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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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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Finally, The NBA Playoffs Are Upon Us

The Boston Celtics (39-27, 24-9 home) closed out the regular season with an 87-74 win vs. the Milwaukee Bucks (31-35, 14-19 away) this evening at TD Garden.

The Atlanta Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks so Boston will travel to Atlanta for Game 1 of their first round series on Sunday night (tip-off at 7:00 p.m.). More on that this weekend when I do a series preview (hint: the Celts should win).

Avery Bradley led the C's with 14 points, Paul Pierce had 12 points and Rajon Rondo had 15 assists (his 24th straight game with double-digit assists). The bench got plenty of minutes with Ryan Hollins (9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks), Mickael Pietrus (9 points) and E'Twaun Moore (8 points, 5 assists) standing out the most.

Tobias Harris paced the Bucks with a game-high 16 points and nine rebounds. Jon Leuer had 15 points and eight rebounds, Brandon Jennings scored 12 points and Mike Dunleavy added 10 points off the bench.

It seems like forever since I paid attention to an NBA game, specifically the Celtics so this weekend will be a welcome change. The playoffs start on Saturday afternoon with games all day and night. As much as I bash the NBA regular season, the playoffs are routinely pretty awesome.

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The Boston Celtics' Future Doesn't Look So Grim After All

As I predicted late last night, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers mercifully gave his aging Big 3 the night off tonight and yet Boston was still able to win.

The Celts (36-25, 15-16 away) completed their back-to-back-to-back 2-1 this weekend with a 94-82 win vs. the Charlotte Bobcats (7-52, 4-24 home) 94-82 at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Most Celtics fans are scared to death of the great unknown that is life after KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen either retire or move on. Well a future with Rajon Rondo (20 points, 16 assists), Avery Bradley (22 points), Brandon Bass (22 points, 9 rebounds) and Greg Stiemsma (8 points, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 4 rebounds) doesn't look so bad, does it?

Without his usual crew, Rondo took more of a leadership role (yes I said that) and he did a nice job as he recorded double-digit assists for the 22nd straight game.

The Bobcats are winding down what will statistically end up as one of the worst in NBA history regardless of season length. Gerald Henderson led Charlotte with 22 points, Derrick Brown had 15 points and seven rebounds, D.J. White scored 13 points and D.J. Augustin handed out 10 assists.

Boston swept the season series 3-0 and best of all, they only have five games left in the regular season. After the NHL playoffs started last week, these NBA games just don't have the same pop (not that Celtics-Bobcats ever makes you take notice). The NBA playoffs start two weeks from yesterday, with Boston's final regular season game a week from Thursday. Those can't come soon enough as far as any NBA fan is concerned.

The Green and White close out this bizarre four-game road trip on Tuesday night (8:00 p.m., CSNE) at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Any game there is always special but the Celtics and Knicks have developed a nice, albeit one-sided rivalry, the last few seasons. Boston is 2-1 against their Atlantic Division foe.

Garnett and Pierce will be back, I'm not sure about Allen but it doesn't get much better than Boston vs. New York in any sport. Am I right rest of the America? (ducks)

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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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Bucks' 6-Game Win Streak Is Snapped By The Celtics

I bet nobody outside of Wisconsin knew that entering tonight, the Milwaukee Bucks had the longest current win streak in the NBA.

That is history now as the Boston Celtics (25-21, 9-13 road) went into the Bradley Center and beat the Bucks (21-25, 11-10 home) 100-91. The loss ended Milwaukee's six-game win streak while also improving Boston's road trip to 4-3.

The C's improved to 2-0 against the Bucks this season, they meet one more time-April 26 for the regular season finale-in Boston.

It was a true team win for the Celts as five guys scored in double figures not to mention some key contributions off the bench from Keyon Dooling (8 points) and Greg Stiemsma (6 points, 5 blocks, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists) in front of his hometown fans.

Paul Pierce had a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds. Three Celtics had double-doubles: Kevin Garnett (16 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists), Brandon Bass (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Rajon Rondo (10 points, 14 assists, 3 steals).

Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 19 points. Carlos Delfino had 16 points and eight rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova added 12 points and 14 rebounds. Monta Ellis had 13 points and seven assists while Mike Dunleavy scored 11 off the bench.

I included the picture up above since Ryan Hollins is the newest Celtic. Boston will be his fifth team in only seven seasons. Still, he's 7-feet-tall, he can run the floor and block shots. However, he can't rebound at all which doesn't really address one of Boston's biggest issues. He's expected to be in uniform tomorrow night in Philadelphia as the Celtics wrap up their insane eight-game trip against the 76ers.

Philadelphia is only a half game ahead of Boston while the Celts have a game in hand. If the C's can win tomorrow, not only does it make the trip very successful (5-3) but it vaults them from No. 7 in the Eastern Conference to No. 4 since they would lead the Atlantic Division.

The two teams have only met once so far this season, a 103-71 shellacking handed out by the Sixers on March 7 at the Wells Fargo Center. The C's have to be completely exhausted but with only one more game against the Sixers after tomorrow, this will be one of the most important contests of the regular season.

