Celtics beat Jazz 100-91 for 15th straight win
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:59 AM PST
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics will take 15 straight victories to Atlanta, where another long winning streak just ended.
Paul Pierce hopes to be on the court with them.
Pierce hurt his left knee during a scramble for a defensive rebound with 31 seconds left in the Celtics’ 100-91 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night and was helped off the court at the end of the game.
‘‘It should be all right,’’ Pierce said. ‘‘I put a little weight on it. It didn’t go back that far, so it should be all right.’’
The Celtics hope to have him Wednesday when they visit the Hawks, who are 9-1 at home. Two nights after snapping Cleveland’s 11-game winning streak, Atlanta beat visiting Charlotte 83-79 Monday.
Rajon Rondo scored 12 of his career-high 25 points in the final 5:20, and Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Kendrick Perkins added 15 points and 14 rebounds to help the Celtics avenge the worst loss of their 2007-08 championship season.
Pierce scored 15 points as Boston improved to 23-2. The best start in NBA history with two losses is 26-2, set by the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and matched by the ’69-70 Knicks.
Paul Millsap led Utah with a career-high 32 points.
Suns 111, Knicks 103
At Phoenix, Steve Nash scored 21 points, including a game-clinching 3-pointer with 28 seconds to play, and the Suns spoiled New York coach Mike D’Antoni’s return to US Airways Center.
Shaquille O’Neal had 23 points, making 11 of 18 free throws, and 12 rebounds. Amare Stoudemire added 21 points and 14 boards for the Suns, who topped 110 points for the fourth game in a row.
Nate Robinson scored 27, 17 after halftime, in his second game back from a groin injury for New York. Al Harrington added 24, but D’Antoni’s run-and-shoot squad was just 5-of-37 on 3-pointers.
Kings 118, Timberwolves 103
At Sacramento, Calif., Francisco Garcia scored 21 points, John Salmons added 17, and Sacramento won its first game under interim coach Kenny Natt.
A few hours after the Kings fired Reggie Theus, Natt led Sacramento to just its second win in 12 games.
Al Jefferson scored all of his 22 points in the first half for Minnesota, which dropped its 10th straight and dropped to 0-5 under Kevin McHale, who replaced Randy Wittman last week.
Nuggets 98, Mavericks 88
At Dallas, J.R. Smith scored 25 points, Carmelo Anthony added 23, and Denver extended its winning streak to four games.
Chauncey Billups had 15 points and eight assists for the Nuggets, who have won seven of eight and improved to 16-4 since Billups joined the team after a Nov. 3 trade with the Detroit Pistons.
Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavs. Josh Howard returned after missing 11 straight games with a sprained left ankle and had seven points in 14 minutes.
Magic 109, Warriors 98
At Oakland, Calif., Jameer Nelson scored 23 of his career high-tying 32 points in the second half, and Orlando won for the fourth time in five road games.
Marcin Gortat, starting in place of injured Dwight Howard, had career bests with 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Magic improved to 19-6, their best 25-game start since opening the 1994-95 season 20-5.
Andris Beidrins scored 23 points to lead the Warriors, who have lost 12 of their last 14.
Nets 94, Raptors 87
At Toronto, Vince Carter had 20 points and 10 rebounds against his former team, Ryan Anderson scored 21 points, and New Jersey snapped a three-game losing streak.
Devin Harris added 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Chris Bosh and Jason Kapono each scored 17 for the Raptors, who have lost seven of nine.
Pacers 118, Wizards 98
At Washington, Danny Granger scored 27 points and Marquis Daniels had 20 as Indiana snapped a six-game losing streak.
Antawn Jamison had 26 points and a season-high 15 rebounds — his 14th double-double this season — and Caron Butler scored 26 for Washington, which has the Eastern Conference’s worst record (4-18) and has lost six of seven.
