LOS ANGELES: The San Antonio Spurs picked up right where they left off, collecting their championship rings before beginning their title defence on Tuesday with a 101-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Spurs, despite their superb record in ring ceremony games, needed every minute of the contest to hold off their Texas-state rivals, who gave them their most difficult challenge of last year’s play-offs.
“We moved the ball much better in the second half,” said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who came off the bench to score 20 points in one of three opening-night NBA contests.
“The defence was great. Tony had a couple of big baskets and it was a very close game. Anything could have happened.”
The Spurs rolled to their fifth NBA title in June by dismantling the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. But first they had to get past the Mavericks in an epic seven-game series in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Tuesday’s three-game set to start the 2014-15 regular season also saw Anthony Davis fall one block shy of a triple-double as the New Orleans Pelicans pulled away from the Orlando Magic for a 101-84 home win.
In the late game, Houston spoiled the return of Kobe Bryant, who only played in a handful of games last season, as the Rockets embarrassed the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 at Staples Center arena.
San Antonio received their championship rings in a pre-game ceremony which also included raising their fifth championship banner in franchise history. The Spurs are now 5-0 in games where they received their championship rings.
“The ring ceremony got me emotional,” said Ginobili. “This is a great start. I can’t complain.”
Parker scored the go ahead three-pointer with under a minute left. Ginobili also had six assists off the bench and Tim Duncan totalled 14 points and 13 rebounds for San Antonio.
Monta Ellis led Dallas with 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting and Dirk Nowitzki added 18 points with six rebounds in the loss.
San Antonio returned almost everyone from last year’s team but they had to play the season-opener without NBA finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who is sidelined by a right eye infection.
Tiago Splitter also sat with a calf injury and Australian Patty Mills will miss the first few months after shoulder surgery.
“Overall, we did a pretty good job playing without Kawhi, Tiago and Patty. Three guys who are very important to our team,” said Parker. “It was a big win for us.”
The game also marked the coaching debut of San Antonio assistant coach Becky Hammond. She became the second female in NBA history to work on an NBA coaching staff.
San Antonio has now won 10 straight regular-season games over the Mavericks, including eight straight at home.
James Harden scored a game-high 32 points in just three quarters for the Rockets in the win.
Terrence Jones finished with a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double for Houston who have won four straight against the Lakers.
Dwight Howard had 13 points with 11 rebounds for the Rockets. Howard also missed nine free throws on 16 attempts and committed five fouls.
Bryant, who played just six games last season because of Achilles and knee injuries, led the struggling Lakers with 19 points on six-of-17 shooting.
Bryant and Howard exchanged words in the fourth quarter which resulted in double technical fouls.
The former Laker team-mates bumped near the Rockets’ basket and then Howard delivered an elbow to Bryant’s jaw. The players exchanged words with Bryant telling Howard he was “soft”.
“He elbowed me in the face and I am going to let him know I don’t like that,” Bryant said.
Carlos Boozer finished with 17 points with seven rebounds and former Rocket Jeremy Lin added seven points in their Lakers’ debuts. Lin shot just one-of-five and had a team-high four turnovers.
The Lakers played their first regular-season game under new coach Byron Scott but lost rookie forward Julius Randle, who suffered a broken right leg midway through the fourth quarter in his NBA debut.
With just under seven minutes to play in a blowout 108-90 Houston Rockets win, Randle fell hard after a drive to the lane, breaking his tibia, the Lakers announced. The Lakers were already hit with injuries even before Randle got hurt. Steve Nash is expected to miss the entire season. AGENCIES
