BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics blew out the New York Knicks the last time they met. Earl Campbell Jersey . This one may have been more rewarding for Celtics coach Brad Stevens. "I wouldnt want to go through it again, but thats exactly what our team needed," the first-year NBA coach said on Friday night after Boston blew a 17-point lead and then came back to beat the Knicks 90-86. "We needed to have a lead, lose it, be backed up against the wall and figure out a way to win." Avery Bradley scored seven of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a 3-pointer with 2:38 to play to give the Celtics the lead for good. Jared Sullinger had 19 points and six rebounds, all but one basket in the first half when the Celtics opened a 17-point lead, and Courtney Lee scored 18 points to help Boston snap a two-game losing streak and hold onto first place in the woeful Atlantic Division. Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points and Andrea Bargnani had 22 for the Knicks. But Anthony missed a jumper that could have tied it after Bradley gave Boston the lead, and then he was blocked by Jeff Green with a minute to play. "Carmelo got going like Carmelo can get going, and it didnt really matter who was guarding him," Stevens said. "But Jeff went to a different level in the last eight minutes. And that was encouraging to see, because I really thought he did a great job." Kenyon Martin had eight points and seven rebounds before leaving struggling to the bench in pain with about 9 minutes left with an abdominal injury. He did not return. Other than Amare Stoudemire, who scored 18, the Knicks bench totalled four points as they lost for the third time in four games and their 12th in their last 15. "Our bench guys, theyve got to feel good about coming into the game and playing and producing," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "Our bench is just as important as the guys who start the game. Theyve got to understand that and be ready when they come in." The victory came five days after the Celtics led the Knicks by as many as 45 points in New York in a 114-73 victory that was the biggest blowout in the NBA this season. This one seemed headed the same way when Boston went on a 21-2 run at the end of the first quarter and start of the second to open a 17-point lead, but the Knicks chipped it down to six at the half and then tied it at 59 with 7:15 left in the third on Iman Shumperts 3-pointer. The Knicks had an 11-point lead before Boston scored 10 in a row, getting 3-pointers from Vitor Faverani and Bradley to make it a one-point game. New York led 84-81 when Brandon Bass, who had 10 points and eight rebounds, made a basket and then Jordan Crawford hit Bradley for a 3-pointer that put Boston ahead with 2:38 to play. After trading misses, Crawford found Faverani underneath to make it 88-84, and Green blocked Anthony with 1 minute to play. Bargnani hit a jumper from the foul line to make it a two-point game, but Green drove to the basket on J.R. Smith and made a right-handed layup from the left side of the basket as Stoudemire unsuccessfully flailed at the ball. Green missed the free throw, but Anthony missed an off-balance 3-pointer at the other end with 4 seconds left and Bradley grabbed the rebound. "You have to realize youre away, on the road and these teams arent going to give up," Smith said. "This team is No. 1 in our division for a reason." Notes: Boston first-round draft pick Kelly Olynyk returned after missing 10 games with an ankle injury. He had four points and four rebounds in 14 minutes, and also one highlight blocked shot... NY PG Raymond Felton missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring that is expected to keep him out two to three weeks. Shumpert, who is nursing a bruised left knee, played 23 minutes and scored three points. Joe Johnson Jersey . -- Kevin Stadler might be playing in the Masters for the first time, but hes already showing his old man a thing or two. Malcom Brown Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. http://www.customsaintsjersey.com/custom-brad-edelman-jersey-large-262e.html . -- Victor Bernardez tied the game with his second goal in the 95th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. TORONTO -- Carter Ashton received the call Saturday night that no player wants. However, after being told he was being demoted, the 22-year-old made the best of his return to the American Hockey League by scoring the game-winning goal as the Toronto Marlies edged the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 2-1 on Sunday. Despite Ashtons disappointment of being sent down after playing nine games with the Maple Leafs, Marlies head coach Steve Spott was pleased with the power forwards mindset heading into his first AHL game of the season. "He was good. He went right with Trevor (Smith) and with Spencer (Abbott) on that first line and I thought he had a heck of a game," said Spott. "He was just a dominant player out there. He played 5-on-5, killed penalties and was good at the net front on power play. "Its great to see when he comes down. It sends the right message for our young guys." Toronto took a 2-0 lead at 5:30 of the second period when Ashton put home an Abbott rebound while on the power play. "Abbott stood on the half wall and just walked it to the net," said Ashton of the goal. "I knew the puck might come out and I got a good rebound, right on my stick." T.J. Brennan also scored for the Marlies (4-1-0), who are unbeaten in four games at the Ricoh Coliseum this season, and goaltender Drew MacIntyre made 17 saves for the victory. Mike Blunden scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs (1-1-2), who were held to just nine shots through the final 40 minutes. Robert Mayer stopped 26 shots in defeat. Hamilton cut Torontos lead in half 2:08 into the third period on Blundens second goal of the season. The Bulldogs pulled theirr goaltender with less than a minute remaining, but could not find the equalizer. Zach Line Jersey. Ashton had an excellent chance to get Toronto on the board 6:55 into the first period when he was awarded a penalty shot, however Mayer stopped him. "I was thinking about trying to fake a shot and open him up somewhere and I tried going five hole, but he dropped pretty quick," Ashton said. Brennan opened the scoring with his league-leading eighth goal of the season, on the power play, at 8:29 of the first period. With Erik Nystrom off serving a tripping penalty, Brennan one-timed a John-Michael Liles feed past Mayer. Near the midway mark of the opening period, Hamiltons Gabriel Dumont hit Torontos Jerry DAmigo hard, from behind. DAmigo remained down for a moment, but was able to skate off under his own strength. Dumont was assessed a minor penalty for boarding. Thirty seconds later, Nathan Beaulieu went to the box for shooting the puck over the glass giving the Marlies an extended 5-on-3 opportunity, but Toronto was unable to capitalize. Toronto finished 2-for-8 on the power play, but was unable to score with a two-man advantage in first period, which has become an early-season trend for the club. "The challenge for me is still that 5-on-3," he said. "Weve got to find a way to punish teams 5-on-3. We were up 1-0 when we had the extended 5-on-3 and we didnt get it done. Thats an area weve got to continue to focus on." Notes: Bulldogs forward Martin St. Pierre missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. The Maple Leafs assigned Carter Ashton, Trevor Smith and David Broll to the Marlies Sunday morning. ' ' '