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Monday, Jan. 15 3:30pm ET
Pierce's career-high fuels Celtics

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Antoine Walker was struggling with his shot, so he put the game in the capable hands of Paul Pierce.

Paul Pierce
Boston's Paul Pierce made 15 of 22 shots and scored a season-high 42 points against the T-Wolves.

Pierce scored a career-high 42 points, and Walker contributed a triple-double as the Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-102 Monday afternoon.

Pierce scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a layup with 1:38 remaining that gave Boston (14-24) the lead for good at 100-98. It was the Celtics' first lead of the quarter.

Walker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. His biggest assist was the lob pass he gave Pierce that resulted in the tiebreaking basket.

"Walker reads me so well," Pierce said. "He knows where I like the ball, and he knows how to get it to me. That's something we've developed playing together."

Pierce's 15-of-22 shooting from the field offset Walker's 6-for-26.

"I wasn't playing with a lot of confidence," Walker said. "Kevin Garnett was doing a great job of guarding me, so I tried to get Pierce going. I'm glad a night like that didn't go to waste."

The Celtics led for most of the third quarter, but Minnesota's Chauncey Billups and LaPhonso Ellis keyed a 27-12 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters.

The Timberwolves' reserves outscored the Celtics' reserves 46-19, led by Billups' 16 points and Ellis' 15.

But with Minnesota up 92-84 with 5 minutes to play, Pierce went to work. He initiated a game-clinching 23-10 run with a three-point play and scored 11 points in the final 5 minutes. His two free throws with 22.3 seconds left put Boston up 104-99.

"We've been struggling in the fourth quarter, and on the road, and we took care of both of those things tonight," Pierce said.

The Celtics won just their fourth road game in 15 tries, much to the chagrin of Minnesota coach Flip Saunders.

"When you're up eight with 5 minutes to go on your own floor, you can't lose those," Saunders said. "We did not play smart today."

Kevin Garnett led Minnesota (21-18) with 22 points, but he made just 8 of 19 shots. He missed two jumpers in the final 1:30, including a 3-pointer that could have given Minnesota the lead.

Minnesota had led 52-51 at halftime, but a 3-pointer by Pierce erased that, and Boston led by as many as seven points in the third quarter. The Timberwolves rallied to tie the score at 76 entering the fourth quarter.

"You want your bench to help keep you in the game and then have your stars finish it off," Minnesota reserve forward Sam Mitchell said. "Today, the guys on the bench did their job, but it just didn't work out."

Game notes
Boston's Kenny Anderson missed his second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. Randy Brown replaced him in the starting lineup. Celtics players have missed 116 games because of injuries this season. ... Pierce's 42 points were the most against the Timberwolves this season. ... Minnesota attempted 41 free throws in the game, nearly double their season average of 21. ... Former Minnesota Twins star Kirby Puckett, a candidate to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, received a standing ovation from the Timberwolves players and the Target Center crowd when he was introduced in the second quarter.
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard

Boston Clubhouse

Minnesota Clubhouse

RECAPS
New York 104
San Antonio 82

Milwaukee 101
Washington 95

Philadelphia 84
Charlotte 79

New Jersey 84
Atlanta 78

Sacramento 116
Dallas 105

Boston 107
Minnesota 102

Cleveland 107
Golden State 101

Indiana 89
LA Clippers 74

Orlando 113
Chicago 104

LA Lakers 113
Vancouver 112

Denver 122
Seattle 111

Utah 116
Houston 104

FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT

Antoine Walker Official Site

Kevin Garnett Official Site


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