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Jordan Goodwin is showing how to play “Suns’ Basketball”

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 24: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns and LJ Cryer #18 of the Golden State Warriors battle for a loose ball during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 131-122. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Unfortunately for the Suns, the season has not panned out as much as anticipated. With a 1-2 start and their next game not until Friday, the team’s pulse has been off, and everyone has expressed frustration. Whether it’s the early injuries that have hurt the roster or the starting lineup not meshing well, the discussion surrounding the Suns hasn’t been positive in the first few games. Even with all that negativity, though, the Suns have shown some positives, including a major offseason re-signing.

This has been Jordan Goodwin, someone who blossomed on the team last year and is still finding ways to make an impact this year. In just these three games, he has made himself feel present with the squad and has made his presence felt in all three contests. His hustle and ambition to become a better player show in his relentlessness on the court.

Because of the injuries the Suns have already dealt with early on, Goodwin’s role has grown. With no Oso Ighodaro for the Suns, Khaman Maluach has started, but with Mark Williams also out, the center room is thin. The Suns have used two-way player Duop Reath for some of those minutes, but a lot of them have been put into small-ball lineups. This was one of the Suns’ strong suits last season, and again, it can be said to be led by the same player both years: Goodwin.

To start the season, the Suns have struggled in two main areas: rebounding and three-point shooting. For the Suns, though, Goodwin has at least shone by not letting them get completely obliterated in those categories any more than they already have. The 6’3” guard, even though he is undersized, proves that it is heart over height in any scenario, as he makes his impact known within the roster. He’s made that impact known, and the fans have noticed it, too.

That is why, to me, he’s truly been one of the bright spots on this Suns team and deserves recognition for his hard work, even if the results haven’t always been what everyone wants. That said, the Suns should look at what Goodwin has accomplished over the last few games and incorporate his skill set into the roster build. As we know, the starting lineup has not panned out at all. With Ighodaro out with an injury, we haven’t been able to switch him and Maluach, but even without that, others haven’t performed.

Jalen Green has been inconsistent; Devin Booker had one dominant performance but then went silent; Dillon Brooks just hasn’t looked like the same player, and Miles Bridges, well, what is there positive to say about him? Truly, the cohesion has been terrible, and the roster build, with no one to make those Goodwin-like plays, has set them back. Everyone is looking for their own bucket and a way to win for the team, rather than playing as a unit. That is why the bench looks so much better: everyone has their role, and they try to execute it.

Even early in the season, the starters’ lineup issues are glaring, and with the squad’s build, this could persist as the season goes on. With no clear playmaker, true rebounder, or even a solid three-point scorer, the solution seems to be working through this together for now, but if it sticks, bigger issues could arise near the trade deadline. This is where I think the Suns, in this scenario, would still need to reevaluate all avenues to build around their star.

Sadly, three points isn’t something anyone can support, but fans can still cling to the 43-point game from before. That is the Booker fans all know and grew up supporting, the one they saw on Saturday night, and even if it was against a depleted Warriors team, that star is still there. He needs the right pieces around him to get back to his true self, and that is where the front office needs to look. They need to find guys who can replicate what Goodwin brings to the starting lineup: connectivity. Someone willing to do the dirty work and be the glue guy for the starters. As many liked to taunt Royce O’Neale last year for being in the lineup, that is what his role was, and he did it perfectly.

Sometimes it is not about the biggest names on the roster; it is about how they work, and that is how last season’s Suns thrived. This year, the opposite is true, and the outcomes aren’t looking great. It’s still early in the season, and things can change once Ighodaro gets back or their team gels more, but if the issues persist, the only way out may be to sell some of these starters, especially ones looking for a long-term extension.

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Takeaways & Quotes: Raptors defeat Magic 129-99

TORONTO, ON- OCTOBER 28 - RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors worked around Tristan da Silva #23 of the Orlando Magic as the Toronto Raptors play the Orlando Magic at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. October 28, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic 129-99 on Wednesday.

With the victory, the team improved to 3-1 on the season and 1-1 in games without Kawhi Leonard.

