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Celtics Down Clippers In Boston, 95-89
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Paul Pierce led a balanced scoring attack with 22 points, and the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 95-89, at TD Garden.
Rajon Rondo added 16 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Celtics, who have won two straight since the return of Kevin Garnett, who scored 17 points in his second game back following a 10-contest absence. Boston had lost six games while Garnett sat out with a knee injury.
Ray Allen contributed with 15 points, while Kendrick Perkins had nine points and 15 rebounds in a winning effort.
Rasual Butler led six Clippers in double-figures with 17 points, although Los Angeles lost for the ninth time in 10 road games. Baron Davis had 16 points and seven assists in the loss, as the Clips fell to 1-2 on an eight-game road trip.
Craig Smith had 13 points, Al Thornton 12 and Chris Kaman 10 with nine rebounds in the loss, as LA shot just 38.8 percent from the field.
The Clippers led, 19-17, after a low-scoring first quarter, and a 7-0 run to begin the second provided a nine-point lead after Mardy Collins' dunk two minutes in.
The nine-point margin stood with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, but the Celtics responded with a 14-4 burst to take the lead. Garnett had six points, and Rondo’s layup inside a minute left gave Boston a 43-42 lead.
Kaman’s jumper then gave the Clippers a 44-43 lead at halftime.
Boston scored the first six points of the second half to take a five-point lead, and Rondo’s layup midway through the third provided a 58-50 lead for the hosts.
A three from Butler with just under a 1 1/2 minutes left kept the Clippers within five, 64-59, at the end of the third.
Boston started the fourth on a 7-2 run to grab a 71-61 lead on a Tony Allen layup, although back-to-back layups by Smith brought Los Angeles to within 77-73 with a little under six minutes left.
Pierce responded with a three to put the lead back at seven, and Garnett’s free throw with two minutes left gave Boston an 84-76 lead. The Clippers didn’t get closer than four down the stretch despite making three three- pointers in the final 31 seconds. Boston went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the final minute.
The teams split the season series, 1-1...The Clippers will face New Jersey, Minnesota, Cleveland, Chicago and Atlanta on the remainder of their road trip...Boston shot 47.2 percent from the field...The game was delayed for five minutes in the first quarter after condensation built up on the floor, causing it to be too wet. The ice from Boston Bruins’ games sits just below the basketball court at the arena.
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