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Collins gets 400th win as Sixers top Celtics

Mar 24, 2012 - 3:49 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The 76ers got Doug Collins his 400th NBA coaching win and kept their place atop the Atlantic Division.

Elton Brand scored 20 points, Lou Williams had 19 off the bench and the Sixers used a dominant third quarter to take control in a 99-86 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Six Philadelphia players scored in double digits and Brand got 14 of his 20 in the third quarter, when the Sixers outscored the Celtics 37-17 to overcome a six-point deficit at halftime.

Jrue Holiday added 15 points, Andre Iguodala scored 14 and Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young both had 12 in the win, which extended Philadelphia's lead to 1 1/2 games over Boston atop the Atlantic.

"What a great night to beat the Celtics," said Collins. "This is twice they came in here and had a chance to knock us out of first place, and both times, we've taken care of business."

Celtics guard Mickael Pietrus left the game on a stretcher after falling on his back in the second quarter and was spending the night in the hospital with an unclear head injury.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had 20 points apiece to lead Boston and Brandon Bass scored 18. Rajon Rondo had 17 assists and six points in the loss, which dropped Boston to 4-4 at the end of an eight-game road trip.

"The injury, fatigue, whatever, finally caught up to us," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "We took all jump shots. To me that's the sign of a team that is kind of tired. We kind of gave in a little bit."

Pierce scored 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter and the Celtics shot 61.9 percent for a 32-26 lead going into the second, but the wind was let out of their sails after Pietrus went down.

The guard crashed to the floor in the second quarter after Williams got a piece of the ball, which Pietrus was holding up while driving into the lane.

His back hit the floor, but Pietrus immediately grabbed the back of his head near the neck. He remained on the ground for a while before being stabilized and lifted onto a stretcher, then was taken to the hospital.

The Celtics said he had a questionable closed head injury and was having tests done.

The Sixers, down by as many as 10 in the first half, trailed 49-43 at the break before taking control with an 11-0 run led by Brand and Iguodala.

They scored every point during the surge -- Brand had six and Iguodala five -- and Philadelphia took a 74-64 lead with under two minutes left in the quarter.

The advantage reached 80-66 going into the fourth after an extended 17-2 run and climbed as high as 17 several times down the stretch.

Collins, who has also coached the Bulls, Pistons and Wizards, is 400-349 in his NBA career.

Actor Will Smith, a minority Sixers owner, said he congratulated Collins on his milestone.

"For me this is absolutely ridiculous, to be here for a coach and an owner of my hometown team, and sitting on the floor," said Smith. "We beat Boston. Larry Bird ruined my childhood, so this is fantastic."

Game Notes

The Sixers won the first meeting this season, 103-71, on March 7. The teams will meet again in Boston on April 8...Philadelphia would have fallen to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference with a loss.