MONTREAL (AP) — Macklin Celebrini scored his second goal of the game on a power play at 2:13 of overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist each as Montreal (4-3-2) surrendered a two-goal advantage for the fourth time this season. Dobes made 26 saves.
Misa, who hit the post earlier in the period, cut into the Canadiens' lead at 5:36 in the third, finishing a feed from Kiefer Sherwood after Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson turned the puck over.
Toffoli tied it with 8:51 remaining in regulation when he buried Celebrini's pass on the power play with Arber Xhekaj in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks receives his 2025-26 NBA Championship ring before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
NYC came to party tonight. The Knicks (0-1) received their rings and hung a championship banner before tonight’s inaugural game of the 81st season. As a repeat is not guaranteed, your intrepid blogger tried to appreciate the moment for its rarity.
The visiting Philadelphia 76ers (1-0), with offseason additions LeBron James (14 PTS, 9 RBS, 7 AST) and Jaylen Brown (19 PTS, 8 RBS, 6 AST), came ready to rumble, determined to knock the kings from their throne. The champs, dressed in gold-lettered uniforms for the affair, played with a mix of efficiency and slop, taking and giving the lead throughout. Down the stretch, Karl-Anthony Towns (19 PTS, 12 RBS) drilled a few big shots, Captain Clutch (21 PTS, 6-19 FG) missed a couple, and the first game of the season ended with an L, 106-100.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 53 YEARS, THE KNICKS RAISE AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mNkMpJva6b
Tyrese Maxey (28 PTS) started the contest with six points, shooting well through the period. Both teams showed opening night jitters, though. New York missed four shots before Mikal Bridges (4 PTS, -15 +/-) put back his own miss, and Brunson got a fortunate bounce for his first trey of the season. Karl-Anthony Towns picked up two fast fouls, and Andre Drummond (12 PTS, 14 RBS, 2 BLK) relieved him.
So far, we were digging the Andre experience. He blocked an Embiid jumper, rebounded over and stuffed Embiid, and intercepted a VJ Edgecombe pass for a dunk. If you picked Dre to lead the team in first-quarter scoring, claim your no-prize at the door. Spoiler alert: he disappeared in the second half and finished 5-of-13 from the field.
James ran the point on a number of possessions and connected with Brown for a cutting layup they’ll run a couple hundred times this season. Landry Shamet took exception to James forcefully shoving him multiple times (no calls) and getting clubbed by Embiid on a drive. ShamWow stood chest-to-chest with the big Cameroonian, and tensions rose when the teams circled around their mates. Things cooled off. To wrap up the quarter, Jose Alvarado slashed to the cup for an athletic layup, Brunson subbed in to float a final shot, and the hometown heroes held a 25-23 lead at the break.
In the preseason, the Drummond-Alvarado two-man game caught our attention. Tonight, they powered the Knicks early in the Q2, helping to give the Knicks a 10-point lead and ignite an 11-2 run. Shamet added his first three-pointer of the season (after a number of misses), and Jordan Clarkson got on the board with a finger-roll.
Also not quite back to game form: the refs whistled 28 fouls in the first half, yet somehow missed contact on a few of Brunson’s drives. The most free throws attempted in a game by the Knicks last season was 38. They had already taken 16 by halftime, and Philly had 21. By the end of the game, the hosts had been whistled 23 times and the visitors, 22.
KAT puts his head down and goes to WORK 💪
Knicks still holding the lead at home as they begin their title defense on NBC and Peacock! pic.twitter.com/UWXDJnQpot
Embiid returned to steady his squad with a pull-up and a triple, plus a few dimes. OG egged his face when he blocked the big fella, but the Pennsylvanians gained momentum as Brunson missed a couple and KAT whiffed at the charity stripe. Fouls bedeviled them, too; Hart and Towns had collected three apiece. After a tight game, Brunson took a Maxey charge, then bucketed off the glass and made three freebies to preserve the intermission lead, 58-54.
With Brunson at the line, LeBron was on the blocks and got into a heated exchange with a fan in the second row. The crowd chanting “We don’t want you” must’ve gotten under his skin.
The Knicks shot worse from the field (42% to 46%), but sat on top due to their 27–19 rebounding advantage. They also outscored Philadelphia 30–20 in the paint, but missed seven freethrows. Through two, Maxey had 16 points, and Brunson had 15. Meanwhile, Drummond had already cooked a 10-point, 12-board double-double (plus two blocks) in 18 minutes. This debut was one to remember.
The third period stunk. Missing eight of their first nine shots, the Knicks’ sloppiness let the Chesesesteaks flirt with the lead before Hart swished a three. We could feel the tide turning, though. With Drummond off the floor, the guests had an easier time penetrating the paint. Anfernee Simons hit three from deep, while Brunson shot 1-of-5 and Bridges, Anunoby, McBride, and Drummond combined to go 0-for-10. With the Knicks throwing the ball away, Brown hit a buzzer-beater to cap an 11-0 run. Philly up 83-76.
