Center
2 French backups help lift Mavs past Warriors
Updated: 2010-12-08 14:41
(Agencies)
DALLAS - Third-string center Ian Mahinmi had 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, and fourth-stringer Alexis Ajinca provided quality minutes to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 105-100 Tuesday for their 10th straight victory.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Jason Terry had 20 and Caron Butler 19 -- but that's expected. The surprise was the performance by the backup big men, both from France. They were forced into duty because starter Tyson Chandler was home with a stomach ailment and fill-in starter Brendan Haywood got in early foul trouble.
Stephen Curry scored 21 points, David Lee had 20, Monta Ellis 18 and Dorrell Wright 17 for Golden State. Bobcats 100, Nuggets 98.
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Stephen Jackson scored 23 points as Charlotte held off Denver to deny Nuggets coach George Karl his 1,000th NBA win.
Returning to North Carolina where he played in college and going up against his longtime friend and fellow former Tar Heel Larry Brown, Karl had hoped to become the seventh coach of the 1,000-win club in Charlotte.
Chauncey Billups scored 25 points and Carmelo Anthony added 22 points and seven rebounds for the Nuggets, who had won seven straight.
Gerald Wallace had 20 points and nine boards for Charlotte. Tyrus Thomas scored 16 before leaving left late in the fourth quarter with a tight left quadriceps. Hawks 116, Nets 101.
At Atlanta, Josh Smith scored a season-high 34 points to lead streaking Atlanta to another victory.
The Hawks are 4-1 since losing top scorer Joe Johnson for four to six weeks to a right elbow injury and have won seven of eight overall.
Jamal Crawford had a season-high 26 points and Al Horford added 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Atlanta.
Brook Lopez led New Jersey with 24 points. Devin Harris had 18 points and 13 assists. 76ers 117, Cavaliers 97.
At Philadelphia, Thaddeus Young had a season-high 26 points as Philadelphia downed Cleveland to pick up its fourth win in five games.
Lou Williams scored 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter for Philadelphia, which placed seven players in double figures in its highest scoring output of the season. Jodie Meeks and Jrue Holiday had 16 points apiece, Andre Iguodala scored 13 and Elton Brand finished with 12.
J.J. Hickson had 18 points for Cleveland, which has lost five consecutive games by an average of 22.2 points. Daniel Gibson scored 16 and Mo Williams added 15. Rockets 97, Pistons 83.
At Houston, Luis Scola had 35 points and 12 rebounds to help the Rockets spoil Tracy McGrady's return to Houston.
McGrady hit a 3-pointer with about eight minutes left to get the Pistons within one, but Houston scored the next seven points to stretch the lead to 85-77 with six minutes remaining.
McGrady, who spent 5 1/2 seasons with the Rockets, finished with 11 points. Rodney Stuckey had 18 points and five assists for Detroit.
Kyle Lowry added 22 points and 12 assists for Houston, and Kevin Martin had 21 points.
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