The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t show us how tough they are last night, nor how strong their will is, nor how much fortitude they have. Instead, last night, the Boston Celtics showed us how complacent they are, how uninterested they can be, and how little they want to fight.

After scoring 36 points in the first half and finding themselves ahead by three, conventional wisdom would tell us that the older, more seasoned Celtics would finish off the 76ers in the second half. But the 76ers, led by Jrue Holiday’s 20 points, proved that the Celtics weren’t ready to take advantage of a team that could barely get out of its own way. Instead, when it mattered most, the “indestructible” Celtics defense watched Holiday slice his way to the rim without breaking a sweat.

But don’t credit Holiday.  It’s fairly easy to get to the basket when there’s no one trying to stop you.

Continue reading Celtics Loss Lowers Expectations »

Are Boston sports fans racist? Bigoted? Why are we asking this question again?

Well, take a moment (that’s all it will take) to read Philly.com sportswriter John Mitchell’s 243-word (wow!) masterpiece of a “column” titled “KG: ‘fair-weathered’ beats bigoted any day.”

West Philadelphia born and raised, as the writer so eloquently describes in his biography, Mitchell did not take kindly to the words Kevin Garnett had about his beloved fanbase.

“You’ve got (Boston) fans and then you’ve got fairweather fans. Take it how you want it,” said Kevin Garnett after Monday’s Game 5 win.

So, Mitchell used KG’s comments as an opportunity to open up a can of worms he didn’t really need to open up. Continue reading Philly Writer Calls Boston Sports Fans “Bigoted” and “Racist” »

Brandon Bass set a playoff-high and tied his career-high with 27 points, as the Boston Celtics cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers, 101-85, in Game 5 Monday night at TD Garden.  The Celtics now hold a crucial 3-2 over the Sixers in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semi-final series.

Rajon Rondo recorded 14 assists and 13 points, scoring seven crucial points in the fourth quarter to push the Celtics’ lead to double-digits. Kevin Garnett scored 20 points, and Paul Pierce added 16.

Pierce struggled from the field but imposed his will on the game by getting to the foul line, going 9-for-9 on free throw attempts. Pierce said that his right knee is at “20 percent.”

Continue reading Brandon Bass Scores Playoff-High 27, Boosts Celtics Past Sixers »

The Boston Celtics built a big lead Friday night in Philadelphia, then quit.

The Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, never quit. And once they pulled back into the game, that sustained effort translated into unstoppable momentum, a 92-83 victory over the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and a 2-2 series tie.

Game 5 takes place Monday back in Boston.

Continue reading Celtics Implode in Second Half of Game 4; Series Tied 2-2 »

With a stunning 82-81 loss Monday night to the upstart eight-seed, the Boston Celtics found themselves knee-deep in questions.

What happened to the Celtics’ advantage in big-game experience and late-game execution? Would Paul Pierce‘s knee injury kill the Celtics’ enough offense? And why was Brandon Bass shooting more than anyone on Boston’s roster, considering Kevin Garnett seems to have swapped places with his 2004 MVP-self?

After shellacking the Philadelphia 76ers with an impressive 107-91 win on the road, consider those questions answered.

Continue reading Can the Celtics Carry Momentum Into Game 4? »

After a rough first round, the second round is now underway. The 76ers are trying to continue their run in a dogfight against Boston, while the injuries continue to hit key players with Chris Bosh straining an abdominal muscle. Unfortunately for the Pacers, two of the Big Three are as healthy as ever.

As far as our selections go, things are looking quite similar to the first round. Once again, all our panelists are unanimous in selecting division winners for all but one series. Once more, the highest seeds are thought to cruise through relatively quickly, while the closer seeds are thought to have a more drawn out series.

So there you have it. Check below for the complete picks, and check back after Round 2 for the results. Continue reading 2012 NBA Playoffs Expert Picks: 2nd Round »