Celtics-Bulls
Much has been said and written about the Bulls-Celtics series (currently tied 2-2) - and I don’t have much to add, except to post two points in this forum for those who may not be paying attention:
1. What a tremendously exciting series. The Celtics may lose, they may win - I have no idea. But the games have been terrific. Great plays from both teams, with players on both teams stepping up to make shots… to block shots… whatever.
2. Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose are the two best point guards in the Eastern Conference. Fwiw, they’re each the best player on their respective team, in this series. Ben Gordon has been pouring in the points - he’s played great - but Rose is the better player. KG is out, but Pierce and Allen are still there - and both will have busts in Springfield, MA one day. Still, Rondo has been the best Celtic in this series. These two young guards are driving, slashing, scoring, dealing, rebounding, defending, and generally making one exciting play after another. Rondo has been more consistently better in the series, especially overall - but Rose has been mostly stellar. It’s going to be very, very fun watching these two go at each other for many years to come.
P.S. When Danny Ainge acquired Rondo on draft day a few years back, Dick Vitale actually had something negative to say about a player - that tells you how lowly he thought of Rondo’s pro prospects. Vitale knows a lot more about basketball than I ever will, but it seems clear that in Rondo’s case, he was mistaken. I don’t know if he’s since admitted his error, not that he has to… but knowing him, he may have. I admit that when acquired a guy that was drafted #21 after not even starting for a not-very-good Kentucky team, I had serious doubts. Fortunately, Danny Ainge knows a lot more about basketball than I do as well. Rondo is out-standing.
P.P.S. If you don’t believe me, or don’t know what I’m talking about, tune into the rest of the Bulls-Celtics series. You’ll see. Trust me. You won’t be disappointed - even if you don’t have a horse in the race, and even if you don’t particularly enjoy the NBA… I *defy* anyone to watch the Bulls-Celtics and tell me they were bored. Can’t be done.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Not sure if any of you tuned in, but *another* thrilling overtime game last night, in game 5. This is the first time in NBA history that one series has produced three overtime games - and this series isn’t over yet. I’d like to see the Celts win Game 6 and be done with these Baby Bulls… but I have to believe this series is going seven. Given how close it’s been (outside Game 3), I’ll almost feel cheated if it *doesn’t* go seven.
As an aside, I have the luxury of listening to the Celtics normal broadcast guys do the play-by-play on local cable, while the rest of the country gets the TNT guys. I’m not even sure who’s doing the TNT telecast, but I assure that Mike Gorman and (specifically) Tommy Heinsohn are *far* more entertaining… hmmm, yes, I assure you.
Heinsohn is no Johnny Most, only cuz… well, *nobody* can be *that* much of a screaming maniac of a homer. But Heinsohn is the closest I’ve ever heard. Unlike Most, he does occasionally allow that the refs made a correct call against the Celtics (or for the opponent)… but it is rare. Otherwise, he sounds like he’s jumping out of his seat to go chase down the offending ref himself for the bodacious and outrageous inaccuracies in the officiating of the game.
Just one example: If you saw the highlights, you saw Rondo’s forearm shiver to Brad Miller’s face at the end of OT to prevent an easy layup (and Miller, still reeling minutes later from the assault, understandably missed the FTs - even though he’s a very good FT shooter, especially for a big man). According to Heinsohn, Rondo barely touched him and Miller flopped. Even Gorman had to interject, “Um, Tommy… he clobbered him.” So Heinsohn relented (sort of) and concluded something to the effect of, “Well, serves him right - for that crap he pulled to get Ray Allen fouled out of the game. I *still* can’t believe *that* call!!!”
Pure entertainment.
When I was a kid, my dad and I would watch the Celtics on TV - but put the volume down so we could listen to Most on the radio. It was as if Most was watching an entirely different game than us, but it was exceedingly entertaining, as a result. Now, again even though Heinsohn isn’t Most’s equal, I get the best of both worlds on the TV telecast. I’m watching one game, and listening to Heinsohn tell me about an entirely different game… all on the same channel. What more could I possibly ask for?
(Well… I *could* ask that the Bruins take home the Cup this season, so that I can see all four local teams take home championships this decade… or more specifically, in the past five years - but that’s probably asking too much.)
May 1st, 2009 at 3:48 am
It seems, Mr. Clifford, that after game 6… that *you will get yours*. By this I mean that I will actually watch some professional basketball. This is a bad-ass series.
