NEW YORK — Bobby Portis scored a season-high 28 points against his former team, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:47 remaining, and the New York Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls 105-98 on Monday night for their first victory of the season.
Portis hadn’t scored in double digits yet in his first season with the Knicks, but was superb in bringing New York back from an 18-point deficit. The reserve was 10 for 14, making all four 3-pointers, and added 11 rebounds.
The Knicks needed all of it on a night when they fell behind with a dreadful start and stayed that way until the fourth quarter. They never even led until Portis’ go-ahead 3, which he followed with another 3 that pushed it to 103-98 during a 15-0 run to finish the game.
Rookie RJ Barrett added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who had dropped their first three games. Kevin Knox II scored 14 points, and Julius Randle finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.
Zach LaVine scored 21 points for the Bulls, who fell to 1-3. Wendell Carter Jr. had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The Knicks missed 13 of their first 15 shots and quickly fell behind by double digits.
ROCKETS 116, THUNDER 112
HOUSTON — James Harden scored 40 points and Russell Westbrook scored 21 and fell an assist shy of a triple-double against his former team, as Houston beat Oklahoma City.
Westbrook had 12 rebounds and nine assists after notching his 139th triple-double in his last game to pass Magic Johnson for second-most all-time.
A 3-pointer by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 19 seconds left got Oklahoma City within 3. Westbrook made 1 of 2 free throws before fouling Nerlens Noel, who made both free throws.
But Harden, who was 21 of 22 from the line, made two free throws with 13.2 seconds to go to make it 114-110.
Gilgeous-Alexander cut it to 2 with a basket, but Harden made two more free throws to secure the victory.
It was the first game between these teams since a summer trade reunited Westbrook with Harden and sent Chris Paul to Oklahoma City.
Paul had 15 points, four assists and five rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points and Dennis Schroder added 22 points to lead the Thunder.
PISTONS 96, PACERS 94
DETROIT — Derrick Rose made a driving layup with 28.3 seconds left to give Detroit the lead and the Pistons beat winless Indiana for the second time in a week.
Rose shot just 4 of 16 from the field and was having a tough time in the fourth quarter, but his left-handed layup went in to put Detroit up 95-94. Malcolm Brogdon missed at the other end, but Indiana got an offensive rebound. T.J. Warren then missed badly on a tough shot from the corner, and the Pistons came up with the ball.
Luke Kennard made one of two free throws for Detroit, and Indiana had one more chance with 2 seconds left. Warren missed a 3-pointer from the left wing.
Andre Drummond had 18 points and 18 rebounds for the Pistons, and Christian Wood had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Domantas Sabonis had 21 points and 14 rebounds for Indiana, and Brogdon contributed 15 points and 11 assists.
RAPTORS 104, MAGIC 95
TORONTO — Kyle Lowry scored 10 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Pascal Siakam added 24 and Toronto withstood a late rally to beat Orlando for its their third win in four games.
Marc Gasol had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Fred VanVleet scored 14 and OG Anunoby added 12 as the Raptors won for the 10th time in 15 regular-season meetings with Orlando.
Jonathan Isaac scored a career-high 24 points, Evan Fournier had 18 and Markelle Fultz 13 for the Magic, who have lost two straight.
Ex-Raptor Terrence Ross scored 11 for Orlando, and D.J. Augustin had 10.
BUCKS 129, CAVALIERS 112
MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton scored 21 points, George Hill added 19 and seven Milwaukee players finished in double figures in a win over Cleveland.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 29 minutes, Pat Connaughton added 17 points, Brook Lopez 16, and Wesley Matthews and Eric Bledsoe each finished with 14 points for Milwaukee.
Collin Sexton paced the Cavaliers with 18 points, while Jordan Clarkson and Tristan Thompson each added 17.
WARRIORS 134, PELICANS 123
NEW ORLEANS — Stephen Curry had 26 points and 11 assists, and Golden State won for the first time this season, beating winless New Orleans.
Draymond Green had 16 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists for the injury-riddled Warriors, who dropped their first two games by 19 or more points before dominating a Pelicans squad that was missing three injured starters, including top overall draft choice Zion Williamson.
D’Angelo Russell added 24 points and Damion Lee finished with 23 for Golden State, which led wire-to-wire.
Brandon Ingram had 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Pelicans.
The Pelicans were playing a second straight game without veteran guard Jrue Holiday, who has a sprained left knee, and also were without starting center Derrick Favors because of right knee soreness.
First-round draft pick Jaxson Hayes had 19 points for the Pelicans.
76ERS 105, HAWKS 103
ATLANTA — Joel Embiid scored 36 points, including the winning free throws with 5.3 seconds left, and Philadelphia 76ers won its third straight game to begin the season.
Philadelphia made things tough for Trae Young and dominated down the stretch to deny the young Hawks their first 3-0 start in three seasons.
Tobias Harris had eight of his 13 points in the final quarter as the 76ers outscored the Hawks 15-5 over the final five minutes. Josh Richardson chipped in with 14 points, and Ben Simmons also had 14.
But this was all about Embiid, who made 12 of 19 shots from the field and knocked down all 10 of his free throws. He also had 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Young had 25 points on 7-of-20 shooting. John Collins added 16 points and De’Andre Hunter 14.
SPURS 113, TRAIL BLAZERS 110
SAN ANTONIO — DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points and San Antonio overcame a sluggish start and beat Portland to remain undefeated.
Portland point guard Damian Lillard had 28 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter. Lillard’s 3-pointer from the right corner bounced in and out as time expired.
Derrick White scored 21 points, LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 and Bryn Forbes 14 as the Spurs capped a three-game homestand to open the season.
CJ McCollum added 27 points for the Blazers (2-2).
NUGGETS 101, KINGS 94
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jamal Murray scored four of his 18 points in the final 31 seconds, Gary Harris added a pair of late free throws and Denver Nuggets held on after nearly blowing a big lead in the fourth quarter, beating winless Sacramento.
The Nuggets (3-0) shook off a sluggish first half, took control in the third quarter with a stifling defense, then held off a late rally by the Kings to remain unbeaten.
Harris scored 17 points as Denver won its fifth straight against Sacramento. Nikola Jokic had nine points on 4-for-15 shooting with 13 rebounds and Will Barton added 13 points and nine rebounds.
Richaun Holmes had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings (0-4). De’Aaron Fox added 20 points and nine assists, and Harrison Barnes and Nemanja Bjelica each scored 12.
JAZZ 96, SUNS 95
PHOENIX — Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, including the winning free throw with 0.4 seconds left, and Utah rallied to beat Phoenix.
Mitchell drove the lane in the final seconds, getting fouled by Devin Booker as he tried to make a layup. He made the first free throw before missing the second, and Frank Kaminsky III’s last-second heave was well short.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 29 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range. Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 18 rebounds and made 11 of 12 free-throw attempts.
Phoenix (2-2) was led by Booker’s 21 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18, Jevon Carter had 15, and Aron Baynes scored 12 points.
Ricky Rubio faced Utah (3-1) for the first time since signing a free-agent deal with the Suns in the offseason. He finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
CLIPPERS 111, HORNETS 96
LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Lou Williams scored 23 points one day after his 33rd birthday in Los Angeles’ win over Charlotte.
Montrezl Harrell scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Landry Shamet added 16 in the Clippers’ third win in four games to start a season with championship aspirations.
Terry Rozier had 17 points to lead six Hornets scoring in double figures in the second game of a four-game trip. Devonte Graham had 14 points and 12 assists, while Cody Zeller added 14 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte, which has lost three straight after a season-opening win over Chicago.
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