DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 28: Cade Cunningham #2 and Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons look on during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 28, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Pistons recovered after a slow first half to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 97-89. Detroit’s defense was Steady Eddy all night. Their offense came alive with 32 points in the third quarter.
Daniss Jenkins’ 3-point bomb to end the second quarter ignited their offensive run. He came through in crunch time with timely baskets and heads-up defense to offense possessions. Jenkins (14 pts, 60 FG%) keeps the confidence at all times.
Cade Cunningham led the way with 30 points, five boards, seven assists, and one turnover. He shot 4-9 from triple range. While Jalen Duren remains out with a hamstring injury, Paul Reed continues to be dependable. Reed was all over the floor, scoring 16 points and displaying his Barry Allen hands with three steals.
Duncan Robinson will be in the sniper of the year race. He buried three triples and was a +6 for the game. Robinson and Ausar’s dribble handoff game is chef’s kiss.
Teams sag so far off Ausar and are haunted-house scared of Robinson when he’s on the move. Ausar’s man has to come up and cover so much ground when they run a DHO, and Robinson is such a willing passer.
Those two connected on a killer Robinson-to-Ausar sequence leading to a big slam in the fourth. Ausar stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, nine boards, and eight assists. His last dime to Cade for a triple sealed the deal. We all want him to be more aggressive and take certain shots when he’s near the basket, but passes like that are why he plays his brand of basketball.
Brandon Miller attacked Robinson relentlessly on the other end. Whenever the Pistons gave up a switch, Miller looked to put his shoulder in 55’s chest to get a floater off. It’s really not fair to single out Robinson. It got to the point where Miller was getting boogie on whoever. 3s, push shots, tomahawk slams, Miller got off tonight.
Miller was a one-man army, dropping 31 points and snagging 12 boards. He and Dennis Schröder (14) were the Hornets’ only double-digit scorers. Moussa Diabaté, Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale chipped in with nine apiece.
Detroit doubled Charlotte with four double-digit scorers. The Hornets kept it close down the stretch, but Detroit pulled away with an uptick in defensive tenacity and big-time shot-making from their creators, Cade and Jenkins.
That was a gutsy win with the way Detroit came out flat offensively. Hopefully Detroit gets off to a better start Friday versus the Brooklyn Nets. That will be the Pistons’ first in-season tournament group stage game. Get busy and set the point differential right.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 21: Graham Ike #45 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 21, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Dwight D. Eisenhower famously had a slogan in his 1952 presidential campaign called “I Like Ike” (pronounced EYEK). While I wasn’t alive in that era, I can say I like a different Ike (pronounced EE-KAY).
Beloved Gonzaga Bulldog and now professional rookie Graham Ike made his first NBA career start on October 23rd for the Golden State Warriors against the Memphis Grizzlies. In 12 minutes, he tallied 10 points on 4-for-6 field goals and a perfect 2-for-2 beyond the three-point line, while grabbing two offensive rebounds.
Ike got the nod to start the next day against the Phoenix Suns. He played 26 minutes, going 5-for-13 and totaling 12 points, which included a sick putback dunk. Not to mention, the Zag grabbed 10 rebounds in what lead to his first double-double in the NBA.
Ike only played less than three minutes in the next matchup on the road against the Denver Nuggets, his home state team.
It’s extraordinary watching Ike, who went undrafted and signed an Exhibit-10 deal with Golden State back on June 26th, get minutes in the big leagues. To not only play, but shine for a Warriors squad that does not have much to look forward to this season.
Let’s not forget the connection between Gonzaga coach Mark Few and Golden State coach Steve Kerr, as they coach together for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics. With the Warriors being the oldest team in the current NBA (their average is 29.39 years), Kerr could give Ike much more playing time than anticipated.
Ike wasn’t the only Gonzaga alum who had some attention through the NBA’s first week.
Jalen Suggs, entering his sixth campaign with the Orlando Magic, dropped 14 points, six rebounds and six assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 23rd. However, on October 25th against the defending champion New York Knicks, Suggs suffered a non-contact injury late in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Suggs is down in serious pain after this play
Anytime a player goes down holding their knee, especially when it’s non-contact, a basketball fan is quick to assume the worst. Luckily, ESPN’s NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that Suggs was diagnosed with a mild bone bruise in his right knee and will be out for at least two weeks.
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs has been diagnosed with a mild bone bruise in his right knee and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, sources tell ESPN. Suggs avoided any other major structural damage. pic.twitter.com/C3DqyUcuAW
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, in his first two games of his fifth NBA season, has averaged 16.0 points on a 55.2 field goal percentage, 1.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists. The older Nembhard did not play on October 26th against the Milwaukee Bucks, dealing with neck/back issues.
His younger brother, Ryan, had some minutes in his first chance to suit up for his new team, the Denver Nuggets, going 2-for-3 from the field and hitting a three-pointer. Nembhard had a busy offseason, being traded from the Dallas Mavericks, where he spent his rookie season, to the Atlanta Hawks. On September 22nd, he was traded once again to the Charlotte Hornets, and then waived on September 26th.
It’s only been a week into the 2026-2027 NBA season, and it’s already been fantastic seeing these former Zags get some minutes, especially Ike.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 28: Tyrese Maxey #0 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrate a basket by Maxey during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At least they’re piling up wins while figuring out the offense.
The Sixers slugged out a 114-109 win over the banged-up Indiana Pacers Wednesday night.
Tyrese Maxey came alive in the fourth quarter to lead the Sixers with 27 points, adding five rebounds and four assists shooting 8-of-18 from the floor. Joel Embiid put up 21 points and 11 rebounds going 9-of-17 from the field.
LeBron James also dramatically improved in the final period — he finished with 13 points, five rebounds and 10 assists on 5-of-12 shooting. Jaylen Brown shot 7-of-13 for 20 points and 10 rebounds. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 26.
Jabari Walker remained out with knee soreness, along with Dominick Barlow and Tacko Fall. The Pacers were without Tyrese Haliburton, Ivica Zubac and T.J. McConnell.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
Not a pretty start for either team. The Sixers turned the ball over twice within 30 seconds then blew a switch on an inbounds to concede their first points of the game. Their offense opened the game looking stagnant. Brown, Embiid, and LeBron slowly got them on the board in the midrange.
On their first possession coming out of the game’s first timeout, they had some movement going and got Embiid an easy basket running a pick-and-roll with James. Aside from some disinterest in Larry Nance, the Sixers opened the game fine defensively and benefitted from the Pacers starting cold as well. Indy started the game 3-of-11 from three.
Anfernee Simons checked into the game and knocked down two three-pointers after only hitting two in his last three games. He ended up being the only Sixer to make a three in the quarter, and the only Sixer to take more than one three in the quarter.
Despite a ticky-tacky quarter from the officials that ended with two fouls on both Embiid and Adem Bona, the Sixers closed out another lackluster offensive quarter with a 47.6% effective field goal percentage and were knotted up with this banged-up Pacers team at 25.
Second Quarter
Despite the best efforts of those officials, there was no denying that Pacers’ two-way swingman Jalen Slawson had a LeBron-esque chase down block on James himself in transition. Indiana used an early challenge to overturn the foul originally called. Slawson might have been robbed of a block shortly after, but Brown got the points from the goaltend and drove right to the basket on the following possession.
Kelly Oubre Jr. started the second for Indy with a three, then beat most the Sixers back for a transition layup off an inbound. The Sixers kept feeding their hot hand, Simons, for two more. His fourth three of the night banked off the backboard and rim before falling in. Maxey hit LeBron off a pick-and-roll for another jumper off the glass that capped off an 8-0 Sixers run.
Sometimes when the Sixers have moved the ball this season, they might go one or two passes too many, but that’s a much more welcomed struggle than stagnation. Embiid might passed up a good look at a layup, but the ball eventually was kicked back to Maxey who drew a foul on his layup attempt.
VJ Edgecombe started the game with an open three that rimmed out and just missed a big slam earlier in the second. He finally got on the board crashing the glass and putting back a missed Embiid midrange. The Sixers only missed four times from inside the arc in the second and the Sixers scored on second-chance points on two of them. A missed Embiid layup fell right to Brown for an easy 12-footer.
The Sixers began to surrender all that momentum as the Pacers ripped off an 8-0 run, but for the third time this season they nailed an end-of-quarter heave. Edgecombe drilled a pull-up from half court to beat the buzzer, pushing them back up to a 10-point lead at the half.
After the exciting end to the first half, the Sixers opened the second very flat. They went one unsuccessful isolation attempt after another while the Pacers ripped off a 10-0 run. Nick Nurse called a timeout to stop it, but the Pacers hit a three after another missed contested midrange before the Sixers threw it away on the ensuing inbounds.
Indiana ended up scoring 17 before the Sixers scored their first points of the half. While they didn’t just get down and go to the basket, LeBron finally got an open three to go off a drive-and-kick. Maxey, who had five points to this point, nailed another triple off a give-and-go to finally halt Indiana’s momentum.
The first “hold your breath” moment was when LeBron bumped knees with Slawson. Those will hurt a lot more at LeBron’s age than Slawson’s. That didn’t help how much the Pacers were outrunning the Sixers. It’s their bread and butter, and the Sixers gave them plenty of ugly possessions to get out and do it.
Brown got to the basket and drew a foul in another attempt to stop the bleeding, but took a shot to the head that bothered him in the process. It would be their final points of the third. KCP missed an open kickout, Maxey couldn’t get a clean layup off, Dean Wade picked up his fifth foul unable to stop Siakam, and Brown’s pull-up at the buzzer was long. After being outscored 32-13, they trailed by 13.
Fourth Quarter
Oubre tried to sell a foul coming off a Maxey screen and left Simons wide open as a result. LeBron stripped him, allowing Maxey to scream down the court for a fastbreak layup. After finding Simons again in the corner, LeBron was left all alone and drilled the three he took his time for, cutting the lead to five and prompting a Pacers timeout. Simons finished with 20 points on the night.
