SB Nation - Rajon Rondo

Comfort In Familiarity

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

Care for a lozenge Doc?

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.

Congratulations Utah!!!

Stop-n-Pop — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:46:03 -0000

You are now responsible for 1/2 of the Wolves' victories. Well done. A zombie dance for you.

Game wrap in a bit.

UPDATE: Game wrap below the fold.

The Jazz are an interesting team. On one hand, they have some thoroughly non-enjoyable/unlikable talent. Carlos Boozer is a Dookie in preparation for leaving a 2nd team in his wake, Kyle Korver is a silly Iowegan, and Jerry Sloan will continue to coach as if the league were still in the midst of a coked-out pre-80s haze. On the other hand, they have the player I consider to be the best and most entertaining point guard in the game: Deron Williams. As much as I cannot stand to watch a backstabbing Dookie, Coach Cleaver, and the most annoying fellow Creighton Jayhawk in the world, there is no player I enjoy watching more when he is "on" than the former Illini point.

A couple of games ago the Wolves' TV crew ran a poll about who they thought was the best point guard in the game. I can't remember who they ended up picking, but for my money's worth, if I'm putting together a squad to win it all, here are my top 3 picks at the point: Williams, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Parker. Williams, to me, is the greatest surgeon in the game. He's not as flashy as Chris Paul or Steve Nash but he's physically dominant for his position with a balanced game that picks apart his opponent with precision and consistency. From the line, from mid-range, from beyond the arc, in transition, in 1/2 court...the guy does it all. He was playing out of the post of several key possessions in the 4th quarter and it baffles me that Sloan didn't ride that horse hard. Plus, when the game is on the line and time is running off the clock in a must-win playoff game, he can get his shot off in traffic, which is an amazingly important trait that some possess while others do not. Sorry CP3, I want D-Will for that possession.

Anywho, the first thing that should be pointed out about last night's tilt was that Williams was the best player on the court and it wasn't even close. He shot the lights out from the floor, got to the line a ton, dished out 13 assists, and...well, (robot voice on) Jerry Sloan is a fantastic coach and he knows exactly how to use Mr. Williams (robot voice off).

OK, now that we've talked about Utah's point guard, let's take a few minutes to gab about Jonny Flynn. Flynn undoubtedly shows flashes of brilliance. His quickness is world class and while he still needs to learn a thing or two about running a pro offense, his court vision is top shelf. His outside shot is surprisingly serviceable and should he ever develop an ability to dish off of the drive, he'll be damn near unguardable. That being said, the flashes of brilliance are accompanied by stretches of outright boobery. The CP3 inbounds boner in the NOLA game stands out over anything else but he is also guilty of overdribbling, going too much to his right, and inexcusably holding the ball when it is rotated his way on a nightly basis. Adding to our T-Wolves dictionary (first addition: Brewsist) is the Jonny Stop: The way in which a freely moving ball is stopped by an ultra-quick lead guard who uses the opportunity to survey the court and negate his greatest strength, his speed.

Watching Flynn play the point you can practically see his High School/AAU/Syracuse coaching play out in a motion picture thought bubble above his head. This kid has been the dominant lead guard for so long, and he has played for so long against such relatively inferior competition, that his first instinct in close games and/or highly leveraged situations is to do what he has always done: Be the be-all/end-all of ball movement and end the damn possession for his team. At Niagra Falls High, NY AAU, and Syracuse, his speed alone was enough to get the job done. No need for setting up teammates. No need for creating angles. No need for worrying about the shot clock. When the heat was on, it was Jonny, the ball, and his defender. This kind of nonsense will not fly in the NBA for a player like Flynn. He's not that quick. Maybe it will have its time and place in a few years when he gets the benefit of the whistle and learns how to better incorporate his teammates, but not now. While Flynn ended the contest with a career high in points while shooting the lights out from beyond the arc, he stunted several key possessions with the Jonny Stop. Also, while I'm very, very happy that he made the game winning shot, I think I suffered a Randy Foye flashback with the kamikaze drive down the right side of the lane. At least he didn't try and bank it off the shot clock.

Let's wrap this up with some bullet points.

