I touched on this yesterday, but only because I knew I wanted to do more on it today. Stephon Marbury saved the Celtics last night with an amazing 12 point burst in 6 minutes in the 4th. The first basket was scored at 11:04. The last point came on a free throw at 5:54, after he drove it right at Dwight Howard and drew the and-1.
He took the shots with confidence. He might have been the only one on the floor not wearing #34 to do so. He did what Rajon Rondo couldn't do: make Orlando pay for its defensive strategy.
guards and I thought it was pretty effective in limiting Paul Pierce a little bit, but Marbury really made us pay,” Van Gundy continued. “I think he was really the key to the game.”
For all of Rondo's progression, he's still too tentative when there's a big defensive presence in the middle of the lane and when he misses a couple of shots. Steph taught Rondo a lesson in this one: play with confidence, and your game will come.
“When I got into the game Paul (Pierce) had just kicked me out two
shots and I missed both so when I went back in I was locked in,” said
Marbury, who after going 0-for-4 in the first three quarters was
five-of-six during that pivotal six-minute stretch. “The timing was
right for me to go in and do what I did.
“My mindset was to try and create something to change the flow of the game.”
Stephon Marbury changed this game for the Celtics. He deserve a lot of credit today.
Herald: Rally in 4th allows Celtics to take advantage | Taking a shot proves worthy | Magic make themselves disappear | Baby apologizes | Globe: Magical comeback | Game 5 photos | Defensive buzz | Allen's best has been missing | Souza: Magic disappearing act | Celts shock Magic | Megliola: C's get it done the hard way… again | Camerato: Howard points the finger at Van Gundy | Petraglia: Starbury to the rescue
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