Check out some of the key stories that our editors picked out from the NBA:
Miami’s championship hopes hit early turbulence
In June, the Miami Heat captured the basketball world's attention by acquiring former Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo via trade. A couple of months later, Miami made headlines again by signing legendary sharpshooter Klay Thompson. The Heat also added Tim Hardaway Jr. and veteran Bobby Portis, further strengthening their roster with experienced talent.
The message was clear: Miami was no longer content with fighting for a Play-In Tournament spot or making an early playoff exit. After finishing 43–39 last season and failing to reach the postseason, the Heat made a bold move for the Greek superstar and surrounded him with experienced veterans, determined to compete with the Eastern Conference's best. Miami went all-in, raising expectations and setting its sights on a deep playoff run.
Instead, the beginning of the season turned into a nightmare. The first week of play was a disaster for the Heat, as the franchise lost all three games. Miami dropped its home season-opener 131-106 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, then was outplayed by Detroit at home 128-111.
The last time the Heat opened a season 0–2 was in 2022–23, when they eventually battled their way to the NBA Finals as the eighth seed before falling to the Denver Nuggets. That run served as a reminder that a disappointing start does not necessarily define an entire season.
But then Miami dropped a contest at the Charlotte Hornets and fell to 0-3. The last time the Heat started this way was in 2007-08, and the franchise concluded the season with a 15-67 record - the worst in the league. That season remains a sobering comparison: Miami finished 15-67, recording the worst record in the league.
With championship ambitions entering the year, the Heat now face an early test of their resilience - and a growing need to turn their star-studded roster into a winning team. Can the Heat find their way back and be competitive in the East?
Michaela Trider
Timberwolves blowing teams away
The Minnesota Timberwolves have started the season with three wins from three, and one thing is for sure: this team are box-office.
The Timberwolves have swatted aside the Heat, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors to get their campaign up and running, all by 20+ point margins. As a result, they have become just the third NBA team ever to win their first three games by 20 or more points.
With LaMelo Ball now alongside Anthony Edwards, this feels like a team that just loves to play entertaining basketball. Their athletic offensive patterns are so much fun to watch, and the chemistry seems to be on another level.
Edwards scored 45 points in his season opener against Giannis and the Heat, making an early statement about what this team can do.
But perhaps going under the radar has been just how good they have been defensively. After three games, they have the league's number-one defence with a rating of 96.1, while LaMelo has shown another side of himself. He has an individual defensive rating of 81.2.
The Timberwolves are must-watch right now and will remain an offensive juggernaut all season. If LaMelo and co. can stay locked in defensively, they are going to be fearsome opposition.
Tolga Akdeniz
More than just Dame Time
There was plenty of excitement in Portland as the Trail Blazers prepared to open their season against the Phoenix Suns. Damian Lillard was finally returning after a lengthy recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, Ja Morant was making his highly anticipated debut, and Micah Nori was beginning his first regular season as head coach.
The atmosphere inside a packed Moda Center was electric, but few could have predicted what followed. Portland opened with an astonishing 21-0 run, led by as many as 52 points and eventually cruised to a 124–83 victory.
Lillard wasted little time reminding fans what they had been missing. The 36-year-old scored 25 points in just 24 minutes, hitting six of his 10 three-point attempts. After winning his third Three-Point Contest title in February while still recovering from injury, Lillard has once again shown that his shooting touch remains intact.
Morant added 14 points and eight assists, but perhaps the most encouraging sign was how comfortably Portland appeared to share offensive responsibilities rather than relying on individual performances.
Their second outing was far less straightforward. Sacramento pushed Portland throughout the game, with Domantas Sabonis recording an impressive triple-double of 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. added 33 points on 26 field-goal attempts, bringing his total to a remarkable 50 shots across the first two games of his NBA career.
Still, the Blazers fought back to secure a 128–120 victory, led by Deni Avdija's 26 points.
Toumani Camara also deserves particular credit for his performance against the Kings. The Belgian forward scored 19 points, hitting five of his 10 three-point attempts, including crucial baskets whenever Sacramento threatened to close the gap.
Two games are hardly enough to draw major conclusions, especially in the competitive Western Conference. But while Lillard's return may have brought the spotlight back to Portland, the opening week suggests there is much more to this Blazers team than Dame Time.
Natalie Csurillova
Ty Jerome: A dream first week
The Memphis Grizzlies have turned a huge new page recently. Farewell to Jaren Jackson Jr. Farewell to Ja Morant. Desmond Bane had already left for Florida. This squad, which had been tipped to reach the very top of the NBA, has fallen apart, with part of the blame lying with their All-Star point guard Morant and his off-court ‘antics’.
The team is now heading for a rebuild, with the draft this summer of Cameron Boozer, tipped to be a future star.
But before we look to the future, there is the present. And this season is likely to be a disappointing one for the Grizzlies in terms of results. Except that the opening games have seen the emergence of an unexpected hero: Ty Jerome.
A former journeyman and salary filler who had shown glimpses of talent whilst at the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coming off the bench, he had occasionally made his mark, but nothing to suggest such a start to the season.
45 points right from the opening match against the Utah Jazz – a career-high. He followed that up with 28 points against the Golden State Warriors and 31 against the Kings. Admittedly, one could argue that racking up big scores in empty arenas is something many players can do, but above all, it resulted in three victories.
A real impact, then, and a striking contrast with Zach LaVine, for example, who scored 37 points in his last game only to come away without the win.
The result: Ty Jerome is currently the NBA’s leading scorer. He’s also boasting impressive shooting percentages (56.3 per cent from the field, 42.9 per cent from three-point range). What’s more, Memphis still have four relatively straightforward fixtures left before they start coming up against the top teams.
But getting back to the point guard, who was sidelined for almost the entirety of last season, is this ‘breakout’ set to last?
One is tempted to say yes, because in a team with no clear objective, brimming with confidence, and having proven he can make an impact, Memphis should continue to give him free rein. But could the franchise be tempted to trade him in a few weeks, when his value is at its peak?
A title contender would surely be delighted to have such a weapon coming off the bench, especially as he proved so useful in that role for the Cavs. With more exposure, we’ve probably not heard the last of Ty Jerome.
Sébastien Gente