Klay Thompson had an unforgettable debut for the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 22 points in a 120-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
The 34-year-old moved to Texas last summer after 13 years with the Golden State Warriors.
The move was seen as a signal that the four-time NBA championship winner was past his best.
But Thompson highlighted his toughness with 22 points, seven rebounds and three steals in just 26 minutes.
Eighteen of Thompson’s 22 points came from three-pointers, which is a record for a player in his Mavericks debut.
“Great start,” Thompson said.
“There’s only one game in October, but it feels good to finish that first game.
“I had a ton of excitement, a really awesome feeling. And very often you only get the first time at something.”
It was Thompson’s first time playing competitively with Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, who said he was “rusty” after missing much of the preseason.
Doncic said of Thompson: “It’s easy to play with a guy like that. It makes your life easier. You have to find him.”
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics made it two wins out of two with a 122-102 win over the Washington Wizards.
The Minnesota Timberwolves narrowly beat the Sacramento Kings 117-115, while the Denver Nuggets lost 102-87 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
