Category: Basketball

“Here we go,” said Darko Rajaković, igniting peals of laughter, after being asked about an inefficient night from Kawhi Leonard. Usually, such a thing isn’t necessarily a laughing matter for the Raptors. But when Toronto’s starters combine for 92 points to beat the Chicago Bulls by 43 points, there’s room for humour in Scotiabank Arena.

Wednesday night’s performance against the Bulls was one of the most lopsided contests in franchise history, and certainly, will be remembered as one of the most notable opening nights for Toronto sports. The Raptors did more than silence any doubt that they were a team capable of serious contention, rather, showed early flashes of what the new identity of the Toronto Raptors might be.

Fast. Defensive. Forcing turnovers. And shooting threes. Lots of threes. Take Immanuel Quickley, who attempted nine of his own, making four of them, looking like the shooter that he’s been paid so handsomely to be. Up from an average of nearly seven last year, it seems like volume could be the name of the game for getting the Raps to the promised land. Still, the Raptors were below average for the league, based on last year’s figures of threes attempted, so pumping those numbers is going to continue to be a priority.

As heartening as watching the Raptors make mincemeat out of the Chicago Bulls was, this game serves as an example of both an extreme outlier, and some established ideas about how the Raptors might look for the rest of the season.

While the Raptors won the night, the Chicago Bulls put in a lot of work to lose in such a spectacular fashion. After all, shooting 32% from the field and 11% from three isn’t something that happens without a lot of effort being put in from the other side.

Both teams shot under 50% from the field that night, something the Raptors will hopefully not be replicating too often down the line. Shooting efficiency varied across the board. While Quickley was lights out from three, Ja’Kobe Walter, for example, played 23 minutes, as much as many of the starters, but was one for five from three.

The Raptors are now at a point with their depth that they’re able to stagger their starters and leave none of them hanging out to dry with an impotent second unit. Subbing out Scottie Barnes for Collin Murray-Boyles isn’t exactly giving the other team a huge leg up on the defensive end, and benching RJ Barrett to get a three-point shooting specialist like Jamison Battle in doesn’t kill momentum offensively.

This brings back memories of the Raptors’ reserves in the late 2010s, the original Bench Mob, that lives so dearly in the hearts of Raptors fans. Jamison Battle, Allen Graves, Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Collin Murray-Boyles are a fearsome fivesome that combine defence, playmaking, and shooting in the exact manner that both compliments that Raptors’ starters. The Mob serves to target the issues that can sway a game most heavily in tight moments, and will undoubtedly be a key piece in the Raptors’ victories down the line.

But unfortunately, it’s not all just a matter of good cheer in Toronto. Jakob Poeltl is a $19 million dollar man who is about to be a $27 million dollar man, and he scored three points in 22 minutes. Not great. Collin Murray-Boyles is a sophomore coming off the bench, and he out-rebounded Poeltl, eight boards to six. It’s fair to note that the other starters were heavily ball-dominant throughout the game, but in a contest where the Bulls were playing a backup centre, Toronto’s starter at the pivot should blossom, not wilt.

Today’s matchup against the Washington Wizards will see the Raptors play a reinvigorated Anthony Davis, in which our Noah Curitti projected a Raptors win. He wrote that “Anthony Davis presents the biggest matchup concern after his performance in the season opener,” and that “his interior scoring and rim protection could challenge Toronto on both ends of the floor.”

Davis had 34 points, 12 boards, and four stocks against the Milwaukee Bucks, who fielded Myles Turner against him. Poeltl is roughly in the same tier of centre as Turner, and when factoring in the type of game that the Brow had against him, major concerns arise. While the Raptors have excellent defensive personnel in Barnes and Boyles, they’re not true rim protecting centres, and expecting them to bang in the paint with the likes of Davis, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic verges on the unreasonable.

The next few games will tell viewers a lot about what they can expect from Jakob Poeltl, who, by all accounts, was cleared for regular play. A month ago, Bobby Webster said that Poeltl was in “good spirits, good shape,” but if there aren’t significant improvements from Poeltl — especially in matchups like tonight — “good shape” from him might not be good enough anymore.

The Raptors twin stars in Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes both looked fantastic – and, looked a bit like one another. During Wednesday’s game Scottie took some of these turnaround midrange jumpers that showed he had certainly picked up a trick or two from working with Leonard all summer. Barnes taking that motion, and echoing the greats like Jordan and Nowitzki, will hopefully be a herald of even more offensive prowess from the young player.

Leonard looked healthy last game, playing 24 minutes, but shot an ugly five of 17 attempts from the field. A lot of shots from him that looked like they would go in just didn’t materialize. This is something that fans shouldn’t be concerned about, however.

