Doc Rivers sat in his office in the visitor’s locker room at the Rose Garden staring at the sheet of paper. It was hard to tell if he couldn’t believe the black ink popping off the page or if he was trying to memorize it. Either way, Doc wasn’t happy.
Rivers was quick to credit a Brandon Roy-less Portland after the Blazers beat his struggling Celtics team of late. But Doc still couldn’t get over a call the refs blew (or called brilliantly depending on the team you represent) right before the half on Tuesday night.
Here’s the thing: Had that call gone against Boston; had the Celtics scored with six men on the court; had Boston been on the receiving end of that bucket, Portland would shut down like another snow storm hit the city.
Bedlam.
No, that’s not how the Blazers beat the Celtics. But let’s be real.
Portland showed up to play while Boston arrived and failed at playing their typical brand head games Kevin Garnett style. The Beantown jawing in early December when the Celtics manhandled the Blazers may have worked then, but Greg Oden – and particularly LaMarcus Aldridge – weren’t having it in Rip City with or without Brandon Roy. And in this case it was “without” Brandon Roy.
A huge win – the last of 2008.
What a way to go out.
(Portland’s “six-on-the-floor” :48 seconds into the highlight.)
pic via: si.com
They called it correctly because they didn’t realize it before the play was over. Rgardless, Ray Allen got a freethrow (which he made) and got the ball back.
Lord knows Nate Mac would have NEVER made a case if that call happened against him. He would have stuck that on his players GUARANTEED. Thats just my opinion. Doc can cry over that call all night but never in the history of basketball has a game been decided in the second quarter.
Ducks win, Blazers win. I’ll consider that a hat trick. I think that ranks as one of my best sports days ever.
That 6-men on the floor play was comical. Everyone got a chuckle outta that one…wondering why teams don’t use that as a strategy more often. Ha!
What a satisfying win. Love it.
Again, there was some straight up, crucially-timed bullsh*t calls and non-calls. I counted 9 with all the phantom fouls and the asymmetrical traveling calls. What a joke. “We” beat them regardless of the refs trying to gift this one to Boston. Awesome. I lost my voice tonight.
Btw, I loved the lineup with Przybilla, Oden and Bayless. That was mad funky and totally worked.
Everyone played a major part tonight, including some precision management from Coach Mac. I hope we can milk this win for a while.
i’m not sure about that…..
nevertheless, it was a crazy game that went beyond one call – or one botched call in rivers’ eyes.
i didn’t give portland a chance before the game. they sure proved me and many others wrong.
wow.
As a Blazers fan I can admit that the 6 on 5 call was atrocious … so was a good portion of the officiating last night for both sides (Rondo clearing Blake out and hitting the three, Pierce traveling down the lane and getting free throws, Travis Outlaw dribbling the ball out of bounds and getting the ball back, etc.) But aside from the points on the board the call generated, I saw a palpable shift in mood sweep over the Blazers from Greg grinning like a Cheshire cat, to the coaches slapping backs as they went into the tunnel at half time; I think the gaffe loosened them up and in turn may have jammed up the Celtics psychologically for the rest of the way.
In any case, LaMarcus and Greg really showed me something (Travis too I guess) by refusing to back down and executing down the stretch, but also besides the willingness to mix it up physically with one of the most intimidating teams in the league they possibly showed themselves that they aren’t just satellite’s to Brandon’s “sun.” If they carry that lesson forward, that could be truly transformational.
right on point nj…..oden matured massively during that game.
the most telling moment came when he drew that “t” by putting ray allen into the camera row. sure he didn’t mean anything by it, but it showed growth in my eyes.
same goes when after he scored a bucket late and backpeddled down the floor clapping to himself. he was into it.
that’s what i want to see: emotion.