He’ll help reinforce the wings. Christian Braun’s off-ball scoring resembles that of 2024-25 rather than 2025-26, which is an encouraging development for Denver. Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins might be nice finds as rotation players. Jamal Murray is humming as a scorer and passer. Matchups with Houston and Memphis this week will help illuminate the Nuggets’ current quality.

9. Dallas Mavericks: 6-4, plus-2.8 (14th)

Lakers’ record vs. Mavericks: 0-0

Thus far, the Mavericks’ big swing in hiring Dusty May from the collegiate ranks has paid off. He’s established a movement-heavy offense that punishes gap help with cutting, relocating and snappy passing while utilizing all of the talent in the rotation.

Cooper Flagg is averaging 24-7-7-2 and playing like an early All-NBA candidate. Kyrie Irving’s shooting and off-ball instincts have paired snugly next to the Mavs’ budding superstar. Dallas should factor into the postseason conversation all year.

COOPER FLAGG DELIVERED WITH EFFICIENCY!

🏀 25 PTS (8-13 FGM)
🏀 5 REB
🏀 12 AST (career-high)
🏀 3 3PM
🏀 28 MIN
🏀 @dallasmavs W

He's the first teenager in NBA history to record 25+ PTS, 10+ AST, and 5+ REB in under 30 minutes of playing time 🤯 pic.twitter.com/gT8bxFnkuX

— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2026

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Lottery teams

10. New Orleans Pelicans: 4-6, minus-0.5 (18th)

Lakers’ record vs. Pelicans: 0-0

Peaks and valleys are the themes of the Pelicans’ first few weeks. They opened 0-4, then ripped off four consecutive wins and followed those up with a two-game losing streak. Jeremiah Fears has improved as a driver and finisher. Saddiq Bey and Trey Murphy III chip in with versatile scoring from the wing spots.

New Orleans seems too talented to bottom out but too clunky and incongruent to truly compete for a playoff berth. We’ll likely have a much better read on this team by December with another month of games under its belt.

11. Phoenix Suns: 3-5, minus-7.0 (23rd)

Lakers’ record vs. Suns: 0-0

Phoenix’s busy offseason in which it revamped its starting five to land Miles Bridges has not panned out through three weeks. That starting group is disjointed and incompatible, lacking the passing, driving and defense to thrive. Second-year center Khaman Maluach has struggled, though shown some flashes on the offensive glass, as a finisher and defending the rim. Devin Booker is lighting up the nets, averaging 25.3 points on 59.9% true shooting.

Two wins in a row, most recently over the Rockets, has helped right the ship a tad. We’ll see if they can keep the good vibes going on Tuesday against the Spurs.

12. Los Angeles Clippers: 2-7, minus-4.0 (19th)

Lakers’ record vs. Clippers: 2-0

The Clippers opened the year with a win over the Sacramento Kings before suffering seven straight losses, all of which came against postseason hopefuls or title contenders. Then, they knocked off the Pelicans Sunday night.

Darius Garland is scoring and shooting well (55.1% on 2s, 37.1% from deep) but is printing giveaways with 5.1 turnovers per game. Keaton Wagler is knocking down 39% of his triples and showcasing off-kilter craft to take 5.8 free throws each night (.712 free-throw rate) but cannot score inside the arc to save his life (28.1% on 2s). His development is the main priority this season.

13. Sacramento Kings: 1-9, minus-12.4 (27th)

Lakers’ record vs. Kings: 1-0

One of four one-win teams this season, the Kings are mostly a mess. Darius Acuff Jr.’s passing and off-the-dribble scoring are among the rare glimmers of positivity. The rookie is averaging 25.9 points and 7.4 assists while showing a real knack operating in ball-screens. Following a tough first four games, he’s also been pretty efficient, tallying 28.8 points and 9.2 assists per game while shooting 51.9% on 2s and 38.3% from deep (58.1% true shooting) over his last six outings.

14. Utah Jazz: 1-9, minus-11.9 (26th)

Lakers’ record vs. Lakers: 1-0

It is fitting the West’s most disappointing team will punctuate this week’s debrief. The Jazz entered 2026-27 with genuine aspirations and have catastrophically flopped. They’re on pace for their fewest wins and worst net rating since they began rebuilding in 2022-23.

Injuries are a factor. They dearly miss Jusuf Nurkic’s screening and passing — a reliance on him is a blaring alarm bell on its own — and Jaren Jackson Jr. has only played four games. But Utah is too often scattered and stagnant offensively, cannot protect the rim and does not generate turnovers. There’s lots of season left but the Jazz have hardly shown signs they’re nearing a turnaround.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

The Golden State Warriors announced some surprising news on the team’s injury report for Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Per the Dubs official release, second-year guard Will Richard is out indefinitely with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left thumb. A 2023 study found that NBA players who suffered in-season thumb UCL tears and underwent surgery missed on average 7.4 weeks of action (although there was a wide range of outcomes). Kings forward Keegan Murray suffered a similar injury last year and missed the first 15 games of the season.

The team has not ruled out Richard potentially wearing a splint and playing through the injury. However, they are waiting to see how the finger responds over the next few days before making that decision.

Whether Richard is out for a month, three, or more, head coach Steve Kerr will now have a fourth player on the roster unavailable to him in the rotation. Richard joins Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porzingis on the Warriors list of players with prolonged absences. Richard was off to a promising start to his sophomore NBA season prior to the injury, averaging 5.1 points and 1.8 rebounds on 47.5%/42.9%/80.0% shooting in 17.2 minutes per game across 10 games (3 starts).

