Box Score

 

BOSTON (104)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Welsch            32   2-8   1-2   0-3   1   3    5
V Baker             13   0-4   0-0   1-2   0   2    0
W Mccarty           42  7-11   1-1   0-7   3   2   20
M James             25   3-7   2-2   0-4   4   0   10
P Pierce            43  9-15  6-10   0-7  11   5   27
M Blount            25   4-7   8-9   1-3   0   3   16
R Davis             22   6-9   2-2   0-2   1   1   14
J Jones              6   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
M Banks             22   3-5   4-4   0-2   2   6   10
C Mihm              10   1-2   0-0   0-3   0   1    2
M Stewart          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
K Perkins          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 35-68 24-30  2-33  22  24  104
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.515, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals:
10-20, .500 (J Welsch 0-2, W Mccarty 5-7, M 
James 2-4, P Pierce 3-5, R Davis 0-2). Team 
Rebounds: 8. Blocked Shots:2 (M Blount, M 
Banks). Turnovers:19 (P Pierce 8, M Banks 4, 
V Baker 2, M James 2, J Welsch 2, W Mccarty).
Steals: 8 (P Pierce 4, R Davis, C Mihm, M 
Banks, J Welsch).


PHOENIX (102)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
S Marion            38 11-25   0-0   4-8   1   4   25
P Hardaway          27  6-10   1-1   1-5   2   2   14
J Voskuhl           21   1-3   2-2   3-4   0   6    4
S Marbury           41  4-13  9-11   1-7   9   1   18
J Johnson           40  4-14   2-2   2-2   5   3   10
S Williams          23   3-7   1-2   1-7   0   3    7
C Jacobsen          28   3-7   4-6   2-7   1   4   12
D Harvey            16   2-3   4-4   0-2   0   4    8
L Barbosa            6   2-4   0-0   0-0   0   0    4
T Gugliotta        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J White            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
C Trybanski        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-86 23-28 14-42  18  27  102
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.419, FT-.821. 3-Point Goals:
7-21, .333 (S Marion 3-7, P Hardaway 1-2, S 
Marbury 1-2, J Johnson 0-4, C Jacobsen 2-4, L
Barbosa 0-2). Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked 
Shots:6 (S Marion 3, P Hardaway, D Harvey, C 
Jacobsen). Turnovers:16 (P Hardaway 4, S 
Marion 4, J Voskuhl 3, S Marbury 2, J Johnson
2, C Jacobsen). Steals: 11 (S Marion 4, S 
Marbury 3, S Williams, J Voskuhl, J Johnson, 
L Barbosa).

--------------------------------------------
BOSTON               24  21  30  29   -  104
PHOENIX              26  30  19  27   -  102
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,034. T: 2:20. 
Officials: Bernie Fryer, Tony Brothers, Zak 
Zarba.

Extended Box

 

BOSTON (104) AT PHOENIX (102)

BOSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J WELSCH          F    32    2-8      1-2      0   3   3    1   3   1   2    5
V BAKER           F    13    0-4      0-0      1   1   2    0   2   0   2    0
W MCCARTY         C    42    7-11     1-1      0   7   7    3   2   0   1   20
M JAMES           G    25    3-7      2-2      0   4   4    4   0   0   2   10
P PIERCE          G    43    9-15     6-10     0   7   7   11   5   4   8   27
M BLOUNT               25    4-7      8-9      1   2   3    0   3   0   0   16
R DAVIS                22    6-9      2-2      0   2   2    1   1   1   0   14
J JONES                 6    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   0    0
M BANKS                22    3-5      4-4      0   2   2    2   6   1   4   10
C MIHM                 10    1-2      0-0      0   3   3    0   1   1   0    2
M STEWART             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
K PERKINS             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   35-68    24-30     2  31  33   22  24   8  19  104
                            (.515)  (.800)  TEAM REBS:  8 TOTAL TO: 19 (24 PTS)    

