GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: WASHINGTON (0-1) at BOSTON (0-0)

NBA: WASHINGTON at BOSTON

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON (83)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
C Butler 34:48 8-15 2-3 4-8 1 4 18
A Jamison 37:58 4-15 2-3 2-10 1 4 10
B Haywood 32:21 4-8 2-3 6-12 2 1 10
D Stevenson 34:28 2-9 2-3 1-3 1 1 6
G Arenas 40:14 5-20 11-14 0-5 3 3 21
A Daniels 7:37 0-0 0-0 0-1 1 0 0
D Songaila 24:17 4-5 5-5 1-4 1 5 13
A Blatche 6:24 0-1 0-0 0-2 1 1 0
R Mason Jr 4:37 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
N Young 13:08 1-5 3-4 0-0 0 3 5
D McGuire 4:08 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
O Pecherov DNP - NOT WITH TEAM

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 28-80 27-35 14-45 11 23 83
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.350, FT-.771. 3-Point Goals:
0-16, .000 (A Jamison 0-6, D Stevenson 0-3, G
Arenas 0-5, A Blatche 0-1, R Mason Jr 0-1).
Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked Shots:5 (B Haywood
3, A Jamison, D Songaila). Turnovers:20 (C
Butler 7, G Arenas 4, B Haywood 4, D Songaila
3, D Stevenson, N Young). Steals: 6 (G Arenas
2, A Jamison, B Haywood, D Songaila, A
Blatche).


BOSTON (103)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
P Pierce 39:22 10-19 5-7 0-5 4 3 28
K Garnett 38:08 9-17 4-4 2-20 5 2 22
K Perkins 25:38 2-5 1-2 2-4 0 4 5
R Allen 38:08 5-10 5-5 2-4 2 2 17
R Rondo 32:27 7-10 1-4 0-2 2 2 15
T Allen 16:16 1-5 2-3 0-5 1 1 4
B Scalabrine 20:22 4-9 0-0 3-3 3 5 9
E House 15:46 1-5 0-0 1-3 2 1 3
S Pollard 8:53 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 3 0
L Powe 2:30 0-0 0-2 0-0 0 0 0
G Davis 2:30 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 0
J Posey DNP - NOT WITH TEAM

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 39-81 18-27 10-46 20 24 103
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.481, FT-.667. 3-Point Goals:
7-21, .333 (P Pierce 3-6, R Allen 2-5, T
Allen 0-1, B Scalabrine 1-5, E House 1-4).
Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked Shots:6 (K Garnett
3, S Pollard, P Pierce, K Perkins).
Turnovers:15 (K Garnett 3, P Pierce 3, R
Rondo 3, T Allen 2, K Perkins 2, E House, B
Scalabrine). Steals: 10 (R Rondo 4, K Garnett
3, E House, B Scalabrine, T Allen).

-------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON 18 18 21 26 - 83
BOSTON 21 37 21 24 - 103
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Washington - 1 (Defensive
Three, 6:14 2nd). Boston - 2 (Defensive
Three, 3:01 1st; P Pierce, 5:18 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,624. T: 2:31.
Officials: Dick Bavetta, Leroy Richardson,
Sean Corbin.</div>

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at BOSTON

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON (83) AT BOSTON (103)

WASHINGTON

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

C BUTLER F 34:48 8-15 2-3 4 4 8 1 4 0 7 18
A JAMISON F 37:58 4-15 2-3 2 8 10 1 4 1 0 10
B HAYWOOD C 32:21 4-8 2-3 6 6 12 2 1 1 4 10
D STEVENSON G 34:28 2-9 2-3 1 2 3 1 1 0 1 6
G ARENAS G 40:14 5-20 11-14 0 5 5 3 3 2 4 21
A DANIELS 7:37 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
D SONGAILA 24:17 4-5 5-5 1 3 4 1 5 1 3 13
A BLATCHE 6:24 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 1 1 1 0 0
R MASON JR 4:37 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
N YOUNG 13:08 1-5 3-4 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 5
D MCGUIRE 4:08 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
O PECHEROV DNP - NOT WITH TEAM

