Philadelphia and Houston stay unbeaten. Murray engineers a massive comeback. Booker erupts. The 4DK breakdown goes beyond the scores.
PHILADELPHIA 127 · MILWAUKEE 116
THE SIXERS ARE 3–0 — AND THIS START HAS SUBSTANCE.
Philadelphia has opened the season with wins over the Knicks, Cavaliers and Bucks. This one came with LeBron James inactive and Dean Wade stepping into the starting lineup. Joel Embiid delivered 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists; Jaylen Brown scored 27 on his 30th birthday; Tyrese Maxey added 26; and VJ Edgecombe finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
The Sixers made 19 threes and forced 22 Milwaukee turnovers while committing only 11. That possession advantage helped overcome a major rebounding deficit: Milwaukee held a 62–40 edge on the glass. Wade contributed seven points, three steals and a block. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 21 for Milwaukee, and Kel’el Ware added 19 points and 13 rebounds.
4DK VERDICT: Philadelphia has enough playmaking and perimeter firepower to win without one of its biggest names. But the defensive glass cannot become a recurring weakness against contenders.
HOUSTON 121 · ATLANTA 114
HOUSTON'S DEPTH IS SERIOUS — BUT FINISHING MATTERS.
Kevin Durant led Houston with 22 points. Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason scored 19 each, while Amen Thompson produced 17 points and 11 rebounds and Alperen Şengün added 17 and 10. Seven Rockets reached double figures. Houston's 13 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points underline its ability to win the possession battle.
The Rockets built a 20-point lead, then allowed Atlanta within five. Jalen Johnson supplied 26 points and 16 assists for the Hawks, but Atlanta went 12-for-45 from three. Durant's late free throws closed the door.
4DK VERDICT: Houston's 3–0 start looks real. The depth, size and balance are there; turning big leads into controlled finishes is the next step.
DENVER 141 · NEW ORLEANS 135 · OT
MURRAY ERUPTS. NEW ORLEANS LETS ONE GET AWAY.
Jamal Murray scored 42 points and made eight threes, while Nikola Jokić finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. New Orleans led 108–89 entering the fourth, after holding a lead as large as 23 points. Denver outscored the Pelicans 37–18 in the fourth and 15–9 in overtime.
Murray's shot-making changed the game and Jokić's all-around control gave Denver an answer whenever the Pelicans adjusted. But surrendering 108 points in three quarters is a defensive warning for the Nuggets. New Orleans generated enough offense to win and still could not execute down the stretch.
4DK VERDICT: Murray earns Player of the Night. Denver showed championship composure; New Orleans learned the hard way that three strong quarters do not finish a game.
SAN ANTONIO 122 · DALLAS 106
WEMBY GETS HELP. THE SPURS GET THEIR FIRST WIN.
Victor Wembanyama posted 23 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Dylan Harper scored 22, while De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 19 each. San Antonio produced 64 paint points and 26 second-chance points, compared with 12 for Dallas, then closed with a 30–17 fourth quarter.
Dallas played without Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Its bench supplied 56 points, but 18 turnovers and trouble securing defensive rebounds were too much to overcome.
4DK VERDICT: The win matters; the balance matters more. The Spurs look most dangerous when Wembanyama is the centerpiece rather than the entire offense.
PHOENIX 131 · GOLDEN STATE 122
BOOKER'S 43 MAKES A STATEMENT.
Devin Booker delivered 43 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Phoenix's home opener. His ability to score and create for others remains the Suns' clearest offensive advantage.
Golden State's third consecutive loss raises questions, though the Warriors' injury context matters. Phoenix must show it can consistently support Booker, and Golden State needs better defensive stability before the early losses begin to pile up.
4DK VERDICT: Booker reminded the league of his scoring ceiling. Phoenix needs a sustainable formula around him; Golden State needs a response.
CHARLOTTE 115 · MIAMI 110
BRANDON MILLER RESPONDS. MIAMI'S SEARCH CONTINUES.
Charlotte rebounded from a 47-point loss to Atlanta behind 34 points from Brandon Miller. His willingness to keep attacking after a difficult opening stretch is encouraging for a young team still building its identity.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds in limited minutes for Miami. Bam Adebayo added 20 points and eight rebounds, while Davion Mitchell had 22 points and 10 assists. The Heat fell to 0–3, with chemistry and defensive organization still unresolved.
4DK VERDICT: Miller gets his flowers for the response. Miami has the talent to recover, but it must establish a dependable two-way identity.
WASHINGTON 124 · CHICAGO 120
TRAE LEADS WASHINGTON. CALEB WILSON SHOWS HIS CEILING.
Trae Young finished with 25 points and nine assists, Kyshawn George added 22 points and nine rebounds, and Anthony Davis scored 19. Washington, playing without the injured AJ Dybantsa, flipped a five-point halftime deficit by winning the third quarter 40–20 and moved to 2–1.
Chicago rookie Caleb Wilson posted 30 points and 14 rebounds despite shooting 1-for-9 from three. The Bulls were 12-for-43 from deep as a team, but Wilson's ability to produce while his jumper develops is a genuine long-term positive.
4DK VERDICT: Washington's veterans closed out a valuable road win. Chicago may have found a future offensive centerpiece in Wilson.
CLEVELAND 125 · BROOKLYN 121
CLEVELAND SURVIVES — BUT THE FOURTH QUARTER RAISES QUESTIONS.
Donovan Mitchell scored 22, Jarrett Allen added 21 and Evan Mobley contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds. James Harden struggled from the floor but helped facilitate. Cleveland led by 22 in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn made a furious push.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 for the Nets, Julius Randle had 23 and Egor Demin added 22. Demin caught fire late, and Porter hit a three to make it 123–121 with eight seconds left. Cleveland ultimately escaped at the line.
4DK VERDICT: Cleveland has contender talent but needs cleaner late-game execution. Brooklyn deserves credit for refusing to fold, and Demin's shot-making is worth monitoring.
4DK PLAYER OF THE NIGHT
JAMAL MURRAY · 42 POINTS · 8 THREES
A 23-point comeback and an overtime win make Murray's shot-making the night's defining performance.
4DK ROOKIE SPOTLIGHT
CALEB WILSON · 30 POINTS · 14 REBOUNDS
Chicago has a young player worth developing through mistakes, especially while his perimeter shooting catches up with his interior production.
4DK STOCK WATCH
RISING: PHILLY, HOUSTON, WASHINGTON AND SAN ANTONIO
Philadelphia and Houston have opened 3–0. Washington is 2–1. San Antonio's young core showed balance. Miami and Golden State have urgent early questions, while Caleb Wilson is one of our players to watch.
THE 4DK FINAL WORD
OCTOBER DOESN'T DECIDE CHAMPIONSHIPS. IT REVEALS HABITS.
We're watching who moves the ball, controls the glass, adjusts under pressure and gets stops when the game is on the line. The league isn't waiting for anybody to figure it out.
4 DA KULTURE. THE GAME. THE CULTURE. THE CONVERSATION.