Celtics Vs Cavs: AKA 'How I Learned To Love Again'

by Tom Bellinger on May 20, 2010 2:58 PM EDT in Boston Celtics Articles

Author's note: This is a (pretty long winded) personal account, and does not claim to be a representation of anyone else's viewpoint other than my own. -IP

"We've lost to New Jersey, we've lost to [other teams with poor records], but if we make a run in the playoffs, will you forget it? That's my question. … If we don't, then it's probably who we were all year -- an inconsistent team -- at least in the second half of the year. We'll find that out." -- Doc Rivers, April 9, 2010 (Via ESPN)

It started to set in after Christmas. Christmas was a good time, one could even argue the last 'good time' of the regular season. The Celtics had just given us the gift of a road win, without Paul Pierce, and to boot it was against the hated Magic who had already scored first blood on the year back in November. From there, we never really got our swagger back.

Next game was a loss to the Clippers. Then the Warriors. Then some 'alright' wins followed by a string of five losses in seven games. That's when it dawned on me. The "oh crap" moment. The moment when it really hits home...we're not as good as I thought we were.

The rest of the season I don't need to rehash in any kind of detail. We can run the highlights. Four games, four losses to Atlanta, who for the Celtics is like losing a wrestling match to your little brother. It was a confidence killer, at least to fans. Two more losses to Orlando. A 20 pt loss to Cleveland....and those were the 'good' losses. Those looked like the happy times when you measured them against the bad losses.

New Jersey won 12 out of 82 games all year. One of them was against the Celtics. That was the first game where I thought 'excuses are no longer valid'. The last eight games of the season consisted of seven 'should wins' and one toss up against Cleveland. The boys won the game against Cleveland, but lost to the Knicks, Wizards, Bulls, and Bucks. Home court boo-ings. Allegations of 'chemistry issues'. Losses, to the freaking Knicks. To say the Celtics limped into the playoffs is like saying Rudy 'just had a sack'. We all hoped for the best, but feared the worst. The bravest of us said there was no problem. There was admiration for their commitment, but pity too, because you knew deep down, it wasn't true. That's how it felt on Friday, April 16th. Then, the playoffs started.

The first game was encouraging, I suppose. Two points down after three quarters, then a fourth quarter with nearly five scoreless minutes from the Heat and good solid Celtics basketball in a tense playoff atmosphere type game, fight included. Nine point win, but it was at home, against the Heat. Temper those expectations, right?

The second game was more convincing. The 'Ticket Stub' made an appearance after Garnett had to sit for elbowing a loudmouth poser in Game 1. The game was an exercise in domination. A 44-8 run starting in the second. It was a massacre, and we reveled in it. Exclamations of "This is Celtic's Basketball!!!111!!" rang out in the forums, and rightly so. Two games does not equal four, thought, so the boys still had some work to do, but signs were to say the least, promising. You had to be the most hard boiled of cynics to remind yourself that 'this was just the Heat. We're supposed to blow them out'. Fans had been waiting for this win since Christmas, and it was enjoyed.

Many of us expected a game three loss. That's what the 'regular season' Celtics would've done. They would have lost the game they were expected to lose, and Miami, while they weren't supposed to win the series, they weren't going to roll over. And to be fair, they didn't.

They just didn't count on Paul Pierce outplaying Dwayne Wade at home. A game winner. Playoff basketball, baby. The Captain delivers. Dreams of 2008 begin to surface. We giggle like school girls, start talking about the first Celtics playoff sweep since..man I don't even know.

Game four was a bit of a let down, but it made sense. It wasn't one of those Celtics losses where you went to bed thinking "Why??.....Why??????" Dwayne Wade had to be a hero at least once, especially if he is leaving Miami (which he isn't). It wasn't a heart-breaker game, and like elite teams do, Boston knocked Miami out in game five without much muss. Rajon Rondo had the first of his '10 playoff franchise player games with 16 points, 12 assists, and 8 boards.

Next up was Cleveland. The Goliath. The impossible. The same team that, when they were significantly worse, took Boston to 7 games in the Eastern semifinals . Everyone was piling on, people were talking Cavs sweep. Nobody gave the Celtics a shot, except for us. We all believed it was possible, though I hesitate to say we thought it was probable.

Game one, I did the preview. It was a 'heart over head' piece. My heart said we could steal it. My head said there is no way that the Celtics I saw during the regular season could take Game 1 in the Q. No way. Simply should not happen.

