SBNation.com User Blog: Tom Bellinger

Kobe Bryant Has My Respect (As A Player)

Tom Bellinger — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:19:00 -0000

First, let's get this out of the way; I'm not talking about Kobe Bryant, the man. That guy seems like a bit of a jerk, and I'm not interested in going down that rabbit hole anymore than I care how much of a scumbag Mel Gibson seems like as a person. I'll still watch Lethal Weapon 1 and 2 (they kinda lose me after 2) and enjoy the heck out of it. This isn't about Kobe Bryant the man.

This is about Kobe Bryant the basketball player, the competitor. And in that regard, Kobe's got my respect. And he's probably deserved it for a long time now.

I've been reluctant to admit how good Kobe Bryant really is, and I guess before I start talking about my new-found respect for him, I should get into where my negative biases came from. First and foremost, he's a Laker. There's always been something about the Lakers that I just do not enjoy. They seem shiny, and entitled. When they're great, the media won't leave it alone, and when they're down, the stories all seem to come from a 'they should be really awesome, but they're not. wasupwiththat??' kind of angle. I mean, come on. Maybe its just because Cedric Ceballos and Eddie Jones just aren't that great. Why do I have to hear about it all the time?

(Yes, I understand that Laker fans probably hate a lot of the same things about the Celtics, and yes, I understand that fans of neither team probably hate both the Celtics and the Lakers for the same reason.)

But it goes beyond just him being a Laker. There are also the Jordan comparisons. The common-held theory is that Kobe sees himself as some-sort of heir-apparent to Michael Jordan. Kobe was just entering his teens as Jordan began his first reign of dominance, and he entered the league while Jordan was in the midst of his second three-peat. From the minute Jordan stepped off the floor in '98 people have been looking for someone to replace him, like some kind of Nike-sponsored version of 'The Da Vinci Code' (ITS A PERSON? WHOAAAAAA!). Kobe Bryant was just another one of the candidates (Vince Carter, McGrady, and on..and on..), and because of the endless non-stories about it, the backlash people felt towards him was a little justified. The fact that he was a part of the most dominant team (those 3-peat Lakers) at the early part of the decade didn't help. The other fact that he was the second best player on those teams seemed to disprove the theory, and make it even more frustrating when it didn't go away.

And finally, there is Kobe the drama-queen. The diva. The stories are everywhere. Temper-tantrums, conflicts with Hall-Of-Fame but incredibly smug head coaches. The guy who (as it was framed by the media) personally sent Shaquille O'Neal packing in the midst of what should've been another 2 or 3 title runs, and the same guy who seemingly came within an inch of demanding a trade when Shaq's talent wasn't immediately replaced. Kobe's unapologetic, aloof, but despite all that, he's super-high profile, and constantly in the news. He's the kind of guy who even if the Colorado stuff had never happened, we still would've found a reason to hate. LeBron James knows what I'm talking about.

But you know what? Somewhere, in the last year or so, a lot of that changed for me. Click the break to find out why.

Kobe Bryant Might Be A Bit Of A Jerk, But He's A Leader Who Leads By Example, And (At Least Recently) It Seems Like He's Got His Teammates' Backs

Kobe Bryant is not a good role model for children, unless you want to raise a bunch of hyper-competitive, self-involved psychopaths. But, as a leader, one cannot doubt his resolve. He's a bit heavy handed, and isn't scared of pointing fingers, both publicly and privately, but he's still a heck of a leader.

When the Lakers were in the midst of being swept in the second round of the playoffs last year by the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks, Kobe Bryant never gave up (well, at least not when there was still a sliver of hope they'd pull it out). I watched those games, I watched the post-game press conferences. His narrative leading into game 4, being down 3-0, never wavered from "If you think we're losing this series, you're nuts." Turns out, that was malarkey, but that's not the point. Kobe's attitude of 'I don't care about the odds, or the context, or the reality, I'm a winner, I make my team a winner, and that's that is what I'm getting at here. He might not invite his teammates to barbecues, might not have spaghetti dinners at his super-cool new bachelor pad before big games, but you have to think that there must be something comforting as a teammate of his knowing that there is nothing, not pain, not off-court drama, nothing that your captain will allow to come between himself and the prize. It's clear especially in these last years (since they got Gasol), Kobe is obsessive about winning.

Like a crazy-obsessive. If he were as obsessive about cats as he is about getting another ring to go with his already HOF-worthy collection of 5 championships, he'd be on hoarders. While ideally you'd rather have General Patton over Captain Ahab, you still gotta respect the nature of the beast.

And to build on that, Kobe is very conscious of his teammates and protective of them....when it comes to him winning games. This has not always been the case, as a young man, it was certainly not the case. But especially recently, Kobe has been standing up for his teammates. He will throw the entire Laker Nation under a bus if it means he gets another 'chip, but when he sees the front office make a move that he feels is counter-productive to that, he has zero issues speaking on that. When the Lakers shipped out Lamar Odom to clear room for further moves that never manifested, Kobe spoke out, and he was angry. When he saw that trade rumors had been getting into Gasol's 'mental-mind', Kobe "told" the front office (the media) to 'either trade him or don't but make a decision' (Jimmy T recently put out a great article articulating why maybe that wasn't even a real threat. READ IT!).

Kobe Bryant Does All The Stuff Us Cynical Fans (And Larry Bird) Feel A Superstar Should

The Boston Celtics, until another 'Basketball Jesus' comes along, will always be in the shadow of Larry Bird and Red Auerbach. And those guys, they put a blueprint out there of what a 'superstar' should be. Hard-working. Able to play through pain. A 'student of the game' with an obsession with winning, and getting better every year. Kobe Bryant is all of these things. In fact, in a recent (AWESOME) podcast with Bill Simmons, Larry Bird was posed the question 'what current player would you have liked to play with', and his answer was,

"Well, probably Kobe, because of the fact that ... well, of course he wouldn't have been shooting as much as he does now ... but his desire to win, his dedication, to always get better, uh, and he's just, he's just tough," Bird said. "He's just a tough cat.

"But, if you want to have fun, like I did with Bill Walton, play with LeBron. It would have probably been more fun to play with LeBron, but if you want to win and win and win, it's Kobe. Not that LeBron's not a winner, just that [Kobe's] mindset is to go into every practice, every game, to get better." - ESPNLA

Kobe's apparently got the finger of an 83 year old man for all his dedication, and his wrist is has a torn ligament in it that requires a pre-game cortisone shot. Off the court, he's got to wear an immobilizer, and it probably won't ever get any better. Not that Kobe's complaining about it, heck he doesn't even like to talk about it. Remind you of anyone?

He Is Cocky To The Point Of Hilarity, And You Really Don't Think He's Wrong

I mentioned earlier that Kobe had been considered one of 'the lost scions of Jordan', but understand that he doesn't see it that way at all. When asked a loaded question in the lead-up to the big Laker-Heat game about who his possible 'rivals' might be in the current NBA, he had the following:

"At this point my rivals, in terms of what I have left to accomplish in my career, (left the game) when Magic (Johnson) and Michael (Jordan) retired in '98," Bryant said, referring to the second of Jordan's three retirements that came after he won his sixth and final championship with the Chicago Bulls. "That's it. In terms of what I'm looking to accomplish, that's about it."

The man doesn't see himself as Jordan's heir-apparent, he sees himself as Jordan's peer. He characterizes Dwyane Wade as too young, and states, 'When I came into the league, he was in elementary school,' despite the fact that Bryant, 33, is only 3 years older than Wade. But he sees himself in an entirely different class than Flash. He also once stated that, "These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess."

Our first reaction as Celtics fans is to see this stuff and think, "Kobe's so full of himself." But, is it all that different than Larry Bird walking into a 3pt contest and asking who is going to come in second?

The bottom line is, its still okay to hate Kobe Bryant. But you gotta respect that guy. Five rings, two finals MVP's and one regular season MVP, countless All-Star appearances, and again....FIVE RINGS.

While Kobe Bryant might not be the best human being in the world, he might play for the most hated team in Celtics Nation, and he might be the most enoyable guy to watch fall flat on his face in the entire NBA, he is probably as close to those old-timey NBA Legends as we're going to see for a while. At least until Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose turn really, really mean.

And, to feed your Kobe Hate after that lovefest, watch this. And this. (BOTH NSFW, some bad language)

Rasheed Wallace to sign with Lakers (CSNNE)

Tom Bellinger — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:26:28 -0000

Rasheed Wallace to sign with Lakers (CSNNE)

Meanwhile, Celtics fans find out what laughing and throwing up at the same time feels like.

Game 30: Where, COME ON! DADDY NEEDS TO STAY A GAME AHEAD OF THE KNICKS!

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:39:58 -0000

Boston Celtics (15-14) at Detroit Pistons (10-22)
Sunday, February 19
6:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #30, Road Game #11
TV: CSNNE, FSD, LP 751/752 (DTV)
Radio: WEEI, 97.1 FM The Ticket
Palace of Auburn Hills
Officials: Tom Washington Brent Barnaky Sean Wright

Game Thread | Chat Room

As the esteemed Lord Tariq once said, 'Splat, like deja-vu'.

We've been here before, so I won't bore you. The Celtics need the win tonight. They've dropped 4 of the last 5 and are playing some spectacularly 'not quite good enough basketball' right now. Two of the losses were somewhat justifiable heart-breakers to the Bulls and Lakers, but the other two losses were against cellar-dwellers.

On the bright side, one of those losses to 'cellar dwellers' is redeemable. They dropped a 10 point game at home against Detroit, tonight they can pay them the same service back to their old 'friends'. Beating the Pistons on their home floor doesn't make the previous loss 'okay', but it does bring a certain amount of symettry, and you know what they say, 'you're only one win away from starting your next win-streak' (nobody says that).

Please, please do not let our boys pull even with the Knicks. This whole 'Linsanity' thing is bad enough as it is (another stellar game earlier today, getting harder to ignore), we don't need the whole 'Knicks on the rise pull even with the Celtics for second in the division' storyline as well.

Come on, baby! No whammies!!

As the esteemed Lord Tariq once said, 'Splat, like deja-vu'.

Come on, baby! No whammies!!

Starting lineups, match-ups to watch are provided by the Queen of Previews, FLCeltsFan!

Probable Starters
PGSGSFPFC
Rajon Rondo.... Ray Allen.... Paul Pierce.....Kevin Garnett.... Jermaine O'Neal

Celtics Reserves
Marquis Daniels
Greg Steimsma
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Keyon Dooling
Mickael Pietrus
Chris Wilcox
Avery Bradley

Injuries
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) day to day
Brandon Bass (knee) out

Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
Brandon Knight...Rodney Stuckey...Tayshaun Prince...Jason Maxiell..Greg Monroe

Pistons Bench
Ben Wallace
Jonas Jerebko
Brandon Knight
Austin Daye
Damien Wilkins
Vernon Macklin
Will Bynum
Ben Gordon
Walker Russell

Injuries
Charlie Villanueva (foot) out

Team Connections
Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Ray Allen all attended the University of Connecticut
Tayshaun Prince, Brandon Knight and Rajon Rondo attended the University of Kentucky
Pistons Head Coach Lawrence Frank was an assistant coach with the Celtics during the 2010‐11 season
Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2007‐09
Pistons Assistant Coach Roy Rogers played for the Celtics during the 1997‐98 season and was an assistant coach during the 2010‐11 season.
Chris Wilcox played for the Pistons from 2009-11.

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Brandon Knight
In the last meeting between these two teams, Rondo won this matchup, but the Celtics lost the game. Rondo finished with 35 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Knight had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. The Celtics need Rondo to be aggressive but he needs to balance his own scoring with setting up his teammates.

vs
Paul Pierce vs Tayshaun Prince
This has been a great matchup over the years, Prince's length can give Pierce problems but Pierce's strength can also give Prince problems. These two played each other fairly even in the last game with Pierce putting up 10 points, 1 rebound and 5 assists while Prince had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Pierce has been in a mini slump lately and the Celtics need more from their Captain.

Honorable Mention
Ray Allen vs Rodney Stuckey
Stuckey scored 25 points in their last meeting while Ray put up just 10. The Celtics' offense has been sluggish and their ball movement has been terrible and that explains why Ray has struggles in the last few games. Ray hit a couple of big shots in the loss to the Bulls and that may get him going but he needs Rondo to find him when he's open.

Game 28: Where We Call This Game 'An Ackbar Special'

Tom Bellinger — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:07:57 -0000

Detroit Pistons (8-21) at Boston Celtics (15-12)
Wednesday, February 15
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #28 – Home Game #19
TV: CSNNE, FSD, NBA-LP 753/754 (DTV)
Radio: WEEI, WDFN, 97.1 FM The Ticket
TD Garden

Game Thread | Chat Room

Watch this clip.Or, check out this link. There, now everybody gets the joke!

Tonight's game has all the usually *ahem* trappings of a "Trap Game".

A) Its against a weaker opponent that nobody is currently taking seriously, but a team who is also young and hungry.

B) Its after a small amount of rest, meaning that it should be a pretty simple and easy win for a 'good' team.

C)The Celtics are coming off of a big win against the league's best team. Without its reigning MVP, sure, but still.

This is a trap game. This is a game where a good team walks into what should be a sure win, what should just be the preamble to the real contest against Chicago tomorrow night, a contest that will, almost to a certitude, have all the critical and ambulatory members of each team active, especially considering the close outcome of their last contest.

Basically tonight is a footnote in a lot of ways, and because of that, its a trap game.Good teams know to see these coming. Kevin Garnett may play tonight (along with Pietrus and O'Neal). He knows its a trap game, and they need his near-homicidal passion out there to keep it competitive.

But even knowing something is a trap game isn't enough to avoid the trap. The reason why its a trap game is because the other guys want it more than you do; its because it would make their week to take down the boistrous and bully-like Boston Celtics, whereas it wouldn't even necessarily make the Celtics' day to take down the struggling and lottery-bound Pistons, especially with the Bulls game tomorrow.

The Celtics need to be a bully from the moment they set foot on the floor tonight. They need to quell any rumors of a resistance from the Pistons. They need to run them off the floor before they have a chance to let the 'so you're sayin' there's a chance' mentality to creep in.

That's how you really avoid a trap game. If the score is tied at halftime, you'll know they failed.

Watch this clip.Or, check out this link. There, now everybody gets the joke!

Tonight's game has all the usually *ahem* trappings of a "Trap Game".

A) Its against a weaker opponent that nobody is currently taking seriously, but a team who is also young and hungry.

B) Its after a small amount of rest, meaning that it should be a pretty simple and easy win for a 'good' team.

C)The Celtics are coming off of a big win against the league's best team. Without its reigning MVP, sure, but still.

That's how you really avoid a trap game. If the score is tied at halftime, you'll know they failed.

As usual, all lineups, etc, from FLCeltsFan

Probable Starters
PGSGSFPFC
Rajon Rondo.... Ray Allen.... Paul Pierce.....Kevin Garnett.... Chris Wilcox

Celtics Reserves
Marquis Daniels
Greg Steimsma
Brandon Bass
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Keyon Dooling
Mickael Pietrus

Injuries
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) day to day
Jermaine O'Neal (shoulder) probable
Brandon Bass (knee) out
Mickael Pietrus (knee) questionable
Kevin Garnett (hip) questionable

Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
Brandon Knight...Rodney Stuckey...Tayshaun Prince...Jason Maxiell..Greg Monroe

Pistons Bench
Ben Wallace
Jonas Jerebko
Brandon Knight
Austin Daye
Damien Wilkins
Vernon Macklin
Will Bynum
Ben Gordon
Walker Russell

Injuries
Charlie Villanueva (foot) out

Team Connections
Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Ray Allen all attended the University of Connecticut
Tayshaun Prince, Brandon Knight and Rajon Rondo attended the University of Kentucky
Pistons Head Coach Lawrence Frank was an assistant coach with the Celtics during the 2010‐11 season
Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2007‐09
Pistons Assistant Coach Roy Rogers played for the Celtics during the 1997‐98 season and was an assistant coach during the 2010‐11 season.
Chris Wilcox played for the Pistons from 2009-11.

