The Portland TrailBlazers finished over the top of the Dallas Mavericks to win 85-81 in Tuesday's clash of two of the top teams in the NBA's Western Conference. Brandon Roy scored 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points and 12 rebounds for Portland. Dallas held a six-point lead early in the fourth but Portland came back with a 17-3 run that began and ended with 3-pointers from Steve Blake, taking an eight-point advantage with 3:48 left. Dirk Nowitzki's 3-pointer with 1:16 to go pulled Dallas within two points and the Mavericks had a shot to tie it, but Nowitzki's 17-footer rimmed out with 40 seconds to play. Andre Miller's two free throws with 6.5 seconds remaining sealed the Blazers' victory. Nowitzki had 27 points and nine rebounds in his return from an elbow injury and J.J. Barea added 22 points for the Mavericks, who had won six of seven. Lakers 111, Thunder 108: In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 40 points for the sixth time this season as Los Angeles narrowly held off Oklahoma City. Pau Gasol had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who had a poor first half and needed two last-minute free throws to win their first game back from a five-game road trip. After trailing by 12 in the first half, Los Angeles blew most of an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Lakers' lead was twice cut to one point in the final 25 seconds, but they held on. Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant scored 30 points before fouling out with 1:31 to play, as the Thunder lost their fifth in six games. Celtics 103, Pacers 94: In Boston, the hostss came from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to run down Indiana, boosting their lead in the NBA's Eastern Conference. Paul Pierce missed his first 10 shots but then scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, including seven straight, to put Boston ahead for good. Pierce finished with 21 points, going 12 for 13 from the free throw line to make up for his slow start from the floor. Kendrick Perkins scored 19 points to go with eight rebounds. Indiana's Troy Murphy had 24 points and a season-high 18 rebounds but the Pacers gave up a 15-point halftime lead to fall to a fourth straight loss. The Celtics scored 13 straight points to take their first lead with 4:45 left in the third quarter. Rockets 108, Clippers 99: In Houston, Carl Landry matched his career high with 27 points in his first game back after dental surgery, helping Houston beat Los Angeles. Hawks 112, Timberwolves 87: In Minneapolis, Jamal Crawford scored 26 points and Joe Johnson added 21 points and six assists to lead Atlanta past Minnesota. The Hawks moved to 20-7, equalling the best start in franchise history. Bobcats 88, Pistons 76: In Charlotte, North Carolina, Gerald Wallace had 29 points and 12 rebounds in his return after missing a game with severe headaches, leading Charlotte over undermanned Detroit. Knicks 88, Bulls 81: In New York, David Lee rattled in the clinching jumper with 5.5 seconds left as New York held on to beat Chicago. Grizzlies 121, Warriors 108: In Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis withstood a strong start by Golden State to beat the slumping Warriors. Wizards 105, 76ers 98: In Washington, Gilbert Arenas was brilliant at the beginning and end, and quiet in between, leading Washington over Philadelphia.
