Boston
Kyrie Irving scored 26 and Jayson Tatum finished with 19 for the Celtics, while Marcus Smart drew two offensive fouls against James Harden in the closing seconds to help Boston complete the comeback.
Smart and Terry Rozier had 13 points apiece.
Tatum made a layup with seven seconds left to pull the Celtics within 98-97, then Smart had position on Harden for an offensive foul that gave Boston the ball and a chance to win it. Horford converted from the lane to put Boston up for the first time in a game Houston had led throughout and dominated until midway through the third quarter.
Harden finished with 34 points and 10 assists. Eric Gordon scored 24 points for Houston, which shot 25 percent (9 of 36) in the second half and lost its fourth straight.
The Rockets had one last chance after Horford’s go-ahead hook shot, but Harden was called for another offensive foul and time expired after Horford missed his second free throw.
Houston opened the game on a 12-0 run and led 62-38 at halftime. After committing six turnovers in the first half, Houston had seven in the third quarter and Boston capitalized by outscoring the Rockets 31-16. Irving scored 12 in the third quarter as Boston picked up its defense, holding Houston to just four field goals in the period.
Boston got within a point a couple times in the fourth, but couldn’t quite catch the Rockets until the final seconds.
Smart drove for a layup and pulled Boston within 96-95 with 13.5 seconds left. Boston pressured the inbounds pass and Houston called time, then another before getting the ball to Harden, who made both free throws and finished 15 for 15 from the foul line. Rather than going for the 3-pointer, Boston went to Tatum for another layup, then Smart took an offensive foul by Harden on the inbounds play.
Houston’s lead was in the 20s for nearly all of the second quarter and much of the third before Boston pulled back within range on a 12-0 run.
Notes: The Celtics were just 5 of 19 in the first quarter while scoring 12 points, the second-lowest total for a quarter by the Celtics this season. … Boston committed eight turnovers in the first quarter. … Referee Mark Lindsay missed the game with a sore back, leaving Tony Brothers and Gediminas Petraitis to officiate the game on their own.
Magic 102, Pistons 89
Orlando, Fla.
Evan Fournier scored 17 points and Aaron Gordon had 14 for Orlando, but it was the Magic’s backup centers who made the difference in the game.
Bismack Biyombo had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Marresse Speights scored 16 points as replacements for injured starter Nikola Vucevic.
Bucks 102, Timberwolves 96
Milwaukee
Bledsoe had six points and made two key assists down the stretch and the Bucks found their missing defense, holding the Timberwolves to a season-low 12 points in the fourth quarter. Minnesota went cold over the last 4:21 and had its five-game winning streak snapped.
Bledsoe took a pass from Antetokounmpo and made an open 3-pointer from the corner to give the Bucks their first lead of the game at 95-93 with 2:25 to go.
Bledsoe followed with a three-point play and then found Antetokounmpo under the basket for an easy two points, pushing the lead to 100-93 with 1:04 left.