(1) First of all, the Celtics played a terrible game. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, at different times, looked like pathetic fools out there, just throwing the ball away on stupid turnovers. Rasheed Wallace was INEXCUSABLY INFANTILE (see below). The vaunted Celtics defense was hard to find tonight. Even Rondo played fast and loose with the ball, not taking the game seriously.

(2) When are the Cs going to say "Enough is enough, Rasheed. GROW THE HELL UP." His behavior... THREATENING A REF!?!... was disgusting, childish, self-centered and incredibly stupid.

(3) To paraphrase a well-worn saying: "Mess with the refs, you get the shaft." That about sums up this game. Pierce gets absolutely HAMMERED on his breakaway drive... no foul, ball goes to Philly. Iguodala isn't TOUCHED on his drive, and he gets the and-1. This kind of thing happened a lot in this game. And why? Because the Cs ticked off the refs, beginning with Rasheed's incredible display of childishness.

(4) Besides deserving this loss, I realized about 6 minutes into Q4 that the Cs NEEDED TO LOSE THIS GAME. They've gotten cocky. They think they're invulnerable. They think they can mess around, play sloppy, terrible basketball, and still walk away with a win. Not so, boys, not so. And you should know better by now. Since you've forgotten... here's a reminder. You lose. To Philly.

(5) Besides all that... the refs behaved inexcusably in this game. There are no excuses possible for the way this game was officiated. Bill Kennedy and Leroy Richardson should be fired... immediately. This is not hyperbole or overreaction. Those two are a disgrace to the game... childish, vindictive, grossly unfair, blatantly biased. Fire them. Now.

In the last minute of OT vs. the Bucks on Dec 16, Kobe dribbles down the middle near the top of the key, FALLS SHOULDER FIRST into the stationary defender.... and gets the foul call for an and-1. As clear a charge (and travel) as you will ever see. And the Lakers win another squeaker against a mid-level team in OT.

It seems to me that the Lakers are playing quite badly for a putative championship-caliber team, and that they are headed for a major blowout against whoever comes out of the East. I'm not saying who that latter will be, except to note that the color green will be involved.

Gotta feel sorry for Lester Hudson. The guy seems to have a lot of talent. On another NBA team, he would have probably already proven himself, as have Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, Jonny Flynn, Ty Lawson, even guys like Casspi and DeRozan. The difference? Playing time. All over the league, rookies are getting PT and stepping up. But Doc cannot bring himself to do it. He can't see beyond the veterans sitting on his nose.

The team needs a backup PG, right? Lester Hudson has usually done a creditable job in the little time he's had. Why not give him more PT now? Is a backcourt of House and Tony Allen so spectacular? Uh... NO, it's nauseating. But, TA is a team "vet" now, so he is not subject to Doc's mind-block about rookies. It's really something, this problem of Doc's. His biggest flaw, in my book.

Rivers has done very well with his team of veterans. That's what he's good at. But do not try to get this man to rebuild a team with youth and draft picks. He couldn't do it... not even close. Doc Rivers has made Boston a rookie graveyard.

...talking about his book which is going to be published after all, in the next 2-3 weeks. Should be interesting...

In my view, he lists too many details for them to all be completely made up. We who watch NBA games know that the refs are sometimes just wrong - which happens because they're human - and other times they are inexplicably, unbelievably wrong. Examples like the Kings-Lakers 2002 playoff game 6 (Bavetta involved, of course),  the offensive call on Paul Pierce's 3-pointer in the 2008 Detroit playoff game (one of the worst calls ever... by Bavetta, of course Bennett Salvatore), Crawford's egregious abuse of the tech, and many, many other head-scratchers -- all lead me to believe that something must be rotten in David Stern's state.

Maybe this interview and book will finally get somebody to investigate some of his many allegations.

Just found out: Donaghy's book is already available, at Amazon.com.

Now that there's a shortage of refs, the NBA has a perfect opportunity to (a) cut down on the number of trained on-court refs by 33%, (b) greatly improve ref accuracy, accountability and performance, (c) dramatically enhance fan satisfaction and reduce complaints, and (d) grow up.