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Brandon Knight
As has been stated many times, as Rondo goes, so goes the Celtics. The Celtics need the aggressive Rondo that ran on every possession and gave the Celtics a spark on both ends of the court, including on the boards. He should be able to school Knight and have another big night if he comes to play.

vs
Paul Pierce vs Tayshaun Prince
This has been a great matchup over the years, Prince's length can give Pierce problems but Pierce's strength can also give Prince problems. If Pierce can't get his shot off, he needs to be a facilitator and find the open man rather than trying to force it.

Honorable Mention
Kevin Garnett vs Jason Maxiell
KG has a height advantage over Maxiell and hopefully he will be aggressive in looking for his shot.

Game 27: Where The Celtics Look To Avoid Streaking. Bring Your Green Hat!

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:43:26 -0000

Chicago Bulls (23-6) at Boston Celtics (14-12)
Time: 3:30 PM EST, Sunday, February 12, 2012
Game #'s: Game #27, Home Game #18
TV: ABC, TSN2 Radio: WEEI, WMVP, ESPNR
Venue: TD Garden
Officials: Greg Willard, John Goble, Olandis Poole
The Line: The Celtics have gone 2-2 against the Bulls
in each of the last 2 seasons. The Celtics dropped thier
matchup against Chicago earlier in the season. The Bulls
have won 5 straight, and posess the best record in the NBA.

Game Thread | Chat Room

Breaking news: Rose is out for the Bulls (via Paul Flanney and others), Bass is out (two weeks!), and so is Jermaine O'Neal. Wilcox to start.

This season, so far, the Celtics have been a team of extremes. Their record has hovered around .500 for most of the year, but its not like they've been just trading wins and losses. Only twice have they had a three-game stretch without successive losses or wins. The rest of the season is made up by losing streaks of 3 and 5 games, respectively, and winning streaks of 4, 4, and 5 games, respectively.

I don't have any issue with the winning streaks. I'm cool with those. We're friends, and sometimes we watch old episodes of Firefly together and talk about how we watch Castle just because Nathan Fillion is in it, even though we don't really like the frequent emasculation of Captain Malcom (Mal, to his friends) Reynolds.

The beef I have is with the losing streaks. It's those ruts they get in that can really bother a fan, because it just makes the team seem so...mediocre.

And make no mistake, that's what this team is. The Celtics, both by performance, by record, and increasing by expectation are middle of the pack. They're 2 games above .500, but that's mostly due to their 10-5 record against losing teams. Against teams over .500, they're 4-7, and against legitimate contenders, they're 0-5 (or 0-4, depending how you see the Lakers).

But even with a .500 record, you can still be a contender. You can make the playoffs and surprise nobody when you know out a favorite in the first round. Its far from a new formula. The thing is, in order to get onboard with that train, you gotta prove you can beat the best.

Well, guess what? Our boys are facing one of the best today. They're squaring off against the 23-6 Bulls, a team, while not the favorite to win the chip this year, that remains right at the top of the pecking order in the NBA.

I think the Celtics have got to get this one. They've got to get it to prove to their loyal fans that they're still good once, as they ever was. They've got to get it to prove to the rest of the NBA that on any given night (or late afternoon Sunday) they can still beat the best. And more than anything, they've got to get it to prove to themselves that they're still dangerous.

A loss today makes three in a row, making it the third losing streak in less than 30 games. Nobody will be surprised, and life will go on. A win today, particularly a big one, means a heck of a lot more.

Breaking news: Rose is out for the Bulls (via Paul Flanney and others), Bass is out (two weeks!), and so is Jermaine O'Neal. Wilcox to start.

The beef I have is with the losing streaks. It's those ruts they get in that can really bother a fan, because it just makes the team seem so...mediocre.

As always, lineups courtesy of CelticsBlog legend, and in-house liontamer, FLCeltsFan

Probable Starters

PG: Rajon Rondo..................................................SG Ray Allen

C: Jermaine O'Neal

SF: Paul Pierce ................................. ............PF Kevin Garnett

Coach: Doc Rivers

Boston Reserves
Brandon Bass
Mickael Pietrus
Chris Wilcox
JaJuan Johnson
Greg Siemsma
E'Twaun Moore
Avery Bradley
Marquis Daniels

Injured
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) day to day
Keyon Dooling (hip) day to day
Jermaine O'Neal (shoulder) day to day

Probable Starters

PG: Derrick Rose............................................. SG: Ronnie Brewer

C: Joakim Noah

SF: Luol Deng .................................................. PF: Carlos Boozer

Coach: Tom Thibodeau

Bulls Bench
John Lucas III
Omer Asik
Kyle Korver
Taj Gibson
Jimmy Butler
Brian Scalabrine
CJ Watson

Injuries
Rip Hamilton (groin) day to day
Derrick Rose (back) day to day

Team Connections
Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau was a member of the Celtics coaching staff from 2007-10 and was a member of the 2008 NBA Championship coaching staff
Bulls Assistant Coaches Ed Pinckney (1988-94) and Adrian Griffin (1999-2001) played for the Celtics
Brian Scalabrine played for the Celtics from 2005-10 and was a member of the 2008 NBA championship team
Rip Hamilton and Ray Allen both attended the University of Connecticut
Jimmy Butler and Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers both attended Marquette University
C.J. Watson and Mickael Pietrus were teammates in Golden State during the 2007-08 season
Rip Hamilton and Chris Wilcox were teammates in Detroit from 2009-11

Game #25: Where The Celtics 2012 Season Suddenly Matters..Again.

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:51:21 -0000

Los Angeles Lakers (14-11) at Boston Celtics (14-10)
Time: 8:00PM EST, Thursday, February 9, 2012
Game #: Regular Season Game #25, Home Game #17
TV: TNT, TSN2 Radio: WEEI, KSPN, ESPNR
Venue: TD Garden
Officials: Derrick Stafford, Marat Kogut, Gary Zielinski
The Line: The Celtics have won 5 straight, and 9 of their
last 10. The Lakers are 1-2 over the first 3 games of
a 6 game road trip.

Game Thread | Chat Room

I'm gonna come clean to all of you right now. I've been a terrible fan this season. I have. The lockout left me a bit burnt-out, jaded even. On top of that, the Celtics failed to make a meaningful acquisition at the 5 this off-season, and Jeff Green's heart condition, and Rondo trade rumors and blah...blah....

And that was BEFORE they started losing. After that, I just kind of took on that glassed over look that politicians' wives get at news conferences while their husbands admit they had an affair or something. If I would have had to characterize how I felt about the teams' chances in 2012 I would've said 'uncertain', but after a few cocktails, that would've moved to 'Playoffs?! You wanna talk about playoffs?!'

Then, they started winning games. First the 'big' games weren't so 'big'. A back-to-back against Orlando. A win against a plucky Indiana team that had beaten them earlier. But then, of course, they drop one to a woefully miserable (and, we now know, overachieving in the early part of the season) Cavaliers team, and you get the space to write them off a bit again.

Five straight wins against....well five wins is five wins. Suddenly Seymore, they're starting to look like a quality squad. Only 4 games behind Miami, and the bench looking like they're a heck of a lot more resilient than anyone thought they'd be without Jeff Green or another capable known name center on the roster.

But the fact remains, the Celtics' most impressive win so far this season is against the Indiana Pacers, and while that means a heck of a lot more today than it did at this time last year, it still isn't the equivalent of a 'statement win'.

Oh, but tonight. Tonight, they're facing the Lakers (who are, by the way, in the middle of a 6 game road trip in which they've already dropped 2 of the first 3), and all of a sudden, we got ourselves a stew goin.

The tired, old, hurt, under-staffed, unlucky, and rapidly deteriorating Boston Celtics are suddenly right on the precipice of jumping into the league's top-10, when they started out the first fifth of the season on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

Sam And Dave called, Kobe. They said Hold On, I'm Comin.

Game Thread | Chat Room

Sam And Dave called, Kobe. They said Hold On, I'm Comin.

Lineups courtesy of FLCeltsFan

Probable Starters
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo ---------------- Shooting Guard: Ray Allen

Center: Jermaine O'Neal

Small Forward: Paul Pierce ------------------ Power Forward: Kevin Garnett

Celtics Reserves
Chris Wilcox
Mickael Pietrus
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Sasha Pavlovic
Greg Stiemsma
Avery Bradley
Brandon Bass

Injuries:
Marquis Daniels (ankle) day to day
Keyon Dooling (hip) day to day

Probable Starters
Point Guard: Derek Fisher -------------------- Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant

Center: Andrew Bynum

Small Forward: Metta World Peace -------------------- Power Forward: Pau Gasol

Lakers Reserves
Troy Murphy
Andrew Goudelock
Matt Barnes
Jason Kapono
Devin Eubankes
Josh McRoberts
Darius Morris
Luke Walton

Injuries
Steve Blake (rib) out

Team Connections
Jermaine O’Neal and Metta World Peace were teammates in Indiana from 2001-06
Troy Murphy played for the Celtics during the 2010-11 season
Matt Barnes, Chris Wilcox and Keyon Dooling were teammates on the LA Clippers during the 2003-04 season
Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass and Mickael Pietrus were teammates in Orlando during the 2009-10 season
Troy Muprhy and Mickael Pietrus were teammates in Golden State from 2003-07
Barnes and Pietrus were also teammates in Golden State from 2006-08
Derek Fisher and Mickael Pietrus were teammates in Golden State during the 2005-06 season
Jermaine O’Neal and Troy Murphy were teammates in Indiana from 2006-08.

Game 21: Celtics Look To Get Above Board, While The Raptors Look To..Who Knows What Dinosaurs Want? Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum? Newman?

Tom Bellinger — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:20:32 -0000

Toronto Raptors (7-15) at Boston Celtics (10-10)
Wednesday, February 1
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #21, Home Game #13
TV: CSNNE, SNET1, NBA-LP 754
Radio: CJCL, WEEI
TD Garden

Game Thread | Chat Room

Hello, Americans! Also, a hearty 'Hockey, Molson, Robin Sparkles, and Toronto Maple Leafs' to all you wacky Canadians out there!

Its (mostly irrelevant) Basketball Night In America! The 'twice as many losses as wins' Toronto Raptors take on the 'exactly as many losses as wins' Boston Celtics!

I know, I know, I'm trivializing tonight's game. And that's fair to say, because to the outside eye, this game tonight should be pretty trivial. The Raptors haven't beaten the Celtics at in over four years. The last time the Celtics lost at home to the Raptors, some of you high school seniors out there were just high school freshmen. American pop music was still Bieber-less, and the Celtics were on their way to a championship season. Avery Bradley was wicked into Pokemon. It was a long time ago, are you guys getting that?

Although, I imagine Avery Bradley is still wicked into Pokemon.

Basically, if history is any indicator, the Celtics will win tonight, but if they for some reason lose, it means they'll go on to win the title. So, win-win, right?

Toronto Raptors (7-15) at Boston Celtics (10-10)
Wednesday, February 1
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #21, Home Game #13
TV: CSNNE, SNET1, NBA-LP 754
Radio: CJCL, WEEI
TD Garden

Game Thread | Chat Room

Hello, Americans! Also, a hearty 'Hockey, Molson, Robin Sparkles, and Toronto Maple Leafs' to all you wacky Canadians out there!

Its (mostly irrelevant) Basketball Night In America! The 'twice as many losses as wins' Toronto Raptors take on the 'exactly as many losses as wins' Boston Celtics!

Although, I imagine Avery Bradley is still wicked into Pokemon.

Basically, if history is any indicator, the Celtics will win tonight, but if they for some reason lose, it means they'll go on to win the title. So, win-win, right?

Probable Starters
PGSGSFPFC
PG: Avery Bradley
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Jermaine O'Neal

Celtics Reserves
Brandon Bass
E'twaun Moore
Greg Stiemsma
JaJuan Johnson
Sasha Pavlovic
Marquis Daniels
Mickael Pietrus

Injured
Keyon Dooling (hip) day to day
Rajon Rondo (wrist) day to day

Probable Starters
PGSGSFPFC
PG: Jose Calderon
SG: Jerryd Bayless
SF: DeMar DeRozan
PF: James Johnson
C: Amir Johnson

Raptors Bench
Ed Davis
Jamaal Magloire
Gary Forbes
Anthony Carter
Solomon Alabi
Rasual Butler
Linas Kleiza
Aaron Gray
Leandro Barbosa

Injuries
Andrea Bargnani (calf) out

Team Connections
Rajon Rondo, Raptors Head Coach Dwane Casey and Jamaal Magloire all attended the University of Kentucky
Jermaine O’Neal played in Toronto during the 2008-09 season
Linas Kleiza and Keyon Dooling both went to the University of Missouri
Keyon Dooling and Rasual Butler were teammates on the Miami Heat during the 2004-05 season
Rasual Butler and Brandon Bass were teammates in New Orleans from 2005-07
Brandon Bass and Jamaal Magloire were teammates in Dallas during the 2007-08 season.

Key Matchups
vs
Ray Allen vs Jerryd Bayless
Bayless gives up a couple inches to Ray, but he has the speed to stay with Ray as he runs through screens trying to get open. Ray has been shooting the ball well since his return and if Bayless leaves him open, hopefully Ray can make him pay.

vs
Paul Pierce vs DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan has been one of the bright spots for the Raptors and has been playing well. Pierce came up limping in the 4th quarter of the Cavs game but he seemed to shake it off. Hopefully he will be ok for this game. The Celtics win streak coincided with Pierce's return to playing well. The Celtics need his versatility and ability to give the team whatever it needs on any given night.

Honorable Mention
Benches
With both teams playing back to back, their benches will be important in this game. The deeper team whose bench contributes will be the team that comes out on top.

Keys to the Game
Rebound - The Celtics have got to crash the boards to prevent second chance points. They out rebounded their opponents during their win streak However, they were out rebounded in both of their games vs Cleveland. Being out-rebounded 39-28 in the second game almost led to a second lost lead loss in a row. The effort they put out on the boards will usually spread to other areas of the game. The team that wins the rebounding battle more times than not will win the game.

Take Care of the Ball - The Celtics tend to turn the ball over way too much at times. They will make a run in a game to tie it or take the lead and then they will turn the ball over several times only to dig themselves into a hole. They have to make smarter passes and pay attention to the opponents so as not to allow them to get an easy steal. They also have to handle the ball better and not drive into a crowd only to lose possession of the ball.

Defense - The Celtics must make defense a priority in each and every game. Their defense was excellent in beating the Magic and Pacers recently and then they lapsed into lax defense against the Cavs. They played great defense while building a 21 point lead in the second game but let up on defense and allowed the Cavs to come back to within 2. They must play strong defense all game. With the Raptors, they must particularly guard the perimeter as they love to shoot from beyond the arc.

Make Shots and Take Advantage of Opportunities - There are times when it seems as though no one on the Celtics can hit the broad side of a barn. They miss jumpers, layups, 3 pointers, and shots in the paint. This inability to hit shots keeps them from taking advantage of opportunities.

Hustle and Effort
The Celtics were out-hustled in both games against the Cavs. The Cavs beat them to loose balls, to rebounds and in hustling on defense in the 4th quarter. The Celtics need to show effort and hustle for 4 quarters, no matter the opponent. They can't take any opponent for granted.

X-Factors
Focus and Desire
The Celtics lost focus against the Cavs and allowed them to score 12 straight points down the stretch of their loss to them at home. They then gave up a 21 point lead to just barely win by 3 on the road. They must keep their focus and play good basketball for 48 minutes, even against the teams with the worst records. If they want this win badly enough, and don't self destruct, they should be able to get it.

Game 19: Where I Wonder If It Would Be 'Cavalier' To Call Tonight's Game A 'Must Win'?

