Heat Wins Game Seven 101-88. End of Boston’s Big 3?
Sunday, June 10, 2012
You’re a Celtics’ fan and you’re disappointed.
That’s understandable considering the circumstances. But once that disappointment subsides, you will truly appreciate what this team accomplished and, more importantly, what they stood for.
Having the season ended by LeBron James and the Miami Heat is about as easy to swallow as a bottle of Kaopectate. Just as the symptoms you treat with Kaopectate are more tolerable than losing to Miami.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBut what’s done is done. Miami is in the NBA Finals and the Celtics are going home, or golfing, or wherever they choose to go with their free time because that’s what they have plenty of – free time.
While some of us believed that Boston could pull off yet another upset in Miami Saturday night in game 7, most of us who live in the real world knew what would happen. The Celtics had their chance to win this series back in Boston Thursday night. Even though it was only game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it was Boston’s game 7.
You’re also disappointed because the Celtics outplayed the Heat in game 2 in Miami and deserved to win that game. However, thanks to your standard poor (or rigged) NBA officiating, Boston did not win that game. Miami did. Had the Celts rightfully won that game, they could have theoretically closed out the series in 5 games having won 4 in a row. But, you know the old saying, “if ifs and buts were candy and nuts…….”
Let’s turn the clock back a couple of weeks when Boston struggled mightily to beat Philadelphia in a grueling 7-game series while the Heat finished strong to close out Indiana in 6. Did anyone really feel that Boston had a chance to beat Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals besides those wearing Celtics’ green? Of course not.
Avery Bradley needed shoulder surgery and was out for the remainder of the playoffs. Ray Allen looked like he was 63 not 36 playing on his bad ankle. And Paul Pierce lacked the explosion or the lift to get to the rim offensively because of his MCL sprain.
But something happened over the past couple of weeks which made us change our minds. This Celtics team showed a grit and determination like none we have ever seen. In the face of adversity, they didn’t collapse. They came together and nearly did what no one thought they were capable of – beating the Heat.
The Celtics played like a true team, all for one and one for all. In the eyes of the nation, they were David and Miami was Goliath. However, this time Goliath won.
This was also likely the last time that Boston’s “Big Three” plus Rondo would be together with both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett scheduled to become free agents this offseason. That fact was not lost on the TD Garden crowd who, at the end of game 6, sent the Celtics to Miami with loud chants of, “let’s go Celtics!”
Those chants were as much about motivating the team for making a run at a game 7 upset of the Heat as they were acknowledging the fact that this is likely the end of this great 5-year run. It was a “thank you” to them for all that they have given us.
Be disappointed Celtics fans if you must. But once that disappointment subsides, appreciate this team for all the excitement it has provided us lover the last 5 years including a 17th championship banner. Or simply appreciate the “grit and balls” they demonstrated.
They deserve our accolades.
Oh yeah. Almost forgot. Go Thunder!
NOTES:
-LeBron James and the Miami Heat have certainly exorcised their Boston Celtics demons by winning the Eastern Conference Finals. However, the bigger test awaits James and Miami as they NEED to win an NBA title to validate both James’ superstar status and the Heat’s “Big Three.”
-LeBron James may have score 31 points including that big deep three with 5:45 to go, but the key to Miami’s win was the forgotten member of their “Big Three” – Chris Bosh. Bosh had 19 points and 8 rebounds off the bench and was clearly a difference maker for Miami. He hit 3 of 4 from three point range. The Heat’s bench outscored Boston’s 19-2 in game 7. Doc Rivers said after the game of his team’s defensive strategy, “we needed Bosh’s guy to stop LeBron James. [As it turns out] he was the x-factor.” Boston put Brandon Bass on James for a majority of the game and he did a descent job for the most part.
-Rajon Rondo had a triple-double with 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. He also committed just 3 turnovers. Paul Pierce finished with 19 points, Brandon Bass 16, Ray Allen 15 and Kevin Garnett 14.
-Having watched many game 7’s over the years, they usually go 1 of 2 ways. Often times it can be a blowout win for the home team or like last night’s game which saw the home team pull away in the 4th quarter.
-Think the home court advantage doesn’t mean something? Think again! 24 fouls were whistled on Boston to just 14 for Miami.
-Boston’s bench left a lot to be desired in the postseason, but understandably so. Keep in mind if the team did not have Avery Bradley, Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox. If they had, think of how good they could have been. Along those lines, a healthy Bradley and Green in 2012-2013 will give Rajon Rondo some great athletes to get out in transition with which is Rondo’s strength. With Paul Pierce returning, it would appear that keeping Kevin Garnett would be a priority for Danny Ainge despite Garnett’s age. If Ray Allen goes as many believe that he will, finding another shooter to replace him will be important. And while it will be impossible to find a shooter the caliber of Allen who is the league’s all-time three point leader, finding a shooter to fill a role like Eddie House did a few years ago would be nice.
