Okay, let's talk basketball. I missed the game because of the stupid election. This seems too close for comfort if you're Boston. What happened?
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The Other Race
07 May 2008 12:06 am
Comments (48)
You didn't miss much. The parts of the game that I saw sucked - the two teams were playing terrible basketball. Yes, exciting because it was close, but do you really want to see LeBron shoot 2-18? With 10 turnovers? And miss a layup with 7 seconds left that could have tied the game? No. And it wasn't really because of Boston's defense either.
I like use the gage of what I could do if I played a sport. For example, if you're a pitcher and throwing 50 mph fastballs and walking everybody, then that is essentially what I could do if I were on the mound, and thus, you, the pitcher, are atrocious.
In this game, LeBron put up a statline that I could do. I'm looking at you, 2 for 17 with 10 turnovers. I could do that. And yet, the Celtics won it on their last possession.
Game 2 and on, LeBron will play a lot better than I would. He won't rim out 12 shots again.
This is the kind of win that has to have Boston crapping their pants.
Beyond that, this was an extremely poorly officiated game. Shame NBA, shame.
Both teams were terrible. Garnett actually hit some clutch shots, and LeBron had the worst game of his career. I'm not sure what it portends...LeBron certainly won't be that bad again, but Boston probably won't be either.
What happened? Not much sleep after a grueling 7-game series against a well rested team that still managed to outsuck them in the end.
Okay, let's talk basketball. I missed the game because of the stupid election.
Are you kidding me? You watched MSNBC all night, or what? Put the game on, and check the results on the computer.
Game was bizarre. I think Boston has some serious Paul Pierce problems. There's just no way he can score on LeBron, so he spends all day whining about foul calls and non-calls. Similarly LeBron's shot wasn't on, and he couldn't penetrate effectively because KG and Perkins were keeping an eye out for him.
Everyone must have been worried about Obama.
If Lebron shoots 2-18, the Celtics should win by what - 30?
The game sucked. I echo what some have said about this not being a good sign for Boston, and I'd like to add that they were a LeBron layup away from winning in Boston (where the Celtics are now 39-6).
A win's a win. Rondo was immense, and he took a huge charge from LeBron that has convinced me he's fearless as well.
Pierce and Allen BOTH had terrible games and the Celtics still won. This was an opportunity James and the Cavs blew and blew hard.
Thanks so much for the opportunity Matt. There's nothing more to say about Obama and Hillary -- but the Celtics? The enigma lives on. Contrary to what Mac says above, Ray Allen wasn't terrible. He missed four shots, 0-4. He misses more than that on a good night. They couldn't get the ball to him because Sczerbiak of all people was on him like fly paper, and because Pierce was in Bizarro World. Pierce is the one who had a bad night, but then again, he guarded LeBron, who had an unbelievably bad night, including missing the tying layup with seconds left. KG played great. Point guards Rondo and Sam Cassell did well, combining for 34 points, and James Posey was quietly immense. Both teams played excellent defense.
So Pierce, Allen, and especially LeBron will all come to life on Thursday. Who knows if the Celtics can stop LeBron when he's on a mission? I would have preferred to see him score 30 points and blame his teammates for the loss. The Celts have been scary (to their fans) all through the playoffs, but when they're good, they're very very good. And nobody plays defense like they do.
Boston took 7 games to eliminate Atlanta. Nuff said.
The question is, does one LeBron equal a Ray and a Paul? Three superstars didn't show up, we'll see what happens Thursday when everyone decides to play, and someone please tell Garnett it is ok to shoot first.
If Wally World can guard Ray Allen, the Celtics are up the creek. Cleveland can shoot, believe it or don't. You wouldn't have known it from this game.
Right now David Stern is thinking: thank God for the Western Conference.
I have no idea what that game portends for Boston. And no, I do not like that at all.
You didn't miss much, ugly game. Thankfully Gavin Floyd almost had a no-hitter, which caused me to change the channel, then I called my family, and luckily forgot about the game and missed the last quarter and a half.
I still don't know why Rondo isn't playing over Cassell at the beginning of the 4th quarter. I kind of understand the crunch time Cassell thing, but Rondo was a monster tonight in the first half. Play him!
When you start writing books about the NBA, then you can demean the "stupid election." It's your day job.
I'm a Knick fan so my season ended sometime in October. I didn't find out Shaq was playing for Pheonix until last week.
