In this article, we will take a look at the most eye-popping stats, stand-out performances and other must-see news from around the league. Week 1 was filled with a number of huge individual stats, milestones reached and new perspectives regarding what to expect in terms of team’s rotations and player’s roles going forward.
To start things off, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics made a statement on Opening Night, as the squad tied the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a game (29), on their way to a 132-109 victory over the new-look Knicks. The whole Celtics’ team was rolling in the win, but Tatum was the stand-out as he went 8-for-11 from deep, on his way to a 37-point, 10-assist performance. Jaylen Brown shot 5-for-9 from deep and finished with 23 points, while Derrick White went 6-for-10 from long range, on his way to 24 points. Tatum maintained a superb level of play throughout the week, finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds in a win over the Wizards on Thursday, and another 37-point display in a win over the Pistons on Saturday.
History was made on Opening Night as LeBron James and Bronny James became the first father and son duo to hit the court together. Bronny’s time was limited to just a few minutes late in the first half, where he went 0-for-2 from the field and grabbed one rebound. On the other hand, LeBron delivered 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks to help lead the way to a seven-point win over the Timberwolves. LeBron showed progressively stronger play through the week, culminating with a dominant 32-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist performance in a win over the Kings on Saturday. The even more impressive aspect of his triple-double outing was the fact that he went lights out with 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting, in addition to five rebounds and six assists in the fourth quarter, alone.
More from the Lakers in Week 1 was the incredible play of Anthony Davis, who surpassed the 30-point mark in three consecutive games, leading the squad to a 3-0 start. Davis averaged 34.0 points on 57.1 percent shooting, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.3 blocks through the three outings and is looking comfortable under new coach JJ Redick.
LaMelo Ball also got out to a hot start, including back-to-back 34-point performances to begin the campaign. Ball shot at least 10 three-pointers in each of his three outings, but only hit more than four in one of the three games and is 15-for-36 from deep on the season. Ball looks to be of the mindset to remain the top scorer for the Hornets, while also propelling the offense with his elite passing ability. He is averaging 7.3 assists per game through three appearances.
The Pelicans were dealt a major blow in their season opener as their highly-anticipated addition, Dejounte Murray, suffered a fractured hand before exiting the game late in the fourth quarter. The injury is expected to keep Murray out for most of the month of November. As a result of the injury, the squad seems to be reverting to running CJ McCollum at point guard, while Jordan Hawkins and Jose Alvarado will likely see a considerable boost in opportunity.
Trae Young got out to a brilliant start to the season, hitting 30-point double-doubles in each of his first two games, including 38 points on 11-for- 24 shooting in a win over the Hornets on Friday. Young has not been overly efficient from long range, but he is on fire from the foul line, where he shot a total of 33-for-37 over three games. He is likely to continue to lead the charge in the scoring column amidst the current makeup of the Hawks’ squad, but his ability to rack up the assists is what takes his overall value to elite heights. Young is averaging 10.0 assists per game through three outings.
Despite acquiring veteran center Jonas Valanciunas in the offseason, the Wizards are electing to run the big man out of a bench role, while giving the starting job to rookie Alex Sarr. Valanciunas has been a perpetual starter through his career and averaged a double-double for four consecutive seasons, before posting 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in 2023-24 with the Pelicans. So far, he has put together two solid performances off the bench to start the season, but his numbers are not likely to compete with the top producers at the position while playing off the bench. On the other hand, Sarr finished with just two points in the season opener but followed up with 12 points and six rebounds in his next outing. The rookie also had two blocks in each of his first two games and should develop more of a comfort level with each day.
Long-time splash brother Klay Thompson looked very comfortable in his new role with the Mavericks, scoring 22 points on 7-for-13 shooting in the season opener, followed by a 19-point display in his second outing, on Saturday. Thompson is shooting 48.3 percent from the field and a total of 11-for-22 from deep through his first two games with the Mavs. He is likely to continue to thrive off the top-tier playmaking of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
When news that Kawhi Leonard‘s lingering injury trouble would keep him out of the lineup to start the season, it became clear that Norman Powell would have an opportunity to step up as one of the squad’s top offensive options. Powell delivered a respectable 17-point performance in the Clippers’ season opener, but the 10th-year guard stunned the competition with a 37-point display on 14-for-21 shooting in a win over the Nuggets on Saturday. Powell has had plenty of stand-out scoring performances in his career, but with the current state of the Clippers’ roster, he has the chance to establish himself as a consistent high-level scorer.
Rookie Jay Huff is out to a solid start to his career, averaging 13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.0 minutes per game through three games. Most notably, he delivered a statement performance in the Grizzlies’ win over the Magic on Saturday, where he turned in 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting in just 19 minutes of action. Nonetheless, Huff still faces a fair amount of competition for playing time amidst a relatively deep frontcourt, but his impressive play to start the season can only help his case going forward.
Kevin Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 29,000 points. The veteran sharpshooter reached the mark in a win over the Mavericks on Saturday, where he finished with 31 points on 10-for-21 shooting. It was the second consecutive game that Durant scored at least 30 points, and he has reached the 25-point mark in each of his three outings to start the season. Durant is shooting 52.7 percent from the field, including a total of 8-for-16 from deep through his first three games played. At 36 years old, he remains one of the most feared scorers in the league and looks willing and able to help the Suns push for the highest goal.
The electrifying Russell Westbrook made his debut with the Nuggets but delivered a couple of underwhelming performances as he struggled with his shot, hitting a total of 2-for-18 from the field through two games. He will continue to fill a bench role for the squad and should find a bit more of a rhythm as he settles into the new surroundings.
Cam Thomas has picked up with his elite scoring touch, reaching the 30-point mark in two of his first three games this season. He is now established as the clear No. 1 offensive option among the Nets’ lineup. He can be expected to continue to fill it up with multi-level scoring and a knack for getting to the foul line.
Tyrese Maxey set the league-high scoring mark at this early stage in the season with 45 points on 14-for-32 shooting to lead the Sixers in a win over the Pacers on Sunday. With ominous injury trouble plaguing the 76ers’ star players, Maxey remains a consistent point of hope and looks like he can continue to build on the upward trajectory that he has shown over the last few seasons.
