Big win for Mavs
Dirk Nowitzki unexpectedly returned to the starting lineup and scored 18 points after missing four games with a high ankle sprain, and the Dallas Mavericks finally beat a winning team since acquiring Jason Kidd.
Jason Terry equaled his season high with 31 points and Josh Howard added 28 for the Mavericks, whose 111-86 victory over Golden State on Wednesday night in Dallas could be huge in the tight race for the Western Conference playoffs.
Kidd matched a season high with 17 assists and had 11 rebounds and five points for the Mavericks, who had been 11-10 since getting the All-Star point guard in a trade from New Jersey at the All-Star break. Dallas was 0-10 against teams with winning records with Kidd before the victory over the Warriors, which came three nights after a 114-104 loss at Golden State.
Dallas (47-28), seventh in the Western Conference, moved a full game ahead of idle Denver and two games ahead of Golden State (45-30).
Hawks 127, Raptors 120 (OT): At Atlanta, Mike Bibby hit a tying 3-pointer in regulation, Josh Smith made two in overtime and the Hawks beat Toronto for their fifth straight victory.
The Hawks increased their lead for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot to four games over Indiana.
Hornets 106, Heat 77: At Miami, Tyson Chandler was 10 for 10 from the floor, and his 20-point, 10-rebound effort helped New Orleans beat the Heat and remain atop the Western Conference standings.
David West scored 22 points and Chris Paul added 14 points and 10 assists for the Hornets.
Cavaliers 118, Bobcats 114: At Charlotte, N.C., LeBron James scored 29 points before fouling out for the only the fourth time in his career as Cleveland held off the Bobcats to end a six-game skid on the road.
Celtics 92, Pacers 77: At Boston, Kevin Garnett had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Celtics tied the NBA record for the best single-season turnaround with a win over Indiana.
With the league’s best record at 60-15, the Celtics have 36 more wins than last season when they finished 24-58, the NBA’s second-worst mark. The only other team to improve by that much was the San Antonio Spurs, who went from 20-62 in 1996-97 to 56-26 the next season, Tim Duncan’s first.
Bucks 110, Wizards 109: At Washington, Ramon Sessions hit a 19-foot jumper at the buzzer and Milwaukee beat the Wizards to spoil the return of Gilbert Arenas after a 66-game absence.
Arenas, who has been out with a knee injury, scored 17 points.
Grizzlies 130, Knicks 114: At Memphis, Tenn., Javaris Crittenton scored 23 points, Rudy Gay added 21 and the Grizzlies cruised past New York.
Jazz 117, Timberwolves 100: At Salt Lake City, Mehmet Okur made four 3-pointers and scored 22 points to power Utah past Minnesota.
Lakers 104, Trail Blazers 91: At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, Pau Gasol added 10 points in his first game in nearly three weeks and the Lakers turned away Portland.
Around the league
Donnie Walsh was hired as the New York Knicks’ president of basketball operations and he said he will decide soon whether Isiah Thomas will remain the team’s coach. “I need to sit down with Isiah and have a meaningful basketball conversation,” Walsh said. … Part-owner Michael Jordan remains silent about Sam Vincent’s future with the Charlotte Bobcats. Meanwhile, the first-year coach is speaking up. “Give me a break. Was I really supposed to come in in the first year and have 50 wins?” Vincent said. “Maybe if I was coaching the Celtics team this year. But I just think that some things have to be kept in perspective.”