Opening night in the NBA always brings optimism, fresh jersey designs, and the promise of a championship chase. However, for six franchises, the new season started in historically embarrassing fashion.
For the first time in NBA history, six different teams lost their season openers by 20 or more points on the exact same slate.
Leading the dubious charge were the Chicago Bulls, who suffered a soul-crushing 135-92 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Toronto held Chicago to a dismal 32% shooting from the field, while Chicago’s fourth overall pick turned in an ugly minus-45 rating on the night to leave the Bulls with a 43-point deficit. Not far behind were the Phoenix Suns, who dropped their opener 124-84 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland dominated every facet of the game, handing Phoenix a brutal 41-point beatdown to start their campaign.
The blowout epidemic did not stop there. Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 points in his debut for the Miami Heat, but it was not enough to prevent a 131-106 defeat at the hands of Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota shot lights out to cruise to a 25-point victory, while the Sacramento Kings also dropped their opener by 25 points after a painful second-half collapse.
Out West, Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers steamrolled the Golden State Warriors in a 127-105 victory. Dončić stuffed the box score with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in just 30 minutes, leaving Golden State on the wrong end of a 22-point margin despite some early trash talk from Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Rounding out the record-setting evening, the Utah Jazz fell 123-103 to the Memphis Grizzlies, sealing a 20-point loss to cap off the night.
While an 82-game regular season offers plenty of time for redemption, these six teams now share an unwanted spot in the league record books. Opening night provided a swift reality check across the basketball world.
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