After winning a championship with the New York Knicks, 23‑year‑old forward Jeremy Sochan fails to make an NBA roster and lands with the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate, as the No. 1 overall pick in their draft. He debuts with 24 points (9‑of‑13 shooting), two rebounds and two assists, but the Legends fall 108‑91 to the Mexico City Capitanes, leaving Sochan with a –13 plus/minus. Formerly a 2022 No. 10 pick by the Spurs and briefly with the Knicks, Sochan now aims to use his G League play to earn an NBA comeback.
Listen now (72 mins) | The Thunder finally address their wing deficit by trading for Nique Clifford.
The Dallas Mavericks bounce back from a recent loss with a dominant 130-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 8, improving to 6‑4. The post‑game grades highlight Cooper Flagg’s breakout performance (25 points, 12 assists, 9/10), Kyrie Irving’s efficient 21‑point night (8/10), and Daniel Gafford’s near‑point‑per‑minute efficiency (18 points, 8‑of‑8 shooting, 8/10). Bench contributors Walter Clayton Jr. and Morez Johnson Jr. also earn solid marks, while Caleb Martin and P.J. Washington receive modest grades. The Mavericks held a lead for roughly 47 minutes, showcasing a strong collective effort after a recent stumble.
Darius Acuff Jr. had another incredible showing on Sunday, but the Sacramento Kings were unable to defeat the Miami Heat at Golden 1 Center.
Austin Reaves erupts for a career‑high 43 points as the Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 121‑116 on Nov. 9, 2026, after Luka Doncic sits out. Mid‑third quarter, Reaves nails a questionable off‑balance three‑pointer and quips, “It was a terrible shot…this is some s*** Luka would shoot,” prompting laughter from his former teammate. The performance marks Reaves’ biggest game this season and fuels talk of an All‑Star Game nod if he stays hot.
The Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the Chicago Bulls 127-121 to earn their best 11-game start at 9-2 on Sunday afternoon.
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The Warriors add another injury to their growing list as 23‑year‑old rotational wing Will Richard suffers a UCL tear in his left thumb and is ruled out indefinitely after a block in Saturday’s overtime win over the Orlando Magic. Richard, who had been a defensive spark with 1.2 steals per game, joins Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Golden State pushes to trade Kristaps Porzingis before the Dec. 16 deadline, hoping to attach draft picks to move his $40 million, two‑year extension while keeping Moody. The team, on a seven‑game win streak after a 0‑3 start, now faces a month‑long stretch without key depth on the wing.
The Dallas Mavericks surge to a 130-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, improving to 6-4. Rookie Cooper Flagg leads with a career‑high 12 assists, 25 points and 5 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving adds 21. Daniel Gafford contributes a season‑high 18 points, three offensive rebounds and three blocks. Dallas shoots efficiently, hitting 40% (14‑of‑35) from three‑point range. With key absences—Dereck Lively, Tarik Biberovic, Sergio de Larrea for Dallas and Egor Demin, Mikel Brown Jr. for Brooklyn—the Mavericks capitalize and set up a Monday night showdown against Indiana.
The Warriors aim to trade Kristaps Porzingis before Dec. 16, leveraging his partially guaranteed contract and potential buyout before the Feb. 11 deadline, while likely keeping Moses Moody. Meanwhile, the Kings dealt Nique Clifford to the Thunder for two second‑round picks, clearing $6 M of luxury‑tax space and opening a roster spot to chase free‑agent guard Gabe Vincent or Kevin Porter Jr. Jeremy Sochan opts for a G‑League stint with the Mavericks’ Texas Legends to earn an NBA call‑up, and the Raptors sign former Knick Kevin McCullar Jr. after considering point guard Rob Dillingham. All moves were detailed in Stein’s latest newsletter.
The Boston Celtics rout the Milwaukee Bucks 117-97 on Nov. 8, 2026, snapping the Bucks' early-season slump to 1‑9. Milwaukee flashes a 14‑point first‑quarter lead, fueled by Kyle Kuzma’s 27 points (16 in Q1), but Boston’s relentless shooting and defense, led by Jayson Tatum’s 21 and Paul George’s 27, flips the game. The Celtics dominate the paint with 20 offensive rebounds to Milwaukee’s nine and outshoot the Bucks 33‑18 in the second quarter. Ousmane Dieng sparks a late surge, scoring 10 perfect‑from‑the‑field, but Boston maintains a 20‑point margin to close.
Returning after a seven‑game absence, Sacramento’s Keegan Murray re‑enters the game against Miami on Sunday night and suffers a scary fall when Heat big man Bobby Portis undercuts him near the rim. Murray braces his landing, avoids a head injury, and is subbed out, only to re‑enter the contest with 6:01 left in the second quarter and finish the game. The 26‑year‑old forward, who battled ankle problems that limited him to 23 games last season, remains a pivotal piece in the Kings’ rebuild despite the recent scare.
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla expresses support for former Celtic Kristiņš Porzingis after the 31‑year‑old announced on November 6 that he is stepping away from basketball to prioritize his health. Porzingis, who signed a two‑year, $40 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, cited his body not responding as expected during preseason, amid lingering issues from a postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) diagnosis. Mazzulla praised Porzingis’s locker‑room impact during the Celtics’ 2023‑24 title run and said the team will help him however possible. The Warriors now face a complex contract situation as payments have reportedly been paused.
Virginia defeated Arkansas 91–72 as all five starters scored in double figures and Johann Grünloh blocked five shots in a major early-season statement.
