Luka Dončić and Klay Thompson combined impressively in only their first game together to lead the Dallas Mavericks over the San Antonio Spurs 120-106 in the latest edition of the I-35 Rivalry.
Dončić missed the entire preseason with a calf injury, but the Slovenian superstar and the four-time NBA champion already looked like they have plenty of chemistry, an ominous sign for the rest of the league.
It’s worrying, too, for opponents that Dončić said he felt “rusty” after the game and still registered 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, though he did shoot just 36% from the floor.
Thompson had 22 points, seven rebounds and three steals, making six of his 10 three-pointers – a Dallas franchise record for a debut – to show why the Mavs gave him a three-year, $50 million contract in the offseason, ending his 13-year association with the Golden State Warriors.
“He was great, man,” Dončić said of Thompson, per ESPN. “Just knocking down a lot of shots and he was moving out there. He played great defense too.
“It’s easy to play with a guy like that. It makes your life easier. You got to find him.”
It was a quiet night for Dončić’s back court parent Kyrie Irving, who had 15 points on 35.3% shooting from the field.
French phenom Victor Wembanyama had a tough night for the Spurs, scoring just 17 points while shooting a paltry 27.8% from the floor.
On his San Antonio debut, veteran point guard Chris Paul had just three points but provided eight assists and seven rebounds.
Defending champion Celtics stay hot
The Boston Celtics backed up their dominant opening day win over the New York Knicks with a 122-102 victory over the Washington Wizards.
On his 28th birthday, Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 27 points to go with eight rebounds, three assists and four steals, while Jason Tatum added 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
It was another resounding victory for the defending champions, who have cruised to two opening wins and already look in midseason form.
Tatum sat the whole of the fourth quarter against the Wizards, who are at the start of a rebuild and fielded two rookies – the second overall pick Alex Sarr and 14th overall pick Bub Carrington – in their starting five.
Jordan Poole scored a team-high 26 points for the Wizards, while Jonas Valančiūnas had 18 in his Washington debut.
Thunder record statement win over the Nuggets
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Denver Nuggets, recording an impressive 102-87 road win over the 2022-23 champions.
It was the first game of the season for both teams and the Thunder, who finished as the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history last season, were up by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, two steals and three blocks, while Holmgren added 25 points, 14 rebounds – tying a career high – five assists and four blocks.
For the Nuggets, reigning MVP Nikola Jokić recorded his first triple-double of the season with 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.
His running mate Jamal Murray had 12 points on 30.8% shooting, while Russell Westbrook had six points off the bench in his Nuggets debut.
NBA amends incorrect score from opening night
In an unusual move, the NBA was forced to correct the score from Wednesday night’s matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers a day later.
The league recorded it as 139-104 win for the Warriors, but a “scoring error” was made in the third quarter when Golden State guard De’Anthony Melton was incorrectly recorded as having missed two free throws.
He in fact made one of his two attempts, meaning the league had to change the score to 140-104 when it was discovered on Thursday.
Just when Portland thought their night couldn’t get any worse.
Thursday night’s full scores
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