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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
BOSTON (AP) – Boston Celtics forward Walter McCarty made the
most of his rare start.
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| McCarty |
McCarty, who has started only one other game this season and has
spent most of the season as an afterthought on the Celtics bench,
scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Celtics to a 95-88
victory over the Nets on Sunday.
"Walt is capable of doing things like that," said Celtics
forward Paul Pierce, who chipped in with 18 points and 11 assists.
"He's been a great supporter in practice all year, he knows his
role, and he doesn't say anything."
The game was marked by the 8 millionth point in NBA history,
scored early in the fourth quarter by the Nets' Eddie Gill.
McCarty's quick start helped the Celtics snap a three-game
losing streak. He scored 16 of the team's first 21 points as the
team took a 33-26 lead in the first quarter.
"Coach told me I'm a shooter first, before I am a passer, so I
was just letting them fly," McCarty said.
McCarty finished nine-of-16 from the field, including six-of-12
from three-point land.
"He made his shots," Nets head coach Byron Scott said. "We
were willing to give them to him and he knocked them down. You have
to give him credit."
The game also marked the debut of Antoine Walker as the Celtics
starting point guard. Walker, who will start at the point in
Wednesday's finale against the Charlotte Hornets, scored 22 points
and had 12 assists.
The Nets, losers of the last five, cut the Celtics lead to two,
74-72, early in the fourth quarter on Gill's historic layup.
But Walker and Pierce responded with back-to-back 3-pointers and
the Celtics responded with an 11-2 run to take an 85-74 lead.
"We have not adapted (to being out of playoff contention)," said
Celtics coach Jim O'Brien. "We have lost our edge right now and
I'd like to get it back for Wednesday's game."
The Nets were led by Keith Van Horn's 21 points. Lucious Harris
and Stephen Jackson each scored 15.
The Celtics led by as many as 17 in the first half, but that
lead slipped away at the end of the first half and early in the
third quarter. A 15-4 run by the Nets at the end of the first half
cut the margin to six points.
"We didn't come out flat," Van Horn said. "We had a defensive
game plan, but with McCarty hitting shots, it really took us out of
it."
The Nets, who were swept in the season series by the Celtics for
only the second time since 1976-77, took their only lead of the
game, 62-61, at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter on Evan
Eschmeyer's layup.
McCarty's 3-pointer in the second quarter gave the Celtics a
52-35 lead, but the Nets went on a 15-4 run to close to 56-50
before halftime.
Game notes
Gill's landmark layup came 10:37 remaining in the fourth
quarter. ... Celtics G Bryant Stith missed his second straight game
with a swollen left knee. He is expected to play in the Celtics
season finale on Wednesday against Charlotte. ... The Nets have
lost 331 games due to injury. This year will mark the fourth time
in the last five seasons that the Nets have finished in the top
five for most games lost to injury/illness. ... The Celtics
finished the season with a 7-1 record against the Nets and the
Washington Wizards, a 4-12 mark against the rest of the Atlantic
Division.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
Boston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 89
New York 82
Boston 95
New Jersey 88
Cleveland 106
Washington 98
Orlando 90
Miami 73
Indiana 93
Chicago 86
Minnesota 107
Utah 100
Phoenix 88
Sacramento 86
LA Lakers 105
Portland 100
Charlotte 99
Detroit 90
Dallas 107
Seattle 99
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