Recap: Boston vs. Philadelphia
Sports Network | November 28, 2008
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Ray Allen finished with 23 points, making 10- of-15 field goals, as the Boston Celtics dominated the Philadelphia 76ers, 102-78, at TD Banknorth Garden.
Kevin Garnett added 16 points, while Rajon Rondo ended with 12 assists, six rebounds and six points for the Celtics, who ran their winning streak to a season-best seven games.
Boston has already had one win streak of six games this campaign, and stands at 15-2 overall.
"I thought the defense was -- just deflections alone -- was phenomenal tonight," Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said. "So when we get stops and we push the ball up the floor and run, and then we share the basketball, again, we can be a good team when we do those things."
Elton Brand had 18 points and eight boards for the Sixers, who have lost three in a row. Lou Williams added 15 points off the bench, while Andre Miller contributed 12 in the loss.
"I've been there. I've been beat by 20, 25 points," Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks said. "So it's, yeah, it's frustrating for anyone to get beat like that. So, yeah, I understand the frustration. You just keep working."
The Celtics scored six straight points -- on a Garnett jumper, Paul Pierce layup and Kendrick Perkins dunk -- to take a 10-4 lead almost midway through the first quarter. Boston couldn't expand its lead, going into the second quarter up 22-16, but opened the new stanza with an 11-0 run to take firm control.
Allen had a pair of layups in the stretch, and Leon Powe had five points, including a three-point play that gave Boston a 33-16 advantage with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Celtics continued to front-run, and two baskets to end the second gave the home team a 46-28 lead at halftime.
Boston ended the third with five straight points to lead 73-47 going into the fourth, then cruised the rest of the way.
This was the first meeting between the clubs this season. Boston won three of the four matchups in 2007-08, and has taken seven of the last 11 overall...Sixers forward Marreese Speights was ejected in the final minute for shoving the Celtics' Brian Scalabrine...Powe had 10 points...The Celtics shot 51.3 percent (39-of-76) from the field, while the Sixers made just 41.6 percent (32-of-77) of their shots.
