By Scott
After last night's game 7 loss to the Orlando Magic (as predicted), the Boston Celtic's run at defending their 2007 title officially ended. Unofficially, the Celtic's chance at making another championship run ended with the news of Kevin Garnett's season ending knee injury prior to Boston's first round matchup against Chicago. The KG-less-Celtics were a team without their heart and sole, and their emotional leader, not to mention their biggest defensive presence and scoring threat. The defending champs transformed from favorites to a scrappy bunch of players.
Yet, the scrappy bunch made up of a big baby, an aging sharpshooter, and an emerging superstar at point guard, and a fiery shooting guard, fought their way through until the very end.
Boston was blindsided by the Baby Bulls, unable to keep up their high-paced offense, the champs relied on savvy defense and experience to stay alive. And, to no surprise, the Celtics prevailed out of one of the most intense, captivating player series in NBA history, composed of several multiple overtime games. Filled with tiring drama, Boston marched on to Orlando.
Vibrant off of their emotional win in Chicago, the Celtics rose to the occasion and dueled with a younger, more talented team. The Celtics could barely contain Magic star Dwight Howard, but that didn't stop them from fighting with Orlando until the very last possible second; however, that wasn't quite enough.
Of course, had the Celtics knocked off the Magic, they would have likely been demolished by the Cavs in the conference finals. But, that is besides the point. The fact that the Celtics stepped up their play and fought with such true emotion is what makes them a champion regardless of the outcome of the playoffs. The idea of defending a title is to repeat as champions, but the Celtics disproved that these past few weeks, because they defended their title with every ounce of ability they had. That is the true sign of a champion.
As a Boston fan, I guess I can agree with you in some aspects. However, the fact is that the Celtics lost plain and simple. Yes they were obviously at a disadvantage without KG, but they simply gave up in the game last night. The Magic got so many looks from the 3 point line that it was ridiculous. Halfway through the 4th quarter I couldnt watch anymore because my Celtics were just getting demolished and not trying to rise from the ashes of KG's wounded knee. In the end, the Celtics lost the game without a fight, maybe because they were tired or because they were shorthanded without the now ironic "Anything is Possible" Garnett, but the fact is that they didn't put up much of a fight it the fourth quarter and left the Garden disgraced at the mercy of the mighty Dwight Howard.
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