Not only did they almost get beat by the Cavs (ouch) at home (double ouch) but Lebron wasn't doing much (ouch, like when Hillary got kicked in the nuts tonight, ouch). That said, the Cs had a couple of calls go against them, which suggests to me that Stern would rather have a Kobe-BronBron matchup than a Lakers-Celtics matchup.
Lebron did equal Pierce and Allen tonight. He shot 2-18, and together they did.
This was a game that the Cavs are going to regret losing. It was right there for them and they fumbled it away.
After watching a couple more Cs games, my respect for Rondo has increased a fair bit. The dude is crazy (CRAZY!) fast, shoots reasonably well, and plays some defense. Did anybody catch the halftime interview with him as he was leaving the court. The dude talks as fast as he runs. It looked like his responses were speeded up to double time.
3 of the 4 best players on the court had their worst playoff games, ever.
3 of the 4 best players on the court had their worst playoff games, ever.
Both of these teams are really good defensively, it wasn't all incompetence.
It was a really terrible game. Boston looked tired after the quick turnaround from the long Atlanta series, and the fans seemed a bit tired too. But I don't know what Cleveland's excuse was. They've had a nice rest, but really didn't bring much.
Pierce shot poorly, but he had a number of good open looks that he just missed. I'm having trouble visualizing how Cleveland is going to be able to score enough points to stay in this series, unless Lebron can average 35 points per game the rest of the way.
Despite the fact that the game was very close tonight, mainly because of poor Celtics shooting, and Cleveland is clearly a better team than Atlanta, Atlanta brought a lot of quickness, youthful energy and shot-blocking that was a very tough defensive matchup for the Celtics. Josh Smith's shot-blocking was in Garnett's head in the Atlanta series, but Garnett looked liberated tonight, and can really go to work against a Cleveland team that doesn't have anybody big with the quickness to guard him.
Atlanta seemed bent on throwing double teams at Ray Allen and taking him out of the game, and daring Rondo to show what he's got. Rondo definitely stepped up.
If PHX had drafted Rondo, they could be playing for their second straight championship right now.
If PHX had drafted Rondo, they could be playing for their second straight championship right now.
Or they'd be in the same position and Rondo would be riding the pine instead of starting.
i tend to favor the theory that this isn't such a bad sign for boston. the game to steal after one series goes long and the other doesn't is game one; after this game fatigue will be less of a factor. moreover, boston's point guards dominated cleveland's, garnett can't be matched up with and allen, pierce and james all missed otherwise makeable opportunities. i expect boston to go unbeaten in this series at home; the question is whether cleveland makes it interesting and holds serve at home.
It was the worst basketball of any of the series so far. Ug. Lee.
Troubling for Boston: they played like shit.
Troubling for Cleveland: Boston played like shit and they couldn't win.
I think Cleveland comes out of this in the worst shape, but the longer this series goes the worse it is for Boston.
I'll defer to Charles Barkley. Ernie, "What's the spin coming out of game one?"
Barkley, "Celtics up one to zero."
Well, LBJ had a pretty bad game, but only by his standards. He wasn't exactly missing open shots and he had some layout rim out on him. The sad thing is the offensive coaching for the Cavs. LBJ gets double-teamed even before he gets the ball and basically has the attention of the entire Celtics team with the ball. Yet their offense looked pathetic at times. And why did he sit so long to start the 4th? Afraid he has 4 fouls? That's so stupid. If you sit him you only guarantee that his foul situation effects his playing time.
I also thought the play calling in that game was pretty bad. There were a lot of dubious calls in that game, going both ways. But how about that last play with LBJ? He goes to the basket and nearly gets wrapped up in an arm tackle. Yeah, he stays on his feet, but that made the shot much harder because he could barely keep his balance. I don't know if there are any players in the league besides LBJ that could finish that play, but where was the whistle?
LOONNGG stretches of referee induced scorelessness in the latter half of the third and the early part of the fourth. So many bad calls for one side were 'balanced' (sic) by equally atrocious calls on the other end. Interstingly (and perhaps tellingly) fouls against Celtics almost never result in a free throw attempts... the differentials in the Cleveland game and the Atlanta series is SOO clear only the willfully blind can't see it...
Here's the thing: the Celtics are SO GOOD the only thing that can stop them are the refs. And the refs are doing just exactly that. They did it in Atlanta (when was the last time Pierce fouled out of a game, huh?) The commish didn't want a sweep against Atlanta and he doesn't think a sweep against Cleveland is good for bidnish.
The refs are working this hard. Blech...
That said, the Cs had a couple of calls go against them, which suggests to me that Stern would rather have a Kobe-BronBron matchup than a Lakers-Celtics matchup.
