Garnett: 'Today was a huge game for us'

After beating the Bulls, 95-91, on Sunday the Celtics acknowledged that this was an important victory, especially after losing by one point to the Lakers on Thursday and getting embarrassed by the Raptors in Toronto the following night.

"We needed a win," Kevin Garnett said. "Today was a huge game for us. Dealing with everything that happened in Toronto, yeah today was a needed win. Nothing else said. It was. And I thought we played like it.

"I thought we played with an edge," Garnett continued. "We played like the old Celtics that I know we are. Doc [Rivers] came in and gave us a good talking to, something we needed to hear."

The Bulls were without reigning MVP Derrick Rose, but they were 5-1 without Rose in the lineup and the Celtics were dealing with injury issues of their own as they were without Jermaine O'Neal and Brandon Bass.

"I knew we would bounce back," Paul Pierce said. "This is a competitive group, has a lot of pride. We hate when we don’t play well or lose to the teams we’re supposed to beat."

The two teams will play each other again on Thursday in Chicago.

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