LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors plays defense on Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers on October 21, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the first 20 minutes of the 2026-27 season, the Golden State Warriors looked pretty good against the Los Angeles Lakers. After that? Not so much.
After Will Richard’s dunk got the Warriors within a point at 49-48, the Lakers closed the quarter with a 17-4 run that featured two personal fouls and a technical from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, one of Walker Kessler’s 10 dunks, and a half-court buzzer-beater from Doncic, clearly inspired by Yaxel’s trash talk.
The offense and defense fell apart after that, and the Lakers invoked Lawler’s Law with 28 seconds to go in the third quarter by scoring their 100th point. By three minutes into the final quarter, Steve Kerr was clearing his bench, not that it looked all that different in a game where the Warriors had five players out.
The final margin was 127-105, and it really wasn’t that close. Want to know how bad it got? Bronny James played seven whole minutes (he scored two points).
It was a brutal introduction to the NBA for the Warriors’ No. 11 overall pick from this draft. In fairness, that has happened to a lot of players who tried to guard Luka Doncic, who finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, along with six turnovers. Lendeborg had 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in his debut.
Arguably, the game started to slip away when Draymond Green picked up his third foul and had to sit early in the second quarter. He led the Warriors with eight assists in 21 minutes, scoring two points and committing four turnovers.
Steph Curry started out hot, scoring 16 points in the first quarter on 7-for-9 shooting, along with two threes in just under eight minutes. Then he missed all four of his second-quarter shots, though he got two steals and made all four of his foul shots. He finished with 23 points in 21 minutes, with his night ending quite early.
The combination of Green and Al Horford did very little to contain Kessler, who was a perfect 12-for-12 from the field with nine rebounds and two blocks. He finished with the most dunks by any Laker since Shaquille O’Neal and the first perfect shooting night with at least 12 attempts since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969.
Doncic pushed hard to get Kessler this summer, and he looks like a genius for one game at least, though there’s definitely been stronger defensive efforts than the Warriors provided tonight. Also all their big men are short, really old, or rookies playing in their first NBA games.
Watching the Warriors this year might be a lot like looking at a team photo of the 1980’s Boston Celtics: It could get really ugly. The Lakers are good, the Warriors are injured, but it’s shocking to see just how overmatched this team looks. 27 nationally-televised games to go!
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 21: Anthony Edwards #5 and LaMelo Ball #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrate during the game against the Miami Heat on October 21, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“You can’t go 82-0 if you don’t start 1-0.” – LeBron James (paraphrasing)
Expectations were high, and the degree of performance was even higher. On opening night, your Minnesota Timberwolves dusted the Miami Heat by a final score of 131-106. This game got out of hand for Miami in the third quarter and Minnesota never looked back. The new Wolves jerseys were hotter than the otherwise electric introduction of Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose historic 35-point debut will be forgotten amidst the drubbing by the hands of Anthony Edwards and his new supporting cast.
There is not, in truth, a ton of room to poke holes in this performance from the Timberwolves. It was seamless and fluid. This team played like they’d been playing together for a few seasons at minimum. It was an encouraging start to a season where many naysayers will claim that newcomer LaMelo Ball does not impact winning.
However, the result of this game against a retooled Miami Heat team would suggest that sustained success is on the way.
Anthony Edwards
The headline for this section does not need much else. What more can you say?
Edwards finished the game with a massive 45 points on 16 of 29 shooting from the floor, including a sterling nine of 17 mark from three-point range. His 10 rebounds capped off a sensational double-double. It was just another electric performance.
All of the offseason chatter about Edwards feeling more at home without primary ballhandling duties seemed to ring true. At no point in the game did Ant look uncomfortable moving off-ball and finding his shots. Much of this comfortability can be attributed to the play of LaMelo Ball and the schemes drawn up by head coach Chris Finch to ensure that Edwards can be fully unleashed this season.
Ant cashed in on his open looks. He will likely continue to do so. It figures to stay this way for the foreseeable future.
The sample size is obviously small, though this type of offensive output from Edwards is exactly what president of basketball operations Tim Connelly had in mind when making the seismic trade for LaMelo Ball. Anything else on top of this is just gravy as the opposing teams will have to scramble to adjust to the shot-making potential of the Wolves starting backcourt and reserves.
The Timberwolves as a whole shot 42% from deep even without heavy minutes or volume from projected deep shooter bench players Ayo Dosunmu (29 minutes, one for three from perimeter) or Bones Hyland (three minutes, one for two 2 from perimeter). If Minnesota can keep this momentum up against a physically imposing and big team like Miami, the sky would appear to be the limit for this squad.
At halftime in the game, folks around me at Dangerous Man brewing had commented how it had been a “sneakily quiet 20+ point scoring night” from Ant. His 45 point double-double made sure that his performance was anything but quiet. He now joins Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain to be the only players to score 40+ points in multiple season debuts.
Non-Rudy Rebounding Fears Temporarily Averted
The new-look Miami Heat are big. What their roster lacks in guard play they make up for in sheer size and intimidation.
