Oct 31, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) dunks a basket in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Cleveland Cavaliers rode a dominant 48-24 second quarter to a stress-free 136-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Cleveland pushed their lead to 36 at the start of the fourth quarter before calling off the dogs.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen led the way in this one-sided win. The Cavs made a concerted effort to continually get the bigs involved offensively, and both Mobley and Allen stayed aggressive in looking for ways to attack. This led to both finishing with a team-high 16 shot attempts.
Mobley provided 27 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal while going 11-for-16 from the field, which included going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Allen put up 25 points on 12-of-16 shooting with 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal.
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This dominant performance from the bigs allowed the Cavs to control the paint. They went 25-for-35 on shots in the restricted area and scored 60 points in the paint overall.
Four other Cavaliers besides Mobley and Allen finished with double-digit points. Donovan Mitchell put up 15 points while being a team best +31. James Harden and Meleek Thomas contributed 13 points. Thomas Bryant added in 11 points exclusively in the fourth quarter.
The Bucks were led by 19 points from Kel’el Ware on 6-of-16 shooting, along with 10 rebounds. Tyler Herro had 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting.
This was a dominant performance for the Cavs. Once they grabbed control of this game in the second quarter, they never looked back.
Cleveland will head home after this game. They host the injury-riddled Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening.
MONTREAL (AP) — Josh Anderson had two goals and an assist and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Saturday night for their fifth straight victory.
Chris Kreider added a one goal and an assist, and Oliver Kapanen and Alexandre Texier also scored as Montreal (9-3-2) returned home from an undefeated four-game Western trip. Lane Hutson had two assists.
Jacob Fowler made 25 saves and became the third Canadiens rookie goalie in the past 40 years to win seven consecutive games.
Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and two assists for Pittsburgh, and Tommy Novak and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist. Sergei Murashov stopped 22 shots.
Anderson gave Montreal a two-goal lead with 6:54 left on a deflection. Crosby pulled one back with 3:11 remaining with Murashov off for an extra attacker.
Earlier, with his 1,112th career assist, Crosby passed Boston Bruins great Ray Bourque for the most with one franchise in NHL history. The 39-year-old center also tied Marcel Dionne for sixth on the scoring list with 1,771.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 31: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers embrace during the fourth quarter of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on October 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Helen McGinnis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bell Ringer Standings: Tyrese Maxey – 2.5 Joel Embiid – 1 LeBron James – 1 Anfernee Simons – 1 Jaylen Brown – 0.5
The Philadelphia 76ers looked sleepy, but they woke up just in time to come from behind and snag a 109-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday evening.
This was the second game of a back-to-back after the Sixers defeated the Knicks last night at home, so no Joel Embiid or LeBron James for this one for Philly. Jaylen Brown returned for this contest, but looked a little out of sorts at times. The Hornets were without Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Grant Williams
The Sixers (minus Tyrese Maxey) were shaky to start this one and looked a bit sluggish, allowing some hot shooting from Charlotte to take over. Philly tightened things up a bit in the second to retake the lead going into the break, but they really started to look like a tired team in the second half. The Sixers looked completely asleep in the third, couldn’t get a single thing going and lost their narrow lead. Fortunately, though, the Hornets were also a weary-looking team on the second leg of a back-to-back, so they couldn’t take full advantage. They led going into the fourth, but not by much.
It was never an insurmountable lead for Charlotte, but it was a resilient one. The sluggish Sixers couldn’t seem to come up with the necessary string of buckets or put up enough defensive stops to ever gain any ground on the Hornets… until the last two minutes. Suddenly, the Sixers ripped off a 15-3 run to end the game, finally taking the lead late and holding on for the dramatic victory — capped off by another clutch three-pointer from VJ Edgecombe. Who else?!
The Sixers continue their winning ways and move to 6-1 on the season. They’ll get Sunday off before hosting the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
<p>(Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Tyrese Maxey started out this one by pretty much being able to do whatever he wanted on the offensive end, putting up nine points on 4-for-4 field goal shooting before the game was even four minutes in. He was in his bag to put on a three-level scoring clinic in the first half on Saturday night, nailing his soft finishes at the rim, the midrange jumpers and nailing a few from outside the arc. Maxey led the Sixers with 19 points on 8-for-13 field goal, 3-for-5 three-point shooting at the break.
