The Associated Press
The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — The Philadelphia 76ers avoided tying the record for the worst start to a season in NBA history, ending their 0-17 skid with an 85-77 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Michael Carter-Williams had 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and Robert Covington added 17 points to keep Philadelphia from tying the 0-18 start by the New Jersey Nets in 2009-10.
The game got off to an awkward start when 16 seconds into the first quarter, referees realized that the two teams were going in the wrong direction. A foul on the Timberwolves had to be wiped away and the game restarted with a new jump ball.
The Sixers shot just 39 percent against the worst defense in the league and turned the ball over 19 times. They scored only nine points in the second quarter, but in the end there were smiles and hugs for the first time this season.
Gorgui Dieng had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost for the 11th time in 13 games.
NETS 95, SPURS 93, OT
NEW YORK — Mirza Teletovic had a season-high 26 points and a career-best 15 rebounds starting in place of Kevin Garnett, and the Brooklyn Nets snapped the San Antonio Spurs’ eight-game winning streak with an overtime victory.
The Nets regrouped in overtime after blowing a 14-point lead in the final 5 minutes of regulation and beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season.
Danny Green had 20 points, 10 rebounds and the tying 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in regulation for San Antonio.
BULLS 102, HORNETS 95
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pau Gasol had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic each posted double-doubles, and the Chicago Bulls sent the Charlotte Hornets to their 10th straight loss.
Noah had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Mirotic added 11 points and 12 rebounds as the Bulls bounced back from a double- overtime loss to Dallas on Tuesday night.
It was the fifth straight game the Bulls have scored at least 100 points.
Kemba Walker had 23 points and Lance Stephenson had a season-high 20 for the Hornets, who have lost 12 of 13.
CELTICS 109, PISTONS 102, OT
BOSTON — Jeff Green scored 32 points, including a 3-pointer as Boston opened overtime with eight straight points, and the Celtics snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Detroit Pistons.
The loss was the 10th in a row for Detroit. Greg Monroe scored 15 of his 29 points after the 3:13 mark of the fourth, when the Pistons erased an 11-point deficit. But Detroit never recovered after giving up the first three baskets — including a pair of 3-pointers — to start the extra period.
RAPTORS 123, JAZZ 104
SALT LAKE CITY — Kyle Lowry scored a season-high 39 points on 13-of-22 shooting as the Toronto Raptors sent the Utah Jazz to their seventh straight loss.
Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams each had 17 for the Raptors.
Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter scored 19 points apiece for Utah. Gordon Hayward added 16 points and Trey Burke had 15 and eight assists for the Jazz, who trailed through the final three quarters.
ROCKETS 105, GRIZZLIES 96
HOUSTON — James Harden scored 21 points, and Trevor Ariza and Jason Terry added 16 each to help the short-handed Houston Rockets cruise past Memphis.
The Grizzlies had won five in a row, and their two previous losses this season had been by a combined five points.
Memphis jumped out to an 8-0 lead in this one but couldn’t do much after that. Houston didn’t trail after the first quarter.
Houston played without three starters, including Dwight Howard, who missed his seventh straight game with a strained right knee.
MAVERICKS 107, BUCKS 105
MILWAUKEE — Monta Ellis hit a wild, fall-away jumper at the buzzer, lifting the Dallas Mavericks over the Milwaukee Bucks.
A night after Ellis scored 38 points in a double-overtime win at Chicago, he got 23. He had eight in the last two minutes.
The Mavericks won their fifth in a row while resting Dirk Nowitzki because of a sore back. Coach Rick Carlisle called it a “precautionary” move.
Tyson Chandler scored 18 points and added 20 rebounds for the Mavericks.
Brandon Knight scored 25 points and Khris Middleton added 21 for the Bucks in their third straight loss.
HAWKS 112, HEAT 102
MIAMI — Jeff Teague scored 27 points, Kyle Korver scored 18 and the Atlanta Hawks handed the Miami Heat another home loss.
Dennis Schroder scored 16 and Paul Millsap finished with 14 for the Hawks, who beat the Heat for the second time in two meetings this season. Atlanta has won four straight and six of seven.
Dwyane Wade scored 28 points and Chris Bosh finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds for Miami, which has lost six of its last eight home games.
WIZARDS 111, LAKERS 95
WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal scored 27 points, John Wall had 17 points and 15 assists, and the Washington Wizards beat Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Wizards won their third straight and prevented the Lakers from getting their first three-game winning streak in more than a year.
Bryant finished with 29 points — 15 points of them in the first quarter when he shot 6 for 11. He missed nine of his final 11 shots.