NBA wrap: Lakers beat stumbling Celtics

 Source: gmanews.tv

Beat LA? Not this time for Celtics

BOSTON – Kobe Bryant sank a go-ahead fallaway jumper with 7.3 seconds left to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 90-89 victory over Boston on Sunday and send the struggling Celtics to their sixth loss in eight games.

The Celtics, who led by 11 points in the fourth quarter, nursed a one-point lead until Paul Pierce was called for an offensive foul for pushing off as he jumped to shoot with 28 seconds left.

Bryant, who shot just 8 for 20 in the game, dribbled down the shot clock before stepping back from defender Ray Allen and making a basket to give Los Angeles the lead.

Bryant finished with 19, and Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists for the Celtics.

The Celtics led 81-70 before the Lakers made the next four baskets. Rasheed Wallace hit a 3-pointer — his only basket of the game — to stop the run, and it was still a three-point game with less than two minutes left when Bryant hit a pair of free throws to make it 87-86.

It was 89-88 when Pierce was called for pushing off. Bryant, who complained of a sore ankle after Friday night's win in Philadelphia, gave the Lakers the lead, then Allen's 3-point attempt at the final buzzer bounced harmlessly off the rim.

Pau Gasol had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who won their fourth straight game and beat Boston for the third consecutive time since losing Game 6 of the 2008 NBA finals to watch the Celtics clinch their 17th championship.

Pierce scored 15, Kevin Garnett had 10 with nine rebounds and Kendrick Perkins finished with eight points and 10 boards for the Celtics, who were coming off losses to Orlando and Atlanta — two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference — that left them at 6-10 since beating the Magic on Christmas Day.

Garnett missed 10 of those games with a hyperextended right knee, and Boston was 4-6 without him. But Garnett's return hasn't solved all the Celtics' problems.

The Celtics fell behind 22-10 in the first quarter, when Bynum scored 12 points, and trailed 40-34 midway through the second before scoring the next 15 points. Rondo had nine points and eight assists in the quarter and was in double digits in both by halftime.

Cavaliers 114, Clippers 89

At Cleveland, LeBron James scored half of Cleveland's 46 points in the first quarter as the Cavaliers equaled an NBA record with 11 3-pointers in the opening period of their victory over Los Angeles.

The 46 points tied a franchise mark for most in a quarter, and Cleveland's 16 3-pointers fell one shy of the team record for a game. Cleveland has won eight straight.

James, who finished with 32 points and 11 assists, fueled the early outburst by making his first seven shots — including four 3s. Cleveland made 3-pointers on seven consecutive possessions during the spurt.

Thunder 112, Warriors 104

At Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored a season-high 45 points to take over second place in the NBA scoring race as Oklahoma City beat Golden State.

Durant made 16-of-21 shots and ended up two points short of the highest-scoring output of his career. Russell Westbrook added 28 points and eight assists.

Corey Maggette scored 26 points for Golden State and Monta Ellis added 25, including a pair of 3-pointers that got the Warriors within three late. But he missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 1:06 left, and the Warriors didn't score again.

Nuggets 103, Spurs 89

At San Antonio, Kenyon Martin scored 27 points as Denver won again without Carmelo Anthony.

The NBA's leading scorer missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained ankle but the Nuggets still bounced back after Oklahoma City ended their eight-game win streak Friday. Anthony could return Monday.

Chauncey Billups scored 25 and J.R Smith had 18 for the Nuggets, who've breezed through the new year so far. Denver went 12-3 in January.

George Hill scored 17 points in place of San Antonio's own injured star, Tony Parker. The point guard sat out for the second game with a left ankle sprain.

Magic 91, Pistons 86

At Auburn Hills, Michigan, J.J. Redick scored 17 points and Dwight Howard overcame free-throw problems to put up 16 points and 14 rebounds as Orlando beat struggling Detroit.

The victory means Orlando's Stan Van Gundy will coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game Feb. 14 in Arlington, Texas.

Rodney Stuckey had 18 points and Tayshaun Prince added 16 for Detroit, which lost its fifth straight.

Suns 115, Rockets 111 OT

At Houston, Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 36 points and Steve Nash handed out 16 assists as Phoenix beat Houston in overtime.

Nash scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high eight rebounds, and Grant Hill added 19 points for the Suns, who snapped a five-game road losing streak. Phoenix has won nine of its last 12 games in Houston.

Aaron Brooks scored 24 points after shooting poorly in the first half and Trevor Ariza had 21 for the Rockets.

Raptors 117, Pacers 102

At Toronto, Chris Bosh had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani scored 17 points as Toronto won its fifth straight game.

Former Pacers guard Jarrett Jack scored 16 points and was one of seven Raptors to reach double figures as Toronto shot a season-best 60.2 percent (50 for 83) and topped 100 points for the 13th straight game.

Luther Head scored 15 points as Indiana lost its third straight. Troy Murphy and Brandon Rush each had 14.

76ers 83, Nets 79

At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Andre Iguodala scored 14 points, including seven in a key portion of the third quarter, leading Philadelphia over New Jersey.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Philadelphia, while the lowly Nets (4-42) kept pace with the 1972-73 Sixers for the worst record in NBA history.

The Sixers had five players in double figures, with Samuel Dalembert adding 12 points and 11 rebounds, Lou Williams scoring 11 points and Elton Brand 10.

Jarvis Hayes came off the bench to score a season-high 18 points for the Nets. Brook Lopez also had 18 points and eight rebounds, while Yi Jianlian had 15 points and 11 boards.

Timberwolves 112, Knicks 91

At Minneapolis, Kevin Love had a career-high 25 points to go with 11 rebounds as Minnesota exacted a little payback on New York.

Ryan Hollins had 16 points and three blocks in his second straight strong game since being inserted into the starting lineup for the Timberwolves, who lost by 27 points at Madison Square Garden last week.

Wilson Chandler scored 27 points for the Knicks (18-29), who fell 11 games below .500 for the first time since Dec. 2 when they were 4-15.

Jared Jeffries had 14 points and six rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost three in a row. - AP

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