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 »

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 »