Pierce shot beats buzzer, Wizards
WASHINGTON -- These teams can't seem to get out of each other's way. Leads are meaningless. Individual performances mean nothing until the final, frantic seconds. The only sure thing: It's going down to the wire.
For the third time in as many meetings, the Celtics and Wizards traded blows, turnovers, baskets, and quizzical looks at the officials for 48 minutes. That wasn't enough. They decided to do it for five more, and when the smoke had cleared at the
''It's over. It's over. It's over," a gleeful Pierce said last night as he was leaving the building. He's made game-winners before, but this was a dagger, a 22-footer, with Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler in mutual swarm. Still, Pierce got some wiggle room and the ball swished through.
''I got a good look once I rose above the crowd and knocked down the shot," said Pierce (31 points). ''I think I'm stronger going to my left and pulling up anyway. I have shot that shot a number of times."
Added Wally Szczerbiak, who had 23 points, ''I was right under the basket and it was money. Big shot. That was huge."
Call it payback, revenge, law of averages, the Celtics were due against these guys. Or, more to the point, overdue. In the previous two games, Arenas had been the hero/culprit (depending on your allegiance) by making a pair of decisive free throws in the closing seconds of regulation. Last night, Arenas missed a 20-footer to win at the end of regulation, then made a 20-footer with 14.3 seconds left in OT to give Washington a 115-114 lead.
''We were owed one," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who went with some interesting lineups that paid dividends. ''I'm just happy because it pisses off Arenas."
That was a direct response to comments made by Arenas, who, after sinking the Celtics in Boston Jan. 25, said he was happy to have ''pissed off Doc Rivers."
Hey, no one is suggesting these two are a new-age Lincoln and Douglas.
Arenas ended up with 39 points, including 9 of the Wizards' 11 in overtime. Pierce, who struggled with his shooting most of the night (8 of 20), had 8 of the Celtics' 12 in OT.
The other 4 were from Ryan Gomes, who on any other night would have been the certifiable star. All he did was go for a career-high 27 points (21 in the first half) along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists as he continues to amaze with non-rookie-like play.
''I just felt like I could get out there and make some plays," said Gomes, who was 9 of 14 from the field. ''It just was really nice to get this one, especially after [a loss to] Toronto. You always want to end a road trip with a win."
For much of the evening, that did not look like it was going to happen for the Celtics, who played a bizarre game. They had 10 turnovers in the first quarter, 27 in the game, and still lived to tell about it. Szczerbiak's explanation: ''No point guards. We weren't getting calls. It was just mayhem out there, but credit to the coaches for staying positive."
Washington made the first surge of the game late in the third quarter and led, 90-80, heading into the fourth. The lead grew to 95-82 when Antawn Jamison knocked down a 3-pointer with 10:55 to play.
By that point, however, Rivers had made a rather drastic decision. He put Michael Olowokandi on the floor to start the fourth, even though the Kandi Man had played a total of 75 seconds in the previous four games. Kandi teamed with Al Jefferson, and the tandem helped get the Celtics back into the game, with Olowokandi blocking a shot and clogging the lanes and Big Al working his post magic at the other end.
''I thought that was the turnaround in the game," Rivers said, ''because it slowed down the game. It took the rhythm away from them. And I was able to get Paul some rest because I was also coaching for [tonight, when the Celtics host Philadelphia]. But Michael was huge."
The Celtics needed less than eight minutes to tie the game, as Washington cooperated by going into a deep freeze, scoring just 14 points in the quarter while shooting 33 percent. After Jamison's trey with 10:55 to play, the Wizards had only one basket in the next 7:17, getting outscored, 14-2, in the process.
Still, Washington appeared to regain control. The Celtics trailed, 102-99, when Pierce went to the line. He missed the second, but Raef LaFrentz somehow got his arm up and tapped in the rebound to tie the game. LaFrentz (12 rebounds) also would grab a big offensive rebound moments later and make two huge free throws to tie the game, 104-104, with 56.8 seconds left.
That's how it stood at the end of regulation. In overtime, the Celtics led for all of 16 seconds until Pierce's 3-ball with 28.3 seconds to go made it 114-113. Then Arenas struck back, setting the stage for the most improbable of endings. Rivers called for Pierce to isolate and make the play he could.
It may not have started out well, but the Celtics sure will take the finished product. 