Ben GolliverOct 23, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
- Ben Golliver is a senior NBA writer who joined ESPN in May 2026.
Prior to joining ESPN, Golliver covered the NBA on a national level since 2010 for The Washington Post, Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports. He is the author of Bubbleball, an account of his 93-day stay at the NBA's "Bubble" in Disney World during the coronavirus pandemic. He is based in Los Angeles.
Newly minted Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant said it best Wednesday: "You only get one chance at a first impression."
Though the Blazers were one of several teams to ace their season openers, there were also plenty of stars who might want a do-over. After all, Jayson Tatum's Boston Celtics blew a 22-point lead to the Pistons, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama shot 1-for-13 in a loss to the rival Oklahoma City Thunder, and Giannis Antetokounmpo's Miami Heat were blown off their home court by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Let's run through the NBA's opening week action -- through Thursday, every team will have played at least once -- with an eye toward the first impressions made by key players suiting up for new teams this season. Which ones launched with ease, and which succumbed to false starts?
Jump to a season debut
Great: Kawhi | Dame | Kessler | OKC starting 5
Good: LaMelo | LeBron | AD | PG-13 | Garland
Rough: Giannis | Yaxel vs. Luka | Miles Bridges
Great first impressions
The schedule-makers gifted Leonard a home opener against the lowly Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, and the two-time Finals MVP took full advantage. Leonard wasted no time moving past a tumultuous summer marked by a delayed trade and the NBA's lengthy salary cap circumvention investigation, enjoying a hearty welcome back from the Toronto crowd before scoring 23 points and snagging four steals in a blowout victory.
The scariest part for East rivals: Leonard didn't have his signature midrange jumper dialed in and played only 24 minutes, yet the Raptors still managed a 43-point margin of victory that tied for the fifth largest in franchise history.
Toronto ran up the score with excellent balance across its starting lineup, as Leonard, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley each surpassed 20 points. How high can Leonard lift an offense that ranked 15th last season?
Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
The Blazers' icon spent Wednesday putting his career back on track after a forgettable two-year detour with the Bucks and an Achilles injury that sidelined him last season. In his first game for Portland since 2023, the nine-time All-Star guard provided such an emotional jolt that the Blazers stormed out to a preposterous 21-0 lead and cruised to a 124-83 blowout of the Phoenix Suns.
No one will argue with the results from the opener, but it remains an open question whether Lillard and Morant are the ideal starting backcourt for Portland. Against Phoenix, Lillard scored 25 points and hit six 3-pointers, and Morant added 14 points and eight assists in only 23 minutes.
Tougher tests await: The Suns lack big and physical perimeter playmakers capable of exploiting Portland's undersized guards. But it's nice to see Lillard back where he belongs in Rip City.
Well, it's hard to beat perfect. Kessler made all 12 of his shots, including 10 dunks, and grabbed nine rebounds in the Lakers' blowout of the Warriors on Wednesday. Not bad for a guy playing in his first regular-season game since last October and in his first game for the Lakers since arriving from the Jazz in a summer sign-and-trade deal.
After only one game, Kessler already looks like the best center Luka Doncic has played with in his nine-year career. Inside the NBA's Shaquille O'Neal went even further, opining that Kessler is "the best big man in the NBA."
Slow down, Shaq: The Lakers' smashing debut came against an injury-plagued Warriors team that rolled over after halftime.
Still, Kessler earned praise from Lakers coach JJ Redick for his ability to change ends quickly. The 7-foot-2 center clearly understands that his gigantic frame won't do him any good if he's stuck trailing the action. If Kessler can put together a complete season from a health standpoint and continue to serve as a constant vertical target, then Doncic will be a major factor in the MVP discussion.
Thunder starters
Technically, Oklahoma City's most important newcomer has been Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 rookie center who made quite the splash in his NBA debut by swatting Wembanyama at the rim. But the Thunder also trotted out a tweaked starting lineup after trading longtime starter Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a cost-cutting move this summer.
