LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 09: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs walks on the court during a break in the first half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 09, 2026 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. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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After the Spurs lost in the NBA Finals to the Knicks, it’s been a long, cruel summer with no Spurs basketball, and that comes to an end tonight. It’s only preseason, but it’s great to see the Silver and Black in action again. The final score won’t count tonight, so it’s going to be interesting to see the Spurs try to run it back with mostly the same lineup, with the major additions being Jayden Quantance1, Tobias Harris2, and Tarris Reed3.
That’s not counting the internal growth of the squad. Dylan Harper is poised for an incredible sophomore season after a rookie season where he became one of the best performers on the team during the playoff run. Stephon Castle has been working on his game in the offseason and we could see the results early this season, if not tonight. Carter Bryant looked lost at the start of the season, but he sh0wed a lot of promise towards the end of the season. This season could see that promise develop into production. And Victor Wembanyama is always amazing to watch, and he’s just getting started, as he will take another leap in both the physical and mental parts of his game. David Jones Garcia, who is on a 2 way contract, is returning to health after missing most of last year and could have a breakout season as he looks for a bigger role on the Spurs.
The veterans can’t be overlooked, De’Aaron Fox looks to be in the best shape to start a season since he joined the Spurs, and Luke Kornet could become more active on offense under Billy Donovan’s tutelage. Devin Vassell had his best season in 2025-2026, and Julian Champagnie is a key component on both the offense and defense. Keldon Johnson has trimmed down a bit over the summer, and it’ll be interesting to see how well that will affect his game in the new season after a somewhat disappointing playoff run for him.
Tonight starts the DAZN era. I’m not happy about having to pay for another streaming service, but there’s already a positive. In past seasons, it was really hard to find preseason broadcasts, but that’s not the case with DAZN, because they will be showing all five preseason contests live. They’re going to be the main broadcaster for all of the games that aren’t on national TV or one of the other streaming services, so that’s something to consider if you’re a fan that likes watching games live and you’re not on a pirate ship. If you are, don’t tell me.
[Unavailable until some time in 2027]
[Unavailable for preseason]
[Available tonight]
Game Prediction:
Carter Bryant gets a little too excited in warmups and jumps over the backboard during shootaround.
San Antonio Spurs vs Atlanta Hawks (Preseason) October 8, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: DAZN, League Pass TV: DAZN Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 03: Parker Messick #77 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after pitching against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The number of playoff teams is dwindling.
Tonight, the Chicago White host the Cleveland Guardians in Game Four of the American League Divisional Series. It is the only remaining Divisional Series in the playoffs as the other three have concluded, including two last night.
The first team to advance to the League Championship Series was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who easily dispatched the Atlanta Braves in four games. Yesterday, the Rays completed their sweep of the Yankees as the Brewers knocked off the Padres.
The NLCS is set: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Milwaukee Brewers.
The Tampa Bay Rays await the winner of the Cleveland-Chicago series. Chicago jumped to a two-games-to-nothing lead before Cleveland won 9-3 yesterday to live another day.
The White Sox will send out lefty Hagen Smith to open against the Guardians. Smith, the former No. 5 pick, went 3-3 during the regular season over 18 appearances that included one start. Smith pitched 2/3 of an inning yesterday while allowing one hit, two walks, and one earned run while striking out one batter.
Cleveland’s going with Parker Messick, another southpaw. Messick pitched 186-and-1/3 innings this season while finishing 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA, 1.063 WHIP, and 3.07 FIP. He struck out 193 batters while walking 51. The first-time All Star finished with a 6.3 bWAR.
He didn’t fare so well in the first game of this series five days ago as he took the loss as he pitched only 4-and-1/3 innings while giving up four hits, two walks, and two earned runs while striking out six.
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 25: Austin Hedges #27 of the Cleveland Guardians rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the second inning during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Friday, September 25, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Sydney Schneider/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after hitting an RBI triple against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning in game three of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The League Championship Series matchups are almost set.
Wednesday saw the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers move on in the National League, while the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the American League. Now, all eyes turn to Chicago, where the Cleveland Guardians — who won 9-3 yesterday — try to even the series against the White Sox to force Game 5 on Saturday.
Now, let’s get to the details.
Cleveland Guardians (0-2) at Chicago White Sox (2-0) — 6:00 PM MDT
Pitching Matchup: LHP Parker Messick (12-9, 2.56 ERA) vs. LHP Hagen Smith (3-3, 1.29 ERA)
Major League Baseball on Thursday announced start times and broadcast schedules for the National League Championship Series. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Every other game of the NLCS will be at night on the West Coast.
