SB Nation - Ray Allen

Celtics respond to tough loss with win over Wolves

Jimmy Toscano — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:22:00 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

Tony Allen helped the Celtics take care of Al Jefferson and the Wolves Sunday night.

The Boston Celtics responded to an embarrassing home loss against the Philadelphia 76ers exactly how they should have- with a convincing win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Celtics took a 15 point first quarter lead and turned it into a 25 point halftime lead. Although the Timberwolves made a rally in the fourth quarter, bringing the deficit to 12 points, the Celtics pulled away once again, scoring a season high 122 points in the 122-104 win.

Paul Pierce led all scorers with 29 points on 8/14 shooting including 6/6 from three point territory- tying Danny Ainge and Walter McCarty for the most three pointers in one game. He also added seven rebounds and four assists.

"We talked yesterday and I just told him he needs to get back to playing with his instincts," coach Doc Rivers said of his discussion with Pierce. "I thought he was trying to get everybody involved which you want him to do too but I think our three really instinctive players are Kevin [Garnett], [Rajon] Rondo, and Paul [Pierce] and I think all three of them, they have the curse of a high basketball IQ. And at times I think they start wanting to ‘think' the game, and try to get this guy off; instead of just playing. Their instincts will take over and their IQ will play into it

Rajon Rondo recorded a double-double once again with 13 points and 15 assists. Ray Allen, playing with a hyper-extended ring finger, ended up with 20 points.

The play of the night and maybe season, however, goes to Eddie House and Tony Allen. Early in the second quarter House tipped the ball away from Ramon Session, sending the ball towards the sidelines. House got to the ball just as it was to fall out of bounds and threw a behind the back pass to the streaking Allen. Allen caught the ball cleanly on his way to the hoop and threw down a thunderous slam over Corey Brewer for the points and the foul, sending the crowd and Allen's teammates to their feet.

"Well, first I didn't think (House) was athletic enough to get to the ball," said Rivers. "So the fact that he got to the ball, I was shocked. And then he made a play once he got to the ball- it was pretty spectacular. It was great. I was happy because it was a great defensive play."

Allen finished the night with 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists, but more importantly zero turnovers. The Celtics needed Allen to fill the void left by Marquis Daniels who is out roughly until the All-Star break, and so far since coming back from his injury he has done just that.

"He's been huge man," Pierce said of Allen, "just his energy and what he's been able to bring especially with Marquis [Daniels] out because he's a guy who can come in and slash, score, and also what he's best known for is his defense. He comes in right away and he gets a steal and a fast break layup to start the game off when he gets in the game.

Kendrick Perkins was matched up with his old friend Al Jefferson tonight. Perkins finished the night with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Jefferson recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds.

"Perk [Kendrick Perkins] is getting better and better every game," said the Timberwolves' Al Jefferson. "If he keeps playing the way he's playing, he's going to get a big contract. He's a great defensive player, always has been... Plus his offensive game is getting better."

If the opponent can see the improvements Perkins has made, you can bet his teammates notice them on a daily basis. Perkins has really come into his own and embraced his role on this team. He has worked on his low-post moves and takes way more high-percentage shots than he has in previous seasons.

"He's improved," Kevin Garnett said of Perkins. "The one thing Doc expressed here is knowing your role, he tried to go out and do that every day, every night, even in practice. But the thing that stands out about him, because I get to see him every day, is that he works on his game every single day and that's what you want from a young guy."

"I know I had a tough matchup," Perkins said of his bout with Jefferson. "I just try to make things hard on him. You're not going to stop Al [Jefferson], you just try to make things tough on him. He will still hit you with some things you won't expect."

Rajon Rondo's Assists Demand Our Attention

Greg Payne — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:58:21 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

"Assist!" (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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Remember a few years ago when the Celtics' offense consisted primarily of some sort of isolation play for Paul Pierce? While those were some of the darker days of the decade in terms of wins and losses, one of the only things that kept us coming back night in and night out was the idea of Pierce possibly going off for 40 during any given game. I'm sure you were all like me in the sense that when Pierce would eclipse the 15 or 16-point mark by halftime or the 20-point mark by the end of the third quarter, you would automatically remember his point total throughout the rest of the game.

If Pierce had 20 entering the final period and hit a jump shot to start off the fourth frame, you'd think to yourself, "That's 22!" Two minutes later when he buried a three you would say in your head (or maybe out loud like me), "25!" And that trend would continue on for the rest of the game, no matter the outcome.

The notion of a players' personal stats resonating strongly with us isn't exactly anything new, but over the last decade, we as Celtic fans have been used to that captivating stat being either points or rebounds. When Pierce or Antoine Walker got hot early on, their point totals were automatically embedded in our minds. The same can also be said for Kendrick Perkins, Al Jefferson and even (gulp) Mark Blount when they put together a colossal rebounding night (or in Blount's case, that ONE colossal rebounding night). I think in a way, with the majority of this decade's teams not achieving a whole bunch, stats were an outlet for us. If the Celtics lost but Pierce scored 40 or Perk grabbed 20 boards, we could at least brag about that.

