New York Rangers goaltender James Reimer reacts after allowing a goal in the first period during an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.
The Rangers got off to such strong starts at the beginning of the season that the team didn’t give up a single first-period goal until their seventh game.
Over their past seven contests, however, the Blueshirts have allowed a combined nine first-period goals while scoring only five. The high level of energy they had at puck drop earlier this season has steadily slipped, most recently resulting in a two-goal deficit by the first intermission on the way to a 6-3 loss to the Kings on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
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“The biggest thing for me was I didn’t love the start,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the loss. “I just didn’t think, from a mindset standpoint, I don’t think we had enough guys that were ready to play from the drop of the puck. So we’ve got to fix that fast. The onus is on each individual to get himself ready for when the puck drops. It wasn’t everybody, but we just didn’t have enough.”
After giving up two goals on the first two shots he faced, veteran goalie James Reimer heard sarcastic applause from the MSG crowd for making his first save in a red, white and blue sweater.
The very first Kings goal came off a Drew Doughty leading feed to Taylor Ward, who split Rangers defensemen Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson for a breakaway goal.
Sullivan ended up splitting Durzi and Pettersson later in the game after they were on for the Kings second goal as well.
New York Rangers goaltender James Reimer reacts after allowing a goal in the first period during an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Durzi took some shifts next to Alberts Smits, while Pettersson skated alongside Braden Schneider.
“It was an accumulation of events over time,” Sullivan said of what led to the decision. “We felt as a coaching staff, for the first probably seven or eight games, Marcus and Durz were a pretty solid pair for us. They get hard minutes, they get a lot of D-zone starts against top players. That pair has been pretty solid for us. I think the last five or six it’s been a little bit of a struggle for them, for whatever reason. Durz is battling through some stuff physically and I’m sure that might be part of it.
“But we just felt to affect a little bit of change, maybe we’ll split the pairs and see what we get. It wasn’t a reaction to the game tonight, it was an accumulation of events over the course of the last probably four or five games.”
“I really enjoyed being here,” said Laviolette, who is now head coach of the Kings. “I love being at Madison Square Garden. I mean, the New York fans were just awesome. I can’t tell you how many times I was around the country and somebody would come up to me and say, ‘I’m the biggest Rangers fan ever.’ And I’m like, ‘They’re all the biggest Rangers fans ever.’ And I think they are. They talk about the history of how their grandfather took them to a game like 50 years ago, and they’re 60 years old and now they’re taking their grandkids. Because it’s been around for 100 years, you get stories like that. “You can feel the passion from the people and the fans, and it’s pretty cool to be in a city like this. It’s one of the greatest cities in the country. It’s a huge sports market. It’s Madison Square Garden. It’s the New York Rangers. There was a lot of things that I loved about being here and part of New York.”
Adam Fox skated in his 500th NHL game and extended his home point streak to seven straight games (one goal, eight assists).
DENVER — Stephen Curry didn’t miss a shot, Yaxel Lendeborg turned in his best effort yet and, at long last, the Warriors got into the win column Monday night against the Nuggets.
Curry finished with 24 points on eight shots, Lendeborg asserted himself with a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double and Brandin Podziemski seemed to unlock it all in Golden State’s first winning formula of the season.
The 134-114 win ended a seven-game losing streak for the Warriors in Denver and ensured they wouldn’t get off to a worse start than 2007-08, when they lost their first six games.
Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
In Podziemski’s 33 minutes, the Warriors outscored Denver by 33.
Lendeborg, who carried the load in the first half and upped his aggression after halftime, was a close second, at plus-27 in 31 minutes. Just about the only thing missing from the rookie’s best game of his young career was his 3-point shot, connecting on just 1-of-8 tries from deep.
Golden State Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg (1) smiles during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
But the 6-foot-9, 241-pounder more than made up for his cold shooting night by getting to the foul line 13 times and, importantly, sinking 12 of them. Lendeborg collected a game-high 12 boards, including four on the offensive end that helped the Warriors to 23 second-chance points.
He put an exclamation point on his performance late in the fourth quarter, catching a lob pass in transition from De’Anthony Melton, slamming it home and letting out a guttural yell.
Golden State Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg (1) dribbles the ball during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Curry checked out for the final time with 8:04 still to go and the Warriors leading 111-91.
After starting the season 0-for-12 from 3, Georges Niang drained back-to-back shots from deep to put the Warriors ahead to begin the second quarter, and they pretty much never looked back. Golden State fell behind by as many as eight points in the first quarter but never trailed for the final 27:40.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, looks to pass the ball while under pressure from Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Denver. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
The Warriors entered halftime up four, despite Curry attempting just one shot from the field — a 3-pointer that found nothing but net after officials waved off an old-school 3-point play.
It wasn’t until Curry and Lendeborg both got going at the same time that the Warriors pulled away for good. Curry poured in 17 and Lendeborg added a dozen as Golden State turned a 60-56 halftime lead into a commanding 100-84 advantage by the end of the third.
In a welcome twist, it was Golden State’s supporting cast that set up Curry to stick the dagger in the second half.
The reality without Igor Shesterkin is beginning to dawn on the New York Rangers. That harsh reality was made even more apparent after their 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.
In the wake of Shesterkin’s season-ending injury, Garand had started in seven consecutive games, and while he began without a hitch, the cracks in his game were becoming increasingly evident, as he gave up a total of 10 goals through the Rangers’ most recent two-game road trip.
Sullivan noted that he was mindful of Garand’s workload, as Garand had only started in three NHL games prior to this season, but was the team’s best option in net with both Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo injured.
Korpisalo resumed skating on Sunday, but it’s still unclear when he’ll be able to return from a lower-body injury that has kept him out for multiple weeks.
In an attempt to give Garand a rest, the Rangers signed veteran goaltender James Reimer to a one-year, $850,000 contract and started him on Monday night against the Kings.
