Celtics avenge disappointing loss


February 1, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Paul Pierce scored 20 points, Ray Allen had 12 in the third quarter and the Boston Celtics avenged a disappointing loss to Cleveland two days earlier by barely holding off the Cavaliers 93-90 on Tuesday night.

The Celtics, who blew an 11-point lead at home Sunday in the final four minutes and lost by one, led by 22 late in the third quarter.

However, the Cavs rallied again behind rookie Kyrie Irving and got within two on his twisting layup with 1:18 left.

But Kevin Garnett dropped in a short jumper that bounced high off the rim and Pierce made two free throws with 2.6 seconds left as the Celtics avoided further embarrassment.

Irving scored 21 points and Anderson Varejao added 20 and a career-high 20 rebounds for Cleveland.

The Celtics were again without All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo, whose injured right wrist kept him out of his seventh straight game. The Celtics improved to 5-2 without him.

It wasn’t easy.

Allen went scoreless in the first half, but helped orchestrate Boston’s Rondo-less offense with five assists. However, after halftime, the NBA’s career leader in 3-pointers got himself going. Allen scored six points in the opening three minutes and then hit two straight 3-pointers, the second one an apparent dagger that put the Celtics ahead 75-53.

Boston entered the fourth leading by 16 — a comfortable margin.

Or so the Celtics thought.

The Cavs weren’t done.

With Varejao outworking Boston’s big men underneath and Irving taking control, the Cavaliers stormed back and were within 78-71 when Alonzo Gee drained a 3-pointer that sent Cleveland’s crowd into a frenzy.

Pierce and Garnett restored order and put the Celtics up by 11, but the Cavs kept fighting and were within four when Irving scored on a layup eerily similar to the game-winner he dropped at Boston Garden in the closing seconds to win Sunday’s game.

On Boston’s next trip, Garnett hit the game’s biggest bucket. His shot caromed off the rim and halfway up the backboard before dropping in.