CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 23: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks have gotten off to a slow start this season. They’ve struggled to close out games, with all four of their losses being decided by single digits. They’re also just 1-3 against teams that have a winning record so far, with their lone victory coming against the Detroit Pistons.
The Knicks have many of the same players from their title run, but they haven’t been able to recapture that magic so far this season. We’ll see if the Cavs can take advantage of that in their first meeting of this campaign.
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Cavs injury report from Friday vs. 76ers: Sam Merrill – Left Friday with elbow injury, Jarrett Allen – QUESTIONABLE (knee), Peyton Watson – QUESTIONABLE (hamstring), Tyrese Proctor – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Jaylon Tyson – OUT (ankle), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (back), Khalifa Diop – OUT (G League), Ernest Udeh, Jr. – OUT (G League)
Knicks injury report: Josh Hart – OUT (ankle)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Meleek Thomas, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
The Sixers couldn’t rekindle the magic of their comeback home-opening win over the Cavaliers.
They fell Friday night in NBA Cup action, suffering a 119-95 defeat in Cleveland. The Sixers dipped to 8-2 and the Cavs improved to 5-4.
The Sixers’ top scorers were Jaylen Brown (20 points), VJ Edgecombe (19 points) and Tyrese Maxey (17).
The Cavs got 23 points from Donovan Mitchell and 22 from Evan Mobley.
The Sixers’ injured players included center Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain). Cleveland was down big man Jarrett Allen (right knee contusion). Sam Merrill sat out the second half with a right elbow injury.
The Sixers began 0 for 4 from three-point range, including two LeBron James misses. The Cavs were also the better team in transition and limited the Sixers’ chances to attack in the open floor by taking excellent care of the ball in the early going. Edgecombe was called for his second foul with 7:34 left in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Joel Embiid expressed his frustration about a couple of early no-calls. Embiid’s larger problem was that he couldn’t hit any sort of shot besides free throws.
He went 0 for 9 from the floor in the game. The seven-time All-Star finished with six points and seven rebounds.
Embiid has had a subpar shooting start to the year, especially from three-point territory — he’s now 3 for 28 (10.7 percent) — but Friday was the kind of extreme night that’s bound to happen here and there over the course of a long season.
Of course, it’s notable that Embiid’s been playing through right foot plantar fasciitis and the Sixers have been keeping a close eye on his minutes. We’ll see how the team manages his availability moving forward and whether Embiid is able to bounce back next time out.
James didn’t play anywhere near his finest game either. He had eight points on 3-for-12 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists and six turnovers.
As a team, the Sixers were 36.5 percent from the field and 25 percent beyond the arc.
Edgecombe shrugs off foul trouble
Jabari Walker rejoined the Sixers’ rotation as the backup center with Bona sidelined. Anfernee Simons, former Cav Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all remained rotation fixtures.
With Walker and Caldwell-Pope on the court next to three starters, the Sixers cut their deficit to single digits in the second quarter. Walker threw down a fast-break dunk that cut Cleveland’s lead to 48-41. He gave the Sixers some good defensive possessions when switched on to James Harden and provided his usual physical, high-effort work on the glass.
Edgecombe was fantastic in the second, sinking three triples, racking up 15 points and nabbing three steals.
Many second-year players would have a tough time finding a rhythm after encountering early foul trouble, but Edgecombe was great as soon as he checked back in and delivered a ton of valuable buckets in the Sixers’ comeback push.
Cavs polish it off in 2nd half
The Sixers pulled to within 66-63 when Maxey picked a steal and threw a pretty one-handed bounce pass to Edgecombe for a dunk.
Still, the Sixers’ offense never got rolling. The Cavs maintained their lead and extended it late in the third quarter. By early in the fourth, the Sixers trailed by over 20 points.
Embiid didn’t play the fourth quarter and logged 25 minutes. He’s had zero made field goals on just one other occasion in his career, back in Nov. 2019 against the Raptors.
Even with their tremendous first nine games, the Sixers knew they’d hit speed bumps throughout the year. They’ll try to get back on track Sunday in Chicago.
