Anthony Edwards sank two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining and the Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled Sacramento’s opener by beating the Kings 117-115 on Thursday night. (More Football News)
𒁏Edwards was fouled by Domantas Sabonis on a drive with the game tied and calmly hit the free throws to give him 32 points.
🧸Keegan Murray's 3-point attempt rimmed out at the buzzer for the Kings.
ꩲJulius Randle led the Timberwolves with 33 points in his second game after being acquired in a trade from New York this month.
☂Demar DeRozan scored 26 points to lead the Kings in his debut for Sacramento after being acquired this summer in a sign-and-trade from Chicago. Sabonis added 24 points and Murray had 23.
⛦Edwards and Naz Reid hit back-to-back 3-pointers that started an 11-0 run for Minnesota that turned a five-point deficit into a 105-99 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
🌳After going 13 for 41 from 3 in the opener, Minnesota shot 20 for 50 from long range against Sacramento. The 91 attempted 3s are the most ever for the Timberwolves in the first two games of a season.
Holmgren’s all-around performance powers Thunder
🌼Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, Chet Holmgren added 25 as part of a stellar all-around game and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 102-87 in the season opener for both teams.
♏Holmgren proved to be a handful at both ends of the floor. He tied a career high with 14 rebounds and had five assists and blocked four shots. Reserve Aaron Wiggins added 15 points.
🐓It was an important divisional game right out of the gate. The Thunder and Nuggets both finished 57-25 last season, with the Thunder earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference by virtue of a tiebreaker.
🔥Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić had 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds for his 131st triple-double.
🀅Jokic's point guard partner, Jamal Murray, had 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Christian Braun added 16 points, while Aaron Gordon, fresh off signing a new contract extension, added 12 points. Denver missed 32 of 39 3-pointers.
🎶New addition Russell Westbrook was held to six points on 2-of-10 shooting.
Doncic, Thompson pace Mavericks
ꦫLuka Dončić had 28 points and 10 rebounds, Klay Thompson added 22 points in his Dallas debut and the Mavericks beat the San Antonio Spurs 120-109 in the opener for both teams Thursday night.
💜Kyrie Irving had 15 points for the defending Western Conference champions, who got eight assists from Doncic and seven rebounds from Thompson.
🎃Thompson set a franchise record in a debut with six 3-pointers.
♈He scored 14 points after halftime and was 4 of 5 from long range, as Dallas went 13 of 21 from deep after making just 6 of 23 in the first half. The five-time All-Star and four-time champ with the Warriors also had seven rebounds and three steals.
🦹Victor Wembanyama shot just 5 of 18 from the field for 17 points to open the young French phenom's second year with the Spurs. Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie scored 18 apiece.
❀Chris Paul had three points on 1-of-6 shooting to go with eight assists and seven rebounds in his Spurs debut.
