ATLANTA – LeBron James had 34 points – his 10th game this season with more than 30 – and made three free throws in the final minute to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Atlanta Hawks 108-102 Monday night.

The Cavaliers won their fourth in a row to take a half-game lead over idle Miami and Toronto for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. After a trip to Toronto on Wednesday night to play the Raptors, Cleveland returns home for four straight.

Carlos Boozer added 25 points and 10 rebounds and Jeff McInnis had 14 points and 10 assists for the Cavs.

Stephen Jackson scored a career-high 30 points and Chris Crawford finished with 25 for the Hawks, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

The fourth quarter featured 11 lead changes and six ties before Cleveland pulled away, thanks mostly to James. He made a layup to give the Cavaliers the lead for good at 101-100, then added his free throws.

76ers 97, Bucks 92

PHILADELPHIA – Seldom-used Greg Buckner scored a season-high 20 points and reserve Zendon Hamilton added a season-high 19, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 97-92 comeback victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

Kenny Thomas had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Eric Snow had 17 points and 12 assists for Philadelphia, which has won consecutive games for the first time in two months despite being without star guard Allen Iverson. Philadelphia overcame a 20-point deficit.

Michael Redd scored 20 points and Desmond Mason added 18 for the Bucks, who have lost three straight. Milwaukee is tied with New Orleans for fourth place in the East.

Iverson didn’t play because of a right knee injury that also will keep him out of Tuesday night’s game at Chicago. Glenn Robinson, Derrick Coleman and Marc Jackson remained out for Philadelphia.

Mavericks 103, Suns 90

DALLAS – Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, and the Dallas Mavericks extended their home winning streak to nine games with a 103-90 victory Monday night over the Phoenix Suns.

Reserve Antawn Jamison added 21 points and eight rebounds for Dallas, coming off a winless three-game road trip against Houston, San Antonio and Minnesota. The Mavericks are 29-4 at home, 11-19 on the road.

The Suns got 29 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists from Shawn Marion, and 19 points from Amare Stoudemire.

Stoudemire had at least 20 points and had led the Suns in scoring in 11 consecutive games.

Jazz 88, Lakers 83

SALT LAKE CITY – Gordan Giricek scored 21 points to lead the Utah Jazz past the Los Angeles Lakers 88-83, welcoming back Karl Malone by beating his new team Monday night in The Mailman’s first trip to Utah as a visitor.

The short-handed Lakers, who had won five straight over Utah, never recovered after Shaquille O’Neal was thrown out with two quick technical fouls in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles led 72-68 at the time, but the Jazz scored 20 points in the final 3:57 to end a two-game losing streak.

Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks as the Jazz spoiled Malone’s homecoming.

Malone, who is on the injured list with a bad knee, made the trip but was not activated for the game. He sat in street clothes at the end of the bench.

, enduring a few taunts and nasty signs written for his decision to leave as a free agent and try to win a championship with the Lakers.

Fans had signs that compared Malone to Judas and Benedict Arnold, while others thanked him for his 18 seasons with the Jazz. But as much as Jazz fans wanted to cheer or jeer Malone, he had no impact on the game other than supporting his teammates.

Gary Payton led the Lakers with 21 points, scoring 10 in the third quarter before the Lakers self-destructed in the final period after O’Neal’s ejection.

AP-ES-03-08-04 2350EST