The Celtics went up 3-0 with a 100-98 win over the Heat. Here is Pierce’s game-winner:
Pierce always wants to get to the same spot — about 20-feet out to the right of the top of the key. The defender needs to force him left and make him uncomfortable. By having his left leg back, the defender invited Pierce to go right, and that played right into his hands.
It looks like Miami is done.
The NBA announced Sunday evening that Kevin Garnett has been suspended for Game 2 of the Celtics’ first round series with the Heat “for striking the Miami Heat’s Quentin Richardson in the head with an elbow.” In addition, Richardson has been fined $25,000 for his role in the altercation.
Some are saying that this suspension “opens the door” for the Heat, but the truth is that the door is pretty open with or without Garnett in the lineup. The Celtics did look good for a quarter and a half in Game 1, but that doesn’t mean that they were/are a shoe-in to win the series.
Did he deserve to be suspended? It would have been nice if the altercation could have been diffused without all the posturing, but that’s Kevin Garnett for you. He relishes in sticking his chin in his opponent’s face and this time he threw a (stupid) elbow. Now his team has to try to win without him.
Game 2 is on TNT Tuesday night.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
The matchups are set and the first round starts this weekend. In the East, the top four teams — Cleveland, Orlando, Boston and Atlanta — seem like good bets to advance, while in the West, I wouldn’t be shocked if the bottom four seeds — Utah, Portland, San Antonio and Oklahoma City — were to make the second round. Here’s a quick look at each series:
Cavaliers vs. Bulls
It’s not often that a team that had a 10-game losing streak end in mid-February recovers and makes the postseason, but that’s exactly what the Bulls have done, winning 10 of their last 14 to capture the final playoff spot in the East. Chicago has the tools to make this a series, and with Shaquille O’Neal coming back from a long break, there’s a chance this could go to six or seven games. But in the end, Cleveland should have plenty of firepower to put the Bulls away.
Celtics vs. Heat
If there’s going to be an upset in the East, this will probably be it. The C’s have limped into the playoffs, losing eight of their last 13 games. Meanwhile, the Heat went 18-4 in February and March, but were just 4-3 against teams with winning records. Boston swept the season series despite Dwyane Wade’s terrific numbers (34-5-9, 50% shooting), so if anyone else steps up, the streaking Heat have a good shot at stealing the first or second game and gaining control of the series.
Hawks vs. Bucks
If Andrew Bogut were healthy, I’d pick Milwaukee, but the Bucks are going to have a tough time winning a seven-game series against a pretty good Atlanta team that has won 13 of its last 19 games. The Bucks’ defense could keep the games (and the series) close, but the Hawks should have enough to move on.
Magic vs. Bobcats
Orlando is peaking at the right time, going 19-3 in February and March. However, one of those losses was at home against Charlotte. The Bobcats are playing well too — they’re 16-7 over their last 23 games. Both teams are excellent defesively; they’re tied for first in defensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions), so expect a few tight games. But Orlando just has too much talent.
Epic fail.
Somewhere, Bill Simmons is laughing to keep from crying.
Rivers is apparently considering stepping down after the season, according to the Boston Herald.
There has been similar speculation in the past, but this time the planets seem better aligned for a move. One of Rivers’ sons, Jeremiah, will be a senior next season on the Indiana University hoop team and daughter Callie, a volleyball star, will be in her final year at the University of Florida. Another son, Austin, is a top basketball prospect who will be finishing high school.
“Part of it is true,” Rivers said of the speculation. “Every year I sit down in the middle of the summer and I have a family discussion. We talk about what we want to do. That’s nothing new, but every year it gets stronger and stronger. And I think people are making some common sense reads. I’ve got three seniors next year, two in college and one in high school. That’s important to me. We’re all family men. We all have kids.
“Every year you’ve got to weigh what’s best for your kids. That’s just the way it is. But, I don’t get into it now. I don’t talk about it. I’ve never told anyone one way or the other, and that’s how it’s always been.”
It sounds like Rivers wants to take some time off and spend time with his kids as they enter their final years of college and high school.
The Celtics aren’t done by any means, but Kevin Garnett really needs to bounce back and play at an All-Pro level if this team is going to go anywhere in the near future. The problem there is that KG is 34 and there’s no guarantee that he’s going to get the lift back in his legs that has been missing since the surgery.
Rivers already has his title, so it seems like a good time to take a break. The article noted that he could do a little television to stay engaged, and he’d probably have his pick of jobs in a year or two.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
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