nba roundup Monday’s games

Celtics 104, Suns 87

BOSTON — Rajon Rondo scored 23 points in the first three quarters, and Ray Allen scored 20 before sitting out the fourth with the rest of the Boston starters as the Celtics opened a 30-point lead and coasted. Kevin Garnett had 16 points with eight rebounds, and Paul Pierce had 12 points with eight rebounds and eight assists to help Boston take a 64-34 halftime lead. The Celtics have won five straight since a 2-7 slump that was the worst stretch of the new Big Three era. Shaquille O’Neal scored 16 with 11 rebounds for Phoenix, which had won seven of its last 10. Amare Stoudemire, the Suns’ leading scorer, had just three points on 0-for-7 shooting.

Rockets 115, Nuggets 113

HOUSTON — Yao Ming scored 31 points and Rafer Alston added 18 points and 11 assists for Houston. Von Wafer had 18 and Luis Scola 16 for the Rockets, who have won five of their last six games and four of five since Ron Artest and Tracy McGrady were shelved to recover from nagging injuries. J.R. Smith scored 24, Nene had 23 and Kenyon Martin had 22 for the Nuggets, but Martin missed two free throws with 2.6 seconds left that would have tied the game.

Mavericks 95, 76ers 93

PHILADELPHIA — Dirk Nowitzki hit a turnaround 20-foot jumper at the buzzer and finished with 24 points as the Mavericks snapped Philadelphia’s season-high seven-game winning streak. Jason Kidd had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Jason Terry added 20 and Josh Howard had 10 for the Mavericks (24-17). Lou Williams scored 25 points, while Andre Iguodala had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers (20-21), who are trying to climb above .500 for the first time since Nov. 23 when they were 7-6. Andre Miller added 12 points for the 76ers, whose four-game home winning streak ended.

Knicks 102, Bulls 98

NEW YORK — Chris Duhon scored with 31.2 seconds remaining to help the Knicks beat his old team. Duhon, questionable with back spasms before the game, drove around two defenders to put the Knicks up 99-98. He then hit two free throws with 22.8 seconds remaining to extend the lead to three after Bulls rookie Derrick Rose missed on a drive. It was Rose’s arrival as the No. 1 overall draft pick that made Duhon expendable before this season, and the point guard signed with the Knicks as a free agent. Ben Gordon, who had just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting, then shot an airball on a 3-point attempt. Duhon finished with 19 points. Luol Deng and Rose each had 20 for Chicago.

Hawks 87, Raptors 84

ATLANTA — Joe Johnson scored 28 points, including a key jumper with 12.5 seconds left, Mike Bibby added 23 as the Hawks rallied to beat the Raptors despite missing two injured starters. Josh Smith, the Hawks’ only healthy regular up front, had 22 points and 14 rebounds. Al Horford was out with a bone bruise in his right knee and Marvin Williams was absent after sustaining a concussion. Toronto lost its sixth in a row. Chris Bosh had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Spurs 86, Bobcats 84

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tim Duncan blocked Raymond Felton’s tying shot attempt in the frantic final seconds to help the Spurs. Duncan’s block squirted to Boris Diaw, but he missed a game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Bobcats, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Duncan had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Tony Parker added 13 points and 10 assists for the Spurs, who rallied from a nine-point third-quarter deficit for their second straight win following a 22-point loss to Philadelphia. Raja Bell scored 25 points in his best offensive performance since being acquired by the Bobcats last month. Diaw added 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Warriors 119, Wizards 98

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jamal Crawford had 28 points and eight assists, and Stephen Jackson added 26 points in the Warriors’ third win in four home games. Corey Maggette scored 16 points for the Warriors, who had won three of four just once previously in their disappointing season. Golden State comfortably held off the Wizards, hitting 13 3-pointers and making 53 percent of its shots against Washington’s sketchy defense. Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche scored 22 points apiece for the Wizards, who lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Timberwolves 94, Clippers 86

LOS ANGELES — Al Jefferson scored 20 points and tied a season high with 17 rebounds, and Craig Smith also had 20 points in the Timberwolves’ victory. The Timberwolves have won seven of their last eight games after losing 15 of 17. They have won a season-high four straight on the road for the first time since December 2005, when they won five in a row away from Target Center.

Hornets 103, Pacers 100

NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul capped a 27-point performance with an off-balance 3-pointer as time expired, lifting the hobbled Hornets. Peja Stojakovic hit five 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 26 points for New Orleans. The Hornets started the game without David West (back) and lost center Tyson Chandler (left ankle) late in the second quarter. Indiana’s Danny Granger scored 30 points, including a tying 3 with 2.5 seconds left.

Pistons 87, Grizzlies 79

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Allen Iverson scored 27 points to lead Detroit, ending the Pistons’ longest losing streak in five seasons. Rasheed Wallace scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to help bring Detroit’s five-game skid to an end. The Grizzlies lost their sixth straight and for the 14th time in 16 games. Iverson and Wallace took over to score Detroit’s final 10 points in the last five minutes after the Grizzlies tied the game at 77.

Associated Press