So there hasn’t been much good news coming from Causeway Street in the last few days. Sure the Celtics have been winning, but it was against the Clippers, Thunder (who?), and Hawks. The news that KG is still out for another week or so makes you questions the severity of his injury. We all know that without KG, there is no playoff run.
So last night the Bobcats came to the Garden. Now they’ve been a thorn in the Celtics side the last 2 seasons. As the Celtics were in the midst of their wire to wire title win last season, the Bobcats seemed to have their number. Last night was no exception.
The Celtics headed into the fourth quarter trailing by six in what had been a back and forth game all night. Well, the good news is that the C’s stormed back in the fourth after falling down as many as 12. The bad news of course that they stormed back enough to tie, not win.
So we head to overtime. Well, that didn’t settle anything as Ray Allen tied it with 12 seconds to go. So they headed to a second overtime. Now, a team without KG that’s already tired from the long season, shouldn’t have to go two OT’s against a team like Charlotte. It shouldn’t happen. The C’s should have put this team away in like the second quarter and not allowed them to come back in the third. That’s what they did all of last season and that’s the difference between this team without KG and last year’s team with him.
So we play a second overtime and this is about the time I tune in full time, opposed to flipping back and forth. I figured the game would be over one way or the other, since it’s like 10:30PM. Well, it wasn’t over and I see the Celtics go down one with about a minute and change left. Pierce drives the lane and now it’s C’s by one with a minute to go. The Bobcats score again and they’re up 109-108.
Then the exciting conclusion. Kind of. Ray Allen gets a look at a three and air balls it. It looks like either he was hit, the ball was hit, or he’s exhausted and put no force behind the shot. Either way the Bobcats run up the floor up one and miss a 13 footer. Now why you’re not driving the lane on that possession makes no sense. But Charlotte really didn’t drive the lane at all last night. Anyways, Celtics get the rebound and get the ball to Pierce. He looks as if he’s going to drive the lane, try to score and get fouled but then he dishes to Ray Ray as the defenders all flock to Pierce. Ray nails a three in the corner and the Celtics win (after Charlotte misses it’s last shot).
Talk about exciting. That was the most exciting finish in months for the Celtics. Again, it came against a crappy team and really does nothing for their confidence, but it was great to watch. By winning they flip flopped with Orlando for the #2 seed in the East. Hopefully they win out because three road series in the playoffs isn’t fun for anyone. Get well KG, this team needs you.