“I just need more reps, to learn plays,” said Leonard. “This is where you get better. You get better on the floor, and trying things, and shooting the ball when you open. You can’t wait ‘til practice and, you know, just shoot 100 shots. You need game reps, so, you know, that’s what I was looking for.”

William Lou on the Hello and Welcome Show pointed to Leonard’s delayed trade impacting his meshing with the team, and argued that even this incomplete version of the Klaw was someone who could deliver, bringing four steals and 11-11 free throws made. “This is probably gonna be the worst Kawhi we’ll ever see for the season,” said Lou. “How blessed are we, man?”

Indeed, Raptors fans were blessed with an impressive first win for the season, a look at a hyper-competent bench, and the first meaningful sample of what second-stint Kawhi Leonard can do on the Raptors. However, all that can’t mean that a severe deficiency at centre should be ignored. Tonight’s game will be a major diagnostic about how concerning that issue really will be for the Raptors, going forward. It’ll be matchups like the one against Davis that will dictate trade priorities and potentially even new starting lineups for the team.

But; the Raptors look good, and they look ready for the season ahead. A new normal for Toronto fans is set to begin this season, and those who stuck around throughout the down years are already having their patience rewarded.

The Washington Wizards are 1-0. We are looking forward to seeing the team go 2-0 tonight against the Toronto Raptors. But in the meantime, this home opener’s atmosphere was solid. While there wasn’t a sold out crowd, it was close and Anthony Davis was pleased.

But there’s more to opening night than game intros and the basketball. What about the halftime show?

Rapper Waka Flocka performed at halftime for the crowd. You can watch some of the highlights below.

Waka Flocka Flame performing at halftime of the Wizards home opener pic.twitter.com/bXLiyfqwkC

— Alex Flum (@AlexFlumTV) October 22, 2026

Half time performance by Waka Flocka for the #wizards home opener. pic.twitter.com/nseklAUXOD

— Alexis Wainwright (@AWainwrightTV) October 22, 2026

In past years, the Wizards had their Concert Series which has often been a positive experience for fans though these concerts are typically held after the game. Hopefully we’ll have more of those (and halftime concerts) as the Wizards’ 2026-27 season continues.

With Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks’ failed attempt at an extension being public, Miles McBride struggling as he enters a contract year, and Josh Hart and Tyler Kolek also not being extended, fans have speculated on potential roster moves.

And the fans got one today—just not the one most people were necessarily expecting.

Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/1gePugMy3Z

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2026

On Friday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that New York had signed former Tennessee Volunteer and Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht to a two-way NBA contract. To make space for the third-year wing, the Knicks are waiving Kevin McCullar Jr.

The Knicks weren’t the only team interested either. On Thursday night, rumors indicated that both the Timberwolves and Raptors were also looking at Knecht.

The former 17th overall pick averaged 9.8PPG and 2.8RPG while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from three during his rookie season. For spurts, it looked like he could develop into a solid rotation piece for a Lakers team that was still trying to contend with LeBron James at the helm and became a fan favorite after a 37-point explosion in the NBA Cup.

Midway through the season, though, Knecht was involved in a trade that would have sent him to the Hornets in exchange for center Mark Williams. After Williams failed his physical and the trade was rescinded, Knecht was forced to return to the Lakers.

Knecht, contrary to belief, finished out the season on a solid note, averaging 8.5PPG while shooting 40.8% from three. Things did take a turn for the worse last season, though. After appearing in 78 games and averaging 19.2MPG in his first season, he averaged just 10.2MPG in just 54 games during the 2025-26 campaign. As many young players do, he struggled with the decreased minutes and inconsistent playing time, leading to a cycle of worse play and even fewer minutes.

The third-year man can still impact the Knicks. He’s just 25 years old and is an above-average shooter with size. In his final year in college, he averaged 21.7PPG on 45.8% shooting from the field and 39.7% shooting from three. It’s not every day you can find that kind of shooting at his height on the waiver wire. But there are plenty of reasons why he saw his minutes dwindle and why he eventually was waived.

Despite being 6’6”, Knecht isn’t much of a defender. He can get lost defensively, and even if he manages to be in the right spots at the right times, he just does not possess the athleticism to be much of a factor on that end. Offensively, he’s shown flashes of being able to utilize his shot to get to other spots on the floor. When a part of the rotation, he was making nice reads off the ball and routinely had nice timely cuts to get easy looks at the rim. But at the end of the day, he’s still best utilized as a spot-up shooter and only a spot-up shooter. He can’t create for himself due to a lack of a reliable handle and certainly doesn’t create for others.

