Celts Hang On, to Whistlin Phil's Chagrin
Did the refs forget and think this was a 1999 Knicks-Heat game? Pau Gasol got away with murder all game and baited Rasheed Wallace into a technical foul at one point. Then Whistlin Phil has the nerve to complain about there not being enough time on the clock for their last possession.
My take:
- First off, George Lopez: Shut up and go sit down!
- Celts bench was horrendous tonight. I'm the biggest Sheed supporter out there but he flat out sucked offensively tonight shooting 2-11. Daniels was ultra-unimpressive as well playing 13 minutes, getting no assists and not even taking a shot; it's like he wasn't even out there.
- On a positive note it was a thing of beauty to see Ray Allen shoot the ball well. He flourished in the first 3 quarters of this game, utilizing his height advantage over Fisher. Maybe he was at ease knowing he wasn't getting traded. Here's hoping Ray resigns this summer for the MLE and segues into becoming the 6th man while ending his career in Boston (of course this doesn't solve the problem of not having a starter, but that's a discussion for the summer).
- Celts outplayed the Flakers for the first 3 quarters but I knew they should've been up more. And as quickly as you could say "Shut the fuck up and sit down George Lopez" the lead evaporated early in the 4th.
- Btw seeing that stat of the Celtics leading the NBA with far and away the most blown double digit second half leads of 8 really just hurts.
- Gotta admit love seeing Fisher fail at the end. The cheapest, dirtiest player in the league by far deserves to have lost a lot more than he has in his career.
Celtics got the win tonight after a putrid 4th quarter, their first win over the Flakers since the 2008 Game 6 destruction. But that doesn't solve the problem they would've lost without question tonight had Bean played. Their offense is so tentative in tight situations, like they never won a title or ever played together. It's remarkable how Rajon Rondo is an All Star and yet Doug Collins, when describing some of the Celtics' lack of success this year, attributes it to them playing 3 on 5 at times offensively because of Rondo and Perkins inability to have to be worried about. I think there's a lot of truth to this statement. When you're defending a team like Orlando and Cleveland or the Flakers, they have the ability to put a unit out there where each and every individual needs to be accounted for. I feel as long as Perkins and even Rondo are in the mix, that won't ever be the case. Unless Rondo can be counted on as a solid shooter.
I understand they got the win tonight. But it really bothers me that it was such a struggle without Bryant playing. Celts still have a ways to go to be back in the picture as far as I'm concerned. Here's hoping tonight's a step in the right direction.
