Category: Basketball

The San Antonio Spurs have won four straight games after a disappointing start to the season. One of those wins recently came in overtime against the Utah Jazz. Now, just a half a week later, the Spurs will rematch the young Jazz at home, looking to extend their winning streak to five games.

The last game against the Jazz was a back-and-forth affair, with the Spurs starting slow and finishing strong in overtime. Utah got some stellar performances from their young guards, while San Antonio needed a 36-point, 14-rebound Victor Wembanyama performance to get the job done. The Jazz played that game without one of their best players, Lauri Markkanen, but will get him back on Monday night. Markkanen is averaging 15.4 points per game this season.

San Antonio is coming off a convincing Halloween win over a shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves squad, developing an early-season rhythm. While the Jazz are just 1-5 to start the season, they’ll pose a real challenge to San Antonio. The Spurs will need to bring their A-game if they want to keep up momentum heading into November.

San Antonio Spurs (4-2) vs. Utah Jazz (1-5)

November 2nd, 2026 | 7 PM CT

Watch: DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Tobias Harris – Out (calf), Jayden Quaintance – Out (knee)

Jazz Injuries: Trey Alexander – Out (G League), Kobe Bufkin – Out (G League), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), Jaren Jackson Jr. – Out (knee), Jusuf Nurkic – Out (foot)

What to watch for:

Wembanyama and Fox

San Antonio has gotten great production from their two best players to start the season. The San Antonio Spurs are +96 points in 213 possessions with the duo on the court this year. They are -17 points when they sit. Fox and Wembanyama have found great synergy in the pick-and-roll, where Fox has used Wembanyama’s gravity to find openings in the mid-range, where he is hitting shots at a high percentage. Wembanyama has become more committed to rolling to the basket, creating easier opportunities when opponents switch. The Jazz were great in the last game at staying disciplined and fighting through screens to keep their big man contesting Wembanyama lobs. Fox and Wembanyama finding an edge will be crucial to the Spurs’ success.

Slowing down Keyonte George

George lit up the Spurs for 31 points on 11-27 shooting from the field in their last contest. He especially had it going early, as he hit several pull-up jumpers. San Antonio will need to find a way to slow the opposing guard down, whether with a one-on-one defender like Stephon Castle or a team scheme that forces George to take difficult shots inside of the three-point arc. In general, the Spurs will need to get out to Utah’s shooters, who can get hot quickly.

Getting to the rim

The Jazz are thin in the front court thanks to injuries to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic. Jaxson Hayes, Markkanen, and Mo Bamba are leading Utah’s big man rotation. None of those big men are particularly elite at defending the paint. Wembanyama exposed this in the last game between these teams. San Antonio will need to find a way to get downhill against the Jazz and challenge their limited front-court depth.

The Lakers (5-2) will welcome the Miami Heat (2-4) to town on Monday for their first meeting of the season. Both teams enter this matchup coming off wins.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat

When: 7 p.m. PT, Nov. 2

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

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In case you didn’t know, the Lakers have three sets of back-to-back games this month, starting with Sunday and Monday. The purple and gold will face a Miami team that has won two straight games after opening the season with four consecutive losses. Miami also has the rest advantage in this one after having had two consecutive nights off.

That factor alone makes this a challenging game for Los Angeles, yet it’s one that they can conquer. The spotlight will obviously be on Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the key to victory will be which team can do a better job of limiting the other’s superstar.

The Greek Freak is averaging 28.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists to begin the year. The Lakers’ frontcourt will also have to look out for Bam Adebayo, who is coming off his best performance yet with 27 points in the win against the Indiana Pacers. This frontcourt duo is what makes the Heat a tricky matchup.

That’s why it’ll be interesting to see how head coach JJ Redick game plans against Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. Ideally, the Lakers also expose the Heat’s lack of shooting, defensive inconsistencies and the shortage of production from their role players. It’ll be nice to see Dončić — who just had his best all-around game of the season in Sunday’s victory — remain hot and torch the Heat defense.

Speaking of things that would be nice to see, the Lakers’ minutes without their Slovenian superstar on the floor will be crucial. Against the Raptors, it didn’t matter so much because Dončić and co. were able to open up a huge early lead.

However, this Heat team is different in a sense that they have more firepower than the Raptors. Contributions from across the board will be necessary and that’s where the Lakers’ bench and shooters need to step up.

Facing Miami is an early test to see how the Lakers handle tough matchups like this, especially with no rest. Let’s see if the purple and gold can successfully take care of business against the Heat on Monday.

Notes and Updates

• Since the Lakers played on Sunday, there isn’t an injury report yet for this one.
• As for Ziaire Williams (left foot injury management), there was an update prior to Sunday’s game regarding his recovery but his status still remains uncertain.

JJ Redick said imaging on Ziaire Williams' foot has come back clean. Described the ailment as "soreness that pops up in morning" before adding that Ziaire's doing better and the team is being cautious with the back-to-back. https://t.co/KwIByFjxQO

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 2, 2026

• The Heat list Tim Hardaway Jr., (personal reasons) as questionable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

The Lakers having a bounceback outing in itself was encouraging on Sunday. That it started on the defensive end, though, is perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the performance.

