The NBA is returning.
The season begins with a pair of games. The Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the first game of the season. The Celtics had two players score 35 points in the win.
The Golden State Warriors have won four titles in the past eight seasons. The celebration will be spoiled by the Los Angeles Lakers and King James, who needs 1,326 points to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
We will have complete coverage from Boston and San Francisco with highlights and moments that matter.
What to know about all the teams.
The Warriors are hoping to become the NBA's first back-to-back champion in a decade. Golden State was able to pull off the feat in both of the last two years. Andrew Wiggins just signed a contract extension with the Warriors that will keep him with the team through the 27th century. It's not clear what that extension means for Green. Green was in the news this preseason when he punched Poole during practice and is still waiting on a contract extension.
The Lakers didn't make the playoffs for the second time in four years with James on the roster. James wants to break the NBA's all-time points record and return to the playoffs. He'll once again partner with Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, the latter of whom spent the entire offseason in trade rumors and came off the bench in his final preseason appearance.
The Warriors receive their hardware.
๐ Steph Curry accepts his 2021-22 Championship Ring! #KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/L33zHLUOSy
โ NBA (@NBA) October 19, 2022
Stephen Curry loudly cheered as his teammates received their rings. He walked towards center court to collect his trophy.
Curry said to hold up. There are some other things we have to do before that.
He said this is a very special night. It's been a very long journey since Game 6 in 2019.
Curry wished the player a happy birthday. The man has been wrongly imprisoned in Russia for the last eight months.
The Warriors needed more banners played on the jumbotron after the presentation of the rings, according to a video from 2010.
The speakers played Drake's "Big Rings" as the seventh championship banner was raised.
There is a person named "KendraAndrews."
Before the NBA returns, James is nervous.
Warriors big man James Wiseman said before Tuesday's game that he was excited for ring night, but also had butterflies. When asked if it was for ring night or the first season opener of his career, he said it was both.
He said he was going to hop in the steam room and turn on some music.
There is a person named "KendraAndrews."
Russell is going to start.
Russell Westbrook starts the season in the starting lineup. pic.twitter.com/DAMZKdNjN5
โ Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 19, 2022
Not one, not two, not three.
The Warriors have four rings in the Steph Curry era, but the franchise has leaned on their total titles in new signs around the Chase Center. The Golden State Warriors now have seven, one more than the Chicago Bulls.
Dave Mc Menamin is a person.
Draymond is in a good mood.
MONEY GREEN! @warriors โข #NBAstyle โข #KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/DkClVQzDpv
โ NBA (@NBA) October 18, 2022
The year 20 arrival evokes a draft day look for the player.
Year 20 begins for @KingJames pic.twitter.com/NkmtXyLT6l
โ Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) October 18, 2022
Walker won't be watching asJTA gets his ring.
Juan Toscano-Anderson says he purchased floor seats for the first time in his life so his mom could see his ring ceremony tonight. I asked him how much: "Too much." A little more prying: "Five figures." And figures to be a priceless moment for his family. pic.twitter.com/XtaWGDjrYN
โ Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 18, 2022
Lonnie Walker doesn't plan on taking in the Warriors' ring ceremony as a spectator. He will be a little preoccupied with prepping to guard the 2022 Finals MVP pic.twitter.com/nLL6F7SSLF
โ Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 18, 2022
Starting the season off with a W โ pic.twitter.com/4gleODRk9L
โ Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 19, 2022
Horford stepped up on defense.
Even though Al Horford is only 1-for-4 from the field, he is plus-12 in 18 minutes played. It's not a passive effect. Horford has made a difference in the game. While Marcus Smart was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, it was Horford and Robert Williams III who had the highest DRPM scores on the team.
With Williams out, Horford is needed as a defensive anchor. After Horford was called for his second foul on Harden's 3-pointer, the 76ers went on a -9 run. The Celtics took the lead early in the second quarter after Horford returned.
