Tyler Kolek (13) looks to make a play during the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 7, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
Kolek had labeled Swift the fakest celebrity Knicks fan on the bandwagon during their title run, calling the musician “performative” after she attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s just a question that was asked for me, that maybe I answered in the wrong way. Take that on the chin,” Kolek said Saturday night. “I love her music. We were just playing it five minutes ago, and I’m singing every word to every song. Nothing against her at all.
“People have been going back and sending me all this stuff about her coming to the games, and she was actually wearing a [No.] 13 jersey [of] Joakim Noah back in the day with Carmelo [Anthony]. That’s on me. I wasn’t up to date on my Taylor Swift Knicks fandom. So that’s on me.”
The previous day, the Knicks put out a statement in support of Swift, whose wedding to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was held at the Garden this summer.
Taylor Swift jokes with her friend before the Knicks win over the Spurs in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden, and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization,” a Knicks spokesperson said.
The Knicks returned to Cleveland for the first time since the Eastern Conference finals, when Swift attended Game 3 at Rocket Arena with Kelce — an Ohio native — and was seen cheering for the Cavaliers.
When Kolek called out Swift in the video with teammate Deuce McBride, he acknowledged he was “going to get some hate from the Swifties.”
Since then, his teammates have taken their shots too.
“For sure, they’re playing Taylor Swift in the locker room,” Kolek said. “We were at practice [Friday and] we were playing Taylor. I love her music. I probably know more songs than anybody else in the locker room. Just misspoken.”
PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers attempts a layup against Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, the Spurs had the second-best record in the league on the second night of back-to-backs, and surely their youth played a role in that. Believe it or not, they’re still young just a few months later, and they are now 3-0 on SEGABABA’s this season after an absolute beatdown of the Portland Trail Blazers for their 8th straight win. Portland started the season hot but were coming off a loss to the Lakers last night, and while they may have been revenge-minded for their first-round loss in the playoffs, they were missing Ja Morant, Robert Williams and Shaedon Sharpe and were no match for a healthy Spurs squad with Victor Wembanyama playing the way he is.
However, before the blowout came, the Spurs would have to get through a sluggish first half borne of both poor shooting from both teams and a heavy whistle. After hitting 3-5 from three before the first timeout, including both of Wemby’s attempts for an 11-3 lead, both teams were sluggish, with the Spurs up shooting 33% in the quarter and the Blazers just 25%. But Portland got hot to close the quarter while the Spurs got sloppy, closing on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to two, 22-20.
After barely playing last night, Carter Bryant brought a spark to the start the second quarter with a couple of corner threes and a block of Damian Lillard. Meanwhile, the Blazers did a good job of drawing fouls and were in the bonus less than four minutes in. It didn’t take long for the Spurs to join them, and what was already a sluggish game came to a screeching halt with all the whistles and free throws. Overall, the teams combined for 41 free throws in the half, and at one point, the Spurs scored 11 straight points from the stripe before a Stephon Castle alley-oop and consecutive Junliam Chamapgnie threes in the final minutes got the offense going again, and they went into the half up 64-49.
The lack of whistles allowed the offenses to open up in the second half, but the Spurs were red hot, especially Wemby, who finished the night with 29 points on 9-13 shooting (3-6 from three) in just 24 minutes of play. An 11-0 run capped off by a technical foul on Deni Avdija gave the Spurs their first 20-point lead of the game, and there was no stopping them from there. The Blazers had nothing left in the tank, and the crowd watched in stunned silence as the Spurs got the lead all the way up to 30 for the first time this season on a Dylan Harper banker late in the third quarter. The last 15+ minutes of the game was entirely garbage time, and the Spurs finished their most dominant game of the season with a 125-103 win.
Game Notes
We finally got a glimpse of last season’s version of Luke Kornet. He was active in his first stint with a floater, two rebounds and block of a Chris Youngblood three-point shot, and the Spurs added a point to the lead. Granted, most of his time was spent against Yang Hansen, but he needed a confidence-booster, and maybe this was it. He finished the night with 6 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes, and perhaps most notably, was a +9 while on the floor.
As frustrating as all the whistles were for both sides in the first half, it was comical at times (granted it’s easier to laugh when your team is ahead). Some of the calls were mindbogglingly soft, and Wemby former Spurs teammate Sidy Cissoko got into a bit of a French Flop Fest, with both exaggerating contact to get whistles. To borrow a hilarious text from Jesus Gomez last night, “Sidy flopped three times, and Wemby said, ‘Hold my cabernet sauvignon’”. (He also shook the refs’ hands after the game, which I’ve never seen before, adding to the hilarity.)
Random thought of the night while sitting through a blowout: David Jones Garcia is still with the team instead of joining his fellow two-way players in Austin to start the season, which seems odd, but perhaps the Spurs intend to make him their 15th player once enough time has passed that they can sign him without going over the luxury tax, so he’s staying with the main team? He really has nothing left to prove at the G League level, and he reportedly turned down more lucrative offers from overseas, so maybe there’s an agreement in place? Just my two cents.
Play of the Game
It wasn’t the prettiest play of the game, but when trying to get out of the slugfest and free-throw-a-thon that was the second quarter, sometimes it just takes plays like this. (You also know it’s your night when stuff like this goes in.)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena on November 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers fell 109-97 to the New York Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Player of the game
Donovan Mitchell
37 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds
Mitchell looks like he’s finding the right balance between scoring and passing through the last two games. He’s been aggressive first, allowing his playmaking to come as a result of the defense overreacting to his gravity. That’s led to some efficient games passing the ball, but we were all waiting for Mitchell to have a scorching hot game shooting it.
It finally happened.
Mitchell went off for a season-high 37 points, and he was the catalyst behind Cleveland’s momentary comeback in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was one of the only Cavaliers who had a pulse on offense tonight.
Grade: A–
Grades
Evan Mobley
12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers
Mobley was fantastic last night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tonight? He was totally on his back foot.
Karl-Anthony Towns beat Mobley to the punch more often than not. It was an uber-aggressive approach from KAT that reminded you why the Cavs are still at their best when there are two defensive anchors on the floor.
