Okay, okay...that's just the sore loser in me speaking.
No, no it isn't...it WAS a bullsh** shot. But, still...the Celtics had every opportunity to win this one. We had Rondo in full-on "eat-your-children" mode almost winning this thing by his lonesome with 30 points on 12 of 21 shooting, 7 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals.
He HAD to be in B.E.A.S.T. mode with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett taking the floor in their pajamas squinting at the bright lights for the first half. Even with both of them picking it up in the second half, Pierce and Garnett shot a combined 10-33. Peeee-yeeewwww!
I suppose at this point it might be slightly instructive to mention that the C's were without the vaunted services of Resident Savior Avery Bradley due to a bruised rib, but against a team that has been playing without its best member in Derrick Rose and later losing certified Pierce-pounder Luol Deng to a tender hammy in the 3rd quarter, I hesitate to use this as an excuse. No...the Celtics could and should have won this game, and the cause of the loss can't be laid at Bradley's empty shoes, especially since he's only been back in the lineup for the past 8 games.
Leandro Barbosa, getting the start in Bradley's absence, was relatively ineffective and the rest of the bench managed just 25 points compared to the 36 points mustered by the Bulls' reserves.
The Chicago starters? Now that's a Bull of a different color. Carlos Boozer made his case for the All-Star reserve team loud and clear as he imitated a Bull in a green-glass China shop, rampaging his way to 19 points, 20 rebounds(!!!), 4 assists and a steal while Richard "Rip" Hamilton -- emerging from a rejuvenating hybrid bath of Rust-Oleum and CLR -- dropped 20 points on anyone who dared to look his way.
Joakim Noah poked, pushed and preened (yes..PREENED!) his way to 14 points, 13 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. Bench Mobsters Nate Robinson (10 points), Jimmy Butler (13 points) and Marco Belinelli (10 points, including a ludicrous squatting heave that sealed the win) gave the Bulls all the help they would need to take the lead in the season series, 2-1.
Notable things?
Well, how about Paul Pierce passing "The Chief" Robert Parish on the NBA's All-Time Scoring List for 22nd place with 23,342 points. And, who is that frantically adjusting his rear view mirror as the P2 Mack truck rapidly approaches? Why, it's old friend-turned-foe Ray Allen who sits at 23,355 points. It's only a matter of time, perhaps even this coming Sunday, before The Truth overtakes Jesus for 21st.
Speaking of Ray-Ray, how about Jason Terry transforming into "The Jet" down the stretch and nearly clutch 3-ing us to the win and, subsequently, a step closer to moving #20 further onto the other side of the glass of our memory's museum (thanks, Kanye!)?
And, what about Jared Sullinger, who notched 15 rebounds to go along with 7 points and 1 steal?
Ahhh well...I guess when you consider all of the times that Larry Bird executed his patented
off-his-@$$-shot to stun some hapless also-ran, it's only karmatically reasonable that we're going to get caught on the other end from time-to-time.
Shake it off, C's fans. A rematch/revenge game with Detriot awaits on Sunday.
Box Score
