More milestones for Garnett, Pierce

BOSTON—Kevin Garnett received his standing ovation in the second quarter, then joined Boston’s fans when they returned to their feet for Paul Pierce.
Garnett and Pierce added to their growing list of accomplishments with significant moves up the list of NBA career scoring leaders last night in the Celtics’ 112-88 rout of the Toronto Raptors.

Garnett passed Jerry West for 15th all-time while Pierce joined him in the top 20 scorers in league history when he passed Charles Barkley for No. 20.
“The joke around here is that every two days or something we’re making history,” Garnett said.
“It’s not a bad joke to be a part of.”
Not at all.
Garnett needed just four points to pass West (25,192 points) and finished with 12. Pierce, meanwhile, finished with 15 points after entering the game nine points shy of tying Barkley (23,757) for 20th.
Garnett hit a bank shot with 10:03 left in the second quarter and received a standing ovation when his milestone was announced during a stoppage a few minutes later.
Boston fans rose again in the third to recognize Pierce, who responded with a salute back to the crowd.
“When you pass a Barkley and a West, those names—that’s impressive,” said Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers.
Both Garnett and Pierce were modest after the game, although Pierce did slip in a shot at some of the pointed comments the outspoken Barkley has made as a broadcaster.
“He always talks a lot of smack about us, so I’m happy it was him,” Pierce said with a slight grin.
It was a short night for Boston’s 30-something stars, who were resting comfortably on the bench through the fourth quarter as their teammates finished off the Raptors.
It also was a complete turnaround from Boston’s performance the night before, when Pierce sat out and Boston stumbled to a 100-74 loss at Charlotte, which has the worst record in the NBA.
“Whether I played or not, there was no way we come out with the type of effort that we showed,” Pierce stressed.
“That just wasn’t our team.”
The Celtics looked much more familiar yesterday.
Jeff Green scored 20 to lead the Celtics, who ended a two-game slide and won their 10th-straight at home.
Rudy Gay had 19 points and DeMar DeRozan added 17 points for the Raptors, who now have lost seven of nine.
Terrence Ross added 13 for the Raptors, who got within four points before Boston blew it open in the third quarter.
“We had a four-point game in the third quarter and then we let frustration set in,” said Toronto coach Dwane Casey.
“We haven’t been getting calls all year. We let frustration set in and we can’t let that happen,” he stressed.
“When a team turns it up like that, we’ve got to turn up our fight and get back into them,” Casey added. “I thought that was the difference in the game.
“When they turned up the heat, we didn’t respond.”
Elsewhere in the NBA, Indiana beat Minnesota 107-91, Miami downed Philadelphia 98-94, Washington bounced Milwaukee 106-93, Atlanta upended the L.A. Lakers 96-92, Houston dumped Phoenix 111-81, Oklahoma City bombed Utah 110-87, and Sacramento routed Chicago 121-79.
Golden State beat Detroit 105-97, Memphis upended the L.A. Clippers 96-85, and Denver dumped New York 117-94.