Luka Doncic is already putting his stamp in the Lakers’ history books.
He had 52 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in the Lakers’ 132-123 win over the Jazz on Sunday, surpassing LeBron James for sixth-most 40-point games with the Lakers.
James was with the Lakers for eight seasons, his longest consecutive stretch anywhere in his career. Doncic, whom the Lakers acquired in a trade from the Mavericks in February 2025, is entering this third season in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers player Luka Doncic smiles while talking to the media during a game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty ImagesLuka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a 3-point basket during a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
It was the 10th time in Doncic’s career that he has scored 50 or more points. Since Doncic entered the league as the third overall pick by the Mavericks in 2018, only James Harden (16) and Damian Lillard (11) have had more 50-point performances than Doncic.
Doncic helped the Lakers storm back from an 18-point first-quarter deficit against the Jazz to jump to 3-0 record.
Doncic recently told the California Post that he hopes to spend the rest of his career with the Lakers.
“Hopefully, yeah,” Dončić told the California Post. “But as you know in this NBA business, you never know what’s going to happen. But I feel like I’ve found something here that’s very comfortable for me. And hopefully [that happens].”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 25: Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 25, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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
Cade Cunningham was the best player on the floor for the Detroit Pistons in their 106-93 win over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night. He had 26 points and eight assists, both leading the team, and added eight rebounds. No surprise there. But if you were going to ask me who the star of the game was for the Pistons, it would be hard to choose.
It’s a testament to the team’s depth and the roster’s unselfishness that so many people contributed in such critical ways against one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. Detroit’s depth was already set to be tested as starters Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson missed the game with injuries. Sixth man Isaiah Joe left the game tonight after suffering a tailbone contusion four minutes into his first on-court action.
The loss of Detroit’s best interior scorer, best perimeter defender, and second-best 3-point threat, and with all three handling the ball quite a bit for the Pistons, meant everyone else needed to play to the top of their abilities.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Pistons got it done. So who was the star?
You could say it was Duncan Robinson, who hit five three-pointers, including several when the Sixers were flirting dangerously close to getting fully back into the game. You could argue it was Daniss Jenkins, who never saw a clutch shot he didn’t want to take (and make). He scored 18 points and added eight rebounds and six assists. He hit three of his four three-pointers, including one in the final minutes that put the game out of reach for good.
Looking beyond the box score, you could say it was Ron Holland. He played 23 minutes off the bench and only made two of his nine field goals. But he played absolutely ferocious defense all night. None better than when he was matched up one-on-one against Jaylen Brown, whom he had in absolute jail several times in the critical fourth quarter.
It seemed like it might be a laugher early as the Sixers didn’t seem to have it in them as they were playing their third game in four nights. The Pistons were up 21 early, but the Sixers made a 9-0 run to end the second quarter, and from then on it felt like Detroit was just trying to survive.
They scuffled on offense for long stretches, but they could almost always rely on their defense. Brown was 5-of-20 on the night, and Tyrese Maxey was 11-of-24. It would have been much worse, but he turned it on in the second half, scoring 23 of his 29 points in the second half.
The Sixers were able to cut it to five, but the Pistons somehow always had an answer. I think they might be good.
Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler made his return to Salt Lake City to take on his former team, the Utah Jazz on Sunday, Oct. 25, as the Lakers produced a 132-123 victory at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Kessler had fit in nicely through his first two games for Los Angeles, averaging 24 points, 8.5 rebounds and four blocks. It had been a welcome sight for a franchise in search of a quality big man in recent years.
Here’s how Kessler reacted to his return back to Utah:
Walker Kessler on return for game vs. Utah Jazz
After the game against the Jazz, Kessler admitted that the return did impact him a bit.
He finished with just two points after making just one of his two shot attempts in 28 minutes. He had six of his seven total rebounds come on defense.
"I think going into the game I let my emotions get the best of me,” Kessler said. “But you have to learn in those moments and move on. I’m just glad we got the win tonight … even though it wasn’t my best night I really appreciate (my teammates.)"
Kessler spent the first four years of his NBA career with the Jazz, but was limited to just five games last season due to a left shoulder labral tear.
“Obviously, Utah was the first four years of my career,” Kessler said. “It’s a special place for me. Kind of jumpstarted my career, you know, a lot of good memories.”
The injury required season-ending surgery in November 2025.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and the front office made a trade for Kessler. He signed a four-year, $130 million contract extension after he was traded to Los Angeles. The Lakers had to give up two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030) with the Jazz.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 25: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives against Javonte Green #31 of the Detroit Pistons in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
So much for 82-0.
The Sixers dropped their first game of the season 106-93 to the Detroit Pistons Sunday night.
Tyrese Maxey found his footing in the second half, leading the Sixers with 29 points on 11-of-24 shooting. He bumped heads with John Collins late in the game and hopefully avoided any injury. LeBron James also couldn’t sustain his pushes for long enough, finishing with 18 points and five assists shooting 8-of-15 from the floor.
Jaylen Brown was one of many to have his worst game of the young season, shooting 5-of-20 from the floor for his 16 points along with four rebounds and four assists. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 26.
Joel Embiid was expectedly ruled out with plantar fasciitis management. VJ Edgecombe was ruled out later in the day with an abdominal contusion. Jabari Walker was also inactive after tweaking his knee against Milwaukee, along with Dominick Barlow who remains on the shelf. Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson were out for Detroit.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
41 year-old LeBron James taking (and winning) the jump ball. What a world we live in.