We know that Mobley can play better than this, and his grade will reflect that.
Grade: D+
James Harden
7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds
Last year’s playoffs showed that this was a bad matchup for Harden, and tonight proved that it wasn’t just because Harden was gassed. The Knicks are too fast and incorporate too much off-ball movement for Harden to keep up defensively. The Cavs will be in trouble if they draw New York again in April or May.
Grade: F
Meleek Thomas
9 points, 4 rebounds
The Cavs have leaned heavily on this 20-year-old rookie to give them minutes. He’s had moments where it all clicks effortlessly into place. And other times, he looks off Mitchell and attempts a wild layup that goes the other way in transition.
Thomas shot 3-10 from the floor and looked like a rookie tonight. Overall, he has been fantastic given the circumstances. He’s quickly lapped his competition as the best backup guard option on Cleveland’s roster. But moments like this are inevitable.
Grade: D+
Peyton Watson
12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
The Cavs need Watson to start shooting the rock better than he has. Watson was 1-of-5 from downtown tonight, and the Knicks had no interest in defending him. For all the potential benefits Watson can bring to this team — it will all feel moot if he can’t provide enough spacing to make defenses care about him.
Grade: C-
Mario Hezonja
0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
There can be a trickle-down effect in games where the stars struggle to set the tone. Hezonja never found his rhythym in this game, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor. And while he’s the only one who can take accountability for that, I think he was more a victim of this team struggling to find its stride as a whole.
Grade: F
Thomas Bryant
5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
I owe Bryant an apology for not grading him last game. It was an honest mistake, and he delivered quality minutes in Cleveland’s win over the 76ers.
It brings me no joy to report that he struggled in this matchup. Bryant has become a necessity with Allen on the sidelines, but his lack of mobility made it hard to keep him on the floor.
Grade: D+
Tyrese Proctor
7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Proctor has given good minutes during this stretch of poor injury luck for the Cavs. He’s showing he’s a capable shooter and someone who can occasionally make things happen with the ball in his hands, but he still needs some fine-tuning on both ends of the court to be a player who is in the nightly rotation once everything settles.
Grade: C+
Riley Minix
8 points, 3 rebounds
The Cavs waived Minix just days ago, before bringing him back only a few hours before tip-off. He responded with the best game of his young career, nailing his first three shots and ending with 8 points.
PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after being fouled by Chris Youngblood #11 (not pictured) of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Both sides were on the second night of a back-to-back set, and the San Antonio Spurs handled the Portland Trail Blazers on the road. This was the first matchup between last year’s first-round opponent and it was uncommonly physical for a November game.
The Spurs didn’t shoot well early, but were the nastier team from tip-off, getting into the bonus in fewer than six minutes and forcing a few turnovers. Their quickness shifting into the lane tempted the Blazers into too many unsuccessful 3-point attempts which sparked transition, but they got sloppy, committing too many fouls and that bad habit persisted most of the first half.
The Trail Blazers stayed on their heels with relentless hustle, and then the Silver and Black cracked the code. Eventually, Victor Wembanyama also went on a tear that zapped whatever will the hosts had left. He had 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists. His biggest help came from Stephon Castle, who played a nice all-around game with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, plus Devin Vassell, who added 15 points and two steals.
Garbage time started when they built up a 32-point lead late in the third quarter.
Observations
The Trail Blazers were down one penetrator in Ja Morant, which affected their ability to bend the defense. On top of that, the schemes made Portland look ordinary at their downhill game and they never countered with feeding Donovan Clingan in the post. Their rebounding helped keep them in the game but that only lasted for so long.
The Spurs played with high intensity but in the first half, not much discipline. All those cheap fouls had three of them in foul trouble and prevented them from continuing their work in transition, giving the Blazers an opportunity to start creeping in through the door.
The Trail Blazers are a long, athletic team with good screen navigation, so getting by them into the lane can be a challenge. The Spurs’ jump-shooting unfastened their defense, but they started playing more forcefully on the perimeter and made it tougher to maneuver. The Spurs were not phased and kept plugging away, shooting 77.3 percent in the restricted area.
It seems that Castle brings it when is playing his old teammate, Clingan. He was one of the team’s best rebounders, and he was like a linebacker stopping the run game inside, especially from Deni Avdija.
It was a rough shooting night before the game broke open, and the team got a big lift from Julian Champagnie, making four 3-pointers, including two consecutive treys in the second quarter, when the team badly needed it.
Toumani Camara said the plan was to get physical with Wembanyama before the game, and they did, not giving him much room after catches, bumping him on the move and using some hand checks. This played a big part in him going eight-for-nine at the line. The extra stuff did not wear him down physically or mentally.
Exhibit A. of the game flipping like a light switch: the Spurs made 17 first-half field goals had 18 in the third quarter.
The Spurs eventually took an edge on the glass 13 and added 23 back-breaking second-chance points.
Carter Bryant got subbed into the game early in the second quarter, and his minutes were mostly negative because his aggressiveness can be used against him. He had three fouls in three minutes, yet coach Mitch Johnson gave him a chance to make up for it with extra time and later as well when the game was out of reach.
DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 6: Josh Okogie #21 of the Utah Jazz goes to the basket as Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Dallas Mavericks defends during the first half at American Airlines Center during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 6, 2026 in Dallas, 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. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We won’t deny it: the last week or so has consisted of games that have been a ‘must-win’ for Utah. And tonight is included.
The team’s play against Dallas was more on the promising side: fans saw Darryn Peterson start to find his groove and play like the #2 pick he is, Lauri Markkanen hit a mind-boggling eight triples, but it feels like Utah needs to play a perfect and synchronised game of basketball just to win a game of basketball.
The Jazz road trip concludes with a visit to see our divisional foe, along with former friends in Minnesota. The roster overhaul over the 2026 offseason added star LaMelo Ball to the mix, designed to alleviate the facilitating role for Anthony Edwards. They’ve even got a brand-spankin’ new rebrand as the league adapts to the dying trend of minimalism. The Wolves are so unrecognisable that they even have Rudy Gobert looking like Montel Williams.
