ORLANDO, Fla. » All the uncertainty around Orlando couldn’t have worked out better for the Dallas Mavericks.

Caron Butler scored 20 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 17 and the streaking Mavericks became the latest team to topple the reconstructed Magic in a 105-99 victory.

"We still know who they had," Nowitzki said of a Magic team that just overhauled its roster. "Dwight (Howard) is their focus. They have a bunch of shooters, Jameer (Nelson) and all those guys."

In other words, still not good enough to beat the NBA’s elite.

Nowitzki also passed Celtics great Larry Bird for 25th on the NBA’s career scoring list, finishing the night at 21,798 points.

A night after snapping Miami’s 12-game winning streak, they shot 50 percent from the floor, including 46 percent from 3-point range.

The Magic again looked like a team that hasn’t had time to hold a practice since newcomers Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu were acquired on Saturday. They’ve lost the first two games since the pair of blockbuster trades.

The latest came on another monster night for Howard, who had 26 points and 23 rebounds but got no help from his new teammates.

Bucks 98, Lakers 79

Earl Boykins scored a season-high 22 points, John Salmons added 20 and short-handed Milwaukee stunned host Los Angeles, snapping the two-time defending champions’ five-game winning streak.

Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and Pau Gasol added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers.

Bulls 121, 76ers 76

Derrick Rose and Luol Deng each scored 22 points, and Chicago beat visiting Philadelphia for its eighth win in nine games.

Thunder 99, Bobcats 81

Kevin Durant scored 32 points and visiting Oklahoma City overcame a poor shooting night by dominating the fourth quarter in a victory over Charlotte.

Nets 101, Grizzlies 94

Brook Lopez scored 26 points, Sasha Vujacic added a season-high 16 and visiting New Jersey snapped a 10-game road losing streak by beating Memphis.

Warriors 117, Kings 109, OT

Monta Ellis scored nine of his 36 points in overtime to lift visiting Golden State over struggling Sacramento.

MAVERICKS 105, MAGIC 99

DALLAS

Butler 8-14 0-0 20, Nowitzki 4-13 8-8 17, Chandler 7-7 2-3 16, Kidd 4-12 2-2 13, Stevenson 4-5 0-0 11, Haywood 2-3 0-2 4, Terry 5-10 2-2 13, Marion 2-7 3-4 7, Barea 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 38-76 17-21 105.

ORLANDO

J.Richardson 4-13 0-0 10, Turkoglu 2-11 4-4 9, Howard 11-19 4-4 26, Nelson 7-15 1-1 19, Redick 7-14 3-3 21, Arenas 1-6 0-0 2, Bass 3-5 0-0 6, Clark 3-3 0-0 6. Totals 38-86 12-12 99.

3-Point Goals–Dallas 12-26 (Butler 4-6, Stevenson 3-4, Kidd 3-8, Nowitzki 1-3, Terry 1-3, Marion 0-1, Barea 0-1), Orlando 11-29 (Nelson 4-7, Redick 4-9, J.Richardson 2-7, Turkoglu 1-4, Arenas 0-2). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Dallas 46 (Nowitzki 8), Orlando 44 (Howard 23). Assists–Dallas 28 (Kidd 12), Orlando 22 (Turkoglu 8). Total Fouls–Dallas 18, Orlando 22. Technicals–Dallas defensive three second. A–19,057 (18,500).

BUCKS 98, LAKERS 79

MILWAUKEE

Douglas-Roberts 3-5 0-0 6, Ilyasova 6-13 4-4 17, Bogut 7-9 1-1 15, Dooling 3-9 0-0 8, Salmons 6-14 7-9 20, Mbah a Moute 3-5 2-2 8, Boykins 8-12 2-2 22, Brockman 0-2 0-0 0, Sanders 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 37-73 16-18 98.

L.A. LAKERS

Artest 2-7 0-2 4, Odom 6-12 0-3 12, Gasol 6-12 3-4 15, Fisher 1-6 0-0 2, Bryant 9-16 3-3 21, Blake 0-2 0-0 0, Brown 4-8 0-0 9, Barnes 3-7 1-1 8, Bynum 3-4 0-0 6, Walton 1-3 0-0 2, Ebanks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-77 7-13 79.

3-Point Goals–Milwaukee 8-14 (Boykins 4-5, Dooling 2-4, Ilyasova 1-2, Salmons 1-3), L.A. Lakers 2-13 (Brown 1-2, Barnes 1-2, Fisher 0-1, Artest 0-1, Walton 0-1, Blake 0-2, Bryant 0-2, Odom 0-2). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Milwaukee 44 (Ilyasova 11), L.A. Lakers 42 (Gasol 11). Assists–Milwaukee 19 (Salmons 6), L.A. Lakers 17 (Odom 6). Total Fouls–Milwaukee 18, L.A. Lakers 19. Technicals–Bryant 2. Ejected– Bryant. A–18,997 (18,997).

BULLS 121, 76ERS 76

PHILADELPHIA

Iguodala 8-12 0-2 17, Brand 2-9 2-2 6, Hawes 0-1 0-0 0, Holiday 3-12 3-4 9, Meeks 2-7 4-4 9, Williams 2-5 2-2 6, Young 5-12 2-3 12, Turner 2-11 2-2 6, Nocioni 1-3 2-2 4, Speights 1-4 0-0 2, Battie 1-2 1-2 3, Songaila 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-80 18-23 76.

CHICAGO

Deng 10-14 2-3 22, Boozer 7-12 2-2 16, Thomas 6-10 0-0 12, Rose 7-13 6-6 22, Bogans 0-0 0-0 0, Brewer 4-5 0-0 9, Asik 3-3 2-3 8, Watson 5-6 3-3 14, Korver 4-4 0-0 10, Johnson 2-4 2-4 6, Lucas 0-1 0-0 0, Scalabrine 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 49-76 17-21 121.

3-Point Goals–Philadelphia 2-15 (Iguodala 1-2, Meeks 1-5, Young 0-1, Turner 0-1, Holiday 0-1, Speights 0-1, Nocioni 0-2, Williams 0-2), Chicago 6-11 (Korver 2-2, Rose 2-4, Watson 1-1, Brewer 1-1, Scalabrine 0-1, Deng 0-2). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Philadelphia 43 (Brand 9), Chicago 45 (Boozer 11). Assists–Philadelphia 13 (Williams 4), Chicago 32 (Rose 12). Total Fouls–Philadelphia 14, Chicago 16. A–21,521 (20,917).

THUNDER 99, BOBCATS 81

OKLAHOMA CITY

Durant 8-13 14-16 32, Green 4-13 3-4 12, Ibaka 3-9 4-4 10, Westbrook 5-13 5-5 15, Sefolosha 0-4 1-2 1, Collison 3-4 1-2 7, Harden 5-8 0-1 13, Mullens 0-2 0-0 0, Maynor 1-3 2-2 5, White 2-2 0-0 4, Aldrich 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-71 30-36 99.

CHARLOTTE

Carroll 0-2 0-0 0, Diaw 5-11 2-2 13, K.Brown 3-4 3-6 9, Augustin 3-8 0-0 8, Jackson 7-17 6-6 20, Livingston 2-3 2-2 6, Mohammed 1-2 1-3 3, Henderson 0-3 0-0 0, McGuire 0-0 1-2 1, D.Brown 5-10 1-3 11, Collins 2-6 0-0 5, Thomas 2-9 1-2 5. Totals 30-75 17-26 81.

3-Point Goals–Oklahoma City 7-16 (Harden 3-4, Durant 2-4, Maynor 1-1, Green 1-5, Westbrook 0-1, Sefolosha 0-1), Charlotte 4-14 (Augustin 2-4, Collins 1-2, Diaw 1-3, Henderson 0-1, Carroll 0-1, Jackson 0-3). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Oklahoma City 56 (Collison 10), Charlotte 44 (Diaw 7). Assists–Oklahoma City 17 (Green 5), Charlotte 18 (Diaw 8). Total Fouls–Oklahoma City 24, Charlotte 27. A–16,876 (19,077).

NETS 101, GRIZZLIES 94

NEW JERSEY

Outlaw 5-11 0-1 11, Humphries 6-11 0-0 12, Lopez 8-14 10-11 26, Harris 4-11 4-5 12, Graham 4-7 1-2 9, Favors 3-3 0-0 6, Farmar 3-6 0-0 7, Vujacic 6-8 2-2 16, Murphy 1-5 0-2 2. Totals 40-76 17-23 101.

MEMPHIS

Gay 4-16 2-2 11, Randolph 4-13 3-5 11, Gasol 6-10 7-10 19, Conley 5-12 2-3 13, Henry 5-6 1-2 11, Thabeet 1-2 0-0 2, Mayo 6-15 4-5 17, Arthur 2-5 0-0 4, Allen 1-4 1-2 3, Vasquez 1-5 0-0 3, Haddadi 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-88 20-29 94.

3-Point Goals–New Jersey 4-13 (Vujacic 2-3, Farmar 1-3, Outlaw 1-5, Murphy 0-1, Harris 0-1), Memphis 4-13 (Conley 1-2, Vasquez 1-2, Gay 1-3, Mayo 1-6). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–New Jersey 57 (Humphries 15), Memphis 47 (Randolph 14). Assists–New Jersey 15 (Farmar 6), Memphis 16 (Conley 8). Total Fouls–New Jersey 24, Memphis 21. A–14,113 (18,119).

WARRIORS 117, KINGS 109 OT

GOLDEN STATE

D.Wright 7-14 2-4 17, Amundson 1-2 0-0 2, Lee 6-13 3-4 15, Ellis 12-29 10-12 36, Williams 8-15 5-9 24, Udoh 0-0 0-0 0, Law 3-6 1-2 8, Radmanovic 5-10 2-2 15. Totals 42-89 23-33 117.

SACRAMENTO

Greene 3-6 2-2 10, Jackson 3-10 0-1 6, Cousins 3-13 1-2 7, Udrih 11-18 8-8 34, Evans 4-18 7-8 15, Dalembert 1-4 0-0 2, Casspi 1-4 0-0 2, Jeter 1-5 0-0 2, Landry 8-11 6-7 22, Taylor 2-3 0-0 4, Garcia 2-8 0-0 5. Totals 39-100 24-28 109.

3-Point Goals–Golden State 10-25 (Radmanovic 3-5, Williams 3-7, Ellis 2-7, Law 1-1, D.Wright 1-5), Sacramento 7-23 (Udrih 4-7, Greene 2-4, Garcia 1-5, Jeter 0-1, Landry 0-1, Casspi 0-2, Evans 0-3). Fouled Out–Amundson, Udrih. Rebounds–Golden State 58 (Lee 12), Sacramento 64 (Cousins 13). Assists–Golden State 24 (Ellis 7), Sacramento 18 (Evans 7). Total Fouls–Golden State 28, Sacramento 27. A–13,740 (17,317).

NBA STANDINGS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

Southeast Division

Central Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Southwest Division

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

TODAY
Cleveland at Atlanta, 2 p.m.
Detroit at Toronto, 2 p.m.
Chicago at Washington, 2 p.m.
Philadelphia at Boston, 2:30 p.m.
Oklahoma City at New York, 2:30 p.m.
Utah at Minnesota, 3 p.m.
New Jersey at New Orleans, 3 p.m.
Denver at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m.
Houston at L.A. Clippers, 5:30 p.m.