This is how:
(1) Reduce the number of on-court refs to 2
(2) Add a video booth ref (or two) in each game, using the cameras and equipment that are already installed.
    (a)- Video refs do not need to be highly trained like the on-court refs... they just need to know the rules. Retired refs (NBA or WNBA or NCAA, etc.), ex-players, anybody who knows the rules can do the job if they pass the test.
    (b)- Calls are made in real time by the on-court refs, just as they are now.
    (c)- The video ref can make his/her own call, just like the on-court refs, on any play.
    (d)- The video ref can OVERRIDE any call made by the on-court refs at any time up until the next on-court playing event occurs. I.e., the override must occur before the ball is thrown in from out of bounds, the foul shot is taken, the jump ball occurs, etc.
    (e)- If a timeout follows the event in question, the video ref MUST review the last play, and can override at any time until the next playing event occurs on the court. (This gives coaches a back-door way to get a video review… call a timeout so the video ref will review the last play with plenty of time to make the right call.)
    (f)- The video ref can call for a 6-second referee's timeout, when necessary, to allow for better review.
    (g)- The on-court refs and the video ref are in constant communication via headsets. This will reduce the need for the video ref to override in many instances, and will improve accuracy and accountability all around.

There will be no significant additional delays created by this system. Almost everything happens in real time. This system would, once and for all, get rid of most of the inevitable human errors that occur in almost every NBA game (and frustrate us to no end), and practically eliminate the opportunities for favoritism and corruption.

Oh yeah... and it would bring the NBA into the 21st century, finally.

Why not? Somebody tell me why this is not happening.

I am a bandwagon fan… of sorts. And I don’t understand all the rest of you who aren’t. To me, your blind allegiance to a group of people (players) simply because of their geographical location… seems nutty. Many Boston fans scoff at fans of the Lakers, aka “Fakers”. Some members of these two groups actually hate each other. And yet, if you were living not in Boston but in LA, you’d be a Lakers fan! We’re getting real close to the definition of insanity here.

I CHOSE to become a Celtics fan, back when I realized how special this group was. They had the fattest bench in the NBA (Baby, Scal), they weren’t particularly athletic, their PG was some 2nd year kid… but they played with a theretofore unseen dedication to defense and something they called ubuntu. KG was a nutjob you couldn’t help but love. Put it all together and yes, I jumped on the “bandwagon”… early in the 07-08 season. What I don’t understand is why every sports fan doesn’t do this. If you’re going to give your passion, money and energy to a team, it should be for some better reason than the accidental fact that they happen to occupy space in your city.

So what happened this year? In retrospect, this team was always about KG. It was not, as I once thought, Tom Thib who was responsible for their awesome defense. It was KG IMPLEMENTING Thib’s schemes. Tom’s ideas were the easy part. This team needed KG out there taking control, guiding, yelling, giving his energy and passion, in order to succeed. When KG left the floor, something vital left with him.

But that’s not the whole story. There was still enough talent on this team to win, maybe even win it all if it could get past Cleveland.

But two key players threw in the towel once KG left: Paul and Rondo. Rondo followed Paul, so it all starts and ends with Paul Pierce. The slide began at the apex, last year, with his ridiculous declaration after the Finals win that he was the best player on the planet. It ended this year with an ignominious defeat at the hands of a mediocre team. Paul Pierce is far from the best player on the planet. He’s not even in the running. But he was the remaining leader of this team, and when he gave up the rest of the team mostly followed.

When you sleepwalk through whole halves, sometimes through whole games… you’ve given up. When everyone says you’re “gassed”, at every game… you’ve thrown in the towel. How stupid is it to say that these players are “tired”, “gassed”? They’re trained athletes, and they play one ballgame for 40 MINUTES every two days, sometimes three. Are you kidding me? And how can we say the Celtics were more tired than every other team still in the playoffs? Because they played maybe one extra game? A few extra minutes? Are you kidding me? Quit making excuses for the inexcusable.

As a group, this team failed to TRY to win. They lost the heart they once had. Maybe their heart is in KG’s chest, I don’t know. But of the fact that they lost it, I am certain. This is not the team I was drawn to in the winter of 2007. This is a group – led by a self-satisfied, egotistical, aging player – who thought to the end that they were ENTITLED to another title, because after all, they’re “The Boston Celtics”. The “storied” Boston Celtics. How silly. What do all those stories of past accomplishments have to do with THIS TEAM? Nothing, that’s what. The concept is stupid.

Which reminds me: Doc Rivers is a pretty poor coach when it comes to thinking through a game plan and taking opponents by surprise. He’s terrific at getting players motivated and working together. He sucks at everything else. SVG thoroughly outcoached him. Doc’s biggest problem: no imagination. He can’t see beyond the obvious, and is thus predictable and impotent. Nice guy, not too bright. Kind of like the Scarecrow to Paul’s Tin Man… one needs a brain, the other a heart.

Rondo, I think, will go far. But he needs to get away from Paul Pierce. He’s a smart kid, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he realizes this soon and finds his way out of Boston.

