Pierre-Luc Dubois had the finishing touch Washington needed on Saturday night.
The former Los Angeles Kings forward scored the eventual game-winning goal in the third period, helping the Washington Capitals erase an early deficit and defeat the Florida Panthers 4-3 at Capital One Arena.
Dubois, who spent the 2023-24 season with Los Angeles, finished with a goal and an assist as Washington rallied from a 2-1 hole. His goal came at 4:42 of the third period, giving the Capitals some much-needed breathing room at 4-2.
The play featured a little chemistry with teammate Aliaksei Protas. After Protas found him with a pass, Dubois reached around Florida goaltender Akira Schmid and managed to slide the puck across the goal line.
It was a timely contribution from a player who knows what it takes to produce in big moments. Dubois finished his lone season with the Kings in 2023-24 with 16 goals and 24 assists across 82 regular-season games, adding one goal in five playoff appearances.
Washington needed the production, too. The Capitals had dropped their previous two games, both at home, before Saturday's matchup.
The afternoon didn't begin smoothly for them. Jack St. Ivany opened the scoring with his first NHL goal, but Florida's Brady Tkachuk answered with two first-period goals to put the Panthers ahead 2-1. Matthew Tkachuk assisted on both, giving the brothers four combined points in the opening period.
Alex Tuch pulled Washington even in the second period before Protas put the Capitals ahead 3-2 with a goal assisted by Dubois.
Dubois then delivered the decisive blow in the third.
Sam Bennett brought Florida within one with 47 seconds remaining, but Washington held on to secure the 4-3 victory. Logan Thompson finished with 27 saves for the Capitals.
For Dubois, it was a productive night against a Panthers team that had no shortage of offensive firepower. His goal ultimately proved to be the difference, giving Washington a much-needed win and adding another contribution to his first season with the Capitals.
CLEVELAND — Kenny Atkinson has been getting mocked for months. The jokes at the Cavaliers coach’s expense — courtesy of Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns and countless others — could continue for years to come.
After losing the first three games of the Eastern Conference finals, Atkinson infamously said that the Cavaliers had “analytically” won two of the first three games against the Knicks, but the Long Island native wishes the question that prompted his comment — regarding what hope the Cavaliers had of becoming the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 series deficit — had as long a lifespan.
“When you take the context of the question, I’m not sure that was taken into account, that’s a little bit of a lesson for me, you can just take a sound bite,” Atkinson said.
“There was no coach more complimentary of the Knicks and honest about our performance and how they dominated us … 99 percent of my comments were how they dominated us. They were by far the better team.”
Even if some of the numbers were on Cleveland’s side, Atkinson acknowledges that so much of the difference in the lopsided series couldn’t be measured.
Kenny Atkinson reacts during the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 7, 2026 in Cleveland. Getty Images
“There’s the mental toughness, the physical toughness, how aggressive you are, all these other intangibles that go into that,” Atkinson said. “In no sense was it like, ‘Oh man, we deserve to be winning.’ There was zero thought of that.”
The Knicks traveled without Hart, who missed his second consecutive game due to right ankle soreness despite practicing with the team the previous day in New York.
The Knicks have not set a timetable for Hart’s return, but coach Mike Brown expressed no long-term concern, noting that the team’s schedule — featuring one game in a five-day span — played a role in giving Hart additional time to recover.
“It’s nothing major,” Brown said. “He did go through some of practice [Friday]. I set him out of some contact, so we just want to take advantage where we are schedule-wise.”
Hart, who missed eight games last season with a right ankle injury, also missed the team’s preseason finale Oct. 15 due to the same issue. The 31-year-old started each of the team’s first seven games of the season, most recently suiting up in Monday’s win against the Nets. He is averaging 8.6 points — his fewest in eight years — while shooting a career-worst 38.6 percent from the field.
Brown named Andre Drummond the Knicks’ best defensive player in the 109-97 win.
The backup big man had eight rebounds, two steals and one block in 14 minutes
Jose Alvarado recorded a DNP-CD, while Tyler Kolek backed up Jalen Brunson, finishing with five assists, four rebounds and one steal in 14 minutes
Jordan Clarkson shot 4-for-5, finishing with nine points and two offensive rebounds. … Mikal Bridges’ shooting struggles continued, as he shot just 1-for-7 on 3-pointers, finishing with nine points. … The Knicks held a 26-8 edge in second-chance points.
The surprise Saturday morning wasn’t so much that Ben Hutton was making his Islanders debut, with the defenseman’s inclusion in the lineup having been telegraphed since he was signed off his PTO on Thursday.
Rather, it was that Hutton was skating on the left side of Matt Kessel against the Devils and not Scott Mayfield, who was a healthy scratch.
While Mayfield has been fighting what looks more and more like an uphill battle for his spot on the depth chart since training camp, it would be hard to argue he hasn’t outplayed Kessel lately and harder still to argue that his importance to the penalty kill doesn’t justify keeping him in the lineup until Ryan Pulock returns from an upper-body injury.
Ben Hutton skates during the Islanders’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Devils on Nov. 7, 2026 at UBS Arena. NHLI via Getty Images
In the first three games since Pulock’s injury, Mayfield has been the Islanders ice-time leader at 4-on-5, as the penalty kill had gone 10-for-11.
That felt extra prescient as the Islanders skated on the penalty kill four times in a 5-4 overtime defeat, using just three defensemen at 4-on-5 while leaning heavily on Logan Stanley and Adam Pelech — both of whom took penalties themselves.
“He’s a part of [the penalty kill],” coach Pete DeBoer said of Mayfield before the game. “When you make those decisions, guys come out and we’re well aware of some of the strengths of the guys coming out. Also some of the strengths of guys going in. I think if we take five or six penalties tonight we’re in trouble anyway. We gotta stay out of the box.”
Afterward, he praised the job the PK did and said, “All penalty killers get fatigued,” when there are that many opportunities.
