The 2019-20 NBA season got started on Tuesday night in exciting style, but there were just two showcase games which saw the Raptors take down the Pelicans and the Clippers beat the Lakers. As such, Wednesday night was when things really got started, with 22 teams opening their seasons on a busy 11-game evening.
There are plenty of reasons why the first week of every new season is intriguing, and one of the big ones is seeing all of the new faces in new places. That aspect was bigger than ever this time around after one of the wildest summers in NBA history.
With all of Wednesday night’s action in the books, let’s whip around the league to check out some of the most notable debuts.
(Note: Jimmy Butler sat out the Heat’s season opener due to personal reasons, so he did not make his debut with the team on Wednesday night.)
Irving drops 50 in defeat
Before his first game with the Nets, Kyrie Irving took to the floor with an emotional speech that surely dredged up some painful memories for Celtics fans. Then, on the floor, he showed them what they were missing with an electric performance in his Brooklyn debut. The Barclays Center was rocking as Irving poured in 50 points, setting a new NBA record for points in a debut with a new team. Bonus points for anyone who knew that the previous record holder was Kiki Vandeweghe, who put up 47 in his debut with the Trail Blazers in 1984.
But back to Irving. He was in rare form, showing off all of his dribbling and shotmaking skills. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for the Nets, as they fell to the Timberwolves in overtime after Irving missed a potential game-winner, which was proceeded by an improvised slip-n-slide move with the dribble.
Rough start for Kemba
Speaking of the Celtics, their new point guard made his debut Wednesday night as well. After losing Irving, the Celtics poached Kemba Walker away from the lowly Hornets, and salvaged what could have been a disaster of a summer. Or, at least, everyone believed they did, but Wednesday night’s season opener didn’t offer any proof.
Facing the Sixers’ stout defense, Walker struggled against the likes of Josh Richardson and Matisse Thybulle, who made his night difficult. Walker missed a number of shots he would expect to make and in the end he finished with just 12 points on 4-of-18 shooting in the Celtics’ loss.
CP3 shows he’s not done yet
The Rockets made a big move over the summer to end their Chris Paul experiment, shipping him up north to the Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Before he even arrived in OKC, there was talk about where Paul would end up next, with everyone assuming neither he nor the Thunder would want him to even begin the season there. He still may end up getting traded, but his hefty contract, coupled with his age, made it too tricky to get anything done over the summer.
So here is Paul, with something still left to prove, starting the season on the Thunder. He did his usual business in his debut, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists on 7-of-15 shooting. He knocked down some mid-range jumpers, hit a few 3s and ran the offense with a smoothness that is unmatched around the league. It wasn’t enough to get the win, however, as the Thunder fell to the new-look Jazz in Salt Lake City.
Nightmare start for Conley
Speaking of the Jazz, they also have a new point guard in town after pulling off a big move ahead of the draft to acquire Mike Conley from the Grizzlies. His arrival was one of many reasons there are high hopes for the Jazz this season, and his competency on the offensive end, in particular, was a welcome change from Ricky Rubio. The Spaniard is a solid player, but he’s never been much of an offensive threat outside his passing.
Jazz fans must have been having horrible flashbacks, then, when Conley put together an absolute nightmarish shooting performance in his debut for the team. Open jumper after open jumper clanged off the rim, and he finished with just five points on 1-of-16 from the field. Kemba Walker will have to send Conley a thank you note for saving him from having the worst debut out of all the new players on Wednesday night.
Solid debut for Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis missed all of last season while continuing to rehab from the torn ACL he suffered in February of 2018, but even though he hadn’t played in NBA game in nearly two years, the Mavericks traded for him, then handed him a five-year, $158 million max contract in the summer. It was a big bet that he could form a dynamic partnership with reigning Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic.
Porzingis struggled in preseason, but again, that was the first time he had stepped on the court for a real game in a long, long time. On Wednesday night, he was out there for real as the Mavs started their season against the Wizards, and he put together a solid performance. His shooting still wasn’t great — 7-of-16 from the field, 3-of-7 from 3 — but it wasn’t terrible either, and he put up 23 points and four rebounds in their win. The Mavericks will be hoping for more efficient outings as the season goes along, but this was a solid way to get his tenure with the team started.
Fultz shows signs of promise
In his first two seasons since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Markelle Fultz played just 33 games with the 76ers, and dealt with embarrassing shooting gaffes and a mysterious shoulder injury. Now, he’s down in Orlando with the up-and-coming Magic, and he looks ready to put the tough start to his career behind him.
His 3-point shot still looks rough, but his athleticism and playmaking ability shone through. He slashed to the basket for some impressive finishes — he went 5-of-5 at the rim — and made some nifty passes, including one highlight reel behind-the-back dish. He finished with 12 points on 50 percent shooting, six assists and two steals, and even if it was against the Cavaliers, it was an encouraging sign for Fultz and the Magic.
Whiteside puts up big double-double
After a fascinating basketball journey, Hassan Whiteside burst onto the scene with the Heat at the end of the 2015 season, then became a staple down low for the franchise. But his last few seasons in Miami were painful, with complaints from the team about his attitude and effort, and subsequent frustration from Whiteside over his lack of playing time. So, in the summer, the Heat did the best thing for both parties and traded Whiteside to the Trail Blazers.
Say what you will about Whiteside, but the move made sense for the Blazers, who are without Jusuf Nurkic as the big man continues rehabbing from his horrific leg injury last season. He may not be an elite big man, but when he’s playing hard, Whiteside is a huge presence inside and gobbles up rebounds. That’s what he did on Wednesday night in his debut for the Blazers against the Nuggets, finishing with 16 points and 19 rebounds for a monster double-double.
