Bulldogs

The New York Knicks took an early and strategic step in free agency by signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, as reported by ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.&nbsp;
The Knicks aim to strengthen a bench that was a liability during their Eastern Conference Finals run. Clarkson, a 2021 Sixth Man of the Year, is set to join on a veteran's minimum contract once his Jazz buyout clears. Known for delivering instant scoring off the bench, Clarkson gives the Knicks a trusted offensive spark when Jalen Brunson rests or the offense stalls.
On the frontcourt side, New York inked Guerschon Yabusele to a two-year, $12 million deal using their taxpayer mid-level exception. The 6'8" versatile forward averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 38% from deep for Philadelphia last year, revitalizing his NBA career after a standout summer with Team France at the Olympics. Yabusele brings physicality, floor-spacing, and grit &ndash; areas the Knicks sorely needed to reinforce.
ANALYSIS: These additions immediately address New York's most significant roster gaps: bench scoring and depth in their rotation. Clarkson and Yabusele slot into a blossoming rotation alongside established pieces like Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride, giving the Knicks a stronger nine-man core.&nbsp;
However, the signings push the Knicks up to the &ldquo;second apron&rdquo; of the salary cap, potentially necessitating subtle moves to maintain flexibility.
Moving forward, the Knicks are expected to evaluate minor trades or minimum-aiming signings to solidify their roster while avoiding harsh financial limits. Meanwhile, the head coach hunt continues, although the front office has made it clear they&rsquo;re building a deeper, more reliable team around Brunson, Towns, and company.

The New York Knicks took an early and strategic step in free agency by signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.

Knicks sign Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele to bolster bench

The New York Knicks didn&rsquo;t just beat the Boston Celtics. They unmade them.
It was never just about winning a series. It was about proving a point. About silencing the doubt that crept in after four straight regular-season losses. About validating every roster move, every inch of grit, and every ounce of sweat poured into this season. It was about showing the basketball world &ndash; loudly and unmistakably &ndash; that this team wasn&rsquo;t just trying to contend. They were trying to conquer.
When the final buzzer sounded in Madison Square Garden and the scoreboard read 119&ndash;81, the Knicks had done just that &ndash; burying the defending champions in a Game 6 demolition and clinching their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years.
But the mission is far from over.
A blueprint forged in Celtics&rsquo; green
From the jump, New York&rsquo;s front office operated with one adversary in mind: Boston. The Celtics were the gold standard, the defending champions, and the measuring stick for anyone serious about owning the East.
Leon Rose and company tailored this roster to match up directly with Boston&rsquo;s strengths. They re-signed OG Anunoby and traded for Mikal Bridges &ndash; two of the league&rsquo;s premier wing defenders &ndash; to neutralize Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Then came the blockbuster deal to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns, who gave the Knicks a stretch big man to go toe-to-toe with Kristaps Porzingis.
Everything was calculated. Every move had Boston&rsquo;s name on it.
And yet, the regular season was a humbling reminder of how far they still had to go. The Celtics swept the Knicks 4&ndash;0, and did so with such ease that New York&rsquo;s grand design felt naive. What good was a plan if the execution failed? If Boston could anticipate every counter, every scheme, every attempt at disruption?
But that&rsquo;s the thing about belief &ndash; it doesn&rsquo;t disappear with setbacks. It adapts. It evolves. It waits for its moment.
A series that changed everything
Heading into the second round, the Knicks were underdogs by every metric. They had a seven-man rotation, an ailing Mitchell Robinson, and a superstar in Jalen Brunson carrying an enormous load. Boston had depth, pedigree, and the confidence of having dismantled them all season.
But the Knicks weren&rsquo;t interested in narratives. They were there to rewrite them.
New York stunned the Celtics by taking Games 1 and 2 in Boston &ndash; punctuated by two clutch defensive stops from Mikal Bridges. In Game 1, it was a strip of Jaylen Brown. In Game 2, it was a game-sealing closeout on Tatum. That was the turning point&mdash;when the Knicks wrestled control from the defending champs and refused to let go.
OG Anunoby was nothing short of sensational. His defense on Tatum was suffocating, but it was his offensive output that tilted the series. He punished Boston with timely threes, strong drives, and unrelenting pressure. By the end of Game 6, he had cemented himself as one of the best two-way performers of the postseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns reminded everyone why the Knicks traded for him. He provided invaluable floor spacing, softening Boston&rsquo;s paint defense and making their double-big lineups less effective. His rebounding and decision-making gave the Knicks versatility they sorely lacked in previous playoff runs.
Josh Hart, the team&rsquo;s emotional engine, played like a man possessed. He chased every loose ball, battled for every rebound, and made hustle plays that sent the Garden into a frenzy. In Game 6, he notched the franchise&rsquo;s first playoff triple-double since 1972. He was the spirit of the Knicks personified.
Mitchell Robinson, matched against the veteran Al Horford, was a force on the glass and in the paint. His size and activity made Boston work for everything. And the Towns-Robinson pairing &ndash; while unconventional &ndash;&nbsp; at times gave New York an edge in rim protection and rebounding.
Miles McBride, the fan favorite, was the exclamation point. His clutch shooting and relentless defense made the most of his minutes. The Garden roared every time he touched the ball, and in Game 6, he gave fans even more to cheer for with 10 points and relentless pressure on the perimeter.
And, of course, Jalen Brunson. The league&rsquo;s Clutch Player of the Year showed why he earned that title. Whether it was a floater in traffic, a step-back jumper, or a drive through contact, Brunson delivered in every critical moment. He averaged 26.2 points in the series and captained the Knicks with poise, toughness, and swagger.
He was, and continues to be, the heart of New York&rsquo;s renaissance.
More than just a win &ndash; it&rsquo;s a revival
The impact of this series win goes beyond the scoreboard. It reverberated through the city. New York, a basketball town starving for success, erupted in celebration. Celebrities poured out of the Garden. Streets were flooded with fans chanting &ldquo;Go New York Go New York Go!&rdquo;. Timoth&eacute;e Chalamet &ndash; yes, even the &lsquo;Lisan Al Gaib&rsquo; &ndash; joined in in support of his favorite NBA team
It lit up the NBA world. What was supposed to be Boston&rsquo;s coronation turned into a Knicks uprising. The defending champs were outclassed, outcoached, and outworked. And the league took notice.
It reaffirmed the Knicks&rsquo; vision. Every decision, every gamble &ndash; they were worth it. This wasn&rsquo;t just a team that got hot. This was a team that executed its plan to perfection when it mattered most.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
However, the job is not yet done.&nbsp;
The Knicks have their work cut out for them from here on out. Two series down, two series to go. Now, it&rsquo;s on to Indiana.
The Pacers are no easy out. Led by All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton and a deep, versatile supporting cast, they&rsquo;ve steamrolled through the playoffs with pace, ball movement, and shooting.
The Knicks, meanwhile, continue to rely on a tight, seven-man rotation. They&rsquo;ll enter the series with the same urgency, the same intensity &ndash; but also with heavier legs.
It&rsquo;ll be a clash of philosophies: New York&rsquo;s top-heavy, defense-first grind versus Indiana&rsquo;s spread attack and bench firepower. But if the Celtics series proved anything, it&rsquo;s that the Knicks are more than just a system. They&rsquo;re a team that believes &ndash; fiercely and completely.
They believe in each other. They believe in the plan. And now, for the first time in decades, the entire city believes alongside them.
So no, the job&rsquo;s not done, but the Knicks are exactly where they believed they&rsquo;d be.
And they're just getting started.

The Knicks finally beat the Celtics in a dramatic 6-game series, validating their season-long mission, but the job's not finished yet.

