New York (AFP) – In their first game since guard Terry Rozier was arrested in an FBI sports gambling probe, his Miami Heat teammates unleashed a scoring barrage in a 146-114 NBA win at Memphis on Friday. Bam Adebayo scored 24 points and reserve Nikola Jovic added 20 off the bench to lead eight double-digit scorers as the Heat improved to 1-1.
As the scandal swirled around the league on the fourth day of the 2025-26 campaign, Adebayo made it clear Rozier has Heat players’ support. “We stand behind him. Full support,” Adebayo said. “You support him through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day.” Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups were placed on indefinite leave by the NBA after being arrested Thursday.
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Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the hectic NBA schedule leaves the team no choice but to move ahead quickly without Rozier, who didn’t play in a season-opening loss on Wednesday. “Terry is somebody who is very dear to all of us,” Spoelstra said. “He’s had a real positive impact on our locker room… We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.”
Portland played host to Golden State in a later contest, the first for the Trail Blazers since Billups was arrested. Brazilian Tiago Splitter is serving as Portland’s interim head coach.
Donovan Mitchell’s 35 points powered Cleveland to a 131-124 victory at Brooklyn. Cam Thomas had 33 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 31 in a losing cause. “Got off to a lead, they made a bunch of shots, we let our foot off the gas a little bit, which we can’t do, but fortunately we were able to come away with the win,” Cleveland’s Sam Merrill said. “That kind of stuff can’t happen.”
Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, and passed out seven assists while Cole Anthony added 23 points off the bench to lead Milwaukee’s 122-116 victory at Toronto. Jalen Brunson’s 31 points plus 26 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns led New York over visiting Boston 105-95.
Frenchman Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and blocked nine shots to spark the San Antonio Spurs to a 120-116 overtime triumph at New Orleans. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 27 points.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham had 21 points and Ausar Thompson added 19 to power the Pistons to a 115-111 victory at Houston, which got 37 points from Kevin Durant in defeat. Kyshawn George had 34 points and 11 rebounds to spark Washington to a 117-107 victory at Dallas.
Other late games had Minnesota at the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah at Sacramento, and Phoenix at the Los Angeles Clippers.
© 2024 AFP
