The long awaited opening night finally took place last night with the C's prevailing 88-80. It was a game that failed to live up to the hype for much of the contest as the Celtics dominated for most of the game. LeBron James didn't take long to revert into his former Cleveland version, attempting to win the game by himself in the third quarter (and nearly pulling it off).
The ageless Ray Allen sealed the win with a huge three-pointer with just under a minute remaining in the game. The Celtics started off the season with a win, now it's on to the next one. But first, here are some highlights:
Q1: The first quarter begins with a nicely compiled introduction by the staff at TNT. Other highlights include:
- Shaq blocking a drive by Wade
- Solid defense leading to Rondo's fine acting ability in transition
- Rondo with an up-and-under reverse lay-in
- LeBron throwing the ball away
- Rondo to Shaq for a loud alley-oop slam
- Wade dribbling off of his foot
- Pierce raining down a baseline three, crowd erupts
- Great defense leading to another Rondo-to-Shaq transition jam
- Ray with good post-defense on Wade, then laying it in on the next possession
- Pierce with good post-defense on LeBron
- Bombs-away from Ray Ray
- LeBron with the 'chase-down' block on Rondo, but with a better reaction from Danny Ainge
- Big Baby taking a charge on LeBron
Q2: The second quarter begins with an already exhausted Erik Spoelstra describing how his team played on both ends in the first quarter. Other highlights include:
- A textbook travel by Wade
- Marquis Daniels with a beautiful post move (up-and-under) on Wade
- Big Baby with good defense on Bosh
- Wade flopping
- Pierce with a transition finger-roll
- Jermaine O'Neal with a nice block
- Nate attacking the basket
- Marquis with a throwback pull-up jumper in transition
- Pierce discussing Game 7
- KG posting up Udonis Haslem
- Ray attacking the hoop
- Ray's three after KG's missed put-back slam
- Diesel rejecting Wade
- Shaq fouling Bosh HARD
- Big Baby closing the half with a nice drive to the hoop
Q3: The second half begins with a sneaky steal by Rondo on Bosh. Then, we see Shaq hammering LeBron as he drives the lane. Other highlights include:
- Rondo to Shaq in the post, with KG doing a nice job of sealing off his man underneath
- Ray with another beautiful baseline three (this never gets old)
- Rondo working in the post on Arroyo, passing it out to KG who knocks down the jumper
- Classic C's defense causing turnovers
- Rondo driving and kicking out to KG for the jumper
- The infamous LeBron/Pierce charge
- Another Ray three
- KG getting in the passing lane creating an eventual transition lay-up by Marquis
- Big Baby working Big Z in the post
Q4: The final stanza begins with a nice box out by Big Baby, as well as some solid one-on-one post defense on Bosh. Other highlights include:
- More Big Baby, this time working the offensive glass
- Rondo knifing through the lane for two
- Big Baby taking a charge on Wade
- Big Baby, again, this time on a nice cut to the hoop for the slam
- Just call the fourth quarter the Glen Davis show... another nice cut to the basket
- Big Baby with excellent straight up defense on a driving Wade, leading to a transition three by the captain
- KG with another jumper, then some classic KG vulgarity to express how he feels about it
- Another Pierce three
- KG doing his best over-acting job after Bosh slaps him in the head
- The "O-VER-RATED" chants
- Ray Allen's clutch baseline three to essentially seal the win
- Exceptional defense to end the game
- Craig Sager asking Rondo who the team to beat in the east is (Classic Rondo)
