News 4/19

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1088192&format=text
Celtics regular season report card

By Mark Murphy | Saturday, April 19, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone (file)
The greatest turnaround in NBA history is the result of so many working parts, no one person could possibly earn all the credit -- not even the most impressive defender in the league this season, Kevin Garnett.

From the front office to the coaching staff to the guys on the floor, the Celtics [team stats]’ 42-win turnaround has floored the league.

There is still a legion out there with more belief in what the Western Conference can produce over the next two months, but this creation of Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers has shaken the Celtics franchise to its again-proud core.

From the moment Ainge triggered an enormous chain reaction with last June’s draft-night trade for Ray Allen, literally everything has worked.

What follows is a season report card, with the grades based on how each individual has matched, exceeded or flown under expectations.

Players

Ray Allen (B) -- Perhaps he hasn’t shot as consistently as people anticipated, but no one has been forced to change his game to fit the big picture more than this guy. He’s received the fewest touches of his career, and as a result scored four points (17.6) under his career average (21.5), in addition to dipping under a 20-point scoring average for the first time in nine seasons. Allen’s shot attempts also were his lowest in nine seasons. But this is what was asked of him. He still hit his fair share of game-winners, should have won the MVP award on All-Star weekend, and is still feeling his way along in this system. Allen been a better defender than expected, and his passing has been a revelation as well. His continued emergence could become an enormous factor when big shots are needed over the next two months.

Tony Allen (C minus) -- Doc Rivers is still clinging to the hope that Allen finally will turn the corner with his confidence issues. But this superior athlete, who has the potential to become one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, is still looking over at the bench every time he makes a mistake -- and after four seasons he still makes a lot of those. No one is saying that it’s a lark to come back from a second straight major knee surgery, but Allen’s issue is more mental than physical. He appears to have the burst back in his legs, but is there another player in the NBA who gets caught as often between a dunk and a layup? His indecision has led to a long string of blown drives.

Sam Cassell (B minus) -- Unlike P.J. Brown, who still hasn’t played enough to earn a grade, Cassell barely slides in under the wire. He won the game in San Antonio on March 17 with a classic flurry of mid-range jumpers, and over the last two weeks of the season started to show signs of doing what is expected -- to calm down the second unit and hit open shots. Though he still seems a little too concerned about his own shot, Cassell and his strong personality already have teammates paying attention. He still doesn’t know every wrinkle of the offense, but Rivers has smartly kept it simple with Sam I Am on the floor.

Glen Davis (B minus) -- Perhaps this grade is a little harsh, but only because Big Baby still has so much growth ahead of him (a daunting thought). Yet another example of Ainge’s ability to find prizes in the second round of the draft, Davis was a better finisher than expected. The same can be said of his ability to use his girth against centers, including his hero, Shaquille O’Neal. His low center of gravity gives trouble to bigger opponents, making him a good player to call on in a pinch at the five spot. Over the last two months he also has shown more confidence and effectiveness with his jumper.

Kevin Garnett (A) -- He should be the MVP, but won’t get it. He also should be defensive player of the year, and that may be the award Garnett has to settle for in what has truly been a remarkable season, even by his standards. The biggest rap against him in the past has been his willingness to share the ball in crunch time situations, but with so many other options, Garnett’s passing has become an irreplaceable weapon on this team. He’s doubled Kendrick Perkins [stats]’ effectiveness, for instance. And his presence and quarterbacking on defense has made everyone a good -- and some of them brilliant -- defender. The Celtics would not be the best defensive team in the NBA if not for KG, who is now performing a service for this team that Tim Duncan has always provided for the Spurs. Not coincidentally, the Celtics’ defensive numbers are virtual copies of those produced by the Spurs last season, when they won the NBA title.

Eddie House (C) -- He came as advertised, with one of the quickest releases in basketball and absolutely no conscience -- nor is he asked to have one. But this natural born shooter has great timing. He’s hit some enormous fourth-quarter treys this season. The backup point guard experiment didn’t work as well. But he’s not a natural playmaker. He’s a late game deep threat, and yet another player who guarantees that the Celtics will always have scoring on the floor during the playoffs.

Kendrick Perkins (B minus) -- He has to be strapped into a seat and forced to watch hours of Kevin McHale videos to learn how to score without putting the ball on the floor. Perk still gets the ball stripped or blocked far too often, when he should simply go up strong. But no one has fed more off the double-teamed Garnett than the Celtics’ center. The good news is that he’s cut down on fouls immeasurably, now that everyone is contained. Again thanks to Garnett’s example, he’s become a very effective defender against the pick-and-roll. Perkins has become a bona fide, under control tough guy. He also has Garnett’s back, which is, in and of itself, a prime responsibility.

Paul Pierce [stats] (A) -- Pierce averaged 19.8 points per game -- his first sub-20-point season in eight years -- and he couldn’t be happier about it. For a player considered selfish by some of his peers across the league heading into this season, Pierce has continued to branch out under Rivers’ game. He cut down on turnovers, took better shots for the simple fact that the surrounding talent made him a better shooter, and continued to rebound as well as any small forward in the league. Garnett has pushed Pierce for the MVP award -- an honor the Celtics captain has absolutely no chance of winning. But he took an important step by embracing a less-is-more theory.

James Posey (A) -- Doc Rivers freely admits that he didn’t realize the swingman was this good, but that is generally the case with a veteran who does all of the little things well. His 3-point shooting is a bonus. His defense and hustle have become and heart and soul of the bench, and an element that will become even more important as the playoffs progress. Thanks to his length, Posey can guard opponents of all sizes on the perimeter, and some of his matchups over the next two months will be magnified. It shouldn’t be forgotten that when Miami won the 2006 NBA title, one enormous reason was Posey’s ability to shut down Dirk Nowitzki. This is the kind of task that he was brought in to perform.

Leon Powe (A) -- He’s undersized (6-foot-7, maybe) at power forward, which may be a good thing. If he was bigger this passionate banger might hurt people. Many like him would sink in a rotation, but Powe not only has given Rivers good reason to keep him on the floor, he has emerged as an interior force on the second unit. Like Perkins, he relishes meting out punishment. Like Posey, he loves to defend. He also has surprisingly good finishing skills -- or maybe that’s not so surprising, considering that Powe left the University of California as one of the best post players in Pac-10 history. But if there’s another player in the league with more heart, we dont know who it is. Powe is also another testament to Ainge’s track record with second-round draft picks.

Rajon Rondo [stats] (A) -- Rondo, thanks in part to his celebrated company, was one of he most improved players in the NBA this season. But don’t overlook the confidence in this second-year player. He is now hitting the jumper that few felt he could develop, and is the perfect ball-pressuring point to have out at the top of the circle. Few match his quickness, and he’s also become better as the season has progressed against bigger, more physical point guards. But as his own teammates will attest, Rondo doesn’t back down from anyone. Also, he’s going to become that much better.

Brian Scalabrine (B) -- The Celtics now may be the deepest team in the NBA, and that reality became Scalabrine’s cross to bear this season. He is a classic role player whose time has been consumed by others through very little doing of his own. Where the crowd sees a player who can run extremely hot and cold on his outside shot, the coaching staff sees someone who quite simply doesn’t get enough shots in the course of a game to develop a rhythm. But beyond that 3-pointer, Scalabrine’s talent lies in his ability to contribute in whatever area the team happens to be neediest at that moment.

Incomplete -- P.J. Brown, Scot Pollard, Gabe Pruitt, Brandon Wallace

Coaching (A) -- Doc Rivers’ communication skills have never been in doubt. Ater last season, the same could be said for his patience. No matter what issue presented itself this season, the dilemma was going to go down like a milk shake for the Celtics coach. But he also had to balance egos, and this is where Rivers probably did his best work. Starting with the team’s exhibition trip to Rome, he focused on bonding this exceptional collection of talent. Not all celebrated compilations get along. But from the start, Rivers’ players bought into the plan. Special mention also should be made of assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, who was brought in for his defensive expertise and constructed the stingiest defensive scheme in the league. Perhaps more than ever, Thibodeau’s name is being floated as head coaching material.

Personnel (A) -- The league award that flies under the radar more than any other in this league is executive of the year, but no one in the league deserves it more than Danny Ainge. After being pilloried for years over his biggest moves, every trade and signing worked for the director of basketball operations this season. A long string of improbable events had to fall into place for this to work -- including a decent amount of luck -- but Ainge’s oft-stated contention that he was assembling pieces for a trade finally took form. He made the best moves of anyone in the league. Indeed, these were moves that would have made his mentor -- the late Red Auerbach -- proud.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1088197&format=text
The case of missing ‘Ticket’

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Saturday, April 19, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Matt Stone (file)
Kevin Garnett missed a second straight practice yesterday, but the Celtics [team stats] are not concerned.

The team continued to say it’s a personal matter, but sources indicated again that it has to do with the birth of his and wife Brandi’s first child. Word is the process was lengthy.

“He didn’t come today,” coach Doc Rivers said of Garnett, adding with a smile, “I don’t know. It’s an attitude problem, I think.”

The coach noted that Garnett’s absence isn’t a problem.

“He’s fine,” Rivers said. “He’ll be over later on (last) evening at some point, and we’ll go through all the stuff.

“Not having Kevin does change some things, but it’s been good.”

Added Paul Pierce [stats]: “You want him to be around when you’re going over things and getting ready for the Atlanta Hawks, but he’s taking care of personal matters, and that’s about it.”

Garnett should be present for today’s practice session, which won’t be as long as yesterday’s. Rivers said the team wouldn’t go as hard the day before Game 1, but he added that with tipoff at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, he could probably push his players for four hours today with no effect.

Must-see TV

Pierce will see a lot of playoff basketball before the Celts take the floor against the Hawks.

“When I’m at home, I’m watching all the games,” he said. “It gives you a chance to not only watch and enjoy the game as a fan, but you can also do a little bit of scouting on your own.”

The C’s appear anxious to get back to playing real games, especially after taking it easy the last couple of weeks in the regular season.

“I think we’re ready for the playoffs,” Pierce said. “We went through the season and took the necessary steps, and now we’re pretty much ready.

“It’s definitely a different type of feel, a different type of confidence, heading into the playoffs this time. A lot of times when I was in the playoffs before, we were just happy to get there.”

Liking Mike

The Hawks were a different team after acquiring veteran point guard Mike Bibby from Sacramento in February. They averaged 94.8 points before the trade and 103.5 points in the 32 games after it.

“They changed once they got Bibby,” Rivers said. “There’s no doubt about it. They know their direction. They know how they want to play now, and Bibby sets the table for them.”

Experience matters The Celtics are comforted by the presence on their roster of James Posey and Sam Cassell, each of whom has won NBA titles.

“There’s no situation that we can get to that they haven’t been in,” Rivers said. . . .

In his text message linking the Celtics’ 66 wins to his choice of No. 66 jersey, Scot Pollard added, “For the record, I also live on the 17th floor.”

The reference is to the fact that the Celts are chasing a 17th championship.

But in that Pollard is a little spacey, it wouldn’t be a surprise if his building only had 10 stories. . . .

R.I.P., Danny Federici.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1088195&format=text
Young and the restless
Trio of Celts itching for first playoff tests

By Steve Bulpett | Saturday, April 19, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill (File)
They’ve played NBA games before - meaningful NBA games - but they haven’t done this. And after hearing from their teammates and coaches, Rajon Rondo [stats], Leon Powe and Glen Davis don’t need a thermometer to know the season is changing.

The three Celtics [team stats] will experience their first playoff game tomorrow night against Atlanta. Ready or not.

“Yeah, you’re concerned,” coach Doc Rivers said, “but there’s nothing you can do about it. Some things you have no control over. That’s one of them. So we prepare them as best as possible, and then they’re going to have to experience it themselves. They can hear it from Ray (Allen) and Kevin (Garnett) and Paul (Pierce) and Pose (James Posey), but until you go through it, you can’t duplicate it. And it’s the same thing for Atlanta. They’ve got a bunch of young guys, and they’ll be going through it for the first time, as well.

“But, you know, stars are born sometimes in these situations.”

Pierce has done his best to impart playoff knowledge, but he knows that only goes so far.

“It’s kind of hard to explain what the playoffs is all about,” he said after the Celts workout yesterday. “You really don’t get the full gist of it until you’ve actually been in the playoffs. You can talk about it and tell them what to expect, but until you do it, it’s all just talk. You really don’t get a feel for what it is.”

Rondo has been under the microscope all season, and he knows it will only be magnified now.

“Everybody has to go through it for themselves, but they told me about the intensity level,” he said. “I think I do play better in game situations like that, and I think the whole playoffs will be like that.”

Rondo insists, too, that he’s not worried about the adages for young point guards in the playoffs.

“I don’t know the history or the statistics or whatever, but it’s just basketball to me,” he said. “And I’ve got a lot of great veteran guys around me, and coach Rivers played the game. All I do is listen and play as hard as I can. I’m sure I’ll make mistakes; that’s part of the game, but I’ve just got to learn from them and play hard.”

What is Rivers saying?

“Just sense of urgency,” the coach said. “Play with urgency every possession, instead of waiting until there’s two minutes left or the last possession of the game. That’s how you play the playoffs the entire 48 minutes, and it’s still very difficult for them to understand that until they get into it.”

Powe thinks he may have to be even more aggressive.

“The guys are telling me you don’t get any calls, so you’ve got to take everything strong to the basket and be physical,” he said. Befitting his nickname, “Big Baby” Davis is wide-eyed with anticipation.

“They’re telling me about the intensity, the mental mind-set of (being) precise and accurate - how important that is,” he said. “As a rookie, you go through a lot of trials and tribulations and you have mistakes, but we have no room for mistakes now. I’m not a rookie anymore. That’s the mental approach they want me to take. You play the game but at the highest level you can because every possession counts. That’s what I’ve been told.

“I don’t know what to expect, but I love opportunities like this. This is when great players are made. I just can’t wait for the atmosphere to hit me and then to get on that court to help my team win a championship.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1088123&format=text
Isiah given the boot

By Herald wire services | Saturday, April 19, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP (file)
Isiah Thomas was fired as coach of the New York Knicks yesterday after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit and unending chants from fans demanding Thomas’ dismissal.

Thomas, the coach for two seasons, will remain with the organization reporting directly to new president Donnie Walsh, a rapid fall for a man who also was team president a little more than two weeks ago.

Walsh said he informed Thomas of the decision yesterday.

“It’s very difficult to be the coach and general manager,” he said. “Maybe it was too much.”

Walsh took over Thomas’ role as team president April 2, and his first big decision was to change coaches as he begins the process of turning around a team that never won a playoff game in Thomas’ tenure.

“I just believe a new voice, a new coach, is necessary to change the direction of the team,” Walsh said. “This is a coveted job. People want to coach here.

The Knicks finished 23-59, matching the franchise record for losses, in their seventh straight losing season.

Walsh wants a new coach in place by the draft in June, when the Knicks will finally have their lottery pick again after handing over their last two to Chicago in the Eddy Curry trade.

New York and Minnesota both won draft tiebreakers yesterday, increasing their chances of getting a higher pick.

The Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies both finished 22-60, tied for the third-worst in the NBA, and the Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers went 23-59, tying for fifth-worst.

The Wolves will pick one spot higher than the Grizzlies if neither gets a top-three selection through the draft lottery, same for the Knicks and Clippers.

