Wednesday, October 23, 2024

NBA Opening Night scores, live updates: Celtics hang 18th banner, roll past Knicks; Bronny and LeBron could suit up together for the Lakers

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The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have combined to win nearly half (35 of 78) of the NBA championships since the league’s inception, and the two premier franchises took center stage Tuesday night on the NBA’s Opening Night.

There’s no championship hangover in Boston.

The Celtics hung their 18th banner and tried on their new rings in a pregame ceremony Tuesday night. They then proceeded to trounce the New York Knicks, picking up where they left off in June with a 132-109 win to open the new NBA season, tying a 3-point record in the process.

Jayson Tatum started the game with a 3-pointer in the game’s opening 10 seconds. It was a sign of things to come as Boston torched the Knicks with a 29-of-61 effort from 3-point distance, setting a new NBA record for 3s made in a single game. The Milwaukee Bucks previously set the record with 29 3-pointers in a 144-97 romp over the Miami Heat in 2020.

Tatum, who spent the bulk of his summer in Paris on the bench as a little-used Olympian, led the way and again showed his chops as the centerpiece of a championship team. He finished the game with 37 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds while shooting 14 of 18 from the field and 8 of 11 from 3.

The Lakers may have one of the most anticipated debuts for a second-round pick in NBA history as Bronny James suits up for his first regular-season game, and may take the floor with his legendary father as L.A. hosts Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. LeBron James has talked often throughout the years about wanting to play with his son, and the two did share the floor in the preseason. A father-son duo has never played together in the NBA, but Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. were the first to do so in Major League Baseball and will be in attendance tonight.

Yahoo Sports has you covered with previews of all 30 teams, hot takes, breakout candidates and much more. Stay with Yahoo Sports for live coverage of NBA Opening Night 2024 below.

Live43 updates

  • Do Timberwolves miss KAT?

    The Timberwolves traded away an All-Star level scorer and rebounder in Karl-Anthony Towns. They’ve allowed 14 offensive rebounds to the Lakers so far and face a 74-55 discrepancy in field goal attempts.

    They’re still in striking distance as the Lakers hold a 77-65 lead late in the third quarter. But they’re struggling on offense and on the boards.

  • Anthony Davis denies Rudy Gobert

    Anthony Davis has been one of the NBA’s best defenders since he first stepped foot on an NBA court. He’s never won Defensive Player of the Year. This block on reigning and four-time DPOY Rudy Gobert must have felt good.

  • The second half is underway. Can the Timberwolves make it a game?

  • Lebron’s pep talk to Bronny

    Here’s LeBron getting Bronny ready from the bench just moments before their father-son debut on the court.

  • Halftime stats, observations

    Anthony Davis leads the Lakers at halftime with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Rui Hachimura has 11 points. LeBron James has eight. Rookie Dalton Knecht scored five quick points in his first NBA action off the bench. Bronny James posted 0 points on two shots and tallied a single rebound in a brief appearance alongside his dad late in the half.

    Anthony Edwards has largely been a one-man show for the Timberwolves with 14 points and 3 rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is Minnesota’s next-leading scorer with 7 points off the bench.

    The Lakers are shooting just 41.5% (22 of 53) from the field and 15.8% from 3 (3 of 19), but have limited Minnesota to 16 field goals on just 39 attempts (41%) while forcing 10 Timberwolves turnovers.

  • Lakers take 55-42 lead into half

    The Lakers opened the second quarter with a 29-9 run to open up a 51-32 lead late in the second quarter. The Timberwolves battled back to cut into their deficit and trail the Lakers, 55-42 at halftime.

  • Bronny back to the bench

    Bronny James’ first turn in the rotation as an NBA player lasted 2:41. He took and missed two shots including a 3-point attempt on a pass from LeBron and heads back to the bench with 1:19 remaining in the half. He logged a rebound before leaving the game.

    The James’ had their moment. Will we see Bronny again tonight in anything other than garbage time?

  • LeBron, Bronny make their debut

    With the Lakers holding a 51-35 lead and four minutes remaining in the second quarter, the long-awaited moment for the James family has arrived. LeBron James and his son Bronny just came off the bench together to make their father-son debut on an NBA court in a regular-season game.

  • Dalton Knecht drills first NBA 3-point attempt

    Lakers rookie and former Tennessee star Dalton Knecht got his NBA career off to a strong start. He curled off a screen and pulled up to drill a 3-pointer from the top of the key on his first NBA field-goal attempt.

  • Lakers run forces TWolves timeout

    The Lakers have opened the second quarter with a 12-4 run to take a 34-27 lead. The Timberwolves called timeout in an effort to stop the bleeding.

  • END OF Q1: Timberwolves 23, Lakers 22

    Minnesota ends the quarter on an 11-4 run to take the first lead as the first quarter ends. Anthony Edwards leads all scorers with eight points.

  • Lakers seem more active on the boards

    One thing JJ Redick has spoken about improving with the Lakers is an emphasis on offensive rebounding, where they ranked last in the NBA last season. Early returns on that are solid, with four boards on 13 misses despite elite defensive rebounder Rudy Gobert being on the other team.

  • Lakers lead 11-7 at first timeout

    The Lakers might not have made many personnel changes over the offseason, but LeBron James still looking like LeBron James is nice. The Timberwolves offense still looks like a work in progress after trading Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, with as many turnovers as baskets.

  • Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. in the house to watch LeBron and Bronny make history

    Bronny James checking in and becoming the younger half of the NBA’s first on-court father-son pair is being treated as an eventuality. Two of the few people who can relate are in attendance.

  • Lakers, and Rui Hachimura in particular, off to a good start

  • Timberwolves-Lakers tips off

    The new $110 million man wins the tip and we’re off at Crypto.com Arena.

  • Rudy Gobert agrees to $110 million deal, while warming up

    We’re a few minutes from the Timberwolves and Lakers tipping off. That didn’t stop Minnesota center Rudy Gobert from being reported to have landed a $110 million extension. No time is safe from NBA news.

  • Celtics roll, don’t break 3-point record

    That’s a wrap on a dominant opening night for the Boston Celtics. The Celtics cruised to a 132-109 in over the New York Knicks in their first game since winning last season’s NBA championship.

    They tied the NBA record for 3-pointers with their 29th early in the fourth quarter. But they fell short of claiming it as their own, missing their last 13 3-point attempts after clearing the bench in the blowout. No matter. It was a night to celebrate in Boston.

  • Karl-Anthony Towns calls it a night

    The Celtics didn’t exactly give Karl-Anthony Towns the warmest welcome to the Knicks.

    Assuming his night is done, as Boston holds a 30-point lead in the fourth quarter, Towns finished his debut for the Knicks with 12 points (5-9 FG, 1-2 3P), seven rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes.

    The offense often looked discombobulated with Towns in the mix. He found himself out of position and in the way of the action on multiple occasions, not providing the space that his shoot ability should provide.

    Defensively, it was worse. About as bad as the Knicks could have imagined. The Celtics scored 166 points per 100 possessions through the first three quarters, closing in on an NBA record for successful 3-pointers. The Knicks have been out-rebounded, though that may be because the Celtics rarely missed.

  • Celtics tie 3-point record

    Al Horford just hit a 3 for Boston’s 29th of the night, tying the all-time record for 3-pointers in an NBA game. There’s 8:35 remaining on the clock.

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