ATLANTA (AP) -Joe Johnson scored 27 points to lead five Atlanta scorers in double figures and the Hawks held off a late comeback to beat the Cavaliers 90-81 on Wednesday night for their first home win over Cleveland since 2003.
The Hawks ended a four-game losing streak and snapped Cleveland’s four-game winning streak, giving the Cavaliers their first loss in 2008.
The Hawks ended the Cavaliers’ six-game winning streak in Atlanta. The Cavaliers’ last loss in Atlanta was Nov. 22, 2003.
Cleveland allowed only 86.4 points per game while posting a 6-1 record since Dec. 25. The Cavaliers were strong defensively again but James, who had 31 points, was their only scorer with more than 12 points.
James, who also had 10 rebounds and six assists, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter – more than any teammate managed in the game.
Josh Smith had 19 points and Marvin Williams and Josh Childress each added 12 for Atlanta. Rookie Al Horford had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Raptors 109, 76ers 96
TORONTO (AP) – Anthony Parker matched his season high with 22 points, Chris Bosh had 21 and Toronto handed Philadelphia its season-high fifth straight loss.
Jose Calderon had 17 points and nine assists for the Raptors, and Carlos Delfino added 12 points.
Toronto snapped a three-game home losing streak and avoided its longest home skid since a five-game slide from March 29-April 9, 2006.
Willie Green led the 76ers with 18 points, Iguodala and rookie Thaddeus Young both scored 16 and Andre Miller had 14 points and seven assists. Philadelphia lost its fifth straight road game to drop to 7-12 away from home this season.
Rockets 101, Knicks 92
NEW YORK (AP) – Yao Ming scored 36 points, and the Houston Rockets got big final quarters from Rafer Alston and Luis Scola to beat New York for their season-high fourth straight victory.
Alston added 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Rockets, who seized control immediately after Knicks coach Isiah Thomas was ejected in the opening minute of the final quarter when he came onto the floor to argue with referee Eric Lewis.
Yao made the technical free throw to give Houston a 78-74 lead, then Scola made a pair of buckets and Alston had a 3-pointer and another jumper in the decisive spurt, giving the Rockets an 87-76 advantage with 6:43 remaining.
The Rockets improved to 6-2 since All-Star guard Tracy McGrady went out of the lineup with a strained tendon in his left knee. Scola finished with 19 points, nine in the final quarter.
Jamal Crawford scored 21 points, Nate Robinson had 16 and Stephon Marbury 15 for the Knicks, who won Tuesday in Chicago but failed to match their season high of two straight victories.
Nets 99, SuperSonics 88
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Richard Jefferson scored 28 points, and New Jersey cruised in a blowout that probably prevented Jason Kidd from recording a fourth straight triple-double.
Kidd finished with 16 points, 11 assists and five rebounds in a game in which he sat on the bench for the final 12 1/2 minutes.
Vince Carter added 18 points and eight rebounds as the Nets won for the eighth time in 10 games.
Johan Petro came off the bench and tied his career high with 22 points for Seattle, which lost its fifth in a row and seventh in eight games. Nick Collison tied his season-high with 18 points, while rookie Kevin Durant, who sprained an ankle against Cleveland on Tuesday night, added 15.
Bobcats 95, Celtics 83
BOSTON (AP) – Jason Richardson scored 34 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Gerald Wallace had 15 points and 10 rebounds boards, and Charlotte handed Boston its fourth loss of the season.
The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for Boston (29-4) and spoiled its bid for the fastest start in team history to 30 wins. The 1959-60 Celtics started 30-4 before going on to win the NBA title.
The Bobcats, who entered with an Eastern Conferenece-worst 1-11 road mark, also got 16 points and eight assists from Raymond Felton.
Kevin Garnett led Boston with 24 points and eight rebounds. Paul Pierce scored 13 points on just 4-for-14 shooting.
Lakers 109, Hornets 80
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Kobe Bryant scored 19 points, Andrew Bynum added 17 and the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight game.
The Lakers made 54.9 percent of their shots, hitting nine 3-pointers and while outscoring New Orleans 52-36 inside. Los Angeles scored on its first eight possessions and led by double digits for most of the game.
Los Angeles’ reserves outscored the Hornets’ bench 42-9. The Lakers also outrebounded New Orleans 45-40.
Chris Paul scored 32 points and David West added 19 points for New Orleans, which shot 36.9 percent.
Bucks 98, Heat 92
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Mo Williams scored a season-high 35 points to help Milwaukee send Miami to its ninth straight loss.
Dwyane Wade scored 34 points to lead Miami, which extended its longest losing streak since dropping 12 in a row in the 2001-02 season and also lost its eighth straight on the road. Jason Williams scored a season-high 23 points in his first game since recovering from inflammation in his left knee.
Andrew Bogut scored 17 points to lead Milwaukee, which played without guard Michael Redd for the fourth game in a row because of a deep thigh bruise.
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