The series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 (Wednesday at 5 p.m.), Game 4 (Thursday at 6 p.m.) and Game 5 (Friday at 6 p.m.).
Game 6 (Sunday, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m.) and Game 7 (Monday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.) will be back in Milwaukee, if necessary.
All games will be on Fox or FS1.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts celebrates on the podium after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 26: Luisangel Acuña #0 of the Chicago White Sox rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good evening, y’all.
At this time yesterday, I had posted something along the lines of “can we borrow some runs @/guardians”, because our game was deadlocked and Cleveland was well on their way to the 9-3 final score against the Chicago White Sox to stave off their elimination.
Must be fun to score a lot. I’m not bitter, who said that?
Following our LDS exit, the Yankees and Padres quickly followed suit.
Max Fried was charged with the loss with four runs given up to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees very nearly tied the game with a potential two-run homer off the bat of Anthony Volpe. But an umpire review and spectator interference ruling only allowed one run to score… and that was the difference. Yes, that’s Frenchy in the booth. Absolutely unreal way to lose.
Fernando Tatis Jr. homered for the Padres, but that solo shot was all the Padres would manage in Milwaukee.
The last piece of the League Championship Series could fall into place tonight. The White Sox will take another shot at clinching at home at Rate Field tonight at 8 pm ET. Braves menace Parker Messick will get the ball for Cleveland, opposed by reliever Hagen Smith for Chicago.
The comments are yours for the ALDS, post-elimination clarity, or anything else on your mind. Go forth and opine / reflect / GIF to your heart’s content, baseball sickos. I say that with love, as I am one of you.
Major League Baseball announced game times for the 2026 League Championship Series, which begin with the National League on Sunday, Oct. 11 and the AL on Monday, Oct. 12.
The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in the best-of-seven NLCS for the second year in a row. The Brew Crew had MLB's best record in 2026 and hope to avenge last year's embarrassing four-game sweep, which also occurred when Milwaukee was the NL's top seed. Los Angeles won the World Series each of the past two years while the Brewers are one of five teams to never win a title, last reaching the Fall Classic in 1982.
The Tampa Bay Rays have home-field advantage in the ALCS which begins a day after the NL, facing the winner of the Cleveland Guardians-Chicago White Sox ALDS. Tampa Bay has reached the World Series twice in franchise history (2008 and 2020) and is among the other clubs that have failed to win a championship.
The ALCS and NLCS winners will face off in the World Series, which begins Friday, Oct. 23.
ALCS schedule, game times
Games 4 and 6 subject to time change if NLCS is over
Game 1: Monday, Oct 12 – Guardians/White Sox at Rays – 8 p.m. ET
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13 – Guardians/White Sox at Rays – 8 p.m. ET
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15 – Rays at Guardians/White Sox – 6 p.m. ET
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16 – Rays at Guardians/White Sox – 6 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Saturday, Oct. 17 – Rays at Guardians/White Sox – 8 p.m. ET
Game 6*: Monday, Oct. 19 – Guardians/White Sox at Rays – 5 p.m. ET
Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 20 – Guardians/White Sox at Rays – 8 p.m. ET
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Former Test opener is writing a new book released next month
Australia captain Cummins confirms conversation with Khawaja
Pat Cummins has suggested he is unfazed by the prospect of the sandpaper scandal being raised in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, which will be the first from any Australian player who played in that 2018 Cape Town Test.
Cummins confirmed that Khawaja had called to inform him he would be writing the book, which will be released days after the end of Australia’s first Test tour of South Africa since the infamous match.
The Flyers suffered another loss with a 2-1 decision Thursday night to the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.
But despite being 0-3-2, the Flyers will hope this loss was a step in the right direction.
Sure, call it a moral victory, but the Flyers have been desperate for just some positive signs. And they had some against Ottawa (more on that below).
Carter Yakemchuk scored the game-winning goal on a power play for the Senators with just under seven minutes left in the action.
Matvei Michkov tied the game at 1-1 in the second period. His goal snapped an 0-for-12 start for the Flyers’ power play. Michkov tapped in a loose puck behind Ottawa netminder Linus Ullmark.
Rick Tocchet’s club had a golden opportunity to grab the lead in the third period with a 5-on-3 power play for 27 seconds. The Flyers couldn’t convert, though, and came up empty at 5-on-4, too.
