Final Score: Celtics 96, Heat 86

Dwyane Wade proved that he is one of the the top 3 or 4 players in the NBA and why he will be wooed like a king this upcoming summer as a free agent. Unfortunately, none of his teammates came to play in this first round series dominated by the consistent Boston Celtics.

Wade's 46 points in Game 4 were barely enough to win the game for his Miami Heat to stave off a sweep. And tonight's tremendous line of 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists were not nearly enough to carry his team to another victory.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Heat easily by ten points on Tuesday night in Game 5 to win the first round series 4 games to 1. Rajon Rondo had a stellar performance as he continues to develop into one of the league's best playmakers, while the "Big 3" all contributed big scoring nights.

Rondo had 16 points, 8 rebounds, 12 assists, and 4 steals with just 2 turnovers in 44 minutes. He picked apart the Miami defense to find either himself or his teammates with open shots in the paint. Ray Allen made 5 three-pointers on his way to a team-high 24 points. Paul Pierce had a very solid game with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, and Kevin Garnett contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds. The Boston 5th starter, center Kendrick Perkins, set a physical tone down low and had 3 blocks to go along with his 8 points and 6 rebounds.

As for Miami, not a single starter joined Dwyane Wade in double figures. Michael Beasley had 2 points to conclude a terribly disappointing series. Mario Chalmers was the only other Heat player in double figures, scoring 20 points off the bench.

Wade single-handedly kept the Heat in the game up until the final few minutes. Miami was within 6 points to start the 4th quarter and got as close as 4 points down on several occasions in the final period. But Dwyane Wade's teammates could not hit enough big shots down the stretch to keep them in the game, while Boston kept finding good opportunities to score in the final minutes.

In this series, the Celtics proved that they are still a dynamic team on both ends of the floor. They are a strong defensive unit, highlighted by Kendrick Perkins' toughness down low, Kevin Garnett's intensity, and Rajon Rondo stealing passes on the perimeter. On the offensive end, Rajon Rondo is an explosive playmaker on the fast break and a tough cover in the half court. Ray Allen has found his shot from three, and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett provide the veteran shotmakers that a team needs down the stretch and during tough possessions.

However, the Miami Heat did not prove to be much of a test for Boston. Besides Wade, there simply was nobody on the team that could score on the offensive end, especially as Michael Beasley become a non-factor. And defensively, the energy and effort was lacking while the shot-blocking presence was non-existent. Boston is going to face an entirely different team in the next round when they match up with the Cavaliers.

Celtics fans must be encouraged by the team's play in round one. Rest is now on the way as the team had to play just 5 games to dispose of the Heat, and Rajon Rondo has emerged as the playmaking star that the team needs to compete with top class opponents. However, a tall task is waiting. The team must do a tremendous job with game-planning and defensive execution to have a shot at taking down the Cavaliers in round 2.

"We just have to come out with a defensive mindset, keep LeBron from getting on fire," Celtics center Kendrick Perkins said. Unfortunately, that's much easier said than done.

The Celtics looked impressive in their first round victory over Miami. Expect Boston to be ready to compete against the Cavs next series, and we'll see what happens from there.