There is absolutely no reason to fear the Orlando Magic

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and his team have crafted the perfect way to shutdown the Orlando Magic: let Dwight Howard have a big day and try to make the rest of their one-dimensional players beat you.

That was the story yesterday afternoon as the Celts (38-12) won one of their most impressive games of the season, 91-80 over the Magic (32-20) at the TD Garden.

Howard had a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds but the Cs held him to six second-half points. Even more pathetic or funny (depending on your allegiances) was the fact that Orlando went 3-for-24 as a team on 3-pointers.

Obviously, they are a great 3-point shooting team and that number is a season-low and an anomaly but it shows how they only know one way to win: dump it into Howard and if that doesn't work, bomb threes.

The Magic have a bunch of decent role players but nobody that can take over if Howard ever struggles. Ryan Anderson had 12 points and seven rebounds while Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson scored 10 points apiece.

One of the most scary incidents I can remember in all the years I've watched the Celtics occurred early in the second quarter as swingman Marquis Daniels went down with a neck injury. He wasn't moving and was transported to New England Baptist Hospital. He has had neck issues in the past so it was a very serious issue and somber scene.

Credit to Boston for being able to rally from that emotionally taxing moment. Rajon Rondo was the star as he repeatedly drove to the hoop for a team-high 26 points and seven assists.

Paul Pierce added 18 points, Kevin Garnett scored 16 points and Ray Allen had 11 (he needs three more 3-pointers to tie Reggie Miller's all-time NBA record). Kendrick Perkins did his best Ben Wallace impression with 0 points and 13 rebounds while Glen Davis had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Orlando got out to a 22-17 lead in the first quarter as Boston started off very slow in the Super Bowl matinee. The Celts took a 46-43 lead and never looked back from there. They took the defensive second half, 24-18 in the third and 21-19 in the fourth.

For the game, the Cs shot 47.6% to the Magic's 34.4%. The Celtics made 15 more free throws (28-13) while Orlando pulled down five more rebounds (46-41). Boston had eight more assists (21-13) and three more blocks (4-1).

As I always say with this team, back-to-backs are never easy, no matter who they face. Still, the Celtics completely own the Charlotte Bobcats (11 of their last 12) and even though the game is in North Carolina tonight, they should win.

KG is back and all is right in my sports world (minus the Patriots obviously)

For the last week when it looked like Kevin Garnett was returning to the Boston Celtics' lineup when they hosted the Orlando Magic on Martin Luther King day, I was conflicted.

I was excited because I had tickets to the game but I was genuinely worried because KG's health seems so fragile these days and the team that is a bonafide title contender with him, becomes an Eastern Conference also-ran without him.

It's only one night but it looked like the same old KG as he totaled 19 points and eight rebounds in a regular season instant classic, a 109-106 Celtics win.

These two teams have built a nice rivalry over the last few seasons with two straight playoff meetings and back-to-back contests on Christmas.

It's an intriguing matchup, Dwight Howard (33 points, 13 rebounds) and the Magic (26-15) with their array of shooters vs. the teammwork of the Celts (31-9) and balanced scoring.

Like they have so many times over the last four seasons, the Cs made the plays down the stretch. Most notably a three-point play by Paul Pierce (14 points) and a steal by KG as the clock ran out.

Ray Allen notched 26 points, Rajon Rondo added 10 points and 13 assists while Shaquille O'Neal had 12 points. Coming off the bench, Glen Davis like always found his game with 15 points.

Jason Richardson had 14 points, Brandon Bass notched 13 points, Hedo Turkoglu put up 11 points and seven assists while Ryan Anderson put up 16 points off the bench.

When you add this win to the Bruins' earlier rampage, yesterday was exactly what New England sports fans needed to get over the Patriots. In the Celtics and Bruins (yes, I said it before lightning strikes me), we have two teams that can go deep in the postseason this spring. Add in Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon sitting courtside and chugging a beer when he was shown on the jumbotron and it was a good day to be a fan of the other three teams.

Boston was up 27-22 after the first quarter and 55-54 at halftime. Orlando tied it up after three quarters at 81 and the fourth was when the Celts did just enough (28-25) to send Ray Allen's mom home happy.

As a team, Boston shot a lights out 60.0% to Orlando's 45.9%. As expected, the Magic owned 3-pointers (10-3) and also made five more free throws (27-22). Orlando had four more rebounds (34-30) but the Celts had six more assists (25-19), seven more steals (10-3) and four more blocks (6-2). Boston had eight more fast break points (12-4) and most amazingly, double the amount of points in the paint (52-26).

The Celtics host the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night. Detroit has won three in a row and they also beat Boston the last time the teams met (on Dec. 29 in Motown when KG injured his calf).

The Orlando Magic still do not scare me

We all enjoyed the Boston Celtics' 14-game win streak but it came to a crashing halt yesterday afternoon as they went ice cold in the fourth quarter and lost 86-78 to the new-look Orlando Magic at the Amway Center.

