Celts lose Game 7 of the NBA Finals, 83-79 to the Lakers

If I told you that the Celtics held the Lakers to 32.5% shooting as a team and Kobe Bryant shot 6-of-24 from the floor in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, you would think Banner 18 is being fitted for the rafters as we speak right?

It wasn't a classic game, especially given the outcome, but in the most hotly-contested game of the series, the Lakers found a way to get it done and came away with the franchise's 16th championship.

Off the top of my head, I can't remember being as proud of a team in defeat. Not to get all Little League parent on you but the Celtics completely maxed out for the last two months in the playoffs and they nearly won another title because of it. There's absolutely no shame in the way they lost even though they went back to LA up 3-2.

I'd love to see the Big Four get one more season to try to win a title with a few key free agent pickups but who knows what'll happen next season? Doc Rivers seems to be out the door, Rasheed Wallace will probably retire and Ray Allen is a free agent. Other than that, it should be a pretty quiet off-season.

Kobe was named Finals MVP (for the second time) but offensively he was awful tonight: he had 23 points but more impressively he had 15 rebounds. Therein lies how the Lakers won a game in which their offense was completely locked down. LA owned the glass, to the tune of a a 53-40 overall rebounding edge (23-8 in offensive boards).

Pau Gasol was a strong second banana with 19 points and 18 rebounds while the ultimate wild card, Ron Artest came through in the biggest game of his life with 20 points and five steals.

With Kendrick Perkins out with a knee injury, Sheed started (11 points, 8 rebounds) and all five Celtics starters were in double figures: Paul Pierce had 18 points, 10 rebounds, KG scored 17 points and blocked four shots, Rajon Rondo nearly had another triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while Ray Allen added 13 points but struggled all night with his shot going 3-for-14. Ray gets a pass though since he was the one shutting down Kobe.

The C's were up 23-14 after the first quarter and 40-34 at the half. The Lakers tied it up early in the third quarter like you knew they would but the Celts rallied to go back up by nine and as much as 13. Boston led 57-53 going into the fourth but they couldn't hang on.

Only one bench guy from either team really played and subsequently did anything: Big Baby had six points and nine rebounds while Lamar Odom had seven points and seven rebounds.

The Celtics shot 40.8% from the floor but the Lakers took 20 more free throws and made 10 more of them. It's not worth arguing about that though since the rebound numbers tell you all you need to know, the Lakers earned those trips to the line by going hard inside. Boston had seven more assists (18-11) and four more blocks (7-3).

All I can think is that I feel like one of the players, I'm physically and mentally drained and I couldn't be happier to be getting out of dodge this weekend and going to my cousin's wedding in Upstate NY aka the end of the Earth. It will take plenty more time to fully digest this loss.

Allen and Rondo too much for Lakers

The Boston Celtics got the job done in LA by getting the split, winning Game 2 of the NBA Finals last night 103-94 at the Staples Center.

On the outside, the Celtics were a two-man team: Ray Allen set a Finals record with eight 3-pointers (32 points) and Rajon Rondo added a triple-double 19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists for his fifth career triple-double in the playoffs.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were completely shutdown offensively, shooting a combined 4-for-16 but both made numerous other contributions: screens, defense, passing, free throws.

Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and Boston's bench outscored LA's 24-15. Glen Davis had eight points and seven rebounds, Rasheed Wallace had seven points and seven rebounds while Nate Robinson notched a quick seven points in six minutes.

The Lakers size was out in full force as they set a Finals record with 14 points while Andrew Bynum (21 points, 7 blocks, 6 rebounds) and Pau Gasol (25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks) were both unstoppable.

Kobe Bryant wasn't his usual clutch self, dropping only 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting.

Despite tons of foul trouble on both sides, this was a scintillating game with great plays and runs. Boston closed with an 11-0 run, fueled by Rondo who seemingly did everything.

The Celts came out strong, winning the first quarter 29-22 and 54-48 at the half. It only took a few minutes into the second half for the Lakers to take the lead back (24-18 third quarter) but Boston closed the fourth (31-22) in style.

With Games 3-5 in Boston, all the C's needed was one game in LA. They seemed to quickly forget their no-show in Game 1 and it doesn't matter now. If they can get two at the TD Garden, chances are great they'll get banner 18.

Thanks to Ray, Boston made six more 3-pointers (11-5) while LA had 11 more free throws (31-20). The Celtics had five more rebounds (44-39) and most importantly 10 more assists (28-18). They also had 10 more points in the paint (36-26).

Boston is deeper, plays better defense and they have more late-game options than the Lakers.

Game 3 is tomorrow night.

Oh my, not again

For a team up 3-1, with another chance to close out and get to the NBA Finals (for the second time in three years), it's hard to imagine a more batshit crazy game than last night's Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.

