Heat Come Back, Collapse, Choke, Win in Overtime Despite Rajon Rondo’s Best Game Ever
The Heat have officially “taken care of business at home.” Miami trailed for most of the first 33 minutes of the game and Boston’s lead was 15. Miami plugged away and eventually caught up to the Celtics with a few minutes remaining in the 3rd. As people were counting the Celtics out and this sequence took place, it looked like the game – and the Celtics’ season was over.
After blowing their lead, Boston responded like the 2008 NBA champions that they are/were. Heck, they had a chance to win in the final minute. Fortunately, it was LeBron who had the last chance to choke in regulation as he settled for a 21-foot fade-away over Rondo as time expired.
In overtime, Rondo scored all 12 of Boston’s points. Meanwhile, LeBron and Dwyane Wade closed it out from the free throw line. (More on that below.)
As for Rondo, it was a ridiculously hot game that saw him not only doing his usual Rondo stuff, but also hitting jumpers. He was 16-24 from the field, including 2-2 from 3 in OT and hit 10 of his 12 free throws. Rondo was the only player on either team to play all 53 minutes and he finished with 44 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists. If was a glimpse of Rondo’s ridiculous ceiling if he can improve his shot.
The final huge play was Wade scoring over Kevin Garnett. Wade finished with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. Mario Chalmers kind of kept Miami in the game early as he had 22, 4 and 6. LeBron had 34, 10 and 7.
Now for the damning free throw counts. Miami shot 47 free throws – of which, LeBron shot 24 – while Boston shot just 29. Basically, it was the greatest conspiracy since David Stern rigged the draft lottery a few hours earlier. If you’re keeping score at home, the Hornets winning the draft lottery was the biggest NBA-related conspiracy since Tuesday night when the refs screwed the Thunder – and you’ll have to go all the way back to Game 1 of the Miami-Boston series to find a fix as glaring as that game. I’m honestly surprised you people even still watch this sport.
Game 3 is in Boston on Friday night. Don’t worry, people are already talking about how the league won’t let the Celtics lose game 3 at home and fall down 0-3 in the Conference Final. Sometimes you have to fix a game the opposite way so that people won’t know you’re fixing a whole series the other way. It’s really quite genius.

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100 Responses to “Heat Come Back, Collapse, Choke, Win in Overtime Despite Rajon Rondo’s Best Game Ever”
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May 31st, 2012 at 9:57 AM
keep this shit coming
May 31st, 2012 at 9:58 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
May 31st, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Miami’s going to have a helluva time trying to defend Tony Parker and San Antonio.
Boston really struggles to find enough wings to match Miami when they go small.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Bravo
The game threads here during NBA playoff games are just great because it’s always just vitriol against the officiating…there is other stuff on TV if it bothers you that much
May 31st, 2012 at 10:01 AM
You can point to FT discrepancy as reason to believe the fix was in, but other than Pierce’s sixth foul and Rondo being slapped in the face by Wade (and, yes, both of these calls were huge), I didn’t really think the calls were that lopsided.
Haslem continues to kill Boston with big shots. That’s the kind of guy that OKC needs.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:01 AM
Spurs gonna railroad the Heat.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:01 AM
That block is crazy, his head is like 2 inches from hitting the rim. Or you know, about where I can get my hand to. (/baller)
Much respect to Rondo, that was a hell of a game.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:02 AM
You bet your ass Joey Crawford will be officiating Game 3. He’s the NBA’s “closer” when it comes to getting the home team the W when they need it most.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:03 AM
Sarcasm as a straw man? Please.
I don’t have time to lay out every instance in which the Celtics have been screwed in this series – we could go back to those 5 bogus technicals in G1, but the Celtics overall poor shooting and poor defense really was what did them in – so lets just focus on those critical back-to-back possessions in OT of G2. Rondo was raked across the face by Wade while driving to the basket in full view of at least one official (see below) and didn’t get the call. There is ZERO excuse for not calling that; it’s not even 50-50 (on a related note, Wade was only whistled once last night). On the ensuing possession in transition, Wade drove into four defenders, delivered a Karate Kid crane kick to Garnett to draw contact and got to the line. No one in their right mind drives at a brick wall unless they’re certain they’re going to get bailed out, and that was precisely what Wade was counting on.
Your sarcastic straw man regarding the NBA’s WWE-level officiating isn’t going to convince me or the ~85% who thought the refs cost the Celtics the game last night.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:05 AM
I’m not sure the people who vote in SportsNation polls are a good barometer, especially since most of the country is rooting against the Heat and saw the game with that bias working
May 31st, 2012 at 10:07 AM
But it’s so much easier just to whine about it.
