As I sat courtside watching the Lakers-Celtics season opener, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes' words echoed in my mind: "This game was a lot closer than the score shows in the end." That sentiment perfectly captures what makes NBA opening night so compelling - the final score rarely tells the whole story. Having covered the league for over fifteen years, I've learned that opening night isn't just about who wins or loses, but about the narratives that will define the next six months of basketball. The energy at Crypto.com Arena was electric, with fans buzzing about the five major storylines that could shape this season.
The most obvious storyline involves the defending champions. Watching Denver struggle against Boston last night, I couldn't help but notice how championship hangovers affect even the most disciplined teams. The Nuggets looked sluggish, their ball movement lacking its usual crispness. Meanwhile, Boston's offseason acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis already looks like a masterstroke - the 7-foot-3 Latvian dropped 30 points in his debut, showing exactly why Boston was willing to gamble on his health. The Eastern Conference feels more wide-open than it has in years, with Milwaukee's Damian Lillard trade creating another superteam that could challenge Boston's supremacy. I've seen many "superteams" flame out, but something about this Bucks iteration feels different - maybe it's Dame's legendary clutch gene combined with Giannis' relentless athleticism.
Out West, the Phoenix Suns demonstrated why their "big three" of Durant, Booker, and Beal might be the most offensively gifted trio I've witnessed since the Heatles era. Their chemistry isn't quite there yet - you could see the occasional miscommunication on defensive rotations - but my goodness, the scoring potential is terrifying. They put up 125 points against Golden State despite what looked like only playing at 70% of their capacity. Speaking of the Warriors, Chris Paul coming off the bench marks a fascinating evolution for both the player and the franchise. I never thought I'd see the day when CP1 would accept a sixth-man role, but watching him orchestrate that second unit was pure basketball poetry.
The young teams particularly caught my eye. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks ready to make the leap from All-Star to MVP candidate, while San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama showed flashes of generational talent despite some rookie mistakes. Having covered Tim Duncan's debut back in 1997, I can tell you Wemby's debut felt similarly monumental - the kid's 7-foot-4 frame combined with guard skills is something we've genuinely never seen before. The in-season tournament adds another layer of intrigue this year, with players already discussing how those games will have playoff intensity from November onward.
As Reyes noted about close games, "So that was key. And I think that's why the difference became that way in the end." That margin between victory and defeat often comes down to roster depth and coaching adjustments - elements that become magnified on opening night. The Lakers' supporting cast outperformed expectations against Denver, while Miami's development system continues to produce gems from undrafted players. After watching last night's action, I'm convinced this season will be decided by which teams can maintain consistency through the grueling 82-game schedule and which superstars can stay healthy come playoff time. The narratives we witnessed unfolding on opening night will evolve over the coming months, but one thing remains certain - the journey to the championship is always more complex than the final scores suggest.
People in Motion (PiM) is our employee advocacy and improvement program. These cross-functional groups are comprised of employees, with an executive sponsor, who contribute ideas and drive action towards focused areas of improvement across the employee experience. The groups include: Kyruus Kontext & Business Readiness; Community, Connectivity, & Engagement; System, Tools, & Productivity; IDEA [Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility].
As a remote-first company, we are invested in employees creating a work setup that allows them to do their best work. In addition to a laptop, we also provide you with $750 to get the additional equipment you need and add an ongoing amount of $1,200 to your salary to cover remote work costs.
We value ownership at Kyruus Health, not only in the work you do but in the shared financial success from our growth. Employees will have the opportunity to grow their equity ownership throughout their tenure.
We care about creating the time you need to bond for any team members at Kyruus Health growing their families. We offer 8 weeks of fully paid leave to all parents. Birthing parents are also eligible for additional time and coverage through our Short-Term Disability plan.
We encourage all employees to save for retirement through our 401(K) plan. Employees have the option to begin contributing to their accounts on their first day of employment and we offer an employer match of up to $1,500 per calendar year for all employees who enroll.
We offer employees a lifestyle stipend of $2,000 per year to help them be well. This is designed for Kyruus Health to offset the cost for items, experiences, or home expenses that enhance team members’ well-being
We want to provide employees and families with health insurance offerings to support them getting the care they need. Our health, dental, and vision plans are desiged to allow employees the opportunity to choose options that work best for themselves and their families.
We are committed to flexibility and empowering employees to do work that matters in a way that works for them. Our unlimited PTO policy is anchored on that flexibility – encouraging employees to take time off for what’s important to them, in addition to the many company holidays we celebrate. To highlight our commitment to a healthy work-life balance, we provide a specific stipend each quarter for employees to use on a recharge day.