PHOENIX

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
S MARION          F    38   11-25     0-0      4   4   8    1   4   4   4   25
P HARDAWAY        F    27    6-10     1-1      1   4   5    2   2   0   4   14
J VOSKUHL         C    21    1-3      2-2      3   1   4    0   6   1   3    4
S MARBURY         G    41    4-13     9-11     1   6   7    9   1   3   2   18
J JOHNSON         G    40    4-14     2-2      2   0   2    5   3   1   2   10
S WILLIAMS             23    3-7      1-2      1   6   7    0   3   1   0    7
C JACOBSEN             28    3-7      4-6      2   5   7    1   4   0   1   12
D HARVEY               16    2-3      4-4      0   2   2    0   4   0   0    8
L BARBOSA               6    2-4      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   1   0    4
T GUGLIOTTA           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J WHITE               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
C TRYBANSKI           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   36-86    23-28    14  28  42   18  27  11  16  102
                            (.419)  (.821)  TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 17 (16 PTS)    
  
   BOSTON             24   21   30   29   -   104
   PHOENIX            26   30   19   27   -   102
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: BOSTON - M BLOUNT, M BANKS.  PHOENIX - S MARION 3, P HARDAWAY,
D HARVEY, C JACOBSEN.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: BOSTON 10-20 (.500), J WELSCH 0-2, W MCCARTY 5-
7, M JAMES 2-4, P PIERCE 3-5, R DAVIS 0-2. PHOENIX 7-21 (.333), S MARION 3-
7, P HARDAWAY 1-2, S MARBURY 1-2, J JOHNSON 0-4, C JACOBSEN 2-4, L BARBOSA 0-
2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BERNIE FRYER, TONY BROTHERS, ZAK ZARBA.
A - 17,034. T - 2:20.

Game Story

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Ricky Davis helped the Boston Celtics 
return the favor.

Davis drilled a baseline jumper with 2.8 seconds remaining as
the Celtics erased a big second-half deficit en route to a
stirring 104-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

In the first meeting between the teams on December 5, the Suns
rallied from a team-record 29-point deficit for a 110-106
victory in Boston.

But this time, it was the Celtics who were able to rally as they
overcame a 17-point deficit in the third quarter before nearly
blowing a late lead.

"We got down and we just didn't give in," Celtics guard Paul
Pierce said. "I'm starting to see a pattern with this ballclub.
In the second half, we'll be down and the resiliency is starting
to be there.  It's funny because it's starting sooner than I
thought it would be."

"This does not remind me of the comeback we had against the
Celtics in Boston, because we were down by quite a bit more when
we made our comeback run.  This is just an unfortunate loss,"
Suns forward Shawn Marion said.

Boston held a 99-92 lead with 2:49 remaining, but Phoenix reeled
off seven straight points, capped by Stephon Marbury's two free
throws with 30 seconds left.

After Mike James and Penny Hardaway traded 3-pointers, Davis -
who was not with the Celtics in the first meeting - swished the
winning shot from the left baseline.

"They doubled and left me and Walt (McCarty) wide open - whoever
wanted the shot or whoever got it first," Davis said.

Following a timeout, the Suns were unable to get off a final
shot.

"We played well for a lot of minutes," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni
said. "We were up 17 points at one time, but the air went out of
us.  This is something that has happened to us this year a few
times."

Pierce had 27 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists for the
Celtics, who also returned to the .500 mark (15-15).  Pierce
also had eight turnovers but was a huge reason for the comeback.

After a basket by Marion gave the Suns their biggest lead at
73-56 with 6:09 left in the third quarter, the Celtics closed
the period with a 19-2 burst, featuring three 3-pointers by
Pierce.

"We came back and beat them and then they came back and beat us
in our building," Hardaway said.  "You could feel the momentum
changing in the third quarter and just could not find anything
to stop it."

Pierce, who finished 9-of-15 from the field, also scored his
team's first six points in the fourth quarter. He netted just
eight points in the opening half while taking only five shots.

McCarty added a season-high 20 points, including five
3-pointers, and Mark Blount netted 16 points for the Celtics,
who placed five players in double figures.

"In the second half, we gave an effort," McCarty said. "It
seemed like in the first half we were just going through the
motions."

The Celtics shot 51.5 percent (35-of-68) and made 10-of-20
attempts from behind the arc.

Marion had 25 points and eight assists and Marbury 18 and nine
for Phoenix, which has lost three straight and 10 of its last 12
games.

"It seemed like everything that we did right in the first half,
they did right in the second half," Marion said. "They were
hitting their shots and we weren't.  We had this game, but we
just didn't finish them."