Garnett Takes a Moment

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->

With under 3 minutes to go against the Milwaukee Bucks Tuesday night, Rajon Rondo passed to Ray Allen behind the 3-point line, where he canned an uncontested shot—completely deflating whatever hopes the Bucks had left of mounting a comeback. Sound familiar? It should, as Ray Allen is well-reputed for his brandishing of the “dagger” shot over his 10+ years in the NBA. In fact, when Ray Allen retires from this game, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if they make him handover said “dagger”, just as a retiring law enforcement official would be asked to turn in his gun and shield. So invariably the question must be asked: How does the greatest 3-point shooter of all time get a wide open uncontested straightaway three in the closing minutes of a, to this point at least, still hotly contested and undecided basketball game? There are obviously a number of situations that could lead to this transpiring: great point guard play, missed defensive assignments, Carlos Delfino inextricably diving head first into the crowd, your coach is Vinny Del Negro, etc. But unfortunately for the Bucks, none of those perfectly acceptable excuses for leaving Ray Allen open could be to blame. The Bucks in fact played it exactly as they schemed for it. In other words, the Bucks were willing to, or rather were actively and purposefully, sagging off the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA to double team Garnett in the post. Under normal circumstances it probably is not all that significant that any team would have to play “pick your poison” with a Celtics team that nightly features three first ballot hall of famers in their starting line-up. The significance of this play does not simply lie within the framework of this one particular game of many, but instead might serve as the moment this season when the NBA collectively realized that not only were the “rumors of KG’s demise greatly exaggerated”, they were in fact down right silly; or the moment when NBA coaches realized just how effed they really were, now that they have to scheme for the Big Ticket on both sides of the court; or perhaps the moment when the players of the league realized that Garnett was still The Big Ticket, and that they have already subconciously reverted back to where they can’t help but feel like Brooks from Shawshank Redemption, once he was paroled from prison and back in a now very scary real world, so that every time they play Garnett they’ll be thinking: “I don’t like it here. I’m tired of being afraid all the time.” (and then procede to hang themselves as Brooks did); or even the moment when the fans allowed themselves to forget they ever asked: Will KG ever be the same? And instead started asking themselves the important questions like Does banner have one "n" or two? But it was only one moment, and the Celtics are a still a very long way from ban(n)er 18; however, it was an important moment nonetheless, one of many this team will have to have as they contiune on the road to reclaiming their title.