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Friday, Mar. 10 7:00pm ET
Boston 3 games out of final playoff spot | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
BOSTON (AP) -- Kenny Anderson finds himself in a familiar role with 21 games left in the NBA's regular season. He's the leader of team on a mission. "That was my role in high school and college and one I like being in," Anderson said after he scored 16 points and handed out seven assists to lead the Boston Celtics to a 104-74 win over Chicago on Friday night.
Anderson is averaging 15 points and six assists in the Celtics' current three-game winning streak -- their second longest of the season. Boston is three games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 21 left to play. "People have counted this team out and they've counted me out before, but we have finally made the commitment to do whatever it takes to win," Anderson said. Paul Pierce added 15 points with five steals and five rebounds while Danny Fortson scored 14 with seven rebounds as Boston had its largest margin of victory this season. Boston is unbeaten at home since head coach Rick Pitino lit into the media and fans following a last-second loss to the Toronto Raptors on March 1. "Since our last road trip we've been playing very good basketball," said Pitino. "But we still have to grow consistenty at the defensive end. We did that tonight." Elton Brand scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Bulls. Randy Brown added 15 points. "We never gave ourselves a chance tonight," said Brown. "We turned the ball over and gave away easy layups." Boston, which had a four-game winning streak in mid-January, scored 32 points off 25 Chicago turnovers. It was the 10th loss in 11 games for Chicago. "We didn't play well," said Bulls coach Tim Floyd. "There was casualness, carelessness and unforced turnovers." Antoine Walker contributed nine points, eight rebounds and four assists after recording a triple-double in the Celtics' 112-101 win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. "We still have the opportunity to fight for a playoff spot," said Walker. "We understand the position we put ourselves in, but we also understand the situation of what we have to do." The Celtics took control early, opening a double-figure lead by the end of a first quarter that featured 10 Chicago turnovers. A 9-0 run midway through the second quarter, keyed by Calbert Cheaney's 3-pointer, gave Boston a 52-29 lead. The Celtics led 62-41 at halftime. Boston never let the Bulls back in the game and took a 84-51 lead on a slam dunk by Pierce with 2:22 left in the third quarter. That followed a 11-0 run with Fortson and Pierce combining for seven points. Pervis Ellison made two free throws with 6:57 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Celtics opened a 95-58 lead, their biggest of the night.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Chicago Clubhouse Boston Clubhouse RECAPS Boston 104 Chicago 74
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