After three nights of regulation basketball, the 2015-16 NBA season had its first overtime matches on a frenetic 12-game Friday night.
The standout affair was at Amway Center where the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder went to double overtime before the Thunder edged an electric contest 139-136.
Victor Oladipo had a triple double (21 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists), including a three-pointer to force the second overtime, but it was OKC's star duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant that lit up the match.
Durant had 43 points and 12 rebounds, while Westbrook had 48 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, also making a shot from just inside mid-court at the end of regulation time that completed an 18-point fourth-quarter comeback by the Thunder.
In the first game of the night, LeBron James helped see off his former team as the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the Miami Heat 102-92 at Quicken Loans Arena.
James scored 29 from 13-19 shooting, while teammate Kevin Love added 24 points and 14 rebounds to continue his strong start to the season.
In a battle between last season's top two in the MVP race, it was Stephen Curry who showed why he won the award as he led the Golden State Warriors to a comfortable 112-92 win over the Houston Rockets.
Curry had 25 points as Golden State improved to 2-0, while the Rockets have now lost both of their games at the start of the season by 20 points, with James Harden (16 points on 4-18 shooting) again struggling.
Overtime was also needed at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and it was the Detroit Pistons who came out on top 98-94 over the Chicago Bulls.
Both teams had 100% records after the first two matches of the season, but it was Detroit who kept their perfect start as Marcus Morris scored 26 and Andre Drummond went 20-20 with points and rebounds.
Number-one Draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns had his first big night in the NBA with a 28-point, 14-rebound display as the Minnesota Timberwolves made it back-to-back wins with victory away at the Denver Nuggets.
Fellow rookie Emmanuel Mudiay top-scored for the Nuggets with 15 points, but the hosts never recovered from losing the opening quarter by 10 points.
In a high-scoring affair at BMO Harris Bradley Center, it was the visiting Washington Wizards that fought back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-113.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, after missing the Bucks' first match of the season through suspension, was the game's top scorer with 27, but it was Bradley Beal's 14 points in the final frame that powered the Wizards to a second straight victory.
The San Antonio Spurs started slowly against the Brooklyn Nets before putting in a dominant second-half performance to win by 27 points at AT&T Center.
Gregg Popovich's side claimed victory for the first time this season after winning the second half 60-28 as the Nets went cold to fall to 0-2.
The Sacramento Kings also earned their first win of the new term with a balanced team performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.
DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo both scored 21 as six Kings got into double figures in a 132-114 triumph over the 0-2 Lakers.
The Toronto Raptors caught fire in the second half to blow away the Boston Celtics 113-103 after an even first two quarters at TD Garden.
DeMar DeRozan's 23 points led the way for Toronto, while Terrence Ross scored 13 of his 21 in the fourth quarter as Boston failed to live with the Raptors after half time.
The Atlanta Hawks won for the second straight night by surviving a late rally from the Charlotte Hornets as Kemba Walker's last-gasp shot to tie the game rimmed out.
Kent Bazemore, standing in for the absent Kyle Korver, top-scored for the hosts with 19 points that included a career-best four three-pointers.
The Phoenix Suns bounced back from a heavy defeat to start the season with a comfortable win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Both teams, who meet again in Portland tonight, are now 1-1 for the season after Phoenix's guard duo of Eric Bledsoe (22) and Brandon Knight (18) combined for 40 points.
The Philadelphia 76ers were convincingly beaten 99-71 by the Utah Jazz at home.
No Sixers player scored more than 12 as Derrick Favors's 20 points and 12 rebounds guided the Jazz to an easy win.
Results in full: Miami Heat 92-102 Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder 139-136 Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz 99-71 Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors 113-103 Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls 94-98 Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets 94-97 Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards 118-113 Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets 75-102 San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves 95-78 Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors 112-92 Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers 114-132 Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers 92-110 Phoenix Suns
Pascal Lemesre
