Buzzer-beater helps Hornets fly by Pacers

Hornets head coach Bryon Scott placed his head in his hands and almost looked like he was praying as the Hornets were being outclassed in the first half of the match against the Pacers. Maybe Scott put in a word with the big guy upstairs because theHornets snuck by the Pacers with a jumper with just seconds left in the game to defeat Indiana 105-103.

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David West was the man of the night as he made the 17-foot fadeaway jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining to put the Hornets over the top. West also added 18 points and 10 rebounds to the Hornets' effort.

Things got a bit heated at the end of the half when Hilton Armstrong received a technical foul for shoving Troy Murphy under the Hornets' basket at the buzzer. Granger made the free throw to start the second half.

Danny Granger led Indiana (10-20) with 34 points. Roy Hibbert scored 19 before drawing his fifth foul with 6:46 to play in the third quarter. He did not return.

With a 18-9 record, the Hornets come in a far second in the Western Conference behind the Los Angeles Lakers. Scott shouldn't have to stress or lose anymore hair...in his mustache since his Hornets are doing pretty good by Western Conference standards.

Denver 117, New York 110
Dallas 98, L.A. Clippers 76
Cleveland 93, Miami 86
New Orleans 105 Indiana 103
Boston 108, Sacramento 63
Golden State 130, L.A. Lakers 113

• Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets, scored 32 points after missing three games with a bruised right elbow, leading Denver to a 117-110 victory over the Knicks.

• Josh Howard, Mavericks, had 29 points, nine rebounds and a career-best seven assists, leading Dallas to a 98-76 victory over the Clippers

• LeBron James, Cavaliers, scored 33 points and Cleveland remained the league's only unbeaten team on its own floor with a 93-86 win over the Heat.

• Kevin Garnett, Celtics, had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Boston rebounded from back-to-back losses in emphatic fashion, beating the Kings 108-63.

• Kobe Bryant, Lakers, scored 31 points and Los Angeles rolled for a 130-113 victory over Golden State.

Mavericks leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki was suspended for Dallas' 98-76 win over the Clippers. He was given a one-game ban because he received a flagrant-2 foul and an automatic ejection in the fourth quarter of Friday night's 97-88 loss at Utah. Nowitzki took a backward swing at Matt Harpring with a closed fist and hit him in the face, after he and the Jazz forward got tangled up under the basket.

Olympic swimming star Michael Phelps was given a key to the city from mayor Kevin Johnson and a Kings jersey from team owner Gavin Maloof in the first half of Sacramento's 108-63 loss to the Celtics. Phelps had a chance to win a car for a fan by hitting the rim from halfcourt, but his shot banged off the backboard. Phelps was given another opportunity in the second half, but failed again, shooting an airball and launching a shot over the backboard.

Boston beat Sacramento 108-63 for one of the most lopsided wins in franchise history. The 45-point margin of victory matched the sixth biggest ever by the Celtics, who also beat the New York Knicks by that amount last season. The last time Boston had a bigger win was a 153-107 victory over the Baltimore Bullets in 1970.

The Kings reached lows in their 108-63 loss to the Celtics. They made just 19 field goals on 28 percent shooting, the fewest shots made by the Kings in the shot-clock era. And it was the most lopsided defeat for Sacramento since losing 153-91 to Golden State on Nov. 2, 1991, and the worst home loss in franchise history.

For the second straight game, the Cavaliers had to come back late at Quicken Loans Arena to extend their home winning streak, which is now at 16 straight. Cleveland was down by nine points going into the fourth and trailed by eight before going on an 18-2 run and outscoring Miami 26-11 over the final eight minutes for a 93-86 win Sunday night.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points after missing three games with a bruised right elbow, leading the Nuggets to a 117-110 victory over the Knicks. It was only the third 30-point game this season for Anthony, who has been bothered by the elbow since he was originally hurt in a victory over Houston on Nov. 30.

Danny Granger led Indiana with 34 points in a 105-103 loss to New Orleans. Troy Murphy had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Pacers, who lost their third straight game, all after having the lead.

Jason Kidd's interception of Marcus Camby's pass midway through the first quarter was the 2,113th steal of his career, breaking a tie with Alvin Robertson for eighth place on the all-time steals leaderboard.

"You can tell the fans are into it. They don't want us to lose all season. It's the third quarter and they're getting a little antsy, we can hear it." -- Cleveland's LeBron James after the Cavaliers rallied for a 93-86 win to remain the league's only unbeaten team at home, where they're 16-0.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.