With the pathetic Nets in town on a Friday night and the All-Star break just a few games away, you could feel it in the air: the Celtics were going to come out really slow and then eventually pull away at the end in a game that was way too close than it should be.
I'm not a psychic, and I don't play one on TV but sometimes the NBA is just that easy to predict.
The Celts won 96-87 last night for their third straight win but they actually trailed by one point (73-72) entering the fourth quarter before Eddie House (who scored all 10 of his points in the fourth) heated up and sent the Nets (4-45) packing.
Paul Pierce sat out again and Marquis Daniels is back at practice but he didn't play as well, still there is absolutely no excuse for letting a team that had one road win on the season to hang around like that.
The Wizards at least did a favor for Boston (32-16) as they beat Orlando, allowing the C's to slip back into the number two seed in the Eastern Conference.
Ray Allen led the Green with a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds while Rajon Rondo added what now seems like his customary 17 points, 11 assists and three steals. Kevin Garnett had 10 points and seven rebounds and Glen Davis notched 13 points off the bench.
Brook Lopez scored 19 points for New Jersey. Devin Harris added 17 points and eight assists while Courtney Lee (12 points), Yi Jianlian (10 points) and Jarvis Hayes (10 points) all scored in double-figures.
The Celts spread it around offensively with 26 assists on 36 baskets and they posted 17 fastbreak points.
Orlando comes to the Garden tomorrow afternoon for an appealing Super Bowl matinee. The Celtics owe them some payback after they stole that win back in Orlando a few weeks ago.
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