Game Seven Notes: Paul Pierce vs. LeBron

By Jon Evans

Q1

Out of the Gate The Truth has come out strong, nailing two jumpers to put the Celtics on the board, then driving and dishing to Garnett for their next bucket.

Ray penetrates – TO on bad pass to Rondo.  Despite the bad pass, perhaps the drive is a sign that Ray won’t just settle into the role of the spot up shooter.

LeBron hits his first shot

Cavs miss – break, Rondo to Pierce, 14-4.

LeBron converts tough drive, 16-6.

LeBron again. Great drive, (or travel), hits the layup – 16-8.

Tom Brady stole Jay-Z’s game 5 seat. Randy Moss is also in the building.

KG misses jumper from 20.  I like KGs jumpshot, I like his post up game even more.

Back to back illegal defense calls on the Celtics – don’t see that every day.  Bron hits one of the two technicals, capping a 7-0 Cavs run over the last 3:30.

Q2
Rotation craziness continues for Boston – Powe first bigman off the bench.

We’re up to our third football movie Lombardi-speech on the jumbotron.  This time its Pacino from Any Given Sunday.  Fight for that inch gentlemen.

Joe Smith – follow jam straight from the mid 90s, 18-15.

Pierce checks in for the artist formerly known as Jesus Shuttlesworth.  Pierce’s pull up jumper from 15 extends lead to 5.

Paul attacking again- penetrates finds Powe.  Powe hits 1of 2, 22-15 Celtics.

Eddie House curls around PJ screen, baseline jumper – wet. Cs by 9.  Eddie soaks in the love from the crowd on the way to the bench.

Bron hits fall away, 11 for The King.  24-17.

Out then in – pierce bounces in a three, 29-21.

Chasing a loose ball, Eddie House dives across the parquet and slaps the ball to Posey who gets fouled under the basket.  Mr. House just got himself 3,453 Tommy Points. The Boston crowd eats it up. “Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!” chants.  That’s the first time that something in an NBA game has reminded me of something form a horrible Whoopi Goldberg movie.

Loose ball scramble between Delonte and Eddie House.  Things get chippy –  offsetting technicals.

Someone forgot to rotate – Perk drives in for an uncontested layin – in this series that’s like a running back breaking loose for a 55 yard run. 39-27, 4:31 left in the half.

Pierce again.  3 extends lead to 12

DPOY – stops Bron 1on1 top of the key.  Same possession he strips Wally and leads the break. Fouled, 1 of 2.

Old fashioned three-point play for the king.

Ray Allen has arrived. Drives baseline, reverse lay-in.  46-35 with a minute remaining.

Damon Jones is still marginally relevant! Corner three from the Chinese shoe salesman, 46-38 Celtics.

Pierce steal, break, fouled. Lands on a cameraman’s knee – that can’t be good for the back.  Hits two FTs, Celtics 50,  Cavs 38, Pierce  26.

Eddie House’ kid with him for the halftime interview – that’s a first.

Q3

Ray Allen can’t stop LeBron in transition.  In other breaking news fire trucks are red and Delonte West has a lot of tats. LeBron converts, misses the freethrow, but the Cavs retain the possession, ending with a three from Delonte, 52-45 Celtics.

After scoreless 1st half, Cavs look to establish Z… Back to back baseline jumpers cut the Celtics lead to just three with 8 left in the third. Caps a 9-2 Cavs run to open the second half.

This King-Pierce duel is fun to watch.  On one end, LeBron hits from top off key, other end, Pierce hits jumper coming off screen.  Then LBJ strikes with a three from the wing.  Then a Pierce fall away sends Mike Brown’s squad to the bench for time.  5:21 left, Celtics 61 Cavs 56 Pierce 33 LeBron 30.

Celtics dust off the “You can’t handle the Truth” video montage from 2002, nice.

On a break, Ray Allen misses clean look for three

Little over a minute left, Allen misses long clean look from 3 from up top.   Flans clamor for the return of Eddie House..

Q4

Ultimately it’d probably be in the Celtics best interest to get another player in double figures.

Truth hurts – Fall away jumper over Bronbron.  Who needs a second scoring option..

All the attention on LeBron leaves Sasha open for corner 3

PJ brown lay in, and everyone is standing in the garden.

Lebron 3.  and everyone is sitting. 81-77

Pierce up top, two dribbles pull up – pop.  39 for Paul.

LeBron hits a 3 over outstretched arms of KG,

KG does something offensively, hook over Wallace.  And now we have two Celtics in double figures.  More importantly for Boston, they extend the lead to five, 85-80 with less than six minutes left.

Lebron, KG on him on switch, drives across lane, floater.  85-82.

PJ taps an offensive rebound out to pierce to retain C’s possession.  KG gets feed on the left bank, spins, hangs, and hits over Wallace, 87-82 with 3:43 left.

PJ strikes again.  Corals an offensive rebound after Rondo’s lay in blocked.

Bron steal on Pierce – break, look out below, Slam.  89-88 with 2:20 left.

Bron misses 3 – PJ rebound.

Eddie House, trapped in corner, swings it to PJ on the wing.  Brown, left open, knocks down the 20-footer. 1:21 left, Timeout Cle 91-88.  Lets repeat that, 1:21 left, game seven and the big bucket for the Celtics is PJ Brown on a pass from Eddie House.

West mises 3, jumpball for rebound – could this get any more dramatic.

Off the tip, Pierce dives in ahead of LeBron to gain possession. Timeout.  That’ll be 2,357 Tommy points for The Truth.

Pierce sets up on LeBron. KG screens and pops out.  Pierce drives, out to KG, misses jumper.

Other end, LeBron drives – misses, KG pulls down the big rebound,

Ray Allen hits 2 from the line to pretty much ice it.  Celtics up 5, 18.8 left.

After the protracted free throw game, Celtics win.

Gino.