Jaylen Brown Hits The Buzzer Beating Three To End The Quarter.
LeBron James Found Him And He Hit The Fadeaway.
The Former Celtic Knocks It Down From Deep As The Superstar Finds Him In Their First Game Together Against The Knicks At Madison Square Garden.
Grand Theft Alvarado didn’t sweat opening night. He poked the ball from Maxey and stepped into a fast-break three. With an OG trey (his first after seven misses), the Knicks rode a 10-5 run to scare Nurse into a timeout. Philly benefited from big shots by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but the unified unit of Towns, Alvarado, Shamet, Clarkson, and Hart kept the deficit at four with five minutes left and Brunson waiting to clock in.
After a Philly timeout, Brown fielded a backcourt of Brunson and Alvarado, teamed with Shamet, Hart, and Towns. The latter swished from the logo to make it 96-95, but Philly’s center countered with his own bomb.
Towns was ready to prove his value, though. He had 19 points and 10 came in the fourth. While Brunson bricked a few attempts, KAT stroked again from deep. A poorly timed Anunoby giveaway became a running Maxey dunk. New York found themselves trailing 104-98 with a minute left. A coach’s challenge overturned an out-of-bounds call and returned the ball to New York with 50 seconds left. Cap wasted little time running in a tricky layup, cutting it to four with 41 seconds to go. At the other end, Embiid airballed from beyond the arc. The ball reached Brunson, who missed a heavily contested triple on the run; no foul was called, and James corralled the defensive board. Ballgame.
Up Next
Mo has a proper recap in the oven. The Knicks return to the court on Friday in Boston. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Declan Chisholm scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second period and Jake Allen made 31 saves as the New Jersey Devils beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Chisholm scored his first goal for the Devils at 12:33 on a power play, putting New Jersey in front to stay after the teams traded goals in the first.
Luke Evangelista, Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Boqvist also scored for the Devils, who recovered from a 4-2 loss at Washington in their previous game.
The 34-year-old Allen, honored before puck drop for playing his 500th career game earlier this month, improved to 4-2-0.
Gabriel Landeskog scored and Artturi Lehkonen added two late goals for the Avalanche, who lost for the third time in four games. Colorado was beaten 3-2 at Philadelphia on Monday.
Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood made 37 saves against his former team. He entered 5-0-0 with a 1.52 goals-against average versus the Devils.
Evangelista opened the scoring at 6:40 of the first with his third goal.
Landeskog tied it at 14:32 with his fourth of the season. The Avalanche captain missed more than three seasons following major right knee surgery. He returned to score 14 goals in 60 games last season.
Gritsyuk’s fourth goal came at 4:39 of the third. Boqvist scored an empty-netter at 16:05 to make it 4-1.
Lehkonen scored at 16:46, then added his team-leading eighth goal with 3.5 seconds left.
New Jersey won for the fourth time in six home games.
Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns played his 1,015th consecutive game. The 41-year-old is 49 games from tying Phil Kessel for the NHL ironman record. Burns has played 1,589 career games.
Up next
Avalanche: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 21 points (6-for-19 shooting), five rebounds, and three assists, but was a minus-11 in 34 minutes as he and the rest of the defending champs were stifled on the night they got their rings by some very good Philadelphia defense, including from the new Sixers stars of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
New York has returned nearly all of their championship core and got a big contribution from the lone key offseason acquisition to Mike Brown’s rotation, but lacked the championship sharpness that was a hallmark of their drought-breaking run to a title.
After seeing a 10-point lead slip in the third, if the switch was going to flip in the fourth quarter, it was going to have to come after OG Anunoby bounced in a corner three. Jose Alvarado poked the ball away from Tyrese Maxey for his second steal of the night and hustled down the court to knock in his second three and force a Sixers timeout with eight minutes to play and the lead down to two.
The deficit was four when Brunson checked back in with just over five to play in the game. Soon after, Brunson found Karl-Anthony Towns for a deep three and had a chance for the lead the next possession, but a contested fadeaway was off, and Joel Embiid answered with a three. Back down by five, Brunson and Towns again combined for a from deep, but Philly again answered with a pair of dunks, and Brown called for time with two minutes left and the deficit at six.
The Knicks cut the game to four and got a stop, but a Brunson three with 10 seconds to play was way off, and that was all the Knicks had left.
Here are the takeaways...
- Towns blocked a noticeably slimmer Embiid early, but threw the ball away as Maxey capitalized for his second three in the game’s early going. Towns would pick his first foul inside three minutes and 18 seconds later got his second with an offensive foul as he extended his leg on his jumper and tripped Maxey to send him to the bench.
Andre Drummond, who spent the last two years in Philly, entered for his first action as the Mitchell Robinson replacement. And the veteran took full advantage of the opportunity with six points and six rebounds (three offensive), adding an assist, a steal, and a block in nine minutes in the opening quarter. He made it a double-double debut inside his first 12 minutes on the floor as KAT continued to sit and was a huge bright spot.
Towns made a three-minute cameo in the second, scoring five points before he picked up his third and returned to the bench. He was a minus-3 in six first-half minutes.
Towns, who turned it around in the second half, finished with 19 points (6-for-9 shooting), 12 rebounds (three offensive), two blocks, and was even in 23 minutes. Drummond finished with 12 points (5-for-13) with 14 rebounds (seven offensive) and four assists, two blocks, and a steal, but was a minus-6 in 24 minutes.
- Starters started slowly. Josh Hart, who had a great year shooting the three last years despite his finger trouble, missed his first two from the outside and Anunoby missed his first five from deep as New York opened the game 2-for-10 from three, but were down by just one late in the first. Brunson's late floater gave the Knicks a 25-23 lead after 12 minutes, as he had just five points in the opening stanza. The defending champs shot just 37 percent (10-for-27) from the floor in the quarter.
The Knicks starter did not start the third crisply, going 1-for-7 from the floor and committing three turnovers, as Brown used a pair of timeouts in four minutes as the lead was cut to one. After two more Knicks misses, the Sixers had a lead, since late in the first quarter, before a Hart three, to give him 10 on the night, stopped the bleeding.
But New York shot 23.8 percent (5-for-21) and allowed the Sixers to close the quarter on an 11-0 run to grab a seven-point lead entering the fourth, which was made possible by a fifth turnover of the period.
Hart added 14 points (5-for-10 shooting) with seven rebounds and three assists and was a plus-1 in 30 minutes. It was not Anunoby's night: 10 points (3-for-12, 1-for-9 from deep) with five rebounds and was a team-worst minus-20 in 32 minutes.
- Brunson had a relatively quiet half until he had a Brunsonian spurt late in the second with two at the line, taking a charge, hitting a floater, and then adding three more at the line. At the half, Brunson led the Knicks with 15 points (4-for-9 shooting) with two rebounds and two turnovers and was a minus-1 in 17 minutes, but the Knicks' lead was down to four.
- The Knicks’ second unit really started to twist the screws on the visitors as players off the bench, led by Drummond, had 23 of the Knicks’ first 38 points as New York built a 10-point lead four minutes into the second.
The bench contributed just nine more points the rest of the game, with Alvarado adding eight, Landry Shamet five, Jordan Clarkson four, and Miles McBride three. The reserves were a combined 13-for-36 (36.1 percent) from the floor on the night, weighed down by going 3-for-13 (23.1 percent) after the half.
Game MVP: Jaylen Brown
On his Sixers' debut, the former Finals MVP had 19 points (7-for-14) with eight rebounds, six assists, and was a plus-17 in 35 minutes, including 10 points and five assists in Philly's big third quarter.
Highlights
Jalen Brunson's first points of the year 🤝 https://t.co/sTXkvvV0a4
The New York Knicks picked up their NBA championship rings, but the Philadelphia 76ers left Madison Square Garden with a 106-100 victory Tuesday in the teams' season opener.
Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 28 points for the 76ers, whose overhauled roster was clicking well from the outset of the marquee matchup in New York.
In their Philadelphia debuts, LeBron James had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Jaylen Brown added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. With a strong second-half push, the 76ers earned the victory despite a mediocre shooting night (41.9% from the field, 27.5% on 3-pointers).
"Personally, I feel a lot better, still getting my rhythm," James told NBC Sports' Zora Stephenson about beginning his 24th season with his fourth team. " Obviously, just a little bit over two weeks with the new squad. But I like the way we played. I think we played exceptionally well, especially defensively. Didn't shoot the ball well, but we have capable shooters. We know that. So, we're waiting for it to start the season."
After trailing the Knicks since early in the first quarter, the 76ers closed the third quarter on an 11-0 run that was capped by a Maxey 3-pointer as the horn sounded.
"It's about winning, just trying to make plays to win," James said. "I'm very familiar with every scenario that this game has offered. Blessed to be able to play still at this level, and blessed to be able to play in this building, too. This building is so special, so it's fun."
Jalen Brunson led New York with 21 points but made 6 of 19 field goals as the Knicks struggled to shoot 37.2 %.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points for New York but played only 24 minutes while stuck in foul trouble for the first half. Backup center Andre Drummond filled in admirably, adding 12 points and 14 rebounds in 24 minutes.
After rallying from double digits four times in June to win their first NBA championship in 53 years, New Yorks never trailed by more than nine points against Philadelphia.
But despite twice cutting the 76ers' lead to one in the final 3 minutes, the Knicks still couldn't muster last year's Madison Square Garden magic that they celebrated with a 30-minute pregame ceremony. The Knicks donned gold-trimmed uniforms (and gold sneakers in the case of Brunson) to receive their championship rings and host the 2025-26 title banner to the rafters.
That might have been some extra motivation for a 76ers team that has aspirations of its first championship since 1983.
