USA TODAY Sports[/caption]Atlanta Hawks 108, Orlando Magic 76
The Hawks outplayed the Magic in every possible way, outscoring them 32-17 in the second quarter and extending their lead to as many as 38 in the third quarter. Josh Smith had 30 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta, who have now won three games in a row. Orlando has now lost 24 of their last 27 games.
San Antonio Spurs 96, Cleveland Cavaliers 95
Cavaliers rookie guard Dion Waiters went from hero to goat pretty quickly. Waiters made a step back jumper with nine seconds remaining to give the Cavs a two-point lead. But in the following possession, it was his lack of defense that allowed Tony Parker to find Kawhi Leonard all alone for a wide-open three-pointer that ended up been the game-winner.
Kyrie Irving, who shot 2-of-15 from the field, lost his balance and attempted a wild shot as time expired. Parker led the Spurs with 24 points.
Indiana Pacers 101, Charlotte Bobcats 77
Paul George had his first ever triple-double, getting 23 points, a career-high 12 assists and also 12 rebounds to lead the Pacers -- who were without David West -- to an easy victory over the Bobcats. Charlotte, who were red hot early, scored 29 points in the first period, but shot 14-of-61 the rest of the way.
Boston Celtics 71, Chicago Bulls 69
The Celtics shot 8-of-47 in the second and third quarters, combining for 19 points. This set a franchise record for the fewest points in consecutive quarters, but the C's still managed to get away with the victory.
Kevin Garnett scored eight of his 12 points in the last period. Paul Pierce, who shot 2-of-12 from the field, made a key three-pointer that bounced on the rim for awhile before falling. Taj Gibson missed a desperation three at the buzzer that would have given the Bulls the victory.
Brooklyn Nets 119, Denver Nuggets 108
Deron Williams was out for the second straight game for Brooklyn, as expected, but the Nets made 16 three-pointers for a season-high 119 points to beat the Nuggets, who -- after winning nine straight games -- have now lost three in a row. Joe Johnson and CJ Watson made five three-pointers apiece while Brook Lopez scored 23 points.
Toronto Raptors 92, New York Knicks 88
In a game that featured Carmelo Anthony and Rudy Gay, both combined to make only 9-out-of-45 field goals, and it was the Raptors sixth man Alan Anderson that had the best game, scoring 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting. The Knicks have now lost their last two games before the All-Star break.
Detroit Pistons 96, Washington Wizards 85
Will Bynum and Jose Calderon proved they can co-exist as point guards. Bynum scored six points in a row when the game was tied, then Calderon made a three-pointer and Detroit held an eleven-point lead and didn’t look back. Calderon finished with 24 points while Bynum had 20.
Milwaukee Bucks 94, Philadelphia Sixers 92
With the Bucks were hanging on to a one-point lead, Monta Ellis was fouled and he converted one-out-of-two free throws. The Sixers had one final chance to send the game to an extra period, however Jrue Holiday missed the jumper to make it possible. Ellis scored 27, while Brandon Jennings added 21. The Bucks have now snapped their four-game losing streak.
New Orleans Hornets 99, Portland Trail Blazers 63
After almost beating Miami the day before, the Portland Trail Blazers had nothing in the tank against the Hornets. The Blazers turned the ball over 18 times and shot 32-percent from the field. Even the Hornets weren’t going to lose against a team playing like that.
To make things worse, guard Wesley Matthews suffered an injury that was not even two minutes into the game, making the Blazers' depth even more of a problem.
Anthony Davis bounced back for the Hornets with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Damian Lillard led Portland with 12 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum combined for only three field goals on 21 attempts.
Utah Jazz 97, Minnesota Timberwolves 93
Two ex-members of the Timberwolves made sure Minnesota wasn’t going to end the night with a win. Al Jefferson scored 20 points along with 11 rebounds, and Randy Foye made four clutch free throws in the last 20 seconds of the game to prevent the Jazz from having a chance to tie. Derrick Williams had 24 points and a career high 16 rebounds for Minnesota.
Dallas Mavericks 123, Sacramento Kings 100
The Mavs had 15 assists in the first half, two turnovers and built a comfortable lead. The Kings showed some life, making a 17-8 run in the third before Vince Carter made two three-pointers in a row that helped the Mavericks end the quarter on a 19-11 run. Carter’s 26 points moved him five points ahead of the legend, Larry Bird, on the NBA’s career scoring list, getting 21,796.
Los Angeles Clippers 106, Houston Rockets 96
The Clippers started on fire, scoring a season-high 47 first quarter points to take an 18-point lead after just one period. The Rockets, who were without leading scorer James Harden, had no chance of controlling “Lob City” and couldn’t close the gap to challenge the Clippers.
Los Angeles has now won three out of four games since guards Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups returned from injuries. Blake Griffin led the team with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