Turns out, my head was right. Not by much though, not if our boys held that lead. This was Game One in the Q. This was the game where Cleveland was supposed to make our boys 'respect their author-it-eye'. All they did was win a hard fought game, and squeak one out at home. That's the type of game where if the Celtics had played it and been the overwhelming favorites, Bill Simmons would be calling for Doc's head. Game one was a disappointment only because it was a loss. That sounds stupid but it gave us hope. It helped us believe that game two could happen, in the Q, against the false prophet LeBron. It laid the groundwork.

So fast forward past all the speculation to game 2. Point in fact (which i understand I'm using incorrectly. Move on, ty-PO police.) we knew the Celtics were not just fodder for the LeBron machine, we knew the LeBron Machine could be stopped, and our boys could do it. 13 points, 19 assists from Rondo. 22 points and 7 boards from Ray. 17 points, 3-4 from 3, and a bald spot from Rasheed Wallace. It all equals out to be an 18 point win and maybe the best 3rd quarter I've ever seen from the Celtics. Best third quarter I will ever remember anyways. Heck yeah. Game two was the game where that inner rational bully, that guy that watched every regular season game, that said "Good Luck, you're going to need it" heading into the playoffs, Game 2 is the game that shut him up. Game 2 was our "He's not a machine! He's a man!" moment.

The game was in a word...transcendawesomeity. I don't know the words. The Celtics, the Celtics fans, heck the now full bandwagon headed back to Boston with their heads high, ready for blood. Ready to show David Stern, and the Illuminati, and the people who faked the moon landing just who was boss, that no conspiracy could hold us down.

Then game three hit like a ton of bricks. LeBron played like people say he is supposed to. The worst playoff loss in franchise history. I'm man enough to admit I only watched three and a half quarters of game, and what I did watch I watched on mute while I consumed copious amounts of homebrew. If I had a nickle for every time I screamed in frustration 'OH COME ON!'...well I'd have a crap load of nickles.

This was a loss that would make even the strongest man doubt his team's resolve. Booed at home during a conference semi-finals game. It was in a word, sad. It was disheartening. It was also all part of the journey.

Game four, grab your rosaries. Cleveland comes into the contest up 2-1 coming off of a fresh completely one-sided win over the C's, they have just regained home court advantage, and LeBron James is coming off of his best game of the series so far. There is a pretty good chance the Celtics go down 3-1 on the series after the egg they laid on Thursday, and it was likely within the next week our boys in green could be sent home fishing.

Boston needed a hero if they wanted to make it a series, let alone advance. Rajon Rondo was that hero. 29 points, 13 assists, and 18 rebounds. I have that line memorized. Everyone probably has that line memorized. It was one of those "where were you" kind of games. I was at my parents house that Sunday, allegedly we had dinner at some point in there, but I don't remember that. I just remember the game. One game removed from the toughest home playoff loss in franchise history, the Celtics bounced back. THAT is what they've been missing all season. That kind of resiliency. In many ways I was more surprised by the toughness shown in this win than I was in the ability of the Celtics to steal one in Cleveland.

Boston headed back to Cleveland and absolutely demolished them. Repaid them for the massacre they left at the TD Garden by giving Cleveland their OWN worst home playoff loss in franchise history. I don't want to get too much into this game, because it was an utter blowout. Rondo and the Celtics beat Cleveland in Game 4, but it was a tough game that didn't gain any separation until the 4th quarter. In game five, Cleveland was done in the second quarter. They just quit. Even LeBron was phoning it in after the half. Just a slaughter.

The two bloodied teams headed back to Boston with the Celtics up 3 games to 2 on the series. The Celtics needed only one more win to advance...the Cavaliers needed 9 more wins to guarantee that LeBron doesn't leave this summer. In the end, after Game 6, nobody really stood out. LeBron got his triple double, but it wasn't enough. not after the Celtics had obviously now in retrospect broken the Cavaliers back in Game 5. Rondo had his twenty-ten, with assists, KG had his twenty-ten with rebounds, and basically the team won together.

