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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 6:59:02 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1127535&format=textCeltics ring in new year By Mark Murphy | Friday, October 24, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone Many of Tony Allen’s teammates are worried. When the Celtics [team stats] were measured for their championship rings, which will be presented prior to Tuesday night’s season opener against Cleveland, the guard insisted on having his right pinkie fitted. Beyond the fact that he wanted to sport this chunky piece of bling with a John Gotti flair, he was risking injury. “You never know with TA,” said Ray Allen. “I told him that it might be pretty intense. That little pinkie will have to do some weight training to keep that thing up.” The effort will be exceeded only by the wait. Though the Celtics are about to raise their 17th championship banner, that event will probably have more sway with the fans. The players are clearly looking forward to the ring ceremony, which is being treated like an Olympic torch-lighting ceremony. The rings have an official sponsor: Southwest Airlines. Considering that Southwest flies into Providence, and not Logan, the rings will be delivered to Celtics legend JoJo White on the T.F. Green Airport tarmac on Tuesday. The rings will be protected in a special case. Lucky the Leprechaun and the Celtics Dancers will be present. Limo service and a security escort have presumably been arranged. Players are generally anxious to move beyond this kind of hoopla, but the allure of quality bling is different. “I’ll enjoy every bit of it,” said Paul Pierce [stats]. “It will be great to raise the banner, get my ring, and then put it behind us.” The Celtics captain isn’t worried about the gleam of gold causing a distraction. The Cavaliers, after all, will be at the other end of the floor. LeBron James hinted he may stay in the locker room, or the tunnel, while the rings are handed out. “If you look at the way things go in our practices, it’s like we never even won a championship,” Pierce said of the way this team continues to approach the job. Coach Doc Rivers, who has a lot to do with that attitude, certainly isn’t worried about a 10-minute ceremony infecting the game that follows. “The good thing is that once you get the ring, then last year is over,” the Celts coach said. “But people are anxious about it. I got five e-mails today about the rings. “I think players play for the ring,” said Rivers. “I don’t mind if people talk about it, either. The banner is a little different. With the Celtics, people can talk about our banner or 16 others.” That’s why, according to Ray Allen, the banner holds a bit less weight. “The ring ceremony is the pinnacle to winning the championship,” he said. “But then it’s eclipsed by the first game of the next season. Within 10, 15 minutes you have to pull yourselves together.” Provided Tony Allen can pull that ring back off his right pinkie in time. “It ain’t like I’m gonna wear it,” he said, clearly tired of the pinkie jokes. “It’ll get put up. Then if I get another, I’ll put it on my ring finger. But I won’t wear this except to banquets.” Or maybe the next ring ceremony.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 7:00:41 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1127509&format=textBreakfast with champion By Herald Staff | Friday, October 24, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone Dunkin’ Donuts will celebrate the Celtics [team stats]’ 17th NBA championship on Oct. 27 with a promotion that includes Paul Pierce [stats] and 17-cent doughnuts. The all-star captain will pay surprise visits to three Dunkin’ Donuts stores in Greater Boston, where three people will win a year’s supply of coffee and opening game tickets.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 7:01:31 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1127553&format=textNBA commissioner David Stern optimistic about league’s economic status By Ken Berger / Newsday | Friday, October 24, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage Photo by AP (File) The sky is not falling on the NBA, commissioner David Stern said Thursday while making reassuring comments about the league’s economic prospects during his annual preseason conference call with the media. "If you are alive in this world and you have access to that ancient form of communication — the newspaper, which I do and I have — you can’t help reading the headlines with what’s going on," Stern said. ". . . So if you’re having a business discussion, you just have to understand what’s going on in the world around you, and we did that. That said, the owners were remarking upon the strength of the sports business and the value that it provides." Stern spoke after giving his annual preseason address to team owners at the Board of Governors meeting in Manhattan, which he described as "on balance, a very upbeat report." He predicted flat attendance for this season and slightly better gate revenue, citing a plan to stem potential losses from lower season-ticket renewals with a league-wide program of 1,000 or more seats at NBA games selling for $10 or less. Sponsorship renewals for the 2008-09 season were