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          Celtics improve to 9-1 with convincing win over Warriors

          Nov 21, 2007

            BOSTON (AP) -- Obviously there's still a lot of season left, but the Celtics are doing everything they can in the early going to prove they're a good team.

            Boston bounced back from its only loss of the season with a 105-82 win over Golden State Wednesday night. It was their ninth win and their sixth straight home victory.

            Ray Allen scored 21 points, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both had double-doubles, as the 9-1 Celtics won their sixth straight at home. Garnett had 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Pierce added 19 points and 10 boards.

            "The good teams in this league never lose two in a row," Allen said. "When you lose a game, you need to know how to respond."

            Obviously, the Celtics knew how to respond following that two-point loss in Orlando.

            After the teams traded baskets for the better part of the third quarter, Allen extended the Celtics' lead to 79-60 with back-to-back 3-pointers late in the period. It was cruise control from there.

            Despite committing 13 turnovers, the Celtics took a 50-37 halftime lead courtesy of a 31-17 rebounding edge. Golden State shot 30 percent and was never able to get into any kind of rhythm.

            Brian Scalabrine gave Boston its biggest lead of the half at 42-23, capping an 8-0 run by nailing a 3-pointer with just over 5 minutes left. Eddie House had 15 points off the bench for Boston.

            It was another typical home game for the Celtics who have won by an average of 22 points at Boston Garden.

            "I can't judge them on how we played," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "We couldn't have beaten the Pismo Beach Panthers tonight."

            Golden State (3-7) had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Warriors' starters began the night averaging 85.6 points, but were held to 43. Leading scorer Baron Davis finished with 13 points on 3-of-13 shooting while recording only four assists.

            Reserve Monta Ellis led the Warriors with 21 points, and Stephen Jackson had 15 points and five rebounds. Kelenna Azubuike scored three points, 13 below his average, for Golden State, which won in New York on Tuesday.

            Next up for the Celtics is a Friday night matchup with their archrival Los Angeles Lakers (7-4)

            "There are a lot of people talking about how the Western Conference is head over heels above the East," Pierce said. "The Lakers will be a good test for us."

            Game notes
            Al Harrington was not with the Warriors for personal reasons. ... The Warriors franchise is 33-108 all-time in Boston. ... Allen has 80 3-pointers against Golden State since the 1991-92 season, the most by any player against the Warriors in that span. ... Garnett is shooting 65 percent at home this season. ... Allen and Kendrick Perkins had seven rebounds for Boston.