Luka Doncic played spoiler in number one draft pick Victor Wembanyama’s NBA debut as the Dallas Mavericks eclipsed the San Antonio Spurs 126-119.

After a solid start from the Spurs, the Mavericks were able to rally in the third quarter and hold on to their lead in the home stretch.

Doncic was central in Dallas’ third-quarter effort and finished with a 33-point triple-double.

Wembanyama had two threes in the opening quarter but was slowed by foul trouble until a fourth-quarter flourish lifted him to 15 points to go along with five rebounds.

New recruit Kristaps Porzingis played a pivotal role in seeing the Boston Celtics past the New York Knicks 108-104.

The former Knick combined with Jayson Tatum for 64 points, which included a tiebreaking three-pointer with 90 seconds left on the clock.

RJ Barrett scored 24 points for New York, while Immanuel Quickley added 24 off the bench.

Last season’s finalists the Miami Heat were pushed to their limit in a 103-102 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Miami looked to have victory all but sealed when they took a 19-point lead with nine minutes left.

Detroit were somehow able to claw their way back to within one, but ultimately fell short as Cade Cunningham missed a 30-foot jump shot at the buzzer.

It was also a close result in Brooklyn, where a late burst from Donovan Mitchell pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Nets 114-113.

Mitchell scored 10 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead three in the dying seconds.

A 25-point effort from PJ Washington helped the Charlotte Hornets down the Atlanta Hawks 116-110, and Zion Williamson scored 23 in the New Orleans Pelicans’ 111-104 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Elsewhere, the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers opened their seasons with double-digit victories, while the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Portland Trail Blazers and the Toronto Raptors scraped past the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-94 in a low-scoring affair.

Victor Wembanyama scored 15 points in his much-anticipated NBA debut, but Luka Doncic took over down the stretch in the Dallas Mavericks’ 126-119 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Wembanyama scored his first NBA points with a 3-pointer at the 8:25 mark of the first quarter and added another 3 with under two minutes left in the opening quarter.

The 7-foot-4 phenom scored nine points in the final seven minutes after struggling with foul trouble in the fourth quarter.

He went 6 of 9 from the field with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 23 minutes.

Doncic was cleared to play an hour before tipoff after being listed as questionable with a left calf sprain and 33 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his 57th career triple-double.

Doncic converted a three-point play with 2:19 remaining to put Dallas ahead 118-117 and Kyrie Irving answered Devin Vassell’s two free throws with a 3-pointer with 1:51 to play.

Doncic then stole the ball from Jeremy Sochan and fed Irving for a layup before sinking a 3 of his own with 30 seconds left to give the Mavs a 126-119 lead.

Irving had 22 points and Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 17 apiece.

Vassell led San Antonio with 23 points and Keldon Johnson had 17 with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Porzingis propels Celtics in debut

Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points in his Celtics debut and Jayson Tatum added 34 points and 11 rebounds as Boston defeated the New York Knicks 108-104 in the season opener for both teams.

Porzingis, who finished with eight rebounds and four blocks, scored nine straight points down the stretch, including a 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining that snapped a 101-all tie.

He sank two free throws with 29 seconds left and Payton Pritchard also made a pair with 11 seconds to go.

RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley each scored 24 points for the Knicks, who took their first lead of the game with a 13-2 run to open the fourth quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder past Bulls

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 31 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Chicago Bulls 124-104 in Chet Holmgren’s long-awaited NBA debut.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored seven points during a 12-0 run late in the third quarter to break open a one-point game.

He finished 12 of 18 from the field with 10 assists and five rebounds.

Holmgren tallied 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in his pro debut. He missed all last season with a foot injury after he was selected second overall in the 2022 draft.

DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 20 points.

LeBron James may have lost some explosiveness due to his injury struggles, but Andre Drummond believes the NBA's all-time leading scorer is as good as ever and can excel again this season.

James and the Los Angeles Lakers began their 2023-24 campaign with a defeat on Tuesday, with the Denver Nuggets opening their first-ever NBA title defence with a 119-107 win.

The four-time NBA MVP scored a team-high 21 points while shooting 10-of-16, also adding five assists and eight rebounds, but his limited time on court was the major talking point after the game.

James played just 29 minutes in Los Angeles' 2023-24 opener, with the team looking to manage his workload over the coming weeks after he missed 27 games with a foot injury last season.

