Suns-Celtics Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 09 2013 12:21AM

Strong defense has the Boston Celtics on the brink of their longest winning streak of the season, and now they're getting Rajon Rondo back from his latest suspension.

Kevin Garnett may be just looking to move past a feisty incident.

With Rondo back, the Celtics attempt to open a season-high five-game homestand by sending the struggling Phoenix Suns to their longest road losing streak in 29 years Wednesday night.

Boston (17-17) is on its second three-game winning streak of the season, and this one is being spurred by holding opponents to an average of 84.0 points and 37.6 percent shooting.

The Celtics may be getting an offensive lift with the return of Rondo, the NBA's leader with 11.3 assists per game.

The All-Star guard, however, has been plagued by four suspensions over the past two seasons - two in 2012-13. The most recent was issued after he made contact with a referee during Saturday's 89-81 win at Atlanta, and failed to cooperate with a league investigation.

Rondo had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against the Hawks for his second triple-double of the season.

Boston didn't seem to miss him Monday, beating Atlantic Division-leading New York 102-96 while hitting 52.7 percent from the floor.

"The best thing is that we got the win," Rondo told the team's official website. "It's our first time we've gotten three wins in a row (actually the second) so we've got to build on that."

Garnett is looking to build on his 19 points and 10 rebounds against the Knicks, but it wasn't his production that put him in the limelight. While battling with Carmelo Anthony, the two stars had a heated exchange that Anthony wanted to continue after the game. He tried to follow the Celtics off the court, and was caught by cameras waiting for Garnett near the team bus.

"Listen, heat of the battle, man. Guys go back and forth. He's trying to get his team to go, I'm trying to get my team to go, both teams are colliding, not to mention that it's the Knicks and the Celtics," Garnett said. "Just what it is, man."

Garnett is averaging 24.6 points and 11.8 boards over his last 17 meetings with the Suns (12-24), but he was held to 10 and five while going 5 of 13 from the floor in a 79-71 home loss Jan. 20. That marked the only meeting last season, and Rondo missed it with a sprained right wrist.

Boston has dropped four of the last five meetings with Phoenix, but the Suns enter this matchup with a 2-15 road record and are in the midst of their longest slide as a visitor since 1985. They opened a four-game trip by extending their current road losing streak to 10 games with Tuesday's 108-99 defeat at Milwaukee, and haven't dropped 11 in a row away from Phoenix since a 14-game slide from Jan. 3-Feb. 17, 1984.

"We can't play 40 minutes, 42 minutes or 38-minute games where we play pretty good and give ourselves an opportunity and then let it deteriorate away over a four- or five-minute period," coach Alvin Gentry said. "That's kind of how our season has gone, really. We've just got to find a way to get better. The season is slipping away."

Goran Dragic was a bright spot for the Suns on Tuesday, getting 21 points after mustering nine in a 92-81 home loss to Memphis two days prior. The guard hasn't been much of a factor in seven career meetings with the Celtics, averaging 4.7 points while getting 11 at Boston in a loss with Houston on March 6.

Celtics rally for 87-79 win over Suns

By DOUG ALDEN
Posted Jan 09 2013 11:37PM

BOSTON (AP) The "Big Three" leading Boston to its latest win was an unlikely bunch.

Jeff Green, Jason Terry and rookie Jared Sullinger carried the Celtics through a game of streaks, each outscoring their starting teammates as Boston recovered from a dreadful third quarter and held off the slumping Phoenix Suns 87-79 on Wednesday night.

Green had 14 points, Terry scored 13 and Sullinger finished with 12 points and pulled down a career-best 16 rebounds as Boston's reserves outscored their Phoenix counterparts 47-16.

"They won the game for us basically. The bench played well. The starters didn't play good at all tonight," said Rajon Rondo, who had eight points and eight assists.

It was an emotional game for Green, who was playing exactly one year after having surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm.

"I can't put it into words. I mean, it's a wonderful day," said Green, who missed all of last season with the heart condition. "I reflect a lot on what I've been through and it's just a blessing and I'm glad I'm here."

Kevin Garnett was the only Boston starter to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds, and Paul Pierce had seven points and seven rebounds.

The Celtics survived a scoring drought that spanned almost half the third quarter. Boston scored just 14 in the period before rallying in the fourth against the road-weary Suns, who lost their 11th straight away from home.

"I think it would be a little bit easier to swallow if it would have been Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett. At the end of the day it was their bench that really hurt us the most," Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said.

The Celtics (18-17) have won four straight and are back above .500 for the first time since improving to 14-13 with a win at Brooklyn on Christmas.

Marcin Gortat had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Jared Dudley scored 14 while pulling down 10 boards for the Suns, who lost their fourth straight and fell to 2-16 on the road. Luis Scola scored 16 and Goran Dragic finished with 10 points for Phoenix, which gave the Celtics a scare in the third quarter with a 17-0 run.

The Suns were coming off a 108-99 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday, when they were outscored 58-43 in the second half. The outlook wasn't good after the first half Wednesday with Boston leading 53-41, but the Suns responded with a torrid run early in the third quarter, shutting out Boston for 5:59. Dudley hit a 3-pointer and Gortat scored six during the spurt, putting back an offensive rebound that gave Phoenix a 56-55 lead with 6:59 left in the period.

Boston fans went silent at first as the big lead dwindled, then started booing as the Celtics continued to struggle. Rajon Rondo finally snapped the scoreless skid on a jumper with 5:42 left in the period, cutting Phoenix's lead to 58-57. The Celtics hadn't scored since Garnett's jumper 19 seconds into the third.

Boston regained enough composure to lead 67-64 after three then quickly took command by opening the final quarter with an 11-2 run. Terry started it with a 3-pointer and Garnett added four points before setting up Green for an alley-oop dunk to put Boston up 78-66 with 7:45 remaining.

"We always have lapses. Sometimes it happens early, sometimes it happens later," Scola said. "Even in the games we've won, we play this way."

Notes: Rondo returned from a one-game suspension for making contact with a referee and failure to cooperate with a league investigation. He finished with eight points and eight assists. ... Boston coach Doc Rivers was called for a technical late in the third period, then Rondo and Phoenix's P.J. Tucker drew dual technicals early in the fourth. ... The Celtics opened the game 4 for 11 from the floor and trailed 24-23 at the end of the first quarter, then shot 57 percent in the second quarter while outscoring Phoenix 30-17 in the period. ... The Suns committed seven turnovers in the second quarter ... Sullinger's previous high for rebounds was 11 against Toronto on Nov 17.

Notebook: Celtics 87, Suns 79

Brian Robb, For NBA.com
Posted Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:02 AM - Updated Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:02 AM

THE FACTS: Jared Sullinger had 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, helping the Boston Celtics grind their way to a 87-79 victory over the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night. It was the fourth straight win for the Celtics (18-17), largely thanks to another feisty defensive performance as Boston limited the Suns to just 39-percent shooting on the evening, and a 2-for-12 night from beyond the arc. Offensively, the Celtics' bench carried a balanced team effort, as Jeff Green scored a team-high 14 points, while nine players had six or more points for Boston. Luis Scola had a game-high 16 points for the Suns (12-25), who have dropped four straight and 10 of their past 11 games.

QUOTABLE: "The whole bench, I just thought their energy in both halves were terrific. It's nice when your starters are all not playing well, and your bench wins the game for you."

-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers

THE STAT: The Suns shot a mere 16.7 percent in the fourth quarter (3-for-18), as the Celtics defense closed the door on the Suns attempt to rally from 14-point second half deficit.

TURNING POINT: After a sluggish start to the second half by Boston's starters, the team's second unit -- along with Kevin Garnett -- regained command of the game with a 13-2 run, capped by back-to-back baskets from Green. The outburst extended Boston's lead to 12 points, allowing them to cruise to the win down the stretch.

QUOTABLE II: "I can't put it into words. I mean, it's a wonderful day. I had a good game, I'm just glad to be here."

-- Jeff Green on his emotions playing on the one-year anniversary of his open-heart surgery

HOT: Jason Terry -- the slumping Terry was happy to return to the friendly confines of the TD Garden Wednesday night. After shooting just 28.5 percent in the first four games of 2013, Terry bounced back, hitting 6-for-8 shots, while filling up the stat sheet with five rebounds and five assists.

NOT: P.J. Tucker --the versatile forward could not find his rhythm against the hosts, shooting 4-for-12 from the field to finish with nine points over 40 minutes in his fifth career start.

QUOTABLE III: "We've got to get better at it. We've got to dig ourselves out of this. No one feels sorry for you in the NBA. It's got to be us with the execution, doing the right things."

-- Alvin Gentry on his team's road struggles

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Sullinger -- Boston's first round pick continues to get more minutes on the floor, as Rivers and his teammates have started to trust the rookie with more responsibility. The 20 year old has responded to the additional playing time with more production, putting together his second double-double of the season against the Suns. Over the past nine games, the rookie is averaging 9 ppg and 8.9 rpg, a dramatic jump from his season average.

NOTABLE: Rajon Rondo returned after his one-game suspension for bumping a referee and not cooperating with the league investigation. He scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds in 30 minutes. ...The Suns have lost 11 consecutive road games. They are now 2-16 on the road for the season. ...Washington natives Terry and Bradley were excited when asked about the prospect of a team returning to Seattle. ...Garnett (10 points) was the only Celtics starter to score in double figures. ...Sullinger's 16 rebounds were the most by a Celtics player this year. ...Phoenix held Boston scoreless for nearly the entire first six minutes of the third quarter.

UP NEXT: For Phoenix, Friday @ Brooklyn, Saturday @ Chicago, Monday vs. Oklahoma City. For Boston, Friday vs. Houston, Monday vs. Charlotte, Wednesday vs. New Orleans.

• Suns: Frye, Garrett
• Celtics: Melo, Wilcox

• Suns: Tucker
• Celtics: Rivers, Rondo

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #16 David Guthrie, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 18624
• Duration: 2:07