Wolves, still stinging from playoff loss, eager to face Mavs again
The Mavericks finished off a 4-1 series win over the Timberwolves in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals on May 30. Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals, where it eventually lost against the Boston Celtics, while the Timberwolves' breakout season came to a sudden end.
The teams will meet again Tuesday night when the Timberwolves tip off against the Mavericks in Minneapolis.
"We're looking forward to it," Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said. "We understand the last time we saw them how we felt. You don't want anybody celebrating on your home court. That's our last memory, so we'll be ready."
Minnesota coach Chris Finch agreed. He said the early-season rematch not only rekindled old feelings but also provided a measuring stick for how the Timberwolves stack up in 2024-25.
"Yeah, of course (we're) looking forward to it," Finch said. "Get tested right away early in the season against a great team. It's what you want. ...
"They deserved to win that series. They outplayed us. But much of that series was up for grabs. We were well equipped to do things last year and we didn't shoot particularly well. This is a new team, new season, so we'll see."
Dallas will play on short rest after holding on for a 110-102 home win against the Utah Jazz on Monday night. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 23 points and nine assists, and Klay Thompson provided 18 points on 7-for-15 shooting.
Luka Doncic tallied 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists but had an uncharacteristically tough night from the field. He shot 5 of 22 overall and 1 of 9 from beyond the arc.
"He's human and we saw that tonight," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "But I thought he really leaned on his teammates to be able to create plays and wide-open looks."
The Mavericks prevailed anyway for their second win in their first three games.
Like Dallas, the Timberwolves are looking for their third win in four games to start the season. Minnesota dropped its opener against the Los Angeles Lakers and responded with back-to-back victories against the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is averaging 27.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Julius Randle is contributing 24.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest, and Naz Reid is third in scoring with 13.7 points to go along with seven rebounds per contest.
Doncic leads Dallas with 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists through three games. The 25-year-old has faced the Timberwolves in 15 regular-season games in his career, and he has averaged 24.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists in those matchups. In the playoff series last spring, he was even better: 32.4 points, 9.6 boards and 8.2 assists.
Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber is expected to miss his second straight game on Tuesday against Minnesota. Kleber sat out Monday's contest against the Jazz after he strained his right hamstring in Dallas' loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Kidd said Kleber's injury did not appear to be severe.
"Not long term," Kidd said. "... We'll see how everything turns out here in the next couple days and give a timeline."
NBA roundup: Magic's Paolo Banchero pours in 50 vs. Pacers
Banchero finished with 50 points and matched Tracy McGrady's franchise record for points scored in a half, putting up 37 in the first. The third-year forward joined McGrady, Shaquille O'Neal and Nick Anderson as Orlando's only 50-point scorers.
Banchero shot 16 of 26 from the field and made 15 of 22 free throws. He added a game-high 13 rebounds and a team-best nine assists.
Pascal Siakam's 26 points led six Indiana scorers in double figures. Among them was Tyrese Haliburton, who posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists. Haliburton also had nine rebounds.
Celtics 119, Bucks 108
Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make eight 3-pointers and score 28 points in 28 minutes as Boston remained unbeaten after four games with a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
Pritchard made 10 of his 14 field-goal attempts, including 8 of 12 from long distance. He also finished the game with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 points.
Damian Lillard paced Milwaukee with 33 points and seven assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, but he also committed seven turnovers.
Nuggets 127, Raptors 125 (OT)
Nikola Jokic had seven of his 40 points in overtime and added 10 rebounds for the game as visiting Denver came back to defeat Toronto.
The Raptors were up 111-101 with 2:17 left in regulation before falling apart down the stretch. Jamal Murray drew the Nuggets even at 114 with a layup with under a second left in the fourth quarter.
Scottie Barnes had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost their second game in a row.
Heat 106, Pistons 98
Jimmy Butler scored 23 points and dished out seven assists as host Miami defeated Detroit for the seventh consecutive meeting.
The Heat also got 20 points from Terry Rozier and 19 from Tyler Herro on the day when the team celebrated the unveiling of a Dwyane Wade statue just outside their arena.
Cade Cunningham had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead the Pistons, who remain winless. However, he was held to just six points in the second half.
Cavaliers 110, Knicks 104
Darius Garland scored 15 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter for visiting Cleveland, which overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit to beat New York.
Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who improved to 4-0 for the first time since they opened 6-0 in 2016-17.
Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Mikal Bridges put up 19 for the Knicks, who have alternated losses with wins in their first three games. Josh Hart (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Karl-Anthony Towns (13 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles.
Mavericks 110, Jazz 102
Kyrie Irving scored 23 points to lead Dallas past visiting Utah in a game marred by an injury to Jazz power forward Taylor Hendricks.
