The Truth

Rocked the Garden yesterday.

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe: Pierce stars in his moment of Truth

Highlight video:


Pierce's 41 points led the Celtics to a 97-92 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 last night. The game was a tense affair throughout. Even though the Celtics led from the start, the Cavaliers were never out of it. My one friend kept saying, if the Celtics just keep LeBron under 50 we'll win. King James was magnificent but had less of a supporting cast than Paul Pierce. Delonte West had 15 points but no other Cavs starter was even in double figures. Paul Pierce had the game of his life, not only scoring but having to defend LeBron. That guy is just a beast. When LeBron took his third three-pointer in the 4th quarter after making two in a row -- that would have cut the lead to 2 points -- we all had our hearts in out throats. But Pierce kept scoring, and the Cavs got cold, and that was all she wrote.

Doc Rivers had a good game too. His decisions to play Eddie House over the slumping Sam Cassell, and to give PJ Brown significant minutes (the Boston Herald called Brown the "AARP Player of the Week"), were the difference in the game. And, sad as it was to see, he was absolutely right to bench Ray Allen for much of the fourth quarter, as without his jump shot Allen is just deadwood on the floor.


In the post-game press conference Pierce claimed his free throw in the final minute that bounced high up and improbably in was tapped in by the ghost of Red Auerbach. He really semed touched, but if you watched the entire post-game, the "Red tipped the ball" idea was given to him by TNT's sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya in her interview (on this video, starting at about 4:35)on the sidelines just after the game ended. Here's Pierce talking about Red in the media conference:



Green Bandwagon: Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: - Game 7: The Paul Pierce Game

Paul Pierce had one of the biggest games of his career. He shot 56% from the floor and 91% from the line. On top of that he had 5 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. And those assists don't account for the two times he got Leon Powe to the line. He was dialed in and even called the final 3 minutes the toughest 3 minutes of his life. Keep in mind the fact that he was brutally stabbed once and almost died. I'm assuming he's completely blocked that out.

On to Detroit.

Celtics Get Robbed

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers argues a call with referee Joe Forte during the first quarter in Game 6 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, May 16, 2008, in Cleveland.
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

The Celtics lost to the Cavs in Game 6 in Cleveland last night. The officiating crew of Dick Bavetta, Joe DeRosa, and Joe Forte were horrid, with their execrable work culminating with a series in the last minute where they called Paul Pierce for an offensive foul when LeBron James was not set -- his feet were in the air -- and then a blatant non-call on offensive goaltending against Ray Allen. Not that the Celtics played all that well, but the poor officiating made it impossible for the Celtics to come back from a 5-point deficit in the final minutes.

Why is Dick Bavetta still officiating in the NBA? The man is 68 years old, for crying out loud. He can't even beat Charles Barkley in a footrace anymore. Does he have naked pictures of David Stern in his safe deposit box? He needs to retire.

Boston Globe: Visitors charged up over last-minute call

CLEVELAND - At times it felt like the Celtics had eight opponents on the floor last night instead of five.

Boston not only lost Game 6 to Cleveland, 74-69, but got the wrong end of the whistle, too. The Celtics were called for 25 personal fouls, while the Cavaliers got 16. Boston also shot just 13 free throws to 25 for the Cavaliers, including 15 by LeBron James.

Bleacher Report: Celtics-Cavs: Garnett, Boston Can't Overcome LeBron, Officiating

That was, by far, the worst, most embarrassing performance by an officiating crew in the history of the NBA.

The only thing that comes even close is when they decided to give Dwayne Wade a few games in the NBA finals a few years ago.

LeBron James had more free throw attempts than the entire Celtic team. Which would have been okay—if the Celtics weren’t taking the ball to the hoop. But they WERE.

Paul Pierce couldn’t buy a call. Taking the ball to the hoop and drawing contact did nothing to help him.

I understand that Glen Davis is a rookie, but he was fouled seven times and didn’t make it to the line once. He was MUGGED under the hoop. Yet no call.

Kendrick Perkins was thrown off the spot when attempting a defensive rebound, no call. Yet he was constantly called on the other end for minimal contact.

I’m not rational right now.

I was ready to blast the Celtics for losing on the road again, or praise them for finally getting over the road hump.

But what I witnessed was not a basketball game. It was a WWE event, where they had a scripted outcome designed to build up the next episode, which is Game Seven in Boston on Sunday.

LeBron James is hard enough to beat by himself. He doesn’t need help.

Then he has the nerve to complain CONSTANTLY in the second half? Are you kidding me? He’s the most unenjoyable superstar since Reggie Miller. And unenjoyable isn’t even a word.

The NBA is broken. Completely and utterly broken.

Hoopsvibe.com: Refs Give Cavs an Assist, Force Game Seven