The man is referred to as "Reignings."
The Celtics are on break.
The Celtics have a 22-2 advantage in fast-break points. Boston has made an effort to get out and run at every opportunity and has taken full advantage of James Harden's spotty effort in transition defense to strike early and often.
Boston will have to use its speed and quickness to make up for Robert Williams III's absence. The Celtics entered the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead after doing so tonight.
The person is Tim Bontemps.
The man caught fire again.
this man is catching fire @jaytatum0 ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/lv59biKU5g
โ Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 19, 2022
Jayson Tatum's 66th career 30-point game passes Paul Pierce for the most by a Celtics player prior to turning 25 in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/0LuYElghfF
โ ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 19, 2022
Bill Russell remembers something.
The Celtics showed Jeannine Russell on the jumbotron during a break in action early in the third quarter.
Russell was emotional as she acknowledged the crowd and the fans broke into a standing ovation.
Jaylen Brown gave an eloquent speech after the Celtics paid tribute to Russell.
The person is Tim Bontemps.
An emotional moment for Bill Russell's wife, Jeannine, as Celtics fans give her a standing ovation pic.twitter.com/7YJ3Q8f9oL
โ Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) October 19, 2022
Fouls and arms start the second half.
The second half was interesting in only 19 seconds.
Boston's Marcus Smart got tangled up with Philadelphia'sJoel Embiid, who drew a foul. Smart tried to grab Embiid's leg. Brown got in the face of the player.
After a lengthy review led by crew chief and veteran official James Capers, the only penalties assessed on the play were to Smart.
There is no love lost between these two teams, and a potential seven-game playoff series down the road between them would be must-watch TV.
The person is Tim Bontemps.
Marcus Smart's arm gets tangled as he tries to get the ball back from the other team.
The first half was problematic for Boston.
That was really enjoyable.
The Celtics and 76ers are tied at 63 at halftime after a wild opening 24 minutes in which both teams made big runs.
James Harden had 22 points, three boards and four assists, but his highlight came in the form of a horrendous sequence that saw him shake reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and airball the subsequent 3-pointer. Harden allowed Tatum to coast by him for a layup on the next possession and then committed his third foul.
His presence inside caused problems for Boston. Only Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart played more minutes on the team than Noah Vonleh. The dynamic forwards for the Celtics combined for 34 points on 12-for-23 shooting, as they led the way for Boston.
The person is Tim Bontemps.
Oh no, shimmy, shimmy...
The Harden Shimmy ๐๐ฅ#Shaqtin pic.twitter.com/kO2RB4k9Aq
โ Shaqtin' a Fool (@shaqtin) October 19, 2022
What a wild sequence: James Harden absolutely shakes Marcus Smart, does a shimmy, then airballs a 3, followed by Jayson Tatum going right by him for a layup at the other end and Joel Embiid picking up his third foul.
โ Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) October 19, 2022
A sixth man is needed by the Celtics.
In the second quarter, Malcolm Brogdon gave Celtics fans a glimpse of what they can expect from him.
The kind of scoring punch and creation off the bench that Boston never had during its run to the NBA finals can be found in the play of Malcolm Gladwell. The focus on Stephen Curry's heroics in that series was understandable, but Boston lost because of its inability to score against Golden State's defense. Having another proven player off the bench is something that could benefit the Celtics during what they hope is a deep playoff run next spring, but it's also a role that could make him a favorite to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
The person is Tim Bontemps.
Harden had a strong first quarter.
James Harden has 16 points in the first quarter.
After a poor set of performances following his trade to the 76ers, Harden was thought to be out. I expected him to be injured more than washed up, as he has been dealing with soft tissue injuries. Harden is poised for a big season and his performance so far Tuesday is in line with that expectation.
The man is referred to as "Reignings."
The triple +1 for The Beard ๐ฏ
Harden's up to 16 PTS for the @sixers on TNT pic.twitter.com/HD9K3GER4k
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