Finals Rematch...

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     C's are in Dallas for a Saturday Matinee. Personally I don't know what I'm looking for from the C's. We get a few good games and then they take a game off. I'm sorry I take the regular season so seriously but I grew up watching teams who did. Birds Celtics and Jordans Bulls. They wanted blood each and every game all the time. 

     My hope is this, that we get effort by the Celtics on both ends today. Time to start winning and winning regularly. C's are cold... What a garbage start already! For the love of basketball can we get it together! Refs are already calling bogus fouls on the Celtics. Love seeing Jrue get down hill and scoring in the paint. 

     It's good to see JT getting involved on offense because no one else is doing anything. Such a flat start overall, where's the heart? C's are going to have to morph their game. Stop with all these damn threes. Start shifting the offense to get inside the paint. Instead of working outside. Let's get inside and occasionally kick it out for the three. 

     JB and KP are starting to get things going. That's a good thing to see! JB is an absolute machine on the low block. He has the ability to be like MJ with that fade away. The only thing that scares me about JB is his free throw shooting. Joe calls a timeout and it's definitely needed. Not sure where the defensive intensity has gone since last year but it's missing in action. 

     I want my championship Celtics back and I want it now. Al posting up is a good sign. C's force a shot clock violation, there we go! JT for three! We have a lead?!? And... It's gone. I'm so sick of challenges. Hurts the flow of the game. C's trail and why am I surprised. 

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     Al with another post move that ends in the bottom of the cup. C's on that sequence looked really efficient. They pushed the pace and PP finished it with corner bomb! It all starts on D, then running in transition. The defense seems to have picked up. Where has Derrick Whites offensive game gone today. He is missing so many good looks. 

     Jrue hits a three off the bench! KP with a three too! What a look from KP to JB for the JAM! That's the kind of basketball I love. We should be able to do that more often. C's have the ability here to distance themselves before the half. Keep putting the pressure on them defensively. Jrue Holiday! He's heating up here in the second. 

     C's defense is picking it up! DWhite gets a three! DWhite to KP for the JAM! Smart timeout by Joe here. C's with a lead but can extend it before the half. These are the moments that sometimes decide games. It's those final two minutes of any quarter that can really change a game. Off the timeout the C's hit KP in the post. Gets the And One! Jrue hits his third three! I like seeing him get his offense going. C's lead at the half. 

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     Overall the first half wasn't bad. The C's could be up by at least twenty. With that said I think if they go on a run here that may be it for the Mavs. They don't have the offensive fire power to keep up with the Celtics. Plus teams with Kyrie tend to lay down when punched in the mouth. Where is Klay Thompson? Dude seems washed honestly. Time to put him out to pasture.  

     C's with no defense and the lead is cut in half. DWhite hits a three and now it's time to play D! C's are a step behind right now on defense. Great hustle by KP! Earning the C's an extra possession on offense. Which eventually leads to DWhite scoring inside. Nice to see him get back into a bit of an offensive flow. With that said he hits another three! He's back!

     C's are getting railroaded with these calls right now. What a pass by JB to DWhite for the silent dunk!  As I said earlier we are one run away from blowing this wide open. Kornet with the offensive board and finds JB for a thunderous JAM! C's have made the most out of their second chance opportunities and points off of the Mavs turnovers. 

     C's are feeding DWhite and he's eating well! Great job by DWhite forcing the charge right there! Put his body where it needed to be and here we go! C's are everywhere right now! The lead has risen to eighteen. Now this is Celtics basketball! Sam for three! C's just need to keep landing haymakers right now. PP lands another! JT hits the knockout punch! C's up by twenty plus! 

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      C's better keep playing here in the fourth. KP hits a corner three and we lead by seventeen. KP with the block on the other end! I didn't realize how good KP was until I got to see him up close. Over these past two seasons he has shown why Phil Jackson wanted him all those years ago. He must have enjoyed beating his former team in the Finals last year. 

     PP saves the day and finds KP for a much needed basket! Despite losing five points from their twenty point lead the C's have weathered the storm. Yet we still need to finish strong! Jrue for three again! Hes had a solid game today. It's great to see he and Derrick showing why they are the best backcourt in basketball. 

     C's put together a pretty good game overall. Defense was pretty good at times and seemed to put in that effort. They earned a decent amount of second chance opportunities, which shows that effort. Overall they minimized their turnovers and took advantage of the Mavs mistakes. C's win and will head home to welcome Ime Udoka and the Houston Rockets on Monday. 

Celtic Pride! C Us Rise! Bleed Green! 19 is keen!