Celtics Fans Wait for Duckboat Parade After Beating Miami, Disappointed and Surprised When No Parade Passes By

Dedicated Green Teamers lined the streets this cold morning, expecting a duckboat parade in honor of their beloved Boston Celtics, who won a regular season game against the mighty Miami Heat. Lifelong Celtics fan Tim Greyson of Somerville remarked "We had a parade when they beat the Lakers. I hate the Lakers. And now I hate the Heat. so why not a parade after beating the Heat now?" Greyson ha set up camp on Causeway Street, with a prime spot staked out to view a parade. He was later heard mumbling about when Halftime Pizza would open so he could "Grab a piss and a slice."

22-year-old Jessica Sanders of Millis, who had positioned herself on Tremont Street after spending the night with "her Suffolk boys," was very vocal about her expectations of a Celtics victory parade after the team's 111-110 victory Saturday night.

"I want to see the C's," she exclaimed, followed by an incoherent series of giggles and suggestive placement of her hand on the interviewer's forearm. "They won and I want to see Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. He's so hot." She smiled, yawned, then burped.

Most Boston fans seemed to realize that the Celtics beating the Heat was just one regular season game among dozens. And that in the long run, the best the C's could reasonably hope for was a low playoff seed, and a mid-pack draft pick in 2014, which would continue the cycle of mediocrity the team has been on.

Some have suggested that the best thing for the Celtics to do in 2013-14 was to do poorly, and get a chance at an early pick in the 2014 Draft.

But try explaining that to Mr. Greyson, whose eyes filled with rage, and his lips pursed as he held the fluids in his bladder, when someone suggested that the Celtics winning more than 20 games this year would cripple their chances of long-term improvement.

"The Celtics have a culture of winning," he yelled angrily. "And that culture needs to be maintained. And with Rondo they can go all the way this year anyway so I'm don't even know the big deal has been here," he trailed off. He walked toward the CVS on Canal Street for a 4-pack of Red Bulls, and proceeded to argue with the automatic checkout machines about the sales tax.

And try explaining it to Miss Sanders, who fell asleep on the sidewalk after devouring half a sausage egg McMuffin from the McDonald's on Tremont.

"Can I have your Pringles?" she drearily inquired when awoken by our interviewer.

As the sound of a distant diesel engine echoed between the buildings of Tremont Street, she composed herself, anticipating a duckboat with all her Celtics heroes on board. However, it was merely a J.P. Noonan fuel delivery truck navigating its way through downtown in the early morning cold.

The look on Miss Sanders' face was one of surprise and bewilderment. Yet also of determination. She knew that the Celtics would eventually drive past her on duckboats, because that one win against Miami meant so much.

"I was so happy, all my friends posted on Facebook about it. It doesn't make sense that there wouldn't be a parade," she argued, as she finished the remnants of her sausage egg McMuffin, which had fallen on the damp sidewalk minutes earlier, and which she now cradled in a copy of yesterday's Boston Herald.

Ray Allen's Mid-Life Crisis

As a person who wants to see the Celtics win, Ray Allen leaving doesn't bug me much. He'd become a bench player. And didn't seem suited to being that. In the playoffs, he was less selective with his shots, willing to attempt riskier ones than normal. Almost as if he were hungry to take as many shots as he could in the reduced minutes he was on the floor.

His defense was also suffering, mostly due to injury. He now has two new first-names: "When Healthy." Every-time he's discussed now, it's "When healthy, Ray Allen..." And that's never a good sign. It means a player has chronic injury issues. And as a 36 year old with over 1,100 games under his belt, injury issues are part of the game, not just bad luck. They also rarely go away once they start appearing.

He's old, he's slow, he can't train as rigorously as he used to. Which means his shooting will likely worsen. He still had value as a role-player and a situational shooter. But he didn't want to be relegated to secondary status.

So he took less money to play for a good team that has made him believe that he'll do more.

The Celtics got slightly worse, the Heat got slightly better. It's not a major loss for me as someone who wants to see the Celtics win. Especially since overall this off-season, the Celtics have improved.

However, as a fan, with emotional attachments to the team and the game, I hate this Decision of his.

He didn't want to try to earn a spot up here. He didn't want to fight, didn't want to endure the embarrassment of being a bench player. He wanted his ego to be boosted by someone else, not by his own performance.

He's in a mid-life crisis. The Celtics are a sensible Volvo. He wanted a flashy red Porsche (Miami). He wants an instant confidence boost. He doesn't want to acknowledge, accept, and adjust to his aging. He didn't want to earn what he wants. He wanted it given to him because he feels like he deserves it.

Good luck to him. He helped the Celtics win a title in 2008, and that should never be forgotten. For the record, I hate this decision of his, I don't hate him or even dislike him. He's on the Heat, so I wouldn't mind seeing him fail. But he should be welcomed with very loud applause when the Heat play in Boston.

I'm sure Celtics fans will do that. They're one of the more knowledgeable and thoughtful fanbases in the NBA and in this town.

And if Ray Allen does get a standing ovation, it will also show him what he gave up in Boston to get his tires pumped in South Beach.

Celtics Sign Jason Terry

The Celtics and Jason Terry agreed to a 3 year deal yesterday. The deal is reported to be worth the "full mid-level exception of $5 million." I don't understand the NBA salary cap at all, so whatever.

Anyway, Terry is a solid bench scorer. He already is Ray Allen could be "if healthy." He's a veteran, he's comfortable off the bench, he's played over 1,000 regular season games and 87 playoff games. He already has a ring.

He has the 4th most 3-pointers of all-time. He's a .380 career 3-point shooter and .448 from the field.

He only started 1 game last season, but he averaged 15.1 points.

He gives the Celtics what Ray Allen might be able to give. That doesn't mean the Celtics couldn't still utilize Allen. But it does mean they are less dependent on him to provide some bench scoring. And they desperately needed scoring from the bench. Brandon Bass was the only Celtic who scored well off the bench (11.8 points per game off the bench). Apart from him, no Celtic scored more than 7 points per game as a bench player.

So in this off-season, the Celtics have added size and bench scoring. Two of their biggest problems from last year might be solved.

A Sad End to a Happy Era for the Celtics

In what could be the last game of the Big Three Era in Boston, the Celtics fell to the Heat 101-88. It was likely the last time that Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen were all on the same floor on the same team in a meaningful game.

It was a brutally painful end to an enjoyable 5 seasons. So even though the ending wasn't a triumphant one, and there was no ride into the sunset with an 18th NBA Championship trophy in tow, I'd argue that as a whole the story of The Big Three was happy one.

In the Big Three Era, the Celtics won 5 divisional titles, 2 Eastern Conference titles, and an NBA Championship. They won 11 playoff series (they'd won 10 between the 1986 NBA Finals and the start of the Big Three Era). They had a .693 winning percentage and won 273 regular season games. They rekindled the rivalry with LA. They won rings for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. And they made sure that the number 34 would one day hang in the rafters of the Garden with the other Celtic greats.

More important than all that, the Big Three Era made the Celtics relevant again. Before, the C's were struggling on the court and were struggling for attention in a town that had Super Bowl and World Series winning teams. The Big Three Era returned the Celtics to prominence in this town. And nationally, Boston was once again a focal point of the Basketball world.

It's been a very special 5 years.

Now, let's talk about Game 7.

The Celtics and Heat were tied 73-73 going into the 4th. The Celtics led 82-81 with 8:00 left in the 4th. Then the Heat went on a rampage and the C's cooled off. They outscored the Celtics 20-6 from that point on. The Heat executed, the Celtics didn't.

The common explanation for this is that the Celtics "had nothing left in the tank." They simply ran out of gas. That may be. And it might be part of the reason Miami was able to pull away so quickly. I'm not quite sure that's the reason, though.

This Celtics team has been very streaky all season, especially with their shooting. Hot for 10 minutes, cold for 10 minutes. They've blown several leads (and built several leads) in the postseason because of this streakiness. They were cold at the end of the 4th last night, but it didn't look much different from previous cold stretches.

And give credit to the Heat for their execution. I hate that I have to do that, but they made the big shots in the 4th last night. They made the momentum swinging plays (example: late in the 2nd Celtics had a chance to go up by 9, Pietrus turned it over, then LeBron dunked to make it a 5 point game). They played better than the Celtics, especially in the clutch.

I'm not calling the Celtics a team of chokers. You can't be both a Choker and a Champion, and you can't be a Choker if you're also the underdog. But the Celtics could have won this series if they played just a little bit better. The effort was there, but not the execution.

Earlier in the series, the Celtics got cold at a key time and let another game get away from them. Game 2, remembered mostly for bad officiating, saw the Celtics up 5 points with 3:00 left in the 4th. And they couldn't hit a shot. Miami took a lead, then the Celtics had to miraculously tie it, hope for LeBron to choke (which he did), and go to OT. Which they eventually lost, thanks in part to the refs. But the C's had that game in their hands, and didn't execute.

And that's fine. The Bruins didn't execute against the Caps. The Patriots didn't execute against the Giants. It happens. I'm not trying to lead an anti-Celtic crusade here. I'm not trying to criticize them or call them losers. It just seems like every time the Celtics lose, there's always an explanation and it never includes the phrase "didn't play well enough to win." It's either the refs, or their age, or health, or injuries, or running out of gas.

It's okay to admit that these guys are human, and that it's tough to execute perfectly for 16 games and win an NBA Championship. If anything, I think it emphasizes how impressive their 2008 title was. The NBA Playoffs are a grind. Only a freak could play their absolute best in every single game.

Anyway, in 10 years we won't remember this game much. We'll remember the players, but not for their shooting percentages in the 4th quarter of this game. We'll remember them for what they did the 5 years they were here. They brought pride back to the Green and White, to the most storied franchise in the NBA, and to Boston.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Will Have to Take Their Talent to South Beach

LeBron James is smart. He realized that the best way to avoid choking in the 4th quarter was to shoot the lights out in the first three. He hit 11 of his first 12 field goal attempts, finished 19 of 26 (73.1%), scored 30 points in the first half, and 45 points overall.

And he wasn't hitting easy shots. He was contested, fading away, and he still managed to sink it. Give him credit for having a great game.

Most of the Celtics, on the other hand, did not have a great game. Pierce was 4 for 18 from the field, and only managed 9 points. Rondo led the team with 21 points, but only had 10 assists. Which is an indicator that his teammates were struggling to sink shots. Garnett finished with 12 points. He shot 6 for 14, and never got to the free-throw line. Bass was the only Celtic who truly had a good game. He scored 12 with 7 rebounds.

Ray Allen hit the only three-pointer for the C's, who were 1 for 14 in that department. The Heat, meanwhile, were 7 for 16 with their three-pointers.

The Celtics defense was sluggish and predictable. But at some point you just have to tip your cap to LeBron for making the shots he made.

Offensively, the C's reminded me of the Bruins' power play. One or two guys moving, everyone else stationary. At first, the Celtics took advantage of Miami in transition. Then they slowed down. Then they slowed down, but took mediocre shots with 18 seconds left on the shot-clock. The Celtics never got into a rhythm offensively, and never really seemed to try to get into one.

The Celtics love to do this. They win 3 games in a series, then they take their foot off the gas. There were spurts of energy in this game. Rondo doing pushups was a great moment. But energy is only good if it's maintained throughout the course of a game. If it's sporadic, then it's essentially useless.

There wasn't much that the Celtics could do to silence LeBron, but they could have at least answered on the offensive end. Too many possessions ended with weird turnovers and missed shots.

The Celtics simply didn't play very well last night. Pierce and Garnett had off nights. Rondo was good, but he can't do it on his own. And without KG and Pierce, this team can't hope to win playoff games.

Hopefully they all wake up in Game 7. To me, they had a golden opportunity last night, and they blew it. Now they have to go down to Miami, deal with officials who are swayed by the crowd, and beat the Heat on their own floor. Again. At least they've shown that they can do it.

Game 7 Saturday night.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Are More Talented Than We Thought

The narrative of the Heat/Celtics series has been that Miami are talented chokers and the Celtics are gritty finishers. I'm not going to argue against that. Miami does have talent. And there's no denying that the Celtics know how to win tough playoff games.

But let's not sell the Celtics short. They have talent. They have some serious talent. How many Hall of Famers are on the Heat? How many are on the Celtics? How many Celtics players have nation-wide name recognition? We thought maybe the Celtics were too old, but they're proving that talent knows no age. At least not before 40.

Let's start with a guy who isn't old: Rajon Rondo. Fast, slick, great vision, decisive with the ball, able to drive to the hoop, and occasionally able to shoot well from the field. Rondo led the NBA with 11.7 assists per game. 1.0 more than Steve Nash, 2.8 more than Chris Paul. You can argue that he had so many assists because he was surrounded by talent. And that only furthers my contention that the Celtics are a very talented team.

The biggest criticism of Rondo is that he's not spectacular every single night. His inconsistency is sometimes baffling. But talented players are sometimes inconsistent. There's no arguing or doubting Rondo's abilities. He's a talented player.

Kevin Garnett might be healthier now than he's been the past three years. And when healthy, he is a game-changer. He looked sluggish at the start of the regular season, but he's quickened every month. His defense is better now, his shooting is better, he's making a difference in the middle of the court. He's averaging 19.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in this postseason. He's shooting 50% from the field. In this series, the Heat have shot 60% when Garnett is on the bench, 40.8% when he's on the floor. KG changes the shape of the game when he's playing. Tell me he's not talented.

Paul Pierce is clutch. And talented. Clutchness might be an intangible, but without talent it's meaningless. Clutchness is an ability to maximize the impact of talent in the most important moments of a game. Pierce also averaged 19.4 points per game in the regular season, not much off his 22.0 career average. And keep in mind that for a good chunk of his career, he was the Celtics ONLY scorer.

With KG, Rondo, and Allen around him, Pierce hasn't had to dominate games for the Celtics to win. But when Pierce was by himself, he was very impressive. That talent hasn't dissipated much. It simply doesn't need to be harnessed every single possession. He's got talent.

This is a talented team. LeBron is a perennial MVP candidate, and Wade is a superstar, but the Celtics have three sure Hall of Famers, and one of the most talented point guards in the league. Pierce and Rondo were both All-Stars in 2012. KG was one in 2011. Pierce, Rondo, and Garnett have combined for 27 All-Star appearances.

This is a talented team that we all dismissed. Remember the trade deadline? There was debate over breaking this team up, selling off the pieces to rebuild for the future. They believed in themselves and their talent. And now they're making believers out of all of us here as well as across the country.

Celtics Storm South Beach

Under Doc Rivers, the Celtics were 8-0 in Game 5s when the series had been tied 2-2. They're now 9-0 in such games. They've won in South Beach, and now all the pressure is on LeBron and the Heat. And as we know, LeBron is allergic to pressure.

Outside of Boston and the Celtics' locker room, not many people thought the Celtics could win this game. But they did. Top to bottom, they played better than the Heat. And late in the game, they didn't make mistakes, and the Heat didn't make big plays. The Heat were never able to shake the Celtics in this game and the C's ended up on top.

The Celtics won this game despite a struggling Rajon Rondo. He only scored 7, shot 3 for 15, turned the ball over 5 times. His teammates picked him up. He managed 13 assists. Even though he struggled and he made some unwise fouls, late in the game he didn't screw up. He had a poor game, didn't do much to help the Celtics win, but he didn't let himself cause them to lose.

