Boston Celtics again defeated Orlando Magic with 94-71 blow out on the 3rd game of their Eastern Conference Finals battle. Rajon Rondo fired the 1st half of the game with 11 points, 12 assists and 4 steals that lead the whole Celtics team to pick up game three of the series. Out of the bench, Glenn Davis contributed 17 and the Big Three were all in double digits.But above all, the reason the Celtics are now four quarters away from returning to the NBA Finals is simple: they fought harder.
With 8:37 to play in the second quarter, with the Celtics already out to a 17-
point lead, J.J. Redick threw an errant pass to Mickael Pietrus that was deflected far into the backcourt. Chasing was Jason Williams, who loped after the ball, either unaware of or undeterred by Rajon Rondo's pursuit. Williams bent down to pick up the ball, Rondo dove. The ball went to the effort, and Rondo made the legal play of standing with the ball before dribbling in for a layup.
It was a play that NBA players just don't typically make, and it sunk the Magic, who were never closer than 15 the rest of the way.
It was also the sort of play Rondo has been making throughout the playoffs.
"I told him, that was probably the play of the playoffs to me," Kevin Garnett said. "Pure hustle, pure basketball, pure "I want it more than you".
Beyond Rondo, who very well might be the player of the 2010 postseason, the thrashing was just another example of the Celtics putting their opponents on their heels from the word "Go", and those opponents never, ever, looking like themselves.
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