Sizzling Celtics top Hawks for 16th straight win

Could this be the best Boston Celtics team in history?  That’s a mind blowing concept for a franchise with seventeen NBA title banners hanging from the rafters and legendary alumnus like Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, John Havlicek among many others.  Still, the current incarnation of the Celtics led by Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are in the midst of what could be the franchise’s best season ever.  They’re off to a team record 24-2 start and on Wednesday night held off a tough challenge from the Atlanta Hawks to win their sixteenth straight game. 

The current streak is tied for the third longest in Celtics history, and the all time franchise streak of eighteen games is well within reach.  Boston plays their next three games at home—where they’re 14-1 this season—against opponents with losing records (Chicago, New York and Philadelphia).  Kevin Garnett, who went 5-5 in the 4th quarter to pace the Celtics to the 88-85 win over the feisty Hawks, suggested that minor accomplishments like winning streaks aren’t the team’s focus:

"It means we're playing well. We want to play championship basketball. That's what we're building up to. Our goal is to win a championship. You play your role around here. You do your job. You do what you're supposed to.”

Paul Pierce had his own thoughts about the winning streak, suggesting that at times it could be a burden:

"Sometimes it seems as though it's a burden. That monkey grows. It's a good monkey though. I've never been on a streak like this. It's great to be a part of our winning here. I think our winning is based on our preparation."

Atlanta didn’t go down without a fight, and looked at times to be on the verge of ending the Celtics winning streak just as they stopped Cleveland’s 11 game winning streak earlier this week.  Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 20 points as Atlanta lost for only the second time in thirteen home games dating back to last year’s playoffs.  They gave the Celtics fits during the 2007-2008 postseason, pushing the eventual NBA champions to the full seven games.

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce each scored 18 points to lead the Celtics, while Ray Allen contributed 16 and Rajon Rondo 15.  Rondo had 7 assists and four steals, while Kendrick Perkins hauled in 10 rebounds and blocked four shots. 

Should the Celtics surpass their franchise record winning streak they’ll also break the all-time NBA mark for best start to a season with two losses—the 1967-68 Philadelphia 76ers and the 69-70 New York Knicks both started 26-2.