The gamble on Reimer did not go as planned. The 38-year-old goaltender gave up three goals on just eight shots and was pulled for Garand after the first period.
Mike Sullivan took accountability for throwing Reimer into a situation that he wasn't necessarily prepared for.
“Let's just acknowledge we're in a difficult circumstance when our top two goalies are injured. We're trying to find a way to shore this thing up as best we can,” Sullivan said. “I think Dylan has given us some really good games. His workload is mounting. For Reims, to come in the way he has in short order and come into a game like this, it's not an easy challenge. It's a tough challenge and I just felt like the way the game was going, I just felt like maybe Reims needs a little bit more preparation before we put him in that circumstance. I put him in a tough spot. That's on me.”
In relief of Reimer, Garand was forced to jump into action and made 15 saves on 17 shots, but was unable to change the momentum of the game.
Due to the Rangers’ lack of goaltending depth behind Garand at the moment, he’s been put into a difficult spot, not only presiding over the starting goaltending position but also taking on a heavy workload that is both physically and mentally taxing for any goalie, let alone one with very minimal NHL experience.
New York’s most recent skid, in which they’ve lost three consecutive games, cannot entirely be blamed on their goaltending play, though.
To start the season, the Rangers played a highly structured defensive brand of hockey that helped translate to an impressive 7-3 start to the season.
Recently, the Blueshirts have strayed away from the identity that they prided themselves on, giving up more high-danger scoring chances and struggling to play a tight defensive game over the course of their past few games.
“The last little stretch here has been trending the wrong way,” J.T. Miller said. “We need to go back to playing to our identity. We're playing the opposite of that right now. We're making it too easy. We're lacking physicality.”
The Rangers are not an overly dynamic offensive team, which is why they are not built to win in the high-scoring affairs they’ve found themselves in recently or come back from multi-goal deficits.
A key to the Rangers’ success to start the season was the way they were able to capture an early lead and protect it by effectively playing a strong shutdown defensive style.
However, they’ve recently put themselves in deficits, largely due to their faulty defensive play, and have had to chase the game, losing their identity in the process.
“I think our guys have played really well with the lead throughout the course of this early part of the season,” Sullivan said. “There's no doubt that that has been in fact the case. If you get down multiple goals in the game, it's hard because then you're chasing it… I think we've given up multiple goals and that's a challenge because now you're digging out of the hole, and that's tough.”
All of these issues go back to the root problem of Shesterkin’s absence.
The Rangers’ entire identity and style of play center around Shesterkin, whom Sullivan described as “arguably our best player.”
“When you look at the makeup of our group, we have an elite goalie in Shesty, and if we build a good team, solid team game in front of him, defend hard, we are going to be in a lot of hockey games,” Sullivan said after the Rangers’ Oct. 4 win over the Utah Mammoth.
Over the years, many of the Blueshirts’ flaws have been covered up by Shesterkin, but without him, the team’s weaknesses are only magnified.
These recent struggles have been a combination of the Rangers failing to put together a consistent defensive effort and their goaltending problems without Shesterkin catching up to them.
The Rangers won’t play again until Sunday, giving the team a much-needed rest and reset as they look to overcome this skid and get back on track.
The way Detroit Red Wings goaltender Michal Postava stared down two of the NHL's best forwards, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, made you think he'd done this more than a few times already.
Postava, in his first NHL start, helped backstop the Red Wings in a 4-3 shootout comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place, earning his first NHL victory.
After making 25 saves in regulation and overtime, including a game-saving stop in the waning seconds of OT on defenseman Evan Bouchard, Postava denied McDavid, Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the shootout, capping the final save with an emphatic fist pump in celebration as he was surrounded by his teammates.
The Oilers struck first thanks to a fortunate bounce off the skate of Vasily Podkolzin, who was credited with his eighth goal of the season in the game's opening period.
Former Oilers forward Viktor Arvidsson, who played one season in Edmonton in 2024-25, knotted the score at 1-1 with his fifth goal of the campaign, converting on the power play with a one-timed shot past goaltender Tristan Jarry off a feed from Lucas Raymond.
The Oilers and Red Wings traded goals 30 seconds apart in the early goings of the third period, as Emmitt Finnie responded a half minute after former Michigan State Spartan Isaac Howard gave Edmonton the lead.
It appeared as though Edmonton had scored the game-winning goal late in the frame after Colton Dach deflected a shot from Ryan Shea past Postava, who was soon pulled for an extra attacker.
Instead, it was Dylan Larkin who buried a loose puck past Jarry from the top of the crease with 1:17 left in regulation, knotting the score at 3-3.
Following a scoreless overtime, Lucas Raymond was the only shootout goal scorer, ensuring Detroit got the extra point in the standings.
While Postava made 25 saves for his first NHL win, Jarry stopped 26 Detroit shots.
The Red Wings, who finished their four-game road swing with a 2-1-1 record, return home to face former teammate Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday evening at Little Caesars Arena.
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ST. PETERSBURG — Junior Caminero had just made a great play to start the inning, he was ready when William Contreras came to the plate. He knew the play he wanted to make.
"I already had in mind going to second base," the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman said through an interpreter. "Once I got the ground ball, I was going to second base all the way."
Milwaukee became the first team to score eight two-out runs in a World Series inning, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Brewers lead the series 3-0 and can win the first championship in franchise history Tuesday night in the same building.
With runners on first and second, Contreras hit a hard ground ball deep into the hole at third. Caminero said he knew Contreras' speed going to first. He threw to second anyway. Christian Yelich was called out, but the Brewers challenged.
Then the replay came back. Yelich's foot reached the bag a beat before Ben Williamson caught the throw.
Contreras, a catcher, was still running to first.
"He might have had a play at Contreras getting down the first base line. Don't fault Cammy at all," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "That ball is a hard hit ground ball, topspin, took him almost back to the grass or the turf. Understood why he thought the best avenue was to go to second. But it was a good job by, I think, Yelich busting it to second base and getting there safe.
