Celtics Central

Doc Rivers made the Celtics watched film of Muhammad Ali.

They then went out and absorbed a pummeling unleashed from the Pistons that would make Smoking Joe Frasier proud. They were the last man standing and delivered a knock out that would make Ali proud. They won the game with a dramatic 4th quarter comeback.

Paul Pierce said it was the team’s best 4th quarter of the play-offs. He was right. Paul Pierce led the Celtics comeback from a 10 point deficit to take the lead, in the face of numerous questionable foul calls. They took a pummeling from the refs in the third period as well as from the Pistons.

The worst call of perhaps the entire year was an offensive foul called on Paul Pierce when he ball faked Chauncy Billups out of his shorts on a three point shot. As Billups flew by and into Paul, Pierce leaned into him to get the foul call as he shot. The shot dropped through the net. Pierce was expecting to have a 4 point play to get the Celtics back into the game. Paul got a foul call alright. Incredibly, Bennett Salvatore called an offensive foul on Pierce. No three pointer. No foul shot. Pistons’ ball instead.

The Pistons had wrestled a 64-58 point lead from the Celtics and Paul’s shot would change the momentum. Instead, it became his only turnover of the game and the Pistons’ roll continued until they were up 70-60 with only 10:29 left in the game.

It was at this point the Celtics decided that no referees, and no Pistons would decide who wins this game. They began a 12-0 run to regain the lead, and continued the run out by 23-6 to lead, 83-76 with 2:34 left in the game. This time it was the Celtics who made all the clutch plays and the Pistons started missing open shots with regularity. It was over. The Celtics win 2 games in Detroit’s vaunted Palace at Auburn Hills to win the series.

It was a game where each team was truly its inner self.

The Pistons entire offense was generated by Rip Hamilton (21pts.) and Chauncey Billups (29 pts). They had 50 of Detroit’s 81 points. Both were playing injured. It has been said that the Pistons are a jump shooting team. They certainly were tonight.

The Pistons were exposed for the lack of post play that is missing often. Their bigs were MIA for most of the night, led by the talkative, ‘walking technical foul’ center named Rasheed Wallace. They scored just 18 points in the paint for the game. Wallace had a Perkin-esque 4 points for the game.

The Celtics’ comeback employed the team approach, but the team was carried over the finish line by multiple big shots and foul shots by number 34.

Down by 10, Rajon Rondo hit a jump shot. James Posey then stole the ball from Rip Hamilton and Pierce made a beautiful drive and pass to Perkins for the dunk and the foul shot for an old fashioned three point play. Wallace missed a three point shot and Garnett hit 4 straight points.

Boston amazingly tied the score at 70 when Pierce hit 1 of 2 foul shots. Perkins then stole the ball from Hamilton. Jason Maxiell hit two straight jumpers to give the Pistons at 74-72 lead. Paul Pierce showed why he is still this team’s best option when shots are difficult to get, with his patented spin move to the middle for 2 plus the foul. The Cs went up 75-74 and would never trail again..

Perkins had a huge block of Billups and Pierce, Rondo, and Ray Allen all scored to maintain the lead. James Posey had an enormous steal from Tayshaun Prince to give the Celtics the ball back with 1:40 left and up 4.

The Celtics kept their poise as they have in no other play-off 4th quarter. Their foul shooting kept it interesting as they went 6 for 10 in the last few minutes. Garnett missed 2 of 2 and Pierce went 1 of 2 twice. But the lead was wide enough so as not to affect the outcome.

So this Celtic teams’ learning curve keeps improving. They are getting more and more calm in response to pressure and are playing better because of it. The West’s number one seed, the Los Angeles Lakers are awaiting them. One team will walk away as Champions.

Those were Paul Pierce’s words at the end of game 6th of the Eastern Conference Finals and the game that put the Celtics into their dream series.

The Story Book Saga Continues

The Boston Celtics won an extremely hard fought game by coming back from a 10 point 4th quarter deficit to will themselves to an 89-81 win over the experienced and tough minded Detroit Pistons. They advance to the NBA Finals for the 21st time in the franchise history, but first time since 1987 when they lost to the same team they will play in this Finals – The Los Angeles Lakers. They are 16-4 in NBA finals.

It will be a ratings bonanza for a league in need of bonanzas. The League MVP Kobe team vs the Big Three, led by Mr. Defensive Player of the Year team. Big stars, big shots, and big defense are all in store for the viewers. It will be big, I tell you, big.

