Grades for the Heat and Celtics after the Heat's 4-1 series win to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Posted by Matt Moore




The biggest series of the playoffs is over, and the juggernaut created by "The Decision" in free agency 2010 downed the UBUNTU machine. Grades seem like they don't do this series justice, but we've got to get some perspective. 


Miami Heat:

LeBron James: If the 2007 series against the Detroit Pistons was when LeBron James truly announced to the world that he had arrived, the 2011 series against the Celtics may have been the one where he showed how much he's learned. It wasn't the mos impressive series from a statistical standpoint, but the way James closed, especially Game 5, makes it feel like it. James didn't hog the ball, didn't go ISO too much, hit big shots, worked with his teammates, and became the emotional leader the Heat needed him to be. He had a rough Game 3, but responded to close out the Celtis. And, oh, yeah, this time no one will say he quit in a Game 5. 

Grade: A- 


Dwyane Wade: Wade struggled in the playoffs last year, and especially this regular season versus the Celtics. They were a plague on the game of his house. But in this series, Wade wiped it all away. Never scoring fewer than 23 points, Wade was a beast. He dominated Game 1 and Game 5. His Game 5 was particularly brilliant. For three quarters, LeBron James couldn't get his scoring on track. Wade kept the Heat in it with timely play and amazing score after amazing score. He blocked Kevin Garnett. He made a wild reverse over his head for the and-one. He did everything you need your franchise player to do and eventually contained Ray Allen. LeBron James may have won the game for the Heat, but Dwyane Wade put him in a position to do so. 

Grade: A+


Chris Bosh: Is this the series where Chris Bosh starts to make himself into a known player? Before the series, I was dangerously close to writing a post called Shark Bait: Chris Bosh and detailing all the ways Kevin Garnett would destroy him. After a surprisingly strong Game 4, Garnett came out swinging in Game 5. Bosh looked overrun, again. Bosh finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, one point less than Garnett and tied in boards. He made huge plays, kept the ball alive, and hit a few open looks. It wasn't a great series from Bosh, but he definitively wasn't the weakpoint. He was good enough to get the Heat a win.

Grade: B-


Heat supporting cast: This series proved that you really can beat the Celtics with three guys. Mario Chalmers didn't play consistently enough to get time, Mike Bibby continued his disappointing play, Mike Miller still couldn't hit a barn door with a shotgun, Joel Anthony had a few nice moments but also dropped passes and failed to capitalize on opportunities, James Jones had a hot start but then faded back into the background (though his 3-pointer in Game 5 was huge). There's a million ways we could call into question if the Heat can win with getting such little support from the rest of their players... but they just beat the Celtics.


Grade: C (passing only in that they did not prevent the Heat from winning)

Heat defeat Celtics 4-1

Berger:Heat, James finally vindicated Eisenberg: Celtics face uncertain future? Berger: Rivers says "I'm a Celtic."? LeBron closes with 10 straight LeBron apologizes for "The Decision"

Erik Spoelstra: Spoelstra's insistence on giving minutes to Bibby over Chalmers, and Ilgauskas over Anthony continues to perplex. It's one thing for the starters, but post-half, the Heat kept getting out in sluggish starts and having to overcome them. Spoelstra does get credit for keeping the Heat's focus and getting them to stay together and play to the end, but with how much the Triad run things, it's hard to see him getting the majority of the credit. But beyond the offense, Spoelstra does get credit for the Heat's defense, and that's what was the backbone of the series win.

Grade: B-


Miami fans: In the name of all that chants "D-Fence," are you going to show up at any point, South Beach? You're embarrassing us as sports fans at this point. Go to the game, already!

Grade: F-


Boston Celtics


Rajon Rondo: Rondo played through the dislocated arm. Rondo wasn't playing terrific prior to that. Rondo made huge plays with that busted wing. Rondo was also such a defensive liability that he had to be benched at the end of games due to the injury. Rondo's no-show in the first two games helped put Boston in an inescapable hole. Rondo's effort in Games 3, 4, and 5 was good enough that if healthy, you could have seen the Celtics taking the series lead, let alone avoiding a gentleman's sweep. We'll never know what Rondo would have been like if he hadn't been injured. But based on what we saw, we got all sides of Rondo, the good and the bad. 

