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Celtics Vs. 76ers Series Preview: Young Meets Old In East Semifinals

2012-05-12T09:28:42Z

Boston and Philadelphia clash in the second round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Game 1 tips off at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday night.

Two basketball teams walk into a bar, one old and one young, and the old one says, "Are you ready for a bar fight?" The young one responds, "No way, we're too sensitive."

But seriously, the sensitive Philadelphia 76ers have come a long way. At one point this season, the Sixers were riding high and sitting pretty in the playoff race. Fast forward to April, and Philly was clinging to the last playoff spot in the East.

Philadelphia did back into the playoffs, but no one expected them to stick around against Derrick Rose and the No. 1 seeded Chicago Bulls. It would take an injury to Rose and about half the city of Chicago to make that happen. Oh, wait ... it happened? Indeed, it did, and the Sixers moved on.

Now, the Sixers face a tougher test -- the Boston Celtics -- in the conference semifinals, and you better believe the Celtics (Kevin Garnett in particular) are ready for a fight. Mentally, that is.

Boston, like Philly, won its first round series in six games, ousting the Atlanta Hawks from the playoffs once again, although it wasn't easy. Boston did take a 3-1 lead in the series, but the return of Al Horford sparked the hawks to a Game 5 win. Atlanta nearly forced a seventh game back in Atlanta in Game 6 on Thursday, but the Celtics squeaked out a victory to win the series.

Of course, the Celtics' series victory came at somewhat of a price. Boston didn't lose any players in the series -- it actually gained one in Ray Allen -- but half of its Big Four, Allen and Paul Pierce, are injured. Allen missed several weeks with a right ankle injury, and he said at Friday's practice that he feels no different than he did two weeks ago. Pierce suffered an MCL sprain during shootaround before Game 4, and while he didn't miss any games, he's taking it day by day.

Having a healthy Pierce and Allen is critical for the Celtics, who rely on the star duo for a significant portion of offense. Pierce, the team's leading scorer in the regular season, is also the Celtics' top scorer through one round of the playoffs, averaging 21.2 points in six postseason games. Allen is looked upon for offense off the bench, with second-year guard Avery Bradley -- the defensive specialist and occasional maker of jumpers -- taking his spot in the starting rotation.

And then, there's Garnett and Rajon Rondo. No doubt, both are also important to the Celtics' success. With hobbling stars Pierce and Allen playing limited roles in Game 6, the Celtics relied on their old (but don't call him that because it's disrespectful) big to carry the team, and he did. However, they won't be able to count on performances like that one every night. As for Rondo, he's practically a lock to have a good games, just as long as he's motivated (not always a given).

What does Philadelphia bring to the table? For starters, they're young, and they're athletic.

"We've got a bunch of gazelles coming in here, they only beat us by a thousand in two of our three games," said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers after Game 6. "I can tell you the key to the series right now is we can't turn the ball over. If you do, it's a guaranteed basket against them."

Doc's right (except for the one thousand point differential -- but, he's close). Philadelphia ranked in the NBA's top ten (No. 7) in fast break scoring this season, averaging 15.6 fast break points per game. Boston, by comparison, was 19th in the league, averaging 12.2 fast break points per contest. In Philly's first two games against Boston, which it won by a combined 45 points, it held a significant edge in fast break points (26-10 in the first game and 18-3 in the second). Even in the Celtics' lone win against Philly this season, the fast break points were even at 14.

Offensively, both teams are similar in that they spread the wealth. Neither team has a go-to star, like LeBron James or Kevin Durant, instead relying on multiple players to get the job done. Jrue Holiday was Philly's regular season scoring leader and has picked up his game in the playoffs, averaging 18.2 points through six games. In total, the Sixers have five players averaging double-digit scoring (Holiday, Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes). Pierce, Garnett and Allen will carry the brunt of the scoring load as usual for Boston.

Defensively, the Celtics and Sixers were No. 2 and 3 in the league this season, respectively, and both allowed fewer than 90 points. Boston still appears to have a hand up defensively, with guys like Garnett, Rondo and Bradley, but don't expect a high scoring series. Boring, I know.

