Bell Ringer Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 3.5
VJ Edgecombe – 2
Jaylen Brown – 1.5
Joel Embiid – 1
LeBron James – 1
Anfernee Simons – 1

The bad news is the Sixers’ defense looked like that of a veteran team closing a road trip with a Sunday afternoon game.

The good news is the offense was balanced and had bright spots in a 127-121 win over the Bulls in Chicago Sunday. The Sixers still hold the best record in the NBA at 9-2 and are 5-1 on the road to start the season.

The Bulls shot 52.3% from the field and were down one possession at multiple times late, but Jaylen Brown and the Sixers seemed to come away with big buckets and big stops when they desperately needed them.

Next up, the Sixers welcome Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics to town Tuesday night. No word if there will be any lamb chops and gravy served at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Let’s get to Bell Ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 27 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds

Nick Nurse mixed up the way he staggered his starters Sunday, opting to give Maxey an extended look with the second unit. There were nice moments, but some struggles as well. Playing Maxey more with Joel Embiid seemed to help both players. Embiid didn’t have his most efficient night, but he was much better than he was in Cleveland.

It felt like an easy 27 points for Maxey, who seemed to take nothing but threes and shots at the rim. He tried to send Josh Giddey into the shadow realm with a dunk, but was fouled. He hit a big triple down the stretch off a ridiculous LeBron pass.

And, of course, he was a blur in transition.

Jaylen Brown: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal

Brown was excellent throughout this game. The way he attacks downhill with physicality has to be such a welcome sight for Sixers fans. His ability to make tough fallaways in the paint is elite. The footwork on this play is an example of what the ability to make those short fadeaways opens up.

This was another game where Brown simply made winning plays down the stretch. He made a couple big threes as the Sixers were leaking oil midway through the fourth. He also made four free throws and turned Giddey over in the final minute.

And two more stats: Brown had just one turnover and was a +8. Take that, nerds.

LeBron James: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal

Coming off his worst game as a Sixer against the Cavs, James didn’t get off to a great start with a couple early turnovers. His second stint started with him settling for a midrange jumper while being guarded by Giddey.

From there, James stopped messing around.

LeBron was much more aggressive getting downhill, either finding teammates or finishing at the rim. It’s crazy that at 41 he can still take over games for extended stretches.

I know he’s played for a million years, but passes like this are still stunning.

Jabari Walker: 9 points, 11 rebounds

An honorable mention here for Walker who’s done a commendable job filling in for Adem Bona at the five. While there were sleepy moments throughout the day for the Sixers, Walker did what he always does — hustled, crashed the glass and brought energy.

He’s been popping up here as an honorable mention on what feels like a nightly basis. At this point, he should be in a competition for backup five minutes when Bona is healthy.

There was a time not so long ago when the Brooklyn Nets were among the teams hoping to land Cooper Flagg. I even spotted one optimist on the Long Island Rail Road wearing DIY jerseys celebrating that very possibility after the 2024 NBA Draft.

That pipe dream turned into a miracle for the Dallas Mavericks, a team that contended for a play-in spot, fell into the lottery, then landed the No.1 overall pick after having a 1.8% chance at it. There’s no denying Brooklyn’s disappointment when the pick fell the No.8, but Egor Dëmin has seen his own success early in his career for fans to at least feel good.

Sunday will be a stark reminder of where the Nets are. They’re 2-7, they’ve dropped 118 games in the prior two years, and Houston is holding their pick. Rebuilding is one thing, compounding it with avoidable self-inflicted wounds is another. This is a young team and it’s a long season, but you play to win the game.

They played on Saturday night and lost a game that they should’ve won. Point blank. Nolan Traore has been playing like a star and it continued with 19 points against Atlanta, but Jordi Fernandez benched him the entire fourth quarter.

“Mikel had those five straight points, and I just let him roll,” Fernandez said after the game. “Because you cannot just keep taking them in and out. I think that when I was about to sub Nolan in, Mikel made two or three threes and a mid-range pull-up. So I thought that was the right thing to do. Was it right? I don’t know. Obviously, Nolan did very well. They scored 18 and 19. So that’s a very good contribution from your two point guards.”

Perhaps the strangest part in it all? They’re only one game out from a play-in spot. Mikel Brown Jr. is sitting this one out (back-to-back) alongside Egor Dëmin (bone bruise).