TOTALS 240:00 28-80 27-35 14 31 45 11 23 6 20 83
(.350) (.771) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 20 (24 PTS)

BOSTON

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

P PIERCE F 39:22 10-19 5-7 0 5 5 4 3 0 3 28
K GARNETT F 38:08 9-17 4-4 2 18 20 5 2 3 3 22
K PERKINS C 25:38 2-5 1-2 2 2 4 0 4 0 2 5
R ALLEN G 38:08 5-10 5-5 2 2 4 2 2 0 0 17
R RONDO G 32:27 7-10 1-4 0 2 2 2 2 4 3 15
T ALLEN 16:16 1-5 2-3 0 5 5 1 1 1 2 4
B SCALABRINE 20:22 4-9 0-0 3 0 3 3 5 1 1 9
E HOUSE 15:46 1-5 0-0 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 3
S POLLARD 8:53 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
L POWE 2:30 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
G DAVIS 2:30 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
J POSEY DNP - NOT WITH TEAM

TOTALS 240:00 39-81 18-27 10 36 46 20 24 10 15 103
(.481) (.667) TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 15 (9 PTS)

WASHINGTON 18 18 21 26 - 83
BOSTON 21 37 21 24 - 103

BLOCKED SHOTS: WASHINGTON - B HAYWOOD 3, A JAMISON, D SONGAILA. BOSTON -
K GARNETT 3, S POLLARD, P PIERCE, K PERKINS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: WASHINGTON 0-16 (.000), A JAMISON 0-6, D STEVENSON 0-
3, G ARENAS 0-5, A BLATCHE 0-1, R MASON JR 0-1. BOSTON 7-21 (.333),
P PIERCE 3-6, R ALLEN 2-5, T ALLEN 0-1, B SCALABRINE 1-5, E HOUSE 1-
4.
TECHNICAL FOULS: WASHINGTON - DEFENSIVE THREE. BOSTON - DEFENSIVE
THREE, P PIERCE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DICK BAVETTA, LEROY RICHARDSON, SEAN CORBIN.
A - 18,624. T - 2:31.</div>

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at BOSTON

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 18 18 21 26 83
BOSTON 21 37 21 24 103 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: WAS - GILBERT ARENAS 21, CARON BUTLER 18,
DARIUS SONGAILA 13
BOS - PAUL PIERCE 28, KEVIN GARNETT 22, RAY
ALLEN 17

HIGH REBOUND: WAS - BRENDAN HAYWOOD 12, ANTAWN JAMISON 10,
CARON BUTLER 8
BOS - KEVIN GARNETT 20, TONY ALLEN 5, PAUL
PIERCE 5

HIGH ASSISTS: WAS - GILBERT ARENAS 3, BRENDAN HAYWOOD 2, SIX
PLAYERS WITH 1
BOS - KEVIN GARNETT 5, PAUL PIERCE 4, BRIAN
SCALABRINE 3

ATT: 18,624</div>

 

By Mike Petraglia
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


BOSTON (Ticker) - With the help of a pregame fireworks displayand the showing of a world championship trophy from anothersport, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen began a new era in BostonCeltics history in style.


Heralded as the most improved team in the Eastern Conferencefollowing the additions of the two superstars in the offseason,it was captain Paul Pierce who led the way with 28 points tolead the Celtics to a 103-83 rout of the Washington Wizards atTD Banknorth Garden on Friday.


Garnett was a force on the glass, hauling in 20 rebounds whileadding 22 points and five assists. He shot 9-of-17 from thefloor and added three steals and three blocks. Allen, whojump-started Boston's offense, chipped in 17 on 5-of-10 shootingas the Celtics won their season opener.


