Thibo-Doh: Celtics get Bull-Dozed
“Just one game,” I reminded myself with five minutes left. “It was just one game.”
But it felt more important than that. The Bulls didn’t just beat the Celtics; they bullied them. Derrick Rose didn’t just destroy Rajon Rondo and Boston’s defense; he made them seem insignificant. The Celtics didn’t just lose; they got pounded inside and out, thoroughly dominated by the same blueprint that has marked their own four-year run as title contenders. It was fitting that Kyle Korver looks a lot like Ashton Kutcher; his Bulls Punk’d the Celtics all night long. (Note: That was corny. Also, to the extent you can learn anything about a person from when he gets Punk’d, Carmelo Anthony is a jackass.)
Before the game, Brian Scalabrine spoke about the confidence his Bulls have developed. “We’ve only lost three games since Kendrick got traded,” he said. “We feel like we have an unbelievable opportunity in front of us. We felt more confident that we have an opportunity.” If the Bulls were ever scared of the Celtics or unsure they could beat the Celtics, they aren’t anymore.
Tonight’s game reminded me of Rocky III, when Clubber Lang told Rocky, “I’m the baddest man in the world” and Rocky responded, “You don’t look so bad to me.” Then Clubber told him, “What did you say, Paper Champion? I’ll beat you like a dog, a dog, you fool!”
The Bulls are Clubber. They’re a wrecking machine; they’re hungry; they have no fear; they’re big, and they’re bad, and they pack a mean punch; they’re killers. I can just see the Bulls beating Orlando in round two and then Derrick Rose shouting to Mickey: “I want the Celtics! I want the Celtics! You hear that, Old Man? You tell the Celtics to come here! Nobody can beat me! You tell them what I said! And they’re NEXT! I’m gonna kill them! Nobody can stop me! You tell the Celtics that! I’M COMING AFTER THEM! YOU TELL THEM!”
Ray Allen ran around screens, and Keith Bogans was there to chest bump him every step of the way. Carlos Boozer lowered his shoulder into Jeff Green’s chest, working his way to an easy bucket, then roared his own approval. Glen Davis fell to the ground, Kurt Thomas stood over his body and taunted him, and no Celtics retaliated. Derrick Rose got to the hoop, time after time, and nobody knocked him on his ass. The Bulls pushed, and they shoved, and they talked crap, and they bullied, and the Celtics (there’s no sugar-coating this, not tonight) backed down.
The game was more complicated than that, of course. Boston missed a lot of decent looks (although they didn’t get many great ones), threw the ball away like it was an old McDonald’s wrapper, shot 38.4%, got out-rebounded 44-35, managed only 14 total assists, and lost the battle in more or less every category you could think of. One of Boston’s few bright spots was Jermaine O’Neal, and he’s a 6’11″ starting center who grabbed zero rebounds in 17 minutes. And Rose, and his Bulls teammates, were phenomenal.
Though Rocky lost to Clubber Lang once, he got a rematch and took back his title. The young wrecking machine wasn’t ready to beat the champ twice in a row, no matter how fearless he was, no matter how dangerous he was, no matter how scary he was. When on top of his game, Rocky was too tough himself. When on top of his game, Rocky was too good.
Yo, Apollo: The Celtics need some training. They need to get back their edge. They’re civilized right now, and that’s the worst thing that can happen to any fighter.
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Celtics Blog | Jay King | April 7, 2011
The offense flat-out sucked tonight. Missed lay-ups, missed semi-decent jump shots. Felt like the basket was jinxed. Also, why didn’t somebody knock Derrick Rose on his ass in the lane???
Last and most obvious point of frustration? No Rondo. know it’s a cliche by now but as Rondo goes, so go the Celtics. Only 6 assists for him, which is like zero assists for your average mortal. Also, will he please get in the gym this summer and shoot a gazillion free throws! And work on being a consistent jumpshooter. That’s what Rose did in the off-season last year. That’s why he is a shoo-in for MVP.
There were some hard luck plays as well like when Kristic got called for an offensive foul in the 3rd. I believe it was PP who hit the shot that got waved off. Then the bulls went on a tear and took the lead to double digits. I stopped watching with about 9 minutes left in the 4th. Too painful.
I’m trying to remind myself it is just one AWAY game in an incredibly long season but still very annoying.
