The kind people of Minnesota came in droves last night and sold out the Target Center in anticipation of Kevin Garnett's return to his home of 12 years. Sadly, for everyone involved, KG was still in street clothes as he missed his sixth straight game. Without that star power, the game suffered for the first three quarters but the fourth quarter was pretty wild as a severely undermanned Celtics stunned the T-Wolves, 88-86.
Already missing Scot Pollard and KG, the Celts (38-9) lost another big man as Kendrick Perkins (1 point, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks) went down in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. This meant that Leon Powe (16 points, 8 rebounds) got a large share of minutes as Boston scrambled to find healthy big men.
Minnesota (10-38) led 18-16 after a gross first quarter and 45-40 at the break. Al Jefferson (18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists, 6 turnovers) once again was mostly held in check by the Celtics. Ex-BC Eagle Craig Smith (16 points, 7 rebounds) was effective down low since he looks like he's gotten even bigger. Or maybe he's just getting training tips from Oliver Miller. Ryan Gomes (13 points, 6 rebounds) and Corey Brewer (11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) were the other standouts for the T-Wolves. Sebastian Telfair (2 points on 1 of 8 shooting, 6 assists, 5 rebounds) looked like the fraud that played for the C's last year.
The Celts got within four after the third quarter, 66-62, setting up the final frame. Paul Pierce (18 points, 6 assists) and Ray Allen (17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) did just enough to let the C's hang around. Rajon Rondo (12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists) continued to improve and Eddie House (14 points, 4 assists) had his best game in recent memory.
Late in the fourth, Jefferson hit back-to-back jumpers to tie it up for the T-Wolves. They had a chance to go ahead but they missed a shot and then Smith saved it from going out of bounds, except it went right to Ray Allen. Allen drove to the hoop and got hacked but there was no call. Powe followed up the shot (and was wide open) and laid it in just before the horn sounded. The C's had stolen another win from the poor Timberwolves.
Thus far, the biggest game of the regular season (which is an oxymoron) is Sunday as the defending champion San Antonio Spurs come to the Garden. Tony Parker is out for the Spurs but the Celts desperately need Perk to guard Tim Duncan. It's an ABC game at 1 p.m. that should be real interesting. Right now, Boston just wants to survive until the All-Star break which is next weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment