“It’s been going on all year,” Brown said. “We’re trying to hit a home run every time we get the ball. And we have to hit singles. We can’t hit a home run. We gotta hit singles offensively and then if our play breaks down, we have to move.
Mike Brown looks on after calling a timeout during the Knicks’ 98-93 loss to the 76ers on Oct. 30, 2026 in Philadelphia. AP
“There’s too many times where we have too many guys trying to iso. And the other four guys sitting there and staring at the ball a whole possession and then we’re burping up bad shots.”
The crisp ball movement that became a staple during the championship run last year has not been consistent through six games this season. They’re instead trying to force it into spaces that are not open.
“Just a little careless,” Jalen Brunson said. “And sometimes it can be us being hesitant as well, wanting to make the right play, but they’re also not trying to turn it over, and then it’s just a little late to our decision-making. It could be a lot of things, but obviously we got to clean it up.”
Added Josh Hart: “Some of them are just trying to make tough passes. Other ones, I don’t know. We just have to be more conscious of passes, what we’re doing, trying to be more deliberate.”
When asked if it is something he will have to deal with in the near future, Towns was mum.
“I think the Knicks gotta deal with the teams bringing their best shot every day,” Towns said. “That’s what I think. That’s something to deal with in the future.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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
For the last few seasons, it has felt at times as if the Minnesota Timberwolves were truly knocking on the door to the title. They’ve certainly been in the mix: they made back to back Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025, beating some impressive teams and names along the way to coming up just short of the franchise’s first Finals appearance and having to settle for runner-up out West. To their credit, they haven’t been afraid to swing for the fences since coming to the realization that Anthony Edwards is a bona fide top 10 talent with MVP potential, shaking the roster up seemingly every off-season to position themselves to try and get over the hump. Their most recent swing, the one that sent long-time 6th man Naz Reid to Charlotte and landed them LaMelo Ball, had fans scratching their heads at a move for a player in Ball that many view as obviously talented but seemingly distracted. With Edwards (who was limited in last year’s second round series against the Spurs) now sidelined though after just 4 games for the foreseeable future with a knee issue that required surgery, it’s all too likely that Minnesota will struggle both on the court and in the standings.
For San Antonio, the Edwards injury is yet another devastating blow to a likely playoff team and potential Finals contender. With teams like Minnesota and Oklahoma City already saddled with injuries to key players, there’s a real opportunity for the Spurs to build some momentum in the standings even in the early weeks of the season. After their 0-2 start Victor Wembanyama and the squad seem to be getting on track during this current early season 3-game winning streak. Can they keep the momentum going tonight against a T-Wolves team playing without their best player?
San Antonio Spurs (3-2) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2) October 31 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Watch: DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Line: Spurs -11.5
Spurs Injuries: Tobias Harris, calf (OUT)
Timberwolves Injuries: Anthony Edwards, knee (OUT), Dante DiVincenzo, Achilles (OUT)
What to watch for
Victor Wembanyama has been dominating inside the last few games, matching a career-best 9 dunks in each of the last two games, but Minnesota might have something to say about his recent dunk party. They boast a familiar face in Rudy Gobert, a fellow DPOY-winning 7-footer and Wembanyama’s close friend and countrymen. Wembanyama has given Gobert all he can handle going back to last season and especially in their second round matchup in the playoffs where Wembanyama averaged 19.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks a game on 51% shooting against Minnesota. That being said, the likelihood of the 4-time DPOY winner Gobert letting his little brother get 9 dunks on his team has to be slim, right? Maybe Wemby will have to settle for just 5 dunks instead!
The idea Minnesota had when they made the move for LaMelo Ball was for him to be the sort of dynamic ball handler and secondary playmaker that Edwards has been missing since coming into the league. Whether or not Ball was the right wing to go after remains to be seen, but surely the Timberwolves weren’t counting on Ant-Man to miss the sort of time he’s projected to be out. Not that the Charlotte Hornets have been the epitome of excellence (at ANY point), but the league has seen what LaMelo-focused squads have been capable of. Whether or not Minnesota can keep pace with the rest of the West in Edwards’ absence will largely depend on if Ball can cutback on some of the negative plays that have defined his career to this point. With as much talent as he has, it’s not outside of the realm of possibility that things could click. For now, the ball will be in his hands often.
The Spurs are running a ton of inverted pick and rolls to start the season with Wemby handling the ball and Stephon Castle coming to set the screen. Castle has been awesome as the short roller, and it’s been an extremely creative way at getting the ball to him in the middle of the paint where he wants to get to anyway. His size and hops give him a unique ability to catch the ball with the defense right up on him guarding the roll, giving him runway to attack and create something head-on. Watching them explore their pick and roll game the last few years has been awesome to experience, seeing the fruit that was planted by that work by two very special young players has been beyond exciting.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
Brooklyn was short-handed, so they went big-bodied, with Jordi Fernández eschewing going to the bench for a guard (such as Keon Ellis or Terance Mann) and instead handing 6-foot-7, 235-pound two-way Chaney Johnson only his second career start — and his first in the backcourt.
The results were mixed. Johnson’s size and athleticism helped the defense, especially on Pistons star Cade Cunningham.
But the offense took a hit.
“Our offense is not … we’re not generating the looks we want. Part of it is every night is a new lineup’s playing together. Chemistry is a real thing,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “So lineups can have something to do with it. Egor is out, we put Chaney in there. That’s a group that hasn’t played together. So sometimes when it comes to the positions we’re playing on the floor, it might be confusing for some guys.
