Boston Celtics @ Brooklyn Nets (Game 12 of 82)

After being blown out on their own court early on this season, the Celtics trekked into Brooklyn with anything but the same result on their wish list. They handled the Nets in convincing fashion late in the 4th, after surviving a scoring flurry by Joe Johnson and Deron Williams in tightly contested 2nd & 3rd periods.

Channing Frye (16 points, 9 rebounds) & Michael Beasley (9 points) once again played well and hit shots in the 4th that put the game out of Brooklyn's reach, powering the Celtics to a 102-86 victory that finally brings a close to a rigorous 8 game road trip.

This win is even more remarkable because Rajon Rondo never suited up and left the task of ball distribution to Jordan Farmar (11 points, 10 assists) and Allen Iverson (6 points, 2 assists). Paul Pierce, struggling still, nailed a 3 but left the duties of forward to Hedo Turkoglu (9 points) and newcomer, Shane Battier (14 points), the latter serving well as a defensive counterpart to Joe Johnson's offensive firepower on key possessions late in the game, including one of 8 blocks from Boston compared to just a single rejection for Brooklyn. Eddie House dazzled the Brooklyn crowd with a few long balls for 9 points, as well.

Boston played hard tonight, and it certainly showed, despite a 25 point, 10 assist showing by D-Will and a huge double-double by Brook Lopez (17 points, 21 rebounds).