NBA winners and losers: All-Star injured in first game with new team
Twenty-four NBA teams have opened their 2024-25 season. The remaining six teams open their season Thursday.
We’re not making sweeping conclusions after 12 games, but we will acknowledge the good and the bad – and the unfortunate, which includes new New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray sustaining a fracture in his left (non-shooting hand), per ESPN.
Boston picked up right where it left off, LeBron James and Bronny James made history and the Los Angeles Clippers played their first game in their new $2 billion Intuit Dome.
Here are winners and losers from the first two nights of the 2024-25 NBA season:
Winners
Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama
Onyeka Okongwu, Trae Young
Paolo Banchero
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who was an All-Star last season in his second season and made USA TODAY’s top 30 NBA players list for 2024-25, compiled 33 points and 11 rebounds in a 116-97 victory against Miami.
Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo
Charles Lee, Kenny Atkinson, Mike Budenholzer, JJ Redick
Charlotte Hornets coach Charles Lee, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick and Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer collected victories in their first games with their new teams – the Hornets beat Houston 110-105, the Cavaliers beat Toronto 136-106, the Lakers topped Minnesota 110-103 and the Suns beat the Clippers 116-113 in overtime.
Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics forward-guard Jayson Tatum had 37 points and 10 rebounds and made eight of his 11 3-pointers against the New York Knicks, jump-starting his MVP campaign on opening night.
Celtics 3s
The Celtics made 29 3-pointers, tying an NBA record for most 3s in a game, against the Knicks. Besides Tatum’s eight 3s, Derrick White made six, Jaylen Brown five, Jrue Holiday four, Al Horford three, Sam Hauser two, and Payton Pritchard one.
Lonzo Ball
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball played in his first NBA game in almost three years after undergoing three procedures on his left knee and grueling rehab. Even in just 14 minutes with five points, four assists and two rebounds in a loss to New Orleans, it was a triumphant return.
LaMelo Ball
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, Lonzo’s brother, posted 34 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in the victory against Houston.
LeBron James, Bronny James
LeBron James and Bronny James became the first father-son combo to play in the NBA at the same time – and in the same game and on the same team. Cool moment for the James Gang and the league.
Losers
New Orleans Pelicans
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram scored 33 points, and guard Dejounte Murray, playing in his first game with New Orleans since Atlanta traded him in the offseason, produced 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in a 123-111 win over the Chicago Bulls. But now Murray is injured and it’s uncertain when he will return.
Philadelphia 76ers
No Paul George, no Joel Embiid in Philadelphia’s season-opener and while the 76ers want those two healthy for the playoffs, their absence took the sparkle off the matchup against the Bucks.
Houston Rockets
Looking to build on a promising 2023-24 season, the Houston Rockets lost their season-opener at home against the Hornets, who outscored the Rockets 61-45 in the second half.
Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo
J.B. Bickerstaff, Jordi Fernandez
Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez lost their first games with their new teams – Indiana topped Detroit 115-109, and Atlanta stopped Brooklyn 120-116.
Trail Blazers, Pistons, Sixers 3s
The Portland Trail Blazers shot 23.5% on 3s in a 139-104 loss to Golden State, the Pistons shot 27.3% on 3s in the loss to Indiana and the Sixers shot 25.8% on 3s against Milwaukee.
New York Knicks
Whatever message the Knicks wanted to send Boston that 132-109 loss wasn’t it. The Knicks trailed by as many as 35, just another team – at least on this night – on the Celtics’ schedule.