Celtics bounce back, keep short-handed Nets winless with 86-76 victory

By BRIAN MAHONEY , Associated Press

Last update: November 7, 2009 - 9:05 PM

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce each scored 16 points, and the Boston Celtics bounced back from their first loss of the season to beat the winless New Jersey Nets 86-76 on Saturday night

Ray Allen came alive after three dismal quarters to score eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter for the Celtics (7-1), who lost 110-103 to Phoenix on Friday night, allowing 20 more points than in any previous game.

Their defense was back Saturday — and it needed to be, because the Celtics couldn't shoot for most of the night. Boston finished with 20 steals, five by Rondo, scoring 19 points off New Jersey's 24 turnovers.

Kevin Garnett shot 3 of 13 but added nine points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who beat the Nets for the 10th straight time, their longest winning streak in the series since claiming 11 in a row from 1980-82.

Brook Lopez, the only regular starter available, scored 23 points, and Rafer Alston had 20 for the Nets (0-7).

The Nets likely ran out of gas in the fourth quarter while playing with only eight players. Starting forward Chris Douglas-Roberts tested positive for swine flu and Courtney Lee has a strained left groin, leaving the Nets with the NBA minimum amount of players to start a game.

"Well, we're down to the great eight," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said before the game.

That was good enough for 3 1/2 quarters until Allen, who was 1 of 7 through three quarters, knocked down a pair of jumpers for an 80-72 lead with 4:09 to play.

The Nets scored the first five points and led by as much as eight before the Celtics tied it at 18 after one. Neither team had any flow in the first half, with the Nets committing 15 turnovers but Boston converting them into only six points.

Doc Rivers looked disgusted by some of his team's sloppy plays, including one long pass attempt by Rondo that resembled a tee shot getting caught in the wind, hooking left until it flew out of bounds and landed by the Boston bench.

Josh Boone's layup gave New Jersey a 40-39 lead at halftime.

The Celtics seemed to be seizing the game in the third, when two straight layups by Rondo after Boston steals made it 52-45. Garnett's three-point player later gave the Celtics and eight-point advantage, but they stalled again and the Nets rallied for a 61-59 heading to the fourth.

Garnett and Allen were a combined 3 of 18 through three.

NOTES: The Celtics were without reserve Marquis Daniels, who was excused for personal reasons. ... The teams entered as the NBA's best and worst in scoring differential. Boston was plus-14.7, while the Nets were minus-12.1. ... Boston has won seven straight in New Jersey.

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