"Yeah, I do," James said when asked by Stephenson if he liked winning on another team's Ring Night. "It's pretty stuff."
The Knicks found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter. Just like before those heroic playoff moments — those moments they celebrated in a stirring ceremony.
Except this time, as the defending champs Tuesday, Captain Clutch struggled when it mattered most, OG Anunoby committed a costly turnover, Mikal Bridges totally disappeared and the Knicks became the rare team to lose on their own ring night, 106-100 to the revamped 76ers.
Brunson shot 1-for-5 in the final five minutes, including a botched open runner on his first possession after being subbed in for the homestretch. The point guard — who missed 13 of his 19 attempts — airballed a trey with 10 seconds remaining that sealed New York’s defeat.
It capped a game in which the Knicks shot 42 percent from the floor and 27 percent on 3s. They committed 15 turnovers.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket as Philadelphia 76ers Anfernee Simons defends in the third quarter of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“What an ugly game,” coach Mike Brown said. “All throughout the game, we looked like we were running in mud.”
The 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks watch as they hoist the championship banner into the rafters before the start of the first quarter of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Carlos Toro for NY Post
Karl-Anthony Towns, who struggled for much of the evening, came alive in the fourth quarter and finished with 19 points and 12 boards. His trey cut the deficit to two with 2:15 remaining, but Philly’s VJ Edgecombe responded with an easy bucket against a lax Knicks defense.
Then New York’s wings — Anunoby and Bridges — flubbed their opportunities.
Anunoby threw an errant pass to Tyrese Maxey, who converted a breakaway for his final bucket of a 28-point gem. With about 90 seconds left, Bridges went up softly for a layup and missed with his left hand. He had just four points in 33 minutes.
The Knicks became the first home team to fall on ring night since the 2020 Lakers, who were playing in an empty arena because of the pandemic. Before Tuesday, the NBA’s defending champs were 64-15 in their home openers.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts on the floor in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
So the Knicks lost against history — and Josh Hart, who dropped 14 points with seven boards in 30 minutes, said the team isn’t panicked but also can’t relax.
“We play basketball for a living. If you can’t get up and get excited to play basketball, no matter who the hell we play, you got to do some soul-searching,” Hart said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re defending champs, it doesn’t matter if we have the worst record in the league last year. No matter what we got to make sure we are professionals and do what our job is and at the end of the day, I don’t think anybody picked us to win the championship again.
“So nothing to it. We shouldn’t sit there and think we’re the champions because we’re not. We’re 0-1. We’re the worst team in the NBA right now. So we need to play like it.”
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) teases Philadelphia 76ers player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after scoring in the fourth quarter during a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostPhiladelphia 76ers LeBron James looks for an opening as New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) defends in the first half. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
At the start of Tuesday’s game, and after the banner was elevated, the Knicks played like they skipped a beat. A couple of beats, actually.
Their offense was disjointed and stagnant in the opening minutes, lowlighted by immediate foul trouble from Towns. Maybe it was the emotions spilling over from the ceremony just minutes prior, or maybe it was rust after four months away.
Despite their struggles, the Knicks were within striking distance as the final buzzer neared. That’s usually the time for the Brunson takeover. He couldn’t come through on ring night, though. Neither did his teammates.
Brown was almost happy they lost after an effort like that.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts to a call in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostNew York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Is he capable of making those shots? Yes,” Brown said. “But if we played the right way, then it wouldn’t come down to that. But we put ourselves in a hole not doing the little things. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And we have to watch the film and regroup and see how we can put a stretch of 48 minutes together.
“I want to win. Don’t get me wrong. Don’t get it twisted. I want to friggin’ win. But not at the expense of us skipping steps. So if he hits those shots down the stretch and we win, as a coach, there’s going to be something inside of me that wouldn’t be happy. Because it’s like you’re playing with fire, and you ended up winning that time without any water.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 20: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the third quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK — The defense comes through in the end, just like we all expected.
The Sixers opened the 2026-27 season with a nail-biting 106-100 victory over the defending champion New York Knicks Tuesday night.
Tyrese Maxey had a great night leading the Sixers with 28 points, shooting 9-of-19 from the floor with five assists and three steals. Jaylen Brown seemed to get more comfortable as the game went on, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and one big block on Jalen Brunson to end the game..
LeBron James, also making his Sixers debut, had 14 shooting 5-of-13 along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Joel Embiid struggled offensively in the second half but made some big plays defensively, finishing with 13 points on 15 shots with 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The first possession of the season saw an Embiid post-up get swung around to Maxey for a three on the opposite side of the floor. Hopefully there will be a lot of that this season. Embiid was stripped by Towns shortly after, but Maxey stole the loose ball back and buried another three for a quick 6-0 start. New York missed their first four shots of the game before a putback from Bridges and a Brunson three trickled in. The Sixers were also able to send KAT to the bench with two fouls, quickly bringing Andre Drummond into the game. Drum finally got Embiid back, blocking one of his old teammate’s pull-up jumpers.
