Mavs top Rockets

DALLAS — J.J. Barea added another clutch performance to the best stretch of his career Wednesday night and the Dallas Mavericks secured a crucial 88-86 win over the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Dallas (40-38) has won five in a row and took a two-game lead over Southwest Division rival Houston (38-40) going into the last four games of the regular season. The Mavs and Rockets are locked in a three-team race with Utah (39-39) for the final two Western Conference playoff spots. The victory also allowed Dallas to split the four-game season series with Houston. The Rockets would have taken the series and, more importantly, a playoff tiebreaker with a win. Houston has lost six of its last nine games to fall into ninth in the West. Barea scored a game-high 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-for-7 on 3-pointers, two days after being named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career. As big as the diminutive Barea was on the offensive end, a defensive play by Dallas’ longtime top gun helped preserve the Mavericks’ hold on the game. Dirk Nowitzki, immersed in one of the worst shooting slumps of his career, stripped James Harden driving to the basket with Dallas holding a one-point lead in the final seconds. Harden scored 26 to lead the Rockets, but shot only 8-of-22 and had six turnovers. Rockets center Dwight Howard had 14 points and 16 rebounds. Mavs shooting guard Wesley Matthews scored 16 and guard Devin Harris had 10 points off the bench. Nowitzki had seven points on 2-of-7 shooting and six rebounds. Barea had eight assists. Pacers 123, Cavaliers 109 Paul George scored 29 points, and Indiana took full advantage of Cleveland’s decision to rest LeBron James in a victory over the Cavaliers. C.J. Miles added 21 points for Indiana, which remains in the No. 7 slot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. The Pacers are one-half game ahead of the Detroit Pistons, who defeated the Orlando Magic 108-104. Solomon Hill and Ian Mahinmi each added 15 for the Pacers, and Monta Ellis added 13 points and eight assists in Indiana’s third consecutive victory. Clippers 91, Lakers 81 For the second time in as many nights, the Los Angeles Clippers had little trouble handling the Los Angeles Lakers. DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick scored 15 points apiece, and the Clippers defeated the Lakers for the 11th straight time, posing a 91-81 victory at Staples Center. Jordan also grabbed 11 rebounds. Trail Blazers 120, Thunder 115 Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27 points as the Portland Trail Blazers rolled to a big lead, then held on for a 120-115 victory over the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder at the Moda Center. CJ McCollum added 26 points and Allen Crabbe came off the bench for 16 points for the Trail Blazers, who clinched a playoff spot with the victory. Portland (43-37) is in a virtual tie with the Memphis Grizzlies (42-36) for fifth place in the West. Pistons 108, Hornets 104 Reggie Jackson scored 24 points and the Detroit Pistons moved a step closer to their first playoff appearance in seven seasons by beating the Orlando Magic 108-104. The Pistons (42-37) can clinch a postseason berth with one more win or a loss by the Chicago Bulls. They clinched their first winning season since 2007-08. Celtics 104, Pelicans 97 Boston took another step forward in their fight for home-court advantage in the playoffs. However, they almost lost to a decimated New Orleans team despite leading by 14 points late in the third quarter. Avery Bradley hit a jumper to snap a 93-93 tie, and Isaiah Thomas scored 32 points as the Celtics fought off the pesky Pelicans 104-97. Other results: Wizards 121, Nets 103; Hornets 111, Knicks 97.