Celtics post 11th straight win with victory over Twolves

With Kevin Garnett out of the lineup with the flu, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen stepped up to welcome former Celtics superstar and current Minnesota coach Kevin McHale back to Beantown with a 109-101 victory.  The win was the Celtics’ 11th straight since their brief late December/early January “swoon” following the end of their franchise high 19 game winning skein.

Pierce scored a game high 36 points and added 8 rebounds, while Allen contributed 22 points.  Glen “Big Baby” Davis started in Garnett’s place and played well, with twelve points.  Tony Allen chipped in 14 points off of the Celtics’ bench.  After the game, Pierce explained that with KG out he made it a priority to pick up his offensive game:

"I just try to give the game what it needs. Today, I thought it needed my scoring. You go off and say 'Hey, I've still got it.' Even at 31."

Boston coach Doc Rivers praised Pierce’s scoring ability and sense of timing:

"He had to, without KG in the game. He can almost sense when we need a bucket or when he needs to take over games. Clearly, you have to have the ability to do that. I think a lot of guys think that; very few can do it. And Paul does a great job."

Al Jefferson led the TWolves with 34 points and 11 rebounds, aided by Garnett’s absence on the defensive end:

"It was to our advantage to have one less long guy playing in the paint and blocking shots. To come in here and do what I did today against a team like that -- even with KG out, it's still a great defensive team -- it means a lot."

Randy Foye contributed 21 points and 9 assists,  Ryan Gomes scored 17 and Sebastian Telfair added 10 for the Twolves who lost their third straight game after going 12-4 for new coach McHale. 

The Celtics will try and keep their current winning streak alive on Tuesday night in Philadelphia against the Sixers.  They’ll then return home for the big rematch of their Christmas Day loss to the LA Lakers—which ended their 19 game winning streak—before heading to “The Big Apple” on Friday for a game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.  Minnesota will play at Indiana on Tuesday, return home to meet the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday and play the Rockets at Houston on Saturday.