Doncic leads the Lakers to their first victory in the post-LeBron era; Antetokounmpo's bitter debut with the Heat

The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off the new season with a victory in their first game of the NBA. The purple-and-gold franchise crushed the Golden State Warriors (127-105) at Crypto.com Arena in one of two California showdowns played on opening night.

Lakers' star, Luka Doncic, shone, leading all scorers with 28 points. Austin Reaves (23 points) and Walker Kessler (26 points) were also among the standout performers against the Warriors.

On the visiting team, their best player, Stephen Curry, scored 23 points.

The Lakers kicked off the 2026–2027 season in the best possible way, with a win in their first official game without LeBron James, who left the Los Angeles team to join join the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Heat crash on Antetokounmpo's debut

The Miami Heat missed their chance to start the season on the right foot and suffered a crushing defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves (106-131) at the Kaseya Center in Florida.

Heat fans got to see their new star make his debut: Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek player, a recent arrival from the Milwaukee Bucks, put on a remarkable performance, scoring 35 points. Klay Thompson and Bam Adebayo had a quiet night.

The Timberwolves built their victory on an excellent offensive performance. Their star, Anthony Edwards, recorded a spectacular double-double (45 points and 10 rebounds), frustrating the Heat in the process. LaMelo Ball, Minnesota's newest addition, had a strong debut (21 points).

The rest of the day featured blowouts by the Portland Trail Blazers over the Phoenix Suns (124-83) and the Toronto Raptors over the Chicago Bulls (135-92). Two franchises poised to cause an upset this new season.

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings (121-96) in the other California showdown, while the Houston Rockets defeated their northern neighbors, the Dallas Mavericks (128-110), with 30 points from Kevin Durant.