The sting of losing Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat has lingered over Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo for the past six months leading into Tuesday's season opener.

The Celtics who came back from a 0-2 start to the series to win three straight and be one game away from closing out the series, couldn't get the job done and the bitter taste of defeat has remained with Rondo some many months later.

"We had a 3-2 lead and I don't think we realized it," Rondo said. "We had a 3-2 lead and all we had to do was win one game out of two. We just couldn't seal the deal."

Rondo added,"They had the last word. They beat us and that's the end of it. I haven't said too much about the back and forth about me personally, but they're the defending champs."

James and company closed out the series in Game 7 with a 101-88 victory, thus spoiling the Celtics hope for a championship title for the second straight year, adding more fuel to the existing rivalry.

This season add the fact that the Heat acquired sharp shooter Ray Allen from the Celtics, the rivalry reached new levels of intensity.

"I played against former teammates before," Rondo said. "I played against (Kendrick Perkins). I played against Eddie House. It's not the first time I've played against a former teammate."

Emotions are expected run high, as Boston starts another run in hopes of capturing what it was able to in the first year of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Allen being there together.

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