Cavs close with 12-0 run to beat Celtics


January 29, 2012 at 9:03p.m.

Cavs close with 12-0 run to beat Celtics

BOSTON (AP) — Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, sinking a layup with 2.6 seconds left as the Cleveland Cavaliers scored the last 12 points of the game to beat the Boston Celtics 88-87 on Sunday night.

Anderson Varejao scored 18 points and added nine rebounds for Cleveland, which had lost five of its last six games.

Ray Allen returned from an ankle injury and scored 22 points, making 4 of 6 from 3-point range. But he missed a jumper from the left corner when Boston still held a one-point lead on its second-to-last possession. Paul Pierce scored 18 points with six rebounds and five assists for the Celtics, who had won four in a row.