At least it happened on Christmas so you either didn't watch, didn't really pay attention or were too drunk on egg nog and gift giving to care.

As bad as both teams played for most of this game, this was one that the Celtics (23-5) let get away. Other than going down 13-0 in the first quarter (which they quickly answered with a 13-0) spurt of their own, they led for almost the entire game until they couldn't hit a shot or make a play in the fourth quarter and the Magic (18-12) suddenly couldn't miss.

The reason I don't fear the Magic is that we beat them in the Eastern Conference Finals last season and that was with a severly limited Kevin Garnett (22 points). Everything that Orlando does is built around Dwight Howard (6 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks) but he still is in his infancy as far as post moves and his offensive game (outside of dunks) is concerned. Shaq fouled out in 13 minutes yesterday and zombie Jermaine O'Neal returned and we still completely shut him down.

Paul Pierce added 18 points and Glen Davis had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

For the Magic, Brandon Bass (21 points, 9 rebounds) was the spark for them when Howard was in foul trouble and generally couldn't get anything done offensively. Hedo Turkoglu had 16 points and Jameer Nelson added 12 points.

Off the bench, J.J. Redick (11 points) and Ryan Anderson (10 points) did a solid job.

In all the games that Rajon Rondo has missed, it is easy to point to this one as the game in which they missed him the most. Nate Robinson (7 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 of 15 shooting) was miserable and without Delonte West, the Celts offense was out of whack.

Boston led 20-19 after the first quarter and 46-36 at halftime. The Celts were up 63-57 after three quarters before they fell apart in the fourth (29-15 Orlando).

The Magic shot 39.4% which is normally grimy but it was more than enough yesterday. Boston shot a pitiful 34.6% and even worse, the Magic hit seven more 3-pointers (11-4). Orlando had six more rebounds (45-39) and six more blocks (9-3).

The Cs will try to start a new win streak on Tuesday when they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers.

Oh my, not again

For a team up 3-1, with another chance to close out and get to the NBA Finals (for the second time in three years), it's hard to imagine a more batshit crazy game than last night's Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.

When the dust had settled on a wacky and shady contest, the Magic had won 113-92 at Amway Arena, sending the game back to Boston for basically a must-win Game 6 tomorrow night at the TD Garden.

Things are complicated by the fact that Glen Davis and Marquis Daniels both sustained concussions last night, Rasheed Wallace fouled out but then left the bench with back spasms and Kendrick Perkins was tossed for two technical fouls. Since Perk has seven, he could have been suspended for Game 6 but the NBA wisely rescinded one of the two pathetic calls.

Got all that?

The refs were a joke and did nothing to dissuade anyone from saying that the NBA is rigged. Still, Orlando dominated this game physically and found their game (going 13-for-25 on 3-pointers).

I'm doing my best not to make a Bruins reference but the similarities are eerie. The team down 3-0 wins Game 4 in OT then in a Game 5 blowout. Yikes. And for a playoff schedule that is ridiculously long, it figures that the Celts have no time to rest as their bodies pile up on the sidelines.

For the second game in a row, Jameer Nelson (24 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Dwight Howard (21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks) were the two best players on the floor. Rashard Lewis even found a way to brave his stomach virus and was effective with 14 points and seven assists. J.J. Redick continued to outplay Vince Carter, adding 14 points.

Sheed actually led Boston with 21 points in just 18 minutes. Rajon Rondo (19 points, 6 assists) and Paul Pierce (18 points) but they shot a combined 12-for-29 from the field. Kevin Garnett (10 points) and Ray Allen (9 points) were non-factors.

This was a game that the Magic owned from start to finish; they led 31-27 after one quarter and 57-49 at the half. The C's were able to cut it to six a couple times in the second half but with their lack of healthy, in rhythm players, they were cooked.

Orlando owned all the numbers: shooting 52.2% to Boston's 43.1%. The Magic made six more threes and five more free throws with 17 more rebounds.

The fact that Shelden Williams and Brian Scalabrine could see minutes in the most important game of the season is horrifying but here we are. Big Baby said after the game that he'll play but after losing a tooth and stumbling around the court last night after being elbowed by Howard, he clearly was messed up.

Magic lose for first time since April 2

Remember when nobody gave the Celtics a chance heading into the 2010 playoffs? It seems like a long time ago since they knocked out the Cavs and yesterday beat Orlando 92-88 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Amway Arena.

Boston played great for the first three quarters, leading by as much as 20 and although the Magic cut it to two points with eight seconds left, the Celts hit their free throws to ice it.

It was shockingly easy against a team that had won all eight of its playoff games and 14 overall. They hadn't lost since April 2 and it's clear that they didn't know how to react to getting their ass kicked.

Ray Allen led the Celts with 25 points and seven rebounds while Paul Pierce notched 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Rasheed Wallace scored 13 off the bench, Kevin Garnett had eight points and 11 rebounds, Rajon Rondo added eight points and eight assists while Tony Allen and Glen Davis had six points off the bench.

