With one emotional hurdle cleared, Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers have to get back to business tonight when they visit the Brooklyn Nets. You can watch the game as part of an NBA doubleheader on TSN2, starting at 8pm et/5pm pt. Later, the Portland Trail Blazers host the Houston Rockets. Rivers returned to Boston as the Clippers coach on Wednesday, and although he guided his Los Angeles squad to a 96-88 victory at TD Garden, it was an emotional evening. Rivers spent nine seasons at the helm of the Boston Celtics, leading them to an NBA title in 2008. While his split this offseason wasnt without some acrimony, the Boston faithful gave Rivers a standing ovation before the game and once again during a video tribute between the first and second quarters. "It was just a really nice day," said a highly emotional Rivers. "This is, its just such a classy place here. So it was really nice when I walked out and, you know Im not used to walking out on that side, and all those guys, the people, they lined up and I was basically useless for the first 18 minutes of the game. "I thought, it was just nice." The Clippers overcame a six-point halftime deficit with a 27-19 third quarter. They held on with a 30-24 fourth to earn their second consecutive win and push their mark to 3-2 on this seven-game road trip. Jamal Crawford came up huge down the stretch, netting 11 of his 21 points in the fourth. Chris Paul tallied 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the triumph while Blake Griffin scored 18 points. Antawn Jamison hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter to go over 20,000 points in his career and the newest Clipper, Stephen Jackson, went scoreless in 12:18 of action. The Clippers finish this road trip Saturday night in Washington. Brooklyn also features some nostalgia for Rivers in former Celtics stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Those two, along with Ray Allen, were the centerpieces of the Boston title team, but the Nets already visited the Clippers this season, so Rivers has seen both. The Nets have won two in a row, including a home victory over the Celtics on Tuesday. Deron Williams returned from a nine-game absence and scored a season-high 25 points to go with seven assists. "Hes a guy who can put pressure with a single fast break," Nets head coach Jason Kidd said of Williams. "Just his presence gave everybody a lift." Brook Lopez scored 24 points and Alan Anderson added 15. Garnett and Andray Blatche finished with 11 apiece. Pierce returned earlier than expected from a hand injury. He played 22:14 off the bench Tuesday and had four points, all from the foul line. It was the first time Pierce and Garnett played their old team. "Its different," Garnett said of facing the Celtics. "But no matter whos playing on that team, Ill always have an affiliation with that." The Clippers downed the Nets, 110-103 in L.A. on Nov. 16 and have won three of the last five meetings. The Clippers have dropped five straight as the visitors in this series. Rockets at Trail Blazers (TSN2, 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt) The Portland Trail Blazers will try to avenge one of their two home losses this season when they welcome the Houston Rockets to the Moda Center. The Rockets knocked off the Blazers, 116-101, in Portland on Nov. 5. Of course, the Blazers were an ordinary 2-2 after that setback. No one in the NBA expected whats happened since, which is a 16-2 record, including wins in five of their last six. Portland earned a tough victory in Salt Lake City Monday night, defeating the Utah Jazz, 105-94. It was an off night shooting the 3-pointer for the Blazers, but Portland scored 44 points in the paint. "With our offense, I want us to be opportunistic with whatever the game gives us," head coach Terry Stotts said. "If it gives us 3s, we knock them down. If it gives us the paint, thats good too with LaMarcus on the block. One thing weve done well with offensively is we take what the game gives us." Aldridge, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week, was the game- high scorer with 24 points. Damian Lillard finished with 18 points, followed by 16 from Wesley Matthews. Robin Lopez registered a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Nicolas Batum only managed seven points, but handed out 11 assists. Portland will embark on a four-game eastern trip following Thursdays game. The Blazers visit Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota on the sojourn. The Rockets have won two straight since losing two in a row. They begin a three-game trek west and will also head to