1 Overreaction to Every NBA Team's First Game

Welcome back, NBA. We missed you more than you know.

The 2026-27 season is officially underway, with everyone outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets playing their first game by Wednesday night.

We've already seen Paul George score a Boston Celtics franchise record for a team debut with 38 points, Victor Wembanyama struggle mightily against the San Antonio Spurs' biggest rivals and LeBron James enjoying a "home" victory at Madison Square Garden with his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates.

Did the Celtics actually win the Jaylen Brown trade? Has the league figured out how to stop Wemby? Are the 76ers the newest superteam who should be considered the title favorites? It's time to overreact to every NBA team's first game of the 2026-27 season.

ATL | BKN | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NOP | NYK | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX | POR | SAC | SAS | TOR | UTA | WAS

A big 132-125 road win over the Orlando Magic has the Atlanta Hawks making sure no one forgets about them when talking about the elite teams in the East.

This was a franchise that took off following the Trae Young trade last year and now is deeper than ever with the additions of Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins.

Atlanta boasts a balanced scoring attack—four players scored between 19 and 31 points against Orlando—and impressive depth. The Hawks used a nine-man rotation but have other reliable options, both veterans and young players, on the bench.

The Hawks are going to be really good this year, even in an improved East. Knocking off another potential playoff team in the Magic helps prove this will be a top-6 seed.

Boston Celtics: The Jaylen Brown-Paul George Trade Doesn't Look That Bad

The Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade shocked the NBA world this past summer and ultimately could have made the difference between LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers or elsewhere.

While Brown had a solid debut for Philly (19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists in 35 minutes) it was the 36-year-old George who stole the show.

On arguably the worst contract in the NBA ( $54.1 million ) given his age and lack of durability, George scored a franchise-record 38 points in his Boston Celtics debut.

Maybe this trade wasn't as terrible as we all assumed it to be at the time?

It's going to be a long, weird, disappointing season for Brooklyn Nets fans, as the team doesn't have the talent to win yet doesn't own the right to keep its 2027 first-round pick .

The Nets lost at home to a Charlotte Hornets squad that had to start a backcourt of Dennis Schröder and Sion James with Coby White and Kon Knueppel sidelined due to injury. Even with Julius Randle now in the starting lineup, the Nets mustered just 103 total points with Randle and Michael Porter Jr. the only two players to crack double digits in scoring.

Brooklyn left much of its collection of former first-round picks on the bench or out of the rotation altogether, not a great sign for any sort of talent development this season.

The Nets could be the worst team in basketball and opening night only helped confirm these fears.

Final Record Predictions for Every NBA Team 🔮

Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller Will Struggle Without LaMelo Ball

After trading LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel have taken over as the faces of the Charlotte Hornets. The franchise just handed Miller a five-year, $209 million extension to help reward him for a season where he averaged 20.2 points on 38.3 percent shooting from deep.

How much did Ball factor into Miller's success, however?

In his first game without Ball on the Hornets, Miller shot just 3-of-14 from three and 7-of-21 overall for his 18 points while recording only a single assist. This comes a year after Miller made 56.1 percent of his twos and a healthy 40.3 percent of his threes off passes from Ball, per the NBA's tracking data .

Miller will have to prove he's worth $40-plus million a year, especially without an elite table setter beside him.

Chicago Bulls: Still Not Close to Playoff Contention

The Chicago Bulls are headed in the right direction, really! It's just going to take some more time.

Norman Powell was a smart signing. Caleb Wilson is going to be a star. Nic Claxton is going to improve the team's defense. As a 135-92 opening night loss to the Toronto Raptors taught us, however, Chicago just isn't going to be able to hang with the best in the East this season.

Wilson went just 7-of-21 from the field and 1-of-8 from three in his NBA debut, Josh Giddey was a minus-39 while scoring just two points and the Raptors got whatever they wanted on the offensive end.

This year will be about development for the Bulls, while fielding trade calls for Powell before the deadline.

Dallas Mavericks: Kyrie Irving is Still an All-Star Talent

Kyrie Irving is exactly what the Dallas Mavericks lacked last season: a dynamic guard who can wreak havoc with his ball-handling, scoring and playmaking.

Irving returned to the court for the first time since tearing his ACL in March 2025 and looked very comfortable even at age 34.

The veteran played just 24 minutes, yet scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting overall. We can question whether his age lines up with this young core, although Irving's skill set will be a welcome addition alongside Cooper Flagg for now.