"It's easy to go back and look at. I've got the advantage of an iPad. Cammy doesn't have that. So he's doing everything he can to make the play right then and the best decision at that moment."
Caminero had opened the inning by leaping to snare David Hamilton's line drive. Now the bases were loaded and Cash had to pull Freddy Peralta for left-hander Cam Booser.
Brice Turang fought off a two-strike pitch and bounced a two-run single off shortstop Taylor Walls's glove up the middle.
"Wallsy always makes a play," Cash said, "and then it just kind of unraveled from there."
Garrett Mitchell singled in another run. Then Cooper Pratt hit a ground ball that found Caminero again. It caromed off him and rolled into left field for a two-run double.
Sal Frelick doubled. Hamilton singled. Jackson Chourio doubled. Booser faced four batters and didn't record an out. By the time Jake Bauers flied out to end it, the Brewers had seven two-out hits and eight two-out runs in one inning, which no team had ever done in a World Series.
"It's definitely deflating," Cash said. "How would it not be?"
"After the inning, it was a matter of 'All right, let's get the ball rolling and try to respond ourselves," Caminero said. "Things didn't work out our way."
In the sixth, Contreras grounded to Caminero again. This time the throw got away, an error that sent Contreras to second. It was Caminero's second error of the postseason.
Defense was supposed to be where Tampa Bay won.
The Rays saved 86 runs with their defense this season, second in the majors behind the Cubs, according to Sports Info Solutions. They held hitters to a .379 batting average on balls in play on hard contact, the best mark of the Statcast era. Shortstop Taylor Walls led all shortstops in Runs Saved.
Tampa Bay's .984 fielding percentage, however, ranked 19th in the majors, according to Baseball-Reference. Milwaukee's .987 ranked seventh. Caminero, who hit 42 home runs, also made 20 errors at third base.
The misplays have come in every game of this series. In Game 2, Jonathan Aranda's error cost a run, and Chandler Simpson's sliding drop in left extended an inning as Milwaukee erased a 4-0 deficit. Cameras caught Caminero erupting in the dugout afterward.
Caminero doesn't see it as the Rays beating themselves though.
"I don't even think it's been a matter of necessarily us playing bad," Caminero said. "The Brewers have been playing exceptionally well."
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 26: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket around Peyton Watson #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during overtime at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Timberwolves 127-125 in overtime. 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
We were due for a nailbiter. Unfortunately, this one didn’t go our way.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had to pull out all of the stops to keep this game close after a torrid 36-26 third quarter by the Cleveland Cavaliers, though the Wolves ultimately suffered their first defeat of the season in an overtime thriller. After splitting the season series 1-1 last year, this game had all the makings of a tight contest.
Circumstantially, this game was not set up for Minnesota to succeed. The Wolves were playing on the second night of a back-to-back after their first and only home game of the season thus far. The crisp offensive showings of the previous three wins seemed to go away as the game went on, as tired legs and sloppy play became the norm in the second half of the game.
Some could call it a “schedule loss.” While not entirely false, I think that may be a bit superficial.
Some poor decision-making and questionable foul calls would stand to doom the Wolves, though they fought through adversity and still almost came up with the win. It’s a tough loss to stomach, without a doubt, but this game provided some good early-season warning signs and key areas for the team to clean up.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 26: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves argues a call during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 26, 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
Scars of the Old Wolves Come Roaring Back
A disaster of a third quarter. Poor officiating decisions and even worse reactions to those calls. Letting a usually unheralded player torch you from beyond the arc. That’s the brand of Minnesota basketball that I am unfortunately all-too familiar with.
In my last postgame recap, I’d made a comment about how the Kawhi Leonard-less Toronto Raptors were a team that would have, in past seasons, given the Timberwolves fits. The comment section told the tales of the “scars” that we as fans carry in regards to these aforementioned tropes. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a great team, of course, but this felt like a winnable game against an Eastern Conference finalist just a season ago. Minnesota just got bit too sharply by the scars of the past.
As mentioned earlier, Cleveland won the third quarter 36-26 as the Timberwolves squandered a 10-point halftime lead to go into the final frame all knotted up at 86. When the starting unit was in, they looked sluggish and out of sorts. Tired legs can be blamed for this, sure, but the hero-ball and sloppy turnovers turned from a brief trend into the offensive identity of the team for the rest of the game. Anthony Edwards made a ton of shots to keep the game competitive, though contributions from the rest of the roster continued to fade away.
I had also mentioned in our Canis Hoopus opening night predictions that we will need to see how this Timberwolves team deals with adversity and allowing opponents to go on runs. After tonight’s game, the jury is still out on that point.
Minnesota also made superstars out of a couple Cavaliers bench players. Rookie Meleek Thomas was electric from beyond the arc en route to a 16-point performance on four of five shooting from deep in just 19 minutes of play. Jaylon Tyson was a team-best +15 in just 20 minutes. Once their shots started falling, the Cleveland Big Three trio of James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley decided to follow suit. It was all downhill from there.
What has typically followed the hero-ball motif of the Timberwolves is the increase in foul calls against them. Jaden McDaniels saw his fouls rapidly increase to the point of fouling out early in overtime. His technical foul was a much-deserved denigration of the officials after a slew of questionable decisions, though the moral victory doesn’t do much for the wins column.
Minnesota lost its composure and paid the price for it. It’s that simple. Failure to execute loses games. The Wolves will have to regroup and figure out how to better themselves before the next match.
Oct 26, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Lamelo Ball (1) drives between Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) and forward/center Evan Mobley (4) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LaMelo Ball’s Lack of Impact
This was the first game of the season where LaMelo Ball was a total net-negative. He finished with a meager 11 points, zero rebounds, six assists, and seven (!) turnovers across 31 minutes of play. While the rest of the Timberwolves starters were positive in their BPM, Ball finished at a -10. That’s just not good enough.