Moving vote

NBA owners approved the Seattle SuperSonics’ move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season, provided the team can settle its lawsuit with the city.

The Sonics could begin playing in owner Clay Bennett’s hometown as early as next season if they can get out of the remaining two years of their lease at KeyArena.

Owners voted 28-2 in favor of the move, with Dallas and Portland voting against. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has previously expressed concerns about the market size, and commissioner David Stern said the Trail Blazers, owned by Seattle software billionaire Paul Allen, didn’t say why they voted the way they did.

Tiger leaving

Memphis All-American guard Chris Douglas-Roberts will enter the NBA draft, the school announced.

Douglas-Roberts led the Tigers with 18.1 points a game as a junior. . . .

Junior forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who averaged 8.8 points and 6.0 rebounds last season for UCLA, will enter the draft but won’t hire an agent.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1088208&format=text
Wiz’ Arenas eyes ‘assassin’ role

By Associated Press | Saturday, April 19, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP (file)
WASHINGTON - Gilbert Arenas is finally speaking again. He sounds like the same ol’ Agent Zero.

“I’m an assassin. I get buckets,” the Washington Wizards guard said after yesterday’s practice. “I know I haven’t played in a long time, but the shot is still there, so when I come off that bench, there is going to be some trouble.”

Arenas, usually a master of self-promotion, began a media boycott when he returned from a 66-game absence on April 2. Except for a couple of entries in his blog - one of which added trash-talking fuel to Washington’s first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers - he steered cleared of the cameras and scribes until the regular season was over.

“I just didn’t want to hear, ‘How’s your knee?’ ‘How does it feel to be back?’ ‘Are you going to still opt out?’ Same old, same old,” Arenas said. “Let’s worry about the playoffs and wait until we get to the playoffs and then I’ll be back at it.”

As if on cue, a reporter then asked Arenas if he will opt out of his contract this summer, as expected. Arenas chuckled and answered rather shyly: “I don’t know.”

Since returning from knee surgery, Arenas has been used as a sixth man. He has been limited by doctors to 25 minutes or so per game and sat out the final two regular-season games as a precaution. Coach Eddie Jordan is hoping Arenas will be able to play more in the postseason.

As for the series against the Cavaliers, which starts today in Cleveland, Arenas helped stoke the back-and-forth between the teams in his blog. Among his comments: “I think everybody wants Cleveland in that first round,” and, “We don’t think they can beat us in the playoffs three years straight.”

“The funny part is I don’t talk trash on the court, just around the court, before I step into those lines,” Arenas said. “That was the same team that was talking trash when I shot the free throw (in Game 6 of the 2006 playoffs). Now it’s revenge time. I don’t know what the hoopla is about. When they were talking trash, it was no biggie, but now when we talk trash it’s a big old problem. We get crucified for it.”

The Cavaliers have played barely better than .500 since acquiring Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak in February, and that hasn’t escaped Arenas’ notice.

“Ever since they made that trade, they really haven’t found how to play with each other and that’s what we are banking on,” Arenas said. “It’s not the same team that we played two years ago.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/19/playoff_greenhorn?mode=PF

Playoff greenhorn
Rondo, however, not worried about lack of postseason experience
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | April 19, 2008

Rajon Rondo has never played in an NBA playoff game. Sure, it was loud at TD Banknorth Garden and opposing arenas in the regular season, but the playoffs can be rock concert loud, making it difficult to hear the teammate standing next to you. Every game is televised nationally, some even worldwide. And if the 22-year-old thought the spotlight was bright on him as the Celtics' point guard going into the season, it's going to be blazing in the playoffs.

So, Rondo's got to be nervous, right?

"Nah," the stoic-faced Rondo said. "I'm trying to approach it as just another game. It's more meaningful, but I'm not putting pressure on myself. It's just basketball."

Rondo, Leon Powe, Glen Davis, and Gabe Pruitt are about to embark on their first playoff experience. The Eastern Conference's top seed will host the eighth-seeded Hawks in Game 1 of a best-of-seven first-round series tomorrow night at TD Banknorth Garden.

Powe said he has spoken to his teammates and former Celtics great and coach Tommy Heinsohn about the playoffs. Davis said his veteran teammates have told him to expect a "different atmosphere" in the playoffs, and he has talked to Heinsohn, too.

"It's something you've been looking forward to since you were little," Powe said. "I used to watch the playoffs on TV and it used to be so exciting. Just to be able to play in it is an honor and a blessing to me."

Said Davis: "I'm not nervous. This is what it's all about. Playoff atmosphere. This is where great players are made."

No Celtic - other than probably All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen - will face more pressure than Rondo. As a team, there is a lot of pressure for the Celtics, who won an NBA-best 66 games in the regular season, to win a 17th championship.

Potential point guard matchups for Rondo could include Atlanta's Mike Bibby, Washington's Gilbert Arenas, Detroit's Chauncey Billups, and a great Western Conference floor general if Boston makes it to the Finals. When things get tight in the fourth quarter, Rondo will know that veterans Sam Cassell and Eddie House will be itching to come in, too.

In essence, Rondo's every move will be watched, even though he more than exceeded expectations this season.

"He's going to be the one that will probably be thrust into that spotlight the most because I think most of the people in America don't really know him," Allen said. "They've seen a lot of [myself, Garnett, and Pierce] for many years. But people will get to really know him now because we'll be in the playoffs."

Said Rondo: "I'm going to just go out there and play with heart. My mentality has to be right. I'm going to go home and study the game, my opponent, and [the opposing] team. I've got to be able to handle whatever is thrown at me."

Rondo averaged 10.6 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 29.9 minutes per game in 77 contests during the regular season. He also played on the Sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend and is a candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. He also isn't afraid of saying anything to his teammates, usually has a very calm demeanor on the floor, has the ability to take tough hits (he played high school football), and can occasionally be fiery when he is not pleased with something.

Bibby will be the first point guard thrown at Rondo.

Bibby averaged 14.1 points, 6.5 assists, and 1.1 steals, and had a 36.9 3-point percentage in 33 games with Atlanta after being dealt from Sacramento. The 10-year veteran has 51 games of postseason experience while playing with Sacramento, including the 2002 Western Conference finals. He also averaged 15 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds in two games as a Hawk against Boston.

"I look at it every night as a tough challenge, especially after 82 [regular-season] games night in and night out," Rondo said. "Mike Bibby played exceptionally well in the playoffs with Sacramento . . . He's a smart player, he draws tough fouls, and he makes big shots. I just have to practice on staying solid and making him work on the other end, as well."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers vividly recalls his surprising start for the Hawks in his first playoff game, a 105-89 loss at Milwaukee April 17, 1984. Cassell remembers playing "terrible" off the bench for the Rockets during his first playoff game, a 114-104 win over Portland April 29, 1994.

Good or bad, Rondo's spotlighted first playoff memory arrives tomorrow night.

"I don't really think about it much," he said. "There is a lot of pressure on me going into the playoffs. You hear about it. I hear things. But like I said, it's part of basketball. It is what it is. Some people rise to the occasion. Some people don't."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/19/garnett_misses_practice_again?mode=PF
Garnett misses practice again
He's expected back to practice today
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | April 19, 2008

WALTHAM - Although Kevin Garnett was excused from another practice for family reasons, he was expected to sneak in a workout last night.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Garnett missed practice Thursday and yesterday to take care of family business but declined to go into detail.

Garnett asked team officials to keep his personal matter private. NBA sources said Garnett's wife, Brandi, went into labor Thursday with their first child.

Rivers said Garnett was expected to work out and go over video at the team's practice facility last night with coaches and video coordinators and take part in practice today.