A starting frontcourt of Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins appears huge on paper. These are three huge forwards with all the athleticism in the world that should suggest they dominate on the glass. This was not the case on Wednesday night, as the Timberwolves out-rebounded the Heat 52-34.
Edwards himself had the aforementioned 10 rebounds, and Gobert contributed 15 boards. Even the slender Jaden McDaniels, who had a stellar and efficient game offensively, had eight rebounds against this gigantic Miami team. The Heat had no answers for the size and length of the Timberwolves, who allayed any offseason concerns about roster size and physicality in the departure of Julius Randle and Naz Reid.
It remains to be seen whether or not this rebounding effort can sustain across different matchups, though it is encouraging to see Minnesota dominate the glass against a team that should, on paper, exploit this apparent weakness in the Wolves roster.
Miami is, of course, also adjusting to a radically different roster makeup this season. They will likely work out the kinks and, pending the health of Antetokounmpo, become a dominant team on the glass and in the paint. However, tonight was not that night.
Brief Concerns
While I did say it was difficult to poke holes in Minnesota’s performance, it is not impossible. There are a few areas that the team could still clean up in order to lead to more complete games.
The first thing that comes to mind is the offensive involvement of Rudy Gobert. While his usual offensive efficiency was not needed tonight, his five-point output on zero for two shooting left a lot to be desired.
It is well-documented that Gobert is wholly incapable of creating offensive looks for himself (barring turnaround fadeaways in game sevens). This leaves the onus on other players to facilitate clean passes and lobs for him to contribute to scoring in the paint. Though it was not necessary for Gobert to be an offensive force in this game, much of the sustained success of this team will be predicated on him being at least somewhat of a factor on the offensive end.
We are all aware of the prolific passing capabilities of LaMelo Ball, and we have seen other players on the roster be unafraid to give Gobert lobs during the preseason. Expect more of that to come as the season progresses.
The Timberwolves will also need more out of new power forward Trey Lyles (one point on zero for one shooting, one rebound, and three fouls), who did more cardio than contribution in his 13 minutes of play. Lyles did not look out of place, though he will have to give more than that in order to maintain his spot in the rotation.
If Lyles cannot withstand the pressure against bigger teams like the Heat, expect Jaylen Clark or newcomer and preseason darling Cody Williams to slowly increase their minutes in the rotation. We are a long way off from Williams rotation minutes becoming a reality, though a team with legitimate championship aspirations like Minnesota will have little room to spare in giving minutes to players that are contributing meaningfully.
Up Next
The Timberwolves play another game against the Eastern Conference in the same state. They visit Paolo Banchero and an Orlando Magic team fresh off of a close defeat to the Atlanta Hawks thanks to a 31-point performance from our old friend Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Catch the game on Friday, October 23rd at 6:00 PM CT on DAZN-MIN.
And the game’s opening play foreshadowed what turned into a dominant 127-105 Lakers’ win over the Warriors Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers prepares to shoot a free throw during a game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
As the shot clock was winding down, Doncic drove past Warriors star Draymond Green into the paint before tossing a lob to Lakers marquee offseason acquisition Walker Kessler for an alley-oop dunk to give the Lakers’ an early lead.
That scene – the 7-foot-2 center dunking – played routinely throughout both team’s season opener.
Kessler finished with 10 dunks in his team debut with the Lakers.
His dunk toal was the most by a Laker since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003, according to ESPN, and the most dunk by a player in the league’s play-by-play era (since 1996-97).
Kessler finished with 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting to go with 9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.
Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
He joined Wilt Chamberlain (34 points on 14-14 shooting on March 11, 1969) as the only players in franchise history to record a perfect shooting night on at least 12 field goal attempts.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, tries to drive past Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Austin Reaves added 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go with 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
After allowing the Warriors to score 33 points in the opening quarter, with Warriors superstar Steph Curry nearly half of his team’s points (16) in the first, the Lakers tightened up their defense in the second and third, allowing a combined 35 points in the middle quarters.
Curry finished with a team-high 23 points, playing just 21 minutes after the Lakers led by as many as 35 points early in the fourth.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers opened up the season with a thorough beatdown of the Warriors, winning 127-105 on Tuesday.
LA led by as many as 35 points and scored 103 points in the opening three quarters. They finished the night shooting 58.2% from the field while forcing 16 turnovers, leading to 25 points.
The game opened with Luka Dončić connecting with Walker Kessler on an alley-oop dunk, a recurring trend on the night. Kessler scored six of LA’s first 10 points as the Lakers built a five-point lead.
Steph Curry quickly erased that lead, putting Golden State up by three. He had 10 points.
Luka made two triples and entered double figures with 10 points. With 55 seconds left, there had been eight lead changes and 10 ties in the quarter. Both teams were having a solid offensive start. Brandon Williams had eight points off the bench for the Warriors.
Jake LaRavia drained a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers a one-point lead at the end of the first.
Austin Reaves started the second period with a floater off the backboard for two. Curry was fouled on the other end and made both free throws. Quentin Grimes had four points off the bench, bringing energy and stellar production.
The Lakers were up by four.
