Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder looked to be back to their championship form after starting the season with four straight wins, but injuries have plagued them and they come into this matchup against Cleveland losing two in a row.
With Chet Holmgren out for several weeks due to a knee injury, the Thunder turn to rookie big man Aday Mara to man the paint against Cleveland's formidable inside presence of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Mara has been a force in the middle blocking eight shots over his last three games, but he's only had double digits in points or rebounds once each this season. Can he fill up the stat sheet as OKC's main big man?
With Mara filling in, the depleted Thunder will have to rely on SGA even more and it remains to be seen if he can return to his same scoring prowess we've become accustomed to. It's still early in the season, but the two-time MVP is -only- averaging 26 points per game, while he's averaged over 30 per game for the last four seasons.
The Cavs enter this matchup having only lost two games on the season and those were by a combined 11 points.
While the Thunder have decimated by injuries, Cleveland's core has remained on the floor for much of the season. That core has allowed the Cavs to remain balanced on offense through the early part of the season with four players — Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Mobley, Allen — all averaging at least 15 points per game.
All eyes will be on the superstars in this matchup as SGA and Mitchell battle to light up the scoreboard. Or will Mara steal the show and have his "welcome to the NBA" moment?
How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers:
How to watch 2026-27 NBA games on NBC and Peacock?
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOVEMBER 1: Gradey Dick #9 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on November 1, 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
The Toronto Raptors will continue their Western Conference road trip on Monday night when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome.
Toronto enters the matchup looking to put together a more consistent performance after facing the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday.
The Raptors have shown plenty of encouraging signs early in the season, particularly on the offensive end, but will be looking to maintain that level of play against their Western Conference opponent.
Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett continue to provide the team with scoring and playmaking, while Immanuel Quickley has given Toronto another option to create offence in the backcourt. The offence has clicked early on this season, a very promising sign.
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 30: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates scoring against the Orlando Magic during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup game at Scotiabank Arena on October 30, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Bailey McLean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
However, Monday’s matchup carries an additional storyline following the blockbuster trade between the two organizations in September.
Toronto acquired Kawhi Leonard from Los Angeles in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and future draft compensation, bringing the former Raptors Finals MVP back to Toronto for a second stint with the franchise.
Unfortunately, neither Leonard nor Ingram will get the opportunity to face their former teams on Monday night. Leonard has been ruled out with a knee injury, while Ingram remains sidelined with a heel injury and a partially torn Achilles tendon.
While the two former All-Stars will be watching from the sidelines, Toronto will still get a look at one familiar face in Gradey Dick, who joined the Clippers as part of the deal.
Dick will have an opportunity to face the organization that drafted him in 2023, adding another interesting storyline to an already intriguing matchup.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 28: Gradey Dick #9 of the LA Clippers dribbles upcourt during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Intuit Dome on October 28, 2026 in Inglewood, 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Looking at how these two teams match up, Toronto should have an advantage when it comes to its defensive intensity and ability to create opportunities in transition.
The Raptors have built much of their identity around forcing turnovers, getting out in the open floor and using their athleticism to create easy scoring opportunities. With Barnes leading the way, Toronto has the personnel to put pressure on the Clippers defensively and make things difficult for them in the half court.
However, one area that could give Toronto some trouble is the centre position. While Jakob Poeltl provides the Raptors with an established presence in the starting lineup, he has struggled massively this season. Toronto will need contributions from its other frontcourt options to help manage the minutes behind Poeltl.
The Clippers could look to take advantage of that situation. Isaiah Jackson’s athleticism and ability to finish around the rim, combined with Brook Lopez’s size and perimeter shooting, give Los Angeles different ways to attack Toronto’s interior defence.
Lopez, in particular, could create problems by pulling Toronto’s bigs away from the basket, opening up driving lanes for the Clippers’ guards. Rebounding and protecting the paint will be important areas for Toronto to address throughout the game.
Los Angeles also has some strengths on the perimeter. Darius Garland gives the Clippers an established playmaker who can create opportunities for himself and his teammates, while the team’s perimeter shooting could present challenges for Toronto’s defence.
The Raptors will need to communicate defensively, limit open looks from beyond the arc and avoid allowing Garland to dictate the pace.
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 30: Head coach Darko Rajakovi of the Toronto Raptors celebrates with Collin Murray-Boyles #30 against the Orlando Magic during the second half of a Emirates NBA Cup game at Scotiabank Arena on October 30, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Bailey McLean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite those concerns, the Clippers have their own issues to work through. With Ingram, Bradley Beal and other rotation players dealing with injuries, Los Angeles has had to rely on different combinations to generate offence. The team has struggled to find consistency early in the season, and Toronto needs to take advantage of that.
For the Raptors, the biggest priority should be putting together a complete performance on both ends of the floor. They have shown they can score with some of the better teams in the league, but their defensive lapses and inconsistent stretches have made it difficult to string together strong performances. They cannot afford to give the Clippers easy baskets or allow the game to become a back-and-forth shooting contest.
Ultimately, Toronto needs to win this game. The Raptors have been too inconsistent through the opening stretch of the season, and opportunities against short-handed opponents are games they need to take advantage of if they want to establish themselves as a legitimate playoff team.
A road win would provide some much-needed momentum, but another inconsistent performance would only add to the concerns surrounding this group.
"He can’t force them!" Lee said when asked about the apparent rift between Dolan and the players over a potential White House visit. "It’s been years since the last NBA team has gone. They’re not going. I hope they don’t go! I hope they don’t go."
Dolan notably gave $125,000 to Trump's re-election campaign efforts in 2017, according to multiple reports, five days after Trump's public spat with the then-NBA champion Golden State Warriors about whether Stephen Curry had declined an invite to the White House or Trump rescinded the invitation. No NBA champion has visited the White House during either of Trump's terms in office as U.S. President.
Prior to the Bucks, the Cleveland Cavaliers had been the last team to visit the White House in 2016 when former President Barack Obama was still in office.
Knicks star Jalen Brunson previously said in July the team had not yet discussed whether to celebrate their title at the White House and pushed back on assumptions that a decision had already been made. His comments came after Dolan had said in a radio interview that the franchise had already accepted an invitation to visit the White House.
Lee told Variety that many New York Yankees fans disagreed with former owner George Steinbrenner's Republican politics, but argued Steinbrenner never brought politicians to the games. Lee believes Trump's attendance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals may have disrupted the Knicks' momentum. The game was New York's lone loss of the series.
"That was not just an accident!" Lee said.
Lee also suggested Dolan picked Ben Stiller over him, to produce a documentary that Stiller was seen filming from his courtside seats during the Knicks' NBA Finals run.
"It was Dolan. Dolan gave it to him," Lee said. "Look, it’s his team, he can do what he wants to do. Coulda woulda, but it’s his team. He also wants his team to go to the White House, too."
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick wasn’t happy with how the Raptors defense had been officiated on Sunday. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
The Raptors entered Sunday ranked No. 1 in turnovers forced and defensive turnover percentage, but also committed the most personal fouls per game.
“If you look at the team – and this is not like a shot, this is just reality – a lot of the teams that force turnovers, they foul a lot,” Redick said. “And so by fouling on every possession, the refs are just naturally gonna allow you leeway.
“Oklahoma City does that. Detroit, watching this team, this version of this Raptors team on film, they remind me a lot of like last year’s Detroit team where they’re just going to foul you on every possession. And obviously they’ve also been called for the most fouls, and they’ve given up the most free throws, so that’s part of it.”
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick sees flaws in how NBA officials referee teams with aggressive perimeter defenders. NBAE via Getty Images
The game played as Redick said it would.
The Lakers finished with 24 turnovers that directly resulted in 30 points for the Raptors, who also committed 26 personal fouls.
While taking care of the ball has been a struggle for the Lakers, Redick saw what happened Sunday as a reflection of how NBA officials referee games in the modern era.
“I mean you guys can see it – some of those turnovers are because we’re legitimately getting fouled,” Redick said. “I told one of the referees this ‘cause all these guys do it, all the on ball defenders [do it] now. What they do is they pick you up and then they grab the arm you’re not dribbling with and then they try to steal the ball from you.
“Famously Cason Wallace did it with TJ McConnell [in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA finals]. And that’s just the NBA right now.
“It’s really hard when you play teams like this that are just fouling every possession. We did enough to play through it. But a lot of those turnovers are just that and then you can point to some decision making [with] some passes, all that stuff. Those naturally happen within the flow of the game.”
The Lakers aren’t shy with their issues with officials. Getty Images
Lakers superstar Luka Dončić, who’s often being guarded by the team’s best defenders, has noticed the shift in how perimeter defenders are officiated over the last couple of years.
“In the last two years, the game has become way more physical,” Dončić said.
“They allow way more contact. But obviously like you said, the refs can’t call everything. We just need to learn from them. We need to do the same things. Use that on the defensive end. You got to use aggression towards them. We just got to learn from that and we should do all the same on defense.”
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 30: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 30, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Jose Alvarado’s availability for Monday‘s game after practicing on Sunday:
“I have not talked to our medical people.”
On Tyler Kolek’s role while Alvarado remains sidelined and going forward:
“Tyler is definitely going to keep playing while Jose is out. When he comes back, we’ll figure it out.”
On finally having a full practice over the weekend amid early-season issues:
“When you have an opportunity to practice, you hope that you can address some of the things that bothered you and get a little bit better.”
On failing to deal with opposing bench players getting hot:
“I’m OK with that because sometimes guys are going to get hot and make shots. Now, are there little things we can do to correct it? Yes.
“But what I was concerned with is our first half inability to control the dribble-drive, OK, and then how bad our turnovers were. Those were the two biggest things that I had concern with.”
On the need for rebuilding chemistry after the championship season:
“You’re starting all over. It’s like climbing a mountain. We’re climbing a mountain as a team and we conquer the mountain, then you gotta come back down, take some time off, then you gotta climb another mountain. It’s the same thing. And when you climb that mountain the second time, you’re starting from base camp again. And if you skip steps doing that, you’re going to die. It’s not that tragic for us. When you’re sitting at 2-4, people equate it to that sometimes, but it’s the same thing, taking each step the right way and embracing it and trying to get a little better.”
On why the Knicks must experience growing pains again despite having won the title:
“If we don’t go through our growing pains and we can’t get through our growing pains, for whatever reason — because we don’t want to go through it being that hard again or we think we know or whatever it may be — if we can’t get through our growing pains, we have no chance.
“It’s like anything you do in life. When you complete something and you have to do it again, you’re not just starting right here [at the top] when you do it again. You’re starting here [at the bottom] and you’re building up. And sometimes, your second or your third year doing it, you’re getting here [at the top] a little quicker. But you still gotta go through all the necessary steps to get there.”
On the Knicks’ struggles finishing in the paint:
“If you think about it, if you’re shooting the way we’re shooting the ball at the perimeter, it’s like in football, if you’re not able to pass the ball, they’re gonna put eight guys in the box. It’s the same thing. If we’re not making shots, they’re going to do this [collapse in the paint] and it’s gonna be harder to finish in the paint.
“And so eventually, at least the green [high-quality] 3s, we’re gonna have to continue generating green threes but we’re gonna have to make some green threes. But in the same breath, while we’re not doing that, we gotta be better in other areas to compensate for our ability to shoot the ball right now.”
On the Knicks’ problems stopping Philly in the paint:
“They were getting in our paint left and right, right and left, and it was really, really easy doing it. If it’s a post-up game or something like that, OK, maybe, I don’t know. But to continue to have that ball driven in the paint, especially in the first half when they shot 5 of 17 or whatever it is from the 3-point line, was not good.”
On the Knicks’ defensive communication and inconsistent execution:
“It’s not just one thing. It’s a little thing here, little thing there, little thing there, and that’s why it adds up. We’re competitive when we need to be, and that’s why all our games that we’re in, we have a chance down the stretch.
“But trying to make sure we continue to do the little things throughout the course of the game is gonna be huge for us because we’re not doing it right now.”
On the Knicks failing to execute fundamentals:
“It was almost like we were just gonna show up and go hoop and not doing the little things that we need to do to go get a win.”
“My name is Jalen Brunson and welcome to Madison Square Garden“
— Jalen Brunson helps raise the banner for Harry Styles 30 consecutive nights at the Garden
On trusting the Knicks’ decision-making and not being afraid to make mistakes:
“We have the right intentions. We’ve just gotta be confident in our decision-making and don’t be afraid to fail. We have the confidence in this locker room to do it. We all work hard. We see it every day. Everything’s going to fall into place as it should be.”
On the condition of his sprained left wrist heading into Monday’s game:
“The wrist is doing its thing.”
On the Knicks needing to rediscover their championship form more consistently:
“We gotta find a way to be that magical team we were last year at a more consistent pace. You don’t always want to just wait until the end to find that magic. Lightning don’t strike twice, so we gotta be that team right now and we gotta continue to build off of what we did last year.”
On the Knicks’ offensive struggles and failure to execute:
“We just haven’t played our best, and we haven’t executed at a high level.”
On the Knicks’ stagnant offense contributing to early deficits:
“I think when that’s happened, we’re just coming in a little stagnant offensively. Forced into either bad shots or turnovers. And then, you know, stops are harder.”
Mikal Bridges
On his affection for the Nets and Suns, his former teams:
“No matter them or Phoenix, people I played for, there’s always a spot in my heart for them and I always remember the time being there.”
On former Nets teammates still playing in Brooklyn:
“It might be just them two.”
On the Knicks’ practice session and correcting their mistakes:
“Just lock in. Obviously, we watch film and work on things that we gotta fix.”
On rebuilding the chemistry the Knicks developed during their championship season:
“Yeah, that’s why I think for us, we just gotta continue to grow. Last time we played was in June. I think [we were] probably the most polished as a team we were at the end of the year, as we should be. So, I know it’s tough to see last time we played to the beginning of the year, and obviously we should be better than we are, me personally. But it takes time and just not skipping steps and just kinda going through the process and keep learning, get back in that rhythm.”
“Doesn't really matter what team I play for. I was at my son's game yesterday & it was like 'I'm a Nets fan, you’re gonna kill it this year.' Then I get on the other side & it's 'Thank you for everything you've done for the Knicks"
“I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun. No, I don’t know nothing about (the Knicks’ winning streak against Brooklyn). I live in the present, baby. … Focus on what we need to do to get a win, build off of what we did [Sunday] and stick together as a group.”
On opposing fans taking over Barclays Center during Nets home games:
“I don’t give a shit. I’ve been on teams that weren’t good and didn’t have the excitement around them. Then you start winning and the whole arena is there to see your team and cheer. So I think that’s just part of being a fan. For us as a team, we got to give them something to root for.”
On whether he sees himself as responsible for developing Brooklyn’s next generation of fans:
“Oh, hell no. It doesn’t really matter what team I play for. I was at my son’s basketball game yesterday and it was like, Man, I’m a Nets fan. You’re going to kill it this year. Then I get on the other side and it’s, Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Knicks’ …”
On building a winning culture in Brooklyn and helping the Nets’ younger players:
“I definitely want to be a part of establishing a culture and giving the city of Brooklyn something to be proud of. I’m not here just to come out and get my numbers or whatever it is. I’m here to win a championship. I’m here to help these young guys excel and speed up their growth process.”
After recording a team-high 23 points, Michael Porter Jr. tells @Meghan_Triplett what Brooklyn can take from tonight's win into tomorrow against the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/nRjTqkDnws
On facing the Knicks after Brooklyn’s historic 54-point defeat at MSG last year:
“We’ve got a big game [Monday] that we should be very excited to play. Last year, when we went to the Garden, it was not pretty, and we should remember that and look forward to getting our rest [Sunday night] and going in there and being competitive. I know I’m looking forward to it.”
On opposing teams’ fans dominating the crowd at Barclays Center:
“When we play Knicks, Celtics, Philly, Lakers, it’s mostly their fans. It’s crazy.”
Damn, Nets owner Joe Tsai says the Knicks championship left the Nets fanbase ‘irritated’ and ‘embarrassed’ 🫢
“Every year, some team is going to win a championship. So it happens that this year that team is in the same city. It doesn’t make us feel very good. It irates our… pic.twitter.com/TFyiiNCRJ0
Golden State Warriors Yaxel Lendeborg discusses his performance against the Clippers.
In Sunday’s 124-112 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors rookie phenom Yaxel Lendeborg fell just shy of scoring 40 points. It is the most for a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry in 2010.
Lendeborg finished with 37 points and was asked why he didn’t go for the 40-point figure. He indeed tried, but fell short because of the pressure from his peers.
Yaxel Lendeborg scores 37 points in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. NBAE via Getty Images
“I’ve never been a stat chaser in my life, so just falling into peer pressure like I did just now was pretty much bad on my part,” Lendeborg said. “Especially because I’m a guy that just loves ethical hoops. I’m a guy that loves efficient basketball, and I didn’t do that the last two or three minutes. So it’s kind of bad on my part.”
Lendeborg said his teammate De’Anthony Melton approached him and said, “Hey man you need to get 40. You’re three points away.’ And I’m like, ‘Nah, man. It’s all good.’ And he peer pressured me into doing it.”
Yaxel Lendeborg celebrating with Will Richard during his 37 point performance on Sunday night. NBAE via Getty Images
“He said he’s going to give me the ball. And he literally like, was holding it just to give me the ball. And I’m like, ‘All right, fine. I’ll shoot it.’ And I missed.”
Lendeborg said he tried to barter with Melton about being content with his 37 points, but then Will Richard approached him and said, “You got to do it.”
“Everybody was just egging me on, and I kind of just fell into it. But I know next time, I’mma just play in the flow of the game, ’cause they came out of me like four threes in a row, and we almost lost the game because of that. So, next time I’m never doing that again.”
It is not often you hear a professional athlete openly talk about trying to pad their stats. Yet, the Warriors rookie is not one for holding back.
Golden State Warriors rookie, Yaxel Lendeborg scores 37 points against the Clippers on Sunday night. Getty Images
“If it comes to me, it does. If I don’t get it, then I wasn’t meant to get it that day,” Lendeborg said. “Imma be way better next time.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick made it clear that what happened on Sunday night won’t occur again.
And that there are consequences, especially for end-of-bench players, for not being ready to play in an NBA game when their number is called.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick wasn’t pleased with how his team closed out Sunday’s win over the Raptors. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers coach thought his team’s lead was safe when he subbed out most of his main rotation players – Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler and Matisse Thybulle – with the Lakers leading by 14 points (123-109) with 1:43 left of their home game against the Raptors.
Luka Dončić, who had already scored 41 points by that point, had been out of the game for 45 seconds, with the Lakers and Redick believing the end-of-bench players would put the finishing touches on securing the victory.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had plenty to be frustrated about with how the team’s end-of-bench players performed late in the win over the Raptors. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
Even though the Lakers did eventually beat the Raptors, it didn’t come to fruition as Redick and the team hoped, with the end-of-bench players nearly blowing a double-digit lead in less than a minute.
“I won’t make that mistake again,” Redick said. “I’ll leave the guys in. You gotta play to the final buzzer, and if guys are not ready to play, then I just won’t put them in.”
After one of the lone rotation players, Quentin Grimes, split a pair of free throws to put the Lakers up 124-109 with 1:24 left, Jamison Battle hit a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to cut the Raptors’ deficit to 12.
JJ Redick on the Lakers' lead being cut from 15 points to 5 in 40 seconds after LAL subbed its main rotation players out against the Raptors, leading to JJ subbing them back in to close the game: "We just didn't do a good job of taking care of the ball in that situation. So I… pic.twitter.com/pUhIHhvMLp
A failed lob attempt from Grimes to Jarred Vanderbilt that resulted in a turnover turned into another Battle catch-and-shoot 3 in transition that quickly cut the Lakers’ lead to nine points.
And a failed inbounds pass by Bronny James led to the Lakers’ lead dropping down to seven after Battle hit a floater on the Raptors’ ensuing possession, making it eight straight points in less than 20 seconds of game time for the 2024 undrafted forward out of Ohio State.
Jamison Battle scored eight straight points in less than 20 seconds of game time to make a significant dent in the Lakers’ lead. NBAE via Getty Images
Redick had seen enough by the time Jaden Bradley converted an and-1 layup to trim the Raptors’ deficit to six points with 44 seconds left (and five points after making the free throw) after the Lakers led by 15 points just 40 seconds prior.
Dončić, Reaves, Kessler and Thybulle all subbed back in for James, Vanderbilt, Jaden Hardy and Cameron Carr (who was making his NBA debut) before Bradley shot his free throw.