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:23:31 -0000

Cleveland Cavaliers (7-11) at Boston Celtics (9-9)
Time: 6:00 PM EST, Sunday, January 29th, 2012
Venue: TD Garden, Boston MA
Game #'s: Regular Season Game #19, Home Game #12
TV: CSN-NE, FSO, NBA-LP 751/752 Radio: WEEI, WTAM
Officials: Marc Davis, Eric Lewis, Scott Wall
The Line: Boston is on a four-game winning streak
depite missed games from starters Rondo, Ray Allen,
and Jermaine O'Neal.

Game Thread | Chat Room

I really hate the term 'must win'. When you consider a team like the Celtics, who (dare I begin to hope again? No..I've been hurt before) have always said that winning the NBA Finals was the only victory that matters, and the only measure to which they decided a season is a success or failure, there is a necessity of perspective. Since (to these guys) the regular season is basically jockeying for seeding in the playoffs, and a glorified extended training camp, either there are no 'must win' games during the regular season, or they're all 'must win' games.

However, not to strike an equine creature bereft of life, but I have always believed that a good team is not necessarily measured during the regular season by its ability to beat other teams that are as good as they are. Truth be told, during the regular season there are just too many variables out there, from effort and motivation game in, game out, to health of the players in question. In the playoffs, if you're walking, generally you're playing, and everyone wants a win bad. That's not an issue in the playoffs. But during the regular season, its much more a potluck of effort and health that defines a win against two teams that are peers.No, the real measure of a 'good' team is its ability to consistently beat teams that are unequivocally 'worse' than they are.

The reason being, is that its those wins that act as a buffer when playoff seeding comes around. Its those wins that ensure there are no 'must win' games, because there is a steady, sizeable mountains of games you won that you 'should've won' to keep you from having a 'must win' game later.

So in a way, tonight is a 'must win' game. While the Cavaliers were somewhat hot early on in the season (there was a time when they were a few games up on the C's. I like to call those 'the dark times'), they've tapered off significantly in recent games, and just got done dropping a close one to the New Jersey Nyets. Their best player is a rookie who has been, while a pleasant surprise as a rookie, still a below-average starting point guard.

And the Celtics haven't done themselves too many favors in terms of assembling their pile of wins to guarantee playoff placement. In years past, they've always stormed out of the gate and racked up nearly enough wins for a playoff berth by late January alone. This time, they're standing resolute but vulnerable at .500 through the first quarter of the season, and the schedule gets way worse as this shindig goes on. There will be 'dark times' again.

And that's why tonight is a 'must win'. The Celtics have to take games like this one tonight, because later on in the season, when nagging injuries have manifested for everyone from the starters to Danny AInge to the ballboys, they're going to need the pile of wins. Right now, the pile is pretty meager.

As always, starting lineups provided by FLCeltsFan!

Probable Starters

Avery Bradley.......Ray Allen.......Paul Pierce.......Kevin Garnett...... Jermaine O'Neal

Boston Bench
Marquis Daniels
Chris Wilcox
Brandon Bass
E'Twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson
Greg Siemsma
Sasha Pavlovic
Mickael Pietrus

Injured
Ray Allen (ankle) probable
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) day to day
Keyon Dooling (hip) day to day
Rajon Rondo (wrist) day to day

Probable Starters

Kyrie Irving.....Anthony Parker.....Omri Casspi....Antawn Jamison.....Anderson Varejao

Cleveland Bench
Tristan Thompson
Ryan Hollins
Alonzo Gee
Ramon Sessions
Daniel Gibson
Samardo Samuels
Semih Erden
Christian Eyenga
Luke Harangody
Mychal Thompson

Injuries
None reported

Team Connections
Tristan Thompson, Daniel Gibson and Avery Bradley attended the University Texas
Sasha Pavlovic played for the Cavaliers for five seasons, 2004-2009
Semih Erden and Luke Harangody were both drafted by Boston in the second round of the 2008 and 2010 NBA Draft respectively and each spent part of the 2010-2011 season with the Celtics before being traded to the Cavaliers.

Celtics Look To Use Same Magic On,... The Magic

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:44:58 -0000

Boston Celtics (7-9) at OrlandoMagic (12-5)
Time: 8:00 PM EST, Thursday, January 26, 2012
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Game #s: Regular Season Game #17, Road Game #7
TV: TNT, CSNNE, TSN Radio: WEEI, WDBO, ESPNR, KTAR
Officials: Michael Smith, Nick Buchert, David Jones
The Line: The Celtics beat the Magic on Monday night in
without question their best game of the season. The C's
were 2-1 against Orlando last year, and 1-3 against them
in 09-10.

Game Thread | Chat Room

Whatever you did on Monday, do the exact same thing tonight. I think the Celtics should request to wear their home whites and force the Magic to wear the same jerseys from the other night. Start the same lineup, use the same rotations. Just because Dooling, Wilcox, and Pietrus are available doesn't mean you have to use them. Doc should study the game tape from Monday and substitute exactly the same way. Whatever it takes.

Now, if things don't go exactly as planned, I suppose then you can sub in the guys that are healthier now. I suppose.

Is there any way we can just push this game back a few days - like a rain delay, only indoors? I just want to savor the moment a little while longer. No? Ok, then if we must, let us do whatever we can to do the same exact thing.

Update: I forgot: Jermaine O'Neal isn't playing tonight. Quick, someone give JaJuan Johnson a #7 jersey, shave his head, put a headband on him and hope nobody (especially Dwight Howard) notices.

Now, if things don't go exactly as planned, I suppose then you can sub in the guys that are healthier now. I suppose.

Update: I forgot: Jermaine O'Neal isn't playing tonight. Quick, someone give JaJuan Johnson a #7 jersey, shave his head, put a headband on him and hope nobody (especially Dwight Howard) notices.

As always, starting lineups courtesy of FLCeltsFan

Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard
vs
Avery Bradley 3.2 PPG, 1.1 APG, 1.7 RPG
Jameer Nelson 8.9 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.4 RPG

Shooting Guard
vs
Sasha Pavlovic 3.3 PPG, 0.3 APG, .308 3P%
Jason Richardson 10.7 PPG, 1.9 APG, .327 3P%

Small Forward
vs
Paul Pierce 14.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.1 APG
Hedo Turkoglu 14.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.9 APG

Power Forward
vs
Kevin Garnett 13.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 0.8 BPG
Ryan Anderson 17.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 0.2 BPG

Center
vs
Jermaine O'Neal 5.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Dwight Howard 20.2 PPG, 16.1 RPG, 2.3 BPG

Celtics Reserves
Marquis Daniels
Brandon Bass
Mickael Pietrus
Greg Siemsma
E'Twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson

Injured
Keyon Dooling (knee) game time decision
Chris Wilcox (calf) game time decision
Rajon Rondo (wrist) game time decision
Ray Allen (ankle) out
Mickael Pietrus (shoulder) game time decision
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) questionable

Magic Reserves
Chris Duhon
Glen Davis
Von Wafer
Quentin Richardson
Earl Clark
Justin Harper
Larry Hughes
Daniel Orton
DeAndre Liggins
Jason Richardson

Injuries
team pride

Team Connections
Doc Rivers coached the Magic from 1999-2004, winning the NBA’s Coach of the Year award in his first season (1999-2000)
Brandon Bass and Glen Davis attended Louisiana State University
Daniel Orton, DeAndre Liggins and Rajon Rondo all attended the University of Kentucky
Quentin Richardson and Jermaine O’Neal were teammates in Miami during the 2009-10 season
Mickael Pietrus played for the Magic from 2008-10
Brandon Bass played for the Magic from 2009-11
Keyon Dooling played for the Magic from 2005-08
Mickael Pietrus and Jason Richardson were teammates in Golden State from 2003-07
Glen Davis played for the Celtics from 2007-11 and was a member of the 2008 Championship team
Von Wafer played for the Celtics during the 2010-11 season
Quentin Richardson and Keyon Dooling were teammates on the LA Clippers from 2000-04
Quentin Richardson and Chris Wilcox were teammates on the LA Clippers from 2002-04
Keyon Dooling played for Stan Van Gundy on the 2004-05 Miami Heat
Ryan Anderson and Keyon Dooling were teammates in New Jersey during the 2008-09 season
Chris Duhon, Quentin Richardson, Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox were teammates in New York during the 2008-09 season.
Danny Ainge dreams of having Dwight Howard in green

Game 14: Where You Put That Suns Pun Down! Sun Puns Are For Closers Only!

Tom Bellinger — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:04:34 -0000

Phoenix Suns (5-9) at Boston Celtics (5-8)
Time: 7:30 PM EST, Friday, January 20th, 2012
Venue: TD Garden, Boston MA
Officials: Greg Willard, Brent Barnaky, James Williams
Game #'s: Regular Season Game 14, Home Game 9
TV: CSN-NE,FSAZ, NBA-LP 755/756 Radio: WEEI, KTAR
The Line: Phoenix is 3-1 against Boston over the last 2
years, and both teams are coming off of a win, after a
prolonged string of losses.

Game Thread | Chat Room

You know that feeling in a close game you get when the team you're rooting for misses a bunny (that's an easy, high percentage shot, like an open layup)? You get that sinking feeling, like the very laws of physics and probability are against you, right when you need them most. 'Its not fair!' You say to yourself as you watch the ball clank off the rim and down to the parquet floor, the two points your boys desperately needing now a 'could've been' dream instead of a timely boon.

Well, if the season were a single close but critical game, two nights ago against Toronto, tonight against Phoenix, and Sunday night against Washington would all be bunnies we desperately need in order to keep it close through the first half. After Washington, the Celtics have five straight games against teams with a better record than theirs, and so far this season that's been a bit of a sticking point when it comes to getting things like 'wins'.

The Celtics are also, coincidentally, possibly without their best player and straw that stirs the camel's mojito (or whatever), due to the injury Rajon Rondo suffered during the Raptors game on Wednesday. Rondo, for the record, says he's playing tonight. We'll see.

I guess there is a story line here somewhere about Pietrus facing his old team in the Suns somewhere here as well, but frankly I imagine the only person who cares less than me about that manufactured conflicted is Mickael Pietrus.

Tonight's game is about getting a W when you absolutely need a W. Danny Ainge has allegedly given the himself and the team an arbitrary 10-game deadline for the 'do we or do we not blow it up' decision, and frankly, if the Celtics want to finish the season with a roster even remotely resembling the one that started the season, it would be wise to rack up another blowout win, no matter how much of a genius Steve Nash is in his mental mind.

Game Thread | Chat Room

Everything below this line provided by the Lord Of The Previews, FLCeltsFan!!

Probable Starting Lineup

PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ray Allen

C: Jermaine O'Neal

SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Kevin Garnett

Celtics Reserves
Brandon Bass
Mickael Pietrus
Avery Bradley
Greg Stiemsma
E'twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson
Marquis Daniels
Sasha Pavlovic

Injured
Keyon Dooling (knee) day to day
Chris Wilcox (calf) day to day
Jermaine O'Neal (wrist) probable
Rajon Rondo (wrist) doubtful per Doc and probable per Rondo.

Probable Starting Lineup

PG: Steve Nash
SG: Jared Dudley

C: Marcin Gortat

SF: Grant Hill
PF: Channing Frye

Suns Reserves
Markieff Morris
Ronnie Price
Shannon Brown
Hakim Warrick
Sebastian Telfair
Robin Lopez
Josh Childress
Michael Redd

Injuries
none

Team Connections
Grant Hill played for Doc Rivers in Orlando from 2000-04
Mickael Pietrus played for the Suns during the 2010-11 season
Brandon Bass, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus were teammates in Orlando during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons
Keyon Dooling was coached by Alvin Gentry on the LA Clippers from 2000-03
Grant Hill and Keyon Dooling were teammates in Orlando from 2005-07
Gortat and Dooling were teammates in Orlando during the 2007-08 season
Markieff Morris and Paul Pierce both attended the University of Kansas
Sebastian Telfair played for the Celtics during the 2006-07 season
Michael Redd and Ray Allen were teammates in Milwaukee from 2000-02.

Game Notes
The Celtics home stand continues with a visit from the Suns. Like the Celtics the Suns are coming off a victory that ended a 5 game losing streak. Both teams have just 5 wins and both teams have key players who are on the down side of their careers. Much has been made of the age of the Celtics' big 3 but the Suns have a 37 year old point guard and a 39 year old small forward so they join the ranks of the elder statesmen as well.

Rondo injured his wrist in a fall in the Raptors' game. Doc has said it's doubtful that he will play. Rondo on the other hand has said that he will get treatment and will probably play. It will probably be a game time decision and we'll see who wins. If Rondo doesn't play, expect Bradley to get the start as Moore has been getting the nod with the second unit lately and Doc likes to keep the rotation intact when possible.

The win over the Raptors was good, but the Celtics have to start stringing wins together at some point to gain legitimacy as a possible contender.

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Steve Nash
I expect that if there's any way possible, Rondo will be on the court for this one. Unless something is found in the MRI or he can't use the wrist, I think he will be up for the matchup with 2 time MVP, Steve Nash. He should have a speed advantage over Nash, but he will have to work on the defensive end as Nash can burn you from anywhere on the floor if you give him a step. Nash is leading the league in assists at 10.1 per game while Rondo is second with 9.4 assists per game.

vs
Kevin Garnett vs Channing Frye
Last season in a meeting between these two teams, Frye did a great acting job when KG hit him below the belt, falling to the floor in agony before jumping up a second later and going at KG. For his efforts, KG was ejected from the game so this matchup could get personal for these two. I'm expecting KG to have an extra chip on his shoulder and that he will be aggressive and play well.

Honorable Mention
Paul Pierce vs Grant Hill
At last, Pierce is matched up with a player even older than him. Pierce has shown signs of snapping out of his slump and with the trade talks swirling, I expect the Captain to do whatever it takes to help his team win.

Keys to the Game
Defense - This is the key to every win this season and to a championship as well. If they try to play defense in spurts in this game they will probably lose because the Suns can put points up in a hurry if they let down their guard. The Celtics need to especially guard the perimeter as the Suns are a dangerous 3 point shooting team.

Ball Movement - The Celtics need to move the ball and find the open man in order to stretch the Suns weak defenses. They also need to try to get the ball into the paint and not just settle for jumpers. If they get the ball into the post they will be able to score, draw the foul or kick out for an open jumper.

Crash the Boards - The Celtics must make an effort to grab rebounds, especially on the offensive end, in this game. By grabbing offensive rebounds it will prevent the Suns from getting out on the break. Rebounding is mostly desire and effort and the team that wants it most will win the rebounding battle. The Celtics made a big improvement in their rebounding in the Raptors' game and they need to continue that effort on the boards in this one.

Play 48 Minutes - The Celtics must play hard for 48 minutes. They can't let up if they get a lead and they can't come out flat and play catch up the rest of the game. The Celtics have to be the more aggressive team and attack from start to finish. They did a good job of doing this in their last game and need to especially concentrate on a strong start again in this game.

Limit Turnovers - The Celtics must take better care of the ball. It seems that they go through spurts of being careless and making bad passes and losing focus and turning the ball over. They have to keep their focus and not give the other team easy points off of turnovers.

X-Factors
Focus and Rondo
The Celtics must keep their focus and try to put it all together in order to get their second straight win. Obviously this will be a lot easier if Rondo plays. But even if he doesn't, this team should have enough talent to win this game.

Will: Sam, we cant take it anymore. Can you share the trade rumors? Sam Amico: Also, the Lakers...

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:36:18 -0000

Will: Sam, we cant take it anymore. Can you share the trade rumors?

Sam Amico: Also, the Lakers reportedly are trying to find a way to land Paul Pierce. Not sure yet, what they are willing to give up. But again, it won't be an easy deal to make. The Celtics love him, obviously.

During a chat with Sam Amico over at FS Ohio
Click here if you don't know who Sam Amico is.

