2003-04 Season Game 46, Celtics vs. New
Jersey Nets Sunday, January 25, 2004
This game was not
televised due to the contracts with ABC tv, so the only way to review
this was off the NBA ticker. This turned out to be the swan song
of Celtics' Coach Jim O'Brien, as well as Byron Scott of theNets, who
was fired just hours before Obie resigned.
FirstQuarter:
The
Nets came out blistering and built up a 6-0 lead less than three
minutes into the game. The quarter was a low-scoring affair most
of the way, as the C's clawed their way back into the lead. But
the Nets went on another run toward the end of the quarter, as the C's
couldn't throw the
ball
into the ocean if they'd been three miles offshore. It was one of
the worst offensive showings for the Good Guys in recent memory as the
first quarter ended with New Jersey ahead, 20-14, through the good
graces of a couple of made free throws by Marcus Banks with 2 seconds
left in the quarter.
Boston
shot 5-20 from the field, as the Nets were 7-19. Threes weren't
any help, as the C's were 1-5 as the Nets
went 1-2, preferring to drive to the hoop. Boston went 3-4 at the
line and the Nets were 5-5. The stats would lead you to think the
game was close, but the Celtics had stretches at the beginning and end
of the quarter where they were offensively invisible.
Second Quarter:
The
second quarter Celtics scoring was initially led by Ricky Davis--easy
to tell, as he had the only basket for Boston for the first 2 minutes
of the quarter, as the Nets increased their lead. Boston did
start finding the hoop as Davis proceeded to score on two more
possessions, and Chris Mihm made his return to the court, quickly
taking the pass from Waltah for two. This led to a timeout with
8:34 and the score 31-24 favoring NJ.
Davis
procured a rebound, continuing to do "the little things' that make him
as valuable as if he were scoring double digits every game. Chris
Mihm was fouled and did his job at the line, going 2-2. YAY!
New
Jersey wasn't slowing down, though. Harris was making a pain of
himself as the Nets ran the score up to 36-25 with seven minutes left
in the half. Obie seems to be substituting like it was a hockey
game, tryingto find fresh legs to keep up with the Nets. Timeout
was called with 5:41 left in the half, and the Nets up, 39-28.
Time
came back in as Kenyon Martin was once more uncontested as he dunked
the ball. Mike James responded with a three. Martin nailed
another layup, and Pierce replied by driving to the hoop. At
least Jefferson was fouled by Waltah as HE drove to the basket.
It's a start. Mike James hit another three, and he was starting
to look hot.
But
Mark Blount lost the ball--and his cool, picking up a technical
foul. He took a seat as Chris Mihm came back into the game.
Then Ricky Davis fouled Harris and the Nets had a chance to run up the
score a little further. You know things aren't going well when
Brandon Hunter is playing in the first half. Boston called time
with 2:45 left in the half as the Nets now held a commanding lead of
51-36.
Good
news, Hunter can rebound against the Nets. Bad news, he's 1-2 on
free throws. Speaking of free throws, it seemed like the C's
couldn't let 30 seconds pass without getting called for a foul.
Of course I don't know if they're actually committing the fouls, or
just getting called for them.
But the
Nets continued to dominate as the quarter came to an end.
Halftime arrived with the Nets easily holding a 56-39 lead.
The 25
second quarter points that Boston scored would have been pretty good if
not for the Nets getting 36 points at the same time.
Boston's shooting percentage went UP--yes, I said "up" to 32% by
halftime. Ricky Davis is the C's leading scorer with 9
points. Mike James had 8 points, Marcus Banks had 6, and things
went downhill from there.
There's
no secret as to what needs to be done. Two things of equal
importance. Stop the Nets from making baskets like they're the
only ones on the floor; and score some baskets of their own.
This
shows every sign of shaping up as a monumental loss unless we get our
stuff together, NOW. I imagine Jim O'Brien is teaching the team a
few new words right about now.
AAUGH!!!
Third
Quarter:
The C's
were consistent, starting the second half as Waltah was called for a
foul when Kenyon Martin went up for a shot. Martin returned the
favor on Pierce shortly afterward. Kidd, as always, is killing us
on the break.
Boston
was making shots, but totally unable to stop the Nets as Obie called
time to explain the concept of defense with 10:31 left in the third
quarter and the Nets now ahead 63-45. What the C's had done to
Washington, the Nets were now doing to us.
Davis
contributed a jumper to the cause and Kenyon obliged by forgetting to
bounce the ball as he ran for the hoop. Waltah made them pay as
he slammed the ball through the hoop.
