Plain and simple, the Celtics have the Raptors’ number.
 
The C’s continued their domination with a 114-107 victory on Sunday in Toronto. (Recap.)
 
The Celtics have won seven straight against the Raptors and have not lost to them since January 23, 2008.
 
Boston wasted no time letting the Raptors know their luck was not going to change. They jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first two minutes and got the entire team involved. During that stretch, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace all scored baskets; Perkins, Pierce and Rondo grabbed a rebound, and Rondo dished four assists.
 
Led by Rondo and Wallace, the Celtics’ starting five trumped the individual performances by the Raptors. A game-high 31 points from Chris Bosh and 23 from Andrea Bargnani were not enough to overcome the Celts’ offensive collaboration.
 
All of the Celtics starters reached double digits by the eight-minute mark in the third quarter, and every member of the quintet finished with 16 points or more. Raptors starters Hedo Turkoglu and DeMar DeRozan, on the other hand, combined for just 12 points. (Turkoglu did not score his first basket until six minutes left in the third.)
 
Here are three things we learned from Sunday’s win:
 
‘SHEED SHOWS HIS STUFF
 
When the Celtics made an aggressive bid at Rasheed Wallace last summer, one of the biggest points of emphasis was how well he spread the floor. He boasted an inside-outside game that offered the sort of versatility that could fit easily into several different rotations.
 
There was a stretch early in the season, though, when that version of Wallace did not appear on the court. He began opting for 3-point shots – and missing – rather than playing in the paint. He attempted 76 treys over 14 games in the month of November alone, and only hit 20 of them (26 percent).
 
But players like Wallace don’t have 15-year careers by chucking up ineffective shots. Wallace began to hit his mark, got to the free-throw line more often and improved his game as a starter in place of Kevin Garnett. Game by game, more shades of the player who was so highly sought this summer began to shine.
 
On Sunday, the picture came into full focus.
 
Wallace exploded for a season-high 29 points against the Raptors with a well-rounded mix of long-range and mid-range jumpers and shots at the basket. (It was Wallace’s highest point total since scoring 36 points against the Bulls on November 8, 2007, as a member of the Pistons.) The stat line showcased the versatility that has made Wallace a threat throughout his career – 9-for-12 on field goals, 5-for-7 on 3-pointers and 6-for-6 on free throws in 34 minutes. He also added eight rebounds and two blocks.
 
In addition to his offensive performance, Wallace proved a significant contributor on the defensive end. With less than a minute to go and the Raptors cutting the deficit to six, his veteran experience kicked into gear. He snagged a critical steal that protected the Celtics lead and eventual victory.
 
Doc Rivers told reporters after the game Wallace’s performance was “phenomenal.” It was long-awaited, perhaps, but phenomenal nonetheless.
 
RONDO'S STAR POWER DOESN'T TRANSLATE TO VOTES
 
Rajon Rondo downplayed his performance to the media after the game.
 
It’s time for the young point guard to begin giving himself more credit.
 
Rondo recorded his third career regular season triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. It was the 19th time he dished 10 or more assists this season and the fourth time in five games he has scored 20-plus points (not including the game he missed on January 2).
 
Rondo was the driving force behind the Celtics early lead. He posted nine points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal in the first quarter alone. Rivers was pleased by the way Rondo followed the team’s game plan to increase the effectiveness of the Celtics’ ball movement.
 
“Great assists,” Rivers told reporters. “We felt in the last couple games that we were driving and throwing the ball out of the paint. And we showed on film that we needed to drive and keep the ball in the paint and go end-to-end. And all three were that – they were layups – and then we got the three for Ray after that (during the first-quarter run). That’s our premise.”
 
Not only did Rondo look for his teammates, he also looked for his own shot when necessary. The player who was once dared by opponents to shoot nailed a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired. And after missing critical free throws against the Clippers last month, Rondo showed no hesitation in getting to the line. He earned a trip to the charity stripe when he was fouled shooting the ball over his shoulder as he fell to the ground.
 
While this was just the latest instance in which Rondo produced an All-Star caliber performance, he currently ranks 16th among all NBA guards in fan voting.
 
THREE YEARS LATER, ALLEN'S CAREER IS ON TRACK
 
Tony Allen made his return after missing Friday’s game against the Hawks with flu-like symptoms.
 
But Sunday marked a more significant comeback in Allen’s career. Three years earlier, on January 10, 2007, he blew out his left knee on a post-whistle dunk against the Pacers.
 
Rather than speculate where Allen’s career would be today if he had not gone up for the jam – chances are, he would have been packaged in either the Ray Allen or Garnett deals – it’s worth a look at his contributions on the Celtics this season.
 
After bouncing back from a series of injuries, Allen slipped back into the starting lineup in place of Paul Pierce. Even though there were moments of flash – think the dunk with Eddie House – Allen understands his role on the team. The Celtics don’t need him to do anything fancy; they just need him to play tough defense.
 
A more focused Allen averaged 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in five games as a starter. He posted a series of impressive performances, including a double-double against the Clippers and four games in double-digit scoring. Once Pierce returned, he posted nine points off of 4-for-6 shooting in a victory against the Heat.
 
Three years after threatening his career by trying to be flashy, Allen has realized his biggest contributions will come if he simply plays ball.