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Thunder grind out 91-79 win over Celtics

In a reunion with his former Boston teammates, Kendrick Perkins and the Oklahoma City Thunder got just the kind of victory he enjoys most.

Kevin Durant had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Russell Westbrook scored 15 points and Thunder beat the Celtics 91-79 on Sunday to stretch their winning streak to five games.

Boston was able to slow the Thunder from their best-in-the-NBA scoring pace of 107 points per game, but Oklahoma City’s lowest output since Jan. 13 was still enough to come out ahead in this one.

”I told the guys coming into this game that it’s going to be one of those low-scoring games, one of those nights that we have to grind out, so that’s what we did,” said Perkins, who won the 2008 NBA title with Boston. ”Every night, we can’t go out and expect to put up 100 points and the score to be 120-100. Some nights, it’s going to be like this.”

The Thunder limited Boston to 25 percent shooting in the second half after the Celtics shot 51 percent in the first. Boston dropped off to 33 percent in the third quarter and all the way down to 18 percent in the fourth, when the game got away…

Paul Pierce had 20 points to lead Boston, which had its own run of five straight wins broken. Kevin Garnett chipped in 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Celtics finished at 38 percent shooting for the game with 19 turnovers, more than four above their average, while falling to 14-5 since All-Star Rajon Rondo’s season-ending knee injury…

Martin added 12 points off the bench for Oklahoma City, which moved to 28-4 at home.

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press

Danny Ainge discusses Celtics play without Rajon Rondo

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s weekly appearance on Boston sports radio WEEI (93.7 FM), speaking on how the team has played differently without Rajon Rondo: “…Sometimes it’s the fact that the players defer to the other great players. Sometimes they don’t practice it because it’s just so easy to get the ball to Rondo to bring up all the time instead of Avery grabbing the defensive rebound and pushing the ball up the court himself, and Rondo running on the other wing and the ball being swung to Rondo and now he’s coming off the pick-and-roll. And so, I think that we’re all learning from this. We’re all learning that the respect of the other players is growing and they get the respect that they now deserve, as opposed to being the guys that aren’t living up to their potential.

“It’s just amazing that two months ago it was Jeff Green and Courtney Lee and Jason Terry that weren’t playing well enough. And now all of a sudden we’re 13-4 and those guys are playing great. And I think that Rondo was, like, voted a starter on the All-Star team and now it’s like we’re better without him. I mean, this stuff is crazy, how the trends go. I think there’s a tiny bit of truth in all of it, like Rondo can adjust his game to allow other players to play a little better, move better without the ball, play more, cut harder, and shoot more, shoot his mid-range jump shot more. I think all those things, and turn the ball over less. But I think that we have a much better chance of beating Miami in a playoff series with Rajon Rondo.”

— Reported by Greg Payne of ESPN Boston

New Celtics taking advantage of practice time

The Celtics are coming off a stretch of one game in seven days as they fly to Philadelphia this afternoon for a two game road swing against the 76ers tomorrow and Indiana Wednesday.

The time was important as a break for the veterans and as a mini-camp for newcomers Terrence Williams, Jordan Crawford and 10-day signees D.J. White and Shavlik Randolph.

“I mean, this is huge that we had these few days with these guys,” said Paul Pierce.

“As you see right now,” he added, nodding to the practice court where the four were working, “they have a chance to go over plays and get a better understanding of the system. I mean, it’s definitely not the same as being here from Day 1 of training camp, but coming from where they came from a week ago — not doing any practicing, just kind of getting put out there in the mix — anything is good eight now when we can get time in the gym with them.”

— Reported by Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald

Extra rest may help Kevin Garnett

In years past, when Kevin Garnett was given a day off like he was on Feb. 22 against the Suns in Phoenix, he might have hit the roof with Doc Rivers.

Not this year.

The Celtics head coach said Monday he is giving more and more time off to Garnett and he believes it’s paying dividends. Indeed, Rivers may have given the 36-year-old Garnett just one game off but he’s giving the big man much more time off from practice, like this weekend when he told Garnett and Paul Pierce to stay away from the gym on Sunday, when the team had a skeleton practice.

“We’ve given him more time off this year than we ever have for him,” Rivers said. “In the past, we couldn’t even broach that subject with him. This year, he wants the days off. So, I think he’s gotten smarter in that regard and that to me is why he’s been able to play in more games.”

— Reported by Mike Petraglia of WEEI

Celtics decide to keep Terrence Williams

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard/forward Terrence Williams to a multi-year contract.

Williams, a 6’6” guard/forward, joined the Celtics on February 20 on a 10-day contract and has appeared in four games for the Celtics this season averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11.5 minutes per game. He joined the Celtics after playing earlier this season for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association where he averaged 17.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 29 games.

