BOSTON (AP) – Paul Pierce had 28 points and 11 rebounds, and Mark Blount and Chucky Atkins also had double-doubles Wednesday night as the Celtics beat the Denver Nuggets 104-100 to improve to 12-1 when playing at home on St. Patrick’s Day.

Wearing green road uniforms, green socks and green headbands to celebrate the holiday, Blount had 17 points with 15 rebounds and Atkins had 21 points and 10 assists. Pierce also had seven assists for the Celtics, who remained in ninth place in the East.

Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and nine rebounds, Nene had 12 and 10 and Voshon Lenard scored 19 for the Nuggets, who are struggling to hold onto the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff race.

Andre Miller shot an airball from 3-point range with a dozen seconds left and a chance for Denver to pull within one.

Boston led by five before Miller made a free throw and Anthony hit two to make it 101-99 with 1:19 left. Pierce went in for a dunk but Miller muscled the ball away and blocked the shot.

The Celtics got the ball, and after a timeout Pierce dribbled away from a double team and hit a fadeaway jumper with 25.9 seconds left that gave Boston a 103-99 lead. At the other end, Miller got the ball in the left corner, set himself and fired a 3-point attempt that went over the far side of the rim.

Denver has lost seven straight in Boston and 10 of 11 overall to the Celtics.

The Celtics fell behind 9-0 from the opening tip and trailed 58-51 near the start of the third quarter before scoring 24 of the next 30 points to take an 11-point lead. Pierce dunked, Walter McCarty hit a 3-pointer and Pierce had a steal and a layup to tie the game with 9:49 left in the quarter. The Nuggets took the lead again before Pierce hit a 3-pointer to tie it, McCarty hit a 3 for the lead and Blount and Pierce made layups, making it 68-61. After Anthony dunked and converted a three-point play, Boston scored seven consecutive points, with a 3-pointer by Atkins and fast-break layups by Blount and Atkins, to make it 75-64 with 5:07 left in the third.

Marcus Camby had 10 of the Nuggets’ first 15 points and 12 overall in the first quarter.

Notes: Blount and Ricky Davis were sent home early from Tuesday’s practice for being a “distraction.” “I felt it would be better with 10 guys at practice instead of 12,” coach John Carroll said. Both played on Wednesday. … It was Anthony’s first time in the FleetCenter since playing the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament here last year to start Syracuse’s march to the national championship. … “St. Patrick’s Day. Coach of the Celtics. What more could you ask?” Carroll, who is half-Irish, said before the game. “I hate corned beef and cabbage,” Carroll added. The green uniforms, embroidered with the date, will be auctioned off for charity.

AP-ES-03-17-04 2159EST