The steamroller known as the Boston Celtics continues to find ways to win (even without Rajon Rondo).
Yesterday afternoon, Paul Pierce notched a triple-double (18 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds) as the Celtics (22-4) won their 13th straight game, 99-88 over the Indiana Pacers (12-14) at TD Garden.
Nate Robinson and Glen Davis (off the bench) also added 18 points apiece for Boston. Ray Allen notched 17 points, six rebounds and six assists while Shaquille O'Neal had 11 points (all in the first quarter) and Kevin Garnett put up nine points and nine rebounds. Marquis Daniels had eight points off the bench for the Celtics, who are pretty much rotating eight healthy players (Semih Erden has a hurt groin and Von Wafer's back is acting up).
You have to give former Celtics head coach Jim O'Brien credit, the Pacers are no longer a pushover. They have some legitimate young talent and I wouldn't be surprised if they snuck into the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Danny Granger led Indiana with 19 points, Roy Hibbert added 17 points and 14 rebounds, Darren Collison had 15 points while T.J. Ford (13 points) and Mike Dunleavy (10 points) had nice games off the bench.
Boston led 30-23 after one quarter and 51-48 at halftime. Neither team could make shots in the third quarter (18-17 Celtics) which can be attributed to the early start and the Cs got it done in the fourth quarter (30-23).
The Celtics shot 53.9% to Indiana's 35.4%. Boston had six more assists (23-17) but five more turnovers kept the Pacers in it (18-13). The Cs had nine more fastbreak points (23-14) and 10 more points in the paint (40-30).
They are currently riding the seventh-longest win streak in franchise history and they'll look to extend it on Wednesday when they host the Philadelphia 76ers, who have been playing well since they took Boston to the limit a few weeks back in Philly.
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