The seven-game NBA season kicked off with an early game tonight (Sunday), with New Orleans defeating Phoenix in a great Western Conference title battle. Later in the evening, Joel Embiid impressed with 53 points, Houston surprised Milwaukee, the Lakers won in Detroit and Atlanta beat Chicago in a game with a dramatic ending.
Tonight’s games:
New Orleans (8:18) – Phoenix (11:16) 125:129 (after overtime)
Detroit (22:7) – L.A. Lakers (15:11) 124:117
New York (13:14) – Sacramento (11:14) 99:112
Orlando (20:8) – Toronto (14:13) 99:111
Philadelphia (12:14) – Charlotte (20:7) 113:131
Atlanta (13:14) – Chicago (15:11) 122:123 (overtime)
Houston (18:8) – Milwaukee (7:19) 92:97
New Orleans (8:18) – Phoenix (11:16) 125:129 (after overtime)
The great battle at the top brought together two teams that really don’t like each other, and ended with New Orleans winning its seventh in a row – the longest streak in the league – while Phoenix records its third straight loss and loses ground. Even though Devin Booker was missing, the Suns actually delivered an overwhelming first quarter under the direction of Mikel Bridges and led 29:36. Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum made sure to keep the Pelicans in the picture, and while these two were also the ones who set the tone in the third quarter, the secondary players joined in and the host escaped to 75:90. DeAndre Ayton led Phoenix’s rebound, which tied the game at 111-111 with 2:30 left, and then the drama began. New Orleans missed from the line, Chris Paul, who was very weak until that moment, scored a big basket and tied the game at 117:117, 2.8 seconds to go, Williamson missed on the other end, and the teams went to overtime, where McCollum made sure to close the game.
Williamson led the West with 35 points, McCollum added 29. DeAndre Ayton scored 28 for the loser, who also got 27 from Bridges. Paul was weak with only 6 points (3 of 10 from the field).
Philadelphia (12:14) – Charlotte (20:7) 113:131
Joel Embiid once again heard the crowd in Philadelphia calling him “MVP” after another impressive performance that included 53 points and 11 rebounds in a win over the Hornets. The center became the first player this season to score 50 or more twice, after already setting a season high of 59 points against Utah last month. “The ball just found me,” said Embiid, who became the third player in Sixers history to score 50 points or more twice in a season, after Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain. Embiid, who also added 3 assists and a block, finished the evening with 20 of 32 from the field (2 of 3 from three) and 11 of 11 from the free throw line, and to his joy he also saw James Harden excel, as “the bearded man” ended the successful evening With 19 points, 16 assists and 9 rebounds, the Sixers are enjoying a 55.4 percent shooting from the field. On the other hand, Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre scored 29 each for Charlotte, which recorded its fifth straight loss.
New York (13:14) – Sacramento (11:14) 99:112
Fourth win in a row for the Knicks, their longest streak of the season. Julius Randle scored 27 points (all in the first half, before being ejected in the final quarter for an argument), RJ Barrett also scored 27, Jaylen Brunson added 18, and New York continues its streak, in a game it safely led by 19 The difference is already in the second quarter, with a third game in the last four in which it manages to keep the opponent to less than 100 points. Domantes Sabonis stood out for the Kings with 20 points.
Detroit (22:7) – L.A. Lakers (15:11) 124:117
LeBron James scored 35 points, Anthony Davis added 34 points and 15 rebounds, and the Lakers manage to finish their road trip in a positive way, after three consecutive losses. The Lakers led by 12 at halftime, but in the third quarter Bojan Bogdanovic scored a career-high 25 points en route to 38 total, bringing the Pistons back into the game. But in the last quarter, Davis scored 17, LeBron scored 13 of his own, and James even added a decisive assist when he found Austin Reaves for an important three-pointer in the closing seconds. Lonnie Walker scored 18 for the Lakers, Russell Westbrook added 11 points and 9 assists. The Pistons suffered their third straight loss.
Orlando (20:8) – Toronto (14:13) 99:111
In all of last season Orlando failed to register two consecutive victories, tonight it already completed a third consecutive victory, thanks to 23 points from Franz Wagner and 20 points and 12 rebounds from Paolo Bancro. On the other hand, Gary Trent scored 20 for the Raptors, who suffered their second loss in three days to Orlando – a team that Toronto had beaten in 10 of the previous 11 meetings.
Atlanta (13:14) – Chicago (15:11) 122:123 (overtime)
Rookie EJ Griffin recorded his second career winning basket tonight at the overtime buzzer, after a particularly dramatic game. When Trae Young hit a jumper with 1.0 seconds on the clock to make it 119:121 to Atlanta, it seemed like it was the winning basket. But then DeMar DeRozan drew a foul and hit a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left (on his way to 34 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists), giving the Bulls a one-point lead. Then, in the last move, Griffin received a difficult ball from Jaylen Johnson’s outside shot, and while spinning in the air, he scored an impressive hall-hop and scored the winning basket (after he had already scored at the buzzer in overtime against Toronto on November 19). Bogdan Buchdanovic scored 28 for Atlanta, Young finished with 19 and 14 assists, Griffin with 17 that helped the Hawks snap a three-game losing streak.
Houston (18:8) – Milwaukee (7:19) 92:97
The Rockets entered the game without their coach Stephen Silas, following the death of his father Paul Silas – a former player and who was a long-time and well-known coach – and managed to beat Milwaukee thanks to 30 points from Jaylen Green and 18 from Kevin Porter Jr. “This is dedicated to our coach,” assistant John Lucas said at the end. On the other hand, Jaro Holiday finished with 25 points and 7 rebounds for the Bucks, who were stopped after four wins. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 and picked up 18, reaching 15 thousand points in his career.