Celtics Central

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.