Rajon Rondo had 22 points and 14 assists and Paul Pierce had 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Boston Celtics defeated the host San Antonio Spurs 107-97 on Thursday.

Kevin Garnett scored 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds as Boston (52-22) moved two games behind the Chicago Bulls for the Eastern Conference’s top playoff seed.

Tony Parker scored 23 points and Tim Duncan had 20 points and 13 rebounds for San Antonio (57-18), which has lost a season-high five straight games. The skid is the Spurs’ longest since losing six straight at end of the 1996-97 season.

Boston seized control of the contest with a 14-0 third-quarter run that turned a four-point deficit into a 10-point lead. Rondo had six points during the run and Jeff Green scored the final two baskets to give Boston a 77-67 lead with 1:15 remaining the quarter.

Duncan and Manu Ginobili returned to the lineup for the Spurs. Duncan had missing four straight games with an ankle injury. Ginobili scored nine points after missing one game with a thigh injury.

Glen Davis added 16 points and Ray Allen scored 13 points for Boston, which won for just the sixth time in 13 games.

Boston’s Jermaine O’Neal had five points in 11 minutes in his first action since Jan. 10 due to a knee injury.