Celts Made Another Major Trade: Robert Williams & Malcolm Brogdon To Portland For Jrue Holiday

 

    With training camp starting this week, it was nice to see the Celtics finally show some urgency to win their first NBA title since 2008. After seeing the Bucks acquire superstar point guard Damian Lillard last week, Boston responded by trading center Robert Williams and point guard Malcolm Brogdon to Portland (along with a 2024 and 2029 first round pick) for point guard Jrue Holiday. We have always overrated Williams but for many reasons, I truly do not think that you will miss him all that much unless you love alley oop dunks and highlight reel blocked shots in the regular season. I liked Brogdon very much but Holiday is unquestionably better as a two-time NBA All-Star (including last season) and more importantly, an NBA champion with the Bucks in 2021.  

    Williams had always been such a tease as a Celtic, often flashing incredible athleticism and talent but his game never really developed offensively and he is one of the most injury prone players in professional sports. Truthfully, he is a bit of a dinosaur in the league since big men that do not shoot 3-pointers are almost totally extinct. Brogdon was only here for one season but he was a true pro and the Sixth Man of the Year but you knew something would happen when the C's tried to trade for him over the summer to the Clippers while they wanted him to get surgery on his elbow (that severely limited him in the playoffs) but he disagreed. I know that he was close with Jaylen Brown so hopefully this move does not piss off Jaylen too much. Likewise, Time Lord was tight with Jayson Tatum so same deal there. 

    More than anything, this aggressive move by the C's proves that Brad Stevens understands that they cannot wait around for the next championship to appear out of the mist. For too long, the franchise has acted like they are the Warriors or the Bulls in the 90s in terms of multiple titles in recent history when they truth is that all they have is two bitter losses in the NBA Finals (in 2011 vs. the Lakers and in 2022 vs. the Warriors) since capturing their 17th title 15 long years ago. As long as they have a healthy Tatum and Brown, they will always be in the mix in the Eastern Conference and for the Finals. You don't win championships because of role players and bench guys but Boston clearly needed to upgrade its roster that was way too thin behind their top two players.  

    Besides being a very solid player who averaged 19.3 points per game, 7.4 assists per game, 5.1 rebounds per game and 1.2 steals per game in 2022-23, Holiday is an adult. He is 33 years old and married to former USWNT star Lauren Holiday who has battled some serious health issues since she was forced to retire early. Jrue is a good but great shooter (38.4% on 3-pointers and 85.9% free throw percentage) who has famously struggled with his shot in the postseason but you can always count on his outstanding defense, leadership and winning mentality. He won't beat himself and force things searching for his points. This is all to say that both on the floor and in the community, I think that he should be an excellent fit (much like Brogdon was) for the Celtics and someone that is very easy to root for. 

C's Destroyed The Bucks 109-81 In Game 7 To Advance To The Eastern Conference Final Vs. Heat

 

    After a predictable choke job by the Bruins against the Hurricanes in Game 7 of their first round playoff series on Saturday, thankfully the Celtics did the exact opposite as they ran over the Bucks to the tune of 109-81 yesterday afternoon at TD Garden in Game 7 of their second round playoff series. For the second time in three years, Boston advances to the Eastern Conference Final where they will once again meet Miami but at least this time it is not in the bubble. For the second time against Milwaukee in this round, Celts power forward Grant Williams had the game of his life with a game-high (and career-high) 27 points along with seven made three-pointers (another career-high). Bucks superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was finally bottled up (at least scoring-wise) as he had 25 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists, two steals but also five turnovers. 

    The C's started very slowly as they trailed 26-20 after a rock fight of a first quarter. They woke up in the second quarter and led by a slim five-point margin (48-43) after wily point guard Marcus Smart (11 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds) drew a shooting foul in the closing seconds on a shot from half-court. He made all three free throws and that propelled his team into an incredible second half. Boston blitzed Milwaukee in the third quarter (31-21) and really opened things up in the fourth quarter (30-17) as they were on fire on three-pointers (22-of-55 for 40%) while the Bucks were ice cold (4-of-33 for 12.1%) from downtown. The Celtics' two stars-small forward Jayson Tatum (23 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals)-were good not great but they didn't have to be other-worldly with Williams' amazing performance along with contributions from other guys like center Al Horford (10 rebounds, 6 assists) and point guard Payton Pritchard (14 points, 5 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench). 

    Milwaukee's point guard Jrue Holiday (21 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) closed out a very solid series for him with another fine outing although he was 0-for-6 on three pointers. Bucks center Brook Lopez had a double double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while backup center Bobby Portis was the only other guy on Milwaukee in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. I don't know if he would have made enough of a difference to change the outcome of the series but you can bet that at least if Bucks small forward Khris Middleton had played in Game 7, they would have made it much more competitive. It wasn't a surprise to see Boston win-they were the betting favorite after all on their home court-but to see the defending champions go down in flames was unexpected to say the least. 

    The Celtics led Game 7 by as much as 28 points and they dished out nine more assists than the Bucks (29-20) so you have to say that the better team ultimately won. C's center Robert Williams was technically active for the first time since Game 3 against Milwaukee but he never saw the floor. I believe that if it was a closer game, Celts head coach Ime Udoka at least would have thrown him out there for a few timely minutes. It was a best case scenario for that Williams since now he gets a few more days to get better and they will definitely need him against Heat center Bam Adebayo who is an absolute Celtics killer. Miami is the top seed in the Eastern Conference so they have home court and with their star small forward Jimmy Butler and shooting guard Tyler Herro (the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year this season), they have given Boston fits in recent years. However, after mowing down the Nets and surviving a long battle with the Bucks, now is the perfect time for the Celtics to eliminate the Heat and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. It should be a hell of a series and there is no rest for the weary as it begins tomorrow night (8:30, ESPN) in Miami with each game coming every other day for the entire series.

Horford Goes Toe-To-Toe With Giannis & A Huge Fourth Quarter Helps The C's Tie The Series 2-2

 

    The beauty of the playoffs in sports, even in the usually predictable NBA is that you never really know what's going to happen on a given day. Take last night for example as Boston rallied for an amazing 116-108 victory at the Fiserv Forum in Game 4 of their second-round series with Milwaukee. The huge fourth quarter by the Celtics (where they outscored the Bucks 43-28) allowed them to even up the series at two games apiece while also taking back the home court advantage that they lost when Milwaukee stunned them in Game 1. Few would argue that Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (game-high 34 points, game-high 18 rebounds, 5 assists) is the best basketball player in the world these days but incredibly, 35-year-old Celts center Al Horford (who most thought was washed up when he was traded back here last summer) nearly matched him with a playoff career-high 30 points and eight rebounds.

    Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum (30 points, team-high 13 rebounds, 5 assists) had his best game of the series but there is little doubt that this will be remembered forever in Celtics playoff lore as "The Al Horford Game." Boston's point guard Marcus Smart (18 points, 8 assists, 2 blocks) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (18 points) were both good as well while backup point guard Derrick White had his best playoff performance for the C's with 11 points off the bench. Part of the reason that Boston won is because they did not allow any of the other Bucks to really go off: center Brook Lopez was the next highest scorer for the home team with 17 points and seven rebounds, point guard Jrue Holiday had decent numbers (16 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) but he shot a pathetic 5-of-22 from the floor. Meanwhile, shooting guard Wesley Matthews added 12 points while Arlington's own Pat Connaughton notched 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the reigning world champions. This was a contest where you could clearly see that Milwaukee dearly missed its second best player-small forward Khris Middleton-who is still out with a sprained MCL. 

