Pierce keeps Celtics undefeated

By DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer Nov 3, 10:55 pm EST

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Rasheed Wallace(notes) keeps making his hometown his stomping ground.

Wallace rooted on the Phillies at Game 5 of the World Series and he popped by to watch Philly boxing great Bernard Hopkins train for an upcoming bout.

Boston’s top reserve didn’t stop having fun just because it was time to play. Wallace hit six 3-pointers as part of a 20-point effort and the Celtics remained unbeaten with a 105-74 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

“It’s home,” Wallace said. “A lot of friends and family don’t get the opportunity to see me play. Everybody can’t get that league pass and all that stuff. It’s always fun to come back here and play.”

Wallace, who wore a black Phillies jacket to the game, easily had his best game in his short stint with the Celtics. He pretty much caught the ball, let it rip and watched it sink through the net. Wallace made 6 of 8 3-pointers and sank each long attempt about as easily as a layup in the paint.

Wallace was about the only Celtic who had his normal night, even getting whistled for a technical foul for arguing with the refs in the third quarter. His fuse burst late in the quarter when he appeared to be fouled on a shot. The ref called a foul, he just didn’t call it a shooting foul and denied Wallace a trip to the free-throw line.

Wallace kept badgering the refs over the perceived blown call until he was hit with the T with 4.5 seconds left in the third.

“I just wanted to get my point across,” Wallace said. “I wasn’t going to get thrown out.”

Paul Pierce(notes) scored 21 points as the Celtics improved to 5-0 even without the usual standout performances from Kevin Garnett(notes) and Ray Allen(notes).

“We’re going to win because of our defense no matter how good our offense is,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

Allen didn’t score his first field goal until the third quarter and had five points. Garnett made just one basket on seven shots and scored three points when he was yanked with the game out of hand.

By the time Wallace got his technical, the game had spiraled into a blowout. Allen scored his first basket and Pierce hit a 3-pointer in a 14-2 run to open the quarter that shook off the Sixers for good.

Eddie House(notes) made four 3s off the bench for the Celtics and scored 12 points. Shelden Williams(notes) added 11 points, helping the Celtics bench to a productive night after the starters and Wallace made this one a rout.

Boston went 14 for 20 from 3-point range. The Sixers failed to hit a 3 until Jrue Holiday(notes) made one with 1:28 left in the game. The basket only cut Boston’s lead to 102-71.

Andre Iguodala(notes) led the Sixers with 17 points. Philadelphia missed 15 of 16 3-point attempts.

Thaddeus Young(notes) was the only other Sixer in double digits, scoring 11 points as they snapped their modest two-game winning streak.

The Sixers have struggled in two losses against the elite teams in the Eastern Conference (Orlando, Boston).

“They are veterans and we know they know how to play together,” Young said.

Wallace, friends with Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, didn’t offer a World Series prediction. The Yankees hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“We’ve got the bats for it, we’ve got the pitching for it,” Wallace said.

He was also smart enough to stay out of Hopkins way during an afternoon visit at a local boxing gym. Hopkins, who attended the game, will fight Enrique Ornelas in a light heavyweight bout on Dec. 2 at Temple’s Liacouras Center.

“Nah, I didn’t get in the ring with him this time,” Wallace said. “He’s got a fight coming up and I didn’t want to damage him or nothing.”

Instead, he saved his blows for the 76ers.

Notes: Rivers said he did not expect to hear from the NBA over a postgame incident in Boston involving New Orleans guard Chris Paul(notes) and the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo(notes). Rondo didn’t want to talk about it. … The Celtics swept the season series (4-0) last season. … The biggest cheer came for Phillies World Series highlights.

Updated Nov 3, 10:55 pm EST
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113 Comments

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  1. krys
    113. Posted by krys Fri Nov 6 5:01pm EST

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    Well I just want to say the Celtics are doing great!!! My boys look good and strong this year! I hope they keep it up and play like a team! I have noticed when they come out pumped and ready to play they always win!!! I love you Rondo!!! GO BOSTON GO BOSTON GO BOSTON GO BOSTON!!
  2. David M
    112. Posted by David M Thu Nov 5 3:30am EST

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    cavs are a cupcake team…u think with shaq being their is gonna get your city somewhere!!! WRONG!!!! even with a healthy cavs and an injured prone lakers team, lakers woud still spank'em!!!!!!! like i said….cupcake teams!
  3. Stephen
    111. Posted by Stephen Wed Nov 4 8:10pm EST

