Boston rested its starters in the fourth quarter while beating up on a non-contender for the second straight home game. But in between was a 104-93 loss at Cleveland that could be a more important measurement of where the Celtics stand in the playoff hunt.
Will Bynum had 16 points and seven assists, and Jason Maxiell had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, who lost Tayshaun Prince to a first-quarter back injury, then dropped their second straight game and their ninth out of 11.
In Houston, Aaron Brooks swished a jumper with 2.9 seconds left and scored 31 points to help Houston snap Denver’s six-game winning streak.
Carmelo Anthony scored 45 points for the Nuggets, but missed a 3-point try at the buzzer. Luis Scola grabbed the final rebound and finished with 23 points and 11 boards.
Scola was coming off a career-high, 44-point game, and converted a key three-point play with 41 seconds remaining to put Houston ahead 122-121.
Kevin Martin scored 29 points for Houston. Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith added 17 apiece for the Nuggets.
In Oakland, Calif., Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and Pau Gasol added 26 to lead Los Angeles to its ninth straight victory over Golden State.
Andrew Bynum added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Lamar Odom had 17 points and 12 boards for the Lakers, who have won three straight following their first three-game losing streak in more than two years.
The Lakers led by 11 late in the fourth quarter but barely held on for the victory. It wasn’t sealed until Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis missed 3-pointers in the final seconds. Ellis’ last-ditch attempt bounced on the rim three times before falling aside at the buzzer.
Curry scored 29 points for the Warriors, who have lost seven of eight.
In Salt Lake City, Carlos Boozer scored 23 points, Deron Williams notched his 35th double-double of the season, and Utah ended a two-game losing streak by beating Washington.
Williams finished with 17 points and 11 assists, and keyed a 17-6 run at the start of the third quarter that turned the game into a rout.
Andray Blatche scored 24 points and Mike Miller added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who lost their eighth straight game.
Washington shot just 3 of 22 from the field and was outscored 31-15 in the third quarter as Utah built a 90-60 lead.
In Los Angeles, David West scored 24 points and New Orleans snapped a seven-game road losing streak, completing a four-game season sweep of the Clippers.
New Orleans beat the Clippers for the 13th straight time since a 100-90 loss on Jan. 8, 2007, in Oklahoma City, which was the Hornets’ temporary home for one season because of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
Darren Collison, New Orleans’ first-round draft pick out of UCLA, had 18 points and 14 assists. Emeka Okafor, the only player to start all 68 games for the injury-depleted Hornets, had 14 rebounds and 12 points.
The Clippers lost their eighth straight game overall and 10th in their last 11. Baron Davis had 18 points and 17 assists after getting in early foul trouble.
In Philadelphia, Danilo Gallinari scored 21 points, Toney Douglas added 20 and New York won its second straight on the road by rallying past struggling Philadelphia.
Al Harrington contributed 15, Tracy McGrady scored 14 and Wilson Chandler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks (24-43), who snapped the Dallas Mavericks’ 13-game win streak with a convincing 128-94 victory last Saturday.
David Lee grabbed 16 rebounds as the Knicks improved to 2-2 on this five-game road trip.
Jrue Holiday scored 18 points, Willie Green added 17 and Andre Iguodala had 14 points and a career-high 17 rebounds for the Sixers (23-44), who have dropped five in a row and 10 of their last 11. The Sixers are just 10-22 at home.
