Los Angeles  - While Boston Celtics superstar Kevin Garnett was burning up at home with a fever and flu-like symptoms, fellow all-star Paul Pierce was also on fire, torching his latest victims.

Pierce matched his season-high with 36 points, and the short- handed Celtics extended their winning streak to 11 games on Sunday, taming the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 109-101.

"I just try to give the game what it needs. Today, I think it needed my scoring," said Pierce, who made 13 of 24 shots to go with eight rebounds and six assists.

"I don't expect to go out and get 30-plus points every night, because I know when Kevin is out there we play through him."

Garnett, cornerstone of the Timberwolves during his first 12 seasons until being traded before the 2007-08 campaign, is expected to miss Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

"He's sick. He's really bad. His fever is really high," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said before tipoff at the TD Banknorth Garden.

"He's probably not playing Tuesday. For him to be out of any game, especially today, he's got to be pretty sick."

Pierce joked: "I don't think Kevin took his flu shots, so I'm going to get on him for that."

Ray Allen tossed in 22 points, Tony Allen added 14 and Glen Davis had 12 with six boards in place of Garnett, as the defending NBA champion Celtics improved to a league-best 40-9 record.

"Kevin is our foundation on both ends of the floor, so we definitely missed him tonight," Allen said. "But our roster is pretty deep, and we have guys that can play. It's important that regardless of who plays every night, we're all ready."

Al Jefferson, the other central player in the Garnett trade, had 34 points and 11 rebounds against his former team as Minnesota (16- 30) lost its third in a row. Randy Foye followed with 21 points and nine assists.

The Celtics led 62-44 at halftime after outscoring their guests 33-20 in the second period.

The gap grew to 21 points early in the third quarter before the T- Wolves went on a 21-6 run to pull within 77-71. However, Pierce, who had 14 points in the frame, scored seven, and Davis muscled in for a three-point play, giving the Celtics an 87-73 cushion heading into the final frame.

The Timberwolves clawed back to within 94-89 on Jefferson's dunk at the 5:20 mark. The Celtics responded, however. After Allen's jumper, Pierce made two free throws, converted an old-fashioned three-point play and buried a 16-foot jumper, making it 103-95 with 2:24 remaining en route to the victory.

Rivers was delighted with the way his captain stepped up and took the Celtics over the finish line.

"Paul can sense when we need a bucket or when he needs to take over a game," Rivers said. "Clearly, you have to have the ability to do that, and Paul does a great job."

Elsewhere:

Cleveland Cavaliers 90, Detroit Pistons 80. LeBron James scored six of his 33 points in a late, game-sealing 11-0 run, and the visiting Cavaliers pulled away from the slumping Pistons for their sixth win in the last seven games.

Clinging to a 77-76 advantage with just over four minutes remaining, Zydrunas Ilgauskas drilled a three-pointer, while James added a triple of his own and split a pair of free throws. After Mo Williams hit an 11-foot runner, James made a driving layup with 1:05 left to open up an 88-76 cushion.

Williams had 22 points for Cleveland (38-9) while Lithuanian- native Ilgauskas finished with 13.

Allen Iverson scored 22 points, and Richard Hamilton added 16 off the bench for Detroit (25-21), which has lost nine of its last 12 contests to drop 12 games behind Central Division-leading Cleveland.

Orlando Magic 113, Toronto Raptors 90. Dwight Howard powered for 29 points and 14 rebounds, and Frenchman Mickael Pietrus scored 22, sending the Magic to their third straight victory.

Jameer Nelson had 18 points with 10 assists, and fellow all-star Rashard Lewis chipped in with 15 points for the Magic (36-10), who improved their league-best road record to 18-6.

Spanish-native Jose Calderon topped Atlantic Division doormat Toronto (19-3) with 16 points.

Sacramento Kings 122, Oklahoma City Thunder 118 (OT). Kevin Martin scored 37 points, and Bobby Jackson added six of his 11 in the overtime as the host Kings (11-38) ended an eight-game losing streak in a match-up of Western Conference bottom feeders.

Rookie Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City (11-37) with a career- high 34 points with eight assists. Kevin Durant added 33 while Jeff Green finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds. (dpa)