The first bucket for the new guys was Brown cutting to the basket, with LeBron hitting him with a nice bounce pass for the layup. Shortly after, Brown blocked an OG Anunoby three, though it a took a challenge to overturn it from a foul call.
The initial stagger ended being different than the preseason. The first two Sixers subs of the night were Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope checking in for Maxey and Brown. The Sixers were generating open threes, but the first two Maxey hit to start the game remained their only shots from deep that had fallen. Drummond continued to put in a solid shift against Embiid as a couple offensive rebounds helped the Knicks offense get going. Embiid continued to make enemies in this building as Landry Shamet started jawing at him in between plays.
Simons hit a couple pull-up jumpers as the Sixers’ offense fell into a rut, something that could become a theme, especially from behind the arc. Brown missed a pull-up, turned the ball over, and split a pair of free throws across a three-possession stretch. A layup from Brunson put the Knicks up by two to close the first.
Second Quarter
LeBron had a layup just rim out, and Adem Bona slightly mistimed the jump for the putback. As Drummond pulled down his fourth offensive rebound of the game, Nick Nurse opted to go with Jabari Walker at the five. Walker made a nice find to Maxey, but defensively the unit was struggling to get stops.
Drummond was playing so well the arena had begun to randomly chant his name. That being said, he got away with one of the most egregious goaltends that left both Maxey and Walker stunned at the no-call. It’s fitting that the two guys lighting up the NBA world on opening day were Drummond and Paul George.
The return of Embiid to court helped them stop an 11-2 Knicks run. He and Maxey each hit a midrange before he hit a three from the top of the key. Towns returned to the game as well and punished the Sixers’ defense off the dribble. It didn’t help that the Sixers still struggled to buy a three on their end. They swung to a wide open KCP who had the ball go all the way down and rim out.
Easily the best thing to come out of the first half was how Embiid was moving. He was able to get back and swallow up multiple shots and passes at the rim. He checked out with two minutes in the half a +4, giving us our first look at small-ball five LeBron minutes. James got tied up by Miles McBride for a jump ball, but won it and knocked down a midrange jumper. Offensively they made some good reads to find open layups, a lot came as a result of picking on Brunson.
On the other end though, they couldn’t keep Brunson off the foul line, including a defensive three second violation with 11 seconds left in the half. The Sixers were at least able to get a stop on the ensuing possession, keeping themselves to within four at the break.
Third Quarter
LeBron with a steal and fired it up the court to Maxey for the fast break layup. He made a good read from the middle of the paint to find Maxey open in the corner for three, but the Sixers continued to miss those good looks. Brown was finally able to get downhill and behind the defense for a dunk, but Josh Hart drilled a three coming out of a timeout before Maxey and VJ Edgecombe both missed another open corner triple.
Nick Nurse switched LeBron onto KAT to start the second half and that did junk up the Knicks’ offense to start the third. With Embiid roaming the Knicks found themselves taking shots not far from the rim, but with multiple defenders contesting it hard. The Sixers used that time to get out in transition and go on a 6-0 run to briefly retake the lead, but a Josh Hart three took it right back.
Simons drilled his first three of the night and the team’s first of the second half, making the team just 4-of-21 from beyond the arc on the night. The offense got stuck in its tracks again, but just before he got doubled, Brown was able to find Simons again, who drilled another one with the hand in his face.
Maxey, who was easily the best Sixer on the floor all night, made a spectacular finish to pull the Sixers within two. The Sixers continued to actually make three-pointers, which allowed them retake the lead once again. Simons drilled another one and Brown got left so alone in the corner he took his sweet time to sink one. After both teams had ugly possessions, the Sixers got one last chance with 1.5 seconds left. Brown got open again and buried the three at the buzzer off a great LeBron pass.
JAYLEN BROWN IS A SIXER! Sinks the three as time expires in Q3 and Philadelphia leads by 7! pic.twitter.com/uMmHgdMsfC
Embiid and LeBron returned to the game to start the fourth, but LeBron quickly picked up his fourth foul of the night, inviting more caution for him. Maxey was rewarded for his downhill aggression, drawing fouls on two straight possessions including an and-1 floater over Anunoby. The Knicks contested a LeBron shot pretty well and turned Maxey over, leading to a pair of threes to cut the lead to two and force a Sixers timeout.
Maxey got to the line again out of the timeout and KCP hit a pair of threes to stop the bleeding. Bona was having a rough night. He made some nice stands during this stretch but the team wasn’t able to close those possessions with rebounds and the Knicks again made them pay with second-chance points.
Embiid made some big blocks, but had been scoreless for much of the second half. The Sixers were teetering after coming up empty on their previous possession despite two offensive rebounds of their own. As the ball was swung around, Embiid was left open on the three-point line and drilled it, extending the lead to four and prompting a timeout from Mike Brown. Brunson got a good shot over Edgecombe coming out of the timeout but it rimmed out. Embiid made a nice high-low pass to Edgecombe who drew a foul coming back down the floor, but he was only able to split the pair.
