Thursday, May 31st, 2012 at 9:30 am  |  109 responses

Paul Pierce: Celtics’ Game 2 Loss ‘Demoralizing’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

The Boston Celtics threw their best punch at the Miami Heat last night, and in the end, it simply wasn’t enough.

The Heat survived a legendary performance from Rajon Rondo (44 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds), solid contributions from Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and yes, benefitted from the referees’ whistles (Miami took 47 free throws, to Boston’s 29.)

Everyone on the Boston side of the argument was enraged, but Paul Pierce put it best when he called the overtime loss in Game 2 “demoralizing.”

From Yahoo! Sports:

The general manager of the Boston Celtics was trying to understand how LeBron James could get to the free-throw line those 24 times, and so Danny Ainge stood in the hallway recreating a clear-path foul call to the NBA’s vice president of referee operations, Joe Borgia. Ainge slid his feet, and tried to show how the Celtics defender had reached around to the Miami Heat star, how they were far too close to the rim for that call. “How?” Ainge asked him.

Ainge was persistent, polite and Borgia finally relented that he’d watch the film of the Heat’s 115-111 Game 2 overtime victory. “I’m sure we missed five or six calls somewhere,” Borgia said.

The Celtics were livid with the officials, yes, but mostly they were so, so angry with themselves. All those second and third chances they gave the Heat, when they needed a defensive rebound, a loose ball. “Demoralizing,” Paul Pierce said.

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers did the only thing he could following the crushing defeat — he told his team to suck it up, move on, and try to salvage this series in Games 3 and 4 back home in Beantown.

That sounds a whole lot easier said than done.

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  • http://www.twitter.com/_dfrance dfrance21

    That clear path foul was pure BS. LeBron did shoot a ton of free throws, but other than the clear path, I can’t really think of any that he didn’t earn. I do know that Rondo earned a few that didn’t get called. With all that being said, Boston was still in position to win the game, the lack of size down low hurt a lot.

  • http://dennysisforwinners.blogspot.com DennysFishTacos

    I have a feeling the refs are going to lean towards Celtics the next two games and then let them play it out in the last 3 games. That’s the way it should be after the past two games, at least. Whatever, though. End of an era, maybe. That non-call when Dwyane Wade leveled Rondo changed the game last night. Celts would have had the chance to stretch the lead, but HEAT were given an open-in-transition basket instead. That was the game-changer in the end.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Wah.

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    That foul call on Rondo in the 4th when he and Lebron were diving for the loose ball was also ridiculous, and saps your will.

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    Their group-efficacy is going to be way down after last night. Did anyone else feel really sad seeing Allen have the break against Wade and have no confidence that he’d get the shot up? Dude must be so frustrated with his body right now.

  • Heals

    Someone pass the purple drink and hit the screw music…

  • Heals

    Keep it coming E, cause unless your boys finish the job in the Finals that’s all you’ll be left saying…

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    I don’t cry. Bi*ch fans do. If the Heat don’t finish, it ain’t going to be that there’s a team better in their conference. Celtic fans should shut the f*ck up forever though, cause their route to the title in 2008 was filled with historically bullsh*t and foul fests that they got away with. When they got back and lost to the Lakers, the same preening fans cried like women when they lost and blamed it on Perk not playing Game 7. GTFOH.

  • nick

    i like this eboy guy. :P there is nothing worse than fans crying about the refs. it all is relative, the officiating sucks, sometimes you get hosed, sometimes the other team gets hosed. it all evens out. suck it up and move on.

  • Mike Mihalow

    I’m no Celtics fan, but these bad calls are getting unnecessary. Stern might as well just cancel the Spurs/Thunder series, and promote New Orleans to the Finals, so they can get beaten by the Heat.

  • vtrobot

    Thank you, Rajon Rondo. D. Wade was like a ninja. heeeee-YAAAAH! The reason that it’s pleasing to be a C’s fan is because, if they end up going down 0-3, they’ll play game 4 like they played last night’s. Nice game from Rio too. He was the difference. Peace.

  • http://www.soundcloud.com/tray-5 T-Ray

    There have been some BS calls for Miami but in the end you gotta just keep being aggressive and not be too emotional. Play your game and regardless they had a chance to win.

  • Riggs

    when even the ESPN replays show theyre getting screwed by the refs, you cant say fans are crying. Only person who wouldnt cry about the refs ARE heat fans. f*ck outta here.

  • http://slamonline.com samoaninlondon

    idiots had a lead too – if they win game three it could be a turn around but if not im predicting a sweep.

  • Heals

    “Hey Pot my name is kettle and I think you’re black.” Wow, that’s cute, why don;t you op in that 06′ Finals tape and watch DW3 get to the line at a historical rate. First off your whole argument is inaccurate at best and even if it were true that logic (or lack thereof) could be applied even more accurately to the Heat and Mavs from 06′ and then last year. Funny so the C’s had it easy, yet your boys dodged Rose and Bulls and got a hobbled C’s team on their last legs, coming off a 7 game series with 1 day of rest. Enjoy swimming in the shallow end tough guy…

  • Heals

    Most the heads commenting on the calls aren’t even C’s fans, I didn’t say shht about the refs and grown men using emoticons is well you know…

  • MVP23100

    Wow it’s some hoemotional stuff going on in here take the loss suck it up move on bad calls were made both ways

  • nick

    :P thank you healzzzz, we are all kids at heart, friend. lolz

  • http://www.twitter.com/_dfrance dfrance21

    The whole “both teams get bad calls so it evens out” logic is BS. The refs need to do better, point blank.