Garnett was the rock for the Celtics during most of the game. He finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds. His 14th double-double of this postseason.

Ray Allen didn't do much from the field, but he sank all 8 of his free throws. Brandon Bass scored 10. Off the bench, Mikael Pietrus was huge. He scored 13. 6 of which came from a pair of big three-pointers in the 4th.

The most clutch performer of the game was Paul Pierce. He's always been recognized as a premier player in the NBA, but now he's being recognized (nationally) as one of the best big moment players in recent memory. He made the shots in the 4th quarter, made the passes, made the smart plays. You rarely see him look out of control or out of his element. He's ice.

And as a sidenote, the refs called a pretty fair game. The Celtics shot more free throws (27 of them, hitting 22), than the Heat, and each team had the same number of personal fouls (21).

The Celtics bring the series back to Boston with a lead. You have to like their chances. Bosh doesn't look healthy. James and Wade had very good games last night, but the Heat still lost. If Rondo shows up, KG gets another double-double, and Pierce is clutch, then it's difficult to imagine this series returning to Florida.

Game 6 Thursday night in Boston.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Square Series

A few days ago, this seemed hard to believe. The Celtics were down 2-0. Even when they'd played well, Miami had beaten them. But after one weekend, it's all even at 2-2. The series now a Best of Three.

The officiating changed when the series came up to Boston. NBA refs seem to be the weakest willed human beings this side of Vichy France. They are so beaten into submission by star players, legend coaches, and 18,000 fans screaming at them. I would bet that of all professions, NBA referees have the highest rate of wives cheating on them. Not only are they travelling smost of the year, but they seem like some of the most flaccid men on the planet. Women respect power and decisiveness. So do sports fans. NHL linesmen and NFL umpires routinely score with the wives of NBA refs. Or so I would imagine.

Last night the Celtics shot out to an early lead. They went on a huge run in the 1st quarter, and led by 11. At halftime, they were up by 14. Then they couldn't buy a field goal in the second half. They scored 12 in the 3rd, then 16 in the 4th.

That's been a trend for them in the postseason. They're streaky shooters. They're streaky rebounders, too. The Celtics outrebounded the Heat 26-19 in the first half. The Heat outrebounded the Celtics 21-13 after.

But, when the score was tied and Miami had the last possession of regulation, the Celtics played great defense and shut down the Heat. Then in OT, the Celtics were simply better.

Kevin Garnett was great, especially late in the game. He scored 17 points and hauled in 14 rebounds. His 13th double-double of the playoffs. Rajon Rondo was equally impressive, especially in the first half. 15 points, 15 assists. He was only slowed down when the Miami defense focused almost entirely on him.

Rondo has his share of critics. I'd say that their biggest criticism of him is that he isn't amazing every night. He's only amazing most nights. That's a problem that I can live with. Especially when those nights are big games. He actually gets criticized for doing well in big games. What a City we live in.

Pierce scored 23, Bass scored 11, Ray Allen hit 4 three-pointers and finished with 16. Kevin Dooling scored 10 off the bench and added some serious energy to the game.

As the pressure in the series increases, the weaker LeBron James becomes. He fouled out of this game. We've already seen him be unable to finish games like a true MVP should be able to. Obviously, the Celtics will need to win a road game to win this series. I think they can so long as it's close in the 4th and LeBron wilts under pressure.

I love watching LeBron throw temper-tantrums when he's audaciously called for that 3rd foul. He's so unaccustomed to being called at all. It's hilarious to watch him flail and moan. I stand by Rajon Rondo's halftime comments. The Celtics are playing against a team that cries.

Game 5 Tuesday in Miami. If the Celtics win, the series is over.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Run Out of Gas in OT, Celtics Fans Blame Officials

I'm not much of an NBA fan. And that's due partly to the officiating. I just can't seem to tell what's considered a foul and what isn't. I think NBA refs also struggle with that distinction. So when Celtics fans are in an uproar over bad officiating, it takes me a second to look back on the game and realize that the officiating was bad. I'm so accustomed to seeing puzzling calls that I don't really notice it as they happen.

The refs were bad. As bad as they've been in every NBA game I can remember. Get over it. Do people love NBA basketball because if their team loses they can just blame the refs?

Celtics fans had been clamoring for the C's to play a tougher, more physical game. Fans were encouraging fouling, especially of LeBron James. Then the Celtics get called for fouling James. And now fans are whining about it.

The refs did miss that face-rake of Rondo. That was too bad. But bad officials in the NBA Playoffs are like bad weather in the NFL Playoffs. It's something you can't control and have to be able to win despite it.

The Celtics played with a lot of energy for the first part of the game. Especially on defense. Garnett was everywhere. And offensively, the C's were driving. They were staying down low, hauling in rebounds, and Rondo took full advantage of how the Heat tried to cover him.

In the 3rd quarter, the Celtics let the game get away. With 4 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, the Celtics were up by 15. Late in the 3rd, they were down by 8. A 23 point swing in 16 minutes of basketball.

The Celtics rallied back in the 4th quarter. Then missed a few shots that could have won them the game. Ray Allen missed two rushed jumpers that probably shouldn't have been taken at all. I don't like the idea of Ray Allen taking late-game shots unless he is getting a near perfect look with his feet completely set.