Dallas' P.J. Washington produced 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Dereck Lively II had 14 points. Klay Thompson scored 18 points, Luka Doncic contributed 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Irving added a game-high nine assists.
Utah, which lost its third straight game, did not get closer than five points during the final quarter. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 23 points. Hendricks sustained a broken right leg and dislocated ankle on a non-contact play in the third quarter.
Suns 109, Lakers 105
Devin Booker scored 33 points and Kevin Durant added 30 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots to lead host Phoenix to a victory over Los Angeles.
Bradley Beal had 15 points and Royce O'Neale contributed 12 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix, which recovered from an 18-point first-quarter deficit to win for the third time in four games.
Anthony Davis recorded 29 points and 15 rebounds and Austin Reaves scored 23 points as Los Angeles lost for the first time this season after three straight wins. LeBron James had just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, though he delivered eight assists.
Wizards 121, Hawks 119
Kyle Kuzma broke out of a slump with a season-high 25 points and Jordan Poole added 26 to lead visiting Washington past Atlanta for its first win of the season.
Kuzma's previous best had been 14 points, but he came alive in the second half. He finished with 11 rebounds and seven assists, though he exited in the final two minutes due to a sore groin.
The Hawks' Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds and seven assists. Trae Young chipped in 14 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds but missed the potential game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Bulls 126, Grizzlies 123
Zach LaVine scored 30 points and Nikola Vucevic added 22 to lead visiting Chicago to a win over Memphis, which played without injured guard Ja Morant.
Morant missed his first game of the season due to thigh soreness. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 30 points and seven rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 19 points.
Memphis led by double digits for much of the game, but the Bulls recovered from a 20-point first-half deficit behind effective 3-point shooting (25-for-53).
Rockets 106, Spurs 101
Jalen Green poured in 36 points, 24 of them in the first half, as visiting Houston defeated San Antonio.
The Rockets split the teams' two-games-in-three-nights series after the host Spurs won 109-106 on Saturday. Jabari Smith Jr. added 17 points for Houston, which has alternated losses and wins through four games.
Jeremy Sochan logged 22 points while Chris Paul put up 16 points for the Spurs, who have lost two of their first three games.
Kings 111, Trail Blazers 98
De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 24 points, DeMar DeRozan chipped in with 23 and host Sacramento broke into the win column with a victory over Portland.
Domantas Sabonis went for 16 points and game highs in rebounds (13) and assists (seven), allowing the Kings to break through after tough losses at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves and on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Trail Blazers, who were coming off a Sunday home win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Jazz F Taylor Hendricks fractures fibula, dislocates ankle
Hendricks sustained the injuries with 5:59 remaining in the third, with his right leg getting caught up under him as he fell to the floor while getting back on offense.
A stretcher had to be brought out for Hendricks, who will miss the rest of the season, according to a report by ESPN.
"That's hard to stomach," Utah coach Will Hardy said. "He's put in a lot of hard work. He's a great kid, and so we're really just trying to focus on him, his health, keeping him up, his spirits up as he begins the road of his recovery. But these are the moments in sports that suck."
Prior to exiting the meeting with Dallas, Hendricks had two points, three rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes of action.
Hendricks, 20, is in his second NBA season. The Jazz selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft out of UCF.
In three games (all starts) this season, Hendricks posted averages of 4.7 points and five rebounds.
Kings top Blazers, end modest skid
Domantas Sabonis went for 16 points and game highs in rebounds with 13 and assists with seven against his dad Arvydas' old team, allowing the Kings to break through after tough losses at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves and on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Deandre Ayton had a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double to pace the Trail Blazers, who were coming off their first win of the season, a 125-103 showing at home vs. the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Sacramento scored the game's first seven points and never trailed, leading by as many as 26. Sabonis had a dunk and a layup and Kevin Huerter buried a 3-pointer during the game-opening run, which lasted until Ayton hit a jumper a full 3:20 into the contest.
The Trail Blazers trailed just 51-43 at halftime before Sacramento blitzed the visitors with a 38-point third period.
A 3-pointer by Jerami Grant had Portland within 60-58 with 7:26 left in the third, but Fox bombed in a 3-pointer to ignite a back-breaking, 12-0 run. Huerter added a 3-pointer during the flurry.
Sacramento led 89-71 by period's end and coasted home.
Huerter blocked three shots and also finished with 18 points, 12 coming on 4-for-9 shooting from outside the arc. The Kings outscored the Trail Blazers 42-12 on 3-pointers, limiting the visitors to a 4-for-22 clip from deep.
Malik Monk added three 3-pointers and 12 points for the Kings, who outshot the Trail Blazers 45.7 percent to 42.2 percent overall.
