Celtics 92, Pacers 80: Pierce, Offense Come To Life In Win Over Indiana

The Celtics got some much needed work for their offense on Wednesday night, efficiently dispatching the Indiana Pacers, 92-80, at TD Garden. Paul Pierce broke out of a mini-slump with 20 points and five assists and Jeff Green had 19 points and three blocks off the bench for the C's, who shot 47 percent from the floor in scoring over 90 points for just the second time in their last six games.

The Celts looked stuck in their recent offensive morass in the early going, shooting just 7-of-17 and scoring only 15 points in the first quarter. But Green, who had 17 in the first half, leading the Celts to a 32-point second quarter. That output sparked the offense, which put up 27 more in the third quarter and built a 16-point lead before coasting home.

Rajon Rondo had eight assists for the Celts but didn't score in taking only two shots. He only had to play 30 minutes though, as the C's had this one in hand for the majority of the final quarter. Ray Allen scored 12 points for the C's, including a couple of big, third quarter 3's, while Glen Davis pitched in with nine points and nine rebounds. Delonte West also had a strong showing in his first game back from a sprained ankle that's kept him out the past eight games, drilling a shot-clock beating jumper in the third quarter and providing a highlight reel worthy block of a layup attempt by the Pacers Brandon Rush.

Indiana shot just 37.5 percent and looked tired playing their third game in four nights. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 15 points but shot just 5-of-16 from the floor. Josh McRoberts was probably the Pacers best player overall, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, five offensive, in 22 minutes off the bench. Rookie Paul George scored 15 points while point guard Darren Collison put up 10 points and nine assists in the loss.

The Celtics, who tied the idle Chicago Bulls for first place in the Eastern Conference with the win, now hit the road for a back-to-back set against the Houston Rockets and the New Orleans Hornets on Friday and Saturday nights.

Celtics vs. Pacers: Rondo, C's Offense Look To Get Back On Track Against Indiana

When the Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City last month, there was a sentiment that the team would be negatively impacted on the defensive end. Who knew that the C's would be experience any real problems on the offensive side?

Such is the current state of the Celts, who have dropped three of four to fall out of first place overall in the Eastern Conference, and looked dreadful at times on offense in doing so. They will look to right the ship Wednesday night when the Indiana Pacers come to town at 7:30 p.m. EST, on Comcast Sports Net New England.

The C's (47-18) have scored fewer than 90 points four times in their last five games, the worst of which was an 88-79 loss to the New Jersey Nets on Monday night. Paul Pierce scored just seven points in that one and is averaging just 10.7 per night over his last three games. But of greater concern of late has been the play of Rajon Rondo. The Celts point guard is nursing an array of minor injuries, which may or may not explain his play of late. In the Celtics last five games, Rondo is dishing out just 6.8 assists, down nearly five from his season average. He is shooting just 34 percent over that stretch compared to 49 percent for the season, and the Celts as a team are subsequently scoring nearly nine fewer points per night than their mark for the year, 88.8 against 97.7. In the 10 games since Perkins, his best friend on the team, was traded, Rondo's shooting percentage is down nine points and he is just 2 of his last 16 from the floor.

"I don't know if he's slumping, but he's not playing great right now," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told the Boston Globe after Monday night's loss. "He's just going through a stretch. It's a long season. He's human, last time I checked."

Rivers' downplaying of Rondo's difficulties may be right on the money, but there is still reason for worry. Rondo is what makes the Celts offensive engine go and as the numbers attest, when he struggles, they struggle too.

The Pacers may be the cure for just what ails the C's. Indiana has won two in a row, both over the Knicks, and currently holds down the final playoff spot in the East despite being nine games under .500 (29-38). But the Pacers haven't beaten the Celtics in Boston in their last seven tries and had lost six in a row before the two wins against the Knicks. They are led by forward Danny Granger, who averages 20.7 PPG and hit the game winning jumper with 0.3 seconds left to beat New York on Tuesday night.

The Celtics will have guard Delonte West back Wednesday night. He has been out since spraining his ankle in a walkthrough practice on Feb. 26.