Bronny James Scores First NBA Points in Cleveland

Bronny James hit a milestone on Wednesday night that every pro dreams of, his first NBA points. Fittingly, it happened at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the court where his dad, LeBron James, built his legacy with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Bronny pulled up for a smooth long two-pointer, a moment etched in family and NBA history.

LeBron had already checked out for the night but watched from the sidelines, getting to witness his son’s first points as a pro. While Bronny finished with two points, two assists, and a steal in five minutes, he’s expected to split time between the Lakers and the G-League South Bay Lakers this season. One milestone down, plenty more to go.

Clippers Keep It Close but Fall Short in New Home

The Los Angeles Clippers are showing a knack for nail-biters this season, but unfortunately, close isn’t cutting it. They dropped another heartbreaker, 106-105 to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, leaving fans still waiting for the first win at their new home, the Intuit Dome.

The game could have gone either way, as the Clippers have proven they can keep pace with top-tier teams like Phoenix, Denver, and Golden State. But the biggest cheer of the night actually came for Dodgers fans, who celebrated a World Series win by beating the New York Yankees. For now, Clippers fans are still holding out for a home win.

Pascal Siakam’s Clutch Three Hands Celtics Their First Loss

The Boston Celtics might be championship favorites, but the Indiana Pacers had something to say about that on Wednesday. Pascal Siakam sank a dagger three with 6.1 seconds left in overtime to give Indiana a thrilling 135-132 victory, ending Boston’s unbeaten start to the season.

Boston clawed back from a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit to force OT, and they even took a late lead on Derrick White’s layup. But Siakam had other plans, tying his career high with six three-pointers and finishing with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton added a double-double with 17 points and 12 assists, as Indiana’s fast-paced offense regained its rhythm.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 37 points, and Jaylen Brown had 25, but the Celtics couldn’t complete the comeback, with Brown’s final three just missing the mark.

Karl-Anthony Towns Scores 44 in Breakout Knicks Performance

Karl-Anthony Towns has found his groove in New York. In only his fourth game with the Knicks, Towns erupted for 44 points to lead his team to a 116-107 win over the Miami Heat.

This game marked the highest-scoring performance by a Knick this season and gave fans a taste of what Towns can bring to the Knicks-Heat rivalry.

Towns joked after the game that the Miami weather might have something to do with his performances there:

Since joining the Knicks in the trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota, Towns had posted respectable numbers, but nothing quite like this. He finished the game shooting 17 of 25 from the field, grabbing 13 rebounds, and showing that gritty New York mentality. Towns is already embracing the Knicks’ culture:

Scottie Barnes Out for Three Weeks

Scottie Barnes will be sidelined for at least three weeks after suffering a right orbital fracture during Monday's game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Barnes was accidentally struck by Jokic while battling for a rebound, leaving him in visible pain on the sidelines.

Barnes was off to a strong start this season, averaging 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists over four games. Raptors coach Rajakovic expressed disappointment for Barnes:

In Barnes' absence, Jonathan Mogbo stepped in as a starter, scoring 11 points with 4 rebounds and 2 assists in a tough 138-133 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The Raptors, now 1-3, will miss Barnes’ presence as they look to find their footing.

Warriors Pick Up Third-Year Option for Brandin Podziemski

The Golden State Warriors have secured their faith in Brandin Podziemski, picking up his third-year option after an impressive start to his NBA journey. Drafted 19th overall in 2023, Podziemski quickly became a staple in the Warriors’ rotation, even earning a spot on the 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

During his rookie year, Podziemski averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, led the league with 38 drawn charges, and started in 28 games. So far this season, he’s maintained solid numbers, averaging 9.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 27 minutes per game.

The Warriors are banking on an even bigger leap from Podziemski in his second season, expecting him to take on more responsibility and increase his production as the season unfolds.

Scandal Ends Jontay Porter's NBA Career

Former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter pleaded guilty to charges related to a sports betting scheme that led to his lifetime ban from the NBA. Porter, along with Mahmud Mollah and Long Phi Pham, admitted to participating in a scheme where Porter would withdraw early from games to help gamblers win bets on his underperformance.

The scheme’s downfall came when a betting company noticed suspicious patterns and blocked Mollah from collecting his winnings. Porter confessed he got involved in the scandal to escape significant gambling debts, pulling himself out of games and claiming illness or injury to affect the outcomes.

Mollah, who faces up to 20 years in prison, is set for sentencing in May, while Porter awaits his own sentencing on December 18.

Patrick Mahomes Eyes WNBA Expansion Franchise for Kansas City

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is looking to add another pro team to his Kansas City portfolio, this time, a WNBA franchise. Mahomes and his KC Current ownership group have reportedly been in discussions with the WNBA about bringing a team to Kansas City.

Already involved in women’s sports through his investment in the NWSL’s KC Current, Mahomes is leveraging his influence and passion to boost women’s sports in the U.S. If the ownership group succeeds, Kansas City would become home to Mahomes' fourth co-owned team, joining his stakes in the Kansas City Royals (MLB) and Sporting KC (MLS).

The WNBA is in expansion mode, with the Golden State Valkyries set to debut next year and teams in Toronto and Portland planned for 2026. With a goal of 16 teams by 2028, Kansas City could join cities like Philadelphia, Miami, Denver, and Nashville in the race for the league’s final expansion slot.

Over Half the WNBA in Search of New Leadership

The WNBA has been experiencing an unusual offseason shake-up, with seven of the league’s 12 teams parting ways with their head coaches in the past month. The list includes notable franchises like the Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks, Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, and Washington Mystics.

The reasons behind these decisions vary widely. Some coaches, like Tanisha Wright of the Dream, led their teams to successful playoff runs, while others, such as Christie Sides of the Fever, turned the team’s fortunes around by helping the Fever reach the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade. Eric Thibault’s departure from the Mystics was part of a broader restructuring by Michael Winger of Monumental Basketball, signaling a new direction for the team.

While coaching turnover isn’t new, the volume this season is notable and suggests that many teams are looking to redefine their leadership for the future.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading.

We’ll see you tomorrow!

— The Players Unlimited Team