Bulls, Hawks and Clippers stay perfect
The undefeated Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks both improved to 3-0 for the NBA season after their respective wins on Monday.
Jimmy Butler led the Bulls past the Brooklyn Nets 118-88 on Halloween in New York.
Butler posted a game-high 22 points, Nikola Mirotic (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Taj Gibson (14 points, 11 rebounds) had double-doubles, while Dwyane Wade added 12 points.
The Hawks overcame the Sacramento Kings 106-95 to remain perfect.
There were also wins for the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers.
DEROZAN WORTH EVERY PENNY
The NBA was handing out money like it was going out of style this summer, and DeRozan was one of the players who cashed in.
Through three games, no one who got a new deal has looked more worthy than the Raptors guard. DeRozan is averaging 35 points per game after dropping 33 on the Denver Nuggets in their 105-102 win, and he is doing it very efficiently, making the five-year, $139 million deal the Raptors awarded him look pretty solid so far.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about his scoring binge is that he has done it without hitting a single three-pointer. He is zero-for-four through the first three games of the season from behind the line, but he has made up that with sizzling shooting from two-point range. He is shooting 52.7 percent from the field and getting to the line consistently.
HOWARD SOARS FOR HAWKS
Howard had a good night, finally bringing some offense to the table to his new team.
Howard posted 18 points to go with 11 rebounds and four blocks as the Hawks beat the Kings. He was just four-for-20 from the free-throw line, but nobody expected him to do any better.
Kings centre DeMarcus Cousins scored just 14 points on six-of-16 shooting against the Hawks just hours after it was announced he would be fined $25,000 for tossing his mouthpiece into the stands on Saturday.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Paul Pierce joins in on the Halloween fun! #NBAGIF pic.twitter.com/GadAuSfjew
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2016
Check the resume! pic.twitter.com/7NSjvAVllp
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2016
CLIPPERS ALSO STAY UNBEATEN
Not to be overshadowed by the Bulls and the Hawks, the Clippers made it three wins from three with a 116-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
The win was inspired by Chris Paul’s 24 points and Blake Griffin’s double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds.
YOUNG GUNS ON DISPLAY
Tuesday’s action will see the Milwaukee Bucks come up against the New Orleans Pelicans. It also shows off two of the most versatile talents in the league in the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis and the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. Both are 6-11, but while Davis mans the middle for New Orleans, Antetokounmpo acts as a facilitator and point guard for Milwaukee. The San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers also take to the court.
