Kidd single-handedly lifts Nets over Pacers

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jason Kidd scored 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter while being defended by Ron Artest and the New Jersey Nets rallied to a 98-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.

Kidd added 12 assists and nine rebounds in almost single-handedly rallying the Nets from a 15-point third-quarter deficit in yet another chippy game between the two young, emotional Eastern Conference foes.

Tempers flared repeatedly and the officiating crew called six technicals and one flagrant foul. Artest, the Pacers' bad boy, got the flagrant and a technical, and generally seemed a little out of control.

Mavericks 97, Spurs 87

DALLAS -- Steve Nash had 29 points and 10 assists, and Dallas held on to beat San Antonio, ending the Spurs' nine-game winning streak.

San Antonio set an NBA record with eight straight road wins on the same trip, including victories at Sacramento and the Los Angeles Lakers, before returning home for a 101-76 victory Tuesday night against Denver.

Kings 105, Celtics 83

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Doug Christie had 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Keon Clark had 18 points and nine rebounds as Sacramento beat Boston.

Vlade Divac had 16 points as the Kings improved to 22-5 at home. The Celtics' most successful West Coast road trip in 12 years ended with a thud.

Paul Pierce had 22 points and 12 rebounds for Boston, which had won four of the first five games on the trip. But the Celtics shot less than 35 percent and were put away early by the Kings.