Road-tested Celtics trim the Clippers

LOS ANGELES -- Just when it was least expected, the Celtics earned their first win of what was quickly becoming an abysmal road trip.

In the second of back-to-back road games, the Celtics snapped their first three-game losing streak of the season with an 111-92 victory over the Clippers. At times, it seemed like Boston could not miss, shooting 57 percent from the floor. The Celtics also limited their turnovers (14 for 12 points) and kept pace on the boards, ceding a a slight rebounding edge to the Clippers, 37-35.

Earlier in the day, executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said it might be time for some changes. But before any trades, the Celtics looked internally, moving Al Jefferson (13 points, 5 rebounds) into the starting lineup and giving more time to Justin Reed. There were even cameos by Orien Greene, Ryan Gomes, and Brian Scalabrine with the game decided.

Ricky Davis led the Celtics in scoring for a second straight night with 20 points. Raef LaFrentz (13 points) and Marcus Banks (14 points) added double digits off the bench.

But by no means are all the Celtics' problems solved. After all, they did allow the Clippers to shoot 46 percent (including 57 percent in the third) on a bad night and close within 10 points early in the fourth.

Just as the second quarter belonged the Celtics, the third quarter belonged to the Clippers. Kind of.

Although the Clippers weren't as dominant as the Celtics had been before halftime, they did close within 89-76 and gained a measure of momentum. Given the inconsistency that has stymied the Celtics this season, a dropoff in performance was not unexpected. Plus, odds were either Cuttino Mobley or Elton Brand would find a better groove. As it turned out, it was Rhode Island-product Mobley.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Mobley (27 points) put a small dent in the Celtics' lead, but coach Doc Rivers was concerned enough to reinsert defensive-stopper Reed. But almost as soon as Reed checked in, Mobley drove past him for a layup with 3:01 left in the third. The basket brought the Clippers within 13 points (83-70). They would come no closer in the third, but with the Celtics showing signs of reverting to bad habits (seven turnovers in the quarter), the Clippers had a more realistic chance at a comeback.

For the third time this season, Rivers made a non-injury-related change to the starting lineup when he replaced Kendrick Perkins with Jefferson. (Perkins replaced Mark Blount in the first change, and Blount replaced LaFrentz in the second.)

The Celtics needed to find a spark somewhere and thought Jefferson could provide one given his recent play. Well, the Celtics found more than a spark in the second quarter and entered halftime ahead, 64-46.

But it was LaFrentz and Banks off the bench who gave Boston its biggest boost.

The second was the best quarter of basketball the Celtics have played on this road trip. By far. It was also one of the best quarters they have played all season. In addition to defense that frustrated the Clippers, the Celtics shot 61 percent. It was hard to believe Boston was the same team that lost 24 hours earlier to a depleted Sacramento team.

The Celtics outscored the Clippers, 33-15, in the second quarter, breaking open the game after the first ended, 31-31. For a team that has struggled with basic defensive concepts in its last three losses, holding the Clippers to 15 points and 29 percent (4 for 14) from the floor was particularly impressive. So was the fact that Boston, the second-most turnover-prone team in the league, lost the ball on only three possessions in the first half. The Clippers scored just 4 points off the turnovers. Boston also took a rebounding advantage into the break.

The Celtics distanced themselves with a 19-4 run in the second quarter that started with a 15-footer from Reed. That Reed was on the court represented yet another change. Considered a defensive specialist by the coaching staff, Reed did not play against Sacramento after logging 29 seconds against Golden State and 12 seconds against Seattle.

LaFrentz, who found his perimeter shot on the trip, picked up where Reed left off, hitting a pair of 20-footers to sustain the spurt. Then, it was time for Banks to show what he could do, using his speed to score on driving layups and create 3-point plays. Boston led, 50-35, when the run ended on a pair of Pierce free throws with 5:09 remaining in the second. The Celtics would lead by as many as 20 points late in the quarter.

All they had to do was sustain their effort for a win, hoping the demands of back-to-back road games would not take their toll.