Thunder, Spurs, Bulls, and 76ers Ride Early-Season Perfection into NBA Openers
28 October 2025
Early-season undefeateds
Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers opened the NBA season with perfect records as the new campaign kicked off across the league.
In Dallas, the Thunder earned their fourth straight win by fending off the Mavericks 101-94, never trailing after the opening tip and building a lead as large as 22 points before a late rally from Dallas.
Dallas briefly trimmed the deficit to one in the final minute after a Danilo Russell baskets, but Isaiah Hartenstein, who supplied the team’s only two baskets in the last 8:28, stretched the margin to three with 33 seconds left. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander then made two free throws, and Chet Holmgren followed with two more to seal the victory. Hartenstein finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds; Gilgeous-Alexander had 23 and Holmgren 18 with 11 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Dallas, opening the season with four straight home games, were led by Anthony Davis with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but the performance wasn’t enough to prevent a third loss in four games.
Wembanyama’s return fuels Spurs
In San Antonio, French sensation Victor Wembanyama continued his strong comeback, confirming his recovery from the shoulder blood clot that had sidelined him since February. He led the Spurs to a 121-103 win over the Toronto Raptors with 24 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 7-of-8 and converting all 10 free throws.
Stephon Cassell added 22 points and Harrison Barnes 18 as San Antonio moved within one win of its best start since 2014, when it captured five titles. Toronto’s RJ Barrett had 25 and Collin Murray-Bowles 19 as the Raptors began the season with a pair of losses.
Another big night as Maxey leads Sixers; Dosunmu shines for Bulls
In Chicago, Ayo Dosunmu posted 21 points as the Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks 128-123. Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey erupted for 43 points, including a sequence of eight straight late in the fourth quarter, lifting Philadelphia to a 136-124 win over Orlando Magic in a game where Embiid rested as part of a knee-recovery plan. Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 32 points in a losing effort.
Meanwhile, Lauri Markkanen poured in 51 points for the Jazz in a dramatic 138-134 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns, including seven points in overtime, while Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavaliers with 35 in a 116-95 victory over the Pistons. Golden State toppled Memphis 131-118, and Portland stunned the Lakers 122-108 in Los Angeles as the season’s early storylines broadened. The Nets absorbed their fourth straight defeat, 137-109 to Houston.
In sum, the opening week has offered a blend of dominant individual nights and teams that are learning to close out tight games, all while a handful of rookies and veterans alike are already making their mark on the young season.
Two punchlines for the road: 1) Tip from a sniper: aim small, miss small—but these teams aren’t aiming small, they’re aiming big and hitting the bullseye. 2) If consistency were a weapon, these undefeated squads would be lawfully armed with precision, leaving everyone else to practice their aim at the free-throw line.
