After playing through muscle spasm in Monday night’s overtime loss to the Orlando Magic, Rajon Rondo assured everybody he’d be ready to play his best tonight.

According to Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston, Rondo told reporters after practice:

“I’m feeling better, I’m fine,” Rondo said at the Celtics’ shootaround Wednesday morning at Amway Arena. “Nothing to worry about, I’ll be playing.”

Good news for Celtics town. The Boston Celtics will need Rajon Rondo at 100% if they want to slow down the pick-and-roll offense the Magic used so effectively in Game 4. Rondo left for the locker room with 1:16 left in the first half to treat his muscle spasms, and did not play well in the second half, finishing the game with just 9 points and 8 assists.

"We have GOT to keep our composure!!!!"

I was unable to sleep Monday night. I was busy thinking about the opportunity the Celts pissed away. Despite consuming double digit beers on my couch, I woke up this morning feeling much better than I thought I would.  I fully expected to turn on sports radio and hear all the schmucks in the area calling up, mentioning the Bruins, and how they choked, yada yada yada.

Well, Boston did not disappoint me.  The classic fans who were nowhere to be found when the Celts hit a rough stretch at the end of the season– finishing 27-27  in their last 54 games– suddenly became experts on this team, and how it’s going to fare moving forward.  I fully expected the negativity, but it still pissed me off.  Everyone needs to CALM THE F*CK DOWN!  Yes the Green lost last night. Yes, it sucked and it was painful–but for god’s sake, let’s not lose our minds here.

Orlando played out of their mind last night (outside of Vince “A-rod” Carter, who was once again absent in a big game).  They did everything they needed to do to keep this series going.  I’ll be honest, I was impressed when the game went into overtime, and the Magic answered.  I figured Dwight was ready to go back to doing movies (awesome trailor by the way for “Just Wright” staring Howard and Queen Latifah, seriously, looks like a classic).  I figured Matt Barnes was ready to go back to the slums and sling the crack rock, but no, they answered.

They hit a couple lucky shots in the overtime, and ended up on top.  That is not the point of this entry.  You will see all the highlights in the coming days of why the Celts will choke, and comparisons  to the Bruins, etc.  I am here to tell you that there is no way its going to happen.  Hockey is not basketball, and these C’s are not an overacheiving Bruins team that was running on fumes a little over a week ago.  Below are 10 reasons the Green will end this series Wednesday night in Orlando.

10.  The Green will not shoot that badly from 3-point land again – Yes, Ray Allen was money down the stretch and in overtime, but they still shot around 30 percent from 3 from the game, and nobody outside of Allen hit one all game.

9.  Rondo will return to form – Rondo had an off game last night.  He was not controlling the tempo, he did not play great defense, and he did not put pressure on the Orlando defense.  He is allowed one stinker in the last 10 playoff games because he has been our MVP, but mark my words, he will not throw up another 9 point, 8 assist game.  I would expect no less than 17 points and 13 assists next game (accompanied by him once again taking Jason Williams’  manhood).

8.  Perk will play better defense – I don’t know if  his knees are killing him or what, but Kendrick Perkins just wasn’t as effective on Howard last night. Glen Davis probably played the best D on Howard, and we barely even saw Perk in the 4th quarter.  He will come back to show everyone why he is the best post defender in the league.

7.  Jameer Nelson will not get to the paint that easily again – Nelson had his way with the Celtics on the perimeter, and knifed into the lane whenever he wanted.  Whether he was pulling up for bull shit 3′s (that bank 3 in overtime was just complete horseshit) or drving into the lane off balance and throwing the ball up in the air for Howard, Nelson dominated.  Rest assured, Doc will not let that happen again.  Look for Nelson to be bottled up by Tony Allen and Rondo, who will only give Nelson looks from the perimeter.

