HAWKS-MAVERICKS
Hawks hold off Mavericks for fourth straight win
DALLAS (AP) _ Dennis Schroder scored a career-high 22 points and the Atlanta Hawks held off the Dallas Mavericks for a 105-102 victory on Monday night.
Atlanta led by as many as 24 points in the third quarter. The Mavericks pulled to 96-88 before second-year player Schroder hit a jump shot and two free throws for a 12-point lead with 1:08 to play.
The Hawks (20-7) won all three games on their road trip. The Southeast Division leaders have a four-game winning streak overall, and have won 13 of their last 14.
All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures. Kyle Korver scored 18, Al Horford had 17, DeMarre Carroll put in 15 and Paul Millsap added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Monta Ellis led the Mavericks with 18 points, 11 in a fourth quarter when they outscored the Hawks 39-23.
CLIPPERS-SPURS
Parker returns, leads Spurs past Clippers, 125-118
SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ Tony Parker scored 26 points in his return from a five-game absence, igniting the San Antonio Spurs to a season-high 37 assists and a 125-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
San Antonio shot a season-high 64 percent from the field in snapping a four-game skid.
Tim Duncan had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Boris Diaw scored 23 points and Manu Ginobili had 19 points and 10 assists for the Spurs (18-11), who had lost three straight home games in overtime.
Chris Paul had 25 points and nine assists, Blake Griffin added 22 points and J.J. Redick had 21 for the Clippers (19-9), who have lost four straight to San Antonio.
Parker showed no lingering effects from a strained left hamstring that kept him out of eight of the past nine games.
TRAIL BLAZERS-ROCKETS
Harden’s 44 lead Rockets over Blazers, 110-95
HOUSTON (AP) _ James Harden scored a season-high 44 points to help the Houston Rockets cruise to a 110-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night and snap a two-game skid.
The Trail Blazers were without leading scorer and rebounder LaMarcus Aldridge, who missed the game with an upper-respiratory illness, and had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Harden had 31 in the first half to help the Rockets erase an early eight-point deficit and take a 20-point halftime lead. The Blazers didn’t threaten after that and Harden went to the bench for good with about 4 minutes left and Houston up 107-86.
It was Harden’s NBA-leading third 40-point game this season, with all of them coming this month.
Damian Lillard led Portland with 18 points and CJ McCollum added 17.