UPDATE 3/23: The Celtics waived Chris Wilcox to make room for Hollins, who will likely make his debut tonight for the Green in Philadelphia.

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The Atlanta Hawks Will Never Change As Long As They Employ Josh Smith

It's good to know that some things in the NBA never change: namely that Josh Smith is still the dumbest player in the league. By association, his Atlanta Hawks (I can't believe they never traded him) will fail to get anywhere with that knucklehead.

The Boston Celtics (24-21, 8-13 road) took advantage of Atlanta's (26-20, 13-7) lack of smarts to win a sneaky big game tonight, 79-76 at Philips Arena.

Sure the C's almost blew a 15-point lead in crunch time, one of their specialties, but thankfully Jeff Teague airballed a 3-pointer then failed to foul, allowing Boston to run out the clock. Teague is the same guy that got called for a taunting technical in the third quarter after he dunked on Ray Allen. Atlanta led by eight (47-39) at the time.

Allen led the Celtics with 19 points. Kevin Garnett had 16 points and eight rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 13 and Rajon Rondo had 10 points, 13 assists and six steals. Every point counted in such a low-scoring contest so it's notable that Brandon Bass added eight points and 10 rebounds, Mickael Pietrus scored nine off the bench and Greg Stiemsma blocked four shots.

Joe Johnson (25 points) might as well be Ray Allen 2.0, what an incredible shooter. He got Atlanta back into it as he was 4 of 5 on 3-pointers. Zaza Pachulia had 16 points and 13 rebounds while Smith put up 10 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Good numbers if you have him in fantasy but not when you consider he was 5 of 20 from the floor.

This was the first of three meetings between the Celtics and Hawks (Apr. 11 in Boston, April 20 in Atlanta) so it was big for the Green to prove right off the bat that they could win at Philips Arena.

Only two more games left on this endless eight-game road trip for the Celts (3-3 so far). Even better, they get two days off before their next game: Thursday in Milwaukee. The Celtics beat the Bucks 102-96 on Leap Day but since then, Milwaukee has been playing better plus they traded for Monta Ellis. Him and Brandon Jennings with Ersan Ilyasova-maybe the NBA's most improved player-is a tough matchup for the C's.

Zombie Jermaine O'Neal officially is out for the season as he's opting for wrist surgery. Let's all pour out a goblet of blood for him.

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The Big 4 Makes Their Case For Danny Ainge To Hold Tight Tomorrow

If this was the last time that the Big 4 (Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo) played together for the Boston Celtics, what a way to go out.

The C's (23-19, 7-11 away) won a wildly entertaining game 105-103 against the Warriors (18-22, 10-11 home) at Oracle Arena tonight. KG (24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) hit a jumper from just inside the 3-point line with five seconds left then former Celtic Nate Robinson (20 points, 11 assists, 4 steals) clanked a hero 3-pointer and Boston survived.

It was Boston's eighth win in their last 10 games.

The NBA Trade Deadline is tomorrow and while I don't think Danny Ainge will do anything major at this point, he is the same guy who came out of nowhere last season and traded Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City at the last second.

I've arrived at the conclusion that Ainge might as well let this season ride out with the current cast. Blow it up in the summer when some contracts expire and the Celtics have two first-round draft picks plus they can spend money in free agency. If anything, this group has proven that they deserve one last shot. However, with Chris Wilcox now out for the year with a heart ailment, ala Jeff Green, the C's desperately need a big man (Chris Kaman please).

Brandon Bass had 22 points and nine rebounds, Rondo had eight points, 14 assists and six rebounds while Pierce added 15 points, six rebounds and six assists. Only nine guys played for Boston but Mickael Pietrus (15 points on 5 3-pointers) and Greg Stiemsma (8 points, 8 rebounds) each had their best performances in months.

It seems like nothing has changed under Golden State's new head coach Mark Jackson and even with Monta Ellis shipped out of town: they are still allergic to defense. The Warriors were playing shorthanded since Stephen Curry and the reacquired Stephen Jackson were out with injuries.

Rookie Klay Thompson, who could be Austin Rivers' twin brother, scored a career-high 26 points, the always underrated David Lee notched 22 points and eight rebounds while Dorell Wright scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Dominic McGuire had 10 points off the bench.

Golden State led 25-21 after one quarter and 60-55 at halftime. Boston responded in the third quarter (26-17) and made enough plays in the fourth (outscored 26-24) to hang on for their second win in a row.

The Celtics recorded 32 assists on 40 baskets which is insane. That made up for the Warriors dominating in the paint to the tune of 60-42.

Boston will try to make it three straight on the road (and 3-1 on this trip) when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday for their only meeting of the season. The Kings are just as awful as you remember so barring anything crazy tomorrow (knock on wood), the Celts should win it.

UPDATE 3/15: What did I tell you? The Celtics didn't make any moves today at all although they hinted that they'll buy out Jermaine O'Neal.

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The Celtics Continue To Make Danny Ainge's Job Harder, Hope He Doesn't Have Another Heart Attack

For the time being, what transpires off the court-mainly in the Twitterverse, online, in newspapers, on the radio and television-is way more interesting with the Boston Celtics than their actual games.

