Thunder beat Suns to earn first victory of the season
NEW YORK: Making his first start in nearly a year, Nerlens Noel scored 20 points and added 15 rebounds to help Oklahoma City Thunder pick up their first win of the season, 117-110 over visiting Phoenix Suns.
Noel’s addition to the line-up was a late one, as Steven Adams was scratched shortly before the game after experiencing left calf tightness in warm-up.
Noel’s last start came Nov 3, 2017, for Dallas Mavericks.
He produced his first 20-point game since Feb 19, 2016.
Thunder forward Paul George, who scored 23 points, hit a buzzer-beater from just beyond midcourt to end the third period.
Russell Westbrook also scored 23 for Oklahoma City, who had lost their first four games.
Phoenix’s Devin Booker (hamstring) missed a second consecutive game, and Isaiah Canaan sprained his left ankle after playing just five minutes and missed the rest of the game.
With Canaan out, rookie Elie Okobo played a season-high 30 minutes and tied for the team high with 18 points.
TJ Warren also had 18 points.
Kevin Durant hit a jumper with 1:42 remaining and Stephen Curry added a three-pointer 40 seconds later, allowing Golden State to stave off a late rally by Brooklyn for a victory in New York.
Curry finished with 35 points and Durant 34 as Golden State, after dominating most of the game, held on for their fourth straight win.
D’Angelo Russell had 25 points and Caris LeVert 23 for the Nets, who lost their second straight.
Rudy Gobert outdueled DeAndre Jordan in a classic battle of big men, contributing a team-high 23 points and 16 rebounds to Utah’s victory at Dallas.
Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points and the Jazz shot 52.5% from the field en route to their third straight victory.
Jordan had 12 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists, narrowly missing his first career triple-double.
Dennis Smith Jr topped the Mavericks with 27 points.
Tobias Harris had 22 points and 11 rebounds,
Lou Williams scored 17 off the bench and Los Angeles routed visiting Washington.
Avery Bradley chipped 15 points and Montrezl Harrell and Boban Marjanovic contributed 13 each for the Clippers, who had score nine men in double figures and never trailed.
Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 20 points and John Wall had 18. — Reuters