I'm a big boy so I can admit when I'm wrong about something. After the last two nights, the Boston Celtics have proven to me, the Eastern Conference and the NBA that they're not hopeless.
You would think that their 27-point comeback in Orlando on Thursday would leave them dead for tonight's game at TD Garden against the Pacers, a team that had beaten them twice already, yet the Celts (9-9) won their fourth straight 94-87.
It was the second night of a back-to-back, vs. a playoff team but Boston didn't care as they recorded their fifth win in the last six tries.
Did I mention that Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Jermaine O'Neal and Keyon Dooling were all out? It makes no sense that this team would find its legs and defensive identity with such a shortage of bodies but welcome to the NBA in 2011-12.
Indiana (12-6) had no answer for Paul Pierce (28 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks), who is playing some inspired basketball. Building off his nice game against the Magic, Chris Wilcox added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Kevin Garnett and Mickael Pietrus each had 13 points and eight rebounds while Brandon Bass scored 12.
The fantasy stud but real life enigma Danny Granger led the Pacers with 21 points. Paul George had 16 points, David West scored 14 and Roy Hibbert added 11 points.
I honestly can't explain how the Celts have morphed from a joke to a solid, competitive team in the span of a few weeks. Whatever the reason, I love it since I was pretty much dreading their games earlier in the season.
The C's led from start to finish: 23-17 after the first quarter, 42-34 at halftime and 71-61 after three quarters.
Boston shot 45.8% and held Indiana to 35.0%. The Celtics made five more 3s (6-1) which made up for the Pacers advantage at the free throw line (30-12). I don't think I've ever seen a team lose when they shot 30 of 31 from the line but the Pacers screwed themselves by going 1 of 19 from downtown. Boston grabbed three more rebounds (45-42) and dished out 10 more assists (21-11) without Rondo! The Pacers had three more steals (9-6) but the Celtics had four more blocks (7-3).
Indiana's age showed in the fast break points (23-6) but Boston beat them with the old man game down low (48-42) in the paint.
The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Garden on Sunday in the first leg of a home-and-home series. The Cavs are still in full out rebuilding mode Post-LeBron but their No. 1 pick, point guard Kyrie Irving out of Duke, looks like a real good one.
If the C's can continue this defensive intensity and efficiency on the offensive end, they are going to be tough to beat when Rondo and Allen return. Moreover, I'm not going to underestimate them or doubt head coach Doc Rivers for the rest of the regular season.
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