WASHINGTON (AP) -Steve Nash delivered a season-high 19 assists, Amare Stoudemire scored 27 points, and Raja Bell had 14 of his 22 points during a game-deciding third quarter, helping Phoenix beat Washington 122-107 Friday night for its fifth consecutive victory.
The Suns led only 60-55 at halftime, before breaking the game open. They outscored Washington 40-21 in the third period, when Bell made all five of his field-goal attempts.
The Suns have won 13 of their past 15 games, including four in a row on the road.
Phoenix finished with a total of 42 assists, the most by any NBA team in a game this season.
Nash finished with 12 points, Leandro Barbosa had 20, Grant Hill had 18 points and eight assists, and Shawn Marion had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Wizards were led by reserve forward Andray Blatche’s 19 points and 10 rebounds. Washington’s leading scorer, Caron Butler, was held to 12 points.
Celtics 112, Raptors 84
BOSTON (AP) – Kevin Garnett scored 23 points and Boston improved to 10-0 at home, the franchise’s best start at home since winning 12 straight to open the 1984-85 season.
Paul Pierce had 18 points and Ray Allen 13 for Boston (16-2), which broke it open early. Boston has won all but one of its home games by double digits – eight by 20 points or more.
Anthony Parker led the injury-riddled Raptors with 13 points. T.J. Ford, Joey Graham and Juan Dixon had 12 apiece.
With the Raptors missing Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani, two of their better inside players, the Celtics were able to work the ball down low easily and pull away in the second quarter.
Hornets 118, Grizzlies 116, OT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Chris Paul hit a driving layup through a crowd of defenders with 1.8 seconds left in overtime, capping a game of career highs and lifting New Orleans over Memphis.
Paul hit five 3-pointers on his way to 43 points, both career highs, to go with nine assists and four steals. He also made a pair of crucial free throws that tied the game at 107 with 33.1 seconds left, a score that held until overtime, when New Orleans never seems to lose anymore.
The Hornets won their 12th straight overtime game, a streak going back to the 2005-06 season. It was also their third overtime victory this season, the second against the Grizzlies.
David West scored 27 for New Orleans, which played most of the game without starting shooting guard Morris Peterson (lower back strain) and all the second half without Peja Stojakovic (strained left groin). Tyson Chandler had 13 points and 19 rebounds.
Pacers 115, Magic 109
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Danny Granger scored a season-high 27 points, Jamaal Tinsley had 20 points and 10 assists and seven players total scored in double figures for Indiana.
Jermaine O’Neal had 15 points and Marquis Daniels 13 off the bench for the Pacers, who rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit.
Dwight Howard led Orlando with 30 points and 15 rebounds. Rashard Lewis added 24 points and Keith Bogans had 14, but the Magic hit only 33.3 percent of their shots in the second half.
Trailing 93-89 with 8:45 left in the game, the Pacers used a 14-1 run to erase the last of what had been a 73-58 deficit in the third quarter.
Bulls 98, Pistons 91
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) – Andres Nocioni scored 22 points and Ben Wallace added 10 points and 13 rebounds to lead Chicago, which has won four of its last five.
Luol Deng had 17 points and Joe Smith added 14 rebounds.
Chauncey Billups had 27 points and Richard Hamilton added 24 for Detroit, but only had two in the final period. Rasheed Wallace finished with 18.
Despite being the only Pistons player to score in the first 9:53 of the fourth period, Billups had the deficit down to 83-80 at one point. But Chicago held on for its fourth straight win against Detroit.
76ers 101, Knicks 90
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Samuel Dalembert scored 20 points, Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala each scored 15 and Philadelphia snapped a three-game losing streak.
Jamal Crawford scored New York’s first 16 points in the fourth and finished with 28 points. David Lee had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Stephon Marbury returned to the lineup a day after attending the funeral of his father, Donald, who died Sunday night. Marbury briefly considered skipping the game, and scored only two points in the first half before spending the entire second half on the bench.
Reggie Evans added 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers.
Rockets 96, Nets 89
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Yao Ming had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Tracy McGrady added 24 points, and Houston never trailed in beating New Jersey.
Jason Kidd returned to the Nets’ lineup after a one-game absence, and finished with 10 points – eight in the fourth quarter – seven rebounds and seven assists.
Rafer Alston scored 15 points and Shane Battier had 12 for the Rockets, who won for the fifth straight time in New Jersey. The Rockets have won five of seven following a six-game skid.
Vince Carter matched his season high with 32 points, winning his scoring duel with cousin McGrady. Richard Jefferson finished with 29, but the Nets fell to a dismal 4-8 at home.
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