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FLCeltsFan
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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 7:37:27 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 11, 2008 7:37:27 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1138313&format=text
Celtics’ thorn sharpened
Wizardry reinstated

By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Thursday, December 11, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
For most of the early season, through the sacking of coach Eddie Jordan and a rotation that couldn’t seem to get out of its own way, the Washington Wizards weren’t the buzz-saw team that the Celtics [team stats] remembered from last season.

That has apparently changed.

Tonight’s opponent appears to have new life, courtesy of an overtime win against Detroit on Tuesday that is more in line with the Washington team that beat the Celtics three times last season, including back-to-back wins on Jan. 12 and 14.

The Wizards not only had more regular-season wins over the Celtics than any other team in the league, that January home-and-home was one of only three times all year that the C’s lost consecutive games.

So the Wizards clearly stand out now.

“They played us well last year,” coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s going to be that way (tonight). They’re coming off an unbelievable win (over Detroit).”

The difference is that unlike last season, when the Wizards played some of their best basketball with Gilbert Arenas sidelined - a circumstance that allowed Caron Butler to step up with his own considerable talent - the Wizards had trouble adjusting to the same scenario this season.

With Arenas once again injured to start the season, the team was unable to recover. Jordan was fired and replaced with Ed Tapscott, an NBA front office veteran who has also served as an assistant on several teams.

“He’s a jack of all trades,” Rivers said of Tapscott. “The big thing is that he’s got them playing defense. They’ve definitely become a better defensive team. One thing I saw that (Tapscott) was doing was yanking guys, and putting in the ones that played hard. That had an impact.”

That’s not to say that Rivers understands why Jordan, the former Nets assistant once considered one of the league’s hot coaching prospects, was fired.

“In a way I’m never surprised when a coach gets (fired), but I was surprised by that one,” Rivers said. “They’ve had so many injuries. There’s no way they should have been as good as they were last year. But it was Eddie Jordan who kept them going.”

The Wizards tonight will have one new presence who is a familiar face to Celtics’ fans.

Former Celtic Mike James, who was stuck in Byron Scott’s doghouse in New Orleans, where he had been benched for nine of the last 10 games, was sent to Washington yesterday in a minor trade for Antonio Daniels.

James’ presence will presumably help fill the scoring vacuum left by Arenas’ absence.

Rest vs. rhythm

The Celtics had their third straight off-day yesterday. And after playing 22 games over the first 42 days of the season, this is what passed for a treat.

Or maybe not.

“We almost were in that game rhythm where (the break) was like a shock to the system,” Rivers said. “I think the guys were actually looking for a game today. But the break has been nice.

“Now more of our guys can get healthy. Now we can rest and work on things that there have been a lot of slippage in.” . . .

Ray Allen has been the hottest Celtic of late, and that’s just fine with Paul Pierce [stats], who has been scoring at his lowest clip in recent memory.

“A lot of the shots I’m taking are makeable shots,” Pierce said. “When Ray gets hot or Kevin (Garnett) gets hot, that’s just the way the offense flows. With the way we’ve been winning, it’s not a concern.”

FLCeltsFan
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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 7:42:07 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 11, 2008 7:42:07 GMT -5

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1138315&format=text
Scouting report: Celtics at Wizards

By Herald staff | Thursday, December 11, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Stuart Cahill
TONIGHT - 8, Verizon Center, Washington. TV - CSN, TNT. Radio - WEEI-AM (850).

THE NUMBER 3-1 - Washington’s edge in last year’s series.

12 - Celts’ winning streak.

20-2 - Celts’ start, tied for best in franchise history.

WHO’S HURT For the Celtics [team stats], Tony Allen (ankle) will play. For the Wizards, Gilbert Arenas (knee) and Brendan Haywood (wrist) are out.

WHO’S HOT For the Celtics, Ray Allen is leading the team with a 19.2 scoring average. For the Wizards, Caron Butler has back-to-back games of 33 and 27 points.

WHO’S NOT For the Celtics, Glen Davis has shot 2-13 over the last five games.

BOTTOM LINE The Wizards appear to be on a small run at precisely the right time. Considering their success against the Celtics last year, losing the only time Gilbert Arenas was in the lineup and winning three times without him, the C’s should be especially concerned about this small but athletic team.

