On Wednesday, the majority of NBA teams played their first games of the league's new season. These games saw the Portland Trail Blazers hand the Phoenix Suns a massive loss while the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets put on a high-scoring show in their opener. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dennis Smith Jr., and Stanley Johnson each put on different kinds of historical performances in their first games.
Portland hands Phoenix historic rout
The Portland Trail Blazers traveled to face the Phoenix Suns in the opening game of the season for both teams. The game ended with the Trail Blazers handing the Suns a historical defeat, as they were crushed 124-76 in what was the most one-sided season-opening loss by any team in NBA history.
It was also the most one-sided loss by the Suns in their 49-year history as a franchise. For the Trail Blazers, it was their second largest margin of victory in a game, only behind their 129-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 21, 1982.
Portland star Damian Lillard led the way with 27 points and Pat Connaughton game off the bench to pitch in a career-high 24 points.
After the game Suns coach Earl Watson plainly stated that, he was “embarrassed” and that “Portland came in here and basically kicked our butts as bad as they could.”
Pacers and Nets provide high scoring game
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets went on the road to take on the Indiana Pacers in what turned out to be a shootout. The Pacers would come away with the win in a 140-131 game, as the two teams combined for 271 points, the second most ever scored in a season-opener in league history.
D'Angelo Russell, who the Nets acquired this summer from the Lakers, led the way with 30 points. Trevor Booker also added 20 points and 10 rebounds off of the bench. For the Pacers, Victor Oladipo had a team-high 22 points.
Darren Collison had 21 points and 11 assists, while Myles Turner managed 21 points and 14 rebounds.
Antetokounmpo, Smith Jr. and Johnson
All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a show as the Milwaukee Bucks traveled to take on the Boston Celtics in their season opener. The Bucks came away with the win to drop the Celtics to 0-2 due to the 37-point, 13-rebound, three-assist, and three-steal performance from their star, who made history in doing so.
The Dallas Mavericks opened the new season at home as they took on the Atlanta Hawks. Despite losing 117-111, fans got to get their first glimpse of Dennis Smith Jr., who the team picked ninth overall out of NC State. The 19-year-old scored 16 points and dropped 10 assists in a historical performance.
The Detroit Pistons took on the Charlotte Hornets, prevailing in front of their home crowd in a 102-90 victory. However, starter Stanley Johnson had a rough night, as he went 0-of-13 from the field and only managed two points. Luckily for Johnson, his teammates picked up the slack, led by Tobias Harris who managed 27 points and 10 rebounds on 11-of-18 shooting.