So this is now, officially, real. It is a labor of love for hoops, edited w/ @johnhollinger. The great @ShotDrJr did the thing, combing through each of the 100 essays from our incredible NBA staff at @TheAthletic. Pre-orders available now; drops 11/26. Humbly, it's a good read.

What competing again can do to a fan base:

Anthony Davis’ first stint in Washington: impactful. Ten points, six boards, a steal and an assist in eight minutes.

PMers: The 76ers have had great talent for years, with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. What they lacked were teammates w/championship experience. LeBron James, Jaylen Brown & Kentavious Caldwell-Pope bring that, in triplicate. Free to read, in @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/7709316…

Lunchtime reading:

The 76ers have had great talent for a while, with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. What they lacked were teammates with championship experience. LeBron James, Jaylen Brown & Kentavious Caldwell-Pope bring that, in triplicate. Free to read, in @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/7709316…

I think we all had first-half double-double from Andre Drummond on Knicks ring night, right?

PMers: the NBA starts today (!) and tonight, so it's time for 24 Questions, my annual fearless predictions about the season, which I never, ever get wrong. (What about last year, when you said OKC would repeat?) Shut up. Free to read, in @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/7684127…

Bad news keeps getting worse for the Commanders: Terry McLaurin will miss the rest of the season with a torn patella tendon suffered Monday against the 49ers. Our @NickiJhabvala with the details, free to read, in @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/7707523…

Dan Quinn says to start his weekly Zoom call with media that Terry McLaurin suffered a torn patella tendon in Monday's game with the 49ers. He will have surgery; out for the season. "Man, I'm gutted for him," Quinn says.

Well, this is suboptimal: nytimes.com/athletic/live-bl…

How many sleeps until @AU_MBasketball starts its quest to March Madness glory? This many. Can't wait. #OnceAnEagle

We blog, therefore we are: with the season starting today, our NBA staff at @TheAthletic will be churning out your must-read NBA news and info every day, rain or shine, in our live blog. Info and intel from all over the Association, free to read 24/7: nytimes.com/athletic/live-bl…

The orange leather returns today, with the start of the NBA season. So, too, does my annual predictions column, 24 Questions, where I’m never wrong (shut up!). Everything on the Knicks, Wemby, the Sixers, the Lakers & more, free to read, in @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/7684127…

Dan Quinn says postgame that there is concern that Terry McLaurin suffered a "significant" injury. Will get exams Tuesday. WRs Van Jefferson and Jaden Bradley are on the Commanders' practice squad; both had solid training camps. But will be hard to go forward w/o Scary Terry.

A great comeback by the Commanders. Daniels balled out in the second half. But Washington couldn't score a TD on two drives in the last minutes on San Francisco's side of the field. 49ers win 23-17, still unbeaten. Washington 1-4-1 going into the bye. A lot to clean up.

Just two monster plays back to back by San Fran's Malik Mustapha to keep the Commanders from a) a first down; McNichols had a huge hole to run through on third down, and b) a touchdown, as he rips the ball from Treylon Burks on a high-point pass from Daniels to the pylon.

Of course, it's a six-point game now. :-) Washington's offense has found a little traction in the second half. Good throws by Daniels on that 80-yard touchdown drive.

Look, the Niners are clearly better. But that's two obvious helmet to helmet hits by SF defenders that haven't been called.

When nothing goes right: Sam Cosmi doubles back to help his teammate (Conerly) with a block on Mykel Williams. Hustle play. Great effort. And Cosmi knocks Williams...right into Jayden Daniels' path as Daniels takes off running, for a sack.