MINNEAPOLIS — The Philadelphia 76ers avoided matching an ignominious NBA record Wednesday, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 85-77 for their first win of the season after an 0-17 start. With the long-awaited victory, the Sixers avoided equaling the worst start to a season in league history, the 0-18 season-opening run of the 2009-10 Nets. “It's a big relief,” said Philadelphia point guard Michael Carter-Williams, last season's rookie of the year who had game highs of 20 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Robert Covington added 17 points off the bench and Cameroonian forward Luc Mbah a Moute — traded by Minnesota to Philadelphia in August — had 12 points and nine rebounds. “The team's excited and we just want to build on this,” Carter-Williams said. Philadelphia coach Brett Brown, who had already seen his 76ers struggle through a 19-win campaign last season — in which they matched the all-time record for consecutive defeats with 26 — insisted before the contest that his young team was on the verge of breaking through. “The win is coming. We're getting better,” Brown said. The words proved prophetic, but it wasn't pretty. Philadelphia shot just 39 percent against the injury-depleted and defensively challenged Timberwolves, who were led by former Sixer Thaddeus Young with 16 points. The Sixers will face a tough test in their next game, when they host Oklahoma City Friday. Rockets 105, Grizzlies 96 Houston ran past league-leading Memphis at Toyota Center as all five members of their revamped starting lineup scored in double figures. Guard James Harden scored a game-high 21 points while rookie center Tarik Black recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for Houston. Guard Jason Terry and forward Trevor Ariza scored 16 points apiece. Nets 95, Spurs 93 (OT) Brooklyn forward Mirza Teletovic led his team with 26 points in an overtime victory against San Antonio, snapping the defending NBA champions' eight-game winning streak. Brooklyn also received 17 points and nine assists from guard Deron Williams and 16 points and 15 rebounds from center Brook Lopez. Guard Bojan Bogdanovic added 14 points. Bulls 102, Hornets 95 Pau Gasol led the way with 19 points and 15 rebounds, and fellow big men Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic also had double-doubles in a solid performance from start to finish as Chicago topped Charlotte. Noah finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Mirotic had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Chicago also got 15 points each from guards Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose, and 12 points from guard Kirk Hinrich. Wizards 111, Lakers 95 Kobe Bryant scored 29 points but the Los Angeles Lakers' modest winning streak ended as Bradley Beal's scoring, John Wall's passing and Kris Humphries' rebounding carried Washington to a victory. Beal had 27 points and backcourt partner Wall finished with 17 points and a season-high 15 assists for Washington. Hawks 112, Heat 102 Atlanta won its fourth game in a row, defeating Miami at AmericanAirlines Arena. Atlanta was led by guards Jeff Teague, with 27 points, Kyle Korver, with 18 points, and reserve guard Dennis Schroeder, who potted a career-high 16 points. Celtics 109, Pistons 102 (OT) Forward Jared Sullinger scored 10 points in overtime as Boston handed Detroit its 10th loss in a row. Forward Jeff Green finished with 32 points, forward Kelly Olynyk came off the bench with 20 points and seven rebounds, Sullinger had 14 points and eight rebounds and center Tyler Zeller had eight points and 10 boards. Other results: Mavericks 107, Bucks 105; Raptors 123, Jazz 104. — Agencies
