Eastern Conf Finals (Game 5) Highlight

This one goes to the wire. Celtics makes a 16-4 run in the second quarter and builds a 13 points lead after three quarters. But the Pistons fights back for the exciting finish.

Watch game highlight (NBA TV) and post-game press (NBA TV).

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Celtics' starters have played their best game, prompting Doc Rivers to shorten the rotation and play them most of the game.

Kendrick Perkins is a beast on the posts, graping 16 rebounds and scoring 18 points. Ray Allen has his best shooting game, making 5 of 6 3-pointers (scoring 29 points). Few of those are assisted by Rondo. He has 13 assists in total. The screen-n-roll set between Allen and Kevin Garnett have repeatly paid dividends. When the P's fails to close-in Allen, he makes them paid. Later when the P's blanket Allen, he rolls the ball to Garnett and KG makes his mid-range shots. Garnett has 33 points. With the C's game clicking in all cylinders, Paul Pierce compliments with his all-round game on both ends. He has 16 points.

In the final minute, with just 1 point lead and the C's inbounds from P's end, Allen and Garnett runs the screen-n-roll again. Only this time Garnett has set a hard pick, allowing Allen the space to make his shot and brings the lead back to 3. Nice play.

C's responds to P's physical play with physical. In game 4 the Celtics' offense gets thrown-off because they are intimidated by the physical plays. Tonight they are ready. As an indication, take a look at the rebound stats, C's has a 42-25 advantage.

On the negative side, the C's is still learning how to finish the fourth quarter. When the score gets uncomfortably close, they get passive and giving-up the lead. If there is a game 7, the C's must do a better job to finish it off.

Celtics-Hawks Playoff (Game 7) Highlight

Playing at home court, the Celtics' defence have suffocated the Hawks to shooting 29.3%. Another impressive stats is the foul-calls, allowing only 16 free-throw attempt, which takes away any chance of closing-in the score. So the Hawks have been completely blown out.

Watch game highlight (NBA TV) and post-game press (NBA TV).



Kendrick Perkins has eight points, six rebounds and two blocks in the first quarter.

Doc Rivers said, "I thought (Perkins) set the tone defensively as much as anyone. I thought Kendrick and P.J. Brown, in the stretch he played in the second quarter, was as good as you're going to get."

'Sleepless in Boston ...'
Several guys could not sleep after the loss in game 6. Ray Allen finds himself sending text message to teammates at 12 the night before the game. Perkins couldn't sleep until 2:30 Sunday morning. Garnett likewise. Doc Rivers needs to take Ambien. Paul Pierce is so happy that the game was at 1pm. He said, "there was no way I could of sat at home today all day today because of my anxiousness to get back on the court after game 6 from the way I been feeling the past couple days."

Celtics-Spurs Game Highlight

The winning record against the Western teams is still intact. Watch highlight (NBA TV).

Take a look at the defence stats, the Celtics kept the Spurs shooting at 44.3% overall, in which Tim Duncan is 10/20 and Manu Ginobili at 7/15. This is without the presence of Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins.

Their replacement have played a solid game, by being physical defending Duncan and to avoid getting into foul trouble. In particular, Glen Davis has 8 rebounds (he also contributes 9 points and 3 steals). But it is his intangible play that is significant (read Steve Weinman's article). Tony Allen comes off the bench to help harass Ginobili into six turnovers.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Doc Rivers' strategy of running game works very well, relying on young legs helped the Celtics to take 18 fast-break points. Rondo has 12 rebounds and 11 assists (only 1 turnover).

"We could not win this game if the pace slowed down at all," Rivers said. "We're not going to win a half-court game against the Spurs because we didn't have a post presence."