get big win over Celtics

JOE FREEMAN

It was, quite simply, the most impressive, unlikely and perhaps most important victory of the Trail Blazers' season.

Playing without All-Star guard Brandon Roy and against the NBA champion Boston Celtics, the Blazers had just enough poise, just enough pride and just enough toughness to win 91-86 Tuesday night, delighting a sellout Rose Garden crowd of 20,651.

And in the process of winning the final game of 2008, the young and improving Blazers learned a potentially crucial lesson that could lead to a successful 2009.

"(This shows) that we can beat anyone in the league at any time," center Joel Przybilla said. "We learned that everyone in this room can compete with anyone at this level, with any team at this level, at any time. We have a lot of guys that can play on this team."

The Blazers (20-12) ended a seven-game losing streak to the Celtics, which included three consecutive losses at the Rose Garden.

In the last meeting against the Celtics, a 93-78 loss in Boston, the Blazers finished with a season-low-tying 29 field goals and a season-low 11 assists. And after the first quarter, it appeared the Blazers were destined to endure another grueling defeat at the hands of the Celtics (28-5). The Blazers trailed 23-13, having registered their fewest points in any quarter this season.

The game began to turn with 5:11 left in the second quarter.

Rookie Greg Oden, in a move that seemed to energize the Rose Garden and inspire his teammates, pushed All-Star guard Ray Allen into the first row during a drive to the basket. Oden was whistled for a technical foul, and Allen nailed three consecutive free throws, increasing Boston's lead to 37-25.

But the tone was set: The Blazers weren't going to back down from the Celtics this time.

Portland outscored Boston 15-8 the rest of the quarter, trimming the Celtics' lead to 45-40 at halftime, and the momentum carried over into the second half. The Blazers earned a share of the lead at 49-49 with 7:44 left in the third quarter when LaMarcus Aldridge nailed two free throws and Oden had a layup.

Then the Blazers gained their first lead of the second half early in the third quarter when Jerryd Bayless made two free throws with 11:03 left. It was part of a 6-0 Blazers' run that gave them a 70-64 lead with less than 10 minutes remaining, and for the first time, it seemed like the Blazers actually had a chance against the Celtics --even without their do-everything All-Star, Roy.

Boston trimmed the lead to one possession several times the rest of the way, including in the closing seconds at 87-86 after Paul Pierce converted a three-point play with 22.6 seconds left.

But the Blazers never faded. Sergio Rodriguez drained his most important free throws of the season with 17.9 seconds left to give the Blazers an 89-86 advantage and, after Eddie House missed a three-pointer, the victory was all but sealed.

In the middle of the comeback, in another tense moment that could potentially become a defining moment for the Blazers, Aldridge and Garnett got into it, and each received a technical foul with less than 30 seconds remaining. Garnett appeared to bump, then elbow Aldridge as he walked toward the Celtics' bench during a timeout. Aldridge responded by slapping the back of Garnett's head.

"We're out there together," said point guard Steve Blake. "We support each other. If teams are going to go after somebody, they're going to have to go after all of us. It's nice to know that your teammates have your back. Everyone kind of manned up tonight."

Especially Blake, who finished with a team-high 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting, including 5 of 7 three-pointers, and three assists. Aldridge overcame a dreadful first half to finish with 20 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, and Oden had another solid performance, registering 13 points and 11 rebounds --his 10th double double of the season.

There were contributions up and down the Blazers roster --from Travis Outlaw's 17 points off the bench, to Rodriguez's clutch free throws down the stretch.

"I thought we really looked confident out there, we didn't look rattled and we pretty much stayed poised, I thought, throughout the game," McMillan said. "And if we gave out game balls, we could give them to a number of guys tonight."

Notes:

Bayless, playing his most meaningful minutes of the season, finished with two points, two assists and four turnovers in an up-and-down performance. . . . Fernandez made his first career start, in place of Roy, for the Blazers.

Joe Freeman: 503-294-5183;

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