PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives around Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers just keep on rolling. After a 112-106 win on Wednesday against the Pistons, they’re sitting comfortably at the top of the Eastern Conference with an 8-1 record.
Next up on Friday, the Sixers are continuing on the road with their second matchup against the Cavaliers, in what’s also their next NBA Cup game.
There’s another new name added to the injury report, too. And in typical fashion for this season, it’s a center: Adem Bona is now listed as doubtful with a cervical spine sprain. Jarrett Allen is questionable for the Cavs with a right knee contusion.
So far, the Cavs haven’t gotten off to the best start this season. They’re sitting at 4-4 and with this initial small sample we have, rank a dead average 15th in net rating at +1.9, largely thanks to their ninth-ranked offense. It’s defense that’s hurting them most, where they rank only 21st.
The Sixers’ dramatic 29-point comeback to beat the Cavs last month was a good indicator of how dangerous these Sixers can be when their stars click. Tyrese Maxey was electric last time. He finished with a team-high 32 points, and along with Jaylen Brown, the two stars both scored 17 points each in the second half to help power the comeback.
If Maxey can have his way again vs. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in the Cavs’ backcourt (as he has against every opponent this season, really), it wouldn’t be surprising to see Maxey lead the Sixers’ offense yet again with another high-scoring night.
Even after his first quieter night of the season on Wednesday, shooting only 5-of-16 against the Pistons, Maxey is still making his average of 28.0 points on a 60.7 true shooting percentage look easy.
Mitchell remains the biggest threat for the Sixers to handle. He dropped 32 points on 11-of-19 shooting last time to lead the Cavs, and is averaging 21.9 points with a 59.9 true shooting percentage for the season so far. As tenacious as both Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have been on defense, and as good as Joel Embiid has been protecting the paint, Mitchell is always a handful with his ability as a driver and high-volume three-point creator. How the Sixers cover Mitchell on Friday and limit his space in pick-and-rolls will be key.
Rebounding will be another crucial part of this game. The towering duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen isn’t exactly the ideal matchup for the Sixers and their depleted big man rotation. However, Philly did at least make a huge jump from ranking in the bottom half of the league in defensive rebound percentage earlier this week to ninth after beating the Pistons. Of course, that shows you just how much a single game and tiny samples change things this early in the season. But it was still a stronger effort from the Sixers on Wednesday, led by Embiid stepping up with 15 rebounds and LeBron James grabbing 10 of his own.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Sixers can build on that. Keeping Mobley and Allen (if he’s active) in check, being alert with boxouts, and fighting as much as possible on the glass will be important in maintaining an edge in this one. This is especially true with Bona doubtful. Despite his struggles this year, his likely absence still leaves the Sixers with even less size. We could well see Jabari Walker get increased minutes now, who will be in for a challenge at 6-foot-7 against the Cavs’ size, but has played well since preseason.
The Cavs’ bigs haven’t historically been able to slow Embiid down much either, and last time was no different.
The big fella scored 24 points, including 15 in the second half with some big buckets late to help secure the win. It’ll be fun to see how Embiid looks again on Friday.
Jaylen Brown was efficient against the Cavs before too, and he’s in fine form after putting together his best performance as a Sixer yet on Wednesday. He shot 11-of-19 overall for his first 30-point game on the team. Brown showed off with a balanced mix of buckets, scoring with strong drives, smooth mid-range pull-ups, and a 3-of-5 mark from three. Pair that with his strong defense and work to help contain Cade Cunningham, and Brown was excellent.
A late clutch block on a Cade three-point attempt was crucial in sealing the victory as well.
If Brown plays like this again on Friday, and Edgecombe and Maxey continue to excel as they have defensively, the Sixers’ perimeter stars look ready to give the Cavs a hard time.
As our Paul Hudrick put it after this week’s win against Detroit, this team feels real. Sure, it’s early days and there are things to work on, like the backup center situation and the offense only ranking 20th for now. But from the defense and the way they’re closing out games, to the sheer talent and amount of fun they’re having, this group does feel special.
And as LeBron has said himself, the guys on this team simply enjoy being around each other. The value of that can’t be overlooked either.
LeBron James, while discussing the Sixers' 8-1 start.
"We got a good team. Guys vibe with one another, guys like each other, guys enjoy being around each other. That has a lot to do with it too. It makes the game a lot easier when you enjoy being around people." pic.twitter.com/4wlpJzkOWx
Let’s see if they can keep the good vibes going in Cleveland.
Game Details
When: Friday, November 6, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH Watch: NBCSP/PCK-PHI, Prime Video Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 5: Miles Bridges #22 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic on November 5, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns’ four-game losing streak came to a much-needed end on Thursday night. Maybe it was the defensive intensity. Maybe it was the fact that I started wearing my watch. Maybe it was because their opponent was dealing with its own rash of issues, particularly at the point guard position. Or maybe, and hear me out on this one, it was because Devin Booker was wearing a headband.
Whatever the reason, the relief was both welcomed and desperately needed, especially considering the brand of basketball the Suns had put forth through the first six games of the season.
The standings now say 2-5, but there were some noticeable adjustments in this game. While those changes might not have been directly responsible for the victory, particularly when you consider the opponent, the fact that head coach Jordan Ott was willing to make them carries some weight. Could more adjustments be made? Quite possibly. Baby steps, right? Overall, the team looked considerably more engaged, even if its weak-side defensive rotations still appeared a little out of sync and out of rhythm.
And the stats? On paper, they’re certainly impressive. Phoenix shot 17-of-30 from beyond the arc, an outstanding 56.7%, while holding the Magic to 13-of-38 from deep, or 34.2%. Of course, there’s also the fact that Phoenix built a 30-point lead at 105-75 before surrendering a 25-10 run that made things considerably more interesting than they needed to be. But you know what? We’ve had plenty of negative and frustrating things to discuss this season, so we’re going to leave that one alone. At least for now.
The hope is that this wasn’t simply a game of shooting variance for the Suns and that they can build upon what we witnessed moving forward. I remain cautious about looking at one game’s numbers and declaring that Phoenix has turned some sort of corner. Consistency is what ultimately defines success.
Thursday’s victory is encouraging, even if it doesn’t erase the concerns we’ve developed over the first seven games. We saw adjustments, better energy, and stretches of basketball that resembled what this team is supposed to be. Now comes the difficult part. Doing it again. And again. Because one good night doesn’t establish an identity, but it can provide a foundation for building one.
Of course, if the headband turns out to be the answer, I’m all for it.
Bright Side Baller Standings
For those who are new around here, you might ask yourself, “What? MC? Why?” Somehow, some way, Mariah Carey has become a symbol of how we express our collective frustration. That after a poor team-wide performance, we’d rather watch the vocal stylings of Mariah Carey and acknowledge her greatness rather than the Suns.
Beating your former team always feels good, even when you’re not on the court.
The Warriors stretched their winning streak to six with a 120-100 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night at Chase Center but a rehabbing wing Jimmy Butler had the most fun on the bench.
After the win, Warriors forward Georges Niang explained why he recognized Butler’s energy against his old squad.
“I can’t even count the number of teams that I have a spot that wants to stick it to them, so I can understand why Jimmy feels the way that he does,” Niang said. “He hasn’t really voiced it. Jimmy is probably listening to country music in the weight room right now, screaming. But yeah, I get it. It’s like a relationship that ends and do you want to see your ex do better than when she was with you? Not really. I don’t think anybody else does.”
