NBA Opening Night MATCHUPS 🍿 KD returns to OKC for Rockets debut + LeBron vs. Steph 👀 | NBA Today

NBA Opening Night MATCHUPS 🍿 KD returns to OKC for Rockets debut + LeBron vs. Steph 👀 | NBA Today

Damp it. People’s champ, my champs. Perk, hit me with one word. I know it’s been a while, so you probably got a few, but just one word to describe this opening night slate that we just saw. Well, before I give you the word, Malikica, I’m going to give you this word before my my word to describe. Here we go already. It’s hot. Preacher perk. Now, I know I haven’t been in the studio in a minute, but turn the damn AC on. Yeah, we have a little bit of a TV situation, but you should be used to this. We from the age. Come on, bro. Yeah. Yeah. But but look, I’m going I’m going with the OG’s. That’s the word to describe opening night. Right, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you went to the circus before. The greatest show on earth, right? In respect to the champs, their ring ceremony in Oklahoma City Thunder, but damn it, KD, LeBron James, Steph Curry is the attention, right? It’s still their league. They attract the eyeballs. They’re still the faces of this game. And that’s why they’re going to be on display for opening night. The OG. So if you’re going to say this is a circus, my question is who’s the ring leader of that circus? Because the NBA is going to be really interesting with all the power moves. Malikica, my word is trifecta. I wish I went first because we’re on the same type of time. Those OGs, they truly are the trifecta. I mean, this is the generation that we grew up on and they’re still in top tier form. Kevin Durant going to my Houston Rockets. Steph Curry looking at his warriors like are we going to make some moves? And LeBron James finally has a what Perk likes to say a skinny Luca a little bit. So my word is trifecta to see which you know star which ring leader will really come out on top. I like it. I thought Perk was just going to stick with hot but no that’s just to describe the studio. How about history? We get to see history in LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry all suiting up and Oklahoma City also getting their first ring in franchise history. So what do you say with that history on the line? Let’s dive a little deeper here and let’s start in Oklahoma City because Kevin Durant will be back in Oklahoma to kick off the season and a user posed a question to KD on social media. He asked this. He said, “Where will your mentals be on opening night when you watch the team that gave you everything raise a banner after you left them high and dry?” Okay, that’s direct. To which KD replied, “Well, finally. It’s been 10 years. It’s about time they won one.” Perk, you played five seasons with KD in Oklahoma City. Do you think this is just going to be any other game for Durant? Do you think there’s a little something more watching OKC raise that banner? Hell yeah, it’s going to be more. And by the way, we have rubbed off. The NBA Today family have rubbed off on Adam Silva. The pettiness and I’m here for And I’m here for it. Damn it. Yeah, the pettiness. Houston N KD Nc. The fan base still have yet to give him a a round of applause for returning. Now all of a sudden, you got to see the great KD has to walk into that building and watch not only the franchise he left raise their first ch raise their first banner, but also watch the best franchise player ever at SGA be able to watch and get his ring. It’s going to be smoke in the city. I wish I could be there. And if I’m KD, I go in the back. I don’t want to watch it. If I’m KD, I come with the mindset that I want to upset them and disappoint and be a spoiler on their ring ceremony night. Yeah, I’m not mad at them. Well, they can be a spoiler of the season. Yeah, go ahead, Chen. You’re absolutely right. It could be a spoiler of the season. This is a team that finished, I believe, was it number two, the Houston Rockets in the West, and they got the guy that fills all of their holes. But if you think about it, Perk, one thing you, me, and Malikica, we all have in common is we were all in Oklahoma City, not just for the finals, but also the Western Conference Finals. And so I feel like we’re honorary members of the fan base that you love because we all fell in love with them as well. They love you, but I think they love all of us now. But one thing I know is not only do they remember the past and they are still hurt by KD leaving, but they also remember the present, which is good. They understand that this team is built to win in the future. And KD get did get his own rings. So I feel like he’s still going to walk in there confidently. But yeah, I feel like the the smoke is there for game one. They did a great