BOSTON, March 2 (UPI) -- Kevin Garnett made 12-of-14 shots, scored a season-best 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Wednesday in leading the Boston Celtics past Phoenix 115-103.
The Celtics led by 29 points late in the third period but then went scoreless for the last 2 minutes of that quarter and the first 4 minutes of the fourth. Phoenix, however, came no closer than nine points down the stretch.
Ray Allen added 19 points while Rajon Rondo had 16 points, 15 assists and five rebounds for Boston, which won its third straight and its sixth out of seven. The Celtics became the third team in the NBA to reach 44 wins this season, but they still have six fewer than San Antonio.
Phoenix was led by Aaron Brooks with 17 points off the bench. The Suns had won four in a row.
The Suns lost Vince Carter and Channing Frye in the third quarter when they bumped heads. Carter suffered a laceration in his mouth and Frye had an eye contusion.
