News 4/16

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1087441&format=text
Celts defense set to strike a Pose

By Steve Bulpett | Wednesday, April 16, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone (file)
James Posey is a different kind of dude. His mind isn’t wired like those of most NBA players. Where the majority dream of hot shooting nights and glory, Posey has something else in mind.

“My job is to play defense,” said the ninth-year swingman. “That’s what I do. I just want to be aggressive on the defensive end and change the game that way. I like trying to get in the way of the other team’s scorers and upset their game. I try to be a pain in the backside.”

The Celtics [team stats] finish their regular season requirements tonight against the Nets, and then it’s on to the playoffs, where Posey’s import to the operation is only expected to grow. When opponents try to ride their offensive horse in tight games, Posey will seek to be the equivalent of the glue factory.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce [stats] and Ray Allen will still attract the attention, but their postseason success is in Posey’s hands, as well.

“He’s going to be huge for us in the playoffs, even more important than he already is for us, which is a lot,” said C’s coach Doc Rivers, who has noted on more than one occasion that he didn’t realize Posey would be this good an acquisition. “He’s been through it before, and he knows what to do. You can’t put a price on that, and he just knows how to play. You can put him in different spots. He gives us great versatility.

“Pose is just a great role player. He’s a perfect guy. I’d say he’s the unsung hero of our basketball team. He makes big shots by nature. He’s a great leader. He says the right things in timeouts and during the game. He does everything the right way. I could go on and on.”

Posey has proven himself a streaky shooter, but his defensive abilities show up every night.

“Pose can affect both ends of the floor,” said Allen. “In each round of the playoffs, you face different nuances with certain teams. He gives us the option to switch it around. He’s somewhat of a chameleon.’

Indeed, the same guy who bounds off the bench and yells, “We got Ticket,” referring to a Garnett hoop, can be rather reticent about his own game.

“I know my role,” Posey said. “I just want to be consistent in that. I’m here to play defense. When the other opportunities come, I just try to take advantage of them. I’m always thinking defense first. Even when I’m watching, I’m yelling for guys to step in and take the charge. When I’m getting ready to go in the game, I’m thinking about knowing my rotations, so I don’t give up a shot.”

The mindset took root early.

“Growing up, I always liked playing both ends of the floor,” he said. “It was never just about scoring for me. I knew if I could be a factor at both ends, then I was going to be out there longer. It’s just about wanting to play, and I think that’s how the game is supposed to be played. You should want to play both ends. If you can put the ball in the basket, you should be able to defend and get stops. Now that I’m here, I just want to make things lighter on our starters. When I come in the game, I see who our guys are guarding. If Ray has a tough matchup, I’ll tell him to let me get that. Let me toss him around a little bit so he doesn’t have to chase him off screens. We want our scorers to be fresh for the offensive end.

“I’ll look for that with Paul, too, and even Ticket. There were a couple of times this year when he was in foul trouble and I told him to let me take his guy for a while. That way we know he’s going to be in the game down the stretch. You have to take care of your guys like that.”

Celtics notes

You might want to make sure you’re in your seat early tonight if you want to see any of the Big Three. Rivers expects to play them limited minutes.

Pierce, Garnett and Allen all sat out Monday’s win in New York. . . .

After playing 41 minutes against the Knicks, Rajon Rondo [stats] may not play at all tonight, according to Rivers, who would like to get more playing time for Sam Cassell.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/16/one_hawk_is_talking_upset?mode=PF
One Hawk is talking upset
VP Wilkins says they have chance vs. Celtics
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | April 16, 2008

ATLANTA - The Celtics swept their three-game season series with Atlanta, posting an average victory margin of 14.3 points. The Celtics have three All-Stars and the NBA's top record while the Hawks have one All-Star and the worst record among playoff teams. And in the Celtics' last win over Atlanta, on the road last Saturday, the Boston bench played the vast majority of the fourth quarter.

Even so, former Atlanta great Dominique Wilkins isn't counting out the eighth-seeded Hawks in the first round.

"I always believe that anything can happen in the playoffs - anything," said Wilkins, who is now the Hawks' vice president of basketball and became a Hall of Famer last year.

Still, there have been only three instances when an eighth-seeded team has upset the top-seeded team in the first round. Last year, Dallas lost to Golden State, which was coached by ex-Mavericks coach Don Nelson. The Heat lost in the first round of the strike-shortened 1998-99 season to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Knicks. And the Nuggets toppled Seattle during the 1994 playoffs.

Considering the Celtics' All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen and their deep roster, plus the inexperience of the Hawks, an upset by Atlanta would likely go down as the greatest in NBA history. Atlanta's roster averages 24.2 years of age, and only guards Mike Bibby (51 games), Joe Johnson (15), and the injured Speedy Claxton (29), who hasn't played since March 3, have playoff experience.

"We've got some young guys who are learning how to win games," Wilkins said. "It's good that we have a test like Boston because it tells you where you stand.

"We played Boston well up to [last Saturday]. It will be a nice matchup for us. We know they're focused. We know they're trying to get to the championship.

"It's a chance for us to do what Golden State did last year to Dallas. Anything can happen in the playoffs."

Although the Celtics swept Atlanta, Garnett isn't taking them lightly.

"That means nothing," Garnett said. "If anything, it is probably motivation for them to come out and prove something. They're a very talented eighth seed. We understand that and have respect for that team. They are our first-round opponent.

"One thing you know about Atlanta is they are going to play hard and play together. When they got Bibby, that made them even deeper. We've got our work cut out for us. We're 3-0 against them, but it's not an easy 3-0."

One reason Wilkins believes in upsets is the storied 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Hawks and Celtics.

The Hawks were up, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series and were one win away from a major upset. Larry Bird, however, predicted the Celtics would win the series and he ended up being correct. The intense series was highlighted by a historic Game 7 that the Celtics won, 118-116, at Boston Garden. Wilkins scored 47 points, but Bird scored 20 of his 34 in the fourth quarter.

"No one thought we'd take Boston to seven in the playoffs and we should have beat them in six," Wilkins said. "Unfortunately, they had a guy named Larry Bird who made a prediction. That was a tough one. It went down to the wire with two guys that didn't want to lose.

"I will think about that until the end of time. It's one of the greatest playoff games ever played."

Wilkins played in Atlanta from 1982-94 and is the Hawks' all-time leader in points, games, minutes, and field goals made and attempted. "The Human Highlight Film" was a nine-time All-Star and a two-time slam-dunk champion. He was teammates with Boston coach Doc Rivers in Atlanta from 1983-91. He also played one season in Boston, 1994-95.

Wilkins is now in his fourth season as a VP. Considering his great years as a player, the recent lean years in Atlanta have been tough for him. But with Johnson, Bibby, and Rookie of the Year candidate Al Horford, Wilkins is happy with the direction of the team.

"It was tough the last four or five years," Wilkins said. "I'm so in love with this franchise, the organization, and this city. I want to see them do well.

"This has been pretty much, for the most part, a pleasant year. We have a chance now, and anytime you get in the playoffs, it's an accomplishment whether you are over .500 or under .500."

While his time in a Celtics uniform was short, Wilkins liked Boston so much that he stuck around for a while.

"It's a great franchise and a great basketball town, probably one of the best in the history of the game," Wilkins said. "The fans understand the game.

"It was a fun town. I lived in Dover out there near Needham right on the water, right on the Charles River. Beautiful, except when it was cold. I just loved the culture. I just loved the people.

"Boston is like a big melting pot. There were a lot of different cultures, a lot of different people, and I enjoyed that."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.enterprisenews.com/sports/x1282034910
Celts hit the season finish line as leaders of postseason pack
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The Enterprise
Posted Apr 16, 2008 @ 01:48 AM

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BOSTON — As they gathered for media day last Sept. 28, there was hope in the air at the Boston Celtics’ training facility in Waltham.

It wasn’t just the ordinary feeling of optimism that engulfs every professional sports team at the start of a new season.

Rather, there was a true sense that something special was going to unfold in the 2007-08 season.

All it took was the sight of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce seated on a podium together at a press conference to realize the Celtics were once again on the NBA radar screen.

A franchise that has won only three playoff series since the retirement of Larry Bird in 1992 finally had legitimate reason to be upbeat.

For all the optimistic views that were flying around 6 ½ months ago, though, no one could have envisioned what happened in the regular season that concludes tonight.

The Celtics enter their final game against the New Jersey Nets (7:35, TV: Comcast SportsNet; radio: WRKO-680 AM) with a remarkable 65-16 record, the third-most wins in the team’s history.

They will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, and it will be a real advantage since Boston is 34-6 at the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Celtics have been consistent on the road as well, going 31-10, marking only the third time Boston has exceeded 30 wins away from home.

