NBA: Trail Blazers, Mavericks and Nuggets all claim wins
Last Updated: 21/12/14 9:00am
LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland to their fifth successive win in the NBA as the Trail Blazers eased past the New Orleans Pelicans 114-88.
Aldridge scored a game-high 27 points and had 12 rebounds as Portland pulled out a 94-62 lead by the end of the third quarter, a gap which proved too wide for New Orleans.
Portland lie third in the Western Conference, one place ahead of the Houston Rockets who fell to a 104-97 loss against the Atlanta Hawks.
Kyle Korver led Atlanta with 22 points as a late rally saw the Hawks claim their 12th win in 13 games - a run which has lifted them into the top three in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas are another team on the rise and sealed a third straight victory by beating the San Antonio Spurs 99-93.
In a tight contest, the Mavericks came good in the final quarter thanks largely to 38 points from Monta Ellis.
Kemba Walker led the Charlotte Hornets with 20 points in a 104-86 win over the Utah Jazz, and 27 points from Chris Paul helped set the Los Angeles Clippers up for 106-102 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Denver Nuggets edged out the Indiana Pacers 76-73 while the New York Knicks suffered a fourth straight defeat, losing out to the Phoenix Suns 99-90.