So every bad call is evidence of a conspiracy? The bad foul call that counted most was the one on LeBron's drive at the end. You know, the one that would change the game's outcome.
It was so egregious that my girlfriend said, wait why is the guy on the Celtics going to the line (on the intentional foul) after Lebron got fouled?
He finally took over down the stretch, which I guess is a good sign for the Celtics, but winning by four on a night when LeBron was 2-18 from the field and committed ten turnovers...
So? Cleveland lost on a night when the Celtics committed twenty-one turnovers and Pierce and Allen scored a (gulp) combined four points. And sure, LeBron had a pretty ugly night, but he still managed to score in double figures and nearly had a triple double. Boston's defense was no fluke. They've been doing it all season long. I like the Celtics' chances of giving us three more similar defensive performances a lot better than Cleveland's chances of giving us four more.
Anyone think there's a connection between Pierce's bad stats and LeBrons? Yes, they both missed open shots, but Pierce also went into the game emphasizing defense. (TNT said he had talked abou this in interviews.) While he was guarding LeBron he spent lots of energy on defense, and hardly did anything but try 3-pointers on offense.
Pierce for LeBron is a great trade if Boston can keep it up. Allen has no excuse.
So every bad call is evidence of a conspiracy? The bad foul call that counted most was the one on LeBron's drive at the end. You know, the one that would change the game's outcome.
The Celtics had a foul to give, so that's not really true. James Posey was actually trying to foul LeBron to give the foul and make them inbound again, but there was no call.
Uh, Mo, were you and your girlfriend really watching the game? After some contact at the foul line, Lebron spun free to the hoop slightly off balance as Perkins scrambled to get out of his way and avoid the potential three point play. Perk accomplished that and Lebron missed the admittedly not quite routine finger roll. The play only screamed for a foul to be called if you're a Cavs homer or a Celts hater.
and nearly had a triple double
Of course, given LeBron's 10 turnovers, he nearly had a quadruple double - of a dubious variety.
Here's a question I want to throw out there - Garnett was one of only two players who showed up last night (along with Z). Can someone explain to me why the Cavs had Joe Smith guarding him down the stretch - and especially on the layup that Garnett made to put Boston ahead with 20 seconds to go? Instead of, you know, 4-time defensive player of the year Ben Wallace? I guess Mike Brown was trying to go offense/defense and had subbed Wallace out, but I'd want my best defender on the floor at all times to play the only guy Boston had who was making shots - especially with just 20 seconds left to play!
Ray Allen seems done to me. He can't even get close to getting open to take a good shot, let alone actually start making a shot.
Paul Pierce is open enough, but whether it's b/c of age or b/c now that the Celts have KG the refs don't give him the "star" calls of the early 2000s, he's not been very efficient. If Pierce isn't a scorer, then what is he good for? Whining and annoying the refs?
And the Celtic bench kind of stinks. I actually like Leon Powe, but he does not look comfortable right now.
And Doc Rivers is what he is.
Regardless, the Celtics had better accomplish something this year. I don't see a long stretch of success on the horizon for this particular configuration.
BTW Rondo's good. Not fully play-off ready, but good. That touch pass on the break to Perkins for the slam was so point guard.
If Pierce isn't a scorer, then what is he good for?
Apparently defending LeBron James.
Man, that game was ugly. But LeBron actually played better than the box score would indicate. He played lock-down D on Paul Pierce.
Here's my long-range NBA prediction: in 20 years, we'll look back with complete amazement at the fact that LeBron hadn't won an MVP by 2008. This year, he averaged 30 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists a game. Plus 2 steals, 1 block and he shot 48% from the field. That's just effing ridiculous. The only guys I can come up with who've had similar numbers are Oscar Robertson (many times), Bird (from 86-88), and Jordan (in '89). I think LeBron will get even better, but how much better could he be? And he's been playing at that level since his second year, when he was 20 years old!
And he got 1 first-place MVP vote this year. One! Maybe LeBron will get it next year as a make-up, like the way they gave it to Kobe this year because the writers felt bad about not giving it to him the 2nd year Nash won, when Kobe averaged 35+ ppg. 35 a game is just as unique as 30-8-7, but I'd argue that 30-8-7 is more impressive.
I know I'm basing this on very primitive statistics. But those are the primitive stats that MVP voters usually look at. It's not that I'm shocked LeBron didn't win, I'm just shocked that of the 100-some writers, he got 1 first-place vote. His team only won 45 games, but LeBron must be directly responsible for 25 of those. Can you imagine a team built around Wally, Big Z and old Ben Wallace winning more than 20 games?
