Shaq is going to be such a monster in the wheelchair basketball league

If you had a ticket to last night's miserable matchup of the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons, you might have seen some history at the TD Garden.

Shaquille O'Neal returned to action after missing more than two months, scored six points in five minutes then promptly pulled up lame with another injury-strained calf.

The Celtics (53-23) won 101-90 over the Pistons (26-50) but I wouldn't be surprised if that was the Diesel's final NBA game. How much does he have left in the tank? And what does his worn out body have left to prove?

It's too bad that his injury overshadowed the team's win. If you've been paying attention at all this season, you had to know something like that would happen to Shaq. He simply can't stay healthy anymore.

Kevin Garnett led Boston with 23 points and eight rebounds while Paul Pierce had 22 points. Rajon Rondo handed out 14 assists and Ray Allen added 13 points. Delonte West (10 points, 5 assists) and Glen Davis (11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) were solid off the bench.

Will Bynum paced the Pistons with 20 points. Tayshaun Prince had 16 points, Richard Hamilton scored 14 and Greg Monroe had 11 points. Charlie Villanueva put up 15 points off the bench.

Troy Murphy and Nenad Krstic (who's much more important than Shaq) could both return tomorrow night as Boston hosts Philadelphia in a possible first-round playoff matchup. Krstic got the good news over the weekend that he didn't tear anything in his knee.

Your mom and grandma's favorite Celtic helps the team wake up and beat the Pistons

As they sleepwalked through a meaningless game vs. the Detroit Pistons last night at the TD Garden, it was obvious that the Boston Celtics needed a spark.

38-year-old Shaquille O'Neal was the unlikely force behind a strong fourth quarter (28-21) to help the Celts overcome an eight-point deficit and win 86-82.

Kevin Garnett (11 points, 6 rebounds) looked like the rusty player who just came back from an injury, the expected letdown after his performance on Monday vs. the Orlando Magic-a much bigger game against a fellow contender.

Paul Pierce (game-high 22 points) was the only Celtic (32-9) that really seemed to be focused that is until Shaq carried the team on his broad shoulders in the fourth quarter.

I'll admit that when Boston picked up Shaq in the off-season, I figured it was nothing more than a heady PR move but I've been pleasantly surprised. When he plays (a big if), he has been unselfish and brought some inside presence that they've desperately needed with Kendrick Perkins, Jermaine O'Neal and KG out at various times.

Last night was Shaq's best game for the Celts. He was diving on the court for loose balls, blocking shots (2), stealing the ball (3) and posting a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Ray Allen was held to seven points although as he usually does, he made a dagger long 2-pointer that was the biggest shot of the game. Rajon Rondo was also limited to six points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Glen Davis had 11 points and six rebounds for the bench which was short-handed after Marquis Daniels left in the second quarter with a sprained ankle.

Detroit (15-27) came in on a three-game winning streak but let's be honest: they're a complete mess. Richard Hamilton is due to be traded but right now he's rotting on the bench and getting DNPs.

Rodney Stuckey led the Pistons with 15 points, Greg Monroe (9 rebounds) and Tayshaun Prince added 13 points apiece, Charlie Villanueva had 11 points and Ben Gordon notched 10 points.

Try not to fall asleep as I describe this borefest. The teams were tied at 22 after one quarter and Detroit was up 45-42 at halftime. Both only managed 16 points in an ugly third quarter before the Cs finally decided to play for a few minutes in the fourth.

Boston shot 44.7% to Detroit's 41.9%. They each hit four 3-pointers and the Pistons made two more free throws (16-14). The Celts pulled down 13 more rebounds (47-34) while the Pistons had four more steals (9-5), one more block (6-5) and four less turnovers (17-13). Detroit had three more fast break points (12-9) but thanks to Shaq, the Celts had eight more points in the paint (50-42).

Things figure to get much more interesting and exciting tomorrow night as the Utah Jazz visit the Garden. Former Celtics young gun Al Jefferson has finally found a good team to play on and point guard Deron Williams is arguably the best in the NBA. Should be a good one, wish I was going!

Oh God no!

If you want to blame Kevin Garnett's injury on me, I'll accept it.

It has not been a banner week for myself since my cable went out on Tuesday night which means no DVR and it won't be fixed until Friday. FML! I knew the karma from that was bad since I had seen almost every Celtics and Bruins game this season up until the other night.

So obviously I was covering a high school basketball last night when I scanned Twitter for a few minutes and noticed it was blowing up. What was the cause? Oh just another possible serious injury to KG. No matter where I was when I found that out, I wouldn't have been happy but sitting in a rotten mood at a boring high school game was about the most helpless feeling I can remember in a while.

Watching the endless replays when I got back to the office, it happened in the first quarter when he went up for a dunk. He wasn't touched by anyone but as he elevated, something clearly got tweaked in his right leg. It was eerily similar to the injury in Utah two seasons ago that ended that campaign. He was also kicked in the leg by Monte Ellis last season which made him miss some time.

More than anything, I feel bad for KG since he's worked so diligently to return to form at a time when most had all but written him off. The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn wrote a column today about how Jermaine O'Neal and Shaq have to take control inside now with KG out. What planet am I on? That was one of the dumbest things I've ever read, doesn't Washburn watch this team every night? This isn't 2001, no matter how much time Garnett misses, his production falls to Glen Davis, not the two fossils we have at center.

After the game last night, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and the journalists that cover the team tried to calm everyone's fears by saying it was a calf injury, not a knee injury. Garnett is scheduled to have an MRI today, fingers crossed.

There was a game last night in the Palace of Auburn Hills and the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 104-92.

The Pistons (11-21) received a team-high 21 points and eight assists from Tracy McGrady (I can hardly believe it), Tayshaun Prince had 18 points, Charlie Villanueva scored 14 points while Ben Gordon (12 points), Austin Daye (12 points) and Chris Wilcox (10 points) all reached double figures.

The Celts (24-6) were led by Paul Pierce (33 points, 8 assists, 4 steals) but Ray Allen (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Glen Davis (12 points) seemed to be the only Cs to do anything outside of the Truth.

I don't feel the need to rehash this forgettable game and poor performance.

Boston comes home to host the New Orleans Hornets tomorrow afternoon in a New Year's Eve special start time (3 p.m.). Rumors are swirling that Rajon Rondo - who's been out six straight games - might return to take on Chris Paul but we shall see.

Rajon Rondo is from another planet

Admittedly, it's hard to get pumped out about any NBA regular season game unless you're going or some other special situation.

Still, there's a reason I set the DVR for the Celtics' game at the Detroit Pistons last night and I plan to the do the same for the rest of the season - Rajon Rondo.

Boston's young point guard is the heart and soul of the team and he is playing on another level right now.

In last night's easy 106-89 win for the Celts (3-1) at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Rondo had 17 assists and no turnovers. Think about that. This comes after a triple-double on Friday vs. the Knicks with 24 assists (four short of the franchise record by Bob Cousy).

I've never seen a guy that's able to control the game like he can, especially when he's not much of a scoring threat at all himself.

Kevin Garnett looks more like the 2008 KG than last year's shadow of himself. He had 22 points, Paul Pierce had 21 points and Ray Allen added 16 points.

In his first start for the Green, zombie Jermaine O'Neal even had 12 points and two blocks. He was getting plenty of open looks so if he can knock a few shots down a game, Boston will be in great shape. Him and Shaq are sure to be hurt a ton this season and Kendrick Perkins won't come back until at least January.

The C's bench continues to play well without its leader - Delonte West. Glen Davis had 10 points, Marquis Daniels scored nine while rookies Luke Harangody (4 points) and Semih Erden (2 points, 2 blocks) scored their first NBA buckets in limited action.

Detroit (0-4) is a mess as they're off to their first 0-4 start in 11 seasons. They can't seem to decide if they want to completely rebuild around Rodney Stuckey (15 points) and Austin Daye (16 points) or live off past glory with Ben Wallace (6 points, 8 rebounds) and Tayshaun Prince (10 points), not to mention Richard Hamilton, who didn't play since he's injured.

I don't know where Ben Gordon (14 points) fits into that equation but either way, the Pistons are going nowhere fast despite having a decent collection of talent. Charlie Villanueva should start, even though he doesn't play defense, since he put up a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Boston shot 51.9% to Detroit's 44.9%. The Celtics made five more 3-pointers (7-2) and shot 100% from the free throw line (18 for 18). Oh and they had a whopping 20 more assists (33-13), eight more steals (10-2) and five more blocks (7-2). The Pistons had 17 turnovers while the C's only had eight, which was a great sign since that's been a major issue in their first few games this season.

The other big issue will come tonight as they face the Milwaukee Bucks at the TD Garden. Can the Celts beat a good team in the second night of back to back games? The Bucks have gotten off to a slow start but the Celtics lost in Cleveland last week under similar circumstances to a bad team.

Michael Finley and your grandpa had some crazy times back in the day

The Boston Celtics have become the definition of front-runners. They beat up on the scrubs in the NBA (most of whom reside in the Eastern Conference) and then they choke time and again against good teams and playoff contenders.

They rolled over the woeful Detroit Pistons last night 119-93 at the TD Garden and I think it's safe to say that Bill Laimbeer is rolling over in his grave.

