Silence The Critics - Finish The Pistons

by Jeff Clark on May 30, 2008 8:36 AM EDT in Boston Celtics Games

A win tonight would go a long way towards silencing critics like Ken Berger of Newsday:

This is who the Celtics are. They don’t have that extra something the great teams need to close out playoff series and win championships.
They don’t have it yet, and I seriously doubt they are going to find it in the NBA Finals against the Lakers or - by some miracle - the Spurs. And that’s if they have enough left in the tank to finish off the Pistons.
What about the facts, though? Is the Celtics’ jaw as vulnerable as it seems? You be the judge, but I say there’s no dispute.
In 19 playoff games this postseason, the Celtics have been outscored 450-403 in the fourth quarter, an average deficit of 2.47 points. In the other three quarters, they’ve outscored their opponents 1,339-1,214, an average of 6.58 points.

Those stats are nice, but all that matters to me is that we are one win away from the Finals.

Gerry Callahan of the Herald offers his take as well:

That aura they earned with their historic regular season? Let’s face it, it’s been ripped away like a layer of scar tissue by the lesser lights of the Eastern Conference over the last month. A loss tonight means the Celtics will be forced to play their third straight seven-game series. Their road record in the postseason will be 1-8. Their journey through the playoffs will be remembered for one thing above all others: No one has ever worked as hard to reach the NBA Finals.
Now the Celtics have one last chance to deliver a devastating knockout punch against an Eastern Conference opponent, and that comes tonight, on the road, in a nasty environment, against the NBA’s version of Kimbo Slice. This is the Celtics’ opportunity to do something extraordinary in this postseason, to kick in the door to the championship round.

I have to agree. This is their opportunity to make a statement. If they win tonight, they will have beaten the next best team in the regular season 4 games to 2. If they lose, they have to keep hearing from critics like Berger (not to mention a possible elimination game).

Once again, you can't technically call this a must-win when we're up a game in the series. But to approach it with anything less than intense focus and borderline desperation is a mistake they cannot make. Close them out. Finish the Pistons and move on one step closer to the goal. Get it done tonight.

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Comments

Sorry but I think this is a must win game for the Celtics. If they go into a game 7 vs this Pistion it’s a whole new ball game. The Piston aren’t the Hawks and Cavs. The Piston have won a game here in Boston during the play-offs. The Piston have won a championship during this decade. The Celtics do not want this to go to a game 7. Which makes this a must win game for the Celtics.

by CT34 on May 30, 2008 9:00 AM EDT reply actions

Also the Piston have been here before. They lost a game 5 on the road to the Heat which put them down 3-2. They game back to win game 6 at home and then went to Miami and won game 7. That win put them in the finals to face the Spurs. Just that fact only makes this a Must Win game for the Celtics. If you don’t think so talk to me on Monday and if the Celtics aren’t in the finals we all would look back at game 6 as the one the Celtics should have gotten.

by CT34 on May 30, 2008 9:11 AM EDT reply actions

Pistons by 15, with or without Rip and with or without Chauncey playing well

by ZoSo on May 30, 2008 9:11 AM EDT reply actions

Ok. I will say one positive thing today.

Ray.

Paul.

Ray.

Paul.

Eddie.

Paul.

This is my strategy for the last 8 minutes tonight.

by ZoSo on May 30, 2008 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

Celts in six! Big Baby and Perk kick down that door! Not to mention the glass.

by celty86 on May 30, 2008 9:22 AM EDT reply actions

I hope the team uses some of this as bulletin board material. I’m not sure if they need this stuff to motivate them but they really need to come out tonight as if they are down 3-2 in the series. The poster above is right . . . a Game 7 against the Pistons is just asking to get upset and miss out on a chance against the Lakers.

by CelticsPrideKG on May 30, 2008 9:28 AM EDT reply actions

In my mind, the bottom line is that they have not trailed in a series the whole postseason. Everytime the HAVE to win (Game 5’s, Game 7’s) they do.

by BonK on May 30, 2008 9:53 AM EDT reply actions

we all want to win today-so does detroit. they will have a bigger say than us. we need the rest and the coaches need some time to regather. perk needs to play hisoutworldly game and someone from the bench has to deliver-maybe posey.

by nazzbo on May 30, 2008 9:54 AM EDT reply actions

In game 5 KG, Paul and Ray played great. Rondo and Perk played great too. We might not get a game like that our of Perk the rest of the way and still the Celtics almost lost to game AT HOME to the Piston.

The Celtics do not want to face the Piston in a game 7. The Piston would be happen to play in a game 7 were as the Celtics would be somewhat disappoint to. The if the Celtics are to win this series they must win tonight. If this goes to game 7 I doubt they will win. I’m just keeping it real.

by CT34 on May 30, 2008 10:04 AM EDT reply actions

The Bergman piece was extremely shallow and most of his points were poorly supported. That said, the Celtics NEED to win and advance for many of the reasons laid out above…and as a side benefit it would be great to keep this kind of lazy writing from making this guy look like he was right.

by drza44 on May 30, 2008 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

Berger almost had my respect until I read the following:

So who is going to save Garnett and the Celtics from themselves? Ray Allen finally broke free for 29 points Wednesday night, but neither he nor Pierce commands enough defensive attention because they donâ€™t create their own shots off the dribble.

umm, Pierce is fantastic at creating shots off the dribble – watch a game once in a while Ken

by Jeff Clark on May 30, 2008 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

That analogy of the Pistons to Kimbo Slice is ridiculous. If he’s going to make an MMA reference, he should at least know that Kimbo is a one man hype machine that has done nothing in the sport of MMA. He is pretty much showing that all he knows about MMA he learned on ESPN’s E60.

by Bleedgreen on May 30, 2008 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

Wow the negativity in this town sucks! LOL Still like the C’s even in a game 7. It’s home for heaven’s sake! Sure the Pistons are good and can win anywhere but we are great at home. Ken, I think Ray Allen can create a little off the dribble too!! Foolish…

by celty86 on May 30, 2008 11:24 AM EDT reply actions