News 12/18

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1139798&format=text
Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen have final say to dump Atlanta
Peach of a victory

By Mark Murphy | Thursday, December 18, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
ATLANTA - Kevin Garnett wanted to make something understood.

“This is not a rivalry, and I want that on the record,” he said after the latest night of madness. “You have to win some games first. But they’re a very good team.”

If true, the Celtics [team stats] still looked like the most relieved team on the planet after last night’s 88-85 win over Atlanta, extending the Celtics’ win streak to 16 games.

Paul Pierce [stats], in a move that infuriated many members of the raucous, screaming crowd, made a slashing motion across his throat while heading to the bench for the last timeout.

Perhaps this isn’t a rivalry, but the Celtics captain, criticized for flashing a gang-like B sign at the Atlanta bench during Game 3 of last season’s inflamed first-round playoff series, appears to be at his most emotive in Philips Arena.

It’s probably not because he hates the city of Atlanta, either.

“Just not tonight,” the Celtics captain said, putting his latest gesture into words. “We weren’t going to lose tonight. It’s a contentious game when you play the Hawks. They’ve been talking about this game for a couple of days now.”

That talk probably isn’t going to stop, considering how close Atlanta, which won all three playoff games here last April, came to ending what is now the third longest win streak in Celtics history. behind only the 1981-82 C’s (18 straight) and the 1959-60 team (17).

Their climb up the NBA chart continues as well, now with a 24-2 record that ranks only behind the 1966-67 Sixers and the 1969-70 Knicks (both 26-2) in league history for the best start by a two-loss team.

The Celtics to a man claim not to be impressed by the streak. But most will admit that of those 16 games, none matched last night’s for the intensity of the opponent or its crowd.

As during their home playoff games, the Hawks once again took it to the Celtics in everything from defense to the offensive glass, where they grabbed 13 offensive boards, including four each from Al Horford and Marvin Williams.

It wasn’t until Joe Johnson missed the second of two free throws with 2.7 seconds left, leaving the Hawks behind by a point (86-85), that their run broke.

But the Celtics, accustomed to this kind of pressure, once again played their best basketball over the last five minutes during a furious stretch in which the lead changed hands nine times. This included lead changes on six straight possessions in the last 2:35.

But Garnett, who scored 10 of his 18 points in the last quarter, and six of those 10 in the last 2:52, decided it was his turn to look rim-ward last night.

Still, he needed a little urging.

“I told him, ‘You’ve got to take us home,’ ” Rajon Rondo [stats] said of a challenge he laid down for Garnett during a fourth quarter timeout.

Garnett banked a 5-footer for a 79-79 tie with 2:52 left. Williams hit the second of two free throws for an 80-79 lead 17 seconds later, but Rondo, after dribbling around the lane in a play the Celtics call a “midget,” then passed back to Garnett for an alley-oop.

Johnson took the lead back with a 15-footer, and Pierce triggered the seventh lead change of the quarter with a jumper from the key.

Johnson’s free throw was good for an 84-83 lead, but the next time down Garnett wheeled in with an 8-foot hook from the lane.

Johnson missed a jumper but grabbed the rebound, only to be blocked by Kendrick Perkins [stats] off a baseline drive. Rondo was fouled while grabbing the board, and with nine seconds left hit the second of two free throws to push the Celtics lead out to 86-84.

Johnson drove, drew Perkins’ fifth foul, and looked on in disgust when his second free throw bounced into Garnett’s hands.

After a timeout, Rondo was able to inbound to the team’s best free-throw shooter, Ray Allen, with seven-tenths of a second left. Allen hit both to ice the most difficult win in the streak.

But rest assured that the Hawks aren’t finished.

“We’re not afraid of them,” said Atlanta’s Josh Smith. “We’re not afraid of any team.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1139820&format=text
Paul Pierce OK to go
Captain up out of chair to help out vs. Hawks

By Mark Murphy / Celtics Notebook | Thursday, December 18, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Angela Rowlings
ATLANTA - Now that Paul Pierce [stats] has a place in NBA Finals lore, Celtics [team stats] coach Doc Rivers has an automatic joke whenever his captain gets hurt.

“We have the wheelchair ready for him over there in the corner,” Rivers said before last night’s 88-85 victory against the Atlanta Hawks.

Pierce played despite lingering swelling and tenderness in his left knee. He was injured Monday night at the Garden in a win over the Utah Jazz.

Judging from his 40-minute, 18-point contribution against the Hawks, the knee didn’t outwardly appear to have much affect on Pierce’s effort. But there might have been more to a 7-for-17 performance from the field than a poor shooting night.

“I didn’t have the lift I wanted,” Pierce said. “But it is what it is. It’s a little sore right now, but I’m just going to take it day by day and see how it feels.”