When the dust had settled on a wacky and shady contest, the Magic had won 113-92 at Amway Arena, sending the game back to Boston for basically a must-win Game 6 tomorrow night at the TD Garden.

Things are complicated by the fact that Glen Davis and Marquis Daniels both sustained concussions last night, Rasheed Wallace fouled out but then left the bench with back spasms and Kendrick Perkins was tossed for two technical fouls. Since Perk has seven, he could have been suspended for Game 6 but the NBA wisely rescinded one of the two pathetic calls.

Got all that?

The refs were a joke and did nothing to dissuade anyone from saying that the NBA is rigged. Still, Orlando dominated this game physically and found their game (going 13-for-25 on 3-pointers).

I'm doing my best not to make a Bruins reference but the similarities are eerie. The team down 3-0 wins Game 4 in OT then in a Game 5 blowout. Yikes. And for a playoff schedule that is ridiculously long, it figures that the Celts have no time to rest as their bodies pile up on the sidelines.

For the second game in a row, Jameer Nelson (24 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Dwight Howard (21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks) were the two best players on the floor. Rashard Lewis even found a way to brave his stomach virus and was effective with 14 points and seven assists. J.J. Redick continued to outplay Vince Carter, adding 14 points.

Sheed actually led Boston with 21 points in just 18 minutes. Rajon Rondo (19 points, 6 assists) and Paul Pierce (18 points) but they shot a combined 12-for-29 from the field. Kevin Garnett (10 points) and Ray Allen (9 points) were non-factors.

This was a game that the Magic owned from start to finish; they led 31-27 after one quarter and 57-49 at the half. The C's were able to cut it to six a couple times in the second half but with their lack of healthy, in rhythm players, they were cooked.

Orlando owned all the numbers: shooting 52.2% to Boston's 43.1%. The Magic made six more threes and five more free throws with 17 more rebounds.

The fact that Shelden Williams and Brian Scalabrine could see minutes in the most important game of the season is horrifying but here we are. Big Baby said after the game that he'll play but after losing a tooth and stumbling around the court last night after being elbowed by Howard, he clearly was messed up.

Magic lose for the first time since April 2

Remember when nobody gave the Celtics a chance heading into the 2010 playoffs? It seems like a long time ago since they knocked out the Cavs and yesterday beat Orlando 92-88 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Amway Arena.

Boston played great for the first three quarters, leading by as much as 20 and although the Magic cut it to two points with eight seconds left, the Celts hit their free throws to ice it.

It was shockingly easy against a team that had won all eight of its playoff games and 14 overall. They hadn't lost since April 2 and it's clear that they didn't know how to react to getting their ass kicked.

Ray Allen led the Celts with 25 points and seven rebounds while Paul Pierce notched 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Rasheed Wallace scored 13 off the bench, Kevin Garnett had eight points and 11 rebounds, Rajon Rondo added eight points and eight assists while Tony Allen and Glen Davis had six points off the bench.

Vince Carter (23 points) and Jameer Nelson (20 points, 9 rebounds) were the only Magic players to show up. Dwight Howard (13 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks) still looks like a guy that can't solve the defense of Perk, Sheed and Big Baby.

Boston led 22-14 after the first quarter and 41-32 at the end of the ugly first half. The Celts were able to take the third quarter (33-26) which let them hang on in the fourth (30-18 for Orlando).

Orlando is the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA but they looked nothing like that team yesterday, shooting 5-for-22. They had seven more rebounds (45-38) but the C's did a much better job spreading it around (21-10 assists).

Is it too early to call Game 2 a must-win for the Magic? I don't think so; no doubt they'll play ten times better than yesterday but if the Celtics can pull out another road win, this series could be over quickly.

We are all Witnesses (to LeBron's last gasp with the Cavaliers)

It is not hyperbole to say that last night changed the landscape of the NBA for the next decade.

The Celtics finished off LeBron James and the Cavs in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, 94-85 at the TD Garden. Boston won the series 4-2 and moves on to face Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals beginning Sunday afternoon.

They also ensured that LeBron will likely leave Cleveland when he becomes a free agent on July 1, which means their franchise will go straight down the tube. The Cavs had a press conference today to say that they'll stick with head coach Mike Brown but as bad as he is, what does it matter if LeBron is gone?

Rajon Rondo-the unofficial MVP of the series-had one more fine performance with 21 points, 12 assists, five steals and three rebounds.

The other revelation in the shockingly easy series win was Kevin Garnett. He saved his best game for last night with 22 points and 13 rebounds. He started the game 5-for-5 and also had a dunk as nobody on Cleveland could matchup with him.

For his final game in a Cavs uniform, LeBron had a triple-double: 27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists. If it's possible to have a quiet triple-double this was it; he also had nine turnovers.

Mo Williams finished with 22 points but the Celts held him to two points in the second half. Shaq scored 11 but he was Cleveland's only other player in double figures.

Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace had 13 points while Tony Allen scored 10, including a vicious dunk over Antawn Jamison.

The Magic haven't lost a playoff game yet, after sweeping the Bobcats and the Hawks. Overall, they've won 14 games in a row. Last season, Boston was up 3-2 on them in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season before choking and lost in seven games without Garnett.

It has all the makings of a great series and at this point, we're playing with house money and anything can happen. Nobody expected them to be here but if they can beat Orlando-the best team in the NBA-they're going to win it all.

That's a beautiful trophy LeBron, sorry to ruin your evening

LeBron James celebrated his second straight MVP trophy last night at his home court, Quicken Loans Arena, by laying a stinker in front of the hapless Cleveland fans.

The Boston Celtics blew out the Cavs, 104-86 in Game 2 to tie the Eastern Conference Semifinals series at 1. Game 3 isn't until Friday night back at TD Garden, giving King James and his teammates plenty of time to wonder what happened as they lost the all-important home court.

Six Celtics scored in double figures, led by Rajon Rondo who tied a team playoff record (Bob Cousy) with 19 assists and 13 points. Rasheed Wallace also had his best game in a Celtics uniform, dropping 17 points on a smoking 7 of 8 shooting. Ray Allen had 22 points, Kevin Garnett added his second straight double double (18 points, 10 rebounds), Paul Pierce notched 14 points and Kendrick Perkins had 10 points and nine rebounds.

LeBron had 24 points and seven rebounds but he didn't do anything until it was too late. Boston led by as much as 23 points in the third quarter before Cleveland cut it to 10 (92-82) in the fourth quarter. Only two other Cavs scored in double figures: Antawn Jamison (16 points) and J.J. Hickson (13 points).

The Celts led 26-22 after the first quarter and 52-48 at the half. They broke it wide open with an awesome third quarter (31-12) and were able to withstand's Cleveland's inevitable fourth quarter run (26-21).

Boston shot 51.3% to Cleveland's icy 40.0%. They made five more 3-pointers (9-4), outrebounded the rugged Cavs (43-32) and spread it around much better (30-17 assists).

Nobody thought the Celts had a chance in this series but they've put themselves in great position to at least make this go six or seven games. LeBron and the Cavaliers are a bunch of frontrunners, as proven by their choke job last season in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic. It would be a beautiful thing to see the Cavs fall apart with LeBron due to become a free agent this summer.

Forget Kobe and LeBron, I'll take Durant

Forget Kobe's drama and LeBron's lame theatrics, I'll take Kevin Durant, a cold-blooded scorer for one of the NBA's real up and coming teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Durant came to the TD Garden last night and dropped 37 points on the Celtics (47-27) in a 109-104 win by the Thunder (46-28).

Imagine if the Thunder were in the Eastern Conference, they'd be a legitimate threat. In the more competitive Western Conference, they probably won't have home court and they'll be fighting an uphill battle.

No worries though, with a Big Three of Durant (15 for 15 from the line, 8 rebounds), Russell Westbrook (21 points, 10 assists) and Jeff Green (17 points), Oklahoma City has the best young nucleus in the association.

With all the ties between Durant and Celtics, who thought they were going to get him in the 2008 draft, there were endless story lines from last night.

Bottom line, Kevin Garnett (18 points, 9 rebounds), Paul Pierce (15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and Ray Allen (13 points) are probably about to embark on their last playoff season together while Durant, Westbrook and Green are taking their franchise to a new place.

It was a great back and forth game as the Celtics shot lights out (59.5%) but still lost because they couldn't get any stops. Green hit two clutch 3-pointers and Durant got some superstar calls and made the most of them by converting every time at the line.

Rajon Rondo (16 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals) and Rasheed Wallace (18 points in maybe his best game of the season) were awesome and Glen Davis gave the Celts some good minutes off the bench with 10 points.

The free throw line was the difference as Oklahoma City was 28 of 34 and Boston was 13 of 17. The Thunder were up 30-23 after the first quarter but the C's used their best quarter of the season (38 points) to take a 61-57 halftime lead.

Oklahoma City took over in the second half and outscored the home team 53-42.

The C's host the Rockets tomorrow night.

The bench comes alive for the Celtics

There was an endless amount of story lines surrounding the Boston Celtics as they began the last 30 games of the season last night in Sacramento.

Most pertinent, it was the last game before the trade deadline (which is tomorrow afternoon) so was this the last time we'll see Ray Allen, Eddie House, Tony Allen or Glen Davis in a Celtics uniform?

Will the C's improve or continue to struggle against good teams, building up to the inevitable second round loss in the playoffs this spring?

The good news for one night was that they won 95-92 against a very green Kings (18-35) team featuring the favored rookie of the year, Tyreke Evans (17 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists).