The Flyers have dropped five in a row to start the season for the first time since 2008-09, when they lost six straight out of the chute (0-3-3). That team ended up making the playoffs, finishing with 99 points at 44-27-11.
Thursday night was the Senators’ home opener. Ottawa improved to 3-1-0.
• Joseph Woll continued to do his part, converting 24 saves on 26 shots.
The 28-year-old had a massive stop with a 11:06 minutes left in the third period when Michael Amadio had a shorthanded breakaway. A little over two minutes later, with the game back at even strength, Woll turned away Fabian Zetterlund in close.
Yakemchuk’s game-winner on the power play was off a blast from deep with traffic.
The Flyers had a pretty solid start, outshooting the Senators 6-1 through the opening 6:39 minutes. But they totally stalled the momentum by committing four consecutive penalties. The infractions came in a span of 6:30 minutes. Travis Sanheim had two of them, while Michkov and Simon Benoit had one apiece.
Tocchet’s club survived the first period with just a 1-0 deficit. The Flyers were burned by a tough bounce just after they killed off the first penalty. Cam York was unable to take away the stick of Nick Cousins, who deflected one past Woll.
Ullmark stopped 28 of the Flyers’ 29 shots.
• The Flyers at least created some chances offensively and shored things up defensively. They worked harder and they were more connected.
Those were all positives. We didn’t really see those things from this team through the first four games.
But against Ottawa, the Flyers had a plus-3 shot differential and 10 more shots than what they were averaging. They started to look more like the team from down the stretch last season.
• Travis Konecny was shown on the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast going up the tunnel with around nine minutes left in the third period. But he was able to return to the game and finished with 17:04 minutes.
The Flyers’ alternate captain appeared to be shaken up after taking a check to his right leg.
• Michael Bunting had the costly penalty that set up the Senators’ game-winning goal. He was whistled for hooking.
Two days after signing with the Flyers, the 31-year-old winger joined the fourth line and played 10:56 minutes. He had a couple of shots and was noticeable, but the penalty came at a bad time.
The Flyers switched up their line combinations and defensive pairs in an attempt for a spark.
Trevor Zegras moved to the wing on a line with Christian Dvorak and Owen Tippett. Denver Barkey played down the middle between Michkov and Tyson Foerster.
On the back end, Jamie Drysdale joined Sanheim on the top pair. York played alongside David Jiricek.
Declan Rice’s future role in England’s midfield was questioned by Gary Lineker after Alex Scott’s impressive first senior international start in the 7-0 thrashing of Croatia. But the decision to withdraw from Thomas Tuchel’s squad in an attempt to manage his workload made sense after Rice had only three weeks off post-World Cup before returning to pre-season training. The 27-year-old has struggled with persistent back problems after suffering a hamstring injury last December and Mikel Arteta will hope that the rest has done Rice – who is thought to be close to agreeing a lucrative new contract at the Emirates – the world of good as they prepare to resume the defence of their Premier League title against Leeds on Saturday. Ed Aarons
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 06: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Brooklyn Nets dunks the ball in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets during their preseason game at Spectrum Center on October 06, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s only so much stock you can put into a preseason game, but a 34-point win is never a bad thing. It Brooklyn nailed 20 of 37 from deep and dished out 31 assists without Mikel Brown Jr., while stars made the most of the minutes. Now, the Nets head home to Barclays Center for the first (and only) time the preseason.
On the flip side, the star-studded 76ers come in with a preseason win of their own — a 120-97 blowout over the Knicks on Monday. Both teams are 1-0, which is about as much as anyone should read into October. The storyline tonight? We’ll get to see LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid playing together.
Keep an eye on the minutes. Most of the Nets’ starters were finished by halftime in Charlotte, and these are professionals playing as a team while also battling for their own minutes.
Game Info & Broadcast Details
Who: Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets
What: Preseason
Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV/Streaming: YES Network/DAZN
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Injury Report: Who’s Out?
Nets: Michael Porter Jr. (left wrist soreness), Day’Ron Sharpe (left shoulder soreness), Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle recovery) and Joshua Jefferson (lower back).
💬 Discussion
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CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 8: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cavs basketball is back, or at least preseason basketball is. We’ll see how the team looks in their first time taking an NBA floor since last May.
Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 3: Josh Hart #3 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks box out Kyshawn George #18 of the Washington Wizards during the game on February 3, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The World Champion Knicks (0-1) return to Madison Square Garden tonight for their first home appearance since defeating the Spurs in June. Monday’s 120-97 loss in Philadelphia featured brief starter minutes, 20 Knicks, and a ton of missed threes. Mike Brown wants more physicality tonight, and some made shots would be nice, too.
Washington (0-0) makes its preseason debut with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and top pick AJ Dybantsa leading the latest rebuild. The Wizards finished last season 17-65. This one won’t count, but beating Trae is always a worthwhile activity.
Game time is 7:30 on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Bullets Forever. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams. Be kind to each other. And go Knicks!
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of the preseason game at the United Center on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you know what the most annoying thing about the preseason is? Trying to figure out what the hell actually matters. And am I allowed to have an opinion on any of it? If you do and it’s perceived as negative, you’re a hater. If it’s positive, you’re a fan boy. What happened to watch, process, and report?
I get it. The games don’t count in the standings. The rotations are incomplete. Starters aren’t playing 36 minutes, coaches are experimenting with combinations that may never see the light of day once the regular season begins, and winning is rarely the primary objective. It makes evaluating what we’re watching an exercise in selective interpretation. You see something you like, you convince yourself it’s a sign of things to come. You see something concerning, you remind yourself that it’s only October.
We’ve been down this road before. The Phoenix Suns have gone 4-2 in the preseason, giving us plenty of reasons to believe that something special was brewing, only for those performances to mean absolutely nothing once the games started counting. I’m looking at you, 2016-17. There’s a reason we approach these exhibitions with skepticism. History has taught us to.
And yet, here I am, two games into the preseason, trying to make sense of what I’ve watched. I’ve spent much of the offseason expressing optimism about this team. I believe in the identity they’re attempting to establish. I believe continuity, culture, defensive intensity, and a commitment to playing a more physical brand of basketball can provide a legitimate pathway to success. But optimism has a funny way of allowing you to overlook the things you already know are going to be problems.
We entered this season understanding that the Suns have deficiencies. There are areas of the game where their roster construction creates legitimate concerns, challenges that effort and enthusiasm alone won’t necessarily overcome. We can talk ourselves into believing that defensive intensity will create additional possessions, that continuity will improve execution, and that a renewed culture will help swing close games in their favor. And perhaps all of that will prove true.
Still, through two preseason games, we’ve begun seeing glimpses of the very issues we spent the offseason trying to rationalize away. That’s what makes evaluating this team so fascinating, and occasionally frustrating. There are encouraging developments worth acknowledging, concerning trends that deserve attention, and a few things that could become downright ugly if they carry into the regular season.
So, with the appropriate preseason disclaimer firmly attached, let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of what we’ve seen from the Phoenix Suns thus far.
The Good: The depth is starting to show
I’ve mentioned previously how inspiring the second unit has looked. They elevate the energy and tenacity whenever they enter the game, and I think that collective intensity has the potential to create havoc throughout the season. If they can sustain it, they’ll provide another layer of success for this team.
Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much of Miles Bridges, but the early indications surrounding his addition have been positive as well. He tweaked his ankle eight minutes into Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls, limiting our opportunity to see how he fits within the starting lineup.
Through 21.9 minutes of preseason action, Bridges is 4-of-9 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, totaling eight points, six rebounds, five assists, one steal, and only one turnover. He’s also grabbed two offensive rebounds. That additional dimension he can bring offensively is something I’ve been theorizing about throughout the offseason. And while the sample size is incredibly small, the early returns appear to be trending in the right direction.
Then there’s Collin Gillespie, who looks like he’s preparing to take another leap as a player, something I’m ecstatic about. I believe Gillespie has the potential to become more than our version of T.J. McConnell coming off the bench. If things don’t work out with Jalen Green in his current role and the Suns eventually decide to move in another direction, they have options. Because Gillespie is beginning to look like somebody who could legitimately start at point guard in this league.
Through 30.7 minutes of preseason action, he’s shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, adding three assists and four rebounds. The five turnovers have been ugly (we’ll get into that shortly), although that puts him in the company of seemingly everybody else on this roster through the first two games.
Still, there’s plenty to be encouraged about with Gillespie. His confidence, efficiency, and growing command of the offense are all reasons to believe another step forward could be coming.
The Bad: The shooting concerns are holding up
This is probably one of our biggest concerns, especially considering the Suns lost both Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale this past offseason. That’s 371 of their 1,210 three-point makes from last season walking out the door, with those two combining to shoot 45.1% from deep.
