By Field Level Media
Oct 25 (Field Level Media) – Nikola Jokic recorded 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, Jamal Murray poured in 42 points and the Denver Nuggets rallied from a 23-point deficit to top the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 141-135 in overtime on Saturday night.
Jokic has 199 career regular-season triple-doubles in 12 seasons, second to just-retired Russell Westbrook’s 209 in 18 seasons starting in 2008-09.
Trevon Brazile scored seven of his 17 points in overtime and hit a corner 3-pointer late in the extra period, Christian Braun had 15 points in the game and DeMar DeRozan added 12 points for the Nuggets.
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 26 points, Dejounte Murray had 22, Zion Williamson and Derik Queen contributed 17 each, Saddiq Bey scored 14 and Jeremiah Fears added 10.
Hornets 115, Heat 110
Brandon Miller pumped in 34 points and Charlotte recovered from blowing a 23-point lead to beat visiting Miami.
Dennis Schroder added 25 points, Naz Reid scored 23 and Grayson Allen contributed 20. Miller was the only one of the Hornets’ top four scorers who played for the team last season.
Davion Mitchell’s 22 points and 10 assists paced the Heat, who remained winless through three games despite erasing a 23-point deficit to tie the score at 100. Bam Adebayo’s 20 points and eight rebounds gave Miami a lift, Pelle Larsson supplied 15 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson each had 14, and Bobby Portis scored 13.
Cavaliers 125, Nets 121
Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points and Jarrett Allen had 21 points and eight rebounds as Cleveland built a 22-point lead before holding on for a victory over visiting Brooklyn.
Evan Mobley added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Jaylon Tyson scored 15 points off the bench in the Cavaliers’ home opener. James Harden collected 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Cleveland picked up its first win.
Brooklyn, which trailed 104-82 with 9:29 remaining, pulled within 123-121 on Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left. Porter (28 points, nine rebounds) fouled out on the subsequent possession and Sam Merrill hit two free throws to put the Cavaliers up four with 5.2 seconds remaining. Julius Randle had 23 points for winless Brooklyn.
76ers 127, Bucks 116
Joel Embiid recorded his 10th career triple-double and Jaylen Brown scored 27 points on his 30th birthday to lead Philadelphia to a home win over Milwaukee.
Embiid finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the 76ers, who rested LeBron James (back/sciatica). James is expected to play Sunday against the Detroit Pistons, while Embiid will rest in the second half of a back-to- back. Tyrese Maxey pitched in with 26 points, while VJ Edgecombe delivered a 17-point, 13-rebound effort.
While Philadelphia is 3-0 on the young season, the Bucks fell to 0-3 despite eight players scoring in double figures. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led Milwaukee with 21 points, while Kel’el Ware had 19 points and 13 rebounds off the bench for the visitors.
Wizards 124, Bulls 120
Trae Young paired 25 points with nine assists and Kyshawn George added 22 points and nine rebounds as Washington downed host Chicago to open a three- game road trip.
The Wizards outscored the Bulls 40-20 in the third quarter. Anthony Davis and Young combined to go 6-for-6 from the free-throw line to hold onto the lead. Davis (19 points) and Tre Johnson (13) also scored in double figures for Washington, while Justin Champagnie had an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double.
Chicago rookie Caleb Wilson contributed 30 points and 14 rebounds for his first career double-double, and teammate Matas Buzelis scored 21 points. Norman Powell added 18, Jalen Smith had 14 and Tre Jones 10. Josh Giddey had nine points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Suns 131, Warriors 122
Devin Booker had 43 points, seven assists and seven rebounds and host Phoenix won to send Golden State to its worst start in almost two decades.
Miles Bridges scored 16 points and Dillon Brooks added 15 points for the Suns, who won their home opener. Booker set a franchise record for points in a home opener.
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had 26 points and nine rebounds and De’Anthony Melton scored 25 points for the Warriors, who fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2007-08. Golden State was without starters Stephen Curry (knee), Brandin Podziemski (back) and Draymond Green (back) and reserve Al Horford (back).
Spurs 122, Mavericks 106
Victor Wembanyama scored 23 points as visiting San Antonio earned its first win of the season by defeating short-handed Dallas in the second of a back-to- back for both teams.
Dylan Harper added 22 points, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle scored 19 each, Julian Champagnie hit for 12 off the bench and Devin Vassell tallied 11 points for the Spurs. Wembanyama also posted seven rebounds and four blocks.
The Mavericks played without stars Cooper Flagg (shoulder) and Kyrie Irving, who was held out for left knee injury management. Flagg sprained his left shoulder in a win at Indiana on Friday and will be reevaluated next week. Rookie Sergio De Larrea’s 21 points led Dallas. Marcus Sasser, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford scored 12 apiece.
Rockets 121, Hawks 114
Kevin Durant led seven double-figure scorers with 22 points as Houston topped host Atlanta to improve to 3-0.
The Rockets also got 19 points apiece from Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard, who started in place of Fred VanVleet (right knee load management). Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson each scored 17 points, with Sengun grabbing 10 rebounds and Thompson collecting 11.
The Hawks were led by Jalen Johnson, who fell just shy of a triple-double with 26 points, 16 assists and nine rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels scored 18 points apiece, and CJ McCollum added 17.
(–Field Level Media)
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