KYRIE Irving scored 24 points and dished out five assists in his Dallas Mavericks debut and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points to power a 110-104 victory over the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Irving, who was officially acquired from the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, was 9 of 17 from the field with his new team as he helped pick up the slack for an absent Luka Doncic, who missed his third consecutive game with a heel injury.
The Mavericks have won four of their past five games as they await the debut of an Irving-Doncic duo, which could happen as early as Friday or Saturday, when they play a pair of road games against the Sacramento Kings.
Norman Powell scored 24 points and Terance Mann added 21 for the Clippers, who lost in their return home. Los Angeles just completed a 4-2 road trip.
In other games, it was the Blazers 125, Warriors 122; Wizards 118, Hornets 104; Kings 130, Rockets 128; Cavs 113, Pistons 85; Raptors 112, Spurs 98; Celtics 106, Sixers 99; Heat 116, Pacers 111; and Wolves 143, Jazz 118.
Blazers 125, Warriors 122
Damian Lillard had 33 points as part of his second career triple-double and host Portland spoiled Klay Thompson’s 33rd birthday by edging Golden State.
Jordan Poole had a game-high 38 points for the Warriors, including a 3-pointer that put the visitors up 114-110 with 5:48 to go. Golden State didn’t score again until a Poole interior hoop with 46.0 seconds left, a stretch during which the Trail Blazers scored 11 straight points to take command with a seven-point lead. Thompson added 31 points.
Lillard hit all 16 of his free-throw attempts. He added 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Jeremi Grant finished with 22 points, including a three-point play that broke a 114-all tie with 4:31 to go and give Portland the lead for good.
Wizards 118, Hornets 104
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 of his 36 points in the third quarter to fuel host Washington to a victory over Charlotte.
Washington’s Deni Avdija collected 20 points and 13 rebounds and Bradley Beal contributed 17 points and 10 assists in his return from a two-game absence due to left foot soreness. Daniel Gafford added 13 points for the Wizards, who shot 50.6 percent from the floor (44 of 87) and 40.5 percent from 3-point range (15 of 37).
Charlotte’s P.J. Washington scored 20 points and Terry Rozier added 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. LaMelo Ball collected 16 points and six rebounds and Gordon Hayward added 15 points for the Hornets, who have lost five in a row.
