The Boston Celtics overcame a sluggish start to streak to their 10th successive victory with a 106-80 crushing of the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
Seven Boston players finished in double figures and the Eastern Conference leaders used strong second-half defense to boost their league-best road record to 11-1.
Rajon Rondo provided 16 points and 14 assists and Kevin Garnett also had a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Reserves Rasheed Wallace and Eddie House both had 15 points with starters Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Ray Allen also in double figures.
“In the first half, I thought [the bench] was the group that actually stretched the lead for us and got us going,” Boston coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “I thought in the first quarter we just traded baskets. Once we just started defending in the second quarter, we stretched the lead.”
Derrick Rose scored 19 points and Luol Deng 17 for the Bulls, who slumped to their eighth loss in 10 games despite scoring the contest’s first six points.
Boston quickly made up the difference on two Pierce three-pointers and ended the quarter with a 29-26 advantage.
The Celtics blew the game open in the second half when Chicago shot only 26 percent and were outscored 52-34.
The Bulls did not make a field goal for the final 6:17 of the third quarter and were behind by 20 points at quarter’s end.
“They’re struggling offensively,” Rondo said. “They scored at a high level last year. I’m sure they’re missing [Ben] Gordon [injured]. He made tough shots for them. They don’t have a lot of 3-point shooting guys. Most of their guys are slashers.”
JAZZ 102, LAKERS 94
Utah kept an injured Kobe Bryant to only 16 points and the Jazz defeated the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers 102-94 on Saturday, snapping the Lakers’ 11-game win streak.
Deron Williams scored 21 points and passed out 11 assists, while Wesley Matthews and Ronnie Brewer each scored 19 points as the Jazz dropped the Lakers out of the overall NBA lead.
The Lakers fell to 18-4, tumbling behind Boston at 19-4 for the best record in the league after the Celtics won their 10th in a row, while the Jazz rose to 14-9, still second to Denver in the Northwest division.
Kobe Bryant, who suffered a broken index finger on Friday in a victory over Minnesota, shot only 7-of-24 from the field and did not score in the second half until the final five minutes of the game when the Jazz led by 16 points.
Williams opened the fourth quarter with eight points in a row, two more than the Jazz scored in the entire fourth quarter on Wednesday in a loss to the Lakers at Los Angeles.
Ron Artest and Spanish big man Pau Gasol each scored 16 points for the Lakers, with Gasol also grabbing a game-high 20 rebounds.
NUGGETS 105, SUNS 99
NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony poured in 32 points and Chauncey Billups added 24 points, all in the second half, to power the Denver Nuggets past Phoenix 105-99 on Saturday.
Brazil’s Nene added 15 points as the Nuggets improved to 17-7, remaining 2 1/2 games above Utah atop the Northwest division.
Canadian guard Steve Nash scored 28 points to lead the Suns, who fell to 16-8 to fall three games behind the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific division.
Grant Hill and Amare Stoudemire each added 13 points for the Suns.
Nash missed a layup with seven seconds to play and Anthony grabbed a loose ball and was fouled.
Suns coach Alvin Gentry was ejected after yelling at a referee and Anthony sank four free throws to seal the Denver Nuggets’ triumph.
Saturday’s other NBA results:
• Mavericks 98, Bobcats 97, OT
• Pacers 114, Wizards 113
• Pistons 104, Warriors 95
• Bucks 108, Trail Blazers 101, 2OT
• Kings 120, Timberwolves 100
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