BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 23: Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics stands for the National Anthem before the game against the New York Knicks on October 23, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I’ll admit it. When I saw Paul George on that ESPN graphic next to Jaylen Brown when Shams Charania broke the blockbuster deal this summer, I wanted to spike my phone.
BLOCKBUSTER: The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/xNcNlIV2mh
Sure, he’d just had a nice playoff run for the Philadelphia 76ers. But George’s $110 million owed over two years (player option next season) was widely viewed as one of, if not the worst, contracts in the NBA. At 36 years old, there’s no way he was going to get better.
Right?
Wrong.
Through two games, not only has George shattered the expectations of every non-team-employee in the Celtics community, but he’s earned himself at least one stan in me.
George’s record-breaking 38-point debut in Tuesday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons got plenty of shine. As it should’ve. He was absolutely dialed in from deep, created shots for himself off the dribble, and got to the line consistently.
More than anything, it felt like a statement. All of the “washed” labeling had been premature according to George’s game after he let his play do the talking.
Friday’s 15-point performance in Boston’s 107-103 over the New York Knicks did just as much for me, to be honest. Was it as cool as watching the nine-time All-Star drilling heat check after heat check?
No.
But, it gave a more realistic scope of what we can all expect from the veteran forward on a regular basis, and how he can impact winning in ways that don’t necessarily come up in the stat sheet. George’s defensive game delivers in a similar fashion to how Jrue Holiday’s did a few years ago.
There’s this added connectivity when he’s on the floor. It feels like the rotations are quicker. The passing lanes are smaller. Teams simply have a harder time running their offense. Opponents have looked like they’re wearing straightjackets in the halfcourt throughout this first month of both preseason and regular-season hoops.
Oh, and the stats are there, too. George is tied for the second most steals the first two games of a season with seven. He swiped just as many in two preseason appearances. PG13’s eight deflections thus far are tied with Dyson Daniels for the most in the NBA. It’s clear that he has both defensive quarterback and cornerback written all over him.
Brad Stevens clearly had a vision for George’s fit when he decided to sign off on trading Brown last summer. He knew that his team’s team defense would be dialed up to 100 and PG would give the Cs some important offensive support.
Even Friday — an average feeling offensive night — George still knocked down three of his seven attempts from distance. His consistency as a catch-and-shoot guy dominated the copium-infused analytics arguments of the late summer months for good reason.
Per Databallr, his spacing true-shooting percentage (which accounts for offball opportunities) was nearly 3% above league average and ranked in the 75th percentile. In years where he’s played on more talented teams than the 7th-seeded 76ers of last season, George consistently ranked in the league’s top-tier.
There’s plenty of reason to believe that he should return to that elite level playing alongside Jayson Tatum on this deep Celtics squad.
George hasn’t hid from the fact that he’s past his prime. He’s embraced it. It’s not hard to see how leaning into his role with the Cs can maximize his success in it. Plus, you’ll still get the occassional game like Tuesday, where he looks like prime Paul George.
Coming off a rough season-opening loss to the Pistons, Jayson Tatum faced a uniquely high level of scrutiny after just one game. But i n a second straight primetime matchup against the reigning champion New York Knicks, Tatum flipped the script.
In the span of the game’s final 84 seconds, Tatum hit Boston’s last three field goals, each a little crazier than the last, and all perfectly defended.
It’s what everyone will remember about this 107-103 win: the jumpers on both corners, the “Good Night, Safe Travels” pump-and-fire three, the unstoppable, unguardable, unyielding force of a star simply playing on another level from those unfortunate enough to guard him.
The Anomaly was anomalous.
And yet, there’s so much more to this performance than three clutch shots. Jayson Tatum did everything on offense: 36 points on 54% efficiency, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals, with just 2 turnovers and 2 fouls. That is a superstar-level performance.
Three aspects of Tatum’s offensive game stood out about this primetime masterclass: his patience attacking the Knicks, his passing vision exploiting their attention toward him, and the final chef’s kiss of his elite shot-making to close the game.
Patient Scoring
The most noticeable thing about Tatum’s scoring in this game was how effectively Boston’s early actions got him into his preferred spaces, and how methodical he was in attacking New York’s help defenders.
In the first minute of the game, this play got Tatum on the board, with Jordan Walsh setting a backscreen that allows JT to cut to the low block. Tatum has a great view of the rest of the floor, and he takes a beat to see if help’s on the way. It doesn’t come, and he attacks, hitting a fallaway over Josh Hart.
This third quarter play was an excellent example of JT’s quick decision-making working to counteract New York’s defensive attention geared toward him as a slasher.
As Tatum gets into his drive from the right slot, the Knicks cut him off by building a wall. Tatum quickly retreats, gets the ball to Derrick White, and works into a pick-and-roll.
This decision was, effectively, a relocation in the form of a short roll. Credit to Mitchell Robinson for pulling Karl Anthony-Towns to the paint and Paul George for floating to the corner, breaking up the wall and allowing Tatum to operate in the mid-range against a single defender.
Two minutes later, Tatum has this excellent baseline drive, and his awareness and quick reaction to the strongside help goes a long way to clearing the lane.
As Miles McBride closes in, Tatum quickly kicks to the corner. McBride recovers to get up a contest as White fakes and drives, and Tatum fills in his space in the corner at the perfect time. It both gets him a switch onto a more favorable matchup in McBride and clears the lane for a baseline drive. Tatum gets a step on McBride, maneuvers around Karl Anthony-Towns, and finishes an impressive reverse layup.
Tatum would later take over in a different fashion, but a majority of his scoring success came from a patient approach that broke down defensive barriers and created space for him to attack from all over the floor.
Gravitational Playmaking
For a second straight game, Tatum led the Celtics in assists.
Like in the previous section, it was Tatum’s problem-solving against a high-pressure defense that created easy opportunities for his teammates.
This early pick-and-roll to Mitchell Robinson shows a Knicks trap. It’s a gamble, especially with the 7-foot Robinson rolling toward a stranded OG Anunoby, but the Knicks are banking on him going to the roller. This is an opportunity for a deflection, and KAT nearly gets it, but Tatum hits Robinson in stride and it leads to a putback finish.
This one doesn’t come immediately though. It’s a switch onto Jalen Brunson at first, but when the clock hits four seconds, Hart fully commits to the trap, and it’s like Tatum was just waiting for it the whole time. Tatum holds his dribble just for a second when Hart comes into frame, hooking a pass to Sam Hauser, who forces a Knicks rotation that’s just a little too late to George.
Going back to the first quarter, this was Tatum’s most impressive pass of the night.
We see the Knicks build another wall, this time surrounding Tatum with three defenders in the corner.
It forces Tatum to pick up his dribble, usually a bad sign for the offense, but Tatum processes the floor so quickly once he puts two hands on the ball. Jose Alvarado is left to defend two shooters on the opposite end of the court, and Tatum gives Payton Pritchard the quickest look on the left slot. Alvarado cheats to that spot ever so slightly, and then Tatum fires a pass all the way to the opposite corner to Baylor Scheierman, who sends Alvarado flying on the way to a one-dribble jumper.
Tatum’s passing out of traffic or heavy pressure was his biggest positive out of the Detroit loss, and it remains a positive here.
Holy Shotmaking
There are two reasons I saved JT’s late-game scoring for last: First, it’s the best and therefore has to be last. Second, there’s not really a way to analyze this kind of shot-making. At least not in a way that’s just amounting to me saying “oh wow.”