The Lakers did just enough to secure the win with its main players back in the game, but it wasn’t pretty.
“A lot of times as a player when you kind of get something like that in that point, you kind of look at it as garbage minutes but the reality is, every time you step on the court, you got to treat it like it’s minutes to play the game,” Kessler said.
“Because my rookie and sophomore year, I got put in the garbage minutes and you got to play to the whistle because the reality is you’re only going to get your shot. And I’m not saying that those guys aren’t competitors ‘cause a lot of them are, but they got to be a lot more more fundamental, for sure.”
The Lakers improved to 5-2 on the young season with a 131-125 win over the Raptors on Sunday night. The score is not indicative of how much Los Angeles controlled the game, which set in motion the most hysterical moment of the game.
When Austin Reaves subbed out with 1:43 remaining in the Lakers’ eventual win over the Raptors, he did so with clear intentions of not returning to the game.
The biggest tell: The Lakers star guard gave his signature headband to a fan sitting behind the team’s bench, with Reaves expecting to watch the remainder of the game from the sidelines.
Austin Reaves (15) had to get his signature headband back when Lakers coach JJ Redick needed to put him back in the game. NBAE via Getty Images
That didn’t come to fruition as planned.
With their end-of-bench players in the game, the Lakers’ lead was cut from 15 points with 1:24 left to single digits within 20 seconds of game time.
Austin Reaves didn’t expect to be needed for the closing stretch. NBAE via Getty Images
Coach JJ Redick had seen enough from the reserves when Jaden Bradley converted the and-1 layup that trimmed the Raptors’ deficit to six points with 44 seconds left (and five points after making the free throw), deciding to sub his main rotation players back in to close the game out.
Which meant that Reaves had to retrieve his headband as he, Matisse Thybulle, Walker Kessler and Luka Dončić all subbed back in the game with 44 seconds left to secure the victory.
Luckily for Reaves, it didn’t appear the fan had any issues with handing the headband back over.
The Lakers got the job done after getting their main rotation players back in the game. NBAE via Getty Images
With Redick saying he won’t make this mistake again, subbing in players if they aren’t ready to play late in games, it appears to be unlikely that the 6-foot-5 guard will be in this position again.
But in case it does, Reaves better hold onto his headband until the game’s officially over.
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 30: Devin Booker #15 and Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
You wouldn’t think the sky would be falling in most fanbases four games into the season where the team has picked up a win, but here we are with the Phoenix Suns and their 1-3 start. The frustration from the fanbase has gotten so loud that we’ve got the team’s TV play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Ray comparing how to manage the freezing nature of a cold plunge to coping with the early season struggles.
With an 0-2 week in the books, reports that there’s growing “frustration” in the locker room over a lack of a true point guard, and with many key players going down with injuries around the NBA, here are some questions we want your answers on:
Starting guards trade struggling games
In last week’s loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Devin Booker had one of the worst games of his career, scoring just three points on seven shots. In the following game, Jalen Green scored just two points on 1/6 shooting from the field, his lowest scoring output as a member of the Suns in a game where he didn’t leave early because of injury. Both games the Suns lost.
Coming into the season, the Suns’ lack of point guard in the starting lineup caused some controversy around the team, and with NBA Insider Chris Haynes’ latest report about the backcourt not working well together, many are calling for the team to trade for a point guard or replace Green with Collin Gillespie in the starting lineup, who’s had success playing alongside Devin Booker in the past.
If you’re Jordan Ott and the coaching staff, how would you handle the guard controversy?
A massive break between games?
Phoenix has played the fewest games in the NBA so far, with a lot of that attributed to the 96-hour break they had between their two games this week. The Suns have played just two games since October 25th. In turn, this week will be more intense. They’ll play four games in a six-day span, including their first back-to-back of the year.
As a fan, how did you enjoy the massive break between games so early into the season, and how do you think it will impact them as their schedule ramps up?
Injuries around the West
The Western Conference suffered a bevy of significant injuries in the past week. The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost three starters: Anthony Edwards is expected out for about two months, Jaren Jackson Jr. will be sidelined for the next 5-7 weeks, and Ja Morant is expected to miss nearly all of November.
While the Suns remain without Mark Williams, the rest of the roster is healthy, and they’ve known they’d be without Williams more than a month before the season started.
How do the injuries impact where you think the Suns stand in the West?
Weird, but True
The Suns have played four of their last five postseason opponents to start their season. Their only win came against the only team they beat in postseason play, the Golden State Warriors, whom they beat in last year’s 8/9 Play-In game.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 26: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 26, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On the Suns’ Plate This Week
Phoenix will play the same amount of games this week as they’ve played in the entirety of the first two weeks of the season this week, along with their first back-to-back of the year. After they face the Golden State Warriors tonight, they’ll host the Portland Trailblazers on Wednesday and then the Orlando Magic on Thursday, capping the week off with Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. The home games this week are the first three of the franchise’s longest homestand since 2021 during Covid.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 18: Roman Reigns and Jalen Brunson look on in ring during Saturday Night's Main Event at Madison Square Garden on July 18, 2026 in New York, United States. (Photo by Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 18: Roman Reigns and Jalen Brunson look on in ring during Saturday Night's Main Event at Madison Square Garden on July 18, 2026 in New York, United States. (Photo by Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images
Maybe that one win in Indy will change things for the Brooklyn Nets. Maybe the cross-town rivalry will get the New York Knicks out of their lethargy. But at the moment, the Nets, despite their awful opening, are 1-5, only a game behind the 2-4 world champions. Indeed, if the Nets should upset the Knicks, the two would be tied!
Of course. 2026 has been the year of the New York Knicks as everyone’s still riding high from their NBA championship win over the summer. They’ve gotten off to a poor start this season at 2-4 and lost a close one, 98-93, to LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night in Philly.
This isn’t Julius Randle’s first game back at MSG after the big trade a few years ago. But it is his first game back after they won the championship. Should make for an interesting evening for him.
Perhaps that will help the Nets in their years long quest to finally beat the Knicks. Brooklyn has not won a game against their crosstown rivals since January 2023 when Randle was a Knick and Kyrie Irving was a Net. Time flies, doesn’t it?
For Randle, he’ll look to find his shot. Randle hasn’t shot above 50% from the field since the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second game of the season. Brooklyn needs a lot from Randle when it comes to the quality of shots he can generate and when it comes to holding on to the ball. Randle is sixth in the NBA in turnovers per game at 4.2 a night, and for a Nets offense that has had its struggles, you can’t live with that.
Day’ron Sharpe and Mo Wagner will look to put a good outing together against one of the best bigs in basketball. Sharpe collected his first double-double of the season last night in Indiana and for the first time this year, it felt like he was a real presence on the boards. That will be critical going up against Karl-Anthony Towns. KAT has been tremendous as a Knick and is a center that expands the floor and forces opposing bigs into touch choices. Towns hasn’t reached the best version of his game yet this season, but the signs are there and with a few tweaks, the Knicks offense is due to take-off sooner rather than later.
