Celtics draw first blood in battle with Pistons

Kevin Garnett and the Celtics kept up their home dominance so far this playoff season by taking Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, 88-79. Garnett led Boston with 26 points and 9 rebounds and Paul Pierce chipped in 22, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. The Celtics ball movement on offense and their swarming defense was the difference in this closer-than-it-looked game. Boston dished 27 assists on 36 field goals, spreading out their offense with ease, playing at their own tempo. Their team defense gave the Pistons problems all game long, leading to just 42% shooting for a usually efficient  Detroit squad. The Pistons, who usually have a pretty good defense, allowed Boston to shoot 52% for the game, without the ability to contain Garnett and Pierce (48 points, 20-35 shooting combined).

With the Celtics well-documented road woes during these playoffs, 0-6 in the first two rounds, these two games at home are must wins if the team realistically has title aspirations. Even the ESPN announcers were saying that even though the Celtics have home court throughout, and can win the title without winning a road game, they should get into the habit of counting on just getting by with home wins. Unless they win on the road, they can’t be considered a favorite to win the title, even though they seem to have the talent to do so. The horrendous play of Ray Allen during these playoffs should be a major concern for the Celtics especially for the long haul. Because he can’t seem to hit the right side of a barn on jump-shots, the Pistons are able to just focus on Pierce and Garnett, which I assume they will clamp down on in Game 2. Allen was just 3-10 in this game, with all three of his field goals coming on lay-ups as he missed seven outside shots badly.

If Detroit’s defenders don’t leave Garnett open for 18 footers like they did in game 1, they will have a pretty good chance to leave Boston with a split. The majority of his shots came from the perimeter, and surprisingly, most of them were wide open. Part of the problem is not the Pistons defense but the penetration of Pierce, as he draws at least two defenders with him. If Allen keeps struggling, Rondo continues to be inconsistent and if the Pistons can get the ball out of the hands of Garnett or Pierce periodically they will be in fine shape.

 Now, I sound Detroit biased, but as a fan that wants to see exciting basketball, especially with New Orleans out, I would very much like to see Celtics-Lakers in the NBA Finals. I, like pretty much every other NBA fan, except those Spurs and Pistons fans who would like to see their team in the Finals, wouldn’t consider watching, on the edge of their seats at least, a Spurs-Pistons Finals. Would you rather see Richard Hamilton-Bruce Bowen or Kobe Bryant-Paul Pierce? Pretty easy huh. The problem with the Celtics chances of taking their game to the Finals is their lack of experience together as a team in clutch situations. Sure they have won two game 7’s so far in these playoffs, but those series shouldn’t have gone that far. The Hawks gave them a fierce run as they took advantage of an anemic offense by the Celtics in three home games. If the Celtics lasted seven games against a Cavaliers team that revolves around one player, they will have a tough time containing teams with multiple assets like the Pistons, Spurs and Lakers. If the Celtics are supposed to live up to their enormous hype, they can’t get into those situations, they have to blow teams away, and not just on their home court. Analysts say “they escaped” but a team with everything to prove in the playoffs, should be allowed to be given the “escaped” excuse. If they are to give Detroit and either the Lakers or Spurs a run, they can’t be as inconsistent as they have so far in these NBA playoffs.

 As much as I would love to see the Celtics duke it out with Kobe in the Finals, I don’t see it happening with their road woes. Now, to my utter bewilderment, they were to steal a game in Detroit, either in games 3,4 or 6, I would change my tune. Unless they do that I see the Pistons winning this series. I don’t see KG getting open shots again, nor Pierce dominating once more. Detroit is too experienced and hungry to let another conference finals slip away.  As much as Garnett has carried this team this season, he is a very un-clutch player for his intensity level, as Bill Simmons proclaimed in his latest article. I agree with his assessment. This is Garnett’s first chance at a title with a solid team, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pass up shots late, especially on the road, like he has done in previous games, to find other teammates like Pierce. Pierce isn’t a bad option to go to with the playoffs he has had, a player that the Pistons desperately need to hold down in this series, especially in Boston. Since Detroit actually has a road win this playoffs, I could see them heading back home tied up, just as I earlier stated for the Celtics, road wins are vital for both teams. Though the second game is bound to be low scoring, like in game 1, it will be very interesting to see who gains the tempo. If Boston gains the tempo, can they, unlike in the first two series, take that momentum in someone else’s house?