It’s like asking Jackson Pollock to describe every squiggle and splatter on the canvas. Great shot-making just is. It exists not to be broken down but to be admired. So let’s admire it.
Before even getting to that fourth quarter show, there’s one play late in the third quarter just before Tatum took a breather that we should look at. In retrospect, it feels like the moment that foreshadowed the finish Jayson would ultimately deliver.
It’s the final two that sort of boggle the mind. Hart really couldn’t have defended the second baseline jumper any better. He has his hands involved the whole time, yet never gets too deep into Tatum’s space. Great defense, better offense.
The same goes for the 3-pointer. KAT bites on the fake, but Tatum releases the ball so quickly after he pumps that it ends up being a contest on the shot anyway. It doesn’t matter.
The Knicks spent the night trying to solve Tatum. In the end, he solved them.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 23: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the New York Knicks on October 23, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
1. Jayson Tatum is Back
To quote Mark Twain: “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Jayson Tatum, who after a tough performance against the Detroit Pistons where he finished with 13 points and 11 assists on 6-27 shooting from the field and 0-7 from three, was getting lit up across social media. In this game against the defending champion New York Knicks, Tatum responded to all of the scrutiny with 36 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals on 14-26 shooting from the field and 3-10 from three.
Early in the game, Tatum’s three point shot wasn’t falling, so he decided to attack the basket. In the Detroit game, we saw Tatum not look as aggressive to get to the paint and when he did get there, he missed a few point-blank layups. That was not the case for him against New York; he was able to get to the paint with ease and end with some impressive finishes. Tatum put on a clinic in the second half, finishing with 25 points on 9-15 shooting including his own personal 7-0 run at the end of the fourth quarter that sealed the win for Boston.
Maybe, Jayson Tatum isn’t the worst person to ever pick up a basketball after a subpar performance in the first game of the season. That’s just a thought I’d like to throw out there. This was a vintage Jayson Tatum put on display for the world to see tonight and I can’t wait to see what else he can do this season.
In the preseason, we saw Paul George’s defense on full display, picking up seven steals in the two games he played in. Through two regular season games, George has matched that number after he had 5 in Detroit and 2 against the New York Knicks in this game. The best part about watching George play defense is that it feels like he knows where the ball is going before it gets there.
Much like Spider-Man and his Spidey Sense, Paul George is able to break up plays by putting his body in passing lanes that result in either a steal or a turnover. We saw those instincts come into play against the Knicks on this play when Brunson ran around Towns at the top of the key, George stood right where he would be receiving the ball, resulting in a steal for the Celtics.
Man Paul George has been incredible defensively
The instincts are off the charts – just knows where to be and comes out of nowhere sometimes pic.twitter.com/bXxWnJvslt
George was also a nice complementary piece to the Celtics offense, finishing with 15 points on 6-15 shooting, but his defense is where I find the most joy watching him. This is the thing that will make Paul George a fan favorite in Boston. The defense, hustle plays, and willingness to do the dirty work is what makes a perfect Celtic and so far, George has shown that he is going to put in the effort.
3. N33mias Qu3ta
Coming into this game, Neemias Queta was 1-11 in his career when it came to taking three pointers. It wasn’t a part of his game at all. On the offensive end, he was known for being a back to the basket, pick and roll finisher with the occasional midrange push shot. But we are getting a brand new Neemias Queta in the 2026-27 season, as he has shown a willingness to put up a three when put in the situation to do so.
In this game against the Knicks, Queta had his first opportunity to to put his offseason training to work with under two minutes to go in the third quarter. Tatum found him in the corner for a wide open look at the basket and with no hesitation, Queta put up the shot and swished it home. TD Garden erupted, the Celtics bench was loving it, and Queta was able to pull out his new three-point celebration.
This was such a cool moment for Queta and Tatum said it was his favorite play of the game. “I knew somebody was in the corner, but to his credit, him and Ross, one of the coaches, like Neemi’s worked on being a threat around the three-point line, like he works on that every single day, and to me that was that was my favorite part of the game.”
Jayson Tatum on finding Neemias Queta for a three pointer:
“Like I knew somebody was in the corner, but to his credit, him and Ross, one of the coaches, like Neemi’s worked on being a threat around the three-point line, like he works on that every single day, and to me that was…
There was a lot of speculation around the Celtics starting lineup going into this season and there were a lot of questions about it going into this matchup. Jordan Walsh was the fifth starter over Payton Pritchard and there were a lot of skeptics after he didn’t have a noteworthy performance against Pistons. However, this game might have cracked the code to Joe Mazzulla’s thought process of putting Walsh into the starting lineup and it had to do with defending Jalen Brunson.
For most of the game, it felt like Walsh was the primary defender on Brunson and he made the reigning Finals MVP feel like a non-factor. Brunson finished with 19 points on 7-17 shooting and most of the time he was getting hounded up the court by a guy like Walsh or Scheierman. That would lead to Brunson just passing it or taking a bad shot that would lead to a Celtics fast break opportunity.
On offense, Walsh was also solid with his opportunities, finishing with 5 points on 2-5 shooting. Although he missed out on a career highlight when he broke Jordan Clarkson ankles and smoked a reverse layup, Walsh hit a three and finished a fast break at the beginning of the third quarter to start a Celtics rally. It might be an unorthodox fit at times, but it feels like Walsh being in the starting lineup to guard the opposing team’s best player to start is a smart move and I think he will continue to thrive in that role.
Jordan Walsh is having a big impact on the Celtics to start the third quarter. The primary defender on Brunson and hitting his shots pic.twitter.com/WqeaH2g5Fr
There was a lot made about Derrick White’s shooting coming into this season coming off career worst percentages last year. White said at Media Day that he feels like he fixed his shooting and we saw a little bit of it on display against the Knicks. White finished with 12 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds on 5-11 shooting from the field and 2-6 from three.
On the court, it felt like he was the offensive connector for Boston. When the ball was in his hands, good things happened. White was 3-3 shooting in the first half with a myriad of floaters including a tough bucket with Jordan Clarkson in his face. The second half saw him be more aggressive from beyond the arc, nailing two threes. The stat sheet won’t show it, but White had a great offensive night, and I will be happy if we continue to get his version of him throughout the season.
Mitchell Robinson spent the first 8 seasons of his career with the New York Knicks and was a key player in their championship run last season. In this game, he faced his former team for the first time as a member of the Celtics and was primed for a revenge game. Due to foul trouble, he didn’t get to play a lot of minutes, but he still made his presence known, finishing with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block on 2-4 shooting.
Robinson made his mark in the fourth quarter of this game with a sequence I’m sure the Knicks have seen plenty of times. Midway through the quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns tried to drive past Robinson and put up an off balanced shot. Robinson denied that request by spiking it into the first row for a block. On the next Celtics offensive possession, Derrick White found him on the pick and roll for a monster slam that resulted in New York calling a timeout.
These are the types of plays I love seeing from Mitchell Robinson and it was the exact reason why Boston signed him in the first place. His rolling and finishing ability at his size is special and we have seen throughout the first two games that it feels like he is developing a lot of chemistry with Derrick White. On defense we know he is a vicious paint protector and even when he was on the perimeter against Towns he was able to hold his own. I feel like if he didn’t get into foul trouble early we could have seen a big time performance but I still think he did a great job showing the Knicks what they are missing out on.