This game was never close as Boston (42-24) was up 31-15 after the first quarter and 64-35 at halftime.

It was a nice reminder of why once March Madness comes around, any sane basketball fan forgets about the NBA for a few weeks.

Seven Celtics scored in double figures and two others had eight points. The newest Celtics Michael Finley had 15 points off the bench while Paul Pierce and Ray Allen also scored 15 in limited time. Kevin Garnett added 14 points and eight rebounds, Glen Davis had 13 points off the bench while Kendrick Perkins and Marquis Daniels notched 11. Rasheed Wallace and Glen Robinson both scored eight points.

Poor Richard Hamilton (14 points) and Tayshaun Prince. Detroit (23-44) is a complete mess and those two great veterans are stuck on a rebuilding team going nowhere fast. Prince left the game early after teammate Jason Maxiell (11 points, 10 rebounds) kneed him in the back.

Will Bynum had 16 points and 7 assists for the Pistons, Jonas Jerebko added 10 points while DaJuan Summers (12 points) and Ben Gordon (11 points) showed pulses off the bench.

The C's shot 62.2% as a team with nine more rebounds (36-27) and double the amount of assists as Detroit (34-17).

Tomorrow night will probably be another laugher as the Knicks come to the Garden for a St. Patrick's Day beatdown Southie style.

The Nate Robinson trade pays off

These are desperate times for the Boston Celtics since no win as guaranteed (see: losing to New Jersey over the weekend at home).

Therefore last night's 105-100 win in Detroit isn't exactly parade worthy but still, the hopeless Pistons did beat the Celtics a few weeks ago on the same court.

Nate Robinson had his best game so far for the Celts as he scored 14 points (including 4 3-pointers) in 15 minutes. That's exactly the type of instant offense off the bench Boston needs. And if you think Eddie House, Bill Walker or J.R. Giddens would have provided it this season as consistently, well I feel bad for you son.

It was a grimy game and Boston (37-21) did everything they could to keep Detroit (21-39) in it but thankfully the C's made a couple plays in crunch time to seal it.

Ray Allen led the Celts with 18 points, Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 11 assists, Kevin Garnett scored 14 and grabbed nine rebounds while Rasheed Wallace (starting for a sick Kendrick Perkins) had 10 points. Glen Davis added 12 points off the bench.

The Pistons were a dominant team in the last decade but now they're in the tricky process of rebuilding while still giving some fading stars big minutes.

Jonas Jerebko led the Pistons with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Richard Hamilton (7 assists) and Tayshaun Prince both had 15 points and Rodney Stuckey, the franchise building block, was held to 13 points.

It was tied at 25 after the first quarter and Boston held a slim 55-52 halftime lead. Detroit went ahead 75-72 going into the fourth but the C's impressively closed it 33-25.

They'll try to build on that momentum as the Charlotte Bobcats come to the TD Garden this evening for what should be another closer than it should be contest.

It's a good thing these games don't really matter

Yuck. The Celtics choked away a twelve-point lead last night at the Palace and lost to the woeful Pistons 92-86.

It was Boston's (27-13) third consecutive loss and the fifth in their last seven games. This was maybe the worst loss of the season so far since Detroit (15-26)-who recently lost 13 games in a row-is just an awful team, there's no way around it.

The centerpiece of the rebuilding Pistons is Rodney Stuckey and the 50 Cent look-alike has some game: he scored a game-high 27 points, with 11 rebounds and six assists.

Charlie Villanueva scored 19 points off the bench for Detroit while Jason Maxiell and Richard Hamilton scored 12 points apiece.

Paul Pierce got off to a hot start with 17 points in the first quarter but he was held to four points the rest of the way. Rajon Rondo added 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

In his big return to Detroit Rock City, Rasheed Wallace tallied 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals but he didn't make any plays down the stretch when the Pistons started to run away with it.

The most interesting part of the game was Big Baby swearing at a clown Detroit fan that was courtside. It's good to see that Davis has really grown up since his injury at the start of the season.

(Fingers crossed) Kevin Garnett is supposed to return tomorrow night for the C's as they host the underrated Trailblazers. Portland star Brandon Roy is banged up with a hamstring injury so his status is probably up in the air too.

Sorry A.I., Rajon Rondo is the future

A few months back, when I purchased tickets to see the Detroit Pistons vs. the Boston Celtics at the Garden, I expected a tight early season meeting of the Eastern Conference's two best teams.

With that said, the result was surprising as the C's (11-2) absolutely dominated the Pistons (8-4) in a 98-80 romp last night.

Detroit started the game on a 13-2 run but as quick as you noticed that, the Celts were tying it up as the teams each had 21 in the first quarter.

