Chris Ballard recently had an interesting story on Tim Duncan, in which he shared the following:

21 Shades Of Gray - Chris Ballard - SI.com

In fact, Duncan hates Kevin Garnett. Hates him the way liberals hate Sean Hannity. This information comes from very reliable sources, who talk about how KG has made a career of trying to punk Duncan, baiting him and slapping him and whispering really weird smack into his ear. They talk about how funny this is, because the worst thing you can do as an opponent is p--- off Duncan. Then, as Malik Rose says, "he [bleepin'] destroys you." Duncan's lifetime numbers versus Garnett's teams, by the way: 19.4 points per game, 11.6 boards and a 44--17 record, including the postseason. [Ed's note: these stats, particularly the lifetime record, seem incorrect, according to basketball-reference's career H2H stats.]

Duncan is diplomatic about the topic. Asked if perhaps all those years battling Garnett have softened his feelings for the man, led to a Magic-Larry type of kinship, Duncan leans back on the couch in his hotel room and grins. There is a pause. A longer pause. Finally he says, "Define kinship."

It's easy to see where Duncan and KG might not get along. Duncan is the "Big Fundamental", a guy who goes out and produces, but who does so stoically. KG... Well, Celtics fans don't need me to describe KG's persona to them. KG has repeatedly tried to get into Duncan's head, even going so far as slapping him at one point. Despite that, Duncan has had the ultimate "score board" argument, allowing his four rings to do the talking.

I think the "hate" thing is probably over doing it, and I'd be very surprised if Duncan doesn't have a healthy respect for KG. We're talking about the best two power forwards of their generation, and arguably of all time. Both played offense and defense at an elite level. Both rebounded, blocked shots, and were good teammates. Both will be Hall of Famers. Most importantly for today, both are still leading their teams deep into the playoffs, despite being 36 years old. (Happy birthday tomorrow, KG.)

As fans, I hope we all appreciate what we're seeing here. KG has been a revelation for the Celtics, taking this team on his shoulders and willing them to victory. 2,000 to the southwest of Boston, Tim Duncan is doing the exact same thing, although as usual he's doing it quietly. He's averaging 16.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 50.7% shooting in leading his team to a 5-0 record in the playoffs so far. Guys this old aren't supposed to be this good. It's like the basketball gods have granted KG and Duncan a magic elixer, so that maybe we can see the Finals matchup that we've always wanted to see: KG vs. Duncan for all the marbles.

I'd love nothing more than to see KG and Duncan meet in the Finals this year. As great as both players have been, I almost feel like we've been cheated out of seeing them meet in more high-stakes playoff series. The two best power forwards of this generation -- and arguably of all-time -- have only met twice, and both times in the first round. That's just not right. Let's enjoy watching two masters of the game do their work, and hopefully we'll be rewarded with the ultimate Finals matchup.

The good news? Ray is going to play. The less good news? Avery Bradley's status is still unknown:

Shootaround: Bradley a game-time decision - Greg Payne - ESPNBoston.com

Celtics guard Avery Bradley (dislocated left shoulder) will be a game-time decision for Sunday night's Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks, while Ray Allen (ankle) is expected to play, team officials confirmed after Boston's morning shootaround on Sunday at HealthPoint.

Bradley and Allen participated in the entirety of Sunday's hour-long session, along with the rest of the roster, which consisted primarily of half-court sets and minimal contact and running.

Meanwhile, it looks like Josh Smith is going to play:

No change on #Hawks Josh Smith (knee) after shootaround. He still plans to play GM 4 vs. #Celtics

— Michael Cunningham (@ajchawks) May 6, 2012

Smith's explosiveness is expected to be limited, so let's hope he turns into more of a jump shooter. Playing below the rim definitely isn't one of Smith's strengths; he's shooting jumpers at 32.7%.

A. Sherrod Blakely talked with Bradley and Doc after the game:

Bradley injures shoulder, uncertain for Game 4 - A. Sherrod Blakely - Comcast SportsNet

"It's really sore," Bradley told CSNNE.com after the game. "Every time I go to extend my arm, and it gets hit, it comes in and out." ...