PREDICTION: It's tough to predict a series in which health is in question. If healthy, there's no question that Boston would win the series. The Big Four, when firing on all cylinders, are just too much. But if Pierce and Allen can't produce, the scoring will suffer, and the run-and-gun Sixers will walk all over the Celtics. It's looking less likely that Boston will be totally healthy, leading one to believe that this series will be drawn out. Boston defeats Philadelphia in six games.

For more 2012 NBA Playoffs news, follow our StoryStream. For Celtics coverage, visit our team page and CelticsBlog. Visit Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly for additional 76ers coverage.

Kevin Garnett Saves The Day, But No Rest For The Weary Celtics

2012-05-11T12:00:53Z

Kevin Garnett turned back the clock with his performance in Thursday's night's 83-80 victory for the Boston Celtics over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, but the weary Celtics won't have much time for rest.

The Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks capped off one of the most grotesque series in NBA Playoff history on Thursday night when the Celtics rallied from a late deficit to score an 83-80 win and eliminate the feisty Hawks.This was a series that, if anyone in the league office has any humanity, will have any evidence of its existence destroyed and its remains sent to the farthest corners of the earth.

Thursday's game six victory, which saw the C's battling against fatigue, injuries, and an increasingly confident team, will be remembered by some for an official's decision to not award Hawks center Al Horford one free throw AND the basketball after he was fouled by Marquis Daniels before the ball had been inbounded in the closing seconds. Make no mistake, this call was so bad that it should have made even the most die-hard of Celtics fans blush in embarrassment. However, what everyone should remember most about this abomination of a series is the way Kevin Garnett, who hasn't always looked particularly spry in the series, put this team on his back in a way not seen since 2004 to deliver them to the second round. Back then he was known as the Big Ticket and threw up 32 points, 21 rebounds, and five blocks in the T'Wolves Game Seven win over the Sacramento Kings at the Target Center in Minnesota.

In this game, with the season likely on the line (be honest, you wanted nothing to do with a Game Seven on the road with Paul Pierce deteriorating thanks to a sprained MCL), KG delivered a similar performance. His final stat line? 28 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks, three steals, and the game winning basket in the closing minute. To be sure, it was a throwback performance and it came in the most crucial of situations. Ray Allen was struggling from everywhere (free throw line included), Pierce was greatly hobbled throughout the night and mostly limited to shooting jumpers, and almost no help was coming from anywhere else in the lineup.

So where did KG summon this incredible performance from? The Celtics center credited Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon, the man who accused him of being the dirtiest player in the league.

"I want to say thank you to the owner for giving me some extra gas tonight. My only advice to him is next time he opens his mouth, actually know what he’s talking about -- X’s and O’s vs checkbooks & bottom lines," Garnett said.

Ouch.

However, despite the wild celebration within the ranks of Celtics fans after the win, and the relief that seemed to spread across the faces of Celtics players, this, as they say, is just the beginning. Or, to quote each and every Terminator film ever made: "They live only to face a new nightmare."

Approximately 320 miles down I-95, a team even faster and more athletic than the Hawks was polishing off it's first series win in nearly a decade by eliminating the (admittedly weakened) top seed in the East to earn a second-round date with Boston. That team? The Philadelphia 76ers.

The easiest thing to do in this situation, and something that is already being done by some fans, is to dismiss the 76ers as a non threat because of their record during the season (35-31), their seeding in these playoffs (dead last among both conferences), and the incredibly lucky breaks that Philly got in round one. I would caution Celtics fans against looking ahead to a likely Eastern Conference Finals match-up against the Miami Heat though.

There are three big factors working against the Celtics in this second round series.

The first and most obvious, is the injury situation with this team. The 76ers, by NBA standards, are the picture of health. All of their core rotation players are healthy and they're firing on all cylinders. The Celtics though, are a wreck. It's well established that KG is battling hip problems that have been affecting him to varying degrees in recent weeks, but he might be the healthiest of the group. Paul Pierce is severely limited by a sprained MCL he suffered last weekend, Ray Allen isn't himself thanks to bone spurs in his ankles, Avery Bradley is battling shoulder problems, and Greg Stiemsma has a bad foot and a case of "I'm a 28 year old rookie playing in the playoffs for the first time" syndrome.

