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Celtics aim to rebound from first home loss

Dec 21, 2007 - 2:26 PM Chicago (9-14) at Boston (20-3) 7:00 pm EST

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Celtics will look to bounce back from a home loss for the first time this season.

After becoming the last NBA team to lose a home game, the Celtics look to re-establish their home court dominance when they host the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

Before losing, 87-85, to the Pistons, the Celtics matched the second-best start in NBA history - tying the 1963-64 Celtics - who went on to win the NBA title.

Boston's 12-0 start at home was second in franchise history to the 1957-58 team, which won its first 17 on its own court.

Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 26 points but could only watch as Detroit's Chauncey Billups drew a late foul on the Celtics' Tony Allen. Billups hit both free throws with a tenth of a second left in the game to hand the Pistons the victory.

Ray Allen returned after a two-game hiatus due to a sore right ankle and scored 24 for the Celtics.

The Bulls have alternated wins with losses over the last seven games. The latest game was Wednesday's 95-84 road victory over the Washington Wizards in which Ben Gordon scored 22 points and Luol Deng added 20.