Rivers started the night prepared to pull Pierce out of the game at the first sign of distress. As the contest progressed, the coach felt comfortable enough, or maybe urgent enough, to leave his captain in the game.

“He looked pretty good,” Rivers said. “On our pick-and-roll he was not as aggressive as he normally is, but he was great out there.”

Big interest

Rivers acknowledged that the Celtics had a conversation with free agent center Dikembe Mutombo last week.

“I know this much: He’s coming back,” Rivers said.

As when they approached Antonio McDyess after the big man was traded from Detroit to Denver, only to be let go by the Nuggets, the Celtics are part of a large pool of suitors for Mutombo, the 7-foot-4, 42-year-old shot blocker.

Rivers believes Mutombo will return to his last employer in Houston. The Rockets have left his locker open with the hope that he will be back.

“We’re over the (salary) cap, so it would be difficult,” Rivers said of the potential for adding Mutumbo.

“But we’re looking at everybody right now. I think (Mutombo) is going back to where he was, so we’ll see.” . . .

The Celtics had a brief scare just prior to the game when Glen Davis slipped on a wet spot and landed on his right knee. Trainer Ed Lacerte checked on Big Baby, who was pronounced fit for action.

Davis scored two points in 13 minutes.

Empty feeling

As a means of promoting the playoff rematch, the Hawks marketing staff featured a picture of Kevin Garnett and Zaza Pachulia in the game program from their altercation during Game 4 of the first-round series.

“Anything to sell some tickets, huh?” Garnett said with a grunt, understanding exactly what is the problem at Philips Arena.

Despite an exciting young team, Atlanta still has yet to embrace the Hawks with the passion marked by last April’s series, though last night’s non-sellout crowd made up in noise for what it lacked in numbers. Hip-hop icon and Atlanta resident Ludacris performed at halftime, a sign that any measure is welcomed to bring back the crowd.

“You definitely expect that after what they did (in last spring’s playoffs) they would get a better atmosphere,” Pierce said. “They’re pretty much in my mind a playoff team.”

Payton’s prize

Former Celtics point guard Gary Payton, now an NBA analyst based out of the home of the Hawks, received a long-lost item.

The future Hall of Famer picked up his 8,000th career assist while with the C’s, but left the ball in his locker at the Garden three years ago following his only season with the team. Jeff Twiss, the C’s vice president of media relations, kept the ball at his house until this road trip.

Twiss took a cab over to the Turner Broadcasting building and delivered Payton’s prize.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1139852&format=text

Pistons must keep Rasheed Wallace in the bank

By Drew Sharp / Detroit Free Press | Thursday, December 18, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | NBA Coverage

Photo by AP (File)
DETROIT — Rasheed Wallace isn’t only a player. He’s an entry on a balance sheet — an easily disposed-of asset.

That’s his true value to the Pistons.

And that’s why it would be ridiculous to trade him for somebody who could contribute now. It might generate some buzz, convince a few more ticket holders to come to the Palace rather than eat the cost of the ticket. But it doesn’t change the reality of a Pistons season that’s more about tomorrow’s possibilities than today’s.

So don’t get frustrated over Wallace’s dwindling offensive production — only one double-digit scoring performance the past five games — because the only number that matters now is his $14-million salary slot.

That’s why teams are calling Joe Dumars, fueling speculation that the Pistons will entertain offers for Wallace with the hope that it might resuscitate a season that seems destined for early-round playoff disappointment.

Prospective suitors don’t see the mercurial personality — as well as the equally erratic three-point shooting stroke. All they see is a method of clearing the fiscal books, creating space for free agents like Kobe Bryant and Carlos Boozer, or for the Summer of LeBron in 2010 when LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Amare Stoudemire become free agents.

Why surrender such salary flexibility for the sake of perpetuating the myth of being a championship contender?

The Pistons’ dilemma is no different from any other professional sports entity in these times of economic hardship. There’s more preoccupation on creating short-term buzz at the cost of a viable long-term strategy. You can’t risk losing increasingly impatient fans.

The Pistons consummated the Allen Iverson [stats] trade for one primary, short-term reason — creating enthusiasm.

They’re still selling tickets. Every home game is sold out, but there’s a no-show rate of nearly 15 percent. It’s cheaper eating the tickets than attending the game and buying $15 cocktails, $10 beers and $100 jerseys.

It’s challenging selling tomorrow because that means you’re conceding today, but that remains the wisest course for the Pistons. It’s an admission that the impressive run of six consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference finals will end next spring.

But the Pistons aren’t struggling because of Wallace. They aren’t struggling because of Iverson. They aren’t struggling because they’ve got a rookie coach feeling his way through the fog.

They’re struggling because they’re due. There are much hungrier teams circling them, salivating at their vulnerability.