“Chaney normally plays the four when we run plays, but he might be playing the two with this group. For us, we need to know different positions in the playbook. So some of that’s on the players, just so that when we’re put in the game in different positions, we can execute regardless of where we are. So I think that was part of it, guys were not knowing where they’re supposed to be on certain plays.”
Chaney Johnson rises up for a dunk past Ausur Thompson during the first quarter of the Nets’ 110-94 loss to the Pistons at Barclays Center. Charles Wenzelberg / NY Post
Johnson had six points, a steal and a block in 18:32, much of it spent using his length to harass Cunningham.
The Pistons guard worked hard for his 20 points on a modest 6 of 15 with four turnovers.
“Yeah, he did great,” Fernández said. You know, he picked up those three fouls, and then we had that good run to respond to their run, which we cut it to six. They called a timeout. And then they went to a 28-9 run, so they won those minutes by 19 points.
“And I thought Cheney’s effort and purpose and everything he’s done so far, it’s been very good. I think he’s taking advantage of his minutes. We just need everybody to have the same intentions and intensity and play as hard as he plays. And I think then we will be OK.”
The Nets play at Indiana at 5 p.m. Sunday.
They got drilled at home by the Pacers, but this time they won’t face Tyrese Haliburton.
The star guard is out for at least the next two weeks with a strained left hamstring.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 30: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers question a call with official Tony Brothers during the first half of their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The stage was set: Luka Dončić vs. Yaxel Lendeborg. Lakers vs. Warriors. The Emirates NBA Cup. E-40 in the building. And the Lakers forgot a basketball game lasted longer than one quarter.
Dončić returned to the lineup after missing last game, leaving Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr as the only Lakers out. Inconsequential scratches from the lineup? Not really, but the Los Angeles still had much of its core rotation ready to go against a Warriors team they vanquished on opening night.
Instead, the Lakers bench combined for seven points on 3-of-15 shooting and basically everyone not named Luka Dončić was disastrous en route to one of the worst losses in recent memory. The season is long, yes, but this loss will be etched in pen moving forward.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This was a pretty average Thybulle game throughout. He was, as always, active on defense and serviceable on offense, but he didn’t really have much of an effect on the game.
After a couple games leaving much to be desired, especially on the boards, Kessler looked like he was going to have yet another Wilt Chamberlain-esque game against the Warriors the way he was controlling missed shots and deterring anything that went his way on defense, posting his first double-double as a Laker.
But then, as has been the case early this season, the physicality dissipated as the game wore on. Kessler was basically non-existent after the first couple of stints.
The word is out on Reaves: apply pressure and be physical with him when he’s the ball handler and you’ll alter his game. After starting the season at an All-NBA level, his response to ball pressure has been a chronic pain in the neck, leaving The Bay with another high-turnover game.
With eight turnovers (and counting?) tonight, Austin Reaves already has three games with at least six turnovers this season. He only had one such game last year
There really isn’t much else Dončić could’ve done this game besides shoot even more. It’s evident that he had this rematch against Lendeborg circled on his calendar, and he wound up being the only player on the roster that showed up.
After erupting for 21 points in the first quarter, Golden State adjusted and Dončić’s supporting cast simply couldn’t hold up its end of things. Luka shot just twice in the fourth quarter.
LaRavia continues to be one of the Lakers’ more consistent role players. Tonight he was just aggressive enough on defense, did just enough of the little things, and was just good enough on offense to withstand whatever else was going on around him.
Mamu has surely seen better days than Friday. He was part of a bench that gave the Lakers nothing, and even he looked flummoxed for stretches of the game.
Throughout the season thus far, Grimes has been in a perpetual state of indecision every time he catches the ball and a defender (no matter the distance) is closing out on him. Does he shoot? Does he pass? Does he drive? Those questions are always on his mind and it’s evident in the way he played tonight.
Vando regained enough of JJ Redick’s trust to play in his second game of the season and picked up right where he left off against the Clippers in the first quarter. However, much like the rest of the roster, he simply disappeared in the latter three quarters.
Sexton couldn’t have had a more catastrophic outing tonight after the breakthrough performance last game. Tonight, it seemed he didn’t have a great grasp on his intensity and when the team needed it.
Grade: C-
Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, Chris Mañon
James, Hardy and Mañon played the floor for a minute of garbage time as Redick waved the white flag, and all still managed to be a minus-3. Hardy snagged a rebound and Bronny missed a 3-pointer.
JJ Redick
I’m not sure if it was vehemently signaling for a challenge or what his players did on the court that prompted him to throw his back out. Sometimes a coach is at the mercy of how his players perform, and that was partly the case tonight.
Redick, though, just as easily could have made the adjustments necessary to stop the bleeding. Like subbing Dončić back in just a little earlier in the second quarter to halt the Warriors’ momentum.
Grade: B
Friday’s DNPs: Kevon Looney
Friday’s inactives: Lawson Lovering, Arthur Kaluma, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Ziaire Williams
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 30: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers falls to the court while guarding Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Chase Center on October 30, 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 kicked off NBA Cup group play in dramatic fashion on Friday night, and just so happened to get some payback in the process. After losing handily on opening night just nine days ago, against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dubs hosted that same purple and gold squad. And after playing a Halloween prank on their SoCal foes — by gifting them a lead and then snatching it away from them — the Warriors head into the weekend with a three-game winning streak.