Vince Carter (23 points) and Jameer Nelson (20 points, 9 rebounds) were the only Magic players to show up. Dwight Howard (13 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks) still looks like a guy that can't solve the defense of Perk, Sheed and Big Baby.

Boston led 22-14 after the first quarter and 41-32 at the end of the ugly first half. The Celts were able to take the third quarter (33-26) which let them hang on in the fourth (30-18 for Orlando).

Orlando is the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA but they looked nothing like that team yesterday, shooting 5-for-22. They had seven more rebounds (45-38) but the C's did a much better job spreading it around (21-10 assists).

Is it too early to call Game 2 a must-win for the Magic? I don't think so; no doubt they'll play ten times better than yesterday but if the Celtics can pull out another road win, this series could be over quickly.

The Celtics can't beat good teams, simple as that

Remember when the Celtics consistently beat the NBA's best teams? On the road, at home, back-to-back, it didn't matter.

Times have changed as the Celts are still a good team but right now, nobody can say that they're great.

Thanks to a coma in the third quarter (36-11), Boston (32-17) choked away an 11-point halftime lead and lost to the Orlando Magic (34-17) 96-89 yesterday afternoon at the TD Garden.

That wrapped up the season series with the Magic taking it 3-1. Overall, the Celtics are 1-7 against Orlando and Atlanta this season, two teams they are very likely to see in the playoffs.

Vince Carter led Orlando with 20 points and Dwight Howard battled foul trouble but still managed 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jameer Nelson had 15 points, Rashard Lewis scored 14 points and Matt Barnes added 11 points.

Rajon Rondo nearly had a triple double with 17 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Ray Allen added 14 points, Kevin Garnett had 13 points and nine rebounds while Paul Pierce scored 13 after missing the last two games.

Key reserve Marquis Daniels after missing just over two months of action and scored eight points off the bench.

Boston led 24-23 after the first quarter and 51-40 at halftime in one of their best halves of the season. Of course, they juxtaposed this with their usual third quarter/second half meltdown.

The C's outscored the Magic 27-20 in the fourth and cut it down to five points but it was too late. A 19-0 Orlando run in the third quarter, thanks to some great outside shooting, put them in control for the rest of the contest.

Boston has one more game before the All-Star break as they travel to New Orleans (good timing) on Wednesday night to play the Hornets minus star point guard Chris Paul.

You can't just walk into Amway Arena expecting to win

The Celtics' three-game cage match started last night in Orlando and things looked great as Boston built a 16-point lead on the Magic.

Sadly this was just a prelude for an epic choke job in the fourth quarter that was capped off by Rashard Lewis' (game-high 23 points) layup with 1.3 seconds remaining.

Boston (29-14) had a great look at the buzzer but Rasheed Wallace (17 points) airballed a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Orlando (30-16) held on for the 96-94 win that the C's completely pissed away.

On the night that they were named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, Paul Pierce (12 points) and Rajon Rondo (11 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) didn't submit their best games by any means.

Spurred by Rasheed and 10 points from Eddie House, Boston's bench scored a season-high 41 points but it still wasn't enough to make up for subpar games from Kevin Garnett (6 points, 7 rebounds) and Kendrick Perkins (4 points, 3 rebounds).

Ray Allen was the only Celtic with what could be termed a nice stat line of 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting.

Dwight Howard had 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for the Magic while Jameer Nelson scored 12 and J.J. Redick had 11 off the bench (including a clutch 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter).

It should not have come to that since Boston led 34-23 after the first quarter and 51-40 at the half. They still held the 11-point lead going into the fourth (62-51).

After it was over, Inside the NBA, which is by far the best NBA coverage, said that the Big Three had been 86-0 in games that they went into the fourth quarter with double-digit leads. So there is that.

The numbers indicated a close game since the C's made six more threes (12-6) but the Magic converted many more free throws (26-12). Orlando was also beastly on the boards (47-32), which is particularly surprising since Howard didn't go crazy and finally Boston was much more unselfish (22-8 assists).

I'd love to see the Celtics put it behind them and play great in Atlanta tonight but as I've said earlier in the season, nobody in the NBA has the Celtics' number or matches up with them as well as the Hawks. In the ATL on the second night of a back-to-back against Eastern Conference contenders makes the challenge that much tougher.

So this is how it ends?

I guess we were all just lying to ourselves when we thought the Boston Celtics (minus KG and Leon Powe) could actually advance to the Eastern Conference finals, where LeBron and the Cavs surely would have wiped the floor with them.

Reality was a bitter pill to swallow last night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Garden as the Orlando Magic stomped the Celtics, 101-82.

The defending NBA champions are out and when you think about it, how did they even make it this far?

Playing an eight-man rotation, the C's outlasted Chicago in seven games then had a 3-2 series lead vs. Orlando before losing the last two.

It's a testament to Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Ray Allen, Glen Davis, Eddie House, Doc Rivers, etc. that Boston made that much noise.

Whether it was being a homer or just not believing in the Magic, I really thought the C's would win going into last night but they simply ran out of gas.

The Magic were also 13-of-21 on 3-pointers and Boston could not get enough stops on defense, coupled with hoops.

Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with a game-high 25 points, 12 assists and five rebounds. Rashard Lewis added 19 points and Mickael Pietrus once again dominated off the bench with 17 points. Is he really that good? Boston made him look like an All-Star in the series.

Rafer Alston had 15 points and Dwight Howard notched 12 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.

After an awful series individually, Ray Allen was the only Celtic to show up last night offensively. Allen had a team-high 23 points. Pierce only managed 16 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Davis added 13 points, Rondo went for 10 points, 10 assists and six boards while Perk added eight points and 15 boards.

Orlando started off on a roll and led 27-17 after the first quarter. Boston cut it to 45-38 at the half.

The C's had one last gasp as they outscored the Magic 23-21 in the third but Orlando had a 13-1 run in the fourth that sent the Garden crowd to the exits.

Orlando meets the Cavs while the Lakers (who blew out the Rockets in a Game 7) host the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals.

More than anything, the finality of last night is the most painful thing. Once we knew KG wasn't coming back this postseason, we were resigned to our fate of not winning another title this June. Still, with triple-headers (Celts, Bruins and Red Sox) filling our weeks for the past month, it's crazy that now we don't have anything except the Red Sox for the next few months until Pats training camp and preseason heats up.

Nobody will cry for Boston fans since we've been spoiled for the past decade but it is still a rough patch for what had been an awesome spring.

With the Big Three returning and healthy (fingers crossed), the C's have another great shot at a title next season. Rondo and Perk made so much progress in one season, it's almost hard to believe. The biggest offseason questions revolve around whether to resign Big Baby (YES!) and Powe (depends on how his knee looks). This team has another run in them, I think that was proven by their heart this postseason.

Why even bother having Game 6's?

What made you think this series would be any different? For the fourth straight time (in the first two rounds), the Boston Celtics will go to a winner-take-all Game 7, this time against the Orlando Magic.

The Celts did their best impression of the Magic last night at Amway Arena in Game 6 as they choked away a 10-point lead in the second half and let Orlando live to play another game.

Dwight Howard put up 23 points, 22 rebounds and three blocks in a dominant performance after calling out his coach Stan Van Gundy after Game 5.

Rashard Lewis added 20 points and six rebounds, Rafer Alston notched 11 points (including a 3-pointer that gave Orlando a lead in the fourth that it was its first of the game) and Mickael Pietrus continued to play well off the bench, with 11 points. Why doesn't he start?

Boston wasted Rajon Rondo's best game in a few weeks. Rondo had a team-high 19 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Paul Pierce had 17 points, nine boards and five assists while Kendrick Perkins posted 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Ray Allen continued to do his best "Night of the Living Dead" impression as he submitted five points (2-of-11 shooting) and seven rebounds. I fully expect him to drop 30+ points in Game 7.

This was not a beautiful game as Boston shot 41.6% and Orlando was 36.6%. The Celts were 3-of-18 on threes and the Magic were 6-of-26. Yuck.

Boston was only 8-for-13 from the free throw line and Orlando shot a pathetic 17-for-31. The C's had six more rebounds (48-42) and five more assists (18-13). Boston lost because it had 10 more turnovers (19-9).

The C's led 25-22 after one quarter and 46-45 at the half. Both teams scored 16 in the third quarter and Orlando outscored Boston 22-13 in the fourth.

So what to expect in Game 7? The Celts will make just enough plays and stops to win it while the Magic unravel amidst too many 3-pointers and missed free throws. Then the Celtics lose to the Cavs in four or five games.

All I want is the C's to make the next round even though their fate seems already sealed either way.

"The ship be sinking!"-Charles Barkley

Much of what makes sports so great is the unexpected. Still, it's also hilarious when a playoff series goes exactly as anyone would have predicted.

The Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics Eastern Conference semifinal series has been the latter.

The Celts played awful for 3.5 quarters last night at the Garden and still won 92-88 to win Game 5 and take a 3-2 lead in the series. Boston can close it out tomorrow night back in Orlando.

Orlando was up 14 points with eight minutes and change left in the game. Ten points with five minutes left. It didn't matter, that team is tissue paper soft. Their style of play is not conducive to success in the playoffs and after last night's game, they were all pointing fingers at each other which prompted Sir Charles' spectacular line (above).

Big Baby continued to play the best basketball of his life. He had a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds. Paul Pierce added 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Ray Allen (13 points) continued to struggle but in typical fashion, he made a huge shot: a 3-pointer late in the fourth that gave Boston its first lead since 8-6.

