(The Sports Xchange) – – – -Tony Parker had 26 points and eight assists, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 112 -99 points win over the Toronto Raptors Monday night.
The Spurs (22-6) were coming off a loss to Oklahoma City but recovered with a strong effort that also included 18 points from Manu Ginobili.
Terrence Ross and guard Kyle Lowry each scored 22 to lead Toronto (11-15).
– – –
Heat 121, Hawks 119 (Overtime)
LeBron James’ 38 points, eight rebounds and six assists, helped rally the Miami Heat to a come-from-behind win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Michael Beasley hit two free throws with 9.2 seconds left in overtime to put the Heat in front 120-119, while the Hawks missed a final attempt and Miami added a free throw.
The Hawks (15-13) led 111-108 in the final seconds of regulation but Ray Allen was fouled while shooting a three-pointer and converted all three to send it to overtime.
– – –
Mavericks 111, Rockets 104
Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points, including 10 in a tense fourth quarter as the Dallas Mavericks rallied to take a victory over the Houston Rockets.
Nowitzki scored six consecutive points for Dallas (16-12) to stifle the final Rockets run in the fourth quarter.
Houston center Dwight Howard had 29 points and 15 boards while forward Chandler Parsons added 21 points for Houston (18-11).
– – –
Pacers 103, Nets 86
Lance Stephenson and Paul George scored 26 points as the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers won their third straight game in a victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
A stifling Pacers’ (23-5) defense frustrated the Nets (9-18), including one of its decorated veterans, as forward Paul Pierce clothes-lined forward Paul George on a fast-break opportunity off a steal in the third quarter.
Pierce was ejected from the game without scoring a single point.
– – –
Knicks 103, Magic 98
The New York Knicks escaped with a victory over the Orlando Magic after blowing a 25-point third-quarter lead and losing forward Carmelo Anthony and point guard Raymond Felton in the second half. Anthony led the Knicks (9-18) in scoring with 19 points, but left with a left-ankle sprain in the third quarter while Felton exited with a strained right groin in the fourth.
The Magic (8-20) closed that 25-point gap and were down two late but Beno Udrih made six consecutive free throws in the final 1:30 for New York.
– – –
Warriors 89, Nuggets 81
David Lee had 28 points and 12 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors used a late push to beat Denver in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference first-round playoff series.
The Warriors’ guards keyed their upset of Denver in the last post-season. On Monday, it was Lee, who was injured in Game 1 and didn’t play the rest of the series, who led the way with his 12th consecutive double-double.
Denver (14-13) lost a season-high fourth game in a row.
– – –
Grizzlies 104, Jazz 94
Zach Randolph had 22 points and 10 rebounds and reserve guard Jerryd Bayless scored all 17 of his points in the second half as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Utah Jazz.
The Grizzlies improved to 12-15.
Trey Burke and Richard Jefferson led the Jazz (8-23) in scoring with 18 points each.
– – –
Suns 117, Lakers 90
Phoenix center Miles Plumlee collected 17 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as the Suns took over the game with a 36-point second quarter in a rout over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nick Young scored 19 points for the Lakers (13-15), who lost for the sixth time in the last nine games and fell to 1-2 since Kobe Bryant went back to the injured list.
The Suns improved to 17-10.
– – –
Pelicans 113, Kings 100
Tyreke Evans scored a game-high 25 points, added 12 assists and helped the New Orleans Pelicans break open a tight affair and beat the Sacramento Kings.
Evans, the former Kings point guard, was making his return to the city he called home during his first four NBA seasons.
Center DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 24 points and tallied 14 rebounds for Sacramento (8-19), which lost for the sixth time in eight games.
– – –
Pistons 115, Cavaliers 92
Pistons forward Josh Smith collected 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists as Detroit smashed the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Pistons (14-16) improved to 8-6 on the road this season.
All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving had 21 points and seven assists for the Cavs (10-17), who had won five of their last six games at home.
– – –
Bobcats 111, Bucks 110 (Overtime)
Al Jefferson scored a season-high 26 points and guard Kemba Walker scored seven points in overtime to finish with 25 as the Charlotte Bobcats edged the Milwaukee Bucks.
Walker’s two free throws with 1.6 seconds left gave Charlotte a 111-108 lead and Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton then hit a shot at the overtime buzzer, but it was ruled a 2-pointer, not a 3-pointer.