The second factor plays off of the first: time. The loss in Game 5 on Tuesday was a KILLER for this team, because it meant that there would only be one day of rest between the end of the Hawks series and the start of the next one. Had they won Game 5, they would have been afforded three or four days off (maybe more) to rest the myriad of injuries that they're suffering from. Worse yet, the second round will feature at least one set of back to back games, a product of the lengthy NBA lockout and the compressed schedule that came with it. With the exhausting nature of playoff games, back to backs are going to be really tough on a banged up older team.

The third factor is going to be compounded greatly by first two factors, and that's the speed and athletic ability of the Sixers. The Hawks were successful at times trying to run on the aging Celtics, but at their core, it's not a style that suits their best player, Joe Johnson. So as games slogged into the late stages, everything came to a crawl to allow Johnson his isolation attempts, most of which ended badly. The Celtics THRIVE on playing against teams like that. But, this Sixers team will push the tempo at all times with point forward Andre Iguodala and will either win or lose this series based on how effective they are in transition. Combine what should be a very fast and physical tempo with a defense which was just a tick behind the C's in points allowed during the regular season (89.4) and the Celtics injury problems, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Whether the Celtics are still standing after this series with Philadelphia remains to be seen. They do have some big time advantages, particularly with KG, who will be guarded either by the "seasoned" Elton Brand or the defenseless Spencer Hawes, and we've learned to never question the heart of this particular group, but the injuries are piling up and the team looks to be running on fumes with no relief in sight. Fans have already brushed off the Sixers as a non-entity, but the facts indicate this is another team that will give the Celtics big time problems.

For more Boston Celtics coverage, visit our team page and blog, CelticsBlog.

Media Roundup: Boston Red Sox Are Great ... At Being Terrible

2012-05-11T11:00:13Z

Boston has a lot of great sports teams, like the Boston Red Sox. Oh wait, nevermind. Well, the Red Sox are great at being terrible, right? Bruce Allen writes about the tough times that have fallen upon the Sox.

Misery loves company, and the sports media world is only too happy to oblige.

The Red Sox continue on their horrific streak of baseball, which dates back to last September, and has continued in the early part of this season. The struggle of the Red Sox is good business for sports talkers, who have their show material handed to them on a silver platter on a daily basis. Show prep is unnecessary, they can literally just show up, and their show spontaneously flows with calls, texts, tweets and incoming news creating an amalgam of anger, frustration and hyperbole.

There doesn't appear to be an end in site, either. After a brutal early season schedule, and then an encouraging road trip in which the Red Sox took series on the road from the Twins and White Sox, they then lose series to the A's, Orioles and Royals. There has yet to be a single sign that this team is getting ready to break out and go on the type of stretch of winning baseball that they did during May to August of last season.

While the team continues to struggle, the efforts to place the blame for the team's failures goes on in earnest. Earlier this week Eric Wilbur of Boston.com wrote a scathing column directed at Adrian Gonzalez. Wilbur said wondered:

One-plus seasons into his Boston contract, is it realistic to add the first baseman to the elongated list of colossal Theo Epstein blunders the former GM orchestrated before escaping the increasing disaster that is this franchise?

I think we'd still place Carl Crawford and John Lackey higher on that list, seeing as how neither player has even stepped on the field for the team this season. Ditto for Daisuke Matsuzaka, though that should change sometime in the next few weeks.

The delusional stylings of an online columnist aside, (Remember, this was the same guy who wrote a column eviscerating Tom Brady that was posted about 30 minutes after the Super Bowl.) most of the scapegoat talk centers around Josh Beckett. When word trickled out on Wednesday that Beckett and Clay Buchholz had played golf last Thursday after it had been announced that Beckett would miss his start on Saturday, the world pretty much came to an end. If there were a standalone Twitter network around Boston, it would've been displaying the "fail whale" all afternoon.