Boston's bench was the key to the game as Tony Allen (13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks), Eddie House (11 points) and Leon Powe (7 points, 7 rebounds) gave the C's energy and production in extended playing time.

As a result, Boston took a 49-40 lead into the break and never looked back as they led 77-57 going into the fourth.

The Big Three had collectively as bad a game as you'll ever see from them: Kevin Garnett (15 points), Ray Allen (12 points) and Paul Pierce (9 points) got to sit out the entire fourth quarter though which is vital since they play tonight and Sunday on the road.

In a game full of so many stars, one player that you might not expect, totally stood out above the rest: Rajon Rondo. I can't decide who is more appropriate named Mr. Jekell and Hyde, between Rondo or Tony Allen but it's clear that when Rondo is on, he's one of the great young stars in the NBA.

Rondo had a game-high 18 points, eight assists and three steals. Kendrick Perkins added 10 rebounds.

The Pistons never seemed into the game. Allen Iverson paced Detroit with the quietest 16 points I've ever seen. Rasheed Wallace (13 points) and Richard Hamilton (12 points) didn't leave any imprint on the game before retreating to the bench for good.

Jason Maxiell had 10 points for the Pistons.

It's way too early to say whether the Chauncey Billups for A.I. swap was a success for Detroit or not but as of now, the early returns are not looking good. Sure, the Pistons beat the Lakers last week but A.I. is not at the point in his career where he can lead a team (while Ba Ba Ba Billups still can as he's showing in Denver). Iverson's game has been reduced to driving the lane, jumping in the air then passing back out. He's not a total bum by any means but it barely resembles the sure bet Hall-of-Famer in his Sixers days.

The Celts shot 49.3% to Detroit's 42.6%. Boston had five more rebounds (42-37), five more assists (22-17), four more steals (12-8) and four less turnovers (16-12).

Tonight is KG's first official visit back to Minnesota. Last year, he was out with the abdominal injury so he couldn't play. He still garnered an awkward pre-game ceremony but this game should be much more enjoyable for Garnett and the Timberwolves' fans.

One Win Away from the NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics are now just one win away from the NBA Finals, thanks to a 106-102 win over the Pistons last night in game 5 at the Garden. Boston now leads the Eastern Conference Finals 3-1.

Two of the three most outstanding players on the Celtics last night were pretty unexpected: Kendrick Perkins and Ray Allen.

Allen had 29 points (9 of 15 from the floor, 5 of 6 on threes, 6-6 from the line) and scored a clutch hoop with a minute left to put Boston back up three after Detroit had cut it to one.

He had a few games which were statistically higher this season but last night was so far, the performance of Kendrick Perkins' NBA life. He posted a double-double in the first half and finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Part of the reason he was able to do so much was that he stayed out of foul trouble, a constant issue with Perk.

Not to be outdone, Kevin Garnett had a game-high 33 points and seven boards. KG made two free throws at the end to give Boston the four-point cushion.

Rajon Rondo put up some crazy numbers, even for him: seven points (3 of 14 from the floor), 13 assists, six rebounds, four steals and a block. Oh and he only had one turnover.

For the Pistons, Chauncey Billups put up a team-high 26 points with six assists and five rebounds. Richard Hamilton posted 25 points, six assists and four rebounds. Rasheed Wallace was on fire from three-point land, making six of eight for 18 points and three blocks while Rodney Stuckey had 13 points off the bench.

The third quarter was the difference as the teams were tied 23-23 after the first quarter and Detroit actually led 52-46 at the half.

Spearheaded by Allen's shooting (really), the Celts stormed back in the third and at one point led by 17 points. The Pistons though are resilient, we're talking like Keith Richards can't die invincible.

Detroit kept making tough shots and plays in the fourth quarter, taking the frame 31-22. Boston held on by the skin of their teeth and they clearly have some work to do when nursing fourth quarter leads.

Both teams scoring over 100 points was a surprising occurrence in what has lived up to the defensive, hard-nosed battle it was expected to be. Boston shot 50.7% from the floor to Detroit's 46.3%. The Pistons stayed in the game by going 11 of 21 on 3-pointers while the Celts made eight of 15. Thanks to Perk's beastly night on the glass, the C's had a 42-25 edge in rebounding, including 11 offensive boards.

Last night was a huge win but it followed the script of the Celtics playoff run thus far: they've never trailed in a series and they've won every game 5. Hopefully they can revise the script and end this series in six (what a concept). After blowing out the Hawks in game 7 and having a career-defining game from Pierce to defeat the Cavs, I don't want to know what it would take to put the Pistons away. Richard Hamilton strained his elbow at the end of game 5 so he'll at least be banged up. The C's have finally notched one road win, why not make it two?

