Only Spurs, Thunder, Sixers and Bulls remain undefeated in NBA

The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, along with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls, remained unbeaten to start the NBA season thanks to solid wins on Monday.

These were the main highlights from a packed 11-game night that featured standout performances from Lauri Markkanen (Jazz), Austin Reaves (Lakers) and Nikola Jokić (Nuggets).

Wemby lifts Spurs

After several years of frustration, the Spurs finally look like contenders in the Western Conference, starting the season 4-0 behind the breakout play of Victor Wembanyama.

The French phenom and Western Conference Player of the Week led the way in Monday’s 121-103 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Wembanyama finished with 24 points — his lowest total of the season — along with 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block in the Spurs' second straight game.

The center extended his streak to 89 consecutive games with at least one block, still well short of Knicks legendary center Patrick Ewing's record (145).

Wemby once again delivered highlight-reel plays, including a layup after a 360-degree spin move — something that until now seemed impossible for a player of his 7-foot-4 frame.

Sixers, undefeated without Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers are another surprise at the top of the standings, improving to 3-0 with a 136-124 win over the Orlando Magic.

Before the season began, the outlook for the Sixers looked bleak because of injuries to stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, who still has no return date from a knee injury.

Embiid played at half strength in the first two wins over Boston and Charlotte and sat out Monday’s game as a precaution because of his knee issues.

The Sixers didn’t need their Cameroonian star thanks to a new duo of Tyrese Maxey and rookie V.J. Edgecombe, one of the most exciting combinations of the season.

Maxey finished with 43 points and 8 assists, while Edgecombe, the top rookie of Week 1, added 26 points and 7 assists.

Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 points, giving the three of them a combined total that accounted for 70 percent of the home team’s scoring.

The Oklahoma City Thunder picked up their fourth win by beating the Dallas Mavericks 101-94, led by 23 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while the Chicago Bulls earned their third victory with a 128-123 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Markkanen and Reaves on fire

Monday’s top scorer was Lauri Markkanen, who had 51 points in the Utah Jazz’s 138-134 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Finn is the first Jazz player to score 50 points in a regular-season game since Karl Malone in 1998.

In Monday’s finale, Austin Reaves starred for the second straight game, but the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Reaves, who scored 51 points the previous day, added 41 in Monday’s game for a Lakers team playing without injured stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

The Blazers earned their second win with Brazilian Tiago Splitter at the helm, filling in for Chauncey Billups, who was suspended by the NBA Thursday following his arrest for alleged involvement in a rigged poker game scheme.

The Denver Nuggets, meanwhile, defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-114, led offensively by Jamal Murray’s 43 points.

Nikola Jokic recorded his third consecutive triple-double, totaling 25 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists.