Nets 93, Bulls 89
Brook Lopez scored 20 points through three quarters, then the host Brooklyn Nets turned to their bench to beat the short-handed Chicago Bulls on Friday.
Andray Blatche scored all of his 11 points in the fourth quarter and MarShon Brooks had nine of his 13 as the reserves scored the Nets’ first 20 points. A starter didn’t score until Joe Johnson’s 3-pointer gave Brooklyn an 86-80 lead with 2 minutes to play.
Johnson finished with 13 points for the Nets, who bounced back from a loss to Miami on Wednesday by beating another top Eastern Conference team.
Luol Deng scored 18 points and Taj Gibson had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bulls, who played without starters Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich while losing for just the third time in 11 games.
Grizzlies 85, Wizards 76
Mike Conley scored 18 points and Tayshaun Prince added 14 in his Memphis debut, including a pair of key fourth-quarter jumpers, as the host Grizzlies defeated the Washington Wizards.
Marc Gasol added 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Tony Allen and Jerryd Bayless finished with 11 points each. Allen also grabbed eight rebounds, and Conley also had six assists. Prince hit his first three shots of the game, finishing 7 of 11 from the field.
Nene was the only Wizards player to reach double figures with 14 points, while handing out six assists. Emeka Okafor had eight points and 10 rebounds as Washington lost its third straight after winning seven of 10.
76ers 89, Kings 80
Thaddeus Young had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday scored 21 to lead the host Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the Sacramento Kings.
Nick Young scored 20 points to help the Sixers win consecutive games for the first time since they had a three-game winning streak from Nov. 25-30.
Tyreke Evans scored 29 points and Isaiah Thomas had 24 for the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Knicks 96, Bucks 86
Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points, Amare Stoudemire had 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and the host New York Knicks extended their winning streak to four games with a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
J.R. Smith had 17 points and Tyson Chandler pulled down 20 rebounds in New York’s fourth straight win over Milwaukee.
Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks with 19 points and seven rebounds. Monta Ellis added 16 points and Brandon Jennings had 14.
Celtics 97, Magic 84
Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett each had a double-double, and the host Boston Celtics responded to yet another blow to their lineup with a win over the Orlando Magic, who lost their eighth straight game.
Pierce had 14 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists despite sitting out the fourth quarter. Garnett finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics.
Courtney Lee had 14 points and five assists for Boston. Jeff Green scored 17 points.
Pacers 102, Heat 89
David West scored 30 points and Paul George added 15, leading host Indiana to a victory over Miami.
The Pacers (28-19) have won 13 in a row at home and two straight overall since losing three straight on the road.
Miami (29-14) was led by LeBron James with 28 points and Dwayne Wade with 17.
Raptors 98, Clippers 73
Rudy Gay wowed a sellout crowd by scoring 20 points in his Toronto debut, leading the host Raptors to a rout of the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers.
Amir Johnson had 19 points and matched his career high with 16 rebounds for the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan also scored 19 as Toronto welcomed Gay with a winning effort.
John Lucas scored 17 and Aaron Gray had seven points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who handed the Clippers their fourth straight loss in Toronto.
Blake Griffin had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, who were without point guard Chris Paul (bruised right kneecap) for the sixth straight game. Los Angeles forward Matt Barnes served a one-game suspension for striking Minnesota’s Greg Stiemsma on Wednesday.
Jamal Crawford scored 14, Caron Butler had 12 and Eric Bledsoe 10 as Los Angeles set season lows in points and field goal percentage (34.7).
Mavericks 109, Suns 99
O.J. Mayo scored 20 points to lead six Dallas players in double figures and the visiting Mavericks, despite the absence of Dirk Nowitzki, added to their mastery of Phoenix with a victory over the Suns.
Darren Collison added 19 points and Vince Carter 17 for the Mavericks, minus Nowitzki for the second game in as many nights because of a sore right hip.
Shannon Brown scored 20 and Goran Dragic added 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Suns.
Lakers 111, Timberwolves 100
Pau Gasol had 22 points and 12 rebounds in his return to the starting lineup and Kobe Bryant nearly had a triple-double in leading the visiting Los Angeles Lakers to a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bryant had 17 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and Steve Nash added 17 points and seven assists for the Lakers, who played without Dwight Howard due to a sore right shoulder.
Alexey Shved scored 18 points and Ricky Rubio had nine points and seven assists for the Timberwolves, who lost their sixth straight game.
Nuggets 113, Hornets 98
Ty Lawson had 21 points and 13 assists, Andre Iguodala scored 24 and the host Denver Nuggets beat the New Orleans Hornets for their sixth straight victory.
Ryan Anderson had 21 points and rookie Anthony Davis added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who have dropped three straight and five of six.
Danilo Gallinari finished with 18 points and Corey Brewer had 17 off the bench for the Nuggets, who scored a season-high 32 points off 22 New Orleans turnovers.
Jazz 86, Trail Blazers 77
Al Jefferson had 21 points, including two one-handed shots in the lane to clinch the victory, and the host Utah Jazz beat the Portland Trail Blazers.
Paul Millsap added 15 points for the Jazz, who have won eight of their last nine home games.