The Celts' young guys did not play well. Kendrick Perkins had six points and 11 rebounds while Rajon Rondo was held to six points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Other than the comeback, the story of the game was Stephon Marbury. He had 12 points (all in the fourth quarter) as he gave his team a huge lift when it needed it most.

Orlando got 19 points from Rashard Lewis and 12 points and 17 boards from Dwight Howard. Hedo Turkoglu added 18 points and seven assists while Rafer Alston notched 16 points and six assists but he missed a late 3-pointer that would have been vital.

The biggest number to point to for the Celtics was their perfect night at the free throw line: 21 for 21. The Magic were just 10 for 12 as they continued to settle for jumpers (6 of 24 on threes).

Like the Bruins, the Celtics have all the momentum in this series and I expect them to win tomorrow night in Orlando. Granted, the margin of error is razor-thin for this group and they never seem to make it easy on themselves but they broke Orlando's will last night. You can't overlook that fact.

The champs are still alive

The Boston Celtics are one of the most resilient teams I can ever remember. No matter how many players get hurt or are ineffective, they stubbornly refuse to lose.

Everyone has already decided that it is LeBron and the Cavs' postseason. They're going to win the title, no questions asked. And while they are likely to sweep the Hawks tonight to write their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, don't count out the C's just yet.

Glen Davis (21 points, 6 rebounds) hit a long jumper as time expired last night in a pulsating 95-94 Boston win at Amway Arena. The huge shot tied up the series at 2-2 and returned the home-court advantage to Boston. Game 5 is tomorrow night at the Garden.

How the Celts did it is hard to explain. They had an eight point lead but couldn't buy a basket late in the fourth quarter. And its bench had a total of two points. Yet here we are, with all the momentum back on Boston's side.

Despite being in foul trouble all night (5 fouls), Paul Pierce had a game-high 27 points. Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Kendrick Perkins also posted a double-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. Ray Allen added 12 points.

Dwight Howard led Orlando with 23 points and 17 rebounds. Rashard Lewis notched 22 points.

If Boston can win Game 5, I think it'll be over in six. Otherwise, it's going seven once again.

Orlando is a bunch of frauds

The Orlando Magic are soft. You know it, I know it and Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy knows it.

The Celtics blew out Orlando, 112-94 last night at the Garden in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The series is now tied at one game apiece.

Eddie House had the game of his life as the sharpshooting guard dropped a career-high 31 points (hitting 11-of-14 shots). It was one of the greatest shooting displays I've ever seen at any level. He couldn't miss. And the degree of difficulty seemed to increase with each make.

Rajon Rondo was back to his dominating self, notching his fourth triple-double of the playoffs. He had 15 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds.

Ray Allen dropped 22 points, Kendrick Perkins (16 points, 9 rebounds) outplayed Dwight Howard (12 points, 12 rebounds) and Big Baby had 13 points.

Probably the craziest part of this satisfying win was that Paul Pierce scored three points. He was limited to 15 minutes since he got in early foul trouble so he could never get into a rhythm. It's a great sign for the C's that they played so well without Pierce doing anything.

Rashard Lewis led Orlando with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Mickael Pietrus had another great night off the bench with 17 points. J.J. Redick scored 15 points before fouling out and Hedo Turkoglu added 14.

Things got so bad for the Magic in the second half that Rafer Alston, aka Skip to My Lou, aka one of the worst players in the league, shoved the back of House's head after Eddie made a 3-pointer.

Howard is a monster defensively and on the glass but his offensive game is still incredibly raw. If he's not dunking, he can't hit shots. And he's terrible at free throws (witness last night's 2-for-8 showing).

Boston shot 51.3% to Orlando's 44.3%. The Celts had seven more boards (41-34) and 15 more assists (34-19).

Orlando also has no depth, they don't really play much defense and they settle for threes all the time.

The Celtics are certainly not without their flaws but I really like their chances against this team. Everyone thinks it's inevitable that Cleveland will roll to the Finals but you never know what can happen.

Game 3 is tomorrow night in Orlando.

I am a homer but the Magic still don't scare me

After barely surviving against the Chicago Bulls in a marathon seven game series, the Boston Celtics predictably laid an egg in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last night at the Garden against the Orlando Magic.

The C's finally closed out Chicago on Saturday night and only had one day of rest before Orlando came to town. They didn't use that as an excuse for last night's sorry showing but I will.

And you know what? Boston couldn't have played much worse (down by 28 points early in the third quarter) but they cut it to four late in the fourth and had a pretty realistic chance to win.

Orlando held on 95-90 and Game 2 is tomorrow night at the Garden.

Dwight Howard was all over the place for the Magic with 16 points, 22 rebounds and three monster blocks. Rashard Lewis added 18 points and seven boards. Hedo Turkoglu scored 15 points. The biggest surprises were J.J. Redick, who scored 12 and Mickael Pietrus, who came off the bench and dropped 17 points. If Boston can shut down those two scrubs a little more, they should be in really good shape over the rest of the series.

