Box Score

 

BOSTON (89)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
A Walker            46  8-26   7-8  2-10   3   4   23
E Williams          38   4-8   5-5   3-7   2   3   14
T Battie            27   3-3   1-2   0-2   1   2    7
T Delk              30   1-9   0-0   0-2   0   3    2
P Pierce            32  9-20  6-10  0-10   3   2   26
W Mccarty           13   1-1   1-2   0-1   1   1    4
S Williams          32   2-6   3-5   0-2   1   3    7
V Baker             13   0-1   2-2   1-2   1   1    2
K Brown              6   1-1   0-0   0-1   0   1    2
B Sundov             3   1-1   0-0   0-0   0   0    2
J Bremer           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
R Wolkowyski       DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 30-76 25-34  6-37  12  20   89
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.395, FT-.735. 3-Point Goals:
4-23, .174 (A Walker 0-10, E Williams 1-2, T 
Delk 0-6, P Pierce 2-4, W Mccarty 1-1). Team 
Rebounds: 17. Blocked Shots:6 (T Battie 4, E 
Williams, P Pierce). Turnovers:10 (A Walker 
5, E Williams 2, P Pierce 2, T Battie). 
Steals: 8 (E Williams 2, A Walker 2, V Baker,
W Mccarty, S Williams, P Pierce).


CLEVELAND (82)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
R Davis             44  8-19   3-4   1-4   2   3   21
C Boozer            40  6-11   0-0  5-14   2   2   12
Z Ilgauskas         24  5-10   5-6   1-8   1   4   15
M Palacio           18   0-3   0-0   1-5   5   2    0
D Wagner            42  7-20  9-10   2-2   4   1   25
W Parker             6   1-1   1-2   0-0   0   3    4
C Mihm               4   0-1   0-0   0-1   0   1    0
J Jones             21   1-4   0-0   1-7   1   4    2
D Miles             26  1-11   0-0   0-3   2   3    2
D Diop              15   0-1   1-2   3-6   2   4    1
T Hill             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
M Stewart          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 29-81 19-24 14-50  19  27   82
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.358, FT-.792. 3-Point Goals:
5-17, .294 (R Davis 2-6, D Wagner 2-7, W 
Parker 1-1, J Jones 0-2, D Miles 0-1). Team 
Rebounds: 8. Blocked Shots:10 (D Diop 4, C 
Boozer 2, R Davis, C Mihm, W Parker, D 
Miles). Turnovers:15 (R Davis 5, D Miles 3, C
Boozer 2, J Jones, D Wagner, W Parker, M 
Palacio, C Mihm). Steals: 4 (R Davis 3, D 
Miles).

-------------------------------------------
BOSTON               25  17  21  26   -  89
CLEVELAND            18  35  20  9    -  82
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Boston - 3 (Defensive Three,
1:39 1st; A Walker, 0:53 2nd; P Pierce 2 
(ejected), 11:15 4th). Cleveland - 3 
(Defensive Three, 3:46 1st; Defensive Three, 
9:11 1st; Z Ilgauskas 2 (ejected), 11:15 
4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 12,013. T: 2:18. 
Officials: Leroy Richardson, Tom Washington, 
Violet Palmer.

Extended Box

 

BOSTON (89) AT CLEVELAND (82)

BOSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
A WALKER          F    46    8-26     7-8      2   8  10    3   4   2   5   23
E WILLIAMS        F    38    4-8      5-5      3   4   7    2   3   2   2   14
T BATTIE          C    27    3-3      1-2      0   2   2    1   2   0   1    7
T DELK            G    30    1-9      0-0      0   2   2    0   3   0   0    2
P PIERCE          G    32    9-20     6-10     0  10  10    3   2   1   2   26
W MCCARTY              13    1-1      1-2      0   1   1    1   1   1   0    4
S WILLIAMS             32    2-6      3-5      0   2   2    1   3   1   0    7
V BAKER                13    0-1      2-2      1   1   2    1   1   1   0    2
K BROWN                 6    1-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   1   0   0    2
B SUNDOV                3    1-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    2
J BREMER              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
R WOLKOWYSKI          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   30-76    25-34     6  31  37   12  20   8  10   89
                            (.395)  (.735)  TEAM REBS: 17 TOTAL TO: 10 (12 PTS)    

CLEVELAND

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
R DAVIS           F    44    8-19     3-4      1   3   4    2   3   3   5   21
C BOOZER          F    40    6-11     0-0      5   9  14    2   2   0   2   12
Z ILGAUSKAS       C    24    5-10     5-6      1   7   8    1   4   0   0   15
M PALACIO         G    18    0-3      0-0      1   4   5    5   2   0   1    0
D WAGNER          G    42    7-20     9-10     2   0   2    4   1   0   1   25
W PARKER                6    1-1      1-2      0   0   0    0   3   0   1    4
C MIHM                  4    0-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   1   0   1    0
J JONES                21    1-4      0-0      1   6   7    1   4   0   1    2
D MILES                26    1-11     0-0      0   3   3    2   3   1   3    2
D DIOP                 15    0-1      1-2      3   3   6    2   4   0   0    1
T HILL                DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
M STEWART             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   29-81    19-24    14  36  50   19  27   4  15   82
                            (.358)  (.792)  TEAM REBS:  8 TOTAL TO: 16 (15 PTS)    
  
   BOSTON             25   17   21   26   -   89
   CLEVELAND          18   35   20    9   -   82
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: BOSTON - T BATTIE 4, E WILLIAMS, P PIERCE.  CLEVELAND -
D DIOP 4, C BOOZER 2, R DAVIS, C MIHM, W PARKER, D MILES.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: BOSTON 4-23 (.174), A WALKER 0-10, E WILLIAMS 1-
2, T DELK 0-6, P PIERCE 2-4, W MCCARTY 1-1. CLEVELAND 5-17 (.294),
R DAVIS 2-6, D WAGNER 2-7, W PARKER 1-1, J JONES 0-2, D MILES 0-1.

TECHNICAL FOULS: BOSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE, A WALKER, P PIERCE 2 
(EJECTED). CLEVELAND - DEFENSIVE THREE 2, Z ILGAUSKAS 2 (EJECTED).
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: LEROY RICHARDSON, TOM WASHINGTON, VIOLET PALMER.
A - 12,013. T - 2:18.

Game Story

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Boston Celtics became the latest 
team to take advantage of a late meltdown by the Cleveland
Cavaliers.

The Celtics overcame the ejection of Paul Pierce, allowed just
nine points in the fourth quarter and rallied from a 19-point
deficit before posting an 89-82 victory over the Cavaliers.

"I'm very glad how we persisted, and we came out of here with a
win," Boston coach Jim O'Brien said.  "Guys really got down and
played hard.  We did a great job on Ricky Davis.  Tony Battie
did a wonderful job on him.

Pierce scored 26 points before his ejection in the opening
minute of the fourth period and Antoine Walker added 23 for the
Celtics, who trailed 65-46 midway through the third quarter.

Boston appeared to be in trouble when Pierce and Cleveland's
Zydrunas Ilgauskas were thrown out after getting involved in an
altercation under the basket with 11:15 to play.

Pierce was fouled hard by Ilgauskas after he came down with a
rebound.  He objected and went after the Cavaliers center.  The
two players engaged in a shoving match and were ejected after
receiving double technicals.

"I just feel like the foul was excessive," Pierce said.  "I'm
kind of frustrated.  Lately, when I go to the basket, guys are
intentionally fouling me or trying to hurt me.  It just seems
like it's been repetitive and I let my emotions take over.  I
mean, he was going after my face."

O'Brien was surprised Ilgauskas was not hit with a flagrant
foul.

"Anytime a guy gets hit in the face on the drive, I think that's
my definition of a flagrant," O'Brien said.  "Frankly, I don't
blame Paul for going after him."

"I tried to make a play," Ilgauskas said.  "I went for the ball,
he got upset, pushed me and it escalated from there."

At the time of the ejections, the Celtics trailed, 73-65.  But
the Cavaliers scored just one basket over the final 13 minutes
and made 1-of-15 shots in the fourth quarter.  They went through
a scoring drought of nearly six minutes.

"When we lost `Z' and they lost Pierce, they had Walker to help
and we were just shell-shocked," Cleveland coach John Lucas
said.  "They took Ricky away from us and it was really hard for
us to swing the ball and move the ball."

"I was hoping when I got to the locker room it would give us a
little fire," Pierce said.  "It was a little selfish on my part
doing what I did, but I think it did give us a little fire."

Rookie Dajuan Wagner scored 25 points for Cleveland, which
squandered a six-point lead in the final minute of regulation in
Friday's overtime loss to Detroit.

"Another tough loss for us," Lucas said.  "They beat us with
experience tonight."

The Celtics took a 76-75 lead on Battie's foul shot with 6:22
left.  Carlos Boozer ended Cleveland's drought, following in
DeSagana Diop's miss with 4:55 left to give the Cavaliers a
77-76 lead.

Cleveland stretched the egde to 80-77 on two free throws by
Wagner with 3:48 left. But Shammond Williams' layup and a layup
by Walker gave the Celtics the lead for good, 81-80, with 2:13
to go.

"I think it started with Tony Delk getting out and pressuring
Ricky Davis and not letting him get easy buckets," said Walker,
who had 11 points in the fourth quarter.  "Then we just kind of
fed off that.  Obviously, we lost Paul, but they lost `Z,' who
gave them a great presence inside and was scoring pretty easily
on us."

Davis scored 21 points but was blanked in the final period.

The collapse offset arguably Cleveland's best 12 minutes of the
season in the second quarter as the Cavaliers outscored the
Celtics, 35-17, to take a 53-42 haltime lead.

Boston came out flat in the third quarter, allowing the Cavs to
extend their lead to 66-47 on Davis' layup with 6:22 left.

But the Celtics closed the quarter with a 16-7 spurt, getting
within 73-63.