The Sixers were lucky to have not given up any points despite giving up three offensive rebounds on the first possession coming out of the timeout. As Tim Legler was saying on ESPN’s broadcast that Embiid hadn’t gotten the ball in his sweetspot enough in the half, James hit him at the nail for a layup and the foul. Embiid then threw a great swing pass to Simons who missed the three, but after just checking back in Brown was right there to put back the miss.
Playing off two-man actions with Embiid, Maxey got to the basket then the line to put the Sixers back in front. As the two again got Embiid on the empty side of the floor, Edgecombe cut to the middle of the floor and was fouled on a made floater. He hit Embiid’s celebration as the big fella tried to help him up.
Maxey found Embiid with a pocket pass to answer a pair of free throws, but once Siakam got another post hook to go to cut the Sixers’ lead to three, Nurse decided for another timeout to get LeBron out of the game. After Embiid traveled trying to secure an offensive rebound, Indy got it down to one thanks to Andrew Nembhard. Embiid was able to hit a fadeaway from the nail to quiet the crowd.
After going three-of-four at the line, Maxey finally started to look like himself around the perimeter. He hit a stepback three, taking his time after getting free of Aaron Nesmith. The Pacers got two back at the line, but in the process of trying to get the ball out of LeBron’s hands they left Maxey open for another three.
The Sixers looked to have this one in hand after those threes and Obi Toppin split his pair of free throws. On a scrambled inbounds play Edgecombe threw a poor pass out of bounds with 31 seconds left, plenty of time for Indy down five. They grabbed the offensive rebound off of Nesmith’s first three, but he got it back and airballed his second attempt. It was fitting that it wasn’t pretty, but the Sixers finally handled business.
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche scored four third-period goals to defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-2, bouncing back from a 6-2 road loss to Nashville behind goals from Nazem Kadri, Parker Kelly, Nathan MacKinnon, Jaden Schwartz and Gabriel Landeskog.
Colorado’s offense came alive in the final period, with five different players finding the back of the net to secure the win. Connor Brown scored both of New Jersey’s goals, while Brent Burns recorded two assists to bring his career total to 949 points, moving him into 10th place on the all-time points list among defensemen.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 15 saves for Colorado, while Jake Allen stopped 36 shots in a busy night for New Jersey. Despite Allen’s efforts and Brown’s two-goal performance, the Avalanche pulled away in the third period, scoring four times to put the game out of reach and earn a much-needed bounce-back victory.
First Period
Despite holding an advantage in shots on goal, Colorado struggled to capitalize on its chances, while New Jersey made the most of its opportunity. However, the biggest concern for the Avalanche came late in the period, when defenseman Josh Manson went down near the bench and needed assistance from a trainer to leave the ice.
Nazem Kadri's post-game remarks.
New Jersey’s defense delivered the first major hit of the game as Colorado attempted to generate a rush. Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon caught Nazem Kadri with a heavy check into the boards, leaving the Avalanche center visibly shaken as he took a moment to regain his bearings.
With nine minutes remaining in the opening period, Logan O’Connor nearly gave Colorado the breakthrough. The Avalanche forward found a loose puck in the low slot with the net wide open, presenting a golden opportunity to put his team ahead 1-0. However, Devils defenseman Brett Pesce hooked O’Connor at the last moment, sending him tumbling to the ice and preventing a potential goal.
Although Pesce’s intervention thwarted Colorado’s scoring chance, it came at a cost for New Jersey, as the infraction sent the Avalanche to the power play.
Colorado failed to capitalize on the man advantage, and the ensuing sequence quickly turned disastrous. The Avalanche surrendered possession, allowing New Jersey to break the other way on a two-on-one rush. Connor Brown carried the puck forward, sold the passing option with a convincing fake, and then sent a shot toward the net that banked off goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and crossed the goal line to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.
The goal marked a costly swing in momentum for Colorado, which had been presented with an opportunity to strike first but instead found itself chasing the game.
The Avalanche suffered another concerning setback with just over four minutes remaining in the period when Manson went down near the Colorado bench. While on the ice, Manson made several attempts to open the bench gate but struggled to reach it. He eventually managed to get through, where a trainer immediately assisted him down the tunnel.
Manson’s departure cast a shadow over an already frustrating period for Colorado, with his condition unclear as the teams headed toward the intermission.
After 20 minutes, the Avalanche trailed the Devils 1-0 despite holding the edge in shots on goal. Colorado needed a stronger response in the second period, but Manson’s apparent injury added another layer of concern as the team attempted to erase the deficit and get back into the contest.
Second Period
Colorado found its equalizer with 9:02 remaining in the second period, capitalizing on the power play to pull even at 1-1. Jaden Schwartz found Gabriel Landeskog at the doorstep, where the Avalanche captain scored his fifth goal of the season.
The goal came moments after Colorado’s first power-play unit had left the ice. Notably, Nathan MacKinnon did not finish the shift with the rest of the unit, exiting early as Brock Nelson took his place.
MacKinnon’s frustration became more apparent a short time later. Following another difficult shift, the Avalanche star was seen yelling on the bench after slamming his stick against the boards, adding a tense moment to Colorado’s efforts to take control of the game.
The momentum shifted again late in the period when O’Connor was called for cross-checking Jack Hughes into the boards with 1:59 remaining. The penalty sent Colorado to the penalty kill at a critical point in the game.
The situation grew more contentious with 31.4 seconds left, when Brent Burns was called for tripping Luke Evangelista, giving New Jersey a two-man advantage. Boos erupted as the call was announced, and the replay appeared to show Evangelista battling for a loose puck before getting sandwiched between Nicolas Roy and Burns. The sequence appeared to suggest Roy was responsible for knocking Evangelista to the ice, rather than Burns, prompting a strong reaction from the crowd.
The second period ended with the score tied 1-1, but Colorado’s late penalties left the Avalanche in a precarious position. O’Connor had one second remaining on his penalty, while Burns had 1:28 left on his minor, leaving Colorado to begin the third period shorthanded.
The Avalanche also received confirmation between periods that Manson, who had left the game injured in the first, would not return.
Colorado had recovered from its early deficit, but it faced an immediate test to begin the final 20 minutes. With New Jersey holding a 5-on-3 advantage, the Avalanche needed a crucial penalty kill to keep the game even.
Third Period
Colorado passed its first test of the third period, killing off the remaining penalties to neutralize New Jersey’s 5-on-3 advantage and keep the score tied at 1-1.
The successful penalty kill gave the Avalanche an opportunity to seize control, and Kadri wasted little time taking advantage. At 2:45, the Colorado center scored his second goal of the season, burying a rebound off an initial shot from Nicolas Roy to put the Avalanche ahead 2-1.
Just 62 seconds after Kadri’s goal, Parker Kelly struck for his second of the season, firing a shot past Devils goaltender Jake Allen to extend the lead to 3-1. The quick succession of goals transformed a tightly contested game into a two-goal advantage for Colorado and put New Jersey under immediate pressure.
With eight minutes remaining in regulation, MacKinnon delivered another blow to the Devils. Breaking free on a breakaway, the Avalanche star finished the opportunity to make it 4-1, adding to Colorado’s growing lead after a second period in which his frustration had been evident on the bench.
The Avalanche added another goal just 30 seconds later. Schwartz followed up a shot from Sam Malinski by finding the back of the net to push the lead to 5-1, capping a devastating stretch for New Jersey.
The Devils managed to respond with 4:37 remaining, as Brown scored his second goal of the game to cut Colorado’s lead to 5-2. Brown accounted for both New Jersey goals, giving the Devils some late offense after Colorado’s third-period outburst had seemingly put the contest out of reach.
The late goal narrowed the margin, but Colorado maintained its three-goal advantage to secure the victory.
The third period was the difference for Colorado. After surrendering the opening goal and struggling to convert early chances, the Avalanche responded through Landeskog’s second-period power-play goal before breaking the game open in the final frame.
The penalty kill to begin the third was particularly important. Facing a 5-on-3 disadvantage, Colorado prevented New Jersey from reclaiming the lead or building momentum. Kadri’s goal shortly afterward gave the Avalanche their first lead, and Kelly doubled the advantage just over a minute later.
MacKinnon and Schwartz then scored 30 seconds apart to extend the lead to 5-1, completing a four-goal third period for Colorado. Brown’s second goal of the night made the final score 5-2, but it did little to diminish the Avalanche’s decisive response.
The victory provided a strong rebound after Colorado’s 6-2 road loss to Nashville. The Avalanche showed resilience after a difficult opening period and turned a close game into a convincing win with a relentless offensive surge.
Manson’s injury remained a concern, however, after the defenseman left in the first period and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. His status will be worth monitoring as Colorado moves forward.
For the Avalanche, the win offered a much-needed return to form. Landeskog supplied the equalizer, Kadri and Kelly delivered the go-ahead and insurance goals, and MacKinnon and Schwartz finished the rally in emphatic fashion. Brown provided both goals for New Jersey, but Colorado’s four-goal third period ultimately proved decisive in the 5-2 victory.
The versatile forward from Brigham Young led the Wizards with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting (1-for-3 on 3-pointers) and added two assists and two rebounds in 27 minutes. Dybansta missed the Wizards' first four games after suffering a left ankle sprain in an awkward landing during the Wizards' preseason finale.
The 19-year-old Dybantsa averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 43.9% from the field in four preseason games with the Wizards.
Dybantsa is expected to make his home debut in Washington, D.C., against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, Oct. 30.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 28: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards plays defense during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Kolin/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards suffered a sour loss Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena, 121-111. It was a game that felt like the Wizards had every opportunity to win, but they never put the Cavs away until their opponents came roaring back late.
Washington’s first quarter was one of the most fun periods the team has had as far as I can remember. AJ Dybantsa came out guns blazing, scoring 9 first-quarter points in his first taste of NBA action. His first basket was an instant highlight.
Alex Sarr also took the court with some added aggression. He accounted for 7 of the Wizards’ first 9 points and scored more points in the period (13) than he has in any full game this season.