Should the Wolves have lost, Kevin Love and Damien Wilkins would have been my choices for goats of the game. There is no dumber shot in all of basketballdom than the foot-on-the-line 3. There is no excuse for it. It has all the risk of a 3 pointer with none of the reward. Dumb, dumb, dumb, and more dumb. Love and Wilkins both made toe-on-the-line 2 pointers.
While Flynn took some heat earlier this season for an ill-conceived behind-the-back pass attempt, he and Love ran the behind-the-back pick-and-roll twice in the last two minutes of the game and it netted them two wide open three point attempts. It's really not a flashy play and it has the potential to be a nice addition to the offense. I want to see a lot more of the middle pick and roll with Love and Flynn.
The star of the game has to go to Corey Brewer. There were a few points in the game where Brewer reverted to the holy-crap-he's-everywhere kind of player that we got kind of excited about a few weeks ago. He was dunking, sticking shots, rebounding, and holding people up on defense all night long. It really is amazing how different this team looks with competent wing play. Imagine if they had some outside shooting to go along with the competent wing play. Paging Rudy Gay.
If the flash went to Flynn and the star went to Brewer, the workhorse award goes to Big Al Jefferson. The guy is really starting to return to form and he played the role of the bruising running back, grinding out short yardage situation after short yardage situation in order to keep drives alive and his team in the game. This site has been home to a long standing debate over the relative worth of Jefferson and Kevin Love for about 2 years now and my current thoughts on the duo are this: The problem with the Wolves is not Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. Neither has the advantage of playing with a consistently competent wing player or an outside shooter worth his salt. Neither has the advantage of playing with a group of properly-sized perimeter players. There is nothing wrong with having 1 or 2 undersized players in your rotation provided that you surround them with athleticism and length. Al and Love have complimentary skills and they are obscenely skilled on the offensive end of the court. My take on the pairing is that they are still in need of a Joakim Noah/Jason Thompson 3rd wheel and a pair of athletic slashers on the wing. I have been saying this since before Love came aboard. In the front court I want the aforementioned Noah/Thompson type and on the wing I have opined for, in order, Josh Smith, Trevor Ariza, and Rudy Gay. This team can put it together with some competent wing play and for either Flynn or Ricky Rubio to work out at the point...or for John Wall to land at the doorstep of 600 First Avenue. Wings, an athletic backup big, and hashing out the point guard situation, these are the things that need to be worried about before talking about whether or not Love and Jefferson can play together. Rudy Gay, Rudy Gay, Rudy Gay. Please, get 'r done. It has been obvious for over 2 years.

OK, that does it for tonight's wrap. We'll have a very cool announcement on the site tomorrow and then I'll follow that up with a post on the Lynx's choice in the supplemental draft, Rebekkah Brunson.

PS: If you really want to know why the Wolves won, it was because they collected a very large number of their misses:

	Pace	Eff	eFG	FT/FG	OREB%	TOr
Minnesota	98.0	112.2	52.4%	27.7	32.6	15.3
Utah		110.2	53.7%	25.9	17.1	12.2

When you have an eFG of over 50% and you are collecting a 1/3 of your misses, life is good. This is another reason why you don't want to monkey with the Love/Jefferson duo. If you surround them with competent perimeter players, they will destroy the boards. BTW: We need to come up with a Wolves Dictionary term for when Love grabs an offensive rebound in between 3-4 defenders.

Celtics Score Last

Jeff Clark — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:38:16 -0000

More photos » by Mark Weber - AP

He had a Gay-o time.

Browse more photos »

Wire to wire this was a close game. Neither team could push the lead past 5 or so for any length of time. The Celtics simply were able to score a few more times down the stretch than the Griz. That's what good teams do.

Interesting note: At one point in the first half, Sheed had just missed consecutive 3's. Out of the huddle CSN reported that Doc stressed to Sheed to get in the paint more (somewhere Pistons nation must have been chuckling). Sure enough, Sheed got in the paint and scored 3 or 4 buckets on the hapless Zach Randolph. So it seems Sheed can be coached after all. Of course he went back to shooting (mostly open) 3's later, but still.

Rudy Gay bolted out to 17 points, but ended up with only 23 on the game.
Randolph and Mayo also each topped 20 points and the Griz shot over 51.2% from the field.
Luckily the Celtics shot 52.5% from the field.
Some of that was pace, some of it was lack of D, some of it was just plain hot shooting.
Rondo was impressive again, with 18 points and 9 assists.
All even on the boards tonight (36 each), which is a step in the right direction considering we played a team with Randolph, Thabeet, and Gasol. Also, there weren't many rebounds to go around since neither team could miss.
Lester Hudson got word before the game that he'll be headed to the D-League for a couple of weeks to get some run. I predict he'll do very well in Maine.
Yet another evenly balanced scoring effort with all the starters plus Sheed putting up double figures (and House added 9). When that happens once in a while, it can be an anomaly. When it happens regularly, you have to credit the offense and of course the way Rondo distributes the ball.
Ok, one last time. I told you so! Turns out I was aiming a little low.

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?

Daily Links 12/10

FLCeltsFan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:09:35 -0000

Herald Rajon Rondo on point for his team
Marquis Daniels’ absence opens door
Allen Iverson’s no Answer for Sixers
Lakers silence all that Jazz to win 10th straight game
Scouting report: Celtics at Wizards
Globe Source: Daniels to miss roughly 8 weeks
Wizards thumbnails
Daniels undergoes surgery on wrist
Ray Allen through the years
Celtics’ Allen on verge of 20,000-point club

CelticsBlog     The Lobster Roll: Issue 3
Rubik's Cube
Remember This Finish Against the Wizards?
Loy's Place    A Few Random Thoughts on a Road Trip Day
Celtics Head Out on the Road Again - First Stop: Wizards
Hoopsworld    Celtics pay a visit to the Wizards
NBA PM: Wallace Cleaning The Glass
Sporting News   Tim Donaghy:
Let LeBron James Dance
Basketball-refs    Tim Donaghy Speaks
Agent Dagger    Teds Take: Wizards vs. the Boston Three Party
Seattle PI    Celtics pay a visit to Wizards
Yahoo    Allen hopes to keep lasting bond with Celtics
Wall's legend grows
Celtics 17   Eastern Conference Player of the Week Kevin Garnett Is Playing His Best Basketball Last Week
Red's Army   Tony Allen wasn't horrible... which is a good start
The Morning Dump... Where Perk likes to get as deep as possible
Fewer 3's mean an improved Sheed
Dwight Howard Spits on Balls
Live Blog Tonight at 8
Green Street   Celtics-Wizards Preview
Celtics Hub   Quote of the Day: Ray on 20,000
The Decline of the Corner Three
Ray Wants to Be a Celtic
NESN    Celtics Travel to Nation's Capital Seeking Ninth Straight Win
Live Blog: Celtics at Wizards
Technically, Rasheed Wallace Has a Lot More Work To Do
Loscy    10 Questions for Jon Duke from Celtics Stuff Live "
North Station Sports    Mark Cuban Is The Most Interesting Owner in Sports. Period.
Today’s Headlines – 12/10/2009
Celtics Town    Boston Celtics discuss Tim Donaghy's allegations
Tim Thomas spews anti-gay slurs, may or may not have hit woman with chair
Doc Rivers: Kendrick Perkins is Celtics' best defender
Throwing some dimes: What to do with 'Quisy's minutes?
The Morning Walkthrough: Ray Allen closing in on exclusive 20,000 point club
Rajon Rondo, mathematical genius?
Hardwood Houdini    Marquis Daniels out 6-8 After Surgery
Give or Take – Marquis Daniels and Glen Davis
Rajon Rondo Continues To Take It To Opponents
4 Sport Boston    4SB Podcast: The Boof is in the Booding
A Quarter Season Non-Crisis for the Boston Celtics
Lex Nihil Novi   Celtics Stumble Past Pacers 83-84
Run-and-Gun Nuggets Will Try to Play Some D 83-84
Volk Set to Replace Auerbach at Season's End 83-84
Celtics (16-6) Pound Nuggets 83-84
CelticsLife    NBA News: Tim Thomas has a T.A. Diner Incident
KG is Officially Back
Boston, We Have a Problem
Today's Video: '08/'09 Celtics Flashback
Gino's Jungle    Rankings and Reflections
Strut and Saunter: How Much Swagger Does Boston Need?
Welcome to the Jungle - Graham Brunell
ESPN   Daniels: I'll be back better than before
A new cast for Baby? Call security
Pierce, Rondo join Awards Watch
Hoop Data What’s Gone Wrong in Washington? Not What You’d Expect
Man in the Middle: A Look at Defending the Basket
D-League Digest    Rants from Grouchy Oscar: tired officiating complaints
Cleveland.com    Ejected and dejected: Cleveland Cavaliers lose their poise, then the game, 95-85, to Houston
South Coast Today    Celtics must make do without Daniels
Milford Daily News    Celtics notebook: C's thriving on the road
Josh Q Public   Rajon Rondo: Exclamation Point Guard
NBC Sports    Winderman: NBA’s season for hold ’em or fold ’em arrives
CT News   Rondo and Celtics: Assisted Living
State Press    Eddie brings the House down
Examiner   NBA receap Week 7: Rondo & Celtics winners of last 8, Bucks, Meeks in a jam
How to Watch Sports    Know Your Role: The NBA's Evolving 6th Man Position
Waiting for Next Year     Bring on Leon
Fan Huddle     Rebounding and bench woes continue to hound Celtics
Bleacher Report   Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: Being Put to The Ultimate Test
SI.com   Kendrick Perkins is core of Celtics' defense, low-post scoring
SportsNet    Fast break: Dissecting Donaghy
LA Times Blogs   Celtics streaking, but Rondo still can't shoot straight
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Rasheed Wallace says 'the truth is coming out,' Marquis Daniels gone for 8 weeks
RealGM    NBA Power Rankings For Mid-December
Norwich Bulletin   NBA: With Daniels sidelined, the recently returned Allen could step in for Celtics
Washington Examiner   First shot at a Celtics preview
CSNNE    Daniels undergoes successful surgery
'Sheed's shot (finally) starting to fall
HoopsAddict     Catching Up With Dee Brown
YouTube    Maine Red Claws Home Opener 2009
Slam Online    Decade’s Best:General Manager
Green Street    Doc Rivers on D&C
A Stern Warning   NBA Awards, 20 Games In - with Daniel Eade