The Cleveland series was more than just a satisfying way of 'flipping the bird' at David Stern and his hype machine. It was more than just another opponent on the way to another shot at immortality for the Celtics. It was a rejuvenation for me. I can't speak for any other fan, but I bet my experience is not singular. The 2008 playoffs were not about tempered expectations, they weren't about rationality. They were about destiny. Somewhere, our boys lost that. Whether it was in Garnett's bone spurs, or BBD's broken thumb, or Rasheed's cornrows or whatever...I lost that kind of unconditional support..that kind of love that you have for a team you just know is going to take it all. I didn't dislike them, and it wasn't like I lacked respect for them...I was just tired of being let down, if that makes sense. I lost the love. The Cleveland series brought that back to me.

As the afterglow of the series washed over me and people were saying their goodbyes in the War Room (WAR ROOM!) that's when it dawned on me. The 'oh crap' moment. The moment when it really hits home.....we're better than I thought we were...we're a lot better.

As I write this we're currently up 2-0 on the Orlando Magic, and we're heading back to Boston with hopes of a sweep but even that is a secondary goal, and an unlikely one. The Celtics haven't swept anyone since before Charles Barkley was skinny. But if you told me right now that the Celtics were going to stroll into Boston and beat Orlando by 25 points on Saturday, I'd believe it. If you told me that the Celtics were going to be the 2010 NBA Champions after sweeping the Lakers, I'd tell you that's unlikely...but I believe it could happen.

What can I say, I love this team.

Go get it, Captain. (via Foenixx)

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Nice account, IP...

I was one of the “true believers” for this team most of the season, until we closed out the season 3-7. That, more than the Nets game, made me think that we needed something more than to get healthy. I was still hopeful, but not confident; it was the first time that my view that “we are the best team in the NBA when healthy” wavered. The team didn’t seem to care anymore, and I was worried that that was going to carry over to the playoffs.

My faith was quickly restored after watching the team’s energy and hustle in the first two games against Miami, and things have been getting better and better since.

All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino

by Roy_Hobbs on May 20, 2010 1:51 PM EDT reply actions

Nice account!

I love this team too for proving to me that I was right to never truely give up on them. Yes I was frustrated, dissappointed, and at times borderline disgusted, i.e. losing to the Wizards and NJ at home.

Still though I couldn’t let myself stop believing in them completely. I held onto the one thought and that was if a team was indeed capable of flipping the switch it just might be this team. All the pieces were there, they were getting their health back, the big three were finally accepting and adjusting to the fact that this was no longer their team… it was their young QB’s a.k.a. Rondo’s team, and if they had one thing over a good chunk of teams that made it to the playoffs this year it’s that this team isn’t centered around just one player. A different player has led this tema in scoring in every game. Not the same player twice I might add.

enough rambling but just let me repeat how much I love the team and how much fun watching this playoff run has been so far.

by Sami282 on May 20, 2010 2:02 PM EDT reply actions

One sport... One team

The Celtics embody the greatest thing in sports; teamwork and an unyielding will to win. I love this championship franchise!

by 1sport1team on May 20, 2010 2:05 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah!

Celtics are the best in sports. Forget the Yankees.

by Celtics own the refs on May 20, 2010 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Tuning out the Regular Season

Frankly after the injuries and the talk by Doc and the players about how they were preparing for the post-season, I stopped watching them for the regular season. It clearly didn’t matter to them, and it wasn’t going to be indicative of how they were going to perform in the post-season. The first game I watched for months was game 1 of the Miami series. If there was a switch then the organized defense and creative attack would show up in those first few games and it did. That was evidence enough to know that they could make a finals run.

Two major worries were Rasheed and the possibility that Celtics might momentarily slip out of their sudden post-season form. Rasheed is back, but the team can still slip.

Excuse me for being a bad fan, but I took the early hint and I saved myself the disgust of watching their second half performances. By the way, this is awful precedent to set. I don’t want another Celtics team to coast through the regular season again.

by TangRen on May 20, 2010 2:08 PM EDT reply actions

Okay, but...

I get how you say it (the regular season play) wasn’t indicative of the post season play now..but how did you know then?

Did you know there was a switch based on anything in particular (besides comments…talk is cheap) or was it a feeling, a hope?

Because I hoped they’d turn in consistent effort in the post season, but nothing I saw during the regular season made be believe this was predetermined.

Reporter: About a year ago I asked about the Celtics-Lakers thing and you said you'd really only seen it on TV. Now you've been through it, can you talk about playing the Boston Celtics for the NBA championship?
Kobe: It Sucks.

by Tom Bellinger on May 20, 2010 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually....

