NBA Opening Night: Dončić and Thompson Ignite The Mavericks, Plus Other Night Highlights!
Luka Dončić and Klay Thompson: A Maverick Debut to Remember!
The Dallas Mavericks started their season with a bang, crushing the San Antonio Spurs 120-106. It was the first game for new Maverick, four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, and the chemistry with Luka Dončić was already electric; making those initial concerns regarding those production challenges completely dissipate quickly as the two players quickly worked extremely well together and created an incredible team chemistry that almost seemed impossible. Dončić, returning from a calf injury, showed he still got major game, scoring 28 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists (despite shooting just 36% from the field!). He even commented that he was still "rusty"! This already demonstrates some intense upcoming potential for this team.
Thompson wasn't slacking, either. He dropped 22 points, with an incredible six of ten three-pointers—a Dallas franchise record for a debut! This alone demonstrates his intense value already; completely demonstrating exactly why he signed a three-year, $50 million contract in the off-season—ending a 13-year stint with the Golden State Warriors. Dončić was highly impressed by his new teammate ("He was great, man," said Dončić via ESPN. "Just knocking down a lot of shots...He played great defense too. It’s easy to play with a guy like that.") This team looks amazing!
Victor Wembanyama's Rough Debut and Other Spurs Highlights
It wasn't a great night for highly anticipated rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, only scoring 17 points on poor shooting (27.8% from the floor). Chris Paul’s debut wasn't that impressive, with only 3 points. He however had some support providing 8 assists and 7 rebounds—that level of contribution in his first game does not appear insignificant and highlights that the potential shown here already matters!
Celtics Reign Supreme, Thunder Stun Nuggets
The defending champion Boston Celtics stayed on a winning track with a convincing 122-102 win over the Washington Wizards; a key early game which helps highlight those skills for a recently upgraded team. Jaylen Brown celebrated his 28th birthday by scoring 27 points. Jason Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, though he sat out the entire fourth quarter—showing the ease that some teams have once already upgrading; these improvements can become even more visible as the teams move toward the post-season. This victory came after another commanding game; resulting in a 2-0 start that seems way ahead of pace. It's impressive how dominant those Celtics were!
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder totally shocked everyone with a road win (102-87) over the Denver Nuggets (last year's champions!). The Thunder—youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history—were dominant (leading by 20 points in the fourth!). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Chet Holmgren had 25 points and a career-high 14 rebounds plus five assists and four blocks. The reigning MVP Nikola Jokić registered a triple-double with 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds; a significant display, showing those improvements that help this team advance forward and dominate against far weaker opponents. This was a serious statement win. What will it all lead to?
NBA Score Correction: A Very Strange Mistake!
The NBA made an unusual correction. It mistakenly reported that Golden State's De’Anthony Melton missed both his free throws in their victory over the Portland Trail Blazers (now correctly scored 140-104), highlighting one unexpected outcome. The game however went well overall and both teams had extremely effective plays; showing potential from multiple areas that needs additional consideration; these two teams had intense performances.
Conclusion: The NBA Season Gets off to an Electric Start!
Wow! We got a crazy opening week. That awesome Dončić-Thompson combination makes a statement for Dallas, that dominating Celtics win reinforces that incredible talent for another top contender; and a huge surprise coming from the Thunder against the Nuggets adds suspense! It makes one question—which other unpredictable, intense developments will happen as the rest of that season gets underway and those previously predicted outcomes aren’t so easily anticipated!
