Starting 5 Daily Newsletter

Starting 5, Oct. 9: Zaccharie Risacher shines in preseason debut

Zaccharie Risacher’s highlight-reel debut, a buzzer-beating win, Devin Booker’s return home and more from Tuesday around the NBA.

Updated on October 9, 2024 1:17 PM

Bon appetit.

Zaccharie Risacher just cooked up a five-star debut.

THE LINEUP 🏀

What’s inside today’s edition?

Risacher’s Big Day: The No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft stole the show Tuesday night

W Finals Set: The Lynx outshine the Sun in the semifinals win-or-go-home Game 5

NBA GM Predictions: What are the top minds in basketball expecting in 2024-25?

New Chapter In NorCal: A renewed rivalry defined by nail-biters returns tonight

Half-Man, Half-Amazing: 7 times Vince Carter defied the laws of gravity

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Another day, another packed night of hoops…

A pair of nationally-televised preseason games begin with the Thunder hosting the Rockets (8 ET, NBA TV) followed by the NorCal rivalry with the Kings hosting the Warriors (10:30 ET, ESPN).

1. NO. 1 PICK DAZZLES IN DEBUT, BOOKER COMES HOME + THIS…

Hawks 131, Pacers 130: The No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft, Zaccharie Risacher, shined with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, three boards, two helpers and plenty of highlights before Seth Lundy called game by burying a go-ahead triple with 0.3 seconds left to secure the Hawks win. | Stats

Razzle-dazzle Risacher: The Frenchman’s first bucket came off a silky Euro Step before dishing out a no-look, through-the-legs dime
Risacher after the win: “I guess I was a little nervous. But as soon I step on the court, it’s just a huge joy … Today was a good day.”
And while we’re talking dimes, check out this epic full-court assist from Vit Krejci
Top scorers & stars: Jalen Johnson (19 pts, 10 reb) led Atlanta in points followed by Risacher and Trae Young (17 pts, 6 ast), while Pascal Siakam scored 15 for Indiana and Tyrese Haliburton notched eight points and four assists

Suns 105, Pistons 97: Just over an hour from his hometown of Grand Rapids, MI, Devin Booker (10 pts, 3 ast, 1 blk, +17) helped lead the Suns to a win alongside Kevin Durant (21 pts, 4 3s) and Bradley Beal (12 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl) at Michigan State’s Breslin Center. | Stats

Full Circle Moment: After Booker reminisced this summer about getting his first-ever autograph from Grand Rapids native and former MSU guard Drew Neitzel, Neitzel’s son got his first autograph from DBook last night
Standouts: Durant, who went 4-of-6 from deep, scored a game-high while Jalen Duren (17 pts, 6 reb) and Jaden Ivey (16 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast) led the way for Detroit

Hornets 111, Heat 108: LaMelo Ball had 12 of his game-high 24 points in the 1st quarter, this year’s No. 6 overall pick Tidjane Salaun added 15 and the Hornets outpaced Jimmy Butler (11 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast), Bam Adebayo (13 pts, 6 reb) and the Heat. | Stats

LaMelo Ballin’: LaMelo hit four 3s in the 1st quarter and finished with six triples on 12 tries in 23 minutes of play
Butler & Bam: Butler and Adebayo helped build Miami a 62-58 edge at the break before sitting in the 2nd half

Bulls 116, Cavaliers 112: Coby White erupted for 21 points in just 25 minutes and joined five other Bulls in double-figures as Chicago rallied past Evan Mobley (19 pts, 6 reb, 3 blk) and the Cavs in both teams’ preseason opener. | Stats

New Bulls: Chicago’s No. 11 overall pick Matas Buzelis (10 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast) and offseason trade acquisition Josh Giddey (11 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast) combined for 21 points in their Bulls debuts
Cavs’ Core: Donovan Mitchell (12 pts, 4 ast) and Darius Garland (13 pts, 5 ast) added 25 for Cleveland, which saw its 67-54 halftime lead slip away with its starters on the bench

Clippers 115, Nets 106: James Harden notched 14 points (6-9 fg), four rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes of play, Kai Jones and Jordan Miller added 13 points apiece and the Clips pulled away from Cam Thomas (12 pts, 2 ast) and the Nets. | Stats

2. COLLIER MAKES HISTORY AS LYNX ADVANCE TO FINALS

For the first time in seven years, the Minnesota Lynx are headed to the WNBA Finals.

Dynamic Duo: Napheesa Collier (27 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast, 4 blk) and Courtney Williams (24 pts, 7 ast and endless energy) combined for 51 points to lead the Lynx to an 88-77 win over the Sun in a win-or-go-home Game 5. | Recap

One Of Two: In the biggest game of her career, Collier joined Candace Parker as the only players to post at least 25 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast and 4 blk in a Playoff game
One Of One: Collier became the first player in W history to record three straight Playoff games with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds

Lynx Take Over Early: After Connecticut jumped out to a 7-2 lead, the Lynx used a 17-4 run to seize control and never trailed again. Kayla McBride scored 10 of her 19 points in the opening quarter as Minnesota led 31-18.

The Lynx led by as many as 24 points and overcame a slow start to the 2nd half to regain control, never letting the Sun get within single digits.

DiJonai Carrington (team-high 17 pts, game-high 12 reb) scored all of her points in the 2nd half to try to fuel the Sun’s multiple rallies
Final Stand? DeWanna Bonner (14 pts, 8 reb), Alyssa Thomas (7 pts, 6 ast) and Brionna Jones (16 pts, 10 reb, 3 blk) – who have a combined 14 All-Star appearances between them – will all enter unrestricted free agency this offseason

On To Brooklyn: The Lynx celebration will be short-lived as they’ll head to New York to face the top-seeded Liberty on Thursday for Game 1 of the best-of-five WNBA Finals (8 ET, ESPN).

3. WHO WILL SHINE IN 2024-25 ACCORDING TO NBA GMs?

The results are in.

The annual NBA GM Survey dropped Tuesday, revealing how some of the top minds in basketball feel about key topics entering the 2024-25 season — from which player is most likely to have a breakout year to who they think will hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.

Below are their predictions and insights on some of the most burning questions heading into regular-season tip-off on Oct. 22.

Which team made the best overall moves this offseason?

1. Thunder – 37%
2. 76ers – 33%
3. Knicks – 20%

Which one player acquisition will make the biggest impact?

1. Paul George (PHI) – 60%
T-2. Mikal Bridges (NYK) – 13%
T-2. Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) – 13%
4. Alex Caruso (OKC) – 7%

Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2024-25?

1. Jalen Williams (OKC) – 13%
T-2. Evan Mobley (CLE) – 10%
T-2. Ja Morant (MEM) – 10%
T-2. Victor Wembanyama (SAS) – 10%
T-5. Paolo Banchero (ORL) – 7%
T-5. Cade Cunningham (DET) – 7%
T-5. Brandon Miller (CHA) – 7%

Who will win the 2024-25 Kia MVP?

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) – 40%
2. Luka Doncic (DAL) – 30%
T-3. Joel Embiid (PHI) – 7%
T-3. Nikola Jokic (DEN) – 7%
T-3. Jayson Tatum (BOS) – 7%

Which team will win the 2025 NBA Finals?

1. Celtics – 83%
2. Thunder – 13%
3. Mavericks – 3%

4. NEW CHAPTER IN NORCAL

The last three times the Warriors and Kings have faced, each game has been decided by one point. Yes, one.

The last time they played in the preseason, Steph Curry did this.

Tonight, they’ll square off for the first time in 2024-25, as Curry and company travel to Sacramento to resume an in-state rivalry that has been decided by a razor-thin margin (10:30 ET, ESPN).

How Thin Is Razor-Thin? Beginning with their 2023 first-round Playoff series, the Kings and Warriors have played 14 times, including the preseason, regular season, Play-In Tournament and Playoffs
In those 14 games, the two teams are separated by a total of five points (GSW: 1,622, SAC: 1,617), with Golden State earning eight wins compared to Sacramento’s six
Five of those games have been decided by a single point, including four of the last six matchups
And tonight, a new chapter begins as the Kings will be playing in their first game since acquiring six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan this offseason

Before the Cali clash, three other games take place Wednesday, headlined by two matchups between the NBA’s brightest up-and-coming clubs.

When we asked NBA GMs which team has the most promising young core, these four clubs stood out above the rest.

1. Thunder – 60%
2. Magic – 20%
3. Rockets – 10%
4. Spurs – 7%

And guess what? They’ll go head-to-head tonight as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC host Reed Sheppard and Houston (8 ET, NBA TV), while Paolo Banchero and Orlando take on San Antonio in Chris Paul’s Spurs debut with Victor Wembanyama (8 ET, League Pass).

Plus, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges will make their first home appearance with the Knicks as New York takes on Washington (7:30 ET, League Pass).

5. SOARING TO GLORY: 6 TIMES VINSANITY TOOK FLIGHT

Vince Carter: Half-man, half-amazing.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend is three days away, and this week, we’re celebrating some of the Class of 2024’s standout members by reliving their signature plays, from Chauncey Billups’ biggest shots to Michael Cooper’s best defensive stops.

Today, the spotlight tilts toward the sky, as we revisit seven dunks in which Vinsanity defied the laws of gravity.