Rafer Alston scored 31 points and hit eight 3-pointers, both career highs, as the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 104-92 to extend their winning streak to 22 and claim sole possession of first place in the National Basketball Association's Western Conference.
Kobe Bryant scored 24 points for the Lakers and smothered Tracy McGrady on defense, helping hold him to 11 points on 4-for-16 shooting.
The rest of the Rockets made up for it. Shane Battier scored 14 points and shadowed Bryant most of the game. Backup point guard Bobby Jackson added 19 points and Luis Scola had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Nuggets 168, SuperSonics 116
At Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points, Allen Iverson finished with 24 and Marcus Camby had a triple-double to help Denver set an NBA season high for points in a half and a game.
The 168 points are the most Denver has scored in a game since Jan. 11, 1984, against San Antonio. It is also the most the Nuggets have scored in regulation.
The Nuggets fell 16 points shy of the franchise record, set in a 186-184 triple-overtime loss to Detroit on Dec. 13, 1983.
The Nuggets' 168 points top the 138 they scored against Seattle in a 32-point win on Feb. 27, which was also the league high for the season. Denver scored 84 points in both halves, surpassing the previous high of 80 set by Phoenix on Nov. 21.
Camby had 13 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Kings 106, Raptors 100
At Sacramento, California, Kevin Martin had 32 points and eight rebounds as Sacramento downed Toronto.
Ron Artest added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mikki Moore scored 17 for the Kings, who have won three of four games.
Jason Kapono scored 26 points for the Raptors, who have lost four straight and five of six. Rasho Nesterovic added 20 points and eight rebounds for Toronto.
Pistons 105, Hornets 84
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Jarvis Hayes scored 29 points, including a career-high seven 3-pointers, to lead Detroit to the win.
Chauncey Billups finished with 17 points and Tayshaun Prince scored 13 for the Pistons, who have won four of five.
The Hornets lost for just the second time in seven games. New Orleans were missing David West, who sprained his right ankle on Friday.
Cavaliers 98, Bobcats 91
In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 33 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 16 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland.
Ben Wallace scored his only two baskets of the game, Delonte West added a jumper and James hit a bank shot in the lane in the final 2 minutes as the Cavaliers held on after nearly squandering an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
Jason Richardson scored nine-straight points, including two 3-pointers and a three-point play to spark Charlotte's comeback. He finished with 33 points.
Mavericks 98, Heat 73
In Miami, Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points before sitting out most of the second half as Dallas stormed out to a huge early lead on the way to the win.
Josh Howard added 15 for the Mavericks, who led by 20 points midway through the opening quarter and have beaten the Heat in each of the teams' past eight regular-season meetings. Brandon Bass and Jason Terry each scored 14 for Dallas.
Hawks 109, Knicks 98
In New York, Joe Johnson had 28 points and 11 assists, and Atlanta moved into a tie for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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