The “too-old, too-brittle” Boston Celtics are fast showing everyone that they can’t be dismissed in the Playoffs.
And they proved that by ending Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship aspirations with today’s 94-85 series-clinching Game 6 win at the TD Bank North in Boston.
Well, I just really had a feeling the Celtics are one collective bunch capable of upsetting the no. 1-seeded Cavaliers. And they did it in style after clinching their semifinals series, 4-2.
Boston’s Big Three had a modest number, combining for 42 points, with Kevin Garnett finishing with 21 points aside from adding 12 rebounds against the Cavaliers, whom they humiliated in Cleveland, Ohio the other day, 120-88.
Playmaker Rajon Rondo, as usual, delivered big with 21 points, 12 assists and five steals.
Now, the big question is where will Lebron be headed come the 2011 season? He officially becomes a free agent on July 1 as media speculation on where he’d land starts after Boston celebrated the victory.
The Cavaliers front office have done everything they could to surround the so-called NBA “king” with talent. They’ve acquired Shaquille O’Neal, the 7-foot-2 veteran slotman during the off season because they’ve been anticipating a playoff clash once more with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.
Now, that anticipation of an Eastern Conference Finals rematch is but a mirage, the Cavs and Lebron expected to spend a long, hot summer as they ponder on their respective future.
The Cavs also boosted their frontline with the acquisition of another veteran forward Antawn Jamison from Washington just before the trade deadline. They also beefed up their wing with the entry of the high-leaping Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker.
But all these manpower buildup just went down the drain with the series loss to the Celtics.
I wonder what’s in Lebron’s mind now. Or what coach Mike Brown is thinking, considering that they ruled the regular season with iron fist–finishing the past two seasons with the best overall record of 67-15 and 61-21, respectively.
But here’s probably what Lebron and Co. realized: finishing with the best record didn’t really matter if they can’t perform to the highest level in the Playoffs.
As for the Celtics, I believe they’d have their hands full versus the Orlando Magic, who are 8-0 so far in the post-season with series sweeps versus the Charlotte Bobcats and the Atlanta Hawks.
Magic or Celtics? Me? I pick the Magic in 6 games.
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