NBA basketball is officially back. OK, sure, it's preseason NBA basketball, but still. After three months of no games, the first day of preseason action feels like Christmas. And on Friday night our present is a matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. This one will be taking place down in North Carolina, but not in Charlotte. As is often the case during the preseason, the Hornets are hosting this game a few hours away from their usual home in order to give an NBA experience to fans who might otherwise never get to see a game in person. Thus, this contest will be played on the campus of the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill. How to watch Celtics at Hornets Date: Friday, Sept. 28 Friday, Sept. 28 Time: 7:30 p.m. ET 7:30 p.m. ET Location: Dean E. Smith Center -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina Dean E. Smith Center -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina TV: NBA TV NBA TV Streaming: FuboTV FuboTV Follow: GameTracker SportsLine odds Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds. Analysis At the end of the day, this is just one of a handful of preseason games each team will play over the next few weeks. And like the rest of those games, it doesn't mean all that much -- especially not the outcome. But few games will be as intriguing as this one, as we could see the return of both Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving -- each of whom are trying to bounce back from season ending injuries. There hasn't been anything definitive from the Celtics on who will or will not play -- save for Marcus Smart, who is out for personal reasons -- but Brad Stevens did say that everyone on the roster will be limited to no more than 20 minutes. Still, even if we get only a dozen minutes or so from Hayward or Irving, it will still be cool to watch. On the Hornets' side, we might get to see Tony Parker's first game with the club, which will be a bit of shock, as well as the debut of their lottery pick, Miles Bridges. It will also be the first game for their new head coach, James Borrego -- the NBA's first full-time Hispanic head coach.<doc-sep>CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Gordon Hayward finally returned to the court, and Kyrie Irving got to play at North Carolina. Hayward scored 10 points in his first game in nearly a year for the Boston Celtics, who fell to the Charlotte Hornets 104-97 on Friday night — the opening night of the NBA preseason schedule. "Been waiting a long time to lace back up and get out there with the guys," Hayward said. It was Hayward's first time in a game since Oct. 17, when he broke his fibula and dislocated his ankle about five minutes into the Celtics' regular season opener at Cleveland. Irving played his lone college season at Duke in 2010-11, but was limited to 11 games that season by injury and never played against North Carolina — the Blue Devils' biggest rival. Hayward's first points came when he grabbed an offensive rebound in transition early in the opening quarter and scored easily. He finished 2 for 7 from the field, playing about 23 minutes. Irving played for the first time since March 11, when his 2017-18 season ended with a knee issue. He finished with nine points. A look at Friday's games: HORNETS 104, CELTICS 97 Charlotte outscored Boston 59-37 in the second half, giving new Hornets coach James Borrego a win in his exhibition debut. Jeremy Lamb scored 15 for Charlotte, which finished with seven players in double figures. Jaylen Brown scored 14 points and Marcus Morris had 12 for the Celtics. The game was played before a crowd of more than 18,000 inside the Dean E. Smith Center at North Carolina, a place that carries obvious significance to many members of the Hornets organization — such as owner Michael Jordan, general manager Mitch Kupchak and Hornets wing Marvin Williams. "It really is a special moment," Williams said. "It's been a great week." CELTICS: Boston led by as many as 20 points in the first half. The Celtics used 15 players and 13 of them attempted at least one 3-pointer, and Brad Stevens' club finished 9 of 47 from beyond the arc. Story continues HORNETS: Tony Parker made his debut with Charlotte, after 17 seasons in San Antonio. He was scoreless in 9:09 of playing time, missing all three of his shots. Cody Zeller scored 13 points and Kemba Walker scored 12 for the Hornets. UP NEXT: The teams meet again Sunday in Boston. 76ERS 104, MELBOURNE UNITED 84 Philadelphia's Ben Simmons, last season's rookie of the year and a native of Australia, had eight points, eight rebounds and 14 assists against the team that his father David starred for from 1989 through 1996. "It was a lot of fun, getting back onto the court, getting a feel for the game again," Simmons said. Former 76ers guard Casper Ware scored 19 points for Melbourne United, albeit on 6 for 22 shooting. Alex Pledger finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds for United. UNITED: The first points of the NBA preseason were not scored by an NBA player. Chris Goulding, who did have a couple of summer league stints with Cleveland and Dallas in 2013 and 2014, opened the scoring with a 3-pointer. Besides the Simmons family connection, there were plenty of ties between the clubs — including Philadelphia coach Brett Brown, who spent 17 years in Australia and worked with United coach Dean Vickerman. 