Dec 8 2010 - Doc Rivers Celtics NBA Nuggets.AVI

BOSTON -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers held off on telling his team that Carmelo Anthony wouldn't be playing against them on Wednesday night due to right knee inflammation. It worked.

Ray Allen scored 18 of his game-high 28 points in the first half and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett each added 17 as the Celtics won their eighth straight with a 105-89 win over the Denver Nuggets Wednesday night at TD Garden.

The Celtics shot a scorching 68 percent in the first quarter, making 13-of-19 from the field, on their way to building a 19-point lead. It was 30-11 with 2:47 left in the first quarter before the Nuggets closed to within 14, 35-21, heading into the second quarter. The Nuggets continued their hot shooting in the second, hitting 11-of-19 to close to within one, 51-50, on Ty Lawson's lay-up. The basket capped a 39-20 run that got Denver back into the game. The Celtics put the game away in the third quarter with a 10-2 run. Glen Davis had 16 points to lead the Boston bench effort.

The Celtics' only home court loss came to Oklahoma City on Nov. 19, as the Thunder played without superstar Kevin Durant.

In winning their eighth straight, the Celtics improved to 17-4 and 10-1 at home. The Celtics play Thursday night in Philadelphia in the opener of three-game road trip that will take them to Charlotte on Saturday and New York next Wednesday. The Celtics don't play at home again until Dec. 16 against Atlanta.

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