He will be out for tonight's game and Wednesday's game. When will it ever end........?? This leaves us pretty thin at PG and perhaps will dictate a move for a PG with one of the three open roster spots. Neither Bibby or Kapono thrill me since the former is slowing down while the latter is one dimensional. Do you think DA will go after a PG since Delonte is proving injury prone? Guess we will know by tomorrow. 

As we all know, the Celtics decided a few months before the playoffs began that it was more important to rest players and heal from injuries than to strive for home court advantage in the playoffs. As a result, we started the post season as a 4th seed and were guaranteed home court advantage for only the first round. The strategy proved successful, since we are one win away from Banner 18. We are about to find out if the gamble to trade home court advantage throughout the playoffs for health will pay off, as now we will have to earn the title on the road, fittingly at LA.  And if the Celtics celebrate another title at Staples on Tuesday or Thursday, it will cause immeasurable psychic damage to the Lakers and their fans, because now they will have the memory of the Celtics celebrating a title on their floor to add to the 08' celebration in Boston, and all the celebrations that preceded it.

The Lakers are paying their players $50 for each charge they take resulting in an offensive foul. Since $50 is the equivalent of 1/10,000 of a penny to these guys, this is obviously not about money. Are the Lakers that soft that they need something to motivate them to play tough defense? Is this simply Phil Jackson playing mind games with his players? Sounds like he is embarrasing them to play harder defense. He also called his front line "thin chested". Can you imagine Doc doing stuff like this for motivation? I actually liked Jackson when he coached the Bulls in their heyday, but he has become such a smug tool with the Lakers. I cannot imagine his players enjoy playing for him. If the Lakers drop one of the first two or both, he will be the first pointing fingers, followed closely by Kobe. Once that implosion occurs, it is all over.

After watching Game 4 last night of the Cavs-Magic series, it is becoming obvious why the Cavs are on the brink of elimination. They are essentially a one man show.  For the last few minutes of regulation and throughout the overtime, it was basically LeBron against the Magic. They isolated him on every play to go one on one. Sometimes it worked, but it mostly it did not. His teammates were invisible during that time. The weakness of this team is that they are not a team. It is LeBron and a supporting cast. This flaw was not fully exposed until they played some real competition in the playoffs. It also demonstrates that one cannot predict playoff outcomes based on regular season performance. The Cavs had the best record, but the intensity is ratcheted up a few notches in the playoffs and LeBron's cohorts are not up to the task. The grueling Celtics series, however, toughened the Magic.

The Cavs remind me of the early Jordan led bulls. Before Pippen, he was essentially a one man show. One could argue that Mo Williams is LeBron's Pippen, but that would be a huge stretch. Pippen could play some serious defense, dish out assists, rebound and score. Then when Rodman joined the Bulls, thet were unstoppable. But Jordan would not have gotten 6 rings without them. It looks like LeBron is going to need some further help to win a championship in the future.

I think this one is over tomorrow night.

There was a post a few days ago asking our opinions as to what Scalabrine meant when he implied post Game 7 that not everyone was focused to play. He wanted to say more but certainly did not want to throw anyone under a bus (like Howard did to SVG after Game 5) or create controversy. I have not heard or read anything more from him about this since.  I apologize for not having the exact quote and I am sure the post is in the archives, but at the time the speculation on this board was that, at least in part, the comment pertained to Rondo showing up about an hour before tip off.

But does anyone think Scal was talking about KG not playing in Game 7? The only reason this occured to me is that  there was a post yesterday at Reds Army  with a clip from Gary Tanguay's show where is states that he had "inside information" that KG was going to play in the Cleveland series. There was another report that Cleveland had some similar inside information and fully believed KG was going to play against them. They included KG in their game plan against the Celtics after the Celtics went up 3-2 on the Magic.  Tanguay never identified his source and his co-host did not press him on it. But Tanguay implied this was inside information. We also know that he waited to have the surgery that is now scheduled for next week.

If this information is correct,  did Scal question (assuming he knew the plan to play KG against the Cavs) why KG could not play in Game 7 but play in Game 1 of the Cleveland series, scheduled only three days later? He also made a remark post game that the question about focus was a great (expletive) question that he would love to answer but not at that time.   The reason I raise this question is that if Scal was referring to KG's ability to play/not play, was he  (a) pissed about KG not playing Game 7, (2) did the rest of the players feel the same way, especially if Ray, Perk and PP were playing injured, and (c) most importantly, does it affect team chemistry for next season? 