DeRozan (three) and Fox (two) combined for five of Sacramento's eight steals.
Scoot Henderson ran up 18 points to complement a team-high five assists off the bench for Portland, while Jabari Walker had 15 points and Anfernee Simons posted 12. Grant totaled just seven points to go with eight rebounds on a 3-for-12 shooting night.
Devin Booker, Kevin Durant direct Suns past Lakers
Bradley Beal had 15 points and Royce O'Neale contributed 12 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix, which recovered from an 18-point first-quarter deficit to win for the third time in four games.
Anthony Davis recorded 29 points and 15 rebounds and Austin Reaves scored 23 points as Los Angeles lost for the first time this season after three straight wins.
Rui Hachimura registered 20 points and 10 rebounds and D'Angelo Russell contributed 14 points and eight assists for the Lakers.
Los Angeles star LeBron James had just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, though he delivered eight assists.
James also was unsuccessful on a gamble with 6.4 seconds left.
He made a free throw to pull the Lakers within 107-105. On the second attempt, he quickly fired the ball toward the hoop and it hit the bottom of the rim.
Phoenix came away with the ball and Beal made two free throws with less than a second remaining to seal it.
The Suns shot 46 percent from the field, including 11 of 36 (30.6 percent) from 3-point range, while avenging a 123-116 road loss to the Lakers on Friday.
Los Angeles made 41.9 percent of its attempts and hit 14 of 31 (43.8 percent) from behind the arc.
Durant made consecutive baskets to give Phoenix a 105-101 lead with 2:17 remaining.
James hit a 3-pointer with 1:58 left, but O'Neale's floater with 1:25 to go gave the Suns a 107-104 edge before the final sequence.
Earlier, Russell banked in a straightaway 3-pointer with 39 seconds left in the third quarter and Gabe Vincent drilled a trey with eight seconds to go to give Los Angeles an 83-74 lead.
However, Booker scored with 2.1 seconds left to leave Phoenix down by seven entering the fourth quarter, a play that began a 12-1 burst. O'Neale capped drained a 3-pointer to tie it at 84 with 10:35 remaining in the game, and Booker hit two foul shots for a two-point Phoenix edge with 9:34 to go.
Reaves converted a four-point play to give the Lakers a 98-97 lead with 4:17 left.
Booker scored 18 first-half points and Durant added 12 as Phoenix recovered from a huge hole to lead 50-48 at the break.
Davis scored 16 of his 20 first-half points in the opening quarter.
Los Angeles used a 19-2 first-quarter surge to open up a 26-8 advantage less than seven minutes into the game.
Phoenix later erupted with a half-ending 16-4 run, capped by Booker's 3-pointer with 39.3 seconds remaining, for its first lead since 4-3.
Mavs roll past Jazz, who lose Taylor Hendricks (leg)
After Dallas lost Saturday at Phoenix, when only Irving, Luka Doncic and Klay Thompson scored in double figures for the Mavericks, coach Jason Kidd lamented his team needed more production from other players besides that trio. The players received the message as six finished with at least 10 points on Monday and several role players stood out at key points.
In the final 4:31 of the third period, Spencer Dinwiddie went 3-for-3 on 3-point attempts and scored all 11 of his points. That spurt helped turn a 65-63 Mavericks lead into an 82-70 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Dallas' P.J. Washington produced 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Dereck Lively II had 14 points. Thompson scored 18 points, Doncic contributed 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Irving added a game-high nine assists.
Utah, which shot just 37 percent while losing its third straight, did not get closer than five points during the final quarter. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 23 points. Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George each had 17 points, John Collins put up 16 points, and Walker Kessler finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Mavericks needed efforts from around the roster as Doncic, last year's scoring champion, made only 5 of 22 shots. Doncic, an All-NBA First-Team player in each of the past five seasons, also hit just one of his nine shots from beyond the 3-point arc.
Dallas led all the way after the opening minute. Irving drained a pair of 3-pointers in the final 37 seconds of the first quarter to give the hosts a 27-19 lead. The point guard would then convert a pair of free throws in the opening minute of the second period to extend the advantage to 31-20, the Mavericks' largest of the first half.
Hendricks, a 6-foot-9 Jazz forward, sustained an apparent lower right leg injury midway through the third period. He slipped while moving toward the post on offense with his right leg bending awkwardly under his body. Officials delayed the game for several minutes as staff from both teams tended to the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft before he left the court on a stretcher.
ESPN reported that Hendricks broke his right fibula and dislocated his ankle.
He wound up with two points and three rebounds in 21 minutes, and he is averaging 2.7 points and five rebounds per game this season.
