PA – Deron Williams scored a season-high 38 points, outplaying Jeremy Lin and leading the New Jersey Nets to a 100-92 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday.

Lin began his remarkable run against the Nets about two weeks ago, but Williams and the Nets were ready for him this time.

Lin finished with 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but the Knicks lost for the second time in 10 games.

Carmelo Anthony, clearly rusty in his return from a seven-game absence with a strained right groin, shot 4 of 11 and scored 11 points.

In Chicago, Derrick Rose scored 23 points and had six assists in his return from a five-game absence from a back injury as the Bulls beat Atlanta 90-79.

At Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points and moved into the top 20 on the NBA career scoring list as Dallas beat short-handed Boston 89-73.

Nowitzki, who also had a season-high 16 rebounds, scored all of Dallas’ points in a 10-2 run midway through the second quarter that pushed the Mavericks ahead by 14.

They led by double digits the rest of the way to beat the Celtics, who were without the suspended Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett and injured Brandon Bass.

Oklahoma City were powered by 31 point games to both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the Thunder downed New Orleans 101-93.

At Milwaukee, Dwight Howard had 28 points and 16 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson added 15 points to lead Orlando to a 93-90 victory – its third win over Milwaukee in 10 days.

At Salt Lake City, Tony Parker scored 23 points as San Antonio defeated Utah for its 11th consecutive victory.

Elsewhere: the Houston Rockets edged the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 97-93; the visiting Orlando Magic slipped past the Milwaukee Bucks 93-90; the Denver Nuggets trimmed the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 103-101 in overtime.

Also, the Golden State Warriors surprised the visiting LA Clippers 104-97; the LA Lakers dropped the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 103-92 and the Phoenix Suns whipped the visiting Washington Wizards 104-88.