But now, ever since Rajon Rondo helped guide the Celtics to the championship two seasons ago, we've been able to add assists to the list of personal statistics that captivate us night in and night out.

I first noticed myself acknowledging Rondo's assists last season. His 8.2 assists per game mark was a steady sign that he was becoming one of the league's best distributors, especially considering he had averaged a more pedestrian 5.1 assists during the championship season. That increase in assists made him a legitimate threat to reach double figures in dimes every game and it soon became apparent that his assists were much more valuable to the Celtics than his points.

On any given night this season and last season whenever Rondo would find a wide open teammate I wouldn't be thinking about the receiver of the pass scoring the ball. If Ray Allen was lining up for a three-pointer off of a Rondo feed, I wouldn't be thinking, "Ray for three!" Rather, I'd be thinking. "Assist!" Even before the receiver shot the ball, I'd proclaim, "Assist!" because I knew there was a chance for one. It wasn't about the scoring. It was about the passing. It wasn't about the points. It was all about the assists.

So why the steady love for Rondo's passing game? Why have his assists moved up the ranks onto the level of the stats that captivate us? In my mind there are three main reasons:

1) No one else has done it this entire decade: Seriously, Rondo's 8.2 assists per game last year as well as his 9.5 mark this year shatter every other point guard's assist per game mark that played for the Celtics this decade. The closest a player has come to Rondo's mark was Gary Payton back in 2004-2005 when he dished out 6.1 assists per game. Before Payton there was Chucky Atkins in 2003-2004 (5.3 assists per game) and Kenny Anderson during the 2001-2002 campaign (5.3 assists). Before Rondo we never really had any reason to get excited about assists because they were pretty tough to come by. Other names that didn't quite cut it at the point guard spot for the Celtics this decade: Marcus Banks, J.R. Bremer, Orien Greene, Mike James, Dan Dickau, Shammond Williams and Sebastian Telfair.

I apologize for bringing up so many painful memories. If you need a moment I understand...

...Okay, let's continue.

2) Rondo could lead the league in assists: Once Rondo's assists numbers hovered around the eight or nine per game mark, he automatically entered the discussion for the top spot in the league. That fact certainly got our attention. It wasn't long before we were longing for Rondo to rack up the assist numbers, just so he would remain in contention with guys like Chris Paul, Steve Nash and Derron Williams. In a way it sort of became a personal competition. We loved our guy and wanted him to receive the recognition that would automatically come his way by leading the league in assists. So, whenever Rondo neared double digits in dimes with a hefty amount of time to play, the mental calculator switched on and I'd be yelling "Assist!" every time I got a whiff of one. Why? Because an 8+ assist game kept him in the conversation for tops in the NBA.

Last season Rondo finished sixth in the NBA in assists per game with his 8.2 average and this season he's currently sitting fourth in the league with 9.5 per game.

3) Rondo's passes are just so cool: Sure, every once in a while one of Rondo's assists will be a simple pass to Ray Allen curling off of a screen. But the majority of Rondo's dimes are highlight worthy. So often, he can be found knifing through the defense in the lane, only to launch himself into the air, wrap his left hand around the frame of a seven-foot tall center, and dish the ball to a cutting Kendrick Perkins for an easy lay up. Or there are the crisp, practically un-stealable (did I make that word up?) bounce passes that shoot through a string of bodies in the paint and magically find a guy like Perk or Kevin Garnett or Glen Davis in perfect position.

Or, there are the behind-the-back passes, the over-the-head passes, the no-look passes, the full court chest and bounce passes and the near perfect alley-oop tosses to Garnett and Perkins. How about last night against Philadelphia, when Rondo intercepted a Philly pass off balance with 4:45 left in the second quarter, was about to fall on his face, but still managed to shoot the ball sideways over his head, like Tommy Heinsohn shooting a hook shot, to Tony Allen who was sprinting up the court ahead of the defense? The pass found TA perfectly. TA didn't have to slow down, speed up or float right or left to chase after it. It came right to him and I'm 97 percent sure Rondo was looking straight down at the floor he was about to collide with when he threw the ball ahead to Tony.

One last thought: Rondo might very well be the best right-handed, left-handed passer in the league today.

I know Rondo's passes will continue to captivate me as the season rolls along and as he continues to develop as an overall player. Very few players can control a game with assists the way Rondo can. Sometimes scoring in the NBA garners too much of a spotlight. It's truly impressive when a player can dictate a game without actually putting the ball in the bucket. And if you weren't shouting "Assist!" to yourself (or out loud) when Rondo passed before you read this article, I'm tempted to say you'll develop the habit now that you have.

Look What I Found!

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMichaelBourn — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:37:57 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

Hold it like an egg.

