Up until now, the Celtics schedule has not been too favorable for an aging club, with a load of Back to Back games over the opening months. I won't recount them, as we know how many of them have ended- not well.

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We started the pre-season short two men- Avery Bradley was out until a number of games into the season [ and is now in D-league anyway ].

 
Kendrick Perkins has been out all season and just returned [ thank heavens ] a few games ago, and is still not 100%.

 Rajon Rondo has been out for a number of games, with assorted injuries, and is still not 100%.

 Kevin Garnett has been out for a good number of games, owing to his leg injury.

 Jermaine O'Neal has been in and out , mostly out, of the lineup all season [ and after his latest surgery, who knows when, or if, he'll be back ? ].

 Shaquille O'Neal has been in and out of the lineup for a good part of the season, and is currently out. [ When he'll be back, nobody knows }.

 Delonte West managed to last 5 games into the season, before breaking his wrist, and is still out.

 Semih Erden has had his share of aches and pains, and is in need of shoulder surgery at some point. [ and although being out for some games, has managed to soldier on ]

 Now Marquis Daniels is down for the count for at least a month [ hopefully, not more ].

 In spite of having injuries to sixty percent of  the squad, this team is standing at an unbelieveable 38-12, with the best record in the Eastern Conference, and second best overall record.

 This had been one incredible team effort, for almost the entire season [ I always excuse the 2nd game of a back to back, particularly when travel is involved , or the forgettable ones that should never be in any team's schedule - Phoenix, e.g. ]

 Try to imagine what this team has been going through, and in spite of that, has been playing at a winning clip that is well over 75%.

 Try to imagine how this Celtics team would have waltzed its way through every team in the league, had we had a completely healthy line up for any length of time.

 Be proud, Celtics fans, and be believers. The best is yet to come  [ some good health provided, of course ] - Banner NO. 18

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix.

 Two games- two completely different Celtics teams show up.

 Against Detroit, a pitiful display of sloppy shooting almost cost the Cs a well earned home loss, but in the final minute, managed to snatch a victory from an equally inept team, who hold  a miserable losing percentage. Detroit managed to follow that loss with a blowout loss to the even more inept New Jersey Nets tonight.

 Tonight, against Utah, a solid team with one of the better records in the NBA, our beloved Cs came out firing, with our very own captain leading the charge from the opening minute, leading to a completely one sided thrashing of the Jazz.

 I love watching a blowout.

 From quarter to quarter, the lead kept increasing, as the Cs were relentless tonight in the last game of their home stand.

 P.Pierce knocked down 13 points in the opening frame, and each of the big three took turns making key shots, leading to a 59-41 first half.

 R.Allen did most of his damage in the 2nd. quarter, while K.Garnett, just one game after returning from a 2 week layoff, took up the scoring in the 2nd and 3rd stanzas, finishing with a high of 21 points in three quarters, while Pierce finished with 20.

 The bench did the rest of the damage, as the starters sat out the 4th frame [ Shaq was injured after the first 6 minutes and didn't return ] .

 G.Davis had his usual solid 15 pt. game and 7 rebounds, while rookie S.Erden finished with a season high 14 points and pulled down 7 rebounds.

 The team was on fire tonight, and the major difference was Garnett, who played with confidence and was his usual dominating force on defence, as well as offence, as we held Utah to about 40% shooting, while we shot 55%..

 These are the Celtics that we know and love.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix.

Now that Von Wafer and Delonte Wests contracts are guaranteed to the end of the year, it's possible to begin the game of- what if?

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" The sky is falling, the sky is falling " and the Celtics are collapsing ; at least, that is what one would believe after reading the majority of comments after a losing game, or even a game that was a close, but ugly win. One would think this is the team that was playing in 2006 -7, when there was justifiable reason for all the negativity.

Please, folks, let's put things in perspective.

The starting center for the team, Perkins, has not played this season at all.

The all star point guard, Rondo, has been injured for much of the season, and has been playing injured, until his last injury, which has now sidelined him for the past seven games, and hopefully, for another few games, until he's healed [ we don't want another Brandon Roy, right ? ].

The replacement center Shaq- an aging, but future hall of famer, is limited today, in the number of minutes he can give to the team [ about 15-20 per game ] with the hope he'll be healthy when it really counts- the PLAYOFFS.

The other replacement center / power forward, by the same surname as the aforementioned, a former all star, has been injured and out for nineteen games, and has just recently re-joined the rotation. As evidenced by this last game, he is slowly regaining his timing, which takes a while, after being out for more than 1/2 the games already played.

The back up point guard/ shooting guard, West, has a broken wrist, and had played only a handful of games, prior to his injury.

The replacement point guard, Robinson, is not a true point guard, and will never be one- he lacks court vision - either you have it, or you don't. He never will.

Once West returns, Robinson can come off the bench as a volatile shooting guard, which is his true function.

As for Daniels, he's already backing up three positions, and has been pretty effective, as of late, but he's needed more as a key back up to Pierce and Allen, so that they can get some much needed rest.

In spite of this rash of injuries to KEY PERSONNEL, the team has managed to play remarkably well, and even managed a 14 game winning streak along the way.

Now Garnett has gone down with an injury, that should keep him out of the line up for a couple of weeks, and possibly more.

His back up, Davis, is now the starter, but let's face it- he's Garnett's back up for a reason; while Davis has been great off the bench, he's no Garnett, and never will be.

We have now lost a couple of games, that under ordinary, for us , circumstances [ where only a third of the team is out with injuries, it seems ] we could have, or should have won- one being a two point loss, owing to a few missed plays.

Until Rondo and Garnett return, and are playing at full speed again, expect some more losses like the last few along the way, particularly with all the back to backs coming up.

As it is, Allen and Pierce are playing extended minutes, as right now, there are NO NORMAL rotations. Doc Rivers has to make constant adjustments on a day to day basis, which means that there is no continuity to any of the rotations, as most of these made up rotations don't get the chance to practice as a unit.

All that we can do, Celtics fans, is to try to understand and accept that with 3/5 OF THE STARTING LINE UP sidelined, and subs taking their place, that the team can not function as a championship team. Let's face it- the sky is not falling.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix.

 The Cs- A great training ground for rookies.

 That'll probably get a lot of laughs from Cs fans, considering that a lot of rookies have come and gone over the past few seasons, with the majority of them having had very little playing time.

 Many Cs fans may consider it to be a graveyard for rookies, as Doc Rivers tends to utilize rooks in game situations as little as possible, unless absolutely necessary [ such as these past weeks, owing to the incredible string of injuries ].

 I look at it this way: There are a handful of teams in the NBA, the Celtics being one of them, San Antonio another, e.g., that have a] a team mentality, and b] the personnel to back it up, that is to say, a core of established stars and super stars, who the rookies get to learn from, and gain invaluable advice and experience in practice.

These are the teams that are able to bring their rookies along slowly, allowing them to go through a learning curve.

Many of the other teams, who don't have that type of leadership, are literally forced to throw their rookies into a sink or swim situation [ a majority of those teams are losing teams, with few available options ].

Of course, the draft has a lot to do with that premise, as a handful of rookies come into the NBA who are ready to become stars, literally from the beginning of their careers [ Larry Bird - Celtics ; Tim Duncan- San Antonio e.g. ] and become franchise players.

However, those are the exception to the rule. A majority of draftees require a learning curve, and it is on teams like the Celtics and San Antonio today, who have a group of established stars, who are able to take the time and bring along the rookies, [ or get rid of them, if it becomes obvious that they have no future with the team ] until such time as they're able to prove themselves in the heat of battle.

Take Semih Erden as an example. If the O'Neals hadn't been sitting with injuries, he never would have had the playing minutes that he's being given, and to the fans, it would have taken longer to see his potential for the future. However, as K.Garnett pointed out, Erden has been doing great in practice, since he's had to practice on a regular basis against guys like Shaq and Jermaine and himself, gaining experience that is paying dividends already.

We've now been able to see his potential [ once he's had his shoulder repaired, and adds some bulk, he should have a good future with the Cs, hopefully, or another team down the road ].

Another Cs example would be G. Davis- aka B.B.D. As a rookie who was drafted late, he came to the Cs in the Ray Allen trade. His minutes were very limited during his first couple of seasons, and then he had to fill in for Garnett after his injury. He was then able to show his worth, owing to the experience he had gained from the all star veterans, and has been able to become a force off the bench today.

Take into consideration as well, that teams like the Cs seldom get really high draft picks these years - when is the last time they had a no.1 pick, e.g..? and since franchise players only come along every so often, the next best thing is having that core of star veterans who are able to bring the rookies to the next level, and there is no better core of all star veterans than those on the Celtics, position for position to do just that.

 Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

The building of a championship team [ a.k.a. the genius of Danny Ainge, with a hearty thank you to Kevin McHale ]

While much of this has already been written about before, there are some insights that I felt could be added, which adds to D.Ainge's growing legend as a behind the scenes mastermind.

The last few years have truly been exciting ones for Boston Celtics fans, as we developed from a team going nowhere, in 2006-7, to a team that has won a championship one year, got k'od in the playoffs the following year due to a key injury, and barely lost in the final the following season, owing to another key injury.

Championship teams don't just spring up overnight [ although some may claim that this is what happened with the Cs ]. They're built, like a building, brick by brick, block by block.

Prior to the key acquisitions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, a number of moves were made by Ainge in the preceeding years that led up to the team being what it is today.

It was interesting to me as a long time, long suffering Cs fan, to delve into the myriad transactions that brought us to the level we are at today, and to provide some insight as to why, how and what transpired, and to what eventually happened to those Ainge traded away, or shipped out, in order to get where we are today..

When Ainge took over as director of basketball operations, the team was a Pitino mess, going nowhere except downhill, at an ever increasing speed, like a runaway train out of control.

The 2003 draft brought us Kendrick Perkins, [ building block no.2 - we already had Paul Pierce, as the no. 1 building block ] as the 27th pick, via Memphis, along with Marcus Banks, in exchange for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones.

The 2004 draft was a bonanza, bringing Al Jefferson in the 15th slot, with Delonte West and Tony Allen, at 24 and 25 respectively.

In the 2005 draft, Ainge made one of his few blunders in choosing Gerald Green with the 18th pick, but did acquire Ryan Gomes at no.50.

The 2006 draft saw the acquisition of Rajon Rondo [ building block no.3 ] who was picked by Phoenix and traded to Boston along with Brian Grant, in exchange for Boston's 1st rd. pick - they took Rudy Fernandez, who is now toiling away as a bench player for Portland. More than that, the rights to Rondo were originally traded away by- guess who? The L.A. Lakers [ could they have used him these past years, I ask you? How sweet it is.]

Our own pick at no.7 that year was Randy Foye, who was promptly traded away and the Cs received Sebastian Telfair as part of that exchange.

Leon Powe came to us via a trade for another 2nd rd. pick that year.

What started out as a disappointing 2007 draft [ we lost the first three picks-the ping pong ball fate ] and wound up with no.5 - Jeff Green [ today , a key player for Oklahoma City ] but managed to trade him, along with Wally Szczerbiak, [ no longer playing ] and Delonte West [ who is back with the Cs ] for Ray Allen [ building block no.4 ] and a bonus, who has proven to be an up and coming key player, Glen B.B. Davis, who today, has become a force off the bench [ could easily considered to be building block no.6, as in sixth man ].

 Enter Kevin Garnett [ building block no.5 ] who had initially refused to depart the shores of Lake Minnekaka [ a.k.a. Minnesota T' Wolves ] and the blockbuster trade by Ainge that brought the final piece of the upcoming championship team to Boston. McHale received, in exchange for Garnett;  Al Jefferson, who now plies his double-double with the Jazz; Ryan Gomes, a bench player today with the hapless L.A. Clippers; Gerald Green, who is leaping tall buildings somewhere, but not in the NBA; Theo Ratliff, today an end of bench player with the Lakers, no less; Sebastian Telfair, who has managed to hang with Minnesota as a reserve, after being traded back and forth a few times since; and two so far, forgettable 2009 1st rd. draft choices,

The starting five was now complete, but Ainge hadn't quite finished, as the bench had serious shortcomings, which he began to redress. He signed Eddie House and James Posey that summer, and during the winter months, snagged P.J. Brown, after another summer signing, Scot Pollard, was lost with an injury.

To reiterate, we've had the great and good fortune in the past three seasons to a] win one championship ; b] led the Eastern conference in wins the following year, only to fall in the playoffs, owing to the loss of Garnett, and Leon Powe [ a bench player who provided key minutes ] to injuries; and c] a horrendous loss in the last finals [ after defying all the odds just to get there ] owing to the loss of K. Perkins.

This brings us to the current season, and our quest for banner no. 18.

Another key pickup that Ainge made late last season, that has been proving itself so far this season, was the signing of Nate Robinson, in exchange for Eddie House, [ at the end of his career with Miami ] Bill Walker, [ toiling away off the bench in N.Y.] and J.R. Giddens [ who has disappeared from the NBA ].

With Perkins out until at least after the All Star break, Ainge went back to work this summer, and with extremely limited funds, managed to keep Doc Rivers at the helm, re-signed Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and then managed to lure the O'Neals and D.West to join the team, while signing Semih Erden, a 60th 2008 draft pick, who played the last couple of seasons in Turkey.

 We are now well on our way to banner no.18, with an excellent  19-4 record to start the season.

While there have been a few turkeys that have been signed and subsequently released, or traded during Ainge's tenure, the majority of the moves that he has made show him to be one of the elite general managers of the NBA.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

After watching our Celtics deliver a thrashing to the Denver squad last night [ ending at close to 5 a.m. over here ] I was intrigued to see K. Garnett move swiftly over to the Denver side and appear to embrace and exchange words with George Karl.

Only in today's reports from a number of sources, including Celtics Blog's Jay King, did I ascertain that Garnett was making an apology to Karl, with regard to the ' Cancer ' statements that were blown out of all proportion by the media, that stemmed from an on court incident, that should have stayed there.

Off the court, Garnett appears to be a gentleman, a devoted family man and a decent human being, [ from the little I've seen and read of his personal life ]. This is the Dr. Jekyll side of his personality [ recently, there was an excellent, albeit short lived tv program emanating from the UK on the subject, using a modern version of the descendant of Jekyll- Hyde, two men who share the same body, one a devoted family man, and the other, who can become a raging maniac with incredible strength and agility. ]

On the court, is there any doubt that Garnett becomes a totally different person- the Hyde in his character, so to speak? His on court actions and antics demonstrate the change that he seems to undergo whenever he approaches the confines of a basketball court.

Although he isn't a certified raging lunatic, he becomes like a person obsessed, and woe to anyone who approaches him the wrong way, whether opponent or even team mate, when he's in Hyde mode, particularly during a game [ I haven't seen any practices, so perhaps someone who has seen him at those times can add to this ].

He demonstrates not only heightened powers while on the court, but also turns into a snarling --in your face- pitbull, who looks as though he's gone into attack mode, who is ready to tear someone's head off, if need be, in order to win the game.

All I can say is, more power to our Mr. Hyde, during the games, as he is the one who lights the fire under the team.

 Let him be Dr. Jekyll before and after the games, but bring his Hyde persona to all our games, as he is our Mr. Hyde, and we need him to win banner no.18 at least.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

When our Cs take to the arena and play an inspired game- total team effort on the part of the starting five- as they have done during this latest winning streak, there are very few teams who will be able to keep up with them.

This latest was a rout in every sense of the word, [ in spite of some terrible 3 pt. shooting [ 1-9 ], and a 12 shot differential in free throws against us ], which included a last second 3 point garbage shot to close the gap to only 12 pts. for the final score.

Rondo has been setting a frenetic pace in dishing out the assists, in spite of his playing with injuries, albeit non-major ones [ we all keep our fingers crossed whenever we see him hit the deck, as he has become the glue that binds this team in a cohesive way ] and has a killer instinct when going in for his patented lay-up to keep the opposition defense honest.

Garnett has been playing with reckless abandon this season, and apart from his now being completely healed- finally, my impression is that he's thoroughly enjoying the experience of playing with Shaq, which rubs off in other areas. He's back to being the great defensive prescence that has been his mainstay for so many years, and with the knowledge that any one of his team mates is able to be a scoring threat at any time, that pressure has been removed from him. Double team him today at your peril.

Allen remains an incredible player, who continues to run rings around those guarding him, who are at least a decade younger, and while he has the occasional off shooting night, he can almost always be counted on to come up with a key shot at the right time, in order to help carry the team to victory, while his defence has improved tremendously over the past seasons.

Pierce is ' The Truth ' and our captain continues to manage to take over games when he has to, which happens with less frequency than in past seasons, as this is one team that plays as a unit.

Shaq has been a revelation to all the nay sayers who had him washed up, but at 38 and counting, he has been showing everyone why he's one of the greatest to ever play this game. ' He's got game '

Owing to injuries- O'Neal, West, Perkins- the second unit is still struggling and have not been playing to their full potential, but have still been managing to just about hold their own.

I'm looking forward to the time when all, hopefully, will be healthy, as that will be one unstoppable team. The Celtics are on the move to banner no. 18.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

This is a topic that keeps cropping up in my mind, and I finally decided to write about it.

Time and again, we've been seeing one injury after another either hamper a team's progress in the NBA, or decimate the team for a forseeable future, depending on who is injured, at any given time, and for how long a period.

A few random examples of many: Yao ming- Houston [ finished any hopes of a decent playoff run without him ]; Greg Oden [ from injury to injury, his future looks very uncertain ]; Elton Brand, Carlos boozer, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, Will Bynum, Kendrick Perkins [ possibly cost us banner no.18 ], and just yesterday Delonte West, who will be out with a compound wrist fracture [ compound- not simple, which means months lost, if not the season ].

I could go on and on, with a growing list of relatively minor and not so minor injuries that happen to many, if not all of the teams, at one point or another.

Apart from the NBA, is there any major sport that does not have some type of back up system, in order to help a team out when these types of injuries take place? In the NBA, there are 15 spots on the team roster, and that, basically, is that.

In major league baseball, teams have their farm system, and when someone, or more, gets on the disabled list, depending on the seriousness and length of injury, a call up is made for one or more players, and the game continues. There have even been notable cases in baseball, e.g., when a player filled in for an injured player, where he wound up taking his spot in the line up.

The NHL - hockey, where injuries take place on a regular basis, the farm system once again keeps the game going at a very high level [ sometimes there's a hit, and sometimes a miss, with regard to the reserve called up, but the game goes on ].

In the NFL, there's the taxi squad, which forms a full time practice unit with the main team, and when injuries take place, sometimes a member of the taxi squad gets to shine, and even make the team.

It has bothered me no end, that the NBA is the only major sport that has no real injury reserve system. Yes, there is the D- league, but rather than being able to put a player on a disabled list for 2 weeks, a month, 3 months, or even a season, and being able to draw on the D-league as needed, a roster spot has to be cleared. [ That means, that the injured team has to either keep an injured player on the roster, or remove him from the roster. ] The long term injury exception is the only real possibility to bring in another player, but that's only due to a season ending injury.

I believe that it is essential that a team with an injured player, should be able to bring in a replacement on a temporary basis, for as long as needed, and be able to return said player to his team in the D-league after that period is over. More than that, it should be possible for an injured player to be able to be sent to the D-league, in order to help him regain his form, even if for a brief period. This would of course depend on both the caliber of the player, and an executive decision on the part of the team.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

To my extreme dismay, I had to forego the pleasure of watching The Celtics annihilation of the Hawks owing to a previous commitment to be awakened at 7a.m. for a police assignment [ the game over here only starts after 2:30 a.m., and  lasts until anywhere up to 5:30 a.m. ++, and I did need some Zs before reporting for duty ].

 It was a distinct pleasure going over the results of the game, which showed a total domination of a team that had beaten our Cs four times last year in the regular season.

 A combination of pride and anger can be an intense motivational factor, and  apparently this is what finally happened.

 Hopefully, this combination can be bottled and poured out prior to each game, with each member of the team getting a good pick-me-up.

 Unfortunately, I had no such prior commitments for the weekend games, and was forced to endure the torturous sight of my beloved Cs deciding to take a weekend vacation for the greater part of those two games [ oh, if I only had the foresight to know when to take a vacation as well from watching, it would have been much better for my health - the blood pressure has a tendency to go through the roof during extended periods of abysmal play, and since I'm already almost bald, I can no longer tear out tufts of my hair during these periods ].

 Now that we're on a one game roll, here's hoping that the P and A [ prideful and angry ] Cs show up during the next few games [ both for the sake of the standings , and the state of my health ].

 On another note, it was nice to see the Heat getting beaten up yet again [ our old friend, E. House had a zero night, after having a big game previously -still hot and cold; while another old friend, J.Posey helped in the victory against the Heat. Suffice to say, that Nate Robinson is turning out to be another of D.Ainge's better moves, when he traded for House [ although House was there for us, when we needed him ].

 
Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

Although the Celtics should have been going at an 11-0 clip, we'll have to settle for the 9-2 start, and continue to build on that.

The real K.Garnett is alive and well, and appears to be back to his 2008 form, while P.Pierce has been the player that we know and love [ injury free, that is ] while R.Allen continues to defy Father Time. The Big Three of 2008 are once again healthy, and that is going to be one of the main keys to banner no. 18.

R.Rondo has come of age during the past few seasons, and can be considered one of the few really elite point guards in the game today, [ if not ' the elite ' ] which he would be without any hesitation, if he would develop a consistent jump shot [ which has shown improvement ] and a propensity to actually sink some free throws. [ Rondo, take note- Shaq's free throw shooting is putting yours to shame, and that's saying a lot ].

While our ' beast ' Perk, at center is out healing, having a first round guaranteed hall of famer, Shaq., replace him, even for limited minutes has proven to be a stroke of genius on Ainge's part. ' Big Baby ' has come of age, and has been a force off the bench, for the most part, while S.Erden, the hitherto unknown Turk, has shown potential to help fill in the minutes, and looks to have a future with the club, albeit as an excellent sub.

J. O'Neal is still a question mark- health wise, but if his condition improves, we'll have sufficient strength and length at center and power forward to handle anyone.

Our second unit, now that D. West is back, should be able to hold their own with many teams first units, and will be given the opportunity to prove it. [ Welcome home, Delonte - this is where you belong ].

As long as the rash of injuries that have already occurred remain relatively minor ones during the rest of the season, then we'll be well on the way to having home court advantage during the playoffs [ and you know what? It does matter, no matter what some people may say ].

The complacency that became a disease last year during the regular season appears to be a thing of the past, as this team is out to show the rest of the NBA that we're the team to beat, and not the team to beat on, particularly at home.

' Sheed ', thanks for the playoff memories last year, but please, stay retired.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix.

What was most noticeable to me about the Cs last nights near blowout win over the Miami Heat was the obvious total team effort, both on offense and almost always on defense. Rajon Rondo has become the driving force behind the team effort, and makes it look easy. He has become the floor commander, and directs the defense with precision along with Garnett, as well as the offense, and this has become a very well oiled machine, with all of the players knowing their roles and carrying them out to perfection, give or take the occasional misstep.

