BOSTON — Shooting slump? What shooting slump?

As far as Ray Allen is concerned, his playoff shooting slump is a thing of the past. A long forgotten distant memory.

After struggling to score from the field for nine straight playoff games, Allen looked like he has finally found his shooting touch.

Last night he knocked down 9-of-15 shots for 29 points, including one big 21-foot baseline jumper that he buried in the final minute of the game that gave Boston a 102-99 lead.

He would later knock down two big free throws, helping Boston to a 106-102 victory.

Allen is averaging 19.8 points per game in his last four playoff games, which includes last night’s courageous performance.

Last night was Allen’s second 20-plus point game against Detroit in this series. He scored 25 points in Game Two.

Reserves come up cold

Much has been made about the strong play of Boston’s bench in several playoff games this year, but last night its contributions were virtually nonexistent. Boston’s starters combined for 103 of Boston’s 106 points last night.

It’s not the first time that Boston’s bench was unreliable in this series. In Boston’s Game Two loss, the Celtics bench only scored eight points. Detroit’s bench scored 21 points last night.

Contributing any way he can

Boston guard Rajon Rondo once again struggled to score from the field. He missed 11-of-14 shots, but Rondo did hand out a playoff career-high 13 assists, and he buried a shot with less than five minutes remaining in the game that ended a huge Pistons’ run that had cut Boston’s 17 point lead to 92-88.

Billups improving

Detroit guard Chauncey Billups didn’t appear to be affected by his strained right hamstring last night. He returned to form, scoring 26 points with 5 rebounds and 6 assists, but the Celtics held on for the victory.

It might be bad news for the Celtics if Billups is fully recovered from his hamstring injury. Billups is a three-time All-Star and he was the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 NBA Finals when he led Detroit to the NBA title.

That’s the ‘Ticket’

After being brought back down to Earth by being limited to 16 points and 10 rebounds in Boston’s Game Four loss to Detroit, Boston All-Star forward Kevin Garnett returned to championship form last night, finishing with a game-high 33 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 11-for-17 from the floor.

Garnett is averaging 24.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in the Eastern Conference Finals.

On dangerous ground

If Detroit forward Rasheed Wallace gets another technical foul in the series, he will be suspended a game. He has two technical fouls so far in the series, including one he got last night in the fourth quarter of the game.

‘Must game’

Paul Pierce considered last night’s Game Five a “must game” for the Celtics, and Rivers agreed, sort of.

“I think they all are. That’s the only way I look at it. I like that mentality. I think we should have it every night,” he said. “It’s a big win obviously for either team. Game Fives and Game Sevens are very similar. Big swing games.”

Heading into last night’s contest, the Celtics had won the four big swing games in the Atlanta and Cleveland series.

roblee@projo.com