Strategically, the theory behind replacing that production is that newly acquired Luke Kennard will shoulder a greater shooting responsibility, while Collin Gillespie should be able to contribute as well. But the starting five is going to have its challenges from beyond the arc.
What is the combined career three-point percentage of a potential Suns starting five of Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams?
Through two preseason games, the combination of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, and Dillon Brooks is shooting 9-of-34 from deep, good for 26.5%. Booker’s 0-of-8 performance against the Chicago Bulls certainly skews that number, but it remains an area of concern. Why? Because it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing in the preseason, regular season, Summer League, or your local rec league at the YMCA. You don’t suddenly become a better shooter because the calendar transitions from the preseason to the regular season. Yes, improvements can be made through time, effort, and repetition. But collectively, this is going to be a vital area of opportunity for Phoenix this season, and thus far, the concerns appear valid.
The same would be true if the numbers were reversed. If those four players were collectively shooting 40% from deep through two preseason games, we’d be pointing toward that production as an early indication of improvement and questioning whether our concerns entering the season were warranted.
The Suns will certainly do their part schematically to create open looks. And I believe the addition of Miles Bridges, with his ability to attack the rim and put pressure on defenses, will make it more difficult for opponents to account for Phoenix’s perimeter shooters as they collapse into the paint.
The opportunities will be there. But ultimately, you have to knock down the shots.
The Ugly: You can’t win by giving the ball away
This one has to go to ball security. Through the first two games of the preseason, the Suns are averaging 29 turnovers per game, dead last among the 24 NBA teams that have played a preseason game thus far. We’ve witnessed 32 turnovers against the Pistons and 26 against the Bulls.
On the surface, that’s concerning, especially when you consider the potential challenges this team could face with overall facilitation and ball distribution. Ball security absolutely needs to become a point of emphasis as the regular season approaches.
Take the preseason opener against the Detroit Pistons, for example. The starting five combined for only five turnovers, although they played between 15 and 16 minutes apiece. Against the Chicago Bulls, however, things got considerably uglier. Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker played 23 minutes, Jalen Green played 22, Oso Ighodaro played 17, and Miles Bridges played eight. That starting group combined for 13 turnovers. No matter how you slice it, that’s ugly basketball.
"Playing good first halves, but not putting a whole full game together. Turnovers are a big thing right now."
Dillon Brooks on Suns 0-2 start to preseason after 124-117 loss to Bulls.
Committed 26 turnovers that led 36 Bulls points. Had 32 Monday at Detroit that led to 37… pic.twitter.com/ojiiX5TFqN
Sure, the preseason is designed for exactly this. It’s an opportunity for the coaching staff to experiment with different schemes, put players in unfamiliar situations, and see how what they’ve been working on in practice translates to live game action. These five games are about getting your legs underneath you, building conditioning, and testing players in roles they might not be entirely comfortable with.
But should this become a concerning trend as we approach the regular season? Think back to last year, when the Suns averaged 16 turnovers per game during the preseason. How did that translate once the games started counting? Phoenix averaged 14.5 turnovers during the regular season.
There’s also the reality that three preseason games remain, providing plenty of opportunity for that overall number to come down if ball security becomes a priority. And it must become a priority. The way the Suns intend to beat opponents this season is by outworking and outhustling them, creating extra possessions through defensive pressure, offensive rebounding, and relentless effort. That’s the identity they’re trying to establish.
But those extra possessions lose their value when you’re giving the basketball right back. For a team that plans to manufacture advantages through effort, giving away possessions could ultimately mean giving away games.
That’s the challenge facing Phoenix as the preseason continues. The good gives us reasons to believe. The bad reminds us that roster construction comes with consequences. And the ugly exposes mistakes that could undermine everything this team is trying to accomplish. There’s still time to address these concerns, and nobody should be drawing definitive conclusions after two exhibition games. But the Suns have shown us enough to recognize where the work needs to happen.
Optimism is warranted. So is a healthy dose of reality.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 05: Ty Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket as Aaron Wiggins #2 of the Atlanta Hawks plays defense during the second quarter of the preseason game at State Farm Arena on October 5, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Hawks hit the road for the first time this preseason and take on the San Antonio Spurs.
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Frost Bank Arena, San Antonio, TX
Start Time: 8:00 PM EDT
TV: N/A
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: NBA League Pass, Youtube TV (NBA League Pass)
