March 21st, 2010 
Stephen Rhodes 
Posted in 
Perhaps now the Boston Celtics are finally finding their way as they have won three straight games, prior to playing Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Two of the Celtics’ usual suspects, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, combined for 49 points, leading Boston to their fourth straight win, neating Dallas 102-93.
Shawn Marion scored 10 of the Mavericks’ first 14 points, but Pierce scored 10 first-quarter points of his own as the Celtics carried a 30-24 lead into the second quarter. Despite Jason Terry’s nine second-quarter points, Boston would take to their locker room a slim 48-47 lead.
Ray Allen hit a pair of 3-pointers to help the Celtics open the third quarter with a 13-5 run for a 61-52 cushion; Pierce scored eight of Boston’s last ten points of the period as they took a 73-72 lead into the fourth quarter. Rondo converted layups on three consecutive Celtics possessions down the stretch, giving Boston a 94-91 lead with 2:47 left to go.
Pierce drained a trey and Rondo scored a layup to put the Celtics up 99-93 with 1:18 remaining and would hold on for the victory.
Three Celtics scored 20 or more points, led by Pierce with 29 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while Allen added 21 (including 4 three-pointers) with 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block; Rondo chipped in 20 with 10 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal.
Dirk Nowitzki led all Mavericks scorers with 28 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists while Terry added 18 with a rebound, 2 assists and 3 steals; Marion poured in 16 with 4 rebounds and a steal.
Boston (45-24) plays again on Monday when they travel to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz while Dallas (46-23) makes the short trip to New Orleans to face the Hornets – also on Monday night.
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Where does Rondo rank amongst NBA point guards? He does so many little things to help the Celtics win that don’t always show up on the stat sheet. He is the glue there.