CELTICS 79, HAWKS 76: Ray Allen scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as visiting Boston finally broke out and won a defensive slugfest.

Atlanta had its two-game winning streak come to an end in matching its second-lowest scoring output of the season.

Rajon Rondo collected 10 points, 13 assists and six steals and Kevin Garnett chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds for the Celtics, who snapped a two-game slide and moved within 1½ games of the Hawks for the No. 6 spot in the East.

Neither team had reached 20 points in a quarter before the fourth, when Boston found a way around the Atlanta defense first on the inside, and then beyond the arc.

Garnett began a 17-2 burst with two free throws and a dunk and Rondo drove for a layup to get the rally started. The Celtics went to the outside from there, getting a 19-foot jumper from Brandon Bass and then three straight 3-pointers, two from Allen, to take a 73-58 lead with 4:28 remaining.

The Hawks had one more run left and got three 3-pointers from Joe Johnson in an 18-4 burst, with the last one chopping it to 77-76 with 11 seconds left.

Allen hit two free throws with 10 seconds left and Atlanta could not hit the tying 3-pointer.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Johnson finished with 25 points to lead the Hawks, who shot 38.7 percent from the floor. … The Celtics committed 11 turnovers in the first half but only five after the break. … Zaza Pachulia (16 points and 13 rebounds) and Josh Smith (10 and 11) each recorded a double-double for Atlanta.