Dyson Daniels’ defensive play has been labelled “genuinely outrageous”, picking up right where he left off last season as the Atlanta Hawks surged to claim their first win of the 2025-26 campaign.

Plus, Victor Wembanyama tried to meet Zion Williamson at the rim, and it didn’t go well for the towering French native.

Read on for a wrap of today’s NBA action!

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Daniels’ Hawks on Saturday (AEDT) bounced back from their season-opening flop to beat Orlando, 111-107, on the road.

The Australian guard posted six points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals and was a plus-10, but his influence was more profound than the box score suggests.

After getting beaten by 20 points on their home floor two nights ago, the Hawks came from behind to upend the Magic — and they did it without former no.1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher (ankle) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness).

Daniels started on the right note, spinning in the lane and finishing with a sweet floater over the taller Paolo Banchero.

He made it two from two with another floater, the second time using glass to show off his array of tricks.

An All-Defensive 1st Team member last season, Daniels was typically very solid on the defensive end of the floor, repeatedly locking down Orlando star Franz Wagner.

Daniels drew an offensive charge in the second quarter and had a steal and a block by half-time.

His takeaway ensured he extended his steal streak to 54 consecutive contests, the longest active streak in the NBA and the second-longest in franchise history.

“I tell you what, Dyson Daniels, I love him defensively — he just makes you work so hard out front,” the legendary Dominique Wilkins said in commentary.

The Australian’s offensive profile remains a work in progress — still sometimes hesitant to attempt shots in good positions — but late in the third, Daniels again spun inside the lane and finished with a floater to get the Hawks to within two points with seven minutes left in the game.

And on the next play, he stripped the Magic of possession in a sequence that led to a game-tying dunk. It was the perfect juxtaposition of his defensive and offensive capabilities.

Curry & Warriors win OT shootout | 02:23

Daniels was limited in the Hawks’ season-opening defeat at the hands of Toronto, playing 23 minutes for just four points, three rebounds and two assists.

Last season’s runaway steals leader did manage two takeaways for the night, but also committed a team-worst five personal fouls.

Hence, he was ultimately beaten for playing time by bench teammates Luke Kennard (30 minutes) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (28).

ZION BODIES WEMBY ON OPENING PLAY

In a true Goliath-versus-Goliath clash of former no.1 draft picks, and in the opening sequence of the New Orleans-San Antonio game, Zion Williamson posterised Victor Wembanyama with a ferocious slam.

Using a teammate’s screen, Williamson drove hard left and finished with authority over the outstretched Frenchman — also drawing a foul in the process.

“First play of the game?! This is what we’re doing? Is this what we’re doing?!” reacted the Pelicans broadcast in disbelief.

The seven-foot-four Wembanyama is a daunting defensive prospect at the best of times, but the strong-bodied Williamson was fearless in slashing to the basket and monstered his star counterpart.

Williamson and Wembanyama went toe-to-toe for the rest of the game, too — which ended in an overtime thriller — and ‘Wemby’ got his revenge on Zion later on, blocking the bullocking forward twice in the same sequence to assert his authority.

The emerging superstar led the visitors with 29 points on 13-23 shooting, 11 rebounds and nine blocked shots as the Spurs got the last laugh, winning 120-116.

Williamson led the Pelicans with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

NBA Player & Coach arrested by FBI | 01:53

HEAT EXPLODE IN FIRST GAME SINCE FBI PROBE (via AFP)

In their first game since guard Terry Rozier was arrested in an FBI sports gambling probe, his Miami Heat teammates unleashed a scoring barrage in a 146-114 NBA win at Memphis.

Bam Adebayo scored 24 points and reserve Nikola Jovic added 20 off the bench to lead eight double-digit scorers as the Heat improved to 1-1.

Miami also scored a one-half team record 86 points in the first two quarters in taking a 86-47 halftime lead, the largest in Heat history dating to 1988.

As the scandal swirled around the league on the fourth day of the 2025-26 campaign, Adebayo made it clear that Rozier has the Heat players’ support.

“We stand behind him. Full support,” Adebayo said. “You support him through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day.”

Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups were placed on indefinite leave by the NBA after being arrested on Friday.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the hectic NBA schedule leaves the team no choice but to move ahead quickly without Rozier, who didn’t play in a season-opening loss on Wednesday.

“Terry is somebody who is very dear to all of us,” Spoelstra said. “He’s had a real positive impact on our locker room… We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.” Portland routed visiting Golden State 139-119 in the first Trail Blazers contest since Billups was arrested, with Brazilian Tiago Splitter guiding the effort as Portland’s interim head coach.

“We all had great experiences with Chauncey and how he coached,” Splitter said. “We’re thinking of him and his family but we have a job to do.” Israeli forward Deni Avdija’s 26 points led eight Trail Blazers scorers in double figures.

“It’s a tough moment but I got to do my job,” Splitter said. “I’m looking forward to showing my skills and leading a team… I wasn’t expecting this but I have to be ready.”

In Los Angeles, Luka Doncic scored 49 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed off eight assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers over Minnesota 128-110.

Doncic, who scored 43 points in a season-opening loss to Golden State, became the first Laker to open a season with back-to-back 40-point efforts. His 92 points were the fourth-most points in a two-game span to start a season in NBA history.

Doncic also became the first player in NBA history to open a season with back-to-back games of 40-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and five-plus assists,

The 26-year-old Slovenian guard scored 23 points in the first quarter to match a team record shared by Kobe Bryant and Kyle Kuzma.

“They didn’t have much when I was attacking the paint in the first half,” Doncic said. “In the second half, we had energy.”

Donovan Mitchell’s 35 points powered Cleveland to a 131-124 victory at Brooklyn. Cam Thomas had 33 points, and Michael Porter Jr. added 31 in a losing cause.

Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and passed out seven assists while Cole Anthony added 23 points off the bench to lead Milwaukee’s 122-116 victory at Toronto.

Jalen Brunson’s 31 points, plus 26 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns, led New York over visiting Boston 105-95.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham had 21 points and Ausar Thompson added 19 to power the Pistons to a 115-111 victory at Houston, which got 37 points from Kevin Durant in defeat.

Kyshawn George had 34 points and 11 rebounds to spark Washington to a 117-107 victory at Dallas.

Domantas Sabonis sank the winning jumper with 6.4 seconds remaining to give Sacramento a 105-104 home win over Utah. Zach LaVine led the Kings with 31 points. Sabonis had 12 points and 12 rebounds.