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i am astounded by how the game went… im still not used to seeing the cs being manhandled and bullied like that! we used to be the instigators, manipulators, taunters – whatever its fcuking called. what a complete 180… and its sad. no toughness.. i fcuking miss perkins!!!! &ps jeff green looked like he was chilling the whole game. too laidback, no intensity….. my god i wish they could turn around… they are way too soft right know…
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This loss had nothing to do with KP so get over it people. That’s like saying if only Len Bias hadn’t uttered his infamous last words – “nothing can hurt me”. You play with the players you put on the court and tonight it was all about missing shots and not rebounding, which cost this game pure and simple. The starters plus GD shot 18 for 61 or 29.5%. They rebounded like pansy’s and lost like pansy’s. Our Fs (minus KG who showed up) and Cs managed 10 rebs between the five of them in 117 minutes or 1 reb every 11.7 mins. A qtr is 12 minutes. PP had 0 in the first half. He did not show up tonight and then he and RA shot 3s like they’d never taken one before (1-8 or 12.5%). Truthfully, I think the Cs tuned this game out and decided beforehand that it was not important to them. They quit on the best record weeks ago and are coasting to the playoffs like last season. They still believe in flipping the switch and this game did not qualify for that to happen. So I am not crushed by this loss. Now do I wish they had come out and made one of their famous ‘statements’, of course. But that’s not how this team rolls. Only when faced with a perceived challenge will they show up. This wasn’t that type of game, either. If the margin for best record was still at 1 or maybe even 2 I think they’d have played differently. But down three and losing guarantees that they were already accepting – not being the top seed in the east. Sunday’s game means more. I truly don’t believe they feel the Bulls are capable of beating them in a seven game series. They fear Miami and the Lakers, not the Bulls. So Sunday’s effort will be of more importance as far as having the right mindset after a loss like tonight’s, which could be like any normal road playoff loss. What their collective play Sunday will show will be the more important barometer and likely another light switch moment. Beat the Wizards and show up to fight, rebound and hit shots on Sunday. That’s how I see it. Go Cs…
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The only chance the C’s have of getting past the Bulls in the playoffs is to not have to play them. The Orlando Magic stand a much better chance of beating the Bulls than the C’s. At least they have Howard in the middle. The C’s have nobody to slow down Rose (five times the player of Rondo) or to keep Boozer and Noah off the glass.
Tonight was extremely difficult to watch. Green for Perkins kept going through my head. Yes, Breeze, Green looked like he was coasting, waiting for a fast break to do some cherry picking on while the Bulls took it at the C;s and shoved it down their throats. I have never missed Perkins so much.
I’d like to blame the poor shooting, saying they were just off tonight; but they simply didn’t have the fire in them. The Bulls want it more.
i’m predicting Lakers-Bulls. Please, anyone, tell me why I am wrong. I’m very bummed out right now.
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Chris H…why be bummed? The game meant nothing. The next 5 mean nothing, despite my thoughts about the Miami game Sunday in my previous post. If they play this way in the playoffs then you and I can be bummed, as all of Celtic nation will be. But until the playoffs start they’re in hibernation. They know Shaq’s coming back and that they’ll likely be the 2 seed. So there’s no urgency for them to perform, as we know they can. This was bigger for Chicago and the small danger is giving them confidence vs the Cs, but the playoffs are all about half-court play, not a track meet. Scores come down and each possession is highly contested. Rose will not be having unimpeded pathways to the hoop if these teams meet up again. Have a stiff drink and chill. The games that count will be here in another week. And plkease, no more mention of KP. He’s long gone. Go Cs…
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thats not the real james……………
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The only reason I disagree with you James is that these games should matter to the C’s. Having home court against the Lakeshow will be key.
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Brad-
If we get that far. And could you say how home court would be determined if both the Celtics and Lakers are two seeds? Is it by better record? That’s what I think.
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James, to say the C’s don’t care about this game implies they don’t care about home court in the second round or possibly championship (they could have been tied with the Lakers with a win tonight) And yes, Nick, the team with the best record gets home court in the Finals (seed doesn’t matter). A tie between the Lakers and C’s and it goes by conference record (I believe) since they are tied in head to head competition this year.
Not to make excuses about the C’s but they look tired to me. Ray Allen doesn’t have his legs. Pierce is either tired or bored or both.
So James, I hope you are right, that they can hit the switch when playoff time comes; however, I don’t know how they can just fix the rebounding problem in one day. That is a team methodology that comes over the course of a season, a practice, a habit, a religion, a discipline, whatever you want to call it.
Right now, the Bulls look like the best team in the NBA. I hope tonight is not a precursor of the playoffs, or I’m going to need more than one stiff drink.
It’s really not healthy to care about a pro basketball team this much. But what the hell, it’s better than doing cocaine, since you referenced Bias.
Good night everyone, from Smogville, Lakertown, Tinseltown, whatever you want to call it. GO C’S.
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Well.. I’d like to think the C’s didn’t care about this game as it’s the end of the regular season and all but come on.. Chicago is one, if not THE rival we’ll have to beat if we get to the ECFs, and we let them trample us like that?
The playoffs can’t come soon enough for us to find out the truth about this Celtics team!
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We need two rules against the Bulls in the playoffs… 1. When Boozer is on the floor, KG must be out there. 2.. one of the Oneils must be in game at all times
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Does Rondo feel humbled after last night’s game? Rose completely man-handled him in all aspects last night…
I think last night’s game was all about pride, and Celtics looked like the Sox last night
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Everything you say is true, but what happened last night is simpler than that: Rondo sucked. It was obvious within a few minutes of the start of the game that we were in trouble, because you could see which Rondo had come to ‘play’: you know the one; the Rondo that walks the ball up, the Rondo that stands around outside the three point line, the Rondo who stops driving and stops taking shots if he misses a few. When that Rondo comes to ‘play’, we lose. We would have lost to Cleveland last night.
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Put differently, I don’t think it’s true that we don’t have anyone who can face Rose. We have Delonte, for one. And we also have Rondo, who I still think is a better player than Rose. But the way Rondo played last night? Hell, start Delonte.
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Agreed Paul, West at least played with some balls last night and didn’t back down
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rondeezy…yes it’s me. I just finally figured out that these games must not matter to them because of how they are playing them. We know they can flip the switch like in the SA game so to me that was more of a message game than this one vs Chicago. I truly believe that they believe they aren’t threatened by Chicago. Chicago is not an elite team (yet, as they haven’t won anything vs the current top teams in a playoff series). We’ll see if this ongoing strategy works come the playoffs.
Chris H…based on their play and misguided ‘we are superior’ attitude vs the sub .500 teams this season and those resulting losses, I just think the Cs have a gear that unfortunately for us only stays on full throttle during the playoffs. Having home court matters but apparently not to this team as they just phoned it in too many times this year. I think that’s more to do with Doc but that’s a discussion for another day. Playoff games are half-court slugfests and that is the style that this team excels at. They’ll rebound because they only do so when they want to – i.e. they coast way too much (age or indifference re reg season games???). That all ends on the 16th. Lastly, my reference re Bias was that all the talk of KP being gone is as lame as the talk of how good the 80′s Cs were going to be after drafting a 6’8″ Michael Jordan clone. It never happened and KP is gone so let’s focus on who we have playing and support them.
Brad… I agree and as you know have been bitching all season because all the games should matter, but this Cs team just doesn’t seem to care until the games count for more than pride, home court advantage or playing well going into the playoffs. It’s very frustrating as a fan because we all know how important having the home court can be. And it’s fun to watch them dominate other teams on a regular basis but that’s not this team’s DNA. But they are a great road team and I look forward to them flipping the switch and leaving it ON, so all the games will be fun to watch. Go Cs…get out of the phone booth please!
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Let me try to be a calmer voice in the midst of the storm. The C’s limped into the playoffs last year, with no momentum and not anyone picking them to win the East much less push the Lakers to the very brink of defeat. In fact this exact game a year ago in Chicago is the game Rasheed scored a basket for the Bulls. I remember how embarrassing that was and thinking there is no way the C’s make a championship run. But then something happened. The killer instinct and the veteran perseverance kicked in and the C’s dominated the East as they ran to the Finals and to a 3-2 lead against the Lakers. Yeah, they couldn’t close it out and finish the fourth quarter in a game 7 that they lead the whole game, but they showed everyone that they are champions and champions never bow down to anyone.
Now, I am not making excuses I am only saying, the Bulls are the ones untested in the playoffs, they’re the ones with something to prove, they’re the ones who don’t know what glory and championships taste like, and until they have beaten us we are the Eastern Conference champs. Now in the end, they may beat us, and if so I hope they win it all and clobber the West. But the one thing I want to say, is don’t judge the C’s until it is all on the line. Because when KG is thumping his chest, and PP is shouting after draining a jumper with Dang right in his face, and Playoff Rondo is taken out of the regeneration chamber, and Ray wakes up and becomes himself, no one knows what the C’s can really do. If the Bulls beat us then, then the torch has been passed and its time to rebuild, but it was a good run and I’ll always be proud of the Big Three, the Doc, and the little guy from Kentucky who we saw become great in front of our eyes.
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Isaac…excellent points. It’s going to be fun and like you, I believe the playoff-tested championship Celts (and Shaq who knows about winning titles) will be ready and eager to prove the regular season isn’t their cup of tea Kind of like Iverson talking about ‘practice’ way back when. Go Cs…
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