Re: Tell me I didn't see this

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: Kestutis.Kveraga@dartmouth.edu (Kestutis Kveraga)

> --- [Bob George] wrote:
> Give Joisey credit for coming back with a lot of poise after Saturday.  
> But we
> need to shoot better, defend better, and keep the refs who make calls like
> it's still the Philly series the hell out of here.
> --- end of quote ---
>
> Well, I don't think the officiating has reached the Philly series 
> proportions
> yet - it's nearly impossible to surpass... We're talking USSR-USA gold 
> medal
> game in Munich '72-kind of officiating....

There were definitely questionable calls, especially in the fourth.  You 
either think Kidd gets to the spot quick enough, or doesn't.  Me, I'm 
going with "questionable, very questionable", *but* the one thing you can 
say about the officiating is that it's curiously consistent.  Not between 
the teams, of course, but inasmuch as Kidd will never be called for the 
block there, probably not be called for the hack, etc.  The Celts need to 
adjust to this, perhaps even draw the refs into some preferential 
treatment themselves (well, for Pierce and Walker, anyway), as they were 
doing at certain points during game four.  Kidd getting the star treatment,
  as you say earlier in an unquoted part of your message, is nothing new.  
Pierce and Walker have to learn how to do the same.  It looks as if they 
are learning, but I think, somehow, that the refs have tagged the Nets 
with the "underdog from the East" moniker for this year.  It's no 
conspiracy, but it's a slight edge.  Couple that with the Nets coming out 
and really playing well, especially in light of game three, and the Celts 
digging the usual hole, not getting enough from the supporting cast, and 
not playing good enough defense, especially on the perimeter.  Still, they 
were there with the inevitable chance to win it at the end, and, except 
for some missed free throws, were on the way to another comeback victory.

Can't blame Pierce for the misses, though.  I was prepared to, if he moved 
off the shot, but he stayed in there, had good form, just didn't go in.  
Then, he did the best he could, as far as keeping the team alive and 
missing the second one well.

I actually think the supporting cast played reasonably well.  It's just 
that we expected more of Battie here in the playoffs, and that's his own 
damn fault.  (I couldn't believe Mike Breen: "He blocked it, but too hard.
"  Too hard, Mike?  Well, he did erase the layup, Mike, but I guess, 
considering he's not Bill Russell and all, that it wasn't the worst play I'
ve ever seen.  I mean, geez, the guy was dogging him for not keeping the 
ball in play.  I think we can all agree it's great to do, but it's like 
dogging a guy for making a two-pointer instead of a three.  Aren't the 
announcers supposed to at least jock the guys who are playing well?  
Anyway, where was I?)  Only thing is that last miss as time expired.  And 
Kenny went on a great run there near the end.  Only things are all the 
misses before then.  Rogers did his usual quiet-but-explosive game.  Only 
thing was it just wasn't quite good enough to put him in the mythical 
"Third Option" category.  They played pretty well.  Not good enough.

This one hurts, and it means a necessary victory in Joisey.  OK, let's 
face it, either this game spurs the team on to even greater success, or it'
s a nail in a coffin.  Of course, that's pretty obvious and nothing new in 
the playoffs.  It's just that I would have thought NJ to be more 
demoralized, or maybe demoralized for longer, and/or the C's to come out 
with more urgency at the beginning of the game.  (Without the hole, this 
one's easily winnable.  It's not like coming back is the *only* way this 
team has shown us it can win.)  Neither seemed to happen.  This 2002 
Celtics team is very surprising, most often in very gratifying ways; these 
sorts of not-so-tasty surprises are indeed bitter.

Bird

P.S. I can't believe I got through this entire post without using some 
really choice (and creative! and obscene, definitely obscene!) words I had 
picked out.  Ah, the medication must be kicking in... .