Why was KG so down last night?

[Bahku]

I think he was just "keeping it in perspective" for himself. You've got to understand what an incredibly intense and very unusual human being KG is, and not apply normal standards when assessing his behavior.

His eyes are on the "Big Prize", and while I'm sure he was happy about last night's win, to him it was just another rung on the ladder to his ultimate goal: Banner #17 and a Championship Ring.

(He was also a bit upset at himself for missing those last free-throws ... this guy is incredibly hard on himself). Not to worry ... he does what he has to in order to get the job done, and that's what it was all about last night.

[johnnyrondo]

He was down because the last time he got this close, Kobe killed his team.  And deep down, he knows it is about to happen again...

The last time he got this close, Sam Cassell got hurt ... and Shaq killed his team ...

Ironically if Sam Cassell could get hurt this yr, KG might have a better shot at that ring

[libermaniac]

He was down because the last time he got this close, Kobe killed his team.  And deep down, he knows it is about to happen again...

The last time he got this close, Sam Cassell got hurt ... and Shaq killed his team ...

Ironically if Sam Cassell could get hurt this yr, KG might have a better shot at that ring

LOL, and true!  TP for you.

[cuckroller]

A viewpoint from the outside. 

Kevin Garnett has always been a player necessitating emotional support for the very reason that he assumes so much responsibility for the performance of the team as a whole.  He did this also pre-Boston.

I think that the rock-strewn road that the Celtics took during the playoffs weighed much more heavily on Garnett, than on the other players.  The expectations for Boston, in view of their regular season record was certainly a heavy load to carry for one tending to shoulder these things unconsciously by himself.  The possibility (real or imagined) that the road to the Finals could have been interrupted, after all of this expectation, must have been exhausting. 

However, psychologically, I think that now that the Team has arrived to the Finals, now that the peril of being eliminated before getting there has been avoided, well, a large portion of this weight can now be removed.  So, his reaction is certainly understandable.  It is that of a person who has just removed a large part of this unsustainable weight.  I think that now that the goal has been gained, the Finals, that Garnett will recharge the batteries and play more relaxed.

[celtics2]

because he missed two key free throws that could have changed the way the game went and threw the ball away to boot, passes off several times when he should have taken the shot all during crunch time. Pierce and Posey came to his rescue.

[celtics2]

could it be in crunch time he bricked a couple foul shots, had what could have been a key turnover, passed up easy shots in favor for passing that didn't work out. Pierce and Posey came to his rescue. He plainly didn't look good in closing.

[tammer]

Kevin is team first, but it is very hard to be ecstatic when you played a poor game.  Even harder when you add that he could now acknowledge the toughest and most meaningful series of his career is now looming.  As far as his game, his presence energy, defense, boxing out, were all important to the win.  The conjecture is solely that his feelings about his play at crunch time were probably not great.

[Truth Hurts]

This is pretty simple.

Last year, watching and listening to Lebron after beating Detroit, I knew they were going to get smoked in the Finals. He kept talking about "achieving his goal" and crap like that. He was the prototypical "happy to be there" guy. His attitude was completely wrong, and while it was a tremendous accomplishment for a 22 to carry a team to the Finals on his back....he clearly was not ready to make a run at a title.

Kevin Garnett is not just "happy to be there". Not at all.

[ma11l]

I'm sure someone has noted this somewhere, but I was going through the NBA.com's video section and saw the All Access: Celtics Celebration.  It's only about 45 seconds long but is pretty cool.  Paul is being his goofy self, yelling and screaming and carrying on.  He does his best KG impersonation to KG himself, kinda beating him up like KG did to Powe after that monster dunk.  KG took it all in but you could tell the emotions that were running through him.  When he looks up at Paul you can tell he had been crying and giving off a ton of emotion.  Some people celebrate, and let go of all the built up tension in different ways.

I think Paul and KG have a great dynamic off the court, Paul is the goofball little brother clowning around.  KG is the older brother/mentor type.  The best part is they both use their personalities to their advantage when they are getting ready to bring it on the court.  And they both bring it hard using their own styles.