In the opening quarter, they set a defensive tone, turning the Raptors over nine times with seven steals and 14 points off turnovers. While Luka had his typical strong first quarter, that the Raptors shot just 8-22 in the opening period shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Now, about those dang turnovers. now…

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Matisse Thybulle

25 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 2-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, +10

On a roster where players are turning down open shots, it’s nice to see Thybulle never turn down an opportunity for a no-dip 3-pointer.

Grade: B-

Jake LaRavia

25 minutes, 8 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 3-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, +6

With really only one notable hiccup against the Warriors, LaRavia has been fantastic this season. Tonight was another game where he made an impact on both ends of the floor.

Grade: B+

Walker Kessler

31 minutes, 16 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 6-6 FG, 4-4 FT, +11

A very quiet big night for Kessler in this one, at least offensively. He did a great job defensively of deterring shots at the rim. Teams are clearly targeting taking him away as a roller and there will be an adjustment period. But he’s still finding ways to be impactful.

Grade: A-

Austin Reaves

38 minutes, 19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 6-16 FG, 2-7 3PT, 5-6 FT, +14

It was shaping up to be another pretty quiet night from Austin before he helped seal the game with some important buckets and free throws late. He’s in a bit of a rut after a strong start, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t break out of it.

Grade: C+

Luka Dončić

35 minutes, 45 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 5 fouls, 7 turnovers, 12-23 FG, 8-12 3PT, 13-13 FT, +27

What else is there to say about Luka? He’s off to the best start of his career, which is actually a really high bar. His defense was great on Sunday and his offense was spectacular. This is how an MVP-caliber season starts.

LUKA DONČIĆ JUST RECORDED A STATLINE THE NBA HASN'T SEEN BEFORE 🚨

😮‍💨 45 PTS
😮‍💨 15 REB
😮‍💨 6 AST
😮‍💨 5 STL
😮‍💨 8 3PM
😮‍💨 LAL W

Dončić is the first player in NBA history to reach 15+ REB, 5+ AST, 5+ STL, and 5+ 3PM in a game… and he also scored 45 PTS! pic.twitter.com/t4iWALNBO3

— NBA (@NBA) November 2, 2026

Grade: A+

Quentin Grimes

25 minutes, 7 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 foul, 4 turnovers, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, 2-4 FT, +5

Whether it’s indecision or trying to find his role or something else, Grimes is thinking far too much on the court. You can see the moments when he should be playing instinctively but is instead trying to think of the right play to make.

How do you get him out of that funk? Because the Lakers badly need him as another creator for himself and others.

Grade: D+

Sandro Mamukelashvili

23 minutes, 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 4-7 FG, +7

Mamu was solid as a scorer but didn’t offer a whole lot else. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as the team needed scoring off the bench, particularly after last game.

Grade: B

Jarred Vanderbilt

12 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 2-2 FG, -12

Vando is a good rebounder as a forward. Probably even a great one. For a backup center, though, he is not a good rebounder. Nor is Mamu. Which means the Lakers are hemorrhaging rebounds when they share the floor.

Though, to be fair, they’re hemorrhaging rebounds at basically all points of the game.

Grade: C

Collin Sexton

19 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 6-10 FG, 1-3 3PT, 1-2 FT, -9

On paper, Sexton looked like maybe the best player off the bench tonight. And he had a couple good scoring spurts. But he also had more bad than good stretches overall.

Grade: C-

Bronny James, Cameron Carr, Jaden Hardy

You can chalk up seeing Bronny James or Jaden Hardy get any meaningful minutes anytime soon after that shambolic performance. Cameron Carr’s debut deserved better.

JJ Redick

There were a few moments where it felt like a timeout could have been called to quell a Raptors run. But he also was good with his challenge, including briefly saving Luka from a fifth foul.

Sunday’s DNPs: Kevon Looney

Sunday’s inactives: Ziaire Williams, Arthur Kaluma, Adou Thiero, Chris Manon, Lawson Lovering

LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić has heard it all.

He can’t play defense. He’s a showman, a front runner, a whiny shot-chucker whose game isn’t conducive to winning. He can average all the stats he wants. It won’t translate to anything.

Sunday night, in the Lakers’ 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors, he proved that he’s more than what people say he is.

He’s just a great basketball player. Perhaps the best in the world.

Every time Dončić went to the free throw line on Sunday, he was met with “M-V-P” chants from the Crypto.com Arena crowd.

It wasn’t just the 45 points and eight 3-pointers that inspired the ovation. It was also the defensive engagement, the 15 rebounds (all defensive), five steals and three drawn charges over 35 minutes, each second more crucial than the next. It was the product of an initiative he set for himself ahead of this season.

“Obviously I’m not the best defender in the NBA,” Dončić said postgame. “But I think this year I really took a step forward. Obviously people are going to talk what they want to talk. The media is going to talk what they want to talk, but my team knows that [and] I think that I’m better this year, and that helps the whole team.”

The ninth-year superstar entered Sunday’s game averaging a league-leading 36.2 points per game, a figure that’s only going up after another offensive onslaught. And yet, as he averages 43.8 points over his last four contests, it’s as much his defensive activity that’s inspiring the Lakers.

“He’s been awesome on defense,” head coach JJ Redick said Sunday. “Even his on-ball [pressure] throughout this early stretch of games has been really good in terms of containment. … He’s doing a great job just talking on defense beyond just the steals and the charges and the rebounding. Fifteen defensive rebounds. Just phenomenal.”

Players of Dončić’s offensive caliber, who are relied on as much as he is, are often less willing to sacrifice their bodies on the other end of the floor. But for Dončić, as quiet and mild-tempered as he is off the floor, standing in front of a driving opponent and risking his body in the moment signals something greater.

“I think taking a charge in general is just a form of leadership,” Redick said. “Putting your body on the line for the team. He’s just trying to win. You see the competitiveness come out so many times on the offensive end, but he’s competitive on the defensive end, too.”

When Walker Kessler listed off the players on the roster that would contribute to Los Angeles having one of the best defenses in the league, even he overlooked Dončić.

Kessler thought he was brought in to complement the star’s offensive game as a roller and make the game easier for him by anchoring the defense. He never thought he’d have to match Dončić‘s level of defensive contribution.

“Incredible,” Kessler said. “Luka doesn’t get enough credit for his defense. He’s a very high IQ individual when it comes to being on the court. His positional defense is being in the right spot at the right time, and it is really good and it showed tonight.

“[When] all the players see a guy like him, who’s a savant on the offensive side, be so good defensively, it gets to the guys. It hypes them up to play better defense. So, yeah, it was incredible.”

Dončić put up averages no one in NBA history has replicated in the two seasons he was high in the MVP race (‘23-24 and ‘25-26), but he was never truly in the conversation. He’s dealt with this his entire career.

Defense has been the main excuse used to rule him out of the award race. This year, the Lakers are a plus-87 with Dončić on the floor. And guess what? He’s playing on both ends of the floor now.

It’s still very early, but this is what an MVP looks like.

You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.

Sometimes, a loss is a miserable situation that gets called a learning experience to save face. But watching this game against the Lakers, I was, at times, genuinely heartened by the product that I saw on the floor. The result? Less heartening, that is for sure, but there’s a lot to learn from this November 1st 131-125 game.

For one: the Raptors seemed willing to shoot threes, and make up for any inaccuracy with their rebounding and interior presence. And while they weren’t always making them, it was nice to see, and helped them get back into the game, especially with Luka Dončić on the bench.

Poetry in motion

With the Magic-man out, the Raptors looked not only in control, but confident, even without Jakob Poeltl on the floor. Poeltl’s absence meant a start from Trayce Jackson-Davis, who, despite sharing the job with Collin Murray-Boyles, looked good on the floor there in some limited minutes. The Bench Mob 2.0 came in during garbage time that didn’t feel quite like garbage time: the Lakers put their starters back in during a two possession game, giving the reserves some valuable experience, punctuated by a Jamison Battle three, and an Allen Graves steal.

Both Darko Rajaković and Scottie Barnes got technical fouls tonight, a reality that showcases a Raptors team willing to fight for its position. While less than ideal in a big matchup, getting some of this energy out early helps to set the tone for the season. Speaking of that-

Scottie Barnes still looks fantastic, and had a great offensive game, posting stats of 29-6-5 along with two steals. He got 13 free throw attempts, drawing a lot of contact and getting the foul calls that his driving would warrant, even though he only made seven of those shots: less than ideal. Still, the player he is developing into is absolutely fantastic, capable of carrying the responsibility of a number-one offensive option, even though he’s perhaps better suited to the place of a secondary or tertiary scorer.

RJ Barrett looked great, as usual, with a hyper-efficient 22 point night, that was marred only by the complete lack of free throws attempted. Adding on three steals to his statline, RJ looked impactful, and his big three to get the deficit back to single digits was a highlight of the night for the Raps.

Not so pretty prose

However, efficiency was a major, major issue for the Raptors tonight. They shot 43% from the floor and 31% from three, which, while an attempted increase in volume explains, does not necessarily translate to much meaningful production for the Raptors. The Raptors’ offence without Kawhi is supported in part around Scottie and RJ creating interior pressure, which should ideally create space for shooters like Immanuel Quickley or Ja’Kobe Walter, but tonight, the shots just weren’t falling, especially from IQ, who went 3/11 from outside.

The Lakers, on the other hand, were shooting 60% from three at the half, which begs the question: were the Raptors unlucky two nights in a row, or does there need to be more effort at defence on the perimeter?

Likely as not, it’s a bit of both.

Very similarly to both of the Raptors’ previous losses, the major issue came at the hands of volume scoring guards as opposed to big men, despite the oft-discussed issues that the Raptors have had at centre. Luka Dončić had 45 points tonight, and sometimes, when a scorer like Luka gets hot, there is no defence anywhere on heaven or Earth than can stop him from getting the ball to the cup. He shot 66% from three and went 100% from the charity stripe. This is very similar to what happened with Desmond Bane in the second Orlando game.

While the three remains a potent weapon against anyone, it seems that the Raptors are particularly susceptible to it. Sure, you shoot a dinosaur with a rifle and it falls over, but Toronto needs to teach its predators how to strap on bulletproof vests. The Raptors are a great defensive team, but this is a weakness that has now cropped up twice as a pattern, and needs to be eliminated before it becomes the Raptors’ Achilles heel. This is, of course, the Raptors playing without Kawhi Leonard, which means that they’ve lost arguably their best offensive player, and some very important perimeter D.