Back on topic: the Celtics bench does not "stink," keatssycamore. The bench didn't look great last night, but the Celtics are one of the deepest teams in the league. They're one of the only teams that can put out a 2nd 5 of legit NBA players: Powe, P.J. Brown, Cassell, Posey, Big Baby. And that doesn't even include Eddie House, who'd be the 7th or 8th man on a lot of good teams and is the Celtics' 11th guy.
Pierce played great on defense. He played LeBron 60% of the time, with Posey taking the other 40%, and together, they stayed in front of him almost the entire game.
LeBron played Pierce pretty well, too - difference is, when Pierce got hacked in the lane, no call. But LeBron got those calls for the most part. A couple of phantom calls in the first half kept LBJ at the line.
But overall, as someone said, you easily trade a Pierce for a LBJ, which to me, despite his offensive troubles, says Pierce had a pretty dang good game overall.
Ray Allen, not so much. Doc needs to run more plays for dude. He WILL get open off screens. Wally CAN'T guard him. Neither can Delonte.
And if not, put Tony Allen in. He played both Wally and Delonte in practice for years and can beat both guys off the dribble, and contain both with superior defense.
Funny - LBJ was making fun of Joe Johnson, saying Joe might not have seen a double team before, but I'll know what to do. Clearly, the conceited one had no clue what to do (10 turnovers!) and everyone who thinks it was "LBJ was off" and "it wasn't the Celtics D" is smoking something. That's what good defense does. It stifles you. LBJ couldn't breath. Couldn't get the ball. Forced to pass it up because of double teams, forcing Wally or Delonte to be a playmaker which they really can't.
Both teams played well on Defense, no doubt.
But Garnett was the MAN last night and that's why the Celtics won.
Cleveland should be kicking itself, if they were gonna win a game in Boston, this was clearly one for the taking and they blew it.
The Celtics had a foul to give, so that's not really true. James Posey was actually trying to foul LeBron to give the foul and make them inbound again, but there was no call.
You weren't watching the replay. He wrapped his arm around LBJ's waist and pretty much caused him to rotate 90 degrees. It looked a lot like a sloppy missed tackle. You could still argue that the non-call was a pro-Cav call, b/c it might have resulted in the ball out of bounds, which would have been bad for the Cavs. But they could have given him 2 free throws as well. I also thought the offensive charge called against LBJ at the end of the 3rd was atrocious, but there were many other strange calls for the Celts and phantom non-calls so I didn't see any strong signs of bias.
The bench didn't look great last night...legit NBA players: Powe, P.J. Brown, Cassell, Posey, Big Baby. And that doesn't even include Eddie House, who'd be the 7th or 8th man on a lot of good teams and is the Celtics' 11th guy.
I'll give you Posey. He is pretty good. Cassell will probably hit free throws down the stretch when they are ahead. I already said I like Powe, but do you really think he's looked comfortable in the playoffs?
As for the rest of one the league's deepest benches, they combined, between the 4 of them, for 12 minutes of game time.
Maybe that's Doc Rivers fault, but in truth, I thought during the regular season that the Celtics bench was really good. However, their bench has been the opposite of good in the games I've watched in the playoffs (4 Celtic games I've seen).
difference is, when Pierce got hacked in the lane, no call.
This would worry me if I were a big Celtics fan. All the star calls one would have assumed would go Pierce's way, haven't.
Matt, I really enjoy your blog. I found you via tpm. I've even ordered a copy of your book! But the NBA is pretty low on my list of interests. If only you were a baseball fan ...
In the final analysis, Cleveland has a lot more to worry about than the Celtics.
LeBron, who averages 30 points a night, scored 12. Pierce and Allen, who average about 40 combined, scored 4. That's a superstar differential of 18 points in Cleveland's favor, but Cleveland still lost.
When the superstars right themselves, Cleveland is back in the familiar position of needing LeBron to do better than his best.
Gavin Floyd pitched 8 1/3 innings of no-hit ball.
Comments closed May 21, 2008.
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Heads in the Sand
Allen was useless (37 minutes, no points!) and Pierce was worse than useless (2-14, foul trouble all night) and Garnett spent most of the game being too unselfish. He finally took over down the stretch, which I guess is a good sign for the Celtics, but winning by four on a night when LeBron was 2-18 from the field and committed ten turnovers... Well, the Pistons are looking better and better.
Posted by Mac | May 7, 2008 12:14 AM