The Atlanta Hawks ended the Cleveland Cavaliers' 11-game winning streak with a 97-92 home victory on Saturday.
Mike Bibby scored 24 points and four teammates finished in double figures to spark the Hawks to their eighth home win in nine games.
"We came out and just showed how good we can be when we help each other out defensively," Bibby told reporters.
Bibby's three-pointer with 2:18 to play and Joe Johnson's field goal 40 seconds later insured the Hawks (14-9) the victory.
LeBron James led Cleveland (20-4) with 33 points and nine assists. Mo Williams added 26 points.
"We had our chances but they made more plays," James said.
His two free throws had given the Cavaliers a 90-89 lead with 2:31 to play before the Hawks, who had led by 14 points in the third quarter, bounced back.
"This was a big, big win for us," said center Al Horford, who helped Atlanta outrebound Cleveland.
"Especially after they came back and took the lead on us in the fourth quarter. But our guys made some big shots down the stretch when we needed to."
The Central Division-leading Cavaliers had not lost since falling to the Detroit Pistons 96-89 on Nov 19. They had started their win streak with a 110-96 victory over Atlanta in Cleveland.
"We didn't expect to go 79-3," added James, whose Cavaliers have the third-best record in the league behind the Boston Celtics (22-2) and Los Angeles Lakers (19-3).
At Los Angeles, Zach Randolph had 30 points and 13 rebounds, Al Thornton scored 26 points, and Los Angeles Clippers beat Houston Rockets to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
Randolph, fresh off his 38-point effort in Friday night's double-overtime win at Portland, shot 12-for-23 from the field to help Los Angeles improve to 6-17.
Yao Ming had 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who had beaten the Clippers in seven consecutive meetings and 19 of the previous 22. Tracy McGrady scored 19 points on 5-for-17 shooting in his second game back after missing the previous seven because of a sore left knee.
(Agencies via China Daily December 15, 2008)
