NBA roundup: VJ Edgecombe's historic debut leads Sixers past Celtics
Thu Oct 23 12:34am ET
Field Level Media
Tyrese Maxey tossed in a game-high 40 points and rookie VJ Edgecombe got off to a historic start with 34 to lead the visiting Philadelphia 76ers to a 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in the NBA opener for each team.
Boston trailed 117-116 after Edgecombe missed two free-throw attempts with 8.5 seconds left, but Payton Pritchard missed two shots on Boston's final possession.
Edgecombe, the third pick in this year's NBA draft, rang up the third-most points in an NBA debut all time and the most since Wilt Chamberlain totaled 43 on Oct. 24, 1959. The old Sixers record for the most points by a player in his first game was 30, set by Allen Iverson on Nov. 1, 1996, vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. He also had seven rebounds and three assists.
Boston received 25 points from both Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics were 11 of 43 from 3-point territory.
Philadelphia's Joel Embiid was on a minutes restriction and had four points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. Embiid, who was 1 of 9 from the field, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April.
Magic 125, Heat 121
Desmond Bane scored 23 points in his Orlando debut and Wendell Carter Jr. had a clutch rebound and sank two clinching free throws to lift the Magic past visiting Miami in the season opener for both teams.
Bane, who came to Orlando from the Memphis Grizzlies in an offseason trade, went 3-for-7 from 3-point range and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero each had 24 points for the Magic. Tristan da Silva added 16, and Jalen Suggs scored 14.
Norman Powell, making his Heat debut, scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Andrew Wiggins put up 18 points for the Heat, who were missing starter Tyler Herro due to a foot injury. Miami's Davion Mitchell (16 points, 12 assists) and Bam Adebayo (15 points, 12 rebounds) each had a double-double.
Bucks 133, Wizards 120
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Milwaukee to a season-opening victory over visiting Washington.
Gary Trent Jr. added 17 points and hit five 3-pointers for the Bucks.
In his return to Milwaukee, Khris Middleton led Washington with 23 points. Middleton played 12 seasons for the Bucks, winning an NBA championship in 2021, before he was traded to the Wizards in February. Kyshawn George added 21 points and nine rebounds.
Knicks 119, Cavaliers 111
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each played through injury to record double-doubles for host New York, which pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Cleveland in a season opener pitting two Eastern Conference favorites.
Towns, who was listed as doubtful earlier due to a strained right quad, converted the tiebreaking three-point play during the decisive 14-0 fourth-quarter run for the Knicks, who squandered all of a 17-point lead before winning Mike Brown's debut as head coach. Anunoby, who had an ankle injury, collected 24 points and 14 rebounds while Towns finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Brunson scored 23 points.
Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 31 points for the Cavaliers, who led the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record last season before falling to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. Evan Mobley had 22 points and eight rebounds while Sam Merrill finished with 19 points.
Raptors 138, Hawks 118
RJ Barrett scored 25 points to lead seven Toronto players in double figures as the Raptors rolled to an easy win over host Atlanta.
Barrett was 9-for-12 from the floor and added eight rebounds and five assists. Scottie Barnes scored 22 points and had nine assists. Brandon Ingram, playing in his first game for Toronto after being acquired in a trade in February, added 16 points and nine rebounds.
Atlanta was led by Jalen Johnson with 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Trae Young had 22 points and five assists and Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta's big offseason acquisition, had 20 points and seven rebounds.
Bulls 115, Pistons 111
Nikola Vucevic had 28 points and 14 rebounds and Josh Giddey contributed 19 points and 11 assists to boost Chicago to a victory against visiting Detroit in the teams' season opener.
Cade Cunningham had 23 points and 10 assists for the Pistons, while Isaiah Stewart had 20 points and 10 boards.
Trailing by double digits for much of the night and 15 entering the fourth quarter, Detroit rallied to tie the game at 105 on Ronald Holland II's 3-pointer with 2:54 remaining. The teams traded baskets on the next five possessions, with the Bulls grabbing the lead for good at 111-109 on Vucevic's hook shot with 1:31 left.
Hornets 136, Nets 117
Brandon Miller's 25 points and LaMelo Ball's 20 points helped carry Charlotte to a victory against visiting Brooklyn in the teams' season opener.
Miles Bridges racked up 18 points and 11 rebounds and newcomer Collin Sexton scored 15 points in an encouraging start for the Hornets in a matchup between teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs last season. Charlotte set a franchise record with nine players with double-digit point totals.
Nic Claxton scored 17 points and Cam Thomas had 15, but the Nets couldn't overcome 44.3% shooting from the field and 17 turnovers. Charlotte shot 53.3% from the field, including 47.2% from 3-point range. Brooklyn's Day'Ron Sharpe and Egor Demin each added 14 points off the bench.
Grizzlies 128, Pelicans 122
Ja Morant scored a game-high 35 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points, eight rebounds and six blocks to lead Memphis to a victory over visiting New Orleans in the season opener for both teams.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 27 points and nine rebounds, but committed a turnover with 5.6 seconds and the Pelicans trailing by four. Three Pelicans -- Jordan Poole, Herbert Jones and rookie Jeremiah Fears scored 17 each.