Boston is better. Cleveland is better. The Pistons probably are looking at a fourth seed in the first round of the playoffs. Moving Rasheed for a younger player doesn’t improve that playoff standing in what’s clearly a transitional season.

So why do it?

You certainly don’t do it to get critics temporarily off your back, especially if it deviates from the designated long-range plan.

Sacramento’s Reggie Theus became the NBA’s sixth head coaching casualty Monday — and the season is barely six weeks old.

There has never been this much impatience this early in the season. New Minnesota Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale blames an increased media presence on this accelerated rush to judgment. But the bad economy also plays an important role in those decisions; teams must give their fans the impression that they’re hearing their complaints and are committed to immediate action.

But there’s still wisdom in waiting.

The Pistons create almost $35 million in salary-cap room next summer when Wallace’s and Iverson’s contracts come off the books.

Shouldn’t that take the sting off an early playoff exit?

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/18/soar_spot?mode=PF
Celtics stay on a high (16) with victory in Atlanta
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff | December 18, 2008

ATLANTA - Some advice from the Celtics' youngest starter paid off in the final minutes of their 88-85 victory over the Atlanta Hawks last night.

"Rajon [Rondo] told me to relax a little bit," Kevin Garnett said after scoring 6 points in the final 2:52.

Indeed, composure played a big part in the Celtics' late rally against the hyped-up Hawks, as Boston improved its winning streak to 16 games, tied for the third longest in franchise history. The Celtics (24-2), who host Chicago tomorrow, won their 10th straight road game.

But the Hawks (15-10) made things difficult.

Garnett (18 points) converted the decisive field goal with a hook shot for an 85-84 advantage with 30 seconds remaining, then Kendrick Perkins blocked a Joe Johnson follow, and Rondo's free throw provided the deciding point. But Atlanta had two chances to tie. Johnson squandered one, hitting the first foul shot with 2.7 seconds on the clock, Garnett rebounding Johnson's miss on the second. Ray Allen then converted two foul shots with 0.7 on the clock. Mike Bibby's half-court toss then hit the front rim.

The outcome was in doubt until then, just as it was when the Celtics took a 103-102 victory over the Hawks last month in Boston on Paul Pierce's shot with 0.7 seconds remaining.

And though the Hawks took the first-round series between the teams to a seventh game last season, winning all three here, the Celtics keep having the last word.

"This is not a rivalry," Garnett said. "[The Hawks] are a very good team, they play with a lot of confidence and swagger. Joe Johnson is one of the best in the business and they cause a lot of hell and havoc. But you have to win for it to be a rivalry."

The Hawks seemed capable of victory. Though they started by misfiring from all angles, they kept firing and following, eventually flying into the lead until the final minutes.

"We didn't play great in a lot of ways but we just kept on grinding," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "They killed us on the glass and they got every loose ball. They got a lot of second shots but we executed down the stretch. This is a game in which we had to keep our composure."

The Celtics closed with a 22-13 edge over 6:41.

After a 3-pointer by Johnson (20 points) extended the Hawks' edge to 72-66 with 6:59 left, Garnett countered with a hook and a jumper, Pierce converted over Bibby, and Rondo finished a give-and-go from Garnett following a Perkins block for a 74-72 lead with 4:59 remaining, the Celtics' first advantage since early in the second quarter.

The Hawks regained the lead on Bibby's second-chance 3-pointer 25 seconds later, then remained in position to win. Johnson's free throw gave Atlanta its final lead, 84-83, with 48 seconds left. By then, though, the Celtics' offense was producing mismatches and Garnett and Pierce were capitalizing.

Garnett dunked off a Rondo lob with three seconds remaining on the shot clock for an 81-80 edge with 1:38 to play. Johnson's jumper gave the Hawks the lead 18 seconds later, but that was Atlanta's final field goal. Pierce's pull-up with 1:05 to play was countered by two Johnson free throws, then followed by Garnett's hook, which put the Celtics ahead to stay.

"In the huddle, guys just wanted to win," said the 22-year-old Rondo. "We kept our composure and got the win. I told [Garnett] to take us home in the last six minutes. It was him or Paul, or whoever, but I was sitting next to [Garnett] on the bench and I told him to make something happen. That's what great players do."

Philips Arena hosted a late-arriving, announced sellout (18,729) in one of the Hawks' most anticipated games of the season.

But the Hawks had a nearly empty start, missing six times on their first possession, and controlling the ball for 44 seconds before the Celtics could collect a rebound. The Hawks missed their first 11 shots, but their athleticism and resourcefulness kept them in contention (despite going 0 for 10, they were down only 4-2 after two Josh Smith free throws 3:20 into the game).