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Sixers beat Celtics 98-97

I know, right? Consider that we hadn't beaten a winning team all season, Boston was tied for the best record in the league, and riding an 11 game winning streak, my "we won't win" prediction before the game seemed like a safe bet. But how about a little reverse psychology?

AI was a scratch with some left knee pain, so we got a healthy dose of Jrue, which is what I wanted. Unfortunately we also got an unhealthy dose of Willie Green. A 45 minute cot damn dose! Much too much.

By now you know the last few plays but I'll relay them anyway. With 23 seconds left down 1, Mo Speights was the go to guy and, guarded by Kendrick Perkins, he took an off-balance up and under from about 10 feet out in an attempt to draw the foul. The whistles were silent and his shot clanged off the rim. Elton Brand (more on him later) had perfect (and I mean perfect!) position on Paul Pierce down low after a switch and was able to go up for the tip in with 7 seconds left to put your 76ers ahead by a point. Pierce got the ball defended by 'Dre, who slipped a bit on Pierce's step back jumper that clanged off the back rim. Ray Allen got the floor board with 2 seconds left, turned around and fired up a makeable shot, but another Ray-Ray dagger was not to be.

Now let's get to some bullet point observations, since you idiots love simplicity (just kiddinggggggg)

Elton Brand was a stud tonight. He worked, flashed a nice jumper from up to 14 feet out, and got his meat-and-potatoes-four-pump-fakes-in-the-lane-put-backs, trademarked to EB himself. 23 and 8 off the bench in only 26 minutes is as quality as it gets. While he should without a doubt be a starter, if Jordan pulls Dalembert after 3 minutes, it's not that much of a difference.
Before I say anything more about Mo, I have to continue to hammer home the point that it was completely unnecessary to bring him back this early. What's the benefit? We win one game against a good basketball team and continue towards perennial mediocrity? Wait until he is completely healthy, then play the kid. ANYWAY, he played aggressively tonight and that's good to see. His rebounding has absolutely improved, and while his defense is still a step or two behind, I'm optimistic about it coming around. He had a couple ill-advised shots early in the clock and needs to work on his ball-handling (two strong dribbles max, plz), I appreciate taking the ball to the basket and it was super cool watching him get the ball at the end of the game, even if he didn't sink it.
I can't emphasize enough how Rasheed Wallace's ejection affected this game. He kills us, and adds another dimension to this Celtics team that makes them virtually unbeatable, even if it's just as a decoy. His early exit gave us an opening that we took advantage of during crunch time.
We won the third quarter! yayayayayayayaya
Hey, they only shot 5-15 from beyond the arc! There were too many open looks though, don't expect this to continue. On a related note, every time Ray Allen takes a shot, I look away and wait for the swish. I'm pretty sure I've never seen him miss (hyperbole).
In this game, the best lineup Jordan put on the floor was Jrue-Willie-Iguodala-Thad-Brand
Jason Kapono is atrocious at basketball.
How many loose balls a game does Sam lose with his rock hands and awful reaction time?
Willie couldn't keep up with Allen, but offensively he wasn't horrendous.
Jrue with another game filled with positives and rookie mistakes. He had a couple really nice passes inside to Brand and Thad. The mistakes are to be expected. I just love that he's getting playing time against some legitimate competition. He's earned minutes when Lou and AI are healthy. Whether he gets them or not remains to be seen.
Clutch free throws from Speights and Iguodala at the end
Speaking of Dre, he played his game. Didn't force too much when his shot wasn't falling, battled on defense, got ballsy at the end when he had to step up, and celebrated with some angry man faces. When other guys step up offensively, Andre can focus on setting up other guys and working on D, making us a better team.
Big ups to JSams who popped his NBA cherry at TD Garden tonight. A long time coming, my friend. Good first game, I'd lower my expectations for the rest of your game-watching life.

This was a fun game and a great comeback win for a group of guys that lost too many of these close ones in the past few weeks. It's not a season changer, it's not a turning point, and it's certainly not an indication that we're in any way better than the Boston Celtics. I like seeing improvement from the young guys, and cohesiveness of Elton Brand's involvement in the offense (what the offense is I'm not sure). Anything else is gravy. We've always known this team has plenty of talent in various areas, but the fact remains that until we get some consistency with the coaching philosophy and rotations, we won't be playing as a team, especially on the defensive end.

Get some rest kids, we're doing this again tomorrow vs. the Clip Joint at 7. Another winning streak? Pshyah!

Player of the Game (POG) - Elton Brand

Appreciating This Season's Celtics

Greg Payne — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:18:33 -0000

More photos » by Mary Schwalm - AP

Appreciate this run while it lasts.

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I recently celebrated my 20th birthday, and to me, 20 is sort of a weird age. In my mind it's a transition year - I'm no longer a teenager and I need to begin to put into motion all of the things I said I wanted to do when I was younger. It's also beginning to dawn on me that things are changing, even though I don't necessarily want them to. I'm getting older, the members of my favorite band are getting older and this current group of Celtics is getting older.