Yes, there was reason to believe (tim hardin, where are you now?). You might have missed the link I posted yesterday to a January piece about the reasoning behind the abiding faith: http://www.redsarmy.com/home/2010/01/celtics-2010-strategy-lose-now-win-when-it-counts.html. That was the basis.

by DRJ1 on May 20, 2010 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

haha, well I think that was a good theory. Heck, it looks like it was even right. But, even you said this in your own comments!

DRJ: But truth is… after tonight’s Detroit game… I feel like retracting the rosy outlook. That was truly ugly, ugly stuff. From our starters. Ouch.

by Tom Bellinger on May 20, 2010 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah... ouch

It was hard, very hard in those days. I was disgusted too from time to time. But the logic was sound… I felt… and part of it included having to deal with games like that one… So in the end, it wasn’t that hard to maintain… albeit with a few dips in the curve.

by DRJ1 on May 20, 2010 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Everything looks great in hindsight

That’s why we argue so much in the present!

We don’t really argue one the games are done (actually some try, but end up getting labelled “trolls”).

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...6...

by Gil Meriken on May 20, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

*once the games are done

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...6...

by Gil Meriken on May 20, 2010 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

helps if you never watched their regular season play

I remember getting pissed off a few times in January, but if you gave up watching them during the regular season like I did, it’s easier not to think of how badly they played. Think of what would happen if Miami game 1 was your first impression of their game.

by TangRen on May 20, 2010 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

too hard to do that for me anyway

by Warrior Spirit on May 20, 2010 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, they started preparing for the playoffs just after beating Denver and

started playing around after clinching the division and home court against Sacramento.

by Celtics own the refs on May 21, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions

I denied them thrice.

Once when I switched off the Nets game, once during the remaining regular-season stretch (I forget exactly when), and once after Cleveland game 3.

Now, I have all I can do to refrain from trolling, over on some Fakers site.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, as Emerson said.

"People don't understand, if you can't live the rest of your life off one year in the NBA, you can't live off 21." -- Keon Clark

by Eeyore III on May 20, 2010 2:13 PM EDT reply actions

nice eeyoreIII

thrice…great word

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on May 20, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I think...

I think that what drove this team to this post-season madness was the fact they played unexpectedly good against Miami. Driven by that, it took some time for them to realize that they got the strength to go all the way this year. That’s why perhaps they lost 2 games to Cleveland – taking some time to settle down, and getting rid of the feeling they have no idea what or how they’re doing, except they’re beating down on Cleveland. And now, they’re past that. They just play the ball with the best feeling there is – never even thinking of losing as it’s something made for teams that got lots of things to learn, and knowing you’re simply unstoppable. It’s just what I think might have happened.
I believe in a sweep.

by LeoMoreno on May 20, 2010 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

I kept believing in the Celts

But I really started doubting myself! There had to really be something wrong with my mental capacities that, despite ALL indications to the contrary, I kept saying inane things like “whoever gets in to the playoffs has the game to win it all.” Why did I believe this…it sounded stupid, even to me. My closest friends and even my husband were laughing at me. Well, we still haven’t won the championship yet, and I am still saying we have as good a chance as anyone still in the hunt (and still believing it). I guess we will find out soon enough if it was just “blind” faith…not by whether they win the championship, but by the effort they put into the rest of their playoffs.

by thirstyboots18 on May 20, 2010 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

by Warrior Spirit on May 21, 2010 1:36 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

One remarkable thing about the postseason

We’ve been healthy all the way through. Never would have thought that a few months back.

by TheOutletPass on May 20, 2010 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

Ssshhhh

by Warrior Spirit on May 21, 2010 1:37 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Thanks, Indeed Proceed

This pretty much coincides with my journey with this team this season. My mood swings were a bit more extreme, though. I need to be more even keel.

by footey on May 20, 2010 2:56 PM EDT reply actions

good job ip. except barkley was never skinny, even en utero. whatever we get from here is gravy as far as i’m concerned because i never thought we’d get this far. but now that we’re here let’s go all the way.

by nazzbo on May 20, 2010 3:27 PM EDT reply actions

Do not have pity on those........

who continued to believe in this team and this team rewarded them with this turnaround. Admire them. Just admire them. That being said….nice article.

by kefa461 on May 20, 2010 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

I agree...now...