6.  Nobody Sweeps in David Stern’s Conference Finals – I’m typically not one of those guys that buys the rumor that the NBA is fixed, but last night got me thinking.  When Pierce got mauled more than 2 times going to the basket without a call in the 4th, and when Howard was not issued a technical after getting

in a skirmish with KG, you have to wonder.  Sterney doesn’t want to miss out on some precious revenue back in Orlando.

5.  Tony Allen will not revert back to 2006 TA again – Allen looked like he did back when the C’s were in the lottery last night.  Dribbling off his foot like an idiot, and commiting stupid fouls that sent Orlando to the line.  He needs to get back to bringing the energy and slicing to the basket.

4.  Orlando has Vince Carter - If anyone knows Vince Carter, they know he is miserable when the lights are at their brightest.  That’s why he has never taken a team to the Finals.  He is lazy, soft, and a selfish ball player.  He doesn’t do anything tough and disappears when his team needs him most.  Hell, J.J. Redick got more time than him last night…nuff said.

3.  Speaking of J.J. Redick, no way he keeps up this pace – Reddick has been the most consistent players for Orlando in this series.  He has knocked down open jumpers, gotten to the foul line, and played good defense.  Redick is a solid bench player in the NBA, no more, and he will not continue to hurt the Celts on the offensive end.  Plus when I was in college I used to work with a kid who went to Duke and said JJ loves banging fat chicks…..just a little tidbit.

2.  KG will not hit a wall again - KG started 5-5 from the field and looked great, but then he hit a wall.  He missed 8 of his last 9 shots and looked generally tired in the overtime.  This is probably because Perk was out for so long and Garnett got so worked up over his skirmish with Howard.  Anyway, he will get back to what he has done over the last 2 weeks.  A solid 16 point 9 rebound effort, and the best pick-and-roll defender in the league.

1.  Pierce is going to close this out – Pierce can’t be happy with how he finished last night.  Puking away that final possession in regulation, and missing 2 wide open 3′s in the overtime.  I know he had 32 points and kept us in this game, but knowing the captain, he is going to be dialed in and ready to give a big F*ck you to the Orlando faithful.

This one ain’t comin back to Boston.  On a side note, does anyone else want to shoot themselves when they hear Mark Jackson say “mama there goes that man.”  We get it buddy–you’re from New York and grew up playing at Rucker Park, but it gets old when you say it 10 times.

Notebook: Rajon Rondo was limited by muscle spasms in Game 4, but told reporters he is feeling better tonight…Rashard Lewis has been battling a stomach virus all series long, and will take intravenous fluids before Game 5…Magic coach Stan Van Gundy expects J.J. Redick to continue to contribute and play big minutes…Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau will likely be offered the head coaching job for the New Orleans Hornets sometime soon.

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn’t mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

Jarrod Randolph, Boston Globe- “Nelson’s improved play was big for the Magic, but Dwight Howard’s performance — arguably the best of his career — was the key.The four-time All-Star was heavily criticized for his disappointing performance in Game 3. Everything from his “Superman’’ nickname to his superstar status was questioned. But the 24-year-old center showed that he’s much more than an athletic pitchman. His 32 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks showed him to be a dominant force that the Celtics can’t stop once he gets going. ‘Even though we knew we were down, 0-3, you have to win four games to win a series,’ Howard said. ‘I just kept . . . after we lost [Game 3], I was like man, I feel so bad.’”

Christopher Gasper, Boston Globe- “For the first time in these playoffs, it was the other guys who had the dynamic point guard who imposed his will on the game and made crucial plays to quarterback his team to victory. There was no YouTube-worthy, Dave Cowens-channeling dive from Nelson, just a pick and roll clinic and clutch shots. Orlando’s adjustment to using staggered picks to free up Nelson left the Celtics staggered and relegated Rajon Rondo (muscle spasms) to an aching afterthought…Even Superman needs a sidekick, and it’s not a coincidence that Orlando got on the board in the Eastern Conference finals because they got an evening when Dwight Howard was on his game and his teammates didn’t disappear.”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE- “While disappointed in not getting the sweep, this Boston Celtic team has been through too many trials and tribulations this season to allow one loss affect them. ‘There’s no need to panic,’ said guard Ray Allen. ‘We like the position we’re in.’ Boston leads the best-of-seven series 3-1, with a second shot at closing out the Magic in Game Five on Wednesday. Winning on the road in the playoffs can be a daunting task – that is, for everyone not donning the Green and White.”

Boston comes into Game Five with a 5-2 road playoff record this year, with two of those wins coming in Orlando’s not-so-Magic kingdom.

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald- “And everyone in the building knows the Celtics flunked Game 4. That they still very nearly stole the game is perhaps the best evidence yet that they are the better team. But they didn’t play much like a team at all Monday. Coach Doc Rivers said he didn’t think his players trusted each other and that they all tried to win it themselves.”

Ron Borges, Boston Herald- “Whenever the Magic are done this season, so is Amway, condemned to a pile of rubble in favor of a new palace around the corner that has the requisite luxury boxes, club seats and income potential to satisfy the needs of the modern professional franchise. When the Magic left a week ago down 0-2, and then were obliterated in Game 3 at the Garden, the belief here in Disney World was that Amway’s doors had closed for the last time. The Magic proved more resilient than that, but there is where similarities enter into things again, and none of them resemble what happened to the Bruins. The Celtics lost Game 4 in OT but they did it without playing well. They did it with point guard Rajon Rondo [stats] in deep foul trouble, with Tony Allen playing like he was in the last episode of “Lost,” and with Rasheed Wallace playing like Distracted Rasheed not Delightful Rasheed. Yet it was still a life-and-death struggle for the Magic.”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston- “Rondo, who brushed off injury talk, said he simply played poorly at both ends of the floor and noted, ‘I have to do a better job of getting under the picks.’ Nelson’s ability to get into the lane didn’t just aid his own outburst. Considering that Dwight Howard was 3-for-3 on field goals generated off the pick-and-roll, it’s clear Boston’s need to help with its bigs allowed easy buckets for Howard around the rim.”

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (thomasking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.

Don't be so glum, guys. You'll still win this series.

After yesterday’s game, I started thinking to myself (a scary thought, I know):  What does the loss mean?

I had figured Orlando would roll over and die, so I was quite surprised when they landed the first punch and then kept punching.  For the first time all series, it seemed, the Magic showed a little heart.  In the second half, at least, both teams played at their absolute highest intensity level.  The play wasn’t always pretty, but it was gritty — just two teams duking it out with a Finals berth on the line.  If you couldn’t admire the tenacity being displayed yesterday on both ends, you shouldn’t be watching basketball.  Period.

But what did it mean that Orlando won a game, in Boston, with both teams playing as hard as possible?  That should be a bad thing, right?  Right?

That’s what I thought at first, before contemplating anything.  Before I let this game sink in, I was worried about the whole “If the Magic win Game Five, pressure’s on Boston for Game Six” thing.  I’d just seen my Celtics suffer a heart-wrenching defeat, so I was in a bad mood in the first place.  Couple that with Orlando’s intensity boost and I was in full-blown ut-uh mood.  In my bothered state, I forgot about a couple things:  One, the Celtics are still leading 3-1.  It’s going to take three more wins for Orlando to turn this series on its side.  Unlikely, even if the Magic were clearly the better team.  They aren’t.

The other thing?  The Celtics played poorly, very poorly, yesterday.  Rajon Rondo was not himself, Paul Pierce was great but fell into full-fledged “hero” mode, and the C’s generally posted one of their worst offensive offerings since the playoffs began.  It wasn’t that nobody made plays — some Celtics did, at times.  But the ball wasn’t moving, only Pierce was attacking, and Rondo was non-existent.  The Celtics executed as poorly as possible (“It’s amazing how poorly we played and yet were still in the game,” Doc Rivers said) and STILL could have won that game.