Zaza Pachulia's second-chance layup provided the Hawks with a 30-28 lead with 7:12 remaining in the first half, an advantage they did not relinquish until late in the game.

"We are motivated," Garnett said. "We don't circle one game on the calendar, we circle them all."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/18/rivers_confirms_teams_interest_in_mutombo?mode=PF
Rivers confirms team's interest in Mutombo
By Frank Dell'Apa and Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 18, 2008

ATLANTA - Coach Doc Rivers confirmed yesterday the Celtics were interested in free agent center Dikembe Mutombo.

But he predicted Mutombo would return to Houston.

Asked if he had talked with Mutombo, Rivers replied, "Always. He's a good friend. He's going to come back. I talked to him last week - he will come back.

"We're over the [salary] cap so it's tough for us to do a lot of stuff, but we're looking at everybody."

Yesterday, Mutombo attended a United Nations presentation of a Ben Affleck-directed film about refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo's home country.

"I told [Affleck] that I might play in his hometown," Mutombo said in a telephone interview. "He said, 'Come, we'd love to have you.' He's a really nice guy."

Mutombo said he plans to sign with a team after Christmas.

"My agent, David Falk, has talked to the Celtics," he said. "I'm also getting interest from other teams to contribute on [the floor] and on the bench as a mentor."


Pierce up to speed
Paul Pierce said he was less than full speed during the Celtics' 88-85 win over the Atlanta Hawks last night. Pierce sustained a left knee contusion and bruise in a clash with Utah's Mehmet Okur Monday. Pierce's status for tomorrow's game against Chicago was not known.

"If we had played [Tuesday], I probably wouldn't have played," Pierce said. "I was tired in the third quarter and it was a little sore, and that was evident on some shots I took in the lane. So, we'll see how it feels."

Pierce scored 18 points, converting two key shots in the lane on mismatches against Mike Bibby. As Pierce went to the Celtics' bench during a late timeout, he drew his hand across his throat, indicating the result had been clinched.

"Not tonight," Pierce said of the gesture. "We're not losing tonight. The last time we were in this building we lost. This was an emotional game. When we play Atlanta here, the crowd comes out. This was a good win for us - they had been talking about this game for a while."


Home advantage?
The Hawks took an 83-79 win over Charlotte Monday before an announced crowd of a little more than 10,000. "It's hard to generate energy because there's no one in the stands at the start of the game," the Hawks' Josh Smith said.

Last night's late-arriving crowd, announced as a sellout, was treated to a halftime appearance by Ludacris. It was the third game of an eight-game Hawks homestand, which opened with a victory over Cleveland, snapping the Cavaliers' 11-game winning streak.

"Regardless of what they do when we are not in town, I expect the crowd to be here when we are," Pierce said. "The crowd plays a factor, that's why most teams play well at home. It's sort of like an energy-booster. When you have the crowd behind you, you play a little bit better.

"We've played in hostile buildings. It's about keeping our composure. It's not like we haven't been there before - Utah, Detroit, they have hostile environments. We know what we have to do to win the game and it's about not getting caught up into it."


Gaining ground
The Celtics' 16-game winning streak tied the 1964-65 team for the third longest in franchise history, behind only the teams from 1981-82 (18) and 1959-60 (17). The Celtics (24-2) are among four NBA teams that started the season with 23 wins in their first 25 games: the 1969-70 New York Knicks, the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers, and the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.

"Every game is a big game for someone and in some ways it's made every game a big game for us, too," Rivers said. "It's helped us. The next game we have they'll be excited, too, and the next game after that; every road game is sold out. In a crazy way I think it's benefited us, where we would have that early-season lull, that midseason lull, you can't, because the place is sold out and they want to beat you really bad, and no more than here. And, so, in a lot of ways it's probably a good thing for us.

"In some ways this has to help us late [in the season]. Being attacked every night can't be a bad thing. But it's exhausting at times. Our practices now are tough because of that, because they are exuding a lot, every night."


Twiss gets assist
On Tuesday, Celtics public relations director Jeff Twiss delivered the game ball commemorating Gary Payton's 8,000th NBA assist to a Turner Broadcasting Systems building security official, who in turn delivered it to Payton - three years after Payton received it during a presentation as a Celtic. Payton had left the ball in Boston, Twiss taking it to his home, awaiting an opportunity to return it.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/12/celtics_streak_1.html
Celtics streak at 16
Email|Link|Comments (0) Posted by Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff December 17, 2008 09:55 PM
The Celtics went to the wire with the Atlanta Hawks again Wednesday night. This time, they recorded a relatively comfortable victory, scoring the deciding points with 9.1 seconds left in an 88-85 win. In the team's opening matchup this season, Paul Pierce converted the winning basket with 0.7 seconds remaining in a 103-102 victory.

