2.06.2010

The Middle Relievers Do Their Job

Ladies and gentlemen, the Boston Celtics scrubs. Not bad, huh? Easily Eddie House's best game in recent memory. Though only 4-10 from the field, House made all four of those baskets in the fourth quarter when the outcome was still up in the air. He was the difference between a nine point win and a nail-biter to the bitter end. Glen Davis continued to round into form, with some key rebounds at both ends down the stretch to go along with a 5-7 shooting night.

Speaking of House and Davis, y'all understand what's going on, right? The Celtics have reduced each basketball game to a cliche. The days when they put an opponent away in the first half are over. They are too old and too injured for that. That simply requires too much energy. Instead, the Celtics entire focus is to put themselves in a position to win the game in the last five minutes (hence, the cliche about only needing to watch the last five minutes of an NBA game to get the picture).

This makes the last few minutes of quarter three and the first seven minutes of quarter four time for our Middle Relief, or that part of the bench that can keep the game close until the closer comes in. Last night, Doc didn't reinsert the starters (KG and Perk) until the clock read 2:40. The substitution immediately paid dividends, when Perk grabbed a pass from Rondo for an easy deuce.

Only a win against NJ, you caution. I agree. But you have to start somewhere. Let's see what this team can muster (in the fourth quarter) against the Magic on Sunday.

1 comment:

Lex said...

Not long ago I compared E.House this year to J.Sichting in 1988, meaning E.House very well might get traded. EH is doing his best to prove me wrong. The return of MD can only help EH continue to contribute.