Gentry was ejected by referee Mike Callahan after arguing that Pau Gasol should have been called for a flagrant foul on Lou Amundson's drive to the basket with 5:06 to play.
Kobe Bryant had 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists - along with seven turnovers - for Los Angeles while Andrew Bynum added 18.
Amare Stoudemire had 29 points and 16 rebounds for the Suns, playing for the first time in six days.
In Milwaukee, the hosts knocked off yet another NBA championship contender, beating Utah.
John Salmons had 24 points and Brandon Jennings added 23 for the Bucks, who have won 11 of their past 12 - including victories over Cleveland and Boston in the past week.
Carlos Boozer had 26 points and 14 rebounds for Utah, but was ejected after a pair of technical fouls for arguing a no-call on what he thought was a foul with 13 seconds left.
In New Orleans, Denver won its fifth straight, overcoming New Orleans.
Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and 12 rebounds and Chauncey Billups scored 21 points for Denver, which finished with a flourish to break open a game that was tied with 6:05 to go.
David West scored 30 points for New Orleans.
In Philadelphia, LeBron James had 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in his return as Cleveland downed Philadelphia.
James was in the starting lineup after missing the previous two with an injured right ankle, and the league's leading scorer had his 26th double-double.
Mo Williams added 21 points for the Cavaliers (51-15), who have the league's best record.
Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 30 points.
In Miami, the hosts added to the woes of injury-stricken Chicago.
Jermaine O'Neal scored a season-high 25 points and Quentin Richardson added 23 for Miami, which extended its season-best home winning streak to five games and passed Toronto for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference.
James Johnson and Jannero Pargo each scored 20 for Chicago, which lost its seventh straight and played without its injured top three scorers: Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah.
In Boston, Paul Pierce scored 20 points to lead Boston over Indiana.
Rajon Rondo had 16 points and 11 assists while reserves Nate Robinson and Glen Davis scored 15 points for Boston, which played its third game in four nights.
Roy Hibbert scored 23 for the Pacers, who have won just once in their past six games.
In Sacramento, California, Brandon Roy scored 28 points as Portland beat Sacramento for its third straight victory.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points, Andre Miller had 15 and Nicolas Batum added 11 for Portland, which never let the lead dip close to single digits in an uninspired fourth quarter by both teams.
Carl Landry had 18 points for the Kings, who committed 20 turnovers.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Carolina held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat struggling Los Angeles.
Stephen Jackson scored 24 points and Boris Diaw added 16 for the Bobcats, who won their fifth straight as they chase the first playoff berth in franchise history.
Baron Davis scored 24 points for the Clippers, who have lost eight of their past nine games.
In Memphis, Tennessee, Zach Randolph had 24 points and 11 rebounds as Memphis held on to beat New York.
The Knicks trailed by as many as 29 in the third quarter, but pulled within five in the final minute.
O.J. Mayo scored 22 points for the Grizzlies.
New York's Bill Walker had 21 points, including 12 during the fourth-quarter rally.
In Minneapolis, Richard Jefferson had 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists in his first start in seven games to help San Antonio beat hapless Minnesota.
George Hill had 19 points and eight assists for the Spurs, who have won six of their past seven games.
Wayne Ellington scored 17 points for the Timberwolves, who have lost 14 of 15.
In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 32 points, his franchise-record 36th 30-point game this season, as Oklahoma City edged NBA-worst New Jersey.
Durant made two clinching free throws after Devin Harris missed with 24 seconds left. The All-Star passed Spencer Haywood's mark from the 1972-1973 season.
Russell Westbrook hit two more free throws with 6.3 seconds left, but Oklahoma City nearly gave the game away with late turnovers.
Jeff Green scored 20 of his season-high 27 points in the first half.
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Will Bynum had a career-best 20 assists as Detroit beat Washington in a match-up of two of the Eastern Conference's worst teams.
Jonas Jerebko scored 18 points for Detroit to help inflict the Wizards' sixth straight defeat.
Bynum became the first Piston to record 20 assists since Isiah Thomas in 1985, and just the third player to reach the mark in the NBA this season, joining Steve Nash (twice) and Darren Collison.
Andray Blatche led the Wizards with 23 points.