strong, Stern said, adding: "We’re pretty optimistic that this will be a season that will be better in our industry than it will be in some other industries." But one team executive told Newsday on Thursday that owners are worried about the economic downturn and might be inclined to let the current collective-bargaining agreement with the NBA Players Association lapse after the 2010-11 season rather than extend it one more year. That executive said only "five to seven" NBA teams are profitable and raised the possibility of a lockout in 2011 if teams face more strain than Stern predicted. "You’re going to have owners pushing for a better deal," said the executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "This is one of the years the NBA is worried that overall revenues may be a little bit down." A Forbes magazine analysis last December showed that 20 of the 30 NBA teams were making a profit. Stern estimated Thursday that a more accurate figure is about half, and said the league’s ongoing system for monitoring teams’ debt obligations has revealed nothing alarming. "With respect to what my teams are going to do in three years to incite or not incite labor unrest, you have to give me a pass," Stern said. ". . . We know that when you go into collective bargaining, you’re going to look for ways to improve it to make our game more competitive, to make our teams more competitive, to keep our game growing. But I think it’s premature for me to speculate now." Referees now will be able to use replays not simply to determine if a quarter-ending shot should have counted, but also whether it was a two-pointer or three-pointer. Replay also can be used to determine if a shooting foul occurred on such a play. Stern scoffed at the notion of European teams poaching more NBA talent after the offseason signing of several second-tier players, including the Hawks’ Josh Childress, who signed a three-year, $20-million deal with Greek power Olympiakos. Stern noted that with Euro teams often playing in arenas with fewer than 10,000 fans, "the economic model does not exist that would support such contracts. And we don’t mind the competition." ___
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 7:06:09 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/10/24/after_a_ko_in_finals_lakers_want_rematch?mode=PFAfter a KO in Finals, Lakers want rematch By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | October 24, 2008 LOS ANGELES - With respect to the Pistons, LeBron James and the Cavaliers, and the other talented teams in the Eastern Conference, the Lakers don't want to see you when it's all said and done this season. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are seeking revenge, and their preference is to see their bitter rivals, the Celtics, in the NBA Finals again in hopes of making amends for last season. "Of course, ," Bryant said. "If you see a guy that you fought at lunchtime and he knocked you out, oh, I'm coming back the next day. I don't want the little 4-foot guy. I want the big football player, that's what I want."
Lamar Odom said, "You always want to play against the team you lost to. They're a heck of a team. I would love to play against Boston, personally."
The Lakers were heavily favored over the Celtics in the Finals last season. The Celtics, however, had home-court advantage, three All-Stars in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, and the league's most heralded defense.
The Celtics took a 3-1 series lead after overcoming a 24-point deficit in Los Angeles to win an epic Game 4. Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged that defeat is still a bitter pill to swallow. The Celtics lost Game 5 in LA, but came home to destroy the Lakers in Game 6, 131-92, to win their first NBA championship in 22 years.
"We got our [butts] kicked," Odom said. "That's why we are looking forward to getting back there this year. They beat us. Sometimes you get beat by an opponent that's worthy and you can't do nothing but tip your hat off at them and get ready for the next time we meet."
The Lakers were sent packing with lots of time to think about what went wrong and what they needed to improve upon. The most notable area of improvement? Their defense.
"One thing we understood is you have to be better defensively," Bryant said. "Offensively, we were fine. Defensively, we had areas where we have to get better in, more consistent, which is what Boston is great at. They're a great defensive team consistently. That's one thing we are focused on: defense and rebounding."
Said Jackson, "The one thing that registered is you can't trust offense all the time in basketball. You have to set your sights on defense. You have to make sure your defense can hold the game in check."
One unanswered question is whether the Lakers would have won if starting center Andrew Bynum had been healthy.
The Celtics were 2-0 against the Lakers with Bynum in the lineup during the regular season, but that was before Pau Gasol arrived in a trade from Memphis. Bynum missed the last 47 games and playoffs with a left knee injury. Bynum is back, but he is still getting the rust off and learning to adjust to playing with Gasol. The Lakers have a mammoth inside presence with Bynum and Gasol and have Odom coming off the bench.
