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Celtics go for franchise-record 18th straight win

Dec 21, 2008 - 8:21 AM NY Knicks (11-15) at Boston (25-2), 6:00pm EST

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Celtics aren't just on cruise control - they seem to be getting better and better. Fresh off their biggest offensive output of the season, the reigning champs look to tie a franchise record with their 18th straight win as they host the Atlantic Division rival New York Knicks on Sunday.

The 1981-82 Celtics set the mark from February 24 to March 26, 1982. That group, fresh off an NBA championship, wound up losing in the Eastern Conference finals.

This year's group is hoping to avoid that fate - and as of yet, they have shown few reasons why they shouldn't be considered the favorites to take it all once again. In Friday's 126-108 rout of the Chicago Bulls, Ray Allen scored 27 and Kendrick Perkins added a career-high 25 as the Celtics exploded out of the gate in the second half en route to their 17th win in a row.

Now, with their offense seemingly operating with prime efficiency, the Celtics get set to face one of the worst defensive clubs in the NBA. The Knicks are yielding 107.2 points per contest - second-worst only to the lowly Golden State Warriors.

While the Celtics were blowing away the Bulls on Friday, the Knicks were suffering the opposite fate. They were manhandled by the Milwaukee Bucks, 105-81, at Madison Square Garden.