Jon Barry: Boston will take care of business tonight

Welcome back Dennis and Callahan we turn the page from baseball and blogs and -- to basketball game six tonight at the Boston Garden. During a summit AT&T hotline AT&T four GL TE ABC and ESPN NBA analyst John Berry joins as good morning John how are you. We'll -- you -- at your side. And I play a lot John I know it was you because they play the middle tees you'll only play from the tips. Absolutely get -- -- -- got to see the entire course a turning to basketball other hawks won game five to live and play another day and I'm wondering John Barry. With Horford unexpected. Domination of that game and the number of minutes he played and the production and he produced. Have you altered your thoughts on the hawks' chances to win tonight and maybe extend this thing to game seven on Saturday. Not I really don't think so I think also take your business here tonight but -- Horford does present another problem in you know where you can exploit that the -- salt which is in the interior and they just don't -- to step it up decides. And don't Horford obviously. Provided she's lived in the last game I was questioned whether you'd bring him back. In game four he obviously. I complained for months didn't really bring much like any huge factory gamespot I've been you know they give it. The performance like that again -- -- other work it out. Do you have any idea any guesses here is how hurt Paul Pierce is to me. It Pierce's find in the celtics' role tonight if he's not in all bets are off tonight and gone forward. Yeah there's got to be something because you've been so inconsistent means in so brilliant at times. And then basically disappear and he takes the potential game winning shot of the day -- draw iron. He he doesn't have the same -- there's clearly something going on you gotta hope -- -- -- is certainly a moving forward in the playoffs. But there's there's got to be some part of this kind of disparity in black. Joseph -- wondering speaking of moving forward in the playoffs just assumed to the next question here the red at the Celtics get past the hawks and and and one in the playoffs. How far in your estimation does a veteran team like this with -- experience or to put it Kevin -- way -- that is nothing but grit and balls off clarkin -- and balls and experience take an -- team like this this time a year against the iron in the NBA. Well -- and get a true the next series is it more than likely be Philadelphia right -- -- -- -- that out tonight Chicago just doesn't have enough without rose and -- so I see them get by you know really took two out of three -- -- against Boston regular season one of those -- just trounced. -- opening -- of forty point lead at one point. I don't put a whole lot of stock in the regular season matchup. I would say they beat Philadelphia in five games. And hopefully for them -- go along with the pacers socially and get some time off and get rest and be ready to go. He died at the rest is kind of a misnomer that people think about like. Well in the playoffs you get a day off in between law. One playoff game as heck of a lot more physical. They're back to back nights in the regular season oak you you know all the it is -- -- -- that -- but it is grueling and certainly in the third round of the playoffs. -- the doesn't have a lot of depth you got to be concerned but. You know they given the Miami -- some some problems scored -- 110 -- 112 on them. They they had to play number it got so you know anytime you get into the -- cup final. And all bets are off. John -- figured out who and what Rajon Rondo is. Is incredible. The way he played well -- in game four was. I mean he. Absolutely dominated game remain a guided you know still struggles to shoot the ball consistently. Dominate ball games. He's an incredible incredible talent. You know -- -- not a great finisher even at that. But he knows how to play the game of basketball and he he's the most important player I know they need pierce scored in the ball game but. This guys set the table for every one he's great defensively. When he doesn't play like even in that game I think get a triple double he didn't -- play very well but who aft quarter and and -- -- just take over the ball game and it's it could be a good defensive play could be sister can be if you shot. He does at all he's an incredible player I I think he played the point guard position. Better than anybody this season -- -- All right that said were you surprised that the guy his teammates and Doc Rivers his coach says may be the smartest guy in the NBA. Literally dribbled himself into a corner in the final ten seconds in that last shot getting and the last game getting no shots for his team. Yeah you know it was a tough play I mean Garnett came -- to set the pick that's where I had a problem with I mean there's no need to do that -- he's already coming -- borders no need to sort of pick and roll there's no way to step players and we will stop them. When he's coming straight that you meeting him at the three point line you know occurred actually just -- flat in that situation we saw the other night in Memphis. They played at the clippers' Mike Connolly came down in the in the stretch situation and they set a pick and roll stop his momentum. And it just brings another defender on the ball you have to. A light is there weren't clear -- a -- that wanna go all the way to the basket you've got to think defense socket in the committees -- this year. -- Jun -- we've spent a lot of time talk and at this time a year with the Celtics team about Harden guts and a written balls and all these intangibles do you guys as players you do the same do you look at guys are look at a team like Atlanta sentinel have balls the -- -- Boston ma -- balls. Is that as big a factor as you know. Speed and lift and shooting and defense or we do we overrated. Absolutely I mean you'd think -- team is mentally fragile that's a huge psychological edge for yourself. You know the San Antonio Spurs to me it in all my years playing were the most mentally tough team. And you have built from the coach Jeremy great Bob which one that's we have a game the -- you know that they're not gonna crap they're gonna run their system and they wait for other teams to crack they're not gonna get out of their -- -- gonna play. There -- style. No one tries to do anything that they're not capable of doing and that's hard to play into -- I mean -- a golf. And -- -- like when you're playing in a match play event in the guy you're playing its fairways and greens every single time it wears on. And and that's what they do they Wear on you because that you know that they're not mentally get a crack at it you know -- team if you can stay -- and they are that they're Democrats that's a huge advantage. Give us your assessment of the mental toughness the grit and balls that the Miami Heat possess and how does that play out this year do you see and then get into the finals get the monkey off their back is LeBron. He's gonna win one eventually isn't he jumped. Here well that that's where I think they lack is is there mental toughness I think they tend to play down to level their competition currently -- -- organs -- I didn't see a local -- heart desire and -- came. They go through the emotions a bit they did not but even last closeout games look better or that game until they made a road war. Yet that that's that's -- the difference between this team is that hunger mean they've lost let your date they are the ones that got on this stage and said they were and -- I -- seven championships. And they -- -- idol I think they're even better team last year I don't know. That there are better right now you can look. From the issues team collapsed -- That being said the east is down a little bit obviously we Chicago. In -- rose going out I think it'll be a tough series with Boston in the Eastern Conference final that will go six games. But I didn't see them get real and you know depending on who it is in the west. I'm not gonna crowned him NBA champion but it's going to be a lot of on Oklahoma City or -- earlier. So you liked your chances. Over the if they meet the Celtics even though Garnett -- -- in bosses head and we now the Celtics now have a guy an answer from weighed in Avery Bradley. If it's all on LeBron if it's all up for LeBron you still like their chances. Yeah what he did last year I mean in the -- in the files but in the first three rounds he was terrific and I just vividly remember -- shot right in front of the celtics' bench. A 3 quarterly o'clock that pretty much put that series that. He he was great. And he's he's not have problems doing in the first three rounds of the playoffs. He's at it again it seems to be little more focused. Of the in the end I I just think you're gonna be too tough for the salt used to be they just don't have the depth. Boston and it's gonna be two to a series. This is CB MVP this year. I think so. I think he's the best player basketball I know -- late. We rate people -- wins and -- rings and all that it to me he's the best all around player we have in the game without doubt without. He is ESPN and ABC's John Barry -- thanks for the time always good talking basketball with yeah I hope where you are -- ratings didn't get all eighteen and not get wet today. Our great Chuck Berry with Dennis and callous element AT&T -- AT&T four GL -- -- -- up Josh Beckett no -- out Lorraine is up our.