Grade: B


Kevin Garnett: Garnett was owned in three and a half games of this series. He had a brilliant Game 3, but never really established himself against Bosh as he should have. He came out gangbusters in Game 5, determined to make his mark. Then he completely vanished after the first quarter. Garnett had to take over in order to keep his legacy as an impact player alive. He didn't. And now he's headed home, with people struggling to understand how Chris Bosh outplayed the great Kevin Garnett. He probably yelled a lot, too.

Grade: D


Paul Pierce: If any player showed his age in this series, it was Pierce. Pierce continually tried to put the team on his back, and continually found himself being outdueled by James. He put the effort in, but the ability just wasn't there. Turnovers were a huge problem. He scored under 20 points three times in the series. The Celtics needed a hero. They got the Half-Truth. 

Grade: B-


Ray Allen: Allen clearly had significant problems with communicating with Rondo in the second half of this season, and the problems only increased in this series.  Allen would go long stretches getting no shots, then heat up, then disappear. Allen finally warmed up in Game 5. He was the one Celtic to really go down swinging, but Dwyane Wade's defense was just too much for him.

Grade: B+


Glen Davis: Glen Davis was a sixth man of the year candidate for much of the season. He was an outright disaster versus the Heat. He rarely drew charges, bobbled passes, too often settled for his jumper, failed to commit defensively, and didn't finish at the rim. All the Celtics lost on this series. Bug given Davis' free agency status, he may have lost more.

Grade: D-


Jeff Green: Hey, nine points and three rebounds in 23 minutes! That's pretty good! ... Okay, yeah, Green had two huge turnovers at the end of the game and was a huge reason the Celtics fell apart down the stretch. Green is destined to be ruined by the scrutiny of the Kendrick Perkins trade. Which is a shame, because he shouldn't have been asked to take on the responsibility of being the next great Celtics this early, at midseason. But them's the breaks. And it broke bad for Jeff Green. 

Grade: D-


Celtics supporting cast: The Celtics' supporting cast wasn't terrible. It really wasn't. It played fine. But no one stepped up enough to make an impact except Delonte West, who inevitably tried to to do too much eventually. 

Grade: C


Doc Rivers: You can't coach your players younger. Rivers made smart adjustments, tried different players, different rotations, the works. Rivers did his job. There just wasn't any way to coach this team up to where it needed to be. 

Grade: B


Danny Ainge: Sorry, Danny. Trading Perkins may have been right for the future financials of the Celtics. Green's future may be bright. But you traded Perkins, the heart and soul of the Celtics, and though he may not have helped at all versus the Heat, we'll never know. That's how history is judged, unfortunately. 

Grade: D-

LeBron James apologizes for the way "The Decision" went down.

Posted by Matt Moore




In his post-game comments following the Heat's 97-87 win over the Celtics to win their series 4-1, LeBron James apologized for the way "The Decision" want down.  James told reporters that he was sorry for how the one-hour special occurred, but felt that teaming up with Bosh and Wade in Miami was necessary to get past the Celtics. As CBSSports.com's Ken Berger reports, James told reporters:

"I knew I had to go through Boston at some point. I went through a lot signing to be here and the way it panned out. I apologize for the way it happened, but I knew that this opportunity was once in a lifetime."

James will continue to receive condemnation over the event, for his attitude, approach, and behavior. But after the game, he spoke candidly to TNT's Craig Sager about how much of a demon the Celtics represented to him:

"First of all thanks to the Boston Celtics, coach Rivers, that coaching staff, those player, they make you fight for everything. You can never take a second off. "

James was tortured by the Celtics, who swooped in after his 2007 Finals run and took over the Eastern Conference. Their own version of the Big 3 raised the bar for rosters, leaving James frustrated with how his Cavaliers team compared. Right or wrong, James felt compelled to raise the talent around to him to a higher level. He did so, and on Tuesday night, that decision, "The Decision" proved to be the right one for his career agenda. 


How he did it was wrong. It was always wrong, and somewhere inside him, James knew that, despite refusing to apologize for it in Cleveland earlier this year. It may seem easy to apologize now that he's made the Conference Finals and gotten past the Celtics, but for someone who has made so many P.R. gaffes over the last year, it's a step in the right direction, this humilty. This is the LeBron James Reclamation Project now. It started with beating the Celitcs in Miami.  It will only truly end with a championship ring.

Coach Doc Rivers says he plans to return in 2011-2012 to coach Celtics, despite elimination by Heat and a possible end of an era. 

Posted by Matt Moore




Update 11:05 p.m.: Ken Berger spoke with Rivers before the game about his decision and talks more with the Celtics' coach and where his career his headed. 


Just minutes after what was likely the end of the Celtics' season, where they were vanquished by the younger, faster, hungrier team in just five games, head coach Doc Rivers told reporters, including CBSSports.com's Ken Berger:

"I'm leaning heavily toward coming back. I can tell you I probably will. I've kind of come to that over the last couple of weeks. You know, I'm a Celtic...I want to win here again. ... I don't think this team is done."

Rivers had to be convinced to return this season by his family and the Celtics, and his son is a freshman for Duke next year (and a strong lottery prospect). Rivers may be speaking from emotion, but given how tough this Celtics team's end was, and how close they are, it's conceivable that Rivers means it and will return. The question will be whether he should. 


Shaq won't be back, neither will Jermaine O'Neal. Those aren't huge pieces. But with the Big 3 getting another year older, and possibly losing half the season to a lockout, plus having to try and replace Delonte West and Glen Davis who will both likely depart in free agency, there's a lot of changes coming to the Celtics. Eventually the age catches up and makes it impossible for the system to hold. This wasn't just a series win, it was an emphatic one. Rondo's injury, sure, that's a huge turning point. But the overriding theme of this series was the Celtics being overrun by the Heat's talent, youth, and athleticism in the Triad. 


But even after last year's doubt, Rivers has come to the conclusion as he said, "He's a Celtic." Sometimes even if the situation isn't right, you have to stick with your guys. Rivers looks like he intends to stick with his.

LeBron James of the Miami Heat scored 10 straight points to eliminate the Boston Celtics. Posted by Ben Golliver.

Credit where credit is due: Miami Heat All-Star forward LeBron James took a giant leap towards refurbishing his reputation as a crunch time scorer during Wednesday night's Game 5 victory over the Boston Celtics.

With the score tied at 87 and just over two minutes to play, James scored 10 consecutive points -- the final 10 points scored by both teams -- to push the Heat to a 97-87 victory, and eliminate the Celtics from the Eastern Conference semifinals, 4-1.

Here's video of James' 10 straight points in the fourth quarter. Continue reading below for a blow-by-blow account of his dominant performance.



The streak began inconspicuously enough, with Heat guard Dwyane Wade passing to James in the left corner late in the shot clock. With Celtics forward Paul Pierce draped on him and the shot clock under five seconds, James didn't bother with a gather dribble, instead shooting a pull-up three-pointer that was nothing but net. 90-87.

The Celtics called time out and the two teams traded missed shots. On Boston's next possession, Pierce turned the ball over, giving Miami the ball with less than a minute to play and a three-point lead. After running the clock down, James used a high screen by Wade before settling into an isolation against Pierce at the left angle. With the shot clock at three seconds, James took a slight step back and launched another three-pointer, from a couple steps behind the arc, with Pierce aggressively contesting the attempt. Again, the result was nothing but net. That three put Miami up 93-87.

The shot clearly cut out Boston's heart, as they came out of the ensuing timeout tentatively. Guard Delonte West initiated Boston's next possession by lobbing a soft pass to Pierce, and James bolted in between the two players to knock the ball into Boston's backcourt. From there, he was off to the races, stopping only long enough to check behind him to see if anyone was giving chase. No one was, and James cruised in for the monster two-handed dunk that set the AmericanAirlines Arena into a tizzy with 40 seconds remaining.

After another West turnover, and the Heat now leading 95-87, James milked the clock once again, operating at the top of the key against Pierce in isolation. He dribbled into the paint to his left. Boston's help defense was nowhere to be found so he kept going, converting a running lay-up with six seconds remaining. 97-87. That would prove to be the final score.

