Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks outperform Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs, along with other notable NBA matches on Thursday.
Dončić missed the entire preseason due to a calf injury, but the Slovenian superstar and the four-time NBA champion seemed to have a strong bond, a concern for their rivals. Despite feeling "rusty," Dončić scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists, landing just 36% of his shots.
Thompson showcased his worth with a stellar performance, scoring 22 points, hauling in 7 rebounds, and stealing 3 times. Six of his ten three-pointers hit the mark, breaking a Dallas franchise record for a debut, securing the team's decision to offer him a three-year, $50 million contract in the offseason, putting an end to his 13-year stint with the Golden State Warriors.
Thompson was praised by Dončić, who said: "He was great. Just knocking down shots and moving around. He played great defense, too." Thompson's performance made it easier for Dončić to perform, he stated, "It's easy to play with a guy like that. It makes your life simpler. You just have to find him."
Irving had an off night, scoring 15 points on a 35.3% shooting percentage from the field.
Wembanyama had a difficult debut for San Antonio, posting 17 points while shooting a poor 27.8% from the floor.
Debuting for the Spurs, Paul contributed 3 points, handed out 8 assists, and secured 7 rebounds.
Defending champions Celtics continue to shine
The Boston Celtics expanded their dominant opening-day win over the New York Knicks with a 122-102 victory against the Washington Wizards.
Brown, on his 28th birthday, led the game with 27 points, combined with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Tatum added 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.
The Celtics emphatically won their second game and appear to already be in mid-season form, cruising through their first two victories.
Tatum spent the entire 4th quarter on the bench, as the Wizards, in the midst of a rebuild, started two rookies, Sarr in the second overall pick, and Carrington, the 14th overall pick, in their starting five.
Poole scored 26 points for the Wizards, while Valančiūnas tallied 18 in his Washington debut.
Thunder record statement win over the Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Denver Nuggets in their season opening game, recording an impressive 102-87 road victory over the 2022-23 champions.
The Thunder, who had the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history last season, led by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander registered 28 points, secured 7 rebounds, and distributed 8 assists, while Holmgren contributed 25 points, matched a career-high of 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks.
Jokić, the reigning MVP, recorded his first triple-double of the season with 16 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets. Murray scored 12 points on a 30.8% shooting percentage, while Westbrook tallied 6 points in his Nuggets debut.
NBA corrects incorrect score from opening night
In a strange turn of events, the NBA amended the score from the previous night's clash between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers, having discovered a scoring error in the third quarter when Melton was incorrectly recorded as missing both of his free-throw attempts. In reality, he had made one, necessitating a change in the score to 140-104.
Just when the Blazers thought their night could hardly get any worse.
Scores from Thursday night (Away @ home, winners in bold)
San Antonio Spurs 109-120 Dallas Mavericks
Boston Celtics 122-102 Washington Wizards
Oklahoma City Thunder 102-87 Denver Nuggets
Minnesota Timberwolves 117-115 Sacramento Kings
Dončić mentioned that it's easier to perform when playing with a talented teammate, like Thompson, who stated, "He was great. Just knocking down shots and moving around. He played great defense, too."
Thompson's performance in his debut for the Mavericks drove the team's offensive surge, scoring 22 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and stealing 3 times. His exceptional three-point shooting, making six out of ten attempts, not only secured a place in Dallas's plans but also broke a franchise record.
