Smith (knee) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday. McCarthy said RT Don Barclay (kn | Forum

BOSTON -- Jared Sullinger was at a loss to explain how his Boston Celtics could win while committing a season-high 28 turnovers. Frank Gore Colts Jersey . "I honestly dont know," he said. Try this: 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds by Rajon Rondo, a 62-37 rebounding advantage by the Celtics and a horrible 4-for-30 shooting performance on 3-pointers by the Nets. The result was a 91-84 victory in which Brooklyn never led and had its four-game winning streak stopped Friday night. The rebounding "was obviously the difference in the game for us, from our standpoint. That, and they missed the 3s," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "Id like to say that it was this outstanding 3-point defence, but I think when you re-watch it, its a lot of open 3s they missed." The Celtics scored the first five points and won for just the second time in nine games. And they held off Brooklyn after an 11-point run cut the lead to 70-68 with 2:02 left in the third quarter. The Celtics came back to take a 78-70 lead entering the final quarter and led by at least seven points the rest of the way. "We shared the ball pretty well with our team, and theirs," Stevens said after watching the Celtics commit twice as many turnovers as Brooklyn, "so, overall, it was at least a step in the right direction." The Nets were led by Joe Johnson with 21 points and Deron Williams with 20 as they fell back to .500 two days after going over the mark for the first time this season. The Celtics (21-41) were coming off a very poor performance in a 108-88 loss to Golden State on Wednesday night. "We need to keep working, keep grinding and understand we cant take anyone lightly," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. Jason Collins, the NBAs first openly gay player, did not play for the Nets for the first time in seven games since signing a 10-day contract Feb. 23. Collins, who played for the Celtics last season, signed a second 10-day contract Wednesday. The Celtics got 15 points from Jeff Green and 14 from Jerryd Bayless. Sullinger led all rebounders with 12. But Rondo was the key, despite his seven turnovers. Rondo missed the first 40 games recovering from off-season knee surgery and has shown an improved shooting touch recently. He hit three of six 3-pointers Friday. "He did a tremendous job coming into the season working on his jumper constantly," Sullinger said. "Now hes starting to become the Rondo we all know every day." Paul Pierce scored 10 points in his second appearance in Boston since the blockbuster trade that sent him and Kevin Garnett to the Nets in the off-season. Pierce spent 15 seasons with the Celtics after they drafted him with the 10th pick in 1998. He received light applause when he was introduced with the other Nets starters. Garnett missed his fourth straight game with back spasms. "Every time I come into this gym, its going to be emotion. Not like last time, though," Pierce said. "We just didnt have any rhythm on offence or defence." Pierce and Garnett each scored six points in their first game in Boston this season, an 85-79 Brooklyn win Jan. 26. Both were emotional during and after video tributes on the video screen above centre court. On Friday, the Celtics led 53-41 at halftime -- after the Nets missed all 17 of their 3-pointers -- and 70-57 with four minutes left in the third quarter. Brooklyn scored the next 11 points with Shaun Livingston starting the spurt with two free throws and Andray Blatche following with a 3-pointer. Andrei Kirilenko made a three-point play, Marcus Thornton sank a layup and Johnson hit a free throw. Green ended the run with a three-point play, the Celtics led 78-70 entering the fourth quarter and stayed ahead by at least seven the rest of the way. Despite all those turnovers. "I remember Bobby Knight on ESPN said the team that had the most turnovers is going to lose," Sullinger said. "I guess we exceeded that expectation." NOTES: Celtics C Vitor Faverani will miss the rest of the season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair a torn lateral meniscus on Friday. ... Pierce made four of 11 shots and is 6-for-24 with 20 points in three games against his former team. Anthony Castonzo Jersey . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Frank Gore Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. http:///...ewhort-colts-jersey/ . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Get a flow chart ready to follow the Packers quarterback situation. The old backup is now the backup again. Hes taking the place of the guy who was the backup, who played for a series before he was injured and gave way to the former third-stringer. All this after Aaron Rodgers got hurt. Amid that instability, is a picture of calm, at least at his locker Wednesday. Former practice squad player Scott Tolzien is keeping things simple as he prepares to make his first career NFL start, Sunday at the New York Giants. "Its the same game that you played in high school, in youth football ... Youre trying to move the football, take care of the football, and finish with drives with a score or kick," Tolzien said. "So you try to minimize (the) impact that the game has, and just treat it as the same game as you were a kid." Coach Mike McCarthy has said Rodgers might be a couple weeks away from returning from a fractured left collarbone. Seneca Wallace is on injured reserve after hurting his groin last week against the Eagles, giving Tolzien to impress coach Mike McCarthy. Now, Matt Flynns back this week to back up Tolzien. And yeah, thats a little weird to Flynn that Rodgers isnt calling the shots. "Yeah, I dont think anyone will ever get used to that," Flynn said. "Hes just been a solid, consistent guy. I think its weird for everybody, probably, to prepare, get through a game and prepare without him." Just another in the seemingly endless list of challenges encountered by coach Mike McCarthy in an injury-filled season. And stop saying that word that begins with "I," please! "Were not going to need (Flynn), OK? Ive had enough of this bad karma about quarterbacks getting injured," McCarthy said. "So Scotts going to play the whole game" Sunday. Tolzien earned the shot after playing relatively well in relief of Wallace considering he had only a handful of snaps the previous week, throwing for 280 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in the 27-13 loss to the Eagles. McCarthy and Rodgers have been impressed with Tolziens work ethic. He was signed before the start of the seasoon after being released by the 49ers, and Tolzien recounted how he used to sleep on the coach at the team facility after putting in long hours getting ready. DQwell Jackson Jersey. Hes not doing that in Green Bay, but hes apparently just as hard-working and detailed. "He eats well because hes here all the time, so Im not worried about him," McCarthy said. "The man loves it, and youve got to appreciate his work ethic. Its refreshing, and its good for everybody, and hes going about it the right way." Maybe its because of his blue-collar Midwestern sensibility. Tolzien is from Illinois, and he played college ball at Wisconsin. This is big news in the Badger Country. There are more demands on his time as the starting quarterback. But hes keeping things in perspective. "I think my job right now is to put the blinders on, have some tunnel vision and focus on the task at hand," Tolzien said. Thats getting the offence ready for the Giants and ending the Packers two-game skid. Now he can draw on Flynn for advice, too. Flynn owns a share of the franchise single-game passing record of 480, set the last time he played in Green Bay, on Jan. 1, 2012, against the Lions. He signed with the Seahawks as a free agent the following off-season but lost his job to Russell Wilson (another former Wisconsin quarterback). Seattle traded Flynn to the Oakland in the off-season. He was cut by the Raiders in October then signed by the Bills before being released by Buffalo last week -- on the same day that Rodgers got hurt. Both McCarthy and Flynn have said the quarterbacks arm is fine. Flynn said that while things have changed with the running game since he was last in Green Bay, hes right at home with the passing playbook. "I feel confident that Ill be back fluent in this offence real soon," he said. Notes: Center Evan Dietrich-Smith (knee) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday. McCarthy said RT Don Barclay (knee) was getting better, and was waiting to get fitted with a brace to return to practice. ... LB Clay Matthews practiced without the "club" over his right hand, but still sported protection on his injured thumb. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '