Paul Pierce scored a game-high 21 points
and grabbed eight rebounds, as the Boston Celtics cruised to a 105-74 win over
the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center.
Rasheed Wallace made 6-of-8 from three-point territory and finished with 20
points and six boards for Boston, which was coming off a 97-87 win over New
Orleans on Sunday. The Celtics are 5-0 for the second time in three seasons,
opening the 2007-08 NBA championship campaign with eight consecutive
victories.
Eddie House donated 12, while Rajon Rondo and Shelden Williams chipped in with
11 points apiece for the Celtics, who shot 56.9 percent from the field and
a spectacular 70 percent (14-of-20 from three-point range).
"It was the second unit that was the difference and it all starts with Marquis
(Daniels)," Boston head coach Doc Rivers said. "He might not be getting the
points or the threes but he's our leader out there and he seems to set
everything up for Rasheed (Wallace) and Eddie (House) with his defense and
passing ability. He has such a high basketball IQ and that really stands out
to the coaching staff."
Andre Iguodala had a team-best 17 points for the 76ers, who were unable to
build off a 141-127 overtime win at New York on Saturday. Philadelphia has
split its first four games. Thaddeus Young ended with 11 points and Samuel
Dalembert had eight points to go along with eight rebounds.
Boston held a narrow 19-17 lead after the opening quarter, then the Celtics
went on a 14-4 run to start the second. Wallace and House highlighted the
burst by hitting a pair of three-pointers each to make it a 33-21 game with a
little over seven minutes to play in the half.
The Sixers got to within single digits after a Marreese Speights jumper in the
closing seconds, but the Celtics still led 44-36 heading into the break.
Ray Allen's layup early in the third upped the Celtics' advantage to 10 and
they maintained a double-digit lead throughout the quarter. Iguodala made
1-of-2 from the free-throw line with under a second to play, but Boston held a
comfortable 69-54 edge after three.
In the fourth, the Celtics opened with an 8-2 run and things got uglier when
the visitors went ahead by a commanding 92-59 margin near the midway point of
the quarter. Rivers emptied the bench for the remaining time.
Game Notes
Boston won all four meetings with Philadelphia a year ago and is 11-4 over the
previous 15 matchups between the clubs. The Celtics are unbeaten in their past
five trips to the City of Brotherly Love...Allen ended with only five points.
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