Jalen Green's 36 points carry Rockets past Spurs
The Rockets split the teams' two-games-in-three-nights series after the host Spurs won 109-106 on Saturday.
In the rematch, Houston led by 21 points with 3:17 to play in the third quarter before the Spurs came roaring back, closing to within 88-86 on a Stephon Castle layup with 8:07 remaining in the fourth.
However, Green reeled off the ensuing six points on a three-point and then a step-back 3-pointer with 5:47 to play, and the Rockets were able to hold sway.
Jabari Smith Jr. added 17 points for Houston, which has alternated losses and wins through four games. Alperen Sangun racked up 12 points and 12 rebounds and Fred VanVleet scored 11 points and dished out nine assists.
Jeremy Sochan led San Antonio with 22 points. Chris Paul hit for 16 points, Malaki Branham scored 15 points, Victor Wembanyama amassed 14 points and 20 rebounds and Zack Collins added 11 points for the Spurs, who have lost two of their first three games.
The Rockets outscored San Antonio 14-3 over the game's first four-plus minutes behind five points each from Smith and Green. Houston's second unit kept up the momentum, pushing the advantage to 29-15 after a Tari Eason tip-in to end the opening period.
Green hit four straight 3-pointers beginning at the 3:21 mark of the second quarter to help Houston expand its lead to 62-45 at the break, the largest advantage of the contest to that point. Green had 12 of the Rockets' final 14 points of the first half and led all scorers with 24 before halftime, having hit six of his seven shots from beyond the arc.
Paul and Sochan paced the Spurs with 10 points each in the half.
San Antonio culled its deficit to as few as 12 points when Sochan went to work in the lane for a hook shot with 8:03 to play in the third quarter.
The Rockets swung back and built the lead to 80-59 after two free throws by Cam Whitmore with 3:17 remaining in the period before San Antonio countered, getting a pair of 3-pointers from Branham to pull within 87-75 heading to the final 12 minutes.
Bulls use 3-ball to rally past Grizzlies
Morant missed his first game of the season due to thigh soreness. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 30 points and seven rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 19 points.
Memphis led by double digits for much of the game, but the Bulls recovered from a 20-point first-half deficit behind effective 3-point shooting.
Chicago made 25 of 53 shots from beyond the arc, including five in a span of 2:35 near the midpoint of the fourth quarter. LaVine's 3-pointer with 7:37 to go started that flurry, and the forward hit another triple 30 seconds later that gave the Bulls their first lead of the game at 111-109. After Vucevic's 3-pointer made it 114-112 in favor of the visitors, Chicago never trailed again in the game's final six-plus minutes.
Bane had a chance to tie the game with 2.6 seconds remaining, but his 3-point try bounced off the rim.
LaVine surpassed 20 points for the fourth straight game to open the season.
Much like they did in a wire-to-wire home win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the Grizzlies built an early double-digit lead, putting them ahead 68-54 at halftime.
With Morant sitting out, Bane stepped up. He tied a career high for most points in a first half by scoring 23, a total that included six 3-pointers. Bane closed the half by draining three triples in the final 75 seconds.
Memphis enjoyed its largest lead -- 20 points -- on several occasions in the second quarter before the Bulls rallied to trim their deficit to eight, 54-46, on a LaVine 3-pointer with 2:21 remaining. But the Grizzlies quickly answered behind Bane's torrid shooting.
In the second half, the Grizzlies struggled. They were outscored 72-55.
Nikola Jokic scores 40 to carry Nuggets past Raptors in OT
Christian Braun added 17 points for the Nuggets, who won for the first time in three games. Jamal Murray also scored 17 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 13 points and nine rebounds, and Aaron Gordon scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds.
Scottie Barnes had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost their second in a row.
Jakob Poeltl added 16 points and 19 rebounds for the Raptors. Toronto's RJ Barrett (shoulder) played his first game of the season and scored 20 points. Gradey Dick scored 15 points. Davion Mitchell scored 16 points and Ochai Agbaji scored 15.
The score was tied 114-114 after regulation.
Jokic's 3-pointer gave Denver a 122-116 lead with 3:47 left in overtime. Jokic's layup stretched the lead to eight. Mitchell's 3-pointer cut the lead to three points.
Toronto led 30-29 after one quarter and 62-54 at halftime.
Toronto opened the third quarter on a 9-2 run to lead by 15 points. Denver used a 7-0 surge to trim the margin to eight with 6:08 to play in the third. Denver crept to within five before Toronto took an 84-73 lead with 3:28 to go on Chris Boucher's 167footer. Denver scored the final six points of the quarter and Toronto led 88-83.
Porter's 20-foot jumper cut the lead to two with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter.
The Raptors worked the lead up to 10 when Dick hit a 3-pointer with 7:14 left in the fourth quarter before the Nuggets chipped it to six. Barnes made a big block on Braun with 4:33 remaining to keep the lead at nine. Russell Westbrook's layup cut the margin to two with 24 seconds left. Toronto led by two when Mitchell made one of two free throws with 9.2 seconds to go. Murray tied the game with a reverse layup to force overtime.
Darius Garland scores 34 to lead Cavs' rally past Knicks
Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points and Jarrett Allen had a double-double (15 points, 15 rebounds) for the Cavaliers, who improved to 4-0 for the first time since they opened 6-0 in 2016-17. Evan Mobley added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Jalen Brunson scored 21 points for the Knicks, who have alternated losses with wins in their first three games. Josh Hart (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Karl-Anthony Towns (13 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles while OG Anunoby had 15 points. Miles McBride added 14 points off the bench.
Cleveland led 22-18 after the first and opened up a six-point lead before the Knicks mounted a 22-7 run over a span of 6:08. Hart and Brunson had seven points apiece during the surge, when Hart gave New York the lead for the first time at 34-31 by draining a 3-pointer with 7:29 remaining.
The Knicks led 52-45 at the half. Mitchell opened the third with a 3-pointer, but Hart answered with his own 3-pointer and the Knicks slowly extended their lead, which peaked at 13 points when Anunoby sank a 25-footer to put the hosts up 72-59.
The Cavaliers responded with a 25-8 run bridging the quarters. Niang and Mitchell hit consecutive 3-pointers to put them ahead 84-80, after which the Knicks scored nine of the next 14 points. McBride gave New York a short-lived 87-86 lead with 7:14 left and Brunson's free throws tied the game for the last time at 89-89 with 6:12 remaining.
Garland hit a bank shot 16 seconds later to begin a 10-2 run in which he scored seven points, including the 3-pointer that extended Cleveland's lead to 99-91 with 3:51 remaining. The Knicks got as close as three points before the Cavaliers iced the win by going 9-for-10 from the line over the final 1:25.
Heat turn away Pistons for first home win
The Heat got plenty of support from their backcourt, as Terry Rozier scored 20 points and Tyler Herro added 19 as Miami earned its first home win of the season -- in two tries.
It was also Miami's seventh straight win over Detroit, a streak that dates back to March 2023, as the Heat celebrated the unveiling of a Dwyane Wade statue just outside their arena.
Cade Cunningham had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead Detroit. However, he was held to just six points in the second half.
Tim Hardaway Jr., who went to high school in Miami and is also the son of former Heat star Tim Hardaway, added 20 points for the visitors.
But the Pistons, who had the worst record in the NBA last season, are still winless in 2024-25 (0-4).
Miami again played without forward Kevin Love, who has yet to play this season due to personal reasons.
Simone Fontecchio converted a layup with 1:05 left in the third quarter to put Detroit up 79-75. Duncan Robinson cut Miami's deficit to one with a triple in the final seconds of the period.
The Heat then took over at the beginning of the fourth, using a 12-0 run to build a 90-79 cushion with 10:09 to go. Hardaway later sank three free throws to get the Pistons within three, 90-87, with 7:04 remaining, but that was the closest Detroit would get.
Cunningham had 13 points in the first quarter, helping Detroit take a 30-28 lead. He went 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and 2-for-2 on free throws in the frame.
Rozier got hot in the second quarter, scoring 10 points to propel Miami to a 64-53 halftime lead. In the second, Miami shot 59.1 percent overall and was 5-for-11 from deep. Detroit shot just 42.9 percent from the field, including a 3-for-9 mark from beyond the arc.
Cunningham led all first-half scorers with 18 points, and there were nine lead changes and six ties in the opening 24 minutes.
Payton Pritchard's 3-point shooting powers Celtics past Bucks
Pritchard made 10 of his 14 field-goal attempts, including 8 of 12 from long distance. He also finished the game with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 points. Jrue Holiday (21), Jayson Tatum (15), Derrick White (13) and Al Horford (10) also scored in double figures for the Celtics. Tatum had a team-high eight rebounds, all of which came on the defensive end of the floor.
Damian Lillard led Milwaukee with 33 points and seven assists. Lillard made 17 of 18 free throw attempts, and he grabbed seven rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, but he also committed seven turnovers. Brook Lopez contributed 13 points and Gary Trent Jr. had 10 for Milwaukee, which has lost three in a row since opening the season with a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Trent's 3-pointer beat the buzzer and gave the Bucks a 29-28 advantage after one quarter, and Milwaukee had a 56-53 lead at halftime. Pritchard made five of his eight 3-point attempts in the first two quarters and led all scorers with 19 points at halftime.
