Bench Propels C's to Win

November 6, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY - The election-spiced fervor from Tuesday night was replaced by a college-like crowd, boisterously happy to simply have a new professional basketball team. But the Celtics, who lost their first chance at a back-to-back win last Saturday in Indianapolis, weren't going to slip the same way twice.



They simply rolled out a college-like box score with their 96-83 win over the Thunder, formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics. The C's bench, still an emerging group in search of an identity, turned in its most effective game of the early season, contributing 27 points to the cause.

Leon Powe scored all 11 of his points in one powerful 13-point burst in the second quarter, and mates Glen Davis, Eddie House and Tony Allen all had their moments. Though starters Paul Pierce (20 points, nine rebounds, five assists), Kevin Garnett (17 points, eight boards), Ray Allen (18 points, nine boards), Kendrick Perkins (10 points, four blocks, nine boards) and Rajon Rondo (11 assists) all had major impact, it was the bench that rescued the Celts from some early lethargy.

Above all, it was the interior work of Powe and Davis that enabled Garnett (29 minutes) to take a much-needed rest. In the midst of his team's stretch of eight games in 12 days, Doc Rivers will need this kind of extended work from his reserves. That was most apparent early in the second, when Powe went on his rampage. The Celtics starters finished the first quarter trailing, 29-20. By the time all three stars were back on the floor together, with five minutes left in the first half, the reserves had handed them a 40-36 lead.

``The second quarter was key for us,'' Rivers said. ``We played with a lot of energy and the bench played great. Big Baby continues to play well for us.'' Their 43.4 percent shooting performance was more than good enough, considering the 36.9 percent collected by the Thunder. It was a long way for the young hosts to fall after opening with a 29-point, 50-percent (11-of-22) first quarter.

Though it's early, the C's bench may be finding its identity following the departures of James Posey and P.J. Brown. ``It's a new year and everyone has to get used to it,'' said Ray Allen. ``It's a matter of learning the first, second and even third options on plays for some of these guys. But this was just the fifth game for us.

``For every team in the league, playing the first 20 games is like getting your driver's license. You learn how to drive after the fact.'' And in this case, the starters still had the honor of driving the victory lap. Garnett essentially closed this one out with a three-point play that gave the Celtics an 89-74 lead with 2:23 left.

Ray Allen answered a Russell Westbrook 3-pointer, and 40 seconds later Pierce buried a 3-pointer for an iron-clad 94-77 lead. Sloppiness had threatened to wash out the third quarter. The Celtics followed up a four-turnover first half with six in the third. The good news for them was that the Thunder were worse, with seven turnovers in that 12-minute stretch.

The Celtics, a team that knows how to turn the mistake of others into points better than just about any other team, parlayed Oklahoma City mistakes into a prolonged 17-5 run, and carried a 70-55 lead into the fourth quarter. ``We came in and did our jobs, keeping things afloat,'' said Eddie House. ``We don't want to overlook that. But I think everyone on the bench is accepting their role, more than in the preseason. I think everyone realizes that the second unit has to hold its own.''