Projo Sports Blog

BOSTON -- Kevin Garnett, the reigning defensive player of the year, was trying to do a little too much on the defensive side of the ball in the first half, especially in the second quarter where the Spurs shot 66.7 percent from the field, and that hurt the Celtics.

Garnett's duties were to guard Matt Bonner, from Concord, New Hampshire, but he helped out Rajon Rondo in every pick-and-roll situation in the second quarter, and he tried to help Kendrick Perkins out with Tim Duncan in the middle, which left Bonner open on the perimeter and Bonner made the Celtics pay.

Bonner scored 14 of his 21 points in the second quarter, which San Antonio won, 38-29, but the Celtics began the third quarter with an 8-0 run on 4-for-5 shooting that gave them, and the crowd, new life, tied the score at 60-60, and forced San Antonio to call a timeout to regroup.

It didn't work. The next basket was a Perkins two-handed dunk, and Garnett followed that up with a fast break layup that extended Boston's run to 12-0. Duncan finally banked in a jump shot, 4:22 after the third quarter started to end the Spurs' drought.

The Celtics pushed the tempo in the third quarter and scored most of their points in transition, before the Spurs wee able to set up their defense. Bonner, meanwhile, continued his hot shooting in the third quarter to keep the Spurs in striking distance.

The Celtics are up 76-74 after three quarters of play after outscoring the Spurs, 24-14, in the third quarter.

Four Celtics have reached double figures in scoring, including Garnett (17 points, 9 rebounds), Paul Pierce (15 points, 7 rebounds), Ray Allen (16 points) and Kendrick Perkins (10 points, 6 rebounds).

Along with Bonner, Duncan (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Manu Ginobili (15 points) have reached double figures for the Spurs.

 Tags  Boston Celtics Rob Lee Robert Lee San Antonio Spurs

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