Maxey took three of the Sixers’ first four shots of the night, good looks from in and outside the paint, but they rimmed out. Detroit had plenty of misses to run out on and get off to a 15-1 start to the game. Paul Reed grabbed two early offensive rebounds and putbacks over the Sixers’ committee of centers. The Pistons grabbed the first seven rebounds of the game.
In fact, the Sixers’ first two rebounds of the game were credited as team rebounds. The first Sixer to record one was Dean Wade, who scooped up a blocked Brown layup and dished it to KCP for their first field goal of the game. Nick Nurse quickly subbed Adem Bona into the game to try to get some height in there.
The offense looked just as ugly early. LeBron earned his first sarcastic cheer from the Philadelphia crowd after he finally made his first three throw. James started the night 0-of-3 from the charity stripe.
Labaron Philon Jr. got early minutes again, but this time they were planned as opposed to filling in for an injury the night before. His first play of the game was a drive-and-kick to an open LeBron in the corner but the shot didn’t fall. Philon scored his first NBA points with a transition floater and missed a more contested look on the next possession. He challenged former Sixer Isaiah Joe at the rim and ended up on a poster. Joe took a nasty fall on the dunk but was able to remain in the game for the time being.
Philon also threw a lob to Bona, who was having his best stretch of the young season, pulling down six rebounds in the quarter. They even got a particularly strong defensive possession from Philon guarding Daniss Jenkins, and it was capped off by Anfernee Simons blocking the jumper to force a shot clock violation. The Sixers really could have put a run together had Wade been able to make an open three or two. To make matters more difficult, a shooting foul that would have sent Brown to the line got overturned to an offensive foul via challenge. Simons was able to get a layup in right before the buzzer, which cut the Pistons’ lead to 12 after the opening quarter.
Second Quarter
Brown made a three off the catch, but none of his shot attempts off the dribble looked good at all, few of them looked close to going in. Maxey, still scoreless to this point, was also getting bottled up on his drives. The Sixers were lucky to score five points over the first four minutes of the quarter and the Pistons being unable to extend their lead.
Defensively the Sixers kept looking better, three stocks helped them keep the Pistons scoreless for over three minutes and without a field goal for over five. Only getting two more points from Maxey at the line, the Sixers didn’t come close to stringing together a run to get back in it. They were struggling from beyond the arc again, making only three of their first 11 three-point attempts.
Maxey finally got his first field goal of the night running out of a miss for a fast break layup and was able to get into the paint for a floater on the following possession. The Sixers were even struggling from the free throw line in this one though. Brown split each of his first three trips to the line.
In the first quarter, a lot of the Pistons’ damage came from the Sixers’ inability to stop Cunningham. He only had three points in the second though. The Pistons’ role players were just not being challenged enough and got plenty of open jumpers. It’s one thing to get cooked by one of the best players in the league, but the display in the second was far less encouraging.
With that being said, a mini-LeBron heater to end the half was enough to keep the Sixers within striking distance and get the crowd back into the game. After a half of missed layups he finally made a couple going downhill. It also helped that Wade finally saw a three go down. The Sixers were able to force a steal at midcourt and got the ball up to James for one last layup before the buzzer, keeping Detroit’s lead still at 12 at the half.
Three straight LeBron James buckets brings the Sixers back to within 12 at halftime pic.twitter.com/w9HbtmPP8f
The Sixers carried that momentum through the break. Brown got his hands on a pass that landed out of bounds to force a turnover on the first possession, leading to another banked in layup from LeBron. On the next possession James kicked to an open Brown in the corner for a three. Two more baskets and a turnover cut the lead down to five and forced the Pistons to call a timeout two minutes into the half.
With Duren and even Thompson out, the Pistons were similarly shallow at the center position. They were also using a small-ball look with John Collins when Reed was on the bench. It was pretty big then when Bball Paul picked up his fourth foul early in the third. The Pistons had already used both of their challenges in the first half to remove fouls from Cunningham and Reed.
The way this Sixers team gets their hands on the ball and rips it away from their opponents makes them really fun watch. Two more steals helped them keep clawing, but Cunningham found his groove again. He knocked down a pair of threes that halted the Sixers’ momentum.
Despite Cunningham going to the bench, the Pistons were able to hold the Sixers at an arms’ length. Philly’s offense stagnated again when they created less transition opportunities. Free throws continued to haunt the Sixers as Brown split another pair, bringing the team to 57% from the stripe.
A Philon three looked like a glimmer of hope, but sloppy mistakes cost the Sixers that momentum. Brown dribbled his way into a couple double teams, and Bona gave a rebound right back to the Pistons trying to throw it underhand. Brown was at least able to find Bona in the dunker spot on their final possession of the quarter, cutting Detroit’s lead to nine.
Fourth Quarter
The reserves continued to pick up bumps and bruises. KCP came up favoring his forearm after fighting through a couple screens and immediately called for a timeout to get subbed out of the game and head back to the locker room. He returned to the bench after a couple minutes and was able to check back into the game.
The injury didn’t immediately hamper the Sixers though. After Maxey got to the line, Bona timed up his first putback of the year for a big dunk. Maxey then hit a tough stepback in the paint and blew by everyone for a slam of his own. The building was deafening again as James and Brown checked back into the game in the process of Bball Paul giving the fans free chicken.
Any time the Pistons could keep the Sixers offense in the halfcourt, it would turn into ugly possessions that ended in a lot of midrange jumpers. The Sixers compounded the issue when the refs missed an and-1 call on Maxey. KCP got T’d for his disagreement, giving away a point the Sixers desperately couldn’t afford.