Luka connected with LaRavia for a wild layup. LaRavia had eight points off the bench for LA. Gui Santos shaved some points off the deficit for the Warriors, scoring five points. However, Los Angeles regained control and extended their lead to five.
LaRavia, Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili combined for 18 off the bench. Luka then proceeded to take over the rest of the quarter, jawing back and forth with Golden State’s rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who earned a technical foul in the process.
Luka banked in a ridiculous half-court shot to beat the halftime buzzer, putting the purple and gold up 14 points.
The purple and gold completely owned the quarter, finishing it up by 34 points. They shot 59% from the field.
Third quarter: Lakers 102, Warriors 68
LA crushed GS in the third 36-16. They’ve outscored the Warriors 49-20 since Yaxel got into it with Luka. Doncic has 28/8/7. Walker Kessler has 22 points (10 dunks) and 8 rebounds. AR has 19 pts. LA has 10 steals and 25 pts off TOs.
Williams stole the ball and scored on a layup to start the final frame for the Warriors. Matisse Thybulle responded with a three on the other end.
Santos scored four points for Golden State, trying to help shave some points off the large deficit. With 8:57 left, Golden State emptied more of their bench. LA then emptied their bench with 6:01 left.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Reaves ended with 23 points and six assists. Kessler scored 26 points with nine rebounds. He is the first Laker since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969 to shoot 100% from the field on at least 12 shot attempts.
Grimes logged 10 points with four assists. LaRavia had 10 points with two assists. Mamu pitched in with five points and four rebounds. Ziaire Williams finished with seven points, four rebounds and two assists.
The Lakers’ next game will be against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday at 7:00 PM PT.
MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 21: Ty Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 21, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) | Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images
No former Virginia player has ever scored as many points as Ty Jerome did Wednesday night in the Memphis Grizzlies’ season opener. His 45 points surpassed the previous record of 44 points set by Trey Murphy in February.
It is also a new career high for Jerome, outdoing his 33-point performance on Jan. 24, 2025, when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It was quite the season debut from the 29-year-old who suffered an ankle injury that prematurely ended his season last spring. Jerome shot an efficient 17-of-25 from the floor, including 5-of-10 from three, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists to just one turnover. His performance led the Grizzlies to a 123-103 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Jerome scored Memphis’ first two buckets of the game, draining a pair of mid-range floaters from the right elbow. A few minutes later he made a pair of threes in quick succession before dishing out his first two assists of the night and draining a trio of free throws to close out the first quarter.
He added another six points and two assists over the first four minutes of the second quarter, and the Grizzlies took a 64-51 lead into halftime. Jerome then drained a three-pointer one minute into the third quarter and another just seconds into the fourth quarter.
The highlight of the night, however, came a few minutes later when Jerome launched a 33-footer from the logo, drained it and waved goodbye to the Jazz, sending the FedEx Forum crowd into a frenzy.
He capped off his best-ever scoring night with a floater and a pair of free throws over the final minutes, helping close out the 20-point win for the Grizzlies and breaking Murphy’s record less than nine months after it was set.
Next up, Jerome will face one of his former teams when Memphis visits Golden State on Friday night.
PORTLAND, OREGON - OCTOBER 21: Ja Morant #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers steals the ball from Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Moda Center on October 21, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns opened the 2026–27 season on Wednesday night, and you almost wish they could’ve waited one more day. Or perhaps this was the Valley Suns rather than the Phoenix Suns. Whatever team showed up in Portland got absolutely blasted by the Trail Blazers, losing by 41 points, 124–83.
Phoenix trailed by as many as 52 points. Portland outscored the Suns 43–12 in the opening quarter, and the rout was officially on. The Blazers dominated Phoenix in every facet of the game, turning what was supposed to be an exciting season opener into an absolute embarrassment.
Want some stats? Here you go. The Suns shot 35.7% from the field and a miserable 19.4% from beyond the arc. Damian Lillard made as many three-pointers (6) as the entire Phoenix roster combined. Portland generated 26 second-chance points compared to just 12 for the Suns and dominated the glass, outrebounding Phoenix 56–39.
Devin Booker led the team with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting, but even he couldn’t escape the carnage, finishing with a team-worst plus/minus of -43.
Khaman Maluach earned the start at center, and much like the rest of his teammates, he failed to impress. And it appears the starting job could remain his for the foreseeable future, as Oso Ighodaro exited the game early with what appeared to be a right hip injury.
There isn’t much to salvage from a performance like this. The shooting was atrocious, the rebounding was nonexistent, and the defensive identity Phoenix spent an entire season establishing was nowhere to be found. It’s one game, and perspective matters over an 82-game season. But when you spend an offseason preaching continuity, growth, and accountability, getting embarrassed by 41 points on opening night is a hell of a way to introduce yourself.
The Suns have plenty of time to respond. They also have plenty to answer for.
Game Flow
First Half
The excitement. The anticipation. You can barely contain yourself because Phoenix Suns basketball is finally back. And what happens? The Portland Trail Blazers open the game on an 11–0 run as the Suns start 0-of-3 from the field, turn the ball over once, and get outrebounded 5–1 right out of the gate. Portland opened 3-of-5 from beyond the arc while Phoenix started 0-of-1. Less than three minutes into the season, the Suns found themselves in an all-too-familiar position from a year ago: digging themselves out of a hole.
