|
After two listless performances in Atlanta, Paul Pierce woke up, took charge, and carried the Celtics in their 110-85 Game 5 victory over Atlanta to grasp a commanding 3-2 series lead.
In the first quarter alone, Pierce was able to curl-and-fire for a jumper, knock down a J over Josh Smith, take advantage of Atlanta’s penchant for switching by posting and toasting Mike Bibby for two layups, follow his own missed layup for a stick back, make three wonderful assist passes (plus several other passes that resulted in or led to open looks), corral four rebounds, and let everybody know that PP is the best player in the series.
And with Pierce dominating from the opening tip, both teams understood that the status quo had returned:
* Kevin Garnett would make terrific passes, play alert help defense, cut appropriately, and knock down 20-footers with regularity.
* Ray Allen would dance and dart around screens to hit five (of eight) three-balls.
* Kendrick Perkins would bottle up Al Horford’s right hooks and would take out the trash with four rebounds, three steals, a block, and a follow-up dunk.
* Rajon Rondo would pass, cut, slip into crevices to swipe three offensive rebounds, and render Mike Bibby totally ineffective.
* James Posey would rebound, dive for loose balls, bang around, foul, and hit two of his three trifectas.
* Sam Cassell (6-8 FG, 13 PTS) would be automatic when pulling up going right.
* Leon Powe would carve his name into the offensive backboard—seven rebounds, five offensive, and countless hustle plays.
* Josh Smith would have trouble hitting his mid-range jumpers over Garnett’s sprawling limbs, and Smith’s slow-release three-pointers would all fall well off—0-4 3FG.
* Mike Bibby would be completely worthless—2-8 FG, 2-5 3FG, 1 AST, 3 TO, 6 PTS. Rondo’s athleticism (or Bibby’s lack thereof) and Boston’s alert rotations have left Bibby struggling to find open seams for mid range jumpers.
* Joe Johnson would fall into foul trouble and be effective but unspectacular—6-11 FG, 2-4 3FG, 7-7 FT, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO, 21 PTS.
* Josh Childress would hustle, bustle, and be too frail to get much of anything done—2-8 FG, 6 REB, 2 AST, 5 PTS. In fact, of Childress’ six misses, four were blocked.
* Zaza Pachulia would go back to being a D-Leaguer masquerading as an NBAer.
* The Celtics would prove to be much more talented, alert, hungry, and disciplined, while the young Hawks would go back to being intimidated by the crowd, the atmosphere, the history, the grandeur, and the spotlight.
This isn’t to say that Boston’s script went entirely according to plan.
* Kevin Garnett was 1-7 (!) when creating from the post, including 1-4 against Smith, 0-1 against Horford and Pachulia, and 0-1 against Bibby (!), the majority of the misses weak layups or uncomplicated hooks.
* Josh Smith was able to blow past Garnett, leading to a number of free-throws.
* Leon Powe showed an inability to defend Al Horford or Josh Smith either in the post or off the dribble.
* Rajon Rondo missed several layups.
* Acie Law showed thet he could get to the rim off the dribble and definitely deserves more minutes over Bibby.
In truth, the Hawks are too inexperienced to understand how to win road playoff games; their offense breaks down when main plays are taken away, and their defense suffers too many mental lapses.
But Boston hasn’t brought their usual defensive focus in Atlanta that they’ve played with in Boston. And despite the home-court advantage, the young Hawks will no doubt be frenzied should they find themselves in a Game 7 back in Boston.
This is why it is essential for Pierce to play with zest and zeal, for Garnett to play with some semblance of heart in the post, and for the Celtics to commit themselves entirely to rotating and helping on Joe Johnson and Josh Smith’s penetrations so Boston can close out the series in Atlanta.
Because looking at the playoff resumes of the Boston Three Party, Game 7’s, particularly against the confidence-gaining Hawks, are anything but a guarantee.
Erick Blasco is basketball writer for OTR Basketball
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
