Cade Cunningham’s 40-point performance propelled the Detroit Pistons to a 119-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, despite Anthony Edwards scoring a career-high 53 points.
Edwards, who had voiced frustration after averaging just 16.3 points over the last three games in the face of a strong double-team defense, found plenty of ways to score.
He connected on 16 of his 31 shots from the field, including 10 of 15 from 3-point range, and made 11 of his 12 free-throw attempts.
But he had little scoring support and the Timberwolves trailed virtually all the way against a Pistons team powered by Cunningham, who notched his season-high in points and added six rebounds and nine assists.
Unlike Edwards, Cunningham had plenty of support.
Malik Beasley added 23 points off the bench for the Pistons, Tobias Harris scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Ausar Thompson finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.
In San Antonio, Nikola Jokic scored 46 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Denver Nuggets, who spoiled Victor Wembanyama’s 21st birthday with a 122-111 overtime victory over the Spurs.
Wembanyama scored 20 points and grabbed 23 rebounds with three assists and four blocked shots.
But the French star – whose late-game heroics sealed the Spurs’ win over the Nuggets in Denver on Friday – was scoreless in overtime.
Harrison Barnes scored 22 points for San Antonio and Devin Vassell added 19. Vassell tied it at 108-108 with a put-back basket with 14 seconds left in regulation.
Jokic missed a potential game-winner but dominated with nine points in the extra session when the Nuggets outscored the Spurs 14-3 to pull away.
The Serbian star, who claimed a third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, added 10 assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.
In Brooklyn, Joel Embiid scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to power the Philadelphia 76ers in a 123-94 victory over the short-handed Nets.
Tyrese Maxey finished with 18 points while Paul George and Caleb Martin scored 17 apiece for the Sixers, who led by 64-47 at halftime.
The Portland Trail Blazers, led by 28 points from Anfernee Simons, snatched a 105-102 victory over the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Simons came through in the clutch, converting a 3-point play with 23.5 seconds left to put the Trail Blazers up by one.
After former Blazer Damian Lillard turned the ball over Simons made a pair of free throws with 5.4 to play to seal the win.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Lillard scored 16 but missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final second.
Kawhi Leonard returns
The Los Angeles Clippers celebrated the season debut of two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard with a 131-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Leonard hadn’t played since April 26, missing 12 of the Clippers’ last 14 games last season with right knee inflammation.
The injury scuppered his hopes of playing for the United States at the Paris Olympics.
Leonard got the starting nod and scored 12 points, starting with a 3-pointer over Atlanta’s standout rookie Zaccharie Risacher.
Leonard added three rebounds, one assist and a steal in just under 20 minutes on court.
The Golden State Warriors, fueled by 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 17 from Dennis Schroder, shook off the absence of superstar Stephen Curry to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-113.
With Curry resting because of knee tendinitis, the Warriors saw Jonathan Kuminga depart with a sprained right ankle late in the first half.
In Chicago, Coby White made nine three-pointers on the way to 33 points, Zach LaVine scored 33 and Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls in a 139-126 victory over the New York Knicks.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 44 points and grabbed 16 rebounds and Jalen Brunson added 33 for the Knicks, but New York dropped their second straight a day after the Oklahoma City Thunder halted their nine-game winning streak.
It was an emotional night for the Bulls, who honored Derrick Rose at halftime – three months after the former NBA MVP and Bulls star announced his retirement.