The Suns called a timeout, but the drought continued. Brick after brick after brick. Devin Booker midrange? Brick. Miles Bridges threes? Brick. Maluach in transition? Brick.
Phoenix made its first substitutions with 7:32 remaining in the first quarter. The Suns still hadn’t scored a point and were trailing 17–0. They continued getting destroyed on the glass, seemingly incapable of securing a rebound. Devin Booker and Ja Morant got into a bit of a shouting match, which was nice to see. A little fire. But you know what would’ve been even nicer? Some points. Double technical fouls were assessed, and the misery continued.
Every loose ball seemed to find its way into Portland’s hands. The energy that this Suns team has become known for was completely and utterly nonexistent. Deni Avdija misses a pair of free throws? Doesn’t matter. Dillon Brooks gets called for a loose ball foul while boxing out. The team was completely out of sorts. Phoenix had committed five fouls, and Portland was already shooting free throws before the Blazers had even been whistled for their first foul. Oh, and the Suns still hadn’t scored a single point.
That finally changed with 5:54 remaining in the first quarter, when Devin Booker connected on a free throw to give Phoenix its first point of the season. The score? Portland 21, Phoenix 1.
Damian Lillard, who missed last season with an Achilles injury, knocked down a three-pointer with two minutes left in the first quarter, pushing Portland’s lead to 30. What is this? Game 7 in 2022 against the Mavs?
The damage after one? Without a doubt, it was a quarter from hell. Everything that could’ve gone wrong practically did. The Suns surrendered 43 points to a Blazers team that shot 52% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8-of-16 three-point attempts. Portland also dominated the glass, grabbing 21 rebounds compared to Phoenix’s six.
Meanwhile, the Suns went 0-of-7 from deep and a miserable 4-of-20 from the field. They surrendered 10 second-chance points while generating none of their own. Portland scored five points off turnovers, while Phoenix failed to produce a single point in that category. When the dust settled on one of the ugliest opening quarters imaginable, the Suns trailed 43–12.
Welcome to the 2026–27 season.
The Suns finally connected on their first three-pointer with nine minutes remaining in the second quarter, courtesy of Jalen Green. Phoenix opened the period on a 10–2 run, chipping away at the deficit and cutting Portland’s lead to 23 points after scoring 22 of its own. But true to form, the Blazers responded with a 12–2 run of their own, extending their advantage back to 33 points.
Miles Bridges picked up a flagrant foul after throwing a block into Donovan Clingan that looked more like an offensive lineman protecting his quarterback than a basketball player attempting to make a play.
And as if things couldn’t get any worse, Oso Ighodaro was clearly laboring in the final seconds of the first half, grabbing at his right hip before heading directly to the Suns locker room. The one position where Phoenix already lacked meaningful depth was suddenly looking even thinner. He would not return.
Halftime mercifully arrived with the Suns trailing 72–39. Phoenix was shooting 3-of-14 from beyond the arc and 13-of-42 overall, a miserable 31% from the field. Devin Booker led the team with 10 points on 2-of-6 shooting.
The Blazers scored 43 points in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Damian Lillard had already connected on 4-of-6 three-point attempts for 17 first-half points. Toumani Camara added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while Ja Morant contributed 10 points and six assists, shooting 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. The Suns were outrebounded 33–17 in the first half, while Portland recorded 21 assists compared to Phoenix’s eight.
Pitiful basketball by the Suns.
Second Half
Coming out of the locker room, the Suns still couldn’t match the energy of the rolling Trail Blazers. It was clear that the combination of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant in the backcourt, Donovan Clingan’s size in the interior, and Deni Avdija’s ability to knife through a defense was simply overwhelming for Phoenix.
Miles Bridges looked completely lost on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he continually collapsed into the paint, abandoning his perimeter assignments and leaving Portland shooters wide open from beyond the arc. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Dillon Brooks started to come alive a little in the third quarter, scoring seven of the Suns’ first 14 points while going 3-of-3 from the field. But every time it felt like Phoenix was building some momentum, Portland would respond by knocking down another three.
With 1:13 remaining in the third quarter, the Blazers did it! They pushed their lead to 40 points! Devin Booker responded with a jumper, but naturally, Portland came right back and buried another three.
After three quarters, Portland 107, Phoenix 66.
After four, the Suns lose.
Up Next
The Suns head home as they host the Golden State Warriors in their home opener on Saturday night.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 21: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the second quarter of the game against Marcus Smart #36 and Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on October 21, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (0-1) dropped their season opener to the Houston Rockets (1-0) on Wednesday, losing 128-110 in Houston. Cooper Flagg led all scorers with 32 points, while Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 30 points each.
It was a disappointing start to the season for the new look Mavericks, as Houston jumped on Dallas early and it was a blowout before halftime. The Mavericks improved significantly in the second half, but the damage was already done — despite their improved play after halftime, the Mavericks never got the lead to single-digits, attempting to claw back from a 37-point deficit.
