Who had the right combination on opening night?
Wednesday was a night for amazing numbers from all over the league. Here are some of our favorites, with assistance provided by the Elias Sports Bureau.
50, 15, 5 and 5: Davis became the first player with at least 50 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and five steals in any game since steals were first recorded in 1973-74. He’s also the fourth player to score at least 50 points in a season opener, joining Michael Jordan (who did it twice), Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.
Davis had 16 rebounds, seven steals, five assists and four blocks. No player has had that combination of stats since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1986-87.
40 x 2: DeMar DeRozan and Davis each scored at least 40 points on opening night. It’s the first time two players scored at least 40 in a season opener since Michael Jordan and Karl Malone in the 1989-90 season.
40 and 30:DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas became the only teammates in NBA history with a 40-point game and a 30-point game in a season opener.
30, 15 and 4: Pacers big man Myles Turner became the first player to have at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots in a season opener since Olajuwon for the Rockets in 1988. The only other players to do that since blocks were first recorded in 1973-74 are Bob McAdoo and Anthony Davis, who did it Wednesday night.
30 x 3: Russell Westbrook became the fourth player to score at least 30 points in three straight season openers, along with LeBron James, Allen Iverson and Jordan. Westbrook finished one assist shy of a triple-double, which would have been his fourth straight triple-double versus the 76ers.
20 in 22: Joel Embiid scored 20 points in 22 minutes in his NBA debut for the 76ers. The last player to score 20 in a debut in which he played 25 or fewer minutes was Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (then Chris Jackson) in 1990.
30, 5 and 5: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Bucks. He’s the second player in Bucks history with 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in a season opener, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971-72.
30 and 15: James Harden became the second player in NBA history with at least 30 points and 15 assists in his team's first game of a season.
The only other player to do it was Tim Hardaway, who produced 32 points and 18 assists for the Warriors in their 162-158 victory at Denver to begin the 1990-91 season.
