< Spencer Dinwiddie
scores 22 points to help lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 112-107 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Nets 112, Cavaliers 107
Spencer Dinwiddie made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 43 seconds left while starting for the injured D'Angelo Russell, and Brooklyn overcame LeBron James' first triple-double of the season to beat Cleveland on Wednesday night. James had 29 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in his 56th triple-double, but he missed two free throws — the second intentionally — with the Cavaliers trailing by two with 7.6 seconds remaining. DeMarre Carroll then hit a free throw and the Cavs' long inbounds pass intended for James went out of bounds. Dinwiddie scored 22 points for the Nets, who blew a 14-point lead in the final quarter but recovered to improve to 3-2 — the same record as the defending Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe added 19 points apiece and Carroll scored 18 for the Nets, who fell just shy of becoming the first NBA team in 32 years to open a season with five straight 115-point games. James appeared in his 772nd game with the Cavs, passing former teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas for most in team history. But it turned into a frustrating night. He started at point guard for the second straight night with Derrick Rose still nursing a sprained left ankle and Dwyane Wade joining him after bruising his left knee in Tuesday's victory over Chicago. He ran the offense fine but his longrange shooters couldn't convert enough of his passes. Kevin Love finished 4 for 13 from the floor and J.R. Smith was 1 for 9, missing all five 3-point attempts. The Nets led by 14 when Quincy Acy made a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the fourth, but James led the Cavs on a 13-0 run that gave them a 94-92 lead on Love's 3-pointer. The teams traded narrow leads from there. Russell, the Nets' leading scorer, sat out after spraining his right knee in Tuesday's loss at Orlando. Eric Gordon hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Houston to a win over Philadelphia. The Sixers were sloppy down the stretch and used a series of bad decisions and bad plays to cough up a lead that had stretched to 11. Joel Embiid was whistled for goaltending, and the Sixers had Jerryd Bayless take a shot with the game still on the line instead of Embiid or Ben Simmons. While the Sixers collapsed, the Rockets pounced and scored the final nine points. Gordon scored 29 points, James Harden had 27 and Clint Capela had 16 points and 20 rebounds. J.J. Redick scored 22 points, Embiid had 21 and Robert Covington 20 for the Sixers.
Spurs 117, Heat 100
LaMarcus Aldridge continued his hot start by scoring 31 points, Rudy Gay added a season-high 22 off the bench and the San Antonio Spurs stayed unbeaten by topping the Miami Heat 117-100 on Wednesday night. The win was No. 1,154 for San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, now one shy of matching Phil Jackson for sixth-most in NBA history. Danny Green scored 15, Manu Ginobili had 14, Pau Gasol scored 13 and Kyle Anderson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who are 4-0 even without injured starters Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. Tyler Johnson scored 23 points for Miami, while James Johnson finished with 21 and Goran Dragic added 20. Thunder 114, Pacers 96
Paul George was held to 10 points against his former team, but Russell Westbrook's triple-double picked up the slack and helped Oklahoma City beat Indiana. The Pacers traded George to Oklahoma City after it became public knowledge that he didn't plan on staying with the team long-term. He fouled out with 6:15 remaining after playing just 19 minutes. Westbrook finished with 28 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Steven Adams added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, who snapped a two-game skid. Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who were sent from Oklahoma City to Indiana as part of the George deal, both started against their former team. Oladipo scored 35 points. Darren Collison added 18 points for the Pacers.
Pistons 122, Timberwolves 101
Tobias Harris scored 34 points, Avery Bradley added 20 and Detroit overcame another slow start to beat Minnesota. Andre Drummond had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who improved to 3-2. All five Detroit starters reached double figures, as did reserve Henry Ellenson. Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, while Andrew Wiggins added 21. The Timberwolves lost for the second time in two nights.
Hornets 110, Nuggets 93
Frank Kaminsky scored 20 points off the bench, Dwight Howard had 15 points and 19 rebounds, and Charlotte beat Denver. Charlotte opened a 25-point lead in the first half and led 62-39 at the break on the way to its second win of the season. Denver has lost two straight. Kemba Walker added 19 points and five assists for Charlotte. Malik Monk scored 12 of his 17 in the first half, and Jeremy Lamb finished with 16 points. Nikola Jokic had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Nuggets. Gary Harris also scored 18, and Jamal Murray had 16. Mason Plumlee grabbed 10 rebounds to go with eight points.