Game 12: Where Hopefully Perk Learns 'You Can't Go Home Again'

Tom Bellinger — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:38:48 -0000

Oklahoma City Thunder (11-2) at Boston Celtics (4-7)
Time: 8:00 PM EST. Monday, January 16, 2012
Game #'s: Game 12, Home Game 7
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Officials: Ron Garretson, Pat Fraher, Derek Richardson
TV: TNT, NBAC Radio: WEEI, WWLS
The Line: The Celtics have dropped four straight. The Thunder
are probably the best team in basketball right now, and this will
be Perkins' first game back in Boston since 'the mistake'. The
two teams split their two meetings last season.

Game Thread | Chat Room

Please play this song while reading the preview. The hip bongo drums and smooth 70's pop-rock set the tone.

Let's get it out of the way right now. I miss the ever-lovin' crap out of Kendrick Perkins. No knock on the guys we have now, I don't want to talk about the particulars of the trade, but I miss Perkins.

He misses Boston too, but we're big boys now and we need to move on.

And, he has. He's moved on to a legitimate title contender this year, a team many have called the favorites to win the chip, and that team is currently only a half game out on the best record in the league at a pretty 11-2. However, their schedule so far hasn't hit any of the traditional powerhouses from last season besides Dallas twice, and they split those two games.

So what's that tell us? It tells us that Dallas is very good at winning the games they're supposed to win (which I've always believed to be a mark of an elite squad), and they're a little iffy-er on the games that maybe they're supposed to have a tough time with. Pretty standard for a contending squad.

And, considering the Celtics' current state, its a pretty fair bet that they're going to get blown out tonight.

But throw common sense out the window for a second (how do you know you're likely about to say something that will in hindsight seem stupid? You say things like 'throw common sense out the window for a second'), and look at this for the opportunity that it is.

The Celtics need a jump-start. They need a proving ground. They've beaten bad teams already. It's all they've beaten. If they went on a six-game winning streak against sub-.500 teams, I wouldn't take them anymore seriously than I do now, and I doubt they'd take themselves anymore seriously either.

They need a big win. Well guess what?

Tonight they're playing the best team in basketball, at home, on national television.

If they lose, big deal. Everyone already expects them to lose. Big if they win, well..that's a different story.

Click on the jump for probably starting lineups, match-up of the game, and a hypothetical conversation between Danny Ainge and Kendrick Perkins.

Please play this song while reading the preview. The hip bongo drums and smooth 70's pop-rock set the tone.

He misses Boston too, but we're big boys now and we need to move on.

And, considering the Celtics' current state, its a pretty fair bet that they're going to get blown out tonight.

They need a big win. Well guess what?

Tonight they're playing the best team in basketball, at home, on national television.

If they lose, big deal. Everyone already expects them to lose. Big if they win, well..that's a different story.

Click on the jump for probably starting lineups, match-up of the game, and a hypothetical conversation between Danny Ainge and Kendrick Perkins.

As always, probably starting lineups brought to you by Florida's Finest, FLCeltsFan!

Probable Starters
Point Guard
vs
Rajon Rondo 14.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 10.1 APG
Russell Westbrook 18.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.5 APG

Shooting Guard
vs
Ray Allen 17.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.4 APG
Thabo Sefolosha 5.0 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 0.7 APG

Small Forward
vs
Paul Pierce 14.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.9 APG
Kevin Durant 25.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.9 APG

Power Forward
vs
Kevin Garnett 13.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.4 APG
Serge Ibaka 6.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 0.7 APG

Center
vs
Jermaine O'Neal 5.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.7 BPG,
Kendrick Perkins 5.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.2 BPG

Celtics Reserves
Brandon Bass
Marquis Daniels
Keyon Dooling
Greg Siemsma
E'Twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson
Sasha Pavlovic
Avery Bradley
Mickael Pietrus

Injured
Chris Wilcox (groin) out
Keyon Dooling (knee) probable

Thunder Reserves
Reggie Jackson
Nick Collison
James Harden
Nazr Mohammed
Daequan Cook
Cole Aldrich
Royal Ivey
Lazar Hayward

Injured
Eric Maynor (ACL) out
Ryan Reid (Nasal Surgery) out

Match-Up Of The Night: Russell Westbrook V Rajon Rondo

Paul Pierce is old now. He doesn't take it personally when other strong SF's come along, and frankly Durant is the better player now, and its not even close. Kevin Garnett likely doesn't see Ibaka as a peer yet, and shouldn't. Harden and Ray Allen...I'll get to later. But Rondo and Westbrook is a juicy, juicy match-up. Rajon Rondo can be a bit mercurial when it comes to these types of match-ups. Its a fallacy to think Rondo alone could 'shut Westbrook down', or that Westbrook could do so to Rondo. The rules the NBA has in place, the quickness and skill levels of both players involved, it requires a team effort to limit either player.

So the real question is: Will Rondo take the presence of this false prophet of the point as personal insult enough to drop a triple double on his face, or will Westbrook take advantage of the currently soft-serve Celtics D to make Rondo seem irrelevant?

Keys To The Game For The Good Guys

1) I Don't Want To Be A Tool Or Anything, But Your Emotional Reunion Is Getting In The Way Of Our Statement Game.....: We're fans. We can be emotional, sentimental, irrational, and nostalgic during basketball games. We watch them, we don't play them. Everybody misses Perkins, but the Celtics need to keep their tears on the inside. They're old, they might need the moisture.

2) James Harden Is A Freakin Warlock!: Anytime the Thunder are on TV (and the Celtics aren't), I'm watching them for two reasons. 1) Kendrick Perkins. 2) James Harden. Remember Brandon Roy? Not the bad-knees, say-stupid-things-to-the-press Brandon Roy, but like, 2008 Brandon Roy? That guy way awesome. James Harden isn't that good (yet) but he is a top-5 shooting guard in the NBA right now, he's got an awesome beard, and if he doesn't take Thabo Sefolosha's inexplicable starting role soon, he will also be the sixth man of the year. He is Manu Ginobli 2.0, and his skill-set resembles Manu's. He's on my fantasy team (cha-ching!), but I won't take it personal if the Celtics make him eat his beard tonight.

3) Good Ball Movement+Smart Shot Selection=WIN!: The Celtics are nowhere near as athletic as the Thunder. Everywhere besides point (and even that's pretty debatable) the Thunder hold the athletic advantage. The Celtics, aside from Rondo, are not going to be breaking anyone's ankles tonight. Because of that they've got to play smarter, and they've got to be more efficient. They've got to move the ball well to get those open shots, and they've got to take em and make em when the chance arrives. Ideally, they've got to end up scoring more points than the Thunder over 48 minutes of gametime. That's what I'm getting at here.

Conversations I Believe Happened: Danny Ainge And Kendrick Perkins

Kendrick Perkins (KP): Hey Danny, what's up?

Danny Ainge (DA): Awesome!

KP: Huh?

DA: Oh, you asked 'what's up'.....oh, nothin'. Another day, another dollar right? You look great by the way.

KP: Oh...um...thanks?

DA: Yeah we're doing great since you left. Just great. Brandon Bass is doing great, and we got this guy Greg who is like just...awesome. And you know we're just testing the waters, gettin' back out there. Totally awesome.

KP: Cool man. I gotta go get ready.

DA: Yup, yup, gotta get ready for the ol' roundball. Did you know that basketball players used to be called 'cagers'? I miss your scent. Okay buddy, see-ya!

KP: What'd you just say?

DA: Cagers, because there used to be this rope or wire divide that used to separate basketball players from the crowd....

KP: No, after that.

DA: See-ya?

KP: No....before tha...actually, nevermind. Later.

DA: Alright bro-sef! I'll catch you later! Text me!

.....

DA: Bro-sef? Catch you later? What the heck was I thinking? Stupid, STUPID! GET IT TOGETHER, AINGE!

Being A Fan Can Be...Tricky

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:25:10 -0000

Being a sports fan can be a tough racket at times. Oh, its easy when your team is winning. When they're favorites to win the conference, when your highest paid players are all in their prime, and clearly on the short list of the most talented and skilled athletes on the planet. When they're winning, you can wax poetic about their clearly superior leadership skills, or the veritable smorgasbord of intangibles possessed by your deep bench players. Everyone is a superstar or a quirky and loveable 'good lockeroom guy', and the biggest problem you have is the question of 'just how much crap do I want to pile on my friends about how much better my team is than theirs?'

But when your team is losing, and the guys you've had on a pedestal for the last five years start to really and clearly wane in the execution of their duties, being a fan can be downright hard. Well, not hard like feeding your family and putting a roof over their heads is hard. Or not hard like building a house or waiting in line at the DMV hard. And definitely not hard like unlocking the invincibility cheat in Goldeneye 007 for the N64, but tricky nonetheless.

You see, I think there are layers to being a fan of any team, player or sport. And the first is that being a fan of a team, player, or sport are different delineations. For instance, I love the sport of football, but beyond the guys I have in fantasy leagues each year (praise Cam Newton), I'm not really a 'fan' of any particular team. I dislike watching hockey in just about any form (mostly because it competes with basketball, so screw those guys), but there are players whose careers I follow pretty loyally. Baseball and soccer I both appreciate as very demanding sports played by very talented people, but I hated playing them, I hate watching them, and that's final. Rugby, I love to play, love the sport, can't stand to watch it.

But basketball, I love the sport. I can watch just about any form of basketball, highschool, college, professional, doesn't matter. I just like to watch talented people play basketball. I love certain players, and not just guys wearing green. But as far as teams go, I love the Celtics. Been enamored with them since the early 00's, and never really looked back.

Here is where it gets tricky. Because I love the sport so much, I've got a pretty good idea of just how poorly the Celtics are playing. And I don't mean just 'in a funk'. The Celtics, these Celtics, have been 'in a funk' before. In 09-10 they went 4-8 over a string of games. Last year there were times when they looked like a second-tier squad. But, you always had the feeling that at the end of the day they were still contenders, still in the hunt for a championship.

The 2012 Celtics, by just about every measure I can conceive of, don't look like contenders. At this point, they don't even look like a playoff team (although I imagine that will be remedied; Garnett ain't goin out like no punk). Rondo is generally playing the best, but he has disappeared at pivotal moments. Pierce has one good game under his belt, and that was a 14 point loss. Garnett's defense and offense are both down considerably from last year, and his best game so far was also a 14 point loss. Ray Allen..I got no qualms with the way Allen has been playing. The bigs rotation, despite Brandon Bass's promise, is just not up to snuff. The bench looks 'okay' at best, but are a long ways from being the type of unit that can consistently hold a lead, or even turn a loss into a win, as has been the case in a few of the Garnett-era Celtics second units.

So on the one hand, I want to believe. I want to have 'faith'. But I've always believed that 'faith' in a sports team is different than 'faith' in God or Gods, or whatever is your particular cup of tea. This is not a 'there is no spoon' type of situation; there is a clearly a spoon, and right now it couldn't hold a bite of Legal Seafood's Clam chowder.

And yet where does that realization get me, as a fan? Am I going to just stop watching the Celtics? Of course not. But it'll frustrate me when I do. When I talk about the Celtics, I have to temper what I say now, I can't just assume they're running with the elite teams in the league. Even when they were at their worst last season, you couldn't blithely pretend that they weren't still in the top 5 teams in the league, with a shot at a ring. Now, today, that's not the case. They're 4-7 to start the season, with not a single win over a quality team in the four W's they've got.

Am I less of a fan because I see this and acknowledge it? I don't think so. Remember Randy Quaid from Major League II? He was still a fan. Remember Robert DeNiro from 'The Fan'? He was still a fan. Fans come in all shapes and sizes. Are you less 'die-hard' because while watching your team just absolutely flop down the stretch you keep telling your fiance that you're going to launch your pint glass through the plasma TV at the bar you're at unless Rondo will freaking get something going already? I don't know. I don't think so. I think it makes you a different kind of fan, but a fan nontheless, and a loyal one. Taking the bad with the good, and feeling both very acutely makes you more as die-hard as anyone else not named Bruce Willis, because you're still paying attention, and you still care, deeply.

So as a fan where does that leave me? I'm gonna watch the darn Celtics game, Gloria, and that's final.

Game 11: Where The sub-.500 C's Face The Tied For 2nd Pacers. Wait, What?

Tom Bellinger — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:10:51 -0000

Boston Celtics (4-6) at Indiana Pacers (8-2)
Game #'s: Regular Season Game #11, Road Game #5
Time: 7:00 PM EST, Saturday, January 14, 2012
Venue: Conseco Field House
Offiicals: Tom Washington, Derrick Collins, Mark Lindsay
TV: CSNNE, FSI, NBA-LP 755/756 Radio: WEEI, WJBC
The Line: The Celtics were 3-1 against the Pacers last year,
but Indiana's won 4 of their last 5, and have already beaten the
Celtics once this year.

Game Thread | Room de Chat

You know, if you would've told me a month ago that today the Celtics and Pacers would play at Conseco Field House, and one of the teams would be 8-2 and one of the teams would be 4-6, I would've been unsurprised. The Celtics have started hot for the last four years, and the Pacers have been a middling fringe playoff team for the last two.

But, its a brave new world, and suddenly the Pacers started out hot and are tied for 2nd in the conference, and the Celtics, through the first ten games at least, are looking every bit the fringe playoff team. Apparently there has been some table-turning action, and I'm not talking about from some friend you used to have in college that pretends he's a DJ on the weekends now who won't stop inviting you to Facebook events that happen a thousand miles away that you'd never go to, even if you lived in Arizona.

And the Pacers are doing it the hard way. They're currently 26th out of 30 in the league for eFG%, which means they're far from lighting it up nightly with hot shooting. They're doing it through tough defense (ranked 3rd), solid rebounding (9th), and solid scoring contributions from the entire rotation (10 guys averaging double digits per contest).

The Celtics meanwhile are suffering where they've typically been brilliant, and that's defense. Their 2nd ranked defense last season has plummeted to 18th in the league, and add that disparity to even worse rebounding than last season (which was already pretty poor) has highlighted some weaknesses they've been able to hide in years past.

The Celtics are on the second night of a back-to-back, against a younger team who has already out-played them once this season. It would be a tough game even with the rest, but without it, there's a chance it could be pretty bad.

But, that's why they play the game. A pretty poor 10 game stretch doesn't always mean a poor season. The Celtics had a stretch in 09-10 where they went 4-8, and the entire league and sports world in general wrote them off as a second-tier team. They went on to the Finals. Maybe, the Pacers are on the upswing. Maybe the Celtics have been playing poorly right now. But, as Indiana has shown us, perceptions can change quickly. I think we'll be content to see how it plays out. I mean, what are we gonna do, not watch?

Oh, what's that? The Pats are playing the Broncos in a playoff match-up with a way sexier storyline and much higher stakes and hour after tip-off?

Well, at least we'll be watching the first half. Oh stop, its just a pregame show. Watch the first half.

Oh, what's that? The Pats are playing the Broncos in a playoff match-up with a way sexier storyline and much higher stakes and hour after tip-off?

Well, at least we'll be watching the first half. Oh stop, its just a pregame show. Watch the first half.

As always, lineups courtesy of the pride of previews, the sultan of...previews...FLCeltsFan!

Probable Starting Matchups
PointGuard
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Darren Collison

Shooting Guard
vs
Ray Allen vs Paul George

Small Forward
vs
Paul Pierce vs Danny Granger

Power Forward
vs
Kevin Garnett vs David West

Center
vs
Jermaine O'Neal vs Roy Hibbert

Celtics Reserves
Brandon Bass
Marquis Daniels
Chris Wilcox
E'Twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson
Avery Bradley
Sasha Pavlovic
Greg Stiemsma
Mickael Pietrus

Injured
Keyon Dooling (knee) out

Pacers Reserves
Tyler Hansbrough
George Hill
Louis Amundson
Dahntay Jones
Jeff Foster
AJ Price
Jeff Pendergraph
Lance Stephenson

Injured
George Hill (back) day to day

Key Match-Up: Ray Allen V Paul George

The last time these two teams met, Ray Allen was one of the lone bright spots. Paul George was lauded during the playoffs last year and coming into this season not only for his defensive potential, but also for how good he was right now as a defender. Apparently, being 6'10 and a freak athlete with sound defensive instincts just isn't a fair counter to Ray Allen's methodical and unforgiving movement without the ball, or his lightening quick and accurate jumpshot. Allen went off for 23 points and 4-5 from deep against the Pacers last time, and considering his play so far this year there is no reason to think he can't do it again.

