BOSTON — The only All-Star healthy enough to play made the difference.

Paul Pierce scored 36 points without Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to share the load, Dwyane Wade missed his first game of the season, and the Boston Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 112-108 overtime victory over the Miami Heat last night.

"It almost came down to that we had Paul and they didn't have Wade," Boston coach Doc Rivers said.

Wade missed the game with a right hip flexor, and the Heat missed his NBA-best 29.9-point scoring average.

"We're a team, the Miami Heat, with or without D-Wade," said Michael Beasley, who led Miami with 21 points off the bench. "Obviously, he's a big part of our team and a majority of the scoring. But when he's out, when he's not playing, somebody's got to step up and a couple of guys did."

The Celtics could use Garnett's presence after he sat out his 13th straight game with a strained right knee.

"We miss his leadership out on the floor, his verbal leadership," Rivers said. "He's the one guy that holds everybody accountable defensively."

NETS 115, KNICKS 89

NEW YORk — Vince Carter scored 29 points, Brook Lopez had 23, and New Jersey took a 55-44 halftime lead, then hit seven of its first eight shots in the third quarter to extend the lead to 67-48 in cruising past New York to salvage the final game of a five-game trip.

Al Harrington scored 21 points for the Knicks, who started the day two games out of the eighth playoff spot.

BLAZERS 95, PACERS 85

INDIANAPOLIS — Brandon Roy scored 20 points, center Greg Oden returned to the lineup after missing more than a month because of a bone chip in his left knee, and Portland took a 50-39 halftime lead in handing Indiana its fourth straight loss.

Indiana's Danny Granger had 35 points and 10 rebounds in his first start since leaving a game Feb. 18 against Charlotte because of a partially torn tendon in his right foot.

BOBCATS 104, KINGS 88

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gerald Wallace had 25 points and 12 rebounds, Emeka Okafor added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Charlotte pulled away in the fourth quarter to send short-handed Sacramento to an NBA-worst 0-28 against the East.

The Kings played without top scorer Kevin Martin (illness), Andres Nocioni (quadriceps) and then lost Rashad McCants (ankle) after he scored 30 points.

HORNETS 94, T-WOLVES 93

NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul capped a 26-point, 10-assist, five-steal performance by setting up David West's dunk with 12.6 seconds left that lifted host New Orleans. Minnesota's Randy Foye missed a 17-foot jumper as time expired.

West was only 3 of 13 shooting, but was 8-of-10 on free throws and scored nine of his 14 points in the last 3:24. Rasual Butler also had 14 points for the Hornets.

BULLS 103, THUNDER 96

OKLAHOMA CITY — Derrick Rose scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half, including a 20-footer for a 63-62 lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter and Chicago never trailed again in beating Oklahoma City to snap a seven-game road losing streak.

Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 28 points, but missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the score in the final 30 seconds before Tyrus Thomas hit four free throws to close it out.

MAGIC 106, BUCKS 80

MILWAUKEE — Dwight Howard had 28 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, and scored 18 in the first quarter when Orlando jumped to a 36-20 lead in a blowout of Milwaukee.

Charlie Villanueva had 17 points for the Bucks, who are trying to earn the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and were coming off a home victory over Boston.

NUGGETS 111, GRIZZLIES 109

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points, including the go-ahead three-point play with 33.2 seconds left, then made two free throws with 5.8 seconds for a 111-108 lead as Denver overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat Memphis.

Memphis had one more chance, but Marc Gasol was fouled with 3.2 seconds left. He hit the first free throw and missed the second on purpose, but Memphis was unable to corral the rebound.

SUNS 126, 76ERS 116

PHOENIX — Jason Richardson scored 23 of his 25 points in the second half, and Shaquille O'Neal had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead Phoenix over Philadelphia for its third straight victory.

Phoenix guard Leandro Barbosa left the game with 26.3 seconds to go in the opening period because of what was diagnosed as a hyperextended left knee. He is listed as day-to-day.

ROCKETS 106, PISTONS 101

HOUSTON — Yao Ming scored 31 points and Ron Artest added 26, including consecutive layups to cap an 8-0 run to start the second overtime, as Houston beat undermanned Detroit.

Arron Afflalo scored 24 points to lead the Pistons, who played without Richard Hamilton (groin), Allen Iverson (back) and Rasheed Wallace (calf strain).

CLIPPERS 123, WIZARDS 108

LOS ANGELES — Eric Gordon scored 26 points, Steve Novak added 21 points, Baron Davis tied a career high with 20 assists, and Los Angeles rallied to beat Washington.

Davis scored on a layup and Novak hit a 3-pointer to give the Clippers a 100-95 lead with 10:36 left to play. The Wizards closed to 105-103 with 6:01 remaining, but would get no closer.

NOTES

No court for Kobe: For once, Kobe Bryant wasn't needed at court. The Los Angeles Lakers star spent several hours on jury duty yesterday before being excused from an Orange County courtroom in Santa Ana.

He was quizzed for potential service on a misdemeanor vehicle tampering case, but attorneys agreed on a panel before his turn in the jury box came up. Bryant told attorneys he was a good listener and thought he could be a fair juror. During a recess, Bryant said, "Everyone has to do their duty."

Nets suspend Williams: Center Sean Williams was suspended two games by New Jersey yesterday for conduct detrimental to the team, two days after he was arrested in Denver.

Williams was arrested Monday at a cell phone store. Police said he got into an argument with a clerk and threw a computer monitor. He was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and felony criminal mischief.