The Knicks were built to beat the Celtics – now they’re built for more

The New York Knicks have high hopes for the 2024-25 season after a series of offseason moves to bolster their roster. Boasting a revamped starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, Coach Tom Thibodeau has leaned heavily on this five-man unit by relying on their defensive versatility and scoring prowess to carry the team night after night. Yet this dependency raises questions about sustainability, with risks of fatigue, injuries, and late-game breakdowns looming over a long NBA season.&nbsp;
The Knicks&rsquo; starting five are logging heavy minutes early in the season. Jalen Brunson, in particular, is averaging over 35 minutes per game as the team&rsquo;s primary playmaker and scorer. Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are also averaging significant playing time, tasked with balancing offensive responsibilities while handling tough defensive assignments on opposing wings. Towns, who is crucial on both ends by providing floor spacing on offense and size on defense, is also averaging close to 35 minutes per game. These players are giving their all each night, but the mileage can add up as the season moves along.
NBA history shows that overextending starters early in the season can lead to burnout, and Thibodeau is no stranger to this trend. In his previous coaching stints, especially with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Thibodeau&rsquo;s teams experienced both early success and, ultimately, the cost of fatigue and injuries. During those stints, key players who logged high minutes often missed time later due to injuries or wore down in critical playoff moments.
The Knicks&rsquo; reliance on their starters has led to noticeable fatigue in the fourth quarter. The high-minute load impacts shooting accuracy, defensive effectiveness, and overall energy levels down the stretch. In recent games, the Knicks&rsquo; fourth-quarter stats reflect a slight decline in scoring efficiency, with players missing more shots and committing more fouls late in the game. This is particularly concerning in close matchups, where even minor drops in performance can shift the game&rsquo;s outcome. Opposing teams, with fresher players, often capitalize on the Knicks&rsquo; tired legs, exploiting gaps on defense and taking control in the final minutes.
If the Knicks are to reach their potential, Thibodeau may need to expand his rotation to preserve the health and effectiveness of his starters.
A balanced rotation could alleviate these issues. However, it doesn&rsquo;t help that starting center Mitchell Robinson is still yet to come back from an injury, as well as regular contributor Precious Achiuwa. The Knicks&rsquo; bench is shallow as of the moment with only Cameron Payne, Miles McBride, and at times Jericho Sims as players who can step in to relieve starters and bring fresh energy. Rookies Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti have had good summer league performances and showed something interesting in the preseason, but Coach Thibs has yet to commit to trusting rookies during the regular season. However, by giving a little bit more minutes on their reserves, the Knicks would have the flexibility to keep their starters fresh, reducing the risk of late-game lapses and helping maintain energy throughout the season.
High minutes also correlate with an increased risk of injury, a risk that only compounds as the season progresses. For players like Brunson and Anunoby, who play physically demanding roles, the toll of heavy minutes can lead to strains and nagging injuries. Towns and Bridges, though durable, have histories of minor injuries, and prolonged wear could increase their risk as well. If any starter were to miss time, it could disrupt the team&rsquo;s chemistry and potentially derail their season.
The Knicks have already invested heavily in this core, both financially and strategically, so ensuring their health and longevity is critical. Coach Thibodeau&rsquo;s emphasis on conditioning may help, but even the best-conditioned athletes can fall prey to injuries when overworked.
One solution lies staggering the starters with the bench guys. An expanded rotation would also provide versatility and unpredictability, as the Knicks could mix lineups to create favorable matchups and keep opponents off-balance.
Last season, teams with deep rotations generally fared better in the later months and into the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets, for example, leaned on a nine-man rotation that kept players fresh and ready for postseason intensity. The Knicks have the personnel to replicate this approach, but it requires a willingness to let the bench play through mistakes and grow into their roles.
The Knicks&rsquo; high-minute starters have impressive stats, but the numbers suggest potential pitfalls. Brunson and Towns lead the team in points, yet their fourth-quarter shooting percentage has dropped as games wear on. Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby rank among the league leaders in defensive metrics, but all three have seen dips in effectiveness late in games. These stats underline the wear on the Knicks&rsquo; starting five, and without adjustments, the team could face challenges maintaining performance over the long haul.
Thibodeau&rsquo;s strategy has yielded early success, but balance is the key to a sustainable season. By trusting his bench and managing his starters&rsquo; minutes, he can preserve the team&rsquo;s health and performance for the playoffs. The Knicks have the depth to make this adjustment, and doing so would likely pay dividends as they aim for a deep postseason run. In a grueling 82-game season, longevity and resilience are paramount, and a balanced rotation could be the key to the Knicks realizing their potential.

Heavy minutes for the Knicks’ starting five could lead to fatigue, injuries, and late-game struggles.

Knicks’ Overreliance on Starting 5 a Double-Edged Sword

After five previous tries, the New York Liberty have finally climbed the mountaintop of the WNBA.
New York outlasted the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 Sunday night at the Barclays Center to claim the 2024 WNBA championship &ndash; the first in franchise history.&nbsp;
The Liberty have made WNBA Finals appearances in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and most recently a season ago in 2023, but they have come up short each time around.
This was 28 years in the making as one of the WNBA&rsquo;s original franchises since its inception, finally winning a league title.
Minnesota struck first early in the 1st quarter, building a 10-point lead after the Liberty&rsquo;s cold shooting in the quarter. New York tried to make a run in the second quarter but was still down by 7 at the half.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair in the second half from there as both teams showed their grit and determination to win it all. The series was one of the best in WNBA Finals history with two overtime games over the 5 games played, and Game 5 was one of them.
Minnesota had a chance to win the game in regulation but Kayla McBride missed her game-winning three-point attempt at the buzzer with the score tied at 60.
New York capitalized on Minnesota&rsquo;s turnovers and their bench scoring in overtime to come away with the victory.
Sabrina Ionescu, who was the hero in Game 3 after that heart-stopping game winning three, struggled mightily from the field in the game with only 5 points on a brutal 1-19 shooting. Ionescu tried to affect the game in other ways though with 7 rebounds and 8 assists, making crucial passes and hustle plays in the 4th quarter and overtime.
To pick up her slack, Breanna Stewart had 13 points and 15 rebounds while rookie Leonie Fiebich had 13 including hitting a crucial three in OT.&nbsp;
Jonquel Jones was named Finals MVP for her incredible series and her 17 points (led the team) and 6 rebounds proved to be essential for the Liberty.
New York would not have won the game if it weren&rsquo;t for the efforts of Nyara Sabally, who scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Sabally was not playing that many minutes in the series but when her number was called in this game she delivered, providing energy off the bench and toughness on defense.
Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride led Minnesota&rsquo;s losing effort with 22 and 21 points respectively but it was not enough for Minnesota to break the tie for most championships in WNBA history.

After five previous tries, the New York Liberty have finally climbed the mountaintop of the WNBA.

CHAMPS AT LAST: Liberty outlast Lynx to win 2024 WNBA Finals

The Minnesota Lynx survived yet again another tough challenge from the New York Liberty and won, 80-77, in Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals to force a winner-take-all Game 5.&nbsp;
With their season on the line, all Minnesota starters scored in double digits in a complete team effort. Kayla McBride led all scorers with 19 points, Courtney Williams had 15, while Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith both had 12 markers. Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier once again played all 40 minutes available and finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.&nbsp;
Carleton made the biggest play of the game by hitting two free throws with two seconds left and the Lynx forced the stop on the next possession against another potential game-winning three point attempt by Sabrina Ionescu at the buzzer. Ionescu broke the hearts of Minnesota fans in Game 3 after she hit a tough side-stepping three from 30 ft to steal the game on the road.&nbsp;
The Lynx won the game by forcing Liberty superstars Breanna Stewart and Ionescu to tough shooting nights. Stewart only had 11 points on 5-20 shooting after a 30-10 game in Game 3 while Ionescu was 5-16 from the floor, scoring only 10 points.&nbsp;
The two teams will meet again for the final time on Sunday night in New York to claim the 2024 title.
Minnesota will have a chance to be the winningest franchise in WNBA history by winning their 5th title to break their tie with the Houston Comets and the Seattle Storm. The Lynx reached the Finals for the first time since 2017, when they won the last of four championships in seven years.&nbsp;
New York, on the other hand, is looking for their first-ever WNBA title after having lost five times in previous seasons. This is their second straight Finals appearance after having lost to the Las Vegas Aces last year in 4 games.

The Minnesota Lynx survived the New York Liberty, 80-77, in Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals to force a winner-take-all Game 5.

Lynx stave off Liberty to force winner-take-all Game 5 in 2024 WNBA Finals

The Minnesota Lynx have stolen Game 1 vs the New York Liberty after a cardiac comeback win in overtime, 95-93, to draw first blood in the 2024 WNBA Finals.
After a dominant first half from New York, Minnesota stormed back behind a huge scoring surge in the 4th quarter to take the lead in the dying seconds of the game.
The Liberty led by 15 with 5 minutes left in the game before the Lynx unleashed their furious run. It was led by Courtney Williams, who sank back-to-back threes with under 2 minutes to go. One of them was a four-point play as Williams got fouled by Sabrina Ionescu to give Minnesota the go-ahead lead late.
Breanna Stewart had a chance to win it for the Liberty in regulation but she missed the free throw that could&rsquo;ve given New York the lead and the win, sending the game into OT.
In overtime, 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier showed her wares that she&rsquo;s not just a defensive player when she gave the Lynx the final lead for the final tally on a tough fadeaway jumper.
Stewart had a chance again to send the game to a 2nd overtime but she missed a point-blank layup at the buzzer.
Collier finished with 21 points on 10-16 shooting with 8 rebounds and 4 assists to lead Minnesota&rsquo;s comeback. Williams chipped in 23 points as the team&rsquo;s leading scorer while Kayla McBride added 22 markers.
Stewart and Ionescu, New York&rsquo;s two superstars, scored 18 and 19 points respectively but struggled from the field overall (6-21 and 8-26) as the Liberty lost home court advantage following Game 1&rsquo;s loss. Jonquel Jones spearheaded the Liberty with 24 points and 10 rebounds but it was not enough to stop the Lynx&rsquo;s comeback.
Game 2 will still be at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Monday, October 14 at 3:00 p.m.

