JOKIC vs LUKA | TMK #11 - November 4th

Today, on TMK:

A Brazillian storm, dazzling basketball courts, and a German classic.

Catch Up:

• The First Day of the NBA In-Season Tournament

• Verstappen Takes Pole In Apocalyptic Sao Paolo Qualifying

• Djokovic Wins Brillant Revenge Against Rune

The Main Events:

• Top Matches in European Football

• Copa Libertadores Final

• College Football Week 10

• F1 Sprint Shootout & Sprint Race

• NBA: Suns vs 76ers + 7 more

• UFC Fight Night: Almeida vs Lewis

Extra Time:

• Quote of the Day

• Can’t Miss Moment

• Stat of the Day

• Video of the Day

🏀 NBA In-Season Tournament Day 1 Recap

After the NBA has spent hours unsuccessfully trying to explain the in-season tournament format to fans, the crazy court designs and games are finally here.

Speaking of the court designs, I don’t think they could’ve made them more distracting even if they tried. Maybe I’m a grumpy old man, but it took my eyes quite a while to adjust to the intense blue of Thunder’s home court.

Luckily we still had some magnificent basketball played last night, so let’s focus on that.

Denver Nuggets 125 - 114 Dallas Mavericks

The superstars came out to play. I expected a lot from this matchup between the Nuggets’ Jokic and the Mavs’ Doncic, and both delivered a performance worth my time. The result of the game, however, was never in doubt.

The Nuggets looked cool calm and collected, in a performance that echoed their playoff run last year. Their ability to control games and keep their opponents at arm's length once they take the lead is second to none, and even when it looks like there’s a comeback opportunity - the Nuggets find another gear to keep their lead intact.

Nikola Jokic played a masterful game and finished with 33 points on 14/16 from the field. He also added 13 rebounds and 9 assists in a performance that was just shy of perfect. Doncic answered with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, but while he delivered a few flashy behind-the-back passes, he also finished the game with 9 turnovers.

In the supporting casts, Porter Jr. scored 24 for the Nuggets, while Murray and Gordon added 18 points each. Irving came back from an injury to score 22 for the Mavs.

When the Mavs traded for Irving, I wasn’t convinced that it was THE move that would take them to a championship. After a clash with the reigning champions, I remain unconvinced.

Oklahoma City Thunder 139 - 141 Golden State Warriors

Defense? What’s that?

Both teams looked more interested in scoring than defending in a game that can only be described as a shooter’s paradise.

This was a bold strategy from the Thunder, going against two of the best shooters of all time in Curry and Thompson, but they almost made it work. The Thunder shot 60% from the field and 51% from the three, led by a terrific performance from Guard Luguentz Dort who scored 29 points and went 6-6 from the three. Chet Holmgren, perhaps inspired by Wemby’s performance yesterday, played one of his best games to date and finished with 24 points.

Steph Curry answered with a 30-point performance of his own, but the man of the hour was Dario Saric who contributed 20 points including a few clutch threes for the Warriors.

At some point during the third quarter, it became clear that whoever got the ball last would have a chance to win the game - and the Warriors took their chance with less than a second on the clock. The winning bucket was reviewed for goaltending, but the refs ultimately accorded the points to the Warriors.

Other Games:

Milwaukee Bucks 110 - 105 New York Knicks

Damian Lillard scored 30 to overshadow Brunson’s brilliant 45-point game for the Knicks and take the W. Giannis added 22 for the Bucks.

Indiana Pacers 121 - 116 Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell scored 38 points to help the Cavs erase an 18-point deficit and lead by 4 in the fourth quarter, only for Caris LeVert to miss a game-tying 3-pointer with 10 seconds left on the clock.

Miami Heat 121 - 114 Washington Wizards

Tyler Herro scored 24 and was one assist shy of a triple-double. Miami is still figuring out who they are as Coach Spo picked a different starting 5 for the fifth game in a row. Kuzma led the Wizards with 22 points.

Chicago Bulls 107 - 109 Brooklyn Nets

DeRozan and Lavine both scored 24 for the Bulls who had the opportunity to win the game after grabbing an offensive rebound with 3 seconds on the clock, but Lavine couldn’t get it to fall and the Nets escaped with the W. Dorian Finney-Smith led the Nets scoring with 21 points.

Portland Trailblazers 115 - 113 Memphis Grizzlies

33 points from Desmond Bane and 30 from Jackson Jr. weren’t enough against a strong team effort from the Blazers as the Grizzlies dropped to 0-6 for the season.

🏁 Verstappen Takes Pole In Sao Paolo

When I think of Brazil, I think of the sun-soaked Copacabana beach, flip-flops, and Hawaiian shirts. Reality could not have been more different yesterday. The qualifying session was cut short by weather that can only be described as apocalyptic as the wind blew off and collapsed the grandstands’ roof. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported.

Starting from the top, Max Verstappen took pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc and - SURPRISE - Lance Stroll. Stroll, the king of bad one-word interviews, managed to beat Fernando Alonso to third place on a track with no grip. Stroll’s only pole position came in similar conditions in Turkey in 2020, so perhaps he has a magical ability to sense grip where there is none.

Hamilton and Russell locked out the third row as Norris was rightfully disappointed to finish 7th given the pace of the car in Q1 and Q2. Norris claims he could’ve fought for the pole, and I believe him. Unfortunately, Norris is becoming king of the shoulda-woulda-coulda, unable to extract maximum performance when it matters.

Sainz finished 8th, while Perez came in 9th as yellow flags ruined his lap after Piastri went off the track in his only Q3 lap. Piastri will then start 10th.

Hulkenberg narrowly missed on Q3 but continued to show what he’s got in a strong qualifying effort to finish 11th, ahead of the two Alpines of Ocon and Gasly. Magnussen finished 14th, and Albon 15th.

The bottom five comprise Tsunoda and Ricciardo in 16th and 17th, who couldn’t replicate their strong performances from Mexico. Bottas will start 18th, Sargeant 19th, and Zhou 20th.

Russell, Ocon, and Gasly were given a 2-place penalty post-qualifying for not keeping left on the exit of the pit lane.

🎾 Djokovic Wins Brillant Revenge Against Rune

Novak Djokovic got his revenge against Holger Rune at the Rolex Paris Masters. He defeated Rune, who won the title in 2022, in a thrilling match that went 7-5, 6-7, 6-4. This quarter-final was the most anticipated match of the tournament so far, and it delivered on all fronts.

Rune had shocked Djokovic last year to win his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy, but Djokovic made sure history didn't repeat itself. In the match, Djokovic dominated on his second serve in the first set and managed to fend off Rune's resurgence in the second set. Rune saved a match point at 4-5 in the second set and then pulled off a stunning comeback to level the match.

As usual, Djokovic regrouped in the third set, securing an early break and allowing Rune little room for a comeback. Djokovic's performance in the decider was nearly flawless with just one unforced error.

Djokovic looked at his best and is now the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament.

⚽ Top Matches In European Football

Fans of big games rejoice - from the Premier League to the Bundesliga, heavyweights are in action across Europe this Saturday.

Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund - Bayern Munich

Der Klassiker is back.

Harry Kane, who joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, is set to make his Klassiker debut. Kane has lived up to the hype so far with 14 goals in his first 13 games for Bayern. He's taken the mantle from Robert Lewandowski as Bayern's main man and has a hunger for winning major trophies after a frustrating career (to say the least) at Tottenham.

Dortmund is currently fourth in the league with 21 points from nine games and is looking to extend their unbeaten streak, which now stands at 12 league games. They've shown resilience in their recent 3-3 draw with Frankfurt where they came back from two goals down. Dortmund is also in the midst of an impressive 26-match unbeaten run at home. However, Dortmund hasn’t beaten Bayern in a league game since 2018.

As for Bayern, they had a shocking midweek cup game against Saarbrucken, losing 2-1. However, in the Bundesliga, they've been strong, winning seven and drawing two of their nine matches. Their last league game saw them thrash Darmstadt 8-0, with three red cards in the first half. Bayern aims to continue their unbeaten league run.

Premier League: Newcastle - Arsenal

This game has a history that's heavily tilted in favor of the Gunners. Arsenal has won a staggering 19 out of their last 22 matches against Newcastle, and that includes a 2-0 victory at St James' Park in May this year. Newcastle has struggled to find the net in their recent meetings, failing to score in eight of their last nine encounters.

But things are looking different this season for the Magpies. They're off to their best start in a decade with 17 points from their first 10 league games. They're on a hot streak too, unbeaten in six top-flight fixtures, following a three-game losing run. Eddie Howe's side is sharing the top spot in the league's goal-scoring department with 26 goals, just one shy of their best tally after 10 Premier League games back in 1994-95.

Newcastle has looked locked in this season and is only trailing behind Manchester City in the league. They've got Callum Wilson, who's on fire with 13 goals in his last 12 league starts. He's just one goal away from joining the elite club of players who've scored 20 for Newcastle in a calendar year, which includes legends like Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

On the other side, Arsenal is having a strong season, remaining unbeaten after 10 games for the first time since 2007-08. They've been particularly impressive on the road, starting a season without defeat in their first four away league fixtures for the first time since 2016.

All in all, this is set to be a cracking match between two championship hopefuls.

⚽ Copa Libertadores Final: Boca Juniors - Fluminense

The main question surrounding this final is “Can we get through it without violence?”, and we already know that the answer is a resounding no. Massive brawls took place yesterday on Copacabana’s beach in Rio, as tensions run high ahead of the game.

Boca Juniors, the Argentine powerhouse, has a rich history in the Copa Libertadores, with six titles to their name. They’ll be looking to add a seventh.

Fluminense, the Brazilian heavyweights, had a challenging path to the final. They had to navigate through a group that included Boca Juniors' arch-rivals, River Plate. Now they’ll be looking to finish the job and take home their first Copa, after a heartbreaking loss in penalties in the 2008 final.

🏈 College Football Week 10

November is when things start to get real for College Football, and what a slate of games we have to start the month.

No. 12 Missouri Tigers at No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs

In this SEC showdown, the Missouri Tigers have had an impressive season, boasting a 7-1 record and currently sitting at 12th in the College Football Playoff rankings. They're a team with momentum and are looking to pull off a significant upset against the mighty Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia's reputation precedes them, with a 25-game winning streak and a dominant defense. However, Georgia has shown some vulnerabilities in the past, and it's fair to say Missouri is coming in as the underdog with plenty to prove. The key to this game could be how Missouri's diverse skill corps duo and Georgia's quarterback handle the immense pressure. This game could either maintain the SEC's order or throw it into chaos.

No. 14 LSU Tigers at No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide

The SEC continues to deliver thrilling matchups as the LSU Tigers face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide. LSU's defense has shown signs of improvement, potentially creating an upset opportunity. On the other side, Alabama's offensive volatility remains a factor, but their defense is still a force to be reckoned with. This game could go either way, depending on whether LSU can make enough stops to outscore the Tide. Keep an eye on the exciting battle between LSU's quarterback Jayden Daniels and Alabama's defense.

No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 22 Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Big 12 delivers an exciting matchup between the long-standing rivals Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Oklahoma State started the season slowly but has surged back with a four-game winning streak, thanks in large part to their running back Ollie Gordon II. Oklahoma is determined to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season last week against Kansas. The Cowboys' physical defense and OU's injuries could play a role in this game's outcome. A crucial game for both teams, as a win here could significantly impact their standings in the Big 12.

No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats at No. 7 Texas Longhorns

The Kansas State Wildcats may have faced some heartbreak losses, but they're on fire with six wins and are scoring over 40 points a game on average. They face the Texas Longhorns, who are adjusting to life without their injured quarterback. This could pose a challenge for Texas's backup quarterback who hasn’t looked great in his first start last week. Kansas State's ability to create big plays and their strong defensive line makes them a threat to Texas. The quarterback battle in this game could decide the outcome, making it an exciting matchup to watch.

No. 5 Washington Huskies at No. 21 USC Trojans

USC started the season with an impressive offense, but their defense has faltered in recent games. The Washington Huskies have had similar issues, and boast a powerful offense, but an inconsistent defense. This game has every chance to turn into a high-scoring track meet, where both teams aim to outscore each other. This is a critical game for Washington, as they aim to maintain their fifth position in the rankings heading into the final stretch of the season.