LeBron got to the basket, and was also found in the dunker spot after a good possesion of ball movement, once again making it an eight-point game with the Sixers running out of time. They got a couple stops, but put together an ugly possession resulting in a KCP layup that didn’t come close.
The game had to be momentarily stopped when Maxey bumped heads with Collins, making both players have to come off the floor for a possession. The Sixers fumbled two chances at a defensive rebound, eventually falling to Kevin Huerter who dished to Jenkins for the dagger three. This game was frustratingly winnable, but the Sixers never played well enough to come away with it.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were without Jalen Williams for most of last year as the star wing battled wrist and hamstring injuries that limited him to only 33 games and caused him to miss most of the playoffs. Williams loomed as one of this year’s most interesting players entering this year, and threatened to make the Thunder the team to beat for the 2027 championship race if he could regain his top form.
Now the Thunder are likely looking at another long absence for Williams after he left the floor on a stretcher in their third game of the season. OKC beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 108-101, on Sunday night, but Williams’ gruesome injury is the bigger story.
Late in the fourth quarter, Williams landed awkwardly after a drive to the basket, and his ankle appeared to bend the wrong way. He was carried off the court on a stretcher, and gave a thumbs up to the crowd as he was taken to the locker room. Watch the play here — but you might want to skip this one if you’re squeamish.
Jalen Williams has suffered a serious ankle injury, and they are bringing out the stretcher
Williams had eight points in 32 minutes before the injury. Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 34 points in the win, but for now the focus will be on Williams’ recovery.
Jalen Williams’ injury brought SGA to tears
Gilgeous-Alexander continued to be emotional when talking about Williams’ injury in his post-game interview.
It goes without saying that the Thunder aren’t the same team when Williams is injured. At 25 years old, he’s one of the best two-way wings in the league. He already helped the Thunder win the 2025 NBA championship, and his return to the lineup had OKC thinking about raising another banner.
Let’s hope Williams can fully recover from this injury.
The Knicks squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and suffered an ugly 111-102 defeat Sunday night at the Garden to the short-handed Magic.
Jalen Brunson again failed down the stretch — just like in the home opener against the 76ers — and shouldered the blame as one of only two starters who spoke to reporters afterward.
“Not happy,” the captain said. “Plain and simple.”
Brunson was aggressive but missed 16 of his 28 shots and was off all around — 1-for-7 from beyond the arc, 3-for-6 from the free-throw line. He also committed a costly turnover with about two minutes remaining, lowlighting an overall sloppy evening from the Knicks.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) goes up for a shot as Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) defends during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
On defense, the Knicks were carved up by forward Franz Wagner, who scored 21 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. The German finished one assist shy of a triple-double.
The Knicks were outscored by 19 points in the final nine minutes, mostly because they couldn’t get a stop.
“Giving up 40 points in the fourth quarter is way too much,” head coach Mike Brown said.
The Knicks now are the first defending champions to start 0-3 since the 2011-12 Mavericks. A loss Tuesday against the Pistons would match the 1969-70 Celtics as the only defending champs to start 0-4.
New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) goes up for a shot as Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) defends during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
“Everyone can say it’s early in the season. We can use that as an excuse, but I think the one thing I see is when we get those runs and start to look like the team that we did in the past, we get comfortable,” Brunson said. “So we have to continue to put our foot on the gas and execute like we did last year. And we’re not going to be the same as last year. That’s just human nature. But we have to accept this part of the journey and find a way to be better. Hopefully, after a couple games, we can look back and say we grew from that.”
Brunson’s struggles weren’t isolated to him Sunday. Mikal Bridges continued his start to forget with just six points, and the Knicks were outscored by 23 points over Bridges’ 35 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns (22 points, 14 rebounds) played well offensively, but the collective defense was a problem.
“Biggest thing is I will continue to coach them and tell them the truth,” Brown said. “We’ve got to continue trying to embrace the little things. And we’ve got to make sure we’re doing it in practice so it has carryover in the games. I’ll really jump their ass if I see the effort not there. To me, that’s a whole different thing. If we’re trying and trying the right way, sometimes you’ve got to fight through stuff like this to get yourself on track. Our crap stinks; it does. We’re the only ones that can do something about it.
“There’s no light switch that we can just turn on and think we’re going to go win ballgames. Nobody is going to give us any of that. We have to be better with the little things until we start shooting the ball well.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts on the court during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
The Magic entered 0-2 and without top player Paolo Banchero, who sat with an ankle sprain.
The Knicks pounced. They scored the first 12 points and held the Magic scoreless for almost five minutes, a stretch that was interrupted when OG Anunoby trucked Wendell Carter Jr. for a flagrant foul.
A couple of hours later, the Knicks folded.
Adversity arrived faster than expected.
“One thing I’ve said during training camp and to this day is we’re going to see who we are within the first couple weeks of the season,” Brunson said. “And we’re seeing adversity. So how are we going to respond?”
The New York Knicks led by eight points with 8:40 left Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. Then the defending NBA champions watched another one slip away.
The Orlando Magic closed on a 33-16 run to beat the Knicks, 111-102, dropping New York to 0-3. The Knicks are the first defending NBA champions to lose their first three games since the 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks.
Those Mavericks lost their opener to the Miami Heat, the team they had beaten in the Finals six months earlier. Then they dropped games to Denver and Oklahoma City before beating Toronto.
