Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce each scored 16 points, and the visiting Boston Celtics bounced back from their first loss of the season to beat the winless New Jersey Nets 86-76 on Saturday night.
Ray Allen came alive after three dismal quarters to score eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter for the Celtics (7-1), who lost 110-103 to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, allowing 20 more points than in any previous game.
Their defense was back Saturday — and it needed to be, because the Celtics couldn’t shoot for most of the night. Boston finished with 20 steals, five by Rondo, scoring 19 points off New Jersey’s 24 turnovers.
Kevin Garnett shot 3 of 13 but added nine points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who beat the Nets for the 10th straight time, their longest winning streak in the series since claiming 11 in a row from 1980-82.
HAWKS 125, NUGGETS 100 — Jamal Crawford scored 25 points, and Josh Smith had 22 points, nine rebounds, six blocked shots and seven assists in host Atlanta’s victory over Denver.
Carmelo Anthony had 30 points for Denver, and Chauncey Billups added 25. The Nuggets lost their second straight after winning their first five.
NETS — Chris Douglas-Roberts has tested positive for swine flu, another blow to a New Jersey team that is losing players as quickly as games.
Douglas-Roberts had started every game for the winless Nets until missing a loss at Philadelphia on Friday with flu-like symptoms.
Nets president Rod Thorn confirmed Douglas-Roberts tested positive for the H1N1 virus and is being treated accordingly.
GRIZZLIES — Disgruntled Memphis guard Allen Iverson returned to his home in Atlanta after receiving permission to leave the team to attend to personal business.
Team owner Michael Heisley gave the four-time NBA scoring leader permission to skip the Grizzlies’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers following a 114-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night at Staples Center.
PISTONS — Detroit forward Tayshaun Prince will be out of the lineup indefinitely due to a small rupture of a disc in his lower back.
BULLS — Chicago forward Tyrus Thomas had surgery on his left forearm, a day after he broke it during a weight-training session.
Thomas is expected to miss four to six weeks.
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