Twenty years is a long time and I have now been a diehard Celtics fan for the majority of those 20 years. But you know what really hit me the other day? In the 20 years I've been alive, the Celtics have won ONE championship. Just one. This wasn't some great mystery to me before, but when I really stopped and thought about it, the realness of it floored me.

The 2009-2010 team, after a sluggish start, now sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 20-4 record and is riding an 11-game win streak. This group is steadily reprising its role as one of the league's most dominant teams and given the win streak and the high caliber performances we're seeing out of almost every player on this roster of late, we're drifting towards that point where we stop appreciating what we're seeing and just begin to expect it.

As fans, having the highest expectations for our team is never a bad thing. Usually that means our team will contend for a championship at the end of the season. What we cannot forget though, is that the brilliance that comes with a championship team is not guaranteed with each and every season. Which is why we must not watch the rest of this campaign thinking this is what every season will hold, because NBA reality is bound to set in eventually. The Celtics will not be in contention for a championship every single season, which is why we must appreciate this group and the stellar year they are having so far.

If last year taught us anything, it's that a championship is never guaranteed. Last year was almost a humbling experience because it showed us that in the course of a single play of a single 48-minute game, the hopes of an entire team and its fan base can be erased faster than Rajon Rondo can sprint baseline to baseline. We had witnessed one of the best starts in league history, a 19-game win streak, and, despite not even playing great basketball, we were arguably back on the road to another title. And when Kevin Garnett limped off the floor in Utah and when the final buzzer sounded on us in Game 7 against Orlando last spring, didn't that make us all wish we had appreciated the 2008 championship season just a little bit more?

These 82-game seasons, as long as they are, actually fly by in all reality. We're already 24 games into this current season, but does it really feel like it? Think back to that 2008 season. More importantly, think back to how much you don't actually remember. Sure, certain moments stick out like Ray Allen's buzzer beater over Charlotte and the Game 4 comeback in the Finals, but what about all of the other moments that helped define those 66 wins? What about Garnett eating his jersey after burying two huge buckets against the Houston Rockets on January second? Or KG suffering his abdominal strain three weeks later against the Timberwolves, but returning to the game, poking the ball away from Sebastian Telfair and diving on the ball to save the game?

As that season went on, the notion of a championship became more and more realistic and we quickly adjusted to the fact that that squad was really, really good. It was almost as if the 22 years prior to that had never happened. But when we locked ourselves into that mindset that told us a championship was possible, we began to expect certain things, and when they happened, we took them as they came, rather than appreciating them for all they were worth. Even simple things like a Pierce step back jump shot, or an Allen three-pointer in transition were taken for granted because they happened so routinely. But the uniqueness of these players makes every play they make that much more memorable, and we need to recognize that.

I honestly believe we didn't appreciate this group of guys last season. We were suffering through a post-championship hangover and we just sort of expected another title would come our way. We got complacent and didn't seem to realize that we were in fact witnessing another great team before Garnett went down.

But that's another added bonus of the season we're watching right now. We've almost been given a second chance - a wake up call, if you will - to fully soak up all of what these guys display night in and night out. And we have to make sure we appreciate all of it, because realistically, this "window" is only open for so long. It's unfortunate to say, but we can't deny reality. But this season is full of hope and promise. Garnett is healthy, Rondo and Perk are borderline All-Stars, Allen isn't showing signs of fading out and Pierce is just doing everything.

But don't just watch these games with an expectant mind. If Pierce buries a tough fade away, enjoy it. Celebrate it. Tell all your friends. We probably should have hyped up Allen's three-point dagger against Memphis more than we actually did. Why didn't we? Because we expected it. But ten years down the road when we lose a close game to whoever, someone will remark, "Remember when Ray Allen used to bury opponents in the final seconds of games?"

We seem to naturally appreciate things only once we no longer have them. It's sort of like that, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone" mantra and it's so true. But we can change that throughout the remainder of this season. Whatever happens at the end of this season, we don't have to enjoy it the most two or three years down the road when we're reflecting. We can enjoy it now, as it's happening in front of us.

Don't just accept a Rondo-Garnett alley oop. Don't just shrug off a Pierce drive down the lane for a lay up and a foul. Don't just nod your head when Allen buries a three at any point in the game. Appreciate it. Appreciate all of it. Because it's happening right now and it's not going to happen forever. Time has a scary way of creeping up on us, and before we know it, we'll all be looking back on this season and discussing how much fun it actually was. But as long as we have it here with us now, let's enjoy it and appreciate it for all that it is truly worth.

Comfort In Familiarity

Jeff Clark — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:02:42 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

Care for a lozenge Doc?

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Being a fan can be a stressful thing sometimes. You invest so much emotion into something that you have next to no control over aside from screaming your lungs off and plunking down your hard earned cash. Sports are so unpredictable that any given day any team can lose to the worst team in the league. So it is always nice to have some stable, reliable things that you can count on. They can be small things that don't even change the outcome of the game, but you can lean on them for emotional support because they are so familiar.

Here are some of the things that you'll see while watching any given Celtics game that make me smile.

Kevin Garnett's pre-tip ritual of head butting the basket support and pointing at the officials and who knows what else.
Rondo's fake behind the back pass that always seems to fool people if only for a split second which is all he needs to get by them.
Rasheed barking something at an official after a call that the instant replay showed was actually a perfectly legit call.
Doc's strained voice. Even when he's completely calm and rested he sounds like he's lost his voice from screaming too much. When he spends all night yelling at the players and refs, he sounds downright screechy.
Garnett making eye contact with Rondo, bolting to the rim, and flushing an alley oop on a defender who has that "they got me" look on his face.
Perkins' scowl.
Ray Allen coming off of 2 or 3 screens to catch, aim, release, follow-through, and splash (nothing but net). Poetry.
Ball movement. Unselfish passing. Screens. Pick and rolls. Very little one-on-one.
Paul Pierce pinballing through the lane and throwing his hands up to make sure that the ref sees that he just got mugged. Sure enough, he gets the call just about every time.
KG snatching a dead ball shot out of the air before it hits the rim.
Rondo "walking the dog" on the inbound pass, even when he doesn't necessarily need the extra seconds.
Tommy incredulous about a call that really could have gone either way.
A Scalabrinie sighting. Even if he isn't playing, you notice him on the bench because he sticks out in a "one of these things is not like the other" sort of way.
Update: (by popular demand) the Eddie House "is that such a good idea for a shot? ...ok, it went in, great shot Eddie!" shot.
And of course, much more often than not, a win. It isn't always pretty, but they find a way most of the time.

And that is what makes the losses stick out that much more. They are unfamiliar and unexpected. When the team doesn't come through in the clutch, when they don't make the extra pass, when they don't hit critical free throws, it stands out.

Which suits me just fine. Drama is easier to write about, but I'll take a comfortable, predictable win any day of the week.

The Truth: Boston Celtics Edge Out Grizzlies, 110-105

djturtleface — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:56:13 -0000

More photos » by Mark Weber - AP

Marc Gasol channeling his inner Darko. (AP Photo/ Mark Weber)

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The Grizzlies may have lost two of their last three games, but they're still moving up my power rankings.

And while they might not be rising quite as fast as a couple weeks ago, the Memphis Grizzlies are showing a hell of a lot more resilience than anyone expected from this team. This recent run has seen the Grizzlies playing the Mavericks, Cavaliers, Thunder, Heat, and Celtics. That's quite the spread right there.

I don't want to take anything away from the Celtics, because that's not my point. It takes an enormous change in team culture for the Memphis Grizzlies that most people remember as the Memphis Grizzlies to come out on the second night of a traveling back-to-back and play a full-strength, reloaded championship squad down to the wire.

And this game wasn't just down to the wire, it was the Memphis Grizzlies making all the easy plays while the Celtics seemed to make all the hard ones. Don't call it luck, because it's clutch execution since the C's do it time and time again, but I honestly believe that the Grizzlies played better than the Celtics tonight.

A little more post-game plus a return to the awards are on the other side of the jump; CelticsBlog probably has clips of that Ray Allen three if you'd rather just face it now than in your nightmares.

Even a moral victory is a tough loss though, huh? I honestly believed the Grizzlies would pull this one out. They had great contributions from Jamaal Tinsley and Hasheem Thabeet. Sam Young scored a little bit too. In what seems to be becoming the norm here in Memphis, there were three scorers over 20 points on the night.

Everything seemed to go right. Rudy Gay was showing his new aggressiveness, shocking the Celtics by getting to the line seemingly at will in the first half. O.J. Mayo was a rock solid shooter, Zach Randolph was being Zach Randolph, which, as it turns out, isn't so detrimental to a team.

The difference in the game was that the Grizzlies couldn't hit their threes, with a hand in their face or not. Rudy blew it by shooting 0-5 from deep, and OJAM's long ball wasn't exactly splashing tonight -- he shot 1-6. The Celtics, by the way, made 10-20 of their three pointers. Difference maker? I wonder.

Rockness Monster: It's tough, because I really liked O.J.'s game and he defense on Ray Allen, but I have to give this one to Rudy. I don't know if it's Coach Hollins, him just putting it all together, or steal-master Z-Bo's sage advice, but Rudy has finally figured out how to make his agility, awesome hands, and creepily long arms work to start some serious thievery. The 3 steals against Paul Pierce, just like the one's against Prince James, were just a bit bigger than huge.

U-Turn: Hasheem Thabeet posted 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in 18 minutes. This boy's learning how to play the game of basketball.

Bitter Limon: Is plus/minus really one-hundred-percent useful in a single game. No, not really. But after several solid performances, Mike Conley looked pretty mediocre and posted a team worst -12. Jamaal Tinsley tied his 4 assists. The difference is that Ashey Larry only played a third of the minutes and was the only Grizzlies with a positive plus/minus at +7.

