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Celtics seeking improved performance in Game Two

May 8, 2008 - 5:47 PM Cleveland at Boston 7:00 pm EDT Eastern Conference semifinals Celtics lead, 1-0

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Celtics managed to claim Game One of the Eastern Conference semifinals but have plenty of room for improvement.

The top-seeded Celtics look for an improved offensive performance Thursday when they host the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Two of the best-of-seven series.

Kevin Garnett, who finished third in the MVP voting announced before Tuesday's contest, scored 28 points, including the go-ahead layup with 21.4 seconds remaining to lift Boston to a 76-72 victory over the Cavaliers in Game One.

Garnett shouldered the offensive load as Ray Allen was held scoreless while Paul Pierce, the team's leading scorer during the regular season, finished with just four points.

"We didn't have a great rhythm (on Tuesday)," Allen said. "It seemed like we were unsettled on offense, and we were rushing through a lot of things and we got bad shots and turned over the ball as a result of it. We had to win the game on the defensive end."

For Allen, it marked the first time in 11 years that he failed to score in a game. Boston won despite shooting just 43 percent (29-of-68) and committing 21 turnovers.

"It was a tough, defensive-minded game," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "I thought both teams came out and competed and Boston just happened to come out on top. They had one more stop than us and one more basket down the stretch which helped them get the win."

Cleveland kept the game close despite just 12 points from superstar LeBron James. The 23-year-old phenom was just 2-of-18 from the field, committed 10 turnovers and also missed a layup that would have tied the game with 8.5 seconds left.

"He had a tough night, and he is entitled to it," Brown said. "My last press conference, as I have said, he is always terrific, terrific and terrific. He tried to attack which is good, and knowing him, he will definitely bounce back in Game Two."

Pierce had the job of guarding James on defense and struggled on the offensive end as a result, hitting just 2-of-14 shots from the field while missing three 3-pointers.

"You try to be aggressive on offense and, at the same time, I know I've got a tough job of trying to slow down LeBron," Pierce said. "So, that is all playing into my hands. There is a lot of things I've got to do to help this ballclub and, unfortunately, the offense wasn't there."