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Some things in life are just meant to be together. Intrinsic partnerships that improve the quality of both participants. The NBA’s return to NBC for Tuesday’s long-awaited season-opening doubleheader made it clear that the league and the broadcast giant are a pair that simply belong together, even if it took 23 years and a “Roundball Rock” revival for us to realize it.
The biggest thing a league trusts its broadcast partners with is presenting the sport and the storylines surrounding it in a manner that positively promotes the league and fan participation, while also maintaining a reasonable standard of integrity and objectivity.
To say NBC passed that test with flying colors would be an understatement. Positive reviews for the viewing experience were nearly unanimous, and one of the more popular takes from fans and pundits online was how much more important this season-opening slate felt because of the effort NBC displayed everywhere from the pregame segments to Mike Tirico’s call of the game.
Instant Classic
It certainly helps that the first NBA game on NBC in two decades-plus was an instant classic that will go down as the immediate frontrunner for game of the year.
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Houston Rockets 125-124 (2 OT) in a thrilling contest that had everything from a “shoulda been” Chris Webber moment by Kevin Durant at the end of regulation to a pair of game-winning free throws in the second overtime period by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Shai vs the Rockets 🔥
35 PointsForced OTGame-winning FTS in double OT
pic.twitter.com/qmMf3jInGs
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 22, 2025
In true SGA fashion, the reigning MVP arrived when it mattered most and scored 30 of his 35 points in the second half and overtime to give the Thunder a statement win on Banner Night in Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren held it down for OKC in the first half, scoring 15 of his 28 points before halftime en route to a well-rounded 11-of-17 shooting from the field.
The opener also marked the arrival of a superstar for Houston, as Alperen Șengün’s 39-point outing proved the 23-year-old is ready to make the jump from an All-Star reserve to one of the five or ten most impactful players in the sport. While NBC’s coverage certainly helped bolster the playoff atmosphere, the level of hoops displayed on both sides was the difference maker.
The Nightcap
The nightcap between the visiting Golden State Warriors and host Los Angeles Lakers won’t quite be remembered as the doozy that Oklahoma City’s two-overtime triumph will be. However, it did make it very clear that the Warriors’ offseason hype was real and a fifth ring for Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr (and a first for Jimmy Butler) could be in the cards.
Butler was the catalyst for Golden State, scoring a team-high 31 points on 7 of 14 shooting. Stephen Curry added 23 points in the win, while Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield each chipped in 17 to push the Warriors to a 119-109 win over the short-handed Lakers.
🏀 TUESDAY’S FINAL SCORES 🏀
Jimmy Butler III’s GSW career-high (31 PTS) powers the @warriors to victory on opening night!
Stephen Curry: 23 PTS, 4 AST, 3 STL, 3 3PMJonathan Kuminga: 17 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST, 4 3PMBuddy Hield: 17 PTS, 5 3PMLuka Dončić: 43 PTS, 12 REB, 9 AST, 2… https://t.co/jDA4BiWL4w pic.twitter.com/1sGGqazW7v
— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2025
With LeBron James (back) out for a season opener for the first time since October 2002, 26-year-old superstar Luka Dončiċ had to play the role of two men in the Lakers’ offense and did so as effectively as he could, scoring 43 points on 17-of-27 from the field. If you’re doing the math, that means Doncic had not yet celebrated his third birthday the last time LeBron missed a season opener.
Austin Reaves also put together a reasonably impressive stat line in the loss, scoring 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting while dishing out nine assists. However, DeAndre Ayton was the Lakers’ third leading scorer with just 10 points, doing little to quell concerns about LA’s nonexistent depth.
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