Irving’s 50 not enough as Nets fall to T-Wolves

Embiid, 76ers get past Celtics; Doncic, Mavs defeat Wizards

NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving scored 50 points in a record-setting Nets debut, but lost his balance and missed a potential winning shot that allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to pull out a 127-126 victory over Brooklyn in overtime Wednesday night.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 36 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, and Andrew Wiggins added 21 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:19 remaining.

Irving had the ball in his hands with a chance to cap his dazzling debut with a victory, following a Nets timeout. He ran the clock down and then began his drive, but lost his balance near the foul line. He retained his dribble, got up and shot, but his jumper missed.

After signing with the Nets in July, Irving broke Kiki Vandeweghe’s record for most points by a player in his first game with a team. Vandeweghe scored 47 points for Portland at Kansas City on Oct. 27, 1984.

Irving finished with eight rebounds and seven assists. Caris LeVert added 20 points.

76ERS 107, CELTICS 93: In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 15 points and 13 rebounds, Ben Simmons scored 24 points and Philadelphia beat Boston.

Gordon Hayward led the Celtics with 25 points. Jayson Tatum had 21. Kemba Walker scored 12 points on 4-of-18 shooting in his Boston debut, and Al Horford had 16 in his first game with the 76ers.

Furkan Korkmaz and Tobias Harris buried consecutive 3-pointers for Philadelphia — after the Sixers had missed 21 of 24 through three quarters — to stretch the lead to 10.

MAVERICKS 108, WIZARDS 100: In Dallas, Luka Doncic had 34 points and nine rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis scored 23 points in the European pair’s long-awaited first game together, leading Dallas past Washington.

Porzingis missed his first four shots before taking a break and coming back to score nine points in the final 2:45 of the first quarter. The 7-foot-3 Latvian acquired in a blockbuster deal with the New York Knicks before the trading deadline last season was 7 of 16 from the field.

Doncic and Porzingis traded long 3-pointers throughout the game, finishing 7 of 16 between them (4 of 9 for Doncic, 3 of 7 for Porzingis). Doncic was 12 of 19 overall.

Washington rookie Rui Hachimura, the first Japanese-born player drafted in the first round, had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Bradley Beal scored 19 points less than a week after the All-Star guard signed a $72 million, two-year extension.

HEAT 120, GRIZZLIES 101: In Miami, Justise Winslow scored 27 points, rookie Kendrick Nunn scored 24 in his NBA debut and Miami ran away in the fourth quarter to beat Memphis.

Goran Dragic scored 19 points for Miami, which played without Jimmy Butler because of personal reasons. Nunn and fellow rookie Tyler Herro started in the backcourt instead.

Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, scored 14 points and had four assists for Memphis. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 17 points.

PISTONS 119, PACERS 110: In Indianapolis, Andre Drummond had 32 points and 23 rebounds, and Luke Kennard made three 3-pointers in the final six minutes in Detroit’s opening victory over Indiana.

Kennard scored 30 points, a career best, and matched his career high with six 3s.

Domantas Sabonis had 27 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana. Myles Turner added 25 points, and Malcolm Brogdon had 22 in his Pacers debut.

SPURS 120, KNICKS 111: In San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points, Bryn Forbes added 20 and San Antonio, spoiling No. 2 overall pick RJ Barrett’s debut with New York.

Barrett had 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting with five rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes. Marcus Morris led New York with 26 points, and Julius Randle had 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Dejounte Murray, who played in his first game since tearing his right ACL in a preseason game in 2018, had 18 points.

HORNETS 126, BULLS 125: In Charlotte, N.C., rookie PJ Washington hit seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points to help Charlotte open the postKemba Walker era with a victory over Chicago.

The Hornets made 23 3-pointers, the most in franchise history in a regulation game. The record is 24 in a double-overtime game. Devonte Graham had 23 points on 6-of-7 3-point shooting and added eight assists.

Lauri Markkanen led Chicago with 35 points and 17 rebounds.

MAGIC 94, CAVALIERS 85: In Orlando, Fla., Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and nine rebounds in Orlando’s victory over Cleveland.

Evan Fournier scored 16 points for Orlando, and Markelle Fultz had 12 points and six assists in his Magic debut. Kevin Love had 11 points and 18 rebounds for Cleveland in John Beilein’s first game as coach.

JAZZ 100, THUNDER 95: In Salt Lake City, Donovan Mitchell had 32 points and 12 rebounds to lead Utah past Oklahoma City.

Mitchell scored 22 points in the second half. Bojan Bogdanovic added 16 points, and Royce O’Neale chipped in with 14 for the Jazz. Rudy Gobert grabbed 14 rebounds.

SUNS 124, KINGS 95: In Phoenix, Devin Booker had 22 points and 10 assists, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 points and Phoenix beat Sacrament in Monte Williams’ first games as the coach of the Suns.

Ricky Rubio had 11 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and four steals in his first game with the Suns after signing a three-year, $51 million deal.

NUGGETS 108, TRAILBLAZERS 100: In Portland, Ore., Nikola Jokic had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Denver used a big fourth quarter to defeat Portland.

Damian Lillard scored 32 points for the Blazers, who led 74-73 after three quarters but were outscored 35-26 in the fourth.