DE-TROIT BAS-KET-BALL!

If nothing else this playoff season, we've learned that the NBA is currently largely based on trends and home-court. It seems rarely do unexpected results happen.

Specifically, while the Celtics were able to finally pull out a road win on Saturday, things went back to normal in game 4 last night at the Palace as Detroit took a 94-75 win to even the Eastern Conference Finals at two games apiece.

The Pistons are now 5-0 this playoff season in games following losses. Game 4 was a strange one, nothing more telling of that fact than Antonio McDyess having a 1998 style game of 21 points and 16 rebounds.

All of the Big Three played badly, some worse than others. Kevin Garnett had a quiet 16 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Pierce had 16 points (on 3 of 14 shooting, he made 10 of 11 from the line) and eight rebounds while Ray Allen further proved that game 2 was a fluke, scoring 11 points on 2 of 8 shooting. James Posey had 11 points off the bench and Kendrick Perkins had 10 before fouling out.

Rajon Rondo continued his trick or treat play, managing only four points and four assists in 30 minutes. Sam Cassell bested that with a goose egg in 17 minutes.

As is usually the case when Detroit plays well, a variety of guys contributed to the win. Richard Hamilton had 20 points and seven assists, Rasheed Wallace had 14 points, five rebounds and five blocks, Jason Maxiell had 14 points off the bench and Chauncey Billups put up 10 points and dished out seven assists.

After starting off slowly in game 3-a key to the loss-the Pistons hit Boston with a 10-0 run at the start of the first quarter. The C's recovered to make it a five-point deficit (22-17) at the end of one but Detroit seemed to have control throughout the game.

Detroit was only up 43-39 at the half and the C's cut it to two points twice in the third quarter but the Pistons were not going to lose again on their home floor. They outscored Boston 22-19 in the third and blew the game open late with a 29-17 fourth.

Maxiell had the play of the game when he blocked Garnett from behind on a dunk/layup. It was the type of energy play that the Pistons thrive on and the Celts have lacked away from home.

After shooting 51.4% to Boston's 31.8%, it's easy to see that the only reason the Celtics had a chance was that they got to the line. Boston made a playoff-high 32 out of 39 while Detroit was 20 of 26. Despite their success on driving, the C's did not pass well at all, they only had 12 assists while the Pistons notched 27. Detroit also had 10 blocks and seven turnovers.

Game 5 is back at the Garden tomorrow and clearly it is supremely important. Boston has to hold serve at home or else they will probably go down in flames. Either way, this is going seven games which we knew the second this matchup was finalized.

Long Overdue

Sound the doomsday alarm, ring the church bell, call a friend, the Boston Celtics (the best road team in the regular season) finally won a game on the road in the playoffs. The C's are now 9-1 at home and 1-6 on the road.

The Celts took game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Palace, 94-80. It couldn't have come at a more opportune time as the Pistons had stolen the C's home-court advantage by winning game 2 at the Garden.

All five starters and six Celtics overall scored in double figures. It took a collective team effort to finally get that gorilla off their back.

Kevin Garnett was the best player on the court with 22 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Ray Allen had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists while Kendrick Perkins totalled 12 points and 10 boards. Rajon Rondo scored 12, Paul Pierce had 11 and James Posey added 12 points off the bench.

The Pistons were led by Richard Hamilton's 26 points. The other Detroit player who stood out was Rodney Stuckey, who scored 17 points with four assists and four steals off the bench. Rasheed Wallace was the other notable Piston as he had 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Big runs were the staple of the first quarter as Boston opened the game on an 11-0 clip. Detroit answered with a 14-0 run but the C's closed the first frame with a 10-0 run, giving them a 25-17 lead.

The lead increased in the second quarter, so much so that Boston took a surprising 50-32 advantage into halftime.

The Celts came out slow in the second half but eventually worked the lead up to 24 points. Detroit made a frantic comeback (helped immensely by the refs that let Detroit beat up Boston with no whistles) but would only get as close as nine points.

Chauncey Billups continued his strange series with six points, four assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes. Stuckey actually played 28 minutes and was on the floor for much of the second half when Detroit tried to cut the Boston lead.

Boston shot 46.4% from the floor to Detroit's 38.4%. The C's had five three-pointers while the Pistons only managed one. The C's owned the glass (44-28), which was a pretty impressive margin on the road.

Game 4 is tomorrow night back at the Palace and if the C's can get another road win, this series is as good as over. Don't count the Pistons out however. This team has been in countless big games in the last six seasons so they'll no doubt play much better than their stinker last night.