The Celts (18-17) are the subject of non-stop trade rumors (the deadline is March 15) but they don't seem to be affected by it since they won their third straight tonight, 107-94 over the New Jersey Nets (11-26) at TD Garden.

This was the first time since the opening two games (at New York, at Miami which were both losses) that Boston has put together back-to-back 100-point performances. That's not much of a milestone in the NBA but for this time, it most certainly is. The Celtics improved to 17-2 against the Nets in their last 19 meetings.

Every day I go back and forth on whether Celtics GM Danny Ainge should just blow it all up or hope that Boston can stay relatively healthy, win the Atlantic Division and hope that somebody else knocks off the Heat and Bulls.

Jermaine O'Neal might be done for the season with a wrist injury and Ray Allen missed tonight's contest with the flu but the C's still managed to play one of the better games of the season. Duly noted that it also helps that New Jersey is awful.

Paul Pierce (27 points, 8 assists) was great and Kevin Garnett (20 points, 10 rebounds) continued to show plenty of pride in what could be his last season. KG has scored 18+ points in five straight games. Rajon Rondo (14 points, 13 assists, 5 steals)-the main subject of the trade rumors-had a solid game. Mickael Pietrus started for Allen and he added 11 points while Brandon Bass scored eight points. Chris Wilcox went for 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with a game-high 28 points yet he somehow had three rebounds in 35 minutes, way to hustle big guy. Deron Williams mailed it in with 12 points and eight assists and MarShon Brooks scored 11 points. Both Anthony Morrow and former Celtic Gerald Green each added 11 off the bench.

These teams only meet once more, April 14 in the Garden State.

The Bruins and Celtics face all New York and New Jersey teams this weekend. The Devils came to the Garden last night, Nets were in town tonight, the Islanders are here tomorrow afternoon, the Bruins go to New York Sunday afternoon to face the Rangers at the same time that Celtics host the Knicks.

I don't know if you've heard of him but this guy from Harvard named Jeremy Lin plays for the Knicks now. Boston and New York split their first two games this season but Lin only played a minor role in the last one, a 91-89 Celtics win on February 3. With all the Linsanity hype and the fact that the Knicks have been playing light years better since he was inserted into the starting lineup, Sunday's matchup-a national game on ABC-should be entertaining theater (the best kind of NBA action).

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Mercy: The 2012 All-Star Break Is Finally Here For The Boston Celtics

I sincerely hope that Rajon Rondo enjoyed his 26th birthday today. Without having to play basketball, he was free to do whatever he wanted. The NBA even obliged by naming him to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a replacement for the injured Joe Johnson.

Rondo's teammates on the Boston Celtics could have used him in Oklahoma City though as they lost 119-104 to the Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in a game that wasn't that close or competitive.

May I just say that I'm psyched I don't have to watch the Celts (15-17) for the next five days. Boston lost its fifth straight game while Oklahoma City (26-7) swept the season series 2-0.

The Thunder improved to 11-1 at home this season and they set an NBA season high for points in a half as they led 72-49 after two quarters thanks to an absurd 30-3 run. Really. That was the most the C's had allowed in a half in seven years.

I give Boston a ton of credit for cutting it all the way down to six points (108-102 with 3:31 left) but without Rondo, Brandon Bass, Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox, that was their last gasp.

Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 31 points, six assists and five rebounds while Kevin Durant added 28 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals. Daequan Cook notched 17 points while former Celtic Kendrick Perkins had eight points and 10 rebounds. James Harden scored 17 points off the bench.

I absolutely hate the NBA and almost everything about it but I will admit that the Thunder would make me seriously consider buying League Pass that is if most of their games weren't already on national TV.

After missing two games, Kevin Garnett returned and looked good with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Paul Pierce had 23 points, eight assists and five rebounds while Ray Allen put up 21 points and seven assists. I honestly can't remember the last time those three all scored 20+ points, it figures it would happen when Rondo was out. Avery Bradley had 12 points, five assists and three blocks in his place. Mickael Pietrus had 16 points and seven rebounds.

Pierce and Rondo will be off to Orlando for All-Star weekend but the rest of the C's should get as much rest as possible. They have dug themselves quite a hole (3rd in the Atlantic Division, 8th in the East) by losing the first four games of this road trip and generally looking terrible for much of this season.

Barring a big trade (unlikely), the best we can hope for is that most everybody gets healthy at once and maybe this squad has one last run left in them. They return on Tuesday to close out the trip in Cleveland (1-1 so far this season against the Cavs). That's a must-win before they come back to Boston for a four-game homestand. The first half of 2011-12 was miserable, I feel like taking a cold shower after watching this mess.

UPDATE 2/24: Rondo was also added to the Skills Challenge, taking Stephen Curry's place (he's hurt too).

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Tonight, I'm Ashamed To Be A Celtics Fan

Sure there have been worse losses in terms of point differential in the Big Four era but sitting here in the aftermath, it's hard to remember a much more pathetic defeat than the one experienced by the Boston Celtics tonight.

The Celts (14-12) lost 86-74 to the Toronto Raptors (9-19) at Air Canada Centre in a game that truthfully, wasn't even that close.

Boston lost its second in a row and from the opening tip, they had absolutely no pulse after losing to an average Lakers team last night in overtime at the Garden. The Raptors improved to 3-17 in its last 20 games against the Celtics.

For basketball fans, the best news to come out of this shitshow is that after playing three times in less than a month, these teams won't meet again until the last month of the regular season (Apr. 13 in Toronto). With any luck, Dr. James Naismith will stop rolling over in his grave by then.

This was such a bitter loss since the C's had already beaten the Raptors, one of the worst teams in the NBA, by 23 and 36 points respectively earlier this season. I will allow a hiccup to most teams once in a while but as I said last night, Boston should never lose to Toronto under any circumstances.

I thought the Big Four had more pride than this; they all "played" tonight but this is the type of setback that can be the precursor to big changes on a squad.

DeMar Derozan had a game-high 21 points for Toronto. Jose Calderon (17 points, 14 assists) and Amir Johnson (12 points, 12 rebounds) both had double-doubles, James Johnson scored 14 points and Aaron Gray grabbed 11 rebounds (in 18 minutes!).

Boston was playing short-handed, without Jermaine O'Neal, Keyon Dooling and Sasha Pavlovic not that those three guys would have made any difference whatsoever. Kevin Garnett had 17 points and eight rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 12 points and Brandon Bass put up 10 points and seven rebounds. Mickael Pietrus added 11 points off the bench.

Rajon Rondo was MIA, maybe they left him at the border since he only could manage five points, seven assists, five rebounds and five turnovers. I don't know if he's still hurt, mad because of trade rumors or the All-Star Game snub but he appeared completely disinterested tonight.

Let's all hope that things turn around on Sunday afternoon as the Celtics return home to face the Chicago Bulls, who I think are the best team in the Eastern Conference. Boston will put forth a much better effort but it's going to take their best execution of the season thus far to have a shot at knocking off Derrick Rose and Co.

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Reports Of The Celtics Demise (From Myself & Many Others) Were Very Premature

I'm a big boy so I can admit when I'm wrong about something. After the last two nights, the Boston Celtics have proven to me, the Eastern Conference and the NBA that they're not hopeless.

You would think that their 27-point comeback in Orlando on Thursday would leave them dead for tonight's game at TD Garden against the Pacers, a team that had beaten them twice already, yet the Celts (9-9) won their fourth straight 94-87.

It was the second night of a back-to-back, vs. a playoff team but Boston didn't care as they recorded their fifth win in the last six tries.

Did I mention that Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Jermaine O'Neal and Keyon Dooling were all out? It makes no sense that this team would find its legs and defensive identity with such a shortage of bodies but welcome to the NBA in 2011-12.

Indiana (12-6) had no answer for Paul Pierce (28 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks), who is playing some inspired basketball. Building off his nice game against the Magic, Chris Wilcox added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Kevin Garnett and Mickael Pietrus each had 13 points and eight rebounds while Brandon Bass scored 12.

The fantasy stud but real life enigma Danny Granger led the Pacers with 21 points. Paul George had 16 points, David West scored 14 and Roy Hibbert added 11 points.

I honestly can't explain how the Celts have morphed from a joke to a solid, competitive team in the span of a few weeks. Whatever the reason, I love it since I was pretty much dreading their games earlier in the season.

The C's led from start to finish: 23-17 after the first quarter, 42-34 at halftime and 71-61 after three quarters.

Boston shot 45.8% and held Indiana to 35.0%. The Celtics made five more 3s (6-1) which made up for the Pacers advantage at the free throw line (30-12). I don't think I've ever seen a team lose when they shot 30 of 31 from the line but the Pacers screwed themselves by going 1 of 19 from downtown. Boston grabbed three more rebounds (45-42) and dished out 10 more assists (21-11) without Rondo! The Pacers had three more steals (9-6) but the Celtics had four more blocks (7-3).

Indiana's age showed in the fast break points (23-6) but Boston beat them with the old man game down low (48-42) in the paint.

The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Garden on Sunday in the first leg of a home-and-home series. The Cavs are still in full out rebuilding mode Post-LeBron but their No. 1 pick, point guard Kyrie Irving out of Duke, looks like a real good one.

If the C's can continue this defensive intensity and efficiency on the offensive end, they are going to be tough to beat when Rondo and Allen return. Moreover, I'm not going to underestimate them or doubt head coach Doc Rivers for the rest of the regular season.

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Just Your Run Of The Mill 27-Point Comeback Win By The Celtics Over The Magic, In Orlando

You have to hand it to the Orlando Magic. Twice in the last four days they've made losing to the Boston Celtics an art form.

After scoring a franchise-low 56 points in a pathetic 87-56 loss at TD Garden on Monday, the Magic (12-6) topped themselves with a 91-83 loss to the Celtics (8-9) at Amway Center tonight that will be talked about for years to come.

Orlando was up 27 points (52-25) with 3:11 left in the first half but somehow, they squandered that insurmountable lead to Boston, who was missing Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Jermaine O'Neal.

It was the Celtics' third straight win and their second against a quality team (both vs. the Magic). Boston undoubtedly has their number, the third and final chapter in the regular season is not until April 18 back at the Garden.

As befitting a game as batshit crazy as this one, the Celts got unexpectedly great contributions from rookie guard E'Twaun Moore (career-high 16 points, 4 of 4 on 3s) and Chris Wilcox (4 points, 3 rebounds, steal), who gave them a spark off the bench when Kevin Garnett (12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals) needed a break.

Let's also not forget the spectacular all-around game by Paul Pierce (24 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds) and Mickael Pietrus' (12 points) fine performance in his former home arena. Brandon Bass added 10 points, two steals and two blocks against his old team as well.

Somehow when he faced only KG, Wilcox and Greg Stiemsma (4 fouls in 7 minutes), Dwight Howard managed only 16 points and 16 rebounds. I guess that's what happens when you shoot 50% from the floor (6 of 12) and 50% from the foul line (4-8).

Jason Richardson had 13 points, Ryan Anderson added 12 points, Jameer Nelson had 11 points and Hedo Turkoglu scored 10 but none of them could help Orlando avoid an eight-point fourth quarter. Really.

Glen Davis (3 for 11, 7 points) was horrible for the second time in a row against his old team; I'm shocked that such a mentally stable guy would psyche himself out like that.

What this victory meant for the Celtics and their fans is that despite many things going against them, this squad has an abundance of heart and resolve. They had every excuse to pack it in tonight, especially when they went down big right away but they kept plugging away and eventually the Magic cracked/the Celtics executed.

Orlando led 32-16 after the first quarter and 58-37 at halftime-they scored more in the first half then they did on Monday! Boston came alive in the third (27-17) and sealed it in the fourth (27-8).

After starting out ice cold, the Celtics finished with a very respectable 46.6% shooting percentage to 38.0% for the Magic. Boston hit five more 3s (10-5) but Orlando hit five more free throws (18-13). The Magic had nine more rebounds (46-37) but the Celts had seven more assists (23-16). Orlando had four more steals (10-6) but Boston had eight more blocks (11-3) which is insane when you think about it. The Magic owned the paint (38-22) and converted way more off turnovers (25-15).

With a game tomorrow night against the Pacers at TD Garden, a team that has already beaten them twice, I will give the C's a pass for what almost certainly will be a loss. Tonight's win showed that with improved health and a few shrewd moves, they could make some noise in the Eastern Conference after all this season.

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The Washington Wizards Are A Disgrace

I only listened to the first half of the Celtics-Wizards game on the radio this afternoon as I drove back from Rhode Island and then I periodically checked my phone for the score during breaks in the Patriots-Ravens game (don't ask me why).

Still, I'm not afraid to say that Washington (2-14) is a disgrace since they lost to Boston (6-9) 100-94 at the Verizon Center.

Rajon Rondo missed his second straight game with a wrist injury while Keyon Dooling (5th straight) and Chris Wilcox (6th straight) were also out resting their old bones. To make matters worse for the Celtics, Ray Allen sprained his ankle in the second quarter and never returned. Luckily for the Green, they were playing what I'm comfortable in labeling the worst team in the NBA.

If you're keeping score at home, half of Boston's wins so far this season are against Washington. What's more, the C's only have two road victories and would you believe that they were both in our nation's capital?

The Avery Bradley magical mystery tour continued as he got his third career NBA start. In 41 minutes, he put up a truly unique stat line: three points (on 1 of 8 shooting), seven assists, six rebounds and six turnovers.

WEEI's Sean Grande (Celtics radio play-by-play guy) brought up something that I never knew: Bradley was the top recruit in the high school class of 2009, ahead of No. 2 John Wall. Speaking of Wall, he led the Wizards with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Unless Bradley's mom, dad or another close relative was in charge of those rankings, I'll never get that designation (not that it matters).

Paul Pierce had an outstanding game, he nearly put up a triple-double with 34 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals. It was the fifth 30-point, 10-assist performance of his career (tying Antoine Walker's franchise record for the past 20 years) and first time he'd done it in almost six years. He's also only the third guy in the NBA (joining LeBron and Russell Westbrook) to have 34-10-8.

Kevin Garnett (17 points) was the only other Celtics starter in double-figures. Mickael Pietrus (14 points) and Brandon Bass (13 points, 9 assists) continued to be pseudo-starters off the bench.

Nick Young had 19 points for the Wizards while JaVale McGee scored 13 points and Jordan Crawford had 12 off the bench.

It's a shame that these teams only meet once more (March 25 in Boston) this season since it is one of the only guaranteed victories for the Celts these days.

Things will be much different tomorrow night as the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard come to Boston for the first of two meetings this week. Boston has no answer for Howard (not that many do) so expect him to put up monster numbers and for his team to roll since it's a back-to-back, the Celtics are short-handed and they're playing a good opponent.

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Celtics Snap Five-Game Losing Streak But Rondo Hurts His Wrist In The Process

You'd be hard-pressed to draw up a more irrelevant game in the 2011-12 NBA regular season that what transpired this evening at TD Garden. It was seats for soldiers night which felt like a cruel joke. Hopefully nobody paid full price for this preseason style matchup.

