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The Phoenix Suns (3-1 in preseason) came roaring from behind in the second half to defeat the Denver Nuggets (1-3) by a score of 118-114 in Denver - a game where a reserve-heavy Phoenix team gave the Denver starters all they could handle.
The Suns had previously ruled out Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, and Jusuf Nurkic ahead of gameday due to various ailments. Kevin Durant and Tyus Jones were game-time scratches due to rest.
Phoenix head coach Mike Budenholzer opted to start Monte Morris, Royce O'Neale, Ryan Dunn, Bol Bol, and Mason Plumlee - three of them were making a homecoming trip to Denver.
On the other side, Denver head coach Mike Malone rolled out his entire accompaniment of starters in Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets took a 33-26 lead after 12 minutes of action despite the impressive collective effort from the Phoenix bench.
The next 12 minutes were up-and-down for the Suns - but the squad finished the quarter strong to go into the half down 60-51.
Phoenix shot 10-for-23 from three-point range in the first half - further cementing the aggressive approach from deep.
The Suns went into the second half pitted against the Denver starters yet again - and outscored them 20-10 in the first 6 minutes of the third quarter to tie the game at 71.
They eventually concluded the third frame with 37 points in the 12 minutes of action - and only trailed by a score of 90-88.
The Suns took over late in the game - with clutch shots from Damion Lee and Dunn sealing the deal in a game that showcased the improved depth, shooting talent, and athleticism of this squad.
The Suns are set to be in action again on Thursday night in Phoenix against the Los Angeles Lakers in the final preseason contest ahead of the regular season opener on October 23.
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Knicks may make trade to keep both Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet
The Knicks aren’t just kicking the tires on Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, the front office would actually like to keep both guards on the 15-man roster when the season tips — which means a trade is probably coming. New York is hard-capped at the $207.8MM second apron and only has enough breathing room to keep one of its veteran camp invitees. To make space for both Brogdon and Shamet, the Knicks would need to shed money. Bondy notes that league sources expect it to happen. Both veterans arrived on non-guaranteed deals, joining Garrison Mathews, Matt Ryan and Alex Len in the fight for roster spots. But Bondy reports Brogdon and Shamet passed on other options, suggesting they have reason to believe they’ll stick. Training camp will still serve as the proving ground, especially for Brogdon, who’s trying to bounce back after appearing in just 24 games with the Wizards last year. So, who might be on the move? Bondy points to Miles McBride as the name to watch. He averaged nearly 25 minutes per game last season but could be squeezed with Jalen Brunson and Miles Bridges locked in, Jordan Clarkson arriving, and now Brogdon/Shamet in the mix. McBride is also extension-eligible next summer, which adds to the long-term cap crunch. Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek are other trade candidates, but they don’t bring the same market value. Dadiet, the team’s 2024 first-rounder, has the highest upside among the young reserves. Kolek is on a cheap $2.19MM deal, and moving him would barely give the Knicks more than pocket change under the apron, or roughly $44K in wiggle room.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow has a worrying complication for surgery
The timeline for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's return from a toe injury is murky, and the star has a complication that could delay his surgery, pushing back the time he can play again this season. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Burrow is set to have surgery on his toe on Friday, but that could be pushed back based on how much swelling the quarterback is experiencing. Joe Burrow's swelling is another complication for the Cincinnati Bengals A three-month recovery would put Burrow's return date around Week 16, when the Bengals are set to play the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 21. If the swelling doesn't go away soon, he could miss more time this season. Every game is precious for a Cincinnati team that entered the season believing it could contend for the playoffs. However, the Bengals will be fortunate to be in the chase for a wild-card spot without Burrow for the majority of the season. The Bengals started the season 2-0 with wins over the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars, but backup quarterback Jake Browning will have his hands full in the coming weeks, starting with the Minnesota Vikings and elite defensive coordinator Brian Flores on Sunday. Browning went 21-of-32 for 241 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in the Bengals' 31-27 win over the Jaguars. The turnovers are an issue, and Cincinnati needs to consider pulling off a trade for a quarterback like Jameis Winston of the New York Giants or Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons if it hopes to make the postseason.
Clayton Kershaw announces big news about his career
After a legendary run with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw is calling it a career. The Dodgers announced Thursday that Kershaw will retire at the end of the current season. He will make his final regular season start at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Kershaw’s announcement does not necessarily come as a huge surprise. The 37-year-old has essentially handled his future on a year-to-year basis for the past several seasons, but had made it pretty clear he would not play for any franchise other than the Dodgers. An 11-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP, Kershaw is a sure-fire Hall of Famer once he becomes eligible in six years. He has a career record of 222-96 and a lifetime regular season ERA of 2.54. He notoriously struggled at times in the playoffs, but contributed to World Series winners in 2020 and 2024. Despite his age and health concerns, Kershaw managed to be a major contributor to the Dodgers in 2025. He enters his next start Friday with an ERA of 3.53 in 20 starts, and he also notched his 3,000th career strikeout earlier this season. The Dodgers are heading to the playoffs, so Friday will not necessarily mark Kershaw’s final career appearance at Dodger Stadium. The team’s postseason run might well be an emotional one as the team will want to try to send him out a winner.
Chargers star Khalil Mack's outlook is better than expected
Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack will be out for a few weeks after dislocating his elbow during Monday night’s matchup with the Raiders, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Who will take Khalil Mack's place for the Los Angeles Chargers? The injury is not season-ending, but Los Angeles will need one of its depth outside linebackers to take Mack’s place for the time being. That will likely be veteran Bud Dupree, who replaced Mack on Monday and has significantly more experience than third-year UDFA Caleb Murphy or fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard. At the moment, it seems unlikely that the Chargers will make a signing to bolster their OLB depth. Mack’s injury is not expected to be long-term, and the pool of free-agent edge-rushers has suddenly dried up after both Preston Smith and Jadeveon Clowney signed with new teams this week. The Chargers did host their rival's former draft bust on a visit. Instead, the Chargers’ plan will likely be as follows: Dupree will start, with Murphy receiving a bump in snaps as the No. 3 edge-rusher and Kennard making his NFL debut after two healthy scratches to start the year. The team was comfortable with only four active outside linebackers in Weeks 1 and 2, so it may not feel the need to make an elevation from the practice squad. Mack, 34, was quiet in Week 1 against the Chiefs but looked better on Monday with one sack and one tackle for loss in Las Vegas. He re-signed with the Chargers this offseason on a one-year, $18M deal after six sacks in 2024.
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