Andrew Bynum had 29 points and 13 rebounds in his season debut following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 92-89 on Saturday.
Bynum shot 13-for-18, helping the Lakers win their third straight following the team’s first 0-2 start since 2002-2003. The center was suspended without pay for the first four games of the season because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semi-finals last season. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the NBA lockout.
Kobe Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame two-for-24 shooting from three-point range.
Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers.
PISTONS 96, PACERS 88
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Jonas Jerebko had 20 points and 12 rebounds as Detroit ended Lawrence Frank’s 20-game losing streak by beating Indiana.
Jerebko, who missed all of last season after tearing his Achilles’ tendon in the preseason, narrowly missed his career bests of 22 points and 13 boards.
Frank hadn’t won a game since April 13, 2009, when his New Jersey Nets beat the Charlotte Bobcats. The Nets lost their final game that season and Frank was fired after New Jersey got off to a 0-16 start the next fall. He also lost his first three games with the Pistons since replacing John Kuester during the offseason.
ROCKETS 95, HAWKS 84
In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 27 points and Kyle Lowry matched a career high with 18 assists as Houston led from start to finish in a victory over Atlanta.
Luis Scola added 21 points, Jordan Hill grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds and Chase Budinger scored 17 points for the Rockets, who looked fresh despite playing their third game in three nights.
Joe Johnson and Al Horford scored 15 points apiece for Atlanta.
Former Rocket Tracy McGrady scored 13 points on six-for-11 shooting. He first entered the game with 3:57 left in the first quarter and most fans greeted him with boos.
THUNDER 107, SUNS 97
In Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook scored 18 points and Daequan Cook hit four three-pointers in quick succession to help Oklahoma City pull away in the first half as the Thunder led wire to wire in a victory over Phoenix.
Two nights after hitting a buzzer-beating game-winner against Dallas, Kevin Durant had only 12 points in his bid to become the first player since Michael Jordan a quarter-century earlier to score at least 30 in the first five games of a season.
Hakim Warrick and rookie Markieff Morris had 15 points apiece for the Suns, who shot just 40 percent.
KNICKS 114, KINGS 92
In Sacramento, Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points, Tyson Chandler had 18 of his 22 in the second half as New York assumed control early in beating Sacramento.
The Knicks didn’t miss starting forward Amar’e Stoudemire, their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer who sat out with a sprained left ankle. They got an unexpected lift from replacement Josh Harrellson, a rookie from Kentucky who made his first NBA start and had career highs of 14 points and 12 rebounds, and hit four three-pointers.
Landry Fields had 21 points and Chandler added seven rebounds for the Knicks, who had struggled offensively in losing their previous two games, but had a season-high point total against the Kings. Toney Douglas had 17 points and eight assists.
Marcus Thornton had 14 points for the struggling Kings. Jason Thompson and Tyreke Evans had 13 points.
76ERS 107, WARRIORS 79
In Oakland, California, Andre Iguodala had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and Lou Williams added 23 points off the bench as Philadelphia overcame a sluggish start to beat Golden State.
Spencer Hawes had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers, who have one more stop left on their season-opening, five-game road trip — the longest trip to start a season in franchise history.
Stephen Curry, back in the lineup after a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle, scored 21 points for Golden State, who played without guard Monta Ellis.
SPURS 104, JAZZ 89
In San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 23 points, 14 in the second quarter, to lead San Antonio over Utah.
Ginobili was nine of 10 from the field, including five of six from three-point range.
DeJuan Blair had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Tony Parker added 14 points and Tim Duncan 12 as San Antonio moved to 3-1.
Al Jefferson returned to the starting lineup for Utah, scoring 21 points with 11 rebounds in 35 minutes. Jefferson sat out Utah’s 102-99 win over Philadelphia on Friday night with an inflamed right ankle.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care