After having a quiet third (along with the rest of his team, mostly), Maxey went back to work in the fourth. He scored 15 points on 4-for-6 field goal shooting in the final frame as the Sixers finally broke through to erase the Hornets’ narrow but resilient lead and take on the win for themselves.
Maxey finished this one with a commanding 38 points (13-for-23 field goal, 4-for-9 three-point shooting) with four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Tyrese Maxey is off to a superstar start to this season, and that continued Saturday night vs. CHA. Even a bit sleepy on the second leg of the back-to-back, he made it just look easy at times.
38 PTS (13-23 FG, 4-9 3PT), 4 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL Here's every one of those 13 FGs 👇 pic.twitter.com/F1Oc4Ar5Qw
<p>(Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
On Saturday night, Anfernee Simons picked up where he left off the last two games: absolutely nailing some threes. Simons sank another three triples in the first half against the Hornets on Saturday night in addition to knocking down a few free throws for 11 first-half points, the only Sixer other than Maxey to make it to double-digit scoring by the break.
His biggest moment came late in the forth, with Simons hitting his fifth triple of the night, coming up with a steal on the Hornets’ next possession, then nailing an excellent finish at the rim in transition to pull the Sixers within a point of the Hornets with just a few minutes to play — all part of the run that would ultimately win the game for Philadelphia.
Simons ended up with 19 points including five three-pointers. He also had two assists and three steals.
Anfernee Simons with his FIFTH triple of the night!
And with that, Simons is the first 76ers player in franchise history to make at least five 3PT off the bench in three consecutive games (per @76ersPR_stats) pic.twitter.com/Cq85o1yiGF
<p>(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Probably more of an honorable mention here, but Jabari Walker had a very solid night coming off the bench for Philadelphia. From hitting his layups, to getting involved on the offensive boards for put-backs, to pulling up confidently from long range when he had good opportunities, Walker was doing a little of everything against the Hornets. Especially important when the Sixers are without LeBron and Embiid, Walker took every opportunity to drive the baseline and/or muscle his way into the paint for a rebound or a bucket.
Walker finished the night with 12 points on 5-for-8 field goal shooting with six rebounds (two offensive).
On Friday night, Dean Wade might’ve put together one of the best games ever for a guy who didn’t take a single shot. On Saturday, he took a couple, but the story was his passing, defense and ability to find loose balls.
Most of Wade’s points are going to come from the three-point line this season, but funny enough, both his field goals in this one came at the rim — on two pretty moves. Wade played the ultimate connector on offense, setting good screens and finding open teammates all night long. Defensively, he continued to show the versatility that makes him so valuable.
It felt like every time the Sixers needed it, he found away to come away with the ball and steal an extra possession, including on this huge Simons’ three.
Anfernee Simons with his FIFTH triple of the night!
And with that, Simons is the first 76ers player in franchise history to make at least five 3PT off the bench in three consecutive games (per @76ersPR_stats) pic.twitter.com/Cq85o1yiGF
<p>(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
This actually wasn’t the best game from VJ Edgecombe. Quite the contrary, actually. He was decent on the boards and on defense, but it wasn’t an offensively productive game from Edgecombe. He didn’t shoot all that well, notching just 10 points on 4-for-13 field goal shooting.
But he was 2-for-4 from three, and one of those couldn’t have come at a more important moment.
Again. The kid is clutch. With the Sixers finally taking the lead out from under the Hornets very late in this one, Philly held just a narrow advantage as time was winding down… until VJ Edgecombe hit a nasty step-back and sank a monster three over the defense of Grayson Allen, extending the Sixers’ lead to four points and helping seal the victory for Philadelphia.
Clutch. And I personally think that alone earns you a Bell Ringer nomination.
Like the St. Louis Blues did with Otto Stenberg, they have reassigned Quinton Burns to the AHL following a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
The Blues were resilient against the Red Wings coming back from a two-goal defecit to win. The Blues scored three unanswered goals in the third period, with the winner coming off the stick of Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, his first goal of his NHL career.
With the win, the Blues now have a 7-6-1 record, good enough for 15 points and fifth place in the Central Division.
Prior to the game, the Blues recalled Theo Lindstein from the AHL to replace an injured Colton Parayko. Lindstein logged 10:14 of ice time, finishing as a minus-2.
In his call-up, Burns did not play in any NHL games and has yet to dress for any. He has featured in pre-season games. This year he skated in two games. In the AHL this season, the 21-year-old has recorded one assist in seven games.
This is his second season in the AHL, as he split most of his rookie season between the ECHL and AHL.
Burns is a 6-foot-2, 194-pound left-handed defenseman whom the Blues drafted in the third round (74th overall) in the 2023 NHL draft. Burns is a native of Smith Falls, Ont.
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The Detroit Red Wings got more tricks than treats on Halloween afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, watching their 4-2 third-period lead over the St. Louis Blues disappear and become a 5-4 regulation loss.
It was a disappointing finish for the Red Wings, who appeared to have the game well in hand.
However, it will have to serve as a hard lesson moving forward, one that head coach Todd McLellan felt began to take shape in the second period rather than the third by committing turnovers in the neutral zone.
"We played a little sloppier than I would like, but we have jobs to do based on our neutral zone; we didn’t get it done,” said McLellan afterward. “So now, they've got momentum coming out of the gate - then we get into the third. We have rules for back-checking and sort-outs, we didn’t follow them, we give up a goal. A transition play for the fourth one, which doesn’t make a lot of sense to me at all."
“And the last one, you’re going to give something like that, where Anton (Johansson) goes to knock the puck down, and no one knows where it is, taking (Andreas) Englund to the corner. All of a sudden, they’ve shot in a deflection. So for me, we got sloppy.
The intent was still there, but the execution and the details in it weren't, and we paid the price."
As things were unraveling in the third period, McLellan indicated that the communication level on the bench was at a high level and that there was frustration amongst the players.
"It's good," he said of the bench communication. "They were frustrated and a little bit pissed off, but there is talk there. I'm not losing my marbles, and I should be, but I believe in what the group can do, and fix this. So, there is talk, and there is communication, and some frustration."
That frustration was on full display in the dressing room afterward, as forward Keegan Kolesar, who scored his first goal since being acquired by the Red Wings over the summer, said that losing after blowing a two-goal lead is going to sting.
“We should have come away with the win," Kolesar said. "Just got to sit with this the rest of the day and we’ll sit with it until the next game. And it’s not a good feeling.”
The Red Wings will face two straight divisional opponents on the road with matchups against the Lightning and Panthers before returning home to host the Golden Knights.
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As South Africa’s chief spinning protagonist Simon Harmer was assessing what was been a superb series clinched by the Proteas in brilliant fashion, he declared it was one cricket fans might remember for a long time to come.
Superstar right winger Nikita Kucherov has requested a trade out of the Tampa Bay Lightning, reported on Friday. Though Lightning GM Julien BriseBois said they "unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita," the reigning Hart Trophy winner has a 10-team trade list in any way the situation plays out. Regardless of BriseBois' intention not to trade him, Kucherov's camp made it clear that he wouldn't be re-signing with the club, and he's in the final year of his contract.
"More than the money, I think that the reason we're here today has been the pace of the negotiations, or lack thereof," Elliotte Friedman said of the Lightning's urgency to re-sign Kucherov, and the main reason for his trade request.
On Sportsnet's 'Saturday Headlines' segment with Friedman, he further reported that of the Canadian teams that could be on his 10-team trade list, he'd be open to joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as the Montreal Canadiens.
"I do believe that if Tampa was going to trade him, and Montreal and Toronto could come up with a package that Tampa would like, those are two teams, among many, he would consider," he said.
Kucherov's expiring deal carries a $9.5-million salary cap hit. And beyond his pending UFA status, he's expected to earn north of $18 million per season on his next deal.
Kucherov, 33, has been one of the league's top players of the past several years, winning two Hart Trophies, three Art Ross Trophies, two Ted Lindsay Awards, and a pair of Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay.
He has six 100-point seasons in his career, marking at least 110 points in the last four straight years. He also has over 1,100 career points in the NHL and is fourth all-time in scoring among Russian-born players.
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DENVER — For Mackenzie Blackwood, the expectations in Colorado have never really been a secret.
The Avalanche wanted him to establish himself as their starting goaltender, and this season, he’s beginning to look the part.
Blackwood enters Saturday night’s matchup against the Calgary Flames having won four of his last five starts, posting a 2.40 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage over that stretch. More importantly, he’s beginning to show the consistency Colorado has been waiting to see.
Mackenzie Blackwood has now won 4 of his last 5 games started and has not pitched a SV% below .909 in any of the wins.
