Curry drops 44. Wemby survives overtime. Brunson erases a 19-point hole. Houston stays perfect. Dallas hands Oklahoma City its first loss. Every final. Every story.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026 · ALL 12 GAMES FINAL · ORIGINAL 4DK ANALYSIS
Golden State needed every bit of Stephen Curry’s shot-making in Minnesota. The 44-point masterpiece was the highest individual scoring total of the night, but what makes it our selection is the context: the Warriors built a big lead, nearly lost it, and still had Curry to steady the offense. At 38, he remains capable of defining an entire evening.
Rookie spotlight — Yaxel Lendeborg: 26 points and nine rebounds in the same game. The seven turnovers show the work still ahead, but the talent and immediate fit are impossible to miss. Other performances: Victor Wembanyama’s 36 and 14 in an overtime win, Jalen Brunson’s 38 in a 19-point comeback, and Cooper Flagg’s 26 and eight assists against Oklahoma City.
GAME 01 / A first win with a message
GIANNIS AND BAM FINALLY PUT MIAMI IN THE WIN COLUMN.
Five games into this new Miami experiment, the most important number was not Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 24 points or his 18 rebounds. It was the first number in the win column. After an 0–4 start that exposed the Heat’s unsettled guard play and offensive timing, Miami walked into Atlanta and looked far more connected. Giannis attacked efficiently, Bam Adebayo matched him with 24 points and nine boards, and their shared physical presence finally gave this offense a dependable foundation. Davion Mitchell’s ten assists mattered because the ball had a purpose instead of becoming a series of disconnected isolations.
The turning point was the opening-half control. Miami scored 34 in the first quarter, carried a 69–56 advantage into intermission, and never needed a desperate fourth-quarter rescue. The Heat finished with 36 assists and shot 51-for-96, a far better picture of collective offense than the previous four results. Andrew Wiggins added 18, Pelle Larsson supplied 17 points and eight assists, and the frontcourt pressure kept Atlanta from dictating the physical terms. The Hawks got 23 apiece from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and rookie Kingston Flemings, while Jalen Johnson recorded 12 points and 11 assists, but they were chasing a game Miami had shaped early.
This is not a declaration that every Miami problem has disappeared. It is proof of what the ceiling looks like when Giannis and Bam complement rather than crowd each other. Adebayo also became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder, making the night bigger than one early-season victory. For Atlanta, the concern is the ease with which Miami established the paint and forced the Hawks to play from behind. For Miami, the challenge is repetition: one strong night is a start; a functioning identity has to survive the next opponent.
TURNING POINT — MIA 34–25 ATL in the first; 69–56 Miami at halftime
4DK OUTLOOK — Miami finally showed the Giannis–Bam partnership can drive a connected offense; Atlanta needs more resistance at the point of attack.
Washington brought real offensive confidence to Cleveland. The Wizards put up 42 in the opening quarter and led by ten at halftime, using early shot-making and the fresh energy of AJ Dybantsa’s NBA debut to put the Cavaliers on their heels. Dybantsa finished with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting; the rookie looked comfortable enough to take good shots instead of treating the occasion like a ceremony. Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr scored 18 apiece, while Kyshawn George handed out 11 assists. The problem was sustaining that execution once Cleveland started making the game heavier.
The game flipped after halftime. Cleveland won the third quarter 33–23 and the fourth 29–19, turning a ten-point deficit into a ten-point victory. Evan Mobley’s 24 points and 12 rebounds were the headliner, but the five made threes are what should get the rest of the East’s attention. If defenders have to respect that shot, Mobley becomes an entirely different spacing problem. Peyton Watson delivered 22 points, Jarrett Allen grabbed 12 rebounds, and Donovan Mitchell provided 19 points with seven assists. Cleveland did not need a heroic 40 from one guard; it found different sources of pressure and stayed organized through the comeback.
The 4DK takeaway is two-sided. Cleveland has to stop treating early deficits like a routine part of the game, but its versatility is becoming hard to ignore. Washington has young talent worth watching, and Dybantsa’s debut deserves its own spotlight, yet a 19-point fourth quarter will not close games against good teams. The next developmental step is learning to protect an advantage without losing aggression.
TURNING POINT — Washington led 69–59 at halftime; Cleveland won the second half 62–42
4DK OUTLOOK — Cleveland’s second-half versatility wins; Washington’s Dybantsa debut was a bright spot, but the fourth-quarter offense has to mature.
Not every good team wins pretty. Detroit’s 97–89 victory over Charlotte was a test of patience, possession control and whether Cade Cunningham could keep the offense alive when the jumpers stopped looking easy. Cade delivered 30 points and seven assists, and the Pistons moved to 4–1 despite a slow first half. Charlotte’s Brandon Miller was terrific in defeat with 31 points and 12 rebounds; he was the best individual answer the Hornets had. But Miller could not erase the gap between one player’s production and a full team’s ability to execute.
Charlotte led 51–44 at the break, then Detroit seized the game with a 32–19 third quarter. That 13-point swing was the defining stretch. The Hornets finished with 25 turnovers, a staggering amount in a 90-possession game, while the Pistons committed 14. Detroit’s advantage was not overwhelming shooting; it was the extra opportunities created by making Charlotte give possessions away. Ausar Thompson contributed nine rebounds and eight assists, Duncan Robinson supplied 13 points and four steals, and Daniss Jenkins added 14 from the bench. Those contributions gave Cade the support needed to grind through a low-scoring night.
This is why we keep calling Detroit a made team. The Pistons can win a shootout, but they can also drag a game into the mud and still make the better decisions. Charlotte’s early record had suggested real progress; tonight showed how fragile that progress becomes when ball security disappears. Miller’s emergence is legitimate. The team around him must learn that taking care of the ball is as important as having a scorer who can get 30.
TURNING POINT — Charlotte led 51–44 at halftime; Detroit won the third 32–19
4DK OUTLOOK — Detroit’s decision-making and defensive pressure won a difficult game; Charlotte cannot survive 25 giveaways.
The 76ers have enough star power to make a 4–1 start look routine. Nothing about this 114–109 win was routine. Philadelphia led by ten at halftime, then got completely swallowed by Indiana’s third-quarter pressure. The Pacers scored 17 straight to open the half and won the period 36–13. For a stretch, the Sixers looked like a roster still learning whose turn it is and how to respond when an opponent changes the tempo. That is the danger of having so many established names: talent can solve possessions, but chemistry has to solve the game.
Tyrese Maxey solved the fourth. He finished with 27 points and scored 17 in the final period as Philadelphia outscored Indiana 39–21 to reclaim control. Joel Embiid posted 21 and 11, Jaylen Brown added 20 and 10, and LeBron James gave them 13 points with ten assists. Anfernee Simons’ 20 points off the bench, including six made threes, mattered because Philadelphia needed a different source of spacing while the main group worked through its rough patch. Pascal Siakam’s 26 and 11, plus Andrew Nembhard’s 14 assists, made this a serious test even with Indiana missing key pieces.
The turning point was not one glamorous play; it was the decision to put the ball in Maxey’s hands and let him attack rather than overthink the hierarchy. We like the result and the closer. We do not love the third-quarter collapse. Philadelphia has championship-caliber names, but contenders cannot expect to surrender a 23-point swing every night and escape. Indiana’s offense showed resilience, yet its 21-point fourth quarter cost it a winnable game.
TURNING POINT — Philadelphia led 62–52 at halftime; Indiana won Q3 36–13; Philly won Q4 39–21
4DK OUTLOOK — Maxey is Philadelphia’s late-game answer; the Sixers still have to solve their wild momentum swings.
Kawhi Leonard was unavailable, but Toronto did not spend the night waiting for somebody to replace him one-for-one. Scottie Barnes set the tone with 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. RJ Barrett added 25 points, nine boards and six assists. That combination gave the Raptors two very different ways to attack: Barnes could punish mismatches and roam defensively, while Barrett kept driving into the seams. Toronto played like a team with a plan instead of a team missing its biggest name.