Here are four takeaways and quotes after the win:

Where would the Raptors be without RJ?

“We can do an even better job of providing him those angles…but he’s very crafty and he plays in tight spaces…I thought he did a really good job tonight.” – Darko Rajakovic on RJ Barrett

There’s something about RJ Barrett’s game that can’t escape the relentless criticism from a specific portion of the Raptors fanbase. Even after hitting a Kawhi-like bounce that foreshadowed the return of his newest teammate, Barrett’s name is often included in hypothetical trades.

Contract and financials aside, no one on the team can replicate what Barrett does best: provide relentless pressure and pursuit that even Michael Myers would be jealous of.

When Toronto’s offence was stuck in molasses, it was Barrett who supercharged his play. After hitting a triple to cut the Magic lead to 19-13, he followed that up with an offensive putback on the next possession.

Barrett led all scorers with 21 points at halftime, matching his second-highest output through two quarters in his eight seasons in the league. Barrett’s career-high for points at the half remains at 30, which was recorded while playing for the New York Knicks on Feb. 25 in 2022.

Barrett proved himself as a playoff riser against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It makes sense that he elevates his game while Leonard is out of action. Barrett finished with 25 points on 50 per cent shooting.

No trick, all treat

“Today was the first day I was looking for my shot more…Offensively, I’m a liability when I don’t look for my shot.” – Jamal Shead on whether he needs to be more aggressive on offence

With the Raptors trailing 21-15 with just over four minutes left in the opening quarter, head coach Darko Rajakovic looked to his bench for answers, or at the very least, for a group capable of keeping them in the game until their offence recovered.

What emerged was the unique combination of Immanuel Quickley, Jamal Shead, Jamison Battle, Scottie Barnes and Trayce Jackson-Davis. The group was the jump scare Toronto needed to wake up from its slumber. An 11-2 run pushed the home team to a two-point lead and invigorated the Scotiabank Arena.

The most encouraging part was that production came from all five players and not just the known quantities. Jackson-Davis was an excellent screener and capitalized on his scoop shot after Shead dropped it off to him in the paint. The veteran was also a stabilizing force on the glass. Battle bounced back after his performance in Minnesota, finishing with seven points, while knocking down a left-corner three during this particular stretch. Defensively, Battle was playing with an infectious effort and hit the floor for loose balls. Shead had his best game of the young season and was a force on both ends. The backup point guard scored a season-high 13 points.

Orlando ultimately went 1-for-4 from the field and committed three turnovers before Rajakovic brought Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett back into the game.

Scottie returns to form

“I thought we just played our brand of basketball…we’re trying to play to our standards.” – Scottie Barnes on whether the team played a different way due to Leonard’s absence

After Barnes faced criticism for finishing with zero points for the second time in his career, there was understandably increased curiosity surrounding how the All-Star would approach this game, especially with Leonard out of action.

Whether it was by design or a product of what was available on the court, Barnes and the Raptors had an obsession with getting into the paint to begin the game. Barnes generated five consecutive paint touches, with one of them leading to a Quickley three-pointer. He didn’t take his first jump shot until the 7:23 mark. In total, the Raptors as a team attacked the paint on seven straight possessions.

Barnes was an absolute force once again, finishing with 28 points, six rebounds, four assists and five stocks (steals and blocks). For the Raptors to author a sequel to 2019, Barnes needs to be an automatic 20-point scorer while doing enough to cement his reputation as an All-Defensive mainstay.

Part of the sophomore experience

“For all of our guys, they come off the bench and are ready to go… they have something to prove and do well for the team, and they’re very much ready to do that.” – Rajakovic on the team’s depth

We’ve seen the Photoshop gems on X and the addictive edits on TikTok. Along with Leonard and Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles is often viewed as an integral part of the three-headed defensive monster. While it’s a compliment to be typecast as the “Dennis Rodman” of the group, Toronto can renovate its ceiling to impressive heights should Murray-Boyles grow as an offensive weapon.

