NBA wRap: Lakers fall to worst start in nearly 60 years

From results and news to top performers and highlights, Rappler’s NBA wRap has you covered.

Here’s the league rundown for Sunday, November 2:

Dallas Mavericks (2-1) 109 – 104 New Orleans Pelicans (1-1)

DAL: Chandler Parsons 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

NO: Anthony Davis 31 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks

Memphis Grizzlies (3-0) 71 – 69 Charlotte Hornets (1-1)

MEM: Marc Gasol 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists

CHA: Al Jefferson: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks

Toronto Raptors (2-0) 108 – 95 Orlando Magic (0-3)

TOR: DeMar DeRozan 26 points, 8 rebounds

ORL: Nikola Vucevic 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Miami Heat (2-0) 114 – 96 Philadelphia 76ers (0-3)

MIA: Chris Bosh 30 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists

PHI: Tony Wroten 21 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds

Washington Wizards (2-1) 108 – 97 Milwaukee Bucks (1-2)

WSH: Nene Hilario 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists

MIL: Brandon Knight 24 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds

Atlanta Hawks (1-1) 102 – 92 Indiana Pacers (1-2)

ATL: Jeff Teague 25 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds

IND: Roy Hibbert 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks

Brooklyn Nets (1-1) 102 – 90 Detroit Pistons (0-3)

BKN: Joe Johnson 34 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists

DET: Greg Monroe 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists

Houston Rockets (3-0) 104 – 90 Boston Celtics (1-1)

HOU: James Harden 28 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals

BOS: Jared Sullinger 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks

Chicago Bulls (2-1) 106 – 105 Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2)

CHI: Jimmy Butler 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

MIN: Kevin Martin 33 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-2) 102 – 91 Denver Nuggets (1-1)

OKC: Perry Jones III 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

DEN: Ty Lawson 25 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds

Utah Jazz (1-2) 118 – 91 Phoenix Suns (2-1)

UTAH: Derrick Favors: 32 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks

PHX: Eric Bledsoe: 10 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds

Golden State Warriors (2-0) 127 – 104 Los Angeles Lakers (0-4)

GS: Klay Thompson 41 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

LAL: Jordan Hill 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

Nightly Notables:

The Lakers fell to 0-4 with their loss to the Warriors, which is their worst start since 1957, when they were known as the Minneapolis Lakers. According to ESPN, the Lakers are -68 in their first four games.

Still, Kobe Bryant went off for 28 points but was just 12-of-28 from the field and had 7 turnovers. Steph Curry, meanwhile, put up 31 points and 10 assists.

Tyreke Evans was spectacular for the Pelicans in defeat, going off for 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Kemba Walker and Lance Stephenson were a combined 2-of-18 from the field for Charlotte. Both teams shot an average of 36.2% from the field.

The Raptors won their eighth straight game against the Magic by receiving double-digit scoring performances out of six guys. They face the Heat on Monday, November 3.

Other than being the best performer for the Magic, Vucevic also threw down a nasty one-handed reverse jam against the Raptors:

The Heat finished with 33 assists, which is only the seventh time they’ve reached that mark in the past few seasons.

The 76ers are tanking and horrible, but they did get a sweet highlight out of their young rookie KJ McDaniels:

As Dwyane Wade posted on Instagram after the game, he couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean. Against Philly, “Flash” wasn’t so super by going just 4-of-18 from the field.

The “truth” was that Paul Piece wasn’t so nice against Milwaukee, so the referees did the Bucks a favor by ejecting him with two technical fouls:

But it didn’t help anyway, as John Wall, who had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists, Otto Porter, who had 21 points off the bench, and the rest of the Wizards cruised to victory.

Chris Copeland came off the bench to provide 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Pacers, now losers of two straight.

Johnson scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter. Kevin Garnett had his career high as a member of the Brooklyn Nets with 18 points, and also dragged down 14 rebounds.

Chicago played without Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson but eked out the win because of a late foul by Andrew Wiggins on Butler, who calmly sinked the game-winning free throws:

Butler, unintentionally, also hit Minny forward Thad Young in the first half with an elbow that kept Young out the rest of the game:

Ricky Rubio had 17 assists in the loss, tying a career-high. Minnesota rallied from a 16-point deficit before coming up short late.

It was the second game ever OKC played without but Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook; they’re now 2-0 in such games. 

NBA Fantasy Line of the Day: Fresh off signing a max contract worth $70 million, Klay Thompson scored a career-high 41 points, made 5 3-pointers, grabbed down 5 rebounds, handed out 2 assists, went 14-of-18 from the field, and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. The future shooting guard spot for Golden State looks to be in good hands.

NBA Highlight of the Day: Kobe Bryant is 36-years-old. He’s in his 19th year in the NBA. But he can still do this:

– Rappler.com