6 NBA things to know for Oct. 25
1. How about an encore, Kyrie?: The Nets nearly won an OT thriller on Wednesday night thanks to a 50-point game from Kyrie Irving. Brooklyn is 0-1, but is back at home again as the Nets are hosting the crosstown-rival Knicks tonight. Best of all, you can catch it for free on League Pass (7:30 ET).
2. Big one in the East tonight: Pascal Siakam (34 points, 18 rebounds) was fantastic in the Raptors’ season-opening win on Tuesday. His crew visits the Boston Celtics (7 ET, League Pass), who have designs on being in the East’s upper crust when it’s all said and done. Will Siakam flash his go-to guy skills once again?
3. The KAT is ready to pounce: Lost in that Nets/Kyrie storyline is the team (Timberwolves) and the player (Karl-Anthony Towns) who ran wild. Towns dropped 36 points and 14 rebounds on Brooklyn Wednesday and faces a decidedly thinner Charlotte Hornets frontline tonight (7 ET, League Pass).
4. Luka & Porzingis show in Big Easy: This new duo in Dallas can get shots up (they had 35 of Dallas’ 76 FGAs in their season-opener). The Pelicans, who host the Mavs tonight (8 ET, ESPN), have to keep Doncic and Porzingis from the mid-range (where they were pretty effective on Wednesday).
5. Times have changed for Phoenix: The Suns were a bright spot (pardon the pun) in their season-opening win vs. Sacramento as big man Deandre Ayton was decisive in the paint all game long. He starts his 25-game suspension tonight and it won’t be easy for Phoenix as it visits Denver (9 ET, League Pass).
6. A must-see West showdown: Can you think of a better way to close a nine-game Friday than two potential West powerhouses squaring off? We can’t either. The Jazz visit the Lakers (10:30 ET, ESPN) and you need to watch the defense: both squads had hiccups in their openers (but the Lakers decidedly moreso).