The Warriors star posted a humorous AI-generated video on Instagram after the game, depicting Steph Curry and former Warrior Klay Thompson in the 1999 movie Blue Streak.
Butler signed with the Heat prior to the 2019-20 season and spent five seasons with the organization before being traded to Golden State during the 2024-25 season in exchange for a package involving Andrew Wiggins.
In his Miami tenure, Butler earned three All-NBA selections and led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023.
Butler’s presence on the Warriors has been similarly impactful. Golden State was below .500 when they initially traded for Butler but won over 67 percent of the games he played in over the past two seasons.
The six-time All-Star is working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in January and is expected to return around the All-Star break.
Despite not being on the court, Butler has made an effort to stay connected with his teammates and provide his support, even hosting a players-only event in San Diego before the season.
“You talk about someone that doesn’t have to be as giving as he is, but I texted him the other day, and I was like, ‘Hey, how’s rehab going? Just checking on you,’ ” Niang said. “And he was like, ‘It’s great, you know. Keep playing well. Is there anything I can do for you?’ And I looked at my phone, and I was like, ‘Am I reading this right?’ Like Jimmy Butler’s asking, ‘Is there anything he can do for me?’
“You talk about selfless people, and he’s been completely selfless and giving, even when he’s not a part of it, going through the toughest time of his playing career tearing his ACL. He’s been phenomenal and great to be around.”
Golden State appears to have found its groove after a slow start, but its entire outlook will change once Butler returns to the court.
The calendar has turned to November, and the NBA regular season is settling into a rhythm.
Thus far, it has been clear that there will be no shortage of candidates for the league’s top individual honor. The reigning two-time Most Valuable Player, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has been exceptional to start the season, especially in the face of the numerous injuries his team has faced.
And yet, there are four players ranked ahead of him after two weeks of games, two of which had been unranked in last week’s edition.
Here is the second iteration of the USA TODAY Sports' NBA Most Valuable Player rankings:
▶ Stats: 30.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists in 8 games
If the last two Thunder games are any indication – both of which were victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers – Gilgeous-Alexander may be called upon to significantly increase his scoring while Oklahoma City contends with its many injuries. Gilgeous-Alexander has combined to score 85 points and dish out 16 assists over those last two, on a remarkable 61 field goal attempts.
▶ Stats: 28.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists in 9 games
This is a loaded team, to be sure, but Maxey has been the clear standout from the group. So much so that Jaylen Brown, one of the new marquee additions, said recently that Philadelphia “is his team,” referring to Maxey, adding that he has “been leading the way for sure.” Maxey’s numbers have actually taken a small dip, but considering the star talent playing around him, that’s practically remarkable in itself. His perimeter shot has been stellar, he can create for others and his speed in transition is unparalleled across the entire league.
▶ Stats: 29.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists in 7 games
Who says the MVP is a young man’s game? Curry, approaching his 39th birthday in March, has been torching opposing defenses with a relentless barrage of 3-point shots. Even at his age, Curry is seemingly tireless and remains the most difficult player to defend off the ball. Perhaps more impressively, the Warriors have been a pleasant surprise to start the season, even without Jimmy Butler (ACL recovery) and Kristaps Porziņģis (away from team).
▶ Stats: 29.0 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists in 8 games
It’s too early in the season for a player to already have an MVP moment, but Wembanyama’s dominance Wednesday, Nov. 4 in a one-point win against the Mavericks was astounding. He dropped 52 points, 24 rebounds and 8 blocks. He became only the second player since blocks began to be tracked in 1974 to record at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks in a single game, joining Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo. The Spurs have won six consecutive, and Wembanyama is playing the best basketball of his young career.
▶ Stats: 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.0 assists in 8 games
How historic is Dončić’s absolute scorcher to start the season? Entering the year, NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain had recorded the Top 4 marks for points per game in a single season. Those ranged from 50.4 to 37.6. It has been just eight games, but Dončić is now slotted in at No. 3 and is topping the best non-Chamberlain mark, set by Michael Jordan (37.1) in 1986-87. Dončić, undeniably, has been the best player thus far. And now that LeBron James is no longer in Los Angeles, he’s able to fully orchestrate coach JJ Redick’s offense.
Also under consideration: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat (dropped out of rankings); Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (dropped out of rankings); Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets; Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies; Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Nov 4, 2026; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) shoots the ball during the first half of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hours before the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks faced off Wednesday night, Luka Garza was already getting to work. He joined the team’s Stay Ready crew, warming up alongside Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Walsh while his father, Frank, watched from courtside near the baseline.
Garza wasn’t in Boston’s Jayson Tatum-less starting lineup, but that didn’t matter. His routine remained the same.
That’s standard for Garza. Each night, he knows the moment could arrive when Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla calls his number. On Wednesday, it came early, with 5:37 remaining in the first quarter. He checked in for Hugo González and knocked down his first shot — a wide-open 3-pointer from the wing — to extend Boston’s lead over Milwaukee to 25-8.
Down the other end, less than a minute later, Garza came away with a steal. Payton Pritchard capitalized on the extra possession by draining a jumper. Garza knocked down each of his three 3-point attempts to lead the Celtics with 11 points at halftime. Mazzulla didn’t turn to him nearly as much in the second half, but he had already made his impact felt.
In just 18 minutes against Milwaukee, Garza reinforced his reliability.
Oct 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) shoots the ball during warmups prior to a game against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He went from playing 8.9 minutes per game through the first five games of the season to averaging 18.7 over the last three against Orlando, Houston and Milwaukee. In return, Garza has rewarded Mazzulla’s increased deployment of the 27-year-old veteran, posting averages of 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and two assists since the start of November.
Throughout it all, Garza has maintained his knack for creating second chances on the offensive glass. He’s grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, just behind Robinson (17) and Neemias Queta (18) for the team lead. He’s also re-emerged as a dangerous 3-point threat, much like last season. His 52.4% clip from beyond the arc leads the Celtics and ranks first among Eastern Conference centers averaging at least 2.6 attempts.
From the corners, Garza has shot 6-of-8, going 11-of-21 overall from three through the first eight games this season.
The drive-and-kick option for teammates like Paul George and Pritchard to find Garza on the perimeter was utilized Wednesday night, and it’s proven to be an effective one. Garza is Mazzulla’s best 3-point shooter among Boston’s centers, making him a legitimate outside shooting threat that opposing defenses can’t afford to leave unattended.
Entering a season where Queta vs. Robinson starting center debates dominated the discourse surrounding Boston’s front court, Garza has quietly made his case to play each night. He’s done his part to support the group amid Robinson’s early-season adjustment struggles by remaining prepared to contribute. And despite understanding what playing behind Queta and Robinson could mean for his minutes on any given night, Garza has emerged as a leader by example in Boston’s reserve unit.
The Celtics can call on him to perform alongside the starters while also counting on him to work with those coming off the bench. Garza occupies something of an older brother role in helping teammates navigate the same challenges he previously faced during his three-year stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Boston, he’s able to simultaneously shine and stay hungry.
It doesn’t take much for Garza to make a difference either. Sometimes it’ll go unnoticed when he battles for a second-chance opportunity because the Celtics fail to convert. Other times, he might not get the seven 3-point attempts he did in Houston. But the effort is always there.
