Doc Rivers Post Game, We Had Our Chances

What a game, what a series. From a fan's perspective, you couldn't ask for anything more, 7 overtimes, unbelievable shots, game-changing plays. As a coach though, I think most would look at the game and series much more critically. Why did the Celtics go to Tony Allen on consecutive possessions late in the 4th quarter. Why didn't the Bulls foul Ray Allen in the 2nd overtime instead of allowing him to shoot the 3. The list goes on and on. I like what Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said after the game in the post-game news conference, "There are no positives, we lost the game,"



He's absolutely right. The Celtics had chances to win the game and really should have won the game. After gaining the lead, the Celtics played not to lose instead of to win. Most surprisingly was that for a team that prides itself on how it plays on defense -- defensively, the Celtics did a poor job all night, especially against John Salmons. In the end, it was Derrick Rose of the Bulls who came up with the biggest defensive play of the night blocking Rondo's shot.

So now there is a Game 7. And the Celtics earned the right to play it in Boston. The game will probably be another thrilling game, but in the annals of NBA Playoff history, the series will only be a short footnote if neither the Celtics or Bulls advance past the second round, which I think is highly implausible given how poorly each has played so far in the first round.

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