One Takeaway From Every NBA Team’s First Game of the 2026

Congratulations, everybody. We made it. The NBA season is officially underway! After a roller-coaster offseason that fueled all manner of wild preseason speculation, there have been games played, finally giving us results to analyze and performances to break down. What a beautiful thing after four long months without professional basketball in our lives.

The Pistons and Celtics got us kicked off on Tuesday. Over the following days, every one of the NBA’s teams took the floor to open their season. In honor of the 2026–27 campaign finally getting underway, the SI NBA team got together to offer one takeaway from every team’s first game.

Enjoy, and let the (rest of) the games begin.

Atlanta Hawks

First game: Win over Magic

Takeaway: Nickeil Alexander-Walker has no intent on slowing down. Last year’s MIP winner came out of nowhere to average 20 points per game after signing with Atlanta in free agency (the rare 100% increase year-over-year in scoring) and dropped 31 to lead the Hawks to a narrow opening-night win over the Magic. Jalen Johnson remains the fulcrum of the team’s offense but NAW is invaluable when he’s making shots like he was on Wednesday night. He will be making a case to be considered one of the top two-way guards in the East this season. —Liam McKeone

Boston Celtics

First game: Loss to Pistons

Takeaway: Paul George is back to his normal self. Detroit’s Ausar Thompson locked up Jayson Tatum all game and Boston blew a 22-point lead, but George’s 38-point outburst was a huge bright spot. It was the most points scored by any Celtics player in their team debut, and he looked like the nine-time All-Star version of PG that we all know oh-so-well. After the game, George said he hasn’t felt this healthy since his stint with the Clippers after he struggled to stay on the floor over his two-year run with the 76ers. It’s just one game, but he looks like he can still ball at an elite level. —Blake Silverman

NEXT: The NBA’s Early Opening Day Game Was a Risk. But It Worked—and Detroit Loved It

Brooklyn Nets

First game: Loss to Hornets

Takeaway: The veterans weren’t too interested in giving up the rock. Despite being a young team at large the Nets employ two ball-dominant, experienced players in Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. In their first game together they combined for 59 of the team’s 103 points and took 39 shots in total (compared to eight assists between the pair). Those are pretty good numbers in a vacuum, but the team still lost while 2026 lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. went 2-for-8 in his debut and 2025 lottery pick Egor Dëmin went 2-for-10. How coach Jordi Fernandez chooses to balance getting his vets touches with the development of the younger talent will be an interesting subplot to keep an eye on as Brooklyn finally pushes for wins. —L.M.

Charlotte Hornets

First game: Win over Nets

Takeaway: Two words: Naz Reid. Alright, maybe that’s Minnesota’s thing, but the former Timberwolves fan favorite was awesome in his Hornets debut. He finished just three assists shy of a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Charlotte dealt without Kon Knueppel and Coby White in the opening night win over Brooklyn. White’s absence left a need for playmaking, and Reid found his teammates while also getting his own shots. —B.S.

Chicago Bulls

Caleb Wilson and Kawhi Leonard — Caleb Wilson went head-to-head with Kawhi Leonard in his first NBA game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First game: Loss to Raptors

Takeaway: Caleb Wilson is not a shy rookie. As the Bulls got annihilated by 43 points in his first-ever NBA game, the No. 4 pick launched 21 shots against the fierce Raptors defense. He did not make many of them, finishing 7-for-21 for 16 points, but you can’t say he was afraid of the moment. The nine turnovers weren’t exactly ideal but also reflect Wilson’s desire to try, even if he fails more often than not to start his career. That fits what we knew about the UNC product entering his first campaign and why there’s reason to be so excited about his future. —L.M.

Cleveland Cavaliers

First game: Loss to 76ers

Takeaway: Kenny Atkinson might, somehow, already be on the hot seat. The Cavaliers looked like they were going to get off to a dream start in taking a 29-point lead against the 76ers in their Philadelphia home opener. Then the nightmare began. Cleveland blew the lead in stunning fashion and wound up losing by eight points in a collapse deeply reminiscent of the team’s catastrophic Game 1 Eastern Conference finals performance. No coach is going to get canned after the first game of the season ... but the pressure was on to prove the Cavs weren’t the same team that meekly bowed out of the ECF. Instead they put on a repeat performance of the franchise’s worst playoff loss in modern history. A brutal way to begin the year, and the only outcome where it feels reasonable to believe Atkinson should be feeling the heat. —L.M.