There are also examples of Knecht not knowing the team’s plays and schemes, which would surely frustrate Mike Brown, who is a very detail- and execution-oriented coach.

Knecht is just 25 years old and has room to grow. If the Knicks, their coaches, and their culture get him right, the shooting and size likely give him more upside than McCullar. But don’t expect him to be a significant contributor. New York likely signed him as a project piece and a deep depth piece. It would take a whole lot for Knecht to not only enter the rotation but to stay there. And in such a circumstance, the Knicks would likely have a lot more than Knecht’s play to worry about.

That being said, it’s still an intriguing low-risk move for a player who may just have needed a change of scenery. It is unfortunate, though, to see McCullar gone given the memorable moments he’s had with this club, regardless of how infrequent they may have been.

NBA coverage outlets have spent the last few months getting you ready for the season, focusing on additions, rotations, and who needs to step up. A majority of the attention focuses on the players, as it should. Here at Bright Side of the Sun, we like to take it to the next level. To that end, this article examines a tool for analyzing referee effects that can provide you, the viewer, a new dimension of understanding ahead of a game.

Per the NBA, official crew assignments are made around 9 am Eastern Time the day of the game. There are three roles, including a crew chief. Assignments are shown at this link:

nbastuffer.com tracks statistics about the crew members and by season, including those in process while it’s ongoing. Note, they show playoff statistics first, and sample sizes are small there, so I suggest viewing the regular season figures further down the page.

Among the more interesting are:

• total points per game (an indicator of pace allowed)
• total called fouls per game (level of quick whistle and foul-baiting allowance)
• the mix of fouls called against the road versus home teams (bias toward or against home teams/fans)

Let’s say it’s the day of a Suns home game, and the crew is announced as Zach Zarba, Simone Jelks, and Ray Acosta. Collectively, these three call 51.4% of the fouls on the home team and 48.6% on the road team. That’s 2.8% MORE on the home team! A typical crew calls 1% more on the road team. Netting this out, that crew of three above would call almost 4% more fouls on the Suns than a typical game. That’s three more calls than typical and could make a difference when many games are close. 

While the crew above averaged 39.5 fouls per game (a typical level), looking at this also gives you an idea if it’s likely to be one of those nights when foul trouble is more likely. This could be of interest, particularly if one of our two primary centers is out. Is it a night when coaches and players need to be mindful of overaggressive defense if foul totals will likely be up?

Suns fans always knew it was likely to be a problematic night if Scott Foster was refereeing a game when we had Chris Paul. Typically, we have no idea. Hopefully, this equips you with a way to get that viewing (or wagering) edge.

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Both the Pistons and the Heat enter this game on opposite-outcomes on Opening Night. For the Pistons, they overcame a 22-point second half deficit against the Boston Celtics to pull off a thrilling win. For the Heat, it was a 25-point loss against the Timberwolves in which they were pretty much only in the game in the first quarter.

The Timberwolves seem like a very bad matchup for the Heat with their high-level guard play that the Heat have to counter with a couple of star bigs, but not necessarily the perimeter playmakers that they need. The Pistons are seemingly a little bit better of a matchup for them with a lot more inside play.

The thing about Opening Night is that is can cause a lot of over-the-top reactions over one game. You are already hearing it for the Heat about how their bold acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo is destined to fail and they are just last year’s Milwaukee Bucks team.

This game should be a very good matchup between two teams that many expect to be near the top of the standings in the East.

Game Vitals

Where: Kaseya Center in Miami, FL
When: Friday, October 23 at 8 pm EST
Watch: TV 20 Detroit or DAZN Streaming
Odds: Pistons (-1.5)

Analysis

In case you were living under a rock during the offseason, the Miami Heat now have Giannis Antetokounmpo and with it the task of assembling a competitive roster around one of the best players in the league. In the process of acquiring Giannis, the Heat were forced to part with a slew of depth players that kept them in the Play-In Tournament range the last couple of seasons, but obviously their goal is to rise above that now.

The only problem is that they are forced to fill out their roster with a bit of bargain bin shopping, which means they are overly reliant on players like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Klay Thompson to provide a lot of the spacing Giannis and Bam Adebayo need to work. I am not too concerned about the fit with Giannis and Bam, but it is the depth players around that that leave a little bit to be desired.

On paper, this is a pretty even matchup for the Pistons on defense since they have defenders to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it will depend on Ausar Thompson’s ability to handle a bigger player, which is probably his only weakness on defense. John Collins has the size to deal with Giannis, but he struggled to keep up with Paul George and Jayson Tatum on Opening Day and likely has the same struggles trying to keep up with Giannis. He is at least less of a threat from the perimeter, so that helps a little bit.