    I wouldn't say that Boston stole this game since they outworked Milwaukee in crunch time so they earned that coveted road playoff win. However, if I was a Bucks fan I would feel that they let this one slip away since they led for most of the game before falling apart in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. Milwaukee was up 25-18 after a low scoring first quarter then Boston cut it to a one-point margin at halftime (48-47 Bucks). Milwaukee took control again in the third quarter (32-26) but that only set the stage for the best quarter of the postseason for the Celts. The numbers don't lie since the C's owned a majority of the most important stats: they shot nine percent better from the field (50%-41%), they hit five more 3-pointers (14-9), hit their free throws at a higher rate (90%-77%) and handed out seven more assists (25-18) with three more fast break points (16-13) than the Bucks. 

    It's crazy how fast a series can shift because if the Bucks had won Game 4, it basically would have been over. Winning three straight playoff games against Milwaukee would be nearly impossible. Instead, Boston has a great opportunity to take control tomorrow night (7, TNT) in Game 5 in what should be another electric atmosphere at the TD Garden. You wonder if the Bucks will try and get Middleton back at some point this week. The Celtics actually announced a few hours before Game 4 that center Robert Williams was out with left knee soreness (his surgically repaired left knee, not great!) but that turned out to be not much of a factor. Neither team has won two games in a row this round so hopefully the C's can flip that trend and put the Bucks on the brink of elimination with another outstanding team performance.

C's Respond In A Big Way, Rolling To A 109-86 Game 2 Win To Even The Series With The Bucks

 

    I'm not predicting banner 18 quite yet so you don't have to start planning the duck boat parade but still, the Celtics performance last night in Game 2 of their second round playoff series with Milwaukee is what championship teams do. Boston learned from their humbling defeat in Game 1 and fought back for an emphatic 109-86 victory to even things up at 1-1. A few hours before the game, we learned that the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year-Celtics guard Marcus Smart-was out for the game with a thigh contusion (yeah right, it's gotta be something much more significant than that). It seemed like an ominous sign with the home team facing essentially a must-win but as it turned out, he was hardly needed at all. This being the NBA, there is an insane amount of time off before Game 3 in Milwaukee which won't occur until Saturday afternoon (3:30, ABC) but at least we can talk about this awesome win rather than be miserable for the rest of the work week.   

    Playing in front of an electric TD Garden crowd, the Celts never really gave the Bucks a chance to breath as they led from start to finish. Their two stars-shooting guard Jaylen Brown (game-high 30 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) and swingman Jayson Tatum (29 points, 8 assists, 3 steals)-were both way better than on Sunday (particularly Brown) but the real story was third-year power forward Grant Williams who helped contain Milwaukee's two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (team-high 28 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 turnovers) on the defensive end and dropped a career-high 21 points (including six 3-pointers!) on the offensive end in 35 super productive minutes off the bench. Veteran center Al Horford added a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and a game-high four steals. This final result was never really in doubt as the C's led by as many as 26 points (72-46 early in the third quarter) and the closest that the Bucks could get it in the fourth quarter was 12 points (94-82).

    Brown was invisible in Game 1 with 12 forgettable points so he made sure right away that he would show up in Game 2. He was on fire from the start with 25 points in the first half as Boston cruised to a 32-21 lead after the first quarter which they parlayed into a 25-point advantage at halftime (65-40)! The defending NBA champs were not completely fazed as they chipped away in the third quarter (26-18) but nobody could step up for the visitors and they slowly folded in the fourth (getting outscored 26-20). Milwaukee point guard Jrue Holiday (19 points, 7 assists, 2 steals) predictably came back down to Earth a bit as did their gritty big man Bobby Portis (13 points, 8 rebounds). St. John's Prep alum and shooting guard Pat Connaughton was the only other Buck to score in double figures as the former Orioles draft pick added a sneaky 13 points off the bench. 

    The easiest stat to point to was three-pointers as Boston made a whopping 17 more (20-3) than Milwaukee. The ball movement by the Celtics was absolutely gorgeous as they had 12 more assists (28-16) while their defense stepped up with six more steals (10-4) than the Bucks who had five more turnovers (16-11) which led to seven more points off turnovers (24-17) for the Celts. NBA playoff games are all about adjustments so now the question will be which version of these teams will show up for the next two games in Milwaukee. There was no way that this series would end in a sweep, you might as well settle in since this will most likely take a long time to determine the ultimate winner. 

After Milwaukee's 101-89 Win In Game 1, Boston Is Going To Have Their Hands Full With The Bucks

 

    I was told that the Celtics had a clear path to the NBA Finals now and that they should waltz past the Bucks in their second round playoff series. Yeah not so much as Milwaukee came out in Game 1 this afternoon at TD Garden and punched them in the mouth, taking the opener 101-89 behind their superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's second career playoff triple double (24 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, 2 blocks). After sweeping the pathetic Nets in the first round, Boston had been off for nearly a week but that's not an excuse as they suffered their first loss of this postseason. The Celtics' two stars-small forward Jayson Tatum (team-high 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals)-were both not nearly good enough to beat the defending world champions. 

    The scary part for the C's is that Giannis didn't even play that well offensively, shooting 9-for-25 from the field and missing five free throws (6-of-11) but he still affects the game in so many ways which is why he is currently the best basketball player on the planet. With small forward Khris Middleton out for the series, many people think that Milwaukee lacks another star behind Giannis which might be true but it hardly seemed to matter when point guard Jrue Holiday was awesome with a game-high 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. Bucks big man Bobby Portis added a double double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while that lowlife Grayson Allen notched 11 points and three steals off the bench. 

    Boston lacked any answers with Tatum and Brown each having lackluster performances. Center Al Horford had a double double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks while point guard Marcus Smart had 10 points, six assists and two steals. Backup point guard Derrick White was the only other Celtic in double figures with 10 points off the bench. The Celtics' defense gets plenty of hype but on the road, the Bucks held them to a ridiculous 33% shooting from the floor while they grabbed six more defensive rebounds (44-38), made three more steals (11-8) and turned the ball over five less times (18-13) than the sloppy home team. Time and again, Boston shot themselves in the foot as Milwaukee scored 21 more points off turnovers (27-6), 20 more fast break points (28-8) and five more second chance points (19-14). Finally, the Bucks also bullied them to the tune of 14 more points (34-20) in the paint as well.

    After doing basically whatever they wanted vs. Brooklyn, the Celtics appeared stunned to be pushed around so much by Milwaukee. In fact, the Bucks led really from start to finish: 27-24 after the first quarter, by 10 points at halftime (56-46) and 78-70 going into the fourth quarter. It's tough to call a Game 2 a must-win but would you like the Celts' chances of winning the series if they went to Milwaukee down 2-0? Me neither. You have to bank on Tatum and especially Brown being better on Tuesday (7, TNT) while Holiday doesn't figure to play so well. It will tell us plenty about Boston by how they respond to their first significant adversity of this postseason. Are they true contenders or just front-running frauds? Stay tuned on that.  

Just When All Hope Was Lost, The C's Pull Off Their Best Win Of The Season 122-114 At Bucks

 

    Coming into tonight's rematch between the Celtics (22-23 overall, 9-16 away) and Bucks (29-15 overall, 18-6 home) at the Fiserv Forum, I don't know who would have been crazy or frankly stupid enough to think that Boston would snap Milwaukee's eight-game win streak. That's the beauty of sports though, the unexpected often becomes reality. A day after the NBA Trade Deadline passed with Daniel Theis shipped off to Chicago and Evan Fournier on his way from Orlando, the Celts managed to put together their best performance of the year in a 122-114 victory that wasn't as close as the final score would indicate. We've been fooled too many times by this team during this bumpy season to think it's anything but an aberration that is until they prove us wrong again. 

    Center Robert Williams (7 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals) got his first start of the season and as you can tell by his statistics, he made the most of his 27 minutes. His energy seemed to boost the entire club as swingman Jayson Tatum (game-high 34 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) was fantastic and guard Marcus Smart (23 points, 8 rebounds) had his usual once-a-year lights out shooting display (7-of-10 on 3s!). Point guard Kemba Walker (21 points, 5 assists, 3 steals) has actually been good for a few weeks now but it's hard to notice when the team is a trainwreck. Shooting guard Jaylen Brown added 18 points and five rebounds while another new Celtic Mo Wagner hit a 3-pointer and grabbed five rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench. 

    After being held to 13 points on Wednesday, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) wasn't much better this evening which makes you wonder how healthy he's feeling. As we know, it's not like Boston is considered great defensively so it's tough to explain how they locked him up in these two contests. Nobody on Milwaukee reached 20 points as small forward Khris Middleton led them with 19 points and two steals. Point guard Jrue Holiday scored 17 points but he had six costly turnovers. Shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo added 13 points but he was 5-for-15 from the field. Giannis' brother Thanasis put up 12 points and five rebounds off the bench while shooting guard Sam Merrill got hot in garbage time (making the score what it was) and finished with 15 points. 

 The C's had lost five straight games in Milwaukee and after Wednesday's bitter defeat, this was exactly what they needed. The first half treated them well as they led 32-26 after the first quarter and 60-55 at halftime. The third quarter was the key of the game as they pumped in a season-high 43 points to take a 103-89 advantage into the final frame. They went ice cold in the fourth as the Bucks got them 25-19 but thankfully by that time it was out of their reach. 

    As a team, Boston shot 4.5% better from the field than Milwaukee (48.9%-44.4%) and hit three more 3-pointers (22-19). They also made twice as many free throws (14-7), had three more assists (27-24), three more steals (10-7), five more blocks (8-3) and two less turnovers (16-14) than the home team. Kemba will be resting tomorrow night (9, NBC Sports Boston) but the Celtics will be in Oklahoma City (19-25 overall, 8-13 home) to try and take this back-to-back from the Bucks and Thunder. After this four-game road trip started poorly with the overtime loss at Memphis (21-21) on Monday then the comeback fell short against Milwaukee in round one, winning this game gives them a chance to go 2-2 which would be fine. The Thunder are not a playoff team so even with this condensed schedule, the Celtics should beat them if they want to start to rebuild any kind of trust in their fanbase for the rest of this bizarre campaign.

On The Eve Of The Trade Deadline, Let's Hope That Was The Last Glimpse Of A Mediocre Celtics Roster

 

    Oh man, you really couldn't have scripted a more perfect way for the Celtics (21-23 overall, 8-16 away) to go into the NBA Trade Deadline tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. They trailed by as much as 25 points in the third quarter tonight at the Fiserv Forum against the Bucks (29-14 overall, 18-5 home) only to have a crazy rally in the fourth quarter which gave them the chance to tie it or win at the end of regulation. Naturally, center Daniel Theis (10 points, 2 blocks) got wide open on the inbounds pass by guard Marcus Smart (12 points, 6 assists) but he missed a 3-pointer at the final buzzer that would have won it. Instead, Milwaukee survived for a 121-119 victory-their eighth win in a row-while Boston fell to 2-6 since the All-Star break and 1-10 in its last 11 road games. 

    So what say you Celts GM Danny Ainge? Have you seen enough from this underachieving group to mercifully do anything to put it out of its collective misery? Sadly, despite all the rumors of the team's interest in Orlando forward Aaron Gordon and swingman Evan Fournier, I fear that Ainge will either do nothing or something very minor before the deadline passes. Don't get me wrong, I am not delusional enough to think that the C's have any chance whatsoever to win the NBA championship this season no matter how many slick moves that Danny could pull off. Still, it would be nice for a change to see them be more about proactive action rather than after the fact recapping all the things that almost happened but ultimately didn't. 

    Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (13 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) will probably never have a worse performance against the Celtics and yet his team still came out on top. Small forward Khris Middleton (game-high 27 points, game-high 13 rebounds) picked up the slack for the Greek Freak. Center Brook Lopez (5 rebounds, 3 steals) and shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo both scored 17 points while point guard Jrue Holiday added 13 points and two steals for the home team. Boston also allowed backup center Bobby Portis to score 21 points off the bench in just 17 minutes. 

    For the Celtics, one of their All-Stars was good while the other was not himself: I'll let you guess which was which as shooting guard Jaylen Brown had a team-high 24 points and 10 rebounds while swingman Jayson Tatum was held to 18 points (on 7-for-19 shooting), eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Boston wasted a fine night from point guard Kemba Walker (23 points, 6 assists, 3 steals) who briefly looked like his old self and backup point guard Jeff Teague scored 15 points in 17 minutes off the bench. 

    The hottest team in the NBA looked just like that as they led 35-30 after one quarter and 70-59 at halftime. Are you old enough to remember when Boston was actually considered a good defensive team? That seems like years ago. The Bucks outscored the Celtics 30-27 in the third quarter and Boston took the final frame (33-21) but it wasn't enough to come away with what would have been their biggest and most meaningful win of the season. Milwaukee shot 2.1% better from the field (50%-47.9%), they made four more free throws (14-10), grabbed eight more total rebounds (46-38) including four more offensive boards (13-9) and four more defensive boards (33-29) and they scored seven more second chance points (23-16) than the C's. 

    Boston gets another shot at Milwaukee on Friday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) and somehow I'm betting it will go way worse for the visitors. Giannis is guaranteed to play much better and the Bucks will ride the momentum of a very good team finding their rhythm at the right time of the season. No matter if it's Gordon, Fournier or somebody else that is a trusted veteran in the league, I can only wish that Ainge will make something work to help ensure that another lost season like this (with Tatum and Brown on the team) is not acceptable and won't occur again anytime soon. 

