Evan Turner hit the go-ahead basket with 3.9 seconds left in overtime to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 95-94 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday.

Turner finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds and Thaddeus Young had 17 points and 12 rebounds as the 76ers snapped a two-game losing skid.

This was also the opener of a home-and-home series between the longtime rivals.

Jrue Holiday contributed 15 points to the win at the Wells Fargo Center.

Boston suffered its second defeat in its past three outings despite a triple-double from Rajon Rondo and a game-high 27 points by forward Paul Pierce.

The Celtics got 19 points off the bench from Jeff Green and a 17-point, 10-rebound performance from Kevin Garnett.

Rondo, who was playing his second game after coming back from a suspension, finished with 16 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds.

The 76ers closed out November with three-straight victories, but they had lost their first two games of this month.

The Sixers, who visit Boston on Saturday, have won five of their past seven versus the Celtics after losing 12 of the previous 14.

AFP

(China Daily 12/09/2012 page7)