On the other side, Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving and the 5-4 Mavericks are coming off a 112-100 win over the Utah Jazz in NBA Cup play Friday night.

Game Information

• Who: Brooklyn Nets at Dallas Mavericks
• When: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• TV: YES Network
• Streaming: DAZN, NBA League Pass
• Radio: WFAN

Nets vs. Mavericks Injury Report

Brooklyn Nets

• OUT: Egor Dëmin (right bone bruise)
• OUT: Mikel Brown Jr. (back-to-back)

Dallas Mavericks

• OUT: Tarik Biberovic (right heel bursitis)
• OUT: Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery)
• OUT: Sergio de Larrea (right knee sprain)

Preview

“If they want to win, they’ll need to slow down an old friend. Kyrie Irving is back after missing last year with an ACL tear. He’s averaging 21 points a night and the shooting splits are quality enough, but HOW he’s getting his buckets are a bit different than what we’re used to. His field goal attempts inside of three feet are at the lowest mark of his career and his three point rate is at the highest of his career. Chances are that’ll change the further he gets away from the injury, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on. Either way, Irving remains a magnetic scorer and a blast to watch when his game is on.” – Brian Fleurantin

Read more here

💬Discussion

Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

The Dallas Mavericks (5-4) host the Brooklyn Nets (2-7) for an early Sunday game in the American Airlines Arena. The Mavericks last played on Friday night, pushing past the Utah Jazz in the second half to win decisively. Brooklyn is playing on the second night of a road back-to-back, losing to the Atlanta Hawks. Here are the main things you need to know:

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Brooklyn Nets
• WHAT: Pride Night at AAC
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA

It’s a shockingly clean injury report for the Mavericks. As of this writing, Tarik is still out with the heel bursitis and Sergio De Larrea is out with his knee sprain. Obviously Dereck Lively is out too. Everyone else is playing. I expected Kyrie Irving to miss this one.

It’s not official yet, but the Nets are likely to be without Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin. The former is pretty disappointing as that was a player man Mavs fans were hoping to see in a Dallas uniform.

This is a trap game. Dallas needs to come focused and ready to play despite their opponent’s record. Here’s hoping they put this one away early.

Since you’re here checking out this post, it’s for one of two reasons.

• Injury report news
• Discussion and comment thread

If you’re part of the former, please consider signing up for an account. You get way fewer ads, and you can comment! If you’re part of the latter group: GO GET THE APP. I’m serious. The app has some real-time features specifically for game threads like this one and you can comment and get notified really, really easily. It’s part of what’s keeping this whole series of sites going. So go do it for us and in doing so, you’ll see why the experience is simply better.

Consider joining me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube; I will be going live tonight, and I need y’all to join and participate!

Observations after well-balanced Sixers hold off Bulls  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Still no losing streaks to speak of for the 2026-27 Sixers.

The Sixers earned a 127-121 win Sunday over the Bulls to wrap up a 2-1 road trip. They moved to 9-2 overall and Chicago fell to 1-8. 

Every Sixers starter scored in double figures. 

Three reached the 20-point mark in Jaylen Brown (29 points), Tyrese Maxey (27 points) and LeBron James (22). Joel Embiid had 18 points and 10 rebounds. 

Josh Giddey posted 19 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds for the Bulls.

The Sixers were without Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain), Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear). The Bulls’ absences included Norman Powell (right shoulder inflammation/soreness) and Zach Collins (respiratory illness). 

Next on the Sixers’ schedule is a home game Tuesday night vs. the Celtics. Here are observations on their win over Chicago:

Embiid sees one go down 

Following his 0-for-9 night Friday in the Sixers’ loss to the Cavaliers, Embiid did not snap right back into form. 

He was well short on his first shot attempt, a wide-open three-pointer. Embiid then failed to score in the post over Jalen Smith.

Embiid got a field goal to go at the 6:42 mark of the first quarter when he tipped in his own miss. However, Smith canned a three on the ensuing possession to give Chicago a 23-16 lead. 

James committed two early turnovers, although he did sink a corner three-pointer during a fast-paced first quarter. VJ Edgecombe added two long-range jumpers in the first.

Entering Sunday, the Sixers’ minus-9.6 net rating in the first quarter ranked 27th in the NBA. They managed to hold a one-point lead in Chicago after the first.