Bam Adebayo having the ability to stretch the floor a bit could cause problems for Jalen Duren, who does struggle to guard the perimeter. But, I wouldn’t call Bam a full-blown stretch big, as he is still going to do a lot of his damage attacking the basket. That means this is still a matchup that Jalen Duren should be able to handle.

Outside of those two, there really are not a ton of players on the Heat that I view as problematic for the Pistons. Players like Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins are solid, but as long as they don’t get hot from the perimeter, the Pistons shouldn’t have too many issues handling them. Klay Thompson can still shoot it from outside, but he is now a shell of his former self and not nearly as big of a threat to get hot and hit 9 or 10 threes like he was at his peak.

One player I would watch for just because he always seemed to have really good games against the Pistons is Bobby Portis. He has made his way to Miami in the Giannis trade and provides a solid backup big option for their Big Two, but he was also a huge Piston-killer when he was on the Bucks.

The Pistons shot 40 threes against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, which they only did seven times total last season. It will be interesting to see if that is a trend for this season or something that just happened because guys like Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green got hot from the perimeter. The Pistons’ offseason acquisitions point towards an increased emphasis on perimeter shooting, but with so many guys that can dominate the paint on the roster as well, it will be interesting to see if they continue to put up shots from the perimeter if they are not falling.

Both of these teams should be some of the better defensive teams in the league and also have guys that can dominate inside, so this game probably comes down to who can hit more shots from the perimeter.

Lineups

Detroit Pistons (1-0): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Jalen Duren

Miami Heat (0-1): Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo

Question of the Day

Do you think the Pistons will be a more perimeter-oriented team on offense this season with the added shooting?

Okay guys. I’m just as happy as all of you with the Washington Wizards’ big win over the Milwaukee Bucks last Wednesday night to open the 2026-27 NBA season. And I’m probably jumping the gun asking this question when he hasn’t played yet. In fact, he isn’t playing tonight.

Wizards injury report for Friday’s game vs. Toronto:

OUT:
AJ Dybantsa (ankle sprain)
Tristan Vukcevic (hip impingement)
Jamir Watkins (ACL tear)

QUESTIONABLE:
Felix Okpara (illness)

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) October 22, 2026

But we know that the Wizards will play AJ Dybantsa sooner or later for his rookie debut. He scored in double digits in each of Washington’s four preseason games, so I’m thinking he’ll have a strong regular season. In the meantime, however, how many points do you think he’ll score in his regular season debut? Vote in the poll below, and chime in the comments!

The Knicks are making room for a Lakers castoff.

The team signed Dalton Knecht to a two-year deal on Friday morning, ESPN.com reported.

Knecht, a first-round pick in 2024, was part of the Lakers’ final roster cuts this week after seeing his minutes sharply decrease in his second season.

The former Tennessee sharpshooter had a promising start to his career in LA, averaging 9.1 point per game on 37% 3-point shooting his rookie year.

The 25-year-old seemed to fall out of favor with Lakers coach JJ Redick, though, and he was an afterthought off the bench during the Lakers’ two playoff series against the Rockets and Thunder — totaling 18 minutes across five games.

“Every moment, every lesson, and every opportunity helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person,” Knecht wrote in a good-bye letter to Lakers fans.

“Things may not always go the way we expect, and sometimes life takes us in a different direction. Leaving this chapter behind is never easy, but I will always be grateful for the opportunity to represent one of the greatest franchises in NBA history. The love, the support, and the memories will always mean something special to me.”

The Knicks waived Kevin McCullar Jr. to make room for Knecht, according to multiple reports. McCullar Jr. had spent the past two seasons with the team, playing in 25 total games and averaging 2.2 points per game.

Center James Wiseman, a former No. 2 draft pick, snagged the Knicks’ final roster spot after an impressive camp and preseason. The team appears to have faith in Wiseman, 25, developing after disappointing runs with the Warriors, Pistons and Pacers.

Exasperated Sixers fans seemed to aim their frustration at the halftime performer as Philadelphia trailed the Cavaliers by 24 during their home-opener Thursday night.

The act, Light Man, who performed an LED light and prop routine, was booed loudly as he took center court at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

“Well, the Sixers are down 24. This talented, creative gentleman got booed a big portion of his act,” play-by-play announcer Mike Breen said on the ESPN broadcast as Cleveland led, 69-45.

Sixers fans BOOED the half time performer pic.twitter.com/FBi8BhLPRG

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 23, 2026

“They’re just not in the frame of mind for this kind of entertainment. But he’ll get another chance, hopefully.”