Detroit Pistons: No Big Trade Was Needed

The Detroit Pistons found themselves in a 3-1 hole in the first round of the East playoffs, despite being the No. 1 seed following a 60-win season.

While they eventually won the series, a second-round loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers made it seem like the Pistons would need to make a major offseason move to become true title contenders in a now loaded Eastern Conference.

The moves to swap out Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert and Isaiah Stewart for John Collins and Isaiah Joe were hardly blockbusters, but perhaps keeping the core group of guys together is actually enough?

A big opening-day win over the Boston Celtics that saw the Pistons erase a 22-point deficit reminded us how good Detroit can be. Seeing Jalen Duren (22 points, nine rebounds) ball out after such a disappointing postseason was refreshing, especially following a summer full of contract drama.

Maybe the Pistons are already title-worthy given the growth of this core.

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry Shouldn't Have Signed an Extension

The Golden State Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 127-105 on opening night, but in fairness to LA, it was never really this close.

The Warriors lost the second and third quarters by a combined 33 points and never had a chance, especially with Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porziņģis, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski all missing the game. The first three are all on extended ( or permanent ) absences.

Stephen Curry, 38, agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension in the offseason, meaning he's under contract for the next three seasons and now can't be traded until next summer.

Legacies are cool and the money is great, but Curry isn't going to sniff the playoffs with this roster, much less another championship. It's a sad way to see one of the all-time greats go out.

Houston Rockets: Kevin Durant is Not Human

LeBron James deserves all the flowers he's been given for still playing at a high level now just two months shy of turning 42, but more attention needs to be paid to 38-year-old Kevin Durant.

Now in his 20th season, Durant dropped an easy 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting in a 128-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks, including six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block across 37 minutes.

Already the No. 5 overall scorer in NBA history , Durant could easily pass Kobe Bryant and take his spot in the top four by the end of the season.

Durant's play at this stage of his career is nothing short of amazing.

Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton is an MVP Candidate

Tyrese Haliburton isn't going to put up the raw scoring numbers of guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Dončić, although he may not have to to be in the MVP conversation this year.

Playing in his first game since the 2025 NBA Finals, Haliburton looked great coming off a torn Achilles, putting up 23 points and 12 assists in a 123-120 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

We saw what the Pacers looked like last year without Haliburton, and it wasn't pretty. If the 26-year-old leads Indiana to a top-3 seed in the East, he should be a frontrunner for MVP this season.

Los Angeles Clippers: Sneaky Play-in Team?

The Los Angeles Clippers have largely been written off following a tumultuous summer, and the team has already been hit by injuries to Brandon Ingram and Max Strus.

Still, Darius Garland is a two-time All-Star who dropped 30 points in a 121-96 thumping of the Sacramento Kings. If the defense on this team is legit with Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Brook Lopez and others, head coach Ty Lue is still one of the best in the world at what he does.

The Clippers don't control their first-round pick this season and there are enough veterans on this team that winning will still be important and attainable. Maybe Los Angeles won't be as bad as we thought.

Los Angeles Lakers: Walker Kessler Was Worth the Picks

It was quite the Los Angeles Lakers debut for Walker Kessler, who scored 26 points on a perfect 12-of-12 shooting while pulling down nine rebounds, blocking two shots and finishing plus-24 in a win over the Golden State Warriors.

Obviously, playing with a passer like Luka Dončić helps.

The Lakers gave up A LOT for Kessler in the summer, as a four-year, $129.5 million contract was just the starting point. LA also sacrificed unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 as well as 2028 and 2030 first-round swaps to the Utah Jazz.

At least for one night, Kessler looked like he's worth it.

Memphis Grizzlies: Ty Jerome is NBA's Most Underrated Player

Ty Jerome tried to show us what he can do in a starting role in the second half of the season last year, as health is seemingly the only thing that can hold him back.

A cool 45 points on opening night in a 123-103 win over the Utah Jazz set a Memphis Grizzlies franchise record, as Jerome plays with a confidence few players in the NBA possess.

Jerome had arguably the best opening night of any player in the association, pairing his 45 points with seven rebounds, six assists, a block and just one turnover while going 17-of-25 from the field.

We knew he was one of the NBA's most underrated players , although he may have officially claimed his spot at the top.

A Giannis Antetokounmpo-Bam Adebayo frontcourt may be the best in the NBA, especially defensively. The guards on this Miami Heat roster, however, leave a lot to be desired.

