LeBron James, Cavaliers
118-96 win at Grizzlies
29 pts, 11-17 FG, 4-7 3-pt FG

Matt Carroll, Bobcats
111-108 win vs. Kings
22 pts, 9-14 FG, 4-5 3-pt FG

Amare Stoudemire, Suns
129-127 win at Mavericks
41 pts, 16-19 FG

With the Raptors looking to extend their Atlantic Division lead on Wednesday, T.J. Ford delivered. Ford scored 18 points and matched a career high with 18 assists to run the show in Toronto's 104-94 home win over New York. The Raptors moved six games ahead of the Nets and 6.5 infront of the Knicks with the victory. Chris Bosh added 22 points and Jorge Garbajosa put up a season-best 20.

Josh Smith, Hawks
109-88 loss at Celtics
6-16 FG, 0-2 3-pt FG, 19 pts

Mike Miller, Grizzlies
118-96 loss vs. Cavaliers
3-10 FG, 0-4 3-pt FG, 7 pts

Andre Iguodala, Sixers
88-87 loss vs. Bulls
4-16 FG, 19 pts

With the NBA's top two teams and the league's top two MVP candidates facing off on Wednesday, the national spotlight was focused in on Dallas for the buildup of an amazing basketball game. The Suns and Mavericks lived up to their billing and delivered perhaps the best game of the season as Phoenix edged Dallas, 129-127, in double-overtime. The Suns exploded out of the gate scoring 32 points in the first quarter and leading by as many as 16, before the Mavericks came out of the half with a 38-point third quarter, taking a 16-point lead of their own. With Phoenix's chances looking bleak, Steve Nash scored 10 points in the final 57 seconds of regulation, culminating with a 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left to send the game into OT. Dirk Nowitzki had his chances and his moments, but could not put the finish on Phoenix throughout the night. Dirk missed four free throws for the first time in a game this season, including a pivotal one with 13.6 seconds left in regulation that could have sealed the deal. Amare Stoudemire scored 13 of his 41 points in overtime and Nash finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and 16 assists in a game that may have earned him his third straight MVP award. Nowitzki totaled 30 points and 16 boards in the defeat.

The Eastern Conference playoff picture got a little bit clearer on Wednesday, as two teams sent a distinct message that they belong in the postseason, while another two raised some doubts. Although the Sixers chances were improbable before their game against the Bulls, the odds got increasingly unfavorable after Kirk Hinrich hit a clutch jumper with 26.7 seconds left to lead Chicago to an 88-87 road win over Philadelphia. "It was a broken play,'' Hinrich said. "I slipped, but Lu made a good play to drive and get it to me. I feel like when I get a good look, I should be able to knock it down.'' Luol Deng scored 20 and Hinrich finished with 14. In Indiana, Gilbert Arenas scored 28 of his 35 points in the second-half to guide to Wizards past the Pacers, 112-96. Antawn Jamison posted 27 points, including the 12,000th of his career in the second quarter, and eight rebounds. Jermaine O'Neal poured in 24 points for the Pacers, who dropped their 11th straight game. "When you lose 11 in a row, a losing streak isn't going to end, you've got to snap it,'' O'Neal said. "It's going to take a great effort and a great performance from us. Tonight, Washington played well and they were better than us. Now, we've got to find a way to get out of this thing.''

After recently being recalled from the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League, Allan Ray is looking to make his second stint with the Celtics a permanent one. The rookie guard out of Villanova put up 10 points in Boston's 109-88 home win over Atlanta on Wednesday. Al Jefferson registered 23 points and nine boards. Rudy Gay also put up an impressive night with 24 points, but the Grizzlies came up short, 118-96, to the Cavaliers.

In their first game since Michael Jordan announced that Bernie Bickerstaff will not return as head coach next season, the Bobcats looked like a hungry team on the prowl. After drilling his first career three earlier in the game, Sean May picked an ideal time to make his second as he nailed a go-head 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in regulation to lift Charlotte to a 111-108 home victory over Sacramento on Wednesday. Matt Carroll scored 22 and May finished with 20 points and 12 boards.

Two D-League players certainly made cases for their NBA dreams on Wednesday. Lance Allred tallied 30 points and eight rebounds, but he was outdone by B.J. Elder, who exploded for 37 points and five boards, as the Toros edged the Stampede, 102-96. Elder and Allred each scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, but Justin Bowen added another eight in the period for Austin, to help it snap a three-game losing streak.