Though Mayfield and general manager Mathieu Darche have both dismissed trade rumors surrounding him, this does come against the backdrop of those rumors as well — as well as a looming roster crunch once the Islanders, currently one player short of the roster limit, activate all three of Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli and Calum Ritchie.
Barzal and Maccelli were both full participants at Saturday’s optional morning skate and could be back soon, but the Islanders could stave off waiving someone once that happens by moving Ryan Pulock to injured reserve.
Mayfield can’t be traded without his consent, but he could be waived, and the Islanders could wield that weapon to get him to agree to a trade, a move the Rangers controversially employed to get Jacob Trouba to waive his no-trade clause a couple of years ago.
DeBoer did not have an answer following the game on whether Barzal or Maccelli would travel with the team to San Jose on Sunday, saying he needed to meet with the medical staff.
DENVER — Hockey is a game of inches, split-second decisions and details that can be easy to miss if you aren't watching closely. For casual fans, it can sometimes feel like the puck is moving faster than the eye can follow. But every so often, a play offers a glimpse into what separates the best players from everyone else.
Nathan MacKinnon provided one of those moments Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings. It wasn't a goal or an assist. Instead, it was a brief moment of communication that said plenty about how he sees the game and the standards he holds his teammates to.
The Avalanche were looking to find some offensive rhythm after a sluggish opening period. With Justin Faulk serving a minor for interference and Nazem Kadri and Detroit's Moritz Seider both in the box for roughing, Colorado had another opportunity to get its power play going after coming up empty on its first three attempts.
Mackenzie Blackwood following his first shutout of the season.
MacKinnon had possession in the high slot when he noticed something wasn't quite right. He lifted his stick and motioned toward a teammate, signaling that someone needed to adjust their positioning. Initially, it appeared he was directing the message toward Martin Necas. It turned out he wanted Parker Kelly to move higher into the offensive zone.
The sequence ended with T.J. Hughes getting a turnaround shot away on Red Wings goaltender Daniil Tarasov. The rebound bounced off Tarasov and slid through the crease, where Necas was waiting unmarked at the backdoor. He tapped it home for Colorado's first power-play goal of the night.
It was the first of three power-play goals for the Avalanche, who went on to shut out Detroit 4-0.
The play itself might not stand out on a highlight reel, but the details behind it are worth a closer look. MacKinnon recognized where Kelly needed to be and wasn't shy about communicating the adjustment.
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar offered some insight into what happened during the sequence, explaining why MacKinnon was looking for Kelly in the first place.
"I think (his leadership skills) are great because... he's a super intelligent guy. He notices things; he picks up on stuff throughout the course of a game," he told The Hockey News.
🗣️ "I think the momentum really turned for us when we started managing the puck better."
Bednar explained that with Kadri in the penalty box, Colorado needed someone new to fill the bumper position on the power play. Kelly had already generated two quality scoring chances at even strength in the first period, including a shot off the post, so Bednar wanted to give him an opportunity in that spot.
The problem was Kelly had drifted too close to the net instead of occupying the space in the middle of the ice.
"I decided to throw him in that bumper spot, and Kelly was standing too deep, almost at the net front. Mac wanted him in the pocket. He noticed it right away because he was looking for him, and there was a little hole there. Parker was too deep, so he was trying to get him out of there," Bednar explained.
The Avalanche eventually went with a goal-line play, and the puck worked its way toward the net before Kelly came downhill. With Detroit's defenders converging, it ultimately found its way onto Necas' stick.
For Bednar, it was another example of MacKinnon's ability to recognize things others might not immediately catch.
"It's just a little thing that he picked up on. He'll move guys around and bark at you to get you in the right spot, and then do something else and look for you, especially on the power play when you get a little bit of time."
MacKinnon isn't simply pointing out mistakes. He's communicating what he wants from his teammates because he's already anticipating where they need to be for a play to work.
It's part of what makes him such an effective leader, even if he's never been particularly interested in being the most outspoken person in the room.
MacKinnon during the third period. Credit: Ron Chenoy - Imagn Images
MacKinnon has built his reputation as one of the NHL's premier players through an unwavering commitment to his craft. His preparation, training, recovery and attention to nutrition are well-known around the league. He expects a tremendous amount from himself, and those expectations extend to his teammates.
He's an intense competitor. Winning is the priority, and he's not always going to sugarcoat his feelings when he believes something needs to change. His competitive nature was even on display during the Winter Olympics in Milan, where not even a stuffed animal was immune to his intensity.
His reserved personality can sometimes lead people to underestimate him away from the ice. MacKinnon isn't particularly interested in lengthy media appearances or elaborate answers. But being quiet and having little to say are two very different things.
Over the past couple of seasons, The Hockey News has seen MacKinnon offer pointers to T.J. Hughes, Artturi Lehkonen and others. There have also been stories about his willingness to hold younger teammates accountable for their habits away from the rink.
Sam Malinski, now in his fourth year with the organization, shared a particularly entertaining example during an appearance on the NHL Unscripted podcast.
When Malinski first joined the Avalanche, he quickly discovered that MacKinnon had some strong opinions about what his teammates should be eating before games.
"I would always eat peanut butter and jelly before the games, just a quick sandwich, and he told me pretty quickly that he didn't like that very much," Malinski said.
MacKinnon apparently wasn't much happier with Malinski's pasta consumption, either.
"He didn't like that I ate pasta. He always does sweet potatoes, and so I switched to that for a little bit," Malinski explained.
There was a funny twist, though. Malinski admitted that when his game started to slip last season, he went back to eating pasta before games and felt his play improved.
"Honestly, I think this is probably a mental thing for me, but last year I started, I wasn't playing very well, and so I went back to my pasta, and then I started playing good again," Malinski said.
It's a funny story, but it also offers a glimpse into what it's like to be a younger player in Colorado's locker room. MacKinnon might not be the teammate constantly cracking jokes or commanding attention with a big personality. That's more captain Gabe Landeskog's territory. But the two share an important quality: They want to get better, and they expect the people around them to do the same.
There are different ways to lead a hockey team. Some players do it with speeches, others with their personalities. MacKinnon has never needed to be the loudest voice in the room to make his presence felt.
Sometimes it's a quick correction during a power play. Other times, it's a conversation about what a teammate is eating before a game. More often than not, it's the example he sets every time he steps onto the ice.
Saturday night was another reminder that MacKinnon isn't just concerned with making the right play himself. He's paying attention to what everyone around him is doing, too. And his teammates are better for it.
An Ash Gardner batting masterclass combined with a youngster’s epic performance in the field set up an emphatic win for the Sixers in the Sydney Smash on Sunday.
SAN FRANCISCO – It wasn't long ago that the Golden State Warriors were being written off, calling the 2026-27 season a throwaway after an 0-3 start.
They've since won seven consecutive games and have slowly become one of the hottest teams in the league. If you were sleeping on Golden State, then it's time to wake up. The boys are balling.
The Magic came into the with just two wins and were desperate for a spark. It was an easy situation for the Warriors to overlook. Golden State came out the gates with a 16 point lead but Orlando battled back and made it a game throughout.
"These games always scare me when people are out for the other team (with injury) because the league is filled with hungry, young, athletic players and the way everybody plays now, it's speed, crash the glass, and create extra possessions," Kerr said. "We only got out of there alive because of Steph (Curry) and then some great individual efforts by guys. We got totally outplayed that whole second half. They were amazing. 33 more field-goal attempts. It's almost impossible to win a game, but I'm proud of our guys, because they gutted it out."
Golden State was led by their veteran superstar Stephen Curry, who scored 12 unanswered points himself in the final 2:21 of regulation en route to a 41-point performance. It was his 16th 40-point game since turning 35 years old. He has the most 40-point games in NBA history by a player age 35 or older.
Curry had a vintage performance in which he gets hot in a flash and becomes unstoppable. He went 13-of-19 from the field, 5-of-10 on 3-point shots and a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line. He was the engine for the Warriors, as he's been time and time again throughout his career. It doesn't get old to someone like Draymond Green who's played alongside Curry since 2012.
"It never gets old," Green told USA TODAY Sports. "He's so special, like, he always does something to where it can't get old. You know, it's always something different. ... Down the stretch, you kind of get to a space where you just expect him to make those plays. But never try to take it for granted."
Green caught himself in awe of Curry on one particular shot when he was being guarded by Magic forward Jamal Cain as the shot clock was winding down with 6:46 left in the third quarter. Cain was all over Curry and still, Curry found space to hoist up a 3-point try and it found the bottom of the net.
"The guy's the greatest shooter ever played basketball. But I don't know what in your mind would just tell you, oh, this guy's pressuring me, just shoot," Green said. "Right? That's crazy. I can't begin to process those thoughts, you know, where you're like, gosh, right here. I'm gonna just shoot it. Most people, they do that and you look at them like, yo, what are you doing? It goes in. So I would say that was the one tonight that was really like, man, it's crazy. But, you know, I try I make it a point to try to never take it for granted."
Curry is going to get his but the battle was won through their depth. Every player who logged minutes for Golden State score. The Warriors bench outscored Orlando's second unit, 42-31.
After Curry, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had the next high with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Brandin Podziemski added 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The Warriors look to continue their hot streak as they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).
ATLANTA — Understand that “back” is the worst four-letter word for Nets fans.
They read about back woes, minutes limits and injury management, but Ben Simmons is what they see. And what they fear.
But with Mikel Brown Jr., they don’t have to be afraid.
Despite the kid gloves the Nets have treated their rookie with, Brown’s ankle is fine. And more importantly, so is his back.
Mikel Brown Jr., who scored 18 points, drives to the basket during the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Nov. 7, 2026 in Atlanta. NBAE via Getty Images
While Brown was limited to 21 games for Louisville last season, sources told The Post that his back was structurally fine. That injury had just been a soft tissue one and is long since in the past. His current minutes limit is about the future and building strength for that — for who the Nets see as an eventual All-Star.
“It’s all about getting stronger,” Brown told The Post before scoring 18 points in the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Saturday night. “This is my first year playing against this type of high level of athletes. You’ve got to be at an elite performance level body-wise. But that’s just the everyday process when it comes to that stuff.
“I’m constantly in the weight room every day just strengthening the parts of my body I need to strengthen. But yeah, that’s us going along with the plan. I’m all aboard with it. As long as we’re winning games, that’s all I care about.”
With Brown being the reward for a long tanking season, fans are not only invested in his progress but still scarred from the Simmons experience — trading James Harden for what turned out to be just 90 ineffective games in three seasons.
This isn’t that.
“Nah, man, that was never the case,” said Brown, who will not play Sunday in Dallas because he’s not cleared for back-to-backs. “I’ve just been leaning on my performance staff. My body feels great. Just take it slow. It’s an 82-game season. We want to be in a position to make the playoffs, so every game matters, but they’re just like, ‘the long run, the long run.’ So taking it a game at a time, a day at a time, and attacking it. Everything’s fine. I don’t look at (social) media like that, but yes, everything’s fine. My body’s great, just continuing to build.”
Brown has yet to play both legs of a back to back, with the Nets to play Sunday in Dallas.
Mikel Brown Jr. looks to shoot over Zuby Ejiofor during the Nets’ road loss to the Hawks. AP
He entered Saturday averaging 12 points and four assists. And the game is visibly slowing down for the rookie, mustering 14.5 points in his last four tilts.
“I’m very happy with Mikel. Him in pick-and-roll, how fast he is, how shifty, he can shoot the 3, get to the rim. Very happy with his performance,” coach Jordi Fernández said.
“It’s always about playing hard, but it’s also about playing smarter as well. So, just really having the game slow down,” Brown told The Post. “I watched a lot of film with my coaches, a whole lot of film for myself, just slowing down and letting the game come to me and just letting the game flow.
“And just staying aggressive, living with the consequences if I turn the ball over, miss an assignment on defense, just knowing I have to get it back the next play. Just always having that next-play mentality. That’s the mindset that’s been in my head these past couple games.”
Brown has particularly excelled in the pick-and-roll, capped by an 18 point, four-assist outing in their win over Charlotte. He shot 6 of 11, 3 of 5 from deep and had a highlight no-look pass to Moritz Wagner off a baseline drive.
“Yeah, really the willingness to just be myself and create plays within that pick-and-roll situation, whether that’s hitting the pocket, reading the tag man. Just allowing the game to come to me. It’s nothing I haven’t worked on for freaking years before this. So I adapt and put it on show,” Brown said.
“Great player. Big-time offensive spark,” said Terance Mann. “He’s gonna be good when he gets older, stronger, understands the game, understands the pick-and-roll situations. I could see him being an All-Star easily. He has a great basketball mind. So, it’s fun to play with him.”
The Nets are strengthening Brown’s body, especially his core, searching for that All-Star outcome.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, Connor McDavid added three more assists and the Edmonton Oilers beat the struggling Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Saturday night.
Mattias Ekholm and Jason Dickinson also scored for the Oilers (12-3-3), who snapped a two-game slide. Edmonton is 10-0-2 when scoring first this season.
Devon Levi returned from an injury to make 20 saves and improve to 7-1-0 in the Edmonton net.
Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks (3-15-1), who have lost five straight. They are 1-14-1 since a 2-1 start.
Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for Vancouver.
McDavid extended his season-opening assist streak to 18 games. He leads the NHL with 37 assists and 47 points.
The Oilers' captain matched Adam Oates for the second-longest assist streak in league history behind Wayne Gretzky (23 games) in 1990-91. McDavid also became the sixth NHL player with at least one point in the first 18 games of a season.
Dickinson scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third and Edmonton made it 3-1 four minutes into the period when its potent power play struck. McDavid sent the puck across to Draisaitl and he unleashed a one-timer.
Boeser scored at 17:25 but Draisaitl added an empty-netter for his 16th goal with 45 seconds remaining.
Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard had an assist, extending his points streak to six games. He and Draisaitl both have points in 16 of 18 games.
The Canucks came in giving up 4.61 goals per game. Meanwhile, the Oilers entered as the league’s highest-scoring team at 4.12 goals per game.
Up next
Canucks: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
Oilers: Host the New York Rangers on Monday night.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 07: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets attempts a layup against Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the game at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rick Flair drip go “Woo!” on a(n)… all- time great.
The Suns dig deep to pull out a 102-98 victory over the Houston Rockets to win the KD trade for the first time this year.
What a wonderful game. One that gives us a blueprint for how the Suns are going to make noise in the perennially competitive Western Conference. This was a statement win and the best the Suns have tallied far, early in the season.
After tonight, I see a real path forward for the Suns to meet Ishbia’s lofty goals of a second-round playoff appearance. In a game that could have been derailed by social media distractions, the Suns dug deep after a horrific 22-3 run to close the half to pull out a clutch-time victory against, possibly, the best team in the Western Conference. How did the Suns right the ship and pull out a competitive win against a team that swept the season series last year? Energy. The Phoenix Suns season is officially a question of energy.
So much has been made about fit but after tonight, it becomes irrelevant. It’s not about the points, or the rebounds, or even the minutes a player delivers for the Phoenix Suns that will determine the wins and losses. It’s the energy they can provide. Energy that leads to turnovers under the basket after a miss. Energy that leads to locking down defensive rebounds that lead to transition opportunities for the plethora of scorers on the Suns roster. Energy from blocks that lead to points, or drawing offensive fouls that take points away. The Suns rode the energy in the first quarter only to be hit by a brown out in the second, and in the end they found a way to generate enough power to match the Rockets’ energy plays blow for blow through a contested third and outlasting a desperate Sengun (who doesn’t want it with KhOso) looking to salvage a forgettable night with a fourth-quarter push that was too little too late.
I don’t know if there is any player I can target as standing out in game that needed a whole team to secure a win. The Suns had 5 players finish the night in double figures, including a surgical Luke Kennard who proved to be the a fusion of Royce and Grayson Allen in a flurry of points in limited minutes. Booker put up 24 points on 24 shots, and Jalen Green went 50% from the field on 7-of-14 shooting, with 8 assists. The decision-making is coming along. The Villain, under the spotlight after his online spat with KD, held the former Sun to limited shots in the first half, but couldn’t keep him off the line, where he grabbed 10 points on 11 attempts and ended the night with a hollow 21 points.
KhOso tag-teamed Sengun all night, who remained quiet for 3 and 1/2 quarters before making a push in the final six minutes. He finished the night with 15 points on 5/16 shooting with a modest 6 rebounds and a -16 plus-minus. If you’re looking for a reason the Suns won the game, look no further than Sengun’s 1-7 shooting with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. While there were plenty of mistakes from the young center duo, KhOso took advantage of some key injuries to Capella and Adams, and did enough inside to give the Suns the opportunity to win the game tonight.
Game Flow
First Half
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
The Suns got Jalen Green going early, starting 4-of-4 in the opening minutes of the game. I believe this needs to be a focus, and I was happy to see Jalen experience some success early against his former team. I no longer want to hear that Jalen Green can’t play next to Devin Booker, as he consistently made the right decision and his paint touches became a real difference-maker for stretches in this game.
The Suns continued their stretch of hot starts, finding the energy early in a run sparked by Oso pulling the chair on Sengun, leading to a turnover and lay-up for Jalen Green. An offensive goal-tend led to an Oso “jumper”, then Dillon bodied Durant into a bad pass, leading to a scramble with Dunn causing and then creating a turnover, which led to a Dillon three-pointer and a Houston timeout with the Suns leading 17-11.