A 36-year-old Klay Thompson is not a starter, although he may be Miami's best option at shooting guard right now. Tim Hardaway Jr. went just 1-of-7 from three in his debut and Davion Mitchell's strengths lie on the defensive end.

Can the Heat survive with average guard play at best, or will a tough East be too much to overcome with this level of weakness at the position?

Milwaukee Bucks: Jaime Jaquez Jr. Could Win Most Improved Player

Jaime Jaquez Jr. was one of the key pieces coming over from the Miami Heat in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. He's since won a starting job and already looks like a breakout year is coming.

Despite starting just a single game for the Heat last season, Jaquez has long been deserving of a bigger role. He and Tyler Herro looked like the only Bucks players who had any kind of offensive juice on opening night against the Washington Wizards, as Jaquez went for 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting overall while grabbing seven rebounds and passing out two assists. Jaquez was the only rotation member not to register a negative plus-minus game rating for Milwaukee.

The Bucks are going to be awful this year, although Jaquez could win the Most Improved Player award with a big season in a new starting role.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Could Challenge Thunder, Spurs as Best Team in West

Going into an emotional environment in Miami with Giannis Antetokounmpo making his Heat debut, the Minnesota Timberwolves showed no fear in a massive 131-106 win.

Anthony Edwards hit nine threes en route to his 45 points, LaMelo Ball was awesome in his Wolves debut with 21 points and six assists and there appeared to be a new energy surrounding the team overall.

The core of a great defense remains with Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels. If Edwards and Ball look like the NBA's best backcourt and Jonathan Kuminga thrives in a starting power forward role, this Minnesota team could be elite.

New Orleans Pelicans: Not Far Off From Contention

The New Orleans Pelicans didn't do much this offseason, with a late-summer signing of Bennedict Mathurin their only significant move.

When healthy, however, this roster actually has a lot of talent.

Zion Williamson scored 22 points in the Pelicans' season opener, hitting two three-pointers for the first time in almost four years(!!!), going back to December 11, 2022. Dejounte Murray shined with 23 points and seven assists and seven players in total reached double figures.

Do all these pieces necessarily fit? No, although Williamson becoming a threat from outside the arc will certainly help. Let's not rule out the Pelicans as a playoff team just yet.

New York Knicks: The Honeymoon is Officially Over

The New York Knicks were the kings of summer 2026. Celebrating a title, throwing a massive parade and Jalen Brunson becoming the first active NBA player in nearly 20 years to host SNL helped cap off a magical few months for the team and its fans.

Some ugly contract negotiations cast a shadow on the end of the offseason, however, and an opening night home loss to a Philadelphia 76ers team that was newly pieced together this season officially means the honeymoon is over.

The reality is that the Knicks can't coast to a top-3 seed in the East again this season. The conference is much better and every team is going to give New York its best effort.

Given the talent in the East, the Knicks aren't even a lock to make the playoffs as a top-6 seed.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Best Team in Franchise History?

The 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder brought home the NBA title. The 2025-26 version won an NBA-best 64 games and reached the West Finals. This 2026-27 collection may be the best yet.

Exorcising their playoff demons by defeating the Spurs in San Antonio on opening night, the Thunder certainly look hungry, motivated and dominant on both ends of the floor.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points without much free-throw help (3-of-4 from the line), Jared McCain dropped 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting from three off the bench and rookie 7'3" center Aday Mara held his ground against Victor Wembanyama.

The Thunder should be considered the title favorites, as they have the best and deepest roster in the entire league.

Orlando Magic: A Major Shakeup is Needed

There's a lot to like about this Orlando Magic team, one that's reached the playoffs the past three years.

It's also fair to question whether this core has reached its peak together.

Giving up 132 points at home to the Atlanta Hawks on opening night was a rough start, especially for a franchise that prides itself on defense. Paolo Banchero looking like an All-Star once again (35 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds) should guarantee his safety, although the rest of the roster may not feel as comfortable.

The Magic already made a change at head coach this past offseason. If this team hovers around the play-in area in the East, the next logical step is to trade a member of the core.

Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid Doesn't Fit

Joel Embiid has been the biggest (literally) part of the Philadelphia 76ers for the past decade-plus. Even after just one game, it's easy to see how he may not fit with this current version, however.

Embiid led the NBA in post-up points per game last season (6.3), and moves much slower than the new-look roster around him, even with his offseason weight loss.

By comparison, Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown all finished in the top-4 in transition points per game last year and VJ Edgecombe is a 6'4" bolt of lightning who shot 58.6 percent in fastbreak opportunities. This isn't a roster designed to slow things down and wait for Embiid to post up.