Centre Waaka scores three of Kiwi Ferns’ seven tries
A Stacey Waaka hat-trick has helped secure New Zealand their place in the Women’s Rugby League World Cup final.
The Kiwi Ferns were rarely threatened in their 32-0 victory over an inexperienced Fetu Samoa in Newcastle, running away with it late with four tries in the final 12 minutes on Saturday afternoon. The dual international Waaka made the most of her opportunities, setting up New Zealand’s early first try, before securing three of her own. With her hat-trick, Waaka drew level with Australia winger Jaime Chapman atop the tournament’s try-scoring tally with nine.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 6, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts after sinking a three-point shot giving the Lakers a 5 point lead against the Portland Trail Blazers in the third quarter of the Group Stage of the4 NBA Cup at Crypto.com Arena on November 6, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić stepped up to the free throw line in the third quarter.
The Lakers’ NBA Cup court plastered in gold. The crowd an ocean of the same color. Dončić was engulfed, but instead of the sound of waves flooding the senses, it was the MVP chants, each growing louder than the next.
Dončić made his first, marking his 40th point of the game and 20th in the quarter, capping off a 34-15 run in the frame that brought Los Angeles back from a 16-point deficit and gave them an 87-75 lead over the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Anytime you start a half down, you want to get to momentum early,” head coach JJ Redick said of the third quarter. “We were playing from behind the first half, so I thought it was really important to get off to a good start, and we did that. … for the most part, it felt like we had control of the rest of the game, and a lot of that had to do with how we defended in the third quarter.”
It’s impossible to gloss over Dončić in this game, who finished with 53 points on 17-of-33 shooting from the field, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the 10th-most 50-point games in NBA history. The Lakers made their run and took control in the third quarter, but the momentum shifted when Dončić drained a shot from the opposite 3-point line as time expired in the first half.
“[That shot] changes the whole energy,” Dončić said postgame. “In the team and in the gym. That was an important shot to make. So that’s why I decided to make it.”
At the time, the Lakers had made just three of their 23 3-point attempts and were enduring what looked like the game where the offense inevitably regressed to the mean. Instead, including Dončić’s heave, Los Angeles made eight of their last 14 deep shots en route to a much-needed win.
Redick has preached patience and steady incline as a team all year, but a win like this for sole position at the top of the Western Conference — and on NBA Cup night no less — was a clear measure of their resilience.
And yet, Redick thinks they’re still building.
“I think we’re already a really together group,” he added Friday. “You don’t become a resilient team in 10 games, five games, 20 games. It takes a full season to build that resiliency. … But, the fact that this is a very together group and we’ve already shown a level of resiliency, it’s exciting, it’s promising and I want to continue building on that.”
Much of this lands on Dončić’s shoulders. He’s having a historical season, one of the best we’ve ever seen, but he’s a product of the team around him. It’s a roster he had his hands all over, collectively crafted around his needs at every corner, a point driven by Portland head coach Micah Nori before they clashed on Friday.
Nori says it’s Dončić‘s MVP to lose, “hands down,” but because of everything around him. The shooting, the defending, Walker Kessler’s rolling. It’s all working in unison.
Portland coach Micah Nori on what he’s seen from Luka Doncic so far this season:
“He’s in elite shape, he’s playing with a great amount of confidence, he’s got shooters around him, and he has a rolling big.
For him, it’s a perfect offensive storm. And, uh, he’s the MVP right…
The Lakers have 72 games to go. It’s not always going to be like this. But again, a night like Friday works wonders for the marathon Redick is trying to run.
“We all want good results,” he said. “This is going to be a long process and it’s going to take time for us to become a great basketball team. I like that our guys have responded to some adversity. Tonight was a great example, where we get down pretty big early and we just stick with it.”
Maro Itoje must make sure his side’s emotions do not boil over and the breakdown battle will be pivotal
England are riled up, they feel backed into a corner and if history shows us anything, it is that they tend to perform when their backs are against the wall. It’s a very English trait and Steve Borthwick’s tenure has been punctuated with performances when his side feel as though they have a point to prove. The players certainly have that as they begin their autumn campaign against Australia.