The Eastern Conference's top-seeded Celtics host No. 8 seed Atlanta in Game 1 of a best-of-seven playoff series tomorrow night at TD Banknorth Garden.

"[Garnett] didn't come today. Attitude problem, I think," Rivers joked after yesterday's practice. "It's not what you guys think. But it's just personal."

Sam Cassell, Garnett's close friend, said: "He's cool. He better be happy."

Without Garnett, the Celtics had a two-hour-plus practice that Rivers said had "good intensity." They are expected to have a shorter practice today.

"Not having Kevin does change some things," Rivers said.


Cassell wants to stay
Cassell reiterated he wants to re-sign with the Celtics during the offseason. Boston is projected to have $74.5 million in salary on next season's team.

When asked if he would be willing to take the veteran minimum for a player of 10-plus years, $1.26 million, the 38-year-old said, "I'd consider it. There might be some other teams that offer me more. But I'd have another chance to fight for another championship ring. Why not?"


His pick is Horford
Rivers has said several times that Atlanta's Al Horford is deserving of the Rookie of the Year Award. Another hot candidate is Seattle's Kevin Durant. "[Horford] has played in more meaningful games, in my opinion, and has come up big in those meaningful games," Rivers said . . . Hawks coach Mike Woodson came to his team's practice in Atlanta shaved bald after living up to a promise of either shaving his head or getting a tattoo or an earring if his team made the postseason. Hawks guard Joe Johnson jokingly taped up a picture of Mr. Potato Head in tribute to Woodson . . . Coinciding with the start of the playoffs, Garnett will be featured in a new Gatorade commercial called "League of Clutch," which debuts today on ABC, ESPN, and TNT. In it, Garnett makes highlight-reel dunks and layups to Carl Orff's song "Carmina Burana." . . . The Hawks will fly to Boston this afternoon after practicing in Atlanta today. Outside of injured guard Speedy Claxton (knee), the Hawks are healthy.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/04/19/seeds_are_planted?mode=PF

Seeds are planted
No. 1s Celtics and Lakers would make for another dream Finals
By Peter May, Globe Staff | April 19, 2008

Welcome to the sometimes puzzling world of the NBA playoffs, where a sub-.500 team qualifies and a 48-game winner books reservations for Secaucus. If the objective is to get the 16 best teams into the postseason, then this season qualifies as a call for playoff reform. If the objective is to maintain the status quo, then this season was not much different in the Eastern Conference. It was, however, unprecedented in the Western Conference, where the Golden State Warriors amassed the most wins in NBA history for a team hitting the links on the first day of the offseason.

But we've known that to be the case for a while. What Hawks fans there are in Atlanta - and the jury is still out - will have a chance to witness their team in the postseason for the first time since 1999. Better catch them while you can, however, as their underwhelming record (37-45) puts them up against the best team in the league - the Boston Celtics. (And who could have foreseen that a year ago?)

The league is keeping its fingers crossed for a Celtics-Lakers Finals, which would be a publicity coup as well as a ratings boon after last year's San Antonio-Cleveland UnFinals, which were watched by approximately 15 people. The "Beat LA" chants could reverberate around the Garden for the first time since the two met in the 1987 NBA Finals, won by the Lakers. Each team is the No. 1 seed in its conference, though that hasn't always guaranteed playoff success.

The Lakers will have to claw through three tough series before even getting to the Finals. So will every other team in the West. One through eight, this is as balanced and tough a group the NBA has ever seen. As Spurs coach Gregg Popovich noted, "There will be no upsets." He's right, almost. If Denver beats the Lakers, that will be an upset.

The Celtics and Pistons have dominated all season in the East and few would be surprised to see them meet in what could be a terrific conference finals. Both teams are looking forward to it, but each has some preliminary business. The Celtics face a tough foe in the second round, either Washington (which beat Boston three times) or Cleveland (which beat Boston twice and has You Know Who). The Pistons might have a tougher foe in the first round (athletic, fearless Philly) than in the next round (Toronto or Orlando).


East
Boston (1) vs, Atlanta (8)
Season series: Boston, 3-0
The Hawks ended the NBA's longest playoff drought (eight seasons) but basically backed into the postseason. The Celtics, making their first appearance since their 2005 meltdown against the Pacers, were the league's best team from Game 1 to Game 82. "They're young. They're athletic. They have hurt us on the boards," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of the Hawks. He didn't add, "But we handled them in all three games and expect to do so again." But he might as well have. Like a lot of 1-8 matchups, this one qualifies as "Wow, we made the playoffs in the league's worst conference" for one team and "Let's get down to business; we have a long grind ahead" for the other. Rivers has done a terrific job managing minutes and everyone is healthy and ready for what the Celtics expect to be a two-month march to their 17th world championship. The Hawks? They were second-round fodder the last time the Celtics won it all. This time around, they'll be first-round fodder.
Pick: Celtics in four.


Detroit (2) vs. Philadelphia (7)
Season series: Tied, 2-2
These guys played four close games this season. All were decided by 8 points or fewer, although a 7-point Philly win April 9 came just after the Pistons clinched the No. 2 spot and rested a lot of regulars. Rip Hamilton didn't even play. This pits the most veteran, playoff-experienced team in the East against a group most figured would be watching the first round. The 76ers have been a tough out over the second half of the season. They've got a rising star in Andre Iguodala, a savvy point guard in Andre Miller, and a defensive presence in Samuel Dalembert. They are capable of giving anyone fits in the first round and Detroit has shown a tendency to play, well, uninterested at times, even during the playoffs (see Cleveland, 2006 and '07). The Pistons can't afford to do that against this bunch. Methinks Chauncey, Rip, Sheed, and Tayshaun will don their postseason faces earlier than normal, for this does not appear to be the usual first-round cakewalk.
Pick: Pistons in six.


Orlando (3) vs. Toronto (6)
Orlando, 2-1
Is there a more underappreciated playoff team than the Magic? They held off Cleveland for the third seed. They won 52 games. They've got a possible first-team All-NBA center in Dwight Howard and two perimeter guys who can go off at any time in Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. And no one takes them seriously. Orlando had that "happy to be here" look last year and paid for it, getting broomed by the Pistons in the first round. Then came a coaching change, a pricey free agent signing, and a season not a lot of people expected. The Raptors have been a puzzlement (as the late Yul Brynner would say), mainly because of injuries. Glue man Jorge Garbajosa has been out all season, although the stats say he played seven games. Chris Bosh and T.J. Ford also missed a bunch of games (46 between them). Then again, the season also featured the emergence of Jose Calderon as a go-to point guard. But it's hard to see them making three trips to Hooterville.
Pick: Magic in five.


Cleveland (4) vs. Washington (5)
Season series: Tied, 2-2
This is, by far, the most compelling first-round matchup in the East. There is an abundance of story lines, from the return of blogmeister Gilbert Arenas to the question of whether the midseason reconfiguration of the Cavaliers made them any better. This is also the third time in three years that these teams have met in the first round, and the previous two series, both won by the Cavaliers, involved late-game dramatics (2006) and an undermanned Washington team (2007). There is already some woofing going on, so the possibilities are limitless. Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison should all be (reasonably) healthy, which makes the Wizards a potentially dangerous team. Washington also showed it can play defense this year. The Cavaliers will rely, as usual, on LeBron James, but their new roster, with Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, and even Delonte West was assembled with the postseason in mind. Can it click in time?
Pick: Washington in six.