While I was evocative in my praise for his performance in the last game, it would appear that tonight’s version of Ball is the one that the naysayers were warning us about. He appeared ill-prepared for the big moments in this game, often forcing passes or shots that had no business being executed in these crucial late-game scenarios. The turnovers were backbreaking. His passes were off the mark. He hoisted up some truly ridiculous shots that had no chance of going in.
It’s a fine line to walk in regards to what Ball should take away from this game moving forward. He’s at his best when he is playing free and loose, though that seeming lack of discipline is something that he should have the wherewithal to rein in when he sees that it isn’t working. We’re still early enough in the season that Chris Finch will likely have a long leash for LaMelo to try different looks and approaches. However, if performances like this become anything close to a norm in big games against better opponents like the Cavaliers, Finch will have to take a tougher approach about Ball’s decision-making and overall approach.
One poor performance in the first loss of the season isn’t enough to hoist the red flags. However, these are the issues that the team will need to clean up throughout the course of the season.
Beringer Shines
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Wolves. Obviously, Ant stole the show with his electric and efficient 47-point performance. However, it’s starting to look like Tim Connelly’s gamble on Joan Beringer is going to pay off big time.
With every passing game, Beringer is looking more and more capable to step into the rotation and aptly fill the shoes of Rudy Gobert. He’s everywhere on the court. When he’s not flying in for rebounds, he’s flying in for sensational blocks or highlight-worthy dunks. Beringer spends a lot of time flying. He’s got the juice.
Beringer’s 17 minutes of play saw him shoot 100% from the field (six for six) to score 12 points, snag seven boards, and pick up two blocks. That’s a ton of production for a backup center in that limited amount of playing time, and many could make the case that he deserved more down the stretch.
While there isn’t a ton of room for Beringer to earn more minutes at the time, there is a world where Finch could attempt to give Beringer more minutes by cutting into the playing time of Trey Lyles. Converting another center to power forward is not necessarily the most ideal, but the lack of production that the Timberwolves are getting from Lyles could cause the coaching staff to reconsider their rotations.
With considerably more upside residing within Beringer, it may make sense for the team to extend his leash a bit. He’ll continue to have growing pains and still needs to work on defending without fouling, though his linear improvement would suggest that he will be handling more responsibilities sooner rather than later.
82-0 may be out of play, though it’s 81-1 until it ain’t.
Game Highlights
Up Next
The Timberwolves will have a day to rest before returning back to Minnesota for a two-game homestand, beginning with a matchup against Stephen Curry and the 1-3 Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, October 28th. The game tips off at 7:00 PM CT on DAZN-MIN and NBA League Pass.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 26: Mo Bamba #44 of the Utah Jazz boxes out during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 26, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The final buzzer sounds with a final score of 105-110, as Utah’s comeback effort fell short in the dying moments of this contest.
It’s a minor miracle that the Jazz were within striking distance at all down the stretch, as the Grizzlies took a 16-point lead in the final two minutes of the third quarter and buried the Jazz under a wave of momentum. To make matters worse, Utah was left without their two best players and veteran leaders, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., both of whom left the game in the first half and did not return.
Markkanen doubled over in pain after a collision on a screen, his wrist pinned between the screener and his teammate and bending awkwardly. He did not return and could hardly manage his pain on his walk to the locker room, stopping and leaning over in agony.
Jackson was in the wrong place at the right time, as a tumbling Grizzly landed on his calf and bent his knee awkwardly. He was quickly removed from the game despite an effort to fight through the pain; he didn’t return either.
The Utah Jazz are losing big men like a cloud loses water; when it rains, it pours. Sending both Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. to the locker room in the first half is a nightmare scenario for the winning-minded Jazz, compounded by pre-existing injuries to Utah’s frontcourt depth in Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes. That’s the bad news. The good news? Another certified Mo Bamba sighting (TM) has been reported in Salt Lake City.
Bamba was exceptional when Will Hardy called his number, posting an immaculate stat line while locking down Utah’s interior defense. 110 is the lowest point total Utah has allowed all season, and that’s thanks in large part to Bamba’s 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 29 minutes of burn. It can be easy to forget that Bamba was once a lottery pick — he reminded the Delta Center tonight.
Hammer slams, airborne denials, and more dish deflections than an ungrateful baby at their own birthday party, Bamba made his presence known and hardly looked like Utah’s fourth option at center. He was critical in bringing the Jazz back within striking distance in the late game.
Darryn Peterson still has a lot of growing to do, but he played well in critical moments of this contest.
Still a rookie determined to make his mark while on the floor, once he decides he wants to shoot the ball, there’s little that can change his mind. He forced the issue regularly down the stretch, but I’m encouraged by his aggression. Unafraid of the moment, he wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. Peterson is still finding his rhythm in the NBA (5-for-18 from the field tonight), but he put constant pressure on Memphis’ interior defense and was a friendly bounce or two away from erasing the Grizzlies’ lead late.
And I would be remiss not to acknowledge the contributions of Ace Bailey and Keyonte George, the two youngsters who just keep on rowing, even when the life raft meets a storm.
Ace posted another double-digit rebounding night (4 on the offensive end) and never takes a play off without the ball in his hands. It’s strange how seemingly every pre-draft drawback has been absolutely false about Bailey as a pro. Hard-working, selfless, and gritty, Will Hardy hasn’t been able to keep his second-year wing off the floor because he makes winning plays consistently and reliably.
Ace Bailey has been active on the offense boards since his rookie year
It’s funny how almost every negative narrative about him pre-draft was debunked
And Keyonte plays basketball like a seasoned veteran. He led all scorers with 26 today, finishing through contact and getting to the foul line when his teammates couldn’t find the center of the rim. Adding 6 assists to his season total, George was able to control possession without giving the ball away (only 2 turnovers).
Assuming Markkanen and JJJ miss extended time, the keys to the pickup truck are in Keyonte’s hands. Utah’s success will be dependent on how far he can lift the injured roster. Tonight, the Jazz couldn’t close the gap in time, but Bailey, George, and Mo Bamba kept them within reach.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Daily Herald and Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate in the dugout during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Seven straight, two-out hits for eight runs across three pitchers in the top of the fifth inning carried the Brewers to a 10-1 pummeling of the Tampa Bay Rays. For the second time in franchise history, the Brewers will have a chance to win their first World Series championship in franchise history tomorrow night.
For the second time this season, the Brewers stared down their former ace, Freddy Peralta. And for the second time this season, they hung at least five runs on him to force him off the mound before the sixth inning.
Their process of getting to Peralta began much like every other game has this postseason: patience and persistence. In the top of the first inning, the Brewers offense forced Peralta to throw 20 pitches. In the midst of the large load of early throws, both Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich collected their first of many base hits of the night.
To complement a great offense, great pitching is often needed, a recipe that the Brewers have cooked up time and time again this season. Tonight was no different for the Brewers’ southpaw Robert Gasser. With perhaps the start of the postseason so far, Gasser allowed his lone hit of the night in the bottom of the first inning on a lead-off knock from Yandy Díaz. From that moment onward, Gasser was lights out, retiring the next 15 batters he faced before allowing a lead-off walk to Victor Mesa Jr. in the bottom of the sixth.
While Bobby Diesel cooked, the Brewers offense continued to grind down Peralta, finally dishing out their first blow of the ballgame. Following a David Hamilton popout, Chourio quickly collected his second base hit of the game. After a Jake Bauers walk, Christian Yelich also grabbed his second hit of the game, this time driving in Chourio to give the Crew a 1-0 lead. On the very next pitch, William Contreras went opposite field to extend the Brewers’ lead to 2-0.
Then came the time when Brewers fans across the country said, “I’m sorry it had to come to this,” as they watched their former ace and his teammates get bullied apart. Chourio collected the team’s sixth hit with one out in the top of the fifth inning. Following Bauers’ flyout to center field, Yelich walked to put two men on. Then, Junior Caminero made a play that he’ll be thinking about moving forward, as instead of throwing out the meandering Contreras down the line, he went for the force play at second. Yelich had the manager get his foot into the bag a split second before the ball was caught. The play on the field was ruled out until Pat Murphy’s challenge said it wasn’t, which in turn loaded the bases with two outs.
Cam Booser replaced Peralta on the mound following the overturned challenge, which then sparked the first of seven straight, two-out hits. The first one came on a Brice Turang bleeder up the middle that was misplayed to score two runs. Then Garrett Mitchell singled to extend the Brewers lead to 5-0, which was followed up with the third straight hit that was a Cooper Pratt double to drive in two more. Sal Frelick got his extra-base hit after being robbed a couple of innings prior to shoot the Crew’s score up to 8-0. After David Hamilton singled to make it 9-0, Chourio conveniently bounced a double off the Culver’s sign in right-center field to cap the Brewers’ lead at 10-0.
Gasser continued to dominate in an efficient way until he was pulled after 75 pitches through six innings. Following his departure, we saw two scoreless innings from Antonio Senzatela as he worked his first innings since the San Diego series. Finally, for the first time since the 2021 National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Brandon Woodruff made his return to the mound in postseason play. Many didn’t know what to expect from Big Woo, nor did they know how long he was going to last, but to be able to see a glimpse of the past in the present was enough to forget his two-out RBI single he allowed to Díaz.
With that, the Brewers complete a statistical oddity, as they will finish the year a perfect 7-0 on the 26th day of the month. During games played on the 26th of the month, the Brewers outscored their opponents, 64-10. They’re officially one win away from history, with a chance to accomplish what no team has done in the modern era: Sweep the championship series and the World Series.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives against Klay Thompson #11 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center on October 26, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (2—2) defeated the Miami Heat (0-4), 113-109, on Monday night in Miami, picking up their second win of the season. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with a huge double-double — 29 points and 11 assists. That’s not all he did, but we’ll get to that later.
It was an impressive win for this new-look Mavericks team. Flagg dominated the game late, but it truly was a team-effort to get this one over the finish line. Various Mavericks across the board contributed both offensively and defensively.
Let’s get to the numbers:
1: Number of other players to post Flagg’s stat line against the Heat
Cooper Flagg was masterful with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals, and three blocks. Only one other player in NBA history has posted a stat line like Cooper’s, and it was James Harden, according to Mavericks PR.
This means Flagg is the only teenager to ever post a stat line like the one Flagg had tonight. Flagg has had some outstanding games in his young Mavericks career, but this felt like an early career-defining performance. Yes, Flagg has dropped 50- and 40-point games, but Flagg was special tonight with how well-rounded his performance was — the eight combined steals and blocks is insane, to go along with the 11 assists. Flagg was everywhere against the Heat, setting up his teammates early in the first half and then dominating the final minutes to close out the win.
15: Walter Clayton Jr. scoring
The Mavericks new two-way guard had a career-night against the Heat, with 15 points in 17 minutes on 6-of-7 shooting. Clayton was fearless against the Miami defense, not shy to pull to the trigger when the defense sagged to pay more attention to Flagg or other veteran threats.
Clayton also had four assists and quietly has nine assists and only two turnovers in his last two games. The Mavericks staff might have to figure out what to do here, as Clayton only has so much NBA availability this season as a two-way player. He seems like a rotation guy for now.
22: Combined steals, blocks for the Mavericks
Dallas finished with 11 steals and 10 blocks, a huge number of splash defensive plays against a physical Heat roster.
The Mavericks defense is inconsistent, highlighted by the lack of true, ball-stopping, point-of-attack defenders on the roster. But where the team might like high-level individual defensive talent, they’re starting to make up for that with some havoc-causing team defense.
