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BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Celtics have had one important
constant during the recent rash of injuries -- the Big Three are still
healthy.
Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 14
rebounds -- one of three Boston players with a double-double -- to lead
the Celtics to their 12th straight win, 102-90 over the Atlanta Hawks on
Thursday night.
Paul Pierce had 15 points and 10 assists
and Glen "Big Baby" Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Ray Allen
scored 18 points and Nate Robinson had 14 for the Celtics (21-4).
"We feel we should win the game. On most
nights we're playing three or four all-stars," said Pierce, who played
as a "point-forward" for much of the second half, handling the ball a
lot and setting up Allen for open looks with solid passes.
Boston point guard Rajon Rondo missed
the game after spraining his left ankle in Wednesday's win at New York.
He's expected to be sidelined at least a week. Center Shaquille O'Neal
was also out, missing his fourth straight game with a sore right calf.
The Celtics were already without Delonte
West and Jermaine O'Neal.
It didn't matter because Pierce, Allen,
and Garnett got just enough help from the role players.
The Celtics beat an Atlanta team that
was called more athletic while defeating Boston in all four meetings
last season.
"Kevin's healthy," Boston coach Doc
Rivers said was the difference in the games from last season. "You can
stop there, and Paul's healthy. The funny thing is it's the younger guys
getting injured."
Garnett said the Celtics won't let the
injuries bother them.
"What are you going to do?" he said.
"Quit. Put your clothes on and go home? That's not what we do here."
Marvin Williams had a season-best 26
points and Jeff Teague scored 18 for the Hawks.
"They still had three Hall of Famers
out there," said Hawks forward Josh Smith, who scored just one point on
0-for-8 shooting. "I'm not making excuses, but we still had two of our
main scorers out also."
The Hawks shot 50 percent for the game,
but were hurt by 18 turnovers.
Boston led by six points entering the
final quarter, but the Hawks closed within 77-75 on Teague's one-handed
runner in the lane.
The Celtics then scored seven straight
points, with Davis and Semih Erden sandwiching baskets around a
3-pointer by Pierce, making it 84-77 with just under eight minutes to
play.
Atlanta sliced it to 84-78 on Damien
Wilkins' free throw, but Pierce hit two free throws and Robinson nailed a
3, helping Boston pull safely in front. Allen's 3-pointer made it
100-86 with 1:53 left.
The Celtics -- behind Allen's 10 points
-- took a 73-63 lead late in the third quarter. Coming off screens and
getting wide-open looks, Allen hit his first three shots of the quarter.
But the Hawks stayed close because of some good outside shooting of
their own, hitting 65 percent from the field (11 of 17).
"They know how to win and it's where we
need to get to," Atlanta forward Al Horford said. "Give credit to Ray.
In the second half, he hit some big shots to get them going."
Boston led 75-69 entering the final
quarter.
NOTES:
Hawks G Jamal Crawford was sidelined with a sore back. ... Rivers
talked about the team's need to get players back before the game. "If a
guy can play, we're throwing him in," he said. Then the Celtics lost
guard Von Wafer, who missed the second half with a sore back. It gave
them three guards (Rondo and West, broken wrist) out to go along with
three big men (Kendrick Perkins, Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal). ...
Atlanta's Horford and Mike Bibby each were whistled for technicals. ...
Smith had only two points (no field goals) in Boston's 99-76 road win on
Nov. 22. ... Red Sox INF Kevin Youkilis was seated courtside.
