Jimmy Butler led the Golden State Warriors to a road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night while the Oklahoma City Thunder outlasted the Houston Rockets on opening night.

With the Lakers searching for players to fit in with their newfound youth movement alongside the 26-year-old Dončić, one NBA writer has suggested that the storied franchise should exact revenge on Houston by acquiring their developing defensive forward Tari Eason in restricted free agency next summer.

Even as the series opener got underway, many became certain that the “Showtime” Lakers were too tough of an opponent for Houston. They registered a commanding 119-107 win after the latter team was unable to outscore them in any of the four quarters.

One year, the Memphis Grizzlies declined the fourth-year option on former No. 19 pick Jake LaRavia's rookie deal. Maybe the disrespect lit a fire under LaRavia, who has scored 25 points in two of his last three games for the Los Angeles Lakers.

That said, a 40-year-old LeBron James will miss the Lakers' opener against the Warriors. The four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champ is dealing with sciatica and is reportedly eying a mid-November return. James' early-season absence could set the stage for the beginning of a Dončić MVP campaign.

YouTube We've got a Halloween-themed episode of the Dunker Spot today! Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones check in on a few Western conference teams, then have some fun as they bounce around the league. They discuss what's spooking them — good or bad — in the early portion of the season.

The Nets ended any hopes of a Drew Timme reunion by trading the former Gonzaga star to the Lakers' G League affiliate.