Rudy Gobert shows off a new goatee look at Media Day 2026! 💈
The addition of LaMelo and Kuminga has given them an early season boost. They hold a +5.1 rebound-per-game improvement compared to the baseline average of 49.2 rebounds per game last season. They’ve also maintained their defensive core to post a 106.6 defensive rating, second-best in the Association. After a hot 3-0 start, the Wolves have sizzled to a comfortable 7-3 record to sit at the 6th spot in the Western Conference.
Injury Report
Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/7)
OUT – Trey Alexander (G League – Two-Way)
OUT – Harrison Ingram (G League – Two-Way)
OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (Right Knee; MCL Tear)
OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (Right Foot; 2nd Plantar Plate Tear)
QUESTIONABLE – Lauri Markkanen (Right Wrist; Sprain)
Minnesota’s rebounding is arguably Utah’s biggest concern if they’re chasing a win. They rank 2nd in the NBA in offensive rebound percentage (35.6%), making them a formidable foe for a team already missing Jusuf Nurkic. The team needs to stay disciplined, ensuring that every player sticks to boxing out.
It’s especially important that the Jazz shooting woes need to be put on hold, or else they’ll get punished on the other end. They have converted just 28% of their three-point attempts over the last three games (34-of-121). While they demonstrated minor improvement against Dallas, the overall efficiency continues to be a lingering issue. Missed shots could quickly translate into transition opportunities for the Wolves, while their offensive rebounding allows them to compensate for their own missed attempts.
And really, I don’t know if it’s possible to hold your own if Mo Bamba is another healthy scratch from the rotation, with a DNP-CD against Dallas, in favour of Tony Bradley. Perhaps his ankle flared up before tonight, but either way, Utah needs some size advantage.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 4: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Utah Jazz goes up for the rebound during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 4, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Death, taxes, turnovers
It feels like it’s been years since the Jazz were a bottom-10 team in turnovers. The lack of winning experience, combined with inconsistent offensive flow, has left the Jazz with a 17.2% turnover rate, ranking them 26th in the league.
This was evident when the Jazz coughed up 21 turnovers in their NBA Cup loss to the Mavericks. Will Hardy specifically highlighted the team’s concerns about handling the ball and maintaining an offensive flow:
Hardy: it’s another representation of good basketball and then some possessions were really sloppy.
He talked about how they need to win the possession battle and diagnose the turnover issue.
The ball movement that was promised still hasn’t come to fruition. Things seem stagnant, relying heavily on Keyonte and Lauri to create their own shots rather than having them come to them naturally. Yes, a large part of it is them missing their distributing big man, Nurkic (whom will likely miss the rest of November), but it seems like they’re trying to force-feed their top guys more than anything else.
Minnesota already rank eighth in opponent turnover percentage (16.04%), with McDaniels and Kuminga pressuring opposing teams on the perimeter. The Jazz can’t lose focus. They will need to become more decisive, make quicker reads, and avoid unnecessary dribbling or else they risk the Timberwolves running away with this one.
Seriously, no more Jazz Killers
The serious advantage in Utah’s deck of cards is Minnesota’s absence of Anthony Edwards for the next couple of months. When the Wolves win, it comes from contributions from several players rather than relying on a dominant scorer. Utah should look to disrupt the Timberwolves’ flow by forcing their second and third options into difficult situations and preventing them from getting comfortable in the early going.
Utah’s job tonight will be limiting the role of All-Star LaMelo Ball along with Minnesota’s array of perimeter shooters, including Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland. Dosunmu exploded for 26 points in New Orleans a couple days ago, so he’ll be expected to carry that momentum into tonight.
It’s also important to highlight the progression of Jaden McDaniels, posting a career-high 17.1 points per game and a 51.1% field-goal percentage if the season ended today. McDaniels also ranks first with the best offensive rating in the fourth quarter (141.3).
There’s little room for error if the Jazz hope to beat a proven Playoff team. It feels like this has been the story for weeks, but seriously, it’s do-or-die time for the Jazz to save this season.
Utah Jazz vs. Minnesota Timberwolves—How to Watch:
Who: Utah Jazz at Minnesota Timberwolves
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
When: 6:00 pm Mountain Daylight Time
How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)
BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 24: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks plays defense during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Mavericks finally got back on track Friday night with a 112-100 win over the Utah Jazz, and now they get another very winnable game Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. Dallas enters at 5-4 after snapping a two-game losing streak, while Brooklyn entered the weekend at 2-6 and has to come to Dallas on the second night of a back-to-back after playing Atlanta on Saturday.
This is the type of game Dallas needs to start taking care of consistently. The Mavericks have already shown they can hang with much better teams, but losses like the one to Sacramento have also shown how quickly things can go sideways when they play down to an opponent. Brooklyn has enough legitimate NBA talent to make that happen again if Dallas comes out flat.
Keep building on Friday
The Jazz win wasn’t perfect, but there were plenty of encouraging signs.
Cooper Flagg finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists despite another slow start; P.J. Washington carried the offense early with 26 points, and Morez Johnson Jr. was fantastic with 13 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. Santi Aldama also made his season debut, giving Dallas eight points and nine rebounds in just 13 minutes.
That is the kind of collective production Dallas needs. Kyrie Irving and Flagg combined to shoot just 3-of-17 in the first half against Utah, but the Mavericks survived until both eventually got going. Dallas has spent too much of the early season needing Flagg or Kyrie to solve everything. Friday was a good example of what this roster can look like when Washington, Morez and the rest of the rotation actually give them something.
Brooklyn should give Dallas another opportunity to build on that.
More Morez
Morez Johnson Jr. might be forcing Dusty May’s hand.
The rookie was one of Dallas’ best players Friday, dominating the offensive glass and giving the Mavericks the type of physicality they have badly needed with Dereck Lively II still sidelined. His 17-rebound performance was easily one of the biggest reasons Dallas controlled the second half against Utah.