According to the Boston Herald, “Over a short period Ainge has been able to identify one special trait in Williams’ game. With Rajon Rondo out for the season, Williams is already the best passer on the roster. “He’s a better passer than anyone on our team,” Ainge said. “He can play (point guard, shooting guard and small forward) and handle the ball. The reason I like Terrence is that we don’t have a true point guard. All of our guys can play the point guard in pinches, and all of them can share ballhandling responsibilities. But Terrence can be the best on our team right now.”

The Boston Globe reports: “Though the 6-foot-6-inch Williams may be oversized for that position, his playmaking skills and court vision make the Celtics believe that’s the spot for him. The Celtics first developed that belief when Williams worked out for them last summer. “Just pickup games and just watching the way he played, you really felt that even in those situations that he’s more point than [shooting guard],” Rivers said. “I don’t think he’s ever going to be a great scorer in our league, but he can be a great playmaker.”

Celtics sign Shavlik Randolph to 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed forward Shavlik Randolph to a 10-day contract.

Randolph, a 6’10” forward, appeared in 28 games for the Foshan Long Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association this season averaging 32.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in 36.5 minutes per game while shooting 53.1% from the floor. Randolph is a veteran of five NBA seasons split between Philadelphia, Miami and Portland posting career averages of 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.2 minutes over 95 games.

Randolph will wear #42 and is expected to be available for tonight’s game against Golden State.

Celtics sign D.J. White to 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed forward D.J. White to a 10-day contract.

White, a 6’9” forward, appeared in 32 games for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association this season averaging 21.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 33.0 minutes per game. White has posted career averages of 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16.2 minutes in 124 games split between Charlotte and Oklahoma City. White was originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 29th pick in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft.

Jordan Crawford solid in Celtics debut

In his debut with the Boston Celtics, former Wizards guard Jordan Crawford joined an exclusive club, becoming the 46th player in NBA history to take the floor wearing number 27.

Regardless of his jersey number, the player that took the floor on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns was remarkably similar to the one Wizards’ fans watched in Washington.

In 17 minutes Crawford scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting, including 2-for-5 from long distance in the Celtics’ 113-88 win. Crawford also had three rebounds and two assists, while only turning the ball over once.

— Reported by Michael Huberman of CSN Washington

Jeff Green scores 31, Celtics rout Suns 113-88

Jeff Green gave Boston a sensational performance in his first start in nearly two years.

Green scored a season-high 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting and the short-handed Celtics routed the Phoenix Suns 113-88 on Friday night.

”I didn’t have a different mindset,” said Green, who missed last season following heart surgery to correct an aortic aneurysm. ”It was the same as me coming off the bench. I just tried to make a statement early and that’s what I did by attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line.”

Green started in place of 36-year-old Kevin Garnett, given a rest with Boston playing its third game in four nights…

Chris Wilcox had 13 points off the bench, and Avery Bradley and Jason Terry scored 13 each for the Celtics, who moved two games ahead of Milwaukee for seventh place in the Eastern Conference…

Paul Pierce scored only eight on 3-of-5 shooting for his fourth single-digit game of the season. But that mattered little to the Celtics, who were dominant from the opening tip in snapping a two-game skid.

Jordan Crawford, acquired from Washington on Thursday, made his Celtics debut and scored 10 points off the bench as Boston improved to 9-3 without injured guard Rajon Rondo…

Goran Dragic had 18 points and 10 assists, Markieff Morris scored 11 and Marcin Gortat added 10 points and six rebounds for the Suns, who have lost two straight and six of seven.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Celtics trade Leandro Barbosa, Jason Collins to Wizards for Jordan Crawford

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the Wizards have acquired guard Leandro Barbosa and center Jason Collins from the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Jordan Crawford.

“Our team has started to come together and play well over the last 20 games,” said Grunfeld. “This trade allows us to keep moving in that direction with the solid rotation and defensive commitment we have established on the court, helps us continue to build on the culture we are establishing in the locker room and gives us additional financial flexibility.”

“Jordan’s a scorer and he will provide versatility that will add great depth to our roster,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Crawford, a 6’4” guard, has appeared in 43 games for the Wizards this season and is averaging 13.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. Crawford has recorded 12 games this season with 20 or more points including a season-high 27 points twice (December 28 against Orlando and December 18 against Atlanta). In the game against Atlanta on December 18, he also recorded a triple-double adding 11 assists and 11 rebounds to his season-high-tying 27 points. The third year pro out of Xavier University in Ohio has career averages of 13.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 149 games split between Atlanta and Washington.

Collins, the 18th overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, has appeared in 707 career games with five teams (New Jersey, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston) while averaging 3.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per contest. This season with Boston, Collins has averaged 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 32 games.

Crawford was originally traded to Washington along with Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans and a 2011 First Round pick (Chris Singleton) for Hilton Armstrong and Kirk Hinrich on February 23, 2011. In parts of three seasons with the Wizards, Crawford averaged 14.5 points while appearing in 133 games. He averaged 13.2 points and 3.7 assists while appearing in 43 games for the Wizards this season.