Celts Must Seek Retribution Tonight Against Dwayne Wade

Monday, May 09, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

The Boston Celtics sent the Miami Heat a message on Saturday that they weren’t going down without a fight. Tonight at the TD Garden, Boston needs to send a message to Heat guard Dwayne Wade that his over-the-top rough play will no longer be tolerated.

Wade struggled against the Celtics in their four regular season match-ups but has been a dominant force in the 3 games of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Semifinals thus far. Wade is averaging 30 points per game against Boston in the series and he’s also getting away with some questionable rough play. In fact, Wade has single-handedly taken two of Boston’s best players out of the game in this series alone.

In game 1, Paul Pierce set two textbook screens on Wade trying to free up teammate Ray Allen. On the second screen, a frustrated Wade lowered his shoulder intentionally into Pierce’s chest getting Pierce wrongfully ejected from the game.

Then, Saturday night in game 3, Wade pulled Rajon Rondo down to the floor after having his pocket picked by the Celtics’ point guard. Rondo tried to brace his fall with his left arm and dislocated his elbow in the process. He did return to the game but was clearly favoring his left arm. An MRI on the elbow Sunday confirmed the dislocated elbow but Doc Rivers said that he believes that Rondo will play tonight in game 4.

Wade, for his part, doesn’t feel like he’s done anything wrong in this series but he was jawing with the Celtics bench after Rondo was hurt in game 3. It’s time that someone in green take a stand and make Wade pay the price for his style of play.

Kevin Garnett was among those infuriated with Wade Saturday night but Rivers calmed him and his teammates down from seeking retribution. Depending upon how tonight’s game goes, now may be as good a time as any to make Wade pay.

If the Celtics are smart, it won’t be one of the “Big 3” to take a shot at Wade but rather someone more dispensable. Big Baby? Maybe. But someone needs to give Wade a forearm shiver for two reasons. First, for his past indiscretions in this series against Pierce and Rondo and second to prevent him from going strong to the hoop with such confidence as he has done all series.

Rivers Celtics need to do this the right way. They must, to a man, never let anyone know that it was their intent to take a shot at Wade and the must do their best to not make it look obvious. But, make no mistake about it, this needs to be done. For if it is not, Miami will not only take the series from Boston, they will also take part of their manhood as well.

Wade, for his part, claims that he has done nothing wrong in this series and has “moved on” from the Rondo incident in game 3.

A word to the wise Mr. Wade, you had better play tonight’s game 4 with your head on a swivel.