The Timberwolves are 3-0 to start the season, having beaten the Heat by 22, the Magic by 25, and tonight beating the Raptors by 23 points.

One could argue they haven't had a real test yet, with Banchero going down during the Magic game, Kawhi missing tonight's game, and the Heat being just plain awful, but Minnesota is looking uniquely dominant so far.

Source: https://www.nba.com/timberwolves

After today's games:

-the Wolves' all time-record stands at 1248-1713, a win percentage of 0.42148

-the Nets' all-time record stands at 1700-2335, a win percentage of 0.42131

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_all-time_NBA_win–loss_records

ESPN. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50288053/us-senators-call-nba-reevaluate-rwanda-partnership

Two U.S. senators called on the NBA to reevaluate a partnership with Rwanda and its dictator Paul Kagame, citing the American government's changing policy toward the small African nation, which has been accused of widespread human rights abuses.

In a letter sent Friday to commissioner Adam Silver, Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote that they are "increasingly alarmed by the NBA's deepening relationship with Rwanda" and said the league "risks becoming complicit in sportswashing," where governments or companies use sports to distract from human rights abuses, corruption and other activities. The senators said the partnership is "contrary to the spirit of American sports."

In a statement to ESPN, NBA spokesman Mike Bass said, "We received the letter on Friday and are in the process of responding to it."
The same senators wrote Silver two years ago in response to an ESPN article that detailed the NBA's embrace of Kagame, the country's leader since 1994. Rwanda, one of the poorest countries in the world, built a 10,000-seat arena in its capital of Kigali, and that facility has been central to the NBA's expansion into Africa.

Kagame's government has been accused by the U.S., UK and other countries, as well as a string of human rights organizations, of abuses ranging from imprisonment, torture and murder of political opponents to the funding of child soldiers in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Just last week, Robert Kabera, a former Rwandan soldier who became an outspoken critic of Kagame and had fled the country in 2020, was found beheaded in Uganda. Human rights organizations have called for an investigation into whether the killing was politically motivated.

The NBA's position on its partnership with Rwanda, as expressed by NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum both to ESPN and then to the senators two years ago, is that the league has "[followed] the lead of the U.S. government as to where it is appropriate to engage in business around the world.

"If American policies were to change regarding business activities in and relating to Rwanda ... our actions would of course change accordingly," Tatum wrote to the senators in 2024.

The senators now say the policies of the U.S., UK and other European nations have "shifted markedly" toward Rwanda. The letter cited Rwanda's role in fomenting the conflict in the DRC, including through deployment of 18,000 troops and its command of the M23, a rebel group "which has summarily executed hundreds of civilians, committed mass rape, recruited child soldiers, and tortured civilians," the senators wrote.

At the end of their letter, the senators asked the NBA to answer a series of questions, the first of which read: "What is the NBA's red line for accepting money from foreign governments that commit human rights abuses?"

Kagame has said his country is using sports to bolster its economy and its place on the world stage. This month, Rwanda signed a 10-year deal to bring Formula 1 racing back to Africa, with the country expected to host its first race early in the next decade.

A year ago, the NBA's LA Clippers and NFL's Los Angeles Rams announced multiyear deals in which the Rwanda government would pay the teams. "Visit Rwanda" -- the marketing slogan for the Rwanda Development Board -- became the exclusive jersey patch for the Clippers, while the slogan is advertised in the Rams' home, SoFi Stadium.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401909867

31 points

4 rebounds

6 assists (1 TO)

1 steal, 8/17 FG, 1/6 3PT, 14/14 FT

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/jonhamm.bsky.social/post/3mysgxhqtvs2e

Update: my pal @andrewschlecht.bsky.social received clarification that both Topic and Sorber are still out and that their omission from the injury report was a clerical error

___________

Topic and Sorber were incorrectly listed as available for tonight’s game against Phoenix earlier today.

Jaylen Brown throwing up lamb chops and gravy as the 76ers lose to the Pistons with Brown shooting 25% from the field

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401909866

More from Daigneault during the postgame presser on how they move forward from here:

“I think it starts with just getting everybody and regrouping in a situation like that, especially when it’s ugly like that, which is what we’ll focus on first before we move on to anything else. We’ll come in tomorrow, we’ll get everybody together and we’ll have more information for the team at that time. I know they’ll be hungry to know how he’s doing and stuff like that, and then we’ll move from there. But, at this point, you’ve just got to allow yourself to feel the way you do.”

This places him 6th in franchise history for 40+ pt games (only counting games while playing for the lakers, not career stats). The top 5 ahead of him now are:

1: Kobe Bryant (122)

2: Elgin Baylor (88)

3: Jerry West (66)

4: Shaq (26)

5: George Mikan (22)

6: Luka (19)

7: Lebron (18)

Shaq and Lebron having so few surprised me, but that sort of speaks to their consistancy. They arnt volatile scorers- you get your guarenteed 25-30 a night, no more no less. I just stumbled on this milestone and found it interesting.

Eastern Conference

• Knicks - Nah, the champs are too good to be the last to get a win.
• Bucks - Maybe
• Nets - Maybe
• Heat - As flawed as their roster construction is, I think they're too talented to go last. It would be hilarious though if they do go last.

Western Conference

• Pelicans - They've been surprisingly competitive in the games that they've played so far. They lead by 20 in Denver in the last game in the 2nd half only to choke and lose. I don't think they'd be the last to get a win.
• Warriors - Yes, my money is on them. They've got a tough schedule coming up. They might go 0-6.
• Kings - Yes

Post Game Thread

Line Score

Team Stats

Box Score

An interesting post [on his X account] coming off the Nuggets 23 point comeback win in their home opener yesterday vs. the Pelicans. Hope everything is okay

DeRozan has come off the bench in 2 appearances for the Nuggets, averaging 12.5/2.5/1.5 in 26.0 minutes per game on 47/0/70 shooting splits as the offensive leader of their second unit.

Source: DeMar DeRozan: You ever just sit in a dark room and … - Yahoo Sports

Luka Dončić is now 10-0 when scoring 50+ points. Best win percentage in 50+ games in NBA history. (8 min)

Second is Embiid with 8-0.

Yes this is a BS cherry picked stat but I like it. Fat winning player.

Stat

https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2026-27-week-2

1. Thunder (+1)
2. Pistons (+8)
3. Timberwolves (+8)
4. Rockets (+2)
5. 76ers (-1)
6. Spurs (-5)
7. Lakers (+5)
8. Celtics (-3)
9. Raptors (-1)
10. Knicks (-7)
11. Cavaliers (-4)
12. Nuggets (-3)
13. Hawks (+3)
14. Pacers (--)
15. Trail Blazers (+4)
16. Magic (-1)
17. Grizzlies (+6)
18. Wizards (+3)
19. Hornets (+3)
20. Mavericks (--)
21. Heat (-8)
22. Suns (-5)
23. Jazz (-5)
24. Clippers (+1)
25. Pelicans (+1)
26. Warriors (-2)
27. Bulls (--)
28. Nets (--)
29. Bucks (--)
30. Kings (--)