Celtics crush Bucks on the road

BEIJING, March 17 -- The Boston Celtics cruised to a 99-77 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in the first of a testing five-game road trip.

The Celtics, missing Ray Allen with a bruised left heel, got 19 points from Kevin Garnett while Eddie House delivered 15 of his 17 in the second half.

The win gave Boston its 11th win in 12 games. It had a 10-game winning streak snapped at home by Utah on Friday.

"Last night we got beat and you could see the focus in the locker room," Garnett told reporters.

The Celtics travel to face the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Hornets next.

"These next four games are going to be playoff-style basketball games and we are going to have to be ready," said Garnett.

"When you have a long road trip like we are having now it's good to get the first one."

The Bucks, playing without the injured Andrew Bogut and China's Yi Jianlian, lost their fifth in a row and have tasted defeat in eight of nine matches.

"Defensively, we've been steadily getting worse down the stretch as the season has worn on," said Milwaukee coach Larry Krystkowiak. "We struggled just as much offensively."

In other National Basketball Association games, it was: 76ers 103, Spurs 96; Magic 122, Pacers 111; Nets 117, Jazz 115; Suns 127, Kings 99; Warriors 110, Grizzlies 107; Wizards 119, Clippers 109 (in overtime); and Trail Blazers 107, Timberwolves 96.

In Philadelphia, the 76ers claimed their third straight victory by downing the San Antonio Spurs.

Andre Miller scored a season-high 32 points and Andre Iguodala had 25 to lead the Sixers, who had already knocked off Detroit and Chicago on the road this week.

The Sixers are on track for their first playoff berth since 2005 and moved within a game of .500 for the first time since November 9. They have won nine of 10 at home to be seventh in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

San Antonio lost its third straight game overall and fifth in a row on the road, leaving it equal fifth in the Western Conference.

In Orlando, Florida, the home side pulled away from Indiana and clinched a playoff berth.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 27 points, including nine in the final five minutes for Orlando, which has won seven of eight and secured a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Indiana lost for the fifth time in its past six games.

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)