Memphis, which finished with 12 blocks, made its final six free throws in the closing 16.7 seconds. The Grizzlies overcame losing their two big men -- Jackson and Jock Landale -- in the fourth quarter due to foul trouble. Grizzlies first-round draft pick Cedric Coward finished with 14 points.
- NBA roundup: VJ Edgecombe's historic debut leads Sixers past Celtics
- Thunder G Alex Caruso sustains concussion in opener
- Nets exercise team option on F/C Noah Clowney
- Knicks All-Star C Karl-Anthony Towns (quad) doubtful vs. Cavs
- Magic G Jalen Suggs (knee) to play in opener vs. Heat
- Lakers G Luka Doncic downplays injury concerns after opener
- NBA plans to launch European league 'in the next two years'
- Thunder open NBA season as heavy repeat favorites
- Pacers F Aaron Nesmith signs multi-year extension
- Pacers give F Aaron Nesmith 2-year, $40.4M extension
- Blazers announce multi-year extensions for Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara
- Hawks G Dyson Daniels receives four-year, $100M extension
- Nuggets sign Christian Braun to 5-year, $125 million extension
- Bulls G Coby White (calf) to miss at least two weeks
- Blazers sign Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe to extensions
- Thunder pick up options on Cason Wallace, Nikola Topic
- Kevin Durant, Rockets reach 2-year, $90M extension
- Nuggets waive C Moses Brown, F Kessler Edwards
- Knicks waive C Alex Len, G Garrison Mathews and F Matt Ryan
- Pacers to waive veteran G Cam Payne
Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (hip) will be available for the home opener against the Sacramento Kings. The Suns are anticipated to start him this season with a limited roster lacking depth after losing Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Allen played in three Phoenix preseason games, but he's been dealing with hip soreness to put his status in doubt for the season's start. The 30-year-old sharpshooter averaged 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.3 three-pointers made per game last season. Allen could improve his fantasy value this season via a larger offensive role and open three-point shots coming from Devin Booker's facilitating. Oso Ighodaro, Ryan Dunn, Dillon Brooks and Allen will round out the starting lineup with Booker attempting to lead them to an overachieving season.
Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards (back) will play in the season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers. Edwards missed the final preseason game for rest purposes, but he was listed as questionable for the opener due to lower back spasms. Minnesota confirmed that their superstar is suiting up and will start against the Trail Blazers to open his sixth season. The Timberwolves will need Edwards to play at the highest level to contend, and his fantasy value should make him one of the best statistical players in the league. Last season saw the 24-year-old putting up 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and hitting 4.1 three-pointers per game. Similar numbers should come this season for Edwards to warrant starting in fantasy every night he's on the court for Minnesota.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (ankle) won't return to Wednesday's matchup with the Washington Wizards. The 25-year-old was on a roll to begin the contest. Unfortunately, he tweaked his ankle near the end of the first quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Porter will officially finish this one with 10 points in nine minutes of action. There should be an update on his status soon. Until then, fantasy managers will be left wondering if he'll be able to suit up on Friday in Toronto. In the meantime, Cole Anthony could be in line for more minutes from off the bench.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) won't return to Wednesday's matchup with the Washington Wizards. The 25-year-old was on a roll to begin the contest. Unfortunately, he tweaked his ankle near the end of the first quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Porter will officially finish this one with 10 points in nine minutes of action. There should be an update on his status soon. Until then, fantasy managers will be left wondering if he'll be able to suit up on Friday in Toronto. In the meantime, Cole Anthony could be in line for more minutes from off the bench.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (back) remains questionable for Wednesday's meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers. The 24-year-old popped up on the injury report due to back spasms. Fortunately, he was a participant in Wednesday morning's shootaround. For now, Edwards is a game-time call. However, considering he has only missed six games combined in the last three seasons, it would be surprising to not see him out there for the opener. Of course, that could still happen, which would likely mean more scoring opportunities for Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid.
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) will miss Wednesday's opening night game against the San Antonio Spurs. Gafford sprained his ankle during the opening practice of training camp and missed the entire preseason. The 27-year-old was listed as doubtful until the Mavericks confirmed that he would be sitting out the home opener. Reporters saw Gafford walking around in slides instead of basketball shoes during the portion of shootaround that was open to the media. The big man averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game last season. 21-year-old Dereck Lively II is starting at the center position to boost his fantasy value, and Anthony Davis will play power forward for Dallas' home opener. Gafford is not expected to miss many games, but the Mavericks will likely play it safe with his health so early in the season.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forwardLuguentz Dort (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers. Dort sustained a left ankle sprain during the team's season opener on Tuesday. Despite the setback during the contest, the 26-year-old logged six points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal across 45 minutes during the 125-124 double-overtime win over the Houston Rockets. If Dort is sidelined on Thursday, Ajay Mitchell will likely see an expanded role in Indiana, boosting his fantasy value.
Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert (knee) is available to play ahead of Wednesday's game against the Chicago Bulls. As expected, LeVert has been cleared to play after being listed as probable coming into the contest. The expectation is that LeVert is going to have a significant role in the rotation right away. The Pistons are without Jaden Ivey (knee) for the foreseeable future, so LeVert figures to be asked to step up offensively. LeVert should see an uptick in value which makes him an appealing streaming choice on nights without a full slate.
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (hamstring) will play on Wednesday versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The 28-year-old was listed as questionable because of a hamstring injury. However, it won't be enough to keep him off the floor for the opener. Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals last season. With Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out for the foreseeable future, he could see an increase in all statistical areas. Brown's availability will presumably mean fewer scoring opportunities for Anfernee Simons, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard.
Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner will move into the starting five for Wednesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets. It appears Kalkbrenner has won the starting gig at center. Moussa Diabate figures to have a decent role behind him off the bench. Both players should be able to offer late-round value with Kalkbrenner having the higher ceiling. It appears the rebuilding Hornets are going to lean on their younger players to do big things early in the season.
On Wednesday, Rylan Stiles of SI.comreports that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso has been placed in concussion protocol. Caruso sustained a concussion during the season-opening 125-124 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. He registered eight points, two rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block across 30 minutes in a double-overtime thriller. While the 30-year-old is out of action, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace will likely see a boost in fantasy production with the added minutes on the floor.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (ankle) is available to play in Wednesday's season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. As expected, Anunoby is cleared to play after coming into this game as probable with an ankle injury. The expectation was that he'd play unless something happened pre-game. He'll slide right into the starting five and should be started in basically all fantasy formats. Last season, Anunoby finished with top-40 value and should be able to offer similar value again.
Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (ankle) is available to play ahead of Wednesday's season opener against the Orlando Magic. Ware was questionable coming into this game due to an ankle issue. Despite that, Ware is good to go and doesn't appear to have any minutes limit for this contest. It's unclear if he'll be in the starting five, but regardless Ware should be rostered in most standard leagues. Last season, Ware averaged 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game with the Heat. He figures to have a similar role or increased responsibilities this season.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is available for Wednesday's matchup versus the Boston Celtics. The 31-year-old spent all offseason working his way back from knee surgery. While he's received the green light to get on the floor, head coach Nick Nurse indicated Embiid would be on a minutes cap. It's unknown how much action he'll see. However, Embiid is still a must-start in all fantasy formats. On the other hand, he may not be the safest option for DFS managers. Adem Bona and Andre Drummond may also get some extra work, although not enough to warrant serious consideration for fantasy lineups.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (knee) is headed to the bench ahead of Wednesday's season opener against the New York Knicks. Hunter was listed as questionable coming into this game due to a knee contusion. He suffered the injury in a preseason game roughly a week ago and is still dealing with the issue. Dean Wade and Jaylon Tyson figure to see increased roles with Hunter sidelined. Between the two, Tyson has the higher ceiling in terms of streaming value for Wednesday's slate. It's unclear when Hunter will return, so fantasy managers will need to stay tuned for more updates.
New York Knicks forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns (quad) has been cleared to suit up for Wednesday's season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. His status has changed throughout the day, but it sounds like Towns will play, barring any setbacks. It doesn't sound like Towns is going to be limited at all. However, it's the season opener, so the Knicks might be cautious given Towns probably isn't 100 percent healthy. He figures to play a bigger role than normal with Mitchell Robinson (ankle) sidelined. Fantasy managers can feel safe plugging Towns into their lineups right now.
NBA reporter Chris Haynes reports that Minnesota Timberwolves point guardMike Conley will begin the new season coming off the bench. Dante DiVincenzo will be the starting floor general for Wednesday's matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers and beyond. Last season across 71 games, Conley averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 24.7 minutes per contest. Now in a reserve role, the 38-year-old's fantasy value is expected to keep trending downward.
According to NBA reporter Chris Haynes, guard Donte DiVincenzo has been named to the starting five for the Minnesota Timberwolves to open the 2025-26 season on Wednesday. DiVincenzo replaces 38-year-old Mike Conley as the team's starting point guard. Conley will remain a crucial component for Minnesota, but will now come off the bench. Across 62 games last season, DiVincenzo averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 25.9 minutes per contest. With an increase in playing time, the 28-year-old's fantasy value should see a notable boost this season.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/centerGiannis Antetokounmpohas been added to the injury report and is listed as probable for Wednesday's matchup with the Washington Wizards due to lower back soreness. Fantasy managers shouldn't be overly concerned about the star forward's status, as he is still expected to take the floor this evening. The 30-year-old averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes per contest across 67 outings. Heading into the new campaign, Antetokounmpo remains an elite fantasy option across all formats.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, New York Knicks center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns (quadriceps) has been upgraded to questionable heading into Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. His status for the team's season opener has now changed repeatedly, shifting from questionable to doubtful and back again. Fantasy managers have to hope that the 29-year-old isn't dealing with anything injury-wise that sidelines him throughout the season. If Towns is unable to suit up, he'll join Mitchell Robinson (ankle) on the sidelines, which would likely open the door for Guerschon Yabusele to start this evening. Yabusele agreed to a two-year, $11.7 million contract with the Knicks in July and could make an immediate impact in the frontcourt if given extended minutes.
