Celtics overcome Melo's 42 for 2-0 lead over Knicks

BOSTON (AP):

Amare Stoudemire didn't play in the second half and Chauncey Billups didn't play at all; and still the Boston Celtics needed more late heroics from one of their Big Three to beat the New York Knicks in Game Two of their first-round series.

"We were lucky to win," coach Doc Rivers said after Boston overcame Carmelo Anthony's 42 points in a 96-93 victory on Tuesday night.

Kevin Garnett sank the go-ahead basket with 14 seconds left, then stole the ball with four seconds remaining, as the Knicks gave the Celtics all they could handle in falling into an 0-2 hole in the series.

Billups had a strained left knee and his status for Game Three tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden is uncertain. Stoudemire had back spasms, but expects to be back when the best-of-seven series resumes.

Rondo's 30 points

Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with a career playoff-high 30 points, 14 of them in the first quarter when he kept driving to the basket.

Paul Pierce had 20 points after missing his first five shots, and Ray Allen, who hit the game-winning three-pointer in Boston's 87-85 win in the opener, scored 18.

Now the sixth-seeded Knicks, who have tested the third-seeded Celtics, must win at least one of two at home to bring the series back to Boston.

"The Celtics didn't do anything special," Anthony said. "They won two games on their home court. Now it's our turn to go to our home court and try to do the same thing."

Mavericks 101, Trail Blazers 89

Peja Stojakovic tied his career playoff best with five three-pointers and had 21 points, and Jason Kidd continued showing off a surprising scoring touch with 18 points, powering Dallas to a 2-0 lead over Portland in a first-round series.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 of his 33 points in the final quarter for Dallas, which hadn't won the first two games of a playoff series since the 2006 NBA finals.

Magic 88, Hawks 92

Dwight Howard had 33 points and 19 rebounds, Jameer Nelson added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Orlando held off Atlanta. The Magic evened the best-of-seven series, with Game Three tomorrow night in Atlanta.

Orlando used a 10-1 run to close the third quarter to take an 11-point lead into the fourth, and fought off a late Atlanta charge down the stretch.

Jamal Crawford led Atlanta with 25 points and Josh Smith added 17.