 The first half left the Heat scorched, as their individual style of play was no match for the Cs team effort. It reached the point that the Cs briefly had a 22 point advantage, but were unable to sustain the momentum, as a number of dubious fouls were called against them, and slowly allowed Miami to creep back into the game. One, in particular, of several, was so ludicrous, that I had to laugh out loud, when Shaq, who stood his ground, with arms wide, unmoving, was called for a shooting foul, instead of James being called for a charge. There were several calls, that were, to be very charitable, would be considered poorly judged, but that seems to be the cross that the Cs will have to bear all season, as they play an aggressive defense.

Ray Allen ran rings around Dwyanne Wade, having one of his best games of this early season, while Wade's game went in the other direction. It's obvious that Wades and James style don't complement each other, but rather is a cause of conflict at this point in time. For Miami to succeed, one of them will have to change his style of play, if that will be possible at this stage in their careers. Chris Bosh seems to be a fifth wheel so far, and while he is a scorer [ or has been in the past ], he has never been a two way player, and offers no defense [ posterized by Rondo's dunk would be one example ].

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had an exemplary game, both offensively and defensively, and when Rondo dishes 16 assists and the Big Three knock down 76 points between them, it'll be hard for any team to match them.

As I've already mentioned the officiating, I won't bother with a 4th quarter breakdown, which at times looked like a circus [ or the theater of the absurd ] but the Cs prevailed. More power to them, although a number of defensive lapses did take place as well, or the game wouldn't have been nearly as close as it seemed to become.

Solid team play wil overcome great individual efforts almost every time. Go Celtics.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix

It's been quite a while since I've been able to sit down and write anything about my beloved Cs, which dates all the way back to the horrendous finish of the seventh game of that final- I have to admit that shellshocked would be a fair way to express how I felt at the time, and for most of the following months, which should give you some idea about  my feelings, when it comes to the Celtics losing.

 That said, I have to admit that Danny Ainge did a superlative job over the summer by retaining the services of Pierce ,Allen and Doc Rivers and strengthening the bench on a very, very limited budget. The O'Neal tandem will certainly help us bring a belated banner # 18, and I'm certain that Delonte West, [ if he stays on his meds ] will add a great deal of stability to a potentially lethal 2nd unit [ all of this  will of course depend on the state of the health of  this aging squad of veterans ]. To date, we've already experienced a rash of injuries, which throws the timing off of some of the team.

 Now that I'm actually able to watch every game, thanks to Firstrow, etc.,  [ or almost every game, as it sometimes becomes difficult to stay awake until almost five a.m. over here for most games ] I'll be able to comment on what I actually see during the season.

The last few games have been tough to watch, as the Cs have squandered leads time and again, but have somehow managed to win, a close call against N.Y., and the last two overtime games.  Defensively, at times, when the 2nd unit is in, there seems to be a real disconnect to the plays that are taking place, but that will likely change when Shaq gets back, and when West's punishment will be over.

My comments last season about the second game of back to backs holds even truer this year, with the veterans now a full year older [ it'll be a really tough ride for them the second game ] and we'll likely see that in the coming two away games. Hopefully, they'll come away with at least one win.

If Rondo does have plantar faschitis, I hope it's a really mild case, as I've experienced it myself, on more than one occasion, and was reduced to using crutches for a week on one occasion.

I've finally reached the point where I no longer have to shut the tv or computer down when I see a Lakers celebration from last year, [ more or less ] and am looking forward to banner no. 18 - GO CELTICS.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix

During the previous series against Miami, Cleveland and Orlando, the Celtics have had at least one terrible game during each series. That is now ancient history, along with all the problems the Cs went through during the regular season, all of which has been well documented during the season and post season playoffs.

The Finals:

 Game 1 saw us lose to the home team, but in Game 2- we saw the Cs bounce back to take home court advantage away from the Lakers,behind the incredible shooting of Ray Allan, the remarkable leadership of Rajon Rondo, and a rejuvenated bench.

 Game 3-Moving over to Boston,  the Lakers came on strong and the Cs looked bad losing  - a loss that should have been avoided, as Ray Allan went from hero to goat with an 0-13 effort.

 Game 4- Boston evened up the series with a combination of strong defensive play and solid offense, leading to six players in double figures, with the bench having a huge night, as BBD and Robinson combined for 30 pts.

 Game 5- What can I say?  [ I figured that game 5 would be close and won by the Celtics, and said so ] It was a fantastic team defensive effort that gave us the much needed victory, along with the ' big four ' providing almost all the offensive punch, while offsetting an incredible scoring performance by Bryant. During his remarkable third period scoring outburst, where he scored the first 19 points for the Lakers, with a number of jaw dropping shots, [ I could only shake my head in amazement at some of them ] the Cs, led by our captain, ' The Truth ' Pierce, fought back and, not only managed to stay even, but actually increased the lead. The Cs never folded in the 4th quarter, although there were some shaky moments, and Jackson's words came back to haunt him.

 [ I won't go into the officiating during the five games, and  there have been a number of inconsistencies, but suffice to say that when the refs let the teams play, the action is a lot better. After the horrendous officiating in game 1, the refs for the most part, have minimized the calls, and lets hope they allow the teams to play without their interference. We pay to see the players play, and not to see the refs dominate the game- take note, Stern ].

Game 6- who will show up to lead the Celtics to banner no. 18? Until now, every game that we have won, has seen at least two of the  ' big four ' show up. This game is for all the marbles, and winning a 2nd game in a row in LA, and 3rd game in a row this series, won't be a cakewalk. 

 What has been shown during all of the series the Cs have played to date, and during the games in this series, is that even when the offense is sputtering at times, and for long periods as well, when we're able to play a lock-down defense, then the odds will always favor the Celtics, and this is the type of game I'm hoping that the Cs will play tonight.

 I'm looking to see K.G. hound Gasol into the ground, while Ray Allan and Tony Allan combine to wear down K. Bryant, as much as that can be humanly possible [ give credit where credit is due- he is an incredible player ]

 Ray Allan will finally break out of his 0- too many threes, and the bench will provide some solid minutes in order to give the starters some breathing space, and the team will do what it does best, in a workmanlike manner-   ' take care of business '. Banner no, 18- here we come.

 GO CELTICS.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix.

website: Lygafe- Behind the Lens

email: lygaffen@yahoo.com

After reading this diatribe by Ted Green that supposedly passed for a sports article, via the Bleacher Report that was recently published by the LA Times ,  I felt it incumbent to share it with the Celtics faithful, to give Celtics fans a taste of the type of hate that can be expected out in LA.

Apart from that writer's incessant whining  about the Celtics, without displaying any facts,  his hate posting takes it to a new level of personal insult, to Paul Pierce, no less, by referring to the time he was almost murdered in 2000. Only after being taken to task by numerous media outlets for the grossest taste possible, he has the temerity to say that he should " probably apologize ".

Some mea culpa on his part- the man has no shame, whatsoever. 

This was sports hatchetry of the worst kind, without a positive thing to say about both the style and content of Ted Green's so-called writing.  As a sports writer, I was appalled by this shoddy piece of tripe, and as a Cs fan, I was livid.

Hopefully, the entire Celtics team will have that type of hate writing about them posted on their respective lockers in big, bold letters, and that if any more incentive would be needed for them to go out and get number 18, that would be it.

"Ted Green: Your guide to hating the Celtics"

"Lakers and Celtics.

The NBA's two most storied franchises, two of the most famous organizations in sports history, with 32 titles between them, more than half of the 63 that the NBA has bestowed, meeting in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years and 12th time overall. This amazing, heated rivalry goes back 51 years, to 1959, Elgin Baylor's rookie year; that was the first time they met in the Finals with Bob Cousy's Celtics beating the Minneapolis Lakers, two years before the Lakers moved to L.A.

