Kevin Garnett scored twice before Miami made a basket as the Boston Celtics held the Heat to an NBA-record low 17 field goals, coasting to an 88-62 victory on Sunday.
The matchup of the NBA's best team and its worst was even more lopsided than anticipated. Boston were up 27-4 after 10 minutes and Celtics coach Doc Rivers started subbing for his starters just 7 minutes, 10 seconds into the game. Boston's reserves finished the first quarter, handled most of the second and all of the fourth as no starter played more than 25 minutes.
Leon Powe had 17 points and 13 rebounds for Boston and Garnett finished with 12 points, five assists and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
PHOTO: AP
Lakers 126, Wizards 120
In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored six of his 26 points in overtime as Los Angeles downed Washington to snap a two-game losing skid.
Sasha Vujacic scored 20 points, Luke Walton added 19, Vladimir Radmanovic 18 and Lamar Odom had 10 points and 13 rebounds as the Lakers notched their 50th victory for the 29th time in franchise history.
Rookie Nick Young led the Wizards with a career-high 27 points and DeShawn Stevenson matched him. Caron Butler had 17 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists and Antawn Jamison added 17.
Trailing by a point with a minute left in overtime, the Lakers went to Bryant, who two days ago scored 53 in a 114-111 loss to Memphis.
He hit three consecutive free throws to put them ahead for good. The Wizards were scoreless over the final 1 minute, 18 seconds.
Warriors 114, Mavericks 104
In Oakland, California, Monta Ellis scored 30 points and Kelenna Azubuike hit two clutch shots down the stretch to help Golden State create a three-way tie for seventh place in the ultracompetitive Western Conference.
With nine games remaining, Dallas, Golden State and Denver are all even at 45-28. If the season ended today, the Warriors would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs because they have lost two of three to both the Nuggets and Mavericks. But if Golden State manage to beat Denver and Dallas in their final meetings, the Mavericks would be the odd team out in a three-way tie.
Josh Howard scored 36 to lead Dallas in his third straight 30-point game since Nowitzki went down with an injury.
Other results from the NBA on Sunday:
* Spurs 109, Rockets 88
* Timberwolves 110, Jazz 103
* Hawks 114, Knicks 109
* Hornets 118, Raptors 111
* Cavaliers 91, 76ers 88
* Kings 120, SuperSonics 107
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