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Rising Celtics host skidding Rockets

Mar 6, 2012 - 3:57 PM (Sports Network) - Don't look now but the Boston Celtics are on the rise and will shoot for their fifth straight win tonight versus the Houston Rockets in the conclusion of a four-game homestand at TD Garden.

The Celtics have trimmed into Philadelphia's lead atop the Atlantic Division standings and squeezed out a 115-111 overtime triumph versus the New York Knicks Sunday afternoon. Rumored to be on the trading block, Celtics talented point guard Rajon Rondo posted his fourth triple-double of the season with 18 points, a career-high 17 rebounds and 20 assists.

Rondo, who owns 11 triple-doubles in the regular season and 17 in his career, registered five points, five rebounds and two assists in overtime. It was only the third time in NBA history that a player has recorded at least 20 assists and 17 rebounds in a game. Magic Johnson did it in 1983 with 17 rebounds and 21 assists, and Wilt Chamberlain had 25 rebounds and 21 assists back in 1968.

"I'm just playing. The biggest thing is we got the win. Paul [Pierce] made that shot to send us into overtime and that was big for us," Rondo told the team's website. "You know, if you get those type of numbers and you lose, it's kind of irrelevant."

Rondo also had a triple-double in last Wednesday's win over Milwaukee.

Pierce finished with a game-high 34 points -- 24 coming in the second half -- and knocked down a game-tying three-pointer with five seconds left in regulation. Brandon Bass and Kevin Garnett both scored 18 points and Ray Allen ended with 12 for the Celtics, who are 14-8 at home, have won three in a row as the host and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the 76ers in the Atlantic. Philadelphia lost again Monday night in Milwaukee.

Boston is just 1-7 against the Western Conference this season. Garnett is eight defensive rebounds shy of passing former Boston great Robert Parish (10,117) for second on the all-time list in that category. The Big Ticket is also 13 total rebounds shy of passing Shaquille O'Neal (13,099) for 12th on the all-time list.

Houston has hit the skids lately and will begin a five-game road trip tonight against the Celtics, Raptors, Nets, Cavaliers and Thunder. It has dropped three in a row away from home and is just 6-11 as the visitor.

The Rockets have lost three straight overall since a four-game winning streak -- all at home -- and are coming off Sunday's 105-103 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at the Toyota Center. Kevin Martin led Houston with 25 points and Samuel Dalembert scored 17 with 12 rebounds.

"When you're playing a team like that and you've got them on the ropes, you can't make any mistakes, and we just made a couple [too many] down the stretch," Rockets head coach and former Celtics star Kevin McHale said.

Luis Scola had 16 points and 12 boards in defeat. Houston hopes to avoid its second four-game slide of the season and did so from Jan. 3-7.

The Rockets swept last season's home-and-home series with Boston and have won the last three meetings between the teams. Houston has won three straight and 12 of its last 17 trips to Beantown.