MARTIN, Tenn. - Former University of Tennessee at Martin superstar and current Boston Celtics guard Lester Hudson is rolling along through the 2009-10 NBA season's first week.

The Celtics, who own more NBA titles (17) than any other team in the league, have begun their season with a 5-0 record heading into tonight's road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Boston is currently one of only three undefeated teams so far this season, and only team from the Eastern Conference with an unblemished record.

Hudson, who the Celtics chose with its only draft pick this offseason, has appeared in three of the season's first five games. After Boston defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 95-89 on Opening Night on Oct. 27 to snap an 11-game losing streak in Cleveland, Hudson made his NBA debut one night later against the Charlotte Bobcats.

In that game, the Celtics held Charlotte to 10 third-quarter points in an 92-59 victory. The 59 points were the fewest for an opener in NBA history since the advent of the shot clock (1954-55). Hudson entered the game at the 9:36 mark of the fourth quarter and played the duration of the game, stuffing the stat-sheet just as he did at UT Martin. The two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year grabbed one rebound, handed out one assist, and had one steal.

Boston then played two nights later, hosting the Chicago Bulls in a 118-90 victory in a re-match of last season's epic seven-game first round playoff series. Hudson checked in at the 10:15 mark of the fourth quarter and once again finished the game, scoring his first career NBA points at the 3:58 mark when he hit the first of two free throws. The Memphis native then scored his first field goal of his young career a little over three minutes later, creating some separation between a defender before launching a 20-foot jumper that found nothing but net.

The Celtics took down the New Orleans Hornets 97-87 on Nov. 1. Hudson did not play in that game, but returned two nights later for the best game of the season so far in a 105-74 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Hudson helped the Celtics improve to 5-0 for the second time in the last three seasons by scoring six points, dishing out three assists, and blocking a shot in just six minutes of playing time.

Hudson entered the game at the 6:45 mark and immediately made his presence felt, blocking a lay-up attempt by 6-foot-10 Marreese Speights just 32 seconds later. Hudson earned the assist on an 18-foot jumper by Shelden Williams at the 5:30 mark before converting his first career NBA three-pointer, a 25-foot jumpshot with 4:58 left.

A little over a minute later, Hudson connected again from downtown - this time a 24-foot jumper. Hudson then was credited with the assist on Boston's last two field goals - a two pointer from JR Giddens and a trey from Brian Scalabrine.

With the win, the Celtics had won their first five games by an average of 21.6 points per game, which is the best such start in Celtics history and the third-best in NBA history, trailing only the 68-win 1966-67 Sixers and last year's World Champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Overall, Hudson has averaged 3.0 points, 1.3 assists (opposed to 0.33 turnovers), 0.33 blocks and 0.3 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game. Hudson has made three of his five field goal attempts (.600), both of his three-point attempts (1.000), and one of his two free throws (.500). Perhaps the most telling stat of all, however, is Hudson's plus-minus statistic of +19, which denotes the team's net points while the player is on the court. Hudson's rating means the Celtics have outscored its opponents by 19 points while Hudson has been on the floor.

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