The Sound of the Suburbs

Like everyone else watching Friday night, including one of the greatest players in hoop history, Earvin Johnson, I thought Kevin Garnett's early second foul in Q1 was dumb. Not once but twice Garnett slapped Dwight Howard's arm like he was trying out for UFC.

What a moron, I thought. What a moron, Magic and Jon Barry echoed at halftime on ESPN. What morons, it turned out, we all were.

Yes, it was Nate Robinson who came off the bench when Rajon Rando went down due to yet another of Howard's flagrant fouls (I still say he should have been ejected and suspended for his near-concussion-causing smackdown of Paul Pierce in Game 2, a clear blow to the head that typifies this dumb kid's game) to light up the TD Garden and prove Doc Rivers a prophet with his prediction that Little Big Man -- on the day of Gary Coleman's death -- would win Boston a playoff game.

And indeed he did, knocking down shots, making great passes and hustle plays in Q2 to provide the spark the aging Celtics needed, and giving them six full days of rest before facing either LA or Los Suns.

But IMHO it was Garnett who set the tone early after the war that was Game 5. He came out angry,

and in immediate retrospect it was his double slap on Howard in a game that was called close from the get-go that made the difference.

Because he sent a message to Orlando early that you are not going to have a beatdown free-for-all as the Magic had in Game 5. He acted angrily in getting his second foul, and Celtic fans' stomachs turned as a result, but in the final analysis it was the pivotal moment in the series.

After that Rondo was decked by Howard but Boston stood its ground, Robinson stepped up and the rest is history.

Danny Ainge must now be acknowledged as a great GM not only for his trade for Garnett and his draft day deal for Ray Allen, but now his Eddie House-for-Robinson deal could mean another banner hanging from the Boston rafters.

Because Eddie House would not have done what Robinson did in Game 6. And now Rivers must include Nate in the rotation, and look out Jordan Farmar, Goran Dragic or whomever it is when the smoke clears in the WCF.

Robinson, long accused of being a ballhog during his Knick days, stepped up after a long silence and could now emerge as the X factor in The Finals since, as we all know, LA's bench is weak, especially in the backcourt.

I am sure I ain't the only guy to recall Nate's regular-season visit to LA last year when he went wild against the Lakers with a monster perf that came up short at the buzzer but will give him confidence if and when he takes the court at Staples.

This Celtic team reminds me of the 1969 group that snuck into the playoffs and, thanks to Don Nelson's what-goes-up-must-come-down shot in Game 7, keeping Jack Kent Cooke's balloons in the balcony in one of the greatest games in the storied LA-Boston rivalry.

Being a fan of neither but a Laker (i.e. Kobe) hater at heart, I can only root for Boston at this point. And I think they will win it all but predictions are a fool's game.

And props to Glen Davis for showing up Friday night after suffering a major head blow at (again) the hands, er, elbows, of "Superman." For such an NBA-manufactured image, Howard is a hack. Wilt, Hakeem and Kareem never hurt anyone with out-of-control play, which was Howard's trademark in this series. Go home and look at the film, Dwight. And while you're at it, grow up.

Meanwhile, Vince Carter showed he was no Hedo Turkoglu, from missing two free throws at crunch time to his average performance the rest of the series. Give me tattooed love boy Matt Barnes any day of the week.

Now Boston rests while LA and Los Illegals sweat it out.

Boston in six over either.