Anthony explodes for 50 in win over Heat

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MIAMI — Carmelo Anthony tied his career high with 50 points, and the New York Knicks won their ninth straight game, topping the injury-depleted Miami Heat 102-90 on Wednesday night.

MIAMI — Carmelo Anthony tied his career high with 50 points, and the New York Knicks won their ninth straight game, topping the injury-depleted Miami Heat 102-90 on Wednesday night.

Anthony finished 18-of-26 from the field, reaching 50 on a jumper with 16.9 seconds remaining. J.R. Smith scored 14 and Raymond Felton added 10 for New York.

Chris Bosh scored 23 points for Miami, which played without LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers, all held out with injuries not believed to be serious. Mike Miller scored 18, Ray Allen finished with 16 and Norris Cole had 14 for the Heat, whose 17-game home winning streak was snapped.

LAKERS 101, MAVERICKS 81

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in his 19th career triple-double, and Los Angeles beat Dallas in a key game for two teams struggling to get into the Western Conference playoff picture.

Dwight Howard had 24 points and 12 rebounds while hitting seven fourth-quarter free throws for the Lakers (39-36), who had lost four of six. The Lakers moved back into an eighth-place tie in the West with the Utah Jazz (39-36), who hold the tiebreaker edge on the Lakers.

Chris Kaman had 14 points for Dallas (36-38), which has a game in hand on the Lakers and Jazz.

WIZARDS 90, BULLS 86

WASHINGTON — John Wall had 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Emeka Okafor scored the go-ahead dunk in the final minute, and Washington beat Chicago for its eighth straight home win.

Wall was 8-for-17 from the field and 11-for-13 at the free throw line.

Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bulls, who fell two games behind the fourth-place Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference. Chicago visits Brooklyn on Thursday.