Celtics Title Town

"Looking at [the box score], I thought it was a miracle going over the game tonight," Rivers told reporters in San Antonio. "Listen, they go into the fourth quarter with six fouls total? That means they are one heck of a defensive basketball team, they were terrific."

When a reporter quipped that Rivers appeared to be dripping with sarcasm, Rivers admitted his frustration.

"It was being sarcastic, but, listen, what can you do? It is what it is," said Rivers. "They shot more free throws. Two of our free throws were [the result of] technicals, so we really didn’t even get that [many]. It’s hard to win games on the road when teams go to the line like that and we don’t go to the line."

"Our turnovers were a big factor in the game tonight, and then the 3-point line," said Rivers, whose team allowed San Antonio to shoot 12-of-25 (48 percent) beyond the arc. "To me those were the three areas that hurt us: They got a bunch of 3s down the stretch when the game was decided, but I thought the turnovers and the free throws, if you had to put your finger on two things. We were playing hard, too, but we just couldn’t get it. Couldn’t get to the line. The thing that free throws do is they allow you to set your defense. And it allowed them to do it a lot tonight."

"We have to get in a little better shape, because we want to play at that pace," said Rivers. "It was a good pace, the game was a good pace -- it was a fun game to watch. But the difference, I thought, was San Antonio was used to doing that, and continued to do it throughout the game. They were able to sustain their play, and we couldn’t."

The Celtics always try to be who they are not. They build this squad to contend with the small  ball game plan that the Heat use. Better shape? Why should the Celtics not be in shape? I don't like the difference in free throw shooting, but the Celtics lost because they sucked on defense. Doc's searching for something, but he's got to get this thing turnaround. Calling out the refs isn't what we need. The Celtics need to play, and execute what they need to.