"[Bynum] is coming along fine," Bryant said. "Over the past week, he and Pau have been playing with the first unit. Obviously, [Bynum] plays much better when he plays with [the first team] because we know how to get him the ball.
"He looks fine."
Sure, the Lakers have talented players and one of the NBA's greatest coaches. But their hopes of getting back to the Finals are squarely on the shoulders of Bryant. One thing to watch, however, is the 2008 MVP's health by the time the playoffs start.
Bryant, 30, played in 103 games combined last season. He also played for the United States' gold medal-winning Olympic team over the summer.
Bryant, entering his 13th NBA season, decided not to have surgery to fix a right pinkie finger injury suffered last February. He also hyperextended his right knee during an exhibition game against Charlotte last Tuesday, but expects to be ready for the season opener Tuesday against Portland.
"We've talked about his legs being alive and things like that," Jackson said. "I ask him if he wants a day off or whatever, and he's taken a couple of practices off, but not a day off. I think his shot is flat. I don't think he is shooting as well as he'd like to. I don't think he's shooting a high percentage, so you're kind of looking at that [during the exhibition season].
"Finger-wise, that injury, if he caught his finger in someone's jersey, no matter whether he had the surgery or not, [it] would probably get dislocated. So, it's his choice not to do [surgery]. He says he can adjust to that. I don't know if his shot is going to be as effective. I think it will be. We'll watch the rotation on his shot to see if it's similar or close to it. I think he's setting himself up really right for the season."
Bryant says he's just fine, despite the concerns.
"I feel fantastic. I feel great. I feel good," said Bryant, who averaged 28.3 points per game last season. "I didn't have to do that much [during the Olympics]. I had to practice for about an hour and play 15-17 minutes. I probably would have been doing more [back home]. You got in shape. You went in and played 17-20 minutes and sat down. It wasn't as stressful or straining a summer as people may think.
"My hand is fine. My finger is fine. I'm just building strength in my hand so I can palm the ball the way I want to.
"But it's fine."
The Lakers are more talented and experienced, and deeper than they were a season ago. But the big question is whether Bryant and Bynum will be healthy enough to get the Lakers past Western powers such as New Orleans, San Antonio, and Utah.
"This year we ran two-a-day [practices in training camp], and that was basically to get them back to the idea that this is hard work," Jackson said. "There is not anything to take for granted. This is a very difficult process, especially going through the teams we have to go through to get to the Finals here in the West. There is nothing to take for granted, and the idea that home-court advantage is an important aspect of the playoffs is something that lingers in our minds."
Said Odom, "As a team that had a long run, we're looking forward to getting back in the midst of things and trying to get that championship ring."
Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 7:07:22 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/10/player_profile_10.htmlPlayer profile: Leon Powe Email|Link|Comments (3) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff October 23, 2008 02:50 PM This is the 11th in a series of profiles for all 15 players on the current Celtics roster. We'll profile at least one player each day leading up to the season opener on Tuesday. Leon Powe Leon Powe took the ball to the rim against LA's Ronny Turiaf in the Finals. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff) Born: Jan. 22, 1984 Height: 6 feet 8 inches. Weight: 240 College: Cal Years pro: 2 Acquired: Drafted No. 49 overall by Denver in 2006 (rights traded to Celtics) 2008/2009 salary: $797,581 Signed through: 2008-2009 Last year's numbers: 7.9 ppg, 0.3 apg, 4.1 rpg in 14.4 minutes Strengths: Powe is a monster on the glass, a guy who uses his strength and athleticism to clear space under the rim. But he can also score the ball a little. Remember thata 21-point outburst in Game 2 of the NBA Finals? To some it might have come out of nowhere, but Powe could score the ball a little at Cal, and if you're going to leave him wide open for an entire game he has no problem burning you. He's been a lot more aggressive on offense this preseason, adding a turnaround jumper to his arsenal. Weaknesses: Powe needs to prove that he can consistently make that mid-range jump shot. He's undersized, so while his post moves are very good, he'll be less effective if opposing defenses force him inside against bigger players. If he can step out and give opponents a change of pace, he could be very dangerous. Size is also an issue if the Celtics want to play Powe (or Glen Davis) at center. While it works against most teams, it's unfair to ask Leon to guard Dwight Howard or Yao. What to expect: The only reason the Celtics got Powe so late in the draft is because teams were scared off by previous knee injuries. If he's healthy, Powe should be a very good player in this league. He's going to get a lot better this season, and it can't happen to a nicer guy. He's a hard-working, respectful young man who has earned the trust of his teammates. He should be the first big man off the bench for Boston, and he could play long stretches against teams that don't have a dominant center (there are lots of them now).
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 9:34:02 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/10/24/secondary_issues?mode=PFSecondary issues With starters set, Ainge eyes reserves By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | October 24, 2008 The first 3 minutes 49 seconds of the exhibition season set the tone for the Celtics. Four starters were playing as they overwhelmed the Philadelphia 76ers in taking a 16-4 lead, signifying there will be continuity after last season's NBA championship run. Since that brief but dominant glimpse, the starters have seldom been on display together, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce sitting out an entire contest, Rajon Rondo missing the last two games with a minor ankle sprain. The Celtics ended up losing that game to the Sixers, but the final three quarters, plus the final seven games of the exhibition season, became a laboratory for coach Doc Rivers to experiment with second-unit combinations and assess the progress of several reserves. Most of those backups have passed the test so far. Returning reserves have displayed more poise, Gabe Pruitt has established himself as a backup point guard, and rookies J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker have fit in. Now the Celtics (6-2 in the preseason) have to decide if anyone will be sent to the Development League and who will be on the inactive list for the season opener against Cleveland Tuesday. "We have no idea what we are going to do with the D-League," general manager Danny Ainge said yesterday. "There are a lot of factors that go into it. It's a weekly process. We'll see how practice is going. "Every player is unique and has different needs, so we are deciding if they need to stay with the team and get stronger or if they need to get game-time experience [in the D-League]." Ainge said no determination has to be made immediately. Last season, Pruitt played for Utah in the D-League. This time, Giddens could be a candidate for a stint in the league, but might not spend as much time as Pruitt did. "We can send players on a one-game basis," Ainge said. "If everyone stays healthy, we will probably utilize it." The Celtics' second unit developed a chemistry quickly last season, following the example of James Posey. This time, Tony Allen and Eddie House are emerging as the leaders of the reserves. House led the team in preseason scoring (14.1 points per game), and Tony Allen was second (11.8). "The reality is we have 11 of the top 12 players back from last year," said Ainge. "Plus we have J.R. and Billy. We have the same starters, and a lot of guys played well in the exhibition season." Judging by the Celtics' performances, the players seem motivated. "It's very encouraging. There are no signs of complacency," Ainge said. "Two days after we won it last season, Rondo was in here taking shots. A month and a half after the season, Paul came back and he was 5 or 10 pounds lighter. These are all good signs." Rivers planned to focus on the upcoming season by attempting to eliminate references to the Celtics' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. That tactic failed, though, and Rivers believes the team's full concentration on this season will start only after the players receive rings before the opener. "Once we get the rings, last year is over," said Rivers.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 9:40:11 GMT -5
www.patriotledger.com/sports/x1588588153/For-Celtics-O-Bryant-a-golden-stateFor Celtics’ O’Bryant, a golden state Former Warrior gets to play with boyhood idol Kevin Garnett in Boston this season -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photos Photos -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP New Celtics center Patrick O’Bryant, left, showed his defensive prowess against Knicks center Eddy Curry this preseason. By Jim Fenton GateHouse News Service Posted Oct 24, 2008 @ 12:48 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WALTHAM — When he was growing up in Blaine, Minn., Patrick O’Bryant was a huge fan of Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves. O’Bryant was a fourth-grader when Garnett joined the NBA in 1995 and he was a senior at Blaine High School when Garnett was the league’s most valuable player in 2004. “I used to watch Garnett play all the time on television,’’ said O’Bryant. “I watched (Sam) Cassell (now a Boston Celtics guard) his couple of years there, too. That was a great time to watch Minnesota Timberwolves basketball. “I went to a few games as a kid. Being in Minnesota, you always knew how KG was doing, seeing the highlights on the news all the time.’’ Like any youngster in Minnesota, O’Bryant dreamed about getting the chance to play with Garnett and the Timberwolves. That possibility appeared to go by the boards, though, when he was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2006. O’Bryant, the ninth player selected that year, embarked on his NBA career on the West Coast while Garnett remained the central figure of the Timberwolves. Things can change rapidly in the NBA, and that is why O’Bryant is now a teammate of Garnett with the reigning champion Celtics. Garnett was dealt to Boston in the summer of 2007 and keyed the resurgence that led to the franchise’s first title in 22 years. The 22-year-old O’Bryant, a seven-foot center, had two forgettable years with the Warriors and was allowed to leaving via free agency with the Celtics signing him to a two-year, $3.1 million contract on July 17. The player he used to watch on TV all the time in Minnesota is now a teammate. “Awesome,’’ said O’Bryant. “It was more or less a dream come true right here for me. “It was always a dream to play, obviously, in Minnesota with KG, then he got traded and I got picked up here. It worked out pretty good.’’ O’Bryant is hoping things work out a lot better for him in Boston than they did in Golden State. After having a strong sophomore season at Bradley, averaging 13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks to help the Braves reach the Sweet 16, O’Bryant’s stock quickly rose. The Warriors made him a lottery pick and considered him a project for the future. He got off to a slow start in 2006-07, missing a large portion of training camp with a fractured toe. The Warriors sent O’Bryant to the NBA Development League, and Golden State coach Don Nelson was not pleased with how that went. “I told him if he goes down to the D-League and isn’t a dominant player, there should be red flags all over the place and he should be the first to notice,’’ Nelson told reporters at the time. “He’s not only not dominating, but he’s not playing very well. He’s a long-term project.’’ O’Bryant played 40 games in two seasons with the Warriors, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds. The Warriors did not pick up the option for his third year, and he was free to find a new team last summer. In Boston, O’Bryant will get a chance to be the backup to center Kendrick Perkins. O’Bryant started four preseason games when Perkins was rounding into shape following shoulder surgery. O’Bryant has heard all the knocks he has taken for what happened in Golden State and is looking to get on the right path with the Celtics. “I definitely feel it’s the opportunity I’ve been looking for,’’ said O’Bryant, who was born in Iowa. “I’m trying to fit in with the system and it’s more of my style. I think I didn’t get the opportunity I wanted in Golden State, and I’m getting a very good one here. “A lot of people were saying I (was) soft inside and didn’t play hard or whatever, but how can you do that unless you’re sitting there watching me? I didn’t play very many minutes, so you can’t tell what I can do unless you saw me in college. You always want to prove perceptions wrong.’’ The Celtics aren’t expecting much for O’Bryant in his first season with a new team, but they do need backup help in the frontcourt. “We’ve discussed what we need Patrick to do here, and he understands that,’’ said Garnett. “We’re teaching him our system and how we work. Slowly but surely, I think he’s picking it up. “We play with a high intensity throughout. That’s something he’s learning to do. But he’s going to be OK for us. ‘’
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 9:52:02 GMT -5
news.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view/2008_10_24_Celtics_watch/srvc=home&position=alsoCeltics watch By Inside Track Friday, October 24, 2008 - Updated 4h ago E-mail Printable (3) Comments Text size Share (0) Rate Boston Celtics [team stats] guard Ray Allen and “Lipstick Jungle” star Kim Raver had a meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society the other night at Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin’s Quai de l’Ile launch in the Apple. Ray, who stayed behind in NYC after the Celts closed out the preseason with a 101-90 win over the Knicks, was overheard gushing to Raver that “24” was his favorite show. (She played counterterrorist Jack Bauer’s annoying galpal Audrey Raines.) The “Lipstick Jungle” hottie, a big Green Team fan since her undergrad days at Boston University, countered that she was desperate to see the NBA champs play this year. Whereupon Ray’s bride, Shannon, told Kim they’d love to host her! Other celebs at the swish Swiss watch bash were Ne-Yo, Susan Sarandon, Lindsay Price and Cohasset cutie Kate Bosworth.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 24, 2008 9:52:27 GMT -5
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