Game 2: Celtic Pride strangles the Magic

It was a game that was so oddly familiar to Sunday that it felt like a rerun during a summer night or cold winter night. In the First Quarter, the Celtics jumped out to an 11 point lead but Orlando came back. Yet, Boston would take control of the game much like the third quarter to take a large lead into the final quarter.

Now, if u watched Game 1, the Magic made a run in the fourth and it was no different in this game. They clawed their back and took a one point lead. Orlando had Boston on the ropes. They had Kendrick Perkins foul out and Rasheed Wallace on the bench with five fouls. In fact, 33% of the Celtic team that played were in foul trouble. Rajon Rondo and the Celtics were being too cute with their fundamental passes that were becoming turnovers after initially leading to layups and dunks earlier. Everything seemed to favor Orlando but they lost. How do they lose with all that momentum at home?

This game was uneven as was the officiating that I cannot help but comprehend how this was unfolding. In fact, I am at a loss for words. Yet, I know one thing: The Celtics made the big plays when they had to while the Magic did not. The Celtics championship poise was on display along with the Magic playing like chumps.

History is against the Magic as they are 0-5 All Time in a Best of 7 series when they are down 0-2 in a series. Yet, for the Magic they have broken a streak with impossible odds just last year. Just ask Boston who was 32-0 when leading 3-2 in a series. Anyway, here are some players and moments that deserve recognition:

Play of the Game: Kevin Garnett

The Celtics were down by 1 point and the Magic had clawed their back from an 11 point deficit heading into the Fourth Quarter. Garnett gets the ball and as the shot clock winds down, knocks a fall away jumper that was pretty much gave the Celtics the lead for good. He had 10 points and 9 rebounds but his last bucket turned out to be the biggest of the game.

Player of the Game: Rajon Rondo

Rondo controlled the game from over 40 minutes. He made timely baskets as the shot clock went down that would make Isiah Thomas and Tony Parker proud. His passes were extraordinary and gutsy. He was the straw that stirred the Celtics cocktail that proved too deadly for the Orlando Magic.

Zeroes of the Game: Four Way tie: Vince Carter, JJ Redick, Rashard Lewis and the Refs.

Vince had a decent game throughout for the Magic. With 32 seconds left, VC drove to the lane and got fouled by Paul Pierce. He had a chance to cut the Celtics lead to 1. What did Vince do? He went to the line and clanged both free throws that drew echoes of Nick Anderson in the 1995 NBA Finals. Not only did he just bailed out Paul Pierce for his dumb foul and but Carter made himself a spot in the Orlando Magic playoff moments of infamy.

JJ Redick was excellent throughout but one bonehead play really sealed the Magic's fate. After KG missed a contested jumper, Redick inexplicably dribbled the ball in transition and called a timeout. Instead, of having the ball at the frontcourt, the Magic took the ball from the spot that Reddick called timeout. This led to Jameer Nelson trying to shoot a half-court prayer that hit nothing but air.

Rashard Lewis was once again invisible as he was 1-3 from the downtown and 1-9 for the series. He needs to step it up now as the series shifts to Boston and for the rest of the series. Otherwise, he will never hear the end of it until next season.

The refs in this game were inconsistent on both sides. I felt that there were two situations that really stuck out. One of them, was when Rondo slipped and it was called a travel. Yet, he did the exact same thing earlier in the game and it was never called. The last one was when Jameer Nelson fouled Paul Pierce when Nelson had all ball on Paul Pierce's shot. Pierce went to the line when he should not have gone in the first place.