Detroit set for Celtics

Detroit's run of good form comes ahead of Wednesday's huge game against the NBA-best Boston Celtics (46-12), their third meeting of the season. Both teams recorded victories over each other on the road.

Central Division-leading Detroit is three games behind the Celtics in the Eastern Conference.

"We are definitely really going in there playing some good basketball, so obviously we can't start off the game the way we did today against them," Detroit's Tayshaun Prince said after his team overcame a slow start to win on Tuesday.

"We really got to start off from the jump ball. It should be a good battle."

Seattle had a 41-28 lead after the first quarter but scored only one point over the first seven minutes of the second. The Sonics also went cold at the start of the fourth quarter.

Prince led the Pistons with 24 points while Chauncey Billups added 20 points, nine assists and five steals and Richard Hamilton had 18 points.

Earl Watson scored 23 points while Kevin Durant and Chris Wilcox each scored 20 for Seattle.

The Pistons announced they had signed veteran forward Theo Ratliff and that he could play on Wednesday.

Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to their 12th win in the last 13 games, a comeback 117-105 road victory over the Sacramento Kings. Pau Gasol added 31 for Los Angeles.

Bryant became the second-youngest player in NBA history to go over 21,000 career points, reaching the mark at 29 years, 194 days, 10 days older than Wilt Chamberlain was.

Tim Duncan scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs secured their 10th win in a row by beating the visiting New Jersey Nets 81-70. It was San Antonio's second win over New Jersey in three days.

The Orlando Magic scored a 102-87 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Baron Davis scored 35 points and Stephen Jackson 29 as the Golden State Warriors ran up a 135-118 road victory over the Atlanta Hawks.