Fans Deserve To Know How The NBA Conducts Business\"
Let LeBron James Dance
Basketball-refs    Tim Donaghy Speaks
Agent Dagger    Teds Take: Wizards vs. the Boston Three Party
Seattle PI    Celtics pay a visit to Wizards
Yahoo    Allen hopes to keep lasting bond with Celtics
Wall's legend grows
Celtics 17   Eastern Conference Player of the Week Kevin Garnett Is Playing His Best Basketball Last Week
Red's Army   Tony Allen wasn't horrible... which is a good start
The Morning Dump... Where Perk likes to get as deep as possible
Fewer 3's mean an improved Sheed
Dwight Howard Spits on Balls
Live Blog Tonight at 8
Green Street   Celtics-Wizards Preview
Celtics Hub   Quote of the Day: Ray on 20,000
The Decline of the Corner Three
Ray Wants to Be a Celtic
NESN    Celtics Travel to Nation's Capital Seeking Ninth Straight Win
Live Blog: Celtics at Wizards
Technically, Rasheed Wallace Has a Lot More Work To Do
Loscy    10 Questions for Jon Duke from Celtics Stuff Live "
North Station Sports    Mark Cuban Is The Most Interesting Owner in Sports. Period.
Today’s Headlines – 12/10/2009
Celtics Town    Boston Celtics discuss Tim Donaghy's allegations
Tim Thomas spews anti-gay slurs, may or may not have hit woman with chair
Doc Rivers: Kendrick Perkins is Celtics' best defender
Throwing some dimes: What to do with 'Quisy's minutes?
The Morning Walkthrough: Ray Allen closing in on exclusive 20,000 point club
Rajon Rondo, mathematical genius?
Hardwood Houdini    Marquis Daniels out 6-8 After Surgery
Give or Take – Marquis Daniels and Glen Davis
Rajon Rondo Continues To Take It To Opponents
4 Sport Boston    4SB Podcast: The Boof is in the Booding
A Quarter Season Non-Crisis for the Boston Celtics
Lex Nihil Novi   Celtics Stumble Past Pacers 83-84
Run-and-Gun Nuggets Will Try to Play Some D 83-84
Volk Set to Replace Auerbach at Season's End 83-84
Celtics (16-6) Pound Nuggets 83-84
CelticsLife    NBA News: Tim Thomas has a T.A. Diner Incident
KG is Officially Back
Boston, We Have a Problem
Today's Video: '08/'09 Celtics Flashback
Gino's Jungle    Rankings and Reflections
Strut and Saunter: How Much Swagger Does Boston Need?
Welcome to the Jungle - Graham Brunell
ESPN   Daniels: I'll be back better than before
A new cast for Baby? Call security
Pierce, Rondo join Awards Watch
Hoop Data What’s Gone Wrong in Washington? Not What You’d Expect
Man in the Middle: A Look at Defending the Basket
D-League Digest    Rants from Grouchy Oscar: tired officiating complaints
Cleveland.com    Ejected and dejected: Cleveland Cavaliers lose their poise, then the game, 95-85, to Houston
South Coast Today    Celtics must make do without Daniels
Milford Daily News    Celtics notebook: C's thriving on the road
Josh Q Public   Rajon Rondo: Exclamation Point Guard
NBC Sports    Winderman: NBA’s season for hold ’em or fold ’em arrives
CT News   Rondo and Celtics: Assisted Living
State Press    Eddie brings the House down
Examiner   NBA receap Week 7: Rondo & Celtics winners of last 8, Bucks, Meeks in a jam
How to Watch Sports    Know Your Role: The NBA's Evolving 6th Man Position
Waiting for Next Year     Bring on Leon
Fan Huddle     Rebounding and bench woes continue to hound Celtics
Bleacher Report   Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: Being Put to The Ultimate Test
SI.com   Kendrick Perkins is core of Celtics' defense, low-post scoring
SportsNet    Fast break: Dissecting Donaghy
LA Times Blogs   Celtics streaking, but Rondo still can't shoot straight
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Rasheed Wallace says 'the truth is coming out,' Marquis Daniels gone for 8 weeks
RealGM    NBA Power Rankings For Mid-December
Norwich Bulletin   NBA: With Daniels sidelined, the recently returned Allen could step in for Celtics
Washington Examiner   First shot at a Celtics preview
CSNNE    Daniels undergoes successful surgery
'Sheed's shot (finally) starting to fall
HoopsAddict     Catching Up With Dee Brown
YouTube    Maine Red Claws Home Opener 2009
Slam Online    Decade’s Best:General Manager
Green Street    Doc Rivers on D&C
A Stern Warning   NBA Awards, 20 Games In - with Daniel Eade