Tonight was also a game without Jakob Poeltl, meaning that the Raps were playing without two of their most important pieces. Poeltl was out with shoulder bursitis, which the Cleveland Clinic notes varies in severity and frequency. His injury circumstances are not yet clear. This situation is even more distressing when considering the fact that both Poeltl and Leonard are notorious for missing time. If this is how the Raptors will perform regularly under such circumstances, there is indeed some serious concern here for the functioning of the team.

Do they predict the future out on the West Coast?

Should the LA game be moment of total panic and abandon for the Raptors and their fans? No. Luka Dončić is one of the best scorers in the world, and without two starters, the Raptors were always going to be fighting an uphill battle to keep up tonight.

The Raptors have not even played ten games yet and should not be written off as mere pretenders, but, this series may give the indication that the Raptors playing their reserves as starters may put them firmly in the place they were last year: solid enough to beat the bad teams, and not great enough to beat the good ones.

Leonard is set to be evaluated and the degree to which his injury will keep him off the floor will become clearer in the upcoming week. His health for the season and production upon returning will be the yardstick by which this season’s success will be measured. Until then, the Raptors have another LA matchup to look forward to, this time, against a team they are well acquainted with. The… Los Angeles Clippers.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Nets got their first win but won’t have long to savor it. They’ll face the champion Knicks Monday in the Garden, which has become their own house of horrors.

The Nets crossed the East River twice last season, losing the first 134-98 on Nov. 9 and then an even worse loss Jan. 21, 120-66.

That second one was the biggest loss in the history of the rivalry, the second biggest in Nets history, and still sticks in their craw. At least, Michael Porter Jr. says it should.

“We’ve got a big game [Monday] that we should be very excited to play,” Porter said. “Last year, when we went to the Garden, it was not pretty, and we should remember that and look forward to getting our rest [Sunday night] and going in there and being competitive. I know I’m looking forward to it.”

Julius Randle, who made three All-Star games in his five years playing for the Knicks, will face his old team for the first time as a Net.

“I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun,” said Randle, unaware of the recent blowouts.

“No, I don’t know nothing about it. I live in the present, baby. … Focus on what we need to do to get a win, build off of what we did [Sunday] and stick together as a group.”

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The Nets will get some reinforcements for Monday.

Mikel Brown Jr. missed the win in Indiana with back injury management. The Nets downplayed any concerns, and head coach Jordi Fernández confirmed the rookie is expected back against the Knicks.

Brown has been under a minutes limit and remains so. The point guard logged a career-high 28 minutes in Tuesday’s loss in Boston, then 23 in a disappointing home loss to the Pistons on Friday.

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Day’Ron Sharpe had 15 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and hit his only 3-point attempt Sunday. The points and boards were season highs and marked the fourth time in his career he’d had at least 13 points and 13 rebounds.

“Unbelievable. He was big on the boards. He did a little of everything: He made his 3. He set screens. Very happy for him. We don’t win this game without him, and the reality is how much he cares about winning and impacting winning,” Fernández said.

“I told him finally he gets more than 10 rebounds. I think he can do that night in, night out, get 10-plus rebounds. And if he does that, we’re gonna be a hard team to beat, especially if he’s getting four offensive rebounds,” Porter said. “As long as he’s a force, he’s getting fouled on the glass — that’s his superpower — if we’re getting that from him, then we’re really happy, for sure.”

The season is by no means lost, but the Jazz need a win in the worst way right now. That said, the Jazz hit the road to Texas to face the reigning Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama… Everything but an easy win for a struggling Jazz squad.

While the early-season homestand was not kind to the Jazz in the win-loss column or on the injury report, they have shown flashes of improvement in several areas, game by game. Now it is simply a matter of putting it all together for a full 48-minute game. Pardon my galaxy-brain take here, but at the end of the day, basketball comes down to making shots and outscoring your opponent. The Jazz could improve offensively in several ways. You can talk about putting more pressure on the rim, forcing turnovers leading to easier baskets, second-chance points, etc. One of the biggest things that needs to change if the Jazz want to win more games, including against this formidable Spurs squad, is that shooters like Lauri Markkanen, Svi Mykhailiuk, Keyonte George, and Brice Sensabaugh need to shoot it and shoot it well against the Spurs.

Keyonte George has shot the ball very well with the exception of the Halloween game vs. Portland (we will blame the spooky vibes in the air for that performance), but Lauri Markkanen has been utterly putrid shooting the ball so far this year, shooting only 30% from three. Similarly, Svi Mykhailiuk, who was viewed as a key rotational piece coming into the season, is shooting 26% from three. Both of those guys need to make shots and produce in a meaningful way if the Jazz want to beat the Spurs, as Wemby does not allow much at the rim.

Defensively, there is no real way to stop Wemby; you can only hope he doesn’t go absolutely nuclear on you. If the Jazz can win the rebounding battle as they did in Salt Lake on October 28th, they will give themselves a chance to pull off the upset.

Game Details

Who: Utah Jazz @ San Antonio Spurs

When: November 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM MT

Where: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas

How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+, NBA League Pass

Tonight, the Houston Rockets get their first schedule advantage game of the season. The Boston Celtics played yesterday, but it was a matinee so they probably arrived in Houston before it got late.

This is a matchup of a 6-1 team against a 5-1 team. Both teams came into the season with…lower expectations than what they’ve achieved so far. Boston obviously traded Jaylen Brown in the offseason for Paul George, who is actually playing really well this season and probably will continue to do so as long as he stays healthy.

It’s early so Small Sample Size Alert is in effect, but the Celtics are 15th in offensive efficiency and 22nd on defense. Remember that at this point last season, the Rockets were the best 3-point shooting team in the league. For now, Houston is tops on defense and 11th on defense. Knowing Ime Udoka -coached teams (as both of these fanbases do), you would expect those to move closer to their normal places in the next few weeks.

Houston’s job tonight will be limiting Jayson Tatum, George, and Boston’s array of above-average role players, including one of the best role players in the league, Derrick White. Payton Pritchard had a terrible shooting game in Orlando yesterday, so expect him to go absolutely bonkers. Mitchell Robinson could be back tonight, which makes rebounding a priority. Robinson and Steven Adams (out again tonight) are probably the two best offensive rebounders in the NBA.

Tip-off

7:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Clint Capela: GTD

Steven Adams: OUT

Reed Sheppard: GTD

Celtics

Mitchell Robinson: GTD

Devin Carter: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -5.5

Check here for updates

Schedule Advantage Counter

Rockets: 1

Opponents: 2

Looking ahead because we can

Wednesday night at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves

The questions the Lakers had to face as they returned to Southern California after a one-game trip to the Bay Area revolved around how this new group would respond to early-season adversity.

The answer: Pretty well, for the most part.

Less than 48 hours after blowing a 25-point lead that resulted in a 17-point loss to the Warriors, the Lakers bounced back with a 131-125 win over the Raptors on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena to improve to 5-2 on the season.

The rhythm of Sunday’s game was similar to Friday’s.

Luka Dončić once again got off to a hot start en route to a spectacular performance.

But this time, it was his effort on both ends of the floor that stood out, with his four steals and two charges drawn in the first quarter being just as impactful as the 16 points he scored in the opening frame.

The Slovenian superstar finished with 45 points (12-for-23 shooting, 8 of 12 on 3-pointers), 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals in 35 minutes against the Raptors.

It was his second 40-point, 10-rebound, five-steal game as a Laker, and he’s still the only player in franchise history to reach those statistical benchmarks in a game. 

Dončić, the league’s leading scorer, has scored at least 37 points in four consecutive games.

His performance was supported by 19 points and four assists from Austin Reaves, 14 points off the bench from Collin Sexton and a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double to go with three blocked shots from Walker Kessler.

The Lakers controlled most of the game, leading by as many as 26 points early in the third. 

The Raptors cut their deficit down to nine midway through the fourth before the Lakers regained composure.

But once coach JJ Redick emptied the bench with his team having what seemed to be a comfortable 14-point lead, the Lakers quickly lost control of the game, with the Raptors going on a 11-2 run to cut their deficit to 125-120 before Redick subbed Doncic, Reaves, Kessler and Matisse Thybulle back in with 44 seconds left.

With nine new players on the roster still working on maximizing their on-court chemistry, the Lakers are taking a patient approach to the start of the NBA season.

For now, it looks as if they’re fine with following Luka Doncic‘s lead.

The Lakers’ star had another sensational performance, finishing with 45 points in a 131-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night.

Doncic was key in helping the Lakers build a 26-point lead in the third quarter. He shot 12 for 23 on the night, going eight for 12 from three-point range. He made all of his 13 free throws and also had 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Read more:Lakers blow 25-point lead in double-digit loss to Warriors

Not bad for 35 minutes of work on Doncic bobblehead giveaway night.

And his teammates did follow his lead, with Austin Reaves collecting 19 points and Walker Kessler producing a double-double with 16 points on six-for-six shooting and 15 rebounds to go along with three blocks. Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 14 points. Rookie Cameron Carr played his first game of the season, but he didn’t score.

The Lakers were sloppy with the basketball, turning it over 22 times. Scottie Barnes finished with 29 points and six rebounds for Toronto (3-3).

In the eyes of Lakers coach JJ Redick, each game the Lakers (5-2) play is a step in a process aimed at becoming a championship-contending team.

“Frankly, this entire season is about becoming a great team,” Redick said. “Like, we believe we can become a great team and I think as coaches, players, we all have to participate in patience with that. Doesn’t mean you allow things to happen and say, ‘Oh, that’s fine. That’s OK.’ No. No. No. You address those things. I think the guys are very, very open to that dialogue, both with each other and with the coaching staff.”

Doncic is certainly doing his part to bring a championship mood to L.A. He made a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left before halftime to give the Lakers a 66-54 lead. He blew a kiss to the fans and waved his hand toward them, prompting cheers from the crowd.

The Lakers play the Miami Heat at home Monday night.

Injury update

Ziaire Williams missed his third consecutive game, but Redick said a scan on the forward’s ailing left foot was “clean.”

“I would describe it [as] soreness that just pops up in the morning and he’s feeling a lot better,” Redick said. “I think just being, again, cautious with the back to back.”

Read more:Mark Walter, Josh Kushner agree on outstanding terms linked to $12.5-billion Lakers sale

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Another night of brilliance from Luka Dončić led the Lakers to a bounceback win on Sunday as they knocked off the Raptors, 131-125.

Coming off a loss to the Warriors, LA rode Luka’s back to another win as he put up another 40-point game. The team struggled mightily in the minutes without him, but still did enough to hang onto the win, barely.

The Lakers forced 15 turnovers, many of those coming in the first period, which they turned into 23 points. They offset that by turning the ball over 24 times themselves, leading to 30 Toronto points. It was a much-improved performance from the bench as well as they scored 37 points.

