Allen Helps Celtics Beat Blazers 100-90

[January 17, 2008]  BOSTON (AP) -- Ray Allen scored a season-high 35 points, Kevin Garnett had 26 and the Boston Celtics rebounded from their first consecutive losses of the season with a 100-90 win over Portland on Wednesday night.

The Atlantic Division-leading Celtics, who had lost three of their last four games and two straight at home, also got 12 points from Paul Pierce and 10 from Eddie House. Boston had lost its last two games, both to Washington.

Brandon Roy led the Northwest division-leading Trail Blazers with 22 points. Travis Outlaw and Jarrett Jack each had 17.

Portland, which lost for just the third time in 21 games overall, fell to just 6-12 on the road.

Allen scored 12 points, including eight straight in the third quarter, helping the Celtics take a 74-69 lead after three. Allen scored 26 points in the second half.

Portland tied it at 56 before Kendrick Perkins' free throw moved the Celtics ahead for good. House followed with a 3 from the right corner before Allen took over, scoring off drives to the basket three times and hitting a pair of free throws to give Boston 68-63 lead.

After the Trail Blazers cut it to 71-69, Allen completed his quarter with a reverse layup. He then opened the fourth with a jumper from the right baseline on Boston's first possession and Tony Allen had a breakaway dunk, giving the Celtics a 78-69 advantage.

Portland cut it to 80-75 on Outlaw's 3 with 7:55 to go, but Ray Allen hit a key 3, followed that with a turnaround jumper and added a 3 with 50 seconds left to help Boston seal the win.

Ray Allen capped his second half with four free throws in the final 31 seconds.

Portland led 45-43 at halftime.

Notes: Boston PG Rajon Rondo was sidelined because of a sore lower back. ... Portland's Greg Oden, the first overall selection in last June's draft who was sidelined after season-ending right knee surgery on Sept. 13, spoke about the possibility of being a Celtic before the game. "I was on a plane (when the lottery order was decided in April) and it was like Boston or Memphis. Then, when I got off the plane, it was Portland," he said. Boston, which finished with the second-worst record last season, got the No. 5 pick and traded it on draft night to Seattle in a deal for Ray Allen. ... Oden said he was excited to see Kevin Garnett play in person. "Just being able to see what he does in real life," he said. ... Celtics reserve F Leon Powe was not with the team after his significant other, Lloren Cook, gave birth to a boy earlier in the day.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.