Tatum Comes Through In The Clutch & Giannis Chokes In Wild Season-Opening Win For The C's

 

    In a night that started with a moving tribute to Celtics icon Tommy Heinsohn, Boston did him proud with a riveting 122-121 season-opening victory tonight against Milwaukee at an empty TD Garden. C's star Jayson Tatum (30 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals) hit an absurd 3-pointer that banked off the glass before going in with 0.4 seconds left in regulation. That gave the Celtics a 122-120 lead, so obviously game over, right? Haha it's still 2020 for a few more tedious days therefore the reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (game-high 35 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks and 7 turnovers) was fouled by one of the newest Celtics-center Tristan Thompson (12 points, 8 rebounds)-going up for an alley-oop off the inbounds pass. Giannis hit the first free throw but then he front-rimmed the second one and that's how it shockingly ended. 

    With point guard Kemba Walker out for at least the near future with his troubling knee injury, the Celts will have to lean heavily on Tatum and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (team-high 33 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) and this evening against last season's No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they both stepped up in a major way. Center Daniel Theis added 10 points while the other starter fill-in point guard Marcus Smart (7 assists, 2 blocks) struggled offensively managing just three points in 38 minutes. This was the third time that Tatum and Brown have each scored 30 points in the same game and not surprisingly, their team is 3-0 in those special occasions that should soon happen more frequently. They also became they first Celtics teammates to ever do that in a season-opener. Head coach Brad Stevens improved to 5-3 in season-openers as the Celtics head coach.

    Boston's bench is one of its biggest question marks coming into 2020-2021 but at least this evening, they were light years ahead of Milwaukee's terrible bench. The Celtics outscored them 34-12 thanks mostly to veteran point guard Jeff Teague (19 points, 2 steals) who was fantastic in his Celtics debut. Former All-Star Khris Middleton (27 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists) nearly notched a triple-double while the Bucks' huge offseason addition point guard Jrue Holiday added 25 points and six rebounds. Finally, former Villanova star Donte DiVincenzo (15 points, 5 rebounds) looked like he belonged in Milwaukee's starting lineup which is undoubtedly one of the best in the league. 

    They didn't meet in the bubble playoffs (since the Bucks laid an egg against the Heat) but before that, Boston and Milwaukee had met in the previous two postseasons as this has gradually become a solid rivalry in the East. Did I mention that the C's almost blew a 17-point lead? Haha oh that. They were up 101-84 going into the fourth quarter but that was all gone before Tatum hit his prayer. As you can guess, it was a very entertaining back-and-forth contest as the Bucks jumped out to a 34-31 lead after the first quarter before Boston took control in the second quarter (33-25) to go up 64-59 at halftime. In the Disney World bubble, the third quarter was a nightmare for the C's but not this time as they outscored the Bucks 37-25. 

    As always under Stevens, Boston will live and die by the three and they hit four more than Milwaukee (18-14). They also had four more assists (23-19), twice as many steals (8-4) and 10 less turnovers. The Bucks must be shaking their heads, wondering how they even lost this game. They shot over 50% (51.1%-47.5%), they took seven more free throws (18-11) and hit seven more (15-8) than Boston. Milwaukee also grabbed 15 more rebounds (52-37) including 14 more defensive boards (41-27). No matter what happens for the rest of this bizarre 72-game Covid-19 shortened regular season, there won't be many better games than this one, I guarantee it (Charles Barkley voice)!

    The NBA takes Christmas Eve off-giving bozo James Harden more time to hit the club-but then they are back for one of the most important days of the year for the league: Christmas. There are five marquee matchups spanning all afternoon and night including your Celtics hosting (5, ABC) the Nets (1-0) who embarrassed the Warriors (0-1) 125-99 last night in Brooklyn. Perhaps the most annoying man in pro sports-Kyrie Irving (who scored 26 points vs. Golden State)-will return to Boston along with a fully-healed Kevin Durant (he put up 22 points against one of his old teams). The Warriors were playing without Klay Thompson and Draymond Green so I don't want to be like everyone else and overreact too much about one win but the Nets looked deep and damn good. If nothing else, Celtics-Nets should be a spicy new rivalry since you'll remember that Durant could have chosen to come here in free agency a few years back but he rightfully picked the easiest road to a ring-the Warriors. Still, Boston sports fans have amazing memories when it comes to real or perceived slights by players on other teams.

Was Andre Iguodala Really That Important? Because The 76ers Are A Mess Without Him

Remember when the Celtics and Sixers went seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring? Boston could certainly get back there this season but Philadelphia won't even sniff the playoffs. Apparently Andre Iguodala is the best player in the NBA since the Sixers (23-36, 17-16 home) are lost with him in Denver now.

Boston (32-27, 11-18) won their third consecutive game, 109-101 at the Wells Fargo Center tonight, to go a season-high five games over .500. After losing the first two games of the season series, Boston won the final two to finish 2-2 vs. Philly.

Avery Bradley had a season-high 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Paul Pierce flirted with a triple-double (18 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists) and Kevin Garnett added 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Boston's bench outscored Philadelphia's 41-22. Jeff Green put up 16 points and five assists, Jordan Crawford scored 12 and Jason Terry notched nine points and six assists.

Thaddeus Young led the Sixers with 19 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. Evan Turner almost had a triple-double (18 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals),
Jrue Holiday notched 18 points, 10 assists and four steals while Royal Ivey had 10 points. Dorell Wright (7 rebounds, 2 steals) and Arnett Moultrie both tossed in 10 points off the bench.

The C's led the whole way and this should have been decided by more but the Sixers made it somewhat interesting with some garbage time heroics. Boston was up 26-23 after the first quarter and 53-46 at halftime. The Sixers outscored the Celts 28-26 in the third quarter but Boston wrapped it up in the fourth (30-27).

Boston shot 9.6% better than Philadelphia (50.6%-41%), they hit six more 3-pointers (11-5), grabbed four more rebounds (49-45) and handed out 10 more assists (34-24). So how was this close? Well the Sixers had seven more steals (14-7), 26 more points in the paint (64-38) and 11 more points off turnovers (30-19).

If the playoffs started tomorrow, Boston (No. 7) would meet Indiana (No. 2). Wouldn't you know that the Celtics travel to meet the Pacers (38-22, 1st in Central Division) tomorrow night (7 p.m., CSN) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. In their previous meeting, Boston rolled to a 94-75 win on January 4 at TD Garden. Looking back, that is easily one of their best wins of the season. I highly doubt that they can duplicate a blowout like that tomorrow but I guess that we shall see.

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Celtics Return The Favor, Beat Sixers A Night After Losing To Them

After a disappointing overtime loss last night in Philadelphia, Boston was able to put it behind them quickly as they dispatched the Sixers (11-9, 4-4 away) 92-79 tonight at TD Garden.

The Celtics (11-9, 7-4 home) were buoyed by their best defensive half of the season as they allowed just 28 points in the first half for a 20-point lead (48-28). The Sixers didn't roll over in the third quarter (29-22) but Boston was able to deadlock them in the fourth (22-22) for a rare easy win against Philadelphia.

I've said all season to anybody that would listen-mostly my dog and cat-that Jeff Green is the Celtics' X-factor. If they are going to get anywhere, they need him to get his game in gear. After a very poor start to 2012-13, he's picked it up in the last five games: 19 points, 18 points, 8 points, 19 points and 16 points tonight. When he wants to be, he is really good with a versatile game that few can match, particularly off the bench.

Kevin Garnett scored 19 points (with no rebounds), Paul Pierce had 13 points and nine assists while Brandon Bass added 10 points and Rajon Rondo notched seven points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and three steals. Jason Terry had nine points while Chris Wilcox (8 points) and Jared Sullinger (7 points, 9 rebounds) continued to give the C's good minutes off the bench.

Thaddeus Young (22 points) still played like an All-Star against Boston for whatever reason but at least Evan Turner (13 points) and Jrue Holiday (11 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds) were held much more in check than on Friday in Philly.

Boston's bench outscored Philadelphia's 34-21. For the game, the Celtics were on fire from the field (53.3%-39.2%) and they had nine more assists (25-16).

I can't say I'm a fan of this schedule as the Celts have busy weekends then nothing for days. They host the Mavericks (10-10, 3rd Southwest Division) on Wednesday (8 p.m., CSN), who are still without the services of the incomparable Dirk Nowitzki.

O.J. Mayo dropped 40 points tonight in Dallas' win against Houston but what are the odds that ever happens again? It will be Terry's first game vs. his former club that supposedly snubbed him when he became a free agent. That's the start of three games in a row for the C's with the Texas teams: Dallas, at Houston and at San Antonio.

UPDATE 12/9: Chris Wilcox was fined $25,000 by the NBA for flipping off the in-house camera at the game in Philadelphia on Friday night. I didn't see it but I guess the Kiss Cam showed him and Jared Sullinger sitting on Boston's bench. Classic, well worth the fine.

UPDATE 12/10: The Celtics recalled rookie center Fab Melo from the Maine Red Claws.

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I Bet That Rajon Rondo Would Trade His Triple-Double For A Game-Winning Shot

We were all treated to the full Rajon Rondo (16 points, 14 assists, 13 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks) experience tonight since he was easily the best player on the Wells Fargo Center's court. Of course, what everyone will remember most is that he not only missed a jumper at the end of regulation but also slipped and airballed another shot to close out overtime as the Celtics (10-9, 4-5 away) lost 95-94 to the 76ers (11-8, 7-5 home).

The two most frustrating aspects of Rondo's final miss are that Kevin Garnett (17 points, 10 rebounds) passed up a decent look in the post and truthfully, Rondo would have been best served driving to the basket for a layup since the lane appeared open. Every game of basketball needs a winner and loser so Philadelphia's Evan Turner (26 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) was the hero as he hit the last shot-a midrange jumper.

Great stat courtesy of Celtics radio announcer Sean Grande on Twitter (@SeanGrandePBP): In Rondo's first 22 triple-doubles, the Celts were 21-1. Now they've lost the last two of them-Game 7 vs. Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals and tonight.

I don't know what it is about Turner, Thaddeus Young (17 points, 12 rebounds), Jrue Holiday (15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) or the Sixers but they always seem to push the Celtics to the limit. It must be their young legs, they are morphing into the Atlanta Hawks 2.0 when they see Boston. Jason Richardson added 13 points and five steals while Spencer Hawes and his beautiful mullet notched 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.

By losing, Boston wasted a great effort by Paul Pierce (27 points, 5 assists) and his eventual replacement-Jeff Green (19 points, 8 rebounds off the bench). Not to pin the loss on two guys since basketball is a team game but Brandon Bass (2 points on 0 for 1 shooting) and Jason Terry (4 points on 1 for 12 shooting) picked a bad time to both have their worst performances of the season since they are both starters at the moment.

The Celtics shot better (43.2%-37.4%) than the Sixers from the floor and hit four more 3-pointers (6-2) along with five more assists (24-19) and three more blocks (7-4). Boston had seven more fast break points (16-9) but Philadelphia had eight more points in the paint (40-32). This game was lost by the C's since they had 10 more team turnovers (19-9) and the Sixers converted those into a 12-point advantage (21-9).

After losing the first two meetings of the 2012-13 regular season, Boston gets another shot at Philadelphia tomorrow night (7:30 p.m., CSN) at TD Garden. If they can cut down on the turnovers and not leave the most important shots to Rondo, I like their chances. However, I can almost guarantee that it'll be another close contest since that is how it goes when they meet the 76ers and it's the second night of a back-to-back against an Atlantic Division rival.

UPDATE 12/8: The Celtics assigned rookie forward Kris Joseph to the Maine Red Claws.

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It's Only November, But The Celtics Are Not Right

Does someone want to let the Celtics know that the 2012-13 season has begun? For a team that has been known for its slow starts the last few years, I think it's safe to say they would be staring squarely at 0-5 right now if they hadn't played the Wizards twice already.

Boston (2-3, 1-2 home) fell 106-100 to Philadelphia (3-2, 2-1 away) tonight at TD Garden in a game that didn't seem that close since the Sixers seemingly led by nine or 10 points the whole time.

Rajon Rondo (14 points, 20 assists) and Kevin Garnett (19 points, 10 rebounds) have been themselves and this evening, Paul Pierce (24 points, 5 assists) decided to join them. Jason Terry was the only other guy in double figures with 13 points off the bench. The problem has been that the rest of the team hasn't really shown up yet, at least not consistently. And that's more than you can say for their so far invisible defense that allowed the NBA's lowest scoring team (that hadn't scored over 88) easily reach triple-digits, on the road.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised that the Sixers won since for whatever reason, they've been a bad matchup for the Celts the last few seasons. This was the same team that pushed them to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals in May. Evan Turner (25 points, 11 rebounds) and Jrue Holiday (21 points, 14 assists) seem to be progressing into the stars that franchise desperately needs. Dorell Wright and Thaddeus Young both had 15 points while Nick Young scored 10 off the bench.

Philly led 23-20 after one quarter and 57-45 at halftime. It turns out that was too much for Boston to overcome since the C's outscored the Sixers 29-26 in the third and 26-23 in the fourth but it wasn't enough.

The Sixers hit three more 3-pointers (7-4), grabbed seven more rebounds (38-31), had five more steals (12-7) and four more blocks (7-3). The numbers that really stand out for Philadelphia were their advantage in fast break points (26-9) and points in the paint (56-48). The Celtics aren't going anywhere allowing that type of differential to a team without a dominant point guard (sorry Jrue) or big guy.

Boston travels to Milwaukee tomorrow night (8:30 p.m., CSN) to face the Bucks (3-1). You'll remember that Milwaukee spoiled the Celtics' home-opener a week ago, 99-88. That no show was the first sign that this team has some major issues to address.

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Celtics Gut Out 85-75 Game 7 Win Vs. Sixers, Bring On Miami

In a series that was extremely ugly from start to finish, the Boston Celtics did just enough to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 85-75 tonight in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden.

Boston is now 21-7 all-time in Game 7s (4-2 in the Big 4 era) and that victory sets up the juicy matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals that we all wanted: Celtics vs. Miami Heat. Now everyone else in the world will be jumping on the Celtics' bandwagon since the Heat are the most hated team in professional sports.

