ESPN

The Boston Celtics (20-18, 15-8 home) get one last taste of homecoming on Friday night when they host the Portland Trail Blazers (19-20, 5-13 away) at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). Boston embarks on a season-long eight-game road trip after Friday's game and won't be back in the Hub until late March. But its focus now is the Blazers and to preview the matchup, we play a game of 3-on-3 with ESPN Boston's Greg Payne and CelticsHub's Brian Robb.

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1. What should scare the Celtics most about the Trail Blazers?

Payne: Getting into a run-and-gun style shootout. Portland has too many offensive weapons for the Celtics to overcome if they try and get by tonight without playing any real defense. The Blazers have a legitimate (and still underrated) All-Star in Lamarcus Aldridge, athletic wing players in Gerald Wallace and Wesley Matthews, a point guard capable of pushing the pace in Raymond Felton, and a true offensive force off the bench in Jamal Crawford, who has made some of the most ridiculous shots the league has seen over the last several years. An offensive-oriented game won't favor the Celtics tonight. Defense has to be the main priority, even more than usual.

Robb: Just like Philadelphia, they are a desperate team right now having dropped four of their last five games. There are plenty of trade rumors swirling in the Pacific Northwest as the Blazers have dropped out of the top 8 spot in the Western Conference, making this pit stop in Boston even more crucial than normal. This roster has plenty to prove if they want to stay together and plenty of athletic talent as well which could give Boston fits. Look for Portland to come out hungry Friday night.

Forsberg: Portland's in last place in the Northwest Division. They'd be a playoff team in the East. They truly are one of those sneakily deceptive teams. Look at their stats and you'll wonder how they're not five wins better than their record reflects. About the only thing the Blazers don't do better than average is rebound and that shouldn't exactly be a concern against Boston. Not that past success matters much, but the Blazers haven't won in Boston since 2004 and have been one of the league's worst road teams this season. That said, the Celtics know how daunting a desperate team could be. If the Blazers are clicking offensively, this one will be a grind for Boston.

(Read full post)

The Celtics were expecting things to get physical against the Portland Trailblazers Thursday night, and sure enough, by the end of the first half, four of the club's five starters had already picked themselves up off the floor after absorbing hard hits from the opposition.

Three minutes in, while fighting for a rebound, Paul Pierce took a shot to the mouth from Nicolas Batum that left him counting his teeth. Two minutes later, Kevin Garnett hit the deck after being planted by an illegal screen set by Joel Przybilla, who stood over and stared down at Garnett the way a boxer might. Thirty seconds later, Rajon Rondo endured a hard foul by Batum and hit the hardwood, laying somewhat motionless on his stomach for a few moments.

The Celtics, however, were not impressed by Portland's tough-guy act, nor were they fazed by it. Pierce took his shot to the jaw and remained in the game, burying a step-back jumper two minutes later. Garnett got back on his feet after Przybilla knocked him down, shot the Portland center an almost amused glance, and proceeded to bank in a jump shot from the left wing. Rondo, meanwhile, picked himself up after Batum's hit, and, on the next play, slashed inside and converted a scoop shot in the paint.

The Blazers kept the hard hits coming for the remainder of the game, and the Celtics continued to respond, eventually winning 88-78. Doc Rivers told reporters afterwards that the Celtics were prepared for such a performance from the Blazers after some suggestive comments surfaced on Wednesday.

(Read full post)

ESPN.com's John Hollinger checks in from Portland with an update on Kendrick Perkins and his unexpected quick return to the court after offseason ACL surgery:

PORTLAND, Ore. -- It was in most respects a fairly perfunctory 88-78 win over an outmanned Portland team for the Celtics on Thursday night, but there is one aspect of this game that has big implications for the season as a whole.

Put simply, Kendrick Perkins was a beast. And if he can return to the lineup as a reasonable facsimile of the Perk of seasons past, it gives Boston another weapon in its quest to regain the championship.

The 6-10 center, who tore two right knee ligaments in Game 6 of the Finals last June and has been recuperating all season, gave the team a big lift off the bench in his second game back from injury with ten points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes. His statistics were good, but the qualitative side was even better. He didn't appear to have issues leaping or running, supplied his usual nails-tough post defense to help thwart Portland's leading scorer, LaMarcus Aldridge, and added healthy dollops of physicality and trash-talking swagger.

So good was Perkins that Boston coach Doc Rivers left him far longer than he'd originally planned in the first half, leaving Perkins weary. But while Perkins said his timing and conditioning are still far from peak level, his knee hasn't been a problem.

"I'm not where I want to be," said Perkins, "but I'm happy where I'm at."

"He was terrific," said Rivers. "I extended his minutes too long, because he was playing so well... I turned to [trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] and said. "Hey, you gotta tell me.' Eddie said he was good, but Eddie was looking at his legs and I was looking at his lungs."

Perkins' return could also come with benefits for Boston's shooters, as he showed with one of his trademark earth-shattering screens that absolutely leveled Portland's Wesley Matthews. While the play was called an offensive foul, it was indicative of the plays he's been making to set up teammates for the past three seasons.

"He and Kevin [Garnett] are clearly our two best screeners," said Rivers. "Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce] have really been looking forward to him getting back."

Perkins may not play as much in the Celtics' next game on Friday against Phoenix, both because the Suns sometimes play small and because he's on a back-to-back after a long flight, but he's itching for more activity and is likely to get it soon. With Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal both battling injuries of their own, Rivers may continue finding it troublesome to keep Perk's minutes down.

"Hopefully my body won't ache and I'll be good," said Perkins. "I'm just looking forward to playing. I feel like I've been on vacation for six months."

Click HERE to read all of Thursday's Daily Dime.

More reaction and analysis after the Boston Celtics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 88-78 Thursday night at the Rose Garden:

--LA VIE EN ROSE!--
The city of Portland -- and its NBA franchise, the Trail Blazers -- has been very, very good to the Celtics lately. Boston’s victory Thursday night gave the Celtics another season sweep of the Blazers and was the team’s 11th in its past 12 games. Boston has won five of its past six visits to the Rose City and the Celtics remain the only NBA team to have a winning record in Portland (27-23) since the Trail Blazers came of being in 1970.

This one was not a thing of beauty; can you imagine the Celtics winning comfortably and scoring only 88 points? The Celtics had too many turnovers (21) and were occasionally abused on the offensive glass (20 offensive rebounds for Portland.) But with Portland undermanned (no Brandon Roy, no Marcus Camby and losing Nicolas Batum), the Celtics managed to persevere and got their first West Coast swing off to a good start. By the way, this was not as close as the final score indicated. The Celtics worried about this one because of the travel involved and having played on Tuesday. But Portland proved once again to be a congenial host.

--DOC TO LOS ANGELES?--
It’s not set in stone yet, but with the Celtics’ win and the Miami Heat’s loss to the Knicks, Celtics coach Doc Rivers is that much closer to another stint as the coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars. The last time he did that, in the 2007-08 season, the Celtics won the NBA title. Boston has a four-game lead over Miami and Chicago in the loss column, and the team with the best record as of Feb. 6 will send its coach to Los Angeles to coach the conference elite. The Celtics have five games before that date, so Doc looks pretty secure. (Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy is ineligible; he was the coach last season.)

Doc appears to be in and so it seems will a few of his players. While none of the Celtics made the Eastern Conference starting lineup, announced Thursday night, it looks as though four of them -- Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen -- could be chosen as reserves for the Feb. 20 game in Los Angeles. Conference reserves will be announced next week.

(Read full post)

Celtics captain Paul Pierce departed Thursday's game with what the team termed a bruised right thigh. He will be reevaluated before Friday's second end of a back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns and is a game-time decision.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after Thursday's 88-78 win over the Portland Trail Blazers that Pierce bumped knees with a Portland player. And while he didn't believe it was serious, Rivers did note that Boston didn't need any more injuries.

