101 Celtics, 85 Sixers

What a game, and not to toot my own horn I was only 3 points off my predicted score.

If you had to give 3 stars to this game for the Celtics it would go:
1. Rajon Rondo
2. Brandon Bass
3. Greg Stiemsma

Before BMack jumps down my throat for not having Bass let me explain why Rondo is the star of last game. Most of Bass' points were very easy and very manageable from Rajon Rondo's penetration and vision. Rajon was the reason the Celtics took off in the 3rd quarter and imposed his will. Rajon finished with 13 points and 14 assists and 2 steals.

Now onto Bass. He was a monster in this game and especially in the 3rd quarter. He finished with 27 points total but he had 18 in the 3rd. He outscored the Sixers in the 3rd. He had 5 dunks and hit that free throw jumper countless times. His aggressiveness on the offensive end was incredible.

The reason Greg Stiemsma is on here is because he and Rondo were the reason the game was within reach and only down 3 at halftime. It seemed like the Sixers were up 25, but Stiemsma did an incredible job keeping them in the game. He finished the game with 10 points on 5-5 shooting and 3 blocks.

This game was exactly the opposite of what the Celtics did in game 4. They started slow and finished and strong. It was a great win, and a must win. As much as Ray Allen has struggled offensively, you have to admire his job defensively. I think he did a great job and the fact his ankles are killing him and he's going all grit and balls is something to nod your cap too.

KG fought off a slow start to have a 20 point game.

Either way, a great win and so hopefully they close it in Philly. Especially since KG called all their fans Fairweather.

Also, I am pretty sick of Lavoy Allen, even though he had a -15 on the night, he always seems to be productive.

The Stiemer Is Better Than Perk?

I know, I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it could be true. The trade itself may have been a bust, but the way this team has excelled may be due to the lack of Perk and to the addition of Greg Stiemsma. The people at Reds Army dug up a couple of stats that heavily favor the Stiemer side of this convo:
And it's Stiemsma's emergence that sparked this whole idea. Because Greg Stiemsma is a better player than Kendrick Perkins this season. On defense, he's allowing .72 points per possession (ppp) according to Synergy Sports, good for 29th in the league. Perkins is allowing .80 ppp, ranking him 114. Stiemsma is averaging 1.56 blocks per game to Perk's 1.14. Since the All Star game, Stiemsma has blocked 57 shots while Perkins has blocked 27. Perkins is the better 1-on-1 defender (.49 ppp to .92 ppp) but Stiemsma is the better pick-and-roll defender (.38 to .7 ppp). On offense, Stiemsma scores .95 ppp to Perk's .76. Neither scores much at all, but Stiemsma does have the one thing that Perk never had offensively: a 16-20 foot jumper that he can hit when he's open.

I know this Celtics love is a little out of control now, but why shouldn't it? They have overcame a lot to get into the position they are in. But if Kendrick Perkins was still on the team, KG wouldn't have rejuvenated his career, Brandon Bass wouldn't be as successful as he has been, and Stiemer wouldn't have been found.

Perkins is averaging in 5 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block in 27 minutes a game and Greg Stiemsma is averaging 3 points, 3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 14 minutes a game.