(Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors will look to build upon an impressive win in their season debut when the face the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum on Friday.
Toronto defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in their home opener this past Wednesday. Andrea Bargnani scored a game-high 28 points and Chris Bosh contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds as the Raptors began their season with a 101-91 victory.
Hedo Turkoglu, brought in during the offseason, notched 12 points and seven rebounds in his debut with the Raptors, who stumbled to a 33-49 record last year and a fourth-place finish in the Atlantic Division.
Marco Belinelli came off the bench and scored 10 for Toronto, helping snap a five-game losing streak to the defending Central Division champs.
The Grizzlies are coming off 22-point season opening loss. It was a taste of the old and some of the new that gave Detroit Pistons head coach John Kuester his first career victory on Wednesday. Richard Hamilton scored 25 points and offseason acquisition Ben Gordon added 22 to pace Detroit to a 96-74 victory over Memphis in the season opener for both clubs.
Marc Gasol recorded 21 points and 15 rebounds for Memphis, which finished in the basement of the Southwest Division last year. Rudy Gay notched 16 points, and Zach Randolph chipped in 14 points and nine boards in the lopsided affair.
Allen Iverson was unable to face his old team, as his Grizzlies debut was put on hold due to a partially torn left hamstring. The former All-Star remains uncertain for tonight's contest as the Grizz attempt to rebound from their worst opening night loss since moving to Memphis in 2001.
Iverson averaged a career-worst 17.5 points in 57 games for Detroit and Denver last season.
The Grizzlies snapped a four-game losing streak to the Raptors with a 78-70 win in Memphis last season.
--Dallas vs. LA Lakers --
(Sports Network) - The defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers shoot for their second straight win in the young season when they welcome the Dallas Mavericks to Staples Center.
Dallas has historically always had a miserable time against the Lakers in Hollywood, dropping 33 of its last 36 road contests to LA.
The Lakers received their championship rings and raised their 15th title banner to the rafters at Staples Center on Tuesday before a sterling performance from Finals MVP Kobe Bryant as the Lakers beat the Clippers, 99-92, in the season-opener for both teams.
In what was a starry night, Bryant didn't disappoint as he poured in 33 points, pulled down eight rebounds and had four steals. Andrew Bynum celebrated his 22nd birthday by chipping in 26 points and 13 rebounds, while newlywed Lamar Odom tacked on 16 points and 13 boards for the Lakers.
"This was a fun night with the ring ceremony," said Bynum. "I can't wait to put it on. The ceremony energized me."
Ron Artest, who left Houston to join the Lakers in the offseason, struggled offensively with just 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
"Kobe played great and Bynum played great. I'm trying to focus on all aspects of the game," said Artest. "On a one to 10 scale of feeling comfortable with the offense, it was a 10."
The Lakers brought out ex-stars Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Norm Nixon, A.C. Green and Michael Cooper, among others from championship runs for a ceremony prior to the game. NBA commissioner David Stern handed out the rings.
Bryant, the Finals MVP from LA's series victory over the Orlando Magic in June, shot 11-of-26 from the field. He heard the chants of "MVP!, MVP!" during the fourth quarter when the defending champs pulled away to beat the Clippers for a ninth straight time.
The Mavs, meanwhile, dropped their opener in Dallas on Tuesday when Washington's Gilbert Arenas returned with a vengeance, scoring 29 points as the Wizards opened the Flip Saunders era with a 102-91 victory over the Mavericks.
Arenas had three surgeries on his left knee over the past two years and played in just 15 games in that stretch. Healthy again, Arenas hit 10-of-21 shots from the field and dished out nine assists.
Dirk Nowitzki poured in 34 points and had nine rebounds for Dallas, which struggled by shooting 39.5 percent from the field. Shawn Marion, obtained in an offseason deal, finished with 16 points and seven boards.
"Our game is a lot of Dirk and then the other guys trying to find their way and get the ball inside, penetrating and moving the ball," said Mavs guard Jason Terry. "We missed some jumpers, but we can't blame that. The training camp has been all about defense and we can't be happy about our defensive performance tonight."
The Mavericks, who have reached the postseason nine consecutive years and has won at least 50 games in each of those campaigns, continue to play without star forward Josh Howard, who is recovering from offseason ankle surgery.