Antetokounmpo continues to lose with Miami; dominican Lendeborg shines with the Warriors
Antetokounmpo's era in Miami has begun with an unexpected four-game losing streak, three of them at home. Monday's loss came at the hands of Cooper Flagg and his Dallas Mavericks, who defeated the Heat 113-109 on the road.
With a stellar performance by Cooper Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks prolonged the agony of the Miami Heat, which has now suffered four losses to start the season despite the high-profile signing of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Here are the highlights from Monday's NBA action.
Flagg destroys the Heat
The era of Antetokounmpo in Miami has begun with an unexpected four-game losing streak, three of them at home. Monday's loss was handed to them by Cooper Flagg and his Dallas Mavericks, who defeated the Heat 113-109 on the road.
Flagg, one of the league's most promising young stars at 19, put up a monumental performance despite missing the previous game due to a shoulder injury.
The power forward finished with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks. Alongside him, Kyrie Irving contributed 18 points.
Antetokounmpo played 39 minutes in an effort to snap the losing streak. The Greek player recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, but it wasn't enough to prevent Miami from becoming the first team to start the season 0-4.
Thunder mourn the loss of Williams
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns 125-114 the day after one of their star players, Jalen Williams, suffered a serious injury.
Anxiety quickly spread among the Thunder players on Sunday night when Williams injured his left leg in a hard fall during the win over the Clippers.
On Monday afternoon, it was confirmed that the All-Star small forward suffered a fractured fibula and a dislocated left ankle.
Williams faces a long recovery, which could last for the remainder of the season, jeopardizing Oklahoma City's hopes of returning to the top following their 2025 championship.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City's leader, scored 26 points in the win over the Suns, keeping the team undefeated and atop the Western Conference (4-0).
Warriors get their first win
To close out the program, the Golden State Warriors secured their first win of the season against the Denver Nuggets, 134-114.
Stephen Curry scored 24 points, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, but the Warriors' standout once again was Dominican rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
The small forward finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists and has become the sensation of the Warriors' season opener, averaging 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
A feat not seen since Curry in 2010
Lendeborg was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the United States but plays for the national team of the Dominican Republic, his parents' country of origin.
For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 19 points.
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