NBA's Top Stats, Best Highlights, Updated Playoff Picture from July 30 Results

The NBA made its long-anticipated return Thursday night, showcasing Western Conference powerhouses over two contests as an appetizer of what's to come from the bubble in Orlando, Florida. 

Stars like Zion Williamson and LeBron James made sure the spectacle met expectations. 

Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans couldn't outlast the Utah Jazz in the opener but made it a thriller. James' Los Angeles Lakers won the battle of L.A. against the Clippers. 

Here's a look at some of the best stats, highlights and playoff fallout from opening night. 

July 30 Results, Top Stats

Jazz 106, Pelicans 104

Mike Conley (UTAH): 20 PTS, 4 AST

Jordan Clarkson (UTAH): 23 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL

Donovan Mitchell (UTAH): 20 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL

Zion Williamson (NO): 13 PTS, 1 AST

Brandon Ingram (NO): 23 PTS, 8 REB  

Lakers 103, Clippers 101

Kawhi Leonard (LAC): 28 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK

Paul George (LAC): 30 PTS, 4 REB, 3 STL

Anthony Davis (LAL): 34 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST

LeBron James (LAL): 16 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST

Kyle Kuzma (LAL): 16 PTS, 7 REB

Recap, Takeaways

The break and unusual circumstances surrounding a quick sprint to the postseason didn't stop the biggest stars from shining brightest Thursday night—and from the first game offering up a near-overtime affair. 

In the opener, Jazz guard Mike Conley was his typical field-general self, shooting 7-of-16 from the floor with 20 points and four assists. Flanked by a team-high 23 points off the bench from Jordan Clarkson, Utah wasn't hurting with Donovan Mitchell checking in at 20 points of his own. 

But it was the upstart Pelicans that appeared to have control early, storming to a 60-48 halftime lead and holding it late into the contest. 

Part of it was a wickedly efficient performance from a former No. 1 pick. Williamson, whose participation was in question as a game-time decision, wound up playing just 15 minutes, but he was monstrously effective again, shooting 6-of-8 from the floor with 13 points while putting up some highlights: 

Brandon Ingram paced all scorers by tying for the game-high with 23 points on 7-of-20 shooting, but a late three-point attempt rattled out and let the Jazz squeak out the win. 

Somewhat poetically, it was Jazz center Rudy Gobert (14 points, 12 rebounds) who scored the first and last points of the contest: 

Gobert's clutch act helped the Jazz move to 42-23 and 1-0 during the quick restart, positioning them fourth in the Western Conference and in range of the 43-win Denver Nuggets.

After the near-scare, things don't get any easier for Utah with a Saturday date against the fifth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. While competitive, New Orleans sits 11th in the conference and four games back of the eighth seed. 

Before the opener, all players, coaches and referees knelt during the national anthem: 

LeBron, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and everyone involved in the second contest had a similar show of unity: 

After, it was off to the races for LeBron and Co. as they leapt out to a 35-23 advantage after one frame and still held a 54-52 advantage at the half. 

The biggest first-half highlight went to the expected party:  

The Clippers started the third on a 14-1 run only to get counteracted by a run from Davis that included a pair of back-to-back conversions from deep to make up a chunk of his game-high 34 points: 

With James only sitting on 16 points, it was an unexpected 16 points from Kyle Kuzma off the bench to thwart outings of 28 and 30 points for Leonard and George, respectively, but not before a one-two sequence from George and James that will go down as the marquee moments of the reopening efforts in Orlando:

The Lakers remain in first atop the Western Conference at 50-14 and 1-0 during the restart, with the Clippers the next-closest team at 44-21. Leonard's team needs to have eyes behind more than ahead at this point with the 43-win Nuggets in the fray and the Jazz not far off. 

LeBron gets a shot at the Toronto Raptors next on Saturday before a one-two punch against Utah and Oklahoma City the following week that could decide much about the standings below the Lakers. The Clippers, meanwhile, get Zion and the Pelicans on Saturday.