After five weeks and 16 games, the playoffs have officially started for the Celtics. The road team has won a playoff game. The Eastern Conference finals are tied, 1-1, and the Celtics tomorrow night will lug their 0-6 posteason road record into The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Too bad. It was shaping up as the perfect Boston sports week. The Celtics were coming off Sunday's epic Game 7 win over the Cavaliers, and a nice Game 1 victory over the Pistons Tuesday. Meanwhile, the local baseball team completed a perfect homestand (including a no-hitter and a two-grand-slam finale), the Yankees are in last place, and Bill Parcells's best player is AWOL, "Dancing With The Stars."
So it was all good until Rip Hamilton and Friends took control of the Boston gym and wrestled away home-court advantage. It was the Celtics' first home playoff loss, their first defeat at the Garden since March 24 (Philadelphia).
"It's a big win, but we don't settle for less," said Hamilton, one of a group of playoff-tested Piston veterans. "We live for this. It's exciting for us to come in here and take care of business."
"Tonight our defense wasn't as good as it's been," said Doc Rivers. "It's a disappointing loss. They made some big shots down the stretch when they were well-defended and you've got to tip your hat to them. We lost the game because we gave up too many points."
There was typical playoff buzz in the building before the game and there were courtside ornaments everywhere you looked. An orange-tinted Bob Kraft sat next to Wyc Grousbeck and on the other side of the baseline Tom Brady sat with Giselle, just a couple of seats over from John Havlicek. It was a nice blend of new and old Boston sports royalty.
Chauncey Billups (hamstring) wasn't wearing the nifty black tights he donned for Game 1, but he looked more mobile. He scored 19 in 32 minutes.
The Pistons missed their first five shots and Rasheed Wallace (a mere two free throws in the first half) picked up a personal foul and a technical in the opening five minutes. The Celtics ran out to an early 6-point lead, but who can trust any kind of lead in these playoffs after what the Lakers did to the Spurs at Staples Center Wednesday?
