Nuggets-Celtics Preview

Kevin Garnett likes to refer to Boston Celtics teammate Paul Pierce as Superman. He certainly played that role in the team's last game.

Red-hot Pierce looks to lead the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics to their seventh straight victory on Friday night when the Denver Nuggets visit TD Banknorth Garden.

Pierce drained a fallaway jumper with 0.5 seconds left on Wednesday to lift Boston to a 103-102 win over previously unbeaten Atlanta. The shot capped a 34-point night for Pierce and gave the Celtics (8-1) their sixth consecutive win.

"I sort of got to my sweet spot and I felt good the whole time," he said of his game-winner. "We're playing a lot of playoff teams early, so it's good for us to get close games. ... We're learning from them."

Since scoring seven points in a 88-76 win against Detroit on Sunday, Pierce is shooting 50 percent from the field and averaging 35.0 points in wins over Toronto and Atlanta.

"The last play was drawn up: Get the ball to Pierce; get the hell out the way," said Garnett, who had a season-high 25 points and 12 rebounds. "Superman's in the booth. Let's go home. That was the play, and if you don't believe that ask (coach) Doc Rivers and he'll say the same exact thing."

There's no reason to think Pierce isn't poised for another big performance Friday against Denver. In 10 career home games versus the Nuggets, he has averaged 29.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 54.7 percent from the floor.

Garnett has also enjoyed success at Denver's expense. In 48 career games against the Nuggets -- 46 with Minnesota -- Garnett has 34 double-doubles. He notched his first career triple-double on Jan. 3, 1998, with 18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Denver (4-4).

Boston, which has held eight of nine opponents under 100 points and owns the league's second-ranked scoring defense (88.4), takes on a Denver squad that had a three-game win streak snapped with Thursday's 110-99 loss at Cleveland.

It was the first loss for the Nuggets in four games with point guard Chauncey Billups in the lineup.

Billups hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 of his season-high 26 in the first quarter as Denver shot 74 percent from the field.

"Chauncey has been wonderful," Denver coach George Karl said. "He's fit in very well. I think things will improve even more as time goes and once we all adjust. We're moving the ball well and getting everyone involved."

Carmelo Anthony, who recorded a season-low 11 points in a 119-93 loss at Boston on Nov. 7, 2007, had 18 points and eight rebounds against Cleveland.

Kenyon Martin returned from a two-game absence (sprained wrist) and had 12 points and 10 boards before getting ejected for a flagrant-2 foul on Anderson Varejao.

Martin has five double-doubles in 18 career games against the Celtics, averaging 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Boston improved to 29-6 all-time at home against the Nuggets with its 26-point victory last season.