It actually makes me more confident in an England victory. They will have a siege mentality, just as they did against France in the Six Nations – they might not have won that match but it was the best performance of the campaign by some distance. They will want to put on a real show of unity and that can have a galvanising effect. I was nervous about this fixture at the start of the week; I’m less so now.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 06: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spursduring the first half at Golden 1 Center on November 06, 2026 in Sacramento, 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
With the Spurs on a six-game win streak and the Kangz being, well, the Kangz, the good guys unsurprisingly walked away with a 124-109 victory on Friday night.
Both sides traded blows from the tip, energized to play their first NBA Cup match of the season. It didn’t take long, though, for San Antonio to pull ahead, as the guards took advantage of Sacramento’s lack of interior defense (or defense, period), to drive to the basket or lob it up to Wemby for easy dunks. However, in typical Spurs fashion, they took their foot off the gas and let the Kings go on a mini run to get back in the game. Soon after, San Antonio became more intentional with their offensive sets, running some nice plays that used Vassell’s gravity and passing ability to find open cutters. The Spurs reasserted their dominance in the game.
Still, Wemby had a fall just before halftime that made everyone hold their breath. The big fella landed on Domantas Sabonis’ foot on his way down from shooting a three, grabbing his ankle while rolling on the court. He appeared to be in quite some discomfort and stayed down for a minute before walking to the Spurs bench on his own power, seemingly able to shake it off. It marked the end of a dominant first half for the Alien, as he finished with 19 points in two quarters alone.
Thankfully, Wemby’s extraterrestrial abilities seem to have extended to his healing abilities. He started the second half and was no worse for wear, although the two teams came out flat to start the third. The offense on both ends was sloppy and stagnant, forcing Mitch Johnson to call a timeout when the Kings cut the lead down to 14. The message was heard once again; the good guys locked back in and began moving the ball more, finding open shooters who converted on their free looks. Garbage time began early in the fourth, with both teams emptying their benches. San Antonio cruised to a comfortable 124-109 victory, securing their first NBA Cup win of the season.
Game notes
Wemby finished the night after logging just 26 minutes, putting up a dominant stat line of 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks. After a slow start to the season, he’s playing arguably the best basketball of his career in the last two weeks, and this might be a sign that he’s leveling up even more. The ankle is something that should be monitored, though, as swelling often happens in the days after the initial injury. Wemby had a similar-looking ankle roll in his rookie season that forced him to miss a few games after finishing the contest in which the injury occurred.
The Spurs were fortunate that they played Sacramento, allowing Wemby to play fewer minutes after his ankle tweak. Remember, point differential counts in the NBA Cup, so teams oftentimes play their stars big minutes even if a win is guaranteed. San Antonio sits second in Group C following Friday’s victory, as their +15 differential is just behind Golden State’s +17.
The game was so out of reach that the backups’ backups got some playing time. Carter Bryant, David Jones Garcia, and Tarris Reed all checked in with 3 minutes to go. Barnesy had a hot shooting night too, pouring in 11 points in under 20 minutes of action. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I do wonder if Mitch should’ve stuck with the usual backups. San Antonio was up by over 20 points before the third stringers checked in, and they might’ve finished with a higher point differential than Golden State’s had they stuck with the second unit.
The Kornet minutes remain an issue, even against the Kangz. The veteran finished as a -10 in just 18 minutes, while Wemby was a +31 in 26 minutes. I’m honestly not sure which stat is more impressive.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles against Donovan Clingan #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Moda Center on April 26, 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
The San Antonio Spurs are on a roll. The Spurs extended their winning streak to seven games after defeating the Sacramento Kings 124-109 on Friday. Now they’ll face one of the NBA’s hottest teams, the Portland Trail Blazers. It will be the first time these two teams meet since the Spurs defeated the Blazers in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
Portland looks a bit different than they did last season. Damian Lillard is back from an Achilles injury, averaging 20.1 points per game. Deni Advija continues to be one of the league’s underrated stars. The Blazers lost a close one, 124-118, to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, but have so far been one of the best teams in the league.
Both teams will be in the second game of a back-to-back, so fatigue will be a consideration. The Spurs have shown they have a solid game plan for the Blazers, but with both teams on short rest, this one could go either way. A win over a red-hot Portland squad would be a signature win in the early stretch of the season.