"We'll just wait and see," Rivers told reporters. "I don't know if he'll get X-rays. We don't need injuries, I can tell you that. We'll find out [Friday].

"I think he bumped knees [with a Portland player]. We're hoping it's nothing more than that."

Pierce, who departed Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers early to get treatment on what he dubbed a 'tweaked' ankle, hobbled off the court with 2:01 to play Thursday and went right to the locker room.

Pierce limped to the bus, but told reporters he will wait to see how the injury swells overnight before deciding if he can go against the Suns.

Rapid reaction after the Boston Celtics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 88-78 Thursday night at the Rose Garden:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON
In a game that surely won't end up in either team's season scrapbook, the Celtics limited Portland to 36.7 percent shooting (33 of 90) and overcame 21 turnovers (leading to 22 points) and 18 offensive rebounds (leading to 15 second-chance points) to emerge with a win on the first stop on a four-game road trip. Ray Allen generated half of his six field goals beyond the arc, splashing three trifectas, as part of an 18-point effort. Paul Pierce chipped in 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting over 35 minutes, but hobbled off late in the fourth quarter.

TURNING POINT
The Celtics led by four late in the third quarter before embarking on a 12-2 run fueled by a defense that limited Portland to one field goal over a 5:33 stretch spanning into the fourth frame. Running with a second-unit lineup (with Rajon Rondo running the point) at the start of the fourth quarter, Boston extended its lead, highlighted by a coast-to-coast steal/layup by Von Wafer for a 70-60 advantage with 9:25 to play.

STAT OF THE GAME
Kevin Garnett toyed with a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists over 31:19. On a night his shot wasn't always falling, Garnett played the role of distributor, nearly doubling up the assist total of point guard Rajon Rondo (five assists).

UNSUNG HERO
In his second game back, Kendrick Perkins logged 21 minutes (sneaking over his minute limit yet again) while connecting on 3-of-4 shots for 10 points, while adding nine rebounds and a block. In an ultra-physical game, the Celtics benefited from having Perkins back in the mix as he and Garnett combined for nearly 43 percent of Boston's 42 boards.

WHAT IT MEANS
This one was uuuuuugly. But you don't get additional style points for victories and Boston will gladly take a W to start this tough four-game trek. The Celtics did all the things teams can't do on the road and still emerged with a triumph. The only question is did this rough-and-tumble matchup take a lot out of them with the second night of a back-to-back looming in Phoenix.

As expected, reserve swingman Marquis Daniels joined the Celtics in Portland on Wednesday evening and, after participating in Thursday's morning shootaround, is expected to be active against the Blazers.

Daniels missed his first game of the season Tuesday to tend to a family matter and did not accompany the team on the trek west to start a four-game road trip.

Shaquille O'Neal, who traveled with the team Wednesday, will remain sidelined Thursday with a sore right hip, but indicated to reporters at the team's morning shootaround that he could be back for Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Even if that doesn't happen, it's hard to imagine Shaq won't be in uniform by Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

(34-10, 12-7 away)

-- vs. --

(25-21, 16-6 home)

at Rose Garden, Portland, 10:30 p.m. | CSN, WEEI (850 AM)
GAME PREVIEW (via Stats Inc.)

The Boston Celtics received a nice boost off the bench as center Kendrick Perkins returned from injury. The Portland Trail Blazers can't afford to be without the lift LaMarcus Aldridge provides.

The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics open a four-game western swing when they go for their fourth consecutive win over the Blazers on Thursday night.

Playing for the first time since tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in the NBA finals last season, Perkins had seven points, six rebounds and three assists in a 112-95 victory over Cleveland on Tuesday. He played 18 minutes to help Boston (34-10) rebound from an 85-83 loss at Washington on Saturday.

"It felt good to be on the floor," Perkins said. "I know I can do better. I can do more. ... I was a little winded and a little off-key. I can get better."