Brooklyn has size with Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr., Day’Ron Sharpe and Noah Clowney, so this will not be an easy matchup on the glass. But Morez has earned another real opportunity. Dallas has struggled with rebounding far too often this season, and right now the rookie is giving May something that is hard to take off the floor.
Aldama’s return only makes the frontcourt rotation more interesting.
Do not let Brooklyn’s veterans beat you
The Nets are young, but their two best players are not.
Michael Porter Jr. entered the weekend averaging 21.4 points and 7.4 rebounds, while Julius Randle was averaging 21 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Porter is still one of the league’s more dangerous shooters when he gets comfortable, and Randle can punish smaller defenders if Dallas lets him establish position and work downhill.
That should make Washington especially important again. Dallas needs someone who can handle Randle physically without constantly forcing help, while the rest of the defense stays attached to Porter.
The Nets aren’t good enough for Dallas to treat this like some impossible matchup, but they have enough individual scoring talent to make the Mavericks pay for another lazy defensive night.
Take care of business
This is really what Sunday comes down to.
Dallas just started a three-game homestand with a win over Utah and gets Brooklyn before Indiana comes to town Monday. The Mavericks do not need anything spectacular here. They need to defend, rebound and avoid spending the first half trying to wake themselves up.
Brooklyn will also be playing its second game in as many nights, while Dallas has Saturday off. The Mavericks have no reason to be the team lacking energy.
Dallas has already played enough difficult games to start the season. Against teams like Brooklyn, the goal should be simple: don’t make the game harder than it needs to be.
When: Sunday, November 8, 6:30 p.m. CT Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
As of Saturday evening, Dereck Lively II, Sergio de Larrea and Tarik Biberovic are listed out for Dallas, while Caleb Martin is available. Brooklyn had not yet submitted its official injury report for Sunday’s game at the time of the latest NBA report.
Johnson, 24, had 12 points points in the fourth quarter to bring his team back on top for good. With 39 seconds left in the game, he raced past Julius Randle and drove to the basket to toss in a floater. He was fouled and made the free throw to help secure the victory. The forward also had seven rebounds and six assists.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Aaron Wiggins added 20 points for Atlanta in the Hawks' fourth straight win. Michael Porter Jr. had 25 points for Brooklyn.
Johnson hadn't played in a week, missing three games after spraining his left ankle in the Hawks' loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Halloween.
The day of the Nets matchup, he was listed as probable on the injury report and then was upgraded to available shortly before tipoff.
The Hawks took Johnson as the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He earned his first All-Star nod last season when he 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
He is averaging 18.3 points, 9.0 boards and 7.9 assists this season.
CLEVELAND — It felt like early November on the streets of Northeast Ohio. Inside Rocket Arena, it looked like late May.
Jalen Brunson was untouchable. Karl-Anthony Towns was unstoppable. Analytics were unnecessary. The eye test was enough for anyone to determine the best team on the floor.
The Knicks extended their dominance over the Cavaliers in their first meeting since their Eastern Conference finals sweep, earning their first three-game winning streak of the season with a 109-97 win Saturday night.
After becoming the first defending champion in 15 years to drop its first three games of the season, the Knicks (5-4) are now over .500 for the first time this season.
Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 31 points drives past James Harden en route to the basket during the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 7, 2026 in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
“Going into the season … one of my concerns was, ‘Are we gonna attack this season the way we should?’ and obviously we didn’t,” head coach Mike Brown said. “That’s why we got knocked in the head, and I was OK with it because right now is the time to get knocked in the head. If you have championship pedigree — which that group does have — it’s going to wake you up, and it’s going to make you realize that nobody’s going to give anything to us, and it’s harder than what we think.
“When you win games, you’re human, it’s easy to start letting go of the rope because you just start to relax, especially over an 82-game season. And now the challenge for us is, can we hold on to the rope and keep climbing a little higher?”
Brunson initially struggled in his return to the floor where the Knicks clinched their first NBA Finals berth in 27 years, but eventually resembled the Finals MVP, finishing with 31 points (12-for-25 shooting, including 3-for-7 on 3-pointers), nine assists and six rebounds.
Towns had 29 points, 13 rebounds and two steals.
The Cavaliers (5-5), coming off an impressive win over the 76ers the previous night, ended their back-to-back home set looking as far from contention as the team that lost the final three games of the conference finals by a combined 66 points. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 37 points.
“We found a little bit of that magic and that pace of that team that was so magical in last year’s run,” Towns said. “Just fortunate that we were able to do something special tonight.”
Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, drives on James Harden during the Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers. David Richard-Imagn Images
The foul-prone Towns was whistled on a call 22 seconds into the game, but he remained aggressive, overpowering the Cavs for 14 points and four rebounds in the first quarter.
Brown searched for other answers — throwing out 11 players as the Knicks fell behind by six and missed 16 of their first 19 3-pointers — but the coach just needed the man most responsible for ending the franchise’s 53-year title drought.
Brunson made his return visit to Cleveland look like an extension of the Eastern Conference finals, scoring 18 straight points in the second quarter to swing momentum, as the Knicks went to halftime with a 63-53 lead.
Donovan Mitchell, who scored a game-high 37 points, looks on during the Knicks’ road win over the Cavaliers. NBAE via Getty Images
“He’s getting rhythm, but it’s one of those things that you know you don’t worry about a guy like him,” Brown said of Brunson. “You don’t worry about a guy like KAT because they’re gonna find their way sooner than later. And he and KAT are both more than capable of doing what they did tonight.”
Landry Shamet hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the third quarter to give the Knicks an 88-69 lead, quieting all but the countless blue-and-orange fans in the crowd.
With James Harden invisible again — scoring seven points on 2-for-9 shooting — Mitchell tried to will the Cavs back in it by scoring 22 of the team’s first 26 fourth-quarter points, bringing Cleveland within eight with under two minutes remaining.
But it was too late.
The champs had spoken.
“I think we’re in a good place,” Brunson said. “Obviously, bounced back from our start, but just going to try to do our best to not be complacent. Continue to get better every single day. Just because we’ve been winning a couple games doesn’t mean like we’re just we’re back to who we are. We are going to continue to work. That’s just our emphasis right now.”
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 7: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks dunks the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 7, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cavaliers (5-5) beat the Sixers at the Rocket Arena yesterday, so maybe you can blame their sulfurous, rotten-egg performance tonight on fatigue. In their first return to Ohio since sweeping the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks (5-4) picked up right where they left off. After piling on a 19-point lead in the third, our heroes let Donovan Mitchell (37 PTS, 13-22 FG) close the gap in the fourth, but he was outdueled yet again by Jalen Bruson (31 PTS, 12-25 FG), Karl-Anthony Towns (29 PTS, 13 RBS) was too strong, and the Knicks closed the door, 109-97.
Not only did our heroes knock off a rival, they played lock-down defense again. We share RJParrot’s enthusiasm: “ANOTHER GAME HOLDING THE BAD GUYS UNDER 100.”
Evan Mobley went right at Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded his first foul with less than thirty seconds gone. Savvy strategy, Kenny Atkinson, but it wouldn’t work tonight. After that foul, Towns did a good job of avoiding his second infraction for the rest of the half while still playing aggressively and collecting 18 points on 12 shots. He finished the game with two fouls. KAT’s not just hungry for that second ring; I think he’s gunning for MVP.
Josh Hart is still mending a sore ankle, so Landry Shamet started for him again. Shamet has proven to be an offensive weapon, but he attempted two shots in his 13 first-half minutes.
The Cavs had three rotation players on their injury report. With Jarrett Allen out, Meleek Thomas, the 34th pick in this year’s draft, made his second start. The 20-year-old neophyte (9 PTS, 3-10 FG, 24 MIN) drilled back-to-back bombs to give his squad a 16-14 lead with five minutes left. Mike Brown used a timeout to regroup his squad and sub in Mohamed Diawara (2 PTS, 3 RBS, +16, 14 MIN) and Andre Drummond (8 RBS, 14 MIN). Soon after, Dalton Knecht (5 MIN) made his second appearance for the Knicks—and blundered by fouling Mitchell for what became a four-point play.
Donovan Mitchell drills the triple and draws the foul for the four-point play ‼️🎯
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OAKAAKUYOAK Mario Hezonja is back in the league! He played nine minutes off the bench in the first half for the Ohio Players, scoring zero on two shots. Starter Peyton Watson (who was rumored to have a sore hammy) took six of Cleveland’s first 13 shots, while Mobley had attempted none, Donovan Mitchell one, and James Harden two.
At the other end, Mike Brown was featuring Jalen Brunson and Towns. The latter made all four freebies at the line, while the former missed five of his first six shots. A slow start for Detective Madison, but stick around for sparks. Tyler Kolek also checked in to play alongside Knecht, Shamet, Anunoby, and Towns for the final two minutes. The Knicks were trailing by four, so the move was a vote of confidence by the coach.
With Towns and Anunoby smashing to the rim, the visitors were able to close the gap. The Knicks missed eight three-pointers in the opening frame, were outrebounded by three, and attempted half as many free throws as the Cavs, but nonetheless trailed by a single point at the break, 27-26. Math!
New York’s awful long-range shooting persisted as they missed their first eight attempts of the second quarter. Mikal Bridges (9 PTS, 4-13 FG), in particular, had another woeful offensive half (during which he shot 0-5 from deep), but he redeemed himself with a few fine defensive efforts. Loved when he made the Beard look silly on a drive.
The ink still wet on his contract, Riley Minix provided eight points on 3-of-3 shooting off the bench tonight.
The scoreboard tilted back and forth. New York’s shooting improved. Thomas checked back in for the hosts, and he drilled his third triple in Diawara’s grill. The sophomore was +12 in the half, though, thanks to sharing the floor with Brunson, Jordan Clarkson, Bridges, and Drummond. Cap was cooking. He scored 18 straight Knicks points, outscoring the Cavs by seven himself and giving New York a 52–47 lead.
In the second quarter Dr. Jalen Brunson held a Cleveland clinic:
From there, McBride canned a jumper, Shamet drilled a dinger, and Anunoby hit consecutive triples to give the good guys a 63-53 advantage.
Through the half, both teams shot 44%, but the Knicks got 13 more shots, thanks to ten offensive boards. They also committed just three turnovers to the Cavs’ eight and won the points-off-turnovers battle 12-2. The home team shot 46% from deep to New York’s 32% and still trailed. Brunson topped the box score with 20 so far, while Spida led the Cavs with 11.
Cleveland opened the third with four straight points, both baskets set up by Donovan Mitchell, to cut the Knicks’ lead to 63–57. Jalen Brunson then found Mikal Bridges for a three, bringing him to 9-34 from deep this season. Karl-Anthony Towns cut for a layup to stretch the lead back to 12.
Evan Mobley kept Cleveland close with six points in the opening five minutes, including back-to-back buckets off James Harden feeds. Tyrese Proctor’s step-back three made it 72–65 after a Knicks possession that produced three misses, three offensive rebounds, and a shot-clock violation.
Brunson took over from there. He scored six straight on a floater, a running layup, and a fadeaway, then found Landry Shamet for a three to cap a 9–0 run. Mitchell broke it with a layup, but Brunson fed Mohamed Diawara for one of his own, sending Cleveland to timeout down 83–67. Very encouraging signs from Mo!
Towns chipped in four points, including a putback after Peyton Watson blocked his dunk attempt. OG Anunoby (15 PTS, 4-13 FG) had a block and two boards but missed all four of his shots and scored only at the line. Harden’s two assists to Mobley helped briefly, but he went scoreless in the stretch. When Shamet swished his third triple of the night, New York’s advantage was 19.
With the Knicks playing clean defense and the Cavs running on fumes, a 25-17 third quarter gave our heroes an 88-70 lead heading into the fourth.