Western Coference
LA Lakers (1) vs. Denver (8)
Season series: Lakers, 3-0The Nuggets are accustomed to playing first-round poor boys for the Spurs (2005, 2007) and, in both years, prepped the eventual NBA champ. Will that happen again this time? The Lakers have been a wonderful story this season. Kobe Bryant has played like an MVP and the midseason acquisition of Pau Gasol rocketed them to the top of the Western Conference. And who knows if they'll get a healthy Andrew Bynum along the way? That wouldn't hurt. Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom give Los Angeles playoff experience, which should come in handy against unpredictable Denver. Los Angeles was 2-0 in Staples Center, outscoring Denver by 22.5 points a game. The Nuggets can score with anyone but questions linger about their defense, even with Marcus Camby and a team that led the league in steals per game. Carmelo Anthony's unfortunate choice of drinking and driving probably won't affect them. Allen Iverson is still there, too. This one should be fun.
Pick: Lakers in five.


New Orleans (2) vs. Dallas (7)
Season series: Tied, 2-2
Has there ever been a scarier No. 7 seed than the Mavericks? New Orleans has been one of the real feel-good stories for many reasons, ranging from realizing that Byron Scott actually knew how to coach to realizing that Chris Paul is really, really good to realizing how hard it was for them to win fan support in tough times in a still-ravaged city. These teams played Wednesday in Dallas, where the Mavericks prevailed to nail down the seventh seed after being the top dog last year. But regular season and playoffs are different, which Dallas knows better than anyone. Is this where the Mavericks have an advantage, in that this is an experienced playoff team, made more so with the arrival of Jason Kidd? Or is playoff experience overrated, especially with a finicky group like the Mavericks? Everyone was waiting for something to happen to the Hornets, and nothing did, save for the two losses last weekend that cost them the No. 1 overall seed. But they appear to be for real.
Pick: Hornets in six.


San Antonio (3) vs. Phoenix (6)
Season series: Phoenix, 3-1
Grant Hill probably thought he'd finally win a playoff series when he signed with the Suns. Then he happened upon the most competitive, cutthroat season ever and now has to go up against the steely defending champs in the first round. Phoenix won both meetings since the arrival of Shaquille O'Neal and there is no more intriguing playoff story than the fate of the Suns. They played the Spurs pretty tough last year without Shaq, but some very untimely suspensions did them in. You would have to think they're ready to take the next step. The old-and-getting-older Spurs still present a formidable challenge and are not going to go away easily. But Manu Ginobili is ailing and Brent Barry only just returned. The Spurs have never had an easy time with Amare Stoudemire, who has been on a roll since Shaq arrived. If the Suns do make it out of the West, they'll have done so only after abandoning the way they played that made them everyone's favorite team to watch.
Pick: Suns in six.


Utah (4) vs. Houston (5)
Season series: Utah, 2-1
This is a rematch of last year's first-round series, in which the Jazz won Game 7 in Houston, keeping Tracy McGrady winless in the playoffs. Without Yao Ming, the Rockets made a remarkable run and they will have home-court advantage in this series. And Utah has been an awful road team. Houston would seem to have the edge, Yao or no Yao, and the Rockets have been making believers out of a lot of people. But the playoffs are an entirely different matter and the absence of the altitudinous Yao - and an untimely injury to Rafer Alston (hamstring) - could come back to hurt Houston. The Jazz present all kinds of matchup headaches, including, but not limited to, the impressive play of point guard Deron Williams. And now that they have Kyle Korver, they've got some outside shooting to go with their inside game. The Jazz made it to the Western Conference finals last year. They may not go that far again but they should be able to replicate their ousting of the Rockets.
Pick: Jazz in six.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/04/19/thomas_fired_as_ny_coach?mode=PF
Thomas fired as NY coach
Walsh wants culture change
By Associated Press | April 19, 2008

Isiah Thomas was fired as coach of the New York Knicks yesterday after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit, and unending chants from fans demanding Thomas's dismissal.

Thomas, the coach for two seasons, will remain with the organization, reporting directly to new president Donnie Walsh, a rapid fall for Thomas, who also was team president a little more than two weeks ago.

"It's very difficult to be the coach and general manager," Walsh said. "Maybe it was too much."

Walsh took over Thomas's role as team president April 2, and his first big decision was to change coaches as he begins the process of turning around a team that never won a playoff game in Thomas's tenure.

"I just believe a new voice, a new coach, is necessary to change the direction of the team," Walsh said. "This is a coveted job. People want to coach here.

The Knicks finished 23-59, matching the franchise record for losses, in their seventh straight losing season.

"I can't tell you really where we failed," Walsh said. "The bottom line is we haven't won, and the team didn't look like it was motivated to try to win."

This season alone, Thomas was found to have sexually harassed a former team employee, feuded with point guard Stephon Marbury, and benched center Eddy Curry - the players Thomas acquired in the two biggest of a number of moves that never panned out.

Walsh wants a new coach in place by the draft in June.

Walsh said he hasn't talked to any candidates, but mentioned former Knick and current TV analyst Mark Jackson and assistant coach Herb Williams as people who likely will be interviewed.

"Obviously, when you're losing, there has to be a culture change," he said. "There's no easy answer . . . We've got to work 24-7 to become competitive."


Sonics moving
NBA owners approved the Seattle SuperSonics' move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season, provided the team can settle its lawsuit with the city.

The Sonics could begin playing in owner Clay Bennett's hometown as early as next season if they can get out of the remaining two years of their lease at KeyArena.

In New York, owners voted 28-2 in favor of the move, with Dallas and Portland voting against.

Stern said although owners understand the move is from a larger market to a much smaller one, they "focused on the likelihood of success in Oklahoma City."

Seattle has filed suit trying to force the Sonics to remain in the city until the lease expires in 2010. The city already has rejected Bennett's $26 million to settle the lease dispute. A trial is set to begin in federal court June 16.


2 teams get breaks
Minnesota and New York both won tiebreakers, increasing their chances of getting a higher pick in June's NBA draft. The Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies both finished 22-60, tied for the third-worst record in the NBA, and the Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers went 23-59, tying for fifth worst. The Wolves will pick one spot higher than the Grizzlies if neither gets a top-three selection through the draft lottery, same for the Knicks and Clippers.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/x2124111687
Courtside View: Pressure all on Doc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Scott Souza/Daily News Staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Apr 18, 2008 @ 08:37 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WALTHAM — There has been a lot of talk throughout this season about how the pressure will be on Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the playoffs to prove they can respond to the first legitimate chance to win a championship for all three.

But as the Celtics begin their postseason quest as the favorite to win it all - at least according to the Vegas oddsmakers - the one person who probably stands to take the biggest hit should the team underachieve remains with Doc Rivers - the coach who has yet to ever win a playoff series.

Pierce received plenty of grief following his Game 6 shirt-twirling exit from Indiana in a 2005 first-round series the Celtics eventually lost. But that letdown set the stage for criticisms of Rivers' player rotations and game management that were only muted slightly over the next two years because of the dearth of talent on his roster.

If the Celtics get into trouble this time around with arguably the most talent of any roster in the league, the still-skeptical legions who have somewhat-reluctantly given the coach his due following a 66-16 regular season will be poised to lead a chorus of critics against him.

"No doubt about it," said 15-year veteran, and two-time NBA champion, Sam Cassell of the spotlight that glares on the sideline during the playoffs. "Players win games and coaches lose games. It's that simple."

It wasn't quite that simple, in retrospect, for Rivers as he looked back upon his two biggest playoff disappointments - a seven-game series loss to the Pistons in 2003 after his Magic team had a 3-1 lead, and the loss to the Pacers in 2005 when the Celtics were hammered on their home court in Game 7.

"The Orlando series (vs. Detroit) was an interesting one because we got up 3-1, and it was basically because Tracy McGrady did what we are a fearful of a (Mike) Bibby or Joe Johnson doing (in the upcoming series against the Hawks)," the three-time Eastern Conference Coach of the Month said yesterday. "Those first five games, there is nobody in the league who could do anything with that and he carried us. Unfortunately, in Games 5, 6 and 7, he didn't play as well and we found out who we were really were.