Dallas Mavericks

First game: Loss to Rockets

Takeaway: Cooper Flagg is awesome, but the rest of the roster isn’t. Flagg had 32 points on 10-for-17 shooting and posted a team-best -6 in the 28-point loss. Kyrie Irving looked pretty good for a guy who hadn’t played since March 2025. Otherwise the Mavs looked awful against a physical, motivated Rockets team. The learning curve will be steep for rookie coach Dustin May and a roster full of athletes with questionable shooting skills won’t make life easy, no matter how good Flagg is set to be in his sophomore campaign. —L.M.

NEXT: 2026–27 NBA Season Predictions: Finals Picks, Award Winners and Bold Takes

Denver Nuggets

First game: Loss to Thunder

Takeaway: This rotation will be, uh, interesting. Rookies Trevon Brazile and Alpha Diallo got serious minutes in the opener. Brazile joins as a second-round pick, while Diallo signed a one-year deal over the offseason after he played five seasons in the EuroLeague. Maybe that changes once Spencer Jones is healthy, but the supporting cast is still iffy at best. Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray both had a rough night, which will be tough for the Nuggets to overcome even when they play teams who aren’t as good as the Thunder. —B.S.

Detroit Pistons

First game: Win over Celtics

Takeaway: Ausar Thompson is the NBA’s best defender not named Victor Wembanyama. The Pistons had a rough first half, but they never let Tatum (Thompson’s assignment) get going. Boston’s superstar finished the game with 13 points and 11 assists. He made plays, but he couldn’t get his shot as he finished the night 6-for-23 from the field and 0-for-7 from three-point range. Thompson has continuously kept NBA superstars in check and that hasn’t seemed to change as he’s fresh off a five-year, $155 million contract extension over the offseason. —B.S.

Golden State Warriors

First game: Loss to Lakers

Takeaway: Yaxel Lendeborg is a frisky young fella. Well, that is, if a 24-year-old rookie is still considered young. The Michigan product was tasked with guarding Luka Dončić and he did an admirable job, but he also had an unbelievable “welcome to the league” moment. Dončić drew a foul which put Lendeborg on the bench; they started jawing and Luka hit a shot and yelled toward the Warriors’ bench to put the rookie back in the game. Steve Kerr obliged, then Dončić drew another foul and a technical before he hit a half-court heave at the halftime buzzer which flipped the game. Lendeborg’s unwillingness to back down was respectable, but Dončić isn’t the one to provoke. —B.S.

NEXT: What We Know About the Kristaps Porziņģis Situation and What the Warriors Might Do Next

Houston Rockets

First game: Win over Mavericks

Takeaway: Fred VanVleet gave the Rockets everything they were hoping for. At 32 years old and coming off a torn ACL, some hesitation was understandable in regards to whether he’d make the instant impact Houston believed he would as a true point guard for a roster that desperately needed one. His first game back was an excellent sign in that regard. The veteran scored only six points on eight shots in the Rockets’ blowout win—but racked up 11 assists and his ability to organize the floor made a visible difference compared to last season’s ugly product. —L.M.

Indiana Pacers

First game: Win over Pelicans

Takeway: Tyrese Haliburton is back. After the star point guard’s tearful postgame interview, what else really matters? The fact that he led the Pacers to a comeback win with 23 points and 12 assists in classic Hali fashion is an aside. One of the game’s most joyful players returned to the court with resounding success and looked like exactly the same guy. That’s something for everybody to celebrate. —L.M.

Los Angeles Clippers

First game: Win over Kings

Takeaway: The Darius Garland show will be fun to watch for as long as it lasts. With veteran scorers Brandon Ingram and Max Strus both on the shelf due to injury, it’s going to be Garland’s world in Los Angeles and he balled out on opening night with 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting. Keaton Wagler’s successful NBA debut (15 points, five rebounds, five assists) was the more important long-term development but this is Garland’s team right now and it’ll be very enjoyable to see him yo-yo his way through the trees as the Clippers’ No. 1 scoring option this season. We just have to hope his body holds up after last year’s injury-plagued campaign. —L.M.

Los Angeles Lakers

First game: Win over Warriors

Takeaway: Hello, Walker Kessler! Dončić led the team in scoring, but Kessler was a perfect 12-for-12 from the field with 26 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in his Lakers debut. It was Kessler’s first game since last Halloween after he missed all but five contests last season due to a torn labrum. Los Angeles paid a steep price to acquire its new starting big man from the Jazz and with the earliest return, you can see Rob Pelinka’s vision. Playing alongside Dončić will be huge for Kessler, as long as he can stay healthy. —B.S.

Memphis Grizzlies

First game: Win over Jazz

Takeaway: Everyone forgot about Ty Jerome! The Grizzlies were a popular preseason pick to finish as one of the league’s worst teams with a roster lacking notable names outside of No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. Jerome, who missed all but 15 games last season due to injury, apparently took that personally. He went bananas in Memphis’s home opener with an outstanding 45 points in 32 minutes to lead the Grizzlies to an unexpected blowout win over a hyped Jazz team. It was a glorious display of shot-making, and we can’t wait to see if he can do it again. —L.M.

