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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:09:56 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1068213&format=textPierce, C’s lose it in win Rivers upset by lack of composure By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP NEW YORK - In the true nonviolent spirit of Martin Luther King Day, perhaps it’s not a good idea to schedule the Celtics [team stats] and Knicks on this holiday in future years. Children seated courtside at Madison Square Garden yesterday witnessed language and behavior that probably fueled some great stories today in the schoolyard. Paul Pierce [stats] and noted Celtics denigrator Quentin Richardson were hit with technicals twice by referee Joe Crawford - the second set resulting in their automatic ejections with two minutes left in the third quarter - for their running, verbal battle. Kevin Garnett and New York’s Zach Randolph, who both flashed Crawford with guilty smiles when approached, had to be cautioned for their bump and grind. Eddie House buried a jumper in front of the Knicks bench, then turned and said something so salty that several New Yorkers jumped to their feet in protest. By the time Pierce veered over to shake hands with the New York Giants’ Plaxico Burress, Aaron Ross and Steve Smith on his way to shoot free throws, with Ray Allen following suit, Celtics coach Doc Rivers was sending apologies to the spirit of Red Auerbach. The C’s, after allowing the sideshow act to infect their performance, pulled away with a 109-93 win against the Knicks, a performance that secured Rivers’ position as coach of the Eastern Conference for next month’s All-Star Game in New Orleans. The coach was so bothered by what he called his team’s “loss of composure,” he declined to talk about the honor. He instead released a prepared All-Star statement through the team. Rivers, however, had plenty to say about his team and its response to once again facing up against the Knicks, who lost to the Celts by 45 points in a Nov. 29 meeting at TD Banknorth Garden. Asked about Pierce’s decision to meet and greet the Patriots [team stats]’ Super Bowl opponents, Rivers said, “I didn’t like any of it. I didn’t like our demeanor. I personally think that the game is a competition, never a show.” The chippy play and blue language overshadowed the pain-free return of Rajon Rondo [stats] at point guard and a career-high 24-point performance from Kendrick Perkins [stats]. The Celtics center eclipsed his previous best (21) with the last basket of a 22-point first half in which he hit 8-of-10 shots from the field. That Perkins scored only two points on 1-of-2 shooting after the break shouldn’t be surprising. The second half - and the third quarter in particular - was more of a distraction than a basketball game, and included the sight of Pierce being held on the floor as the yapping Richardson was led through the runway used by both teams. Though it appeared that the conversation continued outside the locker rooms, Richardson reportedly was stashed away before Pierce was allowed to walk to the visitors side. Both players refused to comment after the game. Rivers, however, could only imagine what this scene could have produced if, instead of a relatively benign game in mid-January, the Celtics were acting this way in the postseason. “I’m still trying to calm down about this,” Rivers said. “It wasn’t just Paul. All five of us were running our mouths on the floor. If that was a playoff game, then we could have lost that game. So what if it’s a rivalry? Rivalries exist all of the time. But you still have to keep your composure. That was all on us. I’m very disappointed in us today. We had played a great first half - our defense was great and our energy was great. We pulled away in the third quarter and then we started pounding our chests. “If we want to be a good team someday, we have to stop that. (New York) had been playing well, and they have pride, so they’re going to go at us. But we have to have composure.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:15:32 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1068214&format=textDavis a big fan of Faulk By Mark Murphy | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP NEW YORK - Most young athletes have their idols, and because Glen Davis played as much football as basketball as a kid, his favorite player wore pads. That player, Patriots [team stats] running back and LSU product Kevin Faulk [stats], had eight receptions out of the backfield for 82 yards during Sunday’s AFC Championship Game win against the San Diego Chargers, and Big Baby proudly bore witness to the entire event from his New York hotel room. But the 22-year-old Celtics [team stats] rookie is about to make Faulk feel very old. “I met him when I was in middle school,” said Davis, who grew up in Baton Rouge, La., where LSU football serves as both the home team and local religion. Davis, already the size of a small building, was an eighth-grade running back who tried to pattern his game after Faulk’s signature running and darting style. “It was a little embarrassing,” said Davis, who scored four points in the C’s 109-93 win against the Knicks yesterday. “The first time I met him, my mom walked right up to him, pointed to me, and said, ‘My son idolizes you.’ But it was true. I wanted to be a running back, just like him.” In an entirely unintentional way, the fact that Faulk now wears No. 33 for the Super Bowl-bound Pats is affirmation for Davis. “He wore (No.) 3 at LSU, but they didn’t have that number on my middle school team,” Davis said. “So I took 33, that was the closest I could get to his number. At LSU he used to have this little flap in the back with his number on it, and so I had a little flap too, except with No. 33. “I used to just love his game. I remember how quick he was. He was good at making people miss. He’d just cut and shake them off, the same as he does now.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:18:44 GMT -5