Rajon Rondo (18 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds) had his 22nd career triple-double (9th in the playoffs) and take a guess what Boston's record is in those 22 games: 21-1. So yeah, Rondo is somewhat important to their basketball team. It was far from a one-man show since for the first time all postseason every starter scored in double figures. Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Brandon Bass scored 16, Paul Pierce filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and Ray Allen (11 points) came back from the dead to hit a pair of dagger 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

The Sixers fought the Celtics tooth and nail and they have nothing to be ashamed of since they go home for the summer with the second-most wins (7) ever for a No. 8 seed in the NBA playoffs, trailing only the 1999 Knicks that made the NBA Finals. Doug Collins' team plays great defense and is unselfish but they are a consistent scorer away from being a true obstacle in the Eastern Conference in the near future.

Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 18 points, Elton Brand had 15 points and Jrue Holiday put up 15 points, nine assists and five steals. Thaddeus Young pulled down 10 rebounds off the Philly bench which outscored Boston's 17-7.

Rondo essentially saved the Big 4 era by taking over after Pierce fouled out with 4:16 left in regulation and Boston holding a slim 71-68 lead. Rondo scored the next nine points by himself which went layup, long 2-pointer (that was initially called a 3 but he had his foot on the line), rhythm 3-pointer and two free throws. To close out the game he went 4 for 4 from the free throw line and 3 for 3 from the floor. That is Rondo in a nutshell, just when you think you've figured him out (which is impossible), he does something absurd like that. He's the most frustrating yet unstoppable force in the NBA and that I can ever remember on the four Boston teams in my lifetime.

It was tied 20-20 after the first quarter and Boston led 41-33 at halftime. KG's jumper at the buzzer saved the C's from an awful third quarter (outscored 19-14) and gave them a 3-point lead (55-52) heading into the fourth quarter.

In a seven-game series where the Sixers never scored over 92 points, the Celtics saved their best defensive effort for last as they held Philly to a horrid 35.0% shooting from the field while Boston shot 42.5%. The other vital numbers were the Celtics free throw shooting (20 of 22) vs. the Sixers (14 of 20), blocks (6-1) and fastbreak points (14-5). That shows an older team buckling down and seizing the moment with what got them here.

Most will give the Celtics no shot against the Heat and that's the way I want it and they like it. Let Miami have all the pressure, we know how LeBron responds in those type of situations. Obviously with no break and heading to Miami for Game 1 on Monday night (8:30 p.m., ABC), the Heat will be rested and ready to go. All the C's have to do is win a road game (more likely Game 2) and flip the series. It sounds like Chris Bosh will miss the series so that's some good news for Boston.

This is the third time in five seasons (during the Big Four era) that they've made the Eastern Conference Finals. It's also the fourth time in the past five years that they've faced LeBron in the postseason. The Celtics are not scared of the Heat and they went 3-1 against them during the regular season, this is going to be a tougher series than most think.

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Celtics Poop Their Basketball Shorts, Sixers Win Game 6 82-75 Going Away

Pathetic, embarrassing, putrid, depressing, these are just a few choice words to describe the Celtics' performance in tonight's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Wells Fargo Center against the Sixers.

Philadelphia won 82-75 in one of the ugliest basketball games I've ever seen and this is coming from someone that used to cover Division 4 (the smallest) high school girls basketball in Massachusetts for a living. The Sixers forced a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday (time TBA) at TD Garden against the banged up Celtics, who are suddenly reeling and looking quite vulnerable.

The C's fell to a dismal 2-11 in close out games on the road in the Big 3 era, they are also 2-4 on the road this postseason. Looking for some positive numbers? Boston is 17-4 all-time in Game 7's at home and 20-7 overall in Game 7's. Neither team has won consecutive games so far in this series.

Avery Bradley missed Game 6 and he's reportedly done for the playoffs with his dislocated shoulder. This meant that Ray Allen had to play a big role but he was held to nine points in 26 minutes since he was saddled with four fouls. It's probably a combination of his ankle woes and age but Allen looks over the hill in this series.

It's not like the Sixers played great, they missed 11 free throws and gave up 11 more rebounds (48-37) including seven more offensive boards (14-7) but their youthful athleticism and variety of scoring options is what helped them succeed. Eight more assists (22-14) and Boston's 17 turnovers leading to 19 points helped their cause as well. Finally, who could forget Philly's 42-16 edge in points in the paint?

Philly had five players in double figures led by Jrue Holiday (20 points, 6 assists), who is not scared of the moment. Elton Brand put up 13 points and 10 rebounds while Evan Turner (9 rebounds) and Andre Iguodala (6 rebounds) each scored 12 points. Lou Williams notched 11 points and six assists off the bench and Spencer Hawes tossed in nine points.

The Celtics shot a horrid 33.3% for the game and had a season-low 14 assists. Paul Pierce (24 points, 10 rebounds) and Kevin Garnett (20 points, 11 rebounds) might as well have been the only Boston players that showed up. Rajon Rondo (9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) was held to his lowest assist total in 36 games. Brandon Bass (2 for 12) came back down to Earth with a thud after a career-high 27 points in Game 5, he was limited to just eight points.

The most frustrating part (besides Rondo) was KG's unwillingness to attack the paint/basket. All 20 of his shots were from outside the paint, showing that his bully reputation might be warranted. Moreover, this loss is further evidence that the Celtics are front-runners, particularly if they take care of business on Saturday like we think they will.

With the way this one unfolded, it's hard to believe that one of these teams will be in the Eastern Conference Finals and only eight wins away from an NBA title. This game was more suited for November or better yet, the preseason.

Philly led 22-19 after the first quarter but Boston went ahead with a 17-11 second quarter, haha really. Mickael Pietrus made a 3-pointer right before the halftime buzzer for a 36-33 Celtics advantage. As Sixers head coach Doug Collins has stressed, the third quarter has been the key frame in this series. The team that has controlled that has generally won the games. No surprise then that Philadelphia surged in front with a 27-20 third. KG made some shots in the fourth but he couldn't save Boston by himself as the Sixers put it out of reach 22-19.

The best thing for all of us is two days off between Game 6 and 7. This series has been nothing close to well played despite the fact that they have alternated wins from Games 1-6. Eastern Conference basketball is worlds away from what we expect during the Western Conference Finals (Spurs vs. Thunder) in terms of level of play, style and offense.

This being the NBA, you know that the Celtics will get more foul shots (the Sixers had 5 more tonight) in Game 7 which is good news for them. The question is if they can squeeze anything out of Allen, Rondo and anybody else not named Kevin or Paul. The C's looked like a poor imitation of the Heat in Game 6 with two players basically doing everything. Holiday is better than I expected but there's no way that Rondo should lose that battle, especially to that degree.

To tide us over, we will be forced to watch Heat-Pacers Game 6 tomorrow night and hope that Indiana can stave off elimination. The Big 3 is 3-2 all-time in Game 7's although they lost the last two (Game 7 vs. Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals and Game 7 vs. Magic in the 2009 Eastern Conference semifinals). I'm not saying it can't happen (that would be silly) but I hate to think that the Big 3 go out like this, on the Garden parquet against a No. 8 seed with a chance to go the Eastern Conference Finals against a team they can beat (regardless of who wins that series).

