After Lakers rookie Julius Randle left his NBA debut strapped to a wheeled stretcher with a broken right leg, every player at Staples Center gained a sober perspective on the season opener.
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Manu Ginobili hit just 2 of 23 shots during preseason games. But when the games began to matter, Ginobili returned to form. He scored 20 points in the season opener as the Spurs defeated Dallas 101-100 for their 10th straight regular-season victory over the Mavericks.
Anthony Davis had 26 points and tied a career high with nine blocked shots while Ryan Anderson added 22 points off the bench to lift host New Orleans to a season-opening win.
As the 2014-15 season begins, the landscape in the NBA changed dramatically since the San Antonio Spurs hoisted the championship trophy by dominating the Miami Heat. Here are 10 things to watch as the 2014-15 NBA season begins.