Minnesota have stolen Game 1 vs New York after a cardiac comeback win in overtime, 95-93, in the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Lynx strike first in 2024 WNBA Finals after after thrilling comeback win

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Colin Castleton is accustomed to being double-teamed every time he touches the ball, so he was pleasantly surprised &mdash; maybe even downright stunned &mdash; when Tennessee opted to guard him with a single defender in the second half.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got to take advantage of that,&rdquo; Castleton said.
He did. Castleton scored 20 points, including 16 in the second half, and Florida upended the second-ranked Volunteers 67-54 on Wednesday night.
Kyle Lofton added 14 points for the Gators, who delivered coach Todd Golden his most significant victory in his first season in Gainesville. It was Florida&rsquo;s second Quad 1 win in the last two weeks.
The Volunteers, playing with their highest ranking in four years, lost for the first time in five games. They had won nine of 10.
&ldquo;Our guys are disappointed,&rdquo; Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re better than this, but tonight we weren&rsquo;t.&rdquo;
Tennessee (18-4, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) looked like it had taken control midway through the second half. They outscored Florida by 10 points in the early going to take a six-point lead.
But the Gators (13-9, 6-3) stormed back behind Castleton, who scored 11 of 14 points as Florida rallied. The senior had a dunk, two free throws, a three-point play, a layup and a short jumper &mdash; essentially putting the team on his back down the stretch.
&ldquo;They went small, and I felt like I had a mismatch,&rdquo; Castleton said.
Myreon Jones and Will Richard chipped in nine points apiece for the Gators.
Zakai Ziegler led the Vols with 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Olivier Nkamhoua added 11 points and nine rebounds for the visitors, who also got 11 points and eight boards from Vescovi Santiago.
The Gators were red hot to start the game, making six of their first eight shots &mdash; including all three from 3-point range &mdash; while building a 17-4 advantage. But they quickly cooled against the nation&rsquo;s best defense, missing nine of their next 11 as Tennessee made cut it to 22-21.
The Vols had it going coming out of the locker room, with Ziegler getting into the paint and making things happen. But it was short-lived &mdash; thanks mostly to Castleton.
&ldquo;We gave them a chance to start believing in what they&rsquo;re doing, and they took it,&rdquo; Barnes said.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Tennessee surely will drop a few spots in next week&rsquo;s AP Top 25 college basketball poll.
BIG PICTURE
Tennessee: The Volunteers gave up 10 points in the opening four minutes of the games, a rare sluggish start for the nation&rsquo;s best defense. Tennessee had held four of its first eight SEC opponents scoreless at the first media timeout, roughly the first four minutes of games. It was a sign of things to come.
&ldquo;We kept fighting uphill all night long,&rdquo; Barnes said.
Florida: The Gators are two games into the toughest stretch of their season. Coming off a loss at Kansas State, they have road games against Kentucky and Alabama up next. So to say they needed this one would be an understatement.
&ldquo;It was a desperation game,&rdquo; Castleton said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a tough schedule here and we&rsquo;ve got to win games. We were able to claw and fight.&rdquo;
IN THE HOUSE
Football coach Billy Napier watched the game from a few rows behind Florida&rsquo;s bench alongside his two sons and receiver Ricky Pearsall. Former Florida tennis star Ben Shelton, the NCAA singles champion in 2022, also was in attendance. So was former Gators and NFL quarterback Doug Johnson.
UP NEXT
Tennessee hosts No. 25 Auburn and former coach Bruce Pearl on Saturday.
Florida plays at Kentucky on Saturday. The Gators have lost seven of eight in the series.
NO. 1 PURDUE 80, PENN STATE 60
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Mason Gillis broke the Mackey Arena record by making nine 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 29 points as Purdue beat Penn State.
Gillis went 10 of 14 from the field and 9 of 12 from beyond the arc. Zach Edey added his 18th double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
The Big Ten-leading Boilermakers (22-1, 11-1) have won nine straight overall, six straight in the series and are the only Power Five team with fewer than two losses this season.
Seth Lundy had 18 points to lead the Nittany Lions (14-8, 5-6).
NO. 14 MARQUETTE 73, VILLANOVA 64
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) &mdash; Tyler Kolek scored 20 points and Marquette rallied down the stretch to beat Villanova and maintain a share of the Big East lead.
Kam Jones added 18 points for Marquette (18-5, 10-2), which has won four straight games and nine of 10.
Eric Dixon and Caleb Daniels scored 14 each for Villanova (10-12, 4-7), which committed a season-high 19 turnovers. Brendan Hausen added 12 points.
In a game neither team led by more than six until the final minute, Kolek put Marquette ahead for good at 63-62 by sinking two free throws with 4:32 remaining, starting a 10-0 spurt.
NO. 16 XAVIER 85, NO. 17 PROVIDENCE 83, OT
CINCINNATI (AP) &mdash; Jack Nunge had 23 points and 14 rebounds as Xavier held off Providence in overtime.
Colby Jones and Souley Boum each scored 20 for the Musketeers, who won a first-place showdown in the Big East without injured forward Zach Freemantle.
Noah Locke had 22 points and Ed Croswell added 21 for Providence (17-6, 9-3), which had beaten Xavier three straight times.
A layup by Boum put the Musketeers (18-5, 10-2) ahead 82-79 with 51 seconds remaining in overtime. A layup by Devin Carter cut Xavier&rsquo;s lead to one with 24 seconds left. Boum hit one of two free throws, and Jared Bynum&rsquo;s 3-point attempt from the left corner rimmed out at the buzzer.
NO. 25 AUBURN 94, GEORGIA 73
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Johni Broome scored 19 points and matched a career high with 18 rebounds, Allen Flanigan scored a season-high 22 points, and Auburn beat Georgia.
Wendell Green Jr. added 18 points and six assists and made two 3-pointers during a 17-0 first-half run for the Tigers (17-5, 7-2 Southeastern Conference).
Broome secured his seventh double-double of the season with 2:54 remaining in the first half, then added six points and six rebounds in the second half.
Mardrez McBride led the Bulldogs (14-8, 4-5) with 20 points.

A recap of Wednesday night's action in men's college basketball includes an impressive upset in SEC play from the Gators.

Florida upends No. 2 Tennessee 67-54 behind Colin Castleton

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; The Knicks are a young team that&rsquo;s still learning how to string together victories.
They&rsquo;re hoping to bottle several lessons from their latest outing.
Julius Randle had 37 points and nine rebounds, and hit the free throws that gave New York the lead for good in a 120-117 overtime win over the East-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
Jalen Brunson added 29 points, seven assists and a game-ending blocked shot for the Knicks, who have won two straight. RJ Barrett had 19 points and Immanuel Quickley finished with 17 points and five rebounds.
&ldquo;We held our own,&rdquo; Barrett said. &ldquo;We played together and we played hard. We got the good result.&rdquo;
Boston&rsquo;s Jaylen Brown had a chance to put the Celtics ahead with 7.6 seconds remaining, but misfired on two free throws, forcing the Celtics to foul.
&ldquo;Just got to be better,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Tonight was just a rough game and I&rsquo;m a better basketball player than I played today. Those two free throws embodied the whole game for me.&rdquo;
Jayson Tatum, who was voted an All-Star game starter for the third consecutive season prior to tip-off, finished with 35 points and 14 rebounds. Brown added 22 points and nine rebounds for Boston, which has lost three straight for just the second time this season.
New York led by 13 in the fourth quarter but scored just four points in the final 5:26 of regulation to help the Celtics send the game to OT.
Randle said he never saw panic in his teammates&rsquo; eyes during the Celtics&rsquo; comeback.
&ldquo;Just poise,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been in those type of situations all year. So I feel like we&rsquo;re getting more and more comfortable in those situations.&rdquo;
Boston scored the first five points of the extra frame. New York responded by scoring the next six, taking a 116-115 lead on Barrett&rsquo;s 3-pointer from the wing.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t have a good shooting night, but I was ready to take that shot,&rdquo; Barrett said. &ldquo;I feel like we&rsquo;re getting more comfortable in those situations.&rdquo;
Brown nudged the Celtics back in front with a driving layup out of a timeout with 24 seconds remaining. Randle&rsquo;s two free throws then put New York back in front for good at 118-117.
Boston had a final chance to tie but Brunson blocked Malcolm Brogdon&rsquo;s 3-point try.
Tatum hit his first five shots of the night. He struggled in the second and third quarters but had 11 in the fourth quarter to lead Boston&rsquo;s rally.
The Celtics struggled to find an offensive flow throughout, shooting 41% with 13 turnovers.
FRANTIC FINISH
The Knicks outscored the Celtics 33-25 in the third quarter and took a six-point edge into the fourth.
The lead grew to 102-89 on a pair of free throws by Miles McBride with just over seven minutes to play. The Celtics charged back and had a chance to win it regulation, but Tatum missed a 19-footer and Robert Williams had his follow shot blocked as time expired.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Randle had a driving, one-handed dunk over Tatum late in the third that was part of a 14-5 run to put New York in front 87-78. . &hellip; Outscored the Celtics 48-42 in the paint. &hellip; Evan Fournier missed his second straight game (personal reasons).
Celtics: Dropped to 18-6 at home, with three of those defeats coming in overtime. ... Marcus Smart sat for the third straight game with a sprained right ankle. Interim coach Joe Mazzulla said he is wearing a special sock to help reduce swelling. He remains day-to-day. &hellip; Boston hit 7 of their first 9 attempts from the field and led by as many as 15 points in the first quarter. They finished the period by hitting 5 of their final 18 shots and held a 60-58 halftime lead. &hellip; Tuesday marked the Celtics&rsquo; 6,000th regular-season game.
&nbsp;

Julius Randle had 37 points and hit the free throws that gave New York the lead for good in a 120-117 overtime win over Boston.