Paul Pierce had 17 points for the Celts (33-18) and Ray Allen scored 15 points but Rajon Rondo (4 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), Kevin Garnett (9 points, 9 rebounds) and Kendrick Perkins (6 points, 5 rebounds) were all invisible.

So how did they win you ask? Boston's bench had perhaps its finest performance of the season as they 44 points, led by Rasheed Wallace (17 points), Eddie House (12 points), Marquis Daniels (7 points, 6 rebounds) and Glen Davis (6 points, 8 rebounds).

Games like that will be rare but if the Celtics stand still at the trade deadline, those bench players will need to all bring their games up to gloss over KG, Ray and Perk.

Omri Casspi led the Kings with 19 points, Jason Thompson added 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks off the bench while Kevin Martin (another constant trade rumor) was held to 11 points.

The game was tight throughout, with the teams tied at 30 after one quarter and the Celts holding a slim 57-52 halftime lead.

Boston didn't fall apart in the third (19-17) and made enough free throws down the stretch to offset the 3-pointers Sacramento kept hitting.

The four game West Coast trip gets real for the next three games as Boston goes to the Staples Center tomorrow night for a TNT game with the Lakers, Portland on Friday and Denver on Sunday afternoon. Honestly, two wins out of those three would be a miracle considering LA and Denver are the West's two best teams and the Blazers are fighting for a playoff spot.

Celtics pick up must win over the NRA's favorite team

As they found themselves down 54-48 to the Wizards last night at halftime, the Celtics looked to end a three-game losing streak and more importantly, to prove that they're still relevant in the Eastern Conference (since they're behind Cleveland, Orlando and Atlanta) and the NBA.

Yes it is still before the All-Star break but the 2009-2010 season is more than halfway over and Boston is currently facing constant questions about the Big Three and the rest of the team, specifically is their window for a championship closed?

Ultimately the fact that the C's (30-16) won 99-88 at the Verizon Center will soon be forgotten by most except for the diehard fans unless its the start of a good stretch.

Six Celtics scored in double-figures, led by Kevin Garnett (19 points, 6 rebounds), Ray Allen (17 points) and Rajon Rondo (17 points, 12 assists). Paul Pierce had 12 points and eight rebounds but sat for the fourth quarter after hurting his foot at the end of the first half.

Rasheed Wallace scored 14 off the bench and Tony Allen added 10 points and six rebounds.

Between gunfights in the locker room, injuries and employing Flip Saunders (one of the biggest clowns in the NBA) as head coach, to say that the Wizards (16-31) are a mess is quite an understatement.

Amidst the rubble there is still talent, Caron Butler scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds with three steals. Now if we could just find a way to get him for Ray Allen. NBA oddity Earl Boykins scored 14 points off the bench while Mike Miller (13 points, 7 rebounds), Brendan Haywood (12 points) and Nick Young (10 points) also reached double-digits.

Boston started to tear away its recent malaise with a 26-24 third quarter but the championship team showed up for the fourth quarter as they smothered the Wizards, 25-10.

Washington star Antawn Jamison, who has been their best player all season, was held to 2-for-17 shooting.

Boston shot 54.8% while Washington shot 38.9%. The Celts shared the ball (24-15 assist advantage).

The Green come home for another very winnable game tomorrow night against the reeling Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade can always go off for 40+ points but the rest of his team is real boob soft.

You can't just walk into Amway Arena expecting to win

The Celtics' three-game cage match started last night in Orlando and things looked great as Boston built a 16-point lead on the Magic.

Sadly this was just a prelude for an epic choke job in the fourth quarter that was capped off by Rashard Lewis' (game-high 23 points) layup with 1.3 seconds remaining.

Boston (29-14) had a great look at the buzzer but Rasheed Wallace (17 points) airballed a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Orlando (30-16) held on for the 96-94 win that the C's completely pissed away.

On the night that they were named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, Paul Pierce (12 points) and Rajon Rondo (11 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) didn't submit their best games by any means.

Spurred by Rasheed and 10 points from Eddie House, Boston's bench scored a season-high 41 points but it still wasn't enough to make up for subpar games from Kevin Garnett (6 points, 7 rebounds) and Kendrick Perkins (4 points, 3 rebounds).

Ray Allen was the only Celtic with what could be termed a nice stat line of 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting.

Dwight Howard had 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for the Magic while Jameer Nelson scored 12 and J.J. Redick had 11 off the bench (including a clutch 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter).

It should not have come to that since Boston led 34-23 after the first quarter and 51-40 at the half. They still held the 11-point lead going into the fourth (62-51).

After it was over, Inside the NBA, which is by far the best NBA coverage, said that the Big Three had been 86-0 in games that they went into the fourth quarter with double-digit leads. So there is that.

The numbers indicated a close game since the C's made six more threes (12-6) but the Magic converted many more free throws (26-12). Orlando was also beastly on the boards (47-32), which is particularly surprising since Howard didn't go crazy and finally Boston was much more unselfish (22-8 assists).