The Toronto Raptors visited the Boston Celtics with both teams coming in riding five-game losing streaks. Boston (5-8) played its customary frontrunner role as they won 96-73 in a game that was only memorable since Rajon Rondo (21 points) suffered what could have been a gruesome injury late in the third quarter.

In the playoffs last spring against the Miami Heat when Rondo dislocated his elbow yet somehow (hello needles!) came back in the same game, I dubbed him Gumby. His limbs and bones don't act like you or I. So when Linas Kleiza of all people hit him with a flagrant foul, causing Rondo to land awkwardly with all his weight on his wrist, you had to think it was broken.

After staying down on the parquet for a long time, Rondo got up slowly and retreated to the locker room with the medical staff. It was later announced as a "sore wrist" which was a laughable impression of a Patriots injury report. Apparently, Rondo is day-to-day which is promising news since without him, this ill-fated season turns downright meaningless.

The Raptors (4-11) basically lost before the game started since their best player-Andrea Bargnani-was a last-minute scratch with a calf injury. This contest was so dull, it made me daydream about such paradoxes like why does Toronto even have an NBA team? The Grizzlies moved out of Vancouver years ago so why are the Raptors still in Canada? It makes zero sense, Canadians could care less about basketball.

Kevin Garnett had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics while Brandon Bass (13 points, 9 rebounds) and Mickael Pietrus (12 points) had big outputs off the bench. This one was never in doubt so it was nice to see Bass play more minutes (31) than any of the starters.

Paul Pierce had eight points and seven assists, Jermaine O'Neal added eight points and seven rebounds but Ray Allen (6 points) continued to fall into a shooting slump.

UMass-Amherst product Gary Forbes led the Raptors with 18 points, off the bench no less. I think he's the only Minuteman currently in the NBA besides greybeard Marcus Camby. DeMar DeRozan (11 points) was the only other Toronto player in double figures.

I predict that Boston will go on a fraudulent winning-streak since they are about to embark on what undoubtedly is their easiest three-game stretch of the season: vs. Phoenix on Friday and at Washington on Sunday.

Right now, the Celtics are beating up on the bums of the NBA and once they meet a playoff contender, they fold. It's just that easy to explain.

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Without Kendrick Perkins Patrolling The Paint, The Boston Celtics Don't Have A Soul

Tonight was Kendrick Perkins's first return to Boston since his trade last February to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It couldn't have gone much better for the former Celtics center since not only did he get plenty of love from the TD Garden crowd but the Thunder (12-2) held off the Celtics (4-8) for a 97-88 win.

For the record, that makes Boston exactly 24-24 since Perk left. During his time in Boston, they won 70% of their games.

I was saying to my buddy this weekend that the Celts are currently the easiest team to bet on in sports (maybe I should take my own advice). If they're playing a good team, bet against them and if they're playing an awful team, ride with the Green.

The numbers don't lie. Boston lost its fifth consecutive game, the longest streak in the Big Three era. They are now 0-7 against teams .500 or above this season. The Celtics haven't scored more than 90 points in their last six games (1-5). Finally, they've lost their last four games at home-somewhere that they used to own.

In fitting fashion since his game was never about numbers, Perkins put up seven points, five rebounds and a block in 28 minutes. For Boston, he was the most physical defender; an emotional player that was a consummate teammate and pro. With the Thunder now, you can already see the leadership he has brought to one of the NBA's top squads.

I hate the NBA but if I was ever brainwashed into getting the League Pass, since I'm pretty sure I'll never live in Oklahoma, it would be solely for the Thunder. With Kevin Durant (28 points, 7 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (26 points, 7 rebounds), they possess the most exciting duo in the league. Add in fine role players like Thabo Sefolosha (19 points, 4 steals), Serge Ibaka (4 blocks) and James Harden (5 points) and you can see why they are a logical choice to win a title in the next two or three years.

For the Celtics, it was another dysfunctional night for their main guys. Paul Pierce (24 points) shot well but Kevin Garnett (12 points, 12 rebounds) and particularly Ray Allen (6 points) were awful. Rajon Rondo (12 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists) was ok but compared to Westbrook, he didn't do much. Jermaine O'Neal (12 points, 11 rebounds) had one of his best games as a Celtic but it was in a loss so you'll forget about it by tomorrow.

The Thunder were always in a comfortable spot and once it came down to the fourth quarter, they couldn't miss. It seemed like they hit every improbable shot. Boston's turnovers killed them as Oklahoma City was able to turn 19 Celtics turnovers into 24 points. On the flip side, the C's only converted the Thunder's 13 turnovers into two points. I don't know how that's possible.

After a brutal stretch of opponents, things ease up considerably for the Celtics as they face the Raptors, Suns and Wizards in their next three games. I expect Boston to win all three of those games but don't buy the hype if it happens. They've already proven they can beat bad teams; last time I checked, all those teams are hopeless. Toronto comes to the Garden on Wednesday night in a matchup that I wouldn't go to if I had free courtside seats.

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Pietrus Says He'll Debut For Celtics On Wednesday Against The Dallas Mavericks

It's only eight games into the 66-game 2011-12 NBA season for the Boston Celtics but they were due for some good news.