Perk is a terrific player and a great guy. If his shoulder holds up, that kid will go far. Reminds of Willis Reed. A lot. Love Perk. Same goes for Eddie, and Steph. Eddie never gives less than 100% effort, and Steph may have started slow, but by the end, he was giving 100% at every opportunity. If only he could have stepped into a more complete team… who knows what he might have accomplished.

Ray Allen is the ultimate pro. Had some bad games, but that happens. He never stopped trying. You have to love Ray Allen, the timeless scoring machine and articulate core brain of this team..

Glen Davis is… well, a Big Baby. While he certainly improved this year, he still struggles to understand his role and know his limitations. And he’s still 30 pounds overweight.

Scal is hard not to like. Knows his role and plays it. But is he really NBA material? He too needs to lose 30 pounds. Maybe then he’d be ready. But at 31, time’s running out for our friend Brian.

I'll miss some of the good guys on this team. But now, just as I chose to become a Celtics fan because of what this team was, I choose to let them go because of what they became. They hit some adversity, and they quit. They got fat and lazy, and worst of all, they lost heart. This is not the team I chose, so now I choose to leave. I think all fans should act this way. But of course, they don’t. Lucky for the team.

I don’t think there will be another ball club like the 07-08 Celtics for a long, long time. Not even the Celtics.

Yes, Baby's shot was great, and yes, Paul's pass was great. But it was a terrible game from the Cs.

First... imagine for a moment that Baby had not made that shot, either because he missed, or because a foul was called prior to it. Your opinion of the game would be the opposite of what it is now.

About the shot... before Baby hit it, he set 2 picks. One for Ray, then one for Paul. The pick for Paul was a CLEAR FOUL, as he moved through the whole thing. This in a game where the refs were calling every little touch. If the whistle had blown, the game would have been over.

The Magic... were absolutely TERRIBLE in this game. 40% FG%, 5/27 3-pointers. If they had hit just ONE more 3-pointer, they win. If they had hit even close to their usual percentage, they would have blown us out. This game should have been an easy win for the Cs, not a squeaker.

Lest you think it was our defense that caused them to miss so many of their shots... fuggetaboutit. The vast majority of their 3-point attempts were WIDE OPEN. We got lucky: they just missed a lot.

The refs were horrendous in this game. They called a number of ridiculous fouls (especially Bill Kennedy, whose performance borders on criminal). The bad calls probably even out, but several of them, including a non-existent goaltending call by Crawford near the end of the first half, accrued to the Cs' benefit. If Crawford were not as blind and stupid as he was then, Cs probably lose.

After Eddie lights up two games in a row, the Celtics basically ignored him for this whole game, even when he was wide open. In part, this is what happens when Paul runs the offense.

Also: Ray's still having problems. No way we get anywhere in these playoffs without Ray. Marbury had 2 great plays right away, then missed 3 shots and was pulled. Scal was ok on D, invisible on O. Mikki was just awful, clueless on D. We sure could use a ready-to-play Bill Walker or JR Giddens... unfortunately, Doc failed to bring them along during the regular season.

But... the biggest problem is still Paul. Yes, he had a great game. But the Cs had a total of 16 assists. Rondo had just 3. That is NOT how we are going to win games. That's how we can squeak by when the other team is playing horribly. But that's all. Normally, this game is a loss... and that's mostly because Paul Pierce was too often running the offense, instead of Rondo.

RONDO MUST RUN THE OFFENSE, as he did in game 2 when Paul (thankfully) sat. The problem with Paul has been TWOFOLD:
(1) till Sunday, he had had a bunch of bad games. But more importantly...
(2) he tends to try to run the offense. When he does that and he's playing badly, it means lots of turnovers, sticky ball, little team play, low assist numbers. When he does that and he's playing well - as he did in game 4 - IT'S STILL VERY BAD FOR THE CELTICS.

The only way this team dominates is when:
(a) Rondo is playing his game, and
(b) Rondo runs the offense, getting everybody involved with easy looks.
That allows Ray to get going early, and Eddie too when he's in -- and pretty soon, it's a rout.

But it doesn't look like Doc gets this. Maybe he does, but he sure didn't sound like it in the press conference. He seemed to think this was a good game. It was far from a good game. It was, in fact, a ticket to failure. I.e., if they play this exact same way again, they will probably lose. And probably in a blowout. And against the Cavs... just forget about it altogether. "Embarrassing" would be the headline. Four times in a row.

If you look at our lineup dispassionately, it's pretty ridiculous, especially compared to other teams in the playoffs. So we have our reasons. But that doesn't mean we can't win... we can, but only if this team plays to its maximum potential. That's not happening now. Worse, it doesn't look like they know it.

