It was a busy slate in the NBA on Saturday as 24 of the league’s 30 teams were in action in a 12-game slate. So, let’s dive headfirst into the day’s notables:
Knicks, Spurs Make NBA History of the Wrong Kind
Last season’s NBA finalists are off to rocky starts after falling to 0-2 on Saturday.
The New York Knicks lost a second straight game, this time on the road, as the Boston Celtics hung tough down the stretch for a 107-103 victory. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby led the way for New York with 22 and 20 points, respectively, while Jayson Tatum powered Boston with a 36-point night that included 9 boards and 7 dimes.
Out West, the San Antonio Spurs dropped to 0-2 as well after failing to complete what had been a fantastic rally in a 114-110 defeat. Victor Wembanyama put up 25 points and 13 rebounds but saw his potential game-tying layup get rejected at the rim by Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson. It was Thompson’s second block to go along with his 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
With their second straight losses, the Knicks and Spurs joined the Seattle SuperSonics and Washington Bullets as the only finalists to have started the following season 0-2. That happened in the 1979-80 season, or 47 years ago. The Knicks are also the first defending NBA champions to start the following season 0-2 since the Dallas Mavericks opened 0-3 in the 2011-12 season.
Mavs’ Cooper Flagg, Pelicans’ Yves Missi Get Injured
The injury bug has hit the 2026-27 NBA regular season, as Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks and Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans both had to leave early because of different injuries.
In Indiana, Flagg exited the game in the first half with a shoulder injury sustained from a hard fall after being fouled by Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith on a breakaway slam. He did not return in the second half but still finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks. The Mavs also got the win, 121-105, with Kyrie Irving pouring in 24 points and PJ Washington adding 20.
In Salt Lake City, the Pelicans suffered a double black eye of sorts after losing 120-119 to the Utah Jazz and potentially losing Missi for an extended period because of what appeared to be a knee injury. With 6:30 left in the second quarter, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson fell into Missi’s leg after getting his shot denied by Utah’s Jaxson Hayes. The Cameroonian immediately grabbed his knee while writhing on the baseline. He was carried off the court, as it appeared he could not put weight on the injured knee.
Cam Boozer Joins Elite Company in Grizzlies’ Win
Elsewhere, Memphis Grizzlies rookie forward Cam Boozer showed he could be an early favorite for Rookie of the Year after delivering a historic performance in the Grizzlies’ 111-108 come-from-behind win over the Golden State Warriors. Boozer ended the game with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists and, in the process, became the third-youngest player to record a 25-10-5 stat line. The only two players younger? LeBron James and Cooper Flagg.
Boozer had plenty of help, too, with Ty Jerome leading the charge with 28 points, Jaylen Wells adding 17, and Cam Spencer chipping in 11 off the bench. The win is the Grizzlies’ second in a row to start the season, while the loss is the Warriors’ second straight.