The forward matchup ought to be fun. OG Anunoby made himself a household name during the playoffs, but he’s been great for a long time. OG does a bit of everything and will get his fair share of matchups against elite wings. He’ll draw Michael Porter Jr tonight, and MPJ will look to keep Anunoby off-balance. If the game is close late, Porter Jr’s ability to get his own shot will keep the Nets in it and give them a chance to pull off the upset. It’s been a long time since the Nets beat the Knicks, and today would be as good of a time as any to make a change.
Player to Watch: Jalen Brunson
Life is good when you’re the King of New York. Jalen Brunson was already a beloved figure, but the championship has taken him into the rarified air that few players ever reach. Saturday Night’s Main Event was built primarily on his presence (with a special surprise shout out to KAT and Danhausen!). He’s got a guest appearance on Law and Order: SVU this week. And his NBA Finals run featured some of the greatest guard play you’ll ever see.
Brunson’s shooting numbers haven’t joined the party yet this season. His shooting splits are down across the board in his first six games, but give it about a month and a half and he should be back to where his career numbers are. He’s drawing a lot more contact and is getting to the free throw line at the highest rate of his career. Drawing fouls is an art and being a good free throw shooter that can get your own shot and get to the line is worth its weight in gold.
Mikel Brown Jr is back and we’ll see how many minutes he plays tonight. Who knows how long the Nets will be managing his minutes, but hopefully they let him loose in his pro debut at the Garden. We’ll see if he gets minutes next to Nolan Traore tonight. Nolan was a bright spot against the Pacers last night and knocked down four three-pointers. His development will go a long way in determining what a future may look like for the Nets, and the more good minutes he puts on the board, the more optimistic Nets fans should feel about his game going forward.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32, and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks high five during the game against the Detroit Pistons on October 27, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
They say defense wins championships, and it definitely is true that you need to be able to defend, but defense does not only win championships.
The Knicks, through six games and the end of October, are a perfectly normal 10th in defensive rating. It’s slightly down from last year, but it’s more in line with everything they’ve done as a team for the last few years.
The reason they’re 2-4 is not their defense; it’s their offense. In all four of their losses, they’ve scored 103 or fewer points.
They’re 22nd in offensive rating. They’re shooting abhorrently bad at the rim. Jalen Brunson, a floater maestro, has been extremely bad at it. They’ve been uncharacteristically bad at the free-throw line. While they’ve actually been great at making wide-open threes, they go through puzzling cold stretches from some of their best shooters.
All of that stuff isn’t sticky in small samples. A team this talented will not continue to shoot sub-60% at the rim. The craftiest point guard in basketball didn’t lose his touch (although the wrist surgery may cause this slump to last longer than we want), the good shooters will eventually start making their shots.
There is one thing, though, that is a matter of execution, not hoping for luck to even out.
The Knicks, as of now, have not played structurally sound offensive basketball. They haven’t deserved much better outcomes than what they’re currently getting on a possession-by-possession basis.
In the 2025-26 season, the Knicks averaged 2.01 assists per turnover (27.4 assists, 13.6 turnovers), which ranked eighth in basketball
So far this season? Just 1.69 assists per turnover (26.2 assists, 15.5 turnovers), down to 15th.
While it’s just one stat, the assist-to-turnover ratio is something that separates the wheat from the chaff. Of the top seven offenses last season, six of them had an AST/TO ratio above two, something only eight teams did. It’s very rare for teams to have a good offense and a low AST/TO ratio, the Knicks are not one of those teams that can do that.
Looking player-by-player, there isn’t any issue with the team’s primary playmakers. Instead, it’s their secondary playmakers.
Jalen Brunson, Tyler Kolek, and Jose Alvarado have combined for 61 assists to 19 turnovers.
Everyone else? 96 assists to 68 turnovers. While you might expect some drop-off, this is a bit bizarre.
To spell it out in AST/TO and compare it to last year:
That “everyone else” drop-off is concentrated in the rest of the starters, mainly Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Hart was arguably the team’s most efficient playmaker with a staggering 2.48 AST/TO ratio. So far this season, he’s at 20 assists to 11 turnovers. This is a guy who averaged nearly five assists last year, second on the team, and it’s down to 3.3 so far.
What’s up with that? He seems to be touching the ball a lot less offensively. Obviously, Brunson gets the lion’s share of on-ball reps, but the evolution to a KAT-centric offense and the desire to let Anunoby build on last year’s on-ball success in the postseason have turned him into someone he isn’t: a catch-and-shoot perimeter threat. That’s for Deuce McBride, not for Hart.
For Anunoby, his numbers are similar in the playmaking aspect, but he’s on ball significantly more than he was last year. He’s averaging more touches; he’s averaging more dribbles per touch, and there are more plays being run for him.
Visually, some of these touches and plays just look… bad. They’re affecting not only the increased turnovers but also the lower shooting numbers. If things don’t level off soon, you might see Mike Brown rein in these touches and go back to having Anunoby as an off-ball player to simplify the offense.
Stunningly, is the biggest issue Towns? The same guy whose playmaking evolved to such a degree in the postseason that it was the adjustment that led to a title?
The Knicks haven’t fully leaned into the KAT-centric offense as they did in the postseason, but they’ve spent a lot more time working through him than they did during the regular season last year. Brunson is spending significantly less time with the ball in his hands, and KAT is the biggest beneficiary.
Really, it seems he’s just trying to do too much. There have been multiple plays:
The Knicks have gotten burned to a crisp on plays like these. Live-ball turnovers. Here, Towns is trying to hit an outlet and just throws it into no-man’s land. It’s high-risk, high-reward, as we saw last postseason, but the risk is rearing its ugly head.
The live ball turnovers aren’t just a KAT issue; everyone is culpable.
These are just live-ball, bad-pass turnovers. There are a bunch more where the player just loses the ball, stumbles, or gets stripped in a bad position, which leads to a fast break.
A staple of Knicks basketball in the Brunson era has been being toward the bottom in turnovers. In three of the first four seasons, the Knicks were top-six in least turnovers per game. This season so far? 13th.
Mike Brown brought about more ball movement and less standing around doing nothing. At least so far, it’s looking a lot more like standing around and doing nothing.
"We're trying to hit a home run every time we get the ball. And we have to hit singles"
Mike Brown talked about the Knicks' turnovers in the first half vs. Philadelphia as part of his opening statement pic.twitter.com/Sh6vDUiRBb
Injuries plagued the first week of the NBA season, and the hits just kept coming in Week 2.
Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Tyrese Haliburton, Jaren Jackson Jr., Chet Holmgren, and Kawhi Leonard will all miss multiple weeks with injuries, opening the door for other players to take on expanded roles.
With injuries to star players piling up, I’ve put together my top waiver wire adds heading into Week 3.
Waiver wire adds are based on 8-cat scoring, and roster percentages come from Yahoo! leagues. Only players rostered in 50% or less will be included.
