BOSTON, April 3 (UPI) -- Kevin Garnett scored 23 points and Paul Pierce had 22 Sunday, keying Boston's 101-90 win over Detroit.
The victory kept Boston within a half game behind second-place Miami in the Eastern Conference with six games left. The Heat downed New Jersey Sunday.
The Celtics also got 13 points from Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo carded 14 assists. Center Shaquille O'Neal, out with a left leg injury since Feb. 1, returned to action and scored six points in 5 1/2 minutes before suffering a right calf strain that sent him limping out of the game.
Detroit was led by Will Bynum's 20 points. Tayshaun Prince added 16 as the Pistons lost their 10th straight road game.
Boston used a 13-0 run -- started by a Pierce 3-pointer and capped by a Garnett dunk -- in the third quarter to forge an 80-64 lead the Pistons' couldn't overcome. Detroit never got closer than nine points after that.