The Warriors acquired Richard on a draft night trade back in 2025, acquiring his rights via the 56th overall pick. Richard had helped Florida win a National Championship in his final collegiate season and quickly made an impression in Golden State, looking like an early steal. Richard exploded for 30 points in his seventh NBA game and quickly became a mainstay in the rotation. However, he never again reached those heights and became a solid role player whose effectiveness ebbed and flowed with his jump shot.

Thus far this season, Richard was making his threes, but he was also continuing to show veteran savvy as a backcutter in the Warriors offense. Moreover, he was one of Kerr’s go-to point of attack defenders against quick guards. Golden State already lacked point of attack defense, and the current roster does not have any obvious replacements for that component of Richard’s role. Gary Payton II will likely receive more opportunities with perhaps a few minutes for two-way wing Malevy Leons.

Atlanta (7-4) needs to corral 40-points-per-game scorer Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers (9-2) to secure their fifth consecutive win.

Starting lineup

G Kingston Flemings

G Nickeil Alexander-Walker

F Dyson Daniels

F Jalen Johnson

C Onyeka Okongwu

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Start Time: 7:00 PM EST

TV: Peachtree TV (WPCH), Atlanta News First (WANF)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming:Amazon Prime, NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

The Golden State Warriors will conclude their six-game homestand with Monday night’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area.

Homestand finale.

🏀 GSW vs. NOP
🕖 7:00 pm PT
📺 @NBCSAuthentic & @NBATV
📻 @957thegame
📱 https://t.co/6fWWQpq2o1
🎟️ https://t.co/CHS4EdsrDb#DubNationpic.twitter.com/Dm1ABofrkw

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 9, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

Warriors fans were treated to another vintage performance from Stephen Curry on Saturday night. The 38-year-old superstar scored 41 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field as he led Golden State to a 126-119 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic. Curry was especially brilliant down the stretch, scoring 17 points in the final seven minutes of regulation and overtime, as he carried the Warriors to their seventh win in a row.

"We don't forget where people thought we were at the beginning of the year."

Steph and the Warriors are keeping receipts 👀 pic.twitter.com/pNZCLNrcC4

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 8, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

After starting the season 0-3, the Warriors have flipped the script with seven consecutive wins, improving their record to 7-3. Much of that success has come during their current six-game homestand, which Golden State now has an opportunity to sweep with a win over the Pelicans on Monday night.

However, in order to do that, one area the Warriors will need to clean up is their work on the glass. Despite Saturday’s victory over Orlando, Golden State struggled to control the glass, particularly on second-chance opportunities, as the Magic held a staggering 24-3 advantage in offensive rebounds.

With the Pelicans’ 43.5 rebounds per game ranking just behind the Warriors (43.7), Monday’s matchup should present an opportunity for the Dubs to address their shortcomings on that end, especially with New Orleans playing without stars Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy.

Updated Injury Report:

Zion Williamson (rest) is OUT tonight vs. Golden State. https://t.co/on2KXE5KxZ

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 9, 2026

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!

Projected Starters

Warriors: Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos, Draymond Green

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears, Saddiq Bey, Herbert Jones, Karlo Matkovic

How to watch Regular Season Game 11

Who: Golden State Warriors (7 – 3) vs. New Orleans (4 – 6)

When: Monday, November 9th, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Chase Center — San Francisco, California

TV and Streaming: NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area

It's rare that a player, especially a point guard, at 38 years of age has been as good as Stephen Curry has been.

For nearly two decades, the Golden State Warriors' superstar has wowed spectators, surprised teammates, and even coaches with his ability to take over games with a barrage of jaw-dropping, some head-scratching, heart-shattering shots.

Curry is in his 18th season, and what he's accomplished all-time has been nothing short of spectacular to start the year. His latest act featured a 41-point outing in a 126-119 overtime win against the Orlando Magic on Saturday, Nov. 7. He scored 17 of his 41 in the final 2:32 of the fourth quarter and overtime, lifting Golden State to its 7th consecutive win after a 0-3 start.

He's averaging 31.3 points per game through his first 8 games of the 2026–27 season. For however long it lasts, just don't take it for granted. Draymond Green doesn't and he's played with Curry since 2012. He tries to make a point to tell him congratulations for anything and everything he accomplishes.

"You work so hard to get into a position and then after you do something so many times, people don't even tell you congratulations anymore," Green said. "As human beings, you want to feel that ... so I try to make it a point no matter what he does. ... You want to hear other people acknowledge what you do. So I try to make it a point to never get kind of bored, if you will, of his greatness."

Steph Curry continues to dominate

Head coach Steve Kerr said Curry looks like he's a 29- or 30-year-old, if he didn't already know his age. He's impressed with everything that goes into the longevity of Curry.

"Work ethic, and good genes," Kerr said. "He's been blessed with a body that has held up, but he's also earned that through his strength training, his conditioning, fitness level. It's just off the charts. So remarkable, at 38, to watch him still do what he does."

Curry has the most 40-point games (16) for a player age 35 or older. He ranks 19th all-time in points scored with 26,778 career points. Most recently, he became the 14th player in NBA history to accumulate at least 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists. He's only the third point guard ever to do so, joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.

Curry knows that as he continues to play the game, he's going to climb all-time stat lines as well. It's a testament to the work he's put in over the years, which he said includes his day-to-day, the off-season, and sleep. Is it a lot? Yes. But Curry appreciates every step of the way.

"It does make me super proud of the work that's gone in," Curry said of his 40-point at age 35 or older record. "Especially with some injuries and all of that, but just the idea I can still get to a certain level (and) can kind of feed off of that and especially when it's in a winning fashion ... I appreciate the longevity on that."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is the greatness of Warriors' Steph Curry being taken for granted?