Kyle Neubeck, a Sixers reporter for Phly Sports, said the reaction from the Philly crowd was a first for him.

“Tonight’s halftime act got outright booed, which is definitely a first for me covering the league,” he said in a post on X.

LeBron James and the Sixers turned things around in the second half and cut a 29-point deficit to 10 in the third quarter before completing a 114-106 comeback win to improve to 2-0.

The 41-year-old James finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. He also had three steals.

After the game, James was asked about President Donald Trump comments — that the NBA legend is a “disgrace” for not staying still during the national anthem — on opening night in New York.

“It must be a slow news day at the office, you know? Slow news day in the office,” James said as he chuckled.

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey finished with a team-high 32 points with six assists, while center Joel Embiid scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting.

The 76ers host the Bucks on Saturday.

Dalton Knecht might not be off an NBA roster for long.

The Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with the 25-year-old former top pick before the season began as a way to finalize their roster.

But Knecht is already attracting interest from at least a couple of elite NBA teams, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

“Knicks are among the teams with interest in former Laker Dalton Knecht, per league sources familiar with Knecth’s market. Knecht was waived prior to regular season. He’s eligible to sign a two-way deal. @TheSteinLine said earlier MIN had interest in Knecht,” Begley wrote in an X post.

It isn’t surprising to hear that teams are interested in signing Knecht, as he’s just two years removed from being one of the top prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft (the Lakers selected him with No. 17 pick in that draft).

Two of these teams being the defending champion New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who many believe are among the favorites to win the Western Conference this season. That suggests Knecht has a good chance of landing on another quality roster.

Knecht found himself on the outside looking in at Los Angeles’ roster this past offseason after averaging 7.1 points and shooting 36.8% from three-point range across two NBA seasons.

It was 50 years ago Thursday that Julius Erving made his Sixers home debut at the Spectrum in his first NBA game.

Dr. J was still in his prime at 26 and coming off three straight ABA MVPs while playing for the New York Nets. Erving began that season coming off the bench and only played 16 minutes in a 121-118 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on opening night.

While LeBron James is closer to the twilight of his career at 41 years old, the excitement was palpable as the unretired Matt Cord introduced arguably the greatest basketball player of all time as a Philadelphia 76er for the first time.

“It was everything that I dreamed of and more,” James said at his overpopulated locker stall postgame.

James got the whole Philly experience — including being booed by his own fans as the Sixers found themselves down 29.

But the team overcame 15 first-half turnovers and rallied after halftime to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in a historic 114-106 comeback win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

“Got the boos. That was amazing. We deserved it,” he said. “And then we got the cheers and almost blew the roof off this thing tonight — in a good way. It was a hell of a night.”

Philly is a basketball town, but its relationship with its professional basketball team had soured to the point of apathy. Even the goodwill from overcoming a 3-1 deficit and defeating the rival Boston Celtics in the postseason for the first time in over 40 years subsided after a sweep by the New York Knicks.

The offseason was littered with questions that had no easy answers. The franchise was locked into two separate timelines. Daryl Morey extended Joel Embiid and signed veteran Paul George to a max deal. He also drafted two young guards in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. On top of that, there was work to be done to build a deeper bench.

New president of basketball operations Mike Gansey transformed the roster in short order by pulling off the shocking blockbuster to land Jaylen Brown from the Celtics, which led to his pursuit of James. None of it felt real. It still kind of doesn’t.

The Sixers aren’t supposed to have nice things. The vibes are so high, fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop. What hellish response to all this positivity will come from this monkey’s paw-ridden franchise?

But there wasn’t time to get to that negative space Thursday … well, at least not in the second half.

As the Sixers mounted their comeback, they looked almost unstoppable. Comebacks are a frequent occurrence in the modern NBA. With the three-ball becoming king and analytics ruling the day, teams will play the math game and start bombing away to cut into a big deficit.

But this comeback was unique in that the Sixers were abysmal from deep. They were just 7-of-25 from three on the night. They clawed away at the Cavs’ lead by playing aggressive defense and getting out in transition. It feels like a winning formula for Nick Nurse’s group. If they can force turnovers and get stops, good luck stopping them on the break.

Through two games, it’s been an interesting offensive ecosystem. There’s still work to be done, but you could see in the second half how organically it went, with each star having their moment. Joel Embiid had one in the fourth quarter, his first true flurry of the young season. It helped put the Sixers in front.

At one point, a “Trust the Process” broke out as Embiid was at the line.

We don’t need to rehash this guy’s entire journey from navicular bone fractures to start his career until now, but what a ride.

