For the first 12 minutes of this game, the Celtics played inspired, efficient basketball. It showed on the scoreboard as the they raced out to a 28-12 lead. The rest of the game was a giant, hot pile of ______, but the Celtics made enough plays to win it, 86-83 over the Cavs.
Had the Green lost this one, I would have put my Celtics footie pajamas back in the closet for the rest of the season.
Love the energy I'm seeing from Kevin Garnett (18 points, 8 rebounds). His steal and outlet to Ray Allen (who finished with a dunk) put the Celtics up 82-81 with 48-seconds left. He followed up his own missed jumper with a HUGE offensive rebound and then made two free throws with 3 seconds left to just about seal the game.
Ray had the stroke going tonight. He led the Celtics with 22 points (4-8 3 FG). He was also sporting one helluva tan.
Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo were mediocre, at best. Pierce (12 points, 4-11 FG, 6 assists, 6 TO) salvaged his craptastic effort with 5 points late in the 4th that turned a one-point deficit into a 2-point lead. Not sure what to make of Rondo's (0 points, 0-6 FG, 11 assists, 5 TO) performance.
Brandon Bass (12 points, 7 rebounds) was up to his old tricks – burying jumpers. He was streaky tonight – starting the game 5-5 and then missing 6 straight.
Chris Wilcox led the team with 11 rebounds. He also had a pair of fast break dunks.
Keyon Dooling is getting worse as the season progresses. MrTripleDouble10 had a great line on Twitter: "Other than replicating TA's trebuchet jump shot, I'd like to see Dooling do, well something." I have no idea what trebuchet means, but it sounds very TA.
Garnett passed Charles Barkley for 18th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
"KG with the European flop. He learned it from Casspi, Crispy, crunchy… whatever his name is!" – Tommy Heinsohn.
Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images
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