Basketball

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls looked as if they were on their way to a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics. The game turned out to be a romp, just not the kind that it looked like it would be.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Devin Vassell scored 23 points and Jakob Poeltl added 14 points and 14 rebounds to help the San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-106 on Monday night.

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Jalen Green added 25 to lead the previously winless Houston Rockets to a 114-108 victory over Utah on Monday night, handing the Jazz their first loss of the season.

MIAMI (AP) — Another game, another close one for the Toronto Raptors. They're noticing a trend.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson fired the ball ahead to Obi Toppin, who dropped it behind him to a trailing RJ Barrett for a dunk that capped what may have been the highlight play of the New York Knicks' early season.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Harden and the 76ers watched plenty of their bad plays on film during recent practices. The clips magnified the results on the court. “I felt like we were 0-82,” Harden said. They don't have to worry about that now.

MIAMI (AP) — Pascal Siakam and Christian Koloko made history for their native Cameroon on Monday night. And they might be involved in more later this week.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Canada's Ryan Nembhard is among 20 players named as a watch-list candidate for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award, given to the top point guard in U.S. college basketball. Nembhard of Aurora, Ont.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul was back in a familiar building in a city he still calls home. With his parents, wife, kids and brother looking on, he became the third player in NBA history to reach 11,000 assists.

Dallas Mavericks (1-1, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (2-1, ninth in the Western Conference) New Orleans; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Dallas heads to New Orleans for a Western Conference matchup.