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Celtics aim to bounce back vs. Pacers

Dec 28, 2010 - 3:46 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Celtics will dust themselves off and try to get back into the win column again when they continue a three-game road trip tonight against the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Boston had a season-high 14-game winning streak stopped on Christmas Day in Orlando, as the Magic squeezed out an 86-78 triumph at Amway Center. Kevin Garnett scored a game-best 22 points and Paul Pierce netted 18 for the Celtics, whose last loss was on Nov. 21 at Toronto and produced their lowest- scoring game of the season.

"We just didn't lock down defensively like a team that knows how, especially down the stretch," Pierce said. "That's usually our bread and butter, down the stretch - we're able to hold teams. It was completely opposite."

The Celtics are still without point guard Rajon Rondo, who's nursing a sprained left ankle and has missed four straight games. In other team news, center Shaquille O'Neal, who had two points in 13 minutes on Saturday, was fined $35,000 for comments regarding the officiating crew in the recent loss.

Boston will also visit Detroit on the road swing and is 10-4 away from Beantown this season.

Indiana will put the finishing touches on a three-game homestand Tuesday and has lost five of its last seven games, including Sunday's 104-90 setback versus the Memphis Grizzlies. Rudy Gay scored a game-high 30 points for the victors, while Danny Granger led the Pacers with 29 points and Roy Hibbert finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Mike Dunleavy finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, as the Pacers fell to 8-7 in Indy this season.

"They played a sharper game than we did in most phases," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "We just got outplayed. I don't think we were sharp."

Tonight, the Pacers will try to avenge a 99-88 road setback to Boston on Dec. 19 this season and have lost three straight and nine of the past 11 meetings.

Indiana has a good shot at bouncing back in this series since the Celtics are 6-10 in the previous 16 matchups at Conseco Fieldhouse.