Cason Wallace stepped into Dort's sport, filling out an imposing group that includes two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren and center Isaiah Hartenstein. In a convincing road win over San Antonio on Tuesday, the Thunder starters exhibited excellent discipline and togetherness while frustrating Wembanyama from start to finish. Two days later, Oklahoma City overcame poor outside shooting to put away another top West challenger: Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets.
Oklahoma City also got key boosts from Mara, guard Jared McCain and veteran stopper Alex Caruso this week. With Williams healthy, it's not too early to ask whether Oklahoma City's rotation is actually better than the 2025 championship team and last season's group that led the league with 64 wins.
Good first impressions
LaMelo Ball, Timberwolves
Ball did his part to position the Timberwolves as lightning rods by shuffling a good 10 feet without incurring a traveling violation while launching a step-back 3-pointer against the Heat. Clips of his comical side-stepping immediately went viral, prompting the NBA referees' association to clarify on social media that an infraction had occurred: "[Ball] takes four steps after gathering the ball and travels."
Detractors will paint Ball's looseness as evidence that the modern NBA game has slipped into a less serious endeavor, while proponents will point out that Ball's new partnership with Anthony Edwards is wildly fun. Both sides make valid points, but the loud and brash Timberwolves can't be dismissed as frivolous after absolutely wrecking the new-look Heat in Miami.
Edwards took full advantage of playing alongside a primetime backcourt playmaker for the first time in his seven-year career. The four-time All-Star went off for 45 points to handily win the superstar showdown against Miami's Antetokounmpo. Based solely on the first 72 hours of the season, Minnesota has a strong case as the NBA's most watchable team.
LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers
The best compliment that can be paid to James for his early work in Philadelphia is that the 76ers still feel like Tyrese Maxey's team. Maxey posted team highs in points and shot attempts as the 76ers spoiled the New York Knicks' ring night celebrations Tuesday and came back to defeat the Cavaliers on Thursday. So far, James, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid have all sacrificed their individual numbers as the star-studded roster continues to acclimate.
James found a variety of ways to be helpful against the Knicks: He lined up Brown for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer on an inbounds play, he shifted up to defend centers when Embiid encountered foul trouble, and he helped Philadelphia rack up 24 fast-break points as both a distributor and a finisher. Down the stretch against Cleveland, he made way for Embiid and Brown as Philadelphia put the finishing touches on a 29-point rally.
Though James hasn't found his outside stroke and has displayed occasional lapses of defensive intensity, his ability to organize an offense and manage game flow are crucial additions for Philadelphia.
Given the scope of their offseason changes, the 76ers have looked ahead of schedule.
Davis catapulted the overhauled Wizards to an opening night win over the rebuilding Milwaukee Bucks with 34 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Lest anyone overlook his handiwork, Davis poked fun at Washington's home attendance woes.
"I'd like it to be a little more packed in here," he said. "Even when I was here last year, [for] the very first home game, it was 'Dress Like a Seat' night in here."
Though Davis and the Wizards remain an awkward and uncertain partnership given his lack of a contract extension, the 10-time All-Star's production and humor are welcome additions to a franchise that has had little to offer its long-suffering fans in recent years.
The next step for Washington: incorporate No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, who sat out the opener because of an ankle injury. Trae Young kept everyone involved with 13 assists against Milwaukee, but Dybantsa's return is bound to shake up Washington's shot distribution in a major way.
Paul George, Celtics
During his short-lived and somewhat ill-fated two-year run with the 76ers, George scored at least 38 points only once in 78 games. Wouldn't you know it? The nine-time All-Star hit that mark and drilled seven 3-pointers in his Celtics debut Tuesday.
Unfortunately for George, the Pistons pulled off an epic second-half comeback to spoil his debut. Boston was undone by Tatum's poor outside shooting and inability to get to the free throw line, and the offense's lengthy cold stretch against Detroit's imposing defense.
