Celtics win without Rondo, who will be back for Game 3
The Celtics were forced to go without Rajon Rondo in Tuesday night's Game 2 against the Hawks, and they still came away with an 87-80 victory to even the series at 1-1.
At this point, they are just thankful that Rondo got just a one-game suspension for bumping referee Marc Davis in the last minute of Sunday night's series-opening loss and that he'll be back for Game 3 Friday. The Celts' guard was angry that Brandon Bass had been called for a foul while fighting for a loose ball on the floor.
"Obviously, I was upset about the call and I said some words to Marc," Rondo said. "I deserved the first tech, and as I was walking I thought he stopped. My momentum carried me into him. I even think I tripped on his foot. I didn't intentionally chest-bump him, but that's what it appears to be."
That's what the NBA ruled, giving Rondo an automatic one-game suspension for the contact. The Celts were happy the league didn't think the hit warranted more and that it didn't take into account the fact Rondo has a history (he was suspended two games for throwing a ball at a referee in February).
Said Keyon Dooling, "When I talked to 'Do, I said, 'Well, it could go one of two ways. They can penalize you for this action, or they can hold some of your prior actions against you.'
"And I tip my hat to (commissioner) David Stern. They came down on what actually happened and not what happened in the past."
Coach Doc Rivers was accepting of the penalty, knowing it was bound to shake out this way.
"Yeah, I mean, it is what it is," he said. "If you make contact, they're probably going to suspend you. You know, obviously having one (game) means they thought about zero, as well -- or two; you can go either way. But it's over now and we just move on."
Rivers wasn't sure whether the suspension would be longer.
"I didn't know," he said. "I wasn't going to sit there, honestly, and worry about it. It's out of my hands. Those are the things ... I'd rather watch a movie."
NOTES, QUOTES
-The Celtics were again without Ray Allen on Tuesday as his right ankle was still causing him too much discomfort to go. He had worked out and felt good on Monday, but by the next day the pain had returned.
Coach Doc Rivers said before Game 2 that he is not sure what to expect from Allen, who had another cortisone shot a week ago.
"These are strange situations and strange times," Allen said. "Playoff basketball is a few notches above what we do in the regular season, so it's a matter of me just getting my legs underneath me and running when I can. But that's a difficult thing, just trying to run.
"I feel if I'm out of shape when I get out there, I'll just have to deal with that."
-Someone else is taking shots at Kevin Garnett. Hawk backup forward Ivan Johnson joined the chorus before Game 2.
"Garnett, he's a dirty player," Johnson said. "He gives me a lot of elbows, and I can handle that. I was prepared for that. I already knew how KG was going to come at me. They're a whole bunch of mess-talkers."
Rivers has heard it before.
"Let them talk," he said. "It's par for the course. We'll let them do the talking. We'll do the playing."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Literally the only way we were going to win the game -- I mean, that was the ONLY way we were going to win the game -- is if Paul played like that. He knew that. So did they, yet he still did it. It just tells you how special he is." -- Doc Rivers after Paul Pierce went for 36 points and 14 rebounds in the win over the Hawks on Tuesday.