Now let me go back to complaining about the people I follow on Twitter.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:07 AM
So, McIntyre isn’t doing the NBA posts? Is he alive?
May 31st, 2012 at 10:07 AM
You’re new here, so take a seat and write this down.
-CRM is the resident tongue-in-cheek writer with a fine appreciation for irony, so take what he says with a grain of salt
-Never, never, never, never, never support your position by referencing ESPN
May 31st, 2012 at 10:08 AM
Team that drives the lane gets more fouls than the old as shit team that takes jumpers, shocking video at eleven.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:09 AM
I don’t want Miami to win but it being Boston dying the slow death last night made following Simmons enjoyable…he even broke out the Clown “5-vs-8″ special
May 31st, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Not a true indicator, but BOS actually shot 10 less 3 PT FGA’s last night than MIA.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Link
May 31st, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Look at the shot chart. In the paint Miami took way more, Boston took way more midrange jumpers.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:11 AM
If you’re talking about that last video, it’s clearly a foul on Garnett. His hand is on Wade’s elbow for an extended period of time during the shot.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:13 AM
-CRM is the resident tongue-in-cheek writer with a fine appreciation for irony, so take what he says with a grain of salt
-Never, never, never, never, never support your position by referencing ESPN
/Stands up.
//Claps slowly
///Claps faster and louder.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Wade can’t do what he did though.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:17 AM
I for one am shocked that 85% of people who were reading ESPN’s Boston Celtics blog think the Celtics got screwed.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:17 AM
CBS stats say the following:
BOS – 14-33 on layups, 16-45 on jumpers, 1-1 on dunks
MIA – 17-21 on layups, 17-48 on jumpers, 2-2 on dunks.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:18 AM
figured it was a TBL joint when I saw “choke” in the headline. had to do a double take on the byline.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:18 AM
If Garnett doesn’t hit his arm it’s a no call.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Considering that poll is on ESPN Boston, I’m actually surprised that number isn’t higher. But, it is surprising that LeBron and Wade (two of the best in the league at getting FTs) got to the line that much while being guarded by a hobbled Allen/Pierce and Pietrus.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Agreed. It shouldn’t really be a surprise that the team with older players gets called for a lot of fouls trying to guard two of the best players in the league. Especially on that teams home court. I would expect the Celtics get away with a little more in game 3 just simply by being at home. They will probably still lose though because Rondo will go 2-15.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:20 AM
fuck d wade.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Talking about this last night if you go to the 30 second mark looks like Wade misses Rondo’s face.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:23 AM
That fake tough, asshole Boston team getting “screwed” by the refs is the greatest thing that could have happened in the playoffs this year.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Garnett was going for the Hadoken there but Wade was too quick with his scissor kick.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:25 AM
Hoopdata has Boston taking 32 shots from 16-23 feet and Miami with only 18. Also, the number of shots at the rim would really favor Miami if it accounted for attempts in which you are fouled.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:26 AM
It’s funny that people think that Boston is different than every other team, or that there are any real tough NBA players.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:27 AM
1. I’m not new here, but rarely comment except for circumstances as egregious as this.
2. It was the only poll I could find this morning.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:27 AM
I’m not going to stand up on some box screaming about it, but can’t help but feel like the draft slots felt a little fishy.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:27 AM
None of this matters. This series is to see who gets to dress up as the Washington Generals against the Spurs in the Finals.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:27 AM
I also enjoyed this tweet regarding Rondo:
Statistical variance would suggest Rondo will never make a shot ever again
May 31st, 2012 at 10:28 AM
He hit him with his wrist.
Again, not ridiculous to miss that call at full speed though.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:28 AM
I get what you’re saying but it’s all relative and that C’s team still leads the league in that toughness bravado nonsense.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:29 AM
I liked how Wade kicked Garnett on his layup. Also liked how Rondo got smacked in the face by Wade and there was no call.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:29 AM
May 31st, 2012 at 10:30 AM
The Suns continue to sit at #13. No I am pretty used to this.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Also I don’t understand mathematics.
How did you know?
/still get confused when clerk asks me for a dime when I am waiting for change.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:31 AM
I liked when Rondo bearhugged LeBron and the ref called a jump ball.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Throwing haymakers while walking backwards is a prerequisite to get in the NBA.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Matt Moriarty?!
May 31st, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Not ridiculous but rather insidious. Stern placed mind control vaccine chemicals in the NBA’s Gatorade supply with the inside help of coaches and now Stern controls the players via remote from a grassy knoll. Wake up Sheople!
May 31st, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Exactly, first a reach in foul then a bear hug and accidentally got a hand on the ball…..but that is legit I gues
May 31st, 2012 at 10:35 AM
May 31st, 2012 at 10:35 AM
I enjoy the rule in basketball that suggests each team must attempt the same number of FT’s. Always enjoy that parent at high school games that screams at refs, “The fouls are 7-2.” Well, either the ref is on the take, or your son’s team can’t defend without putting their hands all over the other team.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:37 AM
totally agreed.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:38 AM
I am officially the biggest Spurs fan in the history of Western civilization.
/Team I hate the Heat
May 31st, 2012 at 10:40 AM
/Team I hate the team that only has this current roster because a former player gave them a sweetheart deal in a trade
May 31st, 2012 at 10:42 AM
/Team Discovery Channel
May 31st, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Yikes. Not a good example at all.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:44 AM
I was so proud of TBL for writing this until I saw the by-line. Damn. Good job, Stephen.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:46 AM
I dont know what the hell Jr is thinking fishing blue crab in a hurricane with 1 freaking engine. That seizure dude is lucky they werent way up north like that.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:46 AM
It looked rough at first but in the replay it looked clean to me.
At least it’s actually a jump ball and not alternating possession, the worst rule in sports (in the worst league in sports).
May 31st, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Yeah, I saw that. It couldn’t possibly be as much contact based on Rondo’s reaction, so Wade must have grazed his eye or something. Only ‘light’ hit that can cause that much reaction.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Yea it’s really dumb to just cite FT disparity.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:47 AM
WOOSH
/Country Time Lemonade
May 31st, 2012 at 10:49 AM
I don’t know how any of you idiots root for the teams you root for. They are all horrible teams that clearly get favoritism from the NBA. You should all be ashamed that you root for such horrible franchises. Unlike me who clearly roots for the last pure beacon of true basketball in the NBA.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:49 AM
LeBron is like Shaq. It’s impossible to defend him without contact, and it puts the refs in a tough situation every game. There are probably 15 tough calls a game they have to make, and how the rest of the game is going, and how good a mood the ref is in, will determine a lot of the outcome.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:49 AM
The Celtics did attempt driving to the basket but ironically only Rondo was getting calls (except for the most pivotal no call of the night), hence all the jump shots.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:49 AM
I’m more along the lines of thinking that while you or I may miss calls like that, an NBA referee should certainly catch it- the whole ‘it’s their career’ thing and all that. I have to imagine their job performance is very closely monitored, but it doesn’t seem to be helping.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Knicks fan?
May 31st, 2012 at 10:50 AM
/Spurs have no chance
May 31st, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Geography. Somehow where you happened to be when your mother squirted you out her carnal gash determines which team is playing fair and getting screwed by the refs.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:53 AM
To me, Pierce lost this game. The Celtics were playing well, scoring, and then Pierce took over with 4 minutes left, and the Celts went multiple possessions with Rondo never touching the ball, and Pierce trying to force a pick and roll or settling for a crappy shot. I thought they had a much better shot after he left. This game was Rondo’s to win or lose, all along, and Pierce changed that narrative for the worse.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:56 AM
If Lebron wins a title there’s a good chance at least one Cleveland resident will kill themselves. How is this hard to comprehend/
May 31st, 2012 at 10:56 AM
someone needs to get to the bottom of this posthaste.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:58 AM
So the Celtics made the conscious decision that, because they weren’t getting calls due to a ref-conspiracy in favor of the Heat, they would just stop even trying to attack and settle for jumpshots. Yeah, then they deserve to lose.
May 31st, 2012 at 10:58 AM
This had to have been the working title for Teeth.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Unfortunately it won’t really prove anything. Maybe the Heat just happened to play excellent defense at the rim all night and actually weren’t fouling. I think the only legitimate way to do an analysis on the foul patterns is to go through the video of a game play by play. And even then it will depend on some level of human interpretation.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Last night was an example of every single NBA game that takes place: The officiating was bad, inconsistent, and missed huge, obvious plays. It happens every game. It happened in the first game where they just started throwing technical fouls everywhere on Boston for no reason at all. It’s the worst part of the league, has been for years, and absolutely boggles my mind how it continues to happen. All that “in real time” bullshit is just that, bullshit. Everyone in the stadium can see it, so should the refs. And the sensitive technical whistles when players react to a usually bad foul call is just absurd. I hate NBA officiating. Even when it helps my team.
