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.
