Celtics Coast To 122-104 Victory Over Timberwolves

Paul Pierce scored 29 points and hit all six of his 3-point attempts to lead the Boston Celtics to a 122-104 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.

Pierce scored 14 points in the second quarter, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to help Boston turn a 34-19 lead into a 25-point halftime advantage. It was a season-high in points for the Celtics, who had their 11-game winning streak snapped by the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

Kendrick Perkins had 14 points to go with 11 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 15 assists as the Celtics beat the Timberwolves for the sixth consecutive time since acquiring Kevin Garnett in an unprecedented 7-for-1 deal during the summer of 2007.

Jonny Flynn scored 21 points and former Celtic Al Jefferson had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Love added 15 points and 11 boards for the Timberwolves, who lost for the sixth time in eight games.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers began pulling his starters after the Celtics opened a 26-point lead late in the third quarter. But he sent them back in midway through the fourth when Minnesota scored nine straight points to cut the deficit to 13 points, 101-88. The Timberwolves never got any closer than 12, and the starters returned to the bench after Pierce hit his final 3-pointer with 3:23 left to make it a 19-point lead.

Tony Allen, in his sixth game since missing 20 with a sore right ankle, had a season-high 15 points, including the highlight of the night.

Early in the second quarter, Eddie House poked the ball away from Ramon Sessions and saved it from going out of bounds with a behind-the-back pass that sent Allen in for a dunk to start a three-point play.