"He's had that problem all year," said C's coach Doc Rivers. "Usually they're able to, like a lego, snap it back in. It wouldn't go back in."

Bradley will be undergo further evaluation on Saturday. He told CSNNE.com that he did not have any tests such as X-Rays or MRI's performed on it following Friday's win.

When asked whether he expected to play in Game 4 on Sunday, Bradley said, "Of course. As of now, yeah."

That sounds like a pretty standard disclocation. However, per Gary Washburn:

Source close to Avery Bradley tells Globe that AB suffered "stinger" type of injury, shoulder's not separated. Should play Sunday #celtics

— gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) May 5, 2012

Maybe it's semantics, but the way Doc and Bradley were talking about the injury, it sounded more like a dislocation / separation than a stinger (i.e., a pinched nerve). Maybe Washburn's source is talking about Bradley's current level of discomfort, or maybe Doc and Bradley were just using really strange descriptors for the original injury.

Whatever the case, it's great news that Bradley is planning on playing in Game 4. The kid is a trooper.

While we're all looking forward to the playoffs, it's not to early to consider the draft. The Celtics got a bit of good news today, as they won a coin flip (via the Clippers) for the 22nd pick in the draft. That leaves the Celtics with the 21st and 22nd picks in the upcoming draft. Additionally, they'll pick 51st in the second round. In a bit of disappointing news, the Celtics won't be receiving the conditional second rounder from the Bucks as part of the Keyon Dooling trade, as Milwaukee's pick fell outside of the bottom 45.

It's way too early to project who will be there at slots 21 and 22, but right now, Draft Express has us landing Tony Wroten and Moe Harkless, while NBADraft.net has Harkless and Royce White occupying the 21st and 22nd picks in their mock draft.

The last player the Celtics selected at pick #21? Rajon Rondo. Pick #22? Reggie Lewis.

Is there controversy brewing over who should start at shooting guard for the Celts? It's a story as old as sports itself: the hungry, energetic youngster trying to supplant the wily grey-haired veteran. In this case, those roles are filled by Avery "not a bust anymore" Bradley and Ray "best shooter of all-time" Allen. When asked about the subject, Ray was at least open-minded to the idea of backing up Bradley. While Doc wasn't sure who he would start as of last night, today he is sticking with Ray, at least for the short term:

With Allen and Bradley, C's Have Options - Marc D'Amico - Celtics.com

Barring any setbacks, Allen will start tomorrow night, leaving the suddenly-hot Bradley fire things up as the top guard off the bench. ...

"I think he’ll be great," Rivers said of Bradley returning to a reserve role. "We’re going to try to sub guys a little differently to keep the combinations the same."

And therein lies the beauty of this situation. Rivers now has even more options and combinations than he did before, thanks in large part to Bradley’s emergence at the offensive end of the court.

Coming from a coach with a reputation for respecting his veterans, this is no surprise. However, is Doc making the right choice? First, a look at some numbers.

In 15 games as a starter, Bradley is averaging 10.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 48.8% shooting. The Celts are 11-4 in games Bradley starts, including winning their past five games with Bradley in the role of starting shooting guard. Overall, the team is 17-4 when Bradley gets 15+ minutes. In the past five games, Bradley is averaging 14.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 52.8% shooting while playing lockdown defense (0.72 points allowed per possession, 33rd in the NBA).

On the other hand, Ray is averaging 14.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 46.3% shooting, and 45.9% 3PT%. The team is 10-1 in games Ray doesn't play, and is 20-21 with Ray as a starter, although the Celts are 8-4 in his last 12 games. Also, it's hard to fault Ray for many of the losses, as the team's early struggles seemed to have more to do with the team's injuries than they did with any fault of Ray's. Fans criticize Ray's defense, but he's been very good on that end this year, ranking 65th in the NBA in terms of points allowed per possession.

The really amazing numbers come when you compare lineups where Bradley is in place of Ray, though:

Rondo-Ray-Pierce-Bass-KG: 103.89 offensive rating, 101.78 defensive rating, +2.11 overall in 268.68 minutes

Rondo-Bradley-Pierce-Bass-KG: 115.43 offensive rating, 88.04 defensive rating, +27.38 overall in 96.97 minutes.

(More after the jump...)

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It's looking like the Celtics roster you see is the one that you're likely to get, at least for the immediate future:

Will C's add another body? - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston

With Jermaine O'Neal out for the season as he preps for left wrist surgery, the Celtics have potential roster flexibility if they desired to buy out the rest of his contract and free a spot.

But Celtics coach Doc Rivers hinted Sunday that there's no players that were made available before Friday's playoff eligibility waiver deadline that currently interest the team. Which means the Celtics would likely only make a move for two reasons: 1) Emergency regular-season depth or 2) To add a player to the roster in order to have them part of the team during the summer workouts and get first crack at being a part of the team next year.

...Even though Rivers had previously said the team might be interested in adding two bigs to help grind through the regular season after losing both O'Neal and Chris Wilcox in recent weeks, he backed off that talk and it appears the team is content with the mere addition of Ryan Hollins.

"Honestly, I'd be surprised if we brought a big in," said Rivers.

I suppose this isn't a huge surprise, as most of the big men likely to make an impact have signed elsewhere. Still, with JO essentially wasting a roster spot at this point, it makes one wonder if the Celtics could have made an acquisition at the trade deadline to bolster either our current or future roster.

While the team may not be adding a big, there's the possibility they'll add a free agent from the D-League to get an early look at them heading into the summer. The team has done this in the past with Tony Gaffney and Oliver Lafayette. If there's some prospect that Danny is truly in love with, it probably makes sense to sign him to a pro-rated minimum deal with a non-guaranteed option for next season. (I'd love to see the team do this with Greg Oden, but that's probably a pipe dream.)

The big story of last night's game had to be the play of Avery Bradley. Bradley scored a career high 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Bradley attributes his big night to his teammates, in addition to his increased confidence:

On this night, he's a shooting star - Michael Witmer - Boston.com

"I was fortunate that my teammates were able to find me in transition and get me the ball,’’ Bradley said. "I think it’s just a confidence thing. I feel more confident out there, my teammates make me feel more comfortable. Sometimes I would go into a game thinking twice about shooting. Now, if I’m open, I’ll shoot it, and I’ve been making them.’’ ...

"Definitely, when you make shots like that you feel that way,’’ Bradley said. "I think I got back-to-back layups, and that’s when I knew if you play hard, especially when you’re on the floor with [Rajon] Rondo, the ball will find you.’’

Perhaps the highlight of the season so far has been seeing Bradley transform from a player many labeled as a "bust" to a solid contributor. Coming into this season, many of Danny Ainge's critics had pointed to Bradley as a "miss" in the draft, while others had pleaded for patience. A few short months later, it seems that the majority of fans see Bradley as a rotation-caliber player at worst, who plays very good to elite defense.

Seeing nights like last night from Bradley, it makes you wonder if he'll be able to put his offensive game together consistently. If Bradley could ever become a 13 to 15 point scorer on a nightly basis, he could go from a nice player who is ultimately expendable, to a legit building block.

Preliminary medical news on Mickael Pietrus looks great:

Celtics' Mickael Pietrus 'lucky man' - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston

Initial tests performed Friday night on Boston Celtics guard Mickael Pietrus suggest he escaped serious head injury.

Pietrus' agent, William McCandless, said Saturday that he was informed the X-ray and CT scans administered Friday night revealed no abnormalities, though Pietrus might have a concussion. Although Pietrus will undergo more tests and is still waiting for conclusive results from an MRI, there's optimism that he will indeed return to the court this season. ...

"He was a very lucky man," said McCandless, who spoke with Pietrus and said the player's first question to an assistant at McCandless' agency was who won the game.

Update: Pietrus: injury 'could have been worse' - A. Sherrod Blakely - Celtics Insider

In the interview with CSNNE.com, Pietrus says doctors have diagnosed him with a concussion.