This season, he’s averaging 7.5 points with 3.1 rebounds on 48.7 percent shooting. That doesn’t even begin to tell half the story of what he’s been doing on the floor.
The Celtics can’t offer Garza 60-plus starts, but the coaching staff remains vigilant at all times. His impact off the bench has been rewarded, sending the message that the team is well aware of what he’s brought to the table. That’s certainly encouraging for Garza, who’s begun to carve out a role in a Boston front court that was heavily considered crowded throughout much of the offseason.
Golden State beat the Miami Heat 120-100 on Thursday night for its sixth straight win, with Curry scoring 29 points, Yaxel Lendeborg adding 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Green dishing a season-high 11 assists.
Afterward, Green joined “Warriors Postgame Live” on NBC Sports Bay Area and was asked what changed since that start, and he pointed to Kerr’s message in the locker room.
“One thing I’ve always said is Steve Kerr always knows what to say, and even when no one else may feel the way that we should feel, he’s going to say the right things,” Green told Bonta Hill, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Chris Mullin and Festus Ezeli. “So when we were 0-3, he came into the locker room and gave this speech as if we were 3-0, and it was kind of in that moment where people may start to wane a little bit, and he got us going. And then we got the Denver win and everything else has rolled since.”
Draymond revealed how a passionate speech from Steve Kerr after the Warriors fell to 0-3 helped spark their current six-game winning streak 🙌 pic.twitter.com/AwA6e8Hs45
Asked if he remembered the speech, Kerr could not recite it, but he remembered the thinking behind it.
“I don’t remember what I said, but I felt good about our team even when we were 0-3,” Kerr said. “We had a really good training camp, we have a deep team, we have a lot of talent.”
Kerr said the timing of the losses mattered more than the number.
“The main thing is if you lose three in a row in the middle of the season, nobody notices, but when you lose three in a row to start the year, everybody sees it,” Kerr said. “I just tried to get the guys to relax and play because I knew we were going to be pretty good.”
Curry said the speech came after the third loss in Phoenix, and that the message was about patience and what Kerr saw on film.
“He just mentioned sticking with the process and the things that he noticed on film and just the feel in games,” Curry said. “We were really close to being able to put together winning performances.”
The Memphis loss was a good example. The Warriors led by 12 with 3:47 left in the home opener before losing 111-108, and Curry said the pieces of a winning team were already there apart from the final four minutes. What stood out to him most about Kerr’s message was something simpler.
“I think the biggest part was that he was proud of how hard we were playing, and everyone is taking on that challenge as well when they come in the game,” Curry said.
Green said the other change has been Lendeborg, whose rise has lifted the group’s confidence.
“The way Yaxel’s stepping up, it definitely has changed the mindset a little bit,” Green said. “Obviously the mindset here is to always try to win games, but I think you just feel a little more confident about it than we did before.”
Kerr said the group has been easy to coach. He praised Green’s leadership, along with that of Curry and Al Horford, and the energy from the young players who come off the bench or, in Lendeborg’s case, start.
“It’s a really connected group of guys,” Kerr said. “So it’s a fun team to coach.”
Kerr might not remember the words, but the Warriors have won six straight since he said them.
Knicks point guard Tyler Kolek called out the “Patient Zero” hitmaker as the “fakest” celebrity fan for jumping on the orange and blue bandwagon during the team’s championship run this year.
Kolek and teammate Deuce McBride were tasked with answering a series of questions during an NBA 2K TikTok livestream on Thursday when they were asked, “Who is the fakest celebrity Knicks fan?”
“At the Knicks games, I would say it’s very performative,” Kolek said. “Because they just want to be seen at the game. They’re not necessarily fans.”
But he singled out the “Bad Blood” singer as by far the biggest offender.
“Maybe Taylor Swift? I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other games,” Kolek said. “I guess she has a lot going on so she can’t come all the time. But it’s a little performative.”
McBride agreed but warned his teammate that “Swifties” wouldn’t like his answer.
“I’m going to get some hate from the Swifties,” Kolek acknowledged.
Knicks guard Tyler Kolek called Taylor Swift the “fakest” celebrity fan of the team’s championship run, drawing backlash from Swifties. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostTaylor Swift, left, and actress Mariska Hargitay react during Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York, on June 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
McBride praised the Knicks’ core group of celebrity fans, like Ben Stiller and Tracy Morgan, but noted that most stars were rarely seen at games outside of the championship series at Madison Square Garden in June.
“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,” the Knicks said in a statement.
The “Cruel Summer” artist sat courtside with singing sisters Este and Alana Haim, with the trio cheering on the team as she wore an orange-and-blue T-shirt that read “Stevie Knicks.”
One showed the hitmaker in a jersey and hat posing alongside comedian Jimmy Fallon in 2015, while another captured her courtside with former Knicks stars Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.
In a 2014 photo, Swift sported a purple Knicks T-shirt while taking in a game with her former bestie Karlie Kloss.
Kolek’s dig sparked a split reaction online, drawing agreement from some fans and backlash from Swifties.
“Yall mad this take is on point,” one fan wrote in the comments of a TikTok clip of his remarks posted to NBA 2K’s account.
“Beyond accurate,” wrote another.
“Taylor been to more Knicks games than you Tyler,” another commented, defending Swift’s fandom.
SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors associate head coach Frank Vogel was unimpressed when I mentioned during a brief pregame exchange Thursday night that the defense he coordinates is slowly on the rise.
“Yeah,” Vogel said, “but we got a long way to go.”
That was apparent an hour later, when head coach Steve Kerr called a timeout less than four minutes into the game after the Miami Heat, coming into Chase Center 21 hours after an overtime win in Los Angeles, sprinted to a 10-point lead.
Golden State’s defense started to surface late in the second quarter, closing with an 11-4 run, and turned ferocious in the second half. That, along with Stephen Curry’s third-quarter flurry, generated the wind behind a 120-100 blowout.
The Warriors went to bed with the positive vibes that come with a six-game win streak, their longest since March 2025.
“We would love to have better starts,” Curry said. “But the way that we respond is a great testament to how bad we want to be a great team. We’re not there yet, but this run that we’re on is building a lot of confidence.”
Kerr, tongue partly in cheek, went a step further: “I see what people say, that we’re going to suck and all that stuff. It’s our job to prove them wrong.”
The proof will surface if the defense continues trending upward. Five games into the season, the Warriors were 27th in the NBA in defensive rating. Over the last four, they are fourth. They’re now 16th overall.
After Miami, in the first quarter, shot 54.5 percent from the field, including 40 percent from deep, the Warriors limited the Heat to 35.9/26.5 splits over the final three quarters. They took full advantage of the Heat being on the second night of a back-to-back set.
“Our whole thing was just ‘stay the course’ and wear them down,” Kerr said. “But we had to find some defensive energy. And finally, late second quarter, we sped them up a little bit, turned them over, the crowd got into it and then we were much better defensively.”
The Warriors looked much more like the squad Vogel, in his first season on the staff, hoped to create from the first day of training camp. He wants a scrappy, physical defense and they are showing signs of becoming that.
“Frank’s been amazing,” Curry said. “He’s bringing in things that we’ve done in the past, things that pretty much every coach does, but also some nuances that are complex ideas but we’re keeping them simple – if that makes sense.”