Trail Blazers Injuries: To be released at 1 p.m. CT
What to watch for:
Defending inside and out
The Blazers have the best offensive rating in the NBA (121.9). That’s thanks in large part to their ability to get into the paint and then convert on kick-out three-pointers. Advija is one of the best downhill players in the NBA. Toumani Camara is one of the best spot-up shooters in the league. As a whole, Portland makes the fifth most three-pointers per game at 15.4. The Spurs are faced with a tough challenge – stop the Blazers from getting easy shots at the rim and close out hard on shooters.
Crash the glass
It feels like the Blazers’ identity for the last few seasons has been a hard-nosed, physical squad. Donovan Clingan is one of the best rebounding bigs in the league, and Robert Williams III causes a lot of problems with his motor and athleticism. Then they have physical wings like Jrue Holiday and Advija who are problems on the glass. The Spurs have not been truly tested in the rebounding battle this season. But with a smaller, guard-filled lineup, San Antonio has to focus on winning the battle on the boards to win this game.
Three-point shooting
San Antonio hit 50% of their threes against the Kings on Friday. The Spurs need those shots to fall to open up their downhill attacking offense. The Blazers will likely put Clingan on Stephon Castle, daring him to make threes, just like they did in the playoffs last season. San Antonio can offset this by using him as a screener or putting the ball in his hands in the pick-and-roll to get Clingan moving around on the perimeter. Regardless of defensive scheme, the Spurs will have to hit three-point shots to come away with the win in Portland.
Ziaire Williams approached Austin Reaves from behind during his walk-off interview with NBA on Prime, put his hands on his shoulders and yelled, “Fifty ball.”
“I’m the wrong white person,” Reaves, who had 25 points, retorted as he shook his head in disbelief.
Did Williams seriously confuse his two teammates?
“Deadass,” Williams said, flashing a smile in the Lakers’ locker room.
Dončić had some lighthearted fun with the mixup as well.
“That was very disrespectful to me,” Doncic said jokingly.
It was a funny moment following an impressive come-from-behind win for the Lakers, in which they turned a 16-point deficit into a 16-point lead.
Ziaire Williams celebrates after a bucket during the Lakers’ 124-118 comeback win over the Trail Blazers on Nov. 6, 2026 in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. TerrillLuka Doncic (left) and Austin Reaves look on during the Lakers’ win over the Raptors on Nov. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
In Friday’s game, Dončić (361 points) passed Michael Jordan (347) for the most points scored in the first nine games of season since the NBA-ABA merger.
It’s the most points anyone has scored in the modern NBA since Wilt Chamberlain in 1962-63.
It was Dončić’s 11th career 50-point game. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and tied Allan Iverson for 10th most 50-point games in NBA history.
DALLAS, TX - NOVEMBER 6: Svi Mykhailiuk #10 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 6, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Sam Hodde/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Utah’s losing streak extended to seven games after losing to the Dallas Mavericks, 112-100.
The Jazz started this game pretty well overall and showed impressive defense on second-year phenom Cooper Flagg. Ace Bailey deserves a lot of the credit for keeping Flagg to 21 points. Utah also did a good job on Kyrie Irving, holding him to just 35% from the field. Keyonte George has shown solid defense this season, and his defense showed up tonight in his moments guarding Irving and others. It’s a great sign for the Jazz’s future that he’s developing that way. Combine that with Ace Bailey’s defense and the emerging play of Darryn Peterson, and the Jazz have something brewing. It’s just hard to see when you’re in the midst of a prolonged losing streak.
The second half was different for Utah. In the third quarter, the Mavericks overcame the Jazz starters and forced substitutions. That’s when Isaiah Collier, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Brice Sensabaugh got minutes again. This bench unit has been bad all season and keeps getting minutes, even after Isaiah Collier’s contract wasn’t re-upped for next season. Will Hardy is in a tough place with Jaren Jackson Jr. out, and you don’t want to run a 7-man lineup all season, but something has to be done to stop these Collier/Sensabaugh/Mykhailiuk minutes. It’s costing the Jazz wins night after night.
