Gabe Pruitt didn’t care it was a preseason game. A game winning-shot is a game-winning shot. And that’s what the second-year guard delivered when he banked home a jumper from the four line to give the Celtics a 90-89 win.
“I had to throw it up there and it worked out,” he said. “Coach told me he was putting it in my hands. Even though it’s early, I wanted to show that I was confident.”
Pruitt knows how important plays like this are for him.
“A guy like me can’t afford to coast and take it easy,” he said. “I have to use this opportunity to come and really perform.
The technical fouls kept flying in the second half. Paul Pierce was hit with a T after exchanging words with Ron Artest, and Bill Walker got a technical after pushing with Yao Ming.
But Celts coach Doc Rivers wasn’t upset with his team.
“I liked it today because there was so much (chippiness) and it was a great lesson for us,” said Doc. “They’re going to get attacked and people are going to talk trash. You have to play through it all, no matter what happens.”
A few more observations by DWill before leaving Manchester:
Artest was a target for the fans all night. He was loudly booed during the player introductions, and taunted throughout the game. Apparently moving to the Rockets has not given him a fresh start with the fans.
The Rockets have one of the best player names in the NBA on their roster, Von Wafer. It sounds like the mascot for a breakfast cereal or a cookie.
Think Craig Sager’s jackets are bad? Houston star Shane Battier, who is injured, wore an orange/red jacket that had the Rockets’ logo on the pocket during the game. Team pride gone very bad.
Darius Miles saw his first action of the game with 8:56 left in the game and finished strong with two blocks and four rebounds in 9:08. Paul Pierce led the C’s with 15 points and Big Baby Davis had 12.
