Rondo returns; Guides Boston Celtics to a 104-94 win over Minnesota Timberwolves: NBA Recap
Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett both posted double-doubles to lift Boston Celtics to a 104-94 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Rajon Rondo looked sharp on his return after a two game suspension and finished off with 17 points and 11 assists; Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 10 rebounds while Paul Pierce added 18 points as all the starters from the Boston
camp made it into the double digit scoring figures.
Their Coach Doc Rivers was visibly pleased with his team,
"You can feel it starting to come. It's not here, but it's coming and you feel that. We've just got to push through. It's going to be a great month for us."
Kevin Love put the disappointment of the last game behind him, where he managed a season low 6 points, as he led the Timberwolves with the night high 19 points to go along with 13 rebounds, Nikola Pekovic collected 14 points and
grabbed 9 rebounds while Josh Howard chipped in with 12 points.
An early exchange of deuces left the score tied on 8 early in the first period. Josh Howard scored one from behind the arc to put Minnesota up 14-10 before it was negated by a Jason Terry shot from distance for the Celtics. It
kicked off a 9-0 run for Boston that put them ahead on 19-14. The Timberwolves responded with a 10 nil scoring spree that snatched the lead back as they went up 25-21. The Celtics were trailing 27-30 by the end of the period.
Boston got off to a great start in the second period as a 10-0 burst early in the period put them up 39-32 but the Timberwolves replied immediately with a 7 run spurt to tie the score. Rondo’s jumper put Boston up 43-40, before
Minnesota finished the period strongly as Timberwolves scored the last 5 points of the quarter to go up 51-47 by halftime.
It was close early on in the third period as the lead changed hands quite a number of times. Malcolm Lee running jump shot put the Minnesota up 61-58 before the Celtics went for a 9 zip run capped off by a Terry shot from behind
the arc to put them up 67-61. Rondo also started heating up and a jump shot by him put the Celtics up 77-71 near the end of the quarter.
Jose Barea made a driving finger layup after just 11 seconds in the fourth period to reduce the deficit by a couple. But the Celtics meant business as they went for an 8-0 run to extend their advantage to 90-75. They were up 104-87
up with 1:46 on the regulation. Timberwolves scored two three pointers but the C’s were never troubled.
Tags: