Around the league: Scores and highlights from Monday games

Nuggets, Hawks headline NBA action

The first week of the 2018-19 NBA season continued with a four-game slate on Monday.

If you missed any of the action, check below for highlights and top performances from each game.

Hawks vs. Cavs | Kings vs. Thunder | Warriors vs. Nuggets | Rockets vs. Clippers

Atlanta Hawks 133, Cleveland Cavaliers 111 

Box score  | Play-by-play

Hawks top performer:  Trae Young  – 35 points (13-for-23 FG), 11 assists

Cavs top performer:  Kevin Love – 16 points, 17 rebounds


It was a strong showing from the Hawks rookies: Trae Young finished with 35 points and 11 assists, Omari Spellman scored 17 points while Kevin Heurter added nine points, 10 rebounds and four assists to help lead Atlanta to its first win of the season. The Hawks sank a franchise-record 22 3-pointers in the win.

Jordan Clarkson (19 points) and Kevin Love (16 points, 17 rebounds) led the way for Cleveland, who falls to 0-3.


Sacramento Kings 131, Oklahoma City Thunder 120

Box score  | Play-by-play

Kings top performer:  De'Aaron Fox – 22 points (7-for-12 FG), 10 assists, four rebounds

Thunder top performer:  Russell Westbrook – 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists

The Kings play spoiler to Russell Westbrook's return to action with an 11-point win at Oklahoma City. Iman Shumpert led the way for Sacramento with 26 points while Westbrook flirted with a triple-double (32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists).


It might have been his regular season debut, but Russell Westbrook's hustle was already in midseason form.


Denver Nuggets 100, Golden State Warriors 98

Box score  | Play-by-play

Nuggets top performer:  Nikola Jokic – 23 points, 11 rebounds, six assists

Warriors top performer:  Stephen Curry – 30 points, six assists, four rebounds

It came down to the wire but a block from Juancho Hernangomez saves the day for the Nuggets, who earned a 100-98 win over the defending champs.

Gary Harris outplayed Klay Thompson, finishing with a team-high 28 points and was 9-11 from inside the 3-point line which helped offset a 2-9 showing from downtown. With Harris on the floor, Denver outscored Golden State by 13 points as Harris was the only Nuggets starter to finish with a positive plus-minus.

Major props to Nikola Jokic who is off to one of the best starts ever for a 3-0 team.


Los Angeles Clippers 115, Houston Rockets 112

Box score  | Play-by-play

Clippers top performer:  Tobias Harris – 23 points (9-for-15 FG)

Rockets top performer:  James Harden – 31 points, 14 assists

Without point guard Chris Paul, who served the first game of a two-game suspension, the Rockets suffered a three-point loss to Tobias Harris and the Clippers. 


 

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