Making Room for Baby

Raja Bell’s much, much more likely than Tony Allen to make two or three key plays on an ultra-micro level that could change the course of a playoff game and a season. He could hit two three-pointers in a 12-0 run during the second quarter of a must-win Eastern Conference Finals game. He could agitate LeBron James (or Kobe Bryant) for a three-minute stretch late in the third quarter of a playoff game, when the starters are resting.

--LINK

Seems like a misplaced quote to begin a piece about Glen Davis, no?

No.

The above description of Raja Bell crystallizes what Doc was thinking when he started screaming at the green during game 4 of the NBA Finals. "You don't need to walk around with your heads down. You don't need to feel sorry for yourselves. But YOU DO need to start making plays."

Ah, making plays.

That's what the game is about. Offense, defense, whatever. Go out there and make a difference.

Big Baby's been making a difference with the Boston Celtics pretty much since they first gave him meaningful PT back during the 2007-08 season. His break-out game came on the road against the Detroit Pistons on January 5th, 2008. For a rookie to have a break-out game against your main conference rival is one thing. To do it on the road is even more telling. A month later he came up big against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, this time at home.

Last season, everyone knows what Baby did when KG went down for the year, especially in the playoffs. You hope for these kinds of gutsy, steel-nerved performances in big games. But you don't see them very often. This ain't no Michael Smith and his 1990 West Coast Trip.

Now you see why I'm thinking Doc's gonna find time for Bambino Grande, one way or the other.