When the Celtics got together for the first time late last September, then went to Europe for the start of training camp, it was an accepted fact they were going to at least double their 24-win total of a year ago.

They have done much more than that, setting the NBA record for the biggest turnaround (it will be 42 more wins if the Celtics defeat the Nets tonight) and leading the league from wire to wire.

Who knew the chemistry between Garnett, Pierce and Allen would take hold so quickly with all three checking their egos at the door last autumn?

Who knew that second-year point guard Rajon Rondo would make such incredible leaps that he will probably receive consideration in the voting for the Most Improved Player award?

Who knew that the bench, a sizable question mark entering the season, would be a reliable area for the Celtics with James Posey, Eddie House, Leon Powe, Glen Davis and now Sam Cassell chipping in?

The Celtics’ biggest slump of the season was a three-game losing streak right after the All-Star break when Garnett was returning from an abdominal injury.

There were very few potholes hit with the Celtics getting off to a blistering 29-3 start and having five winning streaks of at least seven games.

The unselfishness of Garnett, Pierce and Allen clearly set the tone from the beginning as the three players who have been marquee players alone have been working together from Day One.

Garnett has been the prime example of what a team player is all about, coordinating the best defense in the NBA and doing whatever is necessary at the offensive end.

Pierce is averaging 19.8 points per game and may average below 20 for the first time since his second season in the NBA. His shot attempts are down from a career average of 17.6 to 13.8 per game, but Pierce hasn’t minded one bit.

“Regardless of what I’m doing scoring-wise, it is all about wins,” said Pierce. “I’m more than happy what I’ve been doing scoring-wise this year, shot attempts, everything across the board even though it’s not one of my better years statistically.

“I’m totally happy with everything, especially when it shows up in the win column, which is the most important thing to me now.”

Allen’s numbers have also dipped as he will finish below 20 points per game for the first time since 1998-99, his third year out of the University of Connecticut.

All of the individual numbers and awards have truly meant nothing to them, and it is an attitude that filtered down throughout the rest of the roster.

It has resulted in a sensational regular season as the Celtics made the winter go by quicker with their constant winning via team play.

After tonight, they will start preparing for the Atlanta Hawks and the first round of the playoffs with potential matchups against either the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards, then possibly the Detroit Pistons to follow.

The Celtics have put themselves in a position to contend for a 17th championship banner, which is a long way from where they were when the 2006-07 regular season ended a year ago this week.

“As a coach or player, all you want is a chance, a shot,” said Coach Doc Rivers last fall. “When you get that opportunity, you want to make the best of it.”

So far, the Celtics have been able to do that with a regular season to remember.

The next step of the journey begins this weekend with 16 more wins separating them from halting a 22-year championship drought.

Staff writer Jim Fenton’s column appears in The Enterprise.

[FLCeltsFan]

en.epochtimes.com/tools/printer.asp?id=69249
The House That Ainge Built
Boston Celtics make the move from outhouse to penthouse
By Karl Yu
Epoch Times Staff Apr 15, 2008


Rome wasn't built in one day, but thanks to free agency in the National Basketball Association, piecing together a championship team can be done in about one summer.

The luster that emanated from a once-proud Boston Celtics franchise had faded and a generation of fans had only heard stories of the exploits of Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Larry Bird, and whispers of players like Bill Russell.

With the Red Sox taking a pair of World Series titles in the past four years and the Patriots among the NFL's elite, it was time for GM Danny Ainge to once again make the Celtics relevant in Beantown.

This past off-season, Ainge was facing pressure from all sides. The team owned the second worst record in the entire league, and to add salt on the proverbial wound, they lost the draft lottery dropping to the fifth pick overall.

Not deterred, Ainge gutted his team acquiring Seattle's Ray Allen and Minnesota power forward Kevin Garnett.

Ainge was obviously pleased with the off-season deals, particularly the one involving Garnett, which took a bit longer to do.

"Kevin Garnett is a great player in our league, with a fierce and competitive spirit, who brings offensive scoring prowess and a defensive presence to our team," explained the Celtics' GM after trading a number of youngsters the other way to the Timberwolves.

But Ainge also demanded a lot from his off-season acquisitions and long-time Celtic Paul Pierce.

"These guys will never be the Big Three [McHale, Bird, and Parrish] until they win a championship," Ainge went on to say.

The Celtics have easily the best record in the league, winning an amazing 80 percent of their games. Although their 60-plus-win total is very impressive—especially considering the 24-win total from a year previous—2008 will be all but forgotten if the Celtics are bounced early from the playoffs.

