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NBA Starting 5, Oct. 27: Damian Lillard set a record in his 1st game

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Damian Lillard! Doing what he does.”

A new era just dawned in Milwaukee.

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THE LINEUP

Lillard’s introduction before his Bucks debut. | NBAE

  • Dame’s Milwaukee Debut 🔔🦌
  • LeBron, Lakers rally past KD, Suns 🌇
  • Rivalries & Gm7 rematches tonight 💥
  • 1st Buckets Roundup 🏀
  • 1️⃣9️⃣8️⃣9️⃣ (NBA’s Version)

     

  1. WELCOME TO DAME TIME, MILWAUKEE

Nobody in Bucks history has ever scored more in their debut. | NBAE via Getty Images

This is why you go and get Damian Lillard. 

Trailing by 2 with 4 minutes left, Lillard scored 14 of Milwaukee’s final 16 points to lead the Bucks to a 118-117 win over Philly in both teams’ season opener – and made his way into Bucks history as he did it.

That’s Dame Time.

  • Lillard finished with 39 points – setting the Bucks franchise record for most points in a debut – hitting 2 of his 4 3-pointers in the clutch, including the clincher from 30 feet out. He also hit all 17 of his free throws
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo added 23 points, 13 boards and 2 blocks, hitting 10 field goals to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most buckets by a Buck ever
  • Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 31 points and 8 assists, while reigning MVP Joel Embiid added 27 points, 7 boards and 6 assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 27 points and 5 3s off the bench in his Sixers debut
  • Postgame: The head nod by Dame to the camera on his walk to the locker room says it all
  1. LONG-AWAITED KD-LEBRON DUEL DELIVERS

After nearly a decade of not sharing an NBA court, Bron and KD shared an early-season classic on Thursday.| NBAE via Getty Images

In their 1st regular season matchup in 5 years, Kevin Durant and LeBron James did not disappoint.

  1. FRIDAY: PLAYOFF REMATCHES ON ESPN

The Heat & Celtics have met in 3 of the last 4 ECF. The last 2 have gone 7. | NBAE via Getty Images

Three Playoff series went 7 games last year. Tonight’s ESPN doubleheader features rematches of 2 of those series.

📺Heat (1-0) at Celtics (1-0), 7:30 ET, ESPN

Look at the playoff history between these 2 teams from the past 4 seasons alone:

Tonight, they start their 4-game regular season series with both teams looking for a 2-0 start. What’s one matchup to watch? Jayson Tatum vs. Jimmy Butler.

  • In last year’s East Finals, Butler held Tatum to 41% shooting in 38 minutes, while Tatum shot nearly 49% against all other Heat defenders. 
  • On the other end, Tatum held Butler to 38% shooting in 34 minutes, while Jimmy shot 42.6% against all other Celtics defenders.

It took the Dubs & Kings decades to meet in the Playoffs. The first time they did, they went 7. | NBAE via Getty Images

📺Warriors (0-1) at Kings (1-0), 10 ET, ESPN

This matchup may not have the same history as Boston-Miami, but the 1st postseason matchup may have sparked a new rivalry.

  • Steph’s Back: The last time Steph Curry played in Sacramento, he set a then-Game 7 record with 50 points to lead the Warriors into the West semifinals
  • Rivals Even In Preseason: Curry didn’t let up against the Kings in the preseason, sinking a game-winning 3 to cap off a late rally in the Bay
  • Kings Start Hot: Sacramento won its season opener in Utah, with Malik Monk giving us an early dunk of the year candidate on the 2nd night of the NBA season
  • Dubs Fall Short in Opener: Golden State dropped its season opener against Phoenix with Curry scoring 27 and Chris Paul adding 14 points and 9 dimes in his Warriors debut. Despite the loss, Curry feels the CP3 addition has been smooth so far and will only get better

SGA & Spida meet up on League Pass tonight. | NBAE via Getty Images

What Else From Friday’s 11-Game Slate?

