BOSTON -- Chicagos D. Vinny Curry Eagles Jersey .J. Augustin put an end to a series of pesky rallies by the Boston Celtics. Augustin hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:01 remaining, then continued a perfect night from the foul line while scoring a career-high 33 points for the Bulls in a 107-102 win over Boston. Augustin scored 15 in the fourth, including six points from the foul line as the Bulls held off the slumping Celtics. "Even though we didnt play great defence tonight, we pulled it out and we know what we have to fix," said Augustin, whose previous career high was 31 points scored against Philadelphia in January 2011. "I really dont follow that. Some of my teammates told me. Its a great accomplishment, but Im glad we got the win." Joakim Noah finished with 13 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds for Chicago two nights after it was routed at home by Portland. "That is how we have to win. Our margin of error is not great," Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Weve got to play with great intensity each and every night." The Bulls, who avoided losing consecutive games for the first time in nearly two months, will go for a three-game season sweep against the Celtics on Monday night in Chicago. Carlos Boozer scored 14, Kirk Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy added 11 points apiece and all five Chicago starters scored in double figures. Chicago made up for its rebounding struggles by making 25 of 31 foul shots, including 11 of 14 in the fourth quarter. "They were big, especially at the end," Augustin said. "If we had missed a couple of those foul shots, we dont know what the outcome of the game would have been because they made some big 3s at the end," Augustin said. Rajon Rondo had 17 points and 11 assists for Boston, which has lost four straight and nine of 10. Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger scored 16 points each for Boston and Sullinger pulled down 10 rebounds. Kris Humphries added 14 points and eight rebounds as Boston outrebounded Chicago 39-31, but could not stop Augustin in the fourth. "You can look at it a couple of different ways, but we hate losing," Rondo said. "Weve got to find a way eventually to win some of these games. Theyre very winnable. Were just not closing the games the right way." The Celtics kept the Bulls from making a run early in the fourth quarter, matching nearly every basket and continuing to outrebound Chicago. Boston grabbed two offensive rebounds on one possession and Brandon Bass putback gave the Celtics an 87-86 lead. Noah drew a foul on the other end and hit both free throws, Hinrich added a 3-pointer and Augustin made a reverse layup to put the Bulls up 93-87 with 4:36 left. Rondo answered with a 3-pointer for Boston, then Sullinger blocked a layup attempt by Augustin to set up a fast-break 3-pointer by Green to pull Boston back within a basket. Green hit again from beyond-the-arc after a foul shot by Noah and the score was tied at 96 with 2:13 remaining. Augustin broke the tie with his third 3-pointer of the game, then made a steal on an inbounds play that all but ended Bostons chances. Augustin drew a foul and made both free throws, then added four more from the line as the Celtics were forced to foul. Augustins two free throws with 22 seconds left put Chicago up 105-99 and the margin was too much for Boston to overcome. Notes: Carlos Boozer received a technical and clear-path foul when he grabbed Humphries from behind on his way to an uncontested trip to the basket. ... Humphries tumbled to the court after Boozer let go and was quickly issued the technical. ... Humphries was called for a technical in the third period for a shove on Noah in the lane while both were setting up for a rebound. ... Chicago last lost consecutive games Feb. 1 and 3. Cody Parkey Jersey .S. -- Kelsey Rocque remains the only unbeaten womens skip at the Canadian junior curling championships. Ron Jaworski Jersey . He leaves as a potential first overall pick, and one of the most dynamic, breath-taking players in college football history.NASHVILLE -- A long dormant Predators power play is finally beginning to produce. David Legwand had a goal and an assist to lead Nashville to a 3-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. Patric Hornqvist and Paul Gaustad also scored for the Predators, who have won two straight. Carter Hutton made 33 saves. Nashville closed out the first period with power-play goals from Hornqvist and Legwand just 28 seconds apart. "When you can go 2 for 2 pretty much on the power play, thats a game-changer," Legwand said. "Its huge for our team. Executing 5-on-3s is big." The Predators had not scored a power-play goal in their previous six games, five of which were losses. "When we score a power-play goal, its pretty good," coach Barry Trotz said. "The last six or seven games, its been a little bit dry in terms of the goal production. That was a real big turning point for us. It gave us a lot of confidence at home." Erik Cole had the goal for Dallas, which has lost three of four. Cole scored the games first goal at 18:07 of the opening period when he took possession of the puck behind the Nashville net and skated out front before lifting a backhand over Huttons right shoulder. Making his second consecutive start, Hutton improved to 6-3-1 this season. Dallas got into trouble when Shawn Horcoff took a high-sticking penalty at 18:45 and Brenden Dillon was sent off for delay of game 7 seconds later after his clearing attempt from inside the Stars blue line sailed over the glass. "We lost the game in a 2-minute span," Dallas coach Lindy Ruff said. "We were playing a good period and had a lead, but for me its a mental mistake we cant make as a team." Hornqvist got NNashville on the scoreboard at 19:02 on the two-man advantage. Tommy McDonald Jersey. From the bottom of the right circle, Legwand found Hornqvist alone in the slot, where he wired a wrist shot high to the stick side of Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen. Legwand scored on the 5-on-4 at 19:30 when he collected the rebound of Roman Josis shot from the left point and put it by Lehtonen for his sixth of the season. "I think for me, whats huge is instead of being down 1-0, were up 2-1 after the first period," Hutton said. "Then you kind of have some confidence and we have a couple of big penalty kills in the second which really kind of get me into a groove." Shea Weber assisted on both of Nashvilles first-period goals, giving the team captain 10 points on the power play this season. Nashville is 11-0-1 when leading after the first period. Gaustad gave the Predators a two-goal lead at 9:14 of the second, beating Lehtonen with a wrist shot from the left side. The goal came on a delayed penalty to the Stars and with Hutton off for an extra attacker. Gaustad has four points in his last two games. This one was the first of three straight road games for Dallas against fellow Central Division teams. "These are big ones," defenceman Alex Goligoski said. "We have two more big ones on this road trip to turn it around. Not the way we wanted to start it, but thats the beauty of hockey. You have to prove it every day." NOTES: Dallas D Aaron Rome appeared in his first game of the season. ... Josi has points in three consecutive games. ... Nashville won for just the third time when allowing its opponent to score first. ... Hutton turned aside 12 shots in the first, nine in the second and 12 in the third. ' ' '
