The Boston Celtics once again started like gangbusters but finished like lambs, or change that to that very, very tired, slow moving gangbusters. After jumping out to as much as a 13 point lead, Gang Green was busted by 20 points….and going away in the end.
It is a story we have seen many times this season.
It must have been a satisfying win for the league leading Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics started the season off with a win in Cleveland and the Cavs hadn’t won in Boston for three years, including that famous 7 game playoff series in 2008.
While you can say that the Celtics played about 24 solid minutes of basketball and 24 minutes of trying to hang on, it was more of a straight line decline over the last three periods, after a terrific start.
Unfortunately, the good teams can wait the Cs out now with the understanding that there will be a time in the game to strike and reverse whatever Boston has accomplished up to that point.
Injuries Still Rule
In fairness, the Celtics still cannot field a complete team. Paul Pierce, the team’s leading scorer and captain, did not play due to flu, a sprained thumb, a sprained ankle, and bothersome knee. His replacement, Marquis Daniels almost did not play due to flu as well.
Paul hasn’t been playing well for a while and the thumb injury has affected his shooting, so he will sit for a few games.
Daniels ended up playing, solving Doc’s dilemma of who to put on Lebron James. Though James ended up scoring a game high 36 points, Daniels did a credible job for part of the time.
Shaq Goes Out With Sprained Thumb
Glen Davis best defensive play of the game was spraining Shaquille O’Neal’s thumb while stripping Shaq of the ball underneath the basket in the first half. Shortly after Shaq called time out and took himself out of the game and did not return. It was later reported to be a ‘significant’ sprain by the TNT announcers.
Varejao Takes Over
Alas, it didn’t matter, as Anderson Varejao played an outstanding game at center in his place. Varejao was active all evening and finished with 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting with 10 rebounds.
He set a wicked screen on Rondo in the 4th period that Rondo backed into hard and fell while trying to follow Mo Williams to the right corner. Mo could have eaten dinner, dessert, and sipped coffee with all the time he ended up with before hitting that three pointer that made 90-83.
Perkins the Human Pinball
Verajeo also played the enforcer and pushed Kendrick Perkins after Lebron pushed Kendrick and Perkins pushed back a bit. It happened quickly and it looked like Perkins was like being knocked like a pinball between the two of them. Kendrick turned and walked away immediately. The refs correctly assessed Verajeo a technical foul, James a personal foul and Perkins nothing.
Perkins finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds in 25 plus minutes.
Rondo Runs Out of Gas
With Paul Pierce out, it fell upon Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen to try to pick up the offensive slack.
Rajon Rondo started like a house afire, scoring 10 of the Celtics first 12 points and had 8 assists and 14 points at the half. Rajon played almost the entire game without break, only coming out with 2:50 left and the Celtics 16 points behind, 101-85.
You knew Rondo, the energy bunny, was spent early in the 4th quarter when he missed a driving lay up he normally makes, got the rebound and missed the easy put back as well. It was right after Mo Williams gave the Cavs the lead at 79-78 and signaled the beginning of the end for the Celtics.
Slippery Slope
Boston shot 70% in the first quarter for a 31-21 lead. They shot an anemic 31% the rest of the way. They scored 32 second half points while the Cavs scored 60, almost getting doubled.
For the Cavs it was just the opposite as they started just .364% in the first quarter and went 59% the rest of the way. Boston finished at .407 shooting while Cleveland finished at .526% shooting.
After one period, Boston was out rebounding the Cleveland 14-6. The Cavs out rebounded the Cs by 37-26 the rest of the way.
Ray Allen was the only other offensive option that could be counted on and Ray came through with his 5th straight game over 20 points, finishing with 21 on 7 of 13 shooting, including 4 straight three pointers made before missing his last 4, in 35 plus minutes.
With LeBron scoring double digits every period until the last, the Celtics were doing a credible job on the rest of the team until Mo Williams exploded in the final decisive period with 14 points including 4 big three pointers that wrestled the lead from the Celtics.
Rajon owned Williams in the opening quarter. By the 4th it was reversed. You know your team is in dire straits when their destiny rests with Rondo shooting jumpers and three point shots. Rajon led the team with 19 attempts, making 8. He was just 2 of 10 after the first quarter. In the final quarter, Rajon was left open outside and went 1 for 6, including an air ball three.
Celtics Bench Lets Them Down
Whatever efforts the starters exerted, they were offset by a poor showing from the Celtic reserves. Interior defense by Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis was left wanting as the game went wore on. The bench gave up the lead and were outscored by double digits on the game.
Rasheed missed two wide open threes and an 8 foot turnaround fade away from the left baseline in the critical opening moments of the 4th quarter.
Tony Allen had a couple of nice offensive plays with a quick put back of an errant Wallace shot and a driving, twisting lay up in traffic that would score well in the Olympics’ gymnastics.
Garnett Still Not The Same
Kevin Garnett was strangely absent from the offensive scheme, especially in the last period, taking just two shots, missing one and getting fouled on the other. He finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, for his first double digit rebounding game since Dec. 18 against Philly, and only his 7th time all season.
Garnett started strong and looked good early on with 4 points and 4 rebounds in the first quarter. By the end of the game he looked tired though he only played 28 plus minutes.
Glen Davis had trouble scoring, finishing with 2 points on 1 of 5 shooting and with just 3 rebounds in 16 minutes, though he did pick up a couple of nice charges.
Davis operated a nice little two man game with Nate Robinson, setting two nice high screens that ended with Robinson open jump shots that Nate nailed in the first half.
Besides Lebron James, Mo Williams, and Anderson Verejao, Delonte West played well with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, as did second year player J.J. Hickson. Hickson was active at both ends of the floor and added 8 hustle points.
So the Celtics continue to show inconsistency and can use the excuse of injury for part of it. Getting this team healthy seems to be a difficult task. Getting a full game effort is still a mystery.
