The Celtics were without Kevin Garnett. KG was sitting out a one-game suspension in the wake of his careless elbow during the mayhem of the final minute of Game 1 against the Heat.
No problem. In the proud tradition of Frank Ramsey, John Havlicek, and Kevin McHale, Glen Davis reminded us that he’s good enough to start every night in the NBA. Baby Grande torched the Heat last night, scoring a bull-rush 23 points with eight rebounds in 29 minutes of a too-easy 106-77 Game 2 victory.
Is there really any need to play any more games in this series? Bring on the Cavaliers, people.
It’s true. Boston’s boys of winter are peaking at the most important time of the year. The Causeway Street barn is our April Garden of Eden and the momentum won’t be stopped just because Garnett is suspended for a night. Nobody puts Baby in a corner.
“I just knew that the Big Ticket was out and the Ticket Stub had to fly in today,’’ said Davis. “Whenever they need the Ticket Stub, Glen Davis is here. Big Baby. I’m just worried about playing and getting wins. That’s all that matters to me.’’
Baby/Ticket Stub is only 24 years old. He was drafted by the Sonics and sent to the Celtics with Ray Allen for Boston’s first-round pick. We all got a big laugh that night when GM Danny Ainge said Davis had “a big upside.’’
You betcha. Big backside, too.
It was clear right away that the kid had personality to go along with that tons-of-fun body. Davis made friends fast and was surprisingly effective when he got the chance to contribute off the bench in the magical season of 2007-08.
Last year Garnett made him cry when he yelled at him during a timeout early in the season. By the time the playoffs rolled around, Davis was starting in place of the injured KG. Baby was the hero in Orlando when he hit a buzzer-beating jumper to win Game 4. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in the 2009 playoffs.
Things bottomed out for Davis on the eve of his third professional season. He was sent to his room after breaking his thumb in a juvenile off-the-court dustup with one of his best friends from back home. The Celtics fined him. It was humiliating. Then he was caught uttering a loud expletive after a fan called him “chubs’’ in Detroit. Then he got a late-game technical late in the season and coach Doc Rivers sat him down.
It took Davis all season to return to the good graces of Rivers and the Celtic fandom. But now Baby is back.
He scored 8 points off the bench in the Celtics’ playoff opener Saturday and he was in the middle of the fracas when Garnett earned the suspension, elbowing Quentin Richardson. KG’s punishment was announced Sunday and early Monday news broke that Baby would get the start in place of KG.
Who else was Doc going to start? Rasheed Wallace?
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