[cured]

The Celtics didn't play that great of a game, though. Perkins kept them in it in the first half, along with Detroit lulling themselves to sleep on offense. It was the third quarter that really showed the Celtics at full strength. But then again, up 17, how do you let a team that is so far out of the game they aren't even in the same zip code come all the way back and have a chance to win at the end of the game? Simple reason: they lost focus, got a little tired (they kept the same guys in), and made some mental mistakes.

The clutch moments are important and Ray Allen isn't that guy anymore. If you can stay in front of him, his ability to get to the basket isn't anywhere near what Pierce's is. He becomes very one-dimensional in that sense.

Nobody will get swept in the finals but, judging the playoffs, the Celtics haven't shown the killer instinct that would make them the runaway favorite to win the finals. They got taken to 7 by the freakin' Atlanta Hawks. C'mon, man. They got taken to 7 by the Cavs, which is barely, barely more forgivable. They're probably going 7 against the Pistons and there is no guarantee they'll emerge from that with how they've played in the 4th quarter or the last two games.