Oden No Thang as Beast Posts Double-Double

December 6, 2008

The Celtics might not want to think about what this matchup could become in two or three years.
But for now, no amount of talented youth is going to fly against the team that extended its NBA-leading win streak to 11 games last night.



Those curious about Greg Oden will have to wait another year, unless these teams somehow hook up in the Finals. The rookie center fell into foul trouble at precisely the same time the Celtics were applying the accelerator in last night's 93-78 win against the Blazers at the Garden.

Though Kevin Garnett (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Kendrick Perkins (12, 12) each put up their second straight double-doubles and Ray Allen hit for 19 points, this game was about overall power.
Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (16 points, seven assists, eight boards), despite his lowest assist performance in the last six games, still drove the Blazers into dust.

The C's turned a one-point second-quarter deficit (36-35) into a 20-point lead (56-36) with a 21-0 run that bridged the halftime break. Portland fought its way out of garbage time with a 16-2 fourth-quarter run that cut their deficit to 11 points, forcing C's coach Doc Rivers to reinsert his starters.
Dunks from Garnett and Perkins finally slowed down the Blazers before Oden fouled out on a charge with 3:46 left to play.

Perkins then pushed the C's back out to a 13-point lead (86-73) on two free throws 14 seconds later. By the time Garnett converted his nightly alley-oop connection with Rondo, the C's were out of harms way with an 89-74 lead with 1:57 to go.After building a 13-point halftime cushion (49-36) thanks to a 14-0 run in the last 3:37 of the second quarter, the Celtics opened the third with a 7-0 run that was good for their first 20-point edge (56-36).

Oden's short night nearly hit the wall at this time as the big man picked up his fifth foul and left the game with 4:41 left in the third. Though the Blazers finally started making shots - they were 0-for-11 with three turnovers during that 21-0 pasting - Rondo sent the only message that mattered at the third-quarter buzzer. He hit a 33-foot trey as the clock ran out for a 74-51 lead.

The Celtics used a 5-0 run at the end of the first quarter to take a 24-21 into the second. Leon Powe extended it by scoring the C's first 10 points of that period. Still, with five minutes left in the half, the Celtics led by only one (35-34). But an Allen free throw and Garnett bucket triggered that half-closing 14-0 explosion that put the C's ahead 49-36.