As a tribute to half a century of antagonism, antipathy, jealousy, mutual animosity and maybe, just maybe, the most grudging kind of respect that will never be acknowledged, but mostly because the Lakers' record in these colossal championship confrontations is an astoundingly embarrassing 2-9, we present today, as a public service to Lakers' fans the world over . . . 

A Guide to Hating the Celtics!

We begin with two storylines, premises, really, that you must understand up front:

1)  The Celtics cry. They cry more than Best Actress winners at the Oscars. They cry like every game is a wedding. Every time a call goes against them, there will be more tears than Kleenex can handle. They cry even after they have to dial 911 to mop up some fallen opponent who's been mugged and beaten within an inch of his life.

2)  The Celtics also foul. They foul on every play. They foul everyone, from stars to scrubs. They foul as a strategy. They foul as a style. They foul as a tradition. They foul hard and they foul incessantly. They foul just for the fun of fouling. They probably foul their own bus driver on the way to the arena.

Now, so you can hate them properly and profoundly, here they are, the Boston Celtics:

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No. 34, Paul Pierce: He is their best scorer and a load for anyone to guard, including Ron Artest. But the Celtics' captain flops more than a large-mouthed bass taking his last breath while dangling from a fishing line at the end of a pier. Every time Pierce shoots, he acts like he's been hit by a train. Usually, he hasn't been touched. Two years ago, he fell during the Finals against the Lakers and went off in a wheelchair. An actual wheelchair! Five minutes later, he was dropping three-pointers all over TD Banknorth Garden. He actually came back into the game with the music from "Rocky" blaring over the public-address system. Yo, Paulie, that was such a bad con job, Sylvester Stallone is a better actor than your are.  If you'll be seeing him for the first time, you'll hate him before the first quarter of Game 1 is even close to over, guaranteed. And by the way, Pablo, your headband is usually crooked. [For the record: An earlier version of this post contained an inappropriate comment about Pierce relating to an incident in 2000 in which he was stabbed repeatedly. That comment should not have been published and has been removed.]

“Paul Pierce’s idea of a fun night is going clubbing and getting stabbed. Good times!”

Speaking on the Planet Mikey Show Monday night, KTLA’s Ted Green said that he should “probably apologize for” the line he wrote referencing Paul Pierce’s stabbing in his column for the LA Times.

No. 5, Kevin Garnett: Last you may have seen him, he was goin' all Karate Kid upside the arms of Dwight Howard in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Hey, K.G., who's your instructor, Mr. Miyagi? Garnett is, or maybe was, a great player, Hall of Fame caliber, but once he joined the Celtics, he officially became annoying, arrogant and insufferable, like the rest of them. He is now impossible to root for in any manner. His emotional tearfest in the immediate aftermath of the Celtics' '08 Finals win over the Lakers remains today one of the truly legendary and awkward postgame microphone meltdowns. One more good cry, which is what you always expect from a Celtic. 

No. 20, Ray Allen: This guy is one of the greatest jump shooters in basketball history. Totally clutch. And he may have the prettiest stroke ever. Money when it matters. He's also a heckuva nice guy, even though his momma stands up too much and looks like she's even cockier than K.G. I know I'm not giving you any reason to hate him, but never forget the overriding issue: that damn green uniform.

No. 43, Kendrick Perkins: This guy looks meaner than Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guarded the gates of Hades. You get scared just looking at his picture on Google images. He looks like he would shove his grandma in the middle of the back if it meant getting a rebound. Perkins has the offensive skill set of your average blacksmith or lumberjack. Instead, he does what can euphemistically be called a lot of the dirtywork for the Celtics, dirty being the operative word. He'll have six fouls by the second quarter, two of which are called. He is also a human moving screen. He sets the only pick in the NBA where the player is actually running full-speed into the man he's screening. This is very often not called a foul, just because he's a Celtic. He is prone to getting technical fouls, usually immediately after waking up in the morning.

No. 9, Rajon Rondo. This is the point guard who is faster than any Laker. He's an emerging star and acts like it, too. If he were any more conceited, he'd dribble with his left hand and carry a hand-mirror with his right. He preens more than TV news anchors. If he has a weakness, other than the villainous franchise he suits up for, it's his shooting. He has trouble making open five-footers in empty gyms, much less full arenas. Just remember this kid is, like, 8 years old and already as arrogant as the rest of them.

No. 30, Rasheed Wallace. This old grump has been an unmitigated pain since he came into the league.   He has two emotions: angry and mad. The technical fine money he's paid could fund many third World countries. He's also at least 52 years old. In every game, bar none, he will a) commit the most obvious foul ever; b) cry to the ref and then, c) act like the whole world is against him. Which, in fact, it is.

No. 11, Glen Davis. They call this one Big Baby. Right on both counts. Right now he's about two Krispy Kremes shy of Stanley Roberts, who ate himself out of the league. If he and Perkins and 'Sheed and KG have 24 fouls between them, trust me on this, they will use all 72.

And now, in the names of Rondo and Hondo, plus the Jones boys, that hatchet, Tommy Heinsohn, the butcher Dave Cowens, that Rambis killer McHale and even Larry Legend and the infernal Cigar, Red Auerbach himself, the NBA Finals are still five days away and I already hate every one of them to pieces.

--Ted Green"

 Go Celtics - bring banner number 18 back to Boston.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix.

website: Lygafe- Behind the Lens

email: lygaffen@yahoo.com

 Lygaffen at   http://forums.internationalhockey.net/

As an avid Celtics fan, who has followed them since the time that Larry Bird turned Boston upside down and re-instilled Celtics pride to the team, I always have these nagging doubts that crop up, particularly when things are going too well, that somehow, we're going to come a cropper.

It has happened to the Cs time and again over the years, and there are too many examples of that to bring up now, as a knowledgeable Cs fan base is all too well aware of what I'm referring to.

It started with game four, when we fumbled our way into overtime, and managed to snatch defeat from the gaping jaws of victory. My heart sank at that point, having the feeling of impending doom, with the feeling that we would blow game five big-time, after that let down in game four.

Unfortunately, my fears were justified, and I couldn't even bring myself to watch the game, but the occasional score checks bore out what was happening, and I just hoped that we would emerge although bloodied, but unbowed, in order to take game six at home.

Disaster then reared its ugly head once more, with Perkins being ejected, which meant an automatic game suspension for number six. Then, to add injury to insult, Davis was concussed to the point where he didn't know which country he was in, and then  Daniels was concussed as well, and Rasheed came down with back spasms. [ that would leave us with, um Williams and Scalabrine to cover howard in their place- if that's not impending doom, I don't know what is ].

To my immense relief, and a somewhat lessening of the sense of impending disaster, Perkins had a technical rescinded, [ neither of which I thought he should have received in the first place ] and both BBD and Wallace were declared able to play..

 Now my only thought, prior to the game, was, how are they going to come out- with a bang and get things rolling, which I hoped for, or a whimper, with our guys nursing their injuries?

They came out with hustle and drive, and a smothering defense to go along with some very timely shooting [ a game I watched from beginning to the very last whistle] to take a commanding lead in the opening quarter, until- disaster [ yup, it was waiting for the right moment to happen ] struck!!!! Rondo, our 46 minute a game star point guard and director of our offense [ not to mention along with a  pretty strong defensive game ] was hammered.

My heart dropped to ground zero, and I'm sure I had a mild heart attack on the spot, but kept watching, although I felt that the gods were playing games with us mere mortals, and were teasing and testing us.

Lo and behold, Robinson came in and took over where Rondo left off, and the Cs actually inreased the lead while he was in action [ the thunder and lightning missed us, the rain stopped falling, and the clouds began to clear up during this period ].

Prior to half time, when we had given back some of the points, and Howard was beginning to dunk with increasing ease, I kept shouting at the tv- foul him/ hit him hard- make Howard work for every point, as his dunks are almost a 100% guaranty, while his free throws are only a bit over 50%. [ Besides, he deserved to be hammered, for his style of play, where he hammers others, and is seldom called for it ].