UPDATE 5/25: Bradley had surgery on his shoulder today so he's done for the playoffs. That is a big loss for the C's since he's been their best on ball defender by far and he started 10 games before his shoulder was repeatedly dislocated. Get well soon Avery! He has a bright future for the Green.

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The Celtics Could Write A Manual On How To Not Close Out Series/Opponents In The Playoffs

I'm fairly certain as long as you live (and watch NBA basketball), you'll never see another game like the one between the Celtics and Sixers that we all witnessed this evening.

Boston opened Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on a 14-0 run. They parlayed that into a 46-31 halftime lead and increased it to as much as 18 (49-31) early in the third quarter. From there, the Celtics proceeded to gag it away until it turned into an unforgivable 92-83 loss.

It is not hyperbole to say that it was one of the worst losses (in terms of leads) in franchise history; Boston tied its record for biggest halftime lead blown in a playoff game so there's that.

So how does a team seemingly in complete control of a game and on the verge of taking over the series, fall apart in such epic fashion? The easiest explanation is that Boston's foul trouble caught up to them as Brandon Bass (15 points) and Avery Bradley (8 points) each picked up four fouls by the third quarter so they had to sit for long stretches.

Using the spirit of their superb head coach-Doug Collins-the Sixers are too young to give up even in a game that seems doomed like this one. They kept fighting, going to the basket and taking advantage of Boston's 17 turnovers which they turned into fastbreak points (27-13).

Any Celtics fan will rightfully complain about the free throw disparity: Boston shot 16 of 19 while Philadelphia was 25 of 36 but I can't pin the loss solely on that shady number and simply some homecooking NBA referees. Because to do so would mean that the C's deserved to win Game 4 and they most certainly did not since they peed down their leg Miami Heat style in the second half (37 points).

Big picture, I am still confident that Boston will win this series but this loss is troubling in that it mirrors their failure in the first round (vs. Atlanta) to step on a team's throat when it's down (in that case up 3-1). The Celtics had a great opportunity to really seal this up and get some rest but now it is a three-game series and they're guaranteed to have another game in Philly.

Paul Pierce had his second straight quality performance, he led Boston with 24 points and six rebounds. Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 15 rebounds but Kevin Garnett was held to nine points (3 for 12 from the floor), 11 rebounds and three blocks. KG committed a wretched seven turnovers.

Andre Iguodala led Philly with 16 points and seven rebounds, he hit a monster 3-pointer and a jumper in crunch time. Evan Turner (5 for 22 from the floor) had 16 points and nine rebounds while Jrue Holiday notched 11 points and seven rebounds.

The story of the game was the benches: the Sixers reserves outscored the Celtics 44-12. That's not a misprint. Lou Williams scored 15 points with eight assists, Thaddeus Young had 12 points, nine rebounds, Jodie Meeks tossed in nine points and Lavoy Allen put up eight points and 10 rebounds.

When you look at the box score, it's hard to believe that Philadelphia had to make such a crazy comeback since almost every statistic favors them. Philly had 14 more rebounds overall (52-38) including 12 more offensive boards (17-5), two more steals (9-7) and eight more points in the paint (34-26). Boston shot better (42.3%-37.8%), hit two more 3-pointers (7-5), dished out five more assists (23-18) and blocked four more shots (6-2).

If I know the Celtics, they'll follow their usual script of coming back with a win after a disappointing loss. We should have remembered that they like to fall short in the games following blowout victories. Still, if they get by the Sixers, we need to remember this Game 4 plus Game 5 of the Hawks series as the ones that got away from the C's.

Game 5 is Monday night (7:00 p.m., TNT) back at TD Garden. Boston split their first two games there in this series, winning Game 1 by a point and losing Game 2 by a point.

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Celtics Roll Over The Sixers In Game 3 Of The Eastern Conference Semifinals, Take 2-1 Lead

After Game 1 and Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series were both decided by one point, the Boston Celtics chose to see what would happen if they showed up from the first quarter on; I'd say the result was all they could have hoped for and then some.

Boston took Philadelphia's best shot in the first quarter (33-28) and proceeded to pummel them into submission over the final three frames as the Celts won 107-91 tonight in Game 3 at the Wells Fargo Center.

In taking a 2-1 series lead and grabbing back the home-court advantage that they lost in Game 2, the Celtics led by as many as 27 points (105-78). Kevin Garnett (27 points, 13 rebounds), Paul Pierce (24 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals) and Rajon Rondo (23 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists) all surpassed 20 points in a game for the first time this season.

Michael Pietrus added 13 points off the bench but I'd be remiss if I didn't cite Boston's defense, which held Philly to 33 combined points in the second and third quarter.

Thaddeus Young (22 points) seems to be healthy now and he made his case for a starting spot in Game 4 over Elton Brand. Jrue Holiday had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds while Andre Iguodala scored 10 points. Lou Williams and Jodie Meeks both had 13 points off the bench. The trio of Brand, Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes totaled 11 points, all together.

So is Philadelphia more like this than the gritty team they showed in Games 1 & 2? Were those close games enough to force Boston to wake up and realize that they have a very favorable road ahead of them if they can just keep winning? I guess we won't figure that out until Game 4 on Friday (8:00 p.m., ESPN). After all, the Celtics blew out the Hawks in Game 4 of the first round but then they lost by one in Game 5.

Pierce played by far his best game since Game 2 vs. the Hawks, when Rondo was suspended. He didn't even shoot well (6 for 17 from the floor) but he drove to the basket (11 of 14 on free throws) at will and threw down not one but two dunks.

Game 4 means everything because I think if Boston can win it, Philly will pack it in. Otherwise, it will be a series again. If you are a Celtics fan, you had to love their performance tonight because they were ruthlessly efficient: they never gave the Sixers any hope that they could win and they effectively took the crowd out of it.

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Unlike Game 1, Celtics Can't Close Out Sixers, Philly Wins Game 2 82-81

We can all agree that making it a habit of partaking in one-point playoff games is not a recipe for success in the long run.

The Boston Celtics were lucky enough to win Game 1 (92-91) of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday night but the Philadelphia 76ers got what they came for-the split-as they took Game 2 82-81 this evening at TD Garden.

The truth of the matter is that Boston could easily be up 2-0 in this series or also down 0-2 so it is fair that both teams captured one game since they've been virtually even through the first two contests.

Let's be honest as well that this wasn't your garden variety one-point win, it was basically a four or five-point win since Ray Allen (17 points) hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left and Kevin Garnett (15 points, 12 rebounds) hit a 3-pointer as time expired. Give Philly credit as Evan Turner (10 points, 6 rebounds), Lou Williams (8 points, 7 rebounds) and Jodie Meeks all made a pair of free throws with 12 seconds or less remaining in regulation. For that alone, Philly already proved to be superior to the Hawks.

Boston lost Game 2 in the second and third quarters where they combined for 24 points (13 in the second, 11 in the third). Philadelphia had 36 in that time frame (15 in the second, 21 in the third) which by comparison looks like a Harlem Globetrotters type output. It's astonishing that the C's made it that close, particularly when they hit seven free throws for the entire game and turned the ball over 19 times. Did I mention that the Sixers grabbed 11 more rebounds (47-36)? Weirdest and ugliest Celtics playoff game in a long time.

