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Orlando Magic News for December 9th: Vince Carter, Fun Facts, Stan Van Gundy's Three-Point Marksmanship, and More

Ben Q Rock — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Fernando Medina - NBAE/Getty Images

First-Quarter Report: Teams' Identities Have Developed, for Better or Worse
The Sporting News' Sean Deveney, perhaps best known to Orlando Magic fans as the guy who picked them to finish behind the Washington Wizards in the Southeast Division this season, writes that the Orlando Magic's addition of Vince Carter has proven to be the best move of the offseason so far.

Offseason payoff: Vince Carter, Orlando. The Magic are still working Carter into the offense, trying to find the right balance between getting him to be aggressive and dominate, and getting him to be one of the cogs on a very talented team. But so far, things have gone well, as Orlando sits tied for the best record in the East.

"Vince is going to be fine," [Dwight] Howard said. "He's been great for us, and the more he gets used to what we do, he is only going to get better."

From Basketball-Reference: Carter leads the Magic in scoring at 19.3 points per game, has a Player Efficiency Rating of 18.2, and has connected on 35.1% of his three-pointers. And despite leading the Magic in Usage Rate at 29.2%, he turns the ball over on only 8.2% of his possessions, second on the team only to Brandon Bass. The only other players to exceed Carter's usage with fewer turnovers this year are Chris Bosh, Josh Howard, Kevin Martin, and Dirk Nowitzki.
Earlier this afternoon, the Magic distributed a list of notes to the media. Here's the first fact:

At 17-4, Orlando has equalled its best start in franchise history (1994-95, 1995-96). The Magic have never been 18-4.

To save space, I've posted the rest of the fact sheet after the jump.
Stan Van Gundy to get shot at 3-point contest trophy
J.E. Skeets makes an important announcement:

The Orlando Magic's Stan Van Gundy will seek to become the first NBA head coach to capture the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout crown, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 13, at American Airlines Center, as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night.

No word on if Magic forward Rashard Lewis, last year's runner-up, will also take part.
The Biggest Aberration?
In a post concerning Gerald Wallace's incredible spike in rebounding this year, Kevin Pelton tries to figure out what the biggest statistical aberration in NBA History is. Former Magic guard Nick Anderson appears in his findings.

A better candidate of a very different kind is Nick Anderson's free throw shooting. Free throw percentage tends to be very stable, especially after a player's first couple of years, which makes what happened to Anderson so bizarre. He was never much of a free throw shooter for a guard, but settled in around 70 percent before inexplicably sinking to 40.4 percent during the 1996-97 season. The odds of a player of Anderson's true ability (about 70 percent) shooting so poorly are nearly 1 in 50,000.
Steve Nash Internet Day!
Visit our friends at Bright Side of the Sun as they honor Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash with Steve Nash Internet Day.
Twitter / tribjazz
UPDATE: Former Magic training-camp invitee Morris Almond is headed to the D-League, reports Ross Siler, who covered Almond when he played for the Utah Jazz:

Former Jazz first-round draft pick Morris Almond will be joining the NBA D-League's Springfield (Mass.) Armor tomorrow.
Kendrick Perkins is core of Celtics' defense, low-post scoring
UPDATE 2 (from Eddy): Want to know why Kendrick Perkins has success defending Dwight Howard? Britt Robson of Sports Illustrated explains.

Perkins' mettle in the low block was validated by his yeoman effort in rooting Dwight Howard out of his favorite spots in last year's Celtics-Magic series in the second round of the playoffs. Unlike most players, Perkins doesn't use a forearm when guarding opponents who operate with their backs to the basket. "If you use the forearm, you don't have enough balance when they spin or fade away," he said. Instead, he uses hands for sensory information; the outside hand placed on an opponents' tailbone to determine where he's going (and, if possible, to guide him), while the inside hand stabs for steals.

Again, make the jump to read the rest of the fact sheet the Magic sent this afternoon.

Orlando has won eight straight on the road, the longest road winning streak for a single season. Overall, the record is nine (last two in April '07 and first sevent in November '07). Under Stan Van Gundy (two-plus years), the Magic are 64-30 on the road. At 10-2 on the road this year, the Magic will look to eclipse its seasonal franchise record for road wins (27 each of the last two years).

