Pierce hot as Celtics top Raptors
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Paul Pierce scored 30 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 93-79 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Ray Allen added 23 points for the Celtics, who welcomed back Rajon Rondo after the starting point guard had missed seven consecutive games with an ankle injury.
Rondo, who entered the game as the National Basketball Association leader in assists average with 13.8, finished with four points and eight helpers in 34 minutes as Boston ended a run of two defeats.
"With him, he knows everything we run, so we were back into running stuff that was in hibernation while he was out," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told reporters.
Eastern Conference-leading Boston (25-7) played its second game without All Star Kevin Garnett, who is expected to be out for two weeks while he recovers from a calf injury sustained last Wednesday.
DeMar DeRozan recorded a team-high 27 points for the Raptors, who are dealing with their own rash of injuries and have been without leading scorer Andrea Bargnani for the last four contests.
The Raptors, losers of 11 of their last 14, are also playing without a bunch of injured players - Sonny Weems (back), Reggie Evans (foot), Jerryd Bayless (ankle) and Peja Stojakovic (knee).
Elsewhere in the NBA on Sunday, it was: Grizzlies 104, Lakers 85; Hawks 107, Clippers 98; Knicks 98, Pacers 92; Mavericks 104, Cavaliers 95; Trail Blazers 100, Rockets 85; and Kings 94, Suns 89.
In Toronto, despite being shorthanded, the Raptors (11-22) held a one-point lead in the third quarter before the Celtics surged ahead by nine by the start of the fourth
Glen Davis, starting in place of Garnett, had 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Boston.
Davis had struggled in Friday's loss to New Orleans. "No matter what you do, he's still going to be there behind you," said Davis, of his coach.
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