Boston started out pretty and ended pretty, but in the middle there they had their hands full with the young Sacramento Kings, needing the whole 48 mins to secure a 95-90 victory. Ray Allen led all scorers with 20, but Rajon Rondo turned in another double double, and the C's had strong play from Glen Davis (17pts) and Paul Pierce (15 pts with only 2 attempted FT's).
Demarcus Cousins was the story for the Kings, but even his 20 points along with 20 from Tyreke Evans wasn't enough to top the Celtics on a bad night.
Quarter by quarter breakdown after the jump, along with 10 Bill Waltonisms from tonight.
1st Quarter:
-some sloppy play early by both teams, Boston had 6 TO's in the first 6 minutes, 14 TO's total in the quarter by both teams combined.
-Rondo and Tyreke Evans both took turns dominating the ball and scoring, but Rondo turned in the superior quarter, really using his quickness to his advantage.
-Boston's D started to really show its chops, and Boston led by 7 after 1.
2nd Quarter:
-Terrible transition defense, poor half-court defense, out hustled, out smarted, out-everything'd. The best thing that happened to me this quarter is that I was made aware that Bill Walton was doing commentary for the Kings broadcast.
-Some Waltonisms, the good and bad:
1) Demarcus Cousins is playing like Bill Russell!
2) This is the most exciting game I've seen all year!!!
3) Rajon Rondo looks like he invented the game of basketball tonight!!!
4) Some people have two eyes, but do not see!!!
5) The most important thing is to keep this crowd excited..lathered..for the second half.
6) Donte Greene looking like Larry Bird, looking like Chris Webber, looking like John Havlicek...
7) That guy's really good, Paul Pierce.
8) Paul Wesphal can't get excited...its like when you're the dad, the CEO, the president, you always need more. We can sit over here and have pizza delivered.
9) You can't live a perfect day if you can't live it for someone who will never pay you back.
10) He hugs him, he kisses him, he throws him to the ground, then argues he never touched him.
-Yes, Bill Walton did guarantee a Celtics Championship this season.
3rd Quarter:
-Celtics game out tough, and the Kings offense sputtered quite a bit. Garnett is beginning to assert himself, on the offensive end especially.
-Great sequence: missed shot, Rondo gets into traffic and tips the ball to Garnett, Garnett then tips the pass out and dives to the ground, setting the ball free for Rondo who passes to Ray for the trailing 3. Too bad Tommy didn't call this game, he'd have had a Celtics-gasm.
-Pierce started to take over the last minute and a half of the quarter. Ft's, a steal, and a thunderous dunk. The Paul Pierce dunk is one of Boston's pocket aces in terms of motivating the team and the fans, which by the way there were a LOT of Boston fans in the crowd tonight in Arco. Boston comes back to lead by 3 in the third.
4th Quarter:
-Celtics get a 7 point lead quick on the back of Rondo's fantastic transition passing.
-Nate Robinson's shot selection is still more of a question than an answer in Jeopardy. Kings announcer: "Robinson's shooting is keeping the Kings in this game."
-Demarcus Cousins is having a heck of a game, and he's the Kings' most consistent offensive option after 4 mins of the 4th. 1 point game at the 8 min mark.
-Ray Allen has been quietly hot all night.
-Glen Davis dunked to make it the biggest lead to that point in the game at 87-77. Seems right, somehow.
-Celtics fell asleep a little towards the end and let it get to a 6 pt game. Pierce ended that notion quickly though.
-The Kings color announcer (not Bill Walton) kinda sounds like Colonel Sanders.