Celts trade Perkins; Baron Davis to Cavs

Big bodies replaced big names on the final day of the NBA's trading season.

The Celtics traded starting center Kendrick Perkins, and Hasheem Thabeet, Nenad Krstic, Joel Przybilla and Nazr Mohammed were some other men in the middle who were dealt yesterday before the 3 p.m. EST deadline.

Baron Davis and Gerald Wallace were among the former All-Stars who changed teams.

The Celtics sent Perkins, who recently returned from a knee injury suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, and former Knick Nate Robinson to the Thunder for Krstic, Jeff Green, a future first-round draft pick and cash.

"He's a team-first guy, plays great low-post defense," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, a former Celtics assistant, said of Perkins. "There may not be a better low-post defender in the league."

The Celtics also dealt backup big man Semih Erden and reserve swingman Marquis Daniels in an active day for the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference.

They get back Green, the power forward they drafted at No. 5 in 2007 but traded to acquire Ray Allen. But with Perkins gone, and Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal battling injuries most of the season, interior defense now is a question mark for a team that appeared to have loaded up on it this season for a potential advantage against the Heat.

"I'm just as surprised as everyone else was," the Heat's LeBron James said.

"That's ironic that now we're a team of continuity and consistency," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team was the only one of the top six in the East without some tinkering around the deadline.

Wallace was an All-Star last season but is owed about $21 million over the next two years, so the cost-cutting Bobcats have been shopping him. He'll try to help the Trail Blazers reach the postseason.

"He is just the sort of talent we were looking for," Blazers owner Paul Allen said.

Davis and an unprotected 2011 first-round draft pick went from the Clippers to the Cavaliers for Mo Williams and forward Jamario Moon.

Aaron Brooks' tumultous season with the Rockets - he was suspended a game for leaving the court early - ended when he was dealt to the Suns for Goran Dragic and a first-round pick. Last year's winner of the most improved player award will back up Steve Nash.

Bulls 93, Heat 89: Derrick Rose scored 26 points and Luol Deng added 20, including the tiebreaking three-pointer with 16 seconds left, for host Chicago, which has won 16 of 21. Dwyane Wade scored 34 points and LeBron James added 29 for Miami, which lost for only the second time in 13 games. - AP