Priority Adds
1. Aday Mara
2. Tristan da Silva
3. Scoot Henderson
4. Ja’Kobe Walter
5. Collin Gillespie
6. Jaxson Hayes
7. Pelle Larsson
8. De’Andre Hunter
9. Anfernee Simons
10. Moritz Wagner
Others to consider: Derrick Jones Jr. (26%), Isaiah Jackson (24%), Cam Spencer (12%), Nolan Traore (9%), Ziaire Williams (9%), Keon Ellis (7%), Marcus Smart (3%), Kobe Sanders (2%)
Ja’Kobe Walter, Toronto Raptors (40 percent rostered)
Kawhi Leonard is injured … again. That means Walter - who has started each of the last four games with Leonard sidelined - should be a fixture in the first unit indefinitely.
Since joining the starting lineup, Walter has averaged 14 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 swats and 3.5 triples while shooting 50% from the floor and 80% from the charity stripe.
Walter is a three-and-D specialist who’s provided Top-75 value over his last four games. This is likely the last week his roster percentage will be 40% or less until Leonard returns.
Phoenix doesn’t have a true PG in the starting five, but they have a Sixth Man who can run the show. Gillespie’s 26.5 minutes per game are fifth most on the team and lead the Suns’ bench.
In his last game out, Gillespie posted a 16/3/10 line with four steals, a block and four triples across 33 minutes. He’s got big upside as a specialist in assists, steals and three-pointers. Even if he continues to come off the bench, Gillespie should see more than enough run to be a viable option in standard leagues.
Aday Mara, Oklahoma City Thunder (35 percent rostered)
The hits kept coming for OKC over the last week. After losing Jalen Williams to a gruesome leg injury, the Thunder got news that Chet Holmgren will be sidelined for 8-10 weeks after getting treatment on a patellar tendon tear.
Cason Wallace (shoulder) and Alex Caruso (ankle) are out indefinitely, and suddenly the Thunder’s rotation is razor thin. Mara saw a season-high 28 minutes in his last game out, posting a 7/9/3 line with four blocked shots.
The rookie has the upside to average a double-double with multiple swats, and he’s still available in 65% of Yahoo! leagues. Scoop him up while you still can.
Like Gillespie, Larsson has carved out a meaningful role as Miami’s Sixth Man, logging a career-high 29.5 minutes per game. Larsson started the season with muted production across his first two games, but he’s posted strong numbers over his last four.
In that span, the Arizona product has averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 triples while shooting 59.4% from the floor and 86% from the charity stripe. Miami plays four games in Week 3, which is just another reason to add Larsson.
Derrick Jones Jr., Los Angeles Clippers (26 percent rostered)
“Airplane Mode” has taken off for LA this season, averaging career highs in points (12), rebounds (4.4), assists (1.6), triples (2.4), steals (1.4) and minutes (29). He’s also swatting 0.6 shots per tilt.
Jones Jr. has started every game for the Clippers, and given the roster’s lack of depth, he should see minutes in the high 20’s to low 30’s for the foreseeable future. He’s ranked just outside the fifth round in per-game fantasy value.
DJJ injured his knee in Sunday’s loss to the Warriors, and if he’s forced to miss time, Kobe Sanders (2%) would be worth streaming until he returns.
Jusuf Nurkic is still out, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks. That leaves Utah with a gaping hole in its frontcourt and Hayes with a sizable opportunity.
Over his last two games (both starts), Hayes averaged 4.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots across 28.5 minutes. He won’t score much, but Hayes is a solid source of rebounds and defensive stats.
Hunter started the season out slowly, averaging just 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 triples on 37.5% shooting across 25 minutes over his first three games.
Over his last three, Hunter has averaged 22.3 points, 4.7 boards, 3.7 triples and a “stock” across 34 minutes per game. Hunter has shot 52.3% in that span, and he ranks 65th in per-game fantasy value.
Hunter’s increased playing time and production is due in part to the absence of Keegan Murray (ankle), who will be out for at least the next week. Hunter is still a worthy option in category leagues, but he’s better in points formats.
Anfernee Simons, Philadelphia 76ers (19 percent rostered)
Don’t look now, but Simons is a second-round option over the last week. Across his last three games, the sharpshooter has averaged 20 points, 1.3 steals and 5.3 triples across 27.7 minutes.
Simons is best deployed as a points-league guy, but fantasy managers can’t ignore a player splashing triples and piling up points and swipes at this level.
Ja Morant is out for at least four weeks with a hamstring injury, and in Morant’s first missed game, Henderson got the start over Jrue Holiday.
Henderson posted a 14/3/1 line with three steals and a triple. The production was solid, but Henderson’s playing time was most notable, as he tied Toumani Camara for team lead in minutes at 31.
Henderson appears to have the inside track to holding down Morant’s vacated backcourt spot in the starting five, making him a strong add off of the waiver wire.
Moritz Wagner, Brooklyn Nets (11 percent rostered)
After spending the last five and a half seasons with Orlando, Wagner is off to a great start in his first with the Nets.
The big man averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 triples and 1.3 “stocks” across 22 minutes in his last three games, ranking just inside the fifth round in fantasy value. Wagner won’t post Top-60 value all season, but he can be a useful source of points and boards with 3-and-D upside.
Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic (22 percent rostered)
Anthony Black was my top pickup in last week’s column, but his roster percentage spiked, making him ineligible to appear again. Instead, I’ll highlight da Silva, who’s playing an integral role for Orlando and is still available in nearly 80% of Yahoo! leagues.
The Brazilian forward had back-to-back strong games before posting a stinker in a win over the Raptors with eight points and no peripherals. He bounced back with a 23/10/2 line, including five triples, in Sunday’s loss to Boston. Until Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs are back, da Silva should continue seeing meaningful run, making him a solid add in 12-team formats.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 20: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots a contested jump shot during the third quarter of the game against Joel Embiid #21 and Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First, a disclaimer: It’s early. Ty Jerome, briefly a Sixer on draft night seven years ago, is among the NBA’s leading scorers. Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle are playing regular minutes for the Lakers. Another old friend, De’Anthony Melton, is shooting better from the arc than his Golden State teammate, Stephen Curry.
The point is, nobody knows nothin’. Not yet.
That said, it looks like the Sixers can really defend. Time and again they have shown a willingness to dig in on that end of the floor, often at the most critical moments. The want-to is there. The effort is there. The connection is there.
Through seven games, six of them victories, they are third in the league in defensive rating (105.4) and fifth in halfcourt rating (105.0).
As LeBron James said after Friday’s victory over the Knicks, “We definitely hang our hats on the defensive end so far this season.”
The caveats are many. Joel Embiid’s health. LeBron’s age. The lack of an adequate backup center (again). The many newcomers, besides James. And, as mentioned, the fact that we’re not quite two weeks into the season; seven games in October don’t carry nearly the same weight as seven games in May or June.