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    People im a true beliver in the game of defense and im a huge kg fan i mean he impacts the game so much bostons bench this year is incredible dont think they are stoppable watch out boston all the way
  4. Henry H
    110. Posted by Henry H Wed Nov 4 6:10pm EST

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    What a bunch of sad people posting trash in a public forum. Let's get to something more concrete about the game of basketball and its players. What on earth is up with Ray Allen? I love a streaky shooter, but this guy is having some kind of trouble with his shot, which *is* his game, after all. Is he mostly washed up, or will he find a little more consistency and make a huge difference for his team for yet another year on the league? How deep the Celtics go in the playoffs may depend on it.
  5. LU32
    109. Posted by LU32 Wed Nov 4 5:42pm EST

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    Anthony i agree The magic was no problem to bad the celtics didn't think so back in may. Howard and Lewis are better than perkins and old broken KGany day of the week.
  6. Tommy_Patterson
    108. Posted by Tommy_Patterson Wed Nov 4 5:25pm EST

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    Post 66.

    Bwaaahhhahahahahahahahahaha ...... Their number one fan Roger O = Kevin Williams is constantly on the Lakers board doing the Smell-tics rape beat chant!!!!! That weirdo should be at his assigned urinal at Boston Gardens this evening doing his Smell-tics beat chant:
    http://www.hahastop.com/pictures/Nice_Urinal.htm
  7. manny t
    107. Posted by manny t Wed Nov 4 5:07pm EST

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    Genious! Come on now! If you really are smart you can't possibly believe that Rondo could take CP3?? I don't care about anything else thats been said or who's right and who's wrong, but come on, seriously, have you seen Rondo?!? My little sister could whoop his @ss!! He's a good basketball player, fine, but a fghter?!? One side kick from CP3 to his leg and that skinny thing will break in two!! I know your a fan and all but come on lets be realistic, say he's a better player all you want, but in a fight?!? Get real "Genious".
  8. burton r
    106. Posted by burton r Wed Nov 4 4:52pm EST

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    Cleveland Cakeholes; sports are fixed and who would burn energy debating rigged "battles"
  9. Genious
    105. Posted by Genious Wed Nov 4 4:35pm EST

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    Cavs are a cupcake team huh? The C's will beat anyone and everyone you put in front of them right now! As long as they stay healthy there isn't any team in the league that is stopping them from putting up another banner! The big 3 know the window of opportunity is closing and they are just as hungry as when they won 2 years ago! The Celtics bench could beat about 30% of the teams starting 5! The only team that will pose a threat is L.A..! I myself think the Artest pickup will hurt them in the long run. Rondo is a BEAST and CP3 would have got a beatdown if he got through to Rondo!
  10. David M
    104. Posted by David M Wed Nov 4 4:11pm EST

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    #82 yeah those are good stats against the cupcake eastern conference teams...
  11. Kevin
    103. Posted by Kevin Wed Nov 4 4:02pm EST

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    I love how all the talk of Shaq bringing the Cavs a championship has diminished, you know why? LeBron is not a winner and definitely not a Michael Jordan! F*ck the Cavs!

    Raise up #18...
  12. Goffen M
    102. Posted by Goffen M Wed Nov 4 3:17pm EST

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    Hey James E you are correct, I should have said the WORST 18-1 team to NOT WIN a title since the 49'ers and Bears both went 18-1 and WON the Title. :-)
  13. Anthony
    101. Posted by Anthony Wed Nov 4 3:11pm EST

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    Howard really isn't that much of an offensive threat. Hes not a jump shooter in any way shape or form. And hes a player that you can foul and put to the line and expect minimum results. He has a small arsenal of post moves in which he relies on his fall away hook shot a bit too much. Hes a threat because of his rebounding and dunking ability. Put a body on him and that will stop. And to say that the Celtics have to overcome the Magic is far from the truth. In last years playoffs the Celtics held the edge and if not for a few games in which the Magic lit up the 3-point line the Celtics would have made it to the ECF, undermanned mind you. See the Celtics and Magic split their season series last year, both games they won, they had KG. Both games they lost, he was injured. The Celtics didn't lose to the Magic in last years playoffs, the Magic had to beat them. They were down a game and they won two straight. So if anything the Magic have to overcome the Celtics again if they wanna have a chance. A healthy, better than last year, Celtics team.
  14. Scooby
    100. Posted by Scooby Wed Nov 4 3:09pm EST