Miami Heat

First game: Loss to Timberwolves

Takeaway: Giannis Antetokounmpo looked fantastic, but where was the help? It looked a bit like the last few years in Milwaukee on Wednesday night. No need to panic, though, Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo just need a bit of time to gain some chemistry. The only time Adebayo popped off the television screen was when Antetokounmpo was sitting on the bench. If the Heat are going places this season, that needs to change, but they know that. —Tom Dierberger

Milwaukee Bucks

First game: Loss to Wizards

Takeaway: Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyler Herro will carry this team. Ryan Rollins got a lot of looks too, but it appears that the offseason arrivals from Miami will bear much of the scoring responsibility. However, Brayden Burries needs to get more minutes. The No. 10 pick played just 16 minutes against Washington and had a solid debut. He just needs more opportunity, which the Bucks should provide. They’re not exactly trying to contend this year. The same could be said for Nate Ament, the 13th pick, but he dealt with an ankle sprain over the preseason and Milwaukee was likely careful as he didn’t enter the season opener. —B.S.

Minnesota Timberwolves

First game: Win over Heat

Takeaway: Yes, the Anthony Edwards-LaMelo Ball backcourt pairing will work. Minnesota coach Chris Finch mostly staggered their minutes together, but when they did share the floor (for about 17 minutes), the Wolves outscored Miami by 17 points. Edwards couldn’t miss. He and Ball combined to drain 14 threes, which is more than 21 of the 30 NBA teams in their season openers. —T.D.

NEXT: Anthony Edwards Is Taking Center Stage This Season. The Results Will Be Spectacular—Win or Lose

New Orleans Pelicans

First game: Loss to Pacers

Takeaway: Derik Queen needs to start or, at least, get more minutes. The second-year big man played just 18 minutes off the bench on Wednesday. And he recorded a double-double in that short period. Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans’ second-year guard, got the start but he played just 21 minutes as he had an inefficient night. Queen and Fears made their fair share of mistakes, but with how much the Pelicans have invested in those two, they need a bigger role. Maybe New Orleans is trying to win games and other lineups give them a better shot. Realistically, though, the franchise is nowhere near a contender in the West and it needs to prioritize Fears and Queen’s development. —B.S.

New York Knicks

First game: Loss to 76ers

Takeaway: Karl-Anthony Towns remains critical to the offense’s operation. He struggled to stay on the floor due to foul trouble for the first three quarters and the Knicks were unable to run any offense through him as a result, allowing the 76ers to key in on Jalen Brunson (who finished 6-for-19 on the night). Whatever KAT is willing to give defensively night-to-night is important, of course, but he’s what allows the offense to attack in multiple ways and his 24 minutes on ring night weren’t nearly enough to make the impact his team needs. —L.M.

NEXT: The Knicks Got Their Special Moment on Champions Night, and Then Reality Set in

Oklahoma City Thunder

First two games: Win over Spurs; win over Nuggets

Takeaway: Chet Holmgren is back to being Chet Holmgren. His disastrous Western Conference finals series is behind him. Those who forgot Holmgren finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting got a reminder Tuesday night when he held rival Victor Wembanyama to 12 points in the worst shooting performance of his career (1-for-13). Holmgren followed that up with 12 points, a whopping 17 boards and four blocks against Denver on Thursday. Sheesh! —T.D.

NEXT: Chet Holmgren, Thunder Remind Spurs Who They Are in Return of the NBA’s Best Rivalry

Orlando Magic

First game: Loss to Hawks

Takeaway: Tristan da Silva could be a game-changer. Paolo Banchero had an incredible game for the Magic, but da Silva’s shotmaking off the bench stood out. He played 28 minutes, nearly a starter workload, and scored 14 points as he knocked down four triples. New coach Sean Sweeney said before the season that da Silva would have a green light, and that came to fruition in Orlando’s opener. —B.S.

Philadelphia 76ers

LeBron James and Jaylen Brown — The Sixers’ newcomers helped upset the Knicks on ring night. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First two games: Win over Knicks; win over Cavs

Takeaway: LeBron James seems not just willing but eager to play the connector role. The longtime superstar finished with only 14 points against the Knicks but added seven assists and wielded his basketball IQ as a weapon to open up the floor for his teammates with timely cuts as well as hockey assists. We know from last season the 41-year-old is still capable of 20-point-per-game production, but that’s not what Philadelphia will need to succeed with this star-studded lineup. He leaned into that reality and it resulted in an unexpected opening night win for a roster everyone thought would need time to mesh. —L.M.

