duncan228
06-16-2008, 10:17 PM
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/sports/basketball/17nba.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
Celtics Remain Mindful Of a Missed Opportunity
By HOWARD BECK
Players of Kevin Garnett’s considerable stature generally do not indulge the psychoanalysis of fans and pundits, or admit to fuzzy concepts like pressure when explaining the occasional hiccup in their play.
So Garnett reached for other descriptions late Sunday night as he tried to account for the late-game gaffes, his own included, that prevented the Boston Celtics from clinching the N.B.A. title.
“I had myself in disarray,” said Garnett, who also referred to his performance (13 points, 4 turnovers, 5 fouls) as “garbage.” He added, almost unnecessarily, “I’m not perfect.”
Maybe he even felt a little pressure, which would be understandable under the circumstances. Boston has not won a title since 1986. The Celtics’ veteran stars — Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen — are all going for their first. They had it in reach Sunday in Los Angeles, but fell just short as the Lakers took a 103-98 victory to force a sixth game.
The series resumes Tuesday night at Boston’s TD Banknorth Garden, which will also host a Game 7, if necessary.
Sunday night’s game was tied with 4 minutes 35 seconds left. But Garnett missed three free throws and two tip shots, Allen missed a runner, and Pierce missed two close-range attempts. Pierce also lost the ball twice to Kobe Bryant, who converted the second turnover into a game-clinching dunk.
If there was pressure, it seemed the Celtics succumbed to it.
“I wouldn’t use ‘pressure,’ ” Garnett said, responding to a reporter’s question. “You know, if you like using it then you can use it.”
The Lakers entered the finals as the favorite, then slipped into the underdog role after the Celtics overcame a 24-point deficit in Game 4 and took a 3-1 series lead. The odds are still in Boston’s favor.
No road team has won Games 6 and 7 in the 2-3-2 format since the N.B.A. went to it for the finals in 1985. No team has won the championship after facing a 3-1 deficit. Only three road teams have won a Game 7 in the finals, and none since Washington (at Seattle) in 1978. And the Lakers are 0-3 this season at the Garden, including the regular season.
As the series, the Champagne and the Larry O’Brien trophy shifted time zones on Monday, the Lakers clung to the one-game-at-a-time mantra. But they did not ignore the hard reality of trying to win twice in Boston, where the Celtics are 12-1 in the playoffs.
“You can’t but think obviously two,” Bryant said, “but to put it in more realistic terms, in training camp if you told us we’ll give you two games that you have to win to win a world championship, we would have took it in a heartbeat. This is a great opportunity for us.”
The Celtics had flight delays leaving Los Angeles and were due to arrive home late Monday night. They were still dealing with some uncertainty regarding two starters. Allen stayed behind because of an undisclosed family matter involving one of his children. (According to The Boston Globe, he is expected to return in time for Game 6.) Kendrick Perkins, who missed Game 5 because of a shoulder injury, remains questionable.
Fatigue and attrition could become a factor for the Celtics. Pierce, Perkins and Rajon Rondo have all played despite various injuries sustained in the series. Two key reserves, Sam Cassell and P. J. Brown, are in their late 30s. The Celtics, who were pushed to seven games by Atlanta and Cleveland, are about to break the N.B.A. record by playing their 26th playoff game. (The 1994 Knicks and the 2005 Detroit Pistons each played 25 games; both teams lost the finals in seven games.)
The N.B.A.’s made-for-television schedule is also an issue. To get two Sunday games, the N.B.A. scheduled two-day breaks between Games 1 and 2 (in Boston) and Games 4 and 5 (in Los Angeles). But despite the need to travel coast to coast, the league scheduled just one day off between Games 5 and 6, just as it did between Games 2 and 3. Both coaches blamed the travel and the quick turnaround for their teams’ ugly play in Game 3.
“It’s a terrible turnaround,” Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s as tough as you can have. I think going West to East is tougher. Sleep patterns are messed up.”
Fortunately for the Celtics, they have the world’s biggest alarm clock awaiting them at TD Banknorth Garden, where the anticipation and the volume will be high. Celtics fans have been waiting 22 years for another championship.
“Hey, we’re up one game with two games to go at home,” Pierce said, “so it still feels like we have the advantage in the series. And I do feel like we’re the better team.”
REBOUNDS
With 25 points on Sunday, Kobe Bryant moved past Scottie Pippen for 10th place in career playoff scoring. Bryant, who has 3,664 points, has also passed Julius Erving, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Tim Duncan during this postseason. Bryant needs 38 points to pass Magic Johnson for ninth place.
