Pelicans’ Zion thrills in debut
LOS ANGELES: New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson flashed some brilliance in his long-awaited NBA debut on Wednesday, but the San Antonio Spurs spoiled the party at Smoothie King Center with a 121-117 victory over the Pelicans.
Williamson, the first overall choice in last year’s draft, missed the first 44 games of the season while rehabbing from arthroscopic knee surgery. He struggled for three quarters before scoring 17 consecutive Pelicans points to briefly give them the lead in the fourth quarter before sitting out the final 5½ minutes as Spurs regained control.
Brandon Ingram matched Williamson’s 22 points for New Orleans. Lonzo Ball had 14 points and 12 assists, Jrue Holiday scored 12, Derrick Favors had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and JJ Redick and Josh Hart scored 10 apiece.
Williamson also amassed seven rebounds, three assists and five turnovers while playing 18 minutes, 18 seconds.
Utah completed their first seasonseries sweep of Golden State in 10 years, using 23 points from Donovan Mitchell and 22 from Rudy Gobert as the foundation for a 129-96 victory in San Francisco.
Gobert, who had been a bit iffy for the game after rolling his ankle in a Monday home win over the Indiana Pacers, also had a game-high 15 rebounds for the Jazz, whose first three wins over the Warriors this season had come by a total of just 26 points. Mitchell shot 8-for13 and Gobert 10-for-13, helping Utah connect on 53.8 percent in the game.
The Warriors were limited to 39.8 percent shooting. Golden State’s D’Angelo Russell led all scorers with 26 points.
John Collins scored 33 points and reserve Brandon Goodwin scored all 19 of his points in the second half to help the short-handed Hawks erase a 21-point deficit and defeat shorthanded Los Angeles 102-95 at Atlanta.
Collins was 12 of 22 from the field and added 16 rebounds, matching his season high. It was his ninth doubledouble and third 30-point effort of the season. The Hawks also got 12 points and seven rebounds from Kevin Huerter plus 10 points from Cam Reddish.
The Hawks were without leading scorer and floor leader Trae Young, a game-time scratch due to a right thigh contusion. The Clippers were playing without starters Kawhi Leonard (load management), Paul George (left hamstring strain) and Patrick Beverley (groin). Montrezl Harrell led Los Angeles with 30 points.
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 28 points for visiting Los Angeles, who held off New York 100-92.
Davis was seven of 14 from the field and 13 of 13 from the free-throw line, matching his most conversions without a miss in a game this season. LeBron James had 21 points and six rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Lakers, who won for the 11th time in 13 games.
Marcus Morris Sr scored 20 points and Damyean Dotson came off the bench to add 17 for the Knicks, who have lost four of their past five and are 2-9 in their past 11. Julius Randle had 16 points for New York.
Zach LaVine scored 25 points — including a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:26 minutes to go — and Cristiano Felicio notched a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds to lift hosts Chicago past slumping Minnesota 117-110.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored a gamehigh 40 points and Andrew Wiggins followed with 25 for Minnesota, but it wasn’t enough as the Timberwolves took their seventh straight defeat.
Lauri Markkanen followed LaVine with 21 points and hit four treys to become the 13th player in league history with 100 made 3-pointers in his first three NBA seasons. Luke Kornet (15 points), Kris Dunn (14) and Coby White (12) also finished in double figures for Chicago.
Fred VanVleet scored 22 points and added eight assists as Toronto beat visiting Philadelphia 107-95.
Pascal Siakam added 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Raptors, who have won five in a row and have won 15 straight regular-season home games against the 76ers. Norman Powell contributed 18 points off the bench for Toronto.