Neither team led by more than five points until a Brown layup put Boston in front 67-61 with 8:27 left in the third quarter, but Milwaukee responded with a 12-3 run to take a 73-70 lead.
An 8-0 run gave the Celtics an 87-80 lead, and Pritchard's last-second 3-pointer put Boston in front 90-82 entering the final quarter.
Pritchard hit a trey with 10:55 to play and Brown followed with a hoop that capped an 18-2 run and handed the Celtics a 97-82 lead with 10:23 to go. The Bucks failed to get closer than eight points after that.
Boston's lead peaked at 18 points.
Wizards edge Hawks to notch first win of season
Kuzma's previous best had been 14 points, but he came alive in the second half to finish 8-for-20 shooting with 11 rebounds and seven assists. He was taken to the locker room with less than two minutes left for undisclosed reasons and did not return.
Poole scored 19 of his points in the first half and finished the game 6-of-8 from 3-point range. Corey Kispert scored 21 off the bench for the Wizards.
Atlanta was led by Jalen Johnson, who scored a career-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds and seven assists. Trae Young chipped in 14 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds but missed the potential game-winning 3-pointer shot at the buzzer.
The teams play again on Wednesday in Washington.
The game was billed as a showcase for the top two draft picks, but neither rookie had a huge effect on the outcome.
Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1 pick) finished with four points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 26 minutes. Washington's Alex Sarr (No. 2) had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 27 minutes.
Atlanta sprung ahead 13-2) but Washington came back to tie the game at 25 late in the first quarter. Atlanta rebuilt a double-digit lead in the second quarter, going up by 13 when Young hit a pair of free throws for a 44-31 lead. Poole kept the Wizards close by scoring 13 in the second quarter, but Atlanta led 61-54 at halftime.
Washington outscored the Hawks 30-22 in the third quarter as Kuzma scored 12 points - including his first three 3-pointers of the season -- and led 84-83 going into the final quarter.
The Hawks were short-handed again.
Forward De'Andre Hunter missed his second straight game with right knee inflammation and backup center Onyeka Okongwu was held out for load management.
The Hawks lost backup point guard Vit Krejci in the second quarter when he did not return after sustaining a right adductor injury.
Warriors, Pelicans battling injuries ahead of 2-game set
Curry and Pelicans standout Zion Williamson have gone head-to-head just five of a possible 17 times since New Orleans made the former Duke star the first pick of the 2019 draft.
Three of those meetings took place last season, when the Pelicans won twice at Golden State after watching Curry burn them for 42 points in a Warriors victory in New Orleans in October. Williamson had 19 and 26 points in the road wins.
The rivalry appeared headed for a fourth consecutive duel before Curry suffered a peroneal strain in his left ankle during the third quarter of Sunday's 112-104 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Olympic star returned to action in the fourth period but lasted just seconds before pulling himself out of the game for good.
An MRI came back clear, and the Warriors announced Monday that Curry would be re-evaluated on Friday.
"He's doing OK," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said after Sunday's game. "He used the word mild or moderate. He's obviously sprained that ankle many times before, so he doesn't think it's too bad."
Curry will miss both games of a home back-to-back against the Pelicans, as will teammate De'Anthony Melton, who strained his lower back in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss.
Melton also had an MRI and is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Friday.
Brandin Podziemski, an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection last season, could replace Curry in the starting lineup.
Without the NBA's 3-point king available for most of the final 15 minutes, the Warriors suffered their first defeat of the season after a pair of lopsided wins on the road.
The Pelicans have followed the same script in their first three games. They also opened with consecutive wins, including Friday night at Portland, before falling 125-103 in another of the NBA's two-game, same-opponent sequences on Sunday.
New Orleans has been playing without newcomer guard Dejounte Murray, who fractured his left hand in Wednesday's season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Forward Trey Murphy III has also been sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered during the preseason.
CJ McCollum (23.3 points per game) and Brandon Ingram (22.7) have propelled the Pelicans amid their injuries, while Williamson has chipped in 30 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in his two games after missing the season opener with an illness.
Second-year guard Jordan Hawkins has been surprisingly productive for New Orleans, averaging 18.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 30.3 minutes across three contests.
Hawkins, who played on UConn's championship team in 2023, averaged just 7.8 points in 67 games (10 starts) as a rookie last season. But the veteran McCollum sensed bigger things were on the horizon after what he saw in the preseason.
"He had one of the best training camps I've seen in my 12 years (in the NBA)," McCollum said. "He's gotten a lot better with his decision-making, his shot balance, shot credibility, his ability to finish around the basket."
Hawkins had a pair of 14-point games against Golden State last season.
