INQUIRER Sports

BOSTON—The Boston Celtics blasted the Chicago Bulls, 118-90, on Friday to maintain their unbeaten start to the new NBA season.

Paul Pierce and Eddie House each scored 22 points while Ray Allen contributed 20 as the Celtics improved to 3-0.

The meeting was a rematch of the epic seven-game series between the teams in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

Boston outscored the Bulls 67-44 over the second and third quarters to seize control.

“We buckled down on defense and offensively took our time,” Allen told reporters. “When we have (our bench playing well) it takes a lot of pressure off of us and other teams don’t know where our attack is coming from. We definitely like the way we look right now.”

Joakim Noah had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Jannero Pargo had 13 points for the Bulls, who appeared sluggish in their second game in as many nights.

Kevin Garnett had 16 points for the Celtics as he continues his comeback from a knee injury that forced him to miss 25 games including the playoffs last year.

In Minneapolis, LeBron James scored 24 points and had nine rebounds and six assists for Cleveland to avoid his first 0-3 start in five years as the Cavaliers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-87.

Mo Williams added 20 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskus had 11 of his 15 points in the first half and Daniel Gibson drained three 3-pointers during a 3-minute stretch of the fourth quarter.

In Los Angeles, Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points as the Dallas Mavericks shot 25 of 32 from the free throw line to trounce the Lakers, 94-80, for their first win of the season.

Nowitzki made 10 of 11 from the line and grabbed 10 rebounds, Shawn Marion added 18 points and Jason Terry 16 to end the Mavs’ six-game losing streak against the defending NBA champions.

Erick Dampier had 10 rebounds and Jason Kidd had 11 assists.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 20 points and Andrew Bynum had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

In other NBA games, Philadelphia defeated Milwaukee, 99-86; Charlotte nipped New York in overtime, 102-100; Atlanta turned back Washington, 100-89; Miami routed Indiana, 96-83; Memphis clipped Toronto, 115-107; Orlando tripped New Jersey, 95-85; New Orleans brought down Sacramento, 97-92; Oklahoma City surprised Detroit, 91-83; Utah whipped the LA Clippers, 111-98; and Phoenix crushed Golden State, 123-101. Reuters, AP