Perkins vs. Bogut Had an Old School Feel to It

Greg Payne — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:26:50 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

Bogut wins the individual battle, but Perkins team takes the win.

Browse more photos »

Heading into last night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, rookie Brandon Jennings had my attention. It would be my first time seeing the kid play and after a rookie goes off for 55 points, it's difficult not to want to see him for yourself. I figured Rajon Rondo would present a formidable defensive challenge unlike anything Jennings had seen in his still very young NBA career and for the most part I was right.

While the plight of the point guards was entertaining (mainly due to Rondo being one rebound shy of a triple-double and finishing with 11 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and five steals), the battle of the big men stole the show. Kendrick Perkins and Andrew Bogut did not appear to like each other on the court last night, but Perk was pivotal to Boston's success and Bogut was one of the main reasons Milwaukee kept it close for far too long.

The final lines for the pair:

Perkins: 7-8 shooting, 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Bogut: 11-17 shooting, 25 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 7 turnovers

Advantage to the Aussie, I suppose, and give him credit for playing so well against one of the NBA's premiere interior defenders. But the tussle itself between these two was worth watching, as the paint proved to be quite the battleground last night.

I missed out on the '60s, '70s and '80s when the vast majority of the NBA's big men actually played in the paint and brought legitimate offensive repertoires down there with them. Hook shots abounded, along with the five to seven-foot turn around and didn't the '80s serve as the 8-10 foot jumper's hay day? I've watched a ton of footage from the decade and I swear EVERYBODY had that shot, including the majority of the league's big guys.

Now come back to last night and with Perk and Bogut going at it, one might have felt like we had taken a step back in time with the moves we were seeing. Bogut was an absolute whiz with the hook shots, whether they be of the stop and pop kind or of the sweeping brand. It looks like he's turned that shot into his go-to move, although, when the Bucks needed him to utilize that go-to move when they were hanging on for dear life with minutes left, Bogut came up empty on two consecutive possessions, primarily due to outstanding defense by Perk (and a helping hand from Rondo the first time around). But despite Bogut's shortcomings in the final few possessions, he really does possess a nice touch down low, and in terms of old school post moves, he's right up there for tops in the league today (along with guys like Al Jefferson and Pau Gasol).