Paolo Banchero explodes for 50 points as Magic top Pacers
Banchero finished with 50 points and matched Tracy McGrady's franchise record for points scored in a half, putting up 37 in the first.
While Banchero fell short of McGrady's Magic record 62 points in a March 2004 game, the third-year forward joined McGrady, Shaquille O'Neal and Nick Anderson as Orlando's only 50-point scorers.
Banchero shot 16-of-26 from the field and made 11 of 15 free throws. He added a game-high 13 rebounds and a team-best nine assists.
His heroics offset a balanced scoring effort from the Pacers, who lost their third straight game and were coming off an overtime defeat in the second leg of a back-to-back with Philadelphia on Sunday.
Pascal Siakam's 26 points led six Indiana scorers in double-figures. Among them was Tyrese Haliburton, who posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists. Haliburton also had nine rebounds.
Haliburton helped ignite a 39-22 third quarter for Indiana to flip a 12-point halftime deficit into a 98-93 lead entering the fourth.
The Pacers built an eight-point cushion in the fourth before Orlando battled back. The Magic held Indiana to five points in the final five minutes while chipping away at the deficit.
After a slow third quarter, Banchero erupted for nine points in the final 6:56. Jalen Suggs played a big role down the stretch, hitting a free throw after Aaron Nesmith was whistled for a technical foul to put Orlando ahead 113-12 with 2:07 left.
After Haliburton made a game-tying 3-pointer with 53 seconds to go, Suggs dished the last of his seven assists to Anthony Black on a triple that gave Orlando the lead for good at 118-15.
Suggs finished with 25 points, shot 6-of-13 from 3-point range and grabbed five rebounds. Wendell Carter Jr.'s decisive rebound on a Myles Turner miss gave him a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards.
Moritz Wagner added 14 points off the bench for the Magic.
Obi Toppin scored 14 points coming off the Pacers bench, while Turner and Andrew Nembhard each added 13 points. Nesmith had 10 points before fouling out.
76ers' Joel Embiid hit with postgame tech for free throw distraction
The league handed out the technical on Monday, one day after Embiid waved a towel from the bench during a free-throw attempt by Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard at the same end of the court.
The incident occurred with 16.4 seconds left in overtime and Philadelphia leading 114-111.
Embiid's actions came during Nembhard's first free throw, which he missed. Nembhard made the second free throw, but Indiana fell 118-114.
No foul was called during the game.
Embiid, 30, has been sidelined due to left knee injury management. He appeared in just 39 games (all starts) for the 76ers last season, averaging 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists.
Embiid's next chance to play will be on Wednesday, when Philadelphia hosts the Detroit Pistons.
Warriors G Stephen Curry (ankle) out at least 2 games
An MRI showed no structural damage and confirmed a left peroneal tendon strain, the team said Monday.
Curry, 36, will be re-evaluated Friday. The Warriors host the New Orleans Pelicans for back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights before a road game against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Curry sustained the injury in Sunday's 112-104 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
He first left the game with 2:43 left in the third quarter after injuring the ankle. He didn't leave the bench area and was reinserted into the contest with 8:08 remaining in the fourth. But his return lasted just 13 seconds after he aggravated the injury and exited for good, limping significantly and using support from teammate Gary Payton II.
Curry finished with 18 points in 27 minutes. He made four of his seven 3-point attempts and added six assists.
Curry is averaging 18.3 points, 6.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in three games in his 16th season with the Warriors.
The 10-time All-Star and two-time NBA MVP is the league's all-time leader in 3-point field goals (3,758) and career free-throw percentage (.910).
Report: Warriors G Stephen Curry (ankle) could miss several games
Curry was set to undergo an MRI after spraining his left ankle in the Warriors' 112-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called the injury "mild or moderate" after the game.
Curry first left the game with 2:43 left in the third quarter after injuring the ankle. He didn't leave the bench area and was reinserted into the contest with 8:08 remaining in the fourth. But his return lasted just 13 seconds after he aggravated the injury and exited for good, limping significantly and using support from teammate Gary Payton II.
Curry finished with 18 points in 27 minutes. He made four of his seven 3-point attempts and added six assists.
"Hate to have it, especially with him," Warriors guard Gary Payton II said after the game. "But we'll be all right. ... Hopefully he doesn't miss too many, but we've got to figure it out."
Curry is averaging 18.3 points, 6.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in three games.
The Warriors host the New Orleans Pelicans for back-to-back games beginning Tuesday night.
After pair of close losses, Kings host Blazers in search of first win
Both teams were off to 0-2 starts before the Trail Blazers got 28 points from Jerami Grant and 27 from Anfernee Simons in a surprisingly easy 125-103 home win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
The Pelicans beat the Trail Blazers 105-103 two nights earlier at the same site.