Even the tragic death of beloved Fenway Park PA announcer Carl Beane was merely a speedbump to the Josh Beckett golfing story. I happened to have both sports radio stations on when they broke the news, and in each case, it was reported, there were a few seconds of 'serious voice" and then after a beat, they were right back to the Beckett story full force.

(Thankfully, there were plenty of other thoughtful, heartfelt remembrances of Beane, none better than the one from Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com.)

Things are so bad, I'm wondering when Dan Shaughnessy is going to declare the Curse of the Bambino back "on" and start a newly revised edition to hit bookshelves, Kindles and Nooks this summer. Dan is writing a book with former Red Sox manager Terry Francona, so there has to be a tie-in to Francona losing his job last fall somewhere.

While winning is great for ratings, it can be a bit boring for those whose job it is to talk about it. When a team has drama after drama like the Red Sox have experienced, there is no such dearth of material. It's easy for them, cathartic for some fans, and there is no end in sight.

To paraphrase Glenn Ordway, consider your summer ruined.

For more Boston Red Sox coverage, visit our team page and blog, Over The Monster.

Will Middlebrooks A Breath Of Fresh Air For The Boston Red Sox

2012-05-08T12:00:50Z

Will Middlebrooks has come on very strong in his first five games with the Boston Red Sox, providing a breath of fresh air for the franchise that has fallen upon tough times recently, as well as its proud fan base.

The way things have been going on Yawkey Way, it's no surprise that you've lost interest. Quite frankly, I have too. The sorry bunch that call themselves the Boston Red Sox leave a lot -- and I mean a lot -- to be desired.

But wait, there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and his name is William S. Middlebrooks.

Middlebrooks has given the Red Sox, not to mention the fan base, exactly what it needed: hope. His first five games have been very encouraging, particularly his last two. Middlebrooks has gone yard three times in the Sox' last two games, connecting for a grand slam, his first career home run, in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Orioles, while hitting two bombs in Monday's 11-5 thrashing of Kansas City. He's now hitting .381 (5-for-16) with nine RBI. Impressive, huh?

Not even the red hot rookie Middlebrooks could save this sinking ship, though. Even after Monday's big win, the Sox are 12-16, fifth in the American League East and still have a handful of problems, from Adrian Gonzalez's struggles at the plate to their pitiful pitching staff. They likely won't be this bad all season long, but even if they can miraculously claw their way into the playoffs, it's doubtful that they would last long when put to the test against baseball's elite.

But that's not on Middlebrooks. One player, no matter how hot, can't carry a team. Middlebrooks' impressive start has turned heads for sure, but he's still just one of 25, and his spot isn't safe.

Sooner or later, Kevin Youkilis will return, and he deserves another shot. Sure, Youk hasn't produced like he did in 2008 and 2009, but the Red Sox likely aren't ready to give up on him.

But knowing that Middlebrooks is waiting in the wings is very encouraging. Once Youkilis has run his course in Boston, the hot corner keys will be given to Middlebrooks. Sounds good to me.

Middlebrooks represents a return to the golden days for the Red Sox, when they grew talent and didn't just buy it all. Make no mistake, the Red Sox bought their championships (every team buys titles), but they reached prominence with the help of their own products. Guys like Nomar Garciaparra, Trot Nixon, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and Daniel Bard.

It's one thing to go out and sign or trade for a premier talent, like Gonzalez, but having your team draft a player and watching him grow up in the farm system makes them more connectable to fans. Middlebrooks now has the opportunity to join that group, and he's off to a pretty good start.

Personally, Middlebrook's fast rise has helped to ease the pain of Boston's fall last September and continued struggles this April and May. So thank you, Will, for helping rekindle my love of baseball and the Red Sox. Here's hoping that you will be the next big thing on the Boston sports scene.

Will Middlebrooks

#64 / Third Base / Boston Red Sox

Height: 6-4

Weight: 200

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Sep 09, 1988

For additional Boston Red Sox coverage, visit our team page and blog, Over The Monster.

