Atlanta ? LeBron James slumped in a chair in front of his locker, wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and a run-down expression.

“I’m so tired I can’t get dressed,” he said to no one in particular.

Imagine how the Atlanta Hawks felt?

James had 34 points — his 10th game this season with more than 30 — and made three free throws in the final minute to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Hawks 108-102 Monday night.

The Cavaliers won their fourth in a row to take a half-game lead over idle Miami and Toronto for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. After a trip to Toronto on Wednesday night to play the Raptors, Cleveland returns home for five straight.

“We needed this win,” James said. “We’ve been doing everything the last two weeks.”

Carlos Boozer added 25 points and 10 rebounds and Jeff McInnis had 14 points and 10 assists for the Cavs.

Stephen Jackson scored a career-high 30 points and Chris Crawford finished with 25 for the Hawks, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

“Whether it’s rebounding or taking care of the ball or making shots, we have to take care of business,” Atlanta coach Terry Stotts said. “We lost to a playoff-caliber team, but we fought hard to get back and that’s a credit to our players.”

The fourth quarter featured 11 lead changes and six ties before Cleveland pulled away, thanks mostly to James. He made a layup to give the Cavaliers the lead for good at 101-100, then added his free throws.

Cleveland guard Lebron James winds up for a dunk against Atlanta during the first half. The rookie scored 34 points in a 108-102 win Monday night in Atlanta.

“I have to be aggressive on offense,” James said. “That’s what the team needs.”

On the defensive end, he helped force a turnover by Atlanta point guard Jason Terry, then leaped high to pull down the rebound after Jackson missed a three-pointer in the final seconds with the Hawks down by four.

James also drew a flagrant foul on Jackson in the second quarter. After he rebounded his own miss, James went up for a putback, but Jackson shoved him hard into Atlanta center Jason Collier.

James jumped up to face off with Jackson, but the rest of the Cavaliers quickly came to the defense of their young phenom.

Boozer, who was on the bench, said something to incite Jackson, who ran over and had to be restrained.

After the game, Jackson wasn’t available to reporters, and Boozer downplayed the incident.

“That’s something he did just to try to fire his team up,” Boozer said of Jackson. “He did a good job of it, too.”

Later, when Jackson was called for a technical foul, he again stood near the Cleveland bench, but Cavs coach Paul Silas patiently talked to him and patted him on the back. There were no further problems.

The Cavaliers jumped on Atlanta early, just as they did last week in Cleveland.

In that one, they led by 17 points after the first quarter and cruised to a 112-80 victory.

Mavericks 103, Suns 90

Dallas — Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, and the Dallas Mavericks extended their home winning streak to nine games.

Reserve Antawn Jamison added 21 points and eight rebounds for Dallas, coming off a winless three-game road trip against Houston, San Antonio and Minnesota. The Mavericks are 29-4 at home, 11-19 on the road. The Suns received 29 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists from Shawn Marion, and 19 points from Amare Stoudemire.

Stoudemire had at least 20 points and had led the Suns in scoring in 11 consecutive games. He fell one game short of matching the club record for leading the team in scoring set by Charlie Scott in 1974-75. Nowitzki made his first eight shots before missing a 15-foot fallaway with 3:48 left in the third quarter.

Sixers 97, Bucks 92

Philadelphia — Seldom-used Greg Buckner scored a season-high 20 points and reserve Zendon Hamilton added a season-high 19 for the 76ers.

Kenny Thomas had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Eric Snow had 17 points and 12 assists for Philadelphia, which has won consecutive games for the first time in two months despite being without star guard Allen Iverson. Philadelphia overcame a 20-point deficit.

Michael Redd scored 20 points and Desmond Mason added 18 for the Bucks, who have lost three straight. Milwaukee is tied with New Orleans for fourth place in the East.

Iverson didn’t play because of a right knee injury that also will keep him out of today’s game at Chicago. Glenn Robinson, Derrick Coleman and Marc Jackson remained out for Philadelphia.

Buckner, who hadn’t played in the last four games, shot 8-for-12, including four three-pointers.

Four former Sixers — Brian Skinner, Joe Smith, Keith Van Horn and Toni Kukoc — combined for 40 points and 16 rebounds.

Jazz 88, Lakers 83

Salt Lake City — Gordan Giricek scored 21 points to lead Utah, welcoming back Karl Malone by beating his new team in The Mailman’s first trip to Utah as a visitor.

The short-handed Lakers, who had won five straight over Utah, never recovered after Shaquille O’Neal was thrown out with two quick technical fouls in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles led 72-68 at the time, but the Jazz scored 20 points in the final 3:57.

Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. Malone, who is on the injured list with a bad knee, made the trip but was not activated for the game.

He sat in street clothes at the end of the bench, enduring a few taunts and nasty signs written for his decision to leave as a free agent and try to win a championship with the Lakers.

Fans had signs that compared Malone to Judas and Benedict Arnold, while others thanked him for his 18 seasons with the Jazz.