Walker, Sixers shine on the boards 

The Sixers’ offensive rebounding was their greatest strength in the first quarter. They poured in 17 second-chance points. Embiid had four offensive boards in the opening frame. 

Jabari Walker assumed backup center duties for the second straight game without Bona. He picked up where Embiid left off on the glass, grabbing seven rebounds (three offensive) in a great first stint. 

Though he’s undersized in the height department for an NBA center at 6-foot-7, Walker has plenty of rebounding tools. 

He’s listed at a strong 237 pounds, doesn’t mind contact whatsoever, hunts the ball, and has a knack for winning contested boards. Walker showed all of that Sunday. Very hard to overstate how well he rebounded.

Sixers hold off Bulls in final minutes

The Sixers’ first-shot offense also had many bright moments in the second quarter. 

James got rolling on his way to a 16-point first half, Embiid made a couple of mid-range jumpers, and Maxey hit two free throws put the Sixers up 60-50 late in the second period. 

Chicago evened the game at 68-all early in the third quarter on a Matas Buzelis three, but the Bulls couldn’t sustain that run.

The Bulls’ defense continued to look like one of the worst in the NBA and the Sixers’ well-balanced offense kept the scoreboard moving. Brown nailed a turnaround jumper to give his team a double-digit lead. Walker knocked down a top-of-the-key triple to extend the Sixers’ advantage to 12 points.

The Sixers had two apparent injury scares in the second half. Brown limped to the sideline with 6:55 to go in the third quarter, but he stayed in the game. Edgecombe headed to the locker room after subbing out at the 9:08 mark of the fourth quarter. He returned to the Sixers’ bench and ultimately returned for a final stint.

On the floor, the Sixers couldn’t ease to victory. Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson trimmed Chicago’s deficit to 116-113 by draining a three. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called timeout.

The Sixers were efficient enough in the half court down the stretch.

Embiid made a put-back hoop and a pair of free throws. Maxey drilled a side-step three-ball after a wraparound feed from James. The Sixers converted their clutch free throws and secured a winning road trip.

The Phoenix Suns have won two consecutive games, and confidence is slowly beginning to build. Much of that confidence stems from the team’s newfound ability to play defense, something noticeably absent through the first six games of the season. Playing a shorthanded Orlando Magic team certainly helped, but for the first time all season, Phoenix held an opponent under 110 points. Two nights later, they followed that performance by holding the Houston Rockets, one of the NBA’s most productive offenses, under 100.

One of the more pleasant surprises early this season has been the play of Ryan Dunn, who currently leads the Suns in three-point shooting at 53.8%. And while every three-pointer he knocks down strengthens his case for additional opportunities and minutes, it’s his defense and rebounding that have truly stood out. Why? Because those have been, quite honestly, the two biggest deficiencies for this team.

Phoenix is undersized, and securing rebounds has been a persistent challenge. Dunn helps alleviate that problem through his athleticism, physicality, and willingness to pursue the basketball. He possesses the explosiveness to go up and meet a rebound at its highest point rather than standing around waiting for it to come to him. Defensively, he’s been everything the Suns hoped he would be when they drafted him out of Virginia. His confidence is clearly growing, and you can see that same confidence developing among his teammates when he’s on the floor.

Want to know how impactful Ryan Dunn has been? When Dunn is on the court, the Suns have a net rating of +24.1. When he’s off the floor, that number plummets to -18.6. That’s a staggering +42.7 differential, the second largest in the entire NBA behind only Alex Caruso. Dunn also leads Phoenix with a cumulative plus/minus of +40.

Those numbers are absurd, especially for a player whose offensive limitations were considered one of his biggest obstacles entering the league. And while we’re still dealing with a relatively small sample size, the difference in how this team performs with Dunn on the court is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

The Suns are a completely different team when Ryan Dunn is playing. They’re not world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but what Dunn brings to the floor is precisely what made Phoenix so enjoyable to watch a season ago. The hustle, the grit, the tenacity, and the willingness to do the dirty work that doesn’t always show up in the box score.

Those qualities helped transform last year’s Suns into a team that was both likable and productive. And as Phoenix begins to rediscover that identity, Ryan Dunn is emerging as one of the players most responsible for bringing it back. His impact goes well beyond the numbers, although those numbers are becoming pretty damn difficult to ignore. Jordan Ott has spent the early season searching for combinations that work. At this point, the evidence suggests one thing is becoming increasingly clear. Ryan Dunn needs to be part of the equation.

Sometimes in an afternoon road game you got to be happy just getting out of there with a win. The Sixers narrowly defeated the Chicago Bulls 127-121 Sunday afternoon.

Jaylen Brown went for a team-high 29 points and seven rebounds on 11-of-22 shooting. Tyrese Maxey zoomed his way to 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting with seven assists.

Joel Embiid labored his way to a better outing, finishing with 18 points shooting 7-of-19 from the floor along with 10 rebounds, eight of them coming on the offensive end. LeBron James bounced back in a big way, putting up 22 points, a Sixers high, going 8-of-16 from the floor along with five rebounds and five assists. Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis led the Bulls with 19 apiece.

The Sixers were again without Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow. Norm Powell was out for Chicago, but Nic Claxton made his first appearance for the Bulls in this one.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• The Sixers opened the game trying to get Embiid going from the field, but he missed a three and a post-up on their first two possessions. Chicago didn’t meet any resistance, starting the game 10-of-15 from the field. Embiid did grab an offensive rebound falling down and dove out of bounds to save a loose ball — the Sixers scored second-chance points on both of those opportunities. His first field goal was a putback of his own blocked shot.
• Edgecombe carried over his strong performance from the night before. He forced a steal and a tough shot on back-to-back possessions for their first quality stops on the night and helped kickstart a 7-0 Sixers run. His second corner three of the night added to that run on the other end of the floor.

• Nick Nurse subbed out LeBron and Brown first rather than the usual Maxey and Brown, at least momentarily. Embiid got a much more comfortable post-up in a more familiar lineup and once again put back his own miss before being subbed out at the next dead ball. Brown checked into the game about 30 seconds later.
• It took a couple of minutes to get some results, but Jabari Walker did a lot good things in the 2:57 he played to close the quarter. He found a cutting Maxey down the baseline with a nice bounce pass but Maxey smoked the layup. A few possessions later, Walker grabbed an offensive rebound but also smoked the layup. Brown was able to get that offensive rebound and after getting his putback attempt blocked, he kicked the ball out to the perimeter where it was swung to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for a three. KCP found Walker with a cut and he finally got on the board as well, helping the Sixers take a one-point lead after a high scoring first.

Second Quarter

• Brown started the game 1-of-5 on jumpshots, but was 4-of-6 to start the game at the basket. Walker continued to have really good hustle minutes, pulling down two much needed more offensive rebounds. After a slow start LeBron backed down Isaac Okoro and drew a foul on his hook shot for the and-1.
• That really seemed to do the trick as LeBron scored eight of the Sixers’ next 10 points. Brown got a tough pull-up to go, and after a long rebound he tried to hit LeBron with a touchdown pass that got broken up by Okoro. They were still able to find LeBron on the long ball as KCP stole it right back. LeBron then hit a three and got into the paint for both a floater and a trip to the line.

• Embiid checked back into the game and had a layup attempt blocked and missed an easy one on the next trip down the floor. Maxey did a good job to get each other involved, getting himself open off an Embiid post-up. His drive on the next possession got Embiid open under the free throw line and he finally buried a midrange jumper. Maxey nearly put Josh Giddey on a poster, but got fouled and threw his attempt off the back of the rim.
• Offensively, it was a good example of playing through your struggles for Embiid as he continued to post-up Chicago’s smaller bigs, putting him in great position to grab his misses and lay it back in. He also hit another jumper from the free throw line, helping the Sixers stay up seven at the half despite the Bulls scoring eight straight points right at the basket.

Third Quarter

• That didn’t carry over halves though as Embiid missed three jumpers to start the third as the Bulls ripped off seven straight. Maxey drilled a three to get the Sixers going and they seemed to settle back in. Embiid got himself an open reverse layup and Brown took advantage of a steal to get himself to the basket again.
• Right after LeBron picked up a tech, Brown hit an acrobatic layup through a lot of contact, and had a reasonable gripe that he didn’t get a foul called as well. Even without the foul, the Sixers’ offense started to run pretty smoothly. Brown still got to the line of the following possession, Edgecombe drilled another three for his first points since the first, and Embiid made a good read to find LeBron open on the block.

