Final, Celtics 96-76: If Thursday night in Los Angeles did not count as a signature win (no Kobe Bryant, critics will say), then this has to qualify.
The Celtics grabbed a lead midway through the first quarter and never looked back in perhaps their best effort this season, considering it was on the second half of a back-to-back that would swallow whole most teams.
Kevin Garnett played just 22 minutes, Paul Pierce 26 and Rajon Rondo just over 31 as the bench was able to play this one out.
There will be one day off to rest and fly over the Rockies before a Sunday afternoon tilt with Denver, which is second in the Western Conference. That one starts at 3:30 p.m. and we will be here again to track the action and see if the Celtics can go 4-0 on this trip out west.
Fourth quarter, 2:58, Celtics 90-70: We're now just playing out the string, and it has to feel great for Doc Rivers to know he can sit the starters down the stretch for once. He hasn't had that luxury since the Celtics' rout in New Jersey back on Jan. 13.
Fourth quarter, 5:54, Celtics 87-64: Ray Allen hits another 3-pointer to give the Celtics a game-high 21-point lead.
You would love to see the Celts keep this one near 20 and possibly give Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo the rest of the night off. Allen has certainly earned a little relaxation with 11 points and an assist in the fourth.
Fourth quarter, 8:32, Celtics 79-64: It appears as if the Blazers little push there has fizzled. They are turning the ball over with regularity right now, and Ray Allen is making them pay.
Allen has hit two 3-pointers in the last minute or so.
Since Rudy Fernandez had a three-point play to start the scoring in the fourth quarter, Portland has four turnovers and one missed shot. It hasn't even had a field goal attempt in the last 2:32.
Fourth quarter, 9:58, Celtics 76-64: Glen Davis takes a charge from Rudy Fernandez on one possession, and then does the exact same thing on the next.
In between, Ray Allen hits a 3-pointer to calm things down a bit here.
Fourth quarter, 11:07, Celtics 73-64: It's a single-digit game for the first time since midway through the second quarter after a Rudy Fernandez three-point play.
End of third quarter, Celtics 73-61: Brian Scalabrine has played just 4.3 seconds in this one but has managed to record one of the worst turnovers of the season.
Scalabrine apparently thought that Rajon Rondo wanted a pass to lead him up court but Rondo went the other way and the inbounds pass went directly to Jerryd Bayless, who drove in for a layup.
A rather embarrassing moment for Scal and one which may serve to propel the home team going into the fourth.
Bayless has nine points in the third quarter, which the Blazers end on a 13-5 run to keep this one interesting.
Third quarter, 2:23, Celtics 69-57: Hours after the league rescinded his league-leading 13th technical foul, Rasheed Wallace picks it right back up, and he really pressed the issue with this one.
After his initial argument against a foul call you could see the official giving him a chance to back off, but he simply didn't.
A 7-1 run now for the Blazers.
Third quarter, 3:22, Celtics 69-54: With a break in the action, perhaps you would like a little update on some approaching milestones for a few Celtics.
Ray Allen needs seven points to move past Mitch Richmond and into 31st on the NBA's all-time scoring list and Paul Pierce is now 20 points shy of moving into 40th all-time.
Also, Kevin Garnett needs just nine rebounds to become the 20th player in NBA history to reach 12,000 for his career.
Third quarter, 3:44, Celtics 69-54: A lot of elbows, a lot of trash talk and a ton of trips to the line right now as this one is getting physical and chippy.
Third quarter, 4:12, Celtics 68-52: This is that point in the game where the C's have often become complacent and leads as large as 18 can be cut in half in a flash. It would be nice to see a little more killer instinct here, but remember that the Blazers are the more rested of the two teams.
Third quarter, 6:20, Celtics 67-48: The Blazers are no normally this poor from the line. They entered the game ranked third in the NBA with a 78.8 percent mark, but are just 17-of-26 in this one.
Third quarter, 7:37, Celtics 65-44: A Rajon Rondo steal and hoop and Nate McMillan calls a timeout.
Just nothing going right for the Blazers. They have exactly half the number of baskets the Celtics do (28 to 14).
Third quarter, 9:00, Celtics 61-42: Marcus Camby did not start the second half for the Blazers in his debut with the team. There are no foul issues and he is on the bench so perhaps coach Nate McMillan felt it was best to ease him in with the team after a difficult first half.
Third quarter, 11:00, Celtics 58-39: Rajon Rondo gets taken out of the play with what seemed to be a legitimate pick set by LaMarcus Aldridge, and then gets a technical foul for arguing against a no-call.
Not sure if Rondo has a leg to stand on here. He simply ran into a wall.
Third quarter, 11:12, Celtics 56-38: We are underway in the second half. With an 18-point bulge, the C's are looking to build on a 25-13 mark when leading at the break this season.
And I'll just throw this out there. Cleveland lost again tonight and with a win the Celtics would be five games behind the Cavs in the loss column. The two teams play three more times this season. I'm just saying.
Halftime, Celtics 56-38: Rajon Rondo controlled much of the first half and it was all Rondo in the last 12 seconds. He dribbles out most of the clock before hitting a fadeaway at the buzzer, ending a dominant first 24 minutes for the Celtics.
Boston shot 58.1 percent from the floor and had 16 assists on 25 baskets. Rondo had nine assists and Kevin Garnett played the best half since his return with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Great play all around for a club that seems to be coming together on this trip.
Second quarter, 1:15, Celtics 51-38: A double-technical has been issued to Kendrick Perkins and Juwan Howard after a meeting of the minds underneath. It seems as if Perk took exception to Andre Miller in a battle for a board and took a little swipe at the Blazers' point guard.
Howard came to Miller's defense and got in Perkins' face. That was pretty much it, but we'll see how things play out from there.
Second quarter, 1:50, Celtics 51-38: Kendrick Perkins makes 1-of-2 from the line, where the Celtics as a team have hit half of their eight attempts.
Second quarter, 3:45, Celtics 50-34: With his last assist, Rajon Rondo upped his total to nine. He has yet to commit a turnover.
There has been only one time in Rondo's entire career in which he has finished a game with more assists without giving the ball away and it was in his otherworldly 19-assist, zero-turnover effort in the clincher against Chicago in the playoffs last spring.
Second quarter, 4:13, Celtics 50-34: Kevin Garnett just hit his first 3-pointer since Feb. 8, 2009. Safe to say things are going well for the Celtics right now.
Second quarter, 5:57, Celtics 45-31: There's certainly a ton of time left and we know how the C's have crumbled in the second halves of some games, but if you are a Blazers fan, you have to be a bit disappointed here.
They were all set for the debut of Marcus Camby with the team, as well as Brandon Roy back to health (he returned in their last game but played sparingly). And yet aside from a huge advantage from the line, the Blazers have been woefully outplayed.
Boston has 21 field goals to Portland's nine.
Perhaps it will take some time for their new lineup to mesh in the Pacific Northwest.
Second quarter, 8:52, Celtics 39-28: A 7-1 burst by the Celtics reserves, with Ray Allen running some point here.
The other Allen, Tony, was doubtful for this one until he decided to give it a go. He strained a tendon in his right ankle on Thursday and had a play early on tonight in which he landed a bit awkwardly, but Allen is rolling now.
He's playing the usual great defense and seemingly has no issues moving on that end of the floor. Throw in a couple nice drives to the hoop and it's been a good start for T. Allen.
Second quarter, 10:55, Celtics 32-25: Finally some good defense by Portland to start the second as it forces the Celtics into a shot-clock violation after forcing another turnover and then getting a block.
End of first quarter, Celtics 32-25: The Celtics shoot 16-of-22 from the floor, including 13 of their last 16, in an impressive first 12 minutes.
Rajon Rondo finishes the quarter with seven assists.
The Blazers picked up Marcus Camby to bolster a defense which ranks 27th in the NBA in blocks and defensive rebounding, but Camby had eight quiet minutes in the first quarter and didn't seem to bother much of what the C's were trying to do.
Portland has made six free throws to Boston's zero. Otherwise the disparity could be greater.
First quarter, 2:06, Celtics 28-18: The Celts with their first double-digit lead of the night after Rajon Rondo fires a lefty bullet pass to Rasheed Wallace for a hoop. It's a 16-6 run for Boston.
Much was made of Andre Miller's near triple-double while matched up against Rondo the last time these teams met, and Miller had a nice start to this one, but it's been all Rondo since. He has six assists and a steal.
First quarter, 3:26, Celtics 24-16: What a great sequence for the Celtics.
Rajon Rondo gets to the hole for a layup that came before any Trail Blazer even knew what was happening. Then, after a block by Kendrick Perkins and a tough rebound by KG, Rondo heads the other way for another.
Now a Portland turnover and Perk will be on the line. The C's are bringing it early here. We'll see how long this energy lasts on the second half of a back-to-back.
First quarter, 5:36, Celtics 16-14: The C's make 8-of-11 shots to start this one and several are of the easy variety, including Ray Allen's uncontested drive moments ago.
Neither of these teams are known to light up the scoreboard but baskets are coming rather easily early on.
Kevin Garnett has six points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in the first six-plus minutes.
First quarter, 6:35, 12-12: I was going to write earlier that it was a tough start for Kevin Garnett as he had been victimized twice by LaMarcus Aldridge, but Garnett has been a monster since.
He has six points, including a jumper that beat the shot clock, and answered an Aldridge block with one of his own, although the shot may have been on the way down.
First quarter, 9:20, 6-6: Paul Pierce showing no signs of having issues with that thumb, and he seems to want to test Brandon Roy's hamstring early.
First quarter, 11:55, 0-0: We are underway in Portland and did get late word that Tony Allen will be available for the C's. Keep an eye on Paul Pierce's right thumb, which is taped again.
10:13 p.m.: We're about set to go at the Rose Garden, and it appears as if the Blazers will have their leader available in Brandon Roy.
Roy returned from a 12-game layoff on Tuesday, playing just 15-plus minutes in a 109-87 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
He will be out there to start with Andre Miller, Martell Webster, LaMarcus Aldridge and ex-Clipper Marcus Camby. It's a pretty impressive quintet starting together for the first time this season.
They'll be up against the usual five of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. Pierce suffered a mild thumb injury Thursday in L.A. but finished that affair with tape on the hand.
It is doubtful we will see Tony Allen or Nate Robinson for the C's but we're still awaiting final word on that front.
2 p.m.: The Celtics will likely be shorthanded and possibly fatigued when they take on Portland in the second half of a tough back-to-back at the Rose Garden on Friday.
Head coach Doc Rivers said that Tony Allen strained a tendon in his right ankle in Thursday night's win at Los Angeles and is doubtful. Also, newly acquired guard Nate Robinson likely will not make it in time after taking a physical and then flying out west.
It will leave the C's with 10 healthy players, one of whom, Shelden Williams, hasn't played in over a month. Another, Brian Scalabrine, has a grand total of three points and one rebound in the same span.
At the very least, the club will carry some momentum into this one. The 87-86 win over the Lakers made the Celtics 2-0 on their annual post-All Star Game trip out west.
When Boston beat Portland in overtime last month, the Trail Blazers did not have Marcus Camby. But they acquired the big man before the deadline and he is expected to make his debut with the team.
Star swingman Brandon Roy, however, is questionable with a hamstring injury.
We'll update you on Camby, Roy and Robinson as we approach the 10:30 p.m. tip.
