Title 17 In Sight!

James Posey stole the ball! James Posey stole the ball!

For the first time in 21 years, the most storied franchise in sports is back at the big dance. Thanks to the seamless merging of old and young, Doc Rivers has put together a Championship team from the remnants of what was the worst team in the East last year.

The Cs eliminated the over-rated and aging Pistons in 6 games—winning two on the road in toughest place to win away. With their tough-fought 89-81 win in Game 6, the Celtic set up the Mother Of All Rematches with the purple and gold in La-La Land.

Beat LA.

Celts Regain Home Court In Motor City

It was the challenge of the year. It was a chance to get the 800-pound gorilla off their backs. Finally. A road win. A defensive gem at that, 94-80 over the Pistons.

Six different Cs hit double figures on offense—led by Kevin Garnett with 22. Captain Paul had 11 points, after scoring only 2 in the first half.

While the Pistons made a late run, the obviously injured Chauncy Billups was a non-factor.

So, it's a chance to go up 3-1 on Tuesday night in Auburn Hills.

Back-Benchers Set The Tone In GAME 2

Much of the success enjoyed by the Celtics in their second match-up with the Cavs was due to the guys off the bench. Not only didn't they represent a drop-off from the starting five, they actually revved up the intensity level in a game that may define the ultimate fate of the Championship Seventeen Quest (which we will now call the CSQ).

While The New Big Three (TNBT) combined for their typically self-less 48 points, it was Powe, Posey and Cassell who kept the pedal to the metal and never let LeBron feel comfortable.

Celts "Coast" Into Round Two

Well, it wasn't the cake-walk we all thought it would be, but the C's made a convincing case for their worthiness by eviscerating the lowly Hawks 99-65 at the Garden on Sunday.

The scale of the rout was so epic that it doesn't even merit a player-by-player accounting. This was a team-on-team blow-out, with most of the New Big Three cooling their heels during the garbage-time second half.

Will this little scare spur them on to put the pedal to the metal on the road in Cleveland? I think it just might.