Then the Heat gave the Celtics a chance. Wade missed a free throw. LeBron decided to cover Dooling instead of Ray Allen. And when Allen finally was able to take his time, set his feet, and take a clear look, he sank the three-pointer. Then LeBron missed twice going the other way.

But winning in overtime would be a tough task. Pierce had fouled out. Allen was drained. Garnett was utterly exhausted. Even if the refs called the face-rake on Rondo, I don't think the Celtics would have had enough in the tank to hold off the Heat.

On the bright side, the Celtics improved their shooting. They played better defense, they rebounded the ball, they made their free throws, they didn't get blocked 11 times. And we all saw that LeBron James has no heart whatsoever. I'm not counting the Celtics out yet. It'll be tough for them to win 4 of 5, but if they win Game 3 in Boston, things look significantly brighter.

Game 3 Friday night in the Garden.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Can't Keep Game Close Enough for LeBron to Choke

Against the Hawks and the 76ers, the Celtics were able to play 3/4 of a good game and still win. They could play half a good game and still have a chance to win. That won't be the case with the Heat. The Celtics can't afford 11 point quarters against Miami. They can't afford 15 point or 18 point quarters either. Especially not all in the same game.

There was so much that was bad about what the Celtics did last night. The free-throw shooting was tragic. 11 for 21. Ray Allen, one of the best shooters of all-time, was 3 for 7 from the line. Pierce never got to the line. 84 of his 251 postseason points have have come from free-throws. That's over a third of his total production. If he's not driving, he's not getting to the line, which means he's not scoring. All but one of his 20+ point playoff performances have seen him score 10+ from the line.

The Celtics only turned the ball over 9 times, but 4 of those came in the 1st quarter.

The Heat won the battles in the paint. They scored more points down there and out-rebounded the C's 48 to 33. The Heat also blocked 11 shots compared to the Celtics' 1.

The Celtics dug themselves a hole in the 1st with poor shooting, a lack of drives to the basket, poor free-throws, and turnovers. They dug themselves back to ground level, but then didn't seem to have enough gas to keep up with the Heat in the second half.

The Celtics aren't going to have any blowout victories in this series, like they had against Philadelphia and Atlanta. The best chance for the C's to win will be in close games in the 4th quarter. We've seen LeBron completely shit the bed in such situations, or pass responsibility to someone else.

But the Celtics only scored 44 combined points in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th quarters. They weren't atrocious on defense, but a team as talented as Miami should be expected to score. And LeBron can't choke if the Heat only have to run the clock out.

I expect the Celtics will wake up and start Game 2 with much more fire. Who knows how long that fire will last them. But it's better than playing an entire game from behind, forcing shots.

Game 2 Wednesday night in Miami.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Are the 76ers and Celtics Like the Tortoise and the Hare?

Watching the Celtics and 76ers series reminded me of a story from when we were kids. The tortoise and the hare. The two race each other, and the fast hare jumps out to an early lead, but arrogantly stops to take a nap. The tortoise keeps moving forward. "Slow and steady wins the race," he repeats. Eventually, the tortoise wins the race. Teaching a lesson that just because you're naturally more gifted doesn't mean you can fuck around and still win.

In my version of the tortoise and the hare, I'd have the hare purposely losing the race because he bet on the tortoise in Vegas. Then he gets killed by mob guys who lost money betting on him.

Anyway, the Celtics remind me of the hare. Their record in games that they can eliminate an opponent speaks for itself. They struggle to beat teams that they've already beaten 3 times. That's weird.

They take a kind of break. Instead of 110%, they only give 95%. No big deal, right? So long as there's enough gas in the tank to win when it matters, then fine.

What worries me a bit is that in this series, I don't know if they can just step it up for Game 7 and be the odds on favorite to win. I have a feeling like maybe they've let the 76ers stick around for too long. And now Bradley is out. His replacement Ray Allen isn't capable of playing a full game of productive basketball (on either side of the ball).

The Celtics are more talented than the 76ers. But that advantage is hedged by the Celtics' age and health.

The 76ers have also shown more character in this series than the Celtics have. They've won a game in Boston, they've outplayed the Celtics in close 4th quarters, they've recovered after getting blown out, they came back from a 17 point 3rd quarter deficit to win. They have taken full advantage of every opportunity the Celtics have given them.

The C's have not taken advantage of the opportunities given to them by the 76ers.

The Celtics are still the hare. It's their game to lose. In the fable, if the hare simply stopped fooling around and picked up the pace, he would have beaten the tortoise. That's what the Celtics have yet to do but still can do.

Celtics Play Ugly in Philadelphia

If the Celtics lose this series, they really can't blame anyone but themselves. There was that collapse in Game 4, then this abomination. I'm sure some will point to injuries, but the 76ers just aren't that good. The Celtics played like crap last night and still had a shot to win the game.

The Celtics shot 26 of 78, or 33.3% from the field. They have NEVER shot that poorly since KG and Ray Allen donned the uniform. The last time they shot as bad as that was on January 7, 2007. They shot 23 of 73 (31.5%) and lost to Orlando. It was game #1 of an 18 game losing streak.

Last night they also turned the ball over 17 times. And these were mostly unforced, stupid, careless decisions.

They were dominated in the paint. The 76ers scored 42 of their 82 in the paint. The Celtics only scored 16 points down low. They did, however, get to the free throw line. Which allowed them to stay close until the 4th quarter. The Celtics also did a good job rebounding the ball. 48-37 in their favor. Including 14 offensive rebounds. If they had shot better, they really could have taken full advantage of those extra opportunities.

The win was there for the Celtics to take. They just didn't grab it.

Ray Allen looked hurt. He had trouble keeping up on defense, and he can't shoot. I don't want to see much of him in Game 7. It's not his fault, but he's more of a liability than an asset. It looks like Bradley will miss Game 7, so maybe Allen will have to play. I just don't want to see him playing a pivotal role, offensively or defensively.

Pierce and Garnett combined for 44 of the Celtics' points. Apart from those two, the Celtics hit only 12 field goals, and shot 25.5%. That's absolutely, inexcusably horrific. Bass was 2 for 12, Rondo was 4 of 14. The Celtics missed layups, jump shots, everything.

This team does stuff like this. They can beat an opponent with ease, then they make things difficult for themselves. They crushed Atlanta one night, then lost their next game to them. They've crushed Philly twice in this series, then lost both follow-up games.

Game 7 Saturday evening or night, depending on what happens in Indiana tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Pull Away, Take Series Lead

The Celtics gradually pulled away in the second half to win this game. After halftime, they seemed more committed to playing defense, more committed to denying Philadelphia the chance to stay close. The Celtics didn't try to engage in a scoring contest. They focused on defense, the offense followed, and the 76ers were shut down.

The C's scored 54 points in the second half. Which is very good. Even better, though, is that they allowed 35. Just 35 points in a half of basketball.

The Celtics can play an offensive-focused game against the 76ers, and they might win some times, lose other times. But if they focus on defense and execute properly, they'll always win. At least they should.

Garnett had a good game. KG has done well in all 3 of the Celtics' wins in this series. He's done poorly in both losses. As KG goes, so go the Celtics. He had some senior-moments in the first half. But he stopped making defensive mistakes in the 2nd quarter, started scoring some points, and getting to the line.

Brandon Bass had a big night, which was needed with Avery Bradley sidelined. 27 points, 6 rebounds. He really stepped up when the Celtics needed someone to step up.

Rondo and Pierce each had good games. Nothing amazing, nothing disappointing.

Ray Allen played some good defense in the 4th. And hit one big shot.

The Celtics went back to basics with this one. It was about team-defense, about applying pressure to Philly, and about working to get the open shot. Ray Allen only had 7 field goal attempts, and I like that. He shouldn't be shooting unless the look is good. KG showed up offensively in the 2nd quarter, then defensively in the second half. Brandon Bass stepped up big time.

Celtics can close the series out Wednesday night in Philly.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Can't Close

When the Celtics pulled out to a 14-0 lead, I think we were all thinking the same thing: This is over. Both the game, and the series. The 76ers had been demoralized and beaten into submission. It was only a matter of playing out the remainder of the series.

Maybe the Celtics felt the same thing, because they gradually let their intensity peter out. The 76ers turned things around in the 3rd quarter. The Celtics didn't hit a field goal for the first 7 minutes. Philadelphia went on a 13-2 run and were suddenly within striking distance entering the 4th quarter.

But still, these are the Celtics. The veteran team. The ones with Championship experience. They'd prevail in a close 4th quarter. Right?

All the Celtics should want to forget what they did in the 4th quarter. Intercepted passes (4 of them), KG's travelling, missed shots, bad decisions on shots. They allowed the 76ers to get 6 offensive rebounds in the 4th. That's more than the Celtics had the entire game (5).

Kevin Garnett had a horrible 4th quarter. He had a horrible game. Only 3 for 12 shooting.

The Celtics lost their composure. Maybe the 76ers got under their skin with some rough play in the 3rd. Maybe the Celtics tried so hard not to engage in such shenanigans, that they lost their focus and intensity. Whatever the reason, the Celtics didn't play Celtics basketball in the 4th. At least, they didn't execute Celtics basketball in the 4th.

I'm tired of watching Ray Allen flying in the air, his flight path perpendicular to the shot, trying to make desperate jumpers with plenty of time on the shot-clock. He did that in Game 2, and he had an ugly looking 26 foot attempt in Game 4. He's trying to be Derek Jeter or something, throwing off-balance in mid-air, across his body.

The Celtics seem too committed to getting Allen the ball in certain situations. And I don't like that. If the shot isn't there, it isn't there. There needs to be a Plan B.

Ray Allen might be the least criticized athlete in Boston. He's quiet. He just does his job. And since he's "a shooter," it's understood that he'll go through cold streaks. He was cold Friday night. 2 for 6 from the field, 1 for 4 with his three-pointers, and the Celtics were an abysmal -24 when he was on the floor.

The bench as a whole didn't contribute much. With Garnett missing his shots, they could have used a strong bench performance. That's more on KG's shoulders than the bench's, though.

We've seen the Celtics lose two close 4th quarter games, and win one. We've seen them blow the 76ers out. We've seen them lose a big lead.

I think we can give Philadelphia some serious credit for a pair of good 4th quarter performances. And even more credit for coming back from a 17 point 3rd quarter deficit. They've certainly got more character than Atlanta. And the Celtics can't afford to ease off the throttle and relax anymore.

