NBA: Mavericks top Cavaliers for fifth win in a row

Monta Ellis scored 20 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 15 and the visiting Dallas Mavericks won their fifth straight game Sunday, a 109-90 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who again played without LeBron James.

The Cavaliers are 1-4 when the four-time MVP doesn’t play and have dropped five of seven overall. And there was more bad news for Cleveland: Kyrie Irving left in the third quarter with lower back tightness and won’t make the trip to Philadelphia for Monday night’s game.

Kevin Love scored a season-high 30 points, but the Cavaliers couldn’t stay with the Mavericks, who had five players in double figures.

Before the game, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin said speculation about Coach David Blatt’s job status was “ridiculous” and no change would be made.

Milwaukee 95, at New York 82: Zaza Pachulia had 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Bucks handed the Knicks their 11th consecutive loss and 10th in a row at home. By the end of the game, there were chants of “Fire Fisher!” from the Madison Square Garden crowd, referring to first-year Coach Derek Fisher.

at Detroit 114, Sacramento 95: Brandon Jennings scored 35 points as the Pistons won their fifth in a row, all since they released Josh Smith. Andre Drummond had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Greg Monroe had 14 points 11 rebounds for Detroit.

at Miami 88, Brooklyn 84: Cris Bosh scored 26 points, Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his 25 points in the final minutes and the Heat ended a four-game losing streak.

at Phoenix 125, Toronto 109: Eric Bledsoe scored 20 points, fellow guards Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas added 18 apiece and the Suns handed the Raptors, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, their second straight blowout loss. Toronto lost to Golden State by 21 points Friday night.