Last Season Dennis Schroder Bet Big On Himself & That Didn't Turn Out So Well, Now He's A Celtic

    We have reached that sad dead zone in NBA free agency where almost all of the top players have long been scooped up and teams are left to fight over the crumbs or in this case, flawed guys that have shown flashes here or there but not enough to be more coveted. Enter guard Dennis Schroder: you might remember him as the bozo that for some unknown reason (was it a terrible agent or his irrational self-worth?) turned down a four-year, $84 million extension last spring with the Lakers. He didn't have a bad 2020-21 by any measure: in 61 starts for LA, he averaged 15.4 points per game, 5.8 assists per game and 1.1 steals per game. Apparently, that didn't impress anyone though (or maybe he's just a complete prick?) since he was still available until this evening when the Celtics reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with him for the mid-level exception ($5.9 million). 

    Boston will be the mercurial German's fourth NBA team (Atlanta and Oklahoma City being the others) in only nine seasons and with any luck, this will be the NBA equivalent of a one-night stand: quite enjoyable for both parties but ultimately nothing more lasting than that. Schroder will want to have a monster season individually with the C's so that when he goes back to free agency next summer, he will get paid much closer to that boatload of money that he laughably left on the table for the Lakers. Likewise, the Celtics desperately needed a starting point guard and this way, they aren't forced to shoehorn Marcus Smart into that spot every game or better yet, they can finally trade him. Haha yeah right, I'll believe that when I see it even with Danny Ainge out of the picture

    It has been an interesting ride in the NBA for Dennis The Menace (I can only assume that fantastic nickname hasn't caught on more because it's too dated?). He was a first-round pick-17th overall-for the Hawks in 2013 and after basically a redshirt year in his rookie season, he averaged 10 points per game his second season and that continued to go up his next three years in A-Town before they flipped him to the Thunder in a massive three-team trade that also involved the Sixers. After two pretty solid seasons in rebuilding OKC, he got to play with LeBron James for one fleeting campaign in LA. There are a couple notable Celtics connections to Schroder: as a Hawk, he had some epic playoff battles with the Celts early in his NBA career. Furthermore, he and former Boston point guard Rajon Rondo are mortal enemies that seem to legitimately hate each other and they always get into a hilarious shoving and shouting match every time that their numerous teams meet.

    The bottom line is that this should be an enjoyable hookup for both Schroder and Boston since nobody can deny his talent: his career-highs are 19.4 points per game (2017-18 w/ATL), 6.3 assists per game (the previous season with the Hawks) and those 1.1 steals per game (twice). You wish that he was a better shooter (just 33.7% career on 3-pointers) which no doubt makes Smart smile but at least he's a good free throw shooter (83.1% for his career). Dennis is listed at 6-foot-3 but only 172 pounds so new Celtics head coach Ime Udoka will surely need to be creative at times to protect him defensively and let the much bigger and stronger Smart take on the league's larger guards. I never thought in my life that I'd cheer for this joker but as long as he doesn't act like too much of a jackass, this is a solid move by Brad Stevens so late in free agency. Realistically, you couldn't have expected a much better player than him and we all like Payton Pritchard but he should never be more than a backup guard at this level.  

C's Not Only Lost A Winnable Game Vs. The Lakers But Marcus Smart Might Be Out For A Long Time

 

    Tonight served as a double gut punch for the Celtics (10-8 overall, 5-3 home) at TD Garden as they had two late shots that would have won it but neither fell as they lost 96-95 to the defending champion Lakers (15-6 overall, 11-2 road). Even worse than that, Boston's guard Marcus Smart (7 assists, 2 steals) went down with a scary looking injury that the team called a "left calf injury" but all the wannabe medical experts on social media were quick to theorize that it was a dreaded Achilles injury. Smart will get an MRI tomorrow as we await word on their defensive leader and one of the true heart and soul players of the team. After they forced a steal from Lakers star Anthony Davis (team-high 27 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals), the Celts got a great look at a game-winning stepback jumper for guard Kemba Walker (1-of-12 for 4 points) but it missed and center Daniel Theis' (14 points, 7 rebounds) rushed followup also rimmed out as time expired.

    This would have been a great signature win for the Celtics because forward Jayson Tatum (game-high 30 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (28 points) actually outplayed Davis and superstar LeBron James (21 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists) who is still one of the best players in the league in his 17th season which is absurd on many levels. I'm not saying that Tatum and Brown are better than AD and LBJ, that's preposterous but this was tangible proof that they belong in the conversation for one of the best duos in the NBA right now. Point guard Dennis Schroder (12 points, 7 assists) was the only other Lakers starter to score in double-figures. Center Montrezl Harrell (16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) and small forward Kyle Kuzma (11 points, 6 rebounds) were both good off the bench for LA. 

    Boston's bench was terrible as they got outscored 35-15 by LA's bench. Five substitutes played for the Celtics but center Robert Williams (10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) surprisingly was the only one to really do anything positive. It was a tight game basically the whole way as the Lakers were up 28-24 after the first quarter and the Celtics got a little closer by halftime, trailing by three points (52-49). Boston made their move in the third quarter (29-19) but they wilted under the pressure of the fourth quarter as the Lakers avoided their third straight defeat with a solid final frame (25-17). Boston shot almost five percent better from the field (48.8%-44.0%) but Los Angeles hit three more 3-pointers (9-6) and four more free throws (13-9) along with grabbing three more rebounds (45-42) including four more offensive boards (13-9). The C's had four more assists (24-20), two more steals (10-8) and two more blocked shots (6-4) which shows you how close the margin for defeat turned out to be. 

    Boston is about to embark on by far their toughest (and longest) road trip of the season: their next game isn't until Tuesday (10, TNT) as they visit Golden State (11-9) which kicks off five games in a row in California, Arizona and Utah. They see the top two teams in the Western Conference-the Jazz (15-4) and the Clippers (15-5)-and Phoenix (10-8) should be a playoff team this season as well. The only bad team on the trip is the Kings (8-11) but it's the night after the Warriors game so all bets are off there. Any way you slice it, these next few weeks could be very rough for the Celts and they might easily return home (their next game at the Garden is Feb. 11 vs. Toronto) with a losing record. Yikes!

UPDATE 1/31/21: Hello everybody, good news on Marcus Smart's injury. Today, the Celtics said that it's a Grade 1 strain of his left calf. The team said that he'll be out for two to three weeks. Given how serious it appeared to be last night, this is a very positive development. Get well soon, Marcus!

NBA Playoffs Reality Check: It Will Be a Miracle if the Celtics Win a Single Game vs. Cavaliers

I am not a delusional person so I never thought for a second that the Celtics could actually beat the Cavaliers in a seven-game series, let alone win a few games and make it somewhat competitive. The first-round playoff series opened this afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena and Boston actually played about as well as they could (on the road at least) but still lost 113-100 to Cleveland. Haha would you believe that Vegas had the Celts as a 12-point underdog? How do those gambling magicians do it?

Anyways, Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 30 points in his playoff debut, LeBron James had 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals while Kevin Love put up 19 points and 12 rebounds in his first taste of the NBA playoffs. Forget the Celtics for a second, what other team in the Eastern Conference can beat this collection of All-Stars? For most of the regular season, I openly rooted against the C's because making the playoffs seemed so pointless to their mission of acquiring talent and assets. Near the end, I changed my mind since truly tanking was impossible and this group is extremely likable under one of the best head coaches-Brad Stevens-in basketball.

