NEW YORK — Brook Lopez scored 18 points in his first regular-season game in about 11 months, and the Brooklyn Nets routed the injury-depleted Oklahoma City Thunder 116-85 on Monday night in their home opener.
“I can’t put it in words,” Lopez said. “It was great to be back out there. I’ve missed it for a long time and our team definitely took care of business tonight. Our guys make it easy.”
Alan Anderson added 18 points and Deron Williams had 17 points and nine assists for the Nets, who got their leading scorer back on a night the Thunder, already without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, lost yet another player to injury.
Reggie Jackson scored 23 points in his season debut after missing the first three games with a sprained right ankle, but the Thunder left just as short-handed as they entered when starting guard Andre Roberson sprained his left foot. He played just 11½ minutes of the first half.
“That’s just how things are going right now. But we’re not throwing the white flag. We’re going to keep battling,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.
Lopez was averaging a team-best 20.7 points when he broke his right foot last Dec. 20 against Philadelphia and had season-ending surgery. He was back for the start of training camp but sprained the foot during an exhibition game in China and missed the Nets’ first two games.
GRIZZLIES 93, PELICANS 81
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marc Gasol scored 16 points, Zach Randolph had 15 and Tayshaun Prince added 14 as the Grizzlies extended their home winning streak to a franchise record 16 straight with a victory over the Pelicans.
The Grizzlies, off to a franchise-best 4-0 start, got three double-doubles. Randolph had 11 rebounds to give him a double-double in each of the team’s four games. Gasol (11 rebounds) and Tony Allen (12 points, 11 rebounds) also finished with double-doubles.
Tyreke Evans led the Pelicans (1-2) with 21 points. New Orleans shot only 34 percent from the field.
ROCKETS 104, 76ers 93
PHILADELPHIA — James Harden had 35 points and nine rebounds and Dwight Howard added 11 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Rockets past the 76ers.
Trevor Ariza hit six 3-pointers and scored 24 points to help Houston improve to 4-0. The Rockets made 16 of 34 3-pointers and dominated the Sixers 47-31 on the boards.
Harden made his first 17 free throws and the Rockets had assists on 27 of 32 field goals.
Tony Wroten led the winless Sixers (0-4) with 20 points and K.J. McDaniels had 14.
Ariza picked up in Philadelphia where he left off in March when he scored a career-high 40 points and spoiled Allen Iverson’s jersey retirement celebration night. Playing for Washington, Ariza made all six 3-point attempts in the first quarter for 24 points and finished 14 of 23 from the floor overall.
KINGS 110, NUGGETS 105
DENVER — Darren Collison scored 21 points, including three free throws in the final 16.2 seconds, and the Kings held off the Nuggets.
DeMarcus Cousins added 19 points and Reggie Evans grabbed 14 rebounds as the Kings started the season 3-1 for the first time since 2010-11. Sacramento showed no signs of fatigue after beating the Clippers the day before in Los Angeles.
Collison secured the win by hitting two free throws with 8.7 seconds remaining.
The Nuggets had seven players in double figures, led by Arron Afflalo and JaVale McGee with 16 points apiece. Wilson Chandler scored 12 of his 14 in the fourth quarter.
MAVERICKS 118, CELTICS 113
DALLAS — Chandler Parsons scored 29 points, including a key 3-pointer to help Dallas hang on after going up by 30 before halftime for the second time in two home games, and the Mavericks beat the Celtics.
Avery Bradley had a chance to tie with three free throws when he was fouled on a 3-pointer by Monta Ellis with 39 seconds left after Boston trailed by 31 in the second quarter. But he missed the second one.
After Ellis put Dallas back up by three at 116-113, Parsons won a jump ball with Jared Sullinger, tipping it to Ellis, who was fouled by Rajon Rondo on a drive and made both free throws.
Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points. Jeff Green led the Celtics with 35, and Bradley had a career-high 32.
CLIPPERS 107, JAZZ 101
LOS ANGELES — Blake Griffin scored 31 points, Jamal Crawford added 19 to go over 15,000 in his career and the Clippers defeated the Jazz.
Reggie Bullock scored all of his 12 points on 3-pointers and Chris Paul notched his first triple-double with the Clippers, finishing with 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Paul showed no ill effects after spraining his left foot a night earlier. Los Angeles went 3-1 playing four games in five nights to start the season.
Crawford had missed Sunday’s loss to Sacramento because of bruised ribs. He returned to go over the milestone on a floating jumper at 6:53 of the fourth. He has 15,003 points.
Gordon Hayward scored 27 points, Enes Kanter added 17 points and nine rebounds, and Alec Burks 16 points for Utah, which has lost three of four.
YOUNG PASSES CONCUSSION TESTS
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves forward Thaddeus Young has passed concussions tests and returned to practice after a scary collision with Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler on Saturday night.
Young took an inadvertent elbow to the head from Butler shortly before halftime on Saturday. He remained down on the court for more than 10 minutes while Timberwolves medical staff tended to him and was unable to finish the game.
Young went through concussion tests on Sunday and was back at practice full-go on Monday.
Young says he feels fortunate to have avoided a more serious injury. He says he will be ready to go when the Timberwolves return to the court in Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
Young is averaging 17.7 points in the first three games of the season.
MARTIN FINED $15K FOR CRUDE GESTURE
MINNEAPOLIS — The NBA has fined Minnesota Timberwolves guard Kevin Martin $15,000 for what the league called an “obscene gesture” during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls.
The league announced the fine Monday. The gesture came after Martin hit a 3-pointer with just over 90 seconds to play in the game Saturday night. As he headed back to the other end of the court, Martin cupped his hands and held them just below his waist.
The dance move was popularized by former Timberwolves guard Sam Cassell, who used to do it after big shots until the NBA started issuing fines to curb it.