Coach? Try first class Doc earns a trip to All-Star Game By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP NEW YORK - Teams are supposed to outshine their coaches, at least on the professional level. That’s why, in the wake of the Celtics [team stats]’ vitriolic, epithet-laced 109-93 win against the New York Knicks yesterday, the game’s significance to Doc Rivers passed quietly. The win guaranteed the Celtics the best first-half record in the Eastern Conference, and secured Rivers his first All-Star coaching assignment. Rivers was too upset with his team to talk about the honor after the game - team spokesman Jeff Twiss issued a prepared statement on the coach’s behalf - but this clearly is a big deal within the organization. Co-owner Wyc Grousbeck said the team made plans for a special All-Star weekend charter 10 days ago in anticipation that Rivers, his assistant coaches and players would need such transportation to New Orleans for the mid-February festivities. “Isn’t that great?” Grousbeck said of the honor. “I just told him, ‘I’m happier for you than you probably even know.’ ” Perhaps the most impressive part of the feat is the fact that the team clinched the honor for Rivers so quickly, with 11 games left before the All-Star break. “Obviously, people come to watch the team play, but over the years, Doc has developed great relationships across the league so that a lot of people appreciate what he does,” Ray Allen said. “Fans don’t really watch a coach coach. But when a team wins, you can appreciate the coach’s system. From an emotional point of view, he’s the one who chokes everyone’s chain and pulls it in when need be.” Remembering MLK On the day when Martin Luther King Jr. was honored, Rivers remembered the late civil rights leader as a man who redefined toughness. Indeed, more people should take King’s stance on nonviolence to heart, according to the coach. “He was so much more than what was in that speech,” Rivers said of King’s most famous words uttered in the 1963 “I Have a Dream” address in Washington. “There’s real toughness in what he taught. Young kids think you have to show toughness in all of the wrong ways. “Toughness to me is to get hit in the head with a rock and then walk the other way.” Considering the five technical fouls that were called in the victory - two each on Celtics captain Paul Pierce [stats] and the Knicks’ Quentin Richardson, one on C’s center Kendrick Perkins [stats] - the players weren’t listening. Global warming Eddie House, after hitting a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, turned and said something that had players on the Knicks bench on their feet shouting back. “All I said was, ‘Just keep ’em down,’ but the way I said it was a little more comfortable than that,” House said. “Hey, it’s an emotional game, and they don’t have to take it so personally. “I actually like Quentin. Me and Q actually played together (for the Los Angeles Clippers).” The temperature of the teams’ rivalry definitely inched higher. “It’s always like that when we play against the Knicks for some reason,” Perkins said. Said Allen: “I don’t know what was going on between Paul and Quentin, but obviously they have a history.” Allen, on shaking hands with several members of the New York Giants in the third quarter: “I was taking the ball out, and they were sitting right there. It’s hard not to acknowledge the season they’ve had so far. The Super Bowl is global.” Posey no threat James Posey, who has been playing with a sore right index finger since December’s western trip, finally sat out a game because of the injury. “It’s been lingering,” Posey said. “What can I say? I have active hands, but I don’t know how I did it. The last couple of games I just felt I wasn’t able to be effective with it.” Posey termed his availability for tomorrow’s game against Toronto as “day-to-day.”
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:19:33 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1068091&format=textGarnett, Perkins lead Celtics to 2nd victory over Knicks, 109-93 Pierce ejected over 3rd quarter trash-talk By Associated Press | Monday, January 21, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by AP NEW YORK - The Boston-New York rivalry returned Monday, and the Celtics [team stats] nearly got too caught up in it. The Celtics made an easy victory hard on themselves by losing their composure, but Kevin Garnett had 20 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists to help them recover and beat the Knicks 109-93 Monday. Celtics players lost their focus in the third quarter,when leading scorer Paul Pierce [stats] was ejected along with New York’s Quentin Richardson after both picked up two technical fouls for jawing with each other during the period. Kendrick Perkins [stats] also picked up a technical during the quarter. "It wasn’t just Paul. It was five of us. All of us running our mouths instead of playing basketball," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "You don’t need to run your mouth. I wasn’t happy with that. "We deserved the techs. We deserved the ejections. We deserved everything we got and we’re very lucky to win the game. We’re playing a team that’s playing terrific, you get caught up in that (junk) and you lose the game." Neither Pierce nor Richardson spoke to the media after the game. "They traded off Quentin Richardson for Paul Pierce and I think they’ll take that any day. So we just got to keep our composure in situations like that," Celtics guard Eddie House said. "We know when we get up on teams, teams are going to try to pull everything out of their hats, so we just have to be prepared for that and aware of that and handle it a little better than we did tonight." Perkins scored 22 of his career-high 24 points in the first half for Boston (33-6), which has won three straight following the only rough patch in its season, a stretch of three losses in four games. Ray Allen added 17 points and Rajon Rondo [stats] had 14 in his return to the lineup after missing two games with a sore lower back. "Guys are playing with a lot of passion, lot of emotion, this is a big game for them," Garnett said. "They’ve been playing together. You have to expect the emotions to be high." With the victory, Rivers clinched the right to coach the Eastern Conference in next month’s All-Star game. Zach Randolph had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who had won