Luka set the tone to start the game, as he’s one to do. However, this time, it came on the defensive end. The Lakers were particularly active on the defensive end, swiping seven steals in the quarter.

Behind that, LA jumped out to not only an early advantage, but a double-digit one at that. A 10-0 run all came at the hands of Luka, who hit a three, set up Matisse Thybulle for one and got assists on Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler finishes at the rim.

A 10-2 run shortly after included threes from Reaves and Sandro Mamukelashvili to build a 23-11 lead. Luka hit a pair of threes at the end of the period to help LA carry a 36-23 advantage into the second.

Luka Dončić had four steals and four made threes in the first quarter tonight. The Lakers say it's the first time in league history a player has done that in the first quarter of a game.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 2, 2026

The Lakers were much better with Luka on the bench in this contest with Collin Sexton scoring eight points and Mamu connecting on another three to help keep LA ahead by 11 through the first nearly six minutes of the frame.

Toronto did eventually piece together a run that forced a timeout after a Jamal Shead corner 3-pointer made it just a 49-41 LA advantage. Shead converted on an and-one to trim the lead even further, but Jake LaRavia helped LA responded with consecutive threes to make it a double-digit lead once more.

Luka closed the half in style with a 30-foot 3-pointer just before the buzzer, giving the hosts a 66-54 lead at the break. It also gave him an absurd stat line of 24 points, eight rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists and a block in 18 minutes.

LUKA DONČIĆ DEEP STEPBACK 3.

HIS SIXTH THREE FOR 24 FIRST HALF POINTS 👌 pic.twitter.com/cmvsUf1UJm

— NBA (@NBA) November 2, 2026

Luka Dončić is the first NBA player in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 3-pt FG and 5 steals in a half 😲

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/so2gpqNJKz

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 2, 2026

Luka did not slow down in the second half as he hit a trio of threes in the opening five minutes as the lead ballooned to 18 points.

Despite picking up his fourth foul on a silly double foul, he stayed red hot throughout, upping his total to 35 as the Lakers’ lead crossed the 20-point threshold. A Grimes 3-pointer to beat the shot clock late in the frame made it a 26-point lead, the largest of the night.

A small surge from the Raptors cut the gap to 21 points heading into the fourth. That run carried over into the final frame as Toronto was on a 15-4 run.

A Mamu 3-pointer stopped the bleeding only briefly before RJ Barrett pulled the visitors to within 14 to force a Lakers timeout. Luka checked back in just before the seven-minute mark with the Lakers down 12 after leading by 22 when he checked out.

Barrett knocked down another three to make it a nine-point lead. Luka answered with a layup, then Austin finished through contact at the rim to quell the Raptors’ run. A pair of Luka freebies helped stabilize LA further.

The Lakers finally pieced together a string of defensive stops that eventually led to Toronto pulling their starters down 15 with just over four minutes remaining and with a game against the Clippers on Monday.

JJ Redick soon followed suit by pulling the starters up 15 with 2:28 left. Cam Carr, fresh off the injury report, made his NBA debut in the final minutes of the game.

The garbage time minutes somehow went disastrously as the Raptors went on a 12-2 run to make it a six-point game with 43 seconds left, forcing the starters back into the game.

Luka promptly launched an 80-foot pass downcourt the first time he touched the ball for a wide open Kessler dunk that effectively sealed the game.

Key Player Stats

Luka had another huge night, finishing with 45 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals. Austin Reaves had another quieter outing until some late buckets to help put the game away, tallying 21 points on 6-16 shooting. He did have just three turnovers to four assists.

Kessler had another double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Collin Sexton was the leading scorer off the bench with 14 points while Mamu had 11 points on 4-7 shooting. Jake LaRavia pitched in eight points and Thybulle had six.

The Lakers will be right back in action on Monday against the Heat. Tip is set for 7 p.m. PT.

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

Golden State Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg managed to bounce back in a big way on Sunday, Nov. 1.

The rookie led the Warriors in a 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

It was a follow-up to his performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. A game that Lendeborg called the "worst game of my life."

Lendeborg had called out Lakers star Luka Doncic for his complaining after the first meeting between the two teams to open the season.

The Warriors managed to get the win in the most recent game to split the season series at one game apiece. Despite the win, Lendeborg wasn’t much of a factor. He was held to six points, one rebound and five turnovers before fouling out in 24 minutes of play.

"I had no impact on the game whatsoever (on Friday), and then the depth came in, and they took care of everything," Lendeborg told reporters. "Me having the worst game of my life, it's awesome to be able to see that those guys are there to just do what they have to do cause we're all in the NBA."

Here’s how Lendeborg performed in the Warriors' win against the Clippers, a game in which he scored the most points by a Warriors rookie since Steph Curry in 2010:

Yaxel Lendeborg’s stats vs. Clippers

• Points: 37
• FG: 13-for-19
• 3PT: 6-for-11
• FT: 5-for-6
• Rebounds: 4
• Assists: 6
• Steals: 1
• Blocks: 0
• Turnovers: 2
• Fouls: 1
• Minutes: 34

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yaxel Lendeborg bounces back with big night as Warriors beat Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers put away the Toronto Raptors, thanks in no small part to another monster game from Luka Dončić, who scored 45 points and filled up the stat sheet as he continues to make an early-season case for MVP honors.

