The Washington Wizards made it three straight wins over the Philadelphia 76ers with a 122-103 victory at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night.
The visitors mainly had Trevor Ariza to thank, as he scored a career-high 40 points, including eight 3-pointers. John Wall also shone with 17 points and a career-high-tying 16 assists.
In California, the Minnesota Timberwolves made it five wins in six as they overcame the Sacramento Kings 108-97, courtesy of Kevin Martin, who collected a game-high 26 points on 9-for-16 shooting in his first game back from injury.
Zach Randolph was the star of the show as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-96 at the FedExForum, with the power forward scoring 23 points and 14 rebounds.
The visitors also had Mike Conley and Marc Gasol on form, with each adding 22 points apiece to contribute to the win away from home.
Saturday night's action at the Toyota Center saw the Houston Rockets collect their 40th win of the season with a 118-110 defeat of the Detroit Pistons.
Terrance Jones and James Harden were the standout performers in the game, with no fewer than six of the Houston players getting into double figures.
The return of LaMarcus Aldridge at the Moda Center ensured that the Portland Trail Blazers overcame the Denver Nuggets 102-96, with the center notching 16 points and seven rebounds.
The Indiana Pacers kept their winning record intact against the Boston Celtics, as their 102-97 success on Saturday ensured that their scorecard was marked with three victories from three.
The Pacers were pushed over the line by Paul George, who had a game-high 24 points, while new Indiana addition Evan Turner bagged 17 points from the bench.
Over in Milwaukee, Marcus Thornton was the saviour for the Brooklyn Nets, as he came off the bench to shoot 25 points and lead his side to a 107-98 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Elsewhere, LeBron James switched to a new clear plastic mask at the American Airlines Arena and almost recorded a triple-double in Miami Heat's 112-98 victory over the Orlando Magic, while in LA, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 108-76, thanks to a match-winning partnership between Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.
Results in full: Miami Heat 112-98 Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards 122-103 Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers 102-97 Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets 118-110 Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets 107-98 Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies 110-96 Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers 102-96 Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves 108-97 Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers 108-76 New Orleans Pelicans
Christopher Dodd
