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An NBA daily recap of 2014-15 NBA season games, all on one page. Bookmark this NBA game roundup page and hit it daily. Also read nba game previews and daily stat leaders, and watch daily NBA video highlights.
Recaps of NBA games played Wednesday
Wesley Matthews scores 28 to guide Blazers to 9th straight win
The AP reports: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Wesley Matthews said he had a funny feeling on the way to the arena that his shooting slump might be coming to end.
Call it a shooter's instinct.
Matthews scored a season-high 28 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Charlotte Hornets 105-97 on Wednesday night for their ninth consecutive victory. The fifth-year NBA veteran was 10 of 15 from the field and 6 of 9 from 3-point range as Portland (12-3) improved to 7-0 against Eastern Conference teams... Even with LaMarcus Aldridge struggling through a 3-of-18 shooting night, the Trail Blazers prevailed, getting 22 points from Damian Lillard and 15 points and 10 rebounds from Robin Lopez... Brian Roberts had a career-high 24 points for the Hornets, who have lost seven straight and nine of 10. Al Jefferson had 21 points and 14 rebounds for his fifth double-double.
LeBron James, Kevin Love lead Cavs back to .500 with rout of Wiz
The AP reports: CLEVELAND -- LeBron James didn't stop after making a turnover, hustling down the floor to make up for his miscue.
Last week in Washington, he stayed behind and watched. Not this time.
James got back on defense, and the Cavs got back at the Wizards.
"We owed them," Kyrie Irving said.
James scored 29 points, Kevin Love added 21 and Irving had 18 as Cleveland exacted a little revenge on Washington with a 113-87 win over the Wizards on Wednesday night... James led the way, adding 10 rebounds and eight assists in 36 minutes. The four-time MVP, who called his team "fragile" during a recent four-game losing streak, was energized from the start as he powered to the basket and imposed his will on the Wizards... Rasual Butler scored 23 and Paul Pierce had 15 for the Wizards, who got only six points from leading scorer John Wall. The speedy point guard had 28 in last week's dominant win over Cleveland and went in averaging 27 in his previous three games against the Cavs. Wall attempted just six shots while being closely watched by several defenders.
Stephen Curry, 3s too much for Magic; Warriors win 111-96
The AP reports: ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Golden State Warriors have had much to be thankful for this NBA season.
They added to that list at the expense of the Orlando Magic.
Stephen Curry had 28 points, including six 3-pointers, as the Golden State Warriors rolled to a 111-96 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night... Harrison Barnes added 16 points. Seven Warriors reached double figures.
Orlando, which has been bothered by a rash of recent injuries, lost its third straight game. Tobias Harris led the Magic with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Alan Anderson helps Nets beat winless 76ers 99-91
The AP reports: PHILADELPHIA -- The Brooklyn Nets needed a big fourth quarter from Alan Anderson to send the lowly Philadelphia 76ers to another loss.
Anderson scored 10 of his 12 points in the final period, and Brooklyn beat Philadelphia 99-91 on Wednesday night to extend the 76ers' season-opening skid to 15 games -- matching a franchise record.
Philadelphia rallied from a 20-point deficit in the first half to take the lead early in the fourth quarter, but Anderson and Mirza Teletovic stepped up down the stretch for the Nets. Teletovic had six of his nine points in the fourth... Joe Johnson had 21 points and Brook Lopez scored 19 for Brooklyn (6-8), which won for just the second time in eight games. Deron Williams added 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Tyson Chandler rules old team as Mavericks top Knicks in OT
The AP reports: DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki joked that a tranquilizer gun for Tyson Chandler was a consideration before the Mavericks faced their motivational leader's former team.
The Dallas big man channeled his energy the right way.
Chandler set season highs with 17 points and 25 rebounds and Nowitzki scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime Wednesday night, helping the Mavericks to a 109-102 victory against the New York Knicks, who were missing Carmelo Anthony... J.R. Smith, starting with Anthony sidelined by back spasms, was 1 of 10 from the field entering the fourth quarter. But he made a tying jumper with 0.9 seconds left in regulation... Jose Calderon, the biggest name going New York's way in the six-player deal, matched a career high with seven 3-pointers for all of his 21 points. Knicks center Samuel Dalembert, another player in the trade, had his first double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan's 27 points help Raptors roll to 6th straight win
The AP reports: ATLANTA -- DeMar DeRozan loves when the Toronto Raptors have a balanced scoring attack.
"That's what it's going to take to win," he said. "Honestly, that's what it's all about."
DeRozan scored 27 points, Lou Williams added 22 and the Raptors beat the Atlanta Hawks 126-115 on Wednesday night for their sixth consecutive victory... Jeff Teague had 24 points and 12 assists for Atlanta, and Al Horford scored 23 points.
The Hawks, who won in Washington on Tuesday night, were trying to beat the East's top two teams on consecutive nights.
Kyle Lowry had 14 points and 13 assists for Toronto, which is 4-1 on the road for the first time in team history.
Jamal Crawford helps Clippers past Pistons 104-98
The AP reports: AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Chris Paul picked up his game in the third quarter, and the rest of the Los Angeles Clippers joined him in the fourth.
Paul scored 14 of his 23 points in the third, and the Clippers beat the slumping Detroit Pistons 104-98 on Wednesday night.
Los Angeles outscored Detroit 32-25 in the final period. The Clippers shot 64.7 percent from the field in the last 12 minutes, including a 5-for-7 finish from 3-point range... Los Angeles reserve Jamal Crawford scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth. Blake Griffin finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
James Harden leads Rockets past Kings 102-89
The AP reports: HOUSTON -- James Harden and the Houston Rockets got a lift from two unlikely sources on Wednesday night.
Harden scored 26 points on 10-for-31 shooting in Houston's 102-89 victory over the Sacramento Kings, and Donatas Motiejunas and Isaiah Canaan each stepped up for the Rockets... Harden also had eight assists and seven rebounds in Houston's third straight win, and Motiejunas and Canaan each set a career high for points... DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points and 17 rebounds for the Kings (9-6), and Ben McLemore and Omri Casspi each scored 14.
Houston played without center Dwight Howard (knee) and point guard Patrick Beverley (hamstring), while Sacramento was without Rudy Gay (right Achilles injury) and Darren Collison (quad contusion).
Bucks wear down Timberwolves to improve to 9-7
The AP reports: MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker didn't exactly deliver the instant-classic game that fellow rookie Zach LaVine predicted for the first regular-season matchup between the top two picks from the June draft.
Instead, it was Milwaukee's defense that stood out, grinding down the undermanned Minnesota Timberwolves and putting yet another mark in the win column for the surprising Bucks.
Larry Sanders had 15 points, seven rebounds and five blocks to help the Bucks to a 103-86 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Brandon Knight scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter for the Bucks (9-7), who have won five of their last seven games in a spirited start under new coach Jason Kidd. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Parker added 11 points and seven boards for Milwaukee, which held the Wolves to 38 percent shooting and turned 19 turnovers into 20 points.
Thunder knock off Jazz to end 6-game skid
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Finally, good things are happening for the Thunder.
Reggie Jackson scored 22 points, and Oklahoma City snapped a six-game skid with a 97-82 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Jeremy Lamb scored 21 points and Serge Ibaka added 20 for the Thunder, who shot 48 percent. Five of the six losses during the skid were by seven points or fewer, and the Thunder were determined to avoid that result again... Gordon Hayward scored 24 points, and Enes Kanter and Trey Burke each added 16 for the Jazz, who lost their fourth straight and matched their lowest point total of the season.
Spurs beat Pacers 106-100 without Popovich
The AP reports: SAN ANTONIO -- With Gregg Popovich resting after a medical procedure, Manu Ginobili had a throwback game while playing under former coach Ettore Messina for the first time in 13 years.
Ginobili had 21 of his 28 points in the second half and the San Antonio Spurs won without coach Popovich, rallying for a 106-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Popovich missed the game after undergoing what the team is calling a minor medical procedure. He is expected to miss Friday's home game against Sacramento, too... Tony Parker scored 21 points for San Antonio (10-4), and Kawhi Leonard had 21 points and 13 rebounds. Duncan finished with 17 points.
Gerald Green scores 24, Suns beat Nuggets 120-112
The AP reports: PHOENIX -- Suns coach Jeff Hornacek wondered if his team would be a little tired after a six-game road trip that ended with a long flight home from Toronto on Monday night.
Gerald Green quickly put to rest any concerns about jetlag, scoring 24 points in helping Phoenix race to a 120-112 win over the Denver Nuggets Wednesday night.
Eric Bledsoe had 21 points as seven Suns players scored in double figures.
Green made 6 of 11 3-pointers, four in the second half when he scored 16 points, and the Suns won for the fifth time in six games. Goran Dragic added 20 points for Phoenix, which ended Denver's five-game winning streak... Timofey Mozgov had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets (7-8) and Ty Lawson added 17 points and 12 assists.
Streaking Grizzlies fend off Lakers to maintain West-leading pace
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Marc Gasol had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Mike Conley added 19 points and the Memphis Grizzlies held off the Los Angeles Lakers 99-93 Wednesday night for their seventh victory in eight games.
Zach Randolph scored 16 points for the Grizzlies, who improved to 13-2 and kept pace with Toronto atop the overall NBA standings. But Western Conference-leading Memphis barely survived a strong effort from the 15th-place Lakers, who kept it close throughout a tense fourth quarter.
Recaps of NBA games played Tuesday
Hawks top Wizards 106-102 for 6th win in 8
The AP reports: WASHINGTON -- Surely, everybody can't have a so-so night. At some point, in an NBA game, somebody has to develop that hot hand that leads one team or the other toward victory, right?
It wasn't until the start of the fourth quarter of Tuesday night's matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards that some difference-makers finally made a difference. Hawks reserves Mike Scott and Shelvin Mack proved up to the task, scoring 16 straight Atlanta points to spur a 106-102 win... Jeff Teague added 28 points, and Paul Millsap had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta.
Until Scott and Mack got going, neither team could sustain much of a run because so many key players were having tough nights. Paul Pierce shot 6 for 16, Bradley Beal 4 for 14 and Kris Humphries 2 of 7 for the Wizards. DeMarre Carroll went 3 for 10, and Kyle Korver was 0 of 3 for the Hawks.
Stephen Curry hits 8 3s, scores 40 as Warriors down Heat
The AP reports: MIAMI -- So much for Stephen Curry's mini-shooting slump.
Curry scored 40 points on 11-of-18 shooting, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Miami Heat 114-97 on Tuesday night for their sixth consecutive victory.
"You just feel a rhythm," said Curry, who was 8-for-24 in his previous two games... Klay Thompson had 24 points for the Warriors, who shot 57 percent. Curry finished 8-of-11 from 3-point range... Chris Bosh scored 26 points for Miami, and Luol Deng had 16. James Ennis' dunk with 9:11 left was the Heat's last field goal.
Brandon Knight helps Bucks beat Pistons 98-86
The AP reports: MILWAUKEE -- O.J. Mayo made the most of his first start in a year.
Mayo scored 17 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks to a 98-86 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. He was 5 for 10 from the field and 4 for 4 at the line his first start since Dec. 14 at Dallas... Brandon Knight had 20 points and eight assists for Milwaukee (8-7), which avoided its first three-game slide of the season. Rookie Jabari Parker contributed 14 points and nine rebounds.
Detroit (3-11) has lost five in a row and eight of nine.
Andre Drummond had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, and Greg Monroe added 15 points and eight boards. Drummond was averaging 8.7 points coming into the night, but shot 11 of 15 from the floor.
DeMarcus Cousins, Kings beat Pelicans 99-89
The AP reports: NEW ORLEANS -- When Sacramento coach Michael Malone was ejected in the second quarter, DeMarcus Cousins helped steady the Kings.
Cousins had 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals, leading Sacramento to a 99-89 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Omri Casspi also scored 22 for Sacramento, which has won three in a row. Casspi, who made his first start of the season in place of the injured Rudy Gay, was with New Orleans for a brief stretch this offseason before being released in a salary-cap move... New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was held to 14 points after he scored 28 in a victory over the Kings last Tuesday. He also had nine rebounds and blocked two shots.
Davis had 12 shots for his lowest total since taking 13 on Nov. 14. Tyreke Evans, meanwhile, scored 22 points on 17 shots.
Ty Lawson leads Nuggets over Bulls for fifth straight win
The AP reports: DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets have climbed all the way back to .500 after a rough start.
Ty Lawson scored 20 points, including a key jumper in the waning seconds, and the Nuggets beat the Chicago Bulls 114-109 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.
Arron Afflalo added 19 points and Danilo Gallinari had 15 for the Nuggets, who have won six of seven since a 1-6 start... Bulls point guard Derrick Rose was limited to 10 minutes in his second game back from a left hamstring strain. Rose, who scored 18 points in his return Monday night against Utah after a four-game absence, felt a little tightness in the hamstring in the first quarter and didn't play the rest of the way... Jimmy Butler had 32 points for Chicago, and Pau Gasol finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. But the Bulls lost for the eighth straight time in Denver.
Recaps of NBA games played Monday
Blake Griffin, Chris Paul lead Clippers over Hornets 113-92
The AP reports: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Chris Paul said he spoke with Blake Griffin recently about getting back to what the Los Angeles Clippers do best.