7. Luka Garza Impact
Luka Garza had an incredible preseason for the Celtics this year and it made me think that Joe Mazzulla was going to find him a spot in this rotation. He struggled a bit in the first game of the season against the Pistons but got another opportunity early in the second quarter. With Queta and Robinson picking up 2 fouls in the first quarter, Garza came in to sure up the five position for the Celtics to finish up the quarter and start the second. In his first three minutes on the court, we saw him hit 2 threes, a put-back layup, get a steal, and draw a charge.
It was an incredible to witness as the crowd applauded Garza’s performance. He didn’t play the rest of the game after his short burst of energy but it shows how deep this Celtics team really is. Luka Garza could be a legitimate backup center for a good amount of teams in the NBA and Boston has the luxury of having him as their third center. Garza came up huge when his number was called and really kept the Celtics in the game when there was a chance it could get away from them early.
Coming into this season it felt like there wasn’t a lot of talk around Sam Hauser. After a bad playoff shooting performance, it felt like he could possibly be traded away from the Celtics this offseason. However, he is still here and Boston is lucky to have him. Hauser finished with 6 points on 2-5 shooting from three in this game but it felt like he was incredibly import to the Celtics offense.
With Hauser on the floor, Boston has a 40% three point shooter that can be lurking anywhere on the perimeter. That is a lingering fear in the back of the mind of the defense when you also have to deal with guys like Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Mitchell Robinson, and Neemias Queta as well. Hauser just always feels like the sure hand that you know will be automatic from three. Last season was the first time he shot under 40% from three and it was still 39.3%. We could be in store for another great shooting season by Sam Hauser this season and it might not show in the box score, but his importance to this team will not go unnoticed.
One of the biggest reasons why the Celtics lost their first game of the season to the Pistons was because of their three point shooting in the fourth quarter as they finished going 3-11 from deep. The first quarter of this game saw Boston continue their icy shooting, shooting 3-11 again. But when Jayson Tatum hit a pull-up three at the end of the first quarter, it felt like Boston might have gotten their groove back, and spoiler alert, they did.
The Celtics finished shooting 15-39 (38.5%) from beyond the arc against the Knicks and 12-28 (43%) in the final three quarters. Boston found the most success with the corner three tonight as New York decided to just give the Celtics the shot and they converted, shooting 8-13. The biggest part about their three-point resurgence was that they stopped forcing up bad shots just because it was a three. Those are the kind of shots that drive Celtics fans crazy at times but Boston did a good job of pulling back and focusing on getting to the basket where the found success with 38 points in the paint. We know by now that the Celtics can win or lose games solely based on how well they shoot the three ball, but it was cool to see a different philosophy find success tonight.
Celtics Shot Zone Chart (Via NBA.com)
10. Stopped the bleeding
It’s hard to say that the second game of the season was a “must-win” game for the but after the loss in Detroit, this game felt like a big one for sure. A marquee game against a hated rival and the defending champs in your home opener, there aren’t a lot of bigger moments than that this early in the season. Boston looked a lot more comfortable in this game when New York was mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Brunson cut the Celtics lead to one point with 1:41 left in the game and the doubts started to creep in. However, Boston was able to stay composed, with Jayson Tatum taking over on offense and the defense forcing a big offensive foul on Karl-Anthony Towns with 1:11 left in the game, setting the Celtics up for success. This is the execution that Boston didn’t have in their last game.
When Joe Mazzulla was asked in his pregame press conference about holding leads, he said it was a very complex question but answered with, “Can you be great at the transitions and the momentum of it, as opposed to just thinking that you have to quote unquote put in the win, right? Can you be the master of the momentum? Can you be the master of returning points?” This is all I could think about when watching the end of this game. The Celtics were the masters of momentum and returned the necessary points needed to win. This was a great response by Boston as this was the team I thought we were going to get coming into the season.
Joe Mazzulla on holding a lead during a game:
“That's a very loaded, complex question. I don't think that has one answer to that.”
“Can you be great at the transitions and the momentum of it, as opposed to just thinking that you have to quote unquote put in the win, right? Can… pic.twitter.com/Xh9p9vJrhv
Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer (27) drives to the basket as he is defended by Golden State Warriors forward-center Draymond Green (23) and guard De'Anthony Melton (8) during the second half of their NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. The Grizzlies defeated the Warriors 111-108. (Photo by Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Do you think the Washington Wizards and the Utah Jazz are having second thoughts about their respective 2026 NBA Draft decisions? They might.
In his first regular-season NBA game, Boozer didn’t shoot well – just 2-15 -but look what his coach, Tuomas Iisalo, said about him after that:
“Typical Cam Boozer night, shot 2-for-15 and plus-32, I know it’s like the plus-minus for one game and without adjusting it in any way is very much a non-stat. But I thought he did a great job with the rebounding. He had 11 rebounds. He had 5 assists…The kid is 19. The kid is 19, and he’s making big-time plays offensively and defensively that takes other guys 10 years in the league to figure those out…And he is a player that epitomizes that because he doesn’t need to make shots in order to help the team win.”
He did a lot more against Golden State on Friday night.
Boozer finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. He shot 6-13/4-7, and hit 9-9 from the line.
And he also led a 17-0 run at the end of the game, and hit the game winner. All in all that’s a hell of a second game for a rookie.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 14: Pat Spencer #61 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 14, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s a saying I use quite often, and that is, “Champions adjust.” You don’t become a champion by doing the same thing over and over. You become a champion by adjusting to the opposition, rethinking your approach, and executing a new game plan.
It’s a saying I turned into a poster years ago, one that still hangs in my office. Someday, I’ll edit it, adding a member of the Phoenix Suns to it when the team finally raises Larry.
Being a champion doesn’t necessarily mean winning a league championship. There are moments in life, challenges you face, and decisions you have to make, where you can become a champion simply by being willing to adjust.
I’m not going to sit here and suggest that the Phoenix Suns’ change in two-way contract strategy suddenly makes them champions. But I do think their willingness to adjust is something worth recognizing and keeping in mind.
The Suns adjusted their strategy earlier this week when they waived both Koby Brea and CJ Huntley, two players who spent the majority of last season on two-way contracts. Brea was a mid-second-round pick, while Huntley went undrafted. But it was clear that Phoenix’s strategy last season was to use those two-way contracts on young prospects, hoping to develop them into players who could eventually earn guaranteed NBA deals.
That’s the goal of the G League, isn’t it? It’s a proving ground for players, an opportunity for prospects to showcase their development and growth while working toward a permanent place on an NBA roster. But that strategy began to change when the Suns acquired Jamaree Bouyea.
Bouyea was 26 years old when Phoenix brought him in. He wasn’t some young prospect fresh off his collegiate career. He was more seasoned, with professional experience already under his belt. And when the opportunity presented itself, he shined. He appeared in two games with the Valley Suns, averaging 24 points per contest. The organization brought him up, gave him opportunities to prove himself, and eventually converted him to a two-way contract player.
We should’ve recognized this as a sign that the Suns were adjusting their strategy in real time, and that they ultimately liked what they saw and how it worked out for them. Because that’s exactly what we’ve witnessed this offseason.
They signed Pat Spencer to a two-way contract. Then, after Mark Williams suffered an injury and the team found itself needing additional depth at the center position, Phoenix brought in Duop Reath on a training camp invitation. Rather than retain a younger developmental prospect in CJ Huntley, the Suns converted Reath’s deal to a two-way contract, despite him being 30 years old.
The moment Drew Timme became available following the Minnesota Timberwolves waiving his Exhibit 10 contract, Phoenix claimed him off waivers, adding another experienced player who recently turned 26.
Again, nobody is suggesting these transactions are going to result in a championship. We’re talking about two-way contract players, guys who should primarily serve as break glass in case of emergency options. But at least you’re bringing in players who can fulfill specific needs, placing less emphasis on their long-term development and more on refining the skill sets they already possess so they can contribute when called upon.
And I think that says something about this organization’s mindset. There’s a willingness to remain nimble, to stay agile, and to adjust when circumstances call for it. Rather than remaining committed to a particular philosophy simply because that’s how things have always been done, the Suns are demonstrating that they’re willing to reevaluate their approach. Ultimately, that mindset could bring a championship to the Valley one day.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 23: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks plays defense during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 23, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
In a game they should have won, the Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Chicago Bulls, 132-125. Turnovers and missed free throws doomed the Bucks against one of the few teams they entered the season with a legit chance to beat. A major blow, for sure, and now the team hits a long stretch of opponents with realistic playoff aspirations. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Well, Rollins did at least have a better floor game than against Washington, but he just couldn’t get the offence going like we know he can. Rollins started slow, going 1/5 in the first half, and never got the engine started. Crucially, three of his four turnovers came in the final frame. Not to put it all on him, but if Rollins plays like Rollins, the Bucks probably have two wins right now.
The lone bright spot throughout both games, Herro continues to fill it up. Sure, this was another team with plenty of bad defenders to pick at, but you can only play who’s in front of you. What I’ve liked most about Herro is the methodical pace he’s playing at; many of the Bucks’ sets are run for him, but he treats each possession with purpose and precision, using great cadence to catch the ball in the right spots, change pace off screens, etc. Of course, the confidence to step up and lead the fourth-quarter charge was awesome to watch on a bunch of levels. Herro’s efficent scoring, solid floor game, and lack of turnovers put him in the A-band for me. Great game.
I mean, if you excuse the turnovers, Jaquez had another really solid game. He definitely tried to do too much at times, though; one no-pass possession in the fourth really got on my nerves. That said, Jaquez made some really nifty passes in traffic, including a nice slip pass to Kuzma and a nifty lob to Ware. The man also shot efficiently from deep, which obviously meant he would go 50% from the charity stripe. Ugh.
Kuzma was absolutely better in this one (low bar, I know). I liked the shots he took from the perimeter; they were the right shots to take within the offence. However, Kuz still had a few transition attempts where once he’d decided he was attacking, there was no talking him out of it. He’s going to lower that shoulder and euro-step every time; whatever happens from there, happens, LOL.
Have not been impressed with Turner through two games. At seven feet tall, his inability to wall up and deter shots at the rim has been even more jarring without Giannis; Turner started with a nice transition block on Josh Giddey, but as the contest wore on, he became less and less effective. Heck, there was a possession where the 6’10”, 220-pound Leonard Miller pushed Turner out of the way under the basket to lay it in easily. This is to say nothing about his ability, or lack thereof, to defend in space nowadays. Oh, and Myles, when you catch it in the paint with a bunch of smaller guys nipping at your ankles, hold the ball high and put it in! Man, he’s just played so small to start the year.
I did think Ware played with more vigour in this one, so kudos to him. Needed more urgency closing out to shooting bigs like Jalen Smith, though; a hand up isn’t enough; you need to make them put the ball on the floor.
Another very solid game from Jakucionis. I love the rhythm and pace he played with, taking what the defence gave him once he created an advantage, whether that was a layup, a lob, or a kickout. Crucially, as a big guard, he’s using his size to get downhill way more than he did last year in Miami. I also thought he was solid on defence yet again.
Tough night for Burries, as will happen a lot this season—he is a rookie, after all. I do think the rook needs to be more aware of his closeouts on three-point shooters; that’s been a theme through the first two games, and he picked up a flagrant on Norman Powell in this one. All the little things add up.
Grade: D+
Ousmane Dieng
16 minutes, 3 points, 1 assist, 5 PF, 1/3 FG, -10
As I keep saying, Ous needs to take and make shots for this to work, and he didn’t. I also thought he went up soft on some crucial rebounding possessions in the fourth, not pursuing the ball as hard as the player below. Too many fouls as well.
Grade: D-
AJ Green
16 minutes, 11 points, 4/7 FG, 3/6 3P, -17
Green felt more involved in the offence. He hunted his shot—though I could have done without the near-half-court bomb in the fourth—and even ventured inside the line for a pull-up two off the roll-replace action. Most importantly, Green felt like one of the few players willing to get scrappy and fight for loose balls.
Grade: B-
Taylor Jenkins
Like the Washington game, if the Bucks did just one or two things at an average level, they probably would have won. Jenkins can’t do anything about guys turning the ball over and missing free throws. I will say, however, that rolling with Dieng for a fair stretch in the fourth quarter, given how he’d played up to that point, was puzzling. There was also a jarring possession where a Buck shot the ball, two guys competed for the offensive rebound, and two guys kinda just stood meandering around the basket, leading to a leak-out and dunk down the other end. We know Jenkins wants to send guys to the O-boards, but there needs to be a balance where, if you’re not in the play, you need to get back. I’m sure Jenkins relays a similar message, but if it’s not getting through, that’s ultimately on him.
The Bucks are banging on the door of a victory and doing a lot right. However, this is a game of inches, and the little mistakes are adding up by the end of games.
Bonus Bucks Bits
Herro said his first official home game felt great. “Obviously we wanted to get a win… but my first time being back, playing in this uniform, on that court, in front of those fans—it was just a great moment. I was able to soak it in. I had a lot of family and friends here, so I was excited to be able to get that opportunity.”
Despite the Bulls’ smaller front line, the Bucks got killed in the paint yet again, and handily so (62-44). Also, Chicago’s bench got the better of Milwaukee’s by a mile (59-35).
Some more jarring stats from friend-of-the-site Camille Davis:
Final box score updated this to an 11-0 fastbreak advantage in the second quarter for the Bulls and the Bucks DID do a better job of defending that outside of that quarter.
Turnovers and free throws ended up dooming the Bucks down the stretch tho.
In the second game of the season, the Washington Wizards’ offense staggered, wheezed, and stalled, and they lost to the Toronto Raptors, 112-102.
This was Washington’s first real test of the season. The Raptors were good last season, and added Kawhi Leonard. That should be enough to elevate them into Eastern Conference contention, at least if Leonard can stay healthy.
The difference in quality was evident early and often, despite Toronto shooting just 20.6% from three-point range. Despite making five fewer threes than the Wizards, the Raptors had the higher effective field goal percentage. They also won the battle on the glass and committed fewer turnovers. What kept Washington as close as they were was 35 free throw attempts to Toronto’s 21.
Credit Trae Young and some wordclass grifting for that free throw differential. He drew three fouls pulling up for jumpers when being closely followed by a chase defender. He got another by intentionally bumping into a defender and falling down.
Washington’s offensive struggles were pervasive. More than a little credit goes to the Raptors, which is well stocked with long, athletic players who play hard, smart, and tough. Washington had multiple possessions in which they could not even get their primary action initiated because of strong ball pressure by guys like Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Scottie Barnes, as well as effective denial one pass away.
