CHICAGO - The Celtics went from Game 3 efficiency experts to fumbling away chance after late-game chance in a 121-118 double-overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls yesterday.
This was the second time the Celtics have lost in overtime in their opening playoff series, now tied, 2-2, going into tomorrow night's Game 5 at TD Banknorth Garden.
"It was a disappointing loss on our part," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Our execution down the stretch was so poor it was scary."
Ray Allen's 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds left sent the game into overtime tied at 96. The Celtics seemed to be in command after two Allen free throws stretched the lead to 110-107 with 9.0 seconds remaining in the first OT. But Ben Gordon countered with a three out of a timeout 4.5 seconds later.
The Celtics failed to score on their first three possessions in the second OT. And John Salmons hit four successive foul shots to decide the result in the final 26.6 seconds - after the Bulls had been in an 8-for-15 free-throw shooting slump.
Captain Paul Pierce took much of the blame for the defeat - he committed six turnovers and failed to switch in time on Gordon's tying shot.
"Tough one to swallow," Pierce said. "We gave ourselves a chance going into the first overtime. Little things, in the playoffs, are the things that are going to kill you - me not covering the three with Ben Gordon coming off his man. Turnovers. Little things like that.
"So, it's a three-game series now - hopefully we can win at home and close it out [in Chicago]."
The game turned into a battle of attrition, as Celtics Kendrick Perkins and Brian Scalabrine fouled out and Chicago's Brad Miller survived a flagrant foul call reversal early in the fourth quarter only to be disqualified in the first OT.
As in Game 1, when Pierce missed a potential tie-breaking foul shot in the final seconds of regulation, the Celtics controlled their fate in this game.
Rajon Rondo (25 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 turnover) was again the driving force. Pierce (29 points) and Allen (28) were in position to decide the game. But the Bulls stayed in contention thanks to Derrick Rose (23 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists) in regulation, then turned to Kirk Hinrich to defend Pierce, Gordon (22 points) to score, and Joakim Noah to provide inspiration in OT.
The Celtics squandered a 5-point lead in the first overtime.
Glen Davis controlled the tip against Noah and grabbed a rebound of a Salmons drive before an Allen basket provided a 105-100 advantage. But the Bulls cut the deficit to 2 on a Salmons 3-pointer out of a timeout before Pierce made it 107-103 with 1:30 remaining. Hinrich cut the Bulls' deficit to 2 six seconds later.