But it’s clear the foundation is in place. The Sixers have four standout defenders in VJ Edgecombe and newcomers Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Embiid, before his current foot problems, seemed to be approaching the rim-protector form he showed a few years back, and James, two months shy of his 42nd birthday, appears to have recommitted himself on the defensive end, after showing some slippage in recent seasons.
Even guys who are not known for their defense, like Tyrese Maxey and Anfernee Simons, are putting their best feet forward – Maxey because he’s Maxey, Simons because he knows he will be out there in big moments, given what an offensive weapon he has shown himself to be.
“We are just willing to guard, and that’s important,” Edgecombe said. “We’re connected. In training camp, we obviously worked on our standard, our principles. And I say we just kind of execute from there.”
The payoff is considerable.
“We know,” he added, “if we get some stops, we get out and have fun from there.”
In James’ mind, it is easier for a team featuring so many new pieces to coalesce on the defensive end.
“The offense usually comes after that,” he said, “because guys are just kind of figuring it out and being on the floor with one another.”
And indeed, the Sixers are just 23rd in offensive rating (109.3), despite Maxey’s sizzling start; he’s averaging just under 30 points a game, on .486/.352/.830 shooting splits.
He generated 38 in Saturday’s 109-104 victory in Charlotte, a game that was in doubt until the Sixers reeled off 13 straight points to erase a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. As had been the case in the 98-93 home victory over the Knicks the night before, Edgecombe provided the dagger three-pointer in the final minute. But when you zoom out you again see that ultimately D was the difference: The Sixers limited Charlotte to 34.8 percent shooting while outscoring them 32-21 in the fourth. And they did that, even though Embiid and James were held out of the game.
On Friday, they led the defending champs most of the night – at a couple points by as many as 14 – despite Brown’s absence with a sore knee. And again there were moments of defensive brilliance, notably by Edgecombe and KCP, who tag-teamed Knicks star Jalen Brunson, and Wade, who jousted with OG Anunoby.
Wade started but did not squeeze off a shot while going scoreless in nearly 27 minutes of action. Still, he made a difference, and he was particularly stout during a second-quarter stretch that saw him register two of his three steals and contest an Anunoby miss. His efforts hardly went unnoticed.
“The stat sheet doesn’t always determine winning plays and the things he was doing tonight defensively, and the things that he was doing offensively, giving us extra shots and things of that nature,” James said, adding that the 6-foot-9 Wade is the “perfect player for every team.”
“And,” James said, “he’s always going to make the winning plays.”
Speaking of which, let us consider the work of Edgecombe, who at age 21 seems to make such plays nightly. He and Caldwell-Pope limited Brunson to 24 points on 8-for-22 shooting – no easy task, considering his herky-jerky old-man game. As Edgecombe put it, Brunson “uses the fundamentals of the game well” while repeatedly knocking down difficult shots.
“I just try my best to just be there, just make sure I’m contesting every shot,” Edgecombe said.
The Knicks, as is their wont, kept coming, and finally took the lead at 90-89 on Brunson’s right-corner three-pointer over Edgecombe with 1:32 remaining.
“There are really great players throughout this league,” Edgecombe said. “They’re going to make tough shots, but I said I can’t hang my head down and get mad because he made a tough shot. He shot it over me. I kind of did my job, but like I say, it’s going to happen.”
James put the Sixers back in front with a foul-line fadeaway, and on the next Knicks possession Karl-Anthony Towns screened for Brunson as he advanced the ball over midcourt. Embiid hedged and Edgecombe recovered, tracking Brunson as he kept his dribble and moved to his right.
The moment of truth came when the Knicks star drove down the right side of the lane. There defenders are often easy pickings for his array of step-throughs, up-and-unders and fadeaways, but Edgecombe met the moment, forcing Brunson into a miss from eight feet.
Then, at the other end, Edgecombe nailed his enormous three-ball. That proved decisive, despite the fact that he was whistled for a foul on Brunson (apparently with his pinky toe) next time down – a call upheld after replay review.
Brunson made the first free throw, then had a ball-don’t-lie miss, and the Sixers closed it out.
Again, miles to go. The Sixers are hardly fully formed. But their defense – “the physicality, the communication, the keeping the ball in front, the really not quitting on plays,” as Nick Nurse said – is at present their calling card. If that proves to be sustainable, it’s not hard to believe that they will be in this for the long haul – that they will be playing far more meaningful games next spring than they are right now.
If there are any questions about the Knicks’ commitment post-championship, or their distraction level amid contract negotiations, none of them can be pointed at Karl-Anthony Towns.
Coming off a legendary postseason run that helped secure his place in New York immortality, Towns has been his team’s most locked-in player of the new season, averaging 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 65.5 percent shooting from two and 41.4 percent from three.
This, despite being the key hang-up in the Knicks’ extension talks and coming off a busy summer of celebration. Let’s dive into Towns’ hellacious start and what it means to the team.
One difference from Towns this season is his frame. He came into the season considerably thinner than in years past, though he plans to bulk up as the year progresses.
This seems to only have benefited Towns’ game. His mobility looks better and there haven’t been major sacrifices on the defensive end or boards.
His inside finishing has been particularly efficient, while that was a weakness early last season.
Otherwise, it’s been a lot of the Towns we know and love, specifically out of the hub offense that turned around last season's playoffs. The Knicks are leaning into it more now having the blueprint, and Towns looks as comfortable as ever with head coach Mike Brown’s schemes.
It hasn’t shown up on the stat sheet as many would have liked — Towns’ turnovers have spiked while his assists are flat. But much of this is due to how teams have adjusted against this look.
They’ve been more aggressive in switching the flex screen and helping off the weak side, forcing the Knicks into the third and fourth option on these plays. There’s also some sloppiness on Towns’ part as he gets reacquainted and sees what passes he can force or not.
But these bumps are to be expected, the net is positive, and even some early hiccups are ultimately helpful toward the ultimate goal. The fact that the Knicks haven’t made shots like normal is also skewing the numbers.
Inside or out of the hub offense, Towns has looked the part. His 41.4 percent three-point shooting mark could come on higher volume, but he’s picked his spots well with deep catch-and-shoots off trails and even some self-creation in the clutch.
Towns has seen the most action in fourth quarters, scoring 7.3 of his points per game in that period. Unfortunately the Knicks haven’t turned to him in the closing moments enough, as he’s taken two shots in the eight minutes of crunch time in games New York’s played thus far.
That the Knicks have lost most of these tight contests to fall to 2-4 record could be in part due to this. Until others pick up their slack, this may need to be more of a Towns-centric team.
Fans know first hand how these Towns reps will ultimately pay off in the playoffs, when the Knicks will need multiple answers and know they can depend on their big man. But they’ll also play a role in the coming contract negotiations.
Towns can either hit free agency or re-sign long-term with the Knicks, with both parties seemingly favoring the latter -- just at different prices. He will have much more leverage walking in with continued dominance like this.
Towns can point to New York’s falling point differential when he steps off the court, or the mixed results they’re getting from their alternative second options on the wing. He can point to being second in the league in rebounds per game and first to the rim to defend it.
