Irving has 50 points in Brooklyn debut, Nets fall to Wolves
NEW YORK (AP) — 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.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — 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.
MIAMI (AP) — 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.
Bam Adebayo had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Miami, and Winslow added seven rebounds and seven assists.
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.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — 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.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rookie PJ Washington hit seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points to help Charlotte open the post-Kemba 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.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — 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.
