Apr

2

Ray With The Trey Gets Celts Past B-Cats In Double O/T 111-109

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap 

There Are No Moral Victories In The NBA

Earl Boykins-2000

No, Virginia there are no moral victories in the Association; but the basketball team from Charlotte should still walk with their heads held high. Kids don’t try this at home! It is not an idea to get into a cage with a hungry Bobcat, especially when that feline had the most delicious meal of their life the night before. The Boston Celtics did however perform this feat and walked away in tact with a double over-time victory over the Charlotte Bobcats 111-109 Wednesday night. “Green Team” All-Star guard Ray Allen brought the fans at the “New Garden” to their feet as he drained a trey with 2.1 seconds in the extra period.

There were moments during my career as Sports Director for Metro Networks in Cleveland covering the NBA in general and the Cavaliers in particular when I realized a player got it! One of those moments occurred during the stretch of a lost season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the pre-LeBron era. The Cavaliers were playing out the string basically starting in January. However one night late in the campaign they took a potent Western Conference opponent to the end before they would lose.

After the contest I interviewed some of the Cavaliers players about their reaction to the loss. I was impressed with their effort late in the season against an obviously superior foe. With that I asked a couple of players if they could consider the loss a moral victory. The first two players I asked the question to answered affirmatively, they too were pleased with the effort.

The third player I interviewed was former NBA point guard Earl Boykins. The last I heard Earl was playing in Italy for the Euro-Leagues and finally making some well deserved money. Boykins claim to fame was his lack of height; if heart and effort made you taller Boykins would stand 7′3″. 

Boykins looked me in the eye and gave me the quote from the top of this story. Immediately I broke into an ear to ear smile, this guy got it deep down inside. I have always since that day re-phrased the question to reflect that although there are no moral victories in the Association, you can take pride in certain aspects of a well fought loss.

Barring a total collapse during the last 7 games my choice for NBA Coach of the Year is Larry Brown. To defeat the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday and then take the Boston Celtics to double O/T with a team that has not been together that long is truly amazing. After defeating L.A. Tuesday the B-Cats were 1 game behind the Chicago Bulls for the last playoff slot in the Eastern Conference. With the Bulls idle Wednesday night a victory would get his team within half a game. Brown could smell blood and so could the Bobcats.

Charlotte came out smoking in the first period and grabbed a 33-26 lead. The Celtics would then take over in the second walking into the locker room at the half on top 54-51. The two opponents then had two rather wild quarters. The Bobcats looked like they were on the verge of their second upset in consecutive days at the end of the third as they led 77-71.

However Boston came roaring back in the fourth and Rajon Rondo hit a pair at the line to tie the game at 93-93 and the game went to over-time. Allen knocked down a shot from outside the arc with 19 seconds left to send the game toa second extra period all knotted up at 101-101. The Celtics were down by 1 point with 2 seconds left when Allen would win the day with trey.  

The Celtics shot a red hot 53.2% (41-77) from the floor for the game. Paul Pierce led the way for Boston as he scored a game high 32 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Ray Allen scored 22 points, Rajon Rondo added 21 points and Eddie House came off the bench with 18 more.

Gerald Wallace led 7 Bobcats in double figures. The small forward recorded a double-double 20 points, 10 boards, 4 steals and 1 block. The Celtics now have a record of 57-19 and are back in the second slot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte currently sits at 34-41.

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