  • Nate C

    not a Heat fan, but its basketball, refs have made bad calls since the original King Kong came out, move on Boston

  • Layzie

    Bad calls or not, Boston had their chance to win the game. They were up 15 at one point. Miami missed most of their free throws anyways so it kind of even out. Chalmers kept them in the game. I’m not a Rondo fan but dude was ballin last night. It seemed like everything he shot up went in. I don’t see him having another great shooting night like that again. Boston may get one game at home but Miami got this series.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    There were bad calls.
    I thought that Rondo non-foul was egregious at the end of the game. I agreed with the call on the loose ball. Rondo rolled into Bron’s legs. That’s the easiest way to get a call.
    Heat go to the rim more than the Celtics so they are going to create more contact. Plus they were at home and research has shown that foul calls typically favor the home team.
    Either way, the Celts got the Heat to shoot 27 percent in the first quarter, were up by like 15 at one point, and then the Heat played better defense, the Celtics stopped hitting the glass and no one else raised their play like Rondo when it mattered.
    That’s why they lost.

  • http://WWW.BENNY.COM BIG MONEY

    IF YOU HAVE A 15 POINT LEAD AND BLOW IT DON’T BLAME THE REFS YOU DESERVE TO LOSE

  • http://slamonline.com raylan

    yeah, there are reasons why they lost, but you can’t deny the fact that non-call on rondo’s drive had a huge impact in the result.

  • http://slamonline.com TBRK

    C’s have absolutely zero bench presence… no Bradley no chance, starters played about as well as can possibly be epxected against Heat D…..Rondo, lets not even go there- its no one better than him at his position right now…still not enough

  • LA Huey

    co-sign Allenp.
    I even kinda wanted the Celtics to pull this game out just to extend the series so Bosh can heal before the Finals. I mean, if Rondo shooting like Ray Allen in his prime is how the Celtics keep the game close, they aren’t going to win this series anways.

  • Rik Smits Mullet

    co sign allenp

  • Mischief

    You seriously think Boston was gonna keep a 15 point lead in the 1st Q. The MIA run was inevitable. They’re supposed to have the 2 best players in the league, right?. Boston fought, MIA fought back and the Refs got in a few licks.

  • Feez_22

    I hate when superstars have wasted games like this… this is like when lebron scored 49 in game 1 of the 2009 NBA Conference Finals and lost. When your star player (rondo in this case) is giving it everything he has yet you still can’t pull out a win… How do the celtics regroup from this? This is the worst game the heat have played since game 3 versus the pacers yet still win (ref help or not). as a celtic… how do u regroup from this? 1 day rest off of a overtime game where your all star rondo had 2 play 53/53 minutes to even stay competitive… This doesn’t look good guys. btw, as CDaTyrant said in the post up of this gm, this reminded me of cavs/celtics game 2 of the 2010 conf semis. The only difference is that lebron had wade, chalmers, haslem instead of mo/jamison/varejao. It almost went the same way. Lebron had an avg game then (as he did last night… ya 34-10-7 but he was avg to me), rondo had a superb game (I believe a 29pt triple double) and the celts were up by like 20 for a while. The difference is the heat had guys that can respond and the cavs really didn’t. refs aside, this is why team matters.

  • Heals

    RayRay missing the 8footer off the screen and KG missing the turn around on Bron in the paint at the end of the 4th were the plays I thought coulda sealed it up. They didn’t so it’s 0-2, that’s just way it goes C’s fans…

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Mischief
    If you are the road team, the formula is build a big lead, maintain it somewhat through the runs, then try to finish strong.
    The Celtics gave back a big chunk of their lead in the second quarter and then continued that slide in the third when the Heat just outworked them. They made some runs later and showed a lot of grit. But remember, the reason they had a chance to go to overtime was because of missed free throws by the Heat and Wade’s ridiculously stupid decision to gamble for a steal instead of playing solid defense late in the shot clock.
    It wasn’t like the refs choked the life out of the Celtics. They regularly displayed their flaws and those flaws were worse than Miami’s.
    Seriously, how many wide open three pointers did the Celtics allow? How many offensive rebounds. The Heat were actually fouling the Celtics a lot early in quarters but instead of remaining active, they settled for jumpers. Create contact and get in the bonus!
    They had to play Rondo damn near the entire game! Pietrus sucked, fouling on jumpers. Brandon Bass sucked, never asserted himself. Garnett didn’t dominate on the block like he should have.
    The Celtics have tons of things other than the refs to point to, but they ALSO can complain about the refs. Unfortunately, everybody seems to be pretending like the Celtics did everything right and the refs hosed them.

