MIAMI – Josh Howard scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks squandered most of a 15-point lead before recovering to beat the Miami Heat 103-90 on Friday night.
Dirk Nowitzki added 23 points for Dallas, which extended its league-best winning streak to seven games and snapped Miami’s string of six straight home wins. Erick Dampier scored 17 points, Marquis Daniels added 14 and Jason Terry had 10 points and 10 assists for the Mavericks.
Timberwolves 99, Bucks 91
MINNEAPOLIS – Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 12 rebounds and six assists – doing most of his damage after receiving six stitches in the chin in the third quarter – and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Milwaukee Bucks 99-91.
Wally Szczerbiak had a season-high 30 points and Marko Jaric added a season-high 24 for Minnesota, which improved to 6-1 at home.
Grizzlies 86, Rockets 81
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Shane Battier scored 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Houston Rockets 86-81.
Battier was 9-of-17 and grabbed seven rebounds as Memphis snapped a two-game losing streak.
Magic 104, Trail Blazers 89
ORLANDO, Fla. – Jameer Nelson scored a season-high 24 points and Dwight Howard added 21 points and 18 rebounds as the Orlando Magic beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-89.
Steve Francis added 12 points and nine assists for the Magic, who matched their season-high winning streak at two games.
Bulls 106, Spurs 99
SAN ANTONIO – Chris Duhon scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, Chicago’s zone defense shut down San Antonio in the final minutes, and the Bulls broke a long winless streak against the Spurs with a 106-99 victory.
Tim Duncan tied the game at 85 on a hook shot with 8:13 remaining, but San Antonio made only four more baskets on 13 shots.
Hawks 87, Pacers 85
INDIANAPOLIS – Al Harrington scored 17 points and Joe Johnson added 16 points, seven rebounds and nine assists as the Hawks held off the Indiana Pacers’ late charge for an 87-85 victory.
Atlanta (2-9) won its second straight despite shooting 36 percent from the field.
Wizards 120, Pistons 110
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Gilbert Arenas scored 39 points and Caron Butler added a season-high 27 to help the Washington Wizards break a five-game losing streak with a 120-114 double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Butler was 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the second overtime period – Washington was 14-for-16 – to help the Wizards hang on.
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