“I’ve been here for a long time,” Embiid said. “That was probably … not the best night, but that was probably a top-five night for me since I’ve been in Philadelphia. That was great. I have no words. That was amazing. Obviously, we don’t want to be down 29 points like we were early on. We got a few boos, but then again, they came right back up to support us. But that was probably [one of the] top-three nights for me since I’ve been here.”

Erving would work his way into the starting lineup that first season and finished fifth in MVP voting. More importantly, he led the Sixers to the NBA Finals, helping stake them to a 2-0 series lead over the Portland Trail Blazers. Sixers fans of a certain age will remember the heartbreak that followed.

A Finals trip would be a strong introductory season for James in Philly. Hell, the franchise’s first Eastern Conference Finals berth in over 25 years would be nice.

For now, it’s simply two wins, but the word “special” is being thrown around a bunch — with good reason.

Even at 41 and in his 24th season, it was a special night for LeBron James.

“This is my fourth time being able to have a home opener for a different franchise,” he said. “It’s great to be able to go out and just do what I love to do and just be well received. My daughter was here. She turned 12 today. They put her name up and told her happy birthday on the jumbotron. They sat courtside. That was super cool, man. Mom was here as well.

“So, super special for me to be able to have moments like this in this building, in this city, probably one of the best sports cities in the world, along with a couple other cities, but Philly is damn sure right up at the top. So I’m happy to be here. Extremely happy. I’m happy to be with these boys in this locker room. Hopefully, we continue to do something special throughout the season.”

Quite a few Carolina fans by now heard about former Tar Heel Caleb Wilson’s first NBA regular season game with the Chicago Bulls. The talented forward finished his outing against the Toronto Raptors with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, a block, and nine (!!!) turnovers. The detail that made everyone’s jaw drop is that he finished with a franchise-record -45 plus/minus, which as one could imagine triggered a lot of conversation.

I got to watch Wilson’s first game as a Bull, and my honest take is that his debut was indeed pretty bad, but the plus/minus is a bit misleading. So, let’s discuss three takeaways from Caleb Wilson’s official “welcome to the NBA” game.

Wilson’s teammates had an equal hand in his tragic plus/minus

Before we even touch anything that is specifically focused on Wilson, let’s talk about how his teammates helped make his plus/minus ended up as bad as it was. Bulls starting point guard Josh Giddey had an awful night on the floor, and it’s honestly not even really worth getting into his numbers. Giddey at times had tunnel vision on the floor, had some really goofy turnovers, and it was all made worse by the fact that he only made one of his 10 field goals. It shouldn’t be much of a secret that Wilson needs a good point guard by his side as he acclimates to the NBA, but he did not get that Wednesday night.

Zooming out, the entire team shot terribly from the field, and even worse from three. The Bulls were 4-36 from deep, which was one of the worst three-point shooting performances I’ve seen in a while. To be fair, it was less of a shot quality issue and more of an issue of just not being able to make shots. Wilson also got some quality looks from deep, but he just couldn’t get them to drop. When the whole team is shooting this poorly, it isn’t shocking that Wilson’s plus/minus was ugly, especially since he led the team in minutes with 32. That is all important context when assessing such a tragic game.

Wilson’s body at times moved faster than his mind

Something that we all saw during NBA Summer League at times was Wilson’s body deciding to execute something without really thinking it through. Against Toronto, there were times when the Bulls’ offense was stagnant, and when the ball ended up in his hands he just….tried something. That something didn’t go well more times than it did, and it played a huge role in his nine turnovers. It also seemed like Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter had Wilson on the perimeter a lot in this game, so when he did get the ball in the later part of the shot clock he had a ways to go before he could get to the rim, and his handle just isn’t good enough for that yet when he’s having to get past guys like Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard.

As cliché as it sounds, Wilson just needs the game to slow down so that he makes the right decisions at the right time. It seemed like that was happening during preseason, but he also had his first experience dealing with some of the better defenders in the NBA in the Raptors, so it was a wake up call to say the least. These types of opponents are really good for his development, but this also means that nobody should be surprised if he has another stinker because he is trying to do too much against a playoff-caliber team.

When Wilson stuck to the greatest hits, he played well

Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter was very willing to let Wilson cook against the Raptors, and while that came with a good amount of bad, it also came with some good. Remember how much Wilson loves to live above the rim? He had a handful of dunks, including his first poster official NBA poster. That mid-range fadeaway he likes to take? It still looks good. His defense? Surprisingly solid against a team that flamed the Bulls.

