NBA
NBA: Warriors, Bulls dealt first defeats as Jazz stay unbeaten
The Golden State Warriors and the Chicago Bulls suffered their opening defeats of the 2021-22 NBA season on Thursday.
The Golden State Warriors and the Chicago Bulls both suffered their first losses of the NBA season on Thursday, leaving the Utah Jazz as the league's only undefeated team.
Warriors beaten by Grizzlies, Bulls lose to Knicks
Golden State were riding a 4-0 record – their sixth such start to a campaign in franchise history – but the Warriors came unstuck at home to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, going down 104-101 in overtime.
Having forced OT with a 25-19 fourth quarter, Ja Morant's Grizzlies outscored the Warriors 6-3 in the extra period to inflict a first loss of the season on Golden State.
Morant – leading the league with 30.4 points per game this season – fuelled the Grizzlies with 30 points on the road after overturning a 19-point deficit.
Curry, who did not score in the fourth quarter or OT, had a game-high 36 points as the Warriors ended the game with 22 turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls – who had registered their first 4-0 start to a season since 1996-97 – were edged 104-103 by the New York Knicks.
Embiid leads the way, Jazz stay undefeated
Despite a sore right knee, last season's MVP runner-up Joel Embiid inspired the Philadelphia 76ers to a 110-102 victory over the winless Detroit Pistons. Embiid had 30 points and 18 rebounds. The 76ers star put up 19 points and 12 boards in the opening half – the sixth time since the start of last season he has posted a point-rebound double-double in a half, tied for seventh in the NBA during that span.
The Jazz – last season's Western Conference top seeds – are now the NBA's lone unbeaten team after routing the Houston Rockets 122-91. All-Star Rudy Gobert (16 points and 14 rebounds) recorded another double-double. According to Stats Perform, it is the first time ever the Jazz are the last remaining undefeated side in the NBA.
Slumping Spurs lose again
The San Antonio Spurs lost their fourth consecutive game, this time falling to rivals the Dallas Mavericks 104-99.
Kevin Huerter was one of the surprising stars of the Atlanta Hawks' run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but he struggled in the 122-111 loss at the Washington Wizards. He was scoreless in 14 minutes, having missed all four of his shots from the field.