Atlanta: The Atlanta Hawks won their 13th straight game, one short of equalling the team record, as Mike Scott and Paul Millsap each scored 20 points in a 93-82 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
The Hawks haven’t lost since December 26 against Milwaukee. The Pistons were trying for their club-record eighth straight road win.
Greg Monroe led Detroit with 16 points and 20 rebounds. Andre Drummond added 13 points and 18 rebounds, but made only 3 of 12 free throws.
LeBron James scored 26 points for Cleveland and J.R. Smith added 20 as the Cavaliers entered a favourable portion of their schedule with a 108-94 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Back home after winning two games in Los Angeles to salvage a trip out West, the Cavs had little trouble with the Central Division-leading Bulls. Cleveland opened a 25-point lead in the third quarter and handed Chicago its fourth loss in five games.
Smith made six 3-pointers, Kyrie Irving scored 18 with 12 assists and Kevin Love added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs, who have won three straight.
Jimmy Butler scored 20 points and Derrick Rose had 18 for the Bulls.
The New York Knicks ended their 16-game losing streak, getting 24 points and nine rebounds from Carmelo Anthony to beat the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 99-92.
Jose Calderon made his biggest basket of a difficult first season in New York, a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left that gave the Knicks a four-point lead. That was just enough to help them hold on for their first victory since December 12 and end the longest single-season skid in club history.
At Houston, James Harden scored a season-high 45 points, including 18 in the third quarter as the Houston Rockets beat the Indiana Pacers 110-98.
It was the 18th 30-point game and fourth with 40 this season for Harden, the NBA’s leading scorer.
The Washington Wizards downed the Philadelphia 76ers 111-76 after Marcin Gortat scored 20 points, and John Wall had 11 points and 10 assists.
Washington went on a 20-3 run for a 27-11 lead late in the first quarter and coasted to the win.
Damian Lillard scored 22 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:20 remaining, as the Portland Trail Blazers ended a three-game losing streak with a 98-94 win over the Sacramento Kings, while the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-80 for their seventh win in eight games.
In other games, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Boston Celtics 102-93, the Golden State Warriors downed the Denver Nuggets 122-79, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 103-95, the Toronto Raptors edged the Milwaukee Bucks 92-89 and the Phoenix Suns were 115-100 winners over the Los Angeles Lakers.