Orlando did it without its best player. Paolo Banchero sat out with an ankle injury, and Jonathan Isaac was also out.
The Magic made 18 3-pointers. The Knicks made nine on 38 attempts.
Jalen Brunson finished with 28 points on 12-of-28 shooting. OG Anunoby added 22. Orlando's bench outscored New York's 47-11.
Franz Wagner had 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists for the Magic. Tristan da Silva added 19.
The Magic also had been winless coming into the game.
The close losses keep piling up for the Knicks. They lost by six to Philadelphia and four at Boston, where Jayson Tatum scored 36 and hit the 3-pointer with 30.3 seconds left that ended it.
Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams had to be taken off the court on a stretcher Sunday night following a nasty fall, which looked to me on the replay like his knee bent awkwardly under his full weight, although some reports out of the arena suggested it was more of an ankle injury. Either way, it looked like it could end his season three games in.
"Those are tough, man. We're not doing great," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said from the podium postgame.
"He just loves playing. He loves the competition. That's who he is," an emotional Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I have no doubt he'll be back better than before."
The injury occurred with 1:14 left in the game, when Williams made an aggressive drive to the rim and was met there by Derrick Jones Jr. in front and Kris Dunn in back. Williams went down at an angle, about to land on his back, but his left leg curled back under him and then was bent at an angle knees don't bend. Dunn was called for a foul on the play.
Williams stayed on the ground for several minutes, with teammates around him, and the entire arena fell silent. Williams was lifted onto a stretcher, and as he was taken out of the arena, some in the crowd started chanting "J-Dub" and he gave two thumbs up.
Williams played in just 33 games last season, largely due to a hamstring injury, and was incredibly limited in the playoffs. His return to health — averaging 16.5 points a game so far this season — was one of the reasons the Thunder were considered a title favorite.
The Thunder did get the win, 108-101, but nobody in Oklahoma City is celebrating. Everyone's thoughts are with J-Dub.
Williams' injury occurred after an awkward landing under the basket with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter. The Thunder earned a 108-101 victory over the Clippers.
A team official was seen coming over to place a towel over Williams’ leg as he was quickly attended to by an athletic trainer. The tone immediately changed in the arena as members of both teams began to turn away, while Thunder players could be seen getting emotional over the scene.
The crowd was heard chanting "JDub" before the 25-year-old All-Star was carted off the court on a stretcher. He was seen giving two thumbs up to the fans in the arena.
Williams won a championship with the Thunder in 2025 and was named to the All-NBA third team and the All-Defensive second team for the 2024-25 season.
"I just feel bad for him," Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said while fighting tears in his postgame interview. "... We just got to hold the fort down until he comes back."
Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored a game-high 34 points and added six rebounds and five assists, was among those visibly shaken on the court at the sight of Williams' injury.
Williams went up for a dunk at the 1:15 mark in the fourth quarter and was fouled by Clippers Kris Dunn, who came in hard from behind while Derrick Jones Jr. was guarding Williams underneath.
Dunn was called for a personal foul that was upgraded to a flagrant 1 after an official review. Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws.
OH NO 💔
Jalen Williams suffers a serious lower-leg injury after an awkward landing.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was asked for the status of injured players on Sunday night, including Williams. Daigneault stated that Williams' injury "speaks for itself."
“Those are tough, man," Daigneault said when talking about the feeling in the locker room. "We’re not doing great.”
Thunder guard Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) and forward Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) also suffered injuries in the contest. Both players left the game in the first quarter and did not return.
Mark Daigneault on Jalen Williams: “Those are tough, man. We’re not doing great.” pic.twitter.com/3yOwhmNkAz
The coach thanked the fans for their support of Williams and chanting his name after the injury.
“I think anybody that's in the arena can empathize with that," Daigneault said. "So appreciate our fans for doing so.”
Daigneault stated that the team will come together on Monday, Oct. 26 as a team to be there for one another as they continue to process the tough situation.
Williams was limited to just 33 regular-season games and five playoff appearances during the 2025-26 season as he recovered from two wrist surgeries and suffered multiple hamstring strains.
Williams has dealt with lower body injuries throughout his career, including ankle injuries in 2024 and hip injuries in early 2025. He also had a previous wrist injury in 2023.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 25: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks confronts Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic after committing a flagrant foul during the first quarter of the game at Madison Square Garden on October 25, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The world champion Knicks (0-3) hosted the Magic (1-2) at Madison Square Garden. The victory seemed almost assured, given that Orlando was playing without their star, Paolo Banchero, and the champs were feeling—let’s not say desperate, but certainly eager to notch one in the win column. Their terrible shooting from the lines—the three-point arc and free-throw line—let the guests stay close all night, and faulty fourth quarter defense sank our heroes, 111-102.
As with most stories, this one started differently than it ended. Making half their shots, the Knicks dropped ten unanswered points to start the game while the Disney’s missed their first eight attempts from the field. Frustrations boiled over when OG Anunoby plowed over screening Wendell Carter, Jr. After the barking teams were separated, Anunoby received a flagrant-one foul. That started a run, with four points by Anthony Black to halve the lead. This was Black’s season debut, after missing time due to injury.
Temperatures rising after OG Anunoby collided with Wendell Carter Jr! 🍿
Coach Mike Brown was determined to deploy all of his offensive weapons. Karl-Anthony Towns facilitated the offense to start the game, Jalen Brunson took the reins on the next possession, and then OG Anunoby had a chance to penetrate with the ball, kicking out to Josh Hart on the far side. They tried that last play a seccond time to lesser effect, but it smacked of a one that they intend to make a fixture of their repertoire.
Towns sat at the midway mark after fouling Franz Wagner on a screen. Andre Drummond (4 PTS, 3 RBS, 7 MIN) relieved him. The Knicks misfired repeatedly from deep, but stayed ahead by dominating in the paint and on fast breaks. With the Magic stumbling and bumbling, the homers went up by 12 before finishing the quarter, 28-21.
KAT was at it again to start the second, laying out Jamal Cain on a screen for another foul. Love the player, hate the goofs. That brought Drummond back out. Reunited with the Magic, veteran Nikola Vučević laced a triple and led a comeback to tie the game. Tyler Kolek saw extended time because Jose Alvarado sat out with a sprained ankle. Kolek played hard, if not necessarily well.
Orlando’s Jalen Suggs took a rebound coast-to-coast, dribbling past four defenders for a waltz to the cup. With such whimsical resistance, we understood why James Wiseman got the call two minutes later. Luckily, the Floridians were too sloppy to make serious headway against New York’s general mediocrity, and back-to-back buckets by Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet helped preserve the advantage.
Once or twice in the half, Josh Hart secured a rebound and rifled it long to a racing teammate for an advantage at the other end. His usual receiver, BFF Brunson, scored to give the hosts a seven-point lead deep in the period. That sequence is a crowd pleaser and, with Jalen’s ability to finish at the rim, almost guaranteed points. Meanwhile, Wiseman played well in his limited appearance, with a board, a block, and defensive intensity in the paint. Could there be a little Mitchell Robinson in that fella? If you squint?
You’d expect the team with a 28-12 advantage in the paint, twice as many offensive rebounds (8-4), and half their opponent’s turnovers (10-5) would have quite a lead by halftime, but the world champs were only up 52-48 at intermission. Orlando’s deep shooting (42%) was much better than New York’s (25%), to the tune of about 18 points. The Knicks’ offense stalled in the second quarter, making just nine of 29 shots after shooting 52% in the first. Extra possessions kept them afloat, but a better team would have really given them the bootheel. Through the half, Black led all scorers with 12. KAT had 11.
Out of the break, our heroes were led by Brunson and Towns, riding nine unanswered points to a 10-point lead. Towns blocked Wagner at the rim, and Orlando shot themselves in the sneaker with consecutive turnovers by Carter and Richardson, plus an offensive foul and technical for Carter. However, the game swung again on two bad passes by Towns, a charge by Hart, and two blanks by Bridges.
We figured Desmond Bane might receive more touches after halftime. The walking muscle helped keep Orlando within reach, assisting Jase Richardson’s (no relation) opening three and Carter’s jumper before adding a pull-up jumper and his own three. That three followed a Towns turnover and capped a quick 6–0 response that trimmed New York’s lead to four. He also committed a turnover and fouled Anunoby for two free throws, finishing his stint with five points and two assists. Tristan Da Silva shot fireballs off the bench, contributing a quick eight points, and Black’s trey brought Orlando within one. Kolek steadied the Knicks with assists on a Towns layup and Hart’s three, restoring a 75-69 cushion. But Vooch’s hook at the buzzer brought the score to 75-71 as we steered into the fourth.
Tristan da Silva has a team-high 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 5-of-8 from deep.
Towns, Anunoby, and Kolek synergized in the final frame, with the two starters passing the 20-point mark and Kolek dishing nine dimes (and no turnovers). After Kolek fouled Wagner at the hoop, Brunson replaced him with about eight minutes left. Meanwhile, Anunoby scored five-straight points, but Wiseman fouled Wagner, too, giving the German two freebies that completed an 11-point swing. Franz had 15 points and counting in the fourth alone, and the Disneys took their first lead of the night.
Hart answered at the other end. During an important stretch in the middle of the period, Mike Brown went with Brunson, Shamet, Bridges, Hart, and Wiseman. Drummond had yet to see the court in the second half. Read into that what you will. At the same time, the Knicks were shooting a woeful 8-of-33 after Hart missed two more threes.
Needing an offensive injection, Brown sent Towns back in, and he attacked the rim against the Magic’s smaller frontcourt. Bane delivered the bigger shot, however: a 26-footer that put his squad up 94-91 with under five remaining. Jalen Brunson missed his sixth attempt from deep, Black made one for a six-point lead, and what should have been a routine win looked anything but with three minutes left.
After a timeout, Brunson and Wagner traded buckets, then Cap threw the ball away. Suggs charged the basket at the other end and popped something in his knee. He was helped to the locker room. Prayers up for him.
Brunson missed a pair of free throws, Anunoby missed two, as well, and the hosts trailed by 10 with 1:21 left. Cap scored seven points in the final minute, but Orlando made their free throws and New York couldn’t catch up. Ballgame.
Up Next
Mo’s in the lab, perfecting a recap. Detroit visits NYC on Tuesday. Rest up, Knickerbockers.
The Knicks (0-3) continued their slow start to the new season with a 111-102 loss to the Orlando Magic (1-2).
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Magic were missing star forward Paolo Banchero, having just been ruled out for the next four-to-six weeks with a high ankle sprain. Orlando's first-year head coach Sean Sweeney started second-year swingman Jase Richardson in Paolo's place.
