The San Antonio Spurs made it seven straight wins by beating the Indiana Pacers 112-103 in the NBA on Saturday.
Tim Duncan had 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili added 18 points apiece for the Spurs, who are 8-1 since making a rare plunge into midseason moves by adding forwards Stephen Jackson and Boris Diaw.
Despite their hot form, San Antonio have not been able to reduce their 2-1/2 game deficit to first-placed Oklahoma City, who are also on a winning streak.
Paul George and Danny Granger each scored 18 for the Pacers, who are struggling to break out of the jammed East playoff picture and secure some home-court edge.
76ERS 95, HAWKS 90
In Philadelpia, Elton Brand scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to rally Philadelphia past Atlanta.
Andre Iguodala scored 18, while Brand had 10 rebounds to go with his 10-for-12 shooting.
Coming off a 21-point loss to lowly Washington on Friday that knocked them out of first place in the Atlantic Division and down to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers earned a hard-fought win against a team ahead of them in the standings.
Philadelphia moved to within half a game of Boston in the Atlantic Division. Josh Smith led Atlanta with 34 points.
CLIPPERS 105, JAZZ 96
In Los Angeles, the hosts won a fifth straight game for the first time in six years by beating Utah.
Chris Paul scored 26 points and Blake Griffin added 24 for the surging Clippers, who have won six straight at home and are a game behind the first-placed Lakers in the Pacific Division.
Al Jefferson’s 26 points led the Jazz, who lost their third in a row after closing within four points in the third quarter.
In other NBA play, it was:
‧ Grizzlies 99, Bucks 95
‧ Lakers 88, Hornets 85
‧ Knicks 91, Cavaliers 75
‧ Nets 111, Kings 99
‧ Pistons 110, Bobcats 107, OT
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