Memorable Election Evening...

I think Obama likes the Celtics.
On a night that our generation will forever remember as an opportunity for change there was a terrific basketball game in Houston. I must pat myself on the back for the way I structured my evening. The Coach worked late in the office and picked up some dinner in Union Square on the way home. I was expecting quite a scene when I got off the subway at about 6:45pm but it was quietly erie on the south tip of Union Square Park. Was everyone scrambling to vote? Was the park not an option for a potential celebration/rally for Obama? I was a bit thrown off. Either way I grabbed some eats and walked my ten minutes home. Dinner, election coverage and Celtics @ Rockets, just the Tuesday evening I was looking for.

Some things that crossed my mind last night before the 8:30pm tip-off:
A) What audience is WWOR TV Channel 9 catering too with their election coverage?
And who would choose that station last night over CBS, NBC or ABC?

B) Is the lead producer on the NBA TV pregame show attempting to create the worst pregame show in the history of sports? Ahmad Rashad, Chris Webber and Gary Payton is like nothing I have ever seen in a studio. Webber who did quite well on Inside the NBA last season as a guest analyst is not in a position to be at his best with these two along side him. I loved Payton as a player, but on TV he is unwatchable. Rashad froze last night like a scared college freshman reading off of a teleprompter for the first time and Webber still had Al Jefferson on the Celtics in his pregame analysis. Both Webber and Payton both said they don't see the Celtics getting back to the finals as last season was an example of the stars aligning perfectly. Then two minutes later they go into saying this could be an NBA Finals preview!!! Are you guys serious?!?! Make a point, back it up with a strong opinion and or fact and then stick with it, please!!!

C) Right before Tip-Off while I was sipping on some of the best freshly squeezed OJ I have ever had, something wonderful hit me; When this game is over we are going to have a new President, and he will most likely be African American and a Democrat. WOW!!! That is all that kept popping into my head, then the game started.

The Rockets came out smoking in the first few moments, they were more than UP for this game. There was no way the Celtics were going to roll over and let Houston dictate this game, as the champs were coming off of a 16 point loss in Indiana on Saturday. The Green settled in and started to play very smart and very tough team ball. The rock was popping from the inside out as Yao Ming was helping heavily off of Kendrick Perkins all night. Guess what everyone? Kendrick Perkins is no longer someone you can leave completely open. Perk finished at the rim and was fouled, then knocked down a pair of 15 foot jumpers that were silky smooth. On the night Perk had 15 points on 7-8 from the floor and 7 rebounds and 4 blocked shots including one right back into the grill of Yao. Before you knew Yao picked up his third foul and the Celtics had taken a major part of Houston's offense and defense out of the game at once. The Celtics build a 16 point lead in the second, but this is the NBA. The Rockets thanks to some sloppy Boston posessions, and the scrappy play of Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks erased the deficit and at the half it was a 5 point Celtic lead.

The second half was exciting, it felt like a playoff game in Houston. McGrady got it going as he was catching and shooting over Ray and Tony Allen at different points. But come the 4th quarter it was time for RAY. He poured in 11 in the 4th, 29 for the game before fouling out in the final minutes. With Ron Artest (3-16 shooting) so worried about covering Pierce it was Tracy McGrady and at times Brent Barry who could not stay with RAY for many of his points last night. By the time Rick Adelman made the switch it was to late. Even when Artest was on RAY he was getting 3 screens to get open. When Houston hedged or doubled it opened up another Celtic to create the play and on more than one occasion the ball found its way back into RAY's hands anyway. Watching a veteran team play a good defense like that is wonderful to watch. KG finished with 14 and 11, but more importantly nailed the dagger with under a minute to go with a 17 footer from the left baseline. Great to get the first road win of the season against a quality team like the Rockets.

Wednesday night has a full slate of games:
THE CHAMPS are in Oklahoma City tonight to educate the THUNDER.
AI makes his Pistons debut north of the boarder against the Raptors.
Larry Brown returns to NYC as the Bobcats will hopefully drill the Knicks.
The winless Spurs travel north to take on AL JEFF and the T-Wolves.
The KING hosts D Rose and the Baby Bulls and for you night hawks out there
the Clips try their luck again as they "visit" the scorching Lakers.

Enjoy your Wednesday.