Nagoya Diamond Dolphins have reached 10–0 in the inaugural B.PREMIER season, and their tenth victory looked rather different from their ninth. After burying Shiga Lakes under 17 three-pointers in a 104–69 win on Friday, Nagoya returned to IG Arena on Sunday, 1 November, and won the rematch 87–64. Two comfortable results, two routes to the same destination: the top of the West Division.
The official B.LEAGUE result confirms Sunday's 23-point margin and Nagoya's perfect record. Shiga slipped to 5–7. The visitors managed just 64 points, well below their 85.5-point season average after the game. Nagoya did not need another three-figure score to keep their opening streak intact.
Friday's 104–69 victory had been a different kind of statement. Nagoya made 17 of 33 attempts from beyond the arc, shared 27 assists and forced Shiga into 23 turnovers. That combination made the contest a shooting exhibition and a lesson in how quickly a careless possession can become somebody else's points. A second win over the same opponent, this time with 17 fewer points on the board, offers a useful counterpoint to the fireworks.
The broader numbers explain why this start deserves attention. After ten games, the league's season summary lists Nagoya at 92.5 points and 24.6 assists per game, with 49.1 per cent field-goal shooting. There is a productive balance here: efficient finishing and plenty of passes leading to baskets. Those are season averages, rather than claims that every night has followed an identical script.
Nor has the schedule been one long stay at home. Nagoya's official results list includes road victories over Shimane, Ibaraki, Shinshu, Utsunomiya and Tokyo Sunrockers. The 98–69 win at Utsunomiya and the 96–85 result at Tokyo SR are particularly useful reminders that the Dolphins have taken this form into different buildings and match-ups. The two Shiga wins now extend that run to double figures.
There is still a long season ahead, and a perfect start does not settle a title race. It does, however, change the question opponents must answer. Shiga saw Nagoya's outside shooting overwhelm them on Friday, then found that restricting the Dolphins to 87 points on Sunday was nowhere near enough. A team capable of winning without reproducing its most spectacular offensive night is a more awkward proposition than one simply enjoying a hot hand.
Nagoya's next assignment is away to Toyama Grouses on Saturday, 7 November, at 3.05 pm Japan time, followed by a trip to Gunma Crane Thunders on Monday, 9 November, at 7.05 pm, according to the club's fixture list. Ten wins have earned the Dolphins the spotlight. Those two road games will test how comfortably they can keep it.
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