"The Indiana series was just such a quirky, emotional series," he determined. "Most people didn't pick us to beat Indiana - except the Boston people."

While the coach's spin might be skewed there, there is no spinning that this year's squad will be favored in every series it plays.

"I thought entering the playoffs with the other teams I've been with that we would have to be unbelievable to win those games," he said. "With this team, I have more confidence. I feel like I have an equal chance - or even better than that - to win the series. I still thought, in each one of those, we were going to win it, and we didn't."

Pierce, who along with Kendrick Perkins and Tony Allen is one of the three remaining players from the 2005 debacle, said Rivers and his staff have built up a reservoir of credibility with this year's team after winning 66 games while still controlling minutes and allowing for plenty of time off.

"I expect the coaching staff to have us prepared each and every game," the captain said. "Whatever Doc does, our trust is in him. We have trusted him all year long and now we feel he is going to do what's right for the ballclub."

That includes trusting Rivers to make the kind of adjustments that get amplified and closely scrutinized in the playoffs.

"It's definitely not overplayed," said Pierce of the chess game. "Especially if things aren't going well, or even if they are going well, you always want to make an adjustment. Because, say you win a game, you always want to make an adjustment because you have to assume the other team is going to make an adjustment. You are not going to be able to do the same things the next game that you did the last game."

While Rivers said you mostly "just try to be who you are, and you try to do that better than the team you are playing," Ray Allen hinted a few surprises could be forthcoming.

"There were always things that Doc would show us and then we wouldn't do it (in games)," he said. "So that showed me that there's going to be more once we got to the playoffs because there are so many teams that think they know us. We talked all the time about certain things we are not going to do now that we're going to do later on."

Rivers noted the perils of trying to be too smart in anticipating your opponent's next move - "You make an adjustment based on what you think they are going to do, then they don't do it, and you get in trouble."

That's a notion Cassell seconded.

"I have seen coaches overthink it," he said. "I have seen some coaches make some bad substitutions in certain situations that cost his team games. But coaching is a feel. Some have good feel and some have bad feel."

With an 8-14 career playoff record, Rivers now has the chance to finally prove, once and for all, to doubters that he has "that feel" when it counts.

If he doesn't, no amount of spin will shield him this time around.

[FLCeltsFan]

aol.nba.com/celtics/playoffs2008/playoffs-postups.html
Where's The Ticket?
Doc Rivers told reporters on Thursday that he expected Kevin Garnett to return to the practice court today, but the team went through a two-hour plus workout without him today at the Sports Authoity Training Center at HealthPoint in Waltham.

Rivers, however, didn't seem to concerned, laughing off reporters' inquiries as to KG's whereabouts.

"He didn't come today. It's an attitude problem I think," Rivers deadpanned.

"It's just personal," Rivers said of Garnett's absence. "He'll be over here later this evening and we'll go through all of the stuff."

In contrast to yesterday's session, which was more video and scouting work, today's practice was noticeably louder and at times sounded pretty intense from the Hall of Fame room, where the media awaits the end of practice before the final 10-15 minutes are available for viewing from the balcony windows.

"The intensity was good. That's what it should be. Hell, if you can't get intensity now, you're probably not gonna get it and you've failed as a coach," Rivers said. "Not having Kevin does change some things, but it's been good."

Rivers joked that his "video guys" will be players for KG's workout; we're wondering if Assistant Video Coordinator Brian Adams knows why he's staying late tonight. Then again, he's already been working plenty of OT preparing the players for their matchups against the Hawks.

"The players want more video now. During the regular season, we want the video and that doesn't change. During the playoffs, they have made at least one tape for every single guy already," Rivers said.

Rivers has often called the NBA "the most overscouted league in the world", and today's technology allows coaches to do things like pull up every single one of Mike Bibby's pick-and-rolls from the top of the key where he pulled up and hit a jumper in a matter of a few clicks and a few seconds. It's a drastic change from Rivers' playing days, where reel-to-reel projectors showed tapes of varying qualities.

"There's no reason for you to not know everything they do," Rivers said. "But that still doesn't mean they don't put a wrinkle in it, and that still doesn't mean you stop it. Some of the greatest coaches in the world will say, 'We don't care if you know what we do, we're still gonna do it.'"

So, are the Celtics so good that it doesn't matter whether their opponents know what's coming or not?

"We do what we do, that's what we've said all year. What we can't get into is trying to do what we don't do. I think in some of our loses this year, that actually happened, where a game was close and four or five guys said, 'I'm gonna win it for you.' I'm sure we're going to face that in some point of the playoffs. We call it 'hero ball'. That's what gets you in trouble."

Ray Allen thinks that there was a time early in the season when opponents didn't know how to handle the Celtics, but they slowly figured them out, forcing the team to adapt.

"I think it was early when Toronto beat us, and Sam Mitchell made the declaration, I know how to beat the Celtics. When a new team comes out, you try to figure them out," Allen said. "You may lose to them a couple of times because you're making an adjustment. When teams adjusted to us, we learned to push it to the next option. The regular season is a great test, and in the playoffs it's intensified. We'll just continue to build on what we've been doing."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.projo.com/celtics/content/projo_20080418_celtics.779b45f3.html
Celtics parlay team's revival into Green

01:26 PM EDT on Friday, April 18, 2008


April 18 (Bloomberg) -- The Boston Celtics had no sooner announced the acquisition of All-Star forward Kevin Garnett last July 31 when the National Basketball Associations club's marketers launched a fast-break.

Seemingly within 24 seconds -- the time allotted NBA teams to get off shots -- they were shooting off e-mails and text messages to the 200,000 ticket-buying fans in their database.

"We've got the Big Ticket (Garnett's nickname)," wrote the Celtics. "Time to get yours." Fans who wanted to see Garnett restore the Celts' lost glory -- along with another newcomer, All-Star guard Ray Allen, and holdover sharpshooter Paul Pierce -- had better buy season tickets: "The sky is the limit for this team."

The orders poured in so fast that even between 1 and 6 the morning after the announcement, the team racked up $1 million in online sales. The Celtics grew their season-ticket base 40 percent -- to more than 10,000 -- before cutting off sales to preserve single-game tickets. Those sold out in a day when they went on the market in September.

The Celtics have indeed restored the luster lost since the Larry Bird era in the 1980s, when they won three of their league-record 16 NBA championships. This year the team set a record for improvement, going to 66 wins from 24 in 2006-2007.

New Business

The Celtics have leveraged the team's success into lots of new business. They grew corporate sponsorship revenue by 30 percent, partly by getting more New England businesses to jump on the Celtics bandwagon and partly by creating imaginative new categories like "presenting sponsor of the 2008 playoffs." (That would be the Massachusetts State Lottery.)

The playoffs begin tomorrow, against the Atlanta Hawks, but no matter how far the team goes, the Celtics' season-highlights DVD, now in the works, is a certain hit. That's the kind of brand-enhancing "content" the Celtics have turned to producing. It's collaborating with broadcast partner Comcast Corp. on a weekly newsmagazine-style show called "Celtics Now."

The franchise didn't just fall into this bonanza. Its front-office team was formidable long before the on-court one, building a business infrastructure which enabled them to make hay when the sun finally shined again. The Celtics had posted losing records in 12 of the past 14 seasons.

"We often ask, `Is a team 50-win ready?" says Scott O'Neil, the NBA's vice president of team marketing and business operations. "When they have success, can they take off with it? The Celtics have been `50-win ready' for a few years. They have a tremendous analytical approach and the right people in the right jobs."

Ownership

All of this reflects the sensibilities of the Celtics' ownership group which in 2002 bought the team for $360 million. Two of the three managing partners are private-equity moguls -- Wyc Grousbeck, of the Highland Capital partners venture-capital firm and Stephen Pagliuca, a managing director of Bain Capital. The third, Robert Epstein, heads the Abbey Group real-estate firm. They demanded the same kind of disciplines of their basketball business as of their portfolio companies.

