Whenever the Celtics and Hornets meet, the most headlined match up is that of point guards Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul. On Sunday the battle was Paul vs. Paul, as in Paul Pierce vs. Chris Paul.
Both players made their best efforts to carry their teams – Pierce in the first half (27 points total), Paul in the second (22 points total). But it was Pierce in the final minutes of the game who made the difference as the Celtics beat the Hornets 97-87 in Boston. (Recap.)
Here are three lessons from a contest that left the Celtics’ perfect record intact after three games:
THE CAPTAIN DELIVERS WHEN IT MATTERS
Pierce got out to a hot start, scoring 10 points in each of the first and second quarters. He entered halftime leading all scorers with 20 points (8-for-10 FG, 2-for-3 3PG) in less than 17 minutes.
Then he went cold.
Pierce posted just two points off of free throws in 12 minutes during the third quarter. The Celtics were outscored 31-25 during that stretch.
Rather than turning to the starting five in the fourth quarter, Doc Rivers kept most of his second unit on the court. Eddie House, Marquis Daniels, Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams and starter Allen pushed the lead up to 80-74. But the Hornets fought back behind Chris Paul and Peja Stojakovic (26 points) and Rivers once again called on his starters.
Despite going scoreless since the final seconds of the first half, Pierce drained a turnaround jumper with 2:34 to go in the fourth to give the Celtics a 90-83 lead. With the Hornets continuing to climb back into the game, his three-pointer with 1:17 to go put the Celtics up, 95-86, and clinched the win.
In spite of a quiet stretch in the second half, Rivers gushed about Pierce's performance when it mattered most.
“Paul's been amazing,” Rivers said after the game. “You can see it, just his whole demeanor, everything's been good. Paul's been – he's been a pro's pro. I mean he really has. Never in a hurry, lets the game come to him. So team-oriented with his defense. Even at the end, the last three minutes he switched off on Stojakovic. He's just doing a lot of things. He's playing on a team with a lot of guys and people overlook some of the little things that he's doing. He's been amazing. He's been absolutely amazing.”
THE RIVALRY BETWEEN RAJON RONDO AND CHRIS PAUL ESCALATED
Rajon Rondo said he does not focus on the Hornets any more than other teams just because of Chris Paul. Paul said the same about Rondo. But during Sunday's game, the two point guards were certainly paying attention to one another.
First the two were called for double technical fouls. Then they seemed to have words with one another on the court following the Celtics win, although both players downplayed the incident. Following the game, Rondo did not address the issue. Paul did not offer an explanation.
“I don't know, I couldn't hear him too well,” Paul said of Rondo's comments toward him.
When a reporter pointed out Rondo was only a few inches away, Paul replied, “Yeah, it was loud in there. I don't know.”
Rather than shoot back against Rondo, Paul actually paid the Celtics compliments.
“I'm a huge advocate for the Boston Celtics and how they defend, how they play hard, and how they play together,” he said. “It's something that we want to get to. Boston has established themselves as a team that's not going to beat themselves. You've got to go out and beat them, and I think Rondo's a lucky guy to be able to play with a guy like Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and [Kevin Garnett], Rasheed Wallace.”
Paul later clarified his praise, saying, “I mean that seriously. I mean that seriously. Like I said, they're a great team. Every night they go out, I watch them play on League Pass night in and night out, because the way they communicate defensively, KG, I mean, I could go on and on about him and the intensity he brings every night. So like I said, they're where we're trying to get to.”
While the young guards refrained from addressing the incident, their veteran teammates agreed the intensity between the two on the court is good for the game.
“I just know two competitive guys, trying to hold down the fort for their team and going out there, and trying to give their team the best opportunity to win games,” said James Posey. “You like to see that. It's not bad at all. I mean that's all it is. It is two competitive guys butting heads.”
Added Wallace, “It's two of the premiere point guards going at it. Rondo, he's the spark for our team and Chris is the spark for their team. So it was two good point guards going at it.”
MARQUIS DANIELS IS NOT INTERESTED IN BEING THE NEXT JAMES POSEY
When Marquis Daniels signed in Boston this summer, comparisons between him and Posey began immediately. The Celtics had been looking for depth on their bench since Posey signed with the Hornets and they found a reliable backup on the perimeter in Daniels.
But don't bill Daniels to be the 2010 version of Posey, they both said. They are two different players.
“I'm Marquis,” Daniels said before the game. “Posey is a good player. He does what he does good, I do what I do good. I don't try to compare myself to anyone. He's a great player, he's done a lot of great things like I said. I just plan on coming in and being myself and helping our team as much as possible.”
He added, “We both play defense. I probably handle the ball better. He does a lot of great things and I do a lot of things good also so like I said, I don't try to compare myself to no one.”
Both players had relatively quiet games on Sunday night as they guarded one another at several points. Daniels finished with three points and two rebounds in 18 minutes; Posey was scoreless with four rebounds in 20 minutes.
Posey said the comparisons are inevitable but doesn't think either player should pay attention to them. Just as he was a good fit on the Celtics two years ago, he believes Daniels is in the right place this season.
“He's a great player,” Posey said. “Actually, we're pretty good friends. He can score better than I can for the most part. He has that toughness, physically and mentally, to go out there and play and just compete. So I mean, for that, he fits this team well.”
“He can score the ball,” he continued. “He's versatile, attacking the basket just like Paul. So that coming off the bench as well, just that whole mixture that they have over there is special and they'll fit right in.”
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