NBA Notes: Raptors, Kawhi Leonard, Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, Nuggets

October 27, 2026

Raptors

The Raptors brought Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto hoping for another memorable run. Three games into the season, they’re already waiting on his knee.

Leonard is expected to miss “a period of weeks” because of swelling in his left knee. The Raptors said imaging revealed no acute injury and that Leonard will undergo treatment and rehabilitation before being reevaluated in one week. That’s a checkup date, of course. It isn’t a return date.

The timing also means Leonard is expected to miss Toronto’s Nov. 2 visit to the Clippers, his only scheduled road appearance against his former team this season, as Cem Yolbulan of Clippers On SI notes.

Leonard played in Toronto’s first two games, both wins, before sitting out Sunday’s loss at Minnesota. His shooting was rusty at 32.4%, but he averaged 3.5 steals and gave the Raptors an immediate defensive presence.

Now comes the adjustment. Ja’Kobe Walter started in his place Sunday, with rookie Allen Graves and veteran Kyle Anderson also candidates for more responsibility.

Toronto can take some comfort in the imaging results. Still, building continuity gets considerably harder when one of your most important players is unavailable before the first week is over.

Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards scored 47 points in Cleveland. The Timberwolves still found enough ways to get in their own way that they left with their first loss.

Monday’s 127-125 overtime defeat dropped Minnesota to 3-1, and the issues went beyond Edwards missing a potential tying three late.

As Ben Beecken of Timberwolves On SI writes, turnovers and transition defense have become early concerns.

Minnesota committed 18 turnovers against the Cavs, who finished with 18 fastbreak points. Some of those opportunities came after made Minnesota baskets. That’s giving an opponent a little too much assistance.

The Wolves are also shooting just 60.7% from the foul line through four games. LaMelo Ball’s two misses in the closing seconds of overtime were especially costly.

There were encouraging signs offensively, including Minnesota’s ability to get into the paint on a night when its outside shooting wasn’t particularly sharp. Finishing those opportunities was another matter, with Rudy Gobert going 0-of-7 in the paint.

The Wolves have enough talent to overcome some mistakes. Against another good team, cleaning up the avoidable ones would make life considerably easier.

Nuggets

David Adelman wasn’t interested in blaming Denver’s defensive problems on inexperience. His message after Monday’s 134-114 home loss to the Warriors was considerably simpler. Namely, put up some resistance.

“I don’t care if our guys are rookies or whatever it is or played in the league for 15 years,” Adelman said, via Jared Koch of Nuggets On SI. “You have to put your hands on people to have a chance, and we didn’t do that.”

Golden State made 22 threes on 44 attempts, earning its first win and dropping Denver to 1-2. Adelman pointed to poor execution when switching screens, which left defenders scrambling and shooters open.

“If you let guys run untouched, it leads to breakdowns and it leads to people having to be the low man for no reason and that leads to extra rotations,” he said.

The Nuggets knew Stephen Curry would make difficult shots. It was the help they gave everyone else that bothered their coach.

“[The Warriors] did what they do,” Adelman said. “Out of the splits they’ll score like they do every night and Steph [Curry] will make shots, but the other stuff is just unacceptable.”