That said, Hardy deserves credit for some of his adjustments. He’s staggered lineups to keep it from being a completely all-bench unit. Tonight it was with Lauri Markkanen in that lineup, but it didn’t work. The issue with Markkanen is that you can’t just give him the ball and expect him to go get a bucket, he’s a purely off-ball player. What should theoretically work is having Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson stagger minutes to make sure one of them is on the floor at all times. Darryn Peterson might not have been quite ready for that to start the season, although I think that’s debatable, but after tonight, he’s looking more and more ready for a bigger role.
The good and the bad
The good in this game was the duo of Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson. Peterson had one of his best statistical performances, shooting 50/42.9/100 with 21 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds. Peterson looked more comfortable in the fourth quarter, and you can only hope that it’s the beginning of him taking a leap.
Keyonte George also continues a mostly awesome season. He had 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists in this one. George’s production is great, he just needs to cut down on turnovers. If he can keep this production and cut down on the bad turnovers, he’s looking at becoming one of the best guards in the league.
Josh² has been a great addition to the team. Josh Green and Josh Okogie have brought great two-way play for the Jazz and are playing well off of the Jazz’s young guards. There’s a formula here that should work for the Jazz.
The downside is the bench unit, specifically Svi Mykhailiuk, Isaiah Collier, and Brice Sensabaugh. It hasn’t worked all season and has cost the Jazz multiple wins. What’s even more frustrating is how quickly Will Hardy has been to pull Peterson after a mistake. The issue is that the players he replaces them with aren’t playing well or mistake-free themselves. Collier had three turnovers in this one, and a few came from travel calls. That bench unit also gave up the biggest lead and pretty much ended the Jazz’s chance at a win. Hardy is in a tough spot missing Jaren Jackson Jr. with a very young team, so there’s almost no room for error. If there is one thing that Utah could really use, though, is fewer minutes from those three. If they can give Josh² more minutes, that should help. But even with that, it’s going to be tough to get wins.
Finally, Utah is ready for Ace Bailey’s threes to start dropping. He’s in a big slump right now, and when he comes out of it, it will be huge for the team. His defensive impact is great, and his rebounding is fantastic. Once his three-point shooting comes around, he’ll help the Jazz get more win streaks than losing streaks.
For nearly 24 minutes on Friday night, the Lakers struggled with nearly every shot they got beyond the 3-point arc.
But Luka Dončić ended the first half by making the toughest look of them all, which ended up sparking his team’s 124-118 comeback win over the Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena to continue his historic start of the season.
Dončić recorded a season-high 53 points, to go along with five assists and five rebounds, for his seventh-straight game scoring at least 35 points and his fourth straight game scoring at least 40 points.
Luka Dončić gives a thumbs up during the Lakers’ 124-118 comeback win over the Trail Blazers on Nov. 6, 2026 in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
It was the league’s leading scorer’s second 50-point game of the season after he scored 52 points in the Oct. 25 road win over the Jazz.
The Lakers still trailed, 60-53, going into halftime. But their shooting droughts ended there.
Luka Dončić, who scored 53 points, goes up for a layup during the Lakers’ comeback win over the Trail Blazers. AP Photo/Mark J. TerrillLuka Dončić shoots over Damian Lillard during the Lakers’ comeback win over the Trail Blazers. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
They blitzed the Trail Blazers in the third, winning the quarter 34-15, with Dončić (20 points) outscoring Portland on his own.
Austin Reaves added 25 points despite struggling with his shot (8 of 22) for most of Friday. Walker Kessler had a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Deni Avdija drives to the basket during the Trail Blazers’ loss to the Lakes. NBAE via Getty Images
The victory not only moved the Lakers to 8-2 on the season, but they improved to 1-1 in NBA Cup Group Play games.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 6: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 6, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For so long in the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era, the Lakers were searching for 3-and-D wings to put around their stars.
One of the best parts of this current Lakers team is the dearth of wings. Not only does it allow them to have multiple of them on the floor throughout the game, but it also affords them options depending on who is playing well.
