BOSTON — The streaky Boston Celtics are winning again, just in time for an Atlantic Division showdown with the first-place Philadelphia 76ers.

Paul Pierce scored seven of his 30 points in overtime Tuesday night as the Celtics recovered from a second-half slumber to beat the Houston Rockets 97-92 for their fifth consecutive win since the All-Star break. The Celtics had lost five straight heading into the break.

“We’re starting to play good basketball and we’re starting to win games where we don’t play good basketball,” Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said. “And that may be more important.”

Kevin Garnett grabbed 13 rebounds to pass Shaquille O’Neal and move into 12th on the NBA’s career list. Ray Allen scored 21, including a 3-pointer to give Boston the lead with 36 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Rajon Rondo had 12 assists, but all of his nine points came in the first quarter and he missed an open layup with a chance to clinch it in regulation. Goran Dragic tied it for the Rockets to force overtime.

It was the second straight overtime game for Boston, which beat the New York Knicks on Sunday. The Celtics could tie the Sixers atop the division with a win in Philadelphia tonight.

“We’re still not there yet,” Rondo said.

Luis Scola had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Samuel Dalembert had 11 points and 17 boards for Houston, which lost for the fourth straight game. The Rockets, who had been outrebounded in 10 consecutive games, grabbed 57 rebounds to 38 for Boston.

Garnett finished with 13,100 rebounds, one more than O’Neal.

“I think when you’re old, you have a milestone every night,” Rivers said.

Houston trailed 57-47 with eight minutes left in the third but outscored the Celtics 21-6 the rest of the quarter. Boston made one basket in the final 8:58 of the period, and just one more in the first 7:16 of the fourth.

The Celtics trailed 80-70 with 5:33 left before scoring 14 of the next 16 points, taking advantage of back-to-back Houston airballs and 24-second clock violations and making it a three-point game, 80-77, on a fast break from Pierce to Rondo to Allen with 2:49 left.

“We started doing the worst thing you can do on the road: Just start playing the score as opposed to playing the game,” Rockets Coach Kevin McHale said. “We lost our rhythm a little bit and then we just got too conservative trying to run the clock, trying to play perfect basketball.”

Allen drained a 3-pointer to give Boston an 84-82 lead with 36 seconds left.

Scola missed for Houston and Allen got the rebound. Rondo broke for the basket and got the ball but missed an uncontested layup. Scola hit Dragic for a long jumper to tie it.

HAWKS 101, PACERS 96: Josh Smith had 27 points and nine rebounds at Indianapolis, leading Atlanta to its third straight victory.

BOBCATS 100, MAGIC 84: Corey Maggette scored a season-high 29 points, Gerald Henderson hit some big shots in the fourth quarter, and Charlotte overcame a 20-point, first-half deficit at home.

HEAT 108, NETS 78: LeBron James scored 21 points and capped his night by banking in a half-court shot and Miami won at home to snap a two-game slide.

PISTONS 88, LAKERS 85: Rodney Stuckey scored 34 points and Detroit overcame a tying shot by Kobe Bryant at the end of regulation to win in overtime at Auburn Hills, Mich.

MAVERICKS 95, KNICKS 85: Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points and Dallas won at home despite a 7½-minute scoreless stretch in the fourth quarter.

NOTES

Rookie center Bismack Biyombo, who missed two games because of a strained left shoulder, was back in Charlotte’s starting lineup against Orlando. Indiana reserve center Jeff Foster is expected to miss at least a week with a sore lower back. Chicago veteran guard Richard Hamilton is day to day because of a bruised and mildly sprained right shoulder. Minnesota center Nikola Pekovic is feeling better after missing the last game because of a right foot injury. The Lakers’ win Sunday against the Heat drew the most viewers for a non-Christmas regular-season NBA game on ABC. Chris Bosh returned to the Heat after missing three games to deal with his grandmother’s death. Dallas starting center Brendan Haywood didn’t play against New York because of a sprained left ankle.