|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 8:37:11 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1136694&format=textRajon Rondo, Celtics push pace Winning streak hits 10 behind triple-double By Mark Murphy | Thursday, December 4, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone A national television audience recently witnessed a breakout of Celtic-on-Celtic crime. Gary Payton, out of work and attempting to fit in behind a microphone, belittled the solidly employed Rajon Rondo [stats]’s role in last season’s championship during an NBA Network broadcast. Credit Payton’s career with one more airball, based on what his replacement produced last night. Rondo broke through the static with his first career triple-double - a 16-point, career-high 17-assist, 13-rebound performance - in a 114-96 win over the Indiana Pacers, which was the C’s 10th straight victory. The winning streak is the longest in the league this season. But the Celtics [team stats] might also need some cold, fresh air after this one. Kevin Garnett went dizzy from attempting to keep track of the blur that was No. 9. “It seemed like there were three Rondos out there (last night),” Garnett said. “I looked up and he passed the ball to Paul (Pierce), and it came off the rim and he was rebounding it. Then all of a sudden I got back on defense and he beat me back. Then (the Pacers’ Danny) Granger went to drive and he was there on the strip, and we got loose and threw it up for a layup and he got the layup. I sort of had to turn around and ask ‘How many? What is this boy?’ He was everywhere (last night).” Indiana, flying in off a Tuesday night win in Indianapolis over the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers, was blinded on every front by numbers, from Rondo’s triple-double to double-doubles from Garnett (26 points, 14 boards) and Kendrick Perkins [stats] (16, 10) to Ray Allen’s first foray over the 30-point barrier this season (31 points, 6-of-9 shooting from behind the 3-point line). T.J. Ford, unlike Payton, actually has to guard Rondo. The Pacers point guard didn’t need any help identifying the source of this overflowing production. “Once he gets inside the paint he’s very effective and very dangerous,” Ford said. “He’s under control. He’s proved to everybody that he can lead a team, so I think you’ve got to give him his credit.” The game’s flow was momentarily knocked out of joint when, due to an error calculating fouls for the quarter, the last four seconds of the third had to be replayed. As a result, the officials discounted a Jarrett Jack 3-pointer for Indiana and awarded two free throws to Ford, who made both. The Pacers came back out in a hurry for the fourth quarter, with Granger hitting back-to-back treys that trimmed the C’s lead to nine points, at 88-79. Enter Pierce, finally. After shooting 2-for-12 over the first three quarters, including three airballs, the captain scored seven points in a 12-3 run that allowed the Celtics to re-establish control of the game. But coach Doc Rivers wasn’t taking any chances. Rondo was still on the floor with two minutes left, hitting a free throw to boost his points total to 16 and the lead to 111-94. The Pacers, despite 20 points from Granger, had nothing left. “(Rondo’s) making leaps and strides each and every year,” Pierce said. “You thought last year he was good, but he’s just getting better. . . . He’s learning his spots. He’s learning what kind of potential he has, and it’s just fun to watch him grow.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 8:38:07 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1136714&format=textIndy poll sees Celtics, LA Finals say for Pacers By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Beat | Thursday, December 4, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone We are still in the primary stage of the campaign, but there can be no denying that two entities have emerged as front-runners. Election month isn’t until next June, but we live in a country that is divided by the Celtics [team stats] and Lakers. There are green states and there are purple states. There may be some Mike Huckabee holdouts for the Spurs - we hear Chuck Norris is a big Manu Ginobili fan - but in the ballot box of public opinion, the 2009 championship is a two-team race. That would make the Indiana Pacers the pundit of first resort. They beat LA (beat LA, beat LA - a phrase that rang in reporters’ ears until August) on Tuesday, then got slapped by the Celtics last night. This one was just as much a schedule loss for Indiana as was the Celts’ fall out there on Nov. 1 after a late-night win over the Bulls in Boston the evening prior. But in that the Pacers have been the perpetrator in 50 percent of both the Celtics’ and Lakers’ two losses, they are your go-to guys for exit polling. Alas, they are taking this secret ballot thing a little too seriously for our liking. The only Pacer named Rush is Brandon, not Limbaugh. “You know, that’s why they’re in The Finals,” said Indy coach Jim O’Brien. “They’re two of the better teams in the league. Boston has proven they’re the best. The Lakers want to take it away from them. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the two of them will be in The Finals this year.” He’s telling the truth, but that kind of rational response isn’t going to get him on “Around the Horn” or “Face the Nation.” “They’re both great teams,” said Pacers guard Marquis Daniels. “Both teams have great players. They both do a lot of things. They’re both long on the inside. They shoot the ball well.” “They’re both good teams,” said point guard T.J. Ford. “It’s going to be a good matchup when they play each other.” “They’re very similar,” said Danny Granger. “They’re both very good defensive teams. They have a lot of scoring options. The Lakers have (Pau) Gasol down low, (Kobe Bryant). They have role players that come in and create an impact off the bench. The Celtics are the same way. They have players that come in off the bench and cause havoc. They can sit their starters for six, seven, eight, nine minutes at a time and use their second unit. A lot of teams are not that deep to do that.” It was left to Pacers broadcaster Clark Kellogg to offer the most cogent breakdown. “I think probably the thing that jumps out at me is the consistency of the Celtics defensively,” he said. “They just seem to be yoked together and committed and play with a focus and an engagement defensively that you just don’t see on a regular basis really from most of the other teams. I think it’s (Rajon) Rondo on the ball. I think it’s KG (Kevin Garnett) obviously. This whole group is just really committed to defending. “I don’t know if they’re quite as explosive offensively as the Lakers. The Lakers have that spurtability as I like to call it. They’re so athletic and they’ve got so many parts. This team has a number of offensive weapons, too, but the Lakers are just a little more explosive right now. “But typically,” added Kellogg in summation, “if you’re going to hang your hat on a championship, consistency at the defensive end is probably going to give you an edge.” It’s hard to make definitive judgments in December. There are too many miles to go before the Celtics and Lakers can meet for anything more than bragging rights. The Pacers may be the expert of the moment, but, like Indiana, they’re not releasing their innermost thoughts until the polls closes.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 8:39:57 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1136717&format=textRajon Rondo triple threat Fills up the stat sheet By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Thursday, December 4, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics Photo by Matt Stone Rajon Rondo finished with a fat lip last night, courtesy of an inadvertent head butt from Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. Ford. Consider the wound a small price for a huge achievement, the point guard’s first career triple-double. With 16 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high 17 assists, he became the first Celtics [team stats] player since Ryan Gomes on Nov. 8, 2006, to pull off the feat. Paul Pierce [stats] recorded his last of six triple-doubles on March 8, 2006. Antoine Walker is second on the team’s career list with 13. For perspective, consider that Larry Bird, whose rookie year coincided with the first season the league recorded triple-doubles, finished with 69. Curiously, the Celtics went without a triple-double on the way to their 17th championship last season. Rondo, who has averaged 12.5 assists in the past four games, also had three steals in last night’s victory. Coach Doc Rivers laughed at the suggestion that Rondo might have a quadruple-double in store one of these days. “Yeah, with turnovers maybe,” he said. “Just joking, but very few guys have that ability.” Tony careful Tony Allen has been conditioned after four NBA seasons to cringe at even the hint of another injury, but there is a significant bright light this time. At least the injury that held the Celtics guard out of last night’s game against the Pacers wasn’t knee-related. Instead, Allen was hurting from the right ankle he twisted during Monday’s win against Orlando. He will have an MRI today, but he didn’t sound particularly concerned. “I’m just going to make sure that everything is safe,” he said. “It’s still sore, and with the things I do, I need to be at full strength. But (the MRI) is just to make sure that everything is OK. “There’s a lot more season left. I want to attack the whole season, not just a short stretch of time.” Caution is part of the reason Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte told Rivers that Sunday’s game in Indiana was a likely target for Allen’s return. “That doesn’t mean he might not be able to play Friday,” Rivers said of tomorrow night’s game against Portland. Real scare Ray Allen and his wife, Shannon, went through a moment of panic with the realization that a good friend