NBA Game Reviews: Opening Night 2020

 1. Kevin Durant is back, and the rest of the NBA should be worried

Kevin Durant’s last meaningful basketball game before this Season Opener was 561 days ago. Durant left that game with a torn achilles, and would go on to miss the entire 2019-20 season because of it. Many wondered if he would ever return to his pre-achilles tear form. While it’s only one game, it’s clear the Slim Reaper is back to take defender’s souls. Kevin Durant did it all for the Brooklyn Nets today in their clobbering of his former team, the Golden State Warriors. Durant scored 22 points on 7/16 shooting, adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals in just 24 minutes. 

A healthy Durant combined with this dominant version of Kyrie Irving, who shredded the Warriors defense for 26 points on 10/16 shooting, could give the rest of the NBA nightmares. And the contributions from Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie spreading the floor in the starting lineup and Caris LeVert running the second-unit with 20 points off the bench can’t be forgotten. The injury-riddled Nets fell off of people’s radars last year. It’s time to put them back on as a legit title contender with a ceiling as high as any team in the league.

2. The Warriors are going to miss Klay Thompson…a lot 

COLORS KEY | FULL WARRIORS FUTURE OUTLOOK

Steph Curry has been the star of the Golden State Warriors since their Championship run began in 2015. He led the Warriors to five straight NBA Finals appearances, the best single-reason record in NBA history at 73-9 and was awarded two MVPs along the way, including the only unanimous MVP in NBA history. He was the face of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. But he didn’t do it alone. Klay Thompson may have been the most underrated player in the league during those championship runs. Thompson was battling with Curry for the best shooter in the league award, and was the team’s premier perimeter defender. To say they missed Klay’s presence on opening night would be an understatement. 

The Warriors struggled in all facets of the game. They shot 37% from the field and just 30% from three. They were outrebounded by 10, and their porous defense allowed the Nets to do just about anything they wanted on offense. The Warriors’ main Klay Thompson replacements, Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr., shot a combined 7-31 from the field and 2-12 from three. 

If the Warriors want any shot of making the playoffs in the crowded Western Conference, they’ll need more from the guys around Curry. They’ll get Draymond Green back from injury soon, but he won’t be enough to make up for the offensive woes the Warriors showcased today. It’s only one game, but the Warriors are going to need to figure some things out if they want any shot at the postseason.

3. The Los Angeles teams are on a crash course to meet in the Western Conference Finals

COLORS KEY | FULL CLIPPERS FUTURE OUTLOOK

The Los Angeles Clippers had a sneaky good offseason. Following one of the most monumental collapses in NBA history, the Clippers made some adjustments, starting at the top. The Clippers fired head coach Doc Rivers, and replaced him with his top assistant from last year, Tyronn Lue. They traded for Luke Kennard on draft night, and added Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum in free agency. Their only key loss was reigning Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, who signed with the crosstown rival Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers had the best offseason in basketball. They lost key contributors from their championship run, but they replaced them with guys who are younger, and quite frankly, better. As aforementioned, they poached Harrell from the Clippers, but he’s far from the team’s only addition. The Lakers shipped out Danny Green and a pick for last year’s 6th Man of the Year runner-up Dennis Schroder. In free agency, they signed Marc Gasol and Wesley Matthews, who can space the floor around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Plus they saw the rise of Talen Horton-Tucker in the preseason, who should play a more significant role this year.

These were arguably the two deepest teams in the league last year, and this year they’re both deeper, which they showcased on opening night. The Clippers had key contributions from 10 guys, while the Lakers utilized 11. Both teams looked sloppy at times, but that’s expected for opening night, especially after such a short offseason. The Clippers got the best out of the Lakers in Game 1, but the same outcome happened a year ago. The LA teams are the two best teams in basketball. They should be in line to meet in the Western Conference Finals, and will likely happen if the Clippers can avoid another historic collapse.