Story by
Avdija scores 24 and Lillard has 22 as Portland rolls over Utah
- Story by
- Avdija scores 24 and Lillard has 22 as Portland rolls over Utah
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Deni Avdija scored 24 points, Damian Lillard added 22, and the Portland Trail Blazers rebounded from their first loss of the season by blowing past the Utah Jazz 112-90 on Saturday.
Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson, and Jrue Holiday each tallied 14 points as Portland (4-1) rebounded from losing to Memphis on Thursday.
Advertisement
Rookie Darryn Peterson scored 16 points and Lauri Markkanen had 13 points on 3-for-14 shooting for the Jazz in their fourth straight loss.
The game marked the first time Utah hasn't reached 103 points this season with the Blazers forcing Utah's lowest shooting percentage of the season at 37.1%.
76ERS 109 , HORNETS 104
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points, Anfernee Simons added 19 points off the bench Philadelphia proved they could win without stars LeBron James and Joel Embiid, battling back to beat Charlotte.
Jaylen Brown, who was considered a game-time decision, started and finished with 16 points for the 76ers.
Advertisement
The sellout crowd of 19,533 at the Spectrum Center didn't get to see James and Embiid play as the 76ers rested both players one night after beating the New York Knicks in an intense NBA Cup game.
Grayson Allen had 27 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting from 3-point range for the Hornets, while Brandon Miller added 24 points on five 3s.
PELICANS 121, HAWKS 99
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saddiq Bey scored 25 points in a reserve role, Jeremiah Fears added 20 points, and New Orleans beat Atlanta.
Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III each scored 15 for the Pelicans, who lead by 28 en route to their second straight victory after losing their first four games.
Advertisement
CJ McCollum, playing in New Orleans for the first time since the Pelicans traded him to Washington in June 2025, scored 14 points for Atlanta. Fans applauded while a tribute video that the Pelicans produced for McCollum played on the videoboards above the court.
GRIZZLIES 136, KINGS 105
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Rookie Cameron Boozer had 27 points and nine rebounds, Isaiah Stewart added 24 points as Memphis remained the only unbeaten team in the NBA with a victory over Sacramento.
The Grizzlies' 6-0 record matches the 2014-15 season for the best start in franchise history. After the Houston Rockets' 116-111 loss at Dallas on Friday night, Memphis was the last unbeaten team in the league. The Grizzlies dominated the Kings in the second half to coast home, with the lead reaching 34 in the second half.
Advertisement
GG Jackson finished with 21 points, connecting on all five of his 3-pointers as Memphis built its lead in the first half. Cam Spencer, starting at point guard as Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. sat out with back issues, had 10 points and 13 assists.
Meanwhile, the Kings, led by 38 points from Darus Acuff Jr., continue to struggle in the season's early stages, dropping to 0-6. Acuff, the rookie from Arkansas, scored 34 points against New Orleans in a loss Thursday, De'Andre Hunter finished with 19 points. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine scored 11 points each, Sabonis adding 14 rebounds and eight assists.
CAVALIERS 136, BUCKS 111
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Evan Mobley scored 27 points and Jarrett Allen had 25 as Cleveland cruised past Milwaukee.
Advertisement
Mobley connected on 11 of 16 shots while Allen made 12 of 16 for Cleveland (4-2), which bounced back after having its three-game winning streak snapped on Thursday at Atlanta.
Allen and Mario Hezonja each had 11 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell added 15 points and James Harden chipped in with 13 points and seven assists.
The Bucks held a 25-24 advantage after one quarter before the Cavaliers erupted for 48 second-quarter points and grabbed a 72-46 lead at the half. Cleveland shot 62% in the first half and was paced by Allen's 19 points. Milwaukee shot 31% through two quarters.
The Cavaliers cracked the 100-point mark with 2:22 left in the third quarter on Allen's putback and built a 34-point lead late in the third while tallying 37 points in the period.
Advertisement
Kel'el Ware had 19 points, Tyler Herro had 15 and Kyle Kuzma and rookies Nate Ament and Brayden Burries scored 14 apiece for Milwaukee (1-5).
SPURS 121, TIMBERWOLVES 111
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 43 points, seven rebounds, six blocks and four assists as San Antonio beat Minnesota Timberwolves for their fourth straight victory.
Dylan Harper added 25 points and six assists for San Antonio in the opener of a three-game homestand. De'Aaron Fox scored 20.
Wembanyama was 17 of 34 from the field in reaching 40 points for the 10th time in the regular season and the 11th time in his career. After blocking Jonathan Kuminga's 3-point attempt, Wembanyama raced downcourt for a two-handed dunk to give him 40 points.
Advertisement
Ayo Dosunmu had 27 points and nine rebounds to lead the short-handed Timberwolves. Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels added 19 points apiece.
ROCKETS 119, THUNDER 98
HOUSTON (AP) — Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points and nine rebounds, Marcus Smart added 24 points and Houston beat Oklahoma City.
Smith shot 10 of 18 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. Smart was 7 of 10 on 3s as the Rockets shot 46% as a team and were 18 of 41 from behind the arc.
Alperen Sengun, who returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with lower back soreness, finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, and Kevin Durant scored 14 points.
Advertisement
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, and Kenrich Williams and Bennett Stirtz scored 11 apiece for Oklahoma City, which lost its second straight after beginning the season 4-0.
_____
