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DETROIT - THE Boston Celtics struck early and cruised to a dominant 94-80 road victory over the Detroit Pistons and a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday.
Kevin Garnett had 22 points, 13 rebounds and six assists to lead Boston to its first road win of the post-season. Five other Celtics were in double figures.
Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 26 points.
Paul Pierce said the Celtics, who scored the game's first 11 points, wanted to set the tone early.
'Before the game, I told the guys, hey, during the regular season we were the best team in the league on the road, so let's go out here and try to show them,' Pierce told reporters after scoring 11 points.
The Celtics did. Along with their 11-0 start, they used a 10-0 run late in the first period to take command.
'We wanted to come out real aggressive, kind of take the crowd out of the game,' Pierce said. 'We know Detroit is a good home team, and if they got off to a good start and got the crowd going, it was going to be a tough start for us.' Kendrick Perkins added 12 points and 10 rebounds with Ray Allen (14), Rajon Rondo (12) and James Posey (12) also in double figures.
Detroit rebounded from its 11-0 deficit to lead by two in the first period but from then on the Pistons were forced to play catch-up.
Late Comeback
They did launch a late comeback inspired by Rodney Stuckey, who had 17 points, and Hamilton, trimming a 24-point third-quarter deficit to nine with three minutes left.
But Boston scored the next five points to clinch the game.
'I've always said, we're the type of team the way we play, when you try to grind it out, it's tough to play from behind like that,' Detroit coach Flip Saunders told reporters.
One reason for that was the ineffective play of guard Chauncey Billups, who had only one field goal and sat on the bench for long spells.
'He didn't have it, whether he was a little bit slow or sore or whatever from the last game, I don't know,' Saunders said. 'But I'm sure by his own admission he didn't play the type of game that he needs to play and... at the pace we needed.' Game Four is in Detroit on Monday. - REUTERS
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