KAT drilled a high arching three with a hand in his face to cut it right back down to two. The Sixers once again leveraged the double on Maxey, dropping it to Embiid, then Edgecombe on the block who this time finished the layup. Maxey picked off the following Knicks pass to push it back up to six with just under two minutes remaining.
Tyrese Maxey with a HUGE steal and score to extend the Sixers' lead to 6 with under two minutes to play! pic.twitter.com/5ze0hXq2Fo
Bridges got open for a layup coming out of the timeout but LeBron was able to get all the way over to get a hand on it. Once again Maxey’s attention got a Sixer open under the basket, but LeBron somehow wedgied the layup. The Sixers won the jump ball, but Brown turned it over with 49 seconds left.
Brunson was able to beat Maxey off the drive, prompting another timeout from Nurse with 41 seconds to go. The Sixers ran a really uninspired possession that led to a horrible Embiid three, but they were able to force a miss on the other end thanks to Brown blocking Brunson’s three. LeBron got the rebound and was fouled with 7 seconds left, finally putting this one away.
Ondrej Palat celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game in the first period of the Islanders' 3-2 win over the Ducks on Oct. 20, 2026 at UBS Arena.
Play territorial, tight hockey, hound the puck relentlessly and outwork teams that are still easing into the season. Play with intensity and emotion, make quick, crisp, correct decisions with the puck. Do all of that and the players who are missing from the lineup will not be so front of mind.
Do all of that, and there will be a lot more games like Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Anaheim, in which the Islanders played their most complete 60 minutes of the season to improve their record to 5-3-1 with the hapless Kings coming into town Thursday.
“I think what guys really respect and are buying into this team is everyone has a role and everyone feels important,” Brayden Schenn told The Post. “[Coach Pete DeBoer] plays everyone. And it’s a tight defensive system where we know if we play that way, we give ourselves a chance to win every night with the goalies we have. So far it’s looking pretty good.”
Ondrej Palat celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game in the first period of the Islanders’ 3-2 win over the Ducks on Oct. 20, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for New York Post
The Islanders weren’t perfect, and missed chances to put away Anaheim in the second period, but they were hardworking and, mostly, smart with the puck.
They owned the neutral zone, suffocating Anaheim for shifts at a time. They backchecked. They looked all game like the faster team, despite being the far older team — a sign of preparedness if there ever was one.
“Other than sticking the puck in the net, we probably couldn’t have done much more,” DeBoer said. “We did let them hang around because of our lack of finish. That was the only issue I had with the game.”
Indeed, despite their efforts, the Islanders held a 3-1 lead late into the third, owning the puck while failing to tack on a needed insurance goal.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s short-handed attempt that drew iron came closest, but even as the Islanders rarely looked troubled — the Ducks had just two shots on net in the third period when they emptied their net with 3:32 to go — they were playing with fire.
Alex Killorn’s one-timer in the slot threatened to make them pay for it, with Anaheim pulling back to 3-2 at 6-on-5 with 2:40 to go. The Islanders needed to scramble to hang on with Anaheim’s net empty, and though they did so successfully, that may serve as a warning of sorts.
Ilya Sorokin defends the net during the Islanders’ win over the Ducks. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Still, it does nothing to erase what was, in sum, a terrific performance.
“We know that’s the way we need to play to be successful,” Ryan Pulock told The Post. “From training camp it’s been something we’ve been trying to build. I think we’re giving ourselves a chance every night to win just from playing good defense. That leads to offense.”
The four goals in the first period had all come in a 5:05-long flurry, starting with Ondrej Palat burying Pageau’s feed off the rush. Victor Eklund doubled the Islanders lead off Emil Heineman’s rebound before Frank Vatrano pulled one back for the Ducks, having been lost in the crease by Tony DeAngelo.
The Islanders got their third on the power play with Matthew Schaefer’s bullet from the top of the zone that was tipped in by Simon Holmstrom, denying No. 48 his first goal of the season, albeit happily so.
Kyle MacLean and Mitchell Chaffee, the two injury-induced additions to the lineup, both had solid nights on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas. Chaffee dropped gloves with A.J. Greer, the latter challenging him after a legal hit on Vatrano along the boards.
While DeAngelo had a few too many questionable decisions in his own end, there was little overall to nitpick in the Islanders’ play. Adam Pelech and Pulock had one of their better games as a pair. Schaefer was impeccable. Matt Kessel had his best game of the season. All four lines contributed.
Simon Holmstrom scores a goal on Ville Husso during the Islanders’ win over the Ducks. Robert Sabo for New York Post
This was, in whole, the closest the Islanders have come to DeBoer’s vision of what they can be.
“I think you see it right now,” Schenn said. “It’s reloads, it’s defense. It’s taking away the middle of the ice, playing the right way. Taking care of pucks. The little details and habits of the game that ultimately win you hockey games.”