The Blazers' hopes of a third straight postseason appearance may hinge largely on Aldridge, as star guard Brandon Roy and center Marcus Camby are out with knee injuries.

Aldridge, the reigning Western Conference player of the week, underwent an MRI on his right hip Tuesday after managing nine points in a 96-81 home loss to Sacramento on Monday. The defeat ended Portland's season-high five-game winning streak.

The exam did not show any tear or cartilage damage and Aldridge should be available Thursday.

With Aldridge at less than full strength, center Chris Johnson, who signed a 10-day contract earlier this week, could see extended minutes off the bench. Aldridge and Joel Przybilla will likely need help in the frontcourt against Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis and Perkins along with rookie big men Luke Harangody and Semih Erden.

Read the full preview HERE.

FORSBERG'S THREE THINGS TO WATCH

• Eyes on Perk, Night 2: Kendrick Perkins' return to the court Tuesday was undoubtedly fueled (in part) by adrenaline. It'll be interesting to see how he and that surgically repaired right knee respond the next couple games as he settles in. As he joked after his first action of the 2010-11 season, Perkins will "fight" coach Doc Rivers for more playing time. Even coming off the bench, Perkins is going to give that second unit a lift until he's fit to elevate back to his starting role.
• Starting trip out right: Rivers contends the first game of a road trip is actually the last home game because the mind has already started to wander. But there's still something to be said for taking care of business Thursday night, particularly on the front end of a back-to-back. Boston is 10-1 in those first games this year, a nice cushion considering its 6-5 on the back end.
• Expect Portland's best shot: Yes, the Trail Blazers are decimated (as usual) by injuries. This time around that means no Brandon Roy, no Greg Oden, no Marcus Camby and a dinged-up LaMarcus Aldridge (hip). Alas, due to an odd scheduling kink, Portland plays only this game during an eight-day stretch (Doc Rivers would kill for that sort of lull). The Blazers can empty the tank and have plenty of time to recuperate.

Even after Celtics coach Doc Rivers expressed mild concern earlier this week about bringing injured Shaquille O'Neal on a long flight to Portland, the 38-year-old center made the trip with the team Wednesday afternoon, another sign he'll return to action during this four-game trek out west, which begins Thursday night against the Trail Blazers.

Reserve swingman Marquis Daniels, who missed his first game of the season Tuesday while tending to a family matter, did not fly with the team, but was expected to join the Celtics on Wednesday evening in Portland. Only reserve center Jermaine O'Neal, rehabbing and strengthening his left knee, and rookie Avery Bradley, on assignment with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League, did not make the trip.

Shaquille O'Neal has missed the past two games because of a sore right hip. Rivers said on Monday that it was more likely Shaq would join the team in Phoenix, which would have been a shorter flight, but that plan changed.

"It’s his hip. It’s locked," Rivers said Monday. "I don’t know what the hell that means. I don’t know if there's a key you go get or something like that. That's all it is. It's not a serious injury, but he’s also 38 years old. We’re going to be very cautious.

"I know [O'Neal will] miss [Tuesday] unless something happens with a miracle. And the flight to Portland is a difficult flight, seven hours or whatever. I, personally, think that would be tough for him. After that, he's pretty much available, but we want to avoid back-to-backs if we can."

The Celtics departed Wednesday afternoon on a four-games-in-six-days road trip that opens Thursday with a grueling back-to-back against Portland and Phoenix, crescendos Sunday with a nationally televised showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers, and concludes Tuesday in Sacramento.

Every team in the league has gripes about its schedule when its released each summer, but Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Boston went so far as to reach out to the league about altering a portion of this upcoming trip.

"The only thing I don't like about this trip is the travel and games so quickly," said Rivers. "Traveling to Portland and playing a game the next day is brutal. And then you fly backwards to Phoenix, where you lose an hour, and then you play [the Lakers] in a [12:30 PST] game. That's a lot of games.

"We get our schedules before the season starts, before [the media] get them, and we have a chance to change games. This is the one trip we actually really tried to get changed. We just wanted another day, but [the NBA] said, 'No.'"