After the break, the team defense held and Allen and Pierce made key 3 pointers to put the game out of reach. I began to start breathing again at around the three point mark, knowing that it would take an immense disaster  to happen to snatch this well earned victory from our heroes.

Lakers- here we come, and I do want it to be the Lakers, to take back the trophy we loaned them last year  [ and we even have an extra day or two of rest for the banged up bodies to heal a bit ].

Please, Doc, have porters carry the suitcases for the guys, and watch over them like a mother hen until the opening whistle.

Banner no.18- here we come. Go Celtics.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen/Fotomix

website: Lygafe- Behind the Lens

email: lygaffen@yahoo.com

During the past season, I've been passionately following each and every game [ mainly on the internet, as I don't have tv access to the majority of the games here, even my radio pass hasn't worked here all season, and there's a conflict in my waking hours and the playing hours, for the most part ] and all of the goings on after each game on Celtics blog and others.

 I've been a semi- regular contibutor to the fanposts and fanshots, with all of the ups and downs that we've been going through during the regular season, and have made a number of comments pertinent to the team and the development thereof- to whit :

1] Way back when, at a time when the season was just getting underway, I raised the subject of the potential effects on the Cs of the back to back games; that they would be tired, less inspired, and would be playing with a lot less energy, owing mainly to the aging of our ' big three' starters and R.Wallace. This, indeed, came to pass.

With the playoffs, this becomes a non-factor, as there is at least two days between each game, and our guys have been rested and ready.

2] Re-signing Glen 'B.B' Davis, after protracted negotiations [ or lack thereof, on behalf of other teams showing an interest in him ] and locking him up for the next two seasons at a price that we can afford [ and hopefully, that he can live with, without being disgruntled ] secured us a power forward with strength, who can handle pretty much whatever is thrown at him. [ Without his idiotic injury, he might have had a terrific season, and could have changed a number of tight losses to wins].

 We managed to snag Rasheed Wallace, no less, who I believe will have a banner year[s] with Boston, and will be playing with a renewed passion for the game. [ Boy, was I wrong about that during the regular season, but what a shift in gears in the playoffs- see DRJ1's fanposts on the subject}.

If Tony Allen can't be traded for anyone, he may yet surprise us [ hopefully, in a good way ] and  demonstrate the talent that at one time we thought he had; if not- farewell.

 BBD after his injury recovery, has exceeded even my hoped for expectations in the playoffs, to date, and while I was wrong about Wallace during the regular season [ see DRJ1's latest and very prescient fanpost- The One (And Only) Theory Of The 2010 Celtics ] he's been proving me right at the right time, and as far as Tony Allan goes- a most welcome  'good' surprise.

3] It's the playoffs that count, and here is where I fully expect the guys who have underwhelmed us up until now, a.k.a. Sheed, etc, will stand up and be counted.

This is a point that I made some time ago, in a fanpost during the weeks leading up to the playoffs, and the optimism that I've tried to be consistent with all during the season has stood me in good stead, and we are now seeing what our Celtics are capable of.

I can't heap enough praise on the continuing development of Rajon Rondo to the ALL Star player he's become, who has now truly become an integral part of the " BIG FOUR ".

Lets close out this series at home, and bring on the Lakers- it's a rematch that I've been looking forward to since they stole [ give them credit # with the asterisk- they earned it last year] our banner no.18.

GO Celtics !!!

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix.

Up until now, a good part of the season has been pretty much of  a roller coaster ride, careening from one set of games that would bring the Celtics faithful to dizzying heights of passion, to be followed by another set of games that would swoop us down to the lowest pits of despair, and at times, even disgust, with a number of so-so games in between, to the point where the fandom didn't know which team would be showing up on any given night.

 Granted, part of what has been happening this season, was somewhat predictable, and has been written about, ad nauseum. Our big three has collectively lost at least a 1/2 step, which was a given, considering their ages, the number of combined minutes that they play each game, etc.

 As well, injuries to key players since Xmas has forced Doc [ "remember, Doc's just a nickname " ] to try different line-ups through most of the last 2/3 of the season, with all of the roller coaster ride taking place after that fantastic beginning 1/3 of the season. In addition, during the past several weeks, two new additions to the club have again  caused somewhat of a rotation alteration, in order to fit the new players into the system.

Much of the fan base has been getting down on the Cs for various reasons, some of which are valid. R. Wallace, IMHO, who I thought would anchor the 2nd team, has had more downs than ups during the regular season, and has been a source of much derision to the fan base. M. Daniels, after his injury and surgery, has just never been the player we hoped to see when he signed, and has just never developed a winning rhythm with the team. BBD spent a good part of the season recuperating from a bonehead injury, and is only now showing some of the form that made him valuable in last year's run. I won't even bother reiterating the injuries to P.Pierce, the lingering injury and aftereffect to Garnett, and Perkins leg problems.

However, in the last handful of games, as up and down as they may have been, we have seen the Cs play with pretty much the rotation we're going to see, come playoff time, and although K.Garnett is still not 100%, he'll be there to give a 100% effort when the time comes.

We now know what and who we have, and from what we have seen so far, this team, when they play at their best, can take on any team in the East and West, [ as shown from their last western swing ] and whether they're the third or fourth seed is irrelevant.

 After the next couple of games to close out the long, drawn out season with far too many back to backs in far too abbreviated periods of time, we will begin round one of the Money Games.

It's the playoffs that count, and here is where I fully expect the guys who have underwhelmed us up until now, a.k.a. Sheed, etc, will stand up and be counted.

I may be an optimist, but I believe that there is no one team that will out and out dominate in this year's playoffs, and that any series will be up for grabs, for the top four teams in the east, and at least the top four, or more teams in the west. Which means that we have a real fighting chance for banner no.18. Could we, in all honesty ask for more than that? Go Celtics.

 Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix

As a long time Celtics fan, one who has followed the team through the triumphs of the Bird years, and the subsequent trials and tribulations of the past two decades, [ mostly trials ] I have a hard time coming to grips with a certain segment of the so-called Cs fan base, who are constantly carping, whining and complaining about every incident that happens over the length of the season, particularly after a loss or more than one.

It took exactly one year for Danny Ainge and co. to turn the entire team around, after years of mediocrity and worse, in order for the Cs to raise banner no.17. Savour that.

 We missed out on no.18, or at least the chance to really compete for it due to a serious injury to K.Garnett last year, but it was still an excellent season, all told.

This season has had its share of ups and downs, and I won't go into all the details all over again, as they're well known to the entire fan base, which include a number of fluke and otherwise injuries and illnesses. In spite of the pitfalls and pratfalls that the team has been going through, we are still a winning team, and if the entire team can stay healthy for the balance of the season and reach the playoffs in good health, we will be able to compete with any of the top teams in the east and west, and will have a decent shot at winning no.18. What more can you possibly demand of a team?

We have potentially the finest starting five in the NBA, helath and injury apart, and potentially the finest bench as well, given the same parameters, which we have not as yet enjoyed this season.

I'm delighted that Ray Allan was not traded in the end, and look forward to the big three hoisting banner no.18, with the torch eventually being passed to Rondo, Perk, and whomever ever else will be in the mix in the coming years.

Eddy House was an excellent asset to the team for the past 2 1/2 seasons, and I'm saddened to see him traded, but hopefully the man who he was traded for, Nate Robinson, will be the spark that lights the fire under the 2nd unit, now that the health conditions have started to clear up.

Remember, when a player is injured and is out for a length of time, it takes time for his rythym to return to what it was before, and it takes time for a line or shift to gain back the tempo. Any player can have a bad game at any given time, and there is just so much criticism and negativity heaped upon a player or unit that is totally unneccessary.