On Friday, for example, Matisse Thybulle, who has been a consistent contributor this season, struggled. The Lakers were able to turn to Jake LaRavia, then Ziaire Williams and even debuted Adou Thiero as well. It’s such a luxury that this team hasn’t had for years, allowing them to pick and choose the best groupings each night.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Something about playing the Blazers messes with LaRavia’s brain or something, because his two worst games of the year have come against them. Fortunately in this outing, he was able to mix in plenty of good moments to still be a positive contributor.
Another quietly impressive game from Kessler, who held his own against Donovan Clingan throughout the night. His funniest basket of the night came toward the end when the Blazers forgot about him in front of the rim on an inbound.
Austin was at the center of the Lakers’ poor start, going 4-15 from the field in the first three quarters. But when he was needed, Reaves responded in the fourth, scoring 15 points on 4-7 shooting, including a huge steal and dunk late.
You know what kind of run Luka is on right now? The type where, from the moment he let go of that shot from the opposite free throw line, every Lakers fan immediately thought, “That looks good.”
Grimes still looks a bit of a mess on offense. It screams of overthinking and not finding a rhythm. Even as he’s struggled, though, he’s still been a positive on the defensive end.
But they could really use him finding a groove on offense.
We got a look at the Mamu-Kessler front court in the first half tonight, something the team probably hasn’t been able to do as much as they wished. Mamu has had to be used as the backup five, not leaving many minutes for a jumbo-sized frontcourt.
Having a player like Ziaire available to come off the bench is such a luxury. His tip of the pass late in the fourth that Austin was then able to steal was a crucial play to help seal the win.
I feel like Sexton has been afforded an appropriate amount of time for not getting a preseason. This is just really, really bad now. If you wanted to find a place for minutes for Cameron Carr, Sexton can’t be far away from being taken out of the rotation.
Grade: F
Adou Thiero
While he only played six minutes, Thiero was fantastic. The Lakers were using him as a screener and lob threat and, unironically, it’s a great use of him. He got a lob and found Ziaire for a dunk of his own in the first half.
His energy and activity level is always so high that he just makes an impact.
JJ Redick
I’ll give Redick credit for what I mentioned above in his use of Thiero, who replaced Jarred Vanderbilt in the rotation. The team, realistically, can’t survive having two non-shooting wings on the floor and investing in Thiero is the right call.
I’ll knock him for that second challenge, though. But overall, it was a solid night from him.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 22: Neemias Queta #88 and Head Coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 22, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nick Tomoyasu/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CHARLOTTE — Early in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 119-80 win over the Charlotte Hornets, Joe Mazzulla called a timeout and walked over to Neemias Queta.
Queta had just gotten tangled up with multiple Hornets players while trying to secure a rebound. And, as is often the case, Mazzulla grew frustrated with his big man’s longstanding tendency to foul.
But this time, instead of reaming him out, Mazzulla chose to embrace him.
“I’m just trying to channel my anger into love,” Mazzulla said afterward.
“Instead of just yelling at him, I gave him a hug.”
It’s no secret that Mazzulla is hard on the Portuguese big man, who began his journey with the Celtics on a two-way contract in 2023 and blossomed into the Celtics’ productive and reliable starting center last season.
Sometimes, Mazzulla’s yelling gets picked up by the TV broadcast. More often than not, his anger is visible from press row.
And, none of that tough love is something that the Celtics head coach denies.
“I’m hard on Neemi,” Mazzulla said on Friday night. “I’m hard on our bigs. Those guys, the way they need to play for us, there’s a ton of pressure on them. We talk about it all the time — the fives have the toughest job on this team because they got to do a ton on both ends of the floor.”
Mazzulla has frequently discussed how difficult the center position is in the team’s system, particularly as of late. That’s also applied to Mitchell Robinson, who has struggled in his acclimation to the Celtics as he takes on more responsibility in a new system.
Still, Mazzulla wants to make sure that amid his tough coaches style, there’s an understanding that all of it is rooted in love. He visits players in the offseason in order to better understand what makes them tick; this past summer, he joined Queta in Portugal, Mitchell Robinson in Nashville, and Luka Garza in Iowa.
