Boston Celtics

Clippers, 29-25 (1)

Paul Pierce scored the first nine points of the game to get the crowd on its feet and force the Clippers to call a timeout at the 9:26 mark. Pierce made all four of his shots from the field during the run.

Doc Rivers said before the game that the worst of Pierce’s flu-like symptoms occurred last night, and that he thought his captain would be fine tonight.

Both teams shot 50 percent in the quarter.

In a matchup of Boston’s starting point guard and the man-who-would be his backup, Rajon Rondo has 6 points and 2 assists, while Sam Cassell has 8 points and 3 assists.

  • Tony Allen (0 points) is struggling tonight, and Rivers knows it. At one point Rivers yelled from the bench, “Come on, Tony!” and clapped his hands.
  • Curious song choice here at the Garden during a timeout at the end of the quarter. Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream” played over a highlight reel of Celtics plays from earlier this season. Petty, of course, closed his Super Bowl halftime set with the same song. In a Globe Celtics Blog exclusive, we’ve been told that the Patriots did not win this year’s Super Bowl. I personally can’t listen to Tom Petty ever again, despite him being one of my favorite artists. I imagine there are about 15,000 Celtics fans in the building tonight who feel the same way.
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