LA Clippers inflict opening day defeat on NBA champions Lakers, Kevin Durant 'scary' good in Nets win over Warriors

New season tips off as Paul George steals the show in Los Angeles

Paul George led the Los Angeles Clippers to victory over the Lakers with 33 points and six rebounds. AP

NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers lost their first game of the 2020/21 season 116-109 to the Clippers, with Paul George scoring 26 of his 33 points in the second half.

Before the game, the Lakers handed out rings celebrating their 2019-20 NBA championship, but the Clippers were in no mood to celebrate their city rivals' achievements.

George converted 13 of 18 shots from the floor, including five of eight from 3-point range. Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points, Serge Ibaka added 15, Ivica Zubac and Lou Williams contributed 11 each and Patrick Beverley chipped in with 10.

LeBron James had 22 points, five assists and five rebounds while Anthony Davis added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers. Former Clipper Montrezl Harrell had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Kyle Kuzma scored 15 points. Dennis Schroder amassed 14 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and eight assists.

The Lakers never led. Two free throws by Markieff Morris three minutes into the fourth quarter allowed them to close within 96-90 with 9:01 left, but the Clippers answered with a 13-4 run for a 15-point lead after a bucket by Leonard with 4:51 remaining. The Lakers never threatened again.

After Schroder scored on a layup to tie the score at 75 with 5:04 left in the third quarter, George sparked a 14-3 surge by scoring 10 straight Clippers points for an 89-78 edge heading into the fourth. George's 15 points in the third helped the Clippers outscore the Lakers 33-24 in the period.

The Clippers bolted out to an early advantage, leading by as much as 22 points in the first quarter. The Clippers owned a 39-19 lead after one period.

An 11-2 run by the Lakers cut the gap to 41-30 after a 3-pointer by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope midway through the second quarter. The Lakers sliced the deficit to 53-50 on a dunk by James with 1:39 remaining in the second.

James' three-point play with about a minute left in the quarter capped the first-half scoring, helping the Lakers pull within 56-54 at the break. The Lakers outscored the Clippers 35-17 in the second quarter.

Durant 'scary' good in Nets debut

In the NBA's first game of the season, Kyrie Irving scored 26 points and Kevin Durant added 22 in three quarters as the Brooklyn Nets took control early and cruised to a 125-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors in New York.

The duo were spectacular in their first regular-season game since joining the Nets as free agents in July 2019. Brooklyn led by any as 38 points in Steve Nash's coaching debut.

Limited to 20 games last season due to shoulder injuries, Irving made 10 of 16 shots and hit four 3-pointers in his first game since Feb. 1. Irving added four assists and four rebounds while playing 25:18.

In his first game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals with Golden State against Toronto, Durant made 7 of 16 shots, hit all seven of his free throws and contributed five rebounds to go along with three assists.

"(His play) is kind of scary for the rest of the league," said Warriors coach Kerr, who worked with Durant at Golden State prior to the forward's move to Brooklyn. "I couldn't tell one difference between seeing him 18 months ago to seeing him (now)."