AUSTRALIAN BASKETBALL SENSATION FIRES UP

BEN Simmons has scored a career-high 23 points as Philadelphia survived a late Dallas charge to prevail 112-110, for their second win of the NBA season.

The 21-year-old Australian rookie added seven rebounds and eight assists in another performance that was highlighted by a ridiculous righthanded put-back jam in the fourth quarter as the Sixers won on the road to improve their season record to 2-4.

Joel Embiid had 23 points and nine rebounds for Philadelphia while the Mavericks’ Harrison Barnes had a game high 25 points.

Dallas had a chance to tie the game with 0.2 seconds remaining with Yogi Ferrell at the free throw line, but the guard missed the first attempt and Dallas couldn’t score on a rebound after he intentionally missed the second. Simmons’ fellow Australian Joe Ingles had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists as Utah beat the Los Angeles Lakers 96-81.

Donovan Mitchell (22 points) and Ricky Rubio (21 points) led the Jazz while Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball got nine points on three of 10 shooting.

Boomers big man Aron Baynes had six points and five rebounds in Boston’s 96-90 win over Miami, with Kyrie Irving scoring nine of his 24 points in the final 2:03min.

“Just big possessions down the stretch [and] understanding you have to stay poised,” Irving said.

Jayson Tatum scored 20 and Marcus Smart added 16 for the Celtics, who made it four wins on the trot after two losses to start their season. A DeMarcus Cousins triple-double, of 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and 30 points from Anthony Davis helped New Orleans beat Cleveland 123-101. “We’re starting to understand what it takes to win games,” Cousins said.

Saturday’s other winners were Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies.