NBA Roundup: Philadelphia 76ers extend unbeaten run as Spurs secure first win

The Philadelphia 76ers maintained their perfect start to the NBA season on Saturday, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 127-116, while the San Antonio Spurs recorded their first victory of the campaign with a convincing win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Philadelphia improved to 3-0 in the Eastern Conference despite resting veteran star LeBron James, pulling away from Milwaukee with an impressive offensive display.

Joel Embiid led the way with a 28-point triple-double, adding 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Jaylen Brown, celebrating his 30th birthday, contributed 27 points, while dynamic guard Tyrese Maxey finished with 26.

Rookie V.J. Edgecombe knocked down five three-pointers on his way to 17 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 12 points off the bench.

Reflecting on Philadelphia’s strong start, Brown welcomed the early victories but stressed that the team still had room for improvement.

“It’s awesome to start off good, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Brown said. He added that winning early was encouraging, although the team needed to continue improving quickly.

Spurs Bounce Back Against Mavericks

The San Antonio Spurs responded to defeats against Oklahoma City and Houston in their opening two games by beating the Dallas Mavericks 122-106 on the road.

Dallas were without injured rookie Cooper Flagg, while San Antonio produced a balanced scoring performance to secure their first win of the season.

Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 23 points, while Dylan Harper contributed 22. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 19 points each to complete a strong team effort.

Rockets Remain Unbeaten with Victory Over Hawks

The Houston Rockets continued their impressive start, improving to 3-0 after claiming a 121-114 road victory against the Atlanta Hawks.

In a matchup between two previously unbeaten teams, Houston’s depth proved decisive, with seven players reaching double figures.

Veteran superstar Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 22 points as Houston maintained its perfect record and continued to build momentum early in the campaign.

Hornets Hand Heat Third Straight Defeat

The Miami Heat endured another difficult evening, falling 115-110 to the Charlotte Hornets to slip to 0-3 for the season.

Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 34 points, while Dennis Schroder added 25 as the Hornets improved their record to 2-1.

Miami’s new signing Giannis Antetokounmpo managed just 14 points as the Heat struggled to find consistency throughout the contest.

The visitors faced a 21-point deficit entering the fourth quarter, trailing 96-75, but mounted an impressive comeback to level the score. However, Charlotte held firm in the closing stages to deny Miami a dramatic turnaround.

The loss marked Miami’s first 0-3 start to a season since the 2007-08 campaign.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged that his side needed to deliver greater energy and commitment throughout games.

“We need a lot more inspiration throughout the course of 48 minutes,” Spoelstra said.

He also emphasised the importance of teammates motivating one another to produce stronger performances, expressing confidence that the team would eventually find its rhythm.

Cavaliers and Wizards Claim Important Wins

The Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 1-1 after defeating the still-winless Brooklyn Nets 125-121 in a closely contested encounter.

Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards edged the Chicago Bulls 124-120, with Trae Young delivering 25 points to help his team secure the victory.

As the new NBA season gathers momentum, Philadelphia and Houston remain among the early unbeaten teams, while Miami will be eager to turn its fortunes around after a disappointing opening three games.