Posey’s Steal Helps Seal Finals Deal

Couper Moorhead
Celtics.com Correspondent
May 31, 2008

When it comes to legendary highlights, the Celtics have always remembered defense. Suddenly, clips like 'Havlicek stole the ball', Bird-to-DJ and Gerald Henderson's swipe now have company in the Celtics' playoff highlights pantheon.

As the Celtics held on to a four point lead with 1:40 remaining in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals and the Detroit Pistons desperately trying to salvage their title hopes, James Posey kept to tradition.

The Celtics had already overcome a 10-point deficit in the fourth-quarter, but after Chauncey Billups' three-point conversion on a running-bank shot and free-throw, the Piston's looked like they had one last run in them. When the Celtics followed on offense, Rajon Rondo missed two shots and Kendrick Perkins a layup after two offensive rebounds. Eventually Tayshaun Prince came down with the board for Detroit, surveying the court for the opportunity to make it a single possession game.

He looked too long. Posey, one of just two players on Boston's roster with a championship ring, knew exactly what the team and the franchise needed.

As Prince watched his teammates spread down the hardwood, Posey deftly moved to his weakside and tipped the ball with just enough force that it leapt out of Prince's unsuspecting grip and dropped into Big Game James' hands. The steal turned into two free throws for Paul Pierce, a six-point lead, and, 1:35 later, the 89-81 victory that earned the Celtics a trip to the NBA Finals to face the Los Angeles Lakers.

"James Posey defensively was phenomenal," Doc Rivers said. "He's just the ultimate, in baseball terms, utility player."

Before the 2007-08 season, his services in demand, Posey was close to signing a new contract with the New Jersey Nets and it took a tag-team phone effort from Danny Ainge, Rivers and his coaching staff to get him in green.

"Hell, I knew I liked him. I wanted him on the team," Rivers said. "But I still at that point didn't know -- I didn't know he was going to give us this much."

Other than extraordinary defense, Posey has also been important off the court with his experience and looseness in practice before playoff games.

"We've just been working all season trying to get to this point right now," Posey said. "It's just been a total commitment from everybody, and we've just been sticking together and weathering the storm.

"It's not going to be easy."