BOSTON -- Doc Rivers was impressed with his old team after the Boston Celtics survived a battle with his Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
"They can make a run," the Los Angeles coach said after the Celtics escaped with a wild 139-135 overtime victory in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
"Listen, they're not scared of anybody," said Rivers, who lost for the first time in five games against his old team. "They've got a bunch of junkyard dogs who can play. Watching the growth of Avery (Bradley) and Jared (Sullinger) has been phenomenal, and they've got guys who can play. You better be ready when you play them, or you're going to lose to them."
The Celtics, who hit the break with 13 wins in their final 17 games, blew a 13-point, third-quarter lead and then rallied from six down both late in regulation and again in the OT.
Clippers guard J.J. Redick scored six consecutive points at the start overtime when twice fouled by guard Avery Bradley. Boston rallied again as guard Evan Turner scored seven straight points for the Celtics, who won their eighth home game in a row.
The victory also the 10th in 13 back ends of back-to-back for the Celtics (32-23), who have won 10 of their past 12 games.
The loss kept Los Angeles (35-18) from completing a sweep of its four-game road trip. It also spoiled the latest TD Garden return of Celtics great Paul Pierce, the forward scoring just six points in 21:37.
Turner, who continues to be a spark off the Boston bench, finished with 14 points, six assists and six rebounds. His heroics gave the Celtics a three-point lead with 58 seconds left in OT, a margin that stood when Clippers guard Jamal Crawford saw a 3-point heave spin in and out. Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws with 8.7 seconds left.
"Evan is quite fond of the big moment," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.
"He has been in the league a long time," Boston forward Jae Crowder said of Turner. "He has a lot of self-confidence in his game, and we as a team have confidence in him to make a play."
The Celtics were short-handed late in the game, with forwards Kelly Olynyk (shoulder, taken for X-rays) and Amir Johnson (back) unavailable, Olynyk getting hurt in the first half and Johnson playing some but largely on the bench with a wrap around his back. Guard Marcus Smart fouled out late in regulation and Crowder in OT.
Boston guard Isaiah Thomas, presented with his All-Star jersey before the game, scored 36 points and dished out 11 assists before heading to Toronto. Sullinger had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Crowder 19 points and eight rebounds, and Bradley and Smart 18 and 17 points, respectively.
Asked about Thomas, who is averaging 21.5 points and 6.6 assists per game, Rivers said, "He's great. He makes big shots. He's tough to guard."
Clippers guard Chris Paul scored 23 of his 35 points in the second half and had 13 assists. Redick scored 27, and center DeAndre Jordan had 21 points and 16 rebounds. Crawford contributed 18 points.
The Clippers, who fell to 18-5 without injured forward Blake Griffin, hurt their cause by missing five free throws in overtime.
Down seven at the end of the third quarter, the Clippers rode guards Paul, Crawford and Lance Stephenson to a 27-13 run to grab a six-point lead with 3:18 left. However, the Celtics rallied and tied the game on a pair of jumpers by Thomas, who was, for some reason, being guarded by Jordan. The Los Angeles center missed two free throws in between the Thomas baskets.
The second Thomas shot tied in with 5.8 seconds left, and Paul then missed a jumper as time expired.
NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers was devastated to hear that Ingrid Williams, the wife of Oklahoma City coach Monte Williams, died in a car crash. "I've known them since they were married. There's no words. There really isn't," he said. I'm heartbroken." ... F Blake Griffin, who missed his 23rd straight game with quad and hand injuries, received a four-game suspension from the Clippers after breaking his hand punching the team's equipment manager. The suspension will be served when Griffin is ready to return. ... Clippers F Paul Pierce, making another return to Boston where his No. 34 will one day hang from the rafters, said before the game that this "could be" his last visit to TD Garden. He has two years left on his contract. Pierce and Rivers received huge ovations during introductions.
