Sixers 82, Celtics 75: Game 7 on the way, sadly
With the exception of rebounding, an area they oddly dominated, every issue the Celtics have was magnified tonight. Their bench can’t score. Their guards can’t stop dribble penetration. Paul Pierce is the only perimeter player who can create offense for himself. Rajon Rondo doesn’t always care, Ray Allen is clearly hobbled, Mickael Pietrus is streakier than Frank The Tank in “Old School,” Kevin Garnett can’t always be Batman, Greg Stiemsma and Ryan Hollins occasionally take turns matching each other in suckitude, and Brandon Bass goes through long stretches where he looks like Bad Big Baby.
The series was there for the taking tonight, on a silver platter. The Celtics declined to seize it.
Game 7 is on Saturday. It probably shouldn’t have come to this.
Losing Avery Bradley changes so much.
Related posts:
- Leftovers from Celtics-Sixers Game 1, starring Avery Bradley’s game-changing defense
- Celtics 107, Sixers 91: Game 3 becomes a Boston blowout victory
- Sixers 82, Celtics 81: The series heads to Philadelphia knotted at 1-1
- Celtics 103, Sixers 79: Three ahead in the Atlantic Division
- Celtics 101, Sixers 85: Boston seizes 3-2 series lead with electric second half
Celtics Blog | Jay King | May 23, 2012
Injuries suck. We had a chance to at take down Miami and go to the finals but without Avery Bradley, with Ray at 20% and with Pierce at whatever% there’s no chance we beat them. Even if we could Spurs would feast on us. AB is now so crucial to this team and it really feels like since he went down we lost that extra little bit of energy on both ends of the floor when Garnett isn’t being Batman.
I said it before, AB’s gonna need surgery and I really don’t see how he could hope to be functional without it.
What the hell is it with injuries and this team? Is it that cold weather back home?
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Rondo SUCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He did not show up. PP passes up an open, just off the lane, 8′ ft shot in the 4th qtr to pass out to RR who took an 18′ shot (missed of course). This team makes me sick when they play their lackidaisical fashion. We win the boards and actually have 14 offensive rebs and no one drives to the hoop with any f’in PASSION. When they did drive they tossed up terrible shots. Rollins should be cut. And why isn’t SP getting any time? He is not a favorite of mine but at least he hustles. Just shows how valuable AB is to this team, especially on offense. Go Cs…way to puke on yourselves!
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I agree, That was painfull to watch, I still believe we can win game 7 and move to the eastern conference finals. From that point I don’t know what to expect, but with all this injuries and inconsistency I think that sadly the championship is staying in the west coast this year. West (100%) vs East (70%)
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Conference Semis 2009 Closeout Game
Orlando 83 Celtics 75
Then we lost game 7 at home
Rondo better show because PP and Ray are clearly playing at 50%.
Geez even try Marquis he gets to the basket maybe they can get some putbacks.
Too bad Avery got hurt and PP got dinged , they had a real shot
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As a Rondo fan, I was humbled and humiliated tonight. I have defended him endlessly, and yeah, he did have his moments of brilliance, and even a few moments of being ok, but mostly, HE SUCKED!!!!!!!!! He was awful. We would have been far better off with Pierce running the game as point forward and Rondo riding the bench.
You are right, James. Rondo was just awful . For most of the night we basically played 4 on 5.
And how did he end up with 14 shots? For most of the night he refused to shoot, and wouldn’t attack the basket, and pretty much seemed to want to disappear.
Wow, wow, wow. I swear, maybe the haters were right all along. What an awful game for the guy we rely on as our leader and best player.
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didnt watch it , dont care, read wrap ups and looked at the box score…. Celtics in seven, i was wrong about six. Not a chance the Celts dont win in dominating fashion on Saturday… hold ur breathes folks for a rajon rondo explosion. unles he got hurt tionight and i didnt cathc it… rondo leads the celts to a game seven win at home , just how we like it, grand in out nitty gritty, and take our best shot at the heat!! go CELTS burn it down banner 18 , i belive~~~
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missed the game again …. but reading pauls resonpes ^ , i can only imagine Rondo priming it up for a game seven explosion that he just dominates the game, i feel like he might have tanked this game to put the spot light on him in this next game, the kid is great, the public thinks hes good, he knows this, so he can only become great if he is put in big situations where he has to shine for his team to advvance, so here he is everyone… RAJON RONDO, get your popcorn ready
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The injuries are definitely a factor. Ray Allen shouldn’t be playing; he’s getting killed on defense and giving very little on offense. Without Bradley we lose so much on both ends. And yeah, Rondo was in a pouting funk; what’s up with that? He did grab a couple of offensive boards in the third quarter to put back, but other than that, he was horrible. Moore should be playing instead of Allen, but Doc likes his veterans, even if they can’t produce at all. Pietrus got burned so badly on defense it was horrible, and other than his 3 pointer before the half, he was atrocious. Dooling shouldn’t be in the NBA. And yes, James, Hollins should be cut. Let’s give Williams a try. But no, Doc can’t think outside the box. I think the biggest problem on this team is coaching. Collins has his team playing at their very best. The Sixers aren’t very good yet they’re making this a series, and may likely advance after Saturday (you can’t give away games in the playoffs; it will come back to haunt you; that’s my own theory after watching it happen too many times in history). If Philly gets past us, we will see what a bunch of rags they truly are after Miami destroys them in four games, each of them blowouts. That’s what the c’s should have done if they were hellbent on getting to the finals, with or without the injuries. Doc Rivers should be fired. His system doesn’t work; his players don’t buy into it, and his use of rotations is dreadful.
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Has anyone noticed how Pieturs often “almost” comes up with a steal but can’t quite get his hands on it? I wish Sasha would get some minutes. I like him a lot more than James; he plays great D, rebounds, and can actually knock down a 3.
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I meant Pietrus.
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Well here we are folks. The possible DEATH of the big 4. We got our backs to the wall now in a position that could come with the ultimate upset. Losing game 7 to the upstart no-name Sixers in Boston. No, this is not LBJ, D-Wade and Bosh Spice. This is Iguodala, Young and Williams. So is this the fate of the great Big 4? Is this team unpredictable, YES. Maybe if we accept they will lose game 7, they will suprize us and do the opposite. U BETTA WAKE DA FUCK UP CELTICS BECAUSE OR ELSE THE FUNERAL WORKERS HAVE A SPOT READY FOR YOU IN THE GRAVEYARD!!! U DON’T WIN THIS NEXT GAME THERE IS NO TOMMORROW!!! 2012 CELTICS 17 CHAMPIONSHIPS AND COUNTING… ON U. YEAH THE CELTS FANS ARE PISSED. YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE OUT AND U BLEW IT. ONE MORE CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION. NOW GET OUT THERE AND WIN THAT MUTHAFUCKIN GAME!!! NOT BY 1 POINT BUT 20. NO ROOM FOR SOFT. THE CELTICS LEGACY IS ON THE LINE HERE…
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