By Agence France-Presse

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics equaled a franchise record Sunday with their 18th straight National Basketball Association victory, a 124-105 thrashing of the New York Knicks.

Rajon Rondo scored 18 of his career-high 26 points in the third period, finishing an impressive 12-of-14 from the floor.

The Celtics shot a season-high 66 percent from the floor in matching the best 28-game start in NBA history.

With a win on Tuesday at home against Philadelphia the Celtics could become the first team to open a season 27-2.

Ray Allen scored 18 for the Celtics, whose winning streak tied the 18-game streak set by the club in 1981-82.

Boston’s two 18-game streaks and one built by the 1969-70 Knicks are tied for fifth-longest in NBA history.

It’s all the more remarkable since while the Celtics are the reigning NBA champions, they are just two years removed from a franchise-worst 18-game losing streak.

The Celtics dropped 18 in a row during a woeful 2006-07 campaign that came months before it assembled last season’s championship squad.

Paul Pierce scored 17 points, Kendrick Perkins added 12 with 12 rebounds.

The Celtics had a double-digit lead less than four minutes into the contest and led 40-21 at the end of the first quarter.

New York’s Nate Robinson scored 17 of his 23 points in the second quarter as the Knicks pulled within eight points at halftime.

They cut their deficit to six on two occasions in the third, but the Celtics always had an answer.