Paul Pierce led Boston with 23 points, Rajon Rondo had 14 points (on 2-of-12 shooting and 10 made free throws), 10 rebounds, eight assists, seven turnovers and three steals. Glen Davis scored 12 points before fouling out. Kendrick Perkins notched six points, 16 rebounds and three blocks.

Just like Game 1 vs. Chicago, Ray Allen was M.I.A. with nine points. Another good sign for the series is that the Boston bench had 26 points. Brian Scalabrine scored 10 points and Stephon Marbury added eight points in a quick flurry.

Tomorrow night is pretty much a must-win for the Celts as they have to salvage one game at home before they go to Orlando.

The Magic still don't scare me

So the Orlando Magic held on last night against the Boston Celtics, 84-82 at the Amway Arena.

It was a big win for the Magic (53-18) as they are now tied with the Celtics (54-19) for the second spot in the Eastern Conference with two games (not one like I last said) in hand.

Call it excuses, grasping for straws, whatever but after watching last night, it only further solidified my view that Boston should beat Orlando, if they meet in (most likely) the second round of the playoffs.

I'm not a complete idiot, Dwight Howard (24 points, 21 rebounds, 4 blocks) is a beast but watching him brick shot after shot in the fourth, while his teammates failed to put away a shorthanded Celtics team made me think that we are still better than them (provided KG, Leon Powe and Tony Allen are healthy).

Paul Pierce had a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds but head coach Doc Rivers and Pierce reverted back to the losing days for the Green. Repeatedly down the stretch, Pierce forced tough shots, none more so than the 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have won it.

Three defenders jumped out at Pierce. He hit some big baskets to help the C's comeback from 16 points down but Eddie House and Ray Allen were also on the floor.

Ray Allen added 16 points, five rebounds and five assists while Kendrick Perkins had 11 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in a decent job against Howard.

Boston survived a big scare in the game when Rajon Rondo (9 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds) rolled his ankle. Luckily, he stayed in the game and while he didn't play particularly well, the injury turned out to be much worse than it seemed at first glance.

Orlando loves their 3-pointers, huh? Rashard Lewis (21 points), Hedo Turkoglu (13 points) and Courtney Lee (11 points) all finished with respectable point totals but they were useless in the fourth.

And if you think Rafer Alston at point guard will lead the Magic to a title, you must live in one of the five boroughs. The guy is a scumbag and not a good player when you take him off the And-1 mix tour.

Kevin Garnett scored four points and grabbed eight rebounds in 17 minutes of action. It was painful to watch him helplessly sit on the bench in the fourth but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that he uses it as motivation. Doc plans to give KG some more time next week as the playoffs get closer.

In one of the last meaningful games of the regular season, the Celts travel to the ATL tomorrow night to face the Hawks.

Celtics take back mantle of NBA's best

With last night's thrilling 90-80 win over the Orlando Magic at the Amway Arena, the Boston Celtics proved once again that they are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and the NBA as a whole.

The Cavs lost Delonte West to a broken wrist last week so they're just a notch below and while the Magic (33-9) had been playing great-they came in winners of seven straight-they're not the defending champions.

The C's (36-9) have gotten back to their defensive roots that led them to the title and the 27-2 start this season. The win was their seventh in a row.

On a night when the NBA All-Star starters were announced, Paul Pierce proved why he's NBA elite, even if he'll have to make the East squad as a reserve.

The Truth had a game-high 27 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Kevin Garnett had 16 points and five rebounds. The key to the win, other than the air-tight D was the play of Glen Davis. Big Baby had a season-high 16 points and actually outplayed Magic center Dwight Howard (11 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks), who he covered most of the time he was in.

Ray Allen added 12 points, Rajon Rondo had nine points and eight rebounds and Kendrick Perkins managed seven points, seven boards and two blocks in 25 minutes as Doc Rivers tries to ease him back into the lineup.

Orlando has one of the best starting fives in the league but where they might run into trouble in the playoffs is their pathetic bench. It combined for a measly ten points last night.

Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 22 points and Rashard Lewis had a double-double himself with 20 points and 10 rebounds but it wasn't enough. Jameer Nelson notched 17 points.

The C's led 24-19 after the first quarter and 44-36 at the half. That lead was extended to 65-54 and Boston was able to hold off Orlando in the fourth (26-25 Magic).

For the game, the Celts shot 46.7% to the Magic's 38.2%. That offset the fact that Boston didn't make a 3-pointer (0-6) and Orlando had seven.

The Green and White came home and will face the up and down Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon at the Garden.

Take a number Orlando

Jameer Nelson and Mickael Petrus-two solid starters-are currently out of the lineup with injuries but the Orlando Magic came to Boston last night as the third-best team in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, the Magic (13-5) have looked like a much more cohesive team than the Detroit Pistons since they traded for AI.

