It wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t pretty, but the Boston Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 85-75 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Like they have done all season, the Celtics walked the tight-rope between success and failure and, somehow, kept their balance long enough to survive the scare.

Kevin Garnett anchored Boston with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while once again providing stellar interior and pick-and-roll defense. Paul Pierce added 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with just over four minutes to go and Ray Allen broke out of his shooting slump at the perfect time, nailing two monster three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

The story, of course, was Rajon Rondo, who once again yawned his way to a triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), then took over down the stretch with nine consecutive points after Pierce picked up his sixth foul. The Sixers dared Rondo to beat them in the final minutes, and beat them he did.

More details to come soon, so stay tuned. Also, follow @celticstown for news from the Celtics and Sixers’ locker rooms and press conferences.

Doc Rivers told reporters before Sunday’s Game 4 at The TD Garden that Avery Bradley will start, despite needing his shoulder to be popped back into the socket during Game 3.  Via Gary Dzen of The Boston Globe:

Bradley warmed up twice before tonight’s game under the direction of team doctor Brian McKeon before being cleared to play.

“It’s a concern,” said Rivers. “It’s a concern tonight and moving forward as well. We’re just going to throw him out there … I guess each time it comes out you lose strength. But he’s ready to go.”

Atlanta potentially had some good health news as well, as Al Horford was placed on the active list and is considered a game-time decision following his warm up. Via Royce Young of CBS Sports:

For the first time in four months, Al Horford will be in uniform for the Hawks. He’s active for Game 4 against the Celtics in Boston, though he’s still a gametime decision. He warmed up pregame, but it isn’t a sure thing he’ll play.

Horford has been out since January when he tore his left pectoral muscle. He was expected to miss the entire first round of the playoffs.

Boston Celtics, I don’t even know you anymore.

Back above .500? Blowing out a cellar-dweller? Not letting the Nets back in the game after an 18-point halftime lead? Rajon Rondo talking to reporters shortly after the game?

I could get used to aggressive, double-double machine Kevin Garnett again, or 35 team assists (13 from the Kentucky cancer, mind you). Of course, I shouldn’t. The Celtics will probably will get blown out on national television against the Knicks on Sunday  and Chris Broussard and Steven A. Smith will report “sources” that Danny Ainge is in exploratory trade talks regarding Jeremy Lin and Rajon Rondo. Oh well, I’ll enjoy this one tonight.

P.S. How did Danny Ainge let Gerald Green get away!! All he needed was some time and good coaching!! Did you see that alley oop??

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) drives the baseline around Toronto Raptors forward James Johnson (2) as Celtic's Chris Wilcox (44) looks on during the first half of their NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

With Andrea Bargnani sitting out due to a  calf injury, the Toronto Raptors looked more like D-Leaguers than a bonafide NBA team Wednesday night at the TD Garden.

The Celtics outclassed the Raptors in every facet of the game, encountering very little resistance as they marched to a 100-64 victory which put Boston above .500 for the first time since January 4th.

Paul Pierce once again took hold of the offense in Rajon Rondo’s absence (Rondo is expected to return Friday), registering eight assists and six rebounds to go along with 17 points. Pierce canned four of the Celtics 12 three-pointers, which tied the team’s season-high for made three-pointers.

Boston shot just as well from inside the arc, establishing a 22-point halftime lead after shooting 62% from the field. With the exception of Chris Wilcox (who hauled in five rebounds), each Celtic player scored at least one basket. Boston assisted on 30 of its 39 field goals, while committing just 10 turnovers.

Holding a 28-point lead entering the fourth quarter, Doc Rivers elected to rest the Big Three and give extended minutes to the bench players. Rookie JaJuan Johnson took advantage of his opportunity, making all five of his shots for 10 points in 10 minutes.

Johnson has a feathery touch from both the post and out to 15-feet, but he lacks the strength to compete on the defensive end. If Johnson can fill out and develop his lower-body strength, he’ll have no trouble cracking the rotation down the road. After all, he was the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year last season.

Considering the starters played fewer minutes than they are accustomed to, and the Celtics have an off-day on Thursday before hosting the reeling New York Knicks on Friday, Boston seems to be in a good position to avenge their loss in the season-opener. The Knicks have lost nine of their last 11 games, and will be playing the second night of a back-to-back after they host Chicago on Thursday night.

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, left, and Orlando Magic power forward Glen Davis, his former teammate, look for the bounce on a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

For the first time since the infamous Kendrick Perkins trade last February, the Boston Celtics matched up with the Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic Monday night at the TD Garden–and they played without Rajon Rondo (“sore” right wrist) and Ray Allen (jammed left ankle).