The first half made the separation. Orlando briefly found offensive rhythm, but Toronto’s ball pressure turned the Magic’s possessions into a source of easy points. The Raptors forced eight turnovers in the first quarter and 14 in the half, then carried a 69–53 lead into the break. They added a 34–23 third quarter to remove any doubt. Orlando finished with 20 turnovers and shot just 10-for-35 from deep. Tristan da Silva supplied 20 points off the bench, but Desmond Bane went 3-for-14 and Franz Wagner committed seven turnovers. Those numbers explain why Orlando never found a sustained answer.
Toronto is showing a real defensive identity even while Leonard’s knee keeps him out. Immanuel Quickley’s 16 points and seven assists and Jamal Shead’s 13 and seven gave the Raptors more than enough playmaking. Orlando, meanwhile, has to address the ball-handling problem before it becomes a pattern: a talented frontcourt cannot overcome that many empty trips. This was not just a 30-point loss. It was a warning about how easily pressure can knock the Magic out of their offense.
TURNING POINT — Toronto won the first three quarters 32–25, 37–28 and 34–23
4DK OUTLOOK — Toronto’s pressure defense works even without Leonard; Orlando’s ball security is an urgent concern.
Denver did not need 130 points to remind everybody what it looks like when Nikola Jokić is in control. He finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and ten assists, directing a 104–91 road victory that was more about command than fireworks. Jamal Murray supplied 23 points and five threes, Aaron Gordon grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Nuggets finally balanced their offensive execution with enough defensive resistance to win without a late scoring explosion.
The opening quarter gave Denver a 37–18 lead, but New Orleans did not simply disappear. The Pelicans won the second and third quarters, trimming a 19-point first-quarter gap to six entering the fourth. That was the real test: would Denver keep moving the ball or settle for rushed jumpers? The Nuggets answered with a 25–18 closing period. Jokić’s ten assists and Denver’s 30 team assists tell the story of how the offense found workable shots. The Pelicans got 25 from Zion Williamson, but the team finished at 91 points and could not generate enough reliable scoring around him.
For Denver, this is the kind of result that stabilizes a season after an uneven start. Trevon Brazile added 11 points and eight rebounds, another useful development in a rotation that needs fresh legs. For New Orleans, 0–4 is no longer just a rough opening week. The Pelicans showed fight after a brutal first quarter, but their inability to finish the comeback underlined how thin the margin is when the offense stalls.
TURNING POINT — Denver led 37–18 after Q1; New Orleans closed within six entering Q4; Denver won Q4 25–18
4DK OUTLOOK — Denver steadied itself through Jokić’s orchestration; New Orleans needs more dependable offense around Zion.
CURRY DROPS 44. YAXEL GIVES THE WARRIORS A FUTURE.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 119 — MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 114
Golden State 2–3 · Minnesota 3–2
Stephen Curry: 44 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST, 6 threes, 16–16 FT · Yaxel Lendeborg: 26 PTS, 9 REB · Jonathan Kuminga: 20 PTS (MIN)
Stephen Curry is still capable of turning an ordinary regular-season night into a reminder of who he is. At 38, he put 44 on Minnesota, drilled six threes, went a perfect 16-for-16 at the line and added eight rebounds and six assists. Golden State won 119–114, and for long stretches it looked like the Warriors had found the perfect combination of old-school Curry shot-making and fresh young energy. Yaxel Lendeborg delivered 26 points and nine rebounds, scoring with confidence alongside the franchise player rather than looking overwhelmed by the moment.
The first half was vintage Golden State. Curry detonated in the second quarter, and the Warriors went to halftime ahead 64–48. But the game almost became a disaster. Minnesota won the third 33–29 and the fourth 33–26, cutting what had been a commanding lead to a late one-possession fight. The Wolves were without Anthony Edwards, but Jonathan Kuminga scored 20 against his former team, Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. contributed 19 each, and the Warriors made too many sloppy decisions. Lendeborg’s seven turnovers are part of the honest evaluation even on his best scoring night of the young season. De’Anthony Melton’s late defensive play helped Golden State survive.
This is the version of the Warriors that can be dangerous: Curry can still win a game almost by himself, while Lendeborg is already showing why he belongs near the top of our Rookie Watch. The caution is just as clear. Golden State cannot keep treating big leads like a license to get careless. Minnesota’s resilience deserves respect, but the Wolves need a cleaner offensive structure when Ant is out; LaMelo Ball had eight points and six turnovers. Tonight belonged to Curry, and the future flashed right beside him.
