NEW YORK — The Boston Celtics became the
first team to reach 40 wins in the NBA this season with a
104-97 road victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.
With starters Kevin Garnett and Kendrick
Perkins still absent through injury, Paul Pierce stepped up to
score 28 points and grab 12 rebounds to help the Celtics earn
their fourth win in a row and improve to 40-9.
Boston coach Doc Rivers was not getting
carried away with the number of wins his team had garnered.
"I’m not looking at numbers and I didn’t
even know we had made 40 wins," Rivers said.
"But we’re getting better and better. We
just need to keep improving. Every night is a new test."
Pierce, who will play in Sunday’s All-Star
game, also had five assists. Ray Allen had 23 points while
Leon Powe added 16 points and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo had
12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Danny Granger led the Pacers with 10
points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
"This was definitely a winnable game,"
Granger said.
"We let it get away at the end with a lack
of execution and our usual letdown in the stretch."
The Pacers played without the injured
Jermaine O’Neal and Jamaal Tinsley.
Chauncey Billups scored 12 of his 16 points
in the fourth quarter to help the visiting Detroit Pistons
earn a 94-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks, their ninth
consecutive victory.
The Miami Heat piled up their 23rd loss in
24 games, going down 114-113 in a home overtime loss to the
Denver Nuggets.
The Memphis Grizzlies ended a six-game
losing streak with a 107-94 home win over the Sacramento
Kings.
It was the Grizzlies’ first win since
trading Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The New Orleans Hornets improved to 35-15 with a 100-86
road victory over the Chicago Bulls.