Randle scores 37, Knicks rally to beat Celtics 120-117 in OT

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic thought his improbable tying basket in the final second of regulation actually won the game.
No biggie. The Dallas superstar just set the table for a triple-double unlike the NBA has ever seen.
Doncic had a franchise-record 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, including the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1607950883312001027?s=20&amp;t=dQDB5jAu1UNu9ps8OmTnLQ">tying basket off his intentionally missed free throw</a> to force overtime, as the Mavericks rallied for a wild 126-121 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
After grabbing the loose ball on a rebound and shooting the 11-foot jumper in one motion, the 23-year-old danced around while waving his arms as the thinned-out crowd expecting a loss celebrated wildly.
It was 115-115 with 1.0 seconds remaining.
&ldquo;A lot of people asked me about this back in the locker room, and I said I thought we won it,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why I went to the crowd like this. I thought we won the game, and then I see it&rsquo;s tied. I was like, &lsquo;Oof.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Dallas was down nine with 33 seconds left in regulation before getting even in a back-and-forth sequence capped by Doncic grazing the rim and hitting the backboard with the intentional miss.
The first 60-point game in Dallas history also included Doncic's career high in rebounds and was the first 60-20-10 game in NBA history. The young Slovenian had his seventh triple-double and the league's highest-scoring performance of the season.
The Mavericks moved three games over .500 with a fourth consecutive victory, both marks matching their season bests.
Quentin Grimes scored a career-high 33 points and Dallas native Julius Randle had 29 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost a fourth consecutive game coming off an eight-game winning streak, their longest in almost nine years.
Jalen Brunson missed the game with a hip injury, unable to play in what would have been his return to Dallas.
New York was essentially without two starters after RJ Barrett exited with a cut on a finger 96 seconds into the game, but trailed for less than a minute in regulation.
&ldquo;I thought we were playing well,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;Didn't close out the last 30 seconds of the game.&rdquo;
After Miles McBride missed one of two free throws with 11.5 seconds left, Spencer Dinwiddie, who scored 25 points, hit a 3-pointer to get Dallas within 113-112.
McBride made both free throws the next time for a 115-112 lead with 7.7 seconds to go, then Grimes fouled Doncic before the Dallas superstar could attempt a potential tying 3-pointer.
Doncic made the first free throw before the miss with 4.2 seconds to go, then ended up with the ball after it bounced off several sets of hands.
&ldquo;I know it was two seconds or something," Doncic said. &ldquo;I just threw it up, hopefully it went in.&rdquo;
The teams combined to miss the first nine shots of overtime, all the points coming on free throws before Doncic hit a jumper for a 122-117 lead with 1:08 remaining.
Doncic was 21 of 31 from the field and 16 of 22 from the line while topping Dirk Nowitzki's previous club record of 53 from Dec. 2, 2004.
The 23-year-old's record night came two days after the Mavericks unveiled a statue of Nowitzki outside the arena.
&ldquo;I'm tired as hell,&rdquo; Doncic said after playing all but 12 seconds of the second half and overtime, and 49 minutes overall. &ldquo;I need a recovery beer.&rdquo;
Dallas led for less than a minute of regulation but never trailed in overtime. Doncic put the Mavs ahead for good at 118-116 with two free throws midway through the extra period.
Brunson missed his first game of the season in his first visit to Dallas, where the point guard spent his first four seasons before signing with the Knicks in free agency last summer.
The two-time NCAA champion from Villanova got to play against his former team in early December in New York, when the Mavericks rolled to a 121-100 victory.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Starting for Brunson, Immanuel Quickley had a career-high 15 assists and scored 13 points. ... Mitchell Robinson had a season-high 20 points and 16 rebounds.
Mavericks: F Dorian Finney-Smith will miss at least two more weeks with a right adductor strain that has sidelined him the past four games. ... Christian Wood had 19 points and nine rebounds.
UP NEXT
Knicks: At San Antonio on Thursday as New York hits all three Texas cities. The Houston visit finishes the three-game trip Saturday.
Mavericks: The Rockets at home Thursday in the first of two meetings in five days. The rematch in Houston is Monday.

The first 60-point game in Dallas history also included Luka's career high in rebounds and was the first 60-20-10 game in NBA history.

Doncic has 60-21-10, rallies Mavs to wild OT win over Knicks

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points, Jalen Brunson had 21 and the New York Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the depleted Golden State Warriors 132-94 on Tuesday night.
Quentin Grimes added 19 points and RJ Barrett had 18 as New York extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA.
&ldquo;No one has talked about the streak at all,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;Obviously, we tell each other to keep it rolling. But, we&rsquo;re just trying to be the best team we can be and just focus on one day at a time.&rdquo;
Julius Randle finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Mitchell Robinson had nine points and 11 rebounds and Miles McBride added 10 points.
&ldquo;We have a lot of players on this team who are capable of having monster games,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not surprising when someone like &lsquo;Quick&rsquo; plays that way or &lsquo;Q&rsquo; having that type of game or even Deuce (McBride) getting double figures. When they do it, it&rsquo;s definitely a plus.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole scored 26 points for the Warriors, who are without Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and other key players. Jonathan Kuminga had 13, while Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Ty Jerome each had 11.
The Knicks scored the first eight points of the game and never trailed. They led 33-25 at the end of the first quarter.
The Warriors pulled within 35-33, but a 3-pointer by Grimes with 4:17 left in the second quarter gave the Knicks a 60-45 lead. New York led 69-56 at halftime.
&ldquo;Winning naturally gains confidence,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;But, I&rsquo;m not going to put much into a winning streak or whatever. It&rsquo;s still December.&rdquo;
Robinson&rsquo;s free throws put the Knicks up 88-67 with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter. They again went up by 21 on Quickley&rsquo;s free throws with five seconds left in the quarter.
Quickley shot 6 for 10 after going 3 for 20 in the previous two games.
The Knicks led 100-81 heading into the fourth, and the Warriors never got any closer.
Svi Mykailiuk&rsquo;s free throws with 58 seconds remaining gave New York its biggest lead of the night and were the final points of the contest.
&ldquo;The Knicks are in a good groove right now. They totally outplayed us,&rdquo; said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. &ldquo;We sank tonight. We&rsquo;re trying to hang in there and we will. Another game tomorrow.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State is now 3-15 in away games this season, 1-8 against the Eastern Conference. &hellip; Donte DiVincenzo (illness, unrelated to COVID-19) and JaMychal Green (health and safety protocols) did not play. &hellip; Curry became the NBA&rsquo;s career leader in 3-pointers made the last time he played at Madison Square Garden (Dec. 14, 2021). He missed his third straight game (left shoulder injury). &hellip; Andre Iguodala has yet to play this season (left hip injury).
Knicks: New York had lost eight straight home games to the Warriors. The Knicks&rsquo; last victory over Golden State was on Feb. 27, 2013, a 109-105 victory in which Curry&rsquo;s 54 points were his career high. &hellip; Obi Toppin has not played since Oct. 10 (fractured right fibula). Coach Tom Thibodeau said he is doing better but was only working in the pool and still not doing anything on the court.
LONE WARRIOR
Kevon Looney is the only Warrior to start all 32 games this season. Poole is the other Golden State player to see the floor in all 32 games, but he has only started 13.
&nbsp;

Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points and the Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the Warriors 132-94.

Knicks rout Warriors 132-94, extend win streak to 8 games

CHICAGO (AP) &mdash; Zion Williamson scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds over 15 minutes in his return after a lost season with a broken foot, and the New Orleans Pelicans held on to beat the Chicago Bulls 129-125 on Tuesday night.
Devonte&rsquo; Graham led the Pelicans with 21 points and five assists. Willy Hernangomez and rookie Dyson Daniels, the eighth overall pick in last summer&rsquo;s draft, had 15 points apiece. Dyson had 12 points in the fourth quarter as New Orleans won with a late push.
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 21 points, and Javonte Green had 18. Nikola Vucevic finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Rookie Dalen Terry scored 11 points.
The Pelicans built a 73-50 lead at halftime with a significant portion of the scoring coming from the bench, a testament to New Orleans&rsquo; depth. And the Pelicans were without Brandon Ingram, who sat out with a sore toe.
Williamson was the only New Orleans starter to reach double figures. Jaxson Hayes added 14 points off the bench.
KNICKS 117, PISTONS 96
RJ Barrett scored 21 points, Jalen Brunson had 16 points and five assists in his debut as the Knicks point guard, and New York used a third-quarter push to beat Detroit.
Julius Randle added 15 points for the Knicks, shooting 6 for 10 and contributing six rebounds and four assists. Immanuel Quickley finished with 13 points and Miles McBride had six steals as the Knicks forced 22 turnovers, leading to 26 points.
Rookie Jaden Ivey from Purdue, the fifth overall pick in the draft, started at guard and scored 16 points in 22 minutes for Detroit. Ivey connected on 6 of 9 shots in his preseason debut. Isaiah Livers scored 13 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic, who came over from Utah, and Killian Hayes added 11 apiece.
Brunson, who played for Dallas last season, signed a four-year contract in the offseason as the Knicks continue their search for a point guard. Brunson got off to a nice start with six points and three assists in the first quarter.
A 33-21 third quarter put the Knicks in control as both teams moved to their reserves in the second half.
Jalen Duren, the 13th overall pick, grabbed 14 rebounds for the Pistons.
TIMBERWOLVES 121, HEAT 111
Anthony Edwards scored 24 points, connecting on 9 of 15 shots in 23 minutes, to lead Minnesota over Miami.
Taurean Prince added 19 points, while Bryn Forbes scored 15 for the Timberwolves, who played without frontline players Karl-Anthony Towns and newly acquired Rudy Gobert.
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro led the Heat with 22 points apiece, while Caleb Martin scored 12. Omer Yurtseven finished with 11 points and nine rebounds after starting at center for Miami.
Towns is still recovering from a throat illness that eventually required hospitalization. Gobert is resting after playing for France last month.
Meanwhile, Miami played without Jimmy Butler, last year&rsquo;s leading scorer at 21.4 points per game, and Victor Oladipo.
The Timberwolves benefitted from 51% shooting, including 13 of 33 from outside the arc. Miami was limited to 43% and 9 of 34 from 3-point range. Fifteen Heat turnovers led to 25 Minnesota points.
JAZZ 118, TRAIL BLAZERS 101
Jordan Clarkson scored 19 points, Mike Conley finished with 16 on 6-of-9 shooting, and Utah beat Portland.
Both Conley and Clarkson were 3 of 5 from outside the arc, with the Jazz shooting 46% from 3-point range. Collin Sexton scored 13 points and Kelly Olynyk finished with 12 points and six rebounds.
Damian Lillard led Portland with 21 points. Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant scored 13 points apiece, while Jusuf Nurkic finished with 12 points as the Trail Blazers lost for the second time in as many nights.

Zion Williamson returned to the court after missing a season as the Pelicans beat the Bulls in their pre-season opener.

Zion Williamson scores 13 points in return after missing season

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; RJ Barrett scored 21 points, Jalen Brunson had 16 points and five assists in his debut as the Knicks point guard, and New York used a third-quarter push to beat the Detroit Pistons 117-96 on Tuesday night.
Julius Randle added 15 points for the Knicks, shooting 6 for 10 and contributing six rebounds and four assists. Immanuel Quickley finished with 13 points and Miles McBride had six steals as the Knicks forced 22 turnovers, leading to 26 points.
Rookie Jaden Ivey from Purdue, the fifth overall pick in the draft, started at guard and scored 16 points in 22 minutes for Detroit. Ivey connected on 6 of 9 shots in his preseason debut. Isaiah Livers scored 13 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic, who came over from Utah, and Killian Hayes added 11 apiece.
Brunson, who played for Dallas last season, signed a four-year contract in the offseason as the Knicks continue their search for a point guard. Brunson got off to a nice start with six points and three assists in the first quarter.
A 33-21 third quarter put the Knicks in control as both teams moved to their reserves in the second half.
Jalen Duren, the 13th overall pick, grabbed 14 rebounds for the Pistons.
TIMBERWOLVES 121, HEAT 111
Anthony Edwards scored 24 points, connecting on 9 of 15 shots in 23 minutes, to lead Minnesota over Miami.
Taurean Prince added 19 points, while Bryn Forbes scored 15 for the Timberwolves, who played without frontline players Karl-Anthony Towns and newly acquired Rudy Gobert.
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro led the Heat with 22 points apiece, while Caleb Martin scored 12. Omer Yurtseven finished with 11 points and nine rebounds after starting at center for Miami.
Towns is still recovering from a throat illness that eventually required hospitalization. Gobert is resting after playing for France last month.
Meanwhile, Miami played without Jimmy Butler, last year&rsquo;s leading scorer at 21.4 points per game, and Victor Oladipo.
The Timberwolves benefitted from 51% shooting, including 13 of 33 from outside the arc. Miami was limited to 43% and 9 of 34 from 3-point range. Fifteen Heat turnovers led to 25 Minnesota points.

RJ Barrett scored 21 points, Jalen Brunson had 16 points and 5 assists in his Knicks debut, and New York beat the Pistons 117-96.

RJ Barrett leads Knicks to win over Detroit in Jalen Brunson's debut

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

When Quin Snyder walked out of the door with his resignation as head coach last month, it was the first of many dominoes to fall toward the Utah Jazz's intention to rebuild.
&ldquo;And I think it&rsquo;s pretty clear, we desperately wanted him to stay,&rdquo; Jazz head of basketball operations Danny Ainge said during Snyder&rsquo;s final press conference.
Since Snyder officially left his perch in Utah, foundational layers have begun to peel away from a consistent contender who never got over the hump in the Western Conference.
It all started minutes into the new league year beginning, first with veteran wing Royce O&rsquo;Neale being traded to the Brooklyn Nets for a 2023 first-round pick. Then, less than 24 hours later, the Jazz dealt three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Utah received a historic haul of draft picks in return, with three unprotected and a 2029 first-round selection top-three protected.
With the team prioritizing future assets from Minnesota in a Gobert blockbuster over win-now pieces to potentially retool on the fly, the smoke around Donovan Mitchell&rsquo;s looming departure is reaching new levels of formality.
According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania and Tony Jones, the Jazz are now <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/knicks-and-jazz-discussing-donovan-mitchell-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">openly listening to trade calls on Mitchell</a>, and the New York Knicks are a top contender for his services. Although, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski added Monday that the Jazz "aren't in a rush" to move Mitchell.
But at this point, there&rsquo;s no reason to believe Mitchell wants to stay put in Utah long-term, and Ainge has put this "teardown" formula to use before, particularly when he overhauled the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2013; instead of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Gobert and Mitchell have presented the Jazz the perfect opportunity to bottom out when it makes the most sense to do so.
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As currently constructed, the Jazz are maybe the No. 8 seed in the West simply due to Mitchell&rsquo;s presence. Already drastically different with Gobert&rsquo;s departure, it never really made much sense to stay in the middle of the pack. Their championship window suddenly shut on them when Synder &mdash; the mastermind behind the the team&rsquo;s rise &mdash; left the building for good.
Luckily for the Jazz, who appear more than ready to fully submerge themselves into the tank race, Mitchell&rsquo;s hometown team in New York presents the right mixture of draft capital and intriguing young prospects to quickly make a deal where both sides could walk away happy.
The star-craved Knicks have been waiting for this moment. As soon as they traded out of the 2022 NBA Draft at No. 11 overall for future draft capital &mdash; which also helped clear space to sign new starting point guard Jalen Brunson &mdash; the franchise started to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. New York has the ammunition to strike, and Mitchell feels like the prize its front office has coveted all along.
With so many connections to Mitchell in New York, including the CAA agency ties with team president Leon Rose, the stars all align. No more false promises on delivering a star to the Big Apple; this time, it would be accomplished with emphasis by acquiring a top-20 player with consistent All-NBA upside. Mitchell&rsquo;s score-first mindset was made for an environment like Madison Square Garden, and it wouldn&rsquo;t come as any surprise if we found out that he's been pulling some strings to make this marriage happen as well.
Entering the second season of his five-year rookie max extension, Mitchell&rsquo;s prime years as a 6-foot-1 guard who relies heavily on athleticism and explosion are within this current window. For the Knicks, their core &mdash; headlined by the rising RJ Barrett and veteran Julius Randle &mdash; is about ready to take a step forward. And after a season where reality hit hard that they weren&rsquo;t as close as internally expected, a big splash might be the necessary antidote to reviving the New York&rsquo;s hopes.
The bar has been set in Utah on what the Jazz want most in return for their building blocks: All of the future draft picks legally possible.
The Jazz found a team in Minnesota willing to cough up valuable future picks alongside multiple young prospects under years of team control (Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler). Look for Ainge and Co. to want even more from the Knicks or any other team inquiring on Mitchell. Preparing for this chance to bring Mitchell home, New York has eight projected first-round picks over the next four years, which totals up to a whopping 12 selections through 2029. If the Jazz get what they want for Mitchell, that number could match or exceed the historic amount of assets that the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans stockpiled in their past superstar-blockbuster deals.
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So, what would a deal even look like where a homecoming happens for Mitchell and the Knicks? In order to match salaries, they would need to send out around $25 million. New York can quickly get to that figure by including either or both of Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose, the latter of whom has a pseudo-expiring contract because of a team option. From there, the Knicks have a plethora of young talent to put together a viable package: Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, Cam Reddish, Rokas Jokubaitis (2021 draft-and-stash). Picking two from that bunch feels fair on top of the draft-pick barrage.
This will likely turn into a stalemate until one side caves, but the Jazz and Knicks can craft together a win-win framework &mdash; it'll just have to be haggled over on the negotiation table beforehand.
In my opinion, a construct like this feels like it could be a realistic outcome where Mitchell suits up opening night for the Knicks in MSG.
Knicks receive: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gay
Jazz receive: Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, Rokas Jokubaitis, Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, 2023 first-round pick (via Wizards), 2023 first-round pick (via Mavericks), 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), 2025 first-round pick (via Bucks), 2025 pick swap, 2026 first-round pick (unprotected), 2027 pick swap, 2028 first-round pick (top-3 protected), 2029 pick swap
In total, it would be an absolute haul for the Jazz centered around six first-round picks and multiple swaps, but one that still doesn&rsquo;t really gut much of New York&rsquo;s core of young talent. Under this scenario, Utah would own 18 first-round picks over the next six drafts, which is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Once the Jazz realized their title window shut on them before ever making a significant postseason push, the organization has been open to the idea of blowing it all up. Unable to overcome past failures, Utah is now about to enter foreign territory, bottoming completely out for years at a time. However, having Ainge running the rebuild should give those in Utah confidence that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Ainge pulled off Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in Boston, and now the Jazz need him to pull multiple rabbits out of his hat along the way.

The Jazz are listening to offers on Donovan Mitchell. Evan Sidery explains why the star's homecoming in New York feels inevitable.

