The NBA didn’t waste time before getting its 2020-21 season underway. It has only been a little over two months since LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned NBA champions, but they were back at it on Tuesday night for the new season.
It has been an eventful past few days as teams started marking their territory early on. Expectations were high for some teams, but others had a lot to prove.
Overall, it’s an exciting time for NBA fans as we’re seeing the same high-powered offensive displays we saw last year.
Now that all teams (except Houston and Oklahoma City Thunder) have played their first game, let’s go over some of the things we’ve learned — especially since we had a day off of NBA action before Christmas Day’s five-game special.
Durant Is Officially Back
The Brooklyn Nets welcomed Kevin Durant for the first time on Tuesday — officially. He spent all of last season recovering from surgery, so there was a lot of hype heading into his debut with the new team. It was also his first time suiting up alongside Kyrie Irving.
He played as well as we could’ve expected, and by the end of the game, it was clear that the KD we grew to love throughout the years was back. He finished with 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, one block, and three steals. He shot 7-for-7 from the free-throw line and 1-for-2 from the three-point arc.
The Nets look like a strong team and can easily pull ahead as the favorite in the Eastern Conference.
Thunder-Rockets Game Postponed
The Houston Rockets are already seeing some drama brew with James Harden, and the season hasn’t even started — for them, at least. They were set for a Wednesday night tip-off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
It all started when the NBA announced an investigation into Harden’s off-court antics, which featured not wearing a mask in a public setting. Due to contract tracing and other protocols, the Rockets didn’t have enough players to suit up and play.
We don’t know when they’ll reschedule the game, but it’s not the start either team was looking for to start the season.
Lakers Receive Rings, Lose to Clippers
The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers enter the season as two of the favorites once again. They were the two teams that welcomed the NBA back on Tuesday night. It was also the night the Lakers received their championship rings — the players still on the team, at least.
It was an exciting game that showed why these two teams are some of the most elite in the Western Conference. James and Davis looked strong and combined for 40 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
The Lakers also saw strong performances from Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder, and Montrezl Harrell.
It was the Clippers that walked away with the 116-109 win, though. Paul George led the way with 33 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Kawhi Leonard chipped in 26 points, two rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
The Clippers also got good production from Serge Ibaka, Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, and Ivica Zubac.
For more NBA news throughout the season, check back on our news page.