Spurs 4-0 after routing Pacers

The four-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs stormed to a franchise-best 4-0 start to the season after routing the Indiana Pacers 101-79 on Monday. Reserve Gary Neal led five Spurs in double figures with 17 points, while Tim Duncan got a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds to lift the franchise to a new milestone. Despite winning four NBA championships between 1999 and 2007, the Spurs had never won their first four regular season games until now. San Antonio grabbed an eight-point lead after the first quarter before scoring the first 11 points of the second to push their advantage to 37-18. The visiting Pacers (2-2) never fully recovered, trimming the deficit to nine at halftime only to be pegged back again in the second half. George Hill and Paul George had 15 and 14 points respectively but Indiana shot just 34 percent from the field. Heat 124 Suns 99: In Miami, LeBron James scored 23 points and Dwyane Wade added 22 to spark the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat over Phoenix, stretching their win streak to three games. Chris Bosh added 18 points — all in the first half — for the Heat, who lost their opener to the New York Knicks but improved to 3-1 on the season. James also pulled down 11 rebounds, while Ray Allen came off the bench to produce 15 points, six rebounds and six assists. The Suns, who suffered their third loss in four games, were led by reserve Shannon Brown’s 18 points and 15 from Argentina’s Luis Scola. Knicks 110 76ers 88: In Philadelphia, Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points and JR Smith had 17 to lead the New York Knicks to victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Raymond Felton scored 16 points and Tyson Chandler had 14 to lead the Knicks to their first 3-0 start since the 1999-2000 season. The Knicks beat the Sixers 100-84 on Sunday in the opener of the home-and-home series. The Knicks busted the game open in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 21 points. They got a surprising third from 38-year-old Rasheed Wallace, who scored eight points and hit a couple of 3-pointers, including a 26-footer at the buzzer to end the quarter. After a solid first, the Sixers fell apart, and got nothing going with their set offense. Jrue Holiday led them with 17 points. Cavaliers 108 Clippers 101: In Los Angeles, rookie Dion Waiters hit seven 3-pointers and scored 28 points, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers stave off a fourth-quarter rally by the Los Angeles Clippers to win. Kyrie Irving added 24 points, Tyler Zeller had 15 points and Anderson Varejao had 15 points and 15 rebounds as the Cavs snapped a two-game skid. Waiters set career highs in points and 3-pointers in his fourth NBA game. Blake Griffin scored 20 points, Jamal Crawford added 19 and Chris Paul had 17 for the Clippers, who lost their second straight after opening the season with two wins in a row. Kings 94 Warriors 92: In Sacramento, California, DeMarcus Cousins scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings held off the Golden State Warriors to avoid an 0-4 start. Cousins outworked slow-footed Andrew Bogut and every other Warriors big man to help Sacramento score 16 straight points during the third quarter and bust open a tie game. Bogut hardly looked to be at full strength. He had 12 points and three rebounds while playing almost 19 minutes as Golden State’s new franchise center — and his surgically repaired left ankle — eases back into shape. Klay Thompson had 22 points and David Lee added 20 points to bring the Warriors within a point in the final minute. But Thompson missed a potential tying jumper and Stephen Curry missed a 3-pointer as time expired to seal Golden State’s first road loss this season. Mavericks 114 Blazers 91: In Dallas, O.J. Mayo scored 32 points, his second consecutive 30-point game at home, and the Dallas Mavericks used a fourth-quarter surge to beat Portland Trail Blazers. Mayo, one of a trio of Mavericks newcomers who scored in double figures, made six 3-pointers and capped his night with a running dunk with 1:18 left. He scored 30 in the home opener two nights earlier. Chris Kaman had 16 points, and Darren Collison had 14 points and 13 assists for the Mavericks. Grizzlies 103 Jazz 94: In Memphis, Tennessee, Zach Randolph had 16 points and 18 rebounds, Marc Gasol added 22 points and the Memphis Grizzlies capped a day of celebration featuring the introduction of their new owners with NBA commissioner David Stern on hand by beating the Utah Jazz 103-94 Monday night. Mike Conley added 16 points, Rudy Gay had 15 and Quincy Pondexter 14 for Memphis, which won its second straight this season after opening up with two games in California. The Grizzlies also picked up where they left off last season by winning their 12th straight regular season game and extending their franchise record. They haven’t lost at home in regulation since the Jazz beat them Feb. 12.