nba roundup Wednesday’s other games

Mavericks 103, Grizzlies 94

DALLAS

Dennis Smith Jr. had 19 points and five assists and the Dallas Mavericks got their first win of the season. Dallas snapped a four-game losing streak, while Memphis had a season-opening three-game win streak come to an end in the opener of a home-and-home back-to-back between the teams. Marc Gasol had 26 points for Memphis. Mike Conley scored 21 points and Tyreke Evans had 13 off the bench for the Grizzlies. Wesley Matthews added 16, Harrison Barnes had 15, J.J. Barea scored 14, and Dirk Nowitzki scored 13 points for Dallas. The Mavericks went ahead 8-7 with 8:30 remaining in the first quarter on a hook shot by Nerlens Noel and never surrendered the lead. Memphis pulled within three in the fourth quarter before Dallas went on a 9-0 run to regain control.

Rockets 105, 76ers 104

PHILADELPHIA

Eric Gordon hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Rockets to a win over the 76ers. The Sixers were sloppy down the stretch and used a series of bad decisions and bad plays to cough up a lead that had stretched to 11. Joel Embiid was whistled for goaltending, and the Sixers had Jerryd Bayless take a shot with the game still on the line instead of Embiid or Ben Simmons. While the Sixers collapsed, the Rockets pounced and scored the final nine points. Gordon scored 29 points, James Harden had 27 and Clint Capela had 16 points and 20 rebounds. J.J. Redick scored 22 points, Embiid had 21 and Robert Covington 20 for the Sixers.

Spurs 117, Heat 100

MIAMI

LaMarcus Aldridge continued his hot start by scoring 31 points, Rudy Gay added a season-high 22 off the bench and the Spurs stayed unbeaten by topping the Heat. The win was No. 1,154 for San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, now one shy of matching Phil Jackson for sixth-most in NBA history. Danny Green scored 15, Manu Ginobili had 14, Pau Gasol scored 13 and Kyle Anderson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who are 4-0 even without injured starters Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. Tyler Johnson scored 23 points for Miami, while James Johnson finished with 21 and Goran Dragic added 20. Dragic’s 3-pointer midway through the third got Miami within 61-60. Soon afterward, the Heat were in huge trouble.

Thunder 114, Pacers 96

OKLAHOMA CITY

Paul George was held to 10 points against his former team, but Russell Westbrook’s triple-double picked up the slack and helped the Thunder beat the Pacers. The Pacers traded George to Oklahoma City after it became public knowledge that he didn’t plan on staying with the team long-term. He fouled out with 6:15 remaining after playing just 19 minutes. Westbrook finished with 28 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Steven Adams added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, who snapped a two-game skid. Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who were sent from Oklahoma City to Indiana as part of the George deal, both started against their former team. Oladipo scored 35 points. Darren Collison added 18 points for the Pacers.

Hornets 110, Nuggets 93

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Frank Kaminsky scored 20 points off the bench, Dwight Howard had 15 points and 19 rebounds, and the Hornets beat the Nuggets. Charlotte opened a 25-point lead in the first half and led 62-39 at the break on the way to its second win of the season. Denver has lost two straight. Kemba Walker added 19 points and five assists for Charlotte. Malik Monk scored 12 of his 17 in the first half, and Jeremy Lamb finished with 16 points. Nikola Jokic had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Nuggets. Gary Harris also scored 18, and Jamal Murray had 16. Mason Plumlee grabbed 10 rebounds to go with eight points.

Pistons 122, Timberwolves 101

DETROIT

Tobias Harris scored 34 points, Avery Bradley added 20 and the Pistons overcame another slow start to beat the Timberwolves. Andre Drummond had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who improved to 3-2. All five Detroit starters reached double figures, as did reserve Henry Ellenson. Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, while Andrew Wiggins added 21. The Timberwolves lost for the second time in two nights. The Pistons trailed by 21 in the first half of their last two games and allowed Minnesota to score the first nine points Wednesday. This time, they stayed in the game and took the lead early in the second quarter.

Associated Press