Carlos Boozer scored 23 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and handed out five assists Thursday as the Chicago Bulls again overcame the absence of Derrick Rose to outlast Boston 89-80. Luol Deng and Joakim Noah also had “double-doubles” for Chicago, Deng contributed 23 points with 10 assists and Noah scored 15 points with 16 rebounds. Chicago's fourth-string point guard Mike James also played a key role, passing out two assists in a 12-0 scoring run that saw the Bulls break out of a 69-69 fourth-quarter tie. Rose, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, missed a fourth straight game with an aching lower back. Kevin Garnett, back from a hip flexor injury, had a “double-double” of 18 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. Rajon Rondo had 17 points and Paul Pierce chipped in 14 for the Celtics. Pacers 93, Nets 88: Danny Granger played through a sprained left ankle to score 32 points and helped struggling Indiana snap a season-worst five-game losing streak by beating struggling New Jersey. Granger missed Wednesday's loss at Cleveland and the final three quarters of Tuesday's loss to Miami because of the injury, and without him, the Pacers just weren't the same. Granger made 10 of 20 shots, 8 of 9 from the free-throw line and grabbed five rebounds in a game the Pacers desperately needed to win. Deron Williams scored 29 points and Kris Humphries had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead New Jersey, not quite enough to snap a skid that hit eight straight and is the longest for the franchise since an eight-game skid from Nov. 30-Dec. 14, 2010. Clippers 74, Trail Blazers 71: Blake Griffin had 21 points and 14 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Clippers rally from an 18-point second-half deficit and beat the Portland Trail Blazers. Chris Paul, scoreless through three quarters, finished with 13 points as the Clippers outscored the Trail Blazers 22-11 during the fourth quarter. The win was Los Angeles' first in Portland since Dec. 12, 2008. Both teams were held to season lows for points. Nicolas Batum and Jamal Crawford each scored 19 points for Portland, which was playing its second straight game without LaMarcus Aldridge, who sprained his left ankle in Tuesday's game against Washington.