With James into his 21st season in the league, Drummond – who played alongside the 38-year-old during a brief spell with the Lakers in 2021 – says his game may have changed, but not necessarily for the worse.

Asked what fans should expect from James this season, Drummond told Stats Perform: "Well, if he's anything like he's been the past couple of years, I guess the same thing.

"He's still averaging 25 points, still playing 30-plus minutes, and it looks like he hasn't slowed down. Well, I feel like he's lost a step, but he's still him, he's still him at the end of the day. 

"He's still the same player, he's still able to be aggressive and get to the basket. 

"Is he dunking over people all the time as he used to? No. But is he playing smarter now? Yeah, I think he's still just as good.

"LeBron James has been special for the NBA from the first day he came in, the amount of things that he's done for the community, not only just for basketball, but for his community and for every city he's been in… you have to respect the guy that does that."

Reflecting on his time as a team-mate of LeBron's, Drummond said the opportunity to see how the four-time NBA Champion prepared for games was invaluable.

"He's somebody I got a chance to play alongside, so to have that opportunity to see his greatness up close is something I didn't take for granted," Drummond said.

"It puts a lot in perspective, because when you see this guy do the things he does in games, you're like, 'I wonder what he does when he's not playing'. 

"I always talk about preparation with guys and his preparation, what he does and how he takes care of his body, how hard he works each and every day, really shows why he's one of the best players to step on this court.

"I just have a lot of respect for him. It was an honour for me to be alongside him and see him be him. I wish we got more time together, but it was definitely excellent playing alongside him.

"I asked him what he does with his body because I'm in year 12 now, and obviously your body starts to break down, you start feeling it more when you get hurt, it lasts a little bit longer. 

"I've been blessed to not be hurt severely. I've had bumps and bruises but nothing crazy. 

"I definitely asked him what he does when he's not playing, how he takes care of his body and some of the things he does to keep himself engaged when he's not on the court."

James is the oldest player in the NBA. The Lakers star will now have his eye on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for the highest scoring average managed by the league's oldest player in any season (23.4 points in 1985-86, when Abdul-Jabbar turned 39).

While 30-year-old center Drummond clearly respects James' longevity, he will only continue his own career for as long as he feels able to make a valuable contribution.

"Playing as long as I have now is a blessing," Drummond added.

"I feel like I'm going to play as long as I can, until I just feel like I don't need to anymore, or I'm not as serviceable. 

"I don't want to be someone that isn't playing, I have a family that I would rather hang out with than sit on the bench. I'll play until I'm not playing any more, or I'm not being played any more."

LeBron James understands the Los Angeles Lakers' plan to manage his time on court in the coming weeks, with head coach Darvin Ham hoping it gets the best out of the four-time NBA MVP.

James played just 29 minutes as the Lakers opened their 2023-24 campaign with a 119-107 defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, with Nikola Jokic recording his 106th career triple-double for the reigning NBA champions.

Four-time NBA champion James added five assists to his team-high 21 points, but he saw his gametime limited despite the Lakers remaining competitive until late on, cutting Denver's lead to three points in the fourth quarter.

The 38-year-old averaged 35.5 minutes per game last season, his second-highest figure in five years with the Lakers, though that appeared to take its toll as he missed 27 games with a right foot injury.

James has missed a total of 111 games since joining the Lakers in 2018, most of them due to injury. While the NBA's all-time leading scorer always wants to be involved, he understands the benefits of managing his workload.

"Listen, I always want to be on the floor, especially when you've got an opportunity to win a game or you feel like you can make an impact," James said after Tuesday's defeat.

"But this is the system in place, and I'm going to follow it."

Asked whether he was surprised by his limited time on court, James clarified: "No, I'm not surprised. I talked to the coach and we had a game plan going into Game 1. I'm not surprised or upset."

With James approaching his 39th birthday and the likes of Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura providing the Lakers with depth, coach Ham says fans should expect more of the game.

"It's easy with him to get caught up in the emotion of the game, and you tend to forget you want to play these long stretches," Ham said of James.

"But in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are.

"It's going to be a day-by-day process, gauging how he's feeling, getting communication from him, our training staff, our medical staff."

Despite the defeat, James was satisfied with aspects of his own performance and does not believe he needs to adjust his game to the new role.

