He’s back.
The 2014-15 NBA regular season continued on Tuesday, December 2. There were 10 games featuring 20 teams, but for all that transpired, nothing mattered quire as much as one player’s return.
Reigning league MVP and four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant made his season debut.
Here’s how Durant fared, as well as what transpired across the NBA.
1. Tyreke Evans scored 30 points as the New Orleans Pelicans spoiled Kevin Durant’s return with a 112-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Anthony Davis put up 25 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, six steals and four blocks, while Russell Westbrook had 21 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals and seven turnovers on 6-of-20 shooting.
In his first game of the 2014-15 NBA season, Durant scored 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting.
2. Kyrie Irving dropped 28 points, Kevin Love put up 27 and 10 rebounds, and LeBron James tallied 26 points and 10 assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 111-108. Brandon Knight led Milwaukee with 28 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals, and Jabari Parker put up 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals on 11-of-15 shooting.
Cleveland has won four in a row.
3. LaMarcus Aldridge erupted for 39 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks as the Portland Trail Blazers escaped with a 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Ty Lawson picked up 24 points, 13 assists, four rebounds and two steals for Denver, while Nicolas Batum dished out 13 assists for Portland.
Lawson is tied with Chris Paul and John Wall for the most double-doubles amongst point guards with nine.
4. It took extra time, but Monta Ellis scored 38 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 132-129 double-overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls. Pau Gasol posted 29 points and 14 rebounds in an insane 50 minutes played, and Jimmy Butler scored 23 points for Chicago. Both Dirk Nowitzki and Derrick Rose had 10 assists.
It was Rose’s first game with at least 10 assists since March 10, 2012. It was Nowitzki’s first since March 29, 2010.
5. Jordan Hill turned heads with 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons 106-96. Josh Smith put up 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block for Detroit, while Kobe Bryant finished with 12 points, 13 assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Bryant has double-digit assists in consecutive games for the first time since April 2, 2013
6. Brook Lopez posted 23 points, eight rebound and three blocks to lead the Brooklyn Nets past Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks 98-93. Joe Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block for Brooklyn, while Amar’e Stoudemire had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks.
New York has lost five in a row and 14 of 16.
7. Goran Dragic took over as the Phoenix Suns ran past the Indiana Pacers 116-99. Dragic posted 34 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals on 11-of-15 shooting from the field, 5-of-6 from beyond the arc and 7-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Dragic’s 34 points set a season-high.
8. Kyle Korver was close to flawless en route to 24 points in a 109-105 Atlanta Hawks victory over the Boston Celtics. Korver was 8-of-9 from the field, 6-of-7 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 at the free throw line, while the rest of the Hawks went just 5-of-17 from distance.
Rajon Rondo posted 19 assists and 12 rebounds—the highest assist total since Brandon Jennings dished out 19 on March 2, 2013.
9. Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross out-dueled Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore as the Toronto Raptors pulled out a 117-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Lowry tallied 27 points and 13 assists, and Ross scored 20 for Toronto, while Gay had 20 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and McLemore put up 21 points for Sacramento.
This was Gay’s first career game with at least 10 assists.
10. Stephen Curry scored 22 points and sank the game-winner as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Orlando Magic 98-97. Victor Oladipo scored a season-high 27 points, but the Magic ultimately fell short against the association’s hottest team.
Golden State has won 10 consecutive games and shares the NBA’s best record with the Memphis Grizzlies at 15-2.
Bonus Fact: Since 2010-11, Rondo has eight games with at least 19 assists. The rest of the NBA has seven.