The sad reality of the NBA playoffs (and one of the many reasons that the NHL playoffs are better) is that upsets are few and far between, especially with top seeds and championship contenders. Anyone with half a brain realizes that Boston has essentially no chance to win this series. All we want is some relatively close games and maybe a win at the Garden, that'd be nice and something to build on for next season. Plus, with no Bruins playoff games this spring, we are just trying to delay what looks to be a mediocre Red Sox campaign.

Talent usually wins out in the NBA and even though the Celtics had six guys score in double-figures, led by Isaiah Thomas' 22 points, 10 assists and five rebounds off the bench, they predictably had no answer for the Cavs' big three. Evan Turner had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists but he struggled with his shot (4 of 12 from the field). Brandon Bass and Marcus Smart were both pretty quiet, each guy was held to 10 points. Boston's bench kept them in it for a while as Kelly Olynyk scored 12 points and Jae Crowder added 10 points and five rebounds.

The Celtics couldn't have asked for a better start as they led 31-27 after the first quarter and 37-29 early in the second which was their biggest advantage of the game. Cleveland finally woke up from there and led by eight points at halftime (62-54) thanks to Irving's buzzer beating 3-pointer. The Cavaliers continued to steamroll the Celtics in the third quarter, opening up a 20-point lead (82-62) but Boston countered with a 14-0 run. Cleveland was up 91-76 heading into the fourth after another buzzer-beater 3-pointer, this time by J.R. Smith.

When you are so overmatched physically, I honestly don't know what Brad Stevens can tell his guys with a straight face. They won't suddenly wake up bigger, stronger or faster. I'm guessing that he points out how the Cavaliers made five more 3-pointers (13-8), eight more free throws (26-18) and grabbed 12 more rebounds (46-34) including eight on the offensive glass (15-7) in Game 1. I have a feeling that Game 2 on Tuesday (7, CSN) could be ugly much sooner if Cleveland decides to show up from the opening tip-off.

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Celtics Push Closer to a Playoff Spot With 99-90 Road Win at Cavaliers

The Cavaliers truly had absolutely nothing to play for tonight at Quicken Loans Arena against the Celtics so it was surprising that they even gave it much effort for a while. Cleveland (51-28 overall, 29-10 home) is locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and they can't move up or down so they eventually conceded a 99-90 road win to Boston (37-42 overall, 18-22 away). The Cavs sat Kyrie Irving (hip) for the entire game while LeBron James (14 points, 7 assists), Kevin Love (19 points, 6 rebounds), Timofey Mozgov (13 points) and J.R. Smith did not get off the bench in the fourth quarter.

Every win matters to the Celts so they obviously were happy to snap Cleveland's 18-game home winning streak, even if it was under shady circumstances. With the victory, Boston held onto the seventh spot in the East. Hopefully they can get out of that position and let Brooklyn (who has the same record) slide in while Boston drops to No. 8 to face Atlanta.

Five Celtics scored at least 12 points and Evan Turner dished out 13 assists. Rookie Marcus Smart led Boston with 19 points, Isaiah Thomas put up 17 points and five assists off the bench, Avery Bradley had 15 points, former Cav Tyler Zeller notched 13 points and five rebounds while Brandon Bass scored 12 points with five rebounds and three assists.

The only other Cavalier to score in double-figures was the ghost of Mike Miller (11 points). Tristan Thompson grabbed an impressive 12 rebounds in only 16 minutes off the bench for Cleveland. The Cavs had won the first two meetings of the season including a 110-79 beating in their most recent matchup on March 3 so I really wouldn't read much into this outcome. Plus, these same teams face each other again on Sunday (3, CSN) at TD Garden in another game that means everything to the Celts.

Boston cruised in the first half: up 28-17 after the first quarter and 54-40 at halftime. Cleveland made it interesting with a strong third quarter (37-25) before they packed it in during the fourth (outscored 20-13). As a team, the C's had five more assists (30-25), seven more steals (11-4) and eight more fast break points (9-1).

With the Celtics' triumph, Charlotte was eliminated from playoff contention (sorry MJ). That leaves only Indiana (36-43) and Miami (35-44) with a chance to make it but right now, Boston and Brooklyn are in the driver's seat for those last two berths with three games left to play for all those clubs.

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Trader Danny is Finally Awake: Let The Summer of Trades Begin!

It is not exactly Kevin Love but at least we have signs that Celtics president Danny Ainge is still alive. Boston finally made some news (albeit not creating much of a splash) this quiet offseason as they were involved today with Brooklyn and Cleveland in a three-way trade that will be official tomorrow. By flipping a second-round pick to the Cavs, the Celts acquired shooting guard Marcus Thornton (from Brooklyn) and center Tyler Zeller (from Cleveland) along with a protected 2016 first-round pick that belonged to the Cavs.

Before you go out and buy a Thornton or Zeller Celtics jersey, be aware that hopefully there's a good chance that neither guy ever steps foot on the Garden parquet as a member of the C's. Kevin Love is still in Minnesota which means that all deals are still possible. That's why this means today's moves are all about getting more assets that Ainge can package to acquire Love or someone else better than their current team of nobodies.

If they are stuck here, Thornton has the better chance of making an impact. Last season, he averaged 8.3 points per game in 24.4 minutes per game on the Nets. In his five-year NBA career, the former second-round pick has averaged 13.4 points per game with 0.9 steals, 3 rebounds, 83% free throw, 36% 3-point shooting and 38% shooting from the field. Like almost everyone on the NBA, he can play. It's all about opportunity which is why he racked up huge numbers (21.3 points per game in 2010-11 and 18.7 points per game the following season) in hapless Sacramento. In many ways, he's like Jordan Crawford-a proven scorer that only does one thing.

I've never been a fan of Zeller or his two overrated brothers either in college or the NBA. I think they're all soft and stiffs. Somehow he was a first-round pick by Dallas in 2012 (17th overall) but surprise, surprise he has failed to live up to those expectations. He had 7.9 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game in 26.4 minutes per game his rookie season in Cleveland. Things got worse last season as he only started nine of 70 games and his numbers dropped to 5.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game.

Keep in mind that the Cavaliers will remain a joke if LeBron James doesn't end up returning there. If you're a Celtics fan, we have to be rooting for him to stay away from his hometown and former team since that would undoubtedly make Cleveland much worse and therefore give Boston's protected first-round pick way more value.

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Jeff Green Scores A Career-High 43 Points For Boston But Miami Wins Its 23rd Straight Game

I think I speak for all basketball fans, nevermind Celtics honks, when I demand that the Celtics and Heat face each other in the Eastern Conference Finals (again) this spring. Tonight, we were treated to an instant classic regular season game (an oxymoron if I've ever heard one) as Miami (52-14, 22-11 away) survived a career-high 43 points by Jeff Green (7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals) to beat Boston (36-30, 24-10 home) 105-103 at TD Garden.

This was the Heat's 23rd straight win and I doubt they had a harder one during this absurd streak. For the Celts, they exhibited their usual dose of incredible heart in the face of adversity. Kevin Garnett didn't play (thigh bruise) which made it seem like they had zero chance to win. Thanks to Green's once in a lifetime performance, Boston actually controlled much of the game but fell apart down the stretch.

Paul Pierce (17 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) had a chance to give Boston the lead at the end with a 3-pointer out of a timeout but the shot hit the front rim and Miami controlled the rebound. Courtney Lee (13 points, 3 steals) was the only other Celtic in double-figures although Jason Terry (9 points) and Jordan Crawford (8 points) played very well off the bench.