I'd love to see the Celtics put it behind them and play great in Atlanta tonight but as I've said earlier in the season, nobody in the NBA has the Celtics' number or matches up with them as well as the Hawks. In the ATL on the second night of a back-to-back against Eastern Conference contenders makes the challenge that much tougher.

It's a good thing these games don't really matter

Yuck. The Celtics choked away a twelve-point lead last night at the Palace and lost to the woeful Pistons 92-86.

It was Boston's (27-13) third consecutive loss and the fifth in their last seven games. This was maybe the worst loss of the season so far since Detroit (15-26)-who recently lost 13 games in a row-is just an awful team, there's no way around it.

The centerpiece of the rebuilding Pistons is Rodney Stuckey and the 50 Cent look-alike has some game: he scored a game-high 27 points, with 11 rebounds and six assists.

Charlie Villanueva scored 19 points off the bench for Detroit while Jason Maxiell and Richard Hamilton scored 12 points apiece.

Paul Pierce got off to a hot start with 17 points in the first quarter but he was held to four points the rest of the way. Rajon Rondo added 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

In his big return to Detroit Rock City, Rasheed Wallace tallied 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals but he didn't make any plays down the stretch when the Pistons started to run away with it.

The most interesting part of the game was Big Baby swearing at a clown Detroit fan that was courtside. It's good to see that Davis has really grown up since his injury at the start of the season.

(Fingers crossed) Kevin Garnett is supposed to return tomorrow night for the C's as they host the underrated Trailblazers. Portland star Brandon Roy is banged up with a hamstring injury so his status is probably up in the air too.

Ho hum, Celts win 11th straight and have best record in the NBA

It's funny how fast things can change in the NBA. A few weeks ago, the Celtics looked old and very vulnerable. Well they're still old but after winning their 11th straight last night, 110-105 over the Grizzlies, Boston (20-4) has the best record in the NBA.

Sure, the Celts have thrived against mostly weak teams but still they are 12-1 on the road. Since last night was the final game of a brief three-game road trip and because it was against a team that plays the style that gives Boston the most trouble (young, athletic), a seasoned fan had to know it wouldn't be easy.

It was basically a carbon copy of countless games from the last three seasons; the Celtics made just enough winning plays at the end to come away with the win. The biggest shot was Ray Allen's (18 points) three-pointer off a busted play with 17.5 seconds left.

Paul Pierce led the C's with 19 points and six assists. Rajon Rondo had 18 points and nine assists, Kevin Garnett had 13 points and eight boards while Kendrick Perkins added 13 points and six rebounds before fouling out.

The bench gave Boston a big left as Rasheed Wallace scored 15 and Eddie House had nine points.

Memphis (10-14) has one of the best starting fives in the league, really. Rudy Gay was coming off a career-high 41 point game and he followed that up with a team-high 23 points and seven rebounds. O.J. Mayo had 21 points and Zach Randolph added 20. Marc Gasol, who's much tougher than his older brother Pau, notched 15 points and eight boards while Mike Conley Jr. tossed in 11. Rookie Sam Young had 11 points off the bench.

Memphis led 31-28 after the first quarter and 55-54 at the half. Boston turned it on in the third quarter (31-26) and held on in the fourth (25-24).

The C's come home for three games, starting with Allen Iverson and the Sixers on Friday night.

Gregg Popovich's face will haunt your dreams

I'm not saying Popp isn't an incredible coach, a connoisseur of fine wine or a sly, intelligent man but damn son, does your mug have to be on HD?

The Celts went into San Antonio last night and knocked off the Spurs 90-83 for their sixth straight win. It wasn't a game that would have been called pretty (even with Eva Longoria in the Tex-Mex crowd) but Kevin Garnett led the C's (15-4) with a game-high 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Ray Allen had 15 points, Rasheed Wallace scored 13 off the bench and Rajon Rondo added 12 points, 12 assists and three steals.

For the second straight game, Paul Pierce scored less than 10 points (8 this time) but Boston still found a way to win. The Captain gets off the hook too since he carried the team earlier in the season when Ray and KG were finding their games.

As it has since the stone age, San Antonio's (9-7) fortunes still rest on the shoulders of Tim Duncan (16 points, 15 assists). The Spurs big three of Duncan, Tony Parker (17 points, 7 assists, 1 smokeshow wife) and Manu Ginobli (11 points) are still formidable although Ginobli is looking more and more like Bailke (sp?) from Perfect Strangers both in resemblance and basketball skill.

I will give the Spurs credit though as they picked up DeJuan Blair in the second round of last summer's draft. Anybody who likes the Big East could have told you this kid was a baller.

With that said, he killed the Celtics last night with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Boston is the second worst rebounding team in the NBA (I have no idea why) and they won last night despite being just pummelled on the glass (55-32). How you can win a game like that? Not sure.

