NBA round-up of the nine games played on 26 October 2026.
Charlotte Hornets 110-103 Washington Wizards
It didn’t take long for the first surprise of the season to emerge. They traded LaMelo Ball, they are without Kon Knueppel through injury, and yet these Charlotte Hornets have started 3-1, with Brandon Miller already looking like a potential All-Star.
The young forward, who recently signed a new contract worth $209 million, was outstanding against the Washington Wizards with 39 points (5 of 10 from three). The former University of Alabama player has talent to spare and is more than proving it.
And the Wizards? They weren’t bad, but it wasn’t enough. Anthony Davis posted a double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Trae Young matched him with another of 22 points and 10 assists. Both are in good form, but the capital side have work ahead of them.
Cleveland Cavaliers 127-125 Minnesota Timberwolves
What a game in Ohio! Anthony Edwards’ 47 points and seven Cleveland players scoring in double figures made for a thrilling back-and-forth contest between two of the best teams in the league. Fittingly, the game was decided in overtime.
First it was James Harden who forced extra time with a basket 10 seconds from the end, and then Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley who provided the necessary push in the five added minutes.
The conclusion is that both teams are among the best in the league and look set to keep proving it by racking up wins and challenging at the top of their respective conferences. Yes, it is confirmed: they are genuine title contenders.
Miami Heat 109-113 Dallas Mavericks
Another defeat, and that is now four in a row for the Miami Heat at the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. The Floridians are ‘enjoying’ a great Giannis Antetokounmpo – a triple-double of 29 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists – but as a team, practically nothing is working.
Last night, in front of their home crowd, the Heat were in the game and dominated for long spells, but in the closing stretch they were outplayed by a Cooper Flagg who returned to the court in style with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks.
There is plenty of season left, but it is hard to find a solution for a Heat side who are lacking too much. Incidentally, they now face Atlanta, Indiana and the Lakers. Will they finally win?
Boston Celtics 134-99 Chicago Bulls
The Celtics showed no mercy to a very soft Bulls side; so much so that the final quarter was a mere formality given the 30-point lead the Greens had built before it.
Jayson Tatum finished with 23 points and the night’s top scorer was Payton Pritchard with 28 off the bench. Boston’s 48 per cent from three makes clear just how comfortable they were on the parquet against opponents who are (still) in the midst of a rebuild.
To salvage something for the Illinois side, rookie Caleb Wilson continues to make a very good impression and this time finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Milwaukee Bucks 110-102 Indiana Pacers
The surprise of the night. While it is true that the Indiana Pacers are still finding their rhythm after Tyrese Haliburton’s return, it is equally true that the Bucks are not the toughest opponents at the moment.
The Wisconsin side recovered after a poor second quarter and held Indiana to just 41 points in the second half to secure their first win of the season, which came with Tyler Herro as the big star, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. The best of the visitors was ‘Hali’ with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists.
Oklahoma City Thunder 125-114 Phoenix Suns
Amid the pain of the very serious injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace – both look set to miss the whole season – comes another win for the Oklahoma City Thunder, this time with the Phoenix Suns as the victims.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander responded to the difficult situation with 26 points, Ajay Mitchell underlined his value as a key supporting player with 30 points, and Aday Mara impressed off the bench with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite the serious injuries, OKC will win plenty of games. The doubts are over whether that will carry over into the playoffs.
Houston Rockets 120-110 Atlanta Hawks
The Houston Rockets are one of the pleasant surprises of the early season. They were already good last year, but Fred VanVleet’s return has given them an additional boost, helping them become one of the five teams in the West yet to taste defeat.
Atlanta didn’t make things easy for them, but these Rockets have plenty of resources. The first half was played at a cruising pace, with the teams trading baskets. In the second they broke the mould with an exceptional defensive third quarter, limiting their opponents to 19 points.
Kevin Durant is the boss and contributed 22 points and 9 rebounds, but watch out for Alperen Sengun, who flirted with a triple-double to finish with 29 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 6 steals. The Hawks’ top scorer? Jalen Johnson with 22.
Utah Jazz 105-110 Memphis Grizzlies
And we are talking about rebels again with these Memphis Grizzlies, who seem ready to upset the established order in the Western Conference. The Tennessee side have found their way thanks to Ty Jerome and are also watching their young pieces shine as they remain unbeaten in the present (4-0).
As for the Jazz, plenty of doubts. When they attack well they are a pleasure to watch, but lapses in concentration are the order of the day. They also lost both Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. to injury in the first quarter, which complicated everything. The best player? Keyonte George with 26 points.
Denver Nuggets 114-134 Golden State Warriors
And we close the round-up with a confirmation for the worse. The Denver Nuggets have been going downhill for years – even with Nikola Jokic on the roster – and last night they took a completely unexpected hammering from a Warriors side who had yet to win.
Stephen Curry was perfect, going 8 of 8 from the field for 24 points, and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is excelling – 31 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists – but it is hard to take in that they could steamroll the Nuggets in Colorado.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were solid, and even DeMar DeRozan put in a great performance off the bench with 21 points. The point is that this team’s problem runs deeper.
(Photo: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)