Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics extracted revenge in their 93-90 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, despite blowing a 20-plus point advantage in the process. Nevertheless, a win is a win, and there's no doubt the C's will take it.
Now, Pierce and the C's (10-10) transition their attention to the Toronto Raptors (7-15), a team they will face for the second time this season at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday night at TD Garden in Boston, MA (TV/Radio: CSN/WEEI).
In the first meeting on January 18, Rajon Rondo -- who is currently recovering from a sore right wrist and is likely a game-time decision against the Raptors -- had 21 points and Pierce had a team-leading seven assists. Ironically, Rondo might return against the same team he suffered his setback against. Rondo injured his wrist on a flagrant foul from Linas Kleiza in the third quarter of Boston's 96-73 victory. Gary Forbes, a UMass graduate, had a team-best 18 points.
Boston is coming off their close encounter with the Cavs on Tuesday. Pierce, who missed the potential game-winning jumper as time expired against Cleveland in the first game on Sunday, finished with a game-high 20 points and also had six assists. Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass each scored 13 and both Ray Allen and Jermaine O'Neal had 12 points.
Toronto was clawed by the Atlanta Hawks, 100-77, on Tuesday. Ed Davis had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Toronto, which shot just 37.0 percent in defeat. The team was again without its best player, Andrea Bargnani, who did not travel with the team to Boston. Bargnani was also absent in the first meeting between the two teams on January 18 in Boston.
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