In difficult moments, there’s a relationship that runs deeper than basketball.
“I appreciate that they allow me to be hard on them, but I also want them to know I appreciate them,” he said. “Just trying to do that for them.”
Last week, it was Payton Pritchard who was on the receiving end of a Mazzulla hug
Queta is not the only player to get a hug from Joe Mazzulla as of late; Payton Pritchard got an in-game hug from Mazzulla in a win over the Chicago Bulls, after a couple of high-impact plays.
“Joe challenged me,” Pritchard said after that win. “I feel like the first four games my defensive activity and my rebounding have been poor… He’s challenging me to step up in that area. I think the hug was for me doing that.”
On Friday, Pritchard reflected on how Mazzulla has successfully tapped into both sides of the emotional spectrum as a coach.
“Joe, he’s a competitor, and he has a lot of emotion, so it brings the best out of us, and it’s also cool when you are doing well; he shows the emotion of a loving brother type situation,” Pritchard said. “And then we’ll have moments where we get into it, and we have disagreements, and it’s all right. It’s just part of it — we go through love and hate.”
Pritchard said his bond with Mazzulla has strengthened over the years; he’s been playing for him since he took over as head coach in 2022, and it’s come with plenty of variance. Pritchard has gone through stretches in which he’s fallen out of the rotation, won Sixth Man of the Year, and was a part of the 2024 championship team.
“It’s a journey,” he said. “We’ve definitely gone through a lot of different situations, a lot of ups and downs, and you just grow your relationship through that, and it becomes stronger and stronger.”
Mazuzlla echoed that sentiment last week, after his hug.
“I like pushing him, I like coaching him, and I love him like a brother,” Mazzulla said of Pritchard.
For Mazzulla, turning anger into love has been the result of an intentional effort, especially when it comes to his relationship with Queta.
“A lot of meditation, a lot of journaling, a lot of just not being so mad at him all the time,” Mazzulla said. “But I love him.”
Still, Mazzulla’s ability to leverage anger hasn’t gone away, the Celtics’ veterans say.
“It just depends on the day,” said Jayson Tatum with a smile. “Some good days, some bad days.”
And, that’s not a bad thing.
“They’re both needed,” Pritchard said. “You can’t have love without the anger.”
SACRAMENTO, CA ― The San Antonio Spurs continue to roll, earning their seventh consecutive victory in taking down the Sacramento Kings, 124-109, in an NBA Cup group stage game on Friday, Nov. 6.
The Spurs were led by center Victor Wembanyama with 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He added 14 rebounds and two blocks. Four other players scored in double figures as Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper each had 19. Harrison Barnes scored 13 off the bench.
The Spurs dominated from the opening tip all the way to the end of the game. Wembanyama seems firmly in the early MVP race.
"I do not have a goal for Victor to get MVP," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said before the game. "I think that there's a lot of things that we're trying to get better and improve on and execute that's gonna be a byproduct of the conversation that could produce."
"He has shown in a short amount of time, in his career, and season by season, however you want, compartmentalized time. His improvement is rapid," he added. "When he gets ahold of certain things, whether that's how he's being guarded, actions we want to run, teammates he's playing with, when he gets ahold of certain things, he can become very dominant. And if he continues to put his energy into the right stuff as he has, and to continue to have that level of retaining what works for him and works for us, then whatever the goals are, I would not bet against."
Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox was welcomed with a mix of boos and cheers as he was announced in the starting lineup. Fox was drafted by Sacramento with the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and spent eight seasons with the Kings before being traded to San Antonio. Fox got the first points on the board on Friday. He finished with nine.
Sacramento only led in the game for a brief moment early in the first quarter. Kings center Domantas Sabonis opened the game with a thunderous slam over Wembanyama. He finished with a double-double, 17 points and 12 rebounds, in the loss.
Kings dynamic scoring rookie Darius Acuff Jr. followed Sabonis' dunk with a 3-point field goal to put Sacramento ahead 5-2 with 10:45 left in the first period. Acuff picked up two early fouls, which sent him to the bench with 6:19 left after playing six minutes in the opening quarter. Acuff finished with 22 points and eight assists. He shot 9-of-20 from the field, including 3-of-9 on 3-point attempts.
The real disparity came with player fouls. The Kings committed 26 fouls as the Spurs shot 42 free throws.
"I mean, early on, it was good, but, I mean, you know, when you get to the free throw line as much as they were, that's tough," Kings head coach Doug Christie said. "Because not only are they a good defensive team, they're even better when their defense is set, and that's what the free throw allows you to do. When we were able to get in open court, we were able to find some things and create the type of 3-point shots and different things, collapse in the defense."
The Kings have back-to-back losses after getting their first win of the season against the Dallas Mavericks in a 115-100 finish on Nov. 2. Sacramento welcomes the Miami Heat on Sunday, Nov. 9 to the Golden 1 Center.
The Spurs won the first game of their four-game road trip. They immediately board a plane to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday chase after a loose ball during the first half of the game Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The absurd 62-foot three-pointer Luka Doncic hoisted and made late in the second quarter Friday night seemed to ignite him, pushing him to even higher heights on the way to scoring 53 points.
Doncic especially went to work in the third quarter, scoring 20 points in that span in delivering the Lakers to a 124-118 win over the Portland Trail Blazers Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers had been down by 16 points in the second quarter, but after Doncic’s shot, they trailed by only seven points and saw the momentum swing in the process.
“Oh yeah, definitely. I think it changes the whole energy in the team and in the gym,” Doncic said. “I thought it was an important shot to make. So that’s why I decided to make it.”
It was the second time Doncic has scored 50 points or more this season, his first time coming when he scored 52 points against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 25. It was the fourth time Doncic has scored 50-plus points as a Laker, passing LeBron James and tying George Mikan for fourth in franchise regular-season history.
It was Doncic’s 11th 50-plus point game of his career, which moved him pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and tied him with Allen Iverson for the 10th most in NBA history.
Lakers forward Jake LaRavia and Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson dive for a loose ball during the first half Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Doncic played 38 minutes and nine seconds. He shot 17 for 33 from the field and five for 15 from three-point range.
At one point, while Doncic was talking to the media, he blurted out, “I’m tired.”
A few minutes later, he was asked how he has been holding up during his offensive onslaught and how far he can keep pushing this.
“Feeling great,” Doncic said. “ But what do you mean how far?”
Can you do this every game?
“Oh yeah, I feel like that,” Doncic said. “But as long as we win, I’m good.”
Doncic is now averaging 40.1 points per game this season.
He was asked if he knew the last player to average 40 points per game in a single season.
“Kobe?”
No, it was not Kobe Bryant, Doncic was told.
It was Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 50.36 points per game during the 1961-62 season and then 44.83 points per game during the 62-63 season.
“Man, it’s obviously a long season,” Doncic said. “We’re just 10 games in. We got 72 left. But as long as we win, I’m good. Got them up today, not gonna lie. Hopefully it continues, but you never know.”
Doncic added five rebounds and five assists to help the Lakers win their first NBA Cup game after losing the first one to the Golden State Warriors last week.
When the Lakers saw their 16-point lead sliced to four in the fourth quarter, naturally it was Doncic who saved them.
His seven-foot floater with 27.7 seconds remaining gave the Lakers a six-point lead that stood.
Now everyone knows why Doncic is shooting a career-best from three-point range and why he practices those long-range threes all the time.
After Walker Kessler got a defensive rebound with 4.3 seconds left in the second quarter, he passed the ball to Doncic, who had nowhere to go with the Portland defense around him. So, Doncic just tossed up the three-pointer from the three-point line on the Portland side of the court that banked in as time expired. He looked at the crowd as he walked off the court for halftime.
“When he shoots them, it’s not a surprise if it goes in,” said Austin Reaves, who had 25 points. “So, it’s not a high-percentage shot by any means, but he seems to make them a little, you know, easier than the majority of people.”
Etc.
Redick explained why both Bronny James and Cameron Carr were assigned to the Coachella Valley Lakers.
“[The] messaging was very simple,” Redick said. “It’s just you guys need reps and you guys need to play.”
Redick said both James and Carr will be with the Lakers on the upcoming trip to Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Phoenix next week.