Already as a fan of the team, I can feel my excitement level for them declining with each poor effort and signs of aging. Getting Mickael Pietrus on the court isn't going to transform the C's from an Eastern Conference wannabe to a contender but at least it's a positive development.

Speaking to the local media for the first time today after practice, Pietrus declared himself ready to make his debut on Wednesday when the Celtics (4-4) host the defending champion Dallas Mavericks (4-5 with a game tomorrow in Detroit) at TD Garden.

Assuming he's healthy and at least a fair representation of himself, Pietrus should give an immediate lift to Boston's up and down second unit. Right now, Keyon Dooling is their only guy that can hit 3-pointers off the bench. Likewise, Marquis Daniels is the only decent defender with some size. Pietrus has the ability to do both of those things along with providing energy and athleticism.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to how he'll perform on his new team but at least it is something to look forward to regarding the Celtics. Otherwise, I can't see many other reasons to get our hopes up about this squad that currently appears destined for another early-round playoff exit.

The Mavs game is the start of four straight against four of the better teams in the NBA (Dallas, Chicago, Indiana and Oklahoma City). How the Celtics fare in those four contests should tell us plenty in terms of whether they will be a threat in the Eastern Conference or just battling for the fourth or fifth spot.

In other Celtics news today, Jeff Green had his heart surgery this morning and all reports say it went well.

"Surgery went well, he had surgery today -- they're saying it went great," Rivers said. "Obviously our thoughts, our prayers and every part of our being is with Jeff right now.

"The second news we want to hear is that he'll be able to play again. That would be terrific. I don't care if it's with us -- I want it to be with us -- [but] I just want him to. Really, at the end of the day, that's what we want."

Best wishes to Jeff, I hope to see him back on a basketball court soon, especially for the Celtics.

UPDATE 1/10: Doc said at practice today that Pietrus will play tomorrow while Daniels is expected to miss the game with flu-like symptoms.

UPDATE 1/11: Pietrus and Daniels will play while E'Twaun Moore will backup Rondo. On the other side, former Celtic Delonte West will start for the injured Jason Kidd.

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Boston Celtics Sign Mickael Pietrus The Day Before The 2011-12 Regular Season Begins

Great news for the Boston Celtics on Christmas Eve, the day before they kick off the 2011-12 NBA regular season with a visit to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks.

After he was released by the Phoenix Suns on Thursday and cleared waivers, the C's signed veteran swingman Mickael Pietrus today to a 1-year, $1.3 million (league minimum deal). He fills out Boston's roster at 15 players.

With Christmas tomorrow, he won't be able to get a physical until Monday in Boston. This means that he won't be available for tomorrow's game; he could possibly be ready for the second game, at Miami or more likely on Wednesday in New Orleans.

"We are very excited to be able to add Mickael to our team," Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a statement released by the team. "His skills as a perimeter defender and an outside shooter provide great versatility to the roster."

Pietrus also announced his decision to join the Celtics via Twitter. Celtics coach Doc Rivers and former teammate Brandon Bass raved about Pietrus on Friday while talking about his potential addition.

"He would be a good addition for any team," said Rivers. "He would be athletic, he would bring some toughness. He can guard 2's and 3's. He can stretch the floor. Whoever gets him, will be getting a heck of a player, if he's healthy."

Said Bass: "He's a good defender. I think that's the strength of his game. He can guard the best two guards in the league, at least that's what he showed when I was with him in Orlando."

The reason I'm excited about this move, besides its very low risk, is because I've always been a big fan of Pietrus' game. He is the rare European player that is not only tough but he can also defend at a high level.

He was a first-round pick by Golden State (11th overall) in 2003. He played five seasons with the Warriors before spending two seasons in Orlando. He started last season with the Magic but was traded to the Suns.

For his career, he's started 150 of 496 games. He's averaged 8.5 points in 21.5 minutes, .431 field goal percentage, .359 percent on 3-pointers, 67% on free throws and 3.1 rebounds.

Pietrus' best season was 2006-07 in Golden State, the only time when he averaged double-figures in points (11.1). He also started a career-high 38 games out of 72.

At 6-6 and 215 pounds, he gives Doc Rivers a versatile option that can play shooting guard or small forward. There is no doubt in my mind that he's better than Sasha Pavlovic, which means that this move should rightly bury Sasha on the bench where he belongs. Mickael is 29-years-old, he turns 30 in February, so he should have something left in the tank. As far as I know, this isn't Troy Murphy or Carlos Arroyo on their last legs.

With Jeff Green out for the season and Paul Pierce's health shaky to start the season (heel injury), you can never have enough athletic wing players in the NBA. Well done Danny Ainge.

Merry Christmas, don't forget to watch Celtics-Knicks tomorrow afternoon. It tips off at 12 p.m. on TNT.

UPDATE 12/25: Celtics radio announcer Sean Grande just tweeted that Pierce is out today and Pavlovic will start, gulp.

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Are You Ready For The 66-Game 2011-12 NBA Regular Season (Crickets)?

If it feels like I've neglected to talk much about the NBA and more specifically, the Boston Celtics, then you are correct. I'm sure once the regular season starts I'll get into it a bit more but honestly at the moment, the Bruins and Patriots (in that order) take priority.

