What happened: Opening the 2026-27 regular season, Fred VanVleet connected from beyond the arc in his first non-preseason start since Game 7 of the 2025 playoffs. The long-range make put the point guard back in the scoring column following a 17-month recovery stretch.

Why it matters: Reintegrating a proven floor general stabilizes half-court playmaking and perimeter spacing at the start of the new schedule. VanVleet showed crisp ball security during his preseason tune-up, logging 15 assists against just one turnover entering opening night.

What to watch: Track VanVleet's playing-time workload and backcourt usage across the opening week of the 2026-27 regular season.