Coming off a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, Oct. 30, in which they faded after a fast start, the Lakers returned to Crypto.com Arena Sunday, Nov. 1 and got off to a fast start, with Dončić being particularly active on both ends of the floor. The Slovenian superstar finished the first half with 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a career-high five steals – four of which came in the first quarter.

"Luka doesn't get enough credit for his defense," Lakers center Walker Kessler said. "He's a very high IQ individual when it comes to being on the court, so his positional defense, just being in the right spots at the right time, is really good and it showed tonight."

Then there's also a bit of history he made: Dončić became the first NBA player in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) with 20 points, five rebounds, five three-pointers and five steals in a half and the first point guard in NBA history with five steals and five three-pointers in a half.

Luka Dončić is the first NBA player in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 3-pt FG and 5 steals in a half 😲

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/so2gpqNJKz

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 2, 2026

The six-time All-Star and two-time scoring champ finished the game with eight 3-pointers, one shy of his career high.

Dončić was on quadruple-double watch early, especially with his five first-half steals, but he was not able to add to that category. Still, he finished with his second double-double of the season and his fourth in a row scoring at least 35 points even as the Raptors clawed their way back from a big deficit by outscoring the Lakers 43-27 in the fourth quarter.

It remains unclear if Dončić will play in the second game of a back-to-back on Monday against the Miami Heat.

"I got to get rest, a cold tub, a massage, and rest and see you tomorrow," Dončić told Spectrum SportsNet after the game on Sunday night.

Here’s how Dončić performed in the Lakers' 131-125 win over the Raptors:

Luka Dončić stats vs. Raptors

• Points: 45
• FG: 12-for-23
• 3PT: 8-for-12
• FT: 13-for-13
• Rebounds: 15
• Assists: 6
• Steals: 5
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 7
• Fouls: 5
• Minutes: 35

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers' Luka Doncic makes history twice, fills up stat sheet vs Raptors

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night 124-112, improving to 4-3 on the season. It is the first time the Dubs have had a winning record since March 8th (when they were 32-31 last season). Despite sitting Steph Curry and Draymond Green on the first half of a back-to-back, Dubs rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued showing he is capable of leading the team.

Both teams were pushing the pace early, and a cold three-point shooting start for Golden State allowed the Clippers to jump out to an early lead. Los Angeles led 37-29 at the end of the first quarter. Lendeborg responded with a 14-point outburst in the second that led Golden State to a 63-57 halftime lead. De’Anthony Melton continued his hot shooting stretch and Brandon Williams added 12 first-half points of his own.

To say Lendeborg looks better than anyone could expect of a rookie remains an understatement. The 11th overall pick is already the second most fluid offensive player on the Warriors roster. He has already showcased an excellent ability to utilize his size to attack openings with his size when he gets moving downhill. His jump shot has looked far more polished than expected.

But none of those previous flashes were as dominant as Yaxel’s outpouring of offense on Sunday.

On one three-play sequence, Lendeborg knocked down a mid-range fadeaway, a catch-and-shoot three at the top of the key, and then brought a Clippers player to the floor with an ankle breaker and drew a foul on a layup. Three levels of scoring on three plays.

Given some of Lendeborg’s recent struggles with turnovers, the Clippers tried attacking him with the smaller Kris Dunn. Dunn wreaked havoc all day defensively, racking up 7 steals, but Yaxel finished the game with just two turnovers.

Yaxel capitalized on his size advantage when he had it, pushing defenders into the paint and finding easy buckets. When the Clippers tried attacking him with defenders who could match his strength, they all were afraid of his drive, leaving him a lot of space to operate on the perimeter. With plenty of wide open opportunities, going 6-for-8 from three point range to start the game before some late-game launches as he forced it to try and reach 40.

Lendeborg finished with 37 points, the highest by a Warriors rookie since Steph Curry scored 42 in the final game of his rookie season, alongside 4 rebounds and 6 assists on 13-for-19 from the field. The Clippers deep bench went on a 13-0 run to cut the deficit to single-digits with two minutes to go, but head coach Steve Kerr trusted Melton and Brandin Podziemski to close the game out. Melton knocked down back-to-back threes to put the game out of reach.

Melton had a game-high +20 plus/minus, recording 21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on 6-for-8 shooting from the field (6-for-7 from three). Podz filled the statsheet with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Charles Bassey was very solid as the starting center, finishing with 6 points and 10 rebounds. Brandon Williams scored 17 points off the bench.

Rui Hachimura finished with a Clippers high 24 points. Kobe Sanders, Darius Garland, Kris Dunn, and Nick Marinelli also finished in double figures, but they simply lacked the offensive punch to keep up with Yaxel’s Warriors.

The Warriors will not have to wait long to continue their homestand. Golden State will be back at the Chase Center tomorrow night, hosting the Phoenix Suns. Steph Curry and Draymond Green should be back in the lineup (although the Dubs will certainly be sitting Al Horford and could conceivably be sitting Gui Santos and/or Brandin Podziemski as well). Opening tip is scheduled for 10 p.m. pacific time.

