NBA Opening Night: 5 debutants to watch out for
Following the shortest offseason in league history, the new season of NBA is all set for its opening night. The first game of the doubleheader features Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors taking on Kevin Durant and the revived Brooklyn Nets.
The opening night also features defending champions LA Lakers taking on their city rivals LA Clippers in the second matchup of the evening. Both teams will look to record their first win as they attempt to set the tone for the rest of the season.
With multiple players moved around this offseason, opening night will present NBA fans their first chance to glance at their favorite players in the starting lineups.
NBA opening night has the makings of an electrifying evening that presents marquee matchups between some of the best teams.
NBA Opening Night: Debutants who could impress from the get-go
NBA opening night is the perfect place for debutant players to rock their new team jerseys and show off their talents to the world.
With the stage set and fans from around the world glued to their screens, these five players will be gunning to announce their arrival.
#1: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
After missing out on an entire season last year, Kevin Durant will be ready to make a splash on opening night. The four-time scoring champion, who also has two NBA Finals MVPs (2017 & 2018), suffered multiple injuries during the 2019 NBA Finals campaign.
Opening night will see Durant go toe to toe with his former teammate Stephen Curry, with whom he played three seasons before leaving for the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant is a special talent who may go down as the best offensive player in league history. He has a career average of 27 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists with a whopping 88.3% accuracy from the free-throw line.
The NBA 2020-21 season's opening night hosts one of the most anticipated matchups of the entire season. D-Wade knows what's up:
#2: Serge Ibaka (LA Clippers)
Another big name we'll see on opening night is former Toronto Raptors big man Serge Ibaka. Ibaka took his talents to the Los Angeles Clippers this off-season.
Ibaka won his first NBA Championship in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. He brings veteran experience that will help the Clippers on and off the court. NBA opening night will feature the 31-year-old center, who can protect the rim and stretch the floor with his long-distance shooting.
Look out for his matchup with former teammate Marc Gasol, who will be playing for his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers.