PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers might be in big trouble in a playoff series with Boston once Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are back.

Paul Pierce and his backup band were enough to finish off a Sixers team that still has something to play for.

Pierce hit a jumper to break a tie for a 99-97 lead with 2:06 left, scored 31 points and hindered Philadelphia's shot at the Eastern Conference's sixth seed in Boston's 100-98 win over the Sixers last night.

"We should have won the game," Sixers guard Andre Iguodala said. "They used a second unit for the majority of the game."

Tony Allen and Leon Powe were pressed into service and combined for 28 points, and the Celtics' bench also outscored Philadelphia's reserves. Boston's subs were needed because Garnett missed the meaningless game to rest his strained knee and Allen served a one-game suspension without pay for elbowing Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao in the groin in Sunday's game.

Pierce made seven 3-pointers to overcome the absence of the two All-Stars, which had to make the Sixers wonder how they could win a first-round series against a loaded and focused Celtics team.

"We needed some scoring and I was trying to score the ball more tonight," Pierce said.

The Celtics already had the second seed in the East locked up and could face the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs. The Sixers, though, could move up a spot to sixth and play Orlando if they win tonight in Cleveland and the Raptors beat Chicago.

HAWKS 81, HEAT 79:

Flip Murray scored 17 points as host Atlanta's reserves beat the Miami bench players in a playoff preview that was more like a preseason game.

With both teams locked into their postseason position — they'll play Game 1 in Atlanta this weekend — there was little incentive for either to give significant minutes to top players.

LAKERS 125, JAZZ 112:

Andrew Bynum scored 22 points to lead four teammates in double figures, and Los Angeles defeated Utah to close the regular season with its sixth consecutive home victory.

Pau Gasol added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who tied the 1986-87 team with their 65th victory, making them the third-winningest team in franchise history.

NOTES

WIZARDS' NEW COACH

Flip Saunders has agreed to become the new coach of the Washington Wizards, with an announcement expected next week, according to an NBA executive.

Owner Abe Pollin has approved the hiring of Saunders, the choice of president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld to succeed interim coach Ed Tapscott, the executive told The Associated Press. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because the season has not ended and the Wizards are not yet prepared to make a formal announcement.