That includes cutting-edge technology -- and that's ultimately why the Celtics could instantly pitch 200,000 salivating season-ticket prospects when Garnett hit town. The team's tickets department leads the league in software, using a tool called StratTix to analyze how to price tickets and to correctly target marketing efforts.

`Exactly Wrong'

Celtics President Rich Gotham and corporate sponsorship chief Sean Barror came out of Lycos Inc., the search-engine firm. They come at the business differently and don't mind saying so.

"A lot of people have it exactly wrong," says Gotham, reciting conventional wisdom: a team does great business when it's winning and scuffles through when it's losing. "If you can't have a healthy top line (in a down cycle), you can't invest in your payroll. You have to dump salary, and that doesn't get you anywhere. After a 24-win season, we were able to go out and acquire two $20 million players."

In that dreary 2006-2007 season, when the Celtics went 24- 58, they managed to average attendance of 16,900 (in 18,624-seat TD Banknorth Garden) despite losing 18 straight games at one point and losing All-Star forward Pierce to injury. The Celtics even managed to grow sponsorship revenue by 20 percent that season.

Hustle

They did it not just by mining data but full-court hustle. Co-owner Grousbeck, who is the team's chief executive officer, believes that for mature sports franchises, as for early-stage companies, you have to go strong to the hoop to get, and keep, your customers.

"We make sure every season-ticket holder is thanked by no less than five Celtics personnel," he says. "We created a `high-five' tunnel, so season ticket-holders kids' could slap the players' hands before games."

In the Grousbeck-Gotham regime, the number of ticket salespeople has grown to 35 from 8, according to Shawn Sullivan, who oversees that area. The corporate sponsorship salesforce has almost tripled to 14 from 5, producing a near tripling of corporate sponsors from to more than 100 from 38, according to Barror.

The Celtics have never stopped hustling, even when attracting sponsors got a lot easier. Barror didn't just add Filene's Basement as a corporate sponsor in February, he put the retailer together with Comcast SportsNet as an advertiser and outfitter of announcers.

Just wait till next year. The Celtics will look to strike a lucrative deal for a "presenting sponsor" for the 2008-2009 season. They will somehow wedge in more high-priced courtside seats. They will keep running that front-office motion offense.

"We spent the last four years raising the floor of the business," Gotham says. "We should be able to raise the roof now."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.telegram.com/article/20080419/NEWS/804190442/1009/SPORTS
Lucky charms?

Cassell, Posey have 3 championship rings

By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[e-mail]





Enlarge photo


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you don’t win a championship, then you never know how it feels to be on top of the basketball world.

Sam Cassell




Backups Sam Cassell, left, and James Posey, above, are the only players on the Celtics roster who know what it feels like to win an NBA championship.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS File Photos)
Enlarge photo


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






BOSTON— Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen aren’t the Celtics’ only Big Three.

Many would argue that another Big Three are even more important — the three NBA championship rings belonging to Sam Cassell and James Posey.

Cassell won his rings with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, his first two NBA seasons. Posey earned his with the Miami Heat in 2006. No one else on the Celtics’ roster owns one, but they hope Cassell and Posey can help them end the franchise’s 22-year drought.


As successful as the regular season was, the Celtics won’t be satisfied until they win championship No. 17.

Cassell, 38, hasn’t worn either of his rings since the day he received them. He keeps them in a safe deposit box.

Posey, 31, wears his ring once in a while, including both times the Celtics visited Miami this year. After signing as a free agent with the Celtics this season, the 6-foot-8 forward showed his ring to his new teammates during training camp to let them know what they were playing for, then again at midseason to remind them.

“They were speechless and shook their heads,” Posey said yesterday after practice at HealthPoint.

“I was like, that’s a good looking ring,” Pierce said.

The 1993-94 Rockets were led by Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, Vernon Maxwell, Kenny Smith and Robert Horry. The following year, Clyde Drexler joined the team. Cassell believes these Celtics are more talented.

“From one through 12, yes,” he said.

Posey compared this Celtics team favorably with the 2006 Heat, which had Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and Antoine Walker.

“Right now, Miami is the best team,” Posey said. “We’re working to get there. We won it in Miami, and we’re still trying to work on winning it here.”

Posey and Cassell will lead a talented and deep bench when the top-seeded and heavily favored Celtics open the playoffs at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Garden against the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks. Posey led the Celtics reserves in minutes, and he’ll be counted upon to defend and hit the open 3-pointer. Cassell will back up Rajon Rondo at point guard. Celtics fans hope it’s an omen that after a decade of starting, Cassell will be coming off the bench again during these playoffs, just as he did for the Rockets in his first two years.

“That’s fine with me,” Cassell said of backing up Rondo. “That puts another year on my career.”

Cassell expects to return to the Celtics next season.

“It’ll happen,” Cassell said. “It’s what I want to do.”

Cassell took a while to learn the Celtics’ plays after signing as a free agent on March 4, but he appears ready for the playoffs after playing exceptionally well the last few games.

“You look at the NBA rosters,” he said, “and find another backup point guard that you can say is better than Sam. … Bring him to me, I want to meet him.”

Atlanta’s Mike Bibby has an edge in playoff experience over Rondo, but certainly not Cassell. Celtics coach Doc Rivers joked that Cassell was 55 years old and like Houston shortstop Miguel Tejada he would soon announce that he’s older than he’s listed on the roster.

Cassell played his first playoff game 14 years ago against Portland.

“I was horrible,” he said. “I was nervous. I played terrible. But Game 2, I was fine, and the rest of my playoff career, I was fine.”

Cassell expects no such slow start from Rondo.

“He’ll be fine because he’s battle-tested,” Cassell said. “He’s been a starter for two years. I came off the bench my first two years.”

Cassell doesn’t expect Bibby to present as much of a challenge for Rondo as Portland’s Rod Strickland did for him in 1994.

“He ain’t no Rod Strickland, by far,” Cassell said.

Rondo admitted he might get nervous tomorrow night in his playoff debut, but he and the rest of the Celtics can turn to Cassell and Posey for advice.

“There’s no situation that we can get to that they haven’t been in,” Rivers said.

“I won’t get rattled in those situations,” Cassell said.

Posey and Cassell agreed that an NBA player’s career isn’t fulfilled until he wins a championship.

“If you don’t win a championship,” Cassell said, “then you never know how it feels to be on top of the basketball world.”

“Going through the airport, going out to dinner, things like that,” Posey said. “People were like, ‘What’s up champ?’ ”

Posey admitted it took him awhile to figure out that the people were talking to him.

As usual, Posey worked on his shooting for half an hour after everyone else stopped practicing yesterday.

Garnett missed practice for the second consecutive day for what Rivers said were personal reasons. The Boston Globe reported that Garnett’s wife Brandi gave birth to their first child Thursday. Rivers said he expected Garnett to work out at HealthPoint last night and practice with the team today.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/sports_columnists/x2124111245?view=print

NBA PLAYOFFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mike Fine
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Apr 18, 2008 @ 12:05 AM
Last update Apr 18, 2008 @ 08:46 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics have played the Atlanta Hawks three times this season, winning each game by an average score of 101.0-86.7. The Celtics have outshot the Hawks overall (.502-.418), outshot them from 3-pointland (.419-.267), beaten them up on the boards (42.0-37.7), out-assisted them (25.7-19.7) and even out-blocked them (6.3-6.0).

So who will the Celtics meet in the second round of the NBA playoffs?

Not many of the other first-round contenders are asking such questions. The Celtics, winners of 66 games, need only to show up and not stumble all over themselves in order to beat the Hawks. They haven’t done it all season, and there’s no likelihood they’ll do it now.

Yeah, crazier things have happened. The Dallas Mavericks won 67 games last season and were eliminated in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. In 1981, the 54-win Lakers were eliminated in the first round by the Houston Rockets. It can happen.

Those teams, though, didn’t have Kevin Garnett, so we can quickly put such notions out of our heads. So let’s look at some other Eastern Conference matchups:

Cleveland vs. Washington

Can Cleveland be feeling the same way as the Celtics, going up against Washington in the first round, a four seed (Cavs) against a five? Nah, don’t think so. The Cavaliers went to the NBA Finals last season, which says something about the Eastern Conference in general. But the Cavs are not chopped liver. LeBron James is on everyone’s MVP list with his league-leading 30.0 points per game, but where has that gotten them? That would be 45 wins. Pardon the lack of enthusiasm.

Cleveland this season started out with forward Anderson Varejao holding out for a new contract, and once it picked up Ben Wallace from Chicago and Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West from Seattle on Feb. 24, the Cavs have gone only 13-12 the rest of the way. The Cavs surely have to fear their opponents, the Wizards, who despite losing Gilbert Arenas for all but 13 games, finished with 43 wins. The Wizards are the only team to hold a season advantage over the Celtics, in fact, despite the fact that Arenas played in only two of the games, and didn’t play all that well.

The Wizards have ridden the coattails of Antawn Jamison and his double-double averages (21.4 points, 10.2 rebounds) even as Caron Butler struggled with injury, missing 24 games. The Wizards and Cavs are 2-2 this season, and Arenas, who when healthy last year averaged 28.4 points, didn’t play in one of them. By the way, he’s back.

Detroit vs. Philadelphia

Just as the Cavs should be wary of the Wizards, the Pistons can’t be too comfortable facing a hot team. The Sixers started winning by turning loose a group of mostly no-name players, led by semi-big name Andre Iguodala. They traded for veteran point guard Andre Miller (in the Allen Iverson deal last season), who really hadn’t been anybody since leaving Cleveland after the 2002 season, when he averaged 16.5 points and 10.9 assists per game. They got a whole lot of rebounding from Samuel Dalembert (10.4) and told youngsters like Louis Williams and rookie Thaddeus Young to hightail it up court.

The Pistons, meanwhile, were nipping at the heels of the Celtics for most of the season, dropping out of conference leadership contention when the Celtics simply refused to lose. Funny, because their 57 wins (as of Monday) are second-most in the NBA, yet they’ve found themselves trailing the Celtics by 71/2 games in the conference.

Yet, the Pistons are a team that has championship potential with a nucleus that’s been together for years: Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess. They’ve got solid youngsters in Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey and a degree of depth that makes them extremely potent and dangerous. And if they’d lost a few games down the stretch, much of the reason was because coach Flip Saunders was resting some of his players. Of course, Celtics coach Doc Rivers was resting some of his players … that’s an argument for the later stages of the playoffs.

Orlando vs. Toronto

The Raptors won the Atlantic Division with 47 wins last season and then found themselves dumped in the first round by the Nets. They’ve won 41 games this season, some of it because All-Star Chris Bosh missed some time, much of it because point guard T.J. Ford missed considerable early time but most of it because they’re simply not that deep or talented.

The Magic took two of three from the Raptors during the regular season and, with 50 wins, are a far superior team, although some might say that they’ve been a minor disappointment with the season MVP mention Dwight Howard is having and after the multi-million dollar pickup of Rashard Lewis via free agency.

The Magic posted a 27-14 road record, one of the best in the NBA, and that will help them in the playoffs. But they’ve got three heavy-duty scorers in Howard (20.9 points), Most Improved Player candidate Hedo Turkoglu (19.7) and Lewis (18.3), and Howard has added a league-high 14.3 rebounds.

In the end, the two best defensive teams, Detroit (90.1 points allowed) and Boston (90.2) remain the beasts of the East, which is why most of the focus has been turned to the West, where playoff seedings were still being determined heading into the final day of the regular season.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.patriotledger.com/sports/x2103872662

C’s hit the books
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mike Fine
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Apr 18, 2008 @ 11:26 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WALTHAM — Given that seven of the current Celtics never finished college, and two never even went to college, it’s a feather in their cap they they’ve decided to hit the books and study this week.

With a best-of-seven first-round playoff series looming against the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics have been handed DVDs and scouting books, and it’s their job to learn as much as they can about their opponents.

“I lean on them all year,” said Celts coach Doc Rivers, who played three years at Marquette. “Where they have to do more work is the players wanting more video now. During the season we (coaching staff) want the video and that doesn’t change. During the playoffs I would say they’ve made at least one tape for every single (opposing) guy already. During the regular season players for the most part have no interest in watching tape.

“We give them books, all the plays that Atlanta has run. That doesn’t mean that they’re not going to have a wrinkle, which they will. We give them how they play us. Some watch, some don’t. You can tell the ones that do, though, by today’s practice.”

Rivers didn’t specify any poor students, but you can take it to the bank that the majority check out every study aid they can get.

“I do a lot more studying,” said Paul Pierce. “This is the time of year when you know you’re going to be playing a team at least four games so you get a chance to break it down a little more than you would in the regular season because you have more time to break down every play the other team runs, every individual, everything they like to do on the court.

“So that way it gives you an advantage whereas during the regular season you only get a day, maybe not even a day to prepare, so there’s little bit more preparation, a lot more studying, so that’s what I plan to do each day when I go home from practice.”

“It’s very important,” said Rajon Rondo. “The veteran guys tell me that I need to study film and know my scouting report, so that’s what I’m doing. Maybe two hours a day. I started last night. I was reading a book and watching film.”

Rondo says he doesn’t just study Atlanta point guard Mike Bibby, but the whole team. “In certain situations I might get switched on Joe Johnson or Josh Smith. You gotta know that Smith is a left-handed player, Joe Johnson’s a great shooter. You gotta know personnel other than your own man.”

Time off

Kevin Garnett again missed practice Friday, for family reasons. His wife, Brandi, is believed to have given birth to the couple’s first child, but Garnett was expected in the gym for a private workout later in the day.

“Attitude problem,” joked Rivers, who at first said it wasn’t a concern that Garnett missed two straight practices at such a key juncture, but later added, “It was a long practice. The intensity was good. If you can’t get intensity now, you probably won’t get it. The practices were very good. Not having Kevin does change some things. Because of the Kevin situation, the Sunday game was a good break.”

Yet, the coach was pleased with the Garnett-less practice, despite the absence. “Usually when Kevin’s not participating, our defensive intensity and focus is clearly not the same. There’s no one to hold anyone accountable for the mistakes. Early on we were at that pace and then they changed on their own. That’s something that wouldn’t have happened in the past.”

Around the rim

Rivers on the Celtics’ chances of advancing: “I thought entering the playoffs with the other teams that I’ve been with we’re going to have to be unbelievable to win that game or that series. In this one I think the same way but I have more confidence. I feel like we have an equal chance or even better than that to win a series where in the past you knew that you’re gonna have to play unbelievable ball, and I believed in each one of those we were going to win it. And we didn’t.”

Sam Cassell on the postseason: “I’m playoff tested, I’m battle tested, so I understand it. I played well in the playoffs my whole career. There’s never been a time when I struggled in the playoffs. I understand what it takes. I really enjoy this time of the year.”

Rivers on Saturday’s practice: “(It will be) a little lighter, but the game’s not until 8:30 (Sunday). We could probably go four hours and it would be all right.”

Pierce on expectations: “A lot of times when I was in the playoffs we were happy to get to the playoffs. (This season) we kind of expected to be in the playoffs with the team we have here. So it’s definitely a different type of feel and confidence going into the playoffs.”