That means he'll have to pass a battery of tests before he will be allowed to return to the court.

Pietrus isn't expected to play Sunday against Washington, and is doubtful for Monday's game at Charlotte.

"I still have some dizziness, and feel weak," he said. "But I know it could have been a lot worse."

Sometimes, updating news for my fellow Celtics fans sucks. From tonight's game:

Mickael Pietrus Leaves On Stretcher - ESPN.com

Boston Celtics guard Mickael Pietrus appeared to suffer a serious head injury during the second quarter of Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers and was taken off the court on a stretcher.

There was no immediate word from the team on his condition.

We will keep you updated on Pietrus' condition. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Update:

According to the AP, Mickael Pietrus has been hospitalized with what's being termed a "questionable closed head injury." No word from C's.

— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) March 24, 2012

Update: Celtics absorb another scary blow - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston

The team offered encouraging news late Friday night, terming the injury a questionable closed head injury (concussion) and noting that Pietrus was undergoing tests but would not be admitted to the hospital. Instead, he simply stayed the night in the Philadelphia area and was scheduled to be re-evaluated on Saturday.

The long-term prognosis of his injury is still to be determined, but being discharged served as a rare dose of optimistic health news.

Update:

Mickael Pietrus update: He's been cleared to travel and is schedule to be seen by the C's medical staff upon his return to Boston.

— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) March 24, 2012

Video of the incident after the jump.

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The Celtics officially announced the signing of Ryan Hollins today:

Marc Spears ponders whether this season will be the last of the "big four", and gives us an interesting quote from Ray:

Celtics' Big Four could scatter after season - Marc J. Spears - Yahoo! Sports

"I’m always sentimental with them," Rivers said. "I won a title with them and lost another one in a Game. 7. I think people assume they won’t be back next year. I don’t know why there is that assumption. [Garnett and Allen] are free agents, but you can sign your own free agents last time I checked.

"I don’t know if we will sign them both. We may sign one. But they’ve been great for us. Our [free agents] are probably the best ones and we will have the most money."

Rivers said he believes Garnett’s preference would be to return to Boston. "When he doesn’t think he can help a team, he’d stop playing," Rivers said.

Allen’s free-agent options are up in the air. The Miami Heat are expected to make a strong run at signing him this summer, one league source said.

"First of all, the team has to be willing to have me back," Allen said. "Then you have to look around to see what’s acceptable and who is capable of having me on the team and then you go from there. It’s hard to really say."

After the season, the Celtics will be faced with a decision: should they exercise their cap space to try to bring in new free agents, should they instead focus on signing their own free agents (potentially going over the cap to do so), or should they try to do a combination of the two?

While we'll look at these issues more extensively in the off-season, the quotes from Doc and Ray give us something to think about now. Looking at our two biggest free agents -- Ray and KG -- I see it a lot like Doc does. KG strikes me as an intensely loyal guy who will either play in Boston or retire; I can't see him joining another team to chase a second ring. There's no doubt that he'd be a great fit for almost any squad, but I think he has embraced the team, the city, and the fans.

Ray, for whatever reason, I feel differently about. Maybe it's because his name has been involved in so many rumors, maybe it's because he's had one additional stop in his NBA career, maybe it's because he hasn't been the face of the Celtics turnaround in the same way... Whatever it is, I can more easily see Ray moving on, and his words above seem to confirm that. If he does, I'd be a bit sad; there have been few things more exciting over the last few seasons than Ray hitting a clutch three down the stretch. Just thinking about him moving on makes me a little nostalgic.

According to Steve Bulpett:

Celts will get Ryan Hollins if he clears waivers, according to source who may or may not have missed out on him (he wouldn't say).

— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) March 21, 2012

I've got to say, it's a bit disappointing to end up with Hollins when bigger names like Boris Diaw (Spurs), Ronny Turiaf (Heat), and J.J. Hickson (claimed off waivers by the Blazers) are reportedly going elsewhere. At the same time, Hollins is a legit 7-footer, and he's a good athlete. He still has some potential, although by many accounts it's untapped because the guy is a bit of a knucklehead. Don't expect much consistency, and definitely don't expect many rebounds. However, based upon what was left on the market, I suppose we could have done worse.