Why did they still have a chance, despite playing so poorly?  Because Orlando doesn’t have enough offensively.  It sounds weird to say because the Magic were one of the best regular-season offenses in the NBA, but they don’t have enough offense to consistently score against Boston.  Jameer Nelson is their only player who can consistently create offense for himself or others… and even he doesn’t do it on a consistent, game-to-game basis.  He was fabulous yesterday, but Orlando can’t expect that type of effort out of Jameer night in and night out.  And Vince Carter, brought to Orlando be the Magic’s Mariano Rivera, is more like Harry Houdini — the man disappears, especially when it matters most.  Actually you can’t say he disappears, because everyone knew he was on the court.  But we only knew he was there because he played so horribly.  Never a good thing.

The Magic’s lack of creators was the reason why yesterday’s game went to overtime and the reason why the Celtics lost a heart-wrenching game rather than a blowout.  Whenever the Magic seemed poised to pull away they hit a dry spell and Boston would come storming right back.  Even when the game was tied and Orlando had the ball with 28 seconds left, I felt no fear.  Honestly, I turned to my brothers and said, “Who do they go to right here?  If it’s Vince, they’re screwed.  If it’s anyone else, they’re just as screwed.  There’s no way they score right here.”  And they didn’t.  Jameer Nelson settled for an ugly jumper and the Celtics were granted another opportunity to steal a win.  They didn’t, of course, but only because the C’s showed no poise — literally none — on the offensive side of the court.  Had the Celtics kept their heads, even a little, they would have won last night and been waiting L.A. or Phoenix in the Finals today.

What you can take out of last night’s game is that the Celtics will improve.  They will play better.  They will sharpen their execution and move the ball rather than see it stick in one person’s hands.  Rondo will attack and run the offense more smoothly.  The Celtics will be better.

At the same time, I’m not sure the Magic have another level to obtain.  Jameer Nelson played out of his mind, Dwight Howard was as monstrous as he ever will be and J.J. Redick got hotter than the Ecuadorian sun.  Sure, Vince Carter was awful and could play a whole lot better but — if you’re a Magic fan — do you actually trust that he’ll do anything besides shit the bed in Game Five?  Me neither.  The Magic played pretty well last night while the Celtics played as poorly as possible, and the game STILL went to overtime.

If the Celtics don’t win Game Five, even on the road, I’ll be shocked.  Seriously.

Nelson led the Magic past the Celtics with 23 points, 9 assists in Game 4. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

“They are the Eastern Conference Champions until somebody beats them,” Doc Rivers said at halftime on ESPN.

And– for one more day at least–after a 96-92 OT win–the Magic are still the Eastern Conference Champions.

Jameer Nelson spearheaded the effort with 23 points, and– more importantly– 9 assists. Nelson controlled the pace of the came, continuously finding Howard for lobs and bounce passes off the pick-and-roll and Redick for threes.

Nelson’s back-to-back threes in overtime secured the victory for Orlando.

Paul Pierce had a vintage game–attacking the rim from all angles– but it was not enough for Boston. Pierce shot ten first half free throws– scoring 19 points. Pierce finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds for the game.

Rondo went into the locker room with 1:16 left in the first half with what turned out to be muscle spasms. Rondo played noticeably worse in the second half and finished with just 9 points on 3-10 shooting and 8 assists.

J.J. Redick provided a spark off the bench again with 10 straight points Magic points midway through the fourth quarter– and at one point was the only Magic player to score over an 11 minute span.

Vince Carter scored just 3 points on 1-9 shooting. Dwight Howard scored 32 points and ripped down 16 rebounds.

After Kevin Garnett and Howard got into a minor scuffle early in the third quarter, Celtics crowd and the team’s energy noticeably increased. Howard elbowed Garnett, who responded by pushing Howard, which quickly earned Garnett a technical foul.

Ray Allen, who made 5-7 threes, hit one big three with 1:41 left in regulation, two more in overtime.

Besides Ray Allen though, Boston was 0-11 from behind the arc. Pierce missed back-to-back threes with about a minute left in overtime which effectively ended the Celtic’s chances.

We’re going to win this game with our effort, our defense, our intensity,” Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said, before the game for ESPN, while miked up in the locker room.

The reigning Eastern Conference champions did just that to hold off elimination.

The Celtics have gotten rid of their morning walkthrough, but that doesn’t mean we have to. Here are a few Celtics links, and maybe even an NBA link or two, to help wake you up and get you focused for the day.

The Celtics say the Pizza Man would help Orlando more than Vince.

Jessica Camerato, WEEI – “The sudden disappearance of Rashard Lewis is not the only thing missing from the Magic team that defeated the Celtics in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals. This time around they are playing without Hedo Turkoglu, who left Orlando last summer and signed a mulit-year deal with the Raptors. Even though the Magic acquired Vince Carter in his place — a role Carter’s teammates say he has filled well — the Celtics have noticed a difference in matchups without Turkoglu on the court. It is one they have benefited from in the conference finals. ‘Definitely with Turkoglu, he adds a size matchup being at 6’10 he can play the two, the three, the one. Obviously a walking matchup problem,’ Paul Pierce said following practice on Sunday. ‘I just think the things that he does playing with the ball and off the ball in the post, he’s one of the more versatile small forwards in the NBA and one of the toughest that I’ve seen to guard. Them not having him, I think it really works in our favor.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Being optimistic, coach Doc Rivers figured the defense would be better in the postseason. Being realistic, he knew if the Celtics wanted to win, they had no choice. ‘It had to be [better],’ Rivers said yesterday. ‘During the regular season, teams were hitting 110. We clearly are a different team.’ Indeed, the Celtics have had the Magic boxed in for the majority of the Eastern Conference finals, taking a three-games-to-none-lead with a 94-71 win Saturday night. The Celtics, who can close out the series tonight at the Garden, have given up 100 points just three times in these playoffs — their only three losses. In their 11 playoff wins, the Celtics have held opponents to 84.9 points a game. The defense that struggled to keep teams from hanging 100 at the end of the regular season is now playing as well as it has all season. ‘We’re playing well,’ said Rivers. ‘We’re playing as a group. There’s a lot of individual defenders on our team. [Rajon] Rondo can be terrific. So can Kevin [Garnett] and Perk [Kendrick Perkins]. But the reason we’re playing well is because as a group, we’re doing it together. We’re doing it in system.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “‘I still don’t think [Kevin Garnett is] 100 percent – maybe about 85 percent,’ Perkins said. ‘He’s showing flashes of his old self, though, like how he shows in the pick-and-roll. He’s defending the pick-and-roll and getting back on the isolation. I don’t know how much better he can get at it. All I know is that he’s doing that great now.’ And as far as defending Orlando is concerned, the Celtics are getting all they need from their defensive heart. ‘It’s obvious, how much better he is now,’ Pierce said. ‘You’re seeing it in the way he rebounds the ball and sprints down the court. Let’s face it: Without Kevin we can’t win a championship. I’m replaceable, Ray’s replaceable, Rondo. But you can’t replace Kevin.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “‘We have a lot of different leaders on the team,’ Rondo said. ‘It starts with me, but Kevin is our vocal leader. Paul is our captain. And Ray is our leader as well. It’s no particular person that’s the exact leader.’ In an interview with CSNNE.com, Allen had similar comments about the C’s leadership this season. ‘Each guy on this team is an individual leader,’ Allen said. ‘Having a voice and leading. And sometimes not having a voice, and just leading by example. There’s a lot of different scenarios.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “On a club with this much talent, the sight of the Magic failing to play for each other is a clear sign that no magnetic force in sneakers has yet emerged. Watching them get humiliated Saturday night, the mind wandered back to the 2007 Red Sox falling behind Cleveland in baseball’s playoffs. David Ortiz called a players-only meeting, grabbed his jersey and said that wearing the Sox suit made one ‘a bad (very long expletive).’ Who among the Magic, we wondered, would step up and make that speech? (Insert audio of crickets here.) The players said they’d had an upbeat practice, but afterward they looked more like they were at a wake. Their own. Perhaps the corpse of the previous night’s debacle hadn’t yet cooled. ‘I’ll be honest,’ said Van Gundy. ‘I’m somebody who says I’m never shocked, but I was shocked (Saturday) night that we didn’t handle the situation better and play with more intensity and determination. I was shocked by our lack of effort throughout the game (Saturday) night. That shocked me. Look, they thumped us pretty good. Everything’s got to change, from our defensive disposition to our effort to our offensive energy and decision making.’”

