Best of NBA: Nerlens Noel stars in 1st start with Mavericks

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DALLAS -- Seth Curry scored 24 points, Nerlens Noel had 15 points and tied a career high with 17 rebounds in his first start since coming to Dallas in a trade, and the Mavericks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 104-100 on Friday night.

The Mavericks held on despite going scoreless for more than five minutes in the last half of the fourth quarter. The drought ended when Dirk Nowitzki made a free throw after Memphis coach David Fizdale was called for a technical with Dallas leading 94-90 with 46 seconds left.

Mike Conley scored 30 points, and Zach Randolph had 24 points and 10 rebounds. Marc Gasol scored 13, but was just 6 of 18 from the field.

Noel, who was supposed to get his first start in Atlanta but was late for the team plane and came off the bench instead, almost had his second double-double of the season by halftime with 13 points and nine boards (see full recap).

Cavs hit record 25 three-points in win over Hawks
ATLANTA -- Kyrie Irving scored 43 points, LeBron James had 38 and the Cleveland Cavaliers set the NBA regular-season record with 25 3-pointers as they turned back Atlanta's late rally to beat the Hawks 135-130 on Friday night.

After Paul Millsap's baseline jumper over James cut Cleveland's lead to 124-123, Kyle Korver -- who was traded from Atlanta to the Cavaliers on Jan. 7 -- hit the record-breaking 3-pointer to pad the lead.

Cleveland made 25 of 46 3s to break a record that stood less than three months. Houston made 24 treys in a 122-100 win over New Orleans on Dec. 16.

Tim Hardaway Jr. made five of nine 3-pointers and led the Hawks with a career-high 36 points. Millsap had 27 points (see full recap).

Leonard, Spurs take down Pelicans in overtime
NEW ORLEANS -- Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, Patty Mills hit a pair of pivotal 3s in overtime, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the New Orleans Pelicans 101-98 on Friday night.

LeMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and 15 rebounds for San Antonio. The Spurs won their sixth straight while dropping New Orleans to 0-4 with DeMarcus Cousins in the lineup.

Cousins had 19 points and 23 rebounds, but missed a step-back 3-pointer that could have tied it as overtime ended. Anthony Davis had 29 points, and Jrue Holiday 26 for the Pelicans.

Mills finished with 15 points, and Pau Gasol added 13, including a clutch 3 that helped San Antonio overcome a five-point deficit in overtime.

Leonard's steals late in regulation and in overtime also helped the Spurs survive (see full recap).

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