After a difficult outing against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 10, when he surrendered five goals on 22 shots, including three on four shots in the second period, Blackwood has been excellent. That performance has become something of an outlier, as the 29-year-old has responded with some of his best hockey of the season.
There were signs last season that Blackwood was capable of this kind of play. After undergoing offseason surgery to repair a lower-body injury, he began the season on injured reserve and missed all of training camp and the preseason. When he returned, finding consistency wasn’t easy. He struggled at times before beginning to turn things around in November.
Then he made history.
On Nov. 26, 2025, Blackwood became the seventh goaltender in Colorado Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to record consecutive shutouts. He joined an exclusive group that included Patrick Roy, Clint Malarchuk, David Aebischer, Pavel Francouz, Darcy Kuemper and Justus Annunen after blanking the Nashville Predators 3-0 and the San Jose Sharks 6-0 in back-to-back games.
It was an impressive stretch, but one that didn’t necessarily signal a smooth path forward. Another lower-body injury sidelined Blackwood a month later, and his play continued to fluctuate throughout the season. There were nights when he looked nearly unbeatable and others when he struggled to find his footing.
Meanwhile, Scott Wedgewood made the most of his opportunities.
When Blackwood was unavailable, Wedgewood stepped in and delivered a remarkable season, finishing 31-6-6 with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. His performance gave Colorado a level of stability in net that was difficult to overlook, particularly with Blackwood still trying to put everything together.
The two goaltenders ultimately shared the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals during the regular season.
Blackwood got another opportunity to show what he could do in the postseason. After struggling in the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, he was given the start in Game 4 with Colorado facing elimination. He stopped 24 of 26 shots, but the Avalanche fell 2-1, ending their season as Vegas advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, where it lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.
Even through Blackwood’s ups and downs, head coach Jared Bednar maintained that his best hockey was still ahead of him.
There was another level to Blackwood’s game that Bednar believed he hadn’t reached yet. Colorado had seen glimpses of it, but the organization needed to see more than flashes.
That became an expectation heading into this season. Since the start of training camp, Bednar has made it clear that the Avalanche wanted Blackwood to establish himself as the starter and run with the opportunity.
It was a reasonable expectation, but not necessarily an easy one to meet with Wedgewood coming off such a strong season. Wedgewood had established himself as more than a capable backup, and Colorado had two goaltenders coming off a season in which both played significant roles in the team’s success.
Still, there’s a reason the Avalanche made the financial commitment they did to Blackwood. At $5.25 million annually, compared to Wedgewood’s $2.5 million, Colorado needs Blackwood to be more than just one half of a tandem. They need him to establish himself as the guy they can lean on.
So far, he’s doing exactly that.
Bednar acknowledged that Blackwood has been solid throughout the season, pointing to the Toronto game as the one outing where he felt the goaltender could have been better. But he was equally quick to point out how Blackwood responded.
Blackwood starts…LOC out tonight and Juulsen will get the minutes of Manson. Coach says he trusts him and he knows what’s up. pic.twitter.com/IimHrv0GW6
“I think Blackie’s been solid all year," he stated Saturday morning at morning skate. "I think he probably should have been better and it could have been better was the Toronto game. We didn’t give up a ton of chances, but the ones we did were grade-A’s, and they put them in the back of the net, and they were opportunistic, and we weren’t good enough in front of him, and then he bounced right back and his next couple starts were outstanding.”
Bednar also acknowledged that the Avalanche will need both goaltenders, particularly with a back-to-back on the schedule on the horizon on 11/2 and 11/3 when Colorado faces the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Wedgewood’s workload has looked a little different from last season, but the coach remains confident in what he can provide when called upon.
“So I like what he’s been doing so far and we’ve had a pretty, you know, at times pretty easy schedule like right now. And then we got a back-to-back coming, so we need both guys, but he’s been handling it great. I think Wedge on the same note is, you know, it’s a little bit different form from last year, but he’s used to it from his whole career and I expect him to be able to go in and give us a real good game here on the road as well.”
For now, Blackwood is doing what Colorado asked of him. The Avalanche have known what he’s capable of for some time. They’ve seen the shutouts, the stretches of brilliance and the performances that made Bednar believe there was another level to his game.
What they’ve been waiting for is consistency.