The Suns continue to press, and Brooks draws an offensive foul, then hits an iso turnaround. Green makes a steal that leads to a corner three from Ryan Dunn, who had himself another night, and Kennard opens up the last three minutes, by splitting the black see opening up an assist to Ryan Dunn. Brooks hits a bucket, and Khaman shows promising hands as he collects a pass off a cut to the basket for a dunk. Kennard hits a jumper and a three to end the first quarter with the Suns up 35-23.
In the Second quarter, the Suns continued to cook, scoring an early six points before the system glitched and a scoring brownout, which lasted the length of the second quarter, led to a 41-23 lead for the Suns, turning into a tied score of 47-47 going into halftime. Is what happened.
A string of negative energy plays compounded into outright disaster, sparked off by four straight turnovers from the Suns team and caused by a series of quick shots, poor decisions, and offensive rebounds that snowballed into a 22-3 run going into halftime. For so many teams, this could have been the end, the beginning of the end, but the Suns managed to secure some extra juice in a game that was clearly important to the two former Houston Rockets who are looking to prove their value against the team that recently cast them aside.
Second Half
The third quarter opens up with a previously quiet Durant hitting a three-point bucket that is immediately answered by the Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker with a three-point bucket of his own. This is what I loved about this third quarter, where every Houston push was answered in kind by the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns’ path to victory is their ability to bring more energy than the opposing team. It was clear as day in the first quarter when the Suns made all the plays and shots they needed to push to an early double-digit lead, and unfortunately even more clear in a starkly different second half where the Houston Rockets woke up and matched the Suns’ energy, systematically dismantling the gains the Suns had made. Too often this has led to a power outage from the Phoenix Suns, but not tonight.
A miscommunication on a switch between Booker and Bridges gives up an open three. Open three-point shots lead to the Rockets taking a 57-53 lead with 8 minutes left in the third.
Then Brooks contests a KD drive, which leads to Miles Bridges getting to the free-throw line for two shots. Positive energy. Then Brooks fouls KD on a three-point shot, bad energy, which pushes the Rockets’ lead to 61-55.
Brooks and Dunn force a steal after a missed foul shot. Energy. Khaman knocks a ball free, and Booker dives to the floor, leading to a jump ball where the Rockets are called for a foul. Energy. The Suns collect the rebound on a Sengun miss, which turns into a Jalen Green dunk. Energy.
A Dillon Brooks hits a three, and a Durant miss leads to Booker heading to the foul line to regain the lead at 66-65. Energy. Kevin Durant hits a three, which is answered with a three from Devin Booker, with 2:25 left in the quarter. Energy. Dunn grabs an offensive rebound that led to a Collin Gillespie three-pointer. Energy. Durant gets an offensive rebound, and the Rockets are up 73-72. Negative energy.
Booker answers with a back door cut that leads to an easy bucket and the Suns regaining the lead 74-73.
Booker gets out in transition and earns a trip to the free-throw line. The Rockets win a challenge, and the Suns give up a straight drive to the basket to Fred, but Collin immediately answers with his own drive to the hoop. Energy. The Suns finish the third quarter up 76-75.
The fourth quarter opens up with Jalen Green attacking the paint. An early drive leads to a ManMan offensive rebound and putback. Khaman takes a trip to the free-throw line, and JG follows up with a jumper to push the Suns’ lead to 80-75 . The Suns give up an offensive rebound to Smith, and Gillespie takes a bad shot, which leads to a Sheppard three and the Rockets tie the game up at 82-82.
Jalen Green contests a rebound that deflects out of bounds, and the Suns win a challenge to keep the ball on their end. A JG paint touch leads to a Malauch offensive rebound and one opportunity. Another Green paint touch leads to Bridges getting a mismatch and scoring in isolation.
Sengun and Miles Bridges exchange buckets. Sengun hits a three, but Dillon the Villain answers with a three of his own. Energy. Green gets into the paint and finds his way to the free-throw line where he hits 1-2 to give the Suns a 93-91 advantage.
Oso attempts an entry pass to a cutting Green, which gets fumbled out of bounds. Sengun takes it to the hoop to tie it up at 93-93. A Durant miss leads to a Booker middy, but Sengun fights his way to the foul line, hitting two foul shots to tie it back up at 95-95.
After a Durant miss, the Suns find Booker for an open three off an inbound, which he hits to take a 100-95 lead with 3 minutes left in the game. KD misses a shot on a Brooks contest, and Booker gets to the hoop for a lay-up to push the lead to 102-95. (Headband Book 4 L)
The Rockets bring it back to 102-97 when they turn it over on an attempted entry pass to a Sengun with 1:32 seconds left. Booker misses two straight shots, and Durant hits a jumper with 45 seconds left to bring the score to 102-99. Booker and Green work the two-man game, which leads to an out-of-bounds play and an in-and-out three from Booker with 3.2 seconds on the shot clock.
The Rockets have the ball within one score of tying it up, but the shot misses, and Oso collects the Rebound to secure a Suns’ win in a season-altering momentum game.
Up Next
The Phoenix Suns take on the San Antonio Spurs and their otherworldly seven-footer coming off a 50-point performance. Definitely an outsized task for a Suns team just starting to find their rhythm. Can the Suns continue to stack energy plays that lead to runs and secure a second straight win over a Western Conference contender? I hope so. Now that they’ve finally found their footing, they can’t afford to slide back.
Tyler Kolek (13) looks to make a play during the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 7, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
Kolek had labeled Swift the fakest celebrity Knicks fan on the bandwagon during their title run, calling the musician “performative” after she attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s just a question that was asked for me, that maybe I answered in the wrong way. Take that on the chin,” Kolek said Saturday night. “I love her music. We were just playing it five minutes ago, and I’m singing every word to every song. Nothing against her at all.
“People have been going back and sending me all this stuff about her coming to the games, and she was actually wearing a [No.] 13 jersey [of] Joakim Noah back in the day with Carmelo [Anthony]. That’s on me. I wasn’t up to date on my Taylor Swift Knicks fandom. So that’s on me.”
