Pierce has 20 in 3rd, Celtics rout Bulls
October 31, 2009
BOSTON (AP)—Paul Pierce(notes) scored 20 of his 22 points in the third quarter, andthe Boston Celtics rolled to a 118-90 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Fridaynight in the teams’ first matchup since last spring’s thrilling seven-gameplayoff series.
Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen… AP – Oct 30, 9:34 pm EDT Boston Celtics forward Kevin G… AP – Oct 30, 8:59 pm EDT
Boston Celtics forward Kevin G… AP – Oct 30, 8:58 pm EDT
Boston Celtics center Kendrick… AP – Oct 30, 8:57 pm EDT YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 3; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.af2652ef7b5a4517ba66a3af86f9ecb6.bulls_celtics_basketball_mack105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=334&hc=371&q=70&sig=tB7RjCCDD5C9OUxzA4gCww--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.872077431f684b2bb480f8066dfd1608.bulls_celtics_basketball_mack104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=78&yc=1&wc=255&hc=283&q=70&sig=j0JU6IIRCI59n8GqT7GCNA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.763008c383d14a6eba9839b28dcadccb.bulls_celtics_basketball_mack103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=271&hc=301&q=70&sig=Zo3jYu3PYXIlpDNpxLeLSA--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 4 Chi-Bos Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Ray Allen(notes) had 20 points for Boston and Kevin Garnett(notes), who missed the final25 games of the regular season and the playoffs with strained ligaments in hisright knee, added 16. Rajon Rondo(notes) had 16 assists and eight rebounds as theCeltics improved to 3-0.
Eddie House(notes) came off the Boston bench and was shooting freely in garbagetime, finishing with 22 points.
John Salmons(notes) led the Bulls (1-1) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. JanneroPargo(notes) had 13 points, and Tyrus Thomas(notes) and Joakim Noah(notes) 10 apiece.
Unlike their opening-round playoff series that saw the teams play a recordseven overtime quarters in four games and had one game decided in the closingseconds, Boston broke this one open early in the first half.
The Celtics pushed their lead to double digits for the first time at 29-19on Sheldon Williams’ fast-break layup early in the second quarter.
The Bulls closed the deficit to nine points on Noah’s basket less thanminute later, but it was the last time they’d be within single digits. Allenscored nine of Boston’s last 13 points in the quarter, pushing the lead to 50-35at halftime.
Boston looked determined to put away the Bulls quickly in the second half,with Pierce nailing five 3-pointers in the third quarter to extend the lead to88-61.
Chicago shot fairly well in the third, hitting 12 of 22 attempts, but it wasno match for Boston’s 15 of 20.
Notes: Allen passed Hall of Famer John Stockton for 33rd place on the NBA’scareer scoring list. … Celtics F Glen “Big Baby” Davis spoke for the firsttime since an early morning fight with a childhood friend the day before theseason opener left him sidelined for at least five weeks with a broken rightthumb. Executive VP Danny Ainge said the club elected not to suspend him, butfined him an undisclosed amount. … Noah was given a technical for swatting atthe ball while a Celtics player was holding it after the whistle blew midwayinto the second quarter. … The Celtics took their team photo about 2 1/2 hoursprior to the game. … Pierce played 31 minutes, Garnett 25 and Allen 24.
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