Stephon Marbury felt right at home in New Jersey.
In his first home game since getting traded from Minnesota to the Nets, Marbury scored 29 points as New Jersey snapped an eight-game losing streak with an 88-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night."When you win a game like that, it gives you confidence," said Marbury, a New York native who bought tickets for 16 relatives and friends. "Tonight, we had a game plan offensively and defensively. Tonight was a perfect homecoming game for us."
The victory, only New Jersey's fourth in 22 games, wasn't assured until Michael Finley's 18-footer spun in and out at the buzzer.
"That last shot, I was under the basket and that ball was in. I don't know what made it come out," said Jayson Williams, who grabbed 21 rebounds for the Nets despite a sore left thumb.
Interim coach Don Casey, who took over after John Calipari was fired on Monday, sprinted off the court with a big smile as his players celebrated.
"Guys were hugging and kissing and high-fiving," Williams said.
Gary Trent's jumper gave Dallas a 87-86 lead with 38 seconds left, but Kerry Kittles made two free throws with 17 seconds remaining to put the Nets back in front.
Keith Van Horn scored 19 points and Kendall Gill 15 for the Nets. Finley and Trent each had 21 points for the Mavericks.
SIXERS 114, PACERS 110: Allen Iverson scored 39 points, including several sensational baskets down the stretch, as Philadelphia snapped a 10-game losing streak to Indiana.
Iverson scored 10 of the Sixers' last 22 points despite picking up his fifth foul on Miller's 3-point attempt with 5:25 left. Reggie Miller scored 27 points for the visiting Pacers, who lost their second straight for the first time this season.
CELTICS 118, CLIPPERS 84: At Boston, Kenny Anderson scored 21 points as the Celtics broke a five-game losing streak with their most lopsided victory of the season.
Vitaly Potapenko, Antoine Walker and Tony Battie each scored 14 points for the Celtics.
RAPTORS 103, PISTONS 101: Vince Carter scored six of his 28 points in the final minute, including the winning basket with 14 seconds left as Toronto won at Detroit.
Christian Laettner, who missed the first 22 games of the season with a ruptured Achilles' tendon, had three points in 19 minutes in his Pistons' debut. Bison Dele led Detroit with 23 points.
HEAT 86, HAWKS 85: At Atlanta, Tim Hardaway scored 24 points and Miami survived a 3-point barrage by the Hawks to win its sixth straight.
Mookie Blaylock had a chance to win it for Atlanta, but missed a desperation jumper from the corner as time expired, ending the Hawks' four-game winning streak, their longest of the season. Steve Smith led the Hawks with 22 points.
HORNETS 119, SUNS 111: Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell, acquired from the Lakers in a five-player deal last week, made successful debuts in their first home game for Charlotte.
Jones scored a season-high 29 points, including 15-of-17 from the foul line.
MAGIC 103, BULLS 94: Darrell Armstrong scored a season-high 23 points and Nick Anderson added 21 as the Magic won in Orlando.
Randy Brown led Chicago with 20 points, and Toni Kukoc added 17.
ROCKETS 114, NUGGETS 109: At Denver, Hakeem Olajuwon scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and reserve Othella Harrington added 23 points as Houston beat the Nuggets for the ninth straight time.
Olajuwon was 5-for-6 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line in the fourth quarter.
SPURS 82, WARRIORS 78: At Oakland, Tim Duncan had 17 points and 17 rebounds as San Antonio won its ninth straight.
Malik Rose had 17 points and Steve Kerr added 14 to help compensate for cold shooting by David Robinson (1-for-8) and Sean Elliott (2-for-10).