Manu Ginobili poured in 23 points and Tim Duncan contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs eased to a 103-84 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Monday, reclaiming the league's best record.
With the Phoenix Suns idle, the Spurs seized their chance to go top of the overall standings by posting their seventh win in eight games to improve their record to 37-10.
Seattle played without leading scorer Ray Allen, who was sidelined with the flu and the SuperSonics struggled offensively, Antonio Daniels, Vladimir Radmanovic and Ronald Murray each scoring 13 points.
The SuperSonics were also missing coach Nate McMillan, who returned home to Raleigh, North Carolina following his mother's death.
In Philadelphia, Allen Iverson returned from a shoulder injury to score 27 points and Kyle Korver hit a jump shot with six seconds to play, lifting the 76ers to 89-88 win over the slumping Indiana Pacers.
Korver finished with 17 points but his last two were the most important, taking a feed from Iverson then nailing his shot to condemn the Pacers to a season-high fifth straight loss.
After missing three games with a strained rotator cuff, Iverson, the NBA's leading scorer, was quickly back in charge adding nine rebounds and eight assists to his night's work.
Stephen Jackson, back in form after serving a 30-game suspension for brawling with Detroit Pistons fans, had a season-high 24 points for the Pacers while Jermaine O'Neal added 21 and 10 rebounds.
In Atlanta, Antoine Walker nailed a fade away jumper with two seconds remaining to give the Hawks a shock 80-79 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Walker, who sank just three of his first 12 shots, finished with 12 points while Tony Delk contributed 17 and Al Harrington 16 to the Hawks' cause, giving the Eastern Conference cellar dwellers (9-34) a rare win.
In Boston, Yao Ming scored 23 points and Jon Barry added 17, including 15 in the fourth quarter, powering the Houston Rockets past the Celtics 97-94.
Trailing by 16 points, the Celtics rallied to pull within a point but could not complete the comeback, dropping out of first place in the weak Atlantic Division.
Ricky Davis paced the Celtics with a game-high 24 points and Paul Pierce added 22 in a losing effort.
In New Orleans, Lorenzo Wright and Stormile Swift each potted 19 points the Memphis Grizzlies eased past the last place Hornets 98-91
With all-star forward and leading scorer Pau Gasol and James Posey on the injury list, the Grizzlies produced a balance team effort getting double figure performances from six players to post their eighth win in 10 games.
In Los Angeles, Elton Brand scored 24 points and Bobby Simmons and Chris Kaman each had a double-double as the Clippers sailed past the struggling New York Knicks 96-89.
Kaman had 18 points and 10 rebounds while Simmons hit for 15 points and added another 10 rebounds.