Dallas has a big and long roster, and it feels like coach Dusty May and his staff are taking advantage of that fact. Dallas might have defensive sequences where guys get lost off ball or give up an easy transition opportunity, but then will flip that around and swarm a ball handler in the paint, chipping down with active hands to cause deflections.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 26: Meleek Thomas #15 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 26, 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Edwards is a professional scorer. He has the athleticism and explosive first step to wreck defenses anytime he puts the ball on the floor. And now that he can play off-ball more with the addition of LaMelo Ball, defenses aren’t able to load up on his side of the court as easily as they have in previous seasons.
That scoring was on display when the Timberwolves needed it most. Edwards poured in 11 points in the fourth quarter to help send this game to overtime, and then threw in 11 more points in the extra frame. He missed a three that would’ve tied it up at the end of overtime, but this was still a fantastic outing.
Second star: Donovan Mitchell
26 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Mitchell wasn’t the best shooting guard on the court, but he was good enough to pull the Cavs across the finish line. He made big shots when the team needed it, took care of the ball, and dished out seven helpers, which included two nice lobs to the bigs.
It was a quality performance.
Third star: James Harden
22 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
This has been a difficult start of the season for Harden. He’s mostly gotten to his spots on the floor, but hasn’t been able to consistently convert. That continued through the first half tonight as he went 1-for-6 from the field, which included missing some point-blank looks.
Things might’ve been worse defensively. Minnesota’s guards hunted mismatches against him and took advantage when they got them.
Yet, Harden hung in there.
The Cavs turned the game around when Harden did. He got the ball rolling by pouring in eight points in the third quarter. Then in the fourth, he registered seven points and four assists — which included two helpers on three-pointers — and he recorded the game-tying field goal with 10 seconds left to help send the game to overtime. Harden followed that up with five points in the extra frame and put the game away at the free-throw line.
This was a rough start from Harden. Maybe the Cavs don’t fall behind by 15 if Harden is better in the first half. That said, this team had no chance of completing this impressive comeback if Harden doesn’t step up as he did.
The Cavs offense is built on protecting the ball, putting pressure on the rim, and spraying out to shooters when the defense collapses. They need Harden at his best to do that. This was a nice reminder of how good the offense can be when he’s playing well.
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Dud of the game
LaMelo Ball
11 points, 6 assists, 0 rebounds, 7 turnovers
Turnovers were the difference in this game. Cleveland’s starting backcourt combined for just four giveaways. Minnesota’s combined for 11 — which is one more than the Cavs had as a team. Ball was the main culprit here with seven turnovers. On top of that, Ball provided nothing as a rebounder and wasn’t much of a threat as a scorer.
Edwards just needed one more teammate to help him close out this game, and Ball was missing in action for large stretches. This was a departure from Ball’s first three games with the Timberwolves.
Cavaliers who deserve shoutouts
Meleek Thomas
16 points on 6-of-10 shooting
Getting your first-ever NBA minutes against one of the hottest teams in the league is a tall task, but Thomas handled it well. He came in and made an immediate impact as an off-ball scorer, which is something neither Craig Porter Jr. nor Tyrese Proctor could do in the first two games.
More importantly, Thomas held his own defensively. He did a good job of getting his hands in passing lanes, and he forced Ball into a traveling violation. Thomas’s teammates credit him for getting them going in this one.
“It’s very rare to ride the coattails of a rookie,” Mitchell said. “We didn’t have energy, we’re flat, we’re playing the wrong way, we weren’t doing the right things. For him to be the spark in his first game of the year is not normal.”
This was a solid debut for the second-round pick. Thomas showed he’s worthy of rotation minutes in the short term at the very least. The Cavs don’t complete this comeback without his efforts.
This was the first time we got to see how the ideal version of Watson could really help the Cavs.
Offensively, Cleveland trusted him to initiate more actions, particularly whenever Minnesota showed ball pressure on one of the starting guards. This allowed Watson to attack some off the dribble, and more importantly, alleviated some of the responsibilities on Cleveland’s overburdened backcourt.
Watson was solid defensively. His weak-side rim protection was much needed on a night that Minnesota was able to continually get into the paint. That said, Watson struggled to stay in front of Edwards at times, although I’m not sure anyone in the league could’ve stayed in front of him on a night like this.
“At the end of the day, Ant’s Ant,” Mitchell said. “But making it tough on him, that’s what Peyton did all night. We ended up getting the stops we needed most, and that’s truly all that matters.”
Overall, this was a clear step in the right direction for a player who has struggled to find his place in a new starting lineup in his first two games.
Play of the game
THIS is the effort the Cavs need — Meleek is EVERYWHERE.
He hustles back to recover on defense after steal attempt then grabs rebound and immediately gets it up floor… BUT doesn't stop there and continues to fill the lane and is rewarded. pic.twitter.com/yU8yQb6grA
Plays like this show how impactful Thomas can be. He thwarted one action and eventually ended a defensive possession on one end, then created an easy basket on the other with his speed and hustle. Sequences like this go a long way for someone we know is a skilled scorer when he has the ball.
Quote of the game
“Just stay ready, and your moment will come cause you can’t really keep a star in the closet for too long.”
– Meelek Thomas on how he was able to stay ready despite playing in his first two games.
Turnovers have been the biggest issue plaguing the Cavs in their first two games. It wasn’t a problem tonight as they surrendered possession just 10 times. They won the points-off-turnover battle 21-8.
This game will be remembered for Meleek Thomas’s debut
Thomas had an exceptional start to his NBA career. He made a high impact as a scorer and defender against a title contender in each of his stints off the bench. Debuts like that are rare from second-round picks.
We’ll find out in time what this means for Thomas’s role this season. One good game doesn’t mean he will be a permanent member of the rotation or that he’s going to develop into a high-quality player. That said, it’s difficult not to be encouraged after a night like this.
