By The Associated Press

CLEVELAND – LeBron James scored 36 points to lead Cleveland to a 94-82 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night, moving the Cavaliers closer to their first playoff berth in eight years.

James added eight assists and seven rebounds and put the finishing touches on the win with three sparkling plays in the final minute.

James scored on an off-balance drive to the basket that left him sprawled along the baseline, but quickly got up and raced down court to steal the ball from Paul Pierce. He then dribbled back the other way and hit a 3-pointer to bring the sellout crowd to its feet with 18 seconds to play.

The Cavaliers won their fourth in a row overall and sixth straight at home, where they are 26-10.

Any combination of Cleveland wins and Chicago Bulls losses totalling three will put the Cavaliers into the postseason for the first time since 1998 – when James was a gangly 13-year-old learning the game 40 miles away in Akron.

Pierce scored 24 points to lead Boston, which has lost five of seven and trails the Philadelphia 76ers by 4 1-2 games for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Pierce was not nearly as sharp as the last time the teams met in Boston on Feb. 15. He scored a career-high 50 points that night in a double-overtime loss as James scored 43 and had a triple-double.

Pierce shot 6-for-20 and seemed slowed by a mild ankle sprain suffered Monday night in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Grizzlies 91, Knicks 75

NEW YORK – Pau Gasol scored 36 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies used a dominant defensive effort to beat the New York Knicks 91-75 Friday night for their sixth straight victory.

Top reserve Mike Miller added 15 points for the Grizzlies, who equaled their longest winning streak of the season and moved into a tie with the Los Angeles Clippers for fifth place in the Western Conference. Lorenzen Wright contributed 12 points and nine rebounds.

Heat 114, Bobcats 93

MIAMI – Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal combined for 46 points before sitting out the fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat beat the Charlotte Bobcats 114-93 on Friday night to snap a two-game losing streak.

Wade had 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting, along with eight assists and five rebounds. O’Neal had 22 points and nine rebounds in only 26 minutes for the Heat, who shot 58 percent from the field and finished off a four-game season sweep of the Bobcats.

Magic 102, 76ers 86

PHILADELPHIA – Dwight Howard had 15 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks to help the Orlando Magic snap a 16-game road losing streak with a 102-86 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

Orlando hadn’t won away from home since its last trip to Philadelphia – a 119-115 overtime victory over the Sixers on Jan. 26.

Pistons 75, Pacers 72

INDIANAPOLIS – Ben Wallace blocked Danny Granger’s 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Detroit Pistons held off the Indiana Pacers 75-72 on Friday night.

Richard Hamilton scored 15 points and Antonio McDyess and Tayshaun Prince each added 11 for Detroit, which extended its winning streak to four games.

Raptors 97, ‘Wolves 77

TORONTO – Morris Peterson scored 21 points and Chris Bosh added 17 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 97-77 rout over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost nine of 11 to drop to 28-41.

Before the game, Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said he felt for Garnett – his ex-teammate and good friend.