The 76ers have an aggressive instinct about them. And they'll attack any sign of weakness. They have alligator blood.

Game 5 tonight in Boston.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Can't Complete Comeback

Let me start with the illegal screen Kevin Garnett was called for. It was a foul. Stop complaining about it, people. I'll talk more about that call later.

The 82-81 score is misleadingly close. The game was tight, but not that tight.

The Celtics dug themselves a hole again. But they couldn't recapture the same clutchness that propelled them to victory in Game 1. Frankly, they didn't play very well in the 4th quarter after they'd made it a close game. They had several chances to take the lead from Philly, but didn't hit the shots.

Then there were some bad decisions. Why is Rajon Rondo shooting jumpshots with less than a minute left? I'm a big Rondo supporter, and don't mind him shooting when he wants to, but in that situation? The Celtics had let the shot clock tick down and Rondo didn't have much of a choice. But why let it come to that?

Philly had turned the ball over with a shot clock violation. Rondo took the ball up the court. KG was setting screens, trying to get Ray Allen open. Pierce and Bradley were on the other side of the court standing around. Rondo was also standing still, directing Garnett and Allen. The shot clock ticked away and Rondo missed a rushed 16 footer.

Philly got the rebound and Evan Turner gave them a 76-75 lead.

The Celtics wasted an opportunity. The 76ers took advantage of one.

After that, Ray Allen missed a weird sideways fade-away. There was time for the Celtics to work for a better shot (13 seconds on the shot clock), but I guess the called play was to get Allen the ball. He got it. He wasn't in good shooting position. He shot. He missed. Philly scored again.

Then it was 78-75, and that's when Garnett committed a foul. And notice how I phrased that. I didn't say "was called for a foul." He committed a foul. The ref called it. Boston is exploding in rage over an official making a correct call.

There will be moaning from Celtics fans about how it was a foul but the ref shouldn't have called it because there were 10 seconds left in the 4th quarter. So the ref made the right call at the wrong time?

There's some weight to that argument, but not much. It was a foul. Garnett was called for the same thing earlier in the 4th.

And the Celtics were still down by 3 even if the call isn't made.

I hate NBA officiating. It's one of the reasons I find regular season games almost unbearable to watch. The refs are inconsistent. To me, it's an unpredictable variable. Like the weather. The key is to be good enough to win in any weather, or win no matter what inconsistency the refs have on a given night. Last night's inconsistency was that KG was called for the same foul at 7:46 and at 0:10 of the 4th.

The Celtics weren't good enough last night, regardless of what the refs called. Before KG's foul, Rondo messed up, Allen messed up, they missed shots, they scored a total of 24 points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, they allowed Philadelphia to go on a 14-0 run in the 3rd quarter.

There are legitimate things the Celtics have had to struggle through. Pierce is clearly hurt. Losing Bradley for most of the game had an impact. But the refs didn't cost the Celtics this game. The Celtics cost themselves the game.

Game 3 in Philly Wednesday night. I'm still very confident.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

The Hawks Have No Heart

Before yesterday's game, I was worried about the status of Avery Bradley's shoulder. Did it go back into its socket?

The medical question I should have been asking was, do the Atlanta Hawks have a heart? The answer, thoroughly demonstrated last night, is no.

The Celtics hit their shots in the 1st, pulled away, and it was all over after 12 minutes. The Hawks tried to come back by forcing shots, failing to realize the basic fundamental principle that basketball comebacks are made with defensive stops, not quick offensive scoring. The Celtics pulled even further away.

By halftime it was 64-41. The Hawks would have to outscore the Celtics by more points in a half than they'd manage to score on their own in a quarter. Everyone in the Garden knew that wouldn't happen, especially the Hawks themselves.

Here are some of the more obscene stats from Sunday's win: Pierce had 24 points, despite only playing 17 minutes. He scored 10 points in the 1st, and was a big reason why the Celtics pulled out to such a big lead. He was +33 in those 17 minutes.

No man has burned Atlanta as ruthlessly as Pierce since General William Tecumseh Sherman in November 1864.

Rondo had a double-double, 20 points, 16 assists. Just another day at the office for him.

Bradley was able to play, and he scored 6 points in 19 minutes.

The Celtics were able to give their starters some rest and give minutes to their bench. KG only played 27 minutes. Ray Allen was in for 19.

The Hawks are dead. I wouldn't be utterly surprised if they pulled a win out of their ass down in Atlanta. But this series is over. I'm not lighting the cigar yet, but I'm taking it out of the humidor, and reaching for my lighter.

Game 5 Tuesday night in Atlanta.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Clutch Again

At the start of the 4th quarter last night, I contemplated turning the game off. Not out of boredom or frustration, but because I already knew how the game was going to end. Even though it did take 5 extra minutes to determine the outcome.

It's a matter of character and experience. That's what wins in the 4th quarter of a playoff game. Talent becomes less relevant. The Hawks and Celtics have similar levels of talent, but not similar levels of character.

The Celtics have experienced pressure before. They play in one of the most sports crazed cities in the country. Most of them have played in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. The C's have played 76 playoff games since 2008. This was Paul Pierce's 113th career playoff game. Compare that to the Hawks, who play in the sports-apathetic city of Atlanta. And who do have some playoff experience, but not much as a group. And most of their playoff experience ends early.