Celtics Remain Mindful Of a Missed Opportunity
By HOWARD BECK
Players of Kevin Garnett’s considerable stature generally do not indulge the psychoanalysis of fans and pundits, or admit to fuzzy concepts like pressure when explaining the occasional hiccup in their play.
So Garnett reached for other descriptions late Sunday night as he tried to account for the late-game gaffes, his own included, that prevented the Boston Celtics from clinching the N.B.A. title.
“I had myself in disarray,” said Garnett, who also referred to his performance (13 points, 4 turnovers, 5 fouls) as “garbage.” He added, almost unnecessarily, “I’m not perfect.”
Maybe he even felt a little pressure, which would be understandable under the circumstances. Boston has not won a title since 1986. The Celtics’ veteran stars — Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen — are all going for their first. They had it in reach Sunday in Los Angeles, but fell just short as the Lakers took a 103-98 victory to force a sixth game.
The series resumes Tuesday night at Boston’s TD Banknorth Garden, which will also host a Game 7, if necessary.
Sunday night’s game was tied with 4 minutes 35 seconds left. But Garnett missed three free throws and two tip shots, Allen missed a runner, and Pierce missed two close-range attempts. Pierce also lost the ball twice to Kobe Bryant, who converted the second turnover into a game-clinching dunk.
If there was pressure, it seemed the Celtics succumbed to it.
“I wouldn’t use ‘pressure,’ ” Garnett said, responding to a reporter’s question. “You know, if you like using it then you can use it.”
The Lakers entered the finals as the favorite, then slipped into the underdog role after the Celtics overcame a 24-point deficit in Game 4 and took a 3-1 series lead. The odds are still in Boston’s favor.
No road team has won Games 6 and 7 in the 2-3-2 format since the N.B.A. went to it for the finals in 1985. No team has won the championship after facing a 3-1 deficit. Only three road teams have won a Game 7 in the finals, and none since Washington (at Seattle) in 1978. And the Lakers are 0-3 this season at the Garden, including the regular season.
As the series, the Champagne and the Larry O’Brien trophy shifted time zones on Monday, the Lakers clung to the one-game-at-a-time mantra. But they did not ignore the hard reality of trying to win twice in Boston, where the Celtics are 12-1 in the playoffs.
“You can’t but think obviously two,” Bryant said, “but to put it in more realistic terms, in training camp if you told us we’ll give you two games that you have to win to win a world championship, we would have took it in a heartbeat. This is a great opportunity for us.”
The Celtics had flight delays leaving Los Angeles and were due to arrive home late Monday night. They were still dealing with some uncertainty regarding two starters. Allen stayed behind because of an undisclosed family matter involving one of his children. (According to The Boston Globe, he is expected to return in time for Game 6.) Kendrick Perkins, who missed Game 5 because of a shoulder injury, remains questionable.
Fatigue and attrition could become a factor for the Celtics. Pierce, Perkins and Rajon Rondo have all played despite various injuries sustained in the series. Two key reserves, Sam Cassell and P. J. Brown, are in their late 30s. The Celtics, who were pushed to seven games by Atlanta and Cleveland, are about to break the N.B.A. record by playing their 26th playoff game. (The 1994 Knicks and the 2005 Detroit Pistons each played 25 games; both teams lost the finals in seven games.)
The N.B.A.’s made-for-television schedule is also an issue. To get two Sunday games, the N.B.A. scheduled two-day breaks between Games 1 and 2 (in Boston) and Games 4 and 5 (in Los Angeles). But despite the need to travel coast to coast, the league scheduled just one day off between Games 5 and 6, just as it did between Games 2 and 3. Both coaches blamed the travel and the quick turnaround for their teams’ ugly play in Game 3.
“It’s a terrible turnaround,” Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s as tough as you can have. I think going West to East is tougher. Sleep patterns are messed up.”
Fortunately for the Celtics, they have the world’s biggest alarm clock awaiting them at TD Banknorth Garden, where the anticipation and the volume will be high. Celtics fans have been waiting 22 years for another championship.
“Hey, we’re up one game with two games to go at home,” Pierce said, “so it still feels like we have the advantage in the series. And I do feel like we’re the better team.”
REBOUNDS
With 25 points on Sunday, Kobe Bryant moved past Scottie Pippen for 10th place in career playoff scoring. Bryant, who has 3,664 points, has also passed Julius Erving, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Tim Duncan during this postseason. Bryant needs 38 points to pass Magic Johnson for ninth place.