The road got bumpy at the outset of the final frame. Kolek acquired his fourth foul; Shamet, Towns, and Anunoby missed multiple shots; and Mitchell and Mobley paired for eight points. Kolek’s been a reliable floor general to head the second unit, but his shooting this season stands at 5-of-19 after tonight’s 0-for-2. Seeing the need for heroics, Towns supplied them while Brunson sat. Smashing the boards and exploiting the false wall of Cleveland’s frontcourt, he reached 29 points, logged his ninth double-double of the season, and scored five straight to restore a 15-point lead.
KAT sat at the middle mark. From there Cap and Spida traded blows. The latter scored Cleveland’s next eight points, and with the score at 102-92, Mike Brown signaled for timeout with 3:15 remaining. Not ready to release his guys yet, Atkinson called for a timeout, too. Time for another Novig commercial.
Out of the break, Brunson and Mitchell traded contested jumpers. KAT was back, but Mobley boxed him out on a Brunson miss. Watson somehow corraled a slippery ball for a layup. Eight-point lead with 1:53 left.
The struggling Bridges came up with a clutch bucket. Shamet fouled Spida, who made one, missed one. Shamet missed from deep, but this time KAT got the board and pitched it to Cap, who was fouled. Just like Donovan, Jalen missed his first freebie. Mitchell tried a rushed trey with Shamet covering, which rimmed out. Anunoby grabbed the board; Spida swatted it out of bounds and got Kenny to contest it. Not only was the call confirmed, but a foul on the Cav was added to it. Insult to injury, you say? Indeed. Sweet victory!
Up Next
Our heroes get two nights off before hosting the Bucks on Tuesday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
Julius Randle of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket against Aaron Wiggins of the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
ATLANTA — The Nets have gone from suffering beatings to suffering heartbreakers.
From getting blown out to blowing late leads.
The Nets led almost all night here except when it mattered most, at the end. They committed a 124-121 collapse before a crowd of 16,117 at State Farm Arena on Saturday.
After looking in terrible disarray while dropping their first five games, the Nets (2-7) have split the past four. But those two defeats will stick in their collective craw.
Mikel Brown Jr. looks on during the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Nov. 7, 2026 in Atlanta. NBAE via Getty Images
They blew a fourth-quarter lead in the Garden to the reigning champion Knicks. And Saturday, they squandered a 17-point cushion and had a 114-110 edge with 1:45 to play before allowing 10 unanswered points that cost them the game.
“We were not consistent enough to do the right things. And it’s not about making shots, it’s about trying to do the right things. Obviously, the points off turnovers, this is a team that will pressure you, and we had 22 turnovers for 28 points. That’s not acceptable. That’s where you lose the game,” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said.
“Our effort was not great. We didn’t do a lot of things. We didn’t pay attention to details. Offensively, a lot of random stuff. So I guess we were just not really focused anymore,” Nolan Traore said.
“We had great looks in the first half, but in the second half, we played more random stuff, so we didn’t have the same quality shots. So that might be the main thing. I don’t think Atlanta did something that disturbed us, it was more just us doing random stuff.”
There was a lot to unpack in this one.
Jalen Johnson poured in a game-high 30 points for the Hawks, who stormed back. But it was the Nets’ own mistakes that let them.
Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Day’Ron Sharpe had a triple-double (12 points, 13 assists, 10 boards).
Julius Randle drives on Aaron Wiggins during the Nets’ road loss to the Hawks. Getty Images
Young point guards Traore and Mikel Brown Jr. both played well. The former had 19 points, four steals and finished a team-best plus-9, but the problem was when he finished. He had nine points in the first quarter, but never got off the bench in the fourth.
Brown scored 13 of his 18 points in the final period, but was a minus-10.
“Mikel had those five straight points, and I just let him roll because you cannot just keep taking them in and out,” Fernández said when asked why he sat Traore. “When I was about to sub Nolan in, Mikel made two or three 3s and a midrange pullup. So I thought that was the right thing to do. Was it right? I don’t know.”
Fernández said the fact Brown was already slated to sit out Sunday’s game in Dallas had nothing to do with the decision. He was just riding the hot hand.
Michael Porter Jr. drives to the basket during the Nets’ road loss to the Hawks. Getty Images
Traore stormed out of the blocks with seven quick points to spot the Nets a 12-2 lead. And the bench helped pad it to 31-14 when Brown found Noah Clowney for a 3 with 3:57 left in the first quarter.
But shaky rebounding let the Hawks get on the offensive glass and cut that to 70-66 by the break.
It was still four at 114-110 after a Brown 3.
But that’s when they allowed a 10-0 run to blow it.
Sharpe’s turnover handed Onyeka Okongwu a 3, and after he missed a drive, Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s free throw with 1:26 left put Atlanta up for good at 115-114.
When Porter missed a 3-pointer, Alexander-Walker raced for a loose ball and a breakaway layup. Both Sharpe and Julius Randle failed to corral rebounds and let the Hawks get second chances they cashed in on.
Johnson’s and-one capped the 10-0 run with 38 seconds left and essentially ended it.
“They just started hitting shots down the stretch,” Brown said. “Offensive rebounds, they were killing us all game. That was really the problem.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 07: Kingston Flemings #4 Julius Randle #30 of the Brooklyn Nets and Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks anticipate the rebound during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on November 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that one will sting.
For nearly 47 minutes, the Brooklyn Nets controlled the game against the Atlanta Hawks Saturday night in Georgia. After building a 17-point lead in the first quarter — it wasn’t always pretty — but the Nets didn’t trail until the final two minutes.
However, they couldn’t put it away when it mattered most and fell to Atlanta, 124-121. There were some positives, most notably Nolan Traore’s fast start and the late-game heroics from Mikel Brown Jr. as well as Day’Ron Sharpe’s first triple-double. All of that kept them in the game but ultimately, none of it changes the result, and Brooklyn is now 2-7, still struggling to close out matchups down the stretch.
Brooklyn couldn’t have asked for a much better start. They came out firing, putting up 37 first-quarter points to take a 37-27 lead. The Nets shot 73.7% from the field (14-of-19), including 6-of-10 from three, led by the fast-rising French point guard…
The ball movement was also on full display early, dishing out 11 assists on 14 made baskets. Eight different players found the scoring column, with the Nets building a lead as large as 17 before Atlanta started to chip away at the end of the frame.