Focusing on the defense part for a moment, there was a conversation before the season started about whether or not Wilson would be able to be a positive guarding NBA players. It’s safe to say that he will not be a deep negative thanks to his athleticism and length, which is how he ended up with three steals in a block. Even when players scored on him, his defense wasn’t bad at all. NBA All-Star Scottie Barnes drilling shots over Wilson isn’t exactly surprising, and it will happen quite a bit against some of the better players in the league. But he did pretty well for his first regular season game, and over time I expect him to only get better and better, especially when he gets a chance to bulk up next summer.

Finally, it is safe to say that Wilson’s energy that he plays with is still impressive. The Bulls got a steal at one point in the game and Wilson flew down the court faster than I’d seen him run before. He also at one point missed a bunny at the rim and immediately snatched the ball out of the air for a dunk. There was a good amount of positives from his first game, and if you would like a visual breakdown, check out Steph Noh’s film review:

One minute on Caleb Wilson's debut. Ballhandling and shooting were bad, way too many turnovers (9), but there was some good stuff too when I dove into the film. pic.twitter.com/HnY3uE0QdK

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) October 22, 2026

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All and all, Caleb Wilson’s first regular season game was bad, but that isn’t to say there weren’t positives. There was really only one “good” rookie performance Wednesday night, and that was from former Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Does it look like Wilson will be a bust? Absolutely not, and quite frankly, one would hope that nobody is thinking that after one NBA game. But this does prove that he is indeed a work in progress, but as long as he is willing to put in the work, he is going to be a really good player in the league for a long time.

The Toronto Raptors couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the 2026-27 season after dismantling the Chicago Bulls 135-92, the largest home opener win in franchise history. Toronto heads to Washington on Friday looking to carry that momentum against a Wizards team that also opened its season with a win.

Toronto’s return to the court was highlighted by the reunion with Kawhi Leonard, who scored 23 points in his first regular-season game back with the Raptors. Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley also recorded 23 points apiece, while RJ Barrett added 20.

The Raptors established control immediately, scoring 43 points in the first quarter and forcing 27 turnovers. Their defensive pressure and balanced scoring proved too much for Chicago, although Toronto will want to see whether it can maintain that intensity against stronger opposition

Washington also began its campaign with an impressive performance, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 128-116. Anthony Davis led the way with 34 points and 12 rebounds, while Trae Young contributed 20 points and 13 assists. The Wizards overcame a slow start with a decisive fourth-quarter run to secure the victory.

Players to watch

Kawhi Leonard will be one to watch after a successful first game in his return to Toronto’s lineup. His two-way presence gives the Raptors another scoring option, while Scottie Barnes’ ability to contribute as a scorer, rebounder and playmaker will be crucial to Toronto’s success.

While the majority of the starting five played well, I would like to see more production from the bench, as I expect them to play a bigger role in this game against the Wizards.

For Washington, Anthony Davis presents the biggest matchup concern after his performance in the season opener. His interior scoring and rim protection could challenge Toronto on both ends of the floor, while Trae Young’s playmaking will be key to the Wizards’ offence.

Young’s connection with Davis could create problems for the Raptors if they allow the duo to dictate the pace.

A player that I was excited to watch is first overall pick, AJ Dybantsa, though he has been ruled out for Friday’s contest.

Keys to the game

The biggest question is whether Toronto can force turnovers and generate easy points again. The Raptors thrived on defensive pressure against Chicago, but Washington’s combination of Young’s passing and Davis’ finishing presents a different challenge.

The battle inside will also be important. Toronto must find a way to limit Davis without overcommitting defensively and leaving Washington’s perimeter players open.

Meanwhile, the Raptors’ ball movement and ability to get contributions from multiple scorers should help determine whether they can control the game.

Washington will also be looking to improve its perimeter shooting after struggling from three-point range against Milwaukee. If the Wizards find their touch from deep, they could make this a much closer contest.

Prediction

Toronto has the momentum and demonstrated how dangerous its offence can be when Barnes, Quickley, Barrett and Leonard contribute together. However, Davis and Young give Washington a formidable duo that should make things more difficult for the Raptors.

Prediction: Raptors 114, Wizards 108.

Toronto’s depth and defensive pressure should be enough to secure a second straight win, but I would expect this to be a much closer matchup.

LeBron James went through his usual warmup routine again Thursday night, and then he came out firing.

The 76ers superstar responded to criticism from Donald Trump stemming from his continued pregame activities during the national anthem before Tuesday’s season-opener against the Knicks.

“It’s a slow news day at the office, you know,” James said. “Slow news day in the office.”

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer swung his arms and mimed a golf shot during during Avery Wilson’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country,” Trump wrote ​in a Truth Social post. “LeBron James should apologize to all of ​those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the ​American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”

Ahead of Thursday night’s home opener against the Cavaliers, James was much more subdued during the anthem — not that he or his teammates were taking Trump’s post to heart.

