Rondo tallies 19 assists as Celtics knot series with Cavs
5/4/2010CLEVELAND — The window hasn't closed on the Boston Celtics. It's still wide open.
Rajon Rondo tied a team playoff record with 19 assists, Ray Allen scored 22 points and the Celtics, showing they're still very dangerous despite their years, opened a 25-point lead in the fourth and then survived Cleveland's comeback for a 104-86 win on Monday night 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 with 9:08 left, but the Cavs scored 15 straight and pulled within 93-83 on LeBron James' basket with 3:13 left.
Boston, though, closed with an 11-3 spurt.
James scored 24 and Antawn Jamison 16 for Cleveland, which was outscored 31-12 in the third.