TURNING POINT — Golden State led 64–48 at halftime; Minnesota won the second half 66–55
4DK OUTLOOK — Curry remains a game-breaker and Lendeborg looks ready; Golden State must clean up its late-game execution.
The Knicks spent the first part of this season looking like a collection of players searching for rhythm. In Chicago, they found the guy who could end the search. Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, hit six threes and added seven assists as New York erased a 19-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Bulls 133–127. Brunson scored 14 of his points in the final 6:51. When the game got frantic, he was the player who could create a clean look out of a messy possession. That is what a real closer gives you.
Chicago had every reason to think it had this game. Norman Powell scored 30, rookie Caleb Wilson contributed 20 points and six rebounds, and the Bulls held a six-point halftime lead before stretching the margin to 19 in the third. But New York’s offense caught fire late, scoring 43 in the fourth. OG Anunoby added 23, Karl-Anthony Towns gave the Knicks 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Tyler Kolek handed out nine assists without a turnover. New York also made 22 threes. Chicago’s 31-point final quarter was not enough once the Knicks began getting downhill and converting the possessions that mattered most.
For the Knicks, this was a needed second straight win and a sign that Brunson can still organize the offense when everything else is uneven. But Mikal Bridges’ three points in 13 minutes are another reminder that New York’s top-end balance is not fixed. For Chicago, Wilson’s aggressive development remains the bright spot; the team has to learn to protect a lead against elite guard play. A 19-point advantage should not become a six-point loss without a hard look at late-game defense.
TURNING POINT — Chicago led 62–56 at halftime and by 19 in Q3; New York won Q4 43–31
4DK OUTLOOK — Brunson rescued the Knicks; Chicago’s young core must learn how to close when a star takes over.
Houston did not need a last-minute defensive stand or a spectacular Kevin Durant takeover to make the point. The Rockets walked into Milwaukee, won 132–100 and moved to 5–0 with the kind of balance that separates a good start from an actual identity. Fred VanVleet led with 24 points and five assists, Amen Thompson added 23 on 10-for-16 shooting, and Durant scored an efficient 18. Houston got meaningful contributions from almost everywhere, including Bogdan Bogdanović’s 16 off the bench.
The second quarter was the knockout. Houston outscored Milwaukee 34–14, turned a two-point lead into a 22-point halftime cushion and never surrendered control. The Rockets finished 17-for-38 from three and shot 54.8 percent overall. Their offensive diversity was the biggest problem for the Bucks: take away one action and Houston had another guard, wing or cutter ready to punish the adjustment. Milwaukee got 23 from Tyler Herro, but its offense could not match Houston’s spacing, pace or shot quality. The Bucks were already in trouble by the time the second half began.
At 5–0, Houston deserves to be discussed as a real contender, not a team merely taking advantage of October. Thompson’s ability to get to the rim changes the geometry of the offense, while Durant’s presence keeps the defense honest even when he is not the leading scorer. Milwaukee at 1–4 has to confront a harsher reality: it is not just losing games, it is being overwhelmed in stretches. The next response needs to come on both ends, not from one scorer trying to save the night.
TURNING POINT — Houston won Q2 34–14 and led 57–35 at halftime
4DK OUTLOOK — Houston’s 5–0 start has substance; Milwaukee needs an answer to teams that can attack from five positions.
A night after San Antonio looked unstoppable against Sacramento, Utah made the Spurs earn everything. Victor Wembanyama answered with 36 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in a 117–111 overtime victory. He shot 14-for-25, made four threes and played with the offensive assertiveness the Spurs need from their centerpiece. Devin Vassell added 21, and San Antonio extended its winning streak to three. But nobody should mistake the result for a clean performance. The Jazz, short on established frontcourt options, made this a game from the opening quarter.