In a potentially worrisome development, a few of those stalled, stagnant possessions involved Young and Anthony Davis trying to get into a pick-and-roll set. They’re supposed to be the veteran duo that knows how to attack a stout defense. Last night, they missed shots and committed turnovers.
Kyshawn George had a very bad game — 2-9 from the floor plus 8 turnovers and 5 fouls. One word kept showing up in my notes about George’s miscues: “sloppy.” In a particularly destructive two-minute stretch of the third quarter, George had three turnovers. He needs a crash course in post entry passes — at least two of his turnovers were attempts to feed Davis inside. In both cases in my notes, Davis was being fronted and George made terrible passes directly to Raptors.
Notes & Observations
Barnes is really, really good. He shot well from the midrange, and despite eight turnovers, made what felt like every important play throughout the game.
Young is a bad defender. He’s short, slender, and…not strong. This season, he pledged to work on that end, and at least in the early going, he was true to his word. I liked one possession where Toronto ran a pick-and-roll. Young switched onto Barrett aggressively and forced him to pick up his dribble. It hobbled the possession. On another, Young got screened, and Immanuel Quickley popped free for what looked like a wide open three-point attempt. Young sprinted back into the play and contested from the side. Quickley missed.
Young’s defense was far from perfect. Later in the first quarter, his attention drifted, and Quickley backcut him for a layup. The play was eerily similar to one from Washington’s opening night win against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Wizards opened the second half with a well-designed set play. Young started in the left corner and came up for a dribble hand off from Davis. He then turned the corner and drew the attention of both his defender and Davis’ — forcing the defense to make decisions on the move. Davis rolled, and Young threw a perfect lob for a slam.
One nice offensive sequence from the kids. Bilal Coulibaly made a perfect post feed to Alex Sarr, who then made a strong move into the middle. That move drew weakside help, and Sarr recognized it and passed to the open man: George on the wing. George missed the shot, but it was good basketball that resulted in a wide open look.
Young grifted two fouls by RJ Barrett in just six seconds on the game clock.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
RAPTORS
WIZARDS
LGAVG
eFG%
47.0%
45.6%
51.6%
OREB%
35.8%
15.0%
27.4%
TOV%
15.1%
18.9%
14.4%
FTM/FGA
0.168
0.380
0.245
PACE
106
102.1
ORTG
106
96
110.2
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura controls the ball on a fastbreak in front of Lakers guard Matisse Thybulle during the Lakers' 125-117 win Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Two former teammates sized each other up. Luka Doncic waved off the screen. He wanted the matchup with Rui Hachimura. The crowd at Crypto.com Arena buzzed in anticipation.
Doncic smiled wide.
After four years in which he became a staple in the Lakers’ lineup, Hachimura returned to face his former team for the first time as a Clipper on Friday at Crypto.com Arena. The forward got a warm greeting from the fans, who welcomed him in the starting lineup with a loud roar. The Lakers played a video tribute during the first timeout to honor Hachimura’s four years with the franchise.
But as he started piling up his 16 points in the Lakers’ 125-117 win over their crosstown rival, the crowd started to turn on the sharp-shooting Hachimura.
“Traitor!” one fan yelled when he hit a shot during a tight first half before the Lakers pulled away by outscoring the Clippers 39-26 in the third quarter.
Hachimura, who left the Lakers in free agency, made his love for the team clear. He signed a relatively conservative two-year, $28-million deal with the Clippers, turning down other offers in part because he wanted to stay in L.A.
“It was amazing,” Hachimura said of his time with the Lakers. “I had a great time with them. The organization, yeah, of course I miss them, but it was time to move on. It was special, my four years, four seasons with them. I’m happy with the Clippers right now, and I gotta keep growing my career.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said playing the first game back in an old arena can be disorienting. He experienced it after leaving the Lakers, who drafted him in 1998, and returning with the Washington Wizards in 2002. He had never seen the other locker room in his former home arena.
“Just being on the other side, the other bench, in the other locker room, it was just really weird,” Lue said. “And then playing against guys that kind of taught you the game, kind of molded you as a player, and just sitting across from it, it was really weird for me.”
Hachimura jokingly walked toward the Lakers locker room before the game. Before beginning his pregame shooting routine, Hachimura hugged Lakers assistant Beau Levesque, who was Hachimura’s player development coach, and Lakers guard Austin Reaves, one of his closest friends.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura, right, guards Lakers guard Luka Doncic in the first half Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
When Hachimura was traded to the Lakers in January 2023, Reaves was in his second season with the Lakers. While they became close, Reaves initially spent weeks thinking Hachimura didn’t speak English.
“I’d sit by him on the plane and he didn’t speak to me,” Reaves said this week. “After that, I couldn’t get him to shut up. Great guy, great player and I miss him.”
Hachimura developed into one of the Lakers’ most dependable shooters. A 35.6% three-point shooter while with Washington, where he was drafted ninth overall in 2019, Hachimura shot 44.3% from three during his last season with the Lakers. Lakers coach JJ Redick marveled at Hachimura’s reliable mid-range game that he once compared to “prime Michael Jordan.”
During the playoffs, when the injury-riddled Lakers stunned the Houston Rockets in the first round before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, Hachimura shot a sizzling 56.9% (15 for 31) from three. His career 51.6% postseason three-point shooting percentage is the highest in NBA history.
Hachimura filled a supporting role with the Lakers, where he was overshadowed by Reaves, Doncic and LeBron James. But with the Clippers, he has a leading opportunity. Hachimura had the second-most shot attempts among Clippers players Friday, going five for 14 from the field and three for six from three.
Facing different defenses than he saw while being the Lakers’ fourth offensive option, Hachimura’s efficiency has dipped. He is shooting 29.6% from the field and 38.5% from three while averaging 13 points and seven rebounds for the Clippers (0-2).
“I think understanding some of the actions we’re trying to run from him, like being quicker, being faster, not allowing guys to get back to his body so he can come off open, and just timing things,” Lue said of how Hachimura can adjust to being a focal point of an opposing team’s scouting report. “Little timing things here and there. We know when it’s post up, teams are doubling. So he has to find a way in transition, playing faster, attacking early, attacking faster in transition, but we’ll get him shots.”
During pregame warmups, Doncic sprinted out of the Lakers tunnel and straight to Hachimura, who was warming up in the corner. Doncic wrapped his former teammate in a hug. They laughed and joked all the way to midcourt before Hachimura resumed his shooting.
When the game started, Hachimura hit his first three over Doncic, who was late to close out. The Lakers star waved his hand in mock disgust toward Hachimura.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 and LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers react during the fourth quarter of a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What a way to start the season. With so much hype and expectation building for the 2026-27 Sixers, a strong opening to the year was needed to meet it. After beating the Knicks in the season opener and pulling off a 29-point comeback to defeat the Cavaliers (the biggest comeback of LeBron James’s career), the Sixers have done just that.
To turn the tide in Thursday’s home opener, the Sixers dialled everything up in the second half. After a sloppy first half with weaker defense, cool shooting and only seven assists to 15 turnovers, the second half was a different story entirely. In the final two quarters, they locked in with far more cohesive and intense defense, tallied 17 assists to a mere two turnovers, and put together a highly balanced attack led by their big four to secure the win. And to pull that off in today’s NBA while shooting just 7-of-28 from three for the game? That’s almost even more impressive.
It was an early look at what this team can be capable of. Let alone in a few months once they’ve really started strengthening their chemistry.
And finally… relive the first half lows and second half highs of the Sixers comeback victory tonight vs. Cavs.
From down 29 to a 8-point victory, it took a little something from everyone — LeBron, Maxey, Embiid, Brown and VJ — to get the W tonight. Full highlights here! 📽️ pic.twitter.com/XTKqu7vD6K
Next up, on Saturday night, the Sixers are going against a team further down the Eastern Conference picture as they take on the Bucks.
Dominick Barlow (back) and Tacko Fall (quad) are both still out, and Dean Wade remains questionable with an ankle sprain. LeBron, however, has been added to the injury report as questionable with back management.
Milwaukee don’t exactly have such an exciting outlook for the new season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is gone. After plenty of rumors and debate over where he may end up if he wanted to leave Milwaukee, the Bucks traded Giannis to the Heat for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nate Ament, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel’el Ware and a host of picks.
Herro has improved his scoring efficiency by a fair margin over the previous two seasons (recording a true shooting percentage over 60 in each, way above his previous career-high of 56.6) and can be a microwave scorer at his best. He’s also coming off a 34-point outing against the Bulls. Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Jaquez Jr. is a quality do-a-bit-of-everything player, but it’s still not the most exciting return in talent for a player of Giannis’s caliber. They’re two of the main threats for the Sixers to worry about on Saturday, though. It’ll be fun to see if Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe can continue their strong defensive start to the season by covering Herro’s driving and three-point creation effectively. Meanwhile, the Sixers’ forwards main tasks will be to cover Jaquez and Kyle Kuzma. If Wade, a terrific defender when available, does play, it’ll be a big help to have his defensive versatility at the 4 in the likely absence of James.
Myles Turner presents some challenges at center with his size, decent pick-and-pop play and talent as a rim protector. But if Joel Embiid continues the form and mobility he’s shown so far, he should more than be up for the task. Especially as he doesn’t need to come close to carrying the offense now.
Just three HUGE buckets from Joel Embiid here in Q4 for the Sixers to take their first lead of the night pic.twitter.com/wKHptf8o92
As the Bucks opened their season with a loss to the Wizards and followed it up with a 132-125 loss to the Bulls on Friday, it’s felt like a sign of things to come. Giannis anchored the team at both ends of the floor and that obviously can’t be replaced. They already dropped off to a 32-50 record last season as Giannis only played in 36 games, and now they’re in for an even harder time. Watching their former MVP drop 35 points in his debut with the Heats had to rub some salt in the wound, too.
For Saturday night, this should be a win for the Sixers. The massive edge in talent alone should be enough to make this contest manageable and a good opportunity to continue building chemistry, even if LeBron gets some rest. While there have been cooler stretches (mainly the rough first half against Cleveland), the Sixers’ offense has looked brilliant at times.
They’ve utilised the strengths of each player, used the pull of Maxey and Jaylen Brown’s three-point shooting to free up space inside for cutters and rollers, showed fluid ball movement, scary transition potential, and dynamic new pick-and-roll combos already. They’ve been sharing the wealth effectively, too. Maxey is leading the way at an impressive 30.0 points per game, while LeBron (15.5 points), Brown (20.0 points) and Embiid (18.5 points) are all averaging a solid amount as well.
With the Bucks also playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Sixers really have an upper hand. If Embiid is going to take his turn to rest at the end of Philly’s upcoming back-to-back, when they face a much harder test against Detroit on Sunday, the Sixers could do with taking advantage of that upper hand against Milwaukee.
Game Details
When: Saturday, October 24, 7:30 pm ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC, NBA TV Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
Lakers star Luka Doncic, left, controls the ball in front of Clippers forward Rui Hachimura during the Lakers' 125-117 win Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic finished with 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
You do whatever you want; I’m not offended by any of it.
You are not entertained. You don’t like the demonstrative way he waves off calls. You hate how he’ll belabor a point for possessions at a time — as he did, per usual, in Friday’s not-particularly-pretty 125-117 victory over the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers improved to 2-0 and Doncic had 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and, if you’re looking to complain, a career high-tying 11 turnovers.
But me? I am entertained — endlessly. As long as Luka’s list of grievances is long.
Because Doncic is a maniac. Not a mad man, a madman. And a reminder that these millionaires are playing a child’s game, because no one relishes it with quite the joy and verve and passion and emotion and occasional tantrum like Doncic does.
He’s someone who arrived onstage, talented beyond his years. He’s also a toddler.
He couldn’t change if he wanted to, but would you really want him to?
There’s no slicing and dicing without a sufficiently sharp edge.
But if you’re a Lakers fan, you have to know you can’t take out the trash talk from Doncic’s game. You can’t ask him nicely to clean up his mess, man. Petty isn’t going to be pretty. And everyone can get it — including, once, the reporters on press row covering Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks. “You can’t guard me!” he screamed at us, ridiculously.
You have to let him cook, your very own basketball anarchist.
Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts during a win over the Clippers on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s always going to play with an edge,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “As long as he’s not causing the other team to have a five-on-four transition opportunity, it doesn’t bother me.”
And if he’s not toeing the line on a late-season suspension triggered by a 16th technical foul, his antics probably wouldn’t bother Lakers fans, either.
“This season, I’m trying to not get techs,” Doncic said after Wednesday’s season-opening victory against the Warriors, when he and Lendeborg mixed it up. “It was the first time that was not a double tech, ’cause I didn’t say nothing. So I’m working on it.”
It isn’t that Doncic busies himself with the refs because he’s lazy and doesn’t want to get back on defense — do you know how much stamina it takes to keep up a marathon-length running dialogue? How exhausting it has to be to litigate every little thing, to be so constantly aggrieved?
It’s a special part of his special skillset; put him in the top 1% in the world of complainers. If he wasn’t one of the world’s top 1% of hoopers, imagine him in court instead of on the court; he’d be a bulldog: Objection! Objection! Objection!
The man is a rascal, but he’s not a villain. Everything he does is with a wink-wink twinkle in his eye.
He never shuts up on the court, but he’s a man of few words off of it, low-key and community-minded and in the top 1% of patient autograph-givers. A generous teammate to whom good vibes matter much.
But he’s an absolute menace to compete against and, yes, to officiate.
So, kids, don’t try this at home. At least not during a basketball game. Don’t show that energy to the refs, who deserve your respect. As do your teachers and your coaches and your parents or guardians.
But do keep that energy. You’re not going to get what you want in life unless you advocate — agitate — for it. Put pressure on powers that be. Ask for explanations — demand them. Because it’s true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Being pushy works, even if it won’t win you popularity contests. The GMs left Doncic off their predictive MVP list for a reason. He finished fourth in MVP voting last season and has never been higher than third in his eight NBA seasons.
That’s largely a reflection of where the Lakers placed last season — fourth. And where they’re expected to finish this season; there are 12 teams with better odds to win the title, according to DraftKings.
But it probably has more to do with voters’ appetite for discussion, the type of heated debate that offends the sensibilities of so many — even though that mayhem is a crucial ingredient of Luka’s magic. Just sit back and relax. Enjoy the show.
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 20: CJ McCollum #3 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 20, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With this being the second night of a back-to-back, you know the drill. This preview is being written before tip-off between the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. It’s also being written before the Atlanta Hawks take on the Charlotte Bobcats in North Carolina. So if anything weird happens in those games and I’m not mentioning it, well you know the reason now.