For Perk, has any NBA center in today's league mastered the short fade away jumper in the lane the way he has? He typically begins his move on the right block, backs his man down and buries him into the paint to the point where his defender is almost under the rim, then plants the right foot, turns, fades, and buries the shot. Speaking of go-to moves, Perk has shown he can fall back on this shot whenever he needs to, particularly early on in games when he's establishing his own rhythm.

I think it's fair to say Bogut is a naturally more gifted offensive player, meaning he did not need to develop as much of his offensive game as Perk did when he entered the league. When Perk first stepped onto an NBA floor, if a dunk wasn't an option, he pretty much wasn't going to score. But it's a testament to Perkins' work ethic, along with Clifford Ray's tutelage when we recognize how Perk has developed into a legitimate offensive threat.

But last night it was nice seeing two legitimate interior players really play where their respective games thrive. Bogut didn't drag Perk out to the perimeter, but instead went at him relentlessly down low, and even though I might be forced to say Bogut got the better of Perk for three and a half quarters, watching a skilled big man with legitimate post moves go up against an equally legitimate interior defender is arguably a rarity in today's game. Many of the 6-10 and up guys in today's league possess outside jump shots, or prefer the perimeter in general. But the paint really was a battleground last night and it was somewhat captivating seeing these two continue to go at it, with the hook shots and the up and unders and the reverses, especially when their teammates cleared the lanes and just let them play each other straight up.

I sure hope Perk treats Rondo to a nice dinner when this team heads off on its next three-game road swing, because of the 13 assists Rondo racked up, a bunch of them went through Perk in the paint. As much as we talk about the unspoken on-the-court chemistry between Rondo and Kevin Garnett when they're executing their alley-oops, the relationship Rondo shares with Perk is equally crippling to an opposing team. With Perk always parking himself down low, whenever Rondo slices through the defense and draws the help defender, he can usually count on Perk being wide open mere feet away from the basket. And if Perk isn't always in pristine position, he's usually lurking somewhere nearby, cutting to the hoop or battling for position for an offensive rebound.

I'm not entirely sure which big men helped spark the wave of the 15-18 foot jumper. Perhaps it was Hakeem Olajuwon or Karl Malone. Or maybe it was those drafted in the mid-to late '90s like Garnett, Rasheed Wallace and Dirk Nowitzki. Whoever was responsible for the transition, Perk's had to deal with a steady crop of perimeter based big men this season, including Channing Frye, Andrea Bargnani and Mehmet Okur, which takes Perk out of his natural defensive element.

But Perkins vs. Bogut proved the NBA can still go retro every once in a while, where the emphasis isn't necessarily on the pure athleticism, but rather on the quickness and the finesse, as well as the intelligence it takes to play quality low post basketball. It's difficult to tell whether the big men of tomorrow will resemble a Bogut or a Perkins as opposed to a Garnett or a Nowitzki, but regardless, games like last night's proved that we can still be treated and reminded of the NBA's low post glory days from time to time.

Daily Links 12/9

FLCeltsFan — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:16:26 -0000

Herald    Rajon Rondo, Celtics home in
Celtics Marquis Daniels out 6-8 weeks
Rasheed Wallace T’s off on ref
Kevin Garnett hits stride
Thumb injury keeps Marquis Daniels down
Rasheed Wallace is a straight shooter
Dwight Howard, Magic top Clippers
Doc Rivers on crooked ref:‘I’m so sick of that guy’
‘Michael Jordan’ hoax hits Flash point
Wallace predicts referee scandal will grow
Globe   Allen weighs in on Donaghy
Final: Celtics 98, Bucks 89
Video: Rivers: 'Celtics need to rebound better'
Video: Garnett: 'We're not a flawless team'
Pierce: Celtics buckled down
Celtics 98, Bucks 89
Rondo took flight in fourth quarter for Celtics
An impressive closing argument in a most perplexing court case
Celtics stop Bucks to extend winning streak to eight games
Vote for Perk    Vote For Perk