When Golden State’s defense gets stingy, Draymond Green usually is in the middle of the action. He is, in football parlance, a great middle linebacker. He nailed his primary assignment, which was to contain Heat superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, well below his 28.3-per-game average. To put a more germane point on it, he scored seven of Miami’s first 14 points inside the first four minutes and only 13 over the final 44 minutes – only four in the second half.
“Draymond was brilliant guarding Giannis,” Kerr said. “We didn’t really let him get too many buckets in the paint which is always key. You want to build a wall in front of him and make him score over the top, which he was doing in the first half. You live with those buckets. I think Dray does as good a job on him as anybody possibly can, the angles, using his strength to keep him out of the paint, and battling him without fouling.”
Green did have ancillary support, as he often shared the floor with backup center Al Horford to build “the wall” that prevents Giannis from generating momentum that usually ends with him blasting to the rim for a dunk. He got one early, and no more.
“He came out hitting jumpers, and with a player like that you kind of got to live with him hitting jumpers,” Green said on the NBC Sports Bay Area’s Warriors Postgame. “But I think in the first half I was just giving him the jump shot, especially first quarter. I started to try to make him think a little bit when he was going to take the jump shot to kind of break up the rhythm of it.
“But I’ll be honest with you: No one in this league is stopping the Giannis one-on-one. If your teammates are not in gaps, not building a wall when he’s coming downhill, you stand no chance. It’s never a one-man army when you’re playing against Giannis and trying to stop him. It’s a full-team effort, because he’s a great player.”
This was Draymond at his finest, though. He tends to summon another gear when facing an opponent of a particular status. The wild dog tends to materialize when he’s assigned him to an MVP or even an All-Star.
His goal is to spread his tenacity throughout the roster.
“I think this team does have a collective nastiness to it,” Green said in the locker room. “But you gotta continue to build that. This is Game 9. To say you have an identity is not realistic.
“But the only thing you can go off of is the data that you have in front of you. Our team has shown that we have a backbone. When you’re trying to become a winning team, that’s important. It so something that you need.”
Green and Vogel are cut from similar cloth. Both have vision for building a defense that can pull the Warriors toward the playoffs. There remains plenty of time, but early indicators are positive.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOVEMBER 5: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball during the game while Klay Thompson #11 of the Miami Heat plays defense during the game on November 5, 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
It’s hard to know what Steph Curry has been doing during halftime this season. Maybe he’s snacking on popcorn. Maybe he’s firing himself up by reading internet comments. Maybe Steph is getting pep talks over FaceTime from Natalie Nakase.
Regardless of what he’s doing — meditation, yoga, writing letters complaining about affordable housing projects, watching highlights from Season 2 of “Holey Moley” — it’s working. Curry shot 4-of-5 from the field, sank three three-pointers, and scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter as the Golden State Warriors outscored the Miami Heat 38-23. The game was tied at halftime, and the Dubs went on to win by 20, with a tidy final score of 120-100.
Curry is now averaging nearly 12 points in third quarters. He’s shooting 62.2% from the field and 65% behind the arc and hasn’t missed a third-quarter free throw all season. He finished Thursday’s game with 29 points, four assists, and six more three-pointers, and has made at least five triples in each of his last four games.
The Warriors won their sixth straight game after starting the season 0-3. They took the victory Thursday night at the expense of two of their old teammates, Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson. Wiggins scored just two points, while Captain Klay had 11 points, though he did block two shots. The two former champions combined to shoot 4-for-16 from the field, while Thompson didn’t look amused by his Splash Brother clowning around for a photo during the game.
It’s tough for those guys, in part because the Heat’s warmups for Thursday’s game were black shirts with a red flames on the back. It feels like the team let Guy Fieri and the assistant manager of a Hot Topic have final say on the design. It simply doesn’t look good for basketball players in their 30’s to dress like they’re part of a UFC fighter’s entourage.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a constant Warriors trade target before forcing his way to Miami this summer, where it’s not going great. He’s averaging 28.3 points and 12.5 rebounds but his team is 3-6. Antetokounmpo had 20 points and 14 rebounds in the loss, but most of that production happened in the first half. After halftime, the Greek Freak had four points and four rebounds and took only four shots, clearly frustrated by Draymond Green’s defense.
Green scored two points but delivered 11 assists and finished +13 with a steal and a block. Anecdotally, Green’s beard also looks darker, which could have been the NBC Sports Bay Area picture quality, but we think it’s possible that Draymond is using BED’s (Beard Enhancing Drugs).
During one sequence in the second quarter, Green and Curry took turns feeding rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who filled up the box score with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a block.
Lendeborg was part of a high-effort rebounding performance by the Warriors, who grabbed 44 boards to Miami’s 39, even with the massive Anteotkounmpo and Bam Adebayo (18 points, 10 rebounds) manning the middle. The bench made a big difference, collecting 24 boards while the Heat’s reserves got seven. Standouts were Charles Bassey, De’Anthony Melton, and Al Horford, who had seven, six, and five rebounds respectively. Bassey and Horford each scored eight points and Horford was +21, making both his threes and has five in his last two games.
Al Horford knocks down a three to put the Warriors up double digits and Chase Center is ROCKING 😤 pic.twitter.com/OHNaXVl8fn
Bassey played 14 “loud minutes,” according to Bob Fitzgerald, and it’s hard to argue with that description. He simply does a lot of stuff, even if some of that is negative (five fouls, three turnovers, airballed a three). Bassey blocked three shots and appeared to make the Heat big men decidedly uncomfortable. His most impressive play came when he grabbed a free throw rebound while getting double teamed and fouled, and flipped in a shot anyway.
Once again, the Warriors started slow and fell behind by double-digits early, mainly because they started with ice-cold shooting. The young guys kept the team afloat as the veterans slowly loosened up, with Will Richard leading the team with 10 first-half points and Yaxel adding nine.
The Warriors bench shot 19-for-30, while their Heat counterparts were 8-for-27. Nikola Jovic’s long-term deal already looks regrettable. Bobby Portis tried to fire up his team by going after Georges “The Minivan” Niang, and after Niang didn’t back down, Portis didn’t score for the rest of the game. Niang was 4-for-5 with 10 points after halftime.
Georges Niang on this moment with Bobby Portis:
"He actually said that his outfit looked better than mine. And then I was like well no mine looks better than yours. And we went back and forth. I mean, do you really want to know what we said to each other?"
Miami sacrificed a ton of their depth to land the Greek Freak, and as a result, only Pelle Larsson is truly reliable off the bench. They’re leaning on guys on the downside of their careers, like Thompson and Tim Hardaway, Jr., along with guys taken off the NBA scrap heap, like center Nick Richards. And that could have been the Warriors!
It’s never been clear how realistic the Warriors’ reported pursuit of Antetokounmpo was at last year’s deadline, and they appeared to be a non-factor in the summer’s trade talks. The Milwaukee Bucks may not have seriously wanted anyone aside from Brandin Podziemski, and if they weren’t going to take Jimmy Butler back, the only way Golden State could have landed Antetokounmpo was too gut their roster and fill in the gaps with, well, guys who didn’t have a lot of other options.