Media Roundup: Rajon Rondo Was Wrong, But Did He Help Celtics?

2012-05-04T12:00:22Z

Rajon Rondo's actions (chest bumping a referee in Game 1) were wrong, and it resulted in a one-game suspension for the Boston Celtics' point guard. But did Rondo's actions wind up helping the Celtics?

In the aftermath of the Celtics' game one loss to the Atlanta Hawks in their first-round playoff series, the consensus seemed to be that Rajon Rondo was not only a horrible human being, but had potentially caused a series-altering shift in the outcome of the series.

The shouting and anger against Rondo's crimes against humanity was as strong as I've heard it for any Boston athlete on the radio/TV airwaves and in print. You'd think Rondo was Manny Ramirez the morning after he failed to run hard on a groundout by the tenor and tone of the anger being levied his way. Rondo was being universally pilloried for his behavior, with the crux of the criticism being that he left his team at a horrible disadvantage in the series, especially for Game 2.

Let's be clear here - Rondo's actions were wrong. He lost control of his emotions and put his team in a horrible position, both in that game and the next. But did his actions put his team in peril?

As with most hot sports radio debates, all the shouting and anger and debate turned out to be much ado about nothing, and in fact, Rondo's actions, may well have shifted the tide of the series into the Celtics favor.

Glenn Ordway was among the few who sort of saw this coming and kept a fairly level head about the situation. While callers to his program were eviscerating Rondo, and Ordway's competition was using the situation to kill not only the Celtics, but Celtics fans as well -- Michael Felger was busy comparing Celtics fans to Montreal Canadiens fans (a favorite tactic of his) -- Ordway, while being a bit "scared" of the prospect of Avery Bradley playing the point, acknowledged that the stage was being set for a monster game two from Paul Pierce.

That, of course, is exactly what happened in Game 2, as Paul Pierce took over, putting in 36 points and 14 rebounds. Would Pierce have submitted that type of epic performance had Rondo been on the court with him? We'll never know of course, but it seems safe to say that Pierce stepped up his game in Rondo's absence, and that was a big factor in the win.

Talk now is that Rondo desperately wants to atone for his mistakes and will come up big in game three, and perhaps the rest of the series. His seeming remorse over his actions (Coach Doc Rivers told Dennis and Callahan on Thursday morning that Rondo waited for his teammates after the game and personally thanked each one and shook their hand for picking him up) actually bodes well for the Celtics future in this series.

This whole episode can serve as a reminder that the reactionary, visceral mindset is not always the one that actually ends up with the correct prediction of the outcome of a scenario.

While it is easy (and perhaps cathartic) to rant and rave and predict the worst possible outcome when a situation like this occurs, it is perhaps more enjoyable and rewarding to coolly analyze and project what is actually likely to happen next ... and save yourself a whole lot of aggravation.

Rondo's actions in game one were not smart or correct by any interpretation. There is no excuse for losing his cool in a crucial moment of the game, regardless of the circumstances or performance of the officials. Still, what Rondo did may have inadvertently woken up the Celtics and put them on the right path for the rest of the series.

You can certainly say that Rondo's actions had a "series-altering" impact. But did anyone consider it might be for the good?

For additional Boston Celtics coverage, visit our team page and blog, CelticsBlog.

Junior Seau's Tragic Suicide Reminds Us That Athletes Are People Too

2012-05-02T20:52:39Z

Junior Seau's tragic suicide offers us a painful reminder that, even though we idolize and adore athletes, under all of that padding, they are regular people too.

Athletes are placed on pedestals so quickly in our society. You don't even have to hang around long, or even be good. If you are fortunate enough to play even one game for a professional sports team, you are instantly thrust into a whole new level of ridiculous stardom.

People idolize athletes, but we often forget that they are just people too. They may be getting paid an absurd amount of money to play a sport, but underneath that padding, they're regular people with regular problems. Just like you and me.