"Besides the fact that we didn't win, I think my performance and what I did individually in the time that I was out there… I think I was productive," James said.

"I mean, I was a plus-7 for the game. No turnovers. I like the no turnovers more than anything."

The Lakers are back in action on Thursday, with the Phoenix Suns visiting Crypto.com Arena.

The Philadelphia 76ers won’t have James Harden on the court during their season-opening two-game road trip as the 10-time All-Star will remain at the team’s practice facility and attempt to get into game shape, according to multiple reports.

It’s just another chapter in the saga of Harden, who in August blasted team president Darly Morey at a promotional event in China.

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of," Harden said. "Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of."

Harden's comments were a response to the 76ers telling Harden's agent that Morey was unable to find a trade for the 2017-18 NBA MVP, and the franchise wouldn't deal him unless it could find a trade that would help Philadelphia contend for a championship.

Harden picked up his $35.6million player option for the 2023-24 season in late June, and then immediately requested a trade.

He could have declined the option and become a free agent but was hoping by exercising his option it would facilitate a trade.

Harden reiterated his stance earlier this month, saying his relationship with Morey is beyond repair and he still wants to be traded.

Harden returned to the team Wednesday after being away for a “personal matter” and not practicing since October 15. He will not play in Thursday’s season opener at the Milwaukee Bucks and Saturday in Toronto against the Raptors.

It remains to be seen if Harden will take the court for Philadelphia’s home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

The NBA champion Denver Nuggets picked up right where they left off, opening their 2023-24 season with a dominant 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Just as he did in Denver’s Finals series victory against the Miami Heat, Nikola Jokic was at his brilliant best for the home team, orchestrating the Nuggets’ performance behind a 29-point triple-double.

Denver exploded out of the gates to open a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter, before LeBron James helped the Lakers claw their way back to within 10 by half-time.

However, the Lakers struggled to compete with James off the floor, Denver ultimately coasting to a 12-point win.

Jokic added 13 rebounds and 11 assists to his game-high points total, while James top-scored for Los Angeles with 21, despite only playing 29 minutes.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant was successful in his first trip back to Golden State since leaving the team in 2019, helping the Phoenix Suns defeat the Warriors 108-104.

Both teams traded massive momentum swings and substantial leads throughout the game before the Warriors nabbed a slight advantage as the clock ticked into the final five minutes.

But Devin Booker was able to reclaim the lead for Phoenix with a go-ahead layup and later sunk a crucial three to get the Suns over the line.

He finished with 32 points, while Durant contributed 18.

Steph Curry top-scored for Golden State with 27, while former Sun Chris Paul finished with 14 points, six rebounds and nine assists in his Warriors debut.

Nikola Jokic opened his season with another triple-double and Jamal Murray scored 21 points as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 119-107 on Tuesday after raising their NBA championship banner.

Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his 106th career triple-double, which trails only Russell Westbrook (198), LeBron James (107) and Jason Kidd (107) on the career list.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 20 points, Aaron Gordon added 15 and Michael Porter Jr. contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds for Denver, which went 16-4 in the playoffs last season, including a sweep of the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

All of Los Angeles’ starters scored in double figures, led by James’ 21 points in 29 minutes as his playing time was being monitored at the start of his 21st season.

Denver led by as many as 18 points, but the Lakers whittled the lead down to three on James’ 3-pointer with 9:42 remaining.

James’ basket got Los Angeles within 103-96 with just over five minutes to play, but the Nuggets responded with a 10-3 run featuring 3s by Murray and Porter.

Booker sparks Suns past Warriors

Devin Booker scored 32 points and the Phoenix Suns got past the Golden State Warriors 108-104 in Kevin Durant’s return to the Bay Area in a back-and-forth season opener for the Pacific Division powerhouses.

Booker shot 13 of 21 and had eight assists and six rebounds, while Jusuf Nurkic added 14 points and 14 boards – including a key driving layup in the closing seconds - in his Suns debut.

Josh Okogie sank a baseline jumper with 69 seconds left, and Eric Gordon drained a 3-pointer with 45 seconds to play before Stephen Curry’s 3 drew Golden State within 106-104 with 31 seconds to go.

Nurkic’s layup made it a four-point game and Paul’s missed 3 ended the Warriors’ hopes.

Durant scored 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting with 10 rebounds in his first game in front of Bay Area fans since leaving the Warriors after the 2019 NBA Finals.

Curry had 27 points and Chris Paul had 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his Warriors debut facing his most recent team.

New upcoming NBA star Victor Wembanyama must "remember to be a kid" as expectations grow on the San Antonio Spurs' 19-year-old, who has already been likened to LeBron James.

That was the message from the Chicago Bulls' Andre Drummond, who is well qualified to offer such advice given he has his eyes on a significant milestone of his own.

Drummond is just 37 boards away from reaching 10,000 rebounds in his impressive NBA career, having initially started at the Detroit Pistons with expectations on his shoulders, too.

The Bulls' 30-year-old has been in basketball long enough – and from a similar young age as well – to feel capable of offering advice to the exciting Wembanyama.

The Chicago center told Stats Perform: "For Victor, if I had to give him some advice, I would always tell him to just remember to be a kid.

"I feel like that is something that I didn't take advantage of coming in at 18 years old.

"I feel like I'd stepped into this realm of basketball and like, instantly became a man.

"I had to do everything as a man when I still had my mom and my sister, I still had a family base too, and I think that's the best thing I did do, was bring them out.

"I was so focused on, 'Alright, how do I fit in?' So, I will just tell him to always be himself."

Drummond was rated as the number-one pick of the 2011 class by ESPN after featuring in a gold-medal winning United States team at the Under-17 World Championship.

Having experienced similar pressures in his early career, Drummond sees aspects of his own challenges in Wembanyama.

"Similar to him, I came in and played right away," Drummond added. "I had to figure it out on the fly.

"I was going to a team that was rebuilding and a lot of pressure was on me too, along with him.

"He has a lot of pressure on his back too, because now they're looking at him to be the guy to bring the Spurs back to the calibre that they were.

"For me coming into Detroit, it was like 'well, you have to bring us back to the playoffs, you got to bring us to being a contending team' because all they know in Detroit is winning, they are a blue-collar city.

"So similar stories, different guys. We're all going on the same path at the end of the day, we want to win a championship and we want to be the best we can be."

While likening his experiences to what Wembanyama will face, over a decade on from his NBA introduction Drummond now has milestones in his sights.

"Being 37 away from 10,000 rebounds," he continued, "it puts a lot of perspective for myself and just for the public because I always tell everybody, I feel like I'm the best ever to do it, [regardless of] me having, or about to have 10,000 rebounds.

"I think just my body of work and my percentages and numbers help prove that and honestly, for me it just shows the amount of work I put in.

"Every year I set a goal to be the best rebounder each and every season and to have the honour of reaching 10,000, not too many people have the chance to do that. I am with a group of high-calibre guys."

While delighted to feature in a group that includes the likes of legends Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, which Drummond labelled as "truly an honour", the Bulls star wants to use his experience to help teammates now.

"For myself this year, it's just, I think it's everything away from basketball, I feel like it's just staying with it, controlling things that I could control," he said.

"Focusing on the things that matter, being a good team-mate, being there for the guys, playing hard each and every time I'm out there.

"In practice, pushing our starters to be better each and every day, being a vocal leader. I feel like that's something that I lacked last year, not using my voice for someone who's been around for 12 years now.

"I feel like I should have spoken more and said a lot more to our younger guys, so I think just being that vet that everybody sees me as I'm really showing it."

A defiant Andre Drummond suggested the Chicago Bulls can utilise an underdog mentality as his side prepare to face a host of "super teams" in the new NBA season.

The Bulls have missed out on the NBA Playoffs in five of the last six seasons, finishing 40-42 in their last campaign and failing to make the eight-seed position in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago's task in the upcoming season will be no easier, although Drummond believes the Bulls can mix with the best as numerous teams assemble impressive rosters.

"I'm looking to beat every team that we play," the 30-year-old center told Stats Perform.

"That's my mindset, but there are definitely some circles on my calendar for teams that I'm looking forward to playing. Phoenix being one of them. Denver, Boston, the Bucks, the Spurs.

"I'm really looking forward to [facing] these teams that are being formed, like these super teams everybody's talking about.

"I love when the underdog team beats them."

While the Bulls once again failed to make the postseason, Drummond took some comfort in seeing his former teammates win the championship with the Denver Nuggets.

"The Nuggets winning almost feels like I won because it's kind of personal for me," he continued.

