The Knicks: Cure For What Ails Ya

After the Celtics fell into a slump following losses to the Bobcats, Wizards and Wizards again, they appear to be back on the right track. Kendrick Perkins scored 15 of the Celtics' first 17 points to open the game, because his defender always left to try to double Pierce or Garnett, and the two of them were able to consistently lay it down to him for an uncontested layup. Perkins finished as the Celtics high scorer with 24 points, and added 8 rebounds.

After the Celtics took a 14 point lead into halftime, the refs then got together and decided to screw the Celtics as hard as they could. Tommy Heinsohn and I were in perfect chorus together in cursing out the officials, who didn't call a foul on a Knicks player in the third quarter until three minutes were left (and there were at least 4-5 horrible non-calls, mostly robbing Garnett and Perkins of deserving trips to the line), and then called five fouls on the Celtics in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. In part because of uber-atrocious officiating, and in part because Paul Pierce is occasionally an idiot and allowed non-factor Quentin Richardson to get in his head, the Captain got ejected along with QR toward the end of the third on their second technical fouls each.

In the end, though, Kevin Garnett decided he had enough of that shit when the Knicks got within 8 and took over down the stretch, and the C's won by 16. 29-3 start, 1-3 slump, and now three straight wins has Boston at 33-6, five games ahead of Detroit pending the Pistons/Magic result this evening.

I was going to add an update on Liverpool after this, but they sucked their way to another draw and are now in 5th in the Premier League and 14 points behind Man U/Arsenal. They'd better enjoy the Champions League this year, because they don't look like a Big 4 team anymore. It's all about the UEFA Cup, anyways, right?

At this rate, Liverpool may not be fit to beat Havant & Waterlooville in their next FA Cup match.