Unfortunately, Murray-Boyles couldn’t get into a rhythm, particularly due to foul trouble. The defensive demon picked up two fouls in his first three minutes of action. He also committed three turnovers during this stretch. Early in the fourth quarter, Murray-Boyles picked up his fifth foul. At this point, he had seven points, two rebounds and three turnovers.

Thankfully, the Magic didn’t pose a permanent threat and Jackson-Davis was solid as a fill-in at the centre position.

Offensively, Murray-Boyles’ highlight of the night came in the form of a three-pointer from the top of the arc. Moments later, he attempted a second triple from nearly the same spot. The ball touched every part of the rim before bouncing out. During Raptors Media Day, Rajakovic expressed his preference for players to be more willing to take shots. Murray-Boyles finished 2-for-3 from the perimeter. It was the first time Murray-Boyles had attempted more than two three-pointers since Dec. 31 in 2025.

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Knicks overturn 19-point deficit with Jalen Brunson scoring 38 in 133-127 win over Bulls

The Knicks looked lost at sea in the third quarter on Wednesday night in Chicago, but overturned a 19-point deficit to grab a 133-127 win over the Bulls. 

Sequences looked incredibly familiar for those fans who labored through watching the first few games of New York’s title defense: stagnant offense, turnovers, missed shots, and periods when the other side just looks fresher. 

And in the middle quarters, it was the young Bulls who rampaged past the older Knicks with a 33-13 run to take an 87-68 lead with under five left in the third. That is when a Jalen Brunson-led charge saw the Knicks use a 22-7 run to enter the fourth down by just six.

Three minutes into the fourth, the Knicks had a lead, as the three-point shooting, which had been rather poor earlier, arrived. It was Karl-Anthony Towns, who poured in another double-double, and a trio of bench players who shined as Tyler Kolek, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson

And after the Knicks got the lead in the fourth, Brunson regained his familiar role as the closer, taking over with 13 points down the stretch, stretching the Knicks’ lead to 10 points with a big crossover and three. The game tightened to just a three-point lead, but Josh Hart’s defensive rebound with under 10 seconds to play kept the game secure.

Here are the takeaways...

- Brunson was quiet for much of the game, but then took over midway through the second, knocking in seven straight for the Knicks to give him 11 points on 5-for-10 from the floor in the first. He added another five points in the second. The fourth quarter was all his as he put in his best performance of the season so far.

The best closer in basketball put on a show to finish with 38 points on 13-for-25 shooting (6-for-10 from three) with seven assists and a plus-3 in 35 minutes.

- Towns was in an awkward collision with Bulls forward Noa Essengue and stayed down in pain early in the first quarter. Towns got up holding his left wrist and was soon seen walking into the locker room. KAT would return just under four minutes later with tape around his left hand. The injury didn’t appear to hamper him as he added an old-fashioned three-point play to finish the opening quarter with six points and five rebounds. 

But then the foul trouble happened and limited his contribution for some time. In a span of just a few minutes late in the first and early in the second, he picked up his third personal just over four minutes into the quarter, and he had nine points and 11 rebounds at the half. After five fast points and an assist early in the third, he picked up his fourth and had to spend some more time on the bench.

But the fourth quarter was fine as he finished with 19 points (7-for-14 shooting, 3-for-6 from deep) with 13 rebounds and five assists and was a plus-5 in 28 minutes.

- Shamet sustained an unfortunate turn of the ankle early in the second, and that saw him head to the Knicks' locker room. He finished a dunk, started backing up the court, but got the back of his foot caught on a Bulls player's shoe and turned his right ankle. But, like Towns before him, he was back in the game a few minutes later. 

When the Knicks needed him, he was there, turning it on in the second half as he poured in 14 points (4-for-7 from deep) with five assists to finish a plus-13 in 32 minutes.

- Clarkson, who did not play Tuesday against the Pistons, had six points in five first-half minutes. He added another big three early in the fourth and then added a pair of steals, setting up a Shamet three and a layup of his own to give the Knicks a five-point edge midway through the fourth. 

- Kolek, getting minutes with Jose Alvarado sidelined with an ankle injury, took full advantage, leading several charges down the floor to score nine points (3-for-4 from deep) with nine assists, two rebounds, and was a plus-13 in 18 minutes.

- OG Anunoby started making his imprint early, with five fast points to start the second to give him 11. He finished with 23 points (7-for-16 shooting) and six rebounds, but was a minus-10 in 31 minutes.

- Offense isn't coming to Hart much again, and he had just two points in 17 first-half minutes with three rebounds, two assists, but was a minus-10. And he finished with just the two points on 1-for-6 shooting, but had eight rebounds (three offensive) and three assists and was a minus-2 in 36 minutes.

- Mikal Bridges picked up two fouls early and played just nine first-half minutes with three points on two shots. He was a minus-5 and played just 13 minutes in the game.  

- Miles McBride had a terrible time in the first half with just three points on 1-for-9 shooting (1-for-7 from deep) with three personal fouls and a turnover. He did have five rebounds, a steal, and a block, but was a minus-5 in 14 minutes. He did not feature after the half.

Game MVP: Jordan Clarkson

Yes, this probably should go to Brunson. But the shine should go to a guy who played sparingly in the first four games of the season and was ready to light it up when his name was called. Clarkson finished with 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting (2-for-3 from deep) with three rebounds, two steals, an assist, and was a team-high plus-15 in 17 minutes, which was the same number of minutes he had played on the year entering the game.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks are back in action on Friday night of mischief in the City of Brotherly Love for a 7:30 p.m. tip against the 76ers.

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Thursday's Time Schedule

All Times EDT

Thursday, Oct. 29

NFL

Carolina at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.

NBA

Cleveland at Atlanta, 8 p.m.

Sacramento at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Memphis at Portland, 10 p.m.

NHL

Columbus at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Utah at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Winnipeg at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Boston at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Montreal at Dallas, 8 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Washington at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Buffalo at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

Ottawa at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.

Vancouver at San Jose, 10 p.m.

WNBA - Playoffs

Finals - Game 6

Golden State at Atlanta, 12:30 p.m.

_____

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Jacob Misiorowski injury update after Brewers ace pulled from World Series game

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Jacob Misiorowski left Game 5 of the World Series in the bottom of the sixth inning with a right calf cramp, the Milwaukee Brewers announced.

The Brewers ace had a trainer visit then walked off under his own power. JoJo Romero replaced him with Milwaukee leading 4-0 but the 24-year-old's night wasn't going to be lasting much longer with his pitch count near 90.

Misiorowski's line: 5 ⅔, two hits, one walk and two strikeouts. He did not give up a run on 86 pitches.

Misiorowski is likely to win the NL Cy Young award after going 16-5 with a stunning 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 30 starts in the regular season.

He has had trouble with that leg before. He left three starts with right leg cramping: a June 2025 start against St. Louis with right calf and quad cramps, a May 1 start against Washington after 5 ⅓ hitless innings with a right hamstring cramp, and a May 13 start against San Diego with a right quad cramp after seven scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts. After the San Diego start, he said it was the same issue as before and he'd be fine.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jacob Misiorowski injury update after Brewers ace pulled from World Series game

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Milwaukee's William Contreras wins World Series MVP with .381 average, 10 ABS overturns

Milwaukee's William Contreras wins World Series MVP with .381 average, 10 ABS overturns originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Venezuela’s flag draped around him, flashing a wide smile and filled with pride, William Contreras was willing to boast.

“I don’t want to offend any of the other catchers in the league. The last thing I want to do is offend any of them,” he said, speaking through a translator. “But sitting up here today, champion of the world, I feel like I’m the best catcher in the league. Again, that’s no disrespect to any of them. That’s the last thing I want to do. But today I feel like I’m the best catcher in the world.”

Contreras became the eighth catcher voted the World Series MVP after lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to their first World Series championship.

Leader of the small-market Brewers, the 28-year-old hit .381 while guiding his pitching staff, throwing out four attempted base stealers and winning 10 of 13 appeals in the first Series with the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. He had a run-scoring double during Milwaukee’s clinching 4-1 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

“He’s our pit bull. You don’t just walk up and pet him. There’s a chance you get nipped,” manager Pat Murphy said.

