Whether you want to believe Game 5 turned when Philly missed a chance to put up 4 points after clear path foul or when KG got called for an offensive foul on Spencer Hawes is up to you. Those were consecutive plays that happened over the span of 19 seconds, so arguing over it is inconsequential. One, or both, of those things was when the switch flipped.
After that, KG hit a jumper, Doug Collins called a time out (which may have just fueled the fans), and Brandon Bass tied the game with a pair of free throws. They were his 5th and 6th points of the quarter.
Then this happened.
The key to any run is stops (or as KWAPT would say on Twitter STOPPZZZZZ!!!), makes, and maybe a little luck. The C's had all 3. This run started with a simple defensive rebound. Watch Kevin Garnett in the first play with the box-out on Elton Brand.
First basket: Pick and roll with Bass. It's an odd spot on the floor for a P&R, but it worked. Iguodala and Thaddeus Young both went with Rondo, leaving Bass wide open. Bad fundamentals by Philly, good fundamentals by Boston, Bass gets the dunk (and he should have gotten a foul on Brand). C's up 2.
Next play… another stop as Rondo ripped Holiday. Now here comes the luck because Ray Allen made a bad pass to KG that was tipped by Young, but it ended up in Bass' hands for the flush. C's up 4.
Then… ANOTHER stop (this unraveled quickly) as Holiday made a terrible pass to Andre Iguodala, who was looking to iso someone. If you can freeze it at the :55 mark, watch Rondo, Ray and Bass setting up the 3-on-1 while Iggy's arms are extended complaining about a lack of foul call. I can't say Evan Turner was hustling a whole lot either. C's up 6.
That's the capper to a 14-2 run and the clearest example of how it doesn't take super-human plays to make runs. It just takes fundamentals and execution (sorry for the canned coach speak, but it's true) on both ends of the floor. The Celtics played tough D, they took advantage of Philly getting sloppy, and they scored when they had easy opportunities without putting the ball to the floor, iso'ing, or getting fancy in any way.
It really is that simple. It's also why seeing them not do it for such long stretches is frustrating. They're capable of it. It's just sometimes, they're less willing to do it than others.
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