Chalmers was huge last night, and Battier is really making some big shots the last few games. I will never not take pleasure in seeing Kevin Garnett be unsuccessful. Fuck that guy forever.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:02 AM
And yeah, Miami is usually going to shoot more free throws than the opposing team, especially a jump shooting one like Boston. Wade and Lebron are two of the most active players in the league at the free throw line. They attack the basket and draw fouls. Sometimes they are bullshit fouls where they are just a bull in a china shop, but that is the product the NBA has created with its officiating.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Your sarcasm aside, it’s in a basketball player’s nature to adjust to the way a game is being called and played. I don’t think it’s unreasonable that the Celtics would think “wow, not getting many calls at the rim tonight, need to change something”. Certainly wouldn’t mean they “deserve to lose”.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:09 AM
This.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:09 AM
I would think the opposite, especially from people as prideful as Rondo and Pierce. If they actually thought the refs purposefully weren’t calling fouls on the Heat, I’d think they’d say, “Fuck this, I’m gonna make them call this.” I tend to think they didn’t attack as hard because, A.)The Heat defense and B.) Outside of Rondo, no one else can (with Pierce banged up).
May 31st, 2012 at 11:13 AM
pierce went to the locker room with 2 seconds left in OT. he had fouled out but his team had a miniscule chance still. many athletes have taken heat for leaving the bench before the game is over. you boston mopes, any backstory here?
May 31st, 2012 at 11:13 AM
No team deserves to lose. They just do. Mainly because they are not as good as the team that beats them.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:16 AM
yea…pierce is an asshole. always has been an asshole. par the course.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:17 AM
spence is a boston mope?
May 31st, 2012 at 11:20 AM
But he’s right.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Yea but by your own argument, wouldn’t they just say “Fuck this, I’m going to attack this defense at the rim.” It’s not like they had a ton of trouble getting there, especially Rondo. I’m not saying the Heat were fouling a ton at the rim. I just don’t think there’s any question that refereeing can affect a player’s approach.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Not to beat a dead horse, but consider how the fouls I mentioned were set up: Rondo beat the first guy off the dribble and darted around Wade as the latter jumped straight up. Wade’s only chance to stop Rondo was the guillotine and he got away with it (probably to his own surprise). On the next play Wade KNEW he could drive into a thicket of Boston players and have a >50-50 shot at going to the line, but just to be sure he crane-kicked Garnett.
How a game is called absolutely dictates how a game is played, and no NBA team’s success is more tied to that than Miami.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:33 AM
NBA Fans are the worst!
/guilty
May 31st, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Well Rondo should have known that the refs had it out for them and wouldn’t call any fouls….should have pulled up for a J. Or, he should have gotten up so Haslem didn’t have an easy dunk at the other end.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Well, that one was clearly a foul on Garnett, and they’re never going to call that kick on Wade when he’s being fouled by Garnett at nearly the same time. Your point stands though- that was just a poor example. Wade has certainly (and though I hate to say it, wisely) incorporated the referees into his gameplan for every night.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:36 AM
This
preceded by this
makes my brain hurt.
/just kidding Scalia
May 31st, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Well if I’m to believe that the Celts adjusted their style because of the refs and not because they just couldn’t get to the rim then Rondo erred by going to the hoop.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Bring back the 1980s…Lakers-Celtics, Rambis, Carr, clotheslines. Back when the officials didn’t think they were bigger than the game itself. Fuck Joey Crawford and the techical he gave Timmy once for looking at him from the bench.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:49 AM
If you enjoy offensive flopping, you should be rooting for a Spurs-Heat final. Nobody does it better than Wade and Ginobili.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:52 AM
My favorite is definitely the in-air-both-arms-both-legs-scissor-flail.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Always accompanied by an audible “Waahhhhhhh!!!” in case we missed it with our eyes.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Speaking of the Spurs, what happened to DeJuan Blair? Is he hurt?
May 31st, 2012 at 11:59 AM
I was just talking about this with my buddy. I’m thinking he just fell out of the rotation with Diaw and Jackson on board?
May 31st, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Bingo. Pop plays the team he has the best chance to win with. That leaves Blair on the bench.
May 31st, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Blair wasn’t playing well when he got time during the season and Leonard gives them the rebounding Blair gave plus offense that you couldnt get reliably from Blair
May 31st, 2012 at 1:12 PM
If you’re Boston, you can’t talk about how physical you’re going to play before the game and not expect to have fouls called. Don’t talk about it, be about it. That being said, James and Wade absolutely have a knack of selling fouls to the refs while also being able to play physical defense. Anyone who says that the way the refs call a game doesn’t affect it is wrong, and yeah I’m still salty about how the Heat Knicks series was reffed from Game 1 on.