Jason Kidd recorded his 82nd career triple-double, and the New Jersey Nets erased an 18-point deficit against Chicago for the second time in a week, beating the Bulls 86-83 on Thursday.
Kidd had 23 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season. Vince Carter added 18 points for the Nets.
Andres Nocioni finished with 28 points for Chicago and Ben Gordon had 23 -- only three after halftime while being defended by Kidd.
Suns 109, Cavaliers 90
At Phoenix, Steve Nash had a season-high 21 assists, becoming the first player in nine years with two 20-assist games in a season and leading Phoenix past Cleveland to its eighth straight victory.
Nash, who had 20 assists against Sacramento on Dec. 5, joined Avery Johnson, now the Dallas coach, as the last two players to reach that total in the same season. Johnson did it in 1997-98. Nash's career high is 22, against New York on Jan. 2 last year.
LeBron James scored 34 points, including the first 14 of the fourth quarter, for the Cavaliers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Shawn Marion led the balanced Phoenix offense with 19 points, while Raja Bell had 18, Amare Stoudemire 17, Leandro Barbosa 16 and James Jones 13. Stoudemire also had 13 rebounds and Marion 11.
The Philadelphia 76ers continued their rebuilding effort by waiving veteran power forward Chris Webber, who reportedly received a buyout on Thursday of his huge contract.
The Philadelphia Daily News reported on Wednesday that Webber, 33, and the NBA team agreed on the terms of a buyout for the remainder of his contract. Webber is making US$20.7 million this season and US$22.3 million next season.
Webber reportedly received all but approximately US$5 million of the money owed him. He is a free agent and can sign with any team.
A five-time All-Star who has yet to win a championship, Webber likely will be looking to sign with a contender, a squad that can provide playing time, or both.
Webber has played in just three of 13 games since Dec. 13 as he has been sidelined with ankle and foot injuries. He is averaging a career-low 11 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 18 games.
Boston Celtics guard Tony Allen will miss the remainder of the season after tearing ligaments in his left knee, the club said on Thursday.
"We don't know recovery time yet, but at least six months and probably longer," coach Doc Rivers told reporters.
Allen tore his anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus and lateral meniscus, the club said, after awkwardly falling during a home loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
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