And they sure made it theatrical. The Warriors could not have played worse to start the game, and trailed by 25 points in the second quarter. And yet, somehow, despite that, they not only won, but won by 17 points, 112-95.
The game was billed as a rematch between Luka Dončić and Yaxel Lendeborg and, well … let’s just say it’s a good thing that basketball is a team sport, because the six-time All-Star certainly got the better of the rookie in this game.
Then again, Dončić got the better of everyone to start the game. The Warriors opened up the game with a layup, and then it was all LA. After that opening bucket, the Lakers rattled off 14 unanswered points and, if we’re being frank, made Golden State look like a JV squad. It was simply a case of two teams playing at completely different levels, like when you see an SEC powerhouse kick off their football schedule by hosting McWallaby State. The Warriors turned the ball over on every possession, which is only a mildly hyperbolic statement, and the Lakers just kept converting them into points.
Finally the Warriors showed a little life, with a pair of threes from Steph Curry, and then another pair from Georges Niang when he come off the bench. That, plus a defensive burst from Gary Payton II, helped the Dubs start to cut into the lead.
But then Dončić re-emerged. After all the trash talk from the prior week, Luka was having way too much fun dissecting the Warriors.
When the quarter ended, the Warriors found themselves in an ugly spot: not only had Dončić outscored the Warriors all by himself, but his teammates had, too. Yes, after the opening quarter, Luka had 21 points, and the Lakers led 38-15, completely silencing the Chase Center. Perhaps most shocking of all, though, was that the Dubs had committed 10 turnovers in the 12-minute quarter. That’s hard to do!
The Lakers quickly scored to open the second quarter, pushing the lead to a morosely comical 40-15. No one would blame you if you admit to turning off the game at that point, and finding something else to do with your Friday night.
But if you did turn off the game, you missed what followed after that 40-15 Los Angeles advantage: a 95-55 Warriors advantage the rest of the way.
It started with De’Anthony Melton, who led a serious surge off the bench. After that opening bucket by LA, Melton scored seven straight points on his own, while playing stellar defense. With. Dončić on the bench, the Lakers’ offense couldn’t find any traction, and suddenly they started making all the sloppy plays. Melton’s burst gave way to a Niang three, which led to a JJ Redick timeout, which was rudely met by a Curry three when the game resumed, capping a 13-0 Golden State run.
They weren’t done yet, though. After a few chaotic possessions by both teams, the Warriors pulled off what felt like it would be the play of the game: on one end, Charles Bassey had the most emphatic block of Golden State’s season, and it led to a fast break; on the other end, Melton found Lendeborg for a 25-foot alley-oop, sending the Chase Center into a frenzy as the run became 18-2, and the Warriors had made it a single-digit game.
While the offense was getting the attention, the run was really prompted by a stunning defensive effort, which was led by Melton, Bassey, and Will Richard, among others. Each of them seemed to have a defensive highlight on every single possession.
Dončić re-entered the game to stop the bleeding, and helped the Lakers go on a little run of their own to restore order, but the tide had shifted in the game. The Warriors led the Lakers have their little run, then went right back into shutdown mode, forcing turnover after turnover and, behind a flurry from Curry, exploding for another 10-0 run.
To put the cap on a nearly perfect second quarter, Brandin Podziemski sank a three to tie the game with 5.5 seconds remaining, then stole LA’s ensuing possession, ensuring they wouldn’t get a shot off.
After losing the first quarter 38-15, the Warriors had perfectly flipped that score in the second quarter, and the game was tied 53-53. And needless to say, Golden State had all of the momentum.
The Warriors had some luck in the first half playing with a bigger lineup, and so Steve Kerr opened the second half with some size, replacing Gui Santos with Al Horford in the starting lineup. But no lineup was going to stop a motivated Lakers team, and LA scored the first six points of the half, and quickly built the lead back to nine points. Instead of Dončić, this time it was Austin Reaves leading the show.
By now, the game had turned into pure theater. And the theater is built for star entertainment. And so, after Reaves and a few Warriors had their moments to open the half, the game turned to the main attractions: Curry and Dončić.
The two superstars went at each other, trading highlight bucket for highlight bucket. Even though they were directly matched up, they kept ending up defending each other after switching on screens, and you could tell that each player was relishing the moment. But the Warriors were playing from behind, so they needed more out of Curry than the Lakers needed out of Dončić, and The Chef didn’t disappoint.
I said early that the Bassey block/Lendeborg alley-oop felt, at the time, like the highlight of the game … and I said “at the time,” because that feeling wouldn’t last long. About midway through the third, Luka ended up on Curry island, and Steph hit all the buttons on the controller, dug deep in his bag, and broke both of Dončić‘s ankles, before sinking a three while his opponent helplessly watched, splayed across the hardwood.
In a career built by highlights, Curry — who passed Dominique Wilkins to become the 18th-highest scorer in NBA history — will have that one playing on his reel for decades to come.
Dončić, ever the worthy adversary, was unfazed, and returned fire with a three of his own on the very next possession. But Curry’s ridiculous play had brought life to the building, and they parlayed that into another run — even though Steph was resting now — outscoring LA 12-4 to tie the game with just under two minutes left in the game.
