(The Sports Xchange) – Last year, the Chicago Bulls ended Miami’s 27-game winning streak and on Saturday, they ruined Indiana’s 9-0 start to the season with a convincing 110-94 victory at United Center.
Forward Luol Deng led the Bulls (5-3) with 23 points. Guard Derrick Rose, who missed the previous game with a sore right hamstring, scored 20 points and knocked down six-of-11 attempts from three-point range.
Forward Taj Gibson added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Center Roy Hibbert led the Pacers with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
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Heat 97, Bobcats 81
Forward LeBron James scored 30 points and the Miami Heat won their third straight contest with a 97-81 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
James followed up a season-high 39-point effort on Friday against Dallas with another vintage performance, hitting 13-of-18 from the field.
He also had seven assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes, sitting out the last seven.
The Heat (7-3) have now won six of their last seven games while Charlotte had a two-game winning streak snapped and fell to 5-5.
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Mavericks 108, Magic 100
Guard Monta Ellis had 19 points and Dirk Nowitzki 18 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 108-100 victory over the Orlando Magic at the Amway Arena.
It was the ninth consecutive victory for the Mavericks in Orlando, but only their second victory away from home this season.
The Mavs got some unexpected help with a season-high 18 points from reserve forward DeJuan Blair.
The Magic were led by guard Arron Afflalo, who had 25 points.
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Cavaliers 103, Wizards 96 (overtime)
Point guard Kyrie Irving matched his career high with 41 points, including nine in overtime, as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for their first road win of the season, a 103-96 victory over the Washington Wizards.
In a battle against fellow former No. 1 overall pick John Wall, Irving made 14-of-28 field-goal attempts, including four three-pointers, as the Cavaliers (4-7) snapped a three-game losing streak.
Forward Tristan Thompson had 15 points and 12 rebounds, guard Jarrett Jack scored 13 and forward Earl Clark 11 for Cleveland, winner of four straight over the Wizards (2-7).
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Hawks 110, Knicks 90
The Atlanta Hawks extended the New York Knicks home losing streak to five games with a 110-90 win at Madison Square Garden.
Point guard Jeff Teague led a balanced scoring attack for Atlanta (5-5), leading eight players in double-figures, with 16 points.
Shooting guard Kyle Korver scored 15 points and forward Paul Millsap, acquired in the offseason by the Hawks, recorded his third double-double in his last six games, scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Forward Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in scoring with 23 points.
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Timberwolves 106, Celtics 88
The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to be a difficult team to slow down offensively as they carved out a 106-88 victory over the Boston Celtics.
Power forward Kevin Love scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, while center Nikola Pekovic scored 20 and grabbed 12 rebounds, and guard Kevin Martin added 20 points.
That trio was too much for Boston to overcome despite point guard Avery Bradley scoring a season-high 27 points and power forward Brandon Bass adding 15.
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Pelicans 135, 76ers 98
Playing just 29 minutes, forward Anthony Davis scored 13 points and had a career-high eight blocks and nine rebounds as the New Orleans Pelicans placed eight players in double figures to rout the Philadelphia 76ers 135-98 at the New Orleans Arena.
The second-year pro might have had a chance for his first career double-double, but coach Monty Williams pulled him with 3:15 left in the third quarter as the Pelicans were well on their way to the blowout.
Forward Ryan Anderson, playing for the first time since breaking a toe just before the season opener, nailed six three-pointers in 10 attempts and led all scorers with 26 points.
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Rockets 122, Nuggets 111
Making his third consecutive start, Houston Rockets power forward Terrence Jones responded to a Denver Nuggets’ run with dynamic two-way plays to lead his team to a 122-111 win at Toyota Center.
Jones, the beneficiary of the midweek benching of Houston center Omer Asik, posted a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds while blocking three shots.
After the Nuggets (4-5) closed to within seven points in the third quarter, Jones led an 18-4 spurt with a blocked shot, an outlet pass that resulted in a Chandler Parsons layup, two dunks, and some nifty board work that inspired Houston (7-4).
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Thunder 92, Bucks 79
Guard Russell Westbrook scored 26 points and forward Kevin Durant had 24 as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a two-game losing streak with a 92-79 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Forward Serge Ibaka chipped in 15 points with a career-high 20 rebounds and guard Reggie Jackson added 11 off the bench for the Thunder.