Orlando has won 23 straight games in which it has scored 100 points. The streak dates back to Feb. 24, 2009.

Orlando has had five or more players score in double-figures in 12 games this year (11-1 record when it happens).

Orlando has made 10 or more three-pointers 13 times this year and is 11-2 when it does so.

Orlando has had 20-plus assists nine times this year and is 9-0 when it does so.

When Orlando outrebounds its opponent the Magic are 13-0.

Over Stan Van Gundy's two-plus seasons Orlando is 91-20 (10-2 this year) when holding opponents under 100 points.

Over Stan Van Gundy's two-plus seasons Orlando is 114-34 (12-3 this year) when holding opponents to less than 50 percent shooting.

Dwight Howard now has 25 career 20+ point/20+ rebound games (two already this year). The Magic are 6-2 when Vince Carter scored 20-plus points this year. Rashard Lewis is averaging 18.3 ppg. over the last six games, while shooting over 50 percent from the field overall and three-point range, compared to 12.6 ppg. and a 33 percent field goal mark the first five games he played this season.

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

Marquis Daniels Has Surgery

Jeff Clark — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:52:18 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

Daniels is on the shelf.

Browse more photos »

Not good news via the Celtics twitter:

Marquis Daniels had surgery this morning to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. No time table on his return

So, more of Tony Allen and Scalabrine? If he's out for a long time, I wonder if a move could be made.

Red's Army talked to a Pacers blogger a few days ago about Daniels and his history of injuries. It is worth a read.

Jared Wade: During his three years in Indiana, Marquis played 45, 74 and 54 games - but it felt like less. It was frustrating because when he did play, he was a solid, if unspectacular contributor. It's just that he was always in and out of the lineup so much that it wasn't just the missed games, but all of the wasted time reintegrating him into the lineup every month.

Update: Dan Duggan of the Herald reports that he'll be out 6 to 8 weeks. That means late January at the earliest, most likely early February.

Recap: Celtics 98, Bucks 89

Frank Madden — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:16:20 -0000

Box Score

Let's not kid ourselves. When your team has dropped eight of its last nine, there's no such thing as a moral victory, even if it's a hard-fought game on the Celtics' home floor. But let's at least say this: the Bucks' rather predictable loss in Boston at least had more to do with the Celtics being damn good than the Bucks simply being bad.

Unlike Sunday, the Bucks were playing catch-up early but this time held their composure for about 44 minutes. A big reason was Andrew Bogut, who settled the Bucks early on by dropping a series of hooks with both hands en route to 12 first quarter points. Brandon Jennings again had a slow start, missing three shots before heading to the bench midway through the first, but came back in time to toss a tough runner high off the glass going to his left for a three point play to end the first. Improbably, the Bucks not only were in it, but had a one-point lead.

The second quarter was largely the same story from a flow perspective. Both teams rested their starters for longer stretches, and Bogut was held shotless with two turnovers, though he also notched three assists. But as much as the Celtics made short spurts, they couldn't put together the consistency needed to put the Bucks away. The Bucks again finished respectably, as Delfino buried a late three and Jennings dropped in a floater near the buzzer to bring the Bucks within a point at the half.

Third quarter? Same story. Kevin Garnett (25 points, 9/13 fg) started to get on a roll in the third, burying four open jumpers as Rajon Rondo (11 pts, nine boards, 13 ast) used P&R to get in the lane and kick to open teammates seemingly everytime down the court. But Bogut answered with eight of his own and the Celtics' role players had less luck--Eddie House and Brian Scalabrine among those missing open looks that had the Garden crowd ready to explode.

Unfortunately, in crunch time the Celtics simply played like the Celtics. And the Bucks, well, they played like you'd expect the Bucks to play on the road against the league's best defense. After Delfino found Ilyasova surprisingly open for a layup to tie it at 86, Rondo (40% ft shooting coming in) hit a pair of freebies and stuck a mid-range jumper shortly thereafter. It was the capper on a big quarter for Rondo, who scored all 11 of his points in the decisive period, including 5/7 from the stripe. Bogut then turned it over on consecutive possessions, and Garnett dumped a righty hook over Ilyasova to extend the Boston to lead to 93-86. Ballgame.