Blackwood is beginning to provide it, and if he can sustain this level of play, Colorado may finally get the kind of separation in its crease that it envisioned when it made him its starting goaltender.
Saturday’s matchup against Calgary presents another opportunity to keep building on that.
Even if he's had a bit of a slow start to the season, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby is still climbing the ranks of NHL history.
And he has just broken another NHL record.
With an assist on an Erik Karlsson power play goal during the first period of Saturday's game against the Montreal Canadiens, Crosby broke the NHL record for most assists with a single franchise at 1,112. He passed Ray Bourque with the assist.
Later in the game, he also added another helper in the form of a secondary assist on a goal by linemate Tommy Novak.
Crosby, 39, has spent all 22 seasons of his NHL career with Pittsburgh. In that time, he has amassed 657 and 1,770 points, which puts him one point shy of tying Marcel Dionne for the sixth-most points in NHL history. Last season, Crosby surpassed franchise icon Mario Lemieux for the most points in franchise history, with Lemieux holding the previous record at 1,723.
He is also just 28 points shy of tying Ron Francis for the fifth-most points in NHL history.
In 14 games to open the 2026-27 campaign, Crosby has three goals and nine points. As of now, he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season.
Jimmy Butler III of the Golden State Warriors warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center in San Francisco on Oct. 21, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Butler posted an AI video where Curry’s likeness is Bruce Leroy (played by Taimak) in the 1985 martial arts film The Last Dragon.
Curry is then asked, “Alright Leroy, who’s the one-and-only Master?” and responds, “I am!”
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Cameron Green’s dismissal to Simon Harmer in the second innings of the final Test against South Africa has left an Australian cricket great stunned, after a bizarre tactic to protect the all-rounder backfired.
Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss accused her siblings of running a "cloak and dagger" smear campaign against her through the media and voting to sell the family's remaining shares in the team in court documents filed earlier this week.
The filing, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, alleges that Jeanie Buss' five siblings -- Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse -- orchestrated a "manipulative plot" in response to her previous court filing in August to halt the proposed sale of the family's remaining 17.8% share in the team following the record $12.5 billion sale between Mark Walter and Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, "secretly pursued unlawful action behind Jeanie's back" and allegedly leaking their "petty grievances" to ESPN's Shams Charania.
"Respondents respond casting themselves as victims," the filing says. "When in reality, the entire episode is their own false flag operation."
The filing is the latest development in the ongoing Succession-esque drama that has ensued over the years since Dr. Jerry Buss' death in 2013 and escalated when Jeanie Buss' siblings voted 5-0 to sell their stake in the Lakers to Kushner, which would effectively remove her as governor. That led to an injunction from Adam F. Streisand, Jeanie Buss' attorney, that contested the sale violated a 2017 court order that established Jeanie Buss as the controlling owner and was null and void.
The five siblings filed a formal opposition on Oct. 7, claiming Jeanie Buss' petition "is legally and factually baseless." A hearing is scheduled in Los Angeles Superior Court on Dec. 8.
"Jeanie sought to address Respondents’ desire to cash out of the Buss/Lakers’ legacy," Streisand says in the filing. "However, Respondents refused to engage, because they not only want to cash out of that legacy but cannot abide that the team’s owners would still want Jeanie to be part of the Lakers’ future. Jeanie had no choice but to seek court intervention to enforce the clear terms of the Trust and this Court’s 2017 Order."
Per NBA rules, Jeanie Buss would need to hold at least a 15% ownership stake in the Lakers to continue serving as governor. The siblings have defended their sale as being within their rights by invoking a tag-along provision that was included in the original sale to Mark Walter that would allow the Buss family to sell their shares if he were to ever sell the team, but Jeanie Buss' attorneys responded in Wednesday's filing that the tag-along right is for less than all of the trust's shares.
The filing continues by alleging no notice of the tag-along right was given, nor was a notice of a "put right" that would have enabled the siblings to sell the family's entire stake in the team, and that there is no offer from Kushner and Iger to purchase the trust's shares.
"Consent to a hypothetical, partial sale is not the full and final sale required to trigger termination under Section 2.4(c)," the filing said. "Thus, the Purported Resolution is void on its face."
ESPN reported on Friday that Kushner and Walter agreed to final terms of the sale of the franchise and are expected to sign a formal agreement soon. The deal would then need to be reviewed by the NBA and approved by a majority vote of the league's 30 team owners.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Dean Wade (45) grabs a loose ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Philadelphia.
