Night two of the 2026-27 NBA season brought 22 teams into action, a pile of big-name debuts and one scorer who made the whole evening his own. Anthony Edwards poured in 45 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat 131-106 on Wednesday, October 21, spoiling Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first game in a Heat uniform.

Here are the biggest results and storylines from the 11-game slate, based on NBA.com’s live recap and the RealGM scoreboard.

Ant joins Jordan and Wilt

Edwards was unstoppable in Miami, hitting nine 3-pointers on the way to 45 points. According to NBA.com, he became just the third player to score 40 or more in multiple season openers, joining Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

The duel was a good one for a while. Edwards and Antetokounmpo each had 21 points at halftime, with Minnesota up 69-59. Giannis finished with 35 points, which NBA.com says broke LeBron James’ record for points in a Heat debut. LaMelo Ball, also making his Timberwolves debut, added 21 points, six assists and five 3-pointers, including a shot from the logo for his first basket with his new team.

Luka’s half-court buzzer-beater

In the late game, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 127-105. Luka Dončić had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and closed the first half with a 3-pointer from beyond half court at the buzzer.

Stephen Curry scored 16 of his 23 points in the first quarter, but the Lakers led by as many as 35. The surprise star was center Walker Kessler, who scored 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 from the field. NBA.com noted he was the first Lakers center with a perfect shooting night on at least 12 attempts since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969.

Ty Jerome’s career night

Memphis guard Ty Jerome shattered his previous career high of 33 points, scoring 45 in the Grizzlies’ 123-103 win over the Utah Jazz. He shot 17-for-25, including 5-for-10 from deep, for the most points ever by a Grizzlies player in a season opener. The game also featured the NBA debuts of No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson for Utah and No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer for Memphis.

Haliburton is back

Tyrese Haliburton returned after 486 days away and posted 23 points and 12 assists as the Indiana Pacers held off the New Orleans Pelicans 123-120. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 30 points. The Pelicans had two chances to tie with a 3-pointer in the final possessions, and Trey Murphy III’s full-court heave at the buzzer just missed.

New-look Wizards win at home

Anthony Davis had 34 points and 12 rebounds in his Washington debut, and Trae Young added 20 points and 13 assists as the Wizards beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-116. Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 24.

The rest of the night

  • Hawks 132, Magic 125: Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 31 for Atlanta, while Paolo Banchero had 35 points and 10 assists for Orlando.
  • Raptors 135, Bulls 92: Kawhi Leonard scored 23 in his Toronto return, and the 43-point margin was the night’s largest.
  • Hornets 110, Nets 103: Charlotte pulled away late in Brooklyn, and Julius Randle’s 33 points weren’t enough for the Nets.
  • Rockets 128, Mavericks 110: Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Durant each scored 30. Cooper Flagg had 32 for Dallas, and Kyrie Irving scored 15 in his first game since November 2025.
  • Trail Blazers 124, Suns 83: Damian Lillard scored 25 in his return to Portland, pushing his franchise-record point total as a Trail Blazer to 19,379, while Ja Morant had eight assists in his Blazers debut.
  • Clippers 121, Kings 96: Darius Garland scored 30, and No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler got his first NBA bucket.

The takeaway

Two nights in, the new season already has its early headliners. Edwards is off to a historic start, Dončić and a reshaped Lakers roster appear to fit well, and stars returning from long layoffs, from Haliburton to Irving, are back on the floor. With every team now in action, the real fun of an 82-game season can begin.

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