Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Celtics and Caps

I'm writing this entry on my lunch break at work and still trying to piece together my thoughts on what transpired in last nights Celtics-Magic game. The Celtics looked absolutely pathetic up until about five minutes to go in the first half. Their comeback from 28 points was encouraging though, and I still think they will win this series. Tony Allen inexplicably got four minutes of playing time in this game. His first time touching the ball resulted in of course a turnover. I seriously do not know why they play that guy. I'd much rather put in Bill Walker or Gabe Pruitt.

The fact is, the Celtics even being in that game was a miracle when you consider the dreadful performances of their back court. Rondo has not been the same player since game 5 of the Bulls series, though he played better in the second half. Ray Allen was missing a ton of shots he usually makes, and I can pretty much guarantee he will drop at least 25 points Wednesday night.

As has been the story all playoffs long, the Celtics are getting killed with their lack of depth on the front line. Brian Scalabrini, a.k.a my brother from another mother, has actually played very well and given them some offense production off the bench. However, he lacks the athleticism to compete defensively with Rashard Lewis, though his defense in the second half was solid. I agreed with Doug Collins last night when he said, normally the Celtics should try fouling Dwight Howard more because of his poor foul shooting, but they simply do not have enough bodies. I was pleasently surprised to see Stephon Marbury make some shots for the first time as a Celtic. Basketball is all about confidence. For the Celtics to have a chance in this series and beyond, Marbury needs to continue to look for his shot and be more than just a role player on this team.

Like I said earlier, I think the Celtics will still win this series. Let's look at the facts. The Celtics came back from 28 points and were a Ray Allen three pointer from tying that game down the stretch. In fact, they missed so many opportunities to tie or get the lead that they would normally capitalize on. I think the Celtics did a great job on Dwight Howard, holding him to sixteen points. However, they need to do a better job closing out the Magic's three point shooters. I still think the Celtics will win this in 7, and actually think they match up better with this Magic team than they did the Bulls.

I want to talk a little bit about the Capitals in this entry as well. As you know, I basically know nothing about hockey and can't even skate. However, I am so happy that the Capitals are doing well, and that the DC area has something to be proud of. Over the years it has been nothing but disappointment after disappointment for DC area sports fans, so the Capitals success could not have come at a better time. The fact that Gilbert Arenas, who has been injured for like the last ten years, was known as the areas most popular athlete should tell you something. Now I think it is fair to say that Ovechkin rules the town, and for good reason. DC sometimes gets the reputation of a corporate white collar town, which for the most part we are, but Ovechkin is the opposite. He is not only probably the most talented player in the NHL, but also one of the toughest. I thought Mike Wise wrote a great article today in the post comparing Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. He wrote that it was beauty vs. beast with Ovechkin obviously being the beast. When you look at him you can understand why, if he wasn't a star hockey player he probably wouldn't be getting many dates, but the guy is tough as nails and a great sports symbol for this area.

Thanks everyone for reading. Please let me know what I can do to make this better. Have a great day and stay dry!

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