In each of the Knicks’ losses, it has been something new. A different sign that captures how they’re still — even six games and four defeats into the season — a step behind opponents at the start of their title defense, even with the same starting lineup and most of the same rotation intact from last year.
There was the entire game opening night, when head coach Mike Brown said it looked like the Knicks were “running in mud.” There was the third quarter against the Celtics. The fourth-quarter collapse against the Magic, too. And then Friday night, it was the Knicks’ start, when they trailed by double digits in the first quarter en route to their 98-93 loss to the 76ers in Philadelphia.
It marked their fewest points in an opening frame this season. It served as the latest reminder of a potentially concerning trend in a start to the year already filled with them. And as they’re trying to recover conditioning and erase the step missing after the condensed offseason that followed their championship run, it marked the latest sample in 2026-27 of the Knicks slipping into an insurmountable place in a game because of a costly quarter.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Dean Wade (45) grabs a loose ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“We gotta find a way to be that magical team we were last year at a more consistent pace,” Karl-Anthony Towns said following Friday’s loss. “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.”
The Knicks trailed by 13 after the opening 12 minutes against the Pistons on Tuesday, but they responded by limiting Detroit to just three field goals in a 12-point second quarter. They only managed 13 in the third quarter. And by the end of it all, the Knicks defense had powered them to their first win of the season.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown, center left, looks on during the second half of an NBA Cup game in Philadelphia, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
But poor first quarters like Tuesday and Friday nearly eliminate their margin for error. With under five minutes remaining in the frame against the 76ers, Jalen Brunson tried to thread a pass to a rolling Andre Drummond, but Joel Embiid knocked the pass away — allowing for a VJ Edgecombe layup in transition moments later to give Philadelphia a 20-11 lead. Then, after the Knicks started to trim into their deficit with 3-pointers from Josh Hart and Miles McBride, Anfernee Simons responded with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 10. The Knicks weren’t able to execute the same counter defensively, either.
“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,” Brown said.
The Knicks, Towns said, looked like a team at the end of a road trip. They didn’t find “that gear” — the one they needed to overpower opponents, the one that defined their sprint through May and June — until the fourth quarter. Double-digit comebacks are “taxing,” Hart said, and it’s not something they can rely on, even if improbable rallies were a defining part of their postseason run.
“I think when that’s happened, we’re just coming in a little stagnant offensively,” Hart said of the Knicks’ deficits. “Forced into either bad shots or turnovers. And then, you know, stops are harder.”
The Knicks will have chances — starting with the winless Nets and 1-5 Bulls over the next two games — to figure everything out. To fix their offensive rating that dipped to 20th in the league (109.6) entering play Saturday and solve their turnover woes that frustrated Brown on Friday. To improve their defensive rating that sits 13th (110.6) and a defensive unit that has ebbed and flowed throughout the early portion of the season.
To eliminate the growing pains that have prevented the Knicks from looking the part of reigning champions and delivering the same magic that defined last season in the first place.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 31: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to his shot against the Charlotte Hornets in the first half at Spectrum Center on October 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Helen McGinnis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If all Cris Carter did was catch touchdowns, all VJ Edgecombe does is hit clutch shots.
Edgecombe’s late three was part of a 13-0 run for the Sixers which helped them stage a fourth-quarter comeback and steal a 109-104 win in the second half of a back-to-back on the road in Charlotte. They’re now 6-1.
Tyrese Maxey was brilliant from the start and finished with 38 points. Edgecombe struggled most of the night, but buried a triple when it mattered. He finished just 4-of-13 for 10 points. Jaylen Brown returned to the lineup. Though he was able to shake off a poor start, he wasn’t as impactful as he’s been this season. He was 6-of-15 for 16 points.
Anfernee Simons was great again off the bench with 19 points (including five triples). Dean Wade got the start and was excellent on both ends, dishing out 10 assists.
The Sixers were without LeBron James and Joel Embiid, both sitting out the backend of the back-to-back. Dominick Barlow (back) remains out. They’ll host the Chicago Bulls on Monday.
Here are a few takeaways from the night.
First quarter
It was funny to see Dean Wade pass up another shot on the first possession and pass VJ Edgecombe a grenade … only for Edgecombe to bury a three.