The Celtics seem most aggravated by starting this trip in Portland with Rivers noting it's a near-seven-hour flight from Boston. The team would have preferred the more manageable trip to Phoenix to start the trip, then tackle the three games further west (something they've actually done in year's past).

Regardless, the Celtics can't change the schedule now, so Rivers and his troops are ready for what lies ahead.

"I don't really look forward to [road trips], but I know they're coming," said Rivers. "It'll be a good one for us. Tough teams, all tough in their buildings."

Celitcs guard Ray Allen hit only one of his six 3-pointer attempts against the Trail Blazers -- the one the Celtics needed most:

Even Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce couldn't help but wonder what the Portland Trail Blazers were thinking when they left Ray Allen open for a late-game 3-pointer that sealed Boston's 99-95 triumph Wednesday night at the TD Garden.

"How can you leave Ray Allen -- one of the great shooters of all-time -- wide open like that?" asked Pierce, repeating something that's seemingly been heard numerous times since Allen arrived in Boston. "He'll hit that 99 percent of the time."

To be fair, Allen had been fairly dreadful to that point. The 15th-year veteran misfired on all but two of his first 11 shots, including all five 3-pointers he hoisted.

But everyone in the building knew that he was going to take a 3-pointer if he had a good look. Heck, Allen didn't have a good look and rushed an awful first attempt at a dagger 20 seconds earlier. Fortunately for Boston, Wesley Matthews -- whose fine shooting at the other end of the floor helped keep Portland in the game as the Blazers nearly rallied out of a 16-point, fourth-quarter hole over the final five minutes -- committed a loose-ball foul, allowing Boston to maintain possession.

The Blazers rolled the dice in a one-point game, attempting to trap Pierce as he dribbled down the clock. Sure, Pierce had the hot hand, connecting on 9 of 11 attempts, including 4 of 5 3-pointers, for a game-high 28 points. But the NBA's unwritten rulebook almost certainly includes a chapter about never leaving a shooter like Allen open in a clutch moment.

The Blazers did. Maybe it explains why the Celtics have won five straight and sit atop the Eastern Conference at 14-4, while Portland has dropped five in a row and stands at 8-10.

Click HERE to read the full story.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers earned the first Eastern Conference Coach of the Month honor of the season despite the obstacles his team has faced, writes Peter May:

Earlier in the day Wednesday, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers learned he had been named Coach of the Month in the Eastern Conference for the 30 days of November. He's now won six COM awards in Boston -- all other Celtics coaches, combined, have won four since the award originated for the 1982-83 season.

In the "Making My Day" department, the award probably came in a distant third to (a) beating the Portland Trail Blazers 99-95 and (b) being able to spend some quality time with son Jeremiah, in town with the Indiana Hoosiers. Come to think of it, the award probably dropped to fourth after Rivers' postgame repast. Maybe even fifth, depending on the dessert. (We won't go into the wine.)

The Celtics' victory Wednesday night showcased the team Rivers now has, and it is a spiffy 14-4. Or, as Shaquille O'Neal noted, "Even though we've lost four games, no one has beat us yet."

There's a grain of truth to that.

But there also is plenty of room for improvement. Mimicking their performance from Opening Night, the Celtics got a big lead and then went into fingernail-scraping mode down the stretch to pull out a game that had no business being that close.

"We won,'' Rivers said with a sigh. They had been up 16 with 5:10 left.

In the end, a guy who hadn't been able to make anything all night made the big basket off a pass from a guy who hadn't been able to miss all night.

Click HERE to read the full story.