Sleeping With the Enemy: Maybe it's my Midwestern sensibilities, but if there's one thing I hate more than the city of Boston, it's their sports teams. Don't care about the enemy. I have nothing to say terrible about the Celtics that I haven't already said a million times about Dancing With the Stars -- they're all fake, way past their prime, and their knees will be shot by the end of the year anyhow.

Watchability: C's Rank 5th

Jeff Clark — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:57:47 -0000

Ever wonder what other team's fans think of watching the Celtics? Here's a quick insight from SBNation's Mike Prada.

NBA 'Watchability' Scale: Ranking Every Team Based On Entertainment, Not Talent - SB Nation

There's something unbelievably satisfying about watching a veteran team just take care of business no matter what, even if everyone guns for them. Boston is 11-1 on the road this year, and watching them, you know why. They never make a mistake. All their sets are precise, though it helps that they have two great scorers in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, along with two of the league's best screeners in Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. On defense, they shut down everything your team likes to do. You like pick-and-roll? No problem, we'll unleash the human pick-and-roll eraser, KG, on you. Like post play? Don't worry, we only have the two best low-post defenders in basketball. Good luck, guys. Thanks to Rajon Rondo, they also have the best secondary fast break in the league, meaning they do a great job of pushing the ball on missed shots and taking advantage of the confusion that results while players try to find their man on defense.

Here's the problem: Boston is so damn unlikeable. Garnett and Rondo are punks. Perkins has developed some ridiculous fake swagger, the kind that results from riding the coattails of your four all-star caliber teammates. Rasheed Wallace needs no introduction, and Pierce is a chronic whiner that got carried off the floor by his teammates in the 2008 Finals, only to magically come back a few minutes later and be just fine.

Same stuff we've heard time and time again. One of the reasons people like watching us is because they need a villain to root against. Like I've said before: This team will be America's Most Hated this year.

Daily Links 12/13

FLCeltsFan — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:10:34 -0000

Herald   Celtics charge past Bulls
Celtics’ Ray Allen copes with time away
Rajon Rondo gets foe’s message
Replays help Pacers past Wizards
Web site providing new ticket ‘option’ for Celtics fans
Globe    Updates from Celtics-Bulls
Pierce injuries shoulder, but returns to game
Analysis of Celtics-Bulls
Celtics’ Pierce deserves contract extension
Rondo undaunted by Miller
Celtics make it a perfect 10
Vote for Perk   Vote For Perk

CelticsBlog   Celtics Stuff Live 12/13: Mike Gorman
Rondo the (Bulls) Destroyer
Loy's Place     Comments from the Other Side - Bulls 12/12
Telegram   Celtics’ bench will take back seat
Celtics.com   Ford Keys to the Game: Celtics at Bulls Ford Keys to the Game: Celtics at Bulls
Red's Army   The Maestro
The Morning Dump... where Rondo takes his shot at Brad Miller
Enemy Chatter: "We're not even close..."
Green Street    Fast Break: Celtics-Bulls
CSNNE     Live from the United Center!
Celtics 106, Bulls 80
Celtics Hub    Ray’s "Nothing But Net" Moment
10 in a Row with No Signs of Slow
Where’d the Bulls Go? C’s 106, Bulls 80
Sunday Notebook: Pierce Wants to Stay, Rondo’s a Bad Ass and Ray Copes
Chicago Now   Boston Celtics beat Chicago Bulls 106-80 Haiku
North Station Sports    Celtics Make Bulls See Red After Beatdown 106-80
An unwilling witness: why LeBron James has let me down
What Do We Do With Rajon Rondo Now?
CT News    Celtics Play the Right Way
NBA.com   NBA Development League: Red Claws at BayHawks
Celtics Town    Celtics grab the Bulls by the horns
Celtics Loudmouth Quote of the Night
Hardwood Houdini    Celtics Charge Past Bulls, Win Tenth Straight
Rondo Leads Celtics To Tenth Straight
Lex Nihil Novi    Pistons Require 3 OTs to Top Celtics Record 83-84
Celtics Overcome 12 4th-Quarter TO's to Finally Beat Knicks 83-84
19-4: Celtics 106, Bulls 80
World B. Free Sounds Off after Celts Top Cavs
Celtics Life Live Game Chat, Celtics at Bulls
C's Blitz Bulls for 10th Straight Win
Celtics/Bulls Post Game Videos
Gino's Jungle    Live from Chicago
Celtics Stuff Live     The Gold Rarities Postgame Show
Daily Herald    Bulls fade against surging Celtics, lose 106-80
Slam Dunk Central   Celtics Use "Killer D" To Slaughter Bulls 106-80 For Tenth Straight Win
Bulls.com   Celtics Show Bulls 2009 Playoffs are History
NW Herald Not much of a rematch
NY Post   Post blows whistle on Donaghy claims
ESPN   Do you want Ray to stay?
First impression: Celtics 106 , Bulls 80
Rough night for Pierce
Bulls can't slow Rondo
Bench solid for Celtics
Defending Del Negro
The Celtics-Bulls rematch that wasn't
BWorld Jazz drop LA Lakers from league’s best record; Celtics win
NESN    Live Blog: Celtics at Bulls
Celtics Make It 10 in a Row With 106-80 Rout of Bulls
Kendrick Perkins Thriving Under the Radar
WEEI   Kendrick Perkins on WEEI
MetroWest Daily News   Celtics 106, Bulls 80: Power of ten
Courtside View: Celtics finding winning form
Yahoo   Williams, Jazz end Lakers' streak
Behind the Box Score, where the C's outclassed the Bulls - Ball Don't Lie
Autographs   Proof That The Nba In Fixed….tim Donaghy Rats Out…
Dimemag   Game of the Weak
Hoopsworld   5 Things We Learned In The NBA This Week
The Hoop   Lokomotiv Kuban announced Gerald Green
Hoopsworld   Only Getting Worse for Bulls
Chicago Now    Brad Miller called for flagrant on Rondo
Chicago Breaking Sports    Celtics blowing out Bulls
Chicago Tribune Doc Rivers rises to Vinny Del Negro's defense
Orlando Sentinel     Is the NBA headed for another Lakers/Celtics Finals?