Jessica Camerato, WEEI – “The Celtics are one game away from eliminating the Magic and advancing to the NBA Finals, and they believe credit should be given where credit is due. ‘I believe we deserve all the credit,’ Ray Allen said following practice on Sunday. ‘It’s only two teams playing. We’re putting them in the situation that they’re in, and we’re adjusting and trying to find the ways that we can confuse them as much as we can, and make it tough defensively on them and offensively. They’re not going out there and doing it to themselves.’”

ESPNBoston.com – “Rajon Rondo is enjoying a playoff run for the ages. He is averaging over 17 points, 10 assists and five rebounds per game. He is just the fourth different player to have those numbers in playoff history. The others are Magic Johnson (nine times), Isiah Thomas (1985) and Bob Cousy (1959).”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “The Magic are being counted out, and their effort in Game 3 gave neither their fan base nor anyone else reason to believe the series will extend beyond tonight. ‘We can still play great basketball and we will [tonight],’ said Nelson, the lone Magic player who has consistently played with desire in the series. ‘It’s just been mental breakdowns. Before practice, I was frustrated a lot. But it’s over with. There are numerous things we could have done a lot better. Our effort wasn’t there and film doesn’t lie. We can complain and say things during the course of the game, but when you sit there and watch film and you see things, that’s the mental toughness we’ve been lacking for the first three games. This is not the team you’ve seen win 59 [in the regular season], and the first two series. But we’ve got to prepare ourselves for this game and put those three behind us.’ So the goal, at least for now, has been reduced from winning the NBA Finals to winning one game.”

Michael Vega, Boston Globe – “Did the Bruins’ playoff demise serve as a cautionary tale for the Celtics after their 94-71 victory in Game 3 Saturday night gave them a three-games-to-none lead over the Magic? ‘Well, it should be,’ said coach Doc Rivers yesterday during practice in preparation for tonight’s Game 4 at the Garden. ‘I know you guys will make it [a cautionary tale], so I don’t even have to worry about that. The greatest part — and probably the toughest part — about playing sports or coaching sports in Boston is the history. Everyone’s going to remind you of the good history, and everyone’s going to remind you of the bad history. So, in some ways, it could be a benefit for us.’ Though Kevin Garnett acknowledged ‘closeout games are the hardest, the most difficult’ games to win, he was quick to point out, ‘This is not hockey,’ when asked if he had any concerns about the Celtics suffering the same fate as the Bruins. ‘I’m not even looking at that,’ he said. ‘The Bruins are not the Celtics and the Celtics are not the Bruins. It’s apples and oranges.’”