There was a lot of bad, but some good too. Here are three numbers that stood out from the season-opening thud.
38-12: Houston’s second-quarter scoring advantage
Believe it or not, the Mavericks actually outscored the Rockets if you combined the first, third, and fourth quarters of this game. Unfortunately for Dallas, basketball is played with four quarters and the one quarter the Mavericks lost big, they lost *really* big.
Houston blitzed Dallas to the tune of 38-12 in the second quarter, and that really decided the entire game. The Rockets repeatedly got out on the fast break, as the Mavericks offense coughed up turnovers and missed three pointers, giving the Rockets ample opportunities to run out in transition. The Rockets finished the game with 29 fastbreak points, with the majority of those picked up in the second quarter.
4: Marcus Sasser 3-pointers
In his debut for the Mavericks, DFW native Marcus Sasser looked outstanding, scoring 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Sasser was responsible for over a third of the Mavericks’ made triples on Wednesday. The team made just 11 total in the loss.
It was a bright spot in an otherwise dreadful shooting night for the Mavericks. Dallas went 11-of-37 from three (30 percent), so Sasser’s shooting was a sight for sore eyes. Sasser has a quick release and isn’t gun-shy — he had a nice pull-up make in the fourth quarter while bringing the ball up in transition, and the Rockets failed to stop the ball. Sasser also had a nice three-point play the hard way to go along with his hot shooting from outside.
It’s just one game, but it’s the type of performance that demands more minutes. Might we suggest a few of the minutes that new head coach Dusty May gave to Zaccharie Risacher? May played a lot of guys tonight and was attempting to mix and match a bunch of different lineups. Hopefully, whenever May settles on a set rotation, Sasser is a big part of it.
44-33: Rockets’ rebounding advantage
Talking points about the Mavericks strengths and weaknesses this summer didn’t really touch on the Mavericks rebounding — with Dallas sporting such a large (literally) roster, with forwards and bigs plentiful, I guess no one really considered the team could be bad at rebounding.
It’s just one game, but it was a pretty deflating effort on the boards. Houston had 17 offensive rebounds, despite the Mavericks playing a rotation that included center Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and Cooper Flagg at the wing, and Morez Johnson Jr. as the backup center. Gafford had two defensive rebounds in 22 minutes. That’s not good enough. Washington had three defensive rebounds in 31 minutes. That is also not good enough.
Gafford has quietly not been a great defensive rebounder for his career, so this isn’t all that shocking. But this means others are going to have to step up, and Flagg and Washington combining for nine rebounds probably isn’t enough to make up the built-in Gafford deficit.
It doesn’t take much to get Lakers superstar Luka Doncic going.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg learned that the hard way Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena in his early “welcome to the league” moment.
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers chirped back and forth for most of the second quarter. NBAE via Getty Images
Doncic and Lendeborg spent most of the second quarter talking trash to each other after the former Michigan Wolverwine was called for a shooting foul against the Slovenian guard.
The chirping continued even when Lendeborg subbed out of the game, with Doncic going out of his way late in the second to talk to the 6-foot-9 forward while he was on the bench.
Luka Doncic banks in a halfcourt 3 and immediately goes back to chirping at Yaxel Lendeborg. pic.twitter.com/LraBprOgbO
The punctuation mark to the jawing came right before halftime, when Doncic nailed a buzzer-beating halfcourt shot to give the Lakers a 66-52 lead going into the game’s break, with the Lakers winning the quarter 32-19.
Doncic scored 23 first-half points, 10 of which came in the second quarter.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg got an early “welcome to the league” moment. NBAE via Getty ImagesLos Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Doncic, left, was on fire to start the season opener. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
The 3-pointer ended a 17-4 run for the Lakers.
And just like most of the quarter, Doncic went back to doing one of the things he does best: Talk trash after a big play.
Maybe Lendeborg, who was playing in his first NBA game after being the No. 11 pick in June’s NBA draft, will think twice before waking up the best that is Doncic.
Tyrese Haliburton hadn’t touched the floor in a meaningful basketball game in 486 days.
So in the moments after he dropped 23 points and 12 assists for the Pacers on Wednesday night, it was no wonder he was feeling all the emotions.
Haliburton spoke with Indiana’s broadcast after the team’s 123-120 win over the Pelicans at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans about what this return to the floor meant and just how exciting it was to be back in a game that counted.
Tyrese Haliburton broke down during his postgame interview with Jeremiah Johnson
He did not return to action last season as the Pacers finished with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 19-63.
Haliburton suited up in three preseason games before the opener, but Wednesday’s win marked a true triumph and return for the two-time All-NBA member.
He played 34 minutes, hit 53.3 percent of his field goal attempts and added two rebounds in Indiana’s first win of the season.
Tyrese Haliburton wipes his eye at the end of the Pacers’ 123-120 season-opening win over the Pelicans on Oct. 21, 2026 in New Orleans. AP Photo/Matthew Hinton
In a long, year-plus rehab, Haliburton finally saw the fruits of his labor play out on the court.
