By Paul Levine Jan 26, 2012, 8:20 GMT
Los Angeles - Kevin Love capped a big pay day with a monster night.
Love had 31 points and 10 rebounds hours after signing a whopping four-year, 62-million contract extension, as the Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled the Dallas Mavericks' ring ceremony with a 105-90 victory on Wednesday night.
'It was a good day, I wanted to put everything that happened off the court aside and really wanted to focus on the game tonight,' Love said.
'We spoiled a big night for them. They came out got their rings but we played well and got a very big win against a very good Dallas Mavericks basketball team.'
The Mavs were presented with their diamond encrusted 2011 NBA Championship rings at centre court during an emotional pre-game ceremony in front of a cheering sold out crowd at the American Airlines Center.
'What a great night. We've been waiting on getting this hardware and this season started,' said Mavs All-Star forward and Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, sidelined for the third straight game because of a sore right knee.
'We had the banner raised; we had the visit to the White House and now it's kind of the icing on the cake. Now emotionally everybody can move on and get after it this season. The ring was outstanding. It's heavy; it's nice it's blinging.'
But the Timberwolves wouldn't allow the Mavericks to shine.
Spanish rookie sensation guard Ricky Rubio had 17 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds, while Wayne Ellington scored 16 for Minnesota, which had lost 18 of the last 20 meetings in the lopsided series.
Jason Terry scored 17 points while Shawn Marion added 15 for the Mavericks, who had their seven-game, home-winning streak halted.
'I think we're all happy that we don't have any more ceremonies for our championship so we can just concentrate on basketball,' said Mavs guard Jason Kidd.
Elsewhere: Indiana Pacers 95, Chicago Bulls 90: Danny Granger scored 22 points, Roy Hibbert added 20, including a dunk with 13 seconds left, and the Pacers dealt the Bulls their first home loss of the season.
Derrick Rose scored 24 points for Chicago (16-4 overall and 8-1 at home), while Ronnie Brewer had 20 points and 10 rebounds in place of injured forward Luol Deng, out with a torn left wrist ligament.
Miami Heat 101, Detroit Pistons 98: LeBron James scored 32 points, including the game's final six on free throws, while Chris Bosh added 27 as the visiting Heat dropped the Pistons.
Washington Wizards 92, Charlotte Bobcats 75: Nick Young scored 20 points, Andray Blatche had 17 points with 10 rebounds and Randy Wittman made a successful coaching debut after replacing fired Flip Saunders as the Wizards skinned visiting Bobcats.
Oklahoma City Thunder 101, New Orleans Hornets 91: Kevin Durant tossed in 25 points and the Thunder rolled the visiting Hornets for their 10th win in the last 11 games.
LA Lakers 96, LA Clippers 91: Kobe Bryant scored half his 24 points in the final quarter, Spaniard Pau Gasol had 23 points with 10 rebounds, and the Lakers snapped a three-game slide by beating their Staples Center co-tenant rival Clippers.
Blake Griffin had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, who received four points and 12 assists from All-Star point guard Chris Paul after sitting out five games with a left hamstring strain.
Cleveland Cavaliers 91, New York Knicks 81: Antawn Jamison scored 15 points, Anderson Varejao grabbed 16 rebounds, and the Cavaliers stopped a four-game slide while sending the visiting Knicks to their seventh loss in eight games.
San Antonio Spurs 105, Atlanta Hawks 83: Matt Bonner and DeJuan Blair scored 17 points apiece and the Spurs routed the visiting Hawks.
New Jersey Nets 97, Philadelphia 76ers 90 (OT): Deron Williams scored 34, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 26.8 seconds left in overtime, lifting the visiting Nets over the Sixers.
Milwaukee Bucks 105, Houston Rockets 99: Brandon Jennings and Stephen Jackson scored 20 points apiece, while Ersan Ilyasova grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds as the Bucks ended an 11-game losing streak in Houston dating back to 1999 while snapping the Rockets seven-game roll.
Toronto Raptors 111, Utah Jazz 106, (2 OT): Andrea Bargnani and reserve Linas Kleiza scored 25 points apiece and the visiting Raptors outlasted the Jazz to end an 11-game skid at Utah despite Paul Millsap's season-high 31 points.
Denver Nuggets 122, Sacramento Kings 93: Danilo Gallinari scored 21 of his 23 points in the opening half hours after signing a four-year, 42-million dollar contract extension, and the visiting Nuggets rocked the Kings for their fifth straight win.
Golden State Warriors 101, Portland Trail Blazers 93: Stephen Curry scored a season-high 32 points, David Lee added 26 and host Warriors continued their home-court mastery over the Trail Blazers with their 12th win in the last 13 games.
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