job. But I think I think with them winning the championship has closed that chapter chapter for the organization of Oklahoma City and the fan base of the Kevin Durant. So you think that they’re going to cheer and I’m not saying all that. We still may see some cupcake signs in there, but if you’re OKC, you want to come out on a mission as well, right? We haven’t had a back-to back champion since the month of February, right? So, you want to come back, you want to come back, you want to come back with a certain type of hunger, and you want to come out on your opening night and show that you’re not satisfied that you want more. They don’t get go get Kevin Durant just to be second again, right? That match up between the last season’s top teams in the West, maybe they’ll perk, you’re the appetizer expert, just an appetizer for the first night of the season, right? Because anytime I’ve been eating salad, anytime you get Steph versus LeBron, this is not a salad. This is the main course. No matter what year it is, it is the main event, right? They’re going to both kick off their campaigns for that elusive fifth ring with a head-to-head clash. And there’s no shortage of questions surrounding both of their teams. What is year 23 look like for LeBron? Are the Lakers officially Lucas team now? Did the Warriors put enough around Steph and the Warriors to cook up something special one last time? I had to get a little Hamilton in. One thing I do know, y’all, I mean, come on. It’s fun. We know this though, friends. These teams, they answer the bell every time. They played 56 times across the regular season, the playoffs, the playin. LeBron has the regular season edge, but Steph Curry holds the lead in postseason wins, including in the NBA finals. So, Perk, it’s been over 10 years since the Steph LeBron rivalry really kicked off here. It feels to me though it hasn’t lost any of its steam. I think back to Christmas Day last year. Why is that? Why is it still so exciting? Because you have two all-time greats that every time they step between those lines, they want to kick each other ass. LeBron James want to give Steph that work and Steph want to give LeBron James their work. And you could go and we could look at the numbers, it speaks for itself. And so when you have these two all-time greats, and yes, they’re OG’s, but they’re actually always competing between that line to say, “This my block, homie. This is what I this is this is my turf.” and Steph like we talk about LeBron James and rightfully so of being, you know, the arguably the greatest player of all time. Steph feel like he should be in that conversation. So when they step between those lines, it’s a brawl for it all. And it’s it’s a reason why you brought up Christmas Day, Malikica Chen. It’s a reason that they damn near touched I believe it was 9 million viewers on Christmas Day because all eyeballs was on them because they never disappoint. Yeah. And if it comes to me, I I’m looking at both of these guys. They have extended their prime in a way that they’re setting the standard for those in the future. Like now people think it’s realistic to play until you’re 40 based off of what they’ve invested in their bodies. They’ve created the blueprint. I feel like LeBron and Luca and now I guess maybe a 2.5. I don’t know if we’re not going to go there. We have to see them win and be productive. DA DeAndre Aiden becoming a a a big three. That would be the best version of the Lakers. like that was the hole that they needed to fill. They filled it and now they have the pressure to be productive, but I feel like they have the pieces now that they went in knowing that they’re not complete. So, I’m looking at the Lakers at this point probably being ahead of the Warriors because the Warriors still are the only team I believe that made minimal if not any major moves over the last 100 or so days outside of Jimmy. No, you’re right. And it’s still gas in the tank with both of these guys. The alternator, both alternators are working. No problems with the transmission. They got the, you know what I’m saying, the brakes are changed. But when you think about the two videos, Malikica Chenet that I’ve been seeing over the last 24 hours, I saw one of Steph Curry. You’re right. Look like he was running from some damn mountain lines and I believe he got on a damn I believe he got on the weight vest. Look, but look, this is not this is not a perk trot through the trail. This is highlevel running through through whatever he is. I don’t know what it’s at, but damn it. This is a This is a guy that all of a sudden you watch LeBron, he’s dead lifting weight. These are two guys that have nothing to prove, but are working probably the hardest in the league. Wait, Perk, you should know something about this. You You’ve dropped You’ve dropped some weight. I see you. Can’t y’all see her face? I’m waiting for I’m waiting for October. So perk, when you’re looking at all 30 franchises, that that team that we get the first look at, who are you going to be most excited to see to start the season here? A team that we don’t talk about enough. I know they got the number one pick, but I’m going with the Dallas Mavericks. How do we not talk about them? I’m going with the Dallas I mean, because we’re talking Excuse me. Let me say this. A player that we don’t talk about enough that’s on the Dallas Mavericks. His name is Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. and we forgot about him. We’re talking about a guy that’s a top five big in the league. A guy that we could look up and he could be averaging 30 and 11 the first 20 games of the season. By the way, Luca Donic was traded for Anthony Davis. Dallas traded their allNBA player, their international superstar for Anthony Davis because he plays both ends of the floor. Without Kyrie Irving being there, I think Anthony Davis is going to be on the mission. I’m interested to see what it look like when he returns back to LA. I’m glad you brought that up the other day, Malikica, because we haven’t talked about Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. one time on this show since the off season. We talk about him very very soon. But I’m going to actually pick things up where you dropped them because you did drop the ball talking about a team we didn’t talk about. I’m going to actually answer that question part. Okay. The Orlando Magic. They made a huge win. The Orlando Magic is a team that I feel like with the East wide open given the injury concerns, whether it is uh in Milwaukee or Indiana or now the Celtics, there’s an opportunity for them to really climb up the standings. We already knew defensively they’re solid. They’re a top five defense, but did you know that this has been a top a bottom 10 offensive team every year since they traded Dwight Howard? Like that is wild. Now you insert Desmond Bane, a certified three-point shooter, someone that averages 19 points and shoots nearly 40% from three. They’re making the moves to win right now and fix that offense and I love it and I feel like we’re going to be talking about them more and we will be seeing them more especially later in the season. Perk. Yeah. Well, not to mention we get to see them early on in the scene and Desmond Bane maybe exact some revenge in those international games that they’re playing against the Memphis Grizzlies here. Chenet, I got to ask you, my good sis, from New York to Los Angeles, are we going to do it again? Are we going to do it again? I know what you’re talking about because I’m just saying opening when we get to see Chris Paul back in a Clippers uniform. Kawawaii Leonard where we saw him end last season. You and I both know that we are going to be pulling up to Into It Dome because this team is utterly fascinating. They played an intriguing first round series that you could have said, “Okay, yeah, we understand the matchup against Denver. We understand how hard of a time Denver gave OKC. Why? Why couldn’t that be the Los Angeles Clippers? And here’s what I’m curious about, Big Perk. Is this Clippers team that we see on opening night with all the promise and excitement that is going to get Shane Gumay and I into the building, is that the same team, knock on wood, that we’re going to see finish the season, my friend? I don’t know. But I’m not banking on a bunch of senior citizens. And I keep telling you that, Malikica, they’re too old. as the league was going in the as the league is going in a different direction and getting younger. We’re seeing a lot of title contenders got they got younger this off seasonason. The Clippers, they got older. Yes, they got Derek Jones Jr. Yes, they did pick up John Collins and I respect CP3. I’m not going to get into the alltime rankings. He is an all-time great. I just thought when it matters the most health and what are they their their ability to defend the wing position in the postseason with all this youth. I just don’t know. Malikica, we’re going to do it. We always do. We’re going to do it. And this is why we’re excited to see the beginning of the season perk. This is why it’s the first game out of the gate because that’s when health should be at its peak.

Chiney Ogwumike and Kendrick Perkins join Malika Andrews on NBA Today to react to some of the NBA Opening Night matchups and pick which team they’re most excited to watch.

0:00 NBA Opening Night
2:00 KD’s return to OKC for Thunder Ring Night
5:02 LeBron vs. Steph
8:48 Team most excited to watch

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