Remember this guy? Doc seems to:

Doc talks Johnson, O'Neal - Boston Celtics Report - Chris Forsberg

Rivers confirmed that the Celtics have interest in recently released Chris Johnson, who had two cups of coffee with the team last season (one in training camp; another on a 10-day contract in February) before being signed by the Blazers. "We thought about just signing him for [Saturday's game] because he had that sensational game there last year in Denver," Rivers joked about Johnson's rushed debut with Boston on the heels of the Kendrick Perkins trade. "We were just going to sign him and say, ‘Run like a gazelle again.’ No, we are [interested]. We’re looking at everybody. Chris is an absolute option, no doubt."

Johnson has averaged 1.6 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks in 4.7 minutes per game with Portland this season. Maybe we can run out a Johnson & Johnson front line, which would probably be the skinniest in the NBA.

A couple of Midwestern beat writers (Sam Amico for the Cavs, Vincent Goodwill for the Pistons) have linked the Celtics to J.J. Hickson:

Celtics having conversations with Kings about JJ Hickson, source says.

— Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) March 15, 2012

Wilcox being out for the year menas the Celtics will be on the serious hunt for a big before tomorrow... JJ Hickson is right in front of me

— Vincent Goodwill (@vgoodwill) March 15, 2012

Trying to make sense of trade rumors with varying degrees of credibility is an exercise in futility. That's never stopped us before, though, so let's see if we can read the tea leaves a bit and guess what direction Danny is looking*.

In recent days, the Celts have been linked to Josh Smith, Leandro Barbosa (if you missed that rumor, pop this article into google's translator), and Michael Beasley. All three of those players are guys who can get up and down the floor, and fit into a running style. Barbosa is one of the fastest players in the NBA, and Smith of course is one of the most athletic.

Now, with Barbosa and Beasley, maybe it just means that Danny wants some added offense off the bench. With Smith in the picture, though, that suggests that Danny might be starting the rebuilding process. If so, it seems clear that he envisions a young, athletic, transition-oriented team. Who would be a fantastic fit on such a team? A certain Rajon Rondo. Maybe, just maybe, this is a sign that Danny truly has decided to rebuild around Rajon, and is trying to put a team on the floor that plays to his strengths.

Of course, as noted above, we don't know if any of these rumors are true. Just last week, the Celts were linked to Pau Gasol, who would fit a "win now" philosophy more. Most likely, Danny is out there gauging value, and is keeping his options open while doing due diligence in a number of different directions. Still, it's fun to imagine a Celtics team that is young and athletic, and runs other teams out of the gym.

* If this article is incoherent, forgive me. It's written from the hospital as we wait for Baby Girl Hobbs to be induced. We can't wait. And yes, I did just make this about me, but I'm a pretty proud soon-to-be papa.

C's source, pushing back on Rondo trade rumors: "Teams want him? That's great. He's not going anywhere."

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) March 2, 2012

Expect a lot more of this "he's on the block, he's off the block" stuff over the next two weeks. There are all kinds of smoke screens right now, as teams will inevitably attempt to bluff their way to the best outcome possible at the March 15 deadline. The above tweet could be 100% based in fact, or it could be a member of the Celtics front office trying to drive up the trade value of Rondo, making him appear both coveted and close to untouchable.

Will Rondo be traded? I personally doubt it, because it's hard to find fair value for a young three-time all-star on a decent contract. However, I absolutely do believe that the Celtics are including him in trade talks, no matter what Doc or Danny might be telling the media right now.

The Beasley speculation / rumors were discussed a lot yesterday, but here's a bit more from Sam Amico, who covers the Cavs for Fox Sports Ohio:

Celtics aim for rebound, but can it happen? - Sam Amico - Fox Sports Ohio

[T]he scuttlebutt before Tuesday’s game was that the Celtics might be looking to make a deal that involves sending veteran center Jermaine O’Neal to Minnesota and landing young forward Michael Beasley in return.