James finished with 33 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 46 minutes.

The Heat now await the winner of the other Eastern Conference semifinal between the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. The Bulls lead that series 3-2.

The Celtics thought they were creating a once-in-a-lifetime team. Instead they kickstarted a trend that lead to the team that has them on the verge of extinction: the Miami Heat. 

Posted by Matt Moore





When the Boston Celtics meet the Miami Heat in Miami for a Game 5, down 3-1, it's supposed to singal some sort of changing of the guard. But in reality, it's more of a continuation, the coming full-circle of what the Celtics started four years ago when Boston swooped in and took Ray Allen off of a salary-hemmorrhaging Seattle team, then convinced former Celtic Kevin McHale to swap KG for a bucket of suds minus the suds. Boston put out the blueprint for superstar players teaming up, it was just wrapped in lopsided trades instead of free agency. The Celtics may have not celebrated prematurely like the Heat did, and may have managed to dodge the hurt for abandoning franchises through the easy "Hey, they decided to trade me" approach, but the result was the same, and it kick-started a trend in the NBA. Los Angeles responded by acquiring Pau Gasol for peanuts (which were planted and grew into Marc Gasol). The Mavericks in turn acquired Jason Kidd. Teams started clearing salary at an exponential rate trying to make room for the summer of 2012, and in the aftermath we got New York with Amar'e and Melo, Chicago with Rose joined by Boozer, and of course the Triad in Miami.


Don't think the classy Celtics could have anything to do with Miami and their brazen ways? Just ask the Heat where they got the idea.

 

"They set the blueprint for us when they decided to make the trade for [Kevin Garnett] and for Ray [Allen]," James said. "Seeing guys make sacrifices to come together and play as one. They set the blueprint and went out there and did it. They won a championship. They competed every year."

"With LeBron losing to Boston in Cleveland in the playoffs, he felt like, 'I gotta do more, I need to be around more to contend for a championship,' " Wade said. "Me feeling the same way going into the summer, saying that I needed more, it was because of Boston. They knocked us out."

via 2011 NBA playoffs: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade say Boston Celtics inspired us to join forces with Miami Heat - ESPN.


 It's always felt more like Boston sacrificed more than the Heat did. Something about Ubuntu and the defensive identity of the Celtics convinced us that they were truly selfless while Bosh, James, and Wade were merely being selfish together, however that's supposed to work.  But the reality is the Heat did sacrifice. They've become a monstrous defensive squad, reliant more on athleticism and ability rather than experience and know-how. They could have blown up on one another during the hard times this season, of which there were many, pointed fingers and come apart. But though we tried to make their words into more, even claiming an inadvertent shoulder bump going into a timeout was some sort of indicator of discord with the coach, the Heat have stuck to the plan. And now they're a home win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals and vanquishing the team that both set the blueprint for their connection, and plauged them throughout the regular season.


The Celtics set the standard for this new era. They created this monster, despite thinking no one could duplicate their approach. Now they're on the edge and have to figure out a way to make sure the next model doesn't destroy the prototype. Perhaps even more disturbing for the Celtics is this. A loss makes the possibility that their core will only wind up with one title very strong, signifying a near, if not certain, end to their era of contention and dominance with only one title. The Heat meanwhile would advance with a chance to match the Celtics' championship chalkboard marks, in only their first year. 


The Celtics are wrapping up, the Heat are just getting started. It's like the circle of life, only this time it's the lions getting eaten. 

Boston Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal is reportedly not expected to play in Game 5 and could be done for the season. Posted by Ben Golliver. 

Boston Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal made it back. After months of injuries, he played a total of 12 minutes in Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat. In the two games combined, he made one basket, grabbed zero rebounds and committed four fouls. He also looked significantly out of shape.

Those could be the last minutes of O'Neal's, season. CBSSports.com's Ken Berger reports that Celtics coach Doc Rivers said on Wednesday morning that "Shaq doubtful for tonight. Calf has gotten worse, not better."

