The Oklahoma City Thunder opened their NBA season with a powerful 102-87 win over the Denver Nuggets, powered by stellar performances from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie Chet Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s MVP runner-up, scored 28 points, while Holmgren added 25 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks, showcasing his two-way ability. Oklahoma City built a lead as large as 20 points, capitalizing on Denver’s struggles from the field, where the Nuggets hit just 35.4% of their shots and managed only 15 of 54 in the second half. Despite Nikola Jokic’s triple-double—16 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists—the Nuggets couldn’t close the gap.
In Dallas, Klay Thompson debuted for the Mavericks with 22 points, aiding in a 120-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Luka Doncic led with 28 points and 10 rebounds as the Mavs, last season’s Western Conference champs, aimed to go even further this year. Thompson, signed in the offseason, said playing with Doncic and Kyrie Irving was “very special,” but recognized it as just the start of their journey. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama managed 17 points, though he struggled with accuracy, hitting only five of 18 shots, and the Spurs committed 19 turnovers.
Meanwhile, the reigning champion Boston Celtics notched a 122-102 win over the Washington Wizards after overcoming an early deficit. Jaylen Brown led with 27 points on his 28th birthday, while Jayson Tatum contributed 25 points and 11 rebounds. Boston, off to a 2-0 start, pulled away with a strong close to the first half and kept their momentum going to secure the road win.
The NBA season is heating up quickly, with standout performances, exciting debuts, and teams eager to chase championship dreams.