BOSTON -- A collection of news and notes after the Boston Celtics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 99-95 Wednesday night at the TD Garden:

The rundown (a quick look at postgame headlines)
* KG takes five (stitches) while Doc watches the clock
* Injury watch: Rondo's hamstring flares, Nate's foot aches
* Loose balls: Room for improvement; no scouting trip for Doc

--KG TAKES FIVE (STITCHES) WHILE DOC WATCHES THE CLOCK--



No stranger to in-game stitches, Kevin Garnett didn't even attempt to argue when Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte told him a small gash under his chin sustained in the third quarter of Wednesday's game would need stitches to close up. Instead Garnett sprinted immediately for the tunnel and returned to the locker room for team doctors to patch him up.

Garnett would be absent a mere four minutes of game time before returning to the Boston bench, but with a pair of TV timeouts mixed in before he was able to return to the court, it only felt like an eternity, which had Celtics coach Doc Rivers barking at poor Lacerte wondering what was taking so long to administer five stitches.

Fortunately, when Garnett did return, he came back with a vengeance. Stepping back on the court with 2:24 to play in the third quarter, he aided Boston's 17-4 run to close out the period, producing a 19-foot turnaround right before the buzzer that sent the Celtics into the fourth quarter with a seven-point cushion they'd desperately need to hang on to the win.

Garnett scored nine of his 17 points while playing the final 14:24 of the game. As Rivers surmised, "He was [angry] someone hit him in the mouth."

That someone was Andre Miller, whose head slammed into Garnett's chin with a little more than eight minutes to play in the third quarter. Garnett immediately dabbed at the beard-covered area and, soon after, retreated to the locker room.

For his part, Garnett thought the doctors made good time in patching him up.

"You'd have to talk to the doctors about [the time span]," said Garnett. "Believe me, when Ed told me I needed [stitches], I wasn’t going to sit around and debate with him, so I just took off to the back. It’s a process.

"I got stitched up in Chicago [in April], they were really taking their time, messing around. I had to call my boy [Celtics media relations czar Jeff] Twiss. He came back and quickened them up a bit. I’ve been stitched a couple times, more than a couple, [Wednesday] was record timing."

Even still, Rivers was looking for a doctor to holler at about the pace.

"Whoever did our stitches, we’re going to have to talk," Rivers said with a slight smile. "That’s the longest -- I thought we were on the road. Opposing doctors do that: They can't find the sutures, they take their time. But it did take a long time. I kept checking with Eddie saying, 'What’s going on back there?'"

Fortunately for the Celtics, Shaquille O'Neal held the fort, logging 9:36 in the third quarter as part of 26:24 overall. O'Neal connected on 5-of-7 shots for 14 points with four rebounds and a block. Glen Davis, who checked in for Garnett, also got hot in the third, playing the final 7:47 and hitting all four shots he took for eight points (igniting Boston's late-quarter burst). Davis finished with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds.

--INJURY WATCH: RONDO'S HAMSTRING FLARES, NATE'S FOOT ACHES--



While Rivers gave a small dose of positive injury news before the game, noting that Jermaine O'Neal hoped to be back working out as early as next week after missing the last eight games with lingering left knee soreness, Rivers hinted that two of his chief ball-handles were aching in Wednesday's win.

"I left [Rajon] Rondo in because [Nate Robinson's] foot was hurting," said Rivers. "Rondo’s hamstring was starting to get sore and he was worried that, if he came out, he couldn’t return. So the injury thing is really starting to creep up on us a little bit, and it is what it is."

The Celtics will break Thursday after sweeping both ends of a back-to-back that started Tuesday in Cleveland. Boston hosts the Bulls Friday night at the Garden.

Rondo missed three games because of a strained left hamstring, but deemed it a non-issue earlier this week, suggesting his battle with plantar fasciitis was a larger issue. He finished with 10 points and 10 assists over 44:30, but contributed only four points in the second half.

Robinson tweaked his right foot against the Hawks while starting in place of Rondo. During one of his finest offensive performances, Robinson landed awkwardly after hitting a third-quarter 3-pointer and hobbled to the bench. He did not return, but has played in each of the last four games, while getting additional treatment on the foot. Robinson finished with zero points and two assists over 3:33 Wednesday.