  • bike

    The open path foul should be eliminated. Complete nonsense.

  • http://www.yahoo.com The Fury

    Celts had the chance, but they blew it away.

  • T-Money

    you can’t just look at the boxscores to see if the game was called fairly. who else gets to the rim for boston besides rondo?

  • Heals

    No bench equals tough to hold leads. It’s all good E, I know you don’t wanna touch my Mav’s-Heat comparison…

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    And don’t forget giving up that monster game to Chalmers or all people.
    He was getting layups on pick and rolls. The help defense was pitiful against everyone not named Bron or Wade. If the Heat had more cats who could shoot and attack off the bounce it would have been worse.
    Brandon Bass is giving them almost nothing at this point. And Pietrus is damn near a liability.

  • crooklyn

    co-sign AllenP. P.S got that free issue of SLAM at Bobbito and Kevin Colieaus’ outdoor screening of “Doin’ It In The Park” and suggest everyone go see it if you get a chance. PEACE

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    And Wade score two points in the first half! Two points, and the Celtics were only up by like 7 I think.
    If you hold Wade to two points, and you have Bron shooting a regular person percentage, you have to take advantage. Choke out the Heat’s life.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Also, to bring this point out. In three of the four quarters in regulation, Wade scored a total of 3 points.
    Think about that for a second.
    In the first, second and fourth quarters combined he had THREE points!
    Not only does that mean the Celtics squandered some golden opportunities, it also makes you wonder what would have happened if LeBron did that.

  • Ldub

    Ive said it before and I’ll say it again. The injuries are killing the Celtics. Rondo played every second and scored 40+…still almost got a trip dub and they lost. Why? Because Ray Allen doesnt have the ability to get to 17 points. PP isnt as effective, especially with a bunch of fouls, Garnett isnt in the post anymore, and although he was knocking down the jumpers, Hes gotta get some easier buckets in the paint. I cant really knock anything Rondo did. Dude basically played a perfect game. And if he can hit that mid range jumper consistently throughout a year. No reason that kid cant drop a 25-10-9/8 a night!
    Watching the game, it appeared the Celtics kinda gave up when the Heat put on their push. They went away from the trap against Wade and James (which allowed them to initially get the big lead they had). Ray Allen got wet up for 6 straight points guarding Wade 1 on 1. and it was all down hill from there. Celtics had perfect game plan to beat the Heat and for whatever reason (dont blame the refs)…they stopped in the second half, and it was the Wade and James show all over again. Kudos to Chalmers for keeping them close and major props to Rondo for having the absolute heart of a warrior and champion.

  • Key_34

    The problem with Rondo not getting calls is because of his reputation with refs. Did he not think staring down the ref in the first half wouldn’t come back to bite him? The fact the Celts didn’t shot a a good percentage from the field on their possessions (mostly jumpers) made less chances the refs could call fouls also. Doc should talk to his players about taking stupid fouls early in 1st/2nd halfs. Causes the Heat to be in Bonus early and creates more 1 and 1′s.

  • Sparker

    there were poor calls, but funnily enough, i thought one of the worst… before rondo took one in the head… was when he put that bear hug on lebron and it was called a jump ball. anyway, i have to say the bigger stories, for me, was what we were seeing had to say about what lies ahead. the celtics have no bench and only kg as an interior presence…. and he’s going up against “bigs” like shane battier. and the heat just dribble the damn ball too much, are missing their freebies and played much of that game with a bizarre lack of passion. all makes me realize that even with the lakers out, i still want the east to win… and our dudes aren’t giving me a lot of confidence

  • Sizzle

    LMAO at the individual referring to the slap on the head as “Wade leveled Rondo.”

  • Key_34

    *Celts DID shoot a good % from field* my bad

  • http://www.twitter.com/_dfrance dfrance21

    @Sizzle that was pretty funny. I think its really the matchups that are hurting the C’s. Miami is playing Bron and Haslem at the 4 and 5 and it hurts the C’s. They went small to match up and bron went to the offensive glass and got at least 2 putbacks and that crucial rebound at the end of regulation. They put Bass back in and Wade crossed him up on the pick and roll and caught that And 1 on KG. It’s really a lose/lose situation if the guards can’t help rebound.

  • Ldub

    oh yeah and Rondo should never ever ever be matched up with Wade or Bron in the post! EVER!

  • toinefan88

    damn damn damn!

  • http://abcnews.com charliewinning

    Boston let this one go. Blame the refs all you want but Rondo was their only real shot, even though that foul on him was clearly bogus. I expect them to win one in Boston but I’d be shocked if they pull out another.

  • AQWORD

    Shoulda, Woulda , Coulda . Brons just destroyin cats on the inside. All you chumps predicting Boston to win this series in 5 etc. Your trip s about to end in 2 more games. Wake up like the blunt gettin smoked.

  • http://www.crappyrappers.com Simon Caine

    The worst call was Wade’s and-one. Kicking has no place in basketball. And then the corny stare down afterwards like he didn’t just kick him to stop from getting his shot blocked. Wade stinks.

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