Final: Celtics 94, Pacers 75

Well that's more like it.

The Celtics snapped their longest losing streak of the season as they dominated the Indiana Pacers, 94-75.

After a poor offensive first quarter, the Celtics came out in the second and took over the game. They outscored the Pacers 32-19 in that quarter, and the Celtics never looked back.

The Celtics started the game with the lineup that turned things around last season of Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce, Avery Bradley, and Rajon Rondo for the first time since last year's playoffs. And boy did it pay dividends.

Here's a recap:

The good:

* Rajon Rondo did what he had to do: be aggressive. Rondo had a team-high 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting. He also had 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. What made Rondo so successful tonight was his ability to play to his strengths. Only 4 of his 14 shots were outside the paint, where he shoots the ball so successfully.

* The Celtics played the kind of defense that has made them so successful over the past five years. It was refreshing to see all 12 guys give 100% on the defensive end and force the Pacers to take difficult shots. Boston played tenacious defense for 48 minutes, something that's been a rarity this season. Indiana was very physical, and the Celtics responded to that nicely. They did not overreact and lose their temper, but they hit back and asserted themselves.

* I feel bad for Jared Sullinger. He gets little respect from the referees, and he appears to have gained the reputation among the referees as someone who gets the quick whistle. He fouled out for the second straight night, but nonetheless, Sullinger once again made his impact felt. He pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Sullinger plays like a veteran, positioning himself perfectly down low to grab rebounds and to draw fouls. Like many of his peers have said before, Sullinger has such a high basketball IQ.

* Kevin Garnett bounced back terrifically after his 5-of-14 performance on Wednesday. He had 18 points on 8-of-16 from the floor to along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. Garnett was ejected after being whistled for a flagrant-two foul on Tyler Hansbrough midway through the fourth quarter. Garnett did a tremendous job defending in the paint. Him and Roy Hibbert were going at it all night long, and Garnett got the better of that match up.

* Sometimes, you have to sacrifice one thing in order to get something else. Tonight, Paul Pierce sacrificed a bit of his offense in order to give his full attention to defending Paul George. Pierce only had 13 points, but he held George to only 9 points on 4-of-18 shooting. Pierce has said numerous times recently that he's tired of the Celtics trend of losing and giving up 100 points on a consistent basis. Tonight was a big game, and Pierce knew that his defense was more important tonight, and he did a great job.

* I mentioned in the game preview the importance of containing the Pacers' starting frontcourt. David West, George, and Hibbert combined for 26 points on 11-of-42 shooting and 9 turnovers.

* BREAKING NEWS: The Celtics won the rebounding battle, 49-47. The Celtics had many guys getting to the paint when shots went up. Hell, I even saw Brandon Bass go box someone out when a shot went up in the fourth quarter. Savor this, Celtics fans. It might not happen again for a while.

* This was only the second time this season the Celtics have forced more than 12 turnovers and held an opponent to under 40% shooting.

* That's the type of game Courtney Lee needs to play more often. Lee led the bench with 13 points on 6-of-9 from the field. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Lee ran the floor nicely and played good defense. He took only one three-pointer (which he made), a good sign considering he's struggled mightily with his three-point shot.

The bad:

* I know I might be knit-picking here, but the first quarter offense was brutal. I know Doc Rivers liked the ball movement and was encouraged, but the Celtics needed to convert more out of the gate. I always stress the importance of the first quarter. The Celtics did their part defensively by limiting Indiana to 16 points, but they have to take advantages of their opportunities.