Hey, y’all look like little nostradamuses(eses?) now. But then…man there just wasn’t much of a leg to stand on after some of those games. And I’m not taking you down, I hate when people say things along the lines of “believe what you want…I don’t need faith I rely on facts”…because that’s garbage. We’re sports fans..we’re not supposed to necessarily rational.

by Tom Bellinger on May 20, 2010 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I think your closing statement of were not supposed to be rational really makes so much sense and will stick with me, it covers all bases, the believers, non believers, wagon jumpers, trash talkers, ignoramuses, takers, stat men and all others.

I am not trying to createa permanent divide between the optimists, realists and pessimists. It actually just hurt me to see such abandon for a team that just a few short years ago knew who their fans were and even with a piss poor record would still get that garden rockin. It was more, getting to see as PO would say, who would I want in my foxhole. And not that wagon jumpers didn’t leave, cause they did (and are probably back now) but it seemed as though the guys who remained optimistic, had some deeper knowledge of the nature of fandom and the game too. Not that I didn’t understand every gripe, but it actually made me sadder to witness the decline of so many real fans than the losses themselves (with a couple exceptions). We were only months removed from a valiant playoff effort from half a squad. Never count out a veteran HOF team, never count out YOUR team, never count out THIS team, believe that anything is possible is all I was trying to maintain.
As it turns out even though the mailed it in at the end, there was reason for concern by anyone, and I don’t hold it against anyone. Though I would hope that those of you who lost belief have learned something about either your team, yourself, or fandom in general. And so have I, as much as part of me wishes to rub it in faces, I cannot do that, because well there were reasons and because you remained fans even if not supportive ones (did they deserve it at times anyway) bcause well we are sportsfans and we are not supposed to be rational.

by Warrior Spirit on May 20, 2010 5:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

and yeah I can be a (self righteous) douche I know. I am working on it.
It is a weird thing this whole online community thing.
Dudes I have been so busy with my 21 month old baby girl who is quite on top of things, my own business, which is quite thankfully recovering from this economic downturn we have had, and have as if that were not enough, I have been taking nightclasses several nights a week for the 1st time in years. Needless to say time has been stretched thin. Oddly (for me anyway) I have spent more of my free time on here sticking with my C’s than anywhere else other than afore mentioned activities. Again it is quite unique to have gotten to know several of you guys personalities (albeit modestly I am sure) through this terribly impersonal level. Overall seems like a solid bunch, though I have little to compare it to, the only other blog/message board I have taken part of (also Celtics related) I left last year due to negativity, and have also found better content and analysis here. Yall should pride yourselves too, cause if you check out different blogs around the league we definetly seemed to luck out with the best of that, and a solid group of fans too, as little as we know each other (and believe me I understand it doesnt mean a thing) I have seen things in many of you that I respect. Continue to show those things, and if I were you I would embrace the contections one could make, why the hell not, never know where you may be that you will find a good man to protect your foxhole with. As it is for me it will be increasingly difficult for me to continue to follow like this, even the team to a certain extent, as my busy season is here already, and coming on like an onslaught. Unfortunately before the time free agency hits I may be just too enveloped in tasks ahead of me, that and sweat, (I aint no sheed though, I give it all year round).
Guess I am sayin I dont mean to be a d-bag, and that are some really decent warrior folk here, glad to know all of you as much as I do, even if I am commiting a blog faux pas and revealing too much, lol.

I am quite glad that you are all as excited as I am, as we few were all along, know that we were all frustrated with you, and have had fun, and exasperated moments with u folk, I will be glad to share in the excitement to come as well.

by Warrior Spirit on May 20, 2010 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions

excellent post Warrior

keep fighting the good fight…..spot in my foxhole for ya anytime…..

This blog is good place to be…….." I got nuthin but luv for all my peeps"

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on May 20, 2010 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Tanks Po

by Warrior Spirit on May 21, 2010 1:16 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Want to let both of you know that I think you’re cool. That was all, nothing else of value to add to what you’ve already said.

He knows not his own strength that hath not met adversity.

by Kungfuguy on May 21, 2010 2:27 AM EDT up reply actions

i agree...

…you guys derive the mystique…
…the source of which is right under our feet…
…we NEED more myth and passion in our devotion…
…and you all sense the pride that goes into that notion…

Let’s step back and take a good look at OUR team in green…

Let’s savor the (emotional) ride that was this year’s Boston Celtics. In whatever manner we remained watching helplessly or hopelessly…we’ve come through the other side knowing without a doubt that US and our TEAM has gone through ten times the adversity of any team in the league (except of course for the Portland Trailblazers…true fighters in their own right).

