Larry Ness
LEGEND Play (2nd of playoffs/won 1st) $40.00
Larry's on a 21-7-1 NBA run since April 29. He's also 6-2 with his GOY plays over the entire playoffs plus won his only previous LEGEND play this postseason (SA ov NO in Game 7!). Larry's LEGEND Plays were previously available to only his personal clients but they are now available on the net. "Don't sit this one out!
Boston Celtics
My LEGEND Play is on the Bos Celtics at 8:35 ET. The Celtics have played more games this postseason than any other team, needing seven games in each of their first two series and are now tied 2-2 in their conference final series with the Pistons. Are they headed for another seventh game? Well, it's going six for sure! I've seen some argue that the Celtics are a tired team and one could make a case Boston sure looked like one in Game 4. However, I think it was more of a "let down situation" after them "breaking through" with their first road win of the playoffs in Game 3 (all five starters scored in double digits in that 94-80 win) and the Pistons (as they seemingly always do) playing extremely well off a loss. The dynamics of this game are different and I see the Celtics coming up big. While Garnett did not play well in Game 4, he's been terrific all postseason. Pierce (3-of-14) shot horribly, as did both Allen and Rondo (each went 2-of-8) in that Game 4. Allen has struggled for the last two rounds now, so I won't predict much of anything from him but I do expect Garnett, Pierce and Rondo (who has generally outplayed Billups in this series) to all play well. As for Detroit, let's start with Billups. The groin injury is obviously bothering him greatly, as other than in Game 2 (5-of-10 for 19 points), he's totaled just 25 points in the other three games of this series, making only 7-of-25 shots (29.2 percent). No one can honestly expect McDyess to come anywhere near his 21 point, 16 rebound performance in Game 4 (his postseason averages are 9.4-7.7) and the same goes Maxiell off the bench. He had a "breakout season" in his third year (7.9-5.3 on 53.8 percent) but had totaled just three points (1-of-8 FGs) and 10 rebounds in his five previous playoff games before getting seven points in Game 3 and 14 points in Game 4, making 9-of-11 shots in the two contests, combined. As badly as Boston played in Game 3 (31.8 percent, including 1-of-9 on three-pointers), the Celtics only trailed by seven points heading in the fourth quarter of that game. Boston has risen to the challenge in every "pivotal game" of this postseason. The Celtics have won two straight Game 5s against Atlanta and Cleveland with the series tied at two-all, plus back-to-back seventh games against those same opponents as well. In this series, after losing Game 2 at home (first home defeat in 10 games this postseason), Boston won its first and only road game of this year's playoffs 94-80, gaining back the homecourt edge. There is no time to be tired and I don't consider fatigue to play any role in this game. Let's also remember that the Pistons had averaged just 87.2 PPG through their first six road playoff games, before 'exploding' for 103 points in Game 2. Boston owned the league's best defensive FG percentage this year during the regular season (41.7 percent), as well as its best three-point percentage. Let me add that the Pistons made just 3-of-22 three -pointers (13.6 percent) the last two games (both in Detroit!) and I think it's fair to say that the Boston 'D' had something to do with that. LEGEND Play on the Boston Celtics.