May 9, 2010
In Rondo’s Hands, Celtics Regain Their Balance
By HOWARD BECKBOSTON — They have cheered so many legends here that the chorus sometimes sounds like a lingering echo from another year, or another era. The M.V.P. chant, and the mantle itself, is merely passed along from one icon to the next.
Paul Pierce was the last to live the role, but his game has inconveniently disappeared, nearly taking the Boston Celtics’ title hopes with it. A new candidate stepped into the breach Sunday afternoon, with as much timely flair as that of anyone to wear the uniform, and with a performance worthy of the record books.
Rajon Rondo scored, passed, rebounded, defended and dazzled, leading the Celtics to a 97-87 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, and tying this second-round Eastern Conference series at 2-2.
As Rondo put the finishing touches on a 29-point, 18-rebound, 13-assist game with two free throws, the chants engulfed him: “M-V-P!”
“It’s cool,” the 24-year-old Rondo said afterward, occupying a podium seat typically reserved for Pierce (the most valuable player of the 2008 finals) or Kevin Garnett (the league M.V.P. in 2004). “I mean, the M.V.P. is over with. The fans here are great. The biggest thing is I knocked both of them down.”
Rondo’s performance placed him in another echelon entirely. The only two players with a comparable playoff line are the Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain. Robertson had a 32-point, 19-rebound, 13-assist game in 1963. Chamberlain had a 29-point, 36-rebound, 13-assist game in 1967.
“Obviously, what he’s doing is absolutely unbelievable,” Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said.
Twice now, Rondo has wrecked Cleveland’s defense with speed, strength and clever playmaking, each time leading Boston to a victory. He is the sole reason the Celtics have a chance in the series, which returns to Cleveland for Game 5 on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Rondo even outshined the league’s two-time M.V.P., LeBron James, who had a strange afternoon. Although his box score looked impressive — 22 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists — James never put his stamp on the game or came close to dominating the court. He seemed out of sync throughout, throwing ill-timed passes and repeatedly being caught in the air without a target in mind. He had 7 of his team’s 17 turnovers — “uncharacteristic of myself,” James said.
As Rondo seized the spotlight, James faded into the background. Late in the third quarter, Rondo raced for a fast-break layup as James — the master of the chase-down block — closed in. Sensing James coming, Rondo faked the layup, then flipped a pretty behind-the-back pass to Tony Allen for a dunk, while James whiffed at the air. The crowd went nuts.
It was a critical play at a critical time. The Cavaliers had wiped out an 11-point Celtics lead and were threatening to steal the momentum. Moments after Allen’s dunk, Rondo found him again, for a reverse layup that sent Boston into the fourth quarter with a 74-72 lead. The Celtics never trailed again, scoring the first 10 points of the period for a 12-point lead.
Cleveland answered with a 10-0 run to cut the margin to 2 points, but the Cavaliers failed to convert another field goal in the final 4 minutes 34 seconds. James closed the game with a flailing runner that fell short and a 3-point miss.
On Friday, James blew the Celtics away with a 21-point first quarter and a 38-point night, looking as if he could do nothing wrong. When he faltered in Game 4, the Cavaliers had nowhere else to turn. They shot 40 percent from the field and had scant production from their bench. And they were helpless to contain Rondo, who made 9 of 21 shots and 11 of 16 free throws.
Cleveland had won Game 3 in part by using the lengthy swingman Anthony Parker to hold Rondo in check. But on Sunday, Rondo simply outran and outwitted him, leaving the Cavaliers to consider new options. James, who occasionally defended Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose in the first round, volunteered to take Rondo.
“I would love to,” James said. “It’s something that maybe we should explore, because he’s dominating the series.”
The Celtics built their 2008 championship team around Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen, and Rondo credited them with opening up the floor for him. But Rondo has clearly emerged this spring as the Celtics’ most dangerous and most vital player.
“He does everything for them,” James said.
Garnett and Ray Allen had 18 points each, although Allen struggled with his shot, going 8 for 21, including 1 for 8 from behind the 3-point arc.
Pierce was still wandering around the fringes of the game. He picked up two early fouls, made only two shots before halftime and wasted the Celtics’ final possession of the half, passing the ball as time expired. He walked into the tunnel muttering to himself.
The Celtics may ultimately need Pierce to win the series. For now, they have a new M.V.P. to guide them.
That line in red (above) says it all. "They had nowhere else to turn." Doubtful the same would be said of the Knicks, who have Gallo, at least. Throw in Chandler, Douglas, maybe Lee and I think we would be okay with Lebron in the second round, at least when it comes to scoring.
5/10/2010 12:05 PM