After watching the Spurs get totally beat down by the Suns in their game 4, I don't feel so bad about the Celtics loss to the Hawks. The Spurs were just totally outplayed in that game. But then again, the Hawks can't be considered in the Suns category. Every team can let down and get beat by a team that isn't as good, but how they respond in the next game will be the key.
I really think the shot clock situation in Atlanta affected the Celtics more than it affected the Hawks. The game was tied at the half. The Celtics usually come out strong in the 3rd quarter but, without he shot clock, they seemed disoriented and out of sync. The Celtics tend to take most of their shots as the shot clock winds down after moving the ball and looking for the open man and the best shot so not knowing how much time was on the shot clock affected their timing and shot selection. The Hawks tend to take most of their shots before 15 seconds on the shot clock so it didn't bother them not to have the shot clock. Add to that the fact that the PA guy who was counting down the seconds seemed to use 2 different watches to time the teams. The Celtics were down 10 at the end of the third quarter without the shot clock. Then, when the shot clock mysteriously reappeared in the 4th quarter, the Celtics went on a run. It reminded me of some of the things that Red used to do in the old Garden to gain an advantage from turning off the hot water to the vistors' locker room to turning the heat on in their locker room in the summer and off in the winter.
I always cringe when I see Violet Palmer officiating one of the Celtics games. I have no idea how she got to work the playoff games because she really is one of the worst refs in the league. When I see her I know that we will have trouble because she will call phantom fouls and ignore the real fouls. It has nothing to do with her gender but everything to do with her incompetence.
I think Doc made a mistake in game 3 by not playing Leon more. Perk had gotten hit in the nose and looked a bit dazed and only played 18 minutes. Leon only played 6 minutes and Doc went with Big Baby more. Big Baby is a good rebounder and brings a lot of energy to the game, but he isn't an enforcer and doesn't bring the toughness to the interior defense that Perk and Leon bring. Without that interior force to play along with KG, it opened the middle for a lot of dunks and layups.
It was great to see Delonte hit the game winner for the Cavs in their game 4 to put the Cavs up 3-1. I really still like Delonte and am happy to see him doing well. I can imagine that if the Celtics play the Cavs in round 2, a Rondo - Delonte matchup will be interesting since they played against each other for a year in practice. I would love to see Delonte come back to Boston some time in the future. He is a great kid with a lot of personality. He and Big Baby would get along great as the class clowns. But, if we do play the Cavs in the next round, Delonte becomes the enemy, for that series, anyway.
There has been a lot of speculation about the sign that Pierce made to Horford in game 3. Pierce had gone for a steal and ended up on the floor. Horford went past and got to the hoop for a dunk. On his way back on defense he stopped to taunt and talk some trash to Pierce as he still sat on the floor. A time out was called and Pierce got up with a very fierce look on his face and started walking toward the Hawks bench before Scal came out to herd him back to the Celtics bench. While he was walking, Pierce flashed a sign that has been cause for much speculation among Hawks fans and Celtics fans alike.
Many people feel that Pierce is flashing a Piru gang sign. Others say that he was holding up 3 fingers to signify that it was just the 3rd game. I have also seen the explanation that he was holding up a zero as in the Hawks have zero chance to win the series. I guess it depends on whether you are willing to give Pierce the benefit of the doubt as to which theory you believe. I prefer to think he was saying that it was just the 3rd game or that he would have to win 3 more games.
Posted on the site is also a photo of JoseCalderon making a similar gesture with both hands and I would hazard a guess that he is making this sign after having made a 3 pointer. Although Pierce was also shooting daggers with his eyes, I really don't see him flashing a gang symbol at Horford. I would say that it is much ado about nothing.
I really think the shot clock situation in Atlanta affected the Celtics more than it affected the Hawks. The game was tied at the half. The Celtics usually come out strong in the 3rd quarter but, without he shot clock, they seemed disoriented and out of sync. The Celtics tend to take most of their shots as the shot clock winds down after moving the ball and looking for the open man and the best shot so not knowing how much time was on the shot clock affected their timing and shot selection. The Hawks tend to take most of their shots before 15 seconds on the shot clock so it didn't bother them not to have the shot clock. Add to that the fact that the PA guy who was counting down the seconds seemed to use 2 different watches to time the teams. The Celtics were down 10 at the end of the third quarter without the shot clock. Then, when the shot clock mysteriously reappeared in the 4th quarter, the Celtics went on a run. It reminded me of some of the things that Red used to do in the old Garden to gain an advantage from turning off the hot water to the vistors' locker room to turning the heat on in their locker room in the summer and off in the winter.
I always cringe when I see Violet Palmer officiating one of the Celtics games. I have no idea how she got to work the playoff games because she really is one of the worst refs in the league. When I see her I know that we will have trouble because she will call phantom fouls and ignore the real fouls. It has nothing to do with her gender but everything to do with her incompetence.
I think Doc made a mistake in game 3 by not playing Leon more. Perk had gotten hit in the nose and looked a bit dazed and only played 18 minutes. Leon only played 6 minutes and Doc went with Big Baby more. Big Baby is a good rebounder and brings a lot of energy to the game, but he isn't an enforcer and doesn't bring the toughness to the interior defense that Perk and Leon bring. Without that interior force to play along with KG, it opened the middle for a lot of dunks and layups.
It was great to see Delonte hit the game winner for the Cavs in their game 4 to put the Cavs up 3-1. I really still like Delonte and am happy to see him doing well. I can imagine that if the Celtics play the Cavs in round 2, a Rondo - Delonte matchup will be interesting since they played against each other for a year in practice. I would love to see Delonte come back to Boston some time in the future. He is a great kid with a lot of personality. He and Big Baby would get along great as the class clowns. But, if we do play the Cavs in the next round, Delonte becomes the enemy, for that series, anyway.
There has been a lot of speculation about the sign that Pierce made to Horford in game 3. Pierce had gone for a steal and ended up on the floor. Horford went past and got to the hoop for a dunk. On his way back on defense he stopped to taunt and talk some trash to Pierce as he still sat on the floor. A time out was called and Pierce got up with a very fierce look on his face and started walking toward the Hawks bench before Scal came out to herd him back to the Celtics bench. While he was walking, Pierce flashed a sign that has been cause for much speculation among Hawks fans and Celtics fans alike.
Many people feel that Pierce is flashing a Piru gang sign. Others say that he was holding up 3 fingers to signify that it was just the 3rd game. I have also seen the explanation that he was holding up a zero as in the Hawks have zero chance to win the series. I guess it depends on whether you are willing to give Pierce the benefit of the doubt as to which theory you believe. I prefer to think he was saying that it was just the 3rd game or that he would have to win 3 more games.
Posted on the site is also a photo of JoseCalderon making a similar gesture with both hands and I would hazard a guess that he is making this sign after having made a 3 pointer. Although Pierce was also shooting daggers with his eyes, I really don't see him flashing a gang symbol at Horford. I would say that it is much ado about nothing.
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