ESPNBoston.com – “[Stuart] Scott: ‘How does Orlando try to win Game 4?’ [Magic] Johnson: ‘Honestly, they can’t. I’m going to just be honest. When you think about the Boston Celtics defense, they’ve taken away everybody, especially the role players. … They’ve broken Orlando’s will to win. I don’t see the spirit, I don’t see the will of this team coming out to beat the Boston Celtics.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Celtics coach Doc Rivers suggested Sunday that reserve guard Tony Allen has been playing through ankle pain that left the team wondering if he’d even be available for Game 3. ‘Tony’s ankle has been bothering him a lot, but he’s playing through it,’ said Rivers. Allen missed the first 20 games of the 2009-10 season with a sore right ankle after rushing himself back from offseason ankle surgery and aggravating the injury during the only preseason game he appeared in.”

Rich Levine, CSNNE – “In 2010, it’s about greed. It’s about wanting more, but knowing, deep down, that if it doesn’t work out, there’s still that one; that no one will go home completely empty-handed. That’s not to say that the motivation isn’t there. This team has a whole new set of doubters to prove wrong. A second title would take them to borderline dynastic. But there’s still nothing like the first, and no way to re-create that urgency. That doesn’t mean the Celtics are doomed. It’s just another reason why, as the captain said, this year’s completely different.”

Steve Buckley, Boston Herald – “This past regular season, with too many people hurt, too many questions, too many observers whispering they’d be one-and-done in the playoffs, the Celtics were just 24-17 at home. By comparison, the Toronto Raptors, who at 40-42 had only the 19th best record in the NBA, were 25-16 at home. Yet there was Kevin Garnett Saturday night, taking in Gino Time as only he can. For not only are the Celtics ‘back,’ they have conquered whatever problems they brought out to the parquet during the regular season. When they take the court tonight for Game 4 against the deflated, sad Magic, the Garden will be primed and ready to be the launching pad to the team’s second trip to the NBA Finals in three years. It wasn’t long ago – just weeks, really – that people were asking which of Boston’s four pro sports franchises was the closest to winning a championship. Few had the Celtics on the list, even after they dismissed the Miami Heat in just five games in the first round. The Celtics made believers of everyone when they humiliated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the next round, but there was one home clunker in the mix: a 124-95 loss to the Cavs. But think big picture: The Celtics are 6-1 at home in the postseason.”

Mark Heisler, L.A. Times – “Just what the Lakers needed, a real series. Now a virtual certainty that they will play rough, tough Boston — should they advance, of course — the Lakers found themselves needing a quick knockout in the Western Conference finals, but they didn’t get it Sunday. Instead, the Phoenix Suns climbed off the canvas and smote them, 118-109, meaning that the Lakers either put the Suns back on the ropes Tuesday or the series will go from ‘real’ to ‘tied.’”

Paula Boivin, Arizona Republic – “If you can judge a man by his shoes, then you can judge a basketball player by his locker. Amar’e Stoudemire has a diagram of John Wooden’s pyramid of success taped inside his space. On a shelf is a book called ‘Becoming Vegan.’ The man has spoken a lot about becoming a more complete player. On Sunday in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, he finally delivered. Forty-two points. Eleven rebounds. And a big-time nasty attitude. This is what the Suns have wanted from Stoudemire, what they needed if they hoped to avoid a Lakers sweep. It is the type of game that tips the scale toward staying as the front office contemplates how hard to court him. ‘He got his way (Sunday night),’ Lakers forward Pau Gasol said after the Suns 118-109 victory. ‘We’ll get our way next time.’ Will they? Those are words Stoudemire should embrace. He did it Sunday night. The Suns need him to bring it again.”

AP – “The Cleveland Cavaliers have fired coach Mike Brown after five seasons for failing to win an NBA title with LeBron James. ‘After a long and deep analysis of all of the factors that led to the disappointing early ends to our playoff runs over the past two seasons, we concluded that it was time for the Cavaliers to move in a different direction,’ Gilbert said Monday in a statement released by the team. ‘The expectations of this organization are very high and, although change always carries an element of risk, there are times when that risk must be taken in an attempt to break through to new, higher levels of accomplishment. This is one of those times.’”

Have a link I might want to look at? Send it my way by email (jayking@celticstown.com) or Twitter.