The 2012-13 Basketball Season Is Here

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Without Melo, Knicks top Heat 112-92


MIAMI (AP) Another Knicks-Heat game, another 20-point Knicks win.

And if that isn't surprising enough, this one happened with Carmelo Anthony on the sideline.

Raymond Felton scored a season-high 27 points, and the Knicks connected on 18 3-pointers to more than offset the absence of Anthony while dominating Miami for the second time this season, beating the Heat 112-92 on Thursday night.

"It was fun. It was fun the whole game,'' Felton said. "Everybody contributed tonight. Everybody did something amazing. We played a great game minus our superstar.''

Steve Novak scored 18 points, J.R. Smith added 13 and Tyson Chandler scored 13 for the Knicks, who won their fifth straight and moved 1 1/2 games clear of Miami for the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks made eight 3-pointers in the third quarter alone, the most by any NBA team in any quarter so far this season.

Anthony sat out, one night after needing five stitches to close a cut on the middle finger of his left hand.

"You've got a key guy that goes down and the other guys get an opportunity to play and step up and make plays,'' Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "I thought it was a total team effort from everybody across the board. I thought our defense was solid and then we kind of broke it open at the end.''

LeBron James nearly picked up his second straight triple-double - 31 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists - in Miami's second straight loss, the first of those coming on the road against lowly Washington on Tuesday. Dwyane Wade scored 13 points, Chris Bosh had 12 and Udonis Haslem added 10 for the Heat, who fell to 8-1 at home.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra devoted most of his postgame remarks to the theme that Miami has to "own'' its shortcomings right now, and how they would be addressed starting in practice on Friday.

"We'll stay connected,'' Spoelstra said. "We're going to own this. We're not going to brush this off. And we're going to fix it.''

James - who said the Knicks "smashed'' the Heat - didn't wait that long. The league's reigning MVP worked out immediately after the game, sweating at his locker more than an hour after the final buzzer.

"I've got to be better. I've got to be better,'' James said. "It's that simple. So I'm here, and I'm the last one to leave.''

Rasheed Wallace scored 12 and Jason Kidd added 11 points for the Knicks, who finished 18 for 44 from 3-point range.

It was tied at 53 at the half, and the third quarter changed everything for the Knicks. Kidd made a 3-pointer, Felton followed with consecutive 3s and New York was up by nine with 9:42 left in the period and the Heat seemed stunned.

New York was only getting started.

In all, it was an eight-3-pointers-in-eight-minutes barrage that decided this one, with five different players getting in on the act for the Knicks. Smith hit the last of them with 3:25 left in the third, and a pair of free throws by Chandler moments later gave New York - again, without its best player - an 18-point lead on the road against the reigning NBA champions.

Now losers of two straight, and having been beaten badly twice by the Knicks, the Heat know the outside "noise'' - their word for the buzz that always seems to surround Miami - will start ramping up again.

"It's a little earlier than expected, but we knew there were going to be different challenges this year,'' Bosh said. "Controversy, adversity, whatever "ersity' you want to use. We're smart. We're not joking ourselves. We're here.''

There was one run late in the third, a 13-3 burst by Miami that got the Heat within eight in the final seconds of the quarter. It was the last - and really, the only - gasp for Miami, as the Knicks just kept firing away in the fourth.

"We understood it was a 10-point game and we had to make our move,'' Novak said. "We've got a few stops and hit a bunch of shots. That was really the key for us - hitting those shots and being aggressive.''

Felton finished 10 for 20 from the floor, adding seven assists and four rebounds. He was 6 for 10 from beyond the arc, Novak was 4 for 9, while Smith and Kidd were each 3 for 8 from long range.

Miami had two field goals in the first seven minutes of the final quarter, and when New York decided to put it away, it was with 3-pointers, of course. Novak made one for a 100-84 lead, another to stretch the margin to 19 and then Chandler got all alone for a dunk to push the lead to 109-88 and send most of the building's occupants to the exits.

Smith hit a 3-pointer with 3:04 left to play, gestured toward the Heat bench, and the benches were cleared for subs moments later.

"We'll be fine. We'll be fine,'' James said. "But we can't act like what happened tonight or in Washington or some of the games that we even won that we probably shouldn't have won, we can't act like, "OK, we made those things happen.' We haven't played like we're capable of playing.''

NOTES: Haslem started and made his first five shots, his first 10-point first half since March 2010. ... Anthony warmed up before the game, but seemed to have trouble catching passes. ... It was Miami's first home loss since Game 5 of last season's Eastern Conference finals. ... Miami had 14 turnovers, twice as many as the Knicks.

 

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Love's 36 and 13 lift Wolves over Cavs, 91-73


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Kevin Love's shooting stroke returned, and Andrei Kirilenko also was back for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The timing couldn't have been worse for the reeling Cleveland Cavaliers.

Love had 36 points and 13 rebounds and Kirilenko delivered another solid all-around performance in the Timberwolves' 91-73 victory over the Cavaliers on Friday night.

Love missed most of the first month of the season with a broken right hand, and he's been struggling to regain his shooting touch since returning nine games ago. The release looked much more fluid against the Cavs, and the trajectory was better as well. He made 10 of 19 shots and 14 of 18 free throws and is cautiously optimistic that it's all coming back to him now.

"Hopefully it's not fool's gold,'' Love said. "It's a step in the right direction. I've been putting in work, but it's just one game.''

Kirilenko had eight points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks after missing four games with back spasms and Luke Ridnour added 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Timberwolves, who improved to 9-9 in their best start since the 2006-07 season.

Alonzo Gee scored 16 points and Anderson Varejao grabbed 14 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who have lost four in a row and eight of their last nine while star guard Kyrie Irving has been out with a broken left index finger.

The Cavs turned the ball over 20 times, which led to 32 Minnesota points, shot 34.5 percent and attempted just nine free throws to Minnesota's 35.

"I'm trying to figure out a way to say this without getting fined,'' coach Byron Scott said of the officiating. "It was that bad. It really was. It was that bad. I mean I understand we're playing in Minnesota, but 35-9, we went to the basket just as much as they did. I think we had 38 attempts in the paint to their 34, we get nine free throws, I think that speaks for itself.''

It wasn't a pretty game offensively for either team, aside from Love's shooting. He entered the night hitting just 19.6 percent of his 3s and 36 percent overall while still trying to get the feeling in his hand back to normal.

"I know I haven't been the 25 (points) and 10 (rebounds) guy that I usually am. ... I haven't been quite putting up the numbers and helping the team as much as I can,'' Love said at the shootaround on Friday morning.

While Love was terrific in the matchup of two of the game's best rebounders, Varejao managed just four points on 2-for-10 shooting and lost a streak of 10 straight games with at least 15 boards. C.J. Miles scored 13 points for Cleveland.

Both teams were missing their playmaking point guards, and it showed in the disjointed mess that was the offense on both sides of the court. Irving missed his 10th straight game and Dion Waiters was out again with a sprained left ankle, robbing the Cavaliers of one of the promising young backcourts in the league.

Once again, the Cavs struggled to create space for easy jumpers, turned the ball over 18 times and really were relegated to hoping for a dunk from Gee on offense. Gee threw down a soaring jam and then knifed through the lane for another two-hander that cut Minnesota's lead to nine points late in the third quarter. He made seven of his 12 shots, but his teammates shot just 30 percent.

Miles' dunk pulled the Cavs to within seven in the fourth, but Minnesota closed the game on a 19-8 surge.

"He's definitely a luxury when you've got a guy that does what he does, who can break his guy down at any point in time,'' Miles said of Irving. "That's definitely a luxury, but we did a good job, guys are stepping up. We've been in every game to a certain extent, I think we've just got to figure out how to close games, how to win games.''

NOTES: Varejao did limit Wolves C Nikola Pekovic to four points and one rebound on 0-for-3 shooting. ... Cavaliers rookie Kevin Jones made his NBA debut. He had two points and four rebounds in eight minutes. ... Former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams did not play again for the Wolves, with coach Rick Adelman preferring to give the bulk of the minutes to Love, Dante Cunningham and Greg Stiemsma up front.

 

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Turner hits winner in OT, 76ers top Celtics 95-94


PHILADELPHIA (AP) Evan Turner forgot about the missed shots and craved another chance.

His short memory proved useful in the clutch for the 76ers.

Turner drove past Courtney Lee and tossed up an off-balance, right-handed shot for the winner with 3.9 seconds left to lead Philadelphia to a 95-94 overtime win against the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Turner had 26 points and 10 rebounds but missed his first four shots in OT. Coach Doug Collins had told Turner at the start of overtime to take over and lead the Sixers to a win over a heated Atlantic Division rival. He finally snapped his slump with the game on the line.

"Hopefully, it's the first of many,'' Turner said. "I'm glad I was able to break through.''

His 13-footer almost wasn't enough at the end. But Rajon Rondo slipped and his ankles buckled on the last possession, costing him a chance to hit the potential game-winner, a dud ending to his sizzling triple-double.

"I should have took a layup,'' Rondo said. "It's frustrating. But the good thing about the NBA is you've got a chance to bounce back tomorrow night and get it back.''

The same two teams meet again Saturday night in Boston. Unless he makes the game-winner, Rondo will have a tough time topping this one on short rest: He had 16 points, 14 assists and a season-high 13 rebounds for his 14th career triple-double. It's the first time Boston lost any of those games.

Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Paul Pierce scored 27 points. Jeff Green, who gave Boston its last lead in OT with a 3-pointer, scored 19 points.

"Philly plays us tough. We all know that,'' Garnett said. "But we're building something here, and we'll take what we need out of this and get ready to get right back after them.''

Thaddeus Young added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers. Jrue Holiday had 15 points, Jason Richardson 13 and Lavoy Allen grabbed 11 rebounds.

This game belonged to Turner. He finished 10 of 26 from the field but tossed in five assists and continued to shine in Collins' watchful eyes.

"I feel a real connection with Evan and it feels great,'' Collins said. "I don't know that Evan has trusted a lot of people in his life, but I hope he trusts me.''

Turner and Pierce nudged each other and yapped at the free throw line throughout a fourth quarter in which neither team budged. Turner recovered after Pierce tipped his jumper and drove down the lane for a layup and an 89-87 lead with 49 seconds left.

Jason Terry missed a drive and Garnett couldn't convert the easy putback to give the Sixers a chance to seal the win. But their miss led to more life for the Celtics. This time, the veterans delivered.

Pierce escaped a fast double team and swung the ball to Garnett - who buried the tying 20-footer with 7.7 seconds left.

Pierce showed how a veteran operates in the fourth. Turner, in his third season, is still playing through mistakes. He was trapped in the corner with a timeout to spare and tossed a wild pass into the lane and the hands of a leaping Rondo.

Rondo missed at the buzzer to send the game into OT tied at 89.

"This is a make-miss league,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "When you miss open shots, you're going to lose. And they made theirs.''

Rondo's steal was another highlight in a game in which he was seemingly involved with every Boston bucket. His assist on Green's corner 3-pointer late in the third gave him his first triple-double of the season and trimmed Philadelphia's lead to four.

Spencer Hawes played his best game since opening night and gave the Sixers the production off the bench they've sorely needed in their so-so start. He answered Pierce's tremendous dunk - he can still go at 35 - with a jumper for the lead. Hawes ended the third with a big right hand that swatted Pierce's drive down the lane well away from the basket. The crowd of 17,921 went wild as the Sixers hung onto their 72-70 lead to end the third.

Pierce scored 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting over the first three quarters before letting Garnett do the heavy lifting in the fourth and OT.

The 76ers-Celtics rivalry used to be one of the best in the NBA. Philadelphia's resurgence has helped heat up the series again and another tight game can only help a new generation get excited for this matchup.

Some trash talking never hurt in adding some juice to the division game, either. Turner hit a 3 over Pierce, then shouted in the Boston captain's face early in the first quarter, though nothing really came of the exchange.

"When the adrenaline kicks in and trash talk occurs, you want to shut the other team up,'' Turner said.

Pierce and Rondo each had near-flawless first quarters to set an early tone for the game. Rondo had 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the period.

Turner and Hawes kept the Sixers close in the second quarter and trimmed Boston's lead to 50-46 at the break.

NOTES: 76ers G Nick Young (toe), C Kwame Brown (virus) and G Royal Ivey (groin) all sat out. ... Young lived up to his "Swaggy P'' nickname when he walked into the locker room wearing leopard skin shoes. ... The 76ers have won five of seven vs. Boston.

 

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Thunder hold off Lakers' late charge, win 114-108


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) In a reversal of roles, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers know they're the predators trying to track down Kevin Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder.

They have some work to do.

Durant had 36 points, Russell Westbrook scored 27 of his 33 in the first half to stake Oklahoma City to a commanding lead and the Thunder beat the short-handed Lakers 114-108 Friday night.

"They're a team that everybody likes. As a young team coming up, you always want to beat the best,'' Westbrook said. "I think that's one of the things that motivates us.''

Bryant had 35 points for Los Angeles, which trailed by as many as 19 before rallying to get within four in the final minute.

Dwight Howard added 23 points and 18 rebounds for the Lakers, who were eliminated by the Thunder in five games in last season's Western Conference semifinals. Howard and Steve Nash were part of an offseason overhaul to try and catch up to the Thunder.

Instead, the Lakers are 9-11 and focusing on small gains that give them the belief they'll eventually turn it around.

"It's 82 games. This team has just gotten together,'' Howard said. "It's not like we're going to get together and start winning right away. ... We're learning how to play together. We're getting better. This is not on anybody's time table but ours.''

Westbrook's big first half put the Thunder in control, but L.A. charged back with a late 27-12 run to make it interesting.

The game grew tense when Metta World Peace - already a public enemy in Oklahoma City after he clocked James Harden last season - and Serge Ibaka each got technical fouls for a confrontation in the closing minutes.

World Peace grabbed Ibaka's back and the two barked at each other face to face and chest to chest, with Ibaka then grasping the back of World Peace's jersey. Ibaka rared back with his right fist clenched, but the two were separated before it escalated any further.

"It's always like that with us, especially Metta World Peace and Serge,'' Durant said. "Those guys are just playing hard. I don't think it was nothing malicious or bad plays, just guys playing hard.''

The Lakers never backed down. After trailing by 12 with 1:32 remaining, Jodie Meeks drove for a pair of layups and Chris Duhon followed with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 110-105. Bryant followed Durant's two free throws with a 3-pointer from the corner to get the deficit down to four with 15 seconds left.

Durant hit two foul shots and Meeks airballed a 3-pointer as the rally fizzled.

"They're a tough team,'' Durant said. "They fought hard all night and made it tough on us.''

That it even ended up so close was a surprise after how the first half went, with Westbrook red hot and Oklahoma City outscoring L.A. 26-8 in fast-break points on its way to a 14-point lead.

Westbrook was in attack mode right from the start with Los Angeles missing top point guards Nash (left leg) and Steve Blake (abdominal surgery), plus All-Star forward Pau Gasol for the third straight game with tendinitis in both knees. Westbrook buried 3-pointers on two of Oklahoma City's first three possessions on his way to making a career-best five from behind the arc - all in the first half.

"That's as good as I've seen him shoot the ball,'' Bryant said.

When Westbrook missed his first eight shots of the second half, Durant helped pick up the slack. He made a jumper, a 3-pointer and a runner for a personal 7-0 run that increased Oklahoma City's edge to 85-66 with 3:34 left in the third quarter.

That 19-point cushion was restored with 7:42 left in the game when Nick Collison took a charge at one end and then dunked at the other to make it 100-81. The Lakers didn't have quite enough to come back.

"We all know that the Lakers are one of the best teams,'' Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "They don't have the record right now but they will. They're going to get some guys healthy and they're going to get some rhythm but they have the best center in basketball and they have one of the best players ever.''

That still wasn't enough.

The Thunder charged ahead in the second quarter, just as they'd done in each of their previous five games - outscoring opponents by 55 points in the period during that span.

After directing a 10-0 run earlier in the quarter, Westbrook connected on back-to-back jumpers from the right elbow and assisted on Ibaka's jumper before making a 3 from the left wing.

To top it all off, he made his fifth 3-pointer while getting fouled by Duhon - then still went ahead with his usual celebration move of acting as though he were holstering his hands even while lying on his back.

NOTES: Howard spent time near the end of the Lakers' shootaround practicing his free throws, with Nash - a 90-percent foul shooter in his career - offering suggestions and even mimicking a follow through. At one point, Howard made eight in a row. "My mind cannot get clouded with everybody telling me how to shoot a free throw,'' said Howard, who's shooting 47 percent at the line this season. "I just have to go up there and shoot it my way and not get caught up with what everybody else is saying because that's when I miss.'' ... The Lakers went to see the movie "Lincoln'' on their day off Thursday. Bryant joked that he didn't know what was taught in school anymore and some of his teammates might not have known Abraham Lincoln's story. "I'm curious to see if you took a poll who knew,'' Bryant said. "Maybe it came as a great shock to them that Lincoln died at the end of the film.'' ... Bryant didn't argue when told that Durant called him an "old fart.'' He said he calls Durant "Similac,'' a brand of baby formula. ... Oklahoma City recalled Daniel Orton, Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III from Tulsa of the NBA development league. Jones was on crutches with a sprained left ankle the team referred to as mild.

 

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Thunder vs Lakers highlights

Durant had 36 points and Westbrook had 33 to lead the Thunder over the Lakers.

 

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Clippers beat Suns 117-99 for 5th straight win


LOS ANGELES (AP) The bench bailed out the Clippers again.

Jamal Crawford led a fourth-quarter rally with 13 of his 21 points, and Los Angeles beat Phoenix 117-99 on Saturday, winning its fifth in a row while sending the Suns to their season-worst sixth straight loss.

"Thank the bench because the starters were struggling,'' Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "They got us off to a bad start again. Our starters get into this energy on the offense and not on the defense. This game easily could have gone the other way.''

Blake Griffin added 24 points and a career-best four steals, and Chris Paul had 16 points and 11 assists, but the Clippers' reserves carried them. Crawford made all four of his free throws to extend his streak to 55 in a row since Nov. 3.

"We owed them a lot,'' Griffin said about the reserves. "We want to put it away early, but with the way that our team is put together, our second team is just as capable coming in and putting that lead on teams.''

The Clippers broke out in the final quarter after not leading by more than seven points through the first three periods. And they did it with their reserves, who scored every point. They opened with a 17-4 run in which Crawford scored 11 points on a variety of shots, including a 3-pointer and two free throws.

