Thunder, 76ers, Spurs, Bulls remain perfect

Reigning champion Oklahoma City, the Philadelphia 76ers, the San Antonio Spurs and the Chicago Bulls remained undefeated with impressive National Basketball Association (NBA) triumphs on Monday.

The league’s last four unbeaten clubs topped a busy 11-game slate.

Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points and Bahamian rookie guard VJ Edgecombe added 26 to lead the 76ers (3-0) to a 136-124 home win over Orlando.

“He’s elite, man,” Edgecombe said of Maxey, his partner in the NBA’s top-scoring starting backcourt through three games.

“Very versatile, super fun guy to play with.”

The two have combined for 186 points over the Sixers’ first three games, the most by any starting backcourt duo in the first three games of a season since 1970-71 when starter statistics began being tracked.

Edgecombe, the third pick in this year’s NBA Draft, added a spark as Cameroonian big man Joel Embiid was benched by the Sixers for left knee injury management.

“It’s a must-win every night,” Edgecombe said.

Oklahoma City got 23 points from reigning NBA Most Valuable Player and scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plus 18 points and 11 rebounds from Chet Holmgren in a 101-94 victory at Dallas.

The Mavericks outscored Oklahoma City 25-14 in the fourth quarter but could not rally for the win.

D’Angelo Russell’s floater lifted Dallas within 95-94 with 54.8 seconds remaining but Isaiah Hartenstein answered with a layup to give the Thunder a 97-94 edge.

“We stayed locked in,” Hartenstein said.