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 22: A detailed look at the jersey of Kyle Karros of the Colorado Rockies during a game against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field on July 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since there’s no baseball until Friday, it seemed like a good time to bring back a Purple Row After Dark discussion.
I took this idea from a Denver Nuggets Instagram post I stumbled onto, and I thought it would be worth pursing here.
Now, he will miss the rest of the 2026-2027 season.
After the Kings finished wrapping up practice on Tuesday, Simmons’ teammate told the media that it was “probably the worst thing I’ve seen on the basketball court.”
Keegan Murray said Ben Simmons injury was “probably the worst thing I’ve seen on the basketball court.”
“When he did it, obviously there was a different feel in the gym…. It was a tough situation, and for me, I got to be able to step up for what he was going to bring us.” pic.twitter.com/a0zeZhcV9j
Sacramento Kings’ forward Keegan Murray dunking during an NBA game against the Golden State Warriors. Getty Images
“Sunday when he did it, there was obviously a different feel in the gym and it was a tough situation,” Murray said. “For me, I got to be able to step up for what he was going to bring us.”
Murray added that he is hoping Simmons comes back next year, “in a great way.”
Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons to miss the rest of the season due to a torn Achilles injury. NBAE via Getty Images
Simmons’ NBA journey has not been easy.
In 2016, the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the No.1 overall pick of the draft but he did not play in a single game due to him injuring his foot during the middle of NBA training camp.
Midway through the year, Philadelphia announced he would miss the rest of the season after it was revealed he had broken his right foot.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Ben Simmons passing the ball past San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. AP Photo/Eric Gay
Simmons appeared in only two games during the preseason but was impressive, including last Friday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, when he scored 14 points, with eight rebounds, seven assists, and one steal.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ondrej Palat, Viktor Eklund and Simon Holmstrom scored first-period goals and the New York Islanders beat the Anaheim Ducks, 3-2, on Tuesday night for their second-straight victory.
Ilya Sorokin made 15 saves to help the Islanders improve to 3-0-1 in their last four games.
Frank Vatrano and Alex Killorn scored for Anaheim, which lost its fourth-straight game. Lukas Dostal finished with 22 saves.
Palat opened the scoring with 6:21 left in the first period. Jean-Gabriel Pageau found Palat streaking toward the net, and the forward fired a wrist shot past Dostal.
Eklund doubled the lead less than three minutes later. Emil Heineman floated a wrist shot from the blue line, and Eklund corralled the loose puck and buried it for his second goal of the season.
Vatrano pulled the Ducks within a goal 49 seconds later, lifting a backhander past Sorokin off a feed from A.J. Greer.
Holmstrom restored New York’s two-goal advantage with a power-play goal with 1:18 left in the first, deflecting Mathew Schaefer’s shot from the point past Dostal.
Killorn pulled Anaheim within a goal with 2:40 remaining in the third.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Brandon Williams #12 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 13, 2026 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Unsurprisingly, guard Brandon Williams has made the Golden State Warriors roster. While he was one of just 15 players with a contract on the team heading into the preseason, Williams’ contract included no guarantees. So if another training camp invitee or preseason acquisition forced their way onto the roster, Williams would have been the presumed odd-man out. Instead, Williams’ contract is now partially guaranteed for roughly $1.4 million of the roughly $2.6 million salary he would receive if he remains with the team for the entire season.
Once he plays in an official game with the Warriors, Williams will have appeared in five NBA seasons, debuting with the Portland Trail Blazers back in 2021-22. While he was primarily a G-League player for most of his career, receiving occasional cups of coffee in the NBA, Williams had his biggest opportunity last season wit the Dallas Mavericks. In 66 games, Williams averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists in 22.2 minutes per game.
While Williams’ inconsistent outside shot has limited his upside, he is one of the most dynamic on-ball creators on the Warriors roster and is expected to lead a significant portion of second-unit offense. Even if he ends up failing to find a role in Golden State though, he’s at least now guaranteed $1.4 million this year regardless of what happens going forward.
On Tuesday night, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin reportedly expanded his trade list to ten teams, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
The teams already known to be on Larkin's list were the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals. Three new clubs have now been added, and some of them are surprising.
The first is the Utah Mammoth, who have been one of the league's hottest teams, opening the season with wins in seven of their first ten games. The second is the Carolina Hurricanes, the defending Stanley Cup champions. The third is the New Jersey Devils, perhaps the most intriguing addition.
Per @HeleneStJames, Dylan Larkin has expanded his trade list to 10 teams:
Larkin has said he wants to compete for a Stanley Cup, but he is reportedly interested only in joining an American market. That restriction leaves one notable team off the list in the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal is coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance and has the assets to facilitate a deal, yet it remains absent from Larkin's list.