"They've got a hell of a basketball team,'' said Suns coach Alvin Gentry, who once guided the Clippers. "When the starters get 61 and the bench gets 56, that's a well-balanced team. They do a good job of passing the basketball.''

Los Angeles fans were rewarded with a couple of big dunks by Eric Bledsoe and another by Matt Barnes that pushed the Clippers' lead to 110-93 with 4:04 to play. Their reserves outscored Phoenix's bench, 56-45.

"It started with defense,'' Griffin said. "We got five stops in a row and got into an 11-point lead.''

Michael Beasley scored 21 points off the bench, and Shannon Brown added 19 for Phoenix, which hadn't lost six in a row since March 3-12, 2009.

"If we're going to get out of this, we've got to work our own way out and do it collectively as a group,'' Gentry said. "In this league, no one's going to help us and no one feels sorry for you. It's not a pity league.''

Luis Scola scored 10 in a row for the Suns and finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Neither team managed to pull away in the third, when the Clippers led 85-83 before their starters went to the bench for good to start the fourth.

Los Angeles got a boost from its second unit early in the second, with Crawford scoring five in a row and Lamar Odom and Barnes chipping in as the Clippers played catch-up. Griffin and Paul took over the final 2:50, combining to score 11 of their team's final 14 points to send the Clippers into halftime leading 63-57.

Odom finished with eight points and eight rebounds, having dropped 12 pounds recently as he works his way back into shape.

"I don't think you can have too much talent,'' he said about the bench. "We need everyone to be successful to get to where we want to be.''

The game began shortly after noon, and the Clippers' defense sleepwalked through the first quarter when the Suns led by seven.

Notes: Suns C Jermaine O'Neal was ejected in fourth quarter after taking offense to a call. ... Clippers G Chauncey Billups missed his second straight game because of tendinitis in his left ankle. ... The Clippers have scored 100 or more points in each of their last five victories. ... The Suns played their seventh road game in 14 days. They fell to 2-10 away from home. ... Beasley didn't start after totaling 24 points on 10 of 35 shooting in his three previous games.

 

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Bulls end Knicks' 5-game winning streak


CHICAGO (AP) Leave it to Tom Thibodeau's vaunted defense to crash the Knicks' 3-point party.

Marco Belinelli and Luol Deng scored 22 points apiece as the Chicago Bulls beat the Knicks 93-85 on Saturday night, snapping New York's five-game winning streak.

Belinelli matched a career high by playing 45 minutes and sparked the Bulls at the outset with 15 points in the first quarter. Deng led the way at the end, getting 10 points in the fourth.

"I played a lot of minutes,'' Belinelli said. "We played great on offense and defense. ... That's the way we've got to play.''

Deng played 46:34 in the game, helping the Bulls (11-8) to their first three-game winning streak of the season.

"You just keep focusing in on getting a win,'' Deng said. "While the game is going on, you do not feel fatigue.''

Raymond Felton led the Knicks with 27 points, matching his season high set on Thursday in a victory at Miami. However, Felton was just 9 for 30 from the field, exceeding his career high for field-goal attempts by six shots.

"They took the 3s away, took my 3s away off the screen-and-roll, then they attacked the big (men),'' Felton said. "That's why I took so many shots today. I normally don't take that many shots.

"Probably haven't taken 30 since high school.''

Tyson Chandler had 14 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, who shot a season-low 32.1 percent from the floor and matched a season high with 15 turnovers. It was also a season-low point total for New York (14-5).

"You have to give them credit, they played great defense coming down the stretch run,'' Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "I thought they made the hustle plays that they needed to make in order to win the game, and we didn't.''

New York, which averaged 13 makes and 33 attempts on 3s during its win streak, was held to 8 for 21 against Chicago, which has allowed the fewest 3-pointers in the league.

"Ain't nothing they did that was so special, they just took away the 3s,'' Felton said. "I got inside the paint like I wanted to, but at the same time, they took away the 3s and didn't let us get good shots.''

Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago. One night after putting up career highs of 30 points and 23 rebounds in a win at Detroit, Noah just missed an odd triple-double, getting 10 points and 11 rebounds and committing a career-worst nine turnovers.

The Knicks again played without leading scorer Carmelo Anthony, who missed his second straight game because of stitches in the middle finger of his left hand. Anthony, who is third in the NBA with 26.4 points per game, was hurt in a win over Charlotte on Wednesday.

Former Knicks guard Nate Robinson had 14 points, six rebounds and eight assists off the bench for Chicago, which has won five of its last six and 18 of its last 21 at home against New York.

"It was a hard battle out there,'' Noah said. "I was really tired out there. I was tired, but it's all worth it right now.''

Chandler's free throws pulled New York within three with 1:56 left, but Belinelli hit a side jumper just inside the 3-point line. Then Belinelli fed Noah for a layup with 56 seconds left, putting Chicago up 89-82.

"I was ready to find (Noah) and other guys,'' Belinelli said. "I don't want to be just a 3-point shooter. I want to be a complete player.''

Belinelli hit a 43-footer at the first-quarter buzzer sounded, putting Chicago up by three and giving him a 15-point quarter. The Bulls, who entered the game last in 3-pointers made and attempted, were 4 for 5 from behind the arc in the opening period and made a season-high seven 3s in the game.

Belinelli and Kirk Hinrich hit 3s during a 10-0 Chicago run after New York scored the first six points of the game. In a ragged start to the second quarter, the Knicks didn't convert a field goal during the first 5:39 before J.R. Smith's 3-pointer drew New York within 30-27.

After the Bulls pushed the lead to seven points, reserve Taj Gibson was ejected by official Derrick Stafford, drawing two quick technical fouls after being called for this third personal foul, a loose ball foul on the Knicks' end.

"It's an emotional game, but we have to do better with that,'' Bulls coach Thibodeau said. "When you get one, you have to let it go.''

Steve Novak converted both technical free throws, sparking a nine-point run to give New York the lead. The Bulls battled back and held a 43-41 edge at the break and maintained their two-point advantage through the third period.

NOTES: Anthony warmed up on the court before the game, then declared himself unable to play due to the difficulty he was having catching passes because of the bandage covering his injured finger. He said he hopes to return to action when the Knicks host Denver on Sunday. ... Hinrich began the second half on the bench because of an injured left elbow and didn't return. He's listed as day-to-day.

 

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Garnett's 19 lead Celtics to 92-79 win over 76ers


BOSTON (AP) Boston's old guys just needed a little pick up. Philadelphia coach Doug Collins provided it.

Kevin Garnett scored 19 points, Jeff Green added 16, and the Celtics won the back end of a home-and-home with Philadelphia, beating the 76ers 92-79 on Saturday night.

During his pregame press briefing, Collins said that Garnett had played over 50,000 minutes and Paul Pierce 48,000. He added that veteran Jason Terry had also played a large amount of minutes in his career and there was no way his team should be more tired than Boston. Celtics coach Doc Rivers first agreed that "he's right,'' but later joked that he might tell his players.

After the game, Rivers said he passed the message along.

"I did,'' he said, smiling. "It was great. Thank you for that, media.''

Asked how his players responded, Rivers said the usually fiery Garnett "reacted the way you'd think he'd react.''

Pierce, though, just found it all kind of amusing.

"It was amazing that he calculated that,'' he said.

Pierce finished with 13 points and Rajon Rondo dished out 11 assists and collected nine rebounds, one night after his first triple-double of the season. Rondo had just seven points.

Thaddeus Young led Philadelphia with 22 points and Evan Turner scored 13. The 76ers have lost three of four.

"The difference between us right now and a team like the Celtics, the Celtics have a mental toughness born through championships and night in and night out being a team that has to play every single night because teams come with their best efforts,'' Collins said. "They mentally have an incredible approach. Kevin Garnett? I guarantee you his legs weren't the freshest out there tonight, but his mind was the sharpest.''

Philadelphia won Friday when Turner hit the go-ahead basket in the lane with 3.9 seconds left in overtime and Rondo missed a game-ending shot after he slipped along the left baseline.

"I love the way we responded tonight,'' Pierce said. "A lot of the guys were mad for the fact we lost yesterday and we wanted to take it out on them today. We felt that was a winnable game last night and we wanted to do something about it.''

Garnett was 9 of 11 from the floor.

"Experience, a lot of it,'' 76ers guard Jrue Holiday said. "He's been to championships, he's been to finals, he's been to a million playoffs. He's probably played a million and a half minutes, so he's got a lot of experience.''

The 76ers shot just 39 percent in the game.

The Celtics led by 20 at halftime, but what looked like a rout quickly tightened late in the third quarter.

Boston led 65-44 before the 76ers scored 13 straight points over a 2:54 stretch. Turner had a pair of baskets and Holiday nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing, but the Celtics scored the final five points of the quarter and led 70-57 entering the final 12 minutes. Garnett ended the run with a jumper and hit a free throw later.

They pushed the lead back to 18 points midway into the fourth and coasted to the win.

The Celtics' players certainly looked like they took Collins' theory personally in the first half.

Boston held the 76ers to a season-low 28 points in the first half, seemed to contest nearly every shot and held a 20-point lead at halftime. Philadelphia shot 23 percent (9 of 39) in the first half.

The Celtics, who shot 52 percent in the first quarter, led 24-16 after one.

Boston led 30-20 in the second before going on a 15-4 run over a six-minute stretch. Pierce scored five in the spree and Terry nailed long 3.

Philadelphia was at its worst in the second quarter, scoring a season-low 12 points for a quarter and shooting a miserable 14 percent (3 of 21).

NOTES: The teams don't meet again until their final matchup of the season, March 5 in Philadelphia. ... Referee Dick Bavetta, who worked the game and is a part of the storied rivalry, turns 73 Monday. He was the only referee working after his partner got hurt when Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Julius Erving got into a fight. ... Actor Mark Wahlberg was seated courtside and held up a "Ted' green sweat shirt. ... The 76ers' 28 in the first half was the lowest Boston's allowed in a half this season. ... Patriots safety Patrick Chung was also courtside. ...The 76ers had won the previous two meetings this season. ... Garnett didn't collect a rebound in the game, playing 24 minutes. The Celtics said the last time was Jan. 21, 1997, when he was with Minnesota.

 

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Celtics vs 76ers highlights

Garnett has 19 points and Green 16 as Celtics defeat 76ers.

 

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Jazz beat Lakers 117-110 for 3rd straight victory


LOS ANGELES (AP) The Lakers still aren't getting it together under new coach Mike D'Antoni, and the Utah Jazz exposed them again.

Paul Millsap scored 24 points and Mo Williams added 22 in Utah's third straight victory, 117-110 on Sunday night.

"They did it to themselves,'' Millsap said of the 9-12 Lakers. "Our defense was pretty good, but they had no ball movement and that made it easier on us just to try to load up, keep them out of the paint and let them fire up some 3s.''

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 34 points, making 12 of 14 free throws, as they fell to 4-7 in their last 11 games since D'Antoni took over from the fired Mike Brown.

"I just don't think we've had a gut-check moment yet. At some point we're going to draw a line in the sand and that's it, you have to fight,'' D'Antoni said. "It seems like things happen on the court that get us down. Are there possessions we just throw away? Yeah. We have too many guys who will take a possession off.''

Al Jefferson and reserves Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter added 14 points each for the Jazz, who improved to 4-9 on the road in ending a two-game skid away from home.

"The way we've been struggling on the road, it felt good to come in here and get a big win,'' Jefferson said. "They're the kind of team that tries to pick up the tempo on offense and not run back on the defensive end, so we tried to pick up our speed and make them run a little bit.''

The Lakers never led in the second half while losing their second in a row. They trailed by three to start the fourth quarter only to get outscored 20-8 and fall behind by 15. Hayward had seven points and Kanter six in Utah's spurt.

Bryant, who shot 9 of 24 while playing 43 minutes, engineered one last charge. He had seven points in a 17-7 run that got the Lakers to 115-110 with 1:10 to play. But he missed two 3-pointers in the final 33 seconds.

"I'm glad he did because that would have hurt,'' Jefferson said about Bryant's errant shots.

Jordan Hill added a career-high 17 points and Jodie Meeks 16 off the Lakers' bench.

The Jazz owned a 54-34 edge in the paint and outscored the Lakers 19-4 on fast breaks.

"That's the second game in a row now we've given up too many fast break points,'' Bryant said. "Our half-court defense is OK, just giving up too many transition points.''

Bryant took over in the third with 14 points as the Lakers outscored the Jazz 34-28. He made four straight free throws to leave the Lakers trailing 88-85going into the fourth.

Dwight Howard's dunk had the Lakers down by one, but the Jazz responded again with another scoring burst to extend their lead. Williams had four of their nine points before Bryant's free throw binge. Howard finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds.

"We're too good of a team to let everything slip away,'' Howard said, his voice hoarse from a cold. "We're going to get better. It's going to click. We can't let anyone from outside break our bond. We have to stay patient.''

Los Angeles closed within one midway through the second quarter. The Jazz responded with a 14-3 run, including 11 in a row, to go up 55-43. DeMarre Carroll scored six points, including a fastbreak reverse layup and a dunk made possible when Hayward found the streaking Carroll on the break.

The Lakers made a little run of their own, led by seven straight points from Hill and a free throw by Bryant to end the half trailing 60-51 despite shooting 36 percent.

The Jazz scored the game's first eight points while the Lakers were missing their first four shots and turning the ball over three times. Bryant got them on the board with a 3-pointer and another basket and it was left to him to score the Lakers' last basket that put them ahead 27-25.

NOTES: The Jazz improved to 2-0 over LA this season. ... Bryant's milestone of scoring his 30,000th point on Wednesday in New Orleans was announced before tipoff. ... Jazz C Al Jefferson started in place of Kanter. ... The Lakers open a four-game trip on Tuesday in Cleveland.

 

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Thunder offense too much for Pacers' D, 104-93


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder can generate a lot of excitement as the NBA's highest-scoring team, but defense is still a matter of pride.

Durant scored 27 points, Kevin Martin added 24 and the Thunder clamped down in the second half to beat the Indiana Pacers 104-93 on Sunday night for their eighth straight win.

It was a matchup of NBA's most potent offense and the league's stingiest defense - but Oklahoma City also happens to be the second-best at making opponents miss.

The Pacers shot 60 percent in the first half before Thunder coach Scott Brooks delivered a message at halftime. His players responded by limiting Indiana to 33 percent after that.

"Defense is going to win games. You can score back and forth if you want to, but defending is what we do,'' Russell Westbrook said.

Westbrook had 21 points but more importantly came up with a big block against 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert - 11 inches taller - during a late 8-0 burst by the Thunder that put it away after the Pacers had pulled within three.

"Plays like that can change the whole momentum of the game,'' Westbrook said. "That was one of those plays.''

David West led the way with 21 points for Indiana, which had all five starters score in double figures but still couldn't keep up.

The not-so-balanced Pacers came allowing an NBA-best 91.2 points per game but scoring a league-low 90.7.

"We knew to beat this team, we had to put up points as well,'' said George Hill, who scored 15. "Our defense can only hold up for so long''

The league's worst shooting team at 41.5 percent from the field, Indiana was connecting on 59 percent midway through the third quarter before a 1-for-13 dry spell allowed Oklahoma City to move ahead to stay.

Serge Ibaka had two straight putbacks and later added a jumper as the Thunder took advantage with a 17-3 run, taking an 82-72 lead after Nick Collison's free throw with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Pacers chipped away and pulled to 94-91 on Paul George's 3-pointer from the right wing with 5:26 to play. Durant found Ibaka open underneath for a layup on the other end, and the Thunder scored eight straight points to regain control.

After his block against Hibbert under the basket, Westbrook hit a jumper from the right wing, came up with a steal and then nailed another jumper from the left side for a 102-91 advantage with 2:59 left.

"Our first half was one of the worst we've played this year, and coach really got after us to bring it in the second half, and I think we did that,'' Durant said.

The Thunder, averaging a league-best 106.2 points, were just the fifth team to hit triple digits this season against Indiana. The Pacers are 1-4 in those games.

It was the 12th straight game with over 100 points for Oklahoma City. The blistering pace mattered little to Brooks, though, when it was 57-56 Thunder at halftime.

Oklahoma City came in ranked second in the league - behind only Indiana - in allowing opponents to shoot 42.4 percent from the field. The Pacers were 24 for 40 in the first half and trailed mainly because of a 12-point deficit at the foul line.

"Coach got on us at halftime. That wasn't championship defense right there,'' said Martin, who had 22 points in the first half. "We realized that, and that was the No. 1 priority going out there in the second half, just being physical and making them take tough jumpers and getting rebounds. That's what we did.''

George ended up with 17 points and Lance Stephenson and Hibbert chipped in 10 apiece for the Pacers. After the hot start, Indiana finished with 46 percent shooting from the field.

Oklahoma City also outrebounded the Pacers - the league's top rebounding team - 40-34 and made 14 more free throws in 17 more attempts.

The Thunder shot 49 percent.

"It's tough to see guys making shots when you're playing tough defense on them. That was really what it was for us,'' George said.

Durant started out 4 for 17 from the field but hit five of six shots during a key stretch with Indiana trying to rally. Most of the damage came from the post, where Oklahoma City took advantage of the Pacers' defense switching screens with the small Hill ending up on Durant.

"They found something definitely,'' George said.

George sank a 3-pointer from the right wing to spark a 13-0 first-half run by the Pacers that tied it at 45. Stephenson had a three-point play during the spurt, and also hit the free throw following Westbrook's technical foul for reacting dramatically to what he thought should have been a foul against Indiana.

Westbrook made up for it, though, earning three free throws by sneaking his foot between West's feet on his 3-point follow-through and tripping him to draw a foul against West. After West argued vehemently, Westbrook knocked down all three foul shots to help the Thunder hold a 57-56 edge at halftime.

"You go through games like that throughout the whole season,'' Durant said. "Your energy is not there at the start, but I think it's how you finish.''

NOTES: The Pacers became the first opponent to outscore the Thunder during the second quarter in seven games. Oklahoma City held a 70-point edge in the period during the span. ... Hibbert blocked at least two shots for the 15th straight game. He had two. ... Prior to the game, Oklahoma City recalled reserve point guard Reggie Jackson from its NBA development league affiliate in Tulsa. Jackson had played only one game on his assignment with the 66ers. Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton, who were also sent down Friday, remain with Tulsa.

 

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With big night from James, Heat top Hawks, 101-92


MIAMI (AP) LeBron James leaped as high as he can soar. Dwyane Wade shot better than he ever has before.