• This was definitely the Sixers’ best offensive rebounding performance of the season. Walker was a big reason for that, but it was a team-wide effort. Dean Wade became the fifth Sixer of the night to pull down an offensive rebound and when the Sixers came up empty again, Walker helped pop the fall up long enough for Anfernee Simons to grab his first offensive rebound of the night.
• Walker hit a three from the top of the key to punctuate the night he was having, which was good because the Sixers needed every point they could get. Just about everyone on Chicago was still able to get to the basket with ease. They shot 13-of-17 from the field in the third, ending the quarter on a 6-0 run to cut the Sixers lead to six.

Fourth Quarter

• Edgecombe got to the line for the first points of the fourth, but not before Brown missed two at the line to give the people of Chicago free hot dogs. Edgecombe had a big transition dunk, but left the game a few moments later after colliding with Giddey contesting a shot. Thankfully it was not a long trip to the locker room and he would eventually return to the game.

• It remained a struggle to keep the Bulls down long enough to put the game away, but the Sixers did continue to go on spurts to keep themselves at arms’ length. Brown hit a couple of threes as he had found his jumper. LeBron went for a poster as well but also had to settle for a trip to the free throw line. James also hit a fadeaway midrange a few moments later.
• Embiid missed a couple more jumpers and had another blocked by Jalen Smith shortly after checking back into the game. KCP drilled a three for some momentary breathing room, but Caleb Wilson drilled his second three of the night to make it a one-possession game with three and a half minutes to go.
• After trying to buy a couple of minutes for Brown and LeBron while Edgecombe made sure he was good to go, Nurse put all the starters back in out of his timeout. Embiid did a great job to grab another offensive rebound off a missed James jumper and flip it back in for the layup. He got to the line on the following possession, but Maxey had given Okoro an easy and-1 in between to keep the Bulls right there.
• A LeBron drive gave Maxey open space to make up for it, and he did with a three for his first points of the quarter. The Bulls were in the bonus though and Edgecombe put Wilson on the line on a non-shooting foul. Giddey was able to find Matas Buzelis for another wide open dunk to once again cut it to a three-point game.
• Brown was able to get to the line on the following possession, but the Sixers not only came up empty off a LeBron steal, but Embiid was called for a foul trying to grab the rebound, putting Smith at the line. Smith was unable once again to keep it a one-score game, splitting the pair, and the Sixers were able to win the game from the line from there. A win too close for comfort, but afternoon games can always be funky especially on the road, so a win nonetheless.

MILWAUKEE — The Celtics could be without Mitchell Robinson on Sunday night when they face the Milwaukee Bucks. Robinson was a late addition to the injury report, listed as questionable with an illness earlier Sunday afternooon.

Robinson is coming off the best stretch of his season; he tallied a season-high 10 rebounds in 20 minutes against the Bucks on Wednesday, and followed that up with a 7-rebound, 6-point performance against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.

Luka Garza could see increased minutes on Sunday

If Robinson sits, it would likely mean more opportunity for Luka Garza, who is averaging 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 13.2 minutes off the bench this season. Garza is shooting a career-best 54.2% from the three-point line.

Garza has seen increased opportunities with the double-big lineup, typically playing alongside Robinson. Garza said he hasn’t played much double-big in the NBA, but he has experience playing the 4 from college and with the Bosnian national team.

“It just gives me another avenue to get on the floor, especially with the bigs that we have and the depth that we have,” Garza said at Celtics shootaround on Sunday morning. “So for me, it’s something I’m going to commit to and buy into trying to be the most effective at that position.”

Neemias Queta continues to lead the Celtics’ big men

The Celtics’ most popular starting lineup this season has been Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta. That group started Friday night in a 119-80 thrashing of the Hornets.

Neemias Queta, who came off the bench in the first five games of the season, has become a regular starter for Boston. Queta is averaging 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 56.6% from the field.

The last time the Celtics and Bucks met was Wednesday, and the Celtics won 109-102 as Jayson Tatum got a rest game. Paul George led the way with 25 points, while Derrick White added 24 points. The Bucks rallied back from a 22-point deficit to take a fourth-quarter lead behind 25 points from Tyler Herro and 18 points from Jaime Jaquez Jr.

The Celtics enter the game with a 7-2 record; the Buckers are 1-7.

Luka Dončić will miss tonight’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons with a back injury, and that’s great news for a Detroit defense looking to regroup after a disappointing showing against the Philadelphia 76ers. Dončić is the leading candidate for MVP, which should be no surprise to anyone considering he is averaging a mind-boggling 40 points per game in nine games this season. With him out of the lineup, it will be a good look at what the Lakers are able to accomplish with Dončić off the floor. The team has an offense 30 points better per 100 possessions with him on the floor. The Pistons, meanwhile, need to get their offense moving again. Detroit’s most recent game against the Sixers was an absolute slog. They tried to make a game of it by waking up in the second half, but they sabotaged themselves with a lack of ball movement, precision, and, frankly, interest. Detroit teams have always bounced back pretty well in the JB Bickerstaff era, so we will see what we are in for tonight.

GAME VITALS

When: 6 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: TV: TV20 Detroit| Streaming: DAZN-Det
Odds: Pistons -7.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (6-2)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Paul Reed

Los Angeles Lakers (8-2)

Quentin Grimes, Austin Reaves, Matisse Thybulle, Zaire Williams, Walker Kessler

The Oklahoma City Thunder waived wing Dalen Terry on Sunday after acquiring a different wing (Niq Clifford) in a trade from the Sacramento Kings for a couple of second-round picks. Terry will likely go unclaimed on waivers and return to free agency less than a week after he first signed with Oklahoma City. Terry was slated to be the centerpiece of the Santa Cruz Warriors (the Golden State Warriors G-League affiliate). It’s worth wondering if he will return to Santa Cruz if he goes unclaimed.

Terry appeared in two games with the Thunder, recording 2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers in 11 minutes. Terry’s deal with OKC was fully non-guaranteed so he will only receive a small pro-rated portion of the league minimum.

The Chicago Bulls drafted Terry with the 18th overall pick back in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Arizona. He appeared in 218 games over his first four seasons, but was unable to show enough potential to convince a team to dedicate a rotation spot for him heading into this season. The Bulls had declined Terry’s fifth-year option, and dealt him to the 76ers at last year’s deadline. After failing to get an NBA deal in free agency, he joined the Warriors a series of deals over the summer.

A 6’6 wing who just turned 24, Terry remains an intriguing 3-and-D prospect. The fact that an organization as renowned for scouting and development as the Thunder was willing to give him a trial window further endorses that side of things. Nevertheless, he has averaged just 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 44.3%/31.4%/63.8% shooting in 11.2 minutes per game over his career.

The Sacramento Kings have agreed to trade guard Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for an unprotected 2028 second-round draft pick via Utah and an unprotected 2030 second-round draft pick via Minnesota, the team announced Sunday, Nov. 8.

Clifford, 24, is a 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard out of Colorado State that was originally selected by Oklahoma City with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. However, Clifford never logged a minute in a Thunder uniform following a trade to the Kings that sent Oklahoma City a protected 2027 first-round pick.

He appeared in 75 games for Sacramento during the 2025-26 season and started 28. Clifford averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in about 25.1 minutes during his rookie campaign with the Kings, while shooting 41.8% from the field and 33% on 3-pointers.

Clifford was being molded into a perennial "three-and-D" type of player for the Kings. He saw a lot of playing time in his rookie campaign, in part due to the numerous injuries Sacramento sustained to its roster that year.

He scored a career-high 30 points in a 132-126 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 8. Throughout the 2025-26 season, Clifford also spent some time down in the G-League, playing for the Stockton Kings, the Kings affiliate.

In his collegiate years, Clifford averaged 10.1 points and just under a steal. He shot 46.9% from the field and 36.4% on 3-pointers.

Nique Clifford contract

Clifford signed a four-year rookie contract with Kings worth up to $15.7 million with $6.3 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac. Clifford's average annual salary is about $3.9 million.

He'll earn another $3.2 million in base salary.

Kings open roster spot

Clifford appeared to be a contributing piece to the Kings' rebuild. The consummate professional, Clifford came into work, did what he was asked and pushed himself to be the best version of himself.

There was an expectation that Clifford would take a leap into his second-year but instead it came with setbacks. Clifford saw his minutes diminish early in the season. In his last game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Nov. 6, Clifford only logged 4 minutes, 30 seconds and scored five points on 2-of-2 from the field.

He only played more than 10 minutes once this season – against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 31. Clifford appeared in five of their nine games, earning four DNPs by coach's decision.

It appeared that Clifford was on the opposite end of head coach Doug Christie's rotations and a change was warranted. The Kings get to open a roster spot while picking up assets.

▶ Kings trade grade: C

Thunder add depth due to injuries

The Thunder have had misfortune early in the season, facing season-ending injuries to key rotation players, and additional injuries that will keep guys out long-term. Jalen Williams suffered a fractured left fibula and a dislocated ankle that required surgery. He's out for the year.

Cason Wallace has a torn labrum in his left shoulder and he is also out indefinitely. Chet Holmgren was ruled out 8 to 10 weeks after a biological treatment for a small patellar tendon tear in his right knee.

Oklahoma City needs bodies. Clifford was being buried on the bench early this season, the Thunder believe there's a spark that he can bring to to the team.

The organization has built a reputation of maximizing reserves and role players getting the best out of them, the latest project will be Clifford.

▶ Thunder trade grade: B

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kings send Nique Clifford to Thunder for draft assets: Trade grades

Boston Celtics (7-2) at Milwaukee Bucks (1-8)
Sunday November 8, 2026
8:00 PM ET
TV: NBCSB, My24 Bucks+, NBA-LP
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, WTMJ (103.3),  Sirius XM
Regular Season Game #10,  Road Game #5
Fiserv Forum

The Celtics visit the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2nd of 3 meetings between these two teams this season. The Celtics won the first game 109-102 on November 4. They will meet for a 3rd, and final, time in Boston on April 11. The Celtics won the series last year 3-1, losing one game in Milwaukee. The Celtics are 125-113 overall, all time against the Bucks and they are 46-73 in games played in Milwaukee.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East with only Philadelphia (8-2) ahead of them in the standings. The Pistons are half a game behind the Celtics in third place. The Celtics have won their last 2 games and they have won their last 4 against Milwaukee. The Bucks are 15th in the East half a game ahead of the Bulls. They are 6.5 games out of first place. The Celtics are 4-0 at home and 1-2 on the road. The Bucks only win this season was a home win against the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks are on a 5 game losing streak.

The Bucks have overhauled their roster since last season. They made the big trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez, Jr, and Kasparas Jakucionis. They also traded for Caris LeVert from Detroit and signed Pete Nance and Kam Jones to two way contracts. They signed Bogoljub Markovic as a free agent. They also drafted Braydon Burries with the 10th pick and Nate Ament with the 13th pick. They lost Thanasis and Alex Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson, Kevin Porter along with Giannis and Porter. They also hired Taylor Jenkins as their head coach, replacing Doc Rivers.

After this game, the Celtics will continue their road trip through Philadelphia and Toronto in back to back games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then they play Dallas and Orlando at home before a West coast trip that takes them through Denver, Sacramento, Golden State, and Washington. They then play one game at home against Atlanta before playing at San Antonio and Dallas. Then it’s home against Charlotte before a game at Brooklyn.

After this game, the Bucks will play at New York and Orlando. They then host Atlanta and play at Miami and host Portland. Then they play Philadelphia and Toronto on the road before hosting Brooklyn. Then it’s one game at Detroit before a 3 game home stand against Oklahoma City, San Antonio and New York. They then go on a 3 game road trip through Memphis, Dallas and Houston.

The Celtics have been changing their starting lineup with Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, and Neemias Queta getting starts along with Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum and Mitchell Robinson. The starting lineup is a work in progress for the Celtics, especially the shooting guard spot that has changed pretty much from game to game. I’m guessing that White, Walsh, George, Tatum and Queta get the start in this one. For the Bucks, they have started Burries, Herro, Jaquez, Kuzma and Turner in most games and so far and I’m going to guess that the same lineup starts this game.

Devin Carter is finally off the injury list. He played on Friday for the Maine Celtics where he scored 16 points in 17 minutes. Since the G-League season has started, Carter, Cenac, Mitchell and Williams may be with Maine. Mitchell Robinson is a late addition to the injury list. He is questionable due to illness. The Bucks list Gary Trent, Jr as questionable due to illness. Since neither team is playing in back to back games, I doubt any players will be rested.

Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Brayden Burries

SG: Jordan Walsh vs Tyler Herro

SF: Paul George vs Jaime Jaquez, Jr

PF: Jayson Tatum vs Kyle Kuzma

C: Neemias Queta vs Myles Turner

Celtics Reserves
Chris Cenac, Jr
Mike Conley, Jr
Luka Garza
Jordan Walsh
Ron Harper, Jr
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Mitchell Robinson
Baylor Scheierman

Two Way Players
Devin Carter
Dillon Mitchell
Amari Williams

Injuries/Out
Mitchell Robinson (illness) questionable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Bucks Reserves
Nate Ament
Ousmane Dieng
AJ Green
Kasparas Jakucionis
Caris LeVert
Bogoljub Markovic
Ryan Rollins
Jericho Sims
Gary Trent, Jr
Kel’el Ware

Two-Way Players
Kam Jones
Pete Nance
Corman Ryan

Injured/Out
Gary Trent, Jr (illness) questionable

Head Coach
Taylor Jenkins

Key Matchups
Jordan Walsh vs Tyler Herro
Herro is in his first season in Milwaukee after being traded from Miami. He is averaging 22.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He is shooting 45.8% from the field and 41.1% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics this season, he finished with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 47.1% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc. He is a very good shooter and so the Celtics need to defend him well wherever he is on the court. He keyed a run by the Bucks to come back from 21 points down at the half to take the lead in the 4th quarter. I’m guessing that Jordan Walsh gets the start here, but with Joe playing mad scientist with the lineups, you never know.

Paul George vs Jaime Jaquez, Jr
As with Herro, Jaquez is in his first season with the Bucks.  He is averaging 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.  He is shooting 48.7% from the field and 44.7% from beyond the arc.  In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal while shooting 43.8% from the field and 66.7% from beyond the arc.  He is a good shooter and so, as with Herro,  the Celtics need to stay with him and defend him well. 

Honorable Mention
Jayson Tatum vs Kyle Kuzma 
Kuzma is averaging 9.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.  He is shooting 46.3% from the field and 28.9% from beyond the arc.  In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 40% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.  Although he is struggling from the perimeter, he is very capable of hitting 3’s if left open.  Hopefully Jayson Tatum can pick up where he left off on Friday. 

Keys to the Game
Defense –  Defense is always the biggest key to winning.  Defense really does win championships and it wins games.  The Celtics are 4th with a defensive rating of 106.4.  The Bucks are 27th with a defensive rating of 118.6.   The Celtics must work hard on defense and keep their focus on the defensive end so as not to allow any easy baskets for the Bucks. They especially need to defend the perimeter as the Bucks are 1st in the league attempting 44.1 three pointers per game. 

Rebound – Next to defense, rebounding is always a big key to winning.  The key to rebounding is effort and focus.   The Bucks are 3rd with 49.0 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 14th with 43.9 rebounds per game.  The Celtics have to fight as a team to try to grab every rebound to avoid the Bucks getting 2nd chance points because the Bucks are 3rd with 18.2 second chance points per game.

Don’t Underestimate the Bucks – The Bucks have not been playing well so far this season, going just 1-8 in their first 9 games.  However,  the Bucks are still a rival in the Eastern Conference that can play hard, which makes up for a lot of problems. In the first game against the Bucks, the Celtics built a 21 point lead at the half but let the Bucks out-play them in the second half to take a 92-91 lead. They held on to win the game, but they need to give 100% effort for the entire game and not underestimate the Bucks.  The Celtics have to give max effort on the boards and on defense and they have to give that effort for the entire game and not just 1 or 2 quarters. 

Effort and Focus  –  “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”  That quote pretty much says it all.  Any team that works hard and hustles can beat a more talented team that doesn’t play hard.  The  Celtics have to be aggressive on defense, on rebounds, on fighting for loose balls, on taking the ball to the basket and just overall playing harder than the Bucks.  They have to play harder and stay focused on playing the right way for all 48 minutes.  They also can’t overlook the Bucks while anticipating their big game on Tuesday at Philadelphia.  Stay focused on this game. 

X-Factors
On the Road – The Celtics are on the road for the second straight game and so will have the distractions of travel, staying in hotels, and playing in front of a hostile crowd.  They need to stay focused and not allow any of those distractions to take their focus away from playing the right way.  Historically, the Celtics are just 46-73 in Milwaukee.  They need to stay focused and play hard and not let up. 

Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus from playing the game.  The Celtics also have to be aware of the new points of emphasis for this season and try to avoid flopping, off‑arm push‑offs, reckless closeouts, delays before free throws, and illegal screens. They have been especially calling flops and push offs and so the Celtics need to make an effort to avoid doing both.