Be positive and enjoy the balance of the season, as it looks to be a very interesting and hard fought one.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix.

Way back when, at a time when the season was just getting underway, I raised the subject of the potential effects on the Cs of the back to back games; that they would be tired, less inspired, and would be playing with a lot less energy, owing mainly to the aging of our ' big three' starters and R.Wallace.

Although they're not the 'over the hill gang' -yet, they have collectively lost at least a half-step, and that should be taken into account during the grind of a season like this, where they've just gone through not just a back to back, but two back to backs in a five day period.

 Let's also take into account that two main links -K.Garnett and R.Wallace- have been missing in action, and are sorely missed, not to mention Daniels, who had been helpful prior to his injury. Glen Davis still hasn't made a complete recovery from his injury, and is still not in the best  condition.

 My point is, that some of these second games should be used to reduce the minutes of Allan and Pierce, particularly when it appears they're having a bad game, and let the youngsters play more. It will give them some much needed experience and exposure to enable the oaching staff to better evaluate them, and give Ainge more of an impetus to make a couple of changes before the trade deadline to shore up a couple of positions.

 This is not the time to have Pierce and Allan pushing close to 40 minutes a game- they'll be double-teamed anyway- well, perhaps not Allan right now, as he seems to be going through an up and down phase [ more down than up]. This is the time to let the bench get down and dirty, and bring some added energy into the game, and to show us whether or not they can cut it.

 Hopefully, Doc Rivers [ who by his own admission, isn't a doctor ] will give the team some much needed medicine and give them a change of pace in these back to backs.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen/Fotomix.

This was not a game to lose, but after a number of home court embarassments, it was beginning to look that way again, all through the first half. However, after seeing a 35 point mid third quarter lead vanish, and have the young Sacramento team beat all the odds the other night with that amazing comeback, I kept my hopes up; after all, we were down ' only  ' 15 at the half.

  Sure enough, the Cs showed us what championship teams can do, even when they're having a collectively bad shooting night. They put the brakes on the Indiana offense, and a couple of key players, mainly P.Pierce and Ray Allan started to get their act together.

The final outcome became inevitable, in my mind, at any rate, when we managed to tie the score by the end of the 3rd. quarter. One main thing that stands out, in my mind, and the statistics will bear me out, is that we had an incredible night at the free throw line, with a better than 92% finishing rate.

Doc Rivers must have taken one of my former messages to heart, and kept R.Rondo and K.Perkins practising at the free throw line for a good number of nights, as they were a combined 12 for 14 from the line. Kudos to both of them for  a fine game. It was also well noted that the turnover rate was down to a minimum- probably their lowest this season. 

Defense and timely offense made the difference this game, and yes, Kevin Garnett was greatly missed. Hopefully, he'll be available for the matchup against Orlando.

Lygafe.

Lionel Gaffen/Fotomix

The win against Miami was not an easy one, with the outcome only decided in the closing minutes of the game.

This seems to have been the pattern of the past few games, with the Cs coming through at crunch time.  Once again, Paul Pierce didn't have to play Superman and carry the team on his back.

Kevin Garnett was the dragon slayer this particular game, as this was definitely his finest game to date this season. Hopefully, it's a sign that he's turned the corner, and that his confidence, along with a deadly mid-range jumper, is finally back in form, to go with his defensive ability.

Fortunately, our Cs atrocious three point shooting was only exceeded by Miami's at least as atrocious shooting from beyond the arc, which balanced that out.

Perkins played a fantastic game, and has been getting progressively better. There is one area in which he and Rondo will have some serious improving to do. Both of them should have to stay behind after a game where they've missed 1/2 their free throws and have to shoot free throws until at least one of them hits ten in a row: of course, that means that they could be up all night on occasion, but I guarantee their game free throws will dramatically improve after a few sessions like that.

Lionel gaffen/ Fotomix

Lygafe

As a Celtics fan who has been following the team through some of the worst seasons in the Cs vaunted history over the years after the Bird era, and has never lost hope, it's annoying to read all the nay-sayers jumping out of the woodwork, when our Cs go through a rough spot, or a development period where a few losses are involved in the new season.

Yes, we finally won banner no.17 two seasons ago, and without the key injury to K.Garnett [ and Leon Powe ] we might well have hung banner no.18 last season. It was not to be, and we all have to move on.

While our bench was strengthened during the past off season, with the additions of R.Wallace, who I was very much in favor of, and still am, M.Daniels -ditto, and Sheldon Williams, an underrated pleasant surprise, it takes time for a group of new players to jell as cohesively and as quickly as they did in 2007-8.

For starters, the team still has not had nearly enough pure practice time, to work out the wrinkles in both their defensive and offensive sets, after having a start of 8 games in a 12 day period. Having a 3-4 day break now between some of the games, will allow the new players to fit in more smoothly, and allow the coaches to actually put them through the drills needed to overcome the lapses during the games. It will also give the coaches more of an opportunity to study the opposing teams, now that a number of games have actually been played, and will allow them to provide that feedback to the players.

I've gone on record as stating in the past,  that the second game of a back to back will be particularly difficult for the Cs, whose older legs will not rebound as quickly as younger legs, after a difficult first game and any subsequent travel- bear that in mind during an 82 game season, that there will be a few of these each month.

The team is a bit older and 1/2 a step slower than the 2007-8 team, and Doc will have to insert some of the younger players to give them some much needed exposure along with providing some rest for the Big Three. That appears to me to be somewhat of a problem with Rivers- a lack of confidence in trying out the younger players, and he may have to bite the bullet and begin to use the assets that are spending their time on the pine.

Yes, the younger and faster teams are going to give the Cs problems all season long, but that is where utilizing a combination of veterans  and youth on the Cs will allow them to overcome almost every team on any given night, both mainly defensively and offensively as well. Defense is still the key to the Cs winning number 18, and it's just a question of getting our house [ no pun intended ] in order.

That's not to say that Danny Ainge isn't trying to work out a deal to bring in some additional help for the team before the final trade deadline. I would venture to say that he's trying to put together a deal or two to shore up a couple of the weaker areas on the team.

In short- quit the crying and self-flagellation after each game that's either a loss or a near loss, like the win against the Knicks.  I never expected a 72 win season, in spite of the hype coming into the new season, and neither should you.

What I do expect, and hope for, is a Celtics team that will be ready and healthy to compete in the spring for banner no.18.

Lygafe

Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix

During the  past two seasons, I followed he Timberwolves, right after the Celtics, of course, in order to see how they were doing; after all, most of the team consisted of former Celtics players. I would laughingly refer to them as the Boston Bees, meaning of course the Boston B squad, and I was pleased when our former players did well.

Tonight, the Bs almost did in our Cs, as it came down to the closing seconds when we managed to eke out a 92-90 win. A bit too close for comfort, from my point of view, as the Bs should not be in the same class as the Cs, on any given night. Credit Rondo for having a super game just when we really needed it.

 What will become clearer as the season wears on, in my opinion, is that the only times the Cs are really going to be challenged will be in the second game of a back to back doubleheader, where travel from one city to the next will take place. Those will be the games that will provide the greatest challenge, particularly if the first game will be a tough one. Allen, Garnett, Wallace and  even Pierce's legs don't have the same resiliency as younger players, and travelling does take its toll, particularly when there's a flight of a few hours involved.

Mark my words. The second game of a back to back will be the most dangerous of times for our Cs, and more so when that second game is an away game, without the emotional surge given by a supporting home crowd.

 Lionel Gaffen/ Fotomix

Lygafe.

As a long time Celtics fan [ since the days of Larry Bird and co.] I looked forward to the opening game against Cleveland, with a great deal of anticipation and some measure of trepidation. After all, when was the last time that our Celtics managed to take a game away from them in their own home? It's hard to remember when.