Three Keys For The Good Guys

1) 'De Emphasis Should Be On 'De Defense, Especially Down Low: The Pacers are not a very efficient team right now when it comes to scoring. A lot of that rests on Danny Granger's shoulders, as he's shooting less than 35% from the field currently, and he's taking the most shots. David West also has to carry some of that water, as he's down from a career mark of 48% to 43%. The Celtics need to limit West and Granger, but they also need to limit Hibbert, who at 7'2 with a scoring acumen not many centers possess in today's NBA gives the Celtics a matchup that will be darn hard to counter.

2) Paging Paul Pierce. Paging Paul Pierce: I don't know what to say about the Captain right now other than to note that he's starting out pretty slowly. Whether he's injured, or out of shape, or rusty, who is to say (likely a combo poo-poo platter of all three)? But this I know: if the Celtics are ever going to be a top-tier team, that's got to change. Pierce is shooting just 36% from the field, and that's no-bueno when you also consider he's leading the team in FGA's per contest. We need Pierce to regress back to his mean, and tonight is as good a night as any. Actually, last week would've been better, but I'll take tonight.

3) Rajon Rondo, Keep Doin What You're Doin: Quick, name the Celtics' backup point guard. If you said Kenyon Dooling, you'd be wrong. Normally you'd be right, but tonight you'd be wrong. And that matters because without Rondo in there, the Celtics have got nobody who even resembles a traditional point guard. Now Avery Bradley is getting all kinds of love right now, but ponder this, if you will. The last time the C's played the Pacers, they lost by 13 points. Rondo played 40 minutes (well, 39) at the point in that game, and while he was in there, the Celtics were only at a point differential of -2 net on the game. When Rondo was not in there, the Celtics were -11, and that was only for 11 total minutes. And that was when Dooling was active! Rondo's gonna log 40 again tonight, maybe more. In that time, the C's have got to pour it on, because it looks like they're going to take it on the chin when he's not.

Game #9: 'Release The Pietrus!'

Tom Bellinger — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:08:16 -0000

Dallas Mavericks (5-5) at Boston Celtics (4-4)
Time: 8:00PM EST, Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Venue: TD Garden
Game #'s: Regular Season Game #9 – Home Game #5
TV: ESPN, CSN-NE, FSSW-DAL, NBAC Radio: WEEI, KESN
Officals: Bill Spooner, Mark Ayotte, Josh Tiven
The Line: The Celtics are 1-3 over the past two seasons against
the Mavs, and are currently coming off of 5 full days of rest.

Game Thread | Chat Room

'Air France'. 'Puma'. 'The French Michael Jordan'. 'The Guadeloupian Stefan Urquelle'. 'The Vengeful Sea Otter'.

Some of these are nicknames Mickaël Piétrus has earned over the years. His journeys have led him across the Atlantic Ocean, then back across the Atlantic Ocean (because Guadeloupe is actually in the Caribbean, and that's where he's from) to the NBA.

His career has led him to three other NBA squads before settling here on the Celtics for what will hopefully be an exciting and exhilarating fun ride for the whole family as the first swingman off the bench. What he lacks in star-power, he more than makes up for in defensive acumen, floor-spacing ability, and a refined pallet for crepes and escargot.

All kidding aside, Pietrus potentially fills a HUGE need for the Celtics, and that's one that has not been addressed since Tony Allen left on a midnight train for ~~Georgia~~ Memphis. He could potentially be a top tier caliber perimeter defender, with the strength and ability to defend stars in the league like Wade, Kobe, and LeBron (although likely not more than one at a time).

And tonight's game, much like ol' Mikey Pietrus's year this season, is about second chances, and redemption. The Celtics have been beaten the last two times they've faced those evil Dallas Maverickseses, and they've lost three of the last four. The Celtics, an aging team made up of superstars on the down-slope of their careers, are desperate to reinstitute themselves among the East's elite teams along with the Bulls, Heat, and Sixers (did I just say Sixers? Why did I just say Sixers?). Right now, at 4-4 with losses to the Hornets and Pacers to go with losses to the Knicks and Heat, the Celtics are desperate for a win against a respectable foe to build upon for the remainder of the season (there are only 57 games left!).

The Celtics don't necessarily 'need' a win tonight. Nobody 'needs' a win when there is still 85%+ of the season remaining. But they sure could use one, and the Mavericks, who have only beaten one +.500 team so far this year themselves, look to be prime pickins.

'Air France'. 'Puma'. 'The French Michael Jordan'. 'The Guadeloupian Stefan Urquelle'. 'The Vengeful Sea Otter'.

Probable starting lineups, Keys to the Game, and Key Matchups all brought to you by the Princess of Previews, FLCeltsFan!

Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Delonte West

Shooting Guard
vs
Ray Allen vs Vince Carter

Small Forward
vs
Paul Pierce vs Shawn Marion

Power Forward
vs
Kevin Garnett vs Dirk Nowitski

Center
vs
Jermaine O'Neal vs Brendan Haywood

Celtics Reserves
Brandon Bass
Mickael Pietrus
Chris Wilcox
Keyon Dooling
Sasha Pavlovic
Greg Stiemsma
Avery Bradley
E'Twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson

Injured
Marquis Daniels (illness) questionable

Dallas Reserves
Rodrigue Beaubois
Brian Cardinal
Yi Jianlian
Dominique Jones
Ian Mahinmi
Lamar Odom
Jason Terry
Brandan Wright
Sean Williams

Injuries
Jason Kidd (back) out

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Delonte West
These two have gone up against each other many times as teammates. Now, they face each other on opposite sides. I'm sure Delonte will be intent on proving to the Celtics that they made a mistake by not signing him this season so Rondo will have a fight on his hands.

vs
Kevin Garnett vs Dirk Nowitski
This should be a great matchup. Dirk has the capability of taking over a game and KG will need to concentrate on his defense to keep him from having a big game. Both have been playing well and so this should be fun to watch. Hopefully KG comes to play and is able to keep Dirk from having a big night

Honorable Mention
Ray Allen vs Vince Carter
Ray has been the most consistent Celtic so far this season and has been averaging a mind boggling 63.4% from beyond the arc. Vince Carter has never been known for his defense and even less for fighting through screens on defense. Hopefully Ray will continue his hot streak in this game as well.

Keys to the Game
Rebound - Rebounding is so crucial to getting a win. When the Celtics put out the effort to grab rebounds, more often than not, they are going to get the win. In their last game, the Celtics allowed the Pacers to out-rebound them 47-36. The Celtics have to give a better effort on the boards if they want to win this one.

Defense - Defense is always crucial to getting a win. Defense wins games is not just a cliche, it is the truth. The Celtics must play tough team defense in this and every game. Against the Mavs, defense is especially crucial because they can put points on the board very quickly.

Bench Play - The bench has been inconsistent so far this season and has struggled to score at times. They should get a boost from the debut of Mickael Pietrus. Doc described his performance in practice as sensational. After their performance against the Pacers, the Celtics could use some sensational.

Score the Ball - The Celtics scored just 25 points in the first half of their last game. They have to run the offense and hit their shots. They can't expect to win if they shoot 39% and score 25 points in a half.

X-Factor
Rest vs Rust
The Mavs are playing in the second of back to back games while the Celtics have had 4 days off. The 4 days of rest hopefully will result in a rested and sharp Celtics team that has worked out the kinks in the offense rather than a team that looks rusty because they haven't played in 4 days.

Game 6: Celtics-Wizards Part Deux, This Time, It Hits Home

Tom Bellinger — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:39:09 -0000

Washington Wizards (0-4) at Boston Celtics (2-3)
Game: #6, Home Game: #2
Time: Monday, January 2. 7:30 PM EST
Venue: TD Garden, Boston MA
TV: CSN-NE, Comcast Sportsnet, NBA-LP 753/754 Radio: WEEI, WJFK
Officials: Greg Willard, Eli Roe, Zach Zarba
The Line: The Celtics clobbered the Bullets last night, but
last season only manged to split the 4 game series. This will
be the second of many back-to-back games for the Celtics, and
they lost the first one last week, against the (now) lowly
Hornets.

GAME THREAD | CHAT RIZZLE

Last night, Rondo. Went. Ham. He went turkey. Rondo went corned-beef with russian dressing and sauerkraut. He went M-L-T (mutton-lettuce and tomato sandwich, when the mutton is nice and lean, and the tomato is ripe..they're so perky, I love that) in DC!

If you aren't following my hip language, I'm saying Rajon Rondo played exceptionally well last night. He managed to record his first triple-double (something he's already come within 2 rebounds of this season before), and the Celtics managed their second rout in a row. And it wasn't just Rondo who played exceptionally well. Four of the Celtics' starting five shot .500 from the field or better, and only Rondo and Allen were needed for more than 28 minutes.

So, the fact that the Celtics are playing the same foe, at home this time, that they so easily dispatched last night would seem to virtually guarantee another victory, right?

Wrong. This is 2012 now. Apparently the world is going to end (for serial this time, guys) in December, Batman is going to die, and on top of that, its the season of the condensed schedule. Tonight will mark the Celtics' third game in four nights. The Celtics are a lot of things. They're crafty, tenacious, classy (as long as you don't let Kevin Garnett near point guards or Bill Walker), old-school tough and allegedly just a nuisance on the curling circuit.

One thing the Celtics are not, however, is young. Four of the starting five are older than the movie Caddyshack (and Jermaine O'Neal hasn't aged half as well), and because of that these stacked games together present a more nuanced problem than they do to say a team like the Wizards, most whom are young enough to have liked Pokemon, and not sarcastically.

Last night Doc limited Pierce and Garnett to 28 minutes a piece, and limited Jermaine O'Neal to just 23. One might suggest that he did that because the Celtics led, and led big for a large chunk of the game, but don't be surprised if the elder statesmen on the roster get even less time tonight, regardless of where the score of the game is leaning.

The last time the Celtics had 3 games in 4 nights, they followed up hard-fought losses against the Knicks and Heat with an absolute stinker against the Hornets. Tonight the Celtics are following two easy wins against (at the time) win-less teams with a third, and incredibly familiar still win-less Bullets squad. The Wiz are going to have the legs, but the Celtics should be able to pull this one out as long as they get on top early and assert will on the young impressionable Wizards.

But, if its a footrace early, watch out. Doc's not going to stress the old guard just to teach the Wiz a few tricks.

GAME THREAD | CHAT RIZZLE

So, the fact that the Celtics are playing the same foe, at home this time, that they so easily dispatched last night would seem to virtually guarantee another victory, right?

But, if its a footrace early, watch out. Doc's not going to stress the old guard just to teach the Wiz a few tricks.

Starting lineups courtesy of FLCeltsFan, as always!

Boston Celtics Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
Rajon Rondo...Ray Allen...Paul Pierce...Kevin Garnett... Jermaine O'Neal

Boston Bench Mob
Brandon Bass
Sasha Pavlovic
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Marquis Daniels
Keyon Dooling
Avery Bradley
Greg Steimsma

Injured
Chris Wilcox (shoulder) day to day
Mickael Pietrus (knee) out
Jermaine O'Neal (hamstring) probable

Washington Wizards Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
John Wall...Nick Young....Rashard Lewis...Andary Blatche...JaVale McGee

Wizards Bench
Tevor Booker
Jordan Crawford
Shelvin Mack
Roger Mason
Hamedy Ndiaye
Kevin Seraphin
Chris Singleton
Ronny Turiaf

Injured
Jan Vesely (hip) day to day
Maurice Evans (knee) day to day

Team Connections
Wizards Assistant Coach Sam Cassell played for the Celtics during the 2007‐08 season and was a member of the
2008 NBA Championship team
Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen were teammates in Seattle from 2003‐07
Kevin Garnett played for Wizards head Coach Flip Saunders in Minnesota from 1995‐2005 He also played for Wizards Assistant Coach Randy Wittman in Minnesota in 2007
Garnett and Cassell were teammates in Minnesota from 2003‐05
John Wall and Rajon Rondo both attended the University of Kentucky
Avery Bradley and Maurice Evans both attended the University of Texas.

Match-Up To Watch: Rajon Rondo V John Wall

Even though Rondo ended up with a triple-double last night, and coincidentally the W, you should not over-look John Wall here. Rondo played him tough, and clearly took the matchup personally. Wall still managed to shoot a hair under 50% from the field, while pouring on 19 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds of his own. Wall is only a second year player, while Rondo should be just entering his prime as a star, but don't be shocked if both guys put on a pretty entertaining show tonight, trying to one-up each other from tip-off to ending buzzer. Wall can't be happy with the way things went last night, and he knows the Celtics can be beat, because he helped do it twice last year.

3 Keys For The Good Guys:

1) Don't Drag This Out: The Celtics will not win if the score is close for most of the game. This is not a game they'll take personally as a unit, and its not a game that is 'do or die' by any means. If the Celtics aren't up big after two quarters (as they were yesterday), when the Wizards use their fresh legs to make that 4th quarter run, it'll get a lot closer than 7 points this time.

2) Mind Your Dray's and JaVale's: Dear Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal, and anyone else who likes playing less than 30 minutes a game because your team is blowing out the other guys: Get after McGee and Blatche early. Andray Blatche is like if you took Derrick Coleman's talent and mixed it up with Britney Spears's crazy. He needs to be frustrated and antagonized early and often, and if that happens, he'll take himself out of the game. McGee is a bit less clinically insane, but he's a hothead, he's immature, and he likes to try to bully people in the paint. If the Celtics can get him into foul trouble early, it should be a walk in the park from there.

3) PLAYOFFS? Don't talk to me about playoffs!: The East is weak. I mean just absolutely terrible. The Celtics should, by all rights, have absolutely no problem getting to the dance. And, since being the last one standing in June is really the only thing that matters to these Greybeards, there is nothing to be gained from exposing them to risk or injury when you don't have to. That means looking to end games fast and clean, with large leads early and solid bench play.

Fake-Season Game #2: Where We Save Our Dinosaur Puns For The Games That Matter

Tom Bellinger — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:43:52 -0000

Toronto Raptors (0‐1) at Boston Celtics (1‐0)
Preseason Game #: 2 of 2
Venue: TD Garden, Boston
Time: 7:30 PM EST, Wednesday, December 21, 2011
TV: CSNNE Radio: WEEI
The Line: Last of the pretend games.

Game Thread | Chat Room

Oh, what can I possibly say about this game that hasn't already been said about mulligans, broken abacuses (abacusi?), or Kloe Kardashian? To put a pin on it, this game doesn't count.

That doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't matter, but as far as fake-season games go, this one is pretty meaningless. The Raptors, no matter how optimistic you are about Ed Davis and Amir Johnson, are not likely playoff participants this season, let alone possible contenders. The Celtics, in their single-minded thirst for further hand jewelery and opportunities to smoke expensive cigars from large moving amphibious vehicles, are unlikely to really notice the Raptors much this season.

So presumably, this pre-season game is much more about what the Celtics can learn about themselves than what the Celtics can learn about their venerable opponents.

Oh, what can I possibly say about this game that hasn't already been said about mulligans, broken abacuses (abacusi?), or Kloe Kardashian? To put a pin on it, this game doesn't count.

So presumably, this pre-season game is much more about what the Celtics can learn about themselves than what the Celtics can learn about their venerable opponents.

Props to FLCeltsFan for the Starters and pretty pictures!

