After every game, we'll take stock of how each individual performance affects the player's overall value.
Starters
Rajon Rondo: How can you argue with a triple double night? Rondo now has 16 triple doubles in his career (including playoffs).
Paul Pierce: Something is wrong with him. He's either hurt, or something is wrong off the court. He does not look like himself out there. 4 more turnovers and 5-12 shooting… and he just looks as bad as I've ever seen him. Something is just not right.
Ray Allen: An efficient night scoring 15 points on 10 shots, including 2 of 4 from 3 (though one was a lucky bank shot to beat the shot clock)… but Ray also had a couple of drives that were nice to see.
Kevin Garnett: Great night out of KG. 25 and 10 on the back end of a back-to-back. I know it's sort of KG day around here today, but he deserves it. Even almost 36, he can still take advantage of mismatches when they happen.
Brandon Bass: Nice night for the guy who might be our new starting power forward. 16 points and 7 assists with five shots coming at the rim? I'll take it every day.
Bench
Avery Bradley: Bradley was solid, but one moment should tell you a lot about where Avery is as a point guard. KG had to call some of the plays when Avery was handling the ball. It shows KG's intelligence, and it shows Bradley has work to do. His defense though, was typically excellent.
Keyon Dooling: Welll what do you know… Keyon did something. He hit a huge 3 to end the half and whittle the Bucks lead down to 5… and he pulled a wrap-around dunk out of nowhere. I'm still shocked at that.
Mickael Pietrus: His stat line doesn't show much, but I'm going to give him the uptick because he wasn't just a spot up shooter last night. He actually did a few things closer to the basket. He needs to get more of that going. Stop worrying about the knee.
Chris Wilcox: Ahhh… Chris. The 6 offensive boards? A thing of beauty. 13 overall rebounds? Sublime. Now… can you please… PLEASE… keep this up? Maybe 6 offensive boards is too much to ask… but at least a few a game will be a huge help.
JaJuan Johnson, Marquis Daniels, Sasha Pavlovic, Greg Stiemsma: JJ was getting some run, but unfortunately, it came in the midst of a 13-0 Bucks run… so out he came and in came KG to ice the game.
Coaching
Doc Rivers: I like that he's changing up the way he subs guys. Pierce and Rondo are coming out earlier than usual. It's an effort to combat the 2nd quarter doldrums that the C's are having. And while it didn't exactly help last night, I think it could down the road. And I welcome the tweak in the starting line up…. IF… you stick to your word and keep Jermaine on the bench when he comes back.
Overall
I knew the inevitable 4th quarter slide was coming… I just didn't think it would have happened that late. But like I tweeted the other night, I'm now treating the Celtics as if they have been diagnosed with a terminal disease. I'm going to just enjoy whatever good times we have left, knowing that this will all be over soon. And in the back of my head, I'll just hope more than anything that maybe, just maybe, they'll miraculously beat the odds.
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