Starting five: Cavs 74, Celtics 69

By Chad Finn

May 16, 2008

3 minutes to read

The usual postgame overreaction while congratulating Tim Donaghy and Ronnie Milsap on a fine job of refereeing tonight . . .

(Getty Images Photo)

1. Okay, okay, some sour grapes in that intro there. While the Cavs certainly benefited from some home cooking, especially in the final minute – there’s no #*$*#** way that was a charge on Paul Pierce, and it never would have been called a charge had the collision been with any other player besides LeBron – there are numerous other reasons the Celtics now face a win-or-see-you-next-season scenario Sunday. They couldn’t keep the Cavs off the offensive boards in the first half . . . they weren’t aggressive enough driving to the hoop (I’m tired of the Rajon Rondo slash-and-kick – take the layup, kid) and thus didn’t get to the line enough . . . they missed a John Starks-like 16 straight shots late in the second and early in the third period during a ridiculous 24-2 Cleveland run . . . and with Paul Pierce (15 points, 6 turnovers) playing sluggishly, they couldn’t buy an easy basket when they craved one. Kevin Garnett (25 points) was a rock, and he and his teammates deserve credit for nearly stealing the game after falling behind by as many as 15 points. But in the end it was one more lost opportunity, and once again we’re left puzzled as to why a team that won 31 road games during the regular season is still drawing a blank this postseason. I do think they’ll win this thing in 7, but I sure would feel better about their place in the current NBA pecking order had they’d done it in 6.

2. As aggravating as it is to watch him flop and whine like his name is LeBron Lemieux, it really is fascinating to watch the Cavs’ superstar do his thing over the course of a long series. When his shot is falling, I feel like he will score every time he touches the ball – its downright unfair that someone that big is able to change direction so quickly and effortlessly – and yet he insists on playing selflessly, which turns mediocrities such as Joe Smith and Delonte West into formidable threats. He really is an amalgam of Magic and Jordan, and if he ever develops a consistent midrange jumper, there will be no stopping him. At the moment, LeBron would be pretty easy to root for if the Cavs were facing a different opponent and the refs weren’t pulling for him as well.

3. After his star turn in Game 5, Rajon Rondo (2 points) couldn’t have looked more out of it in the first half last night, though he did redeem himself somewhat with a decent showing in the final minutes. So it goes with a young point guard, I guess. I give Doc Rivers credit for finally realizing that Sam Cassell is a mummy and turning the reigns over to Eddie House, who was terrific, when Rondo was moping on the bench. Who knows, maybe Doc does learn from his mistakes. Now, if he’d just realize that it might be wise to give Leon Powe a few minutes on a night when you’re getting killed on the boards, there might just be hope for him yet.
4. Other scattered thoughts in the aftermath: I used to think Ray Allen looked slow because he was smooth. Now I’m starting to think he’s just decaying. He and Wally Szczerbiak are basically the same player in this series, a slow, defensively challenged spot-up shooter . . . Big Baby got significant minutes down the stretch, and he hurt the cause. He couldn’t score among the trees, and he was late on a rotation to LeBron in the final minutes, which is supposedly Powe’s flaw . . . There are few things more aggravating than seeing Wally Zoolander (pictured at left) stick a dagger in your team. Somewhere, KG solemnly nods in agreement.
5. As for today’s Completely Random Basketball Card:

Big Ben . . . bald? I’m going to assume he hasn’t had a haircut since the day this photo was taken.