Starting 5: Paul, Wemby make preseason connection

How many CP3 to Wemby alley-oops will we see in San Antonio this season? The first one – as both made their preseason debuts on Wednesday – brought the house down.

THE LINEUP 🏀
What’s inside today’s edition?
First Looks: The Wemby-CP3 connection and King DeMar debuted on Wednesday
KAT at MSG: Karl-Anthony Towns’ Garden debut as a Knick was a success
5-Game Thursday: A pair of star duos take center stage tonight
W Finals: Everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s Game 1 in two minutes
DeMar’s Story: How DeRozan rose Above the Noise and is now inspiring others
BUT FIRST … ⏰
How about some more hoops?

Thursday features a five-game slate, headlined by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks hosting LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers (8 ET, NBA TV).
The 2024 WNBA Finals tip off tonight (8 ET, ESPN) with Game 1 in Brooklyn as the Liberty host the Lynx in the best-of-five series.
1. A FIRST LOOK AT THE WEMBY-CP3 CONNECTION

Spurs 107, Magic 97: The preseason debut of the new Spurs combo of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul delivered must-see moments and a San Antonio win. | Stats

Orlando’s 2023 first round picks Jett Howard (19 pts, 3 ast, 2 stl) and Anthony Black (11 pts, 6 reb) led the way for Orlando, while Paolo Banchero added six points and seven assists

Warriors 122, Kings 112: Back in the arena where he spent five years as a King, new Warrior Buddy Hield put on a shooting display – hitting his first seven shots and finishing 8-of-9 with six 3s – to score a game-high 22 points in a win against his former team. | Stats
Jonathan Kuminga and De’Anthony Melton each finished with 16 points and four 3s for Golden State, while Steph Curry (fresh off a
with Brandin Podziemski) added 13 points and three 3s in 16 minutes
2. NEW HOUSE, SAME KAT

Knicks 117, Wizards 94: In six career games at Madison Square Garden with the Wolves, Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 24.2 pts, 9.7 reb and 2.5 3s on 54.9% shooting.
In his first game at the Garden in a Knicks uniform, it was more of the same as KAT posted 25 pts, 12 reb and a 3 as he and Jalen Brunson (23 pts) combined for 48 points to lead the Knicks to the win. | Stats
finished with 12 points, nine boards and three blocks for the Wizards, while Corey Kispert and Kyshawn George added 14 points apiece 

Rockets 122, Thunder 113 (OT): Jack McVeigh’s baseline jumper at the buzzer – after a perfectly executed intentionally missed free throw by Jermaine Samuels Jr. – forced overtime for the Rockets. Then, Nate Williams handled the rest.
Scoreless in regulation, Williams scored all seven of his points in OT to lift the Rockets to the win. | Stats
In his first game in OKC, Isaiah Hartenstein had 6 pts, 9 reb and
3. 5-GAME THURSDAY: STAR DUOS TAKE CENTER STAGE

What’s better than a four-game slate on Wednesday? How about a five-game slate on Thursday?
That’s what’s in store for hoop fans tonight as 10 teams will take the floor, headlined by a matchup of star duos as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks take on LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers.
Pacers at Cavaliers (7 ET, League Pass): After receiving the second-most ‘2024-25 breakout candidate’ votes in the NBA GM survey, Evan Mobley (19 pts, 6 reb, 3 blk) stuffed the stat sheet in Cleveland’s preseason opener on Tuesday. Will he stay hot tonight?
Lakers at Bucks (8 ET, NBA TV): Beyond him and Bronny James becoming the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA preseason game on Sunday, LeBron (19 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) combined for 36 points with AD (17 pts, 8 reb, 3 ast) in the 1st half against Phoenix. Will we see another dominant performance against Giannis, Dame and the Deer?

Hornets at Grizzlies (8 ET, League Pass): After each missing the end of the 2023-24 season with injuries, LaMelo Ball (21.0 pts, 5.0 reb, 5.5 ast, 5.0 3pm in 2 games) and Ja Morant (13 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk on Monday) have shown little signs of rust in their preseason thus far. Which star will shine brightest on Thursday?
Jazz at Mavericks (8 ET, League Pass): Will Klay Thompson make his Dallas debut after sitting out alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the Mavs’ first preseason outing on Monday? And can the Jazz pick up a third straight win?
Breakers at Thunder (8 ET, League Pass): After Wednesday’s overtime loss to Houston, the Thunder will look to bounce back when they host the New Zealand Breakers. OKC was 17-8 following a loss last season; will that trend continue this season?
4. W FINALS: GAME 1 PREVIEW IN 2 MINUTES

History will be written in the 2024 WNBA Finals.
The only question is, who will write it? Will the Liberty claim their first-ever championship, or will the Lynx make history with a record-breaking fifth title?
Before the two teams clash in tonight’s Game 1 (8 ET, ESPN), let’s run through everything you need to know heading into the best-of-five championship in two minutes.
On its way to tallying a league-best 32-8 regular-season record, New York finished with the top-ranked offensive rating (107.0) and the third-best defensive rating (95.3)

The Lynx were the only team to win the season series against the Liberty (2-1) and also defeated New York on the road in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game
5. DEROZAN’S MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES, STRENGTH & STORY

You know his journey on the court, but do you know his story off of it?
Since being selected ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan has blossomed into a leading figure not just on the court but also in the conversation surrounding mental health.
His openness regarding his battle with depression has resonated with countless fans and his NBA peers, offering insight and inspiration into the struggles that many face alone.
Now, the new Kings star pulls back the curtain even further in his new memoir Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm, providing readers with an intimate look into his challenges off the floor.
In honor of World Mental Health Day today, we’ll share our chat with DeRozan as he discusses his motivations for writing the book and his hopes for how his story will impact others.
Q: What’s one message you’d like to come across from this book?
DeRozan: “One message I want to come across from this book is that we all go through something and it’s alright, you know? [It’s] more so figuring out how to push through because sometimes going through something is what breeds success.”
Why is reading and books and literacy important to you?
It’s big on me because there’s so much knowledge you can gain from finding the right book. Really teaching yourself, and learning something new. Some of my fondest memories came from reading some of my favorite books or just books in general — learning something that I never expected.

We’re here at the NBA Store. We just had fans of all ages come through buying your jersey and wearing your jersey … What did today teach you about your impact and inspiration?
It’s beyond overwhelming. Just to see people come in, purchase a book, excited to read the book, finding inspiration, hope, confidence … that means a lot to me. [It’s] something that I never would have imagined in my life.
How does it feel to have the book in your hands?
It’s crazy. It still really hasn’t hit me … writing a book, being part of the book, having a book come out and having people excited to have the book. So, it’s definitely exciting.
What are you most proud of about it?
Being able to dedicate it to my father.