And when the Miami Heat stars are on their games like that ... "We probably won't lose,'' James said.

Such was the case Monday night. James scored 27 points, Wade had 26 and the Heat pulled away in the second half to beat the Atlanta Hawks 101-92, improving to 10-1 at home this season.

James (10 for 16) and Wade (11 for 13, the best single-game shooting percentage of his career) made 21 of 29 shots for Miami, which shot 58 percent as a team. Chris Bosh had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Norris Cole made all four of his shots to score 10 for the Heat, who handed the Hawks just their second loss in 11 games.

"Just trying to be as efficient as I can,'' Wade said. "Shooting 13 shots, it's nothing I'm used to. Some nights you go for 11-for-13. Some nights you go 3 for 13. But you just try to continue to be aggressive and continue taking shots.''

Josh Smith scored 22 points and Al Horford finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which briefly held the lead midway through the third quarter before the Heat got rolling and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Hawks in the Southeast Division.

Atlanta has dropped both games against Miami this season and is 1-7 against the Heat since March 2011.

"We gave LeBron and D-Wade some opportunities to be able to get some layups early on and whenever you play against a team like that or whenever you give a great player opportunities to get layups first, the rim gets that much bigger,'' Smith said. "And they started hitting all kinds of shots.''

A big third-quarter run put the Heat in control, and one of James' best dunks this season helped seal it in the fourth. Cole took a pass from Ray Allen, dribbled once and nonchalantly flipped the ball toward the rim.

James, who also had seven rebounds and six assists, did the rest.

James leaped - the top of his fingers stretched easily more than a foot above the basket - for a slam with 9:51 left, and the Heat weren't threatened in the final minutes.

"Cole made me go get it, for sure,'' James said. "He actually took that literally when I told him, "Just throw it anywhere.'''

Said Wade: "That's his bionic leg.''

Wade is now 20 for 25 in his last two games from the floor, scoring 26 points in each, and maybe it's not a coincidence that those outings came after NBA analyst Charles Barkley - Wade's one-time cell phone commercial co-star - said what he's been saying many times in the past couple years: The 2006 NBA Finals MVP's game is declining.

"It means Charles Barkley needs to shut up,'' James said. "I mean, the man's shooting 80 percent from the floor in the last couple games. Come on, man. That's like crazy, right? That's why who he is.''

The Heat came into Monday night talking about how this particular game was significant for many reasons, foremost among them the Hawks' position in the division.

And while it's way too early to take more than a passing interest in the standings, Miami had taken notice of Atlanta's early success.

"We've been watching,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The up-close-and-personal view wasn't a surprise, then.

Miami led 56-54 at intermission, a well-played half where neither team led by more than five points. The Heat shot 64 percent from the field in the opening two quarters, 50 percent from 3-point range - but a mere 44 percent from the line, part of the reason why the margin was only two points at the break.

James finished each of the first two quarters with a flurry, first going 1-on-4 for a driving layup to give Miami a 28-26 lead, then blowing past Horford for a layup-and-foul and putting the Heat up two with 14.6 seconds left in the half.

The Hawks were helped mightily by a friend of Heat opponents of late, the 3-pointer. Atlanta made seven from beyond the arc in the half, and through three quarters, Smith was 4 for 4 - already matching his career-best single-game total from long range.

But in the third, Miami began to flex its muscles.

Jeff Teague made a 3-pointer midway through the third to give Atlanta a 65-63 lead, but after that, Miami took off running.

"We made just entirely too many mistakes,'' Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "Too many mental mistakes against a very good a basketball team. Against Miami you can't do that.''

A 17-4 run was the difference maker, turning a two-point deficit into an 11-point lead with 1:24 remaining in the third. Wade got it started with a jumper, and he wound up with eight during the burst, including a layup off a perfect pass by James from the right side of the lane. Shane Battier made two 3-pointers in the run, including the shot that ended it, and Miami's margin was suddenly 80-69.

NOTES: Celebrities were everywhere, with Jay-Z (a close friend of James, who gave his pal a long look after the alley-oop slam on the Cole pass) and Beyonce near the Hawks' bench, Floyd Mayweather Jr. across from the Miami bench and Lil Wayne watching from his now-usual baseline seat, headphones on virtually all night. ... The Heat were without Udonis Haslem (flu), and the Hawks played without Kyle Korver (back spasms). ... Smith entered the night 8 for 21 from 3-point range. ... The Heat caught a break late in the second quarter, when a pass from James was headed out of bounds before it caromed off the leg of referee Karl Lane. Mario Chalmers wound up setting James up for a layup and a 50-49 Miami lead.

 

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Neal, Parker lead Spurs over Rockets in OT 134-126


HOUSTON (AP) Tony Parker was happy about getting his first career triple-double on Monday night.

When it became clear that the performance was going to help the San Antonio Spurs win, the 12-year veteran could enjoy it so much more.

Gary Neal scored a career-best 29 points and Parker had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the Spurs over the Houston Rockets 134-126 in overtime.

"I was like: "Man if we lose, nobody is going to care,''' Parker said with a laugh about his triple-double. "Now that we won the game it makes it even better, because at the end of the day people only care about wins.''

Parker's outing complemented Neal's 7-of-10 performance from 3-point range.

Parker's teammates had fun with him after the game, with a couple of them bellowing "Mr. Triple-double'' as he entered the locker room, eliciting a sheepish grin and a shake of the head from him.

"All night long, he kept us in the game,'' Spurs coach Gregg Poppovich said of Parker. "With his play on both ends of the floor, he was magnificent.''

Jeremy Lin had his best game since joining the Rockets, scoring a career high-tying 38 points with leading scorer James Harden sidelined by a sprained right ankle. It was just the second time he'd scored more than 20 points since coming to Houston.

Neal's last 3-pointer followed by a three-point play by Manu Ginobili put the Spurs ahead 130-122 with two minutes left in overtime, and they held on for the win. It was San Antonio's fifth straight win overall and second over Houston in three days after a 114-92 victory Friday.

"Gary was unbelievable,'' Parker said. "He made some big shots for us. He was the one who kept us in the game with timely 3s, very timely 3s in the fourth quarter and in overtime.''

The Rockets provided a stronger challenge in this one after San Antonio never trailed in Friday's win. But Houston's inexperience showed in overtime as the Rockets had three turnovers to help the Spurs build the lead.

Houston fell to 0-2 since coach Kevin McHale returned to the bench Saturday after taking a leave of absence Nov. 10 to be with his family as his daughter's health worsened. Alexandra "Sasha'' McHale died Nov. 24 of complications from Lupus. She was 23.

"Those guys, those closers have been in a million of those games,'' McHale said of the Spurs.

A 3-pointer by Ginobili put the Spurs up two before Omer Asik tied it on a jumper with 37 seconds left. Parker then missed a shot, but Lin dribbled out the shot clock under pressure from Danny Green, giving the Spurs another chance. Carlos Delfino blocked a shot by Tim Duncan to send it to overtime tied at 120.

Lin couldn't really enjoy his big game because it didn't help Houston get the win.

"I'm thankful that I was able to get comfortable out there, but that's definitely secondary to the fact that we blew another close game,'' he said. "I had the ball to win it and didn't even get a shot up. That one hurt.''

Asik had a career-high 21 points and added 10 rebounds, and Chandler Parsons scored 20 for Houston.

The game was tied when Neal and Parsons got into what looked like a 3-point shooting contest. Neal hit one before Parsons made two straight for Houston. Neal made a second before Parsons added another to put Houston up 116-113 with 3 1/2 minutes to go.

Lin heated up late in the third quarter and continued his surge in the fourth, scoring six points during a 9-2 run to help Houston extend its lead to 102-93 less than two minutes into the final quarter.

The Spurs trailed by seven when Lin went to the bench with under 10 minutes remaining. They used a 10-2 spurt while Lin was out, powered by five points from Parker, to tie it at 107 before he returned with about six minutes left.

San Antonio led by seven after a reverse layup by Parker with about 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Lin scored seven straight points for Houston to tie it at 88 just over a minute later. Neal made a 3-pointer on the other end before the Rockets closed out the quarter with two free throws by Marcus Morris and a 3-pointer by Lin to take a 93-91 lead.

Duncan left the game after picking up his fourth foul with just over 10 minutes remaining in the third and didn't return until the start of the fourth.

Parker contended that his triple-double was helped by Duncan's foul trouble.

"Timmy was in foul trouble so I figured I'd pick up the slack on the boards,'' the 6-foot-2 Parker said before doubling over with laughter. "It was just one of those games where I was trying to help out.''

Houston was up by three with about 10 minutes left in the second quarter before using an 11-4 run to extend the lead to 42-32 a couple of minutes later. The Rockets were still up by 10 later in the quarter when San Antonio scored eight straight points, with four from Parker, to cut the lead to 49-47.

The Spurs had taken a three-point lead later in the second before Toney Douglas hit a shot as time expired in the first half to get Houston within 64-63 at halftime.

NOTES: Ginobili had 22 points and six assists, and Duncan finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. ... Douglas had 17 points, his fourth straight double-digit scoring game. ... Lin's four 3-pointers were a career high.

 

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Anthony scores 45, Knicks rally to beat Nets


NEW YORK (AP) Now, this Knicks-Nets rivalry is really on.

If it hadn't started when the Nets left New Jersey and set up shop in the Knicks' city, it surely arrived when Jason Kidd delivered the tiebreaking 3-pointer Tuesday night, making himself an enemy of his former franchise.

"I hate him,'' Nets guard Deron Williams said.

Williams was kidding, the point guards are friends. But Nets fans who watched Kidd ask out of the organization and Carmelo Anthony refuse to come could easily work up more dislike of the Knicks after watching those two Tuesday.

Anthony scored a season-high 45 points, Kidd made the tiebreaking shot with 24 seconds left, and the Knicks rallied from an early 17-point hole to beat Brooklyn 100-97.

Kidd finished with 18 points against his former team, who used to dominate the Knicks when he played in New Jersey. He pumped his fist afterward in what he said was as much emotion as he shows, though denied taking any special pleasure in beating the Nets.

"I'm a competitor. I want to win,'' he said.

Now the series is tied at 1-1 since the Nets moved to Brooklyn, both games coming down to the tense final minutes.

"It is (a rivalry). I mean, after that first game, we might as well accept that,'' Anthony said. "It is what it is. They're on our division, we see them four times a year. It is a rivalry. It's great for New York to have that in Brooklyn and in Manhattan. When we come here it's a battle. When they come there, it's going to be a battle. We expect that.''

Andray Blatche scored 23 points in place of Brook Lopez, who missed his sixth straight game with a sprained right foot. Williams added 18 points and 10 assists, and Reggie Evans grabbed 18 rebounds, but the Nets lost their fifth straight.

Gerald Wallace scored 17 points, but both he and Williams missed potential tying 3-pointers on the last possession after Kidd broke a 97-all tie with his 3-pointer from the left side while being fouled by Jerry Stackhouse.

Kidd missed the free throw in an otherwise terrific effort for the 39-year-old point guard who helped carry the Knicks while fellow point guard Raymond Felton was struggling through a 3-for-12 night. Kidd had six rebounds and six assists, playing 38 minutes.

There were wild swings in momentum and crowd support in the second half, once the Knicks had gotten themselves untracked after the Nets threatened to run them off the floor in the first quarter.

The crowd was loud and energetic, the players and fans eventually matching the playoff-like intensity from the first meeting, a 96-89 Nets victory in overtime here on Nov. 26. That had left both teams tied atop the Atlantic Division at 9-4, but the Knicks have since gone 7-1 to surge to the top of the Eastern Conference, while Brooklyn has gone 2-5.

It occasionally felt like a Knicks home game, with "MVP! MVP!'' chants for Anthony - which the Knicks think he deserves - and a black-and-orange dressed Spike Lee sitting courtside and yelling at the referees.

"He's had some pretty good games under my tutelage but I just think tonight he wanted it so badly, man,'' Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "He made shot after shot.''

The Brooklyn native never wanted to play in New Jersey, preferring instead a trade to the Knicks, and Kidd eventually wanted out after leading the Nets to two NBA Finals but never the local popularity of the Knicks.

But despite their efforts, the Nets had plenty of chances to send their fans home happy.

"This was a winnable game,'' Nets coach Avery Johnson said, "but we just couldn't quite close it.''

The Nets scored the first five points, gave up a 3-pointer to Kidd, then outscored the Knicks 16-2 over the next five-plus minutes to open a 21-5 lead on Blatche's layup with 4:29 left in the first quarter. Brooklyn hit nine of its first 11 shots, led by as much as 17 and was ahead 30-16 going to the second. Blatche had 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting in eight minutes.

The Nets still led by 16 with 4:49 remaining in the half, but Anthony nailed a jumper and 3-pointer, triggering an 18-6 run to end the half that he capped with a layup with 1.8 seconds left, bringing the Knicks within 53-49 as they headed to the locker room.

The Knicks scored the first five points of the second half to take their first lead, but Williams quickly put the Nets back ahead and Blatche helped them stay there. Brooklyn was back up by nine late in the third quarter before settling for a 79-74 lead.

Brooklyn held the lead until Kidd tied it a 91 on a 3-pointer with 4:01 to play. The Nets lost a potential go-ahead basket when Blatche's tip in was ruled an offensive violation, and Anthony tipped in his own miss to give New York a 93-91 edge with 2:47 to play.

The Nets tied it again at 95 when Wallace - who just moments before had banged knees hard with J.R. Smith and could barely stand - tipped in a miss. Two free throws by Anthony followed by Joe Johnson's basket set the stage for Kidd's go-ahead shot.

NOTES: At a ceremony Tuesday afternoon, a flagpole from Ebbets Field was dedicated outside Barclays Center. Sharon Robinson, daughter of Dodgers Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, took part in the ceremony, as did Stackhouse, who wears Robinson's No. 42. The flagpole had been donated to a local VFW post after the stadium was demolished in 1960 and remained at that site until Nets part-owner Bruce Ratner, the Barclays Center developer, obtained it in 2007 with the plan of bringing it here. "I think that's a beautiful connection to Ebbets Field,'' Robinson said. "To imagine this flying over Ebbets Field and that the Brooklyn Dodgers being so much part of that history, to have this plaque will remind them that the Brooklyn Dodgers were here and made such a difference in the community and now we have the Brooklyn Nets.'' ... The Knicks play their next six games at home starting Thursday against the Lakers. They host the Nets on Dec. 19 and don't go back on the road until opening a three-game trip against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Christmas.

 

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Irving and Cavs deal Lakers another loss, 100-94


CLEVELAND (AP) There had to be a low point. The Los Angeles Lakers can only hope they've reached it.

This chaotic season has gotten worse.

Kyrie Irving scored 28 points in his return after missing 11 games with a broken finger, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 100-94 win over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, who look nothing like a team projected to win an NBA title - or anything else.

"This is one of the most challenging stretches of my 17 years, and the most baffling, too,'' a puzzled Bryant said after the Lakers lost for the eighth time in 11 games. "We have the talent and personnel to do it, but we're not, and it's baffling. It's extremely frustrating.

"It doesn't make any sense. We're still finding ways to lose games.''

Irving added 11 assists in 39 minutes and showed off his dizzying array of moves as the Cavs, who came in with just four wins, ended a five-game losing streak.

Bryant scored 42 points and Dwight Howard had 19 points and 20 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to stop the Lakers, who were still missing Pau Gasol and Steve Nash, from opening a four-game road trip with a with a loss that could sting for a while.

"We have to stop the bleeding - somehow,'' said Howard, who forced a trade this summer from Orlando to join the Lakers and maybe win some championships. "We can't let this kill our spirits too much. This is tough on all of us right now.

"We want to win. We're sick of losing. We all understand that situations like this don't last forever.''

C.J. Miles scored 28 in his first start this season, Anderson Varejao had 20 and Alonzo Gee 17 for the Cavs.

Los Angeles fell behind by 16 points in the third quarter, and despite Bryant's valiant attempt to rescue them - he scored 16 in the fourth quarter - the Lakers dropped to 1-10 in games the superstar scores 30 or more points.

"We played very uninspired basketball, offensively and defensively,'' said coach Mike D'Antoni, brought in to repair an underachieving squad after Mike Brown was fired five games into the season. "We play at a very slow pace and we struggle. Maybe it shifts over to defense. Maybe we're slow. Maybe we can't do it. . It's my job to fix it - and that's what I'll do.''

As the final seconds ticked off, Bryant stood at halfcourt, his right hand resting on his hip, a look of disgust on his face. When the horn sounded, he handed the ball to an official and shared a brief hug with Irving and a long one with Cavs coach Byron Scott, who whispered something in his ear.

The Lakers have nowhere to go but up.

Bryant refused to single out any teammates, and he chose his words carefully when pressed on his team's many problems.

"I'm very upset,'' Bryant said. "When things get hard, you should get more determined, not shake your heads. It just seems when it rains it pours. It's like this cloud is following us around at all times. I'm one of the fastest guys on the team - and I'm like 50. What does that tell you?''

Before the game, D'Antoni bemoaned his team's defense and said the Lakers seemed to be missing a "spirit'' to win.

Those aren't their only deficiencies.

Howard scored inside to get the Lakers within 86-82, but Irving answered with a 3-pointer. Metta World Peace hit a 3 to bring Los Angeles within 89-85, but on Cleveland's next possession, the Lakers lost track of Cavs center Anderson Varejao, who scored an uncontested layup as all five Los Angeles players watched.

Bryant hit a 3-pointer to trim Cleveland's lead to 95-92 with 28 seconds left, but he missed another 3-point attempt on the Lakers' next trip and there was nothing he or anyone else in purple and gold could do from there.

Howard is confident the Lakers will be able to turn their season around.

He just doesn't know when.

"We've got to stay focused and stay strong,'' he said. "We can't let this break who we are as a team. We talk about it every day. People are going to say whatever they want about our team right now. We're not playing the greatest basketball. But there will come a day when we'll have the gun. Right now, we're rabbits. Once we get the gun, it's not going to be fun for everybody else.''

The Cavs went 2-9 without Irving, their sensational 20-year-old. But with him on the floor, Cleveland is a far different team and on this night better than the Lakers.

Cleveland was ahead by 12 when Irving tried to take Bryant on by himself.

Dribbling the ball between his legs at the top of the key, Cleveland's star backed Bryant down in the lane as the crowd roared at a 1-on-1 matchup Irving proposed during the summer for charity. Irving tried a pump fake that didn't work and Bryant easily blocked his shot as if to say, "Not yet, kid.''

"It reminded me when Allen Iverson was going against Michael Jordan,'' Irving said. "The whole crowd sat up. I got my shot blocked, but it was still a memorable moment for me, seeing the crowd reaction. I was surprised by it.''

Scott wasn't shocked that Irving would play so well.

"He's likes being put in the position of having to deliver,'' Scott said. "He's just a special young man. He loves the competition.''

NOTES: Bryant didn't know if Irving was "confident or crazy'' when Irving challenged him to a 1-on-1 game during U.S. Olympic team practices. Irving didn't back down when Bryant unleashed some heavy trash talk on the 20-year-old. "I'm the best trash talker alive,'' Bryant said. "He tried to keep up. Hopefully, you'll see a little more of that (trash talk) from that generation, guys competing against each other. It was like that when I came into the league with Charles (Barkley) and Michael (Jordan) and (John) Stockton and (Clyde) Drexler and all those guys. That's how it was.'' ... Cavs G Daniel Gibson hyperextended his right elbow in the first half and didn't return. He expects to play Wednesday at Indiana.

 

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Williams' 3 at buzzer lifts Jazz over Spurs 99-96


SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Mo Williams had just missed from 3-point range with 9.9 seconds left and the game tied against Western Conference nemesis San Antonio.

Instead of getting grief from his coach, Williams got another green light.

"Coach told me don't worry about it. You'll make the next one,'' Williams said.

He did.

Williams hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Utah Jazz to a 99-96 victory Wednesday night that snapped the Spurs' five-game winning streak.

"It showed how much my teammates believe in me, showed how much the coaches believe in me,'' Williams said.

Now Utah players believe in their team, having knocked off the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday and a Spurs team that swept them out of the playoffs last season. It was the first time since 1997 that the Jazz beat both in back-to-back games.

"We're on a mission,'' Williams said. "We want to be good. We don't know our ceiling yet.''

Paul Millsap led Utah with 24 points and 12 rebounds, Al Jefferson scored 21 and reserve Gordon Hayward added 19.

The Jazz trailed by eight with a little more than 4 minutes remaining. Williams' winning shot was his only 3-pointer of the night and he finished with eight points on 3-for-9 shooting.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Williams was able to get off the final shot because of a "huge'' defensive error by Danny Green when the Jazz inbounded the ball with 6.7 seconds left.

"You got to make him drive with that amount of time,'' Popovich said. "That's why we put a bigger guy on Mo at the end so he couldn't get a shot off. You don't step off Mo Williams. What do you think he's going to do with two seconds on the clock? Instead of getting into him, he backed off. Huge defensive error.''

After draining the shot, Williams looked up to make sure there was no time left then took off running toward the other end of the court only to be mobbed by teammates.

"It was amazing,'' said Millsap, who grabbed the key offensive rebound after Williams' first miss. "It was a big win for us, a big win for our fans, a big win for our whole organization.''

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 22 points to lead the Spurs, who swept the Jazz out of the playoffs in the first round and had won 11 of the last 12 meetings.

Green's 19-footer gave the Spurs a 96-94 lead and Millsap tied it with 40 seconds left.

While Duncan and Parker have been key for the Spurs, who entered Wednesday with an 11-2 road record, neither could make the shot at the end. Both missed long outside shots in the final 75 seconds as the Jazz improved to 9-1 at home.

"It was disappointing down the stretch,'' said Duncan, who also had 21 rebounds and six blocks. "Individually I made too many mistakes. I missed a jumper on the baseline I thought was down. Al (Jefferson) made a great play on the steal and layup. Just too many mistakes down the stretch that we couldn't recover from.''

Williams hit the last shot but gave his teammates plenty of credit, especially Hayward, who took on guarding Parker the last four minutes.

"That was huge. That helped me,'' Williams said.

Before the game, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin was excited for the matchup, especially after losing the first meeting 110-100 in San Antonio on Nov. 3.

Utah has had time to learn Corbin's system since then and time for its new acquisitions - Mo Williams (trade), Marvin Williams (trade) and Randy Foye (free agent) - to settle in.

Now they want more.

"We wanted to show everybody what we're capable of doing and if we continue to play like that, we're going to shock the world. The sky's the limit for us,'' said Millsap.

Early on, it was the Spurs looking like the Spurs. They led by 10 twice in the first quarter as Duncan started strong inside and Green couldn't miss from outside.

The Jazz fought back behind a pair of 3-pointers from Foye then got a spark from the energizing second unit. The highlight was a block from behind by Hayward as Gary Neal attempted to jam on the fast break.

The Jazz went on a 14-7 run to open the second quarter and took the lead on Millsap's 19-footer with 6:29 left in the half. Jefferson's three-point play on a fast break gave Utah a seven-point lead, and Millsap's layup capped a 7-0 run to put the Jazz up 53-44 at the break.

Millsap made his first five shots and was 6 of 7 at halftime with 13 points

The Spurs trailed by nine entering the second half, a stark contrast to the first game in which Utah was down 19 at halftime but outscored the Spurs 35-17 in the third to get even before losing by 10.

On Wednesday night, the Spurs opened the second half with a 20-11 run and Parker's fast-break layup tied it at 64 with 3:18 left in the quarter.

The teams were tied at 71 entering the fourth, but this time the Jazz made the big plays.

"We're headed in the right direction. We're starting to figure out how to win,'' Millsap said.

NOTES: The Jazz social media site proclaimed Wednesday "John Stockton Day'' because of the number worn by the Jazz great. "It was fun watching him. If he was playing I'd just be staring at him, and Karl (Malone),'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the game. Stockton holds the Spurs' opponent record for most assists in a game, with 28 at Salt Lake City on Jan. 15, 1991. Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said Stockton was one of the "toughest competitors I played against and with as a teammate.'' Jazz CEO Greg Miller tweeted that he had a "nice visit with Stockton on this 12-12-12'' and thanked him for all he's done. ... Jazz F Derrick Favors was back after missing the previous five games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He was averaging 9.3 points and 7.5 rebounds and had a team-leading 32 blocks. He played (6 minutes in first half) and finished with six points and four rebounds.

 

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Thunder extend win streak to 9 with 92-88 victory


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Reggie Jackson gave an unexpected spark for the surging Oklahoma City Thunder.

But it was star Kevin Durant who scored 35 points as the Thunder extended their winning streak to nine games with a 92-88 win over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.

"Reggie has been here for a year now,'' Durant said. "He knows what it takes. He's not pouting that he's not playing. He's coming in and working hard every single day, just waiting on his chance, and coach gave him a chance tonight.

"That shows how much he believes in all of us. He would have done that with anybody, and Reggie was the guy that came in and he gave us a really, really big spark.

"I'm really proud of him, his defensive intensity, hitting shots, just playing with a lot of energy. I'm glad he got that opportunity.

With the Thunder trailing by 11 points late in the third quarter, Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks went with a small lineup, inserting Jackson alongside backup point guard Eric Maynor, Kevin Martin and Durant, and the Thunder closed the quarter on a 7-0 run. A 9-2 run, capped by a dunk by Durant, put the Thunder ahead 67-64.

Jackson played most of the fourth quarter, finishing with five points. It was his first action since Dec. 1 against New Orleans and only his 11th appearance for the Thunder in 22 games this season. He played for the D-League's Tulsa 66ers on Saturday.

"You've just got to stay ready,'' Jackson said. "Of course it's tough, but once you get out there, especially in this atmosphere, it's easy to get going.''

With the win, the Thunder matched the second-best start in franchise history at 18-4. The Seattle SuperSonics started 20-2 in the 1993-94 season and the Thunder started 18-4 last season.

It was the Thunder's third win over the Hornets in the past four weeks and seventh straight in the series. Brian Roberts scored 16 points to lead New Orleans, which lost its fifth straight game.

Still, coach Monty Williams wasn't entirely displeased.

"I thought we competed tonight,'' Williams said. "I thought we brought an edge. Obviously we lost the game, but when we compete that way and keep our turnovers down, you give yourselves a chance.''

Greivis Vasquez missed a 3-point attempt in the closing seconds that would have given New Orleans the lead. Thabo Sefolosha corralled the rebound and made the clinching free throws for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City, the league's highest-scoring team, entered the game with a 106-point average, but had its run of 12 straight triple-digit games end as it had to fight back simply to win against the worst team in the Western Conference.

The Hornets, who fell 77-70 on Tuesday night against Washington, figured their best chance to stay with the Thunder was to keep the game low-scoring and that strategy worked for most of three quarters.

The Hornets led 62-51 after a basket by Austin Rivers with 2:01 left in the third quarter before the 16-2 spurt by Oklahoma City spanning the third and fourth quarters.

The Hornets regained the lead twice after that, but a 3-pointer by Martin put the Thunder ahead for good at 73-72 with 6:20 left. Still, Oklahoma City struggled to pull away.

A three-point play by Durant with 1:12 left pushed the Thunder's lead to 89-84, but Anthony Davis made 1 of 2 free throws with 18.5 seconds left and New Orleans grabbed the rebound on the miss.

Roberts made a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to pull the Hornets within 89-88.

Durant made 1 of 2 free throws with 8.1 seconds left. The Thunder scored 34 points in the fourth quarter, two fewer than they did in the first half.

