Garnett to Richardson…Hi Hater!

I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality. Hall of Fame talent aside, I love everything about Kevin Garnett.  He’s a pure, brutally honest man who couldn’t care less what you might think of the way he goes about his business.

As fearless a competitor as we have in the world of professional athletics, he’s someone who speaks what’s on his mind, regardless of a microphone or tape recorder being thrust into his face and his rare candor is what really separates him from every other player the league has ever seen.  The haters are out there, especially since his successful arrival in Boston, but he doesn’t care and that’s why he’s so greatly respected by basketball enthusiasts across the NBA.

Fast forward to the 1:35 mark to see the elbow heard round the world. In my own biased, slightly irrational opinion, if Garnett is suspended for game two (a likely scenario) Quentin Richardson and Udonis Haslem should be sidelined in street clothes with him for initiating, instigating and then furthering the situation.  With that being said, throwing an elbow is obviously not a smart decision and should in no way, shape or form ever be condoned on a basketball court.

Now here are some scattered thoughts on the actual basketball game.

• Defensively, the Celtics were unbelievable.  Tony Allen made Dwyane Wade look like a mortal and the team’s interior defense forced Haslem, Michael Beasley and Jermaine O’Neal to combine for an abysmal 9-30 from the field.  The Heat finished the game shooting 39.7 percent.
• Battling the flu, Rondo made the play of the night (and quite possibly the most remarkable pass in recent Celtics history) to cap off a key 13-2 Celtics run in the second half.  Using a KG screen at the free throw line, he drove left to the basket, went up (lifting Michael Beasley in the process), as if attempting a high arcing lay-up, and while in the air under the basket whipped a cross court pass to a wide open Paul Pierce who drained the three-pointer and cut Miami’s lead to three.  The incredible green Nike Air Hyperfuses aside (see above picture), how he saw Pierce open on the perimeter will never be known, but the play was breathtaking and a definite game changer.
• Glen Davis was amazing tonight, especially on the glass.
• Marquis Daniels and Nate Robinson combined for six seconds of action.  Despite the win, this stat is most disturbing because these two will be needed at some point in these playoffs, there’s no denying it.  The increasingly disappointing Daniels didn’t see the court at all which means Doc Rivers either doesn’t have confidence in him or doesn’t feel he matches up well with Miami.