BOSTON — Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers may have been the main attractions, but the stars of the show resided elsewhere Wednesday night.
Two red-hot basketball teams duked it out for four quarters and then some, as the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers went back and forth in front of a playoff-like crowd at TD Garden.
Isaiah Thomas’ fadeaway jumper with 5.8 seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime, and Evan Turner’s and-one bucket to break a tie in overtime helped lift the C’s to a 139-134 win in one of the most entertaining games of their season.
Thomas was a monster, dropping a game-high 36 points and 11 assists. Jared Sullinger stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as Boston put six players in double figures.
Chris Paul led the Clippers with an impressive 35 points and 13 assists, while DeAndre Jordan put up 21 and 16 and J.J. Redick scored 27 on 9 of 14 shooting.
Kelly Olynyk left the game in the second quarter with a bruised right shoulder and didn’t return.
Boston enters the All-Star break with a 32-23 record after winning 10 of its last 12 overall.
STARTING FIVE
Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson, Jared Sullinger
OFF AND RUNNING
Both teams came out swinging in an incredibly fast-paced first quarter.
The Celtics picked up where they left off at the end of Tuesday’s game, pushing the tempo to the tune of six fast-break points and a 57 percent shooting clip.
Unfortunately, the Clippers’ offense was even better. Paul and Jordan each were in double digits by the end of the quarter, while Pierce even got in on the fun by drilling a pair of 3-pointers. L.A. shot 64 percent from the field in the frame.
The Clippers’ 37 first-quarter points marked the fourth consecutive game Boston has allowed 30 or more points in the first 12 minutes.
DIGGING DEEP
The Clippers have one of the best starting fives in the NBA, but their bench isn’t as great, and the Celtics took advantage in the second quarter.
Marcus Smart helped Boston erase its early deficit by pouring in 13 points in the second quarter while hitting three 3-pointers.
OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT
The Celtics kept right on scoring after both starters came in, closing the first half on a 9-4 run to drop 38 points in the second quarter. The C’s had 71 points after the second quarter, marking the second time in three games Boston has scored 70 points by halftime.
TRADING BLOWS
The heavyweight battle continued into the third quarter, as both teams withstood surges from their opponent.
The Clippers went on an 8-2 run midway through the frame, but Jae Crowder helped stop the bleeding with a corner 3-pointer and a strong drive to the bucket.
Boston led by as many as 10 in the frame, but Paul drilled a deep three before the buzzer sounded to make it a seven-point game heading into the fourth.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Boston cooled off slightly in the fourth quarter to allow the Clippers to get back in it.
L.A. started the frame on a 9-2 run and stormed out in front thanks to several difficult shots from Paul. The Celtics, meanwhile, missed six consecutive shots at one point in the quarter.
As usual, though, Boston fought to the end. The C’s trailed by five with a minute to go but came storming back, and Thomas’ heroics sent the game to OT.
EVAN TURNER OVERDRIVE
Turner helped finish the Clippers off in the extra period, scoring seven consecutive points for the Celtics over a one-minute span.
PLAY OF THE NIGHT
Jordan is a human highlight reel, and he produced a gem in the first quarter off a lob from Paul:
UP NEXT
A nice, long break for every Celtic not named Isaiah Thomas or Marcus Smart. The NBA All-Star break begins Thursday for Boston and will last until next Friday, Feb. 19, when the club kicks off a three-game road trip against the Utah Jazz. The Celtics won’t play another home game until Feb. 25.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
