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Celtics shoot for 14th straight win vs. rival Sixers

Dec 22, 2010 - 4:14 PM (Sports Network) - Reaching a 14th consecutive win for the Boston Celtics should be no problem when they wrap up a three-game homestand tonight versus the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden.

The Celtics have won two straight and eight of the last nine meetings with Philadelphia, including a thrilling 102-101 victory at the Sixers on Dec. 9 this season thanks to Kevin Garnett's basket with 1.4 seconds to go. Boston is 14-5 in the previous 19 matchups with its Atlantic Division co-tenants.

Boston has ripped off a season-best 13 straight wins and is coming off Sunday's 99-88 triumph over the Indiana Pacers courtesy of Paul Pierce's seventh career triple-double, as he ended with 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Nate Robinson and Glen Davis each contributed 18 points for the Celtics, whose longest winning streak was 19 games from Nov. 14 - Dec. 23, 2008.

"With this team, especially with the injuries we have, he's been a great utility guy," Boston head coach Doc Rivers said about Pierce.

The Celtics are still without point guard Rajon Rondo because of a sprained ankle and he's expected to miss more time. Shaquille O'Neal had missed four straight games with a calf problem and returned Sunday to post 11 points and five rebounds in just over 20 minutes of play. Boston improved to a gaudy 12-1 as the host and has won eight in a row in Beantown.

Boston's last loss was a 102-101 defeat in Toronto on Nov. 21.

Meanwhile, the Sixers couldn't get out of Chicago fast enough after suffering an embarrassing 121-76 loss to the Bulls last night.

Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 17 points and Thaddeus Young added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Philadelphia, which has lost two of three since a three-game winning streak and fell to 1-1 on an eight-game road trip.

The Sixers were in a big hole right off the bat and trailed, 33-19, after 12 minutes of action. Chicago also had a 31-11 edge during the third quarter, while Philadelphia committed 18 turnovers, shot 35 percent and sank 2-of-15 from beyond the arc.

"It was an old fashioned butt kicking," said Sixers forward Elton Brand, who had just six points and nine rebounds. "[Chicago] did what ever they wanted to do tonight."

Philadelphia has dropped three in a row on the road and fell to 3-11 away from the City of Brotherly Love this season. It still has stops to make in Denver, Golden State, Phoenix, the LA Lakers and New Orleans.