In a game that featured 12 lead changes and 14 ties, Boston took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Rasheed Wallace with 9:23 left. That snapped an 87-87 tie and kicked off a 15-5 burst.
The C's still led by eight with under three minutes to play and by six with less than two minutes left, but the Sixers — playing without starters Louis Williams and Elton Brand — refused to go away.
A Jrue Holiday layup and two free throws by Andre Iguodala cut it to 107-105 and an Iguodala 3-pointer with four seconds left trimmed Philly's deficit to 109-108.
But Ray Allen and Eddie House both hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds and the Sixers failed to get off a potential game-tying 3-pointer as they lost their fourth in a row.
Celtics 113, Sixers 110
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
Nov. 25, 2009
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Headliner: Paul Pierce did everything in what may have been his best game of the season for Boston. In a season-high 43 minutes, he had a game-high 27 points, six rebounds, six assists and zero turnovers. He also found time for one steal and perhaps the defensive play of the game.
With the Celtics ahead just 107-105 with 34 seconds left, Pierce stepped in front of Iguodala to draw a charge.
Unsung Hero: Rajon Rondo was a non-factor through three quarters but turned into a catalyst down the stretch. Rondo had eight points and three assists in the fourth and beat the shot clock with a baseline jumper with nine seconds left to make it 109-105.
During Boston's 15-5 burst in the fourth, Rondo was electric. He scored six points in just over a minute and later made the pass of the night to find Marquis Daniels for an easy two.
Scrub: In the limited minutes both played, Kendrick Perkins got the better of Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert. Perkins scored all 12 of his points in the first half while Dalembert finished with just four overall on 2-of-8 shooting.
Turning Point: Throughout the affair, the Sixers dominated from the perimeter. By the end of the third quarter, they were 10-of-14 from long range while the Celtics were 4-of-20.
That all changed in a flash early in the fourth. First, Eddie House hit a 3 to pull Boston within 85-84. Following a pair of free throws for Iguodala, Pierce hit from long-distance and then Wallace made another to put Boston ahead to stay.
Up Next: The Celts won all four of their meetings with Toronto last season and can extend that run Friday at TD Garden. It is the last home game in a stretch that will see Boston play six of eight games here.
Toronto is coming off a dismal 116-81 loss Wednesday at Charlotte, the most lopsided victory in Bobcats' history. It was the fifth loss in seven games for the Raptors.
