Knicks beat Celtics 105-95, start season 2-0

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 13 rebounds and the New York Knicks rode a huge second quarter to a 105-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night and a 2-0 start to the season.

The Knicks outscored the Celtics 42-14 in the second quarter en route to a 64-44 halftime lead. It appeared they would blow out Boston at Madison Square Garden for the second straight time, after rolling to a 119-81 victory in Game 6 to eliminate the Celtics last season in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Knicks played a sloppy third quarter and the Celtics cut it to single digits in the fourth, but Brunson had a couple baskets to help them build back a cushion.

Jaylen Brown scored 23 points on his 29th birthday for the Celtics, who fell to 0-2. They also gave up 42 points in the fourth quarter of their 117-116 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday. San Hauser added 18 points on six 3-pointers.

Josh Hart made his season debut for the Knicks with 14 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench after hurting his lower back in the preseason opener. But OG Anunoby limped off midway through the fourth after appearing to hurt his knee or upper thigh when he landed trying to block a shot.

BUCKS 122, RAPTORS 116

TORONTO (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 20 rebounds to help Milwaukee beat Toronto.

Cole Anthony scored nine of his 23 points in the fourth quarter for Milwaukee. Tied at 86 after three periods, the Bucks outscored the Raptors 36-30 in the fourth en route to their second straight victory to start the season.

Antetokounmpo, who scored 37 points in Milwaukee’s opener at home, gave the Raptors fits, using his combination of strength and speed to bully the defense in the paint. He was 11 of 14 from the field, and only attempted two shots outside the paint.

Gary Trent Jr added 20 points for Milwaukee.

Brandon Ingram scored 29 points in his home debut for Toronto. RJ Barrett added 20 points.

HAWKS 111, MAGIC 107

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Trae Young scored six of his 25 points in the final 46 seconds, leading Atlanta to a win over Orlando.

Franz Wagner scored a game-high 27 points for Orlando, which led by 12 early in the fourth quarter but shot only 7 for 21 in the final period.

Nikeil Alexander-Walker had 19 points for Atlanta and Onyeka Okongwu added 17. Jalen Johnson had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Hawks.

Desmond Bane and Tristan daSilva scored 15 points each for Orlando. Paolo Banchero had 11 points and six rebounds, but shot only 4 for 15 and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

The Hawks played without forward Zaccharie Risacher, who injured his ankle in Tuesday night’s opener, and center Kristaps Porzingis, who was ill.

Young scored the final five points of a 15-0 Hawks run midway through the fourth quarter that wiped out Orlando’s 93-81 lead.

HEAT 146, GRIZZLIES 114

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 24 points and Miami won its first game since guard Terry Rozier was arrested on gambling-related charges, building a first-half lead and coasting to a victory over Memphis.

The NBA placed Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups on immediate leave from their teams after the news of their arrests broke Thursday. Rozier is accused of conspiring to help associates win bets based on his performance.

Nikola Jovic added 20 points for Miami, Kel’el Ware had 19, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Heat’s first victory of the season.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 19 points, rookie Cedric Coward finished with 16, and Santi Aldama had 13. Ja Morant, who had 35 points in an opening win over New Orleans, managed only 12 points, going 4 of 16 from the field.

The game was never close after Miami built a double-digit lead early with 17 straight points in the first quarter, Adebayo had 18 points in the period.

CAVALIERS 131, NETS 124

NEW YORK (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points, Jarrett Allen added 22, and Cleveland outlasted Brooklyn.

Sam Merrill finished with 22 points and Evan Mobley chipped in 13 for the Cavaliers, who won their first game of the season after losing against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

Cam Thomas scored 33 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 31 for Brooklyn, who are 0-2.

Cleveland led by 25 points in the third quarter before the Nets rallied in the fourth.

Ziaire Williams hit a 3-pointer to make it 121-115 with 5:18 left before a short delay after a fan ran on the court.

Merrill missed a 3-pointer after play resumed, and Thomas’ layup cut the deficit to 121-117.

Mitchell, who was 10 for 15 from the floor, turned the ball over on the ensuing possession before Brooklyn rookie Egor Demin’s 3-pointer made 121-120 with 3:48 remaining.

Cleveland then took advantage of multiple missed shots by the Nets and scored six consecutive points to extend the lead 127-120 with 38 seconds remaining.

SPURS 120, PELICANS 116, OT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks before fouling out in overtime, and San Antonio held on to beat New Orleans.

Devin Vassell, who had 23 points, hit a 3 in overtime. Julian Champagnie followed with another from deep shortly after to give the Spurs a 116-110 lead and the Pelicans could not recover.

Zion Williamson had 27 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans. He made a free throw to tie it at 107 with 12 seconds left in regulation, but missed another for the lead.

The game went to overtime after Wembanyama, guarded closely by Williamson, missed a 15-foot fade as time ran out.

But Wembanyama dunked to open overtime and added his last block when he swatted away Trey Murphy’s floater.

Luke Kornet had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, grabbing nine of his teammates misses to help San Antonio total 20 offensive rebounds and 26 second-chance points.

Stephon Castle scored 16 points for the Spurs, including a 3 with 19.8 seconds left in regulation.

