Boston Celtics vs. Portland Trail Blazers 2/24/13: Video Highlights and Recap
The Boston Celtics got beat at their own game Sunday night in Portland, dropping the contest by a final 86-92 margin.
In the process, Portland snapped its season-high seven-game losing streak and the Celtics dropped their third in the last four games since the All-Star break.
Portland, not known for its staunch defense, played the role of the Celtics while coming away with the win in the closing moments.
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The Celtics were right there in the closing moments, threatening to perpetuate the recent ineptitude of the fading Trail Blazers. Kevin Garnett hit a layup with one minute and 46 seconds left to play to knot things up.
A three-point play by rookie point guard Damian Lillard put the home team back on top, and Wesley Matthewsโ dagger three-ball put the Celtics away with 53.9 seconds to play.
Matthews led all scorers with a 24-point performance.
Other notables include Paul Pierce, who scored a team-high 23 points for the Celtics. J.J. Hickson dropped in 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, recording the only double-double of the game.
Player of the Game: Wesley Matthews
Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Wesley Matthews shined in this one, leading all scorers with 24 points. He was solid from the floor, connecting on eight of his 11 shots and draining five of his eight attempts from beyond the three-point line.
Matthews wasn't too active on the scorecard otherwise, but his tremendous shooting night helped his team overcome Doc Rivers' tough Celtics defense. He also hit a clutch three-pointer with less than a minute to go.
Whatโs Next for the Boston Celtics?
The Celtics will continue their road stretch with little rest and little time to think about their recent struggles. They travel to Utah on Monday for a 9 p.m. ET start against the Jazz.
Whatโs Next for the Portland Trail Blazers?
Portland will enjoy a couple days off from the grind while they await the Denver Nuggets' Wednesday arrival. The Trail Blazers and Nuggets will do battle at 10:30 p.m. ET that night.
