NBA : Mavericks net playoff berth, stay on streak

The Dallas Mavericks have a 16-game winning streak and a playoff berth after their 102-89 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night in Dallas.

The Mavs have won 23 in a row at home. They are a league-best 51-9, with only two losses since Dec. 12. They’ll get to rest on their success and savor being the first team to clinch a playoff spot, because they don’t play again until Sunday.

Dirk Nowitzki had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Erick Dampier had 14 rebounds and 12 points, including a tough put-back of a miss by Nowitzki that kept Dallas up 95-86 with a little more than a minute left.

Kings 102, Pacers 98: At Sacramento, Calif., the Kings defeated Indiana to win their first game since star forward Ron Artest’s domestic violence arrest.

Artest slapped a woman’s face and grabbed her repeatedly, causing visible injuries, according to a sheriff’s report made public. He was arrested Monday after a woman inside his home in a Sacramento suburb called 911 and said she had been assaulted.

Spurs 99, Trail Blazers 94: At Portland, Tim Duncan had 24 points and San Antonio hit five 3-pointers in a row to overtake the Trail Blazers and win its 10th straight game.

Rookie Brandon Roy had 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds to lead the Blazers, who lost to San Antonio for the eighth straight time and 15th in the last 16 meetings.

Timberwolves 117, Lakers 107 (2OT): At Minneapolis, Mark Blount hit three straight 3-pointers in the final 2:20 of regulation and Minnesota overcame 40 points from Kobe Bryant in a double-overtime victory over Los Angeles.

Nuggets 106, Hornets 91: At Denver, Allen Iverson scored 25 points and Carmelo Anthony, a soon-to-be father, added 21 in the Nuggets’ victory over New Orleans. Anthony was on standby as his fiancee, La La Vazquez, was induced.

Wizards 129, Raptors 109: At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 25 points, and the Wizards won a matchup of first-place teams by dominating the boards in a victory over Toronto. The Wizards had 49 rebounds to the Raptors’ season-low 27, easily negating Toronto’s 52 percent shooting.