NBA ROUNDUP | Thursday’s games
Celtics 94, Mavericks 90
DALLAS — Ray Allen returned from a three-game injury absence and a long time on the bench in the first quarter to nail a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31.7 seconds left, lifting the Boston Celtics past the Dallas Mavericks to complete an impressive swept in the Lone Star State. No team had gone 3-0 in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas since the Sacramento Kings in November 2001. After giving the Spurs their first home loss in six weeks, then ending Houston’s 22-game winning streak, they came back to give the Mavericks just their sixth home loss.
Spurs 102, Bulls 80
CHICAGO — Tony Parker scored 23 points and Tim Duncan had 22 to go with 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs ended a four-game losing streak. The defending NBA champs avoided their first five-game losing streak since the 1996-97 season — the one before Duncan’s rookie year. And they had such an easy time of it that Duncan and Parker were able to rest in the fourth quarter. Luol Deng led the sagging Bulls with 18 points and Drew Gooden added 16 as Chicago fell 14 games under .500. Parker had 10 points in the second quarter when San Antonio took control. His quickness combined with Duncan’s steady play on the inside and strong defense sent the Spurs on a 22-4 run that opened up a 53-33 lead late in the half. The Bulls shot only 6-for-17 in the second quarter while the Spurs were 13-for-22 to lead 55-37 at the half as Duncan scored 15 and Parker 14. Parker continued to race through the Bulls’ defense in the third quarter and when the lead reached 74-47, boos poured out from the United Center. Trailing by as many as 28, the Bulls staged a mini-rally to get within 19, but the Spurs got a 3-pointer from Ime Udoka for an 86-64 lead after three.
Associated Press