May

31

Pierce Leads Celtics Back To NBA Finals Celtics Defeat Pistons In Six 89-81

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA PLAYOFFS 

Now we shall see if they can earn the rights to be called the “Big Three“. Paul Pierce scored 27 points Friday night, and the Boston Celtics came back in the fourth quarter with a vengeance to knock the Detroit Pistons out of the NBA Playoffs, winning the decisive game six 89-81 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. It is the Celtics first time back in the NBA Finals since 1987. Ironically their opponents will be the Los Angeles Lakers, the team that defeated Boston that year in the Finals. Oh, and if you smell a faint aroma of cigar smoke in the air this weekend, don’t be alarmed. That’s just Red Auerbach lighting up a victory cigar on that great parquet floor in the sky.

It is only fitting that Boston had to play Detroit in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston beat the Pistons in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, to advance to take on the Lakers. In 1988 it was the same matchup in the Conference Finals, this time however Detroit had learned their lessons, and were peaking as the Celtics started on the decline. They went to the Finals that year, losing to the Lakers, but would win their first NBA Championship in in 1989. For the Celtics it marked the end of an era, Larry Bird and Kevin McHale were beset by injuries, and the age and wear and tear set in on the entire team. The Boston Celtics who had won 16 of the first 39 NBA Championships in the history of the Association, will now make their first appearance in the Finals in 21 years. A generation has come of age during that period, hearing the tales, but except for DVDs, the NBA Channel, and ESPN Classic have never seen it. This year they will.

Another ironic happening was the Boston Celtics who had not won a road game in two previous seven game series, won two out of three against Detroit. Boston held a slim lead throughout the first half. They had a 24-21 advantage over Detroit at the end of the first quarter. The “Green Team” went into the locker room at the half still leading the Pistons by a score of 40-37. The Celtics knew that they were not going to go unchallenged all night, and Detroit made their run in the third quarter. Boston held their own through the early stages of the quarter leading the Pistons 54-50 with 6:16 left in the third.? But a Chauncey Billups trey, followed shortly after by a Tayshaun Prince trey made it 56-54 Detroit with 5:24 left in the period. Detroit maintained their edge leading 68-60 at the end of the third quarter, and suddenly a game seven Sunday looked like a very real possibility. But this time it was Boston’s turn to make the run, and they did tying the game at 70-70 as Paul Pierce hit 2 from the line with 7:35 left in regulation. The lead went back and forth over the next few possessions, but the Celtics held the Pistons to just 13 points in the quarter, as they turned their defensive intensity to the the max.

Paul Pierce who suffered through some terrible years wearing the Green, led the Celtics as he scored 27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block in the Boston victory.? Ray Allen scored 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, Kevin Garnett scored 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists. Rajon Rondo scored 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.?

Chauncey Billups scored a game high 29 points, with 6 assists, and 6 rebounds for the Pistons. Richard Hamilton scored 21 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks, Tayshaun Prince scored 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block. Detroit for the third straight year is eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston will host the Lakers this Thursday at the “New Garden.”

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