Roundup
Brooklyn Nets
Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
Nets roll to big opener as 76ers juggle center depth — Atlantic roundup
Brooklyn opened with a dominant win as Ariel Hukporti’s torn Achilles continues to force the 76ers to rethink their plans at center.
By the PickALeague Newsroom · Published · Source: PickALeagueSummary written with AI assistance — how we workLire en français →
The Atlantic Division wasted no time offering storylines. The Brooklyn Nets opened their season with a statement win, while the Philadelphia 76ers are still dealing with the fallout from Ariel Hukporti’s major injury in camp. In New York, Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract situation continues to hover over a group built to contend.
Nets start fast, rotation battles not over
Brooklyn set the tone with a 124–90 rout of Charlotte, good for a 1–0 start and an early hold on the top spot in the division. Even with that ideal opening, the rotation is far from settled. Josh Minott is still battling for minutes, and centre Danny Wolf along with lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. have been working through ankle issues during training camp. How those situations evolve will shape the Nets’ depth chart as the schedule ramps up.
Hukporti injury still reshaping 76ers’ plans
For the 76ers (1–0), the dominant storyline remains Ariel Hukporti’s torn Achilles in their preseason opener, an injury that ends his season before it begins and tightens the team’s options behind Joel Embiid. Philadelphia had already been alarmed when Hukporti left Monday’s preseason game with a non-contact right leg injury that sent him for imaging on his Achilles. With Hukporti now out long term, the margin for error at centre shrinks, and Embiid’s minutes and foul management become even more central to the 76ers’ early-season strategy.
Knicks, Raptors and Celtics wait for answers
The New York Knicks, who dropped their opener to fall to 0–1, are dealing with a different kind of pressure. Towns and the front office remain apart on an extension, with the NBA’s second-apron rules and the bill for a championship-caliber core complicating negotiations. North of the border, the Toronto Raptors (0–1) used camp to get a longer look at their young pieces, with Collin Murray-Boyles climbing the rotation as the staff tweaks roles. The Boston Celtics have yet to play (0–0), watching the early jockeying in the Atlantic before making their own regular-season debut.