Celtics crush Suns to maintain grip on East top seed - Boston.com

Quoted from boston.com

Celtics crush Suns to maintain grip on East top seed - Boston.com

Celtics crush Suns to maintain grip on East top seed

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (L) passes the ball around Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill (C) and center Amare Stoudemire in the second half of their NBA basketball game in Boston, Massachusetts March 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

 

March 27, 2008

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Celtics snapped a rare two-game losing streak with a 117-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Kevin Garnett leading the rout with a 30-point haul.

Boston improved to an NBA-leading 56-15 as they maintained their march to the Eastern Conference top seed heading into the playoffs.

The victory allowed the Celtics to pull six games clear of the Detroit Pistons, who lost on Wednesday, for the East lead with 11 games remaining.

The Celtics avoided matching their season-worst losing streak of three games as they continue their amazing turnaround from also-rans to contenders since acquiring Garnett in the off-season.

"The whole face of the Celtics turned around when the trade happened with this guy," Paul Pierce, who added 27 points, told reporters.

"Everyone talks about MVP and they talk about numbers but this guy has changed the whole culture around here."

Pierce scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics pull away.

Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo both had 14 points and Kendrick Perkins chipped in with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 32 points, who lost despite shooting 56 percent, dropping to 47-26 in the tight Western Conference standings.

The Suns were impressed with the Celtics after playing them just two days after they faced the Pistons.

"Both those teams (Boston and Detroit) you have to play damn near perfect basketball, especially at their place," Shaquille O'Neal said. "And tonight we didn't do that."

O'Neal added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Suns, who fell behind for good in the third quarter after the teams were tied 57-57 at halftime.

Phoenix has lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak brought the Suns to within a game of first place Los Angeles in the Pacific Division.

(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto; Editing by John O'Brien)