-- The Knicks jumped out to an 8-0 lead thanks in part to threes knocked down by OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. Even after a Magic timeout, the Knicks kept pouring it on, with Hart making life miserable for free-shooting Orlando guard Desmond Bane. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. tried to jolt some life into his team with some physical play, and got into it with Hart and Anunoby, the latter of whom picked up a flagrant one foul by running through Carter's screen. Carter's two made free throws were the first Magic points of the night, which came with 7:17 left in the first quarter, and guard Anthony Black splashed a triple to complete the five-point play to the dismay of Knicks head coach Mike Brown. The Knicks held the Magic to 30 percent from the field in the first quarter, leading 28-21 entering the second.
-- Both offenses kicked it into gear in the second quarter. The Knicks bench -- namely Tyler Kolek, Landry Shamet, and Andre Drummond -- picked on Orlando's backup center Nikola Vučević, while the Magic's motion offense made it rain from behind the arc. New York had a noticeable pep in their step when Hart returned to the floor, generating some turnovers and protecting their lead with fastbreak points. While the Knicks were lockdown in the halfcourt with superb rotations and physicality, their transition defense was slow to react throughout the first half, and Bane heated up to cut the Knicks' lead to just four by halftime, 52-48.
-- The Knicks had really struggled in the third quarter during their first two games of the season, both of them losses. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson asserted their will on the third quarter in their third game of this new season to ensure the early trend didn't continue. The star duo got to the rim for a combined 19 points in the quarter as the Knicks extended their lead to 10 points at one stage. But the Magic battled back thanks to some sustained shooting heroics fromBlackand forward Tristan Da Silva, who made a delayed season debut due to injury. The quarter ended with the Knicks still yet to relinquish their lead, up 75-71.
-- Orlando's best player, Franz Wagner, took control early in the fourth to give the Magic their first lead of the game, 87-86, converting on a three-point play. Brown called timeout midway through the quarter with the Knicks trailing by two. Towns tied the game up, 91-91, beating the shot clock with a thunderous baseline slam. Bane responded by rattling home a three to retake the lead for the Magic. Shortly afterward, Brunson implored the Knicks to challenge a loose-ball foul he committed on Wagner, and the call was overturned. Bane split a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession game, Brunson missed his sixth three without a make, and Black promptly swished his fifth three of the game to put New York down seven points with under four minutes remaining. Brunson and Wagner traded layups as the clock ticked down. Jalen Suggs was carried to the locker room with a right knee injury after an awkward layup attempt. The Knicks remained trailing by multiple possessions until the final buzzer.
-- The Knicks shot 17 for 24 (70.8 percent) from the free throw line and an abysmal 8 for 34 (23.5 percent) from behind the arc. In contrast, The Magic shot 17 for 21 (81 percent) from the charity stripe and 18 for 42 (42.9 percent) from three. In a game that was pretty tight throughout, that made all the difference.
Game MVP: Franz Wagner
21 of Wagner's 23 points came in the final quarter. The lanky forward also added 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Highlights
Spin cycle bucket from Jalen Brunson 😵💫 https://t.co/veshhC2Tzx
Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) looks to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.
There’s losing a game, and then there’s playing like a losing team.
There’s getting beat, and then there’s rolling over.
Sunday was the latter.
Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Nets came back to Brooklyn and got humiliated on their home floor, 136-109 by the Pacers at Barclays Center.
Or more to the point, they humiliated themselves.
“The performance we put up after the first quarter was just unacceptable — 112 points in three quarters, you’re not winning basketball games. So it didn’t feel good on either end of the floor,” said coach Jordi Fernández. “And I’m the first one. We have to help them better.
“[It was] just disconnection, full-on and everything: from the spacing to the plays that we run, to the communication on pick-and-rolls, to multiple efforts, to being disappointed with a mistake and dropping your shoulders. All those things are losing things, and now we did not look like a winning team out there.”
Whether it was tired legs on the tail end of a back-to-back, the fact is the bottom fell out defensively for the Nets, who fell to 0-3 and play Tuesday in Boston.
Yes, the offense did go missing, shooting 41 percent overall and 13-for-39 from 3-point range. Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Dëmin combined for just 23 points on 7-for-27 shooting (1-for-11 from deep) to finish a combined minus-50.
Brooklyn Nets center Day’ron Sharpe (20) looks to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
But the defense was even worse.
The Nets allowed 57 percent shooting and 21-for-43 from 3-point range. And while the first quarter was competitive, the rest was capitulation.
The Nets allowed 112 points on 60 percent shooting and 18-for-32 from long range over the final 36 minutes.
“They had a little run at the end of the third or the beginning of the third, and then it felt like we just rolled over as a team. We came back from 20-some [Saturday], made it a game. I think we should stay in the fight,” said Porter, who had 10 points on 4-for-13 shooting. “Whether we hit adversity or not, as a team we’ve got to be resilient, top to bottom and just keep fighting, keep plugging away.”
There was nowhere near enough fighting and precious little plugging away.
Just a bunch of Indiana highlights … and Nets lowlights.
There was Porter getting blocked at the rim by backup Jay Huff.
And after a turnover by Randle (10 points, 2-for-8 shooting), Pascal Siakam got the ball upcourt to Tyrese Haliburton so the Pacers star could bounce it off the floor to himself for a disrespectful breakaway dunk.
That left the Nets down 83-68 in the third with the Pacers laughing on the bench.
Haliburton finished with 24 points and 10 assists for a plus-29. Siakam finished with 21.
Tyrese Haliburton (0) of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball during a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Dëmin had just three points for the Nets in 1-for-6 shooting. He was a minus-20.