May 1st, 2009 at 8:57 am
True that. Believe it or not, I would’ve been a little upset (though admittedly, not *too* much) if the Celtics had won last night. This series, and these two teams, deserve a Game 7. I don’t see how either of these teams gets past Cleveland in the Conference Finals - and I’m not even sure either survives Orlando in the next round… but that doesn’t matter. This series has been out-standing.
Last night’s triple-OT, along with the previous double-OT, and two single-OT games… let’s see, my abacus says that’s *four* OT games in a single series. And yes sports fans, that’s the most OT games in any NBA series… e-ver.
If you haven’t watched any of this series, you are worse off for it. But there’s still time to tune in Saturday night at 8PM for Game 7. I’m gluttonous… so I’m hoping for yet *another* OT thriller… or at the very least, a game that goes down to the last possession in OT.
May 1st, 2009 at 9:26 am
How dare you interrupt baseball season with this pseudo sport talk
May 1st, 2009 at 11:38 am
Perhaps if you had an NBA team in Wisconsin, you’d actually have interest - but that’s between you and David Stern cuz… oops… wait… um… oh yeah, the Bucks. Nevermind.
May 1st, 2009 at 9:14 pm
A couple of thoughts:
* Living here in Boston now, I can avail myself of listening to Tommy Heinsohn on occasion and I just don’t have the words to describe it. The best analogy I can offer is that he’s like listening to my slightly bitter uncle riled up on his sixth tumbler of Dewars, with just a splash of soda (not too much! whaddaya doing for Chris-sakes?!?!) using his outdoor voice after Christmas Dinner. For about 20 minutes - he’s great. But, that’s about all I can do. Afterwards, I flip over to TNT or ESPN.
* I’m not a Celtics fan, but these games have had me pacing all over my living room nerviously chewing on my shirt like Jerry Tarkanian. I’m an utter mess during and afterwards. I’m an old man with a weak heart and I can’t take any more of this.
* I have absolutely, positively, no freaking clue what is, or is not, a foul in the NBA. None. Not at all. After watching about a dozen playoff games, if someone asked me to explain the NBA rules to them - I couldn’t do it.
* Lots of people (e.g., Cliffy) think that the Cavs and LeBron are now a lock to win the title. I’m not one of them. Maybe it’s because I still shake with an atavistic tic every time I see John Elway, Michael Jordan or Craig Ehlo, but I think the Cavs are doomed to get coldly and efficiently beaten down by the merciless Lakers and terminator Kobe. I can’t stand Kobe. But, I think he’s got a huge revenge chip on his should from last year. And, I thpnk the loose happy go lucky Cavs will be on the receiving end. Once again, the mighty Cuyahoga will go smok’in through my dreams. Burn on big river, burn on,….
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
Game 7 ended up being a 10-point victory for the Celtics - but for those of you who *still* refused to tune in for yourselves, let me assure you that the outcome was in doubt until the last minute of the game. I forget the exact time, roughly a little more than a minute to play… Bulls down by eight. IIRC, they score a 2-pt basket, steal the inbounds and the ever-dangerous Ben Gordon uncorks a three-pointer (which he’s made so many of this series - guarded or not). If it drops, it’s a one-possession game with around a minute to go. Somehow, it missed. Then the Celtics ended the game making their free throws (11 in a row, I believe) - which made the final difference appear larger than it should’ve.
Both teams were clearly exhausted, and the play suffered a bit in the fourth quarter… but it was still a very dramatic Game 7, IMHO - and undoubtedly an excellent series.
As for the Magic, I just don’t see how the Celtics are going to contain Howard. Perk could play decent-enough defense on him, but in so doing, it seems clear to me he will necessarily get into early foul trouble. No way Big Baby can guard him, which leaves… Brian Scalabrine. Seriously. And when Scal inevitably fouls out… um… well… is Greg Kite walking through that door?!
It’s possible the Celts can get by the Maqic - but it will require a terrific coaching job by Doc, outstanding efforts by Pierce and Allen (on both ends of the court), consistent contributions from the bench (unlike the Chicago series, where the bench only showed up for Game 7), and a bit of luck (in that Howard’s likely averaging 25+ ppg and 15+ rpg for the series will somehow not be enough for the Magic to advance).
I understand ENeu’s cautiousness, but I’m jumping on the Lebron Bandwagon now… before it gets too full. I truly believe he (and his teammates) will not be denied this June.