NBA Finals (Game 1) Highlight

Every basketball individual is paying attention to this.

(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

The scene of NBA Finals on the parquet floor is almost surreal.

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)

In the third quarter, Doc Rivers pulls his team together during timeout and said, "when adversity comes, we get through it together as a team." This is after Paul Pierce injuries his knee, being carried off the court in extreme pain and taken to the locker room in a wheelchair. It takes the air out of the team and everyone else in the Garden. Lakers have a 4 points lead.

The C's gathers their thought after the timeout. For the next one plus minutes, we all witness Celtics' ubuntu. They steps up their defence and offence, stopping Kobe's shot and scores the next 6 points. This is beautiful basketball.

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and postgame press (press1, press2).

Pierce's heroic return definitely gives the team a boost, not to mention his consecutive 3 pointers later on.

Other than Kobe, Fisher and Gasol, the rest of Lakers look nervous. On the contrary, the C's are much more composed. Garnett has 24 points and 13 rebounds, Pierce has 22, Ray Allen has 19, and Rondo has 15 points and 7 assists.

Celtics-Hawks Playoff (Game 2) Highlight

The Hawks play a more physical game, looking to match Celtics' intensity. Paul Pierce hurts his low-back, having collided and hit the deck hard, and then Hawks' Josh Smith landed on top of his sternum and rolling over his head.

Watch game highlight (TNT), Pierce's collision (TNT) and post-game press (NBA TV).

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Celtics-Wizards Game (Round 4) Highlight

The Wizards and the Magics are the only teams who have won the season series against Celtics. They are currently seeded No.5 and 3 respectively for the playoff.

Watch hightlight (NBA TV, ESPN).

Glen Davis left the game in the first half with a strained right hamstring, and Rajon Rondo left the game in the third quarter due to illness.

Celtics-Knicks Game (Round 3) Highlight

Both teams play with more subdued, unlike their previous match-up. Watch highlight (NBA TV).

The Celtics' list of injury is piling up, adding Brian Scalabrine to a groin pull, and Glen Davis (twisted knee) joining in soon after.

Good thing is that they can now nurse injury over the All-Star weekend.

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."

Celtics-Timberwolves Game Highlight

Call this one the new Celtics vs the ex-Celtics, a.k.a. the team with the best record vs the one with the worst record.

But it is the new Celtics trailing (86-81) with 2:01 left on the clock, and Kevin Garnett out being examined for abdominal pain.

A strange sequence of incidence then follows: Paul Pierce makes two FTs, blocks Al Jefferson shot and then converts on a fifth-chance follow-up; the Celtics causes a crucial five-second inbounds violation; Ray Allen blows a layup (but Kendrick Perkins has the putback) with 16.6 seconds left; and finally, Kevin Garnett, having reentered the game with 1:51 left, knocks the ball away from Sebastian Telfair a few feet from midcourt and then beating the Wolves guard to the ball to put the game away (NBA TV highlight).

Garnett said after the game, "I knew it was Sebastian, so I wanted to scoot up on him and try to make him drive the ball ... I was able to count his dribbles. It went one, two, and I know he likes to crossover [dribble]. I stabbed at it and got it and I just dived. I knew time was running down and I just wanted to be aggressive on the ball."

Celtics-Wizards Game (Round 3) Highlights

The game is played at Boston (ESPN, NBA TV).

The result marks as the only losing streak for the Celtics, so far. Their next game (Jan.16) against the Trail Blazers will not be easy either.

Celtics' offence continue to struggle, shooting an overall 0.419 FG (0.43 till half-time) and 0.250 in 3P. Rondo's absence, especially in 4th quarter (bad back/hamstring), has taken their offence away as well. They manages just 6 points in the final 6 plus minutes, 4 on free throws and the other 2 on a third-chance tip-in.

While Rondo sits, Tony Allen and Eddie House combine for 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and no turnover.

As Wizards coach Eddie Jordan offered, "A lot of teams miss a key piece and they have to adjust to win. You lose a 3-point shooter, you plug in another 3-point shooter. That's not a problem. But with Rondo, a pure, push-it type of point guard, they can't duplicate that. It's like a shock to the system when you lose someone key and don't have anyone to duplicate what he does."

Celtics' defence is still decent although not consistent, forcing Wizards to make only 0.386 FG, but failing to stop the opponent scoring off the glass in the last 2 plus minutes.

Celtics-Wizards Game (Round 2) Highlight

The game is played at Washington D.C. (ESPN, NBA TV).

Neither team has recovered from playing the night before, and is reflected in the stats. Celtics manage to make 0.413 FG but committed 21 turnovers, whereas Wizards has made only 0.368 FG and committed 20 turnovers.

Wizards' stronger play in the 4th quarter determine the outcome, with their rebound edge (49 to 30) and accurate FT shooting (made 27 of 30).

Rajon Rondo misses game (sore lower back). Tony Allen starts in his place and finished with 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 turnovers and no assist.

Celtics-Bobcats Game (Round 2) Highlight

Last time the Celtics play Bobcats, they won it at the buzzer by 1 point (dump play by Bobcats' Jason Richardson).

It's payback time for Jason (NBA TV, ESPN). He has 34 points from 14 field goals, including several come as the shot clock is about to expire

On a night of bad-shooting (only made 4 of 20 3-pointers), the Celtics really miss the presence of Ray Allen, who misses game due to pinched nerve. Everyone has a sub-par game, even Doc Rivers is unable to address issues. But also credit to the Bobcats, they keep attacting the baskets (scored 48 in the paints) and out-rebound the opponents.

Celtics being banged-up

The opposing teams are now playing very physical against the Celtics.

Garnett has 4 stitches over his eye from the Lakers game last week. Posey has 4 stitches in his arm from the Grizzles game (although this one looks more like an accident), and Rondo has stitches over his eye from the Pistons game over the weekend.

Fortunately, Ray Allen wasn't hurt when he was tackled by Lakers' Odom. Lamar is consequently suspended one game for committing the flagrant foul.