Huge game for Allen and a great overtime win over a tough, tough Toronto team. Great win. More thoughts coming soon.
- Another great defensive game turned in by the boys in green. I could get used to this.
- With that said, it was also an ugly, ugly game.
- The refs played a big part in the game with the C's getting in foul trouble.
- Everyone was cold in the first half except Ray Allen.
- Posey was huge in the 4th quarter.
- Overtime was all Kevin Garnett and TJ Ford (who was huge for the Raps)
- Too bad Comcast dropped the video feed for the Ray Allen game winner - I would have liked to have seen that.
- Update: Here are the ESPN highlights of the game, including the game winner.
Bonus follow up questions with Adam from RaptorsHQ:
Q (Jeff): What got into TJ Ford? And if you can bottle that, I know the Celtics would pay millions to give some of that to Rondo.
A (Adam): Ok, TJ ha ha. Ford hit some HUGE shots and really kept the Raptors in the game for stretches. He can do that, but usually isn't called upon to be that scoring presence because of Bosh and Bargnani. His three-point shooting, no idea where that came from, but Ford has been playing at an All-Star level so far through 3 games and maybe we'll see a lot more of that as the season goes on.
Rondo struggled a bit tonight but I think as the season goes on, and the team gets more used to each other, he'll be alright.
Q (Adam): Paul Pierce shot 4 of 17 in the game and looked lost in the offence at times. Has he become the third option on this club now and do you worry that at times he forces the issue in this new offence?
A (Jeff): No, I don't think he's the third option. Everyone has an off night once in a while. I suppose it is possible that all three guys could have an off night at the same time, but lets just say I'll take my chances they won't. Pierce is best driving to the hoop and if he can't get there sometimes he'll fall back into jump shooting and iso mode. He's used to being the main option, so I could see him getting lost in the shuffle sometimes (he went off in game 1 against the Wizards when he was the only one of the three on the floor in the 2nd quarter). With that said, when he's on, he provides an element that the other two stars don't.
I hope they establish more of a rhythm so that they are all hitting on all cylinders, but they proved tonight that they can also take turns letting each other carry the team (Ray Allen early, KG in overtime) and make it work.
Good teams win ugly, close games and that's what they did. I fully expect the next game with Toronto to be just as tough.