What did we learn from NBA action on Sunday? The Utah Jazz are very very good, especially with Gordon Hayward, as they beat the New York Knicks.
What more?
- The Dallas Mavericks finally have a win in a very ugly game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
- And the Los Angeles Lakers, along with the Denver Nuggets, look like a whole lot of fun. The Nuggets especially impressed by beating the Celtics in Boston.
Utah Jazz 114 New York Knicks 109: Gordon Hayward wasn’t efficient, but he did score 28 points and with him the Jazz are a top 6 team in the West. George Hill helped out with 23 points, while Porzingis and Anthony each scored 28. But the Knicks got nothing from their bench, falling to 2-4 this season.
Portland Trail Blazers 100 Memphis Grizzlies 94: C.J. McCollum led the Blazers to a 4th quarter run that broke the deadlock and trend of lead changes. He finished with 37 points, matching his career high. while Damian Lillard shot just 3-for-11 from the field. Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 21 points.
Sacramento Kings 96 Toronto Raptors 91: A very surprising win, as a DeMarcus Cousins layup put the Kings in front for the game’s end, clinching it from the line. Rudy Gay scored 23 points, Cousins had 22 with 14 rebounds. The Raptors shot just 35.7% from the field, led by DeMar DeRozan with 21 points.
Milwaukee Bucks 75 Dallas Mavericks 86: The Mavs didn’t look good, but they won their first game of the season. Dirk Nowitzki didn’t play, so the Mavs leaned on their big free agency signing, Harrison Barnes, finishing with 34 points. J.J. Barea was surprisingly difficult to stop, finishing with 21 points. The Bucks turned the ball over 27 times, and were led by 16 points from Jabari Parker.
Denver Nuggets 123 Boston Celtics 107: When the Nuggets offense clicks, they’re quite special, even in Boston against a slightly disappointing Celtics team. Emmanuel Mudiay scored 30 points and Wilson Chandler had a big day off the bench with 22 points. Isaiah Thomas scored 30 to lead the Celtics, giving up 77 points in the first half and never recovering.
Phoenix Suns 108 Los Angeles Lakers 119: Devin Booker went wild with 39 points, but the Lakers bench with 18 points from Jordan Clarkson and 14 by Lou Williams helped out a struggling starting five, combining with 22 surprising points by Nick Young, to keep a perfect home record.
Eastern Conference Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | – | 6 |
| 2 | Charlotte Hornets | 4 | 1 | .800 | 1.5 | 5 |
| 3 | Toronto Raptors | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2.0 | 6 |
| 4 | Atlanta Hawks | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2.0 | 6 |
| 5 | Detroit Pistons | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2.0 | 6 |
| 6 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4 | 3 | .571 | 2.5 | 7 |
| 7 | Boston Celtics | 3 | 3 | .500 | 3.0 | 6 |
| 8 | Chicago Bulls | 3 | 3 | .500 | 3.0 | 6 |
| 9 | Indiana Pacers | 3 | 3 | .500 | 3.0 | 6 |
| 10 | Orlando Magic | 3 | 3 | .500 | 3.0 | 6 |
| 11 | Miami Heat | 2 | 3 | .400 | 3.5 | 5 |
| 12 | New York Knicks | 2 | 4 | .333 | 4.0 | 6 |
| 13 | Brooklyn Nets | 2 | 4 | .333 | 4.0 | 6 |
| 14 | Washington Wizards | 1 | 4 | .200 | 4.5 | 5 |
| 15 | Philadelphia 76ers | 0 | 5 | .000 | 5.5 | 5 |
Western Conference Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 5 | 1 | .833 | – | 6 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Clippers | 5 | 1 | .833 | 0.0 | 6 |
| 3 | San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 2 | .714 | 0.5 | 7 |
| 4 | Golden State Warriors | 4 | 2 | .667 | 1.0 | 6 |
| 5 | Portland Trail Blazers | 4 | 3 | .571 | 1.5 | 7 |
| 6 | Utah Jazz | 4 | 3 | .571 | 1.5 | 7 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4 | 3 | .571 | 1.5 | 7 |
| 8 | Denver Nuggets | 3 | 3 | .500 | 2.0 | 6 |
| 9 | Houston Rockets | 3 | 3 | .500 | 2.0 | 6 |
| 10 | Memphis Grizzlies | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2.5 | 7 |
| 11 | Sacramento Kings | 3 | 5 | .375 | 3.0 | 8 |
| 12 | Phoenix Suns | 2 | 5 | .286 | 3.5 | 7 |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 | 4 | .200 | 3.5 | 5 |
| 14 | Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 5 | .167 | 4.0 | 6 |
| 15 | New Orleans Pelicans | 0 | 6 | .000 | 5.0 | 6 |