Why a Donovan Mitchell trade between Knicks and Jazz feels inevitable

After 11 jam-packed days, another NBA Summer League in Las Vegas has come to a close.
The Portland Trail Blazers emerged as champions with an 85-77 win over the Knicks on Sunday afternoon. But we also had five more games where players made their last attempts to earn roster spots and training camp invites.
With so many top prospects resting, undrafted players took the spotlight. All six of Monday's "studs" went undrafted, but that hasn't stopped them from chasing their NBA dreams.
Here are the final standouts from Las Vegas:
STUDS
Brandon Williams, Portland Trail Blazers
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How did Brandon Williams make this pass?!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2K23SummerLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2K23SummerLeague</a> Championship Game Live Now on ESPN <a href="https://t.co/3kt9n9dM9d">pic.twitter.com/3kt9n9dM9d</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548769309471694850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
Box score stats: 22 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 5/9 FG, 2/5 3PT
Williams needed this performance badly. After breaking into the starting lineup of an injury-riddled Portland team last spring, his future seemed murky with Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons both returning. Williams hadn't really stood out in Las Vegas yet, but he led the Blazers to a Summer League title on Sunday.
The 22-year-old was a heads-up playmaker and punctuated his passing with the above play. He also knocked down several self-created shots against tough defense from Deuce McBride and made all 10 of his free throw attempts. While it's unclear what Williams' role will look like in Portland next season, he at least heads into summer break on a positive swing.
Gabe Brown, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Yo this pass from Abdul Gaddy to Gabe Brown in the corner... <a href="https://t.co/2jEAvz0mRz">pic.twitter.com/2jEAvz0mRz</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1548800134141689862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 8/15 FG, 5/12 3PT
OKC's playmakers were dazzling, and Brown helped them out by finishing off plays. He drilled 5 three-pointers as a floor-spacer and also finished off an alley-oop in transition. Brown also teased a bit of self-creation with a long step-back two and a fast break score he took all the way to the basket by himself. Brown projects as mostly a 3-and-D player in the NBA, but it's a good sign that he can be aggressive in the right moments.
John Butler, New Orleans Pelicans
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John Butler Jr. finished a PERFECT 9-for-9 from the field in the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> win to close out their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2K23SummerLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2K23SummerLeague</a> schedule!<a href="https://twitter.com/john_e_butler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@john_e_butler</a>: 25 PTS (9/9 FGM), 7 REB, 6 3PM <a href="https://t.co/0j2Hz1OFn7">pic.twitter.com/0j2Hz1OFn7</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548819744224165888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 25 points, 7 rebounds, 9/9 FG, 6/6 3PT
Butler is one of the more bizarre rookies in his class as a 7-foot-1, floor-spacing wing. He had been relatively quiet for most of Summer League, but exploded in a perfect performance from the field. Butler's triples were all of the catch-and-shoot variety, but he did knock down two mid-range pull-ups and finish off a cut with a dun. Butler is too skinny and stiff to be a rotation player at this stage. However, he is one of the more unique long-term bets in the entire league.
Elijah Stewart, New Orleans Pelicans
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Elijah Stewart. Relentless. +1 📺 NBATV <a href="https://t.co/7R4iTOjniE">pic.twitter.com/7R4iTOjniE</a>
&mdash; New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA/status/1548811452655366145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 7/14 FG, 4/7 3PT
At age-26, Stewart is one of the older players in Las Vegas. He showed his experience and poise on drives, where he powered to the basket for strong finishes through contact. Stewart also made high-level passing reads to shooters and cutters off of those drives. He made 245 three-pointers when he played at USC, so the success from distance comes as no surprise. Stewart has never played in the NBA, suited up for three G League teams in 2018-19 and has spent the last three seasons overseas. This game could be a breakthrough moment for him.
Jaime Echenique, Washington Wizards
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Jaime Echenique flies to the rack! Live Now on ESPN 2 <a href="https://t.co/Fl3V6i4Mde">pic.twitter.com/Fl3V6i4Mde</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1548837133711974401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5/8 FG, 9/10 FT
Echenique played all of three minutes for Washington last season but averaged 17.4 points and 10.4 rebounds with the G League affiliate Capital City Go-Go. The center was a bully inside against the Warriors, but he also showed solid touch with floaters and hook shots. He's a sturdy interior presence at 6-foot-11 and 258 pounds. This showed up on the defensive end with Echenique stonewalling driving threats.
Adonis Arms, Denver Nuggets
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Adonis from deeeeeep <a href="https://twitter.com/adonis_arms_25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adonis_arms_25</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SummerNuggs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SummerNuggs</a> <a href="https://t.co/fkkdMJQCas">pic.twitter.com/fkkdMJQCas</a>
&mdash; Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1548837620280528896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 8/12 FG, 4/4 3PT
Arms' recent basketball career has seen him rise from Mesa Community College, to Northwest Nazarene and Winthrop, to Texas Tech. Now, he's maximizing his chances at the league with Denver. Arms displayed impressive body control on his layup attempts and confidence from beyond the arc. He used some active hands to generate steals and picked up two phenomenal blocks defending around the basket. After going undrafted this June, the 6-foot-6 Arms has a serious shot at sticking around with Denver.
Other notable performers: Trendon Watford (Trail Blazers), Jabari Walker (Trail Blazers), Deuce McBride (Knicks), Abu Kigab (Raptors), Louis King (Suns), Dereon Seabron (Pelicans), Quenton Jackson (Wizards)
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DUDS
Sandro Mamukelashvili, Milwaukee Bucks
Box score stats: 3 points, 9 rebounds, 1/6 FG, 0/1 3PT
One of the top performers in Las Vegas ended his run on a quiet note. Mamukelashvili was less of a presence as a scorer on offense, though he did try to be a bit more creative. He took the ball coast-to-coast twice and went 1-for-2 on the ensuing layups. Mamukelashvili only played 19:43, so he scaled back in general during this contest. Overall, though, he played an excellent Summer League and is in the conversation for MVP honors.
Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers
Box score stats: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 turnovers, 1/9 FG, 1/6 3PT
Nesmith played three Summer League games with his new team after being dealt from Boston in the Malcolm Brogdon trade. The wing ended at 5-for-20 from distance in those contests, but this one was his most underwhelming. And unlike last year's dominant summer showing, Nesmith floundered when he attacked off the dribble, coughing up turnovers with a loose handle and missing shots at the basket.
The 2020 No. 14 pick can absolutely still turn things around, but the concerns with Nesmith on both ends are very real at this point.
Isaiah Todd, Washington Wizards
Box score stats: 8 points, 3/13 FG, 2/8 3PT
Todd's summer showings have wildly oscillated. Unfortunately, this was another valley for last year's No. 31 pick. Todd just doesn't have consistency yet from beyond the arc, where most of his shots came in this environment. He can handle the ball well but does not appreciate contact. He's most successful as a cutter right now. Todd likely needs another season of G League reps, where he admittedly struggled last season.
Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets
Box score stats: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2/11 FG, 0/2 3PT
Like Todd, Watson posted good and bad outings, but ended on a sour note. He displayed flashes of creativity on drives, but didn't show the burst necessary to give himself a quality look. His pull-up game was also shaky and he finished Summer League shooting 2-for-17 from deep. The defensive tools are there, but Watson has a long way to go to take his scoring in particular to the NBA level.

Brandon Williams, John Butler and Adonis Arms finished out the last day of Summer League on a high note.

10 studs and duds from Day 11 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) &mdash; Brandon Williams scored 22 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an 85-77 victory over the New York Knicks in the NBA Summer League championship game on Sunday.
It was the third time Portland played in the championship game since 2017, and its second title since.
The Trail Blazers got 36 points from their reserves, led by Jabari Walker, who finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Trendon Watford finished with 19 points and seven rebounds for Portland and was a unanimous choice for game MVP honors.
&ldquo;They made a run in I think the late third or the fourth," Watford said. "We stuck together and when we came back in, we turned it up and I&rsquo;m just proud of all these guys man.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It was big time, our chemistry came together since day one and I&rsquo;m just proud of all these guys.&rdquo;
The Knicks, with coach Tom Thibodeau sitting courtside, had five players finish in double figures, led by Quentin Grimes, who scored 19 points.
Miles McBride scored 17 points, while Jericho Sims added 13 and Feron Hunt and Micah Potter each chipped in with 10 for New York.
Portland, which came into the game ranked third during the summer league with 42.8 rebounds per game, outrebounded the Knicks, 37-32.
The Blazers, who defeated New York 88-77 earlier in the event, didn&rsquo;t find their rhythm until the start of the second quarter of the championship, when they opened with three straight 3-pointers that gave them a 21-14 lead. They went on to hit seven 3-pointers in the quarter to build an 11-point lead they&rsquo;d take heading into the locker room, 41-30.
The Blazers pushed their lead to 16 in the third quarter, with a 60-44 lead built on the strength of 10 points at the rim.
Portland rode its defensive tenacity to the championship, but it was New York&rsquo;s defense that frustrated the Blazers to start the game. Both teams came out relatively sluggish, with a splash of sloppiness mixed in, as the Knicks shot 5 of 15 (.333) from the floor and the Blazers were just 3 of 12 (.250) from the field.
RAPTORS 80, BUCKS 69
Abu Kigab scored 15 points to lead six Toronto players in double figures and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Raptors beat Milwaukee.
Christian Vital, Ryan Hawkins and Christian Koloko added 11 points apiece for Toronto and Alex Barcell and Ron Harper Jr. each scored 10.
Lindell Wigginton led the Bucks with 11 points and Dewan Hernandez scored 10.
SUNS 84, PACERS 69
Louis King hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points, Tyson Carter scored 12 and Phoenix beat Indiana.
Kameron Taylor and Ish Wainwright added 11 points apiece for the Suns.
David DiLeo, Jermaine Samuels Jr. and Kendall Brown each scored eight points for Indiana.

