Celtics beat Pacers to record win No.40

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Boston Celtics became the first team to reach 40 wins this season with a 104-97 road victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.

With starters Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins still absent through injury, Paul Pierce stepped up to score 28 points and grab 12 rebounds to help the Celtics earn their fourth win in a row and improve to 40-9.

Boston coach Doc Rivers was not getting carried away with the number of wins his team had garnered.

"I'm not looking at numbers and I didn't even know we had made 40 wins," Rivers told reporters.

"But we're getting better and better. We just need to keep improving. Every night is a new test."

Pierce, who will play in Sunday's All-Star game, also had five assists. Ray Allen had 23 points while Leon Powe added 16 points and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo had 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Danny Granger led the Pacers with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots."

"This was definitely a winnable game," Granger said.

"We let it get away at the end with a lack of execution and our usual letdown in the stretch."

The Pacers played without the injured Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley.

*Chauncey Billups scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to help the visiting Detroit Pistons earn a 94-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks, their ninth consecutive victory.

*The Miami Heat piled up their 23rd loss in 24 games, going down 114-113 in a home overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets.

*The Memphis Grizzlies ended a six-game losing streak with a 107-94 home win over the Sacramento Kings. It was the Grizzlies' first win since trading Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers.

*The New Orleans Hornets improved to 35-15 with a 100-86 road victory over the Chicago Bulls.

(Writing by Mike Shalin; Editing by Peter Rutherford)