I love college basketball but I've never been a huge NBA fan so the lockout that just ended was the perfect reason to start caring even less about the NBA. There are so many things wrong with the league and the product that we're all well aware of. Still, I admit I do enjoy watching the Celts and the NBA playoffs are usually pretty awesome too.

The abbreviated 66-game NBA 2011-12 regular season officially starts on Sunday (Christmas) with the C's visiting the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It's a tasty rematch from last season's playoffs (Boston swept New York) that is the beginning of a nice slate of games.

Boston's 14-man roster for the opener appears set since they waived three players today: forward Michael Sweetney (remember when he was a lottery pick out of Georgetown?), center Jamal Sampson and undrafted rookie guard Gilbert Brown (Pitt). No surprises there. Sweetney is washed up, Sampson is a bum and Brown probably needs some playing time in the D-League before he makes the leap to the NBA.

The Celtics brought four invites to training camp but D-League center Greg Stiemsma is the only one that stuck.

Here's the expected roster for Sunday
Guards: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Avery Bradley, Marquis Daniels, Keyon Dooling, E'Twaun Moore
Forwards: Brandon Bass, Kevin Garnett, JaJuan Johnson, Sasha Pavlovic, Paul Pierce, Chris Wilcox
Centers: Jermaine O'Neal, Stiemsma

The starting five has to be Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett and O'Neal. Pierce has a heel injury which reportedly could keep him out of Sunday's game; if he can't play, expect Daniels to start in his place.

The first few guys off the bench (when everyone is healthy) should be Daniels, Bass, Wilcox and Dooling.

I'm most intrigued by Moore (who has been tearing it up in camp and preseason games), Johnson, Bass and Wilcox. Moore and Johnson are rookies so they'll be up and down but after great four-year careers at Purdue, I expect them to have less of a learning curve than most guys that enter the NBA at an earlier age. We know what Bass can do, it'll be interesting to see how he fits in Boston's gameplans. Wilcox is somewhat of a wild card: he's not young but he's been on mostly terrible teams so being on one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference should rejuvenate his career.

UPDATE 12/23: Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said today that Pierce is doubtful for Sunday's game so it looks like Pavlovic will get the nod if the captain can't suit up for the opener. Apparently, the thinking with Sasha starting is that Daniels is one of the leaders of the bench so they don't want to break that up. Um OK?

The Phoenix Suns released swingman Mickael Pietrus yesterday and rumors swirling around Boston are that the Celtics could sign him, to fill their empty 15th spot on their roster. I'm a huge Pietrus fan so I hope they do it, he's a good player that would see some decent minutes on this team. Stay tuned I guess.

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So this is how it ends?

I guess we were all just lying to ourselves when we thought the Boston Celtics (minus KG and Leon Powe) could actually advance to the Eastern Conference finals, where LeBron and the Cavs surely would have wiped the floor with them.

Reality was a bitter pill to swallow last night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Garden as the Orlando Magic stomped the Celtics, 101-82.

The defending NBA champions are out and when you think about it, how did they even make it this far?

Playing an eight-man rotation, the C's outlasted Chicago in seven games then had a 3-2 series lead vs. Orlando before losing the last two.

It's a testament to Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Ray Allen, Glen Davis, Eddie House, Doc Rivers, etc. that Boston made that much noise.

Whether it was being a homer or just not believing in the Magic, I really thought the C's would win going into last night but they simply ran out of gas.

The Magic were also 13-of-21 on 3-pointers and Boston could not get enough stops on defense, coupled with hoops.

Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with a game-high 25 points, 12 assists and five rebounds. Rashard Lewis added 19 points and Mickael Pietrus once again dominated off the bench with 17 points. Is he really that good? Boston made him look like an All-Star in the series.

Rafer Alston had 15 points and Dwight Howard notched 12 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.

After an awful series individually, Ray Allen was the only Celtic to show up last night offensively. Allen had a team-high 23 points. Pierce only managed 16 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Davis added 13 points, Rondo went for 10 points, 10 assists and six boards while Perk added eight points and 15 boards.

Orlando started off on a roll and led 27-17 after the first quarter. Boston cut it to 45-38 at the half.

The C's had one last gasp as they outscored the Magic 23-21 in the third but Orlando had a 13-1 run in the fourth that sent the Garden crowd to the exits.

Orlando meets the Cavs while the Lakers (who blew out the Rockets in a Game 7) host the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals.

More than anything, the finality of last night is the most painful thing. Once we knew KG wasn't coming back this postseason, we were resigned to our fate of not winning another title this June. Still, with triple-headers (Celts, Bruins and Red Sox) filling our weeks for the past month, it's crazy that now we don't have anything except the Red Sox for the next few months until Pats training camp and preseason heats up.

Nobody will cry for Boston fans since we've been spoiled for the past decade but it is still a rough patch for what had been an awesome spring.

With the Big Three returning and healthy (fingers crossed), the C's have another great shot at a title next season. Rondo and Perk made so much progress in one season, it's almost hard to believe. The biggest offseason questions revolve around whether to resign Big Baby (YES!) and Powe (depends on how his knee looks). This team has another run in them, I think that was proven by their heart this postseason.