Celtics' Terry: 'We Have A Lot Of Basketball In Us'
BOSTON (CBS) – Jason Terry will be the first person to admit his first season as a member of the Celtics has been frustrating to say the least.
But one thing is certain, Terry’s confidence will never waiver. Even as the Celtics sat in a 3-0 hole to the New York Knicks heading into Sunday’s Game 4, Terry still trusted his shot would fall when his team needed it most.
For one of the first times all season, that was finally the case in overtime on Sunday. After the Celtics let a 20-point, third quarter lead slip away and it looked as though their 2012-13 season would be coming to an unceremonious end, the Jason Terry the Celtics were banking on when they signed him over the off-season finally stepped up.
Terry scored the Celtics final nine points in overtime, leading them to a 97-90 OT win and keeping the series alive. It started with a patented Terry 3 in transition (which have not been falling too often this season) and was capped off with a pad-the-stats layup as time expired -- a little something extra for all the trash Terry had been talking throughout the game. The 14-year vet finished the day with 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and a little more backing on that never-ending confidence.
“I’ve been in the hanger for a while, so I let that out,” Terry -- known simply as JET throughout his NBA career -- said after the victory. “I’ve just been patient. As long as there is time on the clock and another game, there’s an opportunity for me to do something special. That’s the type of player I am; whether I’ve made every shot or missed every shot I have the same focus, the same confidence.”
“JET played well for us. For us to continue to fight, we’re going to need big games from him,” said Kevin Garnett, who had 13 points and 17 rebounds in the win. “I thought he was huge; he was bigger than anyone.”
“I had all the intentions trying to make and impact on the game some way or another; just any little thing to prolong this season,” added Terry. “I’m going to coach AAU, but I don’t want to do that right now. We’ll go up to New York and it’s all about business. It’s Game 7.”
Terry hit just the one three-pointer on Sunday, going 1-for-4 from long range, but that was the shot to break the final tie of the game and give Boston the lead for good. Now it’s on to New York for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
But as Terry said, any game going forward is Game 7 for the Celtics.
“At the end of the day, this is it,” he said. “Every game, every possession is crucial. This was the first time we really came out with fire in our eyes, and I guess that’s because it’s elimination.”
Garnett On Victory, Terry:
“We have a lot of basketball in us,” said Terry. “That’s the first time we’ve hit 90 points in this series. We just feel our offense is coming. You can feel it, but it’s been one quarter holding us back. If we can put together four quarters of great Celtics basketball, ball movement and getting out in transition, then this series is going to be a long one.”
