Rajon Rondo brilliant as Mavs beat Celts 119-101

Rajon Rondo returned to Boston tonight merely two weeks and a day after the longtime Celtic point guard was traded to the Mavericks.

Tip Off

First Quarter

Rondo started out scoring the first basket in transition when Boston failed to pick him up. After Evan Turner scored on the other end Rondo then proceeded to knock down a three and another from the left corner scoring Dallas's first eight points.

Jeff Green hit a nice floater for Boston as Rondo came down on the other end and scored another basket on a floater himself now having scored the Mavericks first ten points.

Dirk Nowitzki hit a jumper for Dallas breaking up the Rondo scoring extravaganza and extending the Dallas lead to 12-7.

Dirk hit another J and Avery Bradley completed a nice drive cutting the Dallas lead to 14-9 with a little over six and a half to play.

Both Dirk and Rondo go to the bench soon thereafter.

Evan Turner hits a three cutting the Dallas lead to 18-17 with just under five to play.

Dallas went on a 10-0 run punctuated by a couple of threes and a Rondo runner with the shot clock running down increasing the Dallas lead to 28-17.

Rondo hit a three to end the quarter living up to his big game reputation early, as I highlighted today on Vantage Sports:
This will be a fun game to watch on NBA TV considering Boston will have a video tribute to Rajon Rondo and the point guard plays best when he is engaged and the bright lights are on.


Fittingly, after one of the more brilliant quarters of his career, The Garden went to Rondo's video tribute and standing ovation:



Second Quarter

Marcus Smart hit a three early in the quarter breaking a Dallas 17-0 run, that is until Rondo hit another 3 starting the game out 7-7 from the floor.

Dallas continued to increase their lead going up by nineteen until Boston went on an 8-0 run including a Jeff Green 3 cutting the Mavericks lead to 51-40 with just under four to play in the half.

Boston looked to make it even closer before the half but a bad charging call against Jeff Green negated that.

The Celts went into the locker room trailing 59-46 after Bradley missed a good look from three at the buzzer.

Third Quarter

Jared Sullinger knocked down a three early for Boston as the Celtics cut the Dallas lead to 10.

Rondo with a spectacular finish around the rim to increase the Dallas lead to 15 (66-51).

This inspired the Celtics as they went on an 8-0 run. Zeller hit an up close bucket, Sully hit another three and Bradley then lowered his shoulder but got the call as Boston cut the lead to 66-59.

Dallas countered with a 8-0 run of their own including a jumper by Rondo.

Dirk with an an and one to increase the Dallas lead to 85-64 with 1:04 to go in the quarter.

Dallas up 92-64 after three after Dallas goes on a 7-0 run to end the quarter including a Rondo assist to Richard Jefferson for 3.

Fourth Quarter

Boston starts out the fourth on a 7-0 run including a three point play from Tyler Zeller and dunk off the break from Brandon Bass.

The Celtics kept chipping away and an Avery Bradley three and drive followed by a Jae Crowder runner cut the Dallas lead to 97-85.

Avery hit another jumper after a Dallas turnover cutting the lead to ten. Bradley is 5-5 for the quarter up to this point.

After a 4-0 Dallas spurt Avery hit another three as Boston trailed by 11 with five and a half to play.

The veteran Dallas team then slowed it down until a beautiful pass by Rondo and dunk on the interior by Tyson Chandler put Dallas up by 15 and the game away.

Final: Dallas 119 Boston 101

Rajon Rondo's final numbers 29 points on 12-19 shooting (5-7 from 3), six rebounds and five assists.

@ClintCorey
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