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The NBA season has been graced by some of the most exciting matchups on opening night. With some of the biggest teams facing off against each other, rivalries from previous seasons are given a chance to rekindle on this day.
The season opener game itself is a momentous occasion, being as it represents the start of the new season. With teams looking to improve upon their records from the previous season or repeating their successes, the first game plays a role in establishing the momentum going forward.
The 2021-22 season tips off on October 19th and features the matchups of Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets and the LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors.
With tensions mounting as the season opener for 2021-22 nears, we take a look at the five NBA players with the most wins in season opener games.
Players with the most NBA season opener wins
#5 Horace Grant
Horace Grant was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 1988 NBA draft as the 10th overall pick. Over the course of his career, Grant went on to win four NBA titles. Being a key player in the Bulls' first three-peat, Grant was also part of the LA Lakers' 2000-01 championship squad.
After having played in the NBA for 17 seasons, Horace Grant has featured in every one of his team's season opening games. In the course of those 17 games, Grant recorded 12 wins. He averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for season openers.
Horace Grant had a great career with four All-NBA Defensive team selections and as a one-time All-Star. He also spent a large part of his career with the Orlando Magic playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway.
He is tied for fifth place with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, by virtue of having a longer career and more season openers played, Horace Grant has had a better win percentage.
#4 Robert Parish
Robert Parish had one of the longest careers in NBA history. Holding the record for most NBA games played, Parish recorded 1,611 games over the course of his 21 seasons in the NBA.
Parish was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 1976 NBA Draft. After playing four seasons with the Warriors, he left the West Coast to join the Boston Celtics where he would enjoy much success in the coming years.
With 21 season openers played, Parish recorded 13 wins in those games. He averaged 15.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game for season openers. Over the course of his career, Robert Parish won three NBA titles and was a nine-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics.
He won his fourth title in 1997 with the Chicago Bulls, and retired after the 1996-97 season. At the time of his retirement, Parish was 43 and had been playing in the NBA for over two decades.
#3 Vince Carter
Vince Carter was one of the most exciting players to ever play the game of basketball. Known for his tremendous jumping ability and highlight reel dunks, Carter was rightfully referred to as "Half-Man/Half-Amazing."
Vince Carter was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 1998 NBA draft but was traded to the Toronto Raptors, where he played alongside his cousin, Tracy McGrady.
Vince Carter recorded 14 wins while playing in 21 season opening games over the course of his career. He averaged 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for season openers.
Carter himself had a very long and successful NBA career. Having played in the NBA for 22 seasons, Carter is the only NBA player to have played across four decades.
He retired at the end of the 2019-20 season with the Atlanta Hawks. Vince Carter was the 1998-99 Rookie of the Year, an eight-time All-Star and a two-time member of the All-NBA team.
#2 Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett was one of the most influential players in the NBA. Known for his intense style of play and aggression, Garnett inspired a generation of players with his approach to the game.
Kevin Garnett was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 NBA Draft. Garnett broke the mold of what a player fresh out of high school could achieve. Turning the Timberwolves into a perennial playoff team by his sophomore season, Garnett had become an impact player early in his career.
Over the course of his 21 seasons in the NBA, Garnett played in every season opener, recording 15 wins in the process. He averaged 16.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game for season openers.
Although Garnett enjoyed playoff appearances with the Timberwolves, he would only win an NBA title with the Boston Celtics. A 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, one-time Defensive Player of the Year and one-time MVP, Garnett could do whatever the team required him to do.
#1 Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan is widely regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. Known for his strong foundation in the game of basketball, he was known as "The Big Fundamental".
Tim Duncan was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1997 NBA Draft and spent his entire career with the Spurs organization. Over the course of his 19 seasons in the NBA, Duncan won five NBA championships and was Finals MVP for three of those titles.
Tim Duncan played in 19 season openers and recorded an almost perfect 17 wins in those games played. He averaged 17.5 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for season openers.
Duncan has achieved many things with the Spurs. A 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-Defensive Team, two-time MVP and the 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, Tim Duncan also leads the NBA in playoff blocks with 568.
Guess the Lakers players!
