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.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
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