NBA: Denver 89, Boston 75

DENVER, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Kenyon Martin led Denver with 18 points Thursday and the Nuggets finally pulled away in the fourth quarter to down Boston 89-75.

In a battle of teams going through major changes, the Nuggets finally wore down a Boston club that had only eight players in uniform. The Celtics did not score a point over the game's final 6 minutes.

The Celtics conducted a series of trades Thursday that left them shorthanded. The biggest of the deals sent center Kendrick Perkins and backup guard Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City.

Denver, meanwhile, is adjusting to life without Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who were traded to New York this week.

Wilson Chandler, one of the players who came to Denver in the trade, hit 5-of-9 shots and scored 16 points. Danilo Gallinari, another of the new Nuggets, made only 1-of-6 shots for two points.

Boston, which could have moved a game in front of Miami for the best record in the Eastern Conference, was led by Paul Pierce with 17 points.