Dylan Harper scored seven of his 13 points during a pivotal 14-0, fourth-quarter run that gave San Antonio a 100-94 lead.

PISTONS 115, ROCKETS 111

HOUSTON (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and made two free throws with 5.5 seconds left to help Detroit hold on to beat Houston.

Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff got his 300th career win, making him and his father Bernie Bickerstaff (419) the first father-son duo to in NBA history to each reach 300 career wins.

Paul Reed’s layup made it 113-110 before Houston cut the lead to two when Alperen Sengun made 1 of 2 free throws with 1:32 remaining.

Both teams missed 3-point attempts before Detroit’s Ausar Thompson missed a 3 with 35 seconds left and Reed blocked Sengun’s shot in the lane 16.4 seconds to go.

Houston was forced to foul and Cunningham sunk both free throws to make it 115-111 and give the Pistons their first win of the season after they lost to Chicago in their opener.

Thompson had 19 points for Detroit to outdo identical twin brother Houston’s Amen Thompson, who finished with 10.

WIZARDS 117, MAVERICKS 107

DALLAS (AP) — Kyshawn George scored a career-high 34 points, and Washington turned away a Cooper Flagg-fueled rally for a victory over Dallas, dropping the Mavericks and their No. 1 overall pick to 0-2.

Flagg led a second-half comeback from a 17-point deficit by scoring nine consecutive points in the fourth quarter and finishing with 18.

Anthony Davis, in another rough outing to start his first full season since coming to Dallas in the Luka Doncic trade, missed two free throws with a chance to get the Mavs within two points with five minutes remaining.

Davis’ poor pass to Flagg in the backcourt on the next possession was followed soon after by two more turnovers from Flagg as Dallas finished with 21 turnovers after committing 16 in a 125-92 loss to San Antonio in Flagg’s debut. Flagg had five turnovers, and P.J. Washington Jr. had eight to go with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Davis led Dallas with 27 points, just as he did against the Spurs, but looked rough around the rim again while finishing 9 of 19 from the floor. He had 13 rebounds.

LAKERS 128, TIMBERWOLVES 110

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 49 points and became the fourth player in NBA history to begin a season with back-to-back 40-point performances, leading Los Angeles to a victory over Minnesota.

Doncic followed his 43-point game in an opening-night loss to Golden State with his highest-scoring effort yet in a Lakers jersey, going 14 for 23 with five 3-pointers while adding 11 rebounds and eight assists.

The Slovenian superstar also made 16 of his 19 free throws, yet he missed his final two field goal attempts and a late free throw to fall just short of his eighth career 50-point game.

Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Anthony Davis have also started NBA seasons with a pair of 40-point games. Doncic was traded to LA for Davis last winter.

Anthony Edwards scored 31 points and Julius Randle had 26 for Minnesota, which couldn’t slow the Lakers’ offense in a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff series won in five games by the Wolves.

Austin Reaves added 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, while Rui Hachimura scored 23 and Deandre Ayton had 15 for the Lakers.

KINGS 105, JAZZ 104

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Domantas Sabonis scored off an offensive rebound with six seconds remaining to cap a wild ending and lift Sacramento to a win over Utah Jazz.

Zach LaVine had 31 points to help the Kings to their ninth consecutive victory against the Jazz.

Malik Monk added 20 points off the bench with six 3-pointers, and Dennis Schroder scored 17 for Sacramento.

The Kings trailed 96-92 midway through the fourth quarter before going on an 11-4 run sparked by Lavine, who scored seven points over the final five minutes.

Lauri Markkanen had 33 points to lead the Jazz. Keyonte George added 18 points and 10 assists. Brice Sensabaugh scored 15 off the bench.

TRAIL BLAZERS 139, WARRIORS 119

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Deni Avdija had 26 points and six assists, and Portland beat Golden State in Tiago Splitter’s first game as interim head coach.

Splitter is stepping in after coach Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI early Thursday and arraigned in federal court later that day.

Splitter told reporters before the game he wanted to keep his team focused on basketball.

Jerami Grant scored 22 points, Toumani Camara had 19, and Shaedon Sharpe added 17. Donovan Clingan had 14 points, Kris Murray scored 13, Jrue Holiday added 12 points and 11 assists, and Matisse Thybulle had 10 points.

Stephen Curry scored 35 points for the Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga had 16 points, Jimmy Butler 14 and Draymond Green 12.

Both teams shot well from the 3-point line with Portland making 47% (16 for 34) and Golden State 42% (16 for 38). However, the Trail Blazers outscored the Warriors 66-30 in the paint.

CLIPPERS 129, SUNS 102

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden scored 30 points, Kawhi Leonard added 27 and Los Angeles routed Phoenix in its home opener.

The Clippers bounced back after a season-opening, 21-point loss at Utah, where they trailed by 37 points.

Derrick Jones Jr. didn’t miss a shot in scoring 17 points, making five 3-pointers and another field goal.

Harden made five 3-pointers, all nine of his free throws and had seven rebounds and seven assists in leading the NBA’s oldest team this season. The Clippers shot 55% from 3-point range.

Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks scored 21 points, hitting five 3-pointers, and Devin Booker added 18 points and seven assists. The Suns rallied from 20 points down to beat Sacramento in their season opener, but couldn’t muster a similar effort from a much deeper deficit.