• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Rondo's triple-double helps Celtics down Knicks in OT

Mar 5, 2012 - 1:28 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Rajon Rondo's triple-double of 18 points, 20 assists and 17 rebounds helped send the Celtics to a 115-111 overtime win over the Knicks on Sunday.

Paul Pierce finished with a game-high 34 points and made a game-tying three- pointer with five seconds left in regulation in Boston's fourth straight victory.

Carmelo Anthony had 25 points and seven rebounds in the setback. Amar'e Stoudemire added 16 points and 13 rebounds and Jeremy Lin finished with 14 points, five assists and six turnovers for New York, which hasn't won in Boston since 2006.

"They did a good job of controlling the paint," said Lin. "They had me take a lot of tough shots. I didn't really get much easy stuff today."

Pierce dominated the third, scoring 15 points and sending the Celtics to their largest lead of the game, 80-65, with an outlet assist to Chris Wilcox.

But the Knicks closed the quarter strong, scoring seven straight to make it 80-72 on Iman Shumpert's put-back before the buzzer.

They still trailed, 94-89, late in the fourth when Lin went on a personal 6-2 run to make it a one-point game.

He began with a foul shot, then followed Kevin Garnett's bucket with a lefty layup and a corner three-pointer. Anthony then wrapped a pair of baskets around a Pierce jumper to put New York on top, 99-98.

Pierce answered with a jumper but found iron after Anthony hit a 15-footer to put the Knicks up, 101-100, with under a minute to go.

A pair of Steve Novak free throws made it 103-100 but Pierce's contested three-pointer near the top of the key tied it and Anthony's baseline jumper was off at the buzzer.

It was tied at 105 in overtime when Rondo found Ray Allen in transition for a three-pointer. He then set up Allen with a drop pass on the break for a 110-105 advantage with 3:13 left.

The Knicks twice cut the deficit to three, but Rondo responded both times, making a put-back layup after a Stoudemire dunk, then finding up Brandon Bass inside after Lin's fadeaway jumper. Bass drew a foul off Rondo's feed and hit both free throws to make it 114-109 with 1:29 left.

"Overtime was great," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "I thought we executed tremendously."

Game Notes

New York led 29-27 after the first quarter and 56-51 at halftime...Rondo notched his fourth triple-double of the season and the 17th of his career...The Celtics improved to 14-8 at home...New York has lost 11 straight games in Boston.