who is a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines was trapped in a hotel in Mumbai, India, during last week’s terrorist attack. Allen finally reached his friend, Darrell Jones, on a cellphone a day after the attack began. Jones had been hidden in a room on the 21st floor of the Hotel Oberoi, one of the locations attacked by terrorists, for more than a day when he finally talked to the Allens in what Ray described as a hushed tone. “I told him to put away his (American) passport and tell everyone he was Jamaican,” he said. “I told him to start working on that accent.” Sympathy for Sam Kevin Garnett, upset by the news that former teammate Sam Mitchell was fired yesterday as coach of the Raptors, expressed hope that he will land on his feet. “Any time you know someone who loses a job it’s hard,” Garnett said. “He’s a very smart person and definitely one of my idols. But I know Sam will keep his head high and bounce back.” Rivers wasn’t surprised by the news, though not because of anything Mitchell had or had not done. “It’s our job,” he said. “But that’s an awful one for me. He was Coach of the Year two years ago. Our job is when you win, you get to stay a little bit. If you lose, you hope Danny Ainge is on your side.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 9:04:07 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1136716&format=textDanny Granger simply got away from Celtics By Steve Bulpett | Thursday, December 4, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics The Celtics [team stats] can’t whine too much. After all, Paul Pierce [stats] fell into their lap at No. 10 in the 1998 draft. But the Celts still get to utter a quick “damn” whenever they see Danny Granger tearing it up for Indiana. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge and his staff were about to haul in the 6-foot-8 forward out of New Mexico in the first round of the 2005 draft. But the Pacers stepped in front of them at the last moment and picked off the guy who’s now the leader of their team with the 17th overall selection. “In the draft he was the pick in front of us,” Doc Rivers said of Granger, who scored 20 points in the 114-96 loss to the Celts last night. “I can (tell) you that, because we were cheering his falling toward us and he never made it to us. We were extremely excited. Coaches don’t see a lot of players, but I had seen him a couple of times (in college games) and I loved that he was falling toward us. He reminds us of a cross between (Orlando’s Hedo) Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis.” Granger is making the people who passed him over look foolish. He had hoped to go higher in the draft, and because of that he didn’t even work out for the Celtics. “I wasn’t (aware of their interest),” Granger said when asked if he knew of the C’s desire to take him in ’05. “I thought I was going to go sooner than I did, but I had a knee problem and a lot of teams red-flagged me. I didn’t know they were interested.” By now, Granger heard all the explanations. “I had a bad knee. I was in between positions. You know, it was the draft. A bunch of stuff was being thrown out there.” Pierce, who worked out with Granger in the offseason, is one of his biggest supporters. “I think he’s one of the better forwards in the East,” Pierce said. “I think he could easily make the All-Star team.”
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 9:12:43 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/04/rondo_sets_a_hot_pace?mode=PFRondo sets a hot pace His triple-double sends Celtics past Indiana By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | December 4, 2008 In Europe, sports fans pay tribute to their favorites by chanting, "There's only one [fill in the blank]," to the song "Guantanamera." They would have had to change their tune following the Celtics game last night, as Rajon Rondo seemed to be in several places at once in achieving his first career triple-double during a 114-96 victory over the Pacers. "It seemed like there were three Rajon Rondos out there," said Kevin Garnett, who had three dunks off Rondo lobs. "He was everywhere." Rondo (16 points, 13 rebounds, 17 assists) continued an impressive roll that has coincided with the Celtics' 10-game winning streak. In the first 11 games of the season, Rondo had 78 points and 73 assists; in the next nine games, he has totaled 125 points and 81 assists. "He's getting everybody easy shots, making the game look simple, and making it simple for everybody," Garnett said. "When we're good defensively, it's because Rondo sets the tone by picking the ball up very early." The Celtics (18-2), who host Portland tomorrow, avenged a loss to the Pacers (95-79) in Indianapolis Nov. 1. In that game, Rondo had 2 points in 25 minutes, and Pacers point guard T.J. Ford scored 19 points. This time, Rondo started the game aggressively and efficiently, keeping Ford (15 points, eight assists) on the defensive with strong drives, then challenging him physically - Rondo took