DALLAS – Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks both broke out of slumps to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 109-100, in the NBA on Wednesday.
Kidd was 1-for-14 in shooting over the previous two games but went 8-of-12 to notch a season-high 21 points, while Jason Terry and Shawn Marion provided 22 points each from the bench.
The club made a similar turnaround, going from five straight losses by at least 10 points each – their worst such stretch since their woeful days in the mid-1990s – to a convincing win over the two-time defending champions.
In Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points to help Denver down Oklahoma City, 112-107, hours after New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov announced he would no longer pursue the All-Star forward.
Chauncey Billups and Nene each added 16 points for the Nuggets, who grabbed the lead for good early in the fourth quarter of a game that was close all the way.
After months of talks aimed at bringing Anthony from Denver to New Jersey, the Nets’ new owner announced that his team was ending the drawn-out trade talks.
In San Antonio, the hosts rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to beat Toronto, 104-95, and record their seventh straight victory.
DeJuan Blair had 22 points and 11 rebounds while Manu Ginobili added 23 points for the Spurs, who improved their NBA-best record to 36-6, their best ever after 42 games.
DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points for the Raptors, who lost their fifth straight.
The Spurs surged into the lead midway through the third quarter after a 15-4 run to start the second half had tied the game.
In Boston, Ray Allen hit a jump shot with 25 seconds left to give Boston its first lead of the second half as the Celtics beat Detroit, 86-82.
Paul Pierce scored 22 points for the Celtics, who won their fourth straight.