|
 Guard James Harden scored 35 points and guard/forward Trevor
Ariza added 24 as the Rockets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-93
Monday night.
"Four-and-0's better than 0-4," Houston coach Kevin McHale said.
"We're not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination."
The Rockets face the Miami Heat, the defending Eastern Conference
champion, on Tuesday, then host the defending NBA champs, the San
Antonio Spurs, on Thursday.
The Sixers are 0-4 for the first time since 2010-11.
Isaiah Canaan, starting for injured guard Patrick Beverley, added 13
points. Center Dwight Howard contributed 11 points, 14 rebounds and
four blocked shots for the Rockets, who last opened a season with
four consecutive victories in 1996-97 en route to a 6-0 start.
Nets 116, Thunder 85
NEW YORK - Center Brook Lopez, playing his first regular-season game
since last December, returned to the starting lineup and scored 18
points and guard Deron Williams chipped in with 17 points and nine
assists to lead the Nets in their home opener.
Guard Alan Anderson also had 18 points and forward Mason Plumlee
added 10, both off the bench, as the Nets took the lead from the
opening tap and raced out to the easy win to improve to 2-1.
Guard Reggie Jackson had 23 points, forward Perry Jones added 16 and
forward Serge Ibaka 15 to pace the Thunder (1-3), who played without
reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant and All-Star point guard Russell
Westbrook, both out for an extended period due to injury.
Grizzlies 93, Pelicans 81
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies improved to 4-0 as three
Memphis players had double-doubles.
Center Marc Gasol had 16 points and 11 rebounds; power forward Zach
Randolph notched his fourth double-double in as many games with 15
points and 11 rebounds, and guard Tony Allen finished with 12 points
and 11 rebounds.
New Orleans got to within three, at 69-66, with 8:25 left to play,
when Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis (14 points and eight
rebounds) dunked off an alley-oop pass. But the Pelicans could get
no closer.
Mavericks 118, Celtics 113
DALLAS - Forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and forward Chandler
Parsons added 29 for the Mavericks, who built a big lead in the
first half and held on.
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Dallas' starting forwards combined for 23-of-29 shooting from the
field in the team's third straight win. The Celtics (1-2) were
beaten twice in a two-game Texas road trip, and have lost nine of
the last 10 against the Mavericks.
Celtics forward Jeff Green racked up 35 points to lead all scorers,
while guard Avery Bradley had a career-high 32 points.
Kings 110, Nuggets 105
DENVER -- Sacramento guard Darren Collison scored 21 points and
center DeMarcus Cousins added 19 as the Kings won their third
straight game.
Guard Ray McCallum's layup put the Kings ahead for good, 98-96 with
3:17 remaining.
Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo and center JaVale McGee scored 16 apiece
for the Nuggets, who dropped their second in a row.
The teams combined for 80 free-three attempts and 63 fouls.
Clippers 107, Jazz 101
LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin scored 31 points, Chris Paul recorded a
triple-double, and the Clippers beat Utah for the 10th time in a
row.
Paul finished with 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Los Angeles guard Jamal Crawford, who missed Sunday's loss to the
Sacramento Kings due to sore ribs, scored 19 points and passed the
15,000 mark for career points.
Forward Gordon Hayward had 27 points to lead Utah.
The Jazz closed within three points on a three-point play by guard
Trey Burke with 15.5 seconds remaining, but a free throw by guard
J.J. Redick, a Jazz turnover and a Paul layup clinched it for the
Clippers.
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