The previous day, the Knicks put out a statement in support of Swift, whose wedding to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was held at the Garden this summer.
Taylor Swift jokes with her friend before the Knicks win over the Spurs in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden, and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization,” a Knicks spokesperson said.
The Knicks returned to Cleveland for the first time since the Eastern Conference finals, when Swift attended Game 3 at Rocket Arena with Kelce — an Ohio native — and was seen cheering for the Cavaliers.
When Kolek called out Swift in the video with teammate Deuce McBride, he acknowledged he was “going to get some hate from the Swifties.”
Since then, his teammates have taken their shots too.
“For sure, they’re playing Taylor Swift in the locker room,” Kolek said. “We were at practice [Friday and] we were playing Taylor. I love her music. I probably know more songs than anybody else in the locker room. Just misspoken.”
PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers attempts a layup against Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, the Spurs had the second-best record in the league on the second night of back-to-backs, and surely their youth played a role in that. Believe it or not, they’re still young just a few months later, and they are now 3-0 on SEGABABA’s this season after an absolute beatdown of the Portland Trail Blazers for their 8th straight win. Portland started the season hot but were coming off a loss to the Lakers last night, and while they may have been revenge-minded for their first-round loss in the playoffs, they were missing Ja Morant, Robert Williams and Shaedon Sharpe and were no match for a healthy Spurs squad with Victor Wembanyama playing the way he is.
However, before the blowout came, the Spurs would have to get through a sluggish first half borne of both poor shooting from both teams and a heavy whistle. After hitting 3-5 from three before the first timeout, including both of Wemby’s attempts for an 11-3 lead, both teams were sluggish, with the Spurs up shooting 33% in the quarter and the Blazers just 25%. But Portland got hot to close the quarter while the Spurs got sloppy, closing on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to two, 22-20.
After barely playing last night, Carter Bryant brought a spark to the start the second quarter with a couple of corner threes and a block of Damian Lillard. Meanwhile, the Blazers did a good job of drawing fouls and were in the bonus less than four minutes in. It didn’t take long for the Spurs to join them, and what was already a sluggish game came to a screeching halt with all the whistles and free throws. Overall, the teams combined for 41 free throws in the half, and at one point, the Spurs scored 11 straight points from the stripe before a Stephon Castle alley-oop and consecutive Junliam Chamapgnie threes in the final minutes got the offense going again, and they went into the half up 64-49.
The lack of whistles allowed the offenses to open up in the second half, but the Spurs were red hot, especially Wemby, who finished the night with 29 points on 9-13 shooting (3-6 from three) in just 24 minutes of play. An 11-0 run capped off by a technical foul on Deni Avdija gave the Spurs their first 20-point lead of the game, and there was no stopping them from there. The Blazers had nothing left in the tank, and the crowd watched in stunned silence as the Spurs got the lead all the way up to 30 for the first time this season on a Dylan Harper banker late in the third quarter. The last 15+ minutes of the game was entirely garbage time, and the Spurs finished their most dominant game of the season with a 125-103 win.
Game Notes
We finally got a glimpse of last season’s version of Luke Kornet. He was active in his first stint with a floater, two rebounds and block of a Chris Youngblood three-point shot, and the Spurs added a point to the lead. Granted, most of his time was spent against Yang Hansen, but he needed a confidence-booster, and maybe this was it. He finished the night with 6 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes, and perhaps most notably, was a +9 while on the floor.
As frustrating as all the whistles were for both sides in the first half, it was comical at times (granted it’s easier to laugh when your team is ahead). Some of the calls were mindbogglingly soft, and Wemby former Spurs teammate Sidy Cissoko got into a bit of a French Flop Fest, with both exaggerating contact to get whistles. To borrow a hilarious text from Jesus Gomez last night, “Sidy flopped three times, and Wemby said, ‘Hold my cabernet sauvignon’”. (He also shook the refs’ hands after the game, which I’ve never seen before, adding to the hilarity.)
Random thought of the night while sitting through a blowout: David Jones Garcia is still with the team instead of joining his fellow two-way players in Austin to start the season, which seems odd, but perhaps the Spurs intend to make him their 15th player once enough time has passed that they can sign him without going over the luxury tax, so he’s staying with the main team? He really has nothing left to prove at the G League level, and he reportedly turned down more lucrative offers from overseas, so maybe there’s an agreement in place? Just my two cents.
Play of the Game
It wasn’t the prettiest play of the game, but when trying to get out of the slugfest and free-throw-a-thon that was the second quarter, sometimes it just takes plays like this. (You also know it’s your night when stuff like this goes in.)
LOS ANGELES — The Kings controlled many aspects of this game but still lost 5-2 to the Penguins. There are many of the mistakes Los Angeles caused that led to their own downfall.
Straight from the puck drop, the Kings came out of this game flat, which allowed Pittsburgh to take advantage. Tommy Novak hit the first two goals of the game and gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead in the first period.
“It’s on the room not being ready to go, Mikey Anderson said. “It’s hard to dig out of a hole when it happens that fast.”
While the Kings responded in a more desperate effort, it wasn’t enough to get the pucks in the net. Despite Los Angeles having nine more shots on goal, Sergei Murashov was a brick wall in front of the net. Murashov had a .926 save percentage and 26 saves.
Early momentum and goaltending was enough for the Penguins to withstand any comeback attempt from the Kings. The Kings offense couldn’t take advantage of a Pittsburgh team that has struggled on defense.
Heading into the game, the Penguins gave up 3.56 goals per game. This ranked as the fourth most goals allowed per game in the league. However, the Pittsburgh defense didn’t break against the Los Angeles offense.
Los Angeles didn’t have enough passes in slots which relied more on outside shots. So although the Kings had 28 shots on goal, most of them weren’t at the net.