--LOOSE BALLS: ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT; NO LOCAL SCOUTING TRIP FOR DOC--

* Rivers wasn't thrilled with how Wednesday's game unfolded -- his team struggled with turnovers early, then nearly gave away a 16-point lead in the final five minutes -- but he'll take the win. "We won. But, really, just not a great game for us. We won the game and we’ll always take the win. There is a concern: I don’t know if that’s ever happened where, you’re shooting 61 percent at halftime, and you’re down one. And we shoot 57 percent for the game and almost threw it away. But we'll take the win."

* Wednesday's game prevented Rivers from jumping across town to see his eldest son, Jeremiah, compete for the Indiana University men's basketball team, which dropped an 88-76 decision to Boston College. Rivers chipped in two points, three assists and two rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench for the Hoosiers.

"We were laughing about it today, [Indiana coach Tom Crean] had told me he was going to get a game here to make sure I had a chance to watch [Jeremiah] play and he said, 'Well, I kind of messed this one up.'"

Rivers seemed unfazed, noting he had sneaked out to Bloomington, Ind., three times already this season to catch some games.

Rivers said he also got to spend quality time with his son on Wednesday morning.

"That would have been really nice [to see the game]," said Rivers. "But I've missed a lot of them. I'll miss another one. Listen, I got to spend a lot of time with him today and that's really good."

BOSTON -- First impressions after the Boston Celtics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 99-95 Wednesday night at the TD Garden:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON
Celtics captain Paul Pierce scored game-high 28 points on 9-of-11 shooting (connecting on 4-of-5 3-pointers), while Rajon Rondo posted another double-double (10 points, 10 assists) and Kevin Garnett chipped in 17 points and eight rebounds as Boston hung on for a gritty win. The Celtics overcame 17 turnovers that led to 21 points for the Blazers.

TURNING POINT
The Celtics were staring at a six-point deficit with 4:31 to play in the third quarter, but held Portland without a field goal the rest of the frame, the Blazers settling for four LaMarcus Aldridge free throws as Boston embarked on a 17-4 run to open their biggest lead of the night. Pierce highlighted the spurt with a pair of 3-pointers before Garnett hit a 19-foot fadeaway to close out the third quarter with Boston on top, 79-72. That proved to be just enough for Boston to hang on for victory.

STAT OF THE GAME
The Celtics, dominant in points in the paint during this recent winning streak, were actually outscored, 42-38, by the Blazers in the ink, but still found a way to shoot 57.1 percent (36 of 63) from the floor.

UNSUNG HERO
Guard Ray Allen labored all night, hitting just 3 of 12 shots for nine points. But, true to form, he saved a dagger of a 3-pointer for the final moments, putting a nail in the coffin by capping the scoring and putting the Blazers behind by two possessions with 10 ticks to go.

WHAT IT MEANS
The Celtics have now won five straight, even if this was hardly the prettiest. Boston committed 10 first-half turnovers leading to 14 points for the Blazers and still only trailed by a point at the intermission (49-48) and only because Wesley Matthews hit a quartet of 3-pointers, including one with 0.3 seconds to play in the second quarter. The Celtics were up by 16 with five minutes to go and still nearly let this one slip away. But, like a veteran team, they made the big plays when it mattered most.

BOSTON -- A quiet pregame scene at the Garden with much of the chatter centered around World AIDS Day and the splash of red being throw into Boston's attire to raise awareness. The players will wear red warm-up tops and coaches will wear red ties. Some players, like Boston's Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis and Von Wafer were debating which red sneakers to wear on the court (leading to a humorous exchange between Rondo and Kendrick Perkins as the point guard asked which he should don this evening).

A handful of other quick hits:

* Despite sneaking out to Bloomington, Ind. to catch three of his eldest son's collegiate games with Indiana University, Rivers won't catch the one that comes to his neck of the woods when the Hoosiers visit Boston College Wednesday night. Rivers noted that Indiana coach Tom Crean actually apologized with his intent to bring Jeremiah Rivers, a senior, to Boston for his father to see, but a mix-up in dates led to the conflict with a Celtics home game.

