Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Despite discovering some troubling news midway
through the contest, the Celtics were able to outlast the Miami Heat in Ray
Allen's return to Boston.
Paul Pierce notched a triple-double and put his team ahead for good with a
jumper late in double-overtime, as the Celtics defeated the Heat, 100-98, at
TD Garden.
Mired in an nine-game shooting slump, Pierce broke out on Sunday with 17
points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for Boston, which played without All-Star
point guard Rajon Rondo and will do so for an extended period of time.
Rondo, who injured his knee in a double-overtime loss to Atlanta on Friday,
was scratched just prior to start of the contest and was sent to a local
hospital for an MRI, which revealed a torn ACL. A surgery date has not yet
been determined.
The Celtics, however, were able to end a season-long six-game losing streak in
receiving 24 points and 11 rebounds from Kevin Garnett. Jason Terry and Jeff
Green added 13 and 11 points, respectively, off the bench in the victory.
LeBron James totaled 34 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists for the Heat,
who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Chris Bosh followed with 16 points
and 16 rebounds, while Dwyane Wade added 17 points and seven assists in
defeat.
In his first game back in Boston since leaving the Celtics this past summer
for Miami, Allen received a mixed reaction from the crowd during a video
tribute upon his entrance, but scored 21 points off the bench on 7-of-17
shooting for the game.
The Sports Network