Nique Clifford is on his way to the Oklahoma City Thunder after being traded by the rebuilding Sacramento Kings on Sunday, but there reportedly were a handful of teams interested in him before the deal.
Cooper Flank’s highlight dunk over Brooklyn’s Noah Clowney electrifies the Dallas Mavericks’ 130‑93 victory on Nov. 8. The sophomore posted a career‑boosting 25 points, 12 assists, five rebounds and a perfect 6‑for‑6 from the line, helping Dallas improve to 6‑4 and climb to 10th in the West. Kyrie Irving added 21 points, Daniel Gafford 18, and five Mavericks hit double‑figures. The poster dunk, captured early in the second quarter, underscores Flagg’s rise as a young league star and fuels the Mavericks’ playoff push as they host Indiana on Nov. 9.
The Utah Jazz fall to the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-110, matching the franchise’s worst 10‑game start (1-9) since the 2013‑14 season. Injuries cripple the Jazz, with starters Jusuf Nurkic, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. out and rookie Keyonte George hurt on his 23rd birthday. The bench contributes only 20 points and offers little defense. Rookie Darryn Peterson shines, posting 26 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists on 52.4% shooting and 50% from three, becoming the only rookie this year with a 25‑point game without free throws. The loss highlights the Jazz’s depth woes but offers hope in Peterson’s emergence.
The Lakers edge the Pistons 112-105 on Nov. 8, 2026, propelled by Austin Reaves’ career‑high 43 points (14‑27 FG, 4‑6 3PT, perfect 11‑11 FT). Walker Kessler dominates the glass with 16 rebounds and an A grade, while Ziaire Williams drops 17 clutch points for an A. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton each score 12‑17 points, earning B grades, and Jake LaRavia’s versatile play nets a B. Detroit’s Matisse Thybulle struggles with a C‑, and Sandro Mamukelashvili posts a quiet B‑. The piece grades every starter, highlighting the Lakers’ hard‑working, youthful effort under JJ Redick.
The Golden State Warriors, riding a seven‑game winning streak after a 0‑3 start, lose sophomore guard Will Richard indefinitely with a UCL tear in his left thumb. Richard was injured during the 126‑119 overtime win over the Orlando Magic, where he logged 12 minutes and four points. He’s appeared in all 10 games, averaging 5.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 17.2 minutes. The injury could sideline him until early December, opening up minutes for De’Anthony Melton, Brandon Williams, Gary Payton II and Gui Santos as the Warriors aim to maintain their top‑five offense.
The Boston Celtics rout the Milwaukee Bucks 117-97 on Nov. 8, 2026, improving to 8-0 on the season. After a tight first quarter, Boston pulls away as Paul George leads with 27 points and Jayson Tatum adds 21. Key contributors include Mitchell Robinson, Payton Pritchard and Neemias Queta. Milwaukee’s early spark from Kyle Kuzma (14 points in five minutes) fades, and the Celtics dominate the last three quarters, establishing a 13‑point halftime lead and never looking back.
Austin Reaves steps into the spotlight as the Lakers’ primary scorer, dropping a career‑high 43 points on 14‑of‑27 shooting (4‑of‑6 three‑pointers, 11‑of‑11 free throws) in a 37‑minute effort against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9, 2026. With Luka Dončić sidelined by injury, Reaves helped Los Angeles build a 38‑14 first‑quarter lead and ultimately fend off a Pistons rally to secure a road win. Five Lakers hit double‑digits, including Collin Sexton (17) and Ziaire Williams (17), while Walker Kessler grabbed 16 rebounds. The victory lifts the Lakers to a 9‑2 record atop the Western Conference as they prepare for a November 9 showdown with the Atlanta Hawks.
Austin Reaves managed to poke fun at both himself and Luka Dončić following his fantastic 43-point game in Sunday's 121-116 win over the Detroit Pistons.
At first, it seemed like two New England sports teams were going to get blown out by the state of Wisconsin on Sunday. That was not the case.
The Dallas Mavericks steamroll the Brooklyn Nets 130-93 on Nov. 8, 2026, handing Brooklyn its worst loss of the season and dropping the Nets to 2‑8. Cooper Flagg leads Dallas with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds, while Kyrie Irving manages only nine points on 4‑of‑7 shooting. Brooklyn’s lone double‑digit scorer is Michael Porter Jr. with 16 points. The Nets are out‑rebounded 46‑30 and out‑scored in the paint 64‑40, shooting .385/.287 to Dallas’ .619/.400. Injuries to rookie Mikel Brown Jr. and other missing pieces contribute to the collapse, as the Mavericks build a 30‑point lead by the third quarter.
The Dallas Mavericks thrash the Brooklyn Nets 130-93 on Nov. 8, 2026, posting their biggest win margin since 2022. Rookie Cooper Flagg ignites the game with 25 points and 12 assists, while Kyrie Irving adds 21 and Daniel Gafford chips in 18 and three blocks. The Mavericks lead 33-26 after the first quarter and blow it open to a 66-46 halftime lead, eventually cruising to a 37‑point victory. Michael Porter Jr. tops Brooklyn with 19 points, but Dallas’ depth—including bench scoring from Santi Aldama—locks down the win as the Mavs prepare for a back‑to‑back against Indiana.
The Golden State Warriors are right to keep Moses Moody out of Kristaps Porzingis trade talks after the latest repots on Sunday night.