CLEVELAND — Nikola Vucevic scored 23 points and the Orlando Magic snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Cleveland Cavaliers, routing the defending Eastern Conference champions 114-93 on Saturday night. ADVERTISING CLEVELAND — Nikola Vucevic scored 23 points and the
CLEVELAND — Nikola Vucevic scored 23 points and the Orlando Magic snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Cleveland Cavaliers, routing the defending Eastern Conference champions 114-93 on Saturday night.
Orlando’s first win over Cleveland since Nov. 23, 2012, came in convincing fashion. The Magic never trailed and built a 21-point lead late in the first quarter. Orlando led 36-18 after the first, hitting 14 of 24 from the field.
The Magic, who made 14 of 35 3-pointers, took their biggest lead, 106-69, midway through the fourth quarter when both teams cleared their benches.
LeBron James scored 14 points in the first quarter and finished with 22.
GRIZZLIES 111,
WARRIORS 101
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marc Gasol had 34 points and 14 rebounds, and Memphis built a 19-point third-quarter lead over Golden State.
James Ennis III added 13 points, and Tyreke Evans had 12 as Memphis shot 47 percent compared to 39 percent for Golden State. The Warriors shot 12 of 38 from 3-point range.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 37 points, and Kevin Durant added 29 points and 13 rebounds. But both were ejected with 43.6 seconds left after arguing with officials — Curry first after throwing his mouthpiece, and then Durant as he followed Curry’s argument.
JAZZ 96, THUNDER 87
SALT LAKE CITY — Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead Utah past Oklahoma City..
The Jazz never trailed after taking a 13-12 lead in the first quarter.
Oklahoma City’s All-Star trio of Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony were bottled up in the first half by an active Utah defense. By the time George and Anthony got going, the come-from-behind climb was too steep. Anthony scored a game-high 26 and George added 22.
BUCKS 113,
TRAIL BLAZERS 110
MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 17 of his career-high 44 points in the fourth quarter, and he gave Milwaukee the lead for good on a breakaway dunk with 11 seconds left.
With Portland leading 110-109, the Trail Blazers lost the ball and Antetokounmpo’s thunderous dunk put the Bucks ahead. After a timeout, Damian Lillard found Jusef Nurkic running down the lane, but Antetokounmpo blocked his shot at the basket, sending the 7-foot center crashing to the floor.
ROCKETS 107,
MAVERICKS 91
HOUSTON — James Harden scored 29 points and Houston beat Dallas in its their home opener.
Playing without point guard Chris Paul, who is week-to-week with a left knee injury, Harden frequently bulldozed his way into the paint for layups while also keeping hot from beyond the arc. Harden made six of 13 3-pointers and added seven assists in 29 minutes.
PISTONS 111, KNICKS 107.
NEW YORK — Tobias Harris scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half, and Detroit erased a 21-point deficit to beat New York.
Harris was one of the many Pistons who had little going to start the Pistons’ second game in two nights, but they turned it around after halftime to spoil the Knicks’ home opener.
HEAT 112, PACERS 108
MIAMI — Goran Dragic scored 23 points, Dion Waiters added 19 and Miami opened its home schedule with a victory over Indiana.
James Johnson scored 14 points and Kelly Olynyk added 13 for the Heat, who wasted nearly all of what was a 21-point lead before hanging on in the final moments. Josh Richardson added 12 for Miami.
Victor Oladipo scored 28 points for Indiana.
RAPTORS 128, 76ERS 94
TORONTO — DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points, Serge Ibaka had 21 and Toronto won its 10th straight home game over Philadelphia.
Kyle Lowry scored 17 points, Jakob Poeltl had a career-high 14 and the Raptors won for the 16th time in 17 meetings with the 76ers. The 34-point margin of victory was Toronto’s biggest ever over Philadelphia, eclipsing a 32-point win on Nov. 9, 2014.
Ben Simmons had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers.
NUGGETS 96, KINGS 79
DENVER — Paul Millsap had 18 points and nine rebounds in his first home game with Denver, Gary Harris scored 17 points and the Nuggets used a strong defensive effort to beat Sacramento.
Kenneth Faried had 18 points and eight rebounds and Will Barton scored 15 points to help Denver win its home opener. Rookie De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 18 points.