“I think that goes right in with other outside noise we’ve already had,” coach Nick Nurse said before the 114-106 win that improved his team to 2-0. “I keep saying the same thing. All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor. The focus that they’ve had and the intent and all the stuff like that has been outstanding.”

James and Trump have never been shy about trading barbs, with the 22-time NBA All-Star calling the President a “bum” in a social media post in 2017.

Their spat comes as the national anthem re-emerges as hot button issue in sports.

The WNBA’s Valkyries and Dream have garnered attention by vacating the floor ahead of the anthem during the league’s championship series, though both have maintained it was part of their pregame routine long before the best-of-seven series began Oct. 17.

There was plenty to enjoy at the start of opening night. The new court, the jerseys, the starting lineup video and Vince Carter’s brief speech all helped set the stage for a new season in Brooklyn.

Then the game started.

The Nets’ defensive problems were hard to miss. Charlotte scored 48 points in the paint and 20 second-chance points, exposing the risk of prioritizing positional size without having the personnel to make it work. The Hornets shot 17-of-22 at the rim (77.3%), compared with Brooklyn’s 12-of-24 (50%).

Day’Ron Sharpe wasn’t a liability, but his early foul trouble disrupted the frontcourt rotation. He picked up his second foul at the 7:28 mark of the first quarter, when Brooklyn led 11-5. Moritz Wagner checked in and Charlotte immediately attacked the rim.

Charlotte went on an 11-1 run from that point to take a 16-12 lead. Brooklyn didn’t regain the lead until 8:12 remained in the third quarter, when Michael Porter Jr. hit a three-pointer and converted the ensuing free throw to put the Nets ahead 64-62.

The problem wasn’t limited to one stretch. Charlotte kept creating extra possessions, and Brooklyn couldn’t consistently finish defensive stops. With 7:03 left in the third quarter, the Hornets grabbed three offensive rebounds before Naz Reid knocked down a three-pointer to put Charlotte back in front, 65-64.

Head coach Jordi Fernández pointed to the rebounding issues.

“Just help with the technique,” Fernández said. “If your man doesn’t crash, you can go sandwich and help. Like, it’s all these things that we’ve worked on that obviously we didn’t execute.”

Positional size is supposed to give the Nets versatility, but that versatility doesn’t mean much if they can’t keep opponents off the glass (or protect the basket.).

“You can win a basketball game and not do anything principle-wise how you’re supposed to do as a team. So, we don’t want to do that. We want to win every game playing our style of basketball, holding each other accountable, doing the things that it’s going to take not just to win games but just establish the culture and identity of the team that we want to be,” Jordi Fernandez said after the game.

Foul trouble made the problem harder to manage. Brooklyn spent a combined 2:31 across two stretches without either Sharpe or Wagner on the floor, leaving Noah Clowney to play center. That’s a small-ball look for a team built around positional size.

Clowney picked up his fifth foul with 6:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, then fouled out at 3:44, just 1:28 after returning to the floor. Randle had also picked up his fourth foul at 9:48.

Randle finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but acknowledged that Brooklyn needed to be more physical on the glass.

“We got to look at the film,” Randle said. “I think we got to, including myself, I put it on me. We got to impose our physicality on those things and hit people first. So, I’ll set a tone with that.”

The Nets also didn’t get enough help offensively to offset their defensive problems. Porter Jr. and Randle were Brooklyn’s only players to score at least 10 points. The bench combined for 25 points on 6-of-19 shooting, while Drake Powell, Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf didn’t log a single minute.

All three were among Brooklyn’s five first-round picks in 2025, the most the franchise has ever selected in a single draft. Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traoré, the two first-round picks who did play, combined to shoot 2-of-14 and committed five turnovers.

Dëmin was candid about his performance.

“Mine? Not very good,” Dëmin said. “I’m not very happy with how I end up playing the game. I started with two scored buckets, but then kind of just got slower from a standpoint of my intensity.”

Brooklyn shot 12-of-31 from three-point range (38.7%), so perimeter shooting wasn’t the main issue. The Nets needed more production from the supporting cast to make up for what they were giving up inside. 

Charlotte center Moussa Diabaté logged 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and five steals, while Starting power forward Naz Reid finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. 

It’s one game, but it exposed a familiar problem for Brooklyn: size at the five. The Nets want players who can move across positions and create advantages. But what happens when that versatility leaves them vulnerable at the rim, on the glass and short on reliable production from the bench?

Charlotte, even without three of its starters, exposed those weaknesses on opening night.