Category: Sports News

Isn’t it great when your mood depends on the performance of your favorite team? It’s not a feeling I’ve experienced since abandoning fandom at school, but I empathize with those that do because the emotions and time they give a team matter. I even saw it up close with my mother recently, who has become a WNBA fan out of nowhere, and her spirits improved when her beloved Atlanta Dream got back in the win column in the Finals. 

Fortunately for those who have suffered this, there are no “statements” in an opener and the first weeks of the season are filled with weirdness with some teams taking long to get settled and some of the bad ones briefly performing above expectation. This means it might take a team like the San Antonio Spurs some time to reach sixth gear because they are getting creative with a three-guard set in the starting unit and they don’t have a high level of urgency at all times, so nobody needs to overreact to some speed bumps.

Anyways, the logistical casualty that caused us to wait three nights for the Spurs’ second game offered some time to watch the other teams and the Oklahoma City Thunder came up again in their winning effort against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. There was a need to see if they could follow up their opening win by making another high-quality team look as ordinary as they did the Spurs, and for the most part, they did. 

The Houston Rockets got checked out, too, and they looked mighty against the Dallas Mavericks. Some of the new swag was obvious when they played the Spurs because using another connector like Fred VanVleet added juice to the offense, but some of the extra intensity of the game was caused naturally by the matchup and its history. The battle for Texas supremacy is serious business and that was why the rebounding in the trenches looked like a mosh pit at times.

The team was down 10 points late in the third quarter, but never let the game get out of reach while not playing their style. As much as I am a fan of playing fast, the court was like a speedway in the third quarter, which will greatly diminish anyone’s legs, even if they have a fast set of wheels.

 So, there’s no surprise some players were slow to make defensive reads in the fourth quarter- one example was Wembanyama not switching onto Kevin Durant when he made the handoff triple in the last few minutes. The priority always has to be protecting the 3-point line late in a close game and that was an easy enough switch.

The Rockets led 89 percent of the night and upstaged the Spurs, yet it was some top-notch NBA action in large part because big-man battles, when done right, are maybe the best the league has to offer from a matchup standpoint.

It’s super early in the season, but I feel ashamed for underestimating the Rockets because Durant’s length gave Stephon Castle problems and Jabari Smith Jr. was equally impactful as an off-ball defender. I’m already eager for the next matchup on Jan. 26 in San Antonio to see how the Spurs get their lick back.

Wish I could report to the fans that things will be easier for the Spurs, but it seems like they’ll only have three easier games — two against the Sacramento Kings and one versus the Chicago Bulls — in the next 18 days.

Takeaways:

• Yes, an 0-2 record is hideous, but trust me on this, things could be so much worse, like how they look for the Miami Heat. They looked a class below both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons on opening week and Kaseya Center got sacked on both nights. Spurs fans would be shook up if they saw the same lack of effort and cohesion. 
• Castle should keep working on his ball handling like he did this summer, but the 3-point shooting needs to come around soon. Opponents think so little of him from long range that they keep giving him those shots, and he needs to drain them to prevent his teammates from being schemed by an extra help defender. Yet if he loses his confidence shooting from deep, an adjustment that can be made is parking him in the dunker spot; he has the hops to be effective there and it would force his defender to play him closer.
• Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are nice shooters, but there is still a need for them to be more assertive when playing next to Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama. Obviously, there are some things to straighten out if this three-guard set is going to be permanent, but in Champagnie’s case, there should never be a world where he only takes five shots when he is ignitable like jet fuel. 
• Luckily for Wembanyama, I won’t charge for this advice, but he should remember the importance of added strength training and having post moves. Going to the body is the only way the big guys can offset his length, and think about how Şengün was collapsing the defense with post ups and was scoring.  Improving in the post would give Wemby more angles to pass to his teammates, and it can also be a way to leverage a turn-around jumper.
• Houston’s frontline having three scoring threats and a fourth on the glass (Tari Eason will) be problematic in future matchups with the Spurs because Wembanyama can only do so much. It’s not ideal, but the next time Houston goes huge, I’d like to see what he can do sharing the court with Luke Kornet. There are plenty of moments that Houston had three of those guys together, and one figures they wouldn’t be as effective if the counter was a two-man zone with Wembanyama up front and Kornet in the back.
• Amen Thompson’s block on Wembanyama was spectacular, and I won’t forget it all season. Thompson and his twin, Ausar, have impressive springs in their legs and there may not be anyone who gets off the ground quicker than them in the league.

Sixers-Bucks by the numbers: New faces, paint points and opposite halves originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Bucks team visiting Philadelphia on Saturday night does not look much like the one the Sixers have grown accustomed to facing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are in Miami. Four former Heat players have entered Milwaukee’s rotation. Taylor Jenkins has replaced Doc Rivers as head coach, and the Bucks have opened the season with losses to the Wizards and Bulls.

