Duncan's late shot nips Cavs
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan is congratulated by Devin Brown, right, and teammates after scoring the game-winning basket in the final seconds of the Spurs 94-92 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 in Cleveland.
AP Photo/Tony Dejak
CLEVELAND — Tim Duncan made a 19-foot jumper just before the final horn sounded, giving the San Antonio Spurs a 94-92 victory Monday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who dropped their third straight.
Duncan missed his first seven shots and didn't score in the game's first 19 minutes. But with the game on the line, he took a pass from Tony Parker, gathered himself and calmly knocked down his shot without a hand in his face.
After going 0-for-7, Duncan went 9-for-10 from the floor, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Parker added 19 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Knicks 117, Lakers 115, OT
NEW YORK — Tim Thomas scored a season-high 35 points, and New York recovered after blowing a 10-point lead in the final 46 seconds of regulation to defeat Los Angeles.
The victory was the third straight for the Knicks, matching their longest winning streak of the season. New York remained in last place in the Atlantic Division but pulled within five games of the first-place Boston Celtics.
Jazz 87, Clippers 86
SALT LAKE CITY — Mehmet Okur converted a three-point play with 21.7 seconds remaining and Utah held for the win when Los Angeles' Bobby Simmons missed a layup at the buzzer.
The Jazz won back-to-back games for the first time in a month and a half, but barely.
With the win, Utah's Jerry Sloan passed Dick Motta for seventh in NBA coaching victories with 636.
Mavericks 90, Hornets 86
DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points, including a key jumper and two free throws in the final minute, and Dallas hung on to beat the team with the worst record in the Western Conference.
Marquis Daniels added 13 points for the Mavericks, who've won seven of eight.
Dallas struggled most of the night before coming on at the end to beat the Hornets for the 12th straight time.
Nowitzki, the league's third-leading scorer who's been bothered by a sore right hamstring, had 13 points in the final quarter. He went 9-of-19 from the field and had 11 rebounds.
Lee Nailon scored 14 points and P.J. Brown had 12 points and 14 rebounds to pace the Hornets.