Chris Paul scored 20 points and added 11 assists on Friday to spark the New Orleans Hornets past Boston 83-81, handing the Celtics only their second home loss in 15 games this season.
David West added 19 points for New Orleans, while Emeka Okafor contributed 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who seized the lead with a third-quarter surge.
The Celtics scored 16 points in a row in the fourth quarter, Allen producing the last eight of them, for a 73-66 edge. However, the Hornets answered with an 11-2 run, retaking the lead at 77-75 on Marco Belinelli’s three-pointer with 3 minutes, 6 seconds to play.
West sank a free-throw to produce the final margin, but Ray Allen, who led Boston with 18 points, missed a game-tying jump shot with six seconds remaining and Paul grabbed the rebound to seal Boston’s fate.
Paul Pierce added 12 points for the Celtics, while Shaquille O’Neal scored 10 in a losing cause.
The Eastern Conference--leading Celtics fell to 24-7, level with Dallas for the second-best record in the NBA after San Antonio, with only their second home loss in 15 games this season.
New Orleans improved to 19-15, sixth in the Western Conference, but 10 games adrift of San Antonio in the Southwest Division.
Boston’s second loss in a row came two days after star forward Kevin Garnett was injured in the first quarter of a 104-92 defeat at Detroit. Garnett will miss about two weeks with a sprained right calf muscle.
The Celtics are also without guard Rajon Rondo, sidelined by a sprained ankle, and guard Delonte West, who has a broken wrist.
Thunder 103, Hawks 94
In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant hit a season-high five three--pointers and scored 33 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Durant went three for three on three-pointers during a 16-6 run in the fourth quarter as the Thunder put the game away after Atlanta had pulled within two points.
Russell Westbrook finished off a triple-double with his 10th assist in the final seconds. Westbrook finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists — the last coming when he rushed the ball up to Serge Ibaka for a dunk with 6.9 seconds left instead of running down the clock. Players from both teams stayed on the court for a few moments after the game as the Hawks were apparently upset by the final sequence.
Jamal Crawford led Atlanta with 26 points.
Lakers 102, 76ers 98
In Los Angeles, the hosts were unconvincing yet again, but did enough to sneak past a pesky Philadelphia.
Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and hit a tiebreaking jumper with 1 minute, 15 seconds to play.
Pau Gasol had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers, as the defending champions barely hung on to win the NBA’s final game of the year
Los Angeles never trailed for the sixth time this season, but also couldn’t shake the young Sixers until Philadelphia missed five shots in the final minute.
Jrue Holiday had 19 points and 11 assists for the Sixers, whose eight-game road trip concludes tomorrow in New Orleans.
Bulls 90, Nets 81
In Chicago, the home team made it 12 wins from 14 games with victory over New Jersey.
Carlos Boozer scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Luol Deng and Derrick Rose scored 19 apiece as the Bulls made enough late shots after struggling from the field for much of the game.
Brook Lopez led New Jersey with 19 points. The Nets dropped their fourth straight, but at least they didn’t get blown out this time.
Outscored by a combined 51 points over the previous three games, the Nets hung in against the Central Division leaders.
Rockets 114, Raptors 105
In Houston, Texas, reserve guard Chase Budinger scored a season-high 22 points to help Houston overcome Toronto.
Kevin Martin added 20 for the Rockets, who shook off a poor first quarter to shoot 48 percent (44 of 91) and win for the ninth time in 10 home games.
DeMar DeRozan scored a -career-high 37 points for the Raptors, who’ve dropped 10 of their last 13 games.
Suns 92, Pistons 75
In Phoenix, Arizona, the reserves built a big lead in the second quarter that helped Phoenix take control and go on to beat Detroit.
Jared Dudley scored nine of his 19 points in the second quarter.
Dudley made three three--pointers during a 22-4 run over seven minutes of the second quarter, while backup point guard Goran Dragic hit two threes of his own to help the Suns to a 50-28 lead.
Phoenix snapped a season-worst four-game losing streak.
Ben Gordon scored 19 points to lead the Pistons.
Warriors 96, Bobcats 95
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Golden State held off a late rally to beat Charlotte.
Monta Ellis scored 25 points and Stephen Curry added 24 points for the Warriors, who led by as many as 11 points midway through the third quarter and held a six-point lead with 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining.
Stephen Jackson scored 22 points for the Bobcats, but missed a three-pointer with two seconds remaining.
Pacers 95, Wizards 86
In Indianapolis, Indiana, the Pacers pulled away early and won against Washington.
Danny Granger and Darren Collison scored 18 points apiece.
Granger shot eight of 12 from the field and scored 13 of his points in the first half in helping the Pacers snap a three-game losing streak.
John Wall scored 25 for the Wizards, who are 0-16 on the road this season and 8-7 at home.
The Pacers took control of the game with a 20-4 run in the second, giving them a 45-26 lead. The Wizards shot two of 14 in the quarter.
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