The Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen version.  I'm not trying to prove any sort of point, just trying to show a little appreciation and because we forget so quickly.

Game 2, Bulls Series.  Cs are down 5 with 3 minutes left.  Rondo had resprained his ankle before half time, but when it matters, he won't let the team lose.  Out of a time out, RR steals the ball from Rose and converts a layup.  Two possessions later he hits a jumper over Noah and the score is 112-111, Cs.  Ben Gordon scores, but Rondo grabs an O board on the other end and dishes to Ray for a 3, 115-113.  Just when it seems that Gordon has done the impossible and tied up the game again to send it into OT, Ray Ray hits a rainbow of a 3 pointer over Noah's outstretched hand, saving the C's season.

Official recap: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/04/21/late_3_pointer_by_allen_brings_celtics_even/

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This has been confusing me for a bit now, so I thought I'd see if someone more basketball knowledgeable could explain it to me.  And don't tell me it's because of James Posey.

Last year, as much as I love him, the Cs often seemed to win despite of Rondo.  He was wildly inconsistent and would often disappear on the road, regular season and playoffs.  Yet the team chugged along, the ball kept moving, and the wins kept coming. Eddie played point, heck even TA brought up the ball at times and yet we still seemed to have an offense.

This year, I've said it before in game threads, but it often seems like the team can't do ANYTHING without Rondo.  The Mavs game where he got his second triple double, it seemed like Rondo was the offense and the defense.  In the regular season, he's out for 2 games and the Cs are 0-2.  Tonight he goes out 5 mins and the team is -10, with what felt like 4 consecutive turnovers.  It's almost like they fail at basic basketball functions which only peripherally have to do with having or not having a competent point guard.

Why is this so?  It can't just be that he's better-if it was we'd win more win him but wouldn't necessarily stop functioning without him.  Is it just greater dependence on his playmaking?  A coincidence?  Totally unrepresentative sample size?

As reports are coming in that AI's going to be out for the rest of the season, and the talking heads are speculating about him taking the MLE or moving to Europe next year, you have to wonder if this is really the ignoble end of Allen Iverson's career. 

If so, despite all the discontent and frustration he has caused this year, I can't help wondering if this is incredibly sad.  AI's a competitor, and if ESPN is right about anything, it's the fact that this is not how Iverson envisioned his career ending.  Despite all his foibles in regards to practice and pride, we're talking about a 27.1 ppt 6 assist per game guy who was one of the most entertaining players in the league for a long, long time.  A former MVP.  A guy who led the league in scoring 4 times, averaged more than 30ppts 4 different years.  And that's all going to disappear, not even in flames, much less a happy ending, because of a little less than one year's worth of griping and malcontent.  If he could have just put it all aside for one year, to shut up and play basketball for one year, it didn't have to be that way.  He could have been Ray, or Paul, or Kevin, or even possibly Steph.  But instead he's talking about retiring after the least inspiring season the Detroit Pistons have seen in a long, long time.

Then again, someone on this board said that his pride is what allows him to stay in this league.  That might very well be true.   But it may very well be the reason he's getting pushed away from it as well.

Now that I've finally had time to sit down and watch it (got up early on a Sat morning cuz I was excited to do so, in fact!).

First of all, thanks to all the vigiliant anti-jinxers on the Nets thread whose anti-jinxes came to pass.  Good to know we have people steadyfastily looking out for the C's basketball karma.

2. I have this hope that one day the Steph-Eddie combo will be like Rondo-Ray lite.  Just like how R2 always knows where Ray is and gets him the ball just when and where he needs it, so too can Steph do that for Eddie.  I also have this pipe dream where both our backcourt duos can be in sync and light it up in the same game.  Just imagine, teams are getting owned because R2 is attacking and scoring or dishing to Ray for the open J, then they sit and the opposing team thinks they've finally caught a break when Steph and Eddie come in and starting doing the EXACT SAME THING.  Poor opponents.

3. I know his FG% is atrocious, and we're only 3-1 with him (god forbid, haha), but does anyone else think the second unit's looking a lot better on offense with Steph in there already?

4. If Leon and Baby continue to play like this, and we get solid shooting from Mikki and some hustle, I like out frontcourt going into the playoffs.  Even against the Cavs and Lakers.

5.  We can all still testify to the Truth.

According to the recap of the DET-ORL game:

Allen Iverson went back to Detroit to see a specialist for his stiff back after an MRI exam Friday came back negative. Detroit coach Michael Curry said Hamilton would have replaced Iverson (in the starting lineup) regardless in an attempt to get the Pistons out of their rut.

I think they should have benched AI from the beginning, but I wonder if his ego will be able to handle it.   It does make me wonder if this is what DET needs to turn their season around.  Having AI come off the bench could be a great punch for their bench.

I hope Ray has his sleeves ready for Rip's fingernails though!

I've been thinking about this week, and I find myself surprisingly unperturbed by it all.  First of all, for a bit of perspective, none of our games thus far have involved Gerald Green.  Plus!

There are a few things going on that I think are making the Cs look worse than they are.  First of all, our starters are tired old guys.  OK, only 3 of them are old guys, but the rest of them are at least tired.  This was our 3rd game in what is technically 3 and a half days, and at least 1/3 of our active roster was just recently or still is actively battling the flu.  The execution was bad, the defense was barely there, but to be perfectly frank, I really would keep my expectations down until after AllStar break.  I have a feeling the flu bug won't go away entirely until they get extended rest.

As for our bench, I truly believe it's not that terrible.  I just don't think it's currently being maximized.  The bench played its best ball when Gabe and Scal were regularly in the rotation, and as much as I used to love dumping on Scal, he's really impressed this year.  I actually have some dim hope that Scal's return to the rotation will make things better. And from what I've seen of Gabe, my theory is thus: Gabe Pruitt is not Rajon Rondo.  He is not a brilliant point guard of the future, nor is he a particularly awesome defensive stopper.  But he can handle the ball under pressure, passes fair well, and unlike certain other members of our bench, rarely makes stupid mistakes.  Unlike the Scal's situation which is likely to solve itself, I have no idea what to do about Gabe.  But I also wonder if post AllStar break is when we will finally see what is to become of Sam Cassell.  Any of these things, I think, will help improve our bench play and make it so that the starters don't have to not only get a lead from 0-0, but constantly dig the team out of holes the bench has created.

The one thing I am worried about is the return of PJ.  More than Posey, I think we miss PJ.  He was exactly what none of the other guys on our bench are: remarkably consistent.  Anyone have his number?

Also, remember this guys: repeating is hard.  Repeating, I would venture, may be harder than winning a championship the first time.  We have high expectations, but so do 3 or 4 other fanbases.  And, we're still on pace for 60 something wins.

And none of our games have involved Mark Blount either!  Plus!

(The author of this incoherent mess would like to thank anyone who read it for putting up with her ramblings.)

Was just wondering what everyone thought about this.  Ginobli has an injury, TD might be kinda old so maybe you'd rest him after the first night of a back to back went into overtime, but I'm not sure what's going on with Parker. 

On the one hand, it's at that time of the season where every team is plagued with something or another, be it injuries, or the flu like the Cs.  Giving your main players the night off may be better in the long run.  On the other hand, it's against conference rivals the Nuggets, who are a very strong team with Billups and Melo back, and you would think the Spurs would relish the chance to catch up to the Lakers a bit now that Bynum is out.  Granted, the Nuggets are 2 games back, so tonight won't actually change the standings, but it doesn't exactly help the Spurs either.

So, good idea?  Bad idea?  Should be tried with the Celtics sometime?