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The Boston Celtics got off to the best 29-game start in NBA history, but knew that historic run would be tested with their first significant road trip of the season.

So far, it couldn't be going any worse.

Losers of back-to-back games after winning 19 in a row, the Celtics will try to get back in the win column Sunday night when they visit the struggling Sacramento Kings.

Boston (27-4) had been off to an even better start than last season's championship-winning team, running off 27 wins in its first 29 games. The Celtics looked like a serious threat to top the 72 wins of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the most in league history.

For all the accomplishments of the NBA's most history-laden franchise, Boston had never won 19 games in a row until Tuesday. The Celtics crushed Philadelphia 110-91, their final home game before heading to the West Coast for the first time this season and their first road trip of longer than three games.

In their first meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers since Boston's six-game win in the NBA finals, the Celtics lost 92-83 on Christmas Day at Staples Center, but it was a loss up the California coast the next day that was alarming.

Boston led Golden State 51-39 at halftime on Friday night, but fell apart in the second half, getting outscored 35-17 in the fourth quarter of a 99-89 loss to the Warriors.

"I was worried at halftime when I saw we were shooting 56 (percent) and they were shooting 39 and it was a 12-point game," coach Doc Rivers said. "Once they start making shots, it's tough to turn them off, and we couldn't make anything."

The Celtics had 23 turnovers on Friday - 14 in the second half - and point guard Rajon Rondo had seven. Rondo had six combined turnovers in his previous four games.

Boston hasn't lost three in a row since Feb. 19-22, its first three contests after last season's All-Star break.

"I think we're all looking at ourselves in the mirror individually to see what we can do to get better, to make this team better," said Celtics reserve Eddie House, who is 4-of-15 from the field in the last two games.

Ray Allen also has had problems on this road trip, which ends Tuesday in Portland. He went 5-for-14 from the floor - 3-of-11 on 3-point attempts - for 14 points versus the Lakers and was held to a season-low seven points Friday while battling foul trouble.

Boston is 20-1 when Allen scores at least 15 points.

Allen scored a game-high 17 in the Celtics' last trip to Arco Arena, an 89-69 win on Dec. 26, 2007. Boston had lost its previous 11 games in Sacramento.

These Kings (7-23), though, have won just twice in their last 17 games. Sacramento was swept on a four-game road trip - all against opponents with winning records - before blowing a halftime lead in a 107-101 home defeat to Toronto on Friday for its fifth straight loss.

"A lot of times we really don't even know what we are doing," said center Brad Miller, who tied a season high with 20 points. "So we just have to keep working on it and look at it and keep going at it."

Miller and the Kings allow 43.5 points per game in the paint, and Boston (43.7) averages more than anyone in the East. The Celtics should get an added boost inside with the expected return of starting center Kendrick Perkins, who sat out Friday's game with a sore left shoulder.



Kings suck loss by 30

any feeds

As I suspected, Moore re-inserted back to the starting line up.

Hawes wasnt doing ****!!! Kenny is trying to keep his job. Moore should be starting spencer looks like **** starting!

take out SALMONS from this team and i'm pretty sure they can't reach 70.........

Wow, the only thing we developed in that first half was a nice footprint shaped tattoo on our ass. Natt is even worse than Theus I am afraid. Kenny trying to keep his job is what will most likely be his eventual undoing. Since he's taken over all the young guys minutes have gone down. Thank goodness this looks to be a lengthy garbage time game.

Moore 5 Pts 8 Rebs not bad Spencer 0pts 0 rebs

We are only dow 35, a few tweaks here and there and we can get right back in this one.

All of our announcers are all over Boston's nuts. They're a good team, I get it, so please quit making me feel bad for being a Kings fan instead of a Celtics fan. It's bad enough I'm witnessing it with my eyes, but do I have to hear about it too?

I'm excited we are going to get a top 3 pick this year!

its boston they have 4 losses thier the defending champs no top scorer and arguably best player on the team wtf did u expect

I would expect us to at least keep it within 40 points at home.

your team is a title contender for sure

^^^ Um,ok thanks bro

its the CELTICS UR NOT GONNA STAY WITH THEM WHEN U HAVE 30PTS SITTING ON UR BENCH

its the CELTICS UR NOT GONNA STAY WITH THEM WHEN U HAVE 30PTS SITTING ON UR BENCH

This has to be one of the worst games I seen as a Kings fan. In terms of, performance-wise and blow out-wise. Considering this is a home blow out. Since when we are getting blown out this badly AT Arco? This has to be the largest home defeat in Kings history.

Well we didn't get killed like I thought - which isn't good

ljp24 wrote:your team is a title contender for sure

Coming from a fan (I assume) of one of the teams even more putrid than we are is actually quite amusing.

thebiggesthomer wrote:its the CELTICS UR NOT GONNA STAY WITH THEM WHEN U HAVE 30PTS SITTING ON UR BENCH

That's not the problem here. This team is in shambles. You can't tell me the same basic team that played balls out ball and beat the Lakers is going to lose AT HOME by 50 to ANYONE.