The Celtics (24-2), who play host to Chicago Friday, improved their winning streak to 16 games, tied for third-longest in franchise history, and won their 10th road game in succession. But the Hawks (15-10) made things difficult.

The Hawks started the game misfiring from all angles. But the Hawks kept firing and following, eventually flying into the lead and remaining in command until Kevin Garnett took over in the final minutes.

A Joe Johnson 3-pointer extended the Hawk edge to 72-66 with 6:59 left. Garnett countered with a hook and 17-footer, Paul Pierce shot over Mike Bibby, and Rajon Rondo converted a give-and-go from Garnett following a Kendrick Perkins block for a 74-72 lead with 4:59 remaining, the Celtics' first advantage since early in the second quarter.

Garnett's hook made it 85-84 with 31 seconds remaining. Johnson missed and Perkins blocked the follow, Rondo then was fouled while passing, missing the first shot and then giving the Celtics an 86-84 advantage with 9.1 seconds remaining. Johnson drew a foul and cut the deficit to 1 point, then his missed free throw was grabbed by Perkins with 1.5 on the clock. Ray Allen then hit two foul shots with 0.7 on the clock and Bibby's half-courter hit rim following a timeout.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/12/slipping_and_sl.html
< Back to Front Page Text size – + Slipping and sliding
Email|Link|Comments (0) Posted by Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff December 17, 2008 09:04 PM
The Hawks threatened to pull away away, increasing their lead to 5 points over the Celtics, in the third quarter at Phillips Arena in Atlanta.

Several Celtics and Hawks lost their footing near the basket near the Hawks' bench during the first three quarters, and the Celtics' Glen Davis sustained a bruised right knee during pre-game warmups. After Paul Pierce fell with 8:11 remaining in the third quarter, the game was delayed while the floor was mopped dry.

When play resumed, Pierce converted a free throw, then the Celtics had two 3-point possessions, Pierce cutting the deficit to 55-53 with a free throw with 5:33 left. Ray Allen's 3-pointer pulled the Celtics within 60-59 with 90 seconds remaining in the third quarter. But the Hawks concluded the frame with two Joe Johnson foul shots and a 3-point advantage.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.metrowestdailynews.com/sports/pros_and_colleges/x881973832/Celtics-88-Hawks-85-Cs-escape-Atlanta-with-16th-straight
Celtics 88, Hawks 85: C's escape Atlanta with 16th straight

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Associated Press
Paul Pierce raises his arms in triumph in the final seconds of the Celtics' 88-85 win over the Hawks.

By Tom Saladino/Associated Press
MetroWest Daily News
Posted Dec 17, 2008 @ 11:28 PM

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ATLANTA — The Boston Celtics looked to Kevin Garnett in the fourth quarter.

Garnett scored 10 of his 18 points in the final period, and Atlanta's Joe Johnson missed a late free throw that would have tied it, helping the Celtics beat the Hawks 88-85 last night for their 16th straight victory.

After Johnson missed the second of two free throws with 2.7 seconds remaining, Ray Allen made a pair of free throws with 0.7 seconds left for the defending NBA champion Celtics, who have a franchise-best 24-2 record. It was only the second loss in 10 home games for the Hawks.

"I told KG to take us home down the stretch," Celtics guard Rajon Rondo said. "I said make something happen. He said no problem."

Garnett, quiet for much of the game, was 5-for-5 from the field in the fourth quarter after opening 2-for-10.

"It means we're playing well. We want to play championship basketball. That's what we're building up to. Our goal is to win a championship," said Garnett. "You play your role around here. You do your job. You do what you're supposed to."

"We got a lot of great shots within the last few minutes of the game." said Boston coach Doc Rivers. "Kevin hit two unbelievable shots,"

In the only other game this season between the two, the Celtics beat Atlanta 103-102 on Nov. 12 in Boston on Paul Pierce's last-second basket.

Pierce added 18 points, and Allen had 16 for the Celtics.

The Celtics are 10-1 on the road and 14-1 at home.

"Sometimes it seems as though it's a burden. That monkey grows. It's a good monkey though," Allen said. "I've never been on a streak like this. It's great to be a part of our winning here. I think our winning is based on our preparation."

Johnson led Atlanta with 20 points, 10 in the final period. He was 7-of-7 from the line before the miss. Marvin Williams added 16 points, and Josh Smith and Mike Bibby had 14 each for the Hawks.

"I had a chance to get us into overtime and missed the second free throw. I made the first one and some of the pressure was off," Johnson said.

"We drew the play up, and Joe got to the line, and the player that has carried this team the last four years went to the line," said Atlanta coach Mike Woodson. "You could not ask for anything different."

The Celtics took the lead for good at 85-84 on Garnett's basket with 30.8 seconds left. Rondo, who had 15 points, then made one of two free throws to make it 86-84 lead with 9.1 seconds left.

