Los Angeles - Paul Pierce stepped up, and the Boston Celtics tightened up the Eastern Conference race. Pierce scored 21 of his 29 points in the second half, and the Celtics bounced the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 105-94 on Friday night in a battle of the East's elite.

"For us to get this win is huge," Pierce said, "because we're both playing for first-place in the Eastern Conference and for home-court advantage."

Reigning NBA champion Boston (49-14) pulled within percentage points of Cleveland (48-13) for the top spot in the East while improving to 2-1 in the head-to-head series.

The final meeting is at Cleveland on April 12, and could decide home-court advantage in the playoffs, if the teams finish the regular-season with identical records.

Besides starring on the offensive end, Pierce "held" LeBron James to 21 points on just 5-of-15 field goal shooting.

"I wanted to run him into my help, take away his easy transition buckets and not let him get any demoralizing dunks that really gets his team going," Pierce said. "If we can make him beat us from outside we'll live with that."

Backup centre Leon Powe had 20 points with 11 rebounds - both season highs - while Ray Allen scored all 17 of his in the second half as the Celtics won despite playing their seventh straight game without All-Star Kevin Garnett (right knee sprain).

Mo Williams scored 26 and Anderson Varejao added 15 for Cleveland, which had won four in a row and nine of its previous 10.

"Boston is a great team, because they buy into the system" James said. "A lot of teams can't afford to lose an All-Star like KG. But they have two more superstars (Pierce and Allen) that can keep up the tempo."

Over the last 15 meetings between the Cavs and Celtics, including last year's playoffs, the home team has won all 15 games.

"That's unbelievable," James said. "Somebody is going to have to get a win on someone else's home court, and that'll break it open."

The Celtics led 54-48 early in the third quarter when tempers flared. Boston's Glen "Big Baby" Davis was ejected with a flagrant 2 foul after collaring and throwing down Varejao with both hands to prevent a layup.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas rushed over to Davis to play the peacemaker, while Allen and James jawed at each other.

After the Cavs knotted the game at 57, Pierce scored eight points, including a pair of three-pointers, and Allen added six with a triple of his own as the Celtics carried a 78-69 advantage into the final frame.

The Cavs cut a 13-point deficit to 90-83 midway through the final frame, but the Celtics responded with a game-sealing 8-0 run. Pierce had a layup and two free throws, and Powe had a pair of dunks, opening up a 98-83 with 3:47 remaining.

Elsewhere: LA Lakers 110, Minnesota Timberwolves 90 Kobe Bryant scored 23 points, Spaniard Pau Gasol had 21 and league-best Lakers (50-12) became the first team to win 50 games this season.

Miami Heat 108, Toronto Raptors 102 League top scorer Dwyane Wade scored 42, and the visiting Heat snapped a six-game slide against the Raptors.

Chris Bosh scored 34 points Toronto, (23-40), losers of four straight.

Houston Rockets 116, Phoenix Suns 112 Aaron Brooks scored a career-high 30 points, including the tie-breaking layup with seven seconds left, carrying the Rockets to their 11th consecutive home victory.

Steve Nash led Phoenix (34-28) with a season-high 32 points and 13 assists,, and Shaquille O'Neal scored 17 on his 37th birthday.

Orlando Magic 105, New Jersey Nets 102 Dwight Howard had 26 points with 15 rebounds, and the visiting Magic erased a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to clip the Nets, when Vince Carter missed a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer.

Devin Harris topped New Jersey (27-35) with 25 points and Carter had 19.

Utah Jazz 97, Denver Nuggets 91 Deron Williams had 25 points with 11 assists, and the Jazz rallied from 19 down for its season-high 10th consecutive victory. .

J.R. Smith had 27 points for the visiting Nuggets 40-23) who leads the Jazz by one-half game atop the Northwest Division.

San Antonio Spurs 100, Washington Wizards 78 Frenchman Tony Parker scored 15 of his 19 points in the third quarter, and the Spurs whipped the bottom-feeding Wizards.

Charlotte Bobcats 98, Atlanta Hawks 91 Gerald Wallace scored 21 points and the surging Bobcats matched the franchise-record with their fifth consecutive victory.

Chicago Bulls 117, Milwaukee Bucks 102 Ben Gordon scored 34, Derrick Rose tied a career-best with 27 and the Bulls (29-34) moved ahead of the Bucks into the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Richard Jefferson led Milwaukee (29-36) with 27 points.

Detroit Pistons 108, Golden State Warriors 91