Three Bucks

Andrew Bogut. Bogut finished the game with an unsightly seven turnovers, but that shouldn't overshadow the fact that he was miles better than he's been the past three games (25 points, 11/17 fg, 14 rebs, five assists, two blocks). It was mostly what we expect of Bogut at his best: when he posted deep he finished with both hands, and when further out he was able to put the ball on the deck and get equally good looks. He even had one improbable turnaround fadeaway with the clock running down and made each of his three free throws--one of those nights apparently.

Ersan Ilyasova. Garnett was able to take it to Ilyasova on the rare occasions he got the ball on the block, and Ilyasova's shot generally wasn't falling from outside. But otherwise the Turkish Delight held his own about as well as could be expected against Boston's best, scoring 19 (6/17 fg, 2/6 threes, 5/6 ft) to go with eight boards, and three steals in 43 minutes.

Carlos Delfino. Jennings (7/19 fg, 17 pts) had a flashier night, but Delfino provided both some shooting (12 points on 5/10 fg, 2/4 threes) and passing (team-high five assists). I'm not sure I like Delfino orchestrating the offense too much, but it's tough to complain when Delfino plays Ray Allen (13 pts on nine shots) to a draw.

Three Numbers

52.2%. Though the Celtics couldn't crack the century mark, it's not to say the Bucks defended particularly well--Boston ended the game right around their averages with 108.9 pts scored/100 possessions and 98.9 pts/100 allowed. They came out looking to pound the Bucks inside, and eventually found their mid-range groove as well.

The Bucks certainly worked hard, but Rondo was seemingly able to draw the extra defender at will, forcing the Bucks to leave either Perkins open under the basket or Garnett open on the perimeter. And even though Rondo was basically no threat to score himself most of the night, he made almost no mistakes finding his talented teammates (13 dimes, one turnover). Whether it was the screener or someone setting up shop in the corner, Rondo's vision was tremendous and he's got the teammates to make him look good.

14. The Bucks got after it on the offensive glass and it helped keep them in the game--14 offensive and 45 total boards helped offset the Bucks' 43% shooting.

17. Turnover differential has generally been one of the Bucks' saving graces the past two seasons, but not tonight. The Bucks coughed it up 20 times--a whopping 17 on Boston steals--as the Celtics simply gave them no margin for error. The Celtics are just impressive all the way around on defense: they defend one-on-one, they take away passing lanes, they hedge/recover on P&R, they close out on shooters when you move the ball. The Bucks might not have seen the Celtics at their best tonight, but they probably saw enough to know why they're once again one of the league's toughest teams.

Three Good

The Anchor. Technically Bogut's been back for over a week, but it's been three games since we saw the Bogut we want to see. As is so often the case, Bogut's ability to finish around the hoop was closely correlated with everything else about his game, and it was nice feeling like the Bucks had someone they could count on to create scoring opportunities whenever the crowd was starting to get into it. Turnovers not withstanding, this is the Bogut that we need to see every night.

The Prince. If practice made perfect, then Luc Mbah a Moute's development as a jump-shooter wouldn't be progressing so miserably. But as much as the Prince has struggled with his shot, his work-rate and footwork on defense is still a sight to behold. Paul Pierce didn't have a terrible line tonight (15 pts on nine shots, five turnovers), but thanks to Luc, he was among the least of the Bucks' problems.

Bouncing back. Unlike most of their recent losses, the Bucks at least didn't have anything to be ashamed of tonight. It was a road game, the Celtics are good, they were in it until late, blah blah. And tomorrow night the Bucks get a chance to bounce back quickly against a Calderon-less Raptors team in Milwaukee. No excuses.

Three Bad

Closing time. It's no secret that the Bucks don't have proven scorers they can rely on in crunch time--a void that was all the more obvious when you watch the Celtics with KG, Pierce and Allen all ready to drop daggers when the Celtics need a hoop.

