Originally published Saturday, December 6, 2008 at 12:00 AM

NBA Notebook | Celtics stop Blazers' roll

The Boston Celtics finally got a look at the one that got away. Greg Oden made his first visit to Boston on Friday night, and the Celtics...

By The Associated Press

NBA scores and stats

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics finally got a look at the one that got away.

Greg Oden made his first visit to Boston on Friday night, and the Celtics banged him around and back to the bench with foul trouble before beating the Portland Trail Blazers 93-78.

"I think he's just raw right now," Celtics forward Paul Pierce said. "He's going to get better."

The NBA's most-decorated franchise was two decades into its championship drought in 2007 when it went into the draft lottery coveting Oden or Kevin Durant. The ping-pong balls bounced badly and the Celtics wound up with neither, but with their backup plan they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and won their 17th title.

So there were no regrets in Boston when the Blazers brought Oden and a six-game winning streak to town.

"They're the world champions," said Oden, who had just five points and six rebounds in 18 minutes before fouling out with 3:46 left. "We came in here wanting to see where we're at, and we're not there yet."

It was the first time the Trail Blazers lost with Oden in the starting lineup since the season opener, when he left scoreless with a sprained right foot after less than 13 minutes.

"We have got to get better," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "This is the type of basketball that you are going to be facing going down the stretch. ... Physical play like this, we've got to be able to mentally and physically play it."

Notes

• Memphis G O.J. Mayo scored in double digits in his 19th straight game, matching Lamar Odom for the longest stretch of double-digit performances for a rookie starting their NBA career since 1997-98.

• Cleveland C Zydrunas Ilgauskas is just 15 rebounds from passing Brad Daugherty (5.227) as the franchise's career leader.

• Former NBA player Corie Blount was charged with felony drug possession after authorities saw him pick up a package they knew contained marijuana, then found more marijuana at his home, the Butler County (Ohio) sheriff said Friday. If convicted, Blount faces one to five years in prison.

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