The Celtics missed Perkins’ lauded post-defense about as much as they missed Rondo and Allen. Not so much. Led by an impressive effort from Jermaine O’Neal, the Boston frontcourt forced Howard into 4-15 shooting, while Avery Bradley disrupted Jameer Nelson and the Magic half-court offense in a much-needed 87-56 win.

The oft-criticized Bradley and the much-maligned Sasha Pavlovic started in place of Rondo and Allen, outscoring their Orlando counterparts (Nelson and Jason Richardon), while playing praise-worthy defense. Bradley’s defense was so good, he’s in danger of being sued by Nelson and his cohorts for harassment.

In addition to three steals, Bradley’s ball-pressure pushed Nelson to start the offense from well beyond the three-point arc after wasting pressure time on the shot clock. Pavlovic, meanwhile, was credited with two monster blocks (though I could have sworn I counted three) and two steals. Bradley and Pavlovic were a major part of a defense that held Orlando to 24.6% from the field and 25% on three-point field goals, while forcing 23 turnovers.

While the defense was a team effort (O’Neal and Kevin Garnett each added two blocks, while Garnett swiped five steals as well), the offense was led by Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass. Despite garnering most of the attention of the Magic defense, Pierce mustered 19 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. He scored six quick points early in the third quarter to get the blowout ball rolling.

After weeks of watching Pierce plod into the lane and front-rim countless shots, it was encouraging to see him sinking a turnaround, baseline fadeaway and a couple of his patented step-back elbow jumpers. Pierce finally appears to be rounding into form–and it couldn’t come at a better time for a banged up Boston.

For his part, Bass made Orlando GM Otis Smith rethink swapping him for Glen Davis (if Glen Davis hadn’t already done that when he dropped trow in protest of a foul call). He made 8-14 shots, scoring 19 points to go along with eight rebounds.

Bass’ boyhood buddy Davis scored six points and hauled in 11 rebounds in his emotional return to Boston. Davis was nearly brought to tears during a 35-second tribute video on the Jumbotron in which he received a standing ovation.

Wait, what? Doc Rivers almost fought Horace Grant? While he was coaching him? Why did I never know this before?

According to a great piece Mark Murphy wrote for the Boston Herald, Rivers was sick of Grant’s attitude. Grant was a veteran who was set in his ways and didn’t want to change. By baiting his teammates with what Murphy called “withering sarcasm,” Grant (and I assume his rec specs, too) were becoming a problem.

Doc confronted Grant about his bad attitude on the team plane, and the two had to be separated by fellow coaches and players before any punches were thrown. Not that Rivers was against a nice brawl.

“We never came to blows, but I was willing to,” Rivers said. “It escalated, and honestly it was more me being the aggressor. I approached him for sure. I was young and far more emotional. It was about another player. He was saying things to another player about the other player. It had nothing to do with me. But I wasn’t having that, because it disrupts your team.

“One of the other guys said, ’Well, Horace does that,’ but I said, ’Not here,’ ” Rivers said. “I confronted him about it and he tried to get out of it, and I said we’re not going to have that.

“It’s funny, a year later I saw Horace and we talked a long time,” said Rivers. “(Expletive) happens in a year. Some you laugh at, some you wish didn’t happen. I still, to this day, know that Horace is a good guy, but in that instance he was a veteran set in his ways who didn’t want to change.”

I re-watched Year of the Bull (my favorite YouTube clip ever) for the 9,000th time yesterday, and the football coach in that clip (after spear-tackling one of his own back-talking players), explained his behavior: “Before I let you lose respect for me, I will lose my job and I will fight you.” The coach continued, “Once they see you [act out], they’re going to do it. And after we have that reputation, that’s it man. They’ve got us. They’ve got us. Still, I love you. I love you like a son.”

The other Orlando Magic player tried to rationalize Horace Grant’s behavior by saing, “Well, Horace does that.” But Rivers couldn’t let Horace do something Rivers discouraged, even if it was just Horace being Horace. He had to keep the locker room’s respect and hold players accountable for every action. If he’d let Horace get away with all that withering sarcasm crap, Rivers would have lost his locker room’s respect. And after he has that reputation, that’s it man. They’ve got him. They’ve got him.

We tend to look at Doc Rivers as a players’ coach, someone who lets his players get away with a lot. But there’s a reason Rivers has kept control of a locker room with so many zany personalities. He commands respect. Before he lets you lose respect for him, he will lose his job and he will fight you.

“Well, Horace does that.”

“Not here.”