Rockets win first game of season, beat Wolves
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Luis Scola of Argentina scored 24 points and Kevin Martin added 21 to help the Houston Rockets win their first game of the season with a 120-94 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday.
Yao Ming, playing under a strict time limit while recovering from foot surgery, had 13 points and four rebounds in 16 minutes. Shane Battier added 17 points for Houston, which lost its first five games. The Rockets lost their first 10 games in 1982-83.
Minnesota lost for the sixth time in seven games. Kevin Love led the Timberwolves with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Michael Beasley added 15 points.
Celtics 92, Thunder 83
At Oklahoma City, Ray Allen scored 19 points and Boston's bench helped prevent a big lead from slipping away in the fourth quarter as the Celtics opened a four-game road trip with a win over Oklahoma.
Glen Davis had three foul line jumpers during a 15-6 push by the Celtics after their 22-point lead had been cut to 73-67 early in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Durant scored 34 points and Russell Westbrook had 16 points and 10 assists to lead Oklahoma City, which played without third-leading scorer Jeff Green. Green is day to day with a sprained left ankle.
Suns 118, Hawks 114
At Atlanta, Jason Richardson scored 21 points and Steve Nash added 19 as Phoenix dealt Atlanta its first loss of the season.
There were four ties in the fourth quarter but the Hawks, who trailed by 18 in the third period, could not take the lead.
Nash, who had 15 assists, made four free throws in the final 7 seconds to protect the lead.
Joe Johnson had 34 points and Al Horford added 30 - one shy of his career high - for Atlanta. Johnson and Horford each set season scoring highs.
76ers 106, Knicks 96
At New York, Elton Brand scored 20 points, and Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday each had 19 as Philadelphia beat New York.
Evan Turner, the No. 2 pick and last season's college player of the year, added 14 points and 10 rebounds in his first NBA start as the 76ers snapped the Knicks' two-game winning streak. Turner started in place of Andre Iguodala, out with a strained right Achilles' tendon.
It was the fourth straight game with 20 or more for the resurgent Brand, his best stretch since late in the 2006-07 season, before he came to Philadelphia.
Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks.
Pistons 102, Warriors 97
At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Richard Hamilton scored 27 points and Rodney Stuckey added 21 points and nine assists to help Detroit beat Golden State.
The Pistons have now won two straight after losing their first five games of the season. Golden State, which hasn't lost in four home games, is now 0-2 on the road.
Charlie Villanueva added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Detroit, while Tayshaun Prince scored 14.
Monta Ellis led Golden State with 24 points and Dorell Wright had 19.
Lakers 121, Trail Blazers 96
At Los Angeles, Pau Gasol had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists while completing his fourth career triple-double by the third quarter, as the Los Angeles Lakers easily improved to 7-0 for the fifth time in franchise history with a victory over Portland.
Lamar Odom had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe Bryant scored 12 points and Ron Artest played stringent defense on Portland star Brandon Roy during a smooth night of work for the Lakers, who led by 24 points in the first half and 29 down the stretch while outrebounding the Blazers 49-25.
Andre Miller scored 20 points and Nicolas Batum added 17 for the Blazers, who lost for just the second time in their last six meetings with the Lakers.
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