a Ford back-in to the face and left the game for treatment briefly in the opening minutes. Rondo achieved the triple-double on a sequence early in the second half - grabbing a defensive rebound, then setting up the offense and grabbing an offensive rebound before feeding Garnett for a 3-point play and a 62-53 lead 1:28 into the third quarter. But the Celtics were not in the clear, despite going on a 16-2 run late in the first half and a 14-2 spree in the third quarter. Indiana (7-11), which defeated the Lakers, 118-117, Tuesday night, had the lead last night until late in the opening half. A 3-pointer by Ray Allen (season-high 31 points) gave the Celtics a 42-40 edge with 5:13 to go. The Celtics would extend their advantage to 85-61 on Paul Pierce's foul shot with 2:44 left in the third quarter. Then the Pacers put together a 21-5 rally spanning the third and fourth quarters, keyed by two Danny Granger 3-pointers in the first 1:37 of the fourth, the Celtics then making a final spurt to clinch the win. "That's why they're in the Finals," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said of the Celtics and Lakers. "They're two of the better teams in the league. Boston has proven they're the best. The Lakers want to take it away from them. It's not out of the realm of possibility that the two of them will be in the Finals this year." After Troy Murphy's 3-point play cut the Indiana deficit to 90-82, Garnett (26 points) hit a turnaround, Allen and Pierce 3-pointers, and Pierce a tip-in for a 100-82 advantage with 6:10 to go. "When I came out of the game early, I was so anxious to get back in," Rondo said. "When Doc [Rivers] put me back in, I played the entire first half and I was just out there to do my best. not easy to do. I've been so close a lot of games, and to finally get one, I'm excited about it. And, most important, we got the win."
Rondo began picking up his game in the Celtics' 110-101 victory over New York Nov. 18, the second win in this streak. In three games immediately before the Knicks contest, Rondo shot 3 for 17 and totaled 9 points. Then he outscored Allen Iverson, 18-16, as the Celtics took a 98-80 win over Detroit, and has been going strong since.
The last Celtic to record a triple-double was Ryan Gomes (10 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in a 110-108 overtime win over Charlotte Nov. 8, 2006. Pierce (31 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) was the last Celtic with a triple-double in a game that did not to go to OT, a 104-101 win over Philadelphia March 8, 2006.
Asked if Rondo might be expected to total a quadruple-double, Rivers joked, "Yeah, with turnovers, maybe. It's possible. I mean, there's very few guys that have that ability. There's only been about four or five of them. He has the opportunity, someday. Hopefully soon. He has speed and quickness. There is a complete difference - there are a lot of guys who aren't fast runners but have great first steps. Rondo's one of the exceptions; he has both. Rondo's a playmaking guard, and for our team, it's the perfect fit because we have so many scorers."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 9:14:15 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/04/opportunity_to_beat_them_has_come_gone?mode=PFOpportunity to beat them has come, gone By Dan Shaughnessy, Globe Columnist | December 4, 2008 There was always doubt last season. The Celtics scorched NBA America for the six-month regular season, winning 66 games and vaulting into the playoffs with momentum and star power. But we didn't know how good they were until they passed those tournament tests. The Celtics couldn't win on the road in the first two rounds of the playoffs. They could have lost Game 7 against Cleveland. They lost a home playoff game against the Pistons. Then they were consensus underdogs against the Lakers. But they dug in and won the championship with relative ease. In case you forgot, they demolished the Lakers, 131-92, in the final game. Now there is no doubt. It's as if they're telling the rest of the NBA, "You had your chance. The window is closed. Now we know we are the best and nothing can stop us from winning again." The Celtics beat the Pacers, 114-96, at the Garden last night to improve to 18-2. They are 16-1 since losing at Indiana in the third game of the season. They have shucked off the Cavaliers, the Hawks, the Iverson Pistons, and the Brand Sixers. They have dispatched the Magic and avenged their aberration loss to the Pacers. They have demonstrated that they are even better than they were last season. After yesterday morning's shootaround, a sweating, ever-serious Kevin Garnett did his best to explain what has happened to this team since the start of the playoffs last spring. "The series with Atlanta and even with Cleveland, we just figured it out," he said. "We knew we hadn't done it yet. I don't think we looked at ourselves and had any kind of doubt. We just said, 'We're going to get this one tonight.' We lost. And then we'd say, 'We're just going to get this one tonight then.' We lost. But we went into every game knowing and thinking that we were going to win that game. "The first two series [seven-gamers against Atlanta and Cleveland], I thought, gave us even more mental capacity for when we played Detroit. We knew Detroit was one of those teams that had been put together for a long time. We knew how to beat the teams of our caliber. So we went in there and I thought not winning on the road in those first two series just made us stronger. And we learned something. We learned that togetherness is everything and there was no better time to exercise that." Doc Rivers was only too happy to step into the time machine. "Going into the first round, I was concerned because in a lot of ways, we had it easy," he said. "We won 66 games, but we didn't have any tests in the regular season, and that was a concern for me. When you have a new team together, you almost hope that you have a test to see how guys react. Because in the playoffs, you're absolutely going to have tests and we didn't know how they were going to respond. I would say during the Atlanta Game 5 and Game 7 experience, I thought that showed me how we were going to respond in the situation. The Cleveland series could have gone either way. That was just a brutal series." Owner Wyc Grousbeck pointed to Game 7 against the Cavaliers (a 97-92 Celtic win). "It was all on the line," he said. "The Game 7 against Atlanta - that wasn't a Game 7. That was like, 'OK, finally order was restored in the universe.' But Game 7 against LeBron [James] turned the whole thing. That was Mount Olympus and it was the lightning bolt. We looked better in the Detroit series. We looked more confident. And in the Finals, I thought we should have been favorites. We had home court and the team had pulled it together." And that was that. No looking back. No resting on laurels. What we see today is a team more confident than last season's, even without James Posey. The reigning champs are ever intense because of the maniacal Garnett. He was the stabilizing force last night (26 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks) as the Celtics blew out to a 24-point second-half lead before going into cruise control. The whole world keeps telling the Celtics how great they are, but Garnett won't allow complacency. He combines the talent of Russell (Bill, not Jeff) with the work ethic of Rudy (Ruettiger, not LaRusso). It is rare. It is something to be celebrated and cherished. It certainly makes life easier for Rivers. "You can call it the swagger, but it's because we know what we put into practice, we know how we prepare," said Garnett. "We know that when we really lock in, things are possible. "I just don't think we're in tune with the record. I think we're in tune with getting better. We know that some of the things we're doing are not as up to par as we'd like to be. Last year, I think our offense was way ahead of the defense. This year, defensively, I think we're ahead of our offense. I think we trust each other a lot more than we did last year just because we know each other and we know what to expect. But I think our philosophy is the same as last year. One game at a time. Each game individually. "We're learning to trust that. Offensively, we're coming around. [Rajon] Rondo is having a crazy year. He and [Kendrick Perkins] are the one and two reasons that we are defensively sound and we are flowing offensively because the small pint [Rondo] is getting it done, so I'm just trying to knock on some wood and keep this thing going." The small pint got it done against the Pacers to the tune of 16 points, 17 assists, and 13 rebounds. Rondo's dramatic progression is one more element that makes these Celtics better than last season's Green. "Now they know they can win it," added Rivers. "That barrier is removed. That's gone. What they don't know is if they can do it again. They also know we have to be better than last year to do it again. We won last year, plus we're winning this year. You're going to keep hearing it. The key is understand you still have to improve this year to win it again. If we stay where we're at, we're not going to win a title. I think our guys understand that. And I think that's why we're pushing so hard." They pushed past the Pacers last night. Tomorrow night, it'll be Portland with Greg Oden. One tomato can after another. Sure, the Cavaliers are better than they were last season. Sure, the Lakers have Andrew Bynum this time around. But the Celtics are putting the league on notice: You had your chance last spring. No stopping us now.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 9:18:22 GMT -5
www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/04/allen_gave_an_assist_to_friend?mode=PFAllen gave an assist to friend Call to Mumbai was protective By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 4, 2008 A phone call from Celtics guard Ray Allen helped an American friend stay safe during the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, India. Allen's longtime friend Daryl Jones was in the Oberoi Trident Hotel when it was attacked with grenades and assault rifles in a rampage beginning Nov. 26. The Northwest Airlines flight attendant had gone to the front desk to get a new room key when he heard shooting in the lobby. Allen said Jones immediately headed to the 21st floor, where another hotel guest allowed him to hide in his room for two days. Allen learned of the attack during a phone call from his wife, Shannon, after a win over Golden State that night. Upon arriving home, Allen gave a whispering Jones an updated television news report for about 20 minutes. Worried that Jones could be targeted because he was an American, Allen also told his friend that if a terrorist asked for his passport to say he didn't have it and that he was Jamaican. "When I called him, I was telling him everything I heard on TV," Allen said yesterday. "[Jones learned] about the hotel being on fire and I told him that there was police outside. I told him, 'This is what is happening. From what they are saying, there are still terrorists running around shooting people and throwing grenades. You need to hide and don't open the door if someone knocks on it.' "We talked for about 20 minutes and I told him, 'We'll be [by the phone] if you need to call back. If you call back, we'll be up waiting, and if you [don't call], just leave us a message letting us know you're all right.' " Allen said Jones was able to make it back safely to the United States after stopovers in Germany and the Netherlands for interviews by officials. "It's a tragic situation for everyone involved," Allen said. "People suffered and have gone through seeing the tragedy that was taking place. A lot of people are going to have to go through therapy. So for him to be able to survive is great. He's alive back here on American soil." Jones was a guest of Allen when the Celtics clinched the NBA title last season. Tony Allen out Tony Allen missed last night's game against Indiana with a sprained right ankle he suffered against Orlando in the second quarter Monday. While he hopes to play tomorrow against Portland, coach Doc Rivers was more hopeful for Sunday at Indiana. Allen, who is averaging 8.8 points, expects to have an MRI. "It is just sore," he said. "Basically, I should have stayed out in that game when we played Orlando. It tightened up when I got it taped and came back and I fought through it. I think I put a lot more pressure on it than was already on it from the twist. Hopefully, I can get some treatment and be ready for Friday's game." Celtics president Danny Ainge said he wasn't tempted to recall J.R. Giddens or Bill Walker from Utah of the NBA Development League to replace Allen. Through three games, Giddens was averaging 23.3 points. 7.7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks for the Flash, while Walker was averaging 22 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2 steals. "I don't want to disrupt from what they're doing," said Ainge. "They're benefiting from being down there." They're No. 9 The Celtics cracked the top 10 of the Forbes 2008 NBA Team Valuations, ranking ninth with a value of $447 million. Their value increased 14 percent ($56 million) from last year, when they were ranked 11th. Forbes also reported that the Celtics have $149 million in revenue and an operating income of $20.1 million. The Knicks were No. 1 in value at $613 million, followed by the Lakers ($584 million) and Bulls ($504 million). "I am pretty sure none of those teams listed would be for sale at those prices," Celtics CEO Wyc Grousbeck said via e-mail. "The upward trend is correct but the valuations are low. I would also comment that the sports sector generally has held up well by comparison to other parts of the economy. We thank the Celtics fans for supporting our team and helping us win banner 17." Out of mind Kevin Garnett spoke briefly about the circus surrounding suspended Knicks guard Stephon Marbury, who is seeking a buyout of the final year of his contract and has been banished from the team. Garnett and Marbury were teammates in Minnesota from 1996-99. "We're not close at all, not really as close as we used to be," Garnett said. "I haven't really been following [the Marbury situation]. I watch it here and there when I go through the locker room when it's on TV. I hear about it. It's unfortunate. But I haven't been following it or had an assessment of it." Rooting for Rogers Pacers coach Jim O'Brien was saddened by the news that ex-Celtic Rodney Rogers was reportedly partially paralyzed in a recent all-terrain vehicle accident. O'Brien coached Rogers in Boston during the 2001-02 season. "He's one of the finest people I've ever coached in the NBA," O'Brien said. "I spent a lot of time with Rodney out in Phoenix during the summer when we were trying to sign him. A great family and a man of immense faith. He certainly is going to need that family and great faith to get through this."
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 9:21:40 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x43170544/Celtics-114-Pacers-96-Perfect-10Celtics 114, Pacers 96: Perfect 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loading multimedia... Photos -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elise Amendola./Associated Press Paul Pierce shoots over Indiana's Roy Hibbert during the Celtics' win. By Scott Souza/Daily News staff MetroWest Daily News Posted Dec 03, 2008 @ 11:37 PM Last update Dec 03, 2008 @ 11:38 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — With a mouth full of ice and a swollen upper lip, Rajon Rondo walked into the Celtics locker room about 20 minutes after his first career triple-double knowing he still had a bit of talking to do with the media. As if his statistics didn't say enough about what he did to lead the Celtics to their 10th straight victory with a 114-96 waxing of the Pacers last night at the TD Banknorth Garden. The point guard took only 88 seconds of the second half to reach the triple-double mark as he went on to pile up 16 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high 17 assists. Everyone benefited from his tour de force act as Ray Allen had 31 points, including 6-of-9 on 3-pointers, Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 14 rebounds, Kendrick Perkins had 16 points (on 5-of-6 shooting) and 10 rebounds and Paul Pierce had 16 points to round out the starting five. "He's the main catalyst for what we're doing," Allen said. "Last year, he was listening to (Celtics coach) Doc (Rivers) a lot. But he knows all the plays now. He knows what to run. He knows where we like the ball. He knows situations. He's not looking over his shoulder. For the most part, he's just up and he's going." After leaving the game briefly when he took a head butt in the mouth from Indiana's T.J. Ford in the opening two minutes, Rondo was like the Energizer Bunny - going and going and going - the rest of the way as he tortured backcourt nemesis Ford and the Pacers in all corners of the floor. "He was amazing," Garnett said. "It seemed like there were three Rondos out there tonight. I looked up and he passed the ball to (Pierce), and it came off and he was rebounding it. Then all of a sudden I got back on defense and he beat me back. Then (Danny) Granger went to drive and he was there on the strip, and we got loose and threw it up for a layup, and he got the layup. "Just basically energy and effort," Rondo said of the hyperactivity. "I just try to go out there and stay aggressive. When I came out of the game, I was anxious to get back in." When he did return, he played all of the second quarter and most of the third, with a persistent pressure that overwhelmed Indiana on the second night of a back-to-back. "We found a couple of sets tonight they couldn't stop," Rondo said. "A couple of (isolations) up top with Paul, then me and Kevin in the two-man pick-and-roll game with shooters Ray and Paul to space the floor. "Guys are making plays. I create a lot of shots, but they create their own shots too. They're great scorers. They've been making shots their entire careers. I just try to get them shots in the right situations and they make plays from there." Allen deferred credit to the burgeoning backcourt star. "The way he asserts himself, he has his defender back on his heels," he said. "When he does that, they have to guard him. Sometimes it takes two or three guys and that's when we interject ourselves in the game by finding those open spots and getting those easier shots." The Celtics took the fight to the upstart Pacers midway through the second quarter during a 16-2 run for a 52-42 lead with 2:46 left in the half, then hit the break up 57-51. Rondo hit the triple-double mark as his rebound and feed to Garnett went for a three-point play and 62-53 lead 1:28 into the third. The Celtics stretched the gap to 70-55 into a timeout at 7:14, then a Rondo three-point play and Allen basket from Garnett pushed the lead to 18 with 7:10 left. An Allen 3-pointer from Rondo with 4:05 left in the third gave the Celtics an 83-59 lead and concluded a 26-6 run out of the early seconds in the half. The Pacers responded with a 14-5 run in the final four minutes of the quarter, and the Celtics hit the final 12 minutes up 88-73. Five quick points from Danny Granger made it a 19-5 spurt and had the Pacers within nine into a timeout 1:38 into the fourth. Pierce briefly stopped the slide with a basket at 8:59, but Troy Murphy's three-point play cut the deficit to eight. Garnett rejected Indy's bid to make it a two-possession game, then banked in a shot from Rondo down the other end, and Allen followed with his sixth 3-ponter, for a 95-82 lead with 7:46 on the clock. A Pierce 3-pointer out of the timeout pushed the lead back to 16, and two Garnett alley-oop slams inside of a minute from Rondo with four minutes to go stretchedit to 19 and iced the game.
