Celtics 99, Wizards 88

Game Highlights

Photo of the Game

Kevin Garnett spreads his wings to embrace his teammates during Boston's 99-88 win over the Wizards Friday night.
Ned Dishman/NBAE/Getty

By Marc D'Amico
Celtics.com

Key Moment

This game wasn't as much about a key play or moment as it was about an entire quarter. For the first time in a long time, the Boston Celtics imposed their will on an opponent in the final period to help snatch a victory.

The C's trailed nearly the entire game, and when coupled with a foot injury to Paul Pierce, things weren't looking so positive on their sideline. But then Tony Allen stepped up to the plate and delivered for the second consecutive game to help his team go on a major run that turned the tides in the game.

Allen, who replaced Pierce in the lineup, provided shutdown defense, unmatched energy and even a little bit of offense to help spark the Celtics'fourth-quarter run. He scored six points in the frame and Rasheed Wallace dropped eight of his own in the final period to help maintain a slim lead and eventually put the Wizards away.

Their performance not only sparked the Celtics' run over the final 12 minutes, it also gave Doc Rivers the luxury of resting Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo for the entire first half of the period. When those two came into the game on fresh legs at the 6:05 mark, this game was all but over, as the C's outscored Washington 15-6 to close out the game.

Boston's 25-10 domination of the fourth quarter was the first of its kind in quite a while, and it couldn't have come at a better time. The road win, which came on the second night of a back-to-back and was the final game of a four-games-in-five-days stretch, snaps a three-game losing streak and gives the Celtics new life as they approach their final four games before the All-Star break.

Key Box Score Line

In only his sixth game back from a hyper extended knee, Kevin Garnett was nearly perfect tonight. He led the team in scoring, shot 8-of-9 from the floor, made three of his four free throws and chipped in with a solid six rebounds and three assists. It looked like it was destined to go through the basket every time the ball left his hands. That's a sight the C's would love to see a whole lot more of as the season continues.

Box Score Nuggets

• Boston outrebounded its opponent for the second consecutive game, this time by a count of 39-35.
• Washington shot only 1-of-10 from 3-point range.
• Each team shot 18-of-34 from the field in the first half, good for 52.9 percent.
• Washington wound up shooting 28-of-72 for the game, only a 38. percent clip.
• Rajon Rondo recorded yet another double-double with 17 points and 12 assists.
• Ray Allen scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and also grabbed five rebounds.
• Six Celtics scored in double-figures and Kendrick Perkins was one point shy of making it seven.
• Boston took only eight 3-pointers, making three of them.
• Rasheed Wallace and Tony Allen combined for 24 of the 25 points Boston got from its bench. Glen Davis' one free throw accounted for the final point.
• Caron Butler scored a game-high 20 points.
• Antawn Jamison, coming off of a 21-point, 23-rebound game, was limited to only eight points and eight rebounds.
• The Wizards recorded 10 steals in the game.
• Randy Foye, Washington's starting point guard, scored only two points.
• Only six bench players recorded a point in the game, three from each team.
• Caron Butler and Rajon Rondo finished in a tie for the game-high in turnovers, with six apiece.

Quote of the Night

Doc Rivers on the play of the Celtics in the fourth quarter: "We didn't turn the ball over down the stretch. We didn't give up offensive rebounds down the stretch. We got stops."