LeBron James (37 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) was brilliant, like you'd expect from the best player in the world, while Mario Chalmers scored a sneaky 21 points. Dwyane Wade (16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals) was held in check which always seems to happen against the Celtics. Chris Bosh had 13 points and five rebounds while former Celtic Ray Allen (6 points, 5 rebounds in 30 minutes) was mostly silent.

Boston got off to a perfect start given the circumstances, they led 31-19 after one quarter. Miami chipped into that lead, trailing by only six at halftime (59-53). The C's were still up heading into the fourth quarter (82-78) but their shots stopped falling in crunch time.

The Celtics shot almost 5.0% (54.2-49.4) than the Heat, hit three more 3-pointers (10-7) and scored 16 more points on the fast break (22-6). Miami hung on because they grabbed six more rebounds (39-33), they had 16 more points in the paint (50-34) and five less team turnovers (21-16).

These bitter rivals opened up the 2012-13 NBA season and this gave Miami a 2-1 advantage in the season series. They meet once more (Friday, April 12) in Miami during the regular season. Another playoff series would be incredible after last season's Eastern Conference Finals went seven games.

The C's hit the road for three games: at New Orleans on Wednesday (8 p.m., CSN), at Dallas on Friday (8:30 p.m., CSN) and at Memphis on Saturday (8 p.m., CSN). The Hornets (22-46, 5th in Southwest Division) are awful but they won 90-78 in Boston on January 16. Austin Rivers is out for the rest of the season with a broken hand so there won't be that natural distraction for Doc. Look for the C's to bounce back from that loss, one of the worst of their season.

UPDATE 3/19: D.J. White has been signed for the rest of the season.

UPDATE 3/20: Apparently White's deal is multi-year whatever that means.

UPDATE 3/21: haha Shavlik Randolph was also signed for the rest of the season.

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Celtics Lose Rajon Rondo For The Season (ACL) But Beat Miami 100-98 In Double Overtime

Today was definitely one of the more bizarre sporting events I've ever experienced in my life. The Celtics (21-23, 14-9 home) snapped a six-game losing streak with a much-needed 100-98 win over the Heat (28-13, 10-10 away) in double overtime this afternoon at TD Garden.

The excitement of winning their best game of the season (so far) was heavily tempered by the fact that Rajon Rondo is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL (right knee). That fact is something that we slowly figured out at the game since he wasn't in the starting lineup then rumors started flying on Twitter that he was at the hospital. By the time he returned to the arena in overtime, most people in the crowd already knew the awful news.

It's hard to put into words (and there have been plenty written and said already) what this means to the Celtics since he is by far their most instrumental and talented player. Boston didn't have more than a sliver of a chance of capturing a title with him but without him, it's hard to picture them winning even one round in the playoffs. Yes, it's that bleak. Today's win showed what they can do against the top team in the Eastern Conference when they are inspired and working together, but how could they keep that emotion up for months?

Paul Pierce had his seventh career triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists while Kevin Garnett put up 24 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Boston's bench outscored Miami's 39-29 thanks to Jason Terry (13 points), Jeff Green (11 points) and Leandro Barbosa (9 points)-the three guys along with Courtney Lee who will have to step up the most with Rondo out.

LeBron James had a game-high 34 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three steals, Dwayne Wade scored 17 points and handed out seven assists while Chris Bosh notched 16 points and 16 rebounds. Ray Allen's first return to the Garden after playing with the Celts for five seasons went well for him (21 points, 5 rebounds) and the fans got it right by mostly cheering him during a highlight video then booing him when he came in the contest.

Due to the fact that Boston was desperate for a win and that these teams absolutely hate each other, this did not feel anything like a game in late January. It seemed like a playoff game with the effort level and intensity from both squads. LeBron hit a 3-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation to tie it at 87. Terry missed a prayer of a 3 to sent it to overtime. Wade drew contact from Pierce but no foul call at the end of the first overtime before he bricked his jumper. Battier had a chance to win it at the end with a 3-pointer but it was an airball since he rushed.

The C's have to be physically exhausted since they played back-to-back double overtime games (Atlanta on Friday) and now emotionally drained as well since they found out about Rondo's injury during this marathon. They'll have to bring a veteran point guard in here (Delonte West?) since they don't have a true one behind Rondo.

The NBA Trade Deadline is a little over three weeks away (Feb. 21) so it'll be interesting to see what Danny Ainge can do. Don't expect any miracles because given their age, I don't know how many teams would really trade anything useful plus it's doubtful that he'd just giveaway KG or Pierce for nothing.

Nobody will feel bad for the C's so they have to circle the wagons and figure out how to proceed from here. I still think they possess enough talent to comfortably make the playoffs but other than that, who knows? This wasn't how this season was supposed to go for them, probably over before they even get to the All-Star break. They host the Kings (16-29, 4th in Pacific Division) on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., CSN). Boston owes Sacramento a beating since the Kings humbled them 118-96 on December 30 (during that 0-3 trip to California).

UPDATE 1/29: The Celtics recalled rookie center Fab Melo from the Red Claws.

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Well This NBA All-Star Game Should Be Interesting, For A Few Minutes At Least

The starters for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game in Houston (February 17 at Toyota Center) were announced tonight. Boston has two players that will start for the Eastern Conference: guard Rajon Rondo (13.0 ppg, 11.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.85 steals) and forward/center Kevin Garnett (14.6 ppg, 7.0 rebounds).

The hilarious part is that the other three starters for the East are Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. So basically, the Eastern Conference guys all despise each other. KG and Melo just had their Honey Nut Cheerios beef a few weeks ago while KG and Rondo have hated LeBron and Wade for years now.

The Western Conference starters are Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin. Haha four guys from Los Angeles but only two on a winning team.

It's the fourth consecutive All-Star Game for Rondo but the first that he's been voted as a starter by the fans. He had the second most votes for guards in the Eastern Conference, behind Wade.

Believe it or not, this will be the 15th All-Star Game for Garnett. He had played in 12 consecutive All-Star Games before he didn't get invited last season. Maybe that's why he seemed so refreshed in the playoffs, the shortened season definitely helped as well. He got the third most votes behind LeBron and Carmelo at forward.

The seven reserves for both teams will be announced next Thursday-great marketing ploy by the NBA. Two guards, three frontcourt players (centers are basically extinct) and two other utility guys will be chosen by NBA coaches who can't vote for their own players.

Obviously, Paul Pierce (19.4 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.45 steals) is the only other Celtic with any hope of making it. He had the sixth most votes for forwards, behind Chris Bosh and Tyson Chandler. Keep in mind that somebody will get hurt or skip out on the All-Star weekend so injury replacements are always a possibility as well.

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Heat Come Out Firing On All Cylinders, Roll Over Celtics 120-107 On Opening Night

After what seemed like months of hype, the 2012 NBA regular season tipped off tonight with a rematch of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics at Heat. Just like Game 7, Miami (1-0) came out on top of Boston (0-1), 120-107 at Americanairlines Arena.

Things couldn't have gone any better for fraud Heat fans. LeBron James (26 points, 10 rebounds) still looks like the best basketball player on the planet, Dwayane Wade (game-high 29 points) was healthy, Chris Bosh (19 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks) was a capable third option while Ray Allen (19 points off the bench) had a hell of a debut for Miami. Even Mario Chalmers had eight points and 11 assists while the ghost of Rashard Lewis scored 10 off the bench.

Boston is clearly loaded with talent, it is just going to take time to mesh the veterans with the younger guys and other new players. Rajon Rondo (20 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds) picked up where he left off with his 25th straight regular season game of 10+ assists. Paul Pierce had a team-high 23 points, five rebounds and five assists while Brandon Bass notched 15 points and 10 rebounds in the start.

Other positive notes for the C's: Courtney Lee scored 11 in his Celtics debut and Leandro Barbosa exploded for 16 points in the fourth quarter also in his first game with the Green. Kevin Garnett (9 points, 12 rebounds), Jason Terry (8 points) and Jeff Green (3 points) were the main no-shows for Boston and the reason why they lost, outside of the non-existent defense.

The Heat led basically from wire to wire. They were up 31-25 after one quarter and 62-54 at halftime. Miami was about to blow Boston out when they took a 93-76 lead into the fourth. Thanks to Barbosa, the Celts made it interesting and even cut it to four with a 14-3 run but they ran out of gas. Bosh scored seven straight points and that was it.

Rondo picked up a flagrant foul late for a cheap shot on Wade which was proceeded by a technical foul for berating an official earlier in the contest. I thought he had changed over the summer? The main thing to take away from tonight is not to get too wrapped up in the result. It's only 1 of 82 and as far as I'm concerned, the Heat are still the best team in the NBA (as much as it pains me to write that).

Getting away from the hoopla of tonight's ring ceremony and banner raising event, the Celtics can get back to basketball and forget the Ray Allen drama for a while. This is a new team that can run (27-12 fast break points) but they'll need to cut down on the turnovers (19-6 points off turnovers in favor of Miami). The C's get a couple days to rest and practice before hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday (7:30 p.m., CSNE) in their home opener.

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LeBron James' Game For The Ages (45 pts, 15 rebs) Carries The Heat To Game 7

Sometimes, even in the playoffs in a game that couldn't hold much more meaning, you simply don't have it. Tonight, the Boston Celtics entered that pathetic realm with an all-time stinkbomb in NBA history.

LeBron James scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and had five assists (first player to do that since Wilt) as the Miami Heat took it to the Boston Celtics from start to finish, for an easy 98-79 victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden.

Just like David Stern scripted it (for ratings, duh), this series will be decided on Saturday night (8:30 p.m., ESPN) back in Miami thanks to LeBron's otherworldly performance which included 19 for 26 shooting from the field.

There really isn't that much to review (at least from my perspective) since this was dominated by the Heat, well more specifically LeBron, the entire way. Boston was down 55-42 at halftime and all they could do was trim it to 10 points early in the third quarter before another barrage of shots were too much for them to take.

On the one hand, it was shocking that the C's could be so flat when they had worked so hard (three straight wins including Game 5 in Miami) to wrestle home-court away from the Heat and rally from a 2-0 deficit in the series. Then again, as I've said 20 million times since the Big 4 were created: they always choose the more difficult way of doing things. Whether that means beating Atlanta in six games or Philadelphia in seven games. Obviously, unlike those earlier rounds they will be major underdogs and on the road but I have a feeling that Game 7 won't resemble this forgettable blowout in any way shape or form.

Dwyane Wade (17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals) was Miami's only other player to score in double figures. Mario Chalmers had nine points, Shane Battier scored eight and Chris Bosh put up seven points and six rebounds off the bench in 28 minutes (double his time in Game 5).

Rajon Rondo (21 points, 10 assists, 3 steals) was the only Celtic to show up. Kevin Garnett (12 points), Ray Allen (10 points) and Paul Pierce (9 points, 4 of 18 shooting) all played like they were 60-years-old after they had turned back the clock for the past month and a half. Brandon Bass had 12 points and seven rebounds while Marquis Daniels put up eight points in garbage time showing that perhaps he deserves more run in Game 7 over Mickael Pietrus.

The numbers are too brutal to spew out but there are two things which signify that this game was an anomaly after the C's scored 93+ in Games 2-5: Boston had 10 more fast break points (15-5) and 10 more points in the paint (42-32). As long as LeBron doesn't shoot 73% from the floor again, I like the Celtics' chances. I'm not saying they're going to win but this being the last hurrah and the fact that they were so humiliated tonight on their home court means that they should give it their absolute best shot.

Empty the tank, hold nothing back, balls to the wall on Saturday night. Once again, everybody will pick the Heat which can only be a good thing. All the pressure will be on them and if Boston can make it a tight game with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line, we'll see if LeBron is draining impossible shots that he normally bricks (except for tonight). The Celtics have already proved that they can win in Miami and there is zero chance that the Big 4 will all collectively play that bad again in a game that means everything.

PS. I'm a sucker for a good moment and I thought it was awesome near the end of the game when the remaining die-hard members of the crowd gave the C's a nice "Let's Go Celtics" chant. Great stuff that shows why Boston is such a great sports city, by and large our fans get it more than any other place in the US.

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Boston Celtics Are One Win Away From Their Third NBA Finals Appearance In Five Years

Why do we devote so much time and energy in our lives to sports? Precisely for moments like tonight, when the Boston Celtics continued to shock the NBA as they beat the Miami Heat 94-90 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals at AmericanAirlines Arena to take a 3-2 series lead.

Believe it or not, Boston's Big 3 improved to a perfect 9-0 in Game 5's when the series is tied 2-2.

After losing the first two games in Miami, Boston righted the ship with two wins at home but this evening was the best part thus far: picking up the all-important road win which they needed to have a shot to get by the Heat and advance to the 2012 NBA Finals (Oklahoma City leads San Antonio 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals).

The reasons that the Celtics are suddenly winning the series while carrying all the momentum are pretty simple: they are deeper than the Heat, they play better defense, they have a clue on offense (thanks to a special point guard) and they are winners led by an outstanding head coach. I think that about covers it, right?

It is nice to know that even with so many things wrong with the NBA, a team that can still be based on unity, chemistry, defensive effort (how many loose balls did the Celtics win last night?) and unselfish play can win at such a high level (as corny as that sounds).

Miami has been held to 93 points or less in every game except for Game 2 (which went to overtime). If not for that one, they would have been held to under 100 points in every game so far. Boston has scored 93+ points in every contest since Game 2. To show you how close it's been, Miami has scored 480 points while Boston has 478 points.

A sign of a championship caliber team is when they continue to get unexpectedly great games from lesser players. Tonight, that meant Mickael Pietrus had 13 points for the Celtics including one of the biggest shots of the entire game-a 3-pointer following a spectacular block by Dwyane Wade (27 points, 6 rebounds). The ball deflected to Rajon Rondo (7 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals) and he had the presence of mind and athleticism to poke it to Pietrus who was camped out in the corner.

Paul Pierce (19 points) wasn't much of a factor all game since he shot 6 for 19 from the floor but he hit what was the dagger of this contest and could very well end up in the series. His 3-pointer made it 90-86 C's with 52 seconds left. From there, Ray Allen (13 points, 8 of 8 on free throws, 7 rebounds) and Kevin Garnett (26 points, 11 rebounds) hit a pair of free throws to ice it while Miami's fairweather fans departed early as they so often do.

Brandon Bass finished with 10 points for the Celtics while Keyon Dooling hit a key 3-pointer off the bench and Greg Stiemsma had three points and four rebounds in eight minutes. Even though they only played nine guys, eight of them (Marquis Daniels did less than nothing in three minutes) made tangible contributions to the win.

LeBron James (30 points, 13 rebounds) carried Miami but this turnaround by Boston has proved that it takes more than two superstars to beat a true team. Chris Bosh (9 points, 7 rebounds) returned and actually played pretty well in 14 minutes off the bench but they'll need to let him loose if they want to see a Game 7 back in Miami. Mario Chalmers had nine points but no Heat player other than LeBron and Wade reached double-figures. Udonis Haslem snatched 14 rebounds in the loss.

After playing poorly in the first half of Games 2-4, Miami started out much better tonight. They were up 24-16 after one quarter and pushed it their advantage up to 13 (31-18) before Boston started to wake up. The Celtics only trailed by two at halftime (42-40) and like Miami they reversed an earlier trend: this time they won the third quarter (25-18) thanks to a 15-1 run that ended it. The fourth quarter was an awesome frame of playoff basketball as both teams traded big buckets, rebounds, defensive plays, you name it. Miami outscored Boston 30-29 but it wasn't enough.

The Heat are really struggling from downtown (7 for 26 on 3-pointers). Boston is clearly content to let them keep firing away from distance. Showing how much the C's stole their mojo, Boston attempted (27-25) two more free throws than Miami (which I didn't think was allowed when the Heat were home) and hit three more (22-19). Miami had 10 more rebounds (49-39), three more offensive (12-9) but Boston had six more assists (19-13) proving how much hero ball the Heat play. The stat of the game for the Celts was steals which they led 13-6. The Heat had three more turnovers (15-12) and I think that slightly superior defense and attention to detail is part of what has brought the C's to this position.

As the cliche goes, the toughest part of a playoff series is the close out game. We all remember the Celtics' recent struggles in that spot this postseason (Game 5 in Atlanta; Game 6 in Philly) but snapping a four-game road losing streak and handing Miami only its second loss at home means that this is Boston's series to lose at this point. They won Games 3 and 4 at TD Garden so with a similar effort in Game 6 (8:30 p.m., ESPN) on Thursday night, I think they can get it done.

The Big 3 are 9-2 in series when they go up 3-2. Bottom line, they want no part of a Game 7 back in Miami. The atmosphere should be electric, you know the crowd will do its part. The Celtics don't have to change anything up. Just play the same style that has resulted in three straight victories. Tight defense (Miami has scored 91 points or less in Games 3-5) and big boy performances from Rondo and KG, that should do it.

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Wade Misses Winning 3 At Buzzer, Celtics Survive OT In Game 4 To Tie Series At 2

First off, let me say that I was shocked that Dwyane Wade (20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks) missed a wide-open 3-pointer that would have won Game 4 in overtime for the Heat.

After Rajon Rondo (15 points, 15 assists) made one of two free throws, Miami elected to go for the win and they couldn't ask for much more as Wade got Marquis Daniels to bite on a pump fake. Trouble is, Wade is not a good 3-point shooter (probably the only major flaw in his game).

Instead, Boston held on for a gritty 93-91 win tonight at TD Garden, evening the Eastern Conference Finals up at two games apiece. The Celtics had six players score in double figures (a first for this series) while all five starters did the same for the first time since Game 7 vs. Philadelphia.

Boston would need all of those contributions since Paul Pierce (23 points, 6 rebounds) fouled out (3rd time in last 5 games) on a charge (correct call) early in overtime. Soon after that, LeBron James (29 points, 6 rebounds, 7 turnovers) fouled out for the first time in four years (wish I was joking). With that, the offensive burden fell to Wade and it should come as no surprise that the guy who hasn't topped 23 points in the four games so far in the series, couldn't finish the job. Ironically, LeBron (the guy who isn't clutch at all) hit a tying 3-pointer late in regulation. Still, he also passed up the final shot to Udonis Haslem (12 points, 17 rebounds) who had to force an airball as regulation expired. Sweet last possession Coach Spo.

Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks, Ray Allen put up 16 points (including 4 3-pointers) and Brandon Bass notched 11 points and seven rebounds. The pleasant surprise for the Celts was Keyon Dooling (10 points) who hit three 3-pointers and provided the only points off Boston's bench which otherwise scored one total point. That's not to say they didn't make plays though since Mickael Pietrus drew LeBron's sixth foul and grabbed two offensive rebounds on the same possession late in overtime-helping Boston kill over a minute off the clock.

This game followed the pattern of the previous two where Boston jumped out to a big early lead (21-6 & 61-43 before settling for 61-47 at halftime) but Miami responded with a big third quarter (21-12). The Celts scored 34 points in the first quarter and had 61 at the half, the most the Heat have allowed all postseason. The Heat scored 23 in the first quarter and 24 in the second quarter. Miami outscored Boston 21-16 in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Yes, that's correct: the Celts scored 28 points in the second half and captured a must-win playoff game.

If it makes you feel any better, the C's offense really exploded in overtime (4-2). Looking at the box score, it's hard to say why the Heat lost. They made three more free throws (17-14), had twice as many fastbreak points (14-7) and 10 more points in the paint (48-38). This was the first game that the team with more points in the paint lost in the series.

Boston's three more 3-pointers (9-6), four more offensive rebounds (11-7) and two more assists (22-20) were just enough for them to somehow survive.

The first eight games of the Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals have all been won by the home team, proving how insanely important home court is in the NBA playoffs. To break this streak and advance to the NBA Finals, the Celtics (and Thunder) will need to find a way to win on the road. I think all Boston needs is one so why not on Tuesday in Game 5 (8:30 p.m., ESPN)? I have confidence that Boston will win Game 6 at home mainly because they're 8-1 at the Garden this postseason while Miami is 3-4 on the road; plus, the Heat have lost seven of their last eight (including playoffs) in Boston.

If we're being honest, the C's let Game 2 (115-111 OT loss) slip out of their hands which means that although they could be up 3-1 in this series, they at least can have confidence that they can win at AmericanAirlines Arena. They've won the last two games in the series so keep the momentum going that way. As I've said all along, the Heat are facing all the pressure and scrutiny in this series. Nobody outside of New England expected the Celts to make this a competitive series let alone win it. Early reports after Game 4 indicate that Chris Bosh is expected to return in Game 5 (he was injured in Game 1 vs. Indiana). That sounds like the move of a dare I say, desperate team?

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Some Unexpected Help Pushes Celtics To A 101-91 Game 3 Win Vs. Miami

It turns out that coming home was all the Boston Celtics needed to completely change up their gameplan and therefore find a way to beat the Miami Heat.

In Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight at TD Garden, Boston was able to play the way that got them here: they were unselfish (4 guys in double figures), they pounded the ball inside (58-46 advantage in points in the paint) and hit free throws (20-10). This all added up to a complete 101-91 win for the Celts that brought some life to this series, cutting the Heat's advantage to 2-1.

It's hard to believe that in a must-win game to save the season, Marquis Daniels (9 points, 5 rebounds) and Keyon Dooling (7 points, 4 rebounds) were two major keys to the victory. That's the gospel truth though, both provided major energy, defense and some timely scoring as Boston's bench (19 points, series high for them) finally showed a flicker of life.

When Boston focuses on getting Kevin Garnett (24 points, 11 rebounds) the ball down low, good things usually happen, especially with no Chris Bosh in the lineup for Miami. Paul Pierce scored 23, Rajon Rondo orchestrated everything with 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists while Ray Allen had 10 points and five rebounds. Off the top of my head, I think it was the best single game for those four players this postseason; meaning that they all showed up at the same time in a big way.

LeBron James (34 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) scored 16 in the first quarter but the Celtics' collapsing defense was able to limit him the rest of the way. He only took five foul shots (making one) and after hitting every jumper early on, those same shots weren't falling when it mattered. This loss didn't fall on LeBron's thick shoulders though, Dwyane Wade (18 points) no-showed for most of the first three quarters. Mario Chalmers (14 points, 6 assists) and Mike Miller (11 points, 6 rebounds) continued their strong play for Miami.

The Celtics led from start to finish and while their 24-point advantage shrunk to as little as eight points in the fourth quarter, they had them all the way (haha yeah right, I think we all sweated out those last few minutes).