Daily Links 12/12

FLCeltsFan — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:18:20 -0000

Herald    Counter points
Scouting report: Celtics at Bulls
LeBron James scores 33, Cavs trip Trail Blazers
Amare Stoudemire’s big rebound helps Suns beat Magic
Globe   Bulls thumbnails
On guard: Rondo slicing through foes
Vote for Perk    Vote For Perk
SportCenter 5     Vote For Perk!

Celtics Blog   AM Notes: Allen's Last Chance, Lester Helps Rondo
Loscy    The Rondoness of all Rondo Articles: The Mother-load "
HoopsHype    Zebras and lions
NESN    Celtics Seek 10th Straight Win Against Flailing Bulls
Live Blog: Celtics at Bulls
Tony Allen Emerges as Marquis Daniels Hits the Shelf
Paul Pierce, Glen Davis, J.R. Giddens Get in Holiday Spirit With Local Students
Celtics Legends Cedric Maxwell, JoJo White to Distribute Food to Lee Academy
Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Lester Hudson to Host Stay In School Assembly
Dueling Couches    Ray Allen's Most Memorible Moments
CelticsLife Shaq Injures Eye, Kobe Breaks Finger, Injuries Reportedly Unrelated
McHale on Lebron's Dancing Nonsense
Today's Video: Ray Allen 20,000 Points NBA Career
LOY's Place    Quote of the Week - Kevin McHale
Red's Army    Rashard Lewis Has No Respect for His Coach
The Big 3 Things of the Week
Your KG Face of the Day
Ray Gets UP!
Your Morning Dump... Where Kevin McHale is still awesome
Celtics Hub   Kentucky-UConn Garden Party—an NBA Fan’s Perspective
Eddie House and 3 Point Attempts
Gratuitous Wolf on Human Violence
Saturday Notebook: Hudson’s Value, Rondo’s J, the Bulls
North Station Sports    More than a feeling: Dwight & Nate, pt. 2
Tony Allen Takes Over For Daniels. Should You Be Scared?
More Thoughts From Egypt: LeBron's Behavior in Question
Celtics Town    Celtics 'define what winning basketball in the NBA is all about'
Ray Allen gives teammates credit for milestone
Joe Johnson wants to come back to Boston?
Ray Allen, named top shooter of the decade, says Dirk is best
Rajon Rondo latest Celtic to deflect praise to teammates
Lex Nihil Novi    Wedman Leads Birdless Celts Over Hawks 83-84
Wedman Adapting to New Role 83-84
Knicks Try to Make it 3 in a Row against C's 83-84
Rondo Gives Jerry West No Respect
Celtics Overcome 12 4th-Quarter TO's to Finally Beat Knicks (83-84)
ESPN   Bulls-Celtics preview
So you're saying there's a chance?
Businesslike Approach Working For Celtics
Legler: Celtics are underrated
Chicago Tribune Chicago Bulls woes tied directly to defense
Chicago Bulls hear strange sound -- cheers during 96-91 overtime victory
Milford Daily News    Celtics: Green streak
Daily Herald    Bulls not responding well to other teams' runs
LA Times   Is this Lakers team the NBA's best ever? Not by a three-pointer
Sporting News   Celtics-Bulls Preview
HoopsAddict    Rajon Rondo: Silent, But Deadly
Washington Post     As the Wizards' big three try to mesh again, past is not present
The Starting Five    Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA
Patriot Ledger     Celtics bid for another double-digit winning streak
Ohio.com    Notebook: Cavs' West earning more time on floor
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Tony Allen's early returns, Boston's rebounding woes, and appreciating Ray Allen
Truth About It    Inconsistency Is A Muther: Celtics Down Wizards 104-102
4 Sport Boston    3 Things You Didn’t See In The Celtics-Wizards Rumble
Philly.com   Dick Jerardi: Biggest Donaghy question remains: Which games?
Basketbawful    Worst of the Night: December 10, 2009
Hoopsvibe     Tracy McGrady: All-Star Starter?
Dimemag     The Bulls Are Struggling And Vinny Del Negro Will Be The Scapegoat
Rashard Lewis didn’t want to play; Van Gundy says it’s no big deal
CSNNE   Celts, Bulls headed in opposite direction
WEEI    Postgame Guest - Tony Allen on WEEI
Washington Post   Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson
Seattle Times    LeBron James' dance act wouldn't play well in old-school NBA

