Wolves 102, Celtics 98
BOSTON — Chauncey Billups scored a game-high 29 points against his former team, and Kevin Garnett added 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 102-98 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.
It was Minnesota's fifth straight win against Boston and its second victory in five games. The Celtics lost for the third time in four games.
Terrell Brandon hit four free throws in the final 15 seconds to put the game away for Minnesota. Wally Szczerbiak added 18 for the Timberwolves.
Billups, drafted by Boston as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft and traded before the All-Star break that season, scored 10 third-quarter points and finished three points shy of his career high.
Paul Pierce finished with 25 points and Tony Battie added a season-high 19 points and 12 rebounds for Boston.
RAPTORS 104, CLIPPERS 95: Mark Jackson had a season-high 20 points and 15 assists as Toronto won without Vince Carter or Charles Oakley.
Oakley was suspended for three games without pay and fined $15,000 by the NBA for punching Clippers guard Jeff McInnis during Friday morning's shootaround.
Carter remains day-to-day with an injured tendon in his left knee.
Quentin Richardson scored 20 points for the Clippers, who made just 15 of their 34 free-throw attempts. Los Angeles is the NBA's worst free-throw shooting team.
76ERS 95, HORNETS 74: Allen Iverson had a season-high 37 points and matched a career high with 10 rebounds as Philadelphia broke Charlotte's six-game win streak.
Matt Geiger, back after missing one game with tendinitis in the right quadriceps, had 15 points, Tyrone Hill added 13 points and Eric Snow had nine assists for Philadelphia.
Jamal Mashburn had 19 points and nine rebounds, Baron Davis added 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and David Wesley had 12 points for the Hornets.
MAGIC 83, NETS 80: Tracy McGrady had 31 points and nine rebounds as Orlando won for the second time in nine games.
McGrady, playing his second consecutive game with a heavy wrap on his infected left hand, made 11 of 24 shots and added four assists and three blocked shots. Michael Doleac had 16 points, Darrell Armstrong had 11 points and seven assists, and Bo Outlaw had 10 points and eight rebounds.
PISTONS 103, CAVALIERS 93: Detroit's three-guard rotation of Dana Barros, Chucky Atkins and Mateen Cleaves led the balanced attack as the Pistons won back-to-back games for the first time this season and handed the Cavaliers their third straight loss.
KNICKS 91, BULLS 86: Allan Houston sank a clutch 3-pointer with 36 seconds left for his only basket of the fourth quarter and finished with 26 points as New York blew an early 17-point lead before regrouping to beat Chicago.