CLEVELAND - The window hasn't closed on the Boston Celtics. It'sstill wide open.
Rajon Rondo tied a team playoff record with 19 assists, Ray Allenscored 22 points and the Celtics, showing they're still verydangerous despite their years, opened a 25-point lead in the fourthand then survived Cleveland's comeback for a 104-86 win on Mondaynight to even their semifinal series at 1-1.
After blowing an 11-point lead in the third quarter of Game 1,the Celtics almost squandered a much bigger one. They led 91-66 with9:08 left, but the Cavs scored 15 straight and pulled within 93-83on LeBron James' basket with 3:13 left.
Boston, though, closed with an 11-3 spurt.
James scored 24 and Antawn Jamison 16 for Cleveland, outscored 31-12 in the third.
Game 3 is Friday night in Boston.
The Celtics seemed in control with their 25-point bulge, but theygot complacent and found themselves having to scramble down thestretch when they could have been resting up.
"We were playing the clock instead of the game and got stagnant,"Rondo said.
But leading 93-83, Boston regrouped. Rondo and Allen scored, thenKevin Garnett completed a three-point play to make it 100-84,allowing Celtics coach Doc Rivers to finally relax after watchinghis club play inspired ball most of the way before letting up.
Garnett finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Paul Piercescored 14.
Rasheed Wallace, called out by Rivers after a lousy opener, added17 points off the bench as the Celtics stripped the Cavaliers ofhome-court advantage in the series and gave them four days to thinkabout went wrong.
Two years removed from their 17th NBA title, the Celtics weregiven little chance of getting past James and the top-seeded Cavs.Despite beating Miami in the first round, Boston was thought to betoo old, too slow and too reliant on the aging Big Three of Allen,Garnett and Pierce.
But the trio combined for 54 points with Rondo, the Celtics'jitterbugging point guard, setting them up with passes fromimpossible angles. Rondo matched the club's postseason record forassists set by Hall of Famer Bob Cousy.
Up by four at halftime, the Celtics wasted no time pushing theirlead to double digits in the third.
Pierce and Allen hit 3-pointers, and with James tentative -perhaps because of an injured right elbow - and the Cavaliers unableto get anything going on offense or contain Rondo, the Celtics' leadballooned to 74-57 on Kendrick Perkins' basket underneath.
At that point, Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao showed hisfrustration by blatantly slamming into Allen on a baseline drive.Boston's guard was sent sprawling and Varejao was assessed aflagrant foul. Allen split the free throws, but on Boston's nexttrip, he drained a 3-pointer from deep in the corner to make it 78-57.
Anthony Parker threw up his hands in disgust as the Cavs wereunable to stop the Celtics' surge.
With Boston ahead 83-60 after three, several Cleveland fans lefttheir seats.
"We're going to the bar," one said as he bounded up the steps.
He nearly missed a remarkable comeback.
James finally shifted into attack mode, and Cleveland held Bostonwithout a field goal for 5:39 as the Cavs crept back into it.
But Pierce's basket with 3:29 ended the Celtics' long dry spelland Boston managed to do enough to prevent a historic meltdown.
James was presented with his second straight MVP trophy beforethe game by NBA commissioner David Stern, who would like to see thesuperstar re-sign in Cleveland since it would validate the spirit ofthe collective bargaining agreement he helped negotiate.
James, though, didn't appear to be himself and in the thirdquarter he looked over at Cleveland's bench and complained about hiselbow.
Boston's bench was a non-factor in Game 1, scoring just 12 pointson 5-of-13 shooting. Rivers spent the time in between games sayinghe would need much more from his reserves in Game 2.
Wallace and Co. delivered early.
Wallace, who was 1 for 5 in the opener, made his first five shots- three of them 3-pointers - as the Celtics opened a 13-point leadearly in the second.
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