Orlando spoils Butler’s debut
New addition scores 14 in first game with 76ers
ORLANDO, Fla. — Jimmy Butler had 14 points in his Philadelphia debut, but the 76ers collapsed late and lost to Orlando 111-106 after Jonathon Simmons hit a 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds left that helped the Magic finish off a big comeback Wednesday night.
Orlando scored 21 straight points in the fourth quarter, then held the 76ers without a field goal over the final 3½ minutes.
Nikola Vucevic had 30 points for the Magic, including two free throws with 5.8 seconds remaining.
Joel Embiid finished with a tripledouble of 19 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the 76ers, who lost for the seventh time in nine road games.
Butler played 33 minutes and shot 6 for 12 from the field. The four-time All-Star was acquired Monday from Minnesota in a five-player trade. PISTONS 106, RAPTORS 104: In Toronto, Reggie Bullock made the winning shot as time expired and Detroit rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat Toronto, giving coach Dwane Casey a victory over his former team.
Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway each scored 13 points and Stanley Johnson had 12 for the Pistons. They had lost six of eight.
Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points and former New Mexico State standout Pascal Siakam and Greg Monroe each had 17 for the Raptors. They have lost consecutive home games after a 7-0 start. Toronto (12-3) also failed to match the best start in franchise history. The Raptors went 13-2 to begin the 2014-15 season. GRIZZLIES 116, BUCKS 113: In Milwaukee, Marc Gasol scored 29 points, Mike Conley added 26 and Memphis used a late 15-2 run to hand Milwaukee its first home loss of the season.
After losing a 15-point lead in the third quarter, Memphis surged ahead again late and held on with key baskets from Conley. With the shot clock winding down, Conley hit a turnaround jumper in the middle of the lane for a 113-109 lead with 26 seconds left. TIMBERWOLVES 107, PELICANS 100: In Minneapolis, Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points and Minnesota beat New Orleans to improve to 2-0 since trading Jimmy Butler.
The game was Minnesota’s first with forwards Robert Covington and Dario Saric. They were acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers along with injured guard Jerryd Bayless in exchange for the disgruntled Butler.
Covington started and had 13 points and seven rebounds. Saric added nine points and three rebounds. THUNDER 128, KNICKS 103: In Oklahoma City, Paul George scored a season-high 35 points to help Oklahoma City rout New York.
Steven Adams had 19 points and seven rebounds, and Dennis Schroder added 15 points and 12 assists for the Thunder. OKC has won nine of 10 since an 0-4 start and improved to 4-1 since point guard Russell Westbrook was sidelined with a sprained left ankle.
CELTICS 111, BULLS 82: In Boston, Kyrie Irving had 17 points and seven assists and Boston routed Chicago.
Jaylen Brown scored 18 points and Jayson Tatum added 14 to help Boston rebound from two straight losses on a 1-4 trip. Gordon Hayward had 11 points, and Al Horford added 10 points and eight rebounds. LAKERS 126, TRAIL BLAZERS 117: In Los Angeles, LeBron James scored 44 points and was an assist shy of a triple-double to lead Los Angeles to a win over Portland.
James passed Wilt Chamberlain for fifth all-time on the scoring list with a three-point play at the 3:55 mark in the fourth quarter. WIZARDS 119, CAVALIERS 95: In Washington, Bradley Beal scored 20 points, Otto Porter added 15 and Washington beat Cleveland for its third straight victory.
Rookie Collin Sexton had a careerhigh 24 points for Cleveland, and David Nwaba added 11 points.
SUNS 116, SPURS 96: In Phoenix, T.J. Warren scored 16 of his 27 points in the first half and Phoenix built a big lead, almost lost it and then pulled away for a victory over San Antonio.
MAVERICKS 118, JAZZ 68: In Dallas, Harrison Barnes scored 19 points and Dallas handed the Jazz their worst loss since moving to Utah.
HEAT 120, NETS 107: In New York, Tyler Johnson scored a season-high 24 points, Goran Dragic had 21 and Miami beat Brooklyn to snap a threegame losing streak.