Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points and Caron Butler had 23 for Dallas, which has flourished since acquiring Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline.

The Mavericks (44-21) haven’t lost since Feb. 16 at Oklahoma City and have climbed into second place in the Western Conference, not far behind the Los Angeles Lakers (46-18).

Al Jefferson had 36 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota in his return from a two-game suspension because of a DWI arrest.

Cavaliers 97 Spurs 95: In Cleveland, Mo Williams made two free throws with 9 seconds left and Delonte West made the kind of plays down the stretch reserved for LeBron James and Cleveland won without its superstar, beating San Antonio.

Williams finished with 17 points for the Cavs, playing their second straight game without the injured James. The NBA’s reigning MVP is nursing a tender right ankle and the Cavs are being extra cautious. West had 16 points and made a key steal in the final minute as Cleveland became the first team to reach 50 wins this season.

Manu Ginobili scored a season-high 38 points to lead the Spurs, playing their first game without guard Tony Parker. He’s out six weeks with a broken hand.

Knicks 99 Hawks 98: In New York, New York beat Atlanta for the third time this season when video replay showed Al Horford’s basket came after the buzzer.

Wilson Chandler stopped Josh Smith’s drive to the basket with seconds to play and the ball bounced out to Horford in the lane. Referees originally ruled his short jumper good, but replay clearly showed the light was on above the backboard with the ball still in his hands.

Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points and David Lee had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks (22-41), who won for just the third time in 15 games and temporarily avoided a franchise-record ninth straight losing season.

Smith had 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Hawks, who have lost two straight following a four-game winning streak. Joe Johnson scored 22 points and Horford finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Hornets 135  Warriors 131: In New Orleans, Darren Collisonhad 16 points and a career-high 20 assists, and New Orleans snapped a four-game losing streak.

Collison’s assists total tied Phoenix’s Steve Nashfor the most in an NBA game this season.

Marcus Thornton and David West each scored 28 points for the Hornets, who shot 59 percent (54 of 92) and had six players in double figures.

Anthony Morrow made all six 3-pointers he attempted and had 28 points for Golden State, which tied a team season high with 13 3s. Reggie Williamsalso scored 28 points, while C.J. Watsonhad 12 points but missed a 3-point attempt that could have tied it in the final seconds.

Grizzlies 107  Nets 101: In Memphis,  Tenn., Mike Conley and Rudy Gay had 21 points each, and Marc Gasol added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Memphis withstood a second-half rally to defeat New Jersey, snapping an eight-game home losing streak.

Memphis got help from DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young, who scored 10 points each, ending the Nets’ three-game road winning streak.

Courtney Lee scored a career-high 30 points to lead New Jersey, while Devin Harris added 28.  Reserve Terrence Williams finished with 14, and Brook Lopez scored 10 points.

Memphis played the game without leading scorer and rebounder Zach Randolph, who sat out with a stiff lower back.
 
Iverson going through ‘tough times’

Meantime, exiled Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson says he’s experiencing “tough times” a week after it was decided he would not return to the team and his wife filed for divorce.

Iverson posted four messages Monday night on his Twitter account telling fans he expected to overcome the most recent obstacles in his life.

“To my fans: You all know that my life isn’t perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time,” Iverson wrote. “However, I will stand tall like always with ‘rhino’ thick skin.”

Iverson had been mostly absent from the 76ers for a month, returning to Atlanta to be with his family as they deal with an undisclosed illness of his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah. Iverson and the Sixers decided last Tuesday he would not return for the rest of the season.

The former NBA MVP and four-time scoring champion averaged 13.8 points in 28 games this season. He started the season with Memphis but only played three games before he announced a short-lived retirement.

Tawanna Iverson filed for divorce the same day. She said their 8 1/2 -year marriage is “irretrievably broken,” in papers filed in Fulton County Superior Court. She asked for full custody of the couple’s five children, child support and alimony.

The youngest child is 17 months old and the oldest is 15.

Allen Iverson said on Twitter it hurt to hear stories about his personal life that aren’t true.

“Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren’t true, it still hurts,” Iverson wrote. “I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God’s help I will overcome.”