EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Bostons Big Three against New Jerseys Great Eight had the look of a mismatch.
Instead, the Celtics had to work hard to keep the injury-decimated Nets winless.
Rajon Rondo(notes) and Paul Pierce(notes) each scored 16 points, and Boston bounced back from its first loss of the season with an 86-76 victory Saturday night.
It was a struggle though, as the Celtics could never pull away from a Nets team that barely had enough players to start a game.
I didnt think we had a lot in the tank. I could see that, thats why I sat our starters long stretches today, Boston coach Doc Rivers said. I was just trying to milk the game as long as I could get it and then play at the end, and we had enough to win.
Ray Allen(notes) came alive after three dismal quarters to score eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter for the Celtics (7-1), who lost 110-103 to Phoenix on Friday night, allowing 20 more points than in any previous game.
Their defense was back Saturday—and it needed to be, because the Celtics couldnt shoot for most of the night. Boston finished with an NBA season-high 20 steals, five by Rondo, scoring 19 points off New Jerseys 24 turnovers.
Kevin Garnett(notes) shot 3 of 13 but added nine points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who beat the Nets for the 10th straight time, their longest winning streak in the series since claiming 11 in a row from 1980-82.
We expect that short-handed guys are going to come out and play hard. We didnt take them for granted, they just played hard and executed, Pierce said. Were playing a team thats desperate. They havent won. Theyve got everything against them.
Brook Lopez(notes), the only regular starter available, scored 23 points, and Rafer Alston(notes) had 20 for the Nets (0-7), who likely ran out of gas in the fourth quarter while playing with only eight players.
Our theme going in was none of us is strong as all of us and it literally come to fruition. In a seven-game stretch, go figure, Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. Our guys got a great deal of pride and theyre trying to win. Its a credit to the character in that locker room.
Starting forward Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) tested positive for swine flu and Courtney Lee(notes) has a strained left groin, leaving the Nets with the NBA minimum amount of players in uniform.
Well, were down to the great eight, Frank said before the game.
That was good enough for 3 1/2 quarters until Allen, who was 1 of 7 through three periods, knocked down a pair of jumpers for an 80-72 lead with 4:09 to play.
I think we got good looks, Allen said. In our last couple of games weve been getting good looks and we havent been knocking them down. Its just building ourselves into our rhythm throughout the course of the season.
The Nets scored the first five points and led by as much as eight before the Celtics tied it at 18 after one. Neither team had any flow in the first half, with the Nets committing 15 turnovers but Boston converting them into only six points.
Rivers looked disgusted by some of his teams sloppy plays, including one long pass attempt by Rondo that resembled a tee shot getting caught in the wind, hooking left until it flew out of bounds and landed by the Boston bench.
Josh Boones(notes) layup gave New Jersey a 40-39 lead at halftime.
The Celtics seemed to be seizing the game in the third, when two straight layups by Rondo after Boston steals made it 52-45. Garnetts three-point player later gave the Celtics an eight-point advantage, but they stalled again and the Nets rallied for a 61-59 heading to the fourth.
We were right there, Lopez said. We all showed we can be competitive.
Garnett and Allen were a combined 3 of 18 through three.
NOTES: The Celtics were without reserve Marquis Daniels(notes), who was excused for personal reasons. The teams entered as the NBAs best and worst in scoring differential. Boston was plus-14.7, while the Nets were minus-12.1. Boston has won seven straight in New Jersey.
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Celtics - Bucks (04.10.10)by PPTheZodiac4,239 views
COOL!!!!
all2fresh1 3 months ago