CELTICS NOTES: Shoulder woes continue to hamper Perkins

Kendrick Perkins began having problems with his left shoulder when he suffered a dislocation during practice in February 2006. Nearly three years and three surgeries later, the Boston Celtics’ center continues to deal with shoulder woes that have forced him out of the lineup for the second time in recent weeks. Perkins, who strained the shoulder in last Friday night’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, missed his second consecutive game on Monday night when the Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors, 115-109, in overtime at the TD Banknorth Garden. The latest...read full article

Celtics outlast Raptors in OT

The Toronto Raptors waged a fierce battle Monday night, but fell 115-109 in overtime to the Boston Celtics in the second leg of a home-and-home series at the TD Banknorth Garden. Paul Pierce led all scorers with 39 points, including nine in OT, as Boston swept the two-game set from Toronto. "There's players who play the game [and] there's players who absolutely love the game," Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said. "Paul is one of those love guys." "You all need to start playing some of that Superman theme music in the building when he is going like...read full article

NBA Backcourt Report: Celtics Top Toronto Twice

The Boston Celtics were able to beat the Toronto Raptors for the second night in a row, but they would need overtime to do it. Andrea Bargnani hit a 3-pointer with a second left in regulation to force the extra period, but the defending champs pulled away after that, finishing on top 115-109. Paul Pierce led Boston with 39 points, but his best work was done in overtime. Pierce started the period with a 3-pointer, finished with 9 points total, and the Celtics never looked back, leading the entire extra five minutes of play. The Celtics fought back from a 10-point deficit in...read full article

Celtics need overtime to subdue Raptors

Paul Pierce scores a season-high 39 points, nine of them in overtime, to lift Boston to a 115-109 victory at home.

at Boston 115, Toronto 109 (OT): Paul Pierce scored nine of his season-high 39 points in overtime and the Celtics swept a back-to-back, home-and-home series with the Raptors. One day after Ray Allen's 36 points led Boston to a 94-88 win in Toronto, Pierce led a comeback from a 10-point deficit midway through the third quarter and carried Boston (31-9) to its...read full article

Perkins out a week for Celtics

Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins is expected to be sidelined the next week due to the recurrence of a left shoulder injury he suffered during the NBA Finals. "It's not career-ending, but it can be a career problem and has been," said Boston coach Doc Rivers. "Last year, we got away with it and then we had the worst timing in Game 5 (of NBA Finals) You just don't know with that injury. I've had it. It's not a fun injury." Brian Scalabrine started at center Monday night and had 11 points in Boston's 115-109 overtime win in Toronto. Perkins, who had surgery...read full article

Pierce plays ‘Superman’ again, bad knee and all in Celtics’ 115-109 victory over Raptors

Superman shook off the Kryptonite, which in this case was a sore right knee, as Boston’s captain, Paul Pierce, torched Toronto for a season-high 39 points and 9 rebounds last night at the TD Banknorth Garden to carry the Celtics to a thrilling 115-109 overtime victory over the upset-minded Raptors. “That was Superman,” Boston forward Kevin Garnett said of Pierce’s performance, adding that the Superman theme song should be played in the Garden whenever Pierce gets it going like he did last night. The win was Boston’s second in as many...read full article

Perkins out until at least next week

Kendrick Perkins missed his second consecutive game last night after separating his surgically-repaired shoulder last week. The 6-foot-10, 280-pound center said that he will not return to Boston’s lineup until early next week at the earliest. “I was told to sit out a week so I guess I’m out until Monday,” said Perkins, who is averaging a career-best 8.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this year. Perkins saw Boston physician Brian McKeon about the injury and McKeon told him to rest his shoulder for at least a week. “It does feel better,” Perkins said. “It gets better...read full article