Caution is in order when it comes to assessing George's sparkling opener. Though he's a clear fit in an offense that thrives by generating 3-pointers, Boston probably can't count on the 36-year-old forward to generate rim pressure and a high volume of free throws on a nightly basis. Tatum remains the Celtics' best answer to those needs.
Most of the hoopla in Los Angeles this week belonged to Doncic and the Lakers, but Garland deserves kudos for carrying the injury-ravaged Clippers to a win over the Sacramento Kings on opening night.
Garland, 26, downshifted as a scorer once he was paired with Donovan Mitchell on the Cavaliers, but the Clippers need him to crank it all the way up as they cope with the absences of Brandon Ingram, Max Strus and Bradley Beal. Garland delivered by scoring 30 points and easily outplaying Sacramento rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr.
After that soft launch against a Kings team that might finish in the Western Conference's basement, Garland must lead the Clippers through a schedule gauntlet that includes two head-to-head games against the Lakers, trips to Oklahoma City, Minnesota and Golden State, and a much-anticipated showdown with Leonard's Raptors over the next two weeks. Gulp.
Rough first impressions
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Heat
New home, same problems? That's the nagging question for Antetokounmpo, who posted 35 points and six assists in 30 minutes but couldn't stop the Heat from getting waxed by the Timberwolves.
Antetokounmpo orchestrated an exit from Milwaukee because the Bucks had fallen far behind the East's top contenders, but his new supporting cast in Miami didn't exactly rise to the occasion Wednesday. Cold outside shooting, an unremarkable showing from Bam Adebayo and a troubling defensive performance all contributed to an embarrassing loss.
The Heat should look better against some softer opponents on their upcoming schedule, but their offense won't be able to keep up unless Antetokounmpo and the Heat can get better results from his drive-and-kick passing. The two-time MVP had only one assist against three turnovers against Minnesota, and Miami's 8-for-33 showing from deep just won't get it done against serious competition.
Lendeborg's NBA career is one game old, but he's already mounting a strong effort to supplant teammate Draymond Green as the NBA's biggest yapper. During Golden State's 127-105 opening loss to the Lakers, Lendeborg was hit with a technical foul for repeatedly exchanging words with Doncic. Afterward, the 24-year-old forward said he "lost all respect" for Doncic because of his "whining and complaining."
Lendeborg's unfiltered and often insightful musings prompted genuine laughter from the assembled media in Los Angeles, but he would do well to pace himself in front of the microphones. After leading the University of Michigan to an NCAA title last season, Lendeborg joined the Warriors as a lottery pick and promptly led the franchise to the Las Vegas summer league title.
Unfortunately, Golden State's regular season is shaping up to be much more challenging. The Warriors lack consistent scoring aside from star Stephen Curry, and their undermanned frontcourt was overwhelmed by the Lakers. This could be a long season in the Bay Area, and Lendeborg will inevitably face backlash if he continues to speak so frankly about rival stars after losses.
Miles Bridges, Suns
Suns owner Mat Ishbia has a well-known history of bringing in players and executives with ties to his alma mater, Michigan State, but his latest Spartan addition is off to a rocky start. Bridges, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Charlotte, scored only eight points on 3-of-11 shooting in Phoenix's loss to Portland. The Blazers outscored the Suns by 35 points in the veteran forward's 29 minutes.
Some patience is needed given that Bridges and center Khaman Maluach were both new additions to coach Jordan Ott's starting lineup. Even so, Bridges must prove he's capable of bringing more grit to a Phoenix team that was mauled 56-39 on the glass in the opener.
The Suns are counting on Bridges, who holds a $22.8 million expiring contract, to shape up because they parted with their 2033 first-round pick in the deal with the Hornets. If Bridges doesn't prove to be a long-term difference-maker, Phoenix will have squandered another prime draft asset.
Source: ESPN · Ben Golliver
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