"Four of my former teammates play for that team – Ish Smith, Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown – and the fact those guys have done it [makes it feel personal because of] how much work we all put into our games.

"We played for Detroit together, and to see them win it almost felt like I got a piece of that championship to see that success for them."

The Nuggets are tipped as a potential repeat champion, which has happened on just three occasions since 2010, with the talent of Nikola Jokic a key to their success.

In 20 postseason games, Jokic accumulated 600 points, 269 rebounds and 190 assists. Never before in NBA history had a player reached those numbers over a 20-game span.

Jokic also became the first player in NBA history to have 25+ points and 15+ rebounds on 75 per cent shooting in a championship-clinching win after the Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat.

Those record-breaking numbers were no surprise to Drummond, who is preparing to face a new era of NBA stars.

"It is the new age of basketball now with guys like Jokic, Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and the new kid Victor [Wembanyama] who is taking the league by storm right now," he added.

"The game is changing and changes every year, something new happens and it becomes a wave, and everybody wants to follow that trend for that year until the next wave goes on.

"I always say history repeats itself at some point in time, the true center position is going to come back around, which it already kind of has due to everybody getting out-rebounded.

"I just think it's unique man, Jokic is a unique basketball player, the way he sees the floor, he thinks like a guard and plays like a guard, but is 6'11 and almost 300 pounds.

"He's just a really smart, a great decision maker, great basketball player overall and he's very, very fun to watch and play against."

Having started with the Detroit Pistons in 2012, Drummond believes the game has changed – and will continue to evolve – albeit perhaps not for the better.

He said: "I've been a part of a lot of good basketball, and to like where it is now, where it's a little bit softer, you can't touch anybody and everybody is free flowing.

"Everybody's there for the show instead of the game of basketball, I feel like it's a lot easier now because you can't touch anybody, so it makes the game a lot easier for both the offense and defense."

The Milwaukee Bucks and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have agreed to a three-year, $186million extension, multiple media outlets reported Monday, keeping him under contract through the 2027-28 season.  

The final year of the deal, when the seven-time All-Star is scheduled to make $66.8million, reportedly carries a player option.

Antetokounmpo, who had previously said that he planned on waiting until next offseason to sign an extension, hinted at the deal earlier Monday with a post on social media that included a picture of him holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the 2021 Finals. The caption read: “MILWAUKEEEEEEEEE!! Let’s get it!!!! #BucksInSix #Extended.”

Antetokounmpo’s max extension – along with the offseason acquisition of Damian Lillard – should quiet any rumours of the two-time MVP’s desire to leave Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo made comments earlier this offseason that were generally supportive of the team’s direction but left open the possibility of future discontent.

“But at the end of the day, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career, as long as we are winning. It’s as simple as that,” Antetokounmpo said on media day earlier this month. He later added that the Bucks were “definitely” committed to winning another championship.

Antetokounmpo also said during media day that he did not plan to sign a contract extension until next offseason, when he could have secured a larger deal.

“I said that it did not make sense to sign the contract right now because money’s not important – a lot of money is important. So I’m going to sign it next year,” Antetokounmpo said with a laugh. “But, no, at the end of the day, again, it doesn’t make sense. It does not make sense for me to sign it right now. I’ve got to always look at what’s best for me and my family, for my situation.”

Bobby Marks, ESPN front office insider and former assistant GM with the Brooklyn Nets, explained on social media that Antetokounmpo may make more in the long run by signing this extension.

Antetokounmpo, 28, set a career high last season by scoring 31.1 points per game. The Bucks finished first in the East with a 58-24 record but were eliminated by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs, beginning a crucial offseason for a team just two years removed from an NBA title.

Milwaukee fired coach Mike Budenholzer and hired Adrian Griffin as his replacement. The team was also able to sign Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to long-term contracts before making the blockbuster trade that brought in Lillard and ended Jrue Holiday’s tenure with the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo has averaged 22.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 719 career games since the Bucks drafted him 15th overall in 2013.

Lillard will make his Bucks debut Thursday when Milwaukee kicks off their 2023-24 season by hosting reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jaden McDaniels played a big role in the success of the Minnesota Timberwolves last season and is being rewarded.

A day before the start of the NBA season, McDaniels and the Timberwolves agreed to a five-year, $136million extension.

The deal was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic on Monday.

