October 17th NBA Game Recaps

The Detroit Pistons defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 103-100, at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday.

It wasn't a great start for the Pistons (1-0) on Wednesday, as they fell behind 13-4 early and were not able to take their first lead of the game until the 3:25 mark in the second quarter. From there, the team watched its lead grow to as much as 13 points in the third period, and while the Nets (0-1) made one final push, they were not able to complete the comeback on opening night.

Wednesday's win was all about frontcourt production for Detroit, with Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond leading the way. Griffin finished with a team-high 26 points (8-17 FG), eight rebounds and six assists across 34 minutes, while Drummond posted a monster double-double of 24 points and 20 rebounds in 32 minutes. Starting point guard Reggie Jackson was also a solid contributor in the scoring column, scoring 19 points in 35 minutes.

For Brooklyn, it was 24-year-old Caris LeVert who led the way, scoring a game-high 27 points (10-18 FG) in 24 minutes. And while starting point guard D'Angelo Russell struggled in the season opener, scoring just eight points in 25 minutes, Spencer Dinwiddie came off the bench to put together a stellar all-around performance with 23 points (10-18 FG), six assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes. In the end, what killed the Nets was their poor performance from the outside, as the team shot a horrid 5-of-27 from three-point range Wednesday night.

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 111-83, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday on the regular-season opener for both teams.

The Grizzlies (0-1) entered the game as clear underdogs after mustering a 22-60 record in the 2017-18 campaign, but with one key component back in their lineup. Star point guard Mike Conley was back to full health after missing the last 70 games of the prior season with a heel injury, providing Memphis with much-needed scoring punch. However, the end result Wednesday was highly reminiscent of last season's failures, as the Pacers (1-0) rode a 27-16 first-quarter advantage to a comfortable win. Indiana extended its lead to 56-39 by halftime, and they ultimately tacked on another 55 points in the second half. The home squad saw seven players hit double digits in the scoring column -- including four from the second unit -- while enjoying a 56.6 percent- 29.8 percent edge in shooting.

Marc Gasol led the way for the Grizzlies with 13 points, adding six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Garrett Temple finished with 12 points, two assists and one block. Conley shot 3-for-11 on his way to 11 points, which he supplemented with three assists, two rebounds and one steal. Rookie Jaren Jackson, Jr. paced the second unit with 10 points and also hauled in five boards, dished out one assist, recorded three steals and posted one block. JaMychal Green and MarShon Brooks generated matching nine-point tallies; the former added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, while the latter compiled two rebounds and one assist.

Bojan Bogdanovic paced Indiana with 19 points, a total he supplemented with six rebounds. Victor Oladipo totaled 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. Tyreke Evans co-led the bench with 14 points and also supplied six assists and four rebounds. Domantas Sabonis matched his scoring total and also contributed a game-high 15 rebounds and two assists. Doug McDermott poured in 12 points in 24 minutes off the bench, while Cory Joseph pitched in 11 off the second unit as well. Thaddeus Young tallied 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block.

The Grizzlies next face the Atlanta Hawks in Memphis' home opener on Friday, while the Pacers head to Milwaukee to tangle with the Pacers on Friday evening as well.

The Orlando Magic defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 104-101, at Amway Center on Wednesday.

In the opener for both of these Florida teams, it wasn't decided until the final seconds. There were numerous mistakes at the end of this game though, as there were three missed free-throws and two combined turnovers between the two teams in the final 30 seconds. Orlando was able to escape though, despite the fact that Miami ended the game on an 8-3 run. It was competitive throughout, as there were seven ties and 13 lead changes in total. The assist-to-turnover ratio was critical for the Magic, as they recorded four more assists than the Heat while committing four fewer turnovers.

The Heat (0-1) were led by Goran Dragic, as he tallied 26 points, four rebounds and four assists. Josh Richardson accrued 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. Hassan Whiteside amassed 12 points, 18 boards and two blocks. Dwyane Wade was a nice spark off the bench, providing nine points, 11 rebounds and two assists.

The Magic (1-0) got a gem out of Aaron Gordon, as he collected 26 points, 16 rebounds and two assists. Evan Fournier finished with 13 points, two rebounds and five assists. Nikola Vucevic accumulated 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Mo Bamba led the bench with 13 points, seven boards and two blocks.

Miami has to play a dreaded second half of a back-to-back on Thursday, as they travel to play the Washington Wizards. As for Orlando, they host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday for their next outing.

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Charlotte Hornets, 113-112, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday evening.

The visiting Bucks got out to an explosive start and amassed a 36-23 lead through the first quarter. The Hornets tightened up in the second, as they matched the Bucks, scoring 31 points in the quarter. Still, the Bucks led 67-54 at halftime. The Hornets came out much better in the second half, and went on a 14-8 run to end the third quarter, cutting the gap to just 10 heading into the final frame. The Hornets kept the pressure on and managed to tie the game at 101, just halfway through the fourth quarter. The Bucks were able to take back a small advantage for most of the final minutes, but the Hornets were not done, as they managed to take a one-point lead after a clutch three from Malik Monk and a couple of free throws from Kemba Walker. Despite the Hornets' strong fight, the Bucks took the final edge as Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the Bucks their winning points at the foul line in the dying seconds.

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 25 points, 18 rebounds, eight assists and one block, in 34 minutes. Khris Middleton followed up with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block, while Eric Bledsoe tallied 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and one block. The Bucks shot 49 percent from the field, including 14-of-34 from long range.

Meanwhile, Kemba Walker put the Hornets on his back, with 41 points on 15-of-29 shooting, four assists, two rebounds and two steals, in 38 minutes. Malik Monk followed up with 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, in 33 minutes off the bench.

The Hornets (0-1) will look to get back on track as they take on the Magic, in Orlando, on Friday. The Bucks (1-0) host the Pacers on Friday.

The New York Knicks defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 126-107, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

While the first quarter was competitive, New York was able to dominate this game thanks to a monster second quarter. In fact, the Knicks rode a 49-25 second quarter to victory, as the Hawks never got the game within a single-digit margin for the entirety of the second half. Bench production was the difference for New York, as they outscored Atlanta's bench, 56-39. Defense was also critical for the Knicks, as they recorded 12 steals and six blocks while winning the turnover differential, 24-15.

The Hawks (0-1) were led by Taurean Prince, as he tallied 21 points, six rebounds and six assists. Trae Young accumulated 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Kent Bazemore provided 14 points, six boards and two steals. Vince Carter was the only other Hawk in double figures, as he dropped 12 points.

The Knicks (1-0) got a gem out of Tim Hardaway Jr., as he led the way with 31 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Enes Kanter totaled 16 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Trey Burke started at point guard and provided 15 points, three rebounds and four assists. Mario Hezonja, Allonzo Trier, Noah Vonleh and Kevin Knox all reached double figures in scoring off the bench.

Both teams play road games on Friday for their next outings, with Atlanta facing the Memphis Grizzlies and New York facing off with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-104, at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday evening.

Both teams kicked off new eras in the regular-season opener for each, with the Raptors (1-0) rolling out prized offseason acquisition Kawhi Leonard and the Cavaliers (0-1) taking the floor without LeBron James to open a season for the first time since 2013. At least for Wednesday, Toronto's outlook was much brighter. Leonard generated a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double while working in concert with star holdover Kyle Lowry, who posted a game-high 27. Toronto gained a degree of separation with a 32-22 second-quarter advantage, and they shot 48.4 percent overall (including 42.4 percent from three-point range).

Kevin Love paced the Cavaliers with 21 points, adding eight rebounds and two assists. Cedi Osman followed with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included four assists and two steals. George Hill and fellow guard Jordan Clarkson generated matching 15-point tallies, with the former adding seven assists and two rebounds, and the latter registering three rebounds as well. Rodney Hood poured in 12 points and supplemented them with two boards, one assist and one steal. Tristan Thompson mustered just three points but also brought in 13 rebounds and dished out one assist. Rookie first-round pick Collin Sexton posted nine points and three rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

Lowry added eight assists, one rebound, one steal and one block to his aforementioned scoring tally. Leonard also dished out two assists to supplement his double-digit point and rebound totals. Fred VanVleet contributed a bench-leading 14 points, along with five assists and two rebounds. Pascal Siakam pitched in 13 points, two rebounds, two assists and one block. Danny Green turned in 11 points, five boards, two steals and two blocks in his Raptors regular-season debut. Jonas Valanciunas hauled in 12 rebounds over 20 minutes.

The Cavaliers remain on the road and take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, while the Raptors host the Celtics in an early-season Eastern Conference showdown that same evening.

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the host Houston Rockets, 131-112, at Toyota Center on Wednesday evening.

The Pelicans took control right from the start as they jumped to a quick 9-3 lead, and went on to push their lead to 35-29 after one quarter. They kept the pressure on through the second, where they outscored the Rockets, 36-25, to build a 71-54 lead by halftime. The Rockets came out more prepared in the second half, but could only match the Pelicans with 30 points each through the third quarter. The Pelicans did not let up and maintained a healthy cushion through the final frame, lead by 20 with 3:46 to and cruising to the finish from there.

Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans with 32 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks, in 39 minutes. Nikola Mirotic had himself a night, with 30 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, in 29 minutes of action. Elfrid Payton tallied a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, along with a steal, while E'Twaun Moore added 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting. The Pelicans shot 53 percent from the field, including 10-of-25 from long range.

Meanwhile, Eric Gordon was the high-point man for the Rockets, with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, in 29 minutes off the bench. Chris Paul followed up with 19 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, while James Harden tallied 18 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, three steals and one block. The Rockets shot 42 percent from the field, including 16-of-48 from long range.

The Rockets (0-1) will look to bounce back as they take on the Lakers in Los Angeles on Saturday. The Pelicans (1-0) play host to the Kings on Friday.

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Timberwolves, 112-108, at AT&T Center on Wednesday.

It was certainly a new-look Spurs (1-0) squad Wednesday night, but it was still a positive result for Gregg Popovich and company. It was a back-and-forth affair for the entire 48 minutes, but ultimately, the newest Spur, DeMar DeRozan, came through with the go-ahead layup and a pair of free throws to seal the game away. DeRozan finished the contest with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting to go along with four rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes, making for a very impressive San Antonio debut.

Fellow All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge was a monster on the boards Wednesday night, and his activity on the glass proved to be a major factor. Aldridge posted 21 points on a poor 7-of-23 shooting from the field, but he hauled in 19 rebounds (eight offense), and the Spurs cashed in on 10-second chance points on his rebounds alone.

A big reason for the Timberwolves (0-1) giving up so many crucial rebounds was the fact that their best rebounder, All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, only played 22 minutes due to foul trouble. The big man finished with just eight points (2-6 FG) and nine rebounds in that time. Fortunately, his supporting cast did enough to keep Minnesota in the game. Jeff Teague poured in a team-high 27 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, while Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins scored 23 and 20 points, respectively.

Ultimately, Towns' absence ended up being just too much for the team to overcome.

The visiting Utah Jazz defeated the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center, 123-117, on Wednesday evening.

Sacramento (0-1) started the season opener in dominant fashion, beginning the game on an 18-4 run. Utah (1-0) quickly answered back, though, cutting the deficit to just four points by the end of the first quarter. It soon became Utah's game to lose, as the trio of Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Joe Ingles helped the Jazz rack up 68 points by halftime. Utah's efficiency was a contributing factor in their strong offensive play, as the team shot over 51 percent from the field and 48 percent from three-point range.

Mitchell was the game's top scorer, finishing with 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting. He did, though, commit five turnovers on the night. Ingles, meanwhile, scored 22 points and shot 9-of-12 from the field. He added four steals on the defensive end. Of course, the story of the night on the defensive end was Rudy Gobert. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year finished the game with 15 rebounds and blocked three shots.

On Sacramento's side, all eyes were on second overall pick Marvin Bagley, who made his NBA debut in the game. Despite his status as a top pick, Bagley came off the bench and played only 12 minutes in his first appearance. He made the most of those minutes, though, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds. Center Willie Cauley-Stein scored a team-high 23 points in 38 minutes of play. The former Kentucky star also dished out four assists and blocked two shots. Sophomore point guard De'Aaron Fox added 21 points and dished out seven assists as well.


On Friday, the Kings will visit New Orleans while Utah will host the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 107-98 at Staples Center on Wednesday.

The Nuggets entered the 2018-2019 season with a chip on their shoulder following a ninth place finish in the Western Conference one year ago, and they returned with nearly an identical starting lineup. Denver (1-0) controlled the first half and led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, but Los Angeles (0-1) was able to keep clawing back into the game behind energetic defensive play from Montrezl Harrell and the tandem scoring efforts of Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris.

Boban Marjanovic was an all around force inside the paint during the second half, earning a handful of MVP chants at the free throw line after putting down multiple and-1 dunks that did not require the 7'3.5 inch Center to jump. The effort would have been the highlight of the night, if not for a costly Avery Bradley turnover that saw the Clippers offseason signing put his back heel on the out of bounds line with the game tied at 95-95 with 1:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. The following possession, Gary Harris knocked down a mid range jumper to take a two point lead. Lou Williams lost his handle when the Clippers tried to answer, and Harris found his way to the free throw line where he sank both charity stripe shots and effectively put the game to an end.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets in scoring with 21 points and added eight rebounds and five assists, while Harris finished with 20 points, three boards and two assists. Will Barton aided the starters with three treys on his way to 19 points, while Paul Millsap struggled with just 11 points on a 1-of-7 night from the floor.

Boban matched his 18 minutes with 18 points off the bench, a needed effort after the Clippers starters combined for just 43 points, with Patrick Beverley failing to score a single basket.

Next up, the Clippers travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Friday, while the Nuggets host their home opener against the Suns on Saturday.

The Phoenix Suns defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks, 121-100, at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday.

Wednesday was a big night for both franchises, as it not only marked the start of the 2018-19 season, but also the debut of each team's highly-touted top-three draft pick. Number one pick DeAndre Ayton and third overall pick Luka Doncic both made big first impressions in the first game of their respective careers. Ayton helped his team earn a blowout win with a double-double, scoring 18 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in his debut. Doncic meanwhile, posted a respectable 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in his first taste of regular season NBA action.

Phoenix (1-0) had many more positives to speak of beyond Ayton's dominant debut. Star shooting guard Devin Booker scored a dominant 35 points to go with seven assists. Booker showed off his impressive scoring arsenal, notching his 33rd point with a step-back three-pointer on Dallas's Dennis Smith, Jr. As a team, Phoenix saw one of its strongest offensive performances in recent memory, tying its season-high in assists from 2017-18 with 35 dimes.


Dallas (0-1), meanwhile, struggled a bit offensively, shooting only 43 percent as a team. In addition to Doncic's NBA debut, Wednesday was also the Mavericks debut for All-Star center DeAndre Jordan. Jordan recorded a double-double in his first game in a Dallas uniform, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds.


Dallas will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Suns will visit Denver.