Celtics Beat Bobcats 106-103, Sigh

I must admit two things up front before this quick post: 1) there is nothing I hate more in sports right now than watching the Celtics win; 2) I can't remember when was the last time I watched so much of a C's (24-55 overall, 16-24 home) game this season. Boston outlasted Charlotte (40-39 overall, 17-23 away) 106-103 at TD Garden. The Celtics snapped a beautiful nine-game losing streak and the Bobcats dropped their first game in the last six contests.

Pregame, things looked all lined up for another Celtics loss. Rajon Rondo sat with a "bruised left shin" (oh NBA/tanking) but on the other side, former UConn legend Kemba Walker was also out. Former Celtic Al Jefferson (32 points, 10 rebounds) was basically unstoppable which playoff-bound Charlotte didn't seem to figure out until it was too late in the fourth quarter.

During that long losing streak, the C's had perfected the art of completely crumbling in the fourth quarter after usually being competitive up until then. This was a different story since it was back and forth (29-28 Bobcats after one quarter and 57-55 Celtics at halftime). Boston opened that up to 84-75 heading into the fourth.

All five Celtics starters were in double figures led by Phil Pressey (10 points, 13 assists, 3 steals). Avery Bradley had 22 points, Jared Sullinger added 20 points and seven rebounds while Brandon Bass (9 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Jeff Green (6 turnovers) both scored 18. The loss dropped the Bobcats back to seventh in the Eastern Conference (they've already clinched a spot) and proved how much they need Kemba to have a chance to beat anyone even in the weak East.

The next highest scorer for Charlotte was Gary Neal who put up 13 points off the bench. Chris Douglas-Roberts added 12 points while Gerald Henderson (11 points) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) each snuck into double figures.

Boston hit four more 3-pointers (11-7) and five more free throws (13-8). Charlotte hung around by dishing out 11 more assists (33-22), they had eight less turnovers (20-12) and scored 14 more points in the paint (50-36). The Celts also took advantage of nine more points off turnovers (23-14).

Only three more games left in 2013-14 for the Celtics, beginning with tomorrow night (7:30, CSN) in Cleveland (32-48). Right now, Boston is tied with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the NBA. The only teams that the Celtics have a chance to drop past are Utah and Orlando (23-56). Every loss counts guys, make it happen!

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Rajon Rondo Is No Tony Parker, Celtics Are No Match For The Spurs

For delusional Celtics honks that think Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in the NBA, tonight was a friendly reminder that he isn't even close to that imaginary throne. As much as I love him, I will admit that Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook are all better than him. Ditto for Derrick Rose when he's healthy.

Parker torched Rondo for 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals as San Antonio (19-6, 8-2 home) had no problem with Boston (12-11, 4-7 away) 103-88 at the AT&T Center. Rondo was held to six points, nine assists, five rebounds and seven turnovers. That makes it 14 turnovers in his last two games which is precisely why the Celtics lost on back-to-back nights in Texas (Houston, San Antonio).

Bigger picture, the Spurs are just a better team than the Celtics as they squeeze all the talent possible out of nobodies like Gary Neal (20 points), Tiago Splitter (16 points, 8 rebounds) and Danny Green (12 points). Tim Duncan (5 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks) didn't do anything offensively and Manu Ginobili left in the first quarter with a quad injury but San Antonio played like none of that happened.

Paul Pierce (5 rebounds, 3 steals) and Jason Terry led Boston with 18 points, Kevin Garnett had 13 points, six rebounds and two steals, Courtney Lee had 11 points and five rebounds and Jeff Green added 10 off the bench. For the second consecutive game, Brandon Bass had two points so I wouldn't mind seeing Doc Rivers not let him start on Tuesday. Clearly, he is struggling while Green and Jared Sullinger (7 rebounds) look more dependable at the moment.

San Antonio made six more 3-pointers (12-6), nine more free throws (15-6), handed out six more assists (28-22) and had three more steals (9-6). The only thing Boston did better in was fast break points (14-4) but that is of little solace given the final result.

The Spurs led from start to finish as the Celtics looked like an old team (which they are) that was playing its second game in two nights. San Antonio was up 26-21 after one quarter and 52-49 at halftime. The Spurs left no doubt who the tougher team is at this moment with a strong third quarter (25-20) and fourth quarter (26-19).

Boston has one more chance to grab a win on this difficult three-game road trip when they meet Chicago (13-9) on Tuesday (8 p.m., CSN) at the United Center. The Celtics beat the Bulls 101-95 on November 12 at TD Garden and Chicago still doesn't have Rose back in the lineup but they are slowly improving.

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Excuse Me, Has Anybody Seen The Celtics' Defense? They Seem To Have Misplaced It

It is pretty easy to figure out why the Celtics are struggling so much at the moment: they've allowed 102+ points in three of their last four games (all losses). For whatever reason, the defense that they've been famous for since Kevin Garnett (14 points) came aboard in 2007 has been mostly non-existent this season.

San Antonio (9-3, 5-1 away) came to TD Garden tonight and laid a 112-100 beating on Boston (6-6, 3-3 home) that truly wasn't that close. The Spurs shot 58% and had six guys in double figures. They led from start to finish, outscoring the Celts in three quarters and tying them in the third.

For the Celtics, it's hard to come up with an excuse since they are healthy and hadn't played since Sunday's no-show in Detroit. The Tony Parker (26 points, 6 assists) vs. Rajon Rondo (22 points, 15 assists) matchup didn't disappoint but basketball remains a team game and the Spurs helped Parker more than the Celtics performed well around Rondo.

Ageless Tim Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds and the mysterious Tiago Splitter scored 23 points off the bench. San Antonio's superb role players did their part: Gary Neal had 12 points while DeJuan Blair and Danny Green both had 10 (they both start, amazing).

Paul Pierce scored 19, Brandon Bass had 16 and Jason Terry notched 12 points. Along with defense, Boston's other major issue is rebounding. Would you believe that they had one offensive rebound all game-by Bass late in the fourth quarter? San Antonio crushed them on the glass (41-25) which led to a 58-34 advantage for points in the paint.

With Darko Milicic leaving the team today for good to be with his ill mother in Serbia, Danny Ainge has a roster spot to play with. You have to think he'll look search far and wide for any available big men with a pulse. Hello Kenyon Martin!

The C's might have flunked their first test against one of the Western Conference's elite squads but they have another chance to redeem themselves on Friday (7:30 p.m., CSN) as Kendrick Perkins and the Thunder (9-3) visit. They only play each of those teams twice this season so you have to savor them. We'll probably never get a Celtics-Spurs NBA Finals (last season was mighty close with both in their conference finals) but we can still dream about that or Celtics-Thunder (halfway true last June).

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Spurs Vs. Celtics Never Disappoints

As I predicted, tonight's Celtics-Spurs game at TD Garden was easily one of the most entertaining NBA matchups of the season.

After battling back from a 17-point deficit (55-38 in the 3rd quarter) to take the lead in the fourth, Boston (30-23, 19-9 home) had a chance to win it after getting a stop. Paul Pierce (15 points, 10 rebounds; named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for March earlier) was isolated on Tim Duncan (10 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks) but Pierce's mid-range stepback jumper drew iron and the Spurs (38-14, 17-10 away) held on for an 87-86 win.

San Antonio won its ninth straight game while they snapped Boston's five-game win streak (eight in a row at home).

If I told you that Danny Green (14 points) led the Spurs in scoring while Avery Bradley had a game-high 19 points for the Celtics off the bench, you would guarantee that it was a preseason game or late-season meaningless contest, right? Not tonight. They were the unlikely catalysts for two solid veteran squads.

Gary Neal had 13 points off the bench for San Antonio while New Hampshire's own Matt Bonner had 10 points and 10 rebounds including the final bucket for the Spurs which put them up four (87-83 with 46 seconds left). Tony Parker added 10 points for the Western Conference's second best team (behind Oklahoma City).

Rajon Rondo (17 points, 11 assists, 4 steals) played better than Parker and Kevin Garnett (16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) was slightly better than Duncan. Ray Allen (5 points, 7 rebounds) returned after missing the past six games and he struggled, going 2 for 6 from the field although he hit a clutch 3-pointer (Boston's final points) with 39 seconds left. If Bradley continues to be on fire and Allen doesn't pick it up in the next few games, Doc Rivers will have no choice but to start Bradley since he brings a whole other dimension to Boston with his defensive ability and the way he gets to the rim.

Playing the second night of a back-to-back, the Spurs surprisingly came out fast and built a 27-20 lead after one quarter and 59-48 at halftime. The second half was pretty ugly as the Celtics outscored the Spurs 16-9 in the third and 38-28 in the fourth.

San Antonio won because they punished Boston on the boards (53-39 including 12-4 offensive). The Spurs hit three more 3-pointers (7-4) and two more free throws (8-6). Boston shot nearly 4% better (45.8-41.9), they had four more assists (21-17), six more steals (13-7), six less turnovers (17-11) and seven more points off turnovers (17-10).

The Celtics fly to Chicago to take on the Bulls, the Eastern Conference's and NBA's top team, tomorrow night. Word is that Derrick Rose could return too after missing the last 11 games. Boston is 1-2 against Chicago this season with most recently an 89-80 loss on February 16 at the United Center. This is the toughest stretch of the season as the C's play the Spurs, Bulls, Pacers and Sixers in five nights.

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