NBA Roundup: Jokic Leads Nuggets' Epic Comeback, Embiid Shines for 76ers
The NBA's opening week brings high drama as Denver erases a 23-point deficit behind Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia stays perfect without LeBron James, and Devin Booker explodes for 43 points to lead Phoenix past Golden State.
The opening week of the NBA season continues to deliver unexpected results. Miami dropped to a 0-3 record after suffering another loss, this time 115-110 to Charlotte. Meanwhile, Philadelphia managed without LeBron James to improve to 3-0, Houston and Kevin Durant secured their third consecutive victory, and Golden State continues to struggle.
Denver Nuggets 141, New Orleans Pelicans 125 (OT)
Nikola Jokic once again took center stage as Denver erased a 23-point deficit to complete a stunning comeback in overtime. The Serbian star scored eight of his 35 points in the extra session, adding 15 rebounds and 10 assists to record his 199th career regular-season triple-double, placing him second all-time behind Russell Westbrook's 209. Jamal Murray caught fire with 42 points, and rookie Trevon Brazile added 17, including seven in overtime. New Orleans shot 65.9 percent in the first half to build a massive lead, but Jokic and Murray rallied the Nuggets. Back-to-back three-pointers from the duo and a reverse dunk by Aaron Gordon erased the deficit in the fourth quarter. Trey Murphy led the Pelicans with 26 points as they dropped their third straight game.
Charlotte Hornets 115, Miami Heat 110
Brandon Miller bounced back impressively from a difficult shooting night against Atlanta to lead Charlotte with 34 points. Just a day earlier, he finished with only six points on 2-of-14 shooting, four days after signing a five-year, $209 million contract extension. Dennis Schroder added 25 points, Naz Reid scored 23, and Grayson Allen chipped in 20. Charlotte converted 16 three-pointers, five of which fueled a 24-7 run in the third quarter. Miami clawed back to tie the game at 104-104, but Allen sank an acrobatic three-pointer while being fouled to complete a four-point play. Giannis Antetokounmpo was restricted to 14 points before fouling out, while Davion Mitchell paced the Heat with 22.
San Antonio Spurs 122, Dallas Mavericks 106
Victor Wembanyama tallied 23 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks to guide San Antonio to its first victory of the season. Dylan Harper added 22 points, while De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle contributed 19 apiece, helping the Spurs avoid starting 0-3 for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign. Dallas played without Cooper Flagg, who is dealing with a shoulder injury following a hard fall against Indiana, and Kyrie Irving, who rested on the second night of a back-to-back. Rookie Sergio De Larrea led the Mavericks with 21 points off the bench. San Antonio squandered a 14-point lead in the third quarter but opened the final period with a 17-5 run to pull away.
Philadelphia 76ers 127, Milwaukee Bucks 116
Even without LeBron James, Philadelphia maintained its perfect record. Joel Embiid posted a triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, Tyrese Maxey added 26, and Jaylen Brown celebrated his 30th birthday with 27 points. LeBron, sidelined due to lower back soreness, rested on the first night of a back-to-back and is expected to return against Detroit. In the fourth quarter, Brown drained a three-pointer off an assist from Embiid, sealing the center's triple-double, before Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit another shot to halt a Milwaukee comeback attempt. Milwaukee remained winless after three games, paced by Jaime Jaquez Jr. with 21 points and Kyle Kuzma with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Cleveland Cavaliers 125, Brooklyn Nets 121
Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points, Jarrett Allen added 21, and Evan Mobley finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds as Cleveland rebounded from a collapse against Philadelphia. The Cavs nearly squandered another big lead, watching a 17-point cushion evaporate in the final four minutes before securing their eighth consecutive victory over Brooklyn. Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 28 points, Julius Randle added 23, and Egor Demin contributed 22, including 15 in the fourth quarter. Sam Merrill iced the game from the free-throw line for Cleveland.
Phoenix Suns 131, Golden State Warriors 122
Returning home, Devin Booker exploded for 43 points to lead Phoenix past Golden State. Booker shot 17-of-25 from the field, adding seven rebounds and seven assists, including 17 points in a dominant third quarter. Miles Bridges scored 16 points and Dillon Brooks added 15. Playing their third game in four nights and missing Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Podziemski, and Al Horford, the Warriors fell to 0-3 for the first time in 19 years. Rookie Jakkel Landburg led Golden State with 26 points and six three-pointers, while De'Anthony Melton added 25.
Houston Rockets 121, Atlanta Hawks 114
Kevin Durant led Houston with 22 points, while Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason chipped in 19 each as the Rockets opened a season with three straight wins for the first time since 2017-18. Atlanta erased most of a 20-point deficit before Durant sealed the win with two free throws with 18.9 seconds remaining. Amen Thompson recorded his third consecutive double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Alperen Sengun added 17 points and 10 boards. Jalen Johnson paced Atlanta with 26 points and tied a career-high with 16 assists.