As impressive as the offense was, Boston made a biggerimpression with its defense. Washington shot just 35 percent(28-of-80) and committed 20 turnovers. It set an NBA record bygoing 0-for-16 from 3-point range. It is the most 3-pointerswithout a made 3-pointer.


"That's how we are going to win," Garnett said of Boston'sdefensive effort. "We know offensively, on paper, that we shouldbeat a lot of teams. We are going to win games because ofdefense, not because of our offense."


"It was a good start," added Celtics head coach Doc Rivers. "Ithought the first five minutes of the game, there was so muchenergy in the building, and from both teams, I didn't thinkanyone was going to score, or run a play. After that, I thoughtwe settled down."


Washington lost its second straight on the road.


"I'm not looking for any excuses," Washington coach Eddie Jordansaid. "You know these are two games. Playing three games onthe road last week (preseason), it's the nature of the businessand we have plenty of rest, we just have to get things done."

The building roared with excitement from well before the openingtip as Boston Red Sox owners and players showed off their 2007World Series trophy moments before the parquet was dedicated inhonor of the late Red Auerbach.


"Tonight was rocking," Garnett said. "I couldn't even believeit. This place was rocking."


"The people were rocking," Allen added. "I think they've beenanticipating this for a long time, the fans in Boston, just havesomething on the floor that they can rally behind all year."

Garnett and Allen, both acquired in summer trades with Minnesotaand Seattle, respectively, struggled to find their rangefollowing the introductions.


Garnett got the scoring underway with two free throws with 10:13to go in the first, but the opening quarter featured tightdefense, with neither team able to find any offensive rhythm.

The Celtics made just 9-of-23 shots while Washington converted8-of-21. Antawn Jamison hit a running jumper from six feet togive the visitors a 16-12 lead with 2:21 remaining in the first.

But Allen responded with a driving layup with 2:03 to go in thefirst for his first points in a Boston uniform. The bucketignited a 9-2 run, which included Allen's first 3-pointer thatgave Boston the lead for good, 19-18, with 56 seconds remainingin the first.


Boston, which led 21-18 after one, blew open the game in thesecond, outscoring Washington, 37-18, to take a 58-36 halftimelead. Pierce scored eight points in the first two minutes ofthe period and totalled 15 points and a trio of 3-pointers inthe period.


"Coach put me in with the second unit, just to try and get alittle spark," Pierce said. "I think we were a little anxious, alittle nervous coming into game one. It was a tight game, butwe did what we did. We executed, we played great defense andour teammates were able to find me, got into a little rhythm andjust got going and we sort of fed off of that and it carriedover for the rest of the game."


"It was like a college game, the energy was high and they hadthe trophy out there and the Red Sox were in the building,"Washington's Caron Butler said. "It was a great atmosphere forbasketball but at the same time in the second quarter we didn'tbask in the same energy."


Pierce finished 10-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the3-point range, with five rebounds and four assists.

The Celtics led by as many as 27, 69-42, midway through thethird, led by 22 after three, and the Wizards could pull nocloser than 15 in the final period.


"I'm a fan of the Red Sox, I'm also a fan of the Patriots,"Pierce said. "We've got our own mark to make. You know thoseguys have definitely made their mark. They have wonchampionships since I've been here. We have our own mark tomake."


After guaranteeing victory against Boston, Gilbert Arenas wasbooed every time he touched the ball in the first half. Hefinished with 21 points on just 5-of-20 shooting.


"You know, you predict something and you know you are going toget killed on TV but at the end of the day, it was fun to watch,it was fun to play in an atmosphere like that. You never see abuilding like that," Arenas said.


"We just didn't execute as well as we should have and they gotit going and after that, I think we played them evenly in thesecond half, and again the second quarter just did us in,"Jordan said of his team.

 

Re: NBA: WASHINGTON (0-1) at BOSTON (0-0)

You guys can check out my game recap by clicking this link.</p>