Boston clinches playoff spot by beating Denver, 113-99
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Boston — Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Kevin Garnett had 20 and the Boston Celtics clinched a playoff berth with a 113-99 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
The Celtics dominated inside and the Nuggets, one day after losing to the Knicks in New York, slipped a half-game behind the Dallas Mavericks and into a third-place tie with Utah in the Western Conference with their third consecutive loss.
Carmelo Anthony led Denver with 32 points and J.R. Smith added 21.
Denver Coach George Karl missed his fourth straight game and ninth overall since announcing that he had been diagnosed with cancer. The Nuggets are 5-4 under acting head coach Adrian Dandle while Karl undergoes treatment for throat and neck cancer. Karl also was hospitalized this week with blood clots in his lungs and a leg, according to a blog by his girlfriend, Kim Van Derma.
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