“Yeah, a lot — a lot,” Haliburton said when asked if he had thought about his return during the rehab process.
Tyrese Haliburton (right) and Obi Toppin celebrate after the Pacers’ season-opening win over the Pelicans. Getty Images
Wagler came off the bench and finished with 15 points, five assists and five rebounds. He was 4-for-8 from the field and 3-for-6 from the 3-point line.
The 19-year-old became the second-youngest player in league history, behind LeBron James, to have at least 15 points, five assists and five rebounds while shooting at least 50% from the floor in his debut, according to the team.
Wagler was the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Illinois and is expected to be a promising prospect for the franchise.
While there’s an expectation that it will be an underwhelming season for the Clippers, it will allow for a rookie like Wagler to gain valuable playing time and experience.
The rookie checked into the game with 4:29 left in the first quarter. He managed to get involved early, being credited with an assist after a 26-foot 3-pointer made by Derrick Jones Jr. with 4:15 left in the first frame.
Wagler scored his first regular season career points with a driving jump off an assists from Kobe Sanders that helped give the Clippers a 30-17 lead with 3:40 left in the quarter.
"He's already shown he is mature and he doesn't get rattled after just being around him for the last few months, whether he is making or missing shots," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before Wagler's debut. "He is always the same."
Wagler followed up his first career basket with a 26-foot running pull-up 3-pointer, helping the Clippers build a 41-26 lead with 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
Clippers rookie Keaton Wagler talked about his regular-season debut, Darius Garland’s performance and the fans at Intuit Dome. pic.twitter.com/UusW1YAepm
The Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball era in Minnesota could not have gotten off to a better start.
Anthony Edwards was the best player on the floor and knocked down nine 3-pointers on his way to 45 points, sparking a comfortable 131-106 win in Miami.
ANT JUST WENT OFF TO LEAD MINNESOTA TO VICTORY!
45 PTS 10 REB 9 3PM
FIRST PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY WITH 45+ PTS, 10+ REB, AND 5+ 3PM IN A SEASON OPENER pic.twitter.com/m1Y3cKKUAE
Just last year, Edwards dropped 41 on Portland in Minnesota's season opener. Edwards has now joined elite company as only the third player in NBA history to have more than one 40+ point game on opening night, joining Michael Jordan (three) and Wilt Chamberlain (four).
This was also Giannis Antetokounmpo's debut for Miami and he looked like vintage Greek Freak with 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting, plus pulling down six boards. Despite that, the Miami offense stalled out, scoring less than a point per possession, while the defense the Heat were banking on struggled to slow the Timberwolves guards.
LaMelo Ball had 21 points and six dimes for the Timberwolves, plus got away with an epic, egregious travel.
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 21: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on October 21, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (0-1) opened the regular season on Wednesday with a 128-110 loss to the Houston Rockets (1-0), and for about 12 minutes, it looked like we might get a competitive basketball game.
Dallas actually started well. P.J. Washington knocked down the first basket of the season from three, Cooper Flagg hit one of his own, and Max Christie made a tough bucket as the Mavericks traded punches with Houston early. Washington was especially good through the first eight minutes, hitting two threes and getting into the lane off the dribble, while Flagg added a difficult floater and consistently looked dangerous whenever Dallas actually put the ball in his hands. The Mavericks even shot 6-of-13 from three in the opening quarter, but Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun kept Houston alive, and the Rockets closed the period stronger to take a 32-26 lead.
Then the game completely broke open.
Houston opened the second quarter with a Christie turnover, a Jabari Smith Jr. basket and an Amen Thompson transition alley-oop, quickly pushing the lead to double digits. Flagg briefly settled Dallas down by getting to the free-throw line, but the Mavericks couldn’t sustain their offense. Morez Johnson Jr. scored his first NBA points on a lob from Naji Marshall and later hit a turnaround jumper, but he also picked up four fouls before halftime. Daniel Gafford struggled, Zaccharie Risacher couldn’t get anything going offensively, and the Mavericks spent too many possessions asking secondary players to create while Flagg and Kyrie Irving watched.
The shooting disappeared with it. Dallas missed 21 consecutive threes at one point and made only four field goals in the entire second quarter. Meanwhile, Houston could not miss. Smith, Sengun, Durant, Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović all contributed as the Rockets scored 38 points in the period and took an absurd 70-38 lead into halftime. Houston shot 59.5 percent from the floor in the first half while Dallas managed just 33.3 percent.
At least the Mavericks did not completely quit.
Flagg came out of halftime attacking, and the team looked more alive when he ran things. Kyrie started finding some offense, Marcus Sasser gave Dallas a spark off the bench, and Naji Marshall had a productive stretch as the Mavericks finally started stringing together competent possessions. Flagg scored from the paint, the midrange, and the line while also creating turnovers on defense. Dallas still entered the fourth down 100-76, but the second half at least looked like an NBA basketball game again.
