Pierce, Rondo lead Celtics past Mavs
March 21, 2010
DALLAS (AP)—Paul Pierce(notes) scored 29 points, Rajon Rondo(notes) added 20 points and 10rebounds, and the Boston Celtics stretched their winning streak to four gameswith a 102-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
Dirk Nowitzki(notes) had 28 points and Jason Terry(notes) 18 to pace the Mavericks, whohad won 14 of 15.
Rondo converted layups on three straight Boston possessions down thestretch, giving the Celtics a 94-91 lead with 2:47 left.
Pierce drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Rondo scored on alayup to put Boston in front 99-93 with 1:18 remaining.
Ray Allen(notes) had 21 points for the Celtics, beaten by the Mavericks 99-90 inBoston on Jan. 18 in their only other meeting this season.
Boston’s Rasheed Wallace(notes) vowed “retribution” in the rematch, complainingafter the game in January that the referees give Nowitzki preferentialtreatment.
Nowitzki had 37 points in the first meeting, but Boston’s Kevin Garnett(notes), alongtime Nowitzki nemesis, missed the game with a hyperextended right knee. Hadhe been healthy, Garnett would have been the primary defender on Nowitzki.
This time, Garnett and Wallace took turns guarding Nowitzki, who still went11 for 19 from the floor.
Shawn Marion(notes) had 16 points for Dallas.
Allen hit a pair of 3-pointers to help Boston open the third quarter with a13-5 run for a 61-52 advantage.
Pierce scored eight of Boston’s last 10 points in the third and the Celticstook a 73-72 edge into the fourth quarter.
Marion had 10 of Dallas’ first 14 points, but Pierce scored 10 first-quarterpoints as Boston carried a 30-24 lead into the second quarter.
Boston held a 48-47 halftime lead despite Terry’s nine second-quarterpoints.
NOTES: The Celtics were coming off Friday night’s 94-87 victory at Houston.The Mavericks had been off since Wednesday night’s 113-106 home win overChicago. … Dallas G Jose Juan Barea(notes) missed Friday’s practice with an illness,but he was in uniform 24 hours later, scoring three points in 12 minutes. …Boston has won five of the last six against Dallas.