Celtics get left on side of the road again: Sixers better in second half

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Celtics get left on side of the road again: Sixers better in second half
By Steve Bulpett
Saturday, November 22, 2003

PHILADELPHIA - The Celtics have now lost two straight games on the road, but
they weren't half bad in New York Monday or here last night.

     The problem is they had to play a second half in each.

     ``A disappointing second half again,'' said Jim O'Brien after the Celts
squandered a nine-point lead at the break in an 87-85 fall to the 76ers. ``I
just thought our turnovers killed us in the third quarter (six of the night's
15). It did not look like the same team from a flow standpoint in the second
half, and I don't have answers.''

     The Celts seemed to have a pretty good answer for Allen Iverson, with
Kedrick Brown [news] (``fantastic job,'' said O'Brien) and Marcus Banks [news]
forcing him to get his 24 points on 8-for-25 shooting. And Paul Pierce [news]
broke out with his most assertive night of the season - 33 points, seven
rebounds, six assists. Vin Baker added 22 points, but they were the only Celts
in double figures.

     ``Paul played a great first half, and then our offense stopped in the
second half,'' O'Brien said after watching Philly roll up a 22-3 edge in
fast-break points. ``And as a result we didn't get him into any kind of flow.

     ``They did nothing that I saw to change things. I mean, we just have to
play the brand of basketball we've been playing in the first halves of
basketball games. Honest to God, I can't figure it out. If I could, maybe we
wouldn't be having this difficulty.''

     The Celtics saw all but a point of their 51-42 halftime lead evaporate in
12 minutes. After hitting 49 percent from the floor in the opening half, they
began firing blanks. Just two of their 12 shots found the range (16.7
percent). The C's survived to a degree by getting 14 free throw opportunities
and making 10. The Sixers shook off a 41 percent first half to hit 53 percent
in the third - despite Iverson's 2-for-8.

     ``I really don't understand it,'' Pierce said. ``I thought we learned our
lesson in the game vs. New York (blowing a 16-point lead at the break), but
some way, somehow, we play good first halves and then in the third quarter we
start to let teams back in the game. I don't know. I don't understand it.
We're not playing with a sense of urgency for the whole 48 minutes.

     ``That's two heartbreaking losses on the road to teams we feel we should
beat, so hopefully we'll learn from it.''

     The Celts almost learned with a win last night. Banks began the last
quarter by giving Iverson a nasty ball fake and finding Baker for a dunk and a
68-65 Boston lead. The Sixers, playing without Glenn Robinson (sprained left
ankle) and Derrick Coleman (strained left knee), then posted the next eight
points while the C's were missing six shots and turning the ball over once.

     Later, O'Brien went for a timeout with 3:31 left after watching Philly go
for two straight fast-break buckets and an 83-75 lead. Pierce came out of the
breather with a driving dunk and two treys to tie the game at 83 with 1:28
left. Aaron McKie regained the lead for the Sixers with a jumper, and when the
C's tried to move the ball for a proper shot, they wound up spending all 24
seconds for a turnover.

     Iverson hit two free throws with five seconds left for a four-point
margin and the game. Banks scored at the buzzer for the final margin.
Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx