LOS ANGELES: Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier combined for 32 points as Boston’s reserves keyed the Celtics’ 91-84 NBA victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

In a hard-fought contest that included 15 lead changes, the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics finally turned the tide late in the third quarter to post their fifth straight win.

Boston had missed 12 of their first 14 shots of the third and were down 55-48 with less than five minutes left in the period.

But they made eight of their next 11 shots, closing out the third on a 17-7 scoring run.

The Celtics withstood a 25-point, 23-rebound performance from Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns.

Smart’s 18 points on eight-of-13 shooting led the Celtics and Rozier added 14 off the bench as Boston’s reserves out-scored Minnesota’s 42-20. Star guard Kyrie Irving led Boston’s starters with 16 points and also pulled down nine rebounds and eight assists.

Irving’s finger-roll layup with 1.6 seconds left in the third pushed the Celtics’ advantage to 66-62 and they wouldn’t surrender the lead in the final quarter.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors used a big third quarter -- including 20 points from Jonas Valanciunas -- to beat the Milwaukee Bucks for the second time in five days, 129-110.

Heat too hot for Knicks

The Miami Heat, who endured an embarrassing 29-point defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks in November, turned the tables with a 107-103 overtime triumph.

Wayne Ellington led Miami with 24 points and made six of a franchise-record 16 three-point attempts.

Overall the Heat set a club record for three-pointers attempted, making 12 of 42 from beyond the arc.

Goran Dragic had 19 points, six rebounds and six assists. Josh Richardson’s 18 points included six free throws late in regulation and in overtime.

It was close at the end in Memphis, where the Washington Wizards edged the Grizzlies 102-100 as the hosts’ late rally fell short.

Agence France-Presse