They also wouldn’t have Yaxel, who is already better than anyone on the Heat besides Bam and Giannis. The Curry Flurry was the engine behind the team’s second-half surge, but the team made their game-defining 17-3 run in the quarter by playing defense best described as “really annoying” — something that the Heat used to specialize in. Richard, Melton, Podziemski, and Lendeborg all deflected passes and closed out on threes, causing a number of low-percentage shots late in the shot clock.
Big Al had an embarrassing play where Adebayo faked him out and hit a stepback jumper in the second quarter as Horford stumbled backwards. However, in the remaining 28 minutes following that play, Horford only scored one fewer point than the 83-point man.
The game could have become a true blowout were it not for Davion Mitchell going off in the final quarter, scoring 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting and proving beyond a doubt that there’s no better NBA career move than leaving the Sacramento Kings.
Brandon Williams had another solid bench effort with 10 points, four assists, and two surprising blocks. He continued to get to the rim at will off the dribble, getting layups and drawing fouls. Williams’ defense has been far better than advertised, and down the stretch, he iced the game by repeatedly finding his teammates for alley-oops.
Why does Williams need to seize this opportunity so badly? He’s gotta pay rent in San Francisco.
Let’s just say we wouldn’t be shocked if Williams is really invested in NBA Cup games and the massive payouts that go to winners. If he can secure one of the six-figure playoff shares, maybe he won’t have to get extra roommates from Craigslist.
The Warriors have two more games left on this extended homestand. They’ll face the Orlando Magic, missing Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, on Saturday, then the red-hot New Orleans Pelicans Monday, who will be on a back-to-back, to the Warriors’ advantage. Also to the Warriors’ advantage? They’re the Pelicans.
Six wins in a row, with an excellent chance to stretch their winning streak to eight games before a brutal trip to the Texas Triangle next week. Imagine how good they could be if the first few minutes of the game didn’t stink!
Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket ahead of Pelle Larsson (9) in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Miami Heat at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors are officially rolling. With Thursday night’s 120-100 win over the Miami Heat, the Dubs have won six games in a row, and their 0-3 start is a distant memory.
Thursday was a game they were expected to win — Miami is off to a sluggish start, and played an overtime game the night before — and win they did, though they once came out of the gates slowly, trailing by 10 early and entering halftime with a tied score. But a win is a win is a win, and a 20-point win is a 20-point win is a 20-point win.
So let’s grade the players who got the job done. As always, grades are based on my expectations of 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. Entering Thursday’s games, league-average TS was 57.1%.
Richard got another start, presumably partially due to Gui Santos’ absence, and partially due to wanting to get a strong defender on the court against Andrew Wiggins. Richard played awesomely against Wiggins, who shot just 1-for-6 on the day, and also when taking turns on Klay Thompson.
When the Warriors were struggling to start the game, Richard was also the team’s lone source of offense … not only was he the first player on the team to reach double digits, but he was the only Dub with double digits at the half.
It’s unfair that Richard ended up with a -5 plus/minus on a night where the Warriors won by 20. That’s really just the result of him being one of their best players when they were struggling, and then not getting much second-half playing time due to other players heating up. So it goes. They got the win, he played well, and I’m sure he’s quite happy with all of it.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.
Lendeborg — in just the ninth game of his career — has reached the point where you feel like he had a quiet game and then look at the box score and he’s sitting on a 17-8-6-3-1 line. Ridiculous!
His NBA crash course continued, as he opened up the game defending Bam Adebayo, and had plenty of possessions against Giannis Antetokounmpo as well. Both of those players had pretty decent numbers, but I was impressed with the job that Lendeborg did when lined up against them.
It wasn’t his most efficient shooting night, but we’re likely going to see that more and more as he’s given a larger and larger role in the offense. Both his efficiency and his plus/minus were hurt by the fact that Steve Kerr trusts Lendeborg to be The Man when Steph Curry and Draymond Green sit … and sometimes when they’re on the court, too. As a result, he doesn’t always have a ton of help, and there were plenty of shots in this game that he missed because he was the last-second bail-out option. Comes with the territory.
Ultimately, a very strong game for Lendeborg, and one where we really saw him start to further his chemistry with other players on the team, such as Charles Bassey and Brandon Williams.
Grade: B+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Green’s patience on offense continues to shine through this year. He’s played in seven games this season and only shot the ball 21 times, total. A large part of that is the presence of Lendeborg, who simply makes the offense work much better, and gives the team another 20-point scorer. But part of it is Draymond showing restraint on that end of the court. There will be a time and a place for him to take a lot of shots and score a lot of points, but it is very noticeable how much more fluid the offense is with him acting solely as a facilitator (both with and without the ball).
The season-high 11 assists for Green were a joy to watch, and it was the driving force for the 36 team assists the Dubs had, which was also a season high.
But above all else, this game was a reminder as to the value Green brings on the defensive end, not just through his actions on any given possession, but his abilities that allow Kerr flexibility when game-planning. On paper, Green being the starting center against an opposing frontcourt of Antetkounmpo and Adebayo is a bit silly, but his talent and versatility makes it work.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.
It’s always a special day when Klay returns to the Bay Area. But when he does, it’s hard to ignore the storyline of his departure, even if it’s long been buried. A lot went into the Warriors legend deciding to leave the team, but much of it stemmed from being upset at Podziemski starting to take Thompson’s spot in the starting lineup, and the way the franchise handled that shift.
While it’s easy to understand and empathize with Klay, it’s also pretty apparent that the Warriors made the right move. Thompson is headed for the Hall of Fame, but these days Podziemski is certainly the better — and more complete — player.
That was on display Thursday night, even though it wasn’t Podz’s best game, by the stat sheet or by the eye test. He struggled to get separation against Miami’s length, but he played awesome defense and made things happen all over the court.
Curry was something of a non-factor in the first half. He looked like he simply didn’t have it, and shot just 2-for-10 from the field. After the game, Kerr mentioned that one of the most special things about Curry is his ability to bounce back from a bad performance while it’s still happening, instead of needing to wait for the next game.
And my goodness was that exemplified in this contest. On the other side of the court was Antetokounmpo, a recent MVP, and Adebayo, who has the second-highest scoring game in NBA history to his name. Yet once the second half began, the contest emphatically belonged to Curry, who was far and away the best player on the court. He truly took over. And thanks to the addition of Lendeborg and the depth of this team, it seems like Curry will be able to do that more and more often this year, given that he doesn’t have to expend all his energy carrying the team on his shoulders all the time.
He’s still averaging more than a point per minute, and he’s under two turnovers per game. The end, I’m pleased to report, is not in sight.
It turns out that having three rest days — Horford didn’t play on Monday — is a superpower for Big Al. That probably shouldn’t be surprising, considering that this is his 20th NBA season. Against an incredibly athletic team, Horford more than held his own, with elite interior defense and a slick jumper that proved pivotal in the second-half rally.
He remains a savvy and trustworthy veteran on his worst day, and a two-way impact player on his best.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
Not the best offensive night for Melton, but it was a fantastic game for him on the other end of the court. His defense has been so strong this year and, just as importantly, his hands have been so active, which helps create healthy chaos. Critically, Melton has been one of — if not the — best player on the team at turning defense into offense this year. It feels like every time he gets a steal he pushes the ball in transition, and every time he gets a deflection, he leaks out for a teammate to find him. The Dubs had 28 points off of turnovers in this game (an 11-point advantage, despite only forcing one more turnover than they committed), and Melton was a big reason why, even if he only put one shot through the hoop.