Daily Links 12/11

FLCeltsFan — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:04:45 -0000

Herald    Early returns positive on Tony Allen’s work
Pistons shoot off win
Ray Allen, Paul Pierce hit milestones
Globe   Notes from shootaround
Celtics 104, Wizards 102
Video: Ray Allen reaches 20,000 points
Ray Allen through the years
Allen notches his 20,000th
Celtics tested by Wizards
Vote for Perk     Vote For Perk

CelticsBlog    Give a Gift, Get Thanks from Ray
Celtics Outlast Wizards
Behind Rondo, Celtics Fight off Wizards
Appreciating Good Tony
Loy's Place    Early All Star Results
Comments from the Other Side - Wizards 12/10
Random Thoughts After Going to See the Wizards
Nets Daily    Is Brook Lopez an All-Star?
Celtics.com    Ford Keys to the Game: Celtics at Wizards
Red's Army    Your KG Face of the Day
Don't Rush Tony Allen
Celtics vs Wizards Live Blog
Wiz Get Rondo'd!!!
Your Morning Dump... Where the Wiz lost a dare
CSNNE    Live from the Verizon Center in Washington!
Celtics 104, Wizards 102
Celtics Hub   Hanging on: C’s 104, Wiz 102
NESN   Live Blog: Celtics at Wizards
Rajon Rondo Nets Season High as Celtics Win Ninth Straight
North Station Sports    Gilbert Arenas: sleeper agent, struggling leader or hoops anarchist?
Celtics Grind Past Wizards 104-102
Kevin McHale is a golden god, wouldn’t stand for LeBron’s hi-jinx
Celtics Town    Where do I begin when discussing recent Celtics play?
Ray Allen reaches 20,000-point milestone
Celtics escape Wizards, 104-102
The Morning Walkthrough: Tony Allen was actually pretty good last night
Hardwood Houdini    Congratulations Ray Allen!!!
Celtics Use Some of Their Own Magic, Defeat Wizards
Lex Nihil Novi    Celtics (16-6) Pound Nuggets
Bird Strains Knee Ligaments in Win
18-4: Celtics 104, Wizards 102
Celtics Life    Tommy & Mike's Mailbag
Ray Allen's Ray of Hope
Throw It Down Little Man
Celtics 104, Wizards 102 Highlights
Celtics/Wizards Post Game Videos
Celtics Stuff Live      The Gold Rarities Postgame Show
NBA.com   Losing streak places Bulls on the brink of implosion
Ray appreciation day
20,000-Point Milestone: Ray Allen
Kobe in West, D-Wade in East take lead in All-Star voting
Slam Online    Decade’s Best: Shooter
Fox Sports     Surprises, letdowns after NBA's first quarter
Cavs News   Upcoming Road Games Will Test Cleveland’s Mettle
Green Street     Fast Break: Celtics vs. Wizards
Allen scores 20,000th career point
Rondo, Perk Trail in First All-Star Voting Update
Hardwood Paroxysm   Green From The Limit: Boston’s Shooting Less From The Corner
Lion Face/Lemon Face 12.11.09: Three Games of Goodness
Slam Dunk Central    Rapid-Rajon Leads Celtics To Ninth Straight Win, Beat Wizards 104-102!
Deseret News   Utah Jazz: TNT's Sager likes to add color to broadcasts
WEEI   Ray Allen - Locker Room on WEEI
Washington Examiner   Celtics 104, Wizards 102
ESPN   Time to go streaking?
Big 3 near top of early All-Star voting
Perkins among NBA's top young big men
Allen joins 20,000-point club
First impression: Celtics 104, Wizards 102
On the rebound
Challenged, Rondo makes the Wizards pay
TA making immediate impact
What's up with Semih Erden?
NBA Roundtable   Perk Article
Washington Post   Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards fail to come through in the clutch vs. Boston Celtics
NY Post    Nets still on track for Brooklyn
Bobcat Zone Red Claws Report: Walker continues to shine for Maine
Chron.com McGrady on pace to start All-Star Game — really
Bleacher Report    Never Can Say Goodbye: When Is It Time For an NBA Player To Retire?