Boston Celtics Team Report - November 22

(Basketball News) - The Boston Celtics lost their third straight game on Friday to Philadelphia 76ers, 87-85, at the Wachovia Center.

Paul Pierce poured in a season-high 33 points for the Celtics, who have dropped four of their last five contests. Boston has also struggled lately in the series, losing 15 of the last 19 meetings with Philadelphia.

Allen Iverson made a layup with 3:31 left to play to put the Sixers ahead 83-75, their biggest lead of the game.

But the Celtics responded with eight unanswered points, capped off by a Pierce triple, to tie the game at 83-83 with 1:28 remaining.

On the ensuing possession, Aaron McKie made a jumper to put the Sixers back up by two and they led the rest of the way.

Boston got the ball back and failed to get a shot off before turning the ball over on a shot clock violation.

The Celtics had one more chance to tie and even take the lead, but Walter McCarty’s three-pointer came up short with 5.1 seconds left and Iverson made two free throws to seal the victory as Boston was forced to foul.

The Celtics are off until Monday when the host the Knicks.