AnalysisThursday, Oct 22, 2026

Yaxel Lendeborg said it was an "interesting first game for me" after defending the Lakers superstar in his professional debut.

For the Lakers, who have installed Luka Doncic as the heir to LeBron James and rebuilt their roster around him, the early results in a 127-105 win over the Warriors were a promising sign of things to come.

Angel Reese kept the Dream rolling in Game 3 with a 97-71 win as Atlanta took a 2-1 lead over the Valkyries in the WNBA Finals.

Lakers star Luka Dončić took out a full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times, addressing the city and saying "tonight we start our run for a championship."

Most fans watching Wednesday's game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat knew LaMelo Ball got away with a travel.

Former Huskies Gabby Williams, Tiffany Hayes, Kiah Stokes and Kaitlyn Chen look to help Golden State even the Finals.

We ranked the top players of all time in the WNBA. Who got snubbed?

Before the WNBA's 30th season wraps up, ESPN voted on the league's all-time greatest players. There's a new No. 1.

For more than a decade, LeBron James shaped a massive rivalry with Stephen Curry and the Warriors. Now he's gone. Left in his wake are two teams, each in dramatic transformation.

The Rockets won their opener against Dallas on Wednesday by playing at a much faster pace than they did last season, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. With point guard Fred VanVleet back on the court after missing all of 2025/26, Houston repeatedly pushed the ball up court, finishing with 128 points, including 29 on […]

The UConn women's basketball team’s quest for back-to-back national titles ended with a humbling loss to South Carolina in the 2026 Final Four, but a new season brings a new roster.

Our annual talent rundown has every big name to know as we ready for the season's start in November

The Cleveland Cavaliers just made NBA history…by losing to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Welcome back, NBA. We missed you more than you know.

Last year saw a remarkable six players make their first NBA All-Star appearances, so we decided to embrace optimism by highlighting seven who could do the same in 2026-27.

The Thunder GM and the two-time MVP have created a partnership that fueled OKC's rise.

With the Rockets focused on trapping him, Kyrie Irving was held to 15 points in his first regular-season game since March 2025 and the Mavs fell 128-110.

Wizards big man Anthony Davis is bullish on Bilal Coulibaly’s defensive potential, according to Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link). Davis thinks the French forward basically has no ceiling on the defensive end, adding that he has the combination of size, foot speed and strength to battle the top wings in the […]

The Nets no longer have an incentive to tank, but their new season still began Wednesday with a home loss to Charlotte, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. While it was a familiar result for Brooklyn fans, there’s hope that this year will be different than the last three, when they’ve won 32, […]

"Oh my goodness."

NBA legend Allen Iverson reflected on the final stages of his professional career, acknowledging that his unwillingness to accept a bench role contributed to his departure from the league. The former Philadelphia 76ers superstar explained that he struggled with the idea of becoming a reserve after spending most of his career as a starting player […] The post Allen Iverson acknowledges ego contributed to NBA exit appeared first on TalkBasket.net.

NBA legend Allen Iverson shared his perspective on the league’s growing player salaries, explaining that he welcomes the enormous contracts being awarded to today’s players, including those with limited roles. Iverson said he believes every player should benefit from the NBA’s financial success, arguing that larger contracts also reflect the contributions made by previous generations […] The post Allen Iverson wants even NBA bench players to earn $100 million appeared first on TalkBasket.net.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson recalled how LeBron James challenged his teammates to believe they could still win the 2016 NBA Finals after falling behind 3-1 against the Golden State Warriors. Thompson explained that Cleveland’s Game 4 defeat was particularly frustrating because many of the team’s problems were the result of its own mistakes. […] The post Tristan Thompson on LeBron James’ message to Cavaliers after falling behind 3-1 appeared first on TalkBasket.net.

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson believes his breakout playoff performances with the Dallas Mavericks helped the basketball world recognize the player he had always believed himself to be. Brunson explained that his emergence during Dallas’ 2022 postseason run was less about discovering new abilities and more about receiving the opportunity to demonstrate what he […] The post Jalen Brunson reflects on Dallas playoff breakthrough before Knicks move appeared first on TalkBasket.net.

Josh Hart spent five years going at it with Mitchell Robinson in practice. Now, they’re about to do it in a real game, on opposing teams.

Hoops 360 host Caroline Fenton and women’s basketball writer Cassandra Negley react to the high-stakes matchup in the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. They spotlight the unstoppable, championship-hungry Angel Reese, diving into her historic performances in Game 2 and Game 3. They also break down the Valkyries' biggest weak spots. Can the defensive-minded squad shift their momentum offensively to stay alive in the fight for a championship?

Russell Westbrook discussed his decision to retire from the NBA ahead of the 2026-27 season.

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns knows he can't afford to be whistled as early as he was in Tuesday's season-opening loss to the Philadelphia 76ers once his team is back on the court.

Gabby Williams: "We have to just go back to our defense, and that will get our offense going" The post Can the Valkyries offense do enough to come back in the Finals? appeared first on The IX Sports.

The Lakers offered a glimpse into what could be an elite offensive team.