The Association: Anthony Edwards expanding game with off-ball action in preseason play
The Association crew discuss the adjustments Anthony Edwards has been making after an offseason shakeup in Minnesota.
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The 2026-27 regular season is just one week away, and the 2026 No. 1 overall pick is ready to rock.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
One Week Out: Nine national matchups headline the first four days of the 2026-27 season
Reasons For Optimism: Why every West team has reason to believe entering 2026-27
Fantasy Hoops: Introducing Yahoo High Score, a simpler way to play fantasy basketball
Monday Highlights: Ant pops off, MPJ sparks Nets, Peterson shines, Hawks & Blazers dub
Redick’s Vision: JJ’s outlook on the Lakers’ potential ahead of tonight’s showdown with Golden State
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Five games tip off Tuesday, including Cavaliers-Magic on Peacock (7 ET), before the Lakers and Warriors meet in Las Vegas on NBA TV (10 ET).
NBA ID Member Days return on Thursday and Friday (Oct. 15-16), allowing fans with an NBA ID to stream up to 14 games, exclusively on League Pass, completely on us. Don’t have an NBA ID? Sign up for free now.
The WNBA Finals begin Saturday as the Golden State Valkyries host the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 (3:30 ET, NBC/Peacock), with both teams seeking their first championship. See the full W Finals schedule here.
1. ONE WEEK OUT: YOUR GUIDE TO 2026-27 AMERICAN EXPRESS TIP-OFF
Seven days. That’s all that separates us from the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. And Opening Week is coming in hot.
American Express Tip-Off brings nine national games across the first four days of the season, beginning with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader on Oct. 20 and wrapping up on Prime on Oct. 23.
So, what’s in store? Below is one key storyline to watch in each matchup.
Tuesday, Oct. 20 (NBC/Peacock): New Eras & Renewed Rivalries
Celtics at Pistons (3 ET): The season starts in Motown with a showdown between last year’s top two seeds in the East, as Cade Cunningham and the Pistons host Jayson Tatum, Paul George and a retooled Celtics squad.
76ers at Knicks (7 ET): Then, the defending champion Knicks open their title defense at Madison Square Garden against a longtime – and revamped – East rival: the Sixers, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown set to make their Philly debuts.
Thunder at Spurs (9:30 ET): OKC went an NBA-best 64-18 last regular season, but was 1-4 against San Antonio before falling to the Spurs in a seven-game West Finals classic.
Now, two-time reigning Kia MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder open 2026-27 against reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama and the team that ended their season.
Wednesday, Oct. 21 (ESPN): New Duos & Familiar Foes
Wolves at Heat (7:30 ET): Minnesota shook up its roster this offseason, acquiring LaMelo Ball to pair with Anthony Edwards. Miami made a blockbuster addition of its own, bringing in Giannis Antetokounmpo to pair with Bam Adebayo.
The result? Two new star duos – now set to meet in their first regular-season action.
Warriors at Lakers (10 ET): What will the post-LeBron era look like in Los Angeles? Oct. 21 will provide the first answer as Luka Dončić and the revamped Lakers face an immediate test in Steph Curry’s Warriors.
Thursday, Oct. 22 (ESPN): Conference Powers Collide
Cavaliers at 76ers (7 ET): After opening their season at MSG, the star-studded Sixers return to Philly for their home opener, where James faces his former team, the Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
Nuggets at Thunder (9:30 ET): Two West heavyweights clash in the nightcap as the Nuggets visit the Thunder, marking a showdown between two players who have combined to win five of the last six Kia MVPs: Nikola Jokić (3x) and SGA (2x).
Martin McGrew/NBAE via Getty Images
Friday, Oct. 23 (Prime): New Twists & Texas Ties
Knicks at Celtics (7 ET): New York vs. Boston needs no introduction. But this time, there’s a new wrinkle, as Mitchell Robinson faces his former team for the first time since helping the Knicks capture the NBA title last June.
Rockets at Spurs (9:30 ET): A Kevin Durant homecoming caps American Express Tip-Off as the former Texas Longhorn returns to Austin, leading the Rockets against Wemby’s Spurs at UT’s Moody Center.
2. SCHUHMANN’S REASONS FOR OPTIMISM: WEST SPOTLIGHT
Garrett Ellwood + Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
The season is almost here, and every fanbase has reasons to believe their team could make a run.
As part of the Amex Season Preview, NBA.com’s John Schuhmann identified one reason for optimism for all 30 teams entering 2026-27.
Yesterday, we spotlighted the East. Today, we turn to the West, highlighting four squads and what gives Schuhmann confidence in each.
Jazz: “The flip is about to be switched, and this team has the talent to compete for a Playoff spot while also developing two top-five picks from the last two drafts.”
Kings: “The duo of Darius Acuff Jr. and Nique Clifford should be fun to watch … and potentially very potent in two or three years.”
Nuggets: “Aaron Gordon should be healthier after missing 49 (56%) of a possible 88 games last season (including Playoffs).”
Pelicans: “They outscored their opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions in 303 total minutes with Dejounte Murray on the floor with at least two of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III or Zion Williamson last season.” | Read More
3. NBA FANTASY HOOPS: A NEW WAY TO PLAY ON YAHOO
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A new NBA season is approaching, and there’s a fun way to play fantasy basketball on Yahoo.
