CBW review: Battered, but unbowed, the Good Guys are 1-0 on the 1st WC trip

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle]

As the Late Great Johnny Ace...er, Most (so I quoted an obscure Paul 
Simon song, nyahh, nyahh if you don't like it) was wont to say, "we 
got mugged, but we won anyway."

I should have known that any game with Ron Artest was going to 
quickly turn into a brawl, or very nearly so, as the refs seemed to 
be hoping someone would get sent to the ER before finally moving to 
restore some order in a very physical game.

The game started with the Good Guys going up fast from the opening 
tip.  Then bogged down into a defensive struggle on both sides, as a 
combination of tough defense with poor shooting on those occasions 
when the defense slipped kept the score ridiculously low until near 
the end of the first quarter.

Suddenly, Sacramento was playing Boston-style defense (with a 
backbeat of Ron Artest bopping anyone in reach, something his 
teammates emulated as the game went on), and the Boston bench, 
especially Tony Allen, looked totally discombobulated by the sudden 
defensive stand, which led to Sacramento making a game of it.

I like Tony Allen.  He's a tough player trying to come back from a 
hell of an injury.  But he had absolutely no business out there with 
the bench tonight.  With the starters off the floor, the Kings were 
free to run Tony ragged at both ends of the court and on those 
occasions when he made it to the hoop, he routinely got stuffed.

The onslaught continued into the opening of the second quarter, when 
Boston's starters returned and restored offensive order to the game, 
pounding the stuffing out of the Kings and entering the halftime with 
a blowout-proportioned lead of over 20 points.  Regular followers of 
the C's were expecting more of the same in the third quarter, as the 
Kings had only mustered 29 points in the first half.

Oops.

Sacramento came out like they'd been told they'd be slowly killed if 
they didn't make a run.  The Celtics spent most of the third quarter 
playing like they'd never heard of a basketball before, scoring their 
first point of the third quarter on a technical free throw over 
halfway in.  That seemed to slowly revive them, and while the lead 
changed hands toward the end of the quarter, at least both teams were 
playing like they knew how.

The fourth quarter saw the Kings desperately trying to make a run big 
enough to get a lead and keep it, but the Celtics rediscovered the 
outside shot, and this time only played Tony Allen with the starters, 
with slightly better results.  In the end, the Good Guys prevailed, 
despite everything, including at times, themselves.

COOKIES AND CRUMBS

Cookies go to:

The Sacramento tv broadcast team, which was incredibly complimentary 
of the Celtics overall, calling them "the best team in the league" 
and "on a par with the Spurs", among other truthful tidbits.  Nice to 
see some respect from the opposition.

Assistant Celtics coach Tom Thibideaux, whose defensive genius saved 
this game for the Celtics.  Lock him into a long-term contract NOW.

Celtics starters defense, which was impressive especially in the 
second quarter.

Kevin Garnett, who has apparently modified his pregame talcum powder 
toss, as Mike Gorman and Donny Marshall stood up and away from the 
table, out of range of the worst of it.  (By the way Donny, you KNEW 
this was coming, WHY wear a BLUE shirt?)  I'd be even happier if KG 
powdered down.  But this seems to work, at least.  I still think a 
super-soaker might demonstrate vividly how annoying the "ritual" can be.


Crumbs left for:

Ron Artest,  who never met a fight he couldn't wait to start.

the refs, who couldn't seem to remember what happened the LAST time 
Artest was left to his own devices.

Celtics bench defense, which just wasn't able to handle the Kings 
blitzing attack.

Celtics offense, which had to rely far too much on House making outside shots.

Doc Rivers, for not getting Tony Allen out of the game a lot 
faster.  Tony tried hard, but he just couldn't get over the rim.  For 
the life of me, I couldn't understand why Big Beagle Davis wasn't 
sent in to relieve Tony.

The next game is tomorrow night, on TNT, against the Seattle Supersonics.

And that's the view from the doghouse.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website