Jim Calhoun would have been proud watching this game.

Former University of Connecticut standout Rudy Gay dominated the first half of Monday night's Celtics-Grizzlies game. But with the game on the line, it was former Husky Ray Allen who showed Gay how to get the job done.

Gay scored 17 points (4-8 FG, 9-9 FT) in just 21 minutes to give the Grizzlies a one-point lead at halftime. He finished with 23 points. Allen saved his stuff for the second half, though, and scored 12 points in the final two quarters to end the night with 18 (6-13 FG, 5-6 3PG).

While Gay led the Grizzlies, Allen saved the Celtics.

After O.J. Mayo buried a trey to cut the Celtics' lead to 107-105 with 42.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies read the Celtics offense and nearly picked off Paul Pierce. However Allen quickly recovered the ball. He drained a 3 as the shot clock expired with 17.5 seconds left in regulation for a 110-105 lead that held up as the final score.

Here are three things we learned from the Celtics' 11th straight victory:

ROAD, SWEET ROAD

The road has been just as sweet as home for the Celtics this season. They improved to a league-best 12-1 away from the Garden and have won eight straight on the road.

The Celtics’ cumulative 11-game winning streak began Nov. 22 when Kevin Garnett hit the game-winning jumper in New York. Since then, the Celtics have won in Miami, Charlotte, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and now in Memphis.

The C’s have only played three sporadic home games during this period. Last week, they had a one-game homestand against the Bucks sandwiched in between three- and four-game road trips.

In spite of the Celtics' success, Doc Rivers still was cautious at the end of their travels, with the team prepared to resume life in Boston later this week.

“You just don't know how those games are going to turn out for you,” Rivers told the media following the game. “You can see it early. That's why in the second quarter, I usually bring Kevin back in, I just sat him because I just had a sneaking feeling that this was going to be tight down the stretch and I wanted him to have this legs.”

The Celtics will return to Boston for a three-game homestand beginning on Friday against the 76ers. They will play the Magic in Orlando on Christmas Day before a three-game West Coast road trip at the end of the month.

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Tickets

02/15/2012

Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons - TD Garden, Boston, MA
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02/29/2012

Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks - TD Garden, Boston, MA
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03/2/2012

Boston Celtics vs New Jersey Nets - TD Garden, Boston, MA
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The Celtics’ starting lineup boasts a total of 47 years of NBA experience. The Grizzlies come in just short of that at 15 (one less than Garnett alone).

Those years of experience paid off for the Celtics as they banded together to close the game out down the stretch. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, were stifled by the C’s chemistry and composure.

Even when Garnett picked up his fifth personal and Kendrick Perkins fouled out, the C's veteran bench stepped in to maintain the lead. The Celtics received 15 points from Rasheed Wallace, who exposed the Grizzlies' most veteran player, Zach Randolph, and attempted 15 field goals.

The combination of a unified starting five and experienced bench have the Celtics 17-0 this season when leading or tied at the end of the third quarter.

“We've been together, that's our advantage,” Rivers said. “It's the same starting five for the last three years. You have veterans coming off the bench in Eddie House and Rasheed Wallace. We've played a lot of games together and so we have a great confidence. If the game is close we feel like we can win the game.”

HOMECOMING JUST IN TIME FOR HUDSON

Memphis native Lester Hudson's return to his hometown came just in time.

Prior to the Celtics-Grizzlies game, Rivers told the Boston Herald the rookie will be assigned to the NBA D-League's Maine Red Claws in the near future.

“He’s on a very good team where it’s very difficult to get minutes, but that hasn’t sidetracked his work,” Rivers told the Herald. “We’re going to send him down pretty soon to the NBDL for a week or so to get him some games, because I don’t like our young guys going these long stretches without playing games. And then we’re going to bring him back. I think that will help him.”

Hudson was selected by the Celtics with the 58th pick in this year's draft from the University of Tennessee-Martin. He has played a total of 49 minutes in 13 games, averaging 0.8 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 3.8 minutes. Hudson has been working out with assistant coach/former point guard Tyronn Lue and has also put in extra time with Rajon Rondo after practice to improve his defense.

Even though he did not play Monday night, Hudson had already left his mark in the state. While at UTM, he recorded the first quadruple-double in NCAA Division 1 history with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals against Central Baptist College.