Anthony Edwards turned the first ESPN window of the 2026-27 season into his own runway, dropping 45 points and nine 3-pointers as Minnesota ran Miami out of its building, 131-106. It was the loudest individual line on an 11-game Wednesday slate, though Ty Jerome’s 45-point career night in Memphis, Luka Dončić’s Lakers debut statement and Anthony Davis’ Washington launch were not far behind.
Key takeaways
- Edwards became the third player, alongside Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, to post 40 or more points in multiple season openers.
- Ty Jerome set a personal scoring best with 45 points, plus seven rebounds and six assists, in Memphis’ 123-103 win over Utah.
- Los Angeles beat Golden State 127-105, its biggest victory in an opener since 1973, behind Luka Dončić’s 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
- Anthony Davis supplied 34 points and 12 rebounds, while Trae Young handed out 13 assists in Washington’s 128-116 victory over Milwaukee.
- Tyrese Haliburton returned after 486 days away and posted 23 points with 12 assists as Indiana held off New Orleans 123-120.
Edwards and Jerome set the opening-night temperature
Minnesota had a 69-59 halftime edge over Miami, with Edwards and Giannis Antetokounmpo trading 21-point first halves. Edwards kept pulling away after the break, finishing 15-for-26 from the floor with eight made threes already on the board before the fourth quarter was settled. He closed with nine triples and shot 52.9 percent from deep.
Antetokounmpo scored 35 in his Miami debut and surpassed LeBron James for the most points in a Heat debut. LaMelo Ball added 21 points, six assists and five 3-pointers for the Wolves, including a logo three for his first official Minnesota basket. In the first quarter, Klay Thompson also became the fourth player in league history to reach 2,900 made 3-pointers, moving within range of Ray Allen’s 2,973.
“Over 50 percent — that’s all I’m trying to do,” Edwards said when told of his 3-point shooting number.
Jerome gave Memphis a different kind of explosion. The Grizzlies guard scored 19 points before halftime and 26 afterward, going 17-for-25 overall and 5-for-10 from three in the 123-103 result against Utah. His previous high had been 33, set with Cleveland against Philadelphia on Jan. 24, 2025. The 45 points were also the most by a Grizzlies player in a season opener.
Utah rookie Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick, scored the first basket of his NBA career in the opening quarter. Keyonte George led the Jazz with 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting.
Portland delivered the most lopsided score of the night, burying Phoenix 124-83 behind its new Damian Lillard-Ja Morant backcourt. Lillard’s first basket in his Portland return pushed him to 19,379 points in a Blazers uniform, the franchise record. Morant’s Portland regular-season debut included hustle plays at both ends as the Blazers opened a 28-6 first-quarter lead.
Lakers roll, new faces make first impressions
The Lakers put Golden State away 127-105 after leading by as many as 35. Dončić had 23 points by halftime, capped by a three from beyond midcourt at the second-quarter horn after a spirited exchange with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Stephen Curry scored 16 of his 23 points in the first quarter but could not sustain that pace. Draymond Green finished with two points, four rebounds and eight assists.
Walker Kessler was the interior hammer for Los Angeles, scoring 26 points without a miss on 12 attempts. He grabbed eight rebounds and threw down nine dunks, benefiting from feeds by Dončić and Austin Reaves. Kessler became the first Lakers center since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969 to make at least 12 field-goal attempts without a miss. Chamberlain’s comparable night came March 11, 1969, when he made all 14 shots while recording 34 points, 27 rebounds, seven assists and 11 blocks against Detroit.
Washington’s new pairing looked functional from the opening minutes. Davis had 10 points and six rebounds in the first quarter, drawing MVP chants at Capital One Arena, before finishing with 34 points, 12 boards and four assists. Young contributed 20 points and 13 assists as the Wizards piled up 28 assists on 45 made baskets against just 11 turnovers. Bilal Coulibaly added 11 points and three steals, punctuating the late stages with a soaring tip-in dunk.
“We got the win. Feels good,” Davis said.
Houston handled Dallas 128-110, getting 30 points apiece from Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Durant. Smith hit four threes, while Alperen Sengun added 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Cooper Flagg scored 32 points for Dallas, and Kyrie Irving returned for his first game action since November 2025, scoring 15. The Rockets’ largest lead reached 37.
Indiana survived a tense finish in New Orleans. Pascal Siakam scored 30 points and collected eight rebounds, while Haliburton’s return included 23 points and 12 assists. The Pacers scored 64 points in the paint, with new center Ivica Zubac posting 16 points and 14 rebounds. New Orleans had two late chances to tie it from three: Jeremiah Fears missed the first, Zion Williamson secured the offensive rebound but missed a short attempt after the clock ran down, and Trey Murphy III’s full-court heave at the horn missed wide. Dejounte Murray had 23 points and seven assists, and Williamson finished with 22 points and three steals.
Elsewhere, Atlanta beat Orlando 132-125 despite 31 points from Paolo Banchero. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 and CJ McCollum had 19 for the Hawks. Charlotte defeated Brooklyn 110-103, with No. 6 pick Mikel Brown Jr. scoring his first NBA basket. Toronto overwhelmed Chicago 135-92 as Kawhi Leonard made his return to Scotiabank Arena, contributing on both ends early. The Clippers beat Sacramento 121-96; No. 5 selection Keaton Wagler scored his first NBA points, while Darius Garland opened hot and finished with 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
The night also included a pregame tribute to late Bulls broadcaster Stacey King, with Adam Amin remembering a colleague whose voice and gift had made listeners “a little happier” and “a little better off” for having heard him.
