NBA Opening Night: Lakers fall, Heat rises
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 01 Nov 2012
The official Los Angeles Lakers debut of prized offseason acquisition Dwight Howard and Steve Nash fell for naught Tuesday night when the fabled purple-and-gold franchise fell to the Dallas Mavericks, 99-91, at the Staples Center.
The upset was only the fourth Lakers' opening night loss in 21 years. And this one was especially shocking since the Dallas Mavericks limped into Los Angeles without ace forward Dirk Nowitzki and center Chris Kaman.
The hulking 6-foot-10, 265-pound Howard, who is recuperating from a surgically-repaired back, showed the might that has made him the game's premiere center -- 19 points and 10 rebounds. But the ex-Magic slotman fumbled 11 of his 14 free throws and couldn't bail the Lakers, who were 0-8 in preseason schedule.
Pau Gasol finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds while teammate Kobe Bryant chipped in 22 in a losing effort.
The Lakers opened the 67th NBA season looking for their 17th title, which would place them in a tie with bitter rivals, the Boston Celtics.
Darren Collison paced the Mavericks with 17 points.
MEANWHILE, out East, the Miami Heat opened their title defense with a 120-107 blasting of the Boston Celtics at the American Airlines Arena.
Dwyane Wade topscored with 29 points while LeBron James added 26 and 10 rebounds. James sat out the remaining eight-plus minutes of the fourth quarter due to some cramping, the same fate he suffered sporadically during Miami's triumphant 2012 NBA Finals run against the Oklahoma City Thunder this pasr June.
Ray Allen, who made waves and enemies in the offseason by migrating from Boston to Miami, sizzled in his Heat debut, firing 19 points in a terrific display that reinforced his place as one of the best pure shooters the NBA has ever seen.
Celtics leader Paul Pierce scored 23 points while Rajon Rondo had 20 and 13 dimes. Leandro Barbosa, a Celtic addition during the offseason, accounted for 16.
The highlight of the evening was the ring ceremony, where Miami Heat the franchise's second championship banner since 2006. Team owner Mickey Arison handed out the lavish rings which was decked with 219 diamonds each and valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. (Maloney Samaco)
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