BOSTON: Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 13 rebounds – one of three Boston players with a double-double – to lead the Celtics to their 12th straight NBA win, 102-90 over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. Paul Pierce had 15 points and 10 assists and Glen Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Atlanta's Marvin Williams had a season-best 26 points and Jeff Teague scored 18. Boston point guard Rajon Rondo missed the game with a sprained ankle and isexpected to be sidelined at least a week. Center Shaquille O'Neal was also out, missing his fourth straight game with a calf strain. Boston led by six points entering the final quarter, but the Hawks closed within 77-75. The Celtics then scored seven straight points, making it 84-77 with just under eight minutes to play and set up victory. Nets 97, Wizards 89: In Newark, New Jersey, the hosts snapped an eight-game losing slump by beating Washington. Devin Harris had 29 points and nine assists and Brook Lopez added 18 points for the Nets, who led by 23 points in the second quarter. The loss was the 13th straight on the road this season for the Wizards, who played without top overall draft pick John Wall and forward Andray Blatche, both of whom have knee problems. Reserve Nick Young led the Wizards with 22 points. Spurs 113, Nuggets 112: In Denver, Manu Ginobili sparked the Spurs to a big fourth-quarter lead and he drew the foul that negated Carmelo Anthony's winning basket in San Antonio's escape from the Nuggets. The Spurs led 111-108 with 8 seconds left when Anthony got behind the defense for a dunk. Antonio McDyess' inbounds pass was deflected by J.R. Smith off Ginobili's head and into the arms of Anthony, whose basket gave the Nuggets a 112-111 lead with 7.1 seconds left. Ginobili's running bank shot at 4.2 seconds put the Spurs back on top 113-112. After a timeout, Anthony got the inbounds pass from Ty Lawson and drove the lane. He ran over Ginobili as he made a buzzer-beater that was called off for an offensive foul. After a review, the officials put .4 seconds back on the clock, and the Spurs inbounded the ball for the win.
