Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Last year’s conference champs showed exactly why they will be forces to be reckoned with over the course of this new season.
It genuinely feels like it was yesterday that the 2021-22 NBA season was concluding. And I know everyone says that about everything. It feels like it was yesterday that Tommy was in kindergarten; that the first Hangover was in theaters; that Stephen Curry was winning his first title. But no, closer to yesterday was Stephen Curry’s latest title, not his first. Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals came on June 16, yet here we are, raring up for a new season. In come the new storylines, familiar players in new digs, and the same old game we’ve loved for so long.
It’s a joy, this league, these games that unfold on a nightly basis. And though there were just two on Tuesday night, there was plenty worth unpacking. Let’s dive into the scores, from one conference to the next.
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Celtics surge past Sixers on opening night, 126-117
In an offensive clinic, the Boston Celtics showed us exactly why plenty of prognosticators have projected a return to the Eastern Conference Finals, if not the NBA Finals, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 70 points (35 apiece) to pace the Celtics to victory. Malcolm Brogdon (16), Grant Williams (15), and Marcus Smart (14) all finished in double figures. Interim head coach Joe Mazzulla won his first game as an NBA head coach. The vibes are good.
On the other side, James Harden led the way in scoring for the 76ers with 35, while Joel Embiid poured in 26 of his own and snatched 15 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 21, while Tobias Harris scored 16 on 50 percent shooting. Against any other conference foe, the Sixers might have come out on top on Tuesday. Boston, however, played as though they had something to prove. Sure, the Sixers do, too. But who had been the butt of the joke since August, given their chaotic offseason and heightened expectations?
The winners on Tuesday, that’s who. This Eastern Conference race is going to be fun.
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Warriors king The King, Lakers with wire-to-wire 123-109 win
The box score tells you the Lakers competed — they lost by 14, a respectable number against the defending champs, and scored 38 in the fourth quarter to attempt keeping things close. LeBron James poured in 31, pulled down 14 rebounds, and doled out eight assists. He was a one man wrecking crew.
The game, though? Domination from tip to buzzer by the Warriors, whose play matched the shine glimmering off the 2022 Championship rings they received in the pregame festivities. Steph Curry’s 33 led all scorers; Andrew Wiggins added 20 of his own, and things were never really close.
One thing to note about the Lakers: This roster is remarkably thin. Besides LeBron James (31 points but looked blah), Anthony Davis (who had 27) and — gulp — Russell Westbrook (19 and 11 boards), there isn’t a player on this roster that merits serious time on a contending team. Keyword there: contending.