On the ice, Larkin returned to the Detroit lineup and made an immediate impact, recording a goal and an assist in a multi-point game. His production has cooled since, with one assist and no goals over his last five games.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors poses with Yaxel Lendeborg #1 during media day at Chase Center on September 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors have not been subtle in their preseason praise of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The 14th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has made a strong first impression with fans, coaches, and his teammates. With expectations low, especially with Kristaps Porzingis out indefinitely, Lendeborg is seemingly the only acquisition that has the fanbase excited. Dubs star Draymond Green is not doing anything to hold back the pressure either. On the latest edition of The Draymond Green Show, Green chatted with guest Taylor Rooks about Lendeborg and gave some effusive praise.
“The Golden State Warriors has found the next face of the franchise,” Green said.
Green went on to add that Lendeborg is his pick to win Rookie of the Year this season, a particularly bold claim given most experts agree this is one of the strongest rookie classes in recent league history.
It’s worth noting that Green has always hyped up young players. He talked about Jacob Evans as a 16-game player that would be impactful in a playoff rotation. He publicly praised James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga during their tumultuous tenures. Many fans will rightly point out that Green also made positive statements about Jordan Poole before and after he punched Poole during a practice. So… it’s worth taking with a grain of salt.
However, this is far from a one-off statement. Green, Steph Curry, Steve Kerr, and almost every prominent member of the organization has been united in sharing significant excitement about Lendeborg’s potential to make an impact immediately. He’s backed it up on the court as well during the Summer League and preseason. He’ll officially begin his NBA career tomorrow when the Warriors tip off their season against the Lakers.
After two tanking seasons, almost 120 losses and one hand tied behind his back by his own organization, Jordi Fernández will finally get to do his job.
For the first time he’ll be coaching a non-tanking team, one with at least a chance to win every night, starting with Wednesday’s opener against Charlotte.
Yes, that means for the first time since coming to Brooklyn in April 2024, there will be expectations on Fernández and urgency around his Nets. But that has him more excited than anxious.
“Yeah, more [excited]. I think anxiety is usually negative. It’s a good sense of urgency. It’s positive. It’s excited about something,” Fernández said. “We cannot think that all this feeling is going to take us to do something wrong. It’s just control what you can control, the excitement.
“Probably the first stint of each player, they’re going to be gassed in the first few minutes. It’s because it’s normal, it happens every year. So everything we’ve worked on here behind closed doors, now we can display it in front of our crowd, and show them how hard we’re willing to play for them, for the community. So, it’s exciting.”
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez speaks with members of the media during practice at HSS Training Center on Sept. 29, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Fernández’s excitement at finally having a chance to do his job — unencumbered by lottery positioning, the greater good or any such concerns — was clear to his players.
“Jordi’s really excited. He feels like going into every game, we’ve got a chance to win every single game,” Julius Randle said earlier. “We’re coming in trying to win. It’s as simple as that.”
Likely no Nets are feeling that more than the ones who had to suffer through the past two tanking seasons in Brooklyn.
Once the Nets committed to a rebuild, they slogged through a 26-56 campaign followed by last season’s 20-62 mark. In an upside-down bizarro world, victories were greeted with fury by fans and losses were celebrated for lottery positioning.
But unlike Charlotte’s lengthy tank — they’re riding a stretch of 10 straight seasons in the lottery — Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks always planned a short two-year tank.
Julius Randle shoots a jumper during the first half of the Nets’ preseason win over the 76ers on Oct. 8, 2026 at Barclays Center. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
That stretch is mercifully over.
How well it served its purpose remains to be seen.
The Nets will surely lose their fair share of games, but they’ll at least be vertically aligned in trying to win.
That in itself has created a different vibe in the locker room.
Noah Clowney runs down the floor during the first half of the Nets’ preseason win over the 76ers at Barclays Center. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
“Everybody’s excited about it. With that being said, there’s no benefit from losing: nothing,” Noah Clowney said. “Playing games, we think we’re going to go in every game with the idea of winning it, put our best foot forward. And I think that excites a lot of people. So yeah, I would say it’s a lot more excitement in the building.”
Keon Ellis — a summer free agent signee — may be one of the newest Nets, but he has known Fernández the longest.
The veteran guard played in Sacramento from 2022-24, when Fernández was the Kings’ associate head coach. And while Ellis said Fernández isn’t the most outwardly emotive, he can sense the latter’s excitement.
“It’s tough to tell with Jordi because he’s not like an expressive guy, but yeah. So I know he’s excited, just because that’s what we’re here for, long summer. So, just happy to get back to it,” Ellis said. “I know everyone’s excited.”
Between owing a pick swap to Houston and the NBA’s recent lottery reforms, the Nets have no reason to tank this season.
That’s why Marks went out and traded for a floor-raiser in Randle.
“Sean brought me here because of that, because it was time to win. So, that’s just what it is. I’m not here to lose. I don’t think anybody’s here to lose this year,” Randle told The Post, the “this year” caveat hanging in the air.
“We definitely want to be a team that goes out there and competes every single night. We’re playing to win. That’s as simple as I can put it.”