 When Rasheed Wallace joined the Cs, I wrote about how great a fit he would be, and with the projected signing of M.Daniels, I wrote about how our second unit would now rival many of the other teams first units.

As the preseason wore on,  it looked more and more obvious that my perception was right, and that we would be putting a formidable double team on the parquet this season, for the first time in so many years.

While Pierce and Allan did not have a great shooting night between them, it didn't mean that the team suffered, as it has a number of times in the past, when one or both had an off shooting night. What happened is that the second unit helped pick up the slack during crunch time, and at least for this match, one of the more important ones [ to be proven as the season goes on ] of this young season, clearly demonstrated the combined firepower and overall team effort in bearding the lion in his den.

Lionel Gaffen/Fotomix

Lygafe

As far as I'm concerned, Danny Ainge has done a remarkable job this summer, considering the very limited resources he's had at his disposal.

Let's skip the huge rebuilding summer of 2007, when Ainge pulled off the necessary moves to bring us banner no.17, and bringing delight to the die-hard Boston fans, such as myself, who have waited patiently for, oh these 21   frustrating years.

We'll also skip the recent season, when a key injury - aka K.Garnett's knee, and then Leon Powe's knee injury as well, helped finish us off, albeit not without going down fighting to the last game of the seven game series [ we'll all try to forget the last game- it's too painful to remember ] against Orlando, who made it to the finals in the end. The necessary resources, aka money,  to bring in some much needed help never materialized, and when it came down to Scal being a starter, we knew we were in trouble, with a capital T [ no disrespect to Scal, who gives everything of himself, but let's face it - "himself" is limited ].

 Fast forward to the coming season, with a prayer for a healthy team throughout the playoffs, and I foresee banner no.18 proudly being unfurled at the end of playing time [ most hopefully against the Lakers, in order to show them that 2009 was an abberration ].

 Our starting five, R.Rondo, R.Allen, P.Pierce, K.Garnett and K.Perkins have to be the most formidable starting five in the NBA today.

 Where D.Ainge has performed his magic this summer is in providing a bench that is second to none as well.

Eddie House is coming back, hopefully to see no.19 unfurl after this season as well, and that was a good start, as his key 3 pt. shooting has always added to our game.

Re-signing Glen 'B.B' Davis, after protracted negotiations [ or lack thereof, on behalf of other teams showing an interest in him ] and locking him up for the next two seasons at a price that we can afford [ and hopefully, that he can live with, without being disgruntled ] secured us a power forward with strength, who can handle pretty much whatever is thrown at him.

Our key weakness has been the lack of a big man, who can replace K.Garnett and/or Perk effectively. With the brilliant use of the mid-level exception, we managed to snag Rasheed Wallace, no less, who I believe will have a banner year[s] with Boston, and will be playing with a renewed passion for the game. He, along with 'B.B', will anchor the second team, and will, at times, be a starter, instaed of Perk, e.g., depending on the team we'll be facing.

Marquis Daniels, who still remains unsigned, but has committed to playing for Boston, will be a very helpful back up for any one of three positions, but will mainly be used to fill in for Pierce and Allan, while in a pinch, can go for a few minutes together with House, as a Rondo fill-in.

Having that second team strength and versatility will allow Doc Rivers the luxury  of doing some experimenting with new signees such as Sheldon Williams, and perhaps a trial period with Lester Hudson.

If both J.R.Giddens and Bill Walker remain with the squad, they will have an extra year under their belts, and will be anxious to show that they belong, not just in the NBA, but be worthy of playing for Boston.

Brian Scalabrine is who he is, and may stay with the team, or not, as he has an expiring contract, which Ainge might use later to trade for a solid back up point guard, prior to the trade deadline. If not, he's always managed some effective minutes.

If Tony Allen can't be traded for anyone, he may yet surprise us [ hopefully, in a good way ] and  demonstrate the talent that at one time we thought he had; if not- farewell.

It  wouldn't surprise me at all  to see Marbury come into training camp with the desire to show the world that he still has "it" , and stay for the coming season- he must still crave a ring, not to mention the respect of his peers, no matter what anyone says or thinks.

There you have it. With limited resources this summer, Ainge has given us a bench that would be the envy of many of the starting line-ups of a majority of the teams in the NBA.

What can I say, except- bring it on. We're ready for all comers this season.

Lionel Gaffen/Fotomix

Lygafe

Lately, there's been more of a buzz that Starbury may actually come back and resign with the Cs for the minimum + whatever else may be added in for signing for a second year. Let's face it- he certainly doesn't need the money, as he was able to leave N.Y. with a well padded bank account [ take a couple of zeros off, and I'd still be a happy camper with what's left ]. What he does need is (A ) championship ring [s ] in order to put a finishing touch to an otherwise up and down career, which, to be generous, saw him go nowhere in the end. (B) He also needs to be wanted, both as a person, and most importantly, as a player for personal validation.

The Cs are the only team that were willing to take a chance and sign him, and while he showed only flashes of his former self as a player, [ rust takes time to remove, after not playing for more than a year ] in the few months that he played, he showed that he still has a tremendous amount of talent. Should he rejoin the team, and come to training camp with an attitude of helping to hoist at least number 18, and keep his ego in check [ which he's already shown he can do ] he could be a tremendous asset coming off the bench to spell Rondo.

 The second unit could easily look like this: Marbury, House, Daniels [ as he appears to be close to being locked up ], Big Baby [ presuming he'll resign ] and Wallace. 

I'll take this second unit over a large number of the balance of the teams first units for offensive power, and decent defence. Wouldn't you?

Lionel Gaffen/Fotomix

Lygafe

I'm all for Rasheed Wallace joining the Cs. He has the qualities that will help the Cs win championship number 18 this coming season, and at least the season after. He's able to provide much needed depth either coming off the bench or starting when needed, at both the four and five spot. Most likely he'll be coming off the bench, except when filling in for an injured or sick [hopefully not ] Garnett and/or Perkins. He has the height and the power, to handle both spots, defensively and offensively can help spread the floor with some three point shooting, when and where needed. There aren't too many high quality power forwards/ centers that have those qualities and abilities that 'Sheed has. What remains is the motivational factor, and considering that Boston has the highest quality starting front line in the NBA, with some of the best motivation coming from that group and the coaches, I foresee 'Sheed as being an important factor in helping the team reach no.18, and more.

 Should Grant Hill consent to playing for Boston this coming season, I can only see that as a positive. As long as Hill is healthy, he's one of the more talented players in the NBA, who would do a great job of helping to minimize some of P.P.'s minutes, which would help P.P. maximixe his on floor time.

Should they both sign on with the Cs, I believe that Ainge and co., will continue to add some additional bodies who are capable, to the bench, as they realize that quality help is needed. 'Sheed and [ hopefully ] Hill make a great start to the off season wheeling and dealing.  

Bleacher report [ aka Victor Cortez ] states that Paul Pierce is the most overrated player in the NBA, in his obviously not so humble opinion.

While there are any number of players who can be considered as overrated in the NBA, and a few who might reach the pinnacle that he extends to P.P.,  in this case, he's just blowing smoke, and is being downright insulting to a more than likely future hall of famer, who, in his career with the usally underachieving Cs [ until last season ] ranks around third in all time Cs scoring in his 10 year span with the team.

Without the triumvirate of Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, banner no.17 would not have been hoisted. It took the combined efforts of a very unselfish trio, backed up by a decent center and a young point guard, along with a fairly decent bench to do it, along with a coaching sytem that got the best out of the group- both offensively and defensively.  If any one of the trio had not been able to play, a la Garnett, the team wouldn't have gotten any further than it did this season, as all three stars had their role to play. Granted, Garnett was the driving force behind the defense, but take away either the fine shooting hand of Allen, or the key  plays of Pierce, along with thier defense, and the team would have foundered at some point.

Stay in the bleachers where you belong, or take your opinions to a Lakers blog, as it sounds as though you may have come from there.