I personally believe that KG would have played the instant he believed he could contribute.  It must have killed him to be on the bench during the playoffs. The guy is a proven warrior. Also, the players would know if KG could play since they all train and practice together. But Scal's remark bothered me and I am not sure it was directed at Rondo. The kid played his heart out in the playoffs even if he did show up late. I also cannot think of who else he may have been referring to since the other starters played hurt and he likely knew that.  Cannot imagine he was talking about Mikke Moore.

Any thoughts or additional information to share?

Doc was interviewed this morning on Callahan's show:

He said that Ray played with a hamstring injury during the Orlando series, Pierce is dealing with bone spurs which may require surgery, and Perk may have surgery on his shoulder.

He also said that he thought their was a better chance Davis would return than Marbury.

The injuries help explain Ray's poor shooting and Pierce playing in slow motion.  To their credit, they did not whine about it in the media.

Understandably, there is a lot of grumpy folks posting today and a lot of criticism of the way the Celtics played last night. Believe me, I was frustrated watching the game like everyone else.  This was a winnable game against a Magic team that did not play well at all. But, we need to put our initial reactions aside and look at the positives from this game, which will hopefully carry us over to Game 7.

1.    Our defense played well and held the Magic to 85 points at home.

2.    Perk continued to play well even though Howard was a beast last night. He was not getting any help with coverage on Dwight and played with foul trouble. He also gave us some clutch offense with a few jumpers.

3.     Rondo also played well and almost had a triple double. Although he made a terrible inbound pass at a crucial time, we would have never even been in the game but not for his energy. And his ridiculous rebounding.

4.     Scal has to play due to the injuries. So, we cannot debate why he is in the game. With that said, he has been one of the better players for the Celtics this series. If he does not play well, we do not get to a 7th game and this thing is over. We have to be elated with his quality minutes even though he cannot guard Lewis. Without KG, there really is no one on the team that can guard him. So at least we are getting points from him on the offensive end. And he has not had another concussion.

5.     First half play of Pierce. He played this half like he should have played the whole series. He drove to the hoop and drew some fouls, as well as made his outside shots. At home, he should be energized to take that king of control the whole game.

6.     The Celtics have plenty of experience playing Game 7's at home the past two years. Not something to shoot for every series, but it is what it is and they have won all three times. Throw in the overtimes in the Bull series and you have a battle tested team. Win or lose, they will not buckle under the pressure because they have been here before.

7.     The home crowd will be rested and well lubed for a Sunday night game. I expect the Garden to be louder than it has been all season. It has to be because we really need the crowd to be in it on every possession.

8.     To contrast, the Magic do not play well in elimination games and did not play well last night, except for Howard. They are not used to this kind of pressure, especially on the road. It will be tough for them to win such a pressure packed game at the Garden, though not impossible. And their coach can melt down on a moment's notice.

9.     Although everyone said the right things the past two days, do not assume that all is forgiven between coach and players. Howard expressed his frustration with Van Gundy publicly, but does anyone think other players are muttering to themselves in private? Did anyone notice during a timeout last night in the fourth quarter, while the Celtics were still leading, that the team were tuning Van Gundy out? He even had to tell them to listen to him. If the Celtics can get a lead early Sunday night and keep pushing it, then they will play for themselves and quit on their coach. Not a good thing for them.

10.  The law of averages. I know. I know. EVERYONE has been posting that Ray will get his shot back in this series. Based on his shooting percentage, that will happen. I just cannot imagine him missing like he has at home. Being the professional that he is, and his penchant for preparation, odds are that he is going to have a great Game 7. If he does, then our chances are very good. And if he is raining 3's, the Garden will go nuts and completely rattle the Magic.