The Sixers, who will be without LeBron James, will begin a back-to-back Saturday. Milwaukee will complete one at Xfinity Mobile Arena after playing its home opener Friday night.

Two games are not enough to establish what the Bucks will be this season. They have provided a few numbers worth knowing before the Sixers attempt to improve to 3-0.

139

Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis have combined for 139 of Milwaukee’s 241 points.

The four players acquired from Miami in the Antetokounmpo trade have accounted for 57.7 percent of Milwaukee’s scoring. By comparison, Philadelphia’s offseason additions have scored 45 percent of the Sixers’ points.

Herro has scored 58 points. Jaquez has added 41, while Jakučionis and Ware have combined for 40 off the bench.

Herro and Jaquez have started both games alongside Ryan Rollins, Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner. Jakučionis and Ware have been regular members of Jenkins’ rotation.

Herro has led Milwaukee in scoring and assists. Jaquez is averaging 20.5 points and nine rebounds. The four former Heat players have already become the largest part of the Bucks’ offense.

123.9

Milwaukee has allowed 123.9 points per 100 possessions through two games, the NBA’s second-worst defensive rating entering Saturday.

The Bucks have surrendered 130 points per game despite their opponents shooting only 18 for 73 from three-point range, the fourth-lowest opponent rate in the sport.

Washington and Chicago combined to make 24.7 percent of their threes. Milwaukee has shot 39.1 percent from deep and made 16 more three-pointers than its opponents, giving the Bucks a 48-point advantage from behind the arc.

They have still been outscored by 19 points.

The difference has come closer to the basket and at the foul line.

Plus-42 and minus-25

The Sixers have outscored their opponents 121-79 after halftime.

Their plus-42 second-half margin allowed them to erase a four-point halftime deficit against New York and a 24-point halftime deficit against Cleveland.

Milwaukee has moved in the other direction. The Bucks led at halftime in both games but have been outscored 148-123 during the second half. They have lost the two fourth quarters by a combined 24 points.

The way Philadelphia rallied against Cleveland also lines up with Milwaukee’s early defensive issues.

The Sixers scored 69 points in the second half Thursday. They scored 36 in the paint, went 18 for 22 from the foul line and committed only two turnovers.

They did that while making only three of their 13 three-point attempts.

The Sixers did not need a hot shooting half to come back. They protected the ball, reached the lane and drew fouls.

66

Milwaukee has allowed 66 paint points per game, the worst mark through two contests.

Washington outscored the Bucks 70-50 in the paint during the season opener. Chicago followed with a 62-44 advantage Friday.

That leaves Milwaukee with a minus-38 paint differential.

The Sixers scored 64 paint points against a Cleveland frontcourt featuring Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Thirty-six came after halftime, when Philadelphia scored 69 points and turned a 24-point deficit into an eight-point victory.

Milwaukee starts Turner and brings the 7-foot Ware off its bench. That size has not prevented opponents from consistently reaching the paint.

Maxey, Brown and James all give the Sixers ways to attack off the dribble. Embiid presents another interior challenge if Philadelphia can deliver him the ball without repeating the turnover problems from Thursday’s first half.

71

Washington and Chicago attempted 71 free throws against Milwaukee.

The Bucks committed 32 fouls against the Wizards, who went 32 for 41 from the line. Milwaukee committed another 27 fouls Friday as Chicago made 28 of 30 attempts.

The Bucks have been outscored 60-33 at the foul line. They have allowed 22 more attempts and made only 67.3 percent of their own free throws.

Philadelphia has attempted 57 free throws through two games. The Sixers took 22 during the second half of their comeback against Cleveland.

The Bucks have allowed opponents to score 132 points in the paint and make 60 free throws. Those two areas have accounted for 192 of the 260 points Milwaukee has surrendered.

72:48

Milwaukee gave first- and second-year players only 318 minutes during the entire 2025-26 season, the lowest total in the NBA. Every other team gave that group more than 1,300.

The Bucks have already distributed 72 minutes and 48 seconds to first- and second-year players through two games.

Second-year guard Jakučionis has played 48:56. Rookie guard Brayden Burries has logged 23:52. They are the only Milwaukee players in their first two seasons who have appeared.

Their combined total is already 22.9 percent of Milwaukee’s full-season figure from last year.

That does not mean the same rate will continue over 82 games. It does show the immediate difference between a roster built around Antetokounmpo and one beginning to evaluate its younger players.

The Bucks’ roster is new. The clearest place for the Sixers to attack is not. Philadelphia scored 69 second-half points Thursday by getting inside and reaching the foul line. Milwaukee has spent its first two games allowing both.

Sixers rule James out for matchup with Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James will sit out for the first time as a Sixer on Saturday night.

The 2-0 Sixers downgraded James’ status from questionable to out Saturday afternoon before their meeting with the 0-2 Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. James’ official listing on the injury report was “low back/sciatica management.” 

Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction), Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) were also listed as out. Dean Wade remained questionable as of Saturday afternoon with a left ankle sprain.

The night off for the 41-year-old James does not come as a surprise. The Sixers will finish their first back-to-back of the season Sunday when they host the Pistons. 

The team hasn’t detailed its exact plans with James and Joel Embiid’s availability, but the Sixers have made it clear that neither star will be every-game players this season. Embiid said he expects to play one leg of the back-to-back, so it appears he’ll be out Sunday. 

“We have plenty of meetings and discussions about it. … It’s obviously an important topic,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said on Sept. 29. “Like our fans and like all of us, we want those two guys ready to go come April.”

James averaged 33.5 minutes over the Sixers’ first two games and posted 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. 

The season has begun, but the good feelings have not joined the party. The Brooklyn Nets began their 60th season at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, but everyone left it feeling frustrated and disappointed as the home team lost 110-103.

The Flatbush 5 looked flat and while Mikel Brown Jr. looked good, it was in limited minutes, a situation likely to continue for a while.

The opponent tonight is trying to break into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, but Opening Night brought back some horrible memories. The Cleveland Cavaliers were up by 29 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, but somehow let the lead slip as they suffered a dispiriting 114-106 loss. Ouch.

Game info and broadcast details

• Matchup: Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
• Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM EST (6:30 PM CST)
• Venue: Rocket Arena (Cleveland, Ohio)
• TV/Streaming: YES Network/DAZN

Nets vs. Cavaliers: Who’s out?

Brooklyn Nets

• Out – Tyler Bilodeau (right shoulder sprain)

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Out – Khalifa Diop (left knee)
• Out – Nae’Qwan Tomlin (lower back)

The game

Julius Randle had a solid outing in his Brooklyn debut. The former All-Star scored 30 points and was the team’s best player. Afterwards, he took responsibility for the team’s lack of success o the boards and moments of malaise. It’s what your team leader is supposed to do and Julius is setting the tone for how this team ought to play in 2026-2027.

Randle will have his hands full on the inside with the duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. The Cavs duo helped hold opponents to just 63 percent shooting inside the restricted area, third best mark in the NBA last season. Finishing at the rim against this team is a tall task, and Randle will have to find his way to the cup. Philadelphia punished the Cavs in transition to spur the comeback, and it would help the Nets immensely if they could get out and run early and often.

Of course, the big story at least for fans is when will we see Mikel Brown Jr., without minutes restrictions. MBJ looked good in his 19 minute debut vs. the Hornets but Jordi Fernandez offered no firm timeline on when the restrictions would be ended.

“[The minutes restriction] is not going to change in a way. He played 19 games last year, I believe. This season is 82,” Fernandez said after the team’s practice session on Friday. “We’re going to build him to be healthy and to be a strong NBA player. We have a plan for him. Obviously we’re not going to disclose every single step of the way, but the number one thing is to build him up and build up his body to be able to sustain the minutes that can help the team win games.”

At least we have this from Michael Porter Jr. to help us get through things:

“There’s been practices where he’s completely dominated” Porter said. “So, there’s not a lot of weakness in his game.”

Tonight is the first night of a back-to-back for the Nets. Once this wraps up, they’re heading home for a Sunday night matchup against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers. Will Brown play vs. Indiana? The Nets want to be better this year, and this weekend will be a big early test of that.

Player to watch: Donovan Mitchell

If Cleveland wants to finally break through, they’re going to need Mitchell to get them there. Mitchell is one of the best players in the sport and someone that can heat up at a moment’s notice. Mitchell has tormented the Nets for many years and it will take a team effort to slow him down. With this being Cleveland’s home opener, look for Mitchell to start with an extra level of aggression to set the tone for the night.

Egor Dëmin had a pretty terrible game on Opening Night! He said as much in postgame

“I’m not very happy with how I ended up playing the game. I started with two [made] buckets but then kind of just got slower from a standpoint of my intensity, and I’ve definitely got to bring the energy, higher energy.’

As the lead guard on the team, it’s up to Egor to play with the appropriate energy and level of desperation needed to get the win. Brooklyn had a lot of unforced errors against the Hornets, and Dëmin will be responsible for organizing a better, more cohernt offensive unit tonight.

From the Vault

How bout we cruise to Larry June?

More reading: Fear the Sword, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Nets Insider, SNY, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Cleveland Cavaliers Game Notes – Cleveland Cavaliers
• The Nets’ plan for Mikel Brown Jr. is going to require plenty of patience – Howie Kussoy – New York Post
• Nets’ crowded rotation leaves three sophomores waiting as Jordi Fernández stays patient ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Why Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr.’s minutes restriction won’t change ‘anytime soon’ – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

The Atlanta Hawks continued their unbeaten start to the 2026-27 season as they notched a record-margin victory against the Charlotte Hornets with a 128-81 battering on Friday night at Spectrum Center; a winning margin of 48 points. The Hawks’ scoring was led by Jalen Johnson’s and Aaron Wiggins’ 19 points apiece as seven players scored in double-digits. For the Hornets, Naz Reid scored 17 points as they battled without Coby White and Kon Knueppel.

The Hornets took a brief lead in the first quarter as they racked up some offensive rebounds/second chance scoring opportunities, but once the Hawks reeled off an 11-0 run to take a 15-9 lead by the first timeout they would never look back in this game. What was established from quarter one — and would continue all throughout the game, even with the end-of-bench guys in the fourth quarter — was defense. The Hawks made life miserable for the Hornets all night long: from contesting shots, to running the Hornets down to short-clock scenarios (forcing them into tough shots as the 24-seconds loom) to forcing/creating turnovers, it was relentless from the Hawks.

The first quarter margin of 13 points in Atlanta’s favor wasn’t too unusual in an NBA first quarter, but the Hornets’ struggles continued and inside a couple of minutes in the second quarter the lead had risen beyond 20 points. By halftime, the lead had risen to 25, and it didn’t take too long to grow to 30 points in the third quarter.

Dyson Daniels, a menace all night defensively, racked up four steals alone in the third quarter — taking his tally up to seven (!) — as the Hornets scored two points in just under the opening six minutes of the quarter to ensure this game was dead and buried.

The Hornets waved the white flag to begin the fourth quarter, and the Hawks followed suit several minutes later (with one eye on today’s fixture against the Houston Rockets). The defensive intensity with that end-of-bench unit continued, with Dorian Finney-Smith in particular enforcing himself on the defensive end. The lead rose as high as 49 points before finally settling on a 48 point margin of victory, the highest in Hawks franchise history.

The Hawks blitzed the Hornets and set a new franchise record (!!) for margin of victory in a 128-81 win.

Complete domination, including 27 turnovers forced (17 steals) on defense and 37 assists on offense.

Full breakdown coming on the @LockedOnHawks podcast.

— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) October 24, 2026

Postgame, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder was more so pleased with the manner of the victory more so than the margin of victory.

“We’ve been in this business and, as a player or coach long enough, you’re on both sides of those things,” said Snyder on the record-setting margin of victory. “I think for us it’s more about how we play and I think it’s important for us to keep that focus. We won the game the way we did because we played a certain way and that’s what we need to take from it, as much as anything.”

It’s more so inferring that Snyder was happy with how the Hawks played with a defensive edge and physicality, which was present all throughout the game. Dyson Daniels was excellent in this regard, not just for his headline grabbing seven steals, but he played a key role in guarding the Hornets’ new number one scoring option, Brandon Miller.

“He just finds so many ways to impact the game,” said Snyder of Daniels. “Whether it’s on the offensive glass, defensively making plays, anytime he generates possessions for your team. The more possessions the better. He does that at an elite level. …Playing through him and his ability to give people advantages, he’s a special player.”

The Hornets played poorly in this game, and they continued to throw the same passes in lanes where Daniels was stood, picking them off with ease as the steals racked up, particularly in the third-quarter. His on-ball pressure made Charlotte’s ball-handlers uncomfortable, prompting many errors and mistakes.

For the game, the Hawks recorded 17 steals while the Hornets committed 27 turnovers, leading to 25 points off of turnovers. These elements are part of an identity the Hawks are looking to form.

“We’re trying to develop an identity and that identity is defending, running and sharing the ball,” said Snyder. “When those three things happen, particularly in that sequence when you get stops and we can get out and convert, our ability to convert in transition and take advantage of the stops, or creating some steals, that fuels runs.”

At this point, and several before, I’d love to actually run through defensive clips and how the Hawks excelled, forced turnovers, made Miller’s life difficult etc., and I’d love to share more Hawks quotes, but the NBA has made none of these available as of writing this…

So, instead, let’s run through some quick-fire takeaways from this game:

The Hawks absolutely dominated this game; they outscored the Hornets by 10 or more points in every single quarter. It was impressive that the Hawks’ end-of-bench unit (plus Kingston Flemings) convincingly won against the Hornets’ unit to maintain that margin.

It also highlights the Hawks’ depth — Corey Kispert and Asa Newell were rotation guys last season in the regular season and they could only see game-time when the Hawks are 30+ points clear. From a roster standpoint, there are worse positions to be in! Finney-Smith looked good when he was in the lineup too.

Speaking of the Hawks’ depth, the bench was excellent last night, scoring 61 points led by Aaron Wiggins’ 19 points as he shot 7-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from three. Wiggins was part of a second unit lineup that featured Flemings, Alexander-Walker, Wiggins, Dort, and Jock Landale. That lineup has a nice balance of playmaking, shooting, physicality, and size — it was a lineup I’d like to see in action more at this early part of the season.

Speaking of Flemings, I thought he was excellent last night. He scored his first NBA points, but it was his willingness to pass — and the quality of his passing — which really stood out last night. Flemings did an excellent job setting up opportunities for his teammates, racking up eight assists. He set up many more than this assist number credits him for and could have easily had 13 or more assists in this game. Flemings also had some good rebounds, which is an added bonus (six in total last night).

The extended garbage time allowed him a good opportunity for longer minutes, with the Hawks’ winning work allowing them a large margin for further opportunities. Flemings looked great in a backup point guard role, and that’s what the Hawks have sorely missed from a young guard.

Something I’ve enjoyed this season so far is seeing more of Dyson Daniels in ball-screen actions as the screener. I’m not sure his concerns from three-point range will ever really go away, and one way to limit the potential problems that can bring is to involve him in this way. There was a play in the second half where Daniels set the screen for Johnson which led to a basket. I just liked the way the Hawks have used him in this way. Plus, Daniels is great with his off-ball movement and has a good touch at/around the rim with his floater/runner, so he can maybe roll a little on these plays as well.

I thought this was a game that really highlighted the advantages of continuity at this stage of the regular season. Aside from the additions of Dort, Wiggins, and Flemings (important but not on the franchise-changing scale). This is a Hawks side that knows how to play with each other, more so in the case of the starting lineup — they look like they haven’t missed a beat from last season so far.

The Hornets, however, made a decision to cash in on LaMelo Ball’s season and move into the direction of Brandon Miller as the offensive focal point, in addition to integrating major offensive pieces like Naz Reid and Grayson Allen in place of Miles Bridges, who had been around the Hornets for a long time. While the absence of Coby White and Kon Knueppel was clear for the Hornets, that team has a lot to figure out offensively as they figure out what life in a post-LaMelo era looks like and Miller adjusts to his role.

From the Hawks’ perspective, they don’t have to go through growing pains like this: the hierarchy is clear. Last night wasn’t just a win defensively, it was a win for continuity, and as they face teams who have gone through some significant changes there will be chances to take advantage of that lack of continuity.

All in all, a crushing victory for the Hawks, it really was a perfect night for them. Their defensive potential is the big take-home message from this game. It didn’t need a Jalen Johnson triple-double or 31 points from Alexander-Walker or McCollum to ensure a comfortable victory. Atlanta did it with defense, and it just took so much pressure off their offense (which hummed to 50% shooting from the field and 40% from three anyways). A huge margin of victory on the first night of a back-to-back; no one played huge minutes nor needed to play big minutes.

These first two road games weren’t the easiest on paper, particularly Orlando, but the Hawks have come out on top and in an encouraging fashion. Now, the biggest test of their early season comes in their home opener against the Houston Rockets, victorious themselves on Friday night in San Antonio. Should be an enthralling affair for the State Farm opener!

Until next time…

Some “fan” apparently forgot which team Mitchell Robinson plays for.

Former Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson posted an Instagram Story hours after besting his former team Friday in his first contest since leaving for the Celtics in free agency, in which he called out a fan who apparently believed he still played for the blue and orange.

“Hey, tell me why a fan, bro, said that we lost tonight?” Robinson said while wearing a pink Bass Pro Shop hoodie and seemingly in a car after Boston’s 107-103 home win. “I think he still think I play for the Knicks, and I’m like, ‘You dumb motherf–ker. He a fake fan, bro.”

Robinson laughed off the remarks, adding that he’s “out here in Boston having the time off my life” before going off on the fan, labeling the person as “stupid as a b—h.”

The center certainly could enjoy the night and the interactions after he secured the upper hand, at least for one night, after he helped drop his former team to 0-2.

Robinson had four points, four rebounds and two assists, registering a minus-two rating during his 22 minutes on the court to help Boston rebound to 1-1 after an Opening Day choke against the Pistons.

This season marks his first playing for a team other than the Knicks after he left the team for the rival Celtics, signing a three-year, $47.4 million deal to be Boston’s starting center.

He had been the Knicks’ longest-tenured player and ended his time on a high note, winning the franchise’s first title in 53 years last season in June, and he holds no ill will toward his former employer despite stating that they never formally offered him a new contract

“Yeah. I was like, cool,” he said Friday night. There wasn’t bad blood behind it. Fresh start.” 