“I think we definitely got lucky with him being able to come to us,” Mitchell said of Thomas. “I tell him he has set a high precedent for himself, but I’m excited for him. We’re excited, and he was a big part of why we ended up getting this win.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin added a power-play goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday night.
The Kings won for the third time in their last four games — all on the road — after going winless over their first six games of the season.
Los Angeles jumped on New York early, chasing goaltender James Reimer after one period. Reimer was pulled in his Rangers debut after allowing three goals on eight shots. Reimer played just one previous game this fall, a 35-save shutout in the American Hockey League on Saturday night, before signing an NHL contract for the rest of the season.
Taylor Ward opened the scoring 1:15 into the game on the Kings’ first shot. Brandt Clarke made it 2-0 at 4:52 of the first, tipping in a rebound off Joel Armia’s slap shot.
J.T. Miller got New York on the board when a Tye Kartye slap shot deflected off his skate and past Darcy Kuemper.
Mikey Anderson and Taylor Ward added second-period goals for the Kings before Adam Fox cut the deficit to 5-2 on the power play with 6:55 to play in the second. Kartye got the Rangers within two at 16:08 of the third period, before Joel Edmundson scored in an empty net for his first goal of the season for Los Angeles.
Kuemper made 23 saves to pick up his third win of the season. After replacing Reimer, Dylan Garand stopped 15 of the 17 shots he faced.
FLAMES 5, MAPLE LEAFS 2
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matvei Gridin scored twice as surging Calgary made it four straight wins with a victory over Toronto.
Mikael Backlund also scored for Calgary, while Joel Farabee and Martin Pospisil added empty-netters. Farabee, who also had an assist, and Matt Coronato, who had a pair of assists, extended their point streaks to five games.
Easton Cowan and William Nylander scored for the Leafs, whose four-game win streak came to an end. Auston Matthews had an assist on Nylander’s goal for his 800th NHL point. He is the fastest player in Leafs history to reach that milestone and the second-fastest U.S.-born player to reach 800 career points, doing so in 703 games.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 05: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives around OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on January 05, 2026 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. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
To say it with the words of long-time Pistons PA announcer John Mason: “Deeeeeetroit basketball”!
As annoying as that catchphrase is for everyone outside of Michigan these days, it doesn’t come close to the irritation the Knicks’ 0-3 start has gifted the orange and blue fanbase. And make no mistake about it: Even if their foes from the Motor City come into town shorthanded, they will be quite a handful for the Bockers. And above all, annoying.
Saying that about an opposing team might rub plenty of them the wrong way, but not the Detroit Pistons, who are probably smiling ear to ear when they hear that characterization. They absolutely revere the fact that it’s anything but a cakewalk playing against them and that their vaunted defense can make many a star think twice about that profession he once chose many moons ago. Sure, it’s not fun to be carved up by jumbo-sized combo guard Cade Cunningham in the high pick-and-roll, but it might be even less enjoyable to have the likes of Ron Holland II, “Bball Paul” Reed or Javonte Green slamming into you on the baseline with bad intentions. As our Knickerbockers surely know from quite a few battles in the last couple of years.
Knicks face shorthanded Pistons team
If you think that the good guys catch a bit of a break with the Pistons missing mammoth center Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and maybe even newly acquired sharpshooter Isaiah Joe, you might very well be right. But you might also end up like the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night. Yes, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid weren’t in that episode of the soap opera “Bothering Love,” but LeBron and company surely thought that they could hang with a team giving minutes to someone named Tolu Smith. It turned out they couldn’t, as Detroit dominated the game from start to finish with physical, menacing defense, high intensity, and very good spacing on the offensive end.
As great as Ausar Thompson is as a defender, his outside shooting still makes Josh Hart on a bad week look like Louie Dampier out there. What the Pistons lose in defensive intensity gets picked up by the collective, yet on offense they actually gain a lot of punch with more opportunities for Duncan Robinson, Kevin Huerter, or Daniss Jenkins. Robinson has been especially hot to start the year, shooting over 53 percent from downtown on close to ten attempts. That presence makes it that much harder for opponents to guard against Cade Cunningham. As if that wasn’t hard enough already.
The Pistons superstar hasn’t really changed from previous years – lots of points, rebounds, and assists, yet also a lot of turnovers (16 in 3 games). One can have nightmares of him going up against the smaller New York backcourt defenders, and it would be warranted. The obvious solution is to put OG Anunoby on Cunningham, and I’m sure the Knicks coaches have thought of that already, as they have done in the past. The problem? Cunningham is elite in directing the pick-and-roll and works diligently to get premium defenders off his back so that he can attack smaller ones in the midrange area.
Where has all the Knicks magic gone?
In Thompson’s absence, the Knicks will see a lot of Daniss Jenkins next to Cunningham on Tuesday night. The backup guard has a knack for stepping up whenever he is called upon as a starter and did so against Philadelphia as well with 18 points. Other than that, the Pistons have gotten good play so far from John Collins (15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds), who has replaced former Pistons mainstay Tobias Harris at power forward this year. The versatile big is thriving in Detroit’s high-effort system, has a solid finishing touch, and provides decent switchability.
It won’t change the fact that Detroit isn’t a particularly big team without Duren in the middle or Thompson on the wing. They make up for it with physicality; they claw, fight, scrap. It surely seems like the last type of opponent New York would want to see right now, as they are clearly in a funk and would kill for some actual offensive rhythm. The champions might soon start asking every passerby near Madison Square Garden if they have seen the lost magic somewhere between 31st and 33rd Street that made their playoff run last year, well, magical. They themselves sure didn’t look like they could find it right now against Orlando.
But that’s the beauty of the NBA – you usually get a chance to write a different script pretty quickly. How does “Knicks beat last unbeaten team in the East for their first win” sound to you? A little long, but I’d take it. Surely sounds better than that John Mason chant.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (0-3) vs Detroit Pistons (3-0) Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 Time: 7 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, New York TV: NBC Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
Injury Report
Jalen Duren (hamstring) and Ausar Thompson (ankle) are out; Isaiah Joe (hip) looks to be a game-time decision. Jose Alvarado, with his own ankle issues, isn’t as lucky for the Knicks and will definitely miss the contest.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matvei Gridin scored twice as the surging Calgary Flames made it four straight wins with a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.