📲Nuggets at Grizzlies (7 ET, NBA App): The Nuggets got their rings and dub on Tuesday and look for their 1st road win against a Memphis squad looking for its 1st win of the season

📲Pistons at Hornets (7 ET, NBA App): A pair of top-5 picks meet as No. 2 Brandon Miller and the Hornets host No. 5 Ausar Thompson and the Pistons

📲Thunder at Cavaliers (7:30 ET, NBA App): An All-Star guard matchup with OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell as both teams look to go to 2-0

📲Knicks at Hawks (7:30 ET, NBA App): Both teams are looking for their 1st win after single-digit losses in their season openers as both struggled to close out the 4th quarter

📲Rockets at Spurs (8 ET, NBA App): It’s a matchup of a pair of top-4 picks as Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs host Amen Thompson and the Rockets with both rooks looking for their 1st win

📲Raptors at Bulls (8 ET, NBA App): The Raptors look to improve to 2-0 after defeating the Wolves on Wednesday, while the Bulls look to bounce back from a 20-point loss to OKC 

📲Nets at Mavericks (8:30 ET, NBA App): Both teams were in clutch season-openers; the Nets fell to the Cavs on Mitchell’s game-winner, while Luka spoiled Wemby’s debut in San Antonio

📲Clippers at Jazz (9:30 ET, NBA App): The Jazz try to avoid an 0-2 home start when they host the Clippers, who got a combined 50 from Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in a season-opening W

📲Magic at Blazers (10 ET, NBA App): After opening last season 0-5, the Magic look to go 2-0 when they visit the Blazers

  1. FIRST BUCKETS FOR ROOKS AND NEW FACES 🏀

Charlotte’s No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller put up 13 in his debut. | NBAE via Getty Images

Certain moments become core memories for players entering the NBA. One of them? Scoring your 1st basket. Here’s a selection from this year’s rookie class:

Dame: on the board for Milwaukee. | NBAE via Getty Images

With more than 100 players switching teams this offseason, there are plenty of new faces scoring 1st buckets with their new teams, too: 

  • Damian Lillard: Dame’s 1st “Buck”et comes on a baseline fadeaway jumper off the inbounds pass
  • Kristaps Porzingis: Threw down the alley-oop for his 1st bucket as a Celtic
  • Jordan Poole: A big block by Daniel Gafford got Washington on the break, with Poole finishing with a reverse layup for his 1st Wizards bucket
  • Marcus Smart: Needed just 90 seconds to get his 1st 3-pointer as a Grizzly
  • Jrue Holiday: Called his own number as he stepped into a 3-pointer for his 1st Boston bucket
  1. 1️⃣9️⃣8️⃣9️⃣ (NBA’s VERSION)

Taylor & squad at MSG for Knicks-Magic in 2014. | NBAE via Getty Images

Today, Taylor Swift dropped a re-record of an album, “1989,” that she released 9 years ago while living in NYC … a time when she also happened to pop into a few Knicks games. 

The title also got us reminiscing about the best of the NBA in 1989 – a year when the Bad Boys ruled and a new generation was about to change the league. 

1989 NBA snapshot

Your NBA1989 MVP. Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson. | NBAE via Getty Images

Current players born in 1989

Noted Swifty Jimmy Butler was born just a few months before Taylor in 1989. | NBAE via Getty Images

5 iconic NBA moments from 1989

  • May 7, 1989: Michael Jordan’s series-winning buzzer beater is known in Chicago, and especially in Cleveland, as “The Shot”
  • June 13, 1989: The Pistons complete the sweep of the Lakers to win 1st title in franchise history
  • Nov. 4, 1989: David Robinson makes his NBA debut for the Spurs, posting 23 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks in a 106-98 win over the Lakers
  • Nov. 9, 1989: The Bucks defeat the SuperSonics 155-154 in a 5-overtime game, the longest of the shot clock era
  • Dec. 17, 1989: Hakeem Olajuwon (then known as Akeem) tallies 32 points, 25 rebounds and 10 blocks as the Rockets defeat the Magic. No player has reached those marks in an NBA game since

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