Ray Allen found form to help the Boston Celtics cruise past the Charlotte Bobcats 108-90 for their fifth straight NBA victory.

Allen broke out of his shooting slump with 27 points for the victors, while Kendrick Perkins added 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Nazr Mohammed had 16 points for the Bobcats - but their four-game winning streak ended in convincing fashion.

Andrew Bynum scored 21 points and Kobe Bryant added 18 as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Hornets 110-99 for a seventh straight victory.

The Lakers moved in front of Phoenix at the top the Western Conference by taking another big first-half lead and coasting to their NBA-best 11th home victory.

A 34-25 fourth quarter enabled the Washington Wizards to come from behind and defeat the Toronto Raptors 106-102.

Antawn Jamison had 30 points and 12 rebounds, while Gilbert Arenas had 22 points and nine assists.

Chris Bosh also had 22, while Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon managed 20 apiece for the Raptors, who were beaten for the fourth successive match.

Danilo Gallinari had 27 points and 10 rebounds as the New York Knicks beat the Phoenix Suns 126-99.

The result snapped a five-game losing streak against a side who had won four matches in a row.

David Lee added 24 points and Al Harrington had 22 for the Knicks, who rang up a season-best 71 first-half points, while Steve Nash had 20 points for the Suns.

However, the biggest smile was on the face of coach Mike D'Antoni, whose current team beat his former one.

Chauncey Billups netted 22 points and the Denver Nuggets used their biggest scoring first half of the season to pull away from the short-handed Golden State Warriors for a 135-107 victory.

The Warriors led 28-25 but were blown away as the Nuggets made an immediate and positive reply to Sunday's defeat against Minnesota.

In the night's other game, Michael Beasley scored a season-high 27 points in the Miami Heat's 107-100 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Dwyane Wade had 18 points and 12 assists as the Heat kept control after leading from the start, although the Blazers - who were missing knee injury victim LaMarcus Aldridge - won the final quarter 28-19.