BOSTON
Ray Allen made a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in the second overtime last night to lift the Boston Celtics to a 111-109 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats and into second place in the Eastern Conference.
The Bobcats, fighting for the final playoff spot in the conference, blew leads in the last 30 seconds of the fourth quarter and both overtimes and fell 1½ games behind the Chicago Bulls, who were idle. The Celtics moved a game ahead of Orlando, which lost to Toronto.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 32 points, Allen added 22 and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and nine assists. Gerald Wallace had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, and Boris Diaw scored 17 points.
After Allen's go-ahead basket, Raja Bell took a jumper that just missed at the buzzer.
That's also how the first overtime ended -- a 3-pointer by Allen with 12.4 seconds left that tied the game at 101 and a miss by Bell from the right corner.
The game was tied at 103 early in the second overtime before Wallace hit a layup and Allen made a 3-pointer for a 106-105 Boston lead. Raymond Felton put the Bobcats ahead with a jumper, then Pierce gave the Celtics a 108-107 lead by converting an offensive rebound.
Emeka Okafor's short bank shot with 46 second to play put the Bobcats ahead for the last time, 109-108.
CHARLOTTE -- Wallace 8-18 4-4 20, Diaw 7-13 0-0 17, Okafor 6-10 0-0 12, Felton 7-20 0-0 14, Bell 5-14 1-1 12, Radmanovic 4-7 0-0 10, Augustin 5-10 0-0 14, Howard 3-6 0-0 6, Diop 2-4 0-2 4, Martin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 47-102 5-7 109.BOSTON -- Pierce 10-20 11-12 32, Davis 1-4 3-6 5, Perkins 2-3 0-0 4, Rondo 9-16 2-4 21, R.Allen 8-20 1-2 22, Marbury 2-2 1-2 5, Moore 2-2 0-0 4, House 7-10 0-0 18, Walker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 41-77 18-26 111.
Charlotte 33 18 26 16 8 8 -- 109
Boston 26 28 17 22 8 10 -- 111
3-Point Goals--Charlotte 10-18 (Augustin 4-4, Diaw 3-4, Radmanovic 2-3, Bell 1-4, Felton 0-1, Wallace 0-2), Boston 11-29 (R.Allen 5-13, House 4-7, Rondo 1-3, Pierce 1-6). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Charlotte 51 (Wallace, Okafor 10), Boston 50 (Perkins 12). Assists--Charlotte 31 (Felton 12), Boston 21 (Rondo 9). Total Fouls--Charlotte 21, Boston 23. Technical--Charlotte defensive three second. A--18,624 (18,624).
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