That continued into the fourth. Risacher showed some life with consecutive dunks and finished with five steals, while Sasser was outstanding, scoring 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 4-of-5 from three. Kyrie finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, but Flagg was easily Dallas’ best player, pouring in 32 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block on 10-of-17 shooting while attempting 13 free throws. Sasser’s 17 and Marshall’s 16 added scoring, but Houston’s starting lineup was simply too much. Durant finished with 30, Smith scored 30 of his own, Sengun had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, and Houston shot 52.2 percent overall and 44.4 percent from three.
Dallas made the final score slightly more respectable, but the 128-110 loss was effectively decided long before the fourth quarter.
Flagg’s second-half explosion
Flagg was easily the best thing about an otherwise miserable opening night, which made his lack of usage even more frustrating.
He finished with 32 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block while shooting 10-of-17 from the floor and getting to the line 13 times. Whenever Dallas actually let him lead the offense, something happened. He got downhill, drew fouls, created turnovers defensively, and looked comfortable pulling up and fading away when Houston cut off the rim.
The frustrating part was how often Dallas went away from him, especially in the first half. Dusty May pulled Flagg for a long stretch early in the second quarter, and the Mavericks spent those minutes trying to manufacture offense through a collection of secondary creators. By the time Flagg returned, Houston had already blown the game open.
You are going to get turnovers when you give a 19-year-old this much responsibility, and Flagg had four. That is fine. The alternative cannot be watching the offense collapse while your best player barely touches the ball.
If Wednesday showed anything, it is that Dallas needs to live with the mistakes and let Flagg drive this thing.
Dusty May’s rotations
May went to the bench early and often, completely changing the rhythm of the game.
Johnson was one of the first reserves to enter. May quickly started experimenting, and Naji, Risacher, Sasser, Marshall, and Sergio de Larrea all got early opportunities. By the opening minutes of the second quarter, Sasser had replaced Kyrie, and Johnson was already getting significant center minutes. Soon after, de Larrea and Marshall were sharing the floor while Flagg sat.
There is nothing wrong with testing combinations, but Dallas did not have enough creation on the floor during those stretches.
The offense fell apart without Flagg and Kyrie. Turnovers piled up, shots came from the wrong players, and Houston punished almost every mistake. Risacher struggled offensively, Johnson got into foul trouble immediately, and Gafford never found a rhythm. The Mavericks made four shots in the entire second quarter and went from trailing by six to trailing by 32.
Some of that is on the players, but May has to recognize which combinations cannot survive without one of his primary creators on the floor.
Swiss cheese for defense
Giving up 70 points in a half is bad enough. Giving up 100 before the fourth quarter makes winning almost impossible unless you have one of the best offenses in basketball.
Dallas does not. Houston shot 59.5% in the first half and 52.2% for the game. Durant and Smith combined for 60 points, Sengun consistently punished Dallas inside, and Houston finished with 32 assists on 47 made baskets.
The Mavericks lack the offensive firepower to win games in the 120s and 130s consistently. Flagg can have nights like this. Kyrie can still score efficiently. Sasser can occasionally catch fire. But Dallas cannot require all of that to stay competitive.
The point-of-attack defense has to be better. The transition defense has to be better. The communication has to be better. If this team is going to win consistently, its defense has to keep games manageable on nights when the offense goes cold.
On Wednesday, Houston was comfortable almost immediately, and by the time Dallas found some life, there was too much damage to undo.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 21: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket against Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz during the second half at FedExForum on October 21, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game 1 of 82 was not exactly what the Utah Jazz and their fans envisioned coming into this new era of ‘Mountain Basketball’. After a strong first quarter, the Jazz could never put a bottle on the Ty Jerome show, and to make matters worse, Utah’s stars never really got themselves going to counter the career night from Jerome.
The Good
MEMPHIS, TN – OCTOBER 21: Ty Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 21, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Ty Jerome was simply sensational tonight. In 32 minutes, Jerome finished with 45 points (career high) on 17/25 shooting. He also had 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The Jazz had no answer for him at any point, and he led the Grizzlies to a dominant home opening win.
Keyonte George had a good night himself for the Utah Jazz. He finished with 22 points and 5 assists. Key was really the only Jazz player who didn’t look completely overwhelmed by the super-aggressive defense that the Grizzlies played. Other players had moments, sure, but Key looked under control for most of the game. That is a really promising sign!
ACE BAILEY! Ace was an absolute menace on the defensive end for the Jazz. He finished with 3 blocks. I thought Ace did a great job meeting the Grizzlies’ physicality head-on and taking on the challenge defensively. His shot wasn’t falling for a large majority of the game but the defensive strides from Ace were simply eye-popping
Darryn Peterson’s start was awesome. He was shooting the ball extremely well in the first quarter. He was getting to his spots, drawing fouls, and overall looked the part of a number two overall pick.
The Bad
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 21: Zach Edey #14 of the Memphis Grizzlies and Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket against Isaiah Collier #8 of the Utah Jazz during the first half at FedExForum on October 21, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The margin between bad and ugly in this recap is going to be very thin. For now, I am going to put Isaiah Collier and, honestly, the entire bench unit (sans Ace Bailey) into the bad section for tonight. Collier has elite speed, and tonight that speed was just bad. Memphis pressured the ball 94 feet after made baskets to speed up the Jazz. Collier’s out-of-control start to the second quarter started a snowball the Jazz didn’t have the firepower to stop. Additionally, Brice Sensabaugh and Kyle Filipowski were not good on defense and didn’t contribute on offense either. Not great.