Kobe has the name penetration into the American culture that Michael Jordan had, or nearly so. Viewers that can’t even be called casual fans will be turning in to watch parts of each game to see how Kobe is doing against the big bad Green Machine known as the Celtics.

It truly has the legendary old images re-aligned correctly. Even in the 1960’s, it was the black top Converse sneakers of the “all about business’ Celtics versus the Gold and Purple uniforms of the offensively proficient Lakers.

These Celtics are lead by a figure of serious intensity who’s countenance reveals the inner drive, not unlike Bill Russell’s game face. Kevin was just interviewed by Bill Russell and has his respect. Both are immensely talented big men who pride themselves on their defense. Now Kevin Garnett has his Sam Jones (Ray Allen) and John ‘Hondo’ Havlicek (Paul Pierce) to help him get the coveted ring.

Kevin is the catalyst defensively. Any of the three could be the leader offensively, but my bet is on Paul Pierce more often than not. He is honing his big game efforts – first in game 7 against Lebron and the Cavaliers, and now even more frequently against the Pistons. As the competition gets tougher, so does Paul Pierce.

Paul’s masterful 27 points on 8 of 12 shooting with 10 of 13 foul shots and 8 rebounds closed door number 4 on the Pistons in their own home.

Call Paul the ‘Door man.’ He led with 22 points against the Hawks in the close out game. He closed the door on Cleveland with 41and now he closed the door on Detroit with 27 points. Each time he led the Celtics in scoring to move his team forward to the next round. Beware the Door man.

Now it is the Big Ticket, The Truth, Ray Ray, and Mamba getting ready to strap ‘em on to renew a rivalry that has been hibernating for so long, those under 20 years old don’t really understand it. They will now.

The media machines and David Stern couldn’t have asked for a better Finals to promote. Two big market teams with the biggest, longest rivalry in the history of the NBA are about to go toe to toe for a best of seven to determine the 2008 NBA Champions.

Game one of the NBA Championship Series is Thursday night.

If the regular season is a marathon of sprints, and it is, then the post season is like an obstacle course.

To win the title, the Celtics would have to win 82 times. It almost speaks for winning fewer games during the season. I said almost.

It is, of course, a trial by fire. The Celtics are experiencing their problems, call them growing pains, because they are going through a second season and another learning curve. It took most by surprise. The fans, the players, Doc, the media. The main bugaboo has been the inability to win away after winning away all year.

This learning curve is much more difficult because they have a shorter time to learn and it’s like relearning how to ride a bike, but this time there are tacks on the road, huge potholes, speed bumps galore, and another rider along side of you trying to push you off. It is quite a different ride. You have to focus so much more and put so much more energy into just trying to do the same things.

Back when I asked Delonte West about why the Cavs were assumed to be a less talented team yet were playing the Celtics even at the time (2 wins each), he said this….

You know…things that are written on paper, or said in the media – it means nothing. Once that horn goes off, it’s about who wants it more. And talent level, or whatever the situation is, outside influence gives a team an advantage over another, it doesn’t matter in the play-offs. It’s about whoever goes out there and straps it up and goes hard for 48 minutes.

Wise beyond his years. Certainly that is a salient point as to why the Cs have struggled. No one cares what their regular season was. It simply isn’t relevant. 82 games go out of the window.

What doesn’t kill the Celtics should make them better. It appears to be the case so far. After two grueling 7 game series, they had become a better team in many ways. The biggest way is their ability to take obstacles like bad shooting, bad foul calls, inconsistent bench play, inconsistent guard play, a lost Ray Allen shot, even occasional bad defense and somehow stay in front of all of their competition. They have only needed a road win once so far. They went out and got it in a terrific game of energy and focus.

This team’s ‘team mind’ is still making itself. Every difficulty that arises gets put into the central memory banks of players 1 through 5 for future reference, should it occur again. The team’s biggest enemy still seems to be themselves. 4th quarters have been a regular problem. They win enough of them to stay on top in each series, but not enough to appear to be a dominant team, as they were during the regular season.

When asked earlier in the play-offs if the team can’t always pull the trigger when they want to, Coach Rivers answered…

We’ve pulled the trigger pretty well this year. We are one of 8 teams alive (make that 4 now). So that’s what I would say to that. You know, listen…..this team has been questioned all year and we are going to be continued to be questioned. We can’t answer questions with words. We have to continue to go out and play.

When Detroit’s Arron Afflalo was asked if Boston pushed too hard during the season, then went through two tough series coming into the Eastern Conference Finals – did Boston gain something or lose something in the play-offs? he said….