So as previously stated, both teams will be playing the SEGABABA. Then they will both fly to Houston to play each other again on Monday night at the Toyota Center.
Generally these home-and-away series are split. The team that loses the first game comes out more motivated to win the second one. It’s only when the talent gap is large or it’s late in the season and one team needs both games that you usually see the 2-0 sweep. That’s not the case here. Both the Rockets and Hawks have dreams about making deep playoff runs. Atlanta gave the eventual champion New York Knicks their toughest test last season. They added Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort from Oklahoma City, and they drafted UH guard Kingston Flemings.
Atlanta is still a nightmare to deal with defensively. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu each had defensive win shares over 2.5. That helps to make up for C.J. McCollum, who is their closer and undisputed alpha dog in the clutch.
The Hawks are sort of the platonic ideal of what Ime Udoka wants: rangy wings, solid rim protection, and an alpha on offense who can create shots for themselves when the nonexistent offense continues…not existing. The Hawks don’t have a true point guard, which is maybe the only thing Ime would demand. Well, that and Magic City Night, potentially.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 23: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 23, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If Steph Curry being out was a huge blow to the Golden State Warriors’ chances of notching their first win of the season, the announcement of Brandin Podziemski also being out on the second night of a back-to-back slate against the Phoenix Suns may have been the final nail in the proverbial coffin.
Brandin Podziemski said he will not play tomorrow in Phoenix. So it sounds like the already depleted Warriors will also be without Steph Curry and Podziemski against the Suns.
He missed the opener with a tweaked back.
Podziemski missed the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a lower back strain. This move is most likely precautionary in order to prevent him from re-straining his back.
Podziemski arguably was the best player against the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 18 points and being at the center of a couple of key plays on offense and defense. However, it wasn’t enough to stave off a furious rally from a 12-point deficit with just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It hasn’t been the easiest start of the season for the Spurs. They opened with a loss against the Thunder and faced the Rockets in their second matchup in Austin, where the atmosphere wasn’t the same as a typical home game against a Texas-based rival. Houston was ahead for most of the night, but it came down to the wire, with Amen Thompson meeting Victor Wembanyama at the rim and erasing the layup that would have sent the game to overtime.
The Silver and Black are now 0-2, but fortunately, the schedule gets a little easier for them over the next few days. On Saturday, they are slated to face a solid but shorthanded Mavericks team that destroyed the Pacers on Friday but will likely be without Cooper Flagg, who suffered a shoulder injury. Coach Dusty May said Flagg would be evaluated “in the next couple of days,” so it’s safe to assume that he will not be able to suit up for the second game of a back-to-back.
Even if Flagg had not gotten hurt, the Spurs would have been considered the favorites, despite their slow start. The losses have not been pretty, for different reasons, but the quality of the opponents has to be taken into account. While Dallas could absolutely make the playoffs in the crowded West if things go right, they are not a contender and have some weak points that San Antonio could take advantage of, with the right game plan.
The Spurs need the win and should come out looking to put the Mavs away quickly on their second game in as many nights. If the urgency and the execution are there, they should get the first W of the year.
Spurs Injuries: (subject to change because of the back-to-back) Tobias Harris, calf (OUT), Jayden Quaintance, (OUT).
Mavericks Injuries: (subject to change because of the back-to-back) Santi Aldama (knee) OUT, Tarik Biberović (foot) OUT, Dereck Lively II (foot) OUT, Caleb Martin (thumb), Cooper Flagg (shoulder) OUT.
What to watch for
Stop Kyrie Irving and the win should be in the bag. With Flagg almost certainly out, the Mavericks will have to rely on Irving to do most of the scoring. The veteran guard was up to the task against Indiana, dropping 24 points in 25 minutes in a blowout win. The Pacers, however, don’t have as many great perimeter defenders to throw at him as San Antonio does, or a 7’4” monster waiting under the rim. On paper, the Silver and Black should be able to keep Irving from going off and forcing others to step up.
The problem is, Irving tends to go big against the Spurs. He averages over 22 points and five assists when facing San Antonio for his career, according to StatMuse, and once dropped 57 points against them, the second-highest mark of his career. Granted, it has been over a decade since that nuclear performance, but no one should doubt Kyrie’s ability to have big nights. It will be on his defenders to keep him in check while not overhelping and leaving role players open.
The table is set for an MVP-level performance from Wembanyama. The Mavericks are not pushovers, as they have the length to be disruptive on defense and a few strong offensive players. They are, however, missing Dereck Lively, which leaves them a little thin at center. Daniel Gafford is a solid starter and Morez Johnson was a great defender in college, but those two should have their hands full trying to stop The Alien. The Mavs will surely send help or might play Naji Marshall or P.J. Washington on Wemby, but he could still shine.
And he needs that. Wembanyama doesn’t have to prove he’s a superstar, but after struggling from the field in the season opener and having the would-be game-tying layup blocked in the matchup against the Rockets, he might want to have one of those completely dominant nights he’s proved able to have to stop any silly narratives before they spread. Expecting a repeat of last season’s opener in Dallas, in which he dropped 40 points and 15 rebounds, might be too optimistic, but he doesn’t have to get those numbers to get his first statement game of the year and lead the Spurs to their first win.
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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) is seen on the bench during the second half of his NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzliesin San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. The Grizzlies defeated the Warriors 111-108. (Photo by Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Well, the Golden State Warriors wasted no time disappointing us all. After getting blown out in their season opener on Wednesday, the Dubs had their home opener on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies … and blew a 12-point lead with less than four minutes remaining, as they ceded a 17-0 run late in the fourth quarter en route to a 111-108 loss.
Ugly. No other word for it. Except maybe “inexcusable.”
And so, for the second time this year, it’s time to break out the red pen … and with it, a whole lot of negativity. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Last year, league-average TS was 58.1%.
At this point in a rookie season, performance is more about providing optimism for the future than judging one’s value provided in the present. Which plays in Lendeborg’s favor, because this was an extremely encouraging game for June’s No. 11 pick … but an up-and-down game in terms of current value.
You can see why Draymond Green anointed Lendeborg the next face of the franchise. It was an extremely Draymondian game: Yaxel played strong defense, dished out assists, violently attacked the glass, played with swagger and attitude, and attacked the hoop when the defense allowed it.
He also picked up another technical foul, giving him two in as many games to start his career. If Dray could design a player in the lab, it just might be Lendeborg.
This game was a sign of what to watch for this year. Are the Warriors going to be good? Unlikely. Are they going to be worth watching? Well, Lendeborg played 38 minutes, and he was a joy to watch. So there’s one reason to turn on the TV.
The turnovers and fouls were, I don’t want to say concerning, but a reminder of the learning curve that Lendeborg has to work with. But the rebounds and the craftiness with which he scored? Reasons to love the rookie already.
Grade: B+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds, tied for the team lead in assists.
Green played well in the early going. He looked for his shot early and scored a few times, and did a phenomenal job initiating the offense.
But as the game wore on, it got ugly. After such a careful preseason, he was a turnover and foul machine in this game. The two-man game with Steph Curry was shocking ineffective. He picked up a technical foul in the second quarter, and then spent the rest of the game daring the officials to give him a second — and an accompanying ejection — and was beyond lucky that they didn’t follow through with it. And in the final seconds, with the ball in Curry’s hand and a chance to tie or take the lead, Green got called for a moving screen, effectively ending the game. And while Steve Kerr went ballistic over the call — and picked up a tech himself, which really did end any chances of winning the game — it was pretty clearly the right whistle.