"For whatever reason, we started the game off out of sync offensively,'' Brooks said. "Like I talk to the guys all the time and what we talk about every day, is that the defense needs to be there.''

In the fourth quarter, Brooks said, "We got aggressive and I thought we passed the ball much better, but we were making shots. It was just a combination of a few things. Our defensive intensity picked up.''

With help from 12 points by Ryan Anderson, New Orleans led most of the way in the first half and was up 44-36 at halftime. Oklahoma City, which entered the game second in the NBA in field-goal shooting at 49.1 percent, shot 30.6 percent from the field, including 0 of 3 from 3-point range.

Oklahoma City led briefly by one point on two occasions in the second quarter before a 13-3 run by the Hornets gave them a 36-26 lead.

Anderson finished with 14 points for the Hornets. Martin scored 17 for Oklahoma City while Russell Westbrook added 14.

NOTES: The Thunder's first-quarter (17) and first-half (36) point totals were season lows. ... The Hornets' only lead over the Thunder in the first two meetings of the season came in the second game, when they were up 2-0. New Orleans coach Monty Williams said before the game he's still not sure how long Eric Gordon, who has a sore left knee, will be out of the lineup.

 

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Warriors slip past Heat 97-95


MIAMI (AP) The Golden State Warriors used a savvy play by a rookie and took advantage of a defensive breakdown to surprise the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Draymond Green, a second-round draft pick out of Michigan State, made a layup with 0.9 seconds left give the Warriors a 97-75 win over the Heat.

The Heat left him open under the basket as there was miscommunication between Ray Allen and Shane Battier.

"With the last shot, Coach didn't point out who specifically was going to take the shot,'' Green said. "We were going to find out who was open and make the best play. Of course guys are going to go with Klay (Thompson) and Steph (Curry). I just happened to be wide open and (Jarrett Jack) found me.''

Klay Thompson tied a season high with 27 points to lead the Warriors, who have won five straight.

"We're on fire right now,'' Thompson said. "We're going to continue building on this. This is a special win. We haven't played the best competition the last few games but with the Miami Heat, we're showing people we're going to bring it every night. We have a chance to be special.''

LeBron James led Miami with 31 points as he reached the 20-point mark for the 25th consecutive game, the longest current streak in the NBA.

After the game, James talked to Green to congratulate him.

"He played hard, it was great competition out there between me and him,'' James said. "I've also respected him especially in college, a big-time player and no one really gave him a shot, but you can tell he knows how to play the game.

"Any team that got him he will find a way to get minutes because he knows how to play the game and (Golden State) is a good fit for him. It was good to see him out there.''

Jack dribbled the ball at the top of the key for the Warriors on the final possession as the clock ticked down before finding Green open underneath the basket.

"I was about to shoot it,'' Jack said. "... I was about to jump and in the corner of my eye I saw Draymond and I was able to make the pass and he converted the basket.''

Green caught the pass in mid-air and made the basket as Battier was late in coverage.

"I think I showed too early,'' Battier said. "It was my responsibility. I got anxious. They made a nice play and burned for us our over-anxious play out there, my over-anxious play.''

James' jumper from the baseline banged off the rim giving Golden State the win as Miami lost for just the second time in 12 home games and did not score in the final 3:18.

"You have to give Golden State a lot of credit for this road trip they are on right now, five straight,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It doesn't matter where you're doing that on the road, that's impressive. They took control of this game. They were playing more consistently with more force, more rhythm, execution, and they dug out a good win tonight.''

David Lee scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Jack added 20 points off the bench for the Warriors.

Wednesday's victory over the NBA champs adds to their best start since 1991-92 improving to 15-7 and 9-4 on the road.

Golden State took a 77-74 lead into the fourth quarter after leading for most of the third.

After hitting a 3 to tie the game at 87, James gave the Heat their first lead since early in the third with a turnaround 18-footer with 6:39 left for an 89-87advantage.

The teams played a one-possession game over the next four minutes before Lee knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game at 95 with 1:54 left.

The score was still tied at 95 with under a minute remaining. Allen had a chance to give the Heat a lead with 46 seconds left. Lee followed by missing a driving layup. Battier's miss from the corner with 12 seconds left gave the Warriors an opportunity in the closing seconds.

"Ray got two clean looks, Shane got a clean look, Chris had some daylight on his roll to the rim, for the most part our execution going down the stretch we've had a lot of those games where that ball is going in and it changes your perspective,'' Spoelstra said.

The Heat received a scare in the second quarter when Lee sent James to the floor with a flagrant foul sending James to the floor on his back.

James popped up quickly, but spent the next couple of minutes stretching out his right shoulder before knocking down the free throw and hitting a shot on the ensuing possession for a 47-43 lead.

"I'll be all right,'' said James, who had an ice pack on his shoulder after the game. "It will be sore tomorrow, but I'll be ready by Saturday. That's all that matters.''

Moments later, Dwyane Wade was poked in the eye by Thompson while trying to fight through a screen. With Wade's head down, Chris Bosh ran into Wade knocking him to a floor. After staying down on the floor, Wade eventually got to his feet and went to the locker room holding the back of his neck with 3:11 left in the half.

"Right now it's fine,'' Wade said. "Hopefully it doesn't stiffen up on me tonight.''

Thompson helped the Warriors take a 53-52 lead into halftime by scoring 21 points including five 3-pointers. Thompson scored 14 points in the second quarter, including 11 in a four-minute span.

Wade returned for the second half and opened the scoring with a dunk.

Both teams got off to a good start offensively, but it was defensive efforts by both teams which sparked the first highlight of the game.

After Stephen Curry picked off a pass by James, Wade returned the favor deflecting Curry's pass and ran toward the sideline saving the ball with an around-the-back pass to Mario Chalmers. Chalmers then found James, who tipped a pass to Wade for a layup and a 23-22 lead.

"We played against two guys (James and Wade) that will go down as all-time greats,'' Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "For us to grind out a victory against the champs, it's special.''

NOTES: Thompson has made at least five 3-pointers in three of his past five games. ... Prior to the game, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson said he believes Wade is the third-best shooting guard in NBA history behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. "I see a guy I love as a basketball fan,'' Jackson said of Wade. ... Curry had his career-best streak of eight consecutive games with at least 20 points snapped as he scored nine points.

 

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Pierce scores 34 as Celtics top Mavs in double-OT


BOSTON (AP) Rajon Rondo had a chance to win it in regulation and Derek Fisher got enough of the shot to keep it from travelling more than a few feet.

Then Paul Pierce's shot at a game-winner at the end of the first overtime was blocked by Dahntay Jones.

There was still plenty of time for Pierce and Rondo to come through.

Pierce made a 3-pointer at the start of the second extra period to give Boston the lead for good, and the Celtics held on for a 117-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Pierce scored 34 points in all, and Rondo had 16 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds in a career-high 52 minutes, 30 seconds.

"We ask him to do a lot,'' Pierce said of Rondo. "We ask him to push it up, score and rebound. We ask him to do a lot because he can do it.''

Pierce had four points in the first overtime - putting him over 23,000 points in his career - and eight in the second. Rondo, who played the entire first OT and all but 2 seconds of the second, had the only other basket in the second overtime before Courtney Lee made a pair of free throws with 6 seconds to play.

"I thought the biggest mistake I made was leaving Rondo in that long,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought that had an impact on the speed of the game.''

Kevin Garnett added 16 points for Boston, and Jason Terry had 10 points against the team he played with for eight seasons.

O.J. Mayo scored 24 points for Dallas, and Shawn Marion had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Mayo, who played 51:55, also had nine of the Mavericks' 28 turnovers.

"I wasn't tired at all. You just can't turn the ball over. Look at the stats, man: nine turnovers out of 28,'' he said. "We had plenty of opportunities to take control of that game and win. We've got to be better in that area. We just can't turn the ball over.''

Boston led by 14 in the third quarter and eight after the first basket in the fourth before Dallas chipped away at the deficit and tied it at 92 on Darren Collison's drive to the basket. After Rondo made a jumper, Fisher hit a 3-pointer with 1:47 left in the fourth to give the Mavericks their first lead of the game.

Pierce came out in the second overtime and hit a 3 to make it 108-105. Mayo's basket made it a one-point game and the tired teams struggled to score until Rondo drove to the basket to give Boston a 110-107 lead with 36 seconds to play.

From there, Dallas was forced to foul.

Pierce sank one of two free throws and Vince Carter hit a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to make it 111-110. Pierce hit another pair of foul shots and Collison hit two free throws before Pierce and Courtney Lee each made two.

Mayo hit a meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it a two-point final margin.

The Celtics never trailed, opening a six-point lead in the first quarter and leading by as many as 10 in the second before Dallas scored 8 of the last 11 points in the half to head into the break down just 48-43.

Boston opened a 14-point lead early in the third quarter before the Mavericks scored 10 of the next 12 points. After Rondo drove to the basket to give Boston a 78-70 lead with the first score of the fourth quarter, the Mavericks went on a 7-2 run - five of those points coming from Mayo - to make it a three-point game.

Notes: Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki has not played since October surgery on his right knee. Coach Rick Carlisle says there is no timetable for his return. ... The Celtics leave for a Texas swing, starting in Houston on Friday followed by San Antonio on Saturday. ... Mayo, who is second in the NBA in 3-pointers, did not make one until early in the second half.

 

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Celtics vs Mavericks highlights

Celtics defeat Mavericks in 2OT.