Raptors remain unbeaten
Roll over Hornets, go to 4-0
Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and a season-high 14 assists, and the Raptors never trailed in a 127-106 victory against the Charlotte Hornets last night in Toronto, their fourth straight win to open the season.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 17 points, Danny Green had 16, and Serge Ibaka added 15 as the Raptors won for the ninth time in 11 meetings with the Hornets.
Leonard returned after sitting out Saturday night’s road win over Washington, the second game of a backto-back. The two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year was limited to nine games last season because of a quadriceps injury.
Kemba Walker scored 26 points and Jeremy Lamb had 16 as the Hornets lost for the first time on the road this season. Charlotte won at Orlando on Friday and at Miami on Saturday.
Nicolas Batum scored 13 points, Willy Hernangomez had 11 and Malik Monk added 10 for the Hornets.
Before the game, Walker was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging NBA-bests of 35.3 points and 6.3 3-pointers. Bucks 124, Knicks 113 — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 15 assists, Khris Middleton sank a pair of late 3-pointers and host Milwaukee survived a furious second-half rally by New York.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Knicks with 24 points. Trey Burke added 19 and Mario Hezonja had 18.
All five Bucks starters scored in double figures. Bledsoe had 16 points, center Brook Lopez added 13 and guard Malcolm Brogdon had 11. Timberwolves 101, Pacers
91 — In Minneapolis, Jimmy Butler returned to Minnesota’s lineup and scored 20 points to lead a victory against Indiana.
Butler, who received a mix of boos and cheers during player introductions, sat out Saturday due to precautionary rest. KarlAnthony Towns added 17 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota, while rookie guard Josh Okogie scored 12 points off the bench. Mavericks 115, Bulls 109 — DeAndre Jordan became the first Dallas player in 24 years to start a season with three straight double-doubles, getting 18 points and 16 rebounds to help beat visiting Chicago.
Luka Doncic scored 19 in the 19-year-old’s second home game, another win that put the Mavericks (2-1) over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2015-16 season.
Zach LaVine scored 34 for the Bulls. Elsewhere in the NBA — The Denver Nuggets say starting forward Will Barton strained his right hip along with his core and there’s no timetable for his return.
Barton was carted off the court Saturday after he said he felt something pop when he took off for the basket during the third quarter of a win over Phoenix. He underwent an MRI on Sunday and missed the Golden State game that night.