FLCeltsFan
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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 7:47:07 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 11, 2008 7:47:07 GMT -5

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/11/play_points_to_rondo_having_a_star_chance?mode=PF
Play points to Rondo having a Star chance
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | December 11, 2008

WALTHAM - There might not be enough statistics to go around to qualify more than three Celtics for the All-Star Game. But if measured by quality rather than quantity, Rajon Rondo could have a chance to be named to play in the Feb. 15 game in Phoenix.

"He's the best point guard in the Eastern Conference," Ray Allen said of his teammate yesterday. "He's been fun to watch, and the record of the team supports it."

Said Paul Pierce, "[Rondo] is playing like an All-Star; he's one of the top point guards in the NBA. He's full of confidence; coming off a championship does that to young players. I hope he continues to get better - it's only his third year - and that he doesn't get complacent and he continues to grow."

The Celtics take a 20-2 record into tonight's visit to Washington, and Rondo has been a driving force as they have shifted into a higher gear.

But Rondo's numbers - 10.3 points and 7.6 assists per game - would be low for an All-Star selection. Allen, Pierce, and Kevin Garnett, who dominate the Celtics' stat charts, performed in the All-Star Game last year and are strong candidates to repeat.

"If I don't make it, it's not a big deal," Rondo said. "My goal is to be on the All-Defensive team and win a championship.

"You can look at box scores, but you actually have to watch games and see matchups to see who really is the defensive stopper . . . But a lot of times they go off steals, but I don't think that's what counts."

Among Rondo's most effective tactics is poking away dribbles from behind, a play that often leads to Celtic fast breaks.

"It's a gamble," Rondo said. "Either I get it or it's a foul, one or the other. The coaches don't like it, but I think I have a talent for stealing the ball. Sometimes it's a bad thing to do, but a lot of times I do get the ball.

"I try to make plays. I try to get the ball and I think I'm good at doing that. It leads to fast-break points, you get the momentum going, and you get a stop defensively."

Celtics named All-Stars despite low numbers have included Bill Russell (who averaged 9.9 points per game in 1968-69) and Paul Silas (10.6 ppg in 1974-75). Detroit's Ben Wallace averaged 7.3 points in the 2005-06 season, when he was among four Pistons chosen for the All-Star Game. The Celtics could become the first team since Detroit with four All-Stars and, like that group of Pistons, have no All-Star starters. Garnett led the voting last season but he is competing at the forward position with Cleveland's LeBron James and New Jersey's Yi Jianlian of China. Voting concludes Jan. 19.

Washington is expected to test the Celtics, despite having a 4-15 record. They replaced coach Eddie Jordan with Ed Tapscott after a 1-10 start.

"They played us well last year, they took it to us," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "They are aggressive and they'll be like that [tonight]. They are coming off an unbelievable win over Detroit, down 15 and came back and won, [107-94]. That's an impressive win. They are playing differently - defense, you can say that's their focus right now, becoming a better defensive team. When there is a new coach, guys tend to have more energy for a while. [Tapscott] has been around the game long enough, he's a jack-of-all-trades, and he's been everywhere. That probably makes him more qualified."

The Celtics have winning streaks of 12 games overall and eight games on the road.

"You don't get anything for being 20-2. I tell the players that all the time," Rivers said. "You get a lot of guys telling you how great you are and you get caught up in that."

The Celtics returned from Indiana early Monday morning and had consecutive practice days for just the second time since the opening week of the season.

"We almost got into a game rhythm, so it was a shock to the system of all of us," Rivers said. "Guys wanted to play [yesterday], but it was nice to have a chance to get adjusted. It does break the rhythm a little bit, and we have to get that going quickly, because we have tough games [tonight] and [tomorrow, against New Orleans]."

Pierce detected no drop-off in the Celtics' concentration.

"You can tell guys are really focused, day in and day out, at practice," Pierce said. "There's no complacency, no letdown."

