Celtics ground Rockets' record winning streak

Tuesday's night victory over the Houston Rockets was the most impressive scalp that the Boston Celtics have collected so far this season.
You might be thinking that snapping Houston's 22-game winning streak, the second-longest in the history of the NBA, makes Boston's 94-74 win on the Rockets' home floor at the Toyota Center so special. Take a deeper look -- there are plenty of other factors that will lift the Celtics through the remaining two games of one of the toughest road stretches that any team in the league will face this season.
Boston was coming off a grueling 93-91 win in San Antonio the previous night, a game in which the Celtics scored a pathetic 11 points in the first quarter and trailed by 22 later in the first half before rallying in stirring fashion. A game 24 hours later against another Western Conference heavyweight, minus the services of Ray Allen (heel) for the third straight night, seemed like a spot for Boston to run out of gas and attempt to salvage a 2-1 two-step through Texas by winning at Dallas on Thursday. Instead, the Celtics showed true grit and determination and it was Houston who looked like the tired team, folding in the second half to turn what was a 40-40 tie at halftime into a rout.
The Celtics are going to need their stars to lead them every time they take the floor, and Tuesday night was no exception. Kevin Garnett dominated the paint with 22 points and 11 rebounds, continuing his rebirth in Boston and flashing the kind of leadership that his critics said the 7-foot phenom lacked during his time in Minnesota. Garnett's performance likely gave Timberwolves' owner Glen Taylor, who accused Garnett of tanking down the stretch last season on Tuesday, a severe migraine headache. Paul Pierce chipped in 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, following up a monster night against the Spurs (44 minutes, 22 points, 8 rebounds, 8-for-13 from the field) with another solid effort. Pierce, the wild card coming into the season in that he had to learn to share the ball with Garnett and Allen after being the sole offensive option for so many years, will help Boston deep into the playoffs with that sort of efficient outing every night.
Boston's bench, much maligned after trades for Allen and Garnett stripped the Celtics' roster bare, has picked its spots to shine this season and Tuesday was no different. Leon Powe feasted on his match-ups with Houston's undersized frontcourt, eating up Chuck Hayes and Mark Harris to the tune of 21 points in only 20 minutes. James Posey didn't score in 30 minutes and didn't have to -- his 10 rebounds and sticky defense against Rockets' star Tracy McGrady (4-for-11, 8 points in 35 minutes) were more than enough help.
The Celtics have little time to enjoy what could end up being their most profitable road trip of the season. They play the Mavericks next and New Orleans on Saturday, the second and third of an eight-game stretch in which Boston plays every other night. The Celtics won't have back-to-back days off until the first week of April, a brutal schedule that kicks off the stretch run, but Boston's current trip is a strong response to its struggle on the West Coast around the All-Star break. The Celtics would stamp themselves as the team to beat in the NBA with a strong finish against the Mavericks and Hornets, and they started that process in so many ways on Tuesday.