Pacers 97, Sonics 87

Giannis Antetokounmpo came away impressed after his first matchup with Victor Wembanyama. Antetokounmpo’s Bucks beat Wembanyama’s Spurs, but the rookie made an impression on the veteran superstar.

“He’s special,” Antetokounmpo said about Wembanyama. “He’s going to be an extremely good player. He plays the right way. He plays to win. I’ve never seen anything like him.”

The Spurs rookie said Antetokounmpo was one of the players he watched most growing up. Wembanyama also relished going against the Bucks star.

“It’s always extra motivation, and I know I’m a competitor,” Wembanyama said. “So I want to go at everyone and be the bad guy on the court. So it was a great matchup.”

When James Harden was not allowed to board the Philadelphia 76ers’ flight to Milwaukee last week, it “inflamed the situation on both sides,” sources tell ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

One source described the situation as the “final straw” on the possibility of the Sixers reincorporating Harden into the team. Discussions between the Sixers and Clippers picked up again to agree to a trade before Harden could play for Philadelphia again.

Harden returned to practice on October 25th, but sources say the Sixers didn’t know what to make of it. They were unclear if he would try to exert pressure on the Sixers or if he was preparing to play in earnest.

The Sixers started the season 2-1 without Harden while Tyrese Maxey played well enough to be named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.