“Pass up too many chances in the Ozone, and we had good movement and everything, Alex Laferriere said. “We just keep it on the perimeter. Nothing good is going to come from that, so yeah, I just think it's about getting to the hard areas and getting pucks there.”
Offensively, the Kings left points on the board and even gave up opportunities for the Penguins offense. Pittsburgh stole puck possessions and capitalized with goals of their own.
“If you don't execute what you're trying to do out there, it usually leads to opposition,” Coach Laviolette said. “Possible runs coming back at you, possible goals coming back at you, points coming back at you. So there’s things we definitely could’ve controlled better tonight.”
Defensively, the game plan was supposed to be simple for the Kings: win the physical battle against the Penguins. Los Angeles did have 29 hits compared to 11 hits from the Penguins, but this didn't change much.
Although the Kings dished out hits, they were not physical enough to limit good chances for Pittsburgh. The Penguins had clean shots from the perimeter and even shots at the net.
The Kings had more shots on goal, more hits and a higher face-off percentage, but ultimately still lost. Lapses at both ends of the ice led to the Kings turning their mistakes into goals for the Penguins. This was a game where the Kings beat themselves more so than the Penguins did.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena on November 07, 2026 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers fell 109-97 to the New York Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Player of the game
Donovan Mitchell
37 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds
Mitchell looks like he’s finding the right balance between scoring and passing through the last two games. He’s been aggressive first, allowing his playmaking to come as a result of the defense overreacting to his gravity. That’s led to some efficient games passing the ball, but we were all waiting for Mitchell to have a scorching hot game shooting it.
It finally happened.
Mitchell went off for a season-high 37 points, and he was the catalyst behind Cleveland’s momentary comeback in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was one of the only Cavaliers who had a pulse on offense tonight.
Grade: A–
Grades
Evan Mobley
12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers
Mobley was fantastic last night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tonight? He was totally on his back foot.
Karl-Anthony Towns beat Mobley to the punch more often than not. It was an uber-aggressive approach from KAT that reminded you why the Cavs are still at their best when there are two defensive anchors on the floor.
We know that Mobley can play better than this, and his grade will reflect that.
Grade: D+
James Harden
7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds
Last year’s playoffs showed that this was a bad matchup for Harden, and tonight proved that it wasn’t just because Harden was gassed. The Knicks are too fast and incorporate too much off-ball movement for Harden to keep up defensively. The Cavs will be in trouble if they draw New York again in April or May.
Grade: F
Meleek Thomas
9 points, 4 rebounds
The Cavs have leaned heavily on this 20-year-old rookie to give them minutes. He’s had moments where it all clicks effortlessly into place. And other times, he looks off Mitchell and attempts a wild layup that goes the other way in transition.
Thomas shot 3-10 from the floor and looked like a rookie tonight. Overall, he has been fantastic given the circumstances. He’s quickly lapped his competition as the best backup guard option on Cleveland’s roster. But moments like this are inevitable.
Grade: D+
Peyton Watson
12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
The Cavs need Watson to start shooting the rock better than he has. Watson was 1-of-5 from downtown tonight, and the Knicks had no interest in defending him. For all the potential benefits Watson can bring to this team — it will all feel moot if he can’t provide enough spacing to make defenses care about him.
Grade: C-
Mario Hezonja
0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
There can be a trickle-down effect in games where the stars struggle to set the tone. Hezonja never found his rhythym in this game, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor. And while he’s the only one who can take accountability for that, I think he was more a victim of this team struggling to find its stride as a whole.
Grade: F
Thomas Bryant
5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
I owe Bryant an apology for not grading him last game. It was an honest mistake, and he delivered quality minutes in Cleveland’s win over the 76ers.
It brings me no joy to report that he struggled in this matchup. Bryant has become a necessity with Allen on the sidelines, but his lack of mobility made it hard to keep him on the floor.
Grade: D+
Tyrese Proctor
7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Proctor has given good minutes during this stretch of poor injury luck for the Cavs. He’s showing he’s a capable shooter and someone who can occasionally make things happen with the ball in his hands, but he still needs some fine-tuning on both ends of the court to be a player who is in the nightly rotation once everything settles.
Grade: C+
Riley Minix
8 points, 3 rebounds
The Cavs waived Minix just days ago, before bringing him back only a few hours before tip-off. He responded with the best game of his young career, nailing his first three shots and ending with 8 points.
The Utah Mammoth’s trip to Pennsylvania and Eastern Canada is over, and once again, they could’ve easily won the final game. After a crushing overtime defeat on Thursday to the Montreal Canadiens in overtime, it was a similar tale on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, except the Mammoth couldn’t even squeeze out the extra point.
With just a little over two minutes remaining, Nick Cousins tipped in Thomas Chabot’s shot to score the game-winning goal for the Senators. Shane Pinto put in an empty-net goal to inflate the score to 4-2. However, despite what the score tells you, it wasn’t a bad game for the Mammoth.
The Mammoth came out swinging. In the first period, they outshot the Senators 14-7. They outshot them again in the third period, 11-5.
However, sometimes all it takes to decide a game is one error. Sometimes, the best team doesn’t win. That’s what happened to the Mammoth. Michael Amadio’s goal that gave the Senators the lead early in the third period came off a bad defensive play that ended up being a three-on-one goal.
“When our back end is banged up, you cannot give up the odd-man rush we did,” André Tourigny said. “That was totally in our control. It's not like we fumbled a puck or something like that. It's a bad read, and it's a bad decision. Then we give up an odd-man rush. You put it back. We crawl back, and we miss an assignment on the faceoff. So those are the things. We're better than that.”
The aforementioned goal given up right after the faceoff was Cousins’ game-winning goal. If the Mammoth didn’t give up that three-on-one goal, this game might’ve gone into overtime, and they would’ve gotten a point. It’s a game that has consequences after even one small error, and the Mammoth saw that firsthand tonight.