The Sixers had a tall task keeping Moussa Diabate off the offensive glass. Not only did Adem Bona do a great job there, but Bona was impactful on the offensive glass himself. Diabate had just one defensive rebound in the first half.
Holy moly, Tyrese Maxey. To quote a former Sixer, he is just stupidly locked in right now.
Jabari Walker got the backup five minutes, so it appears no Tacko Fall tonight.
It was a rough start for Jaylen Brown in his return. He missed his first five shots and had two turnovers. Whether it was a rhythm issue or the knee still bothering him, he looked off.
Justin Edwards got early minutes, but his stint didn’t last long. It was a little surprising to see Edwards get in there before Labaron Philon.
The Hornets came in as one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA this season — so, naturally, they couldn’t miss against the Sixers, going 6-of-11 from deep and 73.7% from the floor in the first. They held a 37-27 lead. Maxey posted 15.
Second quarter
Walker gave the Sixers strong minutes at the five. He drew a foul fighting for position with Diabate, then had a tough finish off a Maxey pass, then drove from the corner and had a nice reverse finish. Brown finally got a bucket to go and cut the deficit to 37-33.
Well, hello, Dean Wade! You wanted him to shoot and what a beauty of a move on Naz Reid for a bucket at the rim.
A decent stint for Philon. He hit a three and had a great defensive rep against fellow Alabama alum Brandon Miller. He then drew a foul on Miller before making a pretty dropstep move on fellow rookie Christian Anderson for a bucket. He missed a pair of free throws, but overall, good stuff from the rook.
Bona fumbled a pass from Brown and of course calmly collected it and finished at the rim over Ryan Kalkbrenner to tie the game at 44-44. Brown was much better in his second stint, finding Maxey for another bucket to put the Sixers in front.
The Sixers’ defense picked up big time. Another trio of threes from Anfernee Simons and Maxey buried another. Maxey led all scorers with 19. Some tremendous ball movement at times here. Grayson Allen’s red-shot shooting was the only thing keeping the Hornets in it. The Sixers were up 57-54 at the half.
Third quarter
Credit where it’s due, more good Bona minutes and another pretty make in the post from Wade. It appeared Bona’s activity was starting to frustrate Diabate, as the Hornets’ big man threw an elbow into Bona’s gut. Diabate was called for an unsportsmanlike foul.
The Sixers’ offense and defense started sagging. The ball stuck too much and Charlotte got way too many good looks at the rim. The Hornets pulled back in front, 67-65.
Brown and Walker seem to have a little chemistry. Look at that, preseason reps paying off! Overall, the game became a slog. It looked like two teams playing the second half of a back-to-back. Charlotte continued to get to the paint with ease, building the lead to 73-67.
Brutal night for Edgecombe so far. He was just 3-of-10 from the field. As we’ve seen though, Edgecombe can have three rough quarters and show up for the fourth…
On a positive note, Brown has looked much bouncier as the game has gone on. He powered past Allen for a dunk and then had another nice finish at the rim on a drive. He kept the Sixers in it. The offense got bogged down again when he took a breather.
Yet another three for Simons, cutting the Hornets’ advantage to 79-77. Wade notched his seventh assist on the play. Unfortunately, that was the last basket the Sixers made in the period. Charlotte pushed the lead back up to 83-77 as a Maxey three missed everything. You have to wonder if tired legs are a factor.
Fourth quarter
Bona sort of turned back into a pumpkin here. It’s hard to even fault him. They’re asking him to play starter minutes and he simply doesn’t seem capable.
Walker checked back in, buried a three and scored off an offensive rebound. After a steal, Maxey missed a transition three, but Bona gathered the rebound, got it back to Maxey who made a short fadeaway. For as poorly as the Sixers played in the second half, they hung around. It was a one-possession game with plenty of time left.
In a different spot, I don’t mind Bona taking a corner three. Down six midway through the fourth with time on the shot clock? Yeah, I’d like a better shot.
Wade’s so freaking good defensively. Hell of a possession on Reid. He really can guard anyone. Then a slick floater from Maxey. He’s doing all he can do keep them in it, but Edgecombe’s tough night continued. He grabbed a big offensive rebound, but was stuffed by Miller at the rim. The Hornets then got a Diabate dunk in transition.
Another Maxey floater and a short turnaround jumper from Brown cut it to 98-94, but the Sixers continued to lose Allen on the perimeter, who made them pay with another three.