For the team's two superstars, that means working the pick and roll... Griffin had 22 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, Paul had 22 points and a season-high 15 assists as the Clippers handed the Charlotte Hornets their sixth straight loss 113-92 on Monday night... Jamal Crawford had 21 points and J.J. Redick added 17, combining to shoot 9 of 17 from 3-point range. As a team the Clippers were 15 of 32 on 3-point attempts; the Hornets were just 2 of 20... Cody Zeller led the way for Charlotte with a career-high 17 points. Al Jefferson had 16 points and Kemba Walker 15 for the Hornets (4-11), who have lost eight of their last nine games.
Lance Stephenson, Charlotte's big free agent acquisition, was a non-factor with three points and six assists.
LeBron James helps Cavs end four-game skid with win over Magic
The AP reports: CLEVELAND -- After a blunt assessment of his play at the team's shoot around, LeBron James responded with a dominant performance.
James scored 29 points, including 16 in the first quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers broke a four-game losing streak with a 106-74 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
The Cavaliers were coming off an 0-4 week in which James' numbers were down, causing him to say Monday morning, "I stink." ... After averaging 18.5 points and shooting 41 percent from the field in the losing streak, James was 9-for-17 from the field Monday and tied a season-high with 11 assists while not playing the fourth quarter... Anderson Varejao scored 14 points while Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving each added 12.
Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 22 points while Nikola Vucevic added 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Aldridge leads Blazers over 76ers 114-104
The AP reports: PHILADELPHIA -- The Portland Trail Blazers didn't take the winless 76ers lightly following a lackluster first half.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 of his 33 points during the pivotal third quarter to help the Trail Blazers defeat Philadelphia 114-104 on Monday night, sending the 76ers to their 14th straight loss to open the season.
Wesley Matthews added 17 points, Damian Lillard had 16 and Robin Lopez chipped in 12 for Portland (11-3), which won its eighth in a row after coming back from a two-point halftime deficit... Michael Carter-Williams led Philadelphia (0-14) with 24 points.
The 76ers moved within one loss of matching the franchise mark for consecutive losses to begin a season and will look to avoid an 0-15 opening when they host Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Valanciunas leads Raptors over Suns 104-100
The AP reports: TORONTO -- The Phoenix Suns used a long range barrage to give the Raptors a fourth-quarter scare, but Toronto held firm for its fifth straight win.
Jonas Valanciunas had a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan added 23 points and the Raptors beat the Suns 104-100 Monday night.
Phoenix made seven of 10 3-point attempts in final quarter, rallying from a 17-point deficit to briefly take the lead... Lou Williams scored 17, Lowry had 14 and Terrence Ross added 13 for the Raptors, who improved 9-1 at home and 4-0 against Western Conference opponents.
Eric Bledsoe scored 25 points and Markieff Morris had 17 for the Suns, whose four-game winning streak was snapped. Phoenix had not lost since the opening game of their six-game road trip, Nov. 15 against the Clippers.
Harden leads depleted Rockets over Knicks 91-86
The AP reports: HOUSTON -- James Harden had 36 points to lead the depleted Houston Rockets to a 91-86 victory over the slumping New York Knicks on Monday night.
Houston (11-3) played without center Dwight Howard (knee) and point guard Patrick Beverley (hamstring), but Harden had half of the Rockets' 14 3-pointers to overwhelm the Knicks, who played the second half without star forward Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony left the game with less than two minutes remaining in the first half and did not return, suffering from back spasms, the team said. Anthony had 14 points.
Jose Calderon and Travis Wear both had 9 points for the Knicks (4-11), who fell to 1-6 on the road and suffered their 10th loss in the last 12 games. Despite leaving so early in the game, Anthony led Knicks scorers, and none of his teammates scored double figures.
Donald Sloan scores 29 as Pacers surprise Mavericks
The AP reports: DALLAS -- Donald Sloan scored 29 points and seven Indiana Pacers scored in double figures in a 111-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday... Indiana got a double-double from Luis Scola, who scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Solomon Hill and Rodney Stuckey each scored 12 points, while Chris Copeland and Damjan Rudez each had 11, and Ian Mahinmi added 10.
Butler, Gasol lead Bulls over Jazz 97-95
The AP reports: SALT LAKE CITY -- Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and Pau Gasol added 23 points and nine rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 97-95 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
Derrick Rose scored 18 points in his return to the Bulls' lineup. Chicago beat the Jazz for ninth time in the last 12 games between the two teams.
Derrick Favors scored 21 points and pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds for Utah, which rallied from a 21-point deficit, but couldn't close it out. Enes Kanter had 19 points and eight rebounds while Trey Burke had 18 and 10 assists.
Recaps of NBA games played Sunday
Marc Gasol's 30 points, 12 rebounds lead Grizzlies in rout of Clippers
The AP reports: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Marc Gasol's dominance is making one of the NBA's best frontcourts even better.
Gasol had 30 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 107-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night. It marked the second straight game Gasol has recorded at least 30 points.
The victory left Memphis with the league's best record (12-2) behind a more aggressive Gasol, who is complementing his jumper with moves to the basket this season... Six Grizzlies reached double figures. Courtney Lee added 13 points for Memphis. Tony Allen had 12 points, while Beno Udrih and Quincy Pondexter had 11 points apiece off the Memphis bench. Zach Randolph had 10 points... Jamal Crawford scored 19, and J.J. Redick finished with 15, going 3-of-6 from outside the arc.
Blake Griffin scored 12 points, but was 5-of-17 from the field.
Blazers beat Celtics, extend win streak to 7
The AP reports: BOSTON -- LaMarcus Aldridge likes the attitude the Portland Trail Blazers have during this winning streak.
Aldridge had 20 points and 14 rebounds, reserve Chris Kaman scored 16 points and the Trail Blazers extended their streak to seven games with a 94-88 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday night... Damian Lillard added 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Portland, which began a brief East swing. Nicolas Batum also had 12 points... Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger had 19 points apiece for Boston, which dropped its fifth in six games. Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo each scored 13. Rondo added eight assists and six rebounds.
Heat snap 3-game home skid as Hornets falter late
The AP reports: MIAMI -- So much intrigue, crammed into 14 seconds. A pair of former Connecticut stars, going 1-on-1 as if they were willing to decide it themselves. A one-point game, one team about to end a losing streak and a tip-in try that added more drama with every bounce off the rim.
"Definitely an experience," Luol Deng said.
For the Miami Heat, a welcomed one.
Deng scored 26 points, Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers each added 20 and the Heat watched Charlotte miss three potential go-ahead shots in the final seconds on the way to beating the Hornets 94-93 on Sunday night and snapping a three-game home slide... Chalmers had 10 assists for his second double-double of the season and Shabazz Napier scored 14 for the Heat.
Al Jefferson finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds for Charlotte, which got 17 points from Lance Stephenson and 16 from Kemba Walker but wound up seeing its skid reach five games. The Hornets trailed by nine at the half and then led by as many as eight in the fourth, before Miami rallied.
Speights scores 28 as Warriors hold off Thunder
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Golden State sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson couldn't find the hoop, and the injury-depleted Thunder were giving the Warriors all they could handle.
Journeyman forward Marreese Speights came to the rescue, scoring 28 points to help the Warriors beat Oklahoma City 91-86 on Sunday night. It matched the second-highest scoring game of Speights' career and was his best total since 2009... Thompson scored 20 points and Curry added 15 for the Warriors (10-2), who won despite shooting a season-low 35.5 percent from the field. Thompson and Curry, two of the top 10 scorers in the league, combined to make just 11 of 35 shots.
Reggie Jackson had 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and Anthony Morrow added 16 points and matched a career high with 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City. Serge Ibaka scored 16 points, but shot just 5 of 17 for the Thunder (3-13), who lost their sixth in a row.
ESPN.com reports: The Thunder have now lost 6 straight games to fall to 3-12, putting their playoff hopes in peril. Only 4 teams in the last 20 seasons have started this poorly and made the postseason, with the 1996-97 Suns being the last West team. Last year the West's No. 8 seed won 49 games. The Thunder would need to finish 46-21 to reach that mark.
Nuggets beat Lakers 101-94 in OT
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Wilson Chandler scored 19 points and Ty Lawson had 18 points and 16 assists, helping the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 101-94 in overtime on Sunday night.
Arron Afflalo added 15 points for the Nuggets, who have won five of six following a 1-6 start that was capped by consecutive double-digit losses to Portland.
The Lakers, coming off a 140-106 drubbing at Dallas, began a four-game homestand with their seventh straight loss to the Nuggets, despite 27 points from Kobe Bryant. The NBA's No. 4 career scorer made only four of 14 shots after the third quarter and finished 10 for 24... Carlos Boozer sat out because of a left shoulder strain and Ed Davis made his first start as a Laker at power forward. He had four points and five rebounds in 22 minutes before fouling out with 10:37 left in the game and the Los Angeles ahead 75-73.
ESPN.com reports: With 18 points and 16 assists tonight, Ty Lawson recorded his 2nd game with at least 15 points and 15 assists this season. The rest of the NBA has two such 15-15 games this year (Stephen Curry and Jeff Teague).
Recaps of NBA games played Friday
Magic erase 23-point deficit to stun Hornets
The AP reports: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Orlando Magic went small -- and came up big.
Struggling to find their way on offense, Magic coach Jacque Vaughn turned to a four-guard lineup late in the second half, sparking a huge comeback.
Evan Fournier scored 21 points, Tobias Harris had 17 points and 16 rebounds and the Magic erased a 23-point second-half deficit to hand the Charlotte Hornets their fourth straight loss 105-100 on Friday night... Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando (6-8)... Al Jefferson had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Kemba Walker added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the struggling Hornets (4-9), who have lost six of their last seven games.
Suns dominate in romp past winless 76ers, 122-96
The AP reports: PHILADELPHIA -- Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe smiled and explained he was only joking when he said the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats could defeat the winless Philadelphia 76ers in a series.
No harm, no foul.
Well, not quite.
He might have wished he could take it back after Nerlens Noel knocked him on his back only 30 seconds into the game. Noel showed some rare fight for the hapless Sixers, wasting no time sticking up for his team, even if it meant former Wildcat-on-Wildcat abuse.
Bledsoe shook off the foul and the one-liner to turn this one into the latest laughter in Philly.
Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points and Markieff Morris had 18 to lead the Suns past the Sixers 122-96 on Friday night.
Jeff Teague has 28, Hawks hold off Pistons, 99-89
The AP reports: ATLANTA -- Jeff Teague scored a season-high 28 points and then earned compliments for his defense.
Led by Teague's play on both ends of the court, the Atlanta Hawks didn't panic after blowing a 19-point lead and recovered to beat the Detroit Pistons 99-89 on Friday night.
Paul Millsap had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta, which snapped a two-game skid... Josh Smith had 16 points and Andre Drummond added 13 points with 16 rebounds for the Pistons, who have lost four straight. They had two three-game losing streaks earlier in the season... Former University of Georgia standout Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was only 1 of 7 from the field for four points. D.J. Augustin had 14 points but made only 4 of 17 shots.
Lou Williams scores 22 as Raptors beat Bucks 124-82
The AP reports: TORONTO -- With a visit to Cleveland to face LeBron James coming up on Saturday, Raptors coach Dwane Casey was worried his team might overlook the Milwaukee Bucks... Lou Williams scored a season-high 22 points, Jonas Valanciunas added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Raptors routed the Bucks 124-82 Friday night.
Marc Gasol scores 32 as Grizzlies beat Celtics 117-100
The AP reports: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- After dealing with a stomach virus that affected nearly half the team earlier in the week, the Memphis Grizzlies recovered enough to get their 21st straight regular season home victory.
Marc Gasol matched his career high with 32 points, Zach Randolph added 16 points and 16 rebounds, and the Grizzlies beat the Boston Celtics 117-100 on Friday night.
"With the stomach virus that we all had, I think, the guys are still coming back from that," said reserve forward Jon Leuer, who had a season-high 19 points... Kelly Olynyk led Boston with 18 points. Jared Sullinger had 13 points, Jeff Green added 12, while Avery Bradley and Marcus Thornton finished with 11 points each.
Tony Parker's 28 points help Spurs rout short-handed Wolves
The AP reports: MINNEAPOLIS -- The San Antonio Spurs have opened defense of their fifth NBA title in underwhelming fashion. A blowout of the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves did little to convince coach Gregg Popovich that the precision and beauty they played with last year was just around the corner.
"It wasn't a fair fight," he said.
Tony Parker scored 28 points in 25 minutes and the Spurs cruised past a Timberwolves team missing four starters 121-92 on Friday night.
Parker made 12 of 18 shots, including all three of his 3-pointers, and Danny Green scored 18 points for the Spurs, who got an easy night with a game against the Brooklyn Nets at home on Saturday.
Anthony Bennett scored a career-high 20 points for the Timberwolves, who had just 10 healthy players after announcing earlier in the day that Kevin Martin will be out indefinitely with a fractured right wrist. The Wolves were also missing starters Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Thaddeus Young and backup big man Ronny Turiaf.
Nets hold on to beat Thunder 94-92
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Reggie Jackson sat silently in the locker room, slumped down in a chair with his arms crossed, a towel over his shoulders and ice on his knees.
Minutes earlier, he missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the Brooklyn Nets held on for a 94-92 win over Oklahoma City on Friday night. The Thunder lost their fifth straight and now have the league's second-longest losing streak.
Jackson, who led the Thunder with 21 points and eight assists, had played one of his better games of the season before the miss. He went for the 3-pointer and the win instead of the two and overtime... Jarrett Jack scored 23 points off the bench, Deron Williams scored 17 points and Brook Lopez had 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the Nets snap a five-game losing streak.
John Wall helps Wizards send Cavs below .500 after 3rd straight loss
The AP reports: WASHINGTON -- LeBron James lost the battle for an offensive rebound and stewed in frustration while everyone else ran downcourt, leaving his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates to defend 4-on-5 at the other end while the game was still in the balance in the fourth quarter.
The Cavaliers went the final 9 minutes without scoring a field goal in Friday night's 91-78 loss to the Washington Wizards, a third consecutive loss and one that puts James under .500 more than 10 games into a season for the first time in six years... John Wall took over in the third quarter and finished with 28 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds for the hustling Wizards, who have won four of five... James scored 22 points on 8-for-21 shooting, but the Cavaliers shot 36 percent, scored a season low in points and looked flat-footed as they fell to 5-6.
Nowitzki, Mavericks roll over Lakers 140-106
The AP reports: DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the Dallas starters left it to the reserves to finish off the highest point total for the Mavericks in more than five years.
Nowitzki scored 23 points before sitting the entire fourth quarter, and the Mavericks used the NBA's highest-scoring offense to roll to a 140-106 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
The Mavericks won their sixth straight game overall and fourth in a row against the Lakers, who were swept by Dallas in the regular season for the first time in 2013-14.
Nowitzki, Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons were a combined 23 of 33 from the field as the Mavericks set season highs in points, shooting percentage (62 percent) and assists (37). Parsons had 21 points and Ellis scored 20 to go with 10 assists.
Afflalo, Faried lead Nuggets past Pelicans, 117-97
The AP reports: DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets were struggling and scuffling when they left for the road a week ago. Five games later they look like the team coach Brian Shaw envisioned.
Kenneth Faried and Arron Afflalo scored 19 points each, Wilson Chandler had 18 and Denver beat the New Orleans Pelicans 117-97 on Friday night.
Danilo Gallinari had 17 points and JaVale McGee 14 for the Nuggets, who have won four of their last five after starting the season 1-6. They took two of three on the road last weekend and have won two straight at Pepsi Center to even their home record at 3-3... Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 18 points and nine rebounds. It was the first time in eight games Davis has failed to eclipse 20 points.
Well-rested Warriors roll past Jazz, 101-88
The AP reports: OAKLAND, Calif. -- After a rare four-day layoff between games, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted he had a few concerns coming into Friday night's game against the Utah Jazz.
Just like they've done most of the season, the Warriors quickly put Kerr at ease.
Andre Iguodala scored 17 points, Harrison Barnes had 14 points and 11 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors used a blistering start to beat the Utah Jazz 101-88 for their fourth straight win... Enes Kanter scored 18 points, and Gordon Hayward had 12 points and five rebounds for a young Jazz team that's struggling against top competition. Utah (5-8) hasn't beaten a team that currently has a winning record.
Blazers rout short-handed Bulls 105-87
The AP reports: PORTLAND, Ore. -- Injuries and a scuffle overshadowed another strong effort by Portland's Damian Lillard.
Lillard had 21 points and nine assists to help the Trail Blazers beat the short-handed Chicago Bulls 105-87 on Friday night.
However, Mike Dunleavy's flagrant foul on Lillard in the third quarter, followed by Taj Gibson's painful left ankle injury, marred Portland's sixth straight win.
Lillard was going up for a 3-pointer when Dunleavy barreled into him, knocking him down. Wesley Matthews ran over and pushed Dunleavy, and Aaron Brooks in turn shoved Matthews. LaMarcus Aldridge stepped in to separate the group... Rookie Nikola Mirotic came off the bench and had season highs with 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls.
Aldridge added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Blazers, who got Nicolas Batum back after he missed four games with a right knee contusion.
Recaps of NBA games played Thursday
Clippers jump out to 39-15 lead en route to dousing of Heat
The AP reports: MIAMI -- Late in the third quarter, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul found themselves all alone on a fast break, no Miami Heat player even remotely close to them.
Everything wasn't always that easy for the Los Angeles Clippers.
It only seemed that way.
Paul had 26 points and 12 assists, Griffin added 26 points, and the Clippers wasted no time in taking control on the way to a 110-93 win over the Heat on Thursday night... DeAndre Jordan scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Clippers (7-4), who led 39-15 after one quarter. Jordan's night: six shots, all of them dunks, all part of the reason the Clippers outscored Miami 44-26 in the paint... Chris Bosh scored 28 for Miami (6-6), which has dropped three straight home games for the first time since March 3-8, 2011. Rookie reserve Shabazz Napier had a season-high 17 points... Dwyane Wade missed his fourth consecutive game with a strained left hamstring.
ESPN.com reports: The Clippers played each of their first nine games in the state of California and were not living up to their championship expectations. Over their last 2 games since leaving the state, they are much improved, outscoring opponents by 19 points per 100 possessions. It also helps that their last 2 opponents were the Magic and the Dwyane Wade-less Heat.
DeMarcus Cousins, Kings halt Bulls' undefeated road streak
The AP reports: SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- After seven straight losing seasons, there's a new vibe in Sacramento. The Kings have opened the season with some impressive victories and added another one Thursday night.
DeMarcus Cousins had 22 points and 14 rebounds and Rudy Gay scored 20 points to help the Kings beat Chicago 103-88, snapping the Bulls' six-game road winning streak.
A sellout crowd roared its approval, especially during the final three quarters when the Kings dominated, outscoring the highly touted Bulls by 22 points... "We really didn't want to give this one away; we've done that in three times before," said Darren Collison, who had 17 points and 12 assists... Although Cousins was dominant in the second half with 16 points, he got plenty of help. Reserve Omri Casspi scored 14 points, Ben McLemore had 11 and seldom-used Derrick Williams added 10 for the Kings, who never trailed after taking the lead in the second quarter... Jimmy Butler had 23 points, and Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy and Aaron Brooks had 12 each for Chicago. Joakim Noah had 10 points and 11 rebounds despite foul trouble. The Bulls played the second game of a seven-game road trip, their longest of the season.
ESPN.com reports: Jimmy Butler is playing like a star for Chicago, averaging 21.3 points on 50.8 percent shooting this season - quite a jump from his numbers last season. At 25 years of age, Butler is line for a big pay day this offseason.
Recaps of NBA games played Wednesday
Tim Duncan leads way as Spurs best LeBron James, Cavaliers
The AP reports: CLEVELAND -- Out of timeouts, LeBron James had no choice but to hurry up the floor. With the clock ticking down, James tried to dribble behind his back and had the ball -- and game -- bounce away.
The San Antonio Spurs stopped him again.
Tim Duncan and Boris Diaw scored 19 points apiece, and the defending NBA champions beat Cleveland for the 10th straight time with a 92-90 win over James and the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Anderson Varejao scored 23 points, Kyrie Irving added 20 and James had 15 for the Cavs, who fell to 5-5 and aren't rolling the way most predicted.
James was just 6-of-17 from the field, Kevin Love went 4-of-12 and Cleveland's bench contributed 17 points.
Solomon Hill's tip-in at buzzer lifts Pacers to win
The AP reports: INDIANAPOLIS -- Solomon Hill put back a miss by Rodney Stuckey as time expired, and the Indiana Pacers overcame an early 18-point deficit to beat the Charlotte Hornets 88-86 Wednesday night.
Hill finished with six points and the biggest basket of the night. Roy Hibbert had 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Pacers spoiled Lance Stephenson's first trip back to Indianapolis since signing with Charlotte in July.
The Pacers trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half after the Hornets went on a 28-8 run. But Indiana closed the gap to six points by halftime and stayed close with Charlotte for the entire second half.
Luis Scola contributed 15 points and seven rebounds for Indiana.
Stephenson had 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Al Jefferson added 28 points and eight rebounds. Kemba Walker was the only other Hornet in double figures with 12 points.
Jamal Crawford helps Clippers open seven-game East Coast trip with rout
The AP reports: ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Los Angeles Clippers started an exceptionally difficult road trip with an exceptionally easy victory.
The Clippers, who traveled across country to play seven games in 11 days, gave their starters the fourth quarter off Wednesday night in a 114-90 win over the Orlando Magic... Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford and the rest of the Clippers reserves used a 27-11 run that spanned the final three minutes of the third quarter and first two minutes of the fourth to run away from Orlando.
Crawford led Los Angeles with 22 points. Blake Griffin contributed 20 and Chris Paul added 16 points and nine assists and Matt Barnes had 13... The Magic rode Tobias Harris and Nik Vucevic for the first 2 1/2 quarters, but didn't get help from anyone else. Harris led all scorers with 25 points and Vucevic had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Channing Frye had all 10 of his points in the first half and Andrew Nicholson added 10, most of them late in the fourth quarter with the game already decided.
Brandon Bass leads Celtics past winless Sixers, 101-90
The AP reports: PHILADELPHIA -- Brandon Bass and the Boston Celtics didn't take the winless 76ers lightly.
Bass scored 23 points, Jared Sullinger added 22 and Boston sent Philadelphia to its 11th straight loss to start the season with a 101-90 victory Wednesday night... Rajon Rondo had 13 assists and nine points, and Jeff Green chipped in 11 points for the Celtics (4-6), who snapped a three-game losing streak... Tony Wroten led five 76ers in double figures with 21 points. Philadelphia (0-11) is seven defeats from tying the 2009-10 Nets for the worst start in NBA history.
Dirk Nowitzki returns after injury scare to nail key 3 in win over Wiz
The AP reports: WASHINGTON -- With his Dallas Mavericks locked in a tight fourth quarter, Dirk Nowitzki twisted his left ankle by accidentally stepping on an opponent's foot, then fell to the court.
Moments later, Nowitzki was limping off to the locker room to get his ankle taped.
And minutes after that, he was back in the game, delivering a key basket.
Nowitzki's 3-pointer with 80 seconds left sealed a fifth consecutive victory for Dallas, 105-102 over the Washington Wizards, after Monta Ellis scored 24 of his 34 points in the first half Wednesday night... Beal was terrific, too, leading Washington with 21 points, and even drawing a charge on Ellis with about 30 seconds to go. But with a chance to tie the game, John Wall missed a 3-pointer at the other end. Ellis then made two free throws to push Dallas' edge to five points.
Brandon Knight helps Bucks outlast Nets for 3OT win in Kidd return
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- As shocked as they looked to still be playing, Brandon Knight's teammates didn't give up on him after his missed layup to end the first overtime.
Instead, they gave him the ball when they needed a big shot in the second one.
Knight made the tying 3-pointer in the second overtime and the clinching free throws with 5.6 seconds to go in the third, and the Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the Nets 122-118 on Wednesday night in coach Jason Kidd's return to Brooklyn... Rookie Jabari Parker scored a season-high 23 points, O.J. Mayo added 21, and Knight and Giannis Antetokounmpo each had 18 for the Bucks, who won their third straight.
Brook Lopez scored a season-best 26 points for the Nets, who have dropped five in a row.
Eric Bledsoe lifts Suns past Pistons, 88-86
The AP reports: AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Phoenix Suns aren't known for winning games with defense.
On Wednesday night, though, they pulled it off.
The Suns held Detroit to 37.9-percent shooting, including just 7 for 25 on 3-pointers, to pick up an 88-86 victory over the Pistons... On the first possession after Caldwell-Pope had put Detroit ahead, Eric Bledsoe sliced through the Pistons defense for an easy basket.
"That felt good," said Bledsoe, who led Phoenix with 18 points... P.J. Tucker added 16 points for the Suns, who have won four of their last six.
Brandon Jennings scored 19 points to lead Detroit, who is already on its third three-game losing streak after just 12 games of the season.
Red-hot Raptors use big 4th qtr to edge shorthanded Grizzlies
The AP reports: TORONTO -- Healthy bodies were hard to come by for Memphis on Wednesday night.
When it mattered most, so was the solid defense the Grizzlies have become known for.
DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points, Terrence Ross had 14 of his 16 in the fourth quarter and the Toronto Raptors beat the undermanned Grizzlies 96-92.
Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee and forward Tony Allen were among five players ruled out because of a stomach virus. Memphis center Kosta Koufos, forward Jon Leuer and guard Beno Udrih were also unavailable, leaving the Grizzlies with just 10 active players... Kyle Lowry scored 18 points for Toronto and Lou Williams had 13 as the Eastern Conference leaders won for the seventh time in eight games.
Marc Gasol had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Randolph added 18 points and 18 rebounds for the Grizzlies (10-2), who came in with the NBA's best record but had their four-game winning streak stopped.
Conley scored 19 points and Tayshaun Prince added 15 for Memphis, which was outscored 27-17 in the fourth as the Raptors shot 10 for 20, their best in any quarter.
Kevin Martin's 37 lift Timberwolves over Knicks, 115-99
The AP reports: MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming off consecutive blowout losses to end a six-game road trip, were missing three starters and had two other key veterans getting IV fluids before the game just to suit up.
Then came the cure for what ails any reeling NBA franchise these days -- the New York Knicks.
Kevin Martin shook off an illness to score 37 points and the Timberwolves snapped a five-game losing skid with a 115-99 over the Knicks on Wednesday night... Martin tied a career high with seven 3-pointers and Shabazz Muhammad had 17 points and eight rebounds in his first career start for the Wolves.
Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and Amare Stoudemire added 19 for the Knicks. But New York's 23 turnovers led to 28 points by Minnesota, and the Knicks got swept in the Milwaukee-Minnesota back-to-back.
Wilson Chandler, Nuggets hold off Thunder for 107-100 win
The AP reports: DENVER -- Wilson Chandler stood out on the court for reasons way beyond his salmon-colored shoes with neon green soles.
Although, those sneakers -- from the Kevin Durant line, by the way -- were definitely hard to miss.
Chandler had 21 points, including a key 3-pointer late in the game, and Timofey Mozgov finished with a season-high 17 to lift the Denver Nuggets over the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-100 Wednesday night.
Ty Lawson added 15 points and 15 assists for the Nuggets, who returned home following a 2-1 trip that included a win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kobe Bryant leads Lakers past Rockets for second straight win
The AP reports: HOUSTON -- Kobe Bryant has been insisting the Los Angeles Lakers are a much better team than their terrible start indicated.
For the past two nights, the Lakers have shown he might be right.
Bryant had 29 points, Wesley Johnson made key free throws down the stretch and the Lakers took advantage of Dwight Howard's absence Wednesday in a 98-92 victory over the Houston Rockets... Los Angeles used a 7-1 run, highlighted by Bryant's three-point play and capped by four free throws from Johnson, to take a 94-92 lead with less than a minute left. Nick Young and Bryant added two free throws apiece to secure the victory... James Harden had 24 points for the Rockets, who dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Recaps of NBA games played Tuesday
Lakers claim second win as Kobe Bryant scores 28 at Atlanta
The AP reports: ATLANTA -- For Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, it was a rare chance to celebrate.
They didn't pass it up.
Bryant scored 28 points and the Lakers held on for just their second win, beating the Atlanta Hawks 114-109 on Tuesday night... Bryant's biggest shot came with 1:11 remaining, when he backed in against Thabo Sefolosha and made a fadeaway jumper despite being fouled. Bryant slapped hands with a fan on the front row and completed the three-point play, giving the Lakers a 108-102 lead... Paul Millsap led Atlanta with 29 points.
Carlos Boozer added 20 points for the Lakers. Nick Young, coming back from a thumb injury, had 17 in his first game of the season.
Jeff Teague scored 23 for the Hawks, who lost for the first time at home.
Bucks hold off Knicks 117-113 to climb above .500
The AP reports: MILWAUKEE -- In a hallway at the Bradley Center after another win for the Milwaukee Bucks, smiling team owner Marc Lasry gave coach Jason Kidd a hug.
The new era for the rebuilding franchise is off to a pretty good start.
Ersan Ilyasova had 20 points, and Milwaukee climbed above .500 for the first time in more than a year by fending off the New York Knicks for a 117-113 victory Tuesday night.
Zaza Pachulia added season highs of 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bucks, who improved to 6-5 on the season after nearly blowing a 26-point lead. It was the first time the team had a winning record since March 20, 2013, when it was 34-33... "As long as we're consistent, it doesn't matter how we start, but it's more how we finish," rookie forward Jabari Parker said. "That's what we need to keep trying to do."
Parker, who finished with 12 points, is one of the 19-year-old cornerstones of the future, along with 6-foot-11 forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. He had 13 points, and the balanced Bucks had seven players score in double figures.
Alec Burks leads Jazz past Thunder 98-81
The AP reports: SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Jazz seemed to be sleepwalking against the undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder. It took an outburst from their rookie coach to wake them up.
After seeing his team trail by as many as 17 points in the first half, Quin Snyder stormed past half-court and yelled at the officials, getting a technical foul.
He then turned to his own team and shouted, "Wake up!"
Alec Burks marshaled the response with 20 points and a career-high 14 rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a 98-81 win over the reeling Thunder on Tuesday night... Enes Kanter added 16 points and a season-high 15 boards for the Jazz, who enjoyed a 55-44 edge on the glass.
Jeremy Lamb scored 19 for the Thunder, who led by as many as 17 in the first half but has now lost three straight and seven of nine.
Anthony Davis powers Pelicans past Kings 106-100
The AP reports: SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Playing in Sacramento is always special for Ryan Anderson.
It took him a half to warm up Tuesday night, but he didn't disappoint when he did.
Anderson scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, and Anthony Davis had 28 points and nine rebounds to help the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings 106-100.
"I had some jitters coming back here," said Anderson, who made 9 of 17 shots and had four rebounds in a reserve role... DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points and 17 rebounds and Rudy Gay scored 15 for Sacramento, which dropped to 3-2 at home. Jason Thompson had 15 points and nine rebounds, Omri Casspi had 13 and Darren Collison had 13 points and 11 assists.
Ex-King Tyreke Evans had all 18 of his points in the second half. Eric Gordon added 17 points for the Pelicans, who squandered a 15-point fourth quarter lead in losing at Portland on Monday.
Recaps of NBA games played Monday
Mavericks cruise past Hornets 107-80
The AP reports: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Dirk Nowitzki takes a lot of pride in his most recent milestone. The Dallas Mavericks 7-foot [forward] became the fourth player in NBA history to eclipse 27,000 career points with the same franchise, joining a prestigious group that includes current Hornets owner Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant. Monta Ellis scored 18 points, Chandler Parsons added 17 and Nowitzki had 13 as the Mavericks made light work of the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night for their fourth straight win 107-80... Tyson Chandler was 7 of 7 from the field for 14 points, and Jameer Nelson had 11 points and eight assists for Dallas (8-3). Gerald Henderson had a season-high 18 points for Charlotte (4-7). Al Jefferson was limited to six points on 3 of 12 shooting, snapping a string of 35 straight games of scoring in double digits.
Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo lead way as Nuggets halt Cavs' win streak
The AP reports: CLEVELAND -- LeBron James began the day by missing the morning shootaround because of a cold. A loss to the struggling Denver Nuggets didn't make him feel any better.
Ty Lawson scored 24 points, Arron Afflalo added 23 and the Nuggets ended Cleveland's four-game winning streak with a 106-97 victory Monday night.
James led the Cavaliers with 22 points, but Denver took the lead for good early in the third quarter and was up by as many as 14 midway through the fourth... James told reporters an hour before the opening tip that "I've been better," but "I'm walking." He said the cold has been bothering him for a couple of days. He was 8-for-18 from the field with nine rebounds and five assists.
Timofey Mozgov had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Denver. Darrell Arthur scored 14, and Wilson Chandler added 12.
Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters each scored 20 points for the Cavs.
Markieff Morris, Suns pull out 118-114 win over Celtics
The AP reports: BOSTON -- The Phoenix Suns rely on their fast-break offense. It was Eric Bledsoe's defense that keyed their latest win.
Markieff Morris scored a career-high 30 points and Bledsoe had a key steal and breakaway dunk in the closing minute to lift the Suns to a 118-114 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night.
With the score tied at 114, Bledsoe stole Avery Bradley's crosscourt pass and went in alone for a dunk, pushing the Suns ahead with 29.5 seconds to play... Goran Dragic had 22 points, Alex Len scored 19 with seven rebounds and Bledsoe finished with 15 points and seven assists for the Suns, who lost their previous two games... Jeff Green led Boston with 28 points, and Jared Sullinger had 18 points with eight rebounds. Rajon Rondo fell one assist shy of a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Tyler Zeller added 19 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who lost their third straight despite rallying from a double-digit deficit.
Chalmers helps Heat top Nets, end 3-game skid
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- Surrounded by All-Star talent for so long, Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers teamed with whatever healthy bodies the Miami Heat could find Monday night.
That made this victory even more rewarding.
Chalmers scored 22 points, Bosh ended his shooting slump and added 15 points and nine rebounds, and the Heat snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Brooklyn Nets 95-83... With Dwyane Wade out for a third straight game due to a strained left hamstring, Chalmers remained in the starting lineup for the second consecutive night and keyed the finishing spurt for the Heat. He converted a three-point play, added another free throw and then set up Bosh for a 3-pointer that turned a four-point lead into a 91-80 advantage with 1:23 left... Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points for the Nets, who came home from an 0-3 road trip and were held to their lowest point total of the season.
Vucevic, Harris lead Magic over Pistons 107-93
The AP reports: AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Stan Van Gundy got to watch his kind of basketball Monday night.
Unfortunately for him it was his old team playing that style not his new one.
Nikola Vucevic had 25 points and 14 rebounds and the Orlando Magic hit 13 3-pointers in a 107-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons Monday night... The Pistons, playing their fifth game in seven nights, were Caron Butler, who had 20 points and Brandon Jennings added 18. But their frontcourt trio of Josh Smith, Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe combined for only 25 points on 10-of-28 shooting.
Top teams' showdown fizzles as Memphis blows out Houston
The AP reports: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- For a night, the Houston Rockets' new defensive mindset was blown up completely, leading to a blowout by the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies dominated a showdown between the teams with the NBA's best records, running away from the Rockets in a 119-93 victory on Monday night.
"They just beat the hell out of us," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.
While the Rockets struggled, Memphis put together its best all-around performance of the season.
"This team could easily come in and beat us by 30, and we came in and stayed focused," said point guard Mike Conley, who led the Grizzlies with 19 points and six assists... Seven players finished in double figures for Memphis, which won its fourth straight overall. Courtney Lee finished with 15 points, while Zach Randolph added 14. Quincy Pondexter, Beno Udrih and Jon Leuer had 13 points each.
Trevor Ariza led the Rockets with 16 points, while Dwight Howard had 15 points and nine rebounds. Patrick Beverly managed 10 points. James Harden had six points, going 1 of 8 from the field.
Matt Bonner scores 18, Spurs beat 76ers 100-75
The AP reports: SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio forward Matt Bonner may be playing limited minutes this season but he still consistently gets a game's worth of aggravation from Gregg Popovich.
The not-so-silent pleas from the Spurs coach to have Bonner stop passing up open shots paid off Monday night, allowing San Antonio's Big Three to get some needed rest against the hapless Philadelphia 76ers.
Bonner had 18 points and San Antonio never trailed, handing Philadelphia a 100-75 loss -- their 10 straight loss to open the season.
Duncan had 16 points and nine rebounds and Kawhi Leonard had five points and 11 rebounds in limited action. Cory Joseph added 14 points for San Antonio (6-4), which never trailed... Duncan played 16 minutes and Tony Parker 18, as both sat out the entire fourth quarter after playing just five minutes in the third.
Trail Blazers rally for 102-93 win over Pelicans
The AP reports: PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers have proven their mettle with a couple of big comebacks this season.
Last week they rallied from 23 points down to defeat Charlotte, and then Monday night they erased a 16-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 102-93... Damian Lillard scored 24 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:14 left, to help Portland win its fifth straight game -- the longest current streak in the NBA... Anthony Davis had 31 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans.
Wesley Matthews hit a 3 to tie it at 91, and Robin Lopez's layup gave Portland its first lead of the second half with 2:23 left. Lillard's 3-pointer put the Blazers in front 96-93, and they made free throws the rest of the way.
Bulls stay undefeated on road with win over Clippers
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Taj Gibson stole the ball from Jamal Crawford and passed to Jimmy Butler, who sank a 17-footer, got fouled and made the free throw with two-tenths of a second left in the first half.
Just like that, the Bulls had erased all but two of a 14-point deficit, and they sent the Clippers into a tailspin they never recovered from.
Butler led six players in double figures with 22 points in a 105-89 win Monday night, helping Chicago improve to 6-0 on the road for the first time since 1996-97. And the Bulls did it without Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol... Gibson had 20 points starting in place of Gasol, Mike Dunleavy Jr. added 19 points, and Joakim Noah had 11 points and 16 rebounds... Crawford led the Clippers with 24 points off the bench, and Blake Griffin added 19 points and 10 rebounds. DeAndre Jordan had 10 points and 17 rebounds. Griffin was just 5-of-10 from the free throw line, where the Clippers were 10-of-22.
Recaps of NBA games played Sunday
Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith each score 28 to lead Knicks past Nuggets
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- One strong defensive quarter helped the New York Knicks end a seven-game skid.
New York held Denver to just one basket in the second quarter en route to a 109-93 victory over the Nuggets on Sunday.
The Nuggets missed their first 15 shots of the period before Ty Lawson's layup at the buzzer ended the nearly 13-minute drought. New York outscored Denver 31-8 in the quarter to blow it open... Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, who've had their shares of moments grasping the concepts of a new offensive system, each scored 28 points to lead New York. But the Knicks' first win since Nov. 2 against Charlotte boiled down to their defensive effort in the second quarter, which gave them a 62-39 lead heading into the second half... Arron Afflalo had 18 points and Ty Lawson added 17 points and nine assists for the Nuggets, who've lost seven of their last eight games. Kenneth Faried chipped in 16 points.
Bucks hold off struggling Heat, 91-84
The AP reports: MIAMI -- Brandon Knight looked right at home.
Makes sense, considering he was born in Miami.