Sure, Jennings has made some big shots, but he's had even more misses and turnovers--a theme that continued tonight as he misfired on a pair of late threes. Tonight Bogut fell victim to the turnover bug as well, coughing it up twice in the last four minutes as the Celtics made their surge. So while we used to always complain about Mike Redd's one-track mind late in games, I wouldn't mind having an 04/05 or 05/06 Redd around to make life easier at this point. Sadly, I'm not counting on it.

Bench. Luke Ridnour and Hakim Warrick have typically been reliable bench scorers of late; maybe not both at the same time, but typically one of them has provided a shot of energy to the second unit. Not tonight. Ridnour didn't make a field goal before going down with an elbow injury in the third quarter, and Warrick was a complete non-factor in 13 minutes. All told, the Bucks got just nine points on 2/11 shooting from the short bench of Ridnour, Warrick, and Bell.

Rondo'ed. It was a matchup of contrasting roles and styles for Jennings and Rondo. While the more trigger-happy Jennings is already carrying the burden of an entire franchise 20 games into his career, Rondo has steadily developed into one of the league's best all-around PGs while sharing the stage with three all-stars. I doubt either team would want to trade their guy for the other one--the Bucks need to roll the dice with a potential superstar and the Celtics need their more experienced jack-of-all-trades. On the positive side, Jennings showed some creative shot-making around the hoop...but he also missed all eight of his jumpers outside 15 feet. Live and learn.

Rondo, Celtics Pounce on Bucks in 4th: 98-89

tenaciousT — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:10:41 -0000

More photos » by Brian Babineau - NBAE/Getty Images

Rondo and KG put the pinch on Jennings.

Browse more photos »

Thanks to a masterful performance by Rajon Rondo and continued hot shooting by Kevin Garnett, the Celtics took care of home cooking tonight against a feisty Bucks team that was hungry for a win. They dropped their 4th straight.

The Cs winning streak reaches 8 straight and they are 17-4 overall, while raising their record at home to 8-3.

The Cs started the final period tied at 71, and after another tie, pulled away in the fourth quarter thanks to an unstoppable performance by Rajon Rondo. Shaquille O'Neal move over. The Hack-a-Rondo has arrived.

Kevin Garnett led a balanced attack with six Celtics in double figures with 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting.

Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins finished with 15 points each, Ray Allen added 13 to the cause, including 2 of 4 from the three point line, and Rasheed Wallace popped for 13 more, with 3 of 4 from the arc, off the bench. Eddie House was shooting blanks last night, going 1 for 7, but got busy with 3 steals.

Ray Allen on Rondo…

He just distributed the ball throughout the whole game and then the plays were there for him to make, and to me, it was one of his better games, based on just how he managed it.

After three quarters, Rondo was 0-6 and scoreless but had orchestrated the Celtics offense all night with strong drives to the hoop, kick outs, and pin hole interior passing.

Scott Skiles…

Rondo was in the paint on us all night long. A team like that, as the game goes on, they’re going to wear you down and they’re probably going to beat you if you continue to let them do that.

We had tremendous difficulty keeping him in front of us the whole game. We went to go under the pick and rolls and we didn’t have any luck with that. We tried to make several adjustments and he took it to our rookie pretty good.

That rookie is Brandon Jennings, the Bucks new point guard of recent reknown. Jennings looked tentative starting out the game and was 1-7 shooting, before going 6-12 the rest of the way. He was 0-4 from the arc.

Rondo had 13 assists, but also made passes that led to assists for someone else.

Rondo turned it up a notch in the 4th, dropping 11 points on 3-3 shooting, including a few jump shots and 5 of 7 free throw shooting. Rajon finished with 13 assists, 11 points and 9 rebounds, just missing the triple double.

Jennings finished with 17 points on 7 of 19 shooting and had 6 points, but 4 fouls in the final period trying to guard Rondo. He finished with 5 fouls and 4 turnovers.

The Celtics started out the game with one thing in mind, pound it into the paint. They didn’t take a jump shot until the 4:07 mark and they had scored 17 points.

Rasheed Wallace…

We just tried to do what we could to punish them in the paint. We knew they only had one true big with Bogut. They had two bigs on the side (Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas) that didn’t get a chance to play, but we just tried to punish them inside.

