BOSTON - Coming off a blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Portland Trail Blazers had nothing to offer to start their second game of a seve-game road trip as the Boston Celtics walked all over them in the first half and took a commanding 65-30 lead into halftime at TD Garden.
Portland led 10-8 at the 7:48 mark, but Boston answered with a 10-0 run to take an eight point lead and never looked back. Rajon Rondo scored the final six points of the opening quarter and the Celtics led 27-17 after one. Nothing changed in the second for Portland, which gave up a 16-0 run to the Celts to open the quarter and didn't score until a Nicolas Batum layup with 7:06 to play before halftime. Paul Pierce would take over in the closing minutes and finished the half with 17 points.
Boston shot an even 60 percent in the half while Portland shot 33.3 percent. The Celtics had just three giveaways in the half while the Trail Blazers had 17 turnovers. Portland did out-rebound Boston, 21-17.
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