The Celtics will kick off the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks.

In order for this Boston team to re-establish itself as a dynasty, it will have to win a number of titles, preferably in consecutive years.

People who reminisce about the Michael Jordan-era Bulls fail to remember that it took a number of years and adjustments to personnel before Chicago dominated the NBA. Drafted in 1984, it wasn't until 1991 that No. 23 and his Bulls would raise a championship banner.

The 1990–91 Chicago Bulls won 61 games and featured a Michael Jordan at the top of his game—averaging 31.5 points per game and taking an MVP award to boot.

The 2007–08 Celtics fall a little short in that department.

Although Garnett and Allen are the main catalysts for the big turnaround, it is veteran Celtic Pierce that leads the team in scoring with close to 20 points per game, and even then he sits 30th amongst the association's top scorers.

Danny Ainge has done an incredible job renovating a bottom-dwelling NBA team and replacing it with quality, character players. Boston is once again feeling Celtic Pride.

But as the 2007 New England Patriots will tell you, winning in the regular season will mean squat without a championship to cap it all off.

The NBA playoffs are upon us. Has Danny Ainge built his house on a solid rock foundation, or has he built it on sand?

[FLCeltsFan]

blogs.metrowestdailynews.com/celtics/?p=1192

Around the parquet for Tuesday: One last breather
Posted on April 15, 2008 by Scott Souza
Filed Under Uncategorized |

The Celtics took today off from practice (and will not have a morning shootaround before tomorrow’s regular season finale against the Nets) in what may be their final break before the playoffs start this weekend.

In other words, Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell and the rest of the veterans should enjoy watching Gino on the Jumbotron tomorrow night because it will probably be the last time they are that relaxed that late in a game for the rest of the season no matter what the score.

As the playoffs (finally) approach, here are a few issues to chew on. …

The rotation: Doc Rivers said Friday night that he had pretty much decided the playoff rotation, though he wouldn’t reveal it to the media or the players. Of course, not revealing it gives him license to change it without admitting to that. But for now we can give him the benefit that he has determined the bench priority list.

In the frontcourt, Leon Powe would appear to have secured the role as the first big man (a relative term) off the bench with a combination of Glen Davis and P.J. Brown to follow based on matchups. If Kendrick Perkins were to get in foul trouble early (something that hasn’t happened nearly as much as expected this season) then Brown could get the nod. In a regular rotation, Davis would likely get more time as Rivers has already left open the possibility that Brown will do a lot of bench and practice mentoring during the postseason.

Overall, it will likely be more matchup based and that favors Davis getting an extra few minutes early on against a Hawks team that will likely play small, young and athletic. Brown could see more time against Cleveland in Round 2, though he might not play at all against the Wizards.

In the fourth quarter, while some may disagree, a frontcourt of Garnett and James Posey is still most likely in a close game.

In the backcourt, it will be interesting to see how far Sam Cassell has forged himself into the plans based on his play of the past two games. Rivers said play in the last week wouldn’t affect his rotations much, but he had to be getting a little concerned with Cassell’s inability to assimilate into the lineup because of a combination of lack of practices, a minor back injury and Eddie House’s strong play at the point. But with House out the past two games, Cassell has seized his chance while House’s unit had trouble holding the starters’ leads in recent games.

Both figure to get a lot of time in the playoffs, though Cassell could see more time as the traditional backup point guard, while House is used in spurts to provide instant offense and spread the floor when Rivers wants to get Garnett one-on-one matchups in the paint and make opponents pay dearly with a double team (House, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and/or James Posey out beyond the arc).

Posey will get his 20 to 25 minutes in what will be a more meaningful role - not necessarily in terms of minutes, but definitely in terms of impact - in the playoffs and will continue to shoot his 3s (Does he take any other shots anymore?).

The wild card remains Tony Allen. Though Allen has played better of late, he continues to play well when handed 30 minutes a night and not so well when forced to play in three- to five-minute spurts of a traditional backup shooting guard. He remains the team’s best defensive option against the types of bigger guards that have given the Celtics trouble this season, but if Rivers feels he cannot trust him not to make mistakes in the playoffs his time could be more limited than the coach would have liked.

The bench struggled in the games leading up to this weekend before breaking through with close-out efforts against the Bucks, Hawks and Knicks. Yet, as Cassell noted Friday night, the bench play has been a bit of a false story in recent weeks since in the playoffs a combination of Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen will still be on the court at all times in a close contest.