ATLANTA — Forward Paul Millsap had 15 points and eight rebounds to spark the Atlanta Hawks to a 104-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
Millsap scored seven of his points during a 13-0 stretch in the second quarter that allowed the Hawks (45-12) to go from four points behind to nine points ahead. Millsap tied the game with a 3-pointer and capped the streak with a steal and dunk and another driving basket that put Atlanta ahead 66-57.
The win was the NBA-leading 26th home victory for the Hawks, who have won two straight and swept the season series with the Mavericks. Atlanta has swept five series against teams from the Western Conference. Dallas had its two-game winning streak snapped.
Atlanta had six players in double figures: guard Dennis Schroder (17), guard Kyle Korver (16), forward DeMarre Carroll (13), center Al Horford (11) and guard Jeff Teague (11).
Dallas (39-21) was led by guard Monta Ellis with 17 points, 15 in the first half. J.J. Barea, who started at point guard in place of the suspended Rajon Rondo, had 13 points and seven assists. Forward Richard Jefferson and guard Devin Harris each scored 10.
Pelicans 102, Nets 96
NEW ORLEANS — Forward Quincy Pondexter scored a career-high 25 points, including a 3-pointer from the left wing with 49.9 seconds left, and guard Tyreke Evans scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists to lift short-handed New Orleans to a victory over Brooklyn at the Smoothie King King Center.
Pondexter’s final 3-pointer — his fourth in eight attempts — gave New Orleans a 101-91 lead, and the Pelicans (30-27) coasted to their third consecutive victory.
The Nets (23-32) were led by forward Joe Johnson with 21 points and forward Thaddeus Young with 19.
Timberwolves 97, Wizards 77
MINNEAPOLIS — Kevin Garnett had five points and eight rebounds as Minnesota defeated Washington at the Target Center.
For Garnett, acquired from the Brooklyn Nets at last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, it was his first game in a Timberwolves uniform since April 9, 2007 — a span of 2,879 days.
Minnesota (13-43) has struggled all season, but it wasn’t evident from the packed house of 19,856 — the largest crowd all season. Lines stretched out of the arena two hours before the game as fans waited to catch a glimpse of the franchise’s career leader in every major statistical category.
Hornets 98, Bulls 86
CHICAGO — The first game after learning of Derrick Rose’s latest knee injury did not go well for Chicago, which looked lackluster in a loss to Charlotte at the United Center.
The Hornets (23-32) pulled away in the fourth quarter after a tight back-and-forth game through the first 36 minutes. Two free throws by forward Taj Gibson pulled Chicago (36-22) within 78-74 with 8:13 left in the game, but the Hornets used a 17-4 run in the next six minutes to ice the game.
Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and center Al Jefferson combined to score 16 of the points in the run, adding eight each. Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead five Hornets players in double-figures scoring.
Guard Mo Williams scored 17 points, guard/forward Gerald Henderson scored 11 and guard Brian Roberts chipped in 12 for Charlotte, which snapped a five-game losing streak.
Bucks 104, 76ers 88
MILWAUKEE — Michael Carter-Williams got Milwaukee career off to a successful beginning and barely had to break a sweat in doing so. Playing against his struggling former teammates, the point guard needed only 17 minutes to post seven points and eight assists as the Bucks dismantled Philadelphia.
Center John Henson scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting to lead five Milwaukee players in double figures. The Bucks (32-25) took a big lead early and were never threatened as they snapped a two-game skid.
Milwaukee led by 29 at the half as Philadelphia (12-45) was sloppy from the start in committing 19 turnovers by halftime and 28 for the game. The Bucks were far from sharp, giving the ball away 24 times.
Heat 93, Magic 90 (OT)
ORLANDO, Fla. — Forward Luol Deng scored 21 points to lead Miami to an overtime victory over Orlando at the Amway Center.
The Heat (25-31) erased an eight-point deficit in the final 42 seconds of regulation, then smothered the Magic in overtime when guard Dwyane Wade scored four points.
Heat center Hassan Whiteside finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Wade had 18 points, and point guard Goran Dragic added eight points and five assists.
Magic center Nikola Vucevic had 26 points and eight rebounds, and guard Victor Oladipo contributed 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Forward Tobias Harris had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Celtics 115, Knicks 94
BOSTON — Isaiah Thomas and Jonas Jerebko, making their home debuts with their new team, both came off the bench and helped Boston to a victory over hapless New York.
The Celtics, who still have a shot at an Eastern Conference playoff berth despite a 22-33 record, used a 34-6 run during the second half of the third quarter and the first 4:15 of the fourth to walk away with the game while sending the Knicks to their seventh straight loss.
Thomas, a guard acquired from the Phoenix Suns, followed two 21-point performances on the road by scoring 19 points and adding seven assists and six rebounds. Jerebko, picked up from the Detroit Pistons, used his first serious Celtics playing time to score a season-high 20 points and grab five rebounds.
Celtics guard Evan Turner posted the first triple-double of his NBA career with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Forward Jae Crowder, also coming off the bench, had 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. Rookie guard Marcus Smart, also off the bench, had 16 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
Rockets 110, Clippers 105
HOUSTON — Corey Brewer and Josh Smith provided Houston with a needed punch off the bench, leading the way to a victory over Los Angeles at Toyota Center.
Brewer paired 20 points with six rebounds while Smith added nine points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks as Houston (39-18) snapped a six-game series losing streak to the Clippers (37-21).
With All-Star guard James Harden on the bench, the Rockets opened the fourth with a 13-1 run. Brewer and Smith co-authored the run to a double-digit lead, with Smith thwarting shots at the rim while Brewer scored in transition and from behind the arc. His second 3 of the period pushed Houston to a 97-86 lead and followed two fast-break baskets.
Crawford paced the Clippers with 24 points while guard Chris Paul (22 points, 14 assists) and center DeAndre Jordan (22 points, 19 rebounds) posted double-doubles.