Utah jumped ahead 32–22 after one and still led by four at halftime. Keyonte George scored 31, Ace Bailey added 19 and Darryn Peterson had 18, giving the Jazz enough perimeter creation to keep the Spurs uncomfortable. George tied the game at 105 late in regulation, and neither team found the winner before overtime. The defining sequence came in the extra period: after Utah hit from deep, San Antonio answered with a 12-point surge, controlling the last minutes through defensive stops and more deliberate possessions. Vassell’s fourth-quarter and overtime scoring helped relieve the burden on Wembanyama.
This was an important test of composure, not a perfect blueprint. San Antonio’s three-guard looks still invite questions about size and defense, and Dylan Harper shot 4-for-17 even while contributing eight assists. The Spurs survived because their best player imposed himself when it mattered. Utah, without Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkić, deserves credit for making the favorite uncomfortable. Peterson’s 18 is another encouraging development in a season that will be judged as much by growth as wins.
TURNING POINT — Utah led 55–51 at halftime; tied 105–105 after regulation; Spurs won OT 12–6
4DK OUTLOOK — Wembanyama delivered in overtime, but San Antonio’s defensive structure remains a work in progress.
Dallas did more than hand Oklahoma City its first loss. It showed what happens when the Thunder’s injured rotation meets a team willing to move the ball, hit open threes and refuse to be intimidated by the defending standard. Cooper Flagg delivered 26 points and eight assists in the Mavericks’ 120–96 win, looking less like a young player waiting for permission and more like somebody comfortable directing important possessions. P.J. Washington added 18 points and nine rebounds, Kyrie Irving scored 15, and Dallas moved above .500 at 3–2.
The Mavericks led by six at halftime, then turned a competitive game into a rout by winning the second half 55–37. Oklahoma City managed only 15 in the fourth. The biggest statistical difference was impossible to miss: Dallas hit 16 threes, while the Thunder made only five on 32 attempts. That 15.6 percent three-point shooting is not enough to threaten a disciplined opponent, especially with Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren sidelined. Ajay Mitchell’s 29 points were a bright spot, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21, but the Thunder did not have enough creation or spacing behind them.
We are not throwing out Oklahoma City’s résumé because of one injury-heavy loss. We are saying the margin has changed, and this is exactly why availability has to be part of our Power 30 discussion. Dallas, meanwhile, deserves real credit. Flagg’s poise, Irving’s return to the home floor and the team’s willingness to attack the three-point line gave the Mavericks an identity beyond a single hot shooting night. The West has another team worth taking seriously.
TURNING POINT — Dallas led 65–59 at halftime; won the second half 55–37; OKC scored 15 in Q4
4DK OUTLOOK — Dallas exposed the limits of a depleted Thunder rotation and made a statement through Flagg’s all-around game.
The Lakers had just allowed 136 points in a loss to Portland. Less than 24 hours later, with Luka Dončić out of the lineup, they held the Clippers to 87 and won 103–87. That is the kind of response that tells us something about a team’s standards. Quentin Grimes took the lead with 23 points, five assists and four steals. Collin Sexton scored 21 off the bench, Matisse Thybulle added 15 while making four threes, and the Lakers found enough scoring without leaning on their biggest star.
The game changed in the second quarter. Los Angeles outscored the Clippers 31–16, built a 56–38 halftime lead and made the opponent work for nearly every clean look. The Clippers shot just 35.1 percent, while committing 24 turnovers. The Lakers forced those mistakes through active hands and better positioning, even if their own 21 turnovers and 9-for-31 three-point shooting showed that this was far from flawless basketball. Austin Reaves finished with 16 but also had eight turnovers. Keaton Wagler’s 21 led the Clippers; Darius Garland scored 14 with five assists, but the home team never developed consistent offensive rhythm.
For the Lakers, this is a much more meaningful win than the final margin alone suggests. The defensive effort, rebounding from Jake LaRavia and Walker Kessler, and Sexton’s bench scoring give them a route to winning when Luka is unavailable or not scoring 40. The Clippers at 1–3 have a more urgent problem: an offense that becomes too easy to disrupt. The Lakers won this one by making the other side uncomfortable, and that is the identity they need to keep.
TURNING POINT — Lakers won Q2 31–16 and led 56–38 at halftime; Clippers shot 35.1% overall
4DK OUTLOOK — The Lakers won through defense without Dončić; the Clippers’ offense needs more ball security and shot creation.