And then, at last, they got over the hump, with an outrageous sequence to end the quarter: at the 51-second mark, Podziemski made a three, giving them an 82-80 advantage … their first lead of the game since 2-0. Podziemski, who was starting to take over, then stole a pass from Quentin Grimes, got out in transition, drew a foul, and sank both free throws. After the Warriors forced a turnover on a Jake LaRavia offensive foul, Dončić’s frustration boiled over, resulting in a technical foul, with Brandon Williams making the free throw.
The Warriors, despite trailing by eight points when Curry went to the bench for the final few minutes of the quarter, ended the quarter on a 7-0 run, and led 85-80 going into the fourth quarter.
That 7-0 run turned into a 9-0 run when Podziemski opened the fourth with an excellent cut, where he caught a Draymond Green dime and laid it in. It turned into a 12-0 run when Podz drained a three, pushing the lead to double digits, and prompting a Redick timeout. It turned into a 14-0 run when Curry popped a mid-range jumper, and a 17-0 run when Curry drained a triple, and an 18-0 run when Curry made a technical free throw.
When the damage was complete, the Warriors led by 16 points, and the Lakers had gone more than four minutes of the fourth quarter without having scored.
Once again, the run had occurred with Dončić on the bench, and Redick brought him in for one last grasp. He and Curry once again went at each other and each put on quite a show, before Steph headed to the bench with just over six minutes remaining, and the Dubs leading by 15.
The Warriors were again able to hold the lead with their star on the bench, and if they can continue to do that, there’s no telling how good they’ll be. Curry sat for over three minutes, and returned to the court with a 13-point lead. From there, it was just a matter of getting a few stops, and get a few stops they did. With the NBA Cup using point differential as a tiebreaker, the Warriors kept playing to the final whistle, even though both teams had subbed in the back of their benches. Santos made an almost buzzer-beating layup to end the game, giving the Warriors a stunning 112-95 victory.
After allowing 38 points in the first quarter, the Warriors had buckled in their defense, and allowed just 57 points the rest of the way. And since the NBA started tracking data in 1997-98, this is the largest margin of a victory for a team that trailed by 25 points.
Curry led the Warriors with 31 points, four rebounds, and six assists, while shooting 11-for-23 from the field, and 8-for-14 from deep. Podziemski had a star performance, particularly in the second half, and ended with an efficient 21 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block.
But the real star for Golden State was the bench. Melton (who finished with 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals) and Richard were absolute heroes off the pine, while Bassey, Horford, Williams, and Payton all changed the game for the better. Golden State had 50 bench points and only allowed seven, an astonishing ratio that is a testament to both the bench unit’s offense and defense.
Dončić, meanwhile, finished with 37 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and certainly got the better of his matchup with Lendeborg (though they weren’t all that frequently matched up), as Golden State’s rookie had the worst game of his young career, with six points, one rebound, five turnovers, and six fouls. But all that matters is that Golden State got the better of Los Angeles.
With the win, the Warriors now have a very impressive three-game winning streak, as this victory was stacked on top of road wins over the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Dubs now get Halloween off to root for the Valkyries, before returning to action on Sunday night, when they host the LA Clippers.
The Phoenix Suns lost their third game of the season to the Denver Nuggets by the final score of 127-120. The Suns’ chaotic style of play from last season returned, but the defense remained their Achilles’ heel in the loss. The Nuggets shot 52% from the field and were 20-for-38 from long distance. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 39 points, 28 coming after halftime, and Christian Braun scored 31 points. Both Murray and Braun each shot 7-of-9 from long range, and far too many came with little to no contest; Murray also went 12-for-15 from the free-throw line.
Dillon Brooks was on track to put up at least 30 himself after scoring 20 points in the first half but was ejected on a turnaround fadeaway where he kicked Murray in the midsection midway through the third quarter. After reviewing the foul, it was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, and Brooks’ night was over. Miles Bridges did all he could on both ends, scoring 24 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and defending with a lot more intensity than he has this season. Collin Gillespie had one of his best performances in a Suns uniform, and the rest of the bench showed tonight that they can keep the Suns in games all season long because of their connected and frenetic style of play. He scored 16 points and had 10 assists, which is only going to make the bench Jalen Green crowd even louder.
Speaking of Green, no one had a worse night than him. He finished with 2 points in 25 minutes. He was the one Sun tonight who almost always fell victim to ending possessions with just one or two passes before a shot or turnover. That just cannot be the case for the one who is entrusted to bring the ball up the floor so often.
Booker added 20 points but was only 7-of-19 and had a few blunders in the third and fourth quarters that were head-scratching. In the third quarter, Booker missed a wide-open layup, and in the fourth quarter, he had multiple miscues where he fouled Murray on a 3, let a 6-for-8 from 3 Braun take an uncontested corner 3, and threw up a wild shot in transition against Gordon trying to draw a foul.
Overall, the Suns lost because their defense could not contain a Nuggets offense that was in desperate need of a hot shooting night after a slow start to the season. The Nuggets had shooting luck on their side tonight, and the Suns could not force enough stops over the first three quarters (103 points) to keep up. Where the Suns did improve in this game was in the possession game. The Suns outrebounded the Nuggets 42-41, took 14 more shots (although the Nuggets took 19 more free throws), and outscored the Nuggets 28-to-16 in points off turnovers. They even out-assisted the Nuggets 34-to-30 and shot more 3s than the Nuggets and made 43% of their attempts, a respectable number most nights, but not when the other team goes 20-of-38.
Was this step at least in the right direction towards getting back to who this team was last season despite the loss?
Absolutely.
Game Flow
First Half
First Quarter
The Suns got off to a quick 10-5 start as Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges each knocked down a 3 and scored early in the shot clock, attacking the Nuggets’ defense that wasn’t completely set. The Suns’ defense was sound as well; they forced deflections, rebounded the ball, and even forced a shot clock violation. The Nuggets got going as Christian Braun connected on a triple and Nikola Jokic got two flat-footed floating shots to put the Nuggets up 18-15 halfway through the first quarter. Then the Suns bench came in and changed the flow of the game. The one-or-two-pass possessions disappeared when Bridges and Jalen Green left the floor, and the Suns started generating easy shots and crashed the offensive glass.
The Suns have missed having Ighodaro on the floor the last two and a half games because of how well he screens and moves the ball. In his return, he and Gillespie found success with their patented two-man game, and Gillespie scored 9 points on threes 3s in the first quarter. Kennard also immediately benefited as Ighodaro created two wide-open shots with his driving and screening, resulting in 5 points from Kennard to give the Suns a 37-32 lead after the first quarter.
Second Quarter
The second quarter was an offensive onslaught by both teams, but especially from the Nuggets. Christian Braun torched the Suns again and hit three more 3s as the Nuggets finished the first half 13-of-20 from the 3-point line and shot 61% from the field overall in the first half. The Suns fell behind 59-54 after a couple of missed 3s and turnovers, but it was Brooks who pushed the Suns right back into the game to it up at 59-59 halfway through the second quarter. He finished the first half with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting to match Braun’s 6-of-6 shooting from 3.
While it was not a perfect quarter, Booker showed a lot of aggression in the second quarter, taking shots quickly in the flow of the offense, and the Suns were running lots of actions to get Booker on the move in the midrange. He also knocked in two triples in the first half as he scored 10 points. And just as it was in the first quarter, it was the Suns bench players that were to thank for the great pace and rhythm offensively as Ighodaro and Gillespie each led the team with 5 assists each in the first half as well. But it was the Nuggets who scored 39 points in the second quarter and finished the half ahead 71-67.
Second Half
Third Quarter
The offensive avalanche from the Nuggets continued in the third quarter as the Suns offense struggled to hit open shots and had too many turnovers to keep pace. Jamal Murray had a quiet first half but exploded in this quarter to the tune of FOUR 3-point bombs on his way to 15 points in the period. He and Brooks were in the midst of a battle until Brooks turned on a fadeaway jump shot in the midrange, where his foot connected with the midsection of Murray. He was tossed from the game with a controversial Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 midway through the third quarter.
Despite the Nuggets’ continued hot stretch and a 98-88 point lead, the Suns had an opportunity to close the quarter strong. The Suns finally started playing their unbelievably chaotic brand of basketball where the ball was bouncing everywhere, and there were turnovers galore. The Suns capitalized on a Jokic turnover that resulted in a Bridges layup on the other end. But after another stop, a Booker turnover trying to feed Ighodaro turned into a Nuggets transition opportunity until the Suns forced another turnover, which led to Booker getting the most open 4-foot shot of his entire life that bounced off the rim, leading to a Nuggets transition opportunity where the Suns had to foul. The entire end of the third quarter was chaotic with the Suns having golden opportunities that they couldn’t cash in on. Nuggets led 103-93 to finish after three quarters of high-octane hoops.
Fourth Quarter
The final quarter started off with a bang, as Gillespie did everything he could to will the Suns back in the game. He found Bridges for a dunk attempt that ended in a foul, then hit a 3 on the next possession to make it a 103-98 right away. Gillespie then drew an offensive foul on Gordon to get the Suns the ball back with a chance to make it a one-possession game. The Suns ran a double screen play for Green, who got to the rim and missed both chances from point-blank range. The Suns’ momentum stalled there as Murray hit another 3 for the Nuggets.
The Suns continued to fight in the quarter, and even after a perfect defensive possession from Bridges locking up Gordon, it ended in a desperation 3-point chuck from Murray that went in; Booker answered right back with a 3 of his own to make it 111-105. After a timeout, the Suns forced a stop, and Green got the ball in transition with a full head of steam and just lost the ball to Murray, another momentum-stopping play. That was the last we would see of Green as he checked out with 2 points on 1-for-6 shooting in 25 minutes. Definitely a step backwards for him after the way he had played so far this season.
Those two instances were the best opportunities to put pressure on the Nuggets but there were more. The Suns got stops but could not capitalize on the opportunities they were given, especially Booker. The birthday man fouled Murray on a 3-point attempt, threw up a wild shot in transition against Gordon that did not get called for a foul, and then allowed Braun to shoot another wide-open 3 with no attempt at a contest from the corner that, of course, went in. The Nuggets led 118-107 before the Suns made one final run in the last minute of the game to try to pull off a miracle, but the Suns ended up on the wrong side of a 127-120 loss.
Up Next
The Suns travel to the Bay to face the Golden State Warriors for the second time this season at 8:00 pm Arizona time.
SAN FRANCISCO — The game couldn’t have started better for the Lakers, who were fueled by a signature Luka Doncic scoring early scoring flurry Friday night in Chase Center.
But once those flurries evaporated, so did the Lakers’ momentum, making the final result even more painful for them after the Warriors flipped the script.
The Warriors came back from down 25 points to beat the Lakers 112-95 to kick off NBA Cup group play on Friday night.
Stephen Curry celebrates during the Warriors’ 112-95 win over the Lakers in NBA Cup play on Oct. 30, 2026 in San Francisco. Getty Images
Warriors star Steph Curry led his team in their 42-point turnaround, recording 31 points, six assists and four rebounds.
Brandin Podziemski had 21 points and six assists.
De’Anthony Melton (16 points, five rebounds) was crucial in getting the Warriors’ offense going after the team’s 15-point first quarter.
He scored seven straight points early in the second to cut the Lakers’ lead to 18, and the Warriors didn’t look back from there.
Melton (13 points) and Curry (eight) combined for 21 second-quarter points, outscoring the Lakers (15) by themselves in the quarter, which the Warriors won 38-15 to tie the game at 53 apiece going into halftime.
The Lakers looked like they regained momentum coming out of the break, but it was short-lived.
Luka Doncic complains to the officials after a play against Brandin Podziemski (2) during the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors. Getty Images
The Warriors outscored the Lakers 59-42 in the second half, with the Lakers struggling offensively whenever Doncic wasn’t on the court.
The Lakers scored 15 points in the second and fourth quarters.
Doncic led the Lakers with a game-best 37 points, to go with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, after his 21-point first quarter.
Stephen Curry looks to make a move on Luka Doncic during the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers led 38-15 after the opening quarter, and were up 40-15 early in the second.
Austin Reaves added 21 points and five assists, but also had five turnovers.
And the Lakers’ bench struggled to produce, which was costly during a game the Warriors’ bench was on fire.
The Warriors’ reserves outscored the Lakers’ by 43 (50-7).
PHILADELPHIA -- Six games in, the Knicks are still "working" their "way into the season," according to veteran Josh Hart.
“I think the flow's tougher... the ball gets stagnant… I think that that's part of it. We got to be more deliberate with cuts and movements. And taking care of the ball,” Hart said after New York (2-4) fell to the Sixers on Friday night.
Static offense and untimely turnovers are two of the reasons New York lost to Philadelphia on Friday. Fatigue may have been another.
Hart referenced fatigue when answering questions from reporters in Philadelphia – where the Knicks were playing their third game in four nights.
“We all feel the fatigue. So we got to fight through it. Six games in. So we got to find a way to make sure we get our bodies ready to play every day,” Hart said. “I think mentally we're there. We just gotta find it physically.”
The Knicks certainly looked flat in the first half on Friday. They allowed 17 points off of turnovers in the first half. They coughed it up eight times. The Knicks also allowed Philadelphia to score 26 points in the paint.
Sure, the Knicks made it close late in the game, but they couldn’t come all the way back against a tough Sixers team.
Philadelphia and LeBron James have looked sharp in both games against New York this year. The Sixers have defended well against the Knicks and have leaned on Tyrese Maxey to lead the offense. It’s early, but Philadelphia is playing with the kind of cohesion that many thought would be missing at this point in the season.
Of course, it's way too early to make bold proclamations about anything you see in the NBA right now. We’re six games into an 82-game season. But while the Sixers (5-1) have gotten off to a strong start, the Knicks, as Hart said, are still finding their way.
TURN-ING POINT
One issue for the Knicks early on? Turning the ball over. New York has been a low-turnover team for most of the last two seasons. But they rank 16th in the league in turnovers per 100 possessions so far this season.
“Just a little careless,” Jalen Brunson said. “And sometimes it can be us being hesitant as well, wanting to make the right play, but they're also not trying to turn over, and then it's just a little late to our decision making. It could be a lot of things, but obviously, we got to clean it up.”
Head coach Mike Brown sees a correlation between his team’s turnovers/sloppy passing and poor offense.
“It’s been going on all year,” Brown said of the turnovers. “Like, we’re trying to hit a home run every time we get the ball. And we have to hit singles. We can’t hit a home run. We gotta hit singles offensively and then if our play breaks down, we have to move. There’s too many times where we have too many guys trying to iso and the other four guys sitting there and staring at the ball a whole possession.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Another night, another milestone for Steph Curry.
The Golden State Warriors superstar moved up the all-time scoring list, passing a Hall-of-Famer Dominque Wilkins, while leading the Warriors with 31 points Friday night in their 112-95 win over the Lakers.
Will Richard freed up Curry with a hard screen of Matisse Thybulle about four minutes into the fourth quarter, Curry received a pass from Draymond Green and buried a wide-open triple.
Stephen Curryshoots a 3-pointer during the Warriors’ 112-95 win over the Lakers on Oct. 30, 2026 in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty Images
The bucket was Curry’s eighth 3-pointer of the night and was good for his 25th, 26th and 27th points. It turned into a four-point play when Thybulle was whistled for a technical foul.
With 26,674 career points in 17-plus seasons, Curry moved into 18th place on the NBA’s all-time leaderboard.
He entered the game 25 points behind Wilkins, who had 26,668 in 15 seasons.
Stephen Curry celebrates during the Warriors’ win over the Lakers. Getty Images
Among active players, only Kevin Durant, James Harden and Demar DeRozan have poured in more points than Curry.