76ERS: Joel Embiid had 20 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. Markelle Fultz — who was in Philly's starting lineup — scored 14, JJ Redick added 13 and Dario Saric finished with 12 for the 76ers. UP NEXT: Philadelphia plays host to Orlando on Monday. Melbourne United completes its two-game NBA swing at Toronto on Oct. 5. ___ More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tag/NBA and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports<doc-sep>Hayward played 23 minutes and scored 10 points and the Celtics came out of their preseason opener healthy, despite a 104-97 loss to the Hornets at the Dean Smith Center. Basket good. And Hayward’s comeback after nearly a year rehabilitating a broken tibia and dislocated left ankle was complete. Hayward’s return to the floor for the first time since that fateful Oct. 17 night in Cleveland was a success. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Gordon Hayward trailed the play as he was taught, even though the efficient Jayson Tatum was soaring for a layup. As Hayward quickly approached the play, Tatum’s shot caromed off the rim into the hands of Hayward, who gathered the ball and banked it off the glass. Advertisement Kyrie Irving added 9 points in 22 minutes. “It was, it definitely was [a small victory],” Hayward said afterward. “I’ve been through a lot this last year, so just to be out there in front of the fans and playing with my teammates, there were moments last year when I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do that. So that was definitely a win.” Despite a 104-97 preseason loss to the Hornets in Chapel Hill, N..C, Gordon Hayward’s return to the court for the Celtics for the first time since his gruesome ankle injury “was definitely a win,” he said. Lance King/Getty Images Hayward looked comfortable running up and down the floor, took some midrange jumpers and then sank four of five free throws to ease any concerns about his being hesitant in his return. The Celtics, meanwhile, looked crisp in te first half, whipping the ball around the floor to find the open 3-point shooter. Nearly half of their shots in the first half (27 of 55) were 3-pointers and the Celtics sank eight, leading by as many as 20 in the first half. Despite scoring 60 first-half points — 37 in the first quarter — the Celtics didn’t feel as efficient as they looked. “We should have scored more,” Irving said. “It was the first game, preseason, hitting our legs a little bit getting up and down. A lot of makeable shots. It’s scary to think about some of the opportunities we’re going to have going forward. Advertisement “Obviously teams are going to do a lot of switching [on defense] and we’re gonna punish the switches.” Irving, who was playing his first game since two surgeries on his left knee, looked sharp and fast, the Duke product dazzling the fans from his rival college with his array of ballhandling skills and acrobatic shots. Gordon Hayward attacked the rim with confidence in Friday night’s preseason game against the Hornets in Chapel Hill, N.C. Lance King/Getty Images First look Meanwhile, rookie Robert Williams, who had not played a competitive game since his summer league debut 10 weeks ago, made a surprise appearance in the third period. He finished with 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals in 10 minutes. After dealing with left knee tendinitis most of the summer, Williams had begun to participate in some two-a-day workouts, but no timetable was given for his return to action. “He played really hard; he went after rebounds; he did what he needed to do on the defensive end of the floor,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “I thought he did a lot of good things for us. He was all over the rim on some rebounds.” Smart stays home The Celtics began their preseason without guard Marcus Smart, who did not make the trip because of what the team called personal reasons. Stevens said Smart is expected to be back with the team Saturday or for Sunday’s game against Charlotte and that Smart is physically healthy. Smart had participated in the team’s practices this week. Advertisement Smart, 24, is still grieving following the death of his mother, Camellia, on Sept. 16 and admitted moving on from her passing has been difficult. Duke in the house Irving and Tatum showed up to Friday morning’s shootaround at the Dean Smith Center wearing Duke gear. The former Duke players visited the Durham campus Thursday and talked with the current team. “It was like five or six guys that were on the team when I was there, so that was cool,” Tatum said. Tatum played in the Dean Smith Center once and played North Carolina three times during his freshman season at Duke. Irving, who played 11 college games, never played against North Carolina. “It’s cool [being here],” Tatum said. “Obviously I went to Duke, but I like North Carolina. I almost played for Roy Williams. They have a lot of history here. It’s a great program. I like Roy Williams a lot, he’s a good guy.” Tatum said North Carolina was in his final four schools, along with Duke, Kentucky, and St. Louis (his hometown school). Irving is proud of his short tenure at Duke and said it was no accident that he and Tatum wore Duke pullovers to shootaround. “It was pretty cool, seeing it on TV and experiencing it as a fan on the sideline when I was watching Duke play here, watching my teammates at the time,” Irving said. “It’s just so historic. Obviously it’s a great rivalry between the two schools and there’s an incredible respect between the universities because of what they accomplished over time, being so close in mileage and so rich in tradition. It’s awesome. It’s nothing but respect, and obviously if you went to Duke, you represent Duke.” Advertisement Where basketball matters Playing at the Smith Center wasn’t lost on Stevens, who has a deep appreciation for the history of college basketball. “Any time you get a chance to play in one of these unbelievable college programs and in their building, a place where basketball really matters, it’s a fun thing for everybody,” Stevens said. “Obviously I have such a great amount of respect for this program and what they’ve been able to accomplish over the years. Dean Smith is one of the most studied coaches in all of sports and for all the right reasons. Roy’s run has been incredible.” .