James makes losing debut as Lakers go down to Portland in season opener

LOS ANGELES: Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 49 points, and Nik Stauskas matched his career high with 24 points in his first appearance in a Portland uniform, leading the Trail Blazers past the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 128119 in the season opener for both teams.

LeBron James collected 26 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in his first game as a Laker on Thursday. Josh Hart had 20 points for the Lakers, who got 13 points and 11 assists from Rajon Rondo in his team debut. Los Angeles shot 48.4 per cent from the field but was only 7 of 30 on three-point attempts.

Lillard scored 28 points, McCollum chipped in 21, and Jusuf Nuric added 16 points and nine rebounds in just 17 minutes for the Trail Blazers. Portland won their home opener for an NBArecord 18th straight time and ran their streak of consecutive victories over the Lakers to 16 dating to 2013. Heat 113 Wizards 112: Kelly Olynyk followed up Dwyane Wade’s miss with 0.2 seconds remaining, and Miami pulled out a win at Washington.

Wade’s 22-footer over John Wall bounced high into the air, and Olynyk (nine points) went up in a crowd, came down with the rebound and laid it in.

Wall’s inbounds pass was deflected as time expired, and the Heat prevailed in a game that featured 21 lead changes.

Josh Richardson led Miami, which lost its opener Wednesday night, with 28 points. Rodney McGruder added 20.

Wall led the Wizards with 26 points and nine assists in their opener. Bradley Beal scored 20 despite being limited by foul trouble.

76ers 127 Bulls 108: Ben Simmons produced a triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, and eight Philadelphia players scored in double figures during a win over visiting Chicago.

Joel Embiid scored 30 points and swept 12 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double for the 76ers, who responded after a season-opening, 18-point loss on Tuesday in Boston. Robert Covington added 20 for Philadelphia.

Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 30 points while Bobby Portis added 20 points and 11 rebounds on Thursday.