Nowitzki scores 40 to lift Mavericks
DALLAS— Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 40 points as the Dallas Mavericks ended a four-game losing streak with a 102-96 win over the Utah Jazz in the NBA on Saturday.
Nowitzki scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks fought off a late rally by the Jazz, who trimmed a 23-point deficit down to five with 1:41 left.
Dallas forward Lamar Odom played for the first time after missing four games because of personal reasons. He was supposed to play Saturday in the NBA Development League, but was recalled to the Mavericks and scored nine points in 18 minutes.
Paul Millsap scored 24 points and Derrick Favors added 14 points for Utah.
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TIMBERWOLVES 122, TRAIL BLAZERS 110
In Portland, Oregon, Kevin Love scored a season-high 42 points and added 10 rebounds as Minnesota ended a 16-game losing streak to Portland.
The Timberwolves had not defeated the Trail Blazers since a 94-93 victory at home on March 25, 2007. The Timberwolves hadn’t won in Portland since 2005, a string of 11 straight games.
Former Blazers swingman Martel Webster added 21 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota.
Gerald Wallace had 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Blazers, who have lost nine of their last 13 games. Nicolas Batum finished with 29 points.
HAWKS 97, THUNDER 90
At Atlanta, Josh Smith scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter as the Hawks ended Oklahoma City’s seven-game winning streak.
Smith matched a season high in scoring and also pulled down seven of his 12 rebounds in the fourth.
Jeff Teague scored 16 points for the Hawks, and Kirk Hinrich and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points apiece.
Kevin Durant finished with 35 points and Russell Westbrook added 25 for the league-best Thunder, who were looking to reach eight straight wins for the first time since February 2010.
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MAGIC 114, BUCKS 98
In Orlando, Florida, Dwight Howard had 28 points and 14 rebounds to lead six Magic players in double figures in Orlando’s victory over Milwaukee.
Jason Richardson had 18 points for the Magic, while Hedo Turkoglu and Ryan Anderson chipped in 16 points apiece. Orlando shot 51.7 percent (14 of 27) from 3-point distance.
It was the Magic’s fourth victory over the Bucks in 22 days.
Brandon Jennings led Milwaukee with 27 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 18.
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PACERS 102, HORNETS 84
In New Orleans, Danny Granger scored 20 points as Indiana beat New Orleans to notch its first six-game winning streak in seven years.
David West had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his first game back in New Orleans after playing the first eight years of his career with the Hornets. Darren Collison added 13 points.
Indiana blew the game open with a 21-4 run to take a 54-37 lead at the half.
Jarrett Jack scored 18 and Marco Belinelli added 15 for New Orleans, which played its third game in four days and had only nine players available for the second consecutive night.
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GRIZZLIES 100, PISTONS 83
At Memphis, Tennessee, O.J. Mayo scored 17 points and sparked a fourth-quarter rally with his 3-point shooting to lift the Grizzlies to their fourth straight win.
Mayo was 4 of 5 outside the arc, connecting on all three attempts in the fourth quarter, when Memphis broke open a close game with 17 straight points.
Marc Gasol added 17 points and nine rebounds. Marreese Speights had 16 points, and Rudy Gay added 12.
Rodney Stuckey led the Pistons with 20 points, although he was 6 of 22 from the field.
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WIZARDS 101, CAVALIERS 98
At Washington, Jordan Crawford scored 31 points and John Wall added 24 as the Wizards beat Cleveland to end a six-game losing streak.
Antawn Jamison scored 29 points in his first game in Washington since being traded to the Cavaliers in February 2010, but missed a 3-point attempt to tie the game with 35 seconds left.
JaVale McGee added nine points and 12 rebounds for Washington.
Kyrie Irving scored 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and Ryan Hollins had 15 for the Cavaliers, who lost their fifth straight.
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