Miami Can't Cash in On Boston Breakdown

It's midway through the third quarter of Game 1 at the TD BankNorth Garden. The 17 time NBA champion Boston Celtics are trailing Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat by 14 points and it's terrific trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are starting to look like 2008 may have been their last hurrah.

Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley, Jermaine O'Neal and the unheralded Joel Anthony had been controlling the paint and dominating on the glass all night. Miami's perimeter defense had been stellar with Pierce and Allen having a substandard shooting night to say the least.

But then something went terribly wrong for the South Beach ballers. The turnovers picked up a furious pace and the 22 were the most they had committed all season, and the 38 points those miscues led to were the most the had surrendered in almost 11 whole seasons. Flash lost his superstar shine and didnt score his first 4th quarter until almost 10 minutes had rolled off the clock.

But in the final minute Miami finally had something go their way. Perrenial All-Star and future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett lost his cool. Pierce went down diving for a loose ball and KG's motherly instincts suddenly kicked in. The Heat's Quentin Richardson seemed to be leaning in to check on his friend, Garnett fired back with a left handed elbow to clear out the assumed instigator.

Miami couldn't sieze the moment with game tying back to back to three balls, but with the Big Ticket not getting admission to Game 2, Miami now has a shot to leave Beantown with a split. Even though Garnett is just a shadow of the player he was during their Championship run, they will miss his 14 points and 8 rebounds and sheer intimidation and intensity that he brings every night.  

The Heat showed that they can give the Celts a run for their money at full strength. If they can keep their own cool when it gets hot come crunch time, they really could stretch this series to 6 or 7 games. If they come out actually thinking that they have an advantage because of Garnett's departure, then they will be in for a serious letdown. But if they just come and bring their best game the Boston crowd will have another long night on their hands.

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