Grant Hill made a key three-pointer during a decisive run in his season debut for Orlando, and Dwight Howard had 23 points and 13 rebounds to help the Magic defeat the struggling New York Knicks 105-90 on Wednesday.
Hill missed Orlando's first 19 games following surgery for a sports hernia on Oct. 31. He started and scored seven points in 22 minutes, and was on the floor late in the second quarter when the Magic took control for good.
Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 points and Pat Garrity added a season-high 17, and the pair helped Orlando end New York's final comeback hopes with an impressive display of 3-point shooting.
Mavericks 102, Suns 96
In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points and Jason Terry added 23, leading Dallas past Steve Nash and Phoenix in a game the Mavericks dominated but had to sweat out at the end.
Meeting in Dallas for the first time since Nash embarrassed Terry for the winning basket in their second-round playoff series, Terry outplayed the reigning Most Valuable Player and former Mavs star this time.
Terry made 10 of 22 shots with four assists. He had seven points during an early 15-2 run that put Dallas ahead for good and nailed a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to slow a Phoenix rally. Nash was 6-of-18 for 20 points with five assists. He scored only four points, two on free throws, over nearly 21 minutes in the second half.
Shawn Marion led Phoenix with 23 points and had 19 rebounds, one shy of his career high. He also hit four 3-pointers, but missed one with 1:54 left that would've tied it at 97.
Nowitzki also had 13 rebounds.
Heat 100, Bucks 83
At Milwaukee, Dwyane Wade scored 27 points and Gary Payton added 20 to give Miami coach Pat Riley his second win in two nights, a victory over Milwaukee.
Wade and Payton exposed Milwaukee's lack of perimeter defense, combining to go 17-for-26 from the field.
Michael Redd scored 24 points and T.J. Ford had 17 for the Bucks, but they were dominated by the bigger and stronger Heat backcourt and didn't have fellow guard Mo Williams (thigh bruise) to provide support.
Shaquille O'Neal finished with 13 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes. He was saddled with early foul trouble.
Pistons 109, Kings 98
In Auburn, Michigan, Chauncey Billups had 28 points and a career-high 19 assists, while Richard Hamilton scored 36 to lead Detroit over Sacramento.
The Pistons improved to 16-3, tying the 1996-97 team for the best start in franchise history. The Kings (10-13) had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Billups also beat Steve Nash's 17 for the most assists in the NBA this season. Isiah Thomas was the last Piston with 19 assists, doing it against Orlando on Feb. 16, 1993.
Rasheed Wallace added 19 points for Detroit and Ben Wallace had 17 rebounds.
Brad Miller had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Kings.
Celtics 85, Pacers 71
In Boston, Paul Pierce had 25 points and seven rebounds to lead Boston over Indiana.
Ron Artest missed his third consecutive game, and second since requesting a trade last weekend. The Pacers were also without Jamaal Tinsley and Austin Croshere, who were both out with injuries.
Mark Blount added a season-high 22 points for the Celtics, who snapped a two-game skid in their first home game since Dec. 2.
Boston had its best defensive effort of the season, holding Indiana to a season low in points. The Pacers shot just 32.5 percent from the field and Jermaine O'Neal was held to 14 points after scoring at least 20 in seven consecutive games.
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