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November 8, 2008
Celtics Lose a Few Bucks...and Win.
They lost them in the paint (60 points). They lost them on fastbreaks (24 points).
It wasn't that they couldn't hold onto a Buck. Rather, the Bucks couldn't hold onto them as the Celtics overcame another slow start to win 101-89. Once again, the bench played a huge role for the Celtics as they scored 42 points and led charges to both gain and extend the lead.
It was a blockbuster Buck blocker night (say that 3 times fast) for Kendrick Perkins, as he had 7 swats in his 25 minutes work. You have to go to Kevin McHale in 1987 to find more by a Celtic in a game. On top of that he inspires his team mate Leon Powe:
You see him hustling, you see him working down there and playing defense, moving around showing on the pick and roll, doing everything...all the little things that sometimes don't show up in the stat sheet...
if you see that from one of your starters, especially everybody on the bench is going to try to go out there and work and play extra hard
Does the bench have an identity at this point?
We talk about this all the time. Our bench tries to come in and change the tempo. You know, somebody (starts) scoring, gets the hot hand, or playing defense. Doing anything to help the team win.
The Scott Skiles Milwaukee Bucks are learning to play Skiles-intense basketball and came out strong and won the first quarter, even without their leading scorer, Michael Redd. The lead got as large as 25-12, before the Celtics decided to wake up. They brought it to within 7 at 30-23 by quarter's end, led by Ray Allen with 7 and Kevin Garnett with 6.
Paul Pierce was not only missing his shots (1-5), he was getting burned by Richard Jefferson at the other end and team help was late. Jefferson scored 14 of the Bucks first 17 points. He scored just 6 more the rest of the way.
Pierce recovered nicely and finished with a team high 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Garnett was a solid second with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Tony Allen was 3rd with 13 points on 4 of 5 shooting, all shots at the rim, to go with 4 assists.
Paul Pierce closing in on Celtic records
Paul is closing in on Bob Cousy for all time free throws made. Cousy is 2nd all time in franchise history with 4,621. Paul now has 4,617. Paul just passed K.C. Jones (2,904) for 7th all time in franchise history with 2,908 before tonight's game.
As so often happens the Celtics, they got it going in the 2nd quarter to take a half-time lead 55-47.
It was the Celtics 2nd unit that got it going. Tony Allen, Eddie House, Ray Allen, Leon Powe, and Glen Davis started the quarter. They cut 4 points off the lead, 37-34, by the time Kevin Garnett came back in.
The starting five slowly returned to get the lead up to 8 by half time. Glen Davis had 6 points, 2 offensive rebounds and played a solid game, while Eddie House made 3 steals in the quarter.
Led by Andrew Bogut with 6 points and 3 rebounds, the Bucks played a strong 3rd quarter to get within 2 points twice, as the Celtics shot just 6 for 17.
To start the 4th, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Glen Davis, Leon Powe, and Rajon Rondo stretched the lead to 13, before KG came in for Powe. The Celtics solved the Bucks interior defense in the 2nd and 4th quarters. mostly with 2nd passes on moves to the hoop. It seemed that there was never help quickly enough, against the interior pass.
The Celtic bench rotation finished with an impressive 42 points on 16 of 23 shooting, as Eddie House finally was able to find the basket for 11 points, Tony Allen for 13, Powe had 10, and Davis finished with 8.
Though the Bucks played with energy, the Celtics disrupted everything they tried to do offensively and slowly broke them down defensively. It was worse for the Bucks than the final score suggested.
Davis and Powe Show - Brotherly Love
Glen Davis and Leon Powe are becoming an effective tandem playing together on the floor. Many (including myself) felt they would be competing for the same minutes. Perhaps they even felt the same way at one time. But now they are working together, and making it happen.
I know Big Baby. He can play defense. We do all type of little tactics to get over on opponents. (playing against players as) tall as 7 footers, you got to do your work early, ...
Don't let them get (any) easy touches or catches in the post. Make them do a few extra dribbles. Then you got the digs (stripping the ball). You only get about a couple of dribbles in this league.
There was a time about a year ago, when the two of you almost squared off in the heat of battle during practice. Are you surprised that you work together so well well on the floor now?
We had to get our little differences out. Sometimes big people, we're all tough guys. In the end we came to realize we're all here for one goal, and that - the championship last year made everybody a big family.
So we try to do something to uplift each other and help each other out on the court, and that's why we've been working together and paying well together.
Uplift each other they have, along with the Celtics' second unit, which in turn, gives the starters well needed rest. They are entering a stretch of 5 games in 7 days, starting Sunday away at Detroit, followed by Toronto, Atlanta, Denver at home and Milwaukee away again.
The game Sunday will be the first meeting of Detroit and Boston since the Conference Finals and the Pistons will have Allen Iverson in their line up.
Posted by Tom on November 8, 2008 3:02 AM
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