Game 4 Can’t Be A Flop
By: Matt Burke
It’s ALMOST a running national joke, albeit a lame one:
“So, the Celts gonna think about winning one on the road or what?”
Sure, I could look at that line as simple, idle conversation and it really isn’t that offensive, but, hey, any slight at the expense of the C’s these days, makes my green blood boil. I’ve been waiting to long to be in this position to stand for sophmoric taunting from people who can’t decifer Danny Ainge from Danny Baldwin.
But getting back to the actual, on-court activities, without question, Game 4 will be very telling. The Celtics struggled with Atlanta’s “athleticism” on the road (not sure how they were suddenly not as athletic in Boston). But struggling in Cleveland, with LeBron not having a “LeBron” game, was somewhat dumbfounding.
The road woes have been somewhat alarming and if they lose Game 4 tonight, I’ll think something is really up. But, in the grand scheme of David Stern’s league, the Celtics are in just as much trouble as any other team in the Elite Eight.
The Lakers are having obvious withdrawals with the lack of silicone and hard liquor in Mormon country, the Pistons are not out of the Wonderful World of Disney just yet, especially with a questionable Chauncey Billups and the Spurs and Hornets look as though they’re just getting warmed up.
So, Celtics fans should not be on edge (yet). With what transpired with the Patriots, I kind of welcome this sense of no security, when, for the entire months of December and January and for the first two days of February, I had the falsest possible sense of security that Super Bowl XLII was a mere formality.
My major issue with the C’s as we approach the halfway point of the NBA Playoffs: The lack of a Grade-A flopper.
San Antonio and Cleveland have all but perfected the art of the flop, to the point where Picasso of Flop, Reggie Miller is openly questioning the legitimacy of these calls.
At this point LeBron, arguably the top NBA player left in the playoffs, should NEVER, EVER be compared to Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson ever again for the simple fact that he makes Ric Flair blush with his unadulterated floppage.
The Spurs, meanwhile, have become even more unwatchable than before, due to their soccer style approach to the NBA playoffs.
This is absolutely alarming.
So can the Celtics win one on the road? That might depend on whether or not Wyc Grousbeck can convince Danny Ainge to ditch the suit and toss on a Green No. 44 (it’s available right now).
I’m not looking for you to knock down any three’s D.A.
Just for you to give a nice little in-game tutorial to the guys in green, on what flopping is truly all about.