Published: April 29, 2009
“Ouch!”
That was the reaction heard in the entire building where I was watching the Bulls and Celtics battle for what seemed like the 18th time this month. If you watched the game or saw the highlights, you know what I’m talking about.
Rajon Rondo went Muhammad Ali on Brad Miller’s face and caught the center with what looked like an open hand right to the face.
Miller went down, blood started to spill and complaints were made.
Rondo, like Boston head coach Doc Rivers said afterwards, made a “playoff foul.” With Kevin Garnett sidelined, Rondo has been playing well above his head in this first round series. He simply was just taking matters into his own hands, or shall I say right hand, and wasn’t about to let Miller convert one of the most awkward layups possible for the tie.
As much as I thought a flagrant foul should have been called, I couldn’t help but think, “Man, that was just a routine foul in the 80s and early 90s.”
But, the truth is, this isn’t the day of the ‘Bad Boys’ Pistons and there aren’t guys like Charles Oakley around to deliver hard fouls. The game has changed. My thinking on things will always be, if it is a flagrant foul in the first quarter, then it has to be one in the fourth quarter. No excuses. You hate to see a referee get involved in the outcome of a game, but sometimes you can’t swallow your whistle.
I think the Bulls get that call if the game was played in Chicago or the Celtics weren’t the defending champions. But it wasn’t in Boston and they Celtics are the defending champions.
Before Miller got a chance to taste his own blood, he had to get the opportunity to even get to the basket. Chicago head coach Vinny Del Negro drew up one of the better plays I’ve seen in the playoffs this year. Miller was wide open. Which, why he didn’t go hard to the basket, baffles me more. Instead, he let go of his best George Gervin imitation and ended on the floor.
Miller left to get bandaged up and gain his composure while Del Negro complained to the officiating crew. They weren’t having any of it and Miller went to the free throw line for two shots. Make them and the game is tied. Miss them and he’s now going to have to answer some critics in Chicago.
He won’t be the only player with questions to ask. The Bulls had a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and couldn’t close it. And as I sat there watching, I couldn’t help but come to the realization that too many players settle for a long jumpers with time winding down because it’s now the ‘it’ play – shake your defender off the dribble, step back, jumper and pose. Why Ben Gordon or Derrick Rose wouldn’t get the ball and just attack the basket against a Celtics team that has been riddle with fouls is beyond me.
That’s why they’re professionals and I’m not.
We all know what happened at the end of the game and now the Celtics have a 3-2 lead in the series. The two teams head to Chicago for Game 6 and I can only imagine that it will have the feeling of Game 7 in the Finals. Chicago hasn’t played in this type of series in awhile and coming off of that last play, there is no doubt in my mind that the crowd is going to be into the game from the opening tip.
Rondo being boo’d every time he touches the ball? You bet.
Any hard foul being put under the microscope? Absolutely.
Rondo getting a nice bump after a play in the lane from the likes of Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas? Wouldn’t surprise me.
Rivers said it the best – this is the playoffs. Rondo made a play, maybe not on the ball, but a play nonetheless. It just adds a little more to this series and I have a feeling there are a few more “Ohhhhhhh” plays left.
My fingers are officially crossed.
2 Comments on "Rondo, Celtics Do What It Takes"
Hylas on Wed, 29th Apr 2009 8:01 pm
A foul should also be the same whether it’s committed in Chicago or Boston. I’m a Boston fan, but don’t want to see a return of hard fouls. I like the beauty of a non contact game. Let these guys fly and flow through the air and dsplay their genius. We don’t need these guys with all this splendid talent to be hitting each other. It doesn’t take a one in a million athlete to injure somebody by whacking him. Anyone of us can do that. Enforce the fouls, yes, evenly, and let them play.
Michael Tiedemann on Thu, 30th Apr 2009 12:14 pm
These guys are going to protect each other and I’m sure they’re going to be feeding off the crowd tonight. It’ll be interesting to see how some of the younger guys like Noah and Thomas handle Rondo coming into the lane. And let’s not forget, Miller has been known to get into a few scuffles. He almost had his head caved in by Shaq…
It should be another good one tonight.