Rings go ever on (except for Knicks employees, apparently)

James Dolan strikes again. PLUS: the Sixers and Cavaliers both do something truly extraordinary at the same damn time.

Good morning. This is the last newsletter of Free Preview Week. If you're not a paid subscriber, it's time! Let's basketball.

Joe Vardon of The Athletic is reporting on the New York Knicks' championship ring roll-out, and it's suddenly the biggest off-court story in the NBA.

First, assistant coaches were handed empty boxes on Ring Night – the team hasn't fitted the staff for jewelry yet. Vardon reports that the coaches are somewhere between annoyed and mad, and there are "conflicting reports" as to whether Mike Brown's box was empty.

The bigger issue: team employees apparently will not get rings at all, which is against NBA custom. There was some salt for their psychic wounds, too:

Those Madison Square Garden employees got their hopes up at the end of September when the Knicks sent an email to a long list of employees, which gave recipients a first glimpse at their would-be championship rings. Atop the email, a copy of which The Athletic has obtained, was a graphic of two differently styled rings. [...]

But the email was a fake-out, a phishing test Madison Square Garden sent to see if those employees would click, multiple team sources said.

Those who did click the link at the bottom of the message did not get to choose any jewelry; instead, they were forced to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class to help satisfy some of [team owner James] Dolan’s growing cybersecurity concerns, those team sources said.

Let's think through this. James Dolan, a pile of goo made sentient thanks to the magical properties of Father's Money, went cheap and decided to withhold rings from non-player staff, a controversial stance given how much extra revenue the team has brought in on account of the success. The I.T. department, fulfilling Dolan's wishes for stronger cybersecurity, is quite possibly among those staffers feeling slighted. So what are the odds that they, not Dolan or Dolan's cronies, came up with the championship ring phishing test as a way to express their discontent in a gallow's humor type of way, knowing it would really grate on their colleagues at Dolan's expense? That's my leading theory: someone in I.T. was mad about not getting a ring and took the opportunity to make Dolan look like even more of a jerk than everyone knows he is (a high bar).

Mission accomplished.

Adam Silver, in his ongoing war with Dolan, should step in and tell Knicks employees that the NBA will supply them with rings since their miserly owner won't. Or maybe this is a good opportunity for the Brooklyn Nets to poach some staff. Hey, at least there's a glimmer of hope that as a sales executive with the Nets you'll eventually, someday get a championship ring. Ain't going to happen in Manhattan ... ever.

Scores

Cavaliers 106, Sixers 114 – Cleveland led by 29 late in the second quarter. Philadelphia's offense was completely discombobulated and ineffective. The defense was lackluster. Philly fans were booing the team in their home opener two days removed from beating the defending champs.

And then it all changed.

The Sixers had two separate 11-0 runs in the third to get it close, and then a 15-0 run in the fourth to take control. Philly didn't do it by lacing threes (they were 3/13 in the second half). It was all run-outs off of steals and overpowering halfcourt offense led by Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The fans stopped booing.

Damn.

This was actually the first time James Harden and Embiid faced off since they were teammates. Maxey and Harden have played against each other since, but there was a little spice this time around.

The vibes are immaculate in Philly, and I'm a little concerned about Cleveland's defense after both JB and Maxey skated around Peyton Watson in crunch time and after Embiid went toe-to-toe with both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Are the Sixers that good, or is Cleveland at the end of a road here?

Nuggets 84, Thunder 96 – In two games, Oklahoma City's frontline has now held Victor Wembanyama to 1/13 shooting and Nikola Jokic to 5/19 shooting. The Thunder defense has been scary for years now, and somehow it appears even more terrifying. Denver, one of the best offenses in the league every season, had an offensive rating of 80 in the second half.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's regular season 20-point streak ended – he could have stayed in with 17 to try to save it, but it's already on shaky ground due to multiple playoff games with less than 20 points, so it's probably for the best that it's over. OKC scored much better in the second half, and Jalen Williams looks spectacular through two games. Like, back to 2024-25 Jalen Williams. Scary.

Links

Easily the greatest Who He Play For? of all time. We have to get Chuck a CAT scan.

The NBA says Tuesday's doubleheader on NBC was the most-watched opening night in league history.

Paul Flannery on watching the NBA without social media.

Kelly Dwyer previewed the season via the divisions, as the Basketball Gods intended: Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Pacific, Atlantic, Central.

The Onion has some NBA fans on staff – you can tell – and the Pelicans have become a favored punching bag. This is a good one.

Speaking of the Pels, here's Corban Gable in Defector on how the team broke their understanding of basketball.

Tom Haberstroh – the Sixers' new sideline reporter!! – on the title tiers heading into this season.

The remainder of Zach Lowe's League Pass Rankings.

Keith Smith has 30 intriguing items for this season.

The great Kofie Yeboah on the worst first quarter in NBA history.

Schedule

There are 27 NBA games this weekend. Time to drink from the fire hose. All times Eastern. The most intriguing games are bolded.

FRIDAY
Bulls at Bucks, 4
Knicks at Celtics, 7, Prime Video
Hawks at Hornets, 7
Mavericks at Pacers, 7
Timberwolves at Magic, 7
Raptors at Wizards, 7
Pistons at Heat, 8
Rockets at Spurs, 9:30, Prime Video
Pelicans at Jazz, 9:30
Grizzlies at Warriors, 10
Clippers at Lakers, 10
Blazers at Kings, 10

SATURDAY
Heat at Hornets, 6
Nets at Cavaliers, 7:30
Bucks at Sixers, 7:30, NBA TV
Wizards at Bulls, 8
Spurs at Mavericks, 8
Rockets at Hawks, 8:30
Pelicans at Nuggets, 9
Warriors at Suns, 10, NBA TV

SUNDAY
Lakers at Jazz, 5
Pacers at Nets, 6
Magic at Knicks, 7
Raptors at Timberwolves, 7, NBA TV
Clippers at Thunder, 7
Pistons at Sixers, 7:30
Grizzlies at Kings, 9

Alright, that's the end of Free Preview Week here at Good Morning It's Basketball. Be excellent to each other.