In a game the Celtics absolutely positively had to win, the boys in green throttled the Raptors 96 - 73.
The Celtics started fast. I repeat, the Celtics started fast. The led 29-14 after the 1st quarter. Rajon Rondo (21 points, 7-8 FG) was in attack mode. He had 13 points and zero assists in the quarter.
The 2nd quarter was a different story. Even reading the play-by-play will make you cringe. It took the Cs nearly four minutes to get a bucket. The lead shrunk to 6 by half.
Realizing a loss to Toronto would inflict irreversible damage to my spirit, the Celtics turned on the jets again in the 3rd quarter. Ray Allen (6 points, 2-5 3 FG) drilled two 3s. Brandon Bass scored 8 of his 13 points.
Paul Pierce struggled with his shooting (8 points, 3-10 FG), but did have 7 assists.
Mickael Pietrus doesn't like two point shots. All of his field goals (4-7) came from three.
The only damper on the night was Rondo's wrist injury. Rajon was decked by Linas Kleiza late in the 3rd quarter (see video in previous post). He hit the court hard and landed awkwardly on his right wrist. After a couple minutes, Rondo was able to take his free throws. The official diagnosis is a sore right wrist. Kleiza was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul.
Box score | Recap
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
