Rockets blow out Timberwolves for first win

HOUSTON (AP):

Luis Scola scored 24 points and Kevin Martin added 21 to help the Houston Rockets win their first game of the season, with a 120-94 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.

Yao Ming, playing under a strict time limit while recovering from foot surgery, had 13 points and four rebounds in 16 minutes. Shane Battier added 17 points for Houston, which lost their first five games. The Rockets lost their first 10 games in 1982-83.

Minnesota lost for the sixth time in seven games. Kevin Love led the Timberwolves with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Michael Beasley added 15 points.

Celtics 92, Thunder 83

Ray Allen scored 19 points and Boston's bench helped prevent a big lead from slipping away in the fourth quarter, as the Celtics opened a four-game road trip with a win over the Thunder.

Glen Davis had three foul line jumpers during a 15-6 push by the Celtics after their 22-point lead had been cut to 73-67 early in the fourth quarter. Allen's three-pointer from the left wing restored the advantage to 88-71 with 7:04 remaining and Boston hung on from there.

Kevin Durant scored 34 points and Russell Westbrook had 16 points and 10 assists to lead Oklahoma City, which played without third-leading scorer Jeff Green. Green is day to day with a sprained left ankle.

Suns 118, Hawks 114

Jason Richardson scored 21 points, Steve Nash added 19 and 15 assists as the Phoenix Suns held off Atlanta's second-half comeback to beat the Hawks, who suffered their first loss of the season. There were four ties in the fourth quarter but the Hawks, who trailed by 18 in the third period, could not take the lead.

Joe Johnson had 34 points and Al Horford added 30 - one shy of his career high - for Atlanta. Johnson and Horford each set season scoring highs.

76ers 106, Knicks 96

Elton Brand scored 20 points, Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday each had 19 and the 76ers beat the Knicks.

Evan Turner, the No. 2 pick and last season's college player of the year, added 14 points and 10 rebounds in his first NBA start as the 76ers snapped the Knicks' two-game winning streak.

Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who managed just 15 points in the fourth quarter. After consecutive wins, they heard boos as they walked off the floor at 3-3.

Pistons 102, Warriors 97

Richard Hamilton scored 27 points and Rodney Stuckey added 21 points and nine assists to help the Pistons beat the Warriors. Charlie Villanueva added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Detroit, while Tayshaun Prince scored 14.

Monta Ellis led Golden State with 24 points and Dorell Wright had 19.

Lakers 121, Trail Blazers 96

Pau Gasol had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists while completing his fourth career triple-double by the third quarter and the Los Angeles Lakers easily improved to 7-0 for the fifth time in franchise history with a victory over the Trail Blazers.

Lamar Odom had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe Bryant scored 12 points and Ron Artest played stringent defence on Portland star Brandon Roy during a smooth night of work for the Lakers, who led by 24 points in the first half and 29 down the stretch, while outrebounding the Blazers 49-25.