Knight made three 3-pointers in the final 3 minutes to cap his 20-point effort, and the Milwaukee Bucks downed the slumping Heat 91-84 on Sunday night... Jabari Parker added 13 points for the Bucks (5-5), who started 5-21 last season. Larry Sanders, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Zaza Pachulia each scored 11... Mario Chalmers scored 18 for Miami (5-5), which was again without Dwyane Wade and lost its third straight. Shawne Williams had 13 points for the Heat, who got 11 from Norris Cole and 10 apiece from Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Shabazz Napier... Bosh shot 2 for 17 from the field, dropping him to 12 for 49 in his last three games.
James Harden's 19 lead Houston past OKC with both cold from field
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Houston Rockets prepared for Monday night's showdown with the gritty Memphis Grizzlies with one of the NBA's ugliest games in years.
James Harden scored 19 points, and the Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 69-65 on Sunday night.
The last time a team won with 69 or fewer points was Detroit's 64-62 victory over Utah on March 13, 2005, according to STATS. Both teams shot below 30 percent from the field -- the last time that happened was Oct. 29, 2003, when Denver beat San Antonio 80-72. Houston shot just 28.8 percent. The last time an NBA team won with a lower percentage was on Feb. 19, 2000, when Chicago shot 28.6 percent and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 74-72... Dwight Howard had 12 points and nine rebounds for Houston, and Patrick Beverley added 12 points and eight boards.
Stephen Curry nets 30 points and 15 assists in Warriors' rout of Lakers
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Stephen Curry had 30 points and 15 assists, Marreese Speights added 24 points, and the Golden State Warriors cruised past the Los Angeles Lakers 136-115 Sunday night despite 44 points by Kobe Bryant. Andrew Bogut had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacific Division-leading Warriors, who are off to an 8-2 start under new coach Steve Kerr. Klay Thompson, who had 41 points in a win against the Lakers on Nov. 1, finished with 18 in the rematch. All of Golden State's starters scored in double figures for the second straight game.
Bryant, who sat out the fourth quarter with Los Angeles down by 36 points, was 15 for 34 from the field in 31 minutes -- two nights after he played sick against the Phoenix Suns and missed his first 10 shots before finishing 1-for-14 with nine points.
Jordan Hill had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, off to a franchise-worst 1-9 start.
Recaps of NBA games played Saturday
Bench key as Wizards defeat Magic 98-93
The AP reports: WASHINGTON -- Washington Wizards reserve forward Kris Humphries said the team's bench players have been beating up on the starters lately in practice.
On Saturday, they helped beat another team.
Humphries scored 16 of the second unit's 48 points, John Wall had 15 points and 10 assists, and the Wizards improved their impressive start with a 98-93 victory over the Orlando Magic... Nene scored 16 points and reserve Otto Porter added 13 as the Wizards won their third straight and moved to 7-2, their best start since opening 7-1 during the 1974-75 season... All five Orlando starters scored in double figures, led by Tobias Harris with 19 points and Victor Oladipo with 18.
Cavs go 9-for-9 from 3-point range in 1st quarter, rough up Hawks
The AP reports: CLEVELAND -- A night after Cleveland needed a big comeback, LeBron James wanted a fast start.
It ended up being a record-setting one. James scored 32 points and the Cavaliers made their first 11 3-point attempts, including nine in the first quarter, to rout the Atlanta Hawks 127-94 on Saturday.
The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to go 9 for 9 or better from behind the arc in a quarter, according to information provided to the team by the Elias Sports Bureau.
James, who scored a season-high 41 points Friday in Boston, hit three 3-pointers in the period and scored 11 points in the opening 3:34.
DeRozan has 27 as Raptors beat Jazz 111-93
The AP reports: TORONTO -- DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points, Jonas Valanciunas set season highs with 17 points and 14 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Utah Jazz 111-93 on Saturday night for their sixth win in seven games.
Kyle Lowry had 19 points, Patrick Patterson added 16 and Lou Williams scored 10 of his 13 in the fourth quarter as the Raptors won their third straight over the Jazz and scored 100 or more for the ninth time in 10 games this season.
Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors each had 18 points, and Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke both scored 12 for the Jazz, who dropped to 0-3 on the second night of back-to-backs as they wrapped up a five-game Eastern Conference road trip.
Alec Burks had 10 points and 10 assists for Utah.
Pacers shake off injuries, beat Bulls 99-90
The AP reports: CHICAGO -- The Indiana Pacers were without six players and coming off a 21-point loss.
Coach Frank Vogel felt he still had enough to win, and that's what the Pacers did.
A.J. Price, Luis Scola and Solomon Hill all scored 21 points, and the injury-plagued Pacers beat the Chicago Bulls 99-90 on Saturday night.
Chris Copeland added 13 points for the Pacers, who had lost seven of nine and fell 108-87 to the Nuggets on Friday after trailing by as much as 33... Jimmy Butler had a career-high 32 points for the Bulls, who played without the injured Derrick Rose and had won six of seven.
Gasol, Randolph lead Grizzlies past Pistons, 95-88
The AP reports: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies may not dominate games, though they still are playing well enough to hold the NBA's best record.
The latest example came Saturday night, as Memphis maintained just enough of a buffer down the stretch to beat the Detroit Pistons 95-88 and improve to 9-1.
Only two of Memphis' wins have been by double digits, and six games were decided by five points or less. That includes a 93-92 loss in Milwaukee, its only one of the season... Gasol scored 23 points and Zach Randolph added 17 points and 22 rebounds, including a career-high 13 on the offensive glass. Mike Conley scored 18 points and Lee had 12 for the Grizzlies... Kyle Singler scored 21 points, going 5 of 7 from 3-point range to keep the Pistons close. Greg Monroe had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, while Brandon Jennings scored 14 points and Josh Smith finished with 11.
Ellis, Mavs ease past road-weary Wolves, 131-117
The AP reports: DALLAS -- Monta Ellis and the Dallas Mavericks ran a bunch of different scoring options at road-weary Minnesota.
The Timberwolves did their best to keep up, but ultimately went on to a fifth straight loss in the finale of a six-game trek that included a stop in Mexico City.
Ellis scored a season-high 30 and the Mavericks beat the Timberwolves 131-117 Saturday night, getting a season high in points two days after setting a club record with a 53-point win over Philadelphia.
Dallas had eight players score in double figures. Four players had at least five assists... Kevin Martin scored a season-high 34 points for Minnesota, which shot 50 percent for the first time this season and now gets three days off before starting a four-game homestand.
The Timberwolves were playing a second straight game without starters Ricky Rubio and Thaddeus Young. Rubio is out indefinitely with a sprained left ankle, and Young is away from the team after his mother died.
Blazers beat Nets 97-87 without Aldridge, Batum
The AP reports: PORTLAND, Ore. -- Missing their two starting forwards could have been a problem for the Portland Trail Blazers. Instead, it was an opportunity.
Damian Lillard had 28 points and 10 assists to lead the Blazers to a 97-87 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, despite the absences of LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum.
Three-time All-Star Aldridge was out with an upper respiratory illness. Batum missed his third game with a bruised knee. Coach Terry Stotts inserted little-used Allen Crabbe and Meyers Leonard into their places in the lineup... Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 21 points, matching up against twin brother Robin for the first time in two years. Joe Johnson added 20 points and Deron Williams had 19 for the Nets, who were coming off losses to Phoenix and Golden State.
Reserve center Chris Kaman scored 12 for Portland and Leonard had a career-high 12 rebounds.
DeMarcus Cousins leads Kings to rare victory over Spurs
The AP reports: SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- After squandering huge leads in back-to-back road losses earlier this week, the Sacramento Kings were quite pleased to hold on for a victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.
DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points and 10 rebounds despite playing limited minutes, helping the Kings beat the Spurs 94-91 on Saturday night.
The Kings, who blew leads of 24 and 26 points in losing their previous two games, snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Spurs, who had won 21 of the past 22 meetings.
"To be honest, we were a little down about the last game (a 111-110 loss to Memphis). This was a huge win," said Kings point guard Darren Collison, who had 19 points. "We're maturing as a team and not worrying about the past and thinking about the present."
Rudy Gay scored 18 for the Kings, who committed only nine turnovers against 19 assists. Omri Casspi provided a spark off the bench with nine points for the Kings, who opened the season with a 5-1 record.
Thompson, Curry lead Warriors past Hornets, 112-87
The AP reports: OAKLAND, Calif. -- Steve Kerr didn't have to do much talking over the final six minutes of the second quarter.
The way his Golden State Warriors were shooting, the normally demonstrative and outspoken first-year coach was able to sit back and relax.
Klay Thompson scored 21 points, Stephen Curry added 19 points and nine assists, and Golden State beat the Charlotte Hornets 112-87 on Saturday night to extend its best start in 20 years... Andrew Bogut had 13 points and nine rebounds, Harrison Barnes scored 17 points and Marreese Speights had 13 off the bench to help Golden State to its second straight win following consecutive losses... Al Jefferson had 19 points and six rebounds for Charlotte. Lance Stephenson added 16 points.
Clippers coast to 120-107 win over Suns
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Chris Paul dominated in the second half and DeAndre Jordan did likewise throughout the game at the defensive end.
Paul had 32 points and nine assists, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 120-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.
Jordan finished with 18 rebounds and 12 points and blocked seven shots... Blake Griffin scored 19 points and Spencer Hawes had 14 points and eight boards off the bench for the two-time defending Pacific Division champions, who were coming off an 89-85 loss to the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.
Gerald Green scored 26 points for Phoenix and was ejected with 1:57 remaining after picking up his second technical foul. Goran Dragic added 19 for the Suns, who shot 38 percent from the field in the opener of a six-game road trip.
Marcus Morris missed nine of 10 shots and finished with three points in 18 minutes. Former Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe missed all six shots and ended up with one point and 10 assists in 34 minutes.
Recaps of NBA games played Friday
Balanced Nuggets rout Pacers 108-87
The AP reports: INDIANAPOLIS -- Ty Lawson thinks the Denver Nuggets got back on track on Friday night at Indiana.
Lawson had 11 points and 10 assists, and the Nuggets snapped a six-game losing streak with a 108-87 victory over the Pacers for their first road win of the season.
"It's huge. We went on this losing streak and everybody's in here losing their minds," Lawson said. "But it's early in the season and we have a chance to turn it around. I think this is the right step in doing that. We finally got everything clicking on all cylinders."
Denver had seven players score in double figures in just its second victory of the season. Arron Afflalo scored 10 of his 17 points in the first half, and Wilson Chandler finished with 13 points.
Harris leads Magic past Bucks 101-85
The AP reports: ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tobias Harris sensed Orlando was coming together on its recent road trip. Victor Oladipo's return added to the positive momentum for the Magic.
Harris had 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead Orlando to a 101-85 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
The Magic earned their 17th consecutive home win against the Bucks. Oladipo, who suffered a facial fracture right before the season started, scored 13 points in 25 minutes in his first game of the season.
Orlando was coming off a 97-95 victory at the New York Knicks on Wednesday. It has won four of six after beginning the season with four consecutive losses.
Millsap, Horford push Hawks past Heat, 114-103
The AP reports: ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks are doing what coach Mike Budenholzer expects of them defensively, and the effort is paying off.
That much was evident all night as the Hawks never trailed.
"We were getting stops, we were getting out and were able to run," Budenholzer said. "We got some easy baskets and some good looks. It started with our defense in the first quarter."
Paul Millsap and Al Horford each scored 19 points to help the Atlanta Hawks get their fourth straight win, beating the Miami Heat 114-103 Friday night.
With star guard Dwyane Wade hobbled by a strained left hamstring and unable to play, the Heat were down by 19 late in the fourth quarter.
LeBron James, Cavaliers overcome 19-point deficit in 4th to beat Celtics
The AP reports: BOSTON -- Cleveland's third quarter was unacceptable to LeBron James. The fourth period was much better.
James and Kyrie Irving helped the Cavaliers rally for a 122-121 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night. James had 10 of his season-high 41 points in the fourth, and Irving scored 15 of his 27 in the final quarter of Cleveland's third straight win.
Perhaps most importantly for the Cavs, they held Boston to 20 points in the final 12 minutes after allowing 42 in the third... Rajon Rondo, who finished with 16 assists, then lost control of his dribble near the top of the key. He shot and missed just after the final buzzer.
Trey Burke's buzzer-beater helps Jazz weather Carmelo Anthony, Knicks
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- Trey Burke was so deep in the corner, so well defended, that Carmelo Anthony was sure the game would continue.
"There's no way that's going in," he thought. "Let's just get the rebound and go to overtime."
But Burke has done this before, and he knew better... Burke made a jumper from the corner as time expired, giving the Utah Jazz a 102-100 victory Friday night over the New York Knicks, who got an NBA season-high 46 points from Anthony.
Anthony's 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left tied it at 100 and put the Knicks in triple digits for the first time this season. But Burke caught the ball near the Jazz bench, faded back to get his shot over the hand of J.R. Smith, and nailed the jumper before stepping back over the sideline into hugs from his teammates.
The Knicks lost their seventh straight game.
Gordon Hayward scored a season-high 33 points for the Jazz, and Derrick Favors added 21 points and 12 rebounds.
James Harden's late shot lifts Rockets past winless 76ers
The AP reports: HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets were still feeling the effects of their Wednesday game in Mexico City on Friday night.
And it showed.
But they did just enough to pull out an 88-87 victory over the winless Philadelphia 76ers.
"We had to grind this one out," Dwight Howard said. "Coming back from Mexico City with the altitude and all that stuff I think we had a little hangover. But we're not going to make any excuses."
James Harden scored 35 points, including an off-balance layup with 9 seconds left, to lead Houston to the win. He made 14 of 16 free throws.
Pelicans set franchise records in 139-91 rout of Wolves
The AP reports: NEW ORLEANS -- Jrue Holiday met virtually no resistance as he drove for what looked like an easy layup, but he chose instead to hurl the ball out to the perimeter, where Tyreke Evans drilled a 3-pointer.
On New Orleans' next possession, Holiday attempted a far more contested shot in the paint, rolling it in as he drew the foul.
That's what kind of night it was for the Pelicans, who seemingly could do no wrong and broke a slew of franchise records in a 139-91 victory over the reeling Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night... New Orleans' point total, 56 made field goals, 66.7 percent shooting and 48-point margin of victory all set new franchise records for a game. The Pelicans' 15 made 3-pointers tied a franchise high. New Orleans led by 53 points in the fourth quarter.
Jennings leads Pistons to OT win at Thunder
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Brandon Jennings' big second half against Oklahoma City was just a bonus for Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy. The real key to the Pistons' latest win was its defensive effort.
Jennings scored 25 of his 29 points in the second half and overtime to lead the Pistons to a 96-89 victory over the Thunder on Friday night, giving Detroit its first-ever win at Oklahoma City.
Trailing 30-21 after the first period, the Pistons held the Thunder to just 34 percent shooting and 59 points the rest of the way... [Reggie] Jackson finished with 20 points and 12 assists for the Thunder, while Jeremy Lamb had career highs of 24 points and 10 rebounds for his first-ever double-double.
Walker, Hornets beat Suns 103-95
The AP reports: PHOENIX -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornets finally finished the job on the road.
Walker scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half, and Charlotte rallied to beat the Phoenix Suns 103-95 on Friday night.
Al Jefferson and Gary Neal each had 14 points for the Hornets, who won for the first time in five road games. Lance Stephenson scored 13, and Bismack Biyombo finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds... Eric Bledsoe had 22 points and matched a career high with 11 rebounds for the Suns, who had won two in a row. Marcus Morris scored 17 points, and Markieff Morris, Miles Plumlee and Goran Dragic each had 12.
Spurs rout Lakers for 3rd straight win as Kobe goes 1-for-14
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant chatted during a few breaks in play, taking a moment to savor one of their decreasing chances to run the same court.
While Duncan hit a milestone during yet another solid game, an ailing Bryant was reminded of his basketball mortality.
Duncan had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Cory Joseph scored eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers 93-80 Friday night for their third straight victory in California. Duncan scored his 25,000th point in the first half, becoming the 19th player to reach the milestone. With balanced offense and solid defense on Bryant, San Antonio pulled away in the fourth quarter for its eighth win in 11 meetings with the foundering Lakers... Bryant scored nine points for the Lakers, going 1-for-14 in one of the worst shooting games of his 19-year NBA career. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Bryant has attempted at least 10 shots in a game 1,154 times in his career, including Friday. Friday was his worst field goal percentage in any of them (7.1 percent).
Recaps of NBA games played Thursday
Courtney Lee's buzzer-beater caps Grizzlies' rally over Kings
The AP reports: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Marc Gasol couldn't believe both defenders stayed with him when he set a pick at the foul line on the final play.
Courtney Lee couldn't believe he was wide open under the basket for a reverse layup as the horn sounded.
And the Sacramento Kings were in disbelief that they squandered a 26-point lead and allowed the Grizzlies to convert Lee's last-second shot into a 111-110 victory Thursday night.
"There's not a lot words. That's a fantastic effort to get back in that game to be down like we were," said Memphis guard Mike Conley, who led the Grizzlies with 22 points and 11 assists. "It looked grim to be honest." ... Gasol had 20 points and Zach Randolph finished with 17. Lee scored 16 points and Carter had 11, including a trio of 3-pointers in a furious fourth frame when Memphis outscored the Kings 35-19, connecting on 63 percent of its shots.
Gay led the Kings with 25 points, while Cousins added 22 points and 12 rebounds. Darren Collison had 20 points, while Ben McLemore scored 17, but missed a pair of free throws with less than a second left to set the stage for the final sequence.
D-Rose hurts hamstring, Bulls beat Raptors 100-93
The AP reports: TORONTO -- Derrick Rose was in Chicago's starting lineup for the second straight game. He finished it on the bench, nursing another leg injury.
Pau Gasol had a season-high 27 points and 11 rebounds, Rose scored 20 points before leaving with a sore left hamstring, and the Bulls beat the Toronto Raptors 100-93 on Thursday night.
"I think it's minor," said Rose, who was injured when he slipped and fell on a drive late in the fourth quarter.
"I just overstepped. I probably stretched out a little bit more with my left leg and I probably got a cramp in it." ... Jimmy Butler scored 21 and Mike Dunleavy had 14 as the Bulls won for the sixth time in seven games, and snapped Toronto's five-game winning streak in the matchup of teams with the best records in the Eastern Conference. Both teams are 7-2... Kyle Lowry scored 20 and James Johnson had 16 against his former team, but the Raptors lost for the first time in six home games this season.
Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan struggled with his shooting for the second straight game. DeRozan, who shot 4 for 15 in Tuesday's win over Orlando, went 3 for 17 against Chicago.
Mavs notch biggest win ever with 53-point victory over winless 76ers
The AP reports: DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks had no need for another big comeback when playing the NBA's only winless team.
This time, the Mavs built a big early lead that kept growing until they had their largest victory ever, 123-70 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night... The 53-point margin for Dallas surpassed its 50-point win over the New York Knicks in January 2010... Two nights after coming from 24 down to beat Sacramento, all 13 Dallas players scored and all but one had a rebound. Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points in only 20 minutes to lead five players scoring in double figures.
Warriors snap 2-game skid, beat Nets 107-99
The AP reports: OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr wants his team to play fast and play smart, and he feels like it's finally starting to strike the delicate balance of doing both in his new offense.
Klay Thompson scored 25 points, Draymond Green had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the Warriors snapped a two-game losing streak by beating the Brooklyn Nets 107-99 on Thursday night... Stephen Curry added 17 points and five assists as the hot-shooting, turnover-prone Warriors slowly began to cut down on blunders. They shot 45.6 percent from the floor and had just 11 turnovers... Jarrett Jack scored 23 points against his former team, and Brook Lopez and Deron Williams each had 18 points as Brooklyn lost for the second time in two nights. The Nets, who fell 112-104 at Phoenix on Wednesday to begin their three-game road trip, were outrebounded 45-41 -- allowing 14 offensive rebounds.
Recaps of NBA games played Wednesday
Wall's 26 points lead Wizards over Pistons 107-103
The AP reports: WASHINGTON -- After the first quarter Wednesday night, Detroit guard Brandon Jennings had 16 points and the Washington Wizards trailed by 10.
John Wall wasn't worried.
"Anybody can get hot at any time. You've just got to change up your defensive concepts and take the ball out of his hands," Wall said.
Even though Jennings finished with 32, the Wizards beat the Pistons 107-103 behind another big game from Wall.
Jennings had just two points in the fourth quarter... Wall had 27 points and 11 assists. He hit 13 of his 16 free throws.
Millsap, Teague help Hawks sink Jazz
The AP reports: ATLANTA -- Paul Millsap knew the Atlanta Hawks needed a lift with injuries that sidelined DeMarre Carroll and Mike Scott.
But his big offensive night didn't come easily.
"It was tough," he said. "I had some good looks. My teammates found me and led me to some shots tonight."
Millsap had 30 points and 17 rebounds and Jeff Teague added 17 points to help the Atlanta Hawks beat the Utah Jazz 100-97 on Wednesday night.
Kyle Korver's 3-pointer from the left wing with 58 seconds to play put the Hawks up 100-97 and marked the game's 18th lead change.
Alec Burks finished with 22 points and Derrick Favors scored 20 for the Jazz... Korver had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta (4-3). After his last 3 pointer, the only other points scored in the final minute were a pair of free throws from Teague with 5.7 seconds remaining.
Reggie Jackson carries Thunder past Celtics, 109-94
The AP reports: BOSTON -- Reggie Jackson stood at his locker, getting dressed in Oklahoma City Thunder colors with orange pants and a blue sweat shirt. His teammates were long gone.
The way the Thunder have been going so far this season, he's quickly grown from a role player into one who garners plenty of attention.
Jackson had 28 points and eight assists, and Anthony Morrow scored 28 to lift the injury-riddled Thunder to a 109-94 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night... Rajon Rondo just missed his second triple-double of the season with 20 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Avery Bradley added 17 points for Boston, which had won its last two.
The Celtics went 9 for 33 from beyond the 3-point line.
Pacers outwork Heat on boards, win 81-75
The AP reports: MIAMI -- For the last three seasons the Indiana Pacers figured their toughness, defense and rebounding would be enough to ultimately knock off the Miami Heat.
These are not those same Pacers.
The formula still worked wonders.
Chris Copeland scored 17 points and put Indiana ahead to stay on a layup with 43 seconds left, Roy Hibbert added 16 points and 15 rebounds and the undermanned Pacers beat the Heat 81-75 on Wednesday night... Donald Sloan added 15 points for Indiana, which has won two straight after a 1-6 start... Shawne Williams scored 15 for Miami. Chris Bosh was held to a season-low nine, on 3 for 13 shooting.
Evan Fournier's career-high 28 lead Magic over Knicks
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- This was the fourth quarter the Orlando Magic needed a night earlier, and it sure helped that Carmelo Anthony had to watch a key part of it.
Evan Fournier scored a career-high 28 points, and the Magic bounced back from a poor finish with a good one, handing the New York Knicks a sixth straight loss with a 97-95 victory Wednesday night.
Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Magic, who led by 11 points after three quarters in Toronto on Tuesday, only to lose 104-100. This time, they trailed 85-84 midway through the final period before taking control... Anthony scored 27 points for the Knicks, who were held to 19 in the fourth quarter and still haven't reached 100 this season. But he picked up a fifth foul and went to the bench with 5:41 to play, and the Knicks were shut out during the 2 minutes he sat as the Magic extended their lead... A number of Magic players have ties to the New York area, including Tobias Harris (Dix Hills, New York), Ben Gordon (Mount Vernon) and Maurice Harkless (St. John's University).
Anthony Davis powers Pelicans past Lakers, 109-102
The AP reports: NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans were off and running the moment Kobe Bryant's 20-foot jumper bounced off the rim and into the hands of 7-foot Pelicans center Omer Asik.
Evans took the outlet pass, drove forcefully toward the left side of the lane and then flicked aloft an underhanded lob that Davis threw down for a crowd-pleasing, alley-oop dunk.
Solid defense against the only significant scoring threat the reeling Los Angeles Lakers possess right now created opportunities for New Orleans to run. Davis had 25 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots, and the Pelicans opened a 23-point lead on their way to a 109-102 victory Wednesday night... Evans had 19 points and 11 assists for New Orleans one game after going 2-for-14 in a loss at Cleveland on Monday night... Bryant finished with 33, the most a player has scored against New Orleans this season, but had to take 28 shots to do it. He missed 18, one night after setting the NBA record for most missed field goals in a career.
Damian Lillard leads Blazers to 130-113 rout of Nuggets
The AP reports: DENVER -- A little bit tired and drained entering the second night of back-to-back games, the Portland Trail Blazers nevertheless put together a startling offensive flurry.
So startling that Damian Lillard had to take a moment to fully comprehend what his team accomplished -- 84 points in the first half.
"That's the points you score in a full game," Lillard said.
It certainly made for an easy rest of the way.
Lillard had 27 points and a season-high nine assists as the Blazers used a big first half to rout the Denver Nuggets 130-113 on Wednesday night... "I don't want to put a ceiling on that," said Robin Lopez, who scored 15 of his 19 points in the first half... LaMarcus Aldridge usually gives the Nuggets nightmares, but he was kept in check, finishing with 12 points.
Gerald Green leads Suns over Nets 112-104
The AP reports: PHOENIX -- Gerald Green, the Phoenix Suns' free-spirited guard and designated gunner, came off the bench on Wednesday night and scored a season-high 28 points as the Suns erased a 19-point deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets 112-104.
As is often the case with Green, he didn't have the greatest shot selection. He went 7 of 15, including just 3 of 9 from 3-point range. But he hit 11-of-12 free throw attempts.
Isaiah Thomas added 17 points off the bench for the Suns. Thomas and Green picked up the slack for starting point-guard duo of Eric Bledsoe (11 points, seven turnovers) and Goran Dragic (18 points, six assists), who weren't clicking.
Joe Johnson led the Nets with 21 points, Mirza Teletovic scored 16 and had seven rebounds, and Brook Lopez had 16 points but only three rebounds. Kevin Garnett added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Dwight Howard scores 22, grabs 10 boards in Rockets win
The AP reports: MEXICO CITY -- Feeling better after missing his first game of the season because of a flu-like virus, Dwight Howard promised to put on a show for his Mexican fans. And he delivered.
Howard, who missed Saturday's game against the Golden State Warriors, had 22 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday as the Houston Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-101 at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in the first regular-season game played south of the border since 1997.
"It's a big honor to play in Mexico. We had an amazing time even though it was a super short trip. The last time we lost so I wanted to come back with a better effort," said Howard, who fed off the 18,996 fans... James Harden led the Rockets with 23 points and a team-high 10 assists, but was only 8 of 23 from the field.
Trevor Ariza added 19 points and Kostas Papanikolau scored a career-high 14 for the Rockets (7-1), who tied Memphis for the best record in the Western Conference.
Recaps of NBA games played Tuesday
Lowry scores 19, Raptors rally past Magic 104-100
The AP reports: TORONTO -- Three bad quarters and one good one was just good enough for the Toronto Raptors.
Kyle Lowry scored 19 points, Terrence Ross had 17 and the Raptors erased an 11-point deficit in the fourth period to beat Orlando 104-100 on Tuesday night, their ninth consecutive victory over the Magic...
DeMar DeRozan had 16 points and Lou Williams scored eight of his 14 in the fourth as the Eastern Conference leaders won their fifth straight game overall and improved to 7-1... Evan Fournier scored 24 and Harris had 23 points and 13 rebounds for Orlando, which lost its second straight. The Magic haven't beaten Toronto since March 26, 2012, and have lost 10 of the past 14 meetings... Channing Frye scored 19 points and Nikola Vucevic had 18 for the Magic.
Conley leads Grizzlies past Lakers, 107-102
The AP reports: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- On a night when Kobe Bryant set the record for most missed field goals in an NBA career, the Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak at home.
Mike Conley scored 23 points and the Grizzlies finally got a strong effort from their struggling bench to turn away the Los Angeles Lakers 107-102 on Tuesday night.
It was the 17th straight regular-season home victory for Memphis, dating to last season... Bryant led the Lakers (1-6) with 28 points, but shot 10 of 26 from the field and surpassed Boston Celtics great John Havlicek for the most missed field goals in an NBA career... Backup guard Beno Udrih had 16 points for Memphis. Courtney Lee scored 15 as six Grizzlies finished in double figures, including Randolph with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Mayo, Knight help Bucks hold off Thunder, 85-78
The AP reports: MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks' deep and productive reserves led the team to another win.
After a slow start, Bucks coach Jason Kidd turned to his reserves. O.J. Mayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo provided some scoring and Zaza Pachulia played inspired basketball at both ends of the court to help Milwaukee reverse course.
Mayo finished with 19 points, Angetokounmpo had 14 and starter Brandon Knight scored 16 as the Bucks held off a late Oklahoma City rally to beat the Thunder 85-78 on Tuesday night... Reggie Jackson had a career high 29 points, nine above his season average, for Oklahoma City. Serge Ibaka added 14 as the Thunder fell to 0-5 on the road.
Nowitzki, Mavericks rally past Kings 106-98
The AP reports: DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki vividly remembers watching Hakeem Olajuwon from his home in Germany as a teenager in the 1990s.
That's one of the reasons his latest move up the NBA scoring list was special for the 7-foot Dallas star. Another would be the milestone coming at home when the Mavericks rallied from 24 points down to win.
Nowitzki had 23 points to surpass Olajuwon as the highest-scoring player born outside the U.S., and the Mavericks came from way behind on Tuesday night to beat Sacramento 106-98 for their 21st straight regular-season win at home against the Kings... Rudy Gay scored 26 and Ramon Sessions had 18 for the Kings, who were outscored 58-28 from the middle of the second quarter to the end of the third. Sacramento matched the franchise's largest blown lead since at least 2000-01, according to STATS.
Blazers rally to beat Hornets 102-100
The AP reports: PORTLAND, Ore. -- After the Trail Blazers clawed back from a 23-point deficit and withstood a video review of the final shot, guard Wesley Matthews enjoyed a laugh in the locker room.
"That's how we drew it up," he joked.
Portland edged the Charlotte Hornets 102-100 on Tuesday night, barely escaping after instant replay showed Gary Neal's potential game-tying layup didn't quite beat the buzzer.
Damian Lillard scored 29 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Blazers, who have won four of five and improved to 5-1 at home... Al Jefferson scored 22, and Lance Stephenson had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Hornets.
Spurs' vets prevail over Klay Thompson, Warriors to win back-to-back
The AP reports: OAKLAND, Calif. -- Steve Kerr approached Gregg Popovich on the court, smiled and shared a laugh with one of his mentors following his first home loss as coach of the Golden State Warriors.
"I just told him, 'Thanks a lot for picking tonight to play your best game of the year,'" said Kerr, who also was hoping Popovich would rest his regulars.
Instead, Popovich played his veterans on consecutive nights -- and they delivered. Tony Parker had 28 points and seven assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 19, and the restless San Antonio Spurs beat the Warriors 113-100 on Tuesday night... Klay Thompson scored 29 points after missing the previous game with a sprained right hand, and Harrison Barnes had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors, who have lost two straight after a 5-0 start under Kerr.
Recaps of NBA games played Monday
LeBron James has 32 points, 12 boards and 10 assists for Cavaliers
The AP reports: CLEVELAND -- LeBron James wanted so badly to give back to Cleveland fans after he played poorly in his emotion-laced home opener.
They deserved something.
On Monday night, he delivered a belated gift. James recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, Kyrie Irving scored 27 of his 32 in the second half and Cleveland's "Big 3" dominated in a 118-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.
Kevin Love made six 3-pointers and added 22 points for the Cavs, who were back at Quicken Loans Arena for the first time since Oct. 30, when Cleveland welcomed James home after four years in Miami. He failed to play up to the monumental event, going 5 of 15 and committing eight turnovers in a stunning loss to the New York Knicks... Anthony Davis scored 27 with 14 rebounds for the Pelicans, who beat defending NBA champion San Antonio on Saturday night and gave the Cavaliers all they could handle. Ryan Anderson added 32 points -- 23 in the first half for New Orleans.
ESPN.com reports: LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been 2 of the top 3 most efficient players in the NBA over the last 2 seasons. Note: Player Efficiency Rating (PER) measures per-minute productivity and takes into account FG, FT, 3-pt FG, Ast, Reb, Blk and Stl, and negative ones such as FGM, TO and fouls.
Roy Hibbert's season-high 29 points push Pacers past Jazz
The AP reports: INDIANAPOLIS -- With three starters out with injuries, Roy Hibbert knows the Indiana Pacers are relying on him each night. He also had some help Monday night.
Hibbert scored a season-high 29 points to help Indiana beat the Utah Jazz 97-86 Monday night, ending the Pacers' six-game losing streak.
A.J. Price had 22 points and Lavoy Allen added 12 -- also season highs for both players -- as the Pacers won for the first time since the season opener. Allen also had 15 rebounds and Hibbert grabbed five... Solomon Hill added 13 points for the Pacers, and his dunk on Indiana native and former Butler star Gordon Hayward in the third quarter may have been the turning point for Indiana... Hayward scored 30 points to lead Utah. Enes Kanter had 18 points and Derrick Favors added 13 points and eight rebounds.
Hawks win again, deal Knicks 5th straight loss
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- Two nights after the best game of his NBA career, Dennis Schroder had one that was even better.
While the second-year guard appears to be figuring things out, it's clear the New York Knicks can't yet say the same.
Paul Millsap scored 19 points, Schroder extended his best stretch in the NBA with two big baskets in the final 2 minutes, and the Atlanta Hawks sent the Knicks to their fifth straight loss with a 91-85 victory Monday night.
Kyle Korver added 17 points as Atlanta finished a home-and-home sweep, including a 103-96 win Saturday at home... Carmelo Anthony had 25 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Knicks, who came in averaging 92 points, tied for worst in the NBA, and barely surpassed their previous low of 80 in their season-opening loss to Chicago.
Rose returns, helps Bulls beat Pistons 102-91
The AP reports: CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose said everything he wanted to say about his health on the court.
Rose had 24 points and seven assists in his return to the lineup, and the balanced Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 102-91 on Monday night.
"In the first half, I thought he set the tone for us," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "And certainly the way he finished was great."
Rose was 9 for 20 from the field in a season-high 32 minutes after being sidelined by sprained ankles. The 2011 NBA MVP had missed four of the previous five games after he was injured in a 114-108 overtime loss to Cleveland on Oct. 31... Pau Gasol had 17 points and 15 rebounds for Chicago, and Joakim Noah finished with 13 points, 14 boards and six assists. The Bulls outrebounded the Pistons 49-46 after they had lost the battle on the glass in the previous six games, rankling the hard-nosed Thibodeau.
Josh Smith had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, which was coming off a 97-96 home loss to Utah on Sunday. Greg Monroe had 16 points and 10 boards, and reserve D.J. Augustin scored 16.
ESPN.com reports: Monday was Derrick Rose's best game of the season as he scored or assisted on 40 points. It's his most this season and more than in any of the 10 games he played in last season.
Kawhi Leonard, Spurs stun Clips with 14-3 closing run for milestone win
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Normally, the San Antonio Spurs like to move the ball around and get everyone touches. On this night, they needed a go-to scorer, so coach Gregg Popovich started calling plays for Kawhi Leonard.
Last season's NBA Finals MVP tied his career high with 26 points despite playing with only one good eye, and the Spurs closed with a rush to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 89-85 on Monday night.
Leonard had been away from his teammates for a three-week stretch because of conjunctivitis, a highly contagious infection that has affected his right eye. Still, he pulled down 10 rebounds and gave the defending champions their first lead with 1:44 left... Tim Duncan added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Tony Parker scored nine of his 13 in the fourth quarter for the Spurs, who snapped a two-game skid while earning their first road win... Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 23 points and 10 rebounds but committed two consecutive turnovers that led to the Spurs taking their first lead. J.J. Redick added 13 points, and Chris Paul had 12 points and 10 rebounds while just missing his second triple-double of the season with nine assists.
Recaps of NBA games played Sunday
Bogdanovic scores 22 to lead Nets over Magic
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- Bojan Bogdanovic led the way for the Brooklyn Nets with a season-high 22 points. Bogdanovic's three-point field goal with 5:41 remaining in the fourth quarter sparked a Nets' 15-7 run to seal a 104-96 victory against the Orlando Magic. "KG (Kevin Garnett) found me," Bogdanovic said. "He found me on like four or five layups. I got involved in the game after I scored the three-pointer and we turned in a great game with all the offense we played." ... Mason Plumlee added 12 points and 10 rebounds while Williams and Garnett each had seven assists for Brooklyn (4-2). Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Vucevic scored 17 of Orlando's 25 points in the third quarter as the Magic trailed 81-77 entering the fourth quarter.
Hayward, Favors lead Jazz over Pistons 97-96
The AP reports: AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Utah Jazz always seem to make life difficult for the Detroit Pistons.
In the 10 years since Detroit's 2004 championship, the Jazz have gone 17-3 against the Pistons, including a 97-96 victory Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills... Gordon Hayward, who had 32 points when the teams last met in March -- a rare Detroit win -- took a little while to get going this time, but when he did, it changed the game... Derrick Favors finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, while Enes Kanter had 14 points and 11 boards.
Monroe had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, and Andre Drummond added 11 points and 18 boards.
Thunder earn 2nd win of season by snapping Kings' 5-game streak
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Reggie Jackson has been vocal about his desire for a greater role with the Thunder.
He's usually behind Russell Westbrook on the point guard depth chart, but with Westbrook and Kevin Durant out with injuries, Jackson took advantage of his chance to be the man Sunday night. He scored 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to help Oklahoma City beat the Sacramento Kings 101-93... Jeremy Lamb scored 17 points, Serge Ibaka had 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, and Sebastian Telfair added 14 points for the Thunder (2-5), who improved to 2-1 at home. The Thunder entered the game as the lowest-scoring team in the league, but they shot 46 percent from the field... Rudy Gay had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and DeMarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore each added 16 points for the Kings (5-2).
DeRozan scores 24, Raptors rout 76ers 120-88
The AP reports: TORONTO -- It wasn't so much the outcome that mattered to coach Dwane Casey in the Toronto Raptors' victory over Philadelphia. It was way they got there.
DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Terrence Ross had 17 and the Raptors routed the winless 76ers 120-88 Sunday night for their sixth victory in seven games... Wroten scored 18 points and Chris Johnson had 16 for the 76ers, who lost for the 70th time in their past 86 regular-season games.
Deng scores 30, Heat roll over Mavs 105-96
The AP reports: DALLAS -- Luol Deng is still learning how he fits as Miami's new No. 3 with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
The Dallas Mavericks might say he's coming along just fine.
Deng scored a season-high 30 points, Bosh and Wade added 20 apiece and the Heat stayed perfect against Dallas since the 2011 NBA Finals with a 105-96 victory on Sunday night... Deng also badly outplayed Dallas' big free-agent pickup in Chandler Parsons, who had just four points and is 2 of 20 from the field the past two games.
Bosh, coming home to Dallas as more of a headliner without James, had 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Wade added a game-high 10 assists to help the Heat roll despite their third straight back-to-back. They have two more this month.
