Sonics Pierced in Allen return

Forget those two new guys who gave Boston its Big Three. Paul Pierce can still carry the Celtics just like the past.

While most of the attention focused on Ray Allen’s return to Seattle, it was Pierce who took over for Boston. Pierce scored 26 of his season-high 37 points in the second half, and the Celtics held off the pesky SuperSonics 104-96 on Thursday night.

With Kevin Garnett unable to match his strong first half and Allen never finding an offensive groove, it was Pierce who made shot after shot in the second half to help the league’s best team avoid an embarrassing loss.

Pierce hit 11 of 27 shots and 10 of 11 free throws. He was dominant in the closing minutes of the third quarter and into the fourth, scoring 14 points in a little more than 7 minutes to help the Celtics win their fourth straight and improve to 24-3.

Garnett scored 14 of his 23 points in the first half, and Allen added a mostly quiet 10, playing his first game in Seattle since a draft night trade that sent the seven-time All-Star to the Celtics.

Rookie Kevin Durant led Seattle with 25 points and Delonte West, part of the trade that brought Allen to Boston, added 19.

Cavaliers 88, Mavericks 81: At Dallas, LeBron James had 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, helping Cleveland defeat the Mavericks.

Through three quarters, the Cavaliers shot only 36 percent, were 0 for 10 on 3-pointers and had missed 10 free throws – yet led by six points.

Dallas got within one point early in the quarter and made it 81-79 with 4:43 left and James already with five fouls. But a bunch of missed 3-pointers by the Mavericks followed, then James pretty much ended it with a thunderous dunk in the lane with 1:10 to go.

Suns 108, Clippers 88: At Los Angeles, Amare Stoudemire had 30 points and 15 rebounds and played stifling defense against Chris Kaman to lead Phoenix to a victory over the Clippers.

Stoudemire scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds in the first half as the Suns opened a 59-40 lead, and the rout was on.

Phoenix built the lead to as many as 36 points, the last time at 79-43 midway through the third quarter as it handed the outmanned Clippers their fifth consecutive loss and 14th in 17 games.

Around the league

Kevin Garnett of Boston was the leading vote-getter for the 2008 NBA All-Star game with 1,186,690 votes when the second set of returns was released. … Jim Boylan was promoted to interim head coach of Chicago, which fired Scott Skiles on Monday after the team’s disappointing start. … Miami center Shaquille O’Neal (achy hips) and point guard Jason Williams (sore left knee) were listed as day-to-day, after both had nagging injuries checked out by team doctors. … Tracy McGrady will miss Houston’s next two games to rest his ailing left knee. … San Antonio guard Brent Barry will miss up to two weeks after tearing a muscle in his left calf against Chicago.