ORLANDO, Florida – The Orlando Magic clinched their second consecutive Southeast Division title Wednesday with an 84-82 victory over reigning National Basketball Association champion Boston.
Dwight Howard blocked a potential go-ahead layup by Paul Pierce with 3.8 seconds to play, finishing with 24 points and 21 rebounds.
Orlando improved to 53-18, percentage points ahead of Boston for second in the Eastern Conference behind Cleveland.
“We get another banner,” said Howard, of the division title that was secured as divison rivals Atlanta also lost to San Antonio. “Hopefully we can get two more.”
“The politically correct answer in the NBA is to say that we don’t care about winning division titles and we’re on to bigger things,” Coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Hopefully, we are, but I do care. I’d rather it be us than anyone else. I think it’s big.”
Pierce’s jump shot with 1:27 to play cut Orlando’s lead to 83-82.
But the Celtics couldn’t get over the hump without Kevin Garnett, who was limited to 16 minutes as he continues to regain fitness after missing 13 games with a strained right knee.
Pierce missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.
The Magic forced 18 turnovers and held Boston to 37 percent shooting, despite being outrebounded 47-41.
“When we sit down and look at the film, we can see that we can get quality shots against very good defenses if we move the ball,” Van Gundy said. “It shows you something when you have to gut out a win like that. It gives you more confidence... and yet people continue to question the toughness of our team.”
In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 22 points with 11 assists as the Cavaliers set a franchise record with their 58th win – and 10th straight – by beating the New Jersey Nets, 98-87.
With 11 games left in the regular season, the Cavs already have surpassed the club mark of 57 wins shared by the 1988-89 and 1991-92 teams. Also, James joined Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to post 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a season at least four times.
Cleveland, which trailed 82-81 with less than 4 minutes left, also improved to an NBA-best 33-1 at home.
At Washington, Antawn Jamison scored 27 points, Nick Young had 23 and short-handed Washington held off Charlotte, 95-93.
Mike James and Andray Blatche added 15 points each for the Wizards, who had only eight players available and rallied from a 20-point deficit.
Gerald Wallace led Charlotte with 21 points and 11 rebounds, but missed a potential tying free throw with 6.5 seconds left.
At Atlanta, Tony Parker scored 42 points as San Antonio, playing without Tim Duncan, ended Atlanta’s eight-game home winning streak, 102-92.
Parker enjoyed his second-best scoring total of the season. He set a career high with 55 points at Minnesota on Nov. 5.
Joe Johnson had 30 points, including Atlanta’s first 11 points of the fourth quarter, but he had too little help as the Hawks sustained their first loss at home since March 1.
At Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 28 points as Indiana continued its home-court mastery of cold-shooting Dwyane Wade and Miami, 90-88. (AP)