Note: Kendrick Perkins 2nd technical foul has been rescinded so he is available to play in Friday night’s game 6. The official announcement came from the NBA as follows.
NBA ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF REVIEW OF ORLANDO-BOSTON GAME 5 OF EASTERN
CONFERENCE FINALS
NEW YORK, May 27, 2010 – Following a review of Game 5 of the Eastern
Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic, the NBA
has announced the following:
· Celtics center Kendrick Perkins’ technical foul with 36.1 seconds
remaining in the first half has been rescinded.
· Celtics forward Paul Pierce’s foul with 8:12 remaining in the fourth
quarter has been upgraded to a Flagrant Foul 1.
THE Big question at the beginning of the playoffs was “Are the Celtics capable of turning the “play hard and well” switch on for the playoffs after such a lackluster regular season”. The answer was yes, at least for 15 games anyway.
Unfortunately for Celtics fans it appears that someone might have gotten a hold of that switch 2 games ago and turned it off. Visualize the movie Airplane and the part where the crazy guy pulls the plug on the lighting system of the runway and then says “just kidding”. Except this Celtics turn off is no joke.
SO what has happened? Game #4 Paul Pierce went back to the days of him always trying to be the hero and it cost them. Game #5? How much time do you have. No energy, no fight, no nothing. Disheartening after 13 such strong playoff games.
They have been pushed around, bullied, beat down, even technically knocked out, or have they been. That question will be answered tomorrow night.
Tonight at 6 a look at how they were beat down.
-MD