Moritz Wagner’s 3 had the Nets up 51-49 with 2:45 left in the half, but they surrendered a 16-5 run the rest of the way to go into the locker room down by nine.
They were still down 88-74 midway through the third on Nolan Traore’s free throw, but promptly conceded a dozen straight.
Obi Toppin’s layup capped the blitz to make it 100-74 with 3:19 left in the period. The Nets trailed by 26, and unlike the night before — when they cut a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit in Cleveland down to just two — there was no comeback.
“The biggest [problem] is our communication. We’re just not all on the same page,” said Randle. “We’ve got to find a way to communicate better, respect communication amongst each other. If a guy calls something, we’ve got to honor the call.
“But whatever it is, we’ve just got to communicate on that end because we do a lot of switching. So if we’re going to do a little switching, we’ve got to be communicating, and guys have got to know what the other guy’s doing. We’ve got to be on a string. We haven’t been so far.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton had 24 points, 10 assists and an All-Star Game-worthy dunk as the Indiana Pacers hammered the Brooklyn Nets 136-109 on Sunday night.
The Pacers shot 58 percent (49 for 85) from the field, including 49 percent (21 for 43) from three-point distance.
Haliburton shot 8 for 13 from the field, Pascal Siakam added 21 points and Obi Toppin chipped in 16 off the bench.
Reserve guard Nolan Traore had 17 points for Brooklyn, which has lost its first three games of the season.
Indiana trailed by two points at the end of the first quarter before outscoring the Nets 41-30 in the second period to take a 65-56 lead at the break. The Pacers shot 58 percent from the field and 42 percent beyond the three-point line in the first half.
The Pacers continued their good rhythm in the third quarter by blitzing the Nets 37-24 for a 98-74 advantage heading into the final period.
Haliburton, who missed last season while recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon, provided the highlight of the third quarter.
With 7:17 remaining, Julius Randle lost control of the ball at the top of the arc and Aaron Nesmith dove for it before Siakam picked it up and found a wide-open Haliburton, who bounced the ball to himself in front of the free throw line and threw down a two-handed dunk that drew the approval of his teammates.
Ivica Zubac was removed from the game after he sprained his left ankle with 4:57 left in the first quarter after he stepped on Kelly Oubre’s foot while chasing down a rebound.
Up next
Pacers: Visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 25: Nolan Traore #10 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 25, 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets are still looking for a defensive identity, offensive consistency, and of course, their first win of the season. The Indiana Pacers had no interest in aiding the search Sunday evening.
Brooklyn started with the same five again tonight. Held out for back injury maintenance, Mikel Brown Jr. wasn’t even an option.
The Net defense was a mixed bag in the first. The team did well getting into the Pacer passing lanes, coming away with seven steals in the period. While Keon Ellis was the lead bandit out there today, coming away with four, Josh Minott had a pair as well. He got first half minutes for a second straight game after riding bench for the entirety of the season opener.
However, Brooklyn’s tendency to throw two at the ball paired with Indiana’s collective ability to move the rock also brought trouble.
“Obviously we have to guard better one on one, but also we have to be focused on the details,” Nolan Traoré said. “Like, I mean, they were not doing anything crazy that we didn’t see, so we just have to be better. We can be way better than that.”
While Brooklyn’s defense, particularly around the rim, hasn’t been anything to rave about so far this year, this wasn’t the afternoon to be critical of Mo Wagner and Day’Ron Sharpe. The bigs essentially carried the Nets in the game’s first 15 minutes, combing for 16 points while shooting 6-8 from the field. Wagner was a +9 in his first stint off the bench.
Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle had a combined two points on 1-6 shooting during that stretch. So, yeah, they needed that.
Brooklyn still led by a few at the start of and early into the second, but Indiana never let them separate and eventually caught them midway through the frame. They had little success distancing themselves on the scoreboard until the half’s final two and a half minutes, where Indiana hit a flurry of threes to carve out a nine point advantage.
At that point, Randle and Porter Jr. had mustered a combined 12 points, but were still shooting 2-14 from the field. Mo Wagner led Brooklyn with 13 points, going 5-7 inside and 2-2 outside the arc. Ellis and Sharpe each had nine.
But those triples for Indiana turned out to be the first few drips of a flood soon to break through. The Pacers opened up the second half shooting 4-6 from deep to give themselves a 16-point lead. Getting down the floor in a hurry after Brooklyn’s misses, they had an easy time finding space for their shooters with the Nets often looking a step or two behind. They finished with 25 fast break points to Brooklyn’s 18.
And, this time, Mo Wagner couldn’t save them. After Brooklyn’s bench unit checked in, the Pacers inflated their lead to 26 points with 3:19 to go in the third. The Nets also stopped turning Indiana over, only to start giving away possessions themselves, committing five turnovers in the third. They shot 8-23 from the field and 1-8 from deep during the period too.
Those are a lot of negative figures, and they translated onto the scoreboard all too smoothly, with the Nets quickly going down 26 with with 3:19 to play. That’s also when Danny Wolf checked in for his first minutes of the season. Drake Powell got his shortly after as well, followed by Ben Saraf.
Before you knew it, we were once again left with little more than a joint team practice for the young guys to develop, as a legitimate game felt out of reach.
“The performance that we put on after the first quarter was just unacceptable,” Fernández said. “112 points in three quarters — you’re not winning basketball games.”