Hopefully this ends in an inked extension and repeat run. In the meantime, Towns is aiming to put together one of the best seasons of his career, and the early returns are promising.
SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr coined the phrase as a motivating tool. There was no way Kerr could have known the words “Strength In Numbers” would turn to a slogan forever attached to the Warriors, and still be used to describe his teams more than a decade later.
Like taking a page out of his former coach Phil Jackson’s book, Kerr came up with “Strength In Numbers” before meeting his players for the first time as a way for them to play as a team. The phrase fit right into Kerr moving Andre Iguodala to the bench after starting all his previous 758 career regular-season games. Conveniently, Kerr’s three words also fit right into the state of the roster for the 2014-15 Warriors.
Steph Curry was in his age-26 season and about to set a new pecking order in the league as MVP. Klay Thompson was 24, and so was Draymond Green. Harrison Barnes was just 22, and Andrew Bogut was the elder of the starting five at 30 years old. Iguodala was 31, and Leandro Barbosa was the oldest on the team at 32.
That’s seven players right there, and a 29-year-old Shaun Livingston hasn’t been mentioned yet. Neither has a 31-year-old David Lee, or a 27-year-old Marreese Speights. Festus Ezeli was 25 and back from missing the previous season to reconstructive knee surgery.
Numbers were literally a strength of those Warriors. They could go 11 deep and sometimes 12. The Warriors this season didn’t even have 11 players from their 15-man roster available for the season opener in Los Angeles.
Injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody last season already set them back for this season. Then came Kristaps Porziņģis’ mystery illness that was announced the morning of media day, leading to an ongoing absence. Numbers didn’t look like a strength of the Warriors going into the season, but a weakness already for reasons out of their hands.
Somehow, though, the Warriors are redefining “Strength In Numbers” to turn around a terrible start.
“Well, I think it’s obvious that we have a lot of depth,” Kerr said Sunday after the Warriors’ short-handed win over the LA Clippers. “To be able to play a game like that without Steph and Dray, obviously Jimmy, Moses – got a lot of injuries, and to be able to play a game like that shows that we got a lot of talented players.”
For the second game this season, the Warriors were without Curry and Green, on top of already being down Butler, Moody and Porziņģis. And for the first time, they won with the Curry-Green duo watching from the bench.
Signs of depth being a sneaky strength started showing in training camp, the preseason and even when the Warriors lost their first three games. Rotations were able to be formed quicker than usual and the emergence of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and the growth of others have made it easier for players to fit into proper roles.
De’Anthony Melton describes the Warriors’ second unit as “fast and disruptive” with the bench taking “a lot of pride” in proving naysayers wrong and providing help to an already undermanned Warriors team.
“Obviously, everybody sees what we see too,” Melton said. “But early on, I’ve talked about the depth we have, and I think we have a lot of guys that can contribute in various different ways. Some nights you’re going to see some guys do more, some guys do whatever it is. We’re going to do it as a committee, and we keep tracking along.”
In the Warriors’ road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 24, their third straight loss and the second night of a back-to-back without Curry, Green and others, Melton scored 25 points off the bench. His former high school teammate Brandon Williams dropped 20 in his first start of the season. The two have brought their chemistry to the Warriors and it shows in the stats.
Melton and Williams have played 37 minutes together and have a 17.5 net rating with a 117.5 offensive rating and a 100.0 defensive rating.
While Lendeborg’s 37 points against the Clippers was the story Sunday night, so was Melton scoring an efficient 21 points in the starting lineup, Williams scoring 17 off the bench shooting at a highly efficient clip and Brandin Podziemski giving them 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as Melton’s starting backcourt mate. That’s strength in numbers on a night where numbers aren’t supposed to be a strength.
Lendeborg in two games without Curry has scored 63 points for an average of 31.5 points on 57.9-percent shooting (22 of 38) and a 54.5 3-point percentage (12 of 22).
The Warriors need Melton and Williams to be reliable in games Curry plays. That becomes even more paramount when Curry is in street clothes. Melton and Williams in the two games Curry has missed to rest have scored a combined 83 points on 60.1-percent shooting (26 of 43).
“I tried to tell everybody, like, we don’t have a player like him,” Melton says of Williams. “He can just get downhill and his shiftiness and his flair and stuff like that, he needs that just to get the crowd involved and just to get the excitement of everybody. We all love it, and we’re all fascinated with the way he can finish. We’ve seen it as opponents, too.”
When told in the locker room of Melton’s comments at the podium, Williams turns to his right and says “Who said that? Melt said that? My dog.”
The oohs and aahs rang throughout the Chase Center crowd as Williams raced past his defender and flew to the rack for crafty layups to beat the Clippers. A season removed from giving the Warriors 26 points in San Francisco on Christmas, Williams already has become a crowd favorite of Dub Nation.
“Oh man, I love it,” Williams told NBC Sports Bay Area. “I love it. I’m glad. I’m glad everybody’s starting to recognize it.”
If Williams could, he would tell the fans to get on their feet every time he has the ball, feeding off the vibes from thousands of fans.
“I’m a rhythm player, so like every time the crowd gets going, I feed off of it for sure. And then I bring it out to my team as well,” he said. “So once the crowd gets into it, I feel like that’s our sixth man.”
The Warriors’ win against the Clippers came one game after one in which Curry scored 31 points and made Luka Dončić touch earth. But it also was a game where the Warriors’ bench outscored the Lakers’ bench 50 to seven. Golden State through Sunday night now ranks sixth in bench points per game (43.0).
Georges Niang in the win vs. the Lakers was a perfect 3 of 3 from 3-point range and now is shooting 47 percent beyond the arc during the Warriors’ four-game win streak.
Niang showed some fire against the Lakers, too, going nose to nose with Colin Sexton.
“I’m not out there to make anyone feel like it’s a walk in the park,” Niang told reporters in the locker room after.
Kerr had to use five different starting lineups in the Warriors’ first five games. Consistency couldn’t be part of the Warriors’ equation, but connectivity still was.
The Warriors coach said Sunday night’s victory was won in the summer, praising young guys like Lendeborg, Will Richard, Charles Bassey and Graham Ike for being around throughout the summer and buying into who the Warriors want to be, as well as Melton for rehabbing in the facility and digesting offensive tweaks and Frank Vogel’s defense. The oldest team in the league is getting energy from their young role players and stability from their veterans to bring balance to the bench.
Williams is new to the Warriors’ slogan but always believed this is who they would be, as seen in taking both games against the Southern California foes.
“I thought that would be our strength, for sure,” Williams said. “Obviously with 30 [Curry] and Dray out, everybody’s gonna have to step up, all of us all around. So BP did. Obviously, we saw what Yax did. Mel as well. G came in with a good spark, as well as Will. I think everybody kind of contributed in their own ways, and I think everybody’s starting to see now that’s how deep we are as a team.”
With numbers not on their side, these Warriors are finding improbable ways to bring “Strength In Numbers” alive.