Yahoo High Score is a streamlined format that makes fantasy hoops easier to manage without sacrificing the excitement of weekly competition.
How does it work? Check out four key features of High Score below:
- Smaller Rosters: Draft 10 players, with six weekly starters (two guards, three frontcourt players and one FLEX) and four bench players
- Simplified Scoring: Earn points through five core stats: points (1), rebounds (1), assists (2), steals (3) and blocks (3). Turnovers don’t count against you
- Best Game Counts: Each starter’s highest-scoring fantasy game of the week counts toward your team’s score, so one big performance can make all the difference
- Less Management, Same Strategy: Set your lineup once a week and let the scores roll in. Managers can make changes throughout the week, but benching a player wipes out their previously earned score for that week
Want more? Get the full breakdown from Yahoo Sports’ Dan Titus, including draft strategies and everything else you need to know about High Score.
Plus, hit the NBA Fantasy Hub for more tips, rankings and insights ahead of the regular season.
4. MONDAY HIGHLIGHTS: ANT & MPJ HEAT UP, PETERSON LEADS JAZZ & MORE
One of the offseason’s biggest splashes came when Minnesota traded for LaMelo Ball, pairing him with Anthony Edwards.
On Monday, the duo made a splash at MSG.
Wolves 122, Knicks 104: With Ball serving as playmaker (10 pts, 7 ast), Edwards filled it up from deep, dropping a game-high 26 points on five 3s, including a 36-footer at the buzzer to put Minnesota up 12 at the half.
The Wolves never looked back, pulling away from Jalen Brunson (20 pts, 5 reb) and New York to move to 3-1 this preseason. | Recap
- Right Back At Ya: Edwards found Ball for an early 3, before Ball returned the favor, helping Ant rack up 14 points in the 1st quarter
- Contagious: Jaden McDaniels joined the 3-point party, going 4-of-5 from deep en route to 22 points
Kenny Giarla + Chris Gardner/NBAE via Getty Images
Nets 131, Wizards 122: Michael Porter Jr. poured in a game-high 22 points, while Julius Randle added 14 points and 9 dimes to help spark a Brooklyn win over Trae Young (11 pts, 11 ast) and Washington. | Recap
- Back-To-Back Bangers: AJ Dybantsa (14 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) got up for a major putback, before coming up with a steal and slam on the following possession – a sequence that left MPJ in awe
Jazz 119, Spurs 109: Dybantsa wasn’t the only top pick turning heads Monday. This year’s No. 2 overall selection, Darryn Peterson, paced Utah with 14 points (5-10 FG) and 5 dimes as the Jazz beat Harrison Barnes (19 pts) and the Spurs. | Recap
- Jumping Jazz: Lauri Markkanen (11 pts) showed off his bounce with a windmill slam, before Jaren Jackson Jr. (13 pts) punched home a lefty poster
Hawks 113, Thunder 110: With much of OKC’s primary rotation out, the Thunder’s rookie duo of Bennett Stirtz (26 pts, 5 ast, 6 3s) and Aday Mara (17 pts, 10 reb, 6 ast) delivered.
But Atlanta sophomore Asa Newell (7 pts, 10 reb) had the final word, scoring back-to-back Hawks buckets in the final 1:11 to put them up for good in a game featuring 10 ties and 15 lead changes. | Recap
- Key Hawks: Nickeil Alexander-Walker was flying around (16 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) while Jock Landale also packed the box score (team-high 17 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast)
Blazers 119, London Lions 66: A spinning, no-look dime to set up a jam? How about two?
Yup, Ja Morant is already finding his groove in Portland (5 pts, game-high 5 ast in 13 mins), as the Blazers outpaced the London Lions of England’s Super League Basketball. | Recap
5. TONIGHT: LAKERS-DUBS IN VEGAS, JJ’S VISION, PLUS CAVS-MAGIC ON PEACOCK
Harry How/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers and Warriors are about to see plenty of each other.
Tonight (10 ET, NBA TV), Los Angeles and Golden State square off at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Exactly eight days later, they’ll meet again to open their regular seasons (Oct. 21, 10 ET, ESPN).
For the Lakers, tonight’s another opportunity to build chemistry around a revamped, Luka DonÄŤić-led core. But just how far can this new-look group go?
JJ Redick has his own answer, writes The Athletic’s Sam Amick:
“JJ Redick could have tempered expectations.
“After all, that’s what NBA head coaches typically do as a way of avoiding the unwanted scrutiny and, at times, the hot seat. Undersell and overdeliver. Especially when you’re working for a franchise that draws the brightest of all the lights in Laker Land.
“But when the third-year Los Angeles Lakers coach was asked to assess his revamped team’s title-contending chances during a Sept. 24 news conference, he took the media relations road less traveled with his bold response.” | Read More
Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
On Peacock (7 ET), the Magic and Cavs meet for the second time in three days, following Cleveland’s 119-105 win on Sunday.
League Pass features three more matchups, starting with Knicks-Raptors (7 ET), followed by a 2025 NBA Finals rematch between the Pacers and Thunder (8 ET) and Blazers-Kings (10 ET).
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