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    jose i have to agree with david here no one is stopping my celtics!!!!!!!!!!! They r beasts
  15. JamesE
    99. Posted by JamesE Wed Nov 4 3:05pm EST

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    Goffen. That 18-1 team is the worst in history actually.
  16. JamesE
    98. Posted by JamesE Wed Nov 4 3:02pm EST

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    Anthony,

    Saying Howard isn't a offensive threat is illogical. The fact you quantify it with things that make him an offensive threat expose the major issues with your analysis. Did you even watch the last game of the eastern conference finals when Howard took over on offense?

    On the magic: They are the defending Eastern Conference Champions and only 2 clutch 3's away from being NBA Champions of the league. They eliminated the Celtics so that would make them the team to overcome for the Celtics.
  17. Anthony
    97. Posted by Anthony Wed Nov 4 2:59pm EST

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    Well if thats the way you feel about it Goffen.. heck I'll gladly take the trophy right now.. you said it.. lmao
  18. Goffen M
    96. Posted by Goffen M Wed Nov 4 2:51pm EST

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    Hey Post 93, TONY, if "fat, middle aged man dressed up as a fairy talking with a lisp" is what you jerk off to, hey more power to you, just don't think about me while you are doing your boyfriend from behind. :-P

    Obviously you miss the sarcasm in my post, since every Celtics fan in the world is already crowning the Celts the NBA Champions 5 games into the season. Same way New England Patriots fans where crowning the Patriots SuberBowl Champs in 07, (hence the reference to the best 18-1 football team ever). The NBA season is young, and there is a LONG WAYS to go until June. Celtics fans have no respect for the Magic, Cleveland, San Antonio or the Lakers. Heck if you ask them we should not even have a season and hand them the trophy right now.
  19. Anthony
    95. Posted by Anthony Wed Nov 4 2:43pm EST

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    Although the Lakers front court may have excelled against the Magic last year, the Magic are hardly the Celtics. For one Howard is almost no threat on the offensive end aside from dunks and put backs. Both KG and Rasheed are offensive threats. Both can shoot, both can post up, and both can shoot free throws, unlike Dwight Howard. The Celtics bring a true PF and true C to the table with their starting 5. In last years Finals the Magic started Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee in the back court. They had either Hedo or Rashard Lewis playing and defending the PF position. Neither are low post defenders and neither are extraordinarily great at rebounding. Any team would have a hay day in the paint regardless of Dwight Howard. And Marcin Gortat has limited offensive skills. And some people say the best defense is a good offense. You have to make your man work. Celtics bigs play both sides of the floor. Comparing them with Orlando is just an amateur mistake.
  20. <i>jizjamie</i>
    94. Posted by jizjamie Wed Nov 4 2:41pm EST

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    wow! it only took overtime for the fakers to beat the OK THUNDER last night.come on now,we're talking about the THUNDER who's basically still an expansion team.when the CELTICS meet up against the THUNDER it will be GAME OVER AT TIPPOFF !!!!!!!!!!!!
  21. Tony
    93. Posted by Tony Wed Nov 4 2:32pm EST

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    I'm picturing post 86 as a fat, middle aged man dressed up as a fairy talking with a lisp.

    Celtics won't pull a perfection. They'll slip up somewhere...
  22. LU32
    92. Posted by LU32 Wed Nov 4 2:31pm EST

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    James Worthy is the second best UNC player. Wallace was a drop out and dean smith headache.
  23. Doug
    91. Posted by Doug Wed Nov 4 2:25pm EST

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    Is Rasheed the second best UNC player of all time?
  24. LU32
    90. Posted by LU32 Wed Nov 4 2:22pm EST

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    anthony i guess you were to upset to watch the finals last year. Gasol and Odom dominated the paint against the best center in the land. And if you haven't been watching bynum is a lot stronger and he has never had problems with your stout little center.
  25. First L
    89. Posted by First L Wed Nov 4 2:17pm EST

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    lol
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Top Performers

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 Boston
P. Pierce Paul Pierce
8-13,  21 Pts
8 Rebs, 4 Assists
 Philadelphia
A. Iguodala Andre Iguodala
7-14,  17 Pts
1 Rebs, 3 Assists

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