He noted that joining Boston may not have sat well with Knicks fan, but he didn’t care.

Robinson added that he’s more involved offensively — albeit through two games — in Boston’s system.

“That was the only thing that was kind of different was going to the rivals. But you know me, man. I like to troll,” Robinson said. “Nobody was happy with that move. But I was.” 

Robinson received a standing ovation from his new fan base Friday after he blocked Karl-Anthony Towns in the fourth quarter and shortly after scored on an alley-oop to give the Celtics a 12-point lead.

He said it was “cool” to play against his former team for the first time — and that all the years with the franchise provided some extra help.

“Still NBA, so playing against them guys, so I know all they plays and stuff like that,” Robinson said. “Just a little battle.”

BOSTON — For years, before every game, Neemias Queta has gotten up three-pointer after three-pointer after three-pointer.

Sometimes, he’ll make five in a row.

On good days, he’ll make ten.

But since he arrived in Boston three years ago, Queta’s three-point practice has been just that: practice. The 27-year-old has attempted just 11 threes in his three seasons with the Celtics, saving the shot for Auerbach Center afternoons and TD Garden pregames.

But on Friday night, in a 107-103 win over the New York Knicks, Queta pulled up for a corner three-pointer as though it had long been in his toolkit.

Swish.

The shot marked Queta’s second made career NBA three-pointer and validated tireless behind-the-scenes work. It also came at a crucial time — late in the third quarter, with the Celtics nursing a 4-point lead.

“It just felt great,” Queta told CelticsBlog after the game. “My whole life I’ve been shooting and just getting better at the shot, and finally just to get one in, the first one of the season, no hesitation, shoot it with confidence; that was great. So, happy for that – and hopefully a lot more will come.”

QU3TA pic.twitter.com/WXvMoqUTIA

— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) October 24, 2026

Since Queta arrived in Boston in 2023, he’s worked with a long list of player development coaches, a list that includes DaSean Butler, Amile Jefferson, Steve Tchiengang, Tony Dobbins, and Ross McMains. 

“It’s pretty much the whole staff,” Queta said. “We work on shooting in general, so all the pinpointing stuff that we can learn from each guy. It’s something I really appreciate; having different insights from different guys and leaning on those guys over the years has been really helpful.”

Several of the Celtics player development coaches even traveled to Portugal this past summer to help Queta coach his youth basketball camp — Queta named Nana Foulland and McMains as two examples.

When they weren’t coaching the kids, the Celtics’ player development staff worked out with Queta and helped him refine his three-pointer.

“They instilled a lot of confidence in the shot,” he said.

For Jayson Tatum, the decision to find Queta came from pure instinct

The play began with Jayson Tatum driving to the basket. Knicks forward OG Anunoby stepped in front of him, hoping to slow Tatum’s third-quarter onslaught (the Celtics superstar poured in a game-high 16 points in the period, and shot 8-for-10 in the paint on the night).

So Tatum instinctively dished it to the corner, and said he realized that it was Queta who was standing there a half second too late.

“I knew somebody was in the corner,” Tatum said with a smile.

Just not the Portuguese big man who rarely ever shoots from outside.

But he noted how much work Queta has put into his three-point shot, especially with McMains’s help.

“Neem has worked on being a threat around the three-point line,” he said. “He works on that every single day.”

Your daily reminder that Neemias Queta can shoot three-pointers pic.twitter.com/dk9kFLy87P

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) May 23, 2024

Tatum hit three clutch jump shots in the final two minutes of the win over the Knicks, capped by a three-pointer that effectively put the game away.

But no shot brought him as much joy as watching Queta’s three-pointer drop.

“To me, that was my favorite part of the game, right?” Tatum said. “Kicking it out to him in a big moment, seeing him shoot it with confidence — I was so fucking happy that he made that shot. Cause now Joe can’t be on his ass. He made one, and it gives him leeway to shoot another one. But my reaction, the bench’s reaction, I know everybody was super, super excited to see him shoot that with confidence and make it, especially in that moment of the game.”

Queta’s big three came on the heels of some elite defense

Queta’s shot came just moments after one of his best defensive sequences of the night: a big-time block against Josh Hart.

He ended up on the floor, and Joe Mazzulla ran from the sideline emphatically to pick him up.

“Neemi showed what he was capable of,” Mazzulla said. “So, just had to let them know — that’s the standard that we have to play to.”

In his 22 minutes, Queta racked up 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. None was louder than his late-third-quarter swat.

“It was one of those turning points in the game where those types of plays got us energy, the crowd got going,” Queta said. “Moments like that can help you win big-time games when your team needs it.”

Queta felt good about the defensive sequence, and it felt fitting that he hit a big three on the next possession.

“When you go out there, and you get a deflection, a block — sometimes those things help,” he said. “The basketball gods, they even things out, and I think that’s what happened.”

Expect more three-pointers from the 7-footer this season.

“No doubt,” Queta said. “Just off the spacing that we have, I’ll be on the perimeter more. If nobody comes up to me and I stay wide open, I’ll just shoot it with confidence, like in the workouts. And I think that’s gonna be something that we can rely on in the season.”

I’ll admit it. When I saw Paul George on that ESPN graphic next to Jaylen Brown when Shams Charania broke the blockbuster deal this summer, I wanted to spike my phone.

BLOCKBUSTER: The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/xNcNlIV2mh

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Sure, he’d just had a nice playoff run for the Philadelphia 76ers. But George’s $110 million owed over two years (player option next season) was widely viewed as one of, if not the worst, contracts in the NBA. At 36 years old, there’s no way he was going to get better.

Right?

Wrong.

Through two games, not only has George shattered the expectations of every non-team-employee in the Celtics community, but he’s earned himself at least one stan in me.

Unc still got it https://t.co/55S6MiLaCxpic.twitter.com/sJZWMzT05W

— Sam LaFrance (@SamLaFranceNBA) October 24, 2026

George’s record-breaking 38-point debut in Tuesday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons got plenty of shine. As it should’ve. He was absolutely dialed in from deep, created shots for himself off the dribble, and got to the line consistently.

More than anything, it felt like a statement. All of the “washed” labeling had been premature according to George’s game after he let his play do the talking.

Friday’s 15-point performance in Boston’s 107-103 over the New York Knicks did just as much for me, to be honest. Was it as cool as watching the nine-time All-Star drilling heat check after heat check?

No.

But, it gave a more realistic scope of what we can all expect from the veteran forward on a regular basis, and how he can impact winning in ways that don’t necessarily come up in the stat sheet. George’s defensive game delivers in a similar fashion to how Jrue Holiday’s did a few years ago.

There’s this added connectivity when he’s on the floor. It feels like the rotations are quicker. The passing lanes are smaller. Teams simply have a harder time running their offense. Opponents have looked like they’re wearing straightjackets in the halfcourt throughout this first month of both preseason and regular-season hoops.

Oh, and the stats are there, too. George is tied for the second most steals the first two games of a season with seven. He swiped just as many in two preseason appearances. PG13’s eight deflections thus far are tied with Dyson Daniels for the most in the NBA. It’s clear that he has both defensive quarterback and cornerback written all over him.

Brad Stevens clearly had a vision for George’s fit when he decided to sign off on trading Brown last summer. He knew that his team’s team defense would be dialed up to 100 and PG would give the Cs some important offensive support.

Even Friday — an average feeling offensive night — George still knocked down three of his seven attempts from distance. His consistency as a catch-and-shoot guy dominated the copium-infused analytics arguments of the late summer months for good reason.

Per Databallr, his spacing true-shooting percentage (which accounts for offball opportunities) was nearly 3% above league average and ranked in the 75th percentile. In years where he’s played on more talented teams than the 7th-seeded 76ers of last season, George consistently ranked in the league’s top-tier.

There’s plenty of reason to believe that he should return to that elite level playing alongside Jayson Tatum on this deep Celtics squad.

George hasn’t hid from the fact that he’s past his prime. He’s embraced it. It’s not hard to see how leaning into his role with the Cs can maximize his success in it. Plus, you’ll still get the occassional game like Tuesday, where he looks like prime Paul George.

And for that… we stan.

Coming off a rough season-opening loss to the Pistons, Jayson Tatum faced a uniquely high level of scrutiny after just one game. But i n a second straight primetime matchup against the reigning champion New York Knicks, Tatum flipped the script. 

In the span of the game’s final 84 seconds, Tatum hit Boston’s last three field goals, each a little crazier than the last, and all perfectly defended. 

It’s what everyone will remember about this 107-103 win: the jumpers on both corners, the “Good Night, Safe Travels” pump-and-fire three, the unstoppable, unguardable, unyielding force of a star simply playing on another level from those unfortunate enough to guard him. 

The Anomaly was anomalous. 

And yet, there’s so much more to this performance than three clutch shots. Jayson Tatum did everything on offense: 36 points on 54% efficiency, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals, with just 2 turnovers and 2 fouls. That is a superstar-level performance. 

Three aspects of Tatum’s offensive game stood out about this primetime masterclass: his patience attacking the Knicks, his passing vision exploiting their attention toward him, and the final chef’s kiss of his elite shot-making to close the game. 

Patient Scoring

The most noticeable thing about Tatum’s scoring in this game was how effectively Boston’s early actions got him into his preferred spaces, and how methodical he was in attacking New York’s help defenders. 

In the first minute of the game, this play got Tatum on the board, with Jordan Walsh setting a backscreen that allows JT to cut to the low block. Tatum has a great view of the rest of the floor, and he takes a beat to see if help’s on the way. It doesn’t come, and he attacks, hitting a fallaway over Josh Hart. 

This third quarter play was an excellent example of JT’s quick decision-making working to counteract New York’s defensive attention geared toward him as a slasher. 

As Tatum gets into his drive from the right slot, the Knicks cut him off by building a wall. Tatum quickly retreats, gets the ball to Derrick White, and works into a pick-and-roll.

This decision was, effectively, a relocation in the form of a short roll. Credit to Mitchell Robinson for pulling Karl Anthony-Towns to the paint and Paul George for floating to the corner, breaking up the wall and allowing Tatum to operate in the mid-range against a single defender. 

Two minutes later, Tatum has this excellent baseline drive, and his awareness and quick reaction to the strongside help goes a long way to clearing the lane. 

As Miles McBride closes in, Tatum quickly kicks to the corner. McBride recovers to get up a contest as White fakes and drives, and Tatum fills in his space in the corner at the perfect time. It both gets him a switch onto a more favorable matchup in McBride and clears the lane for a baseline drive. Tatum gets a step on McBride, maneuvers around Karl Anthony-Towns, and finishes an impressive reverse layup. 

Tatum would later take over in a different fashion, but a majority of his scoring success came from a patient approach that broke down defensive barriers and created space for him to attack from all over the floor. 

Gravitational Playmaking

For a second straight game, Tatum led the Celtics in assists. 

Like in the previous section, it was Tatum’s problem-solving against a high-pressure defense that created easy opportunities for his teammates. 

This early pick-and-roll to Mitchell Robinson shows a Knicks trap. It’s a gamble, especially with the 7-foot Robinson rolling toward a stranded OG Anunoby, but the Knicks are banking on him going to the roller. This is an opportunity for a deflection, and KAT nearly gets it, but Tatum hits Robinson in stride and it leads to a putback finish. 

Tatum faced another double just before halftime on a play that ends in a Paul George buzzer-beater. 

This one doesn’t come immediately though. It’s a switch onto Jalen Brunson at first, but when the clock hits four seconds, Hart fully commits to the trap, and it’s like Tatum was just waiting for it the whole time. Tatum holds his dribble just for a second when Hart comes into frame, hooking a pass to Sam Hauser, who forces a Knicks rotation that’s just a little too late to George. 

Going back to the first quarter, this was Tatum’s most impressive pass of the night. 

We see the Knicks build another wall, this time surrounding Tatum with three defenders in the corner. 

It forces Tatum to pick up his dribble, usually a bad sign for the offense, but Tatum processes the floor so quickly once he puts two hands on the ball. Jose Alvarado is left to defend two shooters on the opposite end of the court, and Tatum gives Payton Pritchard the quickest look on the left slot. Alvarado cheats to that spot ever so slightly, and then Tatum fires a pass all the way to the opposite corner to Baylor Scheierman, who sends Alvarado flying on the way to a one-dribble jumper. 

Tatum’s passing out of traffic or heavy pressure was his biggest positive out of the Detroit loss, and it remains a positive here. 

Holy Shotmaking 

There are two reasons I saved JT’s late-game scoring for last: First, it’s the best and therefore has to be last. Second, there’s not really a way to analyze this kind of shot-making. At least not in a way that’s just amounting to me saying “oh wow.” 

It’s like asking Jackson Pollock to describe every squiggle and splatter on the canvas. Great shot-making just is. It exists not to be broken down but to be admired. So let’s admire it. 

Before even getting to that fourth quarter show, there’s one play late in the third quarter just before Tatum took a breather that we should look at. In retrospect, it feels like the moment that foreshadowed the finish Jayson would ultimately deliver.

Spin-Cut back-Stepback. Cash. 

And then there’s the fourth quarter. 

After an ill-timed Knicks run cut into what was a 12-point lead, Tatum scored four buckets in the game’s final three and a half minutes. 

JAYSON TATUM TOOK OVER IN THE 4TH TO BEAT THE KNICKS 😳

36 PTS and the W! pic.twitter.com/z2SrlW47He

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 24, 2026

It’s the final two that sort of boggle the mind. Hart really couldn’t have defended the second baseline jumper any better. He has his hands involved the whole time, yet never gets too deep into Tatum’s space. Great defense, better offense. 

The same goes for the 3-pointer. KAT bites on the fake, but Tatum releases the ball so quickly after he pumps that it ends up being a contest on the shot anyway. It doesn’t matter. 

The Knicks spent the night trying to solve Tatum. In the end, he solved them.