PP has not been playing well in these playoffs. Putting aside the reasons why, it's essential that the team figure out how to play him. Pierce is still valuable... but ONLY IF HE ACCEPTS HIS ROLE ON THE TEAM. He is NOT the floor leader, Rondo is. He is NOT the hero, there are no heroes. Paul is a "role player" -- like everybody else on this team. His role on offense is to get himself open for the looks that best suit him... mid-range jumpers, occasional open 3s, drives to the hoop. Don't try to create it, Paul... wait for it to happen. Just like Ray waits for his shots (and misses when he forces things). Paul must rid himself of the hero complex he seems to have, and play team ball, Celtics ball.

And PP must not be the one bringing the ball up. When he does, everything - the whole game - slows down measurably. The ball gets sticky, mostly in his hands. In these playoffs, the result has too often been either a turnover, or a Paul iso play. Sometimes his isos work, sometimes they don't. But that is not how you win games, not championship basketball.

RONDO must bring the ball up, every time if possible. Neither Paul nor Ray should be doing that. Ever (unless unavoidable). That's not their roles. When they go outside their roles, the game slows down and things go awry. Pretty soon, Rondo goes into slow-mode too, and then before you know it, the whole team is running through mud. And all that starts with... Paul, mostly.

Paul Pierce thinks of himself as "the captain". He is not and he needs to stop thinking he is. Rondo is the leader of this team. KG used to be the leader on the defensive end, but in his absense Rondo is the key on both ends of the floor. (Of course, Rondo must improve his defense on the PG he's guarding, but we're focusing on Paul now.)

If Paul cannot accept Rondo's leading role on the floor, he needs to SIT DOWN. The team had its best game when he did... and that was no coincidence. Lately, the more Paul Pierce scores, the more likely the loss.... and there is a reason for that: Paul's shooting percentages have been poor, his turnovers too high, and his overall speed too slow. So while he SEEMS to be helping the team by scoring points, he is also hurting it with the shots he misses, the turnovers he creates, and the slow play he causes. Result: loss.

Bad, slow, lazy play is contagious. Especially when it starts with the so-called "captain". When Paul is allowed to run the floor, pretty soon everybody is playing slowly and poorly. Rondo must run things, from the very FIRST play of the game... so his energy level starts high and stays that way. Then the whole team plays at THAT level... the right way.

I don't know if Doc has the nerve to do what must be done with Paul. But that's his job. So far, he's not doing it. Maybe Doc and Paul just need a vacation. At this rate, if they don't fix what must be fixed immediately... they will soon get one.

(I'm sure the PP lovers/apologists will just love this post. Whatever. The team is what should matter most.)

Eddie: Gets a tech for turning around to face the man who just slapped his head. How ridiculous.

Artest: Gets thrown out of the game after taking an elbow in the throat from Kobe. Refs completely blew the call, then overreacted when Ron went up to Kobe to tell him to stop elbowing.  (Note: Kobe elbows a lot. He did it to Posey last year, and got away with it then too.)

And how stupid is it that the ONLY PEOPLE ON THE PLANET who did not see House getting slapped and Ron getting elbowed were... THE REFS! How absolutely ridiculous is that situation. All they need to fix this is add a little more video capability for the refs (forgetting for now about video booth refs, the best solution). But nooooo..... instead, we get these STUPID calls, by refs who cannot see what EVERYBODY ELSE sees clear as day. It's unbelievable.

(And btw... I'd take Artest into battle anytime, anywhere. A tougher dude does not exists in this NBA.)

Conventional wisdom says the Lakers are the cream of the West. They're not. They have an excellent bunch of individual players, but they lack:
- Intensity and character: Kobe, DFish, Ariza are good. Pau is a bit soft, depending on the game. The rest are softer still. Especially Bynum. (I would advise them to trade Bynum for a good defense-minded veteran center, while they can still get a good deal.)
- Cohesion/chemistry: Plenty of that on offense. Little on defense. Which leads to...
- Defense: The Lakers' huge Achilles heel. (a) They don't have it, (b) they too easily succumb when facing it.

Denver on the other hand has it all: intensity, character, cohesion, and a very strong defense. And they have one of the best PGs in the game, a super-high character guy to see them through the rough spots.

Both teams have a major superstar. Kobe may be a bit higher up than Melo, but they're in the same neighborhood. And Melo has much better support from his team. As for their benches: man for man, you would think LA has the edge. But they don't. Denver's bench is better motivated, and performing much better.

I think Denver will come out of the West. If they do, a Denver v. Cleveland Finals would be a very close contest. Denver has the better PG, but Cleveland has the better superstar. Both have the character, chemistry, defense and intensity to win. I give Cleveland the advantage, but it's far from a done deal.

And btw: neither team could beat a healthy, motivated Celtics team. If only.