<doc-sep>In the latest Weekend Read, we explain why you should check out some NBA preseason action, unearth a years-old photo of Kevin Durant and share our favorite stories of the week. By Rohan Nadkarni Let me level with you: the NBA preseason isn’t really exciting. (Unless, of course, you’re one of those people who moved back east after gambling was legalized.) That being said, preseason isn't completely worthless! Here's why you should be excited for hoops to tip off this weekend. 1. LeBron James in a Lakers jersey We’ve seen the gargantuan valley of photoshops. We’ve seen the media day images. Yet LeBron on the Lakers still won’t feel real until that first TNT Thursday game, and it’s going to be fascinating to see James play basketball in the purple and gold for the first time. There’s a weird thing about NBA jerseys. Dwyane Wade never looked quite right in a Bulls or Cavs tank, but he seemingly regained his powers when he threw that Miami Vice uni on. Conversely, Kyrie Irving looked right at home in Boston’s iconic green and white threads. How will James look in L.A.’s new, old-school inspired getup? We won’t see a lot of him on the court in the preseason. The gold weirdly looks close to highlighter yellow. But that first sight of James on the court is—somehow, someway—going to tell us something about his tenure in Hollywood. 2. Rookies for us to overhype Summer league is the peak time to put unrealistic expectations on rookies, while the preseason unjustly flies under the radar. As someone who believed Norris Cole was a difference maker for the 2012 Heat after an intrasquad scrimmage, I don’t discriminate about when I overhype rookies. If Kevin Knox so much as hits a three during the preseason, I’m calling him Shane Battier 2.0. Are their games similar at all? Hell no. But that’s the beauty of the preseason, you can ascribe whatever you want to rookies, and they’ll only have to live with those unfair predictions for their entire career. In all seriousness, you’ll want to see some flashes from lottery guys in the preseason. How will Luka Doncic’s athleticism measure up? Will Trae Young start nailing threes? Which Deandre Ayton will show up? The preseason will give us a peek. 3. Will Kawhi Leonard ever laugh again? Imagine if, for years, your spouse/significant other/life partner implored you to open up. Begged you to show some more emotion. And when you finally did, you were ruthlessly mocked for it on the internet. That’s basically what happened to Kawhi Leonard after NBA media day, when his “laugh” went viral after a seemingly innocuous question. Leonard’s, uh—guffaw? chuckle? chortle?—spawned some legendary memes. Can Leonard ever be compelled to laugh in public again? Preseason can be a time for teams to build camaraderie. After all, the stars spend so much time on the bench they’re bound to crack a joke or two. Will Leonard participate, or is he so scarred that he’ll be stone-faced for the entire year? I’m only half-joking when I say I’m just as invested in that storyline as much as I am in how Leonard actually fares on the court. 4. The Wizards Dwight Howard’s utter lack of self-awareness and commitment to telling jokes that no one appreciates. John Wall’s arguably unearned sense of defiance. Austin Rivers’s reputation among other NBA players. The Wizards are essentially an oil-filled barrel from a video game just begging to comically explode. Don’t count out that happening during the preseason. RECOMMENDED READING James D. Smith/AP • An oral history of the night Jerry Jones knelt. One year ago, the Cowboys owner grabbed the arms of two bottom-of-the-roster players and knelt before the playing of the national anthem. Here’s how those players remembered it. (By Robert Klemko) • Orioles first baseman Chris Davis can't shake the struggles that imperiled his 2018 season, and the emotional toll on the slugger has been paralyzing. (By Stephanie Apstein) • A journey through college football’s most persistent offense, from the decades when it ruled the sport to its myriad modern variants. (By Ross Dellenger) • "He instantly fixes everything. … It had to be Penny." Memphis’s favorite basketball son is setting expectations high and giving his city hope. (By Dan Greene) • Thanks to an unlikely career year and a little bit of salsa, Matt Carpenter has the Cardinals in the hunt for a playoff spot. (By Jon Tayler) VAULT PHOTO OF THE WEEK: KEVIN DURANT RISES ABOVE MICHIGAN STATE Years before descending to Public Enemy No. 1 in the eyes of many NBA fans, Kevin Durant innocently dominated college basketball at Texas. He earned several Player of the Year honors during his lone season in 2006-07, averaging a double double (25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds) per game. En route to scoring 20 against