The Celtics (17-2) right now are clicking on all cylinders as they won 107-88 for their ninth straight win.

Rashard Lewis scored a game-high 30 points for the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu added 19 points and Dwight Howard-the best center in the NBA-managed 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.

Orlando only played seven players though and Boston's superior depth paid off. Paul Pierce had a team-high 24 points and seven rebounds. Ray Allen scored 21 and Rajon Rondo had a double-double of 16 points and 12 assists.

Kevin Garnett added 15 points and nine rebounds while Eddie House tossed in 11 off the bench. Kendrick Perkins had eight points and 13 rebounds.

Boston started fast, jumping on Orlando 28-18 after the first quarter. The Magic responded with a 28-20 second quarter.

As has been the trend so far this season, the C's really went to work in the third quarter. Pierce scored 17 in the frame as once again the Celts outscored the Magic by 10 (29-19).

A 30-23 fourth quarter was just a formality for Boston.

The numbers that seem to always be decidedly in their favor followed the course last night: Boston shot 54.1% to Orlando's 42%. They made six more free throws (21-15) and dished out six more assists (20-14).

If you're going to beat the Celtics, you have to shoot lights out or play lockdown defense because as they proved most of last season (other than the first few rounds of the playoffs), this team does not beat themselves.

Revenge will be on the minds of the C's as the Pacers (one of only two teams to beat them this season) come to the Garden tomorrow night.

A Game Without KG Isn't Worth Playing

I don't know if I jinxed him or what, titling the last post (Where Would We Be Without KG?) but that question was predictably answered yesterday afternoon in Orlando. Answer: not that far from where we've been the last few seasons (ie. the gutter). Oh sure, the Celts played admirably without their unquestioned leader and most valuable player and it took a fadeaway 3 by Hedo Turkoglu (the pride of Turkey) at the buzzer to beat them, 96-93 but you knew they weren't going to win this one from the start.

The Magic (28-18) are good, not great and they have enough talent to beat the Celts (34-8) in any game, especially one without Garnett. Paul Pierce (team-high 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) was up to his usual ballhog ways from the last few seasons and Ray Allen (17 points on 7 of 18 shooting) looked awful on almost every shot. But then he drove to the hole and slammed one and with the Celts down three late, he hit a tying 3-pointer. Go figure.

I don't know if Doc was drinking Pina Coladas before the game or what (it is his hometown after all) but for some unknown reason he started Brian Scalabrine once he found out KG couldn't go (cause of the abdominal strain from the other night). Insert laugh track here. Scal did nothing but impress as he somehow played 22 minutes in an NBA game and his only recorded stats were a missed 3 and he made 1 of 2 free throws. He had nothing else, which takes some serious game.

Leon Powe (9 points, 9 rebounds) ending up playing 27 minutes anyway so I guess it doesn't matter but why even bother throwing Scal out there at that point. Just mystifying. Rajon Rondo (15 points, 6 steals, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) had a real nice game despite getting hurt in the third quarter. He came back shortly after. He took 16 shots which has to be a record for him. After missing the last three games, James Posey (16 points, 6 rebounds) also played well.

Boston led 23-19 after the first and 46-43 at the half. The third quarter was the turning point as Orlando bum Brian Cook came off the bench cold and proceeded to drop 11 points in his only 10 minutes of work. The Magic outscored Boston 32-19 in the quarter.

Quietly Turkoglu (game-high 27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists) has become an All-Star caliber player while Rashard Lewis (15 points, 6 rebounds) continues to laugh on his way to the bank. Overrated doesn't to him justice. Dwight Howard had a good game (18 points, 16 rebounds, 5 blocks), the most surprising part being that he made all six of his free throws.

Orlando almost blew it late as their putrid guards, Carlos Arroyo (2 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 turnovers), Maurice Evans (11 points, 4 turnovers) and Keyon Dooling (8 points, 2 turnovers) did their best to hand it to Boston. Jameer Nelson is out but even with him back, the Magic stand no chance in the playoffs against teams with good guards (Boston, Detroit, Washington, Toronto, etc.).

Boston travels to Miami tomorrow night and it sounds like Garnett might be out for that one too. The Heat just broke their 15-game losing streak on Saturday so I hope the C's could still take them regardless of the Big Ticket's status.

Santa Claus came early this year for Rajon Rondo

How good is Rajon Rondo? I'd say that Celtics GM Danny Ainge knew this all along when he drafted Rondo two years ago out of Kentucky and watched him struggle through a terrible Celtics season last year but come on. Ainge has to be as surprised as the rest of us. Last night at the Garden, Rondo and the Big Three all scored 21+ points as the Celtics (22-3) exacted revenge on the Orlando Magic, 103-91.

Rondo put an exclamation point on the end of the first half as he swished his first three-pointer of the season, giving the Celtics a 49-42 lead that they would extend to 19 and never relinquish in the second half.