Atlanta had won 12 of 13 at Philips Arena dating to last season's playoffs when Atlanta made the postseason for the first time since 1998-98 with a 37-45 record and beat Boston in all three games at home but lost all four in Boston.

Atlanta snapped Cleveland's 11-game winning streak with a 97-92 victory Saturday night and beat Charlotte 83-79 on Monday night in the second of eight straight home games.

Notes: The best start in NBA history with two losses is 26-2, set by the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and matched by the '69-70 Knicks. ... The longest winning streak in Celtics history is 18, set during the 1981-82 season. ... The Celtics only road loss was 95-79 at Indiana on Nov. 1. Their only loss at home was against Denver on Nov. 14. ... The crowd of 18,729 was Atlanta's fourth sellout.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.nba.com/2008/news/features/12/17/121708celtics.shootaround/

Sophomore Celtics reflect on champion journey
By Adena Andrews, NBA.com
Posted Dec 17 2008 11:51PM

A championship title can be elusive and escape even the greatest of players. Just ask Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing. Each one is a Hall of Famer who has achieved phenomenal personal accolades in his long career but never reached the mountaintop to grab a championship.



For others, it's a lot easier. Sometimes they don't even have to play on the team the entire season to get the hardware. Take, for example, Gabe Pruitt and Glen Davis, the lone rookies of the 2007-08 champion Boston Celtics. As they get ready to take on the Atlanta Hawks, the team that almost denied them the title, both players paused to reflect on a time when they came in low in the draft but came out champs at the end of the season.

Pruitt and Davis, both second round draft picks, left school early with doubters preaching they would never make it. At the end of his final season at Louisiana State University, Davis was living up to the first part of his nickname "Big Baby" by weighing a whopping 310 pounds that some thought he could not lose. Pruitt left a blossoming University of Southern California team, which was slatted to grab top pick O.J Mayo, with under-developed talent that wouldn't get him recognized some said.

Months later, after losing some baby fat and tightening up their skills, both players were popping champagne bottles in the locker room at TD Banknorth Garden celebrating their success.

"After I got the ring I had a small chuckle in private," Pruitt said. "For all those people who doubted me in college it's kind of like, 'Now what can you say. I have an NBA ring.'"

For Davis it was a relief to pick up the title. "You got that chip off your shoulder and it makes you feel good to know you got your ring your first year," Davis said. "It's like... whew."

They may breathe a sigh of relief now but the road traveled was a bumpy one, especially for Pruitt.

Pruitt was sent down to the D-League three times and averaged 18.6 points in 18 games with the Utah Flash. He lived in a hotel in Utah and traveled back and forth from Boston for months. No matter his struggles, he was always there for the C's when they called.

"It was tough making all those trips. There were times when I flew from Utah straight to another city to play with the Celtics.

"It was just a matter of time until I got a roster spot in Boston," Pruitt said. "I worked hard in practice against these guys to make them better, so I knew eventually when the time came I would see my ring."

Now that he has a ring, Pruitt plays his role on the team and doesn't let the title inflate his ego. That's a little different than some of his teammates, who have been known to talk trash. A prime example is when the Celtics traded some heated words with the Knicks earlier this season.

"There is still some work I could do in this league to get my credibility up before I start talking like smack," Pruitt said.

"But in a couple of years it might be fun just to toss it out there."

Cocky isn't Pruitt's style, so the only place you will see him flaunting his ring is on his Facebook page, which is run by his cousin.

Davis is also humble about the title, but says being a sophomore on such a talented team is rough on him.

"They hold you to higher expectations," Davis said. "As a championship team full of veterans they expect you to pick up things quicker.

"Coaches will not bother the rest of the players but they will get on you. You can't get away with anything."

The nation witnessed this hard love on Dec. 5 when Kevin Garnett had some choice words for Davis that caused him to throw a mild tantrum on the bench.

"He's unpredictable. You never know what emotion [Garnett] is going to show.

"But those words help in the process of becoming a better player and man."

Since the sideline issue, Davis has received taunting in the blogosphere about his nickname and the tears that graced his face. Which prompted someone to ask him has he ever thought of changing his nickname. Davis has thought about changing his nickname and was amused by the Cajun themed recommendation of "Craw Daddy" for a new moniker.

While nicknames are fun, they are not high on the list of priorities as Davis and Pruitt focus on not letting a first-year championship steal their motivation.

"It's the competition that keeps me motivated. No matter what you win or how much money you have. If you love to compete, it's easy," Davis said.