Celtics Blog    Open Season: C's Shoot The Bucks
Overseas Fandom; Story of a Lone Celtic Fan
Rondo, Celtics Pounce on Bucks in 4th: 98-89
Loy's Place    Comments from the Other Side - Bucks 12/8
MetroWest Daily    Megliola: Rondo's play sparks C's
ESPN    The Magic are winning and having fun
Pain free, Allen expects no limitations -
First impression: Celtics 98, Bucks 89 -
Pagliuca doesn't fare well at polls
Closing time
Big night for Bogut
KG: Nothing shiny, nothing glossy
Rajon Rondo helps Boston Celtics by passing first, scoring later
Red's Army    Expect to See Big Baby After Christmas
Your Morning Dump... Where rebounding might not be a big problem
Nearly Done in By Bogut
CSNNE     Live from the Garden!
Rondo shines, leads Celtics to eighth straight win
Another game, another win for Celtics
Live from the Garden!
Celtics Hub    Ho-Hum: C’s 98, Bucks 89
This Trend Won’t Buck
North Station Sports    NSS Live Game Chat: Bucks vs. Celtics
Celtics Persevere, Slide Past Bucks 98-89
Where Does Rondo Stand with the Legends?
CT News    Brandon Jennings Hits Beantown Tonight
Gino's Jungle    Celtics Shoot Down Bucks
Celtics Town   Brandon Jennings, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the law of averages
Tim Donaghy blames Rasheed Wallace's technicals on his intelligence
Celtics hold off Bucks, 98-89
The Morning Walkthrough: Celtics not as good as two years ago?
Glen Davis in shape, could be ready by Dec. 27 road trip
Hardwood Houdini    Celtics Rebounding Problems Becoming Consistent
Lex Nihil Novi   Larry v. Magic: Game 6 Post-Mortem
Bird Returns Home for Birthday Tilt 83-84
17-4: Celtics 98, Bucks 89
Celtics Life    Perk should be an All Star
Rondo outduels Jennings as Celtics beat Bucks
Celtics/Bucks Post Game Videos
Celtics 98, Bucks 89 Highlights
CBS Sports   Karl: NBA should fight back against Donaghy
Power Rankings: Flop, flop, it must stop
Celtics Stuff Live    Gang Green: Season 3, Episode 8
NY Post    Sympathy for Blazers' Oden after season ender
Examiner    A Celtics Christmas in the community
For Celtics Ray Allen future remains uncertain.
NECN   Despite loss, Pagliuca feels "like a huge winner"
Patriot Ledger   Celtics aware they have to improve their rebounding
CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Garnett continues his sizzling shooting in win over Bucks
ProJo    Celtics less than impressive, but still beat Bucks for eighth straight victory
Celtics win eighth straight, beat Bucks, 98-89
Doc Rivers responds to disgraced referee Tim Donaghy
NESN     Doc Rivers on Tim Donaghy: 'I'm So Sick of That Guy'
Kevin Garnett, Celtics Break Bucks for Eighth Straight Win
Despite Wins, Rebounding Still a Major Concern for Celtics
Live Blog: Celtics vs. Bucks
Three Reasons Rajon Rondo Vs. Brandon Jennings Is No Contest
Top 10 Comeback Stories in Professional Sports - Top 10
Bleacher Report    Tim Donaghy : A Disgrace to the Game
Commercial Appeal   Boston Celtics top Milwaukee Bucks for 8th straight win"
Slam Online    Missing the Point
Banner 18?    Rondo's World...
WEEI    Doc Rivers Postgame Presser
Brew Hoop    Recap: Celtics 98, Bucks 89 - Brew Hoop
Top Tenz    Top 10 NBA 3 Point Shooters of All Time
Green Street     Take that Tim Donaghy
Davis: ‘I’ll be back soon’
Daniels to get MRI
Pagliuca falls short in Senate bid
Fast Break: Celtics-Bucks
C’s trying to get the point of rebounding
Allen calls for accountability, communication with refs
Tim Donaghy on D&C, 12/8
Telegram    Rondo’s late shooting sparks Celtics
Tony returns at right time
Dimemag   Shooter McDirk
Knickerblogger    The Fix Is (Still) In
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Kevin Garnett paved the way for Bucks phenom Brandon Jennings, 'Big Baby' Davis update, and more
Slam Online     Decade’s Worst: NBA Team
Waiting for Next Year   Delonte West as the Ultimate Diff: How the Young Guard Makes the Cavaliers Great