It did help that the Spurs shot a Rondo-like 7-for-17 from the line.

With one more win tonight in Oklahoma City (don't sleep on Kevin Durant and the Thunder), the Celtics will come home with a perfect road trip.

Celtics get back to shitting on the rest of the NBA

With three days off between games after a brutal eight games in twelve days stretch to open the season, the Celts predictably threw a beating on the Utah Jazz 105-86 last night at the TD Garden.

Seven Celtics scored in double-figures as Boston (8-1) continued to look like the team to beat in not only the Eastern Conference but the NBA as a whole.

Kevin Garnett led the C's with 18 points while Ray Allen (15 points), Rajon Rondo (14 points, 11 assists), Paul Pierce (13 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists), Rasheed Wallace (12 points), Kendrick Perkins (10 points, 8 rebounds) and Marquis Daniels (10 points) all provided great support.

This might be the deepest team in the NBA or at least one of the deepest and it showed as Utah (3-5) could not keep up with all the talent Celtics coach Doc Rivers kept putting on the court.

Deron Williams and Ronnie Brewer paced the Jazz with 13 points apiece while Andrei Kirilenko (12 points) and Carlos Boozer (10 points) were the only other Jazz players to score over 10.

Boston led 28-23 after one quarter and 54-44 at the half. A fine third quarter (30-18) allowed Rivers to sit the starters.

The shooting was on point all night for the Celts as they shot 53.2% and 16-of-18 from the line. They also had 30 assists to go with 15 turnovers. Utah's assist/turnover ratio was under one since they had 18 assists and 21 turnovers.

The Atlanta Hawks come to the Garden tomorrow night to renew the intense rivalry that started in the playoffs two seasons ago.

Gino says: free lines of Coke for everybody!

This is going to sound ridiculous but the NBA playoffs can't come soon enough.

Sure I will devote much of my life over the next six months watching mostly meaningless regular season games but believe me when I tell you that the Boston Celtics are ready to play the games that matter right now.

None of the players, coaches or people that work for the team will ever speak the truth like that but they're about as flawless a team as you'll find in the Association.

The Celts improved to 4-0 with last night's 97-87 win over the New Orleans Hornets at the TD Garden.

After going to the Bobcats and Bulls games against the C's last week, all I can say is that it's hard to believe how cohesive this group seems to be. Granted, this can all change at any time if KG, Rajon Rondo or Paul Pierce go down with a serious injury. Still, this team is deeper than the one that won a championship two seasons ago. Yup I said it.

Pierce, who is still one of the NBA's most underrated superstars, scored a game-high 27 points as Boston was challenged for the first time in three games.

Ray Allen added 17 points, Garnett had 14 points, seven boards and five assists while Rondo notched 10 assists and three steals. Rasheed Wallace continued to deliver the goods off the bench as he had 12 points.

Chris Paul is one of the NBA's best point guards and most exciting players to watch period. Unfortunately, with the Hornets (1-3) he does not have too much talent around him, forcing him to play out of his mind virtually every night to give them a chance to be decent.

Paul had 22 points and eight assists last night but he was clearly frustrated at his scrub teammates and it boiled over after the game as he had a bizarre confrontation with Rondo. 95-year-old Peja Stojakovic had his stroke going as he scored 26 points but David West (10 points) was the only other Hornet in double figures.

Boston has a day off before an absurd four game in five nights stretch, really David Stern? They'll play in Philly tomorrow night against the Sixers, probably their biggest Atlantic Division competition (try not to laugh, HAHA).

Really Bobcats?

The 2009 home opener for the Boston Celtics couldn't have gone much better. The C's blew out the Charlotte Bobcats 92-59 last night to improve to 2-0. The night got even better as the Raptors beat the Cavs and the Phillies knocked off the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series.

Yes you read that correctly, Charlotte (0-1) was held to a franchise-low 59 points. It was a pathetic performance but my best friend and I (who were there to witness it first hand) ate it up. There are plenty of bad girls high school basketball teams that can put up more than 59 points (in a shorter game).

It probably sounds absurd but the Celts didn't even play that well, making you wonder how much they could have won by if they shot the ball better (43.4%)?

In the second night of a back-to-back stretch to open the season and with the Bulls coming to Boston tomorrow night, the Celtics starters did what they had to do and were rewarded with plenty of rest in the fourth quarter.

Ray Allen led Boston with 18 points, Paul Pierce scored 15, Rajon Rondo had a double-double with 10 points, 11 assists and three steals while Kevin Garnett added 10 points, seven boards and three blocks. Kendrick Perkins had nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks and Rasheed Wallace scored nine off the bench.

Perhaps the only memorable part of the game (besides Charlotte's no-show) was the play of Shelden Williams. The former lottery pick from Duke continued to look good as he takes up a lot of the minutes that would have gone to Glen Davis.

Williams had 12 points and nine rebounds but he'll still only be the second best basketball player in his house since he's married to Candice Parker (who's probably better than half the scrubs in the NBA).

It didn't look like the Bobcats would get a player in double figures but Gerald Wallace checked in with 10 points and 12 rebounds. It was hard to figure out many things about Charlotte: A) who is their go-to guy; B) what is their offense; C) how long before Larry Brown bounces?

Things should get much harder tomorrow night as the Celtics and Bulls renew the rivalry that started this past spring with their intense seven game playoff series.

This is going to be an enjoyable season

It is hard to believe but the NBA season is off and running and what a way to start it as the Celtics went into Cleveland and beat the Cavs 95-89 at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Big Three are back together with a healthy KG and Boston's (1-0) newest additions of Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels and Shelden Williams all played roles in the impressive comeback win.

Predictably Cleveland (0-1) came out on fire with a 21-7 run to open the game. LeBron James (38 points, 8 assists, 4 blocks) looked every bit like the MVP he was last season. However, despite what every "expert" believes, Shaq (10 points, 10 rebounds) at this late stage of his NBA career does not make the Cavaliers better. Nope, his plodding offense and foul-prone defense doesn't help the Cavs develop into anything other than the one-man team they were exposed as in the Eastern Conference Finals last spring vs. the Magic. Three Cavs other than LeBron had double-digit points but they were 12, 10 and 10.

The Celts cut the lead to 28-21 after one quarter and they really made their move in the second quarter, outscoring the Cavs 30-17.

Paul Pierce led the C's with 23 points and 11 rebounds, Ray Allen scored 16 points, Kevin Garnett had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while Rajon Rondo added eight points, 10 assists and six rebounds.

With Glen Davis out indefinitely following surgery on his broken thumb, the acquisitions of Wallace, Daniels and even Williams look even better since more will be expected of them. Wallace led the bench with 12 points, Daniels had seven and Williams scored four points.

Boston continued their hot stretch into the third quarter but the Cavs made it interesting at the end with LeBron hitting a couple ridiculous shots.

Kendrick Perkins (9 points) had a big three-point play off a nice feed from Pierce late in the fourth quarter and Pierce sealed it with eight points down the stretch, on his patented mid range jumpers.

You couldn't ask for much more on Opening Night as the Celts won in Cleveland for the first time in five seasons. The Cavs only lost twice on their home floor in the regular season last year.

The Charlotte Bobcats come to the TD Garden tonight for the Celtics home-opener.

One Win Away from the NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics are now just one win away from the NBA Finals, thanks to a 106-102 win over the Pistons last night in game 5 at the Garden. Boston now leads the Eastern Conference Finals 3-1.

Two of the three most outstanding players on the Celtics last night were pretty unexpected: Kendrick Perkins and Ray Allen.

Allen had 29 points (9 of 15 from the floor, 5 of 6 on threes, 6-6 from the line) and scored a clutch hoop with a minute left to put Boston back up three after Detroit had cut it to one.

He had a few games which were statistically higher this season but last night was so far, the performance of Kendrick Perkins' NBA life. He posted a double-double in the first half and finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Part of the reason he was able to do so much was that he stayed out of foul trouble, a constant issue with Perk.

Not to be outdone, Kevin Garnett had a game-high 33 points and seven boards. KG made two free throws at the end to give Boston the four-point cushion.

Rajon Rondo put up some crazy numbers, even for him: seven points (3 of 14 from the floor), 13 assists, six rebounds, four steals and a block. Oh and he only had one turnover.

For the Pistons, Chauncey Billups put up a team-high 26 points with six assists and five rebounds. Richard Hamilton posted 25 points, six assists and four rebounds. Rasheed Wallace was on fire from three-point land, making six of eight for 18 points and three blocks while Rodney Stuckey had 13 points off the bench.

The third quarter was the difference as the teams were tied 23-23 after the first quarter and Detroit actually led 52-46 at the half.

Spearheaded by Allen's shooting (really), the Celts stormed back in the third and at one point led by 17 points. The Pistons though are resilient, we're talking like Keith Richards can't die invincible.

Detroit kept making tough shots and plays in the fourth quarter, taking the frame 31-22. Boston held on by the skin of their teeth and they clearly have some work to do when nursing fourth quarter leads.

Both teams scoring over 100 points was a surprising occurrence in what has lived up to the defensive, hard-nosed battle it was expected to be. Boston shot 50.7% from the floor to Detroit's 46.3%. The Pistons stayed in the game by going 11 of 21 on 3-pointers while the Celts made eight of 15. Thanks to Perk's beastly night on the glass, the C's had a 42-25 edge in rebounding, including 11 offensive boards.

