Houston's Yao Ming scored 31 points with 15 rebounds on Wednesday as the Rockets downed a depleted Detroit 106-101 in double overtime.
Houston scored on their first five possessions of the second overtime to take a 10-point lead as Aaron Brooks made a three-pointer, Ron Artest scored on back-to-back drives and Yao sank a pair of jump shots to give the Rockets their biggest lead of the night.
The Pistons kept coming, as Arron Afflalo and Walter Hermann each sank three-pointers and Hermann added a free-throw.
But Brooks' two free throws with 25 seconds remaining put the lead back to five, and after Afflalo missed a three-point attempt Brooks made two more free throws to seal the victory.
Detroit were playing their second game in as many nights without injured Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton and Allen Iverson.
They had lost three of their prior four games, but kept the Rockets in their sights all night.
Celtics 112, Heat 108
At Boston, Paul Pierce scored 36 points as the Boston Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 112-108 victory Wednesday over the Miami Heat, who played without NBA scoring-leader Dwyane Wade.
Wade missed his first game of the season because of a right hip flexor.
But Boston was without Kevin Garnett for the 13th straight game with a strained right knee and Ray Allen, who hyperextended his elbow Tuesday night in a loss at Chicago.
Rajon Rondo had 27 for Boston. Miami, in its third overtime game in its last five, was led by Michael Beasley with 21 points and Mario Chalmers with 19.
Wade's injury ended his career-long streak off 66 straight games played. The Heat did not say how long he would be sidelined, and he was not ruled out of games Friday night at New Jersey and Sunday against Detroit.
Suns 126, 76ers 116
At Phoenix, Jason Richardson scored 23 of his 25 points in the second half, and Shaquille O'Neal had 26 points and 11 rebounds in Phoenix's twin over Philadelphia.
Steve Nash added 24 points and 10 assists to help the Suns move within four games of idle Dallas for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Andre Miller had 23 points and eight assists, and Thaddeus Young also had 23 points for Philadelphia. The loss ended the 76ers' winning streak at four games.
Hornets 94, T-wolves 93
At New Orleans, Chris Paul capped a 26-point, 10-assist, five-steal performance for New Orleans by setting up David West's dunk with 12.6 seconds left against Minnesota.
Minnesota's Randy Foye missed a 17-foot jumper as time expired, allowing New Orleans to escape with the victory. But it was an officials' review of a long-range shot Foye made earlier in the fourth quarter that also affected the outcome. The shot was initially ruled a 3-pointer, but the Wolves had a point taken off the board after a replay review during a timeout a few minutes later.
Magic 106, Bucks 80
At Milwaukee, Dwight Howard had 28 points and came up three assists short of a triple double, powering Orlando past Milwaukee.
Howard finished with 12 rebounds and seven assists, while Hedo Turkoglu added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando. The Magic rebounded from a loss to Cleveland on Tuesday night to win for the eighth time in their last 10 games.
Charlie Villanueva had 17 points for the Bucks.
Nuggets 111, Grizzlies 109
At Memphis, Tennessee, Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points, including the go-ahead three-point play with 33.2 remaining, as Denver overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to beat Memphis.
The Nuggets snapped a six-game road losing streak. Chauncey Billups added 18 points and 12 assists for Denver. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 30 points.
Clippers 123, Wizards 108
At Los Angeles, Eric Gordon scored 15 of his 26 points in the third quarter, and Baron Davis tied a career high with 20 assists as Los Angeles downed Washington.
Steve Novak had 21 points for the Clippers, and Davis added 11 points and eight rebounds. Antawn Jamison led Washington with 24 points.
(AFP/AP via China Daily March 20, 2009)
