SCOREBOARD
Wednesday, Dec. 12
Sacramento at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST). The Kings are 0-8 on the road this season and the Celtics are 10-0 at home.
STARS
Monday
-Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks, scored a season-high 36 points to lead Dallas past New York 99-89.
-Dwyane Wade, Heat, scored 31 points, including 10 in the final 4 minutes, and Miami defeated Phoenix 117-113.
-Josh Smith, Hawks, had 25 points and a season-high 16 rebounds to help Atlanta beat Orlando 98-87.
FIRSTS
Miami shot 59 percent to get past Phoenix 117-113 Monday night and win consecutive games for the first time this season. It was the first time the Heat beat the Suns in three seasons. … Andre Miller had 17 points and 12 assists to help Philadelphia beat Houston 100-88 for its first three-game winning streak of the season.
DOWN THE BLOCK
Shawn Marion blocked four shots for the fifth time in 13 games in Phoenix’s 117-113 loss to Miami on Monday night. The five four-block efforts match his total for all of last season.
STREAKS
Joe Johnson scored 24 points in Atlanta’s 98-87 victory over Orlando on Monday night, the Hawks’ third straight win. The Magic had won five of their last six at home against Atlanta. … Dallas beat New York 99-89 for its second straight win following consecutive losses.
SNAPPED
Miami (6-15) beat Phoenix 117-113 on Monday night to hand the Suns their second straight loss to a team with one of the NBA’s worst records. The Suns were beaten at Minnesota (3-15) on Saturday. The loss snapped a string of nine consecutive victories for Phoenix over Eastern Conference opponents. … Sacramento squeaked by Milwaukee 96-93 to snap a two-game slide and hand the Bucks their fourth straight loss and eighth in nine games.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Dwight Howard had 14 points and 18 rebounds but Orlando fell to Atlanta 98-87 Monday night for its second straight loss and first losing streak this season. … Zach Randolph scored 24 points, all in the second half, and grabbed 11 rebounds, but New York was defeated by Dallas 99-89 for its third straight loss.
SPEAKING
“I guess they say it’s New York fans, but you know it’s real tough. Honestly. Especially for me, because I’ve never experienced every time a player walks off the court you’re booing. Everywhere else, in Portland, fans were a big part of our team. Fans are a big part of every team everywhere you go. We need the fans to be supportive with us, even when we’re down.” – New York’s Zach Randolph, on the hostile reaction the last-place Knicks (6-14) drew from the home crowd during a 99-89 loss to Dallas on Monday night.