Jarrett Jack scored a season-high 31 points and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers won 106-100 Sunday night to end the eight-game winning streak of the New York Knicks, who wasted a chance to pull within two games of a playoff spot.
Hours after being handed a chance to pull closer to the final spot in the Eastern Conference when Atlanta blew a fourth-quarter lead in Toronto, the Knicks responded with an inept final period of their own after they led by 17 points in the first half.
They couldn't stop Jack and couldn't get a basket from Carmelo Anthony, who missed all five shots in the final period and finished with 32 points.
Suns 127, Timberwolves 120 -- At Minneapolis: Markieff Morris scored 25 points off the bench to lead Phoenix to its biggest comeback of the season. Phoenix trailed by 22 in the first half, but shot a season-high 57 percent from the floor to overcome Kevin Love's 36 points and 14 rebounds.
Raptors 96, Hawks 86 -- At Toronto: Kyle Lowry scored 25 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Toronto. DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points, Greivis Vasquez had 12 and Terrence Ross 10 as the Raptors avoided their first three-game home losing streak since dropping games against Brooklyn, Miami and Denver between Nov. 26 and Dec. 1.
Nuggets 105, Wizards 102 -- At Denver: Kenneth Faried had 20 points and Aaron Brooks hit four straight free throws in the final 12 seconds, helping injury-riddled Denver hold off Washington. Randy Foye added 17 for a Nuggets team that was missing J.J. Hickson, who suffered a torn ligament in his right knee Friday. Wilson Chandler also didn't play (strained left hip) and Jan Vesely didn't return after bruising his rib cage late in the third.
Kings 124, Bucks 107 -- At Sacramento, Calif.: DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points and 12 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas had 30 points and eight assists in Sacramento's victory that sent Milwaukee to its seventh straight loss. O.J. Mayo scored 21 points for Milwaukee.
Nets 107, Mavericks 104 (OT) -- At Dallas: Joe Johnson scored 22 points, including the tying layup in regulation and the go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime to lead Brooklyn in Jason Kidd's return to Dallas as a coach.
Lakers 103, Magic 94 -- At Los Angeles: Jordan Hill had a career-high 28 points along with 13 rebounds in his first start in over nine weeks and Los Angeles sent Orlando to its ninth straight loss.
ANN.Az
