Celtics, 96-89 (final)
BOSTON — For a while there, it looked like Danny Ainge was going to have to give his trophy back.
Ainge was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year before the game, but the team he assembled looked like they were down for the count midway through the second quarter.
But in an answer to their critics, the Celtics dug deep with a second-quarter run before blitzing the Cavaliers in the second half and winning Game 5 of their second-round playoff series, 96-89, tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden.
The Celtics lead the series, 3-2. Game 6 is Friday night in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers were up five after one, but they built a 43-29 lead with 3:50 remaining in the second quarter. The crowd, used to seeing the Celtics build huge leads in this building, was eerily silent.
But an unlikely hero emerged right before halftime. Rajon Rondo, dared by the Cavaliers to shoot all series long, hit back-to-back threes to bring the deficit into single digits. A bucket by Paul Pierce ensured the Celtics would be in striking distance in the second half.
Everything changed after halftime. Led by Kevin Garnett, Rondo, and Paul Pierce, the Celtics outscored the Cavaliers 29-17 in the third quarter. Suddenly, a game that was very much in doubt was back where it belonged: In Boston’s hands.
LeBron James, who torched the Celtics for 23 points in the first half, had just two points in the third. He finished with 35.
The Celtics were led statistically by Kevin Garnett, who had 26 points and 16 rebounds. But it was Rondo who stole the show, scoring 20 points and dishing out 13 assists in the game. Rondo’s energy changed the entire complexion of the game in the second half.
Pierce nailed some key free throws down the stretch (he was 11 of 13) and finished with 29 points.
The Celtics can put this series to rest with a win in Game 6 Friday night in Cleveland. But even if they don’t, they’ve assured themselves the possibility of one more home game to wrap things up.
This arena has been good to them so far.
We’ll have plenty of postgame reaction from both teams here at the Garden as soon as possible.
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