Anytime, you go through game sevens like that, that’s valuable experience that you can use to benefit you. And for them to play hard all season, I don’t think that can hurt you. That can only make you better.

What changes in the play-offs?

Arron….

You’re in the play-offs man. Things aren’t going to change a whole lot. It’s just how you execute and stick to your defensive and offensive schemes.

So you still have to ride that bike the same way. But it is about energy and focus and staying in your game while taking fouls you never had to during the season. I would add that the margin for error shrinks to almost nothing for bench players. You come in and if you make a couple of bad plays, you will take the revolving door back to bench very quickly. There is little forgiveness for support players. Support or else.

Are the Celtics becoming a better team as they encounter each new situation and overcome just enough of them to maintain the series lead? We will only know if they lose that advantage and have to learn a whole new thing – playing from down in a series. That is impossible to happen in this series any longer. But Detroit can surprise as well.

If Detroit takes game 6 at their home, it will be an interesting game 7 in Boston again. Can Boston have enough left to expend the energy required to play well enough to win in Detroit?

The winning streak for each team in this series is…one. Can Boston break the streak with another road win in Detroit? Rip Hamilton’s arm is hurt. Chauncy Billup’s leg is hurt. Rasheed Wallace’s feelings are hurt.

Boston has done two things when they are playing from an advantage. They play well and then they almost give it back. Good execution leads to bad execution.

It is a game of execution. It is a game of confidence. It is a game of forcing your game plan through multiple obstacles.

Role players will play a huge role. Perkins or Rondo stepping up will help enormously. Brown, Davis, or Powe would be a big help. It is Rondo’s turn to have a good shooting game. The last time Boston had a game advantage like this they let it slip away. Have they moved up on the learning curve?

Find out on Friday night in Detroit.

Talk about O-zone depletion. Talk about Green living. Talk about recycling.

The Celtics were oh so good and they were oh so bad.

O my goodness. This was an O-ffensive game.

Kevin Garnett led a surprise dynamic offensive trio that was delivered in iron man like performances for the starters (They averaged just under 42 minutes as a group) as the Celtics broke out to a 17 point 3rd quarter lead, only to almost implode on themselves in the 4th quarter.

Memorial Day just ended, but after firing dud after dud on the holiday, Kevin Garnett anchored a spectacular Celtic fireworks display for the critical game 5 of a Conference Finals series against Detroit, tied at 2-2. He finished with a game high 33 points on 11-17 shooting, with 10 of 12 foul shots and a rare three pointer, to go with 7 rebounds and 5 TOs.

KG lit up the sky with a vast array of multi-color crowd pleasers. Two other big time O-zoners, surprising offensive stars – Ray Allen and Kendrick “Rasheed” Perkins brought along their own cache of sky flashers, poppers, and loud bursts. There were oohs and ahhhs all night long. It almost ended with ooh no.

Kendrick Perkins provided the early fireworks for the Celtics and went on to have the best offensive game of his young career. He had 8 points and 8 boards in the first quarter alone.

Doc said he played the starters like it was a game 7. Fittingly, they created…. and almost destroyed their own destinies. But it was going to be their own doing. No one else’s.

Kevin Garnett calls Rasheed Wallace a mirror of himself. This night, Kendrick Perkins was a mirror of Rasheed. He rebounded with passion and shot like he was Rasheed, putting the Celtics on his back for much of the first half. Cedric Maxwell would have been proud. Perkins said they were leaving him open to guard Paul and Kevin and he wanted to do something about it. He surely did.

For 3 quarters, Perkins was a Monster with a capital M. For a long while, he was out rebounding the entire Piston team. Of his game and play-off career high 16 boards, 5 were offensive to go with his 18 points. Perkins hit tough lay-ups in traffic, little hooks, turn around jumpers, and unblockable fadeaways like his opposite number on the Pistons. Kendrick picked the exact right time to play the game of his life. The Celtics desperately needed someone other than the big three to contribute offensively lately. The ESPN announcers said they had to give Perkins a nick name if he kept it up. The Perk-o-later already has one.

He also played solid inside defense until the 4th quarter, as the Celtics decided to let Wallace roam the 3 point line and fire away at will. The strategy almost back fired as Rasheed looked like Larry Bird, making 5 of his first 6 from the arc. By the end of game, Rasheed’s arm must have been tired from all the long distance chucking, as he missed some crucial three pointers down the stretch. He finished 6 of 9 from downtown.

Ray Allen says, “Can You Hear Me Now?”
Also in the O-zone was Ray Allen. What a time to have a break out game. Ray was dialing it up long distance all night. The signal was strong everywhere. Yes, Ray. We can hear you now. His deadly nano-second release was back, as he was a big part of the fireworks show, even with defenders right on his shooting hand. For a while, his shots looked like back breakers. But Piston backs don’t break. They bend. Ray finished with 29 points on 9-15 shooting, 5 of 6 from the three point line, and 6 for 6 in critical foul shots

The Celtics established a 17 point second half lead on absolutely fantastic offensive shot making. By the end of the game, it was more like ‘oh no’ and ‘oh boy’ as the O-zone layer disappeared and Pistons took immediate (and continued) advantage of sloppy and lazy Celtic execution in the 4th period.

The Celtics started the 4th quarter with a 15 point lead, 86-71, when Kevin Garnett made a jump shot and his 24/25th points in what was the most clutch shooting I’ve seen him display. He constantly rained jumpers from deep, dunks, mid range moves, and foul shots that kept the Celtics from falling behind early and kept them in the game later. He even banked a three pointer in the first half, as the shot clock ran down, a la Tim Duncan. It would turn out that the Celtics would need every basket and most every foul shot.

The Celtics played like the game was over to start the 4th. The Pistons were just waiting for a chance to strike. They had hunkered down very well, striking back from ‘behind the hedges’ whenever they could during the Celtics’ shooting onslaught. It was a testament to their ‘never say die’ approach that makes them so dangerous.

The Celtics offensive discipline completely fell apart. Turnovers, passed up shots and bad shots almost led to their downfall. Team IQ dropped to double digits as the lead dropped to single digits. They looked stunned while their lead dwindled to a single point twice, at 99-100 with 1:23 left and 101-102 with just 8 seconds left.

They had 5 of their 17 turnovers in the 4th and made just 5 of 13 shots. Luckily Garnett, and Ray Allen hit 4 big foul shots in the closing seconds and Ray hit the biggest jump shot of his Celtic career so far to give the Celtics a 102-99 lead with 1:02 left. His foot was on the three point line. But it was enough to hold off a closing Piston squad.

Paul Pierce played a solid, but unspectacular floor game finishing with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and but a single TO (for once). Rajon Rondo was the iron man of the team playing almost 46 minutes. Doc told him that he was going to play him the entire second half. Sam Cassell did not play well in his brief appearance in the first half. Rondo responded with a terrific floor game, finishing with 13 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, a blocked shot and a single turnover. His shooting was off at 3-14 again, but he did enough positive things with the rest of his game to more than offset his shooting woes.

So it was the Celtics at their best and their worst. Predictably, yet always somewhat of a surprise, we have seen this before. I believe in a Green Earth policy and recycling, but that isn’t what I had in mind. And for a while, it looked like the Beantown Ballers ran out of precious energy. But they dug down to find enough to just eek out a victory. You could say they almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But a victory it was.

One only wonders if this kind of game gives hope to the Pistons, and mitigates the positive for the Celtics. You saw Detroit take every lunging punch the Celtics threw. They waited, jabbed, waited, and countered punched in the final round. They almost got up from a knockdown to win on points – literally.

But predicting this series’ outcome is a difficult thing. Boston has played well enough to win every time they have been tied in the post season. This game’s defense left a lot to be desired. It hasn’t always been a Rembrandt, but Picasso or Pollack will do. Next time, I hope they enter the D-zone again. It is their natural workspace and they can’t expect to get the same shots to drop as they did in this game. But more important, they have 2 tries to get one win that will put them in the NBA Finals. That is the Celtic dream. Precious game 7 is at home. So there’s a lot for the boys in green to be hopeful for.

There are some poised Pistons in the way.

As the saying goes, the final score wasn’t indicative of the game. Or maybe it was.

Boston is proving to be a team that can’t stand too much success.

Antonio McDyess was the main Celtic killer, finishing with 21 points and 16 rebounds. He was left open often. He had help from Rip Hamilton with 20 points and Jason Maxiell and Rasheed Wallace with 14 each. But it was Chauncy Billups only three pointer that put the game away late in the 4th quarter.

Detroit jumped on Boston from the opening bell. Their defense was aggressive and, at times, it seemed like there were 6 Pistons on the court. Boston came out confused and lethargic.

The Celtics made just three shots (3-15) in the first quarter. They made just 18 more for the rest of the game. Much of it was due to a smothering Pistons’ defense. The rest was due to missing shots they normally make. They seemed out of sync for most of the game.