Rajon added another three-ball in the third quarter, on his way to 23 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals. Most impressive these days is his shooting. He went 8 of 11 from the floor and 5 of 6 at the line. Center Kendrick Perkins will clearly never be anything special (which is OK) but Rondo really could be something, you don't have to be a bat-shit crazy homer like Tommy Heinsohn to say that. There's options outside of the Big Three, who knew?

Paul Pierce continued his recent strong play as he submitted a game-high 24 points and six assists. Ray Allen similarly has looked great since he came back, he had 22 points and four assists. Kevin Garnett had 21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Perk even had a respectable six points and 12 boards.

The Magic (18-11) got a strong game from Dwight Howard (23 points, 14 rebounds) but somebody has to teach the kid how to shoot free throws. Then again, he might suffer from the Shaq-syndrome of having hands that are too big to shoot free throws. Howard was a brutal 5 of 16 from the line. He's a force around the basket but if it's a close game, late in the fourth quarter, smart teams will foul him every time. Hedo Turkoglu (19 points) and Rashard Lewis (15 points) scored but are not anywhere near the level of Pierce, Allen and KG.

Boston shot 52.1% from the field and 19 of 24 from the line. Almost a third into the season, the Eastern Conference is clearly Boston, Detroit and everybody else. The C's get the next few days off for the holidays then travel to Sacramento for a four game in five nights West Coast trip. Boston faces the Kings, Sonics, Jazz and then Lakers. Nothing less than a 2-2 trip will be acceptable. The Jazz and Lakers will be tough on the road but the Celtics could beat anybody right now with the way they're playing.

Happy Holidays Big Three, Celtics fans have many things to be thankful for this season.

82-0? Not gonna happen folks

The Celtics game was overshadowed yesterday by the Patriots Sunday night game. Still, the C's had an exciting game that want down to the final possession. Paul Pierce had a chance to win it but his desperation three-pointer rimmed out as the Magic (9-2) beat the Celtics (8-1), 104-102 in Orlando.

In all honesty, Boston had no business winning this game. They were down 58-41 at the half and 20 points early in the third quarter. Amazingly, they kept chipping away at the Magic lead and eventually took a one-point lead on James Posey's three with six minutes left. The Celtics couldn't hold on though as Kevin Garnett fouled out and Orlando kept making plays. Pierce finished with a game-high 28 points, six assists and five rebounds. Ray Allen struggled shooting (7-for-19) but still finished with 19 points (including a three which cut it to one with seven seconds left). Rajon Rondo continued to impress as he had 18 points and five rebounds. Garnett had 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Celts stayed in the game by outrebounding the Magic 41-28. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Rashard Lewis scored 22 and Jameer Nelson had 18 points and six assists. Finally, Hedo Turkoglu added 16 points and six rebounds for the Magic.

It's clear that the win-streak and extra attention was starting to wear on the C's as they had the bulls-eye on their back. Now they can go back to focusing on one game at a time rather than worrying about setting any record starts. They'll host the Warriors on Wednesday night at the Garden. Should be a high-scoring game, I'm psyched to be attending it.

Celtics escape with 92-91 win over Heat

Last night had trap game written all over it. The Celtics came in 7-0 with the whole NBA and media now talking about their great start. The Heat were 1-7 but they had just gotten Wade back in the last game. For 3.5 quarters, the Celtics looked about to cruise to another win at the Garden.

Boston shot 49.3% as a team and 17-18 from the line. Most impressively, the Celtics had 29 assists to Miami's 19. That helped the C's overcome 18 turnovers. Kevin Garnett led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Ray Allen had 19 points and seven assists. James Posey was huge off the bench with 13 points and five boards. Kendrick Perkins chipped in with 10 points and Rajon Rondo had one of his most complete games as a pro: nine points, 10 assists, seven rebounds.

They led by as many as 15 but the Heat fought back and eventually led. Rondo made an open jumper to put Boston up three with 1:30 left. Miami refused to give up though as Ricky Davis made a three-pointer and rookie Daequan Cook made a steal on Ray Allen and converted a layup while getting fouled by Posey. Cook missed the FT which proved to be costly. The C's got the ball with 35 seconds left and went right to Pierce who was one-on-one with Udonis Haslem. Pierce backed him down and scored on a layup but there was plenty of time left for Miami. Everyone in the building knew what would happen at the end of the game as Wade isolated on Posey (his ex-Heat teammate). Wade's jumper was too hard, hit the glass and rattled out before Posey grabbed the ball while time expired. Boston survived and moved to 8-0.

They face their biggest test of the young season tomorrow night as they travel to 8-2 Orlando. The Magic have won three in a row and have been playing especially well lately. Dwight Howard is one of the premier big men in the game, Rashard Lewis is scoring (still not enough to justify that absurd contract he signed in the off-season) and Jameer Nelson is playing well. Orlando looks to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference so it'll be interesting to see how the teams stack up (albeit in November). It should be a great warmup act for the Pats-Bills game later tomorrow night.