NBA Results: Celtics, Mavs, Heat, Wolves, Clippers, 76ers, Lakers All Win

LeBron shines again

Contenders pulled away and strugglers kept sliding on a packed NBA slate, as Minnesota, Dallas, Boston, LA and Miami all collected wins, Giannis, Flagg and George starred, and the 76ers and Lakers rounded out a night full of talking points.

76ers stay hot as LeBron shines again, Lakers win without Doncic

LeBron James delivered his best performance yet in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey, leading his side to a 127-121 bounce-back win in Chicago on Sunday.

The defeat means the Bulls have now lost seven games in a row.

LeBron Finds His Rhythm In Philly Win Over Chicago

Veteran superstar James dropped 22 points his highest tally since joining the Sixers this summer and bounced back in style after managing just eight points in Friday's disappointing loss to Cleveland.

James also chipped in five assists, while Jaylen Brown led the way with 29 points, Tyrese Maxey added 27, and Joel Embiid grabbed 10 rebounds.

The star-studded Sixers have now suffered just two defeats all season, giving them their strongest start through 11 games since 2000.

Philadelphia seized control early in the second quarter and stayed in front for the rest of the night, even as a determined Chicago side battled back to within two points in the closing minutes.

“We have a lot of guys that's been in situations, late-game situations, and we have a 'no panic' button,” said James.

“We understand that we got to get stops on this end, but if teams make a run, we understand how to be calm on the other end as well.”

The Bulls remain joint-bottom of the Eastern Conference alongside the Milwaukee Bucks the only side Chicago has managed to beat so far this campaign.

They were missing shooting guard Norman Powell, their second-leading scorer this season, after he was added to the injury report just hours before tip-off with back discomfort.

Josh Giddey still offered some encouragement, though, posting a double-double with 19 points and 15 assists.

Reaves Steps Up As Lakers Win Without Doncic

Los Angeles Lakers 121-116 Detroit Pistons.

Meanwhile, James' former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, coped without red-hot talisman Luka Doncic to edge the Detroit Pistons 121-116 and improve to 9-2.

Doncic, who has been averaging more than 40 points per game this season, was ruled out with lower back tightness, the team announced.

Austin Reaves stepped up in his absence, scoring 43 points, including two calm free throws in the final seconds to put the game beyond Detroit's reach.

Los Angeles stayed in front from start to finish, yet they were made to work hard for it, clinging to a slender advantage for much of the final quarter as Detroit refused to go away.

Off the bench, Daniss Jenkins sparked the Pistons' late charge with 31 points, and Kevin Huerter backed him up with 24.

Minnesota Timberwolves 115-100 Utah Jazz

Minnesota are proving to be another team that can win without its star. On Sunday they did it the collective way, with Ayo Dosunmu and LaMelo Ball sharing 50 points between them, Jaden McDaniels adding 16, and Rudy Gobert dominating inside with 10 points and 15 rebounds. The Timberwolves controlled the game from start to finish, taking every quarter on their way to a routine 115-100 win.

Utah, to their credit, did not go down without a fight. Rookie sensation Darryn Peterson was outstanding again, pouring in 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting to go with six rebounds and four assists, another display that underlined why the Jazz believe they may have found a future superstar.

The problem was what came after him. Apart from Keyonte George's 19 points, support was thin, and the defeat drops Utah to 1-9 for the season, with questions mounting about both the present and the direction of the franchise.

Around The League — Mavericks Cruise Past Nets Behind Flagg's Double-Double

In Dallas, the Mavericks made light work of the Brooklyn Nets, running out winners by 37 points. Cooper Flagg led the rout with 25 points and 12 assists, while Kyrie Irving chipped in with 21.

It was another night to forget for Brooklyn, who fall to 2-8 for the season. Michael Porter Jr. tried to keep them afloat with 19 points and nine rebounds, and three other starters also finished in double figures, but the Nets never got close as their difficult start to the year continued.

In Milwaukee, the Boston Celtics produced another commanding display, with Paul George's 27 points leading them to a 117-97 win over their conference rivals. The victory moves Boston to 8-2 on the season.

For the Bucks, Kyle Kuzma matched George with 27 points in defeat, but no other Milwaukee player managed more than 15. The loss drops them to 1-9, and with their slide continuing, the future of the franchise looks increasingly uncertain.

After a slow start to the season, the Los Angeles Clippers finally found their rhythm with a big win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Darius Garland and Brook Lopez led the charge, combining for 44 points as the Clippers piled up an impressive 139. Kris Dunn and Rui Hachimura added 14 points apiece, as Los Angeles improved to 2-7 with arguably their best performance of the campaign so far.

The defeat leaves the Pelicans at 4-6, but there were plenty of positives to take from it. Trey Murphy topped the scoring with 26 points, while Zion Williamson and Jeremiah Fears both added 25, as New Orleans came up just short in a game that was very much there for the taking.

Finally, the Miami Heat edged the Sacramento Kings in a tight, hard-fought clash. Giannis Antetokounmpo produced his best game yet in a Heat uniform, finishing with 29 points and 14 rebounds, while Klay Thompson added 23, with all five Miami starters reaching double figures.

The Kings slip to 1-9 despite a superb 32-point display from Darius Acuff Jr., who shot 11-of-21 from the field. With no other Sacramento player scoring more than 15, though, the Kings once again came up short in a game they could well have won.