In the consolation contest, Traoré led the way, tallying with 17 points and five assists while shooting 6-11 from the field and 2-3 from three. He finished as Brooklyn’s leading scorer. Powell and Wolf both played the entire fourth quarter but offered little to write about. Wolf made two threes. Powell did not score but assisted on two baskets.
Joshua Jefferson did get his first NBA minutes, but not points. He came in for the affair’s final three minutes, missing his lone shot attempt, a three from the corner.
With none of the starters playing in the fourth, Porter Jr. finished with 10 points while shooting 4-13 from the field and 0-5 from deep. Randle also had 10 points along with seven rebound and seven assists. Egor Dëmin struggled as well. The pendulum appeared to swing back the other way today after his redemptive game against Cleveland. Dëmin added just three points while shooting 1-6 from the field and committing three turnovers.
Back-to-backs are always going to be tough, as will getting wins against expected playoff teams for this young Nets squad. However, in a season where it finally felt like winning could be on the table, you can’t help but feel disappointed with an 0-3 start.
The search continues.
Final: Indiana Pacers 136, Brooklyn Nets 109
Milestone Watch
Keon Ellis recorded four steals in the first half tonight against Indiana, which tied his career high for steals in a half (fourth time). It is the seventh time that a Net has had 4+ STL in the first half of a game since Shaun Livingston had five on 2/3/14 vs. PHI.
Injury Update
Jordi Fernández confirmed pregame that nothing new has changed or come up with Mikel Brown Jr.’s back. He was held out today purely for precautionary reasons. Fernández said that he’d be “ready to go” next time out. Speaking of…
Next Up
The Nets will play their first inter-divisional game on Tuesday night in Boston. It’ll be the latter half of a back-to-back sequence for the Celtics, so Brooklyn might have a better shot to pull off an upset than the matchup alone indicates. The Nets have lost 11 of their last 12 to the boys from bean town.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 25: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the game on October 25, 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 Jazz went into this game coming off their first win a few days before against the New Orleans Pelicans, marking a 1-1 record, and this Sunday evening they welcomed the 2-0 Lakers to Salt Lake City. The 2-0 Lakers were headlined by former Jazzman Walker Kessler, who’s impressed through his first two games, getting high praise from some of the game’s all-time greats like Shaquille O’Neal, who called Kessler the best big in the game on ESPN’s “Inside the NBA.” All that being said, it’s safe to say the stage was set for a standout event.
Going into the game, the Jazz started out flaming hot, winning the first quarter 47-29, capped off by a buzzer-beating bank three from Lauri Markkanen that extended the lead to 18. Ace Bailey was the standout. In just 8 minutes of first-quarter play, Bailey put up 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, with 7 rebounds and a block. Five of those rebounds were offensive, and several of them led to easy bunnies for Bailey.
Keyonte George must’ve thought it was Thanksgiving time, not Halloween, with the way he was distributing the ball with glee in the first quarter. He finished the game with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists, falling just short of a triple-double, with 7 of those 10 assists coming in the first fourth of the game.
The Jazz were just dominant in the first quarter, showing flashes of what this team can eventually be capable of once they grow older. Unfortunately, the team is young, and the first quarter was an anomaly in this game.
Instantly, from the second quarter, the Lakers were able to relax and pick on the Jazz. Austin Reaves gave the Jazz some problems. Wings like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams were often found wide open, and they capitalized.
Kessler, in his return to Utah, struggled. He found himself in foul trouble, only playing 28 minutes and posting just 2 points with 7 rebounds. He wasn’t why the Jazz lost this game. That being said, for both sides, I personally don’t think the Jazz win this game if they have Kessler. They lost this game because they instantly allowed the Lakers back into the game after a dominant first quarter.
Still, going into halftime, the Jazz found themselves down 3 against a supposed “contender” in the NBA.
Considering I’m almost 400 words in here, it’s pretty crazy I haven’t mentioned this guy you might’ve heard of. Luka Dončić, standing 6’8” out of Ljubljana, Slovenia, was quite successful tonight throughout the game. And while you might think making dorky faces after drilling tough shots is what he’s best at… it’s actually his flopping that takes the cake!
All jokes aside, Dončić did whatever he wanted to tonight. He ended the game with 52 points on 52.6% shooting, with 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Not a bad night for one of the 2026-27 MVP favorites.
And while the Jazz were only down 3 going into the fourth, and even held a lead late in the 4th quarter, when it was money time, Dončić hit shot after shot, putting the young Jazz to sleep with a final score of 132-123.
It wasn’t a lost-cause game; it was a learning experience. A recurring theme I expect this season, especially for players like rookie Darryn Peterson, who probably won’t look to reminisce on this game anytime soon. He still showed flashes of being an All-NBA scorer, hitting shots most 19-year-olds can only fathom hitting on professional grown men.
And I want to make it clear, it’ll be very difficult for you to find a bigger Peterson enthusiast than me, but he needs work on the defensive end. The Lakers were targeting him, and they found some success. The efficiency I’m not worried about; that’ll happen in time. What I am slightly irked by is the way Peterson is being utilized through 3 games. I don’t know if it’s Will Hardy babying him a little or if Peterson simply isn’t taking the initiative to go get the buckets we all know he can get. At the end of the day, it’s probably not that serious, as Bailey faced the same issues as a rookie last year at the beginning of the season.
The Jazz fell short of a win, but they showed flashes of something we’ve wanted for a long time. They’ll have a quick turnaround as they have a rematch with the Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow at the Delta Center.
