There were three things that stood out to me in the aftermath of Boston’s 97-81 beatdown of Miami in Game 3 of their semi-final series:
1. Rajon Rondo coming back to play after dislocating his elbow was an incredible display that you would much sooner see in a hockey rink than on a basketball court. Hockey players play through any injury, whereas basketball players don’t (Carlos Boozer, I’m talking to you). After seeing the gruesome highlight of Rondo’s elbow bending awkwardly, I thought that he might be out for the rest of the series. Instead, he returned to the game doing his best one-armed bandit impersonation, finishing with 6 points and a game-high 11 assists. People might doubt Rondo’s jump-shot, but after his performance in Game 3, there’s no doubting his toughness.
2. Kevin Garnett notched a resounding win in his own personal battle against Chris Bosh, finishing the night with 28 points and 18 rebounds (compared to Bosh’s 6 points and 5 rebounds). Coming into the series, we knew Bosh was soft. In fact, earlier in the season I wrote about how much I would fear a Bosh-Garnett match-up if I were a Heat fan. Through three games Bosh looks completely terrified of the paint, avoiding entering the key at all costs. His play in Game 3 was so uninspiring that at one point, ABC analyst Mark Jackson asked if Chris Bosh was even playing (his current statline at the time: 23 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds). In order to win the series, Miami doesn’t need Bosh to outplay Garnett, they just need him to avoid getting slapped around the court. If he continues to perform like he did in Game 3, then Boston has to like their chances of coming out of this series.
3. It was another uninspiring performance from Lebron James on the road in Boston, mirroring his tepid play in Games 4 and 6 of last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals. James scored 15 points on 6-16 shooting, turning the ball over four times in the process. After controlling play in both Games 1 and 2, James went long stretches without impacting the game, seemingly content to watch his teammates try and win the game. With Wade around to relieve some pressure, Miami doesn’t need James to carry the team but he must impact the game more than he did in Game 3. Is LBJ heading towards another early playoff exit at the hands of the Boston Celtics? He’ll need to perform better if Miami is to come out of this series alive.
