新聞出處(必填):
http://www.nba.com/games/20091120/ORLBOS/gameinfo.html#nbaGIlive
作者:
This game deserves its fair share of disclaimers. Jameer Nelson was out and
hasn't played against the Boston Celtics since Jan. 22. Glen Davis, who
played so well against the Orlando Magic in their playoff series last season,
was out. Rashard Lewis was playing just his third game after serving a
10-game suspension.
It just wasn't going to be indicative of what a playoff matchup could be.
That said, Orlando's 83-78 win at TD Garden was a bullfight. It wasn't always
pretty basketball, but it was physical, each team exchanging runs until Vince
Carter took over with 10 points in the fourth, 26 overall.
"We showed a lot of resolve tonight, a lot of toughness," Magic coach Stan
Van Gundy said, "and so did they."
Toughness, maybe, but Celtics coach Doc Rivers didn't think much of his
team's effort otherwise.
"Our team is playing awful," Rivers said. "We are not functioning well as a
group. We don't deserve to win games like this."
The Celtics have been plagued this season with slow starts, and tonight
wasn't any different. The Magic burst out of the gates with an early 12-1
run, taking a 16-point lead by the end of the first quarter after hitting
five 3's.
"We have not been a 48-minute team yet, we just haven't," Rivers said.
For stretches, though, they looked like the superior team. The Celtics all
but erased that run in the second, with Paul Pierce and the reserves
launching a quarter-long run that would narrow the gap to three at the half.
The second half followed the same pattern. Orlando controlled the third,
Boston the fourth. And then it was Carter time. With Pierce hounding him,
Carter hit shot after impossible shot, nailing a fadeaway and getting fouled
on a made jump hook, with little daylight provided for either.
In the young season, it was a definitive game for the player many thought was
a downgrade as the effective replacement for playoff-hero Hedo Turkoglu.
"Carter is a much more established scorer than Turkoglu," Pierce said. "He's
one of the best scorers in the history of the game."
Some might say Rasheed Wallace was acquired specifically to deal with the
Magic, and tonight he showed why. Despite awful, 4-of-16, shooting, Wallace
had his most active and physical game of the season. Topping his previous
season-high in rebounds with 13, Wallace paired with Kevin Garnett to
frustrate Dwight Howard (9 points, 4 shots) underneath, shoving and elbowing
a path for Boston to dominate scoring in the paint, 38-24.
That he hit the game-tying shot, with 2:53 to go, after the Celtics had
trailed all night, wasn't bad either. It just wasn't enough.
Rivers made the decision to sit Rajon Rondo (29 minutes) for much of the
fourth quarter, opting for Eddie House, but said Rondo wasn't to blame for
Boston's poor execution.
"It's not on Rondo," Rivers said. "As a group we have to play better. Rondo
didn't play well today."
Boston still had a shot, but Orlando withstood the late surge thanks to
Carter. With House, the Celtics made the run that culminated in Wallace's
shot and the tie. But a turnover and a poor offensive set in the final minute
handed the Magic the game and robbed everyone else of a spectacular finish.
Orlando won the day, but the game was as telling as a sparring bout. Both
teams left a lot to be desired, neither were at full strength, and both are
likely to change by the time their contests really matter.
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