The numbers were astounding. At half time, there were a total of 4 made baskets by Boston’s big three. Pierce and Allen had one each.Garnett took only 6 shots and made two. Ray Allen was 1-4, and Paul Pierce was 1-6, though he did go 7-7 from the foul line.

The Celtics fell behind early at 13-4, then closed to 17-22 to end the 1st quarter. They fell behind again in the 2nd, but finished with a 9-4 run to close within 4 at 39-43 by the halftime, thanks to 4 points by Ray Allen, 2 by Garnett and a Rondo inside basket. The Celtics were thoroughly outplayed in the first half. Only their rebounding and foul shooting kept them in the game.

This was the kind of game where the Celtics mystify me. I don’t know whether it was a lack of a killer instinct, or simply not being mentally prepared every game.

This game had HUGE OPPORTUNITY written all over it. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain by coming out strong and loose. They could put a big nail in the coffin of the Pistons by winning this game. Come out ready and get the jump. Get the crowd out of it and put a little desperation into the Piston players’ minds.

Instead, they looked like the guy who just woke up from a nap to answer the door. His eyes aren’t focused. He has pillow hair. He has to think hard to respond to anything you say to him.

The Pistons came out alert, energetic and strong, as expected. For the first time that I can think of, Kendrick Perkins had a better half than Kevin Garnett. You won’t read that sentence often, but it was true. Perkins had 7 points, and only 2 boards in 10 minutes, but generally played very well. The only issue is who was supposed to be covering McDyess? If Perkins was supposed to stay in the middle, then someone else should have rotated out on Antonio. He killed the Cs with mostly open looks from mid range. If not, then Perkins was remiss defensively.

In fact, in the first half, the big three all played fairly poorly. Pierce did get to the line often (7-7) and played good defense. Garnett rebounded pretty well (7). But both players each had three TOs with two of KGs being consecutive offensive fouls. Pierce’s TOs came from a gang tackling defense of the Pistons. Paul was converged on every time he had the ball. The Celtics did not respond well to the Detroit pressure. They had a total of 6 assists at the half. The other problem was that they only had 11 baskets on 30 attempts.

The Pistons first quarter defense was tremendous. They were collapsing on anyone in the middle and the big three anywhere they got the ball. Garnet was blocked from behind by Jason Maxiell on a lazy dunk that got the Palace rocking.

Celtics point guard play was left wanting by both Rondo and Sam Cassell on this night. Cassell didn’t shoot much and he had zero assists, though when he was on the floor the team played reasonably well. He finished with zero points to go with the zero assists. The team’s plus minus with him was at exactly even (zero – which in this case was good ). Rondo had a difficult time again tonight and finished with 2-8 shooting, 4 assists and a plus/minus of -14. But really, neither deliver the kind of performance that would win a ball game.

There simply was not a single Celtic who got it going offensively tonight. The team fought bravely to make runs to come close, but there wasn’t the energy or shooting prowess to get them anywhere near over the hump.

Garnett had 6 at the half and finished with 16, tied with Paul Pierce to lead the Celtics. Ray Allen again had difficulty making shots, and even turned down some lay-ups to pass.

The Celtics shot .318% on 21 of 66 to the Pistons .514 on 36 of 70. The Celtics had 14 TOs with 11 of them by half time, to the Pistons 7 TOs for the game.

Call it…Opportunity Lost.

So the teams go back to Boston tied 2-2 for a game on Wednesday night. This looks like it might go seven games…. again.

It wasn’t 40 days and 40 nights of flood or being in the wilderness…it was 39. Close enough.

The Boston Celtics did what few thought they were capable of doing anymore – winning a game on the road. Their last one was on April 16 against the Knicks in the regular season.

It was a convincing win with an 11-0 sprint out of the gate that went to 15-4, before the Pistons ran off 13 straight to take a 2 point lead. At that point, James Posey, Glen Davis and Sam Cassell contributed offensively to regain the lead as the quarter ended and sent a message to the Pistons that things would indeed be different tonight. Before it was over, the Celtic lead would grow to 24 before shrinking to 9 in the 4th quarter.

The Celtics made it look easy. Road win? No sweat. Get Kevin Garnett, the team’s best player in foul trouble early? No problem. Get Ray Allen out with fouls, too? Go ahead – tie my other arm behind my back. Have another poor 4th quarter with a lead? Of course. Let’s not get crazy and change everything.

