Boston 96, Oklahoma City 83

That's how a possible "trap" or "letdown" game should go.

[recap] [box score]

A slow start, no doubt brought on by the big win last night, mixed with the enthusiasm of an upstart team taking on the defending champs. A fourth quarter with a turnover here, a blown defensive assignment there, a few garbage-time buckets for the opponent. But in between -- in the second and third quarters -- punishing basketball that puts the game out of reach.

Good stuff all around, though nobody played spectacularly. Four starters in double figures, 11 assists for Rondo, 11 first-half points off the bench for Leon Powe, stifling defense. Just takin' care of business on a Wednesday night in the Association.

Got what I asked for from Doc tonight, too, as Pierce played with the second team. Trailing 29-21 after one, Pierce started the second with House, Tony Allen, Powe, and Glen Davis.

That fivesome went on a 17-4 run over the first five-and-a-half minutes of the quarter, and while Pierce got it going with a tough three-pointer as the shot clock wound down, the rest of the scoring came from the second-stringers: nine for Powe on a combination of layups and free throws; a Tony Allen bucket in transition; a pair at the line from House; 1 of 2 from the stripe from Davis.

Pierce, however, was the catalyst, initiating the offense on every possession. He had but one assist during the stretch, but he ran the pick and roll with Davis that sent Baby to the line; he fed Leon for what should have been an easy layup (Leon missed but got the putback); and he penetrated and created opportunities for Davis and House that those guys missed.

Pierce is more comfortable and more effective initiating the offense than Ray Allen is, and as I've said, I think it's important to take primary ball-handling duties away from Tony Allen. Tony played much more within himself tonight, and he's clearly more comfortable playing off the ball in the halfcourt.

The rub is that this meant 40 minutes for Pierce on the second night of a road back-to-back. At this point, I'm not sure we can cut any meaningful minutes from any of the Big Three, but I do think that Doc should be quicker to get them out of games that are in hand. All three of them -- in fact, all five starters -- were on the court at the final horn, despite the fact that Boston led by 15 with 4:37 to go (and OKC never got closer than 12 the rest of the way).

This was a problem last year, too. I don't know why Doc does it: If he just forgets; if he wants the starters to be able to have the feeling of finishing the job; or if some ideal of professionalism prevents him from playing the bomb squad. Whatever it is, he needs to get over it. It's tiring these guys out, someone could get hurt, and I'm just waiting for the always-competitive KG to get into a fight under two minutes with the game well in hand.