Just an undisciplined game from someone who the Warriors rely on to be much better.
Grade: D+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
In just his second career game, Ike — an undrafted rookie — got the start. He played pretty impressively, I thought. He wasn’t quick to shoot, as he was looking to set up teammates and run the system, but when he was left open he shot, and more often than not his shots went in. His passing was really impressive for a young center, and while he picked up a lot of fouls, as rookies are inclined to do, I liked what I saw from him on the defensive end.
It sure looks like Ike is going to end up playing a big role this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets converted to a standard contract at some point.
After playing all 82 games a year ago, Podziemski had to wait until the second game of the season to see the court. And while it was far from a flawless game, I thought he was a lot better than the box score suggests. It really looks to me like Podziemski is primed for a fourth-year breakout. He looked so balanced and patient on offense, as he waited for plays to develop. It really seems as though the game has slowed down for him.
Extra props to Podz for taking a huge hit to the face, heading to the locker room, and still returning to play the rest of the game.
Well … kind of just a game, for Curry. He’s one of the greatest players in NBA history, so his “just a games” are still pretty good. 24 points on above-average efficiency? Good! Four assists with no turnovers? Good!
But it still didn’t really feel like a true Curry game out there. He had a slow start, and while he exploded in the third quarter, he had nothing to offer in the fourth when the game was on the line. The Dubs did a lot to turn a deficit into a lead while Curry was on the pine, and then they did a lot to throw it all away when he came back in the game.
Was that his fault? No, but it wasn’t something he was able to stop, either. The Warriors were held scoreless for nearly four minutes to end the game — save for a pair of Lendeborg free throws with less than a second remaining, and the game decided — and they simply need more from Curry in those moments.
Grade: C+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.
It appears that, for the time being, Richard is out of the rotation. He only played during the brief period where Podziemski had to be removed from the game due to injury. He played well in those minutes, but it was a short stint.
All I’ll say is that Niang deserves a better team than this. He can’t carry a bad team and make them good, but he makes the type of winning plays that show up huge for winning squads. So many little plays that just help the team. I loved what I saw from him out there in all phases of the game, even if the stats are pedestrian.
Pretty solid minutes from GPII. Kind of similar to what I said about Niang: he makes winning plays that don’t necessarily get highlighted on a team struggling to win games, but really show up when on a quality team. He did a good job as the stopper on the red-hot Ty Jerome, which is a … a sentence.
Kerr has been pretty open to the idea of Santos being a starter, but it sure feels like this is the role for him: coming off the bench, giving the team a boost of energy, and helping out all over the court, especially against the opposing team’s second unit. This was just a really good game for Gui: he played strong defense, made hustle plays throughout, kept the offense humming with passes and shots, and attacked the glass. Good stuff.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team
Melton played so much better in the second game of the season than he did in the first, but there were still some holes in his performance. His defense looks really rough right now, and he’s not really setting people up the way we’ve come to expect. His offense was a much-needed boost, and the Dubs will have to rely on that all year long, but the rest of his game still looks a little bit like it’s in preseason mode.
Grade: B- Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team
Williams didn’t play well, but I’m still a little confused as to why he played fewer than 10 minutes. He can be an offensive spark plug, though he’s not a good enough shooter to rely so heavily on his outside shot. He needs to be attacking the rim relentlessly.
A solid, if not particularly noteworthy game for Horford. He protected the paint, with a nice amount of blocks and rebounds for his minutes total, while not making any mistakes, and dropping in a three. Just played solid basketball.
Grade: B-
Friday’s DNP-CDs: LJ Cryer, Malevy Leons
Friday’s inactives: Charles Bassey, Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis
SAN FRANCISCO — Brandin Podziemski converted a contested layup, Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo called timeout and the Warriors’ fourth-year guard amped up the crowd as he retreated to his bench.
Podziemski’s bucket put Golden State up 11 with 5:19 to play, and De’Anthony Melton drained a 3 96 seconds later to extend the lead to a dozen with less than 4 minutes left in regulation.
Then, in the words of Steph Curry, “pretty much everything went wrong.”
Curry and the rest of the Warriors were still processing their epic fourth-quarter collapse Friday night as they boarded the bus to take them to the airport. Golden State missed its final nine attempts from the field, allowed the Grizzlies to mount a 17-0 run and treated 18,064 fans to a devastating 111-108 loss in its first game inside Chase Center this season.
“There’s losses,” Curry said, “and there’s ways that you lose like tonight that sting a little bit more.”
Stephen Curry stands on the side of the court during the final moments of the Warriors’ 111-108 loss to the Grizzlies at Chase Center on Oct. 23, 2026 in San Francisco. Getty Images
In less than 24 hours, the Warriors will have to do it all again in Phoenix, still in search of their first win.
And will likely have to do so without Curry, who said he will “probably not” suit up against the Suns in the second half of the first back-to-back of the season as the Warriors try to manage his workload.
Podziemski, who missed their season opener after tweaking his back and left briefly after taking a hard fall in the first quarter, also said he will sit out the back end of the back-to-back.
Golden State will have to find a way to beat the Suns without its two leading scorers, lest risk getting off to its worst start since losing the first six games of the 2007-08 season. Curry led the way with 24 points, but it was Podziemski who took the most shots (17) while matching Yaxel Lendeborg with 18.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Curry said, “considering we played really solid, especially in that second half, to give ourselves a lead and be in control of the game for as long as we did.”
The Warriors fell behind by as many as 13 points in the first half as they struggled to manufacture offense without Curry or to contain Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer, who outclassed Lendeborg in the first NBA clash of the former college rivals and first-round picks.
The last of Boozer’s 25 points came on a spinning shot in the lane over Podziemski with 20 seconds to play that gave the Grizzlies their first lead since late in the third quarter, 108-106. On the Warriors’ ensuing trip down the floor, Draymond Green was called for an illegal screen — his third of the game — and Ty Jerome was able to drive uncontested for a layup to finish off his 28-point night as the Warriors’ collapse.
Kerr was given a technical for arguing Green’s illegal screen on Jerome that gave up the ball on the Warriors’ final possession. Kerr said it was a “shocking” call by the referees.
“We probably had six illegal screens tonight, and those were really tough because the flopping that was happening on every single one,” he said. “[It] looked like guys were going down like they’ve been hit by a car or something. …
“All those illegal screens really hurt us.”
Stephen Curry is fouled by Scotty Pippen Jr. during the second half of the Warriors’ loss to the Grizzlies. Getty Images
A few possessions earlier, Podziemski and Melton collided while going after a loose ball that Podziemski had poked free. It ended up in the hands of a Memphis player.
It was, as Kerr said, one of “like eight different things [that] had to happen.”
“I think if any one of those eight doesn’t happen, we win the game. It was just an avalanche.”
“Everybody says there’s another game tomorrow,” Curry said. “But the idea of how important every game is for us … and the fact that we gave one away like this, you might lose a little sleep over it.”
Ty Jerome celebrates in the final moments of Grizzlies’ comeback win over the Warriors. Getty Images
Kerr, however, took a more measured stance.
“There’s 80 [more] games. We’ve lost a couple. We’ll bounce back,” he said. “You don’t think, ‘Does this sting more than any other game?’ You just move on.”
