LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Rookie A.J. Griffin scored 24 points from the bench as the Atlanta Hawks ended the Milwaukee Bucks’ unbeaten start to the NBA season on Monday, while Stephen Curry produced a 47-point masterpiece to snap the Golden State Warriors’ five-game losing streak.
Griffin was one of six Hawks players to make double digits as Atlanta shrugged off the absence of star playmaker Trae Young to hand the Bucks their first defeat of the 2022-2023 campaign.
Warriors 116, Kings 113
Jazz 139, Lakers 116
Wizards 108, Hornets 100
Rockets 134, Magic 127
Pistons 112, Thunder 103
Pacers 129, Pelicans 122
76ers 100, Suns 88
Hawks 117, Bucks 98
Trail Blazers 110, Heat 107
Bulls 111, Raptors 97
Celtics 109, Grizzlies 106
Knicks 120, T-Wolves 107
Nuggets 115, Spurs 109
Mavericks 96, Nets 94
Clippers 119, Cavaliers 117
The Bucks went into the game seeking a 10th straight win after a 9-0 start left them as the NBA’s only unbeaten team.
But Atlanta recovered superbly after being outscored 36-25 in the first quarter before trailing by six points at half-time.
The game swung decisively in Atlanta’s favor in the third period as the Hawks’ scoring erupted with 37 points.
Atlanta wrapped up a 117-98 victory with a 28-18 fourth quarter that saw the Hawks improve to 7-3 for the season.
Dejounte Murray led the Hawks’ scorers with 25 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists.
But the real stars of the show for Atlanta came from a potent bench led by teenage rookie Griffin, who combined for 59 points to set up the win. Justin Holiday drained four three-pointers in a 14-point contribution, while Onyeka Okongwu added 12.
“Before the game started, the coach said ‘Believe’. I feel the whole team wanted more,” 19-year-old Griffin said.
Milwaukee’s scoring was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 25 points, while Jrue Holiday added 16 points.
– Curry ‘lights the fire’ –
In other games on Monday, Golden State ended their five-game losing streak but only after a brilliant fourth-quarter performance from Curry against Sacramento.
Curry scored 17 of his 47 points in the final frame as the Warriors outscored the Kings, 37-25, to sneak a 116-113 win.
“Whatever it takes to get a win at this point,” Curry said.
“There was a sense of desperation coming off that road trip struggling like we did… we still can show that championship kind of grit and competitiveness to pull out a game like that.
“We know how to do it — I just needed to light the fire a little bit.”
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid drained a perfect 16-of-16 from the free throw line in a 33-point display as the 76ers outgunned the Phoenix Suns 100-88.
Embiid’s shooting accuracy was backed with a red-hot contribution off the bench from Georges Niang, who sank seven three-pointers in a 21-point contribution. Tobias Harris also scored 21 points for the Sixers.
Devin Booker led the Phoenix scoring with 28 points, while veteran playmaker Chris Paul hobbled off with a sore right heel. The Suns said Paul was removed from the game as a precaution.
Embiid was satisfied with his free throw accuracy as he returned after a three-game absence due to illness.
In Memphis, Jayson Tatum’s 39-point display carried the Boston Celtics to a 109-106 victory over the Grizzlies.
Ja Morant scored 30 points for Memphis, including five three-pointers, but Tatum’s dynamic performance sealed a battling win for the Celtics.
Jaylen Brown added 21 points for Boston, with Al Horford and Marcus Smart scoring 15 apiece.