Well There Goes That Plan

It was inevitable. The Boston Celtics finally lost a home game in the playoffs. Detroit won game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 103-97. This means that the C's will have to win a game on the road if they want to advance to the NBA Finals.

The Pistons played a great game from start to finish, making tough baskets and all the little plays that add up to a win in the playoffs.

Six Detroit players scored in double figures: Richard Hamilton (25 points), Chauncey Billups (19 points, 7 assists), Antonio McDyess (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals), Tayshaun Prince (14 points, 8 assists) and Rodney Stuckey (13 points).

Boston had won 15 games in a row at the Garden, March 24 vs. the Sixers was the last loss by the Green and White on the parquet.

Surprisingly, for the first time in the playoffs, the Big Three all played well. Paul Pierce (26 points, 5 assists), Ray Allen (25 points) and Kevin Garnett (24 points, 13 rebounds) were all outstanding. Rajon Rondo (10 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals) had his moments but the difference between the teams was Stuckey. The Boston bench combined for only eight points.

The C's led 20-18 after the first quarter but Detroit held a 50-43 halftime lead.

Boston came out on fire to start the second half and would you believe that Ray Allen was the catylyst? Allen made a couple hoops and a steal to push the Celts ahead 55-54.

It was tight the rest of the way but the Pistons made just a few more shots down the stretch.

For the game, the Pistons were 28 of 32 (Boston was 22 of 25) from the line and only had nine turnovers to the Celtics' 12. Everything else was pretty much even.

Game 3 is tomorrow night in the Palace at Auburn Hills. I know I'm looking forward to hearing that idiot yell Detroit basketball every three minutes. He must have some kinda life. Chauncey BaBaBaBa BILLUPS!

The Celts best game since game 7 vs. Atlanta

Maybe all the talk of the rested, veteran Pistons having no problems with the exhausted Celtics was a little premature. Boston won 88-79 last night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the TD Banknorth Garden.

It was the Celtics most complete performance since game 7 against the Hawks in the first round. The C's jumped out to a 8-0 lead as Detroit looked tired and old, something you would have expected from a Celtics team that was playing its 11th game in 22 days.

The two best players on the floor last night were Kevin Garnett (game-high 26 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks) and Paul Pierce (22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists). You could make a case too for Rajon Rondo (11 points, 7 assists, 5 steals) being the third best player.

Ray Allen tried to get untracked as he took the first shot of the game and not surprisingly missed. Allen finished with nine points and four assists on 3 of 10 shooting. His three baskets came on a layup, a dunk and a goaltending call. It was so bad that he airballed an in rhythm three-pointer.

Tayshaun Prince led the Pistons with 16 points, Richard Hamilton had 15 points and six rebounds, Antonio McDyess posted a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Rasheed Wallace notched 11 points on 3 of 12 shooting.

The biggest storyline for the Pistons is the health of point guard Chauncey Billups. Despite his claims that he was feeling great, Billups looked a step slow, on his way to nine points in 31 minutes. Most tellingly, he sat down the stretch as rookie Rodney Stuckey (9 points) took over ballhandling duties.

After the hot start, Boston cooled off and went 1 for their next 9 from the floor. Still, the Celts had a 22-17 lead after the first quarter. Detroit came back in the second quarter (mostly because they were getting to the line way more) and the C's held a 41-40 halftime lead.

The third quarter was where Boston really went to work as they outscored Detroit by 11 (28-17). Once again, PJ Brown (4 points) and Eddie House (5 points) provided the energy off the bench. Kendrick Perkins totalled five points and 10 rebounds while House drained a three-pointer right before the third quarter ended.

The Pistons hung around in the fourth quarter but ultimately couldn't get enough stops nor points on offense. Rondo hit two big baskets (a long jumper and a three) while Pierce hit a patented mid-range jumper from the elbow.

How much does this win mean? Probably not that much. We already knew the Celts (9-0) were nearly impossible to beat at home. The question is who (if anyone) will pick up the first road win in the series. More than anything, if Billups can't step his game up, the Pistons will have a hard time defeating the Celts. In a battle of two great defensive teams, the play of the point guard is of premium importance.

Boston shot 52.2% to Detroit's 42.4%. Neither team really shined at the line (Pistons were 19 of 27 while the Celtics were 14 of 21). Thanks to Rondo's speed and the unselfish play of everyone else, the C's owned the assists (27-15).

Game 2 is tomorrow night back at the Garden.

Can't Wait Until May

We can't get too ahead of ourselves: It is still the regular season but you have to admit, last night's 90-78 Celtics win over the Pistons was pretty awesome. Boston (47-12) not only clinched the season series with Detroit (44-17), 2-1, they also wrapped up a playoff spot (on March 5!) and put the Pistons five games back in the loss column as the teams vie for the top seed in the East.

Is their any doubt that the Pistons and Celtics will meet in the playoffs, most likely in the Eastern Conference Finals? Sure, the Cavs will always have a chance with LeBron in the lineup (who dropped 50 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists on the hapless Knicks last night) but Boston and Detroit are two of the best teams in the game. Plus, the East is a joke.

After the game, the veteran Pistons-who have been to five straight Eastern Conference Finals (including two NBA Finals and one title), downplayed this loss and why wouldn't they? There's still plenty of time left before the games really matter. Even though Detroit is so tough, Boston would obviously prefer to have home-court since the Pistons are very hard to beat at the Palace.

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Detroit came out real flat in the first quarter as Boston jumped out to a 23-13 lead after one. The teams both put up 24 in the second and the C's held a 47-37 lead at the break.

Everyone knew the Pistons would find a way to climb back and not surprisingly they did just that in the third quarter (30-22). The Celts deserve a ton of credit though for hanging tough and shutting down the Pistons in the fourth quarter (21-11).

Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 31 points (including 12 straight in the second quarter), grabbed six boards and dished out three assists. The other star of the game was Kendrick Perkins, who had 10 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and two blocks. Rajon Rondo scored 16 points with five assists while Paul Pierce scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and had three assists. The Truth also hit the biggest shot of the game: a 3-pointer which put Boston up four late in the fourth. Ray Allen had just three points but submitted eight rebounds, five assists and no turnovers so he wasn't completely useless.

Chauncey Billups (7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Rasheed Wallace each had a team-high 23 points. Billups took over in the third, scoring 18 points as he abused Rondo while also getting some help from the officials who gave him an absurd 12 free-throws in the frame. Richard Hamilton scored 15 but the Celts held Tayshaun Prince to seven points (10 rebounds, 5 assists) and Antonio McDyess to five.

Outside of KG and Perk, and thinking about the possible playoff matchup, the biggest storyline to take from the game was the weakness of the Pistons bench. The Celtics bench (on not their best night by any means) outscored them 15-5 for the game. Obviously, Detroit will usually get more production than that but it bodes very well for the C's (especially with Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown waiting to debut)chances of getting out of the East. Glen Davis had seven points and four rebounds, he was by far the best player off either bench.

Boston shot 46.1% and held Detroit to 36.4%. The Celtics owned the glass (50-38) and were more unselfish (23-16). Even in a relatively low-scoring game, turnovers were at a premium, Boston had 11 and Detroit only had eight.

Unfortunately, the two teams won't meet again in the regular season which is a shame given how weak the Eastern Conference is this year. There's something about this Celtics team that makes you love their chances in their playoffs. They have the right combination of young guys and hungry veterans. It should be an exciting final six weeks of the season and playoffs (for the first time in three seasons).

Chicago comes to the Garden tomorrow night. It's also the last game of the season series (Boston is up 2-0) and the C's should beat the disappointing Bulls.

Forget Eminem, the Celtics own 8-Mile Road

On a team with three superstars, other players on the Boston Celtics often get lost in the shuffle and media circus growing around this outstanding team. Last night, Boston went into Detroit and beat the Pistons, 92-85, earning their ninth win in a row in the process.

Without a doubt, the key player of the game was Celtics rookie forward Glen Davis, who had 20 points and four rebounds. Big Baby put home 16 points in the fourth quarter alone as he repeatedly was wide open under the hoop then finished while he got hacked. If you saw Davis in college you knew he could play but like many players who aren't flashy dunkers or who can't score 40 points on a given night, he was unnecessarily forgotten in the draft. The Celts picked him up in the Ray Allen trade and that's already looking like a steal.

The Pistons (26-8) came in riding an 11 game win streak and in the first quarter, they completely shutdown the C's (29-3). Detroit outscored Boston 22-12 and Kevin Garnett (15 points, 5 rebounds) picked up his second foul pretty early and had to sit.

Boston roared back in the second quarter, led by Paul Pierce (19 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists), who is playing as well as anybody on the planet right now. The Celts outscored the Pistons, 29-21 in the second frame and entered halftime down two, 43-41.

Detroit has been in a million big games over the last six or seven years and they responded in the third. Richard Hamilton (18 points, 8 assists, 4 boards), Chauncey Billups (17 points, 6 assists, 4 boards) and Rasheed Wallace (16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks) all made plays. Even Jason Maxiell (13 points, 4 rebounds) was good although Tayshaun Prince (7 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) wasn't his usual self.

Tony Allen (10 points, 4 rebounds) continued his fine work while Ray Allen (9 points, 6 rebounds) had another off-night. Kendrick Perkins added seven points and nine rebounds.

The fourth quarter last night was pretty much the polar opposite of the first meeting: Boston (particularly Davis) made all the plays while Detroit bricked shots and turned the ball over. The C's outscored the Pistons 29-19 in the fourth to seal off a great win.

Detroit shot 39.2% from the floor while Boston was 41.9%. The Pistons made three more 3-pointers (7-4) but Boston made 10 more free throws (26-16). The biggest statistical advantage was in rebounds: Boston owned the glass (50-36). That helped to diminish their lack of assists (14 to the Pistons 23) and turnovers (13 vs. 6).

The game had all the look and feel of a late May playoff battle. Intensity was written over all the players faces and the Detroit crowd was hyped from the start. The Pistons will certainly be the Celts biggest roadblock in the Eastern Conference playoffs. So far, home court doesn't seem to be much of an advantage to these two very evenly matched squads.

Boston has until Wednesday to rest and recover. The Bobcats come to the Garden on Wednesday night.

Chauncey Ba-Ba-Ba-Billups

The Detroit Pistons have been to five straight Eastern Conference Finals. During that impressive run, they've taken home an NBA Championship and lost in another Final. With most of that same championship nucleus (Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince) back, the Pistons are still the team to beat in the East. The Celtics have gotten off to an amazing start (20-2) but as last night showed, they're not the Pistons. Not yet at least. Detroit won 87-85 at the Garden as Billups drained two free throws with 0.1 seconds left to ice it.

The loss snaps Boston's (20-3) nine game winning streak while also handing them their first defeat at home (12-1). It was a classic back and forth contest that resembled a playoff game even though it was mid-December. The Celtics jumped out to a 29-25 lead after one and a 52-45 advantage at the half. In the process, Celts second-year point guard Rajon Rondo played the half of his early NBA life. He had 14 points in the first half, including a sick ball-fake and hook shot around Rasheed Wallace and he also made an impossible off-balance layup while getting fouled. Predictably, he was completely shut down in the second half as he picked up five fouls and finished with 14 points, seven assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Boston's shots weren't falling in the third quarter (13 points) and some costly turnovers killed them in the final frame. Meanwhile, Billups (game-high 28 points, 8 assists) and Hamilton (21 points) were seemingly draining every shot. They couldn't miss. Antonio McDyess had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

On the other side, Kevin Garnett played one of his best games as a Celtic, submitting 26 points, 12 rebounds and 2 steals. He was consistently knocking down jumpers while teammate Ray Allen (fresh off sitting the last two games) had his most complete game of the year. Allen has made two game-winning shots but last night he was locked in as he had 24 points (on 9 of 13 shooting) and five boards.

The Celts found themselves down 78-71 after Pistons guard Lindsey Hunter made a three. Ray Allen had the highlight of the game as he drove to the hoop and threw down a reverse jam, something that nobody in the building expected (or would have believed). Soon after, Boston came back as Eddie House made a three to cut it to a three point deficit. After a Kendrick Perkins block, Allen calmly drained a three-pointer around two guys to tie it up. Billups had the ball stolen away by KG and it looked like Boston would have the last shot, the worst case scenario being that they miss and go to overtime.

The first mistake was that Paul Pierce got the last shot. Pierce struggled shooting all night (11 points on 5 of 16 shooting, 4 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals) and he bricked a medium range jumper. Even worse, Wallace controlled the rebound and Detroit had the ball with 1.7 seconds left after a timeout.

Everybody in the building (myself included) and watching on TV knew it was going to Billups and he didn't disappoint as he pump-faked Tony Allen and Allen couldn't help but crash into him. Chauncey is only a 90% career FT shooter so this one was over.

For the game, Boston shot an impressive 49.3% from the floor to the Pistons 40.3%. The C's couldn't buy threes though as they shot just 4 of 14 from beyond the arc. Detroit was 9 of 20 for three. The Pistons were 20-23 from the line while Boston struggled, shooting 13-21 as a team. Detroit's bench outscored Boston 14-5. Celtics super subs Eddie House (5 points) and James Posey (0 points) each had their worst games in recent memory.

All in all it was a real exciting game that was hopefully a precursor of things to come in May (albeit with a different ending). The Pistons are still ridiculously efficient and calm under pressure. As proof of that, their head coach is bozo Flip Saunders. Even he couldn't mess this team up. The Celtics can only gain from a big game like this. Too many times already this season, they've simply overmatched scrub Eastern Conference and a few terrible Western Conference teams. You can only get better after facing a team like Detroit.

The Bulls come to Boston tomorrow night and who knows what to expect from them. Chicago is a talented team but they rarely have seemed to show up this year. The C's beat them a few weeks back in Chi-town.