The three-ball kept the Cavaliers within striking distance early. Cleveland shot 7-of-8 from deep in the first 12 minutes, as Washington led 42-34 after one.
The Wizards continued their aerial assault in the second quarter, scoring six dunks. Washington scored 40 of their first 56 points in the paint to take a 69-59 lead into the break. Bilal Coulibaly led the way with 14 points at the half, while Dybantsa added 11.
Washington took its largest lead of 13 two minutes into the third quarter on a Dybantsa alley-oop dunk. But the Wiz kids just could not pull away completely as the Cavs crashed the offensive glass repeatedly for second-chance points. The good guys got outscored 25-14 to close the period as the teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 92.
The Wizards’ inexperience showed down the stretch. The formerly free-flowing offense featured in the first half was nowhere to be found, as the team devolved into hero ball against a team much better equipped to score in isolation. The Cavs came away with the 10-point victory.
Dybantsa led Washington in scoring with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in 27 action-packed minutes. Trae Young scored an inefficient 14 points with 8 assists. Sarr and Anthony Davis each had 18, while Kyshawn George tallied 8 points and 11 assists.
The Wizards begin their NBA Cup campaign on Friday in a rematch against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 28: Peyton Watson #8 celebrates with Mario Hezonja #33 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on October 28, 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 completed another comeback to notch their third straight win.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Player of the game
Evan Mobley
24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
Mobley kicked open the game by nailing his first three three-point attempts. He’d go on to hit 5-of-6 in one of the best three-point shooting games of his career.
The outside shot has always been a question mark for Mobley, but it’s been more consistent than ever to start the season.
You’d still like to see him establish himself in the paint. This has been two games in a row where Mobley was forced to rely on the perimeter shot more than his bread-and-butter in the restricted area. That’s partly because he’s matched up against generational defenders in Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis in consecutive games.
I don’t love the idea of Mobley relying too much on three-pointers. But if he shoots it like this, then I don’t have much to complain about.
Grade: A
Grades
Donovan Mitchell
19 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds
Mitchell’s shot wasn’t falling tonight as he started 4-for-11 from the floor. He converted back-to-back shots in the fourth to help close the door.
Credit to Washington, who set the tone early and made it so Mitchell had to work hard on both ends of the floor. His defense left much to be desired tonight.
Grade: C-
James Harden
16 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
It was one of Harden’s poorest defensive efforts to date as the Wizards left him trailing more often than not. In fact, Harden spent most of his time stuck in concrete defensively. An ounce of effort in transition, or simply in the halfcourt, would have saved the Cavs some trouble throughout this one.
Grade: D+
Peyton Watson
22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
Watson is getting more comfortable as he has had the best offensive half of his career in Cleveland so far. He scored 16 points in the first two quarters, shooting 7-for-11 from the floor and scoring from all three levels throughout.
The ball went away from him in the second half as the Cavaliers’ offense funneled more through their backcourt. But his energy kept him on the board, with Watson finishing a putback layup during Cleveland’s rally in the fourth quarter.
Grade: A-
Jarrett Allen
8 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks
Allen was one of the only Cavaliers who seemed interested in playing defense tonight. He had three fantastic blocks, each of which saved a bucket at the rim. Allen’s energy doesn’t always get appreciated, but we won’t be overlooking him tonight.
Grade: B
Jaylon Tyson
7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Tyson was a bit helter-skelter tonight. His frantic dribbling slowed down some of Cleveland’s momentum in the fourth quarter before a timeout was needed to steady the ship.
Grade: D+
Mario Hezonja
5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Hezonja hasn’t been as involved recently, but he’s nailed clutch three-pointers in each of his last two games. That speaks to his professionalism and his ability to stay ready at all times.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Merrill finally found his touch after a lackluster start to the season. It was only two three-pointers, but there’s nothing quite like watching Merrill hit difficult three-pointers, and Rocket Arena went into a frenzy after his second make.
Grade: C+
Meleek Thomas
16 points, 2 rebounds
I can’t overstate how impressed I’ve been with Meleek’s defensive energy through two games. His attention to detail has been superb, and his active hands have led to numerous forced turnovers.
I especially liked when he jumped an entry pass to the post after helping off the opposite corner.
On offense, Thomas went 0-for-1 from deep, but finished 4-of-5 attempts inside the arc by being a threat to sprint in transition and get downhill.
If he keeps playing like this, we’ll have to adjust our expectations and start grading him on a different curve.
Through the last five games, the Kings managed to steal three wins away from Los Angeles. Was this road trip a success or does it bring up the same flaws with the team?
During this five-game stretch, the Kings showed a fair share of improvements. Especially the goaltenders who played better than they did in the first 6 games.
Darcy Kuemper recorded a .953 save percentage against the Islanders, which was his best game of the season. He also notched a .938 save percentage against the Capitals, which is tied for his second-highest rating.
Anton Forsberg also had an impressive showing in the two games he started. Forsberg recorded a .926 save percentage against the Blackhawks and a .920 save percentage against the Devils.