four of five during the best stretch of a miserable season. New York reached the halfway point of the schedule at 13-28. "Their savvy throughout the course of the game, they were able to pick us apart," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. Jamal Crawford scored 22 points, Eddy Curry 19 and Nate Robinson had 15. It was the first meeting since the Celtics crushed the Knicks 104-59 on national television Nov. 29 in Boston, New York’s third-worst loss and its second-worst scoring performance of the shot-clock era. It was also the biggest victory in the history of the Celtics-Knicks rivalry. Speaking of New York and Boston rivalries, Plaxico Burress, R.W. McQuarters, Aaron Ross and Steve Smith sat courtside, a day after helping the Giants win the NFC championship and a spot in the Super Bowl with Sunday’s 23-20 overtime victory in Green Bay. They got huge ovations when shown on the overhead scoreboard during a third-quarter timeout, and the noise in the building perhaps helped the Knicks get back into the game. New York trimmed what had been a 19-point deficit to seven early in the fourth quarter, but Boston quickly pulled away again behind Garnett, who scored eight points in the period. At least the Knicks made the effort this time. Not everyone thought they did during the blowout in Boston, with players having to defend themselves against accusations they quit. This one seemed headed the same way after a flurry by Pierce gave Boston an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter. But he got involved in the back-and-forth with Richardson later in the period, and it seemed to distract the Celtics. Perkins made his first six shots and scored 15 points in the first quarter. The Celtics led by 11 before settling for a 29-23 advantage after one period. The Knicks were within three late in the first half, but the Celtics scored the final 11 points. They took advantage of four New York turnovers to get their break going, and had a 59-45 lead after Rondo’s jumper at the buzzer. Thomas shook up his lineup to start the second half, benching Curry, Richardson and Fred Jones. Robinson, David Lee and Jared Jeffries started instead, helping the Knicks pull within nine. Pierce then scored seven points in a 9-0 spurt that made it 70-52 midway through the third quarter. Notes:@ The Knicks fell to 16-6 on Martin Luther King Jr. day. All but one of those games were at home. ... Boston improved to 10-0 against Atlantic Division opponents.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:21:18 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/22/celtics_trash_knicks?mode=PFCeltics trash Knicks Players' behavior troubles Rivers By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 22, 2008 NEW YORK - By the disappointment in coach Doc Rivers's voice and face, you would have thought the Celtics were thoroughly beaten yesterday. Actually, they hammered the Knicks, 109-93, at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. But since the Celtics let their mouths do as much talking as their game, Rivers was far from happy. "That was all on us," said the coach. "I was disappointed in us today, I really was." Celtics center Kendrick Perkins scored a career-high 24 points, including 22 in the first half, and grabbed 8 rebounds. Forward Kevin Garnett had his 18th double-double of the season with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, while guard Ray Allen added 17 points and 8 rebounds. All five Celtics starters scored in double figures. Boston shot 54.7 percent from the field and led by as many as 20 points. The Celtics improved to an NBA-best 33-6 overall and 15-3 on the road. "Guys have been playing with a lot of passion and emotion," Garnett said. "We have been playing good basketball, great basketball." But their passion and emotion clashed with their good and great basketball against their heated Atlantic Division rivals. The Celtics had three technicals, New York two. After continuous trash-talking and tangling between Paul Pierce and New York guard Quentin Richardson, both were ejected with 1:57 left in the third quarter. Pierce had 10 points and 7 assists while Richardson went scoreless. The Knicks also expressed displeasure with Boston guard Eddie House, who had some words for their bench after nailing a 3-pointer to push his team ahead, 107-87, with 2:24 remaining. After hearing House, Garnett told him, "Just play. Just play." New York coach Isiah Thomas declined comment on what House said. "I can't really repeat [it]," said House. "It was something colorful to myself." Rivers said five Celtics - including Pierce, House, and Perkins - were talking too much, and added that his team has gotten away with trash-talking in previous games. He said such actions in a playoff game could cause them to lose. "New York's playing extremely well right now and there's some frustration," Rivers said. "But we can't answer to it. We can't get in a moaning contest when you got a lead on the road. "I told them to be quiet and play the game. So I was disappointed in us in that. It wasn't just Paul. It was five of us. "All of us were running our mouths instead of just playing basketball. The scoreboard will talk all right. You don't have to run your mouths. I wasn't happy with that." Pierce and Richardson began yapping at each other and getting physical in the third quarter. Veteran referee Joey Crawford slapped them both with technicals to try to calm their emotions with 3:07 remaining in the quarter. But the trash-talking and physical play continued, and both were ejected after receiving second technicals a little over a minute later. Richardson continued to mouth off to Pierce as he left the court. Neither player spoke to reporters after the game. "I don't know what was going on between Paul and Quentin," Allen said. "Obviously, they have a history. This is my first year with the team, so I am learning little nuances about him as well as my other teammates. "We have to realize, for what we want to do, we can't get caught up in small things. We have to get better each individual night from the first quarter to the fourth quarter." Knicks forward Zach Randolph, who had a team-high 24 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, said, "Sometimes it gets heated like that. Guys like to compete. This is basketball. It is an emotional game." Four members of the New York Giants - Plaxico Burress, R.W. McQuarters, Steve Smith, and Aaron Ross - sat courtside during the game. Rivers also expressed disappointment in Pierce for slapping hands with the Giants prior to shooting free throws with 2:57 left in the third quarter. "I didn't like any of it," Rivers said. "They needed to be congratulated. What they did [in the NFC Championship game] was terrific. "In a middle of a game? I don't know. I didn't like our demeanor in the second half. "I personally think the game is always a competition. Never a show. I thought we went to show instead of competition."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:27:33 GMT -5