Moments after being awarded the MVP trophy, Contreras embraced his 34-year-old brother, Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras, a World Series champion with the 2016 Chicago Cubs.

“My brother is my role model. I don’t have a lot of friends. He’s my friend,” William Contreras said. “If I have something to ask somebody, I ask Willson.”

William teared up when asked about Venezuela, his home country. Contreras was on Venezuela’s team that won its first World Baseball Classic in March, though he was 0 for 13 with no RBIs.

He and teammates Jackson Chourio and Antonio Senzatela joined Americans Alex Bregman and Luke Gregerson of the 2017 Houston Astros in winning the WBC and World Series in the same year.

“It means everything because that’s the first time Venezuela guys win the WBC and the World Series,” William Contreras said. “It’s history, history for my country. I love Venezuela. It’s my country.”

He joined Gene Tenace (1972), Johnny Bench (1976), Steve Yeager (co-winner in 1981), Darrell Porter (1982), Rick Dempsey (1983), Pat Borders (1992) and Salvador Perez (2015) as catchers to win the award.

A three-time All-Star, Contreras hit .270 with 18 homers and a career-best 94 RBIs as the Brewers won their fourth straight NL Central title.

“Think about what he’s achieved, and he’s disappointed his numbers aren’t better,” Murphy said. “He’s disappointed that he isn’t Gold Glove.”

Contreras was best at leveraging baseball’s new robot umpires, leading Major League Baseball with 185 challenges and 105 overturns during the regular season. He won 22 of 33 in the postseason.

Elsa/Getty Images
William Contreras of the Milwaukee Brewers poses for a photo with the Commissioner’s Trophy on the field after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida.

“It’s not magic,” Contreras said. “I think it’s the experience of playing every day throughout the season.”

He batted .444 with a pair of solo homers in the Division Series against San Diego, hitting a tiebreaking, seventh-inning drive in the opener and another homer in Game 3. He batted .357 with one homer and three RBIs in the Championship Series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Milwaukee had several worthy MVP candidates.

Cooper Pratt set a Series rookie record with six straight hits and tied Gil McDougald’s rookie mark from 1951 with seven RBIs, including go-ahead hits in the final three games. Jackson Chourio was 11 for 24 (.458), the most hits by a player in a five-game World Series. Ace Jacob Misiorowski was 2-0 and allowed one run in 10 2/3 innings, and reliever Aaron Ashby pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings with a save and nine strikeouts.

“I told him before the game: You will be the MVP of the World Series,” Murphy said of Contreras. “People recognized what that kid did for us. There was no doubt in my mind. Yeah, he’s special.”

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Pistons vs Hornets final score: Detroit overcomes slow offensive start

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.

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State of Zags in the NBA: Graham Ike Starts for Golden State Warriors

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.

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.

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.

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Sixers make it harder than it needed to be, but take care of business vs. depleted Pacers

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.

Third Quarter

  • 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.
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Avalanche Score Four in Third Period to Beat Devils 5-2, Bounce Back From Nashville Loss

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.

Colorado was not finished.

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.

Takeaways

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.

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AJ Dybantsa paces Wizards in rookie debut loss to Cavaliers

AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, made his Washington Wizards debut on Wednesday, Oct. 28, showing promising signs in a 121-111 road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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.

AJ Dybantsa stats from Washington Wizards debut

  • Points: 19
  • Rebounds: 2
  • Assists: 2
  • Field goals: 8-for-12
  • 3-pointers: 1-for-3
  • Minutes played: 27

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AJ Dybantsa paces Wizards in rookie debut loss to Cavaliers

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Recap: Wizards lose to Cavs 121-111 in Dybantsa’s debut

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.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Wizards – Peyton Watson finds his groove

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.

Grade: A–

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Was the Kings Road Trip a Success?

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.

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Hawks’ late rally falls short against Heat despite Flemings’ career night

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.