Opening night of the 2026-27 NBA season didn’t ease anyone in. Kyrie Irving’s return ended with a blunt assessment of the Mavericks’ defense, Anthony Edwards dropped 45 to spoil Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Heat debut, and Tyrese Haliburton fought back tears after his first game in 16 months. Elsewhere, Luka Doncic answered a rookie’s trash talk with a half-court buzzer-beater, and Damian Lillard’s Portland homecoming turned into a 41-point rout.

Kyrie Irving Calls the Mavericks’ Defensive Effort “Horrendous” After Rockets Loss

Kyrie Irving did not hold back after the Dallas Mavericks fell 128-110 to the Houston Rockets in their season opener. Houston took control in the second quarter, outscoring Dallas 38-12 and building a lead that proved too much for the Mavericks to overcome.

“The effort, just horrendous,” Irving said of the second quarter. “I don’t want to use that graphic word to negatively put it on just one person or even myself. We were horrendous defensively & when you score 12 points in an NBA game, give up 38… It’s going to look like that.”

Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 32 points, while Irving finished with 15 in his first regular-season appearance since tearing his ACL in March 2025. Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. each scored 30 points for Houston, with Alperen Sengun adding 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Irving’s criticism highlighted the defensive breakdown that allowed Houston to seize control early, leaving Dallas with plenty to address after its opening-night defeat.

Anthony Edwards Fires Back at Heat Bench Trash Talk After Scoring 45

Anthony Edwards had plenty to celebrate after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 131-106 win over the Miami Heat. He scored 45 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and knocked down nine three-pointers, helping Minnesota spoil Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first game with Miami.

Antetokounmpo finished with 35 points and six rebounds, but the Timberwolves controlled the game behind 21 made threes.

The night also featured a verbal exchange involving Edwards and a player on the Heat bench. Edwards explained his response after the game: “A player on (the Heat) bench was talkin trash…And then when I started talkin to him he didn’t really have too much more to say…If you gonna talk s–t, keep talkin s–t. Don’t get quiet.”

He was just as vocal about his new backcourt partner. LaMelo Ball, making his Timberwolves debut, added 21 points and five threes.

“At this point, me and him are gonna be like best friends,” Edwards said. Edwards’ scoring paired with Ball’s playmaking and shooting gave Minnesota an encouraging first look at a duo it is counting on all season.

Damian Lillard Leads Portland as Ja Morant Makes His Trail Blazers Debut

Damian Lillard made an immediate impact in his return to the Portland Trail Blazers, scoring 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting and making six three-pointers. Portland defeated the Phoenix Suns 124-83, while Ja Morant recorded 14 points and eight assists in his first game for the franchise.

The Trail Blazers set the tone early, opening with a 21-0 run and taking a 72-39 lead into halftime. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara added 18 points apiece, while Devin Booker led Phoenix with 23 points.

Morant and Booker also traded words during the game, but afterward Morant focused on the team’s start.

“You only get one chance at a first impression,” Morant said. “And that was our message to each other before we ran out of the tunnel. So make sure we leave a good message and start off on the right foot.”

He continued, “Obviously the starters, we put a lot of pressure on ourself to start the game right for the team. So for us to be able to do that and execute on both ends was big time.”

As the Associated Press’ recap of Portland’s season-opening victory detailed, Lillard’s return and Morant’s debut were among the key storylines in the decisive win. The result also gave Portland an encouraging start with its new backcourt pairing.

Tyrese Haliburton Returns From Achilles Injury in Emotional Pacers Win

Tyrese Haliburton’s return to the court carried significance beyond the box score. 16 months after rupturing his right Achilles tendon during the 2025 NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers guard returned for their season opener and helped deliver a 123-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Haliburton finished with 23 points and 12 assists, scoring 16 of his points in the fourth quarter. At one point, he scored eight of Indiana’s 10 points in a 90-second stretch to erase a 101-93 deficit. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 30 points.

The moment caught up with Haliburton afterward. Struggling to hold back tears in his on-court interview, he said, “I’m just really thankful to be back out here.”

The emotion was understandable after such a long rehabilitation, but his fourth-quarter contribution also showed how quickly he made an impact in his first regular-season game back.

For a franchise that went 19-63 without him last season, the win was an early sign that Indiana’s star is back.

Luka Doncic Responds to Yaxel Lendeborg’s Trash Talk With a Half-Court Shot

Luka Doncic helped the Los Angeles Lakers open their season with a 127-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors, finishing with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Walker Kessler also made an immediate impression in his Lakers debut, scoring 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting.

The game also featured multiple exchanges between Doncic and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick, who drew a technical foul.

“Yeah, I mean, he was talking crazy,” Doncic said. “But, you know, I wasn’t trying to talk back, you know, this season.”

Doncic answered with a half-court buzzer-beater before halftime, then pointed at Lendeborg. “I knew that was going up before I got it in my hands,” he said. “I work on those.”

The Lakers’ comfortable win gave Doncic an opportunity to showcase his scoring and playmaking, while the exchange added another layer to a game in which Kessler’s perfect shooting night stood out.

Ja Morant Focuses on Making the Right First Impression in Portland

Morant’s Trail Blazers debut ended in a commanding win over Phoenix, but his postgame comments focused on the team’s preparation rather than his individual numbers. The guard finished with 14 points and eight assists as Portland established control early.

Reflecting on the team’s message before tipoff, Morant said, “You only get one chance at a first impression. And that was our message to each other before we ran out of the tunnel. So make sure we leave a good message and start off on the right foot.”

He continued, “Obviously the starters, we put a lot of pressure on ourself to start the game right for the team. So for us to be able to do that and execute on both ends was big time.”

Morant’s comments captured the importance of beginning his Portland tenure with a collective effort. While the game also drew attention to the exchange of words involving Morant and Booker, the clearest takeaway was Portland’s dominant start and the new guard’s emphasis on getting the team’s approach right.