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Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics 
The Celtics return home to the Garden tonight to host the Milwaukee Bucks in the first tilt of a three-games-in-four-days stretch. Winners of two straight, the Celtics look for their first three-game winning streak of the season tonight after finishing their three-game road trip with wins in Houston and Oklahoma City.
Ray Allen had big nights in both contests, dropping 29 points on the Rockets and 18 the next night against the Thunder. But the Celtics are relying on defense once again this year to get the job done; the team is allowing a paltry, league-best 37.6% field goal percentage while coming up with 9.2 steals a game (fifth-best in the league) over their first five contests.
The Bucks come to town with top scorer Michael Redd in tow, but all indications are pointing to Redd and his 21 points a night missing his second straight contest thanks to a high ankle sprain suffered on Sunday against the New York Knicks.
In his absence, Richard Jefferson, traded to Milwaukee from New Jersey in the offseason, erupted for 32 points in the Bucks' 112-104 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
"When guys are out, we can still step up and get the job done. [Jefferson] played outstanding, a true breakout game for him. He really stepped up and took the challenge," Redd told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "There are some guys that can play. That's what you want; you want your team to be strong enough to endure injuries."
Thus far, the Celtics have been largely injury-free, but Paul Pierce is nursing a sore shooting hand the he told CSN sideline reporter Greg Dickerson he hurt in the game against the Rockets. He is expected to be in the lineup tonight.
"I got a little sprained hand I suffered last night," Pierce said of the minor injury on Wednesday night. "I haven't been shooting the ball well, but I'm going to keep shooting until I get out of the slump."
Pierce, despite the injury, still chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds in Houston, and added 20 and nine the next night against the Thunder. His 17.8 points per game leads the Big Three, all of whom are averaging over 15 points per game.
"They share the ball and play really well together," Coach Doc Rivers said of his triumvirate of stars. "As a group, that's what you need to win."
Meanwhile, point guard Rajon Rondo is facilitating the offense even more this season, jacking up his assists over the first five games this year. Rondo averaged 5.1 APG last year, but checks in 6.8 per night after the first five games of this season.
The Celtics will practice Saturday and then head off to Detroit to battle Allen Iverson and the new-look Detroit Pistons on Sunday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills in their first visit to Michigan since clinching an NBA Finals berth.
(Thanks to Peter Stringer for the assist)
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Friday, 07 November 2008
Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics The Celtics return home to the Garden tonight to host the Milwaukee Bucks in the first tilt of a...
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