I’m having so much fun watching Williams on the Warriors. He’s just such an enjoyable player to watch, and he plays in a way that’s been so foreign to the Dubs over the last decade-plus. Good things happen when Williams is on the court, and specifically when he has the ball in his hands. After so much movement of Curry dancing around the perimeter and cutting baseline to baseline, defenses seem completely confused when Williams gets on the court and starts exploding downhill like prime Frank Gore hitting a gap.
He’s been a little inconsistent this year in terms of actually finishing, but good things happen regardless, simply by nature of attacking. In this game, however? No problem finishing whatsoever, or dishing to open teammates. He even blocked a pair of shots! A tremendous game for a vital spark plug.
Niang is really starting to show up as advertised, and then some. We expected we’d get a heady veteran who made smart plays and drained threes, and that’s arriving in spades. What we didn’t expect was to get someone who was going to provide such fiery leadership. That was once again on display Thursday, when Niang did something that not many players are willing to do: go nose-to-nose with Bobby Portis Jr.
The forward had a few choice words for Portis while they shoved their foreheads against each other like bucks during mating season. You could see the trash-talking venom in Niang’s eyes, and both players were awarded technicals.
It’s fight and intensity that the Warriors need, especially with Jimmy Butler III sidelined. And it’s also a healthy complement to Green, as Niang is willing to scuffle with anyone — this was his third such instance of the season — but stops short of crossing the line. His teammates really seem to feed off of it.
Fear not, Warriors fans. Kerr has heard your complaints, logged them, and taken action. After this game, Kerr said that Bassey is “earning more minutes for sure,” so you can expect him to get larger chunks of minutes going forward.
This wasn’t a perfect game from the energetic big. He got a little too careless, which led to three turnovers and five fouls in just 14 minutes. And he lost his perfect shooting night when he hoisted a victory cigar three that badly missed.
But just because he wasn’t perfect doesn’t mean he wasn’t damn good, and Bassey was exactly that: damn good. He’s not only figuring out how to finish more effectively, but building up great chemistry with his teammates. His defense is so much better than it was earlier in his career, as he’s genuinely turned a liability into an asset, and it comes with a bunch of rebounds, too.
Payton seems healthier this year than he’s been in a long time, and it’s paying dividends. Kerr has also really figured out a nice role for GPII, who gets to come into the game for a few short bursts and wreak absolute havoc on defense, while cutting to the rim endlessly on offense. The improved depth of the bench has allowed Payton to have a smaller role, and he’s positively thriving in it.
Grade: A
Malevy Leons
1 minute, 0 points, +2
Despite it being a 20-point game, there wasn’t a lot of garbage time in this game, as the two-way contracts only got one minute and nine seconds of action.
Grade: Incomplete
Graham Ike
1 minute, 0 points, 1 rebound, +2
Only one minute of action, but Ike was still able to get in the stat sheet with a board.
Grade: Incomplete
LJ Cryer
1 minute, 0 points, +2
Cryer’s time is coming. At some point, injury and/or load management will open the door for him to get some consistent run.
Thursday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Gui Santos
Two former teammates are reunited in the Bay Area.
When the Warriors signed guard Brandon Williams this offseason, all they envisioned was a key depth piece to help the franchise return to the NBA playoffs after a one-season absence. For Williams, coming to Golden State meant so much more. It meant reuniting with guard De’Anthony Melton, his former high school teammate in Southern California.
Williams and Melton grew up 15 minutes from each other, Williams in Panorama City and Melton in North Hollywood. The two shared the floor at Crespi Carmelite High School and won back-to-back state titles in 2015 and 2016.
Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson and Bonta Hill on the latest episode of “Dubs Talk,” Williams shared when it became clear that he would join forces with Melton on the Warriors.
“It’s crazy, I was telling him about how I should go through free agency and what I should expect,” Williams told Hill and Johnson. “But we didn’t know that it was going to happen. Because we played a game every day, we talked probably too much. But I want to say the second week of free agency. That’s when I started to get a good glimpse. I didn’t tell him initially when I got the call. But a couple of days later, when I started to feel like it was going to happen, I’m like, ‘Hey bro, it might happen.’ It was kind of cool.”
Williams’ basketball journey has been wild. After one season at Arizona in 2018-19, he missed his sophomore campaign due to a knee injury. After leaving college in 2020 to prepare for his pro career, he went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft and joined the NBA G League’s Westchester Knicks.
Williams signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers for the rest of 2021-22, played in 24 games and despite showing promise, averaging over 12 points per game, was released in October 2022 and spent the next season in the G League.
Joining the Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract in December 2023 before signing a standard multi-year contract in April 2025, it was there that he learned the most about himself and credits the opportunities he got in Dallas for setting him up for success in Golden State.
“I learned a lot,” Williams told Hill and Johnson. “Coming from a two-way [contract] and working my way up in the league, it’s always difficult. You’re going to have your days where it’s going to be good and getting days where it’s going to be bad, but you’ve got to have a good team around you, a good development crew, and Dallas [Mavericks] had me ready for that for any given situation.
“Unfortunately, [Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving] went down two years ago, and I knew I was ready on the spot just based on the work that was behind me and the team I had behind me. I knew I was ready to go into it, and at least until now, I got a standard contract and I got a foot in the door. I can never be comfortable in this league, but now I got that confidence and having someone that I know here on the team as well gives me that much more confidence.”
Williams signed a one-year deal and is playing well early this season. Through 11 games, he is averaging 11.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. If the team continues to get good performances from bench players like him, the Warriors could be a dangerous team in the West.
If you ask Doc Rivers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the perfect place to take the next step in his career.
In the most recent episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Rivers dished on his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, how he navigated the ill-fated Damian Lillard trade and the highs and lows that came with coaching the Greek Freak.
"I liked Giannis a lot. I liked him more as a dude," Rivers told Simmons. "He's interesting. He's not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He's really a difficult guy because he has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have super IQ at the same time. It's really a strange thing, and he really has one way. Downhill. Force, force. Every play, he wants to force it."
Doc Rivers tells Bill Simmons it was so hard for him to coach Giannis Antetokounmpo during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks:
“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high…
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 6, 2026
The number one thing Rivers emphasized was execution. Preparing the right way and setting his teammates up for success is the area the Hall of Fame coach believes Antetokounmpo fell short in during their time together. But now, with Antetokounmpo on the Miami Heat under Erik Spoelstra, Rivers is hopeful that will come to fruition.
"I wish he learned how to execute better," Rivers said. "He's one of those guys − you get a lot of them from the U.S., AAU guys − that have never needed to execute because they can do it on their own. But that doesn't help the team. And I told Giannis this, the thing he needs to still learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you're in practice and shootarounds to lock in on execution. And now he has a coach who is as good as there is in execution."
Antetokounmpo landed in South Beach this summer after a blockbuster trade that put an end to the long-running standoff between the 10-time All-Star and the Bucks front office, but it's been anything but greener pastures early on. The Heat are 3-6 in their first nine games despite him averaging 28.3 points and 12.5 rebounds a night.