11.   Finally, the biggest positive is that we have come this far. Honestly, not many of us thought the Celtics would push the Magic to Game 7 without KG and Powe. We hoped for it and rooted for it, but logically did not think it could happen. Well, here we are. This game should be a celebration, win or lose. A celebration of this team's grit, heart and character. In the event of a loss, I hope all the fans at the Garden stand at the end of the game and give this team a long, loud ovation.  They deserve it. And if they win, that ovation should be even longer and louder. I am excited that we have the opportunity to advance to the ECF. Let's erase the past 6 games of this series and look at this like the NCAA tournament. Winner advances and loser goes home. Let's forget Ray's poor shooting, KG sitting on the bench in nice suits, Mikki actually wearing a Celtic uniform, etc.. and just look at this game as an opportunity to do something great and unexpected.

Have a great weekend everyone and rest up for an exciting, interesting Sunday evening.

Given the play of BBD in this series, should we make him a starter next year? If so, I suggest Ray come off the bench ala' Jason Terry to spell Pierce.  The Celtics have a storied history of having an excellent 6th man, Before some of you certify me as insane, think about it. Ray is getting a step slower and cannot defend the younger guards any longer. But he is still a sharp shooter and can provide points in buckets.

Take it a step further. Although I would love to re-sign Powe, we cannot count on him to stay healthy over the course of the season given his knee problems. We keep House and let Steph go, only because I doubt he wants to play as a back up next year. If he accepts that role, we keep him, giving us Allen, House and Steph coming off the bench. We are then set at the guard position.

No question we let Mikki Moore go and find a quality back up center. We trade Tony Allen, Pruitt (too many guards but keep him if Steph goes) and Scal (tough to get rid of the redhead but this is a business)  for a quality back up power forward.  By all means keep Walker and Giddens since they have a ton of potential. Our team will therefore look like this:

STARTERS:

Garnett          F

Davis             F

Perkins         C

Pierce           G

Rondo           G

BENCH:

Allen               G

Quality Back Up Center

Quality Back Up Forward/Powe?  (Pierce will play forward as well).

Steph             G

House            G

Walker            G/F

Giddens          G/F

Nice mix of experience, youth, athleticism, talent.......

thoughts?

First, I still cannot believe we won Game 5. This team must be destined for greatness this year. If they won the whole thing, then it would have to be one of the greatiest championships ever in all of sports.

During a break, I believe in the 2nd quarter, TNT had the cameras on Reggie Miller and Brent Musbarger asking the statistician sitting with them for some stats. He turned to them, said something like "get them yourselves" and then said something like "I am tired working for two pretty boys". He then stormed off. At first, I thought it was a joke but Miller and Brent's expressions were serious afterwards, as well as their comments about the guy. It was never brought up again during the broadcast. I am making the rounds this morning reading about the game, but have not seen this mentioned anywhere.

Anyone have any thoughts?

When BBD made that shot, I imagined all the Celtic fans all over the world letting out a loud, collective scream, just like the players. The players and the fans needed that shot, and not just to make the series 2-2. It was a group exhale and celebration. A celebration of the heart and guts of this team. All the inconsistent play, the injuries, the question marks, the overtimes, the frustration. All of it washed away with THE SHOT.  Of course, this series is not over. But if the C's get eliminated in the playoffs, and that is a big "if, I will sleep well knowing that they played their hearts out. To win a game when your bench scores 2 points. To win such an crucial game when one of your best shooters is rimming out shots. To win a game when your best player and key reserve cannot play. To win a game when you have not made a field goal in 7or so minutes of the 4th quarter allowing the team to get back in the game and take the lead with 11 seconds to play. To win a game when your best player on the floor is in foul trouble and has to sit for long stretches of the 4th quarter. BBD's shot was a cathartic release of epic proportions for Celtic Nation. I wrote yesterday that there is no momentum in this series, as every game stands alone. I may have to rethink that one.

Something else.....Can anyone recall the last time the Celtics won a playoff game on a buzzer beater?  Not the tying shot but the winning shot? And, was it on the road or at home?? If I recall my Celtic history, this has rarely happened if at all. Was the game tied when Bird makes the pass to DJ against the Pistons?

Today is a great day........

Ok, given last night's win, this post is a little bit easier  to write than my last one expounding on the positives from Game 1. I will try to avoid what has already been discussed (Rondo, House) and zero in on some other great things we can take from this win.

