76ers, Rockets stay unbeaten no more

PHILADELPHIA(AP) – Evan Turner just had to send a good-natured text to Andre Iguodala after Philadelphia ran its record to 3-0.

“You’re next.”

Hardly.

Iguodala tormented his former team with a game better than any he ever played in eight seasons with the 76ers. He made a career-high seven three-pointers, scored 32 points, had one behind-the-back assist for the highlight reel, and the Golden State Warriors handed Philadelphia its first loss of the season, 110-90, on Monday night.

“I got a good look or two, and confidence started flowing,” Iguodala said.

Stephen Curry had 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his second career triple-double.

In Los Angeles, J.J. Redick scored 19 of his 26 points in the first half to lead seven players in double figures, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat Houston, 137-118, Monday night, handing the Rockets their first loss of the season in Dwight Howard’s return to Staples Center.

Chris Paul added 23 points and 17 assists, Jamal Crawford had 21 points, and Blake Griffin scored 18 for the Clippers, who led the entire game and tied a franchise record with 78 points in the first half.

Howard finished with 13 points and nine rebounds after getting roundly booed in his first game in Los Angeles since leaving the Lakers and signing with Houston in the NBA’s biggest free agent move last summer.

In Cleveland, the Minnesota Timberwolves had exactly what they wanted – their best player with an open shot and the game on the line.

Kevin Love’s three-point attempt with 1.9 seconds left bounced off the back rim, sending Minnesota to its first loss of the season in a 93-92 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Heck yeah, we’ll take that shot every time,” said guard Kevin Martin, who led the Timberwolves with 23 points. ‘’The best power forward in the league with a great look to win the game.’’

Love’s 29.7 average going into the game led the league in scoring. Even though he struggled from the field, hitting 8 of 20 shots and scoring 17 points, he was confident his late shot would go down and his team would come all the way back from a 23-point deficit in the third quarter.

‘’More often than not, I believe I’m going to make that shot,’’ Love said. “J.J. (Barea) made a good pass and I was in good rhythm, but I just hit the back rim.”

Even the Cavaliers realized they were fortunate.

The overachieving 76ers (3-1) were one of the early surprises of the season. Iguodala, a former Sixers All-Star, brought them back to reality.

Iguodala was sensational, setting the pace early with six 3s and 27 points in the first half. He also made the play of the young season, a behind-the-back, midair assist to David Lee. Iguodala whipped it from the corner at about the 3-point line and hit Lee in stride down the lane.

“When I was here, that was just natural to me to make plays like that,” Iguodala said.

Curry had a perfect view from the other side of the court of Iguodala’s catch-and-release pass.

“I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of that on TV the next couple of days,” he said.

Sixers rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams, the Eastern Conference player of the week, missed 13 of 17 shots and scored 18 points.

The preseason Las Vegas pick as the worst team in the NBA, the Sixers beat Miami and Chicago to put them on the brink of their first 4-0 start since 2000-01.

Staying undefeated was never much of an option after the opening minutes.

Iguodala hit three 3s in the first quarter to torment his former team and help Golden State build a 16-point lead. Iguodala was traded in 2012 to Denver as part of a four-team trade that saw the Sixers land Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum. Bynum never played a second for the Sixers and signed with Cleveland. Iguodala left the Nuggets to sign with the Warriors.