Junior Seau's death, which is being investigated as a suicide, and it's another painful reminder that the much beloved Seau had his problems, too. What would cause a man who loved his job so much and always seemed to be wearing a smile to take his own life? We may never know.

Shock and sadness are what most are feeling regarding Seau's death. Players, fans and reporters nationwide are sharing memories and condolences. It's hard to imagine how this could happen.

And yet, the writing was on the wall. Seau drove his SUV off a cliff in October of 2010 following his arrest for the alleged assault of his girlfriend. Miraculously, Seau walked away with minor injuries. Despite speculation, Seau said he was not trying to kill himself and that he fell asleep.

Another issue taking the spotlight in Seau's death is the never ending problem of concussions. Seau suffered from concussions, as many football players do, during his storied NFL career. Did concussions play a role in Seau's suicide? That isn't known at this time, but it certainly is possible.

We don't know what caused Seau to end his life, but whatever the reason, it serves to remind us that teams need to pay more attention to the emotional well being of players, past and present.

Rest in peace, Junior. Patriots Nation thanks you for everything, as does the football world.

For additional New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit.

Steroid Users (Like David Ortiz) Belong In Baseball Hall Of Fame

2012-05-02T05:33:13Z

Steroid users need love, too. But do they deserve the ultimate love, a place in the Hall of Fame? Guys like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and even David Ortiz should take their place in Cooperstown.

With the Roger Clemens trial in full swing (and former teammate Andy Pettitte testifying in it), coupled with the success of David Ortiz, why not talk about steroids in baseball?

After all, the three of them are all linked to performance enhancing drugs. That's why Clemens is on trial right now (well, more so for lying to the feds about his alleged steroid used), and Pettitte is an admitted steroid user.

And then, there's Ortiz. Remember, Ortiz failed a drug test, and it wasn't for marijuana. Ortiz, along with former Sox hero-turned-villain Manny Ramirez, tested positive or performance enhancing drugs. Red Sox Nation has done a good job of sweeping this under the rug, because you don't hear about it anymore around these parts. But facts are facts: Ortiz was a user.

All of the above were users, and all were greats. So, should they be Hall of Famers? In short, yes.

I'm not just talking about those guys, either. Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez. They all deserve spots in Cooperstown, even if they were cheaters (Also, since the word 'cheater' was thrown out there, they weren't actually cheaters since it wasn't illegal yet).

Why? They were all key cogs in the resurgence of the game. While highly immoral, the Steroid Era in baseball helped to save the sport. The awesome power displays put on by McGwire and Sosa, the home run record being broken by Bonds, the dominance of Clemens. Like it or not, they all played roles in bringing baseball back to prominence. Denying that is denying history.

As for Ortiz, he is quite possibly the best designated hitter of all time. Not to mention, one of the greatest clutch hitters in the history of baseball. No, he hasn't hit 500 home runs, but his importance to the sport, and the city of Boston, should be celebrated on the Hall of Fame stage.

Yet as is the case with everything, there's a catch. Sure, steroid users should be allowed into the Hall of Fame, but you shouldn't forget what they did. Neither should the baseball world. How can this be done? By officially dubbing this era in baseball "The Steroid Era."

Of course, this isn't fair for everyone. After all, every single player wasn't on steroids. But in a time when juicing ruled the sport, the title is only fitting. By officially creating The Steroid Era, it sends the message to fans that they should use their discretion when judging this time period.

We also don't know when the steroid era truly began. Who is to say that some of the greats who played in the 1900s didn't use performance enhancers? There wasn't a crusade against them during those days, and they still weren't illegal. Hopefully that wasn't the case, but we just don't know. We never will, either. So for now, let the roiders in. Just use your own judgement.

For additional Boston Red Sox coverage, visit our team page and blog, Over The Monster.

Derrick Rose Injury Doesn't Necessarily Open Door For Boston Celtics

2012-04-29T20:31:17Z

Derrick Rose's injury, while unfortunate for him and the Chicago Bulls, has seemingly paved an easier path to the Eastern Conference Finals for teams like the Boston Celtics. As Dave Shook writes, that isn't exactly the case.

Day one of the 2012 NBA Playoffs was an eventful one, much of it having nothing to do with the competitive action on the court. Sure, there was the fabulous game winner by Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, but the other two games were complete wipeouts. Yet, those two blowouts got more attention than the Thunder's scintillating comeback win over the defending champion Dallas Mavericks because of that dreaded three letter acronym: A.C.L.

During the Chicago Bulls "not quite as easy as it looked" win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the story was Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose being helped off the floor with, what would later be revealed as, the dreaded torn ACL. It happened in the most awful way possible: with absolutely no contact. Rose will miss the remainder of the playoffs and probably a healthy portion of next season as well as he rehabs from the injury.

While the Bulls were a robust 17-9 with Rose out of action this season, it stands to reason that any realistic chances that the Bulls had of dethroning Miami and reaching their first NBA Finals since Michael Jordan roamed the United Center went out the door with him. It's likely they'll still find a way to take down the 76ers in round one, but beyond that, anything else would seem to be house money at this point.

While you never want to gloat about an injury to any player, particularly one to a player who's generally regarded as an all around good guy like Derrick Rose, the injury had to have caused a few players in a few other locker rooms to internally jump for joy. Namely those players in the locker rooms of the Miami Heat... and your Boston Celtics.

The Heat were widely expected to make the NBA Finals anyway, and the loss of Rose only magnifies that expectation, but the Celtics, who were left for dead by many people (myself included) back in February, have been playing their best basketball since November of 2010 and looked poised to be a real problem for either the Heat or Bulls in round two. In most cases, the expectation was that they would go down valiantly to either foe, but with the injury to Rose, all of a sudden the road to the Eastern Conference Finals looks wide open.

Before they can get there though, they'll have to get by an Atlanta Hawks team that has given them fits in recent years because of their size and athletic advantages. Simply put, the Hawks are a match-up nightmare, even without injured star Al Horford, who will miss at least the first five games of this series as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury suffered early in the season.

These two teams went seven horrifying (if you're a Celtics fan) games back in the 2008 playoffs before the C's finally subdued the upstarts from the ATL en route to the NBA Title that year, and after the C's willingly punted homecourt advantage in this series earlier in the week, the Hawks probably feel like the Celtics don't see them as much of a threat. A motivated team with better athletes and a deeper bench could cause problems in round one.

In addition, both the Bulls and Sixers have caused issues for the Celtics this season (the former even without Derrick Rose in the lineup) because of their rebounding ability (Chicago) and athleticism (Sixers).

But, maybe lost in the shuffle during the internal celebrating and day dreaming of Celtics players and fans alike, is that the C's have their own injury problems to worry about, and that might be the biggest obstacle of them all.

Under normal circumstances, the Celtics would have an acceptable eight man playing rotation with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon, Rondo, Avery Bradley, and Brandon Bass as starters, with Greg Stiemsma, Ray Allen, and Mickael Pietrus off the bench. But, Allen has been struggling with bone spurs in his ankles this season, an injury that will require surgery at the end of the season, and Stiemsma is also dealing with some pain as well.

With Allen potentially not available for the playoffs and Stiemsma limited, the Celtics will essentially be playing with six players plus a few minutes from ineffective or untrustworthy bench guys like Sasha Pavlovic, Marquis Daniels, or Keyon Dooling. Stiemsma is obviously a far less pressing issue given his more subtle impact on the games, but Allen gives them crucial minutes off the bench as a scorer and floor spacer. Without him, teams will be able to squeeze the paint on players like Bradley and Rondo, who aren't deep threats, and make life generally miserable for the Celtics if they aren't shooting it well from the outside.

The lesson here is that, yes, Derrick Rose tearing his ACL certainly gives the Celtics an opportunity to do more damage in the playoffs than previously thought, the path isn't quite as open as it may seem. So, before you start making your hotel reservations for Miami in round one, keep in mind that the C's have had a lot of trouble with all three opponents on their side of the Eastern Conference bracket and have their own depth and injury concerns to deal with.