🏁 F1 Sprint Shootout & Sprint Race

The F1 action never stops in a sprint weekend as we’re treated to another qualifying session and a sprint race.

Here are some of the major storylines heading into today:

• Can Norris challenge Verstappen? Norris claims the car has the pace to challenge for pole. The weather is expected to be better than yesterday. Can he put it all together?

• Can Sergio Perez bounce back and finally put his Red Bull on the front row where it belongs? Perez said that his ruined lap would’ve been enough for the front row, and much like Norris, still needs to prove it.

• Aston Martin locked out the second row in yesterday’s qualifying and will be looking to take 4th place back from Mclaren. Was it a fluke or are they finally on to something, after a long run of disappointments?

• Can Alpha Tauri bounce back? Both Tsunoda and Ricciardo implied there was more to the car than a Q1 exit. Let’s see.

• As always, the pace of the cars in the Sprint Race today will be an indication of their performance tomorrow. Can Ferrari finally unlock some race pace?

The Sao Paolo track is an iconic track that always creates magic on the tarmac. Today’s sprint race should be no exception.

🏀 NBA

Philadelphia 76ers - Phoenix Suns

The 76ers’ campaign started with the James Harden drama, but it doesn’t look to have impacted the team in the slightest. Embiid looks like a contender to repeat as MVP, and is leading the 76ers in points per game (30.3), rebounds (11), and assists (7). The 76ers are 3-1 this season and have yet to incorporate their newest players from the trade into the rotation. They should be stronger as they do.

Meanwhile, the Suns haven’t had a great start to their season and have dropped 2 games to a Spurs team that finished last year with 22 wins. The Suns haven’t looked yet like the contender they should be.

Devin Booker is back from injury and will be looking to establish some chemistry with Kevin Durant. Bradley Beal is still out indefinitely with a back injury.

Other Games

Indiana Pacers - Charlotte Hornets

Orlando Magic - Los Angeles Lakers

New Orleans Pelicans - Atlanta Hawks

Brooklyn Nets - Boston Celtics

Houston Rockets - Sacramento Kings

Minnesota Timberwolves - Utah Jazz

Denver Nuggets - Chicago Bulls

👊 UFC Fight Night: Almeida - Lewis

We've got the Brazilian up-and-comer, Almeida, taking on the seasoned vet, Lewis, and it's gonna be a barnburner.

Almeida boasts an impressive 19-2 record. He's like a wrecking ball, bulldozing through his competition with five straight wins, all of them by finish - three knockouts and two submissions. His most recent victory was a first-round submission win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and this guy is hungry for more.

On the flip side, we've got Derrick "The Black Beast" Lewis. Lewis is coming off a first-round knockout win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima in July, but before that, he was on a three-fight losing streak. You never quite know what you're gonna get with Lewis, but one thing's for sure, when he lands those monster punches, it's lights out.

Almeida needs to keep his distance and avoid Lewis' devastating power (ask Curtis Blaydes). Lewis needs to keep this fight off the ground. Almeida will go for takedowns, but Lewis just needs to find his range and start slinging those heavy hands.

🗣️ Quote Of The Day

“This proves we know what we are doing”

Fernando Alonso, after Aston Martin qualified 3rd and 4th.

Aston Martin became a bit of a laughing stock in the second half of the season as their performance went from chasing podiums to being backmarkers. I’m sure this feels good for a team that is under a lot of pressure from owner Stroll to compete for wins.

⭐ Can’t Miss Moment

Curry’s Game-Winning Shot on the Thunder’s Very Blue Court

I warned you the court was intensely blue. Didn’t bother Steph though.

🧮 Stat Of The Day

No Top 100 Player Has a Winning Record Against Djokovic

With his victory over Rune today, Djokovic is at the top of the world and has nothing left to avenge.

📽️ Video of the Day

F1 Qualifying Highlights

In case you want to see the apocalypse for yourself.

Click HERE to watch on Youtube.

Wrap Up

We’re heading into an incredible weekend for sports that feels like EVERYTHING is on. It doesn’t matter what sport you’re into - you’ll find something to watch today. God bless the weekend. See you tomorrow.