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Celtics Down Kings En Route To Clinching Atlantic Division
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Paul Pierce finished with 22 points and eight rebounds, as the Boston Celtics took a 94-86 win over the Sacramento Kings on a night they wrapped up the Atlantic Division title.
The division title is Boston’s third straight, something the club hasn’t done since taking five in a row from 1984-1988.
Kevin Garnett added 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ray Allen finished with 20 points in the win, the Celtics' sixth in their last seven games. Rajon Rondo had a career-high 18 assists in the victory.
Rondo also had three steals, which gave him the Celtics’ franchise record for steals in a season. He had entered the contest tied with Rick Fox at 167.
“I think tonight we were more appreciative of Rondo, and his accomplishments,” said Garnett. “Any time you get any kind of record in this organization on a team like what we have, is a huge thing. We are just appreciative of being in the moment, being here, being a part of it. It is a very special moment, and no one even talked about the division title tonight. Tonight was Rondo’s night.”
Carl Landry had a game-high 30 points to pace the Kings, who played their fourth straight game without rookie star Tyreke Evans (concussion). Beno Udrih added 16 points and 12 assists in the loss, Sacramento's third in a row.
Boston never trailed and led by as many as 24, though the Kings got within 87-81 with 3:12 left in the game on a three from Udrih. However, Pierce followed with a layup, then made 1-of-2 from the line with 2:34 to play.
After Sacramento missed a few shots on its next possession, Garnett’s slam made it a 92-81 game, and Boston held on over the final 1:39.
"It was two different games for us," said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. "I thought the second half we really got it going. We played the way we think we're supposed to play and we made it interesting. We couldn't come all the way back because the first half was too much of a hole, but I liked what I saw the second half."
Pierce poured in 11 points in the first quarter, when Boston used an 11-for-12 effort from the foul line to take a 32-17 lead.
The Celtics continued to play in front and stretch their lead in the second. A nine-point burst, capped by a Garnett jumper, made it a 57-33 contest with 1:38 to go, and Boston rolled into halftime with a 20-point advantage.
The Celtics held a 24-point advantage multiple times in the third quarter, including when a Pierce basket set their lead at 72-48. However, the Kings ended the frame on a 13-2 run to trim their deficit.
Udrih ended the rally with consecutive buckets to get Sacramento within 74-61 moving to the fourth. The Kings still trailed by double-digits for the first six minutes of the final frame, but baskets from Udrih and Jason Thompson had them within 82-74 with 5:47 left.
Kings center Spencer Hawes left in the third quarter with a lower back strain and did not return. Also for Sacramento, Francisco Garcia left in the second quarter with a sore right wrist and didn't return...Thompson ended with 12 points...Sacramento had 18 turnovers, compared to eight for Boston...The Kings held a 51-45 rebounding edge and made 23-of-31 free throws...The Celtics were 19-of-28 from the line...Fox recorded 167 steals in the 1996-97 season.
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