Both goaltenders had two games with a .920 save percentage or higher, which helped the defense drastically. The Kings had four games where they allowed 2 goals or fewer and only 1 game with 3 goals. The Kings allowed fewer goals in the five road games than their average 3.36 goals allowed per game.
Although Los Angeles had improved their goaltending, there were still issues the team displayed. The Kings showed the same struggles on offense and continued to generate limited shots on goal.
In four of the previous five games, the Kings had fewer shots on goal than their opponents. The other game was against the Rangers where both teams had 26 shots on goal.
So far this season, the Kings have racked up a total of 297 shots in 11 games. This ranks as the sixth-lowest total number of shots in the entire league.
Lack of shots was evident as not once did the Kings record 30 shots on the road trip. The offense is still a question mark the Kings have to answer as they head back to Los Angeles.
While the limited shots on the net is still a concern, the road trip was still something to behold. The Kings actually racked up some wins, something that didn't happen through the first six games.
Questions are still present about the offensive production but the Kings at least improved in protecting the net. As shown on this road trip, that can lead to winning hockey and building momentum.
Not only did the Kings break their win-less streak, but they had a winning record. The three wins showed that Los Angeles can rely on their goaltending.
Before these last five games, the Kings had no signs of hope on offense, defense or goaltending. After those five games, Los Angeles built up some wins and had stable goaltending. Therefore, the Kings showed some progression and had an overall successful road trip.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 28: Kingston Flemings #4 of the Atlanta Hawks high fives teammate after the game against the Miami Heat on October 28, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks mounted a fourth-quarter rally but could not overcome Miami’s interior production, falling to the Heat 129–117 on Wednesday despite a career-high 23 points from rookie Kingston Flemings.
Flemings added five rebounds and five assists, providing a spark off the bench as Atlanta attempted to climb back into the game. Lu Dort also knocked down a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers, helping the Hawks trim the deficit to five. Miami ultimately closed out the victory by continuing to attack the basket and get to the free-throw line.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo combined for 48 points and 27 rebounds, anchoring an interior advantage Atlanta struggled to counter throughout the night.
The Hawks opened with little offensive rhythm. Their perimeter shots were not falling, and disjointed possessions made it difficult to establish a consistent attack. At the other end, Miami repeatedly found opportunities near the basket. Adebayo scored nine first-quarter points as the Heat shot 65 percent from the field in the period.
Atlanta’s bench helped change the offensive flow in the second quarter. Aaron Wiggins and Flemings supplied a lift, helping the Hawks cut the deficit to two points.
However, that progress was undermined by turnovers and defensive breakdowns. Miami found open looks beyond the arc and continued getting to the rim, while Atlanta struggled to draw Antetokounmpo and Adebayo away from the paint. The Hawks also had trouble on the boards at both ends, adding to the challenge of sustaining their comeback.
Atlanta entered halftime trailing by 13.
The Hawks showed more aggression on both ends to begin the third quarter, trimming eight points off the deficit. That momentum proved short-lived as fouls interrupted their progress and sent Miami to the line.
The fourth quarter brought another push, with Flemings’ offensive production and Dort’s perimeter shooting giving Atlanta a chance. The rookie’s performance was a bright spot, providing scoring and playmaking off the bench when the Hawks needed both.
Still, Atlanta could not consistently keep Miami out of the paint. The same problems that hurt the Hawks early resurfaced down the stretch, with the Heat generating opportunities inside and at the foul line to prevent the rally from becoming a comeback victory.
The Hawks return home Thursday to face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET.
The first involves the health of Sean Durzi, who took a third maintenance day since Oct. 21 at Tuesday’s practice and who head coach Mike Sullivan said postgame Monday is “battling through some stuff physically.”
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And the second, if Durzi remains in the lineup as he has for all 14 Blueshirts games this season entering Sunday’s match with Edmonton, involves the status of his pairing with Marcus Pettersson after they were split up in the loss to the Kings.
Durzi and Pettersson have been nearly inseparable since they were acquired in separate July 1 trades — Durzi from the Mammoth in the Vincent Trocheck deal, Pettersson from the Canucks.
They skated together from the first day of training camp and were a “pretty solid pair” over the Rangers’ first seven or eight games, Sullivan estimated.
Sean Durzi handles the puck during the Rangers’ loss to the Maple Leafs on Oct. 22, 2026 in Toronto. NHLI via Getty Images
But then in the first period Monday, Sullivan started using Pettersson with Braden Schneider and Durzi with 18-year-old rookie Alberts Smits.
“I think they were more effective,” Sullivan said Tuesday when asked what the Durzi-Pettersson pair did better earlier in the season. “I thought they defended well. I thought their execution with the puck, helping us get out [of] our end, executing tape-to-tape passes, things of that nature. In particular, I think they were defending the rush much better.”
The Rangers have struggled defensively in front of their goaltenders in the wake of Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury, especially when it comes to containing opposing teams on the rush, but Sullivan has avoided any major change with his defensive pairings since the start of training camp.