Amico followed up on that tidbit in a chat he held today:

[Q:] Will Beasley end up being a Laker?

Sam Amico: I could definitely see that. But I think he'll end up with the (gasp) Celtics. Sounds like that deal is close.

If it's JO for Beasley, I say get it done. It's not like Danny would be gutting the core of a championship contender at the trade deadline or anything. Sure, adding Beasley would probably change the identity of the team a bit, but this team could use it.

That sound you hear? That's the balance of power shifting in the Atlantic Division with today's news:

Nets To Sign Gerald Green Monday - NetsDaily

The Nets will finally take their chance on [Gerald] Green. Multiple sources, including Green's agent, are reporting New Jersey will sign Green Monday, two days after a staggering display of athleticism won him the MVP award at the D-League All-Star Game. The 6'8" small forward, who turned 26 last month, played this season with the L.A. Defenders, having previously played for the Celtics, Timberwolves, Rockets, Mavericks and Lakers, as well as teams in Russia, China and the D-League.

Is there any validity to the rumor I just started that the league mandated this after Saturday evening's debacle of a dunk contest? If nothing else, Gerald was entertaining during garbage time and the dunk contest; you'd better believe that there's no way he would have let Jeremy Evans beat him with some lame dunks.

But seriously, let's wish him the best of luck. He's always had the athleticism and the shooting to thrive in the NBA. What he's lacked are the fundamentals, the maturity, and the instincts. If he has worked on at least the first two of those, he should be a much better player. He should have a chance to put up big numbers in NJ . The Nets don't play defense there, and seemingly don't care much about defensive rebounding, either, as they're last in the NBA in both categories. That means Gerald should be given the green light to do nothing but shoot, and that's something he can do pretty well. (Just don't ask him to pass, rebound, defend, or make wise decisions on the fast break.)

It should be no surprise that Danny Ainge is already looking toward next year's roster. First, the Celtics will have to decide what to do with their own free agents. One guy they're hoping not to have to make a decision on? Brandon Bass.

Sunday Basketball Notes - Gary Washburn - Boston Globe

The Celtics are hoping that Brandon Bass exercises the player option on his contract at $4 million, which would be a bargain for his production. Or the Celtics could agree to an extension for Bass, who appears to have found a home in Boston. The contract that may affect matters is Glen Davis’s four-year, $26 million deal with the Magic. Davis has underperformed that contract, and Bass may hold out for something more

Of course, the team is also going to be highly interested in attracting free agents from other teams. Both Doc and Danny have some ideas on what it's going to take to get other guys to sign here:

Please Come To Boston - Steve Bulpett - Boston Herald

"You sell (to free agents) what you have on your team, and that’s tough to say now because we don’t know what we’ll have on our team yet," [Doc Rivers] said. "But I don’t think it’s a hard sell — the tradition and what we’ve accomplished.

"But you also have to have players to get other players. No matter where you’re at, it’s rare that a player is going to go somewhere where there’s no other players. So we want to make sure we have the assets and players that other players want to play with. And I think when that time comes, I think we’ll be ready for it."

"It’s a different pitch depending on the circumstances," [Danny Ainge] said. "The money they’re going to make, the length of the contract and the amount. With every player, that list of five or six things can be prioritized in a different order.

"I think that there are a lot of things in play. The first thing is the quality of your team and the opportunity he may have to win.

It's interesting to hear both Doc and Danny talk about how important the existing core is when attracting free agents. If the Celtics do happen to trade for Pau Gasol, it very well could be as a selling point for future free agents considering the Celts. Also, for those who like to read into things, Doc's "We don't know what we'll have on our team yet" statement could be foreshadowing some trades to come.

I hesitate to even give this credence. I am convinced that Peter Vecsey is a clown who no longer has many legitimate sources, so he resorts to making up rumors. Still, this is out there, so feel free to discuss.