Jrue Holiday led Philadelphia with a game-high 18 points. Andre Iguodala had 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds while Spencer Hawes notched eight points and 10 rebounds plus Lavoy Allen scored 10 points with eight rebounds off the bench.

Brandon Bass scored 12 points but Rajon Rondo (8 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds) had a quiet night. The only real positive development offensively for the Celts is that Mickael Pietrus (8 points) woke up from his playoffs-long no-show to hit a pair of huge 3-pointers. Avery Bradley also scored eight points in only 20 minutes as his shoulder popped out again so his time on the court was limited.

One thing we can always count on with the C's is that they'll never make it easy on themselves or their fans. This loss ensured that there will be a Game 5 next Monday in Boston. First things first, the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 & 4. Game 3 is Wednesday night (7:00 p.m., TNT) and I have a feeling that the Celtics will have more energy and better offensive execution. At least that is my hope since they really need to win that game and not fall behind 2-1.

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Pietrus' Injury Overshadows Boston's Loss In Philadelphia

A serious injury in any sport always puts a damper on a game, no matter how important it is.

The Boston Celtics (25-22, 9-14 road) concluded their grueling eight-game road trip (4-4) with a 99-86 loss tonight to the Philadelphia 76ers (27-21, 17-10) at the Wells Fargo Center.

If they had won, the Celts would have moved into first-place in the Atlantic Division for the first time this season. However, for the second time, they were no match for the Sixers who now lead by 1.5 games but the Celts have a game in hand.

All of that seems insignificant though since Celtics swingman Mickael Pietrus suffered a serious injury late in the first half when he fell awkwardly on the court and his neck went back quickly. He had to be taken off on a stretcher and Boston released a statement that he had a "closed head injury" after the game.

At the time, the Celtics were leading but it is completely understandable that they ran out of energy and enthusiasm after seeing their teammate go down like that.

Plus, Ray Allen was already sitting out with an ankle injury and Avery Bradley suffered a similar injury (ankle) in the first half and he didn't return. He's hoping to return on Sunday, I'm not sure about Ray's status.

Elton Brand paced the Sixers with 20 points. Spencer Hawes had a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds), Andre Iguodala (14 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds) filled the stat sheet like always and Jrue Holiday scored 15 points.

Philadelphia is deep too since Lou Williams (19 points) and Thaddeus Young (12 points, 9 rebounds) are arguably their two most skilled offensive players and they both come off the bench.

Paul Pierce (9 rebounds) and Kevin Garnett (8 rebounds) both scored 20 points for the C's. Brandon Bass added 18 points and Rajon Rondo handed out a quiet 17 assists, if that's possible.

These teams will meet one more time in the regular season: Sunday, April 8 (Easter) at TD Garden. I just found out yesterday that I will be there with front row seats behind the Celtics' bench, something I've never experienced so I'm hoping for a better result then.

After almost two full weeks on the road, mostly very far away, Boston returns home to face the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Celtics beat the Wizards three times in January but they were all pretty close (8 points, 8 points, 6 points) so if they're not careful, Washington could possibly steal a win.

Most importantly, let's hope that Pietrus is o.k. and that wasn't as bad as it looked.

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Sixers Hand Celtics Their Worst Loss In The Big 3 Era

As far as I'm concerned, March is all about college basketball. The NBA might as well take the month off. So while I will be keeping tabs on the Boston Celtics, I can't say that I will be living and dying with every possession.

I recorded tonight's Celtics game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center and I'm so glad I saw plenty of Tweets about the game and score. The Sixers (23-17) handed the Celtics (20-18), their worst loss in the Big 3 era, 103-71.

I'm happy to report that I didn't watch a second of it. Normally, I view everything be it a blowout win or loss but I couldn't pull the trigger on this one. I guess I needed to save some brain cells.

In this condensed 66-game season, perhaps no team benefits more than the Sixers. They're young, athletic and deep. That's why they'll overachieve during the regular season then in all probability come back to reality once the playoffs begin. They're more suited to this insane schedule than an older team like the Celts as everybody and their mother knows.

Boston's five-game win streak went out the window as they suffered plenty of embarrassment including not making a single 3-pointer. With the victory, Philadelphia gained a full game on the Celtics in the standings; the Sixers lead by two although the Celts have two games in hand. I guess playing two overtime games in a row and on back-to-back nights, not to mention traveling to the far away city of Philly was too much for the C's to handle.

Evan Turner led Philly with a career-high 26 points and nine rebounds. Showing how much of a blowout it was, the Sixers' next three highest scorers all came off the bench: Elton Brand (18 points, 9 rebounds), Lou Williams (15 points) and Nikola Vucevic (14 points, 12 rebounds) each put up nice numbers. Andre Iguodala had 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while Jrue Holiday had 10 points and six assists.

Paul Pierce (15 points) and Brandon Bass (12 points) along with JaJuan Johnson (10 points off the bench) were basically the only Celtics with any semblance of pride.

These teams will meet twice more, maybe Boston will opt to show up for one of those. That would be a treat.

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-20) visit TD Garden on Friday night. It is a pivotal game for Boston and basically a must-win since after that they depart on a season-long eight-game (really) road trip that stretches across the West Coast and takes up most of March.

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The most random 14-game win streak you'll ever see

There's no other way to explain the Boston Celtics' latest win streak (their fifth longest in the franchise's glorious history) besides the health and remarkable play by the Big Three: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

Boston (23-4) didn't even play well last night other than a key stretch in the fourth quarter and that was enough to get by the Philadelphia 76ers, 84-80 at TD Garden. The Celtics won their 14th straight game, the longest streak in the NBA so far this season.

Ray Allen led the Cs with a game-high 22 points and six assists. Shaquille O'Neal added 13 points and nine rebounds, Kevin Garnett had 12 points and seven rebounds while Paul Pierce notched 11 points and Nate Robinson (still subbing for Rajon Rondo) had nine points.

Based mostly on their young talent and athleticism, the 76ers (11-18) are a tough matchup for the Celtics these days. Forget their record, they've played them as close as you can in the first two meetings this season.

Elton Brand led Philadelphia with 16 points and 12 rebounds, Jrue Holiday added 15 points, Louis Williams notched 12 points and ex-Celtic Tony Battie (yes, he still plays in the NBA) had 10 points, six rebounds and four blocks.

Philly shot 43.1% to Boston's 38.8%. 3-pointers were rare (6-2 for Celtics) and the Sixers made six more free throws (22-16). Boston had five more assists (19-14), four more steals (0-4) and three more rebounds (43-30). The Cs doubled up the Sixers on fastbreak points (14-7) and almost twice the amount of points in the paint (34-18).

The Celts get a couple days off before their Christmas meeting with the Magic in Orlando. It'll be a totally different look team since the Magic traded for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Gilbert Arenas last week in two massive deals. They needed to shake something up since they're really starting to lag in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics and (gulp) Miami Heat.