Cavs get first win since firing coach
The Cavs came in as the NBA’s only winless team, and Lue paid the price for club’s slow start.
CLEVELAND — Rodney Hood scored a season-high 26 points, Cedi Osman added 20 and Cleveland ended its six-game losing streak to start the season, beating the Atlanta Hawks 136-114 on Tuesday night in the Cavaliers’ first game since coach Tyronn Lue was fired.
The Cavs came in as the NBA’s only winless team, and Lue paid the price for club’s slow start.
But with Larry Drew serving as Cleveland’s “acting” coach while he tries to get the team to restructure his contract, the Cavs played a complete game — Cleveland had seven players in double figures — and avoided their first 0-7 start since 1995-96.
Rookie Trae Young scored 24 and Alex Len 22 for the Hawks. Young scored a season-high 35 against the Cavs on Oct. 21, wrecking their home opener.
RAPTORS 129, 76ERS 112
In Toronto, Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, Pascal Siakam had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, and the Raptors bounced back from its first loss of the season by routing Philadelphia, handing the 76ers their 12th consecutive defeat north of the border.
Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 13 assists, extending his streak of double-digit assist games to a career-best six. Jonas Valanciunas scored a season-high 23 points and Serge Ibaka had 16 as the Raptors improved to 6-0 at home.
Joel Embiid scored 31 points, Robert Covington had 15 and JJ
Redick scored 13 as the 76ers lost for the first time in three games.
TRAIL BLAZERS 104, ROCKETS 85
In Houston, Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic scored 22 points each, and Portland never trailed in a trouncing of the struggling Rockets.
The Rockets dropped their fourth straight in their second game without James Harden, who is out with a hamstring injury, to fall to 1-5. After entering the season with eyes on a championship, the Rockets have rarely even been competitive, dropping their four home games by an average of more than 17 points.
Now they face a season-long five-game road trip where they’ll likely be without Harden and fellow starter James Ennis (right hamstring) for at least the first game and possibly more.
THUNDER 128, CLIPPERS 110
In Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook scored 32 points and
had another run-in with Patrick Beverley in the Thunder’s victory over Los Angeles.
The Thunder outscored the Clippers 39-10 in the third quarter, and the only drama in the fourth was the dustup between Westbrook and Beverley. Beverley dove at Westbrook’s left knee, and both were issued technical after jawing in front of the benches. Police officers stepped onto the court to help keep the teams separated. Upon review, Beverley’s foul was ruled a flagrant 1.
Westbrook tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee during the playoffs in 2013 when Beverley lunged for the ball as Westbrook prepared to call timeout.
CELTICS 108, PISTONS 105
In Boston, Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 31 points, Marcus Morris had 15 points and nine rebounds and the Celtics beat Detroit, handing the Pistons back-to-back losses after a 4-0 start.
Jayson Tatum scored 16, Jaylen Brown had 14 points and Al Horford scored 11 for Boston.
Blake Griffin had 24 points and 15 rebounds for Detroit, which couldn’t recover after scoring just 13 points in the third quarter. The Pistons chopped Boston’s 14-point lead down to a point with 4:21 left to play, and then again with 12 seconds remaining, but couldn’t quite complete the comeback.
HORNETS 125, HEAT 113
In Charlotte, N.C., Tony Parker had 24 points and 11 assists to lead a big night from Charlotte’s bench, and the Hornets beat Miami.
Behind Parker, who provided a spark all game long with his scoring, passing and decisionmaking, Charlotte’s reserves outscored Miami’s 66-46. Malik Monk had 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist contributed 14 points and eight rebounds for the second unit.
KINGS 107, MAGIC 99
In Orlando, Fla., Buddy Hield finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Sacramento beat the Magic and extended its winning streak to four games.
Hield scored six points in a 13-2 run to close out the third quarter and the Kings held on for the victory and matched their longest winning streak since February 2017.
GRIZZLIES 107, WIZARDS 95
In Memphis, Tenn., Garrett Temple scored 20 points, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley added 19 apiece and the Grizzlies sent Washington to its fourth straight loss.
Shelvin Mack added 14 for Memphis, which won its second straight and opened the season 3-0 at home. Conley added seven assists, while Temple had seven rebounds.