NBA Playoffs 2011: Celtics Fading Fast, Surging Heat Take 2-0 Lead in Semifinal
Lebron James and Dywane Wade are looking to make James' "having Celtics for lunch" quote come true.
The staring duo of the Heatles have been spinning and tripping the green team through the first two games.
Paul Pierce set the tone in game one when he stumbled and bumbled his way to an ejection. This wasn't the reason they lost, but it showed that the exorcism of fear, doubt and loathing the Miami Heat have exhibited and have given the Celtics cause for pause.
The Heat are showing that together James and Wade are determined to earn the respect they want and deserve from Boston. For years, both had been slapped down by the Celtics with disdain even though James' teams always had a better record.
And Pat Riley was busy dumping salaries to make room for this athletic core of wing players to give Wade help.
Boston is in trouble, make no mistake about it. Miami is proving that youth, athleticism and being tired of getting beaten-up has helped the Heat twosome draw first blood.
All that being said, it isn't all doom and gloom just because Wade and company held serve in a loud and emphatic way. The Celtics had been sitting around for one week and they weren’t prepared for the liveliness of a Miami Heat team that is clearly in rhythm and in sync.
The Celtics do not have the young guns to surround Rajon Rondo. Time and time again throughout the regular and second season, Rondo has been the only one running. Doc Rivers' crew looks scared, disoriented and in need of this three-day layoff.
The green team hasn't managed to score more than 91 points in the first two games—proving once again that they have not overcome their offensive woes.
Therefore, those of you who think Kendrick Perkins would have helped in that area, you are delusional.
Pierce showed the first sign of fear in game one—maybe having time off to watch Lebron and company in action placed some doubt in his mind.
Kevin Garnett has to find the intestinal fortitude to man-up and take charge of the paint, because neither Perkins nor Tony Allen is walking through that door.
These next two games are all about pride in the eyes of many Celtic fans. Callers are jamming the WEEI airwaves complaining while still wearing their green tinged glasses. It isn’t a pretty scenario because KG, Paul and Ray have been bloodied and bowed.
Change may be on the horizon—Doc Rivers might have to give Jeff Green more off Glen Davis' minutes. Green has shown when given more consistent minutes, he is able to be an adequate distributor. This may go against Doc's trust in his foundation players and the prevailing lukewarm attitude for his slow adjustment to all things green.
However, it is clear the Celtics need more from Green; why not just throw him in the fire to see if he is worth keeping around.
There is trouble in bean-town because little brother has stomped on big brother's big toes and it hurts big time.
It is up to the Celtics to protect home court on Saturday night and it is up to the Heat to prove once and for all that they are no longer rugrats but are all grownup now.