Of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy for the rest of the game. By the end of the first, you could already feel Atlanta gaining some ground after an ugly first few minutes. In the second quarter, they trimmed their deficit to just four, at 70-66 entering the break. Turnovers became a big issue for the Nets, allowing the Hawks to stay in the game.
The Nets committed 11 turnovers in the first half, which gave the Hawks 15 points. As Jordi Fernandez noted post-game, it was a game long issue.
“We were not consistent enough to do the right things,” said the head coach And it’s not about making shots. It’s about, you know, trying to do the right things. Obviously, the points off turnovers, like I said before, this is a team that you know will pressure you. And we had 22 turnovers for 28 points. And that’s not acceptable. That’s where you lose the game.”
Brooklyn also got dominated in the paint, allowing a whopping 42 points on the inside compared to their 22. Atlanta put up 39 paint points in the second quarter alone.
Despite the turnovers, the Nets still scored at a high level. Michael Porter Jr. had 18 in the first half, while Nolan Traoré continued his excellent start to the season with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Day’Ron Sharpe also thrived as a facilitator, logging eight assists in the first half. He had set a career high with eight assists on Wednesday, and that number rose to 13on Saturday, when he also came away with his first triple-double, logging 12 points and 10 rebounds. All positive, but…
The crazy part is that the Nets shot 65.7% from the field and 50% from three in the first half, yet still had just a four-point lead. When you turn the. ball over that many times, that’s what happens.
The Nets started to settle things down coming out of the locker room, though. They won the third quarter, 25-22, to take a 95-88 lead heading into the final frame. While the same level of offensive efficiency wasn’t there, Brooklyn’s defense became more consistent and prevented the Hawks from carrying their momentum into the second half.
The turnover issues remained prevalent for the Nets, as the total reached 16 through three quarters. However, they limited the damage on the defensive end. Fernández clearly made adjustments coming out of halftime, and those adjustments played a key role in Brooklyn retaining their lead.
Despite struggling offensively through the first three quarters and missing his first seven shots, Mikel Brown Jr. came up clutch in the fourth quarter with three huge shots from deep. After entering the final quarter with just five points, he finished with 18.
However, Fernandez decided against playing his two 20-year-olds together. While Brown Jr. was leading the charge, Traore sat on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. Was it defense or does the head coach have a problem playing the two together? Fernandez admitted he went with the hot hand — Brown Jr. — rather than play his two 20-year-olds together.
“I thought that Mikel had those five straight points, and I just let him roll. Because you cannot just keep taking them in and out.” he argued. “So I thought that that was the right thing to do. Was it right? I don’t know.”
No matter what the young Nets couldn’t finish.
While the game was back-and-forth throughout, the Nets didn’t give up their first lead until there was 1:26 left in the fourth quarter. The game hadn’t even been tied; Brooklyn led the entire time until then. After that, though, the Nets failed to score another point and fell 124-121. The Hawks, led by Jalen Johnson, closed the game with a 14-7 run.
Fernandez said that with such a young team, it’s a work in progress.
“I’m happy with what I’m seeing and the commitment and playing hard, and now the communication is way better,” he said. “It seems more like a connected group. We’re rebounding better, especially defensively. So, all those things are important. And it’s a testament to the work that the guys put in, the coaches, and getting one percent better every day.”
Saturday was a disappointing loss for the Nets. Going from up 17 and not down once to losing in the final two minutes is rough, and yet another example that Brooklyn’s young core is still developing and learning how to win games. The turnovers also continued to hurt them, as they committed six more in the final frame.
The encouraging element, of course, is Brown Jr.’s strong play, especially down the stretch. It’s the second time he’s really risen to the occasion in big moments, with last week’s loss to the Boston Celtics as another example before his rookie blunder cost them in overtime.
Final Score: Atlanta Hawks, 124, Brooklyn Nets, 121.
Milestone Watch
It was a big night for Day’Ron Sharpe. The 6’10” 25-year-old recorded his first career triple-double and the first triple-double ever by a Nets center. Sharpe finished with 12 points, 1o rebounds and 13 assists, the final figure also a record for Nets 5. It was also the Nets first triple-double in nearly a year. Nic Claxton who Sharpe replaced in the starting line up this season had a game of 14 points, 1o rebounds and 10 assists last December.
Next Up
The Nets will have a quick turnaround, heading to Dallas on Sunday to face the Mavericks in the second leg of their back-to-back. Dallas enters the matchup at 5-4, coming off a 112-100 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday.
After letting a golden opportunity slip away against Atlanta, the Nets will look to get back in the win column on Sunday. The question becomes: can Brooklyn put together a complete 48-minute performance to secure the victory? That’s what they’ve struggled to do most consistently this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - NOVEMBER 7: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 7, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
…and that … was an ugly one.
The Washington Wizards lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 114-75 on Saturday night at the Paycom Center. The Wizards are now 4-6 while the Thunder improve to 8-2.
Washington finished the first quarter down 25-19 shooting under 30 percent in the period. That was the warning sign and it persisted through the rest of the first half. The Wizards were down 57-36 at the end of the first half and … yeah. They shot just 28.8 percent for the half while the Thunder shot 50 percent.
If Alex Sarr didn’t have a double double in the first half with 13 points and 11 rebounds, there wouldn’t be much to root for. It also didn’t help that Anthony Davis missed his second straight game due to an ankle injury he suffered earlier in the week.
After the third quarter, Washington was down 90-59, so let’s just say that by then, I decided to start writing the recap. The Wizards ended up shooting under 30 percent from the field, and 7-of-43 from the three point line. It was ugly.
AJ Dybantsa led the Wizards with 19 points overall, while Sarr finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Trae Young only scored 4 points on 1-of-6 shooting.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led with 30 points.
The Wizards’ next game is against the Detroit Pistons on the road Monday. Tip off is at 7 p.m. ET. See you then.
