Allen's 3-pointer helps Celtics extend winning streak to 11

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NBA.com exclusive) -- Boston forward Paul Pierce joked afterward that it went just as Celtics coach Doc Rivers drew it up:

Pierce passes ball to Kevin Garnett out of pick-and-roll.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay tips ball.

Celtics guard Ray Allen catches deflection and fires from 3-point range.

"I mean, hey, textbook basketball. I don't know what more you can say," said Pierce, whose Celtics held on Monday for a 110-105 road victory over the upstart Grizzlies thanks to Allen's game-saving 3-pointer with 17.5 seconds left.

"I said before that's the way we drew it up. We come off the pick and roll with Kevin and coach said, 'When you look back, expect Rudy Gay to tip the ball up. Ray, you run around, grab it, come off another Kevin screen and knock down the 3.' "

By design or not, Allen's late-game heroics propelled Boston to its 11th straight victory overall and its sixth straight against the Grizzlies, who entered Monday's game having won four of their last five games and nine of 13.

"We've been together. That's our advantage," Rivers said. "It's been the same starting five for the last three years. We have veterans coming off the bench. We've played a lot of games together. There's a great confidence that if the game is close, we can win the game."

In a contest that featured 15 ties and 18 lead changes, Pierce's 19 points led five Boston starters in double figures. Allen, who connected on five of the Celtics' 10 3-pointers, and point guard Rajon Rondo added 18 apiece for a Boston squad that shot 50 percent from beyond the arc (10-of-20) and 52.5 percent overall (42-of-80).

Rasheed Wallace scored 15 off the bench and Garnett and center Kendrick Perkins had 13 apiece.

The Celtics (20-4) built their biggest lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, when Rondo's layup gave Boston a 103-95 advantage with 2:49 left to play

But Memphis (10-14), led Monday by Gay's 23 points, responded with a 6-0 run to pull back within two (103-101) with 1:29 to play. A minute later, after Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo's 20-footer cut Boston's lead to 107-105, Allen grabbed the Gay deflection, dribbled around a Garnett screen and knocked down the dagger.

"The Ray shot was just Ray. You know, luck," Rivers said. "That's a good shot for him once he got it, but we'll take it. We'll take the win."

Allen's 3-pointer spoiled a solid offensive effort from the Grizzlies, who, despite shooting 48.4 percent, remained winless in the second game of back-to-backs this season (0-6). Memphis was coming off an impressive 118-90 road victory at Miami on Sunday.

"There is no lesson to be learned," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. "You have to win. You have to make plays. You have to get stops. I thought that we played outstanding basketball. They just beat us. Sometimes that happens. When you play well, you can live with getting beat."

Both teams came out of the gate red hot from the field, connecting on nine of their first 13 shot attempts.

Memphis led by as many as five points (33-28) in the first half, and point guard Mike Conley's 16-foot leaner with two-tenths of a second left in the second quarter gave the Grizzlies a 55-54 advantage going into halftime.

"I think we could have won that game," Gay said. "That just goes to show how close we are. I think it starts to hurt more as you get better as a team."

Mayo finished with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting for Memphis. Forward Zach Randolph had 20 points and center Marc Gasol tacked on 15.

The win was the Celtics' eighth road victory during their current 11-game winning streak.

Memphis hasn't beaten the Celtics at home since winning a 93-76 decision on March 14, 2006.