Celtics Title Town

I unfortunately had issues with Directv on this game. I pay nearly 200 dollars a year for league pass, and they blackout the game? It had to do with me being in California, and it was the Clippers. I don't know a bunch of Bull! Anyway the Celtics blew a 15 point lead, and won down the stretch. I'll have more on the game a bit later. But here is the lowdown.

The teams combined for 25-of-42 shooting (59.5 percent) in a rare high-scoring first quarter, and Boston led 33-30. But over the final 13 minutes of the first half Boston took control. The Clippers were 4-of-19 shooting (21.2 percent) for a mere 10 points in that span, turning the ball over 10 times for 12 points. Boston cooled as well, but that sort of defense allowed the C's to stretch their lead to 59-40 at halftime. Ten Celtics players scored at least three points apiece in the first half with the reserves chipping in 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7 percent).

The Celtics had a big ass lead, and lost it eventually. The thing is this. They retained the lead in the end. The Clippers are to good to fall like that. Before the Celtics went south. They looked like a title contending team for a fourth straight game. Very unfair to Mr. Rondo that the team has played better without him. Paul Pierce scored a team-high 22 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists, but it was Boston's bench that came up big once again as Jeff Green (14 points), Leandro Barbosa (14) and Jason Terry (13) were a combined 14-of-23 shooting (60.9 percent) to spark the Celtics. Green has truly flourished without Rondo. Don't blame Rondo on that. Blame the offensive game plan that he was running.