An impressive performance from Dirk Nowitzki helped the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Detroit Pistons 113-102 at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday night, with the power forward scoring 24 points in the game to hand the visitors their eighth win in 10.
The Mavericks were also boosted by Vince Carter, who contributed 18 points off the bench, while Samuel Dalembert, Monta Ellis and Shawn Marion all notched double-doubles in the encounter.
At the EnergySolutions Arena, Kevin Love scored his first triple-double of his career as the Minnesota Timberwolves earned a 121-104 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Love scored 37 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists in just over three quarters, making it the ninth time in a row that the forward has scored over 25 points in a match.
The Wolves were also boosted by handy contributions from Ricky Rubio, who had 15 points and seven assists, while Chase Budinger and Corey Brewer each bagged 13 points for the visitors.
In Oakland, Jermaine O'Neal's performance led the Golden State Warriors to a comfortable 93-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets, who were held to 2-for-21 behind the three-point arc.
The Indiana Pacers had a trio of Paul George, David West and Lance Stephenson to thank as they combined for a total of 86 points to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 110-100 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
George finished with 32 points, West notched 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Stephenson narrowly missed out on a triple-double with 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the encounter.
The Atlanta Hawks were finally able to snap their eight-game losing streak on Saturday, thanks to Mike Scott, who helped his side overcome the New York Knicks with a 107-98 success at the Philips Arena.
Reserve forward Scott grabbed a career-best of 30 points in the tie, while DeMarre Carroll added a personal best of 24 points, with point guard Jeff Teague also scoring 28.
At the Sleep Train Arena, seven Sacramento Kings players finished with double-figure scores, as Isaiah Thomas shone with 21 points and a game-high 12 assists as they beat the Boston Celtics 105-98.
The Charlotte Bobcats won for the fourth time in five nights as they defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 92-89 at the Time Warner Cable Arena.
The Cats continued their run thanks to a telling contribution from Kemba Walker, who scored 31 points to ensure that the visitors held on for the win.
Finally, the Washington Wizards made it five straight wins against the New Orleans Pelicans with a 94-93 triumph at the Verizon Center.
The one-point victory came courtesy of Nene, who matched his career-high with 30 points in the game, including a match-winning dunk with 0.3 seconds to go.
Results in full: Charlotte Bobcats 92-89 Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards 94-93 New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks 107-98 New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks 113-102 Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers 110-100 Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves 121-104 Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings 105-98 Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors 93-86 Brooklyn Nets
Christopher Dodd