Isaiah Thomas fuels rally as Suns hand Warriors first loss
The AP reports: PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns didn't do much different to defend the high-flying Golden State Warriors in the second half Sunday night. They just stuck with their effective bench play and let the Klay Thompson-less Warriors get tired and make mistakes in a fourth quarter that saw the Suns outscore them by 20.
Phoenix zoomed past the Warriors to a 107-95 victory on the strength of a 36-16 fourth quarter, leaving the NBA with no unbeaten teams.
Isaiah Thomas scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth and fellow reserve Gerald Green added 16 of his 19 points in the final quarter, when the Suns surged ahead after trailing by eight through three... Stephen Curry scored 28 points but just six in the second half, when he was plagued by missed shots and foul trouble. Curry, who entered tied for the NBA scoring lead, added 10 assists for his fourth double-double of the season.
Draymond Green added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Warriors (5-1), who played without Thompson (sprained right hand) and his 23.8 points per game.
Aldridge has 28 and Blazers beat Nuggets 116-100
The AP reports: PORTLAND, Ore. -- With the Trail Blazers off to a 4-3 start, LaMarcus Aldridge was asked to offer his early assessment of the team.
"We're growing," he said.
Aldridge scored 28 points and had nine rebounds in the Trail Blazers' 116-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night.
The Blazers, winners of three of their last four games, made 16 of 31 3-point attempts and all five starters scored in double figures. With a renewed emphasis on defense this season, Portland held the Nuggets to 17 third-quarter points... Wesley Matthews added 21 points, making five of 13 3-point attempts.
Ty Lawson had 18 points for Denver after missing the team's 110-101 loss at home to Cleveland on Friday night with a sore left ankle. Kenneth Faried led the Nuggets with 19 points.
Lakers rally to beat Hornets for first win of the season
The AP reports: LOS ANGELES -- Purple and gold streamers descended from the ceiling and fans were on their feet applauding at the end. The Los Angeles Lakers finally won a game after five straight losses to open the season.
"I know the city probably feels good about it," said Byron Scott, who got his first victory as Lakers coach after they rallied to beat the Charlotte Hornets 107-92 on Sunday night... Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin each scored 21 points, and Carlos Boozer added 16 as the Lakers left Philadelphia as the NBA's only winless team at 0-7.
"We got to start somewhere," a subdued Bryant said... Al Jefferson scored 23 points and Kemba Walker added 17 for the Hornets, whose two-game winning streak ended. Gary Neal added 10 of his 14 in the fourth off the bench and Lance Stephenson had 10 rebounds.
Recaps of NBA games played Friday
Lance Stephenson's 3 lifts Hornets over Hawks in double overtime
The AP reports: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With 2.7 seconds left in double overtime and the game tied, an exhausted Lance Stephenson looked at coach Steve Clifford and said, "C'mon, Coach, draw me up a play."
So Clifford did.
Stephenson inbounded the ball to Marvin Williams, got it back off a handoff and knocked down a dramatic 33-foot jump shot off the glass at the buzzer to lift the Charlotte Hornets to a 122-119 double-overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
Stephenson, who had played 47 minutes, celebrated by racing to the scorer's table and leaping on top. He started pounding his chest as the teal- and purple-clad crowd went wild. Stephenson said he had hit shots to tie games before but had never hit a game winner at any level of basketball... Al Jefferson scored a season-high 34 points and Gary Neal added 23 points off the bench as the Hornets (3-3) beat the Hawks in Charlotte for the first time since 2011, snapping a six-game home losing streak to their division rivals.
Al Horford led Atlanta (1-3) with 24 points, and Jeff Teague added 22. Kyle Korver had 20.
Magic top Timberwolves 112-103 in overtime
The AP reports: ORLANDO, Fla. -- Looking for their first home win of the season, the Orlando Magic got a big lift from a pair of rookies.
Aaron Gordon had six of his 17 points in overtime, and the Magic beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-103 on Friday night... The Timberwolves (2-3) lost point guard Ricky Rubio to a sprained left ankle late in the first half.
Kevin Martin scored 21 points for Minnesota, but missed a short jump shot in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Nikola Pekovic and reserve Corey Brewer scored 16 apiece.
The Magic (2-4) had six players score in double figures and enjoyed a 52-38 rebounding edge. Evan Fournier had 20 points, and Tobias Harris finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds.
Mike Dunleavy leads Bulls over Sixers 118-115
The AP reports: PHILADELPHIA -- Mike Dunleavy had a hot hand and his unselfish teammates kept feeding him.
Dunleavy scored 12 of his season-high 27 points in the decisive third quarter and the Chicago Bulls held off a late Philadelphia rally in a 118-115 victory over the 76ers on Friday night.
Jimmy Butler added 23 points and Pau Gasol chipped in 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, whose 4-0 road start is their best since going 6-0 away from Chicago to start the 1996-97 season. The Bulls' Derrick Rose missed his third game in the last four after aggravating his sprained ankles in Wednesday's 95-86 win over Milwaukee when the former MVP had 13 points and seven assists in 31 minutes. He is day-to-day... Tony Wroten led four Sixers in double-figures with a career-high 31 points. Philadelphia fell to 0-6 -- their worst start to the season since losing their first 15 in 1972-73 when they set an NBA mark for futility by finishing 9-73.
Smart injured, but Celtics beat Pacers 101-98
The AP reports: BOSTON -- After the Celtics watched promising rookie Marcus Smart go down with a frightening injury, Jeff Green preserved their victory with the biggest rebound of the night.
Boston's lead was down to one when Avery Bradley missed a jumper with about 6 seconds remaining, plenty of time for the short-handed Pacers to take it the other way for a potential game-winner. All that was in Indiana's way was Green, perfectly positioned in the lane to pluck the ball out of the air, draw a foul and sink two free throws that sealed a 101-98 win Friday night... Green finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, and Jared Sullinger led Boston's fourth-quarter push by scoring 11 of his 17 points in the final period... Roy Hibbert had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers. Chris Copeland scored 17, Donald Sloan added 15 and Luis Scola finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Nets seize battle of New York behind Deron Williams' 29 points
The AP reports: NEW YORK -- Deron Williams' ankle problems are over, and so is the New York Knicks' winning streak in Brooklyn.
Williams scored a season-high 29 points, and the Nets beat the Knicks 110-99 on Friday night in the first meeting this season between the city rivals.
Brook Lopez added 20 points and nine rebounds, and Joe Johnson scored 18 for the Nets, who had beaten the Knicks just once on their home floor since moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn in 2012. The Knicks had won the previous three meetings here, but the Nets clearly looked like the best team in the Big Apple on this night... Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points but shot 5-of-20 for the Knicks, who dropped their third in a row. They came in 29th in the NBA in scoring at 89.8 points per game, but the bigger problem was a defense that allowed the Nets to shoot 51 percent from the field and make 14 of 24 3-pointers (58 percent).
Caldwell-Pope leads Pistons over Bucks 98-95
The AP reports: AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Josh Smith knows that his shooting slump is hurting the Detroit Pistons.
Friday, he found other ways to help them win.
Smith, who is 7-of-31 shooting in the last two games, had key plays on both ends in the final 20 seconds, allowing the Pistons to escape with a 98-95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks... Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 19 points, including a key 3-pointer to halt a Milwaukee rally in the final minutes... Jabari Parker led the Bucks with 18 points, while former Piston Brandon Knight added 17 and nine assists.
Lowry leads Raptors past Wizards 103-84
The AP reports: TORONTO -- Kyle Lowry had 13 points, 10 assists and a season-high 11 rebounds for his first triple-double of the season, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 103-84 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points for the Raptors, who are off to the first 5-1 start in team history. Terrence Ross scored a season-high 18 points, and Lou Williams had 13.
Otto Porter scored 13 points and Kris Humphries had 11 for the Wizards, who lost for the first time since a season-opening defeat at Miami.
Washington shot 30 for 83 for a season-worst 36.1 percent. The Wizards' previous low of 37.4 percent was set in Wednesday's overtime win against Indiana.
Mike Conley scores 20 as Grizzlies hold off Thunder to stay perfect
The AP reports: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Even without injured stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City made the latest chapter of its rivalry with Memphis look like many of the previous ones.
Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Memphis held on for a 91-89 win Friday night to remain unbeaten... "It's just the OKC-Memphis rivalry," said Mike Conley, who led the Grizzlies with 20 points. "It's always going to be close, no matter who's out there." ... Lee scored 17 points and Zach Randolph added 16 for the Grizzlies (6-0).
Jackson had 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Jeremy Lamb scored 17 points, Ibaka scored 16 and Steven Adams added 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder (1-5).
Ailing Rudy Gay jumper with 1:07 left in 2OT helps Kings outlast Suns
The AP reports: PHOENIX -- Playing through flu-like symptoms, Rudy Gay made a big shot at a key moment for the streaking Sacramento Kings.
Gay hit a go-ahead turnaround jumper with 1:07 left in the second overtime, and Sacramento beat the Phoenix Suns 114-112 on Friday night for its fifth consecutive victory.
"It was tough. Super tough," said Gay, who scored 11 points on 5-of-22 shooting from the floor... Kings center DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points and a season-high 18 rebounds before fouling out on an illegal screen with 34.7 seconds left in regulation. Darren Collison scored 16 and Ben McLemore added 15 points.
"It was two crazy overtimes but we got the win," McLemore said.
Eric Bledsoe had 23 points and eight assists for the Suns, who were outscored 22-11 in the fourth quarter.
Nowitzki helps Mavericks coast past Jazz 105-82
The AP reports: SALT LAKE CITY -- Playing a complete game on offense has almost become a trademark for Dallas early in the season. The Mavericks have built an identity around high scoring and efficient shooting.
The Mavericks finally got to see their defense enjoy the same experience against Utah. From start to finish in a 105-82 victory on Friday night, Dallas allowed room for the Jazz to create any sustained offensive rhythm.
Utah committed 23 turnovers and the Mavericks enjoyed a 32-9 advantage in points off turnovers. That kept the Jazz from threatening any serious rally after halftime... Nowitzki made the defensive effort count on the other end. He scored 27 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. The veteran all-star now has 26,913 career points, moving within 33 points of Hakeem Olajuwon on the NBA all-time scoring list... Tyson Chandler added 15 points and 13 rebounds. Monta Ellis scored 13 as the Mavericks bounced back from a loss to Portland one night earlier.
LeBron James' double-double leads Cavs to second win
The AP reports: DENVER -- Now this is more along the lines of what LeBron James had in mind.
Cleveland moved the ball around to James' satisfaction and held off the Denver Nuggets 110-101 on Friday night.
Sure, there is plenty of work still left to do, but this performance pleased James. Very much, even... James had 22 points and 11 assists on a poor shooting night for Cleveland's Big Three. James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were a combined 19-of-45... Randy Foye scored 28 points for the Nuggets (1-4), who have dropped four in a row. Denver played without speedy point guard Ty Lawson after he was scratched due to a sore left ankle.
Nate Robinson started out strong in Lawson's place, but didn't play at all in the fourth quarter since his minutes were maxed out. Robinson isn't supposed to play more than 20 minutes in his recovery from a torn ACL. He was on the floor for 25:49 against the Cavs and scored 14 points.
ESPN.com reports: Kyrie Irving dished out a season-high 6 assists. Irving created 13 assist opportunities, after averaging 8 assist opportunities per game through the first 4 games of the season. The Cavaliers shot 6-of-13 on Irving's assist opportunities. - As a team, the Cavaliers had 25 assists. The Cavs entered the game averaging a league-worst 16 assists per game.
Recaps of NBA games played Thursday
Dwight Howard (32 points, 16 rebounds) powers Rockets' rout of Spurs
The AP reports: HOUSTON -- Heading into a game with the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale had his eye on a few matchups. A specific one was getting Dwight Howard in the post.
The plan worked.
With San Antonio missing big bodies Tim Duncan, who was rested along with fellow veteran Manu Ginobili, and Tiago Splitter (right calf tightness), Howard dominated the interior from the opening tip, scoring 32 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in leading Houston to a 98-81 victory... With no Duncan or Splitter inside, Houston had a decided advantage down low and exploited it from the beginning, feeding Howard at every turn. Whether on the pick-and-roll, at the elbow or on alley-oop passes, Howard was the target and had a double-double -- 20 points and 12 rebounds -- by halftime as he exploited a vulnerable Spurs interior defense where Matt Bonner, Jeff Ayres and Aron Baynes struggled to keep up... Cory Joseph led the Spurs with 18 points off the bench, and Baynes had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers breeze past Mavs on third-quarter surge
The AP reports: PORTLAND, Ore. -- First, the Trail Blazers held LeBron James to just 11 points. Two nights later they held Dirk Nowitzki to 17.
And just like that, Portland is pointing to an improved defense for two key wins.
The latest was on Thursday night when Portland overwhelmed the Dallas Mavericks with a 35-18 third quarter en route to a 108-87 victory. LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points before sitting down for the entire fourth.
Damian Lillard finished with 18 points, including 10 over a stretch of just under six minutes in the fourth before he also took a seat... Dallas went into the game averaging nearly 112 points in their first four games of the season. Nowitzki was averaging nearly 21... Nicolas Batum had eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but he too rested in the fourth quarter after the Blazers had built a sizable lead. Batum has four career triple-doubles... F Joel Freeland was available after missing the past two games with a left foot sprain. ... Portland had lost seven of the last 10 to Dallas going into the game.