NBA
James hot as Cavs beat Nets for 8th straight home victory CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James scored 27 points and assisted on Lucious Harris’ clinching 3-pointer with 6 seconds left as the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight at home, 103-97 over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.
At 12-6, the Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference – the first time they’ve had that distinction after 15 games since March 21, 1989, when they were 48-17.
After his two free throws put the Cavaliers up 97-93 with 1:35 to play, James stole Richard Jefferson’s crosscourt pass and streaked in for a thunderous slam dunk.
The Nets pulled within 100-97 on Jason Collins’ tip with 30.9 seconds to go, but James fed Harris in the right corner and the shooting guard, who spent seven seasons with the Nets before signing with Cleveland as a free agent last summer, drilled his 3.
Mavericks 97, Timberwolves 87
MINNEAPOLIS – Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 points, including 23 in the second half, to snap the Timberwolves’ five-game winning streak.
Josh Howard had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks, who overcame the early ejection of coach Don Nelson and outrebounded Minnesota 54-35 to win for the third time in four games.
Kevin Garnett had 32 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for Minnesota, which was playing without starter Latrell Sprewell. Sprewell was suspended for one game by the NBA for yelling a sexual vulgarity at a female fan in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
Wally Szczerbiak had 18 points and Eddie Griffin 14 for the Wolves.
Bucks 89, Pacers 86
INDIANAPOLIS – Michael Redd scored 28 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their first road win of the season.
Desmond Mason added 21 points and seven rebounds for the Bucks, who opened with seven straight road losses before breaking through against Indiana thanks in large part to a 48-34 rebounding advantage.
It was the fifth straight loss for the Pacers, the longest losing streak for Indiana under second-year coach Rick Carlisle.
Grizzlies 96, Knicks 88
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Earl Watson scored a career-high 22 points, missing only one of his 10 shots, and Mike Miller added 20.
Watson, filling in after starter Jason Williams went on the injured list, also had five assists.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 15 late in the third period, and the Knicks got no closer than the final margin in the fourth quarter while dropping their third straight.
Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 17 points, while Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed contributed 16 each and Kurt Thomas scored 12. New York’s leading scorer, Stephon Marbury, had nine points and nine assists but hit only two of his 12 shots from the field.