Back on track: Celtics 108, Thunder 100

Kevin Garnett puts in 2 of his 18 points as part of a Celtics' 108-100
win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Celtics climbed back over the .500 mark and are now 7-6 on the young season as they defeated the defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. In what was clearly the team's most impressive win of the year, KG looked like KG, The Truth matched Kevin Durant step for step, and Rajon Rondo continues his ride to history.


The good:

* Wasn't it obvious that Jeff Green was going to have a great game tonight? In arguably his best game of the year, Green scored 17 points on 6-of-11 from the field. He looked like was emotionally into this one, and why wouldn't why? It was his first time playing against his former team, and he looked like a man on a mission. "I thought he [Green] was spectacular tonight," said Doc Rivers after the game. "He scored on all the plays we didn't call for him. That's what he has to do. Go get it." The problem with Green has been consistency. At times he appears lackadaisical, then he has games like tonight where he looks like he's worth the $9 million he's getting paid.

* Paul Pierce might have actually outplayed his counterpart in Kevin Durant. Although he did not outscore him -- Durant finished with a game-high 29 points to Pierce's 27 -- Pierce was more efficient, shooting 50% (8-of-16) from the field including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. He also gathered 4 rebounds (after not having any rebounds on Wednesday) and 3 steals. The Truth was ready to play tonight.

* The streak continues for Rajon Rondo. He is now tied with John Stockton for the second-longest streak of double-digit assists in what is now 36 consecutive games. Rondo is 10 games away from tying Magic Johnson's record. He had 9 assists at the half and got his 10th at the 10:42 mark of the third quarter when he found Pierce for a wide open three-pointer. He finished with 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 16 assists in 36 minutes.

The bad:

* Coming into tonight, the Thunder were the best 1st quarter team in the NBA averaging 26 points in the first. Tonight they had 28. They also had 35 points in the fourth quarter, the most the Celtics have allowed in a single quarter this season. The Celtics need to do a better job of limiting big quarters.

* With 9:01 to play in the game, the Celtics had a 14-point lead of 86-72. 2:25 later, that lead was cut in half. I know I'm knit picking here, but if there is one area that the C's could improve at, it would be not letting big leads slip away.


The Celtics will travel to Orlando for a Sunday night game at 6:00 p.m. against the Magic.