Mikael Backlund also scored for Calgary, while Joel Farabee and Martin Pospisil added empty-netters. Farabee, who also had an assist, and Matt Coronato, who had a pair of assists, extended their point streaks to five games.
Easton Cowan and William Nylander scored for the Leafs, whose four-game win streak came to an end. Auston Matthews had an assist on Nylander’s goal for his 800th NHL point. He is the fastest player in Leafs history to reach that milestone and the second-fastest U.S.-born player to reach 800 career points, doing so in 703 games.
Devin Cooley made 26 stops to improve to 4-2-0.
Sergei Bobrovsky had 29 saves for Toronto.
Calgary grabbed control of the game midway through the first period on goals less than two minutes apart by Gridin and Backlund. Backlund returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
Gridin’s first goal at 10:05 came from a sharp angle off the left wing when he picked the top corner on Bobrovsky’s short side.
Gridin’s second of the night was scored on the power play 25 seconds into the second period. It was another top corner snipe, this one over Bobrovsky’s other shoulder.
Toronto's Kirill Marchenko (lower body) left the game early in the second period after he went into the boards awkwardly after a hit from Yegor Sharangovich.
Calgary beat Toronto for the first time since Feb. 10, 2022. The Leafs had won the last eight meetings. It was Toronto’s longest active winning streak against any opponent.
Up next
Maple Leafs: Visit the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night.
Flames: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - OCTOBER 26: Aday Mara #15 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends the shot of Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Paycom Center on October 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Oklahoma City was missing recently injured star or near-star players in Jaylen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace. Most knowledgeable fans expected an uphill battle for Phoenix, as the Thunder still possess loads of talent, size, and culture. Our preview predicted an 8-point loss, with improvements in our early-season process issues, such as ball movement and boxing out glass-crashers. This was happening, until it wasn’t. The Thunder pulled away for a 125-114 victory.
Sadly, the main storyline is Devin Booker’s milk carton-level disappearance. Your superstar-paid player needs to assert himself in a game like this. Not just another “one of 82”, but a fork-in-the-road type game for a team finding its footing. According to Google Sports Data, his 3 points in 33 minutes is a career low for games over 30 minutes. Anyone could have a rough shooting night, but winning star players force the action, and he never seemed to attempt this. It was a big letdown after the 43-point game Saturday.
The last time Devin Booker played over 30 minutes in a game and scored less than 5 points?
Phoenix moved the ball slightly better, getting up 50 three-point shots and connecting on 36% of them. After a promising start at this, the Suns allowed 29% of the Thunder’s missed shots to be rebounded by them (2% worse than league average). Current lack of center depth with Mark Williams out definitely played a role in this.
Khaman Maluach is going through growing pains, but taking some developmental baby steps. Of the rotation players, he had a team-best -2 plus/minus. Miles Bridges demonstrated his varied offensive skills in the second half, but his overall defensive play and cold first half were an overall negative. Jalen Green actually looked somewhat under control and had 4 assists to one turnover while producing 20 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting.
The Suns had a few spurts in this game, but every time they got some momentum, drives to the basket by the Thunder came about as easy as a Sunday 5 am drive down the 202.
The Suns have four days to use as a “get well retreat” ahead of NBA Cup play.
Game Flow
First Half
Through how many centers have broadcast listeners heard Eddie Johnson say “keep that ball high, young man”. Apparently, none have listened to this advice. The game opens with a Maluach offensive rebound…but then he brought the ball down and was stripped.
Some nice plays on both ends by Jalen Green, and the Suns led by one after the first 5 minutes.
Alex Curoso, another one of those players that seems to elevate versus the Suns, came off the bench to hit consecutive threes. Collin Gillespie hit two of his own, finding his range. A success out of the gate, avoiding another bad start against an emotional team and crowd.
A Jordan Goodwin hustling offensive board and subsequent three limited a bad end to Q1, and Phoenix trailed 27-33. Ajay Mitchell with 13 points after one quarter.
Ryan Dunn once again looked more confident than last year, starting Q2 with a forced turnover, block, and corner three of his own.
Miles Bridges had several first-half blunders, but he added a nasty dunk over Isaiah Hartenstein. Suns still hanging around, but allowing penetration and second chances – things on the radar for process improvement from our preview article.
Man Man was holding his own against rising rookie Aday Mara, but received his third foul with 5 minutes remaining in the half. Phoenix went “small ball” with no true center. This contributed to another strong quarter-end by OKC, up 14 in spite of a Dillon Brooks buzzer-beating three. Looks like I missed Devin Booker highlights. He did play but was largely invisible.
Second Half
Jalen Green looked like someone had moved up his NBA 2K awareness slider, making several well-paced attacks at the basket. Phoenix overall seemed to ratchet up their effort. A Miles Bridges three cut it to nine. OKC responded with another McCain three to put the deficit back to 14.
Free-throw “yips” again raised their head for Phoenix with 7-of-19 misses.
Bridges got it going in Q3 with a traditional 3-point play and another long-range three. More OKC drives that met little resistance and back to a 14-point lead going into Q4.
A watch item was preventing offensive rebounds. While Phoenix had only allowed 23% offensive rebounds through three, this started to become a problem, with Hartenstein alone up to six of them at the 7:56 mark of Q4. A Book airball out of the timeout, and this one’s starting to look like a route.
It had been a frustrating night for Dillon Brooks. After an incidental knee-to-knee with Aday Mara, he shoved him and was assessed a flagrant foul for excessive contact and then a dead-ball technical after the call. Thunder by 20. And in the end, Thunder by 11.
