I sure know one thing

[vinnie]

The Cavs are not going to win in six as I predicted. I am actually stunned right now. How long before the national media starts talking about Lebron's elbow again? What a team win. True definition of a team tonight.

[CoachBo]

This is not a complicated game.

Defend every stinking possession. Hit the boards. Move the basketball. Run your sets through.

It ALL happened tonight in one of the best performances by this group over the last three years.

Cleveland won't go quietly, though. Gotta be ready to do the same thing for 48 minutes Thursday night because this thing has to end then.

[slamtheking]

The Cavs are not going to win in six as I predicted. I am actually stunned right now. How long before the national media starts talking about Lebron's elbow again? What a team win. True definition of a team tonight.

I bet you never felt so good to be sooooo  wrong   

[CoachBo]

Once this ballgame slowed down a little bit, the ball movement and execution was simply exquisite tonight - as good as you want to see in this league.

[Andy Jick]

What scares me is half the world is going to be calling out LeBron's effort...  And if he gets p---ed off and decides to prove everyone wrong that still sticks in the back of my mind.

This series is NOT over yet...  Having a guy like Larry on our team (for one) should remind us of such...

[CoachBo]

I'm really not concerned about James, quite frankly.

Tonight is a vivid illustration of how this team can perform when it puts the pieces of the game together. Frankly, if we'd played a halfway decent second half in the first game, this series is over.

Right now.

[Drucci]

They started talking about the elbow in the 2nd half actually, it was both pathetic and funny. Basically in the first half they kept saying "LeBron will get it going in the 2nd half". They they saw he didn't get it going and Fratello said "I don't want to make an excuse out of it but you have to wonder about the elbow..."

Anyway, I enjoy the win and the fact that we will shut up all the doubters for a while but I agree, the series is far from over, we need to win game 6 and focus, being overconfident would be a critical mistake heading into game 6.

[CoachBo]

It would be VERY disappointing to see the focus slip Thursday night after a game as zeroed on as you'd ever want to see tonight.

With a veteran club, I expect a high level of focus Thursday night. Cleveland has the challenge. They looked pretty downtrodden in the second half.

[Rondo_is_better]

This is not a complicated game.

Defend every stinking possession. Hit the boards. Move the basketball. Run your sets through.

It ALL happened tonight in one of the best performances by this group over the last three years.

Cleveland won't go quietly, though. Gotta be ready to do the same thing for 48 minutes Thursday night because this thing has to end then.

you post like a gruff, tough love coach. I enjoy it.

[Edgar]

got to love this games

[CoachBo]

Clearly, my declaration in January that the window was closed was premature.

I'm not saying that this club will win a title.

But it is possible. Clearly, when this group dials up an immaculate performance like this - it'd take a detailed film breakdown to ferret out anything bad. I could do it, but I don't have to. I can enjoy this - the tank is not empty.

It's an effort game. And the effort from the Green has been significantly superior in the past two games. It needs to be again on Thursday.

[slamtheking]

It would be VERY disappointing to see the focus slip Thursday night after a game as zeroed on as you'd ever want to see tonight.

With a veteran club, I expect a high level of focus Thursday night. Cleveland has the challenge. They looked pretty downtrodden in the second half.

agreed.  I'm hoping that if the C's come out with that same focus next game and can get a double-digit halftime lead (ever the optimist) that they just might break Cle's spirit and get them to fold if they can hold serve well into the 3rd quarter.  Of course they've still got to play well to start the game.

[Q_FBE]

I would have to say that I enjoy having our opponents answer all the questions on what happened.

Tonight the Celtics happened. Defense, Rebounding, Turnovers, Energy, Good Matchups, Ray Allen for 3, KG posting on Jameson and scoring time and again, Perkins, Sheed, and Baby breaking down the Diesel. Lebron not playing well. The Crowd lost its energy.  

Hopefully, Thursday night will be as good to us as tonight's game was. But this is truly a crazy series with each team capable of killing the other at anytime and anyplace. Home court has not really mattered all that much. Hopefully the Celtics will forge to the lead and get that Garden Crowd going all night.

Beating the Caveliers would be a major accomplishment but only put us halfway up The Mountain.

[Frezz]

I just hope they keep the Orlando series from last year in the back of their head. Up 3-2 doesn't mean you've won anything.

That being said, I'm shocked the way they played tonight. Not that I'm not confident in my team, but c'mon... second consecutive epic beatdown in Cleveland?

I also love that it didn't take an other worldly performance from anyone. Just everyone playing beautiful team ball. The cavs heads must be spinning.

[CoachBo]

I hope folks appreciate the sheer beauty of tonight's game. You saw great execution at both ends of the floor.

An old mentor of mine talked about the "tingle," that little buzz you get as a coach when it's all fitting together. It all fit together tonight.

Bud Wilkinson once said, "I want to play great defense. If I can do that, I'll find the points to win." Although that's a football coach talking, that's a foundational statement about how championships are won in each and every sport.

The defense you saw tonight was very reminiscent of the defense the champs played in 2008. Give me that every night, and who knows where this thing ends.