NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving had 39 points and nine assists, and the Brooklyn Nets withstood Brandon Ingram’s career-high 40 points to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 135-125 on Monday night.
The Nets had 67 points at halftime and a 20-point lead in the third quarter, but could never get comfortable until the final minute as Ingram kept coming at them.
He shot 17 for 24 from the field in his first 40-point game and the Pelicans scored a franchise-record 48 points in the third quarter. They got within two in the fourth but could never get enough stops to catch the Nets.
Caris LeVert added 23 points, Joe Harris had 19 and Jarrett Allen finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who follow this game with a five-game road trip, their longest of the season, with the first four in the West.
Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball each scored 15 points for the Pelicans, who fell to 1-6.
SUNS 114, 76ERS 109
PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 40 points, Ricky Rubio added 21 points and 10 assists, and Phoenix beat the NBA’s final undefeated team by knocking off Philadelphia.
Phoenix (5-2) is three games over .500 for the first time in more than four years. The surprising Suns are on a three-game winning streak and off to their best seven-game start since 2013.
Booker, serenaded with MVP chants from the home crowd in the fourth quarter, has 6,003 points in his career. He’s the eighth-youngest player in NBA history to reach 6,000. The fifth-year guard, who turned 23 last week, finished 15 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and 7 of 7 on free throws.
Playing without suspended star Joel Embiid, the 76ers (5-1) were led by Al Horford’s 32 points. Horford tied a career high with five 3-pointers and shot 13 of 20 from the field. Tobias Harris added 24 points and Furkan Korkmaz had 20.
ROCKETS 107, GRIZZLIES 100
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — James Harden scored 44 points, and Houston recovered from a poor performance one night earlier to earn a victory over Memphis.
Harden carried the load for the Rockets, who didn’t shoot particularly well and were without Russell Westbrook because he had the night off for rest. The 2018 NBA MVP finished 12 of 28 from the field, including 7 of 16 from 3-point range. He added 10 rebounds and six assists.
Eric Gordon scored 16 points, and Clint Capela had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Rookie guard Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 23 points and six assists.
The game got testy with about two minutes left when Grizzlies forward Jae Crowder appeared to take a shot to the groin while guarding Harden. After the foul was called on Crowder, Harden and the Grizzlies exchanged words, leading to Crowder’s ejection. Harden was called for a flagrant-1 foul after a review by officials.
BUCKS 134,
TIMBERWOLVES 106
MINNEAPOLIS — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 15 rebounds as Milwaukee beat Minnesota.
Last season’s NBA MVP has posted a double-double in all seven games this season.
Khris Middleton added 26 points to match his season high, and Eric Bledsoe set a season best with 22. Bledsoe added nine rebounds and six assists for the Bucks in a game delayed 50 minutes so one of the baskets could be fixed before tipoff.
Andrew Wiggins led the Timberwolves with 25 points. Minnesota played without center Karl-Anthony Towns, who served the second game of a two-game suspension.
Milwaukee broke open the game with a 38-point third quarter that included a 22-6 run.
WIZARDS 115, PISTONS 99
WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal’s 20 points and six assists helped Washington shake off an ugly loss and beat the depleted Pistons in a half-empty arena while ending Detroit star Andre Drummond’s 20-20 streak.
Two days after losing by 22 at home to Minnesota, the Wizards improved to 2-4 thanks to 14 points and eight rebounds from Thomas Bryant, and nine points and six assists from Isaiah Thomas in his first start of the season.
Rookie forward Rui Hachimura bounced back from his worst game as a pro with 10 first-quarter points for Washington and ended up with 12 points and four rebounds.
Luke Kennard led the Pistons with 24 points. Detroit was without Blake Griffin (left hamstring and knee), Derrick Rose (right hamstring) and Reggie Jackson (lower back).
Bidding to become the first player in at least 35 seasons to post four consecutive games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds, Drummond finished with 15 points and 24 boards. He shot 6 of 20, going 1 for 8 in the fourth quarter as Washington pulled away.
