Edwards hits 9 3-pointers, scores 45 as Timberwolves beat Heat 131-106

MIAMI (AP) — Anthony Edwards hit nine 3-pointers and scored 45 points to join an elite club, LaMelo Ball scored 21 in his Minnesota debut and the Timberwolves spoiled Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first game with Miami by beating the Heat 131-106 on Wednesday night.

Edwards, who scored 41 in last season’s opener at Portland, joined only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan as players with at least 40 points in multiple openers. Chamberlain did it four times — consecutively from 1959 through 1962 — and Jordan did it in 1986, 1989 and 1995.

Jaden McDaniels scored 17, Ayo Dosunmu had 16 and Jonathan Kuminga added 12 for the Timberwolves, who won for the sixth time in their last eight season openers. Rudy Gobert grabbed 15 rebounds and Edwards had 10 for Minnesota, which outscored Miami 63-24 on 3-pointers and outrebounded the Heat 52-34.

Antetokounmpo scored 35 before fouling out of his Heat debut, 21 of those points coming in the first half. Bam Adebayo scored 15 for Miami, which has dropped three consecutive season-openers — the third time in franchise history that’s happened.

Antetokounmpo was 13 for 19 from the floor and had six rebounds. It still wasn’t anywhere near enough to keep the Heat close in the opener.

Minnesota took command with a six-minute burst that started late in the second quarter and continued early into the third. It wound up as a 23-7 run, one that turned a one-point Timberwolves lead into a 78-61 edge. Edwards and Ball combined for 17 points during that spurt, while the Heat missed six of nine shots and turned the ball over on four possessions.

WIZARDS 128, BUCKS 116

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anthony Davis had 34 points and 12 rebounds in his debut with Washington, and the new-look Wizards beat Milwaukee.

It was the season opener for two teams that appear headed in opposite directions. Washington acquired Davis and Trae Young last season and then drafted AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall. Milwaukee traded away franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo in the offseason.

Still, the Bucks led the Wizards for much of this game before Washington began to take control early in the fourth.

Dybantsa didn’t play because of an ankle injury, but Davis did enough to excite the Washington crowd. The star big man was injured when the Wizards acquired him and didn’t play for Washington last season.

Fans serenaded Davis with an “MVP” chant before the first quarter was even over. The mood shifted, however, as the Wizards missed 18 of their first 22 attempts from 3-point range and trailed the Bucks well into the second half.

A dunk by Deandre Ayton gave the Wizards a 97-96 lead early in the fourth during a 21-4 run to take a 111-98 advantage with 7:26 to play.

The Wizards shot 63% from the field in the second half, outscoring Milwaukee 77-60.

Young finished with 20 points and 13 assists.

RAPTORS 135, BULLS 92

TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points in his return to Toronto, Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley also had 23 apiece and the Raptors routed Chicago.

RJ Barrett added 20 points and Ja’Kobe Walter had 10 for the Raptors, who never trailed.

Leonard shot 5 for 17, including 2 of 6 from 3-point range, but went 11 for 11 at the free-throw line. The two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year had four of Toronto’s 15 steals before checking out with 8:12 remaining in the final quarter.

The Bulls committed 27 turnovers, leading to 35 points for the Raptors. Chicago rookie Caleb Wilson had nine turnovers in his NBA debut.

Toronto scored almost as many points in the first quarter (43) as the Bulls had in the opening half (44).

Matas Buzelis scored 17 points for the Bulls and Wilson had 16. Norman Powell and Jaylin Smith each added 15.

HORNETS 110, NETS 103

NEW YORK (AP) — Naz Reid had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his Charlotte debut, Grayson Allen added 21 points off the bench and the Hornets beat Brooklyn.

Dennis Schroder scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, Brandon Miller had 18 and Moussa Diabate added 17 for the short-handed Hornets.

Charlotte, which was eliminated from the Eastern Conference play-in tournament last season, was without starters Coby White (left calf strain) and shooting guard Kon Knueppel (right hamstring strain), who led the NBA last season in 3-pointers made.

The Hornets dealt star point LaMelo Ball to Minnesota after the season in the deal that brought Reid to Charlotte.

Julius Randle scored 33 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field in his debut for the Nets. Michael Porter Jr. shot 10 for 21 from field to finish with 26 points.

None of Brooklyn’s other three starters scored in double figures. The Nets, celebrating their 60th season, wore white uniforms with red and blue in a nod to their ABA days.

HAWKS 132, MAGIC 125

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker punctuated a 31-point night with a pair of 3-pointers, Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson each finished with 20 points, and Atlanta beat Orlando.

Paolo Banchero had 35 points and 10 assists for the Magic, who have lost six straight the Hawks. Atlanta also spoiled coach Sean Sweeney’s debut with Orlando.

Alexander-Walker hit a 3 before flashing a hush gesture to the Kia Center crowd and then drained a 25-footer that gave Atlanta a 128-123 lead with 51 seconds left.

Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. each had 22 points for Orlando.

Johnson appeared to foul out with 4:27 remaining when officials called him for an offensive foul after an elbow to the face of Desmond Bane. However, Atlanta coach Quin Snyder successfully challenged the call with replay showing Bane committing the first illegal contact. Leading 120-117 at the time, the Hawks never trailed over the balance of the game.

C.J. McCollum scored 19 points and Aaron Wiggins added 16 for Atlanta.

PACERS 123, PELICANS 120

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 30 points, including 18 in the final quarter, Tyrese Haliburton added 23 in his first regular-season game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon 16 months ago and Indiana beat New Orleans.

With Indiana trailing 92-86 entering the fourth, Haliburton took charge in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of Indiana’s 10 points in a 90-second span to erase a 101-93 Pelicans lead. The Pacers outscored New Orleans 15-3 to take a 108-104 edge.

