Celtics continue Lakers woes with 98-95 win

<br>BOSTON (AP) _ Paul Pierce scored 28 points, including a 3-pointer in the final 1:54 of overtime, as Boston beat the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 98-95 Thursday. <br><br>Kobe Bryant had 41 points on

Friday, November 8th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BOSTON (AP) _ Paul Pierce scored 28 points, including a 3-pointer in the final 1:54 of overtime, as Boston beat the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 98-95 Thursday.

Kobe Bryant had 41 points on a hot-and-cold night in which he hit just 4-of-15 in the first half, scored 18 in the third quarter and then missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was 17-for-47 from the field overall, and 0-for-8 from 3-point range.

Tony Delk scored 26 points for Boston, making a pair of free throws with 9.3 seconds remaining to make it 98-95. Bryant's 3-point attempt to tie it with 1 second remaining bounced off the front of the rim.

Playing without Shaquille O'Neal and Rick Fox, and coming off their lowest-scoring game in four decades, the Lakers had just 35 points at the break. But Bryant was hot in the third quarter, scoring eight in a row as Los Angeles rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to take the lead.

Los Angeles lost 81-70 on Tuesday night to the Cleveland Cavaliers _ the Lakers' lowest point total since moving from Minneapolis in 1960.

Timberwolves 114, Bucks 110

In Minneapolis, Kevin Garnett had 28 points and 24 rebounds, and Wally Szczerbiak returned to the lineup with 19 points as Minnesota beat Milwaukee.

Garnett tied his own career high and franchise record for rebounds, set on Dec. 14, 2001 against Sacramento. He went 20-20 in points and rebounds for the ninth time in his career as the Wolves extended their winning streak against the Bucks to seven games.

Minnesota overcame 22 first-half points from the Bucks' Sam Cassell and 18 third-quarter points from teammate Ray Allen. Cassell finished with 32 points and Allen had 27.

Pistons 89, Nuggets 63

In Denver, Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, as the Detroit beat Denver.

Billups, who shot 5-of-8 from 3-point range, had 10 points in the third quarter to help the Pistons increase their lead to 27. He did not play in the fourth quarter.

Richard Hamilton added 15 points, and Ben Wallace had 13 rebounds for Detroit, which shot 48 percent compared to Denver's 32 percent.

James Posey led Denver with 21 points, and rookie Nene Hilario came off the bench to score 10.