Blazers spoil LeBron’s Lakers’ party while Ben Simmons stars for 76ers

Portland spoiled the party for LeBron James and the Lakers while Ben Simmons starred for the 76ers.

LeBron James in action for Los Angeles Lakers against Portland Trail Blazers in Oregon. Picture: Getty Images

LeBron James opened with two thunderous dunks and had 26 points and 12 rebounds in his first game with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled the party 128-119 in the season-opener for both teams.

Damian Lillard had 28 points and Nik Stauskas came off the bench to score 24 for Portland, who won their 18th straight home opener to extend an NBA record. It was the Blazers’ 16th straight victory over the Lakers.

The opening festivities were tempered by the death this week of Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen. A “Rip City” baseball cap rested in Allen’s courtside seat with a single rose.

The enigmatic co-founder of Microsoft died on Monday in Seattle from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was 65.

Meanwhile, Ben Simmons made Philadelphia 76ers history with a rapid triple-double that delivered the team’s first victory of the new season.

The 76ers cruised to a 127-108 win over the Chicago Bulls in Philadelphia with Simmons stacking the score sheet with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists and two blocked shots.

It is the first time in the history of the franchise a player has posted a triple-double in their opening home game of the season.

The Australian 22-year-old achieved it before the end of the third quarter and did it with an around-the-back assist to an open 76ers forward Robert Covington who sank a three-pointer.

Simmons had 12 triple-doubles last season on his way to winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and incredibly achieved it against the Bulls on Thursday by only taking eight field goals.

Despite the big numbers, 76ers’ coach Brett Brown singled out Simmons’ defence.

“He really can be elite defensively,” Brown said after the game. “He took eight shots and had a triple-double and just impacts the game all over the place.”

76ers centre Joel Embiid, who overpowered the Bulls with 30 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, said Simmons’ size for a point guard meant he should average a triple-double for the season if the team feeds the Australian the ball.

Agencies