NBA – Rondo’s Celtics and Melo’s Nuggets on fire

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BOSTON (NBA) - The defending champion Boston Celtics rolled to their 23rd triumph in 25 games and the new-look Denver Nuggets remained hot by winning at Dallas on a busy Monday night in the NBA.

Rajon Rondo, the guard who shone for the United States at the 2005 FIBA U21 World Championship for Men in Argentina, came up just short of a triple double in Boston's 100-91 home victory over Utah.

Rondo scored 25 points, handed out eight assists and grabbed nine rebounds for Boston, who had four other players reach double figures in scoring.

No team in the Western Conference has been playing better of late than the Denver Nuggets with new guard Chauncey Billups, Team USA star Carmelo Anthony and Brazil center Nené all in excellent form.

Anthony poured in 23 points, Billups had 15 with eight assists and Nené scored 12 while pulling down nine rebounds as the Nuggets (17-7) claimed a 98-88 win at Dallas.

The Mavs (13-10) got 27 points and 10 rebounds from Germany's Dirk Nowitzki, while Puerto Rico guard Jose Barea scored 12 and dished out nine assists.

The New Jersey Nets are above .500 (12-11) after winning at the struggling Toronto Raptors 94-87.

Toronto fell to 10-14 with the defeat.

Joe Johnson, a member of the Americans' bronze-medal team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, had 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks won at home 83-79 over Charlotte.

France's Boris Diaw, who joined Charlotte in a trade with Phoenix over the weekend, had 25 points in defeat.

Other NBA results: Indiana 118 Washington 98, Utah 91 Boston 100, Milwaukee 98 Miami 83, New York 103 Phoenix 111, Minnesota 103 Sacramento 118, Orlando 109 Golden State 98.

FIBA