Probable Starters

PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Marquis Daniels
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Jermaine O'Neal

Celtics Reserves
Avery Bradley
Chris Wilcox
Brandon Bass
Keyon Dooling
E'twaun Moore
Greg Stiemsma
JaJuan Johnson
Gilbert Brown
Michael Sweetney
Sasha Pavlovic
Jamaal Sampson

Injuries
Paul Pierce (heel) day to day
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) day to day

Probable Starters

PG: Jose Calderon
SG: DeMar DeRozan
SF: James Johnson
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Jamaal Magloire

Raptors Reserves
Solomon Alabi
Jerryd Bayless
Rasual Butler
Anthony Carter
Ed Davis
Gary Forbes
Aaron Gray
Amir Johnson
Linas Kleiza

Injuries
None

Things To Watch For

1) Injuries: Don't want them, don't need them. Frankly, with the age and professionalism of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett, I'd be much happier if they were locked in a padded room with an exercise bike for the duration of the pre-season. Pierce however, seems like he might not play again tonight, so who knows?

2) The Young And The Benchless: There was no legitimate summer league this year, at least like there usually is. The young'ins have had relatively little run as a team in a practice situation, let alone in a real-game situation. Tonight will be Doc's last chance to gauge the youngsters in 'NBA-Difficulty' game situations. He gave them a good run in the first preseason game, but Doc obviously put a bigger priority on giving burn to the guys he knows will be heavy contributors during the season than he did on giving the rookies and Avery Bradley (rookie-Lite) time.

Tonight, let's hope that the starters don't go beyond 21-24 minutes, and hopefully JaJuan Johnson gets more than the 7 minutes he got last time. Come on, J-Cubed.

Also, I would like to submit now and into eternity that Brandon Bass be referred to as 'Super Bass-O-Matic'. I will accept no other nicknames as viable.

Shaq: At 39, I wasn’t mentally on the down slope. But I used to feel really terrible after scoring...

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:52:42 -0000

Shaq: At 39, I wasn’t mentally on the down slope. But I used to feel really terrible after scoring eight points. This ain’t me, the Diesel scoring eight points. My mind was on winning the whole thing, and we had a chance to get the second spot (in the Eastern Conference), and we ended up getting the fourth spot. I even told (Boston General Manager) Danny Ainge not to do the Kendrick Perkins deal with Oklahoma City. I told them I might not be ready, and I’m definitely not coming back. Those guys did what they’ve got to do. I wasn’t surprised; I’ve seen it before. They say all that blah, blah, but you know it’s always going to be something different.

Shaq speaks on his performance last year and...the Perkins trade. Via Iamagm.com

Gilbert Arenas Explains The Lockout In Simple, Yet Convoluted Terms

Tom Bellinger — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:16:37 -0000

Gilbert Arenas Explains The Lockout In Simple, Yet Convoluted Terms

The league is heading for a lockout of biblical proportions. What do I mean by biblical? I mean real old testament, 'wrath of god' kinda stuff. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! The dead rising from the grave, Gilbert Arenas making sense, dogs and cats, living together, MASS HYSTERIA!!!!!

Staff Exit Interviews, Edition 1: Tom Bellinger

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:01:21 -0000

The season is over, the playoffs are done, and there is a new (non-Celtic) champion in the land. We here at CelticsBlog decided it was a good time to look back on the season that was 2010-2011, in a time that is far enough removed from the Playoffs to reflect without too much bitterness, but far enough away from 2011-2012 to keep us focused on the year that was. These are the Staff Exit Interviews.

Question 1: Forgetting for a second how the Finals actually turned out, how are you feeling about the Celtics loss in the second round?

Well, to be honest I still feel pretty angry about it. It wouldn't be fair to say I didn't see it coming. I thought the Celtics losing against the Heat was a possibility, just like I thought the Celtics losing to the Cavs last year in the playoffs was a possibility. But I just didn't...expect it.

When the Celtics were down 0-2, I could rationalize it. There is a reason the saying goes "A Playoff Series Doesn't Start Until A Team Loses At Home" (or wins on the road, depending on who is saying the adage). The Heat taking the first two games is perfectly reasonable. The Celtics took Game 3 in convincing fashion, and I was reinforced in my own beliefs about the green. 'This is going to go six games, and it started tonight', I remember thinking. Rajon Rondo was a hero, Kevin Garnett was a monster, and the Heat looked like who we thought they were.

Then the Celtics dropped Game 4, and I thought, "uh oh."

But it wasn't like I was really that disheartened. I didn't even really think the Celtics were 'on the ropes'. I thought they were in a bad spot, sure. I thought they had a steeper hill to climb than I would've liked, yeah, but I didn't feel like they were done. Not even with Rondo's left arm apparently useless, not even with Shaq done for the year (and apparently his career). It probably looked grim to others, but not really to me.

It was a time for true champions to grit their teeth and persevere, and that's fully what I expected the Celtics to do walking into Game 5.

I watched Game 5 in a bar in Portland, Maine called Foreplay. My brother works in the Old Port district, and he advised me that Foreplay would be just the right combination of blue-collar and Boston faithful that I would want..plus they had a good beer selection, and big TV's.

When I walked in there were maybe three other people at the bar, one bartender, and a few guys playing air hockey or fooseball or something on the other side of the room. I thought something was amiss when I heard the bartender cheer after a Dwyane Wade jumper. I should've known something was amiss when my Guinness was sour, and the Harpoon IPA I ordered next was just shy of skunky. I sat and watched Game 5 with the only bartender in New England who bet on the Heat, in a bar where nobody else really gave a crap about the Celtics, and it was fitting.

How do I feel about the Celtics loss to the Heat? Frustrated, annoyed, angry, even betrayed. You might say 'well it just happens, teams lose'. You might say 'We'll get em next year', but this wasn't like that. These Celtics didn't lose. They lost in 2009, but Kevin Garnett, their emotional and defensive leader was injured, and they still pushed the Eastern Conference Champs to 7 games with Glen Davis being the Celtics' most offensively gifted front-court player. I could swallow that, because I knew KG was coming back next season, and they still had all the pieces intact from their dominating 2007-2008 campaign.

The Celtics lost in a close seven game series to Los Angeles in the Finals in 2010. I could swallow that because even without their enforcer for Game 7, the Celtics still kept it close, and Perk would be back the next season.

But this year was different. LeBron James, Wade, and Bosh took the Celtics in FIVE GAMES. The entitled, self-anointed champions made it look freaking easy. The NBA isn't real-life to a true fan. There isn't anything really all that rational about it..if we were all rational, we'd all be cynical front-runners whose allegiance goes to the team that 'plays the best basketball', and not really care which team won, as long as it was a good one.

But we're not rational when it comes to the Celtics, we're fans, and the Bad Guys got to win. And this wasn't like say..Empire Strikes Back, where everything looked lost, but you knew Luke and Leia were totally going to come back and avenge Han Solo and stuff. The Bad Guys won, and really they're only going to get better, while the Celtics are really only going to get older.

So how do I feel about the loss to the Heat this year? I dunno man, I'm coming to terms with it. Next question.

Question 2: What single event most defined the 2010-2011 season for you?

The Perkins trade. Its not even really close. People have gone over the motives, the possible outcomes and ramifications, and the fallout more than enough in the past few months. I don't need to go into any of that..but when I think back about the 2010-2011 season, I'll think of it as the year the Heat beat the Celtics in the playoffs, and the year the Celtics traded away one of their 'unbeaten starting five'.

Question 3: What was the single greatest positive you took from the 2011 season?

Well, let's figure out what it wasn't. It wasn't that the Celtics youth movement has promise. Jeff Green looks woefully under-qualified to be a significant starter on a top tier team, Rajon Rondo's play was more up and down than a sea-saw, and Avery Bradley was a bigger tease than the Legend Of Zelda Movie.

I'd say still that it was Kevin Garnett. KG should be just about done. One of these years, he's gonna show up for training camp, and you're just going to know within the first month that he's got nothing left..but after watching him this year and in the playoffs, I've talked myself into knowing that its not going to be next season. Kevin Garnett is almost done, but he ain't done yet.

Question 4: What was the single greatest disappointment of the 2011 season?

Shaquille O'Neal, but not because of anything that was really his fault (unless he could've conditioned more, but I'm not going to speculate there). Shaq was the single greatest surprise during the first part of the season where the Celtics were basically steamrolling through the league, and looking like the favorites for 2011 (along with the Lakers).

But the promise of Shaq had some disturbing fallout. It was one of the factors (as in the assumption that Shaq would be able to play significant minutes in the 2011 postseason) that enabled Danny Ainge to trade Kendrick Perkins, and based on Shaq's repeated five-year-plan, he was allegedly coming back to reprise his role in 2012.

Now, with Shaq retired, Jermaine O'Neal in who knows what state of health, and Nenad Krstic Back In The USSR (okay, that's not a huge loss), the Celtics are without a real viable, healthy option as a starting center heading into next season. While Jermaine O'Neal played well enough during the playoffs and late last season, I'm not encouraged heading into next year.

But if Shaq could've gotten healthy for the playoffs, and played 60 games next season, I think we'd all be drinking a different color of smoothie.

Question 5: Let's talk Finals. Did you enjoy seeing the Heat fall flat? Why?

I listened to Game 6 of the Finals on Sirius Radio (do we get free stuff for plugging them? Dibs!) and after it was all over I put on Facebook: "On the (crappy) side...this ain't the celtics celebrating. on the bright side, it isn't all the miami 'fans' that seemed to pop up since mid-may. good for dirk, and kidd."

And that's basically still how I feel about it. Was there an element of schadenfreude from me after the buzzer sounded (and during LeBron's ridiculous posturing and pouting the next day)? Sure. I'm glad Dallas won for their own sake too. Dirk has always been on of my favorite players, and Rick Carlisle grew up about 10 miles away from me. Plus, I've never harbored the annoyance or anger towards Mark Cuban that others seem to, so basically its a good thing that Dallas won for me.

But let's not get it twisted...it did not lighten the blow of the Celtics' own loss. The Heat just absolutely manhandled the Celtics after Rondo went down, but I firmly believe that the Celtics healthy could've beaten the Mavericks, and the Heat.

I guess the fact that Dirk Nowitzki, with his cast of 'too olds', 'too smalls', and 'washed ups' could rise to the occasion and beat the Heat in some ways just twists the dagger because Paul Pierce with his cast of 'too olds', 'too smalls', and 'washed ups' could not. Yeah I was happy Dirk Nowitzki and the rest got a ring, but I'm more frustrated that Pierce and company did not.

Last Question: If you could sum up the 2010-2011 Celtics' NBA season in 10 words or less, what would they be?

The best laid plans of Danny Ainge, oft go awry.

Game 3: Where The Celtics Got Back, Back To Where They Once Belonged

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 08 May 2011 02:45:05 -0000

Boston Celtics 97, Miami Heat 81

This was a game of too many stories. I'll try to recap a few of them before my head explodes in a giant Fan-gasm.

The biggest story by far is about Rajon Rondo. His stat line tonight was fairly pedestrian by his standards (6 pts, 11 asts, 5 TO's), but it had nothing to do with statistics.

The Celtics came out of the locker room down two at halftime, and they just started to go on a run. They were going to Kevin Garnett in the paint for buckets that he made look way too easy. They were making all the right passes, and the jumpshots were falling, and within 5 mins Boston went from being down 2 to being up 10.

Then, disaster seemed to strike. Rajon Rondo got tangled up (dragged down) with Dwyane Wade after poking the ball loose. To say Rondo landed awkwardly on his arm is like saying the Hindenburg had an 'awkward landing'. Really, a picture does it more justice (link).

Rondo's arm bent at an angle that just made your heart stop as a fan. Right when the Celtics looked like they were going to take control of the game, it looked like Rondo, arguably the Celtics' best player, was going to be done for a while. Forget about the series, I'm talking like the rest of the playoffs, and into next season done.

The Celtics soldiered on though, led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, who combined to score 11 of Boston's final 12 points in the third quarter. But then, a vision of hope glimmered on the horizon. Rondo was back on the bench, and jogging up to the scorer's table like he was going to enter the game.

Rondo would have to wait until the 4th to get back in, but he did it. It was just..one of those moments. Rondo was dragging his left arm up and down the court like it was an albatross around his neck, but he did it. The moment was brought to a climax when Rondo stole the ball from Chris Bosh (using his left arm) and sprinted down the court for a breakaway dunk. His play not only dictated the game, but it energized the team in a fashion we haven't seen yet during this Miami series. Just an amazing performance from Rondo, and an honor to be able to watch the game.

For the rest of the stories (and there are still a good 3-4 more) click on the jump. But, if you don't, just know it was a heck of a game.

Non-Rondo Story #1: Kevin Garnett found a time machine!

28 points, 18 rebounds, 14 3rd quarter points. That's what the stat line says, but it doesn't do Garnett justice. His jumpers were falling, and that was critical to his 13-20 shooting performance, but it was the way he scored the other buckets that was so encouraging. Repeatedly, Garnett took the ball into the post against whoever Miami had to throw at him and just made everyone look foolish. His post moves tonight were positively scrumptrulescent.

On top of that, Garnett completely shut down Chris Bosh tonight almost single handedly. Bosh ended the game with 6 points and 5 rebounds on 1-6 shooting, but realistically speaking, he didn't even play that well. It was like Chris Bosh wasn't even there tonight. Were it not for Rondo's performance tonight Garnett would be getting the game ball.

Non-Rondo Story #2: Jeff Green, Y'all!

Jeff Green's stat-line won't wow anyone (6pts, 2rbs, 1stl, 1blk), but I swear he played his butt off tonight. He made his bigger impact on defense than anything, and just obviously hustled like his life depended on it. His defense on LeBron James was one of the biggest stories nobody will talk about tonight.

Non-Rondo Story #3: The Bigger 3 Won

Bosh/James/Wade: 44 points, Pierce/Allen/Garnett: 70 points. That about says it right there. I crowed about Garnett above, but Pierce's steady hand on offense was just amazing tonight, especially in the second half. He was getting whatever he wanted tonight, and was going to the bucket at will. On top of that, he limited (along with Jeff Green) LeBron James to 15 points and 4 turnovers on 37.5% shooting. Ray Allen didn't have a huge game, but it seemed like everytime the Celtics needed one of his signature 3's, Ray delivered.

Non-Rondo Story #4: Return Of The Shaq, (Yes He Did, Yes He Did Did Did)

Shaq made his triumphant return tonight, and to be frank, he looked awful going up and down the court. Just terrible, like he was a 300+lbs, 7ft, 39-year-old or something. That's the bad news.

The good news is that while Shaq didn't put out eye-popping numbers or anything, he was finally a viable option at center to spell Jermaine O'Neal (who was also great tonight with 3 blocks in his limited minutes) and Kevin Garnett. Although Shaq only played 8 minutes, those were big minutes, especially since they allowed KG to refuel his batteries so he could go back out there and embarrass Chris Bosh some more.

Alright, I'm done. Loved the game. Just loved it.

Preview Round 2, Game 3: Where It Won't Happen In Our Backyard!

Tom Bellinger — Sat, 07 May 2011 18:13:28 -0000

*Game Preview content courtesy of FLCeltsFan

Miami Heat (6-1, 2-0) @ Boston Celtics (4-2, 0-2)
Time: 8:00 PM EST Saturday, May 7th, 2011
Venue: TD Garden
Officials: Steve Javie, Bob Delaney, Bill Kennedy (Report)
TV: ABC, CHCH-TV, Radio: WEEI, ESPN Radio
The Countdowninator: 12 Wins Remaining

GAME THREAD | WAR ROOM

The Celtics return home looking to get their first win in the series. They left Miami bruised and battered by LeBron's elbows and the refs' failure to call them. Fortunately they have 3 days to heal and prepare for game 3.

News out of Thursday's practice is that Shaq is ready to play and has been cleared to do so by the training staff. His presence alone should give the Celtics a boost. The Celtics have struggled with stopping penetration and rebounding and having Shaq on the court should be a help in both areas.

One thing that is certain in this series is that the Celtics have not played well in either game so far. They haven't played Celtics ball and they haven't played with much energy or focus. They have not shot the ball well. Both the starters and the reserves can all play much better. On the other hand, the Heat have played very well and it is doubtful that they could play much better.

