The Brooklyn Nets beat the Miami Heat for the third time this season, winning by a single point at the AmericanAirlines Arena.
Paul Pierce found form in the second half, scoring 17 of his 29 points in the third, before adding a couple of late baskets to make sure that the two-time defending champions did not steal the win.
The Dallas Mavericks needed a strong finish to make sure of a win over the Utah Jazz, giving them their first win away from home in four games.
Dirk Nowitzki made a series of long-range shots in the second half to finish the game with 31 points, moving him up to 12th on the NBA's all-time points scorers list.
The San Antonio Spurs maintained their winning run with a dominant performance against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The home side trailed for a short spell in the first quarter, but never looked in danger as Patty Mills and Tim Duncan kept the points coming.
A solid second half helped the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors for their ninth win in a row.
Blake Griffin led the way with 30 points, while Chris Paul chipped in with 16 to leave the Clippers five wins clear of the Warriors in the Pacific Division.
The Denver Nuggets added a flurry of points either side of half time to seal a win over the Orlando Magic.
Kenneth Faried led the team with 26, while Wilson Chandler and JJ Hickson were also in the 20s, helping the visitors to an 11-point lead heading into the fourth.
The Toronto Raptors clinched a win over the Detroit Pistons as they look to seal their first playoff appearance in six years.
The Atlantic Division leaders inflicted a 10th straight away defeat on the Pistons, with DeMar DeRozan scoring 25 for the Canadian side.
The New York Knicks cruised to their fifth consecutive win, easing to victory over the Boston Celtics.
Carmelo Anthony was involved from the start, scoring 19 of his 34 points in the first half to give the hosts an unbeatable 24-point lead at the break.
The Charlotte Bobcats overcame a strong start from the Washington Wizards to come away with a win at the Verizon Center.
John Wall helped the hosts take an early lead, but was kept off the scoreboard in the fourth quarter as Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker got the Bobcats back into the game before opening up a late lead.
The Cleveland Cavaliers held on for a win over the Phoenix Suns, having surged ahead early on.
Spencer Hawes made a fast start to the game, adding 17 in the first quarter to leave the Cavaliers with a 17-point lead, before the home side fought back.
Eric Bledsoe, who was playing for the first time in 2014 following knee surgery, scored 15 off the bench for the Suns, but a string of fourth-quarter shots from Kyrie Irving ensured a Cleveland win.
The Sacramento Kings took a comfortable win over the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving their opponents on an 18-game losing streak.
The visitors, who had lost their last three games coming into the meeting, had a slender lead at the break, before Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas made sure that they pulled away early in the third quarter.
A last-gasp shot from Mike Conley gave the Memphis Grizzlies a narrow win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The visitors were seven points down heading into the fourth quarter, but fought back before Conley added the game-winning basket with 1.5 seconds remaining.
Results in full: Brooklyn Nets 96-95 Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets 120-112 Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings 115-98 Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons 87-101 Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Bobcats 98-85 Washington Wizards, New York Knicks 116-92 Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies 90-88 New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks 108-101 Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers 90-103 San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers 110-101 Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors 98-111 Los Angeles Clippers
Sian Cowper
