The defensive-minded contest might have been an affair that only Bill Russell could love.
Garnett scored 28 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and made a key late shot that proved decisive. As for his fellow All-Star teammates, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, they both struggled mightily offensively.
Allen averaged 17.4 points per game during the regular season, Pierce 19.6. But last night, Allen went scoreless in a playoff game for the first time in his career, and scoreless in any game for only the second time.
Allen, who took only four field goal attempts and zero free throws, had scored at least a point in 852 straight games.
Pierce, meanwhile, was 2 for 14, missing all three 3-point attempts, and didn't attempt a free throw. That left him with 4 points.
"It just didn't come my way," said Allen. "As much as we turned the ball over, I think early in the game we didn't create a good rhythm on offense.
"It was just one of those nights."
Said Pierce, "At this point in my career, I'm not really worried about what I do statistically out there on the court, I am just trying to help my ball club win.
"I was looking at it like I can't play no worse than this and we got a win."
Luckily for Boston, Cleveland star LeBron James was offensive offensively, too.
James, who averaged an NBA-best 30 points per game in the regular season (32.3 in three games against Boston) was only 2 for 18 from the field, missing all six 3-point attempts. He finished with 12 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds - as well as 10 turnovers.
James also missed a potential tying lay-in with about 9 seconds remaining. The Celtics stymied him with double-teams, triple-teams, and great one-on-one defense by Cleveland native James Posey. James shot 1 for 8 in the fourth quarter.
"In attacking the rim, he didn't get the call, especially down the stretch," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "Guys have nights like that, but it is unusual to see him have a night like that from the field.
"He very seldom has a game like this, but he will bounce back and play a terrific game in Game 2."
Said James, "Defensively, both teams were locked in. Now we just got to get ready for Game 2."
