NBA roundup: Bucks dominate shorthanded Sixers, Suns overcome Clippers fightback
Damian Lillard recorded 30 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 25, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a decisive 124-109 victory over the injury-stricken Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, marking the season opener for both teams in the NBA.
The 76ers, missing key players Joel Embiid and newly acquired Paul George, struggled to match the Bucks' performance, which included 16 points from Taurean Prince and another 16 points off the bench from Bobby Portis.
Embiid, the prominent center from Cameroon who played a pivotal role in securing Olympic gold for the United States in Paris, was sidelined throughout the preseason as part of a management strategy for his surgically repaired left knee.
The 76ers announced on Tuesday that he would be unavailable for the first week of the regular season, while George, a nine-time All-Star, faced a delay in his Philadelphia debut due to a preseason bone bruise in his left knee.
Despite a strong opening from Tyrese Maxey and an aggressive offensive rebounding effort, the 76ers managed to take a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
However, Lillard and the Bucks quickly found their rhythm, with Lillard's three-pointer midway through the second quarter giving Milwaukee a 36-33 advantage, followed by a driving finger-roll layup that extended the lead to 58-45 with just 33.4 seconds remaining in the first half.
At halftime, Milwaukee held a 58-47 lead and increased their advantage to as much as 22 points after the break. Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, displayed no signs of the knee tendinitis that had been affecting him, adding 14 rebounds and seven assists to his performance.
In other Wednesday matchups, Kevin Durant led the Phoenix Suns with 25 points in a thrilling 116-113 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers, who were playing their inaugural regular season game in the new Intuit Dome arena.
The excitement among the home crowd was dampened when a late surge from Phoenix forced the game into overtime. Clippers star James Harden missed a crucial free throw with four seconds left in overtime that could have tied the game, allowing Phoenix to secure a narrow victory. "This is just one game - we want to keep building," Durant told ESPN after the victory. "We just have a system that we can rely on for four quarters."
In a notable performance, Zaccharie Risacher, the first overall draft pick from France, commenced his rookie season on a high note during the Atlanta Hawks' 120-116 triumph over the Brooklyn Nets.
The 19-year-old French player entered the game off the bench late in the first quarter and successfully converted a three-pointer on his initial shot. He concluded the match with seven points, while Trae Young led the Hawks with an impressive 30 points. Young also contributed significantly with 12 assists, and Onyeka Okongwu achieved a career-best 28 points coming off the bench.
For the Nets, Cam Thomas was the standout performer, scoring 36 points, but it marked a disappointing debut for Jordi Fernandez as he began his tenure as an NBA head coach.
In another matchup, the Indiana Pacers overcame the Detroit Pistons, who experienced a familiar sense of despair as they entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point advantage. The Pacers rallied to secure a 115-109 victory, with Myles Turner contributing 20 points and Bennedict Mathurin scoring 14 of his 19 points in the final quarter, during which the Pacers outscored the Pistons 33-19.
This game marked a triumphant return for Mathurin, whose previous season was curtailed by a shoulder injury that necessitated surgery in March. "Stepping away from the game for seven months makes you realize how blessed I am," Mathurin expressed. "I'm just really excited we got the win tonight."
The Pistons are eager to move on from a dismal 14-68 record from the previous season, which was the worst in the league. However, the beginning of new coach J.B. Bickerstaff's era was marked by yet another loss.
"I believed our players performed admirably; they competed with great intensity," Bickerstaff remarked.
In Portland, the Golden State Warriors commenced the post-Klay Thompson phase with a commanding victory over the Trail Blazers, securing a decisive 139-104 win.
Buddy Hield was the standout scorer for Golden State, contributing 22 points off the bench, while Steph Curry added 17 points to the tally.
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