The Celtics are confident that they can come back and win this series and were buoyed by a visit from John Havlicek to Thursday's practice. They are inspired by Havlicek's 1969 team that also were down 0-2 and went on to win the series and the Championship. There are many parallels that can be drawn between the two teams and this Celtics team is poised to repeat that feat. It all starts with a win in this game and the Celtics are determined to get it.

*Game Preview content courtesy of FLCeltsFan

Probable Starting Matchups

Point Guard: Rajon Rondo vs Mike Bibby
vs

Shooting Guard: Ray Allen vs Dwyane Wade
vs

Small Forward: Paul Pierce vs LeBron James
vs

Power Forward: Kevin Garnett vs Chris Bosh
vs

Center: Jermaine O'Neal vs Zydrunas Ilgauskas
vs

Boston Bench Mob
Jeff Green
Glen Davis
Delonte West
Nenad Krstic
Carlos Arroyo
Avery Bradley
Sasha Pavlovic
Troy Murphy
Von Wafer
Shaquille O'Neal

Injured
Shaquille O'Neal (calf/old age/Danny Smokescreen) probable
Paul Pierce (Achilles) will play
Rajon Rondo (back) will play
Ray Allen (chest bruise) will play
Jermaine O'Neal (back) will play

Miami's Reserves
Mario Chalmers
Juwan Howard
Eddie House
Jamaal Magloire
Dexter Pittman
Mike Miller
James Jones
Eric Dampier
Joel Anthony

Injuries
Udonis Haslem (foot) day to day

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Mike Bibby
Rondo was hampered much of game 1 with foul trouble after picking up 3 quick fouls early in the first half. In game 2, he was hampered with a sore back. In spite of having to leave the game at one point to get treatment, he finished with 20 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds. Delonte West finally started hitting his shots and played well when Rondo was on the bench. The Celtics need Rondo to be at the top of his game if they hope to come back in this series.

vs
Ray Allen vs Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade went off for 38 points in game 1 while Ray Allen put up 25 of his own. In game 2, Wade again put up 28 points while Ray had just 7 on just 2-7 shooting. When Ray isn't getting shots, the ball isn't moving and that is a big problem for the Celtics. They need to defend Wade better and not allow him to get the open looks and the drives to the hoop that he got in the first 2 games. The Celtics must move the ball in order to get Ray more involved in the offense.

vs
Kevin Garnett vs Chris Bosh
After keeping Bosh from being a factor on offense in game 1, he scored 17 points in game 2. The Celtics haven't been able to take advantage of this matchup because KG has been not been playing well. He shot just 3-9 for 6 points to go with 8 rebounds in game 1. After Doc told him he wanted him to take 20 shots in game 2, he got the 20 shots but shot just 8-20 for 16 points to go with 6 rebounds. What's more, Bosh shot 10 free throws in game 1 and 11 in game 2. KG did not get to the line even once in game 2. The Celtics need KG to be more aggressive and to be a factor if they want to win this game. They have to work on getting KG going early and hopefully he will hit his shots in this one. He also needs to be more aggressive going to the hoop to get to the line.

Honorable Mention
Paul Pierce vs LeBron James
The Celtics held James to a pedestrian 22 points on 8-19 shooting in game 1 but went off for 35 points in game 2. Paul Pierce did a good job defending him in game 1 but struggled with a strained Achilles in game 2 which limited his mobility. He shot just 5-11 for 13 points in game 2 as the Celtics struggled to score as a team. Pierce has said that he is good to go for game 3 and the Celtics need more from him on both ends of the court.

Keys to the Game

Take Care of the Ball - The Celtics must limit their turnovers as the Heat will turn them into fast break points. Wade in particular is good at making teams pay for their turnovers. The Celtics had 18 turnovers in game 1 which the Heat turned into 23 points. In game 2 they were able to cut their turnovers down to 11. They need to continue to take care of the ball and avoid costly turnovers.

Rebound - The Celtics have to limit the Heat's second chance baskets and fast breaks by crashing the boards. The amount of effort put into winning the rebound battle often follows through to the other areas of the game. The rebounding was even at 39 each in game 1 but the Celtics were out rebounded 44-38 in game 2. The Celtics need to try to work harder on the boards. If Shaq indeed can play, that should help in this area.

Defense - The Heat have played very good defense in the first 2 games while the Celtics' defense has been played in spurts. The Celtics have to make defense a priority. Defense wins games and defense wins championships. If the Celtics can't get stops, they won't win the game. The Celtics allowed 99 points on 47% shooting in game 1 and they allowed 102 points on 45% shooting in game 2. The Heat have won 26 games in a row when reading 100 points. The Celtics must do a better job on the defensive end.

Be Aggressive - The Celtics must be the more aggressive team. In both games so far, the Heat were the aggressors and got into the Celtics' heads because of it. The Celtics have got to be aggressive in getting to the basket and not settle for jumpers all game. They also have to be aggressive in diving for loose balls and winning the 50-50 battles, something they haven't done in game 1 and 2. The Celtics can't afford to give up possessions by failing to hustle after loose balls and after rebounds. They also must take it to the basket especially if the jumpers aren't falling. It seems that when the Celtics go to the basket and get mugged and the fouls aren't called, the Celtics just stop driving. They have to continue to go inside and force the refs to call the fouls. The Celtics have to be the more physical team and not be the team reacting to the physical play of the Heat.

Team Ball - The Celtics need to play team ball. When they move the ball and make the extra pass and find the open man and play as a team, they are tough to beat. When they revert to hero ball and there is little ball movement and they settle for quick shots, they rarely win. Rondo is a big part of keeping the ball moving and setting up the offense and he was limited in game 1 because of foul trouble and somewhat limited by a sore back in game 2. He has to be more aggressive and run more and keep the ball moving. The Celtics had just 18 assists in game 2 (Rondo had 12) and that means that the others aren't moving the ball. Hero ball won't win games. Team ball will.

Bench Play - The Celtics bench finally showed some signs of life in game 2 with Delonte scoring 10 points and Jeff Green scoring 11. Big Baby only scored 6 points with 2 rebounds. Big Baby has to start playing for a championship instead of playing for a contract. They need more from him. They also need Jeff and Delonte to continue to produce and play well. Shaq is rumored to be playing in this game and his addition off the bench should be a huge help.

X-Factors
Home Court and Officials
The Celtics are coming home and should get a boost from the fans. There is a notion that teams get more favorable calls at home, but that hasn't always been the case for the Celtics for some reason. Hopefully after 2 horribly officiated games in Miami's favor, the Celtics will at least get a fair shake on their home court.

By The Numbers: Where I'm Tellin You There's A Chance.

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:20:46 -0000

There is a famous scene from the American cult classic "Dumb and Dumber" that inspired this piece.

Llyod, played by Jim Carrey, is talking to Mary, played by Lauren Holly about his chances of dating her:

Lloyd: The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Mary: Not good.
Lloyd: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Mary: I'd say more like one out of a million.
[pause]
Lloyd: So you're telling me there's a chance... *YEAH!*

When I started thinking about the odds of the Celtics finishing this series winning four games out of the next five, this quote just popped randomly into my head, and it's really the way I've always felt about this Celtics team, ever since Kevin Garnett was injured in 08-09, I've thought to myself, as everyone told me the Celtics won't win, "Yeah, they probably won't...but they might."

And nothing personifies that kind of irrationality more than hopefulness right now. I've said since these playoffs started that I had no idea how they would go, that I was just along for the ride, wherever it goes. Well, the ride hasn't stopped .

But then I starting wondering, 'How often does it actually happen? How often does a team come back from starting out down 0-2 to win a playoff series?'

Well if you've been wondering the same thing, have no fear because I've got answers. I went to basketball-reference.com and went back through all 75 playoff series from 2006-2010 to find those that started out 2-0 on one side or the other, and I found out just what the odds are that the Celtics will win each of the next 5 possible games, and the odds that they'll take the series.

For a breakdown and direct link to the Dumb & Dumber video, click the jump.

Question 1: If the Celtics were any other NBA team that started out 0-2, what are the chances they win Game 3? The Series?

Game 3: 63%, The Series: 9%

Over the past five NBA Playoffs, 63% of the time the team down 0-2 wins game 3. Now, 63% is pretty good odds. That much at least, is encouraging, because no NBA team has EVER come back from being down 0-3 to win a seven game series.

Question 2: If the Celtics were any NBA home team that started out 0-2, what are the chances they win Game 3? The Series?

Game: 62%, Series: 5.3% - from WhoWins.com

This number is a little surprising. Since it would be a TON more work to figure out how the home team did in Game 3's while down 2-0, I luckily was referred to just such a database by Truehoop.com. This database looks at the entirety of the NBA's history with 7 game series, and since the NBA has a lot more parity now than they have had previous, I'm not shocked to see that number (62%) mostly the same, but a little different. Still, 62% is a pretty solid win % for Game 3, so I'll take it.

Question 3: How have past Celtics teams done when down 0-2?

Game 3: 57%, Series: 12.5%

The Celtics have only started out down 0-2 in a 7 game series just eight times in the team's history, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. The Celtics have had a few times in team history (3 exactly) where they were swept out of a 7 game series, but they've have more time where they managed at least 1 win. However, the Celtics have managed to turn that 0-2 frown upside down just once, in 1969, in the NBA Finals against the Lakers (SCHWING!). That gives the Green a 1 in 8 rate of success when being down 0-2, and them's better than House Odds.

Question 4: IF the Celtics can win Game 3, do their odds improve? By how much? What IF they take both home games?

Yes, IF the Celtics can win Game 3, their odds improve considerably, but not to a point where one can really get too excited in public or start talking trash (but that wouldn't stop the forums). IF the Celtics can win Game 3, based on the last 5 years of Playoff Series,

If a team loses Game 3 after being down 0-2, not only is there a 100% chance (based on past NBA Playoff Series) that they will lose a 4th game in the next 4 tries, there is also an 50% chance that they will not make it past Game 4.

If a team wins in Game 3, there is a 48% chance that they will also win Game 4, and a 63% chance that they will win one of Game 4 or 5. On top of that, the odds of winning the series jumps up from 9% to 14.8%.

IF the Celtics can take both home games coming up, than the odds jump even more. IF they can win Games 3 and 4, than there is a 61.5% chance (based on the NBA's last 5 years, again) that they will be able to win a 3rd game and force a Game 7, or even win a 4th game and the series.

So there you have it. Them's be the odds. 9%, 12.5%, 14.8%...take whatever kind of solace you can from them. And if you find those odds depressing, than I invited you to pay some attention to this guy:

Sure, he's just a limo driver. But, aren't we all 'just' limo drivers, in our hearts? Killer boots, man.

Shaq Expected To Play Saturday (seriously!)

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 05 May 2011 19:45:24 -0000

Per A. Sherrod Blakley's Twitter:

Doc Rivers said everyone - including Shaq - expected to play in Game 3 vs Heat on Saturday.

Well that's pretty much great news. Would've been great news you know...two games ago, but still...great news.

I'm not sure exactly how much Shaq will be able to play, or how he's going to impact the game, but at this point, with the way Joel Anthony has been quietly beasting on the Celtics, I'd be excited if Antoine Walker was suiting up to give the frontline a different look. Come on Shaq!

Preview Round 2 Game 2: Where Boston Needs To Get Physical, Physical

Tom Bellinger — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:33:17 -0000

Boston Celtics (0-1, 4-1) @ Miami Heat (1-0, 5-1)
Time: 7:00 PM EST, Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Officials: Joe Crawford, Jason Phillips, Greg Willard (Report)
TV: TNT Radio: WEEI, WAXY
The Countdowninator: 12 wins remaining

GAME THREAD | WAR ROOM

Sunday was the past. Forget about it. Put it out of your mind. Don't talk to me about flagrant fouls, or missed opportunities, or poor officiating. The Celtics need to win 4 games, and they'll have 6 chances to do it, that's where we're at.

Tonight though we as fans should be optimistic. The Celtics have lost the first game of a seven game series four times in the four years Kevin Garnett has been here, and while they have won only two of those four series (Win: Chicago, 2009, Cleveland 2010. Loss: Orlando 2009, LA 2010), they followed up every Game 1 loss with a Game 2 win, whether it be home or away.

I don't think tonight will be any different, but it won't exactly be easy either.

We know what went wrong in Game 1. Rajon Rondo never quite got the offense moving in the way he would've wanted to. Paul Pierce got maybe a little too aggro. Kevin Garnett was about as offensive as Wayne Brady, and Jermaine O'Neal only played 21 minutes. On top of that Dwyane Wade turned in a superhero-esque performance, James Jones did something he won't do again in the playoffs (score 25 points on only 5 made field goals and 10 free throw attempts) and the Celtics didn't retain momentum long enough in the 4th quarter to catch up from a double-digit deficit *cough refs cough* that they created early by missing 20 of their first 26 shots.

Tonight there are a lot of smallish things that absolutely need to be done if Boston intends on taking the game *cough, different refs, cough*, but while I hate to feed into vagueries about effort and heart, Boston needs to want it more than Miami from the opening tip. As Doc Rivers said earlier today, Miami 'Hit first the entire game'. The were more aggressive pushing the ball, going for rebounds earlier, and heading into contact. The resulting outcome (Boston's struggles early) pretty much dictated the outcome of the game.

Tonight Boston needs to not only match Miami's energy levels, they need to surpass them. Tonight Boston needs to Bomb First, no more of this catch-up-in-the-second-half garbage.

I don't think tonight will be any different, but it won't exactly be easy either.

Tonight Boston needs to not only match Miami's energy levels, they need to surpass them. Tonight Boston needs to Bomb First, no more of this catch-up-in-the-second-half garbage.

Probable Starting Lineups And Key Match-Ups Courtesy Of Our Own Saint-In-Residence, FLCeltsFan

PG: Rajon Rondo................................................ SG: Ray Allen

C: Jermaine O'Neal

SF: Paul Pierce.................................................PF: Kevin Garnett

Boston Bench Mob
Jeff Green
Glen Davis
Delonte West
Nenad Krstic
Carlos Arroyo
Avery Bradley
Sasha Pavlovic
Troy Murphy
Von Wafer

Injured
Shaquille O'Neal (calf/old age/Danny Smokescreen) day to day

PG: Mike Bibby.............................................. SG: Dwyane Wade

C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

SF: LeBron James ..................................................PF: Chris Bosh

Miami's Reserves
Mario Chalmers
Juwan Howard
Eddie House
Jamaal Magloire
Dexter Pittman
Mike Miller
James Jones
Eric Dampier
Joel Anthony

Injuries
Udonis Haslem (foot) day to day

Game Notes:
The Celtics have to come into this game angry and ready to play. If they don't, they don't deserve to win. After being treated unfairly by the refs and punked by the Heat, the Celtics need to have a chip on their shoulders and come out aggressive right from the beginning.

After bragging about how much better the Celtics bench was than the Heat bench, Big Baby finished with just 4 points and 4 rebounds and a whopping -21 in the +/- column. Jeff Green must be more aggressive on the boards. There is no excuse for a guy who is 6'9" tall and who has his athleticism and quickness to play over 21 minutes and not get a rebound. Delonte was just 3-9 from the field, missing not one but 2 dunks. One of the keys for this game is for our "superior" bench to play much better.

The Celtics played like they were the young and inexperienced team in game 1, allowing the Heat to be the more aggressive and physical team. They reacted to the heat instead of being the instigators and they got caught reacting and that frustrated them even more. They have to stay composed and execute their game plan without allowing themselves to get frustrated by the lack of calls or by the physical play of the Heat.

Both teams can point to areas that they can improve. Both Bosh and LeBron could play better. No one on the Heat bench played well other than James Jones. Udonis Haslem is considered day to day and may make his return to the team sometime in this series. For the Celtics, KG, Rondo and Pierce can all play better. The Celtics bench certainly can play better. And Doc has said that Shaq should play in either game 2 or game 3. Chances are that James Jones doesn't shoot that well in every game. Hopefully the refs aren't as blatant in calling the game one sided again. If the Celtics play with some intensity and fire and they avoid getting caught up in mind games, they have a good chance of winning this game, regardless of the officiating.