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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 7:49:22 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 11, 2008 7:49:22 GMT -5

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/11/wizards_thumbnails/
Wizards thumbnails
December 11, 2008
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When, where: Tonight, 8, at Verizon Center, Washington.
TV, radio: CSN, TNT, WEEI (850).
Scoring: Caron Butler 22.5, Antawn Jamison 20.2, Nick Young 11.3.
Rebounding: Jamison 9.6, Butler 6.7, Andray Blatche 4.5.
Assists: Butler 4.4, DeShawn Stevenson 3.6, Juan Dixon 3.4.
Head to head: This is the first of three meetings. The Wizards won three of four against Boston last year.
Miscellany: Half of the Wizards' four wins have come in December, after they went 2-12 in October and November . . . Gilbert Arenas still does not have a timetable for his return from knee surgery. He last played April 27 in Washington's playoff elimination loss to Cleveland.

FLCeltsFan
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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 7:52:07 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 11, 2008 7:52:07 GMT -5

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x1887876220/Celtics-Christmas-will-bring-an-L-A-gift
Celtics: Christmas will bring an L.A. gift
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Jim Fenton'Gatehouse News Service
MetroWest Daily News
Posted Dec 10, 2008 @ 10:06 PM
Last update Dec 10, 2008 @ 10:07 PM

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WALTHAM — The game jumped off the page as soon as the NBA released the 2008-09 schedule back in August.

Christmas Day, 5 p.m. on ABC-TV: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers.

Consider it a holiday gift from the league to its followers, a rematch of the ancient rivals who were last together in the NBA Finals in the spring.

The most anticipated game of the regular season takes place just two weeks from today, and the network is sure to have some impressive ratings on the holiday.

The Celtics play seven more games before getting to the Lakers, starting with a trip to Washington to face the Wizards tonight (TNT, 8 p.m.).

There will be no looking ahead to the showdown with the Lakers, not from a team that is rolling at 20-2 with a 12-game winning streak.

But it is easy for fans of the NBA to peek ahead and anticipate a Christmas game that should be spectacular, pitting the best in the East against the best in the West.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers knows the two teams won't be treating it as just another game, no matter what they say.

"It should be fun," said Rivers. "I think both teams will be fired up to play that game.

"I always look at those games as it's great to play them because we all say it's one of 82, and it is after the game. But before the game and during the game, they don't feel that way."

The Celtics won their 17th championship by beating the Lakers in six games last June, putting an exclamation point on the series with a 131-92 embarrassment of Los Angeles in Game 6.

Instead of having a title hangover, the Celtics have come roaring out of the gates, tying a franchise mark for the best start through 22 games, a record that can be broken tonight.

The Lakers took a 17-3 record into last night's game against the Phoenix Suns after falling to the Sacramento Kings, 113-101, on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles' only other losses were to the Detroit Pistons, 106-95, on Nov. 14 and the Indiana Pacers, 118-117, on Dec. 2. The return of center Andrew Bynum, who did not face the Celtics in the Finals, has been a boost for the Lakers.

"I think I've seen them play one time, but I know they're playing well because you hear about it," said Rivers. "I don't pay much attention to them. They're good.

"They were in the Finals last year without Bynum and now they have Bynum, so just conventional wisdom would say they have to be a better team this year."

The Lakers obviously have the Celtics on their minds. The Orange County Register reported this week that players were watching the Boston-Indiana game on Sunday night in a player's lounge and were disappointed when the Celtics pulled out an overtime win.

Both teams will be readjusting their bodies to West Coast time on Christmas Day. The Celtics have a home game on Dec. 23 against the Philadelphia 76ers, then will leave immediately to fly to California and spend Christmas Eve at their hotel.

The Lakers have a four-game road trip to Miami, Orlando, Memphis and New Orleans, the last game on Dec. 23, and they will be flying all night to return home.

"We're coming off a tough stretch playing on the 23rd and have to fly all the way out there, and the game's at 2 o'clock in the afternoon their time," said Rivers. "That's a heckuva West Coast turnaround."

The Celtics have not played on Christmas Day since 2002, when they were trounced in New Jersey by the Nets, 117-81. Prior to that, the Celtics lost on Christmas in 1991 to the Chicago Bulls, 121-99.

Boston made Christmas Day appearances in New York to face the Knicks, losing, 113-104, in double overtime in 1985 and winning, 117-108, in 1980. The '85 game was memorable because the Celtics kicked away a 25-point lead and Kevin McHale was fined for not flying to the Big Apple on Christmas Eve with the team.

The Lakers will be playing on Christmas for a 10th year in a row with eight of those games at home. L.A. is just 3-6 over the stretch and broke a five-game losing streak with a win over the Suns last year.

Two weeks to go, and the Boston-L.A. rivalry is renewed, six months after the Celtics ended their title drought by beating the Lakers.

"It's nice," said Rivers of the holiday matchup. "It's two really good teams playing, and so far, both teams have lived up to their billing. It's nice when (the schedule makers) get it right."

FLCeltsFan
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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 7:56:54 GMT -5

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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 11, 2008 7:56:54 GMT -5

my.nba.com/forum.jspa?forumID=5700022068
Assigned Player Progress Report
Dec 8, 2008
Posted by: Matthew Brennan

Hamed Haddadi is on assignment to Dakota from the Memphis Grizzlies.
D. Carlson/NBAE/Getty Images

A total of nine NBA players have been assigned to the NBA D-League so far this season, with eight still on D-League rosters. Here is a look at how each player has fared in his time on assignment.

Blake Ahearn, Austin Toros

Ahearn is no stranger to the NBA D-League after winning Rookie of the Year last season with the Dakota Wizards. Signed as a GATORADE Call-Up and then assigned to Austin this season, Ahearn has played in three games for the Toros and is averaging 18.7 points and 4.0 assists. He scored 29 points in an overtime win over his former Dakota teammates to give Austin their second win of the season.

J.R. Giddens, Utah Flash

The only first-round pick currently on assignment to the NBA D-League, Boston’s Giddens has had a successful stint with the Utah Flash so far, averaging 20.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in five games. Giddens has been deadly-accurate from the field for a guard, connecting on .566 (43-76) of his field-goal attempts. He has also recorded a blocked shot in all five games.

Richard Hendrix, Bakersfield Jam

Hendrix got off to a great start with 31 points and 14 boards on opening night and is one of the NBA D-League’s top rebounders, ranking eighth with 10.8 per game. His contributions have helped the Jam get out to a 5-1 start after winning only 11 games last season.

Ian Mahinmi, Austin Toros

Mahinmi has been limited by an ankle injury this season and only played in one game (4 points in 21 minutes) for the Toros before being recalled back to San Antonio.

Hamed Haddadi, Dakota Wizards

The first Iranian player to make an NBA roster has seen limited action while on assignment in Dakota, averaging 15.4 minutes over five games. The first NBA player assigned to Dakota since the 2006-07 season is posting averages of 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Wizards. His best game so far came in his season debut when he scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked three shots in a loss to Iowa.

Steven Hill, Tulsa 66ers

An in-season acquisition by the Thunder, the 7-0 Hill was assigned to Tulsa and has played in four games, making his way into the starting lineup for the last two. Hill is averaging 7.3 points and 7.5 rebounds, but his biggest impact has come from blocking shots. The former Arkansas center ranks second in the league with 3.5 blocks per game after turning back three or more shots in all four games.

DeMarcus Nelson, Bakersfield Jam

Nelson made history when he became the first undrafted rookie to start an NBA game on opening night, and he has played a big role for the Jam since being assigned before the start of the season. The former Duke star is averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in six games, all starts. Nelson is also arguably the NBA D-League’s most consistently accurate shooter, leading all players shooting over .500 (Nelson is at .538) with 42 made field goals.

Anthony Tolliver, Austin Toros

Tolliver played for Iowa last season in the NBA D-League and was assigned to Austin last week after making the Spurs roster out of training camp. He is averaging 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists after two games but will be looking to improve his shooting after connecting on only .360 (9-25) of his field-goal attempts.

Bill Walker, Utah Flash

Walker is one of the NBA D-League’s top scorers, ranking 11th overall and leading all assigned players with 21.6 points per game. He has scored 19 points or better in four of his five games to start the season and has been a fixture in Utah’s starting lineup while on assignment from the Celtics.

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News 12/11 Dec 11, 2008 8:25:12 GMT -5

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