Leonard chose the Clippers, after winning the title with the Toronto Raptors last season, because he wanted to come home and his family was on hand. “All those emotions went through me again,” he said.
Lou Williams added 21 points and Montrezl Harrell had 17 off the bench when the Clippers began their 50th season overall and 36th in Los Angeles as the once unlikely but now favorites to win the franchise’s first NBA championship. “It’s one of 82 [games],” Rivers said. “Next question.”
The Lakers showed off their new 1-2 punch of James and Anthony Davis. Davis scored 25 points, making nine of 14 free throws, and James had 18. “For us, we’re both aggressive,” Davis said. “Sometimes we kind of miss each other. I missed him a couple times and he missed me, so just trying to figure it out.” Danny Green outscored them both with 28 points, including seven three-pointers, in the highest-scoring debut by a Laker in franchise history.
Leonard got it done without his fellow new arrival at the Clippers, Paul George, sidelined indefinitely while rehabbing from a pair of offseason shoulder surgeries. “It’s just the first game of the season, so it’s going to take the season and mistakes and success to get us on the same page,” Leonard said.
Wearing a black tuxedo jacket and bow tie, George received a mixed reaction when introduced in the playoff-like atmosphere at Staples Center, where the Clippers were the home team for the first of four meetings in the arena the teams share. “Their fans were very loud early and I thought our fans took over from that point on,” Rivers said. “It’s great for the city.”
With four minutes left, Lakers fans chanted “Let’s go, Lakers! Let’s go, Lakers!” while others hit the exits. “The NBA’s back and everyone’s trying to have the narrative of it’s a rivalry game and it’s a huge test,” James said, “but I think both teams are not where they want to be. We have a lot of room to improve.”
In the evening’s other game, the Raptors unfurled their championship banner, then got their title defense started with a hard-fought victory.
Fred VanVleet scored a career-high 34 points, Pascal Siakam fouled out with 34 points and 18 rebounds, as the Raptors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 130-122 in overtime in the first game of the new season.
“Pascal and Freddy, they are the young core, they are the guys who will carry this thing on,” Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. “I’m so happy for those guys to go out and perform like tonight. We’ll see them grow all year.”
Lowry scored 22 points, including a pair of free throws that put Toronto in the lead for good, and Serge Ibaka had 13 as the Raptors won their seventh straight season opener and posted their eighth win in nine meetings with the Pelicans.
