Game 6 Denial

What is wrong with the Boston Celtics? Has this whole season been a big tease? After losing a critical game 6 in Atlanta, I'm left wondering if C's are for real. They can't win 1 game out of 3 on the road against the Hawks? Really?!?!?!?!? Atlanta won 37 games this year, or slightly more than half of what Boston won. We are the top seed in the conference. We've played suffocating defense all year. We've played our game, and refused to sink to the level of inferior teams . . . until now.

I don't mean to take credit away from Atlanta. They are playing with tenacity and focus at home, looking more like a veteran team than we do. They are making big plays, while benefitting from of several of the worst calls in recent playoff memory. The officiating in this series has been so bad that we see where these David Stern "conspiracy theories" originate from. Does the league need this series to be close? The playoffs are supposed to be more physical. If the famed Kevin McHale/Kurt Rambis clothesline took place in this series, would McHale be suspended for 5 years? Tonight Paul Pierce fouled out of the game on a call that wouldn't get made in an NAA practice game. I'm blown away that such a game changing call would be made for such minor contact. It was pathetic! Every big call went Atlanta's way tonight, as they seemingly went to the line every 4.5 seconds. "Someone in the viscinity of Mike Bibby took a breathe. 2 shots fellas, relax on the first."

But as bad the refs were, there are bigger problems here. I still have little doubt Boston will win in game 7, if only because Atlanta is a disaster on the road. But what happens down the road should we face Lebron? The Pistons? The Spurs? The Lakers? Will we have an easier time on the road against far better opponents? Or is Atlanta simply a really bad matchup for the Celtics? To be sure they are longer and leaner, faster and better leapers. Josh Smith will no doubt earn a max contract when he signs his next deal, as will Joe Johnson. Josh Childress has come up with every big rebound (he's a guard!) and Al Horford appears to be the toughest player on the court. But they aren't as good as Boston. If they were, they surely would've won more games this year. Maybe we will have an easier time against less athletic opponents, but I'm not counting on it now.

Kevin Garnett, who I've praised all year, has convinced me he does not deserve MVP in this series. He's not a finisher, never has been, never will be. He is a great talent and never quits, but he's missing the confidence in his offense at the end of games, and it's hurting. Ray Allen shot worse tonight than I've ever seen. In fact, nobody on the team seemed to want the ball in their hands on the last several possessions. Pierce is the only man on the roster capable of breaking down a defense 1-on-1. He draws double-teams and gets to the line. But with Pierce on the bench, we looked clueless and more importantly lifeless, in the 4th quarter.

I've ridden coach Doc Rivers hard for years (even this year amidst praise from sports analysts)and long wondered if his flaws as a playmaker would show come crunch time. My fears came true when down 2 and 11 seconds left, they opted to run a play for Allen to shoot an off-balance 3-pointer with a hand in his face coming off a pick. He's been shooting terrible all night! How do you not go for 2 in this spot? You get it into the post and leave yourself time for everyone else to crash the boards. Maybe the refs reciprocate a call and send KG to the line.

I don't know when Leon Powe became the most ferocious Celtic, but others better rise to the occassion and fast. Doc needs to go bigger. Play P.J. Brown and Big Baby. Keep Perkins on the floor with KG and Powe, and let Pierce play shooting guard. Atlanta is not a good defensive team and we should be able to muscle them inside. When Josh Smith picked up his 5th foul, I figured they'd be attacking the basket with wreckless abandon. Even Isiah Thomas would know to do that. Instead we settled for lots of dribbling and long jumpers. It's not a pick-up game!

All things considered, no one person is to blame. I blame Doc and KG, J.Johnson and Marvin Williams. I blame Pierce and Rondo, Cassell and Allen. I blame the fans and the refs, the commissioner and Danny Ainge (because well, why not?) I blame the Lakers, for inspiring dreams of a Boston/L.A. finals matchup for the first time in 21 years. I blame the Patriots for making us believe an upset of this magnitude is possible. I blame everyone associated with this game for forcing me to put up with another asenine post-game rant by Steven A. Smith.

If I sound like we've lost the series, it's because in a way I feel we have. A 7 game series win against the upstart Hawks is not how I envisioned this playoff run starting. It's gonna be a slow grind to build this die-hard's confidence back up, beginning Sunday at the Garden. And anyone who mentions Lebron again before Sunday night should have their head examined.