Boston was up 30-28 after the first quarter and 55-42 at halftime thanks to a late 3-pointer by Allen. It would have been even more if not for some easy fastbreak buckets the Heat converted after made shots by the C's. The third quarter has been Miami's jackpot in the playoffs but the Celts didn't allow that to happen (30-21). The Heat made a run in the fourth (28-16) credit to them for not packing it in but a lack of 3-point shooters (5 for 17) really hurt them.

While Game 3 was the most important of the series, the same can now be said for Game 4 on Sunday night (8:30 p.m, ESPN). All Miami wants is one road win and they'll go back to South Beach with a chance to close it out. Not for nothing but Boston is 7-1 at home this postseason and the Heat have lost six of their last seven playoff games at TD Garden (spanning three postseasons).

Without Chris Bosh, the Celts are a deeper and more unselfish team. Tonight was a perfect example of what happens when Rondo, KG, Pierce and Allen are in harmony. Add in some great minutes from Dooling and Daniels and now we have ourselves a series.

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The Celtics Waste The Best Game Of Rajon Rondo's Career, Lose Game 2 In Overtime

In this era of instant analysis (thanks Twitter and 24/7 news cycle), overreactions and Sportscenter playing on a constant loop, it's easy to lose perspective on things at times. Make no mistake about it though, Rajon Rondo had one of the greatest performances tonight that we'll ever see in an NBA playoff game.

Rondo went for a career-high 44 points (16 of 24 shooting) with 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals but it still somehow wasn't enough as the Heat won Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals 115-111 in overtime this evening at AmericanAirlines Arena.

An optimist would say that Miami just held serve at home as they went up 2-0 in the series; a pessimist would tell you that Boston gave it their best shot but they came up empty in what amounted to a must-win in everything but the name.

It's hard to put into words how well Rondo played. Let's start with the fact that he played all 53 minutes and scored all 12 of their points in overtime. That is absurd. He was 2 for 2 on 3-pointers, 10 of 12 from the free throw line and he hit jumpers all night long. Oh and he only had three turnovers. Paul Pierce (21 points, 6 rebounds) fouled out for the second time in three games and unlike in Game 7 vs. Philly, Rondo wasn't able to carry his team by himself without the captain. Kevin Garnett had a very quiet 18 points and eight rebounds but on the flip side, Ray Allen put up 13 points in 43 minutes.

One of the most promising parts of this was Ray's tying 3-pointer (tying it at 99). He still didn't shoot great (5 for 11 from the floor) but he looked way more energized than he has recently. Brandon Bass had eight points and 10 rebounds but he got buried on the bench in the fourth and overtime as Celtics head coach Doc Rivers went with Mickael Pietrus (to cover LeBron James).

If I told you that James was 7 for 20 from the floor, you would probably do cartwheels (assuming you like Boston) but the problem was that he took 24 free throws. Yes my friends, he hit 18 of them for 34 points along with 10 rebounds and seven assists in one of the most fraudulent big-time stat lines in playoff history.

Dwyane Wade (23 points) was absent for most of the first half but he was the central figure in the three biggest plays of the game (for Miami). Mario Chalmers (22 points) was the unlikely hero that helped the Heat overcome a slow first half. Udonis Haslem (13 points, 11 rebounds) also made a couple huge key hoops which made up for LeBron pooping his pants like usual (missing two shots at the end of regulation and two free throws in overtime). Wade's crazy plays were 1) a block on Allen's layup, 2) a non-foul call on Rondo where he hit him over the face and 3) a big boy And-1 (missed the free throw) after he was fouled by KG in the lane.

The Celts actually were up by as many as 15 points (47-32) in the second quarter but the Heat chipped away thanks to a laughable foul advantage (33-18). Three Celtics fouled out while only one Heat player (Joel Anthony, 4) had more than three fouls. LeBron and Wade combined for four total fouls in 91:35 of combined action. As we learned in the Philadelphia series, double-digit leads for the C's are nothing, they can give them up in a quarter or two. The truth is that if Miami (31 of 37) hit their free throws, they wouldn't have needed overtime but I digress.

Boston deserved a better fate (yeah I said it, without even wearing my Celtics foam finger) after leading most of the way. They were ahead 24-18 after the first quarter and 53-46 at halftime. The Heat exploded (35-22) in the third but credit the C's for hanging in there and winning the fourth (24-18).

The combination of no depth and Pierce fouling out proved to be too much to overcome for Boston. The Celtics shot 49.4% from the field and 26 of 29 on free throws. The Heat got back into the game thanks to 3-pointers (10-5) and moving the basketball well (24-15 assists). Miami had eight more fastbreak points (18-10) and 10 more points in the paint (40-30). Miami's bench outscored Boston 25-7 and had 12 more rebounds (17-5).

So here we are, the series shifts back to Boston on Friday (8:30 p.m., ESPN) for Game 3 as the Celts face an absolute must-win at TD Garden. You know that David Stern and the NBA's worst fear is a sweep in the Conference Finals so with the Thunder down 0-2 and heading home not to mention the Celtics in the same predicament, I have a feeling that both teams will find a way to get it done in Game 3. Otherwise they'll both be eliminated very shortly. Pardon me while I take a cold shower to wipe that stink off then cry myself to sleep thanks to either of those depressing notions.

Winning four out of the next five games against Miami is daunting enough, Boston should only focus on Game 3 and how they can find a way to get back in this series before it's too late.

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Celtics Systematically Fall Apart In 2nd Half, Heat Roll In Game 1 Of Eastern Conference Finals

For a league that's more predictable than professional wrestling, the NBA would be hard pressed to find a less surprising result that what occurred tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

After playing to a stalemate by halftime (46-46), the Heat ran away with it in the second half as they outscored the Celtics 47-33 over the final two quarters to take a 93-79 victory at AmericanAirlines Arena. Boston fell to 2-5 on the road this postseason.

As always with Miami, it was the LeBron James (32 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Dwyane Wade (22 points, 7 assists) variety show. Poor Chris Bosh was left looking stoned on the Heat bench with his Nantucket worthy peach colored pants. The other sign that Boston had no lift is that complete stiffs like Shane Battier (10 points, 10 rebounds), Mario Chalmers (9 points) and Mike Miller (8 points) had solid games.

The C's closed out the Sixers-if you could call it that-on Saturday night, they flew to Miami yesterday and played the rested Heat who had two extra days off and the home-court advantage (they're only 35-6 there this season). LeBron outscored the Celtics by himself (13-11) as Miami took a 21-11 lead after a fugly first quarter. Boston played an excellent second quarter (35-25) and earned the tie at halftime. Sadly, the last two quarters went much like the first as the Heat started to run away in the third (26-15) and finished it in the fourth (21-18). All told, Miami outscored Boston 68-44 not counting the second quarter.

As you would expect with an older team, the Celtics' legs and energy deserted them in the second half. For the game, they missed 10 free throws (11 of 21), gave up 15 more rebounds (48-33) and 10 more blocks (11-1), so yeah I'd say that they were dead once they had to sit down at halftime (damn those extended breaks!).

Kevin Garnett (23 points, 10 rebounds) played very well with no Bosh on him but Paul Pierce (12 points) was invisible while Brandon Bass (8 points) and Ray Allen (6 points) were even worse than that. Rajon Rondo (16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) finished with decent numbers but he was 8 for 20 from the floor.

I think most rational people would say that Game 2 on Wednesday night (8:30 p.m., ESPN) will tell us much more about this series and these particular teams. If the Heat roll again, they might very well be on their way to a sweep. However, if the Celtics win or even just make it tight to the finish, we'll know that they have a pulse.

I'd like to pat myself on the back for not mentioning until now that Boston was called for not one, not two, not three but four (!) bogus technical fouls in this game alone. It didn't end up having any bearing on the result but good lord, can NBA refs just stay out of the way for one playoff series? I know that's all we want. The Celtics will have enough trouble stopping the Heat on their own, they don't need to be worrying about that shady aspect of the games as well.

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After Winning In Miami, The Celtics Are Absolutely A Contender In The Eastern Conference

For the second time in nine days, the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat in convincing fashion.

What made tonight even better was that the Celts (33-24, 13-15 away) went down to American Airlines Arena-where the Heat (40-16) were 24-3-and topped them 115-107.

It's one thing to blow out a team on your home court (91-72 on April Fool's Day at TD Garden), a common occurrence in the NBA, but it's another to pick up your biggest win of the season on the road against a true NBA Finals contender and a team that lost in the Finals last season. Boston has won eight of its last 10 games and sports a 4-2 mark after an insanely difficult stretch of games.

For whatever reason, these teams appear to be going in opposite directions with the playoffs just a few weeks away. Boston is 18-7 since the All-Star break while Miami is 13-9 in that same time period. I can't explain why (maybe cause it's truly their last title push?) but Kevin Garnett (24 points, 9 rebounds) and Paul Pierce (27 points, 7 rebounds) have been particularly sharp during that run.

It also helps that Rajon Rondo (18 points, 15 assists) is racking up the assists. He reached double-figures in assists for the 18th straight game. Hell, he's even taking and making numerous jump shots now. Brandon Bass had the other double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Avery Bradley scored 11.

Only three guys played off the Celtics bench but they still combined to outscore Miami's five substitutes 23-16. Ray Allen had nine points, Greg Stiemsma put up eight points and seven rebounds while Sasha Pavlovic added six points.

LeBron James (36 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists) was a beast for the Heat but Dwyane Wade (20 points) wasn't himself and Chris Bosh (13 points, 9 rebounds) continues to disappear against KG and/or in a meaningful contest. Mario Chalmers scored 18 points for Miami, who led by six early in the first quarter but were forced to play from behind the rest of the way.

The numbers in the box score tell the whole story: Boston shot 60.6% from the floor, 64.3% (9 of 14) on 3-pointers and 80% (20/25) from the free throw line. You'll never lose with a complete shooting performance like that. We all know that the Celtics can hit shots but they also pulled down six more rebounds than the Heat (40-34) and dished out four more assists (23-19).

Really the whole key to the game was that the C's got off to a hot start, leading 33-22 after the first quarter. However, unlike earlier in the season, they didn't let it get away. Sure, the Heat made the NBA-sanctioned comeback but every time it looked like Miami would take control, the Celts would hit a big shot or make a play. It was uncanny.

Boston was up by as much as 18 points in the second quarter before Miami cut it to 65-57 at halftime thanks to a LeBron 3-pointer at the buzzer. Still, it was the most points the Heat had given up in a first half all season. The two teams mirrored each other with 24 points in third quarter and 26 in the fourth quarter.

Miami will get one more chance to prove that Boston isn't in their heads (Celts lead the season series 2-1) as they face the Celtics in the penultimate regular season game on April 24 at the Garden. Until then, I will say that the Celts should have nothing to fear if they meet the Heat in the playoffs; they look like a better all-around team at the moment.

There's no time to celebrate this victory though as the C's are back at the Garden tomorrow night to face the Atlanta Hawks. Boston won 79-76 on March 19 in an ugly but satisfying win in Atlanta.

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Rajon Rondo Was Born To Play In National Broadcast Games

In my wildest dreams, I never imagined that the Boston Celtics would throw a beating so bad, that it left the Miami Heat with their worst loss of the season. Yet that's what exactly transpired this afternoon at TD Garden.

The Celts (30-22, 19-8 home) rolled over the Heat (37-14, 16-12 away) 91-72 in a game that truthfully wasn't even nearly that close.

Boston won its fifth straight game (and seventh out of eight) thanks to Rajon Rondo's (16 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds) fifth triple-double of the season and 18th of his career. He also notched 10+ assists for the 13th consecutive game.

One of the Celtics' main story lines that is starting to get national attention is how much Rondo steps it up in the marquee matchups. This was further proof that Boston (15-5 since the All-Star break and now 1 game up on the Sixers) can make some noise in the playoffs.

Ray Allen missed his sixth game in a row but once again, Avery Bradley (13 points) continued to excel with more minutes. Paul Pierce added 23 points and seven rebounds, Brandon Bass had a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Kevin Garnett added 10 points and eight rebounds.

For whatever reason, the Heat weren't ready to play. They were down 10 after one quarter and rallied to cut it to 49-44 at halftime but soon enough the Celtics were up 80-56 then 89-60 in the fourth. Boston put it on cruise control after that, otherwise they could have won by 30+.

LeBron James led the Heat with 23 points and Dwyane Wade scored 15 points but Shane Battier (11 points off the bench) was the only other Miami player to score in double figures. Chris Bosh shot 2 of 11 from the floor and he had four points total.

You can't put too much stock in this game since it is only April 1 and it was at the Garden. These teams play twice more this month so particularly if the Celtics can win in Miami, then they'll be onto something. At the same time, you have to enjoy the big victories in the monotonous regular season. They don't come much more meaningful in that regard than this one.

All the final numbers point to a blowout as the Celtics shot 12.3% better (47.1-34.8), hit 13 more free throws (20-7, Bass was 10 of 10!), handed out six more assists (21-15), had three more steals (7-4) and six more fast break points (15-9).

This was the start of an insanely difficult week for the C's: they host the Spurs on Wednesday in what should be one of the best games of the regular season then stop in Chicago on Thursday and Indiana on Saturday before coming back to face the Sixers on Easter night (I'll be there too!).

They'll need some rest the next few days since it is going to be a long week. I would be content if they can go 2-2 in those four very difficult games.

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Celts Fall To 0-2 With Strange Loss In Miami

I wanted to believe that the Boston Celtics had a chance to steal a win tonight in Miami against the Heat but I'm a realist. Without Paul Pierce, whatever slim chance they possessed was basically nullified.

The Heat (2-0) got up by as many as 20 but they had to sweat a comeback by the Celtics (0-2) who cut it to three before falling 115-107 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

If I told you that rookie point guard Norris Cole was the Heat's best player in the fourth quarter, with 14 of their 24 total points, you wouldn't believe me right? Welcome to the NBA, where scrubs can shine when they are on a team with superstars.

As expected, LeBron James (team-high 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) and Dwyane Wade (24 points, 8 assists, 4 blocks) went crazy when Miami's minds were into the game. However, once the Celtics threw a junk zone defense at them in the third quarter, that changed everything. I'm shocked a noted Xs and O's guy like Coach Spo wasn't able to solve that riddle.

Ray Allen (game-high 28 points including 6 of 8 on 3-pointers), Rajon Rondo (22 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds) and Keyon Dooling (18 points off the bench) made it interesting until Cole (20 points) sealed it with a jumper, steal and some free throws.

It's nice to see that Boston didn't pack it in when they certainly could have but there are much bigger issues than that for this squad that seems to be aging twice as fast as normal. Namely the fact that Kevin Garnett (12 points, 5 rebounds) looks terrible, Jermaine O'Neal (0 points, 1 rebound) is still the starting center-with no real backup-and Sasha Pavlovic (5 points) got another start in Pierce's absence.