Golden State and Sacramento. Houston received some great news at practice on Tuesday as Jeremy Lin was a full participant. He hasnt played in almost two weeks with a right knee sprain, but declared himself ready to go for Thursday night. "I feel good, no limitations," Lin told the teams website. "Ill be back (for Thursdays game). Im full go. (I might need) a little conditioning, or maybe Im not jumping as high off of that right foot, but I never really jumped that high off the right foot, anyway." Lin averaged 15.3 ppg before the injury. Omer Asik and Greg Smith both missed practice and are expected to miss the Portland game. Chandler Parsons was a limited participant because of back spasms, but hes going to play Thursday. Houston won two in a row at home, highlighted by a 98-88 victory on Sunday over the Orlando Magic. James Harden dumped in 27 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds, while Dwight Howard scored 20 points and grabbed 22 rebounds against his former team. "I just wanted to get the win tonight," Howard said. "Im just happy our team came out tonight, settled down and played basketball." Parsons had 18 points and Terrence Jones had a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. 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Corban Knight and Max Reinhart scored for the Heat (1-1-0), who opened their season Friday with a 5-2 win over the Monsters in Cleveland.SUNRISE, Fla. - Nail Yakupov wasnt expecting his first career shootout attempt, but he made it a successful one.Yakupov scored the winning goal in the shootout to lift the Edmonton Oilers over the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Saturday night.Yakupovs shot got past Roberto Luongo in the first round, and Edmontons Viktor Fasth was perfect in the shootout.I dont know why, but Coach gave me my first shootout (chance) and I nailed it. It feels pretty good, Yakupov said.Yakupov was sitting on the bench when, to his surprise, he got a tap on the back from Coach Todd Nelson.Im like, Where??Shootout??Im going first??He (says), Yes, Yakupov said. So I jumped and went in there and scored.Nelson knew that Yakupov had no shootout experience.Yeah, I did, so I?had nothing to lose, Nelson said. It was a situation where I said, Why not?Matt Hendricks and Jordan Eberle scored in regulation for Edmonton. Fasth made 35 saves for his third win this season.The Oilers won for the first time in four games and snapped a franchise record 14-game, road-losing streak. The Oilers, who have three road wins this season, earned their first since Nov. 9 at the New York Rangers.It felt good, Fasth said. All the guys, they worked really hard today and it felt good to get this win here on the road.Jonathan Huberdeau and Erik Gudbranson scored for Florida, and Luongo stopped 32 shots. He has lost three straight starts for the first time since the opening three games of the season.Its a big game for us. Its not a matter of taking the point and moving on, Luongo said. We needed to bounce back and we didnt come up wiith the win.ddddddddddddEdmonton has won six straight at Florida since March 8, 2002. Five of the games have gone past regulation.The Panthers are a bit deflated after losing two in a row at home coming off a 4-2 road trip and took little comfort in getting a point.We had a real bad game tonight. We got outworked in every aspect of the game, Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. We know (Edmonton is) a good team. They play hard. Their record doesnt indicate their team. Theyre fast and they forced us all night long and they had a lot of odd-man rushes against us.The Oilers forged a 2-2 tie on Hendricks short-handed goal in the third. Hendricks shot from the slot got past Luongo at 6:32. The Oilers have scored a short-handed goal in back-to-back games.Huberdeau broke a 1-1 tie with his goal at 14:29 of the second. Aleksander Barkovs shot from the slot hit the post, and Huberdeau poked in the rebound. Huberdeau has four goals and four assists over the past six games.The Oilers took a 1-0 lead on Eberles goal in the second. The Panthers were caught in a line change, and Eberle skated in on Luongo unchallenged. His wrist shot got past Luongos glove and high into the net at 3:35 for his team-leading 12th goal.The Panthers tied it 1-1 about two minutes later on Gudbransons goal. His slap shot from above the right circle beat Fasth at 5:41. Gudbranson scored for the first time since Oct. 9 at Tampa Bay, a span of 39 games.NOTES: Luongo played in his 838th NHL game, putting him in 11th place among goalies. ... Edmontons Boyd Gordon recorded his 100th career assist. ' ' '