Celtics Hold Off Blazers 88-78

Ray Allen scored  a game high 18 points while Paul Pierce added  17 more as the Boston Celtics out lasted the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden Thursday night as they would get the win by a score of 88-78. LaMarcus Aldridge racked up a double-double for the injury depleted team from Portland as he knocked down 17 points and grabbed 16 boards in the loss. The contest was the first of a four game West Coast swing for the Celtics which will include a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals on Sunday as the club travels to the Staples Center to take on the Lakers.

Neither team was an offensive juggernaught in this game but the Celtics were just a tad better than the Blazers in each of the contest’s four quarters. Marquis Daniels hit a pair at the line with 1:29 left on the clock in the first and that would be good enough to give Boston a 21-18 advantage at the end of the period. Portland would grab the lead with 3:29 left in the second when the veteran point guard Andre Miller drove the lane putting the ball up and in and making it a 34-33 affair. The Celtics though would have momentum on their side down the stretch and would enter the locker room as the game reached the half on top 41-37.

Boston looked like they were ready to take over the proceedings with 3:23 remaining in the third as Allen had a lay up giving his team the upper hand at 62-52. The Blazers would reduce their deficit by the end of the period and trailed at the end of the period 64-58. Portland could never get closer to their opponents than being five points down in the final 12 minutes and the Celtics would begin their road trip with a victory.

Allen dropped 18 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block in the Celtics win. Paul Pierce scored 17 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks while Rajon Rondo had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Kevin Garnett just missed a triple-double as he put up 10 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds and 1 steal while Kendrick  Perkins came off the bench with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 1 block.

LaMarcus Aldridge recorded a double-double with 17 points, 16 boards, 2 steals, 1 assist and 1 block while Miller added 14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 steal. Wesley Matthews scored 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist while Rudy Fernandez came off the bench and had 11 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, Boston improves to 35-10 and will play Friday night in Phoenix as  the face the Suns while Portland now sits at 25-22 and are off until Tuesday when they will host the San Antonio Spurs.