The Golden State Warriors pulled away from a tie game against Miami at halftime to earn a comfortable 120-100 win Thursday, thanks in no small part to the ability of Draymond Green, Al Horford and Charles Bassey to contain Antetokounmpo to just one point in seven fourth quarter minutes down the stretch.
The Sixers and Cavaliers have already played one game that looked like two.
Cleveland led by 29 points during the Sixers’ home opener on Oct. 22 and carried a 69-45 advantage into halftime. Philadelphia responded by winning the second half, 69-37, and completing a 114-106 comeback.
It was the Sixers’ largest comeback since the NBA began maintaining detailed play-by-play data in 1997-98. Only nine other teams during that span had overcome a deficit of at least 29 points.
Fifteen days later, the teams will meet again Friday night at Rocket Arena. This time, the matchup counts toward the NBA Cup standings.
The 8-1 Sixers have won five consecutive games and opened group play with a 98-93 victory over the Knicks. The 4-4 Cavs have dropped two straight and will make their Cup debut.
Here are five numbers that help frame the rematch.
29: The deficit Cleveland has not forgotten
Philadelphia’s comeback required more than a hot shooting stretch.
The Sixers committed 15 turnovers in the first half, allowing Cleveland to build a 22-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Their pressure then changed the game after halftime.
The Cavs committed 21 turnovers by the end of the night. What had been a 16-point Cleveland advantage in points off turnovers finished even at 22 apiece.
“They upped their pressure and physicality,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game. “It was pretty clear. We did not handle it well.”
The Sixers scored 64 of their 69 second-half points through their starting lineup. Tyrese Maxey finished with 28 points, and Philadelphia turned a game that appeared finished into a franchise-record comeback.
12.9: Philadelphia’s turnover rate
The first half of the opening meeting now looks like an exception.
The Sixers have committed 12.9 turnovers per 100 possessions this season, the NBA’s second-lowest rate. They are also third in turnover differential, averaging 3.4 fewer giveaways than their opponents.
That is notable for a team that entered the season intending to play faster. Philadelphia has pushed the ball without routinely surrendering possessions.
LeBron James’ presence as the primary facilitator has helped. So has Maxey’s willingness to move the ball when defenses trap him. Joel Embiid has averaged 5.2 assists, third among qualified centers, and the Sixers have increasingly trusted VJ Edgecombe to make decisions late in games.
Cleveland’s defense has not forced many mistakes. The Cavs enter Friday near the bottom of the league in opponent turnover rate.
The first meeting swung when the Sixers stopped giving away possessions and forced Cleveland into mistakes of its own.
2 versus 9: An early strength-on-strength matchup
The Sixers have allowed 105.1 points per 100 possessions, the NBA’s second-best defensive rating. Cleveland enters with the league’s ninth-ranked offense.
The Cavs are the only top-10 offense the Sixers have faced through their first nine games.
Philadelphia has held opponents to a 50 percent effective field-goal percentage and 31.8 percent shooting from three-point range. Its defensive shot profile has been encouraging, too. Only 46 percent of opposing three-point attempts have been classified as wide open, the fifth-lowest share in the league, and opponents have taken just 22 percent of their threes from the corners.
There is reason for caution. Based on the quality of shots Philadelphia has allowed, only Washington’s opponents have underperformed their expected effective field-goal percentage by a wider margin. The Sixers have defended well, but opponents are unlikely to remain this cold indefinitely.
Cleveland, with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley, can test whether those numbers hold against high-level individual shot creation.
42: Cleveland’s three-point volume
The Cavs have attempted exactly 42 three-pointers per game and made 37.2 percent of them.
That makes the first meeting stand out.
Cleveland went 7 for 29 from beyond the arc in Philadelphia. Mitchell, Harden and De’Andre Hunter combined to shoot 3 for 17. The Cavs scored 60 points in the paint and still reached 106, but their 24.1 percent performance from three prevented them from stopping the Sixers’ comeback.
Friday’s game could look considerably different if Cleveland generates its normal volume.
The Sixers have controlled the three-point line well so far, but Mitchell is coming off a 27-point performance against Oklahoma City and scored 32 in the first meeting with Philadelphia. Harden added 16 points that night, although his six turnovers became costly as the Sixers increased their pressure.
Minus-5.1: The Sixers’ rebounding differential
Philadelphia has been outrebounded by 5.1 per game. The Cavs rank sixth with 47.5 rebounds per contest.
The Sixers have already shown they can survive a major deficit on the glass. They beat Milwaukee by 11 despite getting outrebounded by 22. That is not a formula they will want to test regularly against Cleveland’s size.
Mobley had 18 points and eight rebounds in the first meeting. Jarrett Allen added 14 points and seven boards, helping Cleveland win the rebounding battle, 46-44.
Whether Allen plays Friday remains uncertain.
Cleveland listed Allen as questionable because of a right knee injury after he left Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City in the first quarter. Allen collided knee-to-knee with Thunder forward Chet Holmgren and did not return.
The Cavs also listed Peyton Watson as questionable with right hamstring soreness and Tyrese Proctor as questionable with an ankle injury. Proctor left Wednesday’s game during the fourth quarter. Jaylon Tyson is out with a right ankle sprain.
Allen’s availability could significantly alter the matchup on the glass. If he sits, Thomas Bryant would likely handle more of the center minutes behind Mobley. If he plays, Cleveland will have the same starting frontcourt that outrebounded the Sixers during the first meeting.
Atkinson has emphasized the possession battle during Cleveland’s two-game slide.
“You’ve got to get more shots than the other team,” he said this week. “Rebounding is a big part of it.”
That also carries added importance in the NBA Cup, where point differential is the second tiebreaker after head-to-head results.
Philadelphia enters Friday at 1-0 with a plus-five differential in East Group B. Miami is also 1-0 at plus-20, while Cleveland is playing its first group game.
The Sixers already know they can erase 29 points against the Cavs. A cleaner start would be far more useful than proving it twice.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 23: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 23, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The sky is falling. The Utah Jazz remain winless thus far in November, on the cusp of a six-game losing streak. The team is shooting 27.6% on wide-open threes and has been trailing the bottom of nearly every statistical category. But just maybe, just maybe, all they need is a good ol’ NBA Cup Tournament match to light a competitive spirit under them.
That’s right, the Dallas Mavericks host the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center for an Emirates NBA Cup West Group A showdown. Dallas has already gained an early 1-0 advantage in the Cup standings in their 116-111 victory over the Rockets just last week. The NBA Cup has not been favorable towards the Jazz since its inauguration; in fact, it’s given teams more of an excuse to continue brutally beating up tanking teams — point differential matters!
Over the past few years, the Jazz have held records of:
2023-24: 2-2
2024-25: 0-4
2025-26: 1-3
But now that they’re playing for wins (or so we’ve been told), we could see the script flipped. After all, it’s a ‘blank slate’ for this young team. They’ve battled through injuries, have been a part of two overtime games, and have been through some of the worst shooting woes in years. But that’s only temporary, right?
Dallas has likely been content with the Cooper Flagg-Kyrie Irving pairing, given that their team is 4-4 and has lost to some of the league’s best. The Mavs play an incredibly fast brand of basketball, ranking among the league leaders in overall pace and fast-break points.