Even with Scott Morrow waiting as the other right-handed defenseman on the roster — and a healthy scratch for every game. Even with Matthew Robertson on the roster to start the year, then in AHL Hartford after clearing waivers and now back as the other left-handed defenseman.
The Rangers’ three defensive pairings have remained the same at the start of each of their 14 games this season. But that could change by Sunday.
After Joonas Korpisalo, who continued skating on his own Tuesday, eventually returns from the lower-body injury that has kept him sidelined since the season opener, he’ll become the fifth goalie to appear in a game for the Blueshirts this season — joining Shesterkin, Dylan Garand, Spencer Martin and, for all of eight shots and three goals Monday,James Reimer.
It’ll mark the first time the Blueshirts have used at least five goaltenders in one season since 2009-10, when Henrik Lundqvist, Chad Johnson, Steve Valiquette, Alex Auld and Matt Zaba all logged time in net for them.
Before that, it hadn’t happened since 2003-04 (Mike Dunham, Jussi Markkanen, Jason LaBarbera, Jamie McLennan and Valiquette).
When the iconic pregame show aired later that evening, Johnson was joined by his three co-hosts, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and former Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal, where he was told by the three of them what he means to them.
Ernie Johnson presenting New York Knicks owner Jim Dolan with the NBA trophy during the NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / NY Post“Inside the NBA” performing a live pregame show during the NBA Finals. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
O’Neal was the first member of the cast to confide in Johnson, and he told him he grew up watching him on TV as a kid and thanked him for “the great run,” while also revealing he didn’t know something personal about Johnson.
His age.
Shaquille O’Neal gives his farewell to Ernie Johnson:
“Thanks for the great run. I never thought this day would come. I didn’t even know you were 70.” pic.twitter.com/JlVy8JHJBB
“I never thought this day would come. I didn’t even know you were 70,” O’Neal said. “Makes sense now.”
O’Neal left Johnson laughing during the pregame show and then started talking to him about when he found out about his retirement and expressed his gratitude for working with him for the last 14 years.
“I heard the news today like everyone else and listening to what everyone’s saying about ‘What’s going to happen next?’ You know we’re not too worried about what’s going to happen next,” O’Neal said. “What’s happening now is we’re still here, and we’re gonna have a great year.”
Shaquille O’Neal tells Ernie Johnson he didn’t know he was 70. Getty Images
O’Neal told Johnson that he appreciates him and started to talk about some of their great moments, including when he intentionally tripped him.
Johnson has been working on “Inside the NBA” since 1990, a year after it debuted on Nov. 4, 1989, on TNT, and has become one of the most beloved sports broadcasters.
O’Neal joined the show after his final season in the NBA in 2011 and has been one of the biggest mainstays alongside his other three co-hosts. O’Neal, Johnson, Smith and Barkley are the only people to have remained on the show for more than 10 years.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 28: James Harden #1 and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers boxes out during the game against the Washington Wizards on October 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Kolin/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 121-111 after trailing by double digits at halftime. It’s Cleveland’s third win in a row.
Evan Mobley led the Cavs in scoring with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Mobley, in particular, had it rolling from downtown with 5-of-6 three-point attempts going in. He fell one shy of his career-high (six versus Charlotte in the 2024-25 season).
This wasn’t exactly a defensive masterclass in the first half. Cleveland struggled to get back in transition or in the half-court matchup, with Washington hanging 42 points on them while shooting 13-for-18 inside of two-point range.
The Wizards scored 26 points in the paint during the first quarter. AJ Dybantsa, last summer’s No. 1 overall pick, scored 9 points and didn’t miss a shot in his first stint.
Cleveland eventually found a spark in the second quarter as Peyton Watson began scoring from all three levels. He buried a few jumpers from the mid-range before stepping out behind the arc and canning a three-pointer. Watson finished the half with 16 points on 7-11 shooting.
Still, the Cavs found themselves down by double digits heading into halftime for the second straight game. Their poor interior and transition defense was to blame.
There was a marginal increase in effort for the second half. Not enough to avoid another backdoor alley-oop, but the Cavs amped their intensity to the point where it was a tie game entering the fourth quarter. Half of the battle is giving yourself a chance to win in the end.
The Cavs carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, where timely shots from Mario Hezonja and Meleek Thomas put them in front. Thomas, who won over Cleveland in his debut on Monday, had another strong performance on the defensive end.
A win tonight makes the Cavs 3-1 on the season, with another game tomorrow on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. They’ll conclude the month of October with a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Halloween night.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Yandy Díaz kept flexing his left knee between pitches. Then he drew a walk and kept going.
The Rays' leadoff hitter appeared to twist the knee during his at-bat in the third inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night. He stepped out once, with Rays manager Kevin Cash and trainer Joe Benge coming out to look at him, and again flexing his knee as he went to get a new bat. He finished the at-bat and took first base.
There, he called time again and a trainer came out. Díaz stayed in, but he limped into third on a fly ball and walked slowly off the field.
"I hope he is OK," Rays manager Kevin Cash said in an in-game interview on FOX. "We need his bat in there."
Tampa Bay trails the series 3-1 and trailed in the game 1-0 at the time of Diaz’s injury. No team has forced a Game 6 after falling behind 3-0 in the World Series. The Rays are already playing with Junior Caminero on a sore left foot from Game 4, and now their 35-year-old designated hitter is hurting too.
Díaz has dealt with this knee before. He left an August 2022 game against the Kansas City Royals with left knee soreness, and an August 2024 game against the San Diego Padres with left knee patellar tendinitis.
“We need the bat to stay in. He’ll get some treatment. Good thing he’s a DH.”
He hit .293 in the regular season. He and Steven Matz are the only Rays who had played in a World Series before this one, and Díaz did it with Tampa Bay in 2020. He had three hits in the Rays' Game 5 win over Cleveland in the ALCS. In this series, he had two hits in Game 3, then a hit and a walk in Game 4.
Diaz is one of the most reliable bats in the Rays lineup. He hit .293 this season, third best in the American League, with 22 home runs and 85 RBIs, and he led the AL with 180 hits on his way to a second All-Star selection.
If the knee forces him out, Cash doesn’t have much to work with. He already said Tuesday that the bench was thin. Cedric Mullins, Nick Fortes and Jorge Mateo have combined for seven plate appearances through the first seven games. Victor Mesa, Jr. and Mullins are the left-handed options. Mateo and Fortes the right-handed onese. Richie Palacios is another left.
CHICAGO — Mike Brown said he’s waiting for the Knicks to get back “on track” before incorporating some of the younger players — specifically Mo Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet.
“It’s tough because going into the season early on, one of [the] things I wanted to experiment with is playing 10 or 10 ½ guys [as my rotation],” Brown said. “And Mo is in that mix. Mo and Pac. Give them different opportunities at different times. And we experimented with different stuff and our players not getting it done caused us to start off a little slow.
“So to get us on track, we’re going to hold the fort down with a veteran group of guys. Hopefully we get to the point sooner than later that I can start throwing those [young] guys out there.”
New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara rebounds the ball during the third quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden in New York, Friday, April 10, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Brown, meanwhile, has warned in his news conferences, at least twice, that the bench rotation is fluid.
Spots can be won or lost. The coach proved it already by benching Andre Drummond, a demotion that only lasted about a half against the Magic. Still, Brown’s nine- to 10-man rotation had been fairly consistent heading into Wednesday against the Bulls, with the one wrinkle being Tyler Kolek’s inclusion because Jose Alvarado missed three straight games with an ankle sprain.
With everybody healthy, it looked like this:
PG: Jalen Brunson, Alvarado
SG: Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson
SF: Josh Hart, Landry Shamet
PF: OG Anunoby
C: Karl-Anthony Towns, Drummond
New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara (51) shoots during practice at their training facility in Tarrytown, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Notably absent from virtually any playing time was Diawara, a rangy forward who was a bit of a revelation as a second-round pick last season but lost his rotation spot before the playoffs. Diawara earned a new contract — four years, $11.3 million (only half guaranteed) — but not more playing time.
At least not yet.
Diawara’s would-be minutes were going to Clarkson, the rotation’s 10th man. However, Brown only went with nine players in Tuesday’s victory over the Pistons — leaving Clarkson with his first DNP.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. The New York Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons 111-97. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Our starting five is what it is,” Brown said. “But everybody else after that, until we find something that’s working consistently, I’m going to try to give different guys opportunities.”
In the bigger picture, the rotation underscores how the Knicks weren’t created through the draft. Following Mitchell Robinson’s defection to Beantown, they’re down to just one homegrown pick as a rotation player — McBride. Kolek, who played a combined 26 minutes in the two games prior to Wednesday, might be the last hope of the 2024 draft class.
Dadiet (the 25th pick that year) is out of the rotation and headed toward free agency if, as assumed, the Knicks don’t pick up next season’s contract by Saturday’s deadline. Kevin McCullar Jr. (56th pick) was waived last week. Ariel Hukporti (58th) left for the Sixers in free agency.
New York Knicks forward Pacome Dadiet (4) dunks the ball in the second half of a preseason game at Madison Square Garden, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in New York. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Part of this is the product of the second apron. The Knicks traded out of the first round this year because it would’ve been more expensive to make the pick. In 2024, they drafted Dadiet in the first round because he was willing to sign for less money.
A year ago, the main reason the Knicks inked Diawara to a standard contract was his low salary, just to stay under the apron. Then he unexpectedly cracked the rotation. Now Diawara has to wait for the Knicks to settle in comfortably before his next opportunity.
Karl-Anthony Towns suffered an apparent wrist injury in the New York Knicks' matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
In the first quarter, Jalen Brunson brought the ball down the court for the defending champions. He passed the ball to Towns, who was just inside the arc. Noa Essengue was guarding Brunson and chased him around the perimeter, running into Towns and knocking Towns down. Towns laid on the hardwood for a small amount of time and writhed in pain.
Karl-Anthony Towns has gone back to the locker room of Bulls-Knicks after an apparent wrist injury. pic.twitter.com/xMAt7OP9XX
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