Celtics make it 15 straight

Posted December 15, 2008 10:00 pm

Associated Press

BOSTON - Even swimming superstar Michael Phelps had to marvel at the Boston Celtics and their NBA-record 17 championships.

But the 14-time Olympic gold medalist has the defending basketball champs beat on one count.

"Mine have been in 12 years," Phelps told The Associated Press on Monday night after watching the Celtics beat the Utah Jazz 100-91, causing quite a stir from courtside and again in the Boston locker room after the game.

It was the 15th straight victory for the Celtics, who are 23-2 this season and trying to up their total by the time Phelps has a chance to add to his in London in 2012.

"Who knows?" said Phelps, who followed a non-medal finish in Sydney in 2000 with 6 golds and 2 bronzes in Athens and 8 more gold medals in Beijing in August.

With the victory, the Celtics tied the 1995-96 Bulls for the best 25-game start in NBA history.

Rajon Rondo scored 12 of his career-high 25 points in the final 5:20, and Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Kendrick Perkins added 15 points and 14 rebounds to help Boston avenge the worst loss of its championship season. Paul Pierce scored 15 points before he hurt his left knee during a scramble for a defensive rebound with 31 seconds left.

"It should be all right," Pierce said. "I put a little weight on it. It didn't go back that far, so it should be all right."

For Boston, the victory was payback of sorts for a 110-92 loss to the Jazz last March - the Celtics' worst loss of last season, when they cruised to a 66-16 record and their 17th NBA title. Pierce was the Most Valuable Player of the Finals, and fans chanted "M-V-P!" when he was helped off the court at the end of the game.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the trainer thought Pierce would be fine. "But I'm sure they're going to do the regular tests," Rivers said.

Paul Millsap scored a career-high 32 points with 10 rebounds for Utah.

The Jazz were within 89-85 after Deron Williams' 3-pointer with 3:23 left. But Rondo drove for a one-handed bank shot and then, after Williams sank a basket, Rondo made a free throw and Perkins hit a turnaround hook shot in the lane.