The surging Dallas Mavericks beat Cleveland 99-96 on Monday night, making it 25 straight losses for the Cavs.
Cleveland already held the record for the most losses in a single season, but the league also keeps a record for losses spread over two seasons. This topped that one, too, making it the most consecutive losses in league history, period.
The previous record also was held by the Cavaliers, set from 1982-83.
Jason Terry scored 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to send Dallas to its ninth straight win, the longest active streak in the NBA.
The Cavaliers posted the NBA’s best record last season, but things took a downturn when two-time reigning NBA MVP LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat during the offseason, sending the franchise into a freefall.
At Denver, Kevin Martin scored 37 points and the Houston Rockets took advantage of Nene’s absence and Chauncey Billups’ early exit to beat the Denver Nuggets 108-103 Monday night despite Carmelo Anthony’s 50-point effort that tied his career high.
Martin, who had just eight points in his previous trip to Denver, scored 18 in the decisive third quarter, half of them during a 13-0 run the Rockets used to grab control at 71-56. He started and ended the run with buckets to go with a fast-break basket and a 3-pointer.
Luis Scola chipped in 25 points for the Rockets, who handed Denver its seventh loss in 28 home games.
At Memphis, Tennessee, Kobe Bryant scored 19 points, and Lamar Odom had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead Los Angeles over Memphis.
Memphis got within two points in the fourth quarter, but Los Angeles took advantage of five Grizzlies turnovers to go on an 11-0 run and take an 89-76 lead.
Pau Gasol scored 17 points for the Lakers.
Sam Young led the Grizzlies with 22 points, matching his career high.
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Gerald Wallace scored 19 points, including the clinching free throws with 3 seconds left, as Charlotte overcame top scorer Stephen Jackson’s ejection to beat the short-handed Boston.
Shaun Livingston added a season-high 18 points, little-used Eduardo Najera had a key 3-pointer late, and the Bobcats snapped six-game losing streak to Boston in a testy game that included five technical fouls and yet another emotional outburst by Jackson.
Ray Allen scored 25 points and hit two 3-pointers, leaving him two shy of breaking Reggie Miller’s NBA career record of 2,560. Paul Pierce added 22 points and Kevin Garnett grabbed 14 rebounds for the Celtics, who dressed only 10 players.
At New Orleans, Kevin Love had 27 points and 17 rebounds as Minnesota maintained its surprising dominance of playoff-contending New Orleans.
Minnesota’s Michael Beasley, who had 14 points, had to be helped off the floor with a left leg injury in the fourth quarter and starting center Darko Milicic departed with a strained left hip flexor in the first.
The injuries meant more action for Nikola Pekovic and Anthony Tolliver, who each scored 12 points.
Chris Paul had 17 points and 13 assists for the Hornets, who have lost three straight and five of six.
