The Boston Celtics could close their eyes and pretend they don’t see it. They could be like Kobe Bryant and others who have preceded them and insist it doesn’t matter.
But when you’re the team that’s had the best record in the NBA since the season’s opening night, you also can look reality square in the eye and embrace the chance to break the Rockets’ 22-game winning streak.
“They’re feeling real good about themselves. They’ll be on a high,” said guard Ray Allen, who sat out against the Rockets, missing his third straight game with an injured left ankle. “What they’ve done has been amazing. So we look forward to getting in that building and showing them how we can play.”
Mission accomplished.
After a tight first half, the Celtics broke open a 40-40 game with a 32-16 third quarter en route to a 94-74 victory Tuesday night. It was Boston’s 13th win in 14 games.
“It’s a great story in the NBA,” Allen said. “To be able to do 22 wins, it doesn’t matter who you did play or who you didn’t play. Twenty-two wins is a great feat in any sport nowadays. They’ve had a great run. We said last week that we wanted them to keep winning until we could do something about it.”
Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Leon Powe had 21 and Paul Pierce added 20 for the Celtics, owners of a 54-13 record. Tracy McGrady managed just eight points for the Rockets (46-21), who are tied with the Lakers atop the Western Conference.
The Celtics have already given the Rockets one of only four losses they’ve suffered in 2008, blowing a 20-point lead and then holding on for a 97-93 win in Boston on Jan. 2.
There was no such collapse this time.
Since that time, the totally remade and veteran-heavy Celtics have aged, adding forward P.J. Brown, 38, and guard Sam Cassell, 38.
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The Celtics tied the best 40-game start in franchise history (33-7). And after finishing 24-58 last season, they appear a lock (at 53-13) to eclipse the franchise-best turnaround of 1979-80, when a rookie named Larry Bird lifted a 29-53 team to 61-21.
They could even break San Antonio’s NBA record of a 36-game improvement in Tim Duncan’s rookie season (1997-98).
“It’s all going well,” said Cassell, a former Rocket who had his contract bought out by the L.A. Clippers and signed with the Celtics on March 4. “This team is just about complete. Everybody’s just got to do their part.”
After dropping three in a row when Garnett first returned to the lineup Feb. 19 following an abdominal injury, the Celtics had a 10-game roll that was overshadowed by the Rockets’ streak.
“Age. Really. That’s what has enabled us to have our success,” said Boston coach Doc Rivers. “I think they’ve matured enough at this point in their lives that it’s not about individual stuff. If this group was all 25, I don’t know that it would work.
“I know at this point you don’t have to worry about guys worrying about the individual stuff. They’ve already had that. What’s going to define their careers in the long run is whether they can win together.”
What would make a statement in the short term is bringing the streaking Rockets to a screeching halt.
The Celtics did just that, improving to 3-0 on a five-game road trip with a visit to the Lakers still on the docket.