Celtics-Heat: Five thoughts at halftime
|04.17.10 at 9:31 pm ET|
1. Is this 1997?
After a thoroughly entertaining first quarter that saw both teams shoot over 50 percent and combine for 57 points, the second-quarter turned into a dinner theatre production of the old Heat-Knicks playoff series, where the first to 70 usually picked up the win. All that was missing was old friend P.J. Brown body-slamming Charlie Ward into the ground. Just how ugly was it? Well, the Celtics were down by one point after the first quarter, scored 13 points in the second, and still were only losing by three at the half.
The two leading scorers on the Celtics combined to shoot 3-for-12 in the first half. Maybe they get by tonight if that continues, but it’s hard to imagine a long playoff run with both Pierce and Allen out of sorts.
3. Kevin Garnett was the best Celtics player on the court
Seven points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal and zero turnovers in his 16:58 of playing time in the first half.
4. Kendrick Perkins has to be more aggressive
Perkins seemed hesitant to shoot the ball even with good post position on Jermaine O’Neal, often kicking the ball out to Ray Allen or Pierce despite single-coverage. His line for the first half (four points, one rebound, three turnovers) pretty much told the story. O’Neal, meanwhile, was active in the first half, shooting just 3-of-10 (eight points) but grabbing seven rebounds.
5. We might have seen the last of Glen Davis tonight
Might be that someone does put Baby in the corner — Doc Rivers. Davis had a pair of shots blocked (pause for shock) in his seven-plus minutes on the court and generally looked overmatched on both ends of the court.
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