The Celtics had no problem dispatching the Clippers last night, pulling out to a 23-17 lead after one quarter and then gathering momentum for a 104-76 victory. Paul Pierce (17 points) and Kevin Garnett (11) weren’t needed to seal the game in the fourth quarter, giving bench players like James Posey (17) their chance to shine, the Boston Herald reports.
Boston coach Doc Rivers attributed the win to his team’s “great focus,” but he could also have mentioned the Clippers’ 18% three-point shooting, or 56% free-throw success rate, or overall lackluster performance. Tim Thomas topped out Los Angeles’ stats with 15 points and nine boards, while Corey Maggette shot 4-for-12 for 11 points. (More NBA stories.)