Late in the first quarter, James Posey made a 3 pointer on an assist from Paul Pierce. Sam Cassell, who came in for Rondo with 3 plus minutes left, hit another three and the Piston flames were doused until it was much too late to make a difference. Right there, a tone was set for the rest of game. The Celtic lead would slowly balloon to 18 at the half 50-32. The bench would play a big part of this evening’s game. So would Rondo and Perkins, aka the ‘other two’.

Boston’s bench made up for the stinker they put in last game, and between ‘anyone not called a member of the Big Three’ and Kevin Garnett’s play, it was the difference in the win.

What a surprise story line for this Celtic season. The best road team takes a detour from winning on the road in the play-offs. Mere mortals beat them consistently. Superman can’t get his Clark Kent clothes off. Who would have thought it?

Detroit takes one from Boston in Boston and the Celtics return the favor immediately. The Celtics beat the Pistons so badly, there was booing from the fans. So much for ‘the best fans in the world’ as Rip Hamilton says.

How important was it that the Celtics take this particular game? If you follow such stats, it was enormously important. Let the record show that, in a series tied 1-1, 76% of teams that take the next game go on to win the series, according to the TV announcers.

The Celtics bench got their chance after Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen went out in the first quarter with 2 fouls each. The bench finished with 23 points after garnering just 8 in Boston in game #2.

Let’s start with Kevin Garnett…. 22 points, 13 boards (4 offensive) and 6 assists, leading the rout of the Detroit Pistons. Kevin seems to get the Celtics started each game by hitting his 1st or 2nd shot. He continued to make big shots inside and out and regularly set screens and made plays for others all night.

Garnett’s play, while at times, suspect in parts of 4th quarters, has been consistently good throughout the play-offs. He is the stalwart defender, shot maker, and defensive tone setter for the team. He is always the match up that gives opponents nightmares.

But the next player to get special note is one you rarely hear singled out. Kendrick Perkins played as solid of a game as I have seen from him perhaps all year. KP was 6-6 from the floor at one point, including a turnaround fadeaway. He was a big reason why the Celtics kept the Piston to 80 points in their own home. The Celtics only gave up 24 points in the paint to their own 34. Perkins was a big part of that, as well as the Celtics 42 -28 rebound advantage. Kendrick also managed a steal from a point guard, and a block.

You know that basketball karma has swung toward the Beantown Ballers when Kendrick gets his groove on. It did and he did. He was the other part of the Celtic double double double along Garnett. Perkins, in 28 minutes had 12 points on 6 of 7 shooting and 10 (2 offensive) rebounds, a block, a steal and even demanded the ball on the right block once. He then spun and delivered a mini jump hook that bounced a few times and dropped in.

Doc has said that Rondo and Perkins have to make shots and make the defenses pay for dropping off them. Tonight they both did. Rondo was aggressive in going to the middle and either dropping a short shot in or laying it up.

James Posey had his best offensive game in quite a while with 12 points, including 7-8 foul shooting. Paul Pierce was quiet offensively, taking just 6 shots and making 4, and adding 2 steals and a blocked shot. His defense was very good as he had some deflections and Prince shot just 2-11. Six Celtics scored in double figures. Take that, Detroit.

Ray Allen could not find his shot again, going 5-16. (I thought he just unpacked that thing?) But Ray has 6 rebounds and 6 assists and hit a three to stop the 4th quarter bleeding.

Detroit came out and played a trapping 1-2-2 defense in the second half that was effective in disrupting the Celtics’ offense. Luckily, Detroit’s time ran out before it could get any closer than 9. The Celtics pushed the lead back to 14, thanks in large part to a late Ray Allen three pointer and won convincingly. Detroit’s defense in the first half was not anywhere near as good as in game 2.

So the onus is back on Detroit. They must win another one in Boston to have a chance to win it all. That will be difficult, though they’ve already done it once. If the Celtics, by some chance win again on Monday in Detroit, this series is virtually over.

The Celtics have climbed that road mountain. They can now hold serve and win at home the rest of the way and be in the League Finals.

Let’s call it ATT – “After The Trade”

ATT – people thought the team’s defense wouldn’t be good enough.

ATT – people thought it was three stars and nothing else.

ATT – people thought Doc might not be up to the challenge

ATT – people thought Rondo wasn’t up to the task – yet.

After just one loss at home in the play-offs, Boston has to prove those thoughts wrong – again. Why? Because all of those thoughts will linger after losses where they were a factor.

To be sure, Boston will have to prove themselves and defend themselves after every loss. Again – why? They are the featured team of the year. Biggest turnaround ever. One of the best defenses ever -statistically. Best road record. Great home record. The three best player combo on the floor -by far (statistically).

Is it fair? People are watching Boston. If the Celtics goes all the way, how did they do it? Team play or three dominant players? If they fail, how did they fail?

They lost at home. They haven’t won on the road. They just gave up 103 points to a team that averages 92 in the play-offs. The only players who could score where the big three. Rondo has had his difficulties. Doc’s use of roster and line-ups could be questioned at points.

Isn’t this where we came in?

Tayshaun Prince on the lack of support for the big three…

Rondo played a great floor game, bu he missed some shots and luckily nobody else on their team made a big impact. Because if they did, we’d have come up short. The big three hit some big shots but we rotated well to the other guys like Eddie House, Posey.

There is an acceptable level of focusing the offense on the big three. You would be crazy not to run your offense through them. But there is an acceptable level of support they should be getting from the rest of the team. That support fell below the ‘acceptable’ line in Thursday night’s game.

Imagine if, somehow, the Celtics won that game? wow. That would mean you could put a D-league squad around them. That was the kind of support they received from the bench. At least that would be the assumptions.

But as good as Paul, Ray and Kevin were, it wasn’t enough. Defense is played with 5 guys. The Boston defense was off. They had a number of missed assignments where a shooter was left wide open in a corner. Maybe it was ‘figured out’.

Rip Hamilton….

….Everybody knows what they do defensively, how they load up on the strong side. But I thought the thing that we did (Thursday) that was different than Game 1, when we made our cuts and we made moves it was all in motion…. we just kept motion, coming off screens, making them react…..moving the ball.

ll.

Coach Saunders….

Our guys are starting to understand how they help out. They’re such a good defensive team on the strong side. We emphasized spacing and ball movement….

The theory is that you don’t change what got you there. But if Detroit shreds the D just enough for another 100 point game and do it the same way, then something has to change or you will be going home to watch the Finals on TV. The Celtics’ success wasn’t built on outscoring teams while they score above their average.

So the question is…was it simply missed assignments? Or has Detroit found a seam or flaw in the defense that will pop them open for a some open shots each quarter? Only the Celtics and defensive coach Thibodeau know for sure.

My own opinion is that there were at least some missed assignments on most of the loosely guarded (or open) shots. The Celtics’ defense doesn’t normally let a player stand alone at the baseline three point line and line up a shot, order a snack from the stand, wait for it come, eat it, wipe his fingers on a napkin and then fire away.

But familiarity can reveal some nuances that go unrecognized otherwise. So we will see. Clearly, Detroit figured out Boston’s defense better than Boston figured out Detroit’s.

Another point that suggests that. The Celtics final point output was somewhat deceptive. The three stars hit any number of shots what you would normally not expect to drop. Even if they were assisted shots, the shooter often hit baskets with a very high degree of difficulty.

Tayshaun Prince even noted that….

Sometimes we were coming with double teams on Paul or KG and they still hit some tough shots.

Prince on Ray Allen….

Ray Allen hit some tough shots. He made some open shots at times. The three that he hit, you know, Sheed contested it…. pretty well, he made him shoot it a little higher than he makes him shoot it, (a lot of arc) and it dropped right through with no rim.

Everybody’s been talking about how he has been missing a lot of shots in the play-offs. But you still have to understand that when he’s on the floor and he’s oh for thirty, and the game is on the line, you know he still has an opportunity…he’s going to make that shot.

So, will the Celtics be reduced to having hit to tough shot after tough shot? Or will they figure out something they can exploit like Detroit has in the Celtics’ defense?

Rondo can’t let Detroit tell him where he gets the Celtic offense and his own offense started from. He, Perkins and the bench have to do a better job overall. At least one guy, pick one, any one, should be an x-factor to help the team and cause Detroit extra problems, like Rodney Stuckey did for Detroit.

Glen Davis won’t find things so wide open as he did for his 20 points against them during the season. Leon Powe has to play better. Sam Cassell should get a shot. Eddie House has to do better.

PJ Brown has done everything you could want from him of late, but the Cs need more. Perkins must rebound and score a little more.

The Celtics must take at least one from Detroit in Detroit. To do that they must play with more energy than the Pistons and they must do everything a little bit better. More important, they must believe that they can win on the road. It has been so long since that’s happened.

The Celtics’ last road win April 16th against the New York Knicks. It’s a long, long time. Over a month – 39 days to the day – to be exact. Can they dig down, remember how, and find the will to do it again?

Their season and everything is riding on it now.

ATT -After the trade…. everything changed. Detroit is the team most thought would give the Celtics the trouble they are in fact, giving them. Detroit has been here 6 times before. They are calm and battled tested.

The Celtics don’t always play well in the 4th quarter in closely contested games. They didn’t on Thursday night. They face a tough team in a tough arena in a big game.

Tayshaun Prince about playing on the road …

When our backs are against the wall, we find a way to come out and play good basketball. We find a way to be there at the end. Against a good team, when you’re on the road, when you get a chance at the end, that’s what you ask for. Late in the game, against a hostile crowd, we give ourselves a chance.

Celtics take note. As Ray Allen said…”We have to come out swinging.”

True enough. You don’t want to start out in the hole in Detroit. But it’s about who delivers the finishing shots that will determine the winner. If they give themselves a chance at the end, that is all you can ask for. Then it’s up to them to make the most of it. Legacies – good and bad – are built on such moments. It is coming down to this.

Game time 8:30 tonight.

It was bound to happen. This was the team that was expected to do it.

Detroit ends Boston’s 9 game home winning streak, 103-97, and evens the series at 1-1. They did it while giving up 75 points to the new big three. Boston’s bench added 8 points – total, while Rondo and Perkins were kept in check, as well. Kevin, Paul and Ray shot 29 for 51 (57%), while the rest of the team shot 6 for 21 (29%)

Boston now has to do what it has not done. Win away from home. They picked a tough team to try to break through against.

This was a classic game of ‘making plays’. Big time players ‘make plays’. There were a number of big time players on both sides.

With many things being equal, it appears that Rodney Stuckey was the difference maker. He hit for 13 points off the bench including a number of shots that helped the Pistons keep their lead when Boston made moves to close in.

The Celtics bench conversely, was quiet offensively, in a game where offense was needed from someone other than the big three. This would have been a good game to try Sam out. He thrives in these kinds of games. He was a DNP-CD.

Even Ray Allen finding his jump shot couldn’t stop the Pistons.

It will go down in history. Mark the time. I was an eyewitness to it. At 9:10 of the 3rd quarter, Ray let yet another jump shot fly. He was 4 for 11 with no jump shots made up to that point. The entire arena erupted when his 17 footer actually dropped through the net. It was as if it was a buzzer beating, game winning shot.

Even Ray was surprised at the noise explosion….

I did hear it, and I had to look around to see if they were cheering for me because it was so loud.

Ray finished with 25 points on 9 of 16 shooting with 2-4 from the arc. Paul Pierce led the team in scoring and big shot making. For a while he looked like he might be alone again. But Kevin Garnett made a number of tightly defended, highly difficult shots while Allen’s 12 point outburst in the 4th, included a huge, long distance three with 2 Piston defenders on him in the waning seconds of the game to close within 3 at 97 -100 with 10.7 seconds left.

Detroit played better defense. Paul Pierce…

I thought we were a step slow tonight.

Rip Hamilton led Detroit with 25 loud points. But it just seemed to me that Rasheed had a twenty point game as well. He only had 13. They were all loud baskets, including 2 back breaking threes.

Detroit did what Detroit does – spread the offense and the wealth with 6 players in double digits.

Boston did what many thought they would do from day one – get scoring aplenty from the big three and little from anyone else. The shutdown of all supporting players was more than Boston could even consider to get a win.

While the stat line on Rondo looked good, it was deceiving. He had close to a triple double. He obviously shot poorly (2-9). While he ended up with 8 assists, his passing was less effective than you might think. At the end of the 3rd quarter he was 1 for 7 with just 4 assists for the entire game. He went where Detroit wanted him to go for most of the game. While not performing his point guard duties well at all, (the team had 5 assists at half time) he did rebound like a star with 9 total and 3 offensive.

Now Boston has a ‘must win’ situation on the road. Ray Allen….

I’m excited about it. We have to come out swinging. We’ve been good on the road all year. But in the play-offs, we have to pick it up.

They will attempt to return the favor on Saturday at Auburn Hills.

Fodder for the “Refs control the score” theorists:

As I have said before, late game calls are more far important, more magnified and leave a team little to no time to recover from them. A non-call, and a call that shouldn’t have been made, played a big role.

a) non call on Ray’s three that missed everything.I have to check the replay, but it looked like he was fouled on the shot.
b) Rondo was called for minor contact shortly after

Again, I’ll check replays later, but they looked like two calls that were unfortunate and definitely affected the game. After watching the tape. I’ll re-assess and report later.