aol.nba.com/celtics/news/blog/post-ups.htmlPostgame Recap 109-93 Celtics, FINAL: The C's lost their composure today, and they're lucky it didn't cost them the win. That was Doc Rivers' postgame message to the media. Rivers said he was disappointed with his team, not just Pierce and Perkins, for all of the chirping throughout the game. Paul Pierce did not meet the press after the game, but Doc shared his thoughts on how the team carried itself at MSG. "We've got to have better composure, and if we want to be a great team someday, thats a good lesson for us. They have pride, they're not going to back down. New York's playing extremely hard right now, they wanted to win this game and there's some frustration, but we can't answer to it," Rivers said. "We can't get into a moaning contest when we've got a lead on the road. It wasn't just Paul. It was five of us running our mouths." That said, a win's a win, and with today's victory, Doc Rivers is officially the Eastern Conference Coach for the All-Star Game. Rivers said it was a "fantastic honor for our team, our players and our coaching staff." As for the actual basketball played, Rivers felt Perkins played well early but thought he abandoned his role in the second half. Perkins agreed with that assessment later on in the locker room. "I started thinking I was Kevin. Instead of going down and setting picks I was starting to post up a little bit. It's like that sometimes when you have it going," Perkins said. "I think their game plan was to make me make shots." On his technical and all of the trash talking, Perkins responded, "It's always like that when we play the Knicks." Rajon Rondo said he felt good and had no lingering effects from his back and hamstring injuries. The team was noticeably more up-tempo with Rondo running the point, as the second year guard told reporters after the game that he wanted to "push the pace," noting "that's what Doc's been telling me all year." He said that he gleaned a few things from watching the last few games from his seat on the bench, or as he called it, the "coach's perspective." "How to get over pick-and-rolls, and what sets to run in certain situations..." Rondo said. That's it from New York. Check the Audio Archive for interviews with Ray Allen, KG, E-House, James Posey (who doesn't know how he hurt the finger on his right hand), Perkins and Rondo. In Game Blog 107-87 Celtics, 2:16/4th: Up 20 with two minutes to play, this one is over. We're sitting up pretty high so we'll be back after the game with Audio from Doc and the locker room... 100-83 Celtics, 4:49/4th: No sooner do I tell you that KG is struggling than does he factor in three consecutive baskets and send the fans packing. He scored four quick points and then kicked to House for a long two capping an 11-2 run since my last post. KG's line: 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. 89-81 Celtics, 8:20/4th: More Giants on the jumbotron, this time Plaxico Burress. With Pierce tossed, who will be the playmaker on offense? Eddie House is currently running the point, but we expect to see Rondo back in to close it out shortly. Meanwhile, it's been a tough shooting night for KG, who's just 5-14 from the field. 82-70 Celtics, End of 3rd: The Knicks are making their run...A Perkins technical and then a Nate Robinson breakaway dunk have gotten the home crowd back into it and ignited a "DEFENSE" chant. The only thing that got them excited before was showing a few New York Giants on the jumbotron. 80-63 Celtics, 1:57/3rd: Quentin Richardson and Paul Pierce have been going at it most of the game, as Q was a little rough on a foul earlier in the quarter. They were each given technicals, and they each picked up two more just now, earning them both ejections. 75-58 Celtics, 3:02/3rd: Rajon Rondo really seems to make a difference in how the C's attack on offense. They've been pushing the pace throughout the game, and Rondo's been flying around so that hamstring can't be bothering him too much. That said, he did hit the deck hard a few minutes ago so hopefully his sore lower back hasn't sustained any more damage. Rondo's line to this point: 14 points, three renbounds, two assists and four steals. 68-52 Celtics, 6:38/3rd: KG came out agressive to start the half, and racked up eight quick points as the Celtics extended to a 16-point lead. Meanwhile, I'm happy to report that the $5 Madison Square Garden hot dog is spectacular. 59-45 Celtics, Halftime: Rondo drilled a 20-foot baseline jumper to end the half, and while the crowd wasn't happy, they didn't quite boo them off the floor as we thought. Maybe that's because there's a good amount of green in the house... The Celtics are shooting 56.4% from the field, in large part due to Perk's 8-10 shooting performance. When I ran into Sean Grande in the press room at the half, I asked him, "What's up with Perk, and why aren't they guarding him?" His response: "Eddy Curry's guarding him..." Stat of the half: Pierce has just two points but six assists, four of which went to Perkins... 54-45 Celtics, 1:14/2nd: The Knicks' defense has been atrocious and their offense hasn't been much better. I'm sensing their going to get booed off the floor to end the half...Perk has 22 for a new season and career high, and if the New York defense continues to rotate slowly (or not at all) then he could have a huge night. You have to think he'll be adjustment #1 in the Knicks' halftime locker room session. 33-31 Celtics, 8:58/2nd: If you're wondering, Perk's season high is 21 points vs. Los Angeles. 29-23 Celtics, End of 1st: Both teams seem to be getting into the paint with ease this afternoon. Having Rondo back in the lineup certainly helps. With Posey out we'll probably see a little more Scalabrine than usual today. 23-16 Celtics, 2:39/1st: The Post Ups Notebook comes to you live from Madison Square Garden, and the early story is Kendrick Perkins, who's got 15 of Boston's first 17 points, not to mention three rebounds. Also, on the injury front, Rajon Rondo is back in the lineup, but James Posey is out with a sprained finger on his right hand. And it looks like Leon Powe's big performance on Friday night has earned him some PT, he just checked in along with Eddie House.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:52:41 GMT -5
www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/01222008/sports/sullying_mlks_memory_467303.htmSULLYING MLK'S MEMORY By PETER VECSEY January 22, 2008 -- NICE to see Quentin Richardson and Paul Pierce celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by getting ejected from yesterday's Knicks' loss to the Celtics and then challenging each other to a fight in the tunnel. Their conduct actually might've been less charming than Anthony Mason's behavior many summers ago at the same Garden when he got expelled for brawling in The Wheelchair Classic. Column contributor Keith Hatfield wonders if Eddy Curry "realizes that dunking on Kendrick Perkins (career high 24 points) once doesn't make up for being dominated by him all afternoon?" To Curry's credit, he did hold Hank Finkel to seven points. Who remembers how Perkins became a Celtic? Courtesy of Grizzlies exec Jerry West, who traded his draft rights June 29, 2003 with No. 13 pick Marcus Banks for Troy Bell and Dahnty Jones. * Is there a worse trade in Lakers history than Caron Butler for Kwame Brown? Off the top of my head, I can't even think of one that's halfway this one-sided. While you're mulling that over I'd like to take this time to give Antawn Jamison an overdue ovation for surpassing Vince Carter as a player. How about the way the Wizards' All-Star forwards dominated the Mavericks yesterday? Butler went for 25 points, nine rebounds and five steals (averages 21.7, 6.9 and 2.30), and Jamison (21.5 and 10.7) had 23 and eight. Most people are amazed at how well Washington is playing (beating the Celtics back-to-back and sweeping the Mavs, 2-0) minus Gilbert Arenas. Yeah, no doubt, he's as skilled and competitive as it gets. But you can't tell me it's fun playing with a guy who jacks up so many shots. From my observation deck, it's always all about Arenas. I wouldn't want to play with him. I wouldn't want to coach him. I'd prefer to defend him and figure, given enough latitude, he'll screw things up from the field or the foul line, or commit a crucial turnover. * How come Magic Johnson and Micheal Richardson and others were able to improve their outside shots over the course of their career, yet Jason Kidd remains strictly hit-or-miss? . . . Whose fourth quarter percentage was shoddier Sunday, the Nets' backcourt or Lawrence Tynes'? . . . "Tiki Barber must feel the same way Patrick Ewing felt in '99," underlines column contributor David Bluth. Does a team that falls in Phoenix with nary a sound count as a conquering? That might be the only socially redeeming value taken from the Nets' two-dozen point desertion in the desert: It was conducted concurrently with the Giants' OT Lambeau Leap into the Super Bowl . . . Suns begin a four-game trip tonight at Milwaukee. At halftime, David Stern plans to recreate the coin flip for the 1969 draft. Nobody was happier than Fred Carter to see the Timberwolves gain their sixth victory (against 34 defeats) of the season yesterday in nudging the Warriors, 109-108. Carter was voted the dubious honor as MVP of the 1972-73 Sixers, the NBA's all- time (9-73) losing outfit and he roots against the mark being bro ken. Seriously! Kevin McHale's crew had dropped five in a row and 13-of-14, the only win coming against Miami. * By the end of November many observers had bequeathed the crown to the defending champion Spurs. Despite yesterday's 95-86 victory against Charlotte, it now appears they may be too thin to win. Think Gregg Popovich wishes he could reverse decisions to give away Beno Udrih (in favor of Jacque Vaughn) and Luis Scola? When the 27-year-old 6-foot-9 rookie was traded with Jackie Butler to Houston, it saved San Antonio $7 million. It also cost Pop's 26-13 team its most skilled forward not named Tim Duncan. Logic dictated Fabricio Oberto, Robert Horry and Francisco Elson would pick up where they left off last June. But for the most part opponents are seeing a steady dose of Duncan (19 points and ten rebounds) and the Pygmalions. Horry did not play yesterday, and Oberto (14 minutes) and Elson (two) combined for four rebounds and four points, none by Francisco. * Props to Mikki Moore, whose work against the Pacers (22 points, 11 rebounds) could cost Rod Thorn votes for Executive of Exit 16W. . . . The New York Rangers are retiring Brian Leetch's No. 2 on Thursday night. Garden faithful remember Leetch as the building's best defense that didn't result in a conviction or an out-of-court settlement.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 7:58:27 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/22/rivers_wins_the_job?mode=PFRivers wins the job Victory clinches All-Star position By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | January 22, 2008 NEW YORK - The East and West coaches with the best winning percentage in their conference as of Feb. 3 earn the right of coaching in the NBA All-Star Game Feb. 17. Because of the Celtics' dominance, they were able to clinch the honor for Doc Rivers and his staff yesterday, long before the deadline. The Celtics' 109-93 victory over the Knicks yesterday pushed their NBA-best record to 33-6, with five games to be played before Feb. 3. The second-best team in the East, Detroit, already had 12 losses as of yesterday. Rivers is the sixth Celtics coach to earn the All-Star honor, the first since Chris Ford in 1991. So as not to overshadow yesterday's victory, Rivers addressed the honor in a statement. "This is a fantastic honor for our team, our players, and our coaching staff," Rivers said. "We look forward to proudly representing the Eastern Conference at this year's All-Star Game. We will have fun, but we will be real competitive with the wonderful gathering of All-Stars from our conference." Kevin Garnett, who is expected to be voted in as a starter, plus Paul Pierce and Ray Allen all have a good shot of joining Rivers and his staff for the game in New Orleans. Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said a private jet was ordered for All-Star weekend about a week and a half ago for the Boston coaching staff and any players. "We expected Doc to be on there and I told him I was happier than he probably knows for him and congratulated him," Grousbeck said. Said Allen, "I'm happy for [Rivers]. That's an honor at the break of the season to be the talk of the first half of the season as the representative of the Eastern Conference. That's a great feeling to be associated with all the great players representing the league." Posey sidelined Celtics forward James Posey missed yesterday's game with a sprained index finger on his right hand. Posey said he sustained the injury during the four-game trip out West in late December. Asked if he would play tomorrow against Toronto, he said he was day-to-day. Posey also missed two games this season with lower back spasms and one game to suspension. "It's just one of those things," said Posey. "I have active hands, and you just reinjure it. I'm just trying to get it to settle down." Rondo returns Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo returned to action after missing three of the past four games with a bruised back and a right hamstring injury. He had 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, and 4 steals in 28 minutes. Rondo said he didn't reinjure his back after taking a hard foul from 6-foot-11-inch, 285-pound Knicks center Eddy Curry in the third quarter. "My hamstring still has to get treatment," Rondo said. "That's still not 100 percent. But the fall didn't hurt my back or anything. I'm fine. I should have done some pushups." Remembering King The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was celebrated at yesterday's 12 NBA games, though New York coach Isiah Thomas said after a pregame interview session he was disappointed the media didn't ask him about King. "To be able to perform at the level we perform at and to do what we are able to do in society wouldn't be possible without Dr. Martin Luther King," Allen said. "To be able to celebrate what he has done for this whole world in his lifetime and to have a legacy that lives in his death, every person should celebrate what he's done. This world is a better place because he lived in it." Added Rivers, "I give it a lot of thought. The fact that we are playing in the afternoon tells you that it's an important day. That's nice. I always hope all our guys know and understand. "I think everybody knows the 'I have a dream' [speech]. Everyone knows those words. I don't think everyone understands that he was far more than that speech. "Just the nonviolent movement . . . if I could wish that one of his legacies was passed on, that was the one. I think young kids think you have to show toughness. To me, it's getting hit in the head with a stone and walking away from it more than turning around, picking it up, and throwing it back. That's what I talk to them about."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 8:11:38 GMT -5
forum.connpost.com/celticscentral/2008/01/perkins_is_king_for_a_day_celt.html#commentsPerkins is 'King' for a Day; Celtics beat Knicks The Magnificent Losing Knicks celebrated Martin Luther King Day doing what they do best. Talking. And losing. I missed this one and don't have it taped so this is a view from the outside, internet comments and the boxscore. The biggest thing to stick out, besides Pierce and Quentin Richardson getting T'd up and both thrown out, was Kendrick Perkins scoring 22 points in the first half and a career high 24 for the game to actually lead the Celtics in scoring. Way to go Kendrick Perkins. That ought to quiet the critics of KP, who think he can't dunk a donut into a cup of coffee without bouncing it on the table once and would probably get it stripped before it hits the cup. Kendrick Perkins is one of the nicest guys to interview, will always give you time, and tries to answer each question with a genuine response. He is a true gentleman. From my short time in the locker room this season, he stands out for his politeness and respect to everyone who bothers him for a quote, including yours truly. He is a pleasure to watch and listen to, if you want to know the truth. He will often get boxed into a corner of reporters, long after the rest of his mates have extricated themselves from the grasp of a group of people I'm sure they feel is a necessary evil - sports reporters. It stands out in your mind because he is so different than the way he appears to be on the court. There are clearly two Kendrick Perkins. The off court Perkins won't clear out space and push his way through the reporters. The on court Perkins will be working to clear out the other team's biggest and often toughest player at every step of the way. He will be staring him down after a dunk. He will be talking a little trash along with some of the other Celtics. He will be ripping a dunk through the net with tremendous force. The stronger the dunk, the more intimidating. But the thing you notice most is that Perkins wants to be the guy who protects his team mates. That is the common thread with the off court Perkins. This guy is a person you can count on when things get rough or when things get down. Loyalty is his middle name. Yet that too is ironic, because Perkins is rarely found on the court in final quarter when it matters most. Why? I'm guessing it is because he can't hit his foul shots (56% this year). Yet, today Kendrick Perkins celebrated Martin Luther King Day making 6 of 6 foul shots and 9-12 from the floor to go with 8 rebounds, an assist, 2 steals and a block. Our mild mannered giant turns into the hulk once the horn blows to start the game. Today the hulk did much damage to the Knicks. To be truthful, Eddie Curry is not known as having much heart. If Perkins had Curry's talent to go with his own heart, we would be looking at a league star. Even with Kendrick's offensive limitations, he has combined with Kevin Garnett to be the frontline of the NBA's best defensive unit. Who would have thought it possible? I don't know how difficult his 'shot making' was today. I hope he showed a little variety in his moves and shots. But even if most of it was at the rim, that was a heck of an outpouring of scoring. So the Celtics run their record to 33-6 and are 10-0 against Atlantic Division opponents. Pierce got distracted by the mouth of Q-Rich and both got tossed in the 3rd quarter, working completely in the Knicks favor. The Knicks brought a big lead down to 7 before Garnett helped the Celtics pull away again. KG finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists. Paul Pierce left with 10 points and 7 assists as well. Paul Pierce had exactly one rebound, giving him one more than he had in the last game. Ray Allen finished with 17 points and 8 boards of his own. In what was otherwise a predictable outcome, Boston's mild mannered Bruce Banner in the locker room became quite the green Hulk on the court and gave the Knicks something to remember him by today - 24 points, solid defense once again, and enough talking to earn him another technical. Perkins got working and took care of Curry in a hurry as he was truly the center of attention today. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy, but don't tell the other teams that. They won't ever see on the court, the guy I see in the locker room. That is bad for them. Good for us. Next up is Toronto at home on Wednesday.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 8:13:24 GMT -5
www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/01/22/2008-01-22_knicks_get_trashed_by_celtics.html?ref=rssKnicks get trashed by Celtics BY FRANK ISOLA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Tuesday, January 22nd 2008, 4:00 AM Simmons/News Kevin Garnett dunks two of his 20 points in the Celtics' win. Simmons/News Zach Randolph led the Knicks with 24. Simmons/News There's little Isiah Thomas can do as his team falters against Boston. Quentin Richardson pulled off the type of trade that Isiah Thomas can only dream about. The Knicks' small forward engaged Paul Pierce in a game of nasty trash talk and managed to get himself and Pierce tossed. Some of Richardson's teammates would have been wise to follow his example. "They traded off Quentin Richardson for Paul Pierce," said Celtics guard Eddie House. "And I think they would take that any day." House also was guilty of running his mouth and drawing the ire - and menacing stare - of Thomas during the final minutes of Boston's 109-93 win Monday in the annual Martin Luther King Day matinee at the Garden. The game, the first between the two rivals since Boston embarrassed the Knicks by 45 points on national television two months ago, had a definite edge to it - the obligatory jawing, idle threats and hard fouls. So much for nonviolent conflict resolution. "It wasn't about, 'Let's try to get this guy to fight' or nothing like that," Eddy Curry said. "We didn't want to take it lying down. If we were going to lose we were going to lose playing as hard as we could and as physical as we could." Curry was responsible for two statement fouls, sending Rajon Rondo and Leon Powe to the floor. The Knicks' center played with passion and purpose in the second half after being roughed up in the first half, not by Kevin Garnett, but by Kendrick Perkins. The Celtics' center scored 22 of his career-high 24 points in the half, which earned Curry a seat at the start of the second half. The Knicks were a minus-22 during Curry's 15 minutes in the first half. "With Eddy, he is such a nice man," Thomas said after the Knicks reached the midway point of the season with a 13-28 record. "In his mind he has to find the balance between his physicality and being a gentleman. There is a certain demeanor you have to play with and I thought he played with it in the second half." In fairness, some of Perkins' points came when the Knicks guards were beaten on the perimeter and Curry was forced to provide help. Still, it's one thing to get outscored 22-8 by Yao Ming. But Kendrick Perkins? "Anytime somebody scores that many points it is on us as a team," Curry said. "Bad on my part and bad on the team's part. I wish I could take the first half back." The tone was set in the first half when Garnett, who finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, outfought three Knicks for an offensive rebound and was fouled. "I'm a (darn) animal down here," Garnett screamed. "I'm the (darn) man down here." House did his part by drawing a questionable third foul on Nate Robinson with 1:18 remaining in the first quarter. Robinson, who has played well during Stephon Marbury's absence, wasn't seen again until early in the second half. When Robinson exited, the Knicks trailed by 27-21. When he returned, Boston's lead was 14. "It kinda changed the game," Robinson said. Richardson, who also was benched to start the second half, was back on the floor after Pierce scored five quick points. Moments later, Richardson was called for three fouls while guarding Pierce, while both players also earned two technical fouls and an automatic ejection with 1:57 remaining in the period. All that took place over 70 seconds. "If they were playing at the YMCA they would battle and compete against each other," Thomas said. In 96 minutes against Boston this season, the Knicks have never held a lead while being outscored by 61 points. Perhaps that is why Thomas didn't appreciate when House, a journeymen backup guard, hit a three-pointer that made it 107-87 and shouted, "We'll (bleepin') crush you" to David Lee in front of the Knicks' bench. Thomas, who called timeout immediately and was glaring at House, refused to comment on the incident. House, who felt the Knicks were trying to get the Boston players to lose their cool, didn't pass up a chance to get in the last word. "He's always got something to say," House said of Thomas. "Wasn't nothing in particular to them. I would say the same thing if I was playing somebody else. They shouldn't take it so personally." Previous Page Next Page 12 Discuss this Article 1 comments so far. Add your comment below!. [Discussion Guidelines] To post comments, REGISTER or LOG IN grsshpp16 Jan 22, 2008 6:15:33 AM Report Offensive Post How many times will Curry say that he needs to play harder till Dolan figures out the he will NEVER play harder? Stop making excuses and just freakn play. Im SURE we would have won if Marbury was back. . . ha, yeah right. The only good news is that I picked up Robinson on my fantasy team, and he seems to do well on that fake team. Oh yeah, finally . . . why is Lee the only guy that ever seems to play on the positive streaks during games, but never gets minutes. please explain that one to us Mr Thomas.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 8:20:28 GMT -5
www.thestar.com/Sports/article/296163Celtics special, but game isn't TheStar.com - Sports - Celtics special, but game isn't Raptors' Mitchell treats it as just another date on the calendar for team January 22, 2008 Doug Smith Sports Reporter If you are looking for a deeper meaning to tomorrow's Raptors game against the Boston Celtics, Sam Mitchell isn't about to play along. Instead of a test against the best team in the Eastern Conference – and, by record, the best team in the NBA – it is nothing more than one of 82, a game that is being played because it's on the schedule, not one that carries any extra meaning. "I don't believe in those," he said of so-called statement games. "What's the measuring stick? If we go in there and win, are we supposed to win the East? If you lose, does that mean you can't make the playoffs? "You set yourself up for a possible failure when you do that; you put undo pressure on yourself." The last thing the Raptors need is any extra pressure as they face the Celtics, who have already beaten them three times this season. Boston, running away with the Atlantic Division, has an 18-3 record at home and is a perfect 10-0 against division opponents. Boston is flat-out good thanks to the presence of all-stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. "In the beginning, I didn't expect anything because it was hard to tell if those three guys were going to share the ball," Toronto's Chris Bosh said of the Big Three. "But they've been able to share the ball pretty well, they've been making plays for each other and they've been playing well together." The Celtics have risen to the heights of the NBA on the strength of the league's best defence. They hold teams to the lowest field-goal mark (41.5 per cent per game) and are tenacious when allowed to set up and play teams in halfcourt sets. The Raptors, not nearly as free-flowing or up-and-down as they were a year ago, have played right into Boston's hands in three games this season, slowing things down to a snail's pace and they haven't been able to handle the Celtics. Even without lightning-quick point guard T.J. Ford, they have to try to run tomorrow night. "If you look at two of our three games, we were in it, they just played excellent defence," Bosh said. "That's what helps them out. They can slow the ball down. We've got to spread the court out on them and make them play fast-paced basketball. "They really don't want to do that; they want to set their defence up against you and they have the best defence in the league, so they want to do that." The Raptors have yet to really define who and what they are, which led to some inconsistencies in the just-completed first half of the season. Sometimes they win with defence, sometimes with three-point shooting; they have never really run a team out of a game, making it doubtful they can force their tempo on the Celtics. "We're winning different ways," Mitchell said. "I don't think our team has established itself yet (on how) it's going to win. You know how San Antonio's going to win. You know how Dallas is going to win, you know how certain teams are going to beat you. "We've only won for one season, we haven't established our identity yet as a team ... we're still finding ourselves in that regard."
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 22, 2008 9:53:28 GMT -5
www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2008/01/22/04/0854-72/index.xmlPulling for PoweCeltics enjoy seeing their ’mate succeed NBA. It’s been easy for everyone in the Celtics’ organization to root for Leon Powe, especially over the past week. To say the forward has had limited playing time during his second season would be an understatement. But Powe, whose girlfriend gave birth to his first child, Leon III, last Wednesday, has found a role in the C’s last two games. Powe was a monster in the second half of Friday’s win over the 76ers — his first game as a father — churning out season highs with 10 points, six rebounds (four offensive) and 15 minutes. Yesterday, he had six points and three boards in 14 minutes of Boston’s win in New York. “He was a man among boys,” Kevin Garnett said of Powe’s performance on Friday. “He was grabbing rebounds, being very active, and I’m happy for the newfound dad.” Not a bad job for Powe, who didn’t see the floor in seven straight games and had remained on the bench for 23 of the Celtics’ first 37 games. Prior to the last two contests, Powe had played a total of two minutes in the previous 13 games and 60 minutes all season. But Celtics coach Doc Rivers has maintained he’ll stick with his nine-man rotation, meaning guys like Powe need to remain mentally strong and physically ready in order to contribute when they’re called upon. That’s not a problem for Powe, who went straight to the weight room with a Celtics trainer following Friday’s game, even though a swarm of media were waiting for him in the locker room. “I’ve got to go in there and just bang it out,” Powe said. “It comes from Oakland. That’s where I get it from, just playing on the playground. You’ve got to man up. There isn’t any help, nothing when the dude is bigger than you. You’ve just got to play them. That’s how I was raised.”
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