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Telfair, Rondo impressive in Celtics preseason opener

Oct 11, 2006 - 2:18 AM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The youthful Boston Celtics provided Doc Rivers hope for the upcoming season.

Sebastian Telfair and rookie Rajon Rondo combined for 23 points and nine assists and high-flying Gerald Green added 14 points for the Celtics en route to a 109-93 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Boston got more athletic and quicker during the offseason, selecting Rondo in the first round of the draft and acquiring Telfair from the Portland Trail Blazers via trade. Green was the 18th overall pick in 2005, jumping straight from high school.

Paul Pierce, who was the only player in the league to lead his team in scoring (26.8), rebounding (6.7) and assists (4.7) last season, scored 17 points on 4-of-12 shots.

Boston shot 48 percent (38-for-79) from the field and held a 52-38 advantage in points in the paint.

Superstar LeBron James scored six points in just 17 minutes for the Cavaliers, who are looking to build off last year's second-place finish in the Eastern Conference Central Division.

Drew Gooden scored 16 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 11 for Cleveland, which shot 45 percent (34-of-74) and committed 28 turnovers. Gooden inked a three-year $23 million contract this past offseason.