Next up on the all-time list: Oscar Roberston, with 26,710.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks for a foul call during the first half of an NBA Cup game against the Warriors in San Francisco on Friday night. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
When LLuka Doncic started cooking in the first quarter, the Lakers followed his lead in opening a 25-point lead in the second quarter over the Golden State Warriors Friday night.
But then the Lakers started getting cooked.
Cooked by going down by 17 points in the fourth quarter. Cooked by turning the ball over too many times. Cooked by an offense nowhere to be found in the fourth quarter. Cooked in the first NBA Cup game for both teams.
When the game was over, the Lakers had been feasted upon by the Warriors, falling 112-95 at Chase Center.
“I thought as the game progressed the problem-solving and connectivity, we just didn’t have it tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And they got hot.”
Doncic had 37 points, but he shot only 12 for 27 from the field and six for 16 from three-point range. Austin Reaves had 21 points on nine-for-19 shooting, but only one for six from three-point range.
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry had 31 points, shooting 11 for 23 from the field and eight for 14 from three-point range,
The Lakers scored only 15 points in the fourth quarter and gave up 27.
It took the Lakers four minutes and one second to finally score in the fourth and that came after Walker Kessler made just one free throw with 7:54 left in the game, leaving the Lakers down 96-81.
“Everybody gotta be better than this,” Doncic said. “You’re up 25, 23, first (half). Then I gotta be better and we just gotta win those together. We win together.”
The Lakers showed why they are one of the worst teams in the NBA when taking care of the basketball, turning it over 22 times. Reaves had eight turnovers. The Lakers are ranked 10th in the NBA in turnovers, averaging 16.6 per game.
“Got to figure the turnover thing out,” Redick said. “We’ll work with the guys to be better there.”
Warriors forward Georges Niang and Lakers guard Collin Sexton exchange words during the first half of an NBA Cup game on Friday in San Francisco. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
After Jake LaRavia was called for an offensive foul with 21.8 seconds left in the third quarter, Doncic was hit with his first technical foul of the season.
But Doncic wasn’t the only Laker to lose his cool. The Lakers turned the ball over five times in the third quarter and wound up down 85-80 entering the fourth quarter.
With 8:02 left in the fourth and the Lakers down 95-80, Matisse Thybulle was hit with a technical foul and Curry made the ensuing free throw.
The Lakers actually went to sleep in the second quarter after building their 25-point lead and started to get cooked by the Warriors, who tied the score 53-53 at the half.
The Lakers were outscored 38-15 in the second quarter. Interesting enough, the Lakers outscored the Warriors 38-15 in the first quarter.
It was game on from there.
“The start of the second quarter, it was a bad way to start the quarter just in terms of the turnovers,” Redick said.
Six games into the season, the Lakers are still in search of who they are.
They won their first three games, but have now lost two of three.
They have nine new players and are still figuring things out.
“Yeah, look, we want to become a great team. You don’t become a great team in six games,” Redick said. “We want to become a great team after 82 games and have a chance to go compete for a championship in April and May and June. It’s a process to get there. We know we are going to be patient.
“There’s also, along with patience, doing what you’re supposed to do and I think as we play more games together, we do more walk-throughs together, we do more film together, we do more practices together, that we’ll all get better.”
Williams injury update
Ziaire Williams missed his second straight game because of left foot soreness. The starting forward has been one of the team’s better defenders.
“He still has some soreness,” Redick said. “He’s going to have to continue to monitor it. He was in shoot-around this morning. Again, just being really cautious with the amount of games we have throughout the season.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 25 : Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz slam dunks the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on October 25, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been five games and a painful two days since the latest loss for Utah, which has me perusing some of the team statistics in the NBA.
Are the Jazz a good rebounding team?
The first interesting stat that stands out is the Jazz’s defensive rebound percentage. Utah ranks sixth in the league so far this season at 73%. That means Utah’s defense grabs 73% of available defensive rebounds. Unsurprisingly, Utah is also doing a good job of not allowing offensive rebounds. Utah ranks 5th in the league, allowing just 9.8 offensive rebounds per game.
This is a nice sign for the Jazz and Utah’s coaching staff, who clearly worried about this issue before the season began.
Utah is the worst in the league at creating turnovers so far.
So far this season, no one is creating fewer turnovers than the Jazz. Right now they rank 30th in the league at 12.4 per game. For context, the best team in the league at creating turnovers is the Toronto Raptors at 20.9. It’s an interesting stat to watch moving forward and see if Utah can start creating more of these turnovers. Is it because the Jazz have started off playing teams that don’t turn the ball over? Or is it because Utah hasn’t been creating them? Either way, it’s something to watch and see if Utah can create more turnovers so they can get more buckets in transition.
On Friday, Sotheby’s reported that one of Bryant’s game-worn No. 33 jerseys sold for a record-breaking $2.2 million, making it the most expensive high school jersey ever sold at an auction.
“This Lower Merion jersey is where Kobe’s story starts, before the rings, the records, and the Mamba Mentality, when he was just a kid in a gym outworking everyone. This jersey symbolizes that greatness has a beginning, and this jersey was there for it,” reads the description from Sotheby’s.
Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s high school basketball jersey sold at a record-breaking number. Anthony J. Causi
This is not the first time the jersey has been moved, as it was sold in 2013 for $51,400.
The report of the jersey read that the item had 26 bids, with seven different bidders competing for the highly sought-after item.
