Associated Press

Boston, January 1

Baron Davis scored 29 points and PJ Brown scored 15 points , leading New Orleans past the Boston Celtics 96-94 and snapping the Hornets’ four-game losing streak.

Ricky Davis made it close late by hitting a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to cut the Hornets’ lead to 96-94. Boston then forced the Hornets to throw the ensuing inbounds pass away. But George Lynch stole Jiri Welsch’s entry pass to seal the win.

Welsch led Boston with 17 points and Mike James added 15 points. Paul Pierce scored 14 points on just 4-of-16 shooting.

In Auburn Hills, Chauncey Billups scored 22 points and Ben Wallace added 10 points, leading the Detroit Pistons over the Portland Trail Blazers 78-71.

Detroit also got 13 points from Richard Hamilton and 12 from reserve Corliss Williamson while winning its third in a row. The Pistons snapped a six-game losing streak to Portland and beat the Blazers at home for the first time since January 29, 1997.

In East Rutherford, Jason Kidd had seven points and two assists in a 13-3 third-quarter as New Jersey Nets downed Golden State Warriors 88-70.

Kidd finished with 23 points, seven assists and four rebounds in just 29 minutes, helping the Nets close the year with their 10th win in 13 games. Kenyon Martin scored 17 points and sealed the victory with two late 3-pointers.

Jason Richardson and Erick Dampier had 15 points each to lead Golden State.

In Los Angeles, Quentin Richardson scored a career-high 44 points and Elton Brand had 20 points and nine rebounds in Los Angeles Clippers’ 120-104 victory over Denver Nuggets.

Voshon Lenard and Andre Miller each had 18 points for the Nuggets, who have lost eight of their last 10 games against Los Angeles. Miller, who spent last season with the Clippers, also had nine assists and was booed every time he touched the ball.

Denver rookie Carmelo Anthony, who entered with a team-high 18.7 scoring average, was plagued all night by foul trouble and finished with 12 points in 22 minutes.

In Houston, China’s Yao Ming scored 21 points and Cuttino Mobley had 20 to help lift Houston Rockets past Philadelphia 76ers 80-72. Kenny Thomas had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Greg Buckner had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers. They have lost four straight, all on the road, and are 4-7 with Allen Iverson — sidelined by a right knee contusion — out of the lineup.