Celtics pull away

Celtics 89, Cavaliers 73

NBA. The bench had helped the Celtics continuously through the season, but never like this.

With the Celtics’ starters failing to establish any rhythm early in the game, the bench players gave the team a shot in the arm, reversed momentum and carried the C’s to a 89-73 win over the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday night at the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Celtics, who have held the Cavs to three of their four lowest point totals this season, take their 2-0 series lead into Game 3 Saturday in Cleveland.

After Paul Pierce and Ray Allen each had their worst career playoff performances in Game 1, the tandem combined to score 35 Thursday night. Kevin Garnett punched in with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

After an ugly Game 1 performance on the offensive end from both sides, the Cavs seemed to have things figured out in the first quarter while the Celtics struggled badly. Cleveland built a 21-9 lead, as Rajon Rondo and the C’s looked helpless running a stagnant offense.

The Celtics’ bench, led by Sam Cassell (all nine points in the first half) and Leon Powe (nine of his 11 points in the first half), fired up the Boston resurgence. The bench scored 21 of the C’s next 23 points, including 15 straight to start the second quarter, and the Celtics ripped off a 19-3 run to build a 39-30 lead. With LeBron James (21 points) missing seven straight and 10 of 13 in the first half, the C’s took a 44-36 advantage into the break.

Allen (16 points) finally ended his series scoring drought early in the third quarter, picking up four points in the Celtics’ 10-0 run that put them ahead 54-36. Even when the Cavs trimmed the deficit to 12, Allen came right back, attacked the bucket to draw a foul to spark a 7-0 run. He scored 11 points in the third, as the C’s extended the margin to 70-51 heading into the fourth quarter, and they never looked back from there.