Bryant’s jersey sale eclipsed LeBron James’ St. Vincent-St. Mary jersey, which was worn during his infamous 2002 Sports Illustrated “The Chosen One” cover and sold in 2024 for $1.3 million.
Sotheby’s reported that Bryant wore the sold jersey during his junior season, in a March 1995 matchup against Hazleton, Pa., Area.
Kobe Bryant played his entire NBA career with the Lakers. UPI
The jersey goes into the long list of highly coveted memorabilia from Bryant. The most expensive piece was a 2007-2008 dual-autograph card from Upper Deck that features Bryant and Michael Jordan, which sold for $12.6 million in August 2022.
Bryant’s Lower Merion jersey is the only basketball uniform he’s worn that didn’t have the words “Lakers” or “Los Angeles” across the chest, as he entered the NBA draft immediately after finishing high school.
The 76ers honor Kobe Bryant by placing his high school jersey on the court at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Jan. 28, 2020. Getty Images
Bryant spent the entirety of his 20-year career with Los Angeles and is regarded as not only one of the greatest Lakers ever, but one of the best basketball players of all time.
His career finished with him having five NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one-time league MVP, and an 18-time All-Star selection.
In 2017, the Lakers retired both Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 jersey numbers, making him the only player in the NBA to have two numbers retired by a team.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 30: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After sprinting out to a 25-point lead in the first half, the Lakers authored an ugly, ugly collapse across much of the next three periods, losing to the Warriors 112-95 on Friday.
Led by Luka Dončic, LA raced out to a 38-15 lead at the end of the first. A pair of Austin Reaves free throws to open the second made it a 25-point lead.
LA then gave up the entire lead by halftime, bounced back to lead by nine in the third, then collapsed again to trail by double digits for most of the fourth.
The bench had a woeful showing, to say the least, finishing with just seven points while shooting a combined 3-16 from the field. LA also turned the ball over 22 times, leading to 27 Warriors points.
Los Angeles jumped out to a hot start, with their big three of Luka, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler all scoring early. Jake LaRavia added a triple, forcing Golden State to call a quick timeout after falling behind by 10.
The Lakers had the momentum throughout the quarter, with Luka taking over with 14 points.
LA’s excellent defense helped with their impressive offense. Luka and Matisse Thybulle combined for four steals. With 3:01 left, Los Angeles was up by 14. Golden State ended the quarter shooting an abysmal 22% from the field.
The purple and gold were up by 23 at the end of the first. Every starter scored, led by Luka’s 21 points.
De’Anthony Melton scored a quick seven points off the bench early in the second period. Golden State were suddenly rolling with a 10-0 run. The Warriors continued to mount their comeback, cutting what was once a 25-point Laker lead to nine.
All this happened with Luka getting his usual second-quarter rest.
Reaves had begun to heat up, scoring four points and helping keep the Lakers from completely erasing their lead. Still, it was a tale of two quarters, though, with Golden State closing the half on a 16-2 scoring run led by Steph Curry and Melton.
LA started the third period much better than the second, with Luka, Reaves and LaRavia scoring a combined 13 points. The team was on a 13-4 run, giving themselves a little cushion.
Draymond Green and Steph combined for four points for the Warriors.
Steph once again ignited, draining two triples that chipped away at Los Angeles’ lead but Luka and Kessler responded with eight points to help keep the team ahead. In true Golden State fashion, they once again tied it with a 12-4 run.
The third ended with the Warriors going up by five. The purple and gold shot 9-22 in the quarter. The Lakers’ bench continued to struggle with just five points.
Gut check fourth quarter coming.
Would be a brutal loss with a Raptors/Heat b2b coming.
Things went from bad to worse for the Lakers as the Warriors started the final frame, extending their lead to 10 on the shoulders of Brandin Podziemski, who now had 17 points.
It was a non-stop Steph flurry as he added another six points to up his total to 28. The Lakers looked defeated as Reaves and Luka tried to give some life, putting up a quick combined five, but the team was down by 15 with 6:16 left.
There was no run that would come from the Lakers, though, as they failed to string together stops and scores. With 1:21 left, LA waved the white flag and emptied their bench.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 37 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Reaves had a rough offensive game with 21 points on 9-19 shooting with eight turnovers. Walker Kessler pitched in with 10 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks.
Thybulle scored 10 points with three steals. LaRavia logged 10 points while stepping into the starting lineup, shooting 3-7 from the field.
The Lakers’ next game will be against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at 6:00 PM PT.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors faced the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA Cup group play game Friday, looking for revenge after their blunder of a season opener.
It was a historical game for Golden State, which trailed by 23 points after the first quarter but clawed its way back by halftime and ended the game with a 112-95 win at the Chase Center on Oct. 30.
The Warriors are the first team in the shot-clock era, since 1954-55, to trail by at least 23 points after the first quarter and tie the game by halftime.
Golden State was led by longtime franchise star Stephen Curry, who did it all against the Lakers.
Curry put up 31 points, shooting 11-for-23 and an explosive 8-for-14 on 3-point tries. He had the play of night − and maybe an early candidate for play of the year − with an ankle-shattering stepback to break free from Luka Doncic's defense, sending Doncic to the floor before raining a 3-pointer.
In defense of Doncic, he came right back and quieted the crowd with a 3-pointer of his own.
There was a lot of chatter concerning Doncic and the rematch with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The two were pitted against each other in the first matchup. Competitive juices were flowing, words were exchanged.