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 9:23:41 GMT -5
www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x43170520/Megliola-Celts-winning-over-Bostons-fan-baseMegliola: Celts winning over Boston's fan base -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Lenny Megliola/Daily News staff MetroWest Daily News Posted Dec 03, 2008 @ 11:18 PM Last update Dec 03, 2008 @ 11:19 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON — Maybe Eric Petelle left the Garden last night with a different opinion of the Celtics. "I don't think they're as good as last year," said the Billerica resident before Boston took on the Indiana Pacers. "I don't think they have the desire to go all the way. In the playoffs they won't be as hungry (as last season)." Hey, everyone's entitled, right? Like Kevin Ogden. "They're definitely better than last season," opined Ogden of Londonderry, N.H. "The chemistry is good. James Posey's a tough loss, but I still thought they'd be fine." What is undisputable is the fact that the Celtics matter again. A world championship will do that for a city. OK, they'll never be at the Red Sox/Patriots level of popularity. But these days third place in this town isn't bad, with the Bruins moving up the pole by the minute. And we know this is a hockey town before it's a hoops hamlet. "I'm a Bruins fans," said Joe Crespi of Beverly. "They've finally put a team together that has a lot of passion and not many superstars. The fourth line is as good as the first." No, Crespi didn't show up at the Garden last night expecting to see ice instead of the parquet floor, 6-foot-9 Zdeno Chara instead of 6-9 Brian Scalabrine. But Crespi likes hockey before basketball even though his college roommate at Maine was former Celtic and ex-Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who now coaches the Mavericks. Crespi was curious to see, in person, what all the fuss was about. The Celtics didn't disappoint him. "If Rondo's on his game, they can't be beat." Man, was Rajon Rondo on his game in Boston's 114-96 romp. The lightning-fast point guard had 16 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds, his first career triple-double. "He was amazing," said Kevin Garnett. "It seemed like there were three Rondos out there." Coach Doc Rivers could see the day Rondo comes up with a quadruple-double. "He's making leaps and strides every year," said Paul Pierce. "It's just fun watching him grow." "He sets the tone," said Garnett. Minneapolis native Jerry Leising was in town on business and wound up with a ticket. "I'm here to see Kevin Garnett," he said. "They're still crying in Minnesota about him leaving. He always gives everything he's got. We haven't been the same since." Garnett submitted 26 points and 14 rebounds. More weeping in Minny. Brian Williams of Beverly concedes "the Lakers look unbelievable but I have confidence in the Celtics because they have some guys doing more than last year, like Tony Allen and Leon Powe. "It'll probably be a Boston-LA final." "The Lakers do look good," said Salem, N.H. resident Chris (he didn't want his last name in the paper), "but I think we can contend with them." Ya think? For the second straight year the Celtics have gotten off to a phenomenal start. "And last year they got better," said Ed Williams of Springfield, Vt. He thinks that could be the case again, especially if the Big 3 gets some rest while the young players grow with playing time, the only way they can get better. "When it comes to real push, the Celtics will have the guys to fill in," said Williams. Williams was at the game with Sherri Muther-Cross who admitted to being "a Yankee fan. The only Boston team my father took me to see was the Celtics when Larry Bird was just starting." These Celtics have won her over. After all, what's not to like? "The Celtics really had too many weapons for us," said Pacers coach Jim O'Brien. It didn't matter that Pierce started off 0-for-6, had two airballs and finished shooting 5-for-17. Ray Allen fired away for 31 points. Kendrick Perkins checked in with a blue-collar 16/10 game. Much has been said about the Celtics bench, but this time the starters accounted for 105 points. "Offense is always about a flow," said Garnett, "and some nights Paul might have it going, Ray might have it going. Rajon. Different guys can have it going." Don't remind the Pacers coach. "They're awfully difficult to beat," said O'Brien. "They have a great team." Is it too early to start the Finals, Boston vs. LA?
|
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 4, 2008 11:10:23 GMT -5
|
|