Brandon Williams scored 22 points to lead Portland to an 85-77 win over New York in the NBA Summer League championship game.

Blazers top Knicks 85-77 to win NBA Summer League title

Thursday's NBA Summer League action brought even more breakout stars as more NBA teams rest their top young talent.&nbsp;
We had healthy double-doubles, game-winners and undrafted surprises throughout the day. So why waste time harping on those who struggled when we can highlight those who excelled?
Instead of the usual "Studs and Duds," I'm going all-in with 10 studs for today's recap.
Take a look at the wide variety of impact players from another great day of hoops:
JD Davison, Boston Celtics
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JD Davison was EVERYWHERE for the <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> in their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2K23SummerLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2K23SummerLeague</a> win!<a href="https://twitter.com/jddavison10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jddavison10</a>: 28 PTS, 5 REB, 10 AST, 3 STL, 4 3PM <a href="https://t.co/R6aTEI6J4x">pic.twitter.com/R6aTEI6J4x</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547704239383687170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 28 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 9/14 FG, 4/6 3PT
Davison hasn't played poorly by any stretch, showing great passing instincts and active, if a bit reckless, defense. But he was missing a breakout scoring performance, and it all came together beautifully against Memphis. He drilled four triples, including some off the dribble, which is an exciting sign considering Davison has struggled from deep throughout most of his hoops career.
He also attacked when he wanted to and displayed impressive chemistry on lobs with Bostons' bigs. The energy Davison brings to the court is electric, and so when he's on his game, he truly dazzles the audience.&nbsp;
Blake Wesley, San Antonio Spurs
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Good call! Here's the Blake Wesley sequence, starting to show some great passing instincts. <a href="https://t.co/hHIPzO74yc">https://t.co/hHIPzO74yc</a> <a href="https://t.co/de45kaVwwd">pic.twitter.com/de45kaVwwd</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1547677023807500288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 20 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 8/17 FG, 2/3 3PT
Wesley has admittedly been snubbed from a few of these daily roundups. He gets his moment here with another great performance as a lead playmaker. Wesley dished out skip passes, transition dump-offs and connecting feeds, as he's done all summer for San Antonio. He also showed improved efficiency as a self-creator after some rougher shooting splits. If you're picking a value 2022 Draft pick off of Summer League alone -- which I strongly advise not to do, but anyway -- Wesley might be the one.
Dalen Terry, Chicago Bulls
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Fantastic sequence on both ends from Dalen Terry. As long as he continues to cut and plays the defense we know he's capable of, he'll have an important role. <a href="https://t.co/yJuNisfI4F">pic.twitter.com/yJuNisfI4F</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1547706447030472704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 8/12 FG, 2/2 3PT
Like with Wesley, I've been close to sticking Terry on the "Studs" list multiple times, and he finally breaks through here. Terry hit both spot-up attempts from distance and capitalized on some timely cuts. His passing didn't shine in this game, but Terry has shown fun court vision throughout Summer League.
Terry continues to be at his best on defense with his length, and also used that length to finish off a tough bucket through contact. His defensive acumen and passing give him a stable floor, and these scoring moments hint at the upside for the first-round rookie.
Deuce McBride, New York Knicks
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Deuce drives baseline and finds Feron Hunt cutting down the lane then jumps the hand-off and finishes on the other end. Fantastic sequence from Deuce McBride and the Knicks start another Summer League game on a run. <a href="https://t.co/DYxsbo1lQb">pic.twitter.com/DYxsbo1lQb</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1547727894205517824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 9/13 FG, 1/3 3PT
McBride is already an exemplary pull-up and perimeter shooter. We saw this on display against the Magic, but we also got to see him play a bit more aggressively as a driver. McBride took two attempts to the basket, hit two floaters, and had a nice jump stop turn into a fadeaway score. He still doesn't get all the way to the hoop quite as much as you'd like. However, he's improving his confidence attacking, in addition to the rest of his positive moments on both ends.
Tommy Kuhse, Orlando Magic
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Tommy Kuhse still a bucket <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MagicSummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MagicSummer</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/AdventHealth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AdventHealth</a> <a href="https://t.co/1rkKf1o1sG">pic.twitter.com/1rkKf1o1sG</a>
&mdash; Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1547733787932405764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 25 points, 4 assists, 5 steals, 11/15 FG, 3/5 3PT
As a 24-year-old, undrafted graduate student from St. Mary's, Kuhse carried little expectation into Las Vegas, but he broke out with Thursday's performance. He was methodical with his offensive possessions, taking advantage of space and driving lanes the defense gave him. Kuhse relocated for open threes, probed for mid-range pull-ups and attacked for layups. He also frequently found himself in the right place at the right time for steals.
Moses Wright, Dallas Mavericks
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Moses Wright is everywhere today for the Mavs. Hits the trailing C&amp;S 3 and then in the next possession dunks home the put-back! <a href="https://t.co/MFhjxiuAwf">pic.twitter.com/MFhjxiuAwf</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1547754212968132609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 26 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 10/16 FG, 1/1 3PT
Wright overpowered the Bucks, who could not match his physicality in the frontcourt. He did damage rolling to the basket on hand-offs and screens against a Milwaukee defense that was consistently late getting over to help. Wright also knocked down a three-pointer as a trailer and battled on the boards. The 6-foot-9 big man played 14 combined minutes with the Clippers and Mavericks last season and mostly suited up for the Agua Caliente (now Ontario) Clippers in the G League. Dallas should want to hang onto Wright as a physical presence.
Lindell Wigginton, Milwaukee Bucks
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Lindell Wigginton &amp; Sandro Mamukelashvili combined for 44 points while both shooting better than 50% from the field in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bucks</a> win!<a href="https://twitter.com/Lwigginton5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lwigginton5</a>: 25 PTS, 4 AST, 3 STL<a href="https://twitter.com/Mamukelashvili5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mamukelashvili5</a>: 19 PTS, 6 REB, 2 STL <a href="https://t.co/Xb6R8iMB2e">pic.twitter.com/Xb6R8iMB2e</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547770570871169024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 25 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, 8/14 FG, 2/5 3PT
Wigginton has been rock-solid all week, and this was another stellar performance for a player who deserves a long-term home. His smooth scoring and creative passing have been present in several games. Wigginton also jumped passing lanes to create steals and displayed some quality defensive activity. He appeared in 19 games for the Bucks last season, and hopefully Milwaukee recognizes how valuable the second-year player can be to their guard depth.
Tyson Etienne, Atlanta Hawks
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Tyson Etienne For the Win! <a href="https://t.co/B4mXrUpwOU">pic.twitter.com/B4mXrUpwOU</a>
&mdash; Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1547698906078711812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Etienne's got some serious range. The 22-year-old canned several triples from well beyond the arc with confidence. But his biggest moment came at the rim, when Etienne exploded on a drive to the basket and finished an off-balance layup to win the game 87-86 against the Spurs. A 6-foot-2 guard who went undrafted this June, Etienne brings a fun mix of speed and shooting, and I'd imagine the Hawks want to keep him around in some capacity.
Keon Johnson, Portland Trail Blazers
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Buckets and efficiency! Keon Johnson piled on the points in the <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trailblazers</a> win 🏀<a href="https://twitter.com/iamkeonjohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamkeonjohnson</a>: 25 PTS (8-13 FGM), 4 REB, 4 3PM <a href="https://t.co/lKwtpLcBbe">pic.twitter.com/lKwtpLcBbe</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547788742773002240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 25 points, 4 rebounds, 8/13 FG, 4/8 3PT
Johnson still has peaks and valleys as a creator, but man, are the flashing exciting. His confidence is rising as a pull-up shooting, and Johnson knocked down some threes when defenses played him conservatively. He remains an electric player in the open court and a constant threat to attack and throw down a massive dunk. Consistency is everything with the 2021 first-round pick at this stage, but it's great to see meaningful progression in his scoring development.&nbsp;
Day'Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets
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Day'Ron Sharpe: Return to Sender 📨 Live Now on ESPN <a href="https://t.co/k8oWGnX0Iy">pic.twitter.com/k8oWGnX0Iy</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547769318615556099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
Box score stats: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, 8/10 FG, 1/2 3PT
Sharpe was an absolute monster in Brooklyn's dominant win to close the night. His four blocks included one impressive play where he stuck to Minnesota's Josh Minott on a drive and stuffed a long-reaching layup attempt. The center held his own on multiple switches and was more mobile than I expected him to be.
Sharpe's passing is one of his hallmark skills, and he showcased it on one eyebrow-raising whip pass out of the post to David Duke Jr. in the opposite corner. He flashed some savvy as a low-post scorer and even knocked down a corner three. Cam Johnson has rightfully gotten much of the Summer League attention out of Brooklyn, but Sharpe's game was one of the best by a Nets player this week.
Other notable performers: Cam Johnson (Nets), RJ Nembhard Jr. (Cavaliers), Trevion Williams (Celtics), Ziaire Williams (Grizzlies), Kennedy Chandler (Grizzlies), Kenny Lofton Jr. (Grizzlies), Quentin Grimes (Knicks), Jericho Sims (Knicks), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Bucks), Jerrick Harding (Mavericks), Jabari Smith Jr. (Rockets), Tari Eason (Rockets)

JD Davison, Deuce McBride and Tommy Kuhse highlighted the standout games from Thursday.