McDaniels averaged a career-high 12.1 points on 51.7 per cent shooting to go with 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in starting all 79 games he played for Minnesota in 2022-23. Though he doesn't shoot a high volume of 3-pointers, he is a reliable shooter from beyond the arc, connecting on 39.8 per cent from 3-point range.

With averages of 0.96 blocks per game and 0.94 steals, McDaniels is also considered one of the NBA's top wing defenders.

Minnesota went 42-40 in 2022-23, and much of the team's success came down to McDaniels' scoring output.

When McDaniels scored at least 12 points, the Timberwolves went 26-13, but when he scored 11 or fewer, the team went 15-25.

A first-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, McDaniels is entering his fourth pro season - all with Minnesota.

With McDaniels firmly in the fold, the Timberwolves boast a talented core of Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.

Minnesota has made the playoffs each of the last two seasons and opens this year Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.

Andre Drummond accepts the legacy of Michael Jordan's legendary exploits with the Chicago Bulls puts additional pressure on the team.

However, ahead of the new NBA season, the two-time All-Star center is relishing being part of the Bulls' attempts to recapture their former glories, saying he and his team-mates have a unique standard to uphold.

All six of Chicago's NBA championships were captured with the help of Hall of Famer Jordan, who helped popularise the league on a global scale by leading the team to two three-peats, the first coming between 1991 and 1993 and the second between 1996 and 1998.

While Jordan helped make the Bulls one of the NBA's most iconic franchises, they have struggled to hit anything close to those heights in recent years.

Chicago has missed the playoffs in five of the last six years, failing to build on an encouraging 2021-22 campaign. Last season they were beaten by the Miami Heat in April's play-in tournament.

With the Bulls hoping to fare better when the new season tips off this week, Drummond needs no reminder of their illustrious history.

"Michael Jordan's name is known everywhere," he told Stats Perform. "No matter where you go, no matter what country you go to, if you say the name Michael Jordan, someone knows who he is.

"You can say the same thing for LeBron [James] too. I feel like LeBron is up there now with one of the most notable people in the world.

"But Michael Jordan, his name rings bells. Not only as a basketball player but just how he was as a person. He has brought a lot of hope to this city, he brought a lot of championships here, and he's brought in a lot of money here, too."

Asked whether Jordan's achievements put a unique level of pressure on Chicago, Drummond said: "I've only been here a year and a half, so I don't really understand the gravity of how much it means. 

"But I feel like this year, I'll feel it more because I have my feet wet, being here and seeing the fanbase and how they really love Chicago basketball.

"Whether we are good or not, they are still coming out every night, so it is starting to set in a little bit.

"As I look around the arena, I'm like, 'some great players have stepped on this floor, man'.

"I feel like you have a standard to uphold as a Chicago Bull, and I feel like that's the pride that we need to walk with.

"Chicago Bulls are one of the most celebrated teams in the world. You go around the country and see people wearing the Bulls attire. 

"You may see some Lakers, you may see some Knicks or Boston maybe, but the Bulls, everybody loves the Bulls. I don't know what it is or why it's like that, I don't know what it is. 

"Even as a kid, I would see people all the way in Connecticut wearing Chicago Bulls gear, and they've never been to Chicago in their life. Everybody just loves the Bulls! 

"I think it's just a very celebrated team and a celebrated city and you have to uphold that standard."

The Bulls begin their 2023-24 campaign with back-to-back home games, facing the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday before the Toronto Raptors visit United Center on Friday.

Days before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season, the Memphis Grizzlies announced Steven Adams will undergo season-ending knee surgery.

In a statement posted Sunday, the Grizzlies said Adams requires surgery on his right posterior cruciate ligament and will not play this season.

The team is hopeful he'll make a full recovery and be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season.

Adams was sidelined for the final 36 games of the 2022-23 season after initially injuring his PCL on January 22.

He was originally only expected to miss four-to-five weeks, but was never able to return.

The hope was he'd be ready to go for the start of this season, but "non-operative rehabilitation did not resolve ongoing knee instability," according to the Grizzlies.

Adams, who was acquired by Memphis prior to the 2021-22 season, averaged 8.6 points, a career-high 11.5 rebounds and 1.10 blocks while starting all 42 games he played prior to his injury in January. The Grizzlies went 28-14 (.667) in games he played and 23-17 (.575) in games he missed. 