A 4-of-15 shooting performance from Embiid in the first game of the season vs. the New York Knicks isn't encouraging for his future with the team.

The Phoenix Suns were one of the biggest surprises of the 2025-26 season, only to go out and sacrifice their depth, shooting and future draft capital to acquire Miles Bridges.

Bridges was awful in his Suns debut, scoring just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting with no assists while registering a minus-35 in his 29 minutes. This roster has too many mouths to feed with Bridges, Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks all in the starting lineup with no true point guard to get them the ball.

Someone is going to have to go before the end of the season (Green), as this starting five needs more playmaking, rebounding and defensive fortitude overall.

Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard-Ja Morant Combo Is Going to Work

A double point guard starting backcourt of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant is certainly a wonky fit on paper, especially with durability and defensive concerns.

At least for one night, the combo looked like the second coming of Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars.

Lillard made his return to the Portland Trail Blazers and from a torn Achilles to put up 25 points and six assists on 6-of-10 from deep while Morant added 14 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals and several key hustle plays that helped energize the Blazers and lead them to a 124-83 thumping of the Phoenix Suns.

The pair's individual plus-minus figures totaled plus-56, and they looked better than most of us could have imagined. Did Portland quietly pull off the trade of the summer?

Sacramento Kings: Hardest NBA Team to Watch?

The Brooklyn Nets may be the worst team in the NBA this season, although the Sacramento Kings won't be far behind.

Giving up 121 points to the Los Angeles Clippers on opening night wasn't surprising, as this could be the worst defense we've ever seen. Only scoring 96 with players like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, De'Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray and No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. was eye-opening, however.

Acuff had a horrible pro debut, missing 19 of his 24 shots, including an 0-of-7 mark from three. The rookie had more turnovers (four) than assists (three) and was a minus-23 overall for the game. He's going to annoy his veteran teammates very quickly with these kinds of numbers, especially since Sabonis went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field.

A team that can't score AND is a traffic cone on the other end? The Kings are going to be a tough watch this season.

San Antonio Spurs: The League Has Figured Victor Wembanyama Out

As the San Antonio Spurs experiment with a three-guard lineup so they don't hurt anyone's feelings, Victor Wembanyama remains the most important part of the franchise's success.

Yes, the Frenchman may be the most impressive defensive force the NBA has ever seen, but is his offense an area of concern? Did the Oklahoma City Thunder show us the blueprint to slowing the 7'4" center down?

Wembanyama went just 1-of-13 from the floor in his season debut, including 0-of-4 from three. The Thunder started their double-big lineup with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein before unleashing their newest toy, 7'3", 255-pound rookie center Aday Mara.

Throwing as much size and physicality at Wembanyama as possible certainly looked like it worked, as the Thunder remain the greatest threat to the Spurs.

Toronto Raptors: Best Defense in the NBA

The Toronto Raptors are going to be a nightmare to try and score on this season.

With three players (Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles) on B/R's list of the top-30 defenders in the NBA this season, Toronto held the Chicago Bulls to just 92 points on 4-of-36 shooting (11.1 percent) from three in their season opener.

We could also see a balanced offensive attack as Leonard and Barnes battle for alpha status. Four players scored 20 points or more for the Raptors while 12 players in total reached the points column thanks to a blowout win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have set the standard for defensive excellence in the NBA, although the Raptors may even be better.

Utah Jazz: Still a Year (or Two) Away from Contending

The Utaz Jazz are the sneaky, sexy pick to break out in the West this year, as the franchise is loaded with young talent, some reliable vets and a chest full of draft picks thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers.

As a 20-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies would indicate, more patience is needed.

No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson had just nine points on 3-of-7 shooting in his debut. Ace Bailey is adjusting to a new role off the bench and Jaxson Hayes (minus-27 in his 26 minutes) has big shoes to fill as a starter while Jusuf Nurkić is sidelined with a toe injury.

The Jazz will eventually become a force in the West. It just might take longer than we thought.

Washington Wizards: Anthony Davis is Still HIM

The Washington Wizards shocked everyone when they traded for Anthony Davis at the 2026 deadline despite wallowing at the bottom of the East.

Now finally making his Wizards debut, the 33-year-old, 10-time All-Star showed us why he's still one of the best players in the NBA when healthy and is exactly what this talent-starved Washington team needed.

Davis finished his debut with a game-high 34 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block to lead the Wizards over the Milwaukee Bucks.