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2 days ago

Avery Bradley Likely Done For Season

On the back of a horrific game six performance, Gary Washburn of the Globe piled on with more bad news: Avery Bradley is almost certainly done for the season. Washburn: A source close to Bradley told the Globe that it’s in the “high 90s” percentile that Bradley will be shut down and will perhaps need [...]

10
3 days ago

Game 6 Will Be Wednesday Night at 8pm on ESPN

After the Thunder finished up their series by routinely dismantling the Lakers last night to send them packing in five games, a time has been announced for the C’s-Sixers Game 6 on Wednesday night. It will tipoff shortly after 8pm on ESPN. Looking ahead in the postseason, if the C’s do win Game 6, and [...]

1
4 days ago

Highlight: Rondo Leads The Break

I love this decision-making from Rajon Rondo. While leading the break, you can see him eyeballing Ray Allen, who runs the wing and spots up on the arc. The Sixers have a 1-2 disadvantage but are mostly concerned about Allen’s three balls, which allows Mickael Pietrus to make an unmolested baseline cut behind the defense. [...]

2
4 days ago

Celtics-Sixers Game 5 Tips off at 7pm

A note to all you local C’s fans out there that may be attending the game tonight at TD Garden. The game will start just after 7pm and will be broadcast nationally on TNT. However, unlike most TNT regular season games during the season, the tip will not come 15-20 minutes after the scheduled start [...]

4
12 days ago

(Video) Rajon Rondo Continues To Dominate In Postgame Interview

Rajon Rondo is a tremendous player, but he tends to have a little bit of an issue scoring the ball late in games. I won’t go as far as saying he is scared, but he does pass up shots and defer to teammates in crunch-time….well a lot. Last night though may have been his coming [...]

3
12 days ago

Video: Full Kevin Garnett Reaction After Game 1

Garnett followed up his season-best effort against Atlanta in Game 6 with a new season-high in points and another sensational double-double, as well 60 percent shooting (12-of-20) from the field. Over his past two contests, Garnett is averaging 28.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, two steals and four blocks a game. After the game, KG was candid [...]

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Executed by a Lack of Execution: Celtics 90, Heat 98

Posted by on May 9, 2011 69 comments

ESPN Box Score • The Heat Index • Peninsula Is Mightier

The Celtics were right in their comfort zone.  After giving up a late game lead, they came roaring back to tie the game at 86.  Paul Pierce, after going toe-to-toe with LeBron James all game, forced James to mis-dribble and Ray Allen secured the loose ball.  With the ball and 20 seconds to go, you wouldn’t find a person alive that wouldn’t have bet on Boston to execute a play and get a good shot.  It was only one year ago that the Miami Heat saw this late game execution first hand when a Rajon Rondo alley-oop sent a game to overtime, an eventual Boston win.

Tonight was an anomaly, although a perfect punctuation to a contest that lacked offensive execution.  Coming off a timeout, Paul Pierce got the ball at the top of the key and began to dribble down extraneous seconds.  Then the Celtics began to make their move only instead of setting a pick on a Miami player, Allen and Kevin Garnett had done the unimaginable:  they set a pick on themselves.  Out of sorts and without a screen coming, Pierce is forced to go left and throw up a prayer that was not answered. Backboard, rim, out, overtime.

Both the Celtics and the Heat were playing unbelievable defense to that point.  Aside for Boston’s bullet-filled feet, the two team’s played each other to a standstill.  Something had to give and with the Celtics’ tired, old legs and the Heat’s all-game aggressiveness, a Boston loss was inevitable.

Now the Celtics are forced to go back to South Beach with their season, their title hopes, and their pride on the lines.  For the Cs, there are only two options: win or go home.  As tonight proved, the former will be extremely difficult.

Much more analysis to come….

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