The
teams traded misses before Kenyon made a jumper. The C's defense
seemed to be cranking up at long last as Kidd made a bad pass.
But the C's didn't convert and the teams traded possessions a bit more
before Kidd fouled Blount. Mark made it count at the line, going
2-2.
Hunter
may be proving his preseason assertions that he's ready to play now, as
he kept hauling down much-needed rebounds. The problem is, the
C's aren't capitalizing on those opportunities. With 3:37 left in
the 3rd quarter, NJ took time as they now held a 69-55 lead.
Pierce
stole the ball from Wlliams--who took it right back. Jri Welsch
made the foul to prevent the layup, but Jefferson made both. The
C's committed two turnovers in 20 seconds. Fortunately, the Nets
responded in kind.
Life
was good for a moment, as Byron Scott, that mealy-mouthed Laker Lout,
got tossed from the game. Pierce made the T throw, then went to
the line for two regular free throws, making both for a three point
play we really needed. But Kidd got two back at the line when
banks fouled him.
Chris
Mihm hit a turnaround jumper, and it's good to see him back in the
game! Pierce took another T throw when Harris was teed up.
but Harris got them back when Banks fouled HIM.
Waltah
made himself more lovable by hitting a layup. Williams lost a
basket when he got too enthusiastic and committed an offensive
goaltend. Unfortunately, Banks turned the ball over and the Nets
scored once more on a last-second jumper that the refs ruled
good. This ended the third quarter with the Nets still way in
front, 83-64.
Don't
ask me how, but the C's actually have more fast break points than the
Nets, 9-7. No point in being totally depressing. but the
C's--while having improved their offense somewhat--still need to work
to the defensive end.
Fourth
Quarter:
Jiri
Welsh opened up the scoring for the Good Guys, then turned the ball
over. *sigh*... When Davis stole the ball, Williams stole
it back. When Williams stole the ball, Jefferson slammed it
home. Story of the game, here.
For
every good move made, like when Mihm dunked, there'd be a
turnover. Or Jiri would steal the ball, only to have Rogers
easily block his shot. Ricky Davis is one of the few offensive
bright spots for the C's as he dunked the ball once more.
Mike
James rebounded a miss and got it to Davis--as Davis is one of the few
C's who apparently remembers where the hoop is. Time was called
with 7:57 left as the Nets wanted to keep that 92-74 lead and maybe put
someone on Davis.
Time
came back in and Davis stole the ball, getting fouled to prevent a
layup. Ricky made both (YAY), and also made a jumper on their
next possession. Now, if only the C's can play some defense...
Timeout was called with 5:58 left in the game and the Nets up, 99-80.
Justice
prevailed after the timeout as Kenyon missed both free throws after a
Mike James foul. Pierce rebounded the second miss and Hunter
converted.
But
Kenyon put the Nets into triple digits, keeping ahead of any possible
Celtics surge. Ricky Davis made two at the line, and Mihm did
steal another ball. But the C's just weren't able to convert
often enough. Nor were they stopping the Nets at the other end.
With
3:45 left, Obie officially gave up, sitting Pierce and
Mihm. After hitting more free throws, Davis sat in favor of
Waltah. It was left to the bench to show the flag and try to keep
the score remotely reasonable. With 2:05 left, time was called as the
Nets lead had ballooned to 106-90.
During
this timeout, the Nets finally sat their starters--something of an
insult, as they obviously wanted to run up the score in a game they had
total control of. The final minute or so was sloppy as both
benches emptied. Kendrick Perkins did make both his free throws
at least. Unfortunately, he forgot to bounce the ball on the next
possession and the refs rightly objected to that.
There
were turnovers for the Nets, too; but as before, the C's couldn't make
them pay with points. In fact the C's scored about three points
in as many minutes as the Nets closed it out, 110-91.
Cookies
and crumbs:
Cookies
go to:
Ricky
Davis, as he had 26 points, went 7-7 at the line, and had 5 steals.
Brandon
hunter had 9 rebounds. Lousy scoring, but we need SOMEONE to
rebound.
Jim
O'Brien. He saw the crappy defense and didn't whack any of the
players. That takes monumental restraint.
Celtics
fans, for not turning in their season tickets after this disaster.
Crumbs
left for:
Paul
Pierce, with truly horrible shooting. Not that the rest of the
team--except Davis--was much better.
the
Celtics defense--the sad thing is, the C's would have had a fighting
chance if they'd played some effective defense.
ABC,
for not allowing SOMEONE to show the game on TV live, no matter how
badly it ended for the C's.
I'm
going to go have a cookie now, to get the bad taste out of my mouth.
Bleah.
And
that's the obstructed view from the doghouse.