Career night for Mavs’ Rondo in return to Boston
BOSTON — Rajon Rondo scored the Mavericks’ first 10 points in his return to Boston, finishing with a season-high 29 on Friday night to lead Dallas to a 119-101 victory over the Celtics.
Monta Ellis scored 22 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 17 and Tyson Chandler collected 16 rebounds to help the Mavericks to their fourth consecutive victory. Rondo had a career-high five 3-pointers and also finished with six rebounds and five assists in his first game at TD Garden in an opponent’s uniform. The rebuilding Celtics traded the four-time All-Star to Dallas last month.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo had a career-high five 3-pointers in his first game against his former team Boston Celtics. AP
Avery Bradley scored 22 points for the Celtics, and Tyler Zeller had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Rondo scored a career-high 15 points in the first quarter to help Dallas to a 14-point lead. The Mavericks put together a 13-0 run at the end of the third to make it 92-64. The Celtics cut the deficit to 10 points with about six minutes left.
But Rondo hit a jumper and soon added a steal and an assist to help make it 105-90 with 4:45 to play.
He followed that with a pair of 3-pointers and another layup before assisting on Nowitzki’s jumper. Rondo went to the bench for four minutes and came back in to hit a runner and another 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to give Dallas a 31-17 lead. Rondo received a lengthy ovation when he was introduced in the pregame warmups, and then quickly went to work. He knocked the ball loose from Jared Sullinger on Boston’s first possession, took a handoff from Tyson Chandler and went the length of the floor for a layup.
A video before the second period was a collection of Rondo’s greatest passes, a few key shots and a couple of defensive moves as well. It ended with a shot of the ’08 championship banner – the 17th in franchise history – and a picture of him hugging the golden trophy along with the caption, ”Thank You Rajon!”
Both teams applauded as he walked onto the court to wave to the crowd.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Other than Rondo, the Mavs were 6-for-20 shooting in the first quarter. … Rondo scored more than 15 points in a quarter three times with the Celtics, all of them the third quarter and all of them in the 2008-09 season.
Celtics: Jameer Nelson, Brandan Wright and Jae Crowder, who came from Dallas for Rondo, combined for 11 points
UP NEXT
Mavericks: At Cleveland on Sunday.
Celtics: At Chicago on Saturday.