The Celtics got small leads all game and the Bucks would battle back. There was great interior passing at different times in the game by both teams. But the Celtics were able to create shots with more varied overall passing due to Rondo’s ability to get inside.

The 4th Quarter was the Difference

After losing Jennings on a screen on the left side, Rajon drove and scored his first basket of the game with a little jump shot on a beautiful spin move in the paint. That made the score 75-73.

The next time down the floor, the Celtics moved the ball around with Scalabrine passing up a three and driving and kicking out to Sheed for a three that rocked the house. Score 78-73.

Jennings drives to make it 78-75, but Pierce kicks it out to Rasheed for another three to make it 81-75.

The Bucks come back to tie it at 86 all on an Ilyasova lay-up, before Charlie Bell fouls Rondo on what Doc Rivers called Hack-a-Rondo.

Rivers…

Well tonight was the first time I saw ‘hack-a-Rondo’. With five minutes left, that was an intentional foul. And he made them. Thank G-d, you know?

And he’s going to get fouled more. That’s going to happen. So, it’s really important, obviously, for your point guard to make free throws. And he’s going to do that. He’s starting to now.

Rondo made both foul shots and then made a pull up jumper to make it 91-86. After Garnett fouls Ilyasova and he makes both free throws, Ray Allen hits a three pointer off a Rondo pass, making it 96-89.

Rondo...

I like taking shots. It's just...you know when you're playing with guys that are great at what they do, my job is to distribute the ball so.....I'm a 'pass first' point guard, probably 'pass second', I think shoot third. This is how I play. I love the...I'd rather get an assist any day than score the ball.

I'm going to shoot the ball when I have to or when I feel I need to but other than that I'm fine with getting rid of the ball to Paul Pierce....Eddie House. You know, I've got great shooters around me.

After taking the rook to the woodshed in a number of ways, what was Rondo's impression of Jennings?

He's a crafty point guard. He can definitely score the ball. He missed some shots tonight. I think we did a pretty good job on him. But he's definitely going to be a great player.

After a Jennings three pointer misses, Pierce comes down court and passes to KG for a long side jumper that decides the game at 98-89 with 1:48 to go.

The Celtics went on a 12-3 run to close it out with a kick. The only three points the Bucks scored were on three Ilyasova free throws in the last 4:51 of the game.

Garnett's Torrid Shooting Continues

Many of Garnett’s 25 points were set up by Rondo drive and kicks, and Pierce drawing Garnett’s defender and kicking it back to KG as in that final shot against the Knicks. Garnett has been nailing the open Js.

Since going 6-6 against Toronto on Nov. 27, he is 50 for 65 from the floor for a ridiculous .77%, especially considering that many of those shots are 16-18 footers.

Andrew Bogut had a strong game though Perkins was guarding him fairly well. The difference between Bogut and Howard is that Bogut has a go-to move or two in the middle. He was on last night and was making a number of contested shots around the paint. Bogut finished with 25 points on 11 of 17 shooting. He also had 7 turnovers due to a harassing Celtic defense.

It was a physical game, especially rebounding late in the fourth quarter, when the Celtics pulled away.

Rivers…

I thought there was one stretch in the fourth quarter where you could physically see bodies on bodies. And we got all the rebounds. And we’ve just got to get better at it.

Even without winning the board battle overall, the Celtics out shot and outplayed the Bucks. They also had 17 steals and those were huge as well. Rajon led with 5 steals, two in the final period.

Tony Allen played for the first time this season, going scoreless in almost 6 minutes time. How did he feel about his performance?

It could always be better. The shots that I did take...I got fouled on one. I need to convert my free throws. For the most part, I took what was in the offense. I couldn't really do too much. It isn't like I had some clear outs.

I just have to get the rust out. I feel good. I have to see how I feel tomorrow.

So the Celtics continue their winning ways and go back on the road for 3 more games before having three games at home before the Christmas Holiday.

Raptors Rapid Recap - Toronto 94 - Minnesota 88

RaptorsHQ - Franchise — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:16:19 -0000

-If you're a fan of fast-paced, action-packed, lights-out shooting offence...well...this game wasn't for you.