* Rivers said he talked with Jermaine O'Neal via telephone Wednesday and gave a small dose of encouraging news. O'Neal, who is on rehab from left knee soreness, is hoping to resume working out next week. "That’s the first time I’ve heard that. That’s a good sign," said Rivers. That said, Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte has not given Rivers the one-week alert he asked for when the medical staff believed O'Neal would be ready for action, meaning his return to the playing court is not imminent.

* Rivers on being named Eastern Conference coach of the month: "It means that I’m lucky, that I have great players. Really, that’s all it is. I have a great group of guys and they pay attention to me half the time. Really, I just have a great group of guys."

* Rivers said Kevin Garnett "looked fine" before the game, suggesting the right ankle he rolled Tuesday night in Cleveland was not a concern.

(13-4, 7-1 home)

-- vs. --

(8-9, 4-6 away)

at TD Garden, 7:30 p.m. | CSN, WEEI (850 AM)
GAME PREVIEW (via Stats Inc.)

The Boston Celtics are undefeated at home against Eastern Conference opponents this season. Boston would also like to own a home-court edge versus the West.

The Atlantic Division-leading Celtics try to win their fifth straight Wednesday night, when they go for their seventh consecutive victory at home versus the struggling Portland Trail Blazers.

Boston (13-4), which is 7-0 against the East at TD Garden in 2010-11, has dropped four in a row at home to the West since a 94-86 victory over Sacramento on March 26. The defending Eastern Conference champions lost 89-84 to Oklahoma City on Nov. 19 in their only home game versus the West in 2010-11.

Boston, though, returns to TD Garden riding a four-game winning streak following Tuesday's 106-87 victory at Cleveland.

Playing with a tender left hamstring and sore foot, Rajon Rondo had a season-high 23 points with 12 assists. Kevin Garnett posted his second straight double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Glen Davis added 17 and 11 off the bench as the Celtics kept pace with Orlando for the best record in the East.

"He's the one who runs our team," Garnett said of Rondo, who leads the NBA with 14.1 assists per game.

Rondo will try to lead the Celtics to a season high-tying fifth straight victory as they try to record their seventh consecutive home win versus Portland (8-9). After winning by an average of 21.3 points in the Trail Blazers' previous four visits, Boston needed overtime to pull out a 98-95 victory Jan. 22.

If Wednesday's contest is close down the stretch, Celtics coach Doc Rivers has to like his team's chances of defeating a Portland team playing so poorly in the fourth quarter.

The Trail Blazers scored 11 points in the final 12 minutes of Tuesday's 88-79 loss at Philadelphia, and they are averaging 15.3 points in the fourth quarter during their four-game skid.

Portland's last five-game losing streak was March 27-April 6, 2008.

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FORSBERG'S THREE THINGS TO WATCH

• Fresh legs: The Celtics endured two of their four losses during the second nights of back-to-backs this season (Cleveland, Dallas), but are well-positioned for success Wednesday thanks in part to 1) Being at home and 2) Limiting the minutes of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in Tuesday's win over the Cavaliers. So long as Rajon Rondo can hold up after battling recent injuries (hamstring, feet) and Kevin Garnett shows no lingering effects from rolling his right ankle Tuesday (he stayed in and finished the game), Boston will have as close to a full tank as they could ask for on the back end of a back-to-back.
• Key matchup: KG vs. Aldridge: LaMarcus Aldridge, the second overall pick in the 2006 draft, registered 19 points with 10 rebounds the last time the Blazers visited Boston. We've seen Garnett making amends against those that outworked him last year, so it will be interesting to see if Aldridge is the latest on Garnett's list.
• Lean on the D: The Blazers have been woeful shooting the ball during a four-game losing streak, shooting a mere 39.1 percent from the floor during the last four games (and dipping to 28.4 percent in the fourth quarter of those losses). It could be a frustrating night if Boston brings its normal defensive intensity.