Phoenix Suns

First game: Loss to Trail Blazers

Takeaway: It’s never a good thing when your star player (Devin Booker) calls the first game of the year a wake-up call. Phoenix looked like it was sleepwalking in the first quarter and fell behind 21–0 in the opening six minutes. It was comically bad. Teammates were fighting over rebounds and missing easy shots. Devin Booker finished the game with a plus/minus of -43. There have only been 74 instances since the NBA began tracking the stat of a plus/minus worse than -43. (The all-time record, according to Stathead, is -60 by Jazz guard Cody Williams last January in a 150–95 loss to the Hornets.) The only takeaway you can gain from a game this bad is the Suns should thank their lucky stars they have 81 more opportunities to figure it out. —T.D.

Portland Trail Blazers

First game: Win over Suns

Takeaway: Everyone on this roster is a three-point threat. All five of Portland’s starters—Ja Morant, Damian Lillard, Donovan Clingan, Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara—hit multiple treys against Phoenix. That is tough to defend. Also, I don’t know this to be a fact, but the Trail Blazers’ 21–0 run in the opening six minutes of Micah Nori’s tenure has to be the best start for a coach’s debut in NBA history, right? Extend his contract now, Tom Dundon. —T.D.

Sacramento Kings

First game: Loss to Clippers

Takeaway: Prized rookie Darius Acuff Jr., the No. 7 pick in June, will be fine. He took 24 shots—the ninth-most FGA in an NBA debut in league history— and knocked down just five of those attempts for 12 points. It’s an ugly box score, and combined with a few head-scratching turnovers, added up to a rather forgettable debut, but he showed enough for Kings fans to be encouraged. Acuff had active hands on defense and flashed his elite ability to change speeds while driving to the hoop. Those shots will start falling. I’m more concerned about Keegan Murray’s dud of a game (two points, 1-of-8 shooting). Yikes. —T.D.

San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama — Wemby had a rough start to his fourth NBA season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First game: Loss to Thunder

Takeaway: Despite what people may think, De’Aaron Fox is still pretty darn good at basketball. Yes, the opener was a forgettable night for Victor Wembanyama. Fox was solid and a bright spot, though, with an efficient 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to two turnovers. He started next to fellow guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper and remained the Spurs’ best offensive conductor. He dealt with an ankle sprain in the playoffs which impacted his performance and he can’t be written off. —B.S.

Toronto Raptors

First game: Win over Bulls

Takeaway: The defense is as frightening as expected. Holding the Bulls to 92 points on opening night is a quality performance, even if Chicago isn’t exactly overflowing with firepower. But forcing 27 turnovers is more of a reflection of Toronto’s personnel and the heights they can collectively reach as a disruptive defensive unit. Everyone in the rotation sticks to their man like glue and boast lightning quick hands that are always prepared to pick an opponent’s pocket. If the Raptors can force turnovers at or near a league-high rate this season it will offset the remaining concerns about the offense’s shooting and spacing that even Kawhi Leonard can’t fix on his own. A very encouraging start in that regard. —L.M.

Utah Jazz

First game: Loss to Grizzlies

Takeaway: Jaren Jackson Jr. has to be better if the Jazz want to get back to winning ways. Utah traded for the former DPOY at the deadline and, in his return to Memphis, Jackson Jr. showed why the Grizzlies traded him. He fouled out in 28 minutes and pulled down all of five rebounds while his team got hammered on the glass. Without a real starting-caliber center to play alongside (Jaxson Hayes is fine but decidedly not that) the Jazz need JJJ to step up on the glass—and they certainly didn’t give up multiple first-round picks for him to keep struggling with foul trouble in his ninth NBA season. Everyone on the roster must take a step forward to seriously compete this season and that includes Jackson Jr. —L.M.

MANNIX: The Jazz Are Finally Entering a Season With Expectations. Will Hardy Is Ready for the Leap.

Washington Wizards

First game: Win over Bucks

Takeaway: I like this Wizards team! Anthony Davis and Trae Young are absolutely a dynamic duo, they just need to stay on the court. It was an off night for Trae shooting-wise, but he still finished with 20 points and 13 assists to just one turnover. Davis was dominant with 34 points and 12 rebounds to lead all scorers. Plus, the pair shot a whopping 30 free throws—just the two of them! Kyshawn George was really good, too, and Bilal Coulibaly shined as a tough defender. The scariest part? Top pick AJ Dybantsa didn’t even play due to a sprained ankle. We’ll see if it lasts over the course of the season and Washington’s first game was admittedly against the lowly Bucks, but the Wizards could be good immediately. —B.S.

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