Celtics 102, Wizards 100

Celtics 102, Wizards 100
WASHINGTON -- Antoine Walker had 28 points and 13 rebounds as Boston moved within one game of the last playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Reserve Eric Williams scored 20 points and Chris Herren hit three key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as Boston rallied from a seven-point deficit to snap a two-game losing streak. Richard Hamilton scored 38 points for the Wizards, who have lost four straight and seven of eight. Courtney Alexander added 21. Hamilton scored six straight points early in the fourth quarter as Washington moved out to its largest lead of the game, 88-81.
Pistons 97, Hornets 92
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jerry Stackhouse scored 30 points and Ben Wallace had a career-high 24 rebounds to lead Detroit. Elden Campbell had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who have lost three straight and seven of their last nine. The Hornets were booed off the floor by the few remaining fans at the end of the game, even after Baron Davis hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Pistons took the lead early in the second quarter, built it to as many as 11 points and never gave it up while holding off every Charlotte challenge. Chucky Atkins scored 25 points for the Pistons. Corliss Williamson added 14 and Joe Smith 11. Wallace finished with nine points and was the only starter not to score in double figures. The Pistons had a 46-37 lead at the half, but Charlotte opened the third quarter with a 12-4 run to cut it to 50-49 on Davis' 3-pointer. Charlotte eventually tied it at 61, but Jamal Mashburn had a critical sequence that sparked a 10-2 Detroit run and put the Pistons in control. Mashburn was knocked to the floor when Stackhouse blocked his shot with just under two minutes to play in the quarter. Mashburn didn't run back to play defense, instead staying behind to argue for a foul call. Atkins hit a 21-foot jumper at the other end, just as Mashburn was hit with a technical. Stackhouse made the ensuing free throw to give Detroit a 67-61 lead. The Pistons pushed it to 71-63 by the end of the quarter and the closest Charlotte got the rest of the way was 77-73 on a free throw by Derrick Coleman. But Smith answered with a three-point play and Stackhouse hit a jumper to stretch Detroit's lead to 82-73 with 5:49 left. Davis had 20 points for the Hornets. Mashburn added 18, but continued his recent struggles by shooting just 7-for-23.
Rockets 110, Hawks 97
HOUSTON -- Steve Francis scored 10 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as Houston extended Atlanta's road losing streak to 11 games. Hakeem Olajuwon scored 26 points, Cuttino Mobley added 21 and Kenny Thomas 14 for Houston. Jason Terry led Atlanta with 23 points. Dion Glover scored 17, Nazr Mohammed 15 and Alan Henderson and Lorenzen Wright each added 14.
Nuggets 98, Grizzlies 97
DENVER -- James Posey had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Raef LaFrentz added 19 points as Denver got all its scoring from six players. Robert Pack, filling in for injured point guard Nick Van Exel, had 10 points and 12 assists for the Nuggets. Shareef Abdur-Rahim led Vancouver with 32 points, 13 coming on free throws, and Mike Bibby had 17 points, 18 assists and eight rebounds.
Jazz 116, Mavericks 103
DALLAS -- Karl Malone scored 11 of his 30 points in the third quarter and finished with 11 rebounds. Donyell Marshall Marshall scored 21 points and John Stockton had 15 points and 13 assists. Utah shooting guard Bryon Russell had 18 points and his backup, John Starks, added 16. Juwan Howard finished with 24 points and four rebounds for Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki added 22 points and nine rebounds.
-- Associated Press