Michael Finley scored 23 points, including the go-ahead 18-footer with 1:58 left, as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 108-99 Sunday.
After Sacramento -- which entered with the Western Conference's best record at 30-12 -- fought back from a 10-point deficit to tie the game at 97 on Mike Bibby's 3-pointer with 2:14 left, the Mavericks scored nine straight points to clinch the victory.
"We were strong," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said. "Everybody didn't play great all the time, but they certainly played hard all the time. We needed to take care of the ball, and we did that."
Steve Nash had 21 points and a season-high 13 assists, with just one turnover. Dirk Nowitzki had 20 points and 12 rebounds.
"We've had a good streak and that feels good," Nash said. "It always feels better to justify it against a good team. It's very vindicating and rewarding to beat a team with the best record."
Peja Stojakovic led Sacramento with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Doug Christie had 23 points, while Bobby Jackson had 18. Brad Miller had 11 points and 17 rebounds.
Nets 110, Celtics 91
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Richard Jefferson scored 25 points and the New Jersey Nets ended their longest losing streak since Jason Kidd joined the team more than two years ago with a win over the Boston Celtics.
Kenyon Martin added 20 points and 15 rebounds and Kidd had 10 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to help the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions snap a five-game slide.
Ricky Davis had 26 points to lead the Celtics, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Paul Pierce, who picked up three fouls in the first half, added 13 for Boston.
Bulls 96, Raptors 89
In Chicago, Jamal Crawford scored 27 points and the Chicago Bulls broke a six-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors in the teams' first meeting since a major Dec. 1 trade.
Crawford also hounded former teammate Jalen Rose, who finished with 22 points for the Raptors but shot just 5-for-12 from the field in his return to Chicago. Toronto has lost five straight.
Timberwolves 99, Suns 95
In Minneapolis, Sam Cassell scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to their fourth straight win, beating the Phoenix Suns.
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