Boston's Take on Victory Over Sixers

The Celtics beat the Sixers by a point last night on Ray Allen's three-point shot in the last second. The focus of the coverage in the Philly press after the game was the failure to cover Allen, arguably the possessor of the purest jump shot in the NBA. Thaddeus Young said he and Sam Dalembert failed to communicate with each other allowing Allen to spot up. And of course there are the neverending subplots surrounding Elton Brand - Is he healthy or isn't he? Does he fit in with the team's style? Is he on the trading block? Etc, etc. Enough material for a TV miniseries. Here are some views from the other side:

Celtic coach Doc Rivers emphasized his team's knack for winning this kind of game - "Good teams find a way to win, and we did that, especially without Kevin (Garnett)".

Frank Dell'Apa of the Boston Globe talked about the absence of Garnett (out with the flu) being "noticeable both for this defensive presence and offensive skills, and also for his inspirational qualities".

The Boston Herald reported that Allen himself experienced flu-like symptoms earlier in the day and was questionable for the game.

As for Allen's open shot at the end, wide body forward Glen Davis took credit for screening Young just enough to prevent Young from contesting Allen's winning jumper.