More big time stuff from Wade, who grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Simons for another three. After a stop, Maxey was fouled, but split his free throws, an issue throughout the night. The defense was finally able to generate turnovers, one leading to a tough finish by Simons in transition to make it 101-100.
A monster block by Wade and then the Sixers are bailed out as Dennis Schroder undercut Maxey going for a loose ball. Maxey made both free throws and the Sixers took a 102-101 lead.
What a tremendous sequence for Maxey. He stands tough against Miller, who missed a fadeaway, then fought Diabate for the ensuing rebound, which the big man knocked out of bounds.
How does he do it?! VJ Edgecombe got the ball with the shot clock winding down and what does he do? He buries a triple right in Allen’s eye. That’s a 13-0 run for the Sixers.
Sion James missed a layup, Maxey grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Wow. Miller made another three to make it 107-104, but Charlotte fouled Brown with 5.2 left and he made both to seal it. Sixers win 109-104.
INDIANAPOLIS — Right now, every time the young Nets hit adversity, they go awry like a rudderless ship.
That means their stars are going to have to do a better job steering them.
That means Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr.
“[We’ve] just got to be mentally tougher, understand what’s going on in the game, understand what we’re trying to accomplish, what we can take advantage of, stuff like that,” Randle admitted.
Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle shoots during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
“But we just have to have better recognition in-game of what’s going on and just be better from there. But we get adversity right now as a group, and it just deflates us as a team. So I have to find a way to keep the group together, and get us out of those ruts when we’re facing those types of situations.”
As the only winless team in the East coming into Sunday’s tilt at Indiana, the Nets have faced those types of situations every game. The result has been slumped shoulders, bad body language and the team coming unraveled.
Granted, they played well at Cleveland and Boston. But more often than not, they haven’t handled adversity well.
And while Randle and Porter are a 1-2 scoring punch, neither is a defender. But for the Nets to compete, they’ll have to be leaders. On a team this green, it’s not enough that they play well. They have to help their young teammates play well — or at least play together.
“It’s easier said than done,” Porter said after Friday’s loss to Detroit. “In the NBA when you lose five straight, it can be tough.
Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) defends Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at Barclays Center in New York. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
“But we’ve got to continue to watch film, and do our best to stay connected as a group, do our best to stay positive, to come out next game and do better than we did [the last] game. We took a step forward [in] the Boston game, a couple steps backwards [against Detroit]. We’ve just got to watch it and go from there.”
The Nets have glaring personnel issues that may limit their defensive ceiling, but they’ve underachieved offensively due to a lack of chemistry and cohesion. They’ll need better cutting and spacing.
Granted, Randle has done his job as a floor raiser. The Nets’ plus-22.9 net rating swing with him on and off the floor is the best of any Net that has logged over 30 minutes. But against Detroit, he shot 4-of-13 with three assists, five turnovers and too much ball-pounding. Porter finished a minus-25.
Randle admits it’s on the veterans like himself and Porter to help guide this young team through its growing pains. But how?
“That’s a great question. I don’t know. We’ve just got to find ways to keep making improvements,” Randle said. “We did that, [though] we didn’t get the result we wanted in Boston, we did it. I felt like we were on the path to doing that to start the [Detroit] game, and then we took steps back. So, I won’t accept it, but I understand it.
“Taking bumps and bruises with the season, just gaining experience. But we’ve got to find a way collectively to be better and not let adversity affect us so much as a group. We keep talking about it, but we gotta find a way to come together. And yeah, it probably is on the vets. We gotta bring guys together in the moments of adversity and recognize those situations quicker than what we are right now.”
It’s a tough ask with Porter set for unrestricted free agency and expected by many around the league to be on the market at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, Randle — soon to be 32 — can opt out as well.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez speaks with forward Julius Randle during a game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in New York. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
Head coach Jordi Fernández defended both, saying he can’t ask either to step outside their comfort zones leadership-wise.
“I always want them to lead and it’s got to come out of an honest place. I cannot force them to be out of character,” Fernández said. “I think they’re both good people and they both mean well, so whatever they’re comfortable doing I’m very happy they’re trying their best to help the group. And they’ve done it from the beginning, so I’m not concerned about that.”
Guards Egor Dëmin (right leg bone bruise) and Mikel Brown Jr. (back, injury management) are both out for the Nets on Sunday in Indiana.
