The defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks beat the Toronto Raptors 99-86 Friday for their first win of the season boosted by 56 points from their reserves. The Mavs were the first champions to open their title defense with three consecutive losses since the Boston Celtics started the 1969 season losing four in a row. Reserve center Ian Mahinmi sparked the Mavs with 19 points in 28 minutes of action as the bench players carried the team to victory. “If I'm open, I'm going to shoot it. That's what coach has been telling me throughout the preseason,” Mahinmi told reporters. “When I've got an open shot, I got to take it, which is something I've really worked on in the offseason.” Fellow reserves Jason Terry scored 18 points and former Raptor Vince Carter added 10 points. Mavs talisman Dirk Nowitzki was held to 18 points. The Raptors trailed through much of the game until they surged ahead 68-61 in the third quarter with a 14-point run capped by a slam dunk by Amir Johnson. The Mavericks called timeout to break the momentum and pushed back to seize the lead for good with a 16-2 run at the end of the third quarter to lead 77-70. Hawks 105, Nets 98: Jeff Teague scored 22 points, Joe Johnson added 21 and the host Atlanta Hawks won their third straight game to open the season, beating the Nets, 105-98. Deron Williams finished with 23 points and the rookie MarShon Brooks added 21 to lead the Nets, who have dropped three straight and are 1-3. The Hawks, who beat the Nets by 36 points in Newark Tuesday, led by no more than 9 early in the fourth quarter before Brooks's 17-footer made it 95-94 with 2 minutes 18 seconds to play. After Johnson's 8-footer put the Hawks ahead, 100-96, with 20.6 seconds remaining, Brooks signaled for a timeout while trying to make an inbounds pass. The Nets had no more timeouts, and Johnson hit the ensuing technical free throw. Heat 103, Timberwolves 101: Dwyane Wade hit a jumper from the wing, then scored on an inbounds pass from LeBron James with 4.6 seconds to play to lift Miami (4-0) over the host Minnesota Timberwolves. Playing on a sore foot, Wade finished with 19 points, while James had 34 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds on his 27th birthday. In four birthday games, James had averaged 35.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Ricky Rubio had 12 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds for the Timberwolves (0-3). Celtics 96, Pistons 85: Jermaine O'Neal scored 19 points as host Boston ended a dismal start to its season. O'Neal, who totaled 8 points in the first three games, all losses, had 10 points in the first half, then scored 7 in the third quarter, when the Celtics took an 86-64 lead. Boston's Paul Pierce scored 12 points in his debut after nursing a bruised right heel. Greg Monroe had 22 points and 9 rebounds for Detroit (0-3). In other games it was: Suns 93, Hornets 78; Magic 100, Bobcats 79; Pacers 98, Cavaliers 91; Jazz 102, 76ers 99; Grizzlies 113, Rockets 93; Bucks 102, Wizards 81.
