NBA Roundup

THUNDER 120, WARRIORS 92

OKLAHOMA CITY — Finally, Thunder fans have something to cheer about.

Dennis Schroder scored 22 points to help Oklahoma City rout the Golden State Warriors for their first victory of the season.

It was a long-awaited ray of hope for fans who have been looking for something to cling to after the Thunder traded away longtime star Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul in the offseason. The blowout matched Oklahoma City’s largest margin of victory over the Warriors since the franchise moved from Seattle before the 2008-09 season.

The fact that the breakthrough came against the Warriors didn’t mean much to Paul.

“I think it was more about us, not about them,” he said. “We’ve got to have an identity. How we are going to play defensively and offensively? Pushing the pace, moving the ball and playing with the right spirit.”

Now, Paul and Westbrook will face off Monday night in Houston. Paul said it might be a bit awkward, but he won’t make a big deal about it.

“It’ll be my first time back there since I got traded so you know, it’s another game,” he said. “Move on. See a couple familiar faces say what up to my man the equipment manager. Keep it pushing.”

The Warriors still have a lot to figure out. Stephen Curry scored 23 points on Sunday, making 7 of 18 shots while his teammates made just 23 of 74. Golden State was coming off a season-opening home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kevin Durant left the Warriors for Brooklyn in the offseason and Klay Thompson is likely out for the season with a torn left ACL. Still, Golden State expected to be more competitive early in the season.

“It sucks,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “But I guess just about everybody except Tim Duncan has been through it. But it sucks pretty bad.”

Oklahoma City roared out to a 70-37 halftime lead. The Thunder shot 56.5% before the break while holding the Warriors to 27.5%. Schroder had 16 points and six rebounds in the first half.

A 3-pointer by Danilo Gallinari put the Thunder ahead 95-56 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter and forced a Warriors timeout. Oklahoma City led 105-68 heading into the final period.

Gallinari scored 21 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Thunder.

The Warriors allowed the Thunder to shoot 56% from the field after allowing the Clippers to shoot 63%.

“Everybody loved our offense, but it wasn’t our offense that was making us great,” Green said. “It was our defense. I’ve said that for years. Our defense right now is nonexistent. I don’t even think we know what defense is right now.”

GRIZZLIES 134, NETS 133 OT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jae Crowder hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key as time expired in overtime, lifting the Memphis Grizzlies to a win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Rookie Ja Morant, who led the Grizzlies with 30 points, handed out his ninth assist on Crowder’s winning basket, giving Memphis its first win of the season.

Dillon Brooks scored 21 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Morant also blocked Kyrie Irving’s shot at the end of regulation to keep the score tied at 120-all.

Crowder’s winning 3-pointer was his second basket of the game, as he finished with six points. His previous 3-pointer came with 1:09 left as Memphis took its first lead of overtime at 131-128

Irving finished with 37 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Nets. Caris LeVert added 27 points, Spencer Dinwiddie had 16 points on 3-for-13 shooting from the field.

Brooklyn shot 44%; Memphis shot 49%.

Morant was key in Memphis reaching overtime, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter. Morant’s layup — his final points of the fourth — tied the score at 120 with 7 seconds left. He blocked Irving on the ensuing possession as time ran out in regulation.

TIMBERWOLVES 116, HEAT 109

MINNEAPOLIS — Andrew Wiggins made four 3-pointers in the final six minutes, finishing with 25 points to propel the undefeated Minnesota Timberwolves to a victory over the Miami Heat.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Wolves (3-0), who matched the second-best start in this long-languishing franchise’s history. They were 6-0 in 2001-02 and 3-0 in 2013-14.

Kendrick Nunn had 25 points on 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range, and Duncan Robinson pitched in with 21 points for the Heat, who played again without new star Jimmy Butler and took their first loss after playing in Milwaukee the day before.

Wiggins started the season 0 for 13 from long range, but his first make was well-timed with 5:52 left to tie the game at 96. The Heat had a lead as big as 84-74 on Robinson’s 3-pointer late in the third quarter, but Towns answered from behind the arc in the final minute of that period to give the Wolves momentum.

Wiggins gave the Wolves the lead for good with 2:56 left, the first of three 3-pointers he hit in as many possessions. With 1:45 remaining, he simply dribbled back and forth on the left wing and, with Robinson trying to guard him, swished the inevitable launch for a 110-101 edge that gave him 11 straight points.

The Heat, who haven’t won a playoff series in four seasons, have assembled an energetic bunch in the post-Dwyane Wade era. After erasing a 21-point deficit in the third quarter to beat NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in overtime Saturday, the Heat didn’t flinch after trailing by 13 at the end of the first quarter and facing a double-digit margin for most of the second period. Goran Dragic swished a 3-pointer for a 57-53 lead, capping an 18-2 run just before the break.

TRAIL BLAZERS 121, MAVERICKS 119

DALLAS — Damian Lillard’s twisting layup with 26 seconds remaining proved to be the winner as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Lillard’s basket gave the Blazers a 120-119 lead. Dallas’ Luka Doncic then missed a 3-point attempt and Portland won a challenge of a call that would have sent the Mavericks’ Dorian Finney-Smith to the foul line.

Instead, there was a jump ball. The Blazers’ Kent Bazemore got the ball and was fouled. He made the first of two free throws. Doncic rebounded and passed to Tim Hardaway, whose shot from about midcourt rattled off the front of the rim a time expired.

Lillard, who scored 67 points in Portland’s first two games, finished with two points in the first half on 1-for-7 shooting. He scored 26 in the second half, finishing with 28.

CJ McCollum led the Blazers with 35 points. Rodney Hood had 20 points, Bazemore 11 and Zach Collins 10.

The Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis scored 32 points and Doncic finished 29 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Maxi Kleber had 14 points, Seth Curry 12 and Hardaway 11.

Portland never held the lead through the first three periods, but rallied to tie the game at 95 on one of two free throws by Lillard eight seconds before the end of the third quarter.