Celtics-76ers Preview

By DAN GELSTON
Posted May 15 2012 8:26PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) See ya, Chicago. Thanks for the split, Boston.

These young-and-fun 76ers are loaded with postseason surprises, aren't they?

Who guessed Lavoy Allen, an unheralded rookie, would toss a last-gasp bank shot with .9 seconds left on the shot clock for the clutch points in Game 2?

Not the Celtics. And probably not even the Sixers.

Yet, here is Philadelphia, after knocking off the top-seeded Bulls in six games in Round 1, set for its first second-round home playoff games in nine years after a 1-1 split in Boston.

"After this," team CEO Adam Aron said late Monday night, "we better come up with something special."

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals is Wednesday in Philadelphia, where the Sixers are 3-0 in the playoffs. The city hasn't hosted a second-round game since 2003, when coach Larry Brown and All-Star Allen Iverson ruled the town, and will be welcoming home a confident, young group of players who have shown the kind of grit Philadelphia fans love.

"The fans are very appreciative of what we're doing," forward Elton Brand said Tuesday. "And they're happy."

With good reason. The Sixers turned a bad habit of losing close games in the regular season into a winning edge this postseason. The Sixers have benefited from their share of good fortune, like finishing off a Bulls team without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.

"They beat a really good Chicago Bulls team," Celtics guard Ray Allen said. "So, that has us all on notice."

The aging Celtics are showing the effects of all the hard miles put on their sneakers. Paul Pierce is gutting out an MCL injury in his left knee that has robbed him of his jumper and slowed him down on both sides of the ball. Allen is out there on a bad right ankle.

The tight games - both were decided by one point each - mean the veterans play from start to finish and the minutes are piling up. So are the aches and pains.

Sixers postseason star Andre Iguodala is in charge of locking down Pierce. Injured or not, Iguodala knows the Celtics captain is always dangerous as long as he's on the floor.

"I'm not really thinking a lot about that," Iguodala said. "I'm trying to guard him the same, whether he's hurt or not. It's been a tough season for a lot of guys. Some days you feel good. Some days you don't. I take it as, he's going to give me his best shot."

That's what the championship-tested Celtics do - banged-up or not.

The Celtics have other pressing issues that prevented them from taking a 2-0 lead on their home court. Kevin Garnett struggled to find his shot in Game 2 until the fourth quarter. Allen pinned the blame on an offense that has forgotten how to share the ball. Rajon Rondo has failed to take control of the offense. With Allen and Pierce hobbling, their ability to catch and shoot off screens has been stripped away. Rondo needs to attack the basket or find the Big Three in their comfort zone. They can't lean on Brandon Bass as their go-to scorer when postseason games get tight.

"I don't like the fact that we took, to me, almost three quarters to play the right way offensively," coach Doc Rivers said. "We knew the blueprint before the game. It took us three quarters to get into it. I always say that's on me. Somehow, I have to figure that out with our guys."

The Celtics believe they can figure it out in Philadelphia. Game 5 is Friday.

"Being in their building really isn't going to affect us," Allen said. "It's all about how we play them when we get out there, how we take care and work together better than what we did (in Game 2)."

The Sixers have their own injuries to worry about. Thaddeus Young has a sore right ankle and a bruised shin. Brand is playing with a neck injury suffered against the Bulls.

The Sixers, though, have backup.

"It's the strength we have in our bench," Iguodala said. "(We) tried to use it to our advantage throughout the season, strength in numbers."

Like Lavoy Allen.

He was a second-round pick out of nearby Temple and was ranked by ESPN as the 500th best (best?) player in the league in a preseason poll. In Game 2, though, Allen had 10 points, eight rebounds, and one heck of a desperation heave. His 22-footer off the glass snapped a tie game and was easily the highlight of the night. Allen sheepishly joked he called the bank.

Just another stunning shot in a postseason full of them.

When Game 2 was over, Aron walked out of the locker room with coach Doug Collins to head to the press conference.

Exhausted and amazed, the pair took a moment to admire their handiwork.

"Well," Aron said, "we just stole one here tonight."

The Sixers are shooting for three more just like it.