1.    Pierce played 16 minutes, 3 points, we still get the win. The C's demonstrated again that they are a multi-faceted team that does not rely on one or two stars to get them a win in a big game. Pierce had an off night so Eddie steps up. It is the stuff of championships.

2.   The defense is back for 4 quarters. The 94 points scored by the Magic were not easy points. The C's were agressive and in the Magic faces all night. The lone exception is that Reddick got too many good looks.  The Magic did not really have a run all game. When you go back to the middle of the third quarter of Game 1, the C's defense has clamped down and resulted in points at the other end. This is classic Celtic basketball. And without KG. Impressive.

3.   Orlando is being exposed for their offensive inconsistency. Unlike the C's, if their shooters miss a bunch, they are done and can get behind quickly. The C's have demonstrated that they can grind it out when the shots do not fall, whereas the Magic live and die by the outside shot. If Lewis and Turk are missing shots, who other than Reddick can they turn to? Howard inside? Let him get his 20/10. Reddick? He is not on the court long enough to make a difference, especially with Lee coming back. And how much will the face mask affect Lee's game? He has already stated he does not like wearing it.  The Magic essentially had a good second quarter/early minutes of 3rd quarter  of Game 1 and that is it.  Being a streaky team will not win them a title.

4.   Heart. The C's showed it when they fought back in Game 1 and showed it again last night by putting the pedal to the floor for 48 minutes.  Contrast the Magic who showed no heart by blowing the lead in Game 1 and playing too passively in Game 2.  The Magic played like they could not wait to get out of Beantown. Too bad for them they have to come back for Game 5.

5.   Game Management. Doc did a masterful job last night. Taking BBD out right away after the foul was the right call, as was bringing Steph in rather than TA for Pierce in the first quarter. And then leaving House on the floor for more minutes than usual because he was on fire. Doc had a great feel for the game and for what his players were doing.

6.   Van Gundy. He is our 6th man....wow this guy is a heart attack waiting to happen. What a contrast in coaching styles. Doc has remained relatively calm on the sidelines with his team (not necessarily the officials, though) but everytime the Magic falter Van Gundy goes nuts. That has to spill over to the team and affect their psyche. If this series goes back to Boston 2-2 or 3-1 in our favor, he will certainly have a meltdown in Game 5.

7.   Steph. Although he missed a few shots last night, he is getting his confidence back and that is a great thing. He made some nice passes last night and some good penetration. He is playing with a fire in his eyes and wants the ring as much as any other Celtic. If he gets it going, is there a better back up point guard in the league?

8.   The three guard line up. This seems to be working and may be the thing that keeps this series shorter than 7. Van Gundy basically said that the Magic could not keep up with the Celtics last night. The game was too fast for them. Their small lineup can not match up at all with Steph, Eddie, Rondo and Ray. These are four excellent guards who all have something different to their game. With the exception of Rondo, all can shoot. With the exception of House, all are good penetrators. And all are good passers. How can the Magic guards defend a rotation of any three of them for 48 minutes? They can't.

9.   Alston. Hey, if he gets suspended for Game 3, great. But the more important thing about the head slap is that he lost his cool. He is getting outplayed and he cannot handle it. He will not wake up tomorrow with the ability to all of a sudden guard Rondo. It will not happen and Rondo will have his way with him. You cannot have your point guard and floor leader already rattled after 2 games.

10.  Perk. My wife asked me during the Bulls series whether he ever smiles. I said no and we like it that way. The guy is just intense and does not give a lick whether he is guarding Howard, Shaq, Wilt, etc...He is all business and his toughness is really rubbing off the rest of the team in the playoffs. He is determined to win and was the only player who admitted after Game 1 that they were too loose and giddy before the game. Do any of you see the same fire when you watch Howard? I realize he is the Defensive Player of the Year but he does not have that same intensity as Perk. 

I cannot wait for this weekend. If only the Hawks would give the Cavs some trouble so they are not as rested when we go to Cleveland for games 1 and 2.  But we like to do things the hard way so I guess it really does not matter..........have a good weekend my green brothers and sisters. 

I cannot believe some of the comments on this board stating that the Celtics are done. I have no problem with objective analysis when supported by facts, but blanket statements that the series is over due to a first game loss is ridiculous and intellectually lazy.  Here are some of the positive things I take from Game 1:

1.   If Ray Allen is going to have an off night shooting, then I am glad he got it out of his system in Game 1. If he did not show up in a Game 7, then we have problems. He is a shooter, pure and simple. He will make his shots, especially if Reddick is guarding him. Last night's poor showing was not due to Reddick's defense, but to Ray simply missing shots. He got some good looks. He will be a huge contributor in us winning this series.

2.   This is only Game 1. Ask the Bulls about the meaning of winning Game 1 of the playoffs at the Garden. They will answer your questions while working on their golf swings or making sandcastles on the beach.  There is a lot of basketball left to play.

3.   Game 2 is at the Garden. The fans will be rabid. If we tie the series, then it is a best of 5 with the pressure on Orlando to play well at home. I believe many teams play tight in the playoffs in front of their fans. If the series is tied, I think the Magic will play tight in Game 3 and we can steal one, like we did in Chicago. But Game 2 is at the Garden and that is huge.

4.   The Magic are not the Bulls. Sure the Bulls have a worse record over the course of the season. But with the acquisitions of Miller and Salmons to an already talented team, the Bulls played more like a 4 or 5 seed. Not all that much different than the Magic's 3 seed.  The Bulls are young, energetic, talented and posed all kinds of match up problems for us with their speed and shooting. The Magic do not play as fast a game, rely on the 3 point shot and Howard's rebounding. Howard did not have a dominant game last night, even though he pulled down a slew of rebounds because his teamates do not rebound. They are too busy playing the perimeter. If we avoid more 28 point deficits, then those missed shots by the Magic translate into a large Celtic lead rather than a game of furious catch-up.

5.  Marbury. He brought it last night and he needs to keep bringing it. Doc has to play him later in the game when/if Rondo gets erratic or loses his cool. We saw a glimmer of what he can do last night..  The Magic had no answer for him.

6.  The Comeback. Van Gundy can talk all about how a win is a win. But the Celtics have to be in their heads right now. Let's face it. Ray makes the three to trim the lead to one with a minute or so left and the Celtics steal Game 1. That cannot sit well with the Magic. And now the Celtics know they can come back on them. Without Garnett. Without Powe. No matter how many rebounds Howard hauls in. This is a big psychological edge. There were essentially two games last night. The first one ended with the Magic leading 67-39. The second one ended with the Celtics leading 51-28. The Magic came out with the W, but they also realize the Celtics are capable of blowing them out of the building. Without Garnett. Without Powe..........

7.   Heart Of A Champion. The Celtics never quit last night, although some of the fans did by early in the 3rd quarter. As optimistic as I am, I even sat dejected last night watching the slaughter. But they never quit, even though they were down by 28, drained by the Bulls series, without their best player and a key backup. You cannot teach heart and, quite honestly, the Cavs are the only other team I see remaining that plays with a sense of purpose and determination. The Cavs are playing like they will not be denied and I respect their drive and enthusiasm.  The Celtics showed that in the second half last night. This is a big reason why I think they will advance and play the Cavs in the next round. The two teams that want it the most will meet to decide who plays in the finals. The Celtics will simply not go down and they have too many character guys on the team to let them fail.

We all know about the negatives from last night. They are obvious to all. But this is only the first game and the Celtics will use the experience to their advantage. They do not need to figure the Magic out. They have already done that. What they need to do now is execute and play their game. The same game that "ended" 51-28 lat night.

Perhaps some of you have already read this, but Daily Dime on ESPN' site, about midway down the article, mentions that there is a rumor going around that KG may suit up for Game 7. Anyone have any more info? If he does play, and that is a big "if", I wonder how effective he would be. I assume he is riding the bike and doing some workouts just in case, but that is much different than being in game shape. I wouldn't risk further injury for Game 7. If we win, then he is done for the rest of the playoffs. I say we go with the soldiers that got us this far with KG on the bench. If we pull out Game 7, then if there is any chance of him playing, better to do so with a few more days rest before we play Orlando.

Last night was so intense that the first period confrontation between Rondo and Heinrich, coming on the heels of Rondo's take down of Miller, was a footnote to the game. I feared such an incident, though, as I posted yesterday entitled "Slugfest". My wife thinks I am now certifiable, although she let out a few sighs and cheers last night when watching the game. I live in Virginia and wish I could be at Game 7. I hope the fans at the Garden bring the house down tomorrow night because we need the crowd to be the 6th man. Lord knows we do not have a 6th man coming off the bench in this series.

One other thing. What the hell was Tony Allen doing taking those two shots near the end of regulation? That killed us and almost cost me a TV screen. Also, if Rondo makes those two free throws with a few minutes left, wer are up by 10 with momentum. Ugh...So frustrating. But I am not ready to pack it in, as some posters seem to be in some of the other threads I am reading this morning. CELTIC PRIDE.

First, I would like to say what a great diversion it is to read all of the posts and comments here. When I watch these games, I often think about all the other Celtic fans yelling and screaming in their living rooms like I do. It is a bond that we all share. During the OT Tuesday night, my wife said I was pacing like I was in the delivery room waiting for the birth of our daughter.

I expect that tonight's game will be just an intense as the others, but Rondo's foul on Miller in Game 5 and all the hoopla surrounding it will take tonight to another level. Especially since the game is being played in Chicago. I am concerned that we are going to see an ugly game tonight. If the Bulls are losing late in the game, with all the trash talk and hard fouls in this series, then watch out for some retaliation against one of the C's. If that happens, I do not expect the Celtics to take it lightly. I hope I am wrong, but I have a bad vibe about tonight and the possibility of an incident involving the players, the crowd or both.

I am proud of this team and what they have accomplished. They have had a target on their back all year and have battled injuries that no other team in the playoffs have faced (and please do not bring up the loss of Bynum for the Lakers....). KG is one of the best players in the league and his loss is akin to the loss of LeBron and Kobe. I am looking forward to putting the Bulls away and facing the Magic in Round 2. We have home court and match up well with them.

I am a Celtic fan because of my late dad and I wish he were alive to see this team fight. Enjoy tonight's game and take comfort in that every Celtic fan on the planet will be screaming along with each one of us tonight. CELTIC PRIDE.

This post assumes that KG and Powe will be available for the playoffs and Scal will not.

Typically, we see an 8 man rotation for the playoffs, but the C's will have 11 in the rotation. Given the intensity of the playoffs and the wall to wall defense that the C's will bring, having a 11 man rotation will keep us pretty fresh for the second season and keep the pedal to the medal for 48 minutes.  The 11 are:

Starters: KG, PP, Ray Rondo, Perk,

Bench:    Powe, TA. BBD, Mikki, Steph and Eddie

Ironically, we will have the deepest bench in the playoffs and the best players from 1-11. Remember when we were all freaking out about Posey leaving and Brown retiring? The 2nd team has played a lot together and have grown quite a bit. Our bench is now a strength.

Also, we have the perfect mix of skills necessary for number 18. Defensively, we will bring it every night. We have rebounding and muscle (KG, BBD, Powe, Perk and Mikki (with a little less muscle), we have sharpshooters (Ray, Eddie), we have clutch (Paul), we have speed and penetration (Rondo, Paul, Steph), we have passers (Rondo, Steph, Paul) and, most importantly, the desire. If anyone on this board thinks the C's are not motivated to win number 18, then we must be watching different teams.

Finally, all the talk about the Cavs. Sure, they are on a hot streak and have an almost perfect home record. But we do lead the season series 2-1 and the last victory against them without KG was a joy to watch. We can certainly beat them in a 7 game series for the 11 reasons stated above. If we win in Cleveland on the 12th, we will be in their heads and in their rear view mirror. As for the Lakers, they are not the same team as last year and I am not even sure they will make it to the Finals. After all the concern for home court, wouldn't  it be something if we get past Cleveland and have home court against another Western conference team in the finals?

I just looked at the ESPN site and there is a link to an Insider article stating that Jason Kidd may be traded to the Cavaliers.  I am not a subscriber to Insider so I could not read it. Does anyone know anything about this? I assume they are talking about next season since the trade deadline has passed and teams cannot add to their rosters.  In any event, who would they trade to get him?  With Mo Williams and Delonte West in the backcourt, why in the world would they want him? A back-up guard? I doubt it.   If anyone has the scoop, please tell.