Cam Boozer only shot 2/15 from the field and 0/6 from three. He contributed in other ways, pulling down 11 boards.
The Ugly
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 21: Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz reacts during the second half against Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on October 21, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr…. That was a really horrible game. Jaren was playing in his first game in Memphis since the trade, and he just looked overwhelmed out there. He fouled out midway through the fourth quarter and was frustrated all night by Memphis’s physical defense. If the Jazz are going to challenge their Western Conference foes for a postseason spot, 10/23 shooting for 33 points is unacceptable from two of your all-star-caliber players.
The Jazz defense didn’t actually look horrible tonight. The rebounding, on the other hand? Yikes. The Grizzlies manhandled the Jazz on the boards, and because of that, they got 17 more shots than Utah. I don’t really care who you are or who you are playing; if you give the opponent 17 more chances to score, you’re not going to win many ball games.
The Merciful
MEMPHIS, TN – OCTOBER 21: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz puts on his jersey before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 21, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It is 1 of 82. The sky is not falling. The sun will rise in the morning. You can’t go 41-41 if you don’t lose 41 times. This team is still really young and figuring each other out. We can all take a deep breath. It is going to be okay. We just need to enjoy the journey, Jazz fans.
Before Luka Dončić and Steph Curry traded buckets under the bright lights of Crypto.com Arena, they traded fits.
Opening night doubled as a runway, with the Lakers and Warriors arriving in everything from tailored designer looks to laid-back luxury as the NBA’s biggest stars made their first fashion statements of the new season.
Dončić embraced the spotlight of his first Lakers opener, Curry reminded everyone why he’s still one of the league’s coolest veterans, and the supporting casts gave fans plenty to talk about before the opening tip.
Brooklyn dropped a disappointing opener 110-103 to the visiting Hornets before a sellout crowd of 17,548 at Barclays Center on Wednesday.
It was the Nets’ sixth straight season-opening defeat. And this was a deflating one for a team trying to put three tough seasons behind it and turn the page. They desperately wanted to come out of the gate well and build some momentum.
Moussa Diabate rises up for a dunk during the Nets’ 110-103 loss to the Hornets on Oct. 21, 2026 at Barclays Center. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Losing to a shorthanded, eminently beatable Charlotte team with a grueling six-game gantlet looming risks building all the wrong kinds of momentum.
But the Nets were sloppy with the ball and beaten on the glass.
“We’ve got to — including myself, I put it on me — we’ve got to impose our physicality on those things and hit people first. So I’ll set a tone with that,” Randle said. “A lot of times rebounding is just wanting to go get it, and wanting your will to go get the ball or not let your man get the ball. So we all got to be better on that front.”
Randle had 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, joining James Harden and Kyrie Irving as the only Nets with at least 30-5-5 in their debut.
And Porter added 26 points, seven boards and three steals.
But it wasn’t enough, thanks to getting outscored 20-8 in second chance points and committing 22 turnovers to just 22 assists.
This against a Hornets team minus Kon Knueppel and Coby White. And with six straight upcoming against teams projected for 44.5 wins by Las Vegas bookmakers.
Julius Randle argues with an official during the Nets’ season-opening loss to the Hornets. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Yeah, we did a lot of things that were just self-inflicted. Things that we know we can be better at, and we will be,” Randle said. “We could have been better.”
They should’ve been better.
With the Hornets depleted, the Nets could concentrate on stopping Brandon Miller — but they couldn’t even slow him early. He had 12 of his 18 points right out of the gate to put Brooklyn in a 21-15 hole with 2:37 left in the first quarter.
The Nets spent much of the rest of the night chasing.
Noah Clowney (left) and Ryan Kalkbrenner scuffle during the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Porter was held to just six points in a muted first half. He drilled two quick 3-pointers coming out of the break to pull Brooklyn within four, and his 4-point play gave them a 64-62 lead with 8:12 left in the third. He even notched steals on back-to-back possessions.
But sloppy turnovers and coughing up long offensive rebounds on missed Hornets 3s came back to bite them.
That, and poor play from young guards Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traore, who combined for just seven points on 2-for-14 shooting, 0-for-5 from deep with two assists and five turnovers.
“I’m not very happy with how I end up playing the game. I started with two scored buckets, but then just got slower from a standpoint of my intensity. I’ve definitely got to bring higher energy, whether I’m on the ball, off the ball, in the corner and wherever I am, whatever position I’m playing,” Dëmin said. “I missed every single shot from 3; some shots that I believe were supposed to go in. But it happens … getting downhill again, I’ve got to get better at finishing, because the situations are there.
“Opportunities are there, everything is given to me and I just got to be able to execute on the level that I want to be at.”
On a minutes limit, Brown was limited to six points and three assists in nearly 20 minutes of action, but looked sharp.