The Dallas Mavericks (4-2) will look to extend the first winning streak of the 2026-27 season on Monday when they host the Sacramento Kings (0-6), who are searching for any semblance of balance or defensive identity, at American Airlines Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Mavericks have won three in a row, including impressive showings against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets, which have fans wondering whether the fifth-youngest team in the NBA, which came into Dusty May’s first year as head coach with so many questions, might actually be good. I mean, what happens if the Mavs are actually good? Is that allowed?

Monday’s matchup against Sacramento offers the Mavericks an opportunity to do one of the things that good teams do: beat a bad team. Take care of business. My, how the mindset shifts when the first few things start going right.

Here are three things the Mavericks will have to account for to get a win over a struggling Kings bunch.

Fresh air vs. stale stink

In six short games, the Mavs have become one of the pleasant surprises of the early part of the 2026-27 season. The league is officially taking notice after the team’s 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday. Cooper Flagg is one of the most likable young, budding stars in the NBA. Irving’s return after missing the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a mangled ACL is endearing.

Meanwhile, the Kings find themselves on the business end of a brutal 0-6 start in a year when the league’s worst record will no longer be rewarded with the most lottery balls in the 2027 Draft lottery. Including Monday’s game at Dallas, their next seven don’t provide many opportunities to get off the proverbial schneid, either. Sacramento has matchups the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Oklahoma City Thunder mixed in after the date in Dallas. They are staring 2-11 in the eye. Third-year head coach Doug Christie is a cumulative 49-90 since taking over for Mike Brown, who presided over the short-lived “Light the Beam” era of Kings basketball.

This year’s team has yet to hold an opponent to fewer than 121 points. The defense is… wanting.

Mavericks’ injury report

Mavs fans have been wondering in recent days how stretch big man Santi Aldama will fit into a team chemistry that is already working as the season gets off the ground. Aldama (right knee) is listed as doubtful once again for Monday’s game against the Kings. Word is that Aldama is close to being back, but it doesn’t appear Monday will be the day for his season debut in a Mavericks jersey, at least not as of Sunday night.

One odd note is that Kyrie Irving’s name continues to appear on the Mavericks’ injury report, even after (or, maybe because) he was turned loose in the win over the Rockets. He’s listed as questionable under the heading of injury management. Irving scored a game-high 35 points (in 35 minutes) and dished nine assists in the win that really got the league talking about the young upstart Mavs. The team had 73 hours off after Irving dropped 35 in a win. Is this just going to be a thing on the injury report all year, or what?

Sergio de Larrea (right knee sprain) is listed as out.

Darius Acuff

Darius Acuff Jr. vs. Memphis tonight:

🔥 38 points (game-high)
🔥 9 triples (ties NBA rookie record)

Acuff Jr. (19y, 349d) becomes the youngest player in Kings franchise history to record consecutive 30-PT games… surpassing Oscar Robertson (21y, 357d)! pic.twitter.com/d4XXRF0bEH

— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2026

Love his game or hate his game, rookie Darius Acuff is the most interesting Sacramento Kings talking point for miles and miles and miles. The seventh overall pick of the stacked 2026 NBA Draft class comes into the game averaging 26.3 points per game through his first six. Golden State’s Yaxel Lendeborg (19.8 ppg) has made headlines for his scoring, along with his penchant for running his mouth, and Caleb Wilson (21.2) has impressed for the Chicago Bulls, but no one in the league, rookie or not, has the chance to redefine the term volume shooter quite like Acuff. Head coach Doug Christie has few other options on the roster, as Keegan Murray, Zach laVine, Ben Simmons, Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell have all been sidelined or limited with injuries to open the year.

Acuff, who was third in the nation in scoring last year while playing college ball for Arkansas, is hoisting a healthy — a robust — 24 shots (9.8 3-pointers) per game. He comes into the game against the Mavericks on the heels of back-to-back 30-plus-point games and is now the youngest King (19 years, 349 days) to ever do that, surpassing the great Oscar Robertson (21 years, 357 days). He scored 38 on nine made 3-pointers in a 136-105 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies and 34 (to go along with 14 assists) in a 132-120 loss at the New Orleans Pelicans. Only Wilt Chamberlain has gotten to 150 career points faster than Acuff to start an NBA career.

Teammate Draymond Green, himself no stranger to on-court drama, had this to say on his podcast:

Draymond on his on-court interaction with Darius Acuff

"My advice to him was just 'hey man, who else touched the ball that possession?', he's like 'nobody' and I was like 'don't have many of those' because you can end up having a bunch of those with the Sacramento Kings this… pic.twitter.com/yOkX1adCnx

— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) October 13, 2026

“My advice to him was just ‘hey man, who else touched the ball that possession?’, he’s like ‘nobody’ and I was like ‘don’t have many of those’ because you can end up having a bunch of those with the Sacramento Kings this year and a few things can happen, you can get guys start plotting against you, guys that don’t really wanna see you do well, guys that start bickering on the side to other guys… you can get guys that get upset like ‘aahh man they wanna give this rookie this, they wanna do that, f**k that!’… and so for me when I saw that, I just wanted to give him a little game.”

For the record, LaVine (elbow soreness) and Cardwell (calf strain) are listed as questionable for Monday’s game.

How to watch

The Mavericks and the Kings are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on Monday. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and regionally on sister station throughout the Mavs’ viewership area, which includes North and Central Texas as well as parts of Northern Louisiana. The game will be streamed on MavsTV and on NBA League Pass, where available. The radio call will be on KRLD 105.3 The Fan.