KG Makes it Look Easy

KG Makes it Look Easy

5/29/2008

He had spent the majority of the night knocking down a variety of jumpers - catch-and-shoots, turnaround fadeaways, even a shot-clock buzzer-beater. So when it came to making a foul shot, Kevin Garnett figured: What's the big deal?



Here's the big deal. When Garnett went to the foul line with 3.4 seconds left, the sellout crowd of 18,624 at TD Banknorth Garden, who squirmed in their seats when the Detroit Pistons pulled within 100-99 with 1:36 remaining, held their collective breath. The Celtics needed Garnett, who hit his previous six attempts from the line, to be Mr. Clutch after he induced Rasheed Wallace to commit his fifth personal

After he made the first free throw, Garnett wasted no time in hoisting up the second, leaving no doubt which 2 points ranked as the biggest of his 33-point effort in last night's intense 106-102 victory over the Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals

Garnett's 33 points ranked as his season high, eclipsing the 32 he scored in Game 3 of the Celtics' first-round series against the Hawks. His regular-season high of 31 came March 5 against these same Pistons.

Last night, he converted 11 of 17 field goals, including his lone 3-point attempt, and hit 10 of 12 foul shots, including his last eight.

"You take free throws at the end of the game," said Garnett, who missed the front end of his first two trips to the line in the first quarter. "You want to be poised, you want to be calm, you go through your ritual, how you shoot free throws and let it go."
Garnett's routine?

Dribble. Inhale. Exhale. Shoot

"More or less than that, you don't put any added pressure," Garnett said. "You don't think about if you miss or make it. Shoot it up, and go through another one."
While Celtics Nation was nervous as the Pistons made the fourth-quarter proceedings rather uncomfortable for the home team, Garnett was as money as the opening-weekend draw of the new "Indiana Jones" movie when he went to the line with 3.4 seconds left

Dribble. Inhale. Exhale. Shoot

"You go through your little ritual and that's what it is," Garnett said

Just as significant as his last two foul shots were the two he made toward the end of the second quarter with the Celtics trailing, 42-36. After inducing Antonio McDyess to commit his second personal, Garnett hit both free throws, sparking a 16-4 rally that allowed the Celtics to take a 52-46 lead at halftime

"Flip [Saunders], he's very scheming, throwing different things out and trying to pick the pressure up, but that's what it is, man," Garnett said. "Free throws are a part of the game, and I'm just trying to be as calm as possible

"I thought, first half, man, free throws are free," Garnett added. "So you think that you're out there and it's automatic, but sometimes it's not."
But when it came down to crunch time, Garnett was automatic after reverting to his ritual, which he has practiced all his career

"I was just trying to be real poised," he said.