Through his career, the 30-year-old Adams has averaged 9.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 0.96 blocks in 706 games over 10 seasons.

The Grizzlies open the season Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, and won't have Ja Morant available until December 19 because of a 25-game suspension.

The Philadelphia 76ers' wantaway guard James Harden is just "looking to find happiness" after requesting a trade and engaging in a bitter war of words with Sixers president Daryl Morey.

That is the view of Chicago Bulls center and former Sixer Andre Drummond, who hopes Harden joins a team where he feels wanted. 

Former MVP Harden requested a trade after exercising his player option for the 2023-24 season in June, the third time he has asked for a move since leaving the Houston Rockets in January 2021.

Having grown frustrated with Morey's handling of his contract situation during the offseason, Harden labelled the Sixers president a "liar" in August, declaring: "I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of".

Harden reportedly expected to be offered a long-term deal after Philadelphia were beaten by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. 

He has since skipped practice on two occasions as the Sixers work towards their NBA season opener, which comes on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

While some have criticised Harden's conduct, Drummond, who joined the Brooklyn Nets as part of the trade which took Harden to Philadelphia last year, has sympathy for his position.

"I don't really get into the whole gossip aspect of the NBA," Drummond told Stats Perform. "I mean, with James, it's not his first time doing this.

"I think he's just going to try to find a way to make sure that he's happy and he goes into the best situation. I don't really have much else I can say on that.

"He's just looking to find happiness, so hopefully he gets to go where he wants to."

The Sixers' hopes for 2023-24 will be carried by reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who recently announced his intention to represent the United States at next year's Olympic Games in France. 

Embiid averaged a career-high 33.1 points to lead the NBA last season, but the 29-year-old is yet to win a championship.

Drummond, who played alongside Embiid while with the Sixers in 2021-22, believes Philadelphia need to give the center a championship-winning team sooner rather than later.

Asked about Philadelphia's title hopes, Drummond said: "I think for Joel, they have to do it now. Now's the time.

"They've waited a long time, a lot of pieces have been added to their team that maybe aren't working out. 

"I hope he does it. I hope he doesn't win against us, but I hope for the best for him. I really want him to win. I've got to play alongside him for a year and he deserves it. He works really hard."

Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid scored 21 points in his 2023-24 preseason debut to help the Philadelphia 76ers to a 120-106 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Embiid shot just 3 of 12 from the field, but went 14 of 15 from the free-throw line in the 76ers' final tune-up prior to Thursday's season opener against the Bucks in Milwaukee. The star center added five rebounds and two blocks in 33 minutes.

Starting in place of the disgruntled James Harden, De'Anthony Melton contributed a game-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting to aid in the 76ers' victory. Tyrese Maxey chipped in 12 assists and three steals along with 15 points.

Harden's status for the regular season remains in question after the 2017-18 NBA MVP did not show up for team practices earlier this week. Harden requested a trade in the summer due to his displeasure over not receiving a contract extension.

Trae Young led Atlanta with 19 points and 10 assists but shot just 5 of 16 from the floor. The Hawks open their season on the road against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

The Bucks will also enter their showdown with the 76ers off a win, as Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points and Damian Lillard had 19 in Milwaukee's 124-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Desmond Bane shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range and put up 24 points for Memphis, which begins its season Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans as star guard Ja Morant begins a 25-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the league. 

Elsewhere on the NBA's final night of preseason games, Kyrie Irving posted a 17-point, 11-assist double-double as the Dallas Mavericks earned a 114-104 win over the Detroit Pistons. 

The Mavericks rested Luka Doncic as they prepared for Wednesday's anticipated visit to San Antonio to take on the Spurs in Victor Wembanayama's official NBA debut. Josh Green started in Doncic's place and recorded 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including a 4-of-5 performance from 3-point range. 

In Houston, rookie Amen Thompson compiled 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists to help the Rockets to a 110-104 win over the Miami Heat.

Thompson, the No. 4 pick in this year's draft, will make his regular-season debut Wednesday when the Rockets visit the Orlando Magic.

Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green added 20 points for Houston, which also received 16 points and 12 rebounds from Alperen Sengun.

In Toronto, the Raptors completed a 4-0 preseason with a 134-98 rout of the Washington Wizards behind Scottie Barnes' 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. 

Pascal Siakam finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists in Toronto's final game before Wednesday's opener against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.