On the night they receive their NBA championship rings, the Knicks lose at home to Philadelphia, who enjoy LeBron James’ debut in a Sixers uniform, along with strong performances from Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown.
The Thunder also pick up a road win, beating San Antonio thanks to another unstoppable performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For the Spurs, and especially Victor Wembanyama, it is a season opener to forget.
The Celtics, meanwhile, fail to secure a road victory despite building a 22-point lead in Detroit, as Cade Cunningham and his teammates fight their way back. Here are all the results and highlights from NBA opening night.
Detroit Pistons 121-113 Boston Celtics
An incredible comeback from 22 points down gives Detroit a win in its season opener. With less than four minutes gone in the third quarter, the Celtics lead 72-50. However, the Pistons fight their way back, helped by Javonte Green, who scores 19 points off the bench, all in the second half.
Detroit first cuts the deficit to six points before taking control of the fourth quarter. Led by the ever-reliable Cade Cunningham, who finishes with 22 points and 8 assists, and an excellent Duncan Robinson, who scores 21 points and hits 5 of his 9 three-point attempts, the Pistons complete the comeback and beat the Celtics.
Duren Puts His Difficult Summer Behind Him
Jalen Duren had a challenging summer, with his contract extension negotiations with Detroit dragging on for months. However, the Pistons center looks more than ready for the new season, dominating the Celtics’ big men and finishing with 22 points and 9 rebounds.
George’S Outstanding Performance Isn’t Enough
Speaking of difficult summers, Paul George’s arrival in Boston as part of the trade with Philadelphia that brought Jaylen Brown’s time with the Celtics to an end was not exactly welcomed with enthusiasm by Boston fans.
However, the former Clippers and Pacers star delivers an outstanding performance in Detroit, scoring 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting and setting a record for a player making his debut with Boston.
Jayson Tatum, on the other hand, has a disappointing start to the season. He finishes with 13 points and 11 assists, but shoots a poor 6-for-23 from the field.
New York Knicks 100-106 Philadelphia 76Ers
The new-look Sixers spoil the Knicks’ celebration, as New York follows its usual tradition of receiving its NBA championship rings before the first game of the season.
After a closely contested game, Philadelphia tries to pull away in the third quarter, ending the period with an 11-0 run led by Jaylen Brown, who records 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
New York manages to fight back and cuts the deficit to just one point. At that stage, however, Joel Embiid steps up with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, taking charge and leading Philadelphia to a road victory.
New York’S Celebration Is Only Half A Success
During the ring ceremony, Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ star and undisputed leader, promises that the team will do everything it can to recreate the joy of winning the championship in June. Once the game begins, though, he struggles to find his rhythm, finishing with 21 points on just 6-of-19 shooting.
The problems extend to the entire New York team, which shoots just 37.2% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.
Lebron Makes His Philadelphia Debut
14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Those are LeBron James’ numbers in his first official game wearing a Sixers uniform. The veteran also produces a couple of spectacular plays that leave the Madison Square Garden crowd amazed.
With LeBron alongside him, Tyrese Maxey also raises his game, finishing as the top performer on the court with 28 points and 5 assists.
San Antonio Spurs 104-116 Oklahoma City Thunder
The second road victory of opening night comes in San Antonio, where the Thunder come out on top in an impressive display of strength in a rematch of the most recent Western Conference Finals.
Oklahoma City holds the Spurs to just 44 points in the entire first half, builds a lead of as many as 26 points, and then manages the game after the break. San Antonio attempts to get back into the contest, but the home team’s efforts never look particularly convincing.
Mvp Shai Leads The Thunder To Victory
As usual, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Oklahoma City’s main star. He looks ready to pick up right where he left off in late spring, delivering an MVP-caliber performance with 32 points in 36 minutes and leading the Thunder to victory.
Jared McCain also deserves a mention. Coming off the bench, he scores 20 points while making 6 of his 8 three-point attempts.
A Night To Forget For Wemby
Victor Wembanyama gets the season off to a terrible start. Against the Thunder, he looks almost unrecognizable at times. Although he finishes with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks, he shoots just 1-for-13 from the field. This proves particularly costly when the Spurs try to mount a comeback in the second half, ultimately contributing to San Antonio’s defeat.
Wemby’s only real flashpoint, if it can be called that, comes early in the second quarter, when he gets involved in a brief confrontation that results in a technical foul.
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