Celtics top 76ers 107-91 in Game 3 for 2-1 lead

By DAN GELSTON
Posted May 16 2012 11:16PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Kevin Garnett yapped his way down the court after big baskets and clearly enjoyed taking it to the 76ers.

Rajon Rondo pushed the ball and relentlessly attacked the lane.

Paul Pierce gutted out a knee injury and grinded his way to the free throw line.

Boston hears the whispers that it's too weary and too old to win another championship. By the time they forced Sixers fans to flee their seats, the Celtics proved it's still too early to count them out.

Garnett scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and used a dominant second quarter to help the Celtics beat the 76ers 107-91 on Wednesday night and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Whistled for a costly illegal pick late in a Game 2 loss, Garnett crushed the Sixers early and never let them think about a fourth-quarter rally.

Garnett scored 13 of Boston's 32 points in the second quarter and the Celtics became the first team to win by double digits. Game 1 and Game 2 were each decided by one point.

Rondo had 23 points and 14 assists. Pierce, playing with a banged-up knee, had 24 points and 12 rebounds.

Game 4 is Friday in Philadelphia.

"We just wanted to come out and establish who we are as a team," Pierce said.

That started with making Garnett a focal point.

Garnett had somehow become forgotten in Boston's offense in Game 2 until the fourth quarter. Coach Doc Rivers said the Celtics simply weren't going to the 16-year veteran because they had established an offensive presence in the low post.

The Celtics wouldn't let that happen again.

They needed Garnett at his best in Philadelphia, where the Sixers had won their last four postseason games.

So much for that minor streak. Garnett made 12 of 17 shots and helped the Celtics outrebound the Sixers by 11 on the defensive boards. He buried those 10 to 16 footers with ease in the second quarter to turn a seven-point deficit into a 13-point lead.

"He got the ball in his spots," Rondo said. "He hit a couple of fadeaways. A lot of those guys are smaller than him, so he was just able to turn around and shoot over them."

Pierce had an MCL injury in his left knee rob him of his jumper and slow him down on both sides of the ball. He scored only 21 points combined in the first two games and failed to be the impact player the Celtics needed if they want to play deeper in the postseason.

All that changed in Game 3. He charged the lane in the first quarter for a couple of angry-looking dunks. He even pounded the backboard for emphasis after one as if to show the Sixers he still had some lift in those legs.

"That's who he is," Rivers said. "That's how he's been even when he's healthy. Paul's just a grinder."

He'll need to do it again to hold off the Sixers.

Thaddeus Young scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday had 15 for the Sixers. Lou Williams and Jodie Meeks each scored 13. Starters Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner combined for only 11 points.

"Sometimes you've got to take it and go with it and come back the next game," Young said. "That's what we've got to do."

Wearing their matching red 76ers logo T-shirts, fans fled for the exits at the 6-minute mark and the Sixers down 101-76.

The Sixers hadn't hosted a second-round game since 2003, when coach Larry Brown and All-Star Allen Iverson ruled the town. Julius Erving walked out to a roaring ovation when he presented the game ball and Eagles quarterback Michael Vick watched from a suite.

The Sixers hoped all the stars and hoopla that helped them knock off top-seeded Chicago would work again.

Back to the drawing board. Young scored three baskets and the rest of the Sixers had only two in the decisive second quarter.

"We ran into a Celtics team that had a real sense of purpose about them," coach Doug Collins said. "You could see in moment one, they were looking to push that ball in every situation."

Garnett tortured them from long range, toyed with them from inside, and got some deserved rest on the bench in the final minutes wearing a long-sleeve shirt.

Garnett was whistled for a critical offensive foul late in Game 2 on a potential game-tying possession for the Celtics. All seemed forgiven by the time the Celtics raced to a 25-point lead.

"Our offense finally came alive," Pierce said. "We moved the ball. We knew that's what we were going to have to do to score 100 points."

Rivers kept Rondo, Pierce and Ray Allen in the game until the final minutes even though the game was well out of reach. The Bulls were burned by that in the opening round in Game 1 when they left Derrick Rose in with a 20-point lead. He tore his ACL and was lost for the season - and the Sixers rolled to a series win.