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Mike Bibby
Rondo was hampered much of game 1 with foul trouble after picking up 3 quick fouls early in the first half. He played only 29 minutes in the game but while he was in the game, the Celtics outscored the Heat by 7. While he was sitting, the Celtics struggled to find their offense. Rondo had just 7 assists for the game and none in the first half. The Celtics as a team had only 18 assists, which is way below their average. Rondo shot only 30% in spite of taking all his shots in the paint. He also was not using his speed to his advantage, allowing the much slower Bibby to stay with him on defense. The bottom line is that the Celtics need a more Rondo-like game from their point guard if they want to win this game.

vs
Ray Allen vs Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade went off for 38 points in game 1 while Ray Allen put up 25 of his own. The Celtics will need to defend Wade better and not allow him to get the open looks that he was able to get in game 1. Ray needs to stay hot for the Celtics and they need to set screens to get him open as he is the Celtics most efficient scorer at this point.

vs
Kevin Garnett vs Chris Bosh
The Celtics once again were able to keep Bosh from being a factor in the game. He scored just 7 points but did pull down 12 rebounds. The Celtics weren't able to take advantage of this because KG played just as poorly. He shot just 3-9 for 6 points to go with 8 rebounds. The Celtics need KG to be more aggressive and to be a factor if they want to win this game. They have to work on getting KG going early and hopefully he will hit his shots in this one.

Honorable Mention
Paul Pierce vs LeBron James
The Celtics held James to a pedestrian 22 points on 8-19 shooting. Paul Pierce did a good job defending him but sacrificed some of his own offense in doing so. He struggled on offense early but was heating up in the second half just about the time when he was tossed from the game. There is no question that both James Jones and Dwyane Wade should have gotten flagrant fouls for their contact with Pierce, but even when the calls are that one sided and terrible, Pierce has got to keep his cool. He should expect more of the same in game 2 and not allow it to take him out of his game. Jones and Wade were clearly the aggressors and Pierce got caught retaliating. He dodged a bullet by avoiding a suspension and may not be as lucky the next time. He must not let the refs or the Heat get under his skin and he has to let his game do the talking instead of his mouth.

Orlando Sentinel: Dwight Howard Is A Greater Defensive Presence Than Bill Russell. Seriously, They Wrote it. Not Even Kidding.

Tom Bellinger — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:34:25 -0000

Now now, they try to back off of it. They really do. They talk about how it's 'hard to compare players from different eras', and how 'Bill Russell may have averaged between 4-5 blocks per game compared to Howard's 2.75', but the gist of the message is the same; Dwight Howard is a better defender than Bill Russell.

These are the words that the Orlando Sentinel laughingly pretends they're not standing by. They continue to foist them upon Matt Guokas, a player who played against Bill Russell, and with Wilt Chamberlain. 'Who could be better?' you might ask. Well, I'd start with someone who isn't paid by the Orlando Magic, but I'll let the eviseration of Matt Guokas and the Orlando Sentinel occur in the comments section.

This is what the Orlando Sentinel said:

Is Dwight Howard greater defensive player than Bill Russell? Magic commentator Matt Guokas thinks so:

"All you old-timers out there, take your blood pressure medicine, put on a soothing rendition of Mel Torme singing "Fly Me to the Moon" and brace yourself for what you are about to hear:
Dwight Howard is a better defensive center than Bill Russell.

That’s right, BILL RUSSELL.

There are a lot of things to consider here, and you should read the whole article. 1) Is this all for attention? (Yes) 2) Should Orlando stop worrying about how Dwight 'Zero Rings' Howard stacks up against Bill Russell and start worrying about the Atlanta Hawks? (YES!) and 3) Should Orlando, when and if they escape the Hawks, and then are inevitably erased from the playoffs by the Bulls, start worrying about what they'll get back for Dwight WHEN(not if) he sprints for Los Angeles, New Jersey, or even *gasp!* Boston? (YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!)

So yeah, totally take this seriously.

Props to Celticsblog user CeltsFan336, and the good people at RedsArmy.

PS: Dwight Howard is to Bill Russell as House Party 3 is to House Party 2. That is all.

Round 1: Where The Celtics Did Some Spring Cleaning

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:15:13 -0000

Boston Celtics 101, New York Knicks 89

Well, that's 4 down, 12 to go.

The Knicks didn't go quietly. While the last minute was pretty anti-climatic, the Knicks played hard in the second half. I seriously considered calling the game recap "Hey Mister Carter, Tell Me Where Have You Been?" in honor of Anthony Carter's absolutely inspired play in the late 3rd, early 4th quarters.

But, the game was a blowout by halftime, and it ended just as uncompetitively. 20 points in the second half for Kevin Garnett (26 points, 10 rebs, 10-16 shooting on the game) earns him the game ball, and the Celtics sweep the Knicks while Miami has to win one more against Philadelphia.

Some things we learned this round:

1) Rajon Rondo is still actually Rajon Rondo: Nobody wants to talk about what happened after the trade deadline, but we're happy it's not happening anymore. Rondo averaged 19 points and 12 assists over these past 4 games, and it has been a joy to watch.

2) Ray Allen Went To Sniper School: Ray Allen was shooting 75% from 3pt land coming into tonight's game. SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT. He only shot 2-6 from range tonight, but considering the slump he was coming into the playoffs with, that is great news. Ray Allen is making teams pay and making us smile.

3) The Starters Can Still Carry This Celtics Team, But The Bench..Not So Much: Coming into today's game, the 'Big 4' were accounting for 80 points per contest. The rest of the team? Around 18. Glen Davis had a very important 14 points tonight on an efficient 6-8 shooting, but over the other 3 games in the series he was shooting 31% from the field and averaging under 4ppg. This has to change, because teams will start getting better and deeper (well okay, Miami ain't that deep) as the playoffs go on.

4) Jermaine O'Neal Was An Absolute Bargain...A 6.5 MILLION DOLLAR BARGAIN!: I don't care about the regular season. Jermaine O'Neal was the biggest difference maker on the defensive end for the Celtics in this Knicks series. Sure, Amar'e went off Game 1 (and was injured in Game 3), but Jermaine O'Neal we just absolutely a menace to any Knick in the paint, and when he wasn't blocking shots he wasn't scared to foul hard. O'Neal even showed us some offensive skills, proving that he can still hit a 7ft jumper (and shooting 62% from the field doing it).

5) Paul Pierce Is Still The Man: Today was the perfect example. Whenever the Knicks would start to make a run, Pierce would make a bucket to shut them up. Last game he had 38 points, and even though he only had 13 today (on a miserable 5-18 shooting), all 13 points were big ones that pushed the Celtics ahead or helped them keep the lead. The Captain is in rare form. Can't wait to see what he does against LeBron.

Happy Easter, and Get Well Soon, Shaq!

-via Jose3030

Preview Round 1 Game 4: Where Boston Can Win, Or Go Home

Tom Bellinger — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:00:04 -0000

Boston Celtics (3-0) @ New York Knicks (0-3)
TIme: 3:30 PM EST, Sunday, April 24th, 2011
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Referees: Mike Callahan, Derrick Collins, Ken Mauer, and Sean Wright (alternate)
TV: ABC, Radio: WEEI
NBA.com series hub
The Line: The Celtics have never swept a playoff opponent during the KG era. Their last time Boston swept a team in the playoffs was 1992, the Indiana Pacers.
The Countdowninator: 12 Wins Left

Game Thread | Chat Room

The Boston Celtics are coming off of their best playoff game to date, a game that saw Rajon Rondo recapture his swagger, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen play HORSE, and Spike Lee in a cape. It was the most dominating performance from the Celtics starters in weeks, maybe even months, and it was easily the game that will ultimately define what could've been a closer series.

Now though, despite barely escaping the Knicks in two close wins in Boston, the Celtics are now up 3-0 (no NBA team has even lost a series after being up 3-0), and despite playing away from home, they're the team that will be walking out for shoot-around with the swagger and momentum tonight.

But they shouldn't let it get to their head, because frankly, the Knicks aren't dead yet.

Now I'm no prophet. I'm no Nostradamus, or Matt Damon, or even Nicholas Cage. But I do know one thing: This Knicks team will not take being swept at home lightly. They know, in their hearts, that they probably can't take the series. No team has ever, in the history of the NBA, come back from a 3-0 deficit to take a series in 7 games. The fact of the matter is that it is much easier to win 1 game in 4, than it is to win 4 straight.

But, the Knicks were never playing for this year anyways. They knew, after finishing the season 13-12 with the addition of Carmelo Anthony, that the team was incomplete. To think that they could beat a Boston Celtics, or Miami Heat, or Chicago Bulls team in the first 2 rounds was flight of fancy to say the least (not that I didn't think about how cool it would be if they DID beat the Heat in 6 games). That was just the cards they were dealing with this season.

But don't get confused. The fact that the team wasn't ready for the Finals doesn't mean they'll go quiet. Carmelo Anthony is a flawed player in a lot of ways, but he doesn't lack pride. Between the two of them, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire will not allow New York to get swept in four games in the first season of their 'dynasty' (notice the quote marks, commentors). Carmelo's saying all the right things, today commenting, "If we've got to foul somebody, if we've got to knock somebody out, we've got to do whatever we can to avoid a sweep,"

No, if Boston wants to take this game, they're going to need to earn it. They might need to though, because their probable second round match-up, the Miami Heat, are playing the Sixers today for a chance to sweep of their own, and if Boston doesn't need one thing, it's playing the Heat tired. Worst case Ontario if the Celtics win tonight, they'll face a Heat team that is just as rested/tired as they are. But, if Miami wins today and Boston loses, Boston is going to have to play the Heat on tired legs, and that est no bueno.

However, I like the notion that Celtics will need to 'earn' a win today. As I wrote just about 2 weeks ago, I think this type of series is exactly what the Doctor ordered. The Celtics were seen as weak, old, out of sync (as opposed to musical geniuses N-Sync). They needed to get a little over-the-top with someone. They needed a 'good-but-not-great' team to 'make an example of', to show the 'other guys' that the Celtics were still in fact, The Celtics. They needed to put that fear into the minds of the Miami Heats and the Chicago Bulls of the world. Backed by Rondo's out of his mind play on Friday, it seems like they're moving towards that. Teams are already thinking about them. A win tonight by the Celtics only makes it worse.

Game Thread | Chat Room

But they shouldn't let it get to their head, because frankly, the Knicks aren't dead yet.

Probable Starters
Point Guard
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Toney Douglas

Shooting Guard
vs
Ray Allen vs Landry Fields

Small Forward
vs
Paul Pierce vs Carmelo Anthony

Power Forward
vs
Kevin Garnett vs Shawne Williams

Center
vs
Jermaine O'Neal vs Ronny Turiaf

Boston Bench Mob
Glen Davis
Jeff Green
Delonte West
Troy Murphy
Carlos Arroyo
Sasha Pavlovic
Avery Bradley
Von Wafer

Injured
Shaquille O'Neal (Achilles, calf, age) out

Knicks Bench
Bill Walker
Andy Rautins
Jared Jeffries
Roger Mason Jr
Anthony Carter
Shelden Williams
Renaldo Balkman
Derrick Brown

Injuries
Amar'e Stoudemire (back) questionable
Chauncey Billups (knee) questionable

No New News On Shaq, But No Bad News Either

Tom Bellinger — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:35:01 -0000

via Boston Herald, H/T our man Jay @ CelticsTown

NEW YORK — Shaquille O’Neal was present and in workout gear for the Celtics’ morning shootaround at Madison Square Garden today.

He was reticent to speak afterwards, saying, "I ain’t talking, bro. Players talk, and I’m trying to get back. That’s it."

Doc Rivers said earlier there is still a slight chance Shaq could play in Game 4 here Sunday.

More importantly, he added that O’Neal’s return is a matter of when, not if.

Well, that's nothing new, but nothing bad, so I'll take it. Also, Gary Washburn basically corroborated this story with this tweet:

Shaq is out for tonight but doubtful for Sun. Painful foot area was stretched during shootaround and Shaq didn't show discomfort

Also, Paul Flannery noted that Shaq is apparently 'not limping', but is 'incognito'.

Shaq walked out like a 39 year old man. I didn't notice a limp. He did introduce himself as Jermaine O'Neal to an usher.

Is it game time yet? (WHAT TIME IS IT?!)

Player X: "KG is a punk and a coward"

Tom Bellinger — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:43:41 -0000

ESPN, despite whatever particular qualms I may have with its media monopoly on sports, does some really awesome things. One of which is their revolutionary "Player/Driver/Coach X" feature (Insider), wherein they have a pro player, or coach, or even NASCAR driver spit out whatever is on their mind anonymously. The anonymity affords the player the ability to say basically whatever they feel in their heart to be true (we hope) without the promise of recourse or accountability.

This month however, it hits a little close too home (Insider Only):

Trash-talk can go too far fast, though, so there is a code. Off-limit topics: moms, wives, girlfriends, kids. And health. Honestly, I never thought anyone would cross the line to crack on an opponent about a medical condition. But according to Charlie Villanueva, that's what Kevin Garnett supposedly did earlier this season when he called the Pistons forward a "cancer patient." Garnett later claimed otherwise, saying he had called Villanueva -- who's hairless because of a skin condition -- a "cancerous" player.

I don't know who's telling the truth, but I don't care. Garnett is a punk and a coward. I know, I know. Easy for me to say behind this column. Don't worry, I'll tell him to his face, too. And I'm not the only one who thinks that: If you're not on his team, chances are you hate the guy. You can learn a lot about him by watching his eyes. If he's talking to you -- and he's always talking -- he avoids eye contact. My advice to other guys in the league: Stare him down, and he'll retreat. From what I've seen, he'll never mix it up with a player who's bigger than he is. Personally, I think he's scared to fight -- like a playground bully who barks but doesn't bite.

Kevin Garnett is called 'a punk and a coward', by a guy who is writing an anonymous article. I suppose if irony were made of strawberries we'd all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now.

Now, I'm not going to pretend that Kevin Garnett isn't a bit of a 'paper tiger' at this point in his career (basically his entire career really). He likes to talk a lot, but he doesn't fight. He rarely even shoves, as that seemed to be mostly 'Perkins Work' in the past.

But so what? So Kevin Garnett doesn't usually fight, so he doesn't get suspended. Garnett takes trash talk to its most beneficial outcome: Just below suspension but hopefully inside the opponents' heads. Is he a 'coward' because he's not willing to go to fisticuffs (that's what the kids are calling it now, right?) in a confrontation? In that case, 99.9% of the NBA are 'cowards', because if you've seen one shoving match that ultimately ends in double technicals and some chest puffing, you've seen them all.

I call them 'almost-fights', and you'll know an 'almost fight' because one guy will push another guy, and that guy may or may not push back, but in the end teammates will hurriedly get in the middle of the two guys "fighting" (and I use those quote marks as sarcastically as humanly possible) and the whole thing will end with a hug and someone buying someone else dinner at cheesecake factory later. At least that's how I imagine it goes down.

So Kevin Garnett 'is a punk and coward' huh? I guess that's how you spell 'winner' now-a-days, because if a punk and a coward can lead a team to 2 Finals appearances in 3 years, he must be one punky cowardly sonofabiscuit.

However, our esteemed "Player X" does have some nice things to say about the boys in green:

But I have to admit, the Celtics are the most talkative guys in the league. And that makes sense, because it's the mark of a championship team. Mouths help you win big games. Ray Allen got mean in Boston, and Paul Pierce will look at you, say, "Stop this," then drop a J on your head.

The KG comment aside, the whole thing really is worth reading. He talks about Bird/Magic/Jordan, and even how Ron Artest is such a good defensive player because 'he's weird', and 'plays close so he can whisper stuff in your ear', which I found hilarious.