-Toronto outlasted Minnesota despite shooting a putrid 32 PER CENT from the field, winning their ugliest game of the year. Neither team could get it going as Minny shot only 37 per cent themselves, and combined, the two teams were 5 of 37 from downtown.

-And yes, that ugly 3-point shooting meant that Toronto's NBA record for 3-point makes was in jeopardy. It wasn't until about five minutes left in the game that Andrea Bargnani hit a long-range bomb to extend the streak, and Antoine Wright hit one even later...just for good measure. Funny thing was, the Raps desperately needed both as the Wolves were pressing hard.

-Chris Bosh was a workman again despite playing under the weather and he finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds. And Jarrett Jack, who started in place of the injured Jose Calderon, had 17 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds. Minnesota was led by Kevin Love with 18 and 7, and Jonny Flynn with 17 points and 8 assists.

-So what won this game for the Raptors in the end? Ironically, free-throw shooting. Toronto got to the line an incredible 48 times, making 40 of them. Minnesota? Only 23 attempts.

-Again, this was hardly a marquee performance by the Raps, but one that was nevertheless a solid win as they ground things out despite not being able to hit the broad side of a barn door. One thing is for certain, the team can't play like this tomorrow night against the Bucks (who gave the Celtics all they could handle tonight) so hopefully TO puts this one FAR behind them and moves on...

Open Season: C's Shoot The Bucks

Jeff Clark — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:01:21 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

Good team effort.

Browse more photos »

The Bucks made it interesting near the end, but the Celtics turned in a good all around effort to extend the win streak to 8.

Rondo messed around and nearly got a triple double. Added 5 steals too.
Jennings scored 17 but turned it over 5 times. Advantage Rondo.
Defense held the Bucks under 90 points.
Another big game for KG with 25 points, including a key bucket down the stretch.
Bogut (whom I like to call Booger) had a very solid game with 25 points of his own (plus 14 boards, 5 assists, and 2 blocks). Which is what a #1 pick should do.
All 5 starters scored in double figures and Wallace added 13 of his own. This is happening quite a bit lately. I like it.
Tony Allen lives! And was good for 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, and no points in 5 mintues of work. Just sayin'.
Nice solid win.
Update on Daniels: He will get an MRI and will miss at least the next two games.

Doc Rivers: Celtics Bucks pre game

tenaciousT — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:37:38 -0000

Celtics Bucks Pre Game

Doc Rivers on Rasheed Wallace….

I’m not going to change him with the refs. I’m not going to change the way he plays. I know how he plays and we’re going to use him in the best way. I don’t mind the threes that he takes but I do like him on the post, especially when he’s with the second unit.

When he’s with the first unit, Kevin can be on the post, and I don’t mind that. But with the second unit, especially if Paul’s not on the floor, we really don’t have a post game, and so he has to do that and he’s attempted that over the last couple of weeks.

Using Brian Scalabrine instead of Shelden Wiiliams…..

Mainly because of the line ups that we’ve faced in games against small teams. And so in small line ups, I think Scal has a better chance of staying in front of guys than Shelden.

Scott Skiles on Brandon’s decreased shooting percentage (32%) since the Charlotte game…

Are they game planning him more? Are you guys doing anything different to try to make things a little easier for him out there?

No, not so much. We feel like he’s getting the same looks. For his age, he’s pretty wise about the shots he takes. He doesn’t…maybe if he takes 18 shots in a game, there might be one, maybe two that are a little bit questionable.

But even those, generally it was because there was 6 (seconds) on the shot clock. He’s just hit a little stretch where he’s had a hard time finding the bottom of the basket, a lot of players you can pick a 7 game stretch during the season or a 9 game stretch, where they struggle a little bit.

On to the game...

Daily Links 12/8

FLCeltsFan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:35:13 -0000

Herald    Young Buck runs wild
Scouting report: Bucks at Celtics
Tim Donaghy has standards, just not high ones Tim Donaghy has standards, just not high ones
Globe     The power of words The power of words
Allen gets defensive
Chat with Gary Washburn right now
Jennings owes a bow to Garnett
Vote for Perk

CelticsBlog     Happy Birthday Larry Legend
Everyone Loves Brandon Jennings
Loy's Place    Celtics Host Bucks Looking for 8th Straight Win
ESPN    Tim Donaghy, disgraced NBA official, sticks to story: Biases helped bets
It's clear Daniels has been hurting
C's climb in power rankings
Garnett named the best in the East
Former Celtic mentored Jennings overseas
Owner sorry for Michael Jordan-Bryon Russell 1-on-1 hoax
Tim Donaghy's claims on trial
Nick Friedell's Blog - What happened?
NBA Basketball Power Rankings
Celtics 17    Iverson scores 11 in inauspicious return
Red's Army     Case of the Mondays: Lakers Lovefest Makes Me Wanna Puke
KG is the Player of the Week
The Morning Dump... Where Ray Gets Defensive
Andre Iguodala nails full court shot
CSNNE    C's Xmas list: Board game
Basketbawful     Happy Birdmas 2009!!
Celtics Hub    Statistical Oddities of Questionable Significance
Everybody Loves Ray
North Station Sports    Dwight Howard has worse hygiene than your garden variety preschooler
Anything Is Possible! KG Wins Player Of The Week
Keep Shooting Ray Ray!
Celtics Town    The Morning Walkthrough: Brandon Jennings was mentored by former Celtic Allan Ray
Is Tim Donaghy lying? Statistics prove it likely
Glen Davis has cast taken off, does 'light work' in practice
Lebron James bashing gone too far
Hardwood Houdini    Kevin Garnett – Hardwood Houdini Player of The Week
Hardwood Houdini NBA Power Rankings
Lex Nihil Novi     Larry v. Magic: Game 6 Preview
Red: Parish Doesn't Take a Back Seat to Anyone
Larry v. Magic: Game 6
Larry v. Magic: Game 6 Post-Mortem
CelticsLife    The decline of the White American NBA Player
More Donaghy
The Rarest of the Rare
What the Hell Happened to...Eric Montross?
Gino's Jungle     Write For Gino's Jungle
One at home then back on the bus.
Celtics Stuff Live    Covering the Celtics the Yahoo! Way V.2
Herald News    CELTIC KNOT:Boston has company at the top of the Eastern Conference
Charlotte Observer    CELTIC KNOT:Boston has company at the top of the Eastern Conference
Newest Bobcat's got your back - always
NESN     Celtics Seeking Eighth Straight Win as Bucks Visit Boston
Bucks' Rookie Star Brandon Jennings Set to Face Celtics
Bleacher Report   NBA Power Rankings: Lakers Still King but Magic, Celtics, Nuggets Closing
How Badly is Rasheed Wallace Out of Shape?
Dimemag      Most Improved NBA Player by Division
Back for the First Time
Slam Online    Phil Jackson on Women in NBA: No Way
Inside Hoops   NBA Rumors: Tuesday, Dec. 8
Patriot Ledger     The Shot heard ’round the Celtics
Cleveland.com    With Shaq and a beefed-up bench, there's plenty to like about the Cleveland Cavaliers
JS Online    Preview: Bucks vs. Celtics
Hoopsworld    NBA Power Rankings
Evan Brunell   The end of the Most Valuable Network, MVN.com
Sports Central     LeBron Develops Kevin Garnett Syndrome
BetUs    NBA Week 6 Hot or Not – Celtics are Back, Cavs Keep Rolling
FanHouse    Rondo Deserves to Be an All-Star
Tim Donaghy on '60 Minutes,' Puts Pressure on NBA
NA Sports     Coach of the Year – Worst. Title. Ever.
Orlando Sentinel    NBA Insider: The New Jersey Nets have sacrificed the present for the future
NBA.com    Kevin Garnett and Carlos Boozer named Players of the Week
My SouthEnd    Last Call for Tony Allen
Mass Live     Celtics buzz: Marquis Daniels out, Tony Allen in, and more
CBS Sports    Bucks-Celtics Preview
Herald Extra     Michael Jordan sighted in Orem for 1-on-1 challenge
American Chronicle      Quite a haul ; The Red Claws open a new era of pro basketball in Maine with a big win in their home opener.
TruFan    Are you ready for Tony Allen?