On this closeout game for the Celtics, will they choke once again? Since the Big Three for the Celtics emerged, they are 3-10 in total closeout games. LeBron James is putting on an amazing performance, despite the fact that the Heat are 1-15 in the TD Garden, or also known as the Jungle with 30 points on very efficient shooting in the first half alone! (12-14 FG, 5-9 FT). Rondo, however, is also putting on a show with 19 points in the first half. Pierce is starting off very slowly, with only 2 points and 3 fouls. D-Wade is slow again, with 7 points on 1-6 shooting.
Updates soon to come.
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| This is LeBron's shooting, in the first half! He finished with 45 points. |
Update: This is very late, and my apologies. So LeBron had a game to remember, finishing with 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. The only other player to do that in a playoff game was Wilt Chamberlain. Dwayne Wade, though he only scored 18 points, made some very key shots to keep the Celtics from making a comeback. There were times when the C's cut the lead to 10, only to have LeBron make a ridiculous turnaround jumper...or have him miss from the free throw line. Can I remind people who don't know the rules about basketball that nobody is defending you while you are taking your free throws? James shot again poorly, going 5-9 in the line. But no matter. It was his night. LeBron gets scrutinized for every game whether he plays well or not. I'm sure somewhere in Skip Bayless' head he is critiquing James for not passing enough, or for missing one shot. And he shut everybody up from the Celtics roster to the crowd, to everyone watching TV, and hey maybe even Skip himself.
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| You know that when KG is looking like this, the C's are done for the night. |
Pierce, who is known as "the" star for the Celtics, shot 4-18, including 0-6 behind the arc. He once again fouled early and never got going, even with some wide open looks. Rondo had a terrific start in the first half but then blew it. Side note: am I the only one that thinks the Celtics offense is stagnant? I keep hearing about how much Doc Rivers tweaks the plays, but I don't see much going on. KG had a decent game, but his numbers were flat compared to this postseason's averages.
Oh yeah, who can forget Marquis Daniel's dunk? In all honesty, it was a pretty nice jam...against the Heat bench. Both teams were playing pickup/YMCA basketball for the last half of the final quarter.
In hopes of game 7, it is a new game, with pressures being immense for both teams. For the Celtics, it's probably the final season with the core staying together. There are rumors starting again about a Rondo for Westbrook trade. Allen and KG are in their final year and I doubt Ainge is going to resign them. Though KG has been playing well, and there's never enough of Shuttlesworth. How about a one year veteran contract? If the Heat lose, there is again that sense that LeBron is not a champion, and will take a lot of time for him to win one. The Heat right now are pretty stacked (duh) and losing to the Celtics will be embarassing. Erik Spoelstra is on the hot seat, I wonder if Pat Riley could ever coach again. An underrated fact: D Wade is 30 years old!
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