Michigan State in his third game on Nov. 16, 2006, Durant elevated toward the basket in the photo above and slammed into at least one Spartans defender on his way there. Photograph by Damian Strohmeyer. • Not getting this newsletter in your inbox?Subscribe to the Weekend Read today. Months later, as the season wound down and the NCAA Tournament approached, SI's Grant Wahl featured Durant for a cover story on the massive influx of freshmen talent in the college game. By "massive influx," we're talking Durant, Brandan Wright and Greg Oden. Wild times. Find the story here in the SI Vault. BEST OF THE REST Editor's note: Below are some of our favorite stories of the week not published by SI. This week's list is curated by Rohan Nadkarni. • For The Atlantic, my friend Ashley Fetters wrote everything you need to know about America’s pastime, the Dad Joke. • At GQ, Brett Kavanaugh and the Arbiters of Victimhood, by Drew Magary. • “In the summer of 2017, a debate raged in Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., over whether to cut loose the controversial, unemployed quarterback—and the company very nearly did.” The story of Nike and Colin Kaepernick, over at The New York Times via Julie Creswell, Kevin Draper and Sapna Maheshwari.<doc-sep>
Yes, NBA basketball games were actually played on Friday night. After an offseason full of drama, roster moves and coaching changes, the Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers and some team from Australia (apologies to Melbourne United) suited up for the year's first preseason games. We won't get into too much analysis -- it is just the preseason after all -- but there were plenty of notable moments on Friday night. Most importantly it was just exciting to see NBA basketball once again. First, we've got the scores (which not many people probably care about), then we'll give you 10 things you may have missed if you didn't realize games had started yet. Enjoy, and welcome back to NBA action. NBA preseason scores for Friday, Sept. 28 Philadelphia 76ers 104, Melbourne United 84 (box score) Charlotte Hornets 104, Boston Celtics 97 (box score) 1. Gordon Hayward is back (and rusty) It's been less than a year since Gordon Hayward suffered a catastrophic leg injury five minutes into the 2017-18 season, so it was great to see him out there at full strength. He was expectedly rusty and tentative (2-for-7 from the field, 1-for-5 3-pointers), but he was able to get to the free-throw line and finish with 10 points, three rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes. Here's his first bucket, in case you missed it: 2. Markelle Fultz made a jumper Sound the NBA Twitter siren. Yes, Markelle Fultz (or Mark L. Fultz as my colleague James Herbert likes to call him), made a jump shot on Friday night. Fultz's bizarre shooting form that was either the cause of or result of a shoulder injury, depending on who you ask, was a hot topic in NBA circles this summer. Everyone was waiting to see how his form would look this year, and ... Not bad. Not bad at all. The form still looks a bit funky, but the important thing is that he shot it with confidence -- a tough thing for a 20-year-old to do after the type of scrutiny he's endured over the past year. Fultz started alongside Ben Simmons in the place of J.J. Redick, a somewhat surprising and intriguing development, and showed the athleticism and playmaking ability that caused the Sixers to draft him first overall last year. He finished with 14 points, four assists, two steals and two blocks -- one of which made the early-season highlight reel. 3. Ben Simmons is still really creative What was Simmons thinking on this play? No idea. Do we care? Not in the least. The 6-10 point guard produced one of the most unique assists you'll ever see by throwing the ball off the backboard to himself, then delivering a beautiful touch pass to Fultz for the lay-in. It looks like Simmons was originally thinking about dunking it himself, but changed course when the defender came his way. Whatever it was, we're sure glad it happened. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year finished with eight points, eight rebounds and 14 assists in 26 minutes against a team from the city where he was born. 4. Whoa, Tony Parker is on the Hornets Parker checked into an NBA game without a Spurs jersey for the first time in his career, and it was ... super weird. Parker reportedly joined the Hornets so he could have a bigger role, and he showed some trademark bursts of speed and court vision on Friday. But still, we're going to have to get used to that teal. 5. Joel Embiid is still a monster Poor Melbourne United. They had absolutely nothing to contend with Embiid, who looks to be in tremendous shape entering his fifth NBA season (only his third on the court). He displayed his full complement of skills on Friday, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. 6. Miles Bridges announced his presence Well, this is one way to get your name out there. The rookie scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds in 23 minutes, and even threw down another putback slam for good measure. 7. LeBron is a true basketball nerd If you found yourself glued to the couch with a bag of potato chips watching preseason basketball on a Friday night, don't apologize for your behavior. The best basketball player in the world was doing the same thing -- well, probably without the potato chips ... and possibly from his in-house hyperbaric chamber. 8. New Brad Stevens GIF!