10 studs from Day 8 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

JD Davison had 28 points and 10 assists, Juhann Begarin added 19 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Memphis Grizzlies 108-91 on Thursday for their third straight victory in the NBA Summer League.
Davison, the 53rd pick in the draft, made 5 of 6 field goals in the first half and scored 19 points to help Boston (3-1) take a 51-39 lead. Davison finished 9 of 14 overall, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.
Justin Jackson added 16 points, Brodric Thomas had 13, and Trevion Williams finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Ziaire Williams scored 21 points for Memphis (2-2). David Roddy and Kenny Lofton Jr. each had 16 points. The Grizzlies were just 3 of 20 from distance.
HAWKS 87, SPURS 86
Tyson Etienne scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half, including a <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547700565617938437">go-ahead layup with 14.3 seconds left</a>, and Atlanta handed San Antonio its fourth straight loss.
Atlanta (2-2) scored 14 straight points to make it 85-81 with two minutes remaining.
Sharife Cooper added 15 points and Tyrese Martin scored 13 for Atlanta.
Blake Wesley scored 20 points for San Antonio (0-4).
CAVALIERS 82, PISTONS 79
Cameron Young scored 15 points, RJ Nembhard Jr. added 14 and Cleveland beat Detroit.
Stanley Umude made a layup with 58 seconds left to give Detroit its first lead, 77-76, since 7-5. Ochai Agbaji made two free throws at the other end as Cleveland retook the lead with 45.3 left. The Cavaliers made 6 of 6 free throws in the final minute and Young blocked a 3-point attempt in the final seconds.
Agbaji had 12 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland (2-2).
Jules Bernard scored 14 points for Detroit (2-2).
The Pistons missed their first 12 3-pointers until Braxton Key beat the halftime buzzer to cut Cleveland's lead to 45-26. The Pistons had 13 turnovers and just 10 field goals in the first half.
BULLS 89, HORNETS 73
Dalen Terry scored 20 points, Marko Simonovic had 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists and Chicago eased past Charlotte.
Malcolm Hill and Makur Maker each scored 11 points for Chicago (3-1).
Bryce McGowens led Charlotte (2-2) with 15 points. Jalen Crutcher and JT Thor had 10 points apiece.
KNICKS 102, MAGIC 89
Miles McBride had 23 points and five assists, Quentin Grimes scored 22 with six rebounds and New York breezed past Orlando.
Jericho Sims, the only pick the Knicks (3-1) haven't traded away in the last two drafts, added 12 points and 10 rebounds. New York, which will have three protected first-round picks in next year's draft, chose Sims with the 58th selection (out of 60) in the 2021 draft.
Tommy Kuhse had 25 points and five steals to pace the Magic (2-2). Justin James scored 16 and Zavier Simpson added 10 points and nine assists.
Paolo Banchero, the top pick in this year's draft, was among eight Orlando players who did not play.
BUCKS 100, MAVERICKS 89
Lindell Wigginton scored 25 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 19 and Milwaukee eased past Dallas.
Milwaukee (3-1) first-rounder MarJon Beauchamp &mdash; 24th overall and the Bucks' only pick &mdash; finished with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Moses Wright led Dallas (0-4) with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Jerrick Harding added 16 points and five assists.
TRAIL BLAZERS 85, ROCKETS 77
Keon Johnson hit four 3-pointers and scored 25 to lead Portland over Houston.
Second-round pick Jabari Walker had nine points and nine rebounds for Blazers (3-1).
No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr. had 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Rockets. Tari Eason &mdash; the 17th pick &mdash; added 17 points and seven boards. Daishen Nix scored 15.
NETS 102, TIMBERWOLVES 83
Cam Thomas scored 26 points, Day'Ron Sharpe added 20 points and 10 rebounds and Brooklyn rolled to a win over Minnesota.
Thomas made four 3-pointers for the Nets (2-2). Sharpe sank 8 of 10 shots and grabbed four offensive boards. David Duke Jr. totaled 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Kessler Edwards scored 15 with nine rebounds.
Wendell Moore Jr. led the Timberwolves (1-3) with 16 points. Josh Minott had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Kevon Harris and Terrell Brown Jr. each scored 10.

JD Davison had 28 points and 10 assists in Boston's third straight win in Summer League.

JD Davison leads Celtics past Grizzlies in Summer League play

Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the draft, had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 84-81 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Holmgren shot 7 of 10 in a game that was originally expected to be a matchup of the Nos. 1 and 2 picks. But the Magic announced earlier Monday that Paolo Banchero would not play the remainder of the summer after averaging 20 points, five rebounds and six assists in his two games in Las Vegas.
Josh Giddey added 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder (1-1).
Holmgren, a 7-footer out of Gonzaga, did a little bit of everything, from bringing up the ball to anchoring the Oklahoma City defense. He threw down dunks, was 2 of 4 from 3-point range, blocked two shots and changed multiple more, but committed four turnovers.
Justin James led Orlando (2-1) with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Tommy Kuhse scored 14 points, Devin Cannady added 12 and Zavier Simpson had 11 points, seven assists and five steals. Emanuel Terry scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
ROCKETS 97, SPURS 84
Tari Eason had 22 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 19 points and nine rebounds as Houston rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat San Antonio.&nbsp;
Josh Christopher scored 13 of his 18 points in the final six minutes as Houston (2-1) pulled away. Daishen Nix added 18 points, six assists and two steals for the Rockets.
San Antonio led 54-36 with 2 minutes left in the first half. Houston used a 16-5 run midway through the third quarter to take a 62-61 lead after Smith hit a 3-pointer.
Malaki Branham led San Antonio (0-3) with 20 points. Blake Wesley made just 3 of 20 from the field &mdash; 0 of 7 from 3-point range &mdash; but finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Josh Primo (health and safety protocols) did not play for the Spurs.
CELTICS 111, BUCKS 109
Matt Ryan scored 23 points and hit six of Boston&rsquo;s 18 3-pointers &mdash; including a tightly contested running 3 with 0.8 seconds to play &mdash; and Boston stunned Milwaukee.
After Lindell Wigginton made two free throws to give the Bucks a one-point lead, Ryan took the inbounds pass, dribbled up the left sideline and went behind-the-back near midcourt and hit a straight-away 3 with the 6-foot-7 MarJon Beauchamp in his face. Ryan appeared to hurt his left ankle on the play and writhed in pain on the court before Wigginton missed a heave from beyond half court as time expired.
Mfiondu Kabengele had 15 points, 11 rebounds &mdash; including seven offensive &mdash; four assists and two blocks, while Brodric Thomas made 4 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for Boston (1-1). Juhann Begarin scored 13 points, Sam Hauser 12 and Justin Jackson added 10.
Milwaukee&rsquo;s Sandro Mamukelashvili had 28 points and nine rebounds. Wigginton added 24 points and Beauchamp scored 15.
PELICANS 101, HAWKS 73
Trey Murphy III, the No. 17 selection in the 2021 draft, had 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting and Daequan Plowden scored 16 to help New Orleans beat Atlanta.
Dyson Daniels, the Pelicans&rsquo; first-round draft pick (No. 8 overall), did not play because of an ankle injury.
Jared Harper made 9 of 12 from the free throw line and finished with 14 points and seven assists for the Pelicans (1-1). Tyrique Jones added 11 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
AJ Griffin, the Hawks&rsquo; No. 16 pick in the draft, did not play did not play due to discomfort in his right foot.
Chaundee Brown Jr. and Justin Tillman scored 14 points apiece for Atlanta (0-2).
The Hawks shot 31.7% (26 of 82) from the field and made 3 of 24 (12.5%) from 3-point range.
JAZZ 83, MAVERICKS 82
Tacko Fall and D.J. Funderburk each had a double-double and Johnny Juzang hit a step-back 3-pointer in the closing seconds to help cold-shooting Utah beat Dallas.
Fall scored 12 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots, while Funderburk added 10 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. The Jazz (2-0) outrebounded Dallas 65-46 overall and had a 22-7 advantage on the offensive glass. Fall pulled down 12 offensive rebounds as Utah outscored the Mavericks 21-0 in second-chance points.
Juzang, Justin Robinson and Xavier Sneed scored 11 points apiece for the Jazz. Jarod Butler finished with nine points, 10 assists and three steals but made just 3 of 22 (16%) from the field and went 0 for 10 from behind the arc.
Jerrick Harding led Dallas (0-2) with 18 points and A.J. Lawson had 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Jaden Hardy was just 4-of-15 shooting but finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Derrick Alston Jr. scored 13 points and Moses Wright added 11.
Utah shot just 31% (26 of 84).
TRAIL BLAZERS 88, KNICKS 77
Trendon Watford scored 18 points and Jabari Walker had 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds to help Portland overcome a slow start to beat New York.
Craig Randall II hit 4 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with 12 points, Keon Johnson scored 11 and Brandon Williams added 10 for the Trail Blazers (2-1).
Portland shot just 3 of 14 from the field in the first quarter and trailed 24-9. The Trail Blazers were 27 of 48 (56.3%) the rest of the way.
Quentin Grimes scored 24 points for the Knicks (2-1), who led 13-0 for the second straight game. Miles McBride scored 16 and Feron Hunt added 12. Jericho Sims had six points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
ESPN analyst and former NBA player Richard Jefferson, who won an NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, officiated the second quarter.&nbsp;

The Thunder were victorious with an 84-81 victory over the Magic on Monday night in the Las Vegas Summer League.