Ray Allen returned. Which provided an emotional boost to the early part of the game, and more tangibly, 13 points off the bench. The Celtics' can't catch a break with their injuries, though, as Avery Bradley left the game with an injury to his left shoulder. It's been a problem all season and last night it "went out" according to Doc Rivers. They'll know more about that injury today, but hearing Rivers talk about not being able to "put it back in" was not a promising prognosis.

Another triple-double from Rondo in a big game. I wonder if he'll continue to get criticism for only getting those in nationally televised games. Because I guess performing your best in the biggest games is a bad thing now?

20 points and 13 rebounds from Garnett. He started this series very cold, but has returned to form. If the Celtics are going to make a run in these playoffs, they need consistency from KG. They need all their big players to play big.

Paul Pierce only shot 3 for 12 from the field but had 21 points. That's because he got to the line. 14 for 14 on his free throws. Free throws were a difference maker in this game. The Celtics had 10 more attempts, and 1o more made. Free throws kept the game close in the middle stages.

As the pressure increases on Atlanta, the quality of their performances should decrease. However, the Bradley injury could be a significant setback for the C's.

Game 4 Sunday night at 7:00pm.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics Bumped Off in Game 1

Up until the final 41 seconds of the game, I was actually feeling quite positive about the Celtics. They'd played below their capability, fell into a deep hole, yet nearly pulled themselves out of it. Rondo had been playing great (20 points, 11 assists), KG was hitting shots (after starting 1 for 9), and Pierce had just sunk a tough 17 footer that was vintage Paul Pierce.

Then Rajon Rondo acted stupid. He screamed into the ref's face, got a technical, then bumped the ref in the back and got ejected.

I don't know if he deserves to be suspended for the bump. He does deserve to be suspended for being a moron. Hopefully the NBA won't punish him for that. It puts the Ron Artest thing into perspective. If Rondo gets 1 game for a slight bump and Artest got 7 for a vicious elbow, what does that say about the NBA's disciplinary process?

Anyway, Rondo acted like an idiot. Whatever you may think about what punishment he may deserve, he put himself in the situation to be suspended.

It was an ugly game for most of the Celtics, well before the bumping incident. They didn't play defense in the 1st quarter. KG was useless until the 2nd half. They missed all 11 of their three-point attempts. Pierce was 5/19. Garnett was 10/18. The bench only scored 4 points.

Ray Allen was missed. Especially in that bench department, and the three-point department. When one of your best players is sidelined with injury, though, it's up to the other good players to step up. Garnett and Pierce didn't. Not until very late in the game.

Rondo was by far the Celtics' best shooter last night.

Atlanta didn't pull too far away. The C's were able to reel them in a few times. The Celtics outscored the Hawks 56-52 after the 1st quarter. So this was shaping to be a loss, but a promising loss. Until Rondo put himself at the mercy of David Stern.

Game 2 is Tuesday night. And without Rondo, the Celtics don't have much of a chance. He's that important to this team, which is why what he did was all the more moronic.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Celtics' Team Beats Miami's Individuals

The Celtics had their best shooting performance of the season. They put up their highest point total of the season. And they have effectively scared the crap out of every Eastern Conference playoff team.

Rondo continues to prove his critics wrong. 18 points and 15 assists. That's 18 straight games with 10+ assists. But hey he missed 3 free throws. So let's trade him.

Kevin Garnett was unreal, especially in the 4th. He finished with 24 points, 10 in the 4th quarter. He also did a great job defensively on Chris Bosh, who only scored 13.

Avery Bradley scored 11, Brandon Bass had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Pierce had 27. Off the bench Ray Allen added 9, and Greg Stiemsma came out of nowhere with 8 points and 7 rebounds. The Celtics were +10 for the 20 minutes Stiemsma was on the floor.

The Celtics aren't always going to shoot 60.6%. Obviously. But this team has remembered how to be dangerous. KG and Pierce are in the groove, Rondo is on fire (especially in big games), Bradley and Bass have found roles, and now Ray Allen is a weapon off the bench.

Nobody wants to face this team. They could be the best #4 seed in the NBA playoffs since the current format was adopted.

Celtics host Atlanta tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Pierceless Celtics Fall Short in Miami

Normally, if the Celtics were winless on December 27th, there'd be cause for concern. But with the abbreviated season and the lack of Paul Pierce, I'm not terribly worried. The C's were a few key plays from beating Miami in Miami. All without Pierce.

Then again, they needed outstanding nights from Allen and Rondo to even be close. Allen was 6/8 with his 3 pointers, and Rondo scored 22. Rondo was the only Celtic who seemed capable of playing with speed. They also got 18 from Kevin Dooling.

What they didn't get was much production from Garnett. I hardly noticed when he was on or off the court. He scored 12. O'Neal didn't score at all and Pavlovic only scored 5. Without Pierce, KG needs to be more of a factor. And guys like O'Neal need to do something.

I don't think the C's will struggle to beat the mediocre teams of the NBA, even without Pierce for 2 more games. So while they're 0-2, I doubt they'll struggle to win games. However, they do need to improve in a few areas if they want to do anything memorable in the playoffs.

They're in New Orleans tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo