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“Confidence,” Wallace said of one possible result from that shot. “It was a big shot. Even though that wasn’t the drawn-up play, that’s something you need. If this is a playoff game, now we’re not sitting there wondering will he take it? Will he take it? We know.”
Allen hopes that a seed was planted in Rondo’s psyche.
“All it takes is one,” he said. “It can cause a small fire and turn into a blaze for him.”
Herald: Celtics win just in time
“He’s confident to take that [shot] in that stretch,’’ said Paul Pierce, who saved the Celtics with 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. “It was the biggest shot of the night because if he doesn’t make that, we are looking at the possibility of Philly coming down and tying it or winning the game. Usually shots like that give a player confidence. I remember my first game-winning shot I made . . . it just gave me a lot of confidence. So hopefully it will do the same for Rondo.’’
That shot, my friends, is the difference between thinking, and reacting that I was talking about.
No hesitation, no other options. You've got the ball... you know you've got to shoot it... so you do. And Rondo nailed it.
You know, there's been a lot of talk about how the Celtics are old and slow. But it's funny that they don't look so old or slow when Rondo is playing his aggressive brand of basketball. For three quarters, Rondo frustrated the hell out of us by over passing and waving at guys on D. Is there anything more frustrating than Rondo getting to the rim and then turning and whipping a pass out to the 3 point line?
But Rondo showed up in the 4th, and the Celtics made a huge run. And when the Celtics nearly passed themselves out of another possession, Rondo came through with that clutch jumper.
It goes back to what we've been saying since last season: As Rondo goes, so goes the Celtics. Aggressive Rondo wrecks you on both ends of the floor. Passive Rondo leads to easy baskets and disjointed offense. Paul Pierce can bail you out... but Rondo can set the tone. We need more of what we saw in the 4th quarter.
Up next, Page 2... Where Doc has 3 letters to describe Paul Pierce
“He’s been MVP to me,” Rivers said. “Now only with his play, but all over. He was on guys in the second quarter and then at halftime about our play. He’s doing everything you ask him to do. He’s guarding guys, he’s rebounding, he’s making big shots, he’s taking charges. I mean, I don’t know what else. He can cook Thanksgiving dinner for someone and then he’ll be doing it all. He’s been terrific.”
What hasn't Paul Pierce done for this team so far this season? And the two biggest plays he's made so far this year came on the defensive end. The block a the end of the Knicks game, and the charge at the end of last night's game saved each one for the C's.
Let me ask you this: What other superstars would do that?
The rest of the links: Herald: Celtics thankful for Paul Pierce | Team keeps tabs on Garnett's recovery | Globe: Net asset | Pierce took charge | Telegram: Pierce cooks Philly's goose | KG in time warp | Patriot Ledger: Garnett grinds it out to start | ESPN: Can Rondo's jumper create confidence? | MetroWestDailyNews: Ainge-Age not an issue for Celtics | WEEI: Turn up the volume - Pierce imposes his will
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