4 Things We've Learned from the Opening Day NBA Games

After months of waiting, the NBA season has finally arrived. Top teams faced off on a Christmas Day special including a rematch of last years NBA Finals.

New teams have emerged as contenders, while teams previously known as contenders have fallen behind. 

Here are four things we've learned from yesterday's matches. 

Enjoy!

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade Have Learned to Play Great Together

After last year's performance, the Heat were itching to prove that they'd improved over the offseason. 

James and Wade led the team through the game, scoring in waves and dominating the Mavericks defense.

Wade and James scored a collective 63 points in what should be a prelude of things to come this year.

As demonstrated in one of the top plays of the day, James and Wade performed an incredible alley-oop, showing that their chemistry is right where it needs to be.

They have developed one of the best partnerships in the league and will continue to bolster their reputations in games to come. 

Clippers and Knicks Will Become Powerhouses

The Knicks and the Clippers have come a long way since last year. They both won their season opener against their respective opponents. 

The Knicks showed their muscle with their own Big Three—Anthony, Thomas and Stoudemire—barely edging out the Celtics by two points.

And while Pierce was out for the Celtics, it was still a memorable victory for the Knicks.

The Clippers dominated the Golden State Warriors in every aspect, winning 105-86. The newly formed partnership of Griffin and Paul will prove to be a tremendous duo in L.A.

The Clippers look to be a legitimate contender in the Western Conference this year.

Dallas Won't Repeat

In another article, Nowitzki was pictured shooting a jumper over a Miami defender. 

Now, it is Nowitzki who isn't able to defend James. 

After watching yesterday's match unfurl, it was clear to everyone watching that Dallas did not look like the same dangerous team as they did last year.

After losing Chandler to the Knicks, their defense didn't look as imposing. The Heat were able to humiliate the Mavericks in a revenge-filled opening day. 

Last year was Dallas' year. Now, it may be the year of the Heat.

The Bulls Are Becoming One of the Best Teams in the NBA

The Bulls showed their potential last year in the playoffs against the Heat, yet were not quite good enough to advance to the Finals. 

In yesterday's opener against the Lakers, they were able to come back late against one of the upper-echelon teams in the league.

There was not just one player scoring all the points, it was a collective effort from Rose, Deng and Boozer.