Sergio de Larrea and Baba Miller experienced contrasting fortunes during their regular-season debuts in the NBA, as La Vanguardia reported, highlighting the divergent paths of the league’s newest Spanish arrivals at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
Baba Miller Shines in Clippers Win Over Sacramento
Baba Miller enjoyed an efficient opening night with Los Angeles Clippers, contributing four points, three rebounds, and one assist in just over nine minutes of action during a 121-96 victory against the Sacramento Kings. Selected 36th overall in the recent NBA Draft, the 22-year-old forward converted both of his field-goal attempts, highlighted by a powerful dunk in the final quarter. Sport.es noted that Miller capitalized on his limited minutes to make a strong early impression as he fights for a steady role in a heavily revamped Clippers rotation led by Darius Garland, who finished with 30 points on the night.
🏀💜 Sergio de Larrea, primer vallisoletano de la historia en debutar en la NBA y uno de los españoles más jóvenes en hacerlo. ¡Enhorabuena, chaval, toda Pucela está orgullosa de ti! pic.twitter.com/iL5hxd2IYy
Sergio de Larrea Struggles in Dallas Debut Against Houston
In contrast, Sergio de Larrea endured a difficult introduction to official NBA competition during the Dallas Mavericks’ 128-110 defeat to the Houston Rockets. Infobae reported that the young Spanish point guard logged six minutes and 51 seconds on the floor, failing to score after missing his sole three-point attempt while adding two rebounds and one assist. De Larrea’s quiet night followed a rough team performance in which Dallas surrendered a decisive 38-12 scoring run in the second quarter. The setback contrasted sharply with his promising preseason showings, which included an 11-point, six-assist performance against those same Rockets featuring a perfect three-for-three mark from beyond the arc.
Roster Context and Impaired Rotations for Dallas
The Mavericks played their season opener without fellow Spanish national Santi Aldama, who continues his recovery from right knee surgery performed in the spring, according to Infobae. Despite 32 points from Cooper Flagg and 15 points from the returning Kyrie Irving, Dallas could not overcome the offensive output of Houston’s Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr., who each tallied 30 points. Sport.es observed that De Larrea will need time to find his footing in Texas after earning his roster spot following a stint in Spain with Valencia Basket.
🇪🇸 ¡LA PRIMERA CANASTA DE BABA MILLER EN LA NBA!Estrenándose con una acción marca de la casa 😤✈️De las que no se olvidan, @_bmillxr_. pic.twitter.com/i92Z29XNkN
