5-2 @ 4-3
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
7:00 pm ET
Schottenstein Center (Columbus, OH)

Game Thread   |   Chat

Through seven exhibition games, we've seen a lot of promising things. We've seen that KG might indeed be alright, we've seen slimmer and more agile versions of Big Baby and Perk, we've seen that Rasheed Wallace still has it when he's hungry, we've begun to see just how versatile Marquis Daniels really is, we've seen some all-out hustle from youngsters like J.R. Giddens and Lester Hudson, we've seen that Michael Sweetney has outdone Rondo's poor eating habits, and we've seen some very strong showings from our man Rondo after a slow start to his preseason campaign. What we haven't seen, however, is a game of basketball that actually counts.

Lucky for us, tonight's Celtics-Cavs matchup marks the end of preseason basketball. Don't get too excited; I'd save your "Eastern Conference Finals preview" headlines and anticipations for Tuesday's regular season opener in Cleveland, as many starters are expected to take tonight's preseason finale off. However, expect a hard-fought game played by a number of players looking to impress for minutes and perhaps a roster spot.

The regular season is just six days away. Take a deep breath and get through tonight's game with that in mind.

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2-1 @ 0-3
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
7:00 pm ET
Prudential Center (Newark, NJ)

Game Thread   |   Chat

Tonight, preseason basketball shifts to Newark, New Jersey, where the Nets will host the Celtics for a rematch of Sunday's matinee showdown. Boston took care of business in that contest, winning 100-93. New Jersey was held to 40.5% shooting from the field altogether, including an ugly 29.4% clip from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the C's shot over 45% from the floor and rallied behind an efficient 25-point performance from Paul Pierce and strong bench play.

On the other side, Lawrence Frank struggled to get big performances from his perimeter soldiers. The starting backcourt of Rafer Alston and Chris Douglas-Roberts shot a combined 7-21 from the field while Courtney Lee, Bobby Simmons and rookie swingman Terrence Williams failed to help the cause by hauling up bricks in 16 of their 22 shot attempts.

However, the Nets did manage to get some very promising showings from three of New Jersey's key interior players. Of course, second-year center Brook Lopez highlighted them all, as the gifted seven-footer tallied 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked three shots and connected on 11 of his 14 free throw attempts. The former Stanford Cardinal appeared to be on a mission, and didn't back down from anyone in his path. In fact, he undoubtedly put more pressure on the Celtic defense than they put on him, as he showed off his fluid post arsenal and drew multiple fouls in shooting motion. Even Kevin Garnett praised Lopez's improvements in the post-game press conference. Keep your eyes peeled, he's got a very bright future.

Yi Jianlian came away with a 20-and-8 performance of his own, and this time it was not against a chair out in LA. Granted, he remains more than lost on the defensive end and probably still can't stop the infamous chair from scoring, but does Yi have a beautiful stroke or what? In addition to that, he looks a bit bigger, as does Josh Boone, who came off the bench to contribute 14 points and seven boards. Tommy marveled at his new and improved confidence level, and as crazy as the old man can get, he was onto something this time. Boone's no dummy, he knows that this is a contract year.

One notable that didn't suit up for the Nets on Sunday afternoon was 2009 All-Star Devin Harris, who rested a sore left ankle. He will, however, be in the lineup tonight, so expect a more dynamic offensive attack from them this time around.

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1-0 @ 0-1
Friday, October 9, 2009
7:30 pm ET
TD Garden (Boston, MA)

Game Thread   |   Chat

Despite the [meaningless] 96-90 loss to the Rockets in Wednesday night's preseason opener, the Celtics left Hidalgo with a lot of positives for the fans to be proud about. We saw the newcomers make strong first impressions, as Marquis Daniels put his versatility on display while Rasheed Wallace let us know that he still has a lot left in the tank when motivated. Shelden Williams appeared to be in terrific physical condition and was one of the most active players on the floor. Even rookie guard Lester Hudson showed multiple flashes of brilliance with his all-out hustle, admirable athletic ability and defensive intensity. And yes, of all people, Michael Sweetney ended up posting a team-high 10 points, as his... how should I put this nicely... "wide frame" created enough space for him to show off his soft touch around the rim in the fourth quarter.

In addition to that, we saw some promising things from our homegrown veterans. Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins stood out for the simple fact that their recent weight losses have noticeably improved their appearance and mobiliy. Perk, however, learned that he wasn't quite quick or deceptive enough to shake n' bake with the ball in transition. Regardless, he put together a clean spin move in the post and reminded us of the killer lazer hook and quality defensive rotations.

Most importantly, we saw Kevin Garnett on the floor for the first time since March 25. He wasn't all hobbly and bobbly like recent overblown training camp video suggests, either. He looked good. Adrenaline may have played a small role, but no matter how you look at it, he got the job done on Wednesday night. He made some absolutely outstanding reads on the defensive end, two of which were picked off by KG himself, knocked down his mid-range jumpers, grabbed five rebounds in 13 minutes, made a terrific pass to a cutting Ray Allen, and provided the typical anecdotes that make him the one and only Kevin Garnett. He pounded his chest while cussing at the crowd prior to tipoff, he got excited from the bench, he coached his teammates at ample opportunities, and he even skied up to deny the opposition of knocking down post-whistle shots.

Give The Big Ticket some time to get himself in tip-top game shape, but make no mistake about it, KG is back and so are our beloved Celtics. Exhibition play resumes tonight, as the C's are set to make their 2009-10 TD Garden debut against division rival New York Knicks. Preseason or not, make some noise at "the house" tonight.

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3 @ 2
Thursday, May 14, 2009
7:00 pm ET
Amway Arena (Orlando, FL)

The fourth quarter of Game 5 was gut-check time, and the Celtics answered the call. Trailing by as many as 14 points in the final frame, Boston rallied behind a hot streak from Stephon Marbury and pulled out a monster four-point victory to give them the 3-2 series lead.

If Tuesday night's victory was any indication, the Celtics are not going to win ballgames if they fail to get stops. The hot story of the fourth quarter may have been the return of "Starbury," but that's not the top reason for the victory. Ray Allen and Marbury can hit all the shots they want, but the Celtics do not have a series advantage without the defense to back the offense. The key of the comeback was that Boston buckled down and got multiple stops.

From the timeout Doc Rivers took at the 8:49 mark of the fourth quarter to the final buzzer, Orlando was held to just 11 points. Those stops opened up room for transition success, and the "50-50 game" was severely in Boston's favor throughout that stretch. That was the difference, and that's what the Celtics need to do for four quarters every night. As long as they take care of the defense and the hustle, the offense will follow.

Tonight, Orlando will have their backs against the wall on their home floor. With Boston in the driver's seat, Game 6 is a win or go home situation for Dwight Howard and the Magic. Will they get the job done and force the Celtics to play their fourth Game 7 of the past two postseasons, or will the men in green play inspired basketball on both ends of the floor and set up a date with Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals?

Let's hope for the latter. Go get 'em, boys!

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1 @ 2
Sunday, May 10, 2009
8:00 pm ET
Amway Arena (Orlando, FL)

I assume that you've all heard the sports term "win or go home." Tonight, the Celtics need to take it to heart, as a Game 4 loss would give Orlando a comfortable 3-1 series lead. Now, that isn't impossible to recover from, but only eight clubs in NBA history have been able to pull off a miracle comeback from an equal deficit. Mathematically, the series would be up for grabs, but realistically it would be all but over.

As Kendrick Perkins noted after Game 1's loss, the Celtics have the tendency to get a little too comfortable and let their guard down. Game 2 was all fine and dandy, but the defensive effort in Game 3 was atrocious at best, and the team was as out of sync offensively as they've been all season.

Tonight, that's not gonna fly. No more lackadaisical defense, no more stagnant offense, and no more allowing the opposition to dictate the tempo of the game. It's time to buckle down and regain homecourt advantage.

Take what's yours, Cs.

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1 @ 0
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
8:00 pm ET
TD BankNorth Garden (Boston, MA)

The outcome of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals was a tough one to swallow for Celtics supporters. Nothing went right in the first half, and that had everything to do with the intimidation factor of Dwight Howard. The Celtics were scared to attack the paint and challenge him, especially Rajon Rondo, and they were so afraid that they didn't earn a single trip to the free throw line by intermission. Not one. The team was out of sync in every way possible, and the only true positive from the first half may have been the offensive surge from Stephon Marbury.

The third quarter was a different story, as the Celtics played desperation basketball while Orlando got comfortable, and the tables turned. Rajon Rondo knocked down 10 of his 12 free throw attempts in the third quarter alone, and the Celtics willed themselves back into the ballgame. Boston came from down 28 to bring the deficit to just four with about a minute and a half to go. Unfortunately, Ray Allen's corner three-ball bounce back out after falling three quarters of the way down, and the Cs were unable to cap off the miracle comeback with a victory.

However, as disappointing as Monday night's loss was, there is plenty of basketball left to be played. On the bright side, this game showed us that the Celtics can indeed beat Orlando in this series. It showed the players that they aren't going to get anywhere if they don't relentlessly attack, and it showed the fans that our guys were right there with Orlando despite a putrid overall performance. Ray Allen put up yet another Game 1 stinker (2-12 FG), Paul Pierce shot just 7-18, and Rajon Rondo was atrocious for roughly three quarters and finished with seven turnovers to go along with a 2-12 shooting clip. I'll be damned if all three of them duplicate those abysmal outings in Game 2.

As crazy as it sounds, we should feel confident after losing Game 1 on our home floor.

Go get 'em, boys, and get 'em with a 48-minute sense of urgency this time, will ya?

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Game Thread   |   Chat

Coming off of a convincing Game 3 victory to give Boston a one-game series advantage, the Celtics will revisit the United Center this afternoon with hopes of improving to 3-1. Should they find success, Doc Rivers' gang would have a chance at closing out the series back in Boston in Game 5.

Game 3 was an absolute beat down. The score (107-86) doesn't do enough justice, as Boston's patented defense came alive and harassed for the first time this postseason. The Bulls were held to 37.5% shooting on their home floor, while Boston added to the fire by forcing 22 turnovers and blocking 10 shots. Bulls fans were so disappointed with their team's performance that they busted out the boo-birds as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter.

At game's end, Rajon Rondo was seen shoeless, being carried to the locker room by Bill Walker and Phil Lynch. Rondo denied that it had anything to do with his injured right ankle and claimed that a bad tape job led to sore feet. Whether you want to believe that or not is entirely up to you, but it is probably fair to give Rondo the benefit of the doubt until we are proven otherwise.

Needless to say, it'll be interesting to see if the third-year stud guard can continue his series dominance (22.7 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 9.7 APG, 4.0 SPG) and help the Celtics cruise to their third straight victory. History suggests that Rondo will be ready to play, as he held averages of 16.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game on two days worth of rest.

Go get 'em, Cs.

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Game Thread   |   Chat

The Celtics didn't begin the 2009 NBA Playoffs as well as they would've liked. Granted, Game 1 was extremely intense and showcased a marvelous head-to-head battle from point guards Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo, but you never want to allow the road team to steal Game 1 from you in your building. Especially in overtime, as the defending champions, at the expense of an unstoppable (at least on that day) rookie.

Boston wasn't the only higher-seeded club to blow a Game 1, however. Portland got romped by Houston on Saturday night, while Dallas played tough in San Antonio and Philadelphia pulled off a late 18-point comeback to steal one from Orlando.

Regardless, what's in the past stays in the past, and there is still plenty of basketball to be played. As Tyson Chandler said last night after New Orleans' 113-84 Game 1 loss to Denver, you'll take yourself out of a series quickly if you dwell on previous outings. If you lose a game, you lose a game. From there, you've got to move on and try to get the next one.

Tonight, the Celtics will look to redeem themselves back at the TD BankNorth Garden in Game 2. Should Chicago manage to somehow pull off back-to-back victories, the defending champs would be knee-deep in trouble. On the same note, this team is more than capable of taking care of business tonight and taking homecourt advantage back in either Game 3 or 4.

Get your popcorn ready.

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60-20 @ 40-40
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
8:00 pm ET
Wachovia Center (Philadelphia, PA)

Game Thread   |   Chat

If the playoffs were to begin today, Boston's Eastern Conference Quarterfinal matchup would be tonight's opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers. However, it is not set in stone. Chicago holds just a half-game advantage over the Sixers, and Philly has two games remaining on their regular season schedule (including tonight) while Chicago has just one. Therefore, there is a chance that Philly could win out and gain control of the sixth seed, which will square off with Orlando in the first round.

Now, when I say that there is a chance, I'm only speaking mathematically. The likeliness of Philly beating the Celtics tonight and handing Cleveland their second home loss of the season tomorrow is... well... it's just not going to happen. To top that off, Chicago's regular season finale is a more than winnable home game against the underwhelming 32-49 Toronto Raptors, who at this point are playing for nothing more or less than lottery odds.

Here's where it gets interesting. Should Philly split their last two games while Chicago takes care of business in their finale, the Sixers and Bulls would tie for overall record (41-41), record against Eastern Conference teams (25-27), and wins against one another (2). If all of that transpires, the deciding factor would come down to winning percentage within each team's respective division. Should that be the case, Chicago would control the rights to the sixth Eastern Conference seed, as they are currently 9-7 against Central Division teams while Philadelphia is just 6-9 against Atlantic Division clubs.

Or, we can forget everything above and just end the confusion tonight by racking up our sixty-first W of the season.

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32-45  @  58-19
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
7:30 pm ET
TD BankNorth Garden (Boston, MA)

Game Thread   |   Chat

It is not playoff time just yet, but we've got only five regular season games to go before the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are the primary focus of this basketball team. Boston's first round matchup remains uncertain, but the chances of the Celtics and Nets facing off against one another is extremely slim.

In fact, a loss tonight would mathematically take New Jersey out of the playoff equation. Lawrence Frank's group currently sits five games behind Detroit for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff seed. In order for New Jersey to have the "luxury" of meeting Cleveland in the first round of this year's postseason, the Nets would have to win out the remaining five games of their schedule, while Detroit loses all five. In addition to that, they'd have to pray that neither Charlotte or Indiana, who each hold minor advantages over Jersey in the standings, reach or exceed that magic number of 37 victories.

In other words, Nets fans better start studying up on draft lottery odds and prospects for the third straight year.

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