Zion Williamson, who had 22 points, tied the game at 116 on a driving layup and foul shot, but Haliburton scored on power moves on the next two trips down the court, and Indiana took a 121-118 lead and closed out the game with a pair of free throws by Quenton Jackson.

Obi Toppin added 20 points for Indiana, and Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Andrew Nembhard scored 18 points.

Dejounte Murray scored 23 points for the Pelicans, and Yves Missi had 13 points and 14 rebounds.

GRIZZLIES 123, JAZZ 103

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points as Memphis used a third-quarter rally enroute to a victory over Utah.

The game featured two of the top rookies in the current class: Utah picked Darryn Peterson of Kansas No. 2 overall right before Memphis selected Cam Boozer from Duke. Peterson had nine points; Boozer finished 11 rebounds, seven points and five assists but was 2-of-15 shooting, 0 for 6 from 3-point range.

Jerome connected on 17 of 25 shots including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. The 45 points were the most by a Memphis player in an season-opener, eclipsing the 44 by Ja Morant in 2020.

Jerami Grant, obtained in an offseason trade with Portland that sent Morant to the Trail Blazers, scored 15, Jaylen Wells and GG Jackson scored 12 each.

Keyonte George led the Jazz with 22 points Lauri Markkanen added 18 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. made his return to the FedExForum court after eight seasons with the Grizzlies and scored 15 points before fouling out in the fourth. Jackson was traded to Utah at last February’s deadline.

Jaxson Hayes had a career-high six blocks for Utah.

ROCKETS 128, MAVERICKS 110

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 30 points apiece and Houston used a big second quarter to build a huge lead and coast to a win over Dallas.

The Rockets led by six after the first quarter before outscoring Dallas 38-12 in the second to take a 32-point lead into halftime.

Durant and Smith each scored 16 points each in the first half. The Rockets were up by 15 midway through the second before using a 19-2 run to make it 70-38 at halftime.

Kyrie Irving had 15 points for Dallas in his first regular-season game since tearing his left ACL in March 2025. But it was a tough debut for Dallas coach Dusty May, who led Michigan to the NCAA championship before being hired to replace the fired Jason Kidd.

Cooper Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 pick and last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year, led the Mavericks with 32 points. P.J. Washington had 10 points and four rebounds.

TRAIL BLAZERS 124, SUNS 83

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 25 points in his first regular-season game since rejoining Portland, leading it to a season-opening rout of Phoenix.

Offseason addition Ja Morant had 14 points and eight assists for the Blazers, who jumped out to a 21-0 lead and led by as many as 52 points. Toumani Camara added 18 points.

Devin Booker, embarking on his 12th NBA season with the Suns, had 23 points.

Lillard spent his first 11 NBA seasons with the Blazers before playing two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. He rejoined the Blazers in the summer of 2025, but spent last season rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon.

Lillard joins a Blazers team that snapped a five-year postseason drought last season. But Tiago Splitter, who took over as coach after Chauncey Billups’ arrest in an alleged gambling scheme, left for the Chicago Bulls and the Blazers hired Micah Nori, an assistant with the Timberwolves.

LAKERS 127, WARRIORS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Walker Kessler scored 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds during his auspicious debut for the Los Angeles Lakers in a victory over Golden State.

Luka Doncic scored 28 points in three quarters and Austin Reaves added 23 as the Lakers began life after LeBron James with a thrashing of the Warriors, who got 23 points from Stephen Curry to begin his 18th season.

The 7-foot-2 Kessler was an immediate force around both rims for the Lakers, who traded a bounty of draft capital to Utah to fill Doncic’s desire for a top center. Kessler’s 12 shots without a miss were the second-most in Lakers history, trailing only a 14-for-14 performance by Wilt Chamberlain in March 1969.

Although Kessler hadn’t played in a competitive game since last Halloween due to injury, he slammed down a lob from Doncic on LA’s opening possession and never slowed down, repeatedly finishing his teammates’ passes while the Lakers rolled away.

Doncic scored 23 points in the first half while engaging in a prolonged physical and verbal confrontation with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who got a technical foul for something he said during their exchanges. Doncic capped the chippy matchup with flair, banking in a half-court shot at the buzzer and then gleefully pointing at the fuming rookie.

Doncic also had eight rebounds and seven assists before getting to sit out the fourth quarter of his first competitive game since April 2. He has returned as the Lakers’ clear centerpiece with James’ departure for Philadelphia — and with Kessler as a compelling teammate.

Lendeborg scored 12 points in the 11th overall pick’s debut. Brandon Williams added 14 points.

CLIPPERS 121, KINGS 96

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Darius Garland scored 30 points and the Clippers routed Sacramento in Los Angeles’ first season opener without Kawhi Leonard since 2019.

Brook Lopez added 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Rookie guard Keaton Wagler had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Rui Hachimura had 10 points and eight rebounds in his debut after coming over from the Lakers. The Clippers never trailed and their bench outscored the Kings’ reserves 53-34.

Zach LaVine led the Kings with 28 points and Domantas Sabonis added 14 points and 18 rebounds.

The Clippers have the largest decrease in the NBA in average age between their current roster and the group that was active for last year’s season opener, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

That’s partly due to the team trading James Harden and Chris Paul last season and sending Leonard to the Toronto Raptors last month after the NBA found the Clippers guilty of violating salary cap-circumvention rules involving him. Leonard scored 23 points to lead the Raptors in a season-opening win over Chicago on Wednesday.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer wasn’t in his usual baseline seat near the team’s bench. He’s serving a one-year suspension from all league and team activities “for knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities.” The team was fined $30 million and lost five consecutive draft picks from 2029 through 2033 as punishment.