Celtics 106, Clippers 104: Paul Pierce capped a 22-point game by burying his fourth 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds to play as Boston held off a furious fourth-quarter comeback by visiting Los Angeles.

Reserves Jeff Green and Leandro Barbosa scored 14 points apiece as the Celtics extended their winning streak to four games - all coming since All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Jamal Crawford and Eric Bledsoe scored 23 points apiece and Blake Griffin had 20 and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who fell to 2-6 in their last eight games and were without All-Star point guard Chris Paul for a seventh straight contest.

Boston led by double digits since the second quarter and appeared en route to a comfortable victory, holding a 98-83 edge with 9:48 to play. Crawford sparked a 15-3 rally to cut the deficit 101-98 before Jason Terry ended a 6 1/2-minute field goal drought to give Boston a five-point lead with 69 seconds left.

Bledsoe buried a 3-pointer to make it 103-101 but Los Angeles inexplicably allowed the clock to run down before Pierce buried a step-back 3-pointer to push the Celtics back over .500 and send the Clippers to their fifth road loss in six games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Clippers sixth man Crawford started the game by wearing a mask to protect a nasal fracture sustained in Friday's loss in Toronto, but he removed it in the second quarter. ... The Celtics matched their season highs for points in the first quarter (33) and a half (59) as all 10 players who saw time scored. ... The Sporting News, citing multiple sources, reported Sunday that the Clippers contacted Boston about a possible deal for Kevin Garnett, with Bledsoe and Caron Butler offered as trading chips.