#nba-debut

#nba-debut

SAN FRANCISCO Kristaps Porzingis had the basketball in a vicegrip, his 7-foot-2 frame towering over the pesky Payton Pritchard, who was similarly in no mood to relinquish control. The Chase Center crowd began to hum, then cheer, then roar as their new Warriors center refused to back down from Boston's flamethrowing guard late in the second quarter of the Warriors' loss. It ended with the former Celtic teammates being involved in a jump ball.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Nikola Topic made his NBA debut Thursday night for the Thunder after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. The Serbian guard was the 12th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He missed all of last season because of a knee injury he suffered before the draft. He had not played this season after his cancer diagnosis during the preseason. He had a procedure in October, then underwent chemotherapy and worked his way back into shape.