Coaches may be hard on them and veterans may dish out harsh criticisms but the final story is that these two sophomores are elated to rock a bit of emerald bling and have the possibility of gaining more on a storied team like the Boston Celtics.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.sportsbybrooks.com/kevin-mchale-blames-bloggers-for-coach-firings-21409
Kevin McHale Blames Bloggers For Coach Firings
The walls certainly appear ready to collapse on Kevin McHale’s bunker as he coaches out the string with the Wolves and prepares for the inevitable postseason firing squad (if Tom Cruise doesn’t get there first to save the people of Minnesota!)



(Forget the standings, bloggers should judge McHale on how he demands the rapt attention of his players during timeouts)

Thankfully, since Coach McHale doesn’t know how to ‘X and O’, he had plenty of time this week to opine to Don Seeholzer of the ST. PAUL PIONEER-PRESS on why coaches are getting fired so rapidly this season.

And in a shocking development, McHale didn’t citing poor coaching for the unprecedented rash of firings. Instead, he said that bloggers are to blame for the trend.

“I think you’re going to see more and more shorter term stuff in our league,” he said. “Just because the access now, there’s so much media availability and everything else. There’s just so many bloggers; everybody’s got an opinion. There’s all kinds of stuff going on. Sometimes that starts forming the opinion of people in front offices, too, and owner. It’s been kind of a crazy year so far.”

Why, how dare I form an “opinion” about a coach and GM based on the standings!

Anyone from Minny will tell you that the only reason McHale still has a job is his status as a Minnesota-based basketball legend. Wolves Owner Glen Taylor has been overawed by the myth of McHale for many years, and only recently woke up to the fact that the former Celtic will go down as one of the worst GMs in NBA history.

Much like Carl Peterson in Kansas City, early success bought McHale time with the team, but despite the fact that he was responsible for the landmark draft of Kevin Garnett, it’s obvious that’s he’s beyond overmatched running a team in the modern NBA.

Some criticized Taylor for not firing McHale outright when Randy Wittman was let go, but I love the thought of McHale suffering through a season of having to try to coach that diarrhea soup he brewed up on the Wolves roster.

Well played, Sir Taylor.

[FLCeltsFan]

sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-081218


Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images
The Sixers improved to 2-0 under coach Tony DiLeo, but lost Elton Brand to a dislocated right shoulder.

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
The Celtics' Kevin Garnett shows the Hawks' Mike Bibby why he is the Defensive Player of the Year.

Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images
The Sixers improved to 2-0 under coach Tony DiLeo, but lost Elton Brand to a dislocated right shoulder.

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
The Celtics' Kevin Garnett shows the Hawks' Mike Bibby why he is the Defensive Player of the Year.
Previous photo Next photo 1Celtics Ground Hawks To Stretch Win Streak To 16
By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
(Archive)
ATLANTA -- Now I appreciate what it means to be a defending champion, and the target that championship teams have on their back every night. Boston's 88-85 win was one of the most memorable games of the early season, but doubly notable because it was really two games in one.

For the Celtics, it was a random regular-season game on a Wednesday in December.

For Atlanta, it was the biggest regular-season game in at least 10 years.

"We play in this atmosphere every night," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "It can only pay dividends for us in the end."

That difference was fairly immediately apparent, even before the game started. In normal midweek games in Atlanta, Ludacris doesn't perform at halftime, Dr. J doesn't take in the action, the local paper doesn't send four writers, and national TV cameras aren't crowding the court in warm-ups.

Actually, the latter point is true for any Hawks game. This was the first regular season national TV game for Atlanta in half a decade, and the only one scheduled for them all season.

It lived up to the hype too, as once again Boston brought out the best in the Hawks -- and their normally docile home crowd, which turns positively hostile at the sight of green jerseys.

After a closing stretch that featured five lead changes on five straight possessions in the final 1:38, the Celtics prevailed thanks mainly to one big play they made (Kendrick Perkins's block on Joe Johnson with nine seconds left) and one the Hawks didn't (Johnson's free throw miss with 2.7 ticks showing).

Doing so gave the Celtics their 16th consecutive win, and with home games coming against Chicago, New York and Philadelphia it seems likely they'll be gunning to make it 20 when they face the Lakers in a Finals rematch on Christmas Day. They also improved to 24-2 on the year, and are just two wins away from matching the best-ever start with two losses -- the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and the 1969-70 Knicks both started 26-2. They can break that record at home against the 76ers next Tuesday.

Perhaps most importantly, Boston avenged the three consecutive road losses they suffered here in last season's playoffs. And in a departure from the norm, it was Kevin Garnett who made the big plays down the stretch after a slow start.

"I was sitting next to him in a timeout and said, 'Look, you've gotta take us home,'" said Rajon Rondo.

That he did. Atlanta led 72-66 with 6:48 left and seemed poised to pull away when Garnett took over. He did it, unusually, by going to the low post -- an area he's rarely been seen of late. He started by scoring on the block against Josh Smith while drawing a foul, then stepped out and hit a jumper from his familiar perch at the top of the key. On his next post up he dropped in a perfect pass to a cutting Rondo for the lead, completing an 8-0 Boston run to put the Celtics ahead.

He wasn't done. Garnett fed Perkins for a basket and foul, and got so amped up he slapped Perkins in the chest four times while yelling encouragement (or whatever it is KG yells out there). And after Atlanta briefly regained the momentum courtesy of a vicious Smith cradle-and-cram over Perkins, Garnett re-established order by scoring on three of the next four trips.

But the final two buckets were the most impressive. With 1:38 left, the Celtics had the ball with the shot clock winding down. Rondo had dribbled through the lane and come out the other side without finding an opening for himself or a teammate, and found himself marooned at the top of the key with five showing on the clock. Garnett was battling Al Horford in the post and commanded Rondo to give him a lob.

"I read his lips and he told me to throw it," said Rondo. "Usually it's eye contact, but this time he said, 'throw it'."

Garnett took the lob and slammed it home to give Boston a temporary lead. He followed that up on a post-up bucket with 30.8 seconds left, making a difficult hook shot in the lane to put the Celtics ahead for good.

"Kevin hit two unbelievable shots," said Rivers.

From the 6:58 mark on, he was 5-for-5 from the field and scored or assisted on 15 of Boston's 22 points to give them the lead; he also got the rebound off Johnson's missed free throw to seal the win.

Garnett's torrid finish allowed Boston to survive an arena that proved its nemesis a year ago. As a result the streak -- which, to a man, the Celtics profess no interest in -- goes on.

Perhaps more interesting is that the Celtics gave no indication that this game was any more important to them than other contests, even given what happened in last year's playoffs.

In other words, at this point it's a one-way rivalry -- Atlanta sees the Celtics are their rivals, and the Celtics see Atlanta as just another Gollum jealously eyeing their ring. That disparity goes a long way toward explaining why the Hawks have played them so tough.

"If they played everyone else the way they play us they'd be a top five team," said Rondo.

It also makes what Boston has done in the early season even more impressive. The Celtics aren't sneaking up on anybody -- they're getting every opponent's best shot, and they're cruising anyway. With three more efforts like this one, they'll be in the history books at 27-2 when they make their return to L.A. -- and face yet another team seeking vengeance against them.

John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. To e-mail him, click here.

Dimes past: Dec. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13-14 | 15 | 16 | 17

2Breaking the Celtics' Start Down By the Numbers
By Royce Webb | ESPN.com

The Boston Celtics have won two dozen games with only two losses -- and only two teams have done that before, setting a standard that the Celtics need only two wins to match.

The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers, led by Wilt Chamberlain on the court and ESPN's Dr. Jack Ramsay in the front office, started 26-2 before losing to the Celtics on Dec. 11, 1966. The Sixers would get the last laugh that season, knocking the Celtics out of the playoffs on the way to the NBA championship, the only title in the 1960s not won by the C's.

Three years later, the New York Knicks also started 26-2 before the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) beat the Bockers on Dec. 9, 1969, behind Oscar Robertson's 31 points. Like the Sixers before them, the Knicks rode their smooth start all the way to the title. That championship run is famous for New York's Game 7 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring Willis Reed making an emotional entrance and Walt Frazier doing the rest in an 36-point, 19-assist, 7-rebound performance.

If the Celtics can take care of the Bulls on Friday night, then they can zoom past the Knicks and Sixers in the all-time record book by beating the Knicks and Sixers next week. On Sunday night, the C's host the latest version of the Knickerbockers, featuring David Lee inside and Chris Duhon at the point -- no more Willis and Clyde to contend with. And on Tuesday, the 76ers head to Boston to renew their old rivalry, with perhaps a 27-2 start at stake for the C's -- the NBA's first-ever 27-2 start, that is.

If they can handle those three sub.-500 teams at home, that gives their Christmas Day game on ABC against the Lakers even more sparkle, because the C's will be looking to extend their record to 28-2 and their winning streak to 20 -- which would be tied for the third-longest winning streak in NBA history, the record being 33 straight wins by the 1971-72 Lakers of Jerry West and Wilt the Stilt.

(By the way, with the Celtics not even halfway to 33 straight wins, let's note that they could win every game for the next month and still come up short of the Lakers' streak. But if somehow the Celtics rev this thing up to 40-2, they can tie the Lakers on Jan. 19 in a home game against Phoenix.)

But here are the most impressive numbers to know: 76, 6 and 18.

76: The number of games Boston is on pace to win.

6: The number of games Boston is on pace to lose.

18: The number of championship banners that will be hanging in Boston's rafters if their season ends the same way the season ended for the NBA's two previous 24-2 teams.