Tourigny does have a point. The Mammoth came into this game shorthanded. Not only are they near the end of a long road trip, but they’re also banged up. It was announced right before the game that Nate Schmidt wouldn’t play due to an upper-body injury and is now listed as day-to-day.
Schmidt joins John Marino and Kailer Yamamoto in the group of injured Mammoth players over the past couple of weeks. They are now relying on Artem Duda in his first NHL season and Nick DeSimone as their bottom pair on the blueline. While Duda is a promising prospect and DeSimone is a solid seventh defenseman who can fill in when needed, they are currently not full-time NHLers on a competitive team looking to go far in the playoffs.
Both Duda and DeSimone played decently, and so did Liam O’Brien, who has also become an everyday NHLer with Yamamoto banged up. While ideally, you’re not dressing those players every day, you can’t argue with the fact that the three of them have risen to the occasion during this trip.
“We have a lot of depth, a lot of great players that can play anywhere in the lineup and contribute,” Clayton Keller said. “I think guys have had lots of chances. They've done a great job. It's only going to get better. We have a great group, and everyone trusts one another. Everyone's excited to play with one another. We have a great team, lots of confidence.”
There’s been a lot of criticism around Karel Vejmelka’s play, and rightfully so. He hasn’t been great this season. It seemed like it was going to be another game to add to that collection of bad games for him as well. Fabian Zetterlund’s goal to open up the game wasn’t a great one to give up.
However, it turned out to be a pretty solid game for Vejmelka. He made some pretty good saves, and you can’t blame him for the three-on-one goal or the game-winning goal. You’d like to see his save percentage above .850, but when you look at the film, the only play you can really nitpick is Zetterlund’s goal.
Also on the positive side, Keller’s point streak extended to five games with his goal, which he got by tapping in his own rebound. He also assisted on Barrett Hayton’s goal, a shot from the captain that Hayton ended up deflecting into the back of the net.
This is a hard game to really dwell on. You can’t say the Mammoth had a bad game. They kept up with the Senators, a really solid team, despite being shorthanded and being at the tail end of a long road trip. There were some key errors that ended up costing them the game, but it’s not like they allowed odd-man rushes repeatedly throughout the game.
The Mammoth should be frustrated that they lost. It’s two points they didn’t get, which allowed the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators to pass them in the standings. Yet, this is not the game to over-critique.
“We played well,” Tourigny said. “Ottawa is a good team, and we pushed through. We were two minutes and a half away from having at least one point, so we're not happy. We're frustrated, but we need to make sure we're not overreacting here.”
The Mammoth will get a much-needed three days off before a very tough first-round rematch against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. There are things to build on here. Taking those things, getting rest, and finding a way to be better is the goal, and the Mammoth do have the ability to do that. They haven’t lost consecutive games before Saturday. They know how to bounce back.
“We just need to build on tonight,” Keller said. “After every game, we always think we can be better, but I think we did a lot of good things. It sucks to lose, but you know you can always learn from it and take it into the next game. It's such a hard league, and you get humbled very quickly. You always gotta strive to get better.”
The Mammoth will have the next three days off before traveling to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights. The Golden Knights are 11-5-2 and are coming off a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. They’ll play the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday before heading back home for Wednesday’s game.
PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after being fouled by Chris Youngblood #11 (not pictured) of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Both sides were on the second night of a back-to-back set, and the San Antonio Spurs handled the Portland Trail Blazers on the road. This was the first matchup between last year’s first-round opponent and it was uncommonly physical for a November game.
The Spurs didn’t shoot well early, but were the nastier team from tip-off, getting into the bonus in fewer than six minutes and forcing a few turnovers. Their quickness shifting into the lane tempted the Blazers into too many unsuccessful 3-point attempts which sparked transition, but they got sloppy, committing too many fouls and that bad habit persisted most of the first half.
The Trail Blazers stayed on their heels with relentless hustle, and then the Silver and Black cracked the code. Eventually, Victor Wembanyama also went on a tear that zapped whatever will the hosts had left. He had 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists. His biggest help came from Stephon Castle, who played a nice all-around game with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, plus Devin Vassell, who added 15 points and two steals.
Garbage time started when they built up a 32-point lead late in the third quarter.
Observations
The Trail Blazers were down one penetrator in Ja Morant, which affected their ability to bend the defense. On top of that, the schemes made Portland look ordinary at their downhill game and they never countered with feeding Donovan Clingan in the post. Their rebounding helped keep them in the game but that only lasted for so long.
The Spurs played with high intensity but in the first half, not much discipline. All those cheap fouls had three of them in foul trouble and prevented them from continuing their work in transition, giving the Blazers an opportunity to start creeping in through the door.
The Trail Blazers are a long, athletic team with good screen navigation, so getting by them into the lane can be a challenge. The Spurs’ jump-shooting unfastened their defense, but they started playing more forcefully on the perimeter and made it tougher to maneuver. The Spurs were not phased and kept plugging away, shooting 77.3 percent in the restricted area.
It seems that Castle brings it when is playing his old teammate, Clingan. He was one of the team’s best rebounders, and he was like a linebacker stopping the run game inside, especially from Deni Avdija.
It was a rough shooting night before the game broke open, and the team got a big lift from Julian Champagnie, making four 3-pointers, including two consecutive treys in the second quarter, when the team badly needed it.
Toumani Camara said the plan was to get physical with Wembanyama before the game, and they did, not giving him much room after catches, bumping him on the move and using some hand checks. This played a big part in him going eight-for-nine at the line. The extra stuff did not wear him down physically or mentally.
Exhibit A. of the game flipping like a light switch: the Spurs made 17 first-half field goals had 18 in the third quarter.
The Spurs eventually took an edge on the glass 13 and added 23 back-breaking second-chance points.
Carter Bryant got subbed into the game early in the second quarter, and his minutes were mostly negative because his aggressiveness can be used against him. He had three fouls in three minutes, yet coach Mitch Johnson gave him a chance to make up for it with extra time and later as well when the game was out of reach.
