Can I Get an “E” For Execution?

Posted by Mike Giardi May 3, 2008 at 10:19 am

Put simply, that was about as an atrocious display of late-game execution as you will see, short of watching the Washington Generals. Seven seconds to get off a shot, and the best you can do is a 26-footer from Rajon. This, after not a single pass? Awful.

But lest you think that was the only egregious error by the C’s, fear not my friends, there were plenty more. How does Paul Pierce get a technical - at that stage of the game - following his 6th foul? Was it a good foul call? No, but he did foul Zaza. Don’t compound that with an emotional reaction. “The Truth” is, Pierce continues to lose his composure at the most inopportune time. That’s not befitting a captain.

Ray Allen didn’t have his stroke going, so with the C’s needing a two to tie in the closing minute, he fires up an off-balance three. I mean, for a craftsman like that to hurry a shot without having his feet even pointed in the direction of the basket…what the heck is that?

The “Big Ticket” doesn’t escape either. The knock has been that KG is too unselfish in big games. Twice in the final 5 minutes, he had open looks within an 8-to-10 foot radius of the hoop and passed up shots for tougher ones from teammates. Can someone, anyone, take hold of this team? Lose once to Atlanta? Okay. Twice…well, if Bob Ryan says it can happen, then so be it, it can happen. But three defeats to a team that had 29 less wins than you did in the regular season? It would be hard to explain if we hadn’t witnessed the entire debacle with our own eyes.

Do th C’s survive tomorrow afternoon and advance to Round 2? Yes, but the point is, they’ve done nothing to make us believe that amazing regular season is carrying over to the postseason, and anything less than a trip to the NBA Finals is a massive disappointment. Seems like the Celts have been playing with that weight on their shoulders, at least thru the first 6 with Atlanta.

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