Statement Made

Well, it's official, the Celtics are playoff-bound. They also now have a five game lead and the tie-breaker over Detroit for the top spot in the East. Maybe we all knew after the first pre-season game in Italy that this was a playoff team, but with a group this good, I'm not going to take anything for granted. I want to enjoy every step of the process.

Last night was an important win for many reasons. Perhaps the most significant is that the Celtics really answered the bell for the first time in a while. Ever since KG went down, this team has lost the dominant form that it had during the first 30 or so games of the season. It seemed like a little bit of the swagger was missing. The Celtics showed us last night that they still have that higher gear that they can shift to if need be. You can't expect a dominant performance every night. It's a long season. But last night was the most important game this team has played in over a month, and they played with a sense of urgency from the moment they stepped on the floor. They had to. Ray Allen was 1-9 from the field, and still I never felt for one second like we were going to lose this game. Much like the first two matchups, this felt like a playoff game.

I can't say enough about the way that Rajon Rondo has developed this year. The guy is going to have a great future. He has all the skills and all the intangibles that you could want from a point guard. He played up to Chauncey Billups' level for the whole game last night, and his drive and dunk on Richard Hamilton (on which a flagrant foul should have been called) gave us the shot of energy that we needed. He's scrappy on defense, he pulls down offensive rebounds, he's a great passer, and he's turning into a very effective scorer. Our offense takes a noticeable halt whenever Eddie House comes in. I'm very excited at the prospect of having Sam Cassell come in and spell Rondo while House plays the 2 spot.

Finally, last night was vintage KG. He was hitting shots from all over the court, adjusting shots on defense, and he showed no ill signs of his injury. This was the best game that he has played in a while, and I can't wait to see him in the playoffs. The most impressive moment for me came right after Rasheed Wallace had commited his fourth foul. KG took it at him, made a sick move to get Wallace of his feet, and forced foul number five. Because he had just gotten his fourth on the last play, the most important thing on Sheed's mind at that point was probably not commiting a fifth foul, and KG's moves are so good that he had no choice. While we're on the subject of Sheed, he played great last night. This Pistons team is well-seasoned, and they're not going to go away quietly. If last night's energy and intensity (Ray Allen elbowing Rip in the throat, Rondo getting slammed to the court) are any sign of things to come when these teams lock horns in the playoffs, this will be one of the best series in recent memory.