CSNNE.com reported that O'Neal suffered a "relapse" of his "right Achilles/calf" injury duing Game 4. WEEI.com reported: "Shaq is not likely to play tonight. This may have been it for him." The station also reported that Rivers said: "He’s done everything you possibly can do to get healthy. It just never healed, and now every time he plays it gets worse."

The Celtics trail the Miami Heat, 3-1, in the series so Wednesday night represents an elimination game. Game 6, if necessary, would be played on Friday night.

O'Neal, 39, averaged 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 20.3 minutes this season.

He has a player option on his contract for next season.
For more on what this setback means for O'Neal's future, CBSSports.com's Ken Berger has you covered.

The Miami Heat get their first chance to close out the Boston Celtics in Game 5 on Wednesday night. Posted by Ben Golliver.



One Big Thing: Destiny? Our collective denial could end Wednesday night. For months, we've been assuming, hoping and praying that the Miami Heat -- the new-look superteam featuring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- wouldn't be able to pull this thing off, at least not immediately. They have no bench. Coach Erik Spoelstra isn't ready for the challenge. Too many injuries. Bosh was the wrong third wheel selection. Three star players can't overcome a team of five good players. Well, to this point, despite some ups and downs that we've catalogued in minute detail, we've been wrong. It's so painful to write that the keyboard is oozing blood.

The Heat have their first shot to get over the Boston Celtics hump ... and they've got a very, very good chance. At home. Momentum in their favor after an overtime victory in Boston. Rajon Rondo still limited by a dislocated elbow. Dominant home performances in Games 1 and 2 to turn to for motivation. The Celtics, one would think, won't bow out classlessly and disgracefully like the Los Angeles Lakers. But their clock is ticking loudly. The Heat seem poised for the next step.

The X-Factor: Boston's stuck between a rock and a hard place. Rondo is limited. Kevin Garnett has been up and down. Paul Pierce had back-to-back big games (27 points each in Games 3 and 4) but he can't match LeBron James play-for-play with the way James is playing right now. The great equalizer for the Celtics could be the three-ball, and that means one man: Ray Allen. Allen has caught fire just once this series, going for 25 points in a Game 1 loss. Since then, he's been uncharacteristically off, shooting a combined 11-30 (36.7%) from the field, far below his 49.1% season average. Miami has had its offense clicking much better at home (100.5 points per game) in this series than on the road (89.5 points per game). Given their bench's struggles, Allen's deadeye deep shooting is the most logical way for Boston to keep up amid a South Beach scoring frenzy.

The Adjustment: As expected, Spoelstra moved center Joel Anthony into the starting lineup for Game 4 and he was rewarded for that decision. While Anthony had just four points and four rebounds, he played 31 minutes and had two blocked shots. Both teams went smaller, ignoring Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Shaquille O'Neal, and that played to Miami's advantage in a big way because Miami's more athletic forwards -- James and Bosh -- were able to wreak some havoc. Miami dominated on the glass, 45 to 28, and scored 48 points in the paint to Boston's 32. James and Bosh combined for 26 of those rebounds.

Most importantly, Anthony helped the Heat avoid falling into big deficits in the first and third quarter, as had been happening when Ilgauskas started. The Heat did get behind 9-2 to open Game 4 but pulled back quickly to trail by just one point nine minutes into the game. Then, Miami actually went on a 13-4 run to start the third quarter. Anthony finished with a +/- of 0 which is a huge win for Miami, given that Ilgauskas finished with a -19 as the starter in the Game 3 loss.

The Sticking Point: Where is the world is Glen Davis? Boston's reserve big man -- who has been an X-factor in the past, even if he's a bit of a goof -- has been non-existent in this series, averaging just 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 19.3 minutes. Compare those figures to his season averages -- 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 31.2 minutes -- and you realize the magnitude of the loss of production and playing time. It's not like Celtics coach Doc Rivers can't use him, either. The trust factor just isn't there right now. Davis has look out-of-sync, off-kilter and low on confidence and the intensity of this series, plus the lack of an obvious defensive match-up for him on the Heat side, has made shortening his minutes a fairly easy decision for Rivers. A big surprise performance from Big Baby in Game 5 would be a much needed life preserver for the Celtics.

CBSSports.com Video: Here's CBSSports.com's Ken Berger with a video preview of Game 5 with Lauren Shehadi.

On the brink of elimination, with his career's legacy on the line, and after a dreadful performance in Game 4, Kevin Garnett has to be the emotional and physical leader for the Celtics or face the reality that the game, and the Heat, have passed him by. 
Posted by Matt Moore

We didn't finish strong.  Lost and now am down 3-1.  Guys battled, but mental errors.  Had to have that one.  Now we gotta have the rest of these.  Heading to Miami in the am.  Tough loss.  Real tough loss. Gotta win 3 now.  All the pressure is on now.

via Kevin Garnett's blog

For one of the greatest players in NBA history, coming off of arguably his best game in the playoffs, "tough" probably doesn't begin to describe Game 4. In Game 3, Garnett dominated from start to finish, making Chris Bosh into shark bait.  In Game 4, he finished 1-10, Chris Bosh scored 20, Bosh out-rebounded him, and scored the key tip-in to seal the game for the Heat. And to top it all off, it was Garnett's indecision and lack of focus on the Celtics' final play in overtime that prevented Paul Pierce from getting to his sweet spot, forcing him to his left for a desperate fadeaway. 



From Celtics blog Reds Army:

It looks like KG started to run to set the pick a little earlier than he should... so he stopped.  Then Ray trying to create the misdirection hes talking about in the quote got tangled up with KG and actually picked him as KG was heading towards Paul.  By that time theres 4 seconds on the clock and Paul felt like he had to do something. Then the frustration boils over and Pierce gives the very demonstrative "what are you doing?" to KG and Ray....

via Your Morning Dump... Where "All the pressure is on now" - RedsArmy.com - The Voice Of Celtics Fans.

What's stunning is how much hinges on this series for the Celtics' career. Garnett is a Hall of Famer based off his individual accomplishments and his championship ring from 2008. But for all the grief the Heat received for their talk about multiple titles, the Celtics' Big 3 didn't come together for a single title. They know that multiple rings are what they need to be considered truly great, especially as Celtics. But for all their success, should the Heat knock Garnett and the Celtics out, they'll have only one ring.  Which is more than most players ever see, even the great ones. But the Celtics' level of success is determined by that higher standard. 

Furthermore, to lose like this, to the Heat, with the Celtics exposed as too old, too unathletic, too desperate to hold the line against the uber-talented Triad which had announced its championship intentions in the East, the Celtics' turf, is unbearable. Garnett has always been the fiercest competitor, the one barking, yelling, starting fights (if not finishing), and making the commitment on defense so many stars never could or would. But in this series, he's finding the Heat just a step quicker, just a bit faster, just a touch stronger.  

The Celtics' strength has always been greater than just its talent. They have been fueled by chemistry, by leadership, by commitment. But with the loss of Kendrick Perkins, that chemistry seems to have fractured. Instead of barking out orders in huddles and being the emotional nexus for the Celtics' intensity, we see Garnett struggling to face the reality: his time as the fiercest lion in the jungle may be over. 

The Celtics aren't dead yet. Despite the Heat finally closing out the Celtics, on the Boston floor, no less, the Celtics still have a pulse. Win Game 5, force it back to Boston, protect your homecourt, and you've got a Game 7. It's just a two game winning streak they need to tie the series. Garnett has to lead that final charge up the hill. It has to be him, relentless in the post, nailing the turnaround, suffocating Bosh, protecting teammates' defensive struggles with help rotations, barking out orders. Paul Pierce is an All-Time Celtic. Ray Allen is the tip of the spear for one of the most lethal shooting systems in the league. Rajon Rondo is playing heroic basketball with one arm. But it's got to be Garnett. This is his legacy that's on the line, and it's under attack thanks to the three players who copied he, Allen and Pierce's schematic and started celebrating before they had even faced the Celtics. With a lockout on the horizon that could possibly shorten or end his career, with the reality of the Celtics' inevitable need to blow it up and start over looming, with his physical fuse running out, Garnett will not have another shot at winning a title as a featured component. It's got to be him, and it's got to be now. 

This is Kevin Garnett's last stand.