Celtics lose again

Basketball Betting Lines

02/07/2007 -

The Boston Celtics are in the midst of the worst losing streak in club history and there is no relief in sight.

Boston dropped its 15th straight game, losing to Detroit 109-102 on Tuesday night. The Celtics last won on Jan. 5 and have allowed at least 100 points in five straight games.

To make matters worse, Boston had to send forward Paul Pierce home with an infected left elbow. Pierce, who has missed Boston's last 23 games with a foot injury, is expected to be hospitalized for at least two days, which will push his possible return back past the All-Star break.

``This isn't fun,'' Boston coach Doc Rivers said. ``These guys want to win a game, and I need to find a way to make that happen.''

In other games, it was: Phoenix 109, Portland 102 in overtime; Milwaukee 116, Orlando 111; New York 102, Los Angeles Clippers 90; and Houston 98, Memphis 90.

In Detroit, Antonio McDyess finished with 18 points in 20 minutes, hitting his first eight shots before Kendrick Perkins blocked the ninth.

``I got some easy baskets early and I just kept going,'' he said. ``He didn't foul me on the ninth one, either. That was a good block.''

McDyess and Webber combined to shoot 17-for-22 against Boston's overmatched interior defense.

``We just couldn't stop anything in the post,'' Wally Szczerbiak said. ``When we didn't double, they got a layup. When we did double, someone cut to the basket, they made a pass and they still got a layup.''

Pistons coach Flip Saunders was only disappointed by the fourth quarter, when the Celtics rallied from a 24-point deficit to make the final score respectable.

``Your main guys should have the opportunity to sit down and ice in the fourth quarter of a game like that,'' he said. ``We had to bring those guys back with 5 minutes left to make sure we won the thing.''

Rivers, though, wasn't impressed.

``I'm not going to put a lot of stock in that,'' he said. ``I'm not sure how much the other team was still competing at that point.''Suns 109, Trail Blazers 102, OT

At Portland, Ore., Amare Stoudemire scored 36 points and Leandro Barbosa added 23 of his 25 after halftime for the Suns.

Phoenix was missing two-time MVP Steve Nash, who sat out with a shoulder injury that kept him out of the second half in Monday's 113-108 win over Denver.

Stoudemire scored the first five points of overtime.

Zach Randolph had 33 points on 12-of-15 shooting, and Brandon Roy added 27 points for the Trail Blazers, who lost their third straight.Bucks 116, Magic 111

At Milwaukee, Ruben Patterson scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and the struggling Bucks snapped a four-game losing streak.

Milwaukee won its seventh straight at home against Orlando but has still lost 15 of its last 18 games overall, in part because Michael Redd remains sidelined with a sprained left knee.

Earl Boykins had 24 points, Charlie Villanueva 22 and Charlie Bell 20 for the Bucks.

Dwight Howard had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, his 34th double-double of the season.Knicks 102, Clippers 90

At New York, Stephon Marbury scored 12 of his 15 points in an early second-half run that overwhelmed the Clippers and turned the game around for New York.

Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry each scored 23 points for the Knicks, who shot poorly and defended worse in the first two quarters before controlling the second half of their second consecutive victory.

New York never led in the first half and trailed by as much as 12. But the Knicks stormed out of halftime with a 24-4 spurt, turning a 10-point deficit into a 10-point lead in a span of 9 1/2 minutes and handing the Clippers their second straight loss.

Elton Brand had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for the third time in 10 games and fell to 1-2 on their seven-game Eastern trip. Reserve Tim Thomas also had 22 points.Rockets 98, Grizzlies 90

At Memphis, Tenn., Tracy McGrady scored 33 points and had eight assists for the Rockets.

Houston won for the sixth time in the last seven games. Memphis, which has the worst record in the NBA, has lost three straight.

Pau Gasol led Memphis with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Mike Miller added 12 points, but was only 5-for-17 from the field.

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