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 7: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks handles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 7, 2026 at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the New York Knicks 109-97. Donovan Mitchell finished with a season-high 37 points.
The Cavs started strong for the second night in a row, showing active hands defensively in the first quarter to force three Knicks turnovers. They also held the Knicks to just 3-of-11 three-point shooting in the opening quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns kept New York attached. He scored 14 points in the first quarter while throwing down a pair of thunderous dunks. This was a much more difficult matchup for Mobley than the previous night, when he held Joel Embiid to 0-of-9 shooting.
A Knicks run led by Jalen Brunson put New York back in front going into halftime. Brunson hit tough shots en route to 16 points in a five-minute stretch. He finished the first half with 20 points.
Cleveland trailed 63-53 at halftime. Then the Knicks blew it open in the third quarter to extend an 18-point lead into the final frame.
New York’s quick-hitting offense, which thrives on off-ball movement and screening, had the Cavs perpetually lost throughout the night. James Harden struggled to navigate screens, while the rest of the Cavaliers (even Evan Mobley) weren’t able to communicate cleanly enough to avoid giving up opportunities at the rim.
This proved to be a bad combination for the Cavs in last year’s playoffs, and it looks like their personnel still isn’t able to keep up with New York’s offense.
Towns and Brunson ended with a combined 60 points. The Cavs ended this game needing far more from Evan Mobley and James Harden. The two combined for just 19 points. It felt like Mitchell was the only Cavalier who could find his shot for most of the night.
Of course, the Cavs were without some key players tonight. Jarrett Allen missed his third straight game, while Jaylon Tyson has been sidelined since before Halloween. Sam Merrill, who injured his elbow in Friday’s game, was also out tonight.
Still, there’s a larger trend of the Knicks simply outplaying the Cavs. Sometimes a team has your number, and it feels like the Knicks have held an advantage over Cleveland since 2023.
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 7: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks handles the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on November 7, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Saturday night to face the Brooklyn Nets. After coming off a big NBA Cup win against the Washington Wizards the night before, the Hawks were looking to make it four victories in a row for the week. The Nets came into this game after winning their previous game against the Charlotte Hornets.
The good news for the Hawks is that they got Jalen Johnson back after he missed the last three games with an ankle sprain.
As much as it was good news to get one of their frontcourt players back, they lost Onyeka Okongwu on the first play of the game after he was elbowed in the mouth (he returned later in the quarter). That must’ve had an effect on the entire team, because they went down early and fast in the first.
The Nets were making almost every shot they took, while the Hawks struggled to find a basket at times. Johnson was able to get some easy points on his return to the court.
The Hawks were able to cut their deficit to single digits through the middle of the quarter, but the Nets ran up their lead again. Toward the end of the half, the Hawks started to make a strong run, and it helped them cut their deficit down tremendously.
The Hawks got in transition a lot down the stretch, and Johnson led the way in that category to get them back into the game. Going into halftime, the Hawks trailed 70-66.
The start of the quarter was slow for the Hawks, and they weren’t able to capitalize much on bringing their deficit down before the half. The Nets continued to execute and get easy shots, but it was the second-chance opportunities they created that hurt the Hawks as well.
Johnson got out on the break again for an easy two points.
The Hawks had a lot of chances to cut their lead down, but the shots just weren’t going in. Most of the shots came up short, which may have something to do with playing the night before. Nonetheless, it was their defense that still kept them in the game.
Going into the fourth, the Hawks trailed 95-91.
It was the Wiggins show to start the fourth for the Hawks, as he scored eight straight points.
The Hawks got their deficit down to at least one point several times during their run, but they either weren’t able to score or get a stop to take the lead. That didn’t stop the Hawks from competing, even if they only had one shoe.
Dyson lost his shoe, picked it up and put it back on, then blocked a shot at the rim 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uyh5oEwBSs
The Hawks kept fighting, and they were eventually able to take the lead with less than two minutes remaining. Seconds later, they were able to turn their defense into offense again to gain a 3-point lead.
It didn’t stop there, and Flemings got a huge block on Michael Porter Jr. that gave the Hawks the ball. On the next possession, Johnson was able to get downhill for an and-one to extend their lead.
The Nets tried to make a last-second effort to get their lead back, but the Hawks were able to execute and walk away with the win.
Johnson finished with 30 points, Wiggins and Alexander-Walker finished with 20 points, and Daniels finished with nine points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and six steals.
The Hawks will be back in action on Monday to face the Los Angeles Lakers.
Just before LSU fell, 31-13 to Alabama at Tiger Stadium, Reese was seen hanging out with her fellow LSU alumni, Shaquille O’Neal, and that’s when he continued, what’s been a recent tradition of trolling the former National Champion.
This is FRYING ME lmao. Look at Angel Reese’s reaction when Shaq hit her with the “too small” TEARS pic.twitter.com/GHPjG1CJTE
Reese was filming O’Neal on the LSU sideline, and when she pointed the camera at him and told him to say something, he put his two fingers together and hit her with the “too small” celebration.
After he taunted her, Reese is heard in the video saying, “it’s okay, it’s okay,” and then jokingly forces her camera in his face, pretending to be taking a shot at the four-time NBA champion.
Shaquille O”Neal at Fanatics Fest over the summer. ZUMAPRESS.com
The “too small” celebration has been thrown at Reese’s way since she did it in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.
Once the game was called, Warriors rookie sensation Yaxel Lendeborg, who was in attendance was seen running onto the court and started taunting Reese with her own celebration.
O’Neal went to LSU from 1989-1992 and was the National Player of the Year winniner for the 1991 season.
After spending his first four seasons with the Orlando Magic, O’Neal signed a record-breaking deal with the Lakers in 1996 — that would be followed up with a second contract in 2003.
Angel Reese sitting courtside at an NBA game between the Timberwolves and Pelicans. AP Photo/Matthew Hinton
Reese played two seasons at LSU, from 2022-2024.
After her senior season ended, she was drafted with the No.7 overall pick by the Chicago Sky.
