Click here to subscribe today or Login.
The Celtics’ Kevin Garnett defends as Philadelphia 76ers’ Spencer Hawes scores in the first half of Friday’s game in Philadelphia.
AP PHOTO
PHILADELPHIA — Spencer Hawes had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Elton Brand scored 14 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 89-86 on Friday night.
The Sixers led by 10 points and controlled the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics for most of the fourth quarter.
The Celtics missed eight straight baskets over a 6-minute span late in the fourth to lose only their eighth conference game of the season.
Lou Williams’ jumper just a shade over the 5-minute mark put the Sixers ahead 83-81 and they never trailed again. Jodie Meeks made two free throws after he was hammered by Paul Pierce on a fast break attempt and the Sixers came away with one of their biggest wins of the season.
Nenad Krstic had 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Celtics.
Andre Iguodala had 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Sixers. Meeks scored 12 and Thaddeus Young 11.
The Celtics took their final lead on Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 6:27 left in the fourth to make it 81-79. That was it from the floor until Kevin Garnett scored a bucket in the final seconds.
It was an off night for the Big Three: Garnett scored 14 points, Pierce had 11 and Allen five. Jeff Green led Boston with 18 points.
The Sixers left the court to a rousing standing ovation. The sellout crowd, with several pockets colored with Celtics green, was standing from the start for this potential first-round playoff series.
Nets 102, Clippers 98, OT
NEWARK, N.J. — Brook Lopez and Jordan Farmar each scored 24 points, combining for all eight of New Jersey’s in overtime, and the Nets rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers for their fourth straight victory.
Kris Humphries had 19 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and made all eight shots while playing All-Star Blake Griffin to at least a draw as the Nets erased a 20-point deficit for their longest winning streak since also taking four in a row from Jan. 31-Feb. 7, 2009.
Bobcats 97, Trail Blazers 92
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stephen Jackson scored 18 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead three-point play, and the Bobcats beat the Portland Trail Blazers to spoil Gerald Wallace’s return to Charlotte.
In his first game back from a hamstring injury, Jackson finished one point shy of the team record for points in a quarter held by Wallace as Charlotte snapped a six-game losing streak.
Raptors 108, Pacers 98
TORONTO — Leandro Barbosa scored a season-high 29 points, Ed Davis had 12 points and 13 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the Pacers, Indiana’s fifth straight loss in Toronto.
The Pacers lost their sixth straight overall and dropped into a tie with Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the East after the Bobcats beat Portland.
DeMar DeRozan scored 16 points and James Johnson had 13 for the Raptors, who had lost three straight and 23 of 27.
Jose Calderon had 13 points and eight assists and Reggie Evans had 16 rebounds as Toronto won for the third time in six at home.
Thunder 104, Pistons 94
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 24 points, James Harden continued his late-season surge with 22 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Detroit Pistons.
Russell Westbrook added 13 points and 11 assists for Oklahoma City, which pulled ahead to stay just before halftime then held off a charge by the Pistons.
Richard Hamilton had his second straight 20-point game for Detroit, Rodney Stuckey scored 16 and Greg Monroe added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Bulls 94, Hawks 76
CHICAGO — Derrick Rose came on strong after a slow start to finish with 34 points, and the Chicago Bulls ran away with their 12th win in 14 games, beating the struggling Atlanta Hawks.
Leading the way was Rose with 18 points in the period as the Bulls outscored Atlanta 24-10 to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 72-60 lead.
Timberwolves 122, Jazz 101
MINNEAPOLIS — Kevin Love had 24 points and 12 rebounds and the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled to a victory over the sputtering Utah Jazz.