This time, Ray Allen won’t be denied. Allen buried a 3-pointer with 0.2 ticks to go to win it for the defending champion Boston Celtics, 118-115, Tuesday morning (Manila) at the TD Banknorth Garden. The victory evened up their best-of-seven Easter Conference first round series with the Chicago Bulls at one game apiece.
Allen made up for his missed jumper in the dying seconds which could have send game one into a second overtime. Actually, the Celtics could have move up 2-0 in the series if not for the miss free throw of Paul Pierce in regulation. The Beantown outfit is clearly missing the services of top frontliner Kevin Garnett, who is suffering a knee ailment and could be out for the rest of the title defense. With KG’s absence, the men in green’s lack of manpower depth is slowly being felt. Late season addition Stephon Marbury had been a bust in the first two games of the Bulls series.
The Bulls series is just a sample of what the Celtics will expect the rest of the way and it will be an uphill climb for coach Doc Rivers and his boys in their bid for a back-to-back NBA title. But they should also always remember that there are no advantages or disadvantages in the play-offs, it’s all about HEART. And nobody can never ever underestimate the heart of a champion, even without Garnett.
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The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off the biggest shocker in the opening games of the first round. The City of Brotherly Love scored a nail-biting 100-98 victory over the heavily-favored Orlando Magic, 100-98 in game one in Orlando Monday morning (Manila time). Andre Iguodala pumped in the winning jumper, a 22-footer with only 2.2 seconds to go to finish off a great comeback from 18 points down.
Other post-season opening day winners are the Cleveland Cavaliers (over the Detroit Pistons, 102-84), Dallas Mavericks (over the San Antonio Spurs, 105-97), Houston Rockets (over the Portland Trailblazers, 108-81), LA Lakers (over the Utah Jazz, 113-100), Atlanta Hawks (over the Miami Heat, 90-64) and Denver Nuggets (over the New Orleans Hornets, 113-84).
With the way things are already heating up, remember these are just the opening games. So stay calm and relax because anything can still happen.
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