Last night's game

[jmc@ptc.com (Jonathan McIntyre)]

Ron Mercer may be getting the headlines for scoring 20 points, but 
Bruce Bowen gets the game ball, in my opinion.  He was everywhere, 
doing everything, during the Celtics run in the 3rd quarter that 
opened up the game.  After DeClerq made a nice block to get things 
started, Bruce came up with a steal, then ran the break to perfection, 
feeding Tyus Edney on the wing for what would have been a layup if not 
for the intentional foul to prevent it, then the very next play Bowen 
blocked a shot and made a nice assist to Walker on the other end.  
Then he scrapped for rebounds and scored.  He had a lot of offensive 
rebound putbacks, and took good, high percentage shots.  He sparked the
run that got the Celtics their double-digit lead.

He's the least flashy, but most fundamentally sound player on the team, 
and he's going to be the most underpaid, in my opinion. 

My favorite play of the game didn't involve him, though.  Philadelphia 
had just inbounded the ball to Montross, who was trying to get the ball 
over to his teammate 10 feet to his right.  Everyone else was up the 
court except McCarty, standing between the two 76ers, pestering Montross 
until he fumbled the ball and McCarty lunged to pick it up, but he was 
standing there with 2 tall guys ready to block anything.  Tyus Edney was 
the first upfloor, and McCarty did a shovel pass under Montross to get it 
to him on the right side... but Edney would have had his shot blocked, so 
he did an immediate wraparound shovel pass around the twin towers's
backs to Mercer coming up the left side.  Mercer saw Montross' hand in
his face, adjusted in mid-air and did a reverse layup... and the crowd
goes WILD!!!

Jon Mc