On the bright side, Brandon Bass (13 points, 5 rebounds) had another solid game off the bench for the Celtics.

Things have gotten so bad for KG that Chris Bosh (18 points, 11 rebounds) is clearly outplaying him. Not that it takes much when you play with LeBron and Wade.

Miami led 30-27 after the first quarter and 69-54 at halftime. That was the most points Boston had allowed in a first half in over 6.5 years. Pathetic.

The Heat pushed it to 20 points (85-65) midway through the third after a jumper by LeBron but they started to lose focus and go for highlight reel plays rather than smart basketball moves.

The Celtics outscored the Heat 29-22 in the third (down 91-83 headed into the fourth) and cut it to three with a few minutes left but Rondo threw a stupid lead pass to Dooling that was easily stolen. Cole made a shot, Bass hit a shot to trim it to three again but another Cole jumper closed the door and prompted ironic MVP chants by the cartoonish Miami crowd-featuring Rick Ross and DJ Khaled!

For the game, Miami shot 56.0% to 51.4% for Boston. The Celts made twice as many 3s (12-6) which is what kept them in it. The Heat hit four more free throws (25-21) and grabbed 10 more rebounds (38-28). Miami's athleticism showed up in the other numbers: seven more steals (16-9), five more blocks (8-3), 24 more points in the paint (52-28) and 14 more points off turnovers (33-19).

Chris Wilcox didn't play in the second half because of a shoulder injury so Doc Rivers already declared him and Pierce out for tomorrow night's game in New Orleans. Rivers might as well give rookies JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore the first run of their NBA careers; at least they won't have tired legs like everyone else.

It's the last contest of this three-game road trip to start the season and if we're being truthful, the C's could really use a win. 0-3 is not how they want to start this shortened schedule.

The Hornets (1-0) are not particularly good without Chris Paul but they're young and they have nothing to lose, not a good combo for Boston facing its first back-to-back of the young season.

PS. Why does Dick Bavetta still have a job?

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It was fun while it lasted

It doesn't get much more painful than last night's 98-90 overtime loss for the Celtics to the Heat. Miami takes a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals and has a chance to close out the Big 3 tomorrow night in South Beach.

With its home crowd at TD Garden going nuts, Boston had a chance to win it at the end of regulation but a screwed up play led to Paul Pierce's (27 points, 8 rebounds) hopeless fadeaway jumper that rimmed out.

That was the Celtics' season right there and on a bigger scale, it means that a crazy offseason (with tons of roster turnover) is now days away.

Miami dominated in overtime (12-4) as the Celts were out of gas and realized that they were done this season and perhaps for a long time moving forward.

The Heat's Big 3 of LeBron James (game-high 35 points, 14 rebounds), Dwyane Wade (28 points, 9 rebounds) and Chris Bosh (20 points, 12 rebounds) owned the game and they've owned the series as a whole.

Ray Allen had a quiet 17 points while Kevin Garnett was held to seven points (1 for 10 shooting) and 10 rebounds. It was hard to believe that KG was the same guy that had 28 points and 18 rebounds in Boston's Game 3 win. With that guy, the C's had hope. If he plays like he did last night, it's over in Game 5.

Rajon Rondo played and showed more heart but he was undoubtedly affected by his left elbow (which was dislocated then popped back into place on Saturday night). He had 10 points and five assists.

Delonte West has been Boston's only bench player that has stepped up in the pressure cooker that is known as the NBA playoffs. West had 10 points and three steals while Jeff Green (7 points) and Glen Davis (4 points) continued to be enigmas. Green has already established himself as completely unpredictable but what has happened to Big Baby in the playoffs? He was great for most of the regular season but now he's a puddle that can't seem to do anything right.

Nobody else on the Heat put up more than four points but who cares? It's the NBA and this team is showing that three stars and a bunch of bums can get it done (so far).

This was truly a game that the Celtics let slip away as they led 31-28 after the first quarter and as much as 11 in the second quarter before settling into a 53-50 halftime advantage. Boston won the third quarter (20-19) barely but Miami tied it up in the fourth (17-13) when it turned into a tractor pull of a defensive struggle.

For the game, the Heat shot 44.3% to 42.9% for the Celtics. Boston hit two more 3-pointers (5-3) but Miami snatched an unforgivable 17 more rebounds (45-28). The Celts had five more assists (15-10) and six more fast break points (15-9) but the younger, hungrier Heat pounded it inside to the tune of 48-32.

I have tomorrow night off from work so I'm ready to devote my full attention to the Celtics' last gasp effort to try and extend this series. In my heart of hearts, I think if Boston can win Game 5, they can definitely win Game 6 at TD Garden but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Game 5 is all that matters and the Celtics have to prove they can win in Miami before the Heat can start sweating.

This series is not over, hell Gumby Rondo came back from the dead

I knew that the Boston Celtics had way too much pride to get swept or go down in flames as badly as they looked in Games 1-2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat.

Last night, in Game 3 at TD Garden, the Celts won 97-81 to cut the Heat's series lead to 2-1.

The crazy part was that Boston seemed to be doomed when Rajon Rondo (11 assists) went down with a dislocated elbow in the third quarter after an awkward fall with Dwyane Wade (23 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds). After Rondo was scraped off the parquet, you could feel the crowd and team collectively think "I can't believe this is how it's going to end."

This is the NBA though which loves the drama and Rondo somehow returned to action after the Celtics trainers popped his elbow back in place in the locker room. Paul Pierce's (27 points) wheelchair from the 2008 NBA Finals wasn't even needed.

With Game 4 tomorrow night, it'll be interesting to see how Rondo is feeling after the adrenaline wore off. That elbow is going to be really sore; after he came back last night he was basically playing with one arm (truly bonkers stuff).

Last night will always be remembered for Rondo's truly heroic (I try to never overuse that word either) performance but it also served as Kevin Garenett's resurrection. After playing terrible in Game 1 and o.k. in Game 2, KG (game-high 28 points, 18 rebounds) just eviscerated Chris Bosh (6 points, 5 rebounds) in a matchup that Boston has to win to get by the Heat.

Given the stakes of the contest, it will go down as one of Garnett's best games ever for the Celtics. Similarly, the Celtics defense really stepped up after they looked old and slow in Miami.

LeBron James was basically a non-factor, which is almost impossible to do. He had 15 points, seven rebounds, five blocks and four assists. Mario Chalmers (17 points) and Joel Anthony (12 points, 11 rebounds) actually had the best games for the Heat which is good for those two but not a positive sign for Miami as a whole.

It was the Garnett and Pierce show with a great supporting role by Rondo but Ray Allen also added 15 points. Delonte West played well off the bench with 11 points. Shaquille O'Neal even had a basket in his return after missing over a month of action.

The Celtics got off to a quick start and led 27-21 after the first quarter. The Heat responded with a strong second quarter (25-17) and a 46-44 halftime advantage. Boston played their best quarter of the series (28-15) in the third and kept the lead in double-digits in the fourth (25-20).

For the game, Boston shot 50.0% to 42.5% for Miami. The Celtics hit four more 3-pointers (9-5) and grabbed three more rebounds (39-36). Thanks to Rondo, the Cs had seven more assists (27-20) while the Heat had two more steals (9-7) and five more blocks (9-4). The underrated key to the game was the fact that Boston had a 13-point (18-5) advantage in fast break points. Miami turned into a jump-shooting team and when that happens, they're very beatable.

Game 4 is also a must-win for the Celtics. They need to get the job done again and put all the pressure back on the Heat (who are front-runners as far as we know). Hopefully Rondo can give Boston something since his presence alone makes such a difference for the team.