NBA roundup of the NBA’s international player performances during the first few days in the NBA. Discuss the NBA in our forum.

• Pau Gasol watched from the bench with a strained right hamstring  as the Dallas Mavericks trounced the Los Angeles Lakers 94-80.  Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers with 21 points and gathered 10 rebounds in a surprisingly intense early season game.

• Steve Nash dished out 20 assists vs. the Golden State Warriors as the Phoenix Suns downed the Warriors 123-101.  Leandro Barbosa had 24 points and was the game’s high-scorer.

• Andrea Bargnani flew out of the gate with 28 points on 11-15 from the floor helping his Raptors spoil the debut of the Shaquille O’Neal-LeBron James union (overcoming LeBron James’ triple double). The 7-0 Italian followed that up with just 12 points in his Toronto’s next game; a loss vs. the Grizzlies.

• Toronto also has another Italian on their roster, newly acquired Marco Belinelli, who has quietly come off the bench to put up 17 points in two games. The Raptors also exercised the the fourth-year team option on his rookie contract, extending his stay with the Raptors at least another year.

• Belinelli’s old teammate Kelenna Azubuike is still coming off the bench for the Warriors and has looked to have found his niche. The 6-5 swingman from England has averaged 15 points, 4.5 rebounds, and has shot 62% from the field (13-21).

• Marc Gasol had 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals in Memphis’s win over the 115-107 win over the Toronto Raptors. In two games Gasol has averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks on 12-17 shooting.

• Memphis backup center and #2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet hasn’t done nearly as well, going 0-2 from the field and 0-2 from the line in a 96-74 debut loss to the Pistons, and then registered a DNP the next game.

• Danilo Gallinari has already shot 20 three-pointers in two Knick losses, but the second-year player is averaging 19 points, 5.5 rebounds, and shooting 50% from beyond the arc (10-20).  Though the Knicks have lost two games, they must be happy with the Italian’s play after an underwhelming pre-season.

• Despite a cringe-worthy looking jumpshot, the Chicago Bull’s Joakim Noah has been playing well in the first two games of his second year. Through two games, the French national team player has put up averages of 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2 blocks, against the Spurs and the Celtics no less.

• Kyrylo Fesenko, the Ukrainian center that found himself in Jerry Sloan’s doghouse the last two years, has played well in limited minutes in Utah’s first two games.  The 7-1 Fesenko has shot 8-9 from the field for 16 points, he even started the last game in Utah’s 111-98 win overt the Clippers.

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