Howard's future in Orlando still up in the air - Peter Vecsey - New York Post

If the Lakers indeed are interested in signing Rasheed Wallace — a logical step-down from flirting with Gilbert Arenas—it lends credence to the Rajon Rondo/Jermaine O’Neal-Pau Gasol swap I keep hearing. Lord knows they’re desperate for a point guard and Rondo is exceedingly obtainable and Kobe Bryant loves his "any means possible" style.

This follows the probably made up rumor from Hoopsworld we heard several weeks ago "reporting" a similar deal was in the works. I just don't buy that either of these sources have any credibility.

That said, does the trade make sense? First, for the Lakers, I don't see the motivation to trade Pau. Their "twin towers" up front is probably their biggest strength, even beyond Kobe. Replacing Pau with Rasheed is like a sick joke for Lakers fans. They'd be going from an elite power forward who scores in the post, grabs rebounds, and is highly efficient to an out-of-shape chucker who is allergic to playing down low. That makes no sense to me. Similarly, I can't see Kobe and Rondo thriving playing next to one another. Kobe needs the ball, and asking Rondo to contribute on offense without the ball is just a bad, bad idea. The Lakers are going to give up their best big man and handicap themselves by playing 4-on-5 offense for long stretches? Sign me up.

For the Celtics the motivation would seemingly be a little more clear. They'd be acquiring Pau to win in the immediate future, or to flip him to another team for assets. A front line of Pau/KG/Pierce is probably the best in the NBA, and having a reliable post option would help our offense. If we could find a competent PG to come in, our team would be better in the present.

Continue reading this post »

Per Gary Washburn and a variety of other online sources, Rajon Rondo has been suspended for two games for throwing a ball a the ref in last night's game.

Look, Rondo shouldn't have thrown the ball toward the ref in that situation. But seriously? Two games? It's not like he chucked the ball at the guys head. Instead, he aggressively threw the ball back to the ref, and the ref wasn't ready for it because he was teeing Rondo up. It's clear Rajon was angry, but I don't see this as the blatant assault that the league clearly does. Two games seems excessive, especially when Kevin Love only got two games for stomping on Scola's face.

The Celtics players, just like everybody else, are asking themselves what needs to be done to light a spark. A current topic of conversation? Whether a team meeting would help:

O’Neal: It’s time for a talk - Gary Washburn - Boston Globe Celtics Notebook

Jermaine O’Neal believes it’s time for a meeting. Captain Paul Pierce doesn’t believe it’s that time quite yet. They both agree that something has to change if the Celtics are going to make any impact on the playoffs in eight weeks. ...

"I think at some point over the next 48 hours, I’m sure we’ll have a conversation just amongst our team in terms of where we’re at mentally,’’ [O'Neal] said. "Because that’s the key, mentally for us right now. I don’t care what’s going on, we shouldn’t lose to Detroit twice in a five-day span. They’re playing good basketball but they shouldn’t beat us twice.’’

When asked if he will organize the players to meet, Pierce said: "I don’t see me calling a meeting right now. I’m not going to use the excuse that we didn’t have [Rajon] Rondo for the second half or missing out on [Kevin Garnett] or Brandon Bass. We just have to be more competitive. It doesn’t take calling the guys in for that.’’

Does Pierce's reluctance to hold a team meeting say anything about his leadership? Absolutely not. Pierce was acting like the captain he is last night, trying to get the team fired up in the huddle.

Rather, this seems to be an example of Pierce thinking that team meetings just aren't that effective. From where I'm sitting he's probably right, too. The players know they're playing poorly. They know they need to execute better, and they know they shouldn't be dropping two games to the Pistons in the span of a week. Doc has called out the team publicly and privately, appealing to their pride. Danny has threatened to blow the team up. What's a meeting going to do for them?

Between age and injuries, it's probably fair to say that this team could play with maximum focus, energy, and heart every night, and would still be mediocre. Team meetings don't give Pierce and Ray fresh legs, or Rondo a jumpshot, or JO the ability to play like a league-average center. Rather, they lead to finger pointing and hurt feelings, but no real ability to solve this team's actual issues: an old, broken team with no competent center, no ability to rebound, and a stagnant offense. Until somebody comes up with a solution to solve those things, words are basically irrelevant.