The Kings had Sunday off, still stinging from a pair of tight season-opening defeats, 117-115 at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves and 131-127 on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Even though they were separated by 25 games in the Western Conference standings last season, the Kings and Trail Blazers played each other on relatively even terms. Overtime was needed to determine Sacramento's 121-118 home win in November before the Trail Blazers ran up a 130-113 home victory in December. The Kings countered with a blowout of their own, 121-82 at home in April.
Actually, the biggest difference in the three meetings was Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson. He sat out both losses, sandwiching a 17-point, 11-assist performance in the home win.
Still just 20 years old, Henderson has been consistently good in Portland's first three games this season. He has done a little of everything already -- scoring 22 points in the season-opening loss to Golden State and amassing 15 points, six assists and three steals in the first New Orleans game before recording a plus-20 plus/minus off the bench Sunday with nine points, seven assists and five rebounds.
"He's just getting better," Grant said of his young teammate. "The more games he gets, the better he'll be. He'll figure out his pace, the pace that works. He figured it out (in Friday's game). Hopefully he can keep re-creating that for the future."
Meanwhile, the Kings believe they've played well enough offensively to be 2-0. But De'Aaron Fox missed an 18-footer that could have given Sacramento a two-point lead with 27 seconds left in the Minnesota defeat, and Anthony Davis drilled a back-breaking 3-pointer with 37 seconds left for the Lakers on Saturday, resulting in two rough defeats in three days.
Kings coach Mike Brown found a silver lining in the loss in Los Angeles after watching his team lead by as many as seven despite early.
"I thought our guys did some good things," he said. "That first half, especially, I thought we came out, we really got some great looks. The guys moved the ball. The spacing was beautiful. The ball just didn't go in. (If) we keep playing like that offensively, good things will happen."
With Domantas Sabonis hitting 10 of his 14 shots en route to 29 points and DeMar DeRozan 9-for-12 shooting during a 23-point effort, the Kings shot 51.1 percent in the loss in Los Angeles.
Kevin Huerter chipped in with 14 points as did Keegan Murray on the eve of his fourth career head-to-head against twin brother Kris of the Trail Blazers.
Keegan won the individual battle all three times last year, outscoring the fellow Iowa alum 9-0, 5-0 and 12-9.
Facing Bucks, Celtics look for another fast start
Strong starts have carried Boston to a 3-0 record this season.
The Celtics have scored 118 points in the first quarter of their three games, including 42 in a 124-118 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. That number puts the team ahead of the 1991-92 Golden State Warriors (114 points) and 2013-14 Minnesota Timberwolves (112 points) for most points scored in the first quarter in the first three games of the NBA regular season.
Boston's 42-point first quarter almost wasn't enough against the Pistons, who erased a 23-point first-half deficit and used an 18-3 run to take an 88-86 late in the third quarter. The Celtics shot 35.9 percent from the floor in the second half, when they were held to 51 points.
Boston trailed by six points with 5:12 to play, but closed the game on an 18-6 run.
"I thought their physicality dictated the pace of the second half on both ends," Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. "They were more physical on their offense, running their stuff harder, running it faster, putting us in difficult spots, creating separation. And I thought on the defensive end they took away our rhythm because of their physicality. So, credit to them."
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 37 points in the victory.
"It's not always going to be a blowout," Boston guard Derrick White said. "Understand that there are going to be so many different ways we can win games, and so many different people are going to have to step up for us. Each game is different. Each game is a learning opportunity so we're going to learn from this game. I think it's good for us to be challenged. It's good for us to stick together in moments like that and just find ways to win."
Milwaukee is coming off a 115-102 loss at Brooklyn on Sunday. The Bucks were within five points through three quarters, but were outscored 32-24 in the fourth. The Bucks trailed 89-85 early in the fourth, but the Nets scored the next 10 points to take a 99-85 lead with 7:04 to play.
Milwaukee has lost two in a row since opening the season with a victory over Philadelphia.
"We have to do something to free guys up better offensively," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. "We're forced into taking a lot of tough shots, the ball's not moving and we don't have enough space. Our execution was poor. That's all on me. I gotta figure it out.
"The last two games have been very disappointing. It's the third game still. You still gotta keep fighting, but these are games you should win."
Giannis Antetokounmpo was 7 of 11 from the field and led Milwaukee with 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Antetokounmpo has made 30 of his 45 field goal attempts this season.
Damian Lillard added 21 points for Milwaukee, but was 1 of 7 from 3-point territory. Bobby Portis came off the bench to collect 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Bucks committed 18 turnovers in the loss.