Last night was a huge win but it followed the script of the Celtics playoff run thus far: they've never trailed in a series and they've won every game 5. Hopefully they can revise the script and end this series in six (what a concept). After blowing out the Hawks in game 7 and having a career-defining game from Pierce to defeat the Cavs, I don't want to know what it would take to put the Pistons away. Richard Hamilton strained his elbow at the end of game 5 so he'll at least be banged up. The C's have finally notched one road win, why not make it two?

DE-TROIT BAS-KET-BALL!

If nothing else this playoff season, we've learned that the NBA is currently largely based on trends and home-court. It seems rarely do unexpected results happen.

Specifically, while the Celtics were able to finally pull out a road win on Saturday, things went back to normal in game 4 last night at the Palace as Detroit took a 94-75 win to even the Eastern Conference Finals at two games apiece.

The Pistons are now 5-0 this playoff season in games following losses. Game 4 was a strange one, nothing more telling of that fact than Antonio McDyess having a 1998 style game of 21 points and 16 rebounds.

All of the Big Three played badly, some worse than others. Kevin Garnett had a quiet 16 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Pierce had 16 points (on 3 of 14 shooting, he made 10 of 11 from the line) and eight rebounds while Ray Allen further proved that game 2 was a fluke, scoring 11 points on 2 of 8 shooting. James Posey had 11 points off the bench and Kendrick Perkins had 10 before fouling out.

Rajon Rondo continued his trick or treat play, managing only four points and four assists in 30 minutes. Sam Cassell bested that with a goose egg in 17 minutes.

As is usually the case when Detroit plays well, a variety of guys contributed to the win. Richard Hamilton had 20 points and seven assists, Rasheed Wallace had 14 points, five rebounds and five blocks, Jason Maxiell had 14 points off the bench and Chauncey Billups put up 10 points and dished out seven assists.

After starting off slowly in game 3-a key to the loss-the Pistons hit Boston with a 10-0 run at the start of the first quarter. The C's recovered to make it a five-point deficit (22-17) at the end of one but Detroit seemed to have control throughout the game.

Detroit was only up 43-39 at the half and the C's cut it to two points twice in the third quarter but the Pistons were not going to lose again on their home floor. They outscored Boston 22-19 in the third and blew the game open late with a 29-17 fourth.

Maxiell had the play of the game when he blocked Garnett from behind on a dunk/layup. It was the type of energy play that the Pistons thrive on and the Celts have lacked away from home.

After shooting 51.4% to Boston's 31.8%, it's easy to see that the only reason the Celtics had a chance was that they got to the line. Boston made a playoff-high 32 out of 39 while Detroit was 20 of 26. Despite their success on driving, the C's did not pass well at all, they only had 12 assists while the Pistons notched 27. Detroit also had 10 blocks and seven turnovers.

Game 5 is back at the Garden tomorrow and clearly it is supremely important. Boston has to hold serve at home or else they will probably go down in flames. Either way, this is going seven games which we knew the second this matchup was finalized.

Long Overdue

Sound the doomsday alarm, ring the church bell, call a friend, the Boston Celtics (the best road team in the regular season) finally won a game on the road in the playoffs. The C's are now 9-1 at home and 1-6 on the road.

The Celts took game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Palace, 94-80. It couldn't have come at a more opportune time as the Pistons had stolen the C's home-court advantage by winning game 2 at the Garden.

All five starters and six Celtics overall scored in double figures. It took a collective team effort to finally get that gorilla off their back.

Kevin Garnett was the best player on the court with 22 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Ray Allen had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists while Kendrick Perkins totalled 12 points and 10 boards. Rajon Rondo scored 12, Paul Pierce had 11 and James Posey added 12 points off the bench.

The Pistons were led by Richard Hamilton's 26 points. The other Detroit player who stood out was Rodney Stuckey, who scored 17 points with four assists and four steals off the bench. Rasheed Wallace was the other notable Piston as he had 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Big runs were the staple of the first quarter as Boston opened the game on an 11-0 clip. Detroit answered with a 14-0 run but the C's closed the first frame with a 10-0 run, giving them a 25-17 lead.

The lead increased in the second quarter, so much so that Boston took a surprising 50-32 advantage into halftime.

The Celts came out slow in the second half but eventually worked the lead up to 24 points. Detroit made a frantic comeback (helped immensely by the refs that let Detroit beat up Boston with no whistles) but would only get as close as nine points.

Chauncey Billups continued his strange series with six points, four assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes. Stuckey actually played 28 minutes and was on the floor for much of the second half when Detroit tried to cut the Boston lead.

Boston shot 46.4% from the floor to Detroit's 38.4%. The C's had five three-pointers while the Pistons only managed one. The C's owned the glass (44-28), which was a pretty impressive margin on the road.

Game 4 is tomorrow night back at the Palace and if the C's can get another road win, this series is as good as over. Don't count the Pistons out however. This team has been in countless big games in the last six seasons so they'll no doubt play much better than their stinker last night.