Starting five: Celtics 89, Pistons 81
Postgame overreaction while chanting “Beat L-A, beat L-A” for the first time in, oh, 21 years . . .
 (AP Photo) |
1. Wiping out the despicable Pistons en route to facing the glitzy Lakers in the Finals? What is this, 1987? Nope . . . turns out these are the good old days. In the delightful aftermath of the Celtics’ 89-81 victory, we find ourseleves deliriously happy, not only as fans, but for the individuals who make up the freshly minted Eastern Conference champs – Perkins, Rondo, Posey, House, old P.J. Brown, even Doc Rivers, who deserves praise for the way he handled his team in this series. But I’m happiest for the Big 3 – and yes, it’s perfectly cool to call them that at this particular moment. Ray Allen showed a champion’s resilience, shooting the lights out in back-to-back games after some dopes (ahem) wondered if he should cede playing time after a miserable Game 4. Kevin Garnett remains the fulcrum of this franchise’s astounding one-year transformation from 24-win punchline to 66-win beast of the east, his defense and intensity changing the team’s entire persona. And of course, we’re pleased for Paul Pierce. No. 34 was the best thing about this franchise for the better part of a decade, a legitimate star who never had a running mate better than Antoine Walker until this season. (Think about that for a moment and tell me you wouldn’t have begged for a fresh start elsewhere.) Pierce pulled a Cornbread-like “Hop on my back, boys,” tonight with an efficient (27 points on 12 field-goal attempts) and disciplined performance, and I imagine his satisfaction tonight feels a lot like vindication. As it should – Pierce deserves this. They all do, for they damn sure earned it.
2. Rajon Rondo’s baseline jumper with a little more than 2 minutes remaining was the first time I was truly convinced the Celtics would win. But in my immediate recollection, the game’s biggest play was James Posey’s backcourt strip of Tayshaun Prince with 1:39 remaining and the Celtics up by 4. Posey’s pickpocket brought any momentum the Pistons had screeching to halt, and appropriately, it was the just the type of smart, hustling play he’s made all season as the absolutely ideal sixth man for this team. I’ll say it once more: Landing Posey as a free agent might have been Danny Ainge’s savviest move of all.
3. Regarding the Eastern Conference runners-up: I came out of the series with tremendous respect for Chauncey Billups, who singlehandedly kept the Pistons in the game in the first half despite a balky hamstring that surely robbed him of some agility. As for their other marquee players? Color me less than impressed. Rip Hamilton is a deadly midrange shooter, but he flops around like a trout out there; he’s the kind of player you like only when he’s on your own team. As for Rasheed, you, me, and Flip Saunders are still wondering when he’s going to show up. He was basically a righthanded Raef LaFrentz in this series, chucking up threes and playing six inches shorter than his height. As talented as he is, he’s hard to respect and even harder to trust. I think he may have just played his last game as a Piston.
4. I know this is supposed to be a moment of celebration, but I can’t help myself: I’m still infuriated by blind mouse Bennett Salvatore’s offensive foul call on Pierce – you know, the one when Hamilton bit for his fake, went airborne, and crashed into him, and Pierce drilled the three, only to have it inexplicably waved off. Forget that it could have been a six-point swing in the game, or that Pierce’s move was straight from the Billups playbook of creating contact. I’m not usually one to complain much about the refs, but that was such a brutal, homer, gutless call, even Tim Donaghy would have been ashamed. I will never understand why the refs in this league are allowed to impart their incompetence on so many games without fallout or repercussions.
5. As for tonight’s Completely Random Basketball Card:
On Phil Jackson, 12:46 a.m. today: “He’s fallen into a lot of [good] things.” Let the venom flow, Tommy. It’s Celtics-Lakers, and there’s no need for any pretense. These franchises can’t stand each other, and isn’t it great that such a genuine rivalry matters again?
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