Not Clutch - Celtics coerced to play Game 7
Before their big win in Game 7, the Celtics were on the verge of making history, as in becoming it. You know, just like that new Gatorade commercial featuring Kevin Garnett.
After their Game 6 loss – their third straight road loss against the worst playoff team in the field – against the Hawks, the Celtics had to dig deep to avoid becoming the victim of the worst 1-8 fold in the history of the NBA. That they won big in Game 7 is irrelevant; that they were extended this far is the real storyline.
The reason the Celtics found themselves in this predicament was a brutal fourth quarter in which they were outscored 24-18 and their vaunted defense failed to stop Atlanta. Even then, the Celtics were still hanging around but there was a glaring 3 minute stretch in which Pierce fouled out and KG made two huge errors on the offensive end that sealed the deal. With the ball at his hand, KG decided to pass the ball instead of take it to the hoop on two critical possessions. Once, he didn’t take on a 5 foul saddled Josh Smith 1-1. A second time, he again opted for a pass. Both possessions ended with disastrous results: one a steal and one a missed 3 pointer by Posey. KG’s totals for the quarter: 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 turnovers. KG’s reluctance to take over late in games is something that’s been a constant criticism of his game. It reared its ugly head again in the waning moments of Game 6.
Forget that the Celtics blew out Atlanta the next game at the Garden. I knew that they would win this game (although I never thought it would be another blow out). Their real task now is to beat Cleveland convincingly at home and on the road to dispel the notions that this isn’t a championship caliber team.
The matchups for the Celtics defensively are even more daunting against the Cavaliers than they were against the Hawks. If Boston had to expend so much defensive capital to contain Joe Johnson, how are they going to contain Le Bron ? And if they do, Cleveland has a host of outside shooters (Gibson, Wally, West) that can cause them real damage. It could be that 2 ex Celtics players end up haunting Boston the most, and in the process end Boston’s quest for that 17th championship. At least for this year.
The Celtics success in the regular season is only relevant in that they won home court. Nothing else really counts now. The playoffs are an entirely different season. Atlanta’s surprising challenge is testament to that.
After their Game 6 loss – their third straight road loss against the worst playoff team in the field – against the Hawks, the Celtics had to dig deep to avoid becoming the victim of the worst 1-8 fold in the history of the NBA. That they won big in Game 7 is irrelevant; that they were extended this far is the real storyline.
The reason the Celtics found themselves in this predicament was a brutal fourth quarter in which they were outscored 24-18 and their vaunted defense failed to stop Atlanta. Even then, the Celtics were still hanging around but there was a glaring 3 minute stretch in which Pierce fouled out and KG made two huge errors on the offensive end that sealed the deal. With the ball at his hand, KG decided to pass the ball instead of take it to the hoop on two critical possessions. Once, he didn’t take on a 5 foul saddled Josh Smith 1-1. A second time, he again opted for a pass. Both possessions ended with disastrous results: one a steal and one a missed 3 pointer by Posey. KG’s totals for the quarter: 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 turnovers. KG’s reluctance to take over late in games is something that’s been a constant criticism of his game. It reared its ugly head again in the waning moments of Game 6.
Forget that the Celtics blew out Atlanta the next game at the Garden. I knew that they would win this game (although I never thought it would be another blow out). Their real task now is to beat Cleveland convincingly at home and on the road to dispel the notions that this isn’t a championship caliber team.
The matchups for the Celtics defensively are even more daunting against the Cavaliers than they were against the Hawks. If Boston had to expend so much defensive capital to contain Joe Johnson, how are they going to contain Le Bron ? And if they do, Cleveland has a host of outside shooters (Gibson, Wally, West) that can cause them real damage. It could be that 2 ex Celtics players end up haunting Boston the most, and in the process end Boston’s quest for that 17th championship. At least for this year.
The Celtics success in the regular season is only relevant in that they won home court. Nothing else really counts now. The playoffs are an entirely different season. Atlanta’s surprising challenge is testament to that.
Misc. Notes
Ever since Kevin Garnett came into the league in 1994 as araw 18 year old drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, I have been an unabashed fan of his game. Over the years, watching his development from a kid with promise into a superstar hardened my admiration as a fan. I have always really liked basketball, but over the years watching KG and the Wolves, through the bad times and the good times, I learned more about the game and it has now taken a firm second place in my own personal pantheon of sports I enjoy.
As KG matured as a player, there were many positives as well as negatives about his qualities as a player. One of the most astonishing things about his game is his passion and energy, which are exhibited in a a seemingly limitless manic fashion. I always thought his durability was always extraordinary because for as hard as he plays the game, he is hardly ever injured. I would bet that the number of minutes played were divided by number of minutes injured, KG would always rank pretty high in a list of contemporary player. The only other player I can think of that was never injured is Michael Jordan.
Always a very athletic player who could jump, run, shoot, KG probably excelled at defense the most. But his defense ability is not of the Bill Russell (a dominating center with incredible shot blocking ability) or Michael Jordan variety (a tremendous shutdown ability); his effect on defense is more subtle, and it basically boils down to enabling his teammates into accepting a team defensive philosophy and his ability to enable that using his incredible athleticism.
The big knock on KG has been his unwillingness to “take over a game” on the offensive end. Unlike Jordan, Kobe, or Lebron who seem to relish being the focal point on offense at critical junctures of games, KG has always chosen to “defer” to lesser teammates. As a result, he often disappears at crunch time and hasn’t always exhibited clutch like performance. The reason for this may be more psychological than anything else. I could see arguments being made for KG not having played that many crucial playoff games in his career, but this tentativeness has always been part of his game, regular or playoff season alike. Another factor, I think, is that KG expends so much energy on defense that his offensive tank is literally empty at the end of tight games. While he will probably be recognized by basketball cognoscenti as being an influential and dominating defensive presence, regular basketball fans don’t ever equate taking over a game with a player playing great defense. Last second shots always resonate louder than blocks or steals.
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