Injury Report
Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/5)
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)
Obviously, Utah won’t be able to put the reigning Rookie of the Year to a complete stop, but this team has to make an effort to command their presence in the paint. The Jazz allowed an unanswered 12-0 run by New Orleans in overtime just 48 hours ago, exclusively inside the arc. We saw them hold Zion Williamson completely scoreless in the first half, but all hell broke loose after they surrendered a 13-point lead. We’ll have to hope that they can put out the same energy as they did against a conference foe like Flagg.
Overtime shot chart between the Jazz and Pelicans.
You could consider Cooper Flagg as an honorary ‘Jazz Killer’. In his two career matchups, he averages 34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Though, the Jazz have won both of those matches. Now, with a reinforced Mavs squad around him, Utah can’t roll into Dallas with a smug grin.
The numbers don’t lie; Flagg has struggled tremendously from deep early into the season, shooting 7-of-33 from outside this season. Utah will have to force Flagg into uncomfortable shots that take him away from the line, where he converts 55.9% of his two-point attempts.
Because of his promoted role as a secondary playmaker, they should also employ a player like Ace or Okogie to pressure him into his loose handle and perhaps cough up a few turnovers — Flagg is averaging 3.1 turnovers per game in the early going of the season.
As one of the rising superstars in the West, he’s transcended a typical ‘sophomore slump’ to turn Dallas into a legitimate playoff team this year. Finding a way to slow down this multifaceted star will be a burden on this team for the foreseeable future.
How can you get your #2 pick more involved?
This has been a popular piece circulating Jazz Twitter:
Usage rate by rookies so far:
1. Darius Acuff 31.6% 2. Caleb Wilson 26.2% 3. Mikel Brown 25.7% 4. Yaxel Lendeborg 25% 5. AJ Dybantsa 24.7% 6. Cameron Boozer 23.8% 7. Keaton Wagler 22.7% 8. Meleek Thomas 22.7% 9. Darryn Peterson 20.4% <—- 10. Brayden Burries 20.3%
Through the first eight games, the furthest milestone Peterson has achieved is really only being thrust in the starting lineup. He’s averaged an honest 30.3 minutes per game, but the question is, why hasn’t it felt like it?
He shares the ball with a dominant guard like Keyonte George, who completely dictates the tempo of the offense. Peterson’s role shifts to that of a more complementary piece — a player that the team can chuck the ball to throw up a Hail Mary before the shot clock expires. Coach Hardy runs an egalitarian, pass-and-cut offensive system where Peterson is used to distort the defense rather than being a centerpiece.
Of course, he has his rookie mistakes too: he’s hitting just 35.4% of his field-goal attempts, struggling to find a consistent rhythm inside the arc, particularly on his floater attempts. That could look particularly concerning, considering that he was noted for his lack of vertical burst coming out of the draft.
But after looking at the Darius Acuff Jr. template over at Sacramento (not recommended if you want to win basketball games), the coaching staff needs to realize they have DARRYN PETERSON on their squad. This is to hope they could have more plays run for him: perhaps using him more as a post-up guard, or having him be the one to leak up the court in transition.
If the Jazz are going to be without Jackson Jr. for a couple of months at least, and if Lauri Markkanen is unable to break out of his shooting slump, Peterson will need to play an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.
Escaping the Cold Zone
Speaking of Lauri, the most unprecedented story coming out of this 1-7 start has been the Finnish Star’s efficiency. Of course, we all saw him injure his wrist in the showdown against the Grizzlies, which has had lingering issues due to the dependence on his wrist snap & flick, but this is going to be an integral year for Lauri.
The drop-off has been stark: he’s averaging 17.1 points per game — down significantly since his career peak and is converting just 38.7% of his field-goal attempts. The Hardy revolution has completely eradicated Markkanen’s inside-the-arc scoring, having him attempt a wild 8.3 three-point attempts a game.
He’s also been forced to occasionally shift as a small-ball center due to the banged-up injuries of Jackson Jr. and Nurkic, which was noticeably felt when the Pelicans destroyed the Jazz in the paint during the OT period.
“I think he’s playing through a lot of pain right now. I think he’s really battling for his teammates and us”, Will Hardy said about Lauri Markkanen on Wednesday.
Of course, Markkanen will not have as wild a slump as he does for the rest of the season. He’ll regain his efficiency. His wrist will eventually heal. Really, it’s just a tough spot to be in when your team’s record is 1-7.
Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks—How to Watch:
Who: Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
When: 7:00pm Mountain Daylight Time
How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)
Nov 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (15) looks on against the Orlando Magic during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It was a much-needed victory for the Suns tonight as they improved to 2-5 on the season.
Phoenix spotted Orlando an early lead, then took the game over with its defense and its shooting. The Suns beat a short-handed Magic team without Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac, 117-104, to improve to 2-5. Phoenix was short Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin, and Rasheer Fleming.
Orlando outrebounded Phoenix by 15 and got to the line 11 more times, but the Magic turned it over 25 times, and the Suns hit 17 threes. A 23-point lead after three quarters was more than enough to survive a late Orlando push.
Then the Suns started taking the ball away. Orlando turned it over nine times in the quarter, and Phoenix turned those mistakes into 13 points, mostly in transition. Anthony Black had four of those giveaways by himself.
Devin Booker played all 12 minutes and set the tone with 12 points, hitting a pair of threes and going perfect at the line. The Suns hit five threes as a team to Orlando’s three, which covered for getting outworked on the glass and in the paint.
The bench changed the game. Ryan Dunn, Collin Gillespie and Man Man all finished the quarter on the plus side, and Phoenix pushed the lead to nine before Orlando got the last bucket to cut it to seven entering Q2.
Phoenix led after the first quarter, 33-26.
Luke Kennard owned the second quarter. He came off the bench and went 3-for-3 from deep for 12 points, giving Phoenix a second scorer while Orlando keyed in on Booker.
Booker kept cooking anyway. He added 11 more in the quarter on efficient shooting and went into the locker room with 23.
Orlando stayed close by crashing the glass and living at the line. The Magic grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the quarter and got to the stripe 14 times, but they missed six of those free throws and couldn’t buy a three. Wendell Carter Jr. did most of the damage inside with 10 in the quarter.
Man Man didn’t score, but he was a team-best +13 in his minutes.
The three-point line is the story. Phoenix hit 10 threes in the half and Orlando hit four. The Magic shot better inside and controlled the boards, but the Suns’ shooting and Orlando’s turnovers built the cushion.
Booker leads all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three and 4-of-4 at the line. Kennard has 12 off the bench.
Orlando’s turnover problem came back in a big way. The Magic gave it away 10 times in the quarter, and Phoenix’s defense jumped passing lanes all period with six steals.
Booker only scored three in the quarter, but he didn’t need to. He set up teammates with four assists, and every Suns starter finished the period at +7 or better. Man Man chipped in a pair of buckets off the bench.
After three, Phoenix led 96-73. The Suns outscored Orlando 33-22 in the third quarter.
Orlando kept its starters on the floor and made a push, winning the quarter by 10. Carter didn’t miss in the fourth, going 4-for-4, and the Magic knocked down five threes in the period.
Phoenix rested Booker and most of the starting group for long stretches, and the offense cooled off with five turnovers and three missed free throws in the quarter.
The deep bench closed it out, with Koa Peat, Jamaree Bouyea, Duop Reath and Pat Spencer getting the final minutes. Phoenix won 117-104.
