Well holy shit, never expected that of the Grizz -- Randolph and Gasol just pounding the paint, Randolph (in the least likely though accurate comparison I can come up with of late) looking like prime Hakeem, and their D just taking ruthless advantage of OKC's mistakes. Still think OKC comes away with the series, but damn, it might just be a series. I figured Memphis would take one at home maybe, but this might be serious.
As for Boston-Miami, I still don't buy Miami not slipping up and gifting Boston a game. They've done it enough times this season to expect one out of seven. And that series must go to seven -- David Stern will ensure it if the teams don't, and I think Boston, even Perk-less, just spreads the floor better and has so many more options. Rondo putting up 30-15-21 in the last three games of the Knicks series scares the living shit out of me, because I shoot about as well as he does usually, as a 5'6" white guy with no discernible athletic talent and whose last remotely competitive ballgame was at age ten.
But D-Wade and LeBron together can stop any team from any era dead in its tracks when they play like they did today. D-Wade was just on fire, and they're both such good passers that probability alone dictates that the one can find the other at key moments -- you can't double team them both. And Bosh, who's finally remembered how to shoot, and though not up to KG-Pierce-Allen "Big Three" status, can still do damage. I still don't think "The Heatles" can withstand a seven-gamer with Boston, but Game one definitely made Miami look hella good. There's no way they can deal with playoff intensity at the Garden, but they don't need to. Question is, can Boston grab one in Miami? I think they do, but both this series and the Memphis-OKC one are going to be great to witness. No pun intended.
God I love basketball, and this really is already the most memorable playoffs of my 26-year span -- every series, every game just wire-to-wire crazy, big shot after big shot, a 1 losing to an 8, and we're one day into round two.
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Your blog just deleted my last comment...so here goes in recreating it.
ReplyDeleteThis game was decided by 2 things:
1) The Celtics opening strategy of denying easy layups off of steals. Looks tough and intimidating; helped keep the crowd under control, but it led to 2 quick fouls on KG and 3 (!!) on Rondo. So Rondo sat out the last few minutes of the 2nd quarter and the Heat went on a 9-0 run. In the 2nd half, all those shots Pierce, Allen, et al were hitting only erased double-digit leads, not alternating leads back and forth like they might have been otherwise.
2) Pierce's Bull**it ejection in the 2nd half. There was nothing that warranted a 2nd T and ejection; at least nothing that we can confirm outside of the ref's word - 'taunting'?? There's no way to independently review the call and hence no accountability here.
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2011/05/official_pierce.html
So, all in all, the Celtics lost by 9 on the road to a very talented Heat team that seemed to solve the C's defense a bit after the first quarter. Still, with Rondo sitting out much of the 2nd; Pierce ejected; and still to keep it close - this series is going 7. I can't wait.
And yes, I know that OBL is dead. But I watched this on TIVO-delay, so I hope I can be allowed my immediate reactions.