The Celtics intend to keep up the pressure in Game 4 - and beyond.

"When you beat a team like this at home, you have to expect them coming out with a lot of energy," Garnett said. "But we'll be ready and we'll have a lot of energy ourselves."

Notes: Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and several other Eagles were at the game. ... Former Sixers owner Ed Snider watched the game from a courtside seat. ... Rivers was named to the NBA's Competition Committee. He said he had no idea until he received a letter saying he had been selected. ... The Celtics missed their first seven shots of the game, then made their next five.

Notebook: Celtics 107, Sixers 91

Posted Wednesday May 16, 2012 10:40PM

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Boston Celtics took back home-court advantage with a stirring 107-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Kevin Garnett scored 27 points and swept 13 rebounds while Paul Pierce had 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Celtics went up 2-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals. Mickael Pietrus scored 13 points off the bench and Brandon Bass added 10.

Thaddeus Young led the Sixers with 22 points while Jrue Holiday added 15 points. Lou Williams and Jodie Meeks had 13 each.

QUOTABLE: "He just knows how to play basketball. He's a throwback guy."
-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers on Pierce's performance despite nursing a sprained MCL in his left knee.

THE STAT: The Celtics committed seven turnovers. Yes, seven. That's going to help you win a whole lot of playoff games with a number like that.

TURNING POINT: After building a 60-49 lead at halftime, the Celtics kept the pressure on and extended that advantage to 25 in the third quarter. They never let the Sixers back in the game and completely silenced the sellout crowd.

HOT: Garnett was 12-for-17 from the field. He hit jumpers. He drove to the basket. Just a terrific offensive effort all the way around.

NOT: Evan Turner missed nine of his 10 shots and was never a factor for the Sixers. Elton Brand was 1-for-6 and Spencer Hawes was 2-for-8.

QUOTABLE II: "We've got to take it, learn from it and try to respond in Game 4."
-- Sixers forward Andre Iguodala

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: In addition to Rondo's 23 points, he added 14 assists and six rebounds.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Any Sixers-Celtics game has the fans buzzing. But a playoff game between these two teams at the Wells Fargo Center for the first time since 2002? The atmosphere was electric. Sixers legend Julius Erving presented the game ball and received a standing ovation. A number of Philadelphia Eagles attended the game including quarterback Michael Vick and tight end Brent Celek. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was also taking in the action.

QUOTABLE III: "We got into a great offensive rhythm and kept it going. Guys were making shots across the board and we just kept building and building our lead."
-- Boston swingman Mickael Pietrus

GOOD MOVE: The Celtics went to their veterans early and often. Garnett and Pierce delivered with monumental performances.

BAD MOVE: The Sixers didn't attack the basket nearly enough. They took too many shots from the perimeter.

QUOTABLE IV: "We didn't pay enough attention to detail tonight."
-- Williams

ROOKIE WATCH: Boston guard E'Twaun Moore had two points while center Greg Stiemsma grabbed one rebound in a brief four-minute stint. For the Sixers, Lavoy Allen had four points while Nikola Vucevic had one point and one rebound.

NOTABLE: The Sixers had their four-game home playoff winning streak snapped. They were 3-0 against the Chicago Bulls after winning Game 4 against the Miami Heat in the first round last season. ... The Celtics topped 100 points in the postseason for the second time. They scored 101 points in Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. ... Boston attempted 28 free throws after having a total of 28 in the first two games of the series. ... Pierce had five offensive rebounds. In his prior playoff career, he had four just once. ... The Celtics outscored the Sixers 50-38 in points in the paint. Philadelphia didn't allow more than 38 points in the paint in eight previous playoff games. During the regular season, the Sixers allowed 36.4 per game, second-lowest in the league. ... Rondo, on the victory: "I think our team responded well tonight. It wasn't just me. Our whole team responded."

NEXT: Game 4 vs. Boston, Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET; Game 5 @ Boston, Monday, TBD, Game 6 vs. Boston, May 23, TBD.

• Celtics: Johnson, Williams
• 76ers: Brackins

• Celtics: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #9 Derrick Stafford, #24 Mike Callahan, #42 Eric Lewis
• Attendance: 20351
• Duration: 2:21