LOS ANGELES: Baron Davis hit a long, fallaway jump shot at the buzzer as the Los Angeles Clippers dramatically snapped the Boston Celtics’ nine-game road winning streak with a 92-90 victory on Sunday.
Rajon Rondo scored 20 points for the Celtics, but missed two potential go-ahead free throws—actually three, including another that was waved off — with 1.5 seconds left in just the Celtics’ second loss in 16 games.
Davis had 24 points and 13 assists for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Rasual Butler hit a dramatic tying 3-pointer off a drive-and-dish pass from Davis with 8.5 seconds left.
Kevin Garnett had 12 points and eight rebounds while playing mostly on the perimeter with a sore back for the Celtics, whose three-game winning streak ended two days after their impressive Christmas victory over the Orlando Magic. Boston managed just two points in the final 3:30.
Spurs 95, Knicks 85: At New York, Tony Parker scored 22 points, Manu Ginobili added 17, and the duo made the key plays in the final minutes to power San Antonio to a victory over New York.
Tim Duncan finished with 13 points while being outplayed by David Lee, but Parker and Ginobili combined for all of San Antonio’s points after the game was tied at 84 with under 3 1/2 minutes remaining. The Spurs won for the eighth time in 10 games following a three-game skid earlier this month.
Lee matched a season high with 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, but the Knicks finished 3-2 on their five-game homestand after losing the last two. Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington each scored 19.
Cavaliers 108, Rockets 83: At Cleveland, LeBron Jamesscored 29 points and Mo Williams added 20 points as Cleveland used a flurry of 3-pointers and a stifling defense for their ninth win in 10 games.
James and Williams combined to make five 3-pointers in less than three minutes early in the third quarter, stretching Cleveland’s lead to 68-53. The margin didn’t dip below 15 the rest of the way.
Shaquille O’Neal had 13 points and 11 rebounds, for the Cavaliers (24-8), who have won four straight.
Aaron Brooks had 23 points for Houston, but only five in the second half, for Houston (18-13), which scored a season-low 83 points.
Raptors 102, Pistons 95: At Toronto, Chris Bosh had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Jarrett Jack scored 17 points as Toronto extended its winning streak to a season-high four games.
Even with Richard Hamilton Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon all back in the lineup, the Pistons couldn’t stop their losing streak from reaching seven games. Detroit has not topped 100 points in any of those defeats.
Hamilton and Gordon each scored 15 and Jonas Jerebko and Rodney Stuckey both had 14 for the Pistons. Ben Wallace had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Mavericks 104, Nuggets 96: At Denver, Drew Gooden scored 19 points and Dirk Nowitzki hit a vital 3-pointer late in the game as Dallas handed Denver its second loss at home this season.
Dallas snapped a five-game regular-season slide against Denver.
Gooden was back in the lineup after missing a game with back spasms. The forward also had 10 rebounds. Nowitzki added 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Denver was led in scoring by Kenyon Martin with 18 points. He also had 11 rebounds. Carmelo Anthonywas held to 16 points, well below his league-leading average of 30.4 entering the game.