For this reason, BECAUSE of the previous struggles, we know the Celts (and its fans) can beat anyone…including the Lakers of “plastic LA”. Bring on the celebs and the socal smog-shine…i’ll take boston, all heart and soul…every single time.

Ashtray Bouquet

by ducksawce on May 22, 2010 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

correction

frustrated along with you, not with you

by Warrior Spirit on May 20, 2010 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions

IP...perhaps the best thing you have written

sincere Hat Tip……excellent work….

Earl Weaver (one of my favorite baseball coaches) said:

I became an optimist when I discovered that I wasn’t going to win any more games by being anything else.

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on May 20, 2010 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

Hey thanks amigo

I appreciate the sentiments, especially comin from the Master.

Also thanks to everyone else who said they liked it…heck thanks to everyone for reading it. I’ve been brewing on it since last week.

by Tom Bellinger on May 20, 2010 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Let me add my voice to that

Excellent read… not just because it’s well written, but because it’s (obviously) real.

by DRJ1 on May 20, 2010 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I liked it a lot, too

Really, really good job.

Good quote, Master Po!

"People don't understand, if you can't live the rest of your life off one year in the NBA, you can't live off 21." -- Keon Clark

by Eeyore III on May 20, 2010 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Stepping Up

Most talk is cheap, really cheap, so it’s a matter of knowing what to take seriously, what not to trust but watch out for, and what to dismiss as garbage. When a team talks about tanking it, you have to take that seriously. They are going to perform bad, really bad. When professional players talk about loafing it and back it up with any sign of unmotivated play, they aren’t lying. Celtics were going to play bad in the second half.

What could not be trusted in their talk was whether or not they could turn it back on and keep it on. But this Celtics team is a veteran group and they’ve been there before, so they might not be lying about it. So this is something you have to watch out for. I’m not going to say that I was confident in Celtics before the Miami series, but I thought it was possible. In the Miami series, I thought the Celtics showed me enough to make me a believer in a championship run. Cautiously optimistic is the watchword.

For the Cavs series, I was worried about Rasheed and letdowns. There were some letdowns in the Miami series and Rasheed wasn’t good. There were some more lapses, but they’ve put it all together for a five game winning streak just recently, and now they look like world beaters now. Rasheed is back in form!

Yet, even as they get the most positive coverage by the media in nearly half a year, I’m still worried about possible letdowns in the Celtics. They could come discombulated and lose focus during any game. I still expect some inconsistency and I think they still show it even during the games they have won. However, knowing their peak performances when they had the Big Three, Rondo, and Perk healthy and playing together, it’s enough of a juggernaught that to believe that they can win anyone even when the team occassionally comes unglued.

I guess I also had some faith in Doc to get the team back together when the Celtics lose it. Altogether, it was a bit of knowing what to believe, a bit of knowing what to look for, and a bit of fan-boy optimism.

by TangRen on May 20, 2010 3:55 PM EDT reply actions

I am crying

Nice IP account

by Warrior Spirit on May 20, 2010 4:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

KG`s revival restored hope...

True, he`s not averaging 20 PPG and 10RPG, as in the `08 playoffs.

However, I`ll settle for the 16 and 9 that he is providing in the `10 playoffs!
Plus, his FG% is even slightly up.

Just 6 wins away…close enough for them to see the “finish line”!

by Title 18 on May 20, 2010 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

Great read. Very well written.

by m!sha on May 20, 2010 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

great article

ive felt that you have the whole way indeed proceed

by celticcrazy on May 20, 2010 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

idk what i was smokin with that comment lol

i meant to say, that i couldnt agree more with the article

by celticcrazy on May 20, 2010 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I have a heart attack everytime the Celtics play!

But I just bought a bottle of aspirine !!!bring it on!!!!

by celt4ever on May 20, 2010 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

I'm pretty sure we all knew

That when the Celtics are healthy they are the best team in the NBA. People keep talking about rest for our older guys, but what they dont realize is…is that the regular season was basically a rest for them. They half-assed it most of the time, only to turn it on when it really matters!

GO CELTICS!

by C'sfan4life on May 20, 2010 5:57 PM EDT reply actions

great read

Awesome article IP. This playoff run has been a lot of fun to watch as a fan.

by wisco87 on May 20, 2010 6:07 PM EDT reply actions

excellent article IP

I was one of those whose hearts believes Boston could win but their heads thinks that it is improbable to defy reality. I was one of the doubters. But As the post-season started, I have rested my faith on them, and they gave back. Much love to the C’s.

"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell

Yes, intimidation is the key to domination.

by Marjun Raposon on May 20, 2010 9:16 PM EDT reply actions

Doc Rivers

really did good a job hiding that switch. good thing no one found it until this playoffs

"Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." - Vince Lombardi

by wild-a on May 20, 2010 10:27 PM EDT reply actions

Rondo:“Hey Doc, what’s that little key fob you keep messing around with that says ’Don’t hit until playoffs’?”
Doc;“My car keys.”
R:“Doc there isn’t a key on there.”
Doc:“It’s a keyless entry.”
R:“Doc you took a car service to shoot around today.”
Doc:“Garage door opener.”
R: “Doc we’re in Cleveland.”
Doc: “Cell phone.”
R: “Doc your cell phone is huge. We’re always making fun of it.”
Doc: “Butfor.”
R: “Huh? What’s a butfor?”
Doc: “Poopin silly! Now go run some sprints!”

by Tom Bellinger on May 20, 2010 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions

that was fun, thanks

He knows not his own strength that hath not met adversity.

by Kungfuguy on May 21, 2010 2:28 AM EDT up reply actions

nice chuckle

by Warrior Spirit on May 20, 2010 10:35 PM EDT reply actions

Nicely done.

Enjoyable read, IP.

by The Walker Wiggle on May 21, 2010 12:12 AM EDT reply actions

Let's Go

I hope celtic fans are ready for the lakeshow. Facing the magic or the cavs is nothing like the lakers…we have the assassin on our team and unlike back in 08, we have artest covering pierce and bynum is actually active. Good luck in June, you’re gonna need it.
p.s. no hard feelings right? ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciIJXOs7zH8

by KB24LIFE on May 21, 2010 12:23 AM EDT reply actions

You ever heard of that story where 2 franchises make game changing trades then meet in the finals and one more storied, respectable, and more substantiative franchise beats the other franchise? Kobe knows it. He knows it by heart.

(It was when the Celtics beat the lakers in six games in 2008.)

by Tom Bellinger on May 21, 2010 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions

We are ready

Who’s the assassin? you mean that Kobe guy that got his ass kicked in 08 when he was in his prime? We handled him then and most definitely will handle him now. Artest and Bynum? Please, take them away, I’m so scared. Remind me again, who do you have to guard Rondo? Lakers team haven’t been tested vs real opponent yet, and all your fake fans will be really surprised what it is like to play against a team that actually knows how to play defense.

Since you like videos, here’s one for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omSkMk5kHjg

by m!sha on May 21, 2010 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

131-92

ugh.

"Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." - Vince Lombardi

by wild-a on May 21, 2010 8:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I wonder

Are any Cs fans going over to Lakers blogs like this? I mean… I haven’t the slightest inclination to do something like that…. not even when it’s not gonna be premature anymore. Hmmm… I wonder why they do it… to assuage their uncertainties? stroke their inadequacies? fear? loathing? hard to pin this one down….it’s so alien to my thinking….

by DRJ1 on May 21, 2010 4:20 AM EDT reply actions

OOps, my post below was meant in reply to your post

by jdn on May 21, 2010 6:42 AM EDT up reply actions

You kidding?

We have lots of trolls headed their direction goading them on

by Warrior Spirit on May 21, 2010 10:43 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I do it to piss them off

Silver Screen and Roll is getting out of hand on the Celtics shit talking. They act as if 2008 was a fluke and Kobe will personally destroy us this year in revenge.

They need an occasional reminder as to who kicked whose ass 2 years ago.

by jdn on May 21, 2010 6:41 AM EDT reply actions

at least some of them there have mutual respect for the Cs(like they respect the Celtics most out of the 3 teams)

Unlike at the Fearthesword and Orlandopinstripedpost posting they are sure to win the series before game 1.

Now look what kind of posts are they doing now lol.

"Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." - Vince Lombardi

by wild-a on May 21, 2010 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